Epaper_22-12-13 ISB

MELTING

PM Shehbaz SayS ready for talkS with Pti chief for country’S Sake

iSLAMABAD Mian abRaR

Primeminister shehbaz sharif on monday offered an olive branch to the former premier imran khan, saying he was ready to move forward and sit with the opposition for talks for the country’s sake.

addressing a press conference here with a coterie of federal ministers, the prime minister said finance minister ishaq Dar had held talks with President arif alvi with his permission.

“we will move 100 steps forward for the country’s stability. but it takes two to tango. we have to sacrifice when nation faces such a situation [as we are in],” he said.

the prime minister told the media that the incumbent government inherited a shaken economy and that they had to beseech the international monetary fund (imf), which was not ready to trust Pakistan after the previous regime had deviated from the commitments.

he said by passing the burden of the oil price surge to the masses, the incumbent government sacrificed its politics in the state’s interest as the previous regime had laid a trap for their government by not raising the prices.

Prime minister shehbaz said the government had disbursed rs 70 billion among the flood-hit families through bisP (benazir income support Programme) and spent billions of others through the nDma (national Disaster management authority) to supply food packages, tents, and mosquito nets. besides, rs 400 million were also given in form of compensation for the life losses, he added.

“with the onset of the winter season, a huge challenge is still ahead. Don’t know where the money will come from (to support the reconstruction),” he added.

he said instead of spreading a rhetoric of

Pakistan becoming another sri lanka, imran khan should give an account for the sugar mill and wheat scandals. to a question, the prime minister said finance minister ishaq Dar met President arif alvi with his permission.

“we will move 100 steps forward for the country’s stability. but it takes two to tango. the nations face such a situation when we have to sacrifice. but what kind of talks can be held with an egoistic and liar person who even defames the army … i want to tell the people that this person is a fraud having nothing to do with the nation’s future,” he said and called for setting aside the differences for the country’s progress. he said the previous government ridiculed his idea of the Charter of economy and misconstrued it as a desire to seek an nro.

he said the unconditional apology by the british publication Daily mail was a vindication of the 220 million Pakistanis, which also thwarted an anti-state conspiracy hatched by

imran khan and his cronies.

“finally, after three years, they (Daily mail) tendered an apology, not to me but all of you. it was an apology to 220 million Pakistanis, and to millions of those mothers and children who were benefiting from the DifD projects to support their food and health,” the prime minister said addressing a press conference here along with his cabinet members.

apprising the media of the allegations levelled by the previous government through the Daily mail article, he said the onslaught was only meant to defame him, nawaz sharif and the Pakistan muslim league-nawaz.

“he (imran khan) was so callous to never think that it will not only malign nawaz sharif or shehbaz sharif rather it will hurt Pakistan’s reputation,” he remarked. the newspaper also published its apology in sunday’s print edition, he added.

Pakistan expects multibillion-dollar support from Saudi Arabia

pect to get $3 billion from a friendly country.

Sponsors of MCB buy 5.49pc stake in MCB

LAHore

a change in ownership took place on monday in mCb representing 5.49% of the shareholding in the bank. bugis investments (mauritius) Pte ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of fullerton financial holdings (singapore) Pte. ltd , sold off all of its 5.49% stake in mCb to the major sponsors of the bank. the announcement was made on the Pakistan stock exchange (PsX) by mCb on monday, the day of the transaction. the company notice read, “mCb has undergone a change of ownership representing approximately 5.49% of its voting ordinary shares as per the details set our below: bugis investments (mauritius) Pte ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of fullerton financial holdings Pte ltd, has transferred and sold all of the 65,020,947 ordinary shares of par value Pkr 10/- each held by it in mCb, which are equivalent to 5.49% of mCb’s issued share capital, to seven existing mCb shareholders, comprising three companies and four individuals, namely nishat mills limited (7,111,360 shares), adamjee insurance Company limited (4,029,204 shares), nishat Paper Products Company limited (3,000,000 shares), mrs ammil raza (4,842,812 shares), mian raza mansha (12,933,084 shares), mrs naz mansha (21,254,887 shares), mian umer mansha (11,850,600 shares).” mrs naz mansha is the spouse of mCb’s founder and chairman mian mohammad mansha while mian umer mansha is a director on the board of mCb. the transaction was completed on monday at Pkr 115 per share for a cumulative total of Pkr 7.48 billion. this is the largest investment made in mCb by its existing shareholders in the past few years. according to suleman maniya, head of advisory at vector securities, “this deal was in the making for the past 2-3 months. bugis is a foreign investor. a lot of foreign investors in Pakistan’s equity markets are making a beeline for the exit currently. and so the sponsors decided this is a good price to buy in. they have been buying in slow quantities over the past few months, but this is perhaps the largest and biggest addition made by the mansha family in the past 5-6 years in mCb. it also shows the sponsors’ confidence in the bank and they feel the valuations have bottomed out making it a right time for investment.” mCb bank is one of the oldest banks of Pakistan, incorporated in the private sector in 1947. it was nationalized in 1974 and privatized in 1991. mCb bank’s major shareholding is owned by nishat group, a prominent business conglomerate, having diversified interests in textiles, Cement, banking, insurance, Power generation, hotel business, agriculture, Dairy, auto manufacturing and Paper Products. in 2017, fullerton financial holdings (international) of singapore through bugis investments (mauritius) Pte ltd acquired 5.49% stake in mCb under merger scheme of nib bank with and into mCb bank limited. mCb is the first Pakistani bank which incorporated a wholly owned islamic banking subsidiary, mCb islamic bank limited, to meet requirements of a significant segment of society for financial solutions that conform to shariah rulings. the bank operates a strong and vast network of over 1400 branches and over 1450 atms in Pakistan and 11 branches overseas with a footprint in uae, bahrain and sri lanka. with a customer base of over 7 million, mCb is a leader in the banking & financial services sector in Pakistan.

Pakistan will likely secure a multibillion-dollar financial support package from long-time ally saudi arabia this month, two sources said, as the country’s ninth review of a $7 billion imf bailout ran into snags.

the two finance ministry officials said the saudi package would include deposits boosting the country’s foreign reserves and oil on deferred payments.

finance minister ishaq Dar said earlier he hoped talks with saudi arabia would happen soon.

“we are expecting that we will, god willing, get financial support from saudi arabia, most likely this month,” one of the senior officials told reuters, adding it would be around a $4 billion package.

“some of that package will go to our reserves and the rest is

oil and some other commodities on deferred payments,” he said.

“Pakistan has brotherly relations with saudi arabia. both countries have helped each other in times of need,” a finance ministry media official told reuters, without elaborating or giving any further details.

Pakistan’s economy is facing a balance of payment crisis. the central bank reserves have fallen to $6.7 billion — barely enough for a month of imports.

the fiscal deficit has already

touched 1% of the gDP in the first quarter of the current financial year against 0.7% of the gDP agreed with the imf. with the imf’s ninth review pending since september, Pakistan has desperately been scrambling to secure financing to meet external payment obligations for the current financial year.

ahead of the review, Pakistan has been trying to approach allies to seek financial support, and Dar had said that he would ex-

“the imf has asked for more information to complete the ninth review,” Dar said on monday, adding it was “unusual” because islamabad had met all the requirements already.

he said the imf wanted Pakistan to explain as to how the country will fund the cost for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the devastating flood, which this summer was estimated to have insured over $30 billion in losses. the minister and the imf have said that discussions continued online over the review. there is no date yet for a physical review by the imf.

the imf approved the seventh and eighth reviews together in august of Pakistan’s bailout programme agreed upon in 2019, to allow the release of over $1.1 billion. Pakistan secured a $6 billion bailout in 2019 that was topped up with a further $1 billion earlier this year.

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iSLAMABAD

g Confirms Dar helD talks with PresiDent alvi with his Permission

IMRAn URgeS MIlITARy, jUDICIARy To PlAy Role To AVeRT ‘eConoMIC CollAPSe’

iSLAMABAD stAff report

FORMERprime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has urged the country’s national security institutions including military and judiciary to wake up to the fact that the country’s economy is “sinking” and reiterated that the only solution to the crisis is early elections.

Addressing his supporters via video link on Monday, the PTI chief said he held meeting with his economic team to discuss the prevailing economic crisis. “We discussed

ways as to how we can lift the country of this quagmire if we come into power again.”

Raising the alarm over depleting foreign exchange reserves, Imran said all security institutions particularly military should think about the country “as everyone will suffer if the country defaulted”.

“Soviet Union had the strongest army but it could not save the country from economic collapse,” he added.

“Our judiciary should also play its role in this situation as all institutions would be held responsible if things go south.”

He also lamented that news channels were not highlighting the “dangerous

ADB approves $554m loan for Pakistan to support flood-relief efforts

iSLAMABAD stAff report

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $554 million in financing to help Pakistan provide social protection, promote food security, and support employment for its people amid devastating floods. According to the ADB, the amount will be spent on the rehabilitation of the damaged structure in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The bank further said from the total $554 million, $475 million is loan, $3 million is a technical grant $5 million donation is from Japan for the flood victims. It may be noted that the ADB announced providing $ 2.3 to 2.5 billion to Pakistan for flood relief efforts. On October 26, ADB transferred $1.5 billion loan to Pakistan, SBP sources. ADB signed an agreement with Pakistan to provide $1.5 billion loan for budgetary support and help flood-related rehabilitation and reconstruction. The loan would build the foreign exchange reserves and rein in the rupee’s depreciation.

FBR exempts assets of Reko Diq Mining Company from CVT

iSLAMABAD stAff report

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has exempted all assets of Reko Diq Mining Company (Private) Limited from payment of Capital Value Tax (CVT) payable under the Finance Act 2022. The FBR on Monday issued SRO.2200(I)/2022, in the exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (12) of section 8 to the Finance Act 2022, the federal government has exempted all assets of the Reko Diq Mining Company (Private) Limited, formerly the Tethyan Copper Company Pakistan Private Limited (TCC) from the whole of the capital value tax payable under sub-section (1) of section 8 of the Finance Act 2022. It is pertinent to note that ECC on Sunday directed State Owned Enterprices such as OGDCL, Government Holding Private limited (GHPL) and PPL to deposit late payment interest amount of $22.7 million in escrow account jointly operated by Antofagasta PLC and government of Pakistan in connection with Reko Diq Project dispute settlement. Presently, The SOEs including OGDCL have to pay $4.7 million interest, PPL $4.7 million, GHPL $4.7 million while the government of Balochistan share in interest payment is $8.5 million.

economic situation the country was facing”.

“I am surprised today that why business community is not raising its voice on the economic condition,” he added.

“If you don’t raise your voice for elections today then you are unconsciously pushing the country towards economic collapse and everyone would be held responsible for it.”

The former premier said only early elections are the solution to this crisis. “All those who are seeing this know that polls are the only solution… political instability affects the economy.”

In the same warning a day earlier, the

PTI chairman claimed that the country was heading towards a default with each passing day under the “imported government”.

“The PTI’s demand for snap polls is not to give favour to me or my party but to avert the default by bringing political stability to the country,” Imran maintained while addressing a news conference.

He added that early or late elections would make no difference in their results as the PTI would sweep them whenever they were held. “The PTI is the only federal party that can contest against the smaller political parties limited to their respective provinces,” Imran maintained.

snap polls sole panaCea to politiCal, eConomiC Woes: imran Khan: Imran Khan said that Pakistan was facing worst political and economic crises and transparent, fair and snap was the only solution to steer the country out of the quagmire of problems.

In a statement issued from PTI Central Media Department (CMD) here on Monday, PTI members of the National and Provincial Assembly belonging to Rawalpindi District called on PTI Chairman in Lahore.

Pakistan to host summit of Central Asian leaders soon to focus on trade, connectivity

cooperation in the energy, transport, and transit trade and logistics sectors.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that Pakistan would soon host a summit of the leaders of Central Asian states that would focus on connectivity through road and rail links to boost regional trade and investment.

The prime minister, in a meeting with a nine-member parliamentary delegation of Kazakhstan led by Chairman of the Lower House (Mazhilis) of the Parliament, Yerlan Koshanov here, underscored the need to establish and strengthen bilateral

Welcoming the delegation, he highlighted the special nature of Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations which were deeply rooted in history, religion and culture. He underscored that Pakistan is keen to further deepen cooperation with the Central Asian states, particularly Kazakhstan.

Recalling his meeting with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the sidelines of the CICA summit in Astana and SCO Summit in Samarkand, the prime minister said both sides had fruitful discussions for

boosting ties.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said he was looking forward to the Pakistan visit of the Kazakhstan president.

He informed that Pakistan would soon be hosting a summit of the leaders of Central Asian states that would focus on connectivity through road and rail links to boost regional trade and investment.

Yerlan Koshanov updated the prime minister about the meeting of the InterParliamentary Friendship Group which was held during the ongoing visit of the Kazakhstan parliamentary delegation.

He underlined the need for exchange

Audit finds Rs7.24b financial irregularities by KP relief department

peSHAWAr Aziz BUneri

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Auditor General has raised 86 objections of “irregular” spending against the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue 1122 authorities of KP relief department.

Th audit objections of Rs7.24b have been raised, which also include irregularities in the payment of assistance fund to people affected by terrorism in tribal districts. The process of contract issued for the purchase of uniforms for Rescue1122 official was also declared “non-transparent”.

According to the annual audit report for 2021-22, Rs590 million have been paid in cash to the militancy hit families, however, the district administration and security forces don’t have the records of the victims. The audit report also raise objection over the cash payment as compensation for destroyed houses and markets and said that Rs1.98 billion has been paid in “violation of rules and regulations”.

Similarly, the report said, the PDMA has not paid Rs150 million to people affected by military

operations against terrorism in South Waziristan while over Rs340 million were transferred to the “profit account” of the Deputy Commissioner of South Waziristan. The audit report also raised an objection that 20 districts, including Peshawar, was directed to return the unused Covid-19 fund to the provincial government, but till the end of the year, the PDMA yet to return Rs90.69mn unused fund to the government.

According to the audit report, Rs56.3mn provided by the federal government as financial assistance to the people affected by terrorism was transferred to another account for profit, which is “illegal”. An objection of Rs130.48 was raised on the purchase process as the contractor’s documents were “incomplete”. Similarly, an objection of Rs120. 69mn has been raised due to the lack of a comprehensive record of the provision of fund to the militancy victims people. According to the audit report, Rs7.39mn have spent on the purchase of kitchen sets, Rs40.1mn on the purchase of blankets, while Rs20.7mn were spent on the purchase of beds. Meanwhile, the purchase of uniforms worth Rs60 mn for the Rescue 1122 staff also termed “suspicious”.

Govt owes Rs448 billion in form of GIDC

Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) in November 2011.

Several sectors owe the government some Rs 448.86 billion to the federal government under Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC), over half of the total amount charged.

This was disclosed during a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Petroleum which was held in Islamabad on Monday. The meeting was chaired by Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir. What is GiDC ?

A “cess” is an additional tax imposed by the government with a specific goal in mind. For instance, the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) is a tax which is essentially collected for gas-related development activities throughout Pakistan.

To put it another way, the government collects more revenues on top of the taxes you already pay to fund particular initiatives.

