Epaper_22-12-26 ISB

TerrorisT killed, CapTain among five soldiers marTyred in BaloChisTan ied BlasT, iBo: ispr

the isPr statement said.

RAWALPINDI staff report

aPakistan army’s captain fahad along with four soldiers, embraced martyrdom in an improvised explosive device (ied) blast, during a clearance operation in Kahan area while a soldier was martyred and a terrorist was killed early sunday during an exchange of fire with terrorists in zhob, said a news release of on isPr sunday.

according to inter-services Public relations (isPr) said in a statement, an ied blast occurred to the leading party

during a clearance operation underway in Kahan area of balochistan since saturday following credible intelligence.

resultantly, captain fahad along with four other brave sons of soil – lance naik imtiaz, sepoy asghar, sepoy mehran and sepoy shamoon embraced shahadat, laying their lives in defence of the motherland against an externally perpetrated threat of terrorism, it added.

the military media’s wing said that such cowardly acts by inimical elements cannot sabotage the hardearned peace and prosperity in balochistan.

“the security forces remain determined to challenge their nefarious designs, even at the cost of blood and lives. the sanitization operation continues in the area to apprehend perpetrators.”

earlier in the day, a Pakistan army soldier was martyred and a terrorist was killed on early sunday during an exchange of fire with terrorists in balochistan’s zhob.

according to the military’s media wing, “based on credible intelligence, an operation was launched in sambaza area of zhob, to stop terrorists from using few suspected routes to move across the Pakistan-afghanistan border

and to sneak into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), along the interprovincial boundary and target citizens and security forces.” as a result of continuous surveillance and sanitisation of the area, a group of terrorists was intercepted in the early hours today, the isPr added. the press statement further stated that during “the establishment of blocking positions to deny them escape routes, terrorists opened fire onto the security forces”.

in the ensuing exchange of fire, a terrorist was killed while a soldier, sepoy haq nawaz, was martyred. two soldiers sustained were injured in the gunfight,

“the terrorists were supported by their facilitators from across the border as well during the exchange of fire,” it added. the military’s media wing said the sanitisation operation continues in the area to apprehend the remaining perpetrators.

15 INJURED IN FIVE SEPARATE GRENADE BLASTS IN BALOCHISTAN: as many as 15 persons were injured in five separate grenade blasts in balochistan on sunday, officials confirmed.

according to a statement issued by balochistan chief minister abdul Qudoos bizenjo, at least four people were injured in the first grenade blast that took place in sabzal road area of the provincial metropolis.

Nawaz’s ImPrINts oN PakIstaNI PoLItICs rEmaIN INdELIbLE, says Pm shEhbaz

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

PrIMEMinister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday conveyed birthday wishes to his elder brother and former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and paid tribute to his political and national contributions.

On his Twitter handle, the prime minister said that he always sought guidance from his elder brother and leader Nawaz Sharif as his imprints on the politics of Pakistan remained permanent.

Praising Pakistan Muslim League-N leader, the prime minister further said that Nawaz Sharif’s selfless service to the people of Pakistan was the hallmark of his politics.

People suffering due to wrong policies of Imran’s govt: kh asif

SIALKOT Staff RepoRt

Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Sunday that people were suffering as a result of wrong policies of Imran Khan government. Addressing the workers' convention at Muslim League House here, he said, "We are determined to put the country's economy on the right track, for which important and concrete steps are being taken at the government level." He said that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and allied parties were trying to provide relief to the common man. He said that PML was the founder party of the country. He said that indecent language should not be used on social media in the political battle. He said, "We will not fight this political battle at the level of our opponents, we should not answer the opponents in the same coin. We have to promote the politics of patience and tolerance and we have to move forward with this tradition." The minister said that when Maryam Nawaz went to meet her father in Jail, the NAB arrested her in front of Nawaz Sharif in the presence of superintendent, however, despite this, our leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif did not use any foul language for his political opponents. He said that our opponents had crossed the limits of political victimization. Asif said that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif left his matter to Allah Almighty, and when someone leaves his affairs to Allah, then Allah blesses him.

Pakistan continues to support somalia in national development: kaira

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Advisor for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira on Sunday reiterated Pakistan's full support and assistance to the Somalian government in carrying out the national development efforts. Speaking at the cultural show organized by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in honor of the Somali ministerial delegation led by Interior Minister of Somalia Ahmed Moalim Figi at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, he said, “The struggle of Pakistan for democracy and its broad-based constitution is the best model for Somalia to learn the state building experiences." He said the educational institutes of Pakistan was imparting the technical and professional knowledge to the youth of Somalia which was a matter of pride for Pakistan. Kaira said that Pakistan and Somalia had strong cultural relations which needed to be strengthened more. “There is a huge potential of cooperation between both the countries which is needed to explore further," he maintained.

“Happy birthday to Mian Nawaz Sharif. Throughout my political career, I have always looked up to him for guidance as my elder brother and leader. His imprint on Pakistani politics remains indelible. Selfless service to the people is the hallmark of his politics,” he posted a tweet.

In a separate message shared by PM Office Media Wing in Urdu language, the prime minister said that on his birthday, millions of his followers, including him, prayed for his long life.

He said that he felt pride in being younger brother of Nawaz Sharif and a worker of his party.

Nawaz Sharif’s life was immersed with his deep affection for the motherland and laden with his sincere efforts, he said, adding that his brother possessed qualities of tender heart, foresightedness, understanding

and wisdom.

The prime minister further said that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif always strived for the defence and economic prosperity of Pakistan, public welfare and improving its prestige at the international level.

Besides, he always fulfilled his commitments, he added.

Railways ministeR calls on Pm: Minister for railways and Aviation Khawaja Saad rafique on Sunday called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.

During the meeting, issues pertaining to the ministry of railways and aviation division came under discussion, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

They also discussed the overall political situation of the country.

PTI says MPs will appear before NA speaker for verification of resignations

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

After the speaker refused to accept the resignations of parliamentarians from Pakistan-Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), who resigned en masse in April following the change of guard in the prime minister’s office (PMO) in April, “without making sure” they were not tendered under any pressure, the opposition party said its legislators will visit the National Assembly on Wednesday to complete the process.

More than 120 MPs loyal to Imran Khan resigned on April 11, two days after he was removed from the PMO contentious vote of no-confidence marred by unprobed allegations of military support.

Former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri — who was performing his duties as acting speaker after then-incumbent Asad Qaiser’s resignation — accepted the resignation letters on April 15.

However, once raja Pervaiz Ashraf, a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stalwart, was elected as the speaker, he decided to verify the resignations by interviewing lawmakers individually, but instead ended

up stalling the entire process by blaming it on the lawmakers’ reluctance to step down.

“The law dictates that even if a member says in [speaker’s] presence they want to resign but I have information that they are under pressure [sic], I should not accept their resignation,” he said earlier this month.

On Sunday, Farrukh Habib, deputy information

minister under Khan, confirmed lawmakers from his party will visit the National Assembly on Wednesday for the acceptance of their resignations as members of parliament.

“We are going to the National Assembly on Wednesday to get our resignations accepted,” he told the press in Faisalabad.

However, Geo News reported, citing sources, Khan has summoned party MPs to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad the same day to chalk out a strategy in this regard.

Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice president of the party, said the former prime minister had summoned the session, but would address it via a video link from his residence in the Zaman Park neighbourhood of Lahore.

During his talk, Habib also insisted that all MPs had submitted their resignations to the speaker in writing.

“But they accepted just 11 resignations on the basis of mala fide [intentions],” he went on to say.

“Now accept our resignation. Why are they being evasive,” he asked. He also remarked that this matter was also a “test for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)”.

Islamabad LG polls: ECP sets up 1,039 polling stations

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has set up 1,039 polling stations in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) to facilitate voters and to ensure better turnout on the polling day. According to ECP, as many as 3,088 polling booths have also been established for local government elections scheduled to be held on December 31, 2022. The Election Commission has already appointed 15 Monitoring Officers (MOs) headed by one District Monitoring Officer (DMO) to ensure a close vigil on the canvassing of all candidates, and to take necessary action against the violators. The monitoring teams have so far removed various prohibited-sized posters and banners from Union Councils 36,37, 41,42,47,48 and 130. Over one million (1,000,155) registered voters including 0.5 million (526,138) male and more than 0.4 million (474,017) female balloters will use their right to franchise in the ensuing local government elections being held in the federal capital.

of Weinstein’s innocence as of his own.

No rapping for Ch Pervez

Ma Niazi

Apart from the usual suspects (Imran, Ch Pervez, Shehbaz, Hamza Shehbaz and so on), the two men uppermost in my mind when the Lahore High Court issued a stay order till January 11 against Governor Balighur rehman’s denotification of Ch Pervez as Chief Minister, were Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal and minister Khayal Ahmed Kastro.

Sumbal is a dyed-in-the-wool bureaucrat, being the son of one and the nephew of a senior police officer. A former Commissioner of Lahore, his being CS was not exceptional, in the sense that officers like him have held the job in the past, and

have not messed up. Yet after the LHC order, he will have to interact with the CM, even though the denotification notification was signed by hm. If he had become CS as a matter of routine, it wouldn’t have been so bad, but Ch Parvez had fought tooth and nail to get him posted, and he had only recently taken office. At the very least, like National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, he should have resigned rather than sign that notification. Or like the roman Mucius Scaevola, who thrust his hand into a flame, and did not show any pain, before the Etruscan King, Lars Porsena. Scaevola had been caught while trying to assassinate Porsena. The PTI would probably have preferred it if Sumbal had burned down the Daftar Laat Saab (CS Office at Civil Secretariat) rather than sign such treason to the Cuptaan.

While the CS was only really affected by the restoration, the person affected most by the original dentification was Khayal Amad Kastro, who had been sworn in late, only last Wednesday. While the denotification said |Ch Pervez was to continue, Kastro was sacked too. He probably had not had time to move in to a residence, or get a car, when the axe dropped. The restoration of the Cabinet by the LHC was thus more than welcome.

He has got his moniker because he is a revolutionary like Castro of Cuba, but the change in spelling puts him in the company of two rappers, one of them from Albania. Maybe our Kastro doesn’t rap in Punjabi, but he was still given the Culture portfolio by both Ch Pervez and Usman Buzdar.

Other people were not as lucky as Kastro. Four policement were killed in an attack on a Lakki Marwat police station, while 25 militants were killed after an operation at the Bannu Counter-Terrorism

Department, which had been seized by militants, apparently after two militants got hold of an assault rifle, That means it was possible for Dr Afia Siddiqui to have seized a weapon from her guards and attempted to kill them. I never believed it before, but now I think it’s possible.

Bannu and Lakki were not the only places with violent deaths. In Vaughan, Ontario, not too far from Toronto, there was a shooting spree, in which six people were killed, including the 70-year-old suspect. No, it wasn’t the cold, nor was he the standard mad Muslim, who was heard crying “Allahu Akbar”, but a white resident of the condominium where the incident occurred, who had problems for years with the condominium board. The really interesting thing was that this happened in Canada, despite their strict gun laws.

For a crime committed without guns, you had Harvey Weinstein convicted for rape. I heard Ali Zafar protested this, being as sure

Another kind of oppression of women, the Taliban ban on women in universities, provoked an odd reaction over here. A medical school student, which is a university-level course, remarked to her cousin, an O-level student, “Let’s go to Kabul”. Male students want to protest too, demanding that Pakistani authorities follow suit, with a nondiscriminatory ban.

But we need to be careful. The audioclips of Imran Khan and some women have apparently made him stop naming recently retired COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa. The clips have served to remind everyone of the time, after he divorced his first wife, he almost married one of the Nawab of Kalabagh’s grand-daughters. The second wife he married instead, has got married again to a model and actor 13 years younger than her. Like Imran, she’s marrying for the third time. Oh, the salt that is being sprinkled over his wound.

LAHORE: A view of Christmas sermon at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Lawrence Road. (Inset) Celebrations outside church. photo by zubaiR Mehfooz

City NoteS

FIa rECords statEmENts oF susPECts IN GEN bajwa tax rECord LEak CasE

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

tHEFederal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC) on Sunday recorded the statements of three suspects, arrested in connection with the income tax data leak of former army chief retired Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

According to details, the arrested

suspects recorded the statement before a duty magistrate under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc).

The three suspects include: Shahzad Niaz, Arshad Ali Qureshi and Mohammad Adeel Ashraf.

Earlier in December, an Islamabad court remanded three suspects in custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday in connection with the income tax data leak of former army chief retired Gen

Qamar Javed Bajwa. Shahzad Niaz and Ashraf also deleted tax data, which “they had accessed illegally”. Their mobile phones were sent for forensic analysis to enable the investigators to extract data obtained by the suspects, according to the prosecution.

On November 27, the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public relations (ISPr) rubbished nefarious campaign launched against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General

Qamar Javed Bajwa and his family related to their tax records.

In a statement, the ISPr said that the reports were “totally untrue and based on blatant lies”.

“Misleading data regarding the assets of army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and his family have been shared on social media. These misleading figures are exaggerated and based on assumption,” the ISPr said.

The military’s media wing said that a

APHC-AJK remembers Quaid-e-Azam on his birth anniversary

ISLAMABAD ageNCieS

All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter, paying rich tributes to the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on his birth anniversary.

APHC-AJK chapter Convener Mehmood Ahmad Saghar, General Secretary Sheikh Abdul Mateen and Information Secretary Imtiaz Wani in a joint statement issued in Islamabad said that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had declared Kashmir as Pakistan’s jugular vein and said that Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir.

sibbi-harnai railway track to be completed by end of next month

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan railways is likely to complete reconstruction and rehabilitation work on the strategic Sibbi-Harnai railway track by the end of January 2023 with the help of the National Logistics Cell (NLC). “The railway track was made dysfunctional after a series of bomb blasts damaged as many as 22 steel bridges in the highly rugged and inaccessible area,” sources in the Ministry of railways told APP. They said the track was badly damaged in 2006 and so far about 95 percent of the reconstruction work of the project was completed and the remaining would be completed soon. The sources said that Minister for railways Khawaja Saad rafique had also taken a keen interest in the projects and directed the concerned official to complete the project at the earliest. They said 10 railways stations were rendered dysfunctional for lack of proper maintenance over a long period of time. In March 2016, they said that a contract for rehabilitation and restoration of the Sibbi-Harnai railway track along with the up-gradation of railway stations was awarded to the NLC as no other construction firm agreed to undertake the project due to the prevalent security situation and enormity of the task. During the initial survey of the track, they said it was found that 22 steel bridges of different sizes were completely destroyed and required replacement. They said in addition, massive river protection work was to be undertaken to save the infrastructure. The quantum of work, nonavailability of road access, and requisite resources made the project a formidable challenge. The sources said undertaking the project with the sincerity of purpose and utmost sense of duty, NLC officers, engineers, and construction workers faced harsh weather conditions and a hostile security environment, and subsequently completed 95% of the rehabilitation works in record time.

