Epaper_22-11-30 LHR

PM, Zardari weigh uP ‘oPtions’ to

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE Staff RepoRt

aMidvigorous “wrangling” going on in the “hazy” political atmosphere of the country, former president and PPPP co-chairman asif

ali Zardari tuesday met Prime Minister shehbaz sharif in the PM House to discuss the current political scenario, especially the fallout of Pti chairman imran Khan’s decision to dissolve the Punjab and KPK provincial assemblies.

according to sources, both the leaders pondered over ways to counter the strategy of Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf chairman to prevent the dissolution of Punjab assembly and weighed up various options to fail his strategy.

the fresh meeting between the PPPP and PML-N top brass is part of the ongoing “hectic politicking” taking place ever since Pti chief imran Khan announced the party would quit the assemblies Punjab and KP where it has been in rule. Reportedly, though both the stalwarts discussed different options during the PM’s House, they, however, failed to come up a remedial

solution and only agreed to work together for failing “ambitions” of the Pti chairman.

the Zardari and shehbaz huddle discussed various options including bringing a no-confidence motion and imposition of Governor’s Rule in Punjab. However, they fell short of adopting a clear line of action.

the former president assured complete support to the coalition partner PMLN in the Punjab assembly.

‘immediate polls will be held if KP, Punjab assemblies dissolves’

Meanwhile, federal interior Minister Rana sanuallah responded to the threat by Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (Pti) to dissolve assemblies under its rule, stating that if such a step was taken, immediate elections would be held of both the assemblies.

speaking to reporters, he said: “We will quickly hold by-polls after KP and Punjab assemblies are dissolved.” He claimed it would enable PML-N to be in a better position. He said that in light of receiving any such summary from the chief minister, the governor can constitutionally ask for a vote of confidence to be taken in the house.

about statement of outgoing coas Gen Qamar javed bajwa that the military

had decided to be apolitical, Rana sanaullah pointed out the decision was taken “at the institutional” level rather than individuals level.

if the military remains within its constitutionally defined role then, he said, it would help bring stability to the country. Rana sanaullah reiterated that still there was a clear threat to the life of Pti chief imran Khan.

‘all out steps to stop dissolution of Punjab assembly’ on the other hand, special assistant to Prime Minister (saPM) attaullah tarar on tuesday said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the PML-N had resolved to take all possible measures for stopping dissolution of the Punjab assembly.

talking to media after a meeting with a PPP delegation, led by its Parliamentary Leader in Punjab assembly Hassan Murtaza, with the opposition Leader in Punjab assembly Hamza shehbaz here, he said that political situation of the Punjab came under discussion in the meeting, adding the consultation process, initiated by the PML-N, had been moved forward.

He said that all options, including noconfidence motion, powers of governor to ask the chief minister for taking a vote of confidence from the assembly and others came under discussion to stop the dissolution of the assembly.

He said that both parties wanted that no one should steal mandate of people and it should be respected, adding that assemblies should complete their tenure. “options that came under discussion would be further discussed and a course of action would be announced soon,” he added.

tarar said that the meeting also discussed the anxiety found among the members of the Punjab assembly, especially the members of the ruling coalition, over the dissolution of the Punjab assembly. “the members are not in favour of dissolution of the assembly whereas many are also in touch with us,” he added.

Gen Asim Munir takes charge as Pakistan’s 17th army chief

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

the outgoing head of the Pakistan army, Gen. Qamar javed bajwa, passed the baton of command to Gen. syed asim Munir on tuesday, Radio Pakistan reported, amid a deepening political rift between the government and former prime minister imran Khan, as well as a renewed threat from tehreek-i-taliban Pakistan (ttP) militant group.

Gen. Munir is the 17th chief of the army since 1947, a period that has seen almost twice as many prime ministers in office. He was quartermaster general — in charge of supplies for the entire army — and served in the northern region, as well as in saudi arabia.

the ceremony was held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, four days after the prime minister named Lt. Gen. Munir — who has previously headed both of the nation’s spy agencies — as the chief of the army, following weeks of delay and speculation over who would fill the powerful role.

“it is based on merit, law and as per the constitution,” Khawaja

Muhammad asif, the minister for defence, told reporters after announcing Munir’s appointment.

one of the key challenges faced by the new army chief will be how to respond to the latest threat from the ttP which has ordered its terrorists to resume attacks across the country.

ttP is a separate group but are allies of the afghanistan taliban, who seized power in afghanistan more than a year ago as the us and Nato troops were in the final stages of their pullout. the taliban takeover in afghanistan emboldened ttP, whose top leaders and fighters are hiding in the war-torn country.

the group had agreed to an indefinite cease-fire in May after talks with islamabad and the military in afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. but it, in a statement Monday, ended the ceasefire, vowing new attacks.

Munir’s appointment also coincides with a dispute between the military and Khan, who blames the institution for playing a part in his ouster in april and has been leading anti-government protests since then.

DefAult RISk AveRteD At PolItICAl CoSt, SAyS PM SHeHBAz

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

PRIMEMinister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that due to difficult decisions taken by the coalition government, Pakistan was out of the risks of default.

“The government is taking all possible steps to further strengthen national economy and striving hard with priority measures to reduce price hike and provide relief to the common man.”

expressed the views while talking to a delegation of Jefferies, a leading global investment banking and capital markets firm. Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar was also present during the meeting, said PM Office Media Wing in a press release on Tuesday.

The prime minister regretted that unfounded rumours were being spread about the economy of Pakistan and reprehensible efforts were being made to create havoc.

He said the coalition government without caring for the political price, saved the country from the repercussions of the

NAB closes inquiries against PM Shehbaz, Governor Punjab

ISLAMABAD ahmad ahmadani

After amendments in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, the accountability watchdog has been closing corruption inquiries and now it has granted approval to close inquiries against Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Governor Punjab Mian Balighur Rehman in two cases. According to sources, the NAB has closed inquiries against incumbent premier and Governor Punjab after finding no proof of corruption during a three years long investigation. Sources said that Chairman NAB Aftab Sultan has approved closure of the inquiries on finding recommendations from the NAB Executive Board. They said that NAB has initiated inquiries in 2019 for transfer of 14 thousand and 400 Kanals of state lands. The sources said the NAB Multan had earlier summoned former Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif and forwarded a questionnaire to him. They said NAB chairman has referred the matter to Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) as transfer of state land will be investigated by the Punjab Revenue Authority due to amendments in NAB laws. The NAB has been closing corruption inquiries after amendments in NAB laws, said the sources and added that NAB has also approved to close inquiry against Sardar Muhammad Jaffar Leghari, Member National Assembly (MNA), Dera Ghazi Khan and others. Sharing details, the sources said that Director General NAB Multan has presented the matter of inquiry against Sardar Jaffar Khan Leghari and apprised that comparison of inflow and outflow of money of Sardar Jaffar Khan Leghari and his family members reflected that accumulation of assets and expenditures were within their known sources of income. And, in light of this, the Executive Board recommended closure of inquiry, said sources. They added that on the recommendations of the Executive Board, the Chairman approved closure of inquiry. It is also learnt from sources that DG (Operations) has provided details of the inquiry against officers/officials of Cholistan Development Authority (CDA), former CM Shehbaz Sharif, former MNA Blaigh ur Rehman, Ch. Umar Mehmood Advocate and others and informed the Executive Board that the case was earlier presented in the Executive Board Meeting (EBM) dated 04-06-2021 wherein it was directed that the matter might be pended till decision of the honourable Lahore High Court (LHC). Further, it was apprised by DG NAB Multan that no element of criminality was unearthed. Moreover, Writ Petition No. 8904/2019 stands disposed off by LHC, Bahawalpur bench vide order dated 15-03-2022. And, in view of the above, the Executive Board recommended that the matter might be closed at NAB’s end and be referred to SMBR, Punjab. Upon this, the NAB chairman approved the recommendations of the Executive Board. Similarly, the Executive Board took up the inquiry against officers/officials of Excise & Taxation Department Punjab, Management of United Ethanol Industries Sadiqabad, district Rahim Yar Khan and others. And, DG NAB Multan apprised that taxation matter had been excluded from jurisdiction of NAB as per new amendment. Hence, recommended closure of inquiry at NAB’s end and suggested to refer the matter to federal board of revenue (FBR) being excise duty matter for necessary action as deemed appropriate. The Executive Board endorsed the viewpoint of DG NAB Multan. And, on the recommendations of the Executive Board, the NAB chairman approved closure of the inquiry and directed to refer the matter to FBR.

previous four years of maladministration by the former government.

He also reiterated that the government was making efforts to reduce the foreign trade deficit and providing all possible facilities to the foreign investors.

Welcoming the delegation, the prime minister invited the firm to open its office in Pakistan.

The delegation termed the economic recovery of Pakistan as a good sign under the leadership of prime minister that faced the economic challenges in an effective manner and put the country on the path of economic

stability. AsiAn infrAstructure investment BAnk provides $500m: Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar Tuesday said the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had received $500 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) (SBP).

Taking to his twitter handle on Tuesday, the Finance Minister confirmed that the bank has provided this amount of US$500 million as Programme Finance.

Ishaq Dar said in his tweet, “AIIB has transferred today, as per their board’s

permission, to State Bank of Pakistan/Government of Pakistan $500 million as programme finance.”

It is important to mention here that the finance minister had earlier this month stated that Pakistan would receive the money as co-financing for a development programme.

It is also worth mentioning that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Pakistan agreed last month to offer a policy based US$1.5 billion loan for the government of Pakistan’s budgetary support, flood-related rehabilitation, and other purposes.

Economic indicators nosedive under PDM regime

ISLAMABAD Shahzad paRacha

The Ministry of Finance, under the leadership of Ishaq Dar, has admitted that several high-frequency indicators including remittances, export, import, current account deficit, foreign direct investment and total foreign investment point to lower growth since the start of the current fiscal year.

The finance ministry in the monthly economic update and outlook November 2022 stated that several high-frequency indicators including remittances, export, import, current account deficit, foreign direct investment and total foreign investment point to lower growth since the start of the current fiscal year.

But the economic situation is faced with severe headwinds following the devastating floods and the higher energy prices. The government has supported the incomes of the most needed as well as key sectors of the economy. As a result, it is highly expected that contraction or recession will be avoided.

The report states that the targets fixed for current Rabi-2022-23 crops seems to be challenging due to delayed sowing in the flood affected areas. However, timely rains may positively impact the production in the agriculture sector. The worsening global and challenging domestic environment coupled with contractionary monetary policy have pushed down the performance of LSM at -0.4 percent in the first quarter of FY23.

On YoY basis, LSM remained subdued at 0.01 percent in September 2022, while on MoM basis it grew by 0.1 percent. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 26.6 percent on a YoY basis in October 2022 as compared to an increase of 23.2 percent in the previous month and 9.2 percent in October 2021.

During Q1 FY23, total revenue increased by 12 percent to Rs.2017 billion against Rs.1809 billion in the same period last year. Within revenues, total tax collection grew by 16 percent while receipts from nontax fell by 15 percent.

Similarly, total expenditures grew by 26 percent to reach Rs. 2826 billion in Q1 FY23 against Rs.2247 billion in the same period of last year.

Consequently, the fiscal deficit increased to 1.0 percent of GDP in Q1 FY2023 against 0.7 percent recorded in the same period of last year. The primary

FBR transfers Collector Customs GB for exposing alleged corruption scam

ISLAMABAD Shahzad paRacha

The Federal Board of Revenue has transferred the whistle-blower Collector Customs, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Nisar Ahmad who unmasked a big revenue scam in GB customs and exposed the alleged involvement of DG Customs Intelligence Faiz Ahmad in the scam.

In his letter to member custom operations FBR Mukarram Jah Ansari, the Collector Customs GB had candidly disclosed that Faiz Ahmad DG custom intelligence patronised a criminal principal appraiser, GB customs Raja Waseem who, with the support and protection of DG, caused massive revenue losses by assessing 30 ton weight fabrics and cosmetics containers for an average duty and taxes of Rs 2.8 million and by extorting from importers Rs 3 million per container as bribe money for his assessing the imported goods at nominal duty and taxes causing a massive revenue loss on each container.

However, instead of displaying a jerk like response on disclosure of a major revenue loss scam in a field formation and ordering an immediate high level inquiry into the alleged collusive connection between DG custom intelligence and the principal appraiser, the FBR chose to straight away dismiss collector’s disclosures and put its weight in the favour of the DG custom intelligence I&I through an FBR’s response shared with this correspondent.

FBR stated in its response on the collector’s disclosure of massive revenue losses allegedly patronised by DG custom intelligence himself that the Collector’s allegations were mere accusations intended to malign the senior officers. In its response to the collector’s disclosures, the FBR stated further that during the current season more than 465 GDs had been filed at Sost Dry Port out of which only eight GDs had been blocked by the DG custom intelligence.

However, FBR’s response goes out of the eight blocked GDs, only three were arranged for reexamination wherein a revenue loss of Rs6.44 million was detected and recovered and the remaining five GDs were not re-examined.

The collector’s disclosure of a serious revenue loss scam in GB customs, senior custom officers’ alleged involvement in the scam and FBR’s response to it raise more questions than they answer. While framing its response, FBR seems to have ignored many clues which could help FBR reach the truth or otherwise of the collector’s disclosures.

First, a preliminary enquiry into the alleged misconduct of the accused principal appraiser is already on record in which his extortion of bribe money on each import container in return for extending to importers undue duty tax concessions have been established If the circumstances leading to transfer of the disciplinary proceedings against principal appraiser to an officer working under direct subordination of DG custom intelligence is honestly explored, that may help substantiate the alleged collusion between DG and principal appraiser.

FBR has before it much material to work on to prevent ongoing scams in its field formations. However, so far FBR could only transfer a collector who brought to FBR’s notice the dynamics of revenue loss scams in the FBR’s field formations.

Meanwhile, Member Customs operations on the query of this scribe said that collector GB Nisar Ahmad has been called to FBR to carry out a factfinding inquiry into the matter.

The matter is being taken very seriously by FBR & a fair, transparent & independent probe in the matter will be conducted. Whoever is found responsible for misconduct, action under the law would be initiated. The Principal Appraiser is currently suspended, and facing an inquiry, he added.

IHC gives PTA 120 days to decide on license application of Nayatel

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to decide license application of Nayatel for Azad Jammu & Kashmir within 120 days.

The court order directed PTA to expedite the matter and decide Nayatel’s application within four months.

Nayatel had approached IHC with a plea that its license application for the provision of fiber broadband in AJK is with PTA for more than a year, but the decision is still pending at the authority’s end. Nayatel had adopted that as per the Telecom Rules 2000, any application for a telecom license must be decided within 120 days, however, its application is yet not decided, citing some security clearance.

PTA, in response to the petition, submitted that due to security concerns, Nayatel had approached the relevant agency for clearance which is still not responded.

Nayatel said that the Government of AJK issued right of way (ROW) permission to the operator, which was subsequently withdrawn, and a new permission was issued in which Nayatel was asked to get a NOC from Special

Communication Organization (SCO), a government owned organization under the Ministry of IT & Telecom providing telecom services in AJK and GilgitBaltistan.

Nayatel alleged that in order to protect the business interests of SCO, PTA deliberately delayed the issuance of the license which was required under Pakistan Telecommunication Rules, 2000 to be decided in 120 days.

balance posted a surplus of Rs.145.3 billion in Q1 FY2023 against a surplus of Rs.184.2 billion in the comparable period of last year.