Following the agreement of the Iran Pakistan gas pipeline, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party government, led by former president Asif Ali Zardari, instituted the Gas

This cess was first proposed as a Money Bill on November 25, 2011. A money bill, or supply bill as it is also known, is a bill that only deals with taxing or expenditure by the government and not with amendments to legislation. The primary goal of the GIDC levy was to earn money for the construction of infrastructure for international gas pipelines. Included in this are projects for liquefied natural gas (LNG), such as the terminals run by Engro Elengy Terminal Private Limited and Pakistan Gas Port Corporation at Port Qasim in Karachi, as well as pipelines that cross international borders, such as the Iran Pakistan Gas Pipeline and TAPI project, the Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India Gas Pipeline.

Who pays for it ?

The fertiliser industry, the CNG industry, IPPs, captive power plants, and essentially everyone with an industrial gas connection were all subject to this cess. As a result, it was neither imposed on or directly collected from the general population. The government imposed this

cess on commercial gas connections, and this sum was supposed to be recovered from these businesses through higher gas prices. However as any business would, these companies raised their pricing to reflect the rise in production costs.

But some firms operating in a competitive market decided against raising their prices but opted to oppose the bill instead.

In other words, if these companies passed the cost of the cess on to the consumer, they would lose customers, which would inevitably lead to reduced sales and lower profits. These companies then deemed the cess unjustified because it was simply too high and unlawful because it was enacted through a money bill. the leGal esCapaDe

The bill was initially challenged in the Sindh High Court and the Peshawar High Court, and it was then challenged in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. These same courts granted stay orders in support of the businesses that were in charge of collecting money from consumers on behalf of the government and depositing it into the national exchequer.

of parliamentary delegations that would further promote people-to-people exchanges between the two brotherly countries. Chairman Yerlan Koshanov informed that Kazakhstan can benefit from the huge Pakistani market and showed keen interest in bilateral trade and cooperation in connectivity, pharmaceuticals industry and surgical and sports goods.

He informed that current bilateral trade was only $ 95 million which is not commensurate with the huge trade potential between the two countries. He said the bilateral trade could be easily doubled within a short span of time.

Bilawal set to leave for weeklong US visit

iSLAMABAD stAff report

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will undertake a weeklong official visit to the United States, starting from December 14 to 21, 2022, and would hold meetings with key US figures during multiple multilateral and bilateral engagements in New York and Washington DC. According to the Foreign Office, Bilawal would land in New York on December 14. The Foreign Minister will meet with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and participate in a high-level debate at the UN Security Council on the theme of “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism” to be held on 14 December 2022. On 15-16 December 2022, the Foreign Minister will host and chair the Ministerial Conference of the G-77 and China, the largest negotiating bloc of developing countries within the UN system. Agenda of the Conference includes discussion on multiple challenges facing the developing countries in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the face of Covid-19 pandemic, climate-induced disasters and geopolitical developments.

have reached a staggering amount and the government seems to be desperate to recover these funds in light of the ongoing economic crisis in the country.

After a few years, the Supreme Court confirmed the Peshawar High Court’s ruling, maintaining that the GIDC was not properly imposed in line with Pakistani law because it is a tax that could not have been introduced through a money bill. It was declared unconstitutional, to put it briefly.

The government then published the GIDC Ordinance, 2014. But it was again contested in the courts. Following this, the government promulgated the GIDC Act, 2015, which was approved by the parliament in May 2015.

However, that did not prevent the law from being contested once more. The GIDC Act, 2015 was once more challenged by the public, and the courts once more issued stays preventing billing and collection of this contentious cess from the public.

The government was unable to recover the payments as a result of the legal wrangling, and the GIDC’s arrears amounts have now started to accumulate from the program’s beginning in January 2012 until today.

the fiGures

As of now the accumulated payments

Figures shared during the Senate’s Standing Committee meeting showed that GIDC charges collected from the public by varying sectors have not been deposited in the government exchequer.

A document of the money charged, recovered and outstanding balance showed that a whopping sum of Rs 795 billion was charged from sectors including industry (captive power), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Fertilizer (feed), Fertilizer (fuel), Industry (general), Industry (textile), Independent Power Producers, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) –Genco, K-Electric and Pakistan Steel Mills.

Of this charged sum, the government had so far recovered a total of Rs 346 billion, or around 43.6%. This meant that a GIDC sum of around Rs 448 billion was outstanding. The biggest offender was Fertilizer (Feed) which owed the government some Rs171.326 billion.

It was followed by the CNG sector with 82.253 billion, captive power with 54.335 billion and K-Electric with Rs 39.184 billion.The textile industry has combined arrears of Rs 22 billion, the document read. As a percentage of money owed, IPPs owed the least while Steel Mills owed the most.

iSLAMABAD stAff report

PTI noT A PolITICAl PARTy BUT gAng oF ‘PRoPAgAnDISTS’, SAyS MARRIyUM

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MINISTERfor Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said onMonday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was not a political party but a gang of ‘propaganda group’ led by former prime minister Imran Khan, a mentally ill person.

Speaking on a point of order in National Assembly, she said PTI can’t be a political party due to its fascist approach. The focus of the gang, who ruled the

country from the year 2018 to 2022, was to incarcerate political opponents after registering fake cases against them.

Imran during his (mis) rule had destroyed the country’s economy, sabotaged China Pakistan Economic corridor (CPEC) and closed power production projects of 14,000 mw initiated by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

She said PTI government registered narcotics case against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, alleging that Rana was the member of international gang of smugglers.

WAPDA, United Kohistan jirga ink agreement to ensure completion Dasu project transmission line

iSLAMABAD stAff report

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Civil Administration of Hazara Division and United Kohistan Jirga, comprising notables of three Districts namely Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai Palas Kohistan on Monday reached an agreement to ensure smooth completion of the long-delayed 132 kV transmission line for Dasu Hydropower Project. The agreement is aimed at implementing a number of development schemes by WAPDA in the three districts for the socio-economic uplift of the local populace, said a press release. Most importantly, this agreement will pave the way for the smooth execution/completion of long-delayed 132 KV transmission line from Duber Hydel Power Station to Dasu, direly needed for stable supply of electricity during peak construction period of Dasu Hydropower Project. In lieu of the development schemes by WAPDA, locals of the three districts will not create hindrances in the way to the construction of the transmission line, ensuring its smooth execution. The agreement was signed in a ceremony attended by Advisor to the Prime Minister Engineer Amir Muqam, Chairman WAPDA Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd), Commissioner Hazara Division Mutaher Zeb, notables from Kohistan region and senior officers of WAPDA. According to the agreement, WAPDA will implement score of schemes as Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in consultation and with the support of the civil administrations and the locals. WAPDA will construct three hydel power stations of at least three megawatt including transmission/distribution line in three districts of Kohistan. WAPDA will also construct one high school and one vocational training centre in each of three districts, besides reconstructing high school in Seo, Upper Kohistan. Likewise, payment of electricity arrears payable by the local domestic consumers up to December 2022 to PESCO, provision of Class-4 jobs to the locals, preference to the locals in other jobs, compensation to the affectees of Duber Khwar transmission line in Pattan Seri and Palas Seri and house-hold package for the affectees of Keyal Khwar and Dasu Hydropower Project are amongst the salient features of the agreement. In return, the notables will ensure immediate resumption of construction work on Duber-Dasu transmission line. The notables of Districts Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai Palas Kohistan will also ensure smooth execution of the said transmission line till its completion. It is worth mentioning that WAPDA is constructing the 4320 MW Dasu Hydropower Project at River Indus in Upper Kohistan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

Paying tributes to Rana Sanaullah, she

said Rana was kept in death cell of jail sans giving him even proper mattress for sleeping. Various methods were used to tease Rana Sanaullah including releasing of ants in his cell.

In the same House, she recalled former ministers alleged that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had devoured the money donated by UK government for earthquake victims.

Interestingly Shehbaz was not the chief minister when the money was received from United Kingdom. The main aim behind such propaganda was to impede foreign investment in Pakistan.

The unconditional apology by the British publication Daily Mail was a vindication of the 220 million Pakistanis, which also thwarted an anti-state conspiracy hatched by Imran Khan and his cronies. National Crime Agency of UK has given clean chit to Sharif family, she said adding that PTI failed to prove allegations against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Daily Mail also got nine adjournments in the defamation case against Shehbaz Sharif. She wondered that Imran, who was responsible for pushing the country to economic default was blaming the incumbent government for economic

Flood devastation leaves communities destitute; seeking only sustainable livelihoods: Sherry Rehman

iSLAMABAD stAff report

Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday said the policy discussions should be well-updated to the ground situation as flood devastation left affected communities in Sindh and Balochistan destitute seeking only sustainable livelihoods.

The federal minister was addressing the Donor’s Coordination Group meeting held here by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) which was participated by various donors including United Arab Emirates (UAE), French, Italian, Swiss, US, Canada, Japan, The World Bank, UNIDO, UN Women, UNDP. The donors showed their interest in project concepts shared by the IUCN team and collaborations.

Senator Sherry Rehman said the vulnerable who worked most closely with nature was not in a position to

stop exploiting it until they had sustainable livelihoods.

“Let’s not talk about pollyanna sustainable economics. First, we have to get those people on their feet.”

The minister shared that when the government and authorities were providing mosquito nets at the height of water borne diseases and epidemics because of stagnant water below sea level at various locations there was serious lack supplies of mosquito nets.

The government was asking all donors and countries to provide mosquito nets whereas the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and PDMAs were toiling to manage more tents and nets, she added. The minister underlined that she believed that during those unprecedented testing times not a single person in federal and provincial governments had slept due to massive workload and crisis.

“When we provided mosquito nets to the families during visit to

the flood affected areas; what families do was tragic and it was the scale of human tragedy to me. The household started putting the mosquito net on the only one buffalo they had left. That was their guarantee for some predictable income for next few months.”

She added that this was what people’s choices were when they were faced with extreme fragility and when they start seeing their day to day vulnerability. “They just know that they are in a hard scrabble fight in which the elements, the sky, the water and their inability to provide sustainable income was the most important thing.”

The minister said the people needed livelihoods on the ground in Sindh and Balochistan before we ask them to farm or husband water sustainably. “They do that anyway when they have nothing left after climate calamities. Policy discussions must reflect that reality on the ground.”

KP Assembly passes ‘helicopter bill’ amid opposition protest

peSHAWAr stAff report

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday passed an “aircraft, helicopter bill” that allows its use by the functionaries of the government amid opposition protest and criticism. The opposition tried its best to resist the passage of the bill and staged a protest in front of speaker dice demanding further discussion in the relevant standing committee.

Minister for Labour Shaukat Yousafzai moved the bill in the house with Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani in the chair. Inayatullah Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami said that the bill would allow everyone to use the aircraft, and helicopter at public expense like a ‘Raksha’, adding that the passing of such would have adverse effects in the future.

He said that the provincial government should discuss it with the law department and Advocate General.

Ikhtiar Wali of PMLN said that the provincial government should pass the law for the welfare of the 40 million population of the province rather for PTI and their blue eyed.

He said that the province was already indebted of Rs1,000 billion and the government intended not to be questioned about the illegal expenses of billions of rupees incurred on helicopters since 2008 at any stage now and in the future. Parliamentary Leader of ANP Sardar Hussain

Babak said that the opposition would request Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s government to reconsider the bill and reject it as the opposition parties had severe reservations over it.

Meanwhile, the opposition members chanted slogans against the PTI provincial government and shouted “Shame, Shame” and “PTI seeking NRO”.

The PTI government had tabled a legislative bill in the provincial legislature to allow the use of aircraft or helicopters by the functionaries of the government at public expenses.

The piece of legislation named KP Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022 was introduced in the House last week.

Under the bill, the chief minister could hire an aircraft or helicopter from the open market or from Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force or Federal Government for official use, at public expenses.

Similarly, the proposed legislation empowers the chief minister to allow any minister, advisor or special assistant to chief minister, public servant or government servant to utilize the facility at public expense.

“Any aircraft or helicopter of government, subject to availability and with the prior approval of the chief minister to be used for private purposes on payment of charges, at the rate determined by the government from time to time,” it further added.

Afghan govt apologised for shelling at Chaman border: Khawaja Asif

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that the interim government in Kabul has apologised to Pakistan for firing by Afghan Border Forces on the civilian population in Balochistan’s Chaman district a day earlier, clarifying that the “matter is now resolved”.

At least seven people lost their lives and 16 others suffered injuries on Sunday in Chaman when it came under “unprovoked and indiscriminate” heavy gunfire and artillery shelling by Afghan border forces, according to the military’s media affairs

wing.The incident has been widely condemned across the political divide in Pakistan. Addressing the matter in a National Assembly session today, Asif said that the “provocation at Chaman was from the Afghan side”.

“There was a portion of the fence damaged […] our people were repairing it […] they slammed the fence with a jeep […] they took the stand that the reparation work should have been referred in the border security committee.

“When the matter escalated, they opened fire. In the first round of fire, no casualties occurred. But later when they used heavy ammunition […] because of

that five of our civilians were martyred and two passed away on the way to Quetta,” he detailed.

In response, Asif said, Pakistan fired on the Afghan post which resulted in casualties of eight to nine Afghan soldiers. “After that, the border security committee met again and it was agreed that Afghanistan was at fault […] we believe that there was no motive behind this […] there is no evidence of any planning behind the attack.”

The minister revealed that the Afghan authorities had admitted their mistake and promised that such incidents won’t happen in the future.

“But speaker sahab, one thing is clear that the internal situation of Afghanistan is being reflected in its relations with Pakistan,” Asif stressed. He added that Pakistan was a well-wisher of Afghanistan and wanted the situation there to improve, promising that “we will fully cooperate for Afghan peace”.

PM Shehbaz asks Afghan authorities to ensure such incidents are not repeated Earlier today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the firing in the Chaman district and called on the Afghan government to ensure that such incidents were not repeated in the future.

turmoil.

He kept portraying PML-N leadership as thieves but failed to prove any single allegation despite having state powers. She blamed Imran as responsible for current economic woes of the country.

Imran did not turn up to flood hit areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite enjoying powers in these provinces. She categorically said that the next general elections would be held in October 2023.

PMl-n likely to challenge nawaz Sharif’s sentence in Avenfield reference

iSLAMABAD stAff report

A session of the PML-N has decided to challenge sentence to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield reference in the Islamabad High Court (IHC),says in media reports. A session of the party, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has decided to challenge the sentence to Nawaz Sharif in accountability reference in the IHC after acquittal of Maryam Nawaz by the high court. According to sources, Maryam Nawaz will return from London before arrival of the PML-N supremo. Nawaz Sharif’s return will be announced in a statement from London, sources said. “He is expected to return back to Pakistan in January,” sources added. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had acquitted PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz and her spouse Captain retired Safdar on September 29, by nullifying the sentence awarded by an accountability court in the Avenfield reference.

iSLAMABAD stAff report

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has declared detention order of the accused in Perveen Rehman murder case as null and void. Perween Rehman, head of the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP), was gunned down near her office in Orangi Town on March 13, 2013. The high court had overturned the death sentences handed over to the accused in Perween Rehman murder case by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC). The accused were later detained for 90 days under the MPO. The TLTP learnt that accused Rahim Swati, Amjad Hussain, Ayaz Swati and Ahmed Hussain had challenged their detention under the maintenance of public order in the high court. The counsel of the accused pleaded that the detention of accused has been violation of their fundamental rights. Additional Advocate General Sindh said that a person can be detained under the MPO over apprehensions and reports. “I want to refer some court decisions over the matter,” AAG said. “The government’s constitutional mandate and the law has not been challenged,” AAG argued. “The MPO order has been issued on reports with no malicious intention,” government lawyer said. Justice K.K. Agha addressing the government counsel said that you are repeatedly calling a phone call as an intelligence report. “There is no justification of the MPO until you prove the accused as a dangerous suspect with the CRO,” Justice Agha remarked. “The government could take an administrative decision and it be allowed to take decision,” AAG said. “Mr. advocate general tell me what action can be taken against the accused,” Justice Agha questioned.

