Govt RTIinformationreluctantdepartmentstoshareunderlaw CONTINUED ON PAGE 05 CONTINUED ON PAGE 05 Imran
Marriyum aurangzeb has said that a graphic video shared by Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (Pti) leaders was “fake” and being used as a “ploy to raise false narratives in a bid to distract from Pti leader shahbaz gill’s controversial statement”. During a press conference in islamabad, she also shared a ‘recent video’ purportedly showing gill standing up and looking healthy despite claims made by former prime minister imran khan and other Pti leaders that he was tortured and sexually abused. “shahbaz gill has not been tortured and only fake propaganda is being spread in this regard. when he (gill) comes in front of the camera, he starts acting,” she Marriyumsaid.said that a video of a rapist in chakwal, who was tortured by the locals after he sexually assaulted a child, is being attributed to gill. “they are only playing one half of the video and saying that it is shahbaz gill’s video and he has been subjected to sexual violence. Playing fake videos and pictures falls under cybercrime. efforts are being made to connect this propaganda with freedom of speech,” she added. the information minister said that an inquiry is being conducted on court’s order and all the evidence will be presented in front of the media by the interior minister soon. she lashed out at the misbehaviour being conducted on social media on the pretext of the alleged fake video of gill. “this narrative was initiated by imran khan and his aim is to change the story entirely.
centre for Peace and Development initiatives (cPDi), in collaboration with Pakistan information commission (Pic) organised a one-day dialogue on “right to information: implementation status, achievements and challenges”. objective of the dialogue was to share findings of the rti assessment report and generate informed debate among stakeholders about the challenges and hurdles posed in the implementation of rti laws in Pakistan. the panelists of the dialogue included Mukhtar ahmad ali, executive Director, cPDi, senator taj haider, Muhammad azam, chief information commissioner, (Pic), fawad Malik, information commissioner, Zahid abdullah, information commissioner, farah hamid khan, chief information commissioner kP, naeema kishwar, MPa kP assembly, Ms. kanwal Pervaiz ch, MPa, Punjab assembly and Mr. anwar yousafzai, executive Director c-gPa. the event was attended by Public information officers (Pios) of the federal Ministries, journalists, csos’ personnel and lawyers’ fraternity. consultant, cPDi amer ejaz, shared the findings of a study titled “assessment of right to information implementation (Proactive & reactive Disclosure)”. the study identifies gaps regarding proactive disclosure of information, implementation of specific institutional measures, and responses to rti requests. Monitoring the results of the implementing the right to information legislation in Pakistan demonstrated that public bodies do not follow the requirements of the right of access to information act, 2017 in letter and spirit. the study found that the ministries and departments have failed to impart training to Pios and sensitise them about the legal requirements of the right to information. none of the selected ministries or departments has developed any plan for rti implementation. only a couple of ministries have placed the guidelines prepared by the information commission on their websites. Mukhtar ahmad ali, eD cPDi, explained the importance of information and said that the essence of rti revolves around online/offline proactive disclosure of information by government departments. he appreciated that rti laws have been enacted in provinces and federal level whereas implementation remains a question especially in sindh and balochistan. the state should disclose information about their actions and steps proactively. resultantly the respect of departments can be increased, added senator taj haider. he offered his service to improve the federal and sindh rti laws in terms of maximum disclosure of information procedures to be simple and easy. MPa, kP assembly naeema kishwar said that Proactive disclosure of information through websites in the digital age can decrease the burden of information commissions in terms of access to information. urges ‘neutrals’ to stand wIth to
Army Chief directs Balochistan Corps to assist flood affectees
ISLAMABAD staff report F orMerprime minister and Pti chairman imran khan on saturday urged the “neutrals” — a tacit reference to the establishment — to stand with the people and justice instead of thieves. “i want to tell my neutrals that this is a problem of Pakistan [hence] it’s imperative for you to stand with people and justice instead of thieves,” he said while addressing the supporters at a rally in islamabad. he also questioned the conduct of establishment, saying, “are you really neutral as you told us ‘we are neutral’ when foreign conspiracy was being hatched and you refused to imraninterfere”.saidwhen they approached the islamabad police and adiala jail authorities to inquire as to who was involved in torturing gill. “they told us that they were receiving orders from the imran‘top’.”also announced that the party would register cases against ig and Dig of islamabad police and magistrate who granted physical remand of gill despite the fact that he was subjected to “torture”. “we are also going to supreme court against this brutality as it’s the duty of supreme court to uphold rule of law and ensure its implementation,” he added. imran said the alleged torture on gill is a show of power by those who think they are above the law. the Pti chief also compared the incumbent rulers with ruthless Mongol emperor genghis khan, saying, “he would build tower of skulls to spread fear among people… likewise same is being done today to scare the masses”. imran challenged the rulers, saying no matter what intimidation tactics they employ to silence the dissident they would not be able to stop the ‘sea of people’. “those who will try to stop sea of people will be washed away with it as people want real freedom.” he also asked the people not to be scared of government’s crackdown on social media, saying this is a defining moment in the country’s history and asked not to bow down to “idol of “Dictatorsfear”.enslave people by silencing their voices and put restrictions on media freedom. we all have to fight against this oppression,” he imranadded.saidthe objective of spreading terror is to impose “thieves and cabal of crooks” upon the country, who he claimed came to power through ‘foreign conspiracy hatched by us’.the Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf took out the rally from the federal capital’s Zero Point to f9 Park in support of incarcerated leader shahbaz gill, who the party said subjected to “gruesome torture” in police custody. former prime minister and Pti chairman imran khan led the rally to record protest against “blatant fascism prevalent under imported regime”.
RAWALPINDI staff report chief of army staff (coas) general Qamar Javed bajwa on saturday called commander balochistan corps and directed him to assist the provincial government in rescue and relief operations in flood-affected areas. according to the inter services Public relations (isPr), the army chief directed the balochistan corps commander to get an update on flood situation and undertake all measures to assist the balochistan for rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts on emergency basis in coordination with the civil administration.“unprecedented rains have caused devastation to human life and communication infrastructure, especially in balochistan,” the coas said. he further directed utilization of army resources to help affected population and restore critical communication infrastructure as immediate temporary measure. “Pakistan army stands with flood affected population in this difficult testing time and shall undertake this assistance effort as national obligation,” the coas Meanwhile,said. Pakistan army troops reached to affected areas of sindh including karachi with flood relief equipment on saturday as the incessant rains wreak havoc in the province, the military“armysaid. rescue teams have started dewatering operation and ration distribution in affected areas of district Dadu, thatta, badin and Jamshoro,” the interservices Public relations (isPr) said in a statement.thereserve rescue teams are on a high alert to meet any emergency situation in the wake of continuous rains and urban flooding in karachi and interior sindh, it added.
Marriyum debunks ‘instigator’ Imran’s
propaganda about Gill’s custodial torture
ISLAMABAD staff report
people, not ‘thIeves’ Sunday, 21 August, 2022 I 22 Muharram, 1444 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XIII No 52 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition CONTINUED ON PAGE 05 g says torture on gill is show of Power by those who think they’re above the law g vows
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2 militants killed in North Waziristan operation: ISPR ISLAMABAD: Two terrorists were killed in a clash with security forces in the tribal district of North Waziristan, an army statement said on Saturday. The statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said the clash occurred when security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Mir Ali town of the district, a region bordering Afghanistan. The intense exchange of fire killed two terrorists including Commander Khabaib Alias Bilal of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, the statement said. Bilal was involved in a suicide attack on a security forces convoy in the town earlier this month, it said. Weapons and ammunition were seized from the killed terrorists, it added. The statement said the killed terrorists had been actively involved in terrorist activities against the security forces, preparation of improvised explosive devices and killing of innocent people. Staff rePort Citizen robbed of cash, cellphone and bike LAHORE: A citizen was deprived of Rs12,000, cellphone and bike by unidentified robbers at gunpoint in Moon Market area ofGulshan-e-Ravi Saturday evening. According to FIR no 4703, registered by Gulshan-e-Ravi Police, Ajar Elahi Butt, a resident of Touheed Park, went to Moon Market for withdrawal of cash from ATM on his bike. He told the police that as he entered ATM of Bank Al-Habib in Moon Market, an armed man followed him who snatched Rs12,000 and cellphone from him. However, as he came out of the ATM, another robber snatched his bike keys and both fled the scene. The police have registered a case and launched further investigation without any clue or recovery. Staff rePort QUETTA/RAJANPUR Staff rePort Torrential rains and flash floods continued to wreak havoc in Balochistan, sweeping away a major gas pipeline in the province already cut off from the rest of the country through both roads and rail links. According to details, flooding in Bolan River washed away a 24-inch-wide gas pipeline passing under the riverbed near Bibi Nani area, suspending gas supply to Quetta, Pishin, Mastung, Kalat, Pishin, Ziarat and other towns. Meanwhile, officials of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) confirmed the incident and said that efforts were being made to link the pipeline to a narrower 12-inch pipeline to restore gas supply. The SSGC officials, however, said replacing the damaged pipeline might take at least three to four days once floodwater recedes. It is to be noted that three major highways — Quetta-Karachi, Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan and Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan — linking Balochistan with Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were still blocked due to heavy landslides and floods. Heavy boulders that fell on Fort Munro-Dera Ghazi Khan and Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan highways after the landslides could not be removed, leaving hundreds of people stranded.
QUETTA/ PESHAWAR/KHAIRPUR Staff rePort Devastating monsoon rains continued to claim precious human lives as 29 more persons including women and children died in various roof collapse and other rain-related incidents across the country. In Balochistan, the incessant monsoon rains wreaked havoc and claimed eight more lives in two different incidents of roof collapse in Jaffarabad and Dera Bugti districts of the province. “Five people of a same family in Goth Mir Khan Sobdrani Gandakha died when roof of their mud house caved in,” official sources confirmed, adding three ill-fated family members also passed away when roof of their home collapsed in Dera Bugti district. Later, bodies of the deceased were retrieved from the debris by the area people. As per Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the monsoon rains and flood so far claimed 215 lives in affected districts of the province. Those who died in rain-related incidents included 98 men, 48 women and 61 children. PDMA reports further said that mostly deaths occurred in Bolan, Quetta, Zhob, Duki, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Mastung, Harnai, Qila Saifullah and Sibi districts of Balochsitan. About losses to property, the reports said that 23,117 houses were damaged, 6057 houses collapsed and 17,060 houses partially damaged during the monsoon rains that started in June, 2022. Incessant rain and flash floods affected 18 bridges and 690 km highway while it also killed as many as 107,377 cattle. It may be mentioned here that except-Quetta-Sukkar highway, Balochistan is cut off with the rest of the country through rail and road links. Quetta-Karachi road links through Lasbela is disconnected for almost a week due to washing away of the main bridge at Uthal while due to landsliding and continuous rains, traffic at Quetta-Zhob and Quetta-Lorali connecting Balochistan with Punjab and KPK is also suspended for last two days. The railway track at Notal and Dera Murad Jamali is also inundated in flood water suspending rail service between Balochistan and rest of the country. Government is striving hard to restore the road and rail link as soon as possible, however torrential rain and flood is hampering the relief and rehabilitation efforts put in place in this connection. However, under the supervision of PDMA, local administration and Pak Army relief and rehabilitation operation is going on in affected districts. “Relief materials including 600 tents, 1400 food packets, 400 blankets, 400 mats and 400 gas cylinders were distributed among the victims in Naseerabad, Pishin, Mastung, Qila Saifullah and Kohlu districts. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine persons died and 17 others sustained injuries in rain-related incidents in different areas of the province, said the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Saturday. The PDMA started distribution of relief goods to the rain affected people in DI Khan, Khyber and South Waziristan districts.
Pakistan including some other countries under debt trapped in US dollar 29 more lost lives in rain-related incidents across country
ISLAMABAD iNP Pakistan and some other countries under heavy debt trapped in US Dollars. Pakistani rupee has depreciated by as much as 20% this year and the Thai baht by more thanA6%…stronger dollar has made it more expensive for developing countries, especially lower-income countries, to meet their dollar-denominated debt obligations, according to a report published by China Economic Net (CEN) on Saturday. Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) released the minutes of the committee meeting for July 2022. It shows that policymakers remain committed to raising interest rates as high as necessary in order to bring consumer prices closer to their 2% goal. “Participants agreed that there was little evidence to date that inflation pressures were subsiding,” the minutes said, hinting at another round of rate hike in September. The Fed has already raised interest rates four times this year, including two 75-basis-point hikes in June and July, in an effort to control the highest inflation in four decades. The unusual move has stoked concerns that the U.S. is leveraging the dollar’s status as the premier international currency to diffuse inflation worldwide, leaving vulnerable countries with high foreign debts caught in the debt trap. Since March 2020 the Fed resumed its zero-interest rate policy and implemented unlimited quantitative easing (QE) to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fed’s balance sheet expanded more than 1.1 times from $4.2 trillion at the beginning of March 2020 to $8.9 trillion at the end of February 2022, leading to a considerable credit expansion and liquidity of the U.S. dollars in the international market. This massive and continuing surge of capital outflows to emerging and other developing economies prompts them to take on more debt and increase their foreign exchange exposure, attracted by low borrowing costs. Most of the capital inflows are in the nature of portfolio investments, which are prone to sudden and volatile movement and put emerging economies at greater risk. While the western world has captured high returns from the rapid growth of the emerging economies, the latter are entangled in debt.
Gas pipeline washed away: Flood devastates 342 villages, 80 UCs in South Punjab
ISLAMABAD Staff rePort Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General and former federal minister Asad Umar on Saturday clarified that it was his Karachi’s residence, and not the one in Islamabad, about which he had said had been raided by the police.Reacting to Islamabad Police’s Friday tweet in which the Force had denied they had carried out a raid on Asad’s home, the PTI leader said that yesterday he was in Karachi and not in Islamabad. Asad took to twitter yesterday to report that a police mobile van had visited his place. But the Islamabad inspector general of police’s (IGP) media team, without investigating, issued the rebuttal of the PTI secretary general’s allegation. Federal Capital police even adopted a threatening tone and said they knew the home addresses of each and every PTI leader. On Friday, Asad was in Karachi where he was busy electioneering in connection with the bypolls to be held for NA-244.
