Issuu

Sunday, 31 July, 2022 I 1 Muharram, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 390 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition

Govt not to leave flood-hit in lurch: PM g

vISITS JACOBABAD, BALOCHISTAN TO REvIEW RELIEF ACTIvITIES IN AFFECTED DISTRICTS

ANNOUNCES RS1M FOR EACH vICTIM, RS0.5M EACH FOR TOTALLy DAMAGED HOUSES, RS0.2M FOR PARTIALLy DAMAGED JACOBABAD/ISLAMABAD

staff report

RIME Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday arrived here to visit the flood-hit areas of Balochistan to review rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) officers, chief secretary Balochistan and NDMA Chairman LtGeneral Akhtar Nawaz briefed the prime minister about the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the floodaffected areas of the province, PM Office Media Wing said. The prime minister took an aerial view of Goth Ali Mardan Shambani in district Jhal Magsi and other affected areas to assess the losses and the chief secretary Balochistan during the flight gave details about the flood situation and the relief operations. He stopped at the Shambani village and met with the people affected by the floods. The Prime Minister directed for the establishment of a medical camp and provision of medicines for the affected village. He also ordered posting of a veterinary doctor for the livestock and asked the authorities to immediately arrange two boats and ration for the villages and speed up the relief activities for the affectees.

The Chief Secretary Balochistan immediately sent additional teams for relief activities in the flood affected areas. Talking to media, the PM said he came to Balochistan to assess losses in affected areas including Quetta, Zhob, Chaman, Killa Saifullah, Loralai and Lasbella. The Prime Minister had held a meeting with the chief ministers and chief secretaries of provinces a few days ago in Islamabad and decided about the relief measures. Shehbaz Sharif said 300 people including 124 in Balochistan lost their lives in the flood affected areas, adding the government would give Rs one million each to the families of those who lost their lives. The provincial government would also give Rs one million to the families of the victims. He said the government would also give Rs500,000 each for totally damaged houses and Rs200,000 for partially damaged houses. He said he had constituted four committees which would hold consultation with the provinces to assess the losses of livestock and damage to the crops, adding in the next meeting in Islamabad on August 3, the situation after floods would be further reviewed. Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday said that Prime

Minister Shehbaz Sharif left for Jhal Magsi to view flood relief activities. During the visit, the Prime Minister will review the damage caused by floods and rains in Balochistan and also review rescue, relief and rehabilitation works, she said in a statement. The minister said that Sardar Khalid Magsi, Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hydari were accompanying the Prime Minister. She said that Minister for Housing Maulana Abdul Waseh, Saudi Minister for Power Mohammad Hashim Notizai were also visiting with the Prime Minister. Special Assistant to PM Syed Fahad Hussain and Chairman NDMA Lt-Gen Akhtar Nawaz were also accompanied the Prime Minister in the visit, she said. NDMA, cS BRIEf PM ON fLOOD SITuATION IN JAcOBABAD: Earlier, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had reached Jacobabad where Chief Secretar y Balochistan, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt-Gen Akhtar Nawaz and officials briefed the Prime Minister on the flood situation in Balochistan and ongoing relief-rescue operation, she said in a tweet. After the briefing, he left for Jhal Magsi to visit the flood affected areas, she said.

NEPRA decides PTI’s Wasiq Qayyum elected PA deputy speaker unopposed amid opposition boycott on another hike in power tariff LAHORE

staff report

PTI’s Wasiq Qayyum, who was a joint candidate of his party and the PML-Q, was elected as Punjab Assembly’s deputy speaker unopposed on Saturday after the Opposition announced a boycott of the polls. The Punjab Assembly deputy speaker’s seat fell vacant after Dost Muhammad Mazari was removed through a no-confidence motion submitted by the PTI after his ties deteriorated with the party. Speaking with the media persons, the Opposition candidate Ali Haider Gilani said that the Opposition has boycotted the elections as they are not “clean and transparent”. “We had strong objections regarding the election process,” said the candidate. OPPOSITION cRIES fOuL AgAINST

WASIQ’S ELEcTION: Special Assistant to Prime Minister, Attaullah Tarar said that PML-Q and PTI had rigged election of Speaker Punjab Assembly as secrecy and sanctity of the vote was violated during the voting process. Talking to the media, he de-

manded the Lahore High Court declare the election of PA speaker void, alleging that law and the constitution was violated. Attaullah Tarar said the election of speaker had to be held through secret ballot as per the law but unfortunately, it was not followed. It

was disclosed during the voting that ballot papers were issued with same serial numbers printed on ballot papers and counterfoil to identify the voter which was violation of rules, he mentioned. He said the PML-N had filed a petition in the Lahore High Court in this regard and demanded that the court being the custodian of the constitution and human rights, should declare the election null and void. He criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership for electing Ch Pervaiz Elahi as their chief minister. He said the PML-N would remain committed for across the board accountability. On the occasion, Rana Mashhood said that rigging was committed first time in the parliamentary history by violating rules openly and demanded that entire elections process should be declared as illegal.

Imran ‘abettor, guarantor’ of Arif Naqvi in $250m money-laundering: Musadik ISLAMABAD staff report

Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik on Saturday said PTI chairman Imran Khan was ‘abettor’ in a $250 million money-laundering case and the ‘guarantor’ of Arif Naqvi, Chief Executive of Abraj Capital and Investment Company, indicted by the US courts in a range of cases and could get up to 290-year jail. “How a person [Imran Khan], who is the abettor and protector of the $250 million money-laundering [Bahria Town case]; and the guarantor of an accused [Arif Naqvi] whom the US courts hint at

awarding 290 years jail, can be the upright and truthful,” the minister questioned while addressing a news conference in response to a presser of PTI leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain. He said $250 million money-laundering stood almost one-fourth of the PakistanIMF’s current $1.1 billion package, and how an ‘abettor and protector’ of this illegal activity could be declared “Sadiq-o-Amin.” The minister said it was strange that Imran Khan lived in the 200-300 Kanal house in Banigala and claimed of having no income source, but leading a luxurious life. He said Arif Naqvi was the person, who being chief executive of a foreign company

established a cricket club abroad and sent foreign funds to the PTI, which as per the laws of Pakistan was illegal. He said Arif Naqvi, working as the fund manager of foreign investors, was facing jail in the United Kingdom on charges of fraudulent activities and for involvement in different ‘black money schemes.’ He said the accused was also wanted by US authorities after they unearthed his illegal activities in America. As per law of the land, he said, no political party could get funds from other than Pakistani citizens and if anyone received finances from any foreign national or company it would be “black and illegal money.”

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has issued a decision to increase the power tariff once again. As per NEPRA’s decision, power tariff was increased by 50 paise per unit. The approval was given by NEPRA for the third quarter of the financial year 2021-22. According to the decision, the increase will impose an additional burden of Rs12.76 billion on the electricity consumers, the increase will come into effect for three months from September 1. The increase will not be applicable to the lifeline and K-Electric customers. NEPRA sent the decision to the federal government for its notification. It should be noted that Nepra had approved an increase of Rs9.79 per unit of electricity. The increase in the power tariff increase was approved in terms of monthly adjustment of last financial year. In Nepra, CPPA held a hearing regarding the fuel adjustment for June, in which the increase was approved. On July 28, the authority raised the power tariff for K-Electric consumers by Rs11.37, an Rs0.01 less than demanded by the power utility. staff report

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Sunday, 31 July, 2022 | LAHORE

NEWS

PML-N darES PTI To SUE FT ovEr FUNdINg STory ISLAMABAD

iNP

day after Financial Times published a report investigating how the PTI secured funds through cricket matches organised under a company owned by Abraaj Group founder Arif Naqvi, PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair said on Saturday this was a moment for party’s chief, Imran Khan, to “come clean” by accounting for his party’s funds and challenging the story in a court. Addressing a press conference, Zubair also called on the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice and summon Imran in the eight-

year-long prohibited funding case, of which the FT story was a “small part”. Zubair’s statements are the latest in a string of criticism of the PTI over the prohibited funding case and demands by the ruling coalition for the case’s closure. The prohibited funding case, previously called the foreign funding case, was filed by Akbar S. Babar and has been pending since November 14, 2014. Babar, who was a founding member of the PTI but is no longer associated with it, had alleged serious financial irregularities in the party’s funding from Pakistan and abroad. The ECP had reserved its verdict in the case last month. The FT on Friday published a story by

Simon Clark — the author of “The Key Man”, a book exposing the purportedly irregular dealings of business tycoon Arif Naqvi — revealing how funds collected through charity cricket matches were used for the rise of PTI. The report says fees were paid to Wootton Cricket Ltd, which, despite the name, was in fact a Cayman Islandsincorporated company owned by Naqvi and the money was being used to bankroll the PTI. This saw renewed calls for the conclusion of the prohibited funding case, as leaders from the ruling coalition heaped criticism on Imran and the PTI. Among them was Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who tweeted: “Could it get

more damning? The charade of selfproclaimed honesty & righteousness has been busted by the Financial Times story that details the flow of foreign funding into PTI bank accounts. Imran Niazi is a bunch of massive contradictions, lies & hypocrisy.” The prime minister also dared Imran to file a defamation suit against FT “for publishing an indicting article”. Referring to the premier’s tweets, Zubair said during today’s press conference that he was reiterating PM Shehbaz’s calls for Imran to “account for [his party’s financing] here and file a case against FT”. “File a case and everything will be out in the open,” he added.

Took back usurped mandate in democratic way: CM Elahi

Four big political parties hired firms in US for fundraising ISLAMABAD NewS DeSk

LAHORE Staff rePort

Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday declared that victory in the election of Punjab Assembly Speaker and success of the no-confidence motion against the Deputy Speaker is in fact the victory of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s narrative. He said that PTI has taken back usurped mandate of Punjab in a democratic way. CM Pervaiz Elahi said that fascism has been ended in Punjab. He went on to say that the process of service will start from the point it was stopped in April. “Change in the provincial came through a democratic way as per public mandate”, the CM said, adding that the opposition must brace themselves for surprises in the future. Meanwhile, Punjab CM Ch Pervaiz Elahi felicitated newly-elected Speaker Punjab Assembly Muhammad Sabtain Khan and thanked Allah Almighty for getting elected Sabtain Khan as the PA speaker. “The House expressed complete confidence in Sabtain Khan, he maintained. Pervaiz Elahi hoped that Sabtain Khan would ensure best practices to run the Punjab Assembly, adding that the opposition had to face another defeat as earlier. The opposition would continue to receive such surprises in future as well and is reaping what they had t sowed. The CM vowed to work hard day and night to serve the masses of the province with devotion.

Cabinet lifts ban on luxury items’ import ISLAMABAD Staff rePort

The federal cabinet on Saturday approved the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) decision to lift the ban on the import of luxury items. According to details, the federal cabinet has approved the ECC’s decision to unban the import of luxury items such as cigarettes, chocolate and juices. According to the ECC’s decision import ban on items such as cosmetics, tissue papers, pet food, fish, footwear, fruits and dry fruits has been lifted. Furniture, ice creams, jams and jellies, leather jackets, shampoo, sunglasses, ketchup, arms and ammunition, pasta, musical instruments, frozen meat, door and window frames, decoration articles, travel bags, suitcases, crockery and corn flakes can also be imported after the lifting of the ban. The government decided to ban the import of luxury items due to an alarmingly high trade deficit. The Ministry of Commerce on May 20 notified a ban on the import of 38 non-essential luxury items under an “emergency economic plan”.

Further commenting on the FT story, Zubair said it simply narrated how illegal money, collected for charity, was channelled and diverted to the PTI’s account. “And it wasn’t even declared.” Now Imran and the entire PTI leadership had an opportunity, he said. “If you want to continue to portray yourself as the most honest, file a libel suit against FT and get an apology. And if they (FT) don’t apologise, file a case against them in a British court,” he reiterated. Earlier in the press conference, the PML-N leader regretted that the prohibited funding case had been facing delays just because Imran and the rest of the PTI leadership were not ready to “give answers”.

LAHORE: Hundreds of residents of Garhi Shahu stage a protest against collection of ‘Super Tax’ in electricity bills, in front of Press Club. Photo by zubair Mehfooz

Karachi likely to get ‘above normal’ rain in August as well KARACHI Staff rePort

Karachi will likely get “above normal” rainfall in August as well, meteorological analyst Jawad Memon said on Saturday, after record rains caused massive destruction in the country in June and July, leading to the deaths of over 300 people, according to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Memon said between August 12 and 14, the city may receive “heavy rainfall”. The analyst further said that in August, three to four strong monsoon systems may have an impact on the weather in Sindh. This monsoon season has had terrible ramifications for Pakistanis, but in particular for city dwellers, where poor infrastructure planning compounded the problems caused by a high volume of rains. Flooded roads, electrocutions, electricity breakdowns and the paralysis of normal life became a part of everyday living for the citizens of Karachi. The misery and the failure of the Sindh government to keep up with the adverse impacts of the rains, prompted it to declare a public holiday in Karachi as well as Hyderabad, so citizens may stay safe and the government’s work to clear the roads of water continue unimpeded.

According to PMD, the weather in Karachi is likely to remain cloudy in the next 24 hours with a chance of drizzle. The lowest temperature recorded today was 26.5°C and the highest will likely range between 31°C and 33°C. The humidity recorded this morning was 81%, the PMD said, adding that winds from the south-west are blowing at a rate of 18km per hour. In the weather outlook for the month issued by Pakistan Meteorological Department, La-Niña was said to be prevailing “and is likely to continue with weak intensity during August”. The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), also known as the Indian Niño, is expected to remain in negative state, with increasing intensity towards the end of the forecast month. Based on the global and regional circulation patterns, the countrywide outlook for Pakistan in August is a tendency for “above normal precipitation” over most parts of the country. Northeastern Punjab, Kashmir, southern parts of Sindh as well as coastal areas of Balochistan are expected to receive “above normal” rainfall during the forecast month. Most parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan may receive “slightly above normal” whereas Gilgit Baltistan may receive “nearly normal rainfall” during August.

As Pandora’s box of foreign funding opens, it has been learned that four major political parties of Pakistan hired services of different firms in the United States for fundraising. According to the report of a private TV channel on Saturday, these parties are: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), and All Pakistan Muslim League (APML). Citing relevant documents, the report said the firms registered in the US were tasked with raising funds for these political parties. The PTI hired the services of the highest number of firms for the purpose, according to the documents. The documents revealed that a firm was registered under the name PTI USA LLC. The documents also disclosed that another firm was registered under the name of Sajid Burki through, which PTI collected $2.344 million in 2010. In 2014, a Pakistani-US citizen Aftab Shah transferred $75,000 to the party. Similarly, Sajjad Burki and Faisal Irshad also raised $75,000 in 2015 in the US and funded the party with $117,000 in 2017. The documents revealed that MQM-P also registered a firm as a non-profit organization (NPO) in the US. The address mentioned in the documents was 90 (Nine Zero) Karachi, which was the headquarters of MQM before it parted ways with founder Altaf Hussain. Abdul Rehman and Aijaz Siddiqui raised funds for the political party abroad and these funds were used in various projects of the party. APML – which is headed by former president Pervez Musharraf – also registered All Pakistan Muslim League LLC in the US.

