Epaper_23-02-02 KHI

Profit

G o v t a s s u r e s I M F t e a M o F h I k e I n p o w e r ta r I F F

g e c o n o m i c t e a m a g R e e s to i n c R e a s e p o w e R ta R i F F B y R s 6 . 7 9 p e R u n i t i n s i x m o n t h s

g F B R o F F i c i a l s s ay s R s 2 0 0 B ta x e s to B e i m p o s e d to m e e t ta R g e t o F R s 7 4 7 0 B

pakistani team to mpose ranging between Rs600 to 800 billion taxes besides increasing the annual tax collection target to Rs8300 bill on w h e r e a s F B R o f f c i a s n f o r m e d t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t i s p l a n n i n g t o i m p o s e R s 2 0 0 b i i o n t a x e s a n d t h e d e p a r t m e n t w i l l m e e t t h e c u r r e n t y e a r t a r g e t o f R s 7 4 7 0 b l l i o n

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirms resignation as PML-N SVP

Peshawar Bombing: PM Shehbaz slams PTI over KP security lapse

pr ofit report

as pakistan teeters on the brink of default and the government continues to make overtures to the international monetar y Fund (imF) to ensure de ayed tranches of a bailout package, the government has confirmed a hike in the power tariff sources said that the economic team has assured the visit ng delegation of imF with regard to an increase of power tariff by Rs 6 79 per unit n next f ve months the power div sion briefed the imF team about the p an to reduce the circular debt by increas ng electr c ty pr ces and preventing power theft and line losses the power tariff will increase up to Rs 4 46 per un t in the ongoing month under quarterly adjustment simi arly the tariff w ll hike by Rs 3 21 per unit in Februar y, Rs 69 per un t in march and Rs 1 64 per un t in June respect vely

islamabad s ta f f r e p o r t

days after being awarded the party ’s top ranks pakistan muslim leaguenawaz (pml-n) senior Vice-president and ch ef organiser mar yam nawaz has defended the dynastic politics and came down hard on those censuring her recent promotion a ot of peop e are furious over dynast c [politics] the nation’s love is not called a dynasty it s a democracy she said while addressing a charged crowd of supporters during the pml-n workers ’ convent on in punjab s Bahawalpur c ty on wednesday mar yam the sc on of the sharif family s pol tical dynasty dur ng her recent months-long trip to london has been tasked w th reorgan s ng the party by her father pml-n supremo and three-t me prime min ster nawaz sharif the pml-n sta wart s remarks on dynastic politics ” came following party leader shahid Khaqan abbas ’s resigna-

sources said that the imF team on wednesday also discussed matters with FBR with regard to imposition of taxes sources said that the imF has asked the

sources said that imF also demanded withdrawing sales tax concessions in phased out manner g ven to d fferent sectors whi e they also asked to mpose sa es tax on petrol upto 17% it is pertinent to mention that the government has not col ected any sales tax on petroleum products for the last 11 months earlier pakistan and the imF have begun ta ks on a ninth review of the $7 billion extended Fund Fac lity (eFF) the imF shared lists of prerequis te actions and told pakistani authorities n plain words that islamabad wil have to move towards implementing all demands for reviving the sta led Fund programme

Inflation jumps to 27.55pc, highest in almost 48 years

ISL AMABAD: Fo lowing the continuous deva uat on of local currency, import restrict ons, h ke in interest rates fue prices and other issues linked with the economic slowdown the annual inflation in the countr y has hit the h ghest 27 55 percent in the past almost 48 years accord ng to data released by pakistan Bureau of stat stics (pBs) on wednesday, the annua inflation n Januar y 2023 measured by the consumer pr ce index (cpi) has jumped to a decades-high level of 27 6 pc compared to 24 5pc n previous month and 13pc in Januar y 2022 the cpi index of 27 55 percent according to data is the highest one after may 1975 when t reg stered 27 77 pc the inflat on has spiked to the highest evel of 48 years at a t me when thousands of conta ners of food items, raw materials and equipment are stuck in ports after the cash-strapped government curtailed imports G h u l a m a b b a s

t on from the sen or vice-president post earlier today the development was conf rmed by mohammad Zubair

spokesperson for nawaz sharif

he [abbasi] s a big leader and quitt ng the post wi l have no effect on him Zubair, who also ser ved as sindh governor told the media sources pr vy to the matter sa d abbasi decided to step down after mar yam was elevated as the party s ch ef organiser and senior v cepresident by prime min ster shehbaz shar f who is also the party s president speaking on her new y-designated pos t ons in the party, the pml-n vice-president said that the party titles have recently been given and she cher shes her supporters’ love more than the designat ons granted to her a ot is be ng said about my position [ n the party] i am stand ng by you without the position and you stood by me too i salute the people of Bahawalpur for supporting us during our testing times she said deeming her supporters as her biggest strength after allah during her address, mar yam a so ex-

islamabad s ta f f r e p o r t prime min ster shehbaz sharif wednesday raised serious concern over the resur facing of terrorism in Khyber-pakhtunkhwa accusing the pak stan tehreek-iinsaf (pti) of failing to mainta n secur ty desp te ava ability of special funds the meeting of the Federal cabinet unan mous y adopted a resolut on condemn ng the suicide attack n a mosque at the peshawar police lines the cab net further stressed the need of promot ng nat onal unity and solidar ty and raising of cohesive voice by all the political forces of the countr y against terrorists it called upon al the po it cal forces to shun their divisions and grievances, express unity for the interest of the countr y and ts peop e and unan mously converge on the agenda for elim nation of terrorism so that the national secur ty, solidarity, peace and economy could be protected n an effective manner the cabinet, as a representative of the people of pakistan and their elected government condemned n the strongest terms

the terrorist incident in peshawar of Januar y 30 and expressed condolences and sympathies with the bereaved families the ent re nation shares the grief of the bereaved families,” the pm office media wing in a press release said the cabinet a so prayed for the high ranks of the shuhada (martyrs) and for their fam l es to bear the osses with fort tude it a so prayed for the early recover y of the injured people the cabinet also made it clear that those could neither be the muslims who targeted fellow mus ims at a place of worsh p nor deser ved to be called human beings under the teach ngs of the holy Quran and sunnah and the unanimous opinion of the learned re gious scholars, der ved from those teachings and declared in the ‘paigham-e-pakistan’ that such ncidents were openly against the tenets of islam and ‘ haram , the cabinet expressed it also expressed the resolve to eradicate all forms of terrorism, and ensure the protection of the lives and properties of the public, and that the blood of the pak stan s would be accounted for

o l i t i c s a m i d f u r y i n p a r t y r a n k s

pressed grief over the peshawar pol ce lines blast, pray ng for the lost lives and a peaceful pakistan the suicide bombing at a mosque on monday claimed over 100 lives and injured more than 220 people she ater conveyed nawaz sharif s regards to the people of Bahawalpur a key city in pun ab nawaz sharif asked me to beg n the pol tica campaign from Bahawa pur ” censuring imran Khan-led pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (pti) for concocting l es about the pml-n mar yam sa d she would reveal the truths that the peop e of pakistan must know ” we shou d be thankful that pakistan sur v ved after returning from the edge of destruction, given where it came to in the last four years they [pti] had made a 12-year p an [to rule] imagine what would have happened had they cont nued ruling for 12 years mar yam said while commenting on the deteriorated economic state of the countr y due to imran Khan s rule from 2018 to 2022 “ever since the pml-n came nto

power, our opponents thought that it has gone quiet and weakened you ’ve circled the fie d as much as you could now t s the n-league’s turn,” she added speaking about the agreement imran Khan s gned as prime minister with the international monetar y Fund (imF) and how

it destroyed the countr y s economy in the past, mar yam said: “imran Khan left the countr y hostaged by the imF by s gning the agreement it was a terrible pact But when he saw the [pm] cha r sl pping away he violated the agreement

M u r a d t o P u b L i C : S ta N d u P t o S t o P t u r N i N g e v e N t S i N t o t r a g e d i e S

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

LA S H I N g out at the “imported government” for sabotaging the hardearned peace in the country, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Central leader Murad Saeed urged the people of Peshawar and southern districts to stand up for themselves with a banner of peace like people of Malakand and Swat, as terrorism is rearing its ugly head again

Addressing a press conference along with PTI senior leader Iftikhar Durrani here on Wednesday, Murad Saeed lamented that it was really painful and shocking as to why they were always waiting for turning the events into tragedies rather than preempting and acting timely to thwart and avert such catastrophes

Murad raised a question that what happened in Peshawar was neither a matter of days nor it happened overnight but he warned and alerted the imported government about the looming threat some eight months ago However, he lamented that the government of crooks filed cases of sedition against him and resorted to threat and intimidations to silence him rather to find solution and take preemptive measures to rein in the menace of terrorism

“I was raising my voice for peace because I saw pleasure, contentment and satisfaction on the face of people of KP after 15-year because of peace and prosperity that was restored in the region after rendering thousands of precious lives he added Murad said that a new chapter of peace and prosperity was started in Malakand and

top cour t seeks record of graft cases disposed of after Nab Law amend

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to produce record of the cases which were disposed of following amendments in the NAB laws During the hearing of a corruption case, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked that following recent amendments, none of the accused had been acquitted in the cases of graft The TLTP learnt that he went on to say the fact was that these cases were being transferred to other forums The CJP said that these amendments had already been challenged in the Supreme Court and the matter was sub judice What is the Bureau doing with the cases which have been sent back to it by the accountability courts (ACs)?” he asked The NAB officials on the occasion informed him that a review committee had been set up, which dealt with the cases sent back by the ACs and later forwarded these to the relevant forums

