Epaper_22-11-02 ISB

BEIJING staff report

Primeminister Shehbaz Sharif on tuesday landed in Chinese capital on his first state visit to the friendly nation after assuming office in april, where he will meet Chinese President Xi jin-

ping, just a week after he was reelected as the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and became the most powerful Chinese leader since mao Zedong. upon arrival at beijing airport, senior Chinese officials warmly received the prime minister who was given a red-carpet welcome. the prime minister will meet Chinese Presi-

dent Xi jinping and Premier li keqiang during the visit among others. he is among the first leaders to visit China following the historic 20th national Congress of the Communist Party (CPC) of China that reelected Xi jinping as general secretary of the party.

Prime minister Shehbaz is also scheduled to meet Chinese investors and Pakistani businessmen. during the visit, Pakistan and China are set to seal deals for long-awaited ml-i, kCr railway projects, among others.

the visit is expected to advance the wideranging 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) held on october 27, 2022. the foreign office said it would be a twoday trip, being undertaken at the invitation of Sharif’s Chinese counterpart li keqiang, and that Sharif would be joined by foreign minister bilawal bhutto-Zardari and high-ranking officials of his administration. “my discussions with Chinese leadership will focus on the revitalisation of CPeC among many other things. the second phase of CPeC promises to usher in a new era of socio-economic progress that will uplift the quality of our people’s lives.

Second highest in 47 years as inflation surges to 26.66pc in Oct

with rising energy prices, the inflation in Pakistan crossed 26% in october on a year-on-year basis after recording a marginal drop in the previous month, the fresh data released by Pakistan bureau of Statistics (PbS) revealed on tuesday. the 26.66 percent inflation

recorded in october, according to sources, the second highest one in the past 47 years as the same number was recorded in 1974. in june 2022, the inflation reading had crossed the 20% mark, surging to an over 47-year high level of 27.3% in august 2022 on a year-on-year (yoy) basis.

Compared to october last year, when the index was

recorded at 9.2%, this year, inflation made a significant jump in october to reach 26.6%. as per the data on a month-on-month (mom) basis, the Consumer Price index (CPi)-based inflation in october 2022 jumped by 4.7% as compared to a decrease of 1.2% in the previous month.

“CPi inflation general, increased to 26.6% on a year-on-

year basis in oct 2022 as compared to an increase of 23.2% in the previous month and 9.2% in oct 2021,” said the PbS. in june 2022, the inflation reading had crossed the 20% mark, surging to an over 47-year high level of 27.3% in august 2022 on a year-on-year (yoy) basis. the inflation reading comes as per market expectations. as per the PbS, CPi inflation in urban areas clocked in at 24.6% on a year-on-year basis in oct 2022 as compared to an increase of 21.2% in the previous month and 9.6% in oct 2021.

Imran urges CJP to probe torture on Senator Swati,

Pti chairman imran again demanded justice from the Chief justice of Pakistan (CjP) for the torture inflicted on Pti leaders Shahbaz gill and Senator azam Swati.

“we will never forget it. the nation will never forget,” he said in an address to a huge rally of Pti supporters here in gujranwala on his day-5 of the long march.

“and what they did with arshad Sharif […] he told me who was threatening him. Chief justice sahab you should take interest in this yourself. arshad Sharif is first sent outside and then he is killed. i am asking you today. if you [CjP] and the judiciary don’t stand for us, then who will,” imran argued.

Pti chief imran khan has said that the swelling number of people joining Pti’s long march towards islamabad was a “clear message” in support of the haqeeqi azadi.

firing broadsides at interior minister rana Sanaullah, Pti chief imran khan said that the Pml-n leader’s “time was up now”. “there isn’t more time left now. i know you are sweating now […] Sanaullah, when you and Shehbaz Sharif […] these rats are threatening us,” said khan.

“listen to me, when we reach islamabad […] listen to me Sanaullah […] when we reach islamabad […] the police you are spending millions on will join us because they too are against thieves,” he said.

Pti chairman imran khan, in an address to supporters in gujranwala on tuesday, said that the city had broken “lahore’s record today”.

“gujranwala, this time won’t come back. i want all of you to participate in this revolution. when i reach islamabad, i will give a call to the entire country to reach islamabad”. imran said that his nation won’t bow down in front of anyone, nor would be scared of anyone.

former prime minister imran khan has alleged that news channels in Pakistan were being forced to stop their transmissions on the Pti’s long march towards islamabad.

ISLAMABAD

Ghulam abbas

GUJRANWALA staff report

CCP SeNSItIzeS buSINeSSMeN tO IMPORtANCe OF LAw

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

ATEAMof the Competition Commission of Pakistan visited the Korangi Association of Trade & Industry (KATI) for an advocacy session as part of its initiative to create awareness regarding the law and reach out to the business community for understanding their relevant concerns.

officers addressed the session, which was attended by KATI President Farazur Rehman, Senior vice president, Nighat Awan, Vice President Muslim S. Mohamedi and other member participants.

While addressing the session, the Chairperson emphasized the need for businesses to understand that competition is pro-business and undertakings carrying out economic activities must recognise the importance of competition and fair play.

Businesses need to reach out to CCP where they experience anti-competitive behaviour and are confronted with policy distortions

OGRA jacks up LPG price by Rs2 per KG for November

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Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has increased liquefied petroleum gas (LPG price by Rs 2 per kilogram (KG) for the month of November 2022 and issued a notification in this regard. OGRA on 1st November 2022 issued a notification of LPG price hike for the ongoing month (November) under which the price of 11.8 KG domestic cylinder has gone up by Rs 35 while the price of a commercial cylinder increased by Rs 134. According to OGRA notification, LPG will now be available at Rs 204 per KG and each domestic cylinder will be available at Rs 2409 and commercial cylinder will be available at Rs 9269 with effect to current hike in the LPG price for the month of November. Previously, LPG was available at Rs 202/KG and domestic cylinder was available at Rs 2374 and commercial cylinder was available at Rs 9235 during the month of October. Chairman LPG Industries Association Irfan Khokhar said that the country is already facing a severe natural gas supply crisis. He said that the insane policies of the government coupled with high number of taxes have put a negative impact on LPG industry. He said the LPG distributors have been paying over Rs.6 billion per annum under the head taxes. The government should waive off taxes in order to ensure provision of cheap LPG to the consumers during winter season, said Irfan Khokhar.

Addressing scourge of terrorism key to SCO’s vision of shared prosperity: FM

BEIJING, CHINA aGencieS

Reflecting on the importance of achieving lasting peace and security in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) region for economic development, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday stressed the need for addressing the scourge of terrorism in all its manifestations, including state terrorism. He also underlined the importance of sustained and practical engagement with Afghanistan in order to help the Afghan people overcome the humanitarian and economic crises afflicting their country. Addressing at the 21st Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Government Meeting in Beijing, the Pakistan foreign minister said the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative would build greater connectivity across SCO region and help unlock the political and economic potential of intra-SCO cooperation. He said ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was significant in supplementing the vision of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, aimed at ensuring shared prosperity through regional connectivity and integration. The meeting was virtually hosted by China, as the current Chair of the SCO-CHG. The heads of government of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as representatives from SCO Observer States attended the meeting.

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Entrepreneurs are getting increasingly pessimistic about the conditions of their businesses owing to the country’s political and economic situation.

According to a Gallup Pakistan survey conducted in the last quarter of 2022 for the Gallup Business Confidence Index, 65 percent of business owners believe their businesses are faced with worst conditions.

Industrial machines businesses are doing the best out of all types of businesses, with 75 percent of them believing that conditions are good. Cloth and garment shops are experiencing the worst level of confidence, with 81

for the CCP to take remedial measures. The Chairperson added that CCP believes in enforcement without fear and favour, which it has demonstrated in its decisions across different sectors of the economy. Despite several constraints and challenges since its inception in 2007, CCP has enforced the law in letter and spirit. However, the impact of CCP’s decisions will be visible to the consumers once the cartel cases are judicially reviewed on merit.

A presentation on Competition Act was given by CCP explaining the role and powers of the CCP and guiding them on

how to file a complaint with CCP regarding the four enforcement pillars along with the policy review and advocacy mandate under the Competition Act. In this regard, it was shared that the CCP has undertaken a record number of enforcement actions including the conclusion of 37 enquiries, initiation of 38 new enquiries and issuance of 15 orders against 134 undertakings imposing an aggregate penalty of approximately Rs. 45 billion during the last two years.

The participants were further informed that the major sectors where these

enforcement actions were taken include cement, pulses, tractor, sugar, poultry, power, and milk. Moreover, during some of the enquiries, CCP has also conducted over 20 search and inspections in oil, sugar, cement, poultry feed, poultry, vanaspati, tractor, transport, and power sectors.

On this occasion, KATI President briefed on the role and activities of the association. He said that KATI represents over 5000 industrial, commercial, and service concerns operating in the Korangi Industrial Area (KIA), providing employment to roughly 1.5 million workers.

Pak delegation set to visit Saudia to seal oil refinery deal

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An eight-member Pakistani delegation is set to pay visit to Saudi Arabia in the near future in order to discuss and finalize a new refinery project prior to the likely visit of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS) to Pakistan in November, 2022.

Sources in petroleum division informed Pakistan Today that the finance division has asked the petroleum division to give details of TA/DA in respect of the delegation for the said visit including the foreign exchange component which is mandatory requirement as per para 7 of the Cabinet Division instructions on visits abroad dated 26-10-20218. Similarly, the finance division has sought from the petroleum division to provide details of previous visit(s) abroad undertaken by the members of the delegation during the

last 12 months, sources added.

“Pakistani delegation will visit Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in the near future and this delegation during this visit will meet with Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi officials of energy ministry, officials of Saudi Aramco etc mainly to discuss and finalize a multibillion-dollar deal for an oil refinery project ahead of Saudi Crown Prince’s likely trip to Pakistan in November, 2022,” said the sources.

The sources said an eight member Pakistani delegation headed by Minister of State, Petroleum Division, Dr Mussadik Malik is set to visit to Saudi Arabia in the near future in order to discuss and finalize a multi-billion-dollar deal for an oil refinery project (Saudi Aramco Refinery Project) that had stalled for the past several years. And, the finance division has sought details regarding the members of the delegation.

Other members of the delegation include Muhammad Mahmood, Secretary, Petroleum Division, Shehbaz Tahir Nadeem, Joint Secretary, Petroleum Division, Muhammad Iqbal, Director General (Minerals) Policy Wing, Petroleum Division, Dr Sajjad Ahmad, Director General Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP), Policy Wing, Petroleum Division, Dil Nawaz, DG (Oil), Syed Muhammad Taha, Managing Director, Pakistan State Oil (PSO), and Shahid Mahmood Khan, MD, Pak-Arab Refinery Company (PARCO).

They added that a major breakthrough/announcement regarding setting up a new refinery in Pakistan with the cooperation of Saudi Arabia is likely during the Crown Prince’s upcoming visit to Pakistan.

As per sources, Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are inching towards signing a multi-billion-dollar deal for an oil refinery project that was stalled

Silkbank addresses NPL issue, enters REIT agreement for disposal of mortgaged land

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Silkbank has informed through a press release that in order to improve the bank’s financial position, Silkbank has entered into a REIT arrangement for the disposal of mortgaged land with Arif Habib REIT Management Company (RMC). This was primarily because of the various provisions in 2020 that the bank underwent against some borrowers engaged primarily in the real estate business, which were secured against mortgage of land.

This development will substantially address the bank’s Nonperforming loans (NPL) issue and result in major provision reversals.

Silkbank also entered into an agreement for disposal for its owned properties with the RMC. This will not only reduce non-earning assets of the Bank but significant capital gains are also expected to be realized by the Bank. The Bank has already received approx. Rs. 2.6 billion as down payment against the said REIT structure.

The bank has also entered into arrangements with other major borrowers to ensure expeditious

recovery of loans classified in 2020. It expects most of these provisions to reverse within the next 12 – 24 months through the settlement and sale of mortgaged properties.

Moreover, to improve the bank’s financial performance. The bank has registered a 41% growth in its credit cards and personal loan products, increasing profit before taxes from Rs. 1.57 billion in 2019 to Rs. 2.23 billion in 2020.

The deposits of the bank substantially increased by Rs. 21 billion compared to December 2019, taking the total deposit base to Rs. 160 billion. Local currency Current Account grew by 32% while CASA deposits improved from 61% in December 2019 to 63% in December 2020. The bank’s Net Revenue also increased by Rs. 2.96 billion registering 61% growth while expenses declined by Rs. 638 million, decline of 8%.

Earlier in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange dated October 31, Silkbank informed that Park View Enclave ltd is no longer pursuing its Public Announcement of Intention (PAI). Arif Habib Limited (AHL), manager to the offer informed that due to changes in business priorities, Park View Enclave will no longer pursue the PAI.

for the past several years. They said that teams from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have already been engaged in a series of meetings to finalise a commercial deal on the project.

They said former petroleum minister and current Chairman of the Energy Task Force, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has also been playing a great role in finalizing negotiations with the Saudi government on incentives for KSA after setting up a new refinery in Pakistan. This visit of the Pakistani delegation is also expected to bring fruit by settling the issue of incentives including deemed duty on petrol and high speed diesel (HSD) with the Saudi government, said sources.

“Once both sides finalize the incentives for setting up new refinery then these incentives will be incorporated in the new refinery policy 2022 which would then be sent for approval to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the cabinet,” said the sources.

Masses distance themselves from Imran’s ‘part time’ long march: Maryam

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

QUETTA: To improve the health sector in Gwadar and bring modern medical facilities to the people at their doorsteps, the GDA Hospital in Gwadar has been handed over to Indus Hospital Karachi by the Balochistan government.

Indus Hospital was known for its quality of services in the field of social and health services in the country. “All high standard and modern treatment

facilities provided in Indus Hospital Karachi would be available free of cost in GDA Hospital Gwadar,” Press Secretary to CM Balochistan told newsmen.

Terming it a landmark step, he said Indus Hospital would be the first hospital in Balochistan province where the best doctors and paramedical staff of Karachi would be available round the clock with modern medical equipment. Staff RepoRt

drops to lowest level

percent of them saying business conditions are bad.

Findings of the survey show the Net Future Business Confidence score has worsened by 50 per cent since the beginning of 2022 and is now at -10 per cent. Compared to earlier this year, the number of businesses, saying the country heading in wrong direction, has gone up by 32 percent. Less than 15pc of businesses in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa believe that the country is headed in the right direction.

A quarter of businesses in Balochistan believe the same. Similar to the findings of the survey conducted in the first quarter of 2022, inflation remains the most-cited problem that businesses would like the government to

solve by the end of this year. As many as 72 per cent of the businesses surveyed reported experiencing load shedding every day.

A considerable increase in the number of businesses experiencing load shedding was witnessed in the fourth quarter. About 19 per cent of the businesses that reported facing loadshedding within a day experienced it for two hours, the survey showed.

As many as 81 per cent of the businesses said they do not believe the court system is fair, impartial and uncorrupted versus 7 per cent in the first quarter of 2022. More businesses from Balochistan disagree with the idea that the court system is fair, impartial and uncorrupted than any other province,

survey results showed.

One-quarter of the businesses surveyed reported their establishment was visited by tax officials, down 12 per cent from the previous survey. A sample of more than 700 business owners and managers across Pakistan were asked how well their businesses were doing. After Covid-19 peaked, businesses started to express greater confidence. But this confidence plummeted between the beginning and the end of 2022.

“This sudden change, and a 63 per cent fall in the Current Business Situation score, may be due to the continuous political instability over the year,” it said. The survey asked business owners which problems were affecting their businesses considerably.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday said the politics of Imran Khan had been rejected by the people who completely distanced themselves from his “part time” long march which failed to produce any result. “Imran Khan has played his last card by holding a “part time” long march, but it turns out to be a flop show as the nation has refused to defend his lies and false narrative of regime change conspiracy,” she said while addressing a news conference. She said Imran Khan thought that he would succeed in removing the current government by holding a long march, but it did not happen. The prime objective of long march was to prevent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from appointing the new Army Chief, she claimed,adding the appointment would be made by the PM in line with constitution and law. Maryam Nawaz said the march of Imran Khan had nothing to do with the people’s welfare, but aimed at creating chaos and anarchy in the country. She regretted the ruthless use of provincial resources in the long march by Imran Khan. The PML-N leader said that he began the long march after exhausting his all his options. First, he held public gatherings to build false narrative of regime change conspiracy which he thought would help pressurize the government in getting a date for fresh election. She said Imran Khan resorted to the long march when his first plan got failed and the people came to know about the reality of false narrative of regime change conspiracy. He thought that he would mislead the people with his lies but he was mistaken as the people had rejected his long march and lies, she added. She criticized Imran Khan for launching verbal attack on the state institutions for political gains. His criticism of the Chief Election Commissioner was “deplorable”. Maryam said the CEC had brought forth actual facts about the foreign funding received by Imran Khan. His crime had been exposed before the nation. She said the false narratives of Imran Khan on different issues had been done and dusted after the recent presser of the Director General of ISI and the Director General ISPR. The PML-N leader regretted that Imran Khan’s criticism of state institutions was being highlighted in the media which was praising him for his “despicable” acts. She said more cases of corruption of Imran Khan would surface soon and the nation would know as to how he ruthlessly looted the nation during his four year rule which was marred by corruption, unemployment, extreme inflation and wrong economic policies. She said that Imran Khan was a power hungry person and had nothing to do with the democratic norms and values. Maryam said Imran Khan filed fabricated cases of corruption against her and Nawaz Sharif, but failed to produce single evidence in the court.