“Regretfully saying the court not satisfied with your investigation,” the bench addressing the I.G. Sindh said. “The department has been warned repeatedly over flawed investigation,” Justice Agha said.

SHC declares Perveen’s murder suspects’ detention void

iSLAMABAD

USAID to lAUnch `Green pArtnerShIp’ to

KARACHI Staff RepoRt

SINDHChief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and USAID/ Pakistan Mission Director Mr. Reed Aeschliman after thorough discussions and deliberations agreed to launch a `Green Cooperation’ program for flood-affected growers and work together for the reconstruction of damaged houses, school buildings and strengthening healthcare in the flood-hit areas.

The meeting was held here at CM House, which was attended by chief secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, CEO Peoples Housing Project Khalid Shaikh. The USAID Country chief was ac-

companied by Acting Deputy Mission Director Mr. Xerses Sidhwa and Acting Consul General Mr. Liam O’Flanagan.

The chief minister told the visiting USAID Pakistan Director that the unprecedented and devastating floods and rains killed 800 persons, injured 8422, damaged 2,044,844 houses, perished 436,435 livestock, washed away crops standing over 3,777,272 acres, damaged 19808 school buildings, and 1045 health facilities and caused Rs95 billion losses and damages to the irrigation system.

Murad Ali Shah said that the total financing needs for Sindh were Rs. 1,688 Billion ($7.860 billion) which was 48.30 percent of the total needs estimated. He added that if cross-provincial estimates were truncated (only province-specific needs are

Ihc dismisses petition against Bhara Kahu bypass on QAU land

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has dismissed a petition against the construction of Bhara Kahu Bypass on the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) land. As per details, the IHC bench dismissed the plea against the construction of Bhara Kahu Bypass on QAU land. A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the verdict on the plea filed by five faculty members of QAU. The TLTP learnt that moreover, the court also disposed of the stay order on the construction of Bhara Kahu bypass project passing through the land of the QAU Islamabad. Earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif performed the groundbreaking of Bhara Kahu bypass in Islamabad. The 5.4-kilometer-long bypass including 1350 meters long overhead bridge will be completed in three months. The five-kilometre road, including one kilometre flyover, will start from the Murree Road near the Quaid-i-Azam University stop and culminate on the same road near the Jugi bus stop adjacent to the Punjab Cash and Carry, from where the flyover will start and then end outside the Bhara Kahu Bazaar towards Murree. In this matter, the petitioners Dr Azizur Rehman, Ilhan Niaz, Aqeel Bukhari, and associate professors Asif Ali and Amir Ali filed the petition through their counsel Kashif Ali Malik. The counsel said that the bypass was being constructed in close proximity to the residential colony of the university and the construction of a road passing through the university will also expose the students, faculty and staff to security risks.

n. Korea boasts of ‘invincible power’ ahead of key military anniversary

SEOUL afp

North Korea’s state media boasted Sunday that its armed forces had “gained invincible power” under leader Kim Jong Un as it prepares for a major army holiday that analysts say could be marked with a military parade or major weapons test. North Korea on Monday celebrates the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army and the nuclear-armed country has staged military parades in the past to mark key holidays. Pyongyang has carried out more than a dozen weapons tests this year, including firing an intercontinental ballistic missile at the full range for the first time since 2017. A report by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency listed the history of the country’s military achievements, from its battles against the United States in the 1950-53 Korean War to smaller conflicts. “All the people of the country are looking back deeply on the history of the 100 victory of our revolutionary armed forces,” it said. The report added Kim had further propelled the country’s military might with his “genius military ideology, excellent military command and unparalleled courage and guts”. “Our revolutionary armed forces have gained invincible power that the world cannot ignore,” it said, in an apparent reference to the North’s nuclear arsenal. North Korea had been widely expected to showcase its military strength to mark the 110th anniversary of the birth of its founding leader and Kim’s grandfather Kim Il Sung on April 15, but instead, the day was celebrated with a civilian parade. Satellite imagery has shown continued preparations, with thousands of North Korean troops and scores of vehicles marching in formation at a parade training ground in Pyongyang. “Typically, troops depart the training ground as soon as the parade is complete, so their presence further indicates an upcoming event,” Martyn Williams, a fellow at the Stimson Center, wrote on the 38 North website.

considered), then Sindh’s needs were 67.60 percent of the total province-specific needs estimates

The CM said that financing pledged by donors to date was about Rs. 379.56 billion which showed a financing gap of at least Rs. 1,308.44 billion. He added that the significant gap could not be met by the local resources in ‘stressed’ economic conditions.

Agri sector: The USAID/Pakistan MissionDirector Mr. Reed Aeschliman said that his organization was ready to help growers by supporting them by providing them support for the purchase of seeds, pesticides, and urea so that they could start their cultivation. He also seeds that the water courses could also be repaired.

The P&D dept and the USAID team would finalize the programme and it has

been named `Green Cooperation’.

Housing sector: Mr. Shah said that the World Bank was providing $500 million dollars and his government has spared Rs50 million and a similar amount is being given by the federal government. He added that the total cost to reconstruct the damaged houses would come to Rs570.167 billion.

The USAID Pakistan chief told the chief minister that his team would sit together with the P&D and Housing project CEO to work out a plan to contribute to the reconstruction of the damaged houses.

Education Sector: The CM said that according to an estimate Rs97.84 billion were required to repair and reconstruct 19808 schools. He added that the provincial government would not be able to bear such a huge expense, therefore donors would have

to help the provincial government.

Mr. Reed Aeschliman told the chief minister that USAID would support the Sindh government in the reconstruction of the schools. He added that the USAID and the Sindh government have a partnership in the health and education sectors.

Health facilities: Murad Ali Shah told the visiting USAID team that Rs21.93 billion were required to repair 1045 damaged health facilities. The USAID Pakistan Director told the chief minister that they would help the provincial government to overhaul its healthcare system.

A meeting between the Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi and his team was fixed with the USAID team to finalize the modalities for repairing, renovating, and overhauling educational, and health facilities.

PM lauds OIC’s principled stance on Kashmir dispute

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday lauded the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its principled position and consistent support for the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

Talking to OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha, he mentioned the support of OIC in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

The OIC secretary general is on his first visit to Pakistan after assuming office in November 2021.

The prime minister highlighted the grim human rights and humanitarian situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Welcoming the secretary general’s historic visit to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Line of Control (LOC), PM Shehbaz underscored that his visit would send a strong message of support from the OIC to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for

the right of self-determination.

The prime minister also renewed unwavering support of the people and the Government of Pakistan to the Palestinian people and Palestinian cause.He reiterated that any solution of the Palestine issue must be based on the pre-1967 bor-

der

Kazakhstan, a key Central Asian country of our ‘Vision Central Asia’ policy: NA Speaker

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Monday that Pakistan aimed to build sustainable and result-oriented engagement with Central Asian Republics through its “Vision Central Asia” Policy.

He while talking to Chairman Yerlan Koshanov, Mazhilis of Parliament led Parliamentary delegation, at the Parliament House, said Pakistan was keenly working on furthering cooperation with all Central Asian states particularly Kazakhstan on all matters of mutual interest. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani and Minister for Poverty Alleviation & Social Security Shazia Atta Marri were also in the attendance.

The speaker underscored that short and easy access to the sea, to land-locked Central Asian states through

our Karachi and Gwadar ports was a key component of that vision. He also emphasized on the fact that Pakistan was a key conduit to connect Central Asia with the rest of the world in an efficient and cost-effective manner. He also expressed deep gratitude to Yerlan, who visited Pakistan at his invitation.

He highlighted that this visit would prove pivotal in fastening the pace of cooperation, particularly at the parliamentary level. Parliament’s active participation from both sides would help in better implementation of ongoing projects and provide legal support to cope with the matters essential to further strengthen fraternal bilateral ties particularly related to trade, tourism, and promotion of people-to-people contacts.

He underscored that both countries shared historic, religious and cultural ties which were further strengthened through 30 years of diplomatic and parliamentary engagements.

QUETTA Staff RepoRt

Balochistan Secretary Health Saleh Muhammad Nasir on Monday visited Trauma Center of Civil Hospital, here, and inquired after the health of those who got injured in an unprovoked firing and shelling at PakAfghan border near Chaman area of Balochistan.

He also directed to provide the best medical facilities to injured patients and expressed his best wishes and their full recovery.

Secretary Saleh Mohammad Nasir expressed his anger over the poor sanitation situation during his visit and sought the response of the in-charge trauma center on the deteriorating sanitation situation.

He also issued orders to improve and ensure the

cleaning system of Civil Hospital Quetta in charge of the trauma center saying sanitation was important for the health of patients.

“It is necessary to continue the cleaning system 24 hours a day in the largest trauma center civil hospital of the province, negligence in duties cannot be tolerated,” he warned.

He said that all possible resources would be used to provide quality treatment facilities to the people, saying that the provincial government was paying special attention on government-run hospitals in order to provide health facilities to people in hospitals.

He said that it was the responsibility of doctors to play their role in maintaining the cleansing systems of the hospitals and improving the quality of treatment for the interest of patients.

efforts for addressing and alleviating the humanitarian challenges faced by the people of Afghanistan.

Shehbaz Sharif reiterated the need to counter the rising anti-Muslim hatred and attempts to denigrate the sanctity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

He expressed concern over intensifying of Islamophobia campaign, particularly in the region, where anti-Muslim and anti-Islam agenda was being pursued as an instrument of state policy.

The OIC secretary general reiterated the OIC’s full support for the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

He also offered his condolences over the loss of lives and livelihoods caused by the recent climate-induced floods in Pakistan.

The secretary general assured the prime minister of the OIC Secretariat’s full support and cooperation during Pakistan’s remaining term as the Chair of the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).

third pakistan Mountain pride awards announced

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

As many as 16 professionals were awarded the 3rd Pakistan Mountains Pride Awards here Monday at the grand finale of the 12th Pakistan Mountain Festival, a flagship event by Devcom-Pakistan. The 12-day advocacy festival was organized in collaboration with NRSP, PPAF, Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), National Heritage and Culture Division, Fatima Jinnah University, Rawalpindi Women University, SZABIST Islamabad Campus, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), Comsats University CS Adventure Club, and GBC Council to commemorate International Mountain Day that falls on December 11. The guests of honour included Country Head of Italian Cooperation Development in Pakistan Emanuela Benini, chairman of Rural Support Programmes Network Shoaib Sultan Khan, Pakistan’s renowned mountaineer Nazir Sabir, EvK2CNR Senior Scientific Advisor Ashiq Ahmed Khan, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) Group Head Institutional Development, Innovation, and Integration Irshad Khan Abbasi, Pakistan’s globally celebrated mountaineer Sarbaz Khan, and Director General PNCA Ayub Jamali. Sifat Gul, Garamchashma (Chital), Sakina Bi Ibrahim from Shigar (Baltistan), Gul Begam from Ghizer, Nusrat Yousuf from Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) won the Shoaib Sultan Khan Mountain Community Development Awards. Marium Majeed Dar of Forward Kahuta (AJK) and Rashida Khanam from Chitral were given the Agostino Da Polenza Mountain Conservation Award. Pakistan’s celebrated women mountaineers Sameena Baig and Naila Kiani got Nazir Sabir Mountaineering Award. Ustad Mir Afzal, sitar player, was conferred with the Ustad Jan Ali Mountain Music Award. Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund launched ‘PPAF SMEs Award’ under the banner of Pakistan Mountain Awards.

with Al-Quds Al- Sharif as its capital. Recognizing that the OIC has stepped-up its engagement with Afghanistan since the Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Islamabad in December 2021, he encouraged the secretary general to accelerate

AhSAn CAllS for IT rEvoluTIon To MAkE growTh In All SECTorS

ISLAMABAD Staff report

PLANNINGMinister Ahsan Iqbal has called for catching revolution of information technology to make exponential growth in all sectors.

Addressing a seminar on information technology in Islamabad on Monday, he said IT has accelerated the speed of growth and development.

The Minister said one can only survive by moulding oneself according to the current circumstances.

He said it is necessary for us to bring productivity revolution in our economy by using Information and Communications Technology.

He asked the universities to take rapid action to start new courses in entrepreneurship and exports for students which would help boost economy of the country.

Earlier speaking at the two-day 19th International Conference on ‘Frontiers of Information Technology’ (FIT-2022) organized by COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) the federal minister highlighted the importance of Information Technology in today’s

PM Shehbaz says ready for talks with PTI chief for country’s sake

COntInuED fROM pAgE 01

He told the media that the DFID project’s amount of 600 million pounds was spent transparently and the allegations were also contradicted by the Department for International Development (DFID) itself.

“Consequently, the country was mocked and a message was conveyed that Pakistan should not be given any aid or grant,” he added. PM Shehbaz said despite the passage of three years, Shahzad Akbar had failed to produce documents to substantiate his allegations, which also led to his (Shehbaz Sharif) vindication by the NCA (National Crime Agency). The prime minister said by selling a specially-designed watch inscribed with the Holy Kaaba’s model, gifted by Saudi Crown Prince, Imran Khan had committed the “cheapest act”. He said investigations should be held as to how the former prime minister had destroyed the national economy and foreign relations and strained ties with brotherly countries.

Shehbaz Sharif also mentioned an article published by the Financial Times accusing Imran Khan of spending donations collected for the Shaukat Khanum Hospital on his politics. He said during his government, Imran Khan got arrested even female politicians like Maryam Nawaz and Faryal Talpur but contrarily, gave an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) to his own sister through the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) though she had committed misdeclaration. To another question, the prime minister said Imran Khan also showed unthankfulness to his benefactor ex-army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. He said the new army chief was a professional soldier with a shining career and hoped that he would strengthen the institution and serve the country. Asked about the firing incident by Afghan border forces, he said he would summon a meeting to review the situation.

ECP delists five important cases over non-availability of bench

ISLAMABAD Staff report

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) delisted five important cases, including the plea seeking the removal of former premier Imran Khan from Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) chairmanship, which were scheduled to be heard on December 13 (Tuesday) due to the non-availability of the bench. The ECP announced that the delisted cases will be heard on December 20. The ECP was about to hear the case against Imran Khan for not submitting details of election expenses tomorrow.

era, especially for the economic growth of Pakistan. Ahsan Iqbal also shared the sevenpoint framework for universities, academic excellence, research and innovation, social community service, technology enablement, corporate governance, industry-academia linkage and quality of products.