Planning ministr y considers open access to PSdP data

ISLAMABAD

G h u l a m a b b a S

governance Innovation Lab under The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has decided to make information about the 750-billion-rupee development expenditure of Pakistan accessible to the masses A new portal will be created to provide real-time information about the allocation, release, and progress of every PSDP project through a graphical interface As per details all approved PC1s will be available and accessible on the portal, and the Ministry has established a Champions of Reforms (COR) Network to seek input from citizens in reviewing and evaluating project proposals under PSDP This important move will ensure greater returns on investment by making sure that the PSDP reflects the aspirations of the citizens Expert opinions gathered during the evaluation process will be included as a special section in the Executive Summary of PC-1 that is presented at the CDWP, making all stakeholders accountable to the citizens of Pakistan and enhancing the transparency and effectiveness of PSDP Both the Ministry s and independent experts opinions will be reflected in the PC1s and discussed in the CDWP meetings This digitization initiative is a major step towards making the PSDP allocations more accountable and accessible to the public, and the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives is proud to lead the way in this effort

Swati after peace, as tourism was flourishing and ruined and destroyed infrastructures and roads were rebuilt; hence people were happy

That was the reason he said that when terrorists returned to area in September last year and started terrorizing the people and the government refuted all such reports misleading and concocted, the people of Malakand and Swati took the streets in unprecedented number and forced the terrorists to flee from the region

However, he said that the Peshawar blast shook the country but it was more painful and shocking that the blood of the Peshawar blast’s martyrs were not yet dried and condemnation statements were still pouring in from Pakistan and across the world, tweets and agenda-oriented TV talk shows were

conspiracy plot

Murad went on to say that Imran Khan was cognizant of the fact that whenever Pakistan became part in someone s war, the country paid immense price

started to prepare a ground to delay the forthcoming elections which was tantamount to rub salt on the wounds of martyred families Murad stated that though the US withdrew its troops from Afghanistan it would keep it presence in different ways to keep a close look at China, which was fast emerging as the new global power

He said that all the regime change conspiracy was hatched to oust Imran Khanled government because he was the sole stumbling block in the way of the US nefarious designs who categorically stated Obsoletely not when the US sought airbases in Pakistan

The PTI leader revealed that the imported prime minister and Zardari even got annoyed over PTI Chairman’s response; who were major beneficiary of the regime

Suspec ts arrested over Peshawar blast, police focus on how bomber got in

PESHAWAR

R e u t e R S

Police investigating a suicide bombing that killed more than 100 people at a mosque in Peshawar said on Tuesday that several people had been arrested, and they could not rule out the possibility that the bomber had internal assistance evading security checks

The bombing was the most deadly in a decade to hit Peshawar and all but three of those killed were police, making it the most suffered by the security forces in a single attack in recent history

The bomber struck on Monday as hundreds of worshippers gathered for noon prayers in a mosque that was purpose-built for the police and their families living in a highly fortified area

“We have found some excellent clues, and based on these clues we have made some major arrests, Peshawar Police Chief Ijaz Khan told Reuters

“We can’t rule out internal assistance but since the investigation is still in progress I will not be able to share more details ”

Investigators, who include counter-terrorism and intelligence officials are focusing on how the attacker managed to breach the military and police checkpoints leading into the Police Lines district, a colonial-era, self-contained encampment in the city centre that is home to middle- and lower-ranking police personnel and their families

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said the bomber was in the first row in the prayer hall when he struck Remains of the attacker had been recovered, provincial police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari told Reuters

“We believe the attackers are not an organised group,” he added The most active militant group in the area, the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has denied responsibility for the attack, which no group has claimed so far Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah

P M to i n a u g u r ate K 3 n u c l e a r

reach 2200 megawatts, a PM Office statement said

Talking to the delegation the prime minister said China was a close friend of Pakistan, which always stood by it through thick and thin

He said the Pak-China strategic partnership was exemplary and Pakistan wanted to further strengthen that relationship

The prime minister said the investment worth billions of dollars under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor was manifestation of the love of Chinese government and the people for Pakistan

He said CPEC had helped Pakistan overcome the electricity shortfall for which he as well as the whole Pakistani nation was thankful to China

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said he would inaugurate K3 nuclear plant, built in cooperation with China in Karachi, on Thursday

The prime minister said this in the meeting here with a delegation of China National Nuclear Corporation which called on him

After operationalisation of the K3 power plant, the generation of nuclear power in Karachi would

PESHAWAR

t h e a S S o c at e d p R e S S

Peshawar was once known as the city of flowers ” surrounded by orchards of pear quince and pomegranate trees It was a trading city, situated at the gates of a key mountain valley connecting South and Central Asia

But for the past four decades, it has borne the brunt of rising militancy in the region, fueled by the conflicts in neighbouring Afghanistan and the geopolitical games of great powers

On Tuesday, the city with a population of about two million was reeling after one

of Pakistan’s most devastating militant attacks in years A day earlier, a suicide bomber unleashed a blast in a mosque inside the city’s main police compound, killing at least 101 people and wounding at least 225 mostly police

Analysts say the carnage is the legacy of decades of flawed policies by Pakistan and the United States

“What you sow, so shall you reap,” said Abdullah Khan, a senior security analyst

Peshawar was a peaceful place he said until the early 1980s when then-dictator Zia ul-Haq decided to become part of Washington s cold war with Moscow joining the fight against the 1979 Soviet

The meeting was also attended by Vice Chairman of China Atomic Energy Authority Liu Jing Charge d’Affaires Pang Chunxue and senior Chinese officials Federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal and Engineer Khurram Dastgir, and Special Assistants to PM Tariq Fatemi and Tariq Bajwa, and relevant officers attended the meeting

In the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on the Chinese investment in the nuclear energy sector of Pakistan The Chinese delegation thanked the prime minister for his keen interest to ensure completion of the power project

invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan Peshawar less than 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Afghan border became the centre where the American CIA and Pakistan Army helped train, arm and fund the Afghan mujahedeen fighting the Soviets

The city was flooded by weapons and fighters, many of them hard-line Islamic militants as well as with hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees Arab militants were also drawn there by the fight against the Soviets including the scion of a wealthy Saudi family, Osama bin Laden It was in Peshawar that bin Laden founded alQaeda in the late 1980s joining forces with veteran Egyptian militant Ayman al-Zawahri

Talking about the peace during PTI government, he said that the PTI government succeeded in restoring peace through its wise and well-devised policies, which was evident from the fact that not a single drone attack took place during Imran Khan’s tenure and terrorism incidents dropped to considerably and foreign investors started investing in Pakistan and tourism was booming

Whereas, he said that the US carried out around 400 drone strikes in Pakistan during their tenures and suicide blasts had become a routine matter in Pakistan Murad said that he asked questions in the month of June about the alarming upsurge of terrorism infiltration of terrorists from Afghanistan despite spending billions of rupees on fencing and providing bases to the US However he stated that the imported government lodged FIRs against him in different cases of sedition rather than answering to the most pertinent questions He urged the media to highlight the issue of terrorism prominently so as to nip the evil in the bud

Khan had told parliament a breakaway faction of the TTP was to blame

The blast demolished the upper storey of the mosque It was the deadliest in Peshawar since twin suicide bombings at All Saints Church killed scores of worshippers in September 2013, in what remains the deadliest attack on the country s Christian minority Peshawar sits on the edge of the Pashtun tribal lands, a region mired in violence for the past two decades The TTP is an umbrella group for sectarian factions opposed to the government in Islamabad The group has recently stepped up attacks against police

Countr ywide par t y conventions meant to reorganize PML-N: Marriyum

BAHAWALPUR

S ta f f R e p o R t

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum

Aurangzeb Wednesday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) convention at Bahawalpur was the first of such multiple meetings which would be spearheaded by Senior Vice President and Chief Organizer of the party Maryam Nawaz Addressing participants of PML-N worker ’s convention, the minister said countrywide meetings were aimed at further invigorating the party at grassroots level through its reorganization She urged the party workers to show exemplary discipline and listen to the address of Maryam Nawaz who had important messages for its workers from PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif The minister said Maryam Nawaz had undergone throat surgery recently and the doctors had advised her to rest but upon her return she initiated whirlwind tours for party reorganization She said that today’s meeting was an organizational convention and special invitation cards were issued to the party leaders and workers Thousands of people were outside the compound waiting for entry, but the objective of convention was reorganization of the party she added Saluting the spirit of the party workers, she said that Nawaz Sharif and the senior leadership of the party would be witnessing the proceedings of the convention so it was important to observe discipline

The Soviets finally withdrew in defeat from Afghanistan in 1989 But the legacy of militancy and armed resistance that the US and Pakistan fueled against them remained

After the Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan in the 1980s Americans abandoned mujahedeen, Americans even abandoned us, and since then we are paying a price for it ” said Mahmood Shah a former brigadier and a senior security analyst

The mujahedeen plunged Afghanistan into civil war in a bloody fight for power Meanwhile, in Peshawar and another city, Quetta, the Afghan Taliban began to organise, with backing from Islamabad Eventually the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in the late

1990s, ruling until they were ousted by the 2001 American-led invasion following alQaida’s 9/11 attacks in the US

During the nearly 20-year US war against the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, militant groups blossomed in the tribal regions of Pakistan along the border and around Peshawar Like the Taliban, they found root among the ethnic Pashtuns who make up a majority in the region and in the city Some groups were encouraged by the intelligence agencies But others turned their guns against the government, angered by heavy security crackdowns and by frequent US airstrikes in the border region targeting alQaida and other militants

p owe r p l a n t i n K a r a c h i to d ay

C a S e S y et t o S u r fa C e ’ : e L a h i , W a j a h at, o t h e r S k N o C k o N L h C d o o r f o r P r o t e C t i v e b a i L