CCP Chairperson Rahat Kaunain Hassan, who was accompanied by Member Mujtaba Ahmed Lodhi and other senior

Hospital Gwadar handed over to Indus Hospital

SC APPOINtS AMICuS CuRIAe IN ReKO DIq ReFeReNCe heARING

ISLAMABAD inp

tHESupreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday named three amicus curiae for hearing a presidential reference seeking validation for the new Reko Diq project deal under Article 186 of the Constitution.

A five-member bench of Supreme Court – headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial – hearing the presidential reference on Reko Diq project. Justice Ijazul-Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Jamal Khan

Mandokhail are other members of the bench.

The court nominated Barrister Farogh Naseem, Salman Akram Raja and Zahid Ibrahim Advocate as amicus curiae in the case. The bench also issued notice to the Balochistan High Court Bar in the reference.

Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman said that the court verdict had declared that the rules were softened in violation of the law. The court had said that the rules could not be eased out for an international firm, AAG said.

“Whether the rules are same now or amended,” Chief Justice Bandial questioned.

“The law with regard to Reko Diq has been

Imran urges CJP to probe torture on Senator Swati, Gill

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“What are you scared of? This nation is aware now. The people have awakened now. No matter how much you try, you can’t bottle up the passion of these people. “We are coming to Islamabad for one reason: we want our haqeeqi azadi,” he said in an address to supporters in Gujranwala. Imran has said the time for true freedom is here and “we will attain it through justice. We will fight for the supremacy of the law and justice”. “Pakistanis, this system cannot continue. We will have to change it. When it is asked who will save Pakistan, Imran Khan isn’t the answer. It is you who will save Pakistan and set it free.” He also warned PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif that once he returned to the country, “we will take you to Adiala jail straight from the airport”. PTI chief Imran Khan has fired broadsides at Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari in his first speech on day five of his march to Islamabad. “Nawaz Sharif I challenge you: when you come back, I will beat you in your constituency!” he thundered to cheers in Gujranwala.

FAwAd sAys mArchErs UnlikEly To rEAch islAmAbAd EvEn by sUndAy: PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has shared a new schedule for the party’s long march, saying that the caravan, which is currently in Gujranwala, will not be able to reach Islamabad by Sunday, as was the original plan. Addressing a press conference, he also said the protesters would spend the entire day today in Gujranwala. Chaudhry said the decision to slow down the trek to Islamabad was made to prevent accidents with “thousands of people walking alongside the caravan”. PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has criticised the government for enhancing security arrangements in Islamabad ahead of the arrival of the PTI’s long march. Speaking to the media in Gujranwala, he claimed that the government had released Rs410 million for security arrangements related to the PTI’s march and deployed over 30,000 security personnel. “You are not dealing with an enemy nation. They are your people, and Article 17 of the Constitution gives us the fundamental right to protest,” he said. Chaudhry juxtaposed these details against the government’s claims of meagre attendance. “If they say there are no people, then what’s the worry? Let us come and withdraw your security. What are you afraid of,” he argued.

PtI unveils new schedule for long march

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday released new schedule for its long march towards the federal capital Islamabad. PTI Hammad Azhar took to Twitter and shared image of the party’s new proposed schedule. As per the new schedule, PTI’s long march would reach Jhelum on November 6 (Sunday) after passing through Gujranwala, Ghakar, Wazirabad, Gujrat, Lalamusa, Kharian, Sarai Alamgir and Jhelum. While addressing a press conference in Islamabad, PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar said that he had submitted an alternate plan for the ongoing long march to party chief Imran Khan, adding that there might be a delay in reaching Islamabad which was originally scheduled for November 4.

amended,” lawyer replied. “Under the new law the government could amend the rules,” he said.

“Despite easing out rules, transparency is necessary,” chief justice observed.

“Pakistan will get 50 percent share in the mineral project,” AAG said. “What share the country gets, the law must be applied,” Justice Mandokhail remarked.

“Reko Diq agreement has been prepared in view of the past verdict of the court. No better agreement was possible on Reko Diq project in existing circumstances,” the state counsel said. “Pakistan have to pay back over nine billion dollars if the agreement not

enforced,” AAG said.

“The court remains restricted to the limits of the questions asked in a reference,” Justice Bandial observed. “The court could only review the constitutional questions in a reference, not the political or economic questions,” the CJP said.

“Access to the justice is a constitutional right, won’t it be an injustice if a third party gets affected with an international agreement,” chief justice questioned.

“The constitution gives every person the right of access to the justice,” Justice Bandial said. “Why the government wants to enforce 1970s laws on an investment of

billions,” CJP asked. “Why the government not setting the rules and regulations of the international level,” the top judge further questioned.

“If the Balochistan government has passed new laws with regard to mining,” he asked. “In the absence of the new laws, the new Reko Diq agreement will be at the mercy of the court order,” Justice Bandial remarked.

“Under which policy or legal framework, the Reko Diq agreement has been formulated,” he further asked. The court adjourned further hearing of the reference till Wednesday, November 02.

FIA summons Imran Khan, PTI leaders in cypher-related audio leaks probe

ISLAMABAD aGencieS

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Tuesday issued notices to PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other leaders of the party as part of the investigation into the audio leaks related to the US cypher.

The anti-corruption institution is investigating the audio leaks allegedly featuring Khan, PTI leaders, and a

government officer in discussions about a US cypher on the orders of the federal cabinet.

In the notice, FIA’s Mian Shabbir Hussain directed Khan to appear before the inquiry team on November 3 at 12pm.

Apart from this, the FIA has also summoned Khan in the prohibited funding probe — a case in which the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has blamed him for receiving illicit

funding.

The FIA has also called in PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi on November 3 at 12pm. The former foreign minister was summoned last week as well, but he didn’t appear before the institution.

PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar has also been summoned on November 2 at 12pm.

In the two audio leaks that took the

internet by storm and shocked the public, the former prime minister, Umar, and then-principle secretary Khan could allegedly be heard discussing the US cypher and how to use it in their interest.

On September 30, the federal cabinet took notice of the matter and constituted a committee to probe the contents of the audio leaks. Later, the cabinet also endorsed legal action against those involved in the matter.

Second highest in 47 years as inflation surges to 26.66pc in Oct

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There is a lot to learn from the Chinese economic miracle,” the prime minister tweeted shortly before he jetted off to Beijing.

In a subsequent tweet, Sharif said he was “honoured to be among the first few leaders to have been invited after the historic” twice-a-decade congress which cemented Jinping’s iron grip on power and unveiled a new leadership line-up.

“At a time when the world is grappling with multiple challenges, Pakistan and China stand together as friends and partners,” he added.

The visit follows Sharif’s meeting with Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan on September 16. It represents the continuity of frequent leadership-level exchanges between Pakistan and China. In Beijing, the prime minister will meet Jinping, and hold delegation-level talks with Keqiang.

During the engagements, the two governments will review the so-called “All-Weather Strategic Cooperation Partnership” and exchange views on regional and global developments.

Sharif is also likely to raise its debt issues after the country asked China to roll over its $6.3 billion debt on Saturday. The two nations signed a loan facility agreement in June, with Chinese banks lending $2.3 billion to Pakistan to help boost its reserves.

The visit is also expected to advance the wideranging bilateral cooperation agenda with the conclusion of a number of agreements in diverse fields.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang Wenbin, said Sharif was among the first foreign leaders to be invited to Beijing after last week’s congress.

“China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners and ‘hardcore’ friends,” Wang told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday, according to South China Morning Post.

“China looks forward to working with Pakistan to use this visit as an opportunity to further promote allweather and high-level strategic cooperation, to build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and to make greater contributions to maintaining regional peace and stability, and international fairness and justice.”

FSC seeks report on marriage of 5-year old girl in Balochistan

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) on Tuesday sought a complete report on the marriage of a 5-year old girl in Baluchistan. The court directed the respondents, particularly Law Officer, appearing on behalf of province of Baluchistan, to submit a complete report over the occurrence of the incident.

The court further directed to submit report over the legislative development regarding forced marriage and steps taken by the Government of Baluchistan and other provinces. The court passed these orders while hearing a suo-motu notice taken by the FSC Chief Justice Dr Syed Muhammad Anwer over the forced marriage of a 5 years old girl in Baluchistan. Meanwhile, the matter was adjourned to a date in office on the request of respondents.

According to the facts of the matter, one Muhammad father of the girl lodged an FIR with the Police Station Khuzdar regarding forced marriage of his 5 years old daughter due to local and tribal culture prevailing in the area in consideration of another

marriage of his son with daughter of accused.

On media reports and registration of FIR, the FSC Chief Justice took suo-motu notice of the matter saying that this act seems to be an un-Islamic one as well as against the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973.

The cruel, un-Islamic and heartless ritual is found in many parts of Pakistan where girls, are given in marriage or servitude to an aggrieved family as compensation to end disputes, often murder.

CoNtINuED froM pAGE 01

On a month-on-month basis, it increased to 4.5% in Oct 2022 as compared to a decrease of 2.1% in the previous month and an increase of 1.7% in Oct 2021. Moreover, CPI inflation in rural areas hit 29.5% on a year-on-year basis in Oct 2022 as compared to an increase of 26.1% in the previous month and 8.7% in Oct 2021. On a monthon-month basis, it increased to 5.0% in Oct 2022 as compared to an increase of 0.2% in the previous month and an increase of 2.2% in Oct 2021. The food commodities that witnessed an increase in prices on YoY basis included tomatoes (219.34%), onions (165.66%), gram whole (69.80%), pulse gram (65.08%), besan (62.25%), mustard oil (61.14%), pulse masoor (61.07%), fresh vegetables (58.87%), cooking oil (58.06%), pulse mash (55.33%), vegetable ghee (52.5%), pulse moong (49.84%), wheat (45.77%), tea (41.89%), rice (40.76%), wheat flour (37.38%), milk fresh (29.61%), meat (25.34%), potatoes (20.65%), fish (15.4%), chicken (12.22%) and gur (0.39%). The food commodities that witnessed decrease in prices included sugar (11.84%) and condiments & spices (10.97%). The non-food commodities that witnessed increase on YoY basis included motor fuel (64.81%), stationery (44.5%), washing soap/detergents/match box (41.49%), transport services (41.27%), motor vehicles (34.29%), construction input items (32.03%), motor vehicle accessories (31.31%), electricity charges (24.95%), cotton cloth (24.16%), household equipment (21.4%), solid fuel (20.88%) and construction wage rates (12.72%). The Sensitive Price Index (SPI) inflation on YoY increased to 24.0% in Oct 2022 as compared to an increase of 28.6% a month earlier and an increase of 15.3% in Oct 2021. On a MoM basis, it decreased by 1.5% in Oct 2022 as compared to a decrease of 1.4% a month earlier and an increase of 2.1% in Oct 2021. Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation on YoY basis increased to 32.6% in Oct 2022 as compared to an increase of 38.9% a month earlier and an increase of 21.2% in Oct 2021. On a MoM basis, it decreased by 0.5% in Oct 2022 as compared to an increase of 1.4% a month earlier and an increase of 4.2% in corresponding month i.e. Oct 2021. Rising inflation has emerged as a key concern for Pakistan’s economy, already in the midst of depleting foreign exchange reserves. In October, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept the policy rate unchanged at 15% as it felt that the existing monetary policy stance strikes an appropriate balance between managing inflation and maintaining growth in the wake of the floods. The government, in a late-night development on Monday, announced to keep the price of petroleum products unchanged for the next 15 days. PBS data suggested that transport, food, housing, and restaurant & hotel groups witnessed the highest pace of inflation in October.

Report of probe into irregularities in KP-OGCL handed over to HR panel

pESHAWAr Staff RepoRt

The preliminary inquiry report following complaints of irregularities and illegal recruitments in KP Oil and Gas Company Limited (KP-OGCL), a subsidiary of the Energy and Power Department has been handed over to the HR Committee for further action.

During inquiry all those employees coming under allegations have been heard to

ensure transparency. After review the final report would be submitted to the Board of Directors (BoD) of the company, said a press release issued here on Tuesday.

In this regard, a 55th meeting of the Board of Directors of KPOGCL was held here with Chairman Khalid Majid and Secretary Power Nisar Ahmad Khan in the chair. Special Secretary Power Tashfeen Haider and other board members, Additional Secretaries of Finance & Interior departments, President Sarhad Chamber of

Commerce Muhammad Ishaq, Muhammad Yahya, Muhammad Ishaq Saqi, former bureaucrat Hifz ur Rehman and acting CEO KPOGCL Nasir Khan also participated in the meeting.

On this occasion, Company Secretary Shiraz Khan informed the board members about the preliminary inquiry report on the complaints of irregularities in the institution. After a long discussion and consultation it was recommended to hand over the matter to the HR Committee. In the meeting,

important matters regarding the financial affairs of the company were approved.

The meeting of the Board of Directors also approved granting an annual increment to the employees of the company in proportion to the current inflation and a slight increase in the remuneration of the board officials.

Furthermore, Secretary Power Nisar Ahmad Khan emphasized on bringing reforms to further improve the efficiency of the institution and reiterated his

determination that the oil and gas deposits found in the province are valuable treasures for which more blocks should be discovered by conducting a survey in the province.

Addressing the meeting, Chairman BoD, Khalid Majid said that a business model should be developed to further improve the performance of the company and the field staff should use modern methods to find oil and gas reserves. He directed refrain from making unnecessary recruitment and regular audit of the expenditures of the company.

PM Shehbaz lands in China with ‘CPEC revitalisation’ atop trip’s agenda

PAkiSTAN TO UN: FAilUrE TO iMPlEMENT SElF-DETErMiNATiON righT ‘bETrAyAl’ OF ChArTEr

which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural issues.

PAKISTANdeplored that millions of people, including those living in occupied Kashmir, continue to live under alien domination and foreign occupation despite the right to self-determination being UN Charter’s “cardinal principle”.

“The price of this failure is being paid, in blood, by successive generations of people living under foreign occupation,” Ambassador Aamir Khan, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the Third Committee of the General Assembly

Speaking in a debate on the “Right of the Peoples to Self-Determination”, he noted that suppression of this “fountainhead of all other rights” — often brutal and violent — is one of the gravest violations of Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, referring to extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, rape and sexual violence, torture, curfews, communication blackouts, lockdown of civilian populations, illegal settlements and demographic changes.

The right to self-determination must be exercised freely, cannot lapse with time and

must not be obfuscated or eclipsed by conflating it with terrorism, the envoy said.

Despite these clear injunctions of international law, Khan said millions continue to

live under alien domination and foreign occupation, calling it a “betrayal” of the UN Charter.

In occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he said, bloodletting has gone on for 75 years and has accounted for the lives of over 100,000 people, most of them Muslims, who have suffered decades of occupation awaiting the fulfilment of their UN-promised inalienable right to self-determination.

Since India’s annexation of the region in 2019, there have been arbitrary arrests, abductions, violence and a lack of hospitals to care for the wounded, Khan observed.

“Harrowing stories abound of widespread torture, inhumane or degrading treat-

Pakistan expects Chinese support for disaster management: NDMA boss

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan is likely to ask for China’s support in developing disaster management institutions and dealing with post-flood public health emergency situations, according to the chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Inam Haider Malik, on Monday.

A Chinese medical team consisting of 13 members including experts in the field of clinical medicine and health and

pandemic prevention from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region visited the NDMA and conducted a work exchange with their Pakistan counterparts on Monday.

Malik welcomed and thanked China for its support and assistance after the devastating floods in Pakistan, saying that Pakistan expects to see the training of medical workers between Pakistan and China.

