Qatar Investment authorIty aIms to Invest $3b In PakIstan Thursday, 25 August, 2022 I 26 Muharram, 1444 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XIII No 56 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition g FDI TO Be MADe IN vARIOuS COMMeRCIAl SeCTORS, SAyS eMIRI DIWAN
ISLAMABAD staff report Pakistan on Wednesday rejected India’s “purported closure” of the inquiry into “accidental firing” of a supersonic missile into the country on March 9, 2022, reiterating the demand for a joint probe into the incident. Indian Air Force on Tuesday said the government had sacked three officers involved in the firing. “A Court of Inquiry, set up to establish the facts of the case, including fixing responsibility for the incident, found that deviation from the Standard Operating Procedures by three officers led to the accidental firing of the missile,” it said in a statement. The BrahMos missile — a nuclear-capable, landattack cruise missile jointly developed by Russia and India — was fired earlier this year, prompting Pakistan to seek answers from New Delhi on the safety mechanisms in place to prevent accidental launches. In a statement today, Foreign Officer (FO) spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that it had seen India’s announcement of the findings regarding the incident and the decision to terminate the services of three officers reportedly found responsible for the reckless incident.
“Systemic loopholes and technical lapses of serious nature in the handling of strategic weapons cannot be covered up beneath the veneer of individual human error,” he said, asserting that if the neighbouring had nothing to hide then it must accept Pakistan’s demand for a joint probe in the “spirit of transparency”. The FO spokesperson called India’s action over the March 9 firing “imprudent”, pointing out that it had jeopardized the peace and security environment of the entire region. “Pakistan’s demonstration of exemplary restraint is a testament to our systemic maturity and abiding commitment to peace as a responsible nuclear state,” he said. The FO reiterated that Pakistan wanted the Indian government to immediately provide specific responses to the queries raised after the incident and accede to its call for a joint probe.
Pakistan reiterates call for joint probe into
“The Qatar Investment Authority announced its aspiration to invest $3bn in various commercial and investment sectors in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the emiri Diwan said, without giving details.
Sources close to the premier have said he was expected to offer Qatar shares in stateowned enterprises including the loss-making Pakistan International Airlines and the Roosevelt Hotel in New york.
DYING DUE TO FLASHFLOODS: The former premier said that the people of Balochistan and Sindh are dying of flashfloods but the prime minister was making foreign tours with a “bagging bowl.” “Incumbent rulers have left people helpless in these difficult times,” he added.
supersonicfiring’‘accidentalofIndianmissile
“As expected, the measures taken by India in the aftermath of the incident and the subsequent findings and punishments handed by the so-called internal Court of Inquiry are totally unsatisfactory, deficient, and inadequate.” The spokesperson claimed that India had not only failed to respond to Pakistan’s demand for a joint inquiry but also evaded the questions raised by the country regarding the command and control system in place in India, the safety and security protocols, and the reason for its delayed admission of the Missile launch.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the authorities to expedite rescue and relief operations in flood-affected areas, considering the prediction of more rains in those areas. The prime minister, who is currently on a state visit to Qatar, is monitoring the rescue and relief efforts in the country being taken for the flood-stricken people. He directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and all the relevant ministries and departments to collaborate with one another as consecutive rain spells were deteriorating the flood-caused destruction.Hesaid as the flash floods had inflicted huge losses on the people, it was the nation’s responsibility to support their countrymen.“The rehabilitation in the calamity-hit areas is a gigantic task. This is possible only through collective efforts,” the prime minister said and requested the local and international charity organizations to extend their support for the rehabilitation of the affected population.
“His Highness stressed the importance of the brotherly and strategic relations between the two countries and their aspiration to enhance economic partnership by raising trade exchange and promoting investments through the Qatar Investment Authority,” the emiri Diwan said. The prime minister’s visit to Qatar precedes an International Monetary Fund meeting next week that is expected to approve more than $1bn in financing that has been stalled since the beginning of the year.
HARIPUR/ISLAMABAD staff report Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday while reiterating his demand for early elections, urged the party workers and his supporters to await his call to steer the country out of the quagmire. “We have to free Pakistan from these thieves,” Imran declared while addressing a crowded public meeting in Haripur, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) PTI Chairman Imran Khan asked of the entire nation to prepare and wait for his call, warning Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that his government would not be able to stop the sea of people when they will gather in Islamabad from all fourReferringprovinces.to the visit of Premier Shehbaz to Qatar, Imran Khan said that Shehbaz Sharif, along with 40 other “thieves”, had gone to Qatar for “begging”, adding but no one will give them money as everyone knows that they [incumbent rulers] are thieves. The PTI chief maintained that fresh and fair elections are necessary for the political and economic stability in the country. Imran told the participants of the rally that 220 million people were being enslaved through a “regime changeImranconspiracy.”saidthat Pakistan was defamed for registering a case with terrorism charges against him. “The imported government has planned to arrest me as if I were a major terrorist.” He said that the Indian government never makes a decision where it sacrifices the lives of its citizens for someone else. “We lost lives of 80,000 Pakistanis for participating in the American war… We will not sacrifice our people for any country for the sake of our foreign policy.”
DOHA reuters t
The announcement was made during a visit to Doha by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who held official talks with Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Wednesday after a meeting with the QIA on Tuesday.
PM Shehbaz on Tuesday invited QIA, Qatar’s $450bn sovereign wealth fund, to invest in Pakistan’s energy and aviation sectors. He had previously said he would highlight sectors including renewable energy, food security, industrial and infrastructure development, tourism and hospitality.
Pakistan is in economic turmoil and faces a balance of payments crisis, with foreign reserves having dropped as low as $7.8bn, barely enough for more than a month of imports. The country is also contending with a widening current account deficit, depreciation of the rupee against the uS dollar and inflation that hit more than 24 per cent in July.
“The nation will never accept them and I will stand for the rights of my nation,” he added. The ousted premier said that PTI leader Shahbaz Gill left his job in the uS and came to Pakistan but he was sent to jail. “What did I say that cases were registered against me,” he questioned. He said that the PTI was not against institutions. “We have only one demand and that is to conduct free and transparent elections in the country.” He further said that he is preparing people from all over the country to protest, urging everyone to wait for his call.
in flood-affected
Another long march: Imran tells nation to wait for his call
ISLAMABAD staff report
PM urges to accelerate relief operations areas
PTI RALLIES ScHEDULE: The former prime minister had announced to hold 17 public gatherings in a bid to build pressure on the ruling coalition for announcing general elections as soon as possible.According to the schedule announced by PTI, the PTI chairman will address a rally in Karachi on August 26. The PTI will also hold power shows in Sukkur on August 27, in Peshawar on August 28, in Jhelum and Attock on August 29 and on August 31 respectively. Moreover, PTI will hold massive public meetings in Sargodha and Gujarat on September 1 and September 2, respectively.
HeQatar Investment Authority (QIA) plans to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, Qatar’s emiri Diwan said on Wednesday, lending support to the cashstrapped economy.
The PTI chief said that when his government tried to buy cheap oil from Russia, they were removed from power via a conspiracy and an “imported government” was imposed upon the nation.
PTI challenges ban on live coverage of Imran’s speeches
kARACHI Staff RepoRt Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has challenged the ban imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on the live coverage of its chairman Imran Khan’s speeches in the Sindh and Lahore high courts. Ali Zaidi, president of the party’s Sindh chapter, filed on Wednesday a constitutional petition in the SHC, wherein he argued that the PEMRA’s notification was illegal. “The ban imposed on the live coverage of Imran Khan’s speeches amounts to a ban on freedom of speech,” he said, and added: “Therefore, it is prayed to the court to not only declare the notification illegal but also suspend it until and unless the fate of this petition is decided.” The ban on Khan’s speeches was also challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC). Justice Anwaar Hussain of the LHC asked the petitioner, Muhammad Khan Madni, to give arguments on the admissibility of the petition on the next date of the hearing. The judge asked him to satisfy the court whether freedom of expression was the right of the speaker only or also of the listener. In his petition, Madni, an office bearer of PTI, who had contested the general elections of 2013 on the party’s ticket for NA-119, made the federal government and the PEMRA respondents, and said Khan was not only the PTI chairman but also the country’s most popular leader by virtue of votes he had received in the last two general elections as well as in the recently held by-elections. “And in the present situation, he is addressing large public gatherings,” he said, and added that both local and foreign media had been covering his rallies live. But PEMRA, he regretted, in a blatant disregard for freedom of speech imposed a ban on the live coverage of PTI chairman’s speeches. “Therefore, it is prayed to the LHC to declare the Authority’s notification, dated August 20, 2022, of the imposition of ban null and void,” Madni said.
Thursday, 25 August, 2022 ISLAMABAD 02 NEWS
Islamabad court sends Gill on judicial remand
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday rejected a reference filed from MNAs hailing from ruling coalition government against Imran Khan with regard to a toshakhana case. A four-member bench of the ECP headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the plea filed from the treasury lawmakers. During the hearing, the counsel representing Imran Khan said that a reference filed from speaker National Assembly is already being heard at the ECP and since both of them pertains to a similar matter, therefore one of them should be quashed. The CEC after hearing to the arguments quashed the reference filed from the lawmakers and scheduled the hearing on the toshakhana reference filed from the speaker on August 29. During the last hearing, the Election Commission of Pakistan Monday rejected Imran Khan’s counsel’s plea to grant a three-week time for submission of answer in Toshkhana reference. Imran Khan is facing disqualification reference for allegedly hiding Toshakhana gifts. A 5-member commission headed by the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the reference. At the outset of the hearing, Gohar Khan informed the country’s supreme electoral body that they require time to get documents of assets declaration. We are reviewing whether has someone declared iPhone and watches in his assets declaration or not. Imran Khan’s counsel pleaded the ECP to grant three-week time to submit answer in Toshakhana reference, while the plea was rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan.Thehearing has been adjourned until August 29.
“A medical board was constituted on August 13 and August 15 to examine Shahbaz Gill. According to the police, Shahbaz Gill refused to undergo a medical examination by the medical board which gave a report on Gill’s health, but made no mention of torture. The IG Islamabad police also denied torture of Shahbaz Gill,” it “Thestated.allegations of torture of Shahbaz Gill cannot be ignored. The Constitution and the courts are the guardians of the prisoners’ rights. The torture of an accused on the pretext of collecting evidence cannot be allowed,” it stressed.
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
“We will not spare the IG and DIG,” he said while addressing a public gathering at the F-9 park. The former prime minister called out Additional District and Sessions Judge Chaudhry, who had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police, and said she, too, should prepare herself as the case will also be registered against her. The PTI chief passed the remarks while leading a rally in Islamabad from Zero Point to F-9 Park in support of incarcerated leader Gill, who the party claims was subjected to alleged “gruesome torture” in police custody.
DOHA, QATAR Staff RepoRt P RIMEMinister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday called on the father of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and mother Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, wherein he appreciated their role and services in elevating the bilateral relationship.Theprime minister, who is on a two-day visit, underscored the importance Pakistan attached to its longstanding and cordial relationship with Qatar, which he said was based on firm foundations of mutual trust and abiding support. He also conveyed gratitude to Emir’s father for receiving him and his delegation. Recalling the earlier visits of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to Pakistan in 1999 and 2017, the prime minister appreciated the role played by him in elevating the relationship between the two countries and acknowledged the robust relationship developed during his reign. Recalling the “Education Above All (EAA)” programme under the patronage of Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the prime minister lauded her humanitarian and charitable efforts, in particular the enrolment of out-of-school children around the world including Pakistan. He thanked Emir’s father for hosting more than 200,000 strong Pakistani diaspora in Qatar, which was contributing to the progress of the State of Qatar, as well as Pakistan.Heassured Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani of further cooperation with Qatar in line with Qatar’s Vision 2030. The prime minister also conveyed his warmest felicitations and best wishes for Qatar hosting the upcoming FIFA-2022 World Cup. He also extended a cordial invitation to Emir’s parents to visit Pakistan at their earliest convenience
“Upon his arrival at Adiala Jail, the physical examination of Shahbaz Gill was recorded in the record register. The medical officer wrote in the register that Gill had multiple injuries and marks on his body. He should have had an immediate medical examination as per the rules about the prisoners,” the IHC said in its verdict.“According to the law, the jail authorities were bound to report to the sessions judge and the in-charge prosecution. But, the jail authorities reported torture of Shahbaz Gill to neither the sessions judge nor the advocate general,” it added.
IHC orders Interior Ministry to probe alleged torture on Shahbaz Gill
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt A district and sessions court in Islamabad rejected the police request for a week-long extension in the physical remand of Shehbaz Gill, chief of staff to former prime minister Imran Khan, and instead sent him on judicial remand.Judicial Magistrate Malik Aman heard the plea. In addition, the police also asked the court to grant his judicial remand in an arms recovery case. Gill was arrested on August 9 after appearing on 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.Heimplied the rank and file in the military overwhelmingly supports Khan, who was ousted in a noconfidence vote in the National Assembly in April. After the TV interview, he was arrested and charged with treason, which under the law carries the death penalty. ARY News was taken off air and its broadcasting license was subsequently revoked. The station’s director Ammad Yousaf was briefly arrested but was later released. Gill has since his arrest been back and forth in police custody and at the Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences (PIMS). He was already facing a sedition charge, but the Islamabad police — a day earlier — also registered a case against him over possession of an illegalHeweapon.wasbooked in the case after police raided the incarcerated PTI leader’s room in Parliament Lodges late Monday — where they recovered weapons, a satellite phone, and foreign currency. The prosecution sought an extension in the remand, which was strongly opposed by defending lawyers. After hearing the arguments, the court reserved its verdict and announced it a few moments later. The court sent the PTI leader on judicial remand in the treason as well as the arms recovery case.
02-03 NEWS 25 Auguat 2022_Layout 1 8/25/2022 1:14 AM Page 1
PM lauds rOle, servIces Of QaTarI eMIr’s ParenTs TO elevaTe bIlaTeral TIes
“This is a fabricated case; no threat was issued; no Kalashnikov rifle was fired,” the former special assistant to PM on parliamentary affairs said. A case was registered against the former prime minister under the Anti-Terrorism Act for threatening an additional sessions judge and senior police officers of the Islamabad Police during a public rally. Seeking bail, the party moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) where Khan managed to secure a transit bail till August 25, but was asked to approach the ATC as the case was terrorism-related. The FIR registered against Khan states that he threatened Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-9 Park to “terrorise” police officials and the judiciary. The main aim of the intimidation was to prevent the police officers and judiciary from carrying out their legal obligations, states the FIR. The FIR was registered on the complaint of Magistrate Ali Javed in Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station under Section 7 of ATA. Last Sunday, PTI chief Khan warned that he would “not spare” Islamabad’s inspector-general, deputy inspector general, and female magistrate, vowing to file cases against them for torturing Gill.
ECP rejects ruling MNAs’ plea against Imran Khan in Toshakhana reference
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday ordered the interior ministry to launch an inquiry into the allegations of torture of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill. Acting IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued a detailed 21-page verdict, asking the interior ministry to appoint an inquiry officer under the supervision of a retired IHC judge. “An SSP rank officer will supervise the physical remand of Shahbaz Gill to ensure there should be no torture of him,” the court ordered.
Imran Khan seeks bail from ATC in-person today: Babar Awan Met office warns of incoming heavy rain, flooding
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt Imran Khan, chairman of PTI and former prime minister, will appear before an antiterrorism court (ATC) today (Thursday) for seeking bail in a terrorism-related case, a party leader said Wednesday. In a video statement, PTI’s senior leader Babar Awan said the party’s legal committee decided that Khan’s bail plea would be filed in the ATC tomorrow, and the former premier would go there himself. Awan claimed that by filing this case, the government has completely “destroyed” Pakistan’s anti-terrorism narrative as he termed the charges against Khan “false”.