LAHORE

S ta f f R e p o R t

fO R M E R Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and others on Wednesday filed a petition in Lahore High Court seeking protective bail against cases “yet to surface ”

The leaders seeking protective bail include:

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Wajahat Hussain, Hussain Elahi, Musa Elahi and Zaigham Elahi, have made Federal and Punjab caretaker governments, FIA, Punjab police and others party in the petition

The petitioners also appealed to the high court that they should be granted protective bail in cases [still not surfaced] They also requested the Lahore High Court that the law enforcement agencies should be directed not to harass the petitioners “The FIA, Anti-Corruption and police should be asked to refrain from violating sanctity

Covid-19 battle continues unfazed by emergence of omicron strain

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

In a recent update from the National Institute of Health (NIH), Pakistan reported 19 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 1 576 312 Despite the detection of an Omicron variant, the number of daily infections remained steady with a positivity rate of 0 50 percent The death toll in the country remains unchanged at 30,640 Of the 3,797 tests conducted, a new case of the BF 7 variant of Covid-19 was detected in Karachi This is the first reported case of the BF 7 variant in Pakistan This variant has been linked to the current surge of Covid-19 cases in China and accounted for over 5 percent of cases in the US and 7 26 percent in the UK in October Symptoms of the BF 7 variant are similar to those of the flu including fever cough sore throat runny nose, and fatigue However, in some cases, severe symptoms such as breathlessness, coughing, fatigue and low oxygen levels have been reported With the detection of this new variant, it is crucial for individuals to continue practicing preventive measures such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus

fM bilawal bhutto Zardari leaves for uS

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday left for the United States (US), sources said FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will attend the US national prayer breakfast hosted by US President Joe Biden on February The FM is expected to meet US president Joe Biden and other higher officials as well sources added FM Bilawal will discuss the current economical and security situation of the country with US officials

Earlier Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a telephonic conversation with United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken, wherein the latter underscored US resolute support for Pakistan in combating terrorism US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to FM Bilawal Bhutto and expressed his continued support for the people of Pakistan as they recover from the recent devastating floods

of home ” They also appealed to the court that they should be provided all details about cases registered in every institution secretly Pervaiz Elahi said he has been criticizing appointment of Punjab’s caretaker chief minister openly He accused that the caretaker chief minister “with the connivance” of other politicians was victimizing his family He said police were blackmailing and harassing the petitioners They also said that cases were being registered against them He further said that his brother, sons, nephews were being threatened from unknown numbers

P o l i c e a c c u s e d o f h a r a s s m e n t, i l l e g a l r a i d s : Earlier, former Punjab CM Ch Pervaiz Elahi accused the police of raiding his residence in gujrat early Wednesday morning

During a private TV programme, Elahi said the raid took place at around 4:30am and that women were also present at the residence at the time

A c c o r d i n g t o h i m , t h e r a i d w a s c a r r i e d o u t b y t h e

c a r e t a k e r g o v e r n m e n t o f P u n j a b h e a d e d b y M o h s i n N a q v i a m e d i a m o g u l w h o E l a h i a n d f o r m e r p r i m e m i n i s t e r I m r a n K h a n b o t h h a v e a c c u s e d o f b e i n g i n c a h o o t s w i t h t h e c e n t r a l g o v e r n m e n t a n d m i l i t a r y e s t a b l i s h m e n t a n d t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f S h e h b a z S h a r i f

r a i d s w i t h o u t wa r r a n t s : M o o n i s E l a h i , h i s s o n a n d f o r m e r f e d e r a l m i n i s t e r, a l s o w e i g h e d i n , t a k i n g t o Tw i t t e r t o e x p r e s s h i s c o n c e r n t h a t t h e p o l i c e c o n d u c t e d t h e r a i d w i t h o u t a w a r r a n t o r a n y a p p a r e n t c a u s e

He questioned the presence of 25 police vehicles, including two black Vigos a reference to the vehicle used traditionally by the military and asked if they were searching for Indian intelligence agents

The incident is currently under investigation and further details are yet to be released

Meanwhile Elahi announced his plans to take legal action against the raid on his residence Elahi took to Twitter to express his stance and said he has full faith in the independence of the judiciary

The raid was carried out by the caretaker government as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation against Elahi and his family by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)

Imran challenges petition seek ing his disqualification over ‘secret daughter ’

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Imran Khan, chairman of Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has asked the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to dismiss a petition seeking his disqualification for not disclosing his rumoured daughter

Tyrian Jade White in his nomination

papers for the elections Khan argued the petition was not legally maintainable as he was no longer a member of the National Assembly One Sajid Mehmood had filed the petition in the court claiming that while Khan had made arrangements for Tyrian’s upkeep in the United Kingdom, he had failed to mention this in his

nomination papers and affidavits Khan submitted his response to the c o u r t t o d a y s a y i n g h i s r e s i g n a t i o n f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y w a s irrevocable and that he had no intention o f t a k i n g u p a s e a t i n t h e c u r r e n t National Assembly He also argued that the IHC could not examine the veracity of any

Food authority recovers 800kg fake tea leaves, seals unit

PESHAWAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority recovered 800 kilograms of fake tea leaves while conducting operations in the Hazar Khawani area here on Wednesday

The spokesman of the Authority said that unhealthy dyes, spoiled leaves, and other substandard ingredients were being added to the adulterated tea leaves and sealed the unit

The operation was conducted on directives of Director general Shahrukh Ali Khan, during which a unit established in Hazar Khwani was raided, and recovered 80 kg of fake tea leaves that were kept to dry on the dirty floor of the terrace T h e s a n i t a t i o n c o n d i t i o n s w e r e a l s o f o u n d t o b e v e r y p o o r, w h i l e h y g i e n e n o r m s w e r e f o u n d t o b e v i o l a t e d

During the operation, the unit was sealed, while s e v e r a l h u n d r e d k i l o g r a m s o f h a r m f u l t e a l e a v e s were destroyed on the spot

S hocked at Peshawar terror attack, Justice Isa regrets absence of state writ

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Expressing shock and grief over the suicide blast inside a mosque in Peshawar which has claimed the lives of 101 people so far Supreme Court Judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Wednesday asked for how long will the state of Pakistan fear the terrorists?

Questioning the logic behind initiating talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Justice Isa asked as to where was the writ of the state?

The SC judge regretted that successive governments had been making concessions to the militants, and there were some who favoured talks with them But this further emboldens the TTP and other militant outfits which then carry out attacks with impunity,” he said, wondering as to which type of society this was Justice Isa was of the view that one does not become a good Muslim by sporting long beards “A judge had compiled a report on terrorism, but that was thrown into the dustbin,” he regretted

sh R ashid moves IHC against police notice issued over allegation against Zardari

RAWALPINDI S ta f f R e p o R t

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed challenged a police notice issued to him in a case related to allegations against former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Islamabad High Court (IHC)

A day earlier, the former interior minister was asked to appear in the Aabpara police station in the capital city on Wednesday for explanation after a complaint was filed against him for allegedly accusing PPP co-chairman of hatching a plot for the assassination of PTI Chairman Imran Khan

The capital police in a statement on Tuesday also claimed that Mr Ahmed had retracted from his allegation against the former president They also warned the senior politician of legal action for defying the summons

In the latest development, the AML chief has filed a petition against the police notice in the high court through his counsel Sardar Razzaq, Naeem Haider and Intazar Hussain He pleaded the IHC to declare the notice null and void as it was issued illegally Taking to Twitter, Mr Rashid endorsed Imran Khan s claim that Mr Zardari wanted to kill him, adding:

“There are serious threats to the life of Imran Khan He said the PDM wanted to minus the PTI chief from politics He said data of 16 ministries was scrutinised and the government had resorted to awkward tactics after failing to find anything against him He claimed

police were trying their best to arrest him

In a media talk outside the IHC, he also lashed out at the government for economic crisis in the country He demanded that the conditions placed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the revival of the loan programme should be made public He also hit out at the government for its attempt to occupy his residence, adding: “Lal Haveli is my personal property He said such tactics would bring bad name to the authorities Warning of anarchy in the country, he said elections should be held immediately to save the country from the deepening economic and political crises

declaration made by a person who has ceased to hold public office

The PTI chairman referred to previous similar cases filed in the IHC and Supreme Court, which were dismissed on the same grounds He added that a case considered improper to proceed with previously cannot be taken up again under the law

7 38 cases of human rights violations repor ted in Sindh, reveals new repor t

HYDERABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

As many as 738 cases of human rights violations were reported in Sindh Province during 2021-2022 according to the 7th annual report of Sindh Human Rights Commission launched at a local hotel in Hyderabad on Wednesday Chairperson Sindh Human Rights Commission Justice (R) Majida Rizvi highlighting important points of the report said that a total of 738 complaints related to human rights violations from 28 districts of Sindh were made In these cases, 251 suo-moto notices were taken on the basis of electronic media, newspapers, alerts from NgOs, civil society and focal persons whereas 487 complaints were entertained by the Commission In addition to complaint handling, the Commission, as per its mandate, conducted several field visits arranged public hearings conducted legislative reviews on a number of laws pertaining to human rights violations, recommended new laws