Karachi’s, not Islamabad’s home was raided: Umar
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LAHORE: Worst traffic jam at Qurtaba Chowk after downpour on Saturday. Photo by zubair Mehfooz
FaWad demaNdS PRobe INto GIll toRtuRe aCCuSatIoN
Sunday, 21 August, 2022 ISLAMABAD 02 NEWS ISLAMABAD Staff rePort F AWADChaudhry, senior vice president of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), demanded an independent probe into the custodial torture of Shahbaz Gill after evidence emerged of detained chief of staff to former prime minister Imran Khan being subjected to sexual abuse in incarceration. Speaking to the reporters in Islamabad, Chaudhry suggested an “independent panel”, comprising party colleague Shireen Mazari, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Khawaja Saad Rafique from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to achieve the objective. These people have a point of view on torture which, he said, is independent of their parties’ narrative. “Therefore, they should be given the responsibility of inquiring about the events.” “And then the faces of those who tortured [Gill] and those who passed its orders should be brought forward in public,” he said. Chaudhry also requested the Supreme Court to take notice of the incident. His demand came hours after the Islamabad police, accused by Gill of inflicting medieval torture on him, is beginning an internal inquiry into the claim, after brushing off the startling claim that the PTI leader was subjected to sexual abuse in detention. To control the damage, a hurriedly called meeting was held in the capital under the chair of the director general of police headquarters. The meeting was attended by top police officers and investigation officers (IOs) in the case. Akbar Nasir Khan, the chief of Islamabad police, will supervise the inquiry himself. Several reports citing sources said the participants of the meeting decided to supervise the food being provided to Gill. The meeting was called after Gill, who was arrested on treason charges for alleged antimilitary remarks, was hospitalised after complaining of breathing difficulties. Under pressure from members of the public, the police later released a statement on his medical condition, claiming he is medically fit to be questioned.However, on Friday, Gill appeared briefly before a court in Islamabad, in a wheelchair and using an oxygen tank, after police demanded they be allowed to question him further. The court, however, ordered that he remain in hospital until Monday when his medical documents would be again reviewed. The PTI chair had accused the police of “torture and abuse” but they deny mistreating Gill, insisting that his aide was unwell because he suffers from chronic asthma. The allegations could not be independently verified by Pakistan Today. Gill was arrested after appearing earlier this month on private ARY News in Karachi when he allegedly incited troops and officers to mutiny. During the broadcast, Gill, a known critic of the military, said soldiers and officers should refuse to obey “illegal orders” from the military leadership. He implied the rank and file in the military overwhelmingly supports Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly in April.
INITIAL REPORT ON DESTRUCTION IN SOUTH PUNJAB: The DG Khan district administration issued initial report on the destruction and damages caused by rains and hill torrents during the period from July 25 to August 20. According to the report, 342 mouzas and villages and communities, 80 union councils were affected by floodwater, nearly 0.7 million people were affected by the hill-torrent water. Likewise, over 1.4 million acres of land was also affected, 58,593 houses were destroyed by floodwater while 242 mouzas and villages came under water in Tehsil Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa, Kot Chutta and Koh-eSuleman. 53 Union Councils while 1,48,906 people were affected, over three lac acres land flooded and 13320 houses were destroyed during July 25 to 13 August. Similarly, seven villages of tehsil DG Khan, 51 of Taunsa, nine of Kot Chutta, 33 of Koh-e-Suleman and twenty seven Union Councils were directly affected by which an area of over 1.1 million acres and 45,273 houses were damaged during 14 to Aug 20.
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The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Directorate General Public Relations on Saturday released a short documentary to pay homage to Pakistan’s valiant son and the youngest recipient of Nishan-e-Haider, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed on his 51st martyrdom anniversary. Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed was born on February 17, 1951. With a dream to defend the aerial frontiers of the motherland, he got commission in PAF on March 14, 1971 in the 51st GD (P) course, a PAF media release said. He was later posted to No. 2 Squadron stationed at Maripur (Masroor) for an Operational Conversion Course, where he was destined for sublime heights by Almighty Allah. On August 20, 1971 an unforgettable saga of bravery was crafted with his ultimate sacrifice. On this fateful day, Rashid vanquished the iniquitous intentions of his instructor pilot Flight Lieutenant Mati-ur-Rahman, who tried to hijack his training jet T-33 towards India. Rashid battled to take back the controls of the aircraft and finally preferred to crash the plane before it could cross the border. The brave son of the soil accepted to sacrifice his life but didn’t allow the country’s dignity to be tarnished. In recognition of Rashid Minhas’s supreme sacrifice and indelible courage, the Government of Pakistan awarded him with the highest gallantry award Nishan-e-Haider. He would always be remembered as an icon of bravery and sacrifice, and would remain an inspiration to follow for our future generations. Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday paid tribute to PAF Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas shaheed (Nishan-e-Haider) on 51st anniversary of his martyrdom. The president said that the nation was indebted to the sacrifices of such brave and courageous sons and saluted them for their supreme sacrifices. The president said by sacrificing his life for the country in a tender age, shaheed Minhas had set a great example and foiled the enemy’s nefarious designs with his valour. Shaheed Rashid Minhas did not desist from sacrificing his life for the honour and respect of the motherland, he added. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday said Pakistan Air Force pilot Rashid Minhas, the youngest recipient of Nishan-i-Haider, laid down his life in the line of duty this day 51 years ago. In a tweet on social media platform Twitter, he said, “His was an act of valour & courage that symbolises selfless commitment of our Air Force officers to Motherland. He will always live in our nation’s heart.”
President, PM pay tribute as PAF marks Rashid Minhas’s martyrdom anniversary
03NEWS Sunday, 21 August, 2022 | ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD Staff rePort
ISLAMABAD Staff rePort
P regardingBritishSaturdaychairmanAKISTANTehreek-e-InsafImranKhansaidonthathisremarksinthenewspaperTheGuardiantheattackonauthor
Salman Rushdie were “taken out of context”. In an interview, the former premier had condemned the knife attack on Rushdie, claiming that the anger of Muslims against the author was understandable but it didn’t justify the attack. “I think it is terrible, sad,” Imran told the publication in a comment on the violent attack that put Rushdie on a ventilator. However, the official Twitter account for the PTI, clarified that Imran’s statement was “taken out of context”, and that he had refused to attend a seminar in India because Rushdie was also invited. “In the interview, I explained the Islamic method of punishing blasphemers,” he said. The PTI chief maintained that he had given the example of the Sialkot tragedy and had spoken of Rushdie in a similar context. Imran was referring to the brutal lynching of a Sri Lankan man in Sialkot over blasphemy allegations.“Rushdie understood because he came from a Muslim family. He knows the love, respect, and reverence of the prophet that lives in our hearts. He knew that. So the anger I understood, but you can’t justify what happened,” the PTI chief had stated earlier in his interview with The Guardian. Rushdie, who was born in India to a Muslim Kashmiri family, has lived with a bounty on his head and spent nine years in hiding under British police protection. Last week, the author sustained severe injuries in an attack, including nerve damage in his arm, wounds to his liver, and the likely loss of an eye, his agent said. But his condition has been improving since the weekend, and he had been taken off the ventilator.
ISLAMABAD Staff rePort Ataullah Tarar, a special assistant to the prime minister, said the Punjab government booked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders as an act of “revenge” for the investigation against Shahbaz Gill, chief of staff to former prime minister Imran Khan, over his “seditious” commentary on ARY News. Talking to the press outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) where the PML-N leaders came to submit their requests for protective bail, Tarar said Pervaiz Elahi, the chief minister, was ruling over a Punjab where dacoities were on the rise. He warned the Punjab government of the consequences of what he said was political retribution. The wanted PML-N lawmaker, apart from Tarar, include his brother Bilal Tarar, Awais Leghari, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Saif ul-Malook Khokhar, Mirza Javed, Abdur Rauf, Pir Ashraf Rasool, Pir Khizar Hayat Khagga, Raja Sagheer Ahmad, Bilal Farooq, and RanaTararManan.dubbed Elahi a puppet and a toy whose key was in the hands of Khan. He said the Punjab government was being run from Bani Gala. He was of the view that cases against the PML-N leaders in Punjab were registered in revenge as the Islamabad police arrested Gill. He dared the Punjab government to produce proof against them if it had any. Tarar further informed the media that authorities did not let Khan meet Gill at the Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Friday because the latter came without submitting a prior request for the meeting. On this occasion, Ahmad Khan, another “wanted” lawmaker of the party, said it was the time to reject the whims of the “ladla” as they were against the interests of the country.
LAHORE MuStafa aNSari Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) Imran Amin has indicated that inflation and manifold hike in construction cost can affect the authority’s profit and increase the prices of properties. Speaking to Profit/Pakistan Today in a special session, the CEO said that higher construction cost will increase the cost of building infrastructure. “On the one hand, this increase will obviously push the prices of property up in the project while on the other hand, inflation has already affected the Ravi Riverfront project adversely,” he pointed out. In response to a question regarding local and foreign investment, Mr Amin said that the authority is being given a commitment to invest $1.7 billion by various local and international investors. “These investors include some groups from Saudi Arabia and Dubai, which are working on industrial and entertainment zones. The signed preliminary documents are with the Saudi group and work will begin in September,” he expressed his hope. The CEO believed that the need for housing has increased in view of the growing population and at the same time, there is a need for overcoming the problem of deforestation. “Our project is a huge market in terms of housing and we need a lot of houses to build on a monthly basis because the population has increased. Similarly, clean water is an important need of the hour for which protection of Ravi River and construction of barrages are important. We don’t even have forest cover because the forests in the country are very depleted. We are creating public parks and recreation zones in our projects to resolve the forest problems. Moreover, we are creating a core gaming area, designed for independent gaming. Due to such initiatives, local and international investors are also attracted to invest in our projects,” he informed. When asked about the development in the industrial zone of Ravi city, Mr Amin replied that an awareness campaign regarding registration was started in the RUDA Industrial Zone in July and the Ravi Industrial Association had started a drive to register factories in the area to provide better facilities and world-class infrastructure to the industrial zone. “Hundreds of employers have so far been registered with RUDA through the said campaign, while dozens are becoming a part of this process. We intend to provide world-class infrastructure in the industrial zone of the project soon,” he maintained. To a question about the recently announced housing project ‘Chahar Bagh’ by the authority, the CEO said that the construction of apartments and buildings under this project is going to start soon. “Chahar Bagh is a residential and commercial community. However, small communities are being developed by the authority itself and it will be green and a high-quality community. For this project we did open balloting. In April, the process of balloting of 10 marla and 1 kanal plots in this project was completed and a total of 3 lists containing the names of successful, unsuccessful and waiting candidates were also released. Successful candidates were required to deposit 10 percent of the original amount within 30 days. However, all this process was done in a very transparent manner,” he maintained.
ImRaN SayS RemaRkS oN RuShdIe’S attaCk ‘takeN out oF CoNtext’
Punjab govt booked PML-N leaders to avenge Gill’s arrest: Tarar
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LAHORE Staff RepoRt 51st death anniversary of Pakistan’s national hero, Rashid Minhas, was marked across the country on Saturday with tributes paid to his services. Born on February 17, 1951, Minhas remains the youngest officer to receive Nishan-e-Haider, the nation’s highest gallantry honour and was the first recipient of the award for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).He received early education in Karachi and on reaching the tender age of 17, he joined PAF Academy in Risalpur as a Flying Cadet. In 1971, Minhas graduated from the academy as a general duty pilot and was posted to PAF base Masroor in Karachi’s Mauripur town to hone his skills as a fighter pilot. On August 20, as a pilot still under training, Minhas was taxing out a T-33 Jet trainer for takeoff, when a pilot instructor, Flight Lieutenant Mati ur-Rahman, forced his way into the rear cockpit. In mid-air, Rahman knocked Minhas out, seized control of the aircraft and headed towards India. With just 40 miles of Pakistan territory remaining, Minhas regained consciousness and tried to regain control of his aircraft. Failing to do so, he did the only thing within his control to prevent the aircraft from being taken to India — he forced that plane to crash just 32 miles from the Indian border, sacrificing his life to save the honour of Pakistan. Minhas was laid to rest on August 21, with full military honours. The young pilot’s entire family attended the funeral, along with senior PAF and other military personnel. Minhas was posthumously awarded Nishan-eHaider, the country’s top military honour, announced by then-president Gen. Yahya Khan. He became the youngest soldier and the only member of the air force to earn the award.
IslaMabad polIcE bEGIN probE INto GIll’s torturE allEGatIoNs
The PTI leader came to the court on a wheelchair. The judge directed the authorities to shift Gill to PIMS Hospital and again conduct his medical examination. Imran Khan who went to the hospital later in the evening to inquire after his aide’s health, the authorities did not let him see Gill. Concerned over the treatment being meted out to Gill, Imran announced countrywide rallies to express solidarity with his chief of staff who is facing sedition charges. The PTI chief in his tweets on Friday alleged that “all the pictures & videos show clearly Gill was tortured both mentally & physically including sexual abuse – most too gruesome to relate. He was humiliated to break him down. I now have full detailed info.” Imran further wrote: “Tomorrow I will be leading a rally after Maghrib, from China chowk to F9 Park, in support of Dr Gill & in protest against the torture inflicted on him.”
Sunday, 21 August, 2022 ISLAMABAD 04 NEWS ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt t HEIslamabad Police on Saturday started an inquiry into allegations of torture on PTI leader and Imran Khan’s chief of staff Shahbaz Gill during his detention. According to sources, a special meeting was held in the federal capital under the chair of DG Headquarters, Islamabad. The meeting was attended by top police officials and also by the investigation officers of the case. Sources said that it was decided to completely supervise the food being given to Gill. Police have started recording statements on Gill’s torture allegations. They also have recorded doctors’ statements. Sources said that the Islamabad IG police himself was supervising the inquiry. The meeting participants were also briefed about the court order. The Islamabad High Court has directed the IG police to submit a report on the allegations of torture on Gill. On Friday, a sessions court refused to grant extension in the physical remand of Gill as requested by the police.
WASHINGTON ReuteRS
BEIJING agencieS Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moinul Haque on Saturday inaugurated a QR codebased registration system to further facilitate Pakistani community members across China. Addressing the audience, Ambassador Haque said that the government and the embassy had been making efforts to further improve facilities for the Pakistani Diaspora in China. He said that the newly inaugurated system would streamline interaction with the community, and improve consular services. “The objective of this initiative is to seek their valuable inputs in improving community services,” he added. “In a bid to facilitate Pakistani Diaspora in China, streamline interaction with the community, and improve consular services, I am delighted to inaugurate a QR code-based registration system for Pakistanis in China,” the ambassador tweets after launch of QR code. Senior diplomats, members of Pakistani community, businessmen and students attended the ceremony.
Minhas remembered on martyrdom anniversary
National Muslim groups have linked the killings of four Muslim men in New Mexico over the past year to sectarianism, but Muslims who knew the victims and suspected gunman point to revenge and personal feuds as possible motives. Police last week arrested Afghan refugee Muhammad Syed, 51, as the prime suspect in the shootings of four Muslim men in New Mexico’s largest city, Albuquerque. Syed has denied involvement. Detectives said an “interpersonal conflict” may have driven the shootings of men of Afghanistan or Pakistan descent. A judge on Wednesday ordered Syed remain in custody pending trial based on charges he murdered two of the men and his history of fleeing law enforcement. His lawyer had requested bail, arguing Syed complied with release requirements in 2018 and 2019 after he was arrested for assaulting family members. The Council on Islamic-American Relations (CAIR) was among Muslim advocacy groups that have condemned the killings as possible “sectarian hatred”. Three of the victims were members of the Shi’ite sect. Syed is a Sunni Muslim. Abed Ayoub, legal and policy director of the American Arab AntiDiscrimination Committee, said the killings were clearly anti-Shia. The Shia Racial Justice Coalition “condemned the heinous targeted killing of Shias.” Shi’ite-Sunni tension is flaring in the Middle East and South Asia, including in Afghanistan where Shi’ites are frequently attacked by Sunni gunmen.However, local Muslim leaders in New Mexico said it was inaccurate to call the killings sectarian, and feared the label could damage relations between Shi’ites and Sunnis who pray together at the Islamic Center of New Mexico, Albuquerque’s main mosque.