They said that the Quaid-e-Azam was a historymaking personality who fought for a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent and succeeded in his mission.

The APHC-AJK leaders said that Pakistan came into existence on the basis of the Two-Nation Theory and this theory also provides the basis for the freedom movement of Kashmiris. They added that time had proved that Quaid-e-Azam was right and due to his tireless struggle the Muslims of the subcontinent achieved a separate homeland in the form of Pakistan.

They deplored that the minorities in India, especially the Muslims, are insecure and India has been discriminating against the Muslims and other minori-

ties not only in occupied Kashmir but also in other Indian states from day one.

They said Kashmir’s freedom movement is a continuation of Pakistan’s movement and Jammu and Kashmir is an incomplete agenda of partition. He said that the hearts of the Kashmiris and Pakistanis beat in unison and ‘Kashmir will become a part of Pakistan” is the voice of every Kashmiri and Pakistan has always supported the struggle of Kashmiris.

The APHC-AJK leaders urged the international community to play its role in resolving the Kashmir dispute according to the will of the Kashmiri people and the resolutions of the United Nations so that lasting peace could be established in South Asia.

Comprising six broad themes, PIDE unveils crucial ‘charter of economy’

PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), being the nation’s premier think-tank, amid continuous calls for the ‘Charter of Economy’ by different segments of society as well as political leadership, has presented its “Charter of Economy.”

Former Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, renowned Economist, and Vice Chancellor of PIDE, Dr Nadeemul Haque in a press statement issued here on Sunday stated that the country’s economic indicators over the course of its entire history have fluctuated widely without a clear and sustainable growth trajectory. Despite experiencing extreme economic and political experimentation, the country fails to get on the road to development. All thanks to the myopic approach, he added.

He said that the focus, thus, has to be long-term, as short-term quick fixes have not worked, and it must start from somewhere. The only way out of the economic turmoil that Pakistan has been stuck in has to be sustained and accelerated growth. How to achieve it? Not without a complete reset of the fundamentals of governance systems and markets. “In this context, a political consensus in Pakistan is critical because

implementing any new rules of the game in letter and spirit seems highly unlikely without a broad-based political consensus. First and foremost, the prerequisite must be policy consistency for at least the next 15 years. Once there is a political consensus, there should be no off-tracking from the set direction, whatever the case may be ” VC PIDE added.

Dr Nadeemul Haque further said that through this document, PIDE brings to the spotlight the real issues that matter, hitting right at the core in an attempt to set the fundamentals right. The Charter has been divided into six broad themes that include: Governance for the 21st Century, Sludge and Deregulation, Economic Policy Focus, Developing Markets, 3Ts (Trade, Tariff, and Taxation) and Modernization. He said that the PIDE views political uncertainty as the root cause of Pakistan’s economic problems. It is evident that policy inconsistency is due to rapid governmental changes and overlapping roles. The undefined jurisdiction of the arms of the state further magnifies the policy bottlenecks. Hence, it is essential to make amends to the political setup for better system efficiency and smooth economic performance. So, the Charter calls for empowered local governments and local police, new rules for the cabinet and parliament as well as electoral reforms.

Pakistani young generation to follow in Quaid-e-Azam’s footprints, hopes German CG

KARACHI Staff RepoRt

The Consul General of Germany to Karachi Dr. rudiger Lotz paid tremendous tributes to Pakistan’s father of the nation on his 146th birthday anniversary. He said, ‘Today, we are celebrating the birthday of founder of Pakistan Qauid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.’

The Consul General hoped that the young genera-

tion would follow footprints of their Quaid. Dr. rudiger Lotz also wished Christmas to Christian community of Pakistan. He said that the year of 2022 was not an easy one and faced Covid-19. The German Consul General said that Pakistan also dealt with flash floods in 2022. He said that the war between russia and Ukraine continued in the same year. He hoped that the world would advance with happiness in 2023.

certain group has “cleverly and dishonestly” attributed the assets of General Bajwa’s daughter-in-law’s father and family to the army chief and his family.

The Federal Board revenue (FBr) on Saturday included three more income tax officers in the investigation of leaked tax record details of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and his family.

Sources said that FBr will carry out an investigation from the chief commissioner, commissioner and additional commissioner in connection with the leaked tax record details of Gen Bajwa and his family.

The leaked tax details were downloaded from the deputy commissioner Lahore’s login and then pictures were captured from the deputy commissioner’s computer, sources said.

President, sindh Cm, his cabinet members pay tribute to Quaid

KARACHI Staff RepoRt

President Dr Arif Alvi, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and his cabinet members on visited the mausoleum of the father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, and paid rich tributes to him on his 146th birthday anniversary. On the occasion, the President laid a floral wreath and offered fateha. The president also prayed for the development and prosperity of the country. He, later, inked his impressions in the book of visitors. While talking to media persons, he said the nation should follow the guiding principles of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah for the development of the country. He said that the Quaid was well aware of the misbehavour and maltreatment meted out to minorities, including Muslims in the subcontinent. Dr Alvi said the poet of the east, Allama Iqbal, dreamt of Pakistan and Quaid-e-Azam struggled for its real existence. The President said that the dream came true through the struggle of the father of the nation. He said, ‘We have to pursue Quaid’s guiding principles for the development of the country.’ He advised the nation to follow Quaid’s principles of unity, faith, and discipline. He said that their real destination was to develop the nation as per Quaid’s vision.

sindH cm along witH cabinet membeRs visits mazaR-e-Quaid: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Sunday that on the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s 146th birth anniversary, we should reaffirm our commitment to steer the country out of different crises by forging unity and discipline so that the country he founded could flourish. This hesaid while talking to the media at Mazar-e-Quaid that he visited along with his cabinet members to pay tribute to the father of the nation on the occasion of his 146th birth anniversary. Mr Shah said that the nation needed unity to face all the challenges, including the financial and reemerging wave of terrorism, so this beloved country that Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah founded with his untiring efforts, visions, and sagacity could attain new vistas of development and prosperity. He said that a new wave of terrorism had started emerging. The incident of Banu and Islamabad are condemnable, the nation would nip in the bud all the nefarious designs of the enemies of this country, he said. Shah said that on this day we must remember the sacrifices and struggles of the people of Kashmir for their just cause. He added that the people of Pakistan were with the oppressed people of Kashmir. The CM also recalled the problems of the people affected by the devastating floods.

Terrorist killed, Captain among five soldiers martyred in Balochistan IED blast, IBO: ISPR

COnTInuED fROM PAgE 01

In a media talk, Balochistan Health Department media coordinator Dr Waseem Baig later confirmed talk that four people had sustained injuries in the incident. According t health department sources, condition of one of the injured persons is critical.

Later in the day, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abdul Haq Umrani said that a policeman was injured after a grenade attack on a police check-post in the Chalo Bawari area of Quetta’s Satellite Town.

He said the police had cordoned off the area and initiated an investigation.

Dr Baig said that at least eight people were injured in the Satellite Town blast. Hub, KHuzdaR, tuRbat blasts: Meanwhile, Lasbela SSP Dostain Dashti told

Dawn.com that three people were injured from a grenade blast in front of Saddar police station in Hub. He said the injured were moved to Hub Civil Hospital while a bomb disposal squad was called and a search operation was initiated in the area.

Separately, Khuzdar SSP Fahad Khosa said a police mobile was targeted in a grenade attack in Khuzdar district’s Jilani Chowk but no one was injured, adding that the vehicle and nearby shops were damaged in the attack. Khosa said the area was surrounded and a search operation was underway.

In the fifth grenade blast of the day, Kech SSP Mohammad Baloch said the incident occurred in Taleemi Chowk in Kech District’s Turbat.

He added that there were no injuries and the police were investigating the incident.

No one has claimed responsibility for the five attacks so far.

In view of the rising subversive incidents across the country and recent suicide blast, the Islamabad police put security on high alert in the federal capital.

The Islamabad Capital Territory police tightened security at the entry and exit points of the federal capital to check the situation. The police officials instructed the citizens of Islamabad to keep important documents with them including computerised national identity cards (CNICs) besides appealing to the residents to corporate with the on-duty cops during checking process in the red Zone and other areas.

condemnations: CM Bizenjo condemned the Sabzal road incident and directed the provincial police chief to make security

arrangements in the city more effective.

In his statement, CM Bizenjo also directed police to continue intelligence-based operations against terrorists and “leave no stone unturned in taking the enemies of peace to task”.

He further instructed that the best medical facilities be provided to the injured.

Balochistan Minister for Home Affairs Mir Ziaullah Langove also strongly condemned the incident and summoned a report from the authorities concerned.

“The security of entry and exit routes should be tightened,” he ordered.

Later, Langove ordered that the best medical facilities be immediately provided to those injured in the Satellite Town blast and relief operations be sped up at the site.

“No religion in the world permits to at-

tack innocent people. Targeting innocent people is against humanity and religion,” the provincial interior minister said.

Today’s incidents were reported as Pakistan continues to face the growing threat of terrorism, including incidents involving elements and groups said to be operating from Afghanistan since the militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan called off its ceasefire with the government in late November.

In light of the increase in terror incidents, CM Bizenjo presided over a highlevel meeting on Saturday to review the law and order situation in the province.

It was decided during the meeting that strong measures would be taken to curb terrorism and security agencies were directed to keep a vigilant eye on the activities of the banned organisations.

ChRIStMAS CelebRAted wIth gReAt zeAl And enthuSIASM

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

CHRISTIANcommunity across Pakistan, like other parts of the world, celebrated the grand festival of Christmas on Sunday showing traditional zeal and enthusiasm.

The festival was marked by the Christian community through arranging different activities including official gatherings, cake-cutting ceremonies, illuminating houses and observing prayers in Churches.

Special cake-cutting ceremonies were arranged at different ministries and departments on Friday which was the working day to share the happiness of the festival with the Christian staff members and acknowledge their contributions.

Special services were held in Churches across the country and prayers were offered for peace, progress and prosperity of Pakistan as well as for the safety of all humanity from natural disasters and diseases.

The main attractions of the Christmas festival included the traditions like decorating the Christmas Tree, the arrival of Santa Clause, offering prayers in churches, singing carols and distributing Christmas gifts which added charm to

the festivity.

The main ritual of the Christmas celebration is the decoration of the Christmas tree to welcome the arrival of Santa Claus also known as Father Christmas.

The Christmas tree is usually decked with different ornaments including baubles, small bells painted gold or silver, stars of different shapes and sizes, pine cones, apples, candies, tinsel and balloons made from glass, metal, wood and ceramic. An angel and star is often

placed at the top of the tree representing the host of angels.

To mark Christmas festival, the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) arranged special programs on Friday at Pakistan National Heritage Museum to mark Christmas in collaboration with UP Church and Saint Thomas Church Islamabad.

The activities included a cake-cutting ceremony, the congregation of the Christian community, the Erection of the

Christmas tree, the exhibition of artisans-at-work, the distribution of sweets among children by Santa Claus, Christmas songs, folk songs and dances.

Islamabad Traffic Police (Traffic Wing) on Friday arranged a ceremony in connection with Christmas and distributed gifts among these employees.

A magnificent event was arranged here at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) to show solidarity with the University’s Christian employees which was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood.

It has been observed that a number of shopping malls, offices and hotels in the capital have placed decked Christmas trees to attract visitors, especially children while the Christian community has also set up different bazaars at their nearest places offering a variety of stuff related to the festival.

It is pertinent to mention here that Islamabad Police ensured comprehensive security arrangements on the eve of Christmas and special deployment at Churches and public places.

According to the police source, more than 1500 policemen were deployed around churches in Islamabad and foolproof security arrangements were planned for Christmas and special checking outside the churches.

Alvi calls for more development projects in Balochistan

MonitoRing RepoRt

AJK PM directs more trees plantation to reduce negative impact of climate change

MIRPUR Staff RepoRt

To reduce negative repercussions of climate change in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the AJK government on Sunday directed the agricultural department to focus on the plantation of fruit and flower plants in the state. During the tree plantation campaign, this year 200,000 pomegranate saplings; 100,000 saplings of apple, walnut, olive and mango; 50,000 cherry and 30,000 pear, potato and apricot trees would be planted in different areas of the state.

Meanwhile, AJK Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas directed the secretary agriculture to cultivate saffron on twenty five thousand kanals of land of Azad Kashmir. The AJK PM also stressed the need for planting roses and other flowering plants on 300 acres of land so that the flowering plants can also be used for commercial purposes.

Terming trees as one of the precious gifts of nature, he appealed to the masses to plant more trees to protect the future generations from intensifying pollution and climate change.

He said that due to global warming, the temperature of the planet was increasing dangerously. The increasing temperature around the world, he said, posed a serious threats to human life.

President Arif Alvi has stressed the need to start more development projects in Balochistan by prioritising investment in human resource development for the prosperity of the local people, his office said.

The media wing of the president’s office told Xinhua that Alvi held a meeting with a delegation from Balochistan and called for enhancing engagement with the

people of Balochistan at the grassroots level and pushing economic growth by benefitting from the marine and land-based natural resources of the province. The president said that Balochistan is a mineral-rich province and its natural resources can be fully developed by benchmarking the best global practices, discouraging corruption and corrupt practices, and utilising local human resources optimally with definite goals.

The president also urged the

national and provincial political leadership to develop strong relationships with the people of the province through increased interactions and confidence building.

Alvi added that political stability, policy consistency, combatting corruption, strengthening institutional framework and focusing on skill development could lead the province towards rapid progress, development, and financial and socio-economic stability.

‘Incompetents’ trying to disqualify the only competent leader, says Sh Rasheed

RAWALPINDI Staff RepoRt

Criticising the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, the chief of the Awami Muslim League (AML) party, said the “gang of incompetents” had conspired to disqualify the only “competent” leader of Pakistan but their plan won’t succeed.

In a statement shared on Twitter, he said Imran Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), enjoys the love and support of the people, and, on the other hand, the coalition has nothing but ignominy.

He also targeted the foreign minister, saying that Bilawal Bhutto whose party had boycotted the National Assembly session on Financial Action Task Force (FATF) claimed credit after Pakistan was removed from its grey list that warrants increased surveillance for terrorism financing.

Pakistan was listed in June 2018 because of “strategic counter-terrorist financing-related deficiencies”. With its removal from the list, Pakistan would essentially receive a reputational boost and get a clean bill of health from the international community on terrorist financing.