Swabi Police kill two master-mind terrorists

PESHAWAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

In an intelligence-based operation against terrorists, Swabi Police have killed two master-mind terrorists and arrested another one beside two suspects, said a press release issued on Wednesday On a tip regarding the presence of terrorists Swabi Police along with intelligence agencies carried out a joint operation at Hund During the operation, two terrorists identified as Izharullah alias Shiraz son of Attaullah resident of Asota Sharif and his accomplice Zeenat alias Saqib, resident of Bajaur were killed while another terrorist was arrested along with two other suspects Terrorist Izharullah alias Shiraz was wanted by both Swabi Police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in connection with terrorism related cases According to police he was wanted in recent handgrenade attacks at Police Station Kalu Khan and Yar Hussain A police cop was injured in the attack

100MW to GWadar: all Works to be coMpleted in 15 days: Qesco

ISLAMABAD

s ta f f r e p o r t

Mo r e than 0 4 million people in Gwadar will be relieved of appalling power woes as all electrification and configuration work for receiving 100 MW Iranian electricity to power up Gwadar will be completed in 15 days

According to a report published by Gwadar Pro on Wednesday the project cost approximately rs 500 million Gwadar City, Gwadar Port, Free Zones, and Gwadar District will have access to electricity beginning March 1st

All electrification works consist of the installation of a double circuit 132 KV transmission line from Kalatu (Pakistan city) near Gabd-remdan (Pak-Iran border) to Jiwani Grid Station, erection of around 70 power polls, evacuation, foundation concreting and backfilling foundations, earthling and civil works

Quetta electric Supply Company (QeSCo), operating as a power distribution company and dealing with the power supply system National Transmission National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) have collaborated to complete the project

According to a QeSCo official, infrastructure has been completed on the Iranian side for many years Infrastructure was also ready from Jiwani to Gwadar, according to him “However, transmission line equipment from the Pakistan-Iran border area of Kalatu near Gabd-remdan to Jiwani was missing, he added

It is expected that the remaining procedures and formalities will be completed in 10 to 15 days, and the project will be inaugurated on March 1st, ensuring a stable and low-cost 100 MW power supply from Iran to Gwadar

Initially the transmission lines were single circuit with configuration of three

ctd arrest daesh member from Multan

MULTAN

Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Wednesday arrested a member of Daesh from Multan

He was linked with the external network of the proscribed outfit The suspect was arrested on a tip-off CTD personnel recovered arms, electronic items, and other equipments from the suspect s possession

Sources said that Ismail Khalil was the head of the Multan region where he was managing the network of the banned outfit Last week the CTD arrested two terrorists of Al-Qaeda and two of Daesh from DG Khan and rahim Yar Khan

lHc breathes life into restaurants with extended hours in smog fight

LAHORE

s ta f f r e p o r t

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has extended the operating hours for restaurants in the ongoing smog case

The court ruled that restaurants can remain open until 11:00 pm each night, and can continue with home delivery services until 12:30 am

Additionally, the LHC instructed relevant authorities to identify areas prone to traffic congestion and submit a report The court also established a helpline to be staffed by the traffic police

The written verdict was delivered by Justice Shahid Karim during the hearing of the Haroon Farooq case

The next hearing is scheduled for February 3, and representatives from the Water and environmental Commission are expected to present a report at that time

ISLAMABAD

Islmabad Police has rejected orders of Special Assistant to Prime Minister Sardar Shahjahan Yousaf for appointment of 31 youth of his area in Capital Police as Constables

Documents available with Pakistan

Today states that Islamabad police in reply to SAPM’s letter stated that the recruitment process in the ICT Police is fair and transparent and any recommendation or reference shall not be helpful for any candidate for his recruitment The Police said that every candidate has to go through a prescribed competitive process without any distinction or favour

conductors for the three phases Given the outlook of the new project, transmission lines are a double circuit configuration with six conductors (three phases for each circuit)

When greater reliability is required, double circuits are used This mode of transmission allows for the transfer of more power over a given distance As a result, transmission is less expensive, requires less land and is considered ideal from an ecological and aesthetic standpoint,”he explained

It is a new electricity infrastructure connecting Iran’s Polan city to Kalatu Gabd-remdan, Jiwani, and Gwadar, through which Gwadar will receive 100

MW from Iran It is the closest to the Iranian border, which is only 40 kilometers away old power infrastructure is also available from the Pak-Iran border Panjgur to Gwadar, providing around 40-70 MW However, due to the long distance of around 400 kilometers from the Pak-Iran border to Gwadar, the share of other districts of Makran division, power losses, and power outages, Gwadar is always plunged into darkness because it does not receive regular and stable power Zumurd Baloch, a Gwadar City resident, told Gwadar Pro that the old power system from the Pakistan-Iran border near Panjgur to Gwadar was lopsided and had traumatized the lives of ordinary people due to system failure

Meanwhile he breathed a sigh of relief over a new transmission line from the Pak-Iran border at Kalatu near Gabd-remdan to Jiwani and Gwadar claiming that it would end long-hour power outages

Another resident, Mohsin Jan, a businessman, said that business in Gwadar had been languishing in the backdrop of sporadic availability of electricity ?The new transmission line will be a breath of fresh air for the Gwadar industry and trade

Young professionals flee crisis-hit Pakistan in search of jobs

KARACHI

r e u t e r s

Tahir took a leap of faith when he left Pakistan four months ago in search of a better and more prosperous future in Canada

even with no job lined up he made up his mind to leave as his homeland grapples with a worsening economic crisis that is driving thousands of young, educated workers to pack their bags

“I felt I needed a powerful passport and an escape plan if things go badly said Tahir a former education worker who is currently job-hunting in Toronto and hopes one day to attain dual Pakistani-Canadian citizenship

He asked to use a pseudonym to protect his identity

More than 800,000 people left the country to take up jobs last year, according to regulatory and monitoring body the Bureau of emigration and overseas employment, up from a pre-pandemic total of 625,876 in 2019, and 382,439 the year before that

M a n y m o r e l e a v e f o r e d ucation or other reasons and do not return

Devastating floods last year compounded Pakistan s economic problems, which include shortages of staple foods linked to a dearth of dollars and persistently high inflation that tipped 24 percent in January

Pakistan is struggling to quell default fears in domestic and inter-

hence, the communique said that the Capital Police shall complete the process as per the law and recrcuitment procedures already in place and any recommendation shall not be entertained earlier, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Sardar Shahjahan had reportedly recommended 31 candidates to IG Islamabad Akbar Nasir Khan for appointment as constables in Islamabad Police

According to the official letter signed by Sardar Shahjahan Yousaf, the SAPM had recommended Muhammad Shakeel, Imran Ahmed, Wajahat Khalid, Muhammad Nazir, Muhammad Usman, Noman Ali, Muhammad Yasir, Muhammad Nazir, Hamza Shabir, Uzair rashid, Ishaq Khan, Anas Im-

pakistanis among 120,000 migrants passed through serbia in 2022

WASHINGTON a n a d o l u ag e n c y

Serbia registered more than 120,000 migrants, including Pakistanis, last year in asylum centres across the country, according to figures released on Monday A total of 124,127 migrants passed through centres run by the country’s refugee and Migration Commissariat, showed the latest report by the agency According to the latest statistical data while some migrants stay longer, others stay shorter, and the average stay was 16 days In 2021, the average length of stay was 30 days, and in 2020, it was 36 days,” said the statement There are 3,059 people in 17 centres at present, while only 10 people were granted asylum in 2022 with another 40 receiving other forms of protection Most of the migrants are from Afghanistan Syria Pakistan Morocco and India showed the data Serbia lies on the Western Balkan route frequently used by migrants to get to europe Serbian officials have repeatedly underlined that they have and will have a humanitarian attitude towards refugees but the country does not want to be a victim

punjab ombudsman inter venes to provide over rs22.5m relief to complainants

national markets, with a $1 1 billion bailout tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stuck due to differences over a programme review that should have been completed in November

As the government battles to alleviate the crisis, officials are also increasingly worried about the snowballing brain drain that could hamper the country’s eventual recovery

The huge exodus of educated youth is of great concern,”

Ahsan Iqbal, the minister for planning and development told Context “It is our responsibility to provide them an enabling environment to stem the emigration ”

The government has launched several development initiatives which it hopes will help retain talent, he added

They include establishing 200,000 paid internships for young engineers, a rs10 billion innovation fund and a rs40 bil-

tiaz, Umar Habib, Muhammad Shakeel, Umar Shafiq, Muhammad Faraz, Muhammad Sajjad Hanzla Muhammad Nawaz Muhammad Munir, Muhammad Sajjad, Muhammad Zaheer, Muhammad Zahid, rashid Ahmad, Muhammad Khalid, Afaqul-Zaman, Muhammad Waqar, ehtisham Anwar, Muhammad Asif, Abdul rasheed, Muhammad owais, Zia ur rehman and Umer Asghar, Muhammad Ilyas who belonged to

and Balochistan

lion programme to develop 20 poor districts

F r u s t r at e d y o u t h : even before the current crisis, many young workers were keen to leave frustrated by a decline in purchasing power and limited opportunities to improve their standard of living

Almost one in three people in Pakistan aged under 30 would like to take a job abroad, found a survey carried out by polling firm Gallup Pakistan and its nonprofit subsidiary the Gilani Foundation last June before the floods struck

That rose to above 50 percent among university-educated youth, said Bilal Gilani, executive director of Gallup Pakistan

Tahir, the job-seeker in Canada, said his generation were worse off than their parents who were able to buy real estate, make investments and create wealth in decades past

