Epaper_22-10-14 LHR

power restored after 12 hours countrywide blackout

mit a report to the ministry of energy in four days identifying the cause of the incident.

“Our biggest success is that we prevented a breakdown in the north. We limited the shutdown to the south through timely reconnection … the north was completely saved from the shutdown.

“We are trying to completely restore the system between maghrib and isha,” he said.

“It is taking time. The power plants that were shut down will take hours to restart. These include coal plants, Thar coal plants and nuclear plants in Karachi, wherever there has been tripping, plants are being restarted according to their technical specifications.

“We expect that those plants will start production in the next few hours, and as I said, we will completely restore the system between 78pm. Our priorities at present are [the restoration of power in] Karachi and quetta and then Hyderabad too.”

Except for petrol, price of all POL products may witness hike

The coalition government is likely to jack up the per litre prices of all petroleum products except the petrol for the remaining fifteen days of October,2022 it was learnt on Thursday.

a

fTERa 12-hour-long breakdown caused by what is being described as “accidental fault” across the country, electricity was “fully restored” although the ministry says the power supply situation will return to normalcy by friday morning.

The power breakdown took place on Thursday — amounting to 8,000 megawatts, according to the energy minister — which deprived large swathes of the country, including provincial capitals – Karachi and Lahore, of electricity.

The ministry said the disturbance in two 500kv lines in the south of Karachi was resolved. “Electricity supply is being increased from alternative power plants, which will return to normal by friday morning,” the ministry tweeted.

Earlier, the Ministry of Energy had attributed the breakdown to an “accidental fault” in the transmission system.

“Several power plants in the south are tripping in phases due to an accidental fault in the country’s southern transmission system. As a result, there have been disruptions in the supply of electricity to the country’s south,” the ministry said in a tweet following reports of power outages.

THERE WAS A FAULT IN THEM AND THEY FELL: Later, Energy Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, in a press conference expressed his hope that electricity would be fully restored “to normalcy” by tonight, and announced that power had begun returning to parts of southern Punjab.

He shared the preliminary findings of the circumstances that led to the breakdown. “This

morning at 9:16am, our two 500kv lines in the south — Karachi — there was a fault in both of them. I am not calling it an accident yet, because an inquiry has yet to be conducted. There was a fault in them and they fell, as a result the country’s southern region saw an electricity blackout.

“Our first priority was to isolate Karachi from it, and we were successful in doing so and we isolated Karachi from it by 9:45. By isolate, I mean that the 1,000MW that we provide to Karachi daily, was cut. But KE’s system is independently operational and is supplying electricity to [parts of] the city.”

He said as a result of the two power lines in which the fault developed, parts of Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and quetta, and partially in Multan and faisalabad experienced power breakdowns.

Dastgir added that he was personally monitoring the progress of the restoration.

“As a result of this breakdown, a large part of our power plants are out of our system, around 8,000MW, of which we have restored 4,700MW,” he said.

“Electricity has been completely restored in Multan and faisalabad. There is an issue in Hyderabad, but we have restored Sepco partially till Dadu. There is also [power] connectivity in Shikarpur, and because of partial connections in Sukkur. qesco has been restored till Sibi.”

The minister said three teams were in the field: one was the reconnection team dealing with the cut-off conductors, the second team was for repairs, wherever needed, and the third team, was the inquiry team, which would sub-

He said the tripping developed near Karachi and moved northward. “There are two lines in Karachi’s south — NK1 and Jamshoro — there was a fault in them simultaneously.

He, however, insisted that there was no fault in the system in Karachi, only the transmission of 1,000MW from the national grid had been cut off. “When the plants will be restarted, 1,000MW supply will be restored [to the city].”

The minister hinted that human error could be responsible for the fault, though he wouldn’t confirm it until the inquiry team’s report arrives. “When the inquiry team’s report is received, if we have to take disciplinary action in its light, we will,” he added.

“We have to find the actual cause, whether it was an accident or there was another reason.”

SHC ISSUES ARREST WARRANT FOR KE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: The KE officials appeared before the Sindh High Court (SHC) after the court issued the arrest warrant for the distributor company’s chief executive officer (CEO).

The officials informed the court that the KE wasn’t responsible for the power outage.

“The entire country’s power system is down,” they said.

Earlier, SHC Justice Salahuddin Panhwar issued the arrest warrants for the KE CEO, directing the officials to implement the arrest orders within an hour. He expressed annoyance over the suspension of the power supply since 9:30am, as city courts and the accountability courts within Karachi were also left without power following the breakdown.

He asked how the court could hold proceedings with no electricity.

According to sources in oil industry, the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) is expected to witness Rs 11.57/litre increase while Kerosene oil price is likely to be increased by Rs 4.52/litre, and light diesel oil (LDO) price may find Rs 7.48/litre hike. However, petrol price is estimated to be reduced by Rs 10.78/litre, they added.

According to the working of the oil industry, the next refinery price of petrol is likely to stand at Rs 168.39/litre while the next ex-depot price of petrol is expected to stand at Rs 214.02/litre. Similarly, the next refinery price of diesel (HSD) would stand at Rs 225.12/litre and the next ex-depot price of diesel is expected to stand at Rs 246.87/litre during the next fifteen days of October, 2022. Likewise, the next refinery price of kerosene oil may stand at Rs 174.07/litre and its next ex-depot price is expected to stand at Rs 196.35/litre. Moreover, the next expected refinery price is likely to stand at Rs 179.49/litre and its next ex-depot price is expected to stand at Rs 193.98/litre.

Above prices are based on current government taxes and last available Pakistan State Oil (PSO) import incidental including US dollar/Pak rupee adjustment, said the working of oil industry.

At present the petrol is available at Rs 224.80/litre, HSD at Rs 235.30/litre, Kerosene oil at Rs 191.83/litre and LDO at Rs 186.50/litre in the open market of the country from 1st October, 2022.

It is pertinent to mention that the coalition government had decreased the prices of petrol by Rs 12.63/litre, HSD Rs 12.13/litre, Kerosene oil Rs 10.19/litre and LDO by Rs 10.78/litre with effect from 1st October, 2022.

The finance ministry in a statement dated 30th September 2020 said that in the wake of reduction of petroleum products prices in the international market and with a view to provide relief to the consumers, the government has decided to decrease the prices of petroleum products.

lars financial losses.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday strongly favoured peaceful dialogue for resolution of conflicts with other countries, including the neighbouring India, in a bid to achieve the goals of prosperity of the nations and the region.

Addressing at the 6th summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, he said Pakistan desired peaceful relations with all its neighbours including India.

“We are willing to engage with India for the sake of prosperity and development as both sides of the border cannot afford to deal with massive challenges of poverty and unemployment amid meager resources,” he said.

The prime minister’s speech focused on peace among nations to hit the goal of prosperity as he addressed the leaders of the multinational forum, gathered to discuss cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

PM Shehbaz stressed that the people deserved the resources to be diverted to their education and health. “I want to leave behind a legacy of peace and progress for the prosperity of the coming generations of our region,” he said.

“Pakistan’s first priority at the moment is to revive rapid and equitable economy”. He, however, said, the “onus remains on India to take a necessary steps to engage towards the result-oriented solutions.”

The prime minister highlighted India’s unabated atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir for last seven decades, where he said, that the Kashmiris faced continued denial of their right to self-determination.

He urged other countries to take notice of India’s ‘bullet over ballot’ policy as it blatantly quashed the United Nations Security Council’s resolution on holding a plebiscite in Kashmir.

“India has become a threat to its minorities, neighbours and the entire region,” he said.

Sharif said Pakistan was “absolutely

ready and willing for a discussion with Indian counterparts to promote trade and investment provided they showed the sincerity of purpose”.

On Afghanistan, he said the four decades of conflict not only took a

heavy toll on the country but also upon its neighbouring Pakistan. Pakistan, he said, suffered immense damage to its peace and security with serious consequences borne in shape of 80,000 casualties and billions of dol-

The prime minister expressed satisfaction that after immense sacrifices, Pakistan had now become able to control extremism and terrorism on its soil besides managing to host four million Afghan refugees.

“Prosperous and stable Afghanistan is not only in the interest of Pakistan, but also for the international community,” he said.

Shehbaz Sharif called for pooling resources among the regional countries to address the common challenges in the interest of peace and progress. “If we team our resources, Asia can stand with pride and achievement,” he said.

“Through constructive dialogue, we can build mutual trust”. He mentioned Pakistan’s location offering a natural bridge among various economies of the region. In this regard, he highlighted the multi-billion dollar project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which had transformed the economic and connectivity landscape of the region.

ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN

report

ISLAMABAD staff report

PakIsTan, kazakhsTan-TajIkIsTan agree To dIversIfy Trade, InvesTmenT cooPeraTIon

level engagement to accelerate progress on agreed items.

PAKISTANand Kazakhstan on Thursday agreed to diversify bilateral trade and explore the possibilities of expanding investment cooperation. The bilateral relations were discussed in a meeting between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President of Kazakhstan Kassym Jomart Tokayev here on the sidelines of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit.

The two leaders reviewed the bilateral relations, including trade, connectivity and energy. They agreed on enhancing technical

The prime minister recalled his meeting with the Kazakh president on the sidelines of SCO Summit at Samarkand in September 2022, which set the pace for reinvigorating multifaceted engagement.

He underlined the need for promoting joint ventures in energy, agriculture, technology, logistics, communication and construction. Prime Minister Shehbaz also emphasized the importance of direct air connectivity for boosting business linkages, people-to-people contacts, and tourism. He underlined that Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) were open for investors from Kazakhstan.

He also invited Kazakhstan to benefit

Islamabad court confirms PTI chief’s bail in ‘threatening remarks’ case

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

A District and Sessions Court Islamabad on Thursday confirmed bail of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in threatening remark against a female judge case registered by the Islamabad Police. Last week, the PTI chief was granted interim bail in the case against surety bonds worth Rs50,000 till today. However, his lawyer Babar Awan submitted Rs5,000 for the bond but was informed that the amount was Rs50,000. Following this Khan arrived in the court and submitted Rs50,000 for the bond. The former prime minister also appeared in the court of sessions judge Kamran Basharat Mufti along with Babar Awan. Prosecutor Wajid Munir was also present in the court. During the hearing, Awan informed the court that his client has been nominated in two cases, requesting the court to approve the bail application. At this, the court asked prosecutor Munir to share his stance. Munir told the court that Kohsar Police Station has attached section 505 in the first information report (FIR) which is a non-bailable offence. “Imran Khan gave a provocative statement,” said the prosecutor. But Awan told the court that a case was also registered at the Margalla Police Station, adding that anti-terrorism clauses were added in the FIR but it was removed on the orders of the high court. The judge then remarked that the public gathering was happening at F-9 Park then how come section 144 applied to the case? He also remarked that the FIR does not include section 5062, adding that there are bailable provisions in the case. After this, the court approved the bail of the PTI chairman. Last week, a sessions court had approved the interim bail plea of Khan till October 13 (today). Khan was booked in a case for threatening judicial magistrate Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-9 Park on August 20, to “terrorise” police officials and the judiciary. The FIR was registered on the complaint of Magistrate Ali Javed at Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station under Section 7 of ATA. However, the Islamabad High Court quashed the terror charges and directed to transfer the case to a relevant court under the remaining sections in the FIR on September 19. Following the order the anti-terrorism court, on September 20, transferred the case to a sessions court and removed the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) section from the case. On September 22, during a hearing of a contempt case in IHC, Imran Khan also requested the court to allow him to apologize to judge Zeba Chaudhry in person. Later, a magistrate issued arrest warrant for PTI Chief Imran Khan due to his nonappearance in court. However, Khan secured protective bail from the IHC till October 7.

from Gwadar and Karachi ports for expanding their trade.

PAKISTAN READY TO PROVIDE TAJIKISTAN ACCESS TO GWADAR, KARACHI PORTS

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday highlighting the importance of promoting connectivity in the region reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to provide access to Tajikistan to Gwadar and Karachi ports. In a meeting with President Emomali Rahmonv in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, the prime minister emphasized the expansion of cooperation in the field of road transport and air links.

The two leaders, who met on the sidelines of the 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence

Building Measures in Asia (CICA), agreed on cementing high-level contacts, interparliamentary ties and technical level meetings to further promote substantive cooperation. The prime minister underscored the need to boost cooperation in the energy sector. It was agreed to work together for early completion of CASA 1000 project, which would be a harbinger of future energy corridors with Central Asia.

PM Sharif updated the Tajik President on the rehabilitation work being undertaken by his government in the aftermath of the catastrophic floods in the country.

He stressed the need to make joint efforts to cope with the rising threat of climate change induced natural disasters.

President Emomali Rahmon assured PM

Sharif of Tajikistan’s continued support in this regard, including despatch of an additional convoy of trucks carrying essential flood relief items.

The prime minister recalled his meeting with the Tajik President on the sidelines of SCO Summit last month in Uzbekistan’s historic city Samarkand and expressed satisfaction over the steadily increasing bilateral engagement in diverse areas.

The two leaders also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest and agreed on the need to work together to strengthen peace, stability and security in the region. Both sides also agreed to strengthen their engagement for fostering greater economic cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, energy and connectivity.

Legal minds up in arms over SJC’s dropping of Justice Shan Gul

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The young guns of the legal fraternity are up in arms over not confirming the Lahore High Court (LHC) judge, Justice Mohammad Shan Gul, by the Supreme Judicial Commission (SJC).

The SJC headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday recommended to regularise the services of 11 additional judges of LHC. The meeting decided to regularise the services of 11 judges out of 13 which include Justice Tariq Nadeem, Justice Amjad Rafiq, Justice Abid Hussain Chatha, Justice Anwar Hussain, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa, Justice Sultan Tanvir, Justice Raza Qureshi and Justice Raheel Kamran.

The council, however, dropped the names of Justice Shan Gul and Justice Sohail Nasir. Earlier, AttorneyGeneral for Pakistan (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf Ali resigned from his post, a private news channel reported.

Meanwhile, the young lawyers took to social media blogging site, Twitter, to lodge their protest in support of Justice Shan Gul.

Barrister Taimur Malik expressed his shock and disappointment over the SJC decision to drop Justice Shan Gul.

“Shocked & disappointed that the Judicial Commission decided to drop Justice Shan Gul’s name from confirmation list of LHC judges. Cambridge grad, law officer with multiple Govts, author of probably most reported judgments from the current batch. Devoted his career to this path,” he wrote.

Usama Khawar Ghumman Advocate said a very disturbing news coming out of Judicial Commission’s Meeting.

“Justice Shan Gul, perhaps most competent & progressive judge among judges who were up for confirmation, hasn’t been confirmd. Delivered more judgmnts thn all the rest combined, bold progressive,” he wrote.

He said Justice Shan Gul authored a number of learned judgments to protect the fundamental rights of weaker segments of society. He struck down discriminatory laws, esp. those targeting women, persecuted minorities & children.

In a subsequent tweet, Usama said that we need a transparent process for judicial appointments.