It would also improve sentiment, important from a foreign direct investment perspective.

In his tweet, Ahmad also spoke about the condition imposed by the court on the restoration of Parvez Elahi as the chief minister of Punjab. He said the case was related to the de-notification of the provincial chief executive by the governor and it had no link to the dissolution of the parliament.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) had asked Elahi to submit a written statement affirming that he would not dissolve the assembly and that only then the court will restore him to the position, which he did.

“When no respect is left of public opinion, it becomes dictatorship, not democracy,” added the former interior minister.

15 fresh Covid-19 cases reported in 24 hours: NIH

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Health officials on Sunday said that 15 new Coronavirus cases were reported during the last 24 hours across the country.

As per data shared by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the case positivity ratio is 0.40 percent while 16 patients were in critical condition.

No death was reported from the Covid-19 in the last 24 hours while 3,749 tests were conducted. Around 406 tests were conducted in Islamabad, 107 in Faisalabad, 920 in Lahore, and 321 in Peshawar.

As many as four confirmed cases with a 0.99% case positivity ratio were reported from Islamabad, one case with a 0.93% case positivity ratio was reported from Faisalabad, two cases with a 0.65% case positivity ratio from Lahore,

and two cases with a 0.62% ratio from Peshawar were reported.

Meanwhile, Minister for National Health Services Abdul Qadir Patel appreciated the efforts of all stakeholders, healthcare staff, vaccination teams, and administration working across Pakistan despite multiple challenges.

He advised all provinces and regions to administer booster doses to further improve protection against COVID-19 transmission.

He said that in view of the global pandemic situation, the Central Health Establishment (CHE) will be strengthened to enhance its functionality.

The minister emphasized the importance of precautions, including social distancing and mask-wearing, especially in crowded places. He also highlighted the need to strictly follow the guidelines for the management of markets.

8,140 policemen to guard 15th death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto on 27th

LARKANA Staff RepoRt

As many as 8,140 police officers and jawans will be deployed for the security of the 15th death anniversary of slain PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto to be observed on 27 December 2022 at Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto near Larkana. This was informed by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Muhammad Imran Khan while presiding over a meeting at his office on Sunday. The meeting finalized the foolproof security and traffic arrangements for the anniversary.

He said that tight security arrangements had been made the death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto. The police commandos and Rangers will also extend help in this regard.

The SSP said that patrolling in and around Garhi Khuda Bux and Naundero had been intensified where police pickets had been established along routes leading to Garhi Khuda Bux where the event will be held.

He said intense checking would be ensured through modern equipment, walkthrough gates, and watch towers while Naundero town and Bhutto mausoleum would be monitored through CCTV cameras

and other latest instruments.

The caravans, hotels, bus stands, railway stations, and guest houses will also be checked. The parking facilities had also been provided where 750 traffic cops would discharge their duties to ensure smooth flow of vehicles, he added. He said Special Control Room had also been established which would monitor all the security matters.

Meanwhile, all the cops will reside in government schools and to perform their official duties. Traffic will be controlled by Karachi’s traffic cops who have also brought their equipment as per routine.

ISLAMABAD

‘Unholy’ allianCe oF PDM will Fall aPaRT soon: QUReshi

MULTAN Staff RepoRt

FORMERforeign minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ViceChairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi Sunday predicted that the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance 13 parties – will be fell apart soon, saying the chaotic politics the alliance was doing would lead it towards its “logical destination.”

“Those who want to break PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) alliance will be divided soon,” Shah Mehmood Qureshi declared while addressing the PTI workers during a rally in Multan on Sunday. Qureshi said that the popularity of PTI increased after the regime change. While

pointing towards PDM, he added, he said that the PDM is doing chaotic politics in the country which only led their alliance towards its final destination. Criticizing the current government, the PTI stalwart said the current rulers drowned the country’s economy.

While addressing the party workers, the former FM stated that the current rulers had no concern about the country or the nation, they just want to extend their tenure.

PTI provided relief to the nation in the hard times over the coronavirus outbreak. The PTI vice chairman in his address expressed concern over the price hike and said inflation reached its peak within seven months, foreign investors had also expressed distrust in the government and halted investments, meanwhile, the industries are also shutting down.

He further added that the country is cur-

Uplift in KP’s southern districts to resume after PM visit to Dera: Fazl

DI KHAN Staff RepoRt

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday vowed that the development process would be resumed in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the expected visit of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to Dera Ismail Khan on Monday. He stated this during a special meeting of District ‘Majlis-e-Amla’ held here in a local hotel to discuss various aspects of the expected visit of the prime minister to DI Khan. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Communications Mufti Asad Mahmood, Senior Deputy Amir Maulana Obaidur Rehman, Engineer Ziaur Rehman and the Party’s Tehsil Nazims and Ameers. Fazl said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif would announce mega projects for DI Khan, Tank and Lakki Marwat districts including Yarik to Saggu CPEC project. He opined that after the visit of the prime minister, the process of development and prosperity in these districts would be resumed which was stopped for the last nine years. The mega projects announced by the premier would be remedy of the deprivations among the people of these areas.He also hinted that the JUI-F would hold a big public gathering in Dera soon and demonstrate a power show.

14 dead, 895 injured in 892 RTCs across Punjab

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

At least fourteen persons were killed and 895 injured in 892 Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) in all 37 districts of Punjab during the last 24 hours. Out of this 512 people were seriously injured who were shifted to different hospitals. Whereas, 383 minor injured victims were treated on the incident site by Rescue Medical Teams. Further, the analysis showed that 443 drivers, 28 underage drivers,115 pedestrians, and 351 passengers were among the victims of these road traffic crashes. The statistics showed that 214 RTCs were reported in Lahore which affected 212 persons placing the provincial capital at top of the list followed by 74 in Faisalabad with 70 victims and at third Multan with 58 RTCs and 60victims. According to the data 712 motorbikes,74 auto-rickshaws, 119 motorcars, 25 vans, 3 passenger buses, 28 trucks and 82 other types of auto vehicles and slow-moving carts were involved in these road traffic accidents.

rently facing a severe economic crisis, the political instability is making it worst, and fresh elections are the only solution to get the country out of the crisis.

Earlier in the day, the PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan said that the vote of confidence will be held before January 11 while general elections are likely to be held in April.

While talking to senior journalists, Imran Khan said that he is not in contact with the establishment. He predicted that general elections are going to be held in April. “When two assemblies are dissolved then they are bound to hold general elections. We still don’t care if elections are postponed even after the dissolution of the assemblies.”

Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry reiterated that Punjab Chief Minister (CM)

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would seek a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly.

Talking to journalists in Lahore, the PTI leader announced that CM Pervaiz Elahi would seek a vote of confidence from the Punjab Assembly, noting that they have support of almost 187 members.

“Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi is ready to dissolve the Punjab Assembly,” Fawad Chaudhry claimed, adding that they were ready to contest election in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Lambasting the federal government over ‘failed economic policies’, he pointed out that the country was witnessing growth by 6 percent during PTI’s tenure. “The incumbent government has destroyed the economy”, he said, adding that they have disappointed the people of Pakistan.

Pakistan team reaches Huawei ICT Competition Global Finals

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan team, after securing second position in the Huawei Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Regional Competition 2022 held in Muscat, Oman, would flex its muscles in the Global Finals to be held in Shanghai, China next year.

Vice President of Huawei Middle East and Central Asia Shunli Wang, in an exclusive interview with APP, informed that the Pakistan team had consecutively been winning the Middle East Competition for the last three years. He was optimistic that the Pakistan team could win the Global Finals.

Appreciating the Pakistan team’s performance, he said there was a huge ICT talent in Pakistan as 12,000 stu-

dents from 135 universities appeared in the test while from the rest of the regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordon, Lebanon, and Kazakhstan, only 7,300 students attempted the test this year.

He said that there was a good sense and knowledge of ICT in the Pakistani students that’s why they were gradually excelling in the rising technology industry with confidence around the globe.

Shunli Wang said, “Huawei is committed to supporting and nurturing young ICT talent in the region. Through this mega event, Huawei aims to empower the youth to advance their ICT skills, hence contribute to the talent ecosystem, and support accelerating digital economies.”

He said that we believed in the power of open collaboration with our partners in the public and private sectors, alongside academia to nurture the skills of the young ICT talents and encourage them to participate in achieving the national goals and visions of their respective countries.

Two teams from Pakistan participated in the ICT Regional Finals and Team One comprising Team Lead Muhammad Faeez Ali and Asad Anwar Arain from Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro, and Maryam Fareed from Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) under theTeam Instructor Faheem Yar Khan Khuhawar got the second position.

Team Two, comprising Team Lead Umar Raza from FAST National Univer-

sity, Eman Yaqoob from LCWU and Fatima Shafique from MUET, Jamshoro under Team Instructor Zeeshan Iqbal could not get any position in the contest.

Expressing gratitude to Huawei Pakistan, Team Lead Faeez said he had no idea that he would be given such a massive platform to demonstrate his abilities and further necessary training to polish his skills in the ICT sector.

It is worth mentioning here that the Jordan Team comprising students won the first prize of $20,000.

Alongside Pakistan, Iraq Team One comprising Sadeem Moulood from Ninevah University, Mohammed Shakr from Salahaddin University, and Mohammed Hussein from the University of Anbar clinched the second position.

The third prize went to the United Arab Emirates Team.

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday urged children to gain knowledge, focus on their character development, uphold morality and truth, and act upon Quaide-Azam’s principles of “Unity, Faith, and Discipline” to make Pakistan a strong and prosperous nation.

The President expressed these views while addressing an event titled “Quaid aur Bachay”, in connection with the celebration of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s 146th birth anniversary, at Aiwan-e-Sadr here.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, children from various schools of Islamabad, parents, teachers, and media persons attended the event.

Addressing the ceremony, the President said that freedom was not easy to achieve or maintain, and children and the youth of the country should play their role to protect this freedom while maintaining unity, faith, and discipline in their ranks and striving to make this country a great nation with dedication, commitment, and selfless effort.

He said that Pakistan was destined to become a great nation and to achieve this, people should act upon the golden principles laid down by our Founding Father, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, for

making this country strong and prosperous and focusing on education and proper upbringing of our children and future generations.

The President said that although the country was facing economic difficulties, we can progress by taking the right decisions at the right time and re-modelling our lives on the cherished moral and ethical values of Islam, sayings and the principles laid down by the Quaid, and working with unity and devotion.

The President quoted various incidents from the life of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah which reflected his love for children. He said that Quaid-eAzam used to reply to letters written by children to him, adding that children too played their role in Pakistan Movement and set examples by sending donations to Quaid-e-Azam for the Muslim League from their pocket money.

The President also referred to various sayings of the Quaid for youth and children. He quoted Quaid’s saying, “My young friends, I look forward to you as the real makers of Pakistan, do not be exploited and do not be misled. Create amongst yourselves complete unity and solidarity. Set an example of what youth can do. Your main occupation should be in fairness to yourself, to your parents, in fairness to the State, to devote your attention to your studies. If you fritter away your energies now, you will always regret.”

Chilly weather compels low-income groups to visit flea markets

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The cold wave gripping twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad like other cities across the country has compelled most of the people belonging to the low-income groups to visit flea markets for purchasing warm clothes to keep them cozy and prevent from harsh weather effects on health.

However, this year, the price of the second-hand clothes, once considered as the most sold item at the beginning of the Winter season, has become out of reach for the buyers due to the prevailing price hike situation.

The increasing prices of each and every commodity has burdened the masses especially those belonging to the lower middle class who are unable to manage their daily household expenditures what to talk about spending money on clothes and other accessories.

A huge rush of people can be seen at the flea markets in the twin cities purchasing warm clothes, woollies, caps, socks, jackets and hoodies for their children to save them from chilly weather affects.

For Ali Mehmood, a buyer at flea market in Rawalpindi who has four children, “The second-hand

clothes, which we use to buy during every winter season for our children are now being sold on very high prices in flea markets and becoming out of our purchase range”.

“Buying only few clothes has spoiled my whole month budget what to talk about the needs of those who are extremely poor”, he said.

Talking to APP, he said the clothes in flea markets were once considered as affordable for the people even belonging to the poor class but now the exorbitant rates of clothes in these bazaars have caused a sense of frustration among them.

Aliya Akbar, another buyer who bought some woollies from the push cart selling second hand imported clothes said, “During the prevailing price hike situation, it is hard to manage buying clothes of my three-children when only one person in the house is earning”.

The online shopping websites selling the leftovers and imported clothes are also exploiting the customers by charging extra money, she said.

Nasir Khan, a father of four children said, “Flea markets through providing variety of imported clothes on economical prices is a great source of protecting the dignity of white-collar strata in a society where wearing a good dress means a lot to get respect from others.

He said, “I always buy clothes from these markets for my children but surging prices have reduced the overall purchasing capacity of the buyers like me”.

Nadeem Ali, a second hand and leftover retailer said the prices of second-hand winter stuff as well leftovers have also registered a significant increase due to the various factors.

“If we sell this stuff on the reduced rates, it will inflict loss to us. We are already taking a minimum profit on selling these products despite price hike situation in the country which has affected our business too, he said.

Dense fog to persist in plains of country: PMD

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has advised travelers to remain cautious in wake of dense foggy conditions engulfing plain areas of the country in the coming days. The PMD indicated that dense foggy conditions would affect transportation means and air quality, “The travelers are advised to remain cautious to avoid any untoward situation. Air quality may be unhealthy for sensitive groups”, the met office said.

About the weather conditions, the met office revealed that very cold weather conditions in Murree, Galiyat, Gilgit Baltistan, Kashmir, North Balochistan and parts of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Due to persistent dry weather, dense foggy conditions are likely to continue in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Peshawar, Rashakai, Mardan, Charsadda, Swabi, Nowshera and Dera Ismail Khan, Punjab including Jhelum, Lahore, Gujranwala, Narowal, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Jhang, Sargodha, Mianwali, Toba Tek Singh, Okara, Sahiwal, Bhakkar, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Multan, Rahimyar Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan and Sindh including Sukkur, Larkana, Hyderabad, Mohenjo-Daro and surrounding areas particularly from (2000 hrs PST to 1200 hrs PST).

Pakistan Meteorological department on Sunday predicted cold and dry weather in most parts of the Sindh province including Karachi during the next 24 hours. However, dense fog is predicted for Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mohenjo-Daro and their surrounding areas. Mainly, cold and dry weather is likely to prevail in the province.