He said that China’s medical support for Pakistan has helped the country to protect its people after the devastat-

ing floods.

Malik said that Pakistan is keen to learn from the visiting Chinese experts on how they use their “greater knowledge to address the challenges and enable your communities to pre-condition and pre-deploy your response actions in the affected zones.”

Huang Wenxin, the head of the Chinese medical team, said that his team is ready to help the Pakistani people and work together in overcoming difficulties.

The Chinese medical team arrived

in Pakistan on October 28 and is expected to go to the flood-hit areas in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province for field visits and work exchanges.

Pakistan is in urgent need of medical assistance as the flood water still remains in parts of Sindh and Balochistan. According to the NDMA and the Ministry of Planning and Development, a total of 1,735 people were killed and 12,867 others injured in the floods hitting the country, which affected over 33 million people and incurred a loss of over $40 billion to the economy.

‘Stigmatised and burdened’: women of Kashmir fight breast cancer

SRINAGAR anadolu agency

Farzana Khan, a working woman in Indian-occupied Kashmir, has been fighting a physical and psychological battle for the last three years to overcome breast cancer, which affects women like her more frequently due to medical stigma, financial constraints, and unawareness.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month observed from October 1 to 31, Anadolu Agency spoke with some patients and healthcare practitioners about the issue to understand the challenges they face.

A few miles away from the picturesque tourist attraction of Dal Lake of Kashmir lives the 37-year-old Khan who was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2020.

“I felt a small lump in my left breast and there was a bit of pain in the area,” said Khan, a mother of two young boys, adding that she never thought that it would turn out to be cancer.

She said that when her husband broke the sad news to her, she didn’t believe it and went silent before she again asked him to find out if the reports are factual.

“At that point in time, I wanted to

scream and cry aloud but couldn’t. The news was so traumatic and painful that I remained in isolation for many days before I could move for treatment,” she said.

According to one hospital-based data, breast cancer cases in occupied Kashmir spiked last year with nearly 270 women diagnosed with the lethal disease. Prior to last year, nearly 180-200 cases were reported per year.

ment and arbitrary arrests; of how thousands including children have been abducted from their homes in the dead of the night, without any trace; of hospitals running dangerously short of supplies and turning into graveyards.”

India, he said, ignores the lesson of history that a people’s yearning for freedom can never be crushed by brute force.

“We would like to reaffirm that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute will remain on the UN agenda until the Kashmiri people are allowed to exercise their will, according to the agreed method prescribed by the Security Council a plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations,” the envoy added.

First lady urges social media use to highlight breast cancer

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

First Lady Samina Alvi on Tuesday urged social media users to start an awareness drive to shine a spotlight on breast cancer and the physical and psychological scars left by mastectomies. “Hiding the disease in the name of social taboo is not a solution, and it is essential for youth to speak upon it to help the women get early diagnosis and thus protect their lives”, she observed while speaking to a TV station. She also reassured her resolve to continue organizing such awareness activities on breast cancer. Alvi emphasised the need for sensitising women about self-examination and asserted that the disease not only affected the woman but also her entire family who she said then bears social and financial consequences. Through effective use of media platforms, misconceptions in the general public regarding this curable disease can be rectified and wiped out, she added. Alvi said women who recover from the disease could also play an important role in creating awareness among other women, adding that the majority of the population is in rural areas and not aware of such diseases where we need to focus. “Breast cancer is the most common cancer globally and in Pakistan and we are committed to improving long-term disease control and survival for breast cancer patients”, she added.

Punjab police chief appointed UN peacekeeping adviser

NEW YORK Staff RepoRt

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member of the National Assembly (MNA) Khurram Nawaz and party member Malik Fakhar Ali on Tuesday filed a contempt plea in the Supreme Court against government authorities for violating the court’s orders on May 25, 2022, which prohibited raids and arrests of PTI personnel.

The petition listed Ministry of Interior Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, Inspector General of Police Islamabad Akbar Nasir Khan and Senior Superintendent of Islamabad Police (operation) Malik Jamil Zafar as respondents.

The petition filed in the SC maintained that the respondents “installed and placed thousands of containers at different places of Islamabad and created obstacles for free movement of citizens of Pakistan, blocked many areas and avenues”. It added that they were “taking coercive measures against the party members/ workers/ common citizens of Pakistan, extending threat openly through all sources of media, airing paid advertisements on media, on one hand, and have prepared a list of party workers/ members/ activist Police Station wise and now have started arresting them and raiding their houses without any offence”.

It maintained that the act of the respondents is “illegal, unlawful, without lawful authority, unwarranted, null and void”. It further said that on Monday, “the respondent Police and contingents of Frontier Constabulary work under the administrative control of the respondents, raided the houses of the petitioners without any offence and warrant but fortunately they were not present at their house at the time of raid”.

“This raid is [a] blatant example of police atrocities, misuse of authority and

abuse of process of law,” the petition stated.

According to the petition, the government authorities had committed contempt of the apex court’s orders by not complying with their earlier orders.

“The respondents have frustrated and abused the process of law by ignoring [and] disobeying the direction/commitment by not fulfilling the direction for the assuring and protecting the fundamental rights of the individual as protected and safeguarded under fundamental rights of [the] chapter of the Constitution”.

Pleading that a contempt case is initiated against the respondents, the petitioners stated that “the respondent does not have respect for this Honourable Court and did not take into account orders” and would keep violating orders unless contempt proceedings were initiated.

SC orderS of May 25: According to the apex court’s orders on May 25, the day of the PTI’s Haqeeqi Azadi march, the attorney general had assured the court that “houses, offices, and other private/residential places shall not be raided in an attempt to arrest any political worker/member sympathiser of [the] PTI”.

It furthered that “all workers/members and/or sympathisers and the leadership of any political party, including PTI, shall not be arrested till further orders unless any offence of a heinous nature is alleged to have been committed by him.”

The order also ordered supporters of any political party who were arrested two days before May 25 to be released “unless commission of any heinous offence has been alleged in any FIR lodged”.

The order had come after law enforcement authorities had raided PTI leaders’ houses and arrested party workers before and during the long march.

Faisal Shahkar, the chief of Punjab police, has been appointed as an adviser in the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) at the United Nations for a period of five years, a spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres confirmed Monday. Shahkar succeeded Luis Carrilho of Portugal at the completion of his tenure. Stephane Dujarric told the daily press briefing that Shahkar, who was appointed by Guterres, “brings to the position more than 30 years of national and international experience”.

Dr. Nafees Zakaria assumes charge as ED COMSATS

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Prominent diplomat, Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria has assumed the charge as the new Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) on Tuesday. The appointment of new Executive Director, COMSATS has been made by Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, said a news release issued here. The Secretariat is permanently based in Islamabad. COMSATS being an intergovernmental organization of 27 developing countries is mandated to achieving Science and Technology led socio-economic development of the countries of the global South. Ambassador Zakaria is a seasoned civil servant of Pakistan, who joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988. In his illustrious diplomatic career, he represented Pakistan as its High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (2019-20), and Malaysia (2017-19). He also served at various positions at Pakistan’s foreign missions in UAE, Indonesia, Thailand, the UK and Canada. At the Ministry’s Headquarters in Islamabad he performed the duties as Additional Foreign Secretary/Spokesperson, Director General (South Asia and SAARC), as well as Director General (Europe). Most recently, after his retirement from the Foreign Services of Pakistan, he served as Member of Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) of Pakistan (November 2020 – October 2022).Ambassador Zakaria is also the recipient of honorary doctorate degree by the Forman Christian College, a chartered university of Pakistan.

PTI files contempt plea in SC against govt action during May 25 long march

corporate corner

PEsHAWAR Staff report

CHIEFMinister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has stated that pragmatic steps are being taken to promote environmentfriendly and clean energy production in the province.

So far, more than 7,400 schools, 5672 Masajid, 134 Basic Health Units and 6,643 households in 100 villages across the province have been solarized under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) at a cumulative cost of Rs 9.134 billion.

Besides, 895 Masajids and 5 Churches have also been solarized in the merged districts whereas 7 Hydel Power Projects (HPPs) have also been completed, which is currently contributing 161 MW to the national grid and has generated Rs31.026 billion in revenue so far.

He expressed these views while chairing a progress review meeting of the Energy & Power department here on Tuesday. Besides, Secretary Energy and Power Department, CEO

oThER

PEDO, Project Directors and other officials attended the meeting.

The chief minister said that the provincial government is contributing significantly to meet the country’s energy demands, adding that it is the only province which is producing clean energy at the cheapest possible rates thereby contributing crucially to national development.

The meeting was briefed in detail regarding the ongoing and completed projects of the department in the hydel and solar energy sectors. It was informed that Reshun, Shishi, Machai, Ranolia and 36.6 MW Daral Khwar Hydel Projects have been completed during the period of last nine years, whereas the 10.2 MW Jabori Hydel Project in District Manshera will be ready for inauguration during the ongoing month.

Furthermore, construction works on 11.8 MW Karora, 40.8 KOTO, 84 MW Matiltan and 69 MW Lawi Hydel Power Projects are also underway, which is expected to be completed by the end of the ongoing fiscal year.

Likewise, the construction of 10.5 MW Chapri Charkhel and 6.5 MW

Minor Bahawalnagar girl raped at gunpoint

LAHORE: In yet another incident of sexual assault, a 12-year-old girl was purportedly raped at gunpoint by a labourer in Bahawalnagar. The incident took place in Chaweka tehsil of Bahawalnagar where the suspect, later identified as Muhammad Yousuf, raped the girl.

The accused along with an armed accomplice fled the scene after raping the girl. The victim was later shifted to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital for medical treatment. Meanwhile, the police registered a first information report (FIR) against the two suspects and launched a search operation. Earlier, in a similar incident in September, another minor girl was raped at gunpoint in the city. Monitoring report

Sindh govt excuses itself from holding LG polls in reply to ECP

KARACHI: The Sindh government has excused itself from holding local government (LG) polls for three months in its reply to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The Sindh government sent a letter to the ECP regarding the organisation of LG elections in the province. The letter stated that the Sindh authorities are unable to organise LG polls for at least three months.

It stated that the duty of LG elections could not be performed due to the unavailability of the required police force in Sindh.

According to the Karachi police department, 37,000 police officials are required for security duties during LG polls.

The provincial authorities said that 17,000 cops could not leave the flood-hit districts, whereas, 5,000 Sindh police officials were sent to Islamabad at the request of the interior ministry. Staff report

AdnAn MusHtAq

The streets of Karachi these days are littered with banners and posters calling for referendums and the people to take up arms against the injustices dealt by a power utility. The TV blares with the voice of a political leader roaring against the negligence the city has suffered and blazing guns at everyone past and present. The people are also hungry for a change and direct their anger towards offices and staff of utilities, disrupting the city and its daily operations.

Collecting public opinion is a mainstay of political parties which claim to represent their interests. It also makes sense to be conducting these dipstick surveys ahead of mayoral elections. But what exactly can the elected mayor achieve when all is said and done, and they are brought into power? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And why is this so?

The actual mandate of the head of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for which these parties are vying is even more limited. Per the KMC’s website, the organization is responsible for planning, managing, and developing only 28 roads. Does a city

Barandu Hydel Power Projects is also underway and once completed, the ongoing projects are expected to generate Rs 9.015 billion revenue annually.

The Chief Minister clarified that significant resources have been invested by the provincial government in the clean and green energy sector in order to meet the country’s energy demands, promote industrialization and generate revenue.

Regarding the ongoing hydel power projects funded by donor organizations, the meeting was informed that work on three projects, i.e 300 MW Balakot, 88 MW Gabral Kalam and 157 MW Madyan Hydel projects is underway, which are going to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 210.3 billion and is expected to generate Rs 28.66 billion in revenue every year.

As for the Public Private Partnership and PSDP Plus projects, the Chair was informed that initial work on 470 MW Spat Gah HPP in District Kohistan, 96 MW Batakundi HPP and 188 MW Naran dam has been initiated, whereas 22 MW Patrak Shringal, 47 MW Barikot Patrak and 495 MW Kari Maskur Hydel Power Projects have

AdP: CM

been proposed for PSDP 2022-23.

With regards to the solar power projects, 9 different solar projects have been completed having a cumulative capacity of 26 MW. The projects will save Rs 422 million on yearly basis. In addition to completing the solarization of 5672 Masajid, an additional 8000 Masajid will be solarized by the year 2024. For this purpose, 3 other projects of 20.5MW generating capacity are also underway, which would save Rs 500 million annually for the province.

In the Micro Hydel Sector, it was said that 16 Mini Micro Hydel projects have been completed, having a cumulative capacity of 28 MW, which provides cheap electricity to the local population. In Phase 2,291 additional mini-micro hydro projects will be established having a total capacity of 47.5 MW.

The chief minister reiterated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is playing a crucial role in the development of the country by providing cheap and environmentally friendly electricity and the provincial government is utilizing all resources available to benefit from its natural resources.

Sindh plans int’l conference to explore ways for flood reconstruction: CM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah with the approval of the cabinet has decided to convene a two-day international conference to discuss the destruction caused by floods in the province and explore technical ways to reconstruct the irrigation and draining system so that future calamities impact could be mitigated.

“Our river system, bridges on River Indus, drainage systems such as RBOD, LBOD, MNV, and flood protection embankments have failed to sustain the impact of heavy downpours and floods of 2022, therefore we have to gather all the experts, including the world bank to discuss the floods and necessity of redesigning the irrigation and drainage system so that future climate pressures could be sustained accordingly.”

This he said while presiding over a Sindh cabinet meeting at CM House on Monday. The cabinet meeting was attended by provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, and other concerned officers.

Minister Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro told the cabinet that in monsoon 2022, Sindh witnessed extreme rainfall and torrential rains on Khirthar hills resulting in massive flooding in the province.

Shoro said that previously, a major disaster occurred during the riverine flood of 2010, in which a breach occurred at Tori Bund on the right-side bank of the Indus River. He added that the area inundated during the 2010 flood was about 1.3 million acres and the quantum of water was about 4.9 MAF. Whereas, during recent rain-related flooding on the Right Bank of Indus; an area of around 2.2 million acres was inundated with approximately 14 MAF quantum of water.

Similarly, the heaviest rainfall on the left bank of the Indus inundated area of around 14 lac acres with 8 MAF. The total quantum of rainwater in right and left banks collectively becomes about 22 MAF, which is almost four times the volume of Tarbela Reservoir, Jam Khan told the cabinet.

Metro Commemorates ‘Pinktober’ For Breast Cancer Awareness

like Karachi only have 28 roads? In healthcare, the administrator/mayor only looks after 7 medical colleges or technical/specialized hospitals. Karachi’s Zoo, Aquarium, Museums, Art Galleries and the Safari Park fall under their jurisdiction. We know what state they are in. Bigger matters like regular supply of clean water do not.

Citizens continue to petition the Sindh High Court for action against KWSB and MD Water Board himself has issued instructions to tackle illegal hydrants as recently as August, but nothing has resulted from this to date.

Consumers continue to pay their water bills along with exorbitant prices to procure private water tankers from DHA to Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Can mayoral/administrator candidates ensure the proper utilization of this bill collection? Reports are also indicating that Naegleria fowleri is being detected in water samples once more. Can candidates prepare any plans for KMC’s leadership to tackle these challenges?

Electricity is also a major pointscoring tool, but the KMC leader will be ineffective in exacting any changes because the matter rests with the Federal Government. Even victory over lowered Fuel Charge Adjustments is

not theirs to claim. Distribution companies across Pakistan and even privatized KE operate under rules, regulations and policies developed by NEPRA and the Federal Government, not the Provincial government. These rules, these policies, and these regulations will remain in place regardless of who is in charge of IESCO, FESCO, QESCO or even privatized KE.

Jamaat-e-Islami understands this, and Hafiz Naeem has admitted as much on record during his campaign which is relying as heavily on social media and populist statements as a former Prime Minister. In fact, the parallels are uncanny. Both leaders make explosive statements to rile up public sentiment, immediately vilify anyone who opposes them, and are touting themselves to be the only solution to all the city’s problems. In JI’s case, the party has gone as far as to make an enemy of private companies which are apolitical in their ethos and have no reason to respond. When asked about the party’s hundred-day plan, the answers beat about the bush, stating that faith in God and a deep understanding of the issues will enable party to achieve solutions.

Discussion is about the planning of the planning, not the

plan itself.

