Epaper_22-10-22 KHI

Imran dIsqualIfIed

g pti rules out ‘minus one formula’, vows to thwart plots aginst party chief

g protests erupt aginst verdict, police manhandle workers, leaders outside ecp office

commission, says the respondent had “intentionally and deliberately” violated the provisions contained [in] sections 137, 167 and 173 of the elections act, 2017, as he “has made false statement (sic) and incorrect declaration before the commission in the statement of assets and liabilities filed by him for the year 2020-21”.

hence, he attracts disqualification under article 63(1)(p) of the constitution read with sections 137 and 173 of the elections act, 2017, it added.

Finally! Pakistan exits FATF grey list

ISLAMABAD staff report

ISLAMABAD staff report

Ina unanimous verdict, the election commission of pakistan (ecp) on friday disqualified pakistan tehreek-einsaf (pti) chairman and former premier imran khan in toshakhana (gift depository) reference, sparking countrywide protest. in its verdict, the ecp disqualified the pti chief under article 63(1)(p) for making “false statements and incorrect declaration.” the four-member ecp bench, headed by chief election commissioner minister sikander sultan raja declared imran khan’s national assembly seat vacant as it unanimously decided that he had provided incorrect information in the case and disqualified him “for the time being”. the verdict deseated imran as per article-63 (a) and ordered the initiation of criminal proceedings against him for submitting a false statement. however, the ecp shied

away from declaring the deposed premier disqualified for life. the written ruling, a complete version yet to be released by the

the ecp ruling follows up by saying based on the abovementioned findings, facts available on record and keeping in view the argument of learned counsel for parties herein, “we are of the considered opinion that the respondent has become disqualified under article 63(1)(p) of the constitution read with section 137,167 and 173 of the elections act, 2017, consequently he ceases to be a member of the national assembly of pakistan and his seat has become vacant accordingly”.

Legal wizards raise serious questions over ECP verdict

ISLAMABAD: Legal eagles have raised serious questions over the verdict announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), declaring it a verdict issued in a haste and which could not stand the test in any court of law due to its legal lacunae.

Barrister Ali Zafar said that he had been trying to get the order from the ECP and he was given an incomplete order as one member did not sign the verdict.

“I needed a copy of the order so as to submit an appeal against the ECP order but was informed that it was an incomplete order as one member did not sign it. Now this is incomprehensible matter that while one member did not sign the order, then this order is illegal. ECP could not release an order until all members don’t sign it. Until and unless all members don’t sign it, it can’t be called an order of the Election Commission of Pakistan,” he said. He said that two pages had been put on the website of the ECP but rest of the pages were yet to be online and were not available. Mian abrar

in a major breakthrough, the financial action task force (fatf) on friday removed pakistan from its ‘grey list’, acknowledging the country’s progress to fully comply with its plan of action.

“the fatf welcomes pakistan’s significant progress in improving its aml/cft regime. pakistan has strengthened the effectiveness of its aml/cft regime and addressed technical deficiencies to meet the commitments of its action plans regarding strategic deficiencies that the fatf identified in June 2018 and June 2021, the latter of which was completed in advance of the deadlines, encompassing 34 action items in total. pakistan is therefore no longer subject to the fatf’s increased monitoring process,” a statement issued by the fatf in paris reads.

“pakistan will continue to work with apg to further improve its aml/cft system,” it added. the two-day plenary apart from other issues examined the assessment of an on-site team that visited pakistan in september to verify the steps taken by the country to implement the plan of action.

in september, a 15-member fatf team quietly visited pakistan, a final step before the country’s exit from the grey list. the findings of the team would be discussed and reviewed in the next meeting of the fatf in its upcoming plenary session.

the fatf, in June, had hinted at pakistan’s removal from the grey list after it concluded that pakistan complied with the 34-point plan of action and agreed to send its team for the verification of those steps.

pakistan was placed on the grey list by the fatf in June 2018 for ‘deficiencies in its system to curb money laundering and terror financing’. it was first given a 27-point action plan and later another 7-point plan to comply with the fatf’s standards. the major stumbling block was the prosecution of certain unsc designated individuals accused of terror financing. Just days before the June plenary fatf meeting in Berlin, pakistani anti-terrorism court convicted sajid mir in terror financing case, something that convinced the fatf members to acknowledge pakistan’s progress.

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ECP’S ToShakhana REfEREnCE vERdiCT ShaTTERS ‘idol of TRUThfUlnESS, honESTy’: PM

ISLAMABAD stAff RepoRt

PRIMEMinister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said the Election Commission’s on Toshakhana Reference, had shattered the ‘idol of honesty and truthfulness’ — PTI Chief Imran Khan.

The prime minister’s formal response came after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified PTI Chief Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p) over ‘false statements and incorrect declaration’. The prime minister, in a tweet, said the Commission had served justice in the case. “The nation has witnessed that Imran Khan made personal earning using the office of the Prime Minister.”

“The idol of truthfulness and honesty stands shattered,” he wrote on Twitter. He urged the PTI Chief to surrender before the law, instead of fighting against law”. Imran Khan should avoid the use of bullets and batons besides bringing the rioters, he added. “No one is above the law,” he remarked.

Imran’s disqualification to usher in

Russia, US defence chiefs discuss ‘global security’ in rare phone call

AgencIeS

national prosperity: Marriyum Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday said the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference would usher in the national prosperity and development.

“The country will now prosper as the ‘powerful foreign funded Fitna’ has been finally made subservient to the law,” she said in a news statement while reacting to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision in the Toshakhana reference. She said Imran Khan would have to go to the jail as the disqualification was not the only legal action he would face for his wrongdoings.

Marriyum said Imran Khan should realize that his disqualification would not be reversed by attacking the Election Commission.

She said the “foreign funded Fitna” had not deposited even a single gift to the Toshakhana since 2019, and failed to produce record in that regard before the ECP which was bound to disqualify him in accordance with the law.

Fazal congratulates nation on closure of

Imran Khan’s political chapter Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Friday congratulated the nation on the closure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan’s political chapter as he had been disqualified on the charges of misdeclaration in the Toshakhana case by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Talking to media persons after the ECP’s verdict against the PTI chief, he observed Imran Khan was an unnecessary element of the country’s politics and he was installed in the politics by the external forces.

He said Imran Khan was not a reliable person as he kept on changing his statements time and again. “Imran Khan calls other people thieves but he himself has looted money from all over the world including America, Israel, and India. Today, his theft has been captured and Pakistan will get rid of such elements in the future,” he added.

Fazal categorically warned the elements backing Imran Khan in a bid to create anarchy in the country to be dealt with an iron hand.

Khaqan abbasi says party does not support politician’s ‘disqualification’: Commenting on the possible disqualification of former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana case, senior PML-N leader and also a former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Friday that his party did not want to see any politician disqualified.

Talking to the media outside an accountability court (AC) in Karachi where he had gone in connection with the hearing of the reference filed against him for

allegedly making illegal recruitments in the Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Abbasi said what the PML-N wanted was a competition on the ground. However, at the same time, he asserted that everybody should be equal in the eyes of the law.

Commenting on reports of PTI chairman’s backdoor contacts with the ‘establishment’, he opined that such contacts always proved detrimental for the country.

PML-N leader said that the appointment of army chief was a routine matter.

Earlier, the AC adjourned hearing of the case until November 25, 2022 due to the absence of the judge.

ecp verdict within ambit of constitutional jurisdiction: Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan on Friday termed the ECP verdict within ambit of constitutional jurisdiction to disqualify PTI Chairman Imran Khan in Toshakhana case.

In a statement, he said that the constitution gives the right to appeal and take legal action if decision is not acceptable.

He said that PTI can also approach courts against the ECP decision if it has any objection. He said it was not justice just welcome decisions in your favor and protest if it goes against you.

Asfandyar Khan said the country cannot afford more crisis in present situation. He said first prerequisite of politics was maintaining politeness and patience which should be upheld under any circumstances.

PTI denounces ECP’s verdict as ‘shameful’

ISLAMABAD stAff RepoRt

Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke in a rare phone call on Friday. The two defence chiefs discussed issues of international security, including the situation in Ukraine amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement. “On October 21, 2022, telephone conversations were held between the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Army General Sergey Shoygu, and the Secretary of Defence of the United States of America, Lloyd Austin. Topical issues of international security, including the situation in Ukraine, were discussed,” the statement added. Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said in a statement that during his call with Sergey Shoygu, Austin “emphasised the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing war against Ukraine.” Meanwhile, Austin also spoke with his Ukrainian counterparts as the Biden administration maintains its support for Kyiv’s defence. During his call with Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, Austin reiterated “the unwavering US commitment to supporting Ukraine’s ability to counter Russia’s aggression,” Ryder said. “Secretary Austin also underscored the international community’s continued support in building Ukraine’s enduring strength and safeguarding Ukraine’s ability to defend itself in the future, as demonstrated by the security assistance commitments made by allies and partners at the most recent Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting on October 12,” he added. “The two leaders pledged to remain in close contact.” The calls come after the US publicly announced that Iranian forces are present in Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, helping Russian forces operate military drones supplied by Tehran to aid Moscow’s war effort. Crimea has been under Russian occupation since 2014. The US has billed Russia’s decision to turn to Iran, as well as North Korea, as signs of desperation, saying export controls it and its allies have imposed on the Kremlin have led to serious shortages of equipment that is vital to the ongoing offensive across Ukraine.

PTI leader Fawad Hussain Chaudhry on Friday lashed out at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for disqualifying party chairman Imran Khan from political office after his lawyers failed to prove he was not guilty in Toshakhana reference case.

Reactions are pouring in from all sides after the ECP banned Khan.

Speaking to media outside the ECP building, Fawad Chaudry said ECP’s attitude had always been the worst.

“We never pinned any hopes on it.”

“This is a shameful decision. They have disgraced the 220-million-strongnation.”

Fawad Ch termed the decision as an assault on the institutions of Pakistan and called on PTI cohorts and the public at large to come out for protests against this outrage.

He went on to say that the commission had given the verdict they had hoped for. “They are only targeting Imran Khan,” he said. The PTI leader said that the ECP and its members are not competent to make this decision.

“Who are you [ECP] to take a this decision?” he questioned.

Former special assistant to the prime minister Shahbaz Gill said that the

decision was taken by a servant of Nawaz Sharif.

“Nawaz Sharif has written this verdict and his menial worker has signed it and announced it,” he added. He said that the verdict was to be announced at 2pm and before that, all the gates were closed and media wasn’t allowed inside. “If this decision was a justified one then what were they scared of?” he questioned.

“This decision is written by a fugitive and the nation rejects it,” Gill said.

PTI leader Asad Umar also condemned the decision as a travesty of justice. “The verdict will soon be challenged in the court and their dream

of ‘minus-Imran-Khan’ will never come true,” Umar said in a message on his Twitter handle.

An enraged Shafqat Mehmood of PTI also gave his anger a vent on Twitter. “History also tells us that popular leaders cannot be removed from people’s consciousness through disqualifications or any other coercive action. Imran Khan lives among the people and these ridiculous decisions cannot stop him,” Mehmood said in a Twitter post.

PTI’s Babar Awan on Twitter said the decision against Imran Khan is unconstitutional and an attack on the foundation of Pakistan. “The captain outplayed the mafia eleven in the open

field and they cannot avenge their defeat from behind closed doors.”

“The country is rapidly being pushed towards a collision course,” Awan added. PTI’s firebrand leader Murad Saeed also took to Twitter and claimed the ECP members were coerced into taking a verdict against Imran Khan.

“Everybody knows about the ECP’s controversial role, but who was that person who twisted the arm of the members to disqualify Imran Khan,” Saeed said adding, “One of the ECP members informed us that if something happened him then these ‘people’ would be responsible for it.”

It was worth mentioned here in August 2022, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf sent a reference to the ECP under Articles 62A, 63A, and 223, seeking former prime minister Imran Khan’s disqualification in the light of the Toshakhana scam.

The disqualification reference was filed by Ali Gohar Khan, PML-N’s Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha, and five others.

The 28-page reference identified 52 gift items of Toshakhana received by the former prime minister Khan, violating the law and rules, taken away at nominal prices and most of the gifts were sold in the market, including some precious watches.

PTI MNA, two security officials arrested for sloganeering outside ECP

ISLAMABAD Agencies

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) MNA Saleh Muhammad Khan and his guard were arrested in Islamabad on Friday after a security personal allegedly fired a shot outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Tense scenes were seen outside the ECP building after the electoral watchdog disqualified PTI chairman and former premier Imran Khan as it

Security forces kill four terrorists in North Waziristan gunfight

Security forces on Friday killed four terrorists in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, themilitary said in a statement.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the fire exchange took place between security forces and terrorists in general area of Spinwam.

During intense exchange of fire, it added, four terrorists were killed and weapons and ammunition were also recovered from them.

The ISPR further said that the killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against the security forces.

On October 9, two suspected terrorists were killed in a clash with security forces at Mingora Bypass Road in Swat, KhyberPakhtunkhwa.

Four security officials including a captain were injured in the shootout.

A pedestrian was also among the injured.

Last month, three terrorists were killed by security forces in two different

announced its verdict in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference.

The security personal started to shout slogans in favour of Imran Khan as federal police officials started abusing and torturing him which led to scuffle between the security forces. Another security personal was also arrested on raising slogans. Per reports, both arrested personal who were tortured by federal police belonged to FC.

As soon as the verdict was announced, PTI supporters and party workers began protesting the

decision and workers present outside the ECP office shouted slogans in support of Imran Khan.

The Islamabad police reportedly detained firearms from a Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) policeman who was later reported to be the guard of PTI MNA Saleh. As the weapon was being recovered a shot was fired. The capital police claims the shot was fired by the K-P policeman and has arrested him.

The police later also arrested MNA Saleh. Reports of the police physically assaulting the arrested PTI workers have also surfaced.

operations in K-P’s Swat and Lakki Marwat districts.

In an operation on the night of September 22-23, security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation over the suspected presence of a highprofile terrorist in Charbagh area of the Swat district.

“During encounter, the terrorist got killed. Weapon and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorist. The killed terrorist remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces,” said the ISPR.

StAff RepoRt

CRiMinal CaSE To BE REgiSTEREd againST iMRan aS PER ECP oRdER: SanaUllah

ISLAMABAD stAff RepoRt

iNTERIORMinister Rana Sanaullah on Friday rejoiced at the disqualification of PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in Toshakhana case by the Election Commission of Pakistan, saying the government would register a criminal case the PTI chief as ordered by the ECP. In a statement after the ECP verdict, the Interior Minister said asked the nation and political parties to

Commission members for resolving matter of missing Baloch students on priority

ISLAMABAD stAff RepoRt

The 3rd meeting of the Commission constituted in light of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order to probe the resentments of Baloch students was held here at Parliament House on Friday with Member National Assembly Sardar Akhtar Mengal in the Chair. The members of the Commission took serious note of the issue of missing persons and expressed resolve for going deep into the matter of missing Baloch students and finding a way out so that the grievances of the Baloch students were ended, said a news release.

Senators Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Kamran Murtaza, Mian Raza Rabbani, ex-senator Afrasiab Khattak, Member National Assembly Asad Umar, Prof Dr Asma Faiz, Former Chief Secretary Balochistan, Nasir Mehmood Khosa participated in the meeting.