Sharing his observations, Executive Director COMSATS, Ambassador Dr. Mohammed Nafees Zakaria speaking at the opening ceremony lauded the efforts of FIT organizers for providing an esteemed platform to researchers, scientists, and industry practitioners from across the world to pres-

ent their cutting-edge research as well as sharing latest industry insights.

He mentioned that COMSATS lays its emphasis on building indigenous capacity and competence in emerging sciences and technologies.

Moreover, efforts are being made by the Commission to bring the dividends of technological advancements in the areas of education, health, and energy to a large cross-section of the population, particularly of the Member States.

Prof. Afzal said that the dearth of Dollars confronted by the economy can be easily cured by encouraging IT related exports and technology-based startups.

Speakers from France, Netherlands, China, Ireland, Portugal, UK, USA and Pakistan are participating in the two-day conference organized by COMSATS University Islamabad in COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad. The two days conference will com-

Imran Khan Attack: ATC sends prime suspect on physical remand

guJRAnWALA Staff report

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Gujranwala has sent the prime suspect in the Imran Khan attack case on 10-day physical remand.

As per details, the prime suspect Naveed Meher was presented before a special court of the ATC Gujranwala in the Imran Khan attack case.

The suspect will be presented before the court again on December 22. The joint investigation team (JIT) head Ghulam Mehmood Dogar was also present in the court.

The police told the court that a motorcycle was recovered from Naveed Meher, the prime suspect in the Imran’s attack case.

Earlier, the joint investigation team (JIT) formed to probe the attack on the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan had summoned Faisal Vawda. It is pertinent to mention here that Naveed Meher was arrested after opening fire at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former premier Imran Khan on November 3 from the crime scene at Allahwala Chowk during the party’s long march.

The First Information Report (FIR) of the gun attack incident had been registered on November 7. A joint investigation team – formed to probe the attack on PTI chief on November 3, has been constituted under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

prise a series of invited talks as part of its technical program while a Ph.D. symposium will provide an opportunity for Ph.D. scholar to present their ongoing research to gather feedback from industry experts.

The last day of the conference will feature a panel discussion on the theme “Make in Pakistan: Need Assessment for a Strong Policy to Strengthen Indigenization”.

The conference is the 19th Annual event organized by COMSATS University consecutively in the last two decades and boasts of a very competitive acceptance rate among IT circles in Pakistan.

The conference has been fostering new areas of IT since its inception and has this year captured the attention of experts in Software Engineering, Pattern Recognition, Image and Natural Language Processing, Data Science, Water Informatics, Smart Grid, Energy and Electronics, Signal Processing and Cyber Security among others.

Gwadar airport to be inaugurated in March 2023: NA committee told ISLAMABAD Staff report

Book Launch: ‘Living Under Hybrid

ISLAMABAD pr

NUST Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad, held a Book Launch Ceremony for the book “Living Under Hybrid War” edited by Dr. Ashfaque Hasan Khan and Dr. Farah Naz on Monday, December 12, 2022. Among those in attendance were His Excellency the Russian Ambassador to Pakistan, Defense Attaches, veteran statesmen, think tank experts, seasoned analysts, researchers, and students.

Welcome remarks were delivered by Director NUST Institute of Policy Studies, Mr. Amir Yaqub. He paid his compliments to the editors and contributors of the book for such fine and holistic work and mentioned the utmost importance and relevance of the book.

Dr. Ashfaque Hasan Khan, Principal NUST School of Social Sciences and Humanities (S3H) and Director General NUST Institute of Policy Studies, and the editor of the book ‘Living Under Hybrid War’ while introducing the book stated that it is an outcome of thorough study of numerous instruments being used as a tool of Hybrid warfare. He commended all the experts of different domains who have authored chapters covering the nature of hybrid war, economic coercion, and domestic politics as an instrument of hybrid war, narrative warfare and lawfare to make it a comprehensive product in the realm of hybrid warfare.

War’

edited by Dr. Ashfaque Hasan Khan and Dr. Farah Naz

In a pre-recorded speech by Dr. Leonid Savin, Editor-in-chief of Geopolitica.ru, congratulated the team, including editors and contributors, who have prepared this valuable compilation. Dr. Savin, who is also a contributor to the book, mentioned that the chapters of all the authors in this book are very thought-provoking. The different articles in this book elaborate hybrid war through different lens like psychological influence, cyberspace, and activities of international financial organizations against nation states.

Pak-Afghan unity critical for regional peace, stability and development: Amb Shamshad A Khan

Staff report

Pakistan’s former Foreign Secretary Ambassador Shamshad Ahmad Khan has said that PakAfghan unity is critical to ensuring peace, stability, and development in the region and beyond. He made these remarks in his speech delivered here at the Afghan Debating Competition organized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) at the University of Lahore (UoL). The Competition was part of a series of initiatives HEC and UoL have planned to launch, with a view to not only bridging differences between Pakistan and Afghanistan but also letting Afghan students express themselves.

Bringing his vast experience of diplomacy and engagements with Afghanistan into play, the former ambassador said foreign powers have used both Afghanistan and Pakistan for their own vested interests, a reality which is too conspicuous to ignore. He added that the time is right for the youth to take charge and

shape the collective future of both countries, arguing that one country cannot become prosperous at the expense of the other.

The Competition, which was in the works for a month, saw 68 Afghan recipients of the Allama Iqbal Scholarships submit their applications. Six Afghan students from Islamia College, Peshawar; Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar; International Islamic University; The University of the Punjab; Quaid-i-Azam University; and University of Lahore delivered speeches on Allama Iqbal’s philosophy, the importance of education to Pak-Afghan bilateral relations, and the prospect of healthier Pak-Afghan relations.

The judges, after careful deliberations, adjudged Muhammad Ibrahim from the Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar as the best debater winning Rs.70,000. Bilal Ahmed Salarzai from Quaid-i-Azam University bagged the second position winning Rs. 50,000 and Naqibullah Mashwani from University of Lahore secured the 3rd position win-

ning Rs.35,000.

Mr. Jehanzeb Khan, Project Director, Human Resource Development Division, HEC apprised the audience about the origin of the Allama Iqbal Scholarships which has reached out to a large cross-section of Afghan students bringing them to Pakistan.

The number currently stands at 6000 Afghan students studying in Pakistan in various disciplines including medical, engineering, sciences, and social sciences. Mr. Jehanzeb Khan stated that this was the first-ever Allama Iqbal Afghan Youth Debating Competition that was organized in a series of events planned for the Afghan students across Pakistan.

In her remarks, Ms. Ayesha Ikram, DG Scholarships, Human Resource Development Division, HEC praised the zest and energy with which all finalists presented their speeches. She encouraged Afghan students studying in various universities in Pakistan to develop synergies and foster positive bonds with their Pakistani fellows to enhance each other’s cultural experiences.

The secretary Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said that the new Gwadar International airport will be inaugurated on March 23, 2023. The groundbreaking of the project was done in March 2019. This he stated while briefing the NA Standing Committee on Civil Aviation, here on Monday in Islamabad. The CAA secretary said the non-developmental budget of the Gwadar airport is Rs190 million. The estimated cost of the NGIA is $230 million and the China government is providing grants for the project. New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), will be capable of handling a combination of ATR 72, Airbus, (A-300), Boeing (B-737), and Boeing (B-747) for domestic as well international routes. The source stated that the Chinese side has yet to provide their response for the completion of the project by March next year. Pakistan wants the inauguration of the airport during the tenure of the coalition government in office.

Tariq Fatemi appointed SAPM, once again

ISLAMABAD Staff report

Federal government has appointed Tariq Fatemi as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister once again as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the appointment. A notification of the Fatemi’s appointment with status of minister of state was issued on Monday. Tariq Fatemi was earlier appointed SAPM on Foreign Affairs, however, his appointment was revoked the very next day. According to media reports, Fatemi’s appointment was reversed due to observations by the military establishment. Fatemi became controversial after his alleged role in the Dawn leaks and he had become a casualty of tensions between the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif and military establishment of the day after Dawn leaks controversy on April 29, 2017. The Prime Minister’s Office had issued directives to remove Tariq Fatemi after an inquiry had found him involved in ‘Dawn leaks’.

Dr. Farah Naz, Assistant Professor at the Department of Government and Public Policy, NUST, Pakistan, is the co-editor of the Book “Living Under Hybrid War”. Dr. Naz appreciated all contributors to the book for their insightful chapters. On hybrid war, Dr. Naz stressed that in the digital age, narratives play an important role in shaping the focus of the world towards the issue. To effectively fight the hybrid war, Pakistan needs to build a strong central narrative and create channels through which those narratives are propagated.

LAHORE:

Keeping up with its commitment of prioritising safety and well-being, foodpanda recently organized awareness sessions on road safety for their riders. These sessions were held in collaboration with Atlas Honda and Lahore Traffic Police where the riders were trained to strictly adhere to the traffic rules when driving. pr

Flying blind

Terror raises its head yet again

ThINGS are bad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. After the much vaunted victories of the military in the war against terror, the menace has reared its head all over again. In some parts - as we were being constantly informed by Waziristan MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir right before their microphones used to be cut off on the floor of the National Assembly, and before Wazir was arrested for a speech - the menace never went away in the first place.

Back then, the members of the then ruling party, specially some of those belonging to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, used to get more than incensed at even the suggestion that the militants were reorganising. Now, with large anti-militancy rallies being staged by the people of not just the Waziristans but also Swat, those representatives have no option but to chime in.

The government needs to get on top of the situation before it spirals completely out of hand. And by government, we don’t just mean the incumbent dispensation in Islamabad, but also the one in Peshawar. Law and order is a provincial subject and the PTI has been ruling the province, in a single stretch longer than any individual party’s entire stretches put together. They have a lot to answer for.

But perhaps it would be wrong to blame either the PTI or the PDM completely, or even ascribe the largest share of the problem to them. The real problem comes from the opacity with which the security establishment designs policies and executes them. The political governments seem to have resigned themselves to this fate. even in their most spirited democratic, anti-establishment phases, all the parties ask for is that the military establishment refrains from political engineering; their monopoly in matters security is hardly ever contested even by otherwise idealistic civil supremacists.

The spectre of terrorism haunts us yet again. There is absolutely no way we can nip it in the bud without external scrutiny by the elected civil governments, both federal and provincial.

JeSUS Christ’s is without doubt the most misunderstood character in history. By mistake or by design, his message and personality have been misconstrued and misrepresented by his sympathizers and detractors alike. Of course, his deification at the hands of the Christians deserves a separate sermon; but even as a man he is widely considered as what today would be called a pacifist. No doubt, he was a compassionate man, as all prophets of God are, but by no means was he soft or weak – far from it! But that is the image of Jesus often presented, and usually accepted, without question.

To counter this deliberate or accidental distortion of history is paramount, especially because many Muslims too have unfortunately come to accept the popular image. Anybody familiar with the contents of the Quran would know better of course; and precisely therein lies the problem. Because an overwhelming majority of Muslims (even those who recite it regularly) do not have the foggiest idea about the meaning of the Quranic verses. If anything, their familiarity with the gospels is even less. Like the average Christian, the sum total of Biblical knowledge on the part of the average Muslim is for the most part limited to a handful of quotes attributed to Jesus in the New Testament, such as ‘Love thy neighbour like thyself’.

The gospels, despite having obviously suffered from the effects of mistranslation and worse, make it abundantly clear that far from the victim the Western civilization makes him out to be, Jesus knew perfectly well when force was called for. A case in point: he advised men to carry their swords while travelling. Also, he was not averse to chasing merchants and money changers out of a temple, whip in hand. What makes this Biblical narration especially illustrative is that before doing that he goes to the trouble of making that whip from cord! he knew it when it was an occasion to use force.

‘Turn the other cheek’ is

The distorted Jesus (Isa AS) image

With an invitation to think again

an excerpt from Jesus’s famous Sermon on the Mount that is often pressed into service to paint the picture of a peacenik, almost a weakling. Seen in its context, the quote is part of as exquisitely-worded description of a God-fearing man concerned with his own duties in contrast to perpetually obsessing about his rights. This was a much-needed reminder to a people obsessed with the letter of the Law but blissfully indifferent to its spirit. As is the unfortunate tendency of all religious groups in their decline, his audience was guilty of emphasizing religious rituals at the cost of the underlying wisdom behind them, and of hypocrisy and self-deception of the highest order (‘You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel!’). It is grossly dishonest to tear the statement loose from its context, and to use it to present Jesus as a push-over. Neither was Jesus weak, nor an advocate of weakness or cowardice.

To counter this deliberate or accidental distortion of history is paramount, especially because many Muslims too have unfortunately come to accept the popular image. Anybody familiar with the contents of the Quran would know better of course; and precisely therein lies the problem.

ing many enemies was therefore an integral part of his job description; and he was not the least bit shy of discharging his duties.

Like all messengers of God, Jesus had very good reasons to be blunt and uncompromising. By the time he was sent to the Israelites (Jews) with God’s final warning to them, the time for diplomatic measures had long gone.

Like all messengers of God, Jesus had very good reasons to be blunt and uncompromising. By the time he was sent to the Israelites (Jews) with God’s final warning to them, the time for diplomatic measures had long gone. Therefore, a popularity contest or a public-relations campaign could not have been any farther from his mind. he told the Israelites to their faces that God’s favour was going to be taken away from them in that very generation. That God had decided to withdraw it from them because they had consistently been guilty of not listening to the prophets sent to them, even killing some of them. he foretold in poignant detail how Jerusalem would be surrounded by pointed stakes but the believers would be able to escape just in time before its destruction. Fully aware of the nature of his mission, he was hardly averse to ruffling a few feathers. Those hardened in their ways seldom take kindly to messengers of God telling them to get their acts together. Mak-

Fostering medical tourism in Pakistan

The dividends of economic diversification for promoting economic development are beyond question. In view of this, economic diversification should be one of the priority areas for action in Pakistan amid a period where it faces declining foreign exchange reserves. Of the many potential diversification strategies, the medical tourism industry is a promising economic sector that needs to be developed and nurtured in the country.

Medical tourism, which involves overseas travel and often over considerable distances to benefit from medical treatments, is booming worldwide. According to one estimate, 14 million people travel abroad as medical tourists annually, and the global medical tourism market is projected to grow to USD 53.51 billion in 2028 from USD 13.98 billion in 2021. Although medical tourism is predominantly a 21st Century phenomenon, it has existed for a long time. The first instance was documented more than 2000 years ago when pilgrims from the Mediterranean travelled to epidaurus in the Peloponnese, known as the sanctuary of the god of healing, Asklepios. Nevertheless, it has evolved tremendously since then, attributable to the developments in information technology, ease of international travel, medical advancements, and the rise of transnational communities.

While it is often perceived as a movement from less developed countries to more developed nations, travel from high-income to middle- or low-income countries to seek medical treatment also constitutes a considerable proportion of it today. In some developed countries, such as the United States, certain procedures are costly, or those such as knee construction have long waiting lists

as they are considered non-essential, which compels people to travel abroad and often to developing countries to undertake the procedure quickly or at a low price. Additionally, some people are uninsured or underinsured for specific medical procedures, for example, surgery for weight loss, in their home countries; or national health systems refuse treatments, for instance, infertility treatments, to specific individuals because of age.