“Today in courts & Bar rooms every lawyer was wondering about the reasons for not confirming J. Shan. Lots of speculations. 1-page Rules for appointing judges who can shape direction of the country is unfair & undemocratic,” he wrote.

Faizullah Khan Niazi wrote that removing Justice Shan Gul from the LHC is an abomination. He was the most competent of the lot.

“CJ Bandial and the JCP have done great injustice to the institution of the judiciary. JCP meetings should be made public. We have a right to know why such an imminent legal mind was dropped,” he added.

Advocate Khurram Chughtae wrote that the pre-andpost 18th Constitutional Amendment appointments in Superior Judiciary.

“Earlier, the “Chosen Ones” were either politically or genetically strong with few exceptions. Now, strong “personal” or “ideological” bond with members of JCP is of value; Competence is just an option”.

He wrote that Decision of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan regarding Shan Gul J. would create doubts with respect to process & considerations for confirmation of other 11 Judges. Hoping that the Parliamentary

Committee on Judicial Appointments to perform its Constitutionally mandated role.

Advocate Kamran Farooq expressed his shock and disappointment over the dropping of Justice Shan Gul, saying it was unfortunate to note that the Supreme Judicial Commission did not extend his tenure.

“Judicial Officer should be considered as his judgements speak for his meritorious contributions. He must remain a part of judiciary,” he asserted.

Advocate Hassaan Khan Niazi, the nephew of Imran Khan and his aide on legal matters, wrote that the judicial commission had dropped the name of Shan Gul from the list of confirmed judges.

“Legal fraternity of Punjab left in shock. When there is no criteria to select judges such absurd acts are expected from judicial commission. Parliament has failed legal fraternity aswell.”

Advocate Taha A Wyne wrote that Judicial Commission drops the most competent Judge while confirming 11 others, all of who combined are not even close to Shan Gul’s intellect.

“Sad day for the Lahore High Court, missed out on the most exciting prospect seen in recent years”.

Barrister Ambreen Qureshi said that Justice Shan Gul is a great judge- dissapointing decision. What a loss for LHC, she added.

Ummar Ziauddin Advocate wrote that for Shan Gul to be ignored like is shocking.

“Granted we have an arbitrary and veiled confirmation process. But this unprecedented even for this process. He remained outstanding on the bench –with impeccable record. I feel a little more nervous today about our system”.

Other young lawyers responded to these tweets, taking the fury to the next level.

Swati remaneded in FIA custody for tweet against COAS

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

A District and Sessions Court in Islamabad on Thursday granted two-day physical remand of PTI Senator Azam Khan Swati to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and directed that the accused be taken for a medical checkup before and after the remand period.

The court directed the authorities to produce Swati before it on October 15.

The FIA while producing Azam Swati before the court sought his eight-day

cjP says want empowered, independent election commission

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Thursday observed that they want to empower the election commission and make it independent so that no one could point finger at its decisions. He had made these remarks while hearing argument during the plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda against his lifelong disqualification. “The election commission is specialised in electoral matters. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has upheld the verdict of lifelong disqualification, and it is the high court that had sent the case to the election commission for ascertaining the facts,” he stated. “Will the election commission become a court by this? The IHC has not given a decision on the jurisdiction of the election commission,” lawyer for Faisal Vawda contended. “The election commission also did not ascertain the facts correctly. No chance had been given for cross-examining the US Embassy officials,” he added.

physical remand. The court, however, granted a two-day physical remand of Swati. Advocate Babar Awan appeared before the court of Senior Civil Judge Shabbir Bhatti on behalf of Swati and argued that Mr Swati was arrested on political grounds. He also alleged that Swati was tortured during the late-night detention.

In its written order, the court said that Swati has complained of subjected to torture after being arrested at 3:00 am on Thursday. The order said that FIA had informed the court that a “technical

rupee weakens against dollar

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

comparison” of Swati’s Twitter account had to be conducted.

“Azam Swati is being sent on physical remand for two days for further investigation and the recovery of his other social media accounts”, the court in its order added.

FIA’s Cybercrime Unit arrested Azam Swati on early Thursday for allegedly tweeting a “highly obnoxious and intimidating message” against the state institutions, including the army chief.

“Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you. Your plan is really

working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country. With these thugs getting free, you have legitimised corruption. How you predict now the future of this country (sic),” Swati said in his tweeted message.

According to the criminal complaint filed by the FIA, in his tweet Swati named the army chief, and the tweet came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz were acquitted in a high-profile money laundering case on Wednesday by a Special Central Court in Lahore.

sc demands details of flood relief work in sindh

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan rupee on Thursday depreciated by 49 paisas against the US dollar in the interbank trading to close at Rs 218.37 against the previous day’s closing of Rs 217.88. According to the Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP), the buying and selling rates of the dollar in the open market were recorded at Rs 220.25 and Rs 222.5 respectively. The price of Euro appreciated by 15 paisas and closed at Rs 211.89 against the last day’s closing of Rs 211.74. The Japanese Yen remained unchanged at Rs1.48, whereas an increase of Rs 1.55 was witnessed in the exchange rate of the British Pound, which was traded at Rs 242.09 as compared to its last day’s closing of Rs 240.54. The exchange rates of Emirates Dirham and Saudi Riyal increased by 13 paisas each to close at Rs 59.45 and Rs 58.09 respectively.

The Supreme Court on Thursday demanded details of flood relief activities from the Sindh government in the province. A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial also summoned reply from the PDMA and district disaster management authorities. Sindh government sought one week’s time to submit its reply. Chief Justice Bandial said that the flood is not an issue of administrative powers, but it is the matter of fundamental rights. “The Sindh High Court (SHC) had issued its order in the public interest,” CJP said. “Citizens Committees have been constituted for monitoring of the relief activities,” Advocate General Sindh said. “The court will not interfere in relief activities,” Chief Justice of Pakistan said. “Sindh’s government would have to convince that the work is being done for general good,” CJP remarked. The counsel representing flood victims said that the government seeking one week for reply in this age of technology.

‘BLUe-eyed’ advIsor To Pm aPPoInTed as Land UTILIzaTIon exPerT In PTcL Board

ISLAMABAD Shahzad paRacha

THEFederal government has approved the appointment of “blue-eyed” Advisor to PM Ahad Khan Cheema as the Land Utilization Expert in PTCL Board. Sources, privy to the development, informed that the Federal Cabinet has approved the inclusion of PM’s Adviser Ahad Khan Cheema in the PTCL Board as a land utilization expert for three years through the circulation of a summary put up by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom.

It is to be noted that each member of PTCL board, comprising nine members including the four from Pakistan i.e Secretary Finance, Secretary IT&T, Secretary privatization and ED NITB, is entitled to a 5,000 dollar participation fee for one

Interior ministry approves deployment of forces for LB, by-poll elections

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The interior ministry on Thursday approved the deployment of Army, Rangers and FC for the local body elections in the Karachi division and by-polls in the 11 constituencies. The interior ministry has informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in this regard. According to the issued letter, the Pak Army will be deployed as ‘Quick Response Force’ in the eight NA constituencies and three constituencies of the Punjab Assembly, while the Rangers and FC personnel will be deployed outside the polling stations. As per the letter issued by the interior ministry, for the by-elections, deployment will happen on October 15 or 17, while the personnel will be deployed as per the demand of the ECP. The Army will also act as ‘Quick Response Force’ for the local body elections in the seven districts of the Karachi division, which are scheduled to happen on October 23. It merits mention here that in NA-22 Mardan, NA-24 Charsadda, NA-31 Peshawar, NA-237 Malir, NA-239 Korangi, NA- 108 Faisalabad, NA-118 Nankana Sahib, NA-157 Multan, PP-139 Sheikhupura, PP-241 Bahawalnagar and PP-209 Khanewal, by-elections are scheduled to be held on October 16.

meeting apart from business class airline ticket and hotel accommodation. The PTCL board conducts at least six meetings in a year and the board also holds one meeting in any foreign country such as UAE once a year.

The sources said that the Federal Cabinet has terminated membership of the Executive Director National Information Technology Board and now Advisor to PM Ahad cheema as board member will work to retrieve the outstanding sale proceeds of PTCL amounting to $800 million from Etisalat International.

It is important to mention here that Etisalat has been holding back $800 million out of $2.6 billion bid proceeds of majority stakes in PTCL for almost 16 years now on the premise that Pakistan did not transfer titles of all the properties owned by the privatized entity.

Reportedly, the PTCL’s asset management department had mentioned 3,384 properties while originally owning only 3,248 properties in the privatization agreement finalized in 2006.

Etisalat had made upfront payments of $1.4 billion in a couple of installments but then stopped the remaining amount of $800 million on the premise of non-transfer of all properties in the name of PTCL.

Etisalat claimed that the number of properties was not 33 but 363 based on the list provided by the asset management department of PTCL as part of the salepurchase agreement.

The government thinks that there should be a land utilization and management expert in the PTCL board who can resolve the issue of properties and Ahad Khan Cheema can perform this work, the sources added.

SECP registers 2,434 new companies in September 2022

Total capitalization (paid-up-capital) with regard to newly incorporated companies for the current month stood at Rs 2.6 billion. In September, about 58 percent companies were registered as private limited companies, while 40 percent were registered as single member companies. Two percent were registered as public unlisted companies, not for profit associations, foreign companies and limited liability partnership (LLP). About 99.88 percent companies were registered online, while 104 foreign users were registered from overseas.

Pm waives off all education expenses for students from Balochistan, erstwhile faTa studying in IUB

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has waived off all educational expenses for students from Balochistan and erstwhile FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) studying in Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB). A notification to this effect has been issued by the university. According to the notification, federal government will pay fifty percent of students’ fee whereas rest of the fifty percent will be paid by the university. This step has been taken to encourage students of Balochistan and formerly FATA to pursue their higher education. Staff RepoRt

21 kg ice drug seized at Lahore airport

LAHORE: Airport Security Force (ASF) crew Thursday during action at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore seized 21.53 kilograms of Ice (Crystal Methamphetamine) drug from passenger. According to the details, alleged accused Muhammad Ramzan was travelling to Dubai and had concealed the drug in a layer of his trolley bag, although the ASF crew while searching his luggage recovered drug packages. The culprit, after initial investigation, was handed over to the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) along with the recovered drugs for further legal action. Staff RepoRt

cabinet committee gives go-ahead for phase-II of single curriculum in Punjab

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 2,434 new companies in September 2022. This shows an increase of 9% as compared to corresponding period last month. The total number of registered companies now stands at 178,733.

Foreign investment has been reported in 55 new companies. These companies have foreign investors from Afghanistan, China, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia, Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Russia, Turkey, the UK, the UAE and the US, said a press release issued here.

The real estate development & construction sector took the lead with incorporation of 480, information technology with 368, trading with 290, services with 245, education with 96, tourism with 95, e-commerce with 90, food & beverages with 79, marketing & advertisement with 58, textile and corporate agricultural farming with 54 each, engineering with 52, power generation with 50, pharmaceutical with 38, chemical with 36, healthcare with 33, and 316 companies were registered in other sectors. As a result of integration of SECP with FBR and various provincial departments, 2,254 companies were registered with FBR for generation of NTN, 74 companies with EOBI, 38 companies with PESSI/SESSI and 39 companies with excise and taxation department.

Power restored after 12 hours countrywide blackout

coNTINueD forM pAge 01

K-Electric spokesperson Imran Rana has confirmed that multiple areas of Karachi were out of electricity.

He said that the process for restoration of the power supply has started. However, he said that complete restoration may take up to five hours. “There are reports of multiple outages from different parts of the city. We are investigating the issue and will keep this space posted,” he wrote in the initial tweet after the power breakdown. The tweet was also retweeted by the utility provider.

The Sindh High Court, city and accountability courts located in Karachi were left without power following the breakdown.

Other districts of Sindh that were without power were Hyderabad, Thatta, Jamshoro, Sujawal, Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar; Mirpurkhas, Umarkot, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Matiari, Tharparkar, Larkana.

28 DISTRICTS OF BALOCHISTAN AFFECTED

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) stated that at least 28 districts of Balochistan were left without power due to the fault. He added at least three electricity units providing 220 kvs of power were affected due to the fault.

On the other hand, the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), Faisalabad, Multan and South Punjab were affected by the power breakdown. The spokesperson shared that the fault had caused temporary pressure on the LESCO system. He added that a fault in the NTDC grid had shut down two grids and 20 feeders, clarifying that they have restored them via load management.

127 GRID STATIONS AFFECTED DUE TO TECHNICAL FAULT IN NTDC SYSTEM, ELECTRICITY

FULLY RESTORED

General Manager Operations MEPCO Engineer Nasir Ayaz Gurmani said that power

supply from 127 grid stations across the region was affected due to technical fault in NTDC system.

He said the GSO wing teams were alerted to restore power supply from the affected grid stations. He also reviewed the power restoration activities at the power distribution MEPCO headquarters and monitored the power supply to the grid stations after the addition of power to MEPCO’s system from NTDC. He said that administrative officers and staff were working in the Power Control Center to supervise the power restoration works in the affected areas.

However, the electricity supply was fully restored from the grid stations affected due to breakdown at five o’clock in the afternoon, he maintained.

POWER SUPPLY RESTORED TO 13 HESCO DISTRICTS

The electric supply to all the 13 districts powered by Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) which was suspended on Thursday morning began to restore in the afternoon, according to the company’s spokesman Sadiq Kubar.

However, many parts of Hyderabad remained without electricity till the filing of this report because HESCO staggered the restoration of the electric supply.

The spokesman told that the supply was restored from the national grid almost 6 hours after the suspension which started at 9:32 am.

He said the HESCO’s CEO Muhammad Khan Sohu had directed the officers to ensure that the safety rules were followed in the restoration of the power supply.

According to the spokesman, a low frequency problem in the national grid cut off the electric supply to HESCO and 3 other companies.

INQUIRY COMMITTEE FORMED TO ASCERTAIN FACTS BEHIND

POWER BREAK DOWN

On the directions of Power Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, National

Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) has constituted a four-member committee to probe the reasons behind power blackout that engulfed the south region and certain areas of north region of NTDC’s transmission system on Thursday.

According to NTDC’s office order, Muhammad Mustafa, General Manger (Technical) Lahore will be convener of this inquiry committee while Anwar Ahmed Khan, General Manager (AM) North Lahore, Muhammad Ijaz Khan, Chief Engineer (TSG) North Lahore and Muhammad Zakaria, Chief Engineer (OP) NPCC Islamabad will work as member of this inquiry committee. And, the committee is required to submit its report within four days.

As per Terms of References (ToRs) of the committee, this committee will determine root cause of the fault and ascertain if the fault(s) leading to the partial blackout/collapse could have been contained. Similarly, the committee will verify whether the measures (technical & timewise) taken by the concerned departments for protection of the system were adequate while the committee will also review the previous inquiry reports into similar blackout incidents and ascertain whether the recommendations of those reports were adopted and implemented by the concerned departments or otherwise?