Secretary Ministry of Interior, Secretary Ministry of Human Rights, Secretary Ministry of Law and Justice, Executive Director HEC and Vice-Chancellor Quaid-eAzam University were also in attendance. The meeting discussed in thin and thick; the harassment; enforced disappearances of missing persons. The members of the Commission took serious note of the issue of missing persons and express resolve for going deep into the matter of missing Baloch students and finding a way out so that the grievances of the Baloch students are wiped out. Executive Director HEC briefed the Commission that upon receiving complaints of racial harassment several steps are being taken inter alia, including checking of unauthorized entry into the universities, enforcement of the harassment policy, precautioning the administration of all the universities and establishment of facilitation desks inside the universities for redressal of such complaints. Vice Chancellor of the Quaid-e-Azam University apprised the Commission regarding the alleged harassment of the Baloch students and a caseof a Missing Baloch Student enrolled in the University. He added that several steps have been taken to ensure that such incidents won’t happen again in the future including the circulation of the Code of Conduct among the faculty members, the Constitution of a dedicated cell for the Baloch students and disciplinary action was taken against the official involved in such activity. He submitted that during his tenure of 4 years, being VC of the university only one case of a missing student was reported, adding that the university has thousands of Baloch students who are performing well and that no one is indulged in activities leading to violence. He stated that all concerned ministries and divisions were officially informed about the incident as well. Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice briefed the Panel on the existing laws about the issue of missing persons/enforced disappearances in line with the overall framework of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. Senator Raza Rabbani observed that strong political will is the need of the hour to address the issue of missing persons. Secretary, Ministry of Human Rights briefed on the proceedings held so far in the Islamabad High Court about the matter of missing persons. From April to 3rd Oct 2022, 7 hearings have been held, adding that a list of 31 missing Baloch students was given to the ministry through the council of Baloch students of which the Ministry of Interior was made aware of. After a detailed discussion, the Chair sought a detailed report from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Human Rights and Ministry of Law and justice, regarding the steps taken by the respective ministries towards the resolution of the issue of racial profiling, harassment and enforced disappearances of Baloch students.

show solidarity with the ECP for “exposing the evil.” He alleged that Imran Khan dented the reputation of the country globally by selling state gifts.

Rana Sanaullah warned that nobody should try to disturb the law and order situation, alleging that Imran Khan was working on an anti-state agenda and tried to misguide the youth and divide the nation.

“The individual who labels everyone thief now turns out to be a thief himself and facing accountability.”

Sanaullah asked the law enforcement agencies to

stand alongside the state. He also asked the law enforcement agencies in Punjab to support the state instead of a ‘thief’. He said that the law enforcers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab should adopt steps to address the issues of the nationals.

He recommended Khan select a legal passage instead of creating difficulties for the nation. “After ECP’s verdict, Imran Khan becomes a certified thief.”

“During his tenure, Imran Khan caused heavy losses to the national exchequer. Audio leaks have also exposed the reality of the PTI chief. Nawaz Sharif has

Shawaiz, Tayyab lead Bahawalpur Royals to lift PJL title

LAHoRe stAff RepoRt

Wicket-keeper opening batter Shawaiz Irfan’s power-hitting and Tayyab Arif’s cool-headed knock led Bahawalpur Royals to post the highest total of the tournament of 225-3 and lift trophy by defeating Gwadar Sharks by 85 runs in the final of the Pakistan Junior League (PJL) at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

Bahawalpur Royals, mentored by South African leg-spinner, Imran Tahir became the first team to lift the PJL trophy.

Openers Shawaiz Irfan 79 (32) and Basit Ali 35 (23) added 95 runs for the first wicket in 7.4 overs while Tayyab Arif 56 (34) and Nangeyalia Kharote 47 n.o. coined 87 runs for the third wicket to lift the Royals to the highest total of the PJL in the last match of the tournament.

The Royals also scored the highest total of the power-play 86-0 and the fastest century of the tournament of 100 in 7.4 overs. The Royals had reached 124-1 at the half-way mark and went to score 225-3 in 20 overs.

The difference between the two teams was the outrageous display of

power-hitting by Shawaiz Irfan at the start of the innings who hit 79 off 32 balls which included six 6s and seven 4s. He was adjudged player of the match for his scintillating innings of 79 runs.

Tayyab Arif ensured that the Royals did not lose the good work of the openers and played yet another responsible innings of 56 off 34 balls while Kharote blasted 47 not out off 30 balls towards the end.

Momin Qamar was the most successful bowler for the Sharks who claimed two wickets for 32 runs in four overs while Mohammad Shoaib got one wicket for 28 runs in two overs.

Mohammad Ismail remained wicketless and gave away 51 runs in four overs.

In the Chase, Gwadar Sharks’s resistance was led by Shamyl Hussain who scored 67 runs off 34 balls and the innings comprised four 6s and seven 4s.

Only two other batters Arafat Minhas (19) and Danial Masood (20) could enter the double – figures while the rest of the batter fell in the single digit. Despite a quick start by the Sharks, the fall of wickets at regular intervals did not help the cause and the whole team fell for 140 runs in 15 overs.

Over Rs203m spent on vehicles for cabinet ministers, NA told

ISLAMABAD stAff RepoRt

Expenses adding up to more than Rs203 million over the last four years have been incurred on the vehicles used by the federal cabinet, this was revealed in the National Assembly (NA) session on Friday.

The NA meeting was held under the chairmanship of Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, in which the details of the vehicles used by federal cabinet ministers and their expenses were presented in the House.

According to the Cabinet Division, Rs125 million were spent on the repair of vehicles used by federal ministers and ministers of state while Rs78.6 million were spent on fuel.

In the meeting, the National Assembly also approved the Intergovernmental Trade Transactions Bill 2022 regarding the promotion of economic and business

relations between Pakistan and foreign states.

Last month, it was reported that the federal government had given conditional permission to military officers of the rank of lieutenant general and above on retirement to import bulletproof vehicles of up to 6,000CC without paying taxes and customs duties.

A notification issued by the FBR had stated that retired lieutenant generals, army chiefs, chairpersons joint chiefs of staff and committee services chiefs would be exempted from all taxes when importing bulletproof vehicles of up to 6,000CC including customs duty, sales tax, withholding tax and federal excise duty.

However, the Federal Board of Revenue had denied reports that it had issued a notification allowing the import of bulletproof vehicles without paying any taxes or duties.

Finally! Pakistan exits FATF grey list

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Pakistani officials were confident that the FATF team would give positive assessment of the country’s progress. Officials, however, cautioned that India might still use its influence to drag Pakistan’s case. The United States is believed to have played a key role in ensuring the onsite visit for Pakistan as it expressed satisfaction with the country’s measures to curb terror financing, particularly prosecuting the certain individuals.

The exit from the FATF grey list will restore Pakistan’s image and give confidence to the foreign investors for doing ventures in the country. The greylisting makes it hard for countries to do financial transactions and raises the cost of doing business.

Pakistan’s removal from the grey list will help give impetus to its struggling

economy. pti, coalition Govt claim credit for the success: Reacting to the development, the PDM government and the PTI both claimed the success.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan exiting the FATF grey list is a vindication of the country’s determined and sustained efforts over the years.

“I would like to congratulate our civil & military leadership as well as all institutions whose hard work led to today’s success,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle while congratulating the nation. In a follow-up tweet, the PM “particularly” commended the role and efforts of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and their teams. He also felicitated “all political parties” for putting up a united front to get Pakistan out of the grey list.

neither levelled any allegations against anyone else nor laballed anyone thief.” The interior minister said that the general elections will be held as per schedule.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is performing his duties well and all decisions having national importance will be taken in accordance with the law and Constitution.”

Earlier, The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified former prime minister and PTI in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p).

The ECP stated that Imran Khan submitted a false affidavit and was found involved in corrupt practices and ordered to register criminal cases against the PTI chairman. The ECP’s verdict further said that some of the gifts retained from Toshakhana were concealed in his assets. Imran Khan was de-seated as a member National Assembly. A five-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja had reserved the verdict on September 19 in the Toshakhana reference.

Legal wizards raise serious questions over ECP verdict

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Eminent lawyer Salman Akram Raja said that Article 63(1)P provides that if any lawmaker is disqualified under any other law, the same would be disqualified under 63(1)P.

“This means that the Article 63(1)P itself doesn’t disqualify any lawmaker and rather any disqualified lawmaker is disqualified for a specific period of time by the ECP under the Article 63(1)P,” he said. “Now if you see this verdict, the ECP has used Section 137 of the Election Act 2017. But Section 137 says that if anyone submits wrong information in the declaration, criminal proceedings can be initiated against the person within 120 days of the submission of the document,” said Mr Raja.

However, Salma Akram Raja said that in this case, the final declaration should have been submitted by December 31, 2021, thereby meaning that any criminal proceeding against Imran Khan could have been initiated by April 30, 2022 which the government failed to do.

“Now I fail to comprehend how the ECP has asked to proceed against Imran Khan while referring Section 137 of the Election Act as anyone can be held accountable for providing wrong

information within 120 days of filing of the declaration and it would tantamount to corrupt practice and he could be punished for jail term upto three years. But this 120 days’ limit has already been lapsed,” he said. Raja said that first criminal proceedings have to be initiated and then one needs to be convicted and this punishment must be minimum two years and only then the accused could be disqualified under Article 63(1)P. Hence, this disqualification can’t hold for long and the court may strike it down being a weak decision.

Asked whether PTI’s claim that the money got from selling the Toshakhana gifts had been taxed and it had been reflected in the bank accounts could be justified, Salman Akram Raja said that claim was justified. “Look the law provides that one has to reflect the assets under your name by June 30th in the statement to be submitted by December 31. So if anyone buys an asset and sells it before June 30 and the amount acquired against it is reflected in the bank account and then it is also listed the declaration, then it is lawful act. No one can say that the asset has been kept hidden. There is no difference between a watch or its amount. It is even better to reflect amount rather than the asset in the declaration. So no case can be initiated against Imran Khan,” he asserted.

ChInA - PAKIStAn DIgItAl CoRRIDoR to enhAnCe CooPeRAtIon In It SeCtoR: PAK envoy

BEIJING Staff RepoRt P

AKISTANand China have agreed to launch three new corridors, including the China-Pakistan Digital Corridor that would help enhancing cooperation in different fields of I.T, said Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque, in an interview with China Economic Net (CEN).

Moin ul Haque told CEN that Pakistan has a rich repertoire of talent and human resources in different fields of science and technology and IT-based science and technology have become very important for Pakistan.

“We would be an important source of help for China in terms of software development. So, we are working together to set up training centres in Pakistan for developing software in different fields of IT”, he stated.

He further said that the two countries recently agreed to launch three new corridors: the China-Pakistan Green Corridor, which will focus on the agricultural environment, food security, and green development, the China-Pakistan Health Corridor which will help Pakistan get efficiency in the medical field, and then the China-Pakistan Digital Corridor which will boost Pakistan’s IT industry.

Ammar Jaffri Former Additional Director General FIA and Founder of Digital Pak-

CDWP approves Rs30b from SDF for AJK: Ilyas

MUZAFFARABAD Staff RepoRt

The Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Tanveer Ilyas on Friday said the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved Rs.30 billion from Saudi Development Fund with the efforts of AJK government and these projects would prove a milestone for the development process of the state, he said this while addressing a press conference at AJK PM Secretariat, here, on Friday.

The Additional Chief Secretary for Development Fayz Ali Abbasi, Principal Secretary to AJK PM Ehsan Khalid Kiyani and DG Information Raja Azhar Iqbal were also present on the occasion, Sharing the details regarding the developmentprojects and funds with the media, the AJK PM said that the sum of Rs.11307.4 million had been allocated for the construction of Shonter Hydro Power project in Neelum district with the power generation capacity of 48 MW, Rs.6601.164 million been allocated for the Jaghran-IV Hydro Power project with the capacity of 22 MW power generation whereas, the sum of Rs.12 billion has been allocated for the construction of two tunnels including Kamsar to Kahori tunnel with the length of 3.5 Km and Chalpani tunnel with the length of 0.6 Km would be built at Muzaffarabad -Athmuqam Highway and all these projects have been approved.

AJK PM was of the view that provision of funds from Saudi government was a gust of fresh air at a crucial moment when the AJK government was facing financial crunch.

He said the land acquisition has been made by the government from its own resources and saying that the loan agreement has been initially signed between the Economic Affairs Division and SDF, he said, adding that funds have also been allocated for the construction of transmission lines to link with Muzaffarabad Grid station after power generation from these projects and after completion of these hydro projects power supply to Muzaffarabad Division would be made possible easily at local level and would help the capital city from avoiding the load shedding permanently.

Premier AJK observed that these projects would help in providing employment in Azad Kashmir at large scale and said that Muzaffarabad to Taobut road is the milestone for the development of tourism and commercial activities for local population residing along this road.

He opined that Road was becoming dangerous at Kamsar and Chalpani due to heavy landing during rainy season which was causing accidents resulting in human losses and after keeping in view the severity of situation, government decided to construct tunnels at these places and SDF will provide 206. 25 million Saudi Riyal in this regard, he said added.

Additional Chief Secretary on the occasion said that work would be started in a month on these projects.

istan said that emerging technologies have now become a lifeline for the achievement of The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) & targets.

“We are aiming to organise an international conference about artificial intelligence on 23rd March 2023 in which local and foreign enterprises would participate and we would take strategic decisions to engage the government of Pakistan, and international organisations in our mega projects”, he mentioned.

He further said that AI in areas of cyber security, SDGs, and emerging technologies is a much-needed zone where Pakistan has to work with China while Pakistan has a young population advantage in the region.

Large Steel producers call into question ‘underneath interest’ of senators in steel sector

ISLAMABAD Ghulam abbaS

Taking stock to the remarks made by some senators regarding cartelization in the steel sector, the Pakistan Association of Large Steel Producers (PALSP) has questioned the “underneath motives” of the lawmakers in the industry.

Through a letter, addressed to the Senate Chairman as well as Chairperson of Standing Committee on Industries and Production on Thursday, the Pakistan Association of Large Steel Producers (PALSP), a representative body of the large steel producers, has expressed strong reservations over remarks of some of the members of the standing committee during a recent meeting. The association, through the letter, has termed the remarks about cartelization as misleading allegations against the steel sector. “Such statements are based on personal interest that could damage the large steel sector which is the backbone of the country’s economy and are passing through the most difficult times’. Also, this could put the jobs of various people at stake, who are directly or indirectly associated with the steel industry,” the association said.

The association has conveyed dismay over the fact that some of the Senators are putting the whole steel industry at stake for their personal / business interest by issuing statements that are not correct. The steel indus-

try consists of over 400 market players with fragmented players and practically there is no chance of cartelization among such a large number of players. The association laments that in some of the esteemed Committees of the Senate, the statements and decisions are taken according to the personal interests/business interests of some of the Senate members. ‘One of its big examples is the recent decision of “Increase in Tobacco Tax from Rs. 10/kg to Rs. 390/kg on farmers”.

The decision raised a big question on the conflict of interest of Senators who are involved in the same business, for whom they have to take decisions in these Committees. “The steel industry believes that the steel sector is becoming a victim of these kinds of interest groups, where sustained efforts are being made for opening up of barter trade and import of steel from Iran,” it said. “All those products that are produced in Pakistan and could meet the entire local demand, and also meet international standards of quality, must not be allowed to be imported from any country,” PALSP said adding if such measures are taken, this could lead the industry towards closure. According to the letter, during the recent years, the steel industry has passed through the most difficult times of its history.

During the years 2018-19 and 2019-20 leading steel companies declared huge losses and many smaller ones went out of business. During the year 2020-21 and 2021-22 the situation improved little bit but again from

Swati bail approved in controversial tweets case

Special Judge Central Raja Asif Mehmood announced the verdict today and directed Swati to deposit surety bonds worth Rs10,000.

The PTI senator was taken into custody last week by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for tweeting against the army chief and state institutions after a case was filed against him.

At the last hearing, Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi raised objections at the court’s jurisdiction and said this case should be transferred to the sessions court.

He said that Swati had given a hateful statement about the head of a state institution through his tweet.

The institution had no connection with the courts’ decisions, he said, adding the accused had used a provoking way against the state institutions at a public forum.

Swati had also admitted that during the investigation, Abbasi said.

In his concluding arguments, Swati’s counsel Baber Awan said that his client had used the right of freedom of expression through his tweet. My client was tortured and humiliated during the custody, he alleged.

KP CM blames centre for ‘prevailing problems’ of province

SWAT Syed Shahabuddin

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan on Friday alleged that the “imported government” at the centre has nothing to do with the welfare of the masses, especially the KPK, saying multiple issues have surfaced ever-since “this cabal” of PDM parties came into power.