Moreover, in impoverished countries, the facilities and treatments for complex surgeries or complicated diseases are inadequate, thus, leading to the flow of medical tourists to wealthier and developed nations. The elite class in some countries may also prefer to undertake treatment in destinations where medical standards are relatively superior. Sometimes, the simple desire for privacy or combining vacation with treatment may drive medical travel. In recent times, advancements in stem cell therapies for various medical disorders and diseases have also provided a major impetus to this industry. Although stem cell therapies continue to be questioned and criticised, their emerging success stories have been incentivising patients to undertake them as a last hope.

There is mounting evidence that medical tourism contributes to economic growth in destination countries due to the revenue generated through the provision of healthcare services to the patients, as well as their spending on accommodation, transport, food and drinks, and visits to tourist spots, among others. For

example, the medical tourism market in the United Kingdom – one of the most popular destination countries for medical tourists – is expected to reach USD 6 billion in 2022. Likewise, the Indian medical tourism market is estimated to be valued at USD 7,417 million in 2022. In Costa Rica, USD 56 million was generated through medical tourism in the first two quarters of 2022. Many other countries have been benefitting tremendously from it.

Unfortunately, in Pakistan, this sector remains underexploited. The only noteworthy inflow of medical tourists to the country is from neighbouring Afghanistan, and even those Afghans express dissatisfaction with the services received here.

Pakistan can serve as a potentially attractive destination for medical tourism, particularly for the diaspora abroad, due to their religious, cultural, and linguistic affinity with the country. home countries can serve as a desired location for the diaspora to seek healthcare services as they can meet family and friends and receive treatment simultaneously in a single visit. Pakistan is the seventh largest source of international migrants in the world and,

Moreover, in impoverished countries, the facilities and treatments for complex surgeries or complicated diseases are inadequate, thus, leading to the flow of medical tourists to wealthier and developed nations.

Jesus had such a kingly presence that nobody could dare to manhandle or dishonour him. he was surrounded by enough loyal men for anybody to entertain such ideas. Attempts to bribe his close associates to give his location away to his enemies, the efforts on the part of the Israelites to get him on the wrong side of the Roman magistrates so that he could be dealt with ‘legally’, and the campaign aimed at riling the public up against him on grounds that he was guilty of blasphemy (all chronicled in the gospels) make that much clear. Being more than a handful for his enemies, Jesus was capable of giving as good as he got. By no means was he shy of insulting the Pharisees and the Scribes, and the absolute mockery they had made of their religion. he was anything but a soft target for the Israelites – a far cry from the pacifist he is made out to be.

It is also unfortunately true that having passed through many hands, the gospels contain accounts about people beating and spitting on Jesus (may God preserve us). A Muslim is supposed to turn to the Quran for clarification regarding all such matters. The Quran describes Jesus as ‘eminent’ in this life and the next, and paints a very different picture from such reports: Jesus was not just a prophet but a messenger (rasool) of God. God ensures that his messengers always prevail. Their defeat or humiliation at the hands of their enemies is out of the question. Jesus was also especially strengthened by the presence of Archangel Gabriel (AS). The Biblical stories to the contrary can therefore safely be rejected as apocryphal on account of the Quranic testimony as well as their contradicting other parts of the Bible.

Jesus’s ‘Ascension’ to heaven and his ‘Second Coming’ are other Christian beliefs lapped up almost wholesale by many Muslims, with only the necessary modifications concerning the identity of the group that is going to be vindicated when that happens. This is yet another consequence of the all-to-familiar but mysterious reluctance on the part of the Muslims to find out what the Quran has to say on any given subject, or (in case they bother to consult the Quran at all) their tendency to reading into it their prior beliefs and biases. The Quran is full of guidance, but it opens itself only to those who are interested in being guided and who submit themselves wholeheartedly to its message.

thus, has a large percentage of diaspora residing abroad, particularly in the Middle east, the US, and the UK.

To become an attractive medical tourism destination, Pakistan first needs to work on retaining the brightest minds in medicine by addressing factors that lead them to move abroad. Second, it is necessary to invest in healthcare infrastructure development and improve the quality of products and services in the healthcare industry to foster the utilisation of healthcare resources. Third and perhaps, most importantly, new medical procedures, such as those related to stem cell therapies, which are recognised elsewhere, should also be granted regulatory approval in the country. Lastly, the internationalisation of medical services requires effective marketing. While the internet can be a helpful medium to do that, it may not be very effective due to the overwhelming amount of information available. In recent times, the role of medical tourism facilitators as effective marketing sources is increasingly being highlighted. hence, the country’s healthcare service providers need to form active linkages with medical tourism facilitators, particularly in places that can be important origin countries for medical tourism to Pakistan.

Zahra Niazi is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS), Islamabad, Pakistan. She can be reached at cass.thinkers@casstt.com.

ZAHrA NiAZi

HASAN AFTAB SAEED

Yousaf Nizami Editor

M. A. Niazi Joint Editor

Umar Aziz Executive Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor

The new beginning of Bangladesh’s apparel export in US

during winter and the Christmas celebrations as the Bangladesh supply capacity is good and the prices of clothes are very reasonable so far.

Bangladesh is exporting very essential clothing items at a reasonable rate, whose demand has increased slightly in the european market. however, european markets are mainly knit item driven while the US market is driven by woven items. Bangladesh’s export destination in eUplus countries, the UK, Canada, and the USA will grow continuously, as the sign of ending the Russia-Ukraine war is being visible. exporters have expressed hope that increased business in the USA would make up for any possible export losses in european countries as they are going into an economic recession.

Editor’s mail

Making our children financially literate

The Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services Global Financial Literacy Survey shows that only 26 per cent of adults are financially literate in Pakistan. This is an alarming situation for a country with more than 63pc of its population below 30 years of age.

Since majority of our population comprises youth, we need to start teaching them young because schools are where leaders of tomorrow are created. If financial literacy is made part of the curriculum, we can pull our country out of extreme poverty by teaching the next generation about making the right financial choices. The National Curriculum Council (NCC) has an advisory role with regard to provincial governments, and it can make suggestions regarding the introduction of new courses, such as financial literacy, to be taught in the provinces. After the 18th amendment, actual authority rests with provincial governments, and they can take their own initiatives in this regard. There are five major components that students need to be taught when it comes to financial literacy: earning, spending, saving, borrowing and protecting. There have been a few notable initiatives, such as those by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), the Institute of Financial Markets in Pakistan (IFMP), the Fair Market Pakistan (FMP) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the National Finance Literacy Programme for Youth (NFLP-Y) introduced by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the financial literacy initiatives by microfinance providers (MFPs) for their employees and clients.

however, there are a few problems with these programmes. The NFLPY programme, for instance, targets three age groups; schoolgoing children aged 9-12 years; adolescents aged 13-17 years; and youth aged 18-29 years. This it does across 45 districts of the country, including Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The divide has made it too complex. The age bracket of 9-12 years should be removed as this is a weighty topic and cannot be understood at that age. Furthermore, there should be an emphasis on savings as Pakistan’s domestic savings rate is meagre. The game on financial literacy PomPak is outdated, and should be adapted to modern times. There should be more quests and a more interactive user interface. The idea of a financial literacy game is excellent, and will captivate the young if the game is tweaked up a little. Moreover, the problem with the MFPs’ programme is the course content and the target audience which is limited to their clients and employees. They used to talk about the importance of savings, but there was no mention of accessing financial services.

ery from the Covid-19 crisis.

Among the top 10 apparel suppliers to the US, imports from India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Pakistan, and South Korea grew 53.39 percent, 54.66 percent, 46.58 percent, 40.11 percent, and 39.61 percent year-on-year, respectively. earlier last year, Bangladesh exported 7.15 billion dollars worth of ready-made garments to the US market, which was about 37 percent more than in 2020. The better-than-expected growth came as consumer spending increased more than in the government’s previous reading, while the value of imports was revised down. Imports are subtracted from GDP, which is the broad measure of economic activity within the country.

Again, Bangladesh’s exports to the US will continue to increase in the coming days as China is shifting its apparel manufacturing by itself and at the same time the US is shifting its sourcing from China in a big way. exporters said that the US had been shifting its sourcing from China gradually and Bangladesh getting the benefit. Bangladesh was also getting additional export orders from the US due to political instabilities in Myanmar and ethiopia.

Just as there are compulsory subjects, like english, Mathematics, Science, Urdu and Pakistan Studies, in schools, the boards of intermediate and secondary education should also introduce a financial literacy course and make it compulsory for Matric/Intermediate students. An easy way to increase financial inclusion is to raise awareness. Sweden, having the highest literacy rate in the world, has activities, such as the national money quiz in secondary schools. The government should incentivise the students. There should be scholarships for those who want to pursue finance or economics at the undergraduate level as part of the financial literacy programme.

BALAAJ KHAN NIAZI LAHORE

Relief package

BHANu

BANGLADeSh’S apparel shipment to US, the country’s single largest export destination, increased by about 51 percent compared to last year. In the first 9 months of this year, the country has exported a record of more than 7.5 billion US dollars in clothing. Noteworthy, Bangladeshi apparel makers are getting a strong foothold in the United States of America market as exports posted robust growth in recent times. Despite the global recession, the export of Bangladeshi-made garments to the United States has increased at a significant rate. According to “The Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTeXA)”, Bangladesh’s garment exports to the US market dropped slightly to $690 million last July but rose again to over $900 million in the next two months. During the last nine months of the current fiscal year, Bangladesh fetched billions from the US market by exporting primarily trousers, T-shirts, sweaters, blouses, underwear, etc. With an 8.54 percent export share, the country remained the third largest apparel import source for the US.

The Triumph of Bangladeshi garmenTs in us : The United States of America is the single largest export destination for Bangladesh. Over 21.50 percent of apparel export earnings came from this huge market. Bangladesh supplies quality goods at affordable prices, while the US buyers are happy with the safety standard of the industry. The surge in the export earnings comes at a time when the Western countries, the main buyers of Bangladesh apparel, are fighting a depressed demand mainly due to the energy crisis caused by the RussiaUkraine war. The USA also is facing the effect of a global economic recession as interest rates in the country are going high, and energy prices also have gone up. But people are still buying clothes there. The import figures indicate that USA’s retail industry is witnessing a fast recov-

On a positive trend, the export earnings in the first five months of FY23 grew by 11% compared to last year’s corresponding period, the latest export data showed. This achievement raised hope of easing the growing foreign exchange crisis Bangladesh has been suffering since July this year. Despite a surge in raw material prices the resumption of shipment of on-hold consignments and focusing more on diversification, the Bangladesh export market is creating a better option for all types of buyers.

a silver lining for Bangladesh’s exporT growTh: Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and exporters Association (BGMeA) President Faruque hassan said, “The apparel orders, which had been declining in the past few months, marked an upward trend because of product diversification and adding new export destinations”. he expressed hope that the order will go up further

Continued growth in exports to the US market is a silver lining for the overall apparel sector of Bangladesh despite the threat of a slump in demand in european countries amid an ongoing recession. At the same time, the US dollar has become stronger than the taka, which also helped to increase its purchase capacity. This is reflected in increases in prices considering unit and square meter value (SMV) and exports of value-added products.

The USA is an old and trusted trade partner of Bangladesh. But compared to other countries, Bangladesh now pays the highest tariff on its apparel products exported to the United States, which profusely reduces Bangladesh’s competitiveness in the US market. Bangladesh has proposed zero tariffs on finished apparel products — made with American cotton — being exported to the US at the 6th meeting of the US-Bangladesh Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (TICFA) held in Washington DC on 6 December. It is hoped that the USA might consider opening the tariff free window again for Bangladesh. That way, one day Bangladesh can secure its top rank in the at US’s apparel export outpacing China.

writer is a freelance columnist

AGRICULTURe is the backbone of the country’s economy. The government’s Rs1,800 billion Kissan Package for farmers is clearly insufficient. These farmers do not have the capital to purchase expensive seeds and fertilisers. The government package is being given too late.

The prices of agricultural inputs should also be reduced along with prompt and efficient provision of loans. The problems are many. The floods have hit the farmers the most. People associated with the agriculture sector have become victims of economic disaster.

The crops standing on millions of acres across the country have been destroyed by floods. Claims of boosting the economy with this package are mere illusions. The situation is much worse than that. More than one million tonnes of wheat has been imported, and providing only 1.2 million bags of certified wheat seeds to farmers in flood-affected areas is peanuts.

If the government really wants to put the agriculture sector back on its feet, it needs to adopt a long-term policy instead of opting for one-off measures. The agriculture sector stands completely destroyed. Sugarcane production has decreased by eight per cent, rice by 40pc and cotton by 24pc. What are we waiting for?

IMRAN UL HAQ LAHORE

Quality of research

UNFORTUNATeLY, Pakistani universities lack original, unique and quality research, for there is no authentic research culture present in the country. There is no denying the fact that original and creative research plays a pivotal role in the progress of a country. Wherever there is a culture of innovation and research, we see excellence in economy, good governance, rule of law, accountability, and human and social development with a focus on better education and vibrant institutions.

Quality research is prerequisite for every nation to grow, socially, politically and economically. No one can deny the fact that education system of the country does not encourage critical thinking, creativity, reasoning, innovation and basic knowledge of creative research.

Why does research produced in our universities lack original ideas and uniqueness? A cursory glance through the theses produced at graduate and postgraduate levels is enough to be sure about the extremely poor quality of research. In many, if not most, cases, such theses are merely an outcome of the paraphrasing of work already done by someone else. Also, students take a model of a thesis that has already been accepted, and replicate it in their own contexts. This practice drags them to intellectual dishonesty and laziness.

Poor research supervision, ineffective thesis evaluation and unscrupulous research landscape are prevalent in the country. C.R Kothari in his book, Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, states: “Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge.”

One can also define research as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation. We must teach research methodology courses and its practicability at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. Last but not least, the state should give priority to research and all public universities and other stakeholders should revisit their courses. They must develop research knowledge and skills instead of wasting their time on outdated syllabi, poorly structured teaching and assessment policies.

ZAKIR ULLAH MARDAN

The

MEHjABiN

Lessons Pakistan can learn to improve its trade with the West

Despite a surge in raw material prices the resumption of shipment of on-hold consignments and focusing more on diversification, the Bangladesh export market is creating a better option for all types of buyers.

RemembeRinG CRusadeR Cannibalism in syRia

Middle eaSt Monitor oMar ahMed

OF all the notorious atrocities which took place during the First Crusade (1096–1099), the Siege of the Syrian city of Ma’arra stands out. The gruesome aftermath of the city’s fall and occupation by the invading european Crusaders saw some of them resort to cannibalism of the Muslim dead due to lack of food and subsequent starvation.

What: The siege, massacre and cannibalism in Ma’arra by Crusaders.

Where: Syria When: 12 December 1098 Antioch — in modern-day Turkiye — was captured by the Crusaders led by Ray-

mond of Toulouse and Bohemond of Taranto in June 1098 after a year-long siege. This was followed by the fall of the fortified city of Ma’araat Al-Numan, in what is today Syria, which surrendered to the Crusaders who had laid siege to it around the end of November the same year. The invaders wanted the city to boost their dwindling supplies and extend their control of the holy Land. The ultimate prize was Jerusalem in Palestine, which fell on 15 July 1099, and had to wait 88 years to be liberated by Sultan Salah Al-Din AlAyyubi (known in the West as “Saladin”).