LAHORE

s ta f f r e p o r t

In the latest development, cumulative financial relief of rs22 5 million has been provided to applicants of Lahore and other districts who approached the office of the Punjab ombudsman for the payment of their pension, general provident fund, gratuity and other employment dues from provincial departments In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesman for the department said the ombudsman office has interceded for the necessary repair and maintenance of roads and cleanliness of sewerage lines in the areas of the applicants from Lahore Attock Mianwali Jhelum Jhang and Gujranwala districts This has helped in providing a neat and clean atmosphere to the locals, he added Alongside this, the spokesman reported the Jhelum municipal committee has prepared estimates of around two million rupees to repair the sewerage line of Madni Mohalla This step has been taken on the complaint of Abdul rahman of Jhelum who approached the ombudsman office to functionalise the sewerage line of his area

The plaintiffs have thanked the office of the ombudsman for protecting their legal rights

PAKISTAnI vlogger MAKIng SPl ASh In ChInA

BEIJING

s tA f f R e p o R t

rE S I D I N G in China since 2016 a Pakistani girl, Mahzaib Abbasi currently pursuing a master s degree in the Chinese language at a top university in Beijing has explored different parts of the country

“I have always been fascinated by the Chinese language and culture,” Mahzaib told China Economic Net (CEN) and added it’s a valuable skill that can open doors for my future career ”

An avid traveller, Abbasi has travelled to

more than 50 cities in China over the years, and with a 15-day vacation this Spring Festival, she sets foot westward to China’s southwestern province of Yunnan, more than 2 000 kilometres away from Beijing

As China relaxes its COVID-19 measures, I am able to travel freely and explore different parts of the country ” the globetrotter said as she films the dancing tourists and locals and grazing hordes

“The locals are polite and lovely and I love their culture and lifestyle,” Mahzaib told CEN excitedly, In Yunnan, I saw so many people in the streets they were enjoying their vacations Alhamdulillah, now

everything is normal

As she treks through different parts of the country, Abbasi feels the need to share what she sees with more people To this end, she started vlogging in late 2020 and posted vlogs on Chinese and international social media platforms “I started vlogging to show what the real China is like,” she explains, “many people have never been to China and have stereotypes against the country ”ť With over 161,000 followers on YouTube, the Pakistani vlogger navigate to garner viewers predominantly from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and other

Asian countries In a 2021 vlog about how the Chinese celebrate Eid in China’s northwestern city of Lanzhou, Abbasi received over 8,000 comments expressing thanks and appreciation for her efforts with the video reaching a million views in less than a week

Interestingly, her vlogs are tri-lingual where she presents in Urdu with Chinese and English subtitles Mahzaib explains, she wants to promote her native language Urdu through vlogging “I feel more comfortable in my native language,” she says, “I also want to use my vlogs to reach out to people from other countries who understand Urdu such as India and Bangladesh ”ť

PTA degrads Wikipedia ser vices over unlawful content

ISLamaBad

A h M A D A h M A DA n i

P a k i s t a n Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n A ut h o r i t y ( P TA ) h a s d e g r a d e d Wikipedia services in the country on a c c o u n t o f n o t b l o c k i n g / r e m o v i n g s a c r i l e g i o u s c o n t e n t s According to the PTA, Wikipedia was approached for blocking / removal of the unlawful contents by issuing a

Inflation jumps to 27.55pc, highest in almost 48 years

CoNtINuEd from paGE 01

As per the data the CPI index on month-on-month basis increased to 2 9 percent in January 2023 as compared to an increase of 0 5 percent in the previous month and an increase of 0 4 percent in January 2022 This takes the seventh month of fiscal year 2022-23 average inflation to 25 4 percent compared to 10 3 percent in the same period of last fiscal year With food inflation at 43 percent, the impact of the rupee devaluation and petrol/electricity/gas is yet to be realized As per the data CPI inflation in urban areas increased to 24 4pc on a year-on-year basis in January as compared to an increase of 21 6pc in the previous month and 13pc in January 2022 On a month-on-month basis, it increased to 2 4pc in Jan 2023 as compared to an increase of 0 3pc in the previous month and an increase of 0 1pc in January 2022 Meanwhile, CPI inflation in rural areas increased to 32 3pc on a year-on-year basis in January 2023 as compared to an increase of 28 8pc in the previous month and 12 9pc in Jan 2022 On a month-onmonth basis, it increased to 3 6pc in Jan 2023 as compared to an increase of 0 7pc in the previous month and an increase of 0 9pc in Jan 2022 It may be mentioned here that the CPI figure shown by PBS was higher than the government s expectation of 26pc, which itself was more than double the budgeted 11 5pc target A day earlier, the Ministry of Finance had forecasted the CPI inflation on a year-on-year basis for January to be in the range of 24-26pc In its Monthly Economic Update & Outlook issued on Tuesday, the ministry also made an upward revision in its inflation forecast to 24-26pc for the year, from 21-23pc it had estimated in December It said rising prices of onions and wheat are key factors affecting the general price level Late last month, the government removed an unofficial cap on the USD-PKR exchange rate, as a result of which the local currency lost Rs38 74 between Jan 26-30 Separately, it also hiked petrol prices by Rs35 a liter The full impact of these measures is yet to be reflected in the CPI According to experts, food inflation was the major driver behind the hike It increased from 162 23 in January 2022 to 231 89 in January 2023, a jump of almost 43pc Shortage of essential items amid import restrictions have increased prices of food items i e chicken, wheat and onions

notice under applicable law and court order(s) An opportunity of hearing was also provided, however, the platform neither complied by removing the blasphemous content nor appeared before the Authority Given the intentional failure on part of the platform to comply with the directions of the PTA, the services of Wikipedia have been degraded for 48 hours with the direction to block / re-

move the reported contents In case of non-compliance by Wikipedia the platform will be blocked within Pakistan The restoration of the services of Wikipedia will be reconsidered subject to blocking / removal of the reported unlawful contents, said PTA P TA i s c o m m i t t e d t o e n s u r i n g a s a f e o n l i n e e x p e r i e n c e f o r a l l P a ki s t a n i c i t i z e n s a c c o r d i n g t o l o c a l laws PTA added

Analysis: Pak istan moves toward deal- or- default endgame

CoNtINuEd from BaCk paGE

DIFFICULT TIMES

Such a restructuring of Pakistan’s bonds would represent its first international default since 1999, according to the Bank of CanadaBank of England Sovereign Default Database

With just $8 6 billion worth of such bonds, compared to the $30 billion Pakistan owes to China Ismail said Islamabad might be better off “just going to those countries that we owe a lot, or to the institutions we owe a lot, and trying and get some more long-term loans ”

Sharif is optimistic that the IMF will resume disbursements An agreement with the IMF, God willing will be done he said at an event last week in Islamabad, the capital “We will soon be out of difficult times ”

Multilateral and bilateral financing pledges for Pakistan’s rebuilding efforts after the floods also depend on a green light from the IMF

But even domestic analysts believe the government will find matters tough, as the IMF is likely to demand significant belt-tightening that is bound to be unpopular with voters already grappling with decades-high inflation and fewer job prospects

IMF officials have been eager to support

BEIJING

Ag e n c i e s

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday sent a message of condolence to President Arif Alvi over a deadly terrorist attack on a mosque in Peshawar On behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, Xi extended condolences over the sad incident and expressed sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured

In his message, the Chinese President con-

poorer countries and Pakistan promises to be a crucial partner for the West but paying out gets trickier when a programme is close to its end and a new government could come in and try and tear up a deal If the disbursements do not arrive by June, there could be a six-month gap before the new government takes office during which Pakistan would be starved of funds effectively pushing its population of 220 million to the brink

The lack of reserves will make it to tough to stay afloat Just $500 million of interest or ‘coupon’ payments are due on Pakistan’s international bonds this year, but the chief of the central bank chief has said $3 billion is needed to meet overall external debt payments

The political timing is also critical After the government s tenure ends in August, a special caretaker government will take charge for up to 90 days to ensure free and fair elections

However, the caretaker government is not empowered to sign an IMF pact, raising the question of whether the government and opposition can cooperate on a joint pledge to push through any IMF demands in order to avert a default “If something happens with the disbursement and then the elections get in the way, they might have a problem ” Gramercy’s Exum added

demned the attack and added that China resolutely opposed all forms of terrorism and was willing to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan to jointly maintain peace and security in the region and the globe C h i n e s e P r e m i e r L i K eqiang had also sent a message of condolence to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the same day over the attack The blast occurred on Monday in a mosque in Peshawar when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest in the front row of the prayer congregation

Mar yam defends ‘dynastic ’ politics amid fur y in par ty ranks

CoNtINuEd from paGE 01

The PML-N leader said that she “is aware of inflation in Pakistan and feels the pain” of the nation “Nawaz Sharif is worried in London over the inflation in the country,” she said

Maryam, while hitting out hard at the PTI chairman for crying over inflation said that the person who would find out commodity prices through the television during his rule “is now reading out prices from newspapers which too are incorrect

Commenting on the party’s position in the polls, she said the PML-N would “clean sweep the elections As if it is not enough Maryam kept on censuring Khan for incessantly pressuring the federal’s government to conduct elections particularly during the last few months of 2022

“Had we gone into elections at that time, we would have won by one-third majority The NLeague took a thoughtful decision, she said, adding that the party supremo didn’t give in to the PTI chief ’s pressure to conduct the snap polls

Referring to the country as home, Maryam said:

“From 2018 to 2022, Imran Khan divided the country, now the N-League will repair it The country has no other choice but Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N