“This cabal has been involved in “immoral” politics at the cost of national interests; these people don’t have any concern for the country and the nation as they came into power through a foreign conspiracy with the aim to protect their wealth accumulated through plunder in the past.”

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan was addressing locals and

media persons at Gabin Jabba during his visit to Swat on Friday. The KPK CM said that the “imported government” had withheld due share of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the budget, which reflected its stepmotherly treatment and political bias towards the PTI government in KPK. The chief minister, however, said that despite their indifferent attitude, his government would not compromise on peace and development process in the province. He reiterated his commitment not to compromise on law & order in the province and made it clear that peace and writ of the government not only in Swat but all over the province would be ensured at all every cost. He stated that everyone should stay satisfied to this effect as his presence amongst people in the far-flung hilly district of Swat stood testimony to the

fact that peace and tranquility prevailed in the area. Mahmood Khan pointed out that peace has been hard earned at the cost of a long struggle and numerous sacrifices rendered by security personnel and people. “We would not allow anyone to sabotage peace or politicize it under any circumstances.” The KPK CM regretted that he was criticized for no reason, but it should be clear to all that Mahmood Khan would never compromise on the peace and security of his people. He categorically stated that maintaining peace and harmony across the province was the top most priority of his government. Highlighting development initiatives taken by his government during the last four years, the chief minister said that the incumbent provincial government had completed several development

schemes across the province, strengthened communication networks, established educational institutions and brought in huge investment by boosting tourism and industrial activities in the province.

He clarified that as long as Imran Khan’s government was at the centre, everything was going well, but since the “imported rulers” came into government, problems started to arise and the law and order situation deteriorated. Mahmood Khan said that the PTI government in the center was toppled through “regime change” after the slogan “Absolutely Not”, by Imran Khan, adding that the regime changers only wanted the politicians with “absolutely yes” who were now available at the centre in the form of an “imported cabinet” and were not representing national interest.

April 2022, the steel sector is facing the worst ever crisis and the recent unprecedented floods have added fuel to the fire.

As a result, many steel mills have closed down, and many have cut their productions drastically, throughout the country. The worst hit of all is the long segment of the steel sector which is engaged in the production of construction bars.

“If we talk about increase in prices, during the recent years, the prices of all items that are used for construction purposes have increased which includes Cement, Sand, Crush, Tiles, Brick, Concrete, paints as well as steel bars/ rebars. However, no one talks about the increase in the cost of other items especially Cement which is also a major component for construction like rebars,” the association added.

According to the large steel procures whereas, the surge prices of steel are not artificial and is interlinked with various factors like rapid currency devaluation, surge in prices of electricity that is major input, increase in prices of raw materials/scrap in international market, high interest rates, drastically increasing cost of gas, and fuel etc. In a short span of one year (from September 2021 to Sept 2022), the price of scrap increased by 26%, the price of electricity increased by 79%, the price of gas increased by 187%, PKR devalued by 37%, Cargo charges increased 220% and the financial charges raised by 107%.

Prospects of improving Nigeria-Pak bilateral trade very high: Diplomat

PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt

Nigerian High Commissioner in Pakistan, Mr Mohammad Bello Abiyo said prospects are very high to further improve bilateral economic and trade cooperation between Nigeria and Pakistan, however, he underscored the need of removing bottlenecks in enhancing present bilateral trade volume between the countries. Mr Abiyo was addressing members of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry during a meeting, chaired by the chamber’s senior vice president Shahid Hussain here at SCCI’s house on Friday.

Ejaz Khan Afridi, vice president of the chamber, former senior vice president Imran Khan, former vice president Abdul Jalil Jan, executive members Lala Badshah, Munawar Khurshid, Kashif Amin, Javed Ahmad Khan, and Ihsanullah, Shams Rahim, Rashid Iqbal Siddique, Naeem Qasmi, Zahoor Khan, Aftab Iqbal, Waris Khan Afridi, Faiz Rasool, Waqar Ahmad, Ayub Sethi, Ishtiaq Muhammad along with traders, industrialists, importers and expoerters were present in a large number. The Nigerian High Commissioner who was accompanied by Chairman of the SCCI Standing Committee on Education, Saboor Sethi visited the chamber house during his address to members of the business community said Nigeria and Pakistan have cordially enjoyed political and diplomatic relationship. However, he said trade and economic volume between Nigeria and Pakistan is very low, which should be improved by taking full advantage of available opportunities and bringing these relations to a new peak by establishment of business to business contacts, launching of joint ventures, utilizing all resources, potentials and each other’s experiences at optimal level. Mr Abiyo emphasized the need to remove hurdles, especially problems that have been faced by the business community of the both countries on priority basis. He added that the issue of price non-competitiveness should be resolved as soon as possible.

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

An Islamabad court approved on Friday PTI leader Azam Swati’s post-arrest bail plea in a case related to his controversial tweets against state institutions. The court had earlier reserved its verdict.

PReSIdenT okayS TRanSfeR of RS3B To GB GovT foR flood affeCTeeS ReHaB

ISLAMABAD Ghulam abbaS

aSthe Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had announced Rs 3 billion grant for rehabilitation of flood affectees in Gilgit Baltistan, President, on the Advice of Prime Minister has approved transfer of Rs. 3 billion from consolidated account of GB Council.

According to official sources, the Finance Division, which was directed to give the grant to flood affectees, has later managed the amount from the upper body of GB (GB Council).

Since the transfer of funds from GB Council legally required approval from the President, the due process was completed accordingly.

Earlier, the GB government had also demanded the transfer of the said

amount from the consolidated account of the council to it to meet the extra budgetary requirement after flood and other natural calamities across the region.

Through a letter to the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and GB on August 23, 2022, the Chief Minister GB Khalid Khurshid had informed that the flood spells, like other provinces of the country, have massively damaged public and private properties in GB.

The lost/damaged properties include standing crops, trees, houses, cattle and cattle sheds, roads, bridges, power houses and allied installations.

The GB government has mobilized all available resources for the temporary settlement of internally displaced people and for restoration of damaged public properties. However, owing to no increase in the annual grant of GB

Imran disqualified

ContInueD fRoM pAge 01

The ruling said as the respondent “has made false statements and incorrect declaration”, therefore he has also committed the “offence of corrupt practices” defined under sections 167 and 173 of the Elections Act, 2017, punishable under Section 174 of the Elections Act, 2017.

“The office is directed to initiate legal proceedings and to take follow-up action under Section 190(2) of the Elections Act, 2017,” the verdict added.

Article 63 (1) (p) of the Constitution states that an individual is, “for the time being, disqualified from being elected or chosen as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (parliament) or of a provincial assembly under any law for the time being in force”.

After the ECP’s verdict, Imran could also cease to be the PTI chairman as per an earlier judgment by the apex court.

Meanwhile, the PTI leadership has announced that it will challenge the decision in court.

Earlier today, party leaders had directed workers to protest should the Toshakhana case decision come against Imran Khan.

Senior party leader and in-charge of the party’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa wing Pervez Khattak had shared an audio message with workers, stating that “if the decision is in favour of Imran Khan, then fine; otherwise if it is against [him] then there will be a strong protest at the district level”.

The verdict against the PTI chief comes as a big blow to the party which a few days ago won big in by-polls across the country, following up on its resounding victory in the July by-elections in Punjab — both seen as indicators of public support for the ousted former premier.

PTI REJECTS ‘MINUS ONE FORMULA’: Reflecting on the constitutional role of the ECP during a press conference today, senior PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that “a minus one formula will not be acceptable”.

“The ECP is a constitutional institution,” said Qureshi noting that “free, fair, and credible elections” was the responsibility of the watchdog.

“In no way will a minus one formula be considered acceptable,” he added.

During the press conference, Qureshi also noted the successes of PTI in by-elections and cited it as evidence that attempts to disqualify Imran would be against the “will of the people”.

BRIEFING ON SECURITY AHEAD OF VERDICT: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Friday got a briefing from the administration on the security of the ECP ahead of pronouncing the verdict in the Toshakhana reference against Imran Khan.

The election commission had reserved its verdict

by the Federal Government for the current financial year 2002-23, it is almost impossible to compensate the private losses and to get the damages of public properties worth billions of rupees restored. In these challenging times, the GB Council Consolidated Fund can be utilized for rehabilitation of properties mentioned above.

The said account, reportedly, has ample budget in it and after promulgation of Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018 should have been transferred to GB Government.

Subsequently, the Finance Division after knowing the availability of the amount on account of the GB Council had also written a letter to the Council for transfer of the same to the regional government.

The Council had earlier collected the amount through taxes and other

charges under the subjects it dealt in GB.

Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan Muhiudeen Wani has claimed that the GB government would ensure that the money was spent in a transparent and efficient manner.

On September 3, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif during his visit to GB was informed that a total of 10,000 kanals of agricultural land, more than 1,000 houses, dozens of bridges, hundreds of water supply lines, water channels and hundreds of kilometers of roads had been partially or completely damaged.

After the briefing, the prime minister announced a Rs3 billion grant to GB for rehabilitation and reconstruction. He also announced to give Rs1 million compensation for the families of the deceased persons, besides Rs25,000 support for each affected family.

corporate corner

in the Toshakhana reference against former premier Imran Khan and scheduled it announcement for 2:00pm on Friday (today). On Thursday evening, the commission issued notices to the parties including the former premier in the case.

As per details, CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja along with the four provincial members of the electoral body s reached the Election Commission of Pakistan headquarters.

Meanwhile, the security of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was beefed up ahead of the announcement of its verdict in the Toshakhana reference.

As per details, Punjab Rangers, FC and a heavy contingent of police have been deployed to ensure the security of the ECP in case of any situation after the verdict.

The troops have been provided with shells of tear gas, while the entry of irrelevant people into the Election Commission of Pakistan has been banned.

STRICT SECURITY IN PLACE: In view of the fear of the arrival of PTI workers or a possible disturbance, elaborated security arrangements were made in the entire area, especially around the ECP building and the Red Zone.

Islamabad and Rawalpindi police were put on high alert after the decision with heavy deployment placed at the Red Zone and Faizabad Interchange.

Furthermore, in addition to the police, FC and Rangers personnel were also deployed for security near government buildings.

Tear gas shells and other necessary equipment were also delivered to the personnel earlier.

Before the announcement of the verdict, the Islamabad administration had deployed more than 1,500 personnel including one SSP, five SPs and six DSPs on the premises of ECP building.

According to police officials, PTI workers will not be allowed to enter the ECP building and entry will be restricted to relevant persons only while entry into the Red Zone has also been restricted.

Besides this, DC Islamabad also visited the ECP and reviewed the security arrangements.

The electoral watchdog had sought “fool-proof security” ahead of the verdict. The election supervisor had also issued notices to all the parties to be present at its secretariat in Islamabad either personally or through their lawyers.

TOSHAKHANA REFERENCE: The ECP had reserved the verdict in the case on September 19.

Toshakhana – a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division – stores precious gifts given to the head of states, MPs, bureaucrats and officials by heads of other governments, states and foreign dignitaries.

According to Toshakhana rules, gifts and other such material received by persons to whom these

rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.

The reference had been moved by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) against the PTI chief on August 4 for not “sharing details” of Toshakhana gifts and proceeds from their alleged sale.

Despite the fact that Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) make this act mandatory, the PTI while in government, had been reluctant to disclose details of the gifts, the then prime minister received since he assumed PM office in 2018.

It claimed that it would jeopardise international relations. The reference sought disqualification of Imran from public office under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

POLICE, PTI WORKERS CLASH OUTSIDE ECP OFFICE: Violence erupted outside the Election of Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Headquarters as heavy police contingents and workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) confronted each other shortly after the election commission disqualified former prime minister Imran Khan in Toshakhana reference.

According to Islamabad police, the situation turned tense after KP police cop opened fire on capital police deployed outside ECP office.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) MNA Saleh Muhammad Khan and his guard were arrested in after the guard reportedly fired a shot outside the ECP office.

As soon as the verdict was announced, PTI supporters and party workers began protesting the decision and workers present outside the ECP office shouted slogans in support of Imran Khan.

The Islamabad police reportedly detained firearms from a Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) policeman who was later reported to be the guard of PTI MNA Saleh. As the weapon was being recovered a shot was fired.

The capital police claimed the shot was fired by the KP policeman and arrested him. The police later also arrested MNA Saleh. Reports of the police physically assaulting the arrested PTI workers have also surfaced.

In Lahore, PTI’s women MNAs and MPA staged a sit-in on Jail Road, causing traffic jams in the area. The workers also chanted slogans outside the Punjab Election Commission office to express their anger against Imran Khan’s disqualification.

PTI workers in Daska, Chiniot, Okara, Gujrat, Rawalpindi and other parts of Punjab are protesting against the verdict of ECP.

ROADS BLOCK IN ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers on Friday blocked Islamabad Expressway and other avenues and roads of the Federal Capital as a protest of disqualification of PTI Chairman Imran Khan by the ECP in the Toshakhana reference.

SBP injects Rs1502.45 into market

KARACHI Staff RepoRt

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday injected Rs 2502.45 billion into money market through its Open Market Operation. Rs 1,420.250 billion were pumped as reverse repo purchase. Of these, Rs 595.250 billion for seven days at 15.19 percent rate of return accepted per annum. Rs 825 billion injected for 63 days at 15.18 % rate of return accepted.

Meanwhile, Rs 82.2 billion were injected through Shariah Compliant Mudaraba based OMO. Of these, Rs 67.200 billion were injected for 7 days at cut-off rate of 15.18 % per annum and Rs 15 billion for 63 days at 15.20%.

Senate session put off after PTI protests for Swati’s production orders

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Senate session was adjourned Friday for an indefinite period following a noisy protest from the members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over non-issuance of the production orders of Azam Swati.

The session started under the chairmanship of Sadiq Sanjrani—the Senate chairman.

He asked the members of the opposition to sit on their seats. “Let the agenda proceed, or I will adjourn the session otherwise,” he said to the protesting members.

Earlier, a motion for the establishment of a secretariat to solve the problems of Baloch students in the Senate secretariat was approved. The motion was approved on the directions of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

IHC instructs ministry to submit recommendations for journalists’ rights

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday instructed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to present recommendations to the parliament for protection of journalists’ rights, after holding consultations with journalists’ bodies. Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petitions filed by International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Islamabad High Court Journalists Association (IHCJA).

At the outset of hearing, the chief justice inquired about the steps for protection of rights of electronic media journalists. The court could interpret the laws introduced by the parliament, he said. The court was informed that the government had appointed Shahid Mehmood Khokhar as chairman ITNI.

The representative of information ministry said that it had already contacted the journalists’ bodies, adding that a letter was written to the PFUJ’s President Afzal Butt. However, the petitioners said that this case was related to the PFUJ which was associated with IFJ.

IHC questions lack of concern over MNA Ali Wazir’s detention

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah questioned on Friday why no voices were being raised for Member National Assembly (MNA) Ali Wazir, whose constituency remains unrepresented since his arrest in December 2020.

The IHC CJ’s remarks came during the hearing of a petition pertaining to cases against former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders. Their counsel, Faisal Chaudhary, argued that an open-ended first information report (FIR) was filed, that identified

those nominated in it as ‘PTI leadership’.

Responding to the PTI leaders’ counsel, the chief justice questioned how cases are registered on political grounds at every police station, urging the parliament and federal government to play its role in bringing this practice to a halt. “Every government does this during its tenure,” Justice Minallah stated.

The court directed to be submitted, in two weeks, the record of all the cases registered against the petitioners at police stations across the country. The IHC CJ added that no MNA can be prevented from attending assembly sessions even if they are in jail.

Touching upon the recently amended NA rules, the chief justice stressed that no

parliamentarian can be arrested without the approval of the NA speaker.

It was in this vein that Justice Minallah mentioned the case of incarcerated MNA Ali Wazir. “Ali Wazir’s case should be resolved as well, as no voices have been raised for him, despite his constituency being unrepresented. This is unacceptable,” he said, inquiring if Wazir could attend the parliamentary sessions following the recently amended rules. To this the PTI leaders’ counsel responded in the affirmative.