Initially, a few of Ma’arra’s Muslim residents fled the city following news of the fate of Antioch, and some made it to the more secure cities of Aleppo, homs and hama. By the time the Crusaders under Raymond arrived at Ma’arra, though, most of the inhabitants were still there, fewer than 10,000 people who thought that they’d be safe behind the city’s walls which had so far helped to repel invaders. having failed at his first attempt to take the city, and being ridiculed by the locals in the process, Raymond combined forces with his ally and political rival Bohemond. They failed again, so adopted a different strategy

and surrounded the city. As winter approached, it became essential to secure supply lines, especially to feed the troops, who had started to suffer from hunger.

THE SIEGE SUCCEEDS: eventually the invaders built siege towers, which were completed within ten days. They managed to breach the walls on 11 December, forcing the citizens into the city defended by a poorly trained and equipped militia. For the most part, the Crusaders decided to settle down for the night before plundering the city the next day. A peaceful surrender was negotiated with leading members of the town which included safe passage. however, by dawn, some of the poorer and hungrier Crusaders began to plunder the city.

On the morning of 12 December, the other Crusaders realised that whatever little food was left had been taken. They went on a violent rampage across Ma’arra. Nobody was safe. One contemporary observer recorded that, “No corner of the town was clear of Saracen corpses, and one could scarcely go about the streets except by treading on their dead bodies.”

CANNIBAL CRUSADERS: The carnage didn’t end with the mass murder of men, women and children; the starving Crusaders turned to cannibalism with the many corpses. One chronicler, Radulph of Caen, noted that, “Some people said that, constrained by the lack of food, they boiled pagan adults in cooking pots, impaled children on spits and devoured them grilled.”

Fulcher of Chartres acknowledged the savagery committed by the Christian soldiers: “I shudder to tell that many of our people, harassed by the madness of excessive hunger, cut pieces from the buttocks of the Saracens already dead there, which they cooked, but when it was not yet roasted enough by the fire, they devoured it with savage mouth.”

There has been some scholarly debate as to the root cause of this infamous episode in the First Crusade, with some placing blame on the most impoverished soldiers, known as the Tafurs, while a desperate general response to starvation has also been suggested. Some sources state that the poorer Christian forces cut open the bodies

of the dead to look for coins hidden in the stomachs before cooking and eating scraps of flesh from the bodies. eventually the human remains were dragged outside the city, where they were burnt in large piles.

The cannibalism itself is said to have shocked and reviled Crusaders and Arab Muslims alike. Most of the invaders sought to distance themselves from the act of the minority.

NEVER FORGOTTEN: For the Muslims however, the incident had a lasting impact, one that would not be forgotten. According to the author of The Crusades Through Arab eyes, Amin Maalouf: “The memory of these atrocities, preserved and transmitted by local poets and oral tradition, shaped an image of the Faranj [Crusaders] that would not easily fade.”

Such is the sensitivity that surrounds the Crusades and their cultural and psychological impact on the Middle east to this day, it was not surprising that some england football fans at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar were banned from entering stadiums wearing replica Crusader costumes.

Tectonic shift in the Gulf The hard-won benefits of soft diplomacy

SAUDI ARABIA IS PROTECTING ITS OWN INTERESTS IN A WORLD ORDER IN TRANSITION BY OPTING FOR A MULTIFACETED SET OF RELATIONSHIPS. INDIA HAS A LOT TO LEARN FROM THIS

elevate these economic synergies to a new level and a possible free trade agreement, oil deals in yuan and membership of BRICS Plus would hugely strengthen Gulf-China ties and further challenge US hegemony.’

BEYOND THE RECENT G-20 SUMMIT, THE OPEN-MINDED JAVANESE APPROACH HAS ALSO PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN THE SMALLER MULTICIVILIZATIONAL LABORATORY OF SOUTHEAST ASIA. NO OTHER REGION ON EARTH BOASTS SUCH DIVERSITY. SOUTHEAST ASIA’S POPULATION OF 685 MILLION HAS 240 MILLION MUSLIMS, 140 MILLION CHRISTIANS, 200 MILLION BUDDHISTS AND SO ON

tribune MK bhadraKuMar

The UAe and Saudi Arabian foreign ministries issued a joint statement on Thursday, announcing ‘the success of the mediation led by UAe President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz for the release and exchange of two prisoners between the US and Russia’. The two Gulf Arab states said, ‘The success of the mediation efforts was a reflection of the mutual and solid friendship between their two countries and the US and Russia.’ Their statement highlighted the ‘important role played by the leaderships of the two brotherly countries in promoting dialogue between all parties.’ It concluded with the foreign ministries expressing ‘the gratitude of their respective governments to the governments of the US and Russia for their cooperation and response, and for the joint mediation efforts made by the leaderships of the two countries.’

No doubt, it was a proud moment for the emirati and Saudi diplomacy that they mediated between two warring superpowers. But it didn’t last for long. Within hours, White house press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tersely stated that ‘this negotiation was between the US government and Russia’. She refused to concede any role to Prince Salman, and insisted that ‘the only countries that actually negotiated this deal were the United States and Russia’.

On the contrary, the Kremlin thanked Saudi Arabia and the UAe for facilitating the high-profile prisoner swap. Spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, ‘We highly appreciate the role of the UAe and Saudi Arabia, which traditionally make a significant contribution to such processes.’

The neoconservatives in Washington hate to be seen as taking help from two ‘autocrats’ on a human rights issue — albeit, two of the US’ closest allies in West Asia historically. It messages the tectonic shift in the geopolitics of the Gulf region. This shift in India’s extended neighbourhood impacts its core interests.

The backdrop is no less dramatic — a grand welcoming ceremony in Riyadh for Chinese President Xi Jinping with the traditional Al-Ardha (sword dance) at the Murabba Palace; Saudi-Chinese agreement proclaiming comprehensive strategic partnership; decision on biennial summits of the two heads of state; 34 investment agreements covering green energy, transportation, logistics, medical industries and construction; twinning of Vision 2030 with China’s BRI; MoU with huawei to bolster investments in cloud and establish smart industrial infrastructure in key Saudi cities; Saudi hub for Chinese companies operating regionally, etc.

The Middle east eye reported that Xi’s visit ‘will

The visit signals Beijing’s growing influence in West Asia amid severely strained US-Saudi ties following Saudi refusal to President Biden’s entreaties to the kingdom to boost oil production and Riyadh’s rejection of US demands to roll back ties with China and Russia.

During Xi’s visit, Saudi Arabia hosted two summits with the Gulf and Arab leaders. The view in the Gulf is that the US has grown increasingly distant as it switches focus to other regions — and that China is among those keenest to fill any gap. Saudi Arabia tops the list of destinations for announced Chinese foreign investment in the Gulf region over the past 20 years, totalling $106.5bn, ahead of Kuwait with $97.6bn and $46bn for the UAe, according to Janes IntelTrak data. Saudi Arabia is China’s largest supplier of crude and China is the kingdom’s largest trading partner.

Unsurprisingly, oil loomed large over Xi’s visit, although China’s relationship with the kingdom and other Gulf countries has gone beyond oil in recent years, particularly when it comes to technology. The US has offered to work with Riyadh on 5G technology, but Saudi elites — unlike India’s — refuse to be the captives of western technology. US hackles have also been raised by speculation that Saudi Arabia could shift to settle its trade with China in renminbi.

Saudi Arabia is only protecting its own interests and its future in a world order in transition by opting for a multifaceted set of relationships. The Saudis see their future in the east, primarily based on economic interests. India has a lot to learn from this. Another key lesson here is that in West Asia, the role of external players has sharply declined and the interaction of regional players is becoming the driving force. India’s misplaced hopes and expectations anchored on US-led regional formats like the Abraham Accords, I2U2 and the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCeNT) in Bahrain look unrealistic and outdated.

Third, the capacity of the great powers to pursue their own agenda in the West Asian region is diminishing while the role of the leading regional states is increasing. Going ahead, therefore, India should expect the regional players — Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAe, egypt, Qatar — to make their own decisions based on their perceptions and capabilities rather than on the interests of outsiders.

This calls for adjustments on India’s part. The recent controversy over the reported visit of Zakir Naik to give religious sermons in Qatar is a case in point. In such situations, the prudent thing to do and the effective tactic to adopt for external players will be to refrain from trying to impose something, but to build India’s interests into the system created by local actors. Russia and China have had remarkable success in this direction. On the contrary, the boorishness of the White house in snubbing the Saudi and emirati rulers shows the US’ unwillingness or inability two adjust to the spirit of our times.

The world seems like a calmer place after the G-20 meeting in Bali in mid-November. The question is why. We know that US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a three-hour in-person meeting that went well, despite their many policy differences and their countries’ growing antagonism. It was also helpful that Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t show up, and that Russia’s war in Ukraine didn’t overshadow the Sino-American discussions. In fact, the G-20 issued a statement declaring that, “Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi also had a relatively successful meeting in Bali. The two leaders smiled and shook hands, which was a significant improvement from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in September, when they could barely make eye contact.

So, the conditions in Bali were amenable to serious diplomacy, which was more than most observers had hoped for. But how did this atmosphere come about, and does it portend positive results and agreements?

The first question is relatively easy to answer. Indonesia, the host, worked steadfastly — both visibly and behind the scenes — to ensure that the summit would not fail.

Culture matters for diplomacy, and Indonesian President Joko Widodo embodies the “soft” and sophisticated elements of Indonesia’s dominant Javanese culture, which prizes musyawarah and mufakat (consultation and consensus). To prevent the Ukraine war from derailing the summit, he visited both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in their capitals. In the event, this show of respect paid off: By not turning up in Bali, Putin demonstrated a willingness not to make life more difficult for Jokowi.

Western diplomats, too, often fail to grasp or appreciate this intangible side of diplomacy, reflecting a strong tendency toward black-or-white judgments. Zelenskyy is virtuous, Putin is evil, and all other considerations must follow from those premises. At a time when the West is shunning and isolating Putin, Jokowi gave

him the respect that he so clearly craves. Likewise, while Western diplomats tend to draw clear lines between political systems (democracies are virtuous, and autocracies are wicked), Jokowi treated Biden and Xi with equal respect.

Does this softer Javanese approach hold broader lessons for international affairs? The answer depends on our judgments about the world order that appears to be emerging. Since the “end of history” in 1989, the West has assumed that global developments generally flow in only one direction: toward Western-style democracy with Western-style market economies. In fact, we are entering an era that will be multipolar, multicivilizational, and thus multilateral.

In such a complex world, black-or-white descriptions will almost always prove to be too simplistic. India, for example, is an important ally of the West, even though Modi will never be seen in a Western business suit and complains about the “slave mentality” surrounding use of the english language in India.

It is telling that Javanese shadow plays (which borrow from hindu mythology) feature a wide range of characters who do not fit neatly into categories like good and evil. One major advantage of this worldview is that it creates more opportunities for rival sides to seek peace or find common ground.

As matters stand, it is politically inconceivable that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would visit Tehran or Pyongyang to talk directly with Iranian or North Korean leaders, and europeans are becoming equally allergic to the idea of visiting Moscow. Yet that is precisely the kind of flexibility we need if we are going to maintain relative peace and stability in the twenty-first century.

Beyond the recent G-20 summit, the open-minded Javanese approach has also proven effective in the smaller multicivilizational laboratory of Southeast Asia. No other region on earth boasts such diversity. Southeast Asia’s population of 685 million has 240 million Muslims, 140 million Christians, 200 million Buddhists and so on. Yet, owing to the intangible contributions of the Javanese ethos within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the region has remained peaceful.

By and large, the principles of musyawarah and mufakat have prevailed. While one can easily imagine Indonesia treating Timor-Leste as a kind of “Kosovo” — a national territory that has been “lost” — it instead champions that country’s application for ASeAN membership. Such magnanimity is in short supply in our deeply fractured international community. We could all benefit from learning a lesson or two from Javanese culture and heritage. Doing so would help soothe a troubled world, just as Jokowi did in Bali.

Kishore Mahbubani, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore, is the co-author of “The ASEAN Miracle: A Catalyst for Peace” (National University of Singapore Press, 2017) and the author of “Has China Won?” (Public Affairs, 2020).

ONE CHRONICLER, RADULPH OF CAEN, NOTED THAT, “SOME PEOPLE SAID THAT, CONSTRAINED BY THE LACK OF FOOD, THEY BOILED PAGAN ADULTS IN COOKING POTS, IMPALED CHILDREN ON SPITS AND DEVOURED THEM GRILLED”

ARAB STATES MOVING AWAY FROM THE US AND TOWARDS CHINA

Project Syndicate Kishore Mahbubani

Bank of Khyber hosts 4th Quarterly meeting of Male Champions of Change

AhsAn urges vArsities to lAunch new courses in entrepreneurship, exports

iSLaMaBaD STAFF rEpOrT

The meeting was attended by several CEOs of leading companies, Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins, MCC Pakistan Convener Fiza Farhan followed by an exclusive lunch with notable dignitaries from Peshawar. The agenda of the meeting was to bring together senior leadership from across Pakistan to discuss policies, implementation, case studies and to form strategic alliances to address gender disproportion in the workplace. The member CEOs of the Male Champions of Change Coalition shared updated on the tangible actions they had undertaken in their organizations for empowering women and laid out commitments for the next year. The Australian Program Director of MCC Pakistan, also attend the meeting virtually bringing key global insights and expertise to the table. The day was kicked off with a candid and informal session with Finance Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Taimur Khan Jhagra, who reinforced Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s commitment for the empowerment of women, universal health insurance and facilitation for investment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He further emphasized the immense potential present in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the form of opportunity and human capital. pr

ATWO-DAy19th International Conference on ‘Frontiers of Information Technology’ (FIT-2022), organized by COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) started on Monday, December 12, 2022 at COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad. Minister, Planning and Development and Special Initiatives, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary and Executive Director COMSATS, Ambassador Dr. Mohammed Nafees Zakaria graced the occasion and inaugurated the COMSATS University Islamabad’s 19th International Conference on Frontiers of Information Technology on Monday.

Speakers from France, Netherlands, China, Ireland, Portugal, UK, USA and Pakistan are participating in the two-day conference organized by COMSATS University Islamabad in COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad. Mr. Ahsan Iqbal speaking at the occasion highlighted the importance of Information technology in today’s era specially for the economical growth of Pakistan.

He shared that universities need to take rapid action to start new courses in entrepreneurship and exports for students which will help to boost economy

of the country. He also shared the seven-point framework for universities, academic excellence, research and innovation, social community service, technology enablement, corporate governance, industry academia linkage and quality of products. Ambassador Dr. Mohammed Nafees Zakaria speaking at the opening ceremony lauded the efforts of FIT organizers for providing an esteemed platform to researchers, scientists, and industry practitioners from across the world to present their cutting-edge research as well as sharing latest industry insights. He mentioned that the COMSATS lays its emphasis on building indigenous capacity and competence in the emerging sciences and technologies. Moreover, efforts are being made by the Commission to bring the dividends of

technological advancements in the areas of education, health, and energy to a large cross-section of the populations, particularly of the Member States.