On Quaid’s birth anniversary, President urges children to focus on knowledge, character development

PCB changes again

PERHAPS the replacement of Ramiz Raja as PCB Chairman was only a matter of time. That Mr Raja lasted so long under the Shehbaz government is perhaps a little surprising, considering that this post is one of the prizes in the hands of the PM. Though Mr Raja’s predecessor, Mr Shehryar khan, did manage to put in place a constitution, and had been elected to the post, that constitution did allow the PM to replace him by Mr Raja. The previous Prime Minister, Mr Imran khan, was a distinguished excricketer, with firm views on the structure of domestic cricket. He was able to get his views heard, indeed implemented, though he had not taken part in cricket politics after retirement 20 years ago. That he could do so was because of his control over the PCB, which is unprecedented in any other Test-playing nation.

This control cannot be blamed on colonialism. The Test and County Cricket Board has guarded its independence, and does not have any concern with the government of the day. The last British PM known to be a cricket fan was John Major. Though he joined Pakistan’s nawaz Sharif and Australia’s Bob Hawke in a charity match at the 1991 Commonwealth Summit, he did not even try intervening in the ECB’s affairs. nor did Mr Hawke. Mr Sharif did play a relatively more active role in the PCB. This power goes back probably to the Ayub era, when the President as Patronin-chief got the right to appoint the BCCP (as it then was) President.

The present appointment is not being questioned. As Mr Sethi showed in his previous tenure, he can do the job as well as the next man. However, the path to the Chairman’s position should not run through the PMO. That means that anyone interested in the job must gain access to the PM. It is not just in cricket, but in other sports, there is a need for creator independence of the government. The argument that the government gives taxpayers’ money to the sports bodies does not apply to cricket, because of all the TV money flowing there. The best practices of other countries must be observed, and followed. However, if the change is not to be cosmetic, the Prime Minister must let go. Mian Shehbaz was not as much of a cricketer as nawaz, but he can leave a greater mark on the game by giving up his absolute power over the PCB.

Commitment to serve people

A wide range of psychiatric problems which were generally being reported in both urban and rural areas of the country due to varying reasons and factors, were depression, substance abuse and excessive alcohol use, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and post -traumatic stress disorder. According to another available estimate, the pretty high ratio of 36 percent of people in the country were suffering from anxiety and depression what was generally caused by. strained family and friendship relations, feelings of somehow being unfit in the society, the continuous unstable economic and political situations in the country which were adversely contributing to the increasing ratio of unemployment and poverty.

Bipolar disorder is a mental health problem which causes extreme, unusual and unexpected shifts in mood, energy and activity levels of the sufferers.

PAkISTAn’S population continues to grow rapidly in an unabated manner outpacing the national as well as families’ resources, particularly of the people in middle and lower segments of society. Prevailing continuously increasing prices of essential daily-use articles are not only making people’s lives difficult but also causing many health problems.

An Increasing number of people including women and children are suffering from mental health disorders and psychological problems. The country’s population has already crossed the figure of 220 million but, quite unfortunately, has the poorest mental health indicators as the existing number of psychologists and psychiatrists are very much on the low side This acute paucity of mental health professionals are causing a big gap among the mentally sick people and the health specialists availability for their treatment.

Psychological problems in the country were somehow pretty widespread. There was no accurate data available from either official sources or private organizations. However, according to a rough estimate around 50 million of all ages and genders were suffering from mental disorders.

While it was socially acceptable to go to the health professionals for some physical problem, seeking help for psychological disorders was somehow rather problematic in the country. By and large, the families, irrespective of their social status, often hide mental illness cases so as to save the suffering patients from adverse stereotyping.

As briefly stated above, there is an acute shortage of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists in Pakistan. However, it was good to note that people, particularly young women, were now opting for studying and specialising in clinical psychology for treating their fellow countrymen of all ages and genders suffering from psychological and psychiatric problems and issues.

One such young woman was Zunaira Qayyum khan who hailed from Gujranwala and was currently busy completing her higher studies in Clinical Psychology in the University of Lahore for accomplishing her childhood dream of becoming a well-known figure in the medical profession as a qualified clinical psychologist in the country. One of her maternal aunts was somehow abnormal. As a child she used to look after her and this only further strengthened her desire to become a clinical psychologist.

It was generally said and believed that if a doctor just listened attentively to his patient, almost half of his or her ailments were gone before taking any formal medication. Both psychologists and psychiatrists,

There is an acute shortage of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists in Pakistan. However, it was good to note that people, particularly young women, were now opting for studying and specialising in clinical psychology for treating their fellow countrymen of all ages and genders suffering from psychological and psychiatric problems and issues

as a matter of fact, were trained to identify mental disorders, problems and issues. A psychologist may help the patients in addressing symptoms through therapy whereas a psychiatrist prescribes medication to treat such a patient.

Claiming herself to be a good listener, which somehow is a rare quality among the medical professionals, Zunaira Qayyum khan said that she really wanted to alleviate her countrymen’s sorrows and spend her time in serving the people of Pakistan, and every day she was praying to the Almighty to grant her courage to become a better person and a successful clinical psychologist for the people who were suffering from any illness, and she will spend all her life working for better health of kids and adults suffering from one or the other mental health problems. She said that she would be telling all the people, irrespective of sex and age, who come to her, to remember that no matter how difficult life is, there is always hope and there is always help.

She already has to her credit working with the adult patients at the Punjab Institute e of Mental Health and with autistic children at an international institute in Gulberg in Lahore. .

She emphatically stated that her mission in life was not money but to make the people feel better and that people who were having some sort of great stress in life should come to her and she would help them overcome their problems.

Reiterating her dedication and commitment to serve the people as a clinical psychologist, Zunaira Qayyum khan concluded by saying, “ It has always been my dream to help people who are having issues with the stress of life. Everyone has problems. My message is simple: please help the people. Talk with people who look sad,lonely or depressed. Talking with kindness costs nothing. If we want a secure and healthy societY, then we must develop a sense of caring for one another”.

Please join this scribe in praying for the success and achieving her life long dream of becoming a successful clinical psychologist for Zunaira Qayyyum khan and other young men and women who have similar good ideas, thinkings and commitment of serving the people selflessly, dedicatedly with determination and goodness at heart.

The writer can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com

Online defamation: Cyber laws and the dark side of social media

on behalf of genuine victims of harassment and other types of violence, whose voices would not otherwise be heard. The #MeToo movement has gained popularity because it brings attention to the prevalence of harassment and provides previously quiet victims a voice. While many of the claims are true, some are unfortunately false. Most of them do not take any legal recourse that challenges the credibility of allegations. Victim playing, on the other hand, is increasingly being used online to threaten, harass, and blackmail a victim for ulteriormotives through social media.

The world saw a popular defamation case of the famous Hollywood actor; Johnny Depp VS Amber Heard, and strikingly both the jury and the loudest voices on the internet overwhelmingly sided with Depp when he was wrongly accused by his ex-wife. When individuals spread false information on social media, they undermine the cause of genuine victims while needlessly endangering the lives of innocent people which is wrong.

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”

This famous quote by George Bernard Shaw throws me into some serious thinking, but all I can say is that it is more right than wrong. False knowledge is truly harmful and dangerous for society.

Particularly on social media in these recent years, there has been a dangerous trend of false information and fake news being spread across various platforms. The false information may even include false accusations of harassment, abuse, character defamation, and other sorts of dangerous allegations.

There are hundreds of cases each year in Pakistan

I believe it is crucial to provide a voice to individuals who are silenced on the internet and social media, whether they are those who have been wrongfully accused or are the victims of crimes. While I strongly support the idea of defending the right to freedom of expression in Pakistan, however, it’s alsocrucial to combat the spread of false accusations that damage people’s reputations, dismantle families and institutions, and even inspire violence and hate.

By using the internet, anyone can start a defamation campaign against an innocent individual. The results can be disastrous when this “cancerous evil” is coupled with a social media platform that has millions of daily users. Reputations may be destroyed in an instant when there is an endless audience.

Even though most social mediausers and influencers have the power to harm others irreparably with

Our honourable courts and the law ought to take more aggressive steps to provide defamation victims with protection as well. Courts may also be considering extending the standard definition of defamation by holding defendants/accused persons accountable for both their offensive messages and the remarks made by other users on their social media threads

natural person is invoked. This section makes “exhibition or display or transmission of any information” which “harms the reputation or privacy of a natural person” (online

I had the opportunity to win an online defamation case recently before the Cyber Crime Court; Samama randhawa VS aisha Hussain and others that took four years in legal battle considering the slow proceeding system. The facts involved a girl spreading false information, hatred, and serious allegations against my client on different Facebook groups and social media accounts through her own and her mother’s social media accounts. She later on confessed to making these false accusations due to ulterior motives and publicly apologized after four years to my client.

Unfortunately, our society has a gender bias against men where they are always perceived to be the wrongdoers, however, this was one of the few cases in the history of Pakistan that proved how even men can be falsely accused and can be victim played. There is a gender bias as well in our society where only men are seen as offenders. Any gender bias is evil to society. Societies that value women and men as equal are safer and healthier Societies that value women and men as equal are safer and healthier. Gender equality is a human right. Everyone benefits from gender equality.

Our honourable courts and the law ought to take more aggressive steps to provide defamation victims with protection as well. Courts may also be considering extending the standard definition of defamation by holding defendants/accused persons accountable for both their offensive messages and the remarks made by other users on their social media threads.

The writer is an advocate of the High Court. He regularly appears before the FIa Cyber Crime Court. He can be reached at adamjbr@live.com

The recent change in the PCB Chairman reflects the

government’s control

a single click or touch, they are sometimes not aware of the consequences of endorsing and showing support for offensive postings. In these online defamation cases, Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) - offences against the dignity of a

defamation) an offence punishable with imprisonment for up to three years or more and/ or a fine of up to one million rupees.

adaM JaBBaR

MuhaMMad Zahid Rifat

Overcoming the mental health crisis means that exceptional people must come forward

Yousaf Nizami Editor

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

M. A. Niazi Joint Editor

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

‘Made-in-Pakistan Jihad’ and the TTP

of destroying an established state and its army; the only difference is that the target is Pakistan and the Pakistan Army instead of Afghanistan and its former Soviet state.

for Pakistan.

WHAT happened in Bannu CTD Centre has reaffirmed the skills and firepower of the Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP) that kept engaging Pakistani security forces for over 48 hours fighting inside the building. This incident reminds us of what happened in GHQ Rawalpindi on 10–11 October 2009. Operation Janbaz cleared the building but left a sense that nothing is secure in Pakistan. Since then the Pakistan Army had been trying to establish a sense of security among citizens and the TTP has been engaging Pakistan in an unending fight that is still going on.

Operation Zarb e Azb and Operation Raddul Fasad tried to defeat terrorism but it has never been defeated and the multi-headed serpent of terrorism is still alive. I fear that it will remain alive till Pakistan will keep engaging itself in Afghan issues and keep feeding Afghans.

I served in Afghanistan as a journalist during 1995-97 and then covered the so-called War On Terror from 2001 to2006. This field assignment helped me to understand the currents and undercurrents of the Afghan war and the Afghan mindset. I believe the TTP could not be formed and could not be in the swing if it did not have support from the Afghan Taliban but the majority of writers had been claiming and blaming TTP as just an Indian product. Yes, it got financial as well as technical support from Indian intelligence agencies but its survival within Afghanistan was within the active support and cordial relations with the Afghan Taliban. TTP foot soldiers had been helping the Afghan Taliban to defeat the Afghan Army in the past.

The Afghan problem is exceptionally complex; having multiple dimensions since 1979 and having been compromising the security of Pakistan. Some people claim the Afghan war is a big business for many in Pakistan and they cite allegations of selling Stinger missiles and the Ojhri Camp blast of April 1988,theknown involvement of powerful groups in the drug and weapon business, the benefits of the Afghan Transit Trade and the Commissionerate of Afghan Refugees for those who had always been in power in Pakistan. These above-mentioned factors since 1979 are diamond mines for those who understand why Afghanistan is important

The killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri in kabul in a US strike was enough to learn that the Afghan Taliban are still supporting terrorist outfits directly or indirectly or they are so weak that they cannot stop or purge terrorists using Afghan soil. We know the TTP leadership, including Mullah Fazlullah, had been living in kunar province of Afghanistan with the perceivable support of the Afghan Taliban even before they captured kabul. Everybody knows that Mullah Fazlullah was one of the biggest enemies of the Pakistan Army in the region but he had been living a comfortable life in the kunar province and had been using Afghanistan as a launching pad for attacking Pakistan. There is no doubt and circumstantial evidence that the Indian intelligence agency RAW invested in forming TTP that had safe havens under Afghan Taliban-controlled areas. This situation could be considered as a linkage between the Afghan Taliban and the Indian network, but it had never come under discussion in Pakistan.

We were told by the state institutions that the Red Army of the former USSR ran away from Afghanistan by leaving a huge cache of arms worth billions of dollars behind the Amu Darya. However, things were otherwise. Background talks with former military men of the former USSR suggest that the decaying Communist era decided in principle to leave almost all weapons within Afghanistan and ordered its soldiers just to carry one gun and vehicles to take them out from the land of blood and destruction— Afghanistan.

CHD in children

A local study among children living in a lower-middle class urban community of karachi indicated a rather high risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Though the findings of the study, having been conducted in one selected community of a city, cannot be generalised, there is still ground for being alert on this count.

Some important aspects need prompt attention because CHD-related morbidity and mortality are increasing. A large number of epidemiological studies have revealed that modifiable factors, like physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary habits, obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol, are significantly associated with the development of CHD. Prevention against, or modification of, these factors significantly prevent/delay the onset of CHD.

In Pakistan, the prevalence of these factors is substantially high among the adult population. Children also documented a higher prevalence of most of these factors compared to figures reported by the Pakistan Medical Research Council (PMRC). It is well-established that atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD), begins in early childhood and manifests clinically later in life. Pakistan, where about half of the country’s population comprises children and over one-third of people live below the poverty line, cannot afford the emerging costly and crippling diseases, like CHD. The best option is to take action while we still can both clinically and epidemiologically. This can be done through paying due attention to health promotion and primary prevention. In this regard, more comprehensive research and cost-effective interventions are required. Interventions related to lifestyle risk factors, if taken earlier in life, might control the epidemic of CHD later in life.

AHTISHAM SHAKOOR KARACHI

SNC and the cost of impatience

I think it is time we decided the medium of our education. Education, yes; a fundamental so far down the list of priorities that it is like an illegitimate child in a royal family, hush-hushed and strewn away in the far side of the house so that people will not know that it even exists.