The court further stressed that someone should raise their voice for Wazir as well. “Whoever raises voice becomes a target themselves,” Chaudhry responded.

However, commenting on the amended NA rules, Chaudhry added that under the rules a parliamentarian under arrest will be permitted to attend the assembly session.

Welcoming the change, the chief justice observed that this would ensure no constituency remain unrepresented during the parliamentary sessions. He added that issuing a production order was no longer just a choice for the speaker. Justice Minallah expressed the hope that the rule will be implemented “in its full spirit”.

A day earlier, the National Assembly amended its rules to make prior permission of the assembly speaker mandatory for arresting any member of the house, and the issuance of

production order for an arrested lawmaker.

Moreover, no member would be arrested from the NA premises.Through another amendment to the rules, the house made it mandatory that during the session, the residence of the arrested member, or the parliament lodges, be declared as sub-jail where the arrested member can reside.

The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader was arrested in Peshawar on December 16, 2020 on charges of hate speech against state institutions while addressing a rally in Karachi on December 6 that same year.

He was granted bail in the case this year in May, but remained incarcerated after being booked in another case while in jail

Honda Atlas Cars New Model HR-V2022 was launched at Lahore. On the occasion, President & CEO Honda Atlas Mr Takafumi Koike and Chairman Amir H Shirazi were also present. pR

Imran’s unseating

PTI chief’s legal woes not over

PTI chief Imran Khan’s being unseated for the remainder of the Parliament was perhaps inevitable in the Toshakhana reference because of his admission that he had not declared the proceeds of his sale of the gifts he had received and not deposited in the Toshakhana. He has now, according to some legal experts, not been found not to be sadiq or ameen, which he had been declared as being by the Supreme Court just a few years ago, and thus will be free to contest the upcoming general election due by the middle of next year. The failure of the PTI to explode, though protests have begun, may be explained by the fact that the decision, while unfavourable, leaves Imran free to lead any Long March that he might be contemplating. The Supreme Court, the day before the Election Commission of Pakistan decision, had refused to give any orders stopping the Long March. Almost as an afterthought, it seems the ECP has rained on Mr Khan’s parade. He had just won seven NA seats in by-elections. He had already resigned from his original Mianwali seat. He was refusing to return to the National Assembly, and there was much debate about which seats would have by-elections, and which would not. The ECP decision has answered that question: all the seats are now vacant, and Mr Khan can’t be a candidate for them, or any other constituency, for the life of this Parliament.

Though the decision did not declare him disqualified for life, it found him guilty of ‘corrupt practices’. It may be remembered that Mian Nawaz Sharif was declared to not be sadiq or amen because he had not declared the salary he could have received (but which he didn’t) to the National Assembly, even though it was an asset. Here, Mr Khan stands accused of having not declared the proceeds of sales of presents. Whatever relief is given by the courts - and his spokesman Fawad Chaudhry has announced that the PTI will apply to the Supreme Court - will also have to be made available to Mr Sharif. Mr Khan may still present himself as ‘Mr Clean’ fighting corruption, but his detractors will use this decision to tarnish his image.

This decision is not the end of his legal woes. The earlier decision by the ECP in the prohibited funding case, has led to the FIA taking legal action, with some of Mr Khan’s associates arrested, and being summoned by the FIA. The present decision will also lead to further criminal prosecution. The decision may also mean that he cannot head any political party. Again, any relief on that score would apply to Mr Sharif. If such disqualification occurs, the second tier of leadership is already poised to fight over the party’s carcass.

After the by-elections

On the road for a Long March

lives of the youth in the past.

Undoubtedly, social media has offered a platform alternative to the mainstream media, but the former is a major source of disinformation and propaganda. Spreading rumours and false news are now considered freedom of expression. Building and peddling false narratives about nationalism for serving the party’s purpose are the hallmark of the success of social media, which is informal in its essence. It offers more an activity of pastime than anything serious and substantial to the youth.

An effort to reach out to the masses may be a good idea but spreading rumours and fabricated news is a crime. Instead of making the youth aware and mature, the phenomenon plays with the sentiment and imagination of the recipients and hence plunders their minds. Can the cropped photos to abuse someone create a reality? Cropping offers service to neither politics nor society. Maybe unwittingly, the PTI is raising a generation which would live in the world of false narratives and fictitious realities instead of the real world’s veracities and actualities.

able to the narratives and has not been holding the party accountable for its failure to deliver on the 2018 electoral promises.

The huddle also discussed preparations for the PTI’s forthcoming Long March on Islamabad and how to enthuse and mobilize the youth for the same. In the wake of victory in the recently held by-elections, the PTI wants immediate elections in the country. It says that the elections would ensure political and economic stability.

On the way, there are presently two main stumbling blocks: first, how to avoid reaching the assemblies to raise a voice, even for early elections; and second, how to avoid reaching the assigned confines of G-9 or H-9 parks in Islamabad to stage any protest?

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Khan was trying to motivate the party’s social media activists for the forthcoming Long March. It is known that the PTI’s over-reliance on social media has paid dividends in terms of the youth in the urban areas being induced into believing the narratives built by the PTI’s social media activists. The PTI has tried to approach the youth from an alternative platform of the media, other than the mainstream media, to spread its voice– no matter how untrue it could be. Apparently, the PTI has been successful in motivating the youth in its favour.

Aziz

However, there is a downside to this phenomenon. For instance, the youth, without understanding the history of the country and even the history of Pakistan’s politics, has fallen prey to the PTI’s narratives, which are playing on the nationalistic and religious sentiments of the viewers. No speech of the Chairman PTI can be found without giving the famous “religious touch.” Seeking refuge in jihad and exploiting the term to achieve political objectives is a treacherous proposition, meant for bloodshed and split in society. The PTI leadership can also suffer from the boomerang effect of the same sentimentalism. The same is true for nationalism. Declaring political opponents against the state is a perilous trend. All military dictators resorted to undertaking the condemned practice of upping the ante of nationalism and stirring the soppiness of religion to rule over the country. Nevertheless, the religious touch spoiled careers and

On the occasion, the Chairman PTI said that his party’s prospective long march would not be for achieving traditional political goals but it would be for getting real freedom, Haqeeqi Azadi. Through these words, he tried to convey to his social media team to spread this news to the recipients in whatever form possible. It is not known, however, how social media can make the youth convinced that the incumbent government is illegitimate, is imported, which should be toppled in favour of the PTI.

It is apparent that the incumbent government is firm on not letting the PTI dictate its terms on the schedule of next general elections. Second, it is apparent that the incumbent government is in no mood to permit the PTI to avail itself of the facility of reaching Dchowk and repeating the 2014 performance. The post-by-elections scenario is fast reaching the crescendo of excitement

Interestingly, Khan still believes that the removal of the PTI’s government was due to a conspiracy hatched in some foreign country. This is the denial mode meant for overlooking ground realities. During its stint in power, the PTI could not manage to launch a single development project but it is now claiming that the country was progressing under its governance. The gap in performance is being filled by constructing the contrived narratives of patriotism and religiosity. The youth is equally pli-

Regarding the first stumbling block, the PTI has to convince its detractors that it was left with no choice but to resort to agitation to get its demand of regime change met. Moreover, the PTI has to convince the public at large of the reasons for its demanding early elections. Similarly, the PTI has to persuade the listeners that victory on a few seats in the by-election qualifies the party to demand early elections.

Regarding the second stumbling block, the PTI has to convince its opponents that it was left with no other option but to reach Dchowk to register its protest. Moreover, the PTI has to convince the public at large the reasons for its insistence to reach D-chowk, whether or not to repeat the 2014 sitin. Similarly, the PTI has to convince the listeners that the party’s reactive rowdy politics, even under the rubric of nationalism or religiosity, is to serve the country.

It is apparent that the incumbent government is firm on not letting the PTI dictate its terms on the schedule of next general elections. Second, it is apparent that the incumbent government is in no mood to permit the PTI to avail itself of the facility of reaching D-chowk and repeating the 2014 performance. The post-by-elections scenario is fast reaching the crescendo of excitement.

%The wrier can be reached at qaisarrashid@yahoo.com

Are Women still under suppression?

Women’s subjugation has a history. In the past, woman was considered a witch and a sorcerer with a power to trap men and distract them from work. Was it the only reason to hate women in the past or was there another dimension which we are seeing in the 21st century? In fact the real reason behind defaming women's image was the fear of misogynists that they wuld lose their control on women. The footprints of history have marked brilliant reasons to understand why women are still oppressed.

One of them is Patriarchy. Patriarchal culture has deeply rooted since long ago and expanded with the passage of time. The Western mantra of considering women a witch was owing to the ultimate strength of women. To some extent men were in a denial that women, despite their weak fuselage, are powerful. Women, therefore, have been still suffering from the blame game of superstitious labels on them.

Currently, Women are being suppressed in various ways. Psychologically, emotionally, religiously, culturally and financially, women are being targeted everywhere around the globe. In Pakistan the Women Protection Act of 2016 was enacted, but is yet not functional. In feudal areas like Baluchistan, southern Punjab and especially

Sindh, females have been going through genital mutilation in the name of culture. Female Genital Mutilation is a procedure to remove female genitalia completely or partially. Around 100,000 females go through circumcision in Bohra Muslims per annum. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a non-medical procedure with serious consequences for females.

Our society lacks knowledge about the worst results of FGM and follows this procedure religiously. Females are abused domestically and pressurized to reproduce a boy. Consequently, many unwanted girls are born in a cruel world despite women’s health issues. A staggering figure of 21 million unwanted girls in an Economic Survey 2018 has proved the brutality against women in Pakistan.

Due to giving birth to unwanted girls and lack of knowledge of oral contraceptives, women lose physical strength. They are not treated well in rural areas, especially, where there is feudalism and a culture of Vani.

Women oppression has a history. At present suppression is still there, but if it exists in future then it will produce more chaos and destruction.

Unawareness of women about their fundamental rights is the reason behind the injustice women have been suffering for a long time. Women do not even know that they can be a victim of marital rape, because following the brutal rules of their spouses is the

sole objective of marriage for them. Consent is a key to run a relationship peacefully, but when there is no consent, it is a forced relationship. As a result, women unwillingly have to surrender in front of their spouses and their relationship becomes just a legal contract which has no emotions, but a license to live together.

Legal rights are present, but theoretically more and practically less. Sometimes legal rights are not fulfilled because of the negligence of victims about their rights and most of the time, illogical cultural constraints assembled to hide pain. For instance, most of the time rape cases are not reported in our Pakistani society, because of thye need for saving pride. No matter at what cost women have to bear the brunt of their silence, they have to remain silent otherwise they can be murdered as well. Around 11 rape cases are reported every day and over the past six years around 22,000 cases have been reported, as shown in a report by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

(HRCP).

Pakistan is a developing nation and needs equal participation of women in the labour force. The economic crises of Pakistan cannot be solved in the blink of an eye, in fact it requires brilliant ideas and effective administrative policies for long-term solutions.

Women oppression must be stopped to save the nation. Following the footsteps of First-World countries Pakistan can win the glory of success. In this way Pakistan can earn a positive international image as well. Women in Pakistan are competing now, but still much work has to be done in rural areas

Women’s education is a catalyst in this regard because women's nature is to understand the grim reality of injustice. It might be because women have suffered enough in this regard.

Pakistan needs to oust traditional ways of dealing with women and accommodate a rational approach. By saving from their plight, several other social issues can also be eradicated. For instance, women's education will equalize genders and root out gender inequality.

Women oppression seems to come to an end if they are financially independent. The main factor for women’s oppression is financial dependence which is why the patriarchy dominates and wins. Women must raise a voice to equalize wages in the workforce.

Women are paid 25 percent less than men

with the reason that they are less efficient. Although this is a myth that women are contributing less than men and are less competitive.

Nations where women are paid equally have been developed and are touching the seventh heaven of progress. While, places where there is still a battle over who is stronger, men or women, are suffering from serious economic turmoil.

As social disorganization theory describes the reasons of misfortune towards women, Patriarchy is on top of the list as a hindrance in women’s progress. Women are fragile, emotionally weak, less competitive: all are false songs sung by patriarchal society. A dire need is to break the monotonous chains of patriarchy and feudalism as we are still judging women on the parameters of outdated notions.

Women oppression must be stopped to save the nation. Following the footsteps of First-World countries Pakistan can win the glory of success. In this way Pakistan can earn a positive international image as well. Women in Pakistan are competing now, but still much work has to be done in rural areas.

Women in urban areas have become more vigilant regarding their rights. Women in the countryside are still ignorant about the basic rights and privileges given by the state. Hence, women education is mandatory. The implementation of Article 25 is the fundamental to all the steps in the journey of women empowerment.

The writer is an engineer by profession. She can be reached at rabiaaslam718@gmail.com .

ON October 19, Pakistan Tehrik Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan invited social media officials of PTI North Punjab to his residence and lashed out at the tactics employed by the incumbent government to control social media. He alleged that the government had been harassing and intimidating to muzzle the dissenting social media voices.

rabia aslam

Dr Qaisar rashiD

Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk

Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

Export Import Bank of Pakistan Act 2022

THEExim Bank of Pakistan has started its formal operations after the Senate recently approved and ratified the Export Import Bank of Pakistan Act 2022. It is ironical that it took the bank almost seven years to take off, which grossly reflects on the low priority that has been accorded to industrial development and exports by successive governments.

The bank, a specialised financial institution wholly owned by the government, was incorporated as statutory body on June 11, 2015, and was scheduled to start functioning by January 2017. It was created on long and persistent demand of the industry to set up a national export credit agency to facilitate and augment international trade. In fact, the Engineering Development Board had floated the idea of establishing an Exim Bank as early as in the late 1990s, which was in line with the policies and practices adopted by some 60 nations that had successfully operated such institutions primarily to strengthen their exports.

One hopes that the Exim Bank will within a short period of time serve the purpose for which it has been established; as a catalyst to promote, expand and diversify the export base by providing credit facilities, guarantees, insurance and other supporting services, especially to the small and medium enterprises (SME) sector.

The other important objective of the bank is to reinforce the implementation of plans charted out for import substitution in various industrial areas, which, as is often said, is the need of the hour.

HUSSAIN SIDDIQUI ISLAMABAD

US confidence before aggressive counter proliferation

Biden’s statement was part of a plan

small groups and few states, became a global menace. After 9/11, Pakistan becomes a frontline state; immediately after it, the USA government approached Pakistan and after that a war against terrorism started in Pakistan.

In reaction Pakistan had to face uncountable problems with chaos and threats to its stability.

Thousands of people and security forces died due to this. Despite a clear appreciation, the USA emphasized doing more and declared Pakistan a nursery of terrorism and the most dangerous country in the world . It was accused of being either complicit with the terrorists or incompetent to tackle them.

through in nuclear technology was achieved with the assistance of the former USSR, Canada and the USA. India expanded and modernized its armed forces with the help of the former USSR, which became India’s biggest arms supplier. On the other hand, Pakistan defeated the USSR, sacrificed 80000 lives and well over $200 billion, and destroyed its industrial infrastructures for the sake of the USA. Now, , as the most experienced nuclear power, the USA can share its nuclear security practices, performances of the system, and the likelihood of mishaps.

FBR Portal

THEFederal Board of Revenue (FBR)’s data for my Iris window — FBR’s portal that is used to submit tax returns — has missing entries for over 80 per cent of my investment in term deposits (TDRs) in a private bank in Islamabad.

These missing entries for my withholding tax (WHT) go back to all the way to May 2018 onwards, if not even earlier. This year, FBR has for the first time made data related to WHT deductions by banks and other regulatory authorities available to individual taxpayers on their Iris accounts. However, when I cross-checked the entries for all WHT deductions by a private bank for my investment in TDRs since May 2018, if not earlier, all those entries were found missing from FBR data on my Iris account.