The speakers noted that Pakistan has a serious debt problem and fiscal deficit is a worrisome factor. It has hindered growth, and led to spiraling inflation as well as battering of the currency. “Pakistan’s economy has been facing perennial and persistent fiscal deficits, varying from as low as 2.9% to as high as 12.2% of its GDP, it was pointed out. The budget deficit stands widened due to sluggish revenue growth and excessive government expenditure.”To reduce this deficit, governments have been resorting to domestic and international borrowing, and cutting down on spending, which has negatively affected the country’s social and economic growth indicators, they said. Ambassador Dr Raza Muhammad of IPRI stressed the need for being tolerant and reverent in our dealing with others that would ultimately go on to define the national character, as all the stakeholders cajole their synergies for putting the economy back on the track.
Wildlife rescuer finds highly venomous Fat-tailed scorpion from Cholistan desertIn New Mexico, Muslims reject sectarian label for killings
QR code-based registration system launched for Pakistani community Good Governance: Experts stress revenue generation, expenditure management
Jawad said Pakistan has rich diversity of scorpion which needs to be tapped for extracting venom and has a lot of demand in international market.
PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt Abdul Rehman, an amazing nature survivalist and wildlife rescuer, has claimed to have found the first time a highly venomous Fat-tailed scorpion from Cholistan desert. “Highly venomous (Androctonus Robustus) also known as “Man killer” scorpion is first time discovered from Cholistan Desert of Pakistan,” claimed Abdul Rahman who also operates an educational YouTube channel `Wild Rush’ to create awareness about conservation of indigenous wild species. Talking to APP from Bhawalpur, Abdul Rahman said he spent two weeks in Cholistan desert to find this nocturnal specie which belongs to Buthidae family and has been recently found for the first time in Baluchistan at District Pishin in 2020. “Fattail scorpion or fat-tailed scorpion is the common name given to scorpions of the genus Androctonus, which is one of the most dangerous groups of scorpions species in the world” reads Wikipedia encyclopedia. Their common name (Fattail) was derived from their distinctly fat metasoma, or tail, while the Latin name (Androctonus Robustus) originates from Greek and means “man killer”, encyclopedia added. They are found throughout the semi-arid and arid regions of the Middle East, Africa and Himalayan regions. The venom of Fat tail scorpion contains powerful neurotoxins and is especially potent. “The scorpion has been preserved in an alcohol jar and can be provided to any authorized department or researcher for doing some research work on creation of its anti-venom,” Rehman shared. He said discovery of fattail scorpion in Cholistan means that stings from Androctonus species (Man killer) might be causing human deaths in different parts of the country each year and its anti-venom needs to be prepared or arranged at the earliest. Hailing from Bhawalpure District of Punjab, Abdul Rehman owns a tea stall at a rural settlement in his hometown, but passionate love for nature and wildlife made him as an amazing nature survivalist and wildlife rescuer who along with his team members have saved around 10,000 venomous species including snakes and scorpion in Cholistan desert during the last one decade. He has also set up a group of wildlife rescuers who respond to the call of finding of any scorpion or snake in area within Cholistan desert and in its vicinity and rush to the site for saving of the reptile. “Fattail scorpion is found in different parts of Pakistan, but its finding and research can help in developing its antivenom,” observed Sahibzada Muhammad Jawad, a scorpion researcher doing Phd from USA. Jawad has collected and preserved around 700 kinds of arachnids at a refrigerator in his home for study purpose and has called for establishment of a modern lab for extracting highly precious venom for treatment of fatal diseases besides earning foreign exchange through international trade. He also requested Abdul Rahman for preserving of the fat tailed scorpion for research purpose.
LAHORE Staff RepoRt The experts at a roundtable on economic situation of the country on Saturday said the fiscal deficits were there since 2014, and would continue unless interventions are made at all levels of government in relation to key policy areas like revenue generation and expenditure management. A roundtable conference themed, “Fiscal deficits’ of Pakistan Economy,’ was held here as part of the second leg of Grand National Dialogue under the auspicious of Islamabad Policy Research Institute, a news release said. The distinguished panel consisted of Dr Maqbool Hussain Sial, Dr Ali Hussnain, Dr Ghulam Ghouse, Dr Fahad Ali, Dr Ummad Mazhar, Dr Akhtar Mansoor, Dr. Rafi Amir Uddin and Dr Aneel Salman, Chair Economic Security at IPRI. In his opening remarks, the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Dr Moeed Yusuf said, “Only word that matters for Pakistan is Economy. The rest is all linked with the amount and management of resources we have at our disposal.”
Govt informationreluctantdepartmentstoshareunder
Marriyum debunks ‘instigator’ Imran’s propaganda about Gill’s custodial torture Science popularisation important objective of ‘science diplomacy initiative’: official Imran urges ‘neutrals’ to stand with people, not ‘thieves’
continued from page 01 PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan in a tweet had said that Imran will address the protesters and his speech will be live telecast at other rallies being taken out by party leaders in divisional headquarters across the country. Gill was arrested from Bani Gala Chowk in Islamabad a few days ago after a video clip of his controversial remarks aired on a television channel went viral on social media. He was subsequently booked on charges of inciting mutiny in the military. However, roughly 10 days after his arrest, the PTI chairman and the party leadership adopted an offensive mode with all guns blazing and decided to take to the streets. After seeing photos and videos showing Gill gasping for air while being taken to the court and hospital, the PTI chairman went to see Gill at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Friday evening but was denied permission. Talking to the media at PIMS, the former PM said that if a political worker can be tortured, one could imagine what an ordinary citizen goes through, adding that such “inhuman treatment” and “torture of a political worker” was unacceptable. “All the pictures & videos show clearly [Shahbaz] Gill was tortured both mentally & physically including] sexual abuse – most too gruesome to relate. He was humiliated to break him down,” Imran tweeted while sharing a video of Gill wherein he could be seen pleading for an oxygen mask. While questioning who tortured Gill, Imran without specifically naming anyone stated that “there is a general perception in the public at large & in our minds too as to who could have carried out the gruesome torture”, warning “remember the public will react”. Subsequently, Imran vowed to leave “no stone unturned to find out those [who are] responsible & bring them to justice.”
“Technological progress and society-driven innovation are very important as we face global challenges of food security and climate change,” said the foreign secretary.
He wants to change the scenario after he was bashed for dirty and vile campaign against the martyrs of the Lasbela helicopter which was followed by trolls of PTI caught,” she added. The minister said that Gill used platform of a private TV channel and gave scripted beeper at the request of Imran Khan. “Their aim is to change the story of what Gill has done on the orders of his party chief,” she added. Marriyum said that PTI’s ‘entire propaganda machine’ is being used to spread fake news. “The fact is Gill gave a call for mutiny… he breached the red lines given in the Constitution,” she added. She said a case was lodged against the PTI leader, he was arrested for his controversial remarks and an investigation is underway. Marriyum further said that the government was against torture on anyone but fake propaganda will not be tolerated.Meanwhile, PTI leaders have provided ‘evidence’ of the torture on Shahbaz Gill to Islamabad Police. The evidence was handed over to the capital police by PTI leaders including Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, Ali Nawaz Awan and others. Islamabad Police had published an advertisement seeking evidence of torture on Gill or statement from the public. It termed the reports stating torture on PTI leader as false, saying that if anyone has any proof it should be provided to the police. It urged the public not to become a part of any false campaign. The police said that investigation was underway regarding the reports of violence on court orders. “The police department works to restore law and order and action will be taken against those who defame police as an institution,” it warned. Marriyum urges Imran to name agencies who provided material against PML-N, PPP Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb also challenged Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf Chairman Imran Khan to tell the names of agencies which gave him the report about Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan PeoplesInParty.atweet, she asked Imran to also give the names of the persons who gave him the report about the PML-N and the PPP. She also posed a question as to who had given Imran Khan guarantee about the Chief Election CastigatingCommissioner.ImranKhan, she said that instead of staging political dramas and levelling baseless accusations against the opponents, he should disclose the names on whose behest he kept making false accusations against the political adversaries and put them in jails. Instead of taking out the protest rally, Imran should disclose why he used Shahbaz Gill for issuing statement inciting rebellion within the institutions, she maintained. The minister asked Imran to clarify why he campaigned against the martyrs of Lasbela helicopter crash tragedy through his social media trolls.
05NEWS Sunday, 21 August, 2022 | ISLAMABAD
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RTI law continued from page 01 Kanwal Pervaiz Ch, MPA, Punjab Assembly, said RTI is a tool for transparency but the designation of Public Information Officer (s) PIOs in the department is important to implement the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013 as various departments are working without the nomination of PIOs. She offered to raise her voice in the Punjab Assembly for effective implementation of Punjab RTI law. Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) is facing serious challenges to implement the Act. These challenges include administrative, procedural and legal challenges since its establishment in November 2018 added Mr. Muhammad Azam, Chief Information Commissioner, PIC. Despite these challenges the commission got more than 260 PIOs nominated in different federal ministries and departments, more than 578 orders have been issued and with the limited resources PIC extended awareness campaigns throughout Pakistan in each press club.
PTI leader shot dead by unidentified assailants
QUETTA: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Nargis Baloch was shot dead by unidentified assailants, riding a motorbike near Balochistan University here on Saturday. According to details, PTI leader Nargis Baloch was shot dead near Balochistan University by unidentified bike-borne assailants in the provincial capital. It is to be noted that Nargis’s two children were shot dead earlier this year. Earlier on August 6, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Malik Liaquat had been injured after unidentified culprits attacked his vehicle in Dir area. Staff RepoRt
iSLamaBad MonitoRing RepoRt Science popularisation is one of the key objectives of Pakistan’s “Science Diplomacy initiative” through which it has been actively promoting indigenous scientific-technological achievements and connecting local stakeholders with international partners, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood has said. Mahmood made the remarks while addressing an event organised by the foreign ministry in collaboration with Khwarizmi Science Society, a local non-profit organisation working on science and technology. He said that science popularisation is a vital pathway for employing science, technology and innovation, as an enabler for socio-economic development.“Societies that value and promote science are the societies commanding influence and being respected in the international community,” the foreign secretary added. Highlighting Pakistan’s support in promoting science and technology globally, he noted the role Pakistan has played in the development of various inter-governmental scientific organisations.It is the need of the hour to use science popularisation to further strengthen the impact of the ongoing activities and engage in the capacitybuilding of young scientists, Mahmood said.
dera gHaZi KHan USMan MUjtaba LeghaRi M ASSIVErains have unleashed a literal devastation in across Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur Districts as thousands of dwellers have either are facing hardship or have been shifted out of the region. Worst flash-flood have wreaked havoc in Taunsa Sharif, Nari, Mangrotha, Sokar, Retra, Tibbi Qaisrani, Litra, Vehowa, Jallo Wali, Dagar Wali, Mithay Wali, Lakhani and other towns leaving dozens of people drowned and killed while others injured. While millions of acres of land is inundated by floodwater as over 200 villages have been affected. Local sources say that 50 villages have been completely under water as dwellers have lost their mud-houses, food resources, tube-wells and wells while graveyards have been turned into barren Communicationland. services have been broken and transportation has been suspended due to broken and submerged roads. More than 50,000 acres of ready to harvest crops have been destroyed. There is no dry land left to burry the dead. While the people are crying for help, local authorities are hard to find. The political and bureaucratic elites are also missing while the INGOs are also absent. People are asking if they cannot help their own citizens what do they expect in return? They can be insensitive to feel their pain but they should be mindful of the fact that their vote bank lives in this area, don’t fill their hearts withReportedly,hatred! the Government has officially not taken any action or sent any kind of help yet. The people of Taunsa have come to the streets and raised their voices with banners and protested for food and medicine. Today at Liberty Chowk Lahore Community from Taunsa Sharif raised their voice against the insensitivity of government. The people in the question are the same to where the Ex Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Ahmed Khan BuzdarSub-Tehsilbelonged.Vehowa which comprises of more than 70 thousand population has met a huge devastation caused by the Hill Torrents. The only flood safety wall which had saved the city previously has been completely ruined, 70% population of Vehowa is affected, the only graveyard of the city which had almost thousand graves in it, is now left with only few stones. The flood has completely damaged the water supply pipelines because of which people have lost the only source of drinking water. Highly deprived people of Vehowa are now more depressed and desperate by the carelessness of the Elected Leaders of the Region. They even tried to convey their message to their elected ministers who are sitting miles away through video message but their grief is listened and ignored. Out of rage people even commenced that they will not spare Mr. Khawaja Shiraz Mehmood sitting MNA of the constituency and MPA Mr. Khawaja Daood Sulemani for sending only one excavator to help the wholeNotregion.toforget their anger has been escalated as these two persons were responsible for the removal of Sardar Usman Buzdar from his CM-ship. Among the noticeable and unforgettable services of the Non Government Organizations, Al Khidmat Foundation will never be forgotten for doing commendable job for the rehabilitation of the people of Vehowa and its suburbs. Azizullah Qaisrani, the leader of Al Khidmat Foundation Vehowa – this name will be written with Golden Words in the history of rehabilitation of Vehowa during these crucial circumstances. Regional political leader Sardar Farooq Khan Khetran and President of Anjuman e Tajraan Haji Ashraf Mehmood Leghari expressed their grievances over the government and condemned for their silence over the heart wrenching situation of SaraikiTheyWaseb.saidthat people from Saraiki Waseb have always helped the calamity-hit regions of upper Punjab whenever needed in the past, when they need you today, the provision of excavator is a fair contribution? We need your help don’t forget our services from the past. Besides all the woes of the rural community they still salute their regional leaders for their selfless devotion and care for them. Sooner or later, this time shall pass too. But it is a humble request to the governing bodies in general and the elected bodies in particular that people are investing their hopes in you. They have lost their families, their houses, their lifetime possessions, their everything which belongs to them for their survival. They are helping themselves with minimal resources to let themselves breathe and find a reason to live again. Please provide them basic resources, provide them food and shelter, bring machinery for the removal of stagnant water, provide medical services to let them fight with growing diseases and give them a reason to live.