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt Pakistan Meteorological Department said that heavy rainfall in parts of Sindh province could result in urban flooding in its lowland areas. In its weather forecast report, the department said the flood situation on Tuesday is also expected in the rainwater drains in parts of Balochistan. Additionally, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has forecasted a very high to exceptionally high-level flooding in eastern Balochistan province from Tuesday to Friday. High to very high-level flooding may also occur in tributaries of Rivers Kabul and Indus during this time, it added. The NDMA advised the concerned authorities to maintain an enhanced alert level and monitor the developing situations to reduce response time. It further suggested locals, farmers and cattle herders shift their cattle away from low-lying areas adjacent to River Indus and in the vicinity of hill torrents, adding that travelers and tourists should remain cautious while traveling to the high-risk areas. At least 820 people have been killed and 1,315 others injured in separate accidents caused by heavy rains across Pakistan since the start of monsoon season on June 14, the NDMA said on Monday. Indian police raid residences of three advocates in IIOJK NewS DeSk In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian police carried out raids at the residences of three lawyers, including former President of Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Mian Abdul Qayoom. According to Kashmir Media Service, the police conducting searches at residence of Advocate Mian Qayoom, Advocate Manzoor Dar and Advocate Muzzaffar Mohammad in connection with further investigation into the killing of Advocate Babar Qadri. A posse of policemen arrived at Qayoom’s Barzulla residence and searches his house. Advocate Babar Qadri was killed by unknown gunmen inside his residence in Hawal area of Srinagar in September 2020. Qadri, who was a vocal critic of the Indian state terrorism and BJP’s anti-Kashmir policies, had claimed threat to his life three days before he was killed. Indian troops martyred one Saqib Manzoor, last year and claimed he was responsible for Qadri’s killing.
Hascol announces rehabilitation plan
section 144 violation court grants interim bail to six PTI leaders
Justice Ijaz while referencing to the claims of the right being curtailed due to fear of rigging, said fake votes could easily be polled while voting from within the country as well. There was a law against fake votes and rigging, he added. He asked whether a motorway could be closed in the event of an accident. He questioned whether the elections should be stopped due to concerns of rigging. He asked why the ECP did not use its powers to stop rigging. The court could review the commission’s measures to prevent fraud, he observed, adding the ECP’s concerns must be addressed. Justice Ijaz said it was not right to eliminate the overseas vote instead of addressing the concerns in that regard. The bench observed that the overseas Pakistanis’ right to vote appeared to be a matter of public interest and a fundamental human right. Justice Ijaz said that the court had delivered several decisions related to the rights of Justiceexpats.Naqvi questioned whether the present assembly was empowered enough to make amendments regarding the fundamental rights of the expats. He observed that there were insufficient number of members in the National Assembly. Justice Ijaz said a billion dollars was being demanded from financial institutions and other countries, while overseas Pakistanis sent home $30 billion annually. The expatriates were told that they should fly back to the country if they wanted to vote, he Justiceremarked.Naqvi observed that the overseas Pakistanis sent home $30 billion without any conditions. As the whole world used modern devices for every thing, then why the same could not be used for voting, he asked.
sc seTs asIde regIsTrar OffIce’s ObJecTIOns On Overseas PaKIsTanIs vOTIng rIghTs casePMshehbaz
DOHA, QATAR Staff RepoRt Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited FIFA World Cup ‘Stadium 974’ in Doha and lauded the efforts of Qatar in establishing state-of-the-art facilities for the upcoming one of the biggest sporting event. Upon arrival at the stadium, the prime minister was given the guided tour of the stadium and was briefed on the extensive preparations undertaken by the government of Qatar to host the FIFA World Cup 2022. He praised the grandeur of the football stadium and associated facilities, depicting the Qatari culture and identity, built in a short span of time. Recalling the less than 100 days countdown of FIFA World Cup, the prime minister wished the people and leadership of Qatar a resounding success in the convening of the mega event. Besides underlining the important contribution of Pakistani workforce in building the world cup-related infrastructure, the prime minister expressed that Pakistanis were proud of the fact that the football, “Al-Rihla”, the official match ball of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, was a made-in-Pakistan product.
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
An Additional District and Sessions court on Wednesday granted interim bail to six Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in a case registered for violation of Section 144. The Islamabad Police have registered a case against six PTI leaders for violation of Section 144 by holding a rally in the federal capital on August 20. Additional District and Sessions Judge Faizan Haider Gilani granted interim bail to six Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including Saifullah Niazi, Ali Awan, Raja Khurram, Faisal Javed, Sadaqat Abbasi and Shahzad Waseem. The leaders granted bail against surety bonds of Rs20,000 after they approached the court earlier in the day.
02-03 NEWS 25 Auguat 2022_Layout 1 8/25/2022 1:14 AM Page 2
visits fIfa World cup ‘stadium 974’
The PTI members filed bail application after a case was registered against them in the Aabpara police station. The party leaders had participated in a rally held to protest PTI leader Shahbaz Gill’s arrest and “torture”. In the petition, the PTI leaders contended that the case against them was “baseless”, adding that the rally was peaceful and the cases were an attempt to suppress the leaders. They maintained that the provisions the leaders were charged under were bailable and pleaded that bail be granted. IHC puts off plea seekIng termInatIon of sedItIon Case agaInst gIll: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday adjourned hearing for indefinite period on a petition seeking termination of sedition case registered against PTI leader Shahbaz Gill. Acting IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by Shahbaz Gill, requesting the court to quash the first information report (FIR) lodged by the Kohsar Police Station. During hearing, Special Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi requested the court to grant sometime for submission of some relevant documents in the case. However, Gill’s counsel Shoaib Shaheen Advocate requested the court to provide the copy of transcript of his client’s statement and verified copy of high court’s order.
While hearing former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed’s petition against ending the right of overseas Pakistanis to vote, the court observed that the expatriates must be facilitated on priority as they brought in foreign exchange to the country. The counsel for the petitioner said apparently, the expatriates’ right to vote was abolished due to the concerns of Election Commission of Pakistan.
kARACHI aSadullah KamRan In the latest turn of events, Hascol in a recent disclosure of material information has announced that the board of directors have approved the plan for “rehabilitation of the company through restructuring and settlement of the liabilities of the Company”.Additionally a draft letter approved by the board of directors would also be sent to all of the company’s “secured institutions”.creditors/banks/financialTheletter would highlight the plan and process the company intends to follow in line with the “rehabilitation plan”. Hascol has been a company mired in controversy, the company was involved in a corruption scandal worth Rs 54 billion. However, the company looks forward to making a comeback as a major OMC in the market, as it earned a positive EBITDA according to its latest published financial reports. This comes on the back of the recently published financial results for the previous year. According to the company’s press release, “the company managed to earn a positive EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation) of PKR 1.354 billion compared to the previous year’s negative EBITDA of PKR 11.771 billion”.Although looking at the EBITDA figures in an isolated fashion might inspire confidence, the company is not yet completely out of the woods. As per the recently published financial results of the company the bottom line loss has improved significantly, compared from the loss of Rs 23.5 billion in 2020 the company in 2021 only posted a loss of Rs 7.6 billion. Viewing the recent increase in margins in the sector, companies have been emboldened to ramp up their operations. This has also been the case with Hascol, as it stated, “the company has been encouraged by some recent decision made by the government of Pakistan”. This can be considered a remarkable achievement given the challenges faced by the whole industry. What makes it even more impressive is the fact that the company was being scrutinised and lacked the ability to get credit facilities. Hascol’s biggest shareholder Vitol has borne the brunt of supporting operations and credit facilities of the company, this however might change with the new strategy.On March 28, 2001, Hascol Petroleum Limited was established in Pakistan as a private limited company. The Corporation changed its status to that of a public unlisted company on September 12, 2007. The Company purchases, stores, and markets items connected to petroleum, chemicals, LPG, and other associated industries. In 2005, the firm received an oil marketing licence from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, and in 2018, it bought the assets of a company with an LPG licence. Between 2010 and 2018, Hascol saw its topline surge by an astounding 52.7% per annum, from Rs7.9 billion to Rs234 billion. However its glory was short lived, cutting the long story short the company was alleged to have been involved in an elaborate scam by syphoning off billions from banks through fraudulent means.
HESupreme Court on Wednesday set aside objections on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s overseas Pakistanis voting rights plea and ordered the Registrar’s Office to fix it case for early hearing before an appropriate bench. A two-member SC bench comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi heard the case.
T
aJK PM denounces voting rights to outsiders in IIOJK ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan strongly condemned the Indian government’s decision to grant the right of vote to nonlocal students, workers, employees and military personnel living in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). In a statement on Wednesday, the AJK PM said that the Modi government was pursuing a plan to change the identity of the Muslimmajority state the way Israeli did in the Palestinian territories. Referring to India’s game plan, he said that the Indian government has already modified the region’s age-old domicile law that had been in force since 1927. “By modifying the domicile law New Delhi paved a way for Indian citizens to acquire domicile and other rights including the right to job and purchase land in Occupied Kashmir”, the Prime Minister said, adding that what had been left undone was now completed by granting voting rights to non-state residents. The PM said that India’s motive behind this move was to disempower Kashmiris and to wipe off their political identity. Citing the massive bureaucratic reshuffle in the IoK, he said, that the Modi government had already cleared a way for outsiders by transferring Kashmiri Muslim officers out of Kashmir Valley.
03NEWS Thursday, 25 August, 2022 | ISLAMABAD NewS DeSk
Altaf Hussain Wani, Director KIIr, highlighted the importance of reports documenting India’s war crimes in Kashmir. All Kashmiri resistance political leaders are human rights defenders as they strive for the rights of the Kashmiri people. He further added that the UN rapporteur’s tweet condemning the detention of Khurram parvez is a slap on the face of India’s fascist regime. He urged that the need of the hour is to disseminate these evidence based reports, reviews be written, and given proper media coverage, so that it reaches global arena. Dr Waleed rasool, Director IDDs, said that the introduction of legal warfare or Lawfare dimension was in itself a remarkable contribution in the resistance struggle. He highlighted that the media was significant in communicating the higher echelons of power in the world about happenings in IIOJK. He also urged for a need to document India’s atrocity crimes by gathering data from the ground in IIOJK itself and shape it so as to apprise the international community of Indian excesses in IIOJK. elaborating the key points, Advocate Nasir Qadri said that according to the CpJ, Kashmiri media had reached a breaking point, where journalists had begun to doubt their career choice. Many journalists who have faced the heat have either switched to work as public relations executives or have become academics. some have gone abroad to study. the fact is that even after they quit journalism, the authorities do not spare them, he expressed. “they can just pick up a line or a paragraph from a story that appeared a decade ago and summon him or her,” he said while quoting a srinagar-based reporter as saying.
Thursday, 25 August, 2022 ISLAMABAD 04 NEWS
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt Admirers of iconic performer Jamshed Ansari observed his 17th death anniversary on Wednesday and paid rich tributes to his unforgettable service in the entertainment industry. In a career spanning over 40 years, Ansari has to his credit over 200 tV dramas, three films and many radio and stage serials. While his first tV play was “Ghora Ghaans Khata Hai” (written by Agha Nasir), it was his role in “Uncle Urfi” — in which he flicked a small, innocuous-looking knife and squeaked cheekily that “chakku hai merey paas” — that made him a household name. Ansari was born on December 31, 1942, in the saharanpur city of Uttar pradesh in British India. In 1948, at the age of six, he, along with his family, migrated to pakistan. He received a Bachelors of Arts (BA) degree in 1964. Later that year, he arrived in London where he spent the next four years of his life. there, he studied television production and worked in stage shows as well as for British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Ansari returned in 1968. In pakistan, his first stab at acting was in the pakistan television play Jharokay which was shot and telecast in the same year.
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has said that river Indus is in “medium flood” at taunsa and in “low flood” at Kalabagh, Chashma and Kotri while river Kabul is also in “low flood” both at Warsak and Nowshera. According to daily FFC report on Wednesday, other main rivers of Indus river system (Jhelum, Chenab, ravi & sutlej) are discharging normal flows. Owing to the heavy flows generated from the hill torrents of Koh-e-suleman mountain ranges upstream taunsa, high flood discharges had been experienced at taunsa Barrage (from 18th to 21st August 2022). the impact has now been shifted to control structures downstream taunsa where Indus is in “High Flood” at Guddu and sukkur since 22nd August 2022 (1200 hours) and 23rd August 2022 (1200 hours) respectively. rains in DG Khan hill torrent areas since the last 24 hours have once again generated increased flows (Kaura=106,000 cusecs, Vehova= 44,000 cusecs, sanghar = 54,000 cusecs & sori Lund = 29,000 cusecs at 0800 hours). tarbela reservoir is being maintained at its Maximum Conservation Level (MCL) of 1550.00 feet since 20th August 2022, while Mangla Dam is at el: 1178.45 feet against its MCL: 1242 feet (57.94% storage still left).
Pakistanis among migrants detained in North Macedonia
ExpErts dub IIOJK sItuatIOn IndIan vErsIOn Of 21st cEntury GEstapO
04 NEWS 25 August 2022 ISLAMBAD_Layout 1 8/25/2022 12:07 AM Page 1
asif underlines significance of peace in afghanistan NewS DeSk Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Wednesday underlined the significance of peace in Afghanistan and its importance for pakistan. Addressing the Council of Defence Ministers of shanghai Cooperation Organisation (sCO) Member states in tashkent, the minister also highlighted the relevance of multilateral organisations, said a press release. Khawaja Asif while stressing the need to strengthen the United Nations structure, said the UN should play its active role in the resolution of all outstanding issues faced by the world.