While the revenue deficit deteriorated and increased to 0.7 percent of GDP in Q1 FY2023 against the deficit of 0.2 percent last year, indicating a substantial increase in current expenditures compared to revenue growth.

The Current Account posted a deficit of $2.8 billion for Jul-Oct FY2023 as against a deficit of $ 5.3 billion last year, mainly due to increase in exports and contraction in imports. However, the current account deficit stood at $ 567 million in October 2022 as against $ 363 million in September 2022.

Exports on fob grew by 2.6 percent during Jul-Oct FY2023 and reached $ 9.8 billion ($9.6 billion last year). Imports on fob declined by 11.6 percent during Jul-Oct FY2023 and reached $ 20.6 billion ($ 23.3 billion last year). Resultantly, the trade deficit (Jul-Oct FY2023) reached to $ 10.8 billion as against $ 13.7 billion last year. FDI reached $ 348.3 million during Jul-Oct FY2023 ($726.5 million last year). FDI received from China $ 87.6 million (17 percent of total FDI), U.A.E $73.2 million(14.2 percent), Netherlands $ 61.5 million (12.0 percent) and Switzerland $ 48.2 million (9.4 percent).

Foreign Private Portfolio Investment has registered a net outflow of $ 15.6 million during Jul-Oct FY2023. Foreign Public Portfolio Investment recorded a net outflow of $ 18.2 million.

SC reserves verdict on Reko Diq Presidential Reference

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The five-member larger bench of Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on the Reko Diq presidential reference upon completion of hearing and will announce the verdict next week. A fivemember larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, and Justice Jamaal Khan Mandokhel heard the case and reserved its verdict. The court will announce its judgment next week. The Chief Justice thanked amicus curiae, additional attorney general and lawyers for their assistance in the case hearing. CJP Bandial stated that the court while giving its opinion over the presidential reference will remain cautious with regard to the fundamental human rights. “The President has sought the court’s opinion over the legal challenges pertaining to the Reko Diq agreement,” Justice Bandial observed. “It is a fact that billions of dollars fine has been imposed on Pakistan. The federation has followed the constitution and the law in the agreement,” chief justice said. “We are pleased that Reko Diq agreement assures compliance with international standards,” the chief justice observed.

President Alvi inks regularization of 3 IHC additional judges

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

President Arif Alvi on Tuesday approved the regularization of three additional judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). According to details, the president gave the approval to make the three additional judges of IHC Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq, Justice Arbab Tahir and Justice Saman Riffat permanent. The president regularized the three additional judges under article 175A 13. Earlier, President Arif Alvi approved the elevation of Chief Justice Islamabad High Court (IHC) Athar Minallah, Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Syed Azhar Rizvi to the Supreme Court (SC). Justice Athar Minallah was elevated to the SC, along with Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

toP PAkIStAN, AfGHANIStAN DIPloMAtS

DISCuSS SeCuRIty AS ttP eNDS tRuCe

ISLAMABAD/KABUL Staff RepoRt

tHEdeputy foreign minister was in Kabul on Tuesday for talks with the Taliban leadership, a day after Afghanistan-based Tehreek-iTaliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group ended a cease-fire with Islamabad and announced a resumption of attacks across the country.

This is the first visit by any woman

minister to Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the war-ravaged nation.

Hina Rabbani Khar and Amir Khan Muttaqi, the host foreign minister, discussed security, among other matters, just as their respective delegations discussed “matters of mutual importance”, according to the Foreign Office.

The meeting also focused on consultations between the two governments. “A range of bilateral issues of common interest including cooperation in

education, health, trade and investment, regional connectivity, people-to-people contacts, and socioeconomic projects,” the Foreign Office said. Mohammad Sadiq, the special assistant to the prime minister on Afghanistan, was also present.

The visit follows an announcement by the TTP ending a five-month old agreement to pause violence after Pakistan Army stepped up operations against them in former tribal regions and elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders

Afghanistan.

On her arrival in the capital, Khar was received at the airport by Abdul Latif Nazari, deputy minister of economy, and Ubaid ur-Rehman Nizamani, head of mission at Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul.

Since the Taliban seized power in August last year, its ties with Islamabad have deteriorated amid border clashes and a spike in cross-border attacks by TTP militants. Islamabad has repeatedly asked the Taliban to withdraw support to such

Economic woes threat to national survival, security: Imran

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that economic woes were threaten national security, elaborating on that rapidly deteriorating economic situation was bringing extraordinary threats to national survival and security.

PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan was talking to a high-level delegation of Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) led Allama Raja Nasir Abbas here on Tuesday. During the meeting, the political situation, cooperation between the two parties and matters of mutual interest were discussed in detail.

Speaking about the current economic situation, Imran underlined importance of rule of law, the former prime minister said: “The supremacy of the Constitution and law was a prerequisite for sustainable

development.

Imran urged people of all schools of thought to play due part in the movement to lead Pakistan on the path to supremacy of the constitution and law.

On the occasion, the MWM leadership congratulated Imran Khan on organizing “Haqeeqi Azadi” march in Rawalpindi and reiterated full support for his political strategy.

“Noting that the country suffers from the most complex political and economic challenges, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said and added that “actual freedom” narrative had extraordinary acceptance across all schools of thought.

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, who stressed the need for early, fair and transparent polls, said that the MWM fully supported the PTI chief’s narrative and would support the leadership in every phase of the political struggle.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan said he valued the political cooperation of the MWM, adding that the participation of

tarar agrees to withdraw resignation, set to take charge as law minister today

ISLAMABAD Staff coRReSpondent

In a smart political move, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday rejected the resignation submitted by former law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and instructed him to resume his duties from today (November 30). Tarar had tendered resignation after addressing an event held to pay tributes to former human rights activist and lawyer Asma Jahangir in Lahore where army’s leadership was targeted by PTM activists. Media reports had suggested that the then COAS Gen Bajwa had taken serious note of the presence of law minister and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who did not object to the anti-army sloganeering. Later, Bilawal had to offer a formal apology while Tarar refused to apologise and hence was asked to tender resignation. Tarar was also said to be under immense pressure for casting his vote in favour of some “junior judges”, along with Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, who were being elevated to the Supreme Court. Once Tarar submitted resignation, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was asked to take over the charge of law ministry as stop-gap arrangement.

Imran condoles death of hospital donor industrialist

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Former prime minister Imran Khan and Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar on Tuesday expressed sorrow over the passing away on Monday of S. M. Muneer, a prominent industrialist and a longtime donor of Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital, due to a cardiac arrest. Muneer’s funeral was held at 1:30 pm in Karachi on Tuesday. He was 77. “Saddened to learn of the passing of SM Muneer. He was on our [hospital] board and one of our most generous donors. My prayers [and] condolences go to the family,” tweeted Khan. Qamar said the businessman will “always be remembered for his immense contributions to the community,” in a message received here from Johannesburg where he’s gone to attend a conference. He said Muneer’s death was a loss to the business community and to people who knew him. He said the deceased was known for his dedication to the business community and his commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of many people.

The minister prayed to the almighty for the grant of peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear the loss.

the MWM workers and leaders in the ‘actual freedom’ march in Rawalpindi is commendable.

siGn onLine petition to rAise voice for sWAti: Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday called for signing an online petition to raise voice for PTI Senator Azam Swati, arrested for the second time for allegedly tweeting against senior military officials on Sunday.

The petition shared by the former premier on his official Twitter handle claimed that Senator Swati’s life is in danger and he was arrested for free speech, after being charged with multiple false first information reports (FIRs).

“I have signed this petition; and I want all those who are appalled at what Azam Swati continues to go through & those who care about rule of law & human rights should also sign this petition. “[Azam Swati is] in custody of same perpetrators who physically &

sexually tortured him Before. He was protesting his right of free speech outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan to no avail. He is arrested again .Pakistan is under fascist regime. We need help,” it added. “I have signed this petition; and I want all those who are appalled at what Azam Swati continues to go through & those who care about rule of law & human rights should also sign this petition,” the former premier said in a tweet.

initiAL fir: An FIR against Swati was registered by the FIA Cyber Crime Wing on November 26, over ‘controversial’ tweets he had posted allegedly against government functionaries, including the then chief of the army staff (COAS).

The report maintained that the PTI leader had started a “highly obnoxious campaign of intimidating tweets” against state institutions, including the army chief “with malafide intentions and ulterior motives”.

Pakistan concerned as India prevents UN blacklisting of TTP terrorists

UNITED NATIONS Staff RepoRt

Pakistan told a briefing session at the United Nations the work of the ISIL and al-Qaida Sanctions Committee has been politicised by “a non-permanent member” — a reference to India — who blocked measures to blacklist Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) militants carrying out attacks inside the country.

“On many occasions, the committee has not taken into account the credible information provided by member states that meets the evidence-based criteria requirement and resorted to blocking of listing proposals without any reasonable grounds or justification, ” Jawad Ajmal, first secretary at Pakistan’s permanent mission

to the UN, told a joint briefing of the 1267 and 1988 committees tasked with overseeing the sanctions imposed by the Security Council.

“In this regard, it is noteworthy to highlight that one non-permanent member of the Security Council has politicised the sanctions regime by using its position in the Council to block all efforts to prevent individuals involved in planning and supporting terrorist attacks that are being carried out by the TTP against Pakistan,” he added.

The diplomat said that such listing proposals have very recently been blocked by “one member state for political purposes”, highlighting the discriminatory approach towards the designation of individuals aiding and abetting terrorism.

NAB cries foul at KP depts dillydallying in probe into Covid-19, BRT and BTT projects

PESHAWAR aziz BuneRi

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) moaned about the “lackluster cooperation” of the administrative departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government in the investigation into mega corruption cases, including embezzlement in Covid-19 fund, Billion Tree Tsunami Project (BTTP) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

The NAB officials said that documents, including details of award of contracts, expenditure and procurement for mega projects are not being provided despite repeated requests. The probing team has once again requested for the provision of requisite details to move forward the investigation process.

The administration of respective departments, including Local Government, Health Department, Transport Department and Rehabilitation and Resettlement, have used billions of rupees but they are not ready to provide its record to the NAB staff for investigation. Besides this, details of contractors,

procurement process, record of audit objections, details of payments and progress so far in these projects have been sought from the administrative departments.

The NAB team wrote letters to KP Establishment Departments to provide details of all projects as soon as possible so that the investigation can progress. The provincial government has strictly directed administrative departments to provide complete records the NAB officials. But, sources said, departments do not have complete records, while none of the departments have an details of expenditure of BRT, Billion Tree Tsunami and Coronavirus funds. The departments concerned have also organized high-level meetings in the past few days in which officials were directed to bring details of these projects but the official records have not been collected so far. The NAB is likely to expedite the probe into the three projects in the next few days. According to sources, more than Rs100 billion funds have been spent on Covid-19, BRT Peshawar and Billion Tree Tsunami projects but the departments concerned yet to provide its complete details.

Court extends detention of Swati for tweet on former army chief

isLAmABAd: A district and sessions court in Islamabad extended for another four days the physical remand of Azam Khan Swati, a senator of opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) arrested on Sunday for a second time in less than two months on charges of sending out tweets critical of the outgoing army chief. He had been arrested in October as well for using “obnoxious and intimidating” language to criticise Gen. Qamer Javed Bajwa, state institutions and other government officials. At a court appearance at the time, he alleged he was stripped and tortured by officials from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency. Swati was charged with libel and appeared before a judge later on Sunday who allowed the agency to interrogate the senator until Tuesday. Reportedly, he is being held at a facility in Islamabad. During the proceedings, a counsel for FIA requested the judge, Muhammad Bashir, to extend Swati’s remand for six more days as a further investigation was required into his mobile and Twitter account. Staff RepoRt

elements widely reported to be operating freely inside the war-torn country.

Experts believe the group, instead of providing any strategic advantage or contributing to Pakistan’s security, has become a worrisome thorn in Islamabad’s side.

And, because of this, the longstanding alliance between the group and Islamabad, which dates back to the emergence of the Taliban in southern Afghanistan in the mid1990s, is coming under unprecedented strain as their interests diverge.

PM Shehbaz congratulates new CoAS on assumption of office on phone call

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday telephoned Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir and congratulated him on assumption of his responsibilities as the country’s new army chief. The prime minister said commanding the excellent force of Pakistan Army was a great honour and expressed confidence that General Asim Munir would further contribute towards strengthening the defence of the country. He wished General Munir success in effectively dealing with the challenges pertaining to security and counter-terrorism. He assured the new army chief full cooperation of his government in areas relating to defence and security. General Asim Munir, who was handed over the ‘baton of command’ by his predecessor General Qamar Javed Bajwa this morning, thanked PM Sharif for his wishes and the words of felicitations.

Don’t forget us, Afghan women tell khar

KABUL afp

A leading Afghan women’s group urged the deputy foreign minister of Pakistan not to forget their plight as she visited Kabul on Tuesday to discuss relations with the nation’s Taliban rulers. The trip by Hina Rabbani Khar, Islamabad’s first woman foreign minister in 2011 but now a minister of state, comes weeks after the Taliban imposed new restrictions on Afghan women, barring them from parks, fun fairs, gyms and public baths. The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan said Friday that Taliban restrictions on women and girls could amount to a “crime against humanity”. “You serve as an example of the status of women in our neighbouring country,” the Afghan Women’s Network (AWN), representing several activist groups, said in an open letter to Khar. “We call on you to use your visit not only as a minister but as a woman and as a Muslim woman leader to support the women of Afghanistan and strengthen our solidarity.”

Meanwhile, quoting the minister, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported that Pakistan, while importing from the neighbouring nation, would give preference to products from women-run businesses. According to APP, Khar, who was addressing a luncheon hosted by the Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, underlined the important role of women in society and expressed Islamabad’s keen interest in strengthening the relationship between the women entrepreneurs in the two nations.

KP CM dIrECtS to EnSurE EFFECtIvE govErnAnCE to FACIlItAtE PublIC

PESHAWAR staff report

CHIEFMinister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan on Tuesday chaired a meeting on good governance strategy and directed all departments to facilitate people by timely resolving their issues in.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary, Dr. Shahzad Bangash IG Police Moazzam Jah Ansari, administrative

secretaries, commissioners, deputy commissioners, and other concerned officials.

The meeting was informed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ranks first in the timely redressal of public complaints for the fourth consecutive year as per citizen portal data. On the occasion, the chief minister directed Inspector General Police to launch a decisive crackdown on street crimes and the Works Department was directed to prepare a report of corrupt employees within four days.

He also instructed the district admin-

istration to keep a close eye on the performance of Patwaris and after every 15 days, the concerned departments and district administrations will present their performance reports for last year.

He said that the results of all the reforms should be visible to facilitate people. He directed the district administration to launch a crackdown on hoarding, adulteration, and drug peddlers to purge society of all crimes.

The chief minister directed to include all concerned officers should be included

in the dispute resolution committees(DRCs) to resolve public issues at the earliest. He said that regional police officers ( RPOs) should also be directed to formulate a plan to deal with the chaotic traffic situation in big cities. To achieve the goal of good governance, he said that district administration should regularly hold open court and revenue court, besides strict monitoring of ongoing development work. He warned of taking disciplinary action if any government servant was found guilty of negligence in duty.

HEC announces foreign scholarships

Chinese Government Scholarship Program.