SOS call fOR dRInkInG waTeR by dwelleRS Of TaunSa ShaRIf aS flOOd SInkS dG khan
moreover, no exception is taken on the omission in this but every individual accident is also taken very seriously or every possible effort is made to solve it but with us, the situation is the opposite. Here even the common man is being deprived of the basic facilities of health and education. If any government has tried to provide basic health facilities to the common man, the incoming government has stopped everything as soon as it came to power. During the PTI regime, many projects were started regarding health, education and better food supply for the common people but the coalition government stopped everything so soon, however, PTI in Punjab has decided to advance the health card programme in a better way, upgrade the emergency wards of all the government hospitals of the province and provide all the medicines to the patients in the emergency wards as soon as they regain power. Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi indeed initiated many welfare projects during his first term, including 1122 rescue Service and special arrangements to provide medical facilities for all state hospitals. a supply of free medicines was also organized in the wards but it was not continued. Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has once again got an opportunity in Punjab to ensure the provision of basic health facilities to the people of the entire province. Initiatives have been started and Chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has decided to further improve the health card program, upgrade the emergency wards of all the government hospitals in the province and provide all medicines to the patients in the emergency wards free of charge. These actions of the Chief minister are undoubtedly worthy of praise. There is no doubt that the provision of health facilities in the province is very upsetting, especially in government hospitals, where patients are suffering, the free supply of medicines has stopped and operations have been postponed for several months. In this regard, the worst situation is in cardiology hospitals, where patients are given a long wait from angiography to bypass operation,with the main reason for this is the abnormal increase in the number of patients. If recruitment of staff on merit is ensured along with the upgradation of hospitals, then the public is likely to get health facilities to a large extent. It is gratifying that the Chief minister of Punjab has paid attention to the health sector instantly, and on the one hand there is a lack of facilities in hospitals while on the other hand there is also a lack of emergency medical aid centers on the important and busy roads of the province including the motorway. If the Punjab government along with the upgradation of hospitals also establishes medical units on the highways where medical assistance facilities are available round the clock then in case of emergencies or accidents, the injured or critically ill people can be saved from dying by providing medical assistance. In this matter, trained medical staff can also be appointed on the pattern of 1122 with the suggestion that it can be expected that the Chief minister of Punjab will definitely take immediate steps. There is no doubt that if the country wants development, prosperity and peace then the rulers have to ensure health and education a place in their priorities and work hard for the development and promotion of these sectors under personal supervision with great honesty. Planning has been done in every government period. also, there have been many claims and promises but there has been a lack of practical measures. The determination of the Punjab government to improve the health sector is in place, yet where the Chief minister of Punjab is taking effective measures to improve the health sector, he must also devise a coordinated system to protect funds from theft with better planning and ensure that the funds are allocated to the rightful place, only then we will be able to emerge as a mentally and physically healthy nation. The writer can be reached at attiabutt121@gmail.com, and tweets @AttiyaMunawer Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 I Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 I Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545 I Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk I Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk
Wherepoliticswillit
Political commitment to upgradation of health infrastructure
“Fear was to be feared because of the miseries it creates”
“We are more often frightened than hurt, and we suffer more from imagination than from reality.” – Seneca.
T HErEis some profuse economic development in Pakistan. Still, this growth rate of economic development is not possible without an increase in the standard living of the people. Experts also admit that the quality of life will be high only when people get health facilities, and if people across the country do not have access to health, education, nutritive food, clean water supply and better drainage facilities then how will the quality of life of the people of this countryEducationimprove?and health are the top priorities of governments around the world, and governments are scrambling to provide the best education and medical facilities to their people quickly and easily whereas, at all costs, education and health are considered a lifeline and are kept in their first priorities.
PTI’s
I mranKhan’s public speaking is a perfect example of theatricality. The storyline Imran Khan follows is consistently based on counteractive strategy. Imran Khan’s narrative is built up upon his own most visible flaws, he reverses his flaws and characterizes his opponents on the bases of his own shortcoming, which serves the purpose of “deviation-elimination”. Let me explain how; his most substantiated blemishes as a presumed leader are; 1-that he has no stake in Pakistan, 2- his next generation is not Pakistani and has no interest in Pakistan, 3- his means of expenditure and source of earning have no correlation. He crafted his theatricality on these three points, that’s why his speeches sound bizarre to all sound minds. He blames his opponents for the shortcomings he possesses, he reinforces insanely that the PmL(n) and PPP have no personal stakes in Pakistan, and he euphorically repeats that they are living the lives of monarchs and asks for their source of income. He blames other politicians for having their families abroad, for being westernized, for speaking English and speaking bad Urdu, and links it all to psychological slavery. This technique of theatricality deviates the audience from his own inconsistent personality, the second step of elimination occurs when the opponents do not respond promptly and properly. Khan’s success actually lies in the PmL(n)’s perceivable defeat in targeting the negatives and faults of Khan’s personality. nobody is perfect and every person lives with his weak points and with some exploitable personality faults, and Imran Khan who lives in a mansion spreading hundreds of acres is no exception. The weak counter-strategy, specifically of the PmL(n) provides free ground for re-associations crafted by Imran Khan. In plain words, Imran Khan deviates the public eye from his fault lines and associates them with someone else; this eliminates him and implicates his opponents.Hisruthless mockery of our society and our institutions is being presented as a saleable commodity for the buyers who have no knowledge of history and no insight into the future. Imran Khan deliberately makes fun of Pakistani politicians, parliament, constitution, judiciary, bureaucracy and military with the claim that he is the one without errors and rest is all full of flaws and needs to be destroyed in order to be rebuilt. His destruction doctrine, which he is selling to our youth, could be long banned in any first-world country. Imran Khan’s mantra of destruction and reconstruction is a core principle of a fascist philosophy. Imran Khan somehow managed to convince the Pakistani youth that in order to build a new prosperous Pakistan the old Pakistan has to be destroyed, and he firmly believes in it. If we analyze him and his words under the lenses of destruction and construction, we get a clear idea why his words are so destructive, how come he is so socially awkward and politically insensitive that he gives destructive statements about Pakistan’s foreign policy and Pakistan’s institutions. Imran Khan wants and has convinced our youth that destruction is inevitable if we want to build a utopia.Onaugust 18, Imran Khan while addressing a forum, compared media freedom in Pakistan with other countries and claimed that there is (was) no free media in the middle East. I strongly object to his comments because they are loaded and can antagonize middle Eastern countries, the majority of whom have very cordial relations with Pakistan. Why should he taunt countries with Pakistan having good relations? During his speech, he claimed he provided full independence to the media during his government. His statement is contrary to the facts and everybody linked with the media industry remembers how many journalists had been abducted, harassed, subjugated, and economically strangulated and the constant arm twisting of media hubs is still fresh in the minds of all of us. I believe that there is no need to explain this point in detail. But the point remains intact that how he is successful in selling his narcissistic formula of destruction-reconstruction? I figured out one answer from history, during the middle ages there used to be philosophers of fear, they were usually state-funded philosophers who invented theories based on fear of chaos. While studying Cognitive Sciences I came across research explaining that the human cognitive system is an orderly system, based on patterns of thoughts and processes through assimilation. The biggest fear of the human brain could be chaos, and we know that an extremely chaotic situation creates a nervous breakdown, meaning the human nervous system shuts down automatically to avoid a collapse. The fear of chaos is the most dangerous weapon in psychological warfare. Imran Khan is following the footsteps of the philosophers of fear, he infuses fear of chaos and collapse and remodifies it with his destructive-reconstructive ideology. Former US President Franklin D. roosevelt in one of his speeches commented that nations faced destruction if they are (were) victims of fear. He was of the view that “there must be nothing to fear but fear itself”. “Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself— nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” Well before roosevelt, Stoic philosophers said that “fear was to be feared because of the miseries it creates”. Imran Khan has been injecting fear among the masses that Pakistan (God forbids) would collapse if he is not reelected and his fear game is playing a dangerous game with our minds. I believe Imran Khan is successfully altering the young minds with fear of absolute chaos, and preparing them for the ultimate destruction of every inch of Pakistan, he is convincing the youth that he is the sole saviour by deviation-elimination technique, he has successfully convinced the youngsters that his primary flaws are in fact non-existing and he ruthlessly with extensive articulation has convinced the youth that Pakistani politicians are corrupt, have no stake and interest in Pakistan, and are not Pakistani plus they spend beyond their means or they don’t have a legal source of income. On the contrary, these are the personal fault lines Imran Khan is standing on. He systematically convinces our youth that he is a messiah, and indispensable, with this trajectory he emphasizes that if we want to be saved, we need to destroy everything and we will resurrect in naya Pakistan. moreover, if we choose to disagree with his proposal of destruction-resurrection-reconstruction, then there will be chaos with no escape whatsoever.
Imran Khan is sowing fears to harvest destruction
ShAziA Anwer CheeMA
06 Sunday, 21 August, 2022 COMMENT
end? T HEPmL(n) mPas wanted by Lahore’s Qilla Gujjar Singh police for hooliganism in the april 16 Cm’s election had their houses raided, in Lahore, Gujranwala, narowal, rawalpindi, Sheikhupura and Sahiwal, but all managed to flee to Islamabad, leaving Punjab Home minister Hashim Dogar to face recriminations from his own partymen, for a botched operation. That they raised the issue indicates how anxious they were that there be vengeance for the events surrounding that election. It was to be noted that those mPas who are accused of attacking the Deputy Speaker, who was then in the chair, are not being sought, but then, they belong to the ruling PTI. Before it came back to office, they were being sought by the Hamza Shehbaz government. It is unfortunate but true that the PDm and the PTI are willing to use whatever state means at their disposal to harm the other. The split has become so deep in society that it has become impossible to have a civilized discussion any longer. It has become impossible to see any end in sight. It is true that the guilty must be held to account, but if the government holds that the only guilt is having opposed it at some time in the past, it will not be possible for it to move past o the purpose for which it was presumably elected, which is the service of the people, not installing one person or another in a particular post. The only way out of the corner in which the two parties have painted themselves is a dialogue, a frank admission that there is a problem, and a discussion about how to end it. Easier said than done, because the question naturally arises about who will be the honest broker, after the bitterness of the history between the parties, and not just after the PTI government was toppled. President arif alvi has offered his services, and is the right person by virtue of his office, but his conduct after Imran Khan’s removal has left him labelled as the PTI’’s President. But, evben if not him, there is no other way out. The attempted arrest of PML(N) MPAs for hooliganism raises the confrontation a notch Double standards, double talk YousafEditorNizami Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor M. A. Niazi Joint Editor Umar ExecutiveAzizEditorAziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor
AttiyA MunAwer 06-07 Comments 21st August 2022_Layout 1 8/21/2022 12:26 AM Page 1
The writer Shazia Cheema is an analyst writing for national and international media outlets. She heads the DND Thought Center. She did her MA in Cognitive Semiotics from Aarhus University Denmark and is currently registered as a Ph.D. Scholar of Semiotics and Philosophy of Communication at Charles University Prague
T HEhearing on the Toshakhana reference has begun. The reference filed on behalf of Speaker national assembly raja Pervez ashraf seeks PTI chief Imran Khan’s lifelong disqualification from holding public office. meanwhile the Election Commission of Pakistan has issued notices to mr Khan and senior party leaders Fawad Chaudhry and asad Umar for using "intemperate and contemptuous remarks" against the electoral watchdog in recent speeches. Setting aside the PTI chief’s stand that he is not obligated to the FIa, the agency has reportedly sent a second notice to him seeking the record of PTI's financial details. FIa is authorized to arrest a person who fails to appear before it after receiving the third notice. mr Khan failed to realize that while one may come to power with the help of the establishment one will have to act afterwards as a junior partner. Once in Pm House, the sycophants around mr Khan started telling him that his personal charisma and unmatched political sense had attracted electables and smaller parties to the PTI. The mammoth crowds that gathered at his call further nurtured the bloated image of the self in the PTI chief. after consigning a fair number his political opponents to naB, Imran Khan tried to dabble in the army’s internal affairs too, which gave birth to resentment in the organization. Long before coming to power the PTI had started using its social media teams to viciously attack its political rivals and media critics, employing the foulest vocabulary never used before. With mr Khan blaming the army for the fall of his government, its highly irresponsible social media teams turned their guns toward the army. Instead of telling them to act responsibly, mr Khan's chief of staff Shahbaz Gill incited mutiny in the army. mr Khan is unwilling to play the role of a responsible opposition leader. He has again said he cannot sit together with corrupt politicians comprising the leadership of the ruling alliance. He is however cool with some of the icons of dynastic politics like Ch Pervez Elahi and Shah mehmud Qureshi. mr Khan is still keen to make up with the army and rule the country together. To prove that he still possesses formidable street power Khan gave the call for protests all over the country on Saturday. Despite the PTI ruling Punjab and KP the party failed to gather its much boasted millions.
