Gen Bajwa visited the army flood relief camp in Usta Muhammad of Jafferabad district where he was briefed about the ongoing rescue and reliefTheoperations.armychief met troops and appreciated their efforts for the flood victims. “The COAS visited flood relief and medical camps and spent time with the locals to get onground information about plans to mitigate their problems,” it added. He also visited Sui where he met local elders and inquired about their well-being and issues. The elders thanked the army chief for reaching out to them during the most difficult time in their life. Later, the COAS visited Military College Sui where he was briefed about different training and educational facilities. He interacted with the faculty and students and appreciated the educational and training standard of the institution. The faculty and students thanked the Pakistan Army for providing an opportunity for them to compete at the national level, the military’s media wing said.
RAWALPINDI Staff RepoRt Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has spent complete Defence and Martyrs Day by visiting far-flung flood-affected areas of Balochistan, a statement issued by the military said. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said
FOREIGN HELP: The relief effort is a huge burden for an economy already needing help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
JAMSHORO Staff RepoRt Pakistan was scrambling on Tuesday to widen a breach in its biggest lake and prevent the waters from overflowing to swamp nearby towns, so worsening unprecedented floods that have inundated a third of the nation. Waters brought by record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in northern mountains have affected 33 million people and killed at least 1,325, including 466 children, National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has said. “We have widened the earlier breach at Manchar to reduce the rising water level,” Jam Khan Shoro, irrigation minister of Sindh, told Reuters late on Monday, referring to the lake, whose waters authorities seek to drain. Already 100,000 people have been displaced from their homes in the effort to keep the lake from overflowing, an outcome that authorities fear could affect hundreds of thousands more. “Till yesterday, there was enormous pressure on the dikes of Johi and Mehar towns, but people are fighting it out by strengthening the dikes,” district official Murtaza Shah said on Tuesday, adding that 80 percent to 90 percent of town’s people had already fled. Those who remain are attempting to strengthen existing dikes with machinery provided by district officials. The waters have turned the nearby town of Johi into a virtual island, as a dike built by locals holds back the water.
The rising waters have also inundated the nearby Sehwan airport, civil aviation authorities said. The floods have followed record-breaking summer heat, with the government and the United Nations both having blamed climate change for the extreme weather and the resulting devastation.
“After the breach at Manchar, the water has started to flow, earlier it was sort of stagnant,” one resident, Akbar Lashari, said by telephone, following Sunday’s initial breach of the freshwater lake.
A delegation of three US lawmakers, who visited the flood-hit areas on Sunday to assess the damage and explore ways of assisting Pakistan in its recovery efforts, met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday, his office said. Sharif told the lawmakers that given the challenges and enormous resources involved in the reconstruction efforts, “continued support, solidarity and assistance from the international community was critical,” the office said.
PM Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 I 10 Safar, 1444 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XIII No 69 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition
Flood-hit Sindh works to prevent overflow of Manchar Lake
“The total damage is close to $10 billion, perhaps more,” Ismail said in an interview with CNBC. “Clearly it is not enough. In spite of meagre Pakistan will have to do much of the heavy lifting.” Nevertheless, help kept pouring in with the foreign ministry reporting arrivals of relief flights on Monday from the United Nations and individual countries, including Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Elsewhere in the region, floods are also threatening crisis-hit Sri Lanka, while rains have disrupted life in India’s technology hub, Bengaluru. The northern summer is the rainy season across much of Asia.
Post-flood rehab strategy crucial at federal, Provincial levels:
COAS spends Defence & Martyrs Day in flood-hit areas of Balochistan
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt P RIMEMinister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday emphasized the need for devising a comprehensive strategy by the federal and provincial governments for the restoration of infrastructure in flood-affectedSpeakingareas.on the flood situation in the country while chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister said it was time for all not to indulge in politicking, but to serve the masses. The prime minister mentioned that the flood-hit areas faced numerous issues related to water drainage, infrastructure breakdown, and connectivity. He said besides public departments, several private entities including chambers of commerce and industries had expressed their desire to contribute to the relief and rehabilitationPMprocess.Sharif said the government had increased the financial assistance for floodaffected people under Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) from Rs 28 billion to Rs 70 billion. He said the government had provided Rs 5 billion to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for dispensation of compensation money in first phase, while additional Rs 3 billion would also be provided. He mentioned that the floods had resulted in a gross loss of lives, infrastructure, livestock, and crops.The prime minister said work was in full swing in the flood-affected areas for relief and rehabilitation. He said several friendly countries were sending relief goods to Pakistan in the wake of heavy damage incurred by recent flash floods.He thanked the cabinet members, ministries, public departments, and national media for highlighting the issue of floods at the international level and making their best efforts to mitigate the sufferings of flood victims.
The United Nations has called for $160 million in aid to help the flood victims but Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said the damage was far higher.
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Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 | KARACHI 02 NEWS ISLAMABAD Staff
Pakistan suPPoRts non - disCRiminatoRy int’l aRms ContRol, non - PRolifeRation Regime: sohail
As a result of the US holiday, weekly US inventory reports from the American Petroleum Institute and Energy Information Administration will be released on Wednesday and Thursday, a day later than usual. Oil soared close to an all-time high of $147 in March after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exacerbated supply concerns.
Brent crude was down 26 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $95.48 at 0815 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) inched up from Monday to $89.19, up $2.32 or 2.7pc from Friday’s close. There was no settlement on Monday, the US Labor Day“Theholiday.decision to reverse the 100,000 barrel per day increase in September was more symbolic than fundamentally significant,” said Craig Erlam, analyst at brokerage Oanda. “But it will make traders think twice about driving prices lower in the way they have recently.”
The European Central Bank will meet on Thursday to discuss interest rate actions. As US Federal Reserve meeting will follow on Sept 21. Also lending oil some support were signs that an agreement to resurrect Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers was less imminent, delaying any return of around 1 million bpd of Iranian crude to theThemarket.European Union’s foreign policy chief said on Monday he was less hopeful about a quick revival of the deal.
LAHoRe inp The Punjab Flour Mills Association (PFMA) on Tuesday increased the price of a 15 kilograme (kg) bag by Rs50 or Rs5 per kg, ARY News reported. According to details, PFMA jacked up the price citing an increase in the wheat prices in the open market. After the increase, a 15kg flour bag is now being sold for Rs1,350. Meanwhile, the price of wheat has increased from Rs2,800 to Rs3,000 per maund in the open market. In a statement, the PFMA said that the association took the step in the wake of an increase in the wheat price in the open market.
OREIGNSecretary Sohail Mahmood on Tuesday said that Pakistan supported a strong rulebased, equitable and non-discriminatory international arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament regime premised on the principle of equal security for all states. The foreign secretary, addressing a conference on “Promoting Strategic Trade Controls through International Cooperation” held by NUST Institute for Policy Studies, said such a regime was imperative for the maintenance of international peace and stability. He said Pakistan shared the global concern regarding the threat posed to international peace and security by proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.Hesaid that given Pakistan’s thriving science and technology landscape, with extensive expertise, experience and technological capabilities in ICTs, biotechnologies and nuclear applications, it clearly qualified for participation in the existing multilateral export control regimes. “Pakistan’s participation in these regimes will further the non-proliferation objectives of these regimes. Pakistan will welcome non-discriminatory criteria for membership of these control regimes, provided these criteria are applied on the basis of fairness and impartiality,” he remarked.Heldwith the collaboration of the Foreign Office, the conference was organized with the aim to promote interaction of national and international policy-makers, enforcement agencies, public sector organizations, private industry, and academia.
While adhering to international export control standards and best practices, he said Pakistan strongly maintained that efforts for regulating international trade in dual-use technologies should not hamper free and equitable access to such technologies for legitimate socio-economic applications.
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He said the idea was to benefit from their perspectives on a variety of topics, including Strategic Trade Management (STM), implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions on WMD-proliferation and its financing; and recent developments in the multilateral export control regimes. The foreign secretary told the gathering that Pakistan had put in place extensive legislative, regulatory and administrative frameworks for exercising effective controls over transfers of sensitive goods and technologies to prevent their diversion to non-peaceful uses.
Thousands of the students associated with degree, post-graduation and research programs of the public sector universities have benefitted from the scheme. Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also hinted at resumption of the free laptop program for youth. While talking to a delegation of students from Harvard University USA last month, the PM claimed that the free laptops given to high achievers in PMLN’s previous tenure had not only helped the students to continue their education in the times of COVID-19 but also helped the youth of Pakistan to get a strong foothold in the global freelance market. Later, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Shaza Fatima Khawaja also claimed that the population census of 2017 had shown that up to 50 million people in the country aged between 15 and 29 could earn a lot of money through effective use of smartphones and laptops. It may be mentioned here that those students who received the laptops previously were found mostly complaining about poor quality of the product. Not only the quality of the electronic item was the issue, but there were multiple issues linked with the product. The spare parts of the laptops of the particular company were not available in the market. According to a shopkeeper at Dubai Plaza, renowned electronic market in Rawalpindi, few specific spare parts centers, notified by the government, were previously used to ask students to pay a much higher price, and that too in advance, while asking to wait for at least two to three months, citing the reason of short supply from“Whilemanufacturers.importing or purchasing specific laptops, the government should also ensure the availability of spare parts accessories in the country for repair and maintenance of the thousands of laptops being distributed,” the laptop repairer suggested.
Govt likely to purchase 0.8 million laptops to resume PM’s Laptop Scheme
ISLAMABAD Ghulam aBBaS As the multiparty government in the center has indicated its intention to resume Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme for students, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and other relevant institutions have reportedly initiated the process of purchasing at least 800,000Accordinglaptops. to reliable sources, the government would purchase laptops to distribute among eligible youth in the country through a meritorious process. As per the sources, the PC-1 of the project is being prepared to be submitted with the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) for subsequent approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), as it involves billions of rupees. “We are waiting for notification from the CDWP decision and subsequent approval from ECNEC. An advertisement will be made for purchase of laptop as per the approved specifications,” an official source at the HEC said. According to an official, the government intends to purchase/import at least 0.8 million laptops. In the first phase of the program, at least 100,000 eligible youth would be provided with the laptops. Though the quality of laptops purchased by the government previously has been an issue, the government wants to distribute the computer in a similar way. The PM’s Laptop Scheme was hallmark of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) regime from 2013 to 2018 in the higher education sector.
Pakistani students returning to China under new visa policy
“An inclusive, non-discriminatory and principle-based approach will serve the multilateral export control regimes as platforms of greater cooperation for trade development and regional prosperity, without compromising their nonproliferation objectives with greater legitimacy, credibility and effectiveness,” he commented.Theforeign secretary viewed that the policies of discrimination and exceptionalism were detrimental to the nonproliferation objectives and credibility of the export control regimes.
The prices of rice and pulse prices in Peshawar have skyrocketed within a span of three months and are expected to rise further as the effects of the floods become more clear. Speaking with Profit, Traders on Ashraf Road, Peshawar’s main commodity market, said that people in the province are already bearing the high cost of flour and will now also have to pay higher prices for other dietary staples. They informed this scribe that a bag of 24.50 kg rice which was available for Rs4,500 three months ago has risen by Rs1,750 in three months, taking the price in Peshawar to Rs6,250. Similarly, a 45 kg bag of matta rice which was available for Rs2,500 has increased to Rs4,000 while a bag of 49 kg super fine rice which used to be for Rs3,000, is now being sold for Rs5,000. Informing that beans are imported from Tajikistan in Peshawar, they said the price of a 50kg bag of beans which was Rs8,000 in January, has increased to Rs13,000. Similarly, masoor dal which was available for Rs7,000 per 49 kg bag in January, has now increased to Rs14,000. Gram is imported from Vietnam and Sudan. In January, a 49 kg bag of 10 mm gram was available for Rs8,000 which has now increased to Rs15,000. The traders said that since trucks carrying relief goods for flood victims are being looted, most of them have stopped transporting goods from other parts of the country, due to which there is a risk that the prices of food commodities will see a further hike within the next few weeks. They said that over the course of a year, prices of most commodities have increased by 100 per cent whereas the devastating floods are also likely to negatively influence the prices.
Concern of a recession in the West, soaring inflation and interest rate hikes have since weighed.
Senators pay homage to martyrs during visit to Lance Naik Mehfooz mausoleum
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt To commemorate 57th Defence and Martyrs Day, the members of Senate Standing Committee on Defence on Tuesday visited the mausoleum and home of Lance Naik Mehfooz Shaheed Nishan-e-Haider here and paid great reverence and honour to the supreme sacrifice of the martyr. The Senator Committee delegation was headed by Chairman Committee Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed flanked by Senators – Shahzad Waseem, Waleed Iqbal, Rukhsana Zuberi and Zarqa Suharwardy, said a press release. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed with other members marked the day with a visit to the mausoleum of Lance Naik Mehfooz Shaheed, Nishan-i-Haider, Pind Malkan, Islamabad. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed laid a wreath and offered Fateha at the mausoleum, and also met members of the martyr’s family. Senator Mushahid Hussain while addressing a gathering at the mausoleum applauded the exemplary heroism of Shaheed (martyr) and other brave sons of the soil who laid down their lives in Defence of the country. “We also salute the resilience and resolve of the mothers, fathers and families of our martyrs. The eternal sacrifices of the Pakistan Army for the homeland can never be forgotten. Pakistan army is a National Army and is the guarantor of unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty and stability of the Motherland”, he remarked. “The presence of representatives from all the provinces of Pakistan and all the political parties is a confirmation that the whole nation is united for national security above Party considerations”, he underlined. “If we are able to sleep peacefully today and live as free citizens of a free country, it is because of the Defenders of the Nation and supreme sacrifices of our brave soldiers”, he underscored. Senator Mushahid also lauded the Army’s role in flood relief, saving countless lives. Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Dr Shahzad Waseem and Senators Waleed Iqbal, Rukhsana Zuberi, and Zarqa Suharwardy also spoke on the occasion and commended the sacrifices of the Pakistan Army. To pay rich tribute to the valiant martyr, Lance Naik Mehfooz Shaheed, who sacrificed his life for the motherland during the Indo-Pak War of 1971, Members of the Defence Committee later visited the family of Mehfooz shaheed. While talking to the family of shaheed, Mushahid Hussain Sayed stated that “Brave sons of the soil had thwarted the nefarious designs of enemy by sacrificing their lives for the nation. Sacrificing lives to protect the motherland was an honour of the nation and we salute his sacrifice and pay respect to his family, he added. A large crowd welcomed the Senators and shouted full-throated slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad and Pakistan Army Zindabad’.
Prices of rice and pulses increase in Peshawar ISLAMABAD aziz BuneRi
Shaheed Lance Naik Mehfooz was born on October 25th, 1944. He sacrificed his life during the Indo-Pak War of 1971. It has been said that despite his wounded leg he reached the enemy bunker from which fire had caused casualties.
StAff CoRReSponDent Pakistani students are now returning to China under new visa policy introduced by the Chinese authorities, that is effective from August 24 Bilal Khan, a PhD scholar at East China Normal University, Shanghai returned to China after the introduction of the new policy. Talking to Gwadar Pro, he said that he left Islamabad last Saturday for Xi’an, where he was to spend a 7-day quarantine in a hotel before departing for Shanghai. Everything going smoothly; the situation was normal and the authorities were very cooperative. The students must comply with the quarantine procedures and cooperate with the authorities for a hassle-free experience, he said. Bilal said that he was accompanied by one other Pakistani student on board the Pakistan Int’l Airlines (PIA) flight to Xian, while the majority of the passengers were post-doc scholars who also had Chinese work visas. Bilal first shared the news of his departure for Xian under the new policy on social media. Several students while commenting on his post shared that they were also at different stages of the process to returning to China. The students said that their respective institutions had contacted them to inform that they were making preparations for the students’ early return as per the new policy guidelines of the Chinese government. The students while expressing enthusiasm over the new visa policy also hailed Ji Rong, Counsellor at Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, for her tireless efforts to make possible the return of the international students to China. Bilal is guiding fellow Pakistani students regarding obtaining No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for return to China, the health declaration card, quarantine procedures and ticketing information. Ji Rong, while commenting on Bilal’s post, expressed pleasure over his return to China and wished him good luck. ReuteRS Oil steadied on Tuesday after a two-day rally as Opec+’s decision to cut output in October was balanced by concern about a weak economic outlook and the prospect of more interest rate hikes. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, known as Opec+, decided to cut output targets by 100,000 barrel per day after Saudi Arabia voiced concern about a slump in prices since June.