Korea embassy organizes musical night

Islamabad: The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Islamabad, organized the Korean Night at the Embassy on the 25 th of November. One of the highlights of the event was the featuring of the famous traditional Samul nori music and dance performance. A team of performers were flown in all the way from Korea just to perform at the event, and to give the audience a deep insight into the rich Korean music heritage. The Event also featured modern KPop music followed by a dinner reception for the audiences to enjoy the k-pop music and performance. A large number of participants including diplomats, representatives of international organizations, as well as officials from the Government, and students from the Korean Language Institute of NUML University enjoyed the event. staff report

Man sentenced to death in rape-cum-double murder case

RaWalPINdI:A district and sessions court on Tuesday handed down death penalty on two counts to an accused involved in a rape-cum-double murder case. The court also imposed Rs200,000 fine on the accused, Wajid Ali, besides giving him a two-time death sentence on charges of murder, while the convict will have to spend 25 years in prison and pay a fine of Rs300,000 on charges of rape. Additional District and Sessions Judge Ahsan Mehmood Malik announced the verdict after hearing detailed arguments of the parties and examining the available evidence. According to the prosecution, the accused had raped a woman Naseema BB and killed her and one and halfyear-old child, Gulfam, in the limits of Chontra police station. staff report

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced fully funded scholarships for studies in China for the session 2023-24.

The Higher Education Commission has set December 15, 2022, deadline to apply for scholarships in Chinese universities.

HEC has invited applications from Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistani students to study and conduct research in various fields at the best universities in China.

China Scholarship Council (CSC), entrusted by the Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China, is responsible for the enrollment and administration of the

Qualified applicants can apply for scholarships for Undergraduate/Bachelor, Masters & Doctoral/Ph.D. programs in their respective fields of study.

Designated Chinese Universities offer a wide variety of academic programs in science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, economics, legal studies, management, education, history, literature, philosophy and Fine Arts etc. for scholarship recipients at all levels.

The deadline to submit an online application on the HEC portal www.scholarship.hec.gov.pk under learning opportunities abroad is Thursday, 15th December 2022.

To submit an online application on China Scholarship Council’s portal under category A (agency No. 5861), please visit Campuschina.org.

As per the details of the scholarships, tuition funds will be comprehensively used by the host university.

The stipend, as per China Govt. Scholarship Program, the undergraduate students will get CNY 2,500 per month (Min), masters students: CNY 3,000 per month (Min), and Ph.D. students: CNY 3,500 per month (Min).

The travel expenditure would be borne by the scholarship winners themselves. HEC will have no financial responsibility, according to the official.

Pakistan, KSA reiterate to further strengthen fraternal ties

ISLAMABAD staff report

Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on Tuesday expressed the desire to further strengthen long-standing fraternal ties which are based on common religion, shared values and culture. This was discussed in a meeting between Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani and Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki here at the Parliament House. Talking to the envoy, the Chairman said Pakistan accorded utmost importance to its ties with KSA which had always supported Pakistan in difficult times, adding that both countries enjoyed significant convergence on a number of regional and global issues.

He urged the need to further develop a strategic and broad-based partnership with KSA in different areas for the mutual interest of the two brotherly countries. During the meeting, it was emphasised to further enhance commercial bonds and encourage businessmen and chambers of commerce of both countries to interact regularly to further boost bilateral trade relations. Sanjrani also highlighted that over 2 million Pakistani diaspora in KSA was playing a significant role in the progress and development of both brotherly countries.

The Senate chairman also asked the ambassador to convey his warm regards to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and shared that the people of Pakistan pray for his good health and long life.

Punjab Women Protection Act as per Islamic teachings, rules FSC

ISLAMABAD staff report

The Federal Shariah Court (FSC) has rejected all the petitions against the Punjab Women Protection Act 2016. The court observed that the law enacted by the Punjab province to protect women from violence is in accordance with Islamic teachings.

The FSC reserved its decision regarding the Punjab Women Protection Act 2016 on November 14.

The court said that Islam does not justify any kind of domestic violence against a wife, sister, daughter, and mother. Islam prohibits all kinds of violence while ordering the protection and well-being of women. It is clear from the sayings of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he was advised to treat the women of his family well. Islam first gave rights and protection to women.

Pertinent to note that the Women’s Protection Act 2016 gives legal protection to women from domestic, psychological, and sexual violence.

It also calls for the creation of a toll-free abuse reporting hotline, women’s shelters, and district-level panels to investigate reports of abuse and mandates the use of GPS bracelets to keep track of offenders.

Various lawyers filed petitions in the top sharia court seeking to strike down the law for being un-Islamic. They contended that the law gives unprecedented protection to female victims of violence and not providing adequate protection for men.

ECP rejects Imran’s appeal against fine slapped over code breach

ISLAMABAD staff report

Second conference on China-Pak

ISLAMABAD staff report

The second conference on exploration of China-Pakistan tropical arid non-wood forest science and technology exchange cooperation in Gwadar was held online.

According to Gwadar Pro on Tuesday, theme of the second conference was on highly efficient water and soil conversion plants.

Two research fellows, Ms Razia Junaid and Ms Misbah Amin presented their research papers. Pakistani delegation consisting of professors of Faisalabad and Karachi universities participated online, while other dignitaries consisting of Chairman COPHC Zhang Baozhong, Chancellor Indus University Khalid Amin and senior officials from Chinese Embassy and Karachi Consulate took part through video link. Indus University, University of Karachi and Faisalabad University of Agriculture in collaboration with China’s Central South University of Forestry and Technology and China Overseas Ports Holding Company have jointly established

the Belt and Road Scientific Research Laboratory in Gwadar Free Zone. The conference is a sustainable research cooperation program between Pakistani and Chinese academic and research institutions.

The Scientific Research Laboratory has taken remarkable steps to promote the agricultural development of Gwadar and Balochistan. Scientific research on xerophytes has been conducted. Using the modernized sophisticated tissue culture and cloning techniques

non

wood forest science held in Gwadar

many varieties of bananas, jujube and fig plants have been grown in Gwadar green house. The objective of this coordination is the transfer of modern technological know-how to Pakistan to produce water efficient plants adaptable to Gwadar’s arid ecosystem.

China has dramatically de-desertified large swaths of arid land, known as the Great Green Wall, to cultivable land. This serves twogoods of generating revenue and helping curb climate change.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s plea against the slapping of a fine on him for violating the election code of conduct ahead of NA 45 by-polls. Former prime minister Imran Khan had filed an appeal against the imposition of Rs 30,000 fine on him and others by district monitoring officer, Peshawar for violating code of conduct ahead of by polls in NA 45 Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The ECP announced its reserved verdict said that the former prime minister was required to challenge the decision of the monitoring officer within three days, but now the time has passed, therefore the plea stands rejected. According to the commission, Imran Khan and others used state resources ahead of by-elections in NA 45, Kurram. According to the ECP code of conduct, the public office-holders including president, prime minister, chairman/deputy chairman senate, speaker/deputy speaker of an assembly, federal ministers, ministers of state, governors, chief ministers, provincial ministers, and advisers to the prime minister and the chief minister, mayor/chairman/Nazim, their deputies, cannot participate in the by-polls campaigns.

ISLAMABAD staff report

GIZ, KP-TEVTA ArrAnGE TrAInInG on dIsAsTEr

rIsK rEducTIon for GoVT offIcIAls

pESHaWaR Staff RepoRt

THEKP-TEVTA with the support of TVET Sector Support Programme, funded by European Union, Government of Norway and Federal Republic of Germany through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on Tuesday organized a week-long training Programme on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) for govern-

ment officials. The training was attended by 80 government officials from different flood affected districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The participant from diverse background such as officials from PDMA, District Administration, TMAs, health, education and KP-TEVTA participated in the training.

According to the Global Climate Index Report 2021, Pakistan is in the list of top 10 most effected countries by extreme disasters and KP is the most vulnerable to disasters due to its geographical location and climate.

Therefore, the training on DRR was a need of the moment as the province had suffered huge losses in terms of human lives, livestock and agriculture due the recent flooding of 2022. The aim of this training was to enable officials in switching the paradigm from reactive approach to pro-active approach in order to mitigate the risk before disaster occurrence. Also, to disseminate information and abilities regarding the methods and instruments utilized for selection, preparation, and assessment as well as their execu-

AJK govt decides to establish agricultural farms to address food security issue

MiRpUR Staff RepoRt

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government decided to establish large agricultural farms in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan in order to meet food security and nutritional needs of the state official sources said on Tuesday.

In this regard AJK Prime Minister, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan sent a

joint communique to provincial chief ministers asking them to allot land so that the AJK government could develop model agricultural forms in their respective provinces, the sources told APP.

The prime minister, the sources continued, has sought allotment of 25 thousand acres of land from the government of Sindh, 30 thousand acres from the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1 lakh acres from the government of Balochistan, 50 thou-

Murree admin sets up snow camps to avert another tragedy

MURREE Staff RepoRt

The Murree administration on Tuesday issued high alert and established snow camps at different spots around the hill station after last year’s tragedy that claimed 22 lives. The highway authority has also completed all their preparations to maintain traffic flow during the snow season. Additional security personnel have been deployed in Murree to help visitors in case of any emergency. Earlier, the Murree administration said that the Punjab government had decided to buy heavy machinery for clearing snow apart from enhancing the number of emergency responders deputed around the hill station. The Murree administration had allocated and passed a tender to purchase heavy machinery worth Rs1.3 billion. Last year due to the sheer negligence of the district administration, hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the narrow roads leading to the hill-station. Thousands spent their night trapped in their cars which were then buried under the snow. As a result, around 22 people had died. Rescue officials said the victims were found dead in their vehicles, some possibly dying of carbon monoxide poisoning overnight. The dead included a family of four daughters and two sons, all under 15 years of age. Personnel of armed forces and emergency services rescued people from at least 24,000 vehicles stranded by heavy snow.

PM, Zardari weigh up ‘options’ to counter PTI amid ‘politicking’

ContinUEd fRoM pagE 01

He said that It was also decided that the ties should be enhanced with the members of the coalition government in Punjab. He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary party had taken the shape of various groups, adding that all had a common stance that the Punjab Assembly should complete its constitutional tenure. He said that the PPP and the PML-N smoothly completed the transition of the government in 2008 and 2013, in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution. On this occasion, Hassan Murtaza thanked the PML-N for widening the consultation process and making coalition partners a part of it. He said that the PPP would stand shoulder to shoulder with its allies in the democratic struggle. “We took the responsibility for the nation and the country and it is not a power sharing but burden sharing,” he added.

sand acres from the government of Punjab and 02 acres from the government of Gilgit-Baltistan.

The development and other expenses of these agricultural farms in all provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan will be borne by the Azad Jammu Kashmir government, the sources said.

The AJK government. the prim minister said. would develop the land on its own to establish model agricultural farms to fulfill the food requirements of the state.This process, he said

tion, supervision, and evaluation for DRR. The participants were apprised on the mitigating measures that can be adopted to avoid the extend of such disasters. Moreover, techniques pertaining to pre, during and post disasters reduction were highlighted during the training in the large interest of the public.

On the last day of training, The certificate distribution ceremony was graced by Mr Sharif Hussain, Director General PDMA, Tahir Khan, Regional Coordinator TVET

SSP, Director M&E and Audit KP-TEVTA and Director Academic, KP-TEVTA.

The DG PDMA lauded the design of training and appreciated the selection of resources persons. He thanked GIZ TVET SSP and KP-TEVTA for arranging this important training. He further urged the training participants for the utilization of the acquired knowledge during the training.

At the end of the training, The DG PDMA distributed certificates among the participants.

would not only strengthen the Pakistan’s economy but also cement the links between the state and the provinces.

Due to the lack of agriculturalriched land in the liberated territory, he said, the government had decided to set up its own agricultural farms in Pakistan.

The prime minister expressed the hope that the initiative would go a long way to address the issue of food security in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

PM offers condolences over deaths in Indonesia quake

iSLaMaBad Staff RepoRt

Shahbaz Sharif has extended condolences to President Joko Widodo over the loss of precious lives and assets in a deadly earthquake jolting Indonesia, according to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office (PMO).

In a telephone conversation held with the Indonesian president late on Monday, the prime minister expressed solidarity with the people of Indonesia.

“The people of Pakistan could feel the anguish of their Indonesian brothers and sisters, having recently suffered immensely due to natural calamities,” the prime minister’s office statement quoted Sharif as saying.

Thanking the Indonesian president for the assistance provided by his government for the victims of floods in Pakistan, the prime minister offered to extend Pakistan’s support for relief efforts underway in Indonesia in the wake of the deadly earthquake, said the statement.

The earthquake killed at least 268 people, many of them children, with 151 still missing, disaster relief officials said, as rescuers con-

tinue to search the rubble of destroyed buildings for survivors.

The shallow 5.6-magnitude quake struck Indonesia’s most populous province on November 11, causing significant damage to the town of Cianjur, about 75 kilometres (45 miles) southeast of the capital, Jakarta, and burying at least one village under a landslide. Disaster agency chief Suharyanto told reporters that more than 1,000 people had been injured, 58,000 displaced and 22,000 houses damaged.

Gen Asim Munir takes charge as Pakistan’s 17th army chief

ContinUEd fRoM pagE 01

‘MAN OF PRINCIPLE’: The ceremony on Tuesday was attended, amongst others, by members, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) chairman Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, services chiefs, and senior civil and military officials. In his farewell address, Gen. Bajwa lauded the decision to appoint Gen. Munir’s to the office, expressing confidence that the selection will prove to be positive both for the country and the institution. He noted that Gen. Munir is a competent soldier and a man of principle, and was confident that under his leadership, the army will achieve more success and be able to better serve and defend the motherland. Gen. Bajwa said he was honoured to have “served this great institution”. During his six-year tenure as the army chief, the institution tackled challenges such as the volatile situation on the Line of Control (LoC), a rising wave of militancy or natural calamities such as recent floods. He said he was proud that despite “limited resources”, the army was able to fulfil its responsibility of defending each nook and corner of the country. He said the Pakistan of today was at peace due to our sacrifices which are also acknowledged by our foes and friends alike. Earlier, the two generals laid floral wreaths at the martyrs’ monument.

BAJWA’S LEGACY: Appointed chief in 2016, Gen. Bajwa sought to balance ties with China and the United States. While Islamabad moved closer to Beijing, he also worked to thaw relations with Washington, with whom he worked closely during the evacuation of Kabul in 2021 when western forces pulled out of Afghanistan. He also took an active interest in economic matters, and made highly-publicised visits to Beijing and the Middle East — helping to secure financial assistance for Pakistan. Recently, he also lobbied Washington to help strike a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He even summoned the nation’s top industrialists to a meeting at his office to encourage them to pay more taxes. During his tenure, Pakistan and India fought air skirmishes in 2019, but he was a public proponent of better ties and avoided escalation when tensions ran high, such as when an Indian missile accidentally crashed into Pakistan early this year.