No calls are made to condemn violence against utility offices, when “civil” disobedience quickly descends into pandemonium. In public statements, the party is positioning itself as bastions of truth which don’t promote vulgarity. In the same breath, divisions are drawn between “muqami” and “others” in the staffing of the police force, and private utilities are labeled terrorists. Any mayoral or administrative candidate is supposed to be furthering the agenda of the city, not any party or locality or ethnicity, and has to maintain an unequivocal approach.

Political parties are made up of publicly elected officials. They represent the sentiment and the concerns of the millions of people who entrust them to defend their best interest. They wield immense power to enact lasting and positive change. Pointscoring and showboating will not be able to achieve this. Tangible, actionable steps will. The true referendum that a party should conduct is on which approach will enable them to establish their longevity in the political realm, so that they can make better rules and address the challenges keeping Pakistan in the dark.

METRO, the leading international wholesale company, in collaboration with Chughtai Lab, Pink Ribbon, and the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN), commemorated ‘Pinktober’ – the Breast Cancer Awareness Month. pr

Integration Xperts to help Tata Textile enter a new era of growth

Karachi: Tata Textile Mills Limited (TTML), one of the wellrespected conglomerates in Pakistan, has selected Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to accelerate the business transformation of its textile mills and Food division by leveraging cloud technology. Integration Xperts (Pvt.) Ltd., a leading cloud implementation and professional services partner and a member of Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), will implement the project at Tata Textile Mills Limited, which is expected to go live by early 2023. Previously, TTML’s operations relied on a combination of customized and standard legacy solutions and manual processes. TTML turned to Integration Xpert (Pvt) Ltd to help implement Oracle Cloud ERP, a complete, modern cloud ERP suite to manage its operations across its textile and meat manufacturing facilities to gain productivity and flexibility, have a consistent view across its business, and implement next-gen technology and enhancements. pr

Minister Transport announces to start proper bus service by end of Nov

Karachi: Provincial Minister for Information , Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon has given good news to the citizens of Hyderabad in his tweet saying that today test drive of People's Bus Service in Hyderabad . ' Inshallah, we will be able to start a proper bus service for the people of Hyderabad by the end of November,' the minister announced. He said that transport department of Sindh government is focusing to provide best transport service to the citizens.

pr

islamabad: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Agha Hassan Baloch presents a memento to Ambassador of Republic of Kazakhstan H.E. Yerhan Kistafin who called on him at his office in Islamabad. pr

K-Electric under its surbulandi project installed an RO plant at Moach Goat, Baldiia Town. Deputy Commissioner, Keamari, Mukhtar Abro along with CFO K-Electric Aamir Ghaziani inaugurated the water filtration plant which will be operated under supervision of Saylani Welfare Trust and facilitate 10,000 residents of this locality. pr

Sanofi Pakistan signed an MoU with Marie Stopes Society (MSS) to create awareness about women's health & menstrual hygiene and to enable women to take decisions about their bodies & wellbeing. Present at the occasion, Anjum Nida Rahman - Director Corporate Affairs, Sanofi, Dr. Tasneem Fatima - Director Health Services, Marie Stopes Society, Dr. Zeeshan Hassan - Medical Lead CHC, Sanofi, Saqib Ahmed Khan - Director Legal & Corporate, Marie Stopes Society. pr

KARACHI Staff report

The septuagenarian senator speaks

Whither, rights?

IT was a powerful press conference, that of PTI Senator Azam Swati. The legislator, who was arrested earlier this month in a case registered against him over a controversial tweet thought to be against the armed forces, gave out some disturbing details regarding the treatment that was meted out to him. A couple of days prior to this, he had named two military officers that he had held responsible for his mistreatment. This time, he went to the extent of calling upon the military chief himself to facilitate the investigation.

In rhetorical exercise, he waved a copy of the constitution and said that it does not apply to “at least 1000 people.”

he is absolutely right, of course. The way elements within the deep state operate with impunity isn’t even an open secret anymore; it is acknowledged even by those sections of the political spectrum that are receiving the benevolence of the aforementioned.

If a septuagenarian Senator was treated this way, allegedly stripped naked and beaten, what hope do the rest of the nation’s hapless citizens have?

In the words of Victor hugo: nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come. That idea, in Pakistan, is that the deep state has to operate within its legally defined limit and not exceed it regardless of how the elected representatives of the people are running the country. That their clash with the latter can come only in the form of a refusal to obey illegal orders, nothing else.

But for those reasonable demands, on which the entire political class now agrees, to be realised, there needs to be unity and a need to bury the hatchet at least for the moment. The PDM needs to stop reading out the list of injustices it certainly suffered at the hands of these same forces everytime they are held accountable for the same today. Similarly, to engender such a esprit de corps amongst the political class, the PTI needs to acknowledge its own acquiescence to similar actions when it was in government.

An example of this last bit should be the Senator under question himself. The man had openly called for the arrest of former premier Nawaz Sharif when he had made a statement similar to his own.

The more things change, the more they stay the same…

A Nail-Biter

groups in an effort to paint these elections in the starkest of terms. Both sides have preyed on fear and blame. For Republicans it’s: the fear of inflation, blaming Democrats for the high price of gas and food; the fear of crime, blaming Democrats for their criticism of policing; and the fear of out-of-control immigration, blaming Democrats for supporting “open borders” and their acceptance of the undocumented.

For Democrats it’s: fear that Republicans will block all paths to a woman’s right to abortion; blaming Republicans for refusing to accept gun control legislation; and fear that our democracy is at risk from the supporters of former President Donald Trump who not only maintain that the 2020 election was stolen, but also continue to defend the January 6 insurrection and are putting in place laws and practices designed to make it harder to vote.

elections across the country, Republicans are either pulling ahead of Democrats or catching up with them in contests in which they were further behind just a few months back— Republican voters, even if they didn’t approve of their party’s nominees, have decided to come home.

All indications are that this US midterm election will be a nail-biter, with polls suggesting that Democrats will have a difficult time maintaining their slim control of both houses of Congress. One factor is the president’s low approval ratings— often an indicator that his party would be sailing into the headwinds of a dissatisfied electorate. But there are other issues at work, as well.

In the house of Representatives, Democratic prospects never looked promising. After the decennial redistricting congressional maps were finalized, Republicans came out ahead, with some Democratic seats eliminated and Republicans gaining enough new “safe” Republican districts to give them a structural edge to take control of the house. And so, despite some expressions of Democratic hope or bravado, it’s quite unlikely that they’ll retain leadership in the house.

The Senate is a different story. There are 34 seats being contested—only 13 of them are incumbent Democrats, while 21 are Republicans. Of the 34, 10 are considered vulnerable, five in each party. Because the Senate is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, all Democrats need to do is break even to maintain their leadership of that body.

Two months ago, several factors pointed to an advantage for Democrats. Their Senate candidates were better, and polls showed that their issues were resonating with voters. Republicans had nominated a few far-right Trump-endorsed individuals who were “election deniers” and had, to be kind, less than exemplary resumes. It looked promising that Democrats would hold on to at least four of their five vulnerable seats, while being able to flip at least one or two of the currently held Republican seats.

In recent weeks, the situation has changed and polling in all these contests show them tightening to within a few points. What happened?

hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent by the campaigns, the parties, and outside partisan

The obscene amounts spent advertising these messages nationwide have served to deepen the treacherous partisan divide, making an already polarized political environment even more so. And they have played to the advantage of the Republicans.

Two recent polls explain how this has worked. The first, from NYT/Siena College, showed that “the share of voters citing the economy, inflation, crime, and immigration as the most important problem facing the country increased to 52 percent, up 14 points from July.” The same poll found that the Democratic “issues of abortion, democracy, or guns dropped to 14 percent from 26 percent.”

The second poll was one released by the Democratic Party outlining their strategy focusing on abortion as the key issue that would motivate their voters to turn out and win in November. The presentation argued that when looking at each of the groups the poll identified as “key Democratic voters” (that is, young voters, educated women, and minority communities), all supported abortion rights. What the presentation ignored is that the issue of abortion is now seen as an important priority by only five percent of all voters.

Congress will be paralyzed, and we’ll probably see government shutdowns due to lack of agreement on funding. The far right in the Republican Party will challenge their leadership, demanding Benghazi-style hearings on any number of issues and maybe even an attempt at impeachment. It will be two nightmarish years of polarization and dysfunction leading up to the 2024 national election— when we do it all over again

This is not to say that abortion rights, the threat to democracy, or the horrible epidemic of gun violence aren’t critical issues facing the nation. What it does say is that, though important, they aren’t the top issues on the minds of voters. And as my father, a small grocer, would have said, “Listen to your customers or you might lose them to someone who will.”

With one week to go and most key races too close to call, it will be a nail-biter. An unexpected and unlikely wind blowing in either direction could move the electorate one way or another. That said, at this point it seems probable that Democrats will maintain control of the Senate, while Republicans will assume leadership in the house.

With such an outcome, the good news for Democrats is that the president will continue to have his judges and other appointments confirmed. The bad news for the country is that’s about all that will happen.

These polls explain why Democrats are focused on defending abortion rights and losing ground, while Republicans are railing against the increased cost of living and high crime rates. It also explains why in

Congress will be paralyzed, and we’ll probably see government shutdowns due to lack of agreement on funding. The far right in the Republican Party will challenge their leadership, demanding Benghazi-style hearings on any number of issues and maybe even an attempt at impeachment. It will be two nightmarish years of polarization and dysfunction leading up to the 2024 national election—when we do it all over again.

Thethree top thinktanks of europe; Corporate europe Observatory, l'Observatoire des Multinationales and Recommon, which have been working for a fossil-free green energy future of europe, released an investigative report titled “Fuelling the cost of living crisis– how the fossil fuel industry turned the Ukraine war into an opportunity for extra profits and further lock-in of gas” on October 28, that shares the mind-boggling situation that europe is facing after the Russia-Ukraine conflict resulted in sanctions on Russia.

The report indicates that anti-Russian sanctions have resulted in a situation in which extraordinary, unusual and unprece-

dented political decisions are being taken by the european leadership that have farreaching consequences for the european climate. Climate watchdogs claim that fossil-fuel providers have enjoyed extraordinary access to eU leaders and have pocketed unprecedented profits. The report also claims that more than 100 meetings between the fossil fuel industry and european Commission leaders have taken place since February and Commission President Von der Leyen met several times with oil and gas CeOs while formulating the bloc’s energy response to the Ukraine crisis. The report claims that fossil fuel providers have pocketed €78 billion in profits up to September (Shell, Total energies, eni, and Repsol).

The total sum of the report is that the european Union has opted to give the fossil fuel industry even more influence on decision-making in the name of the “emergency” that europe is facing after clamping sanctions on the Russian energy industry and energy prices continued skyrocketing in europe and the rest of the world, while fossil fuel providers enjoyed record profits.

“This choice to leave the economic power and political influence of the oil and gas industry untouched may have been enough to secure enough gas and fill storage facilities to pass one winter, but in the long term, it has locked us in a spiral of skyrocketing energy prices, fossil fuel addiction, and climate disaster,” the report claims.

The Report indicates that the oil and

gas industry has successfully lobbied for massive public support for new gas infrastructure and gas-based technology developments and proposes 300 new gas projects over the next ten years to respond to the ongoing “emergency” (Russia-Ukraine conflict). The eU has set up an ‘energy Platform Industry Advisory Group’ exclusively made up of europe’s major gas companies, with a mandate to effectively co-manage the Commission’s plans to rid of Russian gas, and eU and US oil and gas lobby groups have also been working with senior Members of the european Parliament (MePs) to push for more domestic gas production and more imports.

The Report believes that european leadership is walking away from commitments it has with the issue of global warming and climate change and taking decisions in contradiction with the guidelines of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that is very clear about the fact that we need to stop new oil and gas projects and initiate a rapid phaseout of fossil fuels if we want to keep global temperatures increase below 1.5°C. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change and it provides regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. The IPCC currently has 195 members.

I being a witness to the latest climate

change disaster in Pakistan could not agree more with all 195 members as Pakistan is a consequence of all these political decisions and cozy meetings with fossil fuel sellers and policymakers as an aftermath. Let me add that in Pakistan 33 million people are internally displaced due to these floods and l 178,472,.048 acres of crops are damaged and 106,453 livestock are killed.

It is understandable that winter is knocking at the door of europe which has yet to find any sustainable choice highpriced deals that would pass on to consumers who are already facing high-priced food supply as the grain market is in extreme turbulence due to the suspension of normal supplies from Ukraine and Russia. A number of experts are claiming that the high price of energy is one factor but the most threatening aspect is possible erratic supplies when winter will demand more consumption and there will be an extraordinary gap between demand and supply of energy. We will see what would be the cost a consumer will pay for political decisions taken in Washington and Brussels but this fact again testifies that the desire for supremacy and hegemony has always played havoc with humanity.

Power corridors always take decisions for enhancing more power even at the cost of the population they rule. In the postWorld War II era economic and political sanctions and the threat of global isolation are major tools to subjugate frail players but we forget that mankind from primitive times has a history of survival even when food and water had been denied by an enemy group or by natural disasters like

floods, famines, jungle fires, an eruption of volcanoes, and so on.

The basic fact is that denial of access to basic survival conditions always resulted in the exploring of options and opening new opportunities. Closing one country's borders or cutting one country's diplomatic ties can never just affect the "subject country" but it always has a global effect.

The prime example is the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Russia is surviving sanctions by finding buyers like China for wheat, oil, and gas but the western world that has imposed sanctions on Russia is on the losing side. The drastic impact of the conflict has already been reported on global food security as both countries are major food baskets of the world. The situation is also hampering the western policy it has been following for decades in reference to climate change as europe is compelled to use coal for energy production and forgetting “the Fossil-Free Politics”. Coal, which is considered the dirtiest among fossil fuels, is now the biggest demand in europe.

Today’s victim of climate change is Pakistan and someone else will be tomorrow. This process will not stop until humans stop taking compromised political decisions by putting humanity at risk.

The writer Shazia Cheema is an analyst writing for national and international media outlets. She heads the DND Thought Center. She did her MA in Cognitive Semiotics from Aarhus University Denmark and is currently registered as a Ph.D. Scholar of Semiotics and Philosophy of Communication at Charles University Prague

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

SHAZIA

Yousaf Nizami Editor

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late)

Editor

midterm elections won’t dispel the clouds

Editor’s mail

Consumption of Milk

INPakistan, most people drink their tea with milk as they consider milk an important source of calcium. however, once milk is added to the tea, it changes the tea’s consistency dramatically. Most types of tea and coffee contain tannin, which is also known as tannic acid. It is a compound responsible for the bitter flavour, astringent mouthfeel, and dark colour. Adding even a tiny amount of milk reduces the bitterness and astringency in a cup of tea. Coffee contains 4.6% tannic acid, while tea has 11.2% tannic acid. The exact amount can vary considerably because if you steep your tea for a longer period, the concentration of tannins is higher in your cup. Tannins have antioxidant properties, which means they can protect our bodies from harmful compounds by tightly binding with them and preventing their absorption in the gut. however, tannins also bind easily with minerals like calcium, which can interfere with their absorption — leaving the calcium unabsorbed. Therefore, it is best to leave a 30-minute gap between eating a meal and drinking tea to ensure you have the best chance to absorb this mineral. Consuming vitamin-C-rich foods like bell peppers, potatoes, cantaloupe, and oranges before or after you drink your tea can also neutralise the tannins. Importantly, people who consume large amounts of milk tea or coffee must reconsider the use of milk with these beverages.

Counselling of Parents

Political Instability in Pakistan

this narrative of grievance, Khan aims to undermine the legitimacy of the new regime. his party has resigned from Parliament and is calling for fresh elections. Now he is leading a "freedom march" to Islamabad.

In contrast, supporters of the ruling parties see Khan's ouster as democratic and dangerous to his politics. Pakistan today is echoing the post-January moments (January 1, 1863 - The emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves in the states rebelling against the Union) in America, with a polarization so deep that each faction sees no validity in the other's arguments. Khan's supporters are especially distrustful of anything or any action of the new government or the military. In recent weeks, politicians on each side have also resorted to using religion to attack the other, which is so dangerous in the country where weaponizing religion can be punishable by death.

In the days before his fall, his aim was to deprive the then-opposition of the runway of government by dissolving Parliament, but the decision was overturned by Pakistan's Supreme Court. The current government, for its part, used its time in power to turn things in its favor, including resolving outstanding corruption cases.

IMRANKhan was the first prime minister of Pakistan who was ousted by a noconfidence vote. he had taken the office of Prime minister for five years but Pakistan's major opposition parties established the Pakistan Democratic Movement in 2020 to gain power in the country. Superficially, the opposition blamed governance and economic failures under Khan's leadership. But the main reason was that Khan had lost the support of the Pakistan Army, which helped him come to power.