RepoRt f
Price of 15kg flour bag increases by Rs50 in Punjab
Oil steadies after rally on symbolic Opec+ output cut
P
Karachi street crimes claim 350 lives in eight months
The National Flood Response and Coordination Centre (NFRCC) on Tuesday updated that the rescue and relief efforts by the armed forces besides civil administration were in the full swing to reduce the burden of the masses in the flood affected areas. In a daily situation report issued by the NFRCC here received provided detailed account of the overall rescue and relief efforts across the country. It highlighted that the weather forecast stated that scattered thunderstorm and rain of moderate intensity with isolated heavy falls was expected over the upper catchments of all the major rivers along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore and Faisalabad Divisions. The situation report added that some 11 people had lost their lives due to flash flood during last 24 hours. However, overall 1,325 people lost lives and 12,703 got injured so far. The Army Aviation, so far, had flown 363 helicopters sorties to various areas for evacuation of stranded people. In last 24 hours 25 sorties were flown and evacuated 131 stranded individuals and delivered 32 tonnes of relief items to the flood affectees. Moreover, uptill now 3,716 stranded individuals were evacuated through these helicopter sorties. Moreover, so far 147 relief camps were established in Sindh, South Punjab and Balochistan and 284 relief items collection points were established across the country for collection and onward distribution of relief stores for flood affectees.TheArmy relief camps up till now collected 4,247 tonnes of food items alongwith 439 tonnes of sustenance items and 2,163,212 medicine items. However, 3,570 tonnes of food 379 tonnes of sustenance items and 1,778,212 medicine items were Moreover,distributed.232,811 ration packs alongside 1,617 tonnes of ration were distributed by Pakistan Army. Over 250 medical camps were established so far in which more than 97,000 patients have been treated all across the country and provided 3-5 days’ free medicine. The major activities included the construction of Saggu bridge at N-95 (DI Khan) which was in progress and likely to be completed within 24 hours. Moreover, electricity supply was restored in Khuzdar and repair work on DaduSibi-Quetta transmission line was in progress whereas, gas supply was partially restored in Quetta.
KPBECC strike delays intermediate results; jeopardizes students admission ECP summons meeting to overview by-elections in Karachi
RESIDENTDr Arif Alvi on Tuesday said that the issues related to appointment of new Vice Chancellor of Baltistan University would be resolved soon, saying delay in the appointment of new VC impacting performance of the university. He expressed these views during a meeting with Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Syed Mehdi Shah, who called on him here on Tuesday.According to official sources, during the meeting matter regarding permanent appointment of Baltistan-University VC was discussed in detail. The president said the university was playing a key role in the provision of higher education to the people of GB, underscoring the need for resolution of the issue on priority. It is to be noted that the existing VC Dr Naeem Khan has got a controversial indefinite extension through senate of the university last year and he had also tried to get reappointed by influencing the recruitment process a few months ago. Currently, there is a strong resentment in the university and Skardu against the VC. Keeping in view the prolonged protest and subsequent law order situation, the Skardu administration has banned entry of the controversial BoU VC in the city. Earlier his entry in the city was also banned by the administration on the occasion of President Arif Alvi arrival in Skardu to attend convocation of the university. The decision of banning his entry in the city was taken in view of the strong protest by students and civil society in Gilgit-Baltistan against the VC. Dr Naeem Khan, who has been accused of immoral chat (sexual conversation) with students apart from financial corruption, is likely to get another term through his own handpicked senate of the university, which is now being opposed strongly not only by the students but political, religious parties and civilKeepingsociety.the various protest rallies and sit-ins held in the city against the vice chancellor, Skardu Deputy Commissioner Karim Dad Chughtai had banned the entry of VC Prof Dr Naeem Khan to Skardu for two months. However the ban has been extended for another three months to avoid any untoward situation in the city. Last year, a number of female UOB students accused Dr Naeem of sexual harassment, irking the local residents who staged protests for his ouster from the city. However, after a gap of nearly a year, Dr. Naeem recently regained the post using his connections, causing resentment among the locals once again. As per the audit reports of the university the controversial VC has also committed financial irregularities/corruption during his three years long tenure. Surprisingly, the VC in May 2021 had managed to get an indefinite extension after retirement through the varsity Senate in violation of the rules.
uk deC receives £16m donations for Pakistan flood victims
peSHAWAR Staff RepoRt
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan on Tuesday directed for payment of cash amount to the flood affected people for their rehabilitation and reconstruction of homes destroyed by the flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on an urgent basis. He issued instructions that under the relief fund the rehabilitation of the affected people must be given a priority. He said for the purpose of fund raising for the affectees, bank accounts should be opened in other banks as well to collect maximum funds for the flood-hit people. Chairing the first meeting of the Flood Relief Fund Committee, the Chief Minister suggested that international stakeholders should also be included in the process of rehabilitation of the flood affected people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He further directed that a final workable strategy should be prepared after a complete homework for the effective utilization of the relief funds, The meeting was attended beside others by Technical Advisor for the Committee, Dr Sania Nishter.
“I am a chief staff officer of former prime minister Imran Khan,” he said, and added that on August 17 he was examined by senior doctors of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Flood rescue, relief efforts in full swing across country’s flood-hit areas: NFRCC Japan fm announces $7m emergency grant for Pakistani flood victims
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday summoned a meeting to overview the byelections on three National Assembly seats in Karachi. Sources privy to the matter said that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikanadar Sultan Raja will preside over the meeting to review the flood situation in Sindh and upcoming byelections in Karachi. In the meeting, a report will be asked from the law enforcement agencies and other relevant institutions regarding the availability of the polling staff on the election day. It will be decided to hold or postpone the election in the constituencies, sources added.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday fixed for hearing the post-arrest bail petition filed by PTI leader Shahbaz Gill in the case of making anti-Pakistan Army remarks during a talk show on a private TV channel. IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Athar Minallah will take up the petition for the hearing on September 5, 2022. Making SHO Kohsar police station, City Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza and others as respondents in the petition, Gill said that he had been arrested by the police on August 9, 2022.
KARACHI Staff RepoRt Citizens of Karachi remain at the mercy of criminals and more than 350 people were killed in street crimes during the first eight months of the current year so far. According to a report issued by CitizensPolice Liaison Committee (CPLC), Karachi witnessed an increase in the number of street crime incidence during the past eight months – from January 2022 to August 2022. A total of 350 people have been killed and almost 270 people sustained injuries during street crime in the city in the past eight months of this year. Almost 58 citizens lost their lives over resistance to their mugging bids in different parts of the city. In past five days, eight citizens were reported dead for resisting robbery bid in the city. Over 32,000 motorbikes were snatched or stolen during the said period, while 1,300 cars were also stolen or snatched during the past eight months. Moreover, the CPLC data also shows that over 17,000 mobile phones were snatched in the city from January 2022 to August 2022. A total of seven cases of kidnappings for ransom were registered, while three cases of extortion were reported in the period.
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
StAff RepoRt Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan HAYASHI Yoshimasa said that the government of Japan was planing to provide emergency assistance of USD 7 million to Pakistan, in response to the devastating flooding nationwide. According to a news release issued by the Japanese Embassy in Pakistan here Tuesday, the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs said, the epochal levels of rain and flooding have wiped away over a thousand precious lives, destroying critical infrastructure and disrupting the primary social institutions and livelihoods, adding that millions of people were left without homes and their hopes and dreams were shattered. WADA Mitsuhiro, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, reaffirmed his commitment to support Pakistan; “I would like to assure that the Government of Japan stands ready to support the people of Pakistan. Given the rapidly rising scale of needs, we consider it critical to extend our best support and stand available to the affected. As part of the “2022 Floods Response Plan”, we will extend our assistance, ensuring collective and coordinated actions to respond to the national emergency”.
kP Cm calls rehabilitationforof flood affectees on priority
ISLAMABAD Shahzad paRacha
The Pakistan Air Force had also conducted 67 C-130, 69 MI-17, 16 AW139 air sorties, rescued 1,521 personnel, distributed 2,763 tents, 106,495 food packets, 1,161,113 Kg Ration, 134,486 liters water, and established 16 tent cities where 7.85 million people were provided food, dry ration and medical aid, 41 relief camps and 35 free medical camps in which 27,156 patients were treated across the country so far.
StAff CoRReSponDent
SWAt Syed ShahaBuddin The results of more than 0.5 million intermediate students have been delayed while the students who have passed Matriculation examinations are also facing difficulties in obtaining admission and other documents due to strike by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Boards Employees Coordination Council (KPBECC) across the province. The KP Board Employees Coordination Council has announced the strike will continue until the government withdraws its decision regarding merger of seven educational boards of the province into the Peshawar Board. Spokesperson for KPBECC Ali Gul told this scribe that the provincial government has decided to merge the seven educational boards of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into Peshawar Board and establish a branch office in place of each board. “Neither we do not accept this decision under any circumstances, nor it is a good decision for the children”, he claimed. He said that currently the number of matriculation students registered in all education boards of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is 750,000 while the number of inter students is around 500,000, which is increasing by 10 to 20% every year but unfortunately despite this fact, the provincial government has formed a committee for the establishment of the centralized board which is not in any way beneficial for the students. This move of the government may cause severe problems for the staff while the future of many employees may also be at stake, he pointed out. He made it clear that until the government withdraws its decision, their strike will continue. On the other hand, Shahan Yousafzai, a student who took the exam in the part-I, said that earlier Covid-19 had badly affected studies of the students and now results have been stopped due to the strike of the KPBECC.
03NEWS Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 | KARACHI
gill moves ihC for bail
The parents have also expressed serious reservations on this initiative of the provincial government and said that the government is trying to take the people back to the 1990s, in which we were forced to go to Peshawar board even for minor work and our work was not done even after many days. StAff RepoRt
The UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has so far received contributions worth £16 million for relief and rehabilitation of flood survivors in Pakistan. In a meeting with Pakistan’s High Commissioner in London Moazzam Ahmad Khan, a DEC delegation briefed the envoy on the response to their Pakistan Flood Appeal launched last Thursday. The delegation comprised Saleh Saeed OBE, Chief Executive Officer, and Madara Hettiarachchi, Director Programme, said a press release received Tuesday. It was informed that the DEC was working in partnership with the Government of Pakistan and would be spending the collected amount through its partner NGOs working in the flood-affected areas of Pakistan to provide food, shelter, clean drinking water, sanitation supplies and hygiene facilities. Moreover, funds would also be spent to restore the livelihoods of the affected people. The high commissioner appreciated the DEC for its efforts and urged the need to closely work with Pakistan armed forces, NDMA and PDMAs for expeditious and effective distribution of relief goods. Assuring the DEC of full support in its flood relief operations, he also underlined theneed for a synergetic effort by all partner agencies to avoid duplication and overlapping.
It is pertinent to mention that Military College Sui was established in 2011 and its cadets have shown extraordinary results. Meanwhile, Commander Southern Command and Multan Corps Lieutenant General Muhammad Chiragh Haider visited flood-affected areas of Rajanpur District on Tuesday, the ISPR said. He witnessed the ongoing relief effort including the distribution of rations and provision of medical care by the Pakistan Army. He praised the efforts of officers and Jawans, helping the people in flood-affected areas round the clock. Later, Lt Gen Haider also visited families of Shuhada [martyrs] in the area and paid tribute to them who laid down their lives while defending the motherland.
Coas spends defence & martyrs day in flood-hit areas of Balochistan
The Pakistan Navy had also conducted 41 helicopters sorties, rescued 12,176 personnel, 2,687 families provided with shelter, distributed 1,932 tonnes of ration, 2,532 tents, 300 Kg medicines and treated 28,250 patients across the country so far.
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
ContInueD fRoM pAge 01
PResident assuRes eaRly aPPointment of new VC Baltistan uniVeRsity
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After tollcholeraflood,takingonchildren
A large number of people including women and children thronged Shuhada Park to refresh the 1965 War memories where Indian tanks and warplanes were kept at Chawinda, Pasrur tehsil, captured during the war. Chawinda is known as the world’s biggest graveyard of 600 invading Indian tanks. The people evinced keen interest in the Indian tanks and planes displayed there. They also lay floral wreaths on the graves of Shuhada and salute them for their bravery. During the 1965 Indo-Pak war, the people of Chawinda-Sialkot wrote a golden history of bravery by sacrificing their lives for defending the motherland near Chawinda-Sialkot during the September 1965 Indo-Pak War. The world’s biggest war of the tanks was fought there near Chawinda in 1965, in which the local people laid down under the invading Indian tanks with bombs and blew up themselves, besides, completely destroying hundreds of Indian army tanks, making Chawinda-Sialkot a graveyard of these tanks. They sacrificed their lives to save the motherland during 1965 war.
KP CM approves compensation for rehabilitation of destroyed houses
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However, global rice stockpiles are pretty comfortable and an improving Indian crop outlook should quell any supply concerns and limit any price increases from recent strong demand that has emerged from Bangladesh, said a Singapore-based trader at one of the world’s top rice trading companies. Pakistan is forecast to have lost around 10 percent of its 2022 estimated rice production of around 8.7 million tonnes, while China has suffered some damage, although the extent of crop losses is not clear, traders said. Food prices have soared in markets across Pakistan as devastating rains ruin crops and disrupt supplies, an early sign of
JAAffAeABAD StAff RepoRt
SINGAPoRe ReuteRS Abundant rice supplies in key exporters may largely offset an expected drop in output after floods in Pakistan and severe heatwave in China damaged crops, capping any gains in prices from steady Asian demand.
Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 | KARACHI 04 NEWS ISLAMABAD StAff RepoRt
It seems the plight of flood-affected people is far from end as after the territorial rains and flood wreaked havoc in Jaffarabad, cholera outbreak claimed lives of two children in the area due to unavailability of clean drinking water and hygienic food in the rural area. The outbreak of gastro has affected dozens of children in jaffarabad and Naseerabad districts, private news channel reported on Tuesday. The local people urged the health department to established medical camps in various localities in the affected districts to provide free and timely treatment to gastro-affected children. However, people of the area also complained about the lack of medicines and doctors in the District Headquarters Hospital and basic healthcare units.
how the worst floods in decades are creating food shortages at a time of financial crisis. “Pakistan’s rice output has been really good over recent seasons,” Peter Clubb, a market analyst at the International Grains Council (IGC) said. “While any large production loss is obviously bad, that improvement in production over recent seasons gives a bit of China’sleeway.”Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian expressed concern that high temperatures and drought have hit rice production in the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui.
A division bench of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday sought report from the investigation officer instructing him to record statement of former prime minister Imran Khan in a petition, seeking termination of a case registered under Anti-Terrorism Act against PTI’s chairman. A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Saman Raffat Imtiaz heard the petition, seeking to dismiss FIR under Anti-Terrorism Act against Imran Khan registered following a “threatening statement” about a woman judge and police high ups. As the hearing started, petitioner’s lawyer Suleman Safdar Advocate informed the court that the police had included three new sections in FIR against Imran Khan and they had filed a miscellaneous application against it as well. Advocate General Islamabad Barrister Jahangir Jadoon informed the court that PTI’s chief was not joining the investigation despite notice of Investigation Officer (IO). The police was not being given access to Imran Khan, he added. Imran’s Lawyer said that his client would join the investigation, adding that the case was at initial stage. The court remarked that a police personnel in uniform was representing the state, even if he had done something wrong then only the court would decide it. The chief justice said, “How we would ensure implementation on law when we don’t obey it.” The court said that it was also a test case for the IO, adding that the law would take its own course. Everyone should have confidence in the system, the IO would remove it itself in the investigation if a wrong offence was made, the court remarked. The court also instructed the IO to investigate whether this matter fall under the law of anti terrorism act. The chief justice said nobody was above the law and instructed the police to tell the court if anyone didn’t cooperate with the IO. He further remarked that the court wouldn’t entertain this case if the law was not followed and they didn’t cooperate.
Ample world rice supplies to cushion impact of Pakistan crop losses
Chawinda – Graveyard of Indian warplanestanks,
The CM maintained that the provincial government was well aware of the problems being faced by the flood affectees and the provincial government’s helicopter has also been dedicated for relief and rehabilitation operations since day Currentlyone. the helicopter is busy in relief and rehabilitation operations in Lower Kohistan. Besides other relief activities, 6000 kg food items have been provided to flood activities in Ranoliya, Dobair, Kehal and Chawadara areas of Lower Kohistan. Food packages being provided to flood affectees include Wheat Flour, Ghee, Tea, Sugar, Pulses and other food items. Senator Dr. Sania Nishter, Provincial Ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Kamran Bangash, Chief Secretary Dr. Shehzad Bangash, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah and other members attended the meeting.