In early 2021, Gen. Bajwa sanctioned a restoration of a ceasefire agreement with Delhi in the disputed region of Kashmir.

karachi: Standard Chartered Bank and Karachi United Club launch Standard Chartered Karachi United Football Youth League, where 1204 boys and girls from across Karachi will represent 74 teams who will play 213 matches over three months. pR

Risk and reward

Wrong at the top of their voices

AFTeR months of protest through regular wellattended public gatherings that culminated in a ‘Long March’ that fell victim to an assassination attempt where the party chairman too was wounded, the PTI has, for the time being, ended its street agitation against the PDM government, aimed at forcing it to resign. But the primary motivation behind the campaign was never to send the government packing, rather delay the appointment of the next Army Chief or at least influence the choice through external pressure. None of this was achieved; the PML(N) along with the PPP and JUI-F is still in power at the centre and the, Gen Asim Munir took charge yesterday as the new COAS, for the next three years, and he was not Imran Khan’s choice, having fired him back in 2019 from the post of DG ISI owing to ‘irreconcilable differences’.

With no operative narrative left other than badmouthing his civilian opponents, Imran Khan’s announcement to dissolve the Punjab and KP assemblies and resign from the rest was the only route left to take as it would, on paper, force the eCP and the federal government to announce early elections, rather than holding by-elections on more than half of provincial assembly seats in the country would be a financial and logistical nightmare. That no formal instructions have been passed to the Chief Ministers for dissolution thus far indicates that even the PTI is aware of the political risk involved. Imran Khan is banking on his popularity and believes it to be at its peak currently and hence wants elections at the earliest. even if not full simultaneous general elections, then Punjab and KP provincial elections will do. But there must also be a realization that if there is a miscalculation, he ends up losing Punjab to the PML(N). This step could be an overestimation of his popularity, and underestimation of the opponent’s position in the province or perhaps even the fear of the establishment, despite claiming to have mended its ways, playing the same old role of ‘kingmaker’.

The PTI is banking on a new strategy of adding extreme parliamentary tactics to its arsenal of power politics. The PML(N) is looking to use legal measures at its disposal to thwart the PTI. It would be ideal if the two use a more conventional form of Parliament; that of mutually beneficial decision making through consultation. Unfortunately, it seems that ship has sailed far away, with no return in sight.

Dr JAmeS J. ZOGby

The brilliant and incisive Palestinian American professor, Dr. Ibrahim Abu Lughod, was a mentor who taught me some invaluable lessons about politics and history. While he was a profoundly political being, he was at heart a historian and social scientist. he, therefore, cautioned me not to be unduly influenced by each day’s headlines or the reactions of commentators to daily events. history, he would say, is like the ocean. And daily events are like the waves or the tides that repeat, over and over again. In judging the significance of events, one should not be swayed by the ebbs and flows. It is more important to look below the surface at the deep currents that are shaping these events and play a role in determining their significance and meaning.

I often think of this lesson when I read opinion pieces in the daily press or listen to television pundits commenting on matters ranging from domestic politics to war and peace in various parts of the globe. Like reeds blowing in the wind, they make snap and often uninformed judgements based on what just happened that day. Because they speak with authority, they are believed and are echoed by others. As a result, they help to create an “accepted wisdom” about the meaning of events which, despite being wrong, shapes broad public understanding and even policy. Policymakers, for example, often find it difficult to go against what has come to be believed by a majority of voters. And those who disagree with this “wisdom” are scoffed at and dismissed.

With Ibrahim’s lesson in mind, I’ve tried to avoid this and, as a result, often found myself on the outside of this “accepted wisdom.” examples abound:

I was on a network TV programme during the massive March 8 demonstrations demanding the removal of Syrian forces from Lebanon. When a respected journalist, who was on the show with me, said the size of the demonstrations and his “sources” in Lebanon told him that “all segments of Lebanese society were united in this goal.” I countered that as much as I too wanted Syria out, we had just finished a poll in Lebanon and found that public opinion in the country was divided right down the middle as to whether the Syrians should stay or leave.

Much the same happened when the Obama administration was preparing to bomb Libya. The host of the show on which I was appearing wanted me to agree that removing Qaddafi was a good thing. I countered he was, no doubt, an erratic and brutal dictator, but if we had learned any lesson from Iraq it was that we must beware of unforeseen consequences. In this instance, the tribal fissures in the country were so deep that there was the danger of Libya falling apart and entering a period of prolonged strife. That had to be considered before any rash action was taken. he countered “that wasn’t the answer I was looking for” before moving on to the next guest who gave him the agreement he sought.

It wasn’t just that these commentators were wrong in each of these instances—and, as my mother would say, “wrong at the top of their voices.” It was that they were largely uninformed about history, culture, and opinion— or as Ibrahim might have put it, “the deep currents at work in each country.” But being informed doesn’t appear to be important for commentators because if there are any constants in punditry, it’s that lessons are never learned and being mesmerized by the authoritative sound of your own voice is enough to pass for wisdom.

Recall the near euphoria with which the TV commentators greeted George W. Bush’s grossly premature “Mission Accomplished” speech. Or the

uncritical acceptance that accompanied Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Or, more recently, the certainty expressed that Ukraine had turned the corner and Putin’s days were numbered. Or the predictions that there was certain to be a “red wave” that would give Republicans decisive control over both houses of Congress.

Imagine if political pundits were scored in the same way we rate the performance of professional athletes. Their records would be so poor that they would be dropped from TV and print and never heard from again.

Once again, it’s not just that the commentators are wrong. It’s that they project such certainty that they are believed, by the public and policy makers alike. And the reason they make the mistakes they do is precisely because they never had Ibrahim Abu Lughod as a mentor. They allow themselves to be swayed by a combination of conventional wisdom and the ebb and flow of events and speak lacking an understanding of history or the deeper currents at work in society. That is a recipe for error and disaster.

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

M. A. Niazi Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor

The interference of foreign diplomats in the internal affairs of a country is not acceptable in any way. Recently, it had become clear that the economy of Bangladesh had slowed down after the covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The government is trying to speed it up.

But everyone understands that the diplomatic activities of different countries in view of the next parliamentary elections are pleasing to some groups. But it is necessary to consider how unethical the work is. They have nothing to say against the military junta in Myanmar. Not with other countries. But many countries do not sleep about

In the lead up to the Iraq war, I tried to get the Democratic Party to oppose sending our troops into a battle, the costs, terms of engagement, and longterm consequences of which are unknown. The party leaders wouldn’t allow it to be put to a vote because, said one, “We need to show strength and we don’t want to be on the wrong side of this one.”

It’s not just that the commentators are wrong. It’s that they project such certainty that they are believed, by the public and policy makers alike. And the reason they make the mistakes they do is precisely because they never had Ibrahim Abu Lughod as a mentor. They allow themselves to be swayed by a combination of conventional wisdom and the ebb and flow of events and speak lacking an understanding of history or the deeper currents at work in society. That is a recipe for error and disaster.

of foreign diplomats is limited by the Geneva Conventions, so it is best for them to stay within these limits.

Bangladesh. In this case, the unity of the political parties is necessary to get out of the past habit of complaining or seeking help from foreigners in the political contest to get power. We have to change this culture.

If there is no political unity, this reality will not change if the economic crisis is not resolved. The activities of the influential Western world are increasing as the national parliamentary election approaches. Under the pretext of protecting democracy, diplomats from Western countries are continuously holding meetings with the election Commission (eC) and political parties. There have been mixed reactions to their statements and comments in various events recently. even though there was a wave of satisfaction in the opposition camp over the issue, the ruling party did not see the matter well.

The government has directly and indirectly warned the diplomats about their speech and behaviour, commenting that it is an unethical act on the part of diplomats to act thus. In the meantime, several diplomats have been summoned to comment on the election, and they have been reminded of the Vienna Convention. The election Commission, the organization organizing the elections, is also bothered by the activities of foreign diplomats around the upcoming national elections.

Although meeting with the diplomats of various countries including the european Union, this constitutional body thinks that the diplomats staying in Bangladesh should remain within their jurisdiction. The conduct

however, analysts have different observations regarding the role of foreign diplomats in the country’s elections and politics. Why do foreigners want to interfere in the election? Some analysts think that the foreign missions in Dhaka want to see a stable political environment here for the various interests of their country. So, they also move to find solutions to problems. The issue of pressure on the government surrounding the upcoming elections has become clear in the speech of the German ambassador in Dhaka, Achim Tröster. But this is not acceptable according to the diplomatic code of conduct.

On October 14, he said, “Germany is concerned about the political violence in Bangladesh.” Germany firmly believes that no country can function well without democracy. For the development of the country, it is necessary to hold fair elections consistently. Before this, Peter De haas, the US ambassador to Bangladesh, gave a similar statement several times. he said, “I hope the next national election will be according to

international standards. elections will be conducted in a truly democratic manner, so that voters can exercise their rights with ease.” The european Union ambassador to Bangladesh has also made similar comments several times regarding the elections. Apart from this, the diplomats of the Western world assigned to Dhaka are holding meetings with the election Commission and political parties on election issues.

Bangladesh’s main interest now is infrastructural development and talking about world food and energy crises, and inflation. where the West has no interest. Now their areas of interest are international trade currencies, strategic positioning in geopolitics and arms sales for the military. We see a democratic deficit even in developed countries, as evidenced by the US election. If there is such a deficiency in a developing country, the developed countries try to take advantage of that weakness and start criticism, which has also started in the case of Bangladesh. They are also trying to take this opportunity due to the division of national interest between major political parties in our country. The political parties must understand this.

According to the Vienna Convention, ambassadors will talk and work to improve mutual relations between countries. This is diplomatic etiquette. They have no chance to go beyond it. In the case of Bangladesh, they are talking about internal affairs. The scope of foreign diplomats’ direct comments on domestic politics is increasing day by day. Recently, the Japanese ambassador posted in Dhaka said several things, which are against the diplomatic etiquette according to the Vienna Convention. Just a few days before, such a comment by the Japanese ambassador caused a storm of confusion.

Both the Bangladesh Minister for external Affairs and the Minister of State for State for external Affairs were forced to call on diplomats at separate events to refrain from such talk about the country’s internal affairs. That is logical. No country can accept foreign diplomats’ interference in domestic affairs.

Diplomats posted in Bangladesh must be aware of their code of conduct. They will comply and that is to be hoped. They should remember that Bangladesh is no longer a colony of any country. It is an independent sovereign state. They should remember this.

The political parties representing the people of the country are responsible for the election or any crisis of our country. Any other person’s unsolicited interference is not acceptable. Diplomats of any country have a behavioural boundary to observe and each country has its own personality. All things considered, that is our expectation. So, the Bangladeshi people urge foreign diplomats not to interfere in their domestic political affairs.

The writer is a freelance columnist

meHJAbIN bHANu

The

parties representing the people of the country are responsible for the election or any crisis of our country. Any other person’s unsolicited interference is not acceptable.

WASHINGTON WATCH

Yousaf Nizami Editor

Why the media gets away with getting it wrong

Effective strategy to overcome flood crisis in Pakistan

The industrialised countries must accept responsibility

lious mindset in victims, who are turning to the streets bearing arms.

In an effort to defuse the situation and stop potential riots, it has also been claimed that flood victims are organizing protest rallies and damaging police vehicles. however, the flood itself, which is said to have claimed roughly 1500 lives, remains the most serious culprit. During the visit of the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, the Sukkur police claimed to have filed a first information report (FIR) on terrorism charges against over 100 unidentified individuals for allegedly attacking police officers, throwing stones at vehicles, causing damage to both public and private property, and inciting flood victims outside a relief camp.

flood victims.

Likewise, some prominent international figures and celebrities visited Pakistan to give emotional and financial support to the victims. In addition, Angelina Jolie, the Oscar winner, met the flood victims in southern Pakistan; she emphasized the importance of providing immediate assistance to victims as well as long-term solutions to the growing issues caused by climate change.Likewise, Islamic scholar Mufti Ismael Menk visited flood-hit areas in Pakistan to highlight the plight of flood victims and raise funds to support them.

Gul AyeSHA bHATTI

IN Pakistan, the floods have devastated Sindh, Balochistan, and Southern Punjab. Infrastructure has been severely damaged as a result of the floods. More than five million people have simply lost their houses and the floods have been the worst, causing a serious humanitarian calamity. The roads and bridges entirely destroyed had been providing access to numerous distant settlements. The work on Swat highway has suffered delays as the result of flooding. Due to flooding, many hotels, tourist and visiting points in Swat are ruined.

Due to the destruction of highways in Sindh, Balochistan, and southern Punjab, it is incredibly challenging to send relief supplies to the affected areas. Floods, which have also severely damaged our infrastructure, are also responsible for the destruction of offices, businesses, and warehouses in addition to the loss of homes, roads, and bridges. The entire economic loss and cost of reconstruction have been estimated at about $13 billion, with more increases likely as the full extent of the damage becomes clear as the water recedes.

The public is seriously helpless in health conditions; as, access to essential medical facilities is not available to those who live in floodaffected areas. Water-borne illnesses like diarrhea, cholera, malaria, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and e, air-borne illnesses like asthma (due to air humidity), fungal infections (due to moisture), and vector-borne illnesses like yellow fever, West Nile fever (WNF), dengue fever, etc. have been spread by the floods.

The floods may indirectly contribute to a rise in water-borne illnesses that afflict the local populace. Malnutrition is the second most prevalent illness that is mostly disseminated under these circumstances (stunted growth). Poor nutrition, recurrent infections, and a lack of psychosocial stimulation all impede children’s growth and development. These diseases have led towards the decline of the health of the victims and can even be the cause of death.

The floods haves inflicted far more damage than just diseases and infrastructural damage. It has awakened evil in the form of crimes and insurgencies. An empirical rise is being observed in crimes related to thefts, burglaries and child kidnapping. Financially deprived victims are compelled to avert vicious actions which are adding to the overall crime rate in Pakistan. Moreover, insurgencies are also rising following people’s despair and sense of being left alone by the government. Mental frustration and financial stress have evoked a rebel-

Although the government is making every effort to resolve this crisis and provide aid to those affected by the flood, it has failed due to political instability. even our Pakistani Army and Pakistani Air Force have helped diligently to support flood victims and provided them the necessities of life. For instance, the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force have established rehabilitation facilities at their respective bases so that the local medical staff may help the flood victims in every manner possible, including providing them with shelter, clothing, food, rations, medication, money, and other necessities. The government has dispatched at least 6500 soldiers to help civilian authorities in relief and rescue efforts around the state.

The Prime Minister also has visited the flood-affected areas to encourage the victims and give them hope and confidence. The government also launched the Flood Relief Fund to help and support the victims in these poor circumstances. The Flood Response Plan (FRP) was jointly launched by the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations which focuses on the needs of 52 million people, with $160.3 million going for life-saving response activities covering food security, agricultural and livestock assistance, shelter and non-food items, nutrition programmes, primary health services, protection, water and sanitation, women’s health and education support.

International organizations like UNICeF and UN Women are responding with the government and partners, helping to deliver safe drinking water; lifesaving medical supplies; useful food supplies; and hygiene kits to children and families. They are also establishing temporary learning centers and supporting the protection and psychosocial well-being of women and children affected by these devastating floods.

The government must take a significant role in handling this challenge. It must take adequate steps to recover these damages as soon as possible to give relief to the flood victims. In this regard, the government should work on a concrete action plan so that in the coming years this situation may be managed appreciably and dealt with accordingly.

Although Pakistan has received financial aid from the USA, UN, UK, UAe, Turkey, World Bank, among others. For instance, The World Bank agreed in a meeting with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to provide $850 million in flood relief for Pakistan. Similarly, UN Secretary General António Guterres visited Pakistan to assist the victims and to have a look at the situation. however, this financial provision should not be considered as aid, but rather reimbursements by other countries since this flood is their creation first-hand because of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.In wake of this time of crisis in Pakistan, the world being a global village should lend its hands in overcoming the repercussions of the flood.