There were several factors responsible for the rift between the Khan and the Army. The biggest deadlock was over the transfer of the Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in October 2021. Khan refused to sign off on the transfer of the director general, which had already been approved by the Army. It was said that ISI chief is loyal to Khan, and there was also speculations that Khan wanted the next election (or perhaps even to appoint him as the next Army chief). Thus, when Khan lost the support of the Army and the Army said it had become neutral the two smaller parties in the ruling coalition abandoned their alliance with Khan and turned Khan into the opposition.

Khan established a conspiracy theory to blame the fall of his government and alleged a US conspiracy against his "independent foreign policy" and claiming that "local auxiliaries" were facilitators for the process of Imran Khan’s ejection from the power. Although it is denied by the establishment, Khan and his allies have also hinted that the military is also responsible for his exit. Sometimes indirect language and sometimes pointing the finger at the "neutral," as they now refer to the military, the PTI has reached near the limits of political confrontation with the military.

Day after day, in huge meetings, seminars and rallies across the country they call the new government an "imported government" and the new prime minister a "crime minister". Khan has used his rallies and interviews to gain media attention, arguing that the fall of his government returned to power the corrupt politicians who are responsible for Pakistan's problems. his supporters, many of them middle-class, young and urban, and angry at Khan's informal, systematic ouster, echoed his words on social media. With

The new government under the leadership of PML(N) President Shehbaz Sharif is facing huge challenges not only from Khan. Shahbaz's brother, three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted on corruption charges in 2017, still is controlling the party and indeed the government of Pakistan. A three-time former Chief Minister of Punjab, Pakistan's largest province, Shehbaz has a more charismatic personality throughout his political career, but may now be unsuccessful. Last month, the prime minister and key members of his cabinet made a surprise visit to London to consult with Nawaz Sharif to get new instructions to mitigate the government's challenges.

Nawaz is living abroad and Pakistan's economy is continuing to decline. The rupee has continued to fluctuate sharply against the dollar. The stock market also lost value. What worries the government is the limited time before the next election and the fact that it commands a loose coalition of rival parties, which will compete against each other in the next election. But part of the indecision has to do with the fact that the PDM's main objective was to oust Khan. The PDM did not formulate any alternative governance plan or economic strategy before coming to power. This lack of planning is now showing in the face of Pakistan's economic crisis.

The question is whether Nawaz Sharif can return to Pakistan before the next election or not. If he does, it could strengthen the PML(N), but if he doesn't face legal action on their return, it will strengthen Khan's arguments that the Sharif family nurtured the culture of corruption in Pakistan. And The PML(N) has politically manipulated in the cases of corruption and generated considerable obstacles to make decisions against them, including an economic crisis that is partly exogenous, a power struggle in Punjab province, and a president who belongs to and is loyal to Khan's party. The coalition government has said that it would not go to early elections. Former President Asif Ali Zardari has insisted that elections should not be held before Parliament can make electoral reforms.

Whenever the next elections are held, it is not clear what the outcome will be. What matters in Pakistan's parliamentary system is which party can attract the most "electables"; powerful politicians in local constituencies.

Political parties now directly refer to military intervention in politics, but only when they are in opposition. When they are in government and enjoy this support, they do not challenge it. This was true of Khan's party when it was in power, and it is true of Sharif's government now

Large civic rallies validate Khan's personal popularity, but not necessarily how his party performs in parliamentary elections. The second factor, which has historically determined which party politicians align with and which side the military leans toward, and this system, is the hurdle in the way of growing democracy in Pakistan.

The foundations of this system in Pakistan remain the same since the creation of Pakistan. What matters for political success is whether you have the support of the Pakistan Army.

Political parties now directly refer to military intervention in politics, but only when they are in opposition. When they are in government and enjoy this support, they do not challenge it. This was true of Khan's party when it was in power, and it is true of Sharif's government now.

A major question causing political uncertainty in Pakistan is the timing of the next elections, which should be held by the late summer of 2023. Khan has made it clear that he wants to carry his current momentum to snap elections.

Pakistan's growing political tensions and the race for power have turned the country into a political flashpoint. And it does not address the problems of common Pakistanis, who are continuously paying the price for the country's political instability.

The writer has a PhD in Political Science and can be reached at akramzaheer86@yahoo.com

AZKIA AFTAB KARACHI

GIVeNthat parents are the primary caretakers and guardians of a child, their influence and support play an essential part in nurturing a child. They are responsible for looking after their child’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being. however, in Pakistan, these responsibilities are often overlooked. Most young parents lack the awareness and education about the upbringing of children. They have little knowledge about children’s emotional and physical needs, which affects the overall well-being of children. Importantly, the mental health of parents plays a crucial role in how they handle their child’s responsibilities. A recent survey revealed that 30% to 60% of mothers in Pakistan suffer from anxiety and stress. Parents suffering from poor mental health struggle to form a good relationship with their children and are unable to fulfil their responsibilities. This often affects children’s mental and physical health as well as their academic performance. Children begin feeling distant from their parents and turn to other sources such as the internet to find emotional support. This makes them more vulnerable to human traffickers and online groomers. Therefore, we must address this problem comprehensively by introducing tailored parental counselling campaigns. A widespread television campaign should be launched to educate parents on the ways to communicate and behave with their children. Parental counselling should be made more accessible and all new parents should be encouraged to seek counselling. We must break the chain of ignorance and produce a finer generation.

HANIA ARIF KARACHI

Domestic violence

CASeSof domestic violence and other crimes continue to occur in the country on a daily basis. It goes without saying that a low literacy rate is responsible for a high crime rate in the country. But there is more to it. While education is believed to make people civilised, the recent cases of torturing to death — like those involving Sarah Amir, Noor Mukadam and Alizay Sultan— are a punch to the gut of the whole society as these crimes have been committed by educated men. This leads us to believe that crimes against women occur because men think they are superior and in control. Men often have more power and greater social status than women. This takes us to the conclusion that glorification of tough men in our society is somewhere responsible for violence against women — something that serves to limit women’s independence in public and private life. For the same reason, women are unable to play their due role in national building.

AAMENA TAUFIQ KARACHI

Current literacy rate

Thecurrent literacy rate in Pakistan is 62.3 per cent which means that around 90 million people in the country cannot read and write. It goes without saying that illiteracy is a major cause of unemployment and poverty in the country. Unfortunately, ‘education for all’ has been rendered a mere slogan as the successive governments have failed to focus on this important sector. As a result, the number of out-of-school children in the country is rising and rising, currently standing at around 22.8 million, according to Unicef. The need for family support is the main reason behind a majority of the children opting out of school at a very tender age. Children can be seen working at factories, hotels, cafeterias, auto workshops and as domestic servants. A good number of them can be seen offering their services as car washers. Begging is one profession — yes it a profession, and quite lucrative at that — too many children are stuffed into. Under the circumstances, the government needs to focus on improving public sector schools across the country so as to provide free-of-cost education to all. At the same time, the government must also take steps to nip the evil of child labour in the bud.

SHAHRUKH ALI LAHORE

Encouraging Dialogue

SOCIeTIeSacross the globe are patriarchal. Accepted. This needs to improve and women should be given their due rights, especially by the ‘modern Islamic republics’. Accepted. I am a regular reader of Rafia Zakaria’s opinion pieces, and I always feel that she goes a bit too far and blames one gender for all the problems in the world around us. Solutions will surely not be found through an anti-men stance on literally all issues under the sun.

I believe this is a blame-game rather than an effort to solve problems. Let us promote dialogue in societies. Let us blame less, and talk more. I believe one will achieve what one ‘wants’ by an approach which engages, and not engages ‘them’. Think about it.

Dr muHAmmAD AkrAm ZAHeer

Will Nawaz return?

HoW random evenTs Have sHaped THe course of Human HisTory

big Think Tim Brinkhof

sOMeTIMearound 193 B.C., the celebrated Roman general Scipio Africanus led a delegation from the eternal City to modern-day Syria to tell its king, Antiochus III, to stay out of Greece. For the first time in history, this culturally and economically significant region had fallen under control of the Italians after a succession of wars with Macedonia, and they were in no mood to give it up.

Present at the Syrian court upon the delegation’s arrival was none other than hannibal, the exiled warlord who, years earlier, had defended the wealthy city-state of Carthage against Roman encroachment and, in the process, nearly levelled the Republic before being bested by Scipio. The last time these two men came face to face with each other, they had been at war.

This time, they were both guests seated at Antiochus’ table — an unbelievably rare coincidence that led to an equally unbelievable conversation. Making friendly conversation over dinner, Scipio asked hannibal who he thought was the greatest general of all time. hannibal ranked Alexander the Great first, followed by a general named Phyrrus, and, finally and much to the chagrin of Scipio, himself.

At the end of the day this interaction is little more than a curiosity: an anecdote that, however fascinating, did not impact the course of history in any noticeable or meaningful way. But the same cannot be said for other “random” incidents that took place in the past.

hOW SnAILS SAVeD TAIWAn

In light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, western leaders not only have their eyes set on Russia but on China as well. Through military exercises, the country is giving the rest of the world reason to believe that it will try to take back control of the island of Taiwan — something China almost managed to do a century ago, were it not for a random encounter with infectious snails.

COSMIC INFLATION SOLVES THE “PAST HYPOTHESIS” PROBLEM: During the Chinese Civil War, which lasted from 1927 until 1950 and was fought between the Communists and the nationalists, nearly 2 million people belonging to the latter faction fled to Taiwan. Vastly outnumbering their almost defeated enemy, the Communists wasted no time preparing an amphibious attack on the nearby island.

To prepare for the conditions that awaited on the shore, between 30,000 and 50,000 Communist soldiers spent weeks training in canals in southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian. Unbeknownst to them, however, these canals were infested with snails carrying a virus that, upon infecting humans, causes fever, coughing, muscle aches, and bloody urine, among other symptoms. Overnight, the Communist invasion force had been put out of commission. By the time medication arrived via the country’s heavily damaged trade networks, the Taiwanese Strait was being guarded by American warships, throwing any plans for a future invasion off the table. Thus snails — and, by extension, random chance — shaped the geopolitical climate in which we live today.

LAWS OF HUMAN ACTION: events like these cast into doubt the notion that history unfolds according to constant, observable principles. This notion, which is closely associated with faith and religion and is as old as humanity itself, gained particular traction during the enlightenment. As soon as scientists like Isaac newton learned that the cosmos obeyed certain laws of physics, historians started looking for laws of their own.

Belief in these laws preceded compelling evidence for their existence. “Great changes,” wrote edward P. Cheney in 1927, in one of his many essays, “seem to have come about with a certain inevitableness; there seems to have been an independent trend of events, some inexorable necessity controlling the progress of human affairs…”

Other scholars have used different words to describe the

Tribune

Whenresponding to sexual violence, health providers are required to collect forensic evidence as well as provide therapeutic care. In reality, some survivors could still find themselves being subjected to the humiliating two-finger test. The Supreme Court has time and again frowned upon the use of the test, referring to it as the worst form of patriarchal and sexist attitude toward women who report rape. The practice has even been deemed unconstitutional. The latest order to prosecute those

same idea, and yet neither history nor sociology nor economy has yet managed to provide a single, overarching, irrefutable theory of human development. In light of this failure, one cannot help but wonder why we have a rudimentary understanding of something like the Big Bang, while the mechanics of history continue to be fiercely debated.

Reflecting on the relationship between history and cosmology for Aeon magazine, geologists Walter Alvarez argues that life is inherently unpredictable. “The appearance of living agents,” he explains, “took our planet beyond the realm of the phases for which physicists can discover natural laws – plasmas, gases, liquids and solids – and brought into being matter organised in far more complex ways.”

CONTINUITY VERSUS CONTINGENCY: But just because life is unpredictable does not mean that history is completely without laws. Unpredictability can be law in and of itself, though such a law would not necessarily improve our understanding of the past. The struggle for survival, which Alvarez acknowledges as being shared by all living organisms alongside their ability to move, feed, and reproduce, could also be turned into a law.

On a cosmological level, Alvarez sees a clear distinction between continuities and random contingencies. Continuity refers to trends and cycles — processes that enable and are in turn enabled by the inherent order of things. Contingency, on the other hand, is defined as “rare events that make significant changes in history that could not have been predicted very far in advance.”

This dichotomy of continuity and contingency applies to both Big history (i.e., the history of the universe) and human history. A good example of a contingency in Big history is the asteroid that caused the extinction of earth’s non-aviation dinosaurs, while an example of contingency in human history would be the infectious snails that invertedly thwarted China’s invasion of Taiwan.

The closer you look, the more muddled the distinction between continuities and contingencies becomes. Alvarez lists a soldier misinterpreting battle-deciding orders as another example of random contingency, but this could also signal the disintegrating chain of command of a country in decline. Likewise, future natural disasters will be linked to manmade climate change, making them continuities instead of contingencies.

HISTORY BY NUMBERS: Just as the laws of physics are expressed through mathematics, so too might raw data improve our understanding of the past. Leading this approach to history — known in academic circles as Cliodynamics, after the Greek muse of history Clio — is Peter Valentinovich Turchin, a Russian-American scholar who serves as the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Quantitative history and Cultural evolution.

Rather than studying primary sources, Turchin and his team of researchers work with historical databases like Seshat: Global history Databank, a resource that contains numerical data for more than 400 societies. Turchin uses this information, which encompasses everything from population size to yearly industrial output, to search for patterns in the unfathomably complex course of human development.

By relying primarily on mathematics, Turchin can produce more convincing evidence than conventional historians. For example, one of his studies identified population size and preexisting technology as the most important drivers for the innovation of military technology. Another more recent research paper found that war, specifically cavalry forces and iron weaponry, enabled societies to grow more complex.

Echoing the scientific positivism and religious fervor of Cheney, Cliodynamics suggests historical continuity vastly outweighs historical contingency. However, Turchin is not without his critics. His projects, though ambitious and fascinating, are frequently met with skepticism. Usually, this skepticism is aimed at the validity of datasets, which — like the past itself — may be more random than we think.

India’s Russian arms imbroglio

arms contracts with other nations, either because of the sanctions or in order to replenish losses of combat equipment in what it calls its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine.

Its overstretched arms production has caused a delay in the setting up of an Indo-Russia joint venture for manufacturing more than 600,000 AK-203 assault rifles costing over US$607 million in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Similarly delayed has been the delivery of four follow-on Talwar-class guided-missile frigates for the Indian navy, two of them to be constructed in Kaliningrad and two in Mumbai. Russia has also deferred supplies to India of systems and spares for its Kilo-class submarines and its MiG-29 fighters and Mi-17 transport helicopters. Also delayed are five S-400 Triumf missile-defence systems.

The abysmal failure of Russia’s weaponry in President Vladimir Putin’s brutal and ill-conceived war on Ukraine should compel a reconsideration of India’s traditional overdependence on Russian armaments.

A dossier compiled by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence reveals that Russia’s weapons, many of which have been retrieved from the battlefield, have been ineffective, obsolete and unreliable, and don’t meet the requirements of modern warfare. Its armoured vehicles and helicopters have wilted under fire, and its missiles have missed around two-thirds of their targets.

The situation was made more dire after the USled West imposed economic sanctions on most Russian arms vendors following Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea in southern Ukraine in 2014. These punitive measures were ‘massively expanded’ upon Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, when the Western powers added a significant number of individuals and entities to the sanctions list and adopted unprecedented measures with the aim of significantly weakening Russia’s economic base and depriving it of critical technologies and markets. These sanctions are expected to remain in place for years, if not decades.

Clearly, India’s policy of not recognising unilateral sanctions, meaning those not imposed by the United nations, cannot stand up to the might of the US. American sanctions carry the heft of the US dollar in international finance, and any country, corporation or other entity contravening them can be blocked from the US financial system and, by extension, from global markets.

India and other buyers of Russian arms may also be drawn under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), the US law that provides for economic and financial penalties against any nation transacting on arms with Russia, Iran, Venezuela or north Korea.

Falling foul of CAATSA could cripple India’s defences by cutting off access to international arms markets. One casualty could well be the country’s newly commissioned 43,000-tonne indigenous aircraft carrier, InS Vikrant, whose aviation facility complex was to be supplied by one of the sanctioned Russian companies, nevskoe Design Bureau.

These issues may be compounded by the fact that more than 450 foreign-made components have been detected in Russian weapons recovered in Ukraine, originally sourced from American, european and Asian companies. A recent study indicates that 27 of the recovered weapon systems, ranging from cruise missiles to air-defence systems, relied primarily on Western components.