Monsoon flooding destroys two dams in Balochistan CHAMAN iNP

Two dams, Jara and Tabina, collapsed in Balochistan’s Toba Achakzai of Toba Kakar range of mountains following the disastrous spell of monsoon rains. Jara and Tabina dams collapsed in the Toba Achakzai offshoot following heavy rains in the Tasharbat, Zemel Shadizi, Mako Kech, Zemal, Ghabarg, Adozai, Farakhi and its suburban parts. After the dams’ collapse, the floodwater wiped out cattle, crops and farmlands in the affected areas. It is pertinent to mention here that land connectivity to Toba Achakzai was disconnected from other parts of the country for four days.

19 more die, hundreds stranded in rain-flood-devastated Balochistan, KP QUETTA, PESHAWAR Staff rePort

Heavy rains and floods have unleashed devastation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaving 19 more dead and hundreds of others stranded in both provinces, the National Disaster Management authorities said. Relentless monsoon rains have pummeled the country and spelled disaster in towns, cities and villages alike. The Pakistan Army, Navy and Frontier Corps have been aiding the civil administration in rescue and relief operations in both the provinces. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz

Sharif departed for Balochistan to visit the flood-affected areas of the province and review the rescue and relief operations in the province, the PML-N said on its Twitter account. He will visit Jhal Magsi where he will be accompanied by Balochistan Chief Minister Quddus Bizenjo. After Balochistan, he will also visit Punjab and Sindh. Section 144 imposed in Balochistan Balochistan in particular has seen uncharacteristically heavy rains during the monsoon season this year. In the last 24 hours, nine of a family drowned after they were swept away by the floods, the PDMA said in an update. According to Balochistan Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili, since June 1,

rains have taken the lives of 124 people and damaged 10,000 houses in the province. At a press conference on Friday, he revealed that floods damaged approximately 565 km of roads and 197,930-acre of agricultural land while 712 livestock also died. He said 17,500 people affected by heavy rains and flash floods were rescued while the federal and the provincial governments have announced Rs1 million compensation for the deceased. Section 144 has been enforced in the province and the citizens have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel for 10 days, Uqaili added. Meanwhile, the road link of Balochistan with Sindh was completely cut off after a

bridge and a road connecting the two provinces were damaged in Lasbela and Khuzdar, respectively. Traffic on the Quetta-Karachi highway was still suspended due to collapsing of major bridges and sweeping away of big portions of the highway. Separately, trade between Pakistan and Iran was suspended after rains and flash floods washed away Quetta-Zahedan rail track at various points. A rescue operation by the PDMA and the Pakistan Army is underway in the province. On Saturday, relief goods were sent to flood-affected people in Quetta, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Dera Bughti, Khuzdar, Noshki and Kila Saifullah.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, at least 10 people were killed and 17 injured in floods and roof collapses, according to a report issued by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). It said that in the last 36 hours, nearly 100 houses were completely damaged in the floods leaving residents stranded in waisthigh water and no roof. The most-affected areas include Khyber, Mansehra, Lower Dir, Buner, Swabi and Dera Ismail Khan. The PDMA has warned that there were high-level floods in the Kabul and Jandi rivers and instructed administration to relocate people living in neighbouring areas. It added that the public could reach out to 1700 in case of an emergency situation.

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Sunday, 31 July, 2022 | LAHORE

PakISTaN haS No PLaN oF hoLdINg BILaTEraL MEETINg wITh INdIa: BILawaL TASHKENT

Staff rePort

OREIGN Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who is currently attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting, asserted that Pakistan has no plans of holding any bilateral meeting with India, it emerged on Saturday. Bilawal held six bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of Central Asian countries on the sidelines of the conference which is being held in connection with preparations for the SCO Heads of State meeting scheduled to be held in September. Bilawal held meetings with his counterparts from Afghanistan, China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

“There are no plans of any meetings between Indian and Pakistani prime ministers in September,” Bilawal said, adding that both India and Pakistan are part of the SCO and the two countries are only engaged in the context of the broad-based activities of the organisation. The foreign minister said: “India is our neighbouring country. While one can decide on a lot of things, one cannot choose its neighbours, therefore, we should get used to living with them.” Bilawal recalled that after 2019, constructive dialogue with India became difficult, while statements based on Islamophobia by Indian officials are further creating hurdles in dialogue. ‘What is our fault if Khan failed to boost ties with US?’ The foreign minister maintained: “We are trying to

find economic opportunities for our people”. The government is committed to improving economic ties with all the countries, including the US, he added. When asked about criticism by Imran Khan of the coalition government for its alleged weak relations with the US, the foreign minister said: “There is no truth to Imran Khan’s claims.” “Khan tried to strengthen relations with Washington when he was in power,” he said, adding: “What is our fault if he failed to boost ties with the US?” Taking to Twitter, Bilawal shared his experience of his first interaction at the SCO-CFM in Tashkent. “My first interaction at the SCO-CFM in Tashkent. Emphasised organisation’s important role [and] reiterated [Pakistan’s] commitment to collective efforts in achieving regional peace [and] economic prosperity,” he wrote.

KP CM unveils relief package for Balochistan flood-aﬀectees PESHAWAR Staff rePort

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan on Saturday announced the relief package for the flood affectees of Balochistan and directed the relevant authorities to ensure provision of package to flood-hit people within the next 24 hours. As per special directives of the chief minister, 32

trucks of relief package from the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be dispatched to flood-hit people of Balochistan. The relief package includes, 1,000 number of tents, 1,000 mattresses, 1,000 hygiene kits, 1,000 blankets, 1,000 quilts, 1,000 tarpaulin sheets, 1,000 mosquito nets and 20 number of dewatering pumps. Similarly, essential medicines and 1000 food packages are also part of the relief package.

PM, son to be indicted in money laundering case in September LAHORE Staff rePort

An accountability court in Lahore on Saturday announced to formally indict Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister, and his son Hamza Shehbaz in a mega moneylaundering case at the next hearing scheduled for September 7. Sharif and members of his family are facing charges of laundering at least Rs16 billion using accounts operated in the name of their businesses and employees, according to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The agency has nominated Sharif and his sons — Hamza and Suleman Shehbaz — as the principal accused in the case. 14 others have been named in the first information report (FIR) under sections 5(2) and 5(3) (criminal misconduct) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, read with 3-4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. While Shehbaz is no longer chief minister of Punjab, his father is expected to request parliamentary immunity from prosecution as he did in the hearings held after he assumed the office of the prime minister following a contentious no-confidence vote against his predecessor, Imran Khan, in April. During the

proceedings today, property details of Suleman, who was declared a proclaimed offender in the multi-billionrupee money laundering case, were submitted to Special Court (Central-I) judge Ijaz Hassan Awan who chaired the proceedings of the case. The reference mainly accused Sharif of being a beneficiary of assets held in the name of his family members and benamidars, who had no sources to acquire such assets. It said the members and benamidars of the Shehbaz family received fake foreign remittances of billions in their personal bank accounts. In addition to these remittances, the bureau said, billions of rupees were laundered by way of foreign pay orders, which were deposited in the personal bank accounts of Sharif’s two sons. The reference further said that the family of Shehbaz failed to justify the sources of funds used for the acquisition of assets. It said the suspects committed offences of corruption and corrupt practices as envisaged under the provisions of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, and money laundering as delineated in the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010. It asked the trial court to try the suspects and punish them under the law.

Pak-Saudi security cooperation to be enhanced further: Sanaullah ISLAMABAD Staff rePort

Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Saturday said that security cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia would be further enhanced. The minister expressed these views during a meeting with Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki who called on him here, said a press release. Sanaullah said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia would jointly face all internal and regional security challenges. Expressing gratitude to Saudi Arabia for the successful organization of Road to Makkah project to facilitate Pakistani Hajj pilgrims, he said Saudi always helped Pakistan in odd hour. Relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were based on brotherly, long-standing and historical roots, he added. The minister congratulated Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Saudi government for making excellent arrangements for Hajj. Pakistani people have special love and reverence to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, he added. He also thanked the Saudi government and embassy for facilitating Pakistani Hujjaj and making special arrangements for them. The ambassador said that over 80,000 Pakistani took benefit from Road to Makkah project this year.

OCAC demands revision of OMC margin to Rs8.85/litre for petrol, diesel ISLAMABAD ahMaD ahMaDaNi

The Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) on Saturday asked the petroleum division to revise the margin of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) to Rs 8.85 per litre with the start of August 2022. Expressed grave concern regarding approval of standalone revision in Dealer’s margin by Rs 7 per liter in petrol and HSD, the OCAC, in a letter dated 30th July 2022 to the Secretary, Petroleum Division, recommended that OMCs margin be revised to Rs 8.85/liter for both petrol and HSD effective August 1, 2022. OCAC said that the margin of dealers and OMCs have been revised collectively in the past, not just for

the sake of uniformity but because it is understood and appreciated that the cost of doing business for OMCs and Dealers are aligned and increase in cost is applicable for both OMCs and Dealers. OCAC said OMCs are exposed to additional significant costs from which the Dealers are protected. Therefore, increasing Dealers margins on standalone basis is prejudicial and will set an undesirable precedence, this action will further add to the already prevalent imbalance in favor of the Dealers, said OCAC. The OCAC added that OMCs margin is insufficient to cover the cost that has not yet been included in pricing. Based on current global and local scenarios we recommend that OMC margin be revised to Rs 8.85/litre for both PMG (Premier Motor Gasoline) and HSD effective August 1, 2022,” said OCAC letter to Petroleum Secretary dated 30th July 2022.

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan expressing his sympathy with the people of Balochistan said that the KP government and its people stood by the flood hit people in this testing time and would extend all possible support to them. He further said that, KP government shared the grief of affected people and purpose of relief package was to provide them immediate relief in this difficult situation.

NEWS

Punjab CM announces expanding scope of health card scheme LAHORE Staff rePort

Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has decided to further expand health card scheme, launched by former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan. According to details, the decision was taken during a meeting held under the chairmanship of newly-appointed Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi. During the meeting, the chief minister approved the upgrading of emergency wards of all hospitals in Punjab including Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology. He also directed the officials to end the shortage of doctors and staff in Wazirabad Institute. Speaking on the occasion, Pervaiz Elahi directed the concerned authorities to provide best health facilities to the citizens. “All medicines will be provided free of charge to the patients in the emergency wards,” he added. He said that the number of beds in Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology will be increased from 100 to 200. “In the second phase, the number of beds in the institution will be increased to 400,” the provincial chief executive added.

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Sunday, 31 July, 2022 | LAHORE

04 NEWS

AmericAn-PAkistAni investors urged to shift investments to PAkistAn for big return ISLAMABAD

APP

mbassador-at-Large on Investment Zeeshaan Shah has urged the AmericanPakistani investors to shift their investments to Pakistan for big returns as Pakistan provided lucrative investment opportunities. Zeeshaan Shah made this statement while addressing the American Pakistani investor diaspora in Houston, USA, at an event arranged by the Bank of Punjab in collaboration with Pakistan Chamber of Commerce, in Houston, USA.

The event was attended by Zafar Masud, President Bank of Punjab, former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani and leading business people and entrepreneurs from the Houston Pakistani community. Addressing the forum Ambassador Shah gave an overview of key investment opportunities in Pakistan with a focus on the IT, outsourcing, tourism, healthcare and renewable energy sectors. He lauded the efforts of the overseas diaspora in contributing to Roshan Digital which just weeks ago in June had its highest daily deposits with over $57 Million within a 24-hour period. Elaborating his role, Shah said

ecP postpones local govt elections in Lasbela due to rain ISLAMABAD StAff RePoRt

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed the local government elections in the Lasbela district of Balochistan after torrential rains and resultant flash floods wreaked havoc in the province. According to a spokesperson of the agency, the process of local government elections was postponed due to the suspension of transportation and damage to infrastructure and the restricted movement of people. “The process would be resumed from where it was stopped, and when the conditions improve,” a notification issued to this effect said.

digital friendships promoting peace in Pakistan, india

he had received his notification whilst on a family vacation and since then had taken it upon himself to immediately get to work combining his new responsibilities with family time. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently appointed Shah to represent Pakistan due to his own success as an overseas Pakistani building a business in Pakistan, with a singular focus of generating investment to create jobs for Pakistan’s bulging youth. With over 150 million people under the age of 30, the youth of Pakistan present a great opportunity but they must be given a conducive environment to utilise their skills in

a productive way. Shah touched upon the importance of Pakistan’s partnership with the United States to America as amongst Pakistan’s most important

international partners and said it was up to the overseas diaspora in the country to represent Pakistan in the USA as Pakistan’s ambassadors. He said that the USA is Pak-

istan’s biggest source of dollars as its largest export market and also the highest donor to humanitarian causes, where they have invested Billions of dollars to key initiatives including women empowerment, healthcare, sanitation, education and most recently donating 65 million life-saving Covid vaccine doses. Community leader and former APPNA President Dr Asaf Riyaz Qadeer who was crowned at the Most Influential Overseas Pakistani by PTI Governor Punjab Muhammad Sarwar said, “It gives confidence to overseas investors when they see dynamic young entrepreneurs coming forward into key positions of power. Houston’s business community welcomed Zeeshaan with open arms, he is a great ambassador for Pakistan and we will continue to support him on his mission to promote investment, create jobs and build better Pakistan”.

Medical facilities being provided to flood aﬀectees in Balochistan, says Ehsan Shah QUETTA APP

Balochistan Health Minister Syed Ehsan Shah on Saturday said that all available resources were being utilized to provide medical facilities to the flood affectees in Balochistan. He expressed these views during a visit to the medical camp organized for flood victims at Tiara under the supervision of DHO and district administration Lasbela. The minister also issued instructions to the health department of Lasbela on an emergency basis to provide essential items including medicines to the rain affected people in the area. Ehsan said that it was beyond man’s

power to prevent natural disasters, but providing immediate medical facilities to the people after the disaster and saving their lives was their primary responsibility. The basic responsibility of the doctors and those associated with the medical profession was to provide immediate medical care to the affected people, he said, adding that no negligence would be tolerated in that regard. District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Qamarul Haq Ronjho briefed the minister that on the orders of Deputy Commissioner Lasbela and the Secretary Health, the district health department had prepared a health plan in advance, before the recent monsoon rains. He said that they made a rapid re-

sponse under the health plan, adding that the health teams had been alerted, and medical camps had also been set up in the affected areas. The DHO said that urgent measures had been initiated after the recent monsoon rains in Lasbella where cases of skin-related diseases were reported. The competent authorities of the health department, UNICEF and WHO, had also been contacted for medicines and other needs to protect against cholera and skin diseases. The victims were mostly women, children and the elderly, he said. He said that three teams of the rapid response of the health department were working in Uraki Tiara and Kanki Bela Jhao Cross, adding that the staff was

present in the affected areas and efforts were being made to provide medical facilities to the people. However, he said, due to the lack of mobile network and communication, the medical teams had to face difficulties in reaching the affected areas. Medicines had been sent to the flood affected area by helicopter on the special instructions of Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Meanwhile, the army and the district administration along with rescue teams of Edhi Welfare Foundation, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Lasbeal Iftekhar Bugti, were engaged in rescue operation for the third consecutive day.