Developed and industrialized states should accept this disaster as a result of their ill practice of polluting the environment, which is ironically forcing developing countries to pay the price. By giving relief to Pakistan in matters of taxes and loans, a lot of damage can be covered.

Editor’s mail

Pakistan

World Cup and the seriously pathetic state of football in Pakistan

WITh the World Cup all set to start off in Qatar later today, with 32 top squads in contention, we in Pakistan can at best take a look at the state of football in Pakistan. It is miserable on all counts. The two representations at what is touted as the greatest show on earth will be the footballs made in Sialkot, and a contingent of Pakistan Army providing security at the event. Neither of them has anything to do with the state of the game in the country.

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) had been suspended last year by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the global governing body, because of ‘third-party interference’ and a ‘hostile takeover’. The suspension was lifted earlier this year, but Pakistan football is yet to be put on track owing to bickering and power struggle among the officials.

Football is more than just a sport at the global level, and there is no dearth of the lovers of the game or of those with actual playing talent. But the internal politics in the PFF is hampering the way of the players to showcase their talent, and the way of the lovers of the game to watch a game of an exciting football being played out in front of their very eyes. It is rather ironical that the body supposed to promote the game in the country is the biggest hurdle in this regard.

Apart from Karachi’s Lyari area, which has produced several celebrated footballers over the years, Balochistan, too, has a huge number of talented football players, who, if nurtured and trained professionally, are capable of winning laurels for the country.

We may not have the World Cup mascot La’eeb (image: courtesy: FIFA) — super-skilled player — among us, but we do have highly skilled players aplenty who need competitive exposure to cross over to the next category. But that exposure and the training needed for it to be sustained are the missing elements. Will the players ever get a chance to even imagine about taking a shot at the World Cup? even the rather rhetorical question sounds like a joke in the present scenario. And, that is unfortunate.

AFROZ M J KECH

Car parking mafia is active illegally

The Sindh high Court (ShC) had earlier this year ordered the relevant authorities to take action against the illegal parking mafia that has been busy ‘charging’ parking fee from motorists across Karachi (‘Drive against illegal parking spaces in city begins today, ShC told’ [Jan 18]). But it seems the orders fell on the infamously deaf ears of the relevant authorities, for the parking mafia thugs continue to ‘charge’ the same fee and to harass the citizens over even a polite argument.

One always experiences unauthorised people collecting illegal parking fees at several places, especially at and around commercial areas, such as Saddar, Tariq Road and even the commercial hubs that are now a part of almost every residential area, like, say, North Nazim-abad, Gulshan-i-Iqbal and others. These people are backed by influential groups and individuals who mint millions of rupees round the year, every year and year after year.

If someone goes along with his family to a place where these goons operate and does not have change, or simply refuses to pay them, these people harass and humiliate them for Rs50. Why is there no action taken against them?

To make matters worse, these people do not take responsibility of the safety of the vehicles. even the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) does not provide safety to the vehicles despite collecting parking fees for which it has earned the ire of the higher judiciary recently (‘Lack of security at charged parking spaces angers ShC’ [Nov 10]).

If someone refuses to pay, the people collecting the fee illegally, rather extortion, have the audacity to threaten them with ‘consequences’. And there, indeed, are consequences. The vehicle is picked up by traffic police lifter if the extortion amount is not paid to those touts.

One then has to find the traffic police post from where one may get the vehicle released after paying Rs300 for a motorcycle and Rs700 for a car as challan. This is ample evidence that this illegal ‘parking fee’ racket is being run with the active and blanket support of traffic police.

The question is: when a place is marked a no-parking zone, how can one park a vehicle by paying a ‘fee’ and why it is lifted if the vehicleowner refuses to be blackmailed?

This mafia has become a nuisance for the citizens of Karachi, especially motorists, who already face mental and physical agony while commuting between their homes and workplaces daily. While people of Karachi have already been facing traffic jams and harassment by traffic police on one pretext or the other, they face parking mafia nuisance when they reach their destinations and want to park their vehicles. Why? Will someone put this parking mafia on the leash or will the citizens of Karachi live out their lives putting up with this misery?

SAFIA ARIF KARACHI

Foolish diners

The public and NGOs are also playing a pivotal role to overcome the devastation caused by floods. The public is helping the flood victims enthusiastically, likewise the government. The public reached out to the different flood-affected areas and facilitated the victims by providing them with shelter, rations, and clothes. They have also created flood relief funds on social media to provide aid to the victims. They have used social media in a very beneficial way which helped the victims globally. Many telethons were conducted by social activists and public figures. edhi, ehsaas, and Chhipa welfare associations also cooperated in providing relief to

The government must take a significant role in handling this challenge. It must take adequate steps to recover these damages as soon as possible to give relief to the flood victims. In this regard, the government should work on a concrete action plan so that in the coming years this situation may be managed appreciably and dealt with accordingly. The government should construct dams in potential target areas.The storing of this water may benefit to produce electricity which could satisfy the energy needs of the country. Nature-based solutions like green infrastructure (plantation) may regulate the flow of water and prevent future flood damages.

The writer can be reached at guleayeshabhatti@gmail.com

MOST of the fancy restaurants in Pakistan merely make a fool out of their customers. They either offer tasteless food or serve insufficient quantity while charging a huge amount of money. The money earned by fooling the customers is then utilised to fool even more potential customers through advertising. The restaurant owners use the power of social media and hire influencers to post fake reviews for their promotion. These influencers write lovely paragraphs that are full of lies, and throw dust in people’s eyes.

I live in Karachi and have had multiple bad experiences at some of the most popular restaurants. At one of the restaurants, I was charged Rs15,000 for stale and tasteless food. At another renowned restaurant, the quantity was not even enough for a single person. I fail to understand why these restaurants provide poor quality and quantity of food when they charge such a hefty amount from customers. The diners need to be vigilant. They must not fall for these fake reviews and attractive ambience. As social media has become a platform to spread deception, it is better to believe the word of mouth and save others by posting honest reviews.

MAISA KHAN KARACHI

Middle east MoNitor Dr ramzy barouD

aS western countries are floating the theory that Russia could escalate its conflict with Ukraine to a nuclear war, many western governments continue to turn a blind eye to Israel’s own nuclear weapons capabilities. Luckily, many countries around the world do not subscribe to this endemic western hypocrisy.

‘the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction’ was held between November 1418, with the sole purpose of creating new standards of accountability that, as should have always been the case, be applied equally to all Middle Eastern countries.

the debate regarding nuclear weapons in the Middle East could not possibly be any more pertinent or urgent. International observers rightly note that the period following the Russia-Ukraine war is likely to accelerate the quest for nuclear weapons throughout the world. Considering the seemingly perpetual state of conflict in the Middle East, the region is likely to witness nuclear rivalry as well.

For years, Arab and other countries attempted to raise the issue that accountability regarding the development and acquisition of nuclear weapons cannot be confined to states that are perceived to be enemies of Israel and the West.

the latest of these efforts was a United Nations resolution that called on Israel to dispose of its nuclear weapons, and to place its nuclear facilities under the monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Resolution number A/C.1/77/L.2, which was drafted by Egypt with the support of other Arab countries, passed with an initial vote of 152-5. Unsurprisingly, among the five countries that voted against the draft were the United States, Canada and, of course, Israel itself.

Israel’s nuclear weapons are greatest threat to MIddle east

US and Canadian blind support of tel Aviv notwithstanding, what compels Washington and Ottawa to vote against a draft entitled: “the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East”? Keeping in mind the successive right-wing extremist governments that have ruled over Israel for many years, Washington must understand that the risk of using nuclear weapons under the guise of fending off an ‘existential threat’ is a real possibility.

Since its inception, Israel has resorted to, and utilised the phrase ‘existential threat’ countless times. Various Arab governments, later Iran and even individual Palestinian resistance movements were accused of endangering Israel’s very existence. Even the non-violent Palestinian civil society-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement was accused by then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2015 of being an existential threat to Israel. Netanyahu claimed that the boycott movement was “not connected to our actions; it is connected to our very existence.”

this should worry everyone, not just in the Middle East, but the whole world. A country with such hyped sensitivity about imagined ‘existential threats’ should not be allowed to acquire the kind of weapons that could destroy the entire Middle East, several times over.

Some may argue that Israel’s nuclear arsenal was intrinsically linked to real fears resulting from its historical conflict with the Arabs. However, this is not the case. As soon as Israel finalised its ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their historic homeland, and long before any serious Arab or Palestinian resistance was carried out in response, Israel was already on the lookout for nuclear weapons.

As early as 1949, the Israeli army had found uranium deposits in the Negev Desert, leading to the establishment, in 1952, of the very secretive Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC).

In 1955, the US government sold Israel a nuclear research reactor. But that was not enough. Eager to become a full nuclear power, tel Aviv resorted to Paris in

1957. the latter became a major partner in Israel’s sinister nuclear activities when it helped the Israeli government construct a clandestine nuclear reactor near Dimona in the Negev Desert.

the father of the Israeli nuclear program at the time was none other than Shimon Peres who, ironically, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. the Dimona Nuclear Reactor is now named ‘Shimon Peres Nuclear Research Centre-Negev’.

With no international monitoring whatsoever, thus with zero legal accountability, Israel’s nuclear quest continues until this day. In 1963, Israel purchased 100 tons of uranium ore from Argentina, and it is strongly believed that, during the October 1973 Israel-Arab war, Israel “came close to making a nuclear preemptive strike”, according to Richard Sale, writing in United Press International (UPI).

Currently, Israel is believed to have “enough fissionable material to fabricate 60-300 nuclear weapons,” according to former US Army Officer, Edwin S. Cochran.

Estimates vary, but the facts about Israel’s weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) are hardly contested. Israel itself practices what is known as ‘deliberate ambiguity’, as to send a message to its enemies of its lethal power, without revealing anything that may hold it accountable to international inspection.

What we know about Israel’s nuclear weapons has

why I quit elon Musk’s twitter

been made possible partly because of the bravery of a former Israeli nuclear technician, Mordechai Vanunu, a whistleblower who was held in solitary confinement for a decade due to his courage in exposing Israel’s darkest secrets.

Still, Israel refuses to sign the treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPt), endorsed by 191 countries.

Israeli leaders adhere to what is known as the ‘Begin Doctrine’, in reference to Menachem Begin, the rightwing Israeli Prime Minister who invaded Lebanon in 1982, resulting in the killing of thousands. the doctrine is formulated around the idea that, while Israel gives itself the right to own nuclear weapons, its enemies in the Middle East must not. this belief continues to direct Israeli actions to this day.

the US support for Israel is not confined to ensuring the latter has ‘military edge’ over its neighbours in terms of traditional weapons, but to also ensure Israel remains the region’s only superpower, even if that entails escaping international accountability for the development of WMDs. the collective efforts by Arab and other countries at the UNGA to create a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons are welcomed initiatives. It behoves everyone, Washington included, to join the rest of the world in finally forcing Israel to join the Non-Proliferation treaty, a first but critical step towards long-delayed accountability.

It has been an interminable month since Elon Musk assumed control of twitter and showed up in its headquarters while carrying a bathroom sink. (In a leaden pun that foreshadowed what was to come, Musk tweeted, “let that sink in.”) the platform has since shed two-thirds of its workforce; lost half of its top hundred advertisers, including Citigroup, Merck pharmaceuticals, and Chevrolet; witnessed the rushed introduction and abrupt cancellation of a laughable subscription-payment scheme; reinstated the account of a former President who used the platform to promote a violent attack on the United States Capitol; and lost at least a million users. Last week, after fourteen years on the platform, I became one of them. Former twitter users, like digital expats, have turned up on new shores—platforms such as Mastodon and Post News— with hopes of re-creating some semblance of their former online community minus the toxicity that sent them into exile. On November 20th, the Mastodon handle @LauraMartinez posted, “I’m here because Elon broke twitter,” which was more of a summary of what a great many people felt about the old platform than a zealous endorsement of the buggy, complicated new one.

this is a loss because, for all of twitter’s flaws, people stuck with it for a reason. A decade ago, when tony Wang, twitter’s general manager in the U.K., notably described the platform as the “free speech wing of the free speech party,” he was defending users who had violated British law by sharing the details of public figures who had obtained privacy injunctions from U.K. courts. It was easy in those early days, when the heady afterglow of the Arab Spring still cast social media in a favorable light, to think of twitter as simply the new frontier of digital democracy. Even after the platform’s unsavory practices, such as its monetization of users’ attention spans and its algorithmic manipulations, became more broadly known, twitter still offered enough trade-offs to potentially redeem itself.

Scroll back to May 26, 2020, the day after the excruciating video of George Floyd’s murder went viral on the platform. First, a large crowd gathered on the streets of Minneapolis, then in Oakland, and then in Pensacola,

and even in Frisco, texas, and outside the Iowa Statehouse. Online outrage begat outrage in the streets. the flow of communication was lateral, not vertical. People informed their peers about the nature of our government’s failings. Were it not for social media, George Floyd—along with Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna taylor—would likely have joined the long gallery of invisible dead Black people, citizens whose bureaucratized deaths were hidden and ignored. this is what was at stake, quietly and loudly, when Musk acquired twitter.

the singular virtue of the fiasco over which Musk has presided is the possibility that the outcome will sever, at least temporarily, the American conflation of wealth with intellect. Market valuation is not proof of genius. Ahead of the forty-four-billion-dollar deal that gave Musk private control of twitter, he proclaimed that he would “unlock” the site’s potential if given the chance. His admirers hailed his interest with glee. Musk has been marketed as a kind of can-do avatar, a magical mix of Marvel comics and Ayn Rand, despite serial evidence to the contrary, like the allegations of abusive treatment of tesla workers.

Mike tyson famously observed that “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” the facile idea was that, as Kara Swisher pointed out on her podcast, Musk was potentially the one person who could solve twitter’s long-term profitability problem. Such praise paved the way for the current state of affairs, where many, including Musk himself, believe twitter’s collapse might be imminent. (Swisher, to her credit, later pointed out where Musk went astray, taking particular note of his tweet, which she deemed homophobic, regarding the assault on Paul Pelosi.)

Musk’s vision for twitter, never entirely coherent, cracked at first contact with economic reality. His disdain for advertising meant that the companies purchasing ads would view him warily. Moreover, his lifting of bans on twitter’s most truculent users inspired understandable

fear from advertisers that their products would appear next to homophobic, racist, sexist or generally misanthropic tweets. Musk’s desire to replace lost ad revenue with subscriptions—while simultaneously reducing content moderation—made even less sense. He, effectively, asked people to pay for membership in a community where they were now more likely to be abused.

Participating in twitter—with its world-spanning reach, its potential to radically democratize our discourse along with its virtue mobs and trolls—always required a cost-benefit analysis. that analysis began to change, at least for me, immediately after Musk took over. His reinstatement of Donald trump’s account made remaining completely untenable. Following an absurd twitter poll about whether trump should be allowed to return, Musk reinstated the former President. the implication was clear: if promoting the January 6, 2021, insurrection—which left at least seven people dead and more than a hundred police officers injured—doesn’t warrant suspension to Musk, then nothing else on the platform likely could.