Daska by-poll rigging: ECP summons Dar brothers, other PTI leaders for 30th Staff RepoRt E xpertsat a launch of dossier titled ‘India silencing Journalism and Human rights in Kashmir’ asserted that whatever is happening in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is the Indian version of 21st century Gestapo. the comprehensive dossier was launched by Legal Forum for Kashmir (LFK) in collaboration with stokeWhite investigations unit, UK here Wednesday on the treatment meted out by India against Kashmiri Journalists and Human rights Defenders.theinvestigative report draws attention to India’s counterinsurgency strategy in silencing journalism and human rights in IIOJK, where the human rights defenders and journalists are concerned as the last line of ‘defense’ for basic human rightsInvestigationsprotections. by sWI unit and LFK have uncovered the names of officers responsible for the disruption and detention of journalists and human rights defenders, which will be subject to a broader legal submission. the Indian military and police, in sum, have been instructed by the government with the responsibility of commanding and directing the profiling of journalists and human rights defenders. LFK and sWI-unit has documented cases of human rights lawyers and practitioners being subject to home/office raids, disruption of normal work flow, and arrest while on fieldwork or malicious confiscation of travel documents to prevent legitimate journalism or human rights work. We saw, only, in 2019, J&K experienced heightened disconnection of high-speed internet, including of mobile phone signal infrastructure for 18 months. In 2020, India restricted the internet some 109 times. According to LFK’s findings, tahir Ashraf Bhatti is the head of the Counter Insurgent unit, where he summoned many journalists and harassed them for purely reporting on events in Kashmir. the current head of the cyber cell is syed sleet shah, who recently was recruiting “serious candidates” for a special cyber project via her personal twitter account. this has become a norm and many social media users in Kashmir has stopped using their social media and even if they are using, they are absolutely silent in matters of politics and political changes happening in the valley. the speakers in the press conference included Advocate Nasir Qadri, executive Director LFK, Mushahid Hussain syed, Member of senate of pakistan, Mehmood Ahmed saghar, Convenor ApHC, Ms Mushaal Mullick, Altaf Hussain Wani, Director KIIr; Dr Waleed rasool, Director IDDs. the gathering constituted of media fraternity, All parties Hurriyat Conference leadership which included shaikh Yaqoob, Imtiaz Ahmad Wani, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, Zahid Ashraf, Zahid safi, Mukhtar Ahmad Baba.Advocate Nasir Qadri, executive Director LFK while speaking at the press conference said, the report launched today is testimony based depicting how India is silencing the journalists and Human rights defenders in IIOJK. the report includes testimonies of renowned Human rights defender Khurram parvez, and Ahsan Untoo whose testimony has already been shared with the metropolitan war crimes unit under Universal Jurisdiction in UK, he added. senator Mushahid Hussain sayed commended LFK and sWI unit for documentation of war crimes perpetrated by Indian authorities in IIOJK. Indian pogrom in IIOJK is on lines with the Israeli unlawful actions against palestinians, he said and added that Kashmiri Human rights activist Khurram parvez’s only crime has been to speak truth against despotic powers. Despite being a peaceful activist, he was false-fully accused of abetting terrorism. Whatever is happening in Kashmir is the Indian version of gestapo in 21st century which brutalises and eliminates any voices that speak truth, he expressed. Quoting Arundhati rai, he said an architecture of fascism is being erected in India and rss is the only state in India right now. Convenor ApHC Mehmood Ahmed saghar, addressing the gathering condemned India’s highhandedness against journalists and human rights defenders in IIOJK. He highlighted the plight of Kashmiri prisoners which include resistance leaders, journalists, and human rights defenders. He urged pakistan to up the ante and take up the cases of Kashmiris being arbitrarily detained by India under black laws, and assure their release as soon as possible. Ms Mushaal Mullick, wife of incarcerated Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik, lauded LFK and stoke White for publishing a joint report on Indian excesses against journalist and human rights defenders. regarding India as a devil of the time, she urged that all the India’s human rights violations in IIOJK must be documented and the perpetrators need to be held accountable. she requested pakistani media to focus on research based and evidence based documentation of human rights violations in IIOJK. she further said that the Kashmiri journalists and human rights defenders continue to be intimidated, and arbitrarily detained under black colonial laws. she also expressed willingness to present testimony against India under universal jurisdiction.
River Indus in medium, low flood, says FFC ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt the election Commission of pakistan (eCp) has summoned ptI leaders including Usman Dar, Umar Dar, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and three others in Daska by-poll riggingAccordingcase. to the notice issued by the eCp, ptI leaders including Usman Dar, his brother Umar Dar, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Arif soni, Asif and Iqbal soni have been directed to appear before the commission on August 30. the notice said in the light of statements of the witnesses and accused in Daska by-poll rigging, you [ptI leaders] were found directly involved in the rigging of the by-poll. After inquiry, it was learned that you people attended a meeting in the DpO office on February 17 and rs300,000 each was ‘given’ to the presiding officers. Out of 20 presiding officers probed for rigging in Daska-bypoll, some of them blamed the political personalities for their direct involvement.InNovember 2021, the election Commission of pakistan (eCp) ordered to take action against officials involved in Daska by-poll rigging under criminal charges. In a written order issued by the election commission, other than the criminal proceedings, a departmental inquiry would also be launched against all those involved in rigging in the Daska by-poll. An inquiry report issued by the election Commission of pakistan determined that the NA-75 sialkot-IV by-election held in Daska on February 19 was not held in a fair, free, and transparent manner. It is to be recalled that pML-N candidate Nosheen Iftikhar clinched victory on a National Assembly (NA) seat in hotly-contested Daska by-polls, according to unofficial results.
Jamshed ansari remembered on death anniversary
ISLAMABAD
SkOPJe the aSSociated pReSS police in North Macedonia have detained 26 migrants thought to have entered illegally from neighbouring Greece, and arrested a suspected smuggler who had been driving them in a van toward the northern border withAserbia.police statement said the migrants from syria, pakistan, egypt and India were detained early tuesday after a patrol stopped their vehicle near the eastern town of stip. the driver, who is suspected of belonging to a migrant-smuggling gang, is a national of North Macedonia. the migrants were transferred to a reception centre pending deportation to theGreece.relaxation of pandemicera restrictions has brought an increase in the numbers of migrants taking the Balkan route into europe’s prosperous heartland. police in North Macedonia have recorded a roughly 100 percent increase in people illegally entering the country so far this year, compared with the same period in 2021. More than 11,000 people — mostly from pakistan, India and syria — have been stopped so far this year. About 90 percent of them are thought to have come through Greece, which in turn they entered fromtheyturkey.usually pay criminal gangs to help them on their clandestine journey.
isLamabad staff report s ECRETARYFood Punjab, Nadir Chatha, said that food department has started shifting of wheat to Multan in view of threat to the wheat warehouses in flood areas of DG Khan. Thousands of tons of wheat have been shifted from the flood affected areas to safer places. He said that physical checking of all the wheat warehouses in the low-lying areas was being done due to the flood situation. He expressed these views during emergency visits to flood affected wheat warehouses in Multan and DG Khan. Secretary Food got shifted the wheat trucks from Kot Chutta, Shadan Lund, Tunsa and Rajanpur areas to Multan under his supervision. It has been decided to shift wheat from the flood affected areas to Multan as per directions of Punjab government, he added.Strict monitoring of the wheat warehouses in the flood-affected areas was being done in this regard. Nadir Chatha said that there was no risk of loss of wheat due to the flood and all the stocks are in a safe condition. He said that the process of wheat transfer would be completed in few Specialdays. teams of the food department have been deployed in the flood areas In this regard. Earlier, Secretary Food Nader Chatha chaired the meeting of the officers of the food department at Commissioner office Multan and took a detailed briefing regarding the supply of wheat and flour.
pr NCHR in collaboration with Taskeen, UNFPA launches report on HR, mental health
Lahore pr Pakistan's largest Digital Bank, Mobilink Microfinance Bank's (MMBL) efforts to promote digital and financial inclusion across Pakistan, were recognized at the recent 5th edition of the Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit (LIIBS) 2022, organized by Nutshell Conferences. More than 1,000 delegates were in attendance, including senior dignitaries from local and international private organizations, the public sector, notable media personnel, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. MMBL also showcased its wide-ranging suite of financial products and services, focusing on the digital onboarding of customers and serving them through MMBL's premium digital banking platform - DOST.
To commemorate the "AZAADI of the of AAM AADMI (Common citizen)” a ceremony was held on 21st August 2022 to introduce the destiny-changing financial inclusion scheme “ASAAN MOBILE ACCOUNT” (AMA), as a tribute to Pakistan’s 75th independence day!. Moderated by, Dr Huma Baqai - Rector MITE. It was well attended by eminent bankers, corporate leaders, regulators, social sector scholars and key opinion leaders Dr Baqai stated that digital technologies are impacting the way firms do business through digital transformation leading to documentation of economy since the majority of the people (the “AAM AADMI”) do not have access to bank accounts. She praised Ikram Sehgal and his family for their tireless efforts to truly unleash the economic potential of the unbanked. She called the AMA a destiny-changer. pr
05NEWS Thursday, 25 August, 2022 | ISLAMABAD
FooD DePT sTARTs sHIFTINg WHeAT To MULTAN FRoM FLooD AReAs
iSLaMaBaD: The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), in collaboration with Taskeen Health Initiative (Taskeen) and with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), launched a report on mental health and human rights. The aim of this report is to identify the gaps in mental health policy, legislation, licensing, qualification, and ethical mental health service delivery in order to highlight the human rights violations and malpractice that those with mental health issues face as a consequence. While presenting the report findings to the audience, Chairperson NCHR Rabiya Javeri Agha highlighted the need for discourse stating, “we need to move past the stigma and taboo around the subject of mental health and talk about these issues openly and without discrimination.” She also emphasised how “limited regulation of the mental health sphere means that anyone can offer mental health counselling and treatment without accountability, which can lead to incidents of human rights abuses and exploitation of vulnerable populations.
Ghazanfar Azzam, President & CEO, MMBL, and Sardar Mohammad Abubakr, Chief Finance and Digital Officer, MMBL shared valuable insights on talent requirements in the new normal and innovation for growth in their respective panel discussions. They addressed the audience by sharing MMBL’s role in promoting financial inclusion and digitalization efforts across the country, especially amongst the marginalized segments, to promote inclusiveAddressinggrowth. the delegates, Ghazanfar Azzam stressed the importance of transforming Pakistan’s banking ecosystem by promoting financial inclusion through technology-enabled products and services. He explained, “Pakistan ranks among the top freelance markets in the world.
LUMS, NEECA to collaborate for promotion, conservation of energy efficiency
Mastercard and LMK Resources Pakistan (Private) Limited (LMKR) have formalized a strategic partnership to oversee the implementation of the country’s first open-loop transit payment solution in a bid to further accelerate Pakistan’s digital transformation. The solution can be implemented through the country’s entire transit infrastructure, including rapid transit bus networks and e-tolling systems. The collaboration will allow commuters to top up and pay for transit fares through their debit and credit cards or digital wallets without the need to buy separate tickets.
pr
MMBL reaffirms commitment to promoting financial inclusion at LIIBS 2022
President for exploring new avenues for Pak-Korea cooperation
Managing Director NEECA, Dr. Sardar Mohazzam graced the signing ceremony along with the Provost LUMS, Dr. TariqSpeakingJadoon. on the occasion, Director Energy Institute LUMS, Dr. Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry said that, though, demand side management of energy is at the core of all the possible solutions of the energy challenges being faced by Pakistan, it is often overlooked. He said that the energy efficiency and conservation is the key towards peak load management and can mitigate national challenges of capacity payments and circular debt in the energy sector. Managing Director NEECA, Dr. Sardar Mohazzam said that the everincreasing prices of energy and the impending global recession demand an enhanced focus on the indigenization of the energy efficient technologies and capacities as well as inculcating a behavior of energy.
Lahore pr In recognition of the prevalent energy sector challenges, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate for catalyzing research, development, and innovation in the field of energy efficiency and conservation.
DHAI-R signs JV agreement with Paragon Developers DHAI-R signed a joint-venture agreement with Paragon Developers for the development of a mixused tower in DHAI-R Phase II. Brig Muhammad Jawad, Administrator DHA Islamabad-Rawalpindi, and Aftab Hussain Siddique, Chairman Paragon Developers Private Limited honored the event while other senior officials from both organizations were also present on this occasion. pr
AZAADIof MobilefinancialintroducesAAMAADMIdestiny-changingscheme‘AsaanAccount’
pr Pakistan, Iran need to tap mutual tourism potential: Murtaza Wahab
staff report
corporate corner Mastercard and LMKR formalize partnership to accelerate digital transformation
President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday called for further enhancing the quantum of bilateral trade and investment between Pakistan and the Republic of Korea. He emphasized exploring new avenues for cooperation among the governments and private sectors of the two countries. He was talking to the members of the Korea-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group in the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, led by its Head Lee Hack Young here at the MembersAiwan-e-Sadr.ofParliament including Lee Sangheon, Kim Byungjoo, An Byunggil, and Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Suh Sangpyo attended the meeting. The president said that Pakistan was desirous of expanding bilateral cooperation with Korea in various fields, such as agriculture, information technology, human resource development, economy, science, culture and education. Talking to the parliamentary delegation, the president highlighted that Pakistan possessed an enormous youth bulge which, if properly educated and trained, could provide much-needed qualified and cost-competitive human resources to Korean companies. The president said that Korea could help Pakistan bring vast virgin lands in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Nayyara Noor - A talent lost Karachi: Nayyara Noor has left a gaping hole in Pakistan’s music world and the nation has only realized this after her demise. This was stated by Syed Jawaid Iqbal, Chairman, Board of Directors, National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA). Jawaid Iqbal said Nayyara Noor’s singing was a priceless treasure for Pakistan that deserved more recognition from all concerned quarters, including the government and art circles. She did receive the Pride of Performance Award in 2006 and a Nigar Award for her playback songs in Gharana (1973). She also won Gold Medal Awards at All Pakistan Music Conference concerts. pr
Karachi: Provincial adviser and administrator of Karachi barrister Murtaza Wahab said that there are good tourist destinations in Pakistan and Iran where tourists from both countries can visit and further promote fraternal relations between two countries. Wahab on behalf of Government of Sindh welcomes the delegation led by Iran's Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Aliasghar Shalbafian, while addressing in the second conference of Picturesque Iran organized by the Consulate General of Iran at the local hotel, in Karachi. On the Occasion, Hassan Noorian, Consul General of Iran in Karachi, while explaining Iran's tourist attractions, announced that the Consulate General of Iran is ready to provide the necessary services and consultations to travel agencies to design travel tours to Iran. He also mentioned Iran's visa policy and said: Iran's visa for foreign tourists is issued completely electronically and as soon as possible.
06-07 Comments - 25 August 2022_Layout 1 8/24/2022 10:09 PM Page 1
Detaining journalists without probable cause must stop And jointly deal with dire challenges
There were multiple factors behind the secession of east-Pakistan: geographical separation, linguistic nationalism, economic inequality, political disparity, ethnic diversity, Indian conspiracy, inept political leadership, two consecutive martial laws and global factors. All of these factors played their cardinal roles to design the map of Bangladesh. Yahya added fuel to the fire by commencing Operation Search Light. In a nutshell, 24 years of suppression led to separation, which was the direct result of abuse of power. After the fiasco, none other than Z.A Bhutto— The Jack of All Trades— came to power. he also abused power by crushing his political dissidents and tightened the noose around his own neck by trusting Gen Ziaul haq. eventually, his succouror became his successor. Zia enacted Martial Law and crucified Bhutto. Zia also repressed the opposition alliance— the MRD— in the hangover of power. Then, there was democratic interlude for about ten years, and meanwhile Article 58 (2b) showed its wonders to the world several times, which resulted in the usurpation of democratic elected premiers. Using the Kargil incident as a stalking horse, Musharraf toppled Nawaz’s government, and, like his military predecessors, ruled the country with a high hand. he banished Nawaz and Benazir, for having had no clemency for them. Once, Shashi Tharoor mocked by saying, ‘In India, the state has a military, and, in Pakistan, the military has a state.’ As mentioned earlier, politicians during their rule confronted other politicians and sometimes the military and judiciary. As in the last three successive democratic governments, people in rule, using their power, crushed and oppressed the opposition parties. Ruefully, almost all democratic elected premiers turn into authoritarians and demagogues. This is how power works in today’s dog-eat-dog world. While the recent rise in populism is damaging the democratic process over the complete world. Doubtlessly, the abuse of power can’t be eliminated utterly, but eroded. The military and judiciary should end their role in politics, keep themselves aloof from the ‘premises of politics’, and, it is requisite for the ‘permanence of peace and stability ‘ in the state. The judicial and military phrases must be erased from the political dictionaries. everyone has got to show magnanimity towards each other. The state should look upon the hapless masses, and the military apparatus shouldn’t be used against its own populace in the hangover of power. It’s high time to toe our lines, otherwise, history will repeat itself again and again. The writer can be reached atmuhammadmehrankhan33202@gmail.com M.