Brick workers need kilns reignited after floods RAJANPUR AhmAd SAAd The brick kilns that dominate the small village of Aqilpur in Punjab now lie abandoned, furnaces extinguished by weeks of torrential rain that have caused the worst floods in the country’s history. Though the floods that engulfed Aqilpur and its surrounding fields have receded from the highs of a week ago, the kilns are still surrounded by water. Most of those who lived onsite — part of the nation’s millions-strong workforce known as “daily wagers” because of their piecemeal salaries — abandoned their homes for higher, dry ground. “I come here daily on my bicycle and go from one kiln to another to look for work but find nothing,” said Muhammad Ayub, an itinerant labourer. Now, a road that runs through the village has become a kind of town square for the kiln workers, who find themselves both homeless and out of work. Ayub, 40, has a sick mother and an eight-year-old daughter to provide for. When his home was destroyed in the torrential rains that preceded the flood, he sent them to a relative’s house closeto the village. But once the flood hit, his family was forced to take refuge at a makeshift campsite on higher ground outside the village. Earning lEss than $3 a shift: There are thousands of small brick factories and kilns scattered across much of Pakistan — a vital supplier of building materials for the nation of 220 million. For now, mounds of bricks that should be making their way to building sites across the country lie partially submerged in floodwater. Ayub worked 12 hours a night making bricks, earning less than $3 (600 rupees) a shift for his labours. He would spend the mornings working the fields surrounding the village, and was only able to sleep briefly in the afternoon before his shift began again.
ISLAMABAD StAff RepoRt Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said it’s a matter of great pride that the “valiant” army and the “brave” nation have carried forward the proud legacy of the 1965 war between Pakistan and India by successfully defanging the menace of militancy and extremism in the over twodecades old struggle. “Hats off also to the heroes and survivors, the men and women in uniform, the personnel of police and other law enforcement and intelligence agencies, who are vigilantly safeguarding the frontiers of the motherland from the external and internal threats in harsh weathers and hostile environments,” the prime minister said in his message on Defence Day observed on Tuesday. Today, he said, the nation was paying rich tributes to the brave sons of the soil, especially the dead who laid down their lives while fearlessly and bravely fighting against the enemy. “We owe great respect to the parents and families of martyrs who courageously bore the loss of their near and dear ones,” he added. While they were celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Pakistan’s independence, the prime minister said his message on the day to the sons and daughters of soil was to keep the flame and the spirit of September 6 alive in their hearts. “I call on the nation to forge unity in their ranks, for no conspiracy and challenge can succeed if the people are united in their resolve to protect their freedom and defeat such nefarious elements,” he added.
He said the best tribute to the sacrifices of their dead was to rebuild Pakistan in line with the vision of the founding fathers. “A country that is strong economically, stable politically and harmonious socially can better defend itself, and promote and safeguard its vital foreign policy objectives. This is what the coalition government is aiming to achieve,” he added. Sharif said September 6 was remembered as a symbol of courage, a display of unmatched resilience and the spirit of supreme sacrifice by the valiant sons of the soil. The war entailed fierce fighting, particularly between tank units, and it is thought both sides suffered more than 3,000 casualties. “On this day, 57 years ago, the brave armed forces of Pakistan proved to the world that they were ever ready to defend every inch of the motherland, no matter what the cost,” Sharif added. The entire nation, the prime minister said, while displaying unprecedented unity and resolute strength, came forward for the support of their armed forces. The show of unprecedented unity and solidarity of the nation galvanized the officers and jawans, pilots and sailors in their fight to secure the motherland against the Indian aggression, he added. “On this occasion today, I congratulate the military leadership on successfully bringing Operation Raddul Fasaad to its logical conclusion. I also commend the role of the security forces, especially the army and navy personnel in saving the lives of thousands of people during recent floods in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Punjab,” the prime minister said.
The court noted that the petitioner wanted it to quash FIR but how investigation could be completed without joining the process. The court asked the IO to use its powers appropriately then submit its report. The advocate general said that a joint investigation team had been formed in this case at this the bench said that there was no need of it as the matter was just about a speech.
IHC Asks IO tO reCOrd ImrAn’s stAtement In terrOrIsm CAse
Pakistan, the world’s fourth-largest rice exporter, suffered extensive damage to agriculture, including rice, as floods ravaged large swathes of its farmland, while extremely high temperatures in parts of China at the end of August have taken a toll on rice output in the world’s biggest importer of the staple.
MOnsOOn BOOsts inDian CrOP PrOsPECts: Monsoon rains, which were delayed in parts of India’s northern and eastern rice-producing regions, have improved over the last couple of weeks, boosting crop prospects in the world’s largest rice supplier, tradersIndiasaid.had earlier been examining a need to restrict exports of 100 percent broken rice mainly used for feed purposes. But an improvement in rainfall over Indian rice growing areas has ended any discussion of government restrictions on exports, said a second trader in Singapore who sells Indian rice to buyers in Asia and Africa. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s world price index fell for a fifth month in August, after hitting a record in March after Russia invaded Ukraine, as a resumption of grain exports from Ukrainian ports contributed to improved supply prospects. However, strong demand from Bangladesh has underpinned rice prices in recent weeks. Bangladesh plans to import around 1.2 million tonnes of rice over the next few months to shore up reserves and cool high domestic prices.
Besieged by floods, nation quietly commemorates 1965 war
“It is too early to say exactly how poor yields (in China) may be,” Clubb said. “A general point, stocks in China are still very ample.”
SIALKot App
StAff RePoRt Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has approved the provision of cash compensation for rehabilitation of houses that were destroyed in the recent floods adding that repatriation of flood affectees is the first priority of the provincialChairinggovernment.thefirst meeting of the committee to oversee the management and utilization of Chief Minister’s Flood Relief Fund held here on Tuesday, Mahmood Khan directed the concerned authorities for opening of donation accounts in all the major banks in order to facilitate donors and philanthropists in addition to involving international donors so that maximum amount can be collected.Thechief minister maintained that all the deserving should get their right and necessary steps should be taken in order to prevent misuse of the funds. He stated that the provincial government is working sincerely to rehabilitate the maximum number of peoples in the shortest possible time adding that the compensation amount has been increased considerably to make sure that the flood affectees are able to return to their normal Thelives.provincial government stands with its people in this hour of need and all available resources will be brought to their rescue, he added.
IsLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
Defence Day observed with zeal and zest in AJK
nUCes-fast signs moU with sir syed Case institute
PesHAwAR Staff RepoRt Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education, Shahram Khan Tarakai on Tuesday said that 723,000 children have been enrolled in ongoing enrollment campaign across the province. The enrollment campaign was started in August and extended till September 10, due to flood situation in various districts of the province. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary Education started admission campaign under the “Parega to Barega Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” in all schools of the province to increase literacy rate and enroll dropout students. In a statement issued here, Shahram Tarakai said: “Admission will continue in both first and second shift schools together so that the children working in the first shift can also get an opportunity to study.” He said: “This year the entire admission campaign system will be digitized for which the education department has created an app and complete data of all children would be available online on the dashboard.” All the record of the newly admitted students promoted to middle, high and higher secondary level along with complete details would be registered. The education minister said: “This year a target of enrolling one million children has been set for which admission campaign will be conducted at every district, tehsil, village council and circle level, adding this year admission campaign, local elders, senior students, parents teachers council members, scouts and school heads will conduct door-to-door admission campaign to enroll children in schools.”
Federal Secretary for Housing and Works Iftikhar Ali Shallwani chaired a meeting in which he was briefed on the pace of development work of Sector G-14/1, and Park Road Housing Scheme, Islamabad. During the course of meeting, Iftikhar Ali Shallwani emphasized the need to escalate the pace of development work. Also, he was apprised of the developments made on the earlier directions he gave while visiting the sites. Secretary Housing directed to remove all illegal encroachments from sector G-14/1, so, that the rightful allottees to be given the possession at the earliest. He also advised relevant federal departments and demanded their full support and cooperation to resolve the issues as soon as possible in collaboration with FGEHA to deliver the plots and modern residential facilities to the federal employees. DG, FGEHA, and officials from Ministry of Interior, ICT, Islamabad Police attended the meeting.
China offers to share disaster management experienCe
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IsLAMABAD INp C HInAhas offered Pakistan its full support in sharing experience in disaster relief, post-disaster reconstruction and formulating reconstruction plans. During an online meeting with the national Disaster Management Agency (nDMA) chairman, Luo Zhaohui, the director of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), said that in the next step, China is ready to support Pakistan in the reconstruction of the flood-hit areas, and is willing to share its own experience and techniques. In the past, China has been highly vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, droughts, fires, typhoons, blizzards and pandemics. It has long experienced its fair share of natural disasters. Against a backdrop of rapid economic growth and an ever-changing climate that threatens to increase the frequency and severity of adverse natural events, China has been making headway to reduce vulnerability and prepare for the inevitable. The country has applied technology to disasters in creativeTalkingways.to the media, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said: “The world has to be a partner in rehabilitation and reconstruction. We need to build resilient infrastructure that can withstand climate change.” The federal government says it has a three-point strategy — rescue and relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. It is urging the world to step forward to help the country at this difficultRehabilitationmoment. and reconstruction are bound to be an enormous challenge for Pakistan as the country’s unprecedented flooding has forced nearly half a million people to leave their homes and move into relief camps. The devastating floods have eroded towns and buildings and affected forests. Infrastructure including roads, dams, schools, bridges, railway tracks and electricity supply lines have been damaged. According to the nDMA, at least 498,000 people are currently in temporary shelters after swirling waters either engulfed or damaged over a million homes, 3,500 kilometres (2,174.8 miles) of roads and 162 bridges.
News Desk
Unfounded complaints against Bank of Punjab and its staff 0.7m children enrolled in govt schools during ongoing admission drive: Tarakai
AJK Government’s Secretary Information (Retd) Shoukat Majeed Mallick Advocate was the chief guest at the ceremony presided over by Central President Jammu Kashmir Union of Journalists – illustrious Kashmiri journalist Hafiz Maqsood Mirpur. Addressing the ceremony, speakers including Shoukat Majeed Mallick, PPP SB AJK President Muneer Hussain Chaudhry, Convener JKFMA Altaf Hamid Rao, President JKUJ Hafiz Maqsood Mirpur, Sr. Journalist Sohrab Ahmed Khan, former President Kashmir Press Club Mirpur Sajaad Jaraal and others said that September 6 – the Defense Day of Pakistan was the day of renewal of the pledge by entire nation to remain alert and vigilant to make the defense of the country in case of any threat from across the Expressingfrontiers.grave concern over the fast deteriorating situation human rights in the bleeding valley of Indian Illegally occupied Jammu Kashmir following the continual indefinite curfew, lock-down and communication blockade and other heavy restrictions by over a million of Indian occupying forces, speakers called upon the United nations and the global human rights organizations to immediate move for intervening to save the lives of the innocent freedom-loving Kashmiri population who have been caged since over past one year in to their houses by the fascist and hardliner Indian-Prime minister Modi-led military, para military and puppets state administration for their “crime” of raising revolt against the long forced and unlawful Indian rule over their motherland.
Ajk Staff RepoRt The bleeding Indian illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir, speakers on Tuesday while paying rich tributes to the martyrs as well as ghazis of historic India-Pakistan war of 1965, said that Kashmiris struggle for freedom, was infact the movement for completion of Pakistan. The simple but impressive ceremony was hosted by the Convener Jammu Kashmir Free Media Association with coordination of other local social and political organizations including the PPP (Shaheed Bhutto) AJK Chapter’s President Munir Hussain Chaudhry and others here on Tuesday to mark the defense day of Pakistan.
IsLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
IsLAMABAD Staff RepoRt Pakistan & East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) Cable International network Co. Ltd has completed the construction of a submarine cable infrastructure, providing connectivity from Karachi to Marseille, France.The Pakistan-Egypt segment connects Karachi and Zafarana, Egypt total length of which is 5,800 KM. The connectivity from Pakistan to France is now fully completed and ready for service. This was informed by the management of PEACE Cable whose officials held online and in person meeting with Chairman PTA, Maj. Gen. Amir Azeem Bajwa (R) at PTA Headquarters. The delegation comprised of Peace Management COO, Mr. Sun Xiaohua, Peace Management Director Mr. Zhang Donghai, Commercial Director Mr. Chirs Zhang, (Online) and Peace Cable, Country Manager Pakistan, Mr. Shoaib Ashfaq Qureshi, (In Person). The delegation expressed its interest for investment opportunities in Pakistan and discussed future plans for development of innovative digital & technology solutions to accelerate progress towards Digitally Connected Pakistan. PEACE cable is a 15,000 km submarine cable from Pakistan to France, extended from Pakistan to Singapore for an additional 6,500km, with main trunk landing in Singapore, Pakistan, Kenya, Egypt and France and branches to the Maldives, Malta, Cyprus, etc. This submarine cable adds an ultra-fast, high capacity, low latency and redundant connectivity to Pakistan’s international connectivity.
Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman met with the French Ambassador to Pakistan H.E Nicolas Galey, briefing him of the challenges the country is facing in the current relief efforts and the assistance required for the rehabilitation of the flood affectees. H.E Mr. Nicolas Galey expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan on the devastation wreaked by the floods and assured full support from the French government. Thanking the French Ambassador for their support, Federal Minister Sherry Rehman said, “We appreciate France's support in these tough times and would require assistance in the rehabilitation and relief process. The devastation on ground is much more than we have ever encountered even in the 2010 floods. We have not seen a humanitarian disaster of such epic proportions. More than 5,700 km of metaled roads and 246 bridges have been severely damaged in the 81 calamity-hit regions, cutting communication lines making relief and rescue herculean challenge.” Apprising H.E of the assistance needed in the flood-hit regions, Minister Rehman said, “We need to rebuild adaptive and resilient infrastructure. Moreover, we are now bracing for a health emergency due to the waterborne diseases such as cholera and dengue. Health assistance is imperative due to fragility and vulnerability on ground as people are surviving under open skies, waiting for government assistance.
Lately unsubstantiated complaints against BOP and its staff have been circulating on social media alleging contributions/donations to Chief Minister’s Flood Relief Fund) are being discouraged. The total number of such complaints received from social media, BOP’s contact Center and Complaints’ email address are merely 14 hitherto. All complaints have been investigated and all of them have been found to be without merit or based on misunderstanding or lack of understanding on the part of customers. BOP has been at the forefront of CM Punjab flood relief collections and has opened the maximum number of channels for customers including branches, ATMs, Mobile App & Internet Banking, local and international credit cards, foreign inward remittances through banking channels, exchange companies and Roshan Samaaji Khidmat (RDA). BOP has also been the only Bank that has extensively advertised flood relief donations into CM Flood Relief Fund account through TVCs, social media, and reaching its own customers through SMS messages on a daily basis since the launch. As a result, more than 50,000 donations amounting to more than Rs. 1Bn have landed in the CM Flood Relief Fund) account maintained by the Bank; and another over Rs. 700 million is in the pipeline through the local and international credit card collections. All this has been done in a short span of time, overcoming teething issues like IT development & staff training, etc. Some problems, that were encountered at the start have been identified and resolved, and BOP branch staff is properly trained and is vigilant in serving customers walking into our branches to make donations into flood relief accounts of their ownThechoice.message for providing priority, seamless services for the collections of flood relief funds to the staff at the branches have been reiterated time and again from the highest levels in the organization and will be ensured going forth as well given the nature of this national calamity in which the entire staff of BOP is grieved and ready to deliver going an extra mile in their of duty.
IsLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
Retired Secretary Information of AJK government , called upon the world community to take immediate notice of the increased aggressive Indian posture in the region to avert rising threat of nuclear conflict in the region. Similar special ceremonies to observe the defense day were held in AJK. People from various parts of AJK also visited the mausoleums of the martyrs of 1965 and 1971 wars at the places close to their respective home stations including in Jhelum, Gujrat, Rawalpindi districts and offered fateha. secy reviews pace of work on sector g-14/1
Pakistan connected with France through submarine cable
sherry tells
Speaking on this occasion – the Chief guest Shoukat Majeed Mallick Advocate,
05NEWS Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 | KARACHI CORPORATE CORNER
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between national University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (nUCES-FAST) and Sir Syed CASE Institute of Technology (SS-CASE-IT) for a period of five years. This MOU reflects effort to promote academic collaboration. Its mandate is to support each other in improving the quality and delivery of their graduate (PhD and MS) Programs through students and faculty exchange. This MOU also fortifies the join efforts in training of their administrative and technical staff, in imparting of recorded lectures of various graduate level courses in Computing, Engineering and Management both Institutions resolve to extend cooperation in admissions and as well as in the realm of IT sector for the development and progress of Pakistan.The Centre for Advanced Research in Engineering (C@RE Pvt Ltd), which is the industrial partner and arm of SS-CASE-IT shall be providing internships to students of nUCES-FAST.