I do not know whether it is FBR’s fault or the private bank’s. On Sept 19 and 20, I had written over 900 words in a correspondence that I sent via email both to the FBR and the bank concerned along with 13 attachments, most of them being bank statements and tax certificates attesting to all WHT deductions against my investment.

aisha Noor

THEUSA on Monday said it was confident Pakistan could control its nuclear assets after US President Joe Biden’s recent statement describing Pakistan as “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” and questioning the safety protocols of its nuclear weapons stirred a diplomatic row between the two countries on Saturday, leading Islamabad to summon the US ambassador.

“The United States is confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its ability to secure its nuclear assets. The US has always viewed a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to US interests and, more broadly, the US values our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters. In a speech on October 13, Biden said Pakistan is "maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world" as it has "nuclear weapons without any cohesion". A transcript of Biden's speech was published by the White House on its website.

Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal BhuttoZardari said during a news conference that he was “surprised” by Biden’s statement. “I believe this is exactly the sort of misunderstanding that is created when there is a lack of engagement,” he added. “Pakistan has long been at the forefront in the fight against regional and global terrorism,” said FO spokesperson Mohammad Faisal at a regular press briefing. “It is because of Pakistan’s cooperation with the international community, acknowledged and appreciated by the US leadership, that the al-Qaeda core was decimated from the region.”

Pakistan’s efforts to fight many militant groups on its soil at the behest of the USA never satisfied Washington. Thousands have been killed in Pakistan due to terror attacks since the beginning of the War on Terror. Pakistan’s role in the War on Terror was initiated by the 11 September 2001 attacks in the USA. They were a new manifestation of terrorism, which altogether changed the world’s political psyche. The problem of terrorism, which had been confined to

Pakistan is surrounded by giant nucleararmed neighbours, Russia, China, and India. Pakistan lives in a security-intensive environment, with internal and external threats. Whenever the Indian threat grows, more or new nuclear capabilities are needed. Nuclear weapons form an essential ingredient of its national security, and nuclear energy requirements are based on long-term national development planning. Pakistan's strategic planners are competent enough to balance external threats, internal volatility, technical requirements, resource availability, and the secrecy requirements of every sensitive site. Therefore, generalized statements about nuclear assets falling into the hands of the Taliban are false on the ground.

After a discussion with my husband, who, being an Aarmy officer, had spent more than a decade in missile sites, I perceive that Pakistan made its nuclear and missile programme fully safe and secure by fulfilling all the safety requirements of the IAEA and meeting international standards. To achieve cohesion, all the nuclear and missile-related outfits were placed under the SPD for better coordination and performance. The missile force was placed under Strategic Force Command. One of the important aspects of Pakistan’s credentials is its safe operational experience of handling peaceful nuclear technology for over 40 years.

Nuclear security culture evolved in Pakistan after 9/11. Pakistan improved its supervisory procedure for military and scientific manpower.

The security division of the SPD established a reporting system for monitoring the movements of all officials. Next, a system of sensitive material control and accounting was introduced.

The system was derived from modern training, possibly modelled on U.S. national laboratory procedures. The inception of the Nuclear Security Action Plan (NSAP), organized by the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), was a very important development in Pakistan's nuclear security management. The PNRA is an independent body responsible for civilian programmes, but it coordinates closely with the SPD. Moreover, Pakistan’s security officers know how to use detection equipment and security barriers, as well as set up checkpoints and customs posts.

India laid the foundations of the nuclearization of South Asia in August 1974 by conducting a weaponized nuclear explosion. This break-

The USA has produced sensitive sensors and software that can detect radiation at an extremely low level. Pakistan is unlikely to accept foreign-made sensors in any of its sensitive sites, but it can use these devices at major geographical chokepoints. The USA can help Pakistan modernize its NSAP by installing modern sensors and radiation monitors for portal monitoring at locations acceptable to Pakistan. This would help prevent terrorist transport of conventional explosives as well as illicit radiological material

Pakistan is very careful in seeking assistance on nuclear technology from the USA, especially if the assistance is perceived to be of an intrusive nature. Like other nuclear-capable states, Pakistan also knows how to guard its locations and nuclear best practices from any outside influence or knowledge.

Dalton, an expert on nonproliferation and nuclear energy who addresses regional security challenges and the evolution of the global nuclear order writes very well, “Pakistan is not given sufficient credit for the nuclear security practices it has put in place. The prominence given to nuclear weapons in Pakistan’s national security strategy means that the government has a very strong interest to protect them. To date, there is no public information that indicates any close calls of material going missing, and no hint of further technology leakage after the A Q Khan Proliferation network was dismantled.”

U.S.-India relations have blossomed while US-Pakistan relations have become more troubled. In the past, Pakistan sought to catalyze US intervention as a way to internationalize the dispute over Kashmir, while India actively opposed any US policy interest in a resolution to the Kashmir issue. India has not been overly welcoming of US intervention unless it came with promises to coerce Pakistan to crack down on groups that attack India. Meanwhile, most Pakistanis probably do not trust the USA to be an honest broker in regional disputes. Thus, in the abstract, it is difficult to frame the role the USA might play in addressing likely sources of conflict.

The recent hype and, at times, irresponsible, writing by US media with serious credentials has created a sense of cynicism among Pakistanis, reinforcing belief that the recent statement is a prelude to aggressive counter-proliferation measures by the USA.

The Writer is a Lecturer in English from Lahore, Pakistan. She can be reached at aishaz99@gmail.com and tweets @aishaz99

To the FBR, I had sent this complaint using their helpline via email on Sept 19, which advised me to get in touch with the secretary of Internal Revenue (IR) operations. I forwarded my complaint to the secretary on Sept 20 with all the write-ups and attachments, and also followed it up on the phone. The secretary of IR operations forwarded my complaint to member of Income Tax (IT), FBR, on Sept 20, who on Sept 24 forwarded it to GMSD PRAL, which is the relevant IT department dealing with Iris.

I am glad to see the government machinery entertaining a request by a concerned citizen and forwarding my complaint to the department concerned along the chain. I also shared the same complaint with the bank in question, sending it all the detailed write-ups with some additions and 13 attachments on Sept 19, requesting the bank and my relationship manager at the bank to share CPRs (challan numbers) of the WHT that the bank has been deducting against my investment for the last some years and supposedly paying to the FBR.

If the bank had provided me all the CPR numbers, it would have been much easier to trace the missing WHT entries and get them rectified on the FBR portal, according to my tax consultant. My bank’s only email response on Sept 20 to my complaint was a non-serious one. My relationship manager at the bank verbally told me on the phone afterwards that the bank could not provide me CPR numbers for WHT deductions against my investment.

However, when I told my relationship manager at the private bank to email the response to me, she did not do that despite several reminders.

Since then, I have not heard back from the bank on this matter. I am keeping my fingers crossed that either the FBR or the bank may get successful in tracing the missing entries of WHT on Iris and rectify this data for WHT entries accordingly.

FOQIA SADIQ KHAN ISLAMABAD

Tax Reduction

THErecent reduction in fuel prices with the objective of providing some relief to the common man is a welcome step by the government. There seems to be an acknowledgment of the fact that the harsh conditionalities placed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) could have been negotiated better instead of bowing down to the pressure by the lender to impose several new taxes. Foremost amongst those impacted by these measures was the salaried class, whose income tax slabs were ruthlessly revised upwards, thus increasing their tax liability significantly.

These tax slabs, coupled with a huge increase in energy prices and unprecedented food inflation, have almost halved their purchasing power over the last few months.

The tax rates on the salaried class are now comparable or even higher than those in the developed countries and welfare states that provide a host of education, health and social benefits to their taxpayers. On the other hand, in our country, the taxpayers do not have access even to clean drinking water, leave alone other benefits. The government should sympathetically review the increase in tax on the salaried class and provide the poor souls immediate relief on this count. This is what is utterly needed.

AAMIR MALIK KARACHI

Host of Issues

STUDENTSenrolled with the International Islamic University (IIU) in Islamabad are worried these days because the level of cleanliness on the campus is terrible, and with dengue in the air, everybody is feeling concerned because the university management is not interested in taking preventive measures, like a simple round of fumigation. The management should do what it needs to do.

JAVAID DASHTI ISLAMABAD

BloomBerg Hal Brands

imaginea scenario in which, a year or two or three from now, the world is convulsed by war from europe to the Pacific. The idea isn’t as absurd as you may think.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has ignited europe’s largest conflict in generations and provoked a greatpower proxy fight. in east asia, the chances of war are growing, as the tensions precipitated by House Speaker nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan in august demonstrated. in the middle east, the US may have to choose between fighting iran and accepting it as a nuclear threshold state.

nightmare scenarios usually don’t materialize, of course. it is possible that none of these situations will pull the US into war, and the most plausible timelines toward conflict vary by region.

america’s antagonists may not be formally allied, but they are aligned in a critical area — the eurasian heartland — and in critical ways. an overstretched US cannot react to one problem without considering the impact on its ability to deal with others. in some ways, america’s predicament resembles the period before World War ii. Then as now, the international system was being battered from many directions.

The dictators supported each other at critical moments. Then as now, a democratic great-power facing trouble everywhere struggled to act decisively anywhere. eastern europe is aflame thanks to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the culmination of a generation-long campaign to restore Russian primacy from Central asia to the Baltic Sea. a successful blitzkrieg back in February might have given Russia a commanding position in eastern europe and invited new coercion of exposed north atlantic Treaty Organization states.

Both Ukraine and Russia have ambitious aims. Kyiv seeks the liberation of all occupied territory, including Crimea; moscow aims to turn Ukraine into an impoverished, vivisected vassal state. The war has also unleashed a ferocious contest in great-power coercion. Washington and its allies are giving Ukraine guns, money and intelligence to bleed Putin’s army; they are battering the Russian economy through sanctions. moscow has used energy coercion to make the war more painful for europe; it has threatened nuclear escalation in hopes of limiting its losses on the battlefield by limiting Western support for Ukraine.

Putin seems to believe he can coerce his enemies into quitting before he suffers a major defeat, while the US is acting as though it can deter Putin from escalating long enough for Ukraine to prevail. The result of all this is a violent, unstable equilibrium, one that cannot hold forever as committed participants pursue irreconcilable goals.

meanwhile, the countdown to conflict may have begun in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing used Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan as pretext for aggressive military exercises that presage a higher baseline of regional tension. Chinese officials surely prefer to achieve their goals — controlling Taiwan and pushing the US out of the Western Pacific — without a major war. it is possible that Putin’s bloody mess in Ukraine has made Chinese President Xi Jinping more cautious about using force. Yet a three-decade military buildup has undoubtedly given Xi a far better shot at subduing Taiwan if he chooses.

in fact, Xi may have to use force to get what he wants: The odds of Taipei peacefully submitting to a neo-totalitarian China decrease each year, while the US and its allies appear increasingly intent on blocking Beijing’s bid for regional dominance.

There is vigorous debate in Washington over when the threat of Chinese aggression will become most acute; even the most worried observers think a showdown is at least two to three years away. Yet the risk of war is rising as China’s determination to upend the east asian balance smacks into its rivals’ determination to uphold it.

Then there is the perpetually flammable middle east, a region americans would love to ignore. The ongoing, intermittently violent contest between Washington and Tehran nearly exploded in 2019 and early 2020, after a sequence beginning with US with-

Can the US take on China, iran and rUSSia all at onCe?

AMERICA’S TOP RIVALS AREN’T ALLIES IN THE CONVENTIONAL SENSE, BUT ACTING IN UNISON THEY COULD STRETCH A SUPERPOWER WELL BEYOND ITS MILITARY CAPABILITIES

drawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement and culminating with the killing of general Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike.

iran’s advances in uranium enrichment have reportedly given it the ability to make a nuclear weapon in short order. The US and israel must therefore consider whether more coercive methods are needed to prevent iran from crossing this red line. a crisis could come quickly — in months — if negotiations to revive the nuclear agreement conclusively fail.

Or a crisis could build more slowly, if the negotiations drag on indefinitely. even if some agreement is reached, the US might still face an iran whose nuclear infrastructure is more advanced than it was in 2015; one with extra cash thanks to at least partial sanctions relief; and one that might push more aggressively for primacy from the gulf to the Levant.

War between the US and its rivals is not inevitable in any of these theaters. it is a distinct possibility in all of them.

Healthy regional systems underpin healthy global systems. When multiple regions implode at once, they can bring the global order crashing down. europe, the Persian gulf and east asia collectively form the strategic core of the larger theater — eurasia — that has been the focal point of global politics in the modern era. By sowing upheaval within their regions, the revisionists are shaking several pillars of the system at once.

Simply by pursuing their own agendas, moreover, they create openings for the others to exploit. Feverish tensions with China and Russia force Washington to tread carefully with iran. Biden’s administration must be wary of provoking Xi while it is tangling with Putin.

Putin, for his part, lost his gamble that america’s focus on China would ensure a weak response when he invaded Ukraine. Yet the danger that US-China competition could get very ugly, very soon, may still give Putin hope that he can prevail if he can simply hang on. To be sure, america’s rivals are ambivalent friends. Xi hasn’t rescued Putin from his quagmire in Ukraine; if China, Russia and iran did push the US out of eurasia, they might fall out among themselves. But none can accomplish its aims without successfully confronting a superpower, which gives them an overriding incentive to align.

americans may not see the China-Russia relationship as an alliance, but that’s mostly because it lacks the explicit mutualdefense guarantees that have characterized US alliances since World War ii. even so, the relationship has many attributes of an alliance: arms sales and military exercises; growing ties in defense technologies; cooperation to maintain autocratic stability in Central asia. it also involves a tacit non-aggression pact that frees Beijing and moscow to focus on the US rather than worrying about each other. a crucial reason the risk of war is growing on both sides of eurasia is that america’s two great-power adversaries can now fight “back to back.”

iran is not in the same weight class as Russia and China, but it is part of this loose revisionist axis. Russia and iran fought together to save Bashar al-assad’s regime in Syria, while China helped run interference at the Un Security Council. China and Russia have periodically shielded Tehran from US pressure, delaying or diluting sanctions and selling iran arms.

This cooperation is becoming more pointed. Tehran conducted trilateral naval exercises with moscow and Beijing after its tensions with Washington spiked in 2019; signed a 25-year strategic partnership with China in 2021; and provided Russia with hundreds of military drones for use in Ukraine.

Tehran’s assistance to Russia underscores something vital: if any of the revisionists were decisively defeated, the others would face an emboldened superpower that could more aggressively target its remaining foes. China may not want to get involved in Ukraine. Yet if Xi feared that Russia was nearing a military collapse that could cause a political collapse in moscow, he might feel

pressure to provide economic aid and military supplies despite the threat of american wrath.

Don’t expect Russia, iran and China to commit suicide for one another, but don’t think they will be indifferent to one another’s fate.

The US government often struggles to handle more than one crisis at a time, because the attention of top policymakers is finite. What’s more, america presently has less ability to deal with multiple military challenges than at any time since the Cold War. Significant real-dollar defense cuts in the early 2010s, combined with a worsening threat environment, forced the US to adopt a “one-war” defense strategy, rather than the two-war standard of the 1990s and 2000s.

That shift reflected an overdue realization that a major war with a mighty rival — especially China — would tax the US military to the utmost. Yet it means that the Pentagon lacks the wherewithal to deal with violent contingencies in two, let alone three, theaters if they happen in close succession.

global posture, by leading to an expanded naTO and bleeding moscow’s military. Yet a long struggle could end up hurting Washington by distracting it from the greater threat posed by China and consuming scarce dollars and weapons the Pentagon needs to deter — and, if necessary, fight — other conflicts.

How to end the war in Ukraine is hardly obvious. Putin has shown no incentive to negotiate on terms Ukraine would or should accept. Restraining Ukraine now, while it has the military advantage, would set a terrible precedent by effectively legitimizing Russian aggression, and might just give moscow a chance to renew the fighting later.

Yet if all this argues for putting the pedal to the metal, there is some unquantifiable danger that trying to run Russia out of all of Ukraine — including Crimea — could cause Putin to make good on his nuclear threats.