If anyone is interested, just pick up the Economic Survey of Pakistan, which is a government document, and browse through the trends in education. These, though, are just crude and fudged numbers. Just pick up any publication in the last two, three decades; barely a handful of Pakistanis have been able to make a mark anywhere on the basis of academic excellence. The single national curriculum (SnC), like its predecessors, is a well-intentioned half-cooked scheme. The books churned out under the banner makes SnC looks like some Ponzi scheme meant to benefit a few at the cost of many. Two of my children are in the primary levels and I simply refuse to accept the future consequences they will bear just because somebody in some cosy rocking chair thought it would be a good idea to make one curriculum for all streams without having any idea of the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the deal.

I do not propagate a complete abandon-ment, as this was perhaps wellintentioned and much-needed, but, like many other things in Pakistan, this has turned into a forceful learning loss. Do not believe me; just look at the contents of grade III Maloomat-i-Amma (General knowledge) book of your children following the SnC.

It is akin to going back to grade I, not to mention glaring mistakes in the books. SnC should not be rushed, it should be started from the primary grades and the courses can be built up each subsequent year. Unfortunately, our impatience with everything, like many other schemes before it, simply ruins the intended outcomes; just look at the number of times the bachelor’s degree has seen a timeline revision.

“TTP

In one of my articles, “A year after the fall of kabul” published in this newspaper on August 7, I categorically mentioned that the TTP problem had not been solved and negotiations with TTP would ultimately enhance the confidence of terrorists who were virtually destroyed by the Pakistan Army when Ashraf Ghani was in power in kabul. Afghan Taliban are cutting the iron fence Pakistan installed during Ashraf Ghani’s tenure at the PakAfghan border and which was intact till the Afghan Taliban did not come into power. I believe soon we will find parts of this iron fence in some iron melting plants in Pakistan.

Do we remember that today’s Afghan Taliban are the second and third generations of the “Mujahedeen” who were crafted to destroy the regular army of Soviet Afghanistan? Mujahedeen smashed the Afghan government under “Operation Cyclone” and their second and third generations won the war against US-led 55-plus countries.

The USA launched the Afghan Jihad in the late 1970s against the former USSR.This Jihad, having the code name of “Operation Cyclone”, was directly or indirectly manned by the military establishment of Pakistan. Pakistan effectively worked along with the CIA in changing the region as well as changing the mindset of the moderate Afghan and Pakistani societies. Whatever we are facing today is the bitter fruit of this tree we planted in the 1970s. TTP is nothing but a form of the Mujahedeen of the 1970s and the Afghan Taliban of the 1990s, having the same philosophy and quest

Therefore, the Red Army by design left thousands of T-52 tanks, Mi-22 light helicopters, BM-21 Grad (moveable rocket launching pads), assault rifles like the Ak-47, and millions of live bullets and RPGs behind in Afghanistan. Some former Soviet military officers claim that the decision was taken in the Politburo to leave weapons in Afghanistan so Afghans would have toys (weapons) to play with for the next three to four decades and keep destroying not only their own country, but Pakistan also, which hadplayed a pivotal role in defeating the Red Army.

Former generals of the Red Soviet Army claim that the Soviet Union had a firm belief that radical extremists equipped with Sovietmade Ak-47s would change the social fabric of Pakistan right after the departure of the Red Army because Afghans would start selling their weapons to private hands in Pakistan. However, the Soviet Army thought that the Pakistan Army could buy rocket launchers, BM-21 Grad, MI22, and tanks from Afghan Mujahideen, but this never happened and Pakistan Army never thought about this.

What has happened, has happened and we must move forward because there is no reverse gear in history. What we can do to safeguard our interests is the most important concern for people like me who have been covering Afghan issues for half of their lives.

I believe that all stakeholders, particularly those who had been crying and protesting that “TTP is back” should be taken into confidence by the state and the political leadership must debate in the Parliament who started negotiations with TTP and on what conditions this new phase of dialogue was initiated.

The state has never taken the public into confidence over the Afghan issue in the last 43 years but I believe we must do it now.

The writer is an international award winning journalist who has been in the field since 1988 and appears in national and international media as analyst and political scientist.

The main question though is the output the so-called system is producing and while the entire nation is fixated over party flags, some 20 years from now we are likely to have a complete breakdown of the already redundant education curriculum, which, by the way, is basically supposed to produce the future workforce.

SAMAN HAMID PESHAWAR

Child deaths in Dadu

THE problems of flood-affected people have increased with the arrival of the winter season. Reportedly, 38 children have died in several villages of kachho area alone, including khandhani, Rajo Deero, noor Mohammad and Bakhar Jamali villages, in the last two-and-a-half months. Overall, there have been reported deaths of over a hundred children in the postflood period in and around Dadu district.

According to the administration, 1.2 million people of Dadu, khairpur nathan Shah, Mehar and Johi had been affected by the floods, and 161,000 houses had been damaged along with agricultural land and other infrastructure. Many people have returned to their homes, but water at least 2-3 feet deep is still standing in some of the affected villages where the rehabilitation of the affected and the reconstruction of the houses have not started. These people need shelters to save themselves and their children from the freezing cold. Adding to their troubles is the outbreak of several diseases, especially along the kachho belt.

Seven teams comprising experts from the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, visited areas like Bakhar Jamali, Drigh Bala, Wahi Pandhi and Tando Rahim khan to explore the reason for deaths among children.

According to the findings of these teams, 85-90 per cent of residents were found positive for malaria in Bakhar Jamali and khandhani villages. There are no health facilities in khandhani village where 10 children have died in the last couple of weeks. The team also found that no qualified doctor had been posted across kachho, and that multiplied the trouble manifold. A single qualified doctor was found posted at the health centre in Wahi Pandhi to serve a population of over 20,000. It is not too hard to imagine the level and quality of service being provided to the locals.

The report of the team will be submitted to the Sindh government along with suggestions related to the steps that are needed rather urgently to control the diseases that are taking away young lives, and to improve the health facilities in kachho.

The provincial government should post qualified doctors and start nutrition programmes for children in villages across the belt. It must also ensure the provision of medicines to control deaths and diseases.

ZAINAB HYDER ZARDARI DADU

a Letter from Prometheus agha iqRaR haRoon

The TTP threatens the Pakistani state

All stakeholders, particularly those who had been crying and protesting that

is back” should be taken into confidence by the state and the political leadership must debate in the Parliament who started negotiations with TTP and on what conditions this new phase of dialogue was initiated

city journal Mark P MiLLs

waRSare fought on many fronts. So far, Russian president Vladimir Putin is winning the energy war. High energy prices, triggered by supply disruptions, have neutered Western sanctions. Russia’s current account balance stands at record highs. Meantime, the same forces are de-industrializing Europe right before our eyes. Industry after industry is throttling back, shutting down, or considering doing so if the energy chaos continues. Britain is staring at the potential shutdown of 60 percent of its manufacturers. Germany and most of Europe are on the same track.

Discussions of how to rebuild Ukraine when the ground war eventually ends are prevalent, but the question of the decade will be how to rebuild Europe’s industrial infrastructure. Industrial facilities and supply chains that use and produce energy can’t easily be restarted once stopped. that’s one lesson, at least, that policymakers should have taken from the Covid lockdowns.

Europe is learning the importance of energy resilience and reliability and seeing just how pivotal energy-intensive industries are for an economy. With gas and electricity prices soaring by as much as 1,000 percent, the fuel bills to make steel, aluminum, glass, or fertilizer in Europe far exceed what the final products can be sold for—hence the closures. those products are inputs to other domestic industries, from cars and beer to agriculture, that are scrambling for other sources or closing down themselves.

all this economic carnage and geopolitical leverage arises from Europe losing just 5 percent of its total energy supply. Most of that loss comes from an overall 20 percent drop in available natural gas (courtesy of Russia’s maneuvers), which itself constitutes about onequarter of overall EU energy. that gap cannot be closed by surging Europe’s vaunted renewable energy sources. the extent of this still-developing energy crisis, and the collateral damage in inflation, jobs, and exports, depends now on the vicissitudes of nature (a cold winter could be catastrophic) and what unfolds from the war in Ukraine.

Europe doesn’t have many options to deal with the immediate shortages. Essentially everything that can be done quickly has been done: installing floating liquified natural gas (lNG) import terminals, reanimating old coal plants, preserving nuclear plants that had been scheduled for decommissioning, switching many industrial boilers from natural gas to more fungible oil, and sending symbolic messages about reducing demand via cold showers and the dimming of lights. Europe’s remaining near-term

EuropE Is losIng ThE EnErgy war

alternatives are now a brutal combination of more shutdowns, outright rationing, massive inflationary subsidies for citizens, and bailouts for industries. Some are already talking of nationalizing critical industries, which would hand Putin another victory.

Policymakers are doubtless praying that the energy chaos will be short-lived, after which most appear to think that life will go back to normal. Unfortunately, that means a return to the same energy policies that facilitated the chaos in the first place. advocates of the “energy transition” are already saying that the path to recovery and independence from Russian hydrocarbons is to redouble commitments to alternatives, meaning solar, wind, and battery (SWB) technologies.

What many policymakers have yet to understand, or admit, is that the energy policies of recent decades were made possible by depending on massive amounts of cheap conventional hydrocarbons from Russia. that is, in the main, what enabled the continent to halt usage of its own conventional domestic energy supplies while continuing to operate critical energy-intensive industries. and those low-cost imports freed up the cash to spend a couple of trillion dollars, directly and indirectly, on building SWB machines.

the consequences of those energy policies were being exposed before Russia invaded its neighbor. Oil prices were already in the $100-per-barrel range before the invasion. Natural gas and electricity prices saw a similar 1,000 percent spike in late 2021 when northern Europe experienced a week-long wind drought: the kind of event that occurs regularly in nature but is inherently unpredictable.

the existential economic issue facing Europe in the aftermath of the twenty-first century’s first energy war, then, is whether the continent can fully rebuild many of the energy-intensive industries already shut or facing stoppages. (Certain classes of machinery, notably some in glass and steel manufacturing, can be irreparably damaged if shut down.) Whether such businesses decide to risk deploying capital to reopen involves speculation about whether foreseeable energy supplies will be both reliable and cheap. If the answer is found in locations in asia, or africa, and even Russia, that’s where those supply chains, jobs, and economic benefits will migrate.

European policymakers should know by now that depending on SWB technologies instead of hydrocarbons requires answering a basic question: How does an economy store enough energy to survive the week-long natural droughts of wind or sun that are common—or longer disruptions resulting from both natural and manmade disasters and geopolitical meddling? We know the answer for conventional energy.

On average, economies the size of the U.S. (and in normal times, the EU) store one or two months’ worth of coal, oil, or natural gas. Stowing away such quantities of hydrocarbons is relatively easy and inexpensive. advo-

cates of the energy transition propose that building more batteries can store excess energy from solar and wind installations. But matching the energy value of the two months’ worth of natural gas Europe now has in storage would require building $40 trillion worth of batteries, which would take all the world’s battery factories combined about 400 years to produce. Handwaving about more factories and better batteries in the future is irrelevant to the task of what can be built now to keep economies, businesses, and people alive.

Or consider Europe’s rush to increase gas imports from non-Russian sources by installing some 20 lNG import terminals, the biggest single get-out-of-jail factor for the continent. Many will be online shortly; the rest will come next year. the terminals will cost a total of about $15 billion and deliver enough fuel annually to produce a quantity of electricity that would require building $200 billion of wind turbines. those hypothetical wind turbines, of course, would still require natural gas backup for wind droughts—that is, trillions of dollars of batteries.

these realities are why liz truss, the new U.K. prime minister, has announced that the country will pursue shale gas and oil. Naysayers, including Britain’s chancellor of the exchequer, said earlier that fracking wouldn’t solve the energy crisis even “if we lifted the fracking moratorium tomorrow,” for “it would take up to a decade to extract sufficient volumes.” Obvious and true, but the point is to forge an energy path that gives businesses enough confidence about the future to deploy capital today. and that confidence will rest on whether planners see a future with sufficient, resilient, and cheap energy.

China is now building the world’s biggest natural gas storage facility, drilling more, and increasing its coal use. What does China know about the future of essential energy-intensive industries?

If European policymakers want to restore energy sanity, they should reanimate North Sea oil and gas production and reopen the Netherlands’ massive Groningen natural gas field, which alone has the capability to make up most of the potential near-term shortfall if Europe sees a cold winter. the Dutch government has made it clear that the long-planned voluntary shutdown remains on track.

the bedrock sources for future hydrocarbon supplies for Europe are found in three domains: OPEC, deep-water rigs (global and U.S. offshore), and american shale fields. So restoring energy sanity would also include striking comprehensive, long-term buyer agreements with fuel suppliers, not just in the Middle East—which Europe has already rushed to do—but also in the U.S. Of course, for the U.S. to step up as a significantly greater supplier, that would require government policies that facilitate, not oppose, domestic hydrocarbon expansion.

theoretically, Congress could enact the necessary

legislation. and it’s something that would not cost taxpayers money but instead generate profits for american firms. It would also, in due course, reduce energy prices for consumers because it would ultimately oversupply markets, which always reduces prices and inflation. But the only way to do that would be to reset the regulatory structures that impede major development. It would require, in short, a political attitude change.

But if the EU and the U.S. were to work together for a major reset of energy supply and production, that would send precisely the market signals needed for reindustrialization and recovery. any reset would have to be enshrined in legislation, not rhetoric, to be credible enough to inspire major private capital commitments. None of that would require governments to repeal their ambitions for SWB technologies.

alas, promoters of magical thinking about the energy transition are redoubling their PR and lobbying efforts. the champion of the transition, IEa’s executive director FatihBirol, recently took to the pages of the Financial times to clear up what he called the “three myths about the global energy crisis.”

Birol is wrong on two counts and misguided on the third. Birol first claims that far from winning the energy battle, “Moscow is doing itself long-term harm by alienating the EU” and damaging long-term mutually beneficial relationships. But much of the rest of the world, from China and India to many african nations, don’t care about that “damage” and are instead enjoying the fruits of buying Russian commodities at a discount. Russia is also a major (often a top-three) producer of many critical minerals, from copper to nickel to aluminum.

Birol then writes that it’s “absurd” to claim that “today’s global energy crisis is a clean energy crisis,” and that leaders he talks to “regret not moving faster to build solar and wind plants.” Doubtless some people believe this, but Europe’s electric grids and industries cannot operate without hydrocarbons. the issue for Europe is who supplies them, and at what price.

Finally, Birol says that he doesn’t see the energy crisis as a “huge setback” for climate policy. On that, at least, the jury is still out. Even a mild winter will damage Europe’s industrial core. European governments are talking even more massive subsidies or nationalization efforts to regain footing. that outcome would qualify as a huge setback for the continent. the alternative? a return to energy sanity, in partnership with america’s mighty hydrocarbon machine.