WHILEwe, the people, are facing unprecedented socioeconomic and political crises, our political elite appears to be focussed on settling its own scores, unmindful of the misery of the very people they had promised to ‘serve’. To serve their own vested interests, our political leadership across the divide is ignoring the fact that the country has been slipping fast into chaos and violence, which we saw a couple of decades ago. The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is getting back on its feet in areas like Peuchar, matta, mir ali, etc., which had been reclaimed after sacrificing a lot of precious lives. In Balochistan, we are witnessing casualties on almost daily basis where insurgents’ activities have resumed with fresh vigour. There have been floods across the country, leaving several large cities inundated, while the toiling masses have been condemned to fight the surging inflation. It is sad to see the indifference of political leaders who spent all their energies and time in devising new strategies to cause as much damage as they could to their rivals, while ignoring the crises the country and the people have been going through. It is no wonder that the people of Pakistan have no faith in politics and democracy.
uals from dissenting communities and groups pointed out or circled red on the basis of ethnicity, nationality or belief to be picked up without trace. The established order-controlled organs of the state have been deliberately slow in catering to the very meek demands from the judiciary for setting the record straight; meaning that sharing of the status which is even ingrained in the Constitution. Visibly emboldened not to answer even to the judiciary and further encouraged by the Hybrid arrangement in operation since the 2018 general elections; it was precisely the coincidence that the first victims of the emboldened body language of the established order were those very political trends which prided themselves with the “one-page doctrine”. as things stand in Pakistan; despite the façade of a democratic system of government in order in the country; it is not difficult for a man on the street to feel that there are forces behind the curtain which are calling the shots and the front men are merely dancing Thepuppets.recent judicial interrogation of Imran Khan confidante Shahbaz Gill can be cited as a test case. Videos available on Twitter displaying his medical position; the concern of his party and surprisingly low esteem of his party in defending him; all speak of a proverbial “republic of fear” (coincidentally title of a book written in the early 1990s about Baath rule in Iraq) syndrome which is fast taking roots in the Pakistani political and socialTheculture.treatment meted out to the Khan confidante infact refreshes the treatment meted out by the then Ghulam Haider Wyne PmL government to PPP/PSF activist Sohail malik whose exposure to third degree torture was responsible for his demise at much younger age; had he not been meted out inhuman torture in november 1992. Linked to that, the one-sided reporting on TV channels about people making confessions; which keeping in view the popular political/judicial culture of Pakistan, are well extracted under duress; completes the picture. a civil structure like sheep clothing worn by a wolf representing the real power. The situation in Pakistan and no concern by the international human rights organizations and forums about the same raises concerns about the current placing of the country in the international arena. Undefined flight patterns of the raF military transports between East European and West asian destina-
tions as visible in flight tracking servers and applications; Pakistan’s undefined character and role lauded by the arab Sheikhdoms for no apparent reasons within the current month and similar unprecedented honours being bestowed on the COaS can raise questions for foreign policy experts where the international political grouping is headed to. Pakistan’s slow economic recovery without doubt smacks of similar recoveries witnessed by economic experts in a north african state like Egypt. Egypt, ever since it crossed over to the western camp after Sadat's rise to power in 1971 has been the West’s pampered baby all along. It has its bailout plans, write-off plans; not on the dint of any genuine economic recovery demonstrated by the early 2000 Turkey or Thailand for that matter. It has been purely geopolitical services rendered which have helped the deep state in Cairo to mount a coup against an elected president in 2013, massacre main opposition group’s rally without any reprimand from the international watchers and human rights organizations.Given the track record of international engagements usually settled by one man and bypassing public debate or a parliamentary debate; the only exception the Yemeni/ Houthi campaign discussion in april 2015, the fallouts of the same have been pretty destructive. Pakistan’s re-entry into another war theatre, suspected; secret or otherwise, has the potential to have a fall out internally. For all practical purposes, the game of a monkey playing arbitrator internally favoring a favorite cat against the written-off one; lack of political discourse and a sort of mcCarthyism practiced; which has been long defunct in its country of origin can be politicallyThedestructive.wayforward for society is vague. The country can regain few economic indicators; which might make up for the signs of discontent; very much like what veteran Iranian Journalist of pre 1979 era amir Tahiri wrote in his book on the events of 1979; that the real Iran was missing and the technocrat had a jargon loaded with Pakistanfigures.mightbe a rosy picture from the distance but a rotten fruit invaded by ants when looked from closely. The people need to redefine their participation in the polity, failing which the society might lead a way towards anarchy or implosion.
PaKISTanneeds political and economic stability. For this, everyone has to show understanding. The problems faced by the people are increasing day by day. The people are worried on multiple fronts, while the rulers are busy in their own propaganda. Those who want to privatise state entities want to deprive the poor of their employment. Governments that have failed to fix the rot in such organisations can never even come close to fixing the problems that are being faced by the country. The existing economic system needs to be overhauled as the usurybased dispensation is the root cause of all problems. The government should take action so that the people may get some relief. IMRAN UL LAHOREHAQ Politics and Apathy
ROEDADISLAMABADKHAN Scarcity of Colleges
MUHEEM ABDULKARACHINABI Editor’s mail
07 Sunday, 21 August, 2022 COMMENT
Leadership aSa young judge in the provincial judiciary, I presided over the referendum that was held in Swabi on July 6, 1947, to decide the future of my home province. The result was a foregone conclusion. The province was in the grip of wild excitement. an atmosphere of mystic frenzy prevailed everywhere. Students and teachers, young and old, men and women, poured their idealistic zeal into the emotionalism of Pakistan. We perceived Pakistan as a bright dream, a passionate goal; the vision of paradise on Earth. now 75 years later, there is national humiliation, economic disaster and political division. Tragedy aplenty: no drinking water, no electricity, no gas, no jobs, no cash, no end to corruption, and no hope. The country has a rotten socio-political system in an advanced stage of decay and decomposition; its political leadership is corrupt, despotic, authoritarian, unresponsive to the basic needs of the people, accountable to none. The nation is breaking down. It has become ungovernable. at a time when leadership is desperately needed to cope with multiple crises and matters of vital importance, the country needs the kind of leadership that would put it on the right path. Surveying the past, Pakistan looks somewhat wistfully and longingly at the progress made by some other countries in our part of the world. It is not inconceivable that if fate had been less malignant and our political leaders less corrupt and greedy, today Pakistan might have been not only more secure and stable, but more prosperous and advanced in all that makes life worth living. The country is trembling with anxiety. This is a moment of deep anguish for all Pakistanis. Quaid-i-azam mohammad ali Jinnah’s unworthy successors have pushed us to despair. They have infused our life with corruption, terror, death, poverty and hyperinflation. The nation has lived so long in the embrace of death that violence has become more normal than calm. Like dinosaurs, disaster and frustration roam the country’s political landscape. Talk today is of a vanished dignity, of a nation diminished in ways not previously imaginable. It is almost as if no one wants to acknowledge a sad end to what once seemed a beautiful dream. We are in a period of moral lassitude that has brought the profession of politics into disrepute. Pakistan has turned cynical and has jettisoned the last vestiges of idealism on which the people had hoped the nation’s polity would be based. It is in deep, deep trouble, is going down the tube and nobody cares. How have we played our part since independence? my generation has nothing to be proud of. We are leaving behind a splintered, impoverished country, plagued by political, ethnic and sectarian divisions. The political leadership is taking Pakistan to a perilous place. The course they have been on for a while now leads downhill. It appears as if we are on a phantom train that is fast gathering momentum and we cannot get off. “What the end will be”, wrote Thomas Carlyle, “is known to no mortal; that the end is near, all mortals may know”. It is that bleak.
The transformation into the Police State
Pakistan might be a rosy picture from the distance but a rotten fruit invaded by ants when looked from closely. The people need to redefine their participation in the polity, failing which the society might lead a way towards anarchy or implosion AkbAr
P rImEtime news channels bring to many audiences in an average Pakistani household, news of political and social media activists making video recorded confessions about their role in anti-established order posts and weets. The other news item can be of either a rally for disappeared persons, or a person tortured beyond his capacity in the so called “Judicial remand”. all these scenarios of news item being beamed into the households bring to mind for any student of mass communication student a harsh reality; the country which was brought into existence not through armed insurrection but through democratic means, is fast surrendering its democratic credentials and can be confused easily with any police state of the 1970s, 1990s, or the present. apparently, these episodes might be treated as isolated happenings; however; the set pattern of the behaviour of the state clearly defines an imposing reality of hybrid arrangement overstepped.Pakistan had its first internationally acclaimed political prisoner in the form of a marxist radical Hassan nissar who was killed in police custody in the famous Lahore Fort by the then military government of General ayub Khan. Later it was not uncommon to see many journalists and political activists on the wrong side of the fence to face torture, being held in confinement for crossing the red line. Veteran journalist Husain naqi had the unique honor of being held in confinement under successive left wing and right wing established order governments between 1973 to 1979. a Frontier Post journalist Zafar Samadani filed a story about a Zia ul Haque family member being sent for treatment abroad in 1986; he was brought to meet the chief of an elite intelligence outfit over his story. He was lucky that those were still decent times; when the established order was trying to conform to the civil order and behaving rationally. He was not put into the missing list and there was no bar on his joining more paying jobs in the then restricted horizon of print journalism. That decent adjustment was very much the part and parcel during much of the 1988 to 1999 era divided between the PPP and PmL(n) governments. Even the musharraf government despite its overly military profile was careful not to disturb the balance between a country treated as a vast cantonment and a country as a civil domain in its entirety. It was not until the 9/11 episode when the society started to regress into a police state. The renowned torchbearer of the missing persons’ cause, amna Janjua, had her own episode of the family head picked up without trace to jump into the struggle for the missing people.The period between 2013 to date has seen an escalation in the falling standards of the human rights standards in the Pakistani society. It has not been uncommon to see individ-
Lack of StabilityEconomicinPakistan
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
nAqi
revisited 06-07 Comments 21st August 2022_Layout 1 8/21/2022 12:26 AM Page 2
ZIAUDDINRAWALPINDINAJAM
The writer is a freelance columnist
McCarthyism
EDUCaTIOn is the most salient need which depicts the real image of society. One without education is like a bird without wings, a body without soul and a flower without beauty. Women are the most prominent part of our society. Institutions play an essential role in the flowering of education. For a long time, the residents of Kohi Goth (UC 14) malir, have been highlighting sensitive issues but I want to grab the attention of relevant authorities regarding the aforementioned hypersensitive problem. The scarcity of girls’ colleges in Kohi Goth has become a grave threat to all girls. after completion of their secondary education, they confront numerous impediments. Some of them do not have permission to get out and most of them are unable to bear the expenditures of education. 20% of girls are enough able to go out in order to achieve education and 80% of girls are deprived of educational rights. The government of Sindh and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) is requested to establish a girl college in Kohi Goth district malir, Karachi.
08 WORLD VIEW 21 August 22_Layout 1 8/20/2022 11:12 PM Page 1
Sunday, 21 August, 2022 08 WORLD VIEW
TIPU’S WAR BANNER HAD A STYLISED CALLIGRAPHIC TIGER MASK THAT READ—ASSAD ALLAH UL-GHALIB—THE VICTORIOUS LION OF GOD. THE TITLE LION OF GOD WAS GIVEN BY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH) TO HIS SON-IN-LAW ALI, IN HONOUR OF THE GREAT VALOUR WITH WHICH ALI HAD FOUGHT FOR THE PROPHET (PBUH) AND TIPU SULTAN CHOSE TO GLORIFY HAZRAT ALI BY ADOPTING FOR HIMSELF AND HIS COUNTRY THE SYMBOL OF THE TIGER, OR LION, THE TWO BEING INTERCHANGEABLE IN INDIA. THE TIGER STRIPE, OR BABURI SYMBOL, WAS USED TO OVERWHELMING EFFECT AT HIS COURT
ElEctronic intifada Rona Sela i srael’slooting of Palestinian cultural and historical archives since the first half of the 20th century has been exposed and discussed for only around the past two decades. In 2017, I directed a film essay titled looted and Hidden: Palestinian archives in Israel that deals with the Palestinian cultural archives confiscated by Israel during its invasion of lebanon in the 1980s. In this film, as well as in articles and books I have published on this topic since 2000, I discuss how Jewish and Israeli military forces, as well as individuals – offduty soldiers and civilians – have taken possession of Palestinian cultural materials throughout the 20th century and to this day. as far as I discovered in my research, these materials include photographs, films, exhibitions, books, manuscripts, embroidered garments, graphic arts, music and more.
CONTROL: The seizure of Palestinian cultural materials does not stop with the physical act of confiscation. Israel hides the materials in its archives, limiting access and preventing their exposure. Israel meanwhile classifies materials in an inaccurate and biased manner that suits the Zionist narrative. For example, the materials looted from Beirut are listed in Israel’s military archives as the “PlO archive” – a body that never existed. My studies of the archive’s bureaucracy reveal the destructive colonial means by which Israel exerts control over Palestinian narrative and history. My goal has been to give this issue the exposure it deserves so that seized and looted cultural and archival materials are returned to their Palestinian owners and restored to the public sphere. I am aware of the problems inherent to my work. Because the Israeli archive holds Palestinian materials by force, Palestinians face limitations to access. It is true that I have fought to open the archives and have partly succeeded in doing so. But I can do this only because I am Israeli. some individual Israelis are directly responsible for the looting of Palestinian materials in wartime and during military operations. But Israeli society as a whole is implicated.
Ira Mukhoty is the author of three books on narrative history and one novel.
ELIMINATION: erasure is central to Israeli apartheid and citizens including artists, creators and film directors (not just the military, politicians and archivists) play a role in the colonial process of elimination of the Palestinian past. The 2018 exhibition stolen arab art at Tel aviv’s Center for art and Politics included screenings of video works by famous arab artists without their consent, knowing permission would be denied due to the cultural boycott of Israel. The exhibition was thus widely condemned within the Israeli art world. This is hardly the only case of Israelis using Palestinian cultural materials without their authors’ permission, thereby replicating colonial methods of erasure and control. While stolen arab art forthrightly indicated that the display violated the creators’ rights, the 2021 documentary a reel War: shalal by Karnit Mandel misleadingly implies that footage by Palestinian revolutionary filmmakers was included with the permission of its owners. In a reel War Mandel “discovers” where the films were taken from – much of the relevant information is in the credits of the films, so the supposed discovery is relatively minor – but does not bother to interview their creators or their families. Mandel’s film emerges as another colonial act in the ongoing destructive movement against Palestinian culture and history. Mandel sought permission to use material from sabri Jiryis, the last director of the Palestine research Center, established in 1965 while it was still based in Beirut. academic in nature, it was founded to document and research Palestinian history, and to publish books and articles devoted to the subject. Whether Jiryis has authority to grant such permission is not addressed in the film. The principal doubt – how does one ask permission from someone that does not have the authority to give such permission – does not come up. I recently contacted Israeli state archivist ruti abramovitz to ask her how materials were used in reel War without the permission of their owners and when the films and other seized materials will be returned to their rightful owners. Her official reply? “I am not going to respond.” In January, I lodged a formal complaint with Israel’s state comptroller. I contended that state archivists violate the rights of the owners of seized Palestinian cultural materials. I also asked for an investigation into why Israel holds the materials and when the seized cultural property will be repatriated. I was told in a phone call two months later that the state comptroller is not obliged to reply to the complaint. There is at least one precedent of Israel returning an archive to its Palestinian owner: that of the Jerusalemite photographer ali Za’rur. although this archive was not looted or seized but given as a gift to the mayor of Jerusalem by a member of the family, I hope this will serve as a precedent to repatriate archives captured and held in sin. Dr. Rona Sela is a researcher of visual history, a curator and film director and a lecturer at Tel Aviv University. An earlier version of this article was published in Hebrew in Siha Mekomit.