Dr. S. Sohail H. Naqvi, Co-Founder and CEO KnowlEDGE Streams (Private) Ltd., Pakistan delivered a keynote address to the participating technical experts, students and dignitaries. In his address titled “Bridging the Academia - Industry Divide”, Dr. Naqvi highlighted the importance of Bridging the Academia - Industry Divide and presented several initiatives which have led to novel solutions in present day Pakistan.

He emphasized on the key steps to follow for successful entrepreneurial ventures. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tabassum Afzal, Rector, COMSATS University Islamabad, in his welcome address appreciated the support extended by the government in promoting the research and development. He said that Pakistan was in a dearth of high-performance computing infrastructure and there was a need to realize the economic potential of Information Technology through better training and resource management. Prof. Afzal said that the dearth of dollars confronted by the economy can be easily cured by encouraging IT related exports and technologybased startups.

corporate corner

Karachi pr

A major new Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) commissioned study by management consulting firm Analysys Mason highlights the potential economic, consumer and environmental benefits of 5G connectivity in 15 national emerging markets.

With regulatory and government support, all fifteen countries could benefit from GDP growth between 0.3 and 0.46 percent through 2035, with an estimated three-to-seven-fold cost-to-benefit ratio.

Called the Future Value of Mobile in Emerging Markets, the report examines the impact of multiple 5G spectrum deployment options to facilitate enhanced mobile broadband and fixed wireless access (FWA) across consumer, industry, logistics, rural and public services clusters, and spanning several business case options, including verticals.

The detailed methodology included using national government statistics and reports, Ericsson network insights and innovative mapping techniques - based on population density distribution and existing national infrastructure such as, road and rail networks.

Meezan Bank wins ‘Best Consumer Bank’ award at 7th Edition of Pakistan Banking Awards

Karachi pr

Promoting the portal locally through Jazz’s own youthoriented programs, Jazz will also work towards upskilling local talents and increasing the readiness of youths for jobs in the telecom and ICT sectors. pr

Graduation ceremony held at PAF Finishing School

pr

Islamabad police ensure effective security, smooth traffic flow for 54 events at weekend

Islamabad Capital police ensured foolproof security on the 54 government and private events and maintained smooth traffic flow in the city during movements of different delegations at the weekend. Islamabad capital police is always engaged to provide foolproof security and maintaining smooth flow of traffic system in federal capital for different events in Islamabad, a police public relations officer said. Development work is also going on in different areas of the city and a large number of citizens visit recreational spots during the weekly holidays adding that the Islamabad Capital Police always ensured the smooth traffic system in the city. pr

Meezan Bank, Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank has been declared as the ‘Best Consumer Bank’ at the 7th edition of Pakistan Banking Awards held in Karachi. Meezan Bank has earlier won the ‘Best Bank’ award twice - in 2018 and 2020 and the ‘Best Islamic Bank’ award in 2016 and 2017.

Mr. Ijaz Farooq – Meezan Bank's Group Head Retail Banking, Commercial, SME & Agriculture received the award from the Chief Guest of the event, Mr. Jameel Ahmad – Gov-

ernor, State Bank of Pakistan and Mr. Salman Hussain – Territory Senior Partner A.F. Ferguson & Co., amid the presence of key members from the country’s banking fraternity.

Pakistan Banking Awards are a joint initiative of the Dawn Media Group, Institute of Bankers Pakistan (IBP) and A.F. Ferguson, under the patronage of State Bank of Pakistan and are one of the most prestigious and definitive recognition of excellence in the country’s banking sector. Meezan Bank's recognition is based on a variety of criteria, including its strength for delivering the most efficient services and for its attention to customer needs.

TriFit Pakistan opens its doors in Karachi

Karachi: TriFit, Pakistan’s first international level chain of health and fitness clubs, opened its doors in Karachi earlier this month. Standing for Tribe, Results, Innovation, and Fitness (TriFit), the company opened its first location with a massive 34,000+ sqft space, at the famous Seaview in DHA Phase VI, Karachi. The first location at Seaview in Karachi was formally inaugurated by Khalid al Haqbani, founder of one of the top 15 fitness chains in the world. H.E. Liam O' Flanagan - Acting Counsel General

US, H.E. Mohammad Al Jizani - Acting Counsel General Saudi Arabia and Javed Kureishi - PCB board member were also present at the mega event hosted at the club. Several diplomats, dignitaries, sporting personalities and icons, business leaders and other famous personalities attended the starstudded event. After the grand event, all the guests were given a hands-on experience of the TriFit fitness club. The craze for fitness and physical wellbeing has been growing rapidly especially in Pakistan. pr

UMT to host top

Muslimscientists

next year, says Secretary General of OIC

Lahore: Ibrahim Hasan Murad, President University of Management and Technology (UMT) met with His Excellency Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) during his visit to Pakistan and announced 114 scholarships for OIC member states. These scholarships are part of the OIC Scholarship Program, which is funded by UMT and is aimed at providing educational opportunities to students from OIC member countries.

Assistant Secretary General OIC Askar Mussinov, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Ambassador of Pakistan in OIC and Professor Sajjad Qamar were also present in the meeting. pr

EBM recognized for gender diversity in the workplace by CFA Society Pakistan

Karachi: Pakistan’s leading local FMCG company, English Biscuit Manufacturers (Pvt.) Ltd (EBM), has won the Gender Diversity at Workplace Award 2022 - Local Corporates, in the 19th Annual Excellence Awards Ceremony held by the CFA Society Pakistan. This prestigious accolade is a testament to EBM's commitment to empower and promote gender diversity at the workplace. The Annual Excellence Awards recognize the efforts of companies in fostering an environment that empowers women, while inculcating strong leadership qualities in them. EBM stands at the forefront in upholding a gender diverse workplace, with one-third of their senior leadership positions occupied by women. Dr. Zeelaf Munir, Managing Director & CEO of EBM, expressed her views and said: "EBM has stood strong by its vision of gender diversity. We are proud to be an organization where women hold key decisionmaking positions. With our continuous efforts we hope to make EBM a torchbearer for gender diversity, motivating other organizations in the country to follow suit." pr

Telenor Pakistan Official Statement

A news item published in Business Recorder on 8 Dec 2022 has incorrectly reported that Telenor Pakistan is shutting down its operations. We would like to categorically state that this is not true. Telenor Pakistan is committed to serving its customers and connecting them to what matters most. pr

Reon Energy, Redco International Qatar announce first solar bus charging station for FIFA World Cup 2022

Reon Energy is proud to announce that its recent installation of a 5.3 MW bus charging station in collaboration with Redco International Qatar made it the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest bus charging station in the world.

The first-of-its-kind solar bus charging depot in Al Lusail, Qatar was implemented for FIFA World Cup 2022. The project aims to support transportation operations during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and beyond.

The 5.3 MW project powers the operation of 241 buses roughly facilitating 23,700 fans during the World Cup. The main goal of the project is to increase public transit ridership and to switch to

clean energy in transportation to improve overall air and climate quality in Qatar.

The project will achieve an annual energy generation of 7,843 MWh and achieve carbon savings of 4,823.98 tonnes.

and Storage Solutions Specialist with deep domain expertise in project development, financial advisory, Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC), and asset performance management. Our portfolio includes industrial solutions for cement, oil and gas, coal mining, textile, dairy, and telecommunications.

Reon is committed to a sustainable energy future to enable economic growth and greater well-being. about redco internationaL Qatar: Redco International is a leading industrial manufacturing and contracting group operating in Qatar since 1982. Redco International has been a leader in precast concrete manufacturing and erection in Qatar since the 1980s and is also among the leaders in ready-mix concrete manufacturing, steel cut & bend, Mechanical-Electrical- Plumbing (MEP), and building works (general contracting).

Ericsson report highlights potential economic benefits of 5G in emerging markets

Jazz collaborates with Ericsson to impart digital skills among entrepreneurs to boost local innovation

iSLaMaBaD: Jazz, Pakistan’s leading digital operator, has partnered with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to boost digital skills for their entrepreneurial community in Pakistan through the Ericsson Educate program with an aim to accelerate local innovation. This year long partnership comes under Jazz xlr8, Pakistan's premier accelerator program for startups, and aims to solidify Ericsson and Jazz’s mission to enhance the nation's digital skills and increase access to education in the country.

iSLaMaBaD: Graduation Ceremony of the 52nd batch of PAF Finishing School was held at the Officers’ Mess, PAF Complex Islamabad. Begum Marium Baber President Pakistan Air Force Women Association (PAFWA) & Patron-in-Chief of PAF Finishing School was the chief guest on the occasion. The Chief Guest awarded certificates to the graduating students. She congratulated the students on successful completion of their personality development programme. She also praised the standards of training at the institution and lauded the efforts of the faculty members in grooming the womenfolk of our society. Earlier, Director Finishing School Ms. Zeba Shaukat presented a report highlighting the main aspects of the training which are aimed at transforming young girls into useful members of society.

Karachi pr

about reon energy Limited: Reon, a part of the Dawood Group, is Pakistan’s leading Solar

KAbUl hotEl AttACK Ends As thrEE gUnmEn KillEd

KABUL Agencies

ARMEDmen opened fire on Monday inside a hotel in central Kabul popular with Chinese nationals in an attack that ended when at least three gunmen were killed by security forces, the Taliban-run administration said.

Two foreigners were injured while trying to escape by jumping from the hotel balcony, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on Twitter.

Kabul’s Emergency Hospital, run by an Italian non-profit near the attacked hotel in the Shahr-e-Naw area, reported receiving 21 casualties – 18 injured and three dead on arrival.

Taliban sources said the attack was carried out at Longan Hotel where Chinese and other foreigners usually stay.

Videos posted on Twitter by a journalist in Kabul and verified by Reuters showed smoke billowing out of one of the floors amid sounds of gunshots, while a person was seen trying to escape the attack by jumping out of a hotel window.

Kabul police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said the attack took place around 2.30pm local time, with residents in the area saying they heard a powerful explosion followed by gunfire.

The attack came a day after China’s ambassador met the Afghan deputy foreign

minister to discuss security-related matters and sought more attention on the protection of its embassy.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said the attack happened near a Chinese guesthouse and its embassy in Kabul was

China to work with UAE for progress in practical cooperation: vice premier

ABU DHABI stAff RepoRt

China is ready to work with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to jointly promote new progress in bilateral practical cooperation, Vice Premier Hu Chunhua has said. Hu made the remarks on Sunday during his meeting with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE deputy prime minister and minister of presidential affairs, in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi. Hu first asked Sheikh Mansour to convey cordial greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, before briefing him on the great achievements and far-reaching significance of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Since the beginning of this year, President Xi and President Sheikh Mohamed have met with each other and talked over the phone, reaching broad consensus on deepening all-round cooperation between the two countries, he said. The first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit were successfully held, achieving fruitful results, Hu said. China, he said, is willing to work with the UAE to follow through on the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and strive to make new progress in bilateral ties and practical cooperation. China is ready to work with the UAE to consolidate political mutual trust, synergize their development strategies, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expand cooperation in new and renewable energy spheres on top of consolidating traditional energy cooperation, create new highlights in hightech cooperation, and further strengthen cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, said the Chinese vice premier. For his part, Sheikh Mansour said that the UAE always attaches great importance to developing relations with China and firmly adheres to the one-China principle. The UAE is ready to deepen cooperation with China in the fields of economy and trade, energy, investment, industry, science and technology, education, people-topeople exchanges, and health care, and further strengthen communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, so as to continuously enrich the ChinaUAE comprehensive strategic partnership, he said.

closely monitoring the situation.

A Kabul police spokesman told reporters the attack was carried out by “mischievous elements”.

“Security forces have reached the area and the clearance of the raiders is under-

way,” he said in a WhatsApp media group.

AFP correspondents near the scene in Shahr-e-naw, a commercial and residential neighbourhood, heard multiple blasts and gunfire, while Afghan media reported similar details. A helicopter also made several

passes of the area.

China, which shares a rugged 76-kilometre (47-mile) border with Afghanistan, has not officially recognised the Taliban government but is one of the few countries to maintain a full diplomatic presence there.

Beijing has long feared Afghanistan could become a staging point for minority Uyghur separatists in China’s sensitive border region of Xinjiang.

The Taliban have promised that Afghanistan would not be used as a base for militants and, in exchange, China has offered economic support and investment for Afghanistan’s reconstruction.

Maintaining stability after decades of war in Afghanistan is Beijing’s main consideration as it seeks to secure its borders and strategic infrastructure investments in neighbouring Pakistan, home to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Despite owning the rights to major projects in Afghanistan, notably the Mes Aynak copper mine, China has not pushed any of these projects forward.

The Taliban are reliant on China to turn one of the world’s largest copper deposits into a working mine that would help the cash-strapped and sanctions-hit nation recover. Several bombings have taken place in Afghanistan in recent months, including an attack on the Pakistan embassy earlier this month and a suicide blast near the Russian embassy in September. Both attacks were claimed by Dai’sh.

Israeli troops kill Palestinian girl in West Bank – Palestinian ministry

Israeli forces shot and killed a 16-yearold Palestinian girl during a raid in the city of Jenin on Sunday, the Palestinian health ministry said, as the wave of violence in the occupied West Bank this year continued.

The Israeli military said it was aware of reports of the girl’s death and the incident was under review. It claimed troops were shot at while carrying out a raid to arrest three wanted individuals and returned fire.

Jenin, in the northern West Bank, houses a sprawling refugee camp in which Palestinian groups maintain a presence. Along with the nearby city of Nablus, it has been at the centre of much of the violence in the West Bank this year as Israeli forces have conducted near-daily raids as part of a brutal crackdown following attacks by Palestinians in Israel in the spring.

During one of the most violent years

in more than a decade, Palestinian authorities say at least 165 Palestinians, including both members of groups and civilians, have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank this year.

At the same time, at least 23 Israeli civilians and eight members of the security forces have been killed in Israel and

the West Bank, while violent clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians have also increased.

Palestine slams US pressure on UN over updating companies operating in Israeli settlements Palestine on Sunday slammed the U.S. move to pressure the United Na-

tions not to update its list of companies operating in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki told “Voice of Palestine” that “the Palestinian leadership rejects any U.S. pressure on the UN and its operating institutions.”

He added that his ministry is working to arrange a meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.

His remark came after U.S. State Department Spokesman Vedant Patel said Friday that Washington “continued to oppose any action to update the list, and has raised concerns directly with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.”

In February 2020, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published a list of companies operating in Israeli settlements. The list comprises 112 companies, including Israeli and American companies.

Iran carries out second execution linked to wave of popular protests

DUBAI Agencies

The Islamic Republic on Monday hanged a man in public who state media said had been convicted of killing two members of the security forces, the second execution in less than a week of people involved in protests against Iran’s ruling theocracy.

Nationwide unrest erupted three months ago after the death while in detention of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by morality police enforcing the Islamic Republic s mandatory dress code laws. The demonstrations have turned into a popular revolt by furious Iranians from all layers

of society, posing one of the worst legitimacy challenges to the Shi ite clerical elite since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. “Majid Reza Rahnavard was hanged in public in (the holy Shi ite city of) Mashhad this morning … He was sentenced to death for waging war against God after stabbing to death two members of the security forces,” the judiciary s Mizan news agency reported.