LAHORE/nEW DELHI AnAdolu Agency

A Facebook page is bridging the divide between people from Pakistan and India, South Asian nuclear-armed nations which have been to war three times since their independence in 1947. As recently as August 2019, the two countries cut off diplomatic and trade ties after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed region. Amid the rise in the tide of jingoism, Tanay Agrawal, 33, created the page titled, Indo-Pak Book Lovers Club — A Peace Initiative. “People could talk about their favourite books and share their thoughts about the literature of the sub-continent,” said Agrawal, who is an Indian national. His initiative was an overnight success. People from both countries also began attending monthly virtual meetings organised by Agarwal where they would discuss one book each time. “We had eminent authors on our forum from India and Pakistan including Rumana Husain, Anam Zakaria, Haroon Khalid, Rashmi Bansal, Sam Dalrymple, and many more to encourage young people to read and explore literature from the other side of the border as well,” he added.

In letter to Modi, Mushaal urges for release of Yasin Malik ISLAMABAD StAff RePoRt

The Chairperson of Peace and Culture Organization (PCO), Mushaal Hussein Mullick, has written a letter to Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, urging him to urgently release her husband and Kashmiri Hurriyat leader, Muhammad Yasin Malik, and show a sense of magnanimity and fairness towards the fragile health condition of detained leader Yasin. Mushaal Mullick wrote that her Husband, Muhammad Yasin Malik, the Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, one of the most powerful peaceful leaders of Jammu and Kashmir is currently jailed in solitary confinement in Delhi’s Tihar Jail. She said Yasin Malik has been undergoing a fast unto death since July 22 against denial of justice and fair trial where he has been denied the right to personal appearance in the ongoing trial is in complete contravention of legal and

democratic norms. Mushaal wrote that with his fast-deteriorating health condition due to years of incarcerations, tortures and multiple ailments, Yasin Malik has been put on intravenous fluids in a Delhi Hospital where he is battling for life. “My husband had informed the court that he had moved an application to the State of India seeking his personal appearance in the court trials for cross examination and a fair trial but unfortunately his request was not entertained,” she deplored. Therefore, the PCO Chairperson said, due to no response from the Indian government, he was left with no legal recourse and he eventually took the decision of going on a hunger strike unto death from 22nd July 2022. “I request Mr. Narendra Modi to take personal interest in this matter urgently and show sense of magnanimity and fairness towards the fragile health condition

of Yasin. The spirit or compassion, justice and unbiased introspection should define the prompt response of the Indian State,” she added. Mushaal stated in her letter that Yasin Malik had been leading a peaceful political struggle for the people of Jammu and Kashmir for over three decades following all international norms, treaties, Geneva Conventions, United Nations resolutions and struggling day and night for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute where Government of India has officially taken him onboard in the past. His struggle is for the people of his land to live in peace, harmony and liberty. The Hurriyat leader said, since he is an Icon for nonviolent struggle and peaceful solution of Kashmir dispute, God forbid if anything untoward happened to him during his incarceration, the sole responsibility of his killing will fall upon the State of India. He must be allowed the right to live with dignity and be given justice before it’s too late, she added.

Education Conundrum in Pakistan AfnAn WASIf Pakistan inherited a well-established primary and secondary educational system, especially in the urban centers and much of Punjab, although it had been predominately manned by Hindus, many of whom left for India after the partition. The major educational assets Pakistan inherited were situated in Lahore, where a number of elite states and missionary schools had taught several generations of Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims, producing many of India’s and Pakistan’s future leaders. In 1947 Pakistan’s First Educational Conference recommended universal primary education and an improvement in quality, but at the time the state’s resources were concentrated on the industrial and economic infrastructure, including communications, railroads, water and power, and defense, with education and health receiving low priority. For the next fifty years, the pattern remained much the same. Pakistan is currently facing two problems with respect to education. One is “access to education” means a lack of educational infrastructure and the other is “access in education” which means a lack of quality education. The former issue has been addressed to some extent by various regimes over time. Educational infrastructure includes schools, colleges, universities, laboratories, and libraries.

Some major cities like Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Multan, and Bahawalpur are in possession of some prestigious institutions like Aitchison College, Cadet College Fateh Jang, Roots International Schools and Colleges, La Salle Higher Secondary School, Sadiq Public School, etc. Such institutions are providing quality education to a specific segment of society only. But the middle and lower classes are deprived of access to and access in education in the true sense. In the rural areas of South Punjab, Interior Sindh, and Balochistan, there is no state-of-theart educational institutions. Feudalism prevails in these areas. Feudal lords do not allow their subjects to get quality education. I personally have witnessed the same phenomenon in Muhammad Hussain Marri Goth in rural Mirpur Khas. Anyone can visualize the ruins of only one primary school in the aforesaid Goth of Interior Sindh. So this is the problem of access to education. Our general masses are deprived of the infrastructure of education. Populations from such backward areas cannot be able to access education facilities. Access to Education across the globe is considered to be the basic need of subjects living under any regime. But unfortunately, Pakistan is lagging behind in the provision of this particular basic need to its public. Lack of quality education including quality of teaching and learning is another potent issue

faced by the education system of Pakistan. Most of the urban areas of Pakistan have an educational infrastructure. Schools, colleges, and universities are running. These educational institutions without quality education including the aforesaid two contours may become more toxic to society than those societies without even educational infrastructure. No proper method of training for teachers is practiced in Pakistan. Teachers are not synchronized with contemporary teaching methods. Financial constraints are another prominent problem in this regard. The level of engagement and participation in educational life by students is very low. Research is required in every field of study. But in our country, this department is out of the race as compared to the rest of the world. “Ratta System” dominates our educational system. The educational system is not synchronized with the dynamic market. Our graduates from backward areas’ universities are becoming a burden for our economy as the unemployment rate is increasing. They are incompetent to excel in a vigorous and challenging world as they were deprived of quality education. They are unaware of current trends. The author is a student of Strategic Studies at National Defence University, Islamabad. He could be reached at afnanwasif84@gmail.com

Sunday, 31 July, 2022 | LAHORE

NEWS

NEPRA decides on another hike in power tariff continued from page 01 The approval was given in terms of fuel adjustment charges for June 2022 and the increase will not be applicable for lifeline consumers. The K-Electric has demanded a hike in power tariff by Rs11.38 and while justifying it one of its spokespersons said that it was for a month in terms of FAC and was as per the NEPRA rules. The power utility blamed the hike in prices of furnace oil in international markets by 42 per cent from March to June 2022 behind the increase. “The RLNG prices also rose by 50 from March to June,” a spokesman for the K-Electric said.

Pakistan lauds move to declare central Asia a ‘zone of peace’ united nationS Staff RepoRt

The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution declaring Central Asia a zone of peace, trust and cooperation. Acting without a vote, the 193-member Assembly recommended that all states in the region and all other regions cooperate in preserving peace in the Central Asian zone and respect the national unity, sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of all states of the region, in strict observance of the Charter of the United Nations. Introducing the resolution, Turkmenistan Ambassador Aksoltan Ataeva, on behalf of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, said the time has come to articulate and declare clearly the principles and norms that will contribute, based on the legitimate interests of Central Asian countries, to peace and security, sustainable development in that region, cooperation and the cultural relations of their people. The countries of the region have great potential for cooperation and development, she said, adding they share a common spiritual, cultural and historical heritage. They also share transport and communication networks and economies that complement each other. Pakistan’s UN ambassador, Munir Akram, said the resolution’s aims to strengthen international peace and security, promote the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, advance multilateralism and enhance mutual understanding and cooperation — are essential building blocks for economic development, regional peace, prosperity and connectivity in Central Asia and beyond. “Pakistan fully supports this timely resolution and its objectives,” he said. Pakistan is committed to building connectivity and cooperation in trade, investment, transport, energy and other sectors with its Central Asian neighbours, Ambassador Akram said. Noting the world has witnessed frequent resort to unilateral force and external intervention over the past few decades, the Pakistani envoy said foreign occupation persists in several regions, with conflicts, among and within nations, proliferating. “Ideologies of hate-Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, fascism — have re-emerged. And, a new and destabilizing global arms race is underway,” he said. “In this challenging global environment,” Ambassador Akram said, “It is essential to revive respect for the principles of the UN Charter; to actively promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts and international cooperation, and to overcome global challenges of development and climate change.” Pointing out that Central Asia connects the East with the West and the North with the South, the Pakistani envoy said peace and stability in this region are vital for the achievement of stability, cooperation and trade. For sustainable peace in the region, durable peace and security in Afghanistan must be ensured, he added, calling for sustained engagement with that country’s government by all its six immediate neighbours.

ImRAN sECuREs INtERIm bAIl IN loNg mARCh-lINkEd CAsEs iSLamaBad

Staff RepoRt

district and sessions court in Islamabad on Saturday granted transit bail to former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan in 10 cases registered against him in connection with the long march on Islamabad. After Khan called off his march, he and members of his party were booked in cases registered at police stations across Islamabad over allegations of arson and vandalism in the capital. Following the complaints, he petitioned the court through his counsel Babar Awan. He also appeared before the court of judge Kamran Basharat Mufti as he took up the petition. During the hearing, Awan said his client had been booked in 15 cases of

the “same nature” and requested that he be granted bail. The court, subsequently, confirmed Khan’s request for bail and instructed him to submit surety bonds of Rs5,000.

In another case, registered under sections of treason at the Kohsar police station, the court granted him interim bail. The judge has summoned the record of the case at the next hearing,

US sentences Canadian who narrated IS videos to life in prison

scheduled on September 8. On May 26, a first information report (FIR) was registered at the Kohsar police station at the complaint of SubInspector Asif Raza under Sections 109 (abetment), 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public service), 188 (disobedience), 353 (assault on public servant), 427 (causing damage) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The second FIR was registered on the same day at 3:20 am on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Ghulam Sarwar. On May 28, 11 more cases were registered against the top leadership, including Khan, and activists of the party under different sections by the Loi Bher, Secretariat police, Aabapra police, Golra police, and Bhara Kahu police, among others.

China puts weight behind extending CPEC to Afghanistan iSLamaBad anadolu agency

WaSHington afp

A Canadian man said to be a key player in the so-called Islamic State group’s propaganda production and who narrated multiple violent videos was sentenced Friday to life in prison, the US Department of Justice said. Mohammed Khalifa, who was born in Saudi Arabia, pleaded guilty in December to conspiring to provide material support to IS resulting in death. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ) indictment, he left Canada in 2013 to join the IS group in Syria, where he quickly took on a leading role in the selfproclaimed “caliphate” that strad-

dled that country and Iraq. Khalifa, now 39, quickly began serving in “prominent roles” within the IS group and by 2014 had become a key member of a propaganda cell, the DOJ said, due in particular to his mastery of both English and Arabic. That cell was notably behind the production of videos of foreign hostages being executed, including US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, who were decapitated in 2014. Khalifa additionally provided the English voiceover for two of the most “exceptionally violent” IS videos, from 2014 and 2017, in which he is seen executing Syrian soldiers, the DOJ said.

He is also the alleged narrator of recruitment videos showing IS attacks in France and Belgium, which urge others to take part in similar acts of violence. In January 2019, he was captured during a firefight by Kurdish-dominated Syrian forces allied with the United States. In an interview the same year with Canada’s CBC from his Syrian prison, Khalifa showed no regret for his actions. He said he wanted to return to Canada with his wife and their three children, but on the condition that he would not be tried there. However, he was entrusted in 2021 to American authorities and ultimately transferred to the United States.

China has conveyed to the interim administration in Kabul that Beijing supports extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan, the nation’s Foreign Ministry said. “China hopes to push the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with the development strategies of Afghanistan,” China’s top diplomat Wang Yi told his Afghanistan counterpart, Amir Khan Muttaqi. Wang also announced zero tariffs on 98 percent of Afghan imports and the resumption of the issuance of visas to Afghan citizens beginning early next month, according to a statement. The two met in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit of foreign ministers. Afghanistan is a member of the SCO. Wang said Beijing “supports the extension of the CPEC to Afghanistan, and shares China’s development opportunities.” The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a multibillion-dollar economic and infrastructural developmental arrangement between Islamabad and Beijing under which China has invested more than $25 billion in Pakistan since 2014. After the complete withdrawal of US-led foreign forces from Afghanistan, Islamabad and Beijing appear to have agreed to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan where the Taliban has ruled since last August. The Taliban administration has also insisted on stabilizing the war-torn country to become the transit between Central and South Asia. Wang told Muttaqi that China “appreciates the Afghan interim government’s unremitting efforts in overcoming the four challenges posed by the winter, earthquake, flood and sanctions, in reconstruction and recovery and the improvement of people’s livelihood, and its steady progress toward the goal of lasting peace and stability.”

Afghan Taliban will soon let girls attend school, says Pak cleric after Kabul visit iSLamaBad agencieS

A delegation of notable Pakistani religious scholars who returned home on Friday after “fruitful” meetings with top Afghan and Pakistani Taliban leaders in Afghanistan expressed hope that the Afghan girls will soon be allowed to attend schools in their country. Furthermore, Pakistani religious leaders were optimistic about their meetings with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), promising them their full support for the restoration of peace in Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban had invited the top religious leaders who visited Kabul under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani. The Ulema held meetings with senior Afghan Taliban leaders including Afghanistan’s acting prime minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, interior minister

Sirajuddin Haqqani, the education minister, etc and discussed various issues related to the girls’ education and engaging the Afghan people in the development of their country. The Ulema sees this as an opportunity and sought help and support from their Afghan hosts in organising a meeting with TTP. According to sources, Maulana Tayyab arranged the second meeting with the Pakistani Taliban after the first failed. When contacted upon his arrival in Peshawar, Maulana Tayyab told that their visit was very fruitful, claiming that they discussed almost all important issues with both the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban. Maulana Tayyab is an influential religious leader and is widely respected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal districts. The Pakistani Taliban also respects him as a majority of them studied either in his madrassa in Panjpir, Swabi or in other madrassas af-

filiated with his school of thought. “In our meeting with the Afghan Taliban, we stressed that you must open girls’ schools and colleges so they can get education. I gave them my example and told them that I am Mullah as well but my niece is presently serving as a general in the Pakistan Army,” he said. Maulana Tayyab said he told them that a female in Pakistan has translated the Holy Quran into the Pashto language, who is his wife. Also, he said his wife had written a book in the Pashto language for helping others to understand the Holy Quran. “Had she not attended school and not gotten education, how could she have served the Holy Quran and our religion,” Maulana Tayyab said. He said he advised them to allow all girls to go to their schools and colleges. The Taliban government could make separate arrangements so they can get education in a better environment, he added.

“They appreciated this and assured us that they would soon open girls’ schools and colleges where they can get education according to the Sharia law,” the religious leader said. He said they also told the Afghan Taliban that Pakistan’s development and welfare is dependent on Afghanistan and vice versa. According to Maulana Tayyab, they advised the Afghan Taliban to work together for the development and betterment of the brother neighbouring countries. “I can’t explain in words the way they respected us during this visit and kept us in high regard,” Maulana Tayyab recalled. About the peace talks with the TTP leaders, he said their meetings went well and they were quite optimistic about the success of the peace process with them. “They could not control their emotions when they met us and offered full support in

the peace process. I asked them how can you come to Pakistan with arms. Are you coming for fighting or peace,” he said. He said the Taliban told them that they would do whatever the religious leaders would ask them to do for the restoration of peace. “They told us Pakistan is our home and we would love to return home. I told them that it doesn’t make sense that you are coming to your home with arms and they said they would not object to whatever you people decide,” Maulana Tayyab said. About their demand related to the restoration of former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), he said he didn’t discuss it much as it was not related to Sharia. “My job was to discuss issues related to Sharia and I am happy they agreed with what we told them,” he said. When asked if they will visit them again for the peace process, he said it was not decided yet.