LAHORE: Punjab Cabinet’s Standing Committee on Legislative Business (SCCLB) has given the go-ahead for the launch of second phase of Single National Curriculum (SNC) in the province from the new academic year. In the second phase of SNC, the syllabus of seven books of class VI to VIII would be made uniform. The committee meeting was chaired by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat, while Minister for Law Khurram Shehzad Virk, Minister for Communications and Works Ali Afzal Sahi also participated in it. The participants were apprised that in the first phase, a uniform curriculum had been introduced from the first class to the sixth class in Punjab.Now the syllabus of Urdu, English, Mathematics, History, Geography, General Science and Computer Science would be one till the eighth grade, including more subjects of the sixth grade. Staff RepoRt

Likewise, the committee will fix the responsibility on the person(s) involved in case any negligence is observed while it will also recommend remedial measures to be taken in order to avoid recurrence of similar events in future. Moreover, the committee will inquire into any other issue related to the incident, not otherwise mentioned in the Terms of References (ToRs), that the committee deems necessary to arrive at a concrete conclusion, said

order of

HuB Bridge to Be re-ConstruCted in 18 montHs

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

tHEauthorities concerned have awarded work for reconstruction of Hub Bridge in Balochistan which is expected to be completed in 18 months and ensure smooth flow of traffic. The recent spells of Monsoon in July and August this year had caused massive flood damages in West-Zone, especially in Hub-UthalBela section of National Highway N25, resulting in collapse of Hub Bridge.

The National Logistics Cell (NLC) has been awarded construction contract of the Hub Bridge which was constructed in 1962 by Provincial Communication and Works Department, Balochistan.

As per official information, the field staff was available on sites and had successfully carried out temporary restoration work on emergent basis to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

All the damaged sections of National Highways in Balochistan have now been temporarily restored and traffic has been resumed.

Presently work on detour of this bridge has been started by NLC to facilitate the road commuters’ (HTV/LTV) on temporary basis till completion of construction on new bridge and detour is expected to be completed within one month.

Meanwhile, a senior official when contacted, on Thursday said keeping in view urgency of work in larger national interest, the National Highway Council has accorded approval to carry out permanent restoration works on G-2-G basis as per Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Rules from state owned agencies.

The official said NHA along with Frontier Works Organization (FWO), NLC, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) had already

Buzdar’s principal secretary gets clean chit in graft probe

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

The Vigilance Wing of Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Thursday dropped corruption inquiry against Tahir Khurshid alias “TK”, principal secretary to former chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar. ACE sources said that Tahir Khurshid who was facing the corruption inquiry involving millions of rupees was summoned by the ACE a number of times but he never showed up. Last time he was summoned by the ACE was on July 6 last but he did not bother, the sources added. Tahir Khurshid was accused of receiving bribes through frontmen in C&W Department. He was also accused of having received money for transfers and postings of officers. Mr TK was also accused of receiving bribes in approval to government tenders for building roads. Tahir Khurshid and C&W Chief Engineer Wasim Tariq were also blamed for receiving heavy bribes for getting approved additional funds for projects. The ACE had arrested C&W Chief Engineer Wasim Tariq. According to sources, Tahir Khurshid was the fourth person to get clean chit from ACE after Usman Buzdar, Farah Gogi and Shireen Mazari ever since the new provincial government took office.

started carrying out joint survey of flood damages whereas Foreign Consultant would also carry out assessment/rehabilitation and fresh Hydrology/Hydraulic study.

It merits mentioned here that during devastating flooding, heavy structures of N-25 between Hub to Quetta which were constructed by Communication and Works (C&W) Department also critically damaged and collapsed.

This included Khanta Bridge at 116km, Lunda Bridge at 121km, five Culverts between 130-160km, and Sardi Wala Bridge at 216km.

These heavy structures had been extensively assessed by NESPAK and were now under design phase as per revised hydraulic study.

The NHA has requested NESPAK to submit the same within shortest possible time but no later than one month, so the same should go through execution phase by completing all procurement/codal formalities in the best interest of road commuters,” the official added.

IAP demands action against drug addicts in Peshawar’s industrial estate

PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt

Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP) said the throng of a large number of drug addicts into the Industrial Estate Hayatabad Peshawar has irked industrialists, demanding of the provincial government and relevant authorities to launch crackdown and shift the drug addicts to rehabilitation centres.

Malik Imran Ishaq, president of the IAP, while chairing a meeting here at association office on Thursday said the drug addicts drove into the industrial estate after actions against them across the city by local administration in light of

orders of the Commissioner Peshawar.

The drug addicts have inflicted losses on government installations, infrastructure, uprooting eye cats from main roads, stealing of electricity wires and other important power gadgets, the IAP chief told the meeting.

He said not only industrialists, but people/residents along with workers/labourers, housing in nearby the labour colony are in great trouble owing to the drug addicts, which are also looting and injuring them by attacking with sharp gadgets. Imran Ishaq said the drug addicts have gone step forward and pulled electricity earth wire from Capri Noor factory,

erupting fire, which was doused by 8 to 10 vehicles of fire fighters with hectic efforts.However, he said no damage occurred as a result of the sudden fire.

The IAP chief said industrialists have established their production units in the industrial estate wherein crime rate is rapidly escalating owing to a surge in the number of drug addicts.

Imran Ishaq said the drug addicts had made the lives of residents in the labour colony miserable.

He questioned: “How it could be made possible to boost up industrialization and running businesses/production units under the prevailing circumstances?

The IAP president stressed the need

PIA to start Islamabad-Beijing direct flights by month end

BEIJING Staff RepoRt

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is all set to start its direct weekly passenger flights on Beijing-Islamabad-Beijing route by end of October after an approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

At present, the national flag carrier is operating a weekly flight on Islamabad-Xian-Beijing-Islamabad sector. The PIA plane leaves Islamabad on Saturday and arrives in Xian on the same day. After disembarking all the passenger, the plane lands in Beijing on Sunday and leaves for Islamabad on Sunday evening.

However, considering Pakistan as the only all-weather strategic partner of China and shared interest and cooperation in various areas between the two countries, the CAAC has accorded approval to PIA to start direct weekly operation to and from Beijing, official sources told APP here on Thursday.The CAAC has also asked the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to notify PIA to submit schedule filings

for grant of timely approval.

The Islamabad-Beijing-Islamabad direct passenger flight will facilitate passengers especially living in the Chinese capital including officials, traders and students. The flight will also facilitate Chinese personnel working on different projects being completed under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan. A passenger who intends to leave for Islamabad from Beijing Capital Airport said that PIA is expanding its flights network for China and is providing more options to Pakistani and Chinese travelers to directly reach in different cities between China and Pakistan. It may be mentioned here that PIA has also been operating direct weekly passenger flights between Islamabad and Chengdu, capital city of China’s Sichuan province on every Wednesday since March this year. Earlier, the national flag carrier had increased discount for students from 10 percent to 15 percent and an additional 7 percent discount on surcharge making a total of around 22 percent on the flights between Pakistan and China.

for providing law and protection to manufacturers in the industrial estate Hayatabad Peshawar.

Ishaq said the issue was pinpointed by him to the local administration but no action has been taken in this regard, he lamented.

He said the rising number of drug addicts in Peshawar’s industrial estate has created great unrest among industrialists and residents of the labour colony.

Imran Ishaq urged the provincial government and Commissioner Peshawar to issue directives to conduct an operation against drug addicts in the industrial estate and shift them to rehabilitation centres immediately.

40 check posts set up to check poaching in Cholistan

MULTAN: Secretary Forest, Fisheries and Wildlife Sarfraz Magsi said on Thursday the Wildlife Department was establishing 40 check posts to discourage illegal hunting of different wildlife species in Cholistan. Talking to APP, he said, “Cholistan area is stretched over 500 kilometers and effective measures are being to ensure the safety of wildlife, the natural beauty of Cholistan”. Magsi stated that there was “zero tolerance” against illegal hunting in Cholistan and other parts of south Punjab. Recently, two outlaws were fined Rs 0.6 million for illegal hunting of deer in Cholistan, he added. Sarfraz informed that the department had completed 15 check posts while the work was in progress for setting up the remaining 25 check posts.

SRINAGAR Staff RepoRt

In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a delegation of Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League (JKML), today, visited Baspura, Srinagar, and expressed sympathy and solidarity with the bereaved family members of martyred senior leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Altaf Ahmad Shah.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the delegation included Abdul Ahad Para Farooq Ahmed Tawheedi, Riaz Ahmed, Hurriyat leaders Bilal Siddiqui, Shabbir Ahmad Dar and others.

The delegation also went to Pandchak, Srinagar and condoled the demise of the father of Hurriyat

leader Sajjad Gul.

On the occasions, Abdul Ahad Parah shed light on the philosophy of life and death and conveyed the condolence messages of APHC Chairman Masarat Alam Butt to the bereaved families. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) in a statement issued in Srinagar expressed profound grief and sorrow over the demise of its party activist Sajjad Gul’s father Abdul Hameed Gill who breathed his last at a local hospital after a brief illness.

It extended heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul of the deceased. He also lauded the Gill family’s contribution and sacrifices for the Kashmir cause.

Solidarity expressed with martyr Altaf Shah’s bereaved family in Srinagar

KAsurI sAys hIs ‘Four-PoInt ForMulA’ on KAshMIr More relevAnt thAn PAst

LaHore Staff RepoRt

tHEInstitute of Peace and Connectivity (IPAC) hosted a session titled: “Indo-Pak relations in context of Indo-Pacific strategies” here on Thursday.

Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Chairman and Director of IPAC and renowned specialist on South Asia, Prof Christophe Jaffrelot spoke at length on the occasion.

In his address, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri stated that from Pakistan’s perspective, the Indo-Pacific policies are naturally viewed in the background of the unfortunate and enduring state of tension between Pakistan and India.

He added that, as Foreign Minister, he was part of the process that resulted in a framework on a possible settlement of Jammu and Kashmir. The details of the draft agreement given in his book, “Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove” have not been contradicted by any Pakistani or Indian of consequence. In fact, the book launch was attended by the principals themselves on the two sides, including former President Parvez Musharraf, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and former Leader of the Opposition, LK Advani (BJP) after being provided copies in advance.

He went on to state that “I strongly believe that it does provide the only rational solution to the resolution of J&K which has bedeviled Pakistan-India relations. Many people ask me ‘whether this framework popularly known as the ‘Four-Point Formula’ is still relevant?’ This is more so, after the recent statements of PM Modi and Home Minister, Amit Shah. I would say yes for the following reasons. Although I do not travel to India as I used to in the past because of the situation in that country, you will be surprised to learn that I have received, in the recent past, and continue to receive invitations to seminars organized by Indians in Dubai,

London as well as Webinars organized from Delhi where I am asked if the so-called ‘four-point formula’ can still provide the way forward. Quite apart from all other reasons, it is relevant because it provides for the recognition of the aspirations of people of J&K in a manner that was, at least at that time, acceptable to the governments, the establishments and the vast majority of people of Pakistan and India.”

He further added that “Mr. Narendra Modi claimed that he had “resolved the Kashmir issue”; the Indian Home Minister, Amit Shah announced that the government would not talk on Kashmir with Pakistan. Let me remind the audience that such statements are not uncommon from current leadership in India and that not long ago, Indian Home Minister made a statement that India will not rest until it got back Aksai Chin from China and AJK and GB from Pakistan. Such statements may carry a resonance with the highly polarized electorate in India today but it does not provide a resolution to J&K. Putting it more bluntly, Pakistan could not have kept the Kashmir issue alive only through diplomatic efforts, had the Kash-

miris accepted Indian occupation. Kashmir issue is alive and will remain so, as long as the Kashmiris refuse to accept Indian occupation. International Human Rights organization, including, UNHCR, has recently given a damning report in which gross violation of Human Rights of the Kashmiri people has been highlighted. An earlier report of the Human Rights Committee of the European Parliament had called Kashmir ‘the most beautiful prison on Earth’. Recently, UN Secretary General, António Guterres, reiterated his serious concerns over India’s continued use of reprisal attacks against Kashmiri journalists, activists and civil society actors. He observed that the purpose of India’s repressive measures is to deter Kashmiri human rights defenders from independently and impartially reporting the evolving human rights situation in IIOJK”

He also talked about how the current US foreign policy doctrine of ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’ relates to its strategic pivot towards Asia and has been expounded by successive administrations from President Obama to President Biden. Its main purpose was to confront the rising power of China

and India was brought into the equation as some sort of an equalizer on the Asian land mass. For this purpose, various defense agreements between India and the US namely LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement), COMCASA (Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement), The Industrial Security Agreement (ISA), and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) were signed. The purpose was to provide interoperability of weapons. Furthermore, India was also brought into the Quad (US, India, Australia and Japan). All this has ramifications for Pakistan, given the fact that there have been 10 occasions when we are either fought wars or were in near war situations that have been listed in my book. The last war was fought at Kargil in1999.

He went on to add that “following the unseemly manner of US withdrawal from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, there was a tendency to blame Pakistan for all that had gone wrong in Afghanistan and perhaps for this reason, among others, the Biden Administration, initially tried to ignore Pakistan. Recently, we have seen corrective steps on both sides and the US has also realized that such a policy is counter-productive

He went on to add that “Pakistan will remain relevant for Washington because of its location at the crossroads of Afghanistan, Russia, China, India and Iran, the presence of four acknowledged nuclear powers; Pakistan, India, Russia, and China- and of course, the US which as a superpower, is everyone’s neighbor. Pakistan’s relations with China impact the US Indo-Pacific strategy, and Pakistan’s tensions with India undermine New Delhi’s capability to balance China”

He concluded by stating that “US is Pakistan’s largest trading partner. While it is true that China has supported Pakistan on all major international issues, Pakistan has also had extremely warm relations with the US in the past and having been declared ‘the most allied ally’ and ‘the most sanctioned ally’ in the past. Dur-

Another 22,000 IDPs return to homes, 0.24 million still in relief camps: Sharjeel Memon

KARACHI: Sindh Information Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon, on Thursday, said that another 22,003 IDPs had returned to their homes from the relief camps in the last 48 hours. In a statement issued here he said that still 243,030 IDPs including 67,149 children and 52,970 women were present in relief camps and they were being provided with two meals a day and health facilities. Sharjeel Memon said that the relief activities by Sindh government were underway in flood affected areas and 342,75 ration bags and 744 mosquito nets had been provided to affected families in the last 24 hours. Besides, 10 heavy dewatering pumps had also been delivered to drain out water from the affected areas, he added. In Badin district ration bags were distributed among 2,000 families, in Dadu to 3,000 families, in Hyderabad 4,000, Matiari 500, Jamshoro 2,975, Tando Allahyar 1,000, Jacobabad 1,000, Larkana 3,000, Qamber Shahdadkot 3,500, Khairpur Mir’s 500, Naushehro Feroze 3,500, Sanghar 300, Shaheed Benazirabad 4,000, Sukkur 3,000 and in Mirpurkhas to 2,000 families. The minister informed that in total ration bags have been distributed to 1,612,812 families so far while 612,908 tents, 535,457 plastic tarpaulins, 3,234,345 mosquito nets, 800,770 litres of mineral water, 133,623 cauldrons of cooked food and other items have been provided to the victims. He said that the flow of water at the barrages of Sindh remained at a low level as inflow and outflow of water at the Guddu barrage had been recorded at 58,600 cusecs and 48,400 cusecs, at Sukkur Barrage 48,100 cusecs and 37,000 cusecs while at Kotri Barrage 78,400 cusecs and 48,500 cusecs respectively. Staff RepoRt

Gardezi for bringing youth into mainstream

RAWALPINDI: Youth are the future of Pakistan. Youth have to play their role for the development and prosperity of Pakistan. These views were expressed by Minister of Agriculture Punjab Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardizi while addressing a seminar organized in Pir Meher Ali Shah Aird Agriculture University, Rawalpindi regarding the role of students in national development. He said that the youth are the asset of the country and students can play their role to solve the problems faced in the present era. He said that Aird Agricultural University, Rawalpindi is leading the way in agricultural research and education. This university has introduced precision and digital agriculture across the country. Just as students played a role in the establishment of Pakistan, the role of students is needed for the development of the country at this time, he maintained. Staff RepoRt

ing our tenure, despite problems we were able to maintain excellent relations with both the US and China. We hope that tensions between US and China do not deteriorate further as it will pose a threat not just to peace in South Asia but also international peace.”