howisraelerasespalestinianculturalmemory opEn MagazinE IRa Mukhoty T Hereare some figures that seem to walk continually in the shadows, startling us when they step into the dappled light for a half-glimpsed vision, as they are illuminated in the glow of new findings. Tipu sultan, the 18th-century ruler of Mysore, is one such figure. The sultan’s legacy has long been articulated to the cadence of immoderate colonial rage and greed, because Tipu sultan and his father Haidar ali posed the most ferociously relentless challenge to english expansion in the subcontinent in the 18th century. The english engaged with Tipu through four anglo-Mysore wars, finally killing him at seringapatam in 1799. as a result, popular imaginings have focused on Tipu as the warrior, with furious colonial recordings further casting him as a bloodthirsty despot, practically a monster. But as the current DaG exhibition on him, Tipu sultan: Image & Distance, running at The Claridges, New Delhi, shows, there were countless facets to this enigmatic ruler and his short but intensely lived life, and he has many incarnations. european satirists, for example, were more sympathetic to local leaders and particularly scathing about the corrupt and venal underbelly of the east India Company in its dealings with Mysore. Haidar ali spanks the english by French artist antoine Borel acknowledges the success of the Mysore leaders against the British during the first two anglo-Mysore wars while The Coming-on of the Monsoons by english satirist James Gillray shows Cornwallis in an undignified scamper, galloping away from the walls of seringapatam, defended by Tipu, who is blasting him with a jet of what can only be assumed to be urine! Because the focus of colonial representation was so overwhelmingly on Tipu in battle, and then Tipu in death, it is easy to overlook a crucial aspect of Tipu’s rule, which was that he was keen to transform Mysore into an economically vibrant country. scholar Kaveh Yazdani has shown that “the life-threatening confrontation with the British” provoked seismic changes in Mysore in the realms of “agriculture, commerce, manufacture and technology” etc. To achieve these aims, Tipu remained tirelessly focused on maintaining commercial contacts with distant nations. He sent agents to Burma to promote trade and to buy rubies, exported teakwood, sandalwood, textiles, silk, pepper rice, cardamom and ivory to Persia and Oman, and maintained contact with China. “The Christian nations who have dominated the world today have been able to do so only because of their mastery over trade and industry,” Tipu noted, determined to do the same. To this end he sent ambassadors to the King of Persia, carrying elephants, spices, ivory, clothes, and jewels, and instructed his envoys to bring back goods from that country. and since France was the ancient enemy of england, and an ally, though often vacillating, of Mysore, Tipu sought the help of France, both for military and commercial purposes. In 1786 Tipu sent an embassy to Paris, to the court of beleaguered King louis XVI, asking for soldiers to fight against the english, but also specifically asking for crafts persons to be sent back to Mysore, for the manufacture of muskets and cannonpieces, and also clockmakers, producers of sevre porcelain, makers of glass and mirrors, astronomers, physicians, wool-carders, textile-makers, weavers, printers, and physicians, 10 persons representing each guild. By the early 1790s, at least 30 French experts from different professions were living in Mysore, “with a view to instruct Tippoo’s subjects in manufactures and aiding this asiatic ally of France with mechanical knowledge.” Tipu’s aim was not simply to collect precious goods from around the world but to transfer knowledge so that Mysoreans could master these goods and techniques for themselves.Tipu also asked for flowering shrubs for his gardens, and orchard trees for his table but also “useful” plants such as hemp and flex, and spice plants, which could be commercially exploited. The request for spices namely nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, caused a fair bit of angst among the French, who had only very recently started growing these precious plants themselves. But in the end the sultan’s request was accepted, and plants were sent along with two French gardeners to ensure the survival of this delicate cargo.Tipu’s embassy to France caused an effervescence of excitement in Parisian circles, and resulted in a deluge of representations of the sultan and his men, from paintings on porcelain to oil paintings, etchings and engravings. Unlike the leering, snarling figure of British imagination, these paintings depicted powerful, dignified rulers. exotic certainly, and sometimes blithely interchangeable with Turkish monarchs, but nonetheless on an equal pedestal with French potentates. Perhaps one of the most haunting images of Tipu’s court was a painting executed by a French woman artist, of one of the sultan’s ambassadors to Versailles. elisabeth Vigée-lebrun was an extraordinary woman herself, the official painter of Queen Marie antoinette and one of the very rare female members of the royal academy. “I saw them at the Opera,” she wrote in a letter about Tipu’s three ambassadors, “and found them so extraordinarily picturesque that I had to paint them.” But the ambassadors, shocked at being approached by a woman artist, insisted that the request come from the King of France himself, which she was able to obtain. she visited the ambassadors at the hotel they were staying at and after being momentarily taken aback by the rose water thrown at her hands, elisabeth then went into the apartments where the ambassador Mohammed Darwesh Khan immediately struck a pose with such easy grace and elegance that elisabeth painted him in that very stance—tall and imposing with his hand on the hilt of his gorgeously jewelled sword, his rich white muslin robes sprinkled with golden flowers, and the bronze-gold of his cummerbund gleaming dully in the saturated light. This portrait of the Mysorean ambassador, emanating virile power and exotic otherness, is unique amongst Vigée-lebrun’s works, as she tended to paint quintessentially european, elegant courtiers. It is unique, also, in showing this representative of Tipu’s court in all his human vulnerability. There is confidence and power, certainly, but there is also a self-conscious vanity and even a glimmer of bright curiosity and fleeting humour. Unfortunately for the ambassadors, and for Tipu sultan, the timing of the embassy was tragically wrong. Not only was the French king louis XVI soon to be parted from his royal head during the French revolution, but the very robes that Darwesh Khan and his companions were wearing— the gauzy, fine muslin and glittering jewels and embroidery, were all signs of an abhorred extravagance that the people of Paris would no longer tolerate. as for the precious spice plants, much like the French craftspeople sent from France, they too languished in the humid glare of Mysore’s sun. In all this imagining of Tipu sultan, it is fascinating to wonder how he would have liked to be remembered. The sultan, after all, was no novice to the art of symbolism and augury. Unlike his illiterate, soldier father Haidar ali, Tipu was born a prince, educated in the textured nuances of the layered world he inhabited. His war banner had a stylised calligraphic tiger mask that read—assad allah ul-Ghalib—the Victorious lion of God. The title lion of God was given by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to his son-inlaw ali, in honour of the great valour with which ali had fought for the Prophet (PBUH) and Tipu sultan chose to glorify Hazrat ali by adopting for himself and his country the symbol of the tiger, or lion, the two being interchangeable in India. The tiger stripe, or baburi symbol, was used to overwhelming effect at his court. It flickered like fire on the inside of his tents, and on his soldiers’ uniform. His glittering throne consisted of a life-sized tiger, covered in gold, holding up the body of the throne on its back. Tiger heads of gold decorated the throne and in the courtyard of Tipu’s palace, live tigers prowled. In the end, Tipu’s throne was dismembered and his tigers were shot. and yet the light remains, even if it is just a smoulder, like that of a tiger’s, to shine our way to a greater understanding of our chaotic history.
ISRAEL MEANWHILE CLASSIFIES MATERIALS IN AN INACCURATE AND BIASED MANNER THAT SUITS THE ZIONIST NARRATIVE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MATERIALS LOOTED FROM BEIRUT ARE LISTED IN ISRAEL’S MILITARY ARCHIVES AS THE “PLO ARCHIVE” – A BODY THAT NEVER EXISTED ThemanyincarnaTionsofTipusulTan
The seized Palestinian archives, collections and materials – cultural and otherwise – were typically surveyed and studied by Israeli intelligence and transferred to the pre-state and state’s colonial archives, both military and civilian. In many cases, Palestinian cultural property looted by individuals was also put in Israel’s official archives. an archive serving to preserve historical memory would catalog the context, origin, purpose and authors of the materials, all of which would be easy to glean in the case of these materials seized by Israel. Israel’s purpose, however, is not to preserve Palestinian historical memory but to erase it from the public sphere. Therefore, Palestinian materials are not catalogued and treated according to archival standards and conventions but are instead subjected to colonial ones.
The coming-on of the monsoons by English satirist James Gillray shows Cornwallis in an undignified scamper, galloping away from the walls of Seringapatam, defended by Tipu, who is blasting Cornwallis with a jet of what can only be assumed to be urine
pr NISAR AHMED A benign tumor is not lethal before it transforms into a malignant cancer. The sooner it is diagnosed and treated; the less painful it is to effectively cure the disease. The prevailing situations hint that the economic woes of Pakistan are turning into a “malignant cancer” with little signs of recovery. Is an economic slump around the corner? Is there any miraculous solution to its problems? Drastic situations call for drastic measures; situations were drastic long ago, however the measures have yet to become drastic. Ongoing uncertainties faced by Pakistan, videlicet, inhouse political upheaval, tumbling rupee, skyrocketing POL prices, spiraling inflation with extreme state of poverty, fading International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance and the geopolitical threats are all the monsters which need an immediate and a decisive end. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reported an inflation figure of 24.93% for the month of July which is the highest in the last 14 years; last time it hovered around this level when the whole world was witnessing
Islamabad: In the wake of recent flooding, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) has initiated relief activities across 9 worst hit districts in all four provinces of the country. An estimated 148,000 people in need will benefit from PPAF’s humanitarian response. PPAF earlier allocated Rs 250 million for Flood Emergency Relief Programme to provide immediate life-saving assistance in the worst affected districts of Pakistan. PPAF, in collaboration with its partner organisations HANDS, and GSF initiated its response by distributing relief packages in 3 districts of Sindh that include Thatta, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Sanghar. The relief package contains a diversity of need-based interventions including temporary shelters, food ration packs, hygiene kits, water purification tablets, medical supplies, livestock vaccination and other items of need for the flood victims. PPAF will work with its local partners organisations already present in the affected areas to deliver the emergency response. Mr Nadir Gul Barech, Chief Operating Officer PPAF, while distributing the relief package said that Recongising the immediacy of the challenge of intense floods and staying true to our mission, PPAF is responding to this crisis in worst-hit areas of Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by releasing immediate assistance through our network of partner organisations in the field. He said, “I would like to urge the donor community to support us in scaling up the response and reaching more families with immediate life-saving assistance.” He added further that working together and playing on our mutual strengths, we have the potential to overcome this difficult situation and restore lives and livelihoods for those most vulnerable.” pr
Nippon Paint is the largest paint manufacturer in Asia Pacific region (Source: Top25 2022 Paint Manufacturers in Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific Coatings Journal, pp. 50) and offers a wide variety of products in the categories of Decorative, Protective Coatings, Auto Refinish and Automotive Segments. With Nippon Paint’s growing business in OEM, they signed an agreement with PAK Suzuki Motor Corporation to provide after sales services in Auto Refinish. Mr. Syed Samad Zaheer (President, Nippon Paint Pakistan) and Mr. Junichi Nomoto (General Manager, After Sales) signed the agreement on Friday, 19th August at Nippon Paint Plant. Mr. M. Saqib Islam (NSM, Nippon Paint), Mr. Syed M. Raza Rizvi, Ms. Ramsha Ali and Mr. Humayun Arshad (Pak Suzuki) also attended the Agreement Ceremony. The Agreement Ceremony ended with Mr. Junichi Nomoto planting a sapling at Nippon Paint Factory to commemorate this event.
To pay homage to Pakistan's valiant son and the youngest recipient of nishan-e-Haider, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed, the Directorate General Public Relations (Air Force) has released a short documentary on his 51st martyrdom anniversary. Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed was born on 17 February, 1951. Having a dream of defending the aerial frontiers of the motherland, he got commission on 14 March, 1971 in the 51st GD (P) course. He was later posted to no 2 Squadron stationed at Maripur (Masroor) for an Operational Conversion Course, where he was destined for sublime heights by Almighty Allah. On 20 August, 1971 an unforgettable saga of bravery was crafted with his ultimate sacrifice. On this fateful day, Rashid vanquished the iniquitous intentions of his instructor pilot Flight Lieutenant Mati-ur-Rahman, who tried to hijack his training jet T-33 towards India. Rashid battled to take back the controls of the aircraft and finally prefered to crash the plane before it could cross the border. The brave son of soil accepted to sacrifice his life but didn't allow the country's dignity to be tarnished. In recognition of Rashid Minhas's supreme sacrifice and indelible courage, the Government of Pakistan awarded him with the highest gallantry award nishan-e Haider. He will always be remembered as an icon of bravery & sacrifice and will remain a beacon for our future generations.
PAkiStAN, AFghAN to grANt Six-MoNth viSAS to truCk driverS to booSt bilAterAl trAde
ISLAMABAD Ghulam abbas i na move to promote trade activities on the trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the two countries are going to grant a six month visa to truck drivers. This was informed by Federal Minister of Commerce naveed Qamar while talking to the media in Islamabad on Saturday. He claimed that the six months visa will be given to truck drivers under the Pakistan-Afghanistan trade agreement. Under the agreed terms, both countries will give six-month visas to each other’s truck drivers so they can easily move across the borders without any hindrance. The resolution of visa issues, according to him, would facilitate smooth delivery of goods in bothThecountries.visafacility would not only be available for drivers in Afghanistan and Pakistan but they would also avail the facility till Uzbekistan. For extending the facility to Uzbekistan, an agreement would be signed among the three countries, the minister claimed. In reply to a query, naveed Qamar said though there is also a demand to allow trucks to cross Wagha border with India but under the present level of ties between Pakistan and India, the same is not possible. The outstanding issues between the two neighbours could be resolved through dialogue. naveed Qamar had earlier informed that Pakistan has traditionally depended on the export markets of the Middle East, United States and European Union (EU). However, Central Asian states offer a big potential for exports, which remains an untapped market for Pakistan. He stated that the government’s vision is to make Pakistan a trade, transit and shipment hub, ensuring connectivity with Afghanistan and beyond. In this regard, Pakistan has signed a transit trade agreement with Uzbekistan and is negotiating another agreement with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Pakistan has recently signed a transit trade agreement with Uzbekistan, and is negotiating further transit trade agreements with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. As per details bilateral trade between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan remained at $ 4.27 million during fiscal year 2021-22 which does not reflect the true potential of trade between the two countries. Pak-Kyrgyz Trade and Investment Forum was held from 19th to 20th April 2022 in Islamabad and on 22nd April in Lahore. The draft of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishment of the Joint Working Group has been shared with Kyrgyz republic and their response is being awaited.