Urgentambassador:frenchrehabilitation of flood affectees imperative
Joint Editor
A few of the policy steps that can be undertaken are the following: Reconstitution of Indus River System Authority (IRSA), a comprehensive reestablishment of Ministry of Climate Change at federal level and establishment of its sister ministries at provincial level, devolution of Disaster management authorities to district level. Moreover, Pakistan at the moment, is in utmost need of new administrative units to tackle governance and political issues in all aspects. As for structural reforms, the following steps should immediately be taken: New water reservoirs to tackle flood waters in case of heavy rains and to harvest rainwater for use in case of drought, a new cross channel water irrigation system in lower Indus delta situated at the confluence of south Punjab, northern Sindh and northeast Balochistan, a new national climate informationtuned satellite, eradication of fossil fuels, comprehensive hybrid and electric vehicles induction, rehabilitation of urban sewers, new masterplans of metropolitan areas, and river head-works in northern areas. In addition to that, climate justice should be incorporated into the constitution through parliamentary legislation so that the rights of people are secured as well as the protection of lives and properties are ensured. To achieve these objectives, the first and foremost goal must be of political stability. This is necessary to create a national consensus on climate change and bring about necessary economic rehabilitative policies to steer the country into economic growth. Currently, Pakistan seems to be a house on fire and it needs immediate actions to put that fire off before every drop of water runs out.
Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor M.
You may recall when the Obama White House sponsored a summit for “Muslim entrepreneurs”— which they described as focusing on entrepreneurs from
Indonesiasendsaboutcommunitiescountries“Muslim-majorityandMuslimaroundtheworld.”AsidefromtroublingquestionswhatmessagethistobusinesspeoplefromtheArabWorldororelsewherewhomaynotbeMuslim James J Zogby
A house onStopfireabusing religion the state having to define climate crisis threatens
YousafEditorNizami Dedicated to
The writer is President of the Arab American Institute the legacy late Hameed Nizami A. Niazi Ahmad “I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to act like your house is on fire, because it is.” Greta Thunberg worded this statement in its truest sense for the world is facing the climate change crisis which is an existential threat. But this crisis has become worse for the developing world as it stands fighting economic recession, sociopolitical deterioration and many other non-traditional security threats. Pakistan faces the climate crisis as an existential threat at the same time it faces many other problems. It has become hard to comprehend what is more devastating for Pakistan at the point. The ravaging political environment or the natural environment itself, as it seems Pakistan is merely a click away from spiraling into complete destruction? Despite the fact that in historical terms, Pakistan has stayed one of those countries which contributed minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, for the last two decades, it has been suffering from a worsening climate change situation at home. The floods in 2010-2011 caused destruction on an unprecedented scale and it took years to rehabilitate the affected areas. Since then, climate change events like urban heat-waves, glacier meltdowns, glacial lake outburst floods, atypical thunderstorms, flash floods and so on, have been occurring more than usual. Currently, as of this moment, Pakistan is facing floods across the country at an unprecedented scale yet again. This year’s monsoon rains have caused havoc across the country. There have been eight spells of monsoon already and as per the reports of the Meteorological Department a ninth spell is expected to enter the country around mid-September and heavy rainfall is expected in the north-west and south-east areas across all four provinces. At a time when floods are in process of ruining everything coming in their path, a new spell of heavy rains across the country may prove to be fatal.
The big question here is what brought us to this critical point? The answer is simple. Like everything else in our governance matters, climate change crisis management has been neglected for the last two decades. Although Pakistan adopted its first comprehensive National Climate Change Policy in 2012, it has seen zero to no progress in its implementation. Many reviews were undertaken in this policy in later years along with supplementary national policies on hazardous substances, forestation, sanitation and electric vehicles etc. However, owing to the continuous political instability and change of governments, a thorough implementation of climate related policies in the country has been a far-fetched dream. Successive governments have neglected the fact that Pakistan has been on the red list of climate change-related crises despite been warned by International agencies and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Governance has been an issue with the country since its inception 75 years ago. Nevertheless, today, poor governance coupled with a debilitating economy and extreme political instability has manifested the hugely vulnerable position of AnotherPakistan.issuewith climate change mitigation and adaptation is the 18th Amendment and lack of interprovincial coordination and cooperation, and federal-provincial ties. As a result, many climate-related reforms, development projects and management related policies have faced a dead end. In addition to that, climate-related policies have deeply been politicized in the country and thus an acute political polarization has taken away the good of that. Nationalistic politics has been played on issues of new dams, forestation, new irrigation systems, and administrative devolution, among other things.
‘good’ versus ‘bad’ Islam? The
A farewell to hybrid Freedomdemocracyof speech
For reasons beyond the scope of this short piece, when dealing with Islam, political leaders, media commentators, and ordinary folk here in the West appear intent on using religious language to describe every aspect of life and all forms of behaviour, both good and bad, as “Muslim.” In doing so, we create confusion for ourselves and others, leading at times, to incoherence and some very strange policies.
The first and foremost goal must be of political stability. This is necessary to create a national consensus on climate change and bring about necessary economic rehabilitative policies to steer the country into economic growth
Why is
everything 06-07 Comments - 7th September 2022_Layout 1 9/6/2022 11:38 PM Page 1
of
Dr Umair ashraf
The writer can be reached at drumairashraf95@gmail.com
washington watch Dr
B Y the time this editorial had started being written, the topic under discussion was the unfair and arbitrary closure of BOL News, a television channel most critical of the incumbent government. By the time it was filed the government had outdone itself and had, prima facie, blocked YouTube across the nation’s internet during a massive rally of former prime minister ImranThekhan.powers that be just don’t learn. During the previous government, they had taken worse steps. The decision on BOLhas at least come through a PEMRA notification. That decision is justiciable, just the way IBC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had overturned the one on ARY. But during the previous government, channels used to simply go off air in certain parts of the country without explanation; enabled by an arm-twisting of the cable operators, some of whom are more than ready to oblige without any pressure. And then, there was the unannounced ban on certain newspapers being distributed in certain areas; censorship tactics that had fallen behind the times by the second half of the 20th century. In the case of BOLNews, the reason cited, that of a lack of security clearance, seems to have been realized at a rather convenient time. Akin to an airline pilot’s credentials being revoked after 10 years, only when he started raising his voice against management. There is no way a democracy and modern polity can be run this way. The freedom of expression- and access to information- is an inalienable right of citizens in any democracy. It is about time we got that out of the way. Nations that merely hold elections, and those, too, in a shadowy and opaque manner, cannot be called democracies. And the spirit of the Argumentative Indian, as Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen calls it, renders us unable to accept anything other than an open democracy, one the lends itself to open debate. Let the newspaper routes, the airwaves, and the internet gateways, be free from state suppression, if not regulation.
B ACk in the 1960s Americans were deeply divided on matters of war and race—and Christians in America were on both sides of the divide. While Reverend Martin Luther king Jr. and religious leaders associated with his Southern Christian Leadership Conference led protests and committed acts of civil disobedience demanding civil rights, they were countered by white Christian preachers in the south who warned of the dangers of violating God’s will by ignoring the punishment God had meted out to the “sons of Ham.” And while New York’s Catholic Cardinal Francis Spellman traveled to Vietnam to bless U.S. troops as they battled “godless Communism,” a Jesuit priest, Daniel Berrigan, led fellow clergymen and women in protests against the war, often resulting in their arrest and imprisonment (in one case, for burning the Selective Service files of young men who were to be drafted to serve in the military). During this entire period, I do not recall Christianity being described as a warlike or racist faith. Nor do I recall king and Berrigan being referred to as “Christian protesters.” We did not engage in drawn out theological debates in an effort to determine which interpretation of Christianity was correct. Rather we defined these individuals by what they did. There were either “segregationists” or “civil rights leaders,” not “Christian segregationists” or “Christian civil rights leaders.” They were “supporters of the war” or “peace activists, not “Christian supporters of the war” or “Christian peace activists.” What we may have understood, at least implicitly, was that just because a person or institution uses religious language to validate certain behaviours that does not make their behaviour “religious.” Nor does this behaviour define, by itself, the religion to which the person or institution adheres. This is something that many in the West still understand, at least when it comes to Christianity. Despite President George W. Bush indicating that America was carrying out God’s will in the Iraq war, we knew not to refer to that conflict as a “Christian” war. This understanding, however, has not carried over to our discussion of Islam.
06 Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 COMMENT
For example, faced with the threat of individuals and groups using the religious language of Islam to validate their acts of terror, we refer to them as “Muslim terrorists.” But then because we recognize that they represent only a tiny fraction of Muslims, we maintain that they “don’t speak for Islam.” This then leads us down the tortuous path of attempting to define what is “good” Islam versus “bad” Islam— creating a kind of “state-sanctioned” interpretation of a faith— something we understood not to do when it involvesAnotherChristianity.example: A colleague, for whom I have the greatest respect, wrote a book in which he first correctly debunks the notion of “Muslim terrorists,” but then goes on to write a chapter about “Muslim oil”— by which he means oil coming from Gulf and Central Asian and some African countries. If “Muslim oil” can be defined in this way, does that make US and Canadian oil “Christian” or “secular democratic” oil? Should we consider Venezuelan oil “Bolivarian” oil? You may recall when the Obama White House sponsored a summit for “Muslim entrepreneurs”— which they described as focusing on entrepreneurs from “Muslim-majority countries and Muslim communities around the world.” Aside from troubling questions about what message this sends to businesspeople from the Arab World or Indonesia or elsewhere who may not be Muslim, or what local sectarian tensions such an effort may exacerbate, what exactly is a “Muslim entrepreneur”? Or, for that matter, what is a “Christian entrepreneur” or “Hindu entrepreneur”?Wecontinue to hold the line on treating Christianity and the acts of its nominal adherents in a similar fashion. When Donald Trump had troops disperse “Black Lives Matter” demonstrators in front of the White House so he could march through Lafayette Square and pose in front of St John’s Church holding up a Bible, was that a Christian action? When the Republican candidate for governor of Pennsylvania proclaims himself to be a “Christian Nationalist,” do we accept that at face value? At the end of the day, there are xenophobic nationalists, there are terrorists, there is oil, and there are people who start up and run businesses. They are better defined by what they do and not by their faith. For government or the rest of us to insist on defining them by faith, or even how they describe themselves or how they define their actions, is at best careless. It also runs the risk of Western governments treading into the murky waters of defining “good” or acceptable religion, or of applying a religious litmus test on groups which, in itself, makes a political statement that is most certainly none of our business, and can be dangerous.
…and access to information Leave politics to politicians
T HE establishment’s experiment of running the country jointly with the PTI’s civilian government, with both sides reading from the same page, was bound to turn sour. Bad governance in Punjab, the largest province of the country, marked by too frequent bureaucratic reshuffles, gross mismanagement of the national economy leading to wheat, sugar and fertilizer shortages, and a defective foreign policy leading to complaints from friendly countries, led the Army to belatedly realize that it was bound to be criticized for the failures of the PTI government. The patronization of the PTI however continued till then PM Imran khan was seen to be interfering in the Army’s sphere. The PTI chief refused to allow the ISI chief to be transferred in accordance with the schedule announced by the ISPR. With the opposition trying to dislodge Mr khan, he maintained that he needed the spy chief he relied upon to counter the opposition’s machinations. This was somethingunheard of in matters related to army transfers. The experiment in hybrid democracy was harmful as it led rulers to rely on, and look up to, the establishment rather than the people. Similarly it led to relaxation in Army discipline. As the opposition initiated the no-confidence move against Imran khan, the Army decided to turn neutral. Mr khan reacted strongly against this. According to the PTI leadership it was the duty of the Army to act as a vigilant watchmen to foil the conspiracies hatched by dacoits and looters. Mr khan referred to the no-confidence move as a foreign conspiracy and accused the ‘neutrals’ of playing the role of Mir Jaffar and Mir Qasim. Instead of burning its fingers in political experiments like hybrid democracy or government by technocrats, the establishment would do well to look after national defence and help the affected population facing the raincum-flood disaster. The army possesses the necessary training and has the required means to help the suffering millions. It should leave politics to politicians. With the courts and the Election Commission of Pakistan working freely and the media performing its duty without restrictions, the system is capable of rectifying any abnormalities and meeting major challenges.
Furthermore, the Meteorological Department, disaster management authorities and related ministries are not only ill-equipped, lack capacity but are entirely corrupt. The results we see today are nothing but destruction and ruination across the country. As per latest satellite imagery, approx.. 55000 sq km of the country is inundated, 33 million people are internally displaced and rehabilitation costs standing at $10 billion. The proverbial, “A stitch in time saves nine” happens to be the truest for Pakistan today. But at the same time, it is never too late, and also remains there for the country. In order to evade future climate related disasters, which are to come one after another, the country needs to revisit its priorities at all levels.
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
Joint Editor Umar ExecutiveAzizEditorAziz-ud-Din
07 Wednesday, 7 September, 2022
Editor’s mail
Climate Justice for Global South shUraim ahmaD malik
The writer is a freelance columnist
Polarisation has been naturally precipitated when elite capture, cartelisation, patronage, cronyism, social injustice and economic disparity were practised in the name of democracy. We would do well to remember the Quaid’s considered view that corruption was a cancer, and his strong directives to ensure adherence to the oath of one’s service. All organs of the state bear a collective responsibility for our failures, including the media that claims to be the ‘fourth pillar’. None remains unfettered even today when elite capture rules the roost by excluding the saner voices. All state functionaries are duty-bound to serve the people who pay for their upkeep and expect them to deliver on good governance in line with their designated responsibilities and accountabilities. Most political parties and politicians have been ‘midwifed’ into government by dictators who have periodically usurped power and who were facilitated by the ‘doctrine of necessity’.
Profits and priorities
ZIAKARACHIHASHMI
All fossil fuel subsidies must be halted at the earliest, which according to the IMF were $5.9 trillion or 6.8 percent of the global GDP in 2020 and are expected to surge up to $7.4 trillion by 2025. Additionally, international banks must stop funding new fossil fuels projects to prevent the climate from further deterioration and instead, long-term funding sources must be created to help the global south’s transition to climate friendly infrastructure. The provision of $100 billion in climate finance to the developing countries must be ensured as soon as possible, and as it is not enough, consensus must be made to increase this amount gradually. Mitigation finance remains the main focus of the global north as of now, but in order to make applicative strides towards countering the climate crisis, adaptation finance must get due attention as well. Green energy is the way to go if the global community wishes to survive, and for that the infrastructure overhaul in the global south is the responsibility of the developed countries, because it is their mess which is causing devastation in the low-income countries.
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WITH India continuing to trouble its own minority communities, the United kingdom, which colonised the subcontinent for long, continues to shamelessly look the other way. A YouGov opinion poll says three in four British people believe the Empire is something to be proud of rather than ashamed of. They also think it left its colonies better off and a third would like it to still exist. The subcontinent, which comprised Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, possessed some of the richest cultures across the globe. Many modern-day conventions sprout from these lands and their layered heritage is unrivalled.
The Mughal Empire, which ruled over the majority of India until the British took over, has gone down in history as one of the most reasonable and fair keepers of any ancient society. Religion and tradition together created a unified, prosperous society. Many people who took part in the YouGov poll would probably resort to the ‘good’ aspects the British Empire brought, like railways, political concepts and education. The disenchanting reality is that these are all paper-mâché medals drenched in cheap, acrylic paint that have been embedded into the British education system. While the British did build the first railway system in India, this luxury was reserved for whites only. It was used for trade purposes; simply a transport system that carried the fruit of British exploitation. Western politics may have banned some inhuman practices, but what school history lessons miss out on is the fact that colour-based discrimination was built into the justice system. A white man killing a brown man would receive 20 months in jail. A brown man stealing from a white man would receive 20 years in jail. Are people seriously confusing historic ‘Western politics’ with institutional racism?
COMMENT Crown
Finally, it is rather rich to believe that we enjoy freedom of speech or expression as our fundamental right. Rule of law has to be applied equitably and universally, and should not be cherry-picked.