Russian air-defence systems and cruise missiles are very much part of India’s arsenal, as are a range of other crucial systems that arm its three services. however, with the US, France and Israel aggressively building largely transactional partnerships with India, Russia’s share of India’s arms imports declined from 69% in 2012–16 to 46% in 2017–21. India accounted for the largest share of major arms imports, of 11%, in the 2017–21 period.

Other countries evidently have also diversified their arms imports. Russia’s arms exports fell by 26% between 2012–16 and 2017–21, and its share of global arms exports decreased from 24% to 19%.

Russia delivered major arms to 45 nations in 2017–21.

Russia has had to suspend multimillion-dollar

Uncertainty in arms supply led India to suspend negotiations with Rosoboronexport, the export arm of Russian defence conglomerate Rostec, and its sister concern, Russian helicopters, for 10 more Kamov Ka-31 helicopters costing US$520 million.

The Indian navy currently operates 14 Ka-31s, four of which were inducted in 2003, five in 2005 and five in 2013.

A superpower that had ushered in the Cold War era, Russia is now seeing its sphere of influence crumble as its forces persevere with a dispiriting battle and Putin tactlessly threatens the nuclear option as the military advantage slips from his grasp.

These issues have been testing India’s foreign policy, which has been guided by panchsheel, hindi for five principles—respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence.

India seemed to have overlooked them all when it abstained from criticising Russia at both the Un and Quad forums. Prime Minister narendra Modi heartened the US-led West, though, when he told Putin at their meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan in September that the ‘era of war’ had ended. The Russian leader, however, lauded the comment as an expression of concern about the war. Yet, within a month, at the 13 October emergency special session of the Un General Assembly, India had abstained from voting on a resolution condemning and rejecting Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions, when 143 states voted for the proposal.

It’s unclear whether India will escape CAATSA if it accepts delivery from nevskoe Design Bureau of the aviation facility complex for InS Vikrant that’s scheduled for the end of next year. The bureau was among 29 entities of Russia’s defence establishment sanctioned by the US State Department in April. An aviation facility complex is a crucial assembly that supports an aircraft carrier’s air wing, and without its integrated airpower the Vikrant will remain essentially a floating hull.

India is nevertheless hopeful of following through on the deal in the same way it managed to secure a CAATSA waiver in 2018 on its US$5.3 billion order with Russia for the five S-400 Triumfs. In July, the US house of Representatives passed an India-specific waiver under CAATSA by 330 to 99, while sanctioning Turkey, a nATO member, under the act for the purchase of the same Russian systems.

A country like India, however, can’t procure vital armaments on the basis of hope. Yet it appears that India’s reliance on foreign arms and ammunition will remain high. Modi’s keenness to boost domestic manufacturing of defence systems has been creating gaps, and Indian industry is not yet in position to produce high-technology military systems that can prove to be appropriate import substitutes.

The stress on indigenisation is preventing India’s air force, army and navy from importing certain critical weapons systems to replace ageing ones, leaving the country critically short of helicopters by 2026 and with an enormous shortfall of fighter jets by 2030. The prime minister’s proposal mandates between 30% and 60% of homemade components, depending on the nature of the military purchase and where it is sourced from.

Sarosh Bana is executive editor of Business India in Mumbai; regional editor, Indo-Pacific region, of Germany’s Naval Forces; and India correspondent of Sydney-based cybersecurity journal Asia Pacific Security Magazine.

vant to the issue.

Two-finger test is a crime

conducting this unscientific, invasive method of examination and holding them guilty of misconduct brings finality to the issue. It is a welcome and essential intervention.

The Bench hit the nail on the head with

the contention that the inhumane test is based on an incorrect assumption that a sexually active woman cannot be raped. The evidence of a victim’s sexual history, it has reiterated, is immaterial to the case and the test only re-victimises and re-traumatises

women. The top court had nearly a decade back issued views on similar lines. The test’s interpretation, it said, violates the right to privacy, dignity, physical and mental integrity, and can lead to degrading characterisations. even if the report is affirmative, the presumption of consent is erroneous. A criminal law amendment in 2013 had made it clear that the evidence of a victim’s character or her previous sexual experience is irrele-

The guidelines now limit the examination to medical indications, such as diagnosing infection, injury or presence of a foreign substance. Along with directions to ensure that the survivors of sexual assault and rape are not put through the two-finger test, the Union health Ministry has been told to circulate the court’s decision widely to spread awareness. It has also asked for workshops to be conducted for health providers on appropriate procedures and removal of study material on the test from the curriculum of medical colleges. It is too serious an issue to be dealt with in a casual manner.

IS HISTORY DECIDED BY DISCERNIBLE LAWS OR DOES IT UNFOLD BASED ON RANDOM, UNPREDICTABLE OCCURRENCES?

STraTegiST/auSTralian STraTegic Policy inSTiTuTe SaroSh Bana

MODI’S KEENNESS TO BOOST DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING OF DEFENCE SYSTEMS HAS BEEN CREATING GAPS, AND INDIAN INDUSTRY IS NOT YET IN POSITION TO PRODUCE HIGH-TECHNOLOGY MILITARY SYSTEMS THAT CAN PROVE TO BE APPROPRIATE IMPORT SUBSTITUTES

SC INTERVENES TO PUT AN END TO HUMILIATING PRACTICE

SOME SEEMINGLY RANDOM EVENTS ARE ANECDOTAL AT BEST, WHILE OTHERS CARRY PROFOUND CONSEQUENCES FOR THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY

corporate corner Engineering solutions need of world, society to achieve SDGs: Ms Romina

SILKBAnK ConSUMER BAnKInG ConTInUES GRowTh MoMEnTUM

THISis with reference to the Public Announcement of Intention (PAI) issued by M/s Park View Enclave (Pvt) Ltd for investment of upto PKR 12 billion in Silkbank. In this regard M/s Arif Habib( AHL), Manager to the offer, informed that due to change in business priorities, M/s. Park View Enclave (Pvt ) Ltd will not pursue the said letter of intent further.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) held the SDG’s launching ceremony chaired by PEC Chairman Najeeb Haroon. Ceremony chief guest MNA Ms Romina Khurshid Alam (Convener National Taskforce on SDG’s and special assistant to prime minister) highlighted the critical role of PEC and engineers in achieving the UN-SDG’s. On this occasion, the chief guest MNA Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam acknowledged the PEC initiative on SDG’s adoption and emphasized on the formulation of working plan with PEC that is to be adopted to achieve SDGs with engineering solutions which is now the need of world and society. She emphasized on goal 11 of sustainable cities for which requested PEC and respective stakeholders to cater on priority. PEC Chairman Engr Najeeb Haroon welcomed chief guest and all participant stakeholders from different professions and industries. He emphasized on the Engineering solutions to achieve SDG’s as PEC is the power house of engineers and Professionals. Engineers can devise best strategic solutions where ample resources are available, but their utilization required in the most efficient way which engineers can do play their role. Engineers play vital role in building up of sustainable societies and decision making as subject matter experts. PR

AnF seizes drugs worth $13.618m in 23 operations

ISLAMABAD: Anti-Narcotics Force Pakistan seized 556.679 Kg Drugs worth US$ 13.618 Million internationally, arrested 28 persons including a woman and impounded 11 vehicles while conducting 23 counter narcotics operations throughout the country. The seized drugs comprised 127.200 Kg Opium, 6.501 Kg Heroin, 318.200 Kg Hashish, 29.730 Kg Methamphetamine (Ice), 48 gram Weed and 3,20,000x Xanax Tabs (weighing 75 Kg). ANF North recovered 358.067 Kg drugs in 7 operations, arrested 10 persons including a woman in drug smuggling while seized 4 vehicles. The seized drugs comprised 127.200 Kg Opium, 2.099 Kg Heroin, 230.400 Kg Hashish, 720 gram Methamphetamine (Ice) and 48 gram Weed. ANF KPK recovered 47.927 Kg drugs in 5 operations while 6 persons arrested in drug trafficking and seized 2 vehicles. PR

The representative of AHL also informed the Silkbank Board that for raising the capital of the Bank, they have identified other potential strong investors who have good prospects of meeting regulatory criteria, and they will update the Board upon receipt of the necessary letter of intent in the coming weeks. The potential equity injection will help accelerate the future growth of the bank and post capitalization, the Bank will be able to fully comply with regulatory capital requirements.

It is pertinent to mention that the bank’s flagship

Consumer Business continue to be amongst the top performing businesses in the industry. As a testament of the customer confidence reposed in the Bank, the growth was led by its Credit Cards and Personal Loan products registering a growth of 41% profit before taxes from Rs. 1.57 billion in 2019 to Rs. 2.23 billion in 2020. The deposits of the Bank substantially increased by Rs. 21 billion as compared to December 2019, taking the total deposit base to Rs. 160 billion. Local currency Current Account grew by 32% while CASA deposits improved from 61% in December 2019 to 63% in December 2020. The bank’s Net Revenue also increased by Rs. 2.96 billion registering 61% growth while expenses declined by Rs. 638 million, decline of 8%. The upward positive momentum continues in 2022 as well.

On the other hand, the Bank had to take various provisions in 2020 against some borrowers engaged primarily in the real estate businesses which were se-

Naval Chief expresses confidence over combat readiness of PN

Islamabad

PR

Command and Staff Conference of Pakistan Navy concluded at Naval Headquarters, Islamabad. The Conference was chaired by Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi.

During the conference, matters related to geo strategic milieu, national security, operational preparedness, training and welfare of troops were reviewed. Comprehensive brief-

ing on important on-going and future developmental projects of Pakistan Navy was also given to Chief of the Naval Staff. The Naval Chief expressed confidence over combat readiness and significant contributions of the Navy in maritime domain. He emphasized on strengthening of maritime security and maintaining combat readiness so as to effectively respond to any aggression against Pakistan. The Naval Chief lauded the initiatives undertaken towards capa-

RIU chancellor, VC attend PIMA/ FIMA convention

Within Pakistan, Riphah International University (RIU) is producing medical experts and resources to equip the young generation in the scientific field and for this, Riphah is working on Lifestyle Medicine and Patient Safety to improve medical standards, said Chancellor Riphah International University, Mr. Hassan Muhammad Khan. The inauguration ceremony of the 26th Biennial PIMA/FIMA Scientific Convention 2022 was held at Jinnah Convention Centre Islamabad on 29 October 2022 and Chancellor Riphah International University, Mr. Hassan Muhammad Khan. PR

bility development through acquisition of emerging technologies. The Admiral expressed full confidence over high state of operational preparedness of Pakistan Navy to meet all challenges while safeguarding the maritime frontiers of Pakistan. He also appreciated the efforts put in by Field Commanders along with civil administration and various philanthropist organizations in providing continuous assistance to flood affected population. Command & Staff Conference is the apex decision making body of Pakistan Navy in which Chief of the Naval Staff along with all Principal Staff Officers and Field Commanders undertake review of Pakistan Navy’s Policies and Plans.

PTA receives Rs166m as first instalment of AJ&K and GB licenses from Telenor, Ufone

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has received Rs166 Million (equivalent to USD 0.744 Million) against first annual instalment of AJ&K and GB NGMS Licenses from Telenor Pakistan Limited (Rs154 Million) and Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (Ufone) (Rs. 12 Million) in line with payment terms of respective licenses. PTA has also received Rs1.88 Billion (equivalent to USD 8.76 Million) from CMPak Limited (Zong) in the month of August 2022 on account of upfront 50% of renewal fee of its license renewed in the year 2022. PR

cured against mortgage of land. However, in December 2020, the Bank entered into a REIT arrangement for disposal of these mortgaged land held by the Bank with M/s Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management Company (RMC). This development will substantially address the Bank’s NPL issue and result in major provision reversals. Moreover, Bank also entered into the agreement for disposal for its owned properties with the RMC. This will not only reduce non-earning assets of the Bank but significant capital gains are also expected to be realized by the Bank. The Bank has already received approx. Rs. 2.6 billion as down payment against the said REIT structure. Besides, the Bank has also entered into arrangements with other major borrowers to ensure expeditious recovery of loans classified in 2020. The Bank expects most of these provisions to reverse within the next 12 - 24 months through the settlement and sale of mortgaged properties. PR

Female drug peddler busted with 1.5 heroin

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Capital Police Women PS team, arrested a lady drug peddler and recovered 1535 gram heroin from her possession. According to the details, following the special directions of DIG Operations Sohail Zafar Chatta, the Islamabad Capital Police is conducting indiscriminate operations against criminal elements throughout the district. During the operation, a women police team under the supervision of SHO Women used the latest technology and human resources and arrested a female drug peddler red handed. The accused is identified as Najma Bibi and a police team also recovered 1535 grams heroin from his possession. The accused have a previous criminal record also and different cases have been registered against her at Secretariat and Khana Police stations. Further investigation is urderway from her. DIG Operations appreciated the performance of the police team and further directed that the safety of the lives and property of the citizens is our prime responsibility and no laxity will be tolerated in this regard. PR

Al-Jalil Developers launches Lahore Entertainment City project

The role of universities in Higher Education has been the single crucial factor in changing the fate of the nations which has transformed the societies in various ways. We have seen the revolution in West where we have seen higher seats of learning such as Cambridge and Harvard who are not only playing a pivotal role in the growth and development of their nations along with number of other topranking Universities. Therefore, the real role of university in national building is to provide a platform for knowledge synthesis, innovation & technology, and enriching their students with diverse sets of skills and personality attributes to make them not only employable, but the one who has potential to create opportunities for other fellow citizens in competitive job market. The mission of the KUM is to develop approaches to address the main challenges local communities in particular & the country in general is facing currently and convert them into opportunities by creating and co-creating through new knowledge generation, innovation, technology and refinement of new approaches/techniques. The importance of empowering communities and imparting necessary training to adopt to new technologies/disruptive technologies using integrated approaches can-not be overemphasized and

History in making, KUM

Kohsar University Murree is optimistic in developing such Ecosystem intrinsic to maintain the high level of trainings to prepare skilled workforce to meet not only the local challenges but becoming globally relevant institute of higher learning in the light of SGDs.

R&D is imperative to enhance the country’s competitiveness in the global market through product and process innovation. Most of all there has to be a complete Ecosystem in place giving the overall campus life experience to the student with the traits of leadership, ccharacter bbuilding, discouraging the inclination towards drugs & narcotics, addressing psychological stresses in addition to providing them best pedagogical approaches for active learning and equipping them with 21 century’s range of skills during their stay at campuses. The modern world is based on a strong scientific knowledge-based economy, derived from innovation and there are various ways we can foster such Ecosystem on our campus to promote R & D culture around self-sustaining & knowledge coupled with skill-based Education-Ecosystem. We have witnessed the tremendous growth of emerging Biotech Industry, AI based Digital plat-

forms to real life challenge solution providers in all walks of lives including environmental ecofriendly solutions to renewable energy solutions to resilient crops & businesses surviving challenges in the wake of Climate change and COVID-19 Pandemic. In this regard, Promoting Entrepreneurship at Campuses, inspiring youth and monitoring their Journey from Degree to Employment or rather becoming employment provider is key to carefully monitor the growth and direction of the Universities so to continuously review their policies to improve the outcome-based learning environment. The recent VCs conference Punjab Universities, organized by Kohsar University Murree, was a great success in terms of bringing all stakeholders on one platform with one mission of establishing linkage to solve reallife challenges Pakistan is currently facing and preparedness for future.

Kohsar University Murree in its almost 2 years life span has been able to establish Ecosystem, with the limited available funding, equipped with the necessary skill-based 5 laboratories including smart classrooms and establishing its ORIC office and incubation center is on the way to be established next to enhance students-teachers-communi-

LAHORE: Al-Jalil Developers launched another mega housing project named “Lahore Entertainment City “located in Muridke. The glamorous and star-studded event was organized at Al-Jalil Garden Housing Scheme. Chairman Al-Jalil Group of Companies Chaudhary Nasrullah Warraich graced the event as the chief guest whereas, CEO. Al-Jalil Group of companies Shahid Hassan Warraich inaugurated the ceremony and warmly welcomed the honourable guest on board. The Commercial Director Al-Jalil Developers Sardar Aslam Warraich introduced Fahad Mustafa as the face of brand. Together they revealed the logo of Lahore Entertainment City. PR

ties & industry interactions for not only Innovation to happen but also implemented. We strongly believe that with the passage of time and strengthening of university infrastructure and availability of more space it will be one of the leading Universities of its type in the Region solving problems of the real world through real people.