‘Sedative
pr PPAF initiates countrywide flood emergency response
Nippon paint Pakistan signs agreement with Pak Suzuki Motor Corporation
09NEWS Sunday 21 August, 2022 | ISLAMABAD corporate corner
the great recession of 2008–09. According to Pakistan Maternal nutrition Strategy 2022-27 Report, 37% of households in Pakistan face food insecurity overall, with rates of over 50% in several regions and, twothirds of the population are unable to afford a nutritious diet with their current food expenditure. Unfortunately, empty stomachs accept no explanations, and the insouciant attitude of the power holders playing peekaboo games with the opposition benchers has attracted a public ire; and it might not take long before this outrage turns into a public unrest, as also witnessed in Sri Lanka for the sameRepresentativesreasons. from Pakistan, despite their holy obedience to the tough terms by IMF, have failed to convince IMF officials to release $1.2 billion as against the originally planned $2 billion tranche. IMF has shown no mercy while objecting over salary increases, tax and subsidy reliefs on POL products and the existing power and gas price structures. In a latest development, the IMF has even further insisted upon arranging alternative options to meet the financing gap, which the finance minister has claimed to have met through delayed payment arrangements for fuel products. Shall that be sufficient to convince the officials or would they need any further assurance in the form of any increased burden on the masses? Apparently, delay in convincing the IMF officials fails to promise a relieving assurance ahead. Along with above problems, the rupee has witnessed a massive dive hitting the rock bottom level and this has adversely impacted the foreign trade of the country. Asian Development Bank (ADB) projected a DebtGDP ratio of more than 70% in the coming years and the culprit behind this burgeoning figure is a high debt servicing cost. If the existing downtrend of the rupee against dollar continues, the existing estimated figures would deteriorate further, turning the “nightmare” of debt repayment default into a reality. Recent default by our island neighbor, Sri Lanka, should never fail to remind us of the ill-fate of a debt-laden economy and the need for a contingency plan. Economic gurus of each of the preceding governments have not been much unsuccessful in executing a comprehensive plan to fight these evils. Is there any door which they failed to knock as of now? With no response from the doors already knocked, resorting to the use of alchemic tools of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), demonetization and dollarization, seems a viable option. Demonetization is the withdrawal of old currency notes and issuance of new series. SBP last issued a new series of bank notes in 2005-08 however ordered the withdrawal of the existing notes after long nine years of the issuance of new series without any restrictions on conversion, leaving the purpose of demonetization nothing, but a costly give and take exercise. A need of the hour necessitates that the SBP must execute a surprise demonetization of Rs. 5,000 notes and that too within a short stretch of time with certain prerequisites; principally, the conversion of high value transactions mandating the disclosure of legitimate trail of funds along with anti-money laundering declarations including scrutiny probes. If handled with care, this painstaking exercise would serve as a multifaceted defense not only in grappling the monster of inflation through restraining underground market activity but it would also help in revealing valuable information for tracing tax evasions and money laundering in fighting corruption. Corruption is a serious crime in Pakistan, as Transparency International rated Pakistan at 140th position out of 180 countries on the list for Corruption Perception Index. The alarmingly amplified demand for dollar in the country was capable enough to spur a storm in the economy, but as they say, every cloud has a silver lining, it is the right time for SBP to play its ace of spade through dollarization; the official inclusion of dollars in the country’s financial system. Huge many blessings await the decision to adopt a dual currency system. The measure would serve a “big push” helping in redemption from the biggest problem of Pakistan, which is a low foreign investment. As per the data reported by SBP, FDI stood at $1,820 million for 2021 (2020: $2,598 million) and an international rating agency downgraded Pakistan’s outlook from stable to negative mainly due to thin liquidity position and falling currency. Analysts believe that the trust and the inflow of foreign capital would head their way to Pakistan once investor optimism is restored which has dropped owing to falling rupee and global inflation. An option to trade in dual currencies is expected to shed their fears of losing investments due to any further devaluation. If chanting the same old incantation since long ago is not bringing any good fortune to Pakistan then the economic magicians must learn to disbelieve the old magic spells before they adapt a pragmatic approach to the problems. The writer contributes to the national press occasionally & is accessible at: nisarahmed.2na@gmail.com pills for economicPAFpaysills’tribute to Rashid Minhas Shaheed on 51st martyrdom anniversary
10 FOREIGN NEWS Sunday, 21 August, 2022 ISLAMABAD
China’s stance sensible on tension across Straits: Pakistani analyst Modi hell bent upon imposing Hindutva ideology in IIOJK: APHC SRINAGAR Agencies
BEIJING Agencies
FInlAnd PrIMe MInISter tAKeS drUgS teSt AFter PArty vIdeO CAUSeS StIr
UNITED NATIONS Agencies
The spokesman said, the main objective behind this move is to install a Hindu chief minister in IIOJK who will implement Hindutva ideology in the territory. “It is also part of sinister conspiracy to change the demography of the disputed area. He warned that if Kashmiris all over the world will not protest against colonization of Kashmir by Hindutva elements on this crucial stage, it will prove disastrous for them and their future generations will face the wrath of Hindutva terrorism. He said that it is a critical stage and do or die situation for the Kashmiri people because Hindutva forces are hell bent to eliminate them and settle the matter for ever. The spokesman called upon all the Kashmiris irrespective of their caste, creed, colour and religion to forge unity among their ranks to foil the nefarious designs of RSS-backed Modi government and get rid of the Indian slavery. He said, all the political, social and religious organizations must get united and launch an agitation to regain their rights snatched during last three years by Modi regime. He also urged upon regional political parties to forget all differences and join pro-freedom parties in their struggle.
BEIJING Agencies China on Saturday launched a Long March-2D carrier rocket to place a remote sensing satellite group in space. The satellites, the fourth batch of the Yaogan-35 family, were launched at 1:37 a.m. from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan and entered the preset orbit. They will be used to conduct science experiments, land resource surveys and yield estimation of agricultural products as well as disaster prevention and Thereduction.mission was the 433rd flight of the Long March carrier rockets. China’s Long March rockets achieve record 103rd consecutive launch China’s Long March carrier rockets have set a national record of 103 consecutive successful launches since May 5, 2020. The streak was achieved in just 27 months, demonstrating the accelerated launch pace since 2020 and constantly improving Long March reliability.The Saturday launch of a Long March-2D carrier rocket carrying a remote sensing satellite group was the 62nd successful launch for the series in the three decades since its debut. The Long March rockets are based on independent innovation. Chinese engineers have made various breakthroughs to improve the frequency and quality of China’s homegrown rockets.
UN to study reports on India’s poll rigging attempts in IIOJK: Spokesman
The United Nations is set to study reports about Modi government’s attempts of rigging the upcoming elections in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.Responding to a question at the daily news briefing in New York about permitting temporary residents in the Muslim-majority IIOJK to register as voters, Secretary-General’s Deputy Spokesman Farhan Aziz Haq said the matter would “need to be studied”. “But,” he added, “the basic principle that we followed is that for any disputes, it’s important to make sure that all of the communities feel being fairly treated and fairly represented.”
According to Kashmir Media Service, the APHC spokesman in a statement issued in Srinagar said, allowing Indian citizens residing temporarily in IIOJK to cast votes is part of deep-rooted conspiracy to implement the Hindutva agenda in Kashmir and to enslave Kashmiris forever. He said the latest move of Modi regime to disfranchise the Kashmiris is yet another attempt to make Kashmiris aliens in their own homeland. He said, it is the worst assault on the identity of Kashmiris and a sheer violation of international law and the UN resolutions on Kashmir, which is an internationally accepted disputed territory.
Social Democrat leader Marin said she had never taken drugs and that she had not seen anyone doing so at the party she Whileattended.manyhave praised Marin for combining her demanding job with an active private life, others have questioned her decision to allow herself to be filmed even when promised that the videos would not be made public. At a time when Europe has been unsettled by Russia’s war in Ukraine, Marin has also faced criticism that her partying could interfere with her ability to quickly carry out her duties if a sudden crisis hit Finland. “If there were to be a crisis situation, I would know about it before midnight on a Saturday evening,” she told reporters, adding the Finnish armed forces were well equipped to anticipate any military crisis that might affect the Finland,country.which shares a long land border with Russia, has applied along with neighbouring Sweden to join NATO following the war in Ukraine.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has deplored that Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government wants to impose Hindutva ideology in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and turn the Muslim majority territory into a Hindu majority region.
US panel slams release of convicts in Bilkis Bano rape case
NEW DELHI: The US Commission of International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has strongly condemned the unjustified early release of 11 Hindutva men convicted in the Bilkis Bano case. They were sentenced to life for raping a pregnant Muslim woman, Bilkis Bano, and murdering her five-year-old daughter and others relatives during the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in the Indian state of Gujarat. The USCIRF Vice Chair, Abraham Cooper, in a statement said, “USCIRF strongly condemns the early and unjustified release of 11 men sentenced to life in prison for raping a pregnant Muslim woman and committing murder against Muslim victims during the 2002 Gujarat riots.” Calling the early release of the convicts a “travesty of justice”, USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck said that it was part of a “pattern of impunity” for those involved in the violence against religious minorities. “The failure to hold accountable perpetrators of the 2002 Gujarat Riots who committed physical & sexual violence is a travesty of justice. It’s part of a pattern of impunity in India for those engaged in violence against religious minorities,” Schneck said. The BJP-led Gujarat government has been facing ire for approving the early release of the convicts under its old 1992 remission policy, a report by Hindustan Times said. The report added thousands of grassroots workers and women and human rights activists have urged the Supreme Court to revoke the remission, saying the release will have a “chilling effect on every rape victim who is told to ‘trust the system’, ‘seek justice’, and ‘have faith’.”
HELSINKI ReuteRs F INLANDPrime Minister Sanna Marin said on Friday she had taken a drugs test following the publication of video footage this week that showed her partying with friends, and vowed she had never used illegal drugs.Marin, 36, also said her ability to perform her official duties had remained unimpaired on the Saturday night in question and that she would have left the party had she been required to Videowork.clips of Marin partying with well-known Finnish influencers and artists began circulating on social media this week and they were soon published by several media outlets in Finland and abroad. “In recent days, there have been quite grave public accusations that I was in a space where drugs were used, or that I myself used drugs,” Marin told a news conference. “I consider these accusations to be very serious and, though I consider the demand for a drug test unjust, for my own legal protection and to clear up any doubts, I have taken a drug test today, the results of which will come in about a Marin,week.”whobecame the world’s youngest serving government leader in December 2019, had faced calls from members of her governing coalition as well as from the opposition to take a drug test after the videos emerged.
China launches new remote sensing satellite group
It is to mention here that the chief electoral officer of IIOJK, Hirdesh Kumar, on Wednesday announced that non-locals living ordinarily could register their Names in the voting list. The new voters would include Indians temporarily residing in the region, mainly Indian military personnel, government and private sector employees, and migrant workers. It is to mention here that till August 05, 2019, when Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government unilaterally and unconstitutionally repealed the special status of IIOJK by abrogating the Articles 370 and 35A, voting rights in the territory were restricted to its permanent residents only. The articles prohibited Indian citizens from permanently settling, buying land and holding local government jobs in the territory.
The United States wants to reverse its declining trend by engaging China in a war. Its stance on the Taiwan question has been characterized by “strategic ambiguity” and China has been aware of its purpose for a long time. According to Gwadar Pro, the remarks were made by Dr. Rashid Ahmad Khan, a political analyst and an expert on South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf security issues. Regarding border disputes, the US wants to confuse the Chinese mainland with Taiwan and deliberately tries to engage China in a However,war. China is a very sensible country. It will not get involved in any war, he added.“We all know that Nancy Pelosi is not the first US House Speaker to visit Taiwan. House speakers have visited Taiwan before as well. However, Nancy Pelosi’s visit holds more importance because the visit was made at a time when the relations between China and the US were quite strained,” said Rashid. “Tensions between the two countries have been going on for a long time over the issue of Taiwan. The reason was that America had started providing modern weapons to Taiwan. The US has been giving aid to Taiwan since 1949. However, at this point, America’s aid to Taiwan was a source of concern for China. Any interference step is not acceptable for China at any cost,” added Rashid. In the current situation, Chinese mainland has downgraded its relations with Taiwan and put economic pressure on it. China will not attack Taiwan at any cost. “The American media itself has criticized Pelosi’s visit an unnecessary provocation. America did not benefit from it at all. It did not achieve anything. On the contrary, I think that it has harmed Taiwan and the world.” Indeed, the feeling has gained strength in America that the world considers America as a declining power. America’s strategy has also failed in Ukraine. To offset all these effects, the US wanted to launch another new campaign to tell the world that it still has courage, power and determination. “We all know that there have been statements from American officials. According to them, the US perceives that it is challenged by China. Therefore, at this point, America thinks that it is the right time to engage China in this kind of fight,” Rashid said that Pelosi’s visit was well calculated to provoke China. The US provoked a conflict in Ukraine and would like to see the same thing happen in Taiwan straits.
LAHORE Staff RepoRt
Moreover, Sports Board Punjab will hire cricket coaches and trainers after the recommendation of Central Punjab Cricket Association. SBP cricket team will also participate in cricket leagues of Central Punjab Cricket Association. Speaking on the occasion, Director General Sports Punjab said that the MoU between Central Punjab Cricket Association and Sports Board Punjab would be a great development for the growth of cricket at grassroots level. “Through the MoU, we will be able to prepare a bunch of talented players for the future requirements of the national cricket team,” he added.
LOS ANGELES afp Kobe Bryant’s widow told a court she was devastated when she learned first responders had snapped graphic photographs of her dead husband and daughter in the wreckage of the helicopter crash that killed them. A tearful Vanessa Bryant said she lives in fear of the pictures surfacing on the internet, and “constantly being spread.” “It’s like Covid. Once it’s spread, you can’t get it back,” she said. US basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his teenage daughter were among nine people who died when their chopper smashed into a hillside near Los Angeles in Vanessa2020.Bryant alleges she has suffered emotional distress because personnel from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and firefighters took pictures of the scene which they later shared, including at a bar, with friends and other first responders. She is suing Los Angeles County for unspecified millions of dollars in damages, in a case that has been joined to that of Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter also perished in the crash. The suits allege negligence and in-
ShAheen AFrIdI ouT oF ASIA CuP, englAnd T20S wITh knee InJury
PTTF unveils team for Junior Asian Int’l TT C’ship PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt Promising 17-year-old Ummam Khawjah, hailing from a remote Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is named among three members Pakistan team for the forthcoming Junior Asian International Table Tennis Championship to be played from September 1-6, 2022 at Laos, Vientiane. This was stated by Secretary General Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) Ijaz Ali Hazara while talking to APP here on Saturday. He said a request has been made to Director General Sports KP, Secretary Sports KP and Chief Minister KP to extend sponsorship to the visiting Pakistan team. He disclosed that Ummam Khawaja had a great chance of winning the Junior Asian Table Tennis Championship for Pakistan along with other players hailing from District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Shah Khan and Abbas Khan. He said Ummam Khawjah (Chitral) is Pakistan No. 1, Shah Khan (Swat) is Pakistan No. 2 and Abbas Khan (Swat) is Pakistan No. 3 so a request has been made to government of KP to support Pakistan team for the Junior Asian International Table Tennis Championship. All the three players are from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is a great honor for the province with all three players, hailing from KP, will be representing Pakistan in the international event, therefore, government of KP is requested to sponsor the travel expenses of these three players, Ijaz Ali Hazara said. He said the request has been made through a letter to Director General Sports, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to sanction the travel expenses of these three players to play their role in the development of the table tennis game in Pakistan, especially in KP, so that these players could participate in international competitions. He said it was a golden opportunity for the Pakistan junior players to win the International Junior Table Tennis Championship because all three players – Ummam Khawjah, Shah Khan and Abbas were in good form.
MUNICH, GERMANY agencieS Spain’s Alvaro Martin retained the 20km race walk title at the European Athletics Championships in Munich on Saturday. Martin, who previously won the Euro title in Berlin in 2018 but finished fourth at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, timed a personal best of 1hr 19min 11sec around the streets of the Bavarian capital in cool, rainy conditions. Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom, twice a bronze medallist at last month’s world championships in Oregon, claimed silver in 1:19.23, with another Spaniard, Diego Garcia Carrera, rounding out the podium, a further 0.22sec adrift. Olympic champion Massino Stano of Italy, the world 35km race walk gold medallist, came in eighth more than two minutes off Martin’s pace. The women’s race walk again went the way of Greece as Antigoni Ntrismpioti notched up an European double by adding the 20km gold to the one she claimed over 35km last week. Ntrismpioti clocked a winning time and personal best of 1:29.03, finishing 17sec ahead of Poland’s Katarzyna Zdzieblo in silver. Germany’s Saskia Feige took bronze in 1:29.25.