T
06 Thursday, 25 August, 2022 COMMENT 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
The temptation to use power against opponents must be resisted
W ITh prices of coal and gas rising in the world market the cost of power production has continued to rise over the year. This translated into increase in electricity charges month after month. The increase in August was shocking for those belonging to the lower and middle income groups, leading to spontaneous protests in a number of cities in the country. This led PM Shehbaz Sharif to announce exemption from fuel adjustment charge for 17 million power consumers. The measure was all the more needed at a time when inflation has reached one of the highest peaks ever in the country. Much more needs the attention of Mr Sharif and PTI chief Imran Khan. The country is currently going through a harrowing weather condition characterized by torrential rains followed by devastating floods. The destruction across the country has left thousands of people homeless and without sustenance. The government on Tuesday decided to launch an international appeal seeking funds for relief and rehabilitation of flood-hit people and restoration of damaged infrastructure. It would have been more appropriate to first call upon the country’s super-rich to announce donations for the disaster funds. It would have improved the rating of the government if cabinet ministers and leaders of the ruling coalition had been among the first to announce their contributions. It would be a blot on the name of the country’s politicians that they continue to be focused on their power struggle while what is required is for all to work together to help those facing the wrath of the climate change. Politics needs to be put to one side in these trying times. Instead of point scoring and finger pointing the parties of the alliance in control of the federal government and Imran Khan led PTI which rules Punjab and KP need to work together to deal with the calamity the country faces. to put aside differences
he pictures and videos of many dead bodies of infants floating in flood water, dead bodies of women stuck in the mud, and hundreds of thousands of people stuck in the running water without shelter, food, water, and emergency medicines, have shattered my soul deep inside. In Balochistan and Southern Punjab, in most cases, entire cities have drowned, and people have nowhere to go. A hundred thousand people are still at the mercy of an unexceptional rain that wreaked havoc in Pakistan. We have observed that climate change has become a great threat to the communities of Pakistan, and although we have contributed very little in terms of pollution generation, we are paying a great price in terms of lives, property, infrastructure, and psychological loss. The world should realize it and compensate for the loss we are facing due to uncontrolled pollution generation in the past few decades by the western developed world. It has been estimated that about one million people are affected just because of floods annually which causes the loss of $2.7 billion. An expert report submitted to the Ministry of Climate \change has indicated the local population has encroached on large areas of approximately 50 percent of Indus flood plans. These encroachments have been made with the encouragement of local politicians. even roads and electricity installations have been constructed within the flood everyzone.year we face floods and other natural disasters but unfortunately, we never learn to control and manage floods. For decades, we have debated about larger dams but failed to build smaller dams and water reservoirs, especially in Balochistan which is the most neglected province of Pakistan. Protecting forests can also reduce the risk of floods. We need to learn from China asw does the rest of the world: the Yangtze River which is double the length of the Indus River, has been protected by building dikes and dams along the riverside. The dike and dams work simultaneously, the dam stores water and we can control the flow of water while the dike protects the life and properties of residents residing near the river. Reinforcing dikes and dams can increase their stability and resistance against dike breaching.No doubt climate change and natural disasters are a reality, but we cannot shut our eyes to the criminal negligence of politicians, government policymakers, and the institutions who are responsible for implementing them. There is a lack of coordination and irresponsible behavior among various departments including irrigation, wildlife department, forest department, water and power, and disaster management. As a result, it cost thousands of lives. There must be a judicial commission that enquires into the whole matter, fixes responsibility, identifies the culprits, and punishes them accordinglyItisamatter of great urgency that not only the government and people should contribute but the World Food Program should also provide relief assistance in terms of financial as well as food, shelter, and medicines. Like every time during a natural disaster people should not hang back, but need to move forward in order to help their fellow citizens even though this time the country needs more. Whatever anyone can contribute should provide tents, flashlights, flood rations including pulse, edible oil, rice, flour, tin pack food, baby food, and other edibles to the government as well as local on-ground NGOs. Government should establish a central command and control system ao that anyone who wants can have access to know the current situation and contact details of the different flood-affected areas which will be very helpful in relief activities. A hundred thousand acres of cultivated crops have washed away, and most of the food storage in every district is badly affected or completely lost due to flood. New food insecurity and price hikes are waiting for us. Lack of access to pure water, poor sanitary conditions, and lack of waste disposal will ultimately result in the spreading of bacteria and viruses, which will open another door toward serious health outcomes for the general population. Respiratory infections and gastrointestinal infections are one of the main reasons behind the diseases and death of people who are displaced due to floods. Viral infection is considered a major outcome of flood-related diseases even during and after the weeks of flood which results in yellow fever, hepatitis A and e, dengue fever, diarrheal diseases, and many others, so it will add more risk to the lives who are already under very miserable conditionsevery calamity exposed poor and ill-prepared infrastructure, and the incapability of disaster management.People of Balochistan, Southern Punjab, and Sindh are equal citizens of this country, as much as any others are, so we must move forward from paper promises and do something real for them before it’s too late. The writer is a Ph.D Scholar at the National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, and can be reached atfayyazsalih@hotmail.com
Need
Crackdown I T is an undeniable reality that the recent battle for power in Islamabad and Punjab has created a palpable degree of polarization in the populace, with one side simply unwilling to accept even the most rational of arguments if it is being presented by the other. A similar condition prevails in the media as well; however, there are of course those rare elements present who take a more balanced and nuanced approach to reporting and analyzing the news. During PTI chief Imran Khan’s rule, journalists and media houses were urged, sometimes warned, not to take a critical line against the PTI government, by the establishment. Such threats, varying in subtlety and poorly masqueraded as requests, were evolving at a fast pace, to the point that editorial decision making became near impossible, much to the detriment of independent quality journalism.While censorship, curtailment of newspaper circulations in certain areas of major cities and outright bans on certain journalists and television channels became commonplace, perhaps the worst form of this policy was violence against journalists. Since his ouster, Mr Khan has been indirectly berating and ridiculing the Army for orchestrating his unceremonious exit from PM house. This narrative of a ‘domestic conspiracy’ has been complemented by a selection of television anchors speaking along the same lines on the respective channels they work for and much more aggressively and pointedly on their individual YouTube channels. It seems the limit to how much would be tolerated without any significant reaction has been reached, as is evident by the arrest, alleged torture at the hands of police and immediate transfer of Jameel Farooqi, a journalist who gave details of alleged sexual abuse against Shehbaz Gill, who himself is currently facing the music for some unsavoury comments. Mr Farooqi’s brand of journalism may not sit well with many but there is no justification, legal or otherwise, for him to be seized in a fashion more suitable for a lethal serial killer on the loose who has finally been caught and must be interrogated to ‘find the bodies’. Clearly, the idea behind such highhandedness is to warn others of Mr Farooqi’s ilk of similar treatment. Such treatment of the press was highly condemnable when it was being meted out during the PTI’s tenure and is equally unacceptable now. Advocating for a better democracy is meaningless when institutions and political leaders continuously show through their actions that they are anything but democratic.
A. Niazi Joint Editor Umar ExecutiveAzizEditorAziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor
Mehran alyana
Every calamity exposed poor and
Fayyaz
What to about the wrath of nature
‘P OWeR corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. As most of us are well aware of this precise statement. Actually, power doesn’t lie in the resources, but it is largely dependent on attitudes. Power is an alluring thing and everyone desires to accelerate it, grab it more, and grasp it firmly. Power makes a man intolerant, despotic and sometimes demonic. Recently, if we turn our gaze upon Shahbaz Gill’s physical torture and inhuman behaviour of Danish Mirza with Dr Khadeeja, we come to know about how the power is being abused by the one in the hangover of power? It’s not the first time, nor the last. We can’t accuse only any institution or department of that, however, whoever is blessed with the prestige and privileges, can’t miss the chance to equip himself with the accoutrements of power. At the appropriate time, it is even practised by the most wretched strata of society. The ruling party in any of the states has no leniency for the parties in opposition.Ifwesee it through the lens of history, after emancipation and the demise of the founding fathers, there was bureaucratic hegemony and an inept bureaucracy was holding the reins of government. Its avariciousness witnessed the alternation of multiple premiers. That political circus ended with the advent of the military. The incompetency of the bureaucracy gave an invitation to military to sit in the seat of government and the military accepted the invitation with an ample heart. Then the world had witnessed the two consecutive martial laws. Ayub gave peculiar climatic justification to legalize his illegal rule. he said, “We must understand that democracy cannot work in a hot climate. To have democracy, we must have a cold climate like Britain.” After ignominy in the 1965 war, the political pressure was mounted on him by the ex-Foreign Minister known to be his mental wet-nurse. he handed over power to Yahya, and he endeavoured to rule the country with an iron rod. his perverted attempts to curb the insurgency resulted in fatal consequences.
YousafEditorNizami Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
Punjab,management.incapabilityinfrastructure,ill-preparedandtheofdisasterPeopleofBalochistan,SouthernandSindhareequalcitizensofthiscountry,asmuchasanyothersare,sowemustmoveforwardfrompaperpromisesanddosomethingrealforthembeforeit’stoolateDoubtlessly,theabuseof power can’t be eliminated utterly, but eroded. The military and judiciary should end their role in politics, keep themselves aloof from the ‘premises of politics’, and, it is requisite for the ‘permanence of peace and stability ‘ in the state. The judicial and military phrases must be erased from the political dictionaries. Everyone has got to show magnanimity towards each other. The state should look upon the hapless masses, and the military apparatus shouldn’t be used against its own populace in the hangover of power. It’s high time to toe our lines, otherwise, history will repeat itself again and again Salih
huSSain
Pakistan needs relief Hangover of Power
Editor’s mail
06-07 Comments - 25 August 2022_Layout 1 8/24/2022 10:09 PM Page 2
07 Thursday, 25 August, 2022
OF late, it has been observed that for most of us the day breaks at midday. There is a noticeable change in the sleeping pattern for majority of people. The lifestyle we were used to when we were young is quite different now. Could it be the generation gap? But why does it affect only this part of the world? Throughout the civilised world, people still follow the dictum, ‘early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise’. Nature has attuned the body to rest at night, for it to repair itself, and recoup the energy for a fresh day. In my young days, this idiom was most scrupulously adhered to. It was an unwritten convention. I remember our schools used to begin at 7am in summers and at 8am in winters, dinner would be served at around 8pm and we were in bed by 9pm. Maybe this was done out of respect to the elders, or maybe television had not invaded our homes, and both smartphones and social media were still several years away, and, so, had no major role in our upbringing. Coming to the present time, everything has turned topsyturvy. The day starts at midday and ends at least at midnight. During prime time, from 8pm to 9pm, the family is glued to TV, busy relishing the soap operas, depicting the female gender’s belittling and bashing. Alternatively, the household members watch talk shows, where the participants try to outscore one another in discussions that have no substance or end. The dinner is usually taken out at some eatery, with the family returning late and then going to bed. The routine, among other things, is a cause of obesity in our youth. I had the good fortune of spending my youth in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, and I still recollect people of all ages taking an early morning walk towards Clifton beach right up to the famous Columbus hotel (now Glass Tower) in Karachi, Lawrence Garden (Bagh-i-Jinnah) in Lahore, and Topi Rakh (Ayub National Park) in Rawalpindi. In the evening, boys were often found engaged in some sort of sports activity. That could be one reason that sportsmen of that era proved their mettle internationally and brought laurels in different sports events. Their achievements in hockey, cricket, squash, tennis, athletics, swimming and snooker made the nation proud. As a member of the generation born in the first decade of Pakistan’s inception, I just wonder why and where we went wrong. have we failed to instill the same spirit and vigour in our second and third generations?
The so-called ‘city of lights’, Karachi has been going through a rough time for more than a decade now even though it continues to be the economic hub of Pakistan. The city is losing its charm fast because nobody is willing to own it the way it deserves to be owned. All sorts of ‘authorities’ can be seen playing the blame game all the time, whether it is about the city’s budget, poor infrastructure, garbagedumping, water scarcity, electricity loadshedding, increasing number of beggars, spike in street crimes, or lack of public transportation. Whatever you raise a finger about, there are always multiple ‘authorities’ eager to start the blame game. Where does the buck stop? No one seems to know. The beauty of the city has been ruined by the ‘authorities’. The ongoing monsoon season and all that it means for the city year after year is simply a reminder of how wrong things happen to be in the city. Karachi is the largest city in the country, with an estimated population of over 20 million. It is understood that such a large population requires more water and other amenities. While the city faces severe water shortages, it is mindboggling to note that the tanker mafia has been doing a roaring business by charging more than the usual and it seems there is no one to stop them. Besides, poor sanitation, open sewage drains, overflowing gutters, and heaps of garbage have made the metropolis a miserable place. The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board and the District Municipal Corporations (DMCs) are mainly responsible for the collection of solid waste. But it seems the authorities and local bodies have failed to do their job as overflowing trash bins can be seen everywhere; on the footpaths, near hospitals, schools, parks, and even under bridges. On the other hand, people in Karachi get exhausted while commuting on a daily basis owing to shortage of public transport which makes commute a challenging task. Adding to the problem are potholes, uneven surfaces and battered roads. There are many roads that need to be reconstruc-ted, but we often see newly-repaired or constructed ones getting destroyed within weeks. The city hardly has any housing colonies for the poor working class, while numerous housing schemes have been built for the affluent. There are many lavish societies for the civil and military elite, but, unfortunately, the poor has remained at the mercy of the landgrabbers. The city feeds around 150,000 beggars every day. These beggars not only steal motorcycle parts, petrol, and side mirrors of cars, they make places crowded and uncomfortable for the public. Rehabilitation centres should be built for the drug addicts and beggars, where not only they get a proper place to live, but are taught skills to help earn a sustainable living once they get back out on the streets. There is a dire need for making them a valuable asset of society to support the crippling economy. The local, provincial and federal governments must pay heed to the pleas of the city-dwellers and stop giving this forsaken city a cold shoulder. Collective and immediate measures should be taken to resolve these issues. SIDRAKARACHIIQBAL
Education of girls
A large number of girls are deprived of education in rural areas of Pakistan due to poverty, discrimination, childhood marriage, violence in school, emergencies and cultural factors. education is the basic right of every child. It provides knowledge and exposure needed to lead a successful life. Many girls, who are enrolled in the school initially, drop out for one reason or the other. It is estimated that 49 per cent of girls drop out from the school between grades 1 and 5. A report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) last year revealed that about 32 million girls of primary school age and 29 million girls of lower secondary school age were not getting education because of the problems they face. They belong to poor families that have limited food to eat and meagre source of income to survive. Like any child, girls have high hopes and dreams for their future. The government must take appropriate measures for the education of girls, and criminalise the obsolete customs and traditions that bar them from acquiring education.