Musk’s ownership is markedly different from the one that preceded it. He took the company private, and twitter is no longer a publicly traded entity. In a sense, the users whose tweets drive what remains of its shrinking ad revenue are his most important employees. My sepia-tinted memories of what twitter was—or could possibly have become—dissolved at the prospect of stuffing money in the pocket of the richest man on the planet. Yet leaving has yielded its own complications, including unwinding connections to sources, colleagues, and roughly four hundred thousand followers. the alternatives that have gained prominence in recent weeks do not offer the same reach, or the rich vein of dissimilarity across social and geographic lines, that were some of the best aspects of twitter. As the times observed of disgruntled conservatives, vowing to leave twitter is easier than actually doing so.

My decision to leave yielded a tide of farewells but also two other types of responses. the first was low-

grade trolling that had the effect of validating my decision to depart. But the second was more nuanced and complicated, an argument that leaving offered a concession to the abusive, reactionary elements whose presence has become increasingly prominent since Musk took over. One person paraphrased the writer Sarah Kendzior, urging users to “never cede ground in an information war.” those arguments are increasingly frail, though. If there is, in fact, an information war raging on twitter, Musk is a profiteer. twitter is what it always was: a money-making venture—just more nakedly so. And it now subsidizes a billionaire who understands free speech to be synonymous with the right to abuse others. (While claiming to champion free speech, Musk has selectively granted it, suspending accounts that are critical of him and firing employees who dissented from his view of how the company should be run.) the tech industry’s gimmick to monetize our attention has been astoundingly successful even if twitter has habitually struggled to be profitable. In the end, Musk’s leadership of the company appears to be a cynical form of trolling—creating a welcoming environment for some of the platform’s worst actors while simultaneously hailing his new order for its inclusivity.

to the extent that people remain active on twitter, they preserve the fragile viability of Musk’s gambit. the illusory sense of community that still lingers on the platform is one of Musk’s most significant assets. No matter which side prevails, the true victor in any war is the person selling weapons to both sides. It seems likely that this experiment will conclude with bankruptcy and twitter falling into the hands of creditors who will have their own ideas of what it should be and whom it should serve. But at least in the interim it’s worth keeping in mind that some battles are simply not worth fighting, some battles must be fought, but none are worth fighting on terms set by those who win by having the conflict drag on endlessly.

Jelani Cobb, a staff writer at The New Yorker, is the co-editor of “The Essential Kerner Commission Report.” He is the dean of the Columbia Journalism School.

CURRENTLY, ISRAEL IS BELIEVED TO HAVE “ENOUGH FISSIONABLE MATERIAL TO FABRICATE 60-300 NUCLEAR WEAPONS,” ACCORDING TO FORMER US ARMY OFFICER, EDWIN S. COCHRAN THE LATEST OF THESE EFFORTS WAS A UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION THAT CALLED ON ISRAEL TO DISPOSE OF ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND TO PLACE ITS NUCLEAR FACILITIES UNDER THE MONITORING OF THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

New Yorker Jelani Cobb

CORPORATE CORNER US CG laUdS KPEZdMC for ProMotinG indUStrialiZation, job CrEation

PEshaWar Staff report

US Consul General Peshawar Panfilo Marquez on Tuesday acknowledged the commendable role of KPEZDMC in promoting industrialization, value addition of local raw material, and creation of employment opportunities for local communities.

During his visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development & Management Company (KPEZDMC) Head Office here, he appreciated the projects being established in the merged districts of the province.

He assured full support for the facilitation of investment promotion

through learning programs in KP in different programs funded by the US Government.

Political and Economic officer of US Consulate General Peshawar Kurt Beurmann was also present on the occasion.

Earlier, Special Assistant to Chief Minister KP on Industries and Investments Abdul Karim Tordher welcomed US Consul General and his team to the KPEZDMC office.

The CM’s aide briefed the delegation Consul General on the potentials of KP with respect to natural endowment and geographical advantages and the efforts of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa towards the creation of a conducive environment for the local and international investors.

He said various initiatives of the

provincial government had built the confidence of investors and business community and they had given an overwhelming response to investment in various sectors in the province.

Minister stresses need for education system resilient to emergencies

Pr

Crop residue burning adding to environmental pollution: PARC chairman

Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain was the chief guest at the conference organized by the Islamic World Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) on Global Perspective and Challenges for Metaverse Technologies today on 29th November, 2022.

Federal Minister said that we face three major challenges. Firstly, the need to bring outof-school-children into school. Secondly, the need to improve learning for those already in school, and to address the learning lost in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Finally, we need to make an education system resilient to emergencies, such as the recent floods, and to increase access through technology. Rana Tanveer said the current devastating floods are a reminder of the huge challenges Pakistan faces, from climate change to meeting

Islamabad:

Pakistan

A

Council (PARC)

in Gujranwala district to prevent the burning of paddy stubble and to educate and train farmers, in which officials of the Punjab Agriculture Department, agricultural machinery manufacturers, representatives of companies providing machinery services to farmers and many Numbers of farmers participated. National Project Director of Prime Minister's Agricultural Emergency Program for Wheat productivity enhancement, Dr. Muhammad Yaqoob, highlighted the incentives given to farmers and the steps taken in this project. Dr. Sikandar Khan Tanveer Program Leader (Wheat Department) PARC also informed the participants about the measures taken regarding the wheat crop. Director of Agricultural Engineering Institute of PARC Dr. Hafiz Sultan Mehmood briefed all the participants about the machinery designed by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and other institutions in this regard. In the seminar, Director of Agriculture (Extension) Mr. Dr. Javed Iqbal, Director Agriculture (Adaptive Research) Dr. Muzamil Hussain Kahlu also highlighted the importance & measures of non-burning of crop residue and incentives and subsidies given to farmers. pr

PMO’s team reviews progress on PM-SRI

A team from Prime Minister’s office reviewed the progress on Prime Minister’s Strategic Roadmap Initiative (PM-SRI) which focuses on service delivery in key ministries. The team, which included Sir Michael Barber, an international expert in governance reform, expressed satisfaction on progress made by FBR. Chairman FBR, Mr. Asim Ahmad apprised Sir Michael Barber, that FBR is achieving its revenue targets. Member Inland Revenue Operations, Mr. Amjad Zubair Tiwana briefed the team on the flagship initiatives for use of technology in monitoring business activities including Track & Trace System and Point of Sale Integration. Member Administration Mr. Faiz Illahi Memon reiterated that FBR remains committed to achieving the targets of Strategic Roadmap. pr

Abdul Karim further shared the investment opportunities that were available in different potential sectors with a special focus on minerals, mining, processing, manufacturing sector, and agro-based processing and tourism.

He also emphasized cross-border trade investment opportunities due to the strategic location of KP in the region. He expressed his views about the possible collaboration in the development of these potential sectors.

Meanwhile, Chief Zones Management briefed Consul General through a detailed presentation on KPEZDMC’s role in the economic development of the province through the provision of one window facility and industrial infrastructure based on international standards.

CORPORATE CORNER

The whole world must grapple with the potential inequality that will come from Industry 4.0 and new frontier technologies, including the Metaverse. Rana Tanveer Hussain said that globally, ‘frontier technologies’ such as robotics, AI and the metaverse present huge potential investment opportunities. pr

Jazz and Sprite collaborate for a new exciting offer ‘Thand Rakh Aur Bann Super’

islamabad pr

Jazz, Pakistan’s leading digital operator – and a part of VEON Group, has partnered with Sprite, the world’s leading refreshing soft drink, a brand of The Coca-Cola Company, to launch their latest joint campaign called, “Thand Rakh Aur Bann Super” nationwide.

Under this partnership, Sprite and Fanta bottles (500ML, 1L, and 1.5L packaging), will now have a promo code printed at the back of their labels that can be redeemed to avail Jazz Super 4G Data. Customers can immediately get some extra data from Jazz Super 4G as soon as their broadband packages run out by dialing *145*code# and they will get their “Thand” mode on. A large segment of Pakistan’s population consists of the youth. This Gen Z segment is known for being very techoriented and hyper-connected. To cater to this growing market segment, both industry leaders

are constantly developing innovative products and services. Speaking about the offer, Asif Aziz, Jazz’s Chief Commercial Officer, said, “As the country’s leading digital operator, Jazz fully understands the importance of uninterrupted internet connectivity. We are always brainstorming new ideas to make broadband internet more affordable and accessible, and this “Thand Rakh Aur Ban Super” offer is a brilliant new effort in that direction. It will come in handy whenever internet discontinuity issues arise and will prevent customers from going into a stressful frenzy whether in the midst of watching an engrossing show or playing a fierce game online.”

Ahmed Wahab Shah, Marketing Director, The Coca-Cola Company said, “At Sprite we have always synced our chords with the power of youth. Our tagline, “Thand Rakh”, is also reflective of the youthful energy, especially of Gen Z. As a growing market segment, it is important that we align with their preferences. pr

Delegation

from Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission visits PTA

ICT sector in Pakistan was appreciated by the

shared details of their landmark projects such as PEDi (digital empowerment of rural communities) and their unique 5G model i.e. Single Wholesale Network. Both sides agreed to continue dialogue on mutual areas of collaboration particularly 5G, cyber security and regulatory frameworks. This meeting was held in continuation of the previous engagements between PTA and MCMC. A non-binding cooperation mechanism is also expected to be signed between the two regulators in the near future. MCMC is the regulator for the communications and multimedia industry in Malaysia. pr

Careem celebrates 1 billion rides

Karachi pr

Careem, the region's leading multi-service platform, celebrates 1 billion ride hailing trips across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan.

The 1 billionth trip was completed in Qatar by Captain Captain Razak Uppattil from Kerala, India, who has been driving with Careem for four years and has completed over 10,500 trips on the platform. To celebrate this milestone, Careem gifted Captain Razak a trip to his home town in Kerala.

The 1 billionth passenger was Genera Tesoro, a Careem customer from the Philippines who works as a receptionist at Padel In Aspire Zone in Doha. Genera completes more than 50 trips per month and says she chooses Careem because it is a more affordable option. Careem gifted Genera rides-hailing trips for one year* as a token of appreciation.

Mudassir Sheikha, CEO & Co-founder of Careem, said: “Reaching the incredible milestone of 1

billion rides is thanks to the hard work of our Captains and colleagues as well as the trust that our customers have placed in us. We feel blessed to have made it easier for people to move around and to have created earning opportunities for more than 2.5 million people. The opportunity ahead is large and humbling - our region is full of untapped potential and there’s so much more we must do to simplify and improve life for people in the region.”

Captain Razak Uppattil, the Captain who completed the 1 billionth ride, commented: “I thank God to have completed the 1 billionth trip. I have been at Careem for about four years and have so many favourite moments. It’s the people that I get to meet from all over the world that I really enjoy. I have three children back home in Kerala, India, and I am so excited to see them soon.”

Careem Captains have driven over 9 billion kilometres across more than 80 cities over ten years. The countries with the highest number of rides recorded are Pakistan (299 million), Saudi Arabia (242 mil-

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lion), and Egypt (230

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Federal Minister for Communications, others celebrate NHMP’s Silver Jubilee

At a special ceremony commemorating National Highways and Motorway Police’s 25th Raising day, Federal Minister for Communications Asad Mahmood, Secretary Communications Capt. (r) Khurram Agha, and Inspector General Khalid Mahmood addressed officers and families of the Shuhahada. The Federal Minister congratulated NHMP on achieving 25 years of excellence and remarked about the unparalleled dedication and professionalism that the department has demonstrated. IG Khalid Mahmood addressed officers and presented a history of the department while identifying future ambitions. Chairman OGRA, Inspector General Islamabad, former Inspector Generals from NHMP, and other senior officers also participated in the celebration. “NHMP has achieved an extraordinary amount in a short span of time,” said Federal Minister Asad Mahmood. pr

Every year about 16 million tons of paddy straw is produced in Pakistan, of which about 60 percent is burnt.

Agricultural Research

organized

national awareness seminar

its educational needs. He said that these challenges are not unique to Pakistan or developing nations, they are global.

Group Photo of Chief Guest Brig Muhammad Jawad, Administrator DHAI-R with winners of DHA Islamabad Tennis Championship 2022. pr

million). The longest single ride covered

kilometres, from Riyadh to Jazan in Saudi Arabia in 2020. The shortest single ride was a 200 metre trip in Lahore.

Islamabad: Chairman PTA, Maj. Gen. Amir Azeem Bajwa (R) held a meeting with the Interim Chairman of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Tan Sri Mohamad Salim bin Fateh Din at PTA Headquarters, Islamabad. Member (Finance) PTA, Mr. Muhammad Naveed; Commission Member MCMC, Datuk Lim Thean Shiang and former High Commissioner of Pakistan to Malaysia, Lt. Gen. (R) Tahir Mehmood Qazi and other MCMC and PTA officers were also present at the meeting. The two sides discussed the digital landscape of Pakistan and Malaysia including major initiatives and future projects. The phenomenal growth of

Chairman MCMC.

Malaysian delegation

LAHORE: Pakistan Red Crescent Punjab Vice Chairman Mehboob Qadir Shah in a group photo with volunteers at a ceremony held to honor them with certificates and medals for services rendered in flood-affected areas. Staff photo

UK-China ties at Crossroads aFter sUnaK annoUnCes end oF ‘golden era’

BeiJinG Agencies

UK-China ties are now at a crossroads after UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in his first foreign policy speech on Monday that the “golden era” of UK-China relations is over.

Whether Sunak is continuing the status quo of “hot economics, cold politics,” or is seeking to become more hawkish and shortsighted on his China policy remains to be seen, experts said.

The “golden era” was proposed by the UK at a time when British politicians eyed China as a good partner in UK’s development. Yet incumbent UK leaders lack the same wisdom, with their chaotic China policies premised on nationalism, experts said. The ball is firmly in London’s court when it comes to reviving the relationship that is still consequential for the UK’s development, and the UK must resume pragmatic diplomacy and unhitch itself from other countries or small cliques for it to work.

In his Monday speech, Sunak said the closer economic ties of the previous decade had been “naïve.” He also suggested a hardening of diplomatic relations and called China a “systemic challenge to our values and interests” while confirming the UK’s defense and security strategy for the next decade

would be updated in the new year, UK media reported.

Sunak also pointed his fingers at China’s dynamic zero-COVID policy and accused Chinese law enforcers of “assaulting a BBC journalist.” His irresponsible remarks were refuted by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He also criticized China on issues such as the Hong Kong SAR and the Xinjiang region. Sunak stopped short of calling China a threat, which was reportedly planned by his predecessor, Liz Truss, and he admitted that Western countries could not ignore China’s influence on world affairs and its ability to help with the shared challenges such as economic stability and climate change.

In response, a spokesperson from the

Four Palestinians dead, woman wounded as West Bank violence flares

Palestinian teRRitoRies Agencies

Israeli troops shot dead three Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Palestinian officials said, before a suspected car-ramming attacker was killed after seriously wounding a woman, Israeli medics and the army said. The army confirmed its troops had fired on protestors who allegedly attacked soldiers in two separate West Bank clashes overnight.

The 20-year-old woman was in “severe condition” with a head injury following the suspected car-ramming north of Jerusalem, medics said. Jerusalem’s Shaare Tzedek hospital confirmed the alleged attacker had been killed. The West Bank has suffered spiralling violence this year, with near-daily Israeli army raids leading to scores of deaths — of Palestinian fighters and also civilians. In Kafr Ein, near Ramallah, two brothers were killed by Israeli fire, the Palestinian health ministry said. A third man died of bullet wounds to the head fired by Israeli troops in Beit Ummar, near the flashpoint city of Hebron, the ministry said.