Prof Christophe Jaffrelot serves as director of research at Centre for Studies in International Relations (CERI) at University of Paris, Professor of Indian politics and sociology at King’s College London, and a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is the author of several renowned books on Pakistan and India, including, ‘Modi’s India: Hindu Nationalism and the Rise of Ethnic Democracy’, The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and Resilience, and several others. He is also the editor of ‘Pakistan at the Crossroads: Domestic Dynamics and External Pressures’ and ‘Majoritarian State: How Hindu Nationalism is Changing India.’

Professor Jaffrelot talked about Chinese threat that has been largely responsible for the making of New Delhi’s Indo-Pacific policy.

He said that India’s growing apprehensions had become palpable after the launch of the Road and Belt Initiative and the growing presence of China in India’s neighborhood – as evident from the Chinese investments not only in Pakistan and Myanmar, but also in Nepal and Sri Lanka. In this context, India felt more and more encircled.

He went on to state that Narendra Modi shared his vision of the Indo-Pacific for the first time on June 1, 2018 at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore where he claimed that the Indo-Pacific “include[d] all nations in this geography as also others beyond who have a stake in it”, an oblique reference to western powers which till recently were not welcome by India in its region. This trend culminated with the re-launching of the Quad in 2017, at minilateral was more clearly than any other diplomatic initiative a reaction to China’s assertiveness in the region.

corporate corner

Zafar Masud meets Dean & Director IBA Karachi

PM willing to ‘engage with India’ for regional peace, progress

said though Pakistan is responsible for less than one percent of global carbon emissions yet we are amongst the ten top countries most severely impacted by climate change.

TO REHABILITATE 33MCLIMATE-

HIT PEOPLE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Pakistan needs immediate help to rehabilitate its thirty three million climate refugees affected by the recent devastating rains and floods.

Addressing the 6th Summit of CICA in Astana, he said Pakistan is living through a colossal climate induced climate. He said unprecedented rains and flooding that have submerged one third of Pakistan are without any doubt the consequence of global warming and climate change. He said according to initial estimates, the calamity has caused a loss to the tune of over thirty billion dollars.

The Prime Minister said the government has marshalled all the resources at its disposal for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation. He

Expressing his gratitude to the countries who extended support to flood affected people, the Prime Minister said Pakistan looks forward to their continued support as the country transitions to the more daunting phase of reconstruction and rehabilitation. He said Pakistan is determined to emerge stronger from these floods in a short period of time.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan’s location offers a natural bridge to regional economies. He said China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has transformed the economic and connectivity landscape of the region.

He invited the members to take the advantage of the opportunity of trade, business and investment in Pakistan. Highlighting the impacts of conflict in Afghanistan, he said Pakistan has borne the most serious consequence of the conflict in Afghanistan.

Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan faced

eighty thousand causalities and economic loses of over 150 billion dollars in the fight against terrorism. He said Pakistan with the help of great sacrifices curbed the menace of terrorism and extremism. He said Pakistan continues to host four million refugees.

He said a peaceful, stable, united and prosperous Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan, entire region and the world. He called upon the world to support the people of Afghanistan in their quest for sustainable peace, stability and development.

KASHMIR SOLUTION ESSENTIAL FOR DURABLE PEACE IN REGION: In his address PM Shehbaz has said that resolution of the Kashmir dispute is essential for durable peace in the region. He said Pakistan wants better relations with India but it depends on India. Peace will not be established until Indian atrocities end in the occupied territory, he added.

“We are willing to engage with India for the sake of prosperity and development as both sides of the border cannot afford to

deal with massive challenges of poverty and unemployment amid meager resources,” he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted India’s unabated atrocities in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir where, he said, the Kashmiris have been facing continued denial of their right to self-determination for the last seven decades.

He also urged other countries to take notice of India’s ‘bullet over ballot’ policy as it blatantly quashed the United Nations resolution on holding a plebiscite in Kashmir.

“India has become a threat to its minorities, neighbours and the entire region,” he added.

PM REITERATES PAKISTAN’S

STANCE ON PALESTINE ISSUE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated Pakistan’s stance to continue raising its voice for the cause of Palestinian people till the culmination of their just struggle for freedom.

He was talking to President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas in Astana on Thursday, on the sidelines of 6th Summit of the Confer-

ence on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

The two leaders had an emotional interaction that was reflective of the fraternal bond between the two countries.

Warmly embracing each other, they exchanged cordial feelings for their respective countries and mentioned the support the two countries have been extending to each other in different contexts.

The Prime Minister said Palestine is in our hearts and is part of our faith. As Shehbaz Sharif thanked the Palestinian President for his country’s relief assistance to Pakistan’s flood affected people, the Palestinian President responded that his country couldn’t do enough for Pakistanis who are their brothers and sisters.

The Palestinian President said we never forget Pakistan and we have been with Pakistanis since before the establishment of Pakistan. He mentioned how Pakistan took care of the veteran Palestinian leader and grand Mufti Amin el-Husseini until his death.

The President & CEO of the Bank of Punjab (and Chairman OGDCL), Mr. Zafar Masud met with the Dean & Director of the IBA Karachi Prof. Dr. Akbar Zaidi, accompanied by the Head of Alumni Affairs Mrs. Malahat Awan, on Monday, 10th October 2022. The meeting was an exploration of possible avenues of collaboration between BOP and IBA, to strengthen the existing working relationship between the two entities. Among the considerations was the idea of setting up an Endowment Fund to financially support deserving students through their academic journey at IBA. pR

Accountability fog

PM, son’s release in money laundering case show problems with accountability drive

THE acquittal of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and his sons by a special court in the ramzan Sugar Mills money-laundering case registered by the FiA, is subject to two opposed vindicatory views. Mr Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza might feel, along with the entire PML(n), that they have been vindicated, and that the case, which was purely a product of political victimisation, had been successfully buried. The PTi and its diehards would see this as yet another example of the PdM government using its position to get rid of the various cases that were brought against its leaders. it is perhaps appropriate that this is not a nAB case, because it allows an objective look at the accountability process of the previous government. This was the case in which the PTi’s accountability czar, Shahzad Akbar, had claimed to have got the Sharifs dead to rights, and to have produced conclusive evidence.

This case was not affected by the nAB law amendments, passed by the present government in a joint sitting of Parliament. However, the benefit bhas applied to a number of other cases. Meanwhile, in Wednesday’s hearing of the petition, a three-member bench of the Supreme did observe that the amendments did open the way to corruption. However, while corruption is no doubt reprehensible, it could be argued that the fight against corruption could not be allowed to abridge the liberties of the citizen. Again, the Supreme court is itself circumscribed by the constitution, and will have to find the amendments repugnant to a constitutional provision or provisions, not to ‘international standards and local laws’, as remarked by the chief Justice of Pakistan.

The practical question still hangs over the ramzan case, why the PTi government was unable to get a court to convict. did it not have the resources of the state at its disposal, not to forget the coruscating talents of Mr Akbar. does PTi chief imran Khan’s statement to journalists that he did not have the power of office as PM. if true, it raises the obvious question of why he is expected to change anything if returned to office. it also raises the question of his motive for holding a powerless office. if untrue, is it merely an excuse to explain away why his government’s accountability drive produced such poor results? it is selfevident that corruption is so widespread that it constitutes a problem. The years since 2018 indicate too that the PTi was not part of the problem, and might have become part of the problem.

Falling dominoes

The leaks are just the start of a dangerous trend

determine whether the hack could have any foreign involvement, especially indian. Whether or not a foreign agency did the original recording, could it have become a product for the data? Angleton’s ‘wilderness of mirrors’ becomes even more relevant.

WHoEvEr is releasing video clips of Prime Ministers made sure that the official attempt to brush it under the carpet did not work. After the initial set of leaks had shocked the nation, but perhaps not surprised it, the supposed hacker released two more clips, the day after the Federal cabinet had set up a Joint investigation team, and had asked it to report back. The standard formula for stopping a problem dead in its tracks is to set up a committee. The present government is not above using that particular mechanism: it turned over the question of whether to arrest imran Khan or not to a cabinet committee.

As has been seen since, imran remains at liberty. it is not as if the government lacks the motivation: the Prime Minister himself has been arrested, and it is not as if imran has not caused suspicions to have arisen about his being guilty, it must be remembered that being arrested is not proof of guilt (whatever imran and those of a like mind might say), However, getting arrested does mean having fallen under suspicion of a crime. if repeated, it might well indicate a pattern of suspicious behaviour.

Unlike the previous cabinet committee, this committee has representation from the PPP. it might be remembered that in the matter of imran’s arrest the government has been using the excuse that the PML(n) has to convince the other members of the ruling coalition that imran should be arrested. it seems that the main obstacle so far is PPP President Asif Zardari, who wishes not to cause any of the unrest that would ensue from imran’s arrest. However, now the presence of a PPP representative indicates that the JiT is expected to carry the weight of the two main components of the coalition, the PML(n) and the PPP, and to provide findings acceptable to the entire coalition.

The government organisations represented are the intelligence Bureau, the iSi and Military intelligence.

This would appear a no-brainer, but has become problematic. it is iB that is being investigated, because it is responsible for the security of the PM’s office.

if Pakistani agencies are anything like intelligence agencies the world over, the three are deadly rivals, even though iSi and Mi are both supposed to be military organisations. All three probably have a hidden institutional view that the other two have been thoroughly penetrated by indian agents, both moles and sleepers.

it is going to be inevitable that the iSi and Mi are going to blame the iB for responsibility, and may well try to convince the politicians that the leak was probably done by an element within the iB, an agent acting on his own. instead of contributing positively to the investigation, the iB representative will be fighting his department’s case, and doing his best to deflect the snipings from the other agencies. Because of this, it is unlikely that the possibility of the iSi or Mi having used the clout they have as military organisations to overcome the iB, which is civilian, and carry out the bugging, will be properly explored.

That is a pity, for it is likely that that is what happened. However, it is so unlikely as to be virtually impossible, for the iB to have agreed to the bugging at an institutional level, which might have been recorded in correspondence, or the minutes of a meeting. Anything that might have transpired would have been covert, and though imran Khan is on record as saying that he was being bugged as PM, and he didn’t object because he had nothing to hide, it does not mean that no other PM shared this lack of objection to the invasion of privacy.

Another problem that has been highlighted by these leaks is that bugging is much less cumbersome than ever before. That has meant the data is much easier to replicate. Bugging started out while stealing sounded, and was recorded on magnetic tape, being played on single-purpose tape recorders. reproducing that tape was relatively complicated. it could be done without special equipment, but it would involve the loss of sound quality, and interference by any sound in the room during the (cumbtsome) rerecording process.

There will be another consequence of the audio leaks. Politicians are going to enter the fishbowl of an existence where any action might come back digitally to haunt one. None should think that his privacy will be secure if he stays away from politics. Everyone’s dirty linen will be out there, not flapping in the wind, but online

hacker, seen simply in the number of leaks involving him. The possibility remains of the recording agency continuing to play politics, despite all efforts by the Army to claim neutrality. There is also the possibility of someone at a fairly senior level having gone rogue. The efforts being made to monetise the cache, while not completely ruling out the first (agencies need at least some covert funding so that it can carry out operations without having to account for every single rupee) indicate the second (even senior spooks have to eat, or afford US colleges for their kids).

Perhaps the real damage that will come out of the hacks is yet to come. Some of the hacker’s claims, which have got traction on the social media involve serious allegations, as well as promising salacious and titillating videos. So far, there have been no videos released, even though much has been said about them.

Such videos might be something of a gamechanger. Apart from a political application, such as the audio leaks have, there is also the purely pornographic angle, where such video clips might survive for decades. More importantly, if such tapes of imran exist, they would challenge his present Teflon-like invulnerability among his base.

However, it might be remembered that Bill clinton lived down the Monica Lewinsky scandal, to the extent that his wife later ran for President. Her margin of defeat was narrow enough for this to have been a deciding factor in her defeat.

Yousaf Nizami Editor

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor M. A. Niazi Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor

Therefore, it is almost inevitable that the three will be spying on the other two. There will have to have been a degree of close cooperation on a number of occasions, but there would have to be precautions taken.

As famously said by the ciA’s longtime (1954-74) chief of counterintelligence, “i feel we live in a wilderness of mirrors.” Angleton led the ciA when it was suspected that it had been penetrated by a KgB mole.

one of the primary tasks of the JiT will nbe to

now, if the data has been stored digitally (and it should not be forgotten that digitization has meant miniaturization, and in turn saving as digital copies), it can all be stored on one or two USB sticks. reproducing the data is not complicated. The PMo hacker claims to have got away with 8MB of data, which sounds a lot when expressed in hours of sound, but which can be made to fit onto one USB drive stick.

There has also been an anti-imran bias by the

There will be another consequence of the audio leaks. Politicians are going to enter the fishbowl of an existence where any action might come back digitally to haunt one. none should think that his privacy will be secure if he stays away from politics. Everyone’s dirty linen will be out there, not flapping in the wind, but online.

The writer is a member of staff

Academia’s contribution to cutting imports

lion in 2022 from $8.69 billion during the same period last year. Lng witnessed an increase of 82.90 percent, while LPg imports jumped by 39.86 percent during 2022. Electricity generation from coal reached 5280 MW. Thar coal contribution is 1320 MW and it will further increase in 2023. overall Pakistan’s import bill increased 43.45 percent to $80.51 billion during 2021-22, up from $56.12 billion, just a year ago.