Sedentary Lifestyle
MUHAMMAD K. ISLAMABADSUFI
NIZAKATKHAIRPURALI
City of lights
Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
How Pakistan became a Satellite State Dr FariD a Malik
P AKISTAN was the first Islamic Republic, followed by Iran. Quaid-eAzam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Father of the Nation, chose Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan to be the first Prime Minister of the new land. In Iran Dr Mohammad Mosaddegh was elected the PM. The Shah of Iran could not stand up to the popularity of Dr Mosaddegh so he went into selfexile. every elected leader is required to act in the best interests of his own people who elect him. In the larger national interests Dr Mosaddeq nationalized the foreign oil companies operating in Iran. The takeover sent shock waves in the entire West. In the land of the pure as PM Liaquat Ali visited the USA in May 1950 to explore avenues of mutual cooperation based on reciprocity and friendship. Little did he know that he would be asked to sign on the dotted lines to act as a ‘Satellite State’ of the USA. The PM of Pakistan not only refused but held an important press conference in London on his way back where he discussed in details the reasons for his refusal as head of a sovereign democratic state On 17 March 1951, Dr Mosaddeq, after getting approval from the Majlis (Parliament) nationalized the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. Despite pressure from the Western powers, the PM of Iran stood his ground. After failing to sway him the PM of Pakistan was asked to use his influence which he refused to do as Iran was a sovereign state. The defiance of two popularly elected leaders did not sit well with the external masters. It was decided to get rid of both of them through the Mir Jaffers and Sadiqs of their times. In October 1951 Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated in Rawalpindi after a rally, the park was named after him Liaquat Bagh. It is the same venue where Benazir Bhutto was gunned down in 2007. Mosaddegh was toppled in 1953 in a Military Coup sponsored by foreign intelligence agencies and the Shah of Iran was given the control of the country. Iran moved back from a republic to a monarchy. Mosaddeq died in prison, he had to pay a heavy price for his defiance. While Shah was the ‘Mir’ in Iran, in Pakistan two Sandhurst graduates were given the task to derail the democratic order. First it was Iskander Mirza followed by Ayub Khan. Together they abrogated the 1956 constitution and imposed military rule in the country on behalf of their foreign masters. Till that time Pakistan was sovereign and debt-free. In 1958, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan of the Muslim League was the most popular leader of the Western Wing while hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy had popular support in the eastern part. As a Muslim League child, I had the chance of meeting both these outstanding leaders of their times. They were able and honest men who served their nation well. Ayub Khan’s eBDO (elected Bodies Disqualification Order) knocked out the entire political leadership of the new land. Suhrawardy, being a brilliant lawyer, decided to challenge his disqualification in the military tribunal. Due to his solid defense, he was exonerated but for his personal safety decided to live in selfexile in Beirut leaving his Awami League with Sheikh Mujib-UrRehman. he was later found dead in a Beirut hotel under manforFortdungeonstionsMartialwascouldhorefrominggerwasPeshawar.startcidedcircumstances.mysteriousQayyumKhande-toquitpoliticstohislawpracticeinKhanSahibconsideredabig-threat.hewaslead-a‘LongMarch’RawalpinditoLa-butbeforeheenterthecity,hearrestedunderLawregula-andtakentotheoftheLahorewherehewaskeptafewdaysinsubhu-conditions.Theexperienceseriously dented his will to resist the negative forces that had taken control of the republic. he entered an agreement with the Martial Law authorities under which he was granted clemency. Many people are of the opinion that the political leadership should have fought back which they did not at that time. With my late father the Muslim Leaguer we went to see Khan Sahib after his release. While my old man tried to convince Khan Sahib to fight on, he remained reluctant. Finally, he broke down, I still remember his words, “ Malik Sahib, we were able to survive the prison of the ‘Gora Sahib’ where Jail Manuals were followed but the insult and torture that we went through under the ‘Brown Sahib’ was intolerable. We are self-respecting people, cannot withstand such inhuman behavior “. The Torture Cells of the Lahore Fort remained operational till the decade of the 1980s, finally to be shut down by Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo. Several comrades, including my friend Pervez Saleh, were tortured here during the Movement for Restoration of Democracy (MRD) in the decade of the 1980s. With all resistance to a decent and independent existence removed, Ayub Khan offered his homeland to become a satellite state of the USA in return for fast-track debt-based economic development.The usurper, after abrogating the constitution, imposed his own version and ruled with an iron hand for a decade. After his extended misrule, he was forced to resign due to street protests in March 1969, thus ending the first episode of the sellout of national pride and freedom. In between Bhutto did try to regain the lost sovereignty but the period was short lived (1971 to 1977). In violation of the 1973 constitution, the nation came under the boots again in JulyLeadership1977. in a democratic state is expected to work in the best national interests but in the case of Pakistan the imposed leaders, starting with Iskander Mirza and Ayub Khan, ourmasters.behestTalibanonthentheItquencessultedAfghanistanpowertothirdSino-IndianinurespiralingIndususurpertivesovereignty.compromisedseriouslyonourThenega-legacyofthefirstincludestheWaterTreaty,debtandfail-toliberateKashmir1962duringthewar.Thedictatordecidedenterthesuper-conflictinwhichre-indeadlyconse-forthenation.didnotendhere,andfourthkhakirulerdecidedtotake-thehomegrownagainattheoftheforeignItwasneverwarbutwehadto pay a heavy toll. As an elected popular leader, Imran Khan decided to regain the lost sovereignty of the nation. he picked up from where Bhutto had left in July 1977. he has asked a simple question; “Are we slaves? “ which needs an answer. While the ‘Mirs’ of our times continue to flirt with the West to maintain status-quo IK firmly holds his ground. In October 1958 the times were different. Today the people of Pakistan are aware of the ground realities, there can be no compromise on national sovereignty in 2022. Pakistan was envisioned as a constitutional republic’ where the will of the people must prevail. The resistance to sell out is real and organized. ‘Mirs’ have no chance to succeed this time around. The writer is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com.
COMMENT
As far back as Ayub
In October 1958 the times were different. Today the people of Pakistan are aware of the ground realities, there can be no compromise on national sovereignty in 2022. Pakistan was envisioned as a constitutional republic’ where the will of the people must prevail. The resistance to sell out is real and organized. ‘Mirs’ have no chance to succeed this time around
Outside of the Korean press, the only outlets to cover this massive showing against militarism were Iran’s Press TV and China’s CGTn, which provided extensive video of the mobilization. The single print story on the march appeared in Xinhua, China’s daily wire service. neither the new York Times or the Washington Post, which often set the pace for U.S. press coverage of Asia, deemed the demonstration newsworthy. Hypocrisy? Yes. As I put it in a sardonic tweet, “Every rumor, fake news, intelligence leak or eyebrow twitch about Kim Jong Un and north Korea gets star treatment in the US media.” Yet, when “thousands of SOUTH KOREAnS” march in Seoul against USROK war games, “nOT OnE PEEP.” The contrast seemed to hit a nerve: by the weekend, nearly 6,000 Twitter users had “liked” my post and over 2,000 had retweeted it. The contradictions were evident on Twitter itself. As it often does with countries we’re not supposed to like, it slapped a label on one of my posts about the demonstration, urging users to “stay informed” because “this Tweet links to a Iran state-affiliated media website.” With that warning, Twitter was effectively delegitimizing my own coverage of the demonstration. To be fair, political rallies on the left and right are a common occurrence in South Korea; obviously, editors and reporters must make choices about what to cover. But in a country where a majority of its citizens support the presence of U.S. forces and a U.S. general has operational control over their army in times of war, a rally of several thousand citizens openly calling for a U.S. troop withdrawal is certainly newsworthy. At the same time, the drills have been a hot topic for years. In 2018, with much of Washington opposed, they were downgraded to computerized simulations as a way to build trust during the denuclearization talks between President Donald Trump and north Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un. Those talks collapsed in 2019, primarily over Trump’s refusal to lift U.S. sanctions in return for a partial shut down of the north’s nuclear infrastructure. This year, with north Korea regularly testing its long-range missiles, the new presidents in Washington and Seoul, Joe Biden and Yoon Suk Yeol, decided to resume the real-life exercises. The air, land, and sea drills, which in the past have mobilized around 50,000 South Korean and 17,500 U.S. soldiers, began on August 22 and wind up on September 1. Sadly, the discrepancies in coverage reflect old patterns going back to the early days of the Cold War. Editorial staffs of major U.S. newspapers and cable news shows (and now, Twitter’s upstart crew) are steeped in Cold War mytholo-
Dr. Julian Spencer-Churchill is associate professor of international relations at Concordia University, and author of Militarization and War (2007) and of Strategic Nuclear Sharing (2014). He has published extensively on security issues and arms control.
Thursday, 25 August, 2022 08 WORLD VIEW
RcD Behrouz AyAz & JuliAn Spencer-churchill a FTER a 5-month hiatus in nuclear negotiations, Iran and the United States have returned to Vienna on August 4 to resume talks on revitalizing the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). Twenty years have passed since the crisis of Iran’s nuclear program and related negotiations, and the Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the failure to reach an agreement on this issue is due to a pervasive U.S. government hostility to Iran, present in both the Democrat and Republican parties. Iran was compelled to the negotiating table by the debilitating cost of sanctions and resolutions issued against it primarily by the West led by the U.S. The result of the last round of negotiations in 2015 was the JCPOA agreement, signed between Tehran and the 5+1 group, comprising U.S., UK, France, Russia, China, plus Germany. Donald Trump’s coming to power in 2017 brought with it a short-term foreign policy sympathetic to both populist isolationism as well as a neoconservative approach to dealing with an adversarial Iran. This led the U.S. to withdraw from the JCPOA, and reimposition of the bulk of the sanctions. The neoconservative logic was that the agreement shielded Iran from further sanctions while Tehran prepared for military confrontations and proxy conflicts against U.S. allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf Cooperation Council member states. With Joseph Biden’s election to office in 2021, efforts by both sides to revive the JCPOA continue, but are dogged by persistent mistrust on both sides. Given the expectations of ongoing sanctions and permanent hostility from the U.S., and a high likelihood that Russia and China would not oppose an Iranian nuclear weaponization, why has Iran not crossed that threshold (like its neighbour Pakistan did in 1998)? Even a minor nuclear arsenal numbering in the tens would be sufficient to moot any threat of conventional attack, as it has done for north Korea, and provide it with a nuclear umbrella for Iranian efforts in Iraq and for allies like Syria. In the Iranian electoral system, the success of political candidates depends to a large extent on their promising to ease the economic concerns of Iranian families, which explains Iran’s particular vulnerability compared with other authoritarian regimes. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (2013-2021) was particularly sensitive to the sanctions-induced fiscal predicament facing Tehran, and this reflected his accommodationism in the 2013 negotiations. During the current presidency of Ebrahim Raisi (2021-), economic problems caused by sanctions were declared to be the principal incentive for negotiations to revive the JCPOA. However, Western analysts wrongly conclude that Tehran is deterred from nuclear weaponization by the fear it would be reduced to the isolation and social collapse of north Korea. According to Ali Shamkani, the secretary of the Supreme national Security Council, Iran has already been compelled to adapt to sanctions since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, so that additional penalties have a sharply diminishing marginal impact. Also, Iran’s voting electorate appreciates the necessary balance between economic prosperity and security. In his speech to the legislature, President Rouhani declared that the “American’s calculations were wrong. Sanctions will not be fruitful for the enemy and will not be efficient.” Until the February 2022 Russian attack on Ukraine, Iran was the most heavily sanctioned large economy in the world, and yet their effects were limited at best. A second common explanation of Tehran’s restraint is that Islamic strictures, particularly prohibitions against harming non-combatants, has delayed Iran’s nuclear weaponization. In this account, Iran’s strategic culture is determined by a religious filter (international relations scholars in Iran are typically required to complete theological courses on Islamic “Just War” theory). Ali Khamenei (Shia cleric and Supreme leader of Iran since 1989) has repeatedly stated that he considers nuclear warheads to be forbidden by Islam: “We could make it, but we did not.” This view is in alignment with the condemnatory declarations by the mullahs of the Islamic Seminary of Qom. Verse 190 of Surah Al-Baqarah prohibits violations of precepts in the Holy Qur’an of protecting non-combatants, specifically in the context of non-negotiable laws of war between Muslims and non-Muslims: Translated: “And fight in the way of God with those who rise up to war and enmity against you, but do not transgress, because God does not like transgressors.” However, Iran is better conceived of as an ideological state, with a powerful component of Persian nationalism that needs to be satisfied, rather than a strict theocracy. The theocrats and their institutional protection, have repeatedly demonstrated the prioritization of regime survival, even at the expense of Islamic jurisprudence, such as imposing Islam as a state religion in violation of Qu’ranic tolerance. Tehran’s muted criticism of Chinese and Russian ill-treatment of their Muslim minorities, and siding with Armenia in the war with the Shiite Republic of Azerbaijan, demonstrate how geopolitical priorities override Islamic strictures.
FAKE NEWS ABOUT KIM JONG-UN GETS WALL-TO-WALL COVERAGE BUT CITIZENS OF A KEY ALLY OPPOSING A JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE GOES LARGELY UNNOTICED WHEN IT COMES TO SOUTH KOREA, WHICH HOSTS 28,500 AMERICAN GROUND TROOPS AND THE PENTAGON’S LARGEST MILITARY BASE OUTSIDE OF NORTH AMERICA, U.S. MEDIA COVERAGE IS, SHALL WE SAY, HIGHLY SELECTIVE. THAT WAS MADE RESOUNDINGLY CLEAR ON AUGUST 14, WHEN SEOUL WAS THE SCENE FOR THE LARGEST PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION IN DECADES AGAINST THE U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE IN SOUTH KOREA AT THE DEMONSTRATION, PROTESTERS TOOK DIRECT AIM AT THE HEART OF U.S. POLICY IN KOREA, WITH SIGNS THAT READ “NO WAR REHEARSAL, NO U.S.” AND “NO KOREA-U.S.-JAPAN MILITARY COOPERATION”
Behrouz Ayaz is an Iranian political analyst who specializes in foreign policy of Iran, Afghanistan, South Asia and Terrorism. He graduated from Tarbiat Modares university with a Master of Art’s degree in International Relations. He is currently cooperating with SCFR (Strategic Council on Foreign Relations).
Why has Iran stIll not chosen to buIld a nuclear bomb?
IN THE IRANIAN ELECTORAL SYSTEM, THE SUCCESS OF POLITICAL CANDIDATES DEPENDS TO A LARGE EXTENT ON THEIR PROMISING TO EASE THE ECONOMIC CONCERNS OF IRANIAN FAMILIES, WHICH EXPLAINS IRAN’S PARTICULAR VULNERABILITY COMPARED WITH OTHER AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES
Historical insecurity is the impetus for Tehran’s totalitarian pursuit of social conformity and its perpetual propaganda focusing on foreigners as enemies. In 2020, during his Friday prayer sermon, Ali Khamenei highlighted the necessity of seeking power: “If we are not strong, they (the U.S. and Western countries) will force us and dominate us.” Islamic prohibitions are therefore insufficiently pervasive to explain Iran’s nuclear restraint. A third commonly proposed explanation is that Tehran is wary of diplomatic isolation and is therefore ultimately deterred by the anticipated reactions of Europe, its main non-energy trading partners. Given Washington’s high priority of protecting the sea lines of communications through the Persian Gulf, evinced by the U.S.’s wars against Iraq in 1991 and 2003, Tehran may feel itself vulnerable to U.S. attempts to convince Brussels that Iran is pursuing conflict. However, most Iranian decision-makers know that European commercial experience with near Eastern partners means that relations with Europe are stable and unlikely to be reversed. The principal determinant of Iranian nuclear weaponization is the extent of diplomatic support granted by China, and principally, Russia. Whereas China is an Iranian energy customer and shares an adversarial relationship against the U.S. in their respective regions, Beijing has an equally important association with Saudi Arabia, Tehran’s immediate rival, and Pakistan, with which Tehran has many disagreements. Furthermore, China is staunchly opposed to any threatened Iranian closure of the Straits of Hormuz, Tehran’s principal strategic leverage against U.S. interests. Russia, in contrast, shares the Iranian strategic goal of counter-balancing Turkish influence in the Caucasus, would materially benefit from a Persian Gulf oil blockade, and is therefore the ally with the more consistently shared objectives. However, it is clear that Moscow does not want Tehran to possess a nuclear arsenal, and has interfered with Iran’s pursuit of the last stages of nuclear bomb making technology. Russia rarely exercises its United nations Security Council veto to halt Chapter VII resolutions against Iran. In fact, Russia has never criticized Israel’s conduct of sabotage and assassination against Iran’s nuclear research efforts. The reason is that Russia believes that a foreign nuclear arsenal, like Iran’s, would neutralize Moscow’s extension of a defensive sphere of influence in its periphery. Russian strategic culture is characterized by existential insecurity and the perpetual search for geographic security through depth. In contrast, China feels itself to be more strategically secure, and therefore encourages nuclear proliferation to its adjacent allies like north Korea and Pakistan. Furthermore, Tehran has lingering grievances, including colonial era incursions and most recently, Russian instigated secessionism in the Iranian provinces of East Azerbaijan and Ardabil in 1946. Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine may alter this calculus, as Moscow is now incentivized to cultivate strategic distractions for the U.S., even if it is within its prospective sphere of influence. Russia collaborated with Iran on its rocket delivery systems and they have jointly launched an Iranian satellite from Kazakhstan on August 9, 2022. The principal concern in Washington is the threat of the provision by Moscow of S-400 air defense systems to Iran, capable of interfering with Israeli and U.S. stealth fighter-bombers targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Furthermore, the U.S. lacks the amphibious capability to both defend Taiwan and reopen a closed Straits of Hormuz. However, the war in Ukraine has demonstrated the limitations in both quality and scale of Russian ordnance and therefore of the risks of Russian assistance to Iran. Furthermore, if Russia proves weak, it may be abandoned by Beijing as it seeks to preserve market access to the West, leading Tehran to switch the source of its diplomatic and strategic cues to Beijing. This may significantly increase the importance of the March 2021 BeijingTehran Twenty-Five Year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement, and could lead Iran to benefit from Chinese patronage in a fashion similar to that of Pakistan. China could provide HQ-9 air defense systems that could degrade stealth air attacks against Iranian facilities. However, China may be deterred from being seen to openly support an Iranian atomic arsenal by similar U.S. threats to not stem a Japanese nuclear weapons program.