06-07 Comments 31st July 2022_Layout 1 7/31/2022 12:23 AM Page 1

Sunday, 31 July, 2022

06 COMMENT

Washington is Eyeing Tehran

PTI regains Punjab But IK needs to hold onto his hat

The USA doesn’t know how to get a deal again

ITH Ch Pervaiz Elahi sworn in as CM last week, the PTI has regained control over Punjab after nearly three months of PML(N) rule. on Thursday the PTI got party stalwart Sibtain Khan elected Speaker of the provincial assembly, thus further strengthening the PTI’s hold on Punjab. Ch Peraiz is credited with introducing 1122 rescue service, replacing traffic police with a more efficient system of traffic wardens and setting up the Lahore Food Street. He is also known for treating opponents as competitors rather than enemies. PTI chief Imran Khan would however want Ch Pervaiz to ruthlessly suppress the opposition and use all means, fair or foul, to stop the return of the PML(N) to power in Punjab. It remains to be seen if he abides by his projected norms or succumbs to PTI’s rough methods. Mr Khan believes that he currently enjoys mass support and can return to power provided elections are held at the earliest. Failing to get the demand for snap polls accepted, he might try to force the elections on the administration by announcing massive marches. This will require mobilisation of Punjab government resources. To force the federal government to hold early elections Mr Khan may decide to dissolve the KP and Punjab governments. while Ch Pervaiz has already expressed readiness to dismiss the Punjab Assembly should Mr Khan instruct him to do so, it might not be easy to persuade PML(Q) legislators. Punjab has been in the throes of a crisis for the last four months with a third shaky government in place. Mr Khan wants snap polls. Instead of issuing ultimatums and demanding a CEC of his choice, the PTI chief needs to negotiate with leaders of other political parties on the issue. Another complex problem that needs mutual consultation is the state of the national economy. Understandings reached with the IMF and financial assistance being sought from friendly countries require a national consensus. This can be developed through talks between the government and opposition. It is time for all major parties to come together to develop consensus on an electoral schedule and matters related to the economy.

dr MuhAMMAd AkrAM zAheer

wo weeks ago, US Deputy Secretary of State wendy Sherman demonstrated the Biden Administration's magical thinking about Iran at the House of International Students. State Department spokesman Ned Price insisted last week that there was a deadline for talks, but failed to say whether it would be in one day or five years. Meanwhile, Iran's nuclear programmt continues unceasing. Progressives and the State Department may dislike President Donald Trump for withdrawing from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), but that's wrong for three reasons: First, Iran is bound by the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The JCPoA did not free Iran of its legal obligations. Second, Iran's enrichment did not increase when Trump withdrew from the JCPoA, but when the Biden Administration ended Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's "maximum pressure" campaign. Here, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' timeline is definitive. Third, the JCPoA has not done what Presidents obama and Biden said they would do. For Biden's team, basing its strategy toward Iran on fantasy rather than reality could quickly lead to the worst: not just Iran acquiring nuclear weapons but a moment when Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's adviser Kamal Kharazi says that now it is a very dangerous situation. The question is not when, not if, and an endless conflict that will destabilize the region. Biden's team may be obsessive about Iran's nuclear programme. Biden probably won't live to see the results. Special Envoy Robert Malley (an American lawyer, political scientist and specialist in conflict resolution, who was the lead negotiator on the 2015 deal) has never considered the Islamic Republic a

The COAS’s SOS Imran’s criticism sounds odd

HIEF of Amy Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has appealed to the US Deputy Secretary of State for help on the release of the latest tranche from the IMF. w@hile this might be surprising, it is perhaps even more surprising that PTI chief Imran Khan has chosen to criticize this. Interestingly, he has not so much criticized General Bajwa because it is not the CoAS’s purview to do so, but because it reflects Pakistan’s weakness. He also expressed concern about what the USA might demand in return for such help. This may be consistent with Mr Khan’s stance that his government was ousted by the USA with the help of the CoAS. However, when Mr Khan held office, General Ajwa pulled his government’s chestnuts out of the fire whenever someone put his foot in his mouth. Notably, General Bajwa had to engage in such firefighting missions in China and Saudi Arabia. Mr Khan apparently saw nothing wrong with the CoAS playing a role then, nor was any objection made to General Bajwa’s announcement that an era of geoeconomics would replace hat of geopolitics. Mr Khan also did not object to General Bajwa’s dinner hosting the country’s leading businessmen. It should not be forgotten that General Bajwa used to meet foreign visitors of senior ministerial level separately, and not as part of the PM’s or Defence Minister’s delegation, as do his counterparts in advanced democracies. Mr Khan's criticism is more suited to those democracies, but in office, he did little to stop the kind of ‘mission creep’ that would see a CoAS involved in an IMF loan. Ms Sherman is under special pressure, because she received SAPM Tariq Fatemi, who spoke to her on the same lines, even though the Foreign office later denied any connecvtion with him. However, Mr Khan critique sounds less principled, and more piqued, as if resenting any help given to the government that replaced his.Mr Khan's criticism is more suited to. General Bajwa’s intervention, it must be said, is unusual, and reflects the dire straits in which the economy is. Matters are fast approaching the point where even if Ms Sherman delivers on General Bajwa’s request, ther IMF loan might be too little too late.

M. AizAz SAlAhuddin

ITHIN a climate there are patterns and there are anomalies: the sun ascending in the morning and descending in the afternoon is a pattern; meanwhile, earthquakes, landslides, and lightning strikes are all anomalies. Monsoon rainfall is not an anomaly; monthly data on rates of precipitation and the geographical distribution of that precipitation for the past several years along with newspaper reports, journalist photography, and civilian accounts all testify to this fact. Yet, each year conversations on monsoon rainfall are dealt with as exactly that, an anomaly, attracting words like, ‘unfortunate’, ‘chaos’, and ‘disaster’, all falsities, until the situation just about does become an unfortunate, chaotic disaster. Granted, there may be anomalies within existing patterns of monsoon a factor increasingly common, fueled and exacerbated by climate change – however, being equipped with weather information spanning over several decades allows us to accurately predict and best prepare for the challenges to come, well in advance. It is worth noting that these anomalies may appear in diametrically opposite directions: 2018 had the driest monsoon in two decades, whereas the first spell of monsoon 2022 has brought one of the highest average rain per mm to date in Karachi, according to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reports. Comprehensive figures and estimations on rainfall patterns are indispensable information in relief planning by government authorities, but at the same time, notices and warnings of floods are equally important for the common person’s precautions against inclement weather– including, but not limited to, adjusting office hours, avoiding underpasses and

Founding Editor

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The writer has a PhD in Political Science and can be reached at akramzaheer86@yahoo.com

Somebody should realize that monsoons come every year

Arif Nizami (Late)

M. A. Niazi

Washington believes that they should do as much as possible against Iran and South Lebanon (In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon and during the conflict, according to Lebanese sources, between 15,000 and 20,000 people were killed, mostly civilians.) and imagines that others should just pick up the pieces. Unfortunately, this is the scenario to which Biden's Iran policy is now leading

Monsoon: Pattern or Anomaly?

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

threat. Through the lens of his moral equivalency, he believes that Iran has the right to possess nuclear weapons. Deputy Secretary Sherman said “there is a very viable agreement and Iran just has to say, ‘yes’,”, explaining that internal politics are likely at play over who is truly the nation’s current supreme leader. She also believes privately that a failure in the Iran negotiations will be no worse than his failure with North Korea diplomacy. However, she further said North Korea has not (yet) used its nuclear weapons. However, there is no threat for Israel, Saudi Arabia and other regional states from nuclear Iran but it is seriously unpleasant. If the regime collapses in just a day or two and unless popular forces take over Tehran, the theoretically assessed IRGC units that are guarding, commanding and controlling Iran's nuclear arsenal may take power and launch an offensive to achieve their ideological goals before the end. This situation is making regional states more fanatical about Iran's nuclear programme than the white House. Some scholars think Iran's nuclear debacle will be another opportunity to avoid responsibility if they don’t take it seriously. It may be an existential threat to the Jewish entity of Israel as well. Then it may be possible for Israel to attack Iran's nuclear programme. But there is a question, why Israel was not against Iraq in 1981 but against Syria in 2007. I think that Iran is not against Iraq or Syria. while Iraq only had osirak and Syria only Al-Kabar, Iran's nuclear programme is spread across the country and includes more than a dozen targets. Moreover, Iran is larger and more remote than Syria or Iraq. Iran is about four times the size of Iraq and about nine times the size of Syria. It may also be difficult to defuse Iran's airfields, anti-aircraft missile batteries, and Iranian command and control centers to strike multiple targets because

many of Iran's nuclear sites are underground. on the other hand Iran can likely retaliate against Israel with Hezbollah's missile arsenal and with Houthi missiles and drones against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In short, this means that the decision to launch a military attack on Iran's nuclear facilities requires not dozens of flights, but thousands of flights over several days. The disadvantage of such a military strike, of course, is that it validates Iran's rhetoric about its need for nuclear weapons. History saw that The Islamic Revolution was collapsing when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded and allowed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to consolidate power. After all, the biggest drawback of a military strike doesn't topple the regime and nuclear programme but delay. Between 2010 and 2012, four Iranian nuclear scientists, Masoud Alimohammadi, Majid Shahriari, Darioush Rezaeinejad and Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, were assassinated, while another, Fereydoon Abbasi was wounded in an attempted murder. In November 2020, another scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement, but Israeli defense minister Moshe Ya'alon said: "we will act in any way and are not willing to tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran.” Unfortunately, this is the scenario to which Biden's Iran policy is now leading. washington believes that they should do as much as possible against Iran and South Lebanon (In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon and during the conflict, according to Lebanese sources, between 15,000 and 20,000 people were killed, mostly civilians.) and imagines that others should just pick up the pieces. Unfortunately, this is the scenario to which Biden's Iran policy is now leading.

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steering clear of power lines and live electric wires. Unfortunately, a large proportion of the general public, despite their own interest, never get such news, instead only observing the immediate outcomes of heavy monsoon rain – a sight of death, disaster, and desperation, further reinforcing the anomaly mindset. Meteorologists today, armed with modern technology and superior prediction systems, have found ways to introduce an additional line of defense against natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tsunamis, all once considered gargantuan disasters and complete anomalies. Additionally, through the use of sophisticated alert protocols consisting of warning sirens, SMS alerts, and multi-channel news delivery, government authorities manage to buy civilians likely to be affected, some crucial time to seek shelter. Evidently, the two operations of information production and circulation go hand-in-hand in delivering preemptive precautions, therefore, all concerned institutions must work together efficiently to produce practical results. official institutions, however, such as the PMD have been able to act as neither efficient nor effective tools of public announcement, instead handing the role to the next most obvious pick: political leaders. In Pakistan, it’s true that what political individuals have to say often has a greater impact than institutional statements, and where the interest of these individuals interferes with the truth, problems arise. when individuals holding public office accept the troubles of monsoon as a problem capable of solution, they also accept its burden. Unfortunately, the debate on monsoon and flooding only gains momentum for a few weeks a year and it is in the interest of politicians to reserve little attention for brief activism and instead prepare to deal with questions rather than problems. It is an essential element of democracy that people are made aware of the thinking behind

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policies because stakeholders can only contribute to solving a problem when they are meaningfully engaged in the process. By the same token, in a society where politicians deliver scientific news, excuses of using simplicity in wording for better communication will not suffice; “monsoon rain is a pattern and not an anomaly” is as simple a message as “jab ziyada baarish aata hai to ziyada paani aata hai” ( when it rains more,there’s more water). Postmodernism states that online media and the emergence of social network journalism have made it easier than ever before for people to explore different perspectives on a matter– carrying real capacity to challenge the status quo. However, we cannot expect a substantial number of individuals to make conscious efforts to probe and question statements from individuals they likely already place their trust on. Truthfully, politicians can not be expected nor be trusted with this responsibility; politicians should speak politics and scientists should speak science, because although politics almost certainly will bear opposition, science eventually comes to a consensus. we can only deal with patterns through agreement and the only way forward is inclusiveness and engagement of stakeholders. Perhaps the greatest pattern of all, and certainly one of the most significant in recent times, is the coronavirus, where patterns could be formed from person to person, city to city, and across borders. International attention helped, but most importantly it was the indiscriminate spread of covid-19 that dismantled the nonsensical back-and-forth of manipulators. Life and death know no interests and we must recognize the same with the detrimenta effects of Pakistan’s monsoon rain. Ignorance is a hindrance to practical progress. Patterns can be downplayed, manipulated, and ignored, but they cannot be falsified. The writer is a freelance columnist

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06-07 Comments 31st July 2022_Layout 1 7/31/2022 12:23 AM Page 2

Sunday, 31 July, 2022

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

Need of critical thinking

Restored pride led pushed many a moderate towards hard line. Sheikh Mujib would have loved to be part of Pakistan as a federating unit, yet the people he dle-income group faithfully voted for the group led forced him to create a new homeland. For Khan, it will be important if the middle-income in successive elections. For the rest of the country, it was business supporters he leads are content with few conas usual. The success of the Shaukat Khanum cessions the established order offers or want a Hospital and consequent projection of Imran genuine change. Here any party seeking change even if cosKhan as a successful philanthropist gradually paved the way for his ascent as the choice for metic will go for the electable; means the person political leadership. Here it may be noted that who is part of the political, social and economic any new political trend in suburban societies as system; is well connected with military and civilian armed forces and has enough funds Pakistan is generally treated as a conspiracy. Given the fact that the person in question is even of dubious nature, to share with the party not battle tested adds to the layers of “conspir- of change. There has been talk of the ousted acy toppings”. Intelligence outfits; local or for- party seeking reelection into the vacant Punjab eign, as part of their ToRs do not create assembly seats through the electable candidates and not through the movements. They egg untested revolutionupon the available curaries. If these allegarents of resentment or tions are true, then longing to make the most the scepticism of the of the opportunities availGiven the flight plans of analysts who feel able. Many political that the last four movements have gone business entities’ aviation months’ politicking berserk during their exisservices close to the was an animation tence; consequently, holds true. causing collateral dam- established order to the scions Unfortunately, age. They have been the of families again close to the the precedents for ones, where the manipusuch feelings exist in lators did not account for established order carrying the the past. Benazir the “human factor”. party for change banner, it is Bhutto, when she The party having escame to power in tablished itself in a more than clear that the 1988 and 1993 and province, KPK was more powers-that-be want the return when she was planthan willing to take a ning the return in plunge countrywide. of business as usual. They 2008, was a muchGiven the fact that postdread any real change or even watered down ver1988 political governsion of the radical ments had an image of chaos, which destabilizes the she was regarded as being run by family nation state they bank upon. being when she clubs; any political party landed in Lahore on crying “revolution” had Conclusively, the coming 10 April 1986. For more than a chance to months will bring more the established order, capture the middle-ina radical with come strata imagination; surprises for the thinking and clipped wings is even if it was simply not concerned citizens sitting on more manageable capable to do so in the than exposing the first place. The 2018 the proverbial sidelines state to radical revopolls, how much manlutionaries who do aged or how many acnot relate to the state tions by the mainstream or its system. parties contributed to the Given the flight plans of business entities’ success of the PTI, remains open for debate. However, the fact remains that whether the new aviation services close to the established order to entrant was a serious agent of change or only the scions of families again close to the estabadded to few cosmetic features of the state and lished order carrying the party for change banner, polity; it only helped the established order it is more than clear that the powers-that-be want through delaying any genuine cries for complete the return of business as usual. They dread any real change or even chaos, which destabilizes the overhaul of the system. Practically; it will be evident in the next nation state they bank upon. Conclusively, the polls, whether they are held in 2022 as whis- coming months will bring more surprises for the pered or in 2023 as scheduled, that the voters thinking and concerned citizens sitting on the will choose; whether their ambit in mind is of proverbial sidelines. Pakistan will be subject to a change, not complete change of system; or the intent is to survive within the system. what can be the sce- what the voiceless Pakistanis feel in their hearts; nario is either the public at large wishes change but the change which is suited for the powersor eventually votes for any narrative, which ac- that-be. Any calls of revolution can be threats, cording to that section of public perception ful- not the actual war plan. To quote an old war fils the conditions of change, or the people feel song, which suits the profile of a genuine revothat the status quo is just the thing they want. lutionary “Ai Puttar Hattan tay nai wikde” Towards that end, it will be of critical impor- (such sons don’t sell in shops)… tance how much the party cadres and supporters The writer is a freelance columnist are willing to go for change. The people they