T HE recent torrential rainfall that wreaked havoc on various parts of Pakistan follows a calamitous pattern of climate change in the global south. Today, millions of people in the developing countries are facing the brunt of exploitation of the earth’s climate perpetrated by the global north. Excessive flooding, extreme rainfall and blistering heatwaves are spawning immense destruction in the regions south of the equator, mainly due to the industrial activities that started in the 18thcentury in Europe. By the time the global community sensed the downsides of using carbon-based fuels (crude oil, coal, natural gas) for energy consumption, the water was already above the head and millions of people were paying with their lives, livelihoods and homes– mostly in the global south. As soon as the developed countries started advocating the use of clean energy sources– hydropower, solar, wind energy– instead of relying on carbon-emitting fossils, to save the global environment from further deterioration, the developing countries came up with an unprecedented narrative of ‘climate Justice.’ It says that global climate was atrociously exploited by the global north to an extent that in contemporary times, global south is bearing the dire consequences of it. To put it into perspective, the developed countries have, historically, contributed around 92 percent of the excess carbon dioxide emissions that are now ravaging the lives of the people residing in relatively poor countries. For instance, Pakistan contributes less than one percent towards the global emissions of greenhouse gases but it is constantly ranked among the top ten countries most affected by climate change. Similarly, the entire African continent has contributed only three percent of the total global carbon emissions, but currently African countries are encountering the most dreadful consequences of climate change. On top of that, the developing countries are now being coerced to instantly halt the use of fossil fuels for energy purposes and to adopt renewable energy sources in order to prevent an utter desolation of the planet. While the efforts to keep the Earth’s ecosystem livable for miscellaneous species are comprehensible, the major concern for developing countries remains that climate change has not impacted every region of the world in a uniform manner. The industrial activities of the profityearning capitalists in the developed countries are responsible for the incumbent catastrophic situation of the earth’s climate, hence there exists an additional responsibility on the global north to pay reparations to the global south for the damages they have caused. Moreover, the global south being poor would require huge financial assistance to establish necessary infrastructure in order to confront the harrowing threats of climate change. In response, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) was established after the Cancun’s COP 16 in 2010 at which world leaders pledged to allocate $100 billion per year in climate finance to the developing countries from 2020 onwards, so that they could address the gruesome impacts of climate change to the best of their capacities. However, only $83.3 billion was mobilized for climate finance in 2020 as per the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), well below the intended target of $100 billion. For this reason, the pledged amount of $100 nillion is now to be reached by the year 2023, provided that all the anticipated courses of action remain intact. This goes to show the seriousness of the developed countries with respect to furthering the climate mitigation and adaptation endeavours, when the actual cost of the climate impacts is estimated to be around $5.9 trillion by 2030. All hue and cry of the global north to incentivize the vulnerable nations least responsible for causing climate change, to curb their carbon emissions, is all but a fallacious manifestation of perfidy especially when the climate mitigation efforts are being dealt with by loans– to be paid back– and not grants. Oxfam reported in 2020 that 80 percent of the total climate finance awarded to the developing countries were actually loans, which in turn continues to plunge the climate-affected countries into a debt cycle, indebting them to those who are actually responsible for their sufferings. Moreover, the fossil-fuels companies in the developed countries are constantly lobbying to block the efforts to regulate carbon emissions and running malicious PR campaigns to discredit viable energy alternatives. These giant companies, instead of coping with the green climate agenda, are negotiating for and setting up their plants in the global south to avoid carbon taxation and the carbon cap– maximum carbon emissions– sanctioned in their states. As things stand, the world is on its way to a disastrous 2.4˚C rise in global temperature by the end of the century. Fossil fuels still make up around 80 percent of the global energy and will continue to do so in the near future, and the global south will keep on suffering from its repercussions.Iftheglobal community is actually serious about mitigating the climate crisis and shifting towards renewable energy sources, they must first ensure climate justice for the global south. The burdensome debts foisted on the low-income countries must be waived as they spend much more on servicing these debts than dealing with the challenges of climate change in the first place. Just like the war crimes and mass genocide, ecocide must be made an international crime so that no can dare to vandalize the earth’s climate.
Finally, education in the form of degree qualification is just a blatant lie. The first university was founded by Fatima Al-Fihri in Morocco in 859AD. The Mughals brought her convention along with other developments to India at a time when the British did not even allow fundamental rights, such as women attending a university, during the 19th century. After the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, social reform has risen from the ashes of historical racism. People of colour are no longer bowing to the wrath of Western bigotry. It is time to acknowledge the raw truth of our ancestral past, and teach the children the difference between prowess and prejudice. British rapacity ignited communal discord as part of its divide-and-rule policy. It is this very policy that lies at the heart of human rights violations in India today. If the British are wondering about what they have to do with this, they have to look no farther than the kohinoor diamond that sits rather uneasily on the queen’s crown.
The colonisers called it the jewel in the crown as it had abundant natural resources: notably precious material, spices and fertile land.
PAkISTAN is known for its biodiversity, including endemic wildlife species, and is home to spectacular wild animals and birds. Unfortunately, a lot of exotic animals are close to extinction. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Pakistan’s climate change ministry have compiled a list of critically endangered species. Over 50 species in the list are on the verge of extinction. These include snow leopards, flare-horned markhors, Marco Polo sheep, Ladakh urial, musk deer, brown bear, woolly lying squirrel, Indus River dolphin, tigers, cheetahs, golden mahaseer, green sea turtles, long billed vultures, yellow eyes pigeons, vole, caracal and mountain gorillas. Climate change, anthropogenic activities, such as habitat fragmentation, poaching, hunting, killing, and anti-environment practices lead to extinction. The general population should be made aware of the importance of wildlife conservation. The extinction of animals should be treated seriously. If these endangered species continue to vanish at the current pace, Pakistan will lose the magnificence of its landscape.
WHILE people are generally trying to help the flood victims to the extent that they can, there are those busy making undue profit even during such hard times. People in Larkana are victims at the hands of such a mafia. Since the demand for plastic sheets for covering rooftops of mud houses during rains has increased, the price of the per-metre plastic sheet has rocketed to Rs300, which otherwise was Rs50. Prioritising profit over human lives and misery is utterly shameful.
Conservation of wildlife
HAKIM HUSSAIN HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND Enemy inside AS a nation, had we been duly vaccinated with Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s pearls of wisdom at our birth 75 years ago, we surely would not have been left traumatised and truncated before age 25, and would not have been hobbling along since then like a polio-stricken victim. Pity the nation that indulges in self-denial and imagines its enemies elsewhere. That fact is that we shattered Jinnah’s dream early on. Singling out politicians and demonising them alone is condescending and unfair.
ARIBA HYDERABADALI
MUJEEB ALI LARKANASAMO
06-07 Comments - 7th September 2022_Layout 1 9/6/2022 11:38 PM Page 2
rECOrD-BrEAKING MONSOON rAINFALL It is tempting to ask if an extreme weather event was “caused by” climate change, but this is often the wrong question, at least if you expect a binary answer. Instead, scientists like us ask whether and by how much climate change affected the likelihood and intensity of the event. This is known as “extreme event attribution”. In this case, the flooding was caused by an extreme monsoon season. Pakistan is on the far western edge of the South Asian monsoon region, with a mostly arid desert climate. It is only sometimes affected by an offshoot of the monsoon, and generally receives far less rainfall than parts of India at the same latitudes. However, record rainfall fell over Pakistan in several bursts from mid-June to late August with large swathes of the country receiving a completely unprecedented 500%700% of their usual August rain.
The dystopian summer, in conjunction with sky-high energy prices in Europe, does seem to be having some effect. The Daily Telegraph, generally a gung-ho advocate of fossil fuels and fracking, ran a column on Friday arguing that renewables were the “only way out of this mess”. Yet politicians everywhere are still found wanting. The reality gap appears particularly pronounced in the uK. The governments of many European countries, notably Spain, Germany and France, have seen the crises as an opportunity to slowly reduce gas use and increase energy efficiency. In the uK, however, the two Tory leadership candidates, rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, are happier spouting inanities about solar panels spoiling farms than proposing coherent policies that would ultimately bring down emissions and energy bills. Ambitious climate strategies in richer countries will also reduce the risk of extreme heatwaves and flooding in poorer nations. Pakistan contributes less than 1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Tribune O ur bio-technologists and scientists deserve a huge pat on the back for developing the quadrivalent Human Papilloma Virus (qHPV) vaccine, called Cervavac. Along with hoisting India high up in the global medico-pharma fraternity, it promises to enable a big leap towards preventive and affordable protection against the second most common form of cancer — of the cervix — among 15-to-44-year-old women in India. The vaccine, approved after phase 3 clinical trials, was found to be 100 per cent safe and efficacious against the HPV, which is responsible for 85 per cent of such cancers. Being indigenously made, Cervavac is expected to cost rs 200-400 as against the imported ones available for rs 2,800 to rs 3,300 per dose. The excitement — as well as the debate — around this vaccine is understandable as all women are at risk of developing this cancer that is caused by the sexually transmitted HPV infection. While in most women this infection resolves on its own, in some cases, it goes on to become carcinogenic. regular precautionary screenings, such as Pap smear tests, can help in the early detection and cure of cervical cancer, but preventive healthcare being minimal in our country, diagnosis usually comes very late. An estimated 1.25 lakh such cases are diagnosed annually in India and around 75,000 deaths make up for nearly one-fourth of the global fatalities due to this disease every year. Now, with Cervavac set to roll out in a few months for our 50 million girls in the 9-14-year bracket with the aim of inoculating them under the national immunisation programme, there is hope that this prophylactic injection would minimise, if not eliminate, the chances of this deadly disease inflicting them. While the Covid vaccination drive has shown the way towards overcoming logistical challenges, the policymakers must bear in mind that a good response comes from free-of-cost shots only. And, once this at-high-risk group is covered, there is a plan to cover older women and even men (against some cancers) as well as sell the vaccine to the world at large. It’s a cautiously positive prognosis for all stakeholders concerned.
Kate Jeffery, a professor of behavioural neuroscience at university College London, compares people’s reactions to the Covid crisis. “People were personally affected by a very direct danger, yet despite all the evidence about the dangers of the virus, we saw very bizarre behaviour with people not getting vaccinated, not avoiding hazardous situations and not wearing masks,” she says. The reasons why people seemingly ignore problems that threaten their very existence are complex and depend largely on how we assess risks, says Jeffery. “We tend to think we configure our beliefs based on evidence, but I increasingly think that this is not the case.” Instead, we rationalise our beliefs in retrospect, she adds, and it is our beliefs – irrational and distant from reality as they may be – that drive our behaviour. We – politicians, businesses and individuals – therefore largely accept that climate change is real. An Office for National Statistics survey from October 2021 showed that three-quarters of British adults were very or somewhat worried about the impacts of a warming world. We rationalise our polluting behaviours, however, by telling ourselves that personal change is “pointless” unless everybody is else is also doing just as much. Likewise, we prefer to prioritise short-term needs – winning an election or immediate gratification – over long-term aims. And while disasters, like that unfolding in Pakistan, may inspire some to act, they may “frighten others so much that they simply shut down”, Jeffery says. The psychoanalyst Sally Weintrobe also underlines the “need to understand how different groups and different parts of the mind perceive the threat of climate change very differently”. She doubts that many of those currently in charge are actually capable of solving climate change because they are “driving the problem” with their “ideological bent, focused on encouraging and enabling large corporations and short-term profit”. Weintrobe describes this “narrow-minded, rigid way of seeing” as “stale and stuck”. Truss and Sunak embody a “very stuck position” with their calls for tax cuts and attacks on “woke culture”, she says. For Weintrobe, such attitudes are part of today’s “culture of uncare”, which obfuscates reality and uses “predatory delay” to block change and allow the “final bit of profit to be squeezed” out of the system. Per Espen Stoknes, a Norwegian psychologist and Green politician, has identified what he calls the “five Ds” of psychological defence that prevent people from engaging with climate change, namely Distancing, Doom, Dissonance, Denial and iDentity. This summer’s extreme weather “has the capacity to blow away the psychological distance”, he admits, but insists that any change is likely only to be short-term. Once the “autumn rains hit, people’s interest will fall”, he says. “The media will move on, politicians will be off the hook again and denial about the seriousness of the situation will creep back in. Politicians are not interested in solving climate change, but in positioning themselves for next round of the elections; they will only properly engage with climate action if they believe it will make a difference to whether they win or lose.” Like Jeffrey he underlines that we all use fossil fuels and so, to some degree, are all responsible. “Disaster or guilt framing can make people start to avoid the issue,” he says. If you are caught stealing chocolate, you don’t stop eating it, you just become better at hiding your guilty secret, he suggests. Similarly, we create cognitive dissonance by admitting that climate change is real, but saying that “Covid is over and we really need a holiday” to justify aeroplane travel. And even though more people appear to be getting involved in climate protests, Stoknes suggests it is still too easy for conservative politicians to dismiss activists as “tree huggers” who want to “take away individual freedoms”. Changing this state of affairs in the short time scientists say we have left to avoid the most dangerous levels of climate change is, to say the least, “challenging”, says Stoknes. He sees “story telling”, the sharing of personal stories that show the real advantages of cleaner energy systems, as the key to change. When electric vehicles were given access to bus lanes in Norway, people thought “lucky b*******”, he comments, and traded in their fossil fuel cars so that they too could speed ahead unimpeded. Weintrobe agrees that personal stories can help to ignite transformation. “We have to keep plugging away,” she says, urging the media to “really keep on it” rather than dropping the ball once the floods recede and the heatwaves and forest fires die down. “We don’t have time to wait for climate change to get worse before people wake up. Many people are awake already, but they are terrified and are trying to change the conversation. If people are not supported in such a frightening situation, there is a danger they will turn to illusion and the false belief that they will be magically saved.”
It is vital we better understand cause and effect in the observed changes, to help us make best use of our finite resources and ultimately save lives and money.
new STaTeSman PhiliPPa Nuttall a T least 33 million people affected. More than 300,000 homes destroyed. Over 1,000 people dead. Pakistan is in the midst of a “serious climate catastrophe”, in the words of Sherry rehman, the country’s climate change minister. The devastating floods, caused by an extreme monsoon and melting glaciers, may leave a third of the country under water. They come as Europe suffers the worst drought in 500 years and China’s rivers run dry after its most intense heatwave. Few places around the world have been spared the ravages of floods, fires, heatwaves or droughts this summer. Yet even in the midst of destruction our collective cognitive dissonance continues to keep radical global climate action at arm’s length. People are increasingly taking part in direct action, but there is also despair, panic, even self-harm as the reality of climate change sinks in and governments remain seemingly oblivious to the discrepancy between their fine words and their flaky policies. Caroline Hickman, a psychotherapist at the university of Bath, attributes most climate anxiety not to the actual fact of global warming but to the lack of action from politicians to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A THIRD OF THE COUNTRY MAY SOON BE UNDER WATER. WILL WE EVER DECIDE IT IS TIME TO FORCE DOWN EMISSIONS?
YET ANOTHER COST OF CLIMATE CHANGE?
Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 08 WORLD VIEW ConverSaTion Friederike OttO aNd luke harriNgtON P AKISTAN is experiencing the most devastating and widespread floods in its history, with the country’s climate minister saying waters have reached across a third of the nation. The growing tally of impacts is dire. More than 1,100 people have been killed, a million homes have been destroyed and 33 million people have been directly affected. Total damage estimates exceed $10 billion, and further disruption to the country’s economy and critical food production is inevitable.
On August 25, the government declared a national emergency. António Guterres, the united Nations secretary-general, said that this is a signal to the world to step up climate action, warning: “Today, it’s Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country.” At a very broad level, this is certainly justified. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, extreme rainfall is becoming more frequent and intense in many parts of the world due to human emissions of greenhouse gases. And this effect will continue to increase with emissions. However, for individual events that have such profound impacts on society, it is critical to investigate the influence of climate change (or lack thereof) in more detail. While the IPCC statement holds globally, its most recent report states it has only “low confidence” in how much climate change is to blame for increased heavy rains in South Asia.
PROACTIVE IS FAR CHEAPER THAN REACTIVE: Pakistan is undoubtedly on the front lines of climate change. In the ongoing flooding, it is clear that climate change has at minimum played a role in amplifying this event. At worst, it created a compounding set of circumstances causing millions of additional people to suffer than otherwise might have. Projections are very clear that with further climate change, Pakistan is a hotspot for increases in extreme rainfall. The country must prepare for future flooding to avoid similar or even worse disasters. To do so, international adaptation funding must increase to match rich countries’ overwhelming contribution to this new climate.
even Pakistan’s devastating floods won’t inspire a green revolution
in Pakistan, what Part did Climate Change Play in Causing this mOnsOOn’s devastating flOOds?