In her bid to attract the youth towards the Shehbaz Sharif-led party, Maryam asked the young participants to make their own social media accounts and spread the party’s message She invited them to join the PML-N’s social media team Sharing her concerns about the state of security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the PML-N leader said she would visit Peshawar soon She also acknowledged the

sacrifices made by the armed forces while fighting against terrorism However, the party’s senior vicepresident questioned the security lapse during her speech criticising Khan for showing the least interest in relevant matters “When he [Imran Khan] was the prime minister for four years, eight meetings were conducted on security in parliament He did not even attend one ” With 2023 being deemed the election year, political parties across Pakistan, including the PML-N, are gearing up for the mega political contest Maryam, too, returned from London on January 28 to kick-start campaigning for the polls She travelled to the United Kingdom in October last year Addressing the PML-N workers in Lahore last week, the senior party leader reiterated that Nawaz would also be among them soon a topic that has been widely speculated about

To date, the Pakistani hodophile has made 121 vlogs on social media platforms “I feel humbled and proud that people find my videos useful, she said, vlogging is not an easy job but the positive feedback I receive keeps me motivated ”

As this year marks the China-Pakistan year of tourism exchanges Mahzaib sees this as a great opportunity for both countries to learn from each other s cultures I m looking forward to exploring Xinjiang after graduation,” says Abbasi “I believe that through travel and cultural exchange, we can foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for each other ”

PIA fur ther cuts down round trip fare on flights between China, Pakistan

BEIJING

s

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has further reduced round trip fare for passengers traveling on its flights operating from China to Pakistan with immediate effect The new round trip fare from Beijing-Islamabad-Beijing and Chengdu-Islamabad-Chengdu will now be RMB 7,915 It will greatly facilitate those passengers living in China who plan to travel to Pakistan for business, work or to meet their families during holidays, a senior official told APP here on Wednesday PIA is currently operating weekly passenger flights on Beijing-Islamabad-Beijing and Chengdu-Islamabad-Chengdu routes on Sunday and Wednesday respectively China has already scraped the quarantine requirement for international arrivals starting from January 8 However, the passengers traveling to China need to take Nucleic Acid Test within 48 hours before boarding their flights to China Ali Imran, a Pakistani educationist said that the new reduced fare would greatly facilitate the Chinese tourists who plan to visit Pakistan as both Pakistan and China are celebrating this year as Tourism Year to promote the people to people exchanges

Peshawar Bombing: PM Shehbaz slams PTI over KP securit y lapse

CoNtINuEd from paGE 01

It was decided that the restructuring of the police force of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Counter-Terrorism Department would be carried out besides the provision of quality training and solid steps for the supply of the latest weapons and gadgets, so as to avert the occurrence of such incidents in the future The prime minister also expressed his gratitude to the Chinese president and the premier for expressing solidarity with Pakistan

Capitals’ hospitals take special measures to manage any untoward situation

ISLamaBad

s tA f f R e p o R t

T h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s o f t w o m a j o r h o s p i t a l s o f t h e f e d e r a l c a p i t a l h a v e s t a r t e d t a k i n g s p e c i a l m e a s u r e s t o k e e p t h e e m e rg e n c y d e p a r t m e n t s o n h i g h a l e r t i n c a s e o f a n y u n t ow a r d s i t u a t i o n A c c o r d i n g t o h o s p i t a l s s o u r c e s a t P a k i s t a n I n s t i t u t e o f M e d i c a l S c i e n c e s ( P I M S ) a n d t h e F e d e r a l G o ve r n m e n t P o l y c l i n i c ( F G P C ) t h e s h i f t d u t y s t a ff a n d e m e rg e n c y s t a ff w i l l p e r f o r m t h e i r d u t i e s a s u s u a l w h i l e t h e h e a d s o f c l i n i c a l d e p a r t m e n t s h a v e b e e n a s k e d t o e n s u r e t h e i r p r e s e n c e T h e y h a v e a l s o b e e n a s k e d n o t t o l e a v e t h e s t a t i o n a n d m a k e s u r e t h e p r e s e n c e o f o n - c a l l d o c t o r s a cc o r d i n g t o t h e d u t y r o s t e r p r e p a r e d w i t h t h e c o o r d i n a t i o n o f t h e M e d i c a l D i r e c t o r s O ff i c e i n d e p a r t m e n t s i n c l u d i n g G e n e r a l S u rg e r y, N e u r o s u rg e r y, O r t h o p e d i c , O M F S , E N T, E y e , G e n e r a l M e d i c i n e , P a e d s S u rg e r y a n d B u r n C a r e C e nt r e S i m i l a r l y a l l h o s p i t a l s s t a ff i n c l u d i n g d o c t o r s n u r s e s p a r a m e d i c s , a n d a n c i l l a r y s t a ff h a v e b e e n d i r e c t e d t o r em a i n a l e r t a n d v i g i l a n t a s a n d w h e n r e q u i r e d f o r a n y u n t ow a r d a d v e r s e s i t u a t i o n

L A H O R E: Members of Anjuman-e-Tajran Urdu Bazaar protest against manifold hike in price of paper stAff photo

C h i n e s e P re s i d e n t, P re m i e r c o n d o l e ove r Pe s h awa r m o s q u e b o m b i n g

Having elections time

Th e delay by the Governors of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in announcing dates for the provincial elections is giving rise to speculation that the elections to the two assemblies, which were prematurely dissolved on January 14 and 18 respectively, giving the election Commission 90 days to hold the election, according to the Constitution The dissolutions not just failed to force the federal government to dissolve itself, and let general elections be held, but also failed to squash the talk of the federal elections, which are due at the latest by october, being postponed The Pakistan Tehjrik Insaf, though its Secretary General Asad Umar, has petitioned the respective high courts The fate of the two provincial assemblies thus seems to be a precursor of that of the National Assembly

It is true that the Constitution allows for the National Assembly to extend its life by up to a year if emergency, ordinary or economic, has been imposed on the country It also allows the federal government to take over the functions of a provincial government however, it does not seem too contemplate the postponement of provincial elections Those eager for a postponement refer to Article 254, which declares that any delay does not render the act itself illegal That does not make any delay legal, noor does it provide any legal path towards that delay It merely bars such events as the 1985 elections being challenged because they took place at least three years late

It is also being argued that the elections might cost too much That is a risible argument, and would be unacceptable in any private-sector organization It becomes even more ridiculous when it is remembered that the eCP has itself given a date for 33 by-elections all over the country, and is likely to have to order another 70odd Then the resurgence of terrorism is mentioned as a possible excuse The people who drafted the 1973 Constitution did so in the shadow of the 1971 War, and had to provide for the possibility of part of the country being under foreign occupation If a terrorist threat, no matter how severe, can prevent elections, then the Constitution is not robust enough It should not be forgotten that constitutional deviations have always led in the past to disaster, and to worsening problems instead of solving them The present crisi, it can be argued, is mainly because the PTI was foisted upon the country because some institutions operated beyond their constitutional mandate

t t a C h u l a c r i s i s

The solutions are not hard to find

SNGPL) Pakistan now had the privilege of using the cleanest ‘ Fossil Fuel ‘ Natural Gas is the final product of the carbon cycle organic matter first decays into coal followed by oil and then gas Nature had been kind to the republic the huge gas deposit was a gift Unfortunately the resource was mismanaged, instead of lasting for a century it fell short after 50 years of misuse (1952 to 2002)

In 2004, as Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation, I started looking at coal as an alternate fuel A Coal Conference was organized

wheels of the world

The steam engine brought the much needed motion In the year 2016, I was invited as a keynote speaker at the International Coal Conference at Pittsburgh (IPCC 2016) to talk about the Future of Coal’ For fuel-starved nations like Pakistan, ‘ coal has a future but with the application of environment-friendly 21st century technologies

Gasification of this black gold is the way forward once gasified it can be converted into clean fuel which can then be used in place of natural gas The country has a huge state-of-the-art gas distribution network spread over several thousand kilometres which is now dependent upon expensive imported gas that is unaffordable with the current worldwide energy crises

So m e people might be misguided by the thought that the menace of terrorism in Pakistan was successfully crushed to the roots a few years back and after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan things have become quite normal but actually the situation is not that way Terrorists and terrorism both are still alive; it seems they had hibernated themselves for a very short period of time once again they are out of their short sleep and ready to ‘do more’

The recent bomb attack on a mosque in Peshawar on January 30 seems the beginning of a fresh wave of terrorist activities in Pakistan The terrorists have chosen a time when Pakistan is passing through the toughest period of its history with a lot of political and economic instability Different experts on security affairs were already apprehending occurrence of such incidents It is also being feared that more episodes of the same type could take place in near future Certainly the law-enforcement agencies will have to be more active and more vigilant against the peace-destroyers even the last year hasd not been very peaceful regarding terrorist activities in Pakistan According to a think-tank

PA K I S TA N faces a serious Atta Chula crisis

Due to shortage of fuel the chula (stove ) is thanda (cold) while there is no atta (flour) to cook roti’ (bread) In the 1970s, Bhutto launched his party on the promise of ‘Roti Kapra Makan which still remains a pipe dream even the roti (bread) is out of reach of the common man Natural gas is short and expensive It is back to the basics from where the journey had started The

12 Trillion Cubic Feet of natural gas deposit at Sui is now depleted together with acute shortage of wheat

Both items are now being imported While the fuel import bill is highest followed by food items which poses serious sustainability challenges

There is a huge trade deficit as the republic does not earn enough dollars to pay for its basic needs LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is being imported from Qatar at an unaffordable price also recently a shipment of wheat arrived from Russia resulting in depletion of the much needed foreign exchange reserves every day I receive SmS messages saying We buy ACs”, indicating that there is a huge market for this product While the nation struggles for Atta and Chula (AC), the Air Conditioners (AC) remain in demand for the few As a nation we cannot sustain this luxury on borrowed money The import bill has to be drastically slashed Food and fuel are the basic needs of the nation Unfortunately there has been a consistent decline in these two vital areas in the Land of the Pure