There is no easy escape from this dilemma, and those who assert there is — that Putin is all bluster and his nuclear bluff should be called — are showing a remark-

will not assault Taiwan for at least two or three years. in east asia, then, the right policy could be called “quiet urgency” — delaying confrontation while enhancing US defenses.

With minimal fanfare, the US should accelerate the arming of the Taiwanese military with what are known as anti-access/area-denial capabilities, and push Taipei to embrace the asymmetric, whole-of-society defense that has served Ukraine well.

Washington should enhance planning with australia, Japan and Singapore to determine what military help it can expect in a crisis, and with a larger array of democratic countries to pre-plan comprehensive sanctions in case China uses force. not least, the US should deploy additional ships and planes in the region, and expedite the mass production of capabilities that could stymie a Chinese invasion — including sea mines, unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles, and anti-ship missiles and other long-range precision strike weapons. The key is to use the sense of alarm provided by one war, in Ukraine, to get serious about preparing for another.

Contrary to the current mood in Washington, though, this approach requires foregoing symbolic steps that don’t help Taiwan but give Beijing a pretext to lash out. Virtuesignaling visits by congressional leaders and provocative changes in the name of the unofficial Taiwanese mission in Washington are bad ideas. Recognizing Taiwan as an independent country, as former Secretary of State mike Pompeo has suggested, would be even worse. Until the US is ready to defend Taiwan, it should speak softly while building a bigger stick.

So-called asia Firsters argue that the US should de-escalate confrontations and even liquidate commitments in the middle east and europe to focus on China. They might get a boost from the bipartisan fury that the recent Saudi decision to cut oil production has provoked in Washington.

But moving to such a China-centric foreign policy would be unwise. immediately de-escalating in Ukraine might allow Putin to salvage a messy victory and send a message that conventional aggression, when backed by nuclear coercion, can pay. Pulling back significantly from the middle east when Tehran is at the nuclear threshold is a recipe for either iranian hegemony or regional anarchy.

alas, the other traditional answer — spend more money — may not work, either. as the Ukraine war and a bevy of nonpartisan analyses have shown, the US desperately needs enhanced defense spending to field the capabilities, increase the munitions stockpiles, and strengthen the industrial base required to win one war, let alone two or three. Washington cannot allow the near-term problem — an insufficiency of means relative to ends — to become a chronic, geopolitically debilitating condition. But if a major military buildup is necessary, it would take years to bear fruit, too long to make a difference if trouble erupts sometime soon.

What remains is a strategy of sequencing — one that seeks to manage several volatile problems without either retreating dramatically or having them climax in quick succession. a sequencing strategy exploits the fact that Washington may have more time in one region than another: The decisive moment in Ukraine could come in weeks or months, while the moment of maximum danger with China might not begin for a few years.

Sequencing is designed to make the most of those gaps, by resolving certain matters quickly while delaying confrontation elsewhere. Yet because this strategy is the refuge of those who lack better options, there’s no guarantee it will work.

Sequencing first requires ending the war the US is already, if indirectly, in. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine arguably helped the US

able degree of analytical confidence. But the fact that Putin has so far stuck to rhetorical threats of nuclear escalation, rather than more menacing signals like visibly moving his nuclear forces around, indicates that he may be trying to get the benefits of nuclear intimidation without paying the costs of nuclear war. it may thus be worth running a slightly higher risk of an expanded conflict in the near-term to reduce the risk of a grinding, protracted war.

This would mean significantly increasing US arms supplies and other support for Kyiv over the next few months, in hopes of allowing Ukraine to liberate as much territory as possible before Russia can mobilize new forces — and perhaps jolting Putin or a successor to offer more serious negotiations.

But it may also mean pressuring Ukraine to go easy on some of its more ambitious, if justified, war aims (such as war crimes trials for Russian henchmen); to remain flexible on the disposition of Crimea; and to advance a serious diplomatic initiative when its current offensives culminate.

The latter of those polices may even work in the service of the former: european allies such as France and germany might be willing to rush more money and weapons to Ukraine if they feel Kyiv is sensitive to their concerns about escalation.

This approach would require pairing assurance and deterrence — communicating clearly to Putin that the US seeks no wider war with Russia, but that Russia will get that wider war if it uses nuclear weapons. This threat is a necessary component of any strategy to enable Ukrainian victory, even if it is unclear whether an american president would, if put to a decision, actually carry it out.

Think of this as an american twist to Russia’s infamous “escalate to de-escalate” strategy — it could help Ukraine achieve an advantageous peace without simply charging headlong into conflict with a nuclear power. But don’t kid yourself: This approach is still risky, and even if it succeeded, it would leave Ukraine with less than it deserved.

There is still time for an “escalate to deescalate” strategy to work in Ukraine, assuming the Pentagon is correct that China

This leaves the middle east, where — as always — the choices are lousy and just limiting the damage may be the best outcome. The US negotiating position is weak, due to an iranian perception that Washington is desperate to avoid a major crisis. Yet most options for increasing US leverage, such as credibly threatening an assault on iranian nuclear facilities, seem unreasonably risky amid tensions with two nuclear-armed great powers.

a sequencing strategy thus involves playing for time, by deferring the choice between confrontation and capitulation. even a deeply imperfect diplomatic deal on iran’s nuclear project would at least delay a political-military showdown, perhaps until after an iranian regime that is facing increasingly intense domestic challenges to its rule has passed into history.

Realistically, however, iranian intransigence, along with the political maelstrom in Washington that a weak deal would ignite, may make this option infeasible. in which case the US and israel might resort to creative coercion: intensified covert action, cyberattacks, stronger economic sanctions, and perhaps selling israel advanced bunkerbuster bombs that would allow it to credibly threaten a unilateral attack.

“Success” in the middle east would be an ongoing, tense relationship with an iran that has substantial nuclear infrastructure. But failure could easily occur. even if the US plays for time, israel’s patience might not be equal to Washington’s. Coercion short of war could trigger an iranian military response. Or iran could perceive US overstretch and push harder for advantage.

america may simply not be able to control when and where crises arise in a progressively less stable system. US rivals don’t have to follow the american script. China could gamble that it is better to attack Taiwan before the Ukraine war is resolved. a badly bludgeoned Russia might refuse to settle, in hopes that Chinese aggression will take the target off moscow’s back.

The US may come through the next few years without facing a single war, let alone two or three.

Hal Brands is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is the Henry Kissinger Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies.

DON’T EXPECT RUSSIA, IRAN AND CHINA TO COMMIT SUICIDE FOR ONE ANOTHER, BUT DON’T THINK THEY WILL BE INDIFFERENT TO ONE ANOTHER’S FATE

corporate corner

naVttC-naC uploads accreditation manual on website for views, comments

Fifth (5th) meeting of National Accreditation Council for Technical & Vocational Stream (NAC-TVS) was held at National vocational Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Islamabad. The meeting was chaired by the Chairman (NAC-TVS), Mian Waqas Masud. The Chairman National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Mr. Shahid Khan also graced the occasion.

The main agenda item was the revision of Accreditation Manual of NAVTTC, which was developed in 2018. National Accreditation Council of NAVTTC has reviewed and revised the manual with the technical support of British Council. The Chairman National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Mr. Shahid Khan directed to upload the revised accreditation manual on NAVTTC website (https://navttc.gov.pk/nac-manual/) for views and comments from stakeholders (TVET service provides, public & private vocational and technical training. pr

Mari petroleum announces outstanding financial results for Q1-2022-23

Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) has announced financial results for the first quarter of 2022-23 that ended on September 30, 2022. Supported by higher applicable prices, the quarterly Net Sales reached the highest ever level of Rs. 31.8 billion, showing a healthy growth of 54% compared with the same quarter of the last year. Net Profit increased by 40% and reached the highest ever level of Rs. 12.7 billion for the quarter. Growth in the Net Profit is reflected in the EPS, which increased to Rs. 95.31 per share from Rs. 68.21 per share of Q1 FY 2021-22. The share price was up 1% and closed at Rs. 1,565 on September 30, 2022, despite that KSE 100 Index was down by almost 9%. The financial results would have been even better had the Company’s oil and gas production not impacted by emergency shutdowns, turnarounds of fertilizer plants and production stoppage from Zarghun and Bolan fields as a result of recent floods. In total, the Company produced 8.91 MMBOE energy, which was 4% lower than 9.27 MMBOE produced in the comparative quarter. The production is expected to get a boost on resumption of gas offtake by the fertilizer plants after completion of the turnarounds. pr

nBp organizes breast cancer awareness session

12 years on, Food Ministry yet to appoint regular head oF dpp

Islamabad GHULaM aBBas

MINISTRyof Food Security and Research (MoFS&R) which heads at least 19 attached departments/organizations, has not appointed a regular head of its important organization, Department of Plant Protection (DPP) for the past over 12 years.

The DPP, which with its various wings performs regulatory, advisory, research, and extension roles in the arena of plant protection in Pakistan, is left with officials holding acting charges for years. As per documents, the important department has been working without a head official since October, 2020, whereas it has been without a regular director general (DG) for over a decade now.

Through a notification issued on

May 21, 2022, the ministry has again given the look after charge of Director General of DPP to a junior officer Director (technical) Alla Ditta Abid till further order. The Director, as per documents, is already facing inquiries at NAB and FIA. Besides, his posting as acting DG DPP has also been challenged in Sindh High Court.

Earlier the acting charge was given to Director Tariq Khan multiple times (for three periods of three months).

According to documents available with this scribe, three FIA inquiries ENQ-21/2021, No. 68/2021, No. 518/2021 and one NAB inquiry No. 4924/19 are currently in process against the ministry and officials of its plant protection department.

Insiders claim that an influential group within the ministry and DPP doesn’t allow appointment of regular DG. Despite clear directions from the Prime Minister in 2019, for appointing

a DG from the open market, the issue is still pending.

Following the direction MoFS&R had advertised the post in January 2020 and shortlisted 3 candidates but the ministry re-advertised the post in January 2021 for unknown reasons and conducted interviews on February 25 and 26 2021. However the appointment remains again delayed to date as the influential group wants to run the DPP on a temporary basis.

Interestingly, the department is left without the regular head despite various cases of corruption, irregularities and mismanagement on the part of top officials of the department.

An insider claimed that the certain group within the ministry and DPP did not want a senior, competent or honest man to head the department. According to them, the ministry has repeatedly been recommending the names of junior officials, against whom cases are

French envoy says impressed by fast growth, quality education in COMSATS

University is presently availing the services of over 65 French Alumni as part of its faculty.

under investigation at FIA and NAB, for the post.

When contacted the secretary MoFS&R Hassan Zafar, didn’t reply to queries shared with him, till filing of this story.

It may be added here that last year the Establishment Division had directed all the ministries/divisions to avoid misuse of ‘look after charge’ as the officers who are assigned this responsibility cannot use administrative or financial powers.

In a letter to all the ministries/divisions, the Establishment Division had stated that a number of instances have come to the notice of Establishment Division where the ministries/divisions have been found indulging in the practice of assigning look after charge of higher post to an officer during the absence of its actual incumbent which causes administrative/financial inconvenience.

‘Fly Jinnah’ reveals domestic network; launches plans

Islamabad staff report

Karachi: National Bank of Pakistan is committed towards the health and wellness of its employees and their dependents. As part of Pinktober – Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Bank’s Human Resource Management Group arranged a Breast Cancer Awareness session in collaboration with OMI Hospital. The event was held at the Head Office, Karachi on October 20, 2022. Mr. Rehmat Ali Hasnie, President NBP (A) and Ms. Asma Shaikh, Group Chief Human Resource Management Group addressed the audience and highlighted NBP’s commitment to its employees’ wellbeing, which is being provided through various medical benefits. Dr. Raheela Mohsin, Gynecologist and Dr. Sakina Abidi, General Surgeon from OMI Hospital highlighted the importance of timely detection of this disease and shared an overview of breast cancer followed by the screening methods and diagnostic tools of this disease. Ms. Maria Amir, nutritionist from Tabba Institute also engaged the audience with a session on benefits of healthy nutrition and its importance in one’s daily life. The session was greatly appreciated by the participants. NBP Human Resource’s team shall hold such events across Pakistan throughout this month as part of its campaign to help spread awareness about the disease pr

Nicholas Galey, Ambassador of France along with the French Counsellor for Cultural Affairs Mounir Slimani and French Scientific and Higher Education Attaché Sabine Vermillard were received at the Islamabad Campus of COMSATS University Islamabad by Prof. Dr. Muhammad T. Afzal, Rector CUI and senior officials of CUI on Thursday.

The visit was aimed at bolstering exchange of COMSATS University with France as well as strengthening the

engagements with the French Embassy in Islamabad. It is worth mentioning that this was the maiden visit of the incumbent French Ambassador to any university in Pakistan.

Prof. Afzal along with officials, students and French alumni working at CUI welcomed the Ambassador on campus. Nicholas Galey was apprised about the engagements of COMSATS University with French universities including University of Nice, Sophia Antipolis, University of Cote d’Azur, School of Engineering and Chamber of Commerce in Paris. It was also informed that COMSATS

Clarification

Dr. Sajjad Madani, Registrar, CUI in a comprehensive briefing touched upon CUI’s national and international standing and outreach efforts. He said that CUI ranks invariably among top three universities of Pakistan on reputable international rankings CUI has the largest pool of PhD qualified faculty members among its 2,700 faculty members. Dr. Madani said that CUI is actively engaged with French Embassy in Islamabad and regularly organizes academic, research and cultural activities with active participation of students, and faculty.

Nicholas Galey lauded the efforts of the COMSATS University management and said very impressed by the fast growth and quality of education in the varsity.

Prof. Afzal thanked the Ambassador for sparing his precious time to visit CUI and cement the lasting ties with France.

Wemsol Pvt Ltd refutes acquisition claims rife on all media fronts

Wemsol private Ltd. is an EMI (in pilot stage) operating by the brand name Keenu. It is one of the leading payments company in the country primarily in Point of Sale based card acceptance. Apropos to the story published, we strongly refute all such misleading claims about our organisation Keenu is being acquired by any organisation, and term all such rumours misleading. However, as a responsible organization, we ensure that all major developments and announcements are made accessible to the public on our official website. However, Profit stands by it story.

The airline will commence its commercial operations with 4 domestic routes starting from 1st November 2022 Karachi, Pakistan; October 21, 2022: Fly Jinnah, Pakistan’s new low-cost carrier (LCC), today announced the launch of its commercial flights starting 1st November 2022. The launch destinations network will include four domestic routes connecting Karachi to Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, and Peshawar. The carrier will operate its inaugural flight from Karachi to Islamabad on 31st October 2022 that will mark the launch of the airline’s commercial operation.

Fly Jinnah will start its operations with a fleet of three Airbus A320-200 aircraft, providing added comfort with one of the most generous seat-pitch of any economy cabin. The aircraft is also equipped with “SkyTime”, a free in-flight streaming service that will allows passengers to stream a wide selection of entertainment directly to their devices. pr

Mandviwala entertainment sheds light on screening controversies around 'the legend of Maula Jatt'

Karachi: Nadeem Mandviwala, CEO Mandviwala Entertainment and Associate Producer The Legend of Maula Jatt, Adnan Zahoor addressed the media present in large numbers to shed light on the recent controversies regarding the screening of Maula Jatt, at a five-star hotel here, earlier today. Undisputedly the biggest and costliest film produced in Pakistan The Legend of Maula Jatt, has lived up to the expectations of the viewers world-wide. However, there has been much reported in the media about the distributor of the film not releasing the movie for screening at all theatres. pr

US-India strategic partnership to upset regional balance of power in South Asia: Experts

It is time for major powers to avoid polarisation and adopt a co-operative rather than confrontational approach to resolve global issues as humanity deserves peace.

The US-India strategic partnership, especially in critical dual-use technologies, would upset the regional balance of power in South Asia.

This was the key message of the flagship Global Strategic Threat and Response Conference on ‘Evolving Global Order: Challenges and Opportunities’ organised by the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS) in Islamabad.