08 WORLD VIEW 7th September 22_Layout 1 9/6/2022 10:03 PM Page 1
CanCerCerviCalvax
PROJECTIONS ARE VERY CLEAR THAT WITH FURTHER CLIMATE CHANGE, PAKISTAN IS A HOTSPOT FOR INCREASES IN EXTREME RAINFALL. THE COUNTRY MUST PREPARE FOR FUTURE FLOODING TO AVOID SIMILAR OR EVEN WORSE DISASTERS
THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE SAYS IT HAS ONLY ‘LOW CONFIDENCE’ IN HOW MUCH CLIMATE CHANGE IS TO BLAME FOR INCREASED HEAVY RAINS IN SOUTH ASIA
Big leap for women’s preventive healthcare
Officials from the Pakistan Meteorological Department blamed climate change for the unusual monsoon activity and flooding, for a range of reasons. In 2021, the IPCC reported that there has been a significant increase in heavy rainfall events in south Asia in recent decades. There is some evidence that this is due to human-caused climate change. However, there is limited agreement between different assessed studies, and factors other than climate change, such as irrigation, are known to influence monsoons. Confidence is therefore too low to make any concrete attribution statements without further investigation. Before a dedicated study is available, similar events in the recent past can hold clues to current events. Pakistan last experienced flooding on a similar scale in 2010, which at the time was labelled by Guterres’ predecessor at the united Nations, Ban Ki-moon, as the worst disaster he’d ever seen. Two separate attribution studies assessed this event. unfortunately, neither provided evidence that the models used were up to the task. Therefore, even though one of them found an increase due to human climate change, we cannot be very confident in this result. Clues as to the role of climate change can also come from aspects that contributed to this disaster. There are three main factors. First, extreme rainfall. A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture. For every degree the atmosphere warms it can hold about 6%-7% more moisture, which often results in more rain falling during the most extreme events (south Asia has warmed around 0.7°C since 1900). Had this event happened in a world where carbon dioxide concentrations were instead at pre-industrial levels, the rains probably would have been less intense. Second, the monsoon itself, which is highly complex and variable. It forms in South Asia in the summer, when air over land warms faster than air over the sea, which creates a flow of air onto the land. The winds bring great volumes of moisture that precipitate into deluges when they meet higher ground, especially the Himalayas.unusualmonsoon rains over Pakistan have some predictability. They occur when multiple phenomena coincide, including a La Niña event in the Pacific and large meanders in the high-altitude jet stream, as was the case in both 2010 and this year. There is emerging evidence that this confluence of factors may occur more regularly as the climate changes. If such trends continue, then flooding in Pakistan and other simultaneous extremes across the northern Hemisphere will happen more often in the future. Pakistan also experienced extended and brutal heatwaves in May and June this year, which were amplified by climate change. This heat amplified the monsoonal “thermal low” – a low-pressure system created by hot air rising rapidly – which greatly enhanced the flow of moisture-laden air onto southern Pakistan. Third, Pakistan has more than 7,000 glaciers in its northern mountainous regions. As these glaciers melt, their waters contribute to the flooding. This melting is driven to a large degree by climate change and is especially prominent this year as a result of the heatwave.
lahore Staff report A relief package was given to the flood victims through Al-Khidmat Foundation. The Governor of Punjab Mr. Muhammad Balighur Rahman was also there on this occasion. He appreciated the efforts of Chiq brand, he said that in this difficult time, Chiq brand's assistance to the flood victims is commendable. On behalf of Chiq Brand Manager Farrukh Bashir, Marketing Manager Muhammad Imran and Deputy Marketing Manager Muhammad Usman Khawaja were also there. Brand manager Farrukh Bashir said that we are with our brothers trapped in the flood in this hour of trouble. National Manager Al Khidmat Foundation Mian Babar Hameed expressed gratitude for the relief package given by Chiq brand.
LAHORE: Lahore Ghymkhana Chairman Misbahur Rehman presents a cheque for Rs20 to Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi for CM’s Flood Relief Fund. Staff Photo Chiq Brand hands over relief goods to Al-Khidmat Foundation for flood victims at Governor house Man injured as policeman opens fire for not stopping car karachi Staff CorreSpondent A man was injured in Shah Faisal Colony of Karachi on Tuesday after a policeman opened fire at the vehicle for failing to stop. According to details, the man – identified as Abdul Hameed – was passing by the Shah Faisal Colony in Karachi when police asked him to stop his car. However, when the vehicle didn’t stop, the policeman opened fire on him and a bullet hit Abdul Hameed. The police immediately shifted the injured man to hospital for medical treatment. Meanwhile, the policeman – who opened fire at the vehicle – was arrested. Additional Inspector-General (AIG) Javed Alam noted that an investigation into the matter was launched. “The officer who opened fire was immediately detained,” he added. Meanwhile, station house officer (SHO) Shah Faisal claimed that the man – Abdul Hameed – was owner of a showroom located at Numaish Chowrangi.
Following PM's Announcement of FCA's relief package for the month of June, 1.8 million eligible electricity consumers across Ke serviced territory in Karachi and adjoining regions are receiving benefit and being delivered adjusted bills for August at their doorsteps with extended due dates. The announcement of June's FCA relief has come in two parts, it was first announced for Non-ToU Residential Consumers having electricity consumption up to 200 units in June, and later it was extended to the same category of consumers with power consumption up to 300 units in June following the announcement by the Government of Pakistan. While the revised bills for August are being delivered to the consumers on their premises, it is also important to note that all those eligible consumers who have already paid their non-revised August bills will receive adjusted bills for the month of September. Commenting on the matter, Spokesperson K-electric said, "We are taking every possible measure to pass on the benefit to the qualifying consumers in line with the announcement made by the Honorable Prime Minister. Following the announcement of the relief package, our customer care centers operated for extended hours and remained open during the weekends for consumers' convenience. However, to further ease the procedure for their benefit, we are also delivering the bills to consumers' doorsteps so that they do not have to visit our centers physically. Ke Customers may also download their bills via Ke WhatsApp Service, Ke Live App and from the company’s website." While reiterating the eligibility criteria of the relief package, the Spokesperson further said, "June FCA's relief applies only to Non-ToU residential consumers who have a power consumption equal to or less than 300 units. All the remaining electricity consumers, such as ToU residential consumers, Non-ToU residential consumers having power consumption exceeding 300 units, commercial, and industrial consumers do not qualify for the relief, and thus, are requested to timely pay their bills to avoid late payment surcharge." "Our customer care platforms, including our call center 118, 8119 SMS service, and social media channels are also available 24/7 to answer any query from our consumers in this regard," the Spokesperson further added.
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Ibrahim Hasan Murad: Reviving the Spirit of 1965 lahore Staff report
Ke only integrated utility supplying electricity within a 6,500 km2 territory
Bestway Group, the country’s leading foreign investor, has announced financial and material support to the people of Pakistan of US$1.0 Million. In a statement released by Bestway Group in London, the Group CEO Lord Zameer Choudrey, CBE SI Pk said, “On behalf of our founder and Chairman Sir Anwar Pervez, OBE H Pk; let me reassure the people of Pakistan – the Bestway Group stands with them in this hour of unprecedented national tragedy”. “As part of our twopronged strategy we are actively providing immediate relief; and by working in partnership with local businesses and financial institutions we are putting in place long term sustainable measures so that we can rehabilitate the masses effected by this national tragedy”. In addition, in the United Kingdom Bestway Group has launched a fundraising campaign through the country’s largest independent wholesale and retail network, to compliment these measures. Lord Choudrey has announced that the Bestway Group will be organising a fundraising dinner on the 23rd of September 2022 at a Central London venue with over 500 people expected to attend. In Pakistan, Bestway Group subsidiaries, Bestway Cement Limited and United Bank Limited have set up dedicated medical camps; are distributing food parcels, cooked meals and providing vital banking facilities across the flood affected areas. Lord Choudrey acknowledged the contribution of the Group’s employees in providing these vital services during these unprecedented times and said “none of this would have been possible without our employees who have played and continue to play a pivotal role in these challenging circumstances and worked tirelessly to ensure we are servicing our local communities.
GoveRnMent UnIntentIonally PRoMoteS IllIcIt tRaDe
PAF operation underway for flood victims rehab
staff report
Bestway donates $1m to help flood affectees
1.8m KE consumers benefitting from PM's FAC relief package
Maritime Ministry donates Rs70m to PM's Relief Fund
The Government of Pakistan. Ministry of Maritime Affairs donated Rs70 million to Prime Minister's Flood Relief Fund. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Syed Faisal Ali Sabzwari called on the Honorable Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in his office today and presented the relief checks to the Prime Minister. Minister apprised the Prime Minister that Rs. 5 crores by Port Qasim Authority (PQA) and Rs. 2 crores by Karachi Port Trust (KPT) have been donated to the Prime Minister's Flood Relief Fund which was appreciated by the Prime Minister.
karachi Staff reporter
OCUMeNTeDsector has been drawing the government's attention to the fact that the higher taxes on cigarettes lead to higher down trading to cheap illegal cigarettes, denting billion of rupees to the nationalAccordingexchequer.to the experts, with every step to increase the taxes on cigarettes, a significant portion of smokers move to low-priced illegal cigarettes He said that the government's policy of taxing cigarettes to generate revenue, and make them inaccessible to the public is not proving fruitful due to the illicit trade in cigarettes. It is pertinent to mention that the market share of illicit cigarettes manufactured in the country has reached 40%, due to which the government is facing a loss of Rs 80 billion annually due to illegal trade in cigarettesAnnualalone.cigarette sales in Pakistan have been around 80 billion cigarette sticks for last several years, proving that the policy of reducing the smoking trend through tax hikes has failed due to illegal cigaretteFormercompanies.Chairman FBR Shabbar Zaidi has also cited high tax rates as a major cause of illicit trade in Pakistan. He said that in Pakistan cigarettes are the leading item in terms of economic losses of illicit trade. According to statistics, last fiscal year, Pakistan collected Rs 150 billion in taxes from cigarettes, while a target of Rs 200 billion has been set for the current financial year. However, he argued it would not be that easy for the tax apparatus to generate revenues to the tune of Rs200 billion from the tobacco sector because increased prices of cigarettes were highly likely to shift customers to cheap illicit brands. It is worth mentioning here that the two companies selling cigarettes legally accounted for 98% of the total taxes, while the tax share of more than 48 companies selling cigarettes was limited to 2% only. experts said that FBR has introduced a track and trace system to curb cigarette illicit trade. The success of the trace and track system requires that other laws and policies related to the tobacco industry be applied uniformly throughout the industry. Cigarettes manufactured in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being sold across the country much below the government mandated minimum price. Such a difference in price is possible only if taxes on cigarettes are not paid.
We need today the same unity and spirit that was exhibited by our nation to safeguard the motherland during the 1965 war. Ibrahim Hasan Murad, President of University of Management and Technology (UMT), expressed these views at the flag hoisting ceremony arranged to pay tributes to the martyrs of Defence Day on September 6. He praised the armed forces of Pakistan for protecting the country’s borders during the war of 1965. Mr. Murad said that we salute the sons, daughter of this great soil for laying down their lives in the defence of Pakistan. He added that the spirit of collective responsibility shown by the Pakistani nation during the war of 1965 was once again needed to cope with the humanitarian crisis in the wake of devastating floods. President UMT said that we all must work together to look after our countrymen who had lost everything in the flood.
09NEWS Wednesday 7 September 2022 | K AR ACH CORPORATE CORNER
islamabad Staff report D
staff report Pakistan, while commemorates the feats of valour of defense forces of Pakistan in 1965 war, Pakistan Air Force has pledged a new resolve to further enhance the flood relief and rehabilitation efforts of the flood effected areas of Pakistan. PAF will not forget our brothers and sisters on this historical day and flood relief efforts will continue with a renewed zeal and vigour. During this hour of need, PAF has been utilizing maximum resources for lessening the troubles of flood affectees. emergency Response Teams of Pakistan Air Force are working day and night to assist civil administration for swift rehabilitation of flood sufferers. Sorties of PAF helicopter and transport fleet are being operated for transportation of relief goods and rescue missions for safe evacuation of people stranded in the flood. During the last 24 hours, PAF teams have distributed 70 tents, 16189 cooked food packs, 1000 water bottles and 2331 ration packs consisting of basic food commodities amongst the needy families. Moreover, in addition to the provision of free food and shelter, 2012 patients were also attended by the medical teams of Pakistan Air Force in field medical camps of PAF.
karachi Staff report K-Electric (KE) is a public listed company incorporated in Pakistan in 1913 as KESC. Privatized in 2005, KE is the only vertically integrated utility in Pakistan supplying electricity within a 6500 km2 territory including Karachi and its adjoining areas. The majority shares (66.4%) of the company are listed in the PSX owned by KES Power, a consortium of investors including Aljomaih Power Limited of Saudi Arabia, National Industries Group (Holding), Kuwait, and the Infrastructure and Growth Capital Fund (IGCF).
GB governor, PBM MD discuss rehab of needy people islamabad Staff report Governor Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah discussed practical measures for relief and rehabilitation of the needy and poor people of Gilgit-Baltistan with Managing Director, Pakistan Baitul Mal (PBM), Amir Fida Paracha, during a meeting held here in PBM Head Office. Both the dignitaries reviewed the ongoing welfare projects of PBM in Gilgit-Baltistan and took a unanimous decision to enhance the efficacy and scopes of welfare projects. Governor Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah, while endorsing the poor-friendly policies of PBM, expressed the hope that this institution will make further progress in Social Protection field in coming days. PBM Managing Director, Amir Fida Paracha said the Shelter Home established in Gilgit-Baltistan will be further improved with the help of public-private partnership, and the poor, daily wage earners, laborers and others, who come for night stay and meal here, will be served with quality services giving them respect and care.
LOnDOn AFP British Prime Minister Boris Johnson formally tenders his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday, handing over power to Liz Truss after his momentous tenure dominated by Brexit and Covid-19 was cut short by scandal. Johnson, who was forced to quit after losing the support of dozens of his ministers, bids farewell from Downing Street before jetting to northeast Scotland to see the 96-year-old monarch. Normally the handover of power is a swift affair, with the outgoing and incoming leaders making a short trip to Buckingham Palace in central London. But both Johnson and Truss face a 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometre) round trip to the head of state’s remote Balmoral retreat in the Scottish Highlands. The queen opted not to return from her annual summer break for the brief ceremonial audience, after persistent health issues that have affected her ability to walk and stand. Johnson is due to arrive at 11:20 am (1020 GMT) at Balmoral, with Truss expected at 12:10 pm, royal officials said. At the meeting, which should last about 30 minutes, she will ask Truss, as the leader of the largest party in parliament, to form a government.
China logs hottest August since records began
Truss faces a daunting to-do list, with the UK in the grip of its worst economic crisis in decades.
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BRUSSELS Agencies
President Vladimir Putin attended large-scale military exercises on Tuesday involving China and several Russia-friendly countries as Moscow seeks to strengthen partnerships in Asia in the face of Western sanctions.Russia has found itself increasingly isolated as tensions between Moscow and Western capitals soared since Russia sent troops into proWestern Ukraine on February 24. Slapped with unprecedented sanctions from Washington and Brussels, Putin has pursued closer ties with countries in Africa, South America and Asia — especially China. Putin on Tuesday attended the Vostok-2022 manoeuvres that are being held in training grounds in Russia Far East and in the waters off its eastern coast, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told local newsPutinagencies.wasmeeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and military chief of staff Valery Gerasimov at the Sergeyevsky military range and would later observe the final phase of the military exercises, Peskov was quoted as saying. The drills, involving several of Russia’s neighbours, as well as Syria, India and key ally China, started on September 1 and are due to end Wednesday. According to Moscow, over 50,000 soldiers and more than 5,000 units of military equipment, including 140 aircraft and 60 ships, were to be involved in the drills.Similar drills were last held in 2018. Putin’s visit to Russia’s Far East will continue on Wednesday in the port city of Vladivostok where he is expected toaddress the Eastern Economic Forum. Over 5,000 people will be taking part in the four-day forum that kicked off on Monday with the largest delegation hailing from China, according to the Kremlin. At the forum’s plenary session Putin will be joined by China’s top legislator Li Zhanshu — who ranks third in the Chinese government hierarchy — with a bilateral meeting also on the agenda.
10 FOREIGN NEWS Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 | KARACHI
AgEnciES China has logged its hottest August since records began, state media reported Tuesday, following an unusually intense summer heat wave that parched rivers, scorched crops and triggered isolated blackouts.