I remember the days when wood and coal were used to cook food Kitchens were dirty and usually isolated from living quarters in posh dwellings every locality had a Taal (a place where timber was stored and sold) mostly manned by Pathans There were several coal merchants in the city who sold both local and imported fuel In the 1960s came the kerosene stoves which were a big relief for the housewives Cooking meals was made a bit easier

Then there was a big break with the discovery of natural gas at Sui in the Dera Bugti district of Balochistan There was no looking back Gas transmission and distribution network was developed by the two public sector Gas Companies (SSGC

All players in the field were invited for inputs A clear roadmap to move forward was developed with consensus With no experience of large scale commercial mining in the country, it was decided to focus in this area at the largest deposit at ‘ Thar Thus started a long, painful journey that has been ongoing since then Finally in the year 2018, I had the satisfaction of touching the coal seams at the bottom of the first mine jointly developed by the Sindh Government and eNGRo (Sindh engio Coal mining Company) Power production has now started at the mine, which is now connected to the national grid At Rs 4 per unit it is the cheapest source of the much needed electricity Now work has started on the production of Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) from the huge deposit (175 Billion Tons) With soaring LNG prices in the range of $30 per mmBTU SNG production at $8 per mmBTU makes sense

Despite all the available indig enous resources, there is no justification to deprive the masses from the attainment of the basic human needs like Fuel and Food. This Atta Chula crisis is uncalled for and can easily be overcome through astute planning with utilization of appropriate technologies.

Food is equally important For a long time the republic was self-sufficient in wheat that is now being imported in addition to other items like edible oilseeds and tea All three of them can be grown locally with an effective road map to move forward During my tenure at PSF (2002 to 2005), tea plantation areas were identified in Kashmir and KP together with trial plantation

The Tea Research Institute (NTRI) at Shinkiari has enough know-how to achieve self-sufficiency in this area oilseeds can also be grown on marginal lands to save the much needed foreign exchange Recently olive plantation has started in the Salt Range which holds great future potential Despite all the available indigenous resources, there is no justification to deprive the masses from the attainment of the basic human needs like Fuel and Food, This Atta Chula crisis is uncalled for and can easily be overcome through astute planning with utilization of appropriate technologies In 1952 we had the gift of Natural Gas at Sui today we have Black Gold at Thar to meet our fuel needs The heat is on, Thanda can now be converted into Garam (hot) without spending the much-needed dollars

Coal has been the historic fuel for mankind Romans started using it centuries ago It fuelled the entire Industrial Revolution and also provided movement by the production of steam which started to move the

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

based in Islamabad The Pak Institute for Peace Studies

Pakistan had to face 254 militant attacks in 2022 more than 400 Pakistanis lost their lives in these attacks The Arab News said referring to the report prepared by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies that ‘The toll is significantly higher than last year 2021, when 335 people were killed by militants in 207 incidents and in 2020 when 146 attacks killed 220 ’ The most affected area had been Balochistan where foreign-patronized terrorists targeted security forces and particularly the Chinese nationals working on China-Pakistan economic Corridor project which is a multibilliondollar project having a lot of possibility of strengthening Pakistan s economy Attacks on the Chinese nationals certainly affected the work on the CPeC project as hovering security threats make things very difficult for the foreigners working on different development projects It seems that the sole target of all terrorist activities was nothing but to create hurdles in the way to completion of the CPeC

Now the beginning of 2023 does not seem very pleasant and hopeful with reference to the terrorist activities in Pakistan, specifically in Baluchistan and KPK on January 18 according to the Voice of America a militant attack from across the Iranian side of the border had killed four Pakistani soldiers The attack took place in the remote Panjgur district in southwestern Baluchistan province

Sources say that the terrorists used Iranian soil to target a convoy of security forces patrolling along the border The government of Pakistan just after the incident asked the Iranian side to hunt down the terrorists on their side

Whatever happened there at the Pak-Iran border was certainly very much unexpected and disappointing even for the Iranian government and the Iranian embassy in Islamabad strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Pakistani troops but this act of condemnation is not the solution to the problem Without looking into the matter in detail,

such incidents might reoccur in near and far-future Panjgur district of Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province is an area which borders Iran and Afghanistan The area surrounding Panjgur had always been terrorists’ hot favourite In 2019, both Pakistan and Iran had expressed their desire to form a joint quick reaction force to counter and combat militant activities along the border Unfortunately that desire has yet not been materialized

Though no terrorist group has yet claimed the responsibility of bloodshed in Panjgur 0n 19 December 2022 in another incident of the same type four members of Iran’s security forces were killed in a firefight near the Pakistan border The killed ones were members of The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps These four were killed after a fight with an unnamed terrorist group, said Aljazeera referring to a statement released by the Iranian state media The incident reportedly took place in Saravan,

in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan near the Pakistani border The attackers allegedly fled to Pakistan when IRGC ground forces repelled the assault

The situation in Afghanistan is also deteriorating with reference to the terrorist activities Last year on September 23, several people were killed and dozens more wounded when a car bomb went off at a mosque in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul The worshippers streaming out of the mosque after the afternoon prayers were targeted According to Aljazeera gunshots rang out several minutes after the explosion in the Wazir Akbar Khan area which is the location of many foreign embassies and NATo more than 15 people were killed and 41 wounded in that incident earlier on 18 August 2022,a huge explosion ripped through the crowded mosque during evening prayers injuring 33 people and killing another 21 Prior to that in April 2022, two boys’ schools were targeted in western Kabul The targeted schools were Abdul Rahim Shahid high school and the nearby mumtaz education Centre, both located in the Dasht-e-Barchi area more than ten students were killed and around 30 seriously wounded

In short Pakistan Iran and Afghanistan are all facing the worst situation regarding terrorist activities In the present scenario, any type of blame game would simply add to the gravity of the situation Be it Afghanistan or Iran or Pakistan; terrorism is in the benefit of no one

We all will have to join our efforts with all possible devotion and dedication to curb this menace The government of Afghanistan will have to play the most active role in resolving the situation as a consistent peaceful atmosphere is the most required and most needed element for the stability and firmness of that war-torn country

The point to remember is that the flames of terrorism never remain limited to some particular area or some specific region; they are like a pandemic which goes on and moves on from one place to another We must never forget the Twin-Towers tragedy which was the most horrible episode in the long series of terrorist activities The USA and all other ‘superpowers’ must step forward and try to Do more against the terrorists and terrorism

The writer is an Associate Professor of English at Govt College of Science Multan

m at te r w h at t h e re a s o n s, d e v i at i n g f ro m t h e Co n s t i t u t i o n i s a b a d i d e a

The point to remember is that the flames of terrorism never remain limited to some particular area or some specific region; they are like a pandemic which goes on and moves on from one place to another

Pa ki s t a n , I ra n a n d Af g h a n i s t a n a re t a rg e te d to g e t h e r

Have a Creative Outlet

lent direct action

Before I unpack the above statement, I want to bring into the equation one insight I got from teaching Peace and Conflict Studies this semester

While exploring the roots of conflict among humans, we came across multiple theories in class

Some theories placed the roots of conflict within human nature while others placed the roots in the structures humans live in In other words, humans intrinsically are not violent rather it s the surrounding structures in the shape of family society and culture, that make them violent

For healing, be it at the individual level or social level, one must have a creative outlet through which one can pour out what is staying within or through which one can interact with the life happening to us nonstop There can be many forms of creative outlets at the individual level For some, writing can be a creative outlet while for others it can be reading For some, teaching can be a creative outlet while for others singing and dancing can be a creative outlet For some, friends and family can be creative outlets while for others Allah or religion can be creative outlets

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

S e n d y o u r l e t t e r s t o : L e t t e r s t o E d i t o r, Pakistan Today, 4 - S h a a re y F a t i m a J i n n a h L a h o re P a k i s t a n E - m a i l : l e t t e r s @ p a k i s t a n t o d a y c o m p k L e t t e r s s h o u l d b e a d d re s s e d t o Pakistan Today e x c l u s i v e l y

Aid and influence

R U R A L Sindh has been facing significant challenges since the floods that hit the country last year with many communities barely surviving amid food insecurity and other issues The situation is particularly dire for women and children, who are often the most vulnerable in times of crisis

Tribal conflicts and poor administration have only exacerbated the situation in rural Sindh, with many people feeling that they have no one to turn to for help The lack of effective governance has also meant that much-needed development projects have been put in hold leaving many communities without access to basic necessities, like education, healthcare and clean water It is deeply concerning that the Sindh government is believed to be impeding humanitarian response efforts by civil society organisations, and that is delaying the provision of aid It is also concerning that district administrations are prioritising areas under political influence It is important that all tiers of governance and administration should take steps to ensure that humanitarian response efforts are allowed to proceed smoothly

It is also essential that civil society organisations are able to provide services without interference or pressure from various groups

Unfortunately, the situation in rural Sindh is being further complicated by the action of a few in power who want civil society organisations to support specific interests rather than the victims This has discouraged many an organisation to step back, adding to the woes of the common man

ZAHEER UDIN BABAR JUNEJO HYDERABAD

Poultr y prices and car telisation

T h e verbal public sparring between the federal government and the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) continues through advertisements and media campaigns on the issue of importing genetically modified organism (Gmo) soybean

The federal minister for national food security briefing the media about the decision of the cabinet, said that the import of Gmo soybean was not allowed in the country, and the ships that are currently anchored in Karachi with this type of soybean should be redirected

AS part of our Decolonial Research Course in which I am enrolled and which has been initiated by the Center for Critical Peace Studies (CCPS) at the University of management & Technology (UmT) Lahore each week we have a session with faculty and students from the University of Toronto, Canada, under a collaborative initiative entitled Seeds for Change which is a global initiative in which scholars, authors, community leaders, elders, activists, and youth from across the globe gather every monday and shareground knowledge based on ancestral notions of reciprocity and pedagogies of liberation

Seeds for Change is a political pedagogical working space in alignment with decolonizing practices where transformational teaching and learning happen beyond the binary each session is grounded in teachings revolving around Love, Respect, Wisdom, Bravery, Truth, humility, and honesty

Last week, under the “Seeds for Change” initiative, we were assigned a letter from martin Luther King for reading and reflection We were divided into groups for developing presentations over the reading martin Luther King wrote this letter in 1963 at a time when he was in Birmingham city jail for provoking a non-violent direct action against the discrimination meted out to black people in the USA in the shape of racism

The letter I must say is very insightful in the sense that although it talks about that time’s structural violence present in the social milieu of the USA in the shape of racism and injustice resulting from it, it can resonate with everyone in their present context who are facing structural violence directly or indirectly or in one shape or another shape So alive that letter is!