The PTI seems to be on the comeback trail nAqi AkbAr

HE sweep in the by-elections; horsetrading by the political opponents with the presumed support of the established order; followed by a shock favorable judgement at the Supreme Court. That followed by logistics for the PTI to elect a chief minister of Punjab by a renowned property developer affiliated with the right quarters!what is happening? The incumbent Prime Minister’s elder brother distancing himself from the younger brother’s decisions; whispering calls for early snap elections: all indicate that the powers to be and the establishment; from Pentagon to General Headquarters, is decided on the restoration of Imran Khan back on the political map of Pakistan. Any judicial decision in Pakistan is generally perceived to have the blessing of the established order. Furthermore, calls for elections and strong rumours all indicate a kind of rapprochement between the radicals and the kings. For a few sceptical experts in geopolitics, the ouster of Imran Khan was not the Mosaddeq episode; rather they likened it with the restoration of Shah on August 19, 2022 on the back of perceived or constructed public support, based on projection as the saviour of the country’s economy and honour. If the sceptic’s analysis is accepted with a pinch of salt, the situation seems to be taking that turn; in fact a very predictable turn. The country and polity are likely to remain under the old management and the so-called promises for the middle income and the poor by the ousted political group might not materialize for good. The reasons for many observers to arrive at this conclusion are based on the following premises. The political group PTI, irrespective of the circumstances of its inception in 1996, was never perceived to be the party of change, which would have the bones to rewrite the constitution or change the political culture for good. The 1970 elections threw up a dismembered Pakistan divided between the liberals and the right; represented respectively by the PPP and its opponents. It was the 1988 elections held by the beleaguered establishment after the PAF C-130 crash in Bahawalpur which actually helped consolidate the battle lines which were to haunt the Pakistani voter, especially the one prone to swings on election day. The established order played musical chairs with the two trends in politics encapsulated in the form of the PPP and the PML(N) during the next 11 years. These years frustrated the common Pakistani to the point where they wished they could have more choices to exercise. For the urban middle income individual as well as his rural and suburban brother, there was already the need to look for alternate representatives. In Karachi, the MQM was able to partially answer that question. Its leadership was able to imagine the middle-class standard ideals for life. It was precisely the reason that despite its reputation for being a fascist political group, the country’s biggest urban centre’s educated mid-

THE Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) has decided to use technology for marking examination papers, which is apparently a step forward, but it is more important to enhance the quality of the tests. I have a rather lengthy experience of teaching biology at intermediate and degree levels; therefore all subsequent comments are confined to Zoology and Botany papers only. The BIEK has increased the percentage of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) to 40. If the goal is to enhance quality of the examinations, mere increasing the number would not serve the purpose, and would end up being just a cosmetic measure. Good quality MCQs are designed to test the learner’s abilities related to fact recall, concept, problem solving, and creative thinking. However, all such questions in past papers of the board have been based only on memory recall. This pattern rewards rote learners at the cost of conceptual learners. In fact, it would now glorify the ignorant even more than was the case previously. This is the reason why many students who scored high marks in board examination could not even qualify the medical and dental college admission test (MDCAT) last year. Now let us take a look at the quality of the short-answer questions (SAQs). Since 2017, two types of short questions are being asked; reasoning and non-reasoning. The reasoning questions are supposed to test the ability of the students to think logically and critically. However, most past questions do not serve the purpose. Mostly, the examiner just adds word ‘why’ before a question and it becomes a ‘reasoning question’. To make the point clear, let us take a look at some of the actual questions. In 2021, one of the questions was: ‘write two reasons which disturbs menstrual cycle’. The reasons are given in the book and any student, with or without the ability of critical thinking, can memorise the text and get full marks. In 2019, a question asked: ‘How does osmoregulation take place in trout fish?’ where is the reasoning in this question? The answer is just a description of the process. There are scores of such questions that require only rote learning to answer and no other faculty of brain is involved. Moreover, most of the questions are repeated year after year which makes it easier for those who go by the so-called ‘guess papers’ and selective studies. The authorities concerned should make arrangements for training the paper-setters so that they may set good-quality MCQs and SAQs. This would improve quality of education, because only conceptual learners would be able to score highly. For this purpose, A-level examinations can be taken as a guide. Prof M.A. Abbasi Karachi

Failure of CDA The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed in its responsibility to provide decent living to the residents of Islamabad, leaving space, intentionally or unintentionally, for real estate developers who have started developing residential colonies on the outskirts of the capital. one such society, providing gated residential accommodation, was planned at a distance from the expressway, and an approach road was constructed to connect it to the highway. The link road, a bridge, a flyover and the fencing of the road was funded by the society and its residents, who in their personal capacity contributed Rs25,000, Rs50,000 and Rs100,000, depending on the size of the plot of land. The contributions were willingly made by the residents so they could enjoy a hassle-free drive on the link road, with the expectation that the link road would be exclusively for the residents of that particular society. on June 9, the authorities concerned stormed the area and the fencing along the link road was dismantled and uprooted, making the approach road accessible to one and all. The residents who had helped finance the road have no say in the matter. It is believed that the action was taken to facilitate the land mafia which is promoting another colony in the vicinity. As per information gathered, the other colony has so far not even been approved by the CDA. will the CDA or the management of that other colony reimburse those who invested in the link road? If not, on what ground? KhAlEd ISlAMAbAd

Afghan Peace AFGHANISTAN occupies a critical place in the domain of Pakistan’s policy discourse and execution owing to its geographical location. The policymakers have always emphasised the need of durable peace in Afghanistan, which is essential to pursuing our own geostrategic interests. The revival of Pakistan’s economy and long-term stability in the country are partly linked to a peaceful Afghanistan, and that is why Pakistan is trying to convince the global community to recognise Afghanistan and extend economic support to the war-torn country. A significant chunk of our annual defence budget is spent on securing the country’s border because the adjoining areas provide shelter to various extremist outfits. The security threats arising from the uncontrolled movement of people across the border prompted the authorities to even install a fence at a hefty cost. Lingering friction and chaos within Afghanistan will compel us to allocate a sizable budget every year for defence purposes at a time when we need to divert funds towards providing relief to our own citizens under the prevailing circumstances. Pakistan has long wanted to exploit the vast potential of energy-rich Central Asian Republics (CARs), and Afghanistan offers the country the shortest access route in this regard. Though the country signed various agreements with CARs to develop trade ties, these have remained unmet mainly due to the political turmoil in Afghanistan. Energy imports are eating away a significant portion of the country’s resources, and this calls for putting in place out-of-box solutions. one such solution relates to importing gas and petrol from the CARs which would be a relatively inexpensive option for us. Then, again, trade relations with the CARs are contingent upon peace in Afghanistan. Things being what they are, it is in the interest of Pakistan to use all possible forums to advocate peace and stability in Afghanistan. India, on the other hand, has invested heavily in Afghanistan over the last two decades and has established its intelligence units there to cause instability in Pakistan. Following the American withdrawal, the Indian government is making all-out efforts to develop friendly ties with the current dispensation in Kabul to re-establish its presence and influence in Afghanistan. Pakistan needs to be cautious on that front, as India will spare no opportunity to exploit the turmoil in Afghanistan to create instability in Pakistan. we need to expand our strategic depth by helping the government in Kabul in reviving the Afghan economy and ensuring longterm peace in that country. Asad Aziz Khushab

08 WORLD VIEW 31st July 22_Layout 1 7/30/2022 10:08 PM Page 1

Sunday, 31 July, 2022

08 WORLD VIEW

STrOng dOllar iS a majOr headache fOr OTher cOunTrieS Financial TimEs edItorIaL Board

MeRICAN holidaymakers lucky enough to make it abroad this summer may find themselves pleasantly surprised by the might of the dollar — up 10 per cent this year against other major currencies. Cheap ice creams on the beach await. But this strength is bad news, and a side-effect of the US having both a serious central bank and a very serious inflation problem. The major driver of the dollar’s strength has been the rise in US interest rates — from around zero at the start of the year to, as of this week, between 2.25 and 2.5 per cent. Tightening more quickly than other major economies has powered the surge in the dollar’s value. The Federal Reserve’s rush for higher

WORLD’S CENTRAL BANKS MAY HAVE TO GO FOR HIGHER RATES BECAUSE OF FED HIKES rates is merited. Over the past 12 months, the US consumer price index rose by a colossal 9.1 per cent. Jay Powell, chair of the Fed, said: “We’re going to be focused on getting inflation back down That’s something we simply must do.” It is too late to stop the broad price surge that is now well in train, but not too late to fight to keep expectations anchored so inflation returns to earth. But the Fed’s task is getting more complex: this week, we learnt that the US economy is cooling. how bad is it? The latest GDP figures showed a quarter of slight decline. There is some evidence of higher interest rates starting to bite on investment. But consumers are still spending and the job market remains hot. This is not yet a

full-blown recession. The growing evidence for a slowdown does, however, mean the point where the Fed should stop hiking could be with us quite soon — but not quite yet. Rather unusually, markets also expect that the Fed will start cutting rates quite rapidly, too. In the meantime, however, the gap between rates in the US and the rest of the world is an issue. What is good for the American holidaymaker is, alas, not good for the world. The strong dollar directly affects America’s trading partners. But one of the peculiarities of the world economy is the extent to which the greenback is used when pricing goods and services among people who have no link to the USA — a recent IMF paper put it at around 40 per cent of invoices from a

What lies ahead for Sri Lanka? THE INCOMING SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT WILL FACE A DILEMMA. IF IT WANTS TO ENACT THE REFORMS REQUIRED FOR A LONG-TERM SOLUTION, IT SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE DRASTIC MEASURES THAT WOULD BE UNPOPULAR AMONG THE PUBLIC

EasT asia FoRum

ChuLanee attanayake

NCe the heroes of Sri Lanka who defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil eelam, the Rajapaksa regime ended with former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigning from his post. he fled the country following nationwide protests and unrest that broke out on 9 July 2022. Rajapaksa’s administration is not solely responsible for Sri Lanka’s economic woes. Policy failures by successive governments, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic and Ukraine crisis, put a strain on the economy. But a series of misplaced and ill-advised policies made by his government exacerbated a crisis that had been years in the making. Stories of mismanagement and allegations of corruption will taint the Rajapaksa administration’s legacy. The uprising resulted from months of protests demanding the Rajapaksa family step down from Sri Lankan politics. Former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and finance minister Basil Rajapaksa resigned from their posts and left parliament following the protests but Gotabaya held on to his position, determined to finish his term. On 9 July, protesters ran out of patience and stormed the president’s official residence. Gotabaya announced his willingness to resign on 13 July but this did not placate the hundreds of thousands of protesters who flocked to Colombo to force him out of office. While the 9 July protest was an unprecedented uprising against Sri Lanka’s rulers, there was initially minimal violence. The military and police were widely deployed at the president’s residence and office, but compared to what was seen at similar uprisings in egypt or Lebanon during the Arab Spring, the protests remained largely peaceful. It did not take long for the protests to turn violent in the days leading up to Rajapaksa’s resignation. On the night of 9 July, an unknown group set fire to the prime minister’s residence. Protesters stormed the Prime Minister’s office on 13 July, leading to another clash between the protesters and the police. The two state-run television stations were forced off the air after protesters attempted to storm their offices. Protesters reportedly attempted to breach the police barricades along the road leading to the parliament,

causing another violent clash between the police, military and protesters. Gotabaya officially resigned on 14 July after fleeing to Singapore. According to Sri Lanka’s constitution, when a president’s seat is vacated before the end of a term, a president was to be selected within the parliament for the remaining period. Accordingly, a secret ballot was held on July 20, electing Ranil Wickremesinghe as the eighth executive President in Sri Lanka. Since the protest movement lacked cohesive leadership by any single group, the protesters do not have a clear preference for the new president. Yet there were calls for Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down. he is seen as an associate of the Rajapaksas and the ruling party. The leftist student formations and trade unions aligned with the National People’s Power party (NPP) that dominated the protests likely expected Dissanayake to take over the leadership. he is the only leader whose party has not ruled the country in the past and who they see as capable of bringing the necessary reforms. Sri Lanka needs leadership willing to work hand in hand with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In this regard, Wickremesinghe likely has more international standing than the other three presidential contestants. In 2016, Wickremesinghe successfully negotiated an extended facility with IMF in order to stabilise the forex reserve. Protesters are divided among Sri Lanka’s chance with IMF. While most protesters have demanded that the government work with the IMF on a bailout to resolve the deepening economic crisis, the NPPbacked student unions and trade unions have been sceptical about IMF intervention. Sri Lanka needs immediate solutions to the deepening economic crisis. At this point, only an IMF bailout can restore Sri Lanka’s legitimacy and credibility among creditors. Continuous political instability will delay negotiations and deepen economic distress. It is unclear how the public would respond to the conditions of an IMF bailout. higher taxes, increased interest rates and cutting down on public subsidies such as electricity and power are unlikely to be popular policies. Already, NPP-backed student unions and trade unions have raised opposition over possible privatisation policies that may come under Wickremesinghe government. Now that the protesters have achieved their only common goal — regime change — disagreement among the protesters may cause ruptures in the groups. This is likely considering that the protests focussed on individuals rather than structural problems. Internal conflict could delay the reform process and may even lead to further political instability if new leaders fail to retain power for more than a short time. The incoming Sri Lankan government will face a dilemma. If it wants to enact the reforms required for a long-term solution, it should be prepared to take drastic measures that would be unpopular among the public. If it takes populist measures, the dire economic conditions will continue. The future of the next government will depend on its ability to navigate such a course. Chulanee Attanayake is Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.

large sample of countries. Food and fuel — the cornerstones of the inflation surge — are usually quoted in terms of the US currency. But this is not a mere book-keeping footnote: the IMF also found prices for businesses doing trade between two distant countries can be much more sensitive to the strength of the dollar than the relative levels of the two local currencies. So a strong dollar can create inflationary ripples around the world — including for countries that do not even trade very much with the US. The upshot of these forces is that other central banks may need to act on the dollar’s strength — because a strong dollar sluices price rises directly into their economies. The Fed remains single-mindedly focused on domestic inflation, and there is little appetite

for multilateral action. So the only solution for other central banks is likely to be raising rates a bit higher and perhaps a bit faster than they otherwise would. There was some good news from the eurozone this week, with stronger than expected numbers on output. This may make it easier for europe to bear further hikes. But the world’s strong dollar problem speaks to the extraordinary complexity of this moment for central banks. It is not enough to cope with war in europe, a commodity surge and the aftershocks of an epochal pandemic. Now they need to worry about whether the people in Washington are accidentally sending more inflation their way, along with America’s big-spending holidaymakers.