Mark P. Mills is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a strategic partner in the energy-tech venture fund Montrose Lane, author of The Cloud Revolution: How the Convergence of New Technologies Will Unleash the Next Economic Boom and a Roaring 2020s, and host of The Last Optimist podcast.

face today, and not just in the EU. On the contrary, the EU can be viewed as an ongoing experiment that can help to guide others toward an effective model.

the new conservatives have gotten one very big thing right: Without a European society, the project of “ever-closer union” rests on a fragile foundation. But the solution is not to halt, let alone reverse, progress. Instead, we must build a polity that can sustain the institutions of European governance.

Italymight soon be led, for the first time in its postwar history, by a party with roots in the detritus of Mussolini’s Fascist movement. If the Fratellid’Italia (FdI) (“Brothers of Italy”) does end up at the helm of the governing coalition, as appears likely, European politics will be profoundly changed.

GiorgiaMeloni, the FdI’s charismatic leader, has been accused of being a “neo-fascist”, and both the FdI and its coalition’s second-largest member, lega, have been labelled “populists”. Both labels miss the point. yes, these parties have harnessed the seething discontent some voters feel, and they would take a tough stance on immigration and security. But the Brothers is hardly seeking to upend liberal democracy.

the FdI’s ambitions lie elsewhere. Recognising that the key to the success of Europe’s two big political families, Christian democrats and democratic socialists, has been their well-developed political and ethical cultures, the Brothers is seeking to lay similar foundations for the right, thereby enabling it to gain and retain power well into the future. this is the insidious challenge that progressive thinking must confront.

the FdI’s goals extend beyond Italy; the Brothers hopes to reshape European politics. Meloni also heads the European Conservatives and Reformists Party, which includes

dozens of right-wing formations, including Poland’s law and Justice, Spain’s Vox, and the Sweden Democrats.

On what pillars would the right’s new intellectual edifice stand? In a recent interview, Meloni expressed admiration for the late British philosopher Roger Scruton, a conservative who was neither a fascist nor a populist, and whose views, like those of Meloni, cannot be neatly categorised as pro-state or pro-market. For both, the free market is a necessary institution, but monopoly power needs to be limited by regulation.

Nor did Scruton fundamentally oppose the European Union. He believed that a system of trans-European cooperation was necessary, but it should not come at the cost of national sovereignty in all the areas that matter. likewise, an FdI-led coalition would not seek to exit the EU or the eurozone. Rather, the Brothers envisions the EU as a loose confederation of sovereign states, rather than an “ever-closer union”, with aspirations to become a semi-federal state. Nationalism and conservatism go hand in hand.

In a 2019 interview, Scruton explained that, for him, conservatism was not about “putting things back” to how they were in the past, but “conserving them”, and that this was not a matter of ideology, but of love.

“there are things that are threatened and you love them, so you want to keep them... We have something, this country and its institutions and our way of being, and that’s what we’re holding on to.”

What do Europeans love? One of Meloni’s talking points is that our identity is defined by our community. a sense of belonging,

of social membership, is central to determining what we “love” and enabling us to express ourselves. this is the basis of freedom.

this vision has noble origins, having been shaped by the ideas of the greatest philosophers, especially Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, but also Karl Marx and adam Smith. But it does not necessarily lead to conservatism, nor does it mean that identity must be defined in national terms.

the FdI’s conception of the EU represents a sharp break from the past: Italy’s leadership, like that of the Union’s other core members, has traditionally supported deeper integration, despite disagreements about pace and modality. and it is a rupture that would come at a time when deeper coopera-

tion, inevitably involving some compromises on national sovereignty, such as in energy and foreign policy, is badly needed.

almost all of the most urgent imperatives we face today demand some form of centralised decision-making capacity and policies that account for the regional or global nature of public goods, including climate, health, financial stability and energy security. as a result, the overlap between the locus of decision-making power and the polity has been dwindling.

Devising new forms of governance that allow for the interoperability of different levels of government and give voice to civil society, thereby combining a top-down with a bottom-up approach, is the key challenge we

Conservative forces like the FdI appear bent on doing the opposite. By attempting to “conserve” existing systems and define identities by ethnicity and religion, rather than broader political or cultural affiliations, conservativism plays into people’s fears and divides rather than unites them. Cultural and political integration is to be replaced by policies that exacerbate the marginalisation of vulnerable groups and fail to tackle broadly shared challenges.

If it is true, as the conservatives assert, that a functional view of the EU is bound to fail, it is also true that the functional and the political interact, helping to redefine the contours of the polity. In an ever-evolving world, a defensive, static understanding of community will inevitably lead to economic failure, and can nurture racism and social conflict.

yet it is precisely this understanding that seems likely to shape governance in the EU’s third-largest member country. a fierce battle of ideas is in store for the EU, with potentially serious consequences for the integration process. to win the fight, the Union’s supporters must not demonise conservatives like Meloni and misrepresent their views. Instead, they must confront criticism head-on and devise credible ways to buttress the European polity that must exist if the European project is to succeed.

BRITAIN IS STARING AT THE POTENTIAL SHUTDOWN OF 60 PERCENT OF ITS MANUFACTURERS. GERMANY AND MOST OF EUROPE ARE ON THE SAME TRACK

Project Syndicate

LucreziareichLin

LucreziaReichlin, a former director of research at the European Central Bank, is professor of Economics at the London Business School and a trustee of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation.

BGCC milestone in realizing dream of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto: Ms Talpur

KARACHI pR

Central President of PPP Women's Department and MPA Faryal Talpur participated as a special guest in the annual Parents' Day ceremony at Bakhtawar Girls Cadet College (BGCC), District Shaheed Benazirabad. Air Vice Marshal Khalid Mahmood also specially participated in the ceremony. Provincial Education Minister Sardar Shah, former Law Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, members of Sindh Assembly Ghulam Qadir Chandio, Qasim Siraj Soomro and Sadia Javed, party leader Ali Akbar Jamali and others were also present on the occasion. Faryal Talpur received a grand welcome on his arrival at the college, with cadets giving a salute during the march past. On this occasion, she also planted a sapling in the college, inaugurated the arts and science exhibition and the newly constructed hostel block. Faryal Talpur distributed prizes among the position holder students of the college and appreciated their passion and dedication. Faryal Talpur said that BCC was the first educational institution of its kind in the country, after the establishment of BGCC, an example was set for others to emulate. She added that today's function may be just a college activity for the guests here, but for me today is an opportunity to re-examine my dream. The present moment reminds me of the days of struggle for the beginning and fulfillment of this dream. Faryal Talpur further said that considering the success of this college, we have established the second Girls Cadet College in Larkana, when she came here in the year 2018, there were only 60 female students at that time but today this institution is outstanding in every respect. She said that BGCC is a milestone in realizing the dream of martyr Ms. Benazir Bhutto. Making women independent and creating permanent leadership was the dream of Ms. Benazir Bhutto. Addressing the ceremony, she further said that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari always guided the establishment of this college to completion as soon as possible and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is actively working to complete the mission of his mother Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.

COMSATS marks Dec 25th December, felicitates Christians, Pakistanis

ISLAMABAD pR

Executive Director of COMSATS, Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria planted a tree to commemorate the auspicious occasion of the birthday of Prophet Isa Alaihisalaato Wassalaam and the birthday of the founding father of Pakistan. He felicitated the government & people of and greeted the Christians in Pakistan and abroad. The Executive Director was joined by the officials of COMSATS including the Christian employees. Ambassador Zakaria availed himself of the opportunity and offered best wishes to everyone on the advent of the New Year 2023. Traditionally, the new incumbent Executive Director plants a tree on joining the organization as a commitment to ensure progress and growth of the organization and an undertaking to join global effort to a greener environment. Dr. Zakaria, who joined COMSATS as the Executive Director this November, motivated COMSATS’ officials to remain committed to the COMSATS’ mission of progressing in Science & Technology for sustainable development in the South. He also advised them to embrace the new year as an opportunity to bring new vigor to organization’s work & resolutely face any challenge to convert it into an opportunity in pursuit of COMSATS’ mission.

PAkISTAn TrADE HOuSE In kyrGyzSTAn TO HElP PrOMOTE BIlATErAl TrADE: EnvOy

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

AMBASSADORof Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan Ulanbek Totuiaev on Sunday underlined the importance of the opening of the Pakistan Trade House in Kyrgyzstan for promoting Pakistani products besides attracting investors and buyers in the market and further moving to the Eurasian economic union.

Speaking at a reception hosted in Lahore in his honour by Chairman Kyrgyzstan Trade House Meher Kashif Younis who is also Coordinator to Federal Tax Ombudsman and Vice President Gold Ring Economic Forum, a think-thank, Ulanbek said more Kyrgyzstan Trade Houses will be established in other major cities of Pakistan

direct interaction of business community of either country to promote bilateral trade and tap huge potentials through regional connectivity which he added is need of the hour in the prevailing global scenario.

He called upon the chambers of commerce and industry to come forward and encash the existing market of

through Afghanistan.

He said he feels pleasure to an-

Instability, delay in IMF program exacerbate economic crisis: BMP

As the central bank has lowered its projected GDP growth from the previously announced range of 34 percent for the current fiscal year, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry’s Businessmen Panel (BMP) on Sunday asked the government to formulate long-term and consistent policies for high industrial growth and sizeable improvement in exports, as Pakistan’s export has been stagnant for a long time.

FPCCI former president and BMP Chairman Mian Anjum Nisar observed that the delay in the resumption of the IMF loan program and political instability exacerbated the country’s vulnerability through the depletion of foreign exchange reserves, as the resulting rupee depreciation amplified inflationary pressures by magnifying the effect of global price increase.

He said that a concerted approach is required to encourage increased localization of the manufacturing base, along with the lowering of energy intensity of the economy by ensuring energy efficiency and conservation. Moreover, amid the growing issues related to climate change and inadequate food security situation, there is an urgent need to formulate a well-thought-out strategy to meet these challenges, he said.

FPCCI former president said that trade and industry need low cost energy to bring down their cost of production, keeping their goods competitive in the international market.

He said that the government would have to reduce the price of electricity along with the cut in the prices of petroleum products to bring down the cost of doing business and to promote industrial activities. He said that the business activities were already

in decline and in this situation the government should take serious steps to cut the cost of doing business, as continued hike in oil rates would further enhance the cost of production, making transport more expensive.

Mr Nisar said that the economy of Pakistan, particularly the SMEs are striving to deal with the present economic crunch and need to get support. Instead of providing subsidies or waivers, it is unjust to overburden the industries with hike in cost of production. He observed that the burden of the surge in oil price in the international market is immediately transferred to masses by the government but the process of reduction in the prices is always very slow, he noted.

He said that the experience from FY22 brought to the fore once again the need for redressal the structural weaknesses, such as a narrow base of foreign exchange earnings and meager inflows of foreign investment.

The losses to agriculture produce induced by the recent floods are likely to step up the import of agriculture commodities, particularly cotton, he said. He said the government has targeted to reduce the fiscal deficit to 4.9pc of GDP in FY23 from 7.9pc in FY22, which cannot be achieved without revenue and expenditure measures. In fact, the fiscal deficit exceeded in the first quarter of FY23, annoying the IMF, which demanded more measures to reduce the gap.

Mr Nisar said that the central bank has lowered its projected GDP growth, citing flood-induced destruction and the stabilization policy as major factors in its flagship economic health report.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said economic growth was stronger than expected in the 2021-22 fiscal year as real GDP increased by 6pc compared to 5.7pc a year ago.

Jinnah considered ICP, people of KP, Fata as frontline force during Pakistan Movement

PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt

Father of the nation Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had visited the historic Islamia College Peshawar (ICP) three times in his life to acknowledge the outstanding role of its students in completion of his mission for Pakistan.

“The great Quaid had special fondness for the historic Islamia College Peshawar due to dynamic role of its students during Pakistan Movement and visited here three times signified his love for this great alma-mater, ” said Yunus Khan, Chairman Pakistan Studies Department, ICP while talking to APP.

He considered students of ICP and people of KP and erstwhile Fata as a frontline force in his constitutional and peaceful struggle for independence of Pakistan, he added. Yunus said the great Quaid had visited ICP in 1936, 1945, 1948, and was greatly impressed by the devotion of its faculty, staff and students besides the building’s domes, lush-green lawns, and majestic edifice of its beautiful architecture.

In his last visit to the ICP as Governor General of Pakistan on April 12, 1948, the great Quaid presented glowing tributes to the services of its students towards making of Pakistan in these words. “I am indeed very happy to be present here today and to have the privilege of addressing the students of this great Darul Uloom, who are the future builders of Pakistan.”

In fact, he reminded the students that now we have achieved the national goal of Pakistan and it was our collective responsibility to work hard in our respective professions with high-level of dedication, commitment and sincerity to make it one of the greatest state of the world.

He advised the students to develop a sound sense of discipline, character, initiative and a solid academic background and devote themselves wholeheartedly towards studies.

“Now we have our own government, therefore, we must be constructive in criticism and students can make a big contribution towards promotion of harmony, unity and development of Pakistan.”

Quaid-i-Azam while addressing students said that re-

member your government was like your own garden. “Your garden flourishes by the way you look after it and the efforts that you put towards its improvement. Similarly, your government can only flourish by your patriotic, honest and constructive efforts to improve it.”

On students’ demands, he said establishment of a quality university in Peshawar was very nearer to his heart, which would be great centre of culture and learning from where the rays of knowledge and culture can spread upto the Middle East and Central Asia and soon people of this province would get a quality university here.

Following a gap of one year, the Government of Pakistan, had established the University of Peshawar near Islamia College Peshawar in 1949.

Yunus said Quaid-i-Azam also became an honorary member of the Khyber Union, a debating society of the college, in 1936. He said Mr Jinnah’s love for ICP could be judged from his will written on May 30, 1939 in Bombay in which he declared ICP, Muslim University Aligarh and Sindh Madrassatul Islam, Karachi, as among the inheritors of his property.

nounce that his government has started working on for the execution of this multinational gigantic project of regional importance.

Ulanbek Totuiaev said newly established Kyrgyzstan Trade House and his embassy is all the time available to assist the Pak traders for business visit to his country, a land with ample opportunities for investment.

He said Meher Kashif Younis is a dynamic trader of Pakistan and will exercise his sphere of influence for promoting bilateral trade between the two Muslim brotherly countries in the day to come.

President Kyrgyzstan Trade House Dr Shahid Hassan was also prominent among others.