According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2022, a positive spike was observed in economic indicators of the Pakistani economy in 2021-22. The gdP growth was observed as 5.97 percent. A growth of 4.4 percent in the agriculture sector and 7.2 percent in the industrial sector was observed. Thirty-nine percent growth was observed in exports of goods and services. The overall volume of the economy crossed the line of $67 billion. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the trade volume of the Pakistani economy positively increased from the year 2000 to 2022.

no doubt, 2021-22 remained good for the Pakistani economy but on the other hand, the import bill also increased. import bill of oil increased by 95.9 percent to $17.03 bil-

Surprisingly, non-energy imports remained the main contributor to raising the import bill. it is important to identify that the value of imports of commodity group 29 “organic chemicals” to Pakistan totaled $2.12 billion-plus. increased demand for import was observed in live animals, animals products, vegetable products, prepared foodstuffs, beverages, vinegar, tobacco, mineral products, chemicals, plastics, rubber, leather, wood articles, fibrous cellulosic material, textile articles, footwear, articles of stone, articles of mica, precious or semi-precious stones, base metals, machinery, mechanical appliances, vehicles, aircraft, vessels, transport equipment, optical instruments, photographic instruments, arms and ammunitions. imports of all these items caused a huge increase in import bills which is not good for such economies like Pakistan.

For financial stability, it is a need of time to cut down the import bill by taking particular precautions. in agriculture, there is a need for research to find new methods to increase per-acre yields. Such growth will help to reduce import bills. it is a need of time to develop indigenous organic pesticides.

There is a need to promote organic fertilizers and academia must find ways to turn local

organic materials into green fertilizers. There is need to develop methods to mechanize agriculture. To reduce chemicals import, academia and industry must devise methods to produce such chemicals locally, for example production of Ethanol fromccorn– would be effective to reduce the import bill. date serum and date leather, Mango pulp processing and mango leather, dairy (milk) products all have the potential to bring a large business. Local production of fertilizers and pesticides also would increase the country’s export.

Academia must play its role in the development of the local solar power industry. it will reduce the import of power generation machinery and will provide a green energy source. Academics and the government must devise ways to develop the indigenous industry for the production of synthetic fibre, and synthetic and artificial silk yarn to reduce textile import. it

With industry-academia collaboration, it is possible to find new ways to reduce dependence on imports or imported raw materials. It would be good to innovate methods to consume local raw materials to fulfil industrial needs and to modernize agriculture to deal with the prevailing challenges related to food security in the country.

is necessary to promote Biodiesel derived from corn oil which is a fuel substitute for diesel. There is a need to modernize food processing, for example food preservation, packing and exporting. Academia and industry must collaborate for the local production of largescale industrial-use chemicals, instead of importing them.

in such a situation the effective contribution of universities or academia could change the equation. in Pakistan, universities must develop a research-oriented environment to work on the indigenous problems related to agriculture and industry. Universities must contribute to devising new ways of production by using local raw materials instead of imported ones.

in this regard, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and information Technology is contributing to addressing the problems of agriculture and industry by developing a research-oriented environment. To achieve valuable milestones in

research & innovation new labs were established on the campus. in the last two years, 18 Phd and 13 new MS programmes were gradually initiated in engineering, information technology and physical sciences. More than 1500 research scholars are now engaged in research activities that are aligned with the needs of local agriculture and industry.

The outcomes of such measures were observed as approved research grants worth more than rs.450 million. in the last three years, KFUEiT has won 29 nrPU research grants which were announced by the Higher Education commission of Pakistan. The number of research publications increased from 153 to 1342 and the overall impact factor increased from 510 to 4172. KFUEiT researchers contributed to 23 books and 148 book chapters which were published internationally. There is a need to strengthen the bond between such universities and industry.

With industry-academia collaboration, it is possible to find new ways to reduce dependence on imports or imported raw materials. it would be good to innovate methods to consume local raw materials to fulfil industrial needs and to modernize agriculture to deal with the prevailing challenges related to food security in the country. The revamping of agriculture and innovation in the chemical industry on modern lines will help to reduce the import bill of the country. it is necessary for the stability of the economy and a prosperous Pakistan.

The writer vis Vice Chancellor of the Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan

Dr MuhAMMAD SuleMAN TAhIr

Myanmar military’s ‘cherished nuclear ambition’ threatens regional stability

ries involved in Myanmar’s secret nuclear weapons efforts and ballistic missile development programme.

The opposition group also issued a corresponding report n June 3 featuring an analysis of Win’s information by former international Atomic Energy Agency (iAEA) inspector robert Kelley. Kelley claimed in the report that, taken collectively, the technology featured in Win’s information “is only for nuclear weapons and not civilian use or nuclear power.”

Myanmar’s nuclear ambitions, spotlighted by last month’s announcement that russia has agreed to help the regime build a nuclear research facility, date back at least seven years. in december 1995, the junta signed the Bangkok Treaty, banning the development, manufacture, possession, control, stationing, transport, testing or use of nuclear weapons under the terms of the international nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty.

try over several years, including hundreds of files and other evidence provided by Sai Thein Win, a former major in the military of Myanmar. A Un report said there was evidence that north Korea had been exporting nuclear technology to Myanmar, iran and Syria. now, russia supports Myanamr’s nuclear programme openly.

Editor’s mail

Air Pollution in Karachi

i would like to draw the attention of concerned authorities through towards the issue of air pollution which is increasing day by day in Karachi .

Karachi is ranked as the fourth largest city polluted city in the world. As Karachi contribute a major part in the economy if Pakistan, that’s why it consist of large number of industries, which are one of the basic cause of air pollution. Moreover, it is densely populated city ,due to which we can observe heavy traffic on the roads of Karachi.

The smoke emitted from the vehicles is polluting the air rapidly. it’s a great concern of Karachiites because as the air we breathe consist of chemical and other dangerous particles, which harms not only our health but also plants and animals are being effected by it.

According to the research air pollution causes short and long term effects on humans health. Short term effects include bronchitis, nausea headache and dizziness. While long term effect heart disease ,lung cancer and respiratory diseases. There is also lack of trees in Karachi, necessary for the reduction of air pollution. People living here want to breath fresh air which is essential for them to live a healthy life. Therefore, it’s a humble request for the concerned authorities to look into this matter seriously and take effective steps for the sake of people living in Karachi.

AFIFA NAFEES KARACHI

Stressed youth

in today’s world, problems like stress and anxiety are rife among people. contrary to common belief, young people fall prey to these problems more often than the others for multiple reasons, ranging from academic pressure to relationship issues and financial strains.

SoUTHEAST Asia is going to be vulnerable permanently if Myanmar continues to pursue its long cherished nuclear ambitions.The military junta could use the weapons against various ethnic rivals or insurgents. not only that, the whole Southeast Asian region would be volatile, unstable because of this stupidity of the Myanmar junta. Myanmar’s aggressive behaviour would be growing day by day. recent border tensions beween Myanmar and Bangladesh are the best example to understand and realize that. The Myanmar military is so brutal that it has been carrying out airstrikes upon its own people. Thus, nuclear weapons on the hand of the Myanmar military are more dangerous than those of north Korea even.

An agreement signed by Myanmar’s military regime and russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation to jointly assess building a small reactor in the Southeast Asian country underscores the junta’s long-term pursuit of nuclear weapons, analysts said.

Myo Thein Kyaw, the regime’s minister of science and technology; Thuang Han, minister of electric power; and Alexey Likhachev, chief executive officer at russia’s State Atomic Energy corporation, signed the “roadmap for cooperation upon its own citizens” while they attended the Eastern Economic Forum on Sept. 5-8 in vladivostok. Junta leader Senr gen Min Aung Hlaing oversaw the signing of the agreement.

The deal would further russian-Myanmar cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, and assess the feasibility of a small-scale nuclear reactor project in Myanmar, rosatom said in a statement issued on September 6.

The same day, the junta announced that it would use nuclear energy for electricity generation, scientific research, medicine production and industry.

There is no doubt Myanmar has a nuclear programme. it sent scientists, technicians and army officers to russia for training in recent years. And Moscow has agreed to supply Myanmar with a small nuclear reactor for civilian use. The question is, why the world is silent in this regard? Why not ASEAn raising its concern this time?

Myanmar has been carrying out rudimentary steps toward developing nuclear weapons, a documentary released in June by an opposition group alleges. The documentary by the democratic voice of Myanmar featured information provided by Sai Thein Win, a former officer in the Myanmar army. Win claimed to have been deputy manager of special machine tool facto-

Five years later, after a visit to Moscow by Myanmar’s minister for science and technology, U Thaung, the junta’s nuclear plans became clearer...”The junta’s recent confirmation that it will build a small-scale nuclear power plant in the next few years caps Myanmar’s long pursuit of nuclear technology dating back to early 2000.

The Southeast Asian country’s two-decadelong journey to nuclear capability was made possible by russia after a series of engagements that accelerated under the current junta and its military predecessor.

Though the current regime insists nuclear energy would be used for peaceful purposes in Myanmar, which has been hit by chronic electricity shortages, many believe this is the first step in a plan to utilize nuclear energy for military purposes, including production of nuclear weapons.

in 2009, it was reported that Myanmar was suspected to have initiated a nuclear weapons programme. if such a programme does exist, Myanmar’s technical and financial limitations may make it difficult for the programme to succeed. The USA expressed concern in 2011 about potential violations of the Treaty on the nonProliferation of nuclear Weapons (nPT), though by 2012 these concerns had been “partially allayed.” Myanmar has faced persistent accusations of using chemical weapons.

in 2007, russia and Myanmar made a controversial nuclear research centre deal. According to them, “The centre will comprise a 10MW light-water reactor working on 20%-enriched uranium-235, an activation analysis laboratory, a medical isotope production laboratory, silicon doping system, nuclear waste treatment and burial facilities”.

According to an August 2009 report published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Myanmar had been working to develop a nuclear weapon by 2014. The reported effort, purportedly being undertaken with assistance from north Korea, involves the construction of a nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction facilities in caves tunnelled into a mountain at naung Laing, a village in the Mandalay division. The information cited in the newspaper story reportedly originated from two high-ranking defectors who had settled in Australia.

on 3 June 2010, a five-year investigation by an anti-government Myanmar broadcaster, the democratic voice of Myanmar (dvB), found evidence that allegedly showed the country’s military regime had begun a programme to develop nuclear weapons.

The dvB said evidence of Myanmar’s nuclear programme came from top-secret documents smuggled out of the coun-

Based on Win’s evidence, robert Kelley, a former weapons inspector, said he believed Myanmar “has the intent to go nuclear and it is... expending huge resources along the way.” But as of 2010, experts said that Myanmar was a long way from succeeding, given the poor quality of their current materials. despite Kelley’s analysis, some experts are uncertain that a nuclear weapons programme exists; for example, the institute for Science and international Security notes ambiguity as to whether certain equipment is used for uranium production, or for innocently producing “rare earth metals or metals such as titanium or vanadium.” The USA expressed concern in 2011 about possible nPT violations, but by 2012 stated that its concerns had been “partially allayed.”

Myanmar signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of nuclear Weapons on 26 September 2018, but has not ratified it.

on 15 december 1995, ASEAn Member States signed the Treaty of Southeast Asia nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEAnWFZ Treaty) as a commitment to preserve the Southeast Asian region as a region free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. The Treaty is also known as the Bangkok Treaty. Through thisTreaty, ASEAn reaffirms the importance of the Treaty on the non-Proliferation of nuclear Weapons (nPT) in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and in contributing towards international peace and security.

it also marks the establishment of a nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (nWFZ) in Southeast Asia– one among five nWFZs in the world. The other four nWFZs are in Latin America and the caribbean, the South Pacific, Africa, and central Asia.

The Protocol to the SEAnWFZ Treaty welcomes the signing and early ratification of the nuclear Weapon States (nWS), which will contribute to the promotion of the realisation of a Southeast Asia nuclear Weapon-Free Zone. Efforts are underway towards the accession of the nWS to the Protocol.

Myanamr’s attitude is contradictory to the Protocol to the SEAnWFZ Treaty. Whatever may be the truth, the fact remains that nuclear Myanmar is not in the interest of india, china, or any of the neighbouring countries. They cannot afford to have another nuclear power along the border. other regional countries would definitely feel insecure. The direct nuclear threat from Myanmar would destabilize the whole region in the long run. if nuclear deterrence works, then arms race is a must in the region. This dangerous ambition of Myanmar’s would \snatch the calm from all stakeholders in the region.

The West should join with all regional countries and ASEAn to pressure Myanmar to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions. They must take actions like thr iran case. otherwise, the world is going to see another nuclear threat in Southeast Asia. instead of developing nuclear weapons, the world must compel Myanmar to focus on bringing back democracy and resolving problems like Hiv AidS, human trafficking, rape, drug abuse, child soldiers, forced labour, ethnic crisis, refugee issues and corruption.

The writer is a Gauhati University, Assam, India-based researcher.

can be reached

in Pakistan, many young people suffer from stress on a daily basis. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), teens report higher levels of stress than adults. The leading factor in this regard is the pressure to do well in studies in an environment marred by unnecessary cut-throat competition and subsequent societal pressure from parents and teachers alike to adhere to the established standards of ‘competence’. An online survey in the United Kingdom found that six out of 10 young people aged 18-24 feel stressed and are unable to cope with the pressure to succeed.

Financial stress is no less of importance as finances define the worth of a person in today’s materialistic world. Men feel the pressure more in this regard and are expected to fulfil all the financial needs and demands of the family amid soaring prices and rising inflation. However, what they expect — proper employment opportunities in accordance with their qualifications — is not provided to them by the government.

These sufferings take a toll even on one’s relationships. Stressed people become a nuisance for people around them because they fail to carry out their responsibilities and sometimes even vent out their anger on those who have little to do with their stress. gradually, such people end up isolating themselves from one and all.

career issues also cause stress among the young. People are worried about their career as they want to make their future better, but many of them do not have jobs despite having academic qualifications. Even those who have jobs complain about being overburdened with work and the general lack of professionalism in the market. There are many ways to reduce and avoid stress. A person who is suffering from stress should provide the body what it needs the most; healthy exercises and sound sleep. Moreover, people should spend more time with friends and family to avoid stress. Healthy diet and reading books can also help reduce stress. Yoga and therapy sessions are also among the effective solutions. A huge amount of stress can be reduced by implementing these easy solutions.

Everyone faces problems in life, but one should not let these problems take a toll on one’s mental and physical health or on social relationship. Let’s be as tough as life is.

FATIMA AAMIR KARACHI

Dangers of Self Medication

PEoPLE in rural areas are not aware of most diseases, their causes and effects of the various medicines on the body. Yet, they believe in selftreatment. despite an active dengue outbreak these days, people are still following traditional norms. instead of seeing a doctor, they continue to give their patients papaya leaf nectar, which can be dangerous as it causes diarrhoea and vomiting to an extremely dehydrated dengue patient. Apart from the lack of awareness, there is a dearth of doctors who may advise people not to treat themselves. The government should hold awareness campaigns and ensure the availability of doctors in rural areas.