Prof. Dr. Habib Ali Bokhari is leading Kohsar University Murree as it’s first Vice Chancellor. He is ambitious to benefit the community by transforming the existing challenges into opportunities during the infancy period of this institute. His commitment to provide students conducive resourceful environment equipped with the state of the art experimental laboratories and extensive hands on training by highly professional faculty for the accomplishment of world class professionals will make the difference for quality of education.

It’s worth mentioning here that the Honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan inaugurated at Punjab House on April 23, 2021. The university have been fortunate to receive generous funding for developing Infrastructure, attracting dedicated pluralistic research community to provide distinctive learning experience. Hiring of highly foreign qualified and experienced PhD’s is in plan before the start of five new programs of fall semester along with previous BS-programs.

In the meanwhile, many young PhDs have joined us and in the years ahead I hope and see KUM:

• Encouraging young brains to think vividly and independently in application of scientific knowledge to solve the complex issues of poverty and health exposed after the pandemic.

• Promotion of great inter-disciplinary research center with high social and economic impact.

• Active contributor in global knowledge of ecological protection and climate change.

• Establishing and sustaining partnerships with national and international universities.

• A forum for dialogue and engagement on critical local national or international issues.

• Stands for integration and coherence, innovation, solution-oriented research and development, first-class infrastructure and high teaching quality integrating well the state-of-the-art knowledge relevant to both business and society.

In the end, VC Dr Habib Bukhari sincerely hopes that the serene and highly conducive environment provided by the highly skilled and qualified faculty will certainly encourage our students to become part of a dynamic and thriving community of innovators, originators, and leaders. Students are welcome to experience the beauty of education in a beautiful campus.

Hassan sHaH

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Narcotics Control, Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti and Managing Director Pakistan Baitul Mal, Amir Fida Paracha discussing various collaborative initiatives for rehabilitatin of flood-hit families in Balochistan, during a meeting in Islamabad . PR

CHina, ViETnaM CHarT COurSE fOr bilaTEral TiES during TalKS bETwEEn Xi, TrOng

BEIJING Agencies

CHINAhas welcomed the first foreign leader to visit the country since the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong.

At the invitation of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese president, Trong is on an official visit to China which began on October 30.

During their talks on Monday, the two leaders vowed to make joint efforts in promoting the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era to a new level. a visit showing solid friendship:

Noting that Trong is the first foreign leader he has met since the 20th CPC National Congress and this is Trong’s first trip abroad since the 13th National Congress of the CPV, Xi said that it fully shows the great importance the two sides attach to developing relations between the two countries and the two parties.

Xi also presented the Friendship Medal of the Peo-

ple’s Republic of China (PRC) to Trong, saying that the medal represents the profound friendship of “comrades plus brothers” between China and Vietnam.

The award is presented to those who support the country’s modernization, promote exchanges between China and the world and safeguard world peace.

Trong said that he has fulfilled his promise to Xi that he would visit China for his first international visit following his re-election as General Secretary of the CPV in January 2021. Five years ago in November, Xi chose Vietnam as his first overseas destination after the 19th CPC National Congress.

The Vietnam News Agency said that Trong’s trip is a reciprocal visit, which aims to “affirm Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to relations with China as a top priority.”

a visit Charting the Course for bilateral relations: The two leaders agreed to continuously advance socialist modernization, align development strategies, and promote cooperation in various areas, such as medical and health care, green development, digital economy and climate change.

For the cause of socialism and China-Vietnam relations, adhering to the correct political direction is paramount, Xi said.

Highlighting the two sides should consolidate the socialist economic foundation, he said China is ready to synergize its development strategies with Vietnam.

China regards the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and a key region in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and attaches importance to Vietnam’s role in the ASEAN, Xi said.

Trong said that Vietnam is willing to further synergize the “Two Corridors and One Economic Circle” and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical upheavals in the world, Vietnam is China’s largest trading partner in the ASEAN and the sixth largest in the world, with bilateral trade exceeding $230 billion in 2021.

In July, China and Vietnam agreed to further strengthen the docking of development strategies and speed up cooperation under the BRI and the “Two Corridors and One Economic Circle” plan.

The “Two Corridors and One Economic Circle” plan is an initiative to boost regional economic cooperation between China and Vietnam. It involves several areas in southern and southwestern China and northern Vietnam.

During their talks, Trong also stressed that his

country firmly adheres to one-China policy, firmly opposes any form of separatist activities seeking “Taiwan independence,” and will not develop any official relations with Taiwan.

Vietnam does not allow any country to establish a military base on its territory, does not join any military alliance, does not use force against any country, and does not unite with one country against another, he said.

Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of cooperation documents on political parties, economy and trade, environmental protection, culture and tourism, justice, customs and local affairs.

Kremlin accuses UK of ‘directing, coordinating’ Nord Stream blasts

MOSCOW Agencies

The Kremlin on Tuesday accused the United Kingdom of “directing and coordinating” explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

South Korea moves to quell anger over Halloween crush

SEOUL Agencies

South Korea moved to calm public outrage on Tuesday over a Halloween party crush that killed more than 150 people, most of them young, promising a speedy and intensive inquiry and calling for tough new safety measures to prevent similar disasters. The death toll from the crush at a crowded Halloween street party on Saturday climbed to 156 with 151 injured, 29 of whom were in serious condition. At least 26 citizens from 14 countries were among the dead. Tens of thousands of revelers many in their teens and twenties and dressed in costume had crowded into narrow streets and alleyways of the popular Itaewon district for the first virtually unrestricted Halloween festivities in three years. The country’s chief security officer, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, apologized on Tuesday, vowing to find out the cause of the incident and prevent similar cases from recurring. “As the minister overseeing the safety of the public, I express sincere apologies over the incident,” Lee said, adding that the government had “limitless responsibility over the safety of our people” as he addressed a parliamentary session televised live. He has come under sharp public criticism after saying that deploying more police would not have prevented the disaster. National Police Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun earlier on Tuesday acknowledged crowd control at the scene was “inadequate,” noting that police had received multiple reports warning of possible accidents on the night of the disaster.

“Our intelligence services have data indicating that British military specialists were directing and coordinating the attack,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

“There is evidence that Britain is involved in sab-

otage, in a terrorist attack on vital energy infrastructure, not Russian, but international.”

He did not provide any details but insisted that the West should “carefully” analyse Moscow’s information. “We expect that despite the unacceptable silence of the European countries, this analysis will nevertheless be carried out,” he said, adding that Russia would also consider further steps.

London has earlier dismissed Russia’s claims, with its defence ministry calling the charges an “invented story”.

Algeria hosts first Arab League summit since normalisation deals with Israel

Arab leaders meet in the Algerian capital on Tuesday for their first summit since a string of normalisation deals with Israel that have divided the region.

Since the last Arab League summit in 2019, several members of the 22-member bloc — for decades a forum for strident declarations of support for the Palestinian cause — have normalised ties with the Jewish state.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) went first in a historic US-mediated deal that made the country the third Arab state, after Egypt and Jordan, to establish full ties with Israel.

The UAE’s move sparked similar accords with Bahrain and Morocco — and a provisional agreement with Sudan — deepening Morocco’s decades-old rivalry with its neighbour Algeria.

The host of the summit on Tuesday and Wednesday remains a steadfast supporter of the Palestinians, even mediating a reconciliation deal in October between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas.

While few believe that deal will last, it was seen as a public relations coup for Algeria, which has been seeking more regional clout on the back of its growing status as a gas exporter.

This week’s summit will be another opportunity for President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to do just that.

He has rolled out the red carpet for his guests, whom he will host for a sumptuous opening dinner on Tuesday

at 6:00 pm (1700 GMT).

Charm offensive: The main roads of Algiers have been decked out with Arab flags and huge billboards welcoming “brother Arabs”.

“Algerian foreign policy has gone on the offensive on the regional, African and Arab levels,” said Genevabased expert Hasni Abidi.

But Algeria has also been unnerved by Morocco’s security and defence cooperation with Israel, adding to decades of mistrust fuelled by a dispute over the Western Sahara. The status of Western Sahara — a former Spanish colony considered a “non-self-governing territory” by the United Nations — has pitted Morocco against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front since the 1970s. In August 2021, Algiers cut diplomatic ties with Rabat alleging “hostile acts”. Participants in the summit face the challenge of formulating a final resolution, which has to be passed unanimously.

Explosions in late September sent natural gas bubbling up from the pipelines on the floor of the Baltic Sea to the surface in a major environmental disaster that further ratcheted up geopolitical tensions over energy supplies.

Moscow has accused Western countries of being behind the explosions of the pipelines, built to carry Russian gas to Germany, but has not provided any firm proof.

Ukraine and some Western countries have called the attacks sabotage and pointed the finger at Russia.

Elon Musk says he will be Twitter CEO

SAN FRANCISCO ReuteRs

Billionaire Elon Musk said on Monday in a filing that he will be the chief executive officer (CEO) of Twitter, the social media company he recently acquired for $44 billion. The move comes after Musk, who also runs Tesla Inc and SpaceX, fired Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal and other top company officials last week. Musk previously changed his Twitter bio to “Chief Twit” in a sign alluding to this move. Last week, Musk’s takeover of the social media company for $44 billion concluded a months-long saga. Since then, Musk has moved quickly to begin making changes at the company, which he had ridiculed for months for being slow to introduce product changes or take down spam accounts. Musk’s teams began meeting with some employees to investigate Twitter’s software code and understand how aspects of the platform worked, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Some staff who spoke with Reuters said they had received little communication from Musk or other leaders and were using news reports to piece together what was happening at the company.

Germany’s Scholz set for high-stakes China visit

easy three-party ruling coalition — told broadcaster ARD at the weekend.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz makes a high-stakes trip to China this week, walking a tightrope between shoring up a key economic relationship and facing heightened concerns about over-reliance on authoritarian Beijing.

Scholz, accompanied by a delegation of business executives, will be the first European Union leader to visit the world’s second-biggest economy since 2019.

During the one-day trip on Friday, he will hold talks with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. But the visit has sparked controversy, coming as Berlin reels from an over-dependence on Russian energy imports and amid surging tensions with China over issues ranging from Taiwan to alleged human rights abuses against the

“I think it is extremely important that we never again make ourselves so dependent on a country that does not share our values.” ‘minimise risks’: The sensitivity was highlighted when a row erupted last month about whether to allow Chinese shipping giant Cosco to buy a stake in a Hamburg port terminal.

Ultimately, Scholz defied calls from six ministries to veto the sale over security concerns, instead permitting the company to acquire a reduced stake.

Ahead of the trip, Scholz’s spokesman Steffen Hebestreit stressed the chancellor was not in favour of “decoupling” from China — but also wanted to “diversify, and minimise risks”. For now, the German and Chinese economies remain deeply intertwined.

China is a major market for German

goods, particularly for auto giants Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and many jobs in Europe’s top economy depend directly on the relationship.

The worsening climate has rattled the nerves of German firms with investments in China. BASF chemicals giant boss Martin Brudermueller, who will accompany Scholz, last week urged an end to “China bashing”.

Still, the timing of the trip has raised eyebrows, coming so soon after Xi Jinping secured a historic third term as China’s leader.

“The timing is extremely unfortunate,” Heribert Dieter, from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told AFP. Xi “has just been confirmed for another five years in office, and of course Chinese politicians see the German chancellor’s visit as confirmation of their policies”, he added.

‘own path’: Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Tuesday said

the aim of Scholz’s visit was to “inject new impetus into the in-depth development of the full-scale strategic partnership between China and Germany… and contribute to world peace, stability and growth”.

Scholz’s spokesman Hebestreit has insisted the trip will “cover the entire spectrum of our relations with China”, including tensions in East Asia, human rights and the war in Ukraine.

He also said that Scholz was in close contact with international partners in Europe, as well as the United States, about the visit. But some may see it as further evidence of Germany going it alone to look after its own interests. Berlin has already raised hackles among fellow EU members by unveiling a 200-billion-euro ($198 billion) fund to shield consumers and businesses from surging energy prices, rather than acting together with the rest of the bloc.

“Western allies — of course in Paris but above all in Washington — see this trip very critically,” said Dieter. “Germany is following its own path.”

FRANKFURT Agencies

Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Even senior figures within Scholz’s coalition are raising concerns.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said she feared mistakes made in the relationship with Russia could be repeated with China. “We must prevent that,” Baerbock — from the Greens, a member of Scholz’s un-

ALGIERS AFP

EngLAnd rOAr bACk TO bEAT nEw ZEALAnd AT T20 wC

BRISBANE Staff RepoRt

ENGLANDrescued the Twenty20 World Cup hopes of New Zealand as the Englishmen held their nerve to see off New Zealanders by 20 runs at the Gabba in Brisbane on Tuesday.

England, who had been facing almost certain elimination had they lost, moved up into the top two in Group 1 along with their opponents with one round of matches to go.

Only the top two reach the semi-finals.

It puts enormous pressure on hosts and defending champions Australia, who must now win their last match against Afghanistan and hope England and New Zealand stumble. Skipper Jos Buttler smashed 73 off 47 balls as England reached 179-6 and finally started to show why they were one of the pre-tournament

favourites.

They then got away to a perfect start in the field when New Zealand opener Devon Conway leg-glanced a ball from Chris Woakes and Buttler took a spectacular diving catch. It got worse for the Kiwis when Finn Allen pulled a slower ball from Sam Curran to Ben Stokes at deep mid-wicket, leaving New Zealand 28-2 after five overs.

The Black Caps were struggling against a tight bowling attack, but the momentum swung firmly towards them when Moeen Ali dropped the in-form Glenn Phillips when he was on 15 and New Zealand 64-2. Phillips skied an attempted pull shot straight to Ali, who somehow didn’t get a hand on it.

Phillips, who blasted a century against Sri Lanka in New Zealand’s last match, made the English pay as he raced to his half-century off only 25 balls.

Buttler was ringing the changes with his attack as

he tried seven bowlers to try and make the breakthrough. His seventh choice finally paid off when Kane Williamson (40) squeezed a Stokes delivery to Adil Rashid at short third.

James Neesham came and went for six but Phillips kept on smashing the England attack all over the Gabba. He lost Daryl Mitchell, caught on the boundary by substitute fielder Chris Jordan off Mark Wood, before falling the same way off Sam Curran almost immediately. Once Phillips fell, New Zealand’s challenge was as good as over as the lower order struggled to find the boundary. Earlier, Buttler was dropped twice during his entertaining knock, passing former captain Eoin Morgan as the highest run-scorer for England in T20 internationals. New Zealand, England and Australia are all on five points after four games with New Zealand top of Group 1 on net run rate, with England second.

First KP inter-prison sports tournament kicks off

ABBOTTABAD Staff RepoRt

The Superintendent of Central Jail Haripur on Tuesday inaugurated the first ever ‘Inter-jail Sports Tournament’.

The tournament has been organised on directives of Inspector General (IG) of Prisons, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sadaat Hassan.

sports matches among all other prisons of the province.

The jail superintendent said that they had been focusing on sports facilities for prisoners adding “now we will

Pakistan lose to India, kuwait in Asian Squash Team Championship

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan lost to traditional rivals India and Kuwait in their third and fourth matches respectively in the 21st Asian Squash Team Championship (men) at Cheongju International Squash Stadium, Korea on Tuesday. On the second day of the championship, Pakistan team conceded defeat to India 0-3 in their third fixture, according to information received here.

India’s Abhay Singh edged passed Farhan Mehboob 11-5, 11-8, 11-8, while Ramit Tandon overpowered M. Hamza Khan 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 and Saurav Ghosal trounced Noor Zaman 11-5, 11-6, 11-3.

In their fourth match, Pakistan suffered defeat against Kuwait 0-3. Ali Alramezi outclassed M. Hamza Khan 11-5, 11-9, 12-10, whereas Abdullah Almezayen thrashed Ahsan Ayaz 11-5, 11-6, 11-5, and Ammar Altamimi saw off Noor Zaman 11-3, 112, 11-0 in a one-side affair.

A total of 12 men teams have been divided into 02 Pools. India, Qatar, Pakistan, Kuwait, Korea and Chinese Taipei are placed in Pool-A, whereas, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Iran, Philippines and Singapore are in Pool-B.

The Asian Team Championships, which includes a men’s and women’s event, see squads of four players compete in best-of-three-match ties. Action began on Monday with a pool stage. Top two teams from each group will compete in a knockout stage in the semifinals and finals, while the remaining teams will play a knockout competition to decide final places.

Earlier, on Monday Pakistan got off to a flying start, pulling off wins against Chinese Taipei and Korea on the inaugural day. They will take on Qatar in their last pool match on Wednesday. Pakistan are not featuring in the women’s event.