Briefly speaking on the occasion the host Meher Kashif Younis said the in prevailing scenario, the philosophy of globalization is getting phased out and sharply shrinking to regional connectivity. Hence we should now focus on trade and economic cooperation with the regional blocs especially rich central Asian states. He said both countries from the same region are deeply interconnected from historical, cultural and religious perspectives.

IESCO issues power suspension schedule for Monday

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) on Sunday issued a power suspension programme for Monday for various areas of its region due to necessary maintenance and routine development work. According to IESCO Spokesman, the power supply of different feeders and grid stations would remain suspended for the period from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM. The areas where the power supply would be halted for the said time are: Islamabad Circle Mahfooz Shaheed, Islamabad Club One, Filtration Plant, Babul Islam, Wapda Colony, Burma, Sharifabad, Navy, Lohi Bhir, F-10/2, G- 10/4, I-8/2, Chishanab, Carriage Factory, G-11/2, Kaldana Heights, NIH, Sunny Bank, Cecil, Gharial, Upper Topa, Patriata, Terat, Capital Steel, New Ptn, Potohar Steel, Katarian Feeders, Rawalpindi City Circle, Sadiqabad, A Block, Effendi Colony, National Market, 4th Road, Noora Road, Kuri Road, Sir Was Road, Zafarul Haq, Dhok Khaba, Fawara Chowk, Sarafa Bazar, Jinnah Road. , Westridge, Ahsanabad, Sardar Bagh, G-15, G-15/1&4, Bhadana, AskariXI-, Kayani Road, Officer Colony, Lakho Road, Bibi Shaheed, Chakra Feeders, Rawalpindi Cantt Circle, Haider Road, Adamji Road , Chaklala, PWD 2, Swan Garden 2, CBR 1, FECHS, Doctor Town, Sarwar Shaheed, Jhanda, Lalazar, Dhok Noor, Ranyal, Gulshan Saeed, Jhawara, Mansoor Shaheed, Lahtrar 1, Kaler Syedan, Ghazan Khan, Hamid Jhangi, Jatha Hatial, Karnab Kaswal, Syed Kasran, Bhal Feeders, Attock Circle, Nawaz Shaheed, Nawababad, Jalala, Kala Khan, Paswal, Kohistan Enclave, Max Industrial, Kashif Gul Shaheed, Model Town, Islampura, Karnal Sher Khan, Pathargarh, Nad Topa, PM Housing Colony, People Colony, Shakardara, Meri, Hameed, Sirka, Shadi Khan, Kamra Rural, Gharibwal, Azeem.

The Quaid Trust later paid Rs10.81 million in different installments to the college. The amount was spent on the establishment of Quaid-i-Azam College of Commerce, University of Peshawar, construction of Jinnah residential quarters for the college employees, Jinnah College

Women and the newly-constructed Takbeer block. Quaid-i-Azam also received a rousing welcome when he came to ICP in 1945. The students and Muslim Students Federation ICP presented him Rs 8,000 as fund for the Pakistan Movement and assured him to present 8,000 committed educated workers for accomplishment of his mission when he came again to ICP.

for

Kyrgyzstan and adjacent states of the region. He said frequent exchange of visits of businesses community will pave way for the strengthening of bilateral trade in diversified sectors, according to a press release issued here. He said one of the major obstacles

to the development of trade-economic coordination between both countries and regions is difficult logistics routes which he added will be overcome after the successful establishment of a railway link

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

for

CiTiNG PrOvOCATiON, CHiNA sTAGes ‘sTriKe drills’ ArOUNd TAiwAN

BEIJING ReuteRs

CHINA’s military said it had conducted “strike drills” in the sea and airspace around Taiwan on Sunday in response to unspecified “provocation” from the democraticallygoverned island and the United States.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained of repeated Chinese military activity nearby over the past three years or so as Beijing seeks to pressure Taipei to accept Chinese sovereignty.

China staged war games around Taiwan in August following a visit to Taipei by then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi, and on Saturday it condemned the United States for a new defence authorisation law that boosts military assistance for Taiwan.

In a brief statement, the Eastern Theatre Command of China’s People’s Liber-

ation Army said it had carried out “joint combat readiness patrols and joint firepower strike drills” around Taiwan, though it did not specify the exact location.

“This is a resolute response to the current escalation of collusion and provocation from the United States and Taiwan,” it added, without giving details.

KPs’ reluctance to return to Kashmir debunks authorities’ claims on Kashmir: Farooq Abdullah

NEW DELHI Agencies

The President of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Farooq Abdullah has said the reluctance of Kashmir Pandits to return back to Kashmir deflates the authorities’ claims of peace in Kashmir. Farooq Abdullah speaking at a function in New Delhi said, “Unless New Delhi doesn’t amend its past mistakes, return of peace to Kashmir will remain elusive. If peace was restored in Kashmir then why Kashmiri Pandit employees are not re-joining their duties in Kashmir? Exhorting the people to unite against divisive forces, he said, “We need to stay strong internally. If we are strong among ourselves, no one would be able to defeat us.”

Hindutva outfit sends threatening letters to schools on Christmas in MP

BHOPAL Agencies

The Hindutva Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) has threatened the school principals not to make Hindu children Santa Claus during the Christmas celebrations in Indian state Madhya Pradesh (MP). According to Kashmir Media Service, in threat letters, which were written to all school principals in Bhopal city, said students are being made Santa Claus in the Christmas celebrations in schools and they are also being asked to bring Christmas trees. “This is an attack on our Hindu culture, it is a conspiracy to inspire Hindu children to Christianity,” VHP’s threatening letter read. “Our Hindu children should become Ram, become Krishna, become Buddha, Gautam, become Mahavir, become Guru Gobind Singh, all these should become, become revolutionary, and become great men, but should not become Santa,” it added. It has also warned that if students were made Santa Claus without the permission of the parents, the VHP will take statutory legal action against that school.

“Theatre forces will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Taiwan’s defence ministry declined immediate comment.

The ministry publishes a daily report at 9am (0100 GMT) of Chinese

military activities near the island over the previous 24 hours.

The United States is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties. US arms sales to Taiwan are a constant irritant in Beijing’s relations with Washington.

Taiwan’s military is dwarfed by that of its huge neighbour China. Its air force in particular has come under strain from having to scramble repeatedly to see off Chinese incursions near the island over the past three years or so.

The Chinese drills coincided with newly elected city mayors and county chiefs in Taiwan taking up their positions following local elections on the island last month, in which the ruling Democratic Progressive Party was trounced.

China has never renounced using force to bring Taiwan under its control.

Taiwan strongly disputes China’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s 23 million people can decide their future.

Putin says Russia ready to negotiate over Ukraine

MOSCOW Agencies

Russia is ready to negotiate with all parties involved in the war in Ukraine but Kyiv and its Western backers have refused to engage in talks, President Vladimir Putin said in an interview aired on Sunday.

Russia’s Feb 24 invasion of Ukraine has triggered the most deadly conflict in Europe since World War Two and the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

There is, thus far, little end in sight to the war.

The Kremlin says it will fight until all its aims are achieved while Kyiv says it will not rest until every Russian soldier is ejected from all of its territory, including Crimea which Russia annexed in 2014.

“We are ready to negotiate with everyone involved about acceptable solutions, but that is up to them – we are not the ones refusing to negotiate, they are,” Putin told Rossiya 1 state television in the interview.

CIA Director William Burns said in an interview published this month that while most conflicts end in negotiation, the CIA’s assessment was that Russia was not yet serious about a real negotiation to end the war.

An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Putin needed to

return to reality and acknowledge that it was Russia which did not want any negotiations.

“Russia single-handedly attacked Ukraine and is killing citizens,” Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter. “Russia doesn’t want negotiations, but tries to avoid responsibility.”

‘No other choice’ Putin said Russia was acting in the “right direction” in Ukraine because the West, led by the United States, was trying to cleave Russia apart. Washington denies it is plotting Russia’s collapse.

“I believe that we are acting in the right direction, we are defending our national interests, the interests of our citizens, our people. And we have no other choice but to protect our citizens,” Putin said.

Asked if the geopolitical conflict with the West was approaching a dangerous level, Putin said: “I don’t think it’s so dangerous.”

Putin said the West had

begun the conflict in Ukraine in 2014 by toppling a proRussian president in the Maidan Revolution protests.

Soon after that revolution, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and Russian-backed separatist forces began fighting Ukraine’s armed forces in eastern Ukraine.

“Actually, the fundamental thing here is the policy of our geopolitical opponents which is aimed at pulling apart Russia, historical Russia,” Putin said.

Putin casts what he calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine as a watershed moment when Moscow finally stood up to a Western bloc he says has been seeking to destroy Russia since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union.

Ukraine and the West say Putin has no justification for what they cast as an imperialstyle war of occupation which has sown suffering and death across Ukraine.

Top UN, NGO officials to meet over Taliban ban on women staff

KABUL AFP

Top officials from the United Nations and dozens of NGOs operating in Afghanistan are meeting Sunday to discuss the way ahead after the Taliban authorities ordered all NGOs to stop women employees from working, aid officials said.

The hardline group on Saturday threatened to suspend the operating licences of NGOs if they failed to implement the order.

The Ministry of Economy, which issues these licences, said it had received “serious complaints” that women working in NGOs were not observing a proper religious dress code.

“A meeting of Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) is scheduled later today to consult and discuss how to tackle this issue,” Tapiwa Gomo, public information officer for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told AFP.

The HCT comprises top UN officials and representatives of dozens of Afghan and international NGOs who coordinate the distribution of aid across the country. The meeting will discuss whether to suspend all aid work following the latest Taliban directive, some NGO officials said.

The United Nations, which said it would seek an explanation from the Taliban about the order, condemned the ministry’s directive.

It said the order excluding women “systematically from all aspects of public and political life takes the country backward, jeopardising efforts for any meaningful peace or stability in the country”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the ban would be “devastating” to Afghans as it would “disrupt vital and life-saving assistance to millions”.

The ban comes at a time when millions across the country depend on humanitarian aid provided by international donors through a vast network of NGOs. Afghanistan’s economic crisis has only worsened since the Taliban seized power in August last year, which led to Washington freezing billions of dollars of its assets and foreign donors stopping aid.

The ministry said women working in NGOs were not observing “the Islamic hijab and other rules and regulations pertaining to the work of females in national and international organisations”.

It remained unclear whether the directive impacted foreign women staff at NGOs.

Dozens of organisations work across remote areas of Afghanistan and many of their employees are women, with several warning a ban on women staff would stymie their work.

The latest restriction comes less than a week after the Taliban authorities banned women from attending universities, prompting global outrage and protests in some Afghan cities.

Since returning to power in August last year, the Taliban have already barred teenage girls from secondary school. Women have also been pushed out of many government jobs, prevented from travelling without a male relative and ordered to cover up outside of the home, ideally with a burqa.

They are also not allowed to enter parks or gardens.

Remember the war weary and the poor, pope urges on Christmas Eve

of the largest church in Christendom.

Pope Francis on Saturday led the world’s Catholics into Christmas, saying in an apparent reference to the war in Ukraine and other conflicts that the level of greed and hunger for power was such that some wanted to “consume even their neighbours”.

Francis, celebrating the 10th Christmas of his pontificate, presided at a solemn Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

It was the first with a capacity crowd of about 7,000 following several years of restricted attendance because of Covid-19.

About 4,000 other people participated outside in St. Peter’s Square on a relatively warm night.

As has been the case for the past several months, a knee ailment prevented Francis from standing for long periods, delegating a cardinal to be the main celebrant at the altar

Sitting to the side of the altar for most of the Mass, he wove his homily around the theme of greed and consumption on various levels, asking people to look beyond the consumerism that has “packaged” the feast, rediscover its meaning, and remember those suffering from war and poverty.

“Men and women in our world, in their hunger for wealth and power, consume even their neighbours, their brothers and sisters,” he said. “How many wars have we seen! And in how many places, even today, are human dignity and freedom treated with contempt!”

Since Russia invaded its neighbour in February, Francis has spoken out against the war at nearly every public event, at least twice a week, denouncing what he has called atrocities and unprovoked aggression.

He did not specifically mention Ukraine on Saturday night.

“As always, the principal victims of this

human greed are the weak and the vulnerable,” he said, denouncing “a world ravenous for money, power and pleasure…”

“I think above all of the children devoured by war, poverty and injustice,” also mentioning “unborn, poor and forgotten children”.

Drawing a parallel between the infant Jesus born in a manger and the poverty of today, the pope said: “In the manger of rejection and discomfort, God makes himself present. He comes there because there we see the problem of our humanity: the indifference produced by the greedy rush to possess and consume.”

Earlier this month, the pope urged people to spend less on Christmas celebrations and gifts and send the difference to Ukrainians to help them get through the winter.

The pope marked his 86th birthday last week and, apart from the knee ailment, appears to be in overall good health.

On Sunday, he is due to deliver his

VATICAN CITY ReuteRs

twice-year “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) blessing and message from the cen-

tral balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to tens of thousands of people in the square below.

BaBar azam vows comeBack in TesT series againsT new zealand

KARACHI staff report

Pakistanskipper Babar azam sunday vowed to make a comeback in test series against new Zealand. While addressing a press conference in karachi, he said that it was the duty of the Pakistani cricket team to show performance in the ground. He added that the players would do their best to play well against new Zealand. “the pitch looks good. i hope we will play well,” he stated.

“We have not finalised the playing Xi. We will do that after discussion with the chief selector,” he added.

the prolific right-hander pointed out that the strategy of playing cricket was decided after inspecting the situation of the ground. the Pakistan captain also said that the focus of the team was to win the test series against new Zealand.

He also expressed his regret over losing test series to England. “We could not play well against England,” he regretted. new Zealand captain tim southee also addressed the press conference in karachi and expressed his hope that the

kiwis would enjoy the play in Pakistan.

“Pakistan is a tough contender. We will try to play our best,” he added. He also pointed out that Pakistan lost to England, adding: “But will not take it easy. We are so happy for this series.”

it is to be noted here that the first test match between Pakistan and new Zealand will commence in karachi from Monday (tomorrow). the second test match will be played in Multan from the

2nd of the next month.

the ODi matches will start in karachi from the 10th of the next month. twenty-seven full high-resolution cameras will be installed and complete Hawkeye review system will be available for the two series.

Meanwhile, new Zealand team participated in a training session ahead of the two-match test series at the national Bank Cricket arena in karachi.

after the physical training, they participated in practice sessions in group format, with groups of five to six players engaged in batting, fielding, catching, and bowling practice. On the other hand, home side will commence their preparation from tomorrow onwards.