AIZA RAFAQAT LAHORE

Bad timings

THE decision of the Balochistan Public Service commission (BPSc) to conduct the exams of section officer and assistant commissioner in november has left many students, especially those belonging to flood-hit areas, in a shock. The students of Sibi, naseerabad, Kacchi, Jaffarabad and Lasbela are either still coping with the post-flood situation or are stuck with floodwaters all around them. one wonders how these students can sit the exam. The BPSc should revisit its decision.

INZAMAM QASIM SILACHI SIBI

Shameful performance

PUTTing the relevant authorities to shame, drug addicts have ripped out and ran away with the iron grills of bridges in nazimabad and Korangi areas of Karachi. i wonder where the taxpayers’ money is spent if the authorities cannot even protect public infrastructure from drug abusers. in fact, the latter appear to be more tactical in what they are doing than the authorities who presumably have all the resources at their disposal. What a shame!

Just like tobacco, it’s time we banned fossil fuel advertising

STOPPING THE PROMOTION OF COAL, OIL AND GAS DOES NOT STOP US USING THE PRODUCTS WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED. IT JUST PREVENTS THE COMPANIES FROM INCREASING DEMAND, WIELDING DISPROPORTIONATE INFLUENCE AND GREENWASHING – PRETENDING THEY ARE TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE WHEN THEY ARE CLEARLY NOT

mate. Woodside covers the uniforms of our young surf lifesavers with its name.

The Telethon Kids Institute at Perth Children’s hospital does incredible work. It’s part of the $10 million heAL network that aims to “address climate-related challenges” to health, such as air pollution, deadly bushfires and dwindling food security.

But through Telethon it accepts support from three of the fossil fuel companies that are contributing to those very problems: Woodside, Chevron and South32. The City of Sydney and six other east coast councils have voted to restrict fossil fuel ads and sponsorships. It’s time councils all over the country took a stand.

For more than a decade, Australian doctors have been sounding alarms about the devastating impacts that fossil fuels and global warming are having on our physical and mental health. Deaths caused by air pollution from fossil fuel combustion are estimated to be 8 million annually, around one in five deaths globally. In Australia, an estimated 2600 people die prematurely each year from air pollution – double the amount that die in car crashes.

A recent study estimated that between 2000 and 2019, more than 5 million annual premature deaths were attributable to a warming climate. And yet the children’s hospital has a Santos Family Room at its Ronald McDonald house for family accommodation.

Our hospitals are still promoting the fossil fuel companies whose products are responsible for around 89 per cent of global warming.

It doesn’t end with healthcare. Our local councils manage billboards, bus shelters and venues that accept fossil fuel advertising. Western Australia has countless festivals, awards and events sponsored by companies whose products are damaging our health and cli-

Some of our most prominent cultural heroes, including Tim Winton and Midnight Oil, are calling out the relentless use of sponsorships and advertising in Western Australia that perpetuates and protects the extraction and sale of fossil fuels. As doctors, we are joining the hundreds of health workers who have signed an open letter from the Fossil Ad Ban campaign demanding that governments now ban this marketing. Banning advertising and sponsorships by such a large sector of the economy may seem impossible at first, but it is simpler than you think.

Tobacco ads and sponsorships have been banned. Alcohol and gambling ads are restricted. Other products require warning labels or labels that highlight their environmental performance or nutritional value. Why restrict marketing for these products but not those that pose the biggest threat of all? Stopping the promotion of coal, oil and gas does not stop us using the products when they are needed. It just prevents the companies from increasing demand, wielding disproportionate influence and greenwashing – pretending they are tackling climate change when they are clearly not.

State government projections show that by 2050, our city will suffer a 40 per cent increase in high fire-danger days, sea levels that are 24 centimetres higher, and more extreme rainfall. Our way of life is under threat. Banning fossil fuel marketing will help disentangle our public institutions from the insidious influence of fossil fuel corporations, and allow us all to create a cleaner, safer and healthier future.

Dr Carolyn Orr is a neurologist and clinical researcher in Perth who specialises in illnesses that affect cognition, including early onset dementia. Dr Richard Yin is a GP who practiced for nearly 35 years in Perth.

Syndicate laWrEnCE h. SUMMErS

ouTSIDe of the security domain, overhauling the World Bank offers uS President Joe Biden’s administration its greatest opportunity for a key foreign-policy achievement. The World Bank should be a major vehicle for crisis response, post-conflict reconstruction, and, most importantly, for supporting the huge investments necessary for sustainable and healthy global development. But currently it is not.

The remarkable feature of the World Bank’s financial model is that even before it is reformed, which is very necessary, and even without considering its ability to mobilize private-sector finance, each $1 of appropriated funds from the united States catalyzes a permanent increase in lending of more than $15 dollars. (This is because other countries contribute to the Bank as well, and paid-in capital is leveraged many times over.)

uniquely, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have the capacity to do very large things worldwide and at low budgetary cost. They are multilateral and most of the shareholders uphold Western values. The World Bank is located in Washington, DC, and traditionally has American leadership.

Charles Kenny at the Center for Global Development (CGD) and others have pointed out that, despite much rhetoric, the world is falling far short in its collective ability to respond to crises. Kenny’s searing analysis shows that despite today’s “polycrisis” – looming global recession, high interest rates and a strong dollar buffeting many economies, rising food and energy prices, the ongoing pandemic, and accelerating climate change – World Bank lending has not even kept up with growth since 2017. In fact, it has declined in the last year, and the IMF has not done much better.

This should be unacceptable to the uS and other major IMF and World Bank shareholders. Given the magnitude of global challenges over the next decade, we should be thinking in the trillions not the billions for the Bank. If war is too important to leave to generals, financing global survival is too important to leave to green eyeshades and international bureaucrats.

Four steps are necessary, and all are broadly consistent with uS Treasury Secretary Janet

A new chAnce for The world BAnk

THE WORLD BANK SHOULD BE A MAJOR VEHICLE FOR CRISIS RESPONSE, POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR SUPPORTING THE HUGE INVESTMENTS NECESSARY FOR SUSTAINABLE AND HEALTHY GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT. TO REALIZE THIS POTENTIAL, THOSE ATTENDING THE BANK’S MEETING THIS NEED TO STEP UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING

Yellen’s recent speech and a recent statement from a group of think tanks. First, the Bank needs a new and broadened mission statement embracing sustainability and global public goods as well as poverty reduction. There can be no enduring success in poverty reduction without a global paradigm shift to sustainable development, and there can be no path to a global green transition without progress in poverty reduction. Mission statements are meaningless without action. The Bank’s shareholders insist on a financial vision that will result in $2 trillion in lending over the 2024-34 decade.

Second, the Bank must overhaul its financial model to include more extensive leveraging of its capital; reconsider lending instruments, including their time horizon and degree of conditionality; and combine the efforts of the Bank’s co-financing with those of the International Finance Corporation (the Bank’s private-sector lending arm) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency to spur private investment. Consideration should be given to ideas advanced by Mark Plant, also of the CGD, and others to use special drawing rights (SDRs, the IMF’s reserve asset) as capital for development. (So far, despite much ballyhoo, new allocations of SDRs, as best as I can tell, have had no impact on the pace of development around the world.)

Third, there is a pressing need to reform the Bank’s culture and procedures to emphasize speed of execution. The time will come when the reconstruction of ukraine will be a key priority. Without reform, I hope, but do not expect, that funds committed will be rapidly transferred on promised schedules, unlike in so many other post-conflict situations.

I also hope that the Bank can move away from what I once called its “convoy approach” – all sectors in all countries – toward an emphasis on what is most important. Recognition that provision of large amounts of funding at

moments of crisis comes with maximum speed can be of enormous value to client countries.

Fourth, these steps should be reflected in a major green capital increase to be agreed within a year. Given how dire the world’s needs are, the increase should be 2-3 times as large as the previous $13 billion increase in 2018. I would estimate that a $30 billion increase in paid-in capital, which would cost the uS about $5 billion over eight years, could support nearly an extra $100 billion in annual lending, heavily directed toward the energy transition.

This is more the beginning of a vision than a detailed program. My goal is to convey a sense of the urgency and scale the moment demands. I have not been in office for quite a while, so I have lost sympathy with the constraints that the staff of the Bank and the world’s treasuries will point to. Guilty. On the other hand, there are hinge moments in history when the transition from inconceivable to inevitable is dizzyingly rapid.

This must be the case. After all that has happened in the last few years, there is an urgent need for the uS and its allies to regain the trust of the developing world. There is no better means of regaining trust than through the collective provision of large-scale support for countries’ highest priorities. And there is no more rapid and effective way of mobilizing support than through the World Bank. If we do not see major progress on these issues at the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governor meeting this week in Washington, DC, a major opportunity will have been squandered.

Lawrence H. Summers was Chief Economist of the World Bank (1991-93), US Secretary of the Treasury (1999-2001), Director of the US National Economic Council (2009-10), and President of Harvard University (2001-06), where he is currently University Professor.

A nobel prize for the economics of panic

DURING A PANIC, THE RATIONAL THING TO DO IS TO PANIC ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE. BANKS SQUARE THAT CIRCLE BY TAKING MONEY FROM DEPOSITORS WHO CAN WITHDRAW THEIR FUNDS AT WILL — MAKING THOSE DEPOSITS HIGHLY LIQUID — AND INVESTING MOST OF THAT MONEY IN ILLIQUID ASSETS, SUCH AS BUSINESS LOANS

wrong about the causes of the Great Depression.

dO people still read Rudyard Kipling’s If? even if you haven’t, you probably know how it begins: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs …” Refusing to panic, Kipling asserted, was a great virtue. But during a bank run, refusing to panic can also be a way to lose all your money.

On Monday, the Nobel Prize in economics was given to a household name, Ben Bernanke, and two economists’ economists, Douglas Diamond and Philip Dybvig, largely for papers they published almost 40 years ago. So let’s talk about their work and why, unfortunately, it remains all too relevant.

An aside: I sometimes encounter people who insist that the economics prize isn’t a “real” Nobel, because it’s just an award handed out by some Swedes, unlike the other prizes, which are … awards handed out by some Swedes. Yes, I may be talking my own book here, since I got one of these things myself in 2008, but it’s hard to deny the importance of the economics work the Swedes just honoured.

Obviously, Bernanke, Diamond and Dybvig weren’t the first economists to notice that bank runs happen. But Diamond and Dybvig provided the first really clear analysis of why they happen — and why, destructive as they are, they can represent rational behaviour on the part of bank depositors. Their analysis was also full of implications for financial policy. At the same time, Bernanke provided evidence on why bank runs matter and, although he avoided saying so directly, why Milton Friedman was

Diamond and Dybvig offered a stylised but insightful model of what banks do. They argued that there is always a tension between individuals’ desire for liquidity — ready access to funds — and the economy’s need to make long-term investments that can’t easily be converted into cash. During a panic, the rational thing to do is to panic along with everyone else. Banks square that circle by taking money from depositors who can withdraw their funds at will — making those deposits highly liquid — and investing most of that money in illiquid assets, such as business loans.

So banking is a productive activity that makes the economy richer by reconciling otherwise incompatible desires for liquidity and productive investment. And it normally works because only a fraction of a bank’s depositors want to withdraw their funds at any given time.

This does, however, make banks vulnerable to runs. Suppose that for some reason many depositors come to believe that many other depositors are about to cash out, and try to beat the pack by withdrawing their own funds.

To meet these demands for liquidity, a bank will have to sell off its illiquid assets at fire sale prices, and doing so can drive an institution that should be solvent into bankruptcy. If that happens, people who didn’t withdraw their funds will be left with nothing. So during a panic, the rational thing to do is to panic along with everyone else.

There was, of course, a huge wave of banking panics in 1930-31. Many banks failed, and those that survived made far fewer business loans than before, holding cash instead, while many families shunned banks altogether, putting their cash in safes or under their mattresses. The result was a diversion of wealth into unproductive uses.

In his 1983 paper, Bernanke offered evidence that this diversion played a large role in driving the economy into a depression and held back the subsequent recovery.

As I said, this was a tacit rejection of Milton Friedman. In the story told by Friedman and Anna Schwartz, the banking crisis of the early 1930s was damaging because it led to a fall in the money supply — currency plus bank deposits. Bernanke asserted that this was at most only part of the story; his paper was, in fact, titled “Non-Monetary effects of the Financial Crisis in the Propagation of the Great Depression.”

What can be done to mitigate the risk of self-fulfilling panic? As Diamond and Dybvig noted, a government backstop — either deposit insurance, the willingness of the central bank to lend money to troubled banks or both — can short-circuit potential crises. Indeed, the mere knowledge that a backstop exists can often quell a bank run; no money need actually change hands.

But providing such a backstop raises the possibility of abuse; banks may take on undue risks because they know they’ll be bailed out if things go wrong. Case in point: the huge costs to taxpayers of bailing out irresponsible players during the savings and loans crisis in the 1980s. So banks need to be regulated as well as backstopped. As I said, the Diamond-Dybvig analysis had remarkably large implications for policy.

Another implication of their work, which unfortunately went unheeded for decades, was that we need to think carefully about what we mean by a “bank.” It doesn’t have to be a big marble building with rows of tellers. From an economic point of view, banking is any form of financial intermediation that offers people seemingly liquid assets while using their wealth to make illiquid investments. This insight was dramatically validated in the 2008 financial crisis. Conventional banks were, for the most part, unaffected by the panic; there was no mass exodus from bank deposits. By the eve of the crisis, however, the financial system relied heavily on “shadow banking” — banklike activities that didn’t involve standard bank deposits. For

example, many corporations had taken to parking their cash not in deposits but in “repo” — overnight loans using things like mortgage-backed securities as collateral. Such arrangements offered a higher yield than conventional deposits. But they had no safety net, which opened the door to an old-style bank run and financial panic.

And the panic came. The conventionally measured money supply didn’t plunge in 2008 the way it did in the 1930s — but repo and other money-like liabilities of financial intermediaries did. Fortunately, by then Bernanke was chair of the Federal Reserve. he understood what was going on, and the Fed stepped in on an immense scale to prop up the financial system.

Finally, a sort of meta point about the Diamond-Dybvig work: Once you’ve understood and acknowledged the possibility of self-fulfilling banking crises, you become aware that similar things can happen elsewhere.

Perhaps the most notable case in relatively recent times was the euro crisis of 2010-12. Market confidence in the economies of southern europe collapsed, leading to huge spreads between the interest rates on, for example, Portuguese bonds and those on German bonds.

The conventional wisdom at the time — especially in Germany — was that countries were being justifiably punished for taking on excessive debt. But Belgian economist Paul De Grauwe argued that what was actually happening was a self-fulfilling panic — basically a run on the bonds of countries that couldn’t provide a backstop because they no longer had their own currencies.