Commenting on the Beit Ummar clash, the Israeli army said it had opened fire on “rioters” who “hurled rocks and improvised explosive devices at the soldiers” after two vehicles got stuck during an “operation patrol” in the area. Palestinian official news agency Wafa named the dead man as Mufid Mahmud Khalil, 44, from the Beit Ummar area. The health ministry identified the dead in Kafr Ein as brothers Jawad Abdulrahman Rimawi, 22, and Dhafer Abdul Rahman Rimawi, 21.

Chinese Embassy in the UK said the UK should not interfere in China’s affairs, and its remarks on Hong Kong and Xinjiang are calling white black. The UK should retreat from its colonial mind-set. The spokesperson urged the UK to discard prejudice and stop smearing China, not dance to the US’ tune or set obstacles in the way of developing China-UK relations.

The phrase “golden era” is associated with closer economic ties between China and the UK under former British prime minister David Cameron in 2015, when Cameron had tried to free UK’s future development from being limited to within the EU, and eyed cooperation with China as another engine for its development.

Yet bilateral ties soured in recent years after the UK pulled itself out of the EU

and leaned closer toward the US, serving as Washington’s vassal in attacking China.

The golden era had already been affected when Boris Johnson took office in 2019, and the UK is the culprit of ending that friendly era, as China’s plan of pushing forward ties has not changed, Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

After Brexit, the UK has been struggling to find its position in the world, as it is finding it hard to exert its influence independently. The country is also experiencing rising nationalism, which makes it more difficult to join hands with European countries, said Li Guanjie, a research fellow from the Shanghai International Studies Universit. He noted that as a result, the UK stands closer with the US. “After Brexit, the UK’s diplomacy is becoming more and more opportunistic and shortsighted,” Cui said.

The UK has been placed in a bind in recent years, facing severe problems such as political turmoil and a sluggish economy. UK will be the second-weakest performer of the world’s big economies next year as the global economy continues to suffer the knock-on effects of the biggest energy shock in four decades, the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development said in a document published last week.

Russian targeting of Ukraine energy is ‘war crime’: Germany

Russian missile strikes on energy infrastructure in Ukraine constituted a “war crime”, German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said Tuesday after hosting talks with his G7 counterparts.

A Russian campaign of missile strikes has severely damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and plunged millions into darkness as the country endures the first snows and chill winds of winter.

“Systematic destruction of the heating and electricity supply” ahead of the coldest months of the year was a “terrible war crime”, Buschmann told reporters.

“Many people will fall victim to the winter,” Buschmann said after the first meeting of G7 justice ministers, which was attended by the Ukrainian justice minister and prosecutor general.

“War criminals should not and must not be allowed to feel safe anywhere,”

Buschmann said.

The members of the G7 group of industrial democracies had to “cooperate better together to combat war crimes”, he said.

Buschmann underlined that he was “certain that at the end, we will see war crimes cases at the International Criminal Court against senior Russian leadership too”.

Ukrainian investigators have already documented “almost 50,000 war crime cases” since the start of the invasion in Febru-

ary, Buschmann said.

The country’s prosecutor general Andriy Kostin repeated a call made by Ukrainian officials for the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia for the “crime of aggression”.

Kostin highlighted “legal limitations” at the ICC that constrained it to “war crimes, crimes against humanity and crime of genocide”.

“If there was no aggression there would be no other war crimes committed,” Kostin said.

Musk feuds with Apple over Twitter advertising

other tweet, asking “what’s going on here?”

Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Elon Musk accused Apple Inc. of threatening to block Twitter Inc. from its app store without saying why in a series of tweets on Monday that also said the iPhone maker had stopped advertising on the social media platform.

The billionaire CEO of Twitter and Tesla said Apple was pressuring Twitter over content moderation demands.

The action, unconfirmed by Apple, would not be unusual as the company has routinely enforced its rules and previously removed apps such as Gab and Parler.

Parler, which is popular with US conservatives, was restored by Apple in 2021 after the app updated its content and moderation practices, the companies said at the time.

“Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?,” Musk, who took Twitter private for $44 billion last month, said in a tweet.

He later tagged Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook’s Twitter account in an-

“It wasn’t clear to me how far up the Apple food chain that idea went internally and without knowing that, it isn’t clear how seriously to take any of this,” said Randal Picker, a professor at the University of Chicago Law School.

The world’s most valuable firm spent an estimated $131,600 on Twitter ads between November 10 and November 16, down from $220,800 between October 16 and October 22, the week before Musk closed the Twitter deal, according to ad measurement firm Pathmatics. In the first quarter of 2022, Apple was the top advertiser on Twitter, spending $48 million and accounting for more than 4 percent of total revenue for the period, the Washington Post reported, citing an internal Twitter document.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.

Among the list of grievances tweeted by Musk was the up to 30 percent fee Apple

charges software developers for in-app purchases, with Musk posting a meme suggesting he was willing to “go to war” with Apple rather than paying the commission.

The fee has drawn criticism and lawsuits from companies such as Epic Games, the maker of ‘Fortnite’, while attracting the scrutiny of regulators globally.

The commission could weigh on Musk’s attempts to boost subscription revenue at Twitter, in part to make up for the exodus of advertisers over content moderation concerns.

Companies from General Mills Inc. to luxury automaker Audi of America have stopped or paused advertising on Twitter since the acquisition, and Musk said earlier this month that the company had seen a “massive” drop in revenue. Ad sales account for about 90 percent of Twitter’s revenue.

The self-described free speech absolutist, whose company has in the past few days reinstated several Twitter accounts including that of former US President Donald Trump, has blamed activist groups for pressuring advertisers. Ben Bajarin, the head of

israel chief of india film festival slams propaganda Kashmir movie — ‘vulgar’

neW Delhi Monitoring report

Israeli Jury chief surprised audiences during his speech at a government-organised film festival in India by criticising the organisers for including a low-budget propaganda film focusing on the exodus of thousands of Hindus from the occupied Kashmir region in competition.

The Kashmir Files, a 170-minute Hindi-language movie released in March, tells the fictional story of a student who discovers his Kashmiri Hindu parents were killed by freedom fighters — and not in an accident as his grandfather told him.

The film stirred up anti-Muslim sentiments, with Hindu audiences erupting in hate speeches and calling for the slaughter of Muslims and a boycott of their businesses after seeing the film.

While praising the quality of most of the 15 films in the International Film Festival India (IFFI), Nadav Lapid, an ace filmmaker himself, said on behalf of the jury: “We were all of us disturbed and shocked by the 15th film, The Kashmir Files, that felt to us like a propaganda, vulgar movie inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.”

He continued: “I feel totally comfortable to share openly these feelings here with you on stage since the spirit of the festival can truly accept also a critical discussion, which is essential for art and for life.”

Lapid’s speech was made in front of several government ministers, as the festival is a government-funded event.

India’s ruling far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party is understood to have supported the film.

After Lapid’s comments generated a huge backlash on social media, the jury board said his comments were “completely his personal opinion”.

Israel’s envoy to India apologised for his comments, saying, in a series of tweets, he felt “ashamed”. “As a human being, I feel ashamed and want to apologise to our hosts for the bad manner in which we repaid them for their generosity and friendship,” he wrote.

Lapid’s fellow jurors at the festival include US producer Jinko Gotoh, French editor Pascale Chavance, Spanish filmmaker and critic Javier Angulo and Indian filmmaker Sudipto Sen.

As many as six countries — Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman — banned the film due to its “potential to cause enmity between different communities”.

san FRanCisCo reuters

consumer technologies at research firm Creative Strategies, said that Musk may be reading too much into a regular process Apple goes through in app review.

“App review from Apple is not perfect by any means and a consistently frustrating process for developers but from what I hear it is a two-way conversation,” he said.

BeRlin Agencies

Ramallah,

RechARged englAnd fAce PAkistAn chAllenge in long-AwAited seRies

RAWALPINDI afp

Arecharged England, playing swashbuckling cricket under skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, will get their first taste of Pakistan conditions in 17 years when the first Test begins in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

Under Stokes and former New Zealand great McCullum, England have remodelled their game — winning six of their last seven Tests at home playing what has been dubbed “Bazball” after the coach’s nickname.

That came after a dismal sequence of just one win in 17 Tests — including a 40 humiliation in the Ashes in Australia — resulting in head coach Chris Silverwood being sacked and Stokes taking over as skipper from Joe Root.

But low and slow pitches in Pakistan — where England last played a Test in 2005 — pose a different challenge, McCullum admits.

Security issues have meant Pakistan have had to play most of their home Tests of the last two decades on neutral grounds, usually the United Arab Emirates.

“We understand the size of the chal-

lenge in front of us — but that’s great, and that’s why you want to play the game,” McCullum told a press conference.

“But at the same time, if we are given the opportunity to try and play aggressive and attacking cricket, we’ll try and take that option.”

England’s new approach saw them chase down targets of 277, 299, 296 and 378 with ease to win Tests this year.

But they have won only two of the 22 Tests they have played in Pakistan, losing four and drawing the other 16.

Seam spearhead James Anderson, who toured with England in 2005 but didn’t play a Test, will have to draw on his 667-wicket experience to get life out of the expected unresponsive pitches with express pace bowler Mark Wood ruled out with a hip injury.

Root will anchor an inexperienced batting line-up that needs to counter Pakistan’s new spin attack of left-armer Nauman Ali plus uncapped pair Zahid Mahmood and Abrar Ahmed.

Shaheen out: The home team will

miss strike bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is out of the series with a knee injury, while veteran spinner Yasir Shah has been dropped after struggling for form

An inexperienced pace attack will be led by Naseem Shah, who has played 13 Tests, while Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim Junior are both in line to make their Test debuts.

“It’s always great to play England and I look forward to getting on this journey with our talented bunch of players,” tweeted captain Babar Azam.

If Pakistan win the series 2-0 they will jump to second from fifth in the World Test Championship, with a series at home against New Zealand left to play. The top two of the nine teams will contest the final next year.

England are seventh and out of contention for the final.

Pakistan may prepare a more resultoriented pitch at the Rawalpindi stadium after it produced 1,187 runs for the loss of just 14 wickets in a tame draw against Australia earlier this year.

That pitch was rated “below average” by match referee Ranjan Madugalle and described as “dead” by Australian batter Steve Smith.

Right time to test our cricket system: Ramiz Raja on Pak vs Eng Test series

Best possible security arrangements finalized for Pak england match: cPo

RAWALPINDI staff report

Rawalpindi district police have made the best possible security arrangements for the PakEngland practice session and cricket match said City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Syed Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari.

He informed that police had finalized foolproof security arrangements for the cricket match. He said, 3000 cops had been deployed to ensure foolproof security arrangements.

According to a police spokesman, CPO and SSP Operations Rawalpindi Waseem Riaz Khan were monitoring all the security arrangements.

The CPO during a visit to the cricket stadium and adjoining areas directed the police officers to make the best possible arrangements for the cricket match, he added.

The spokesman said that CPO had also instructed the police officers to utilize all available resources for foolproof security at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, its surroundings, and cricket teams during the practice session and Pak-England cricket match.

Ramiz Raja, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Tuesday said that its time to test the Pakistan cricket system as a lengthy game season begins at home.

Ramiz said this in an exclusive interview with Geo News ahead of the Green Shirts’ upcoming Test series against England, which will start from December 1 in Rawalpindi.

“We are honoured to host the England team for Test cricket,” Raja said emphasising the importance of the series for Pakistan.

“It is the right time to test our cricket system. I have sent the message to the team, if you want to make headlines in the world, then you need to beat England,” the PCB

chairman said. He was upbeat about hosting big teams in the upcoming home season. “The upcoming season is very big for us, I hope everything goes well,” he added.

“England and all other teams will enjoy our hospitality. The world will see us hosting big teams,” he stated.

Raja was handing out the Quaide-Azam Trophy 2022-23’s title to champions Northern during the tournament’s presentation ceremony.

He was ecstatic to watch young players claiming individual accolades. “It is heartening to see young players performing. Especially Huraira, the way this youngster has scored runs at the age of 20, is exceptional,” he said.

“Our system needs more homework. We need to make our system strong to produce more and more talented players,” opined Raja.

Mubasir Khan (20-year-old) bagged the player of the tournament award, Huraira (20-year-old) was named player of the final and best batter, Abrar Ahmed (24-year-old) claimed the best bowler award, and Rohail Nazir (21-year-old) was declared best wicket-keeper award.

While talking about pitches, Raja once again emphasised drop-in pitches.

Juventus president Andrea Agnelli, entire board resign

anKaRa: The entire board of directors at Juventus including president Andrea Agnelli have resigned over charges of false accounting, the Italian football club said.

The decision came following an extraordinary meeting after accounting opinions from independent experts were obtained, the club said in a statement on Monday.

“The Board of Directors, considering the focus and relevance of the pending legal and technical-accounting issues, have deemed it in the best interest to recommend that Juventus adopt a new Board of Directors to deal

with these issues,” the statement read.

Under Agnelli’s term, which began in 2010, Juventus won nine Serie A titles in a row until the 2019-20 season. The new board of directors will be confirmed in a meeting scheduled for Jan. 18 and Maurizio Scanavino will be the general manager until then. During the 2021-2022 season, Juventus posted losses of €254.3 million ($256.95 million), the largest recorded loss in Serie A history. The club currently hold third position in Serie A, 10 points behind leaders Napoli. staff report

PcB announces 2022-23 domestic cricket contracts

LAHORE staff report

The 191 cricketers representing 51 cities were offered domestic cricket contracts 2022-23, details of which were announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board today. The contracts will run from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023, and see a major increase following approval by the Board of Governors in their 70th meeting held in Karachi in September.

The 15 Category A+ players will now earn a retain of PKR300,000 following a PKR50,000 increase, while 35 players under Category A will receive a monthly retainer of PKR200,000 (up by PKR15,000). Fortyeight Category B players will receive PKR185,000 per month (increase by PKR10,000), 70 Category C players will earn PKR170,000 per month (up by PKR5,000), while 24 Category D players will receive PKR150,000 per month (up by PKR10,000).

In addition to the monthly retainers, the PCB had also increased match fees across all formats.

Players who have not been offered domestic contracts, will remain available for selection for their association and, like last year, will receive match fee, daily allowance and share in prize money. A number of leading international cricketers have confirmed to the PCB they will prefer event-based contracts instead of the season contracts. These cricketers will be offered the agreed contracts in the lead up to the event they will make themselves available to participate in. The following are the criteria for different categories adopted while offering domestic cricket contracts 2022-23:

CRITERIA for Category A+: This is an extension of Emerging Contracts under PCB Central Contracts 2022-23

CRIteRIa for Category a: All Test and ODI players who are part of CA squad; Top four batters, top four bowlers and best wicketkeeper of past three Quaid-e-Azam Trophy; top three batters, top three fast bowlers; top two spinners, top wicketkeeper and top all-rounder of 2021-22 Quaid-e-Azam trophy; top run-getter, best bowler, best wicketkeeper and Best Player of Pakistan Cup 2021-22; and, top scorer, best bowler, best wicketkeeper and Best Player of National T20 2021-22.