Mizan published pictures of the execution at dawn, showing Rahnavard hanging from a construction crane, with his hands and feet bound and his head covered with a black bag. The semi-official Fars news agency said Rahnavard killed two members of the Basij volunteer force and wounded four others. The Basij force, affiliated with the elite Revolutionary Guards, has been at

the forefront of the state crackdown on protests. Calling for added protests across the country, activists on social media criticised the execution of the 23-year-old Rahnavard as “a criminal act” by the clerical rulers to deter dissent. “They called Rahnavard s family at 7 a.m. (local time) and told them to go to the Behesht-e Reza cemetery. We executed your child and buried him, they said,” widely followed activist account 1500Tasvir posted on Twitter. The contents of the post could not be verified by Reuters. On Thursday, Iran hanged Mohsen Shekari, who had been convicted of injuring a security guard with a knife and blocking a street in Tehran, the first such execution after thousands of arrests over the unrest, drawing a chorus of Western condemnation and sanctions.

Top diplomats of China, South Korea discuss Korean peninsula tensions

ISTANBUL Agencies

Top diplomats of China and South Korea on Monday discussed the tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

A readout from Beijing said Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a video meeting with his South Korean counterpart Park Jin during which they exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and international and regional issues of common concern.

In Seoul, the Foreign Ministry said Wang reaffirmed Beijing’s

The latest Beijing-Seoul communication came as tensions on the peninsula have soared amid joint

military drills by South Korea and the US. The tensions have been tense since 2020 when North Korea attacked and blew up the inter-Korean liaison office along the border. Seoul has threatened a strong response if Pyongyang “further worsens the situation.”

Pyongyang has fired dozens of missiles and projectiles in response to the military drills by Seoul and her allies.

As the Beijing and Seoul mark 30 years of their bilateral relations, Wang said China is willing to work with South Korea to “adhere to the

general direction of good-neighborliness and friendship, strengthen strategic communication, focus on win-win cooperation, promote the healthy and stable development of China-South Korea relations, ensure the safe and smooth production and supply chain, maintain the international free trade system, and strengthen cooperation on regional and global issues.”

Pointing to the US’ Chips and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, Wang said the steps are in contravention of the World Trade Organization rules.

GHAZA Agencies

“stated commitment to playing a constructive role in dealing with the Korean Peninsula affairs, which diplomatically means the North Korea issues,” Yonhap News reported. The South Korean foreign minister sought Beijing’s support in “Seoul’s ‘audacious’ initiative to provide Pyongyang with massive economic assistance in exchange for denuclearization steps and South Korea’s efforts toward dialogue with the North Korea.”

EnglAnd BEAT PAkisTAn By 26 runs To win 2nd TEsT, sEAl sEriEs

MULTAN stAff report

Mark Wood grabbed four Pakistan wickets to give England a hard-fought 26-run win on Monday in the second Test in Multan and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the threematch series.

The fast bowler finished with 4-65 as Pakistan were dismissed for 328 about 50 minutes after lunch, having been set a challenging 355-run target.

Wood, who missed England’s 74-run win in the first Test in Rawalpindi with a hip injury, turned the match in England’s favour with the wickets of Mohammad Nawaz (45) and Saud Shakeel (94) in the space of just 12 balls and one run.

Pakistan slumped to 291-7 at lunch, and after the break Agha Salman (20 not out) and

Abrar Ahmed (17) tried to hit out for an unlikely win to keep the series alive.

Shakeel, who hit eight boundaries in his 314-minute vigil, added 80 runs with Nawaz as England found wickets hard to come by on a Multan pitch that slowed considerably as the game progressed.

In a last-ditch effort, skipper Ben Stokes brought in Wood before lunch and was instantly rewarded with Nawaz caught by wicketkeeper Ollie Pope.

In his next over, Wood forced Shakeel to play a pull off a short ball that caught his glove, with Pope taking a diving catch to his left. Resuming on 198-4, Pakistan had lost Faheem Ashraf in the sixth over of the day for 10, caught at slip for spinner Joe Root’s 50th wicket. Set a challenging 355 runs for victory, Pakistan ended the third day at 1984, needing another 157 with two full days re-

England captain terms series win a special achievement

MULTAN stAff report

Captain of England cricket team Ben Stokes said that winning a test series against Pakistan at their home ground was a special achievement after defeating the hosts by 26 runs after a thrilling context. Holding a press conference after the second test match at Multan Cricket Stadium, Ben Stokes said that it was not easy to beat Pakistan at their home ground. He said that the team was already prepared for this historic victory. He said that Imam-Ul-Haq’s dismissal just before the end of third-day game was the turning point and added that Mark Wood’s two out in the first spell in the morning brought England back in the match. He said that Pakistan made a plan to attack spinners which was the reason we used attack bowling on the fourth day.Stokes maintained that Abrar Ahmed’s boundaries put pressure on the team and said that he would be the superstar of Pakistan in the coming days. To a question about the controversial decision of Saud Shakeel’s catch, he said that the third umpire gave the decision in our favour and it is the part of the game as sometimes you get a decision in favour and sometimes against. He said that it was a wonderful experience to play in Pakistan and lauded the crowd for supporting the England team even after winning the thrilling contest with close 26 runs. He said that trying to replace 100-year-old test style with new styles where every player was being given the opportunity to play with their independent style. He said that Multan’s condition was quite different from Rawalpindi’s as the pitch of Multan was supporting batting and bowling.

maining. With reverse swing helping the fast bowlers, England derailed Pakistan’s start of 66 without loss with three wickets for just 17 runs. But Haq (60) and Shakeel (54 not out) led a remarkable 156-minute fightback during their stand of 108 for the fourth wicket before Jack Leach had the former caught at slip three overs before stumps.

Haq, who came in at number five instead of opening the innings following hamstring treatment, hit seven boundaries.

Allrounder Faheem Ashraf, promoted to number six, was three not out as Pakistan chased a series-levelling win after losing the first of three Tests by 74 runs in Rawalpindi.

Earlier, spinner Abrar Ahmed took 11 wickets for 234 across the two innings — the second best by a bowler on debut for Pakistan, behind Mohammad Zahid’s 11-130 against New Zealand in Rawalpindi 26 years ago.

Defending champions Balochistan record first win in Pakistan Cup

LAHORE stAff report

Defending champions Balochistan recorded their first win in the Pakistan Cup 2022-23 when they defeated Sindh by five runs on DLS in the second round match here at the State Bank Stadium in Karachi on Monday.

According to information made available here by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in other Pakistan Cup matches, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on the back of an unbeaten 98 from Kamran Ghulam overcame Southern Punjab by six wickets, while Central Punjab on the back of halfcenturies by Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Faizan, Qasim Akram and Tayyab Tahir earned a 73-run win over Northern. Balochistan v sindh, state Bank stadium: After being asked to bat first by Balochistan’s Yasir Shah, Sindh were dismissed on the final ball of their innings for 288. The match, which was live-streamed on PCB’s YouTube channel, saw southpaws Danish Aziz and Saim Ayub scoring half-centuries for their side. Opening batter Saim topscored with a 75-ball 79, hitting eight fours and one six.

Danish coming to bat at number six returned undefeated on 74 off 84 balls, which included five fours and two sixes. Mir Hamza (39, 44b, 2×4, 2×6) and Sharjeel Khan (35, 28b, 6×4) were the

other contributors with the bat. For Balochistan, Amad Butt and Kashif Bhatti bagged three wickets each, while Khurram Shahzad and Yasir took two wickets apiece.

In return, an unbeaten century by left-handed Ali Waqas helped his side cross the line with five wickets in hand.

Balochistan won the match on DLS by four runs as light faded after 46 overs of their run-chase. Player of the match Ali scored 121 off 122 balls, smashing 10 fours and three sixes. He knitted a 129run partnership for the fifth wicket with Bismillah Khan (54, 60b, 5×4) and then added an unbroken 76 runs for the sixth wicket with Amad (39 not out, 32b, 1×4, 3×6). Sindh’s Hamza took two wickets for 39.

central PunjaB v northern, nBP sPorts comPlex At the NBP Sports Complex, the decision to put Central Punjab into bat by Northern’s Umar Amin backfired as the former scored 359 for seven in their 50 overs. Opening batter Tayyab Tahir struck seven fours and five towering sixes during his 91-ball 96.

He was equally supported by his opening partner Mohammad Faizan –who scored 50 off 54, hitting six boundaries and the pair stitched a 117-run partnership for the first wicket.

Ahmed Shehzad coming to bat at number three scored 54 off 60, studded with five fours and one six. Qasim

Portugal’s next step likely to be without Ronaldo

DOHA Agencies

Cristiano Ronaldo is staying back in Qatar for now. The 37-year-old was one of 10 members of the Portuguese squad that didn’t opt to go back with the side to Lisbon after their quarter-final exit at the hands of Morocco at the World Cup in Qatar. It was finally on Sunday evening, almost 22 hours after it all happened at the Al Thumama Stadium — the 1-0 loss having left him with another failed attempt at winning the trophy that has eluded him, that Ronaldo finally broke his silence in an Instagram post that hinted he was calling it a day.

“Winning a World Cup for Portugal was the biggest and most ambitious dream of my career,’ he wrote. ”Fortunately I won many titles of international dimension, including with Portugal, but putting the country’s name on the highest foot in the world was my biggest dream. I fought for it. I fought hard for this dream. In the five appearances I scored in World Cups over 16 years, always by the side of great players and supported by millions of Portuguese, I gave my all. Left it all out on the field. I never turned my face to the fight and I never gave up on that dream. “Sadly, yesterday the dream ended. It’s not worth reacting

in the heat of the moment. I just want you all to know that much has been said, much has been written, much has been speculated, but my dedication to Portugal has not changed for a moment. I was always one fighting for the objective of all and I would never turn my back on my colleagues and my country. Not much more to say for now. Thank you Portugal. Thank you Qatar. The dream was nice while it lasted… Now, it’s to hoping that time will be a good advisor and allow each one to draw their own conclusions.”

Ronaldo had skipped walking through the mixed zone for any interaction with reporters who waited for him to arrive, for that one soundbyte on what lies ahead for him. “Cristiano Ronaldo will not be coming here and the Portugal team bus has already left the stadium,” a FIFA official informed reporters on Saturday night. There would be no last glimpse of the man whose mere presence in the mixed zones drags every soul in the hall towards him.

His presence on the pitch, though, isn’t the same. Here, just like Portugal’s last-16 game against Switzerland, Ronaldo was on the bench and was summoned with 40 minutes of the game to be played to help his side find a way back after Youssef En-Nesyri had

scored with a Ronaldo-like header to give Morocco the lead.

Ronaldo tried, Portugal tried but the leveller never came. Benched and subsequently shelved out by Manchester United, it’s been a tumultuous World Cup for Ronaldo. A free agent, the World Cup was Ronaldo’s chance to show he still belongs at the elite level. But he never had his moment here in Qatar. He did become the first player to score in five different Worid Cups but that came from a penalty in Portugal’s opening game and will only be remembered as a footnote once the tournament ends, perhaps with his longtime rival Lionel Messi winning the title which too has eluded him.

Akram scored 67 off 50 balls at the strike rate of 134, blasting seven fours and one six.

For Northern, pacers Aamir Jamal and Usman Khan Shinwari bagged two wickets each. In reply, Northern managed to score 286 for nine in 50 overs with Haider Ali top-scoring for his side with a 62-ball 55. Mehran Mumtaz (46, 45b, 2×4, 2×6) and Mubasir Khan (44, 54b, 4×4, 1×6) were other notable performers with the bat. Leg-spinner Usama Mir took most wickets for Central Punjab, taking three for 89 from his 10 overs.

Southern Punjab v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, UBL Sports Complex

Four wickets by Ihsanullah and an unbeaten 98 from Kamran Ghulam led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to their first win in the Pakistan Cup, beating Southern Punjab by six wickets.

Chasing 183 to win, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa achieved the target inside 39 overs with Kamran top-scoring with a 102-ball 98, studded with five fours and as many sixes.

Southern Punjab’s Usman Qadir, who bagged five wickets in the previous game, took two wickets for 52 in 9.5 overs.

Earlier, after being put into bat Southern Punjab were dismissed for 182 in the 45th over. Arafat Minhas topscored for his side with a 41-ball 32, which included two fours and one six.

Right-arm fast bowler Ishanullah took four for 42 from 9.3 overs. Khalid Usman and Mohammad Imran bagged two wickets each.

scores in Brief: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat Southern Punjab by six wickets Southern Punjab 182 all out, 44.3 overs (Arafat Minhas 32; Ihsanullah 4-42, Khalid Usman 2-31, Mohammad Imran Jnr 2-46)

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 184-4, 38.5 overs (Kamran Ghulam 98 not out; Usman Qadir 2-52)

Player of the match – Ihsanullah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

central PunjaB Beat northern By 73 runs: Central Punjab 359-7, 50 overs (Tayyab Tahir 96, Qasim Akram 67, Ahmed Shehzad 54, Mohammad Faizan 50; Usman Khan Shinwari 2-43, Aamir Jamal 2-75) Northern 286-9, 50 overs (Haider Ali 55, Mehran Mumtaz 46, Mubasir Khan 44; Usama Mir 3-89) Player of the match –Tayyab Tahir (Central Punjab)

Balochistan Beat sindh By four runs on dls

Sindh 288 all out, 50 overs (Saim Ayub 79, Danish Aziz 74 not out, Mir Hamza 39; Kashif Bhatti 3-37, Amad Butt 3-59, Yasir Shah 2-32, Khurram Shahzad 2-65) Balochistan 254-5, 46 overs (Ali Waqas 121 not out, Bismillah Khan 54; Mir Hamza 2-39) Player of the match – Ali Waqas (Balochistan).

Babar Azam blames injury to fast bowlers for Test series loss against England

Babar said and added that efforts were being made to overcome the mistakes in the upcoming events. He said that the team would enter the Karachi test with the best combination and positive mindset. To a question about pitch conditions, he said that pitch conditions were different in every country and players had to perform in every situation. He said that the surface offers limited support but there was no issue with the surface in Multan as there was most of the soft dismissal of Pakistani batters. He said that England’s bowling attack was effective and their bowlers did well for their team. Babar said that Abrar Ahmed performed well in his debut match and he dismissed the top seven players of the guest team in the first inning and also grabbed four wickets in the second inning. He said that he changed his batting order to play at number three instead of four by accepting the challenge to face the situation.

MULTAN stAff correspondent

Pakistan Skipper Babar Azam said that the injury of the main fast bowlers before the test series against England cost a lot as the team could not get a remarkable achievement in the fast bowling attack. Addressing a press conference after the second test match at Multan Cricket Stadium on Monday, Babar Azam said that the team lost the match again after getting closure to victory like in Rawalpindi but we failed to finish it well to get desired results. He said that the absence of senior and experienced players in the team could also be a reason for the defeat adding that the young players also played well and they were getting experience from every match. Babar said that decision of Saud Shakeel’s out was the turning point but players were bound to honor the decision of the umpires whether it was in favor or not. He said that after the dismissal of Saud and Nawaz it was the tail to face England pace bowlers but Abrar and Salman kept pushing pressure on the guest team. “I accept the responsibility of loss,”