Sure enough, when Mario Draghi, the president of the european Central Bank at the time, finally did provide a backstop in 2012 — he said the magic words “whatever it takes,” implying that the bank would lend money to the troubled governments if necessary — the spreads collapsed and the crisis came to an end. So here’s to a welldeserved Nobel that unfortunately remains relevant.

new york tiMeS PaUl KrUgMan

ptcL group’s strong financial performance: 8% YoY revenue growth in 2022

Lahore: PTCL Group, the country’s leading telecom and ICT services provider, has announced its financial results for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, at its Board of Directors’ meeting held in UAE on October 13, 2022.

PTCL Group remained on the growth trajectory during the third quarter as its fixed and wireless streams continued to perform positively.

PTCL Group Financial Performance

•Revenue has increased by 8% to PKR 110.5 billion YoY, mainly driven by strong performance in the consumer segment led by fixed broadband, mobile data, and wholesale & business solutions, along with microfinance services.

•The Group’s profitability remained under pressure due to significant hike in power and fuel tariffs, devaluation of the Pak Rupee against USD, higher interest rates, and other costs associated with the acquisition of 4G spectrum and related network rollout. The Group has posted a net loss of Rs 5.6 billion.

•PTCL continued its growth momentum by posting 6.7% YoY revenue growth.

•PTML’s (Ufone) revenue grew by 5.4% as compared to the same period of last year.

•U Bank has achieved a 29.8% growth in its revenue over the same period of last year. pr

edhi foundation partners with Jazz to provide assistance to flood affectees

Karachi: Edhi Foundation in partnership with Jazz provided assistance to thousands of families, distributing food and medical supplies, and hygiene and disaster relief kits in flood affected areas. This collaboration is a part of Jazz's PKR 1 billion flood relief pledge.

The areas covered under this initiative include 23 districts of Sindh including Nawabshah, Dadu, Sukkur, Jamshoro, and Larkana as well as 10 districts of Balochistan including Quetta, Lasbela, and Nasirabad. Flood-struck parts of South Punjab including Taunsa, Jampur, and DG Khan were also covered. Jazz also mobilized its volunteers to assist Edhi’s on-ground teams in distributing relief items.

“We have witnessed the unfolding of an unprecedented calamity. To mitigate the effects of this climate-induced catastrophe, I implore all private companies to come forward. Jazz has historically always risen to the occasion when the country and its people needed it the most. The nationwide flood relief initiative is another example of this and we greatly value their decision to collaborate with us,” said Faisal Edhi, Director – Edhi Foundation.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the all the families affected by floods. We are working with key partners in distributing relief supplies so it reaches the affectees in time. We stand by our fellow citizens during these tough times,” said Syed Fakhar Ahmed, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer – Jazz.

MWL educating MusLiMs about threatening issues of isLaMophobia: dr aL issa

lahore staff report

uNIvERSITyof Management and Technology (UMT) President, Ibrahim Hasan Murad warmly welcomed H.E Dr Muhammad Bin Abdul Karim Al Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL), H.E Nawaf bin Saeed Al Malki, Ambassador KSA to Pakistan and other esteemed guests here at UMT.

Dr Muhammad Bin Abdul Karim Al Issa accompanied by Nawaf bin Saeed Al Malki also took part in a plant sapling activity at the varsity.

Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim in this introductory speech said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share much in common. He applauded the vital role played by Pakistanis as entrepreneurs, engineers, workers and laborers in Saudi Arabia.

H.E Nawaf bin Saeed Al Malki said I’m grateful to President UMT Ibrahim Murad for inviting me here. He offered full support and assistance to Pakistan and commended the role of UMT in producing remarkable leaders in diverse disciplines. H.E Nawaf bin Saeed assured to maintain strong bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan based on sentiments of brotherhood, love and sincerity. He also prayed for the prosperity and stability of the country.

Addressing the participants, H.E Dr Muhammad Bin Abdul Karim Al Issa said that the Muslim World

League is educating Muslims about the threatening issues of Islamophobia and raising awareness in the West about the true image of Islam as the religion of compassion and kindness. He said it is the need of the hour that the Muslim youth comes forward and inspires the western youth through their noble character rooted in the principles of Quran and Sunnah. He said Islam is the benefactor to humanity irrespective of caste, color, geography and ethnicity, hence the West must not look at Islam and Muslims as fundamentalists, extremists and narrow-minded people. “We believe in interfaith harmony and respect all other religions and faiths. I urge the world leaders to foster inter-faith dialogue between Islam and Abrahamic religions and sit together to find out the solution to Islamophobia”, Dr Abdul Karim said. He added that when the Western World abandons sentiments of ha-

Fiji Muslim League donates $50,000 for flood relief in Pakistan

The Fiji Muslim League (FML) has made a collection of Fijian Dollars 100,000.00 (USD50,000) to assist the Pakistani communities, who have been severely affected by the recent floods. FML launched the Pakistan Flood Appeal in September to raise funds for the affected families.

Speaking on behalf of FML, Mr. Saud Minam said the Fijian community understands the impacts of such disasters and the need for assistance in the aftermath of the devastating weather conditions.

“Climate change related impacts such as tropical cyclones and devastating floods are common for Fiji. Hence, we realize the imme-

diate need for humanitarian assistance for impacted families,” said Mr. Minam.

“We stand together with our Pakistani families during this difficult time and with these funds, we hope to make a difference in the life of those affected by the floods.”

“Our prayers are with all who have been impacted by the severe weather conditions”, Mr. Minam added.

Founded in 1926, the Fiji Muslim League is a religious and social organization based in Suva, Fiji. It has contributed extensively to the education system in Fiji, in particular helping deserving Muslim students for tertiary studies through loans. pr

Monsoon rains, floods caused heavy damage to agriculture sector: Cheema

Islamabad staff report

A High-Powered Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) meeting for Rabi Season (2022-23) was held on 13th October, 2022 at the Committee Room, P-Block Auditorium under the Chairmanship of Ch. Tariq Bashir Cheema, Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research. The meeting had participants from Provincial Agriculture Departments, State Bank of Pakistan, ZTBL, National Fertilizer Development Center (NFDC), Pakistan Meteorological Department, Indus River System Authority and senior officers of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research.

Chairman PARC and heads of Ministry’s attached departments viz., Agri. Policy Institute, Federal Seed Certification & Registration Dept., Pakistan Oilseeds Development Board, Department of Plant Protection, Federal Water Management Cell and Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) also participated in

the meeting.

The Federal Minister, NFS&R in his opening remarks informed that Pakistan faced a heavy monsoon spell from July to August. These substantial rains and floods have caused heavy damages to agriculture sector of the country. All crops, especially in Sindh and Balochistan were damaged very badly.

tred and malice against Muslims, half of the mental problems would cease to exist without more ado.

In his concluding remarks, Ibrahim Murad appreciated the endeavours of the Muslim World League for encountering extremist narratives found in the west against Islam and the Muslim World. He urged Muslim scholars to come out with a scholarly response to Islamophobia through proper research and change in behaviors. President UMT further said that UMT in collaboration with the Muslim World League would design effective and comprehensive programs aimed at raising awareness on the subject of Islamophobia. Together we will work for a better perception of Islam and create a better future for the coming generations, he enlightened.

In the end, souvenirs were exchanged among the distinguished guests.

concerns raised over pakistan's hdi performance

International organizations and experts say that Pakistan can mobilize additional resources to cope with the effects of recent floods by increasing tax collections and documenting the informal economy.

Pakistan's position in the Human Development Index is already weakening and now the flood situation will further affect the human development process.

The recent UNDP Global Human Development Report for 2021-22 shows that in the Human Development Index (HDI) ranking of 189 countries, Pakistan has slipped badly. It has fallen from the 154th position in 2020 to the 161st position in 2021.

Although the international community is helping Pakistan to deal with this situation, it is also imperative for the government to increase its resources to rehabilitate the affected people and build infrastructure.

According to research by international organizations, Pakistan's position in the Human Development Index can be improved by reducing the economic losses caused by illegal trade and smuggling in Pakistan.

According to an international economic research organization report, illegal trade in five sectors in Pakistan is causing a loss of Rs 310 billion annually to the national exchequer in terms of tax evasion. These sectors include tea, tobacco, tyre and lubricants, pharmaceuticals, and real estate.

It is pertinent to mention here that at least Rs 80 billion is being evaded by illegal sale of cigarettes only.

According to report, Pakistan can use this money to improve its ranking in the Human Development Index by controlling the deficit of Rs 310 billion by curbing undocumented trade in these five sectors. pr

siehs sindh rescue 1122 treated over 30,000 flood victims in 18 districts

Karachi: Since August 25th, 2022, teams from Sindh Integrated Emergency and Health Services (SIEHS) Sindh Rescue 1122 have been operating in flood-affected areas of Sindh under the supervision of the Health and Population Welfare Department, Government of Sindh. Other than the normal operations, there are 20 wellequipped ambulances and 80+ number of trained personnel on duty 24/7 to provide medical assistance to flood victims.

Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Matyari, Tando Allah Yar, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad Dadu, Naushahro Feroz, Khairpur, Qamber, Shahdadkot, Larkana, and Sukkur are among the 18 districts where SIEHS (Rescue 1122) is working at flood relief medical camps. SIEHS's dedicated and motivated staff has treated over 30,000 men, women and children in these areas under extremely difficult conditions and the work continues.

According to the spokesperson of Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan, Inayat ullah Daula, Utility Stores Corporation has drastically reduced the prices of various items, which have been applied immediately. These items include premium brands ghee, cooking oil, pulses etc. from various companies.

Eva Ghee Premium Brand Ghee price reduced by Rs 31 per kg, Eva Premium Cooking Oil reduced by Rs 16 per liter, Dalda ghee Premium Brand reduced by Rs 30 per 5kg, Dalda Cooking Oil reduced by Rs 25 per 5 litre, Similarly, the price of Habib Banaspati has been reduced by Rs 85 per 5 kg, while the price of

Habib Cooking Oil 5 liters has also been reduced by Rs 85. Apart from this, the prices of other premium brands of ghee and cooking oil have also been reduced. Prices of various pulses have also been reduced from Rs 15 to Rs 30 per kg with immediate effect. The quality of pulses available at utility stores is very high and standard.

It should be noted that special subsidies are being given on flour, sugar, ghee, pulses and rice under the Prime Minister's relief package at all stores across the country.

Utility Stores Corporation as always strives to provide affordable and quality products to its customers from time to time.

Aside from the first-aid provided to flood victims, the most common diseases treated included diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems, skin & eyes infections, abdominal pain, allergies, vomiting, general weakness, malaria and malnutrition. In Sukkur alone over 4000 people were provided medical assistance, while in Sanghar, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Mirpurkhas each treatment to over 2500 individuals was provided. Over 1500 interventions were performed in each Sujawal, Qamber and Jamshoro districts while over 1000 people were given medical aid in Thatta, Shahdadkot, Dadu & Tando Allah Yar.

“Sindh Government Health and Population Welfare Department is very eager to provide Ambulance services throughout Sindh, and after flooding, expanding this service is at the top of their priority list. With the help of all mighty Allah and the support of the government of Sindh, we will expand Ambulance services throughout Sindh in the next year and a half. The Health and Population Welfare Department, in collaboration with the DHOs, has been of tremendous assistance in terms of providing necessary medicines and doctors at our various medical mobile camps throughout Sindh, as well as guidance.

Mr. Ramiz Raja, Chairman PCB meets Mr. Rehmat Ali Hasnie President (A) NBP to discuss prospects of Cricket in Pakistan. The NBP President praised the PCB efforts for promotion of International Cricket in the country. pr

Karachi: National Incubation Center Karachi, in collaboration with The Asia Foundation, concluded 3rd BuiltByHer Hackathon by hosting top eleven teams for a competitive grand finale. pr

Federal IT Minister Syed Aminul Haque & Chairman P@SHA Zohaib Khan inaugurating Pakistan Pavilion at GITEX 2022 in Dubai. pr

Utility Stores Corporation drastically reduced prices of various items, Spokesman says

RuSSIa pOunDS DOzenS Of ukRaIne tOwnS, waRnS Of eSCalatIOn

air defences after committing more military aid to Kyiv.

RUSSIANmissiles pounded more than 40 Ukrainian cities and towns, officials said on Thursday, as NATO allies meeting in Brussels unveiled plans to beef up Europe’s

The new pledges prompted Moscow to renew warnings that Western states’ help made them “a direct party to the conflict” and that admitting Ukraine to Western military alliance NATO could trigger World War Three.

“Kyiv is well aware that such a step

would mean a guaranteed escalation to a World War Three,” deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Alexander Venediktov, told the state TASS news agency on Thursday as the United States vowed to defend “every inch” of allied territory.

Moscow has repeatedly justified the Feb. 24 invasion that has killed tens of thousands

of people, in what it calls a “special operation”, by saying Ukraine’s ambitions to join the alliance posed a threat to Russia’s security.

NATO is not likely to quickly allow Ukraine to join, not least because its membership during an ongoing war would put the United States and allies into direct conflict with Russia.

Even before the war, NATO had dragged its feet on Ukrainian membership. Shortly after Russia’s invasion in February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signalled he was willing to consider neutrality.

But hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed partially occupied regions of Donetsk, Luhansk.

Indian Supreme Court panel divide over ban on hijab in schools

NEW DELHI Agencies

An Indian Supreme Court panel said on Thursday it was divided over a ban on hijabs in schools, and referred the matter to the chief justice, effectively leaving in place a state’s ruling against the scarves worn by women that has sparked uproar.

Karnataka state’s ban on the garment in schools in February triggered protests by Muslim students and their parents.

In response, Hindu students staged counter protests, adding to religious tensions at a time when some Muslims have complained of marginalisation under a Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India’s debate on the hijab comes as protests have rocked Iran after women objected to dress codes under its Islamic laws.

“We have a divergence of opinion,” said Supreme Court Justice Hemant Gupta, one of two judges on the panel.

Gupta said he had wanted an appeal against the ban to be quashed while his colleague on the panel, Sudhanshu Dhulia, said wearing the hijab was a “matter of choice”.

The chief justice would set up a larger bench to further consider the case, they said, but did not say by when that could happen. Supreme Court decisions apply nationwide.

China make new progress in COVID-19 research, development BEIJING Agencies

China has made new progress in the research and development (R&D) of COVID-19 vaccines with multiple technological innovations, said the vaccine research team with the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council (JPCMSC) on Wednesday. The country has three monovalent inactivated vaccines against Omicron variants that are undergoing clinical sequential trials in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said the research team. The three vaccines are also tried in United Arab Emirates, they said, adding that the trials have all been going well so far, CGTN reported on Thursday.

Facing the complex epidemic situation, experts from the JPCMSC said that vaccination is still an effective measure of active immunization.

Nine multivalent vaccines against COVID-19 variants have entered clinical trials in China, with some in phase III clinical trials. The country is also actively deploying and promoting the R&D of the broad-spectrum COVID-19 vaccines.

In addition, an adenovirus vector vaccine for inhalation and a recombinant protein vaccine have also been approved recently. The two can be used for emergency sequential booster immunization in specified populations six months after they receive two doses of inactivated vaccines.