Trophy unveiled for pakisTan-new Zealand TesT series: a trophy for the two-match test series between Pakistan and new Zealand was unveiled on sunday at the national stadium karachi.

Photos shared by the PCB on twitter show Pakistan skipper Babar azam and his new Zealand counterparty tim southee can be seen posing with the trophy. addressing a press conference, Babar azam revealed that the squad for the first test would be finalised after holding consultation with new chief selector shahid afridi.

a day earlier, the PCB and new Zealand Cricket mutually agreed to shift the second test from Multan to karachi due to deteriorating weather conditions, which have already disrupted flight operations and may also potentially result in the loss of playing hours.

India beat Bangladesh in second Test thriller

DHAKA afp

Fg/din Polo clinches coca-cola lahore open Polo trophy

LAHORE staff report

FG/Din Polo clinched the Coca-Cola Lahore Open Polo Championship 2022 trophy after outpacing Diamond Paints/sheikhoo steel by 6-3 in the final here at the historic Lahore Polo Club ground on sunday.

Coca-Cola COO Muhammad ali khan and officials of Century Ventures, Lahore Polo Club President Omar sadiq, Executive Committee members and a large number of players, their families and polo enthusiasts were also present on this occasion. in the end, the winning team and top performers were handed over glittering trophy and prizes by the chief guest. the final between Diamond Paints/sheikhoo steel and FG/Din Polo remained very enthralling and exciting. Diamond Paints/sheikho steel team took the lead in the first two chukkers but FG/Din Polo team bounced back strongly in the third and fourth chukkers and turned the tables to emerge as the winners of the final by 6-3. tomas Marin Moreno was the hero of the final as he did magic with mallet and polo pony and fired in fabulous five goals from the winning side. the remaining one was converted successfully by shaikh Muhammad Raffy. Manuel Carranza, who replaced nicolas, thrashed in all the three goals from Diamond Pants/sheikhoo steel. Jhon Fisher and amirreza Behboudi supervised the main final as field umpires.

shreyas iyer and Ravichandran ashwin held firm as india beat Bangladesh in a thrilling second test on sunday, dashing hopes in Dhaka of a first-ever win over their giant neighbours.

india needed just 145 to win the match and the series 2-0 but the visitors in the end won by only three wickets in a nail-biting morning’s play on day four in Dhaka.

Bangladesh overcame india in the preceding 50-over series but have never beaten them in a test. india had won 10 of the teams’ previous 12 tests, including five victories by an innings.

india won the first test comfortably by 188 runs in Chittagong and were widely expected to romp home in the second game, cementing their position in second place in the iCC World test Championship.

india bowled Bangladesh out on saturday for a sub-par 231 but the home side’s spinners Mehidy Hasan and shakib al Hasan then reduced the visitors to 45-4 at stumps with 100 still to chase.

shakib started the slide with the wicket of captain kL Rahul for two and then Mehidy claimed Cheteshwar Pujara, shubman Gill and Virat kohli — all for single-digit scores.

Bangladesh then reduced

india to 74-7 when play resumed on sunday but shreyas (29 not out) and ashwin (42 not out) put on 71 runs in an unbroken eighth-wicket stand to steer india home.

Mehidy was the stand-out bowler for Bangladesh in the second innings, finishing with 563, which included two wickets in the morning.

Bangladesh dominated play in the opening hour as shakib dismissed nightwatchman Jaydev Unadkat, who hit a six in the opening over but fell in the next after making 13.

Mehidy then trapped danger man Rishabh Pant leg before for nine before he bowled unbeaten overnight batsman axar Patel for 34 runs.

ashwin was dropped by Mominul Haque on one at forward short leg before he grew in confidence, with iyer looking solid against spin at the other end.

after his three fours in two overs, Bangladesh were forced to finally bring pacers into the attack but to no avail.

ashwin — named player of the match — took india close with a six after Mehidy changed his bowling end and wrapped up the contest with two more boundaries.

“(i’m) not going to lie, there was a lot of tension in the dressing room. it was a tough wicket to bat on, they put us under pressure in both innings,” said Rahul, who captained in place of injured Rohit sharma.

“Everyone contributed. We always knew that we had a chance… Very good test cricket, that’s what the crowds love to see,” said shakib.

“Both teams were really good. Credit goes to shreyas and ashwin, they absorbed the pressure well and built a partnership,” shakib said.

saim shazli claims 12th engro sga President cup

KARACHI staff report

Final round of the 12th Engro sGa President Cup 2022 was played on sunday at Defence authority Golf Club. the main category was amateurs HC 0-5 and winner of the championship with net score of 206, 10 under Par was arsalan Mughal from kGC. arsalan is the trophy holder for this tournament. saim shazli of kCG maintained lead throughout the tournament and is the winner in amateurs 0-5HC category with a gross of 213, 3 under par. Yashal shah, also from kGC is the runner up in this category. sameer syed and samir Feroz, both from kGC are winner and runner-up in amateur net.

aania Farooq from airman Club is the new leader in Ladies 0-12 HC gross category. abiha Hanim syed from DHa Club is the runner-up. in the net category, amna amjad (kGC) and Humera khalid (DHa) secured first and second position correspondingly. in Ladies 13-36 HC gross category, tabassum sharif (kGC) won the trophy, with anum Zahra and nida Haq both from DHa at the second and third position. Golfers’ in the Veterans 75 years and above contested for two days (9 holes each day), in Gross category, Group Captain aftab a khan from kGC claimed top position. Col shahid Mahboob (DHa) scored 87 and was declared runner-up. in net category Dr. Zubair Mirza (kGC) took the first position. Winner of Runner-up net category is Vice admiral shamoon khan a three way tie between Bakhtyar saeed and shahid Murtaza.

Major Rizwan Farooq of DHa Club is the new trophy bearer in Veterans 70-75 years Gross category, with Brig Latif Butt also from DHa as the runner-up. net category has Mir ali Raza of airmen Golf Club as winner. sherjan tajik of DHa was the runner-up in this category winning over Captain safdar amin in a tie breaker.

in the Junior’s under 14 Gross category, Waleed Bilal from kGC became the new leader and nyle aurangzeb from DHa got the second position. the net category has M Hamzah sheikh and M shaffay ali as winner and runner-up respectively.

Chief Guest at the ceremony was Rizwan Masood Raja, Chief People Officer of Engro Corporation who distributed prizes amongst the winners. Rizwan congratulated sindh Golf association on successfully holding the 12th Engro sGa President Cup and assured of Engro’s cooperation in future as well.

sGa President khurram khan thanked the sponsor for support and congratulated all the winners.

khurram said, “On behalf sGa i would like to sincerely thank secretary DHa Golf Club- Brigadier ahsan Masood, his team on providing us the golf course in such good shape. i would also like to thank secretary sGa- Col Zahid and all officer bearers. sGa leadership would like to appreciate the efforts and hard work of our team including Commander shazli azhar, Baseer and Roshan for making this tournament a success.”

secretary sGa Col Zahid said, “We have been speaking with international golf associations for training of Pakistani golfers. Very soon we will see global trainers coaching our young girls and boys in karachi.”

BAGHDAD agencies

iraq’s football federation on saturday launched ticket sales for the 25th Gulf Cup, the first regional football competition to be hosted by the country for more than 40 years.

the Cup brings together the hosts as well as saudi arabia, kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, Bahrain, Oman and the United arab Emirates. it will be held in iraq’s southern city of Basra from January 6-19.

Hosting the event is a major challenge for iraq, which has experienced decades of conflict and upheaval, and whose security situation remains fragile.

“today, we are launching the sale of Gulf-25 tickets,” adnan Dirjal, head of iraq’s football federation, told a press conference in Basra on saturday.

the federation shared a link for the ticketing website on its Facebook page, with prices ranging from $10-$30.

Earlier this month, iraqi authorities announced they were scrapping visa fees for fans entering iraq for the competition.

the move seeks to attract football fans from across the Gulf region, particularly kuwait, whose border with iraq lies less than 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Basra.

One of the city’s stadiums has a capacity of 65,000, while the second can

hold 30,000 fans and will be inaugurated on Monday with a friendly between two local clubs from iraq and kuwait.

Football’s governing body FiFa earlier this year lifted a ban on international competitions in iraq that had been in place for years due to security concerns.

in January, Baghdad’s packed alMadina stadium hosted a friendly between the iraqi team and Uganda, the first international match in the capital since 2013, FiFa said at the time.

iraq first hosted the Gulf Cup in Baghdad in 1979, when it also won the tournament. the country was set to hold the Cup’s 2014 edition but it was instead shifted to saudi arabia.

Adherence to QuAid’s ideology cAn mAke us defeAt All odds: Pm

ISLAMABAD staff report

Primeminister muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that adherence to the Quaid-eAzam’s ideology could make us defeat all the odds.

On celebrations of the birthday of the Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam muhammad Ali Jinnah, the prime minister on his Twitter handle said that as a nation, they had failed to live up to the Quaid’s ideals.

“Nothing undermines a nation more than lack of unity. Adherence to Quaid’s ideology can make us defeat all the odds. my resolve on this Day is to keep working for the well-being of our people,” he added.

in a related tweet, he said Quaid-eAzam single-handedly changed the course of history through his sheer will power, clarity of thought & unwavering struggle. “Commitment to constitutionalism marked his leadership. His motto of unity, faith & discipline continues to serve as a clarion call for the nation,” he added.

Pml-n to form govt in Punjab next month, claims Ayaz sadiq

LAHORE staff report

Federal minister for economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said on Sunday that in January 2023, Pakistan muslim League (N) will form its government in Punjab, while muhammad Nawaz Sharif would soon return to Pakistan and N-League would also win with a huge majority in the upcoming general elections. He expressed these views while addressing a public meeting in his constituency Union Council 147 Tajpura on Sunday and later talking to the media persons.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that when the electricity problem was very serious in Tajpura, our party was in opposition, but we solved the problem here immediately and more than hundred transformers were installed in this area. He said that our effort has been to spend the development funds keeping in mind the basic needs of the people. He said, “Today is Christmas, and the birthday of founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam muhammad Ali Jinnah as well as of our leader Nawaz Sharif, which is very important for us.

The Prime minister’s Office issued directives to the ministry of interior for taking necessary steps in this regard.

ASSISTANCE CHEQUE FOR TERROR VICTIM: Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a financial package for the taxi driver who lost his life in an explosion in the i-10/4 sector of islamabad this week.

He approved the package in light of the investigation of the law enforcement agencies.

He sanctioned a financial package of rs 10 million for the heirs of driver Syed Sajjad Haider Shah. On the instructions of the prime minister, the cheque of the approved amount was handed over to the heirs of Sajjad Haider.

According to the investigation, Sajjad had no connection with the terrorists or their plan.

The blast took place in his taxi on December 23. He was from rehana, district Chakwal and was currently residing in muslimabad, Dhoke Syedan, rawalpindi. He left behind his wife and four children. The family of the deceased thanked the prime minister for the financial assistance.

Will prefer opposition benches to weak govt, vows Imran

Tehreek-e-insaf (PTi) chief imran Khan said Sunday that he will choose the opposition benches rather than forming a weak government this time, ArY News reported.

While giving an interview with a private news channel, imran Khan admitted that it was his mistake to form a weak government. He claimed that he would have dissolved the assembly on the very first day of power if he knows about mafias left unaccountable.

The PTi chief said that he will not accept a weak government this time. He detailed that a political party could change the legislation if it gets a clear majority in the parliament.

“Whenever we capture mafias, they got released on bail on the next day. We had failed to implement the rule of law and we know that we appointed the wrong people to key positions.”

He alleged that ishaq Dar had confessed in writing to his involvement in money laundering for the Sharif family. Khan criticised that Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif is facing a case of rs16 billion corruption but they will be released due to their powerful position.

imran Khan said that record tax collection was made by the PTi government and many people were coming into the tax net. earlier in the day, the PTi chairman and former prime minister imran Khan said that the vote of confidence will be held before January 11 while general elections are likely to be held in

April.

While talking to senior journalists, imran Khan said that he is not in contact with the establishment. He predicted that general elections are going to be held in April.

“When two assemblies are dissolved then they are bound to hold general elections. We still don’t care if elections are postponed even after the dissolution of the assemblies.”

‘Vote of confidence in PA before Jan 11’ earlier, The PTi said Sunday that the vote of confidence will be held before January 11 while general elections are likely to be held in April.

While talking to senior journalists, imran Khan said that he is not in contact with the establish ment. He predicted that gen-

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Pti to move sc if nA speaker rejects party’s mnAs resignations, says fawad ch

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTi) Vice President Fawad Chaudhry has unveiled the strategy if the National Assembly’s (NA) speaker rejects the resignations of the mNAs, ArY News reported on Sunday.

“PTi will approach the Supreme Court (SC) if NA speaker rejects resignations of its members of National Assembly (mNAs)”, revealed Fawad Ch while talking during ArY News programme Aiteraz Hai on Sunday.

He regretted: “We submitted mass resignations and we go to the assembly together to verify our resignations.”

He criticized that an assembly would never get respect where 60 per cent of lawmakers are ‘criminals’. Fawad alleged that the present assembly is not true representative of the nation nor possesses any legal status which stops PTi to return to the parliament.

He further said that PTi will dissolve the assemblies together to go ahead for fresh elections in 66 per cent of the country. regarding seat adjustment with Pakistan muslim League Quaid (PmL-Q), Fawad Chaudhry said that talks are underway. He expressed hopes that 187 lawmakers will announce their support in the Punjab Assembly. He said that PmL-Q lawmakers will not grab any victory without the support of the PTi. He claimed that PmL-Q’s victories in the past were made possible with the PTi’s support. earlier in the day, the PTi chairman and former prime minister imran Khan said that the vote of confidence will be held before January 11 while general elections are likely to be held in April. While talking to senior journalists, imran Khan said that he is not in contact with the establishment. He predicted that general elections are going to be held in April.

“When two assemblies are dissolved then they are bound to hold general elections. We still don’t care if elections are postponed even after the dissolution of the assemblies.” staff report

LAHORE staff report

Pakistan

SHUHADA PACKAGE FOR MARTYRED ICT POLICE CONSTABLE: Prime minister muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has formally issued a directive for the grant of Shuhada package to martyred police constable of islamabad Capital Territory Police Syed Adeel Hussain who laid down his life during a suicide attack in Sector 1/10.

The prime minister also directed for handing over a cheque worth rs10 million as a financial package to the bereaved family of late taxi driver Syed Sajjad Haider Shah, Pm Office media Wing said in a press release on Sunday.

The deputy commissioner islamabad would hand over this cheque to the bereaved family.