Russia and the EU’s messy energy divorce places both sides in a race against time FOR HALF A CENTURY, BOTH SIDES HAVE BENEFITED FROM CLOSE COOPERATION, BUT THAT ERA IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE

Fyodor Lukyanov

he debate over Russian gas is heating up across europe. For instance, Nord Stream’s turbine maintenance procedures would have been a routine issue before, but now it has turned into a major political problem. And then there’s the situation regarding pumping gas through the parts of the Ukrainian pipeline system that are not currently controlled by Kiev. We will let the experts deal with the legal side of things, but as things stand, we can assume this is not the most important aspect. europe (not just the eU, but the whole geographical region) is facing a massive force majeure situation, which normally serves as a legitimate basis for suspending any contractual obligations. The fact that the players concerned haven’t stated it officially is a political game, in which each team is trying not to lose too much (yes, some games don’t have a winner at all). Another objective is to postpone a decisive energy battle, which is not inevitable, but very likely. For over 50 years, energy partnership has served as a strategic foundation for relations between Moscow and Brussels. This partnership has been extremely beneficial for both sides. The eU received cheap gas, which helped it compete in the global markets even before the end of the Cold War, but especially afterwards. Meanwhile, Moscow gained a steady income and strategic partnership in engineering. After the USSR’s collapse, the cooperation grew stronger, since bilateral limitations in the areas of politics and security became lax. even though these restrictions didn’t disappear altogether, mutual dependence and benefits boosted cooperation, which seemed to guarantee peace and stability. The situation began to change long before 2022. Transit countries trying to capitalize on Soviet pipelines was a major complication. New elements were at play now, something that wasn’t part of the original setup. The political logic behind the eU project with its expansion eastward and the new balance of the whole system amplified the transit factor, which began to influence decisions made by Western european leaders. On the other hand, the bloc itself started to diversify en-

ergy sources, trying to minimize the role of fossil fuels. This inevitably shook the foundation. Since late 1960s, longterm contracts had been the basis for energy cooperation. This allowed the sides to plan ahead. But from the beginning of the 21st century, this planning timeframe started to shrink, which resulted in some anxious behavior. The events unfolding in 2022 have been indicative of one thing – that political ambitions and impulses have finally trumped economic expediency, and when that happened, mutual dependence became no longer an extenuating factor in an otherwise quite naturally competitive relationship between major stakeholders on the international market, but an aggravating one. hence the current battle of wills that puts the involved parties’ resolve and resilience to the test. There is now less incentive for flexibility. Russia and Gazprom right now are simply following the protocol: If maintenance is scheduled, maintenance is scheduled, and so on. Under normal circumstances, there would be no problem getting the procedure on track, agreeing on the details with the client, or finding workarounds if necessary. however, in circumstances that are far from normal, everything becomes a problem, on top of the fact that trust in politics and business has a very short shelf life, and is not so easy to win back, if at all. As of today, it’s impossible to imagine Russia and the eU ever returning to the same relationship in the energy sector they enjoyed before. This dynamic is now being used by Moscow for political leverage in response to the measures of economic punishment undertaken by Brussels in the spring and summer. In theory, this tit for tat could lead to a certain trade-off that could ease the pressure on both sides, but that would require some strictly pragmatic decision-making, and reason hasn’t exactly been a popular approach so far. The case of hungary tells us that it actually is possible, but remains an exception to the rule. On the other hand, the european Commission’s call on member states to reduce gas use by 15% was met with protests, since members clearly prefer to make any rationing decisions for themselves independently. As a result, it has been agreed that any cuts will be voluntary and have no mandatory cap. The rest will depend on further developments around many fault lines, including those in Ukraine, the eU itself, and between Russia and the West in general. The short-term significance of Russian-eU relations in the energy sector is obvious – they will set the tone for the relationship in general for some time. Nevertheless, they do not seem to have the capacity to remain a priority in the long term. The eU sees its goal as finding a Russian gas-free solution for itself. Russia needs to mirror this behavior and urgently develop infrastructure for alternative consumer markets. These might include some Western european states, too, but only on the bilateral track and under conditions varying from case to case. Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, chairman of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, and research director of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

Sunday, 31 July, 2022 | LAHORE

NEWS corporate corner Mukhtar Ahmad appointed HEC chairman ISLAMABAD: The prime minister has approved the appointment of Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed as chairman Higher Education Commission Islamabad. According to a notification issued by the prime minister office on Saturday the approval was made after considering the recommendations of the Search Committee. pr

Pakistan Navy Ship Taimur visits Cambodia

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy Ship TAIMUR visited Sihanoukville, Cambodia as part of goodwill visit and flag showing mission. It is maiden port call to Cambodia by any PN Ship. Upon arrival at Sihanoukville, PNS TAIMUR was warmly welcomed by officials from Ministry of National Defence, Cambodian Navy and Pakistan Embassy at Cambodia. During the port visit, Commanding Officer PNS TAIMUR, Captain Yasir Tahir called on Deputy Governor of Sihanoukville and Cdr Ream Naval Base. During the interactions, matters of mutual interest and Maritime Security were discussed. On the occasion Commanding Officer of PN ship conveyed well wishes from Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi for the people of Cambodia in general and Cambodian Navy in particular. Commander Ream Naval Base, Deputy Commander Royal Cambodian Army, Deputy Commander of Royal Cambodian Air Force and high officials from Government of Cambodia visited onboard PNS TAIMUR. Visiting dignitaries were briefed about Pakistan Navy role in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and training capabilities. Officers of Royal Cambodian Navy also visited the ship and witnessed naval drills. Visit of PNS TAIMUR provided an opportunity to further enhance the existing close diplomatic ties and cordial relations with friendly countries. pr

PAf relief operation continues in flood affected areas of Balochistan

PAkiSTAN To UN: ‘PErPETUATioN’ of iSrAEl oCCUPATioN woN’T BriNg PEACE To MidEAST uNITED NATIONS

staff report

AKISTAN called on the UN Security Council to effectively address the lingering Palestine dispute “as the first and most urgent priority” to usher in peace and stability in the Middle Eastern region. “The festering wound of Israeli occupation and atrocities in occupied Palestine is the principal source of instability, tensions and conflict in the entire Middle East,” Ambassador Munir Akram told the 15-member body. Speaking in the debate on the situation in the Middle East, the envoy said the Security Council had failed to reassert the principles of the UN Charter and international law in occupied Palestine, nor condemned Israel’s violations of rights, international law and its own resolutions, and its inability to revive the process to promote the accepted two-state solution.

The perpetuation of Israeli occupation will not bring peace to the holy land, Ambassador Akram said, adding that if history is any guide, even if they are dispossessed and disempowered by Israel, every succeeding generation of Palestinians will persist in seeking their freedom and fundamental rights, including their right to self-determination. The two-state formula, involving the establishment of a sovereign, contiguous and viable Palestinian state, living side by side with Israel within recognised and accepted pre-1967 boundaries with Jerusalem as its capital offers the only solution to the dispute, the envoy added. At the outset of his remarks, Ambassador Akram said Pakistan was deeply concerned over the deteriorating situation in occupied Jerusalem and condemned the continued killing and wounding of Palestinian civilians, destruction of Palestinian homes, and murder of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. In this regard, he briefed the Coun-

cil on the key points of the “Islamabad Declaration” adopted in the March meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, which, inter-alia: — re-emphasized the centrality of the question of Palestine and Jerusalem for the Ummah; — reaffirmed its principled and continued all-level support to Palestine to regain their inalienable legitimate national rights, including their right to self-determination and the independence of the State of Palestine along the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital; and, — reaffirmed that Jerusalem is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian Territory of the State of Palestine and called on the international community to compel Israel, the occupying power, to desist from its colonial practices and abide by all international resolutions on the City of Jerusalem, and to refrain from all measures, practices and decisions aimed at altering the character and legal status of the city.

TEhRAN/kARAChI afp

Iran is investigating a claim of a near-miss in its airspace between two Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) passenger jets due to human error by air traffic controllers, state media said. The report comes days after the airline said two of its planes flying at high altitude over Iran came within 1,000 feet (300 metres) of each other on Sunday. The flag carrier said Iranian air traffic controllers had cleared Peshawar-bound flight PK-268 to descend to 20,000 feet from 36,000, leading to the close call with flight PK211 — both operated by PIA — which was at 35,000 feet and en route to Dubai. The Civil Aviation Organisation of the Islamic Republic

of Iran said an investigation had been launched into the near-miss. “Appropriate measures have been taken to obtain documents of the country’s control centre, and we requested reports from the pilots of the planes for further investigation,” said CAO deputy head Hassan Khoshkhoo. “Normally, after receiving all the documents, the issue is reviewed… and the final result is announced,” he told state broadcaster IRIB. PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan told AFP a cockpit “collision avoidance system helped the two pilots to correct the course and avoid a collision after the planes came close to each other”. Khoshkhoo said the planes had been equipped with a system that “gives the necessary warnings from a

long distance,” adding that “such incidents have also happened in other countries”. “We will write to the Iranian authorities to investigate the incident as the ATC (air traffic control) should not have cleared the Peshawar-bound flight to descend,” he added. Sanctions-hit Iran has suffered several air disasters in recent years, with officials complaining of difficulties in acquiring spare parts to keep its ageing fleets in the air. In January 2020, a Ukraine International Airlines plane was shot down by Iran’s armed forces shortly after taking off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. The Iranian civil aviation authority has said that poor tuning of an anti-aircraft unit’s radar was the main “human error” behind the tragedy.

ISLAMABAD: A Gallup and Gilani survey has found that 88 percent of respondents support the government’s ban on a traditional kite flying festival and kite flying in the country. The support for the ban has remained relatively stable over the past years, as 85 percent of respondents in 2006 expressed support for the government’s decision, showed results of the Gallup and Gilani Pakistan survey. Kite flying is popular in some parts of South Asia, and Basant is a traditional kite flying festival which is popular, especially in Punjab where people all over the city fly kites from their rooftops. The annual festival of Basant, which marks the start of spring in Punjab, involves aerial duels in which participants try to bring down

each other’s kites using string coated in a sticky paste of ground-up glass or metal. Women dress in their most brilliant colours for what’s become a major festival drawing thousands of celebrants to Lahore as well as multinational companies that rent rooftops for clients and guests. Supreme Court banned kite-flying nationwide in 2005 in response to an outcry over injuries and deaths caused every year by the glass-coated string. The Basant festival was banned in Punjab in 2007. The government imposed the ban because of unsafe practices. But despite a police crackdown, every year hundreds of people continue to fly kites from their rooftops. staff report

Pakistan reports 14th polio case ISLAMABAD Xinhua

An eight-month-old child was paralysed by wild poliovirus in the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Ministry of National Health Services told Xinhua. The girl suffering from polio-induced disabilities had onset of paralysis on June 30, the ministry said in a statement, adding the total number of polio cases in the country this year has increased to 14 with 13 patients from North Waziristan. All of the polio cases this year were detected in southern KP, according to the ministry. The National Emergency Operations Centers of Afghanistan and Pakistan are continuing cross-border coordination efforts, the ministry said. The countries have synchronized two polio campaigns in May and June and are ensuring vaccination of children under 10 on all major transit points, along with vaccinating all ages at the international borders, it added.

ogrA chief visits lPg, cylinders manufacturing units in gujranwala GUJRANWALA: Chairman OGRA, Masroor Ahmed Khan along with the officers of OGRA, HDIP and Third Party Inspectors visited Gujranwala for inspection of manufacturing units of LPG welded steel cylinders. He also inspected manufacturing facility of M/S Burhan Gas Company which is manufacturing Domestic as well as Commercial LPG Composite cylinders of various sizes. These LPG cylinders are not only domestically being used but also being exported to various countries like Russia, Kenya, Mexico etc. He also witnessed LPG Composite cylinders manufacturing process at site and appreciated the same. pr

August 5, 2019 multiplied sufferings of Kashmiri people ABDuLLAh MALIk August 5, 2019 will surely be remembered as a dark day in the history of Kashmir issue, as Modi deviated from his own constitution by abrogating Article 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution. The worrying aspect of the matter is that despite all the atrocities committed by the BJP in the occupied valley, the United Nations is not even ready to condemn New Delhi. In fact, the countries responsible for maintaining peace have wholeheartedly accepted that India will not stop committing every kind of constitutional, legal and humanitarian atrocity in occupied Kashmir. It came as no surprise to anyone following the Modi government’s

Ambassador Akram emphasized that Israel’s actions in the occupied Palestinian lands — the seizure of land and properties for Israeli settlements; the violence against unarmed Palestinian children, women and men; and the blockade of Gaza; were grave violations of the Security Council resolutions and international law, including humanitarian law. Also, the envoy said, there is no moral, legal or political equivalence between Israel, the occupying state, and the occupied and oppressed Palestinian people. “The Palestinian struggle for self-determination and implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions is legitimate; the Israeli repression of the occupied Palestinian people is illegitimate.” He added: “To bring peace and stability to the Middle East, the Palestine Question — the source of the region’s insecurity and its multiple conflicts — must be effectively addressed as the first and most urgent priority.”