Johnson to quit, Truss to take over as UK leader
European news agencies launch joint Brussels newsroom
Inflation is rampant and running at 40-year highs of 10.1 percent, with predictions of worse to come and recession as winter bites. Households face an 80 percent increase in gas and electricity bills from October, while businesses warn they could go to the wall from even biggerTruss,hikes.who touts herself as a freemarket liberal, has promised tax cuts to stimulate growth, despite warnings that greater borrowing could make inflation worse. The contrast to her beaten leadership rival Rishi Sunak’s more cautious approach has opened another rift in the Conservative party that was already divided by Johnson’s departure. Recent opinion polls suggest a sizeable chunk of the British public have no faith in her ability to tackle the cost-ofliving crisis.
A coalition of European news agencies, backed by funding from the European Commission, launched a new joint newsroom in Brussels on Tuesday. The 16 agencies — dpa, AFP, AGERPRES, ANSA, APA, ATA, Belga, BTA, EFE, Europa Press, FENA, HINA, MIA, STA, Tanjug and TASR — will share some resources to improve their coverage of European events. Journalists from the smaller European agencies will share workspaces in Belga’s Brussels headquarters and offices near EU headquarters, as well as training opportunities, experience and know-how. The hope is that by working more as a network, the agencies’ pooled resources will provide a deeper understanding of European news to readers in their home national markets. “More than ever, we need European news, we need to bring different perspectives together, because the challenges that we face go far beyond one single country,” EU Commission vice president Vera Jourova was to tell the launch event. “Let’s mention the current war launched by Russia against Ukraine, spiking energy prices or climate change. These issues know no borders, and to better grasp the full picture, your readers need a cross-border dimension.” The European Commission has provided 1.76 million euros ($1.75 million) to fund the project, which is coordinated by Germany’s DPA, and will cover the operating costs until at least the end of 2023. According to an advance copy of her speech seen by AFP, Jourova was to use the event to tout the benefits of a planned EU Media Freedom Act, which will protect journalism in member states. “We have seen over the past years various forms of pressure on the media. Physical threats, abusive lawsuits, state interference, economic pressure,” she was to say. “It’s high time to act. No journalist should be spied on because of their job. No public media should be turned into propaganda media.” Press freedom bodies have cried foul several times in recent years as governments in EU member states exerted overt and covert political and economic pressure on independent media.
6.8 magnitudE EarthquakE lEavEs 66 dEad in China’s siChuan
BEIJING: China’s large civil unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Wing Loong-2H has been deployed to support the emergency communications after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern province of Sichuan on Monday, according to the UAV’s developer. The Wing Loong-2H was sent to conduct the mission after the quake jolted Sichuan’s Luding County at 12:52 p.m. Monday, having caused casualties and damage to buildings and roads. The large UAV flew into the preset mission area at 6:44 p.m. Monday and started to carry out the survey and emergency communication support, said the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the country’s leading plane-maker. It helped establish an airborne communication network and sent real-time images of the quake-hit areas, supporting relief work and ensuring effective rescue operations. The Wing Loong-2H features multiple attributes such as long range, long endurance, high payload and strong environment adaptability, thus making it possible to serve diverse missions in extreme disaster-hit regions where traffic, power supply and network communications are disrupted, according to the AVIC.
BEiJing Agencies a Sof 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, a total of 66 people were reported killed in a magnitude-6.8 earthquake that jolted Luding County, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, on Monday, said local authorities. Thirty-eight people were killed in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and the other 28 died in Shimian County of Ya’an City. Over 200 are still trapped in a remote scenic area and scores missing elsewhere. Video from state broadcaster CCTV showed firefighters pulling a bruised and bloodied woman from the rubble and carrying a survivor on a stretcher across a river on a makeshift bridge as well as damaged buildings and streets strewn with fallen masonry. And footage shared by the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) showed boulders thundering down mountainsides in Luding county, kicking up clouds of dust as the tremors swayed roadside telephone wires. At least one town suffered “severe damage” from landslides triggered by the quake, CCTV reported. “Before 5 o’clock, I heard a rumbling sound. The house shook so badly that I woke up immediately,” one woman surnamed Zheng from Sichuan’s Lu county told Beijing News. “My brother’s house collapsed. His house is an old one built more than 10 years ago. My house is newly built, so the situation is better.” The quake also rocked buildings in the provincial capital of Chengdu — where millions are confined to their homes under a strict Covid-19 lockdown — and in the nearby megacity of Chongqing, local residents told AFP. At least 10 aftershocks of magnitude 3.0 and above had been detected as of 7 am local time (2300 GMT), CCTV said. The local meteorological department has said Luding county — the epicentre of the quake — will experience rain for three days, potentially hampering rescue work. China’s cabinet last night said it has dispatched a special team to lead the efforts, with CCTV reporting more than 6,500 people had been sent to emergency rescue.And President Xi Jinping called for local authorities to “make saving lives the first priority, go all-out to rescue people in disaster-stricken areas and minimise loss of life”, according to CCTV. Local officials have launched a public appeal for donations to help with relief work. Earthquakes are fairly common in China, especially in the country’s seismically active southwest.
‘SEvErE thrEat’: Chongqing and the eastern megacity of Shanghai switched off outdoor decorative lighting to mitigate the power crunch, while authorities in Sichuan imposed industrial power cuts as water levels dwindled at major hydroelectric plants. As local authorities warned that the drought posed a “severe threat” to this year’s harvest, the central government approved billions of yuan in subsidies to support rice farmers. “This is a warning for us, reminding us to have a deeper understanding of climate change and improve our ability to adapt to it in all respects,” said Zhang Daquan, a senior official at China’s National Climate Centre, in comments carried Monday by the state-run People’s Daily newspaper. “It is also necessary to raise awareness across all of society to adapt to climate change… and strive to minimise social and economic impacts and losses,” Zhang said. Higher-than-usual temperatures are also expected across China throughout September, CCTV cited the weather service’s deputy director Xiao Chan as saying.
CHINA DEPLOY UAV TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS IN QUAKE-HIT SICHUAN
Bolstering Asia ties, Putin watches military drills with China
Truss, 47, was announced the winner of an internal vote of Conservative party members on Monday, after a gruelling contest that began in July. All eyes will be on her return to the British capital and first address as prime minister, which is expected to take place outside 10 Downing Street on Tuesday afternoon — weather permitting.
A smaller magnitude 4.6 tremor hit eastern Tibet less than an hour after the initial quake, according to the USGS. A magnitude 8.0 quake in 2008 in Sichuan’s Wenchuan county left tens of thousands dead and caused enormous damage. In June, at least four people were killed and dozens more injured after two earthquakes in southwestern China. That month, a shallow 6.1-magnitude shock hit a sparsely populated area about 100 kilometres west of Chengdu. It was followed three minutes later by a second quake of magnitude 4.5 in a nearby county, where the deaths and injuries occurred.Authorities in Chengdu extended the city’s lockdown on Sunday as they fight a Covid flare-up with hundreds of cases. The region has also suffered a summer of extreme weather, with a record-breaking heatwave noticeably drying rivers in Chongqing.
USSURiYSK, RUSSiA Agencies
‘No limits’ relationship: “RussiaChina relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation are developing progressively,” the Kremlin said in a statement ahead of the meeting. It also noted “China’s balanced approach to the Ukraine crisis” and Beijing’s “understanding” of the reasons behind Russia’s offensive. Beijing and Moscow have drawn closer in recent years, ramping up cooperation as part of what they call a “no limits” relationship, acting as a counterweight to the global dominance of the United States. Beijing has refused to condemn Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine and provided diplomatic cover by blasting Western sanctions and arms sales to Kyiv, heightening tensions between China and the West. Tensions were further strained during the August visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to self-ruled, democratic Taiwan, which China considers its Moscowterritory.wasin full solidarity with Beijing during the visit with Putin accusing Washington of “destabilising” the world. At the economic forum, Putin was also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Myanmar junta chief Min Aug Hlaing.r’s coup.
If confirmed, it would mean no white men in any of Britain’s four main ministerial posts for the first time ever.
Southern China last month sweltered under what experts said may have been one of the worst heat waves in global history, with parts of Sichuan province and the megacity of Chongqing clocking a string of days well over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). The average temperature nationwide was 22.4C in August, exceeding the norm by 1.2C, state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing the country’s weather service. Some 267 weather stations across the country matched or broke temperature records last month, the report said. It was also China’s third-driest August on record, with average rainfall 23.1 percent lower than average. “The average number of high-temperature days was abnormally high, and regional high-temperature processes are continuing to impact our country,” CCTV reported the weather service as saying. Scientists say extreme weather like heat waves, droughts and flash floods is becoming more frequent and intense due to human-induced climate change. Last month, temperatures as high as 45C prompted multiple Chinese provinces to impose power cuts as cities battled to cope with a surge in electricity demand partly driven by people cranking up the air conditioning. Images from Chongqing showed a tributary of the mighty Yangtze river had almost run dry, a scene echoed further east where the waters of China’s largest freshwater lake also receded extensively.
Agencies
Heavy rain and storms are forecast, mirroring the gloomy economic situation that she and her new senior ministers will have to tackle from day one. The appointments are due to be finalised before she hosts her first cabinet meeting and faces questions in parliament on Wednesday. to-do lISt: Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is expected to become finance minister, with attorney general Suella Braverman moved to the tricky brief of home secretary, and James Cleverly to foreign affairs.
StAFF RePoRt Pakistan beat West Indies in their opening match of the Over 60s World Cup being played in Brisbane, Australia. According to a communique here on Tuesday, the triumph against West Indies Masters marked the beginning of Pakistan Veteran’s World Cup campaign. West Indies after winning the toss decided to put Pakistan into batting first. Pakistan Over 60s team accumulated a total of 216 runs, before were all-out in the penultimate over of the innings. Tahir Rashid was top scorer with an impressive innings of 58. He alongside Saghir Abbas added 84 runs for the fifth wicket stand. Babar Ali Basharat & Muhammad Ashraf Pakhali also chipped in with steady knocks of 37 and 36 respectively. Hafiz Mohammed was the pick of the bowlers from the Caribbean brigade, bagging 4 wickets for 23 runs in his spell of six overs. Early strikes from the Pakistani bowlers jolted the West Indian chase. A good line and length from almost every bowler further pegged back the West Indian batting lineup as they remained behind the chase for most part of their innings. Only Richard Sieuchan offered some resistance with a half-century to his name. Ultimately, West Indies managed 193 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the assigned 45 overs, giving Pakistan Veterans a victory by 23 runs. Tahir Rashid was nominated as ‘Player of the Match’ for his invaluable contribution with the bat. New Zealand are regarded as the toughest opponents for Pakistan and beat South Africa by 106 runs the previous day in another match. In another match in Pool B, the Rest of the World team got the better of USA, winning the match by a huge margin of 112 runs. In other matches played in Pool A, Australia comprehensively defeated the Canadian side by 9 wickets; Wales beat Sri Lanka by 2 wickets in a close game while India were given a scare by Zimbabwe defending only 122 and won by 3 wickets.
DUBAI Staff RepoRt Sri Lanka produced an impressive run chase to down India by six wickets on Tuesday and leave their opponents staring at an early exit from the Asia Cup. If Pakistan beat Afghanistan on Wednesday, they will face Sri Lanka in Sunday’s final and knock out arch-rivals India in the Half-centuriesprocess.from openers Pathum Nissanka (52) and Kusal Mendis (57) gave Sri Lanka the perfect start to their chase of 174 in the Super Four game. India hit back with a flurry of wickets, but Bhanuka Rajapaksa and captain Dasun Shanaka helped Sri Lanka get over the line, with two scrambled byes off the penultimate ball completing the job. Rajapaksa, who hit 25 not out, and Shanaka, who made 33 not out, put on an unbeaten stand of 64 to leave the hopes of the tournament favourites India hanging by a thread, after also losing their Super Four opener to Pakistan. If Afghanistan do India a favour against Pakistan, Rohit Sharma’s men will still have to beat the Afghans on Thursday to have any chance of reaching the final.
MAlIk, JAMAl’s tOp DIsplAy helpeD CeNtrAl, NOrtherN seCure vICtOry IN NAtIONAl t20 Cup
Nissanka reached his fifty in 33 balls, but Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal broke the partnership and struck twice in one over. Mendis also completed his fifty but Sri Lanka lost Danushka Gunathilaka for one off Ashwin.
Maxwell’s purple patch started when he brilliantly caught veteran opener Martin Guptill one-handed in the gully in the fifth over before he took over with the ball. The day-night contest ended an 18-year drought of international cricket in Cairns.
India faces Asia Cup exit after Sri Lanka defeat
Pakistan to perform better in upcoming Asia Cup matches, says Inzamam
Green’s 89 steers Australia to two-wicket win over New Zealand in first ODI AFP Emerging star Cameron Green held his nerve with a career best 89 not out in Australia’s thrilling two-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first one-day international on Tuesday in Cairns. After Glenn Maxwell starred with four wickets and a spectacular catch to restrict New Zealand to a modest 232-9, Australia slumped to 44-5 against inspired new ball bowling from quicks Trent Boult and Matt Henry under lights. A composed Green and Alex Carey (85) turned the match on its head with a brilliant 158-run partnership to overwhelm an increasingly ragged New Zealand attack. But Carey’s dismissal in the 40th over triggered a late twist as Australia crashed to 207-8 and still needing 26 runs, a target made more difficult with Green in discomfort with cramps. Green, however, would not be denied as Australia sealed victory in an anti-climax through a wide delivery from quick Lockie Ferguson to start the 46th over. Australia drew first blood in the threematch Chappell-Hadlee series, which continues at the same venue on Thursday. “It was an amazing effort in his 11th (ODI) game to play a match-winning knock,” Australia skipper Aaron Finch said of 23-year-old Green. Australia’s batting order appeared set for another humiliating performance in the wake of being dismissed for a lowly 141 in a stunning three-wicket loss to underdog Zimbabwe on Saturday. Their chase started disastrously when under-pressure Finch fell lbw to Boult for five. The 35-year-old opener unsuccessfully reviewed the decision and trudged off with his ODI career seemingly hanging in the balance having scored just 26 runs in his last six matches. Leftarm quick Boult was on a roll when he dismissed in-form Steve Smith and recalled Marnus Labuschagne then Henry took over to leave Australia teetering before Green and Carey produced a record sixth-wicket partnership for Australia against New Zealand in ODIs. “It ebbed and flowed. We weren’t able to get that extra breakthrough after they were five down early,” said captain Kane Williamson as New Zealand’s 13-year drought in ODIs against the home team in Australia continued. After Finch won the toss and chose to bowl, Maxwell’s part-time off-spin stole the show as New Zealand’s batters failed to convert starts with Devon Conway (46), Williamson (45) and Tom Latham (43) falling short of half-centuries.
Arshdeep’s reaction to hate campaign: I am laughing at all these tweets and messages
Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 | KARACHI 11SPORTS
RAWALPINDI Staff RepoRt A LL-ROUNDperformance by Shoaib Malik earned Central Punjab their first win while Aamir Jamal’s top display with both bat and ball helped Northern defeat Southern Punjab in their respective matches of the Kingdom Valley National T20 Cup 2022-23 here at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi on Tuesday. In the first game, Central Punjab finally opened their account in the National T20 Cup with an 11-run win over Sindh. Experienced all-rounder Shoaib Malik blasted 54 not out off 33 (four fours and two sixes) to lift Central Punjab to 188 for five and then got the crucial wicket of dangerous-looking Saim Ayub in his one for 16 off two overs in Central Punjab’s 11-run triumph over Sindh. Shoaib and Irfan Khan Niazi, who scored a blazing 33 not out off 14 hitting four sixes, added 64 runs in the last 29 balls to help Central Punjab post a towering score. Central Punjab were dealt serious blows in the first and third over as Sohail Khan accounted for openers Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Akhlaq, but a solid 67run partnership between Mohammad Faizan and Tayyab Tahir rescued the side from a collapse. Faizan was instrumental in the attacking partnership with his brilliant 55 at a staggering strike rate of 229. He struck four sixes and six fours in his 24-ball knock before falling to legspinner Abrar Ahmed, who also dismissed Central Punjab captain Qasim Akram. Tayyab, the top-scorer in the tournament, made 33 off 28, hitting two fours and a six. Sarfaraz Ahmed topscored in the match with an unbeaten 62, compiled at a strike rate of 168, but the lack of support from the other end allowed Central Punjab to earn their first win after four defeats. Sindh looked on track of scaling down the target but the dismissal of Saim in the seventh over altered the course of the match. Sindh, at the time of Saim’s wicket were cruising at 62 off just 6.3 overs. Saad Khan was bowled by Usama Mir in the next over and in the 15th over he sent Omair Bin Yousuf (37 off 29) and Danish Aziz back to the pavilion as Sindh slipped to 122 for five. Usama finished with three for 34. Meanwhile in the second game of the day, all-rounder Aamir Jamal’s display with both bat and ball won Northern a thriller against Southern Punjab by fiveAamir’sruns.swashbuckling 47 not out off 17, studded with four sixes and five fours – lifted Northern to 187 for eight after his captain Umar Amin, who stroked a half-century, elected to bat. Northern were in a spot of bother with openers Zeeshan Malik and Hasan Nawaz dismissed in the first two overs, but a 51-run partnership for the third wicket between Nasir Nawaz (13 off 17) and Umar (52 off 42) rescued the innings and provided a platform to Mubasir Khan (34 off 18) and Aamir to go berserk in the latter half.