Responsible statecRaft Tim Shorrock I n America these days, almost any information about north Korea, be it rumor, fake news, or just plain silly, becomes fodder for the mainstream media. From TMZ to The Guardian, reporters know there is an insatiable appetite for anything that puts Kim and his regime in a bad or crazy light. But when it comes to South Korea, which hosts 28,500 American ground troops and the Pentagon’s largest military base outside of north America, U.S. media coverage is, shall we say, highly selective. That was made resoundingly clear on August 14, when Seoul was the scene for the largest public demonstration in decades against the U.S. military presence in South Korea. Amazingly, not a word about the protest appeared in the U.S. media. That Saturday, thousands of people chanting “this land is not a U.S. war base” demonstrated against Ulchi Freedom Shield, the first large-scale military exercises between U.S. and South Korean forces since 2017. The protests were organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), South Korea’s second-largest labor federation. They were joined by a range of progressive allies, including People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), an influential citizen’s group founded in 1994. “At a time when military tensions on the Korean Peninsula are escalating and there is no clue for inter-Korean dialogue, we are concerned that an aggressive large-scale military exercise will exacerbate the situation,” PSPD declared. “We once again urge the US and ROK governments to suspend the ROKUS joint military exercise and make efforts to create conditions for dialogue.” At the demonstration, protesters took direct aim at the heart of U.S. policy in Korea, with signs that read “no war rehearsal, no U.S.” and “no Korea-U.S.-Japan military cooperation.”
gies about the Korean War and largely reflect the viewpoint of Washington’s national security community. Currently, both parties see in the north a determined and dangerous longterm foe, and in the South a reluctant ally torn between loyalty to the United States and its expansive economic ties with China, America’s new nemesis. In this world, there is little room for coverage of South Korean trade unionists, leftists, and progressives who stand against the American consensus. That mindset was recently on display at the Post when it praised South Koreans for electing Yoon, an inexperienced conservative hawk who said during his campaign that he might consider a pre-emptive strike on north Korea “to protect peace” on the peninsula. “South Korea makes a welcome turn toward the U.S. — just when it is really needed,” the headline crowed. The Post editorial also took a nasty swipe at former President Moon Jae-in, parroting right-wing talking points that he had “consciously” played down north Korea’s human rights record and “balked” at adding new batteries to the American THAAD missile deployment that has drawn Beijing’s ire. For America’s papers of record, the failure to cover South Korea’s progressive left also reflects a failure of nerve. The KCTU and People’s Solidarity that organized this month’s antiwar demonstration have deep roots in the democratic movement of the late 1980s, when years of struggle culminated in the massive demonstrations of 1987 that forced the pro-U.S. generals who had ruled the South for 26 years to step aside. During that tumultuous era, both the Times and the Post offered extensive (and often outstanding) coverage of dissidents and government repression. But in recent years, they have been far more interested in covering north Korean defectors and warning the public (repeatedly) about a possible underground nuclear test than exploring the complex internal politics of South Korea. Ironically, these papers are better prepared now to cover Korea than any time in the past 40 years. Since 2020, they have built large bureaus in South Korea and relocated their Asian news hubs from Hong Kong to Seoul, giving them an opportunity for firstclass coverage of perhaps the most dynamic country in Asia. “Looking at a five, 10, 20 year horizon, [Seoul] just feels like it’s right in the middle of the action,” Stephen DunbarJohnson, the Times’s international president, recently told the Korea Joongang Daily. But in this coverage, the opinions and views of all Koreans need to be heard. That is particularly true when dealing with an issue as critical as the U.S.-Korean alliance, which President Biden has called “a linchpin of peace, stability, and prosperity” but many Koreans now view as a barrier to their country’s future.
08 WORLD VIEW 25th August 22_Layout 1 8/24/2022 10:07 PM Page 1
Tehran’s dilemma of not being able to secure a sufficiently committed ally to protect it while it developed nuclear weapons, would therefore persist.
major anti-us military protest in south Korea
Tim Shorrock is a Washington-based correspondent for The Nation and the author of Spies for Hire: The Secret World of Intelligence Outsourcing.
ISLAMABAD: Various wings of Islamabad Capital Police (ICTP) were inspected on Wednesday and directed to improve the performance and facilitate the citizens. Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Dr. Syed Mustafa Tanweer conducted surprise visits of ICTP’s various wings including Digital Driving License One-Window Hall, Driving Test area and ICTP FM Radio 92.4. She directed all wings to improve the performance and ensure decent interaction with public. SSP (Traffic) asked to issue driving licenses on merit and conduct tests as per law. He also directed education team of ICTP to acquaint citizens about traffic rules and contribute effectively to ensure safe road environment in the city.
PR
corporate corner
PR
Syngenta Pakistan’s Leaders step up on gender equality. PR
Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer hospital and Research Centre has launched a fundraising campaign for its third, and Pakistan’s largest dedicated cancer care facility, currently under construction in Karachi. The hospital management said that construction work is progressing according to the planned timelines.
Cancer treatment is often a costly and arduous process, with many patients having to make trips over long distances to seek treatment at specialised facilities. After the successful completion of treatment, further visits for follow-up are required that can go on for years. One of the aims of SKMCh&RC has been to make state-of-the-art cancer care more accessible to patients, and the construction of the third and largest Shaukat Khanum hospital in Karachi will raise the bar of cancer care services in the city, and especially benefit the people of Sindh and Balochistan. The project, which will be twice the size of the SKMCh&RC in Lahore, is expected to be commissioned at a total cost of PKR 22 billion. It will be equipped with the latest medical technology and will be staffed by highly trained and accredited professionals. SKMCh&RC, Karachi will continue the legacy of SKMCh&RC in Lahore and Peshawar, where all patients receive the best possible care, irrespective of their ability to pay. This fundraising campaign encourages everyone across the world to contribute towards building SKMCh&RC, Karachi in any way possible, starting with only PKR 1,000.
VC directed Chairman, Department of Agricultural Science for plantation in the garden of the ICT building once it is completed. He said that special attention should be paid to soundproofing in new buildings to provide a peaceful and appropriate environment to the students. The project director, Sharifullah, while giving a presentation to the vice chancellor on the two buildings, said that the ICT extension building has a total covered area of 9600 square feet, which will be constructed at a cost of 131.43 million.
hOSTS PASSIng OUT Of nO 56 COMbAT COMMAnDeRS’ COURSe
Fundraising campaign launched for going all out to hamper FBR efforts
T hEGraduation Ceremony of No 56 Combat Commanders’ Course was held at Airpower Centre of Excellence (ACE), today. Air Marshal hamid Rashid Randhawa, hI(M), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Administration), Pakistan Air Force was the Chief Guest on theWhileoccasion.addressing the course participants, the Chief Guest said that ACE had polished their professional skills and enhanced their tactical awareness. he stressed that they must continue to strive for excellence in their upcoming assignments as core professionals. he further said that success in future wars depends on timely addressing new trends in warfare, enhancing contemporary technologies and integrating future capabilities. The Chief Guest also expressed his satisfaction on implementation of emerging warfare concepts in the elite institution of PAF. he awarded certificates and trophies to the graduating officers who underwent a strenuous and professionally demanding course.Chiefof the Air Staff Trophy for overall best performance amongst combat pilots was awarded to Squadron Leader Osama Sharif Ghani while Air Officer Commanding Air Defence Trophy for overall best performance amongst combat controllers was awarded to Squadron Leader Muhammad Ayaz. The ceremony was attended by Air Officers and field commanders of Pakistan Air Force. PR
SKMCH&RC Karachi Illicit manufacturers
AIOU earns $1.5m through international admissions
Regional connectivity for future bonding to be discussed at ‘Thought Leaders Dialogue’ Islamabad: CORPORATE PAKISTAN GROUP and Nutshell Group bring yet another groundbreaking event – Thought Leaders Dialogue – Pakistan: the Next Great Infrastructure Connector. The event will be held in Islamabad at a local hotel. Ambassador Ali Jahangir Siddiqui (Former Ambassador of Pakistan to the USA) will be presenting the keynote address on the theme of the session. Other esteemed speakers include Senator Dr. Musadik Malik, Minister of State (Petroleum Division); Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Chairperson of Pakistan Stock Exchange, SSGC and Karandaz, Former Federal Minister of Finance and Former Governor State Bank of Pakistan; Dr. Moeed W. Yusuf, Former National Security Advisor of Pakistan; Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman (Rtd), Chief Executive Engagements,StrategicNutshell Group and Pakistan's Chief of Air Staff (2015-2018); Ghias Khan, President Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OICCI); and Mosharraf Zaidi, Founder, Tabadlab. Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Founder of Nutshell Group and CORPORATE PAKISTAN GROUP (CPG), and Former Minister of State and Chairman of Board of Investment, believes that “Pakistan’s location is its core strength and will determine its rise as the most influential of energy corridors for regional prosperity. It will also directly impact and improve Pakistan’s prosperity, stability, and security.’’
Pak delegation on SCO Women’s Forum stresses gender equality, women empowerment for effective implementation of SDGs
09NEWS Thursday, 25 August, 2022 | ISLAMABAD
PR Islamabad Traffic Police directed to performanceimprove
PR Ministry dispels rumours about LSD transmission from cattle to humans
Martin Dow Group, leading multinational pharmaceutical company in Pakistan, set up medical camps in flood-hit areas of Balochistan, KPK & Punjab to provide medical relief to people affected by recent floods.
The government has increased Federal Excise Duty (FED) of Rs 36 billion on cigarettes after failing to collect taxes from retailers. The new tax hike on the legal cigarette companies instead of getting the illegal cigarette companies, located in KPK & Mardan, into the tax net will pave the way for growth in the sales of illegal cigarettes. It is pertinent to mention that the cigarette industry is among the top sectors where illegal trade and tax evasion has reached Rs 80billion, causing problems for the legal cigarette sector. Tax evading cigarette companies located in KPK and Mardan are selling cigarettes for less than half the price of the legally soldAcigarettes.country like Pakistan where more than 37% of the market consists of illegal cigarettes, increase in taxes will create further gap between prices of legal and illegal cigarettes, causing a large number of consumers to shift to illegal and cheaper cigarettes.Thiswill ultimately result in drop of shares of legal cigarettes further, denting the key objective of the authorities to collect revenue.
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Food Security & Research, Government of Pakistan strongly condemned the rumors on social media regarding transmission of LSD (Lumpy Skin Disease) from cattle to humans. This disease is caused by a virus which spreads through bites of mosquitoes, tse tse flies, and ticks. As per current literature, LSD has no public health implications because the virus that causes LSD in cattle does not affect humans. Boiled milk and well-cooked meat from the affected cattle are safe for human consumption. In order to control the disease and to prevent its spread from one place to another, Animal Husbandry Commissioner has issued guidelines to the provinces which, inter alia, include information for the awareness of farmers and professionals. Government has allowed import of LSD vaccine for effective control in the country. The LSD vaccine is freely available in the market. Negotiation with World Bank for launch of comprehensive LSD control program are under way.
ISLAMABAD: "Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has earned 1.5 million dollars in the last semester through admissions of international students and we hope that the number of international students will increase further in the next semesters, which will increase the international recognition of the AIOU” said Vice Chancellor, AIOU, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum yesterday while laying the stone of the extension of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) building and the construction of the first floor of Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) in AIOU main campus. Dr. Zia added that providing a peaceful and suitable environment to the students is one of our priorities. He directed the Project Director to complete the construction of the ICT building by the end of January next year and asked to start the construction of the road adjacent to the building to save time and money.
Islamabad PR Chairperson National Commission on the Status of Women Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar led the delegation of Pakistan on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Women’s Forum that was organized at Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 18-19 August 2022. This year the SCO Women’s Forum was inaugurated by the Chairman Senate of Uzbekistan Ms. Tanzila Narbayeva. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001. The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four Observer States interested in acceding to full membership and six “Dialogue Partners”. This year the forum was organized to discuss the pressing issues of ensuring gender equality; to promote the interaction of SCO countries in the development and implementation of effective measures in the field of gender equality, empowering women, stimulating their role in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). heads of state organizations of the SCO member states, governments’ women machineries from all SCO countries, political and public figures, representatives of civil society, international organizations, diplomatic corps, as well as national and foreign media attended the forum. In her address at the forum, Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar thanked and acknowledged the efforts of the honorable Parliamentarians of Uzbekistan in hosting this event. She said that they were all gathered to support each other by sharing the experiences and the strategies adopted for attaining the common goal for women’s social and economic development. She said that Pakistan is a country with huge cultural diversity yet having a loving and supportive social environment. Chairperson added that like every other country of the region we were facing hurdles in creating a gender balanced society, but we are confident that women’s development agenda is now part of human rights agenda of the government. Our policy planners are recognizing women as essential team members. Soon we will reach a stage where women will be seen as equally important player for national development. She said that after decades of efforts, women are now enjoying a better position and have better opportunities for health, education and political participation. The political participation of women has covered many miles but still we have a long way to go.
Mr. Alfred Grannas, German Ambassador-Designate to Pakistan called on Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, Federal Secretary for Housing and Works in his office. PR
PAf
BATTLE OF BILLIONAIRES:
BEIJING The AssociATed Press
The government has pursued a hard-line “zero-Covid” policy that has seen millions placed under lockdown, but such measures have gradually been lifted amid reduced case numbers and public outcry against the economic and social Sporadiccosts.outbreaks continue to occur, with 1,641 new cases of domestic transmission announced Wednesday, including in far-flung regions such as Tibet and Xinjiang in the northwest. Most of those were asymptomatic and no new deaths were reported.
news ChAnnel
Biden weaponsnearlyannounces$3binUkraineaid
India using range of brutal tactics to silence journalists, activists in IIOJK: UK-SWI
China broadens visa availability as pandemic concerns ease
SRINAGAR Agencies
IIOJK Patwar Association announces 3-day pen down strike
The Chinese Embassy in Washington also posted a notice saying the new rules for students and others would take effect from Wednesday. China largely closed its borders after the virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
China is easing its tight restrictions on visas after it largely suspended issuing them to foreign students and others more than two years ago at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a mark of protest, he added, “We announce a three-day pen-down strike from Wednesday (today)”.
Russia detains opposition politician for Ukraine comments AdAnI seeKs tO COntrOl CrItICAl Of MOdI
“Today is not only a celebration of the past, but a resounding affirmation that Ukraine proudly remains — and will remain — a sovereign and independent nation.”