Iran says probing claimed PIA near-miss

88pc respondents support kite ban: survey ISLAMABAD: On the special instructions of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, PAF personnel and helicopter fleet are actively engaged in providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support to the people stranded in flash floods affected areas of Balochistan. PAF helicopters have distributed 4200 kgs ration comprising flour, ghee, sugar, daal, tea in the calamity hit areas during the last two days. Additionally, several families have been evacuated from land locked areas to safer place. Relief operation in Balochistan is a practical manifestation of Pakistan Air Force’s resolve to extend all out support to fellow countrymen in the hour of need. pr

policies in Occupied Kashmir when the BJP took a U-turn on the government’s Kashmir policy on August 5, 1999. For example, putting Hurriyat leaders in jails, establishing false cases against them, strengthening Kashmiri Hindu Pandits politically and economically, and martyring young Kashmiris in fake encounters were all planned. Today, the ground reality in Occupied Kashmir is that the concept of civil liberties is extinct there, with pro-India political, social and journalistic organizations interpreting the suppression of the voice of Kashmiris as peace. The truth is that Kashmir has once again entered the dark ages, and can be described as a prison behind the bars of Indian oppression and bullying. The neutral circles

of the United Nations recognize the fact that the neutral media has been strangled in Occupied Kashmir, the journalistic institutions that expose Indian atrocities to the world are forcibly closed. India has been telling the world that it has started a new era of construction and development in Occupied Kashmir, but the facts on the ground are that, according to the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, five thousand Kashmiri men and women have lost their jobs. After Modi’s move on August 5, the Kashmiris living in Occupied Kashmir have suffered degradation from any angle. According to the Kashmir Human Rights Forum, in recent days there has been an increase in the incidents of Indian security

forces rounding up innocent Kashmiris and brutally torturing them at unknown places. According to the report, even today thousands of Kashmiris are locked in jails in Occupied Kashmir who do not have the freedom to fight their case according to law and justice. Hundreds of young children are also locked in Indian jails who are not being heard. India has implemented strict journalistic censorship to prevent the facts from being brought to light, which cannot in any way reveal the news related to the situation that millions of Kashmiris are facing. The Modi government implemented the Media Policy 2020 in Occupied Kashmir, which is another name for the strict government policy to suppress dissenting voices in

Kashmir. Kashmir Media Policy 2020 empowers bureaucrats and clerks in information department to forcefully suppress true journalistic values. In fact, it is a result of Modi’s new media policy in Kashmir that more than 50 male and female journalists have been issued police notices to come to the police station and give an explanation about their news. Those that came were humiliated, some were threatened by the police and some were even arrested. Experts believe that after the initiative of August 5, 2019, the New Delhi government has also failed to bring a government in the occupied valley that seems to be representative of Kashmiris. In this background, it can be definitely said that if the policies of the Modi government continue in the same way, then the future will not be bright for the people living in Occupied Kashmir.

Sunday, 31 July, 2022 | LAHORE

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Wang Yi advocaTes closer sco coMMuniTY WiTh shared fuTure

TASHKENT

Agencies

HE Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries should uphold the Shanghai Spirit, work together and help each other to build a closer SCO community with a shared future, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday. The world today is entering a new period of turbulence and transformation, profound changes unseen in a century are resonating with the most serious pandemic in 100 years, international and regional hotspot issues keep cropping up, and all countries are faced with the arduous tasks of development and stability, Wang said at a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the SCO in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. “Faced with the arduous task of development and stability, we must uphold the Shanghai Spirit,” he said. A bedrock principle of the organization that groups India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the Shanghai Spirit is based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, mutual consultations, diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development. China’s five-point proposal: To

Yasin Malik shifted back to Tihar jail, still on hunger strike

build a closer SCO community with a shared future, the Chinese top diplomat put forward a fivepoint proposal. First, the SCO countries should cement solidarity and coordination. In accordance with the purposes and principles enshrined in the SCO Charter and the Treaty on Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation among the SCO members, they should strengthen the foundation of mutual trust, support each other on issues of core interests and major concerns, and safeguard the sovereignty, security and development interests. Second, the SCO members need to better ensure regional security. They should implement the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and oppose confrontation between factions or behaviors that undermine regional stability. Third, the SCO countries should promote sustainable development. They need to pursue peoplecentered development, carry out more cooperation projects that are sustainable and beneficial to people’s well-being, and deepen high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Fourth, the SCO members should adhere to multilateralism. They need to oppose propagating the false narrative of “democracy against authoritarianism” and creating rifts in the international

community. They should resolutely promote genuine multilateralism, advocate the common values of all mankind, and work to improve the global governance. Fifth, the SCO countries should enhance the construction of the organization. They need to enlarge the group in a steady and orderly manner, take into account geographical factors, include more observer states and dialogue partners while accepting new members, so that more countries that share the same cooperation concepts can obtain a corresponding legal status in a way that the comprehensive strength of the SCO will increase and its openness and inclusiveness will be shown. Disinformation on ‘forCeD labor’ in Xinjiang DenounCeD: During the meeting on Friday, Wang Yi denounced the disinformation campaign by some countries clamoring about “forced labor” in Xinjiang. Noting that such attempts, under the pretext of human rights, are intended to undermine the prosperity and stability of Xinjiang and contain China’s development and revitalization, Wang stressed that the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang will never allow this, and all Chinese people will never agree to it. The SCO countries have suffered deeply due to external interferences, he said, urging them to learn from historical experience and stand against any attempt to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, instigate color revolutions or subvert legitimate governments. on afghan issue: Wang on Friday elaborated on China’s view on the Afghan issue and said Afghanistan is now in a critical period of overcoming chaos and establishing governance, with the situation generally moving toward stability, but still facing many challenges. The SCO should adhere to contact and dialogue, and encourage the establishment of an inclusive government, which is expected to adopt prudent policies in its work as well, said Wang. The regional body should jointly fight terrorism and urge Afghanistan to eliminate all terrorist forces in the country, he said, adding the organization will adhere to multilateral coordination and build more consensus among countries in the region.

Pakistani exports to US surge by 35pc to $9b: Ambassador Khan WASHINGTON

NEW DELHI

Agencies

The brutal Indian authorities have shifted back the illegally detained Kashmiri Hurriyat leader, Muhammad Yasin Malik, from a hospital to New Delhi’s infamous Tihar Jail. Yasin Malik was admitted to the hospital on July 26 after his heath condition deteriorated in the jail where he was on a hunger strike unto death. He had stopped eating on July 22 in protest against the denial of fair trial in the false cases registered against him. Indian media quoted Director General (Prisons), Sandeep Goyal, as having said that Yasin Malik was shifted back to Tihar on Friday. After returning to his cell, the Hurriyat leader has decided to continue with his hunger strike and is still not having any food. “He is still on intravenous fluids,” the top prison official said. Yasin Malik is in illegal detention since 2019 when India’s notorious National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested him in a false case. He is currently lodged at Jail No. 7 of the Tihar prison. A special court of NIA had awarded two life sentences and five punishments of 10 years of ‘Rigorous Imprisonment’ each to the Hurriyat leader on May 25, this year.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan has said that Pakistan’s exports to the United States have marked year-on-year rise, with a total volume of $9 billion at an annual growth rate of 35 percent. Pointing out that the volume of the exports last year was $7 billion, the Pakistani envoy said, the net increase in the last one year was $2 billion. In 2021-22, the embassy press release said, the imports from the United States have been $3 billion compared to last year’s $2.4 billion, boosting the total Pakistan-US trade volume to $12 billion, compared to last year’s nearly $9.5 billion. “We have a big trade surplus with the US”, Ambassador Masood Khan remarked. The impressive growth of Pakistani exports to the United States, he said, was

a trendsetter for the country’s other export destinations around the world, with the US maintaining its primacy as Pakistan’s largest export destination. “If the exports continue to grow at the rate of 35% per year, in the next three years overall Pakistan-US trade volume would cross $20 billion, which would still be a modest goal given the immense potential that is there between the two markets”, he said. The impressive performance of Pakistani exports in the US market, the ambassador said, should boost confidence in domestic markets and amongst foreign investors. Besides, he said, the remarkable growth of overall Pakistani exports should contribute to the stability of Pakistan’s economy and assuage fears being stoked. “What we need the most is market confidence”, Ambassador Masood Khan said. Out of the total volume of $9 billion in Pakistani exports, goods

constitute $6.8 billion while the component of services, including export of IT is $2.2 billion, according to the press release. Pakistan exported to the US the IT products worth nearly $1.4 billion. The IT exports of June 2022 have yet to be included. In the past one year, the Pakistan-based tech startups have earned around $800 million out of which 60% has been funded by US-based Venture Capital firms primarily in San Francisco, the release said. Top American Venture Capital firms like Kleiner Perkins, Tiger Global and Sequia have started supporting Pakistan’s successful startups at the preseed, seed and incubation stages. Ambassador Masood Khan said that in the past few months, Pakistan and the United States have been engaged to promote trade and investment between the two countries as well as to enhance cooperation in the health, agriculture and tech sectors.

india to ground Mig-21 fighter jets by 2025: report NEW DELHI Agencies

India will ground all its Soviet-era Russian fighter jets, the MiG-21, by 2025, following the death of two officers in a crash, the latest in a series of casualties involving the single-engine jet’s failure, a newspaper reported on Saturday. The Times of India quoted unnamed Indian Air Force officials as saying the MiG-21s are long past their retirement but must be replaced before being grounded. The report did not specify what portion of India’s fighter-jet capability would be affected. The Wion news outlet said the air force has around 70 MiG-21s. The air force and defence ministry have been buying aircraft from Western makers in recent years. A senior defence ministry official declined to confirm or deny the Times of India report, telling reporters only that discussions on the future of the MiG-21 were underway, as sourcing of spare parts from Russia was increasingly difficult due to the war in Ukraine. A defence ministry spokesman did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The MiG-21, dubbed “flying coffins” by the Indian press, has been the country’s key fighter jet since its introduction in 1963 but has been plagued by crashes in later years. The jets have been a critical security asset in India’s military infrastructure, used for example to strike neighbour Pakistan after an alleged suicide attack in the occupied Kashmir region in 2019. Thursday’s crash of an air force MiG-21 Bison in the desert state of Rajasthan brings to six the number of MiG-21 crashes since last year, with five officers killed, according to official data and a source. In 2012, then-Defence Minister A.K. Antony told parliament that more than half of India’s 872 MiG-21s had been lost to crashes over the previous four decades.

5 Muslims booked under draconian laws in uP NEW DELHI Agencies

The authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have booked five Muslims under draconian laws for taking part in the protest demonstrations in Beckonganj area of Kanpur city against derogatory remarks by BJP leader Nupur Sharma about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), last month. According to Kashmir Media Service, the authorities slapped Hayat Zafar Hashmi with National Security Act (NSA) and Mukhtar Ahmad Baba, Haji Muhammad Wasi, Akeel Khichdi and Shafiq with the Gangsters Act, in a case registered over protests against the blasphemer Nupur Sharma on June 3. Hayat Zafar Hashmi is the chief of a local charity organization Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Fans Association. Haji Muhammad Wasi is a city-based realtor while Mukhtar Ahmad Baba is the owner of city-based restaurant chain Baba Biryani. Both of them have been accused of financing the protests. The Kanpur police have registered three FIRs in connection with the protests and arrested 60 people so far.

China largest market for Pakistan’s gemstones: Pak CG BEIJING Agencies

Consul General of Pakistan in Shanghai, Hussain Haider said that China was the largest market for Pakistan’s gemstones and there is an immense potential for Pakistan to increase its exports of gemstones to China. “Pakistani companies need to understand the preferences and requirements of Chinese buyers to increase their presence in the Chinese market,” he said at a webinar jointly organized by Pakistan’s Consulate General in Shanghai and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan to promote Pakistan’s gemstone exports to China. The Consul General said, the purpose of this webinar was both to facilitate business matchmaking between the two countries and to help

Pakistani companies understand the dynamics of the Chinese gemstone market. Speaking on the occasion, Senior Vice Chairman of Pakistan Gems, Jewellers, Traders and Exporters Association (PGJTEA), Muhammad Fayyaz Qureshi, highlighted that Pakistan was home to a wide range of minerals, including unrivalled grade rubies, emeralds, topaz, aquamarine, fluorite, and lazuli mined in the valleys of Gilgit, Hunza, Swat, Azad Kashmir, and Chitral. “There are great opportunities in the gemstone business and Chinese investors could invest in it to gain higher profits,” he added, this business had not been able to establish itself as one of the top five markets in the world mostly owing to a lack of sufficient facilities, poor mining expertise, and limited technologies and re-

lated know-how. “To address these challenges, Pakistan is looking forward to establishing joint ventures with China.” Fayyaz Qureshi further explained, “equipment for mining, cutting, and polishing gems stones should be made easy to be imported. Moreover, more educational exchange programs and B2B conferences should be conducted so that our youth can develop useful skills. Both countries should participate in gems and jewellery expos to promote their brands. A work group should also be formed to resolve issues in this sector.” The webinar was attended by more than thirty (30) enterprises from China and Pakistan and relevant associations including All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association and Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

11 Sports 31 JULY_Layout 1 7/30/2022 11:06 PM Page 1

sunday, 31 July, 2022 | LAHorE

sports 11

CWG 2022: PakiStan, South afRiCa oPEnER EnDS in a 2-2 DRaW BIRMINGHaM

Agencies

AKISTAN and South Africa hockey teams settled for a thrilling 2-2 draw in their opening match of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Saturday. The first quarter was quite entertaining as both the teams played aggressively. But it were South Africa, who took the lead in the 14th minute when Connor Beauchamp converted a penalty corner. In the 25th minute, Pakistan got their first penalty corner and levelled the match superbly through Rizwan Ali. South Africa immediately created a circle entry but they lacked the cutting edge to maximise the opportunities. At the end of the first half, the

much was levelled at 1-1. South Africa, however, remained the dominant side with more shots, circle entries and penalty corners but Pakistan’s defensive unit managed to thwart their moves.

In the third quarter, the two teams were a little wasteful in possession, not making the most of their possession. Pakistan got their second penalty corner of the match but the South Africans kept it at bay and the

game remained even. With just a few seconds left on the clock, Pakistan got a close chance but could not execute their plans. Thus the third quarter ended without a goal. South Africa earned a penalty stroke when an absolute rocket penalty corner from Guise-Brown struck the face mask of the Pakistan defender on the line. Guise-Brown took the stroke to make it 2-1 with six minutes remaining on the clock. Pakistan dominated the proceedings in the last few minutes. They got a penalty corner in the dying moments of the match. With just 20 seconds left Afraz put the ball in the back of the net to level the match. After the match, Pakistan skipper Umar Bhutta sounded confident to qualify for the semifinals. “We played very good hockey against

South Africa today. “We will try our best to win against New Zealand and make it to the semifinals,” he told media. Head coach Siegfried Aikman was also optimistic about Pakistan’s chances to advance to the semifinals. “We’ll try not to repeat our mistakes in the next match,” he said. Pakistan will take on New Zealand on Sunday in their second match. Then, they will face Scotland on August 3 in their third match. In their last group match on August 4, they will face six-time Commonwealth Games hockey champions Australia. The top two teams will move to the semifinals, taking place on August 6. The final will be held on August 8, the last day of the multi-sports event. Hockey has been played at the Commonwealth Games since 1998 and in

San Marino’s Vicini creates Davis Cup history

Australia oﬀ to a flyer at CWG BIRMINGHaM Agencies

Australia dominated the first night of action in the Commonwealth Games pool in Birmingham on Friday to race clear at the top of medals table. Olympic champions Ariarne Titmus and Zac Stubblety-Cook showed their class in tight races while world champion Elijah Winnington powered home in style. Australia finished their evening on cloud nine by winning the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay, with Emma McKeon collecting the ninth Commonwealth gold of her career. They won eight medals out of a possible 16 on day one of sporting action at the Games – five clear of second-placed New Zealand. Titmus, who won 200m and 400m freestyle gold at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, was given a mighty scare in the women’s 200m freestyle at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre by 18-year-old compatriot Mollie O’Callaghan. The double Olympic champion was in control for most of the race but was hunted down the final stretch, edging home by just 0.12sec in a new Games record of 1min 53.89sec. “Moll has been killing in training, she is young,

Jordan backs England ‘match-winner’ Roy to emerge from slump

feisty, hungry – I knew she would be there,” Titmus told Australia’s Channel 7. “It is fun to have a race.” “I love it that we are in a country where we have depth like this,” added the 21-year-old, who recently had a bout of coronavirus. Winnington stormed to victory in the men’s 400m freestyle as Australia swept the podium just weeks after winning the world title in Budapest. The 22-year-old, who was inside world record pace for much of the race, tired in the latter stages, clocking 3:43.06. Winnington, who almost quit the sport after a poor Olympics last year, said he was not too disappointed that he had faded in the final stages to miss out on a shot at the world record. “It’s something to chase,” he said. “My coach and I always say it’s pretty hard being the hunted but having that world record there means I am still the hunter.” Olympic and world men’s 200m breaststroke champion Stubblety-Cook was put under immense pressure by England’s defending champion James Wilby but powered down the home straight to win in 2:08.07. Canada’s Summer McIntosh, just 15 years old, destroyed the field in the women’s 400m individual medley. She recorded a new Games record of 4:29.01 –

LONDON Agencies

more than three seconds quicker than her winning time at the recent world championships. Breaking her own world junior record, she finished nearly eight seconds clear of second-placed Australian Kiah Melverton. “I’ve been working on a lot of stuff in training so I can execute my 400m IM better than I did at the worlds, because I had so much room for improvement – and I still do,” she said. In the cycling events, taking place in London, Australia won the women’s 4,000 metres team pursuit and New Zealand won the men’s event.