So far, China has a total of 46 COVID-19 vaccines that have entered clinical trials, and 21 vaccines have been approved for phase III clinical trials overseas. Moreover, nine China-made COVID-19 vaccines, including an inactivated vaccine, adenovirus vector vaccine and recombinant protein vaccine, have been approved for the market or emergency use with conditions, and three vaccines are on the emergency use list of the World Health Organization.

Pakistan go down fighting against sri Lanka in semi finaL

Staff RepoRt

sRILanka beat Pakistan by 1 run in a tense Women’s Asia Cup 2020 semi-

final that went down to the final ball in Sylhet on Thursday. The Islanders had set a 122-run target for the Bismah Maroof-led side after opting to bat first.

Achini Kulasuriya defended nine runs in the last over to help Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by a run in the last over thriller.

Kulasuriya was handed the ball in last over

when Pakistan needed nine runs with in-form Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz at the crease. Kulasuriya conceded just seven runs to lead Sri Lanka to victory.

Set to chase 123 runs, Pakistan’s openers provided a quick start by scoring 31 runs in three overs. Muneeba scored 18 runs off 10 balls in 31-runs opening partnership. Bismah Maroof rescued Pakistan after a couple of wickets fell quickly. She scored 42 off 41 balls laced with four boundaries.

Nida Dar stayed till the last but her run-a-ball

26 didn’t help Pakistan complete the run-chase.

Inoka Ranaweera bagged two wickets while Sugandika Kumari and Kavisha Dilhari bagged a wicket each. Earlier, Harshitha Samarawickrama scored 35 off 41 to help Sri Lanka post 122-6 in 20 overs. Pakistan bowlers had a great time led by Nashra Sandhu who bagged three wickets.

Aiman Anwer, Nida, and Sadia Iqbal shared a wicket apiece. Sri Lanka will now meet India in Women’s Asia Cup final on October 15.

Rizwan, Babar once again break Indian batters T20I partnership record

Pakistan’s opening pair — Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan Thursday once again broke the partnership record of India’s Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul with their phenomenal performance against Bangladesh on Thursday. Rizwan and Babar partnered for 100 runs or more for the eighth time in T20Is, which is the most by any pair. During Thursday’s match, they scored 101 runs together after Pakistan were set to chase 174 runs in 20 overs. Rahul and Rohit so far have five 100+ runs opening partnerships. Rizwan and Babar also have eight partnerships of a half-century, which takes their overall tally of 50+ partnership tally to 16 — the most by any pair in the world. Last month, during the home T20I against England, Rizwan and Babar collaborated to score the thirdhighest T20I opening partnership in a winning cause. The skipper and wicketkeeper-batter both scored 203 runs together to pull off a convincing 10-wicket victory against England in the second T20I of a sevenmatch series. The opening duo have added 1,034 runs as batting partners in successful T20I chases. They are the only pair to have amassed 1,000 runs as partners in successful chases.

Shaheen to be at his best against India in T20 World Cup

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Former champions Pakistan are counting on fit-again pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi to be back to his destructive best at the T20 World Cup in Australia.

The 22-year-old was on Tuesday given the green light to join the squad after recovering from a right knee injury sustained in the first Test against Sri Lanka in July. He missed the Asia Cup, the T20 series against England and this week’s tri-series in New Zealand.

The tall left-arm fast bowler has completed an intensive period of rehab in London and will travel to Australia, where he has two warm-up games in Brisbane next week to regain his rhythm, the first against England on Monday.

Pakistan will have a final warm-up against Afghanistan next Wednesday to prepare for their blockbusting opening match against India at the cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23, which is expected to draw 90,000 spectators.

Shaheen destroyed India’s top order in the T20 World Cup in Dubai last year, dismissing Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli, returning figures of 3-31 as Pakistan romped to a 10-wicket victory.

Pakistan’s maiden World Cup win against India set up the team’s march to the semi-final, where they lost to eventual champions Australia.

“He has recovered well and we are confident that he will be at his best come the India game,” captain Babar Azam told AFP. “We have a very good fast bowling attack which Shaheen leads.”

Top-order batsman Fakhar Zaman, who scored 55 not out against Australia in last year’s semi-final, is also on the road to recovery after a knee injury.

“Zaman, who is one of the three travelling reserves for the T20 World Cup, will travel to Brisbane with Shaheen and will complete his rehabilitation,” the country’s cricket board said Tuesday.

Since last year’s World Cup, Pakistan have swept to 3-0 T20 series wins against Bangladesh and the West Indies, lost to Australia again in a lone T20 in Lahore and reached the final of the Asia Cup in the UAE where they lost to Sri Lanka.

Staff RepoRt

InterIor mInIStry ISSueS terror alert for by-pollS aS SIndh refuSeS to provIde SeCurIty

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Balochistan could engage in terrorist activities in Karachi — where local body elections will be held on October 23.

that terrorists are present in Swat, Mardan, Peshawar, Tank, and Lakki Marwat.

t

HEMinistry of Interior Thursday in it’s second letter told the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that terrorist activities might take place during the by-polls as it asked the body to hold the elections in a “cautious” manner.

The October 16 by-elections were scheduled to take place in eight constituencies — NA-22 Mardan, NA-24 Charsadda, NA-31 Peshawar, NA-45 Kurram, NA-108 Faisalabad, NA-118 Nankana Sahib, NA-237 Malir and NA-239 Karachi.

The ministry had earlier this month written a letter to the commission seeking a delay of 90 days as security personnel were busy in flood relief works and it was feared that a certain party would “besiege” the federal capital.

“It is feared that the political leadership coming into Punjab will be targetted. The by-elections should be held in a cautious manner,” the ministry’s letter said.

The letter mentioned that nationalist parties belonging to Sindh and

The ministry said that it would not be possible for the police alone to control the law and order situation during the by-polls — and the armed forces, as well as other law enforcement agencies (LEAs), were busy in flood relief works.

The ministry added that in some provinces, the police’s actions showed partiality. Also, it noted that currently, the country’s political temperature was high and the “workers of all political parties are charged”.

The interior ministry added that terrorists have increased their activities in Karachi and Punjab after the deadly floods.

“At this moment, the army and para-military forces are busy in flood relief operations. A surge has been witnessed in the activities of terrorists and extremists,” the ministry said.

It noted that as compared to 2021, there was an increase of 52% in terrorism-related activities during the ongoing year.

Citing reports released by intelligence agencies, the ministry revealed

It was further mentioned that the officials of law enforcement agencies, government allies, and members of peace committees are being targeted.

The ministry highlighted that there has been a significant increase in Khyber Pakhtunkwa as a result of which 222 incidents of terrorism have been reported in the last three months.

“Since June, terrorists have been entering Pakistan through secret routes on the Afghanistan border and Taliban have facilitated TTP through these secret routes,” the letter read.

Meanwhile, the Sindh government on Thursday refused to provide security personnel for the October 23 local body polls in Karachi.

On October 4, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) turned down the Sindh government’s plea to differ the local body elections in the port city for three months.

Despite the refusal, the provincial government has again written a letter to ECP seeking a delay in polls for the next three months in the metropolis city.

The provincial government, how-

ever, excused itself from providing security resourcing, saying that a large number of the security personnel were engaged in the flood relief world.

“We are unable to provide the required security resources for the October 23 elections as a large number of police officials are busy helping the flood victims,” said the Sindh government

The provincial government, however, agreed to provide security if the local body polls are held in two phases in the metropolis.

“If the situation returns to normal in three months, security resources will be available for the local body election,” the provincial government added.

A day earlier, Sindh Labour and Human Resources Minister Saeed Ghani suggested that the local government elections be held in Karachi in two phases, given the limited resources available at the disposal of the provincial government to ensure holding the polls in a smooth and peaceful manner.

Addressing a news conference at the provincial assembly, Ghani maintained that the final decision in this regard rests with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

PTI terms illegal detention, custodial torture of Swati shameful, condemnable

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Govt moves SC against Imran over long march call

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The federal government has filed a contempt of court petition against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan over his proposed long march towards Islamabad.

According to details, the federal government has moved Supreme Court (SC) against Imran Khan, contending that the former premier was making announcements of long march that was violation of a court order. The petition was filed by Interior Ministry on behalf of the federal government. In the petition, the federal government asserted that Imran Khan was making announcements to “attack Islamabad.”

“The PTI Chairman was violating the Supreme Court’s order, which directed him to stage peaceful protest,” the plea stated, urging the apex court to direct Imran Khan to ensure the implementation of its orders related to protests and sit-ins in the federal capital.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and party leadership termed the illegal detention and the subsequent custodial torture of PTI Senator Azam Swati for a tweet on NRO-2 a shameful and condemnable act, saying “enough is enough” and demanded his immediate release from unlawful custody.

PTI leadership in their strong reactions on Thursday said that biggest criminals were only allowed to evade accountability after stealing billions from the national kitty but brought to power while respectable parliamentarians and PTI leaders were being arrested and tortured for raising voice to make Pakistan in independent country in true sense.

Chairman PTI in his strong reaction on Thursday said: “Azam Swati’s custodial torture for a tweet on NRO-2 is yet another shameful act in our history.”

He raised question: “Can torture and intimidation make people respect any individual or institution?”

Imran Khan stated that the Holy Quran teaches us respect and humiliation are solely in Allah’s jurisdiction, which He dispenses according to our deeds, adding that those who have allowed the biggest criminals not only to evade accountability after stealing billions from the nation but to come to power again are destined to be humiliated.

PTI senators staged a protest demonstration

outside Parliament House and strongly condemned the arrest of Swati and his custodial torture. Speaking on the occasion, Opposition Leader in the Upper House, Dr. Shahzad Waseem said that senior politician Azam Swati’s house was raided and sanctity of four walls was violated.

He said that the violence against him was a proof of fascism of the imported government, demanding his immediate release.

Shahzad said that children and women were harassed and his house was vandalized and even no one was knew about his whereabouts until he himself told his ordeal before the court.

Lashing out at the imported government, he said that the custodial torture was at its peak in this government of crooks, as they neither spared Shahbaz Gill nor Senator Saifullah Khan Nyazee, adding that now they subjected to brutal torturer and harassment Azam Swati.

He stated that they did not have any regard for the sanctity of the Parliament and parliamentarians what to talk of ordinary people, as there was no law and constitution but only a rule of might is right.

Dr. Shahzad went on to say that the big thieves were imposed on the nation to rule the country while jails were full of people arrested in trivial crimes.

Speaking on the occasion, PTI Senator Shibli Faraz strongly condemned the arrest and torture of Swati and said that the cable of crooks imposed on the country were responsible for all these crimes.

CoaS visits flood affected areas in Interior Sindh

RAWALPINDI Staff RepoRt

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday visited flood affected areas in interior Sindh and met troops busy in flood relief efforts, providing medical and administrative care to affected people in Noshero Feroz.

The COAS also interacted with the locals and assured them that Pakistan Army would continue to serve people to mitigate their suffering till they were rehabilitated, an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said. Later, the COAS was flown for aerial reconnaissance of flood hit areas of Sindh. Earlier on arrival, the COAS was received by Corps Commander Karachi, Lieutenant General Muhammad Saeed.

finance minister Ishaq dar heckled at airport in Washington

WASHINGTON Web DeSk

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday was heckled by unidentified people at the Dulles International Airport in Washington DC after he landed in the US capital ahead of important meetings with global lending institutions. Dar is expected to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. He is also expected to hold direct talks with their officials. Videos widely shared on social media today showed the minister accompanied by Pakistan’s Ambassador to US Masood Khan and other officials jeered near the airport’s arrivals. In the clips, the hecklers can be heard chanting slogans of “chor chor” directed toward Dar. In one of the videos, a man can be heard shouting: “You’re a liar. You’re a chor”.

In his retort, Dar says: “You’re a liar.”

Mani Butt, the president of PML-N’s Virginia chapter — who accompanied Dar — can be seen exchanging profanities with the hecklers.

This is not the first time federal ministers have been jeered at public places on their trips abroad and even within the country. Last month, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb was heckled at a coffee shop in London. Earlier, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal was harassed by PTI supporters at a restaurant. In April, a group of Pakistani pilgrims accosted, heckled and chanted slogans against PM Shehbaz and his entourage at the Masjid-i-Nabwi in Madina during their three-day visit to Saudi Arabia. Politicians and other religious figures had condemned the incident and some had blamed the PTI.

Imran says ready to sacrifice life for ‘Haqiqi Azadi’

RAWALPINDI Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan made it clear that going to jail was nothing, as he was even ready to sacrifice his life to achieve “real freedom” ad rid the country of these cable of crooks.

Addressing students here at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agricultural University on Thursday, the PTI Chairman said that a coward person can never become a leader, as looked at Nawaz Sharif who always fled the country in trying times.

PTI Chairman stated that he was not a coward to like Nawaz to flee from the country, as he could not be deterred to be sent to jail as even he could sacrifice his life for the bigger cause to achieve real independence.

Imran Khan urged the students that they have to come out of their homes to achieve ‘Haqiqi Azadi’, as he came here to prepare them for the real jihad to break the chain of slavery, as freedom was not given but was taken.

Imran Khan vowed that he would con-

tinue his fight against the corrupt mafia come what may, as new FIRs were being registered against him on daily basis for not bowing down.

Lashing out at the imported government, PTI Chairman said the corrupt mafia looted the country’s resources ruthlessly for last 30 years as they were brought to power again to make necessary legislations to provide them relief in billions of corruption cases.

However, he vowed that he would soon give a call for the final long march and the masses should have to get themselves prepared to rid the country of these thieves once and for all because raising a voice against injustice was jihad.

PTI Chairman gave an example of Greek philosopher Aristotle who had stated that it is important to raise your voice against tyrants. “The Holy Prophet (PBUH) also allowed jihad against injustice,” Imran said.

He lamented that the big thieves were imposed who made legislations to quash their corruption cases while those who committed small robberies were languishing in jails.

Imran Khan stated that Shehbaz Sharif

was roaming around the world and begging for money while he looted the country’s wealth and stashed abroad.

He said that the cable of crooks treated the people as sheep, as the masses were drowning in inflation while the crooked rulers were busy in ending their corruption cases every day.

CAN SACRIFICE LIFE FOR MASSES:

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Thursday said he is ready to sacrifice his life for the masses, jail is nothing for him.

“I’m ready to sacrifice my life for the masses, going to jail is not an issue,” Imran Khan said while addressing a ceremony in Rawalpindi. Khan said he will continue his flight against the corrupt mafia and added he is being booked in new FIRs on daily basis for not bowing down.

The PTI chairman said the corrupt mafia looted the country’s resources for last 30 years and it has been again given ‘freehand’. After coming back into power, legislation is being done to provide relief in corruption cases. Khan reiterated his call for the masses

to get themselves prepared for the long march. I will soon give the call and will lead from the front, PTI chairman added.

Referring to newly appointed Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Imran Khan alleged that you have to be a ‘criminal’ to get

higher posts in the country.

On Wednesday, Khan slammed the acquittal of PM Shehbaz Sharif, his son in money laundering case, saying that “no one can accountable big thieves now under the country’s weak judicial system.”