The website of the Chinese Embassy in India said the updated procedures would take effect from Wednesday, without making a specific mention of vaccine requirements or proof of a negative test for the virus.
A dozen armed police in camouflage on Wednesday burst into the 59-year-old’s home, according to a video posted on the Mash Telegram channel, reputed to be close to the Russian security services. His lawyer Vladislav Idamzhapov later told state news agency TASS that Roizman had been placed in custody for 48 hours. The Moscow police said Roizman posted a video online, “the contents of which discredited the use of” the Russian armed forces. A police source quoted earlier by TASS said the video was published on the politician’s YouTube channel. In a video filmed outside his apartment on Wednesday, Roizman told reporters he was being charged for using the word “invasion” to describe what Russia calls its military operation in RoizmanUkraine.hasalready been fined three times for criticising Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
In March, Adani, who is Asia’s richest man, made his first bet in the media sector by taking a minority stake in local digital business news platform Quintillion. But the proposed NDTV transaction marks Adani’s highest-profile media bet to date. “NDTV is the most suitable broadcast and digital platform to deliver on our vision,” Adani Group executive Sanjay Pugalia said in the statement. The move could set the stage for Adani to face off in the sector with fellow tycoon Mukesh Ambani. Ambani, chairman of oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries, controls Network18 which runs business channels including CNBC TV18. Adani Group has several publicly listed companies in sectors including airports and ports, power generation and transmission, and coal and gas trading. India’s TV news industry is worth $351 million, Elara Capital said in a note, adding that 70 percent of this market was dominated by Hindi news. Other than Ambani, the other big player is Times Group which runs many news channels and newspapers. Elara Capital said Adani’s planned bid to control NDTV was at “very premium valuations” but added “this move will enable a large corporate house backing for a news channel.”
The authors also highlight how India uses its legal system, especially its disingenuous application of counter-terrorism strategy, to criminalise critical reporting and matters that are normally seen as part of free speech in democratic countries elsewhere. They highlighted the cases of three journalists Sajad Gul, Fahad Shah and Aasif Sultan who were jailed on separate occasions between 2018 and 2022. Although the Indian courts are yet to hold them guilty of any serious crimes, they are facing detention under draconian law, Public Safety Act (PSA), they said, adding many rights defenders have slammed the Indian government for weaponising PSA against both journalists and human rights defenders. “India’s recent media policy draws on from tactics and strategies used by the military and law enforcement in practice, where any form of transparency or documentation on incidents in Kashmir is seen as a threat to the Indian authorities,” one of the authors, Khalil Dewan said. “Indian authorities have included a strategy to conduct background checks including verification of antecedents of each journalist. To do this, guidelines for accreditation are being revised and updated by the Indian authorities to reflect the aim of controlling journalists and, by extension, human rights defenders who use the same platforms for publishing their work,” said the report.
‘Certificate of Returning to Campus’ issued by the university in China” is required, the Embassy said.
China still requires those arriving from abroad be quarantined at a hotel or private home and proof of a negative test is required for entry to many public and commercial spaces. The easing of visa restrictions is significant for Indian students, especially those pursuing degrees in medicine that are far more affordable in China than in Western nations.
10 FOREIGN NEWS Thursday, 25 August, 2022 ISLAMABAD
Roizman was a lawmaker between 2003 and 2007. In 2013, he became Russia’s highest-profile opposition mayor and held the position for fiveLastyears.year he was sentenced to nine days in jail for urging people to join demonstrations in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Almost all of President Vladimir Putin’s prominent political opponents have either fled the country or are in jail. Recently two opponents remaining in Russia, councillor Ilya Yashin and activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, were placed in detention for denouncing the Ukraine conflict, facing up to 10 years in prison. Agencies
The new funds will be for air defense systems, artillery and the much-in-demand ammunition for those systems, as well as radars and systems to counter Russian drones, Biden Congratulatingsaid.
Russian police on Wednesday detained one of the last opposition figures still in the country and not behind bars after he reportedly criticised Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine. Politician Yevgeny Roizman, former mayor of the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, was detained for “discrediting” the Russian army in comments about Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine. “The suspect was detained in Yekaterinburg and will be taken to Moscow for investigation,” the Moscow branch of Russia’s interior ministry said in a Itstatement.saidhe faces criminal charges of “discrediting” the Russian army and will be brought to Moscow as part of the investigation.Thechargesare punishable by up to 10 years in jail.
LONDON Agencies UK-based independent research firm, the Stoke White Investigations (SWI) has painted a disturbing picture of systematic abuse that journalists and activists are facing in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, saying the Modi-led fascist Indian government has employed a range of tactics to ensure no reporting critical of its actions comes out of the territory. In its new investigative report titled ‘Silencing Journalism and Human Rights in Kashmir’, the SWI says it has compiled at least 2000 testimonies of Kashmiris between 2020 and 2021, and as per the individual accounts, New Delhi is responsible for various crimes, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, kidnapping, torture and sexual violence. The SWI report says that it has documented more than 2,000 cases – all of serious nature, and the most glaring ones included 450 cases of torture, 1500 victims of pellet gun shootings, 100 enforced disappearances and 30 accounts of sexual violence. According to the SWI report, the buck stops at General Manoj Mukund Naravane, former chief of Indian Army, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah and eight other senior military officials, who should be held accountable for serious rights violations in IIOJK. The authors of the investigative report, Khalil Dewan and Nasir Qadri, maintained India’s culture of impunity has shielded all the responsible for these violations from facing the court of law.
In a recent interview with AFP, Roizman said he has “no illusions” and understood that he could face arrest for his views.“But I also have no fear,” he said.
Ukraine on its independence, which was declared from the Soviet Union in 1991, Biden said the US “is committed to supporting the people of Ukraine as they continue the fight to defend their sovereignty.”
I NDIANbillionaire Gautam Adani’s conglomerate said it seeks to control a majority stake in the popular New Delhi Television (NDTV), a move the TV news group said was executed without its consent.Aunitof the Adani Group said it had used financial rights in a bid to purchase a 29.18 percent stake in NDTV, laying out plans for a subsequent open offer for a stake of another 26 percent in line with Indian regulations. Hours after the announcement, NDTV issued a statement saying the move by the Adani Group “was executed without any input from, conversation with, or consent of the NDTVOnefounders.”ofthenation’s most popular news organisations, NDTV is regarded as one of the few media groups that often takes a critical view of the ruling administration’s policies. It operates three national channels: NDTV 24×7 in English, NDTV India in Hindi and a business news channel. “From NDTV‘s statements, it seems this may not be a friendly takeover which generally is as per agreed terms and mechanism, and in fact, may end up being a hostile takeover,” said Dipti Lavya Swain, founder and managing partner, DLS Law Offices. He is not connected to the situation. Adani Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment on NDTV‘s statement. While Adani did not disclose financial details of the group’s planned 29.18 percent stake purchase, it said its subsequent open offer would be for 294 Indian rupees ($3.68) per NDTV share, which would be worth 4.93 billionThatrupees.open offer price is at a 20.5 percent discount to NDTV‘s Tuesday’s close of 369.75 rupees. NDTV was founded by one of India’s most famous TV news personalities, Prannoy Roy, and his wife in 1988. Other than TV news channels, the group also runs online news websites. On Monday, NDTV said in a stock exchange disclosure that Radhika and Prannoy Roy were not in discussions with any entity for a change in ownership or a divestment of their stake in NDTV. They individually and through their company continue to hold 61.45 percent of NDTV, the statement said.
In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Patwar association has called for a three-day pen down strike starting from today in the territory against apathy of the authorities towards their long-pending demands.
IndIA tyCOOn
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Patwaris under the banner of All Jammu and Kashmir Patwar Association are anguished over pendency of their various genuine demands before the occupation authorities.
The Association president, Abdul Majid, decrying the indifference being shown by the IIOJK administration said that they have put forth their demands before the latter from time to time. Majid said that they had met the authorities and put before them their genuine demands in the month of March. He added that the authorities then assured them that all the demands will be taken care of on a priority basis.
“On at least four issues, the administration said the action will be initiated within a month’s time, now that it already has been some six months since then we however are yet to see anything done on ground,” he said.
BENGALURU reuTers
“Nearly three decades have passed and not a single member of the Indian military has been prosecuted for unlawful conduct in J&K, despite growing evidence against the armed forces. To make matters worse, the police as well as the Indian army prevent victims from reporting crimes committed by their personnel to the local police station,” said the report. In January, the SWI handed over a body of evidence to the UK’s Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Unit, which showed how India’s top ministers and officials were involved in human rights abuses in IIOJK.
“For students who return to China to resume their studies:
President Joe Biden announced nearly $3 billion in military aid to Kyiv on Wednesday — the biggest US package so far — to mark Ukraine’s independence day, six months after Russia invaded the country. In a statement, Biden signaled the firmness of Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s struggle, saying the $2.98 billion for arms and other equipment aimed “to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term.”
Biden also hailed Ukraine’s resistance against the invasion, which President Vladimir Putin launched on February 24 after years of unsuccessfully trying to reassert Russian control over a westward-looking country that has pushed strongly for membership in NATO and the European Union. Agencies
Staff RepORt Umer Rashid, one of the highly-rated bowling coaches at the National High Performance Centre, has been added to the Pakistan men’s side as assistant to the fast bowling coach for the Asia Cup. Umer has worked in the development of all the national side fast bowlers since their early days, including helping Mohammad Hasnain to return to competitive cricket. In the new role with the national side, Umer will support Pakistan fast bowling coach Shaun Tait in the United Arab Emirates, said a spokesman of the Pakistan Cricket Board here on Wednesday. Umer has been included in the player support personnel list on the recommendation of head coach Saqlain Mushtaq.
The Cabinet Standing Committee on Law and Order, in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Cooperatives and Environment Punjab Muhammad Basharat Raja on Wednesday, reviewed arrangements and security for England’s cricket team’s upcoming visit to Lahore and necessary decisions were taken. Home Minister Punjab Hashim Dogar, Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal, Additional Chief Secretary Home Asadullah and other officers concerned attended the meeting. The ACS Home gave a briefing on the security plan for the English team. Addressing the meeting of cabinet, Basharat Raja said that the expected visit of the England team was an important development regarding the revival of international sports in Pakistan. “We will provide VVIP level security to the England team,” he said. The meeting was apprised that after playing four matches in Karachi, the English team would play three T20 matches in Lahore on Sept 28, 30 and Oct 2. “The security plan made for the recent visit of the Australian team should be followed” directed the chair. The provincial minister directed that the public should have minimum traffic inconvenience during the Pakistan England series in Lahore. Home Minister Hashim Dogar directed the district administration Lahore to timely make all arrangements. He said that DIG Operations Lahore would be the chief security officer for the visiting England team. The cabinet committee also approved upgrade plan of the Safe City Lahore system. Home Minister said that the final decision on the upgradation will be taken by the Punjab cabinet.
BaBar retains top spot as imam slips to fourth in iCC oDi rankings
As for their bowling, England may consider recalling Ollie Robinson in place of Matthew Potts to a seam attack that lacked sharpness and penetration at Lord’s, where South Africa cemented their position at the top of the World Test Championship table.
Anrich Nortje terrorised the England batters with six wickets for the match and he rose 14 places to 25th overall on the latest rankings for bowlers. Australia skipper Pat Cummins (891 rating points) and India veteran Ravi Ashwin (842) still lead the way on the list for bowlers, but Rabada (836) is making his move courtesy of his 12th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. South Africa captain Dean Elgar jumped one place to 13th overall on the Test batter rankings, while compatriot Marco Jensen rose 17 spots to 17th on the all-rounder list.
While Babar Azam remains well out in front with 890 rating points, the Pakistan captain now has South African duo Rassie van der Dussen (789) and Quinton de Kock (784) as his two closest challengers. Imam has 779 rating points, while New Zealand captain Kane Williamson appears in the list for batters once again at 11th place after he made a successful return to 50-over cricket against the West Indies.
11 Sports 25 August 2022 Karachi_Layout 1 8/25/2022 12:03 AM Page 1
England vow to stick with ‘Bazball’ in bid to level South Africa series
“For a 23-year-old to understand the bigger picture and not be throwing his toys out the pram was something that I think shouldn’t be overlooked,” said Stokes. England will need a considerably improved performance following the innings and 12 runs thrashing inside three days at Lord’s in the first Test. Robinson has 39 wickets in nine Tests at an average of 21.28. Following a poor Ashes series, where his approach to fitness were questioned in public by the England coaching staff, Robinson missed the subsequent tour of the West Indies with back spasms. He was due to play for a County Select XI against New Zealand in May, only to miss out with a stiff back, before a bout of Covid-19 caused him to spend more time on the sidelines. Stokes said he had spoken frankly to Robinson about his attitude to fitness. “I feel that’s something people deserve,” said Stokes. “Rather than just have a conversation to get through it easy, I’d rather let him know exactly where I stand.“Itenables him to go away and work on what has been asked of him. All I can say is he’s done that to the absolute extreme. “All the feedback Robbo has got from myself, the coach, the people who have helped him get where he is now, has been nothing but positive.” Stokes revealed earlier this week he is taking anxiety medication to help his battle with mental health issues.The 31-year-old’s father, Ged, died of brain cancer two years ago and Stokes opted out of his sport for six months as he struggled to come to terms with the loss. The Durham all-rounder said on Wednesday that people who like him suffer from mental health problems could take heart from how he had enjoyed such a successful career. “To be here today as England Test captain is something hopefully a lot of people can take a lot of promise from and realise that even when you do feel like you are down and dark you can bounce back and achieve things you want to,” he said. Stokes has retained faith with opener Zak Crawley despite another poor outing at Lord’s — scoring nine and 13. In 35 innings as a Test opener, Crawley averages 22.25, a figure boosted by a double century against Pakistan in 2020. Only two openers in Test history have a lower average from at least as many innings. Australia’s Alick Bannerman, who played in the 19th century, averaged 21.44, and Bangladesh’s Javed Omar 22.07. England’s defeat last weekend against the topranked Test side ended a run of four successive victories under red ball head coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes. security for england cricket team’s upcoming tour reviewed
Staff RepORt
korean mp meets pakistani e-gamer
No Proteas batsman managed a century in the match but a collective effort led by opener Sarel Erwee got them to a competitive total of 326. Undeniably gifted batsman Aiden Markram came out of the match, however, with an average of under 10 from his last 10 Test innings. The uncapped Ryan Rickelton, in form for English county side Northamptonshire, could be given a Test debut if Markram is dropped. South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj, asked Tuesday if the Proteas had struck a psychological blow against England by winning the first Test so emphatically, replied: “I’d like to think so.”
NewS DeSk
England recall Robinson at expense of Potts for second Test
LONDON AFP England captain Ben Stokes has insisted there will be no let-up in the team’s attacking approach as they look to bounce back in the second Test against South Africa starting Thursday. The hosts have arrived at Manchester’s Old Trafford 1-0 down in a threematch series following a chastening innings and 12-run defeat inside three days by the Proteas at Lord’s last week. That was their first defeat under the new leadership duo of Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum following a run of four successive wins with an aggressive approach dubbed ‘Bazball’, characterised by attacking batting that saw England chase down stiff fourth innings targets against New Zealand and India during the past two England,months.however, had no answer to a formidable South Africa pace attack led by Kagiso Rabada at Lord’s, where they were dismissed for just 165 and 149 in their two innings, although a lack of domestic red-ball cricket since last month’s win over India, was arguably more responsible than ‘Bazball’ for a clatter of wickets. And a rare double failure by Joe Root meant England have not won a Test when the star batsman has not made a fifty for more than two years. All-rounder Stokes, who took over as captain after close friend Root had presided over just one win in 17 Tests, was in no mood to change tack after just one loss. “Absolutely not,” he said. “We know well that when we perform to the capabilities that we’re capable of, then we can go out and put on an incredible performance, like everybody’s seen in the four games before.” ‘Timid’ Former New Zealand captain McCullum said England’s problem at Lord’s had been a lack of attack rather than too much cavalier cricket. “I think they were perhaps a touch timid,” he said. “We approach the game with a clear mentality about the way we want to play. “It’s not always going to work. As we said at the time, you’ve got to buckle up for the ride. It’s not nice at times like this but we’ll come back strong.” There are, however, legitimate questions over the form of opening bats-
Staff RepORt p AKISTANcaptain Babar Azam retained his top spot in ICC ODI Rankings for batters while opener Imam-ul-Haq slipped to fourth spot. Imam-ul-Haq struggled to make much of an impact during that three-game series in Rotterdam against the Netherlands, with scores of two and six seeing the left-hander lose second place on the list for batters.