Amir, Imad, Akmal, Akram to feature in 6ixty tournament

LONDON AFP

Chris Jordan has said it will be no surprise to him if England team-mate Jason Roy emerges from a rundrought with a match-winning innings in Sunday’s decisive T20 international against South Africa. Opening batsman Roy has been an ever-present during all 11 white-ball internationals during a busy month for England, the reigning 50-over world champions. But since hitting his 10th ODI century against the non-Test Netherlands in Amstelveen in June, Roy has struggled against the sterner challenge of India and South Africa, with a top score of 43. The 32-year-old, at his best a dynamic run-scorer, has managed just one fifty in his last 13 T20s but, with a three-match series against South Africa level at 1-1 heading into Sunday’s finale at Southampton, Jordan said: “Jason is definitely the type of character to come through it.” Jordan, who knows Roy well after captaining his England colleague at Surrey in the domestic T20 Blast, added: “We all go through it as cricketers, we all go through these little patches, but we in the dressing room back him 250 percent because we know that when he’s on song he’s a real match-winner. “Don’t be surprised if he comes good on Sunday.” Jordan knows about the highs and lows of T20 cricket better than most, having conceded 23 runs in the 17th over of England’s T20 World Cup semi-final defeat by New Zealand in Abu Dhabi in November. But the ongoing series against the Proteas has seen Jordan, 33, re-establish himself as England’s leading “death” bowler. He helped England win in Bristol by giving away a mere three runs in the 18th over and five in the 20th, while during Thursday’s loss in Cardiff the paceman only conceded four runs in the last over and denied Rilee Rossouw a hundred in the process. “So far so good, it was nice to close out the first game in a win,” said Jordan, set to be a key member of England’s attack when the T20 World Cup in Australia starts in October. “I haven’t been watching the speed gun too much, but it’s nice to be touching 90 mph. I’m trying to bowl a higher percentage of yorkers, not to give too much away.” Sunday’s match at the Ageas Bowl will still begin at its scheduled time of 2:30 pm (1330 GMT) even though it clashes with the England women’s football team’s appearance in the Euro 2022 final against Germany at Wembley. The Lionesses kick off in London at 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) but the England and Wales Cricket Board have decided against altering the start time at Hampshire’s headquarters.

Staff RepORt Four players hailing from Pakistan will be part of West Indies’ the in-

that first year, it was Australia who dominated, winning gold in both the men’s and women’s competitions. Malaysia men and England women took silver, while England men and New Zealand women won the bronze medals. Pakistan have never won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the past. Their best performance was during the 2006 event, in Melbourne, when they won the silver medal. Pakistan also won a bronze during the 2002 games in Manchester. The Commonwealth Games has a rich sporting tradition that goes back to 1930. In its earliest edition, the coveted event featured 11 nations and 400 athletes. Now, in its 22nd edition, over 5000 athletes from 72 nations and territories will are participating in the English city of Birmingham in the event known as the Friendly Games.

augural season of The 6ixty tournament. The news was confirmed when the squads were announced and

they featured left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir, all-rounder Imad Wasim, wicket-keeper Azam Khan, and U-19 skipper Qasim Akram. Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim will both be representing Jamaica Tallahwahs, Barbados Royals have snatched the services of Azam Khan, while Qasim Akram will be featuring for St Kitts and Nevis. The tournament is bringing a new twist to the modern game as the format is completely different; each team will have six wickets, and hitting a six off the first 12 balls will grant the batting team an additional Powerplay over, etc. The tournament will be played in St Kitts and Nevis and will be played from August 24 to 28.

San Marino’s Domenico Vicini is unsure when he will finally call it a day after becoming the first player in the world to compete in 100 Davis Cup ties on Friday at the age of 50. The occasion for Vicini, who will turn 51 in September, was slightly soured as he and his doubles partner Simone De Luigi – 33 years younger – went down to Rafn Bonifacius and Daniel Siddall 6-2 6-3 in the Group IV rubber against Iceland. It did not have an impact on the result of the tie, however, as San Marino, Europe’s smallest independent state after Vatican City and Monaco, had already won both their singles rubbers in the Europe Zone tie in Baku. Vicini made his Davis Cup debut in 1993 against Slovenia, which was also the first tie in the men’s team event for San Marino. “It’s a great achievement for me and it’s a pleasure to play again this year for the Davis Cup team,” Vicini said from Baku with teammate Marco De Rossi doubling up as the translator. “Honestly I don’t know when I will stop. I will continue to play when I can. The motivation is the passion for the sport, to compete for my country San Marino.” Vicini said he was not aware of his approaching Davis Cup milestone at the start of this week. He chose his 6-7(4) 7-6(6) 13-11 win in 1996 over Senegal’s top singles player Abou Berthe in a Group III rubber in front of a packed crowd as the most memorable moment in his almost 30-year career. This week he also became the oldest player to win any Davis Cup match when he and doubles partner De Rossi defeated Martin Muedini and Mario Zili of Albania on Wednesday. Three years back, Vicini had become the oldest to win a Davis Cup singles match at the age of 47 years and 318 days. As San Marino’s playing captain, Vicini these days prefers to leave the singles matches to other players, but always puts his hand up for the doubles. “For us it’s a great thing to have a tennis player like him in the team. He’s still playing at 51,” said De Rossi, the team’s number one singles player who captained San Marino last year in Vicini’s absence. “It’s a great thing to have someone who has been playing since a long time ago. He can teach us a lot, share his experience. He’s the lion of the team. The lion is still alive.” San Marino, which is landlocked inside northern Italy with a population of about 33,000, will have a chance to return to Group III on Saturday when they take on hosts Azerbaijan in the promotion playoff. A victory and promotion would be an ideal finish to Vicini’s record-breaking week.

Ronaldo says he will play in Man Utd friendly against Rayo Vallecano LONDON AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo has indicated he will be featured in Manchester United’s friendly with Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford on Sunday amid ongoing speculation over his future with the English giants. The 37-year-old Portugal forward, who missed the club’s pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia for personal reasons, reportedly wants to leave the club he rejoined last year. Ronaldo was also left out of United’s squad for Saturday’s friendly with Atletico Madrid in Oslo. But he suggested on Instagram he will face another La Liga side in Rayo Vallecano. Commenting on a post by a Ronaldo fan page about him missing the game in

Norway, Ronaldo wrote Friday: “Domingo o rei joga” which translates as “Sunday the king plays”. United have said players not involved in the 21-man travelling squad for the Atletico game — a list that includes new signings Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen — “will take part in Sunday’s game against Rayo Vallecano, while others are ill or injured.” Erik ten Hag, the new United manager, insisted earlier this month that Ronaldo was “not for sale”. “We are planning for Cristiano Ronaldo for the season and that’s it and I’m looking forward to working with him,” he said. “I have read it, but what I say is Cristiano is not for sale, he is in our plans and we want success together.” The former Real Madrid and Juventus player finished as United’s top-

scorer last season with 24 goals. But the campaign as a whole was a huge disappointment for the club, with a sixth-place finish in the Premier League

meaning they missed out on qualification for the Champions League. United start their Premier League campaign at home to Brighton on August 7.

Sunday, 31 July, 2022

prayer timings

NEWS

Fajr SunrISE

Zuhr

aSr MaghrIb ISha

4:10

1:30

5:15

5:00

7:08

9:15

Imran Khan, mIftah IsmaIl get Involved In a twItter sPat on ruPee devaluatIon ISLAMABAD

staff report

akistan tehreek-e-insaf (Pti) Chairman and former prime minister imran khan and Finance Minister Miftah ismail on saturday exchanged barbs on social media blogging site, twitter, with khan slamming the ‘incompetent’ shehbaz government over rupee depreciation and the rise in the inflation rate while finance minister in a thread, compared the Pti-led government’s performance with the incumbent government. imran khan said in a twitter message that the Us dollar stood at Rs178 on March 8, 2022, when the vote of no-confidence was tabled. He said that Us dollar has reached Rs250 under the incumbent government. the former prime minister said that the inflation stood at 16.5% on March 8,

2022 but it has spiralled to 38 percent. Criticising the current rulers, khan said, “not only is this imported govt made up of crooks but it is thoroughly incompetent too. Question is who is responsible for this mess?” in response to khan’s tweet on rising inflation and depreciation

of the local currency during the coalition government’s tenure, the finance minister in a thread, compared the Pti-led government’s performance with the incumbent government. Miftah said that the Pakistani rupee was at 122 when khan came to power and left it at 190.

He added that Pakistan owed Rs25,000 billion, however, the government owed Rs44,000 billion when he left. the finance minister further said that the Pti chief left the energy sector in a serious mess “with no provision or contracts for gas or fuel, and circular debts of Rs2,500 billion in power and Rs1,500 billion in gas”. Miftah added that khan drove the country towards bankruptcy after breaking the agreement will the international Monetary Fund (iMF) by giving subsidies on fuel. Holding the Pti chairperson responsible for the mess Pakistan is in, the finance minister said that the coalition government saved the country from defaulting. “From toshakhana watches to foreign funding to giving confiscated £190 mil back to demanding jewellery to Farah khan wielding power and taking bribes, we know who is the real thief,” he concluded.

Bizenjo pays tribute to security forces for anti-militants op QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir abdul Quddus Bizenjo paid tribute to the security forces for conducting successful operation against terrorists in kech district. He said he felt proud on the efforts of the security agencies to establish peace in the province. the CM said that the people of Balochistan stand with their brave security forces in the war against terrorism and to foil nefarious design of anti-peace elements to put the province on the track of development. He also expressed his sorrow over the martyrdom of Havaldar Hidayatullah in the operation against terrorists. “Havaldar Hidayatullah drank the cup of martyrdom for the country, and the nation saluted its martyrs”, he said. the Chief Minister extended his sympathy to the family of the martyr. staff report

Special emergency plan afoot to improve anti-polio response: PM ISLAMABAD staff report

Prime Minister Muhammad shehbaz sharif on saturday while sharing his concerns over rise in polio cases in khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said the government was implementing a special emergency plan to improve anti-polio response. taking to his twitter handle, the prime minister referred to his Friday’s telephonic conversation with Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) in which they discussed the ongoing public health including polio eradication and social sector programs supported by BMGF in Pakistan. the prime minister said that he was grateful to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for its valuable support in the public health & social sector programmes. “the increase in number of confirmed polio cases

in kP is deeply concerning. We are implementing a special emergency plan to improve our anti-polio response,” he posted a tweet. During yesterday’s contact, according to PM Office Media Wing press release, the prime minister also reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen the fruitful partnership with the Foundation in all the ongoing areas of cooperation. He conveyed to Gates that his government was also focused on strengthening operations at all levels of the programme and empowering districts to make decisions based on the specific needs of their areas. the prime minister also mentioned that providing safety and security to all members of the polio program, especially the front-line workers, would be his government’s high priority. Bill Gates shared the concern and reiterated the Foundation’s continued support to Pakistan for ensuring that no child was at risk of paralysis due to poliovirus.

Power shortfall soars to 6,200 megawatts LAHORE staff report

Power shortfall in the country has increased to 6,200 megawatts as demand for electricity is stand at 28,600MWs against a supply of 22,400 megawatts. according to the national transmission and Dispatch Company (ntDC) sources, the electricity shortfall in the country has increased to 6,200 megawatts. an average of 4-8 hours of load-shedding is being carried out in the country, ntDC reported. the report said the power plants across the country are facing oil and gas shortages, adding the demand for power in the LEsCO feeder has reduced due to the monsoon season.

sources said that the situation is not expected to improve in the coming month too. the electricity shortfall in the country on Friday remained at 6,000 megawatts, reducing the gap between production and demand owing to improvement in weather conditions in the country amid rainfall. according to details, the power production remained at 22,000 MW in the country against the demand of 28,000 MW, resulting in a shortfall of 6,000 MW. the duration of electricity load-shedding stood at five hours in urban centres and eight hours in rural areas. the shortfall in Lahore Electric supply Company (LEsCO) remained at 300 MW, resulting in three to four hours of load-shedding in the city. the shortfall has now increased to 6,200 megawatts.

Imran decides on filing judicial reference against CEC ISLAMABAD staff report

Former Prime Minister and Pakistan tehreek-i-insaf (Pti) Chairman imran khan has decided to file a judicial reference against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) sikandar Raja sultan. according to details, the decision was taken during a meeting of Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (Pti) leadership held with imran khan in the chair. On the occasion, the participants expressed their concerns over the meeting between members of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and a government delegation. “CEC sikandar Raja sultan violated the ECP’s code of conduct,” the Pti leadership said. the meeting also decided to bring no-confidence motion against the election commission in two provincial assemblies – Punjab and khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Meanwhile, the Pti Chairman has directed the legal experts to start proceedings. Earlier in the day, Pti leader

Fawad Chaudhry said his party was considering filing a “judicial reference” against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) sikander sultan Raja for what he described as the “violation of the election and judicial code of conduct”. “two days ago, a meeting was held between the Election Commission of Pakistan and the government. in it, they discussed the Pti funding case,” he said, claiming that it was a “gross violation” of electoral rules. Chaudhry was referring to the recently-held meeting between the ECP and a delegation of the ruling alliance in which the former had urged the electoral body to release the verdict in the prohibited funding case against the Pti at the earliest. the case, previously called the foreign funding case, was filed by akbar s. Babar and has been pending since nov 14, 2014. Babar, who was a founding member of the Pti but is no longer associated with it, had alleged serious financial irregularities in the party’s funding from

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

Pakistan and abroad. the ECP had reserved its verdict in the case last month. in the past few days, the government and its allies have been demanding that the electoral body immediately announce its verdict in the case. at a press conference in islamabad today, Chaudhry said: “the ECP chairman and members receive salaries equal to high court and supreme Court judges. Even their perks and privileges are similar to judges. “thus, the code of conduct that applies to them is that of the superior courts,” Chaudhry said. “never does a judge of the superior court meet the respondents of a case he is hearing. He does not hold discussions over it.” the Pti leader went on to say that the CEC’s meeting with the government was also against the judiciary’s code of conduct. “ignoring these rules, they [the CEC] met a respondent in a pending case and assured them that a decision will be taken,” he claimed, adding that the CEC even issued.