CM kP leagueFootballbegins in provincial capital PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt
Afridi’s injury has already forced him to miss the second Test in Sri Lanka last month. The left-armer has accompanied the team to the Netherlands for a three-match one-day international series and was in rehabilitation before doctors advised him to rest for four to six weeks. “Shaheen has been advised 4-6 weeks rest by the PCB Medical Advisory Committee and independent specialists following latest scans and reports,” said a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) press release. Doctors hope the paceman will return to competitive cricket in October with the T20 international tri-series in New Zealand, which will be followed by the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022. Afridi anchored Pakistan’s upset win over India in last year’s T20 World Cup, also played in the UAE. A PCB medical officer said he is expected to recover with rest. “I have spoken with Shaheen and he is understandably upset with the news, but he is a brave young man who has vowed to come back strongly to serve his country and team,” doctor Najeebullah Soomro is quoted as saying in the release. “Shaheen will stay with the squad to complete his rehabilitation and his replacement for the Asia Cup will be announced shortly,” the release added. The Pakistan side will arrive in Dubai from Rotterdam on Monday. Afridi has so far played 25 Tests, 32 oneday internationals and 40 T20 internationals in a career that has ascended in the last three years.He was declared men’s cricketer of the year in 2021 after taking 78 wickets in 36 internationals across three formats last year.
The first edition of the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Football League got underway here at Tehmas Khan Football Ground Peshawar on Saturday. Regional Sports Officer Zakirullah Khan and District Sports Officer Miss Gul Rukh and other important personalities were present. He was accompanied by the City President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Irfan Saleem, Ex-Secretary of Provincial Football Association Basit Kamal. Teams from all over the province are participating in the Championship. Shah Alam Football Club and Khalil Youth Club won on the opening day. The first match of the football league was played between Khalil Youth and Janbaz Football Club, in which Khalil Youth won 3-0. The first goal was scored by Asad in the 55th minute in the 47th minute, while the last goal was scored by Huzaifa in the 60th minute, the second match was played between Charsadda and Shah Alam Club in which Shah Alam Club won 2-1. Shamroz, Zaid and Sohail scored goals from Shah Alam while Furqan scored the only goal from Charsadda.
Bryant’s widow says she fears fatal crash photos will spread Spain’s Martin defends European 20km race walk title
Taking a major step for the promotion of cricket at grassroots level, Sports Board Punjab (SBP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Central Punjab Cricket Association (CPCA), a subsidiary department of Pakistan Cricket Board here at National Hockey Stadium on Saturday.Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi and CEO Central Punjab Cricket Association (CPCA) Abdullah Khurram Niazi signed the MoU documents at the office of Director General Sports Punjab. Director Sports Nadeem Qaiser, Director Admin Syed Omair Hasan and Deputy Director Tariq Wattoo were also present on this occasion. Under the MoU, different pitches will be constructed at Sports Board Punjab’s Cricket Academy at Nishtar Park Sports Complex and collective efforts will be contributed for the development of cricket at junior level. However, the operation and management of these cricketing activities will be responsibility of Sports Board Punjab and an official of Sports Board Punjab will look after these affairs. As per MoU, Central Punjab Cricket Association will be technical partners of Sports Board Punjab and will extend all kinds of support for the promotion of cricket at junior level.
Sunday, 21 August, 2022 | ISLAMABAD 11SPORTS
11 Sports 21 AUGUST_Layout 1 8/20/2022 11:16 PM Page 1
SBP, CPCA team up for promotion of cricket
vasion of Attorneysprivacy.saythe grisly mobile phone pictures were snapped as “souvenirs” by first responders who had no business taking photos.Lawyers for Los Angeles County do not dispute that the photos were taken, but insist they have never been made public and have now been deleted. Chester told the courtroom in Los Angeles of his disbelief when he learned of the pictures a month after the tragedy — including that they had been flaunted at a bar and at an awards ceremony. “I had largely insulated my family from the details” of the crash, he said. “Now, I thought there would be pictures of the remains” on the internet, he said, adding he had instantly warned his sons: “Please don’t start Googling for them.” “I’m fearful every day,” he told the nine-strong jury. “There’s been a lot of things that people thought didn’t exist — that have turned up on the internet.” Mira Hashmall, representing the county in the civil litigation, said earlier that the case, which began on Monday, hinged on this issue of public dissemination. “From the time of the crash to now, the county has worked tirelessly to prevent its crash site photos from getting into the public domain,” she said. “Over two and a half years later, no county photos have appeared in the media, none can be found online, and the plaintiffs admit they’ve never seen them.”
KARACHI afp P AKISTAN’Sfrontline fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been ruled out of next week’s Asia Cup and the following T20 international series against England with a knee injury, doctors said Saturday. The injury to the 22-year-old is a major blow to Pakistan’s chances in the six-nation Asia Cup starting in the United Arab Emirates from August 27.
Relatives of other victims were last year granted $2.5 million in compensation over the photo-taking. An investigation into the crash found the pilot had probably become disorientated after flying the Sikorsky S-76 into the fog.Bryant is widely recognised as one of the greatest basketball players ever, a figure who became the face of his sport during a glittering two decades with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a five-time NBA champion in a career that began in 1996 straight out of high school and lasted until his retirement in 2016.
pRayeR tImINgS FAJR SUNRISE ZUHR ASR MAGHRIB ISHA 4:10 5:00 1:30 5:15 7:08 9:15 Sunday, 21 August, 2022 NEWS
KARACHI Staff RepoRt
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finalized all-out arrangements for the conduct of bypoll to National Assembly constituency NA-245 in Karachi on Sunday (today). The seat had fallen vacant due to the death of PTI MNA Dr Aamir Liaquat Hussain. According to the ECP, a total 263 polling stations have been set up for the by-election, of which 60 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 203 most sensitive. There are 17 candidates contesting the by-election to the NA-245 Karachi. Strict security measures have been adopted for maintaining the law and order situation during the polling.
Govt ImPosEs PENALty to RELEAsE bANNEd ImPoRtEd ItEms
ISLAMABAD Shahzad paRacha Pakistan Customs has failed to stop smuggling in Pakistan. Importers are bringing dozens of items including bakery as well as chocolate from neighboring countries and they are not paying any taxes. Recently, the finance minister also admitted the smuggling of imported items through green channels, stating that the reality is that despite the fact that there was a ban on the import for over three months, one can easily get imported fish and meat in restaurants of Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. Sources said that importers have mentioned the local address on the wrapper to deceive the Customs authorities whereas they are importing items from neighboring countries and shopkeepers are openly selling in Islamabad markets. A senior Customs official told this scribe that such factories and products are licensed by Punjab Food Authority. The criminal elements keep trying to beat the system, while Customs keeps trying to catchSourcesthem. said that former member customs had barred the Customs staff to install check posts on roads due to which the Custom squad has been confined to offices whereas smugglers are roaming and moving items freely within the country. Instead of curtailing and confiscating smuggled items, Pakistani Customs officials are busy lobbying for retaining their current positions as there is massive shuffling expected next week, sources added. Customs officials also said that we caught a huge consignment of banned items declared as tyre scrap, consignment imported from UAE by Riz Green Industries, declared to contain ‘old & used tyre scrap’ marked by system in yellow channel was suspected and referred for detailed examination at Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT). Upon thorough examination, miscellaneous goods including artificial jewelry, furnishing fabric, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, auto parts, food supplements, cereals, cosmetics, DVRs and home electronics etc were recovered from 9 out of 10 containers.Theassessed value of recovered goods is estimated at Rs. 453 million involving duty & taxes worth around Rs. 400 million. It is an unprecedented case/detection by any clearance Collectorate. FIR has been lodged and one person has been arrested. Further investigation is underway. Chairman FBR/Secretary Revenue Division, Asim Ahmad has commended the successful operation by the Customs Appraisement team and reiterated his unflinching resolve to fight the menace of smuggling in all forms and manifestations. It is also pertinent to mention that Chairman FBR has already issued special instructions to Customs Field Formations for stepping up vigilance at airports and land border stations to frustrate any attempts made for smuggling.
Ruling government‘blatantdenouncescoalitionImran’sbullying’ofofficials
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Dr Miftah Ismail on Saturday said the goods stuck at the ports would be gradually released with penalty surcharge. “To meet with our international obligations, the government has issued an SRO to reverse the ban on imports of luxury items. The goods stuck at the ports will gradually be released with penalty surcharge of up to 100% of assessed value”, he said in his tweet.Theminister said Tariff Policy Board would soon come up with new Regulatory Duty rates that would ensure that the country’s limited foreign exchange is spent on essential items and not on these items that have been unbanned. “We must live within our means”, he added.
LAHORE Staff RepoRt Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday challenged the Returning Officer’s (RO) order before election tribunal of the Lahore High Court, contending that RO rejected his nomination papers from NA-108 (Faisalabad) by “deviating his jurisdiction and violating the constitution”. Imran Khan, in his petition filed through advocate Anis Ali Hashmi, implored the tribunal saying it is astonishing that RO District Election Commissioner Faisalabad rejected his nomination papers on sole ground that the appellant has disclosed the value of the moveable assets but without furnishing details despite no objector had either raised objection on it or demanded such details. “The items of furniture, fittings and items of personal use do not require the details of each specifically but the value of such articles of personal use. In no return filed under the Election Act 2017 do the returns mention the number of chairs, tables, beds, TV, perfumes, watches, rings, ties, clothes etc. owned by a person but rather the value thereof. The appellant has disclosed the value of the furniture, fittings and items of personal use in the statement of assets and liabilities submitted before the ECP in the gazette of Pakistan on March 12, 2019, March 26, 2020, and May 24, 2021, in the same manner by giving value without the specific items and the ECP has been accepting the same,” said the petition. He submitted that this is also the case in the tax returns of the appellant, adding that the RO has also not understood that the two challans of Rs29,14,500 and Rs1,93,000 although not required were nonetheless submitted by the appellant only to explain the increase in the value of personal assets between June 2021 and June 2022. He contended that on one hand, the returning officer dismissed the objection that the candidate has concealed the items received by him from Toshakhana by holding that “with regard to the objection of Toshakhana items, the objector could not produce any certified documents” but rejected the nomination papers on an extraneous grounds that “the entry of precious items is dubious and if allowed may provide the candidate a floodgate to skip through scrutiny by the public about their assets”. He said that the rejection of nomination papers on such an assumption is beyond the jurisdiction of the respondent returning officer. Former PM contended that the objections raised were properly responded through a written reply to those objections. “All the objections raised by the respondents were baseless, fake and without any support or cogent evidence and authenticated documentation but surprisingly the nomination papers of the appellant were rejected by the respondent RO on the ground that has not been specifically agitating or raised by respondents Abid Sher Ali and Mian Muhammad Yousaf in their objection petitions.” He prayed to the court that the order passed by RO on August 17, 2022, be set aside and further the RO be directed to accept the appellant’s nomination papers for contesting a by-election in the said constituency.
Cabinet okays changes to LNG policy 2011
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will undertake official visits to Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway from August 22 to 26,According2022. to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, these counties are part of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s first visit to Europe since assuming office. Besides consolidating and expanding bilateral cooperation with these important partners, the visits will provide a valuable opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan’s engagement with Europe and to share Pakistan’s perspective on regional and global issues. In addition to meeting his respective counterparts in Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, the Foreign Minister would hold meetings with other dignitaries and interact with the media. The focus of the visits would be on further deepening and Thebroadening.Foreign Minister is also scheduled to sign a ‘Green Framework Engagement’ agreement with Denmark, focusing on Climate Change Cooperation. Pakistan has long-standing, multi-dimensional relations with Germany, Denmark Sweden, and Norway. These countries are home to sizeable Pakistani communities, are important destinations for our students to pursue higher education, and have significant investment ties with Pakistan. The Foreign Minister’s visits will impart further impetus to Pakistan’s multi-faceted engagement with these countries, the statement added.
ISLAMABAD INp t HEfederal government on Saturday allowed the release of imported items that have reached the ports after 30th June with penalty surcharge of 100 percent of assessed value on Saturday. According to details, the federal government has allowed the release of all imported items and slapped up to 100 percent fines on goods that had reached ports by the end of July despite restrictions. A notification in this regard has also been issued by Ministry of Commerce after federal cabinet’s approval. The government has allowed the release of vehicles, mobile phones, home appliances and other items with a penalty surcharge of 100pc. The notification stated that other imported goods were allowed on payment of surcharge up to 35%. “Items arrived after June 30 and up to July 31 will be released with penalty surcharge of 25%,” it added. Earlier on August 18, the federal government lifted the ban on the import of non-essential and luxury items, three months after the restriction was imposed. Addressing a press conference, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail announced that the federal government was lifting the ban, noting that the restrictions were imposed in line with the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) demands. In May, the government unveiled an emergency economic plan and banned the imports of dozens of non-essential luxuryInformationitems. Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb conducted a press conference in Islamabad to announce the economic plan of the PML-N government to cope with the financial challenges.
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
FM Bilawal to embark on EU countries visit tomorrow
ISLAMABAD INp
Goods stuck at ports to be gradually released: Miftah Pakistan customs unable to stop smuggling
Imran challenges rejection of nomination papers for Faisalabad by-poll
The Federal Cabinet has approved changes to the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Policy 2011 ahead of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Qatar. According to sources, the federal cabinet has approved the summary through circulation on an emergency basis as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to visit Qatar next week. Media reports said that the cabinet approved the changes to exclude new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals and associated facilities from application of mandatory Third Party Access (TPA). The decision will encourage foreign and private sector investment in LNG, sources said, adding that it would help meet the growing demand for gas in the country. A day earlier, the ECC approved major changes to the LNG Policy 2011 under which it removed a key sticking point of the upcoming private sector LNG terminals on merchant model to facilitate Qatar’s investment in Pakistan’s LNG supply chain including terminals and LNG supplies. ECP all set for NA-245 by-poll today
The ruling coalition Saturday night jointly denounced the threats hurled by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan at government officials terming them ‘blatant bullying’. “The ruling coalition strongly condemns the speech delivered by Imran Khan on Saturday night at FNine Park in Islamabad, in which a woman magistrate was named and threatened, while the IGP Islamabad and DIG were threatened and intimidated,” the statement said. “These threats are blatant bullying and violation of law. A traitor and foreign-funded party’s chairman who has plotted a coup in the Pakistan Army. We urge the superior judiciary to take immediate notice of Imran Khan’s threat to the female magistrate. Take legal action against Imran Khan and his colleagues for interfering in the affairs of the government and Imran Khan should be bound by the constitution and law,” the statement added.
Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk
