Epaper_22-10-27 ISB

Vawda foresees long march to be ‘bloody’ one with ‘bodies falling’

ISLAMABAD staff report

PTi leader faisal Vawda on wednesday claimed that journalist arshad Sharif’s murder was a “pre-planned conspiracy” hatched in pakistan, saying evidence of the crime was erased. addressing a presser here at islamabad press club on Thursday, Vawda said

that no evidence of the incident or the slain journalist’s mobile or laptop will be found as “they have been erased,” expressing his resolve to reveal the truth behind the gruesome killing.

“This is a cold-blooded planned murder,” he alleged, saying that he was in contact with the journalist since the day the self-exiled anchorperson left the country.

“it is being said that around 20 bullets were shot and arshad Sharif was killed. but

this did not happen. according to me, he was shot from inside the car or close range. he received 2 bullets, in the head and chest, not 20 bullets,” the pTi leader claimed.

it is to be recalled that arshad Sharif was shot dead in Kenya allegedly by the local police on Sunday night, with an official police statement later expressing “regrets on the unfortunate incident” and saying an investigation was underway.

Sharif SayS imraN’S loNg march will be a ‘flop Show’

Sharif, Saudi crown prince vow to take tieS to new heightS

RIYADH Staff RepoRt

tHEprime minister and members of his entourage held a meeting with Mohammed bin Salman, crown prince of Saudi Arabia, in the capital of Riyadh wherein they agreed the two countries have reached new heights in relations, state-owned Radio Pakistan reported.

The two governments reviewed the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the bond between Islamabad and Riyadh.

Speaking on the occasion, Shehbaz Sharif thanked the host nation for extending assistance to Pakistan during the recent floods, particularly for establishing the air bridge between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to

provide assistance to flood victims.

“We are extremely grateful to our brotherly countries and friendly countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and my very respected brother, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who created an air bridge between Saudi Arabia and Islamabad and Karachi, sending food items, tents and other very important items for floodaffected people,” Sharif said, according to Arab News. The crown prince termed the fraternal ties “very important” for the two countries, as well as for the Middle Eastern region and the rest of the world.

Sharif is in the Kingdom to attend the sixth edition of the Future Investment Forum (FII). He also addressed the summit in Riyadh on Tuesday, highlighting the importance his government attaches to facilitating the participation of youth in becoming agents

of change in the field of technology.

He invited the international community to benefit from the experience of Pakistan’s trained information technology professionals. He also underlined his government’s resolve to facilitate investors looking to do business in Pakistan.

Later in a tweet, Sharif said he had an “excellent meeting” with the crown prince. He said the two nations agreed to upgrade and enhance bilateral ties and fraternal bonds to new heights in line with the requirements of changing world.

He said he told Mohammed Bin Salman that the people of Pakistan are waiting for him to visit Islamabad.

Following the meeting, the prime minister and members of his delegation performed Umrah and prayed for the peace, progress and prosperity of the country, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

SC rejects government request to stop protest march, urges dialogue

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Supreme Court turned down the government’s request to stop Imran Khan from holding a long march on Islamabad, and Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial advised the administration of the prime minister to hold talks with the chair of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

The government of the multi-party Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition filed a contempt of court plea against Khan in the Supreme Court over his plan to protest to force the centre to call snap elections.

The petition came a day after Khan announced he would begin the much-anticipated protest march with his supporters from Lahore to Islamabad on Friday to call for early elections.

“I am marching to press the government to announce elections immediately,” he said, adding his supporters and party members should avoid violence.

when did the PTI chief give a call for the long march.

He said that the court order came on May 25 at 6:00 pm, while the announcement was made by Khan at 6:50 pm and he made the second announcement at 9:54 pm.

“The PTI had requested to stage a sit-in at the Srinagar Highway,” he said. “Khan had also announced to go to D-Chowk even before the court order.”

Rahman said that later PTI leaders Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhary, Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, Usman Dar, Shahbaz Gill, and Saifullah Niazi also gave a call to party workers to arrive at D-Chowk in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the court sought a response from Khan over the plea seeking contempt proceedings against him. “From Khan’s statement, it seems like he was informed about the court’s orders as he said that the SC ordered removing barricades,” the top judge remarked as he summoned the PTI chairman to clarify before the court who said what.

PTI unveils protest march schedule

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

The long march of former prime minister Imran Khan that is scheduled to begin on Friday from Lahore will proceed to the town of Shahdara on the outskirts of the provincial capital on the first day, according to the schedule shared by the party.

Khan announced on Tuesday he would begin the march with his supporters from Lahore to Islamabad on Friday to call for early elections.

Smaller protests by his supporters took place last week after the

election tribunal found him guilty of “unlawfully selling” gifts from foreign dignitaries and heads of state, removing him from his seat in the National Assembly. The protest will begin at 11:00 am from Liberty Chowk neighbourhood and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman will deliver his last speech of the first day at Azadi Chowk near Minar-i-Pakistan.

From Liberty Chowk, the march will then proceed to Kalma Chowk via Gulberg Main Boulevard. From there, the marchers will the following day begin their journey to

Shahdara. The party has directed its activists to launch a publicity campaign and install camps along the protest route.

Meanwhile, additional contingents of law enforcement personnel have been deployed in Islamabad to tackle the march.

“Steps being taken to implement a plan of blocking roads,” reports citing sources said. “Containers have already been brought at several points to block the roads and arrangements are being made to keep the cranes on standby to place more containers,” they said.

Imran’s long march aims at appointing COAS of his choice: Nawaz

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim

(PML-N) supremo

the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s

but

army chief of

In its petition moved Wednesday, a counsel for the government said Khan “is making announcements to ‘attack’ Islamabad”, which he insisted was a violation of earlier court orders issued in this regard. He urged the court to direct Khan to ensure the implementation of its orders.

A five-judge bench — headed by Justice Bandial and comprising Justice Ijaz ul-Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Sayyed Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi — heard the plea.

In his arguments during the proceedings, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Aamir Rahman said the reports of police and intelligence institutions have been reviewed. He said the court had first asked

Rehman contended that Khan’s latest call to reach D-Chowk is a contempt of court, he said, while referring to the end of PTI’s long march at Jinnah Avenue on May 26.

“Khan crossed the restricted area H-9 and reached Blue Area where he ended the rally,” he said.

The additional attorney general further stated that PTI lawyers Babar Awan and Faisal Chaudhry assured the court that they would not cross the restricted area. At this, Justice Bandial said that Rehman’s argument has some weight therefore it would be better to seek a response from those who gave the assurances.

Taking to

the former

Khan’s

that “People

but to appoint the army chief of his choice.” Nawaz Sharif further said, “Imran Khan, who called others thieves, himself proved to be the biggest thief in history with irrefutable evidence of foreign funding, Toshakhana cases.”

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday said it will have “no other choice” than to indict former prime minister Imran Khan, and his aides Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry if they failed to appear in a contempt case.

A four-member bench headed by Nisar Ahmed Durrani, ECP member from Sindh, conducted a hearing on the case filed against

Khan and several leaders of his party, while Barrister Anwar Mansoor Khan appeared on the behalf of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). During the hearing, Barrister Khan contended the notices were served by the ECP secretary and not by the tribunal itself.

“The show-cause notice is illegal until this issue is solved. The show-cause notice has the signature of the director general of law,” he said.

At this, the bench denied the claim and said it was in fact the

Imran Khan will reach Islamabad on Nov 4: Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) divulged the plan of the long-awaited ‘Haqqeqi Azaadi Long March’, PTI Central Secretary General Asad Umar said that the party delivered an application to Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, seeking permission for a ground between G-9 and H-9 for holding jalsas and sit-in starting from November 4.

In a statement issued from PTI Central Media Department (CMD) here on Wednesday, Asad Umar revealed that the PTI Islamabad’s long march would be started from Liberty Chowk, Lahore on Friday and would reach Islamabad on November 4.

He said that application for jalsas and sit-in starting from November 4 in the ground between G-9 and H-9 delivered to DC Islamabad.

PTI Islamabad President Ali Awan in a letter to Deputy Commissioner Islamabad that the PTI had decided to hold jalsas/sit-in from November 4 known as Haqeeqi Azaadi March as Srinagar Highway between H-9 and G-9 near weekly Bazaar Islamabad as per the decision of the apex court.

He said that ex-Prime Minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan would lead the Haqeeqi Azaadi March and sit-in. Ali Nawaz Awan also requested the DC

Islamabad to take necessary measures especially related to security for the peaceful public gathering. Asad Umar revealed that the long march would start on October 28 from Liberty Chowk and would pass through Ferozpur Road, Azadi Chowk, Ichhra, Mazang and Data Darbar. He said that the Long March would depart from Lahore on October 29, which would pass through Muridke, Kamonki, Gujranwala, Daska and Sialkot.

commission that issued the notices, and not the secretary, who it said has “just informed” about the notices. However, the counsel for PTI urged the ECP to issue its charge sheet after October 31 as the Lahore High Court (LHC) was hearing a similar case on the said date.

He said that Umar has received threats last night and there is no security for him.

At this, Durrani said that they would have no other choice but to issue the charge sheet after November 10.

Asad Umar stated that apart from this, the long march would pass through Sambaryal, Wazirabad, Gujarat, Lala Musa and Kharian.

He hoped that Inshallah Imran Khan along with tsunami of people would reach Islamabad on November 4 via Jhelum, Gujjar Khan and Rawalpindi. Asad Umar said that the convoys from all over Pakistan would reach Islamabad on November 4.

LAHORE: Provincial Minister and PTI Central Punjab President Dr Yasmeen Rashid along with other leaders flashes victory sign from a container at Liberty Chowk ahead of long march. Staff photo

‘No other option’ but to indict Imran over non-appearance in contempt case: ECP

killing of arShad Sharif: why pakiStani journaliStS are killed?

ISLAMABAD Manal JaffeRy

oVERthe past two decades, Pakistan has produced a relatively vibrant media sector that represents a diversity of political views and opinions. However, in recent years, subsequent governments and other influential powers have curtailed media freedom in ways that threaten pluralism and journalistic independence in the country. This has been done by drawing new “red lines” against unpalatable issues.

Late journalist Arshad Sharif, who had been a hard-core critic of those responsible of ‘Regime Change’ fled Pakistan in August due to sedition charges leveled against him for allegedly criticizing state institutions and “abetting mutiny” within the military.

Sharif had to “flee Pakistan in August to save his life,” a close associate of his revealed. He had initially gone to Dubai but was forced to flee from the UAE due to “harassment by Pakistani officials,” the associate added.

Sharif had “only been in Kenya for a few weeks since that is one of the few places Pakistani passport holders don’t need a visa for entry,” the associate said, while adding that the mysterious circumstances under which Sharif had been brutally murdered must be investigated.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan tweeted on Monday that “a long, grim record of violent tactics to silence journalists explain why the reported murder of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya has sent shock waves through the journalist community.” However, Sharif is not the first one, and considering the on-going trend of silencing the voice of Pakistani journalists who question, he certainly won’t be the last one. Pakistan has a history of

media suppression and violence against journalists. Reportedly, 118 journalists have been killed in Pakistan since year 2000.

In February 2020, journalist Aziz Memon was murdered in Mehrabpur, Sindh. Shortly before he was killed, he released a video statement in which he allegedly claimed that the “SSP Nowshero Feroz and local political supporters have made his life hell, and that his kids have been receiving threats repeatedly”

In 2011, journalist Saleem Shehzad was found dead, 4 days after his story on PNS Mehran attack surfaced in which he claimed that Al-Qaeda had allegedly penetrated inside Pakistan Navy.

Journalist Javed Chaudhry revealed that “before Saleem Shehzad’s death, he had allegedly told his family that if he gets abducted or harmed, then ISI would be responsible for it”

It is pertinent to note that most of these killings are linked with reporting on hardcore issues. In 2011, journalist Wali Khan Babar was shot dead for his reporting on crimes in Karachi.

Reportedly, many people linked to the investigation were also executed. Journalist Hamid Mir later revealed that “his killing was ordered from South Africa, and all accused were associated with Mutahhida Qaumi Movement (MQM)”

Unfortunately, in many cases, killers of journalists have impunity.

In 2014, journalist Hamid Mir got critically injured in an assassination attempt. After the assassination attempt, his brother, Amir Mir, who is also a journalist, revealed that “it happened because of Hamid Mir’s criticism of political involvement of intelligence agencies”

The same year, in 2014, journalist Raza Rumi narrowly escaped a murder attempt. According to reports, he was allegedly attacked by militants for his criticism on

blasphemy law.

In 2017, journalist Ahmed Noorani was also assaulted by baton and knives.

In 2010, journalist Umar Cheema was abducted and tortured for his investigative reporting. Talking about his abduction, he claimed that “the pattern that was exercises, the history and everything else suggested that such operations are conducted in such a manner by the intelligence agencies in Pakistan”

Families of journalists also remain vulnerable to threats.

Journalist Hamid Mir in 2016 revealed that “he has sent his kids to abroad because their car was attacked by unknown people while going to the school”, while adding that “he registered a case to the police and they said, you know who they are, we can’t help you”

Media houses also complain that journalists self-censor themselves.

Najam Sethi in 2019 stated that “every time we ask a question, our credentials are challenged. We are accused of being treasonable and then efforts are afoot to gag us” A report revealed that over the course of one year – between May 2021 and April 2022, at least 86 cases of attacks and violations against media and its practitioners, including journalists, took place in Pakistan.

While the overall number of documented violations in the preceding year has gone down several notches, there is a continuing trend of targeting journalists working for digital media, according to a research and analysis report by the Freedom Network, an award-winning Pakistan-based media rights watchdog that tracks violations against journalists and attacks on freedom of expression on an ongoing basis.

The report revealed that the state actors continue to be the largest threat source for journalists in Pakistan in a period marked

by a dramatic escalation of coercion by the erstwhile Imran Khan government resulting in murders, legal cases, assaults, abductions, detentions and threats.

“As the digital media landscape is the new horizon over Pakistan, the government is more than anxious to crack down on online freedom and digital journalists are systematic target of harassment, abuses and legal threats. We must protect our borderless Internet freedom,” Iqbal Khattak, the Executive Director of Freedom Network, said.

The data shows that no place in the four Pakistani provinces, federal capital Islamabad or even Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir is safe – attacks against journalists are taking place everywhere. The top three categories of violations against the journalists in Pakistan in the period under review included (a) 13 legal cases filed against them (15%) and 13 cases of offline harassment (15%), (b) 11 instances of illegal detention by the authorities (13%), and (C) nine cases of attempt to murder (11%) and nine cases of verbal threats (11%).

“These six categories of violations –legal cases, offline harassment, illegal detention, attempt to murder and verbal threats – constituted 65% of the 83 categories of violations against media in Pakistan in the period,” it added.

Most dangerous regions for journalists

Overall, Islamabad emerged as the riskiest and most dangerous place to practice journalism in Pakistan with 37% of the violations (32 out of total 86 cases) recorded in the federal capital.

Sindh was the second-worst with 27% of the violations (23 cases) and KhyberPakhtunkhwa (K-P) the third most dangerous with 19% (16 cases).

These were followed by Punjab with 13% (11 cases), Balochistan with about 2%

PTI chief removes IHC registrar’s objections to plea against disqualification

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Germany

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs appreciated the government and people of Germany for their support with the assurance of extending all necessary facilitation for more meaningful cooperation between two sides in future.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Wednesday submitted a certified copy of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after its Registrar’s Office had raised objections to his petition against his disqualification in Thoshakhana reference. Earlier, the PTI chief had approached the IHC with a request to declare the ECP’s decision null and void.

However, the Registrar’s Office had raised objections regarding Imran’s biometrics and the

certification of the submitted ECP verdict. Chief Justice Athar Minallah had asserted that the court needed a certified copy of the judgment before issuing an injunction.

On Wednesday, the PTI chairman submitted a verified copy of the ECP verdict in the IHC and validated his biometrics through his attorney. He also challenged the ECP’s order to remove him as a member of the National Assembly (MNA) from the NA-95 constituency and requested that the high court declare his removal null and void. He maintained that the ECP had disqualified him from NA-5, and denotified him from NA-95.

Prince MBS orders release of Pakistanis held for sloganeering at Masjid-i-Nabwi

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif stressing for the solution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute through the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions has reiterated that Pakistan will always stand by the Kashmiris, no matter what the cost. “The only solution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute lies in ensuring that the Kashmiris are allowed to exercise their right of self-determination, through the democratic process of holding a UN-mandated free and impartial plebiscite, as espoused in the relevant UNSC resolutions and as per the wishes of Kashmiri people,” he said in his message on the occasion of `Kashmir Black Day’ observed every year on October 27. The prime minister said, “My message to all Kashmiri brothers and sisters on this sombre occasion is simple: Pakistan will always stand by you, no matter what the cost.We are your voice to the world. Our support and solidarity is abiding. We will not rest until you secure your legitimate right to self-determination. In Sha Allah, that day is not far away!” He said, “Today, with a heavy heart, we mark yet another Kashmir Black Day. On 27th October 1947, seventy-five years ago, India forcibly landed its troops in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) and she continues to forcibly and illegally occupy this territory ever since.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Wednesday that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman granted pardon and ordered release of Pakistani pilgrims who were jailed over sloganeering and hounding a PM-led delegation at Masjid-iNabwi in Madina this April.

PM Shehbaz, who concluded a two-day trip to Saudi Arabia, expressed gratitude to the crown prince in a tweet for ordering release of the jailed Pakistanis.

“I am deeply grateful to the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mr Muhammad bin Salman, who, on my request, ordered release of the Pakistanis arrested in Saudi Arabia for the April 2022 incident.

“We pray to Allah Almighty to make us better Muslims who forgive each other’s mistakes,“ the Prime Minister wrote. “May Allah Almighty reward you for this,” the prime minister said and thanked the crown prince for this kind gesture. In April, PM Shehbaz, along with a delegation comprising federal ministers and others, had gone on a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia. On their visit to Masjidi-Nabwi during the trip, some

Pakistani pilgrims had hounded them, shouted slogans against them and even physically attacked some members of the delegation. Videos of the incident had gone viral on social media, prompting swift action from Saudi authorities and leading to the arrest of some of the pilgrims.

Taking to Twitter, PM Shehbaz described his meeting with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia as “excellent”.

“We agreed to upgrade and enhance bilateral ties and fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to new heights in line with the requirements of [the] changing world. I told [the crown prince] people of Pakistan are eagerly looking forward to his visit,” he said.

According to Radio Pakistan, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the fraternal bond between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Later, the premier and his delegation members performed Umrah at Makkah’s Grand Mosque.

PM Shehbaz, “prayed for the peace and prosperity of Pakistan as well as Muslim ummah,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said. PM Shehbaz reached Riyadh on Monday where he was received by Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud at the airport.

(two cases) and one case each from AJK and GB.

TV And PRinT mEdiA in cRoSSHAiRS: Of the total 86 attacks and violations against journalists recorded in Pakistan in the period under review, TV medium emerged as the single largest victim of the type of media with at least 39 cases (45%) of the cases against its practitioners compared to print, radio and internet.

Print media was the second most targeted medium with 35 journalists working for it targeted (41%) while 12 cases (14%) were recorded of online journalists targeted. No targeting of a radio journalist was documented.

Biggest threat

In a whopping 41% of the 86 documented cases (at least 35 cases) of violations against media practitioners in Pakistan – thus the biggest threat actor – in the period under review, the victims or their families suspect the involvement of the state and its authorities and functionaries in the attacks on them compared to other influential threat actors.

A group of miscellaneous ‘others’ with 24% (at least 21 cases) emerged as the second-largest threat actor in the period under review. The victims and their families, as well as the authorities and their employers, have been unable to identify perpetrators of violations against 22 journalists (25% cases).

Surprisingly another category of threat actors identified by the victims, or their families, were political parties –constituting 4% (3 cases).

TARgETing WomEn mEdiA PRAcTiTionERS: In at least three of the total 86 violations against media practitioners in the period under review the targets were women journalists receiving threats of dire consequences or harassment.

digiTAl mEdiA jouRnAliSTS in THE cRoSSHAiRS: In at least 12 of the total 86 violations (or 14%) against media practitioners in the period under review, the targets were journalists working with digital media. These included two of the four journalists killed.

Despite protests, the threats of losing their lives and the fear of censorship continue to haunt journalists.

estimated cost of karakar-Buner tunnel project raises by rs3.3b

PESHAWAR: The estimated cost of the Karakar-Buner tunnel project has increased by over Rs3.30bn as the government failed to start construction work on time. The project was approved by the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) in October last year but it still waiting for execution. When the project was approved, its estimated cost was Rs6.28bn but so far the government could spent just Rs100,000. According to the provincial Communications and works department, in the PC1, the estimated cost of the project was Rs9.58 bn, which has increased by Rs3.30bn within an year ago. aziz BuneRia

pakistan will always stand by kashmiris, no matter what the cost: pM

Islamabad polIce to deploy 13,086 offIcers In capItal ahead of Imran’s long march

ISLAMABAD StAff RepoRt

ISLAMABADpolice announced to deploy 13,086 police officer in the capital, ahead of Imran Khan’s long march. The Islamabad police have completed their preparation for the long march, according to a notice issued today.The notice stated that a total of 13,086 officers, including two deputy inspector generals of police, four senior superintendents of police and 11 superintendents of police will be posted at the long march venue. Thirty assistant superintendents of police and deputy superintendents of police will also be posted.

Moreover, 4,265 Frontier Corps officers, 3,600 Rangers personnel and 1,022 policemen from the Sindh police will be on duty during the march.

The officers will be provided 616 tear gas guns, 50,050 shells, 611 twelve-bore

guns and 36,700 rounds. Moreover, 2,430 masks and 374 vehicles will also be given to the police.

All police officers and personnel have been instructed to remained unarmed.

Earlier, it has been reported that over 500 containers have been placed on a standby at 22 different spots of capital, including Margalla Hills to counter the PTI long march. Officers of the capital police revealed that 1,100 containers had been arranged to seal the capital completely during the PTI’s long march and out of the total 525 containers have been placed at 22 different roadsides so far.

They further said that 140 containers had been placed at Convention Centre, followed by 95 at Faizabad, 40 at Srinagar Highway near Shakarparian, 39 at Srinagar Highway near metro station, 25 at IJP Road near I-8 turn, 22 at D Chowk, 20 each at Kak Bridge, Old Motorway Toll Plaza, 14

at Margalla Hills, 12 each at T-Cross Rawat, Sarena Chowk, Margalla Road, near Aga Khan Road, nine at Nadra Chowk, eight each at Express Chowk, Service Road near Nardra, near Rawal Lake, Satra Meel, six at 26 No Chongi, five at Khayaban Chowk, four each at Barri Imam, Zero Point, two at Banni Gala Road (Bara Kahu to Imran Khan residence).

Nadra Chowk have been sealed with containers, and three Quick Reponse Force (QRF) vehicles of Rangers are patrolling the area, they said, adding that D-Chowk has also been sealed with the containers and the razor wires.

It is pertinent to note that the notice has been issued soon after PTI leader Asad Umar announced the itinerary of his party’s “Haqeeqi Azadi March” to Islamabad, slated to commence on October 28 (Friday) from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk.

The march’s commencement date was announced on Tuesday by former prime

minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

“We will gather at Liberty Chowk at 11am on Friday, and set off for Islamabad,” he had said. “We will go to Islamabad treading GT (Grand Trunk) Road and occupy the point already allowed by the courts.

“We will stay peaceful. If any disruption comes, it would be from the other side, not ours. We are aiming for soft revolution. We are not going to Islamabad to create any mischief,” Imran assured, adding that despite all his peaceful intentions he was ready for arrest as well.

Revealing the protest schedule in a series of tweets today, Umar said that the march will begin on Friday from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk and move onto the Azadi Chowk via the Ferozepur Road through Ichhra, Mozang and Data Darbar.

“The journey to Islamabad will start on the GT road from the next day,” he tweeted.

Elaborating the plan ahead, the former minister said Imran and his supporters would

reach the capital on November 4 after passing through Muridke, Kamonki, Gujranwala, Daska, Sialkot, Sambaryal, Wazirabad, Gujarat, Lala Musa, Kharian, Jhelum, Gujar Khan and Rawalpindi. Separately, during an address to party workers in Sialkot later in the day, Imran said he would be accompanied by “convoys from across the country” while entering Islamabad. “It will be the biggest sea of people.”

He said that Friday’s march would be a “battle for power” and the “greatest freedom struggle in the history of Pakistan”.

Meanwhile, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif alleged that the long march was not meant to bring about a revolution but to appoint the next army chief of Imran’s choosing.

“The people have seen his revolution in his four-year rule,” he said, adding that the PTI chief proved to be the “biggest thief in history with irrefutable evidence” after the foreign funding and Toshakhana references.

Arrangements for birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak finalised

LAHORE StAff RepoRt

The Cabinet Committee on Law and Order, led by Punjab Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Environment Protection and Cooperatives Muhammad Basharat Raja, approved on Wednesday arrangements and security plan for the 553rd birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. The meeting was briefed that 3,000 yatrees from India and 10,000 to 15,000 local Sikh and Hindu pilgrims would participate in the birthday celebrations. Central ceremony of the birth anniversary would be

held on Nov 8 at Gurudwara Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib.

The arrival of yatrees would start from Nov 6 and they would also pay visit to Farooqabad, Lahore, Aimanabad, Hasan Abdal and Kartarpur Sahib to perform their religious rituals. Chairman Committee Basharat Raja said that the government would ensure provision of all necessary facilities to the Sikh pilgrims in Punjab. The cabinet committee directed the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) to include additional grant request for purchase of new equipment in the annual supplementary budget while considered the

provision of additional funds to police for operations against criminal gangs in Kutcha areas.

Raja Basharat said that 1,675 policemen had been deployed from two districts of Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur in Kutcha area. The Punjab Police had requested the cabinet committee to approve the amount against expenses in recent by-elections; however, the committee observed that only emergency expenses could be presented for approval at that forum.

“The Punjab police should approach the provincial government for by-election expenditures amount,” said the chair.

Situationer: Political tension high as Islamabad braces for Imran’s march

ISLAMABAD AnAdolu Agency

Political tension is growing in Pakistan as Islamabad was put on high alert after former prime minister Imran Khan announced to hold a “long march” on Friday, demanding the government call fresh general elections.

The government has also started preparations to deploy thousands of security personnel to block Khan’s supporters from entering the capital.

According to officials, the Ministry of Interior has already decided to deploy around 30,000 police, rangers, and para-military troops in the capital and not allow protesters to enter the sensitive Red Zone near the Parliament.

President’s House, Prime Minister’s House, ministers’ offices, parliament, and other important buildings, including foreign embassies, are located in the Red Zone.

“The government has already decided to call out the army to assist the civil administration in security,” an official of the Ministry of Interior told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity as he was

not authorized to speak with the media.

The ministry has also deployed the paramilitary Frontier Constabulary (FC) while police from Sindh will be called out to assist the Islamabad police, he added.

The meeting was apprised that 100 applications for release on parole came for approval in the Parole Board of the Home Department, out of which 34 applications have been approved. Basharat Raja said that it was not appropriate for the Parole Board to reject 46 applications out of 100. “By releasing prisoners on parole, the burden on prisons could be reduced,” remarked Raja. The Cabinet Committee decided to reconstitute the Provincial Parole Board and give representation to Police, Special Branch and CTD. Raja Basharat said that meritorious prisoners have the right to be released on parole under the law.

The authorities also sent hundreds of containers into Islamabad to barricade all entry points before the arrival of demonstrators.

Sindh is ruled by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), a partner in the ruling alliance of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), while the other two provinces bordering Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are being ruled by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

corporate corner

ISLAMABAD Staff report

fORMERChairman of Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Khan Afridi paid rich tributes to senior Hurriyat Conference leader Maulana Abbas Ansari who died in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir two days back.

“Deeply saddened on sad passing of senior Hurriyat leader Maulana Abbas Ansari, the icon of unwavering resolve for freedom movement of Jammu & Kashmir. Ansari sahab throughout his life worked for unity of Muslims of Kashmir. May Allah almighty bless departed soul in Jannah. Aameen,” Afridi wrote in a tweet on social media blogging site.

Meanwhile, the funeral prayer in

absentia for senior martyred All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader, Maulana Abbas Ansari, was offered in Islamabad on Wednesday.

According to Kashmir Media

Two Imran aides granted interim bail in prohibited funding case

ISLAMABAD Staff report

A banking court here on Wednesday granted the prearrest bail of two aides of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in an FIR registered under Foreign Exchange Act with regard to the prohibited funding case.

The court granted interim bail to Tariq Shafi and Faisal Maqbool till October 31, against surety bonds worth Rs100,000 each.

Duty Judge Raja Asif Mehmood heard the interim bail applications of the two accused filed through Advocate Raja Qadir Janjua.

He told the court that the case had been shifted to the banking court on the directives of Islamabad High Court, adding that the high court had also granted his clients a two-week protective bail in this matter. He said that his client had already appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on October 20.

Upon hearing to the argument, the court accepted the accused interim bail till October 31.

It is important to mentioned here that PTI Chairman Imran Khan had already been granted interim bail till October 31, by the special judge central.

The FIA had registered FIR against Imran Khan and his aides in prohibited funding case.

Service, the funeral prayer in absentia organized by APHC-AJK chapter was attended by a large number of people from different walks of life.

Senior leader of APHC-AJK chap-

ter, Ghulam Muhammad Safi, led the funeral prayer. Hurriyat leaders including APHC-AJK Convener Mahmood Ahmad Saghar, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani, Mir Tahir Masood, Syed Faiz Naqshbandi, Syed Yousaf Naseem and Muhammad Rafique Dar, besides representative of oversees Pakistanis Ghulam Muhammad Butt and Human Rights Council of Pakistan leader Jamshed Hussain also attended the funeral prayer.

On this occasion, the speakers paid rich tribute to the services and sacrifices of the martyred leader in the ongoing Kashmir freedom movement. They said that the deceased leader spent many years in jail for advocating Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. He said that Maulana Abbas Ansari’s contribution in the Kashmir cause and religious and social services will always be remembered.

Diamer-Basha Dam a project of great significant for country’s future: Shah

ISLAMABAD

Staff report

Diamer-Basha Dam is a project of great significant for the country as it will not only store water for irrigation and help mitigate floods, but will also generate environment-friendly and low-cost hydel electricity.

Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah expressed the views during a visit to the site of Diamer-Basha Dam, being constructed by WAPDA on River Indus, downstream Chilas.

Advisor to PM on AJK &GB Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Special Assistant to PM on Water Resources Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha, Federal Secretary Water Resources Hasan Nasir Jamy and Wapda Chairman Lt-Gen (r) Sajjad Ghani.

The minister and entourage reviewed excavation at right abutment of the dam and construction work on diversion system and permanent bridge.

On the occasion, the minister assured full support of the Ministry for the completion of the project and directed the project management to expedite efforts for completion of the project as early as possible. Earlier, CEO Diamer Basha

Dam Company along with the GM, PD, the consultants and the contractors briefed the ministerled team about progress on the project.

Construction work is being carried out on 10 different sites, which include excavation of dam abutments from the top, diversion tunnel, diversion canal, power intake, permanent access bridge and access roads.

Expected to be completed in 2029, Diamer Basha Dam will have a gross water storage capacity of 8.1 MAF to irrigate 1.23 million acres of additional land. It will have installed power generation capacity of 4,500 MW, and provide 18 billion units of green and clean hydel electricity to the National Grid per annum.

Later, the minister inaugurated 3 MW-Thak Hydel Power Station – a small power house, sufficient to fulfill energy requirements of 1500-1800 households. This has been constructed by Wapda with a cost of Rs1.309 billion as one of the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs). An independent 26km long transmission line has also been constructed at a cost of Rs469.039 million for evacuation of electricity from the Hydel Power Station to Harpan Das model village in Chilas.

Vawda foresees long march to be ‘bloody’ one with ‘bodies falling’

contInueD froM pAge 01

Initially, Kenyan media quoted the local police as saying Sharif was shot dead by police in a case of “mistaken identity”.

However, amid widespread condemnation and condolences, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Tuesday that a judicial commission would be formed to probe the journalist’s killing.

Vawda claimed that the story regarding a child’s kidnapping surrounding the journalist’s murder was false, posing a question had there been a child in the car, the police would not have opened fire.

“This was cold planned brutal murder just of Arshad Sharif in this car, not anyone else.”

The PTI leader claimed he won’t name the people involved in the crime. “I have made a video and have given names of those people […] I have given those names internationally. I have given millions of dollars. I have a clear message, if I am shot and killed then you’ll be killed too.”

He went on to claim that the “conspiracy regarding the journalist’s murder began when FIRs (first information reports) were lodged against Arshad Sharif”, alleging that the journalist was not ready to leave the country.

“The conspirators scared him and made him desperate to leave the country. He then reached Dubai and it was said that establishment or an unnamed institution put pressure to get him out […] but this is also false and a lie.

“He stayed in Dubai as per the visa limit, when it expired then he had to leave. The diversion to London was told but he didn’t go there,” Vawda claimed.

He said that Arshad Sharif was steadfast on his stance and no one could buy him. “In coming days I will uncover all the curtains. I have told my family if something happens to me then as gifts you will get their bodies too.

“No normal person could have sent Arshad Sharif to Kenya. Who hid him and was in contact with him in Kenya? Behind it are those conspirators and liars who want to break the country, break my party and damage this country,” he alleged.

Vawda also claimed that the establishment had

been in contact with Arshad Sharif. “He was ready to come back to Pakistan. He had no issue. Then fear was set in that lets get him killed so evidence will be gone and a fire will erupt.

“Now you all will ask me, how do I know all this and why. When Arshad Sharif went from this country, from that day to last days, I was in contact with him and my phone is available for forensic analysis,” he said.

The PTI leader continued that the players of the “conspiracy in Pakistan” were present inside the country and were “internationally connected”.

“Arshad Sharif was murdered. He had no danger from here, the establishment which we take name of, had positive contact with him and I was part of that,” he further claimed and warned that he would take the names of the perpetrators in the upcoming days.

“Establishment has no role in this killing, the role of the one will be apparent in coming days,” he reiterated.

‘Bodies and Blood in PTi long march’: Separately, Vawda also claimed that the PTI’s upcoming long march to Islamabad would be a “bloody” one with “bodies falling” and deaths of innocent people.

He alleged that this too was a part of a conspiracy like the one to kill Sharif. “Imran Khan’s peaceful march is our right but I’m clearly telling you I’m seeing blood, deaths and funerals in this march.”

Vawda went on to say that he would not allow innocent people to “die for some conspiracy and I will try that this game of [dead] bodies comes to an end”.

Vawda said the predicted bloodshed could happen before, during or after the long march.

He maintained that the PTI’s “justified” march had become part of a conspiracy.

“The powerful personalities who are part of this conspiracy are not far from me. Today I’m standing with truth and justice. I will continue to stand with Pakistanis who are about to die in the coming days. Important personalities and many bodies are about to fall in the coming days.”

PTi susPends Faisal Vawda’s memBershiP: Following a hard-hitting press conference by Faisal Vawda, PTI distanced itself from Vawda’s statement, saying he tried to damage the

party’s upcoming long march to Islamabad. In the show-cause notice issued to Vawda, PTI Sindh President Ali Zaidi told the former minister that he had “grossly violated discipline by giving statements against party policies and guidelines”.

“This is in serious violation of party rules as per the constitution, therefore, you are required to submit a reply within two days of this notice stating why your party membership should not be cancelled.”

Zaidi said that until his response, his party membership would remain suspended and he would not be allowed to hold any party office or represent the party in the media.

surPrised and conFused aT Vawda’s Presser: In conversation with a private television channel right after Vawda’s hard-hitting presser, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said that the party leader’s claims of bloodshed during the march were “false”. “PTI’s march will be peaceful,” Fawad said, voicing PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s statement that the march would see no violence and he would not allow his workers to be arrested. “Frankly, I am surprised and confused at Faisal Vawda’s press conference. We were unaware of his press conference,” the senior PTI leader said.

He added that he would call Vawda and inquire about his media talk. In a tweet, PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar said Vawda’s statement does not represent party policy and views, adding that a show-cause notice would be issued to him.

“President Sindh has been told on the instructions of the chairman Imran Khan to issue show cause notice to Faisal for violating party policy,” Umar said. Zaidi said Vawda tried to “damage” the party’s long march as he cast aspersions behind the motives of the presser.

“Interestingly all channels + PTV covered the presser so it’s clear that #ImportedGovernment launched him. But he made no sense,” the former federal minister said. Zaidi asked that when Khan has clearly issued instructions for all to remain peaceful, then what weight Vawda’s presser carried.

PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari asked whether the state broadcaster PTV was devolved to Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — where the Khan-led party is in power.

HBL, Arif Habib Ltd sign a mandate with Ghani Ceramics for advisory on IPO, listing on PSX

lahore: HBL and Arif Habib Limited have formed a consortium for providing advisory services in respect of the Initial Public Offering and listing of Ghani Ceramics Limited on the Pakistan Stock Exchange. A signing ceremony was held at the Head Office of Ghani Group in Lahore.

Ghani Ceramics Limited is a concern of Ghani Group; a reputed business house with interests in Container glass, Float glass, Value added glass, Mining, Ceramics, etc. The main business activity of Ghani Ceramics is the manufacturing of floor & wall tiles, its unit is located in Faisalabad.

BoP, SBP launch first-ever ‘Athlete Card’

lahore: Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood in a statement at the inauguration ceremony thanked the Bank of Punjab (BoP) for extending every kind of support for successful holding of 73rd edition of BOP Punjab Games.

Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood said that the Sports and Youth Affairs Department Punjab is also going to launch the first-ever Athlete Card for the welfare of male and female athletes of the province in collaboration with the Bank of Punjab. Through first-ever Athlete Card, our sports stars can fulfill their needs in a respectful manner. “Definitely it is a revolutionary step for the well-being of national athletes and promotion of sports culture in the province,” he added.

PTCL Group set to launch third cohort of ‘Justuju’ to upskill persons with disabilities

Islamabad: Pakistan’s largest telecommunication and ICT services provider, PTCL Group signed an agreement with the Network of Organizations Working for People with Disabilities Pakistan (NOWPDP) and Deaftawk to launch the third cohort of its flagship skill training program, Justuju for professional development of persons with disabilities (PWDs). For the 3rd cohort, the program duration has been extended from six weeks to six months with two months of soft skills training and four months of on-the-job training to allow extended mentorship and learning for professional success. Justuju internship program is one of the most sought-after internship programs, designed to bridge the gaps in the society through social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities. Talented individuals are prepared for career through robust training and hands-on experience under expert mentorship at PTCL and Ufone offices.

The national energy icon, Pakistan State Oil (PSO), convened its 46th Annual General Meeting for financial year 2021-22. Chairman Board of Management, PSO, Mr. Zafar I. Usmani, chaired the meeting with Managing Director & CEO, PSO, Syed Taha. Other senior company officials were also present at the occasion. pr

The Long March at last

at last, PtI Chairman has announced the long March onIslamabad, which is to start from lahore.He has given a start, October 28, tomorrow as a matter of fact, but has neither given a target for termination, nor even a schedule which might indicate how long he expects it to take. It is almost as if he intends to leave lahore, and research Islamabad. this is not helpful for PtI stalwarts from other cities, like Gilgit or Muzaffarabad, or even Peshawar, who do not know whether they are to go straight to Islamabad, or whether they should join the main procession on the Gt road. at least Mr Khan has had enough mercy on his followers to tell them the route he intends to take.

It is to be assumed that Mr Khan has made arrangements for the logistics of the March, and has some idea of what he intends to do with the crowd that assembles. He really cannot afford a fiasco like the last time, May 25, which ended with PtI supporters running amok in Islamabad, and a rather disappointing turnout. However, though there have been indications that Mr Khan has faced resistance within his own party over the long March, it is difficult to see how he could avoid it. It had reached a point where his calls for a a long |March were being derided by opponents, and he either had to do it, or give in.

there should be no doubt that this is a last desperate throw of the dice. If the long March does not succeed in either forcing the government to concede an election date, or the powers that be from toppling it, he really has nothing left. the recent verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan in the tosha Khana reference may well be weighing on his mind, for there is always the danger of further revelations or findings which would tarnish his image among his followers, and thus make them unwilling to come out. the sitting government has long made its preparations, and has promised a peppery welcome. It remains to be seen how they use the little time they have to make final preparations. Mr Khan, by making his announcement just three days ahead of the start date may have denied his opponents enough time to respond, but the flipside has been that he has denied his followers enough time to prepare.

Taking on the Generals, Judges, Bureaucrats and Sharifs

elected PM, with the help of the GJBS alliance, he sent him to his grave in larkana where a mausoleum has been built to preserve his political legacy.

In 2022, the republic is again at the crossroads as it was in the 1960s and 1970s. a leader who believes in giving not taking is leading the charge which has jolted the forces of the status quo. Currently there is an on-going but ineffective campaign to tarnish the image of the Kaptaan.

Bureaucrats provide the backbone in functioning of this ‘ Evil Empire ‘ as they control the files and the paperwork.

regime. the Charter of Democracy (COD) was the brainchild of Benazir Bhutto (BB). On paper it was a good effort to establish democracy and rule of law in the republic but after her demise, the unholy Zardari-Sharif alliance neutralized its impact by indulging in massive corruption.

At the pinnacle of his political struggle, Imran Khan has decided to take-on the combined force of the dreaded Status quo and its external masters. It is indeed a daunting task but he has shown his resilience. Except for a few beneficiaries of the old system, the people of Pakistan are solidly behind their leader. the dream of ‘ Naya Pakistan ‘ may finally be realized.

On 16 October 2002, the people of the republic in a one-on-one contest voted for change and their Kaptaan’ who has always led from the front. against the existing norms of the country, IK has willed all his worldly belongings to be transferred to his charitable cancer hospital after his death.

Nawabzada liaquat ali Khan, the first Prime Minister, after leaving his huge estate across the border, refused to allot himself a dwelling to live in the new land. after his assassination in October 1951, the family had nowhere to go after vacating the PM House in Karachi. till today his heirs are struggling to get what rightfully belongs to them.

While the generals, judges, bureaucrats, sharifs (GJBS) enjoy the perks of power in the Islamic republic of Pakistan, the first PM claimed no benefits and the 22nd has decided to give up what belongs to him. leadership calls for giving not taking as has been the case since 1985 when the Sharifs were inducted in the pack of the vicious Establishment. In the 1950s and 1960s such an induction was introduced by the first usurper ayub Khan which resulted in the concentration of wealth amongst the dreaded 22 families. after the first free and fair elections in 1970 and surrender in the Eastern Wing, the Establishment was in disarray. Bhutto was able to implement his agenda of change as the enemy within was licking its wounds. It proved to be a brief sojourn, by July 1977, the third usurper Zia-ul-Haq not only deposed the

In the checkered political history of Pakistan, before the advent of the Sharif’s of Gawalmandi the politicians did wage a struggle against the hegemony of ‘GJBS’. It was Babu Ghulam Muhammad (Gamma) who crossed the red line by pushing out Khawaja Nazimuddin from the coveted position of Governor General. When Gamma dismissed the legislature, Maulana tamizuddin, the Speaker, bravely fought the case for restoration of the House.

While the Sindh High Court restored the assembly, the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Muhammad Munir upheld the dissolution. Justice a.r. Corneulis the only non-Muslim member of the bench, dissented with the majority decision. through his EBDO (Elected Bodies Disqualification Order) ayub Khan sent the entire democratic leadership home.Hussain Shaheed Suharwardy the former PM and stalwart of the freedom movement challenged his disqualification in the Military tribunal and won his case. For his own safety he went into selfexile in Beirut, where he was later found dead in his hotel room in mysterious circumstances.

Currently it is a head-on contest between the forces of: Status quo or Purana Pakistan and Change or Naya Pakistan. The enemy within has been fully exposed by the relentless efforts of the Kaptaan who refuses to throw in the towel. He has decided to fight on till the bitter end. I was inspired when I read the words of Patrick Henry engraved on the Statue of Liberty; “Give me Liberty or Give me Death”, it seems the concept of ‘Haqiqi Azad’

I am reminded of a famous verse of urdu poetry Laikin Achha Kuchh Hua Log Pechanain Gay” (But the people acknowledged something had happened). after over 75 years of existance all players stand fully exposed. the Quaid-eazam singlehandedly prevailed over the combined opposition of the Hindus, the right wing Muslims and the British to carve out a new nation in the Indian Subcontinent the raj was able to extend its rule by a policy of divide and rule. the same approach was adopted by the Establishment after Partition. In the 1990s both the mainstream parties (PPP, PMl(N) fell into this trap till BB came up with the idea of COD which after her demise resulted in Charter of Dacoity.

Some independent judges have occasionally provided relief to the public but the bureaucracy continues to rely on the Government of India draconian act of 1923 (Official Secrets). all efforts at reforms have been thwarted, including the most recent effort under Dr Ishrat Hussain’s ‘ Civil Servants Efficiency and Discipline rules 2020 which have been set aside after the removal of the IK

middle class and devolution

astonishingly, the religious elite, inherently opposite in code, also has carved a charter of co-existence with other clan-elites. History indicates that these divergent elites never resisted one another. rather secured a common elite clique.

Elites in Pakistan monopolise state and society. their de facto resistor regulates social, cultural, economic and political orders at the expense of the public at large. that weaves religious, cultural and political narratives to control the logical wits of the common people. It wheels the people politically so that no middle-class leadership nor party may emerge from the ashes of middle-class despondency. It exploits the economy and develops cartels. It defeats the administrative and judicial checks and balances. Such expansive influence is impossible until all power clusters safeguard one another and sponsor the joint interests of a common clique. Public institutional bureaucracies also join the elite factions as the former has powers and the latter resources.

more resistant. the middle-class dilemma propels the middle class to join the elite rather than challenge it.

Since long, a culture has been weaved on human sensitivities that becoming a part of the elite is the panacea of all their ills. therefore, all are interested to join them rather than battling them out.One can imagine the obsession of middle-class youth to join the civil services, judiciary and military because this opens a window for them to join the envied elite club. the middle class and intelligentsia are not supposed to join them but to resist them for the rule of law.

Currently it is a head-on contest between the forces of: Status quo or Purana Pakistan and Change or Naya Pakistan. the enemy within has been fully exposed by the relentless efforts of the Kaptaan who refuses to throw in the towel. He has decided to fight on till the bitter end. I was inspired when I read the words of Patrick Henry engraved on the Statue of liberty; “Give me liberty or Give me Death”, it seems the concept of ‘Haqiqi azad ‘ has been finally realzsed and understood in the land of the pure. restoration of our lost purity now seems close to realization after all these wasted years and the unending resilience and struggle of several generations. In the words of Kaptan; “Mera Jeenay Marna Pakistan Main Hai” (My life and death are pegged in Pakistan). real freedom is now unstoppable and within reach.

The writer is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com.

How can an Industrialist or business tycoon represent employees or smaller entrepreneurs without falling into a conflict of interests? Hence, it is imperative that people take their social, political and economic representation back to their fold and elect their peer representatives. ultimately, power belongs to the people of Pakistan, hence, they should now be ready to guard that against all odds.

Cultural, political and economic pre-dispositions institute a formative society till it grows to the canons of human rights and rule of law. Inherently, a society retains an aristocracy and there is nothing immoral about it. as long as, the aristocracy remains succumbed to rule of law, there is no unwarranted exploitation in the society. Nevertheless, that is not the case with the ever dominating elite in Pakistan.

the elite in Pakistan is above the law. that roots deep into the foundation of society’s embedded class system, colonial hangover and autocracy. almost, all social, religious, ethnic, economic and political assemblages are represented by their clan-elite in the collective life of the state and society. Consequently, all these diverging clan-elites formulate a common invincible elite.

How divergent clusters of power join hands to arrange a common elite. Marriage is a binding force among different elite factions. Marriage is a social contract and that can effortlessly be extended to business and political contracts. Preferably, all clan-elites including public institutional bureaucracies marry one another and that makes an invincible elite. although, the clergy elite, is a part and parcel of the elite clique yet often they remain aloof in inter-marriages. Hence, the elite clique becomes a powerful cartel and leisurely decides the fate of the people at recreational elite clubs over a cup of tea. One can easily grasp the orientation of the elite if one has ever feasted at Gymkhana Club, lahore. all over the world, this is the middle class that resists the elite. Conversely, this has not been the case in Pakistan. Village middle class is more prone to class structures, colonial hangover and power corridors. the obsession to conquer “title” among village folk is voracious and that halts them from resisting the status quo. But, then, that is all changing. the urban elite is always

Can fetters of the elite be shattered? apparently, this is a misleading idea. But, there is always a glimmer at the end of the tunnel. Presumably, to hope that a faction of the elite might wage a war against others for emancipation of people is stupidity. Hence, these are only the people who could exercise their democratic potential to hold the elite accountable. Democracy is the best mode that empowers people against totalitarianism and they should not compromise on the ideals of democracy, representation and participation. Otherwise, the elite shall continue to exploit the people. Beware, there is no Godot coming.

Pakistan needs national political parties representing the middle class in content and candidature. almost all contemporary political parties represent the elite at variance and that is displayed in their party candidature. this is the tipping point where the elite is always reassured in power. How can political parties be people’s representatives when they represent factions of the elite? this is the vivacious conflict of interests. How can a landlord represent a peasant? that is a basic conflict of interests.

Decentralization is a code to emancipate the people and that is guaranteed in the constitution of Pakistan. Elite in Pakistan depend upon a central mode of domination. Decentralization is the administrative knockout to the elite. Elite does not allow devolution of power because that will empower people at the grassroot. a devolved local government system is elemental to create middle class leadership. Concentration of power is the goal of the elite, unlike devolution that remains the motivation of the people. If people, once, take over the political power at the elementary level of devolution, that will pave the way for them to periodically take over the power at provincial and federal levels. Devolution, political representation and rule of law are essential to break apart the nexus of the elite.the more the people are politically represented, the less the dominance of the elite.

Finally, people should resist the monopoly of elite oscillating cultural assimilation , narrative formation and political construction. the middle class needs to raise the bar and should politically unite the factions of downtrodden people in order to form the governments of choice. although this seems improbable, yet this is the only way forward to make the invincible elite wane. Pakistan shall never prosper with this unruly and insatiable elite. let the common people empower themselves.

The author is a civil servant and heading a research society on administrative federalism. He can be reached at musatariq@gmail.com

Tariq MahMooD awan

Finally, people should resist the monopoly of elite oscillating cultural assimilation, narrative formation and political construction.

Dr FariD a Malik

Russia must stop its secret nuclear mission in Myanmar

state-owned nuclear energy corporation to jointly assess building a small reactor in the Southeast asian country underscores the junta’s long-term pursuit of nuclear weapons, analysts said.

Myanmar’s, ministers of science and technology; and of electric power; and the CEO of russia’s State atomic Energy Corporation, signed the “roadmap for cooperation upon its own citizens” at the Eastern Economic Forum on September 58 in Vladivostok. the deal would further russian-Myanmar cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, and assess the feasibility of a small-scale nuclear reactor project in Myanmar. the junta announced that it would use nuclear energy for electricity generation, scientific research, medicine production, and industry. Myanmar has sent scientists, technicians, and army officers to russia for training in recent years. Moscow has agreed to supply Myanmar with a small nuclear react for civilian use. why is the world silent?

clear weapons. the DVB said evidence of Myanmar’s nuclear programme came from topsecret documents smuggled out of the country over several years, including hundreds of files and other evidence provided by Sai thein Win, a former major in the military of Myanmar. a uN report said there was evidence that North Korea had been exporting nuclear technology to Burma, Iran, and Syria. Now, russia supports Myanmar’s nuclear programme openly.

Editor’s mail

Grave mistake

tHE former East Pakistan was able to become Bangladesh only because of independence that Quaid-i-azam Mohammad ali Jinnah was able to achieve for the Muslims of the subcontinent from both the British as well as the Hindus.

the Sikhs, despite trying for long, have not been able to achieve independence to date. the same would have been the fate of the people of Bengal. there would have been no Bangladesh had there been no Pakistan. as such, the argument that Bangladesh should celebrate aug 14 in addition to any other day, does hold water. Bangladesh came into being only because of wrong decisions taken by the political and military leadership after the fair and free elections of 1970, which was just about the only good thing done by Gen Yahya Khan.

I got a chance to travel in East Pakistan soon after the elections. the awami league (al) was celebrating as its victory margin in that part was beyond their own wild imagination. the fact that it had not been able to get a single seat in West Pakistan was of no concern to them.

as per the election results, however, there was every reason to hand over the country’s reins to the al since it had won the parliamentary majority. If at all, a post of deputy prime minister could have been carved out to accommodate the West Pakistan after making necessary adjustments in the legal framework.

In case of no agreement on power-sharing, all the relevant stakeholders should have sat down and drafted a resolution for separation.

In any of the three scenarios, military action was just not required. the state does not kill its own people. that was a blunder. as for the infamous ‘six points’, things would have settled down in due course of time, and Pakistan would have emerged as a stronger entity.

the military should never take over civil affairs. On their part, politicians must grow up and behave like mature adults.

IMTIAZ HAQUE LAHORE

The missing link

RuSSIa and Myanmar have agreed to continue their nuclear cooperation recently. Myanmar’s cherished nuclear ambitions are backed by russia, which wants to create as many problems as it can for the western world. If russia continues to help Myanmar to go nuclear, its implications in South and Southeast asia would be dangerous. the nuclear-free zone of Southeast asia would become nuclear. the arms race would be mandatory for Southeast asia. although this would be a strategic gain for some powers, ultimately nuclear tension would be confirmed in the aSEaN region.

If Myanmar acquires nuclear capability, it would be a disaster for South and Southeast asia. all regional countries would be facing security threats from Myanmar directly. South and Southeast asia is going to be vulnerable permanently. the military junta could use the weapons against various ethnic rivals, and insurgents. Not only that, but the whole Southeast asian region would also be volatile, and unstable. Myanmar’s aggressive behaviour would grow. recent border tensions between Myanmar-Bangladesh are the best example to realize. Myanmar’s military is so brutal, it has been carrying out airstrikes on its people. he Bangladesh Foreign Ministry summoned Myanmar’s ambassador on September 18, for the fourth time in protest at the troubled neighbour’s recentviolations of Bangladesh’s air and land space. Myanmar has been embroiled in a civil conflict since mid-august, and throughout this time, shells have crossed the Bangladesh border. On September 16, a mortar bomb launched from Myanmar exploded in a rohingya camp, killing one 18-year-old and injuring five others. additionally, on September 3, coordinated shooting attacks from Myanmarese fighter jets and helicopters occurred in Bangladeshi airspace.

In a raid on the rakhine state on 25 august 2017, the Myanmar army massacred the rohingya community and burnt their homes. More than 700,000 rohingyas fled to Bangladesh. thousands of rohingya have previously gone there.1.25 million rohingya are currently listed as living in Bangladesh’s numerous refugee camps. repatriating them has been difficult.

Myanmar has consistently infringed on Bangladesh’s sovereignty.. this is obviously against international law, standards, and traditions. Myanmar must must keep in mind that Bangladesh is a sovereign nation and that its firing shells into the border, whether on purpose or accidentally, is unacceptable. an agreement signed by Myanmar’s military regime and russia’s

Myanmar has been carrying out rudimentary steps toward developing nuclear weapons, a documentary released in June by an opposition group, the Democratic Voice of Burma, alleges. the opposition group also issued a corresponding report on June 3 featuring an analysis by former International atomic Energy agency (IaEa) inspector robert Kelley. Kelley claimed in the report that, taken collectively, the technology featured “is only for nuclear weapons and not civilian use.”

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

Five years later, after a visit to Moscow by Burma’s minister for science and technology, u thaung, the junta’s nuclear plans became clearer” the junta’s recent confirmation that it will build a small-scale nuclear power plant in the next few years caps Myanmar’s long pursuit of nuclear technology dating back to early 2000.In 2009, it was reported that Myanmar was suspected of having initiated a nuclear weapons programme. If such a programme does exist, Burma’s technical and financial limitations may make it difficult for it to succeed. the uSa expressed concern in 2011 about potential violations of the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPt), though by 2012 these concerns had been “partially allayed.” Burma has faced persistent accusations of using chemical weapons.

In 2007, russia and Burma made a controversial nuclear research centre deal. according to them, “the centre will comprise a 10MW lightwater reactor working on 20%-enriched uranium235, an activation analysis laboratory, a medical isotope production laboratory, silicon doping system, nuclear waste treatment, and burial facilities”.

according to an august 2009 report published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Burma had been working to develop a nuclear weapon by 2014. the reported effort, purportedly being undertaken with assistance from North Korea, involves the construction of a nuclear reactor and plutonium extraction facilities in caves tunnelled into a mountain in the Mandalay division.

On June 3, 2010, a five-year investigation by an anti-government Myanmar broadcaster, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), found evidence that allegedly shows the country’s military regime began a programme to develop nu-

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

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

On 15 December 1995, aSEaN Member States signed the treaty of Southeast asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEaNWFZ treaty) as a commitment to preserve the Southeast asian region as a region free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. the treaty is also known as the Bangkok treaty. through this treaty, aSEaN reaffirms the importance of the NPt in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and in contributing towards international peace and security. It also marks the establishment of a NuclearWeapon-Free Zone (NWFZ) in Southeast asia –one among five NWFZs in the world.

the Protocol to the SEaNWFZ treaty welcomes the signing and early ratification of the Nuclear Weapon States (NWS), which will contribute to the promotion of the realisation of a Southeast asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. Efforts are underway toward the accession of the NWS to the Protocol.

Myanmar’s attitude is contradictory to the Protocol to the SEaNWFZ treaty. Whatever may be the truth, the fact remains that nuclear Myanmar is not in the interest of India, China, or all neighbouring countries. the direct nuclear threat from Myanmar would destabilize the whole region in the long run. If nuclear deterrence works, then the arms race is a must in the region. the West should join with all regional countries and aSEaN to pressure Myanmar to give up its nuclear (weapons) ambitions. they must take action like in the Iran case, Otherwise, the world is going to see another nuclear threat in the Southeast region. Instead of developing nuclear weapons, the world must compel Myanmar to focus on bringing back democracy and resolving problems like aaIDS, human trafficking, rape, drug abuse, child soldiers, forced labour, ethnic crisis, refugee issues, and corruption. all bordering and neighbouring countries of Myanmar must be cautious in this regard.

Myanmar mustpromptly implement appropriate measures to cease all forms of unwelcome behaviour in the border area in order to preserve ties between the two nations. all regional countries must raise the issue in the international community to stop Myanmar from committing such heinous activities. russia must stop its heinous secret mission in Myanmar to keep the aSEaNregion stable in its nuclear-free status.

PrESIDENt arif alvi recently wrote letters to ministers, parliamentarians and media to support breast cancer awareness campaigns. He quoted an alarming figure of 100,000 breast cancer cases in Pakistan each year whereas the Global Cancer Observatory (Globocan) report, supported by the International agency for research on Cancer, estimates it to be 26,000. this highlights a very basic problem related to data gap in the country due to the absence of a national cancer registry in Pakistan.

Data about cancer is really the missing link and it has been pointed out on various occasions, but no progress has been made so far, which means service delivery is nothing but guesswork.

raising awareness on breast cancer can play a vital role in saving lives. However, we have not made much effort in terms of providing access to treatment, especially for women who manage to detect breast cancer in its early stages. treatment is not just about the physical aspects of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, but also includes pain management and survivorship support. there is a lot that still needs to be done in the nation’s fight against breast cancer and we can only expect progress if everyone of us comes together to make a comprehensive strategy to fight this disease.

MARIAM KHAN LAHORE

Extension of bus routes

tHE newly-launched People’s Bus Service is a great project for the people of Karachi. However, due to its limited routes, people in several areas are unable to make use of the facility, and have to travel in overloaded minibuses.

For instance, there is no route from landhi and Korangi to Korangi Industrial area, Qayumabad, Defence, Saddar, tower, liaquatabad, Nazimabad and other areas of Karachi. If the Sindh government expands route r10 from Seaview to Korangi residential area via Khayaban-iIttehad, it will help thousands of people living in Korangi to reach their workplaces in Defence, Clifton, Saddar and around Numaish Chowrangi.

Similarly, route r3 may be extended from Nasir Jump to Korangi No. 6, which will help the people of Korangi in reaching Korangi Industrial area, Gora Qabristan, Karsaz, Hassan Square, liaquatabad and Nazimabad. these changes can benefit people living in Korangi and adjoining areas and save them from travelling in dilapidated buses.

MUHAMMAD NAEEM ANWAR KARACHI

Human element

tHE recent rains led to massive floods that caused havoc in major parts of the country. We use the word ‘unprecedented’ often in this regard when the fact is that heavy rains and flash floods are not new phenomena. When it had rained heavily during the British rule, they build the flood protective (FP) bund till Manchhar lake back in 1916; over a hundred years ago. another channel was subsequently added to the whole mechanism in the shape of the Main Nara Valley (MNV) drain along Mehar and larkana. It is the same drain, by the way, that has been in use since 1972-73 to carry rainwater from three districts. then, in 1954, the Suparoo bund was built. these three structures represent a sort of line of defence to save us from rainwater flowing from Balochistan. there are four sub-divisional officers, two engineers and about 200 baildars (permanent bund workers) manning these bunds. altogether, there are close to 2,000 baildars in the province, but most of them simply draw their respective salaries. Simply put, they are ‘ghost’ officials just as we have ‘ghost’ teachers in schools. there is a budget worth billions of rupees for the water-flow management mechanism cited above, but there have been no meaningful repairs in the last over a decade. Even the 18th amendment could do little to convince the provincial authorities to behave responsibly in the manner. We all know where the money ends up landing, but what should the growers do who have been left in the lurch with their lands inundated in the affected districts? the rains were not unprecedented. the floods were not unprecedented. But the disaster has really been unpreceden-ted because the human element made it so.

ZAHID HUSSAIN JATOI MEHAR

Dr arpiTa hazarika

Rishi

lege. None volunteer that he is empathetic or compassionate. When given examples of people who are experiencing hardship in Parliament or in press interviews, as he was on Good Morning Britain last year, Sunak listed policies in response but offered no consolations.

next leadeR. heRe’s

you to knoW

Mail anD GuarDian aDam BychaWski

RISHI Sunak, reportedly the richest MP in the United Kingdom, would be a boon for the financial lobby if he became the next prime minister, tax justice campaigners have warned. As talk turns to the next Conservative leader, the man trounced by Liz Truss just weeks ago is now the favourite to replace her. But Sunak has not been transparent with his finances and that his hedge fund background raises questions about his commitment to fighting tax avoidance.

His profile has risen sharply since he became chancellor in early 2020, just weeks before the first lockdown began. But critics say a slick public marketing campaign has disguised a person with an ultra-privileged background, who is a committed Thatcherite ideologue. Here’s the OpenDemocracy guide to the man who might just end up as the UK’s next prime minister, originally published in January 2022.

PRIVATE SCHOOL: Sunak marked his first year in the exchequer by tweeting two photos of himself, one as a child in school uniform, and one as the chancellor, standing outside Number 11. He wrote: “Growing up I never thought I would be in this job (mainly because I wanted to be a Jedi) … It’s been incredibly tough but thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way.”

The message carefully tip-toed around his privileged upbringing. Until the age of 11, Sunak attended Oakmount Preparatory School and then the Stroud Independent Preparatory School, the latter of which now charges fees of up to £18 500 a year. From there, he studied at King Edward VI School in Southampton (now £17 000 a year) before moving to Winchester College (now £43 335 a year).

Five chancellors and one prime minister have attended Winchester, one of England’s oldest public boarding schools and a long-standing rival of Eton, before Sunak. “[Sunak’s] tweet made me smile,” said Richard Beard, an author whose latest book Sad Little Men: Private Schools and the Ruin of England assesses the private education system and the many politicians that have been through it.

“The idea that, while studying in Winchester College, he would have never thought he would be at the top of government is very unlikely to me. Leadership qualities are one of the things that they teach you and you’re bound to think of your future in those terms. “So he would definitely have thought that that is the kind of job that he’d be in, even if he didn’t explicitly think of chancellor of the exchequer.” In media profiles, Sunak’s allies describe him as “immaculate”, “calm” and “organised”, qualities befitting of a former Winchester head of col-

Beard, whose book is partly based on his own experiences, believes all-male boarding schools emotionally harden their students. To survive, he says, boys cannot show any vulnerability among their peers. “If you repress emotion for yourself then ultimately it becomes very easy to repress feelings for other people,” he argues. And although boarding schools like Winchester may prepare students well to advance in politics, Beard says they instil a worldview that is far from ordinary. “Money is at the centre of it all because everyone knows it costs a lot of money, including the boys, but the actual money is abstract. The needs of everyday life are simply taken care of for you,” said Beard. “How can you actually then think in terms of people struggling for five pounds and ten pounds?”

CUT BENEFITS: Last year, Sunak was heavily criticised for axing a £20-a-week increase to Universal Credit that had helped some of the poorest families through the pandemic. More than 200 000 would have been pushed into poverty as a result of the cut, according to research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Just weeks before the cut was confirmed in July, the chancellor requested planning permission to build a private swimming pool, gym and tennis court at the Grade II-listed Yorkshire manor that Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, purchased for £1.5-million in 2015.

After several MPs from his own party spoke out against the Universal Credit cut, Sunak increased inwork benefits in his autumn budget – but not by enough to offset the cut.

A LOT OF MONEY: The Sunaks’ Georgian mansion, where locals described attending parties with liveried staff pouring champagne from magnums, is not the only property they own. There is also the £7-million, five-bedroom house in Kensington, west London; a flat, also in Kensington, that the couple reportedly keep “just for visiting relatives”; and an apartment in Santa Monica, California.

The chancellor’s extensive property portfolio is just one source of his wealth. After studying at Oxford University, Sunak went on to work for the US investment bank Goldman Sachs for four years. He left to pursue a business degree at Stanford University in California, where he said meeting influential figures in the multibillion US tech industry “left a mark” on him.

From there, Sunak had a stint working at hedge funds back in London. He was a partner at the Children’s Investment Fund (TCI) where he is believed to have made millions of pounds from a campaign that helped trigger the 2008 financial crisis.

Sir Chris Hohn, the fund’s founder, paid himself a record £343-million in the first year of the pandemic. TCI is ultimately owned by a company registered in the Cayman Islands, according to its accounts. Its philanthropic arm, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), donated £255-million to charitable causes last year. (Full disclosure: openDemocracy has received funding from CIFF since 2019). Sunak then left to co-found his own firm, Theleme, which had an initial fund of £536-million and is also registered in the Cayman Islands.

FINANCIAL INTERESTS AREN’T TRANSPAR-

ENT: The Cayman Islands are one of the world’s top offshore tax and secrecy havens. When an investment is made

through a hedge fund in the Caymans, “nobody can possibly know where the money has come from”, said Alex Cobham, the chief executive of the Tax Justice Network. Not all the money that goes through the Caymans is dirty, and hedge funds argue that they need to keep their investment strategies secret to be competitive.

Nevertheless, “it is probably the best, certainly the most reputable, way of allowing fairly questionable money in large volume to go into mainstream financial markets”, said Cobham.

An estimated $483-billion (£357.62-billion) a year is lost in cross-border tax abuse by multinational companies and by individuals hiding assets in havens such as the Cayman Islands, according to the Tax Justice Network. “Somehow, in the financial sector, we still have this idea that it’s basically smart to game the system. If these are the people, and the culture, that is coming into public life then we’ve got a real problem,” said Cobham.

When Sunak became a minister in 2019, he placed the investments he held from his years of working in finance into a “blind trust”. Such agreements are intended to avoid conflicts of interest by handing over control of assets to a third party, but whether that works in practice is questionable. “These trusts don’t necessarily come with any legal mechanism to prevent the owner of the assets actually dictating what happens, or indeed seeing through any claimed blindness,” said Cobham. “If politicians were willing to make the arrangement transparent, including the legal documents, we might have some confidence in them.”

Sunak has declared the trust in his entry on the Register of Ministers’ Financial Interests, but not the contents of it. The rest of his disclosures are remarkably minimal for a man with an estimated net worth of £200million. Aside from the trust, he has listed his London flat and the fact his wife, Akshata Murty, owns a venture capital investment company, Catamaran Ventures, which the couple founded together in 2013.

Murty, who Sunak met at Stanford, is the daughter of Indian billionaire NR Narayana Murthy, who cofounded the IT company Infosys. Her shares in that firm are worth £430-million alone, a fortune large enough to make her one of the richest women in Britain.

The Murthy/Murty family (Narayana’s children have dropped the ‘h’ from their name) is reported to have invested part of their wealth through Catamaran Ventures, although how much is unclear. Sunak resigned his directorship of the company in 2015.

Ministers must declare the financial interests of their close family — including in-laws — which might give rise to a conflict, but Sunak has declared only one of the companies that his wife owns. A host of other family assets — including a £900m-a-year joint venture with Amazon in India, owned by his father-in-law — are not mentioned, according to The Guardian.

Sunak is said to have met with the government’s then-head of propriety and ethics, Helen MacNamara, before becoming chancellor, to review what interests should be declared. MacNamara said she was satisfied with what had been registered at the time.

LINKS TO RIGHT-WING THINK TANKS: Sunak reportedly led the hawks in the cabinet who opposed taking action when scientists recommended a circuitbreaker lockdown in September 2020, arguing that restrictions would be too economically damaging. Boris Johnson delayed the decision and infections spiralled leading to a more punitive and lengthier lockdown in November. “Sunak’s been the voice most consistently pushing for watering down of Covid restrictions in the

cabinet. So, if you like, he is a kind of a logical continuation of that Thatcherite impulse within the Tories,” said Phil Burton-Cartledge, the author of Falling Down: The Conservative Party and the Decline of Tory Britain.

Soon after becoming an MP in 2015, Sunak wrote a report calling for the creation of “freeports” around the UK for the right-wing think tank, Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), which was co-founded by Margaret Thatcher. The policy idea — that tax-free, deregulated outposts will revitalise post-industrial coastal cities — was fittingly tried by the former PM in the 1980s, before being dropped by David Cameron in 2012 after proving unsuccessful.

Sunak also worked for another right-wing think tank, Policy Exchange — which, like the CPS does not declare its donors — before becoming an MP, and has spoken at the Institute of Economic Affairs since becoming chancellor. All three think tanks have been consistently ranked among the least transparent in the UK.

SLICK PR OPERATION: During the pandemic, billionaires such as NR Narayana Murthy saw their wealth increase — Murthy’s fortune was up 35% to £2.3bn in 2021 — while inequality between the richest and poorest grew. What, then, explains the seeming popularity of a former hedge fund manager like Sunak at a time in midst of a cost-of-living crisis?

Part of the answer might be the way Sunak has presented himself. Unusually for a chancellor, he hired the co-founder of a social media agency to manage his public image after he was appointed. Since then, the content on his social media channels — from casual “ask me anything”-style YouTube videos to puppy pictures on Instagram — have more closely resembled a celebrity influencer than a frontrunner for Tory leader.

Jonathan Dean, an associate professor of politics at Leeds University, says this reflects broader political trends: “Forms of celebrity are increasingly prominent within politics, and that can either take the form of people who were conventional celebrities entering electoral politics, or it can also take the form of politicians trying to ape the publicity and performance traditionally associated with celebrity culture.”

Politicians draw on tactics from the world of celebrity influencers, Dean suggests, partly because they can mask their political views. “A lot of politicians don’t have a particularly coherent or well-thought-through set of ideological commitments or kind of policy ideas. And I think certain forms of celebrations allow them to circumvent that,” he said.

In Sunak’s case, it seems he has been even more successful in influencing journalists than the public. A picture of him working from home in a hoodie became a media frenzy after columnists from Vogue and GQ complimented his looks, which, in turn, spawned mockery on social media. It wasn’t long after that Sunak was being asked how he felt about being described as “Dishy Rishi” in an interview with British digital publisher LADbible. Although Sunak may be the most popular Tory politician among the public, among party members he came second to then foreign secretary and later prime minister Truss.

Burton-Cartledge suggests that this might be because he has not demonstrated the same zeal as Truss for pursuing a “war on woke”. “He is of the same mould as [former prime minister David] Cameron: economically Thatcherite, but socially liberal,” said Burton-Cartledge. “That said, I can’t see him rowing back on the tough rhetoric about migrants in the Channel.”

This is an edited version of an article first published by openDemocracy.

Yet even without any evacuation, experts estimated that no more than about 50 people would die following such an attack, Brill wrote — a “casualty rate that could probably be offset by an antismoking campaign in one or two D.C. office buildings.” But while the casualty and death toll may be limited, dirty bombs could spark considerable panic. That’s why politicians should work to dispel this fear, Brill argued.

DW Jan D Walter

aso-called “dirty bomb” is part of Russia’s latest blow in a global propaganda battle. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has claimed Ukraine wants to deploy one, saying Kyiv plans a false flag operation aimed at discrediting Russia’s armed forces and leadership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several Western governments have dismissed the accusation. In fact, Zelenskyy thinks Moscow itself intends to use dirty bombs. But what are they? Dirty bombs are conventional explosive weapons containing radioactive material, the kind that might be used for ordinary medical radiotherapy, in food conservation or in industry.

NOT ATOMIC: A dirty bomb is “not a nuclear bomb,” said Wolfgang Richter, a retired officer and expert on se-

curity at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, or SWP. “This means there are no nuclear chain reactions, which unleash tremendous explosive force,” he added. Nuclear weapons generate deadly heat and waves of pressure as well as extremely dangerous radiation, which spreads over vast areas through wind and rain. Dirty bombs don’t do most of that.

In fact, dirty bombs are most dangerous during their initial explosion, Richter said. However, in the long run, the radiation emitted can prove hazardous or even lethal, depending on the dosage. The size of the detonation and strength of radiation determines how much territory may be contaminated and even perhaps rendered temporarily uninhabitable.

A TERRORIST WEAPON? Dirty bombs are not new.

Until now, many considered them to be a weapon that mostly terrorists might deploy. In 2003, police seized illegal deliveries of radioactive caesium and strontium in

Tbilisi and Bangkok. Both substances could have been used to build dirty car bombs. Such a bomb, detonated in a densely populated area, would have required a largescale evacuation and costly clean up, another SWP expert, Gebhard Geiger, said at the time.

In September 2016, on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, US lawyer and journalist Steven Brill published an article in The Atlantic asking whether America had become any safer since the New York bombings. He wrote that in 2013 and 2014, radioactive material had been reported lost or stolen 325 times. The real figure, including cases that went undetected or were covered up, could be even higher and Brill accused US politicians of not paying enough attention to this threat.

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT: According to Brill’s research, a dirty bomb detonated by terrorists in central Washington D.C. could contaminate 40 city blocks and require billions to be spent on nuclear decontamination.

NUCLEAR PLANT MELTDOWN: A military-grade dirty bomb could be far more destructive than one made by terrorists though. “You can imagine this being like the radiation emitted during an accident at a nuclear power plant,” SWP expert Richter told DW. “Chernobyl would be an example.” In 1986, one of the reactors at Ukraine’s Chernobyl power plant suffered a meltdown. A 30-kilometer exclusion zone has been in place around the site of the accident since then. Richter thinks it unlikely that Russia would use a dirty bomb though. It would run counter to its major mobilization effort, he said. “Russia is focussed on intensifying the war effort in a conventional way,” he noted.

DIRTY BOMB “NONSENSICAL” Secondly there is also the danger that wind could carry nuclear radiation from the detonation site and harm Russia’s own troops. Lastly, using a dirty bomb would contaminate regions of Ukraine that Russia now considers its own. “That is why I consider the use of such a bomb not only irresponsible but also nonsensical,” Richter said.

Richter sees the main danger of escalation stemming from all the talk about dirty bombs, and from all sides. “Ukraine has suggested launching a preventive strike to counter a nuclear attack by Russia too,” he noted.

This article was originally published in German.

utility stores across country providing subsidy under pM’s relief package: spokesperson

On the special directions of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Utility Stores Corporation is providing subsidies on basic essential commodities for the convenience of the people across the country. These essential commodities include flour, sugar, ghee, pulses and rice. Utility Stores Corporation is making access to this subsidy easier and more transparent.

From November 1, 2022 customers of Utility Stores Corporation will SMS their ID card number to 5566 from their mobile before coming to the utility store and they will be provided with a One-Time Password (OTP) for shopping, and at any utility stores, customers will be able to purchase subsidized items by showing the One-Time Password (OTP) and ID card. pr

russia raising number of authorized pakistani rice exporters: Cheema

MCB registers 35pC inCrease in profit Before tax during Q3-2022

responding period last year.

tHEBoard of Directors of MCB Bank Limited (MCB) in its meeting under the Chairmanship of Mian Mohammad Mansha, on October 26, 2022, reviewed the performance of the Bank and approved the interim financial statements for the nine months period ended September 30, 2022. The Board of Directors has declared a 3rd interim cash dividend of Rs5.0 per share i.e. 50%, in addition to 90% already paid, bringing the total cash dividend for the nine months period ended September 30, 2022 to 140%.

With strong build up in core earnings, MCB’s Profit Before Tax (PBT) for the nine months period ended September 30, 2022 increased to Rs51.6 billion against PBT of Rs38.3 billion of corresponding period last year. On the back of strong overall performance, the Bank reported highest ever quarterly profit before tax of Rs19.05 billlon in Q3 2022. Retrospective application of tax amendments along with higher tax rates for current period enacted through Finance Act, 2022 resulted into 62% average tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 as compared to average tax rate of 41% for the corresponding period last year. Profit After Tax (PAT) registered a decline of 12% from Rs22.6 billion to Rs19.9 billion; translating into Earning Per Share (EPS) of Rs16.75 compared to an EPS of Rs19.03 in cor-

On the back of strong volumetric growth in current account and favourable yield curve movements, net interest income for nine months period ended September 2022 increased by 29% over corresponding period last year. Average current deposits of the Bank registered a growth of Rs. 91.6 billion (+17%) YoY. Non-markup income registered a growth of 41% and reported a base of Rs. 20.25 billion against Rs. 14.38 billion in the corresponding period last year. The contribution from foreign exchange line, debit cards, trade business and home remittances remained strong during the period.

Despite exceptionally high inflation, impact of currency devaluation and continued investments in human resources, branch network and technological upgradation, operating expenses of the Bank were recorded at Rs. 30.52 billion, growing by a modest 16% year on year, while the cost to income ratio significantly improved to 37.3% from 42.5% reported in corresponding period last year.

Proactive monitoring and recovery efforts led to a net provision reversal against non-performing loans (NPLs) which aggregated to Rs. 1,883 million for the period under review. Persistent focus on maintaining a robust risk management framework encompassing structured assessment models, effective pre-disbursement evaluation tools and an array of post disbursement monitoring systems has enabled MCB to effectively manage its credit risk. The

K-Electric Holds 112th Annual General Meeting

KARACHI: K-Electric (KE) held its 112th Annual General Meeting (AGM) for FY 2022. The meeting was chaired by Moonis Alvi – Chief Executive Officer, KE who was authorized to chair this meeting by the Chairman of the Board Mark Skelton. The Chairman and KE Board members were in attendance virtually, while KE leadership was present in person.

KE’s operational performance has shown improvement on the back of sustained investments across the value chain. The company’s transmission and distribution losses improved by 2.2 percentage points, closing at 15.3% in FY22 from

Non-performing loan (NPL) base of the Bank was reported at Rs. 52.47 billion. The Bank has not taken FSV benefit in calculation of specific provision against its NPLs. The coverage and infection ratios of the Bank were reported at 85.14% and 8.37%, respectively.

On the financial position side, the total asset base of the Bank grew by 5.4% and was reported at Rs. 2,076 billion. Gross advances registered a slight decline of Rs. 9 billion (-1%), whereas the consumer lending book grew by Rs. 4.8 billion (+12%).

During the period under review, MCB’s strategic objective of achieving growth in no-cost current account base was reinforced by an uncertain and volatile interest rate scenario, leading to persistent re-pricing gaps between the earning assets and liabilities. Hence, the Bank registered a growth of 21% in non-remunerative deposits to close the period at Rs. 680.33 billion. CASA mix was reported at an industry leading level of 93.73% which reflects customer loyalty earned by the Bank over 75 years through sustained provision of quality services.

MCB attracted home remittance inflows of USD 2,666 million, during the period under review with market share of 11.5% as an active participant in SBP’s cause for improving flow of remittances into the country through banking channels.

During the ongoing year, the Bank celebrates successful completion of 75 years of its banking services to the nation. From modest beginnings, the

Bank has transformed into a dynamic and innovative organization; overcoming a multitude of challenges along the way with resolve and fortitude. Recognition by the globally coveted Asia Money awards as ‘Pakistan’s Best Corporate Bank of the Year’ in 2022 is a testament to its legacy of posting consistent and exceptional performance for its stakeholders.

While complying with the regulatory capital requirements, the Bank’s total Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) is 17.6% against the requirement of 11.5% (including capital conservation buffer of 1.50% as reduced under the BPRD Circular Letter No. 12 of 2020). Quality of the capital is evident from Bank’s Common Equity Tier-1 (CET1) to total risk weighted assets ratio which comes to 16.47% against the requirement of 6%.

Bank’s capitalization also resulted in a Leverage Ratio of 5.62% which is well above the regulatory limit of 3.0%. The Bank reported Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) of 203.85% and Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR) of 134.66% against requirement of 100%.

Pakistan Credit Rating Agency reaffirmed credit ratings of MCB at “AAA / A1+” for long term and short term respectively, through its notification dated June 23, 2022.

The Bank on consolidated basis is operating the 2nd largest network of more than 1,600 branches in Pakistan and remains one of the prime stocks traded in the Pakistani equity market, with 2nd highest market capitalization in the industry.

HBL profit up 20pc, with focus on support to real economy

17.5% in the previous fiscal year. This reduction also beat the target of 15.95% set by the regulator which is a noteworthy achievement. With capacity enhancement initiatives across the power value chain, KE was able to dispatch almost 20 billion units (19,800 GWh) of electricity to homes, offices, and industries across Karachi. In parallel, efforts to inculcate a culture of regular bill payments and engagement with community representatives improved recovery ratios for the company by 1.8 percentage points. Over 200,000 new customers have been added to the network taking KE’s customer base to 3.4 million. pr

islamabad: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema met a Russian delegation at his office today. Both sides discussed prospects of cooperation and partnership in the agriculture sector. The delegation included Prodintorg Representatives Yousuf Asif and Hamid Ali, Agriculture Attaché Aleksei Kudriavtsev and Attaché Russian Embassy Alexander.

Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema welcomed the delegation and said that the agriculture sector has suffered colossal losses because of the recent rains and floods, the real assessment is still awaited. He stressed that the international community should help Pakistan in the rehabilitation and recovery phase. He said that his government is making every effort to support the affected farmer community.

Prodintorg Representative Yousuf Asif said that Pakistan and Russia can mutually benefit from enhancing trade cooperation in agriculture. He noted Russia is one the largest global exporters of wheat and can help Pakistan to meet the local demand of wheat under the Governmentto-Government (G2G) framework. pr

Hamdard Pakistan, System Ltd ink contract to develop e-commerce platform

KARACHI: Hamdard Pakistan and Systems Limited signed a contract on Tuesday to develop a state-of-the-art e-commerce platform for Hamdard’s products in an auspicious signing ceremony held at Hamdard Corporate Head Office. Fatema Munir Ahmed, MD & CEO, HP, and Asif Peer, CEO - Systems Limited, signed the agreement. Ms Sadia Rashid, President Hamdard Group , and the management of HP also attended the ceremony.Speaking on the occasion, Dr Arshad Saleem, Chief Operating Officer, HP said: “I am delighted with our new partnership with Systems Limited. Hamdard always strives for

transforming and integrating its operations and delivery systems with the latest technologies. The new gateway platform will be a one-stop shop where Hamdard’s OTC products will be available to consumers. This project will be completed in January next year.”Earlier in opening remarks, Syed Faizullah Jawad, Director Marketing HP, welcomed the guests and said Hamdard Pakistan had been actively expanding its delivery system to further facilitate its consumer base. Later Ms Sadia Rashid cut the cake with Asif Peer and presented him with an acknowledgment shield on behalf of Hamdard. pr

Karachi: HBL today declared a consolidated profit before tax of Rs 55.6 billion for the first nine months of 2022, an increase of 20% over the same period last year. Along with the results, the Bank declared an interim dividend of Rs 1.50 per share (15%), taking the total payout for 9M’22 to Rs 5.25 per share. Profit after tax, however, declined by 12% to Rs 23.6 billion due to higher, excessive, and retrospectively applied taxation introduced in the Federal Budget which impacted EPS by Rs 6.42/share. The Bank’s earnings per share of Rs 15.95 is thus lower than the EPS of Rs 18.21 in the same period last year.

HBL’s balance sheet grew by 5% to Rs 4.5 trillion with total deposits at Rs 3.4 trillion. The Bank grew its total advances by 14% to Rs 1.7 trillion. The Bank’s leading consumer portfolio of Rs 120 billion is 17% higher than in December 2021, and lending to the agriculture sector achieved another all-time high of Rs 45 billion, an impressive growth of 14%; HBL’s Commercial lending portfolio also crossed a milestone of Rs 100 billion. HBL Microfinance increased loans by 36%, underlining the Bank’s progress on its financial inclusion objectives. HBL’s total revenue grew by 23% over the nine months of 2021 to cross Rs 150 billion. Net interest income increased by 19% to Rs 116 billion as the average balance sheet increased by Rs 564 billion. Non-fund income outperformed expectations, increasing by 38% to Rs 35.6 billion. This was largely driven by an exceptional growth of 27% in fees and commissions, led by HBL’s flagship Cards business with strong contributions from consumer finance, trade, and branchless banking activities. pr

A quarter century plight of people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir

MuhaMMad Jahanzaib akMal AssistAnt professor, BAhAuddin ZAkriA university

Each year 27th October poses a serious question on effectiveness of International Organizations (IOs), Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) to make a headway for bringing peace and stability in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).

Over the quarter century, this has been the sad saga of multifaceted atrocities at the hand of Indian authorities and an unflinching commitment of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir

(IIOJK) for preserving their right of ‘selfdetermination.’ This is sad but true, that four generations of Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOK) have steadfastly endured the challenges, and till the date their plight is still unattended by the custodians of global rhetoric of ‘freedom of speech’, ‘right to life’, and ‘right to organize.’

Despite of the fact that right after its outset back in 1947 the case of IIOJK could have been taken as a test case to validate the claims of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that it represents a forum that will make peace cheap and war costly. To the contrary; both its commitment to be representative forum for ‘amicable settlement of disputes’ and its subsequent resolution

47(1948) remains ineffective.

The precarity of IIOJK as considered to be ‘the most dangerous place on the earth’ and declaration of ‘nuclear flashpoint’ by former US President Jimmy Carter, and criminal look-over of the US policy makers’ vis-à-vis India is quite deplorable. Particularly, in recent past the personified criminal tactics employed by Modi Sarkar invites immediate international attention. The deplorable manifestation of Indian polity is not a secret to the world community in IIOJK in the face of annulment of Article 370. This led to series of blatant abuse of basic human rights and state forced prolonged shut-downs throughout the IIOJK.

Even though, the determinant support at

international level both in terms of major power’s response and international opinion maker’s coverage remains far more less than its ideal standpoint, but the Kashmiris throughout the world and Government of Pakistan has been instrumental in terms of keeping the issue alive.

In recent past, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan Mr. Bilwal Bhutto has played significant role by drawing attention of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres along with German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, to sensitize the world about IIOJK. In the same manner, US Ambassador to Pakistan Mr. Donald Blome has recently visited Azad Jamu and Kashmir. This newly infused energy to cause of Kashmir by Pak-

istani authorities needs a sustained effort at bilateral, regional, and international level. This will be safe to conclude, that South Asia represents the 1/3rd population as well as two nuclear capable countries India and Pakistan, and peaceful resolution of Indian IIOJK issue is at the heart of sustainable future of the region and world at large. If this issue still remains unsolved it poses a challenge of the same magnitude, with the reminder that India has been entangled in irresponsible manner along China on the adjoining areas, so far the potential of an aggrandized outburst is hard to be dismissed. So far, the sooner the better will be the prudent way out by all stakeholders to settle this issue!

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi exchanging views with H.E Mr Jemal Beker Abdula Ambassador of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Pakistan at Naval Headquarters Islamabad. pr

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Agha Hassan Baloch distributes cheque to principal of an educational institution for development of stem fab lab. Stem in Pakistan phase-1 launched under PSDP in Islamabad. pr

MIdterM electIons outlook dArkens for BIden’s WhIte house

WASHINGTON Agencies

tHeWhite House has lowered its earlier optimism about the midterm elections and is now worried that Democrats could lose control of both chambers of Congress, administration officials say.

Recent polls have shown Democrats who once had comfortable leads in some Senate races on a knife’s edge, and Senate elections that were considered toss-ups between the two parties now leaning Republican as high inflation persists.

The House of Representatives, which Biden and some allies and advisers predicted Democrats could hold earlier this year, is decisively swinging for Republicans, polling analysts including FiveThirtyeight say.

Losing control of one or both houses of Congress will profoundly shape the next two years of Joe Biden’s presidency, with Republicans expected to block legislation on family leave, abortion, policing and other Biden priorities while pushing new laws to curb immigration and spending, using the debt ceiling as leverage.

Republicans are also expected to launch investigations into Democratic spending and the business dealings and private life of the president’s son Hunter. Some lawmakers say they hope

to impeach Biden, his cabinet members or Vice President Kamala Harris.

One person familiar with the thinking inside the White House said Democratic chances of keeping control of the Senate were seen as 50-50.

Biden predicted in May that his fellow Democrats would make gains in both the House and Senate, but he acknowledged last week that the race has tightened. “It’s been back and forth with them ahead, us ahead, them ahead,” Biden said, adding the polls were “all over the place,” and that he thought they would swing towards Democrats one more time before Nov. 8’s elections.

The White House, while realistic, has stuck publicly to that mes-

sage of hope.

“The president and his advisers feel that we have a strong shot at keeping both chambers and are focused on doing all they can to capitalize on how much Republicans are playing into our hands – including by saying their top priority is to worsen inflation with a tax giveaway to the wealthy,” one Biden adviser said in response to Reuters’ reporting.

Former and current advisers say the White House is preparing for any obstruction or probes that could be coming.

“The White House is clear-eyed for what Republican control could look like,” said eric Schultz, a Democratic strategist with close ties to the White House. “It’s not a mystery

where Republicans will go with this if given the gavel.”

The White House earlier this year hired white collar defense lawyer Richard Sauber as special counsel to prepare for any investigations, but additional hires and staff shifts are on hold until the election results are in, the person familiar with the situation said. Internal divisions in the Republican Party mean those lawmakers may struggle with what to focus on, this source added.

Driving the recent re-think: the durability of inflation concerns among key voting groups, and trouble fighting Republicans’ message across several campaigns that Democrats’ support for criminal justice and policing reform means they are soft on crime, administration officials said.

Legislative wins from June and an August vote in Kansas rejecting efforts to remove abortion protections from the state’s constitution led Democrats to believe voters were rejecting Republican policy priorities.

But some hopes were dashed earlier this month by a higher-than-expected inflation figure and many polls showing inflation is still voters’ top concern.

White House officials and Democratic strategists Reuters spoke to acknowledge the overall shift from midterms optimism, but were not ready to give up.

Iran tensions rise in protests ahead of Mahsa Amini ceremony

TEHRAN AFP

Iranian students protested Tuesday at multiple universities, defying a bloody crackdown as tensions mount on the eve of planned ceremonies marking 40 days since Mahsa Amini’s death. “A student may die but will not accept humiliation,” they chanted at the Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, in an online video verified by AFP. Young women and schoolgirls have been at the forefront of protests sparked by Amini’s death last month, after her arrest for an alleged breach of the republic’s strict dress code for women. The 22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin died three days after being taken into custody by the notorious morality police on September 13 while visiting Tehran with her younger brother.

Activists said the security services had warned Amini’s family against holding a ceremony and not to ask people to visit her grave Wednesday in Kurdistan province, otherwise “they should worry for their son’s life”.

Wednesday marks 40 days since Amini’s death and the end of the traditional mourning period in Iran.

State news agency IRNA published a statement it said was from the family, saying that “considering the circumstances and in order to avoid any unfortunate problem, we will not hold a ceremony marking the 40th day”.

Activists said the statement was made under pressure and that tributes were nonetheless expected at Amini’s grave.

‘Attacked, strip-searched, beaten’ Online videos showed students protesting Tuesday at Beheshti University and the Khaje Nasir Toosi University of Technology, both in Tehran, as well as the Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz.

The fresh demonstrations came after activists accused security forces of beating schoolgirls at the Shahid Sadr girls vocational school in Tehran on Monday.

“Students of the Sadr high school in Tehran have been attacked, strip-searched and beaten up,” said the 1500tasvir social media channel.

Australia admits cyber defences ‘inadequate’ as medical hack hits millions

SYDNEY: Hackers accessed millions of medical records at one of Australia’s largest private health insurers, the company said Wednesday, prompting the government to admit the nation’s cyber safeguards were “inadequate”. This was the latest in a series of hacks targeting millions of people that have brought Australian companies’ lax approach to cyber security into sharp relief. Medibank chief executive David Koczkar said information about each of the company’s 3.9 million policyholders — some 15 percent of Australia’s population — had been compromised. “Our investigation has now established that this criminal has accessed all our private health insurance customers’ personal data and significant amounts of their health claims data,” he said in a statement to the Australian stock exchange. “This is a terrible crime. This is a crime designed to cause maximum harm to the most vulnerable members of our community.”

PakiStan gearS uP to bag heavy WinS againSt ZimbabWe, netherLandS

100% fit yet, his rehab work is going on.

PAKISTANmen’s cricket team has prepared a big plan against Zimbabwe and the Netherlands as they aim to bag heavy wins in the next two games of the T20 World Cup. The Men in Green will play Zimbabwe and the Netherlands on October 27 and 30 at Optus Stadium in Perth. The focus will also be on improving the run rate with the four available points in the next two matches.

The series of exercises to compensate for the defeat in the opening match by India is going on. Perth’s weather is pleasant, with a cool breeze, with no rain forecast for the next few days.

On Tuesday, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan practiced on a marble slab to encounter pacy balls.

On the other hand, Pakistani team management hesitates to play cricketers with incomplete fitness. Batter Fakhar Zaman trained with his colleagues, but he is not

Shaheen Shah Afridi was also seen bowling with intensity, but some questions are being raised about his fitness, a decision still needs to be taken to rest him against weak opposition. If he is rested, Mohammad Wasim Jr will likely replace him. According to the details, the Pakistani team which India defeated in the knockout round

Meanwhile, the form of Asif Ali and Haider Ali is a concern for the team management. Iftikhar Ahmed was seen playing some unconventional strokes including reverse sweep.

Team mentor Matthew Hayden and batting coach Muhammad Yousuf kept advising while evaluating the performance of the batters. Hasnain also looked in full rhythm while spinners Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz tried to adapt themselves to the new conditions, Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah also tried their hand at slow bowling, head coach Saqlain Mushtaq was seen guiding them.

‘Heartbroken’ Pakistan still reeling from India loss, says Iftikhar

Melbourne AFP

Iftikhar Ahmed admitted on Wednesday his side were “heartbroken” and still hurting from their agonising opening defeat to archrivals India at the T20 World Cup.

An epic 82 not out from Virat Kohli powered India to a stunning last-ball win on Sunday in front of a frenzied crowd of more than 90,000 at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Pakistan have little room left for further error when they play Zimbabwe in Perth on Thursday, in a game they will be expected to win.

“The hurt remains after losing such a big match. We were heartbroken,” said middleorder batsman Iftikhar, who hit 51 in Pakistan’s 159-8, but it turned out to be just not quite enough.

Iftikhar said that morale was high despite the lingering heartache and praised skipper Babar Azam for his handling of the team in the aftermath of the India loss. A video of Azam’s pep talk to his broken side went viral.

“We have to learn from our mistakes. Don’t fall, the tournament has just begun. We have lost as a team and will win as a

team,” Azam said in the widely watched video footage.

“The way Babar and the management supported the players, it was good. Babar and coaches told us that ‘it was not our last game, everybody put in the effort’,” Iftikhar said on Wednesday.

“So our morale is high.”

Pakistan will be strongly fancied to beat Zimbabwe — who are ranked 11 in the world to Pakistan’s three — and belatedly get their World Cup going.

Pakistan need a victory for their confidence too.

“Zimbabwe is an international team and we have to play strong against them like any other team,” said the 32-year-old Iftikhar.

“Important to play well and keep up the confidence. The players are hungry to perform.”

Pace bowler Haris Rauf bowled well at the MCG until he was hit for two successive sixes by Kohli in a game-changing moment at the end of the 19th over.

“The Australian pitches are fast and bouncy and we have prepared for that,” said Iftikhar. “Haris is our main strike bowler and we expect him to bowl better here and win it for Pakistan.”

South Africa to target Bangladesh top order in Sydney

us, so we’re very cognisant of that fact so we’ll definitely be targeting their top order,” he told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

Lungi Ngidi says South Africa will be looking to blast Bangladesh off the park with the pace at the T20 World Cup on Thursday, targeting the top order, in particular, to “cut the head off the snake”.

The Proteas lost a home one-day international series to Bangladesh in March and Ngidi, a key member of South Africa’s pace unit, said he and his teammates had learned some lessons from that reverse.

“Their batsmen came out pretty aggressively against

“As the bowling unit, we’re definitely looking to cut the head off the snake, take out their top order and restrict them to as low a total as possible.

“They outplayed us (in March), it’s that simple. But tomorrow, it’s a new day and we shall see what happens.” South Africa can ill-afford any slip-ups at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday after their first Group 2 match against Zimbabwe was abandoned because of rain, leaving both sides with a single point.

Ngidi, who took 2-20 in what play was possible in Hobart, said that while the rain-disruption had been a setback it could have been worse. “Everyone’s talking about it in a negative sense, but there was a chance we might not get out on the field,” he added. “It’s one point more than we had at this stage in the last tournament. From here on in, we have to win all of our games, it’s as simple as that.” Unfortunately, rain is also forecast for the Sydney area on Thursday.

“You control what you can,” said Ngidi. “We’ve just got a bit of bad luck, to be honest. We’ll just get here and be ready to play.”

Sri Lanka coach Silverwood not giving up on World Cup semi-final spot

PerTH ReuteRs

Sri Lanka’s hopes of reaching the T20 World Cup semi-finals suffered a major blow with Tuesday’s defeat by Australia but coach Chris Silverwood remains optimistic the former champions can make it out of the group stage. Rubbing salt into Sri Lankan wounds, seamer Binura Fernando was unable to complete the opening over and left the field with a hamstring issue. “I truly believe that we can not only challenge in this group but come out victorious, as well,” Silverwood told reporters after their seven-wicket defeat by the defending champions. “I think we’ve shown that we have the capabilities, and I think we’ve shown that we have the skills within the group, and I think if we play to our potential, we can run anybody close.” Sri Lanka, who beat Ireland in their Super 12 opener, are still to face former champions England and last year’s runners-up New Zealand as they look to secure one of the top two spots in the group. With the Black Caps up next on Saturday, Silverwood has decisions to make over a pace attack that had already lost Dilshan Madushanka and Dushmantha Chameera to injury before the Fernando setback. “Obviously we’re having a bit of bad luck around injuries at the moment, especially in the pace stock,” former England coach Silverwood said. “We’ll obviously assess him (Fernando). The physio is working with him now and the doctor, so we’ll find out exactly the extent of injury to start with and we’ll have to make some decisions from there.”

Ireland shock England as New Zealand suffer T20 World Cup washout

Melbourne Agencies

Ireland and rain had a major impact on the T20 World Cup Wednesday as England suffered a shock defeat and New Zealand were denied the chance to take advantage when their match with Afghanistan was washed out.

Captain Andy Balbirnie led the way for Ireland with 62 from 47 balls at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to give England a 158-run target.

But England’s much-vaunted batting line-up struggled to get

going in the face of some disciplined Ireland swing bowling and were reduced to 29-3 off the first five overs. A late Moeen Ali boundary flurry (24 off 12 balls) took England to 105-5 off 14.3 overs when the rain ended play.

England were five runs behind on the DLS scoring method, handing Ireland a famous victory.

“It’s amazing, kind of emotional,” said man-of-the-match Balbirnie. “Our message was to just create chances and we know how this England team like to play, if we take every chance then we would be in with a shot.

“This will do a lot to grow the game back home.”

The rain stayed around for the rest of the night and, after several aborted attempts to start the second match of the MCG double-header, New Zealand and Afghanistan had to make do with a point each without a ball being bowled.

It leaves New Zealand top of a wide open Group 1 with three points after two rounds of matches.

Sri Lanka, England, Ireland and Australia are locked together on two points with Afghanistan bottom on one. It was Ireland’s second massive upset of the tournament after

they beat the West Indies in the first round to send the two-time champions home.

England, who enjoyed an opening five-wicket win over Afghanistan, are among the title favourites and were heavily-fancied to beat the Irish.

Captain Jos Buttler had no excuses and said England needed to feel the pain of defeat after their dismal performance.

He demanded a reaction for their next clash — a blockbuster against hosts and defending champions Australia in Melbourne on Friday.

AgencieS

SYDneY ReuteRs

TeAM conSTiTuTed To inveSTigATe ShArif ASSASSinATion

Staff RepoRt

ACTINGon the orders it received from the office of the prime minister, the Ministry of Interior has constituted a two-person team to “ascertain the facts” related to the ghastly murder of anchorperson and outspoken government critic Arshad Sharif in Kenya.

The team includes Omar Shahid Hamid, deputy director general of Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Athar Wahid, director of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Initially included, a third member — Lt. Col. Saad Ahmed of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency — was removed, without any justification, hours after the notification emerged on the Internet.

Sharif was killed Sunday night when the car he was in sped up and

drove through a checkpoint outside the Kenyan capital of Nairobi and police opened fire. Nairobi police expressed regret over the incident, claiming it was a case of “mistaken identity” during a search for a similar car involved in a child abduction case.

Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan tweeted the team will “immediately” depart for Kenya to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and will submit a report to his department. The Foreign Office and Pakistan’s High Commission in Nairobi would facilitate the probe.

He, however, did not specify a timeframe for the team to complete the investigation. Surprisingly, the team will also look into the “role of a person connected to a private TV station in Pakistan in the gold smuggling business in Kenya”, in a thinly-veiled reference to Salman Iqbal, chief executive officer

Arshad Sharif autopsy: Medical Board prepares initial report today

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

An eight-member medical board will prepare the preliminary report on post-mortem of senior journalist Arshad Sharif, who was shot dead in Kenya.

According to details, the medical board would prepare a preliminary report on test results and autopsy outcomes on Thursday (today). According to officials sources, the eight-member medical board of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) would meet to discuss the post-mortem of the slain journalist on Thursday (today).

The board will discuss the important points of an autopsy report, X-rays, and CT scan report, the sources informed. The board has also decided to conduct forensic test of Arshad Sharif’s body parts, they added. Earlier, the postmortem of senior journalist and former anchorperson Arshad Sharif was completed at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital. An eight-member medical board, consisting of senior doctors, carried out the post-mortem. Arshad Sharif’s first post-mortem was carried out in Nairobi after he was killed in Kenya. His funeral prayer will be offered at Faisal Masjid and Sharif will be laid to rest in Islamabad on Thursday. Meanwhile, the federal government has reshuffled the number of a high-level investigation team from three to two, which was formed to ascertain the facts related to the murder of senior journalist and former anchorperson.

(CEO) of ARY News where Sharif last worked, whose family once dealt in the commodity, Express News reported.

Maryam Nawaz, vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has in the past accused Iqbal of being a “gold smuggler”.

“ARY owner Salman Iqbal […] a close friend of Imran Khan […] is a gold smuggler […] and the former prime minister gave him a benefit of up to Rs40 billion [while in office],” she claimed, without offering any evidence, in May, a month after her party came to power. According to its mandate, the investigation team will also examine the “reasons and motivations” which compelled Sharif to flee Pakistan, first to Dubai and then to Kenya.

Pointing to the “confession” of former prime minister Khan, who has claimed knowledge of a plot to kill Sharif on basis of which he said he ad-

vised the journalist to temporarily leave the country, the statement said the team will also examine the factors that forced Sharif to travel abroad.

Responding to the development, Shireen Mazari, a Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI) MP, claimed “Waheed had as [Superintendent of Police in] Gujranwala in 2009 openly proclaimed affiliation with Nawaz Sharif.”

“Why is he leading this team [because] one element of the probe would be the documentary Arshad was associated with on [Nawaz] Sharif’s corruption,” she said. “Sharifs [and] their cabal of crooks can never do anything honest.”

Meanwhile, the slain reporter’s body was received at Islamabad airport by his family, friends and a crowd of hundreds of well-wishers just after midnight Wednesday before being shifted to the morgue at a private hospital in Rawalpindi.

Imran playing dangerous game by using Arshad Sharif’s killing for petty politics: PM

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that Imran Khan was playing a “dangerous game” by using senior journalist Arshad Sharif’s killing for petty politics and casting aspersions on the state institutions.

“Imran Niazi is playing a dangerous game. He is using tragic killing of Arshad Sharif for petty politics and going to the extent of casting aspersions on state institutions,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter, prior to concluding his visit to Saudi Arabia where he attended an investment summit, offered Umrah and paid respects at Roza-e-Rasool (Peace Be Upon Him).

The prime minister urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan to be patient and wait for findings of Judicial Commission instead of resorting to the baseless allegations.

On Tuesday, the prime minister had decided that Arshad Sharif’s killing in Kenya would be probed by a high level judicial commission for what the government would request the Islamabad High Court to designate a judge for the purpose.

He also assured the nation for a transparent

probe into the tragic incident and bringing forth the facts to the nation.

Earlier in the day, acting on the directives received from the office of the prime minister, the Ministry of Interior constituted a two-person team to “ascertain the facts” related to the ghastly murder of anchorperson and outspoken government critic Arshad Sharif in Kenya.

The team includes Omar Shahid Hamid, deputy director general of Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Athar Wahid, director of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had on Tuesday announced formation of a judicial commission (JC) for an independent judicial investigation into the assassination of Arshad Sharif, an outspoken and professional journalist who was shot and killed by Nairobi police in Kenya on Sunday, and promised to share findings of the investigation with the public.

“I have decided to form a judicial commission to carry out a thorough inquiry into the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif to determine and reveal the facts surrounding the tragic incident in a transparent [and] conclusive manner,” Shehbaz Sharif tweeted.

govt to call in army for dealing with PTi’s long march: rana Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Wednesday said that the federal government would call in the armed forces — including the Pakistan Army and rangers — to deal with the participants of the Long March. Speaking during a private channel talk show, Sanaullah said that the government will take PTI’s long march and its participants head-on by taking all possible security measures for the maintenance of law and order. “Yes, surely we will call the army under Article 245 [of the Constitution]. We will also call the rangers. Police and FC will form the first line [of defence] and they will be armed with tear gas [shells] and rubber bullets to control the mob. And if any weakness appears anywhere, the rangers and the army will be there to support,” Sanaullah shared. The interior minister resolved to defeat the party at all costs. “Because the success of this gang, God forbid, means the defeat of Pakistan,” he remarked. Sanaullah also hinted at arresting the PTI chief and added that help from PML-N workers may also be sought if chaos ensues amid the protests. “We will go to the last mile. If he could bring people from the entire country, we too can call people from the entire country,” he said, claiming that the number of protestors with Khan would not be over 15,000.

PM Shehbaz to embark upon landmark china visit on november 1

ISLAMABAD Special coRReSpondent

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will embark upon a twoday state visit to China on November 1 at the invitation of China’s Premier Li Keqiang. The announcement was made by both the friendly countries on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will also accompany him, it added. This will be Sharif’s maiden state visit to China since assuming office in April and follows his meeting with President Xi Jinping on September 16 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Uzbekistan. The prime minister will be among the first leaders to visit Beijing following the historic 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the founding and sole ruling party of China. Foreign Office said: “The prime minister’s visit represents the continuity of frequent leadership level exchanges between Pakistan and China.” During his stay, Sharif will call on Jinping and hold delegation-level talks with Keqiang. The two nations will review the “all-weather strategic cooperation and partnership” and exchange views on regional and global developments. “The visit is also expected to advance the wide-ranging bilateral cooperation agenda with the conclusion of a number of MoUs/agreements in diverse areas, and consolidate the momentum of CPEC cooperation in the wake of the 11th meeting of the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) on October 27,” the Foreign Office said.