Addressing the Concluding Session as Guest of Honour, Vice Chief of Air Staff Air

Marshal Muhammad Zahid Mahmood said the international moot would help create awareness among all segments of society, particularly practitioners about the seriousness of the security environment, both at the global as well as regional level. He said unfortunately, international organisations responsible to ensure peace and stability across the globe, did not have the wherewithal to counter the fast-paced technological developments in space, primarily because the present international system did not have the power to block any state from using space for military purposes. He cautioned that selective sharing of these technologies, especially in a conflict prone region such as South Asia was leading towards strategic instability; and urged all nations to work towards peaceful use of these technologies for betterment of humanity and

formulate rules and an international framework for their military applications.

Earlier in the day, speakers of the Working Session on ‘Aerospace Security: Determinants and Future Prospects’ included Keynote Address by Air Commodore R. Shaun Clarke (Retd), Former Director RNZAF Air Power Development Centre & Chief of Staff for New Zealand’s Joint Forces Command; and speakers Dr James J. Wirtz, Professor National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School, USA; Dr Damon Coletta, Director, Eisenhower Center for Space and Defense Studies, USA; Dr Sannia Abdullah, Former Visiting Research Scholar, Sandia National Labs, USA; Air Commodore Khalid Banuri (Retd), Former Director General Arms Control & Disarmament Affairs Branch, Strategic Plans Divi-

sion, Government of Pakistan; and Air Commodore Dr Liaquat Ullah Iqbal, CPD & CEO National Aerospace Science and Technology Park, Pakistan. The session was

chaired by retired Chief of Air Staff Tahir Rafiq Butt and moderated by Air Commodore Dr Zia Ul Haque Shamsi, Director (Peace & Conflict Studies) at CASS.

Islamabad staff report

UK Tory rIvalS oPen

TrUnCaTed leaderShIP raCe

CONTENDERShoping to succeed the recently resigned British prime minister Liz Truss were to start their campaign on Friday but opposition parties demanded that the people in the UK get the chance to have their own say to finally put an end to months of political chaos.

Following Truss’ resignation on Thursday, party managers announced a shortened election process with results to be announced on October 28.

After only 44 days in office, packed with economic crisis largely of her own making, the Conservative leader announced on Thursday she was stepping down.

Truss admitted she “cannot deliver the mandate” on which she was elected by Tory members, after her right-wing platform of tax cuts disintegrated and as many Conservative MPs revolted.

Truss had succeeded Boris Johnson on September 6 after a weeks-long campaign against Tory rival Rishi Sunak, vowing a radical overhaul as Britons struggle with a cost-of-living crisis.

The likely contenders include her Tory rival and former finance minister Rishi Sunak, who has gained favour after correctly warning of the debilitating consequences of Truss’ debt-fueled tax promises.

However, the scandal-ridden John-

son might also be looking forward to make a comeback, despite resigning with dismal poll ratings.

Suella Braverman, a representative of Tory’s right whose resignation as interior minister on Wednesday acted as a catalyst for Truss’ downfall, is also a likely choice.

Furthermore. senior cabinet members Ben Wallace and Penny Mordaunt were also considering their own chances of succeeding in the leadership race.

On the other hand, some have already ruled themselves out from the competition, including new finance minister Jeremy Hunt.

Former minister Tim Loughton also suggested the solution that the

four “big beasts” — Sunak, Morduant, Hunt and Wallace — agree on a single candidate to “get back to some degree of normality”.

He told BBC Radio that Brexiteer right-wingers and other factions “need to park all those egos” and work together during this period of economic difficulty in the country.

“We need to have a united and talented cabinet of grown-ups who come together and get us back on course”, he further added.

With time till 1pm (GMT) on Monday to produce at least a 100 nominations from their fellow Tory MPs, the race demands the contenders to make their case in a short time.

A maximum of three candidates will

emerge from among the 357 Conservatives in the House of Commons. The MPs will vote to leave only two candidates and finally hold an “indicative” vote to select their preferred option.

Unless a single candidate is chosen from the MPs’ deliberations in an effective coronation, the members will have their say in an online ballot over the next week.

“Not just a soap opera”, Labour leader says

However, for the opposition parties including the Labour Party, the governing party is showing contempt towards the electorate.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said that Britain “cannot have another experiment at the top of the Tory party” while demanding an immediate general election more than two years ahead of schedule.

“This is not just a soap opera at the top of the Tory party — it’s doing huge damage to the reputation of our country” and to people’s livelihoods, he said.

The ultimate winner of the Tory race will be Labour, according to many pundits, pointing to the opposition party’s runaway lead in the polls.

“You’d have to hope, if you’re the Tory party, that you really have reached a nadir and the only way is up from here,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London. Afp

Police search for suspect after hate graffiti painted on Toronto mosque

Pakistani couple arrested in Spain over daughter’s killing

Police in Spain said Friday they have arrested a Pakistani couple suspected of having killed their own daughter in Pakistan because she got married without their approval.

Pakistani authorities issued an international arrest warrant for the couple after the killing committed in April 2020, Spain’s National Police said in a statement. Investigators believe the couple “kidnapped and then murdered in Pakistan their own daughter because she married a person they did not like,” the statement added.

The woman’s husband reported what happened to Pakistani authorities, who issued a warrant for the couple, who had fled to Spain, a police spokeswoman said. Spanish police arrested the man, 67, and woman, 51, on Saturday near their home in Logrono, the capital of the northern wine-producing region of La Rioja, acting on a tip from Pakistani authorities that they were now living there. The couple then appeared before Spain’s National court which ordered that they be held in prison until they are deported to Pakistan. They reportedly ran a shop offering phone and internet services in the centre of Logrono. About 100,000 Pakistanis live in Spain, according to the national statistics institute INE. Agencies

Vandalism at a Toronto-area mosque marks a “frightening escalation of Islamophobia” stemming from unfounded allegations that the mosque is an agent of the Iranian government, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) said Thursday.

The vandalism last week at the Imam Mahdi Islamic Centre in Thornhill took the form of hate-motivated graffiti written in Farsi. The mosque has also received bomb threats and worshippers have been threatened, according to the NCCM.

But it is just one of the hundreds of examples of anti-Muslim incidents across Canada sparked by anti-government demonstrations in Iran after a woman was arrested for allegedly violating the country’s dress code and died in police custody, said the Muslim group.

“The Muslim community in Canada has been victim to over 1,000 Islamophobic messages on Twitter alone in just these past few days,” NCCM wrote Thursday on Facebook.

“These include death threats, threats of violence, and consistent harassment. Enough is enough. This must stop.“

The group held a news conference Thursday to “address recent Islamophobic vandalism and threats directed at the community” and to demand that officials help curb the hate that is wrongly directed toward Canadian Muslims because of ongoing protests in Iran.

“Once again, the Islamic community is being pushed into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons,” said Nadia Hasan, Chief Operating Officer at NCCM. Police have an image of the graffiti writer that was captured on security camera and have issued a description of the suspect. Authorities appealed to the public to come forward with information related to the incident.

Indian SC issues notice to govt on plea to act against anti-Muslim hate crimes

NEW DELHI Agencies

The Indian Supreme Court has issued notice to government on a petition seeking urgent intervention to stop the growing menace of targeting and terrorizing the Muslim community in India. According to Kashmir Media Service, the petitioner, Shaheen Abdullah, was seeking direction to India and the State Governments to initiate independent, credible and impartial investigation into the incidents of hate crimes and hate speeches.

The petitioner also prayed for directions to initiate appropriate action under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and other relevant penal laws against the speakers and organizations engaging in such hate crimes against Muslims.

The petition has been tagged with a batch of matters relating to hate speech pending before the bench presided by Justice K. M. Joseph.

“Something needs to be done in the issue and some action must be taken against the people responsible”, senior lawyer Kapil Sibal submitted.

The top court, however, remarked that the prayers in the petition were “vague”. A bench comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi and C. T. Ravikumar added that cognizance can be taken of individual cases where FIRs have been filed.

Kapil Sibal replied that the prayers are not vague. “We have mentioned the incidents”, he said. Sibal added that several petitions have been filed in the court over the last six months to stop such crimes, but they are continuing.

“The spread of hate towards Muslims and other minorities gets accelerated and becomes all the more far reaching in its impact as a as result of the support, directly or indirectly extended to radical miscreants, who engage in acts of hate crimes, physical violence as well as communally charged speeches, by the ruling Political party,” read the petition.

“No action seems to be forthcoming against the speakers or the parties that organize such events where genocidal and hateful speeches are delivered.”

“In most cases, minimal action of merely registering FIRs and that too under lesser offences, is the only thing that is done by the authorities which seems to be more of a formality than any genuine initiation of the criminal machinery”, the petition added.

“Despite the fact that this court has been cognizant of the genocidal speeches and hate crimes against Muslims made at several events and several orders have been passed by this Court directing the concerned authorities to take appropriate action, the circumstances of the country only seem to be worsening with the growing radicalization of the Hindu community and the propagation of widespread hate against Muslims that also culminates into the physical abuse of Muslims by radical elements,” the petition pointed out.

Presidium approves candidates for 20th CPC Central Committee

BEIJING stAff report

The presidium of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held its third meeting on Friday. Xi Jinping presided over the meeting.

Participants at the meeting approved the draft lists of candidates for members and alternate members of the 20th CPC Central Committee, as well as for members of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

The presidium meeting decided to submit the lists to delegations for deliberation.

The lists were generated through competitive preliminary elections conducted by delegations to the congress.

The preliminary elections were conducted under the supervision of ballot scrutineers in accordance with the election methods of the congress. Over 8 percent of

the nominees were voted off in the preliminary elections.

The results of the preliminary elections are valid, according to the presidium.

The formal elections for the Party’s new central committee and CCDI will be held on Saturday morning.

CPC offiCial: SignifiCant ProgreSS made in building eCologiCal Civilization: China has carried out a series of fundamental, pioneering and long-term work in the building of ecological civilization and made significant progress in building a beautiful China, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment Zhai Qing told a press conference on Friday.

The CPC regards the building of ecological civilization as a fundamental plan for the perpetual development of the Chinese nation, Zhai noted on the sidelines of the ongoing 20th National Congress of the

Communist Party of China (CPC).

While highlighting that China has incorporated achieving carbon peak emissions and carbon neutrality into its overall economic and social development, he said China’s CO2 emissions per unit of GDP dipped 34.4 percent and the share of coal use in total energy consumption declined to 56 percent in 2021.

Over the past ten years, historical, transitional and overall changes have occurred in the building of ecological civilization, and ecological and environmental protection, noted Zhai.

China has become the fastest country to improve air quality, as the average PM2.5 density has dropped to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021 from 46 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015, added Zhai.

China is ready to work with other parties to actively participate in global governance on climate change, said Zhai.

Ireland, ZImbabwe progress at t20 world Cup as west IndIes head home

HObaRT Agencies

IRELANDstunned the West Indies to power into the Twenty20 World Cup Super 12 on Friday and send the two-time champions crashing out, with Zimbabwe joining them in the next round after edging past Scotland. Sri Lanka and the Netherlands had already progressed from the other preliminary group to join the big guns including defending champions Australia, who open their tournament against New Zealand on Saturday.

Disciplined bowling from the Irish restricted the West Indies to 146-5 in Hobart, with Gareth Delany taking a career-best 3-16 before they romped to the target with nine wickets and 15 balls to spare.

Opener Paul Stirling, at his seventh World Cup, ended on an unbeaten 66 while Andy Balbirnie made 37. It snapped a 13-year drought of failing to make round two, having reached it once previously in 2009. Zimbabwe are in round two for the first time on their

sixth attempt after they beat Scotland by five wickets with skipper Craig Ervine hitting a half-century and Tendai Chatara taking 2-14.

They limited the Scots to 132-6 with tidy bowling before rattling through the run chase with nine balls to spare.

“It means everything. We had a disappointing loss last year at the same stage,” said Ireland skipper Balbirnie, who shared in a blistering 73-run opening stand with Stirling.

“Losing the first game and then coming back and beating a two-time champion in a must-win game… just couldn’t be prouder. Pretty emotional finish to the game.”

But it was a disaster for the West Indies, who won the tournament in 2012 and 2016 but came to Australia with a new-look team after the likes of Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard retired, and Andre Russell was overlooked.

“This is a learning experience for us. We have disappointed our fans and ourselves. It’s definitely hurting,”

said West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran

After the West Indies won the toss and batted, the Irish bowlers sent down nine dot balls among their first 15. In frustration, Kyle Mayers launched at a delivery from Barry McCarthy and was caught for one.

The dangerous Johnson Charles slammed 4-4-6 off Curtis Campher but his luck soon ran out, gone for 24.

Brandon King crunched four boundaries to steer the West Indies to 67-2 at halfway.

Evin Lewis (13), Pooran (13) and Rovman Powell (6) didn’t last as King (62 not out) pushed the scoreboard forward.

In reply, Ireland got off to a cracking start with Stirling and Balbirnie blazing 54 off the first five overs.

Balbirnie fell to the spin of Akeal Hosein, but Stirling, in his 177th international, kept going and with Lorcan Tucker (45 not out) saw them home.

In the later game, Scotland batted first but lost Michael Jones in the first over.

Opener George Munsey gave them hope with his ninth T20 half-century, but their 132-6 was always reach-

able. Zimbabwe started with a four but then lost two wickets in eight balls.

After smacking the boundary, Regis Chakabva was trapped lbw by Brad Wheal and then Madhevere departed without scoring.

Sean Williams put on 35 with Ervine, but the stand was broken when Michael Leask came into the attack and he was caught by Wheal for seven.

Ervine kept his focus to notch a ninth T20 half-century, happy to play second fiddle to Sikandar Raza (40 off 23) who swung the bat before he was caught behind.

When Ervine was out they needed 14 off the last three overs, with Milton Shumba and Ryan Burl accomplishing the feat.

“I don’t think anyone could explain what it means. We’ve had the whole country behind us,” said Ervine.

“The cricket we’ve played coming into the tournament has been special, so credit to the boys. “

India’s Pant gets ‘goosebumps’ playing Pakistan

MeLbOURNe stAff RepoRt

India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant said he gets goosebumps playing arch-rivals Pakistan, calling it “a different kind of feeling” to any other team.

shadab confident of another good show against India

MeLbOURNe stAff RepoRt

Pakistan white-ball cricket team’s vice-captain Shadab Khan has emphasised on “not making small mistakes at crucial stages of matches” to become a champion team. In an exclusive interview with Geo News, the all-rounder said that his job required him to be ready to serve the team in any position it wants. “I have batted at an earlier position previously and am aware that I can perform there. The same is the case with Nawaz. We both enjoy batting at any position,” Shadab said. “Being an all-rounder, I enjoy all three departments of the game. It is my job to be prepared at any position and bowl at any stage,” he said.

Talking about Pakistan’s much-awaited match against India in the T20 World Cup, Shadab said that a game against the Blue Shirts is always a pressure match and playing it at the start of the tournament makes it more important. Shadab said that the first game will set the tone for Pakistan during the rest of the tournament. “We have done well recently and when you do well as a team, it boosts your confidence. I am hopeful that we will continue playing with the same momentum,” he said, hoping to deliver in the mega cricket tournament. “We have also done well against India recently, and I am confident of another good show,” Shadab said.

The two sides meet in a blockbuster clash to open their Twenty20 World Cup campaigns at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

About 100,000 fans have snapped up tickets for what is set to be a carnival atmosphere, although forecast rain could put a dampener on the party.

“It’s always special playing against Pakistan because there is a special hype around that match,” Pant told the official World Cup website Friday.

“There are so much emotions involved, not only for us, but the fans and everyone.

“It’s a different kind of feeling, a different kind of ambience when you go on to the field and when you take on the field, you see people cheering here and there.

“It’s a different atmosphere and when we were singing our national anthem, I actually get goosebumps.”

Pant is no guarantee to play, seemingly in a battle with veteran Dinesh Karthik for the wicketkeeping role, although he could still feature as a specialist batsman if selectors want to bolster their middle order.