Pakistan beat West Indies by 23 runs
ChANDIGARh agencieS Indian cricketer Arshdeep Singh, who hasn’t posted anything on his social media handles since India’s defeat to Pakistan on Sunday night, has told his parents that he is ‘laughing’ seeing the tweets and messages. Arshdeep Singh faced the wrath of social media users in India mainly by extremist Hindus after he dropped a catch in the closing stages of a tense Pak-India match. Arshdeep’s father Darshan, who is currently the chief of security in a private company, told the Indian media after landing in Chandigarh on Monday evening that he spoke to Arshdeep before boarding. “His exact words were, ‘I am laughing at all these tweets and messages. I am only going to take positives from it. This incident has only given me more confidence’,” he quoted his son as having said. Arshdeep’s father Darshan and mother Baljeet were at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, watching the clash between Pakistan and India. Arshdeep’s mother revealed that the entire Indian team is indeed backing the youngster. Her comments come after Virat Kohli had mentioned in the post-match press conference that the team environment is such that Arshdeep won’t feel left out after a difficult day on the field. “Arshdeep told us that the whole Indian team is supporting him,” his mother said. When asked about the treatment their son received, Arshdeep’s father answered: “As a parent, it feels really bad. He is only 23. I don’t want to say much about trolls. You can’t shut everyone’s mouth. Without fans, there is no game. There are some who stand by you no matter what and others who can’t digest a single loss. But at the end of the day, only one team can win.” Several former India players and political leaders extended support to Arshdeep, who faced a barrage of hate campaigns on social media with an unidentified user even editing the player’s Wikipedia page to add references to “Khalistan”, a reference made to the Indian Sikhs’ demand for independence from India and separate homeland.
“At one time I was thinking that India will manage to score around 220 but our bowlers bowled brilliantly to curtail them to 181.” Inzamam, in particular, mentioned Shadab Khan and Muhammad Nawaz for restricting Indian batters to a getable target. He said the fast bowlers too bowled well in the death overs. “In the fielding department, Pakistan’s catching was outstanding. Barring one o two misfielding, the overall fielding has been very good.” He heaped praise on Mohammad Rizwan for anchoring Pakistan’s innings and playing a key role in the team’s win. He hailed Nawaz for scoring scintillating 42 runs off 20 balls. “His hitting was outstanding. It was not as if someone hit by chance rather he played proper cricketing shots. “We are struggling to find a proper batsman at the number four position and now I feel Nawaz can bat regularly at that place,” he added.
Nissanka started cautiously before he hammered Arshdeep Singh for two fours and a six in an 18-run fifth over. Mendis joined in the fun and cleared the fence three times, including with a brilliant shot over wide long-off against Ravichandran Ashwin.
Chahal then trapped Mendis lbw to put Sri Lanka in trouble at 110-4 from 14 overs.But Rajapaksa and Shanaka dug them out of that hole with some inspired batting, leaving only seven needed from the final over. With two still to get from two balls, Shanaka played and missed outside off stump, but wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and bowler Arshdeep both failed with their run-out attempts and the match finished on an overthrow. Earlier, left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka took 3-24 in India´s 173-8 after Rohit smashed 72 off 41 deliveries. Rohit put on 97 with Suryakumar Yadav (34) after India lost two early wickets including Virat Kohli for nought.Kohli, who struck form after an extended batting slump with two successive half-centuries in the tournament, walked back to stunned silence from a sparse crowd dominated by Indian fans. Rohit hit back with a flurry of boundaries but his departure opened the door for Sri Lanka who took late wickets to keep the score down. Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne claimed two wickets each.
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LAhoRe Staff RepoRt Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq believes the win against India in the inaugural match of the Super Four stage will raise the confidence of the players and they will perform better in their remaining matches of the ongoing Asia Cup. Pakistan beat India by five wickets in the thriller at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. They will now take on Afghanistan on Wednesday in their second match of the Super Four phase, while they will lock horns with Sri Lanka on Friday in their last match. The final will be held on September 11.“Pakistan’s overall performance in the match was outstanding. Babar Azam’s captaincy too was up to the mark as he took some very good decisions. The good thing was that he didn’t take any pressure. Hopefully, Pakistan will exhibit even better performance in the next fixtures,” Inzamam said on his YouTube channel. The erstwhile great lauded Pakistan team for bouncing back in the match and controlling the flow of Indian runs after an onslaught by their top order in the early part of their innings.
XWDISCOS SEEK TARIFF HIKE FOR NEXT THREE MONTHS
A five-member US delegation led by Congress Representative Sheila Jackson Lee on Tuesday met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and offered American support for the flood-hit people of Pakistan. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), matters of mutual interest, regional security situation and bilateral cooperation in various fields were discussed during the meeting. The US delegation expressed grief over the devastation caused by the flash floods in Pakistan and offered sincere condolences to the families of the flood victims. They offered US support for people of Pakistan at this hour of need. Meanwhile, the US officials appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for regional stability and pledged to play their role in enhancing cooperation with Pakistan at various levels. The COAS expressed his gratitude for the US’ support and reiterated that assistance from Pakistan’s global partners was vital for the rescue and rehabilitation of flood victims.
ISLAMABAD APP Pakistan urgently needs to enhance the current disaster risk finance approach as risk retention mechanisms are insufficient to cover the losses associated with even the most frequent of flood and earthquake events, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a report on Tuesday. The report titled “Narrowing the Disaster Risk Protection Gap in Central Asia” said the private insurance solutions for the natural disasters’ risks have achieved only minimal market penetration. “These challenges are compounded by a challenging external financing context at the sovereign level, making it difficult to access debt quickly and cheaply after a disaster, and low levels of financial inclusion that exacerbate the vulnerability to disaster events of many in Pakistan,” it added.Previous disaster events illustrate the challenges that Pakistan faces, for example, floods in 2010 and 2015 caused an estimated Rs32.6 billion ($326 million) losses to farmers in Punjab. To support the affected farmers, the government of Pakistan provided Rs6.7 billion ($67 million) — amounting to only 18.5% of the required amount, the report added, stressing that there is a need to increase the coverage and depth of the existing risk retention instruments for high frequency events, through enhanced functioning of the national and provincial disaster management funds. This could be complemented with the use of risk transfer instruments that might support either the emergency response cost and/or the support the reconstruction of assets damaged or destroyed by lower frequency, higher intensity events. These actions are consistent with the identified work plan of the Disaster Risk Financing Unit of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund, the report concluded.
US delegation meets COAS, offers support for flood-hit people
PM says nation needs to recall spirit of 1965 to fight floods
RAWALPINDI stAff RePoRt
Pakistan needs enhanced financing for natural disasters: ADB
Chinese company to establish automatic weather station in Pakistan
ThieveS CAn’T be AllOwed TO APPOinT nexT ArMy Chief: iMrAn KhAn
Chinese meteorological company will set up an automatic weather station and is looking forward to building meteorological labs in Pakistan. “Currently, we are working on the provision of automatic weather stations (AWS) and technologies. If conditions permit, we are also looking to building meteorological labs with our Pakistani partners, Zhuge, CEO of ZOGLAB, a professional Chinese manufacturer specialized in instruments for atmosphere and environment, told China Economic Net (CEN). The quantity and quality of meteorological equipment in China top the world. For customers in South and Southeast Asia, Chinese meteorological equipment is more cost-effective compared with similar products with the same index and precision manufactured in the US and European countries. “A set of automatic weather station sold at around RMB 300,000 by western countries can be bought at around RMB 200,000 from China,” he said, citing the AWS for field environment monitoring displayed during the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) which ended yesterday in Beijing. “The cost is controlled at RMB 50,000-60,000. Automatic Weather Station is a very economical option for Pakistan compared with the radars and satellites which require long-term, huge investment”, Zhuge added. According to the CEO, Pakistan and China can also collaborate to establish meteorological standards to improve the accuracy of the data acquired by the existing weather stations. Taking a step further, China can provide the meteorological radars, satellite receivers, etc. to Pakistan to set up a three-dimensional meteorological observation system that covers equipment on the ground, in the sea, in the air and in the space”, informed Zhuge. He further elaborated that meteorological alert is different from weather forecast. The former, which targets the meteorological disasters, requires a whole set of observation devices and equipment. “In this sense, all countries are a community with a shared future in the face of meteorological disasters, and the future lies in data sharing,” he added.
FAJR SUNRISE ZUHR ASR MAGHRIB ISHA 4:58 6:15 12:30 4:59 6:45 8:02
The ousted premier said a “cabal of crooks” is running propaganda against him to pit his party against the army. “Every well-wisher of any institution will speak about merit because institutions can only progress when they are strengthened.” Imran, while referring to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, asked the charged crowd, “Should a ‘thieve absconder and convict’ be allowed to appoint Pakistan’s army chief?” “They are trying to pit Pakistan’s biggest political party against the army… they are planning to disqualify me first and then to turn Pakistan’s institutions including the judiciary against me through propaganda…”
As the nation marked Defence Day on Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said a similar spirit of sacrifice and resilience was required to cope with the current challenges in the wake of historic floods. In his remarks while chairing the meeting of the cabinet, he said as the country grappled with unprecedented floods and other challenges, there was a need to recall the spirit of 1965. The prime minister termed unity as the greatest strength of the nation to deal with the challenges effectively. He said over 30 million people were facing the brunt of flash floods in the shape of loss of lives, infrastructure and crops. Sharif paid tribute to the martyrs of the 1965 war who laid down their lives for the safety and security of the country. He said together, the armed forces and the people had thwarted the Indian machinations to undermine national integrity. In view of the heavy losses due to floods, he said, the government had decided to observe the Defence Day with simplicity. However, he said, the resting places of the martyrs would be adorned with wreaths and prayers would be offered for their souls.
Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 66-C, 1st Floor, 21st Commercial Street, Phase-II (Extension), DHA Karachi and printed at Ibn-e-Hassan Printing Press, Hockey Stadium, Karachi, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 021-35381208-9. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Tuesday mulled over a Rs3.39 per unit increase in the electricity tariff for the next three months under the quarterly adjustment mechanism of ex-WAPDA power distribution companies (XWDISCOs).
The authority will issue its detailed decision on the matter after complete scrutiny of the data. As per details, IESCO has sought a hike of Rs8,729 million, LESCO Rs17,816 million, GEPCO Rs9,257 million, FESCO Rs11,264 million, MEPCO Rs19,534 million, PESCO Rs12,274 million, HESCO Rs5,298 million, QESCO Rs3,163 million, SEPCO Rs2,995 million and TESCO an increase of Rs3,708 million for the fourth quarterly adjustment of FY22. It is pertinent to mention here that power consumers across the country are already bearing the brunt of a high power tariff.
ISLAMABAD stAff RePoRt
ORMERprime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has defended his ‘controversial’ remarks about the top military brass, saying “under any circumstances, thieves cannot be allowed to appoint the next army chief”. “New army chief should be appointed on merit. Thieves – Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari – cannot be allowed to pick the new army chief,” Imran said while addressing a public gathering in Peshawar on Tuesday.
The ousted premier while responding to allegations of the PML-N-led coalition government said those who are labelling him as anti-army themselves targeted Pakistan’s institutions including the military in the past. He also played the ruling party leaders’ video statements against the military. Referring to Dawn Leaks, the PTI chief said the Sharif brothers sent a message to India that Pakistan’s army was supporting terrorism while they had no role in it. “Likewise, Zardari through Hussian Haqqani asked a US official to save his government from the military,” Imran said while referring to the Memogate scandal “Should we hand over such an important decision-making to these thieves? No we will never,” he vowed. The former premier said unlike his opponents his criticism of the military is always positive. Rejecting the allegations that his statement was anti-army, the PTI chief said he never wanted to weaken the army as Pakistan has been spared by “wrath” that other Muslim countries had faced due to the strong army. Imran further said he always respected the judiciary including lower courts “because justice cannot be ensured without free judiciary”. Speaking about his controversial remarks due to which he is facing contempt proceedings, the former prime minister said he “might” have passed harsh words against additional sessions and district judge Zeba Chaudhry unintentionally due to the alleged torture on party leader Shahbaz Gill in the police custody.
Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 NEWS
“There is a need to change our thinking to respect the parliament,” he said. The court suggested the PTI MNAs to appear before the NA speaker in person to verify their resignations. The chief justice asked whether the acting NA speaker (Qasim Suri) had verified the resignations by summoning members individually. He observed that the IHC court had given a verdict in 2015 regarding the method of acceptance of (legislators’) resignations and instructed the PTI lawyer to read it. As per the constitution, it was the responsibility of an elected member to serve the people of his c her constituency for a period of five years. Earlier, NA speaker’s counsel Irfan Qadir pleaded that the then acting speaker Qasim Suri had taken the decision of accepting the resignations to avoid no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan. He said he was not criticizing anybody but one person was contesting election in nine constituencies. Additional Attorney General Munwar Dogal and Irfan Qadir also submitted written comments to the court. PTI’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry argued that the NA speaker had adopted a ‘pick and choose’ policy in the acceptance of MNAs’ resignations, as only 11 out 123 resignations were accepted. The constitution had given several grounds to dissolve the National Assembly on the prime minister’s recommendation, he added. He also prayed the court to form a larger bench to hear the case, which was rejected by the bench. After the lawyers concluded their arguments, the court dismissed the petition, and asked the PTI members to appear before speaker for verification of their resignations.
ON ACCOUNT OF QUARTERLY ADJUSTMENT CHARGES
IHC dismisses PTI plea against acceptance of 11 MNAs’ resignations
PRAyeR
ISLAMABAD AhmAd AhmAdAni
Earlier, premising a fitting response to the “deliberate distorting” of his words to “malign” him, Imran hinted at a possible rebuttal to the onslaught he has faced for his statements against the army chief’s selection process.
The PTI chief said the incumbent rulers came into power through a “foreign conspiracy engineered by the United States “to save themselves from accountability. “Because if I stayed in power they all will be convicted of corruption and put behind bars.” Imran also asked his supporters to remain prepared for his call for the real freedom “as come what may, we will never accept them [government]”.
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NEPRA mulls over Rs3.39 per unit hike in power tariff
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the acceptance of resignations of its 11 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) by the NA speaker. Chief Justice Athar Minallah, who heard the case, also declared the notification issued by the then deputy speaker Qasim Suri with regard to the acceptance of PTI MNAs’ resignations as illegal. The acting NA speaker NA had committed an illegal act and also violated the court’s decision, he added. Rejecting the PTI’s request to form a larger bench on the matter, CJ Minallah observed that the court could not interfere into the affairs of parliament. The (incumbent) NA speaker had satisfied himself over the resignations of 11 members of PTI before approving the same and the had no authority to examine the standard of his (speaker’s) satisfaction, he noted. Chief Justice Minallah questioned whether it was not the responsibility of MNAs to perform their duties of representing the public until their resignations were approved.
BEIJING Agencies
timings
The authority conducted a hearing on the request of XWDISCOs seeking the hike starting from October, under the quarterly adjustment mechanism. The hearing was held under Chairman NEPRA Tauseef H. Farooqi to consider the fourth quarterly adjustment on account of capacity charges, transmission charges, variable operations, maintenance charges and impact of transmission and dispatch (T&D) losses on fuel charges adjustment (FCA), including the impact of additional recovery on incremental sales. NEPRA’s members Shaikh Rafique Ahmed Shaikh and Engineer Maqsood Anwar were in attendance. According to the authority, DISCOs are currently charging power consumers with Rs3.21 per unit under the quarterly adjustment mechanism. However, they will charge an additional 18 paisas during the next three months, if approved by NEPRA. This quarterly adjustment will not be applicable on lifeline consumers.
“I have never allowed my party to attack the judiciary. I respect my judiciary and lower courts as well. I did not want to threaten any judge and it was not my intention,” he clarified. ‘Disqualification attempts’ Imran Khan said the coalition partners – including PML-N, PPP and JUI-F – were trying to disqualify him through their “puppet” Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja. “These stooges have realised they cannot win this match and they will lose elections to me whenever they are held.”