CRIteRIa for Category B: Players who have been part of Pakistan squad within last one year; T20I players who are part of CA squads; Players who have played 50 or more first-class matches; Players who have represented Pakistan Shaheens/Emerging since 2021 (in international events); second best performers in Quiad-e-Azam Trophy; National T20 and Pakistan Cup

CRIteRIa for Category C: Players who have represented Pakistan U-19 in the past two years; Players who have represented Pakistan A in the past; Players who have represented Pakistan Emerging team in the past two years; Players who have represented Pakistan U-19 in the past; players who have played 20 or more first-class matches; third best performers in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, National T20 and Pakistan Cup

CRIteRIa for Category D: All remaining players who are part of current CA squads

Pakistan to bowl England by seeing their batting approach: Naseem Shah

RAWALPINDI staff report

Pacer Naseem Shah is looking to rise to the occasion in the three-match Test series against England, saying he will be trying his best to bowl according to the situation and the team’s requirements.

The first Test between Pakistan and England is commencing on Friday in Rawalpindi. The 19-year-old Naseem, who has picked up 33 wickets in 13 Tests since making his debut in 2019, will be spearheading Pakistan’s fast bowling attack in absence of his new ball partner Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was ruled out of the series due to a knee injury.

“Obviously it makes a difference when

a very good bowler of your team [Shaheen Afridi] gets unfit, but we will try to do our best by making good use of the new ball,” he told media at a press conference at Pindi Stadium on Tuesday.

He said Pakistan had a strong bowling line-up and it would bowl England by seeing what sort of batting approach they adopt.

“I don’t trust the pitch until I bowl the first ball. I have never checked the pitch before the match to gauge as how it will behave. I believe as a bowler you always need to bowl well everywhere in the world. A bowler-friendly pitch does not mean you start bowling carelessly,” he said.

He said Pakistan’s fast bowlers were working hard and were in great rhythm to perform.

been playing here in Pakistan Super

To a query as to whether he will be trying to focus on taking Joe Root’s wicket, who is the world’s number one Test batter, he said Root was the top batter but while bowling he only concentrates to deliver his best. “No doubt, Joe Root is the world’s best batsman and it is always a challenge to bowl the best batsman. I always enjoy bowling the best batsmen,” he added.

To another query, he heaped praise on England’s seasoned fast bowler James, saying that the 40-year-old was a legend from whom he had learned.

“He knows everything about bowling as

he has played everywhere in the world. I will continue learning from him. I think it is a big achievement for him that he is still playing. He is very fit and that shows how much hard work he has been doing,” Naseem added.

Pakistan will have to beat England to keep their hopes alive of moving to the next year’s final of the World Test Championship.

Pakistan squad for the england tests: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (VC & wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Zahid Mehmood.

IsLAmAbAD staff report

“They are also quite familiar with the conditions at the Pindi Stadium as they have

League and domestic matches. I think all are ready, and hopefully will play positive cricket.”

GeneraL Bajwa —the BuSineSS Broker

out by representatives of different industries, who wanted him to play a role in pushing the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to hear and address their issues in an economy fast running off track.

oNthe 3rd of October 2019, General Qamar Javed Bajwa met with the heads of Pakistan’s leading business families at a dinner reception. Anyone who was anyone was there. Mian Mansha, Hussain Dawood, Mohammad Ali Tabba, Gohar Ejaz, Aqeel Karim Dhedi, Zubair Tufail, Siraj Qasim Teli, Saqib Shirazi — from the world of banking to automobiles, every titan of industry was present at the meeting.

As the meeting went late into the evening, the conversation changed from polite pleasantries to a full-blown airing of grievances. And this was not the first time.

In his six-years as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Bajwas held meetings with the business community on numerous occasions. As he said himself in his recent retirement speech, the Pakistan Army has been involved in political decision making for a while until it took a conscious decision in February this year to step away from politics. In this time, because of the political sway the army held, General Bajwa was often sought

Not only was the macroeconomic situation fast deteriorating, which was then made worse by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, but businesses regularly claimed that they were facing the issue of an FBR tasked with maximising revenue and collecting more taxes than ever. Another persistent complaint across different industries was that NAB’s involvement in private businesses was making the country’s environment hostile to doing business.

According to sources close to the matter, a key player in arranging these meetings was Waqar Malik, who is the CEO of the Fauji Foundation and has in the past remained a director of the Pakistan Business Council –an advocacy group created by major industries to promote a business-friendly environment in the country.

As he doffs his uniform and hands over the cane of command to General Asim Munir, it is worth looking back at the legacy he leaves as a business broker. Profit looks back at some of the major moments in

which the business community looked towards General Bajwa to have their grievances heard.

August 2019: Prime Minister Imran Khan approves an extension in the tenure of Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa for another three years. His extension marks the second time in nearly a decade that the country’s top general had their traditional three-year term extended. Later that month, General Bajwa met with traders in Karachi,

assuring them that he would talk with the government for resolution of their problems. The COAS asked them to contact him if they face any problem(s) in future.

October 2019: General Bajwa meets with a delegation of some of the biggest names in business in Pakistan. The highpowered delegation told the army chief the government never seriously addressed the issues of the business community and would only pay lip-service to their complaints.

The business community expressed its concerns about stagflation where the GDP growth is touching the lowest ebb while inflation is persistently rising and its resulting into halting economic activities. They also complained about the FBR squeezing them to maximise the government’s revenue.

General Bajwa

October 24th, 2019: Prime Minister Imran Khan says that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa met business tycoons “with his permission”. “Where there is no rule of law people gravitate towards power. The army chief asked for my permission to meet the businessmen and I saw no harm in it,” journalist Amber Rahim Shamsi quoted him as saying.

September 2020: A delegation of top

Oilseeds vessels remain stuck at port as confusion prevails between ministries

date and due process of inspecting the GMO products. Meanwhile, through a letter to MoFS&R the association has also requested for an urgent meeting to discuss this extremely crucial issue. APSEA reiterated that the real reasons for refusal to clear oilseed cargoes are not GMOs as it has been an implied fact well known to all concerned for many years.

own GMO seeds and has to depend on imports. However, with shipments stuck at the port there may be a serious delay in the seeds getting to the market.

businessmen of Karachi met the army chief at the Corps Headquarters in Karachi and took up various issues including the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC), high cost of land in Karachi, problems in exports and production activities, as well as lack of industrialisation. Gen Bajwa had assured full support to industrialists and businessmen in resolving various issues besides urging them to set up more industries and enhance exports.

Gen Bajwa asked the industrialists to send a one-page proposal on the GIDC issue so that he could discuss this at length with Prime Minister Imran Khan.

June 2021: A delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and the army chief discussed the “evolving regional economic environment” as well as the FPCCI’s role in the development of commercial and industrial hubs in Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. The meeting back in October 2019 had also been attended by former president FPCCI Zubair Tufail.

In the meeting, General Bajwa assured the business community of the army’s “complete support” for the economic uplift of the country.

Petroleum shortage suspected as SBP allegedly closes LCs

What is behind the delay?

According to a member of All Pakistan Solvent Extractors’ Association (APSEA), two shipments of the vital oilseeds have not been cleared since October 20th this year. A reliable source in the the Plant Protection Department (DPP) of the Ministry of Food Security and Research said the shipment had been stopped over the issuance of a certificate by the ministry of climate change. While there were only two ships held up initially, others have joined and are also stuck at the port.

According to insiders, the issue was created after a letter of Customs sent to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MoNFS&R) indicating that the imported oilseeds are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to be cleared after due certification.

Interestingly, according to officials, it was the first time that the issue was raised by Customs despite the fact that the Department of Plant Protection (DPP), an attached department of MoFS&R has been releasing similar shipments without the certificate in the past. The certificate, interestingly, is the mandate of another ministry, the Ministry of Climate, which, after the development, is also confused how to treat the imported consignment and issue the relevant certificate.

An official at the Ministry of Climate Change, however, claimed that his ministry has the man-

According to the Association, the decision to stop clearance is driven by mala fide intentions.

According to APSEA the DPP has a history of unwarranted delays in cargo clearance that have cost the country dearly in terms of foreign exchange paid for demurrage charges. The letter said that the ongoing blockage of oilseed cargoes might be an attempt by a vested group to stop value addition in the country and start imports of soybean meal and oil, the end-products of soybeans.

The oilseed question

Pakistan relies heavily on imported oilseeds to meet its caloric demands. ‘Oilseeds’ are seeds grown primarily for the production of edible oils. In the broader sense, peanuts and soybeans can be considered oilseeds. Other examples include palm, canola, sunflower, and olives. The problem is, Pakistan does not have high quality oilseed plantations that are genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs are resistant to weather and other climate disasters such as floods.

But since Pakistan has a huge demand for edible oil, GMO seeds are imported from foreign countries and sown in Pakistan. According to a report of the central bank, Pakistan’s palm and soybean-related imports stood at US$ 4 billion in FY21, rising by 47 percent year-on-year, compared to compound average growth of 12.3 percent in the last 20 years. This is largely because Pakistan has been unable to develop its

As per documents available with this scribe, at least 257 vessels of oilseed have been imported by Pakistan from 2017 to February 2022 without GMO test or certification out of which 132 vessels fumigated by DPP. In 2021 53 vessels were imported out of which 45 vessels were fumigated by the department. Till February 2022 at least six vessels of oilseed were imported and the same were fumigated. Currently six vessels of oilseed were stuck up at port while another three vessels were on their way to Pakistan.

As per another official, for the certification of the imported goods of GMO, a prior registration of importers and firms was also needed as per the set rule. On the other hand an importer of the oilseed claimed that the importers have already applied for the registration in 2018 but they were yet to be registered by the concerned ministry.

A reliable source at MoFS&R informed this scribe that, keeping the blockage of imported shipment at port, some diplomats from the importing countries have also approached the ministry to pave the way for early release of the vessels.

Sale of local maize increased

On the other hand an official at the ministry claimed that while anticipating the crisis in the poultry industry following the blockage of the imported oilseed, a byproduct which is also used in poultry feed, the sale of local maize has been multiplied which ultimately has benefited the local farmers. Maize is the principal energy source used in poultry diets in most of the countries because of its high-energy value, palatability, presence of pigments and essential fatty acids.

In the latest example of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) operating through verbal communication instead of through official lines, the bank has informed Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and oil refineries that they will not be opening any new Lines of Credit (LCs) for the import of fuel until the 6th of December.

According to industry sources, the closing of LCs may result in a shortage of petroleum products in the country. Details coming in from the matter have indicated that the central bank may be choosing to close LCs because it is planning on retiring Eurobonds, and are trying to preserve dollars. In a verbal communication, OMCs and refineries have been told to balance their imports and exports.

Sources further added that the oil industry has been verbally instructed by all banks including HBL, Meezan, Habib Metro etc to wait till December 6, 2022 for LC opening. When contacted, a senior representative of the Oil Companies Advisory Council said they had not received any complaint from their members yet. “Nobody has written to us about problems in LC openings by banks, but some have indicated delays in LC opening. Whether it is procedural or by default I do not know.”

The news of the SBP closing LCs first started making the rounds when former FBR chairman Shabbar Zaidi in a television programme claimed that the country could face a petrol shortage because of the SBP’s decision. While the state bank’s spokesperson has not commented on the issue, sources close to the bank have given a measured response asking where the proof was that the SBP had given any such indication. However, sources have claimed that the major issue is over the fact that the SBP makes its communications verbally instead of in writing.

A source in the refining sector said that the oil industry as a whole is facing such problems as banks have asked them to keep balance in imports and exports.

IESCO management accused of trying to hush-up corruption inquiry

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An internal inquiry of the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) investigating a corruption scam has assigned junior officers to investigate their bosses. Sources have confirmed to Profit that the IESCO management has constituted a five-member inquiry committee to initiate a probe into irregularities in the tender process for the building of a road in Rajjar.

According to details, IESCO had been working on two projects that have come under question for irregularities. One was the repair work for an approach road to Rajjar, while the other was the construction of a boundary wall of a grid station of IESCO. Some of the senior management of IESCO has been accused of making money off of a bogus tender for the projects.

The inquiry committee is headed by Naeem Jan, Chief Engineer (CE) Planning and Engineering (P&E) while Aurangzeb Khan Additional CE (Coordination), Naseer Hanif, Additional Director (Material Management), Khuda Bukhsh Leghari, Director (S&I) and Raees Haidar, Deputy General Manager (GM) are made as members of this committee.

However, the Chief Engineer assigned to head the committee will have to ask questions of his own CEO, who is his boss, and is allegedly involved in the scandals of electrification of illegal housing societies and installation of free of cost transformers. Another inquiry is already going on against him.

Sources said that a new approach road was earlier constructed for Rajjar grid station of Jhelum district under the supervision of Executive Engineer Civil (IESCO) through a tendering process. How-

ever, Executive Engineer Civil (IESCO) had refloated road maintenance tender of the same approach road of Rajjar grid station a few months ago though the security maintenance period of this road was for one year while there was no need of road construction or repair until 2025 i-e three years as per IESCO rule/plan. Moreover, as per IESCO tender advertisement rule no tender is issued to a firm /contractor whose any civil work is pending from the previous year works tenders in the same division. But the tender winning company had several pending works of the previous year on its part.

The newly constructed approach road of Rajjar grid station does not need any maintenance as it is currently available in good condition and anyone can visit the road site to know the actual condition of this approach road, sources added.

Back in October, IESCO man-

agement including the CEO were accused of involvement in irregular payments of special allowance worth approximately Rs 9.25 million to its high ranked officers for 40 months in violation of rules and regulations of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).

Syed Manzoor Hussain Shah Kazmi, chairman Anti-Corruption Cell, Labour Unity of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (CBA) who had earlier requested the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) through an application to investigate both matters were asked by the inquiry committee to appear on 29th November 2022 and submit his evidence regarding ‘bogus tendering process’ of the tender of Rajjar approach road and construction of boundary wall of a grid station of IESCO. But he refused to appear.

When contacted, Syed Manzoor Hussain Shah Kazmi (the complainant) said that this inquiry com-

mittee is composed of junior officers and it is formed only to save the skin of higher management of IESCO. “I have informed the CEO of IESCO that I will not appear before this inquiry committee whose members are junior to the accused while the members of this committee are also involved in various irregularities, financial embezzlement and they are already on FIA’s radar as the FIA is investigating against them,” he said.

Chairman Anti-Corruption Cell, Labour Unity of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (CBA) also said he has asked the FIA to check and scrutinise the tender documents of the last two years to find the truth behind the corruption and misuse of authority allegedly committed by the officials of IESCO. Since both matters are related to public importance and misuse of public money, the FIA should wake from its slumber.

It is also learnt from sources

that the cost incurred on construction of the boundary wall of I-10 grid station was Rs 6,71,37,260. However, the Executive Engineer (Civil) dismantled the boundary wall after finding cracks in it and later paid Rs 2 crore paid to another contractor on verbal commitment without calling a tender for the construction of the boundary wall of the federal capital’s I-10 grid station of IESCO.

It is pertinent to mention that the length of the designed retaining wall is 131 feet, while the length of excavation is 310Ft. Similarly, the designed height is 13.5 Ft and the depth /height of excavation is 31.5 Ft. When contacted IESCO spokesman, he earlier said that the representatives of Operation Directorate have confirmed that the inquiry committee had already been constituted to inquire about the issue. And, a report will be shared as and when it is issued.

At least six vessels containing valuable oilseeds important for Pakistan’s food security continue to be stuck at Port Qasim because of ambiguity and confusion between different ministries over the issuance of a certification.

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