Indian great Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports

he felt both players could be accommodated.

“It’s just that maybe, if they decide to go with six bowlers, with Hardik Pandya being the sixth bowler, then he (Pant) may not be able to find a place,” he said.

“But if they decide to go with Hardik Pandya as a fifth bowler, then Rishabh Pant has an opportunity to bat at number six and Karthik maybe at number seven, followed by the four bowlers.”

Pant said if selected, he would look to Virat Kohli for advice.

“It’s good to have someone with a lot of experience batting with you because he can take you through how to take the game on and how to maintain that run-a-ball pressure kind of thing,” he said.

Pakistan has best bowling attack in T20 World Cup, says Gautham Gambhir

Web Desk

Former Indian batter Gautham Gambhir has declared the Pakistan cricket team’s pace bowling attack as the best in the T20 World Cup 2022.

The 41-year-old stated that only Men in Green has express pacers compared to other teams.

“When you talk about the T20 World Cup. I feel Pakistan has the best bowling attack, especially when you talk about pace bowling. Pakistan is the only team with three bowlers who can bowl at the speed of 140 plus. Comparing it with other teams, Australia has one bowler who can bowl at 140 plus while England has Mark Wood who can bowl at 150 plus. But if you talk about the Pakistan pace attack,

Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, all can bowl at a good speed. Thus their fast bowling is their biggest strength,” Gambhir said on an Indian news channel.

On the other hand, he also stated that Babar Azam’s side has the weakest batting order in the tournament.

“On the other hand, their biggest weakness is they do not have a middle order. India can expose their batting with short bowling. Once Babar gets out, they will be in big trouble and then there are huge boundaries in Australia, it will not be easy for Pakistan batters to clear them,” Gambhir added.

Pakistan will play India on October 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Leicester off the bottom with win over Leeds

LeICesTeR Agencies

Leicester City moved off the bottom of the Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Leeds United on Thursday, the visitors’ seventh game without a win.

needed.

“Every good performance is confidence for us, and we can build on this now.”

Pressure has been mounting on both managers in recent weeks after their teams suffered disappointing starts to

the season. Leicester were handed a boost for Leeds’ visit as they welcomed striker Jamie Vardy back into the side, with the veteran still looking for his first goal of the season.

Vardy did play a part in the buildup to the opener, however, with Koch

LaHORe stAff RepoRt

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday that all of Shan Masood’s neurological observations were found normal and his CT scan only showed superficial bruising where the ball struck him. “The batsman is currently asymptomatic and as concussion, he will be re-tested on Saturday,” said a spokesman for the PCB. Pakistan’s left-hand batter Shan Masood was moved to a hospital ahead of the crucial and much-awaited Pakistan and India T20 World Cup 2022 clash. The batter received a head injury during a practice session after a ball hit his head. During the practice session, allrounder Mohammad Nawaz played a shot and the ball hit Shan’s head and injured him. Pakistan will take on India in their T20 World Cup opener at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, Oct 23.

Leicester’s second success of the season was secured inside 35 minutes as Robin Koch’s own goal and Harvey Barnes’s sweeping finish put the hosts in command at the King Power Stadium.

Leeds ran out of steam in the second half, with home goalkeeper Danny Ward keeping out their only shot on target in the match when he blocked Liam Cooper’s close-range effort.

Leicester saw out the match with ease to move above East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest into 19th on eight points, one point behind Leeds in 16th, as Jesse Marsch’s Yorkshire side moved closer to the relegation zone.

“When you are down there, every point is important,” Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans told Amazon.

“We kept the ball really well, attacked them well, and that is what we really

unable to avoid diverting Dennis Praet’s low cross into his own net. Leeds responded well and created several openings to get back on level terms, Luis Sinisterra going closest with a curling effort that hit the crossbar.

They could not make one count, though, and that proved costly as Barnes added a second, finishing off a sweeping Leicester counter attack. The fact that Leeds never looked like getting back into the contest in the second half will be most frustrating for Marsch, as the visitors slipped to a third straight loss with a whimper.

They have now failed to win any of their opening five away league games of a season for the first time since 1998-99, with the tally of one point being Leeds’ lowest from their first five matches on the road in a league campaign since 1983-84.

“In both boxes we are not helping ourselves, but right now we have to find ways to stop the bleeding,” American Marsch said. “We have to fight and be ready for what is to come. I am here and I am doing everything I can to help this team.”

shan masood’s neurological observations found normal, discharged from hospital: pCb

AmiD economic turmoil, Fitch Down PAkistAn’s rAting to ‘ccc+’

Islamabad agencieS

AMIDmultifarious challenges the country is confronted with at all fronts, international credit rating agency –Fitch Ratings, on Friday, slashed Pakistan’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘CCC+’ from ‘B-‘.

According to Fitch statement, the company does not typically assign outlooks to sovereign nations with a rating of ‘CCC+’ or below. The agency flagged worsening liquidity and policy risks as the main reasons for the downgrade.

“The downgrade reflects further deterioration in Pakistan’s external liquidity and funding conditions, and the decline of foreign exchange reserves,” Fitch Ratings said.

“This is partly a result of wide-

spread floods, which will undermine Pakistan’s efforts to rein in twin fiscal and current account deficits.”

The down-rating “also reflects our view of increased risks of policies potentially undermining Pakistan’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and official financial support.”

On foreign exchange reserves, it said the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had about $7.6 billion till October 14, which can cover about a month of current external payments. It also noted that forex reserves had tumbled from over $20 billion at the end of August 2021.

“Falling reserves reflect large, albeit, declining current account deficits (CADs), external debt servicing and earlier foreign exchange interventions by the SBP,” the credit rating agency said.

Before stabilising in the week of October 14, reserves had been falling every week since the disbursement of

ADB approves $1.5b to help Pakistan support social protection, employment

maNIla Staff RepoRt

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $1.5 billion in financing to help Pakistan provide social protection, promote food security, and support employment for its people amid devastating floods and global supply chain disruptions, the multilateral lender said on Friday.

The loan, provided under ADB’s Building Resilience with Active Countercyclical Expenditures (BRACE) Program, will help fund the government’s $2.3 billion countercyclical development expenditure programme designed to cushion the impacts of external shocks, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Pakistan’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic has been impeded by external shocks,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov.

“Increasing business costs and rising living expenses are affecting millions of Pakistanis, especially the poor and vulnerable. ADB’s programme will help the government manage the impacts of high prices, increasing, food insecurity, slowing business activity, and reducing income for vulnerable groups, many of whom are also reeling from the devastating floods,” Zhukov added.

ADB’s financing will provide the fiscal space needed for the government to implement its countercyclical development expenditure package, which is designed to target the poorest families in Pakistan who are often disproportionately affected in times of crisis. The government’s support includes specific measures to promote gender empowerment and climate change adaptation, which have become even more important in light of the recent floods.

ADB’s assistance will help to expand the number of families receiving cash transfers from 7.9 million to 9 million, increase the number of children enrolled in primary and secondary schools, and enhance geographic coverage of health services and nutritional supplies for pregnant and lactating mothers and children under 2 years old. “The programme is part of a comprehensive and wellcoordinated package of support. It will help the government deal with the impact of the immediate shocks to the economy, while, in parallel, continue the structural reforms that are necessary to improve the country’s medium- to long-term.

$1.2 billion from the IMF in the week of September 2, upon the completion of the seventh and eighth reviews of Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF), the rating agency said.

ExtErnal dEficits: It also noted that the current account deficit reached $17 billion (4.6% of GDP) in the fiscal year that ended in June 2022 (FY22), driven by soaring oil prices and higher non-oil imports on strong private consumption.

Fiscal tightening, higher interest rates and measures to limit energy consumption and imports underpin our forecast for the CAD to narrow to $10 billion (2.7% of GDP) in FY23, despite the hit to export revenue and import needs after the recent floods.

“Lower imports and commodity prices helped to narrow the CAD in recent months, to about $300 million in September,” Fitch said.

largE funding nEEds: Pakistan’s external public debt maturities in FY23 are over $21 billion, mostly to bilateral and multilateral creditors, which mitigates rollover risks, and there are already agreements to roll over some of these.

Quoting authorities, Fitch placed estimated flood damage at $10 billion30 billion, but reconstruction costs are likely to be lower, as is the impact on Pakistan’s twin deficits.

somE nEw funding: “Pakistan recently received funding commitments of $2.5 billion from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, although we understand that much of this is repurposed from ongoing programmes,” the statement cited. “It remains unclear to what degree the IMF will be able to relax Pakistan’s programme targets, or augment Pakistan’s access under the extended fund facility (EFF).”

COAS says army to remain ‘apolitical’, not seeking another extension

rawalpINdI Staff RepoRt

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Friday he would not be seeking another extension in his tenure, which ends on November 29, asserting that the army had decided to distance itself from the country’s politics.

He made these remarks while addressing a security workshop in Islamabad. According to journalists who attended the workshop, the army chief said the military had decided to remain “apolitical”.

Gen Bajwa’s statement comes on the same day the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified former premier and PTI Chairman Imran Khan from being a member of parliament, finding him guilty of misdeclaration in the Toshakhana reference.

This is not the first time Gen Bajwa has addressed the matter of his extension and the army’s intent to distance itself from politics. Earlier this month during a visit to the United States, he had confirmed he would not be seeking another extension to his tenure while speaking at a lunch at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington. During that gathering, Gen Bajwa had also said the armed forces

had distanced themselves from politics and wanted to remain so. Earlier in April, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar had also made it clear that Gen Bajwa was neither seeking an extension nor would he accept it.

The statement by ISPR had come during a press conference days after Imran’s ouster as prime minister through a vote of no-confidence. During that presser, the head of the military’s media wing had also claimed that the military was “apolitical”.

These statements from the army’s top brass come amid accusations that the military meddles in the country’s politics, often favouring one political party or the other.

The next army chief’s appointment is also at times mentioned as one of the major subplots in the ongoing political crisis engulfing the country which began earlier this year following the tabling of a notrust motion against then premier Imran Khan.

It is widely believed that relations between the army and Imran’s party had soured in the months leading up to the no-confidence motion, reportedly over the appointment of the new chief of the InterServices Intelligence (ISI).

Pti to challenge imran’s disqualification in ihc

Islamabad Staff RepoRt

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to move Islamabad High Court (IHC) against Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict to disqualify former premier Imran Khan in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan chaired a meeting of the party leaders in Islamabad on Friday to deliberate on the ECP ruling and directed his legal team to prepare a petition to be filed in the IHC.

Insiders said the huddle also reviewed the protests held by PTI supporters in major cities across the country against the ECP verdict.

During the huddle, the party leaders informed the former premier that intensity of the protests is expected to increase by evening.

The PTI chief during the meeting directed his supporters to stage ‘peaceful protests’ across the country and not to resort to violence.

PTI sources said that the party leaders also reviewed the preparations for upcoming Islamabad long march aimed at forcing the government to announce early polls.

Imran said he was expecting his disqualification in the verdict announced by “biased” Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja.

While terming the CEC an ally of coalition government, Imran said ECP’s decisions do not have any credibility.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has said in a tweet that an important message of the party chief to the nation will be released to media at 8.30pm today.

Separately, the PTI-dominated legislative assemblies of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan have summoned emergency sessions to give strong reaction to the ECP verdict against Imran, according to an official party statement.

govt borrows $2.234b loan in first three months

Islamabad Staff RepoRt

The Federal government has borrowed $2.234 billion loans from multiple financing sources from July to September in the current fiscal year 2022-23.

According to the Economic Affairs Division, Pakistan has received $682.30 million as well as $385.99 million from multilateral and bilateral sources respectively in the first quarter.

Similarly, the International Monetary Fund has also disbursed $1.166 billion from July-September 2022.

Document states that the government has also procured $625.85 million in external loans in September 2022.

The country received no loans from foreign commercial banks during the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2022-23, compared to $457.54 million received during the same period of last year.

Islamaabd Staff RepoRt

Pakistan and Turkiye have agreed to enhance cooperation in the field of drama and film.

This understanding was reached during a meeting between Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb and a delegation of the Turkish Film Industry in Istanbul on Friday. The Turkiye Film Industry also agreed to start joint ventures with Pakistan in the field of film and drama.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister announced Pakistan’s participation for the exhibition of Pakistani films in the upcoming Film Festival being held in Turkiye next week. She said three

best Pakistani films can be exhibited in the festival. She said feasibility will be prepared for joint ventures between the two countries. The two sides also agreed to cooperate for the establishment of a modern film processing laboratory in Pakistan.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said

Pakistan’s northern areas have enormous scenic beauty and Turkish film producers can utilize these sites in their films.

It was also decided that subjects like acting and film production will be included to the syllabus in cooperation with Turkish universities.

China disbursed $54.93 million in the first quarter against the government budget estimates of $49.02 million for the current fiscal year similarly, Saudi Arabia disbursed $300 million against the budgeted $800 million.

The US also disbursed $9.95 million during the period under review against the budgeted 32.49 million for the current fiscal year. Korea disbursed $15.65 million, and France $4.44 million during the first quarter of the current fiscal year. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) disbursed $112.73 million out of the $3.202 billion budgeted for the current fiscal year.

The International Development Association (IDA) disbursed $416.49 million against the budgeted $1.4 billion, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) $28.90 million against the budgeted $1.246 billion and Islamic Development Bank disbursed $11.50 million against the budgeted $3.38 million for the current financial year.

It is pertinent to note that the government has budgeted foreign assistance of $22.8 billion for the current fiscal year including $7.5 billion in foreign commercial banks, $22.655 billion in loans, and $161.46 million in grants.

Imran Khan asks supporters to call off protest, prepare for long march

Islamabad Staff RepoRt

Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has asked his supporters protesting across the country against the ECP verdict disqualifying him in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference to end protests and wait for his call for the long march.

“I will give you a call [for long march] and this will be the country’s largest protest movement. This movement will not stop until the rule of law is established in the country,” he announced in a pre-recorded message.

He asked the PTI supporters to disperse, saying: “You are already in a difficult phase

and I don’t want you to remain in trouble.”

Earlier on Friday, a four-member ECP bench declared Imran Khan’s National Assembly seat vacant as it unanimously decided that he had provided incorrect information in the case and disqualified him “for the time being”.

The verdict de-seated Imran as per Article-63 (A) and ordered the initiation of criminal proceedings against him for submitting a false statement. However, the ECP shied away from declaring the deposed premier disqualified for life.

The PTI leadership has announced that it will challenge the decision in court.

Denying wrongdoing in the Toshakhana

case, Imran said he would move court against the ECP verdict disqualifying him for submitting an “incorrect declaration” and added that no illegality would be found in the case.

He accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja of being biased and part of the “mafia plotting to keep him out of the match [politics]”.

He added, “I was expecting this verdict and I told other party leaders a day earlier that I will be disqualified in the case.”

Imran, who was removed from premiership via a vote of no-confidence in April this year, said the same case against former premier Nawaz Sharif and ex-president Asif Ali

Zardari had been pending before the ECP for the last 10 years.

“Nawaz and Zardari violated Toshakhana rules… but the ECP instead of taking action against them disqualified me.”

The PTI chief said that the ECP has been giving verdicts against and courts overturned its rulings “because they were against the law”.

Calling the incumbent rulers ‘mafia,’ Imran said they were planning to minus him from politics through trumped charges.

The deposed PM said his opponents have realised after by-election results that they could not defeat him in the polls. “The mafia has been trying to get rid of the PTI which is the only largest federal party of the country.”

Warning about the consequences of banishing his party, Imran cited an example of 1971 fall of Dhaka saying West Pakistan separated from the country when the mandate of the largest political party was not respected.

The PTI chief went on to say that he was disqualified because attempts were “being made to treat him in the same manner like [former premier] Nawaz Sharif”, who was disqualified for life in 2017.

“They are comparing me with Nawaz who failed to submit a single document to establish the sources of his assets while on the other hand, I submitted all documents to the Supreme Court.”

Pak-Turkiye agree to enhance cooperation in drama, film making