Speaking on the occasion, Superintendent District Jail Mansehra Najam Abbasi said, “Today is a historic day for the Prison Department, as it the first time that such a tournament has been organised in KP.

He said that on the opening day of the games a cricket match between the staff of CJH and District Jail Mansehra was played at Thakra cricket ground Mansehra.

He said that the event would be followed by such

Punjab Tennis Academy signs MoU with LBTC New York for tennis promotion

impressive ceremony held here at the Punjab Tennis Academy, Bagh-e-Jinnah Lahore.

Speaking on the occasion, Rashid Malik said: “The Junior Initiative Program was in progress here at the PLTA, which was halted by COVID but now, the PLTA is going to restart the initiative in collaboration with Long Beach Tennis Centre New York and this will help the association restart the junior initiative program once again. This will go a long way and help our kids excel at provincial, national and international level.

“This program includes the categories from U-10 to U-16 while the players will be selected on the basis of their last five PLTA-organized tennis tournaments. This time, the categories of U-6 and U-8 will be given special importance in order to prepare future tennis stars for the country.

“The selected players will be provided with free coaching, tennis balls, stringing and other facilities that will help them in domestic tournaments.

also emphasize and promote sports facilities for staff so that their physical and mental health and well-being can be improved.”

Najam stated that in the future they would also make efforts to arrange provincial and national games opportunities for their staff so that they (the staff) could compete in such games like other departments.

Sadaat appreciated the administration of both jails for setting a new milestone and directed all other prison circles to focus on sports facilities and opportunities for staff on a similar pattern.

While batting first District Jail Mansehra team made 125 runs in 15 overs which was successfully chased by the central prison Haripur team.

On this occasion, Assistant Superintendent Usman Khan, Muqads Khan Jadoon, Saud Khan and other officers and staff of the jail were also present.

Olympic champion Liu Shiwen running for ITTF Athletes Commission

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

This is a whole year program which will benefit the local players to a larger extent. Besides this, the top players of the program will also be awarded tennis scholarships and will be sent abroad to get training there and play against the best in the business there,” Malik concluded.

The Junior Initiative Program will commence in the beginning of December this year. PNC Sports New York CEO Saleem Chaudhry and LBTC New York CEO Sid Siddique will grace the grand opening ceremony as chief guests and made some big announcements for Pakistan tennis and its players.

Olympic champion Liu Shiwen of China has announced that she will run to join the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)’s Athletes Commission. “I’m honored to become one of the candidates. My declaration is ‘Listen to your voice, enjoy table tennis together.’ I hope that athletes’ voices will be listened to, communication between athletes across different associations and ages will be enhanced, and more women will be encouraged to take part in table tennis,” Liu wrote on Chinese social network Weibo on Monday. Including Liu, 23 candidates were unveiled by the ITTF for the Athletes Commission on October 26. According to regulations, voting will take place from November 7 to 13. The winners will be announced on November 14, with a total of 10 places open for a four-year term on the commission. All members of the Athletes Commission will be invited to the forthcoming ITTF Summit in December in Amman, Jordan. At the summit, the commission, along with IOC Athletes Commission member Ryu Seung-min of South Korea, will elect two chairs to sit on the ITTF Executive Committee. According to the ITTF, for the first time, the two chairs will be awarded to one man and one woman to ensure gender parity.

Sri Lanka proves too good for Afghanistan

BRISBANE Staff RepoRt

Sri Lanka moved into third place from last in its group to rekindle slim hopes of qualifying for the T20 World Cup semifinals with a six-wicket win over Afghanistan on Tuesday at the Gabba.

Wanindu Hasaranga claimed three wickets as Sri Lanka restricted Afghanistan to 144 for eight after Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat. The legspinner is the leading wicket taker in the competition with 13. Sri Lanka, 148-4, wasn’t really tested during the run chase as Dhananjaya de Silva posted a half-century to see his team through. The Sri Lankan vice-captain hadn’t made a 50 since January 2020 and his knock was a timely one as the former champions collected two points to get back into contention.

De Silva shared a 34-run stand with Kusal Mendis for the second wicket as Sri Lanka got off to a good start. Mendis needed nine deliveries to get off the mark but finished on 25 off 27 deliveries with two 4s and one 6.

Sri Lanka badly needed a good start after losing four wickets for eight runs in its previous game inside four overs.

De Silva was dropped on 39 by Gulbadin Naib as he failed to hold on to a return catch. He scored the winning runs, an elegant cover drive for four off Fazalhaq Farooqi to finish unbeaten on 66, his career-best score as Sri Lanka won with nine deliveries to spare. De Silva faced 42 balls and hit six fours and two sixes.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa walked in with Sri Lanka needing 45 in 39 deliveries and played a cameo with his 18 runs coming in 13 balls with three fours. Any hopes of Afghanistan reaching the semifinals are now over.

The Asian nation has played four of their five games and have got only two points, both from rained-out games against New Zealand and Ireland. They lost their first game to England by five wickets.

Afghanistan’s last game is against Australia on Friday in Adelaide, and it may not have its star leg-spinner Rashid Khan. He limped off the pitch after hurting his knee while fielding.

The Punjab Tennis Academy has signed an MoU with Long Beach Tennis Centre (LBTC) New York to promote tennis and its players in Pakistan.

An MoU was signed between PLTA Secretary Rashid Malik (Tamgh-e-Imtiaz) and Mr. Faheem Siddiqui, brother of Long Beach Tennis Centre New York CEO Mr. Sid Siddiqui on his behalf during a simple but

BEIJING Staff RepoRt

No tAlk wIth ‘hAte-moNger’ plANNINg publIc, INstItutes clAsh: rANA sANA

ISLAMABAD staff RepoRt

mINISTERfor Interior Rana Sanaullah said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan wanted to create such a law and order situation that might trigger clashes between the people and law enforcement agencies (LEAs). Addressing a press conference, the minister accused Imran Khan of planning to spread chaos in the name of the long march and cited press conference of Faisal Vawda, leaked audio of Ali Amin Gandapur, and statement of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Higher Education Kamran Bangash, who could be heard speaking about bloodshed of innocent people in the federal capital and bringing weapons and ammunition in the long march.

The minister said the government and allied parties decided to provide tear gas shells and rubber bullets to personnel of the police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) who would perform duties on front line.

But after certain evidence of collecting weapons, ammunition and hiring persons for creating chaos by PTI, the minister said that it would be requested to Prime Minister and allied parties for permission of giving weapons and ammunition to the security personnel so that they could protect the state, city and themselves from the armed group.

The minister said the politics of the PTI leader, whose ugly face had been unmasked by Gandapur’s audio leaks, was aimed at mongering hate and dividing the nation. He said that no political or non-political group would be allowed to damage the economy and

stability of the country.

He asked Chief Secretaries and IGPs of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to stand with the law and constitution after clear evidence of planning by a group to assault the federal capital.

The Minister for Interior hailed the apolitical role of the armed forces and for its commitment to perform their role as per the law and constitution of the country.

NO TAlks WITh IMRAN

khAN: Interior Minister Rana Sanauallah once again ruled out talks with former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and condemned the latter’s remarks of imposing martial law.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the interior minister condemned Imran Khan’s remarks about imposition of martial law in the coun-

try, saying that the enforcers have decided to abide by the Constitution.

“No talks were being held with PTI Chairman [Imran Khan] at any level or at any place,” the federal minister added. To a question, he said that judicial commission had been formed to probe into the tragic killing of journalist Arshad Sharif. He said that the report of the commission and facts collected by the two-member team during their visit to Kenya would be shared with the family of the deceased and every step will be taken for their satisfaction. If the mother of Arshad Sharif is not satisfied with the government measures, she would be asked to tell other options which may satisfy her and the government will follow it.

During the next general election, he said PML-N would be stronger due to lack of support of provincial governments for PTI.

Gen Bajwa reiterates to further enhance bilateral ties with France

ptI denies backdoor talks with establishment

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD staff RepoRt

Days after former prime minister Imran Khan confirmed that dialogue was underway with the military to find a solution to the acute political crisis gripping the country since his ouster in April, Asad Umar, secretary general of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), denied the impression the party was engaged in any backdoor talks.

“I can tell you straight up no backdoor talks were, or are being, held with the establishment,” he said during an interaction with reporters in Islamabad but did not specify any further.

On Sunday, Khan — while responding to a claim made by the prime minister that his government had snubbed an offer of consensus over the appointment of the new army chief after the retirement of Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa by the PTI chairman — said he has “talked to and am still talking to” the establishment, before clarifying he didn’t send any offer for dialogue to “shoeshiner” Shehbaz Sharif.

Khan has embarked on a week-long march through Punjab to Islamabad, hoping to whip up a large enough show of support to topple the government of multi-party Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance and force early elections.

“For six months, I have been witnessing a revolution taking over the country,” Khan tweeted on Monday of the crowds that have accompanied him. “[The] only question is will it be a soft one through the ballot box or a destructive one through bloodshed?”

This protest march is the latest gambit in Khan’s efforts to stage an unlikely political comeback. Since his removal in a contentious no-confidence vote in April, Khan’s support has soared as his messaging strikes a chord at a time of painful inflation.

Aurangzeb claims Imran wants to trigger ‘chaos and anarchy’

ISLAMABAD staff RepoRt

Imran Khan intended to trigger “chaos and anarchy” in the country, alleged Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, declaring that her Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) knew how to “deal with the protestors” and make former prime minister go home before reaching the capital.

In a video statement, the minister referred to Khan’s speeches from Tuesday night and claimed he sought martial law. “While the farmers’ package was being announced, you (Imran) made the announcement about martial law. This shows your real intent,” Aurangzeb claimed. The minister said general elections will be held on time in accordance with the Constitution. Regarding the statements made by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairperson regarding the army’s imposition of martial law, she said democracy will flourish in the country and her party will continue to serve the public.

Aurangzeb said Khan wanted anarchy, chaos and bloodshed — and not elections, democracy and development — in the country. She said frustration is apparent from his statements. The minister said the people of Pakistan stand with the rule of law and the Constitution and alleged the PTI is preparing for a bloody march but the state is fully cognisant of its responsibility to protect the citizens.

“The government will take every measure to secure the people,” she said, and added the public cannot be pressurised through bullying, threats and statements.

Aurangzeb said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a historic package for the development of the agriculture sector, and given directions for its early implementation. On Sharif’s visit to China, the minister expressed confidence the tour will give further impetus to the CPEC as envisioned by President Xi Jinping and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. She regretted work on the multi-billion corridor project was delayed in the last four years, and declared her government removed obstacles in the way of Chinese investment and put on track the projects facing delays.

Mr Nicolas Galey, French Ambassador to Pakistan called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) at GHQ on Tuesday, said ISPR.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest including defence & security cooperation and overall regional security situation were discussed, said an ISPR press release.

On the occasion, the COAS said that Pakistan values its relations with France and we earnestly look forward to enhance mutually beneficial multidomain relations based on common interests. Both reiterated the desire to further enhance bilateral relations in fall fields.

The visiting dignitary expressed his grief over the devastation caused by floods in Pakistan and offered sincere condolence to the families of

the victims.

The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for regional stability and pledged to play his role for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.

IMPORTANCE OF AIR DEFENCE IN MODERN WARFARE: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday emphasized the importance of air defence in today’s warfare and the need for continuous training and up-gradation of modern air defence weapon systems in view of the evolving threats.

He said this while visiting the headquarters of Army Air Defence Command on Tuesday, military’s media wing, the interServices Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement.

The army chief paid rich tribute to the supreme sacrifices of officers and men of Pakistan Army Air Defence

and appreciated the training standards achieved. The COAS was received by Commander Army Air Defence Command Lieutenant General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal upon arrival.

OMAN ENvOy CAlls ON COAs: Meanwhile, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman Dr Al Sheikh Mohammed Omar Ahmed Al Marhoon to Pakistan called on the army chief at GHQ, according to the ISPR.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security situation and partnership in various fields were discussed.

Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan values its brotherly relations with Gulf countries and Pakistan-Oman relations are close, warm, cordial and deep. The COAS also expressed that two countries have great potential for cooperation in defence and maritime security which could become a binding factor in our strategic partnership.

The Oman envoy expressed grief over the devastation caused by floods in Pakistan and offered sincere condolence to the families of the victims.

The visiting dignitary also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for regional stability and pledged to play his role for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.

Sharing a new plan for the protest, Umar said their arrival in Islamabad was likely to be delayed beyond November 4. He further said he has submitted an alternate plan to Khan.

Meanwhile, speaking to the press in Gujranwala, Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice president of the party, criticised the government for enhancing security arrangements in Islamabad ahead of the arrival of the protestors.

He claimed that the government had released another Rs410 million for security arrangements related to the march and deployed over 30,000 security personnel.

“You are not dealing with an enemy nation. They are your people, and Article 17 of the Constitution gives us the fundamental right to protest,” he said.

Chaudhry juxtaposed these details against the claims of meagre attendance made by government and Nawaz Sharif, disgraced former prime minister.

“If they say there are no people, then what’s the worry?

Let us come and withdraw your security. What are you afraid of,” he asked.

The political melee comes as Pakistan is struggling with economic challenges that some analysts warn could force Islamabad to default on its $130 billion of foreign debt.

While Sharif revived a $7 billion IMF rescue package in August, flooding linked to climate change has prompted the prime minister to warn the country needs billions more in financial support.

Jcp recommends Justice Aamer Farooq’s name as cJ Ihc

ISLAMABAD agencies

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Tuesday approved the nomination of Senior Puisne Judge Justice Aamer Farooq as the new chief justice (CJ) of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

ISLAMABAD ReuteRs

The government on Monday approved a plan to buy 300,000 metric tons of wheat from Russia, the finance ministry said in a statement.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), which is headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, approved the plan proposed by the ministry of commerce to procure wheat from the Russian

government. The wheat was priced at $372 per ton and will be shipped between November 1 and January 15, the ministry said, adding that it will be a government-to-government deal.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the private sector would not be allowed to import wheat to make it possible to get it at a minimum price.

“One million tons of wheat has been imported, and another 1.6 million tons is being arranged,” Sharif told an earlier news conference in Islamabad.

The JCP meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to consider the appointment of Chief Justice IHC.

The meeting was attended by senior judges of the Supreme Court, the Law Minister, the Attorney General for Pakistan, representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council and other members.

Under Article 175-A of the Constitution, JCP recommended for the appointment and confirmation of the judges, whereas the Parliamentary Committee on Judges Appointment endorses these recommendations.

Kidnapped, stripped and abused: Swati details horrendous custodial torture

ISLAMABAD staff RepoRt

For the first time, Azam Swati — a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) senator who was picked up by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) only to be handed over to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency for brutal torture after he criticised the army chief — has described it openly, saying he was left terrified and hallucinating.

Addressing a press conference, Swati, who has previously accused two servicemen in ISI of subjecting him to custodial torture,

spoke of being tortured at their hands as FIA officials who raided his residence laughed and recorded the scene, and suspended naked from a ceiling beam for long periods.

Swati said he was beaten, sexually assaulted and starved in prisons whose locations were not disclosed.

The agency arrested the veteran opposition lawmaker on sedition charges in October after he had criticised Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa. A criminal complaint filed by the FIA against Swati under a controversial cybercrime law accuses him of tweeting a “highly obnoxious and intimidating message”

against the military and its chief.

The 66-year-old senator’s tweet was a response to a court order acquitting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz, in a high-profile Rs16 billion money laundering case.

“Mr. Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you. Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country. With these thugs getting free You have legitimise(d) corruption,” Swati tweeted. On Tuesday, in an apparent reference to Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, he said: “You have 27 days left at

GHQ […] you must follow [the Constitution] and summon FIA cyber-crime assistant director Ayaz,” who was part of the raiding team. The senator claimed Ayaz was present during his torture, and was driving the vehicle when he was “picked up”.

“They kept beating me the entire way and one of the men was filming the entire ordeal as I screamed,” he said. The senator said it must be investigated who was “cracking jokes” as he was being stripped naked.

“I would not care even if they would have killed me but they violated my privacy and I will knock on the door of all interna-

tional institutions […] if a senator is not protected, no person is safe in this country.”

“I wouldn’t have cared had they taken my life but they violated my honour,” he said. He requested the Supreme Court to review the recording of surveillance cameras from around the house. He demanded the recordings be sent for a forensic analysis so the court knows the number of people who entered his house.

He added that half of the evidence of his case is filmed in the cameras. “They [the raiders] also took CCTV cameras along with backup,” he added.

RAWALPINDI staff RepoRt

Plan okayed to buy 300,000 tons of Russian wheat