Thursday, 25 August, 2022 | ISLAMABAD 11SPORTS
man Zak Crawley who, after another two low scores at Lord’s, is now averaging a mere 16.4 across 10 Test innings this season. England, however, seem determined to stick with the 24-year-old Kent righthander, backed in bizarre fashion by McCullum when the coach said: “I look at a guy like Zak and his skill-set is not to be a consistent cricketer.”
Two players in arguably the best form of their life also made good ground on the latest list for ODI batters, with Zimbabwe veteran Sikandar Raza and emerging India star Shubman Gill catching the eye on the updated rankings.Razaadded yet another ODI century to his resume in the third ODI match of the series against India and was duly rewarded with a four-spot jump to equal 25th on the rankings for batters.Gill’sjump was even more emphatic, with the 22-year-old rising a whopping 93 places to 38th after he finished as the leading run-scorer during that series with 245 runs. Meanwhile, the match-winning exploits of South Africa quick Kagiso Rabada against England at Lord’s have been rewarded as the pace spearhead made giant strides on the latest ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings. Rabada was at his brilliant best during the Proteas’ emphatic victory over England at the iconic North London ground with the towering right-armer adding his name to the Honours Board at Lord’s for the first time and collecting seven wickets for the match in devastating style. Not only did his efforts help South Africa maintain their lead at the head of the World Test Championship standings, but it also saw the 27-year-old jump two places to third overall on the latest Test bowler rankings. A host of South African players were big winners due to their dominant display at the Home of FellowCricket.pacer
ISLaMaBaD StAFF RePoRt A senior member of Republic of Korea National Assembly Lee Sangheon, who is visiting Pakistan as part of a parliamentary delegation, held a meeting here on Wednesday with a renowned Pakistani e-Gamer Bilal Ilyas. The meeting took place in the backdrop of the Evolution Championship Series “Evo 2022”, which is the largest and longest-running fighting game tournaments in the world, and was held in Las Vegas, Nevada. On 8th August, 2022, in the final round of the Tekken (a street fight video game), an e-gamer from Pakistan Imran Khan came head to head for this championship trophy with Jae-Min Bae of Korea and despite the time difference between Las Vegas and Korea, hundreds of thousands of young Korean e-gamers tuned in to watch the spectacular match. Noting the significance of this game and e-gaming in general in both of the countries, Mr. Lee Sangheon presented fifty sets of “make stick pro and knee lever-I” kits to Bilal, to be distributed amongst other aspiring egamers of Pakistan and to incentivize them towards honing their skills further with the right equipment and preparing themselves for international competitions.Bilal highlighted that there is no proper e-gaming infrastructure and official esports association present in Pakistan which can harness the e-gaming potential of the country. Mr. Lee Sangheon acknowledging this stated that he foresees great potential in further enhancing relationships between the countries through the medium of e-gaming cooperation, and offered to be the focal person for Korea and pledged to focus on the development and growth of e-gaming industry in Pakistan with the coordination of young e-gamers such as Mr. Bilal Ilyas.
Ollie Robinson, who last played for England in the final Ashes Test in January, has been recalled for the second Test with South Africa as the hosts bid to level the three matchSussexseries.paceman Robinson replaces Matthew Potts for the match at Old Trafford which starts on Thursday. “Everything that we’ve seen in training and how he’s (Robinson) been around the group is exactly what we want,” said England captain Ben Stokes. “We all know the quality of bowler he is, because when he’s played for England his skill set is incredible.” Stokes added that Potts had taken the news remarkably well after playing in the previous five Tests.
umer rashid appointed pak men’s cricket team fast bowling coach
ISLAMABAD Shahzad paracha Manpower outsourcing company ALM Outsourcing (Pvt.) Limited has requested the National Information Technology Board (NITB) to investigate a case of nepotism within its department, alleging that purchase orders were issued to a blue eyed company in violation of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), Profit has learnt. According to documents available with this scribe, the chief executive officer of ALM Outsourcing (pvt) Ltd. has written a letter to the Board’s executive director (ED) with regard to the violation of rules. The letter states that the purchase order was issued by NITB to a bidder with high rates and without ensuring a fair process. It may be mentioned here that ALM Outsourcing (Pvt.) Ltd. has been working with NITB as a third party HR company for more than two years. It was hired through a competitive bidding process. During this period, ALM’s provision of technical services to the national IT board have been immaculate. The company has been exceeding expectations despite various challenges. However, besides ALM, two other third party HR companies were also working with the NITB, providing it with similar services. On June 30, 2022, the Board decided against renewing the service contract of one of the two companies, 360 Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd. As a result, almost 100 service providers employed by 360 Technologies were supposed to be shifted to the remaining two companies.
Imran Khan allowed to contest by-poll from NA-108, NA-118 China rubbishes rumours of CPEC slowdown during PTI rule KARACHI Mian abrar China’s Consul General in Karachi, Mr Li Bijian, Wednesday rubbished reports that the work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework had slowed down during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) tenure. Speaking to a local media outlet, Li Bijian ruled out reports claiming that work on the CPEC, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), had slowed down over the past three and half a year. “The work was slowed down due to Covid-19 pandemic and security issues. So-called claims that work paused due to the previous govt. policies are baseless”. He also ruled out any disagreement between Pakistan and the Chinese governments. “China and Pakistan have always shared mutual trust, mutual understanding and mutual support, and are allweather friends,” Li Bijan said. “The change in policies affects the investment and the same thing is being seen in CPEC projects,” he said and expressed hope that all persisting issues would be resolved soon.
Li Bijian further said that China is working on power projects in Pakistan and termed the security of Chinese officials in the country as satisfactory.
“There were some security issues regarding Chinese officials in two provinces of Pakistan but we are satisfied with the measures taken by federal and provincial govt after recent incidents,” Chinese diplomat concluded.
ISLAMABAD Staff report P AKISTANis expected to sell its shares of Roosevelt Hotel to Qatar in return for Doha’s investment in the aviation sector, ARY News reported on Wednesday. It may be noted that a massive investment is likely to be made in Pakistan’s aviation sector by Doha following Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Qatar. According to reports, said that Qatar has expressed interest in making investments in the airport and hotel sectors. As per reports, the federal government will hand over administrative affairs of Islamabad International Airport to Qatar, whereas, a Qatari company will provide the relevant services of the airport’s terminal and cargo. The Qatari government will be given shares of the Roosevelt Hotel in New York’s Manhattan financial centre in return for the investment. The investment will be received through state-to-state agreements between Pakistan and Qatar. Earlier in the day, it emerged that Qatar has agreed to make investments of up to $3 billion in Pakistan as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is currently in the country to cement bilateral ties between the two countries. Sources closer to Finance Ministry revealed that Qatar will be making immediate investments in multiple sectors in Pakistan.“TheQatari officials have shown their interest in making investments at Karachi and Islamabad airports,” they said, adding that the Qatari investment authority will ensure bringing investments in the least possible time. The shares and managerial control of the Roosevelt Hotel in the US are also likely to go into the hands of Qatari authorities, it was learnt. The Roosevelt Hotel, established in 1924, is among the historic hotels in the United States and is situated in the luxurious downtown area of Manhattan.
An election appellate tribunal comprising a judge of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday allowed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan to contest by-polls from NA-108 and NA-118 constituencies. The tribunal set aside a decision of the returning officer and allowed Imran Khan to contest from NA-108, after accepting his nomination papers. The tribunal also dismissed an appeal against acceptance of Imran Khan’s nomination papers from NA-118. The tribunal comprising Justice Shahid Waheed heard the appeal, filed by Dr Shezra Mansab Kharal, a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz from the NA-118 constituency, against acceptance of PTI chief’s nomination papers for by-polls, and Imran Khan’s appeal against rejection of his nomination papers for by-polls in NA-108. During the proceedings, Barrister Ali Zafar, on behalf of Imran Khan, appeared before the tribunal and argued that the returning officer rejected nomination papers of his client from NA-108 illegally. His nomination papers were accepted in eight other constituencies for the by-polls, and the same details were provided in the other constituencies, he added. He pleaded with the court to set aside the decision of the returning officer and allow his client to contest from NA-108 constituency.
Plot # 7, Al-Baber
LAHORE daniyal ahMad Hyundai, like KIA Motors, has chosen to opt out of the downward price revisions that have been introduced by other automotive companies. Hyundai states that whereas other automotive manufacturers have increased their car prices multiple times due to depreciation of the Pakistani Rupee against the US Dollar, Hyundai maintained its prices and announced the lowest possible revisions in the industry. Hyundai states that it has only increased their car prices 13% compared to a hike of 22-24% by other automotive companies. Therefore, the company, Hyundai Nishat Motors, will not reduce its prices as it finds them to be justified compared to the competition. Furthermore, the company added that it has not suspended bookings for any vehicles, unlike other companies. If Hyundai Motors’ statement is correct then the company absorbed the increase in their cost of production and chose not to pass it on to customers, unlike everyone else. This, however, may not be out of the goodness of their heart, but instead possibly because of their recent capacity increase. Hyundai Pakistan started off with very long delivery times in Pakistan because they did not anticipate the demand they received. The company sought to rectify this with the aim to increase production by 100% from 2021 to 2022. Profit can confirm from one of their sources, who requested to not be named, that Hyundai has indeed been able to expand its production significantly. And this is where the reason for not revising its prices may lay. In an attempt to mitigate future price shocks arising from the Rupee’s depreciation and in a bid to rid themselves of their past bottlenecks, Hyundai may have ordered additional completely-knocked-down (CKD) kits as buffer stock. This move would have insulated Hyundai from additional increases to their cost of production, and subsequently limit the number of price revisions required. However, after having ordered these ckd kits, Hyundai perhaps saw subpar demand. Given its record low sales in July, Hyundai most likely has ckd kits left over from its previous batch of imports that it can still utilize to a large extent to meet customer demand. This hypothesis is likely correct given Hyundai’s Independence Day offer, whereby customers could have the Hyundai Elantra 1.6, Hyundai Sonata, Hyundai Tucson, and Hyundai Staria HGS delivered to them within a month. Lucky Motors is the only company that delivers vehicles in a similar time frame, and it has buffer stock. The only other instances where Pakistani customers can avail a car immediately is when the car has negligible demand.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday rejected appeals by PTI Chairman Imran Khan and senior party leader Asad Umar against the hefty fines imposed by the Commission for violating election code of conduct. The ECP announced its decision after no one on behalf of Imran Khan and Asad Umar appeared before the commission.
It may be noted that despite ECP directives, Imran Khan on March 15 last had visited Swat and addressed a gathering while he was still in office ahead of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s local government elections that were scheduled for March 31. The ECP had, as a result, imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on him. According to the new ECP code of conduct, no public office-holder can visit the districts where elections are/about to being/be held.
Supreme Court had already declared that nomination papers could not be rejected if those were not attested by the oath commissioner. It is such a shortcoming which could be corrected, it added.
F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk
ECP bins appeals against fines imposed on Imran, Asad Umar
The counsel contended that the shortcoming could not be corrected, adding that Imran Khan did not mention gifts received from Tosha Khana in the FBR returns. He submitted that the gifts received in 2021 were mentioned in the returns whereas no details of gifts were provided in the returns, filed in 2019 and 2020.
The counsel for Dr Shezra Mansab argued that the returning officer had accepted nomination papers of the PTI chief from NA-118 constituency despite the fact that the papers were not attested by an oath commissioner, as required by the law. However, the tribunal observed that the
ISLAMABAD Staff report
NITB asked to investigate violation of PPRA rules, nepotism CAD shrinks to $1.2b in July
Published by Arif Nizami at Centre,
PAkIsTAn ExPECTEd To sEll sHArEs of roosEvElT HoTEl To QATAr
ALM alleges that PPRA rules were not followed in the process and 94 service providers were shifted to Solocholzes Pvt. Ltd. on July 1. The company said that the purchase order was changed. According to tender No. NITI3-4(150)-CP-Cabinet/2018 dated February 13, 2020, only two service categories including system administrator and network administrator were advertised which 360 Technologies (Pvt) Ltd. won. After the expiry of the service contract, the service category was changed by NITB in PO from network and system administrators to network and system support officers to favor Solochoicez (Pvt) Ltd. According to tender No. NIT8-4(299)/2019 dated March 31, 2021, 38 different service categories were advertised. This was won by Solochoicez. Despite the availability of similar service categories, the service category was changed to favor Solochoicez by awarding the PO of 94 service providers in the high priced category. This can be verified from the minutes of the meeting of the financial opening of the said tender. It is pertinent to mention here that changing the service category and awarding the PO to a high priced category is a clear violation of PPRA Rule 36(i) and PPRA Rule 38. Furthermore, ALM has a similar service category available at a lower price and with more experience. The company has been providing the service for almost four years as compared to Solochoicez’s three years of experience. The number of service providers up to our available limit could have been shifted to ALM which would have been cost effective; however, ALM has not been consulted in this regard which raises questions on the process of awarding the PO, the letter to NITB’s executive director states, requesting him to look into the matter, especially to ensure transparancy.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s current account deficit (CAD) shrank to $1.2 billion in July from $2.2bn in June, largely reflecting a sharp decline in energy imports and a continued moderation in other imports, according to data released by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Wednesday. “The narrower deficit is the result of wide-ranging measures taken in recent months to moderate growth and contain imports, including tight monetary policy, fiscal consolidation and some temporary administrative measures”, the SBP said on its twitter handle. According to the data, exports rose from $2.235bn in July 2021 to $2.295bn in July this year while imports increased from $5.371bn to $5.385bn in the month under review. The overall trade deficit also shrank to $3.090bn compared to the deficit of $3.136bn in July 2021. Similarly, trade deficit in services also shrank to $260 million in July compared to the deficit of $287m in same month of previous year. The trade deficit decreased by 9pc year-on-year, according to the Mettis Global report. The deficit of primary income rose to $403m in July 2022 compared to $289m in same month of the previous year. The combined deficit of goods, services, and primary income edged up to $3.753bn in July 2022 while during same month of last year, the deficit was recorded at Meanwhile,$3.712bn.workers’ remittances decreased to $2.524bn against $2.736bn in July 202. app
The tribunal observed that there was a possibility that no costly items were received from Tosha Khana in that period. The counsel further submitted that Imran Khan mentioned only four assets of his wife, whereas items received from Tosha Khana were not Justicementioned.Shahid Waheed questioned whether the tribunal was assigned to investigate the matter. The counsel replied, “We did not want an inquiry into the matter”, adding that the amount should be mentioned in the account of Imran Khan’s wife if the gifts received from Tosha Khan were sold out.
prayer tiMingS FAJR SUNRISE ZUHR ASR MAGHRIB ISHA 4:10 5:00 1:30 5:15 7:08 9:15 Thursday, 25 August, 2022 NEWS
ISLAMABAD inp
Why did Hyundai not reduce their prices?