While reading that letter and as part of the assignment members in each group were supposed to pick out lines that resonated with them and then present them in the class After reading the letter I came across a lot of interesting insights I can’t share all of them; however, I would share the one I found most resonating At one point in the letter martin Luther King warns people in authority about what can happen if they don’t allow people to express their emotions in non-violent ways and this is how he puts it:

“If his repressed emotions are not released in nonviolent ways, they will seek expression through violence; this is not a threat but a fact of history So I have not said to my people: “Get rid of your discontent ” Rather, I have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be channeled into the creative outlet of nonvio-

Among the theorists, who placed the roots of violence among humans in structures is Albert Bandura, the Canadian-American Psychologist he says that a child s first interaction is with family So if a family is violent a child will naturally absorb all these attitudes more importantly, he says that childhood abuses in the shape of beating insult and sexual abuse and so on make children vulnerable to violence in a sense that all these experiences create complexes within children and when they don’t find a way to express them or address them, they become violent

To support his claim, Albert Bandura interviewed a lot of prisoners in US jails, and, from those interviews, he deduced that if there was one thing common among the majority of the prisoners it was they had a turbulent childhood

When martin Luther King puts it in the way that repressed emotions should be given a channel or when Albert Bandura puts it in the way that unaddressed traumas in children reflect themselves in violence, I think we need to ponder upon them as these insights explain a lot about multiple forms of violence, including direct and structural violence, that we observe in our society all-round, day in day out, in the shape of gender discrimination, domestic violence, mob violence and religious extremism, among others Both at the individual and social levels, so many things happen to us, stay in us, and eat at us; however, we have limited avenues where we can reflect upon them properly There is a lot of suffocation within us both at the individual and social level, and that is why we see reactionary approaches all around us 24/7

No matter which creative outlet you choose, at least have one creative outlet in life through which you can interact with life fully have one creative outlet in life through which you can remain the real you not the filtered you Unfortunately, the majority of us live filtered lives have one creative outlet through which you can address whatever is happening to you have one creative outlet in life through which everything comes out of you and nothing stays inside you

We need to understand the fact and this is how Mar tin Luther King also put it in his letter that the best way to deal with discontent is to channel it through a creative outlet. If discontent is not channeled in this way, this has been a pattern of history that discontent reflects itself in violence, be it at the individual level or group level

The same goes for the healing of society or maybe the state Society must encourage creative outlets through which its constituents or members can express themselves Universities can turn out to be creative outlets for the healing of students media can turn out to be creative outlets for the healing of society Research think tanks can turn out to be creative outlets for healing states All these places or in a summarized way civil society can turn out to be a source of healing for society if they genuinely perform their roles Any society that suppresses its creative outlets becomes suffocated for human existence

We need to understand the fact and this is how martin Luther King also put it in his letter that the best way to deal with discontent is to channel it through a creative outlet If discontent is not channeled in this way, this has been a pattern of history that discontent reflects itself in violence, be it at the individual level or group level

Inamullah Marwat is a lecturer at the Department of Political Science & International Relations at the University of Management & Technology (UMT), Lahore He can be reached at inamullah marwat@umt edu pk

In this regard, the minister also mentioned the government’s responsibility under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity What the minister is trying to implement today is politically unpopular, but is in line with the said protocol on its part, the PPA says that the price of chicken is increasing in the country because of unavailability of feed meant for chicken consumption in which soybean happens to be an essential ingredient The poultry industry is facing a serious crisis if the ships anchored in Karachi are not allowed to unload the consignment It should be noted that the PPA which is currently placing advertisements in national media in an effort to safeguard its interests, has in the past itself promoted anti-competitive practices within the industry In this regard the Supreme Court has recently decided an important case partially upholding a decision of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) against the menace of cartelisation in the poultry industry The CCP authorities should further investigate the affairs of PPA and its members to probe recent price hike of eggs and chicken meat in the country

DR HAFIZ AZIZ UR

REHMAN ISLAMABAD

Inflation and apathy

I T should be a matter of huge embarrassment for a country that calls itself an agricultural economy to have soaring food inflation resulting in rampant poverty compounded misery, especially among the downtrodden segments of society

The devastating floods last year played havoc with the country, pushing millions of people into abject poverty, increasing the poverty rate to 35 7 per cent, according to the World Bank The food cycle, from the farm to the table, stands disrupted The country is struggling to make even food grain available to the masses, with wheat flour being either unavailable or beyond the buying power of the people

Footages and images in mainstream media showing the poor running after and fighting over flour bags with money in their hands have left the entire nation dejected There have also been saddening and disturbing reports on social media of people getting killed in stampedes while trying to get a hand on flour bag to feed their hungry children and family members And yet we continue to call ourselves an agricultural country The leadership across the political divide, as has always been the case, is busy spewing venom against each other adding more toxicity to the horribly murky environment It rightly seems that apathy on the part of our politicians is at its peak, and the lust for power seems to be the only thing that matters to them

It is really quite unfortunate that both government and opposition parties have miserably failed in providing food items on reasonable rates and other basic amenities of life to the poor segments of society They, the politicians, continue to claim that all their actions are meant to alleviate the sufferings of the masses, but all their actions continue to add to the woes of the masses

The elite class is hardly bothered by market manipulations and spike in food inflation that has become a matter of life and death for the underprivileged daily-wager who earns a meagre amount every day to feed his family SAJJAD

KHATTAK ATTOCK

Inviting a historian

P R o F e S S o R Irfan habib is a renowned professor emeritus at the Aligarh muslim University his corpus on Indian history is impressive In a recent online note to a friend of mine in Tharparkar, he wrote: “I regret that despite writing a book [on the] Indus Civilisation, I have never been able to see a major Indus site let alone mohenjo Daro

It would be wonderful if the Sindh government, with a nod from Islamabad, were to invite Prof habib for a couple of weeks to visit all the sites of interest to him along the Indus of course his trip (via Dubai) and his stay should be covered by our government; provincial or federal The latter should also think of this visit as a way to rebuilding bridges with India that have been damaged in the last few years Such a trip would of course help to enliven historical scholarship locally through interaction between the learned professor and local academics as well as his television appearances Q ISA

As HindU nAtionAlism grows, so does interest in delHi’s mUslim History

ChriStian SCienCe Monitor

H

An A S k H A n pauses outside a 16th-century jewel of an islamic tomb in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park and draws in his audience

“Delhi from its beginnings was a city of culture, of unity, and tolerance among many different people it was a city whose great gift to the world was Urdu,” he tells the group of 35 Delhiites and other indians “A beautiful language that took form from the mixing of the Arabic and Farsi and other languages those different people spoke ”

Up to this point, the youthful Delhi historian’s walking tour has been a straight recounting of the origins of the medieval city that would become india’s capital –with a few tales of jinns, or genies, and unrequited royal love thrown in to hold everyone s interest But now Mr khan shifts to the present “That Delhi of unity and tolerance is disappearing; we are losing its richness and the lessons it can teach us he says As a few nods spread across his group, he concludes, “i hope you will share some of the stories you heard of our common history and help preserve our heritage for the future ”

Blossoming interest in the city’s roots as a mosaic of cultures and religions – especially among Delhi s young and cosmopolitan population – can be seen in everything from the newfound “hot” status of historical neighborhoods like Mehrauli to the rising popularity of local history blogs and walking tours like Mr khan’s

Historians and sociologists say the wave of interest is at least in part a response to growing Hindu nationalism, discrimination against the country’s large Muslim minority, and intolerance of “outside” influences Some argue it signals a shift in how indians view their history – as something that should be respected, examined, and learned from “For a long time, people weren’t interested in history or they buried it as a way to shut out the sad and painful parts of india’s past ” says Aanchal Malhotra an oral historian who has specialized in chronicling average indians experiences during the country s 1947 Partition “But what we’re seeing now is something different: more people drawn to history as a way to under-

stand how we are a product of many different cultures and influences,” she adds “To some extent that understanding can help to counter the intolerance and rejection of others we see occurring today

MEHRAULI CALLING: That desire to counter rising intolerance and marginalization with the help of history is one reason Zain Patel signed on to the Mehrauli archaeological tour The young software engineer from Mumbai says he purposely chose to spend a few hours of a work trip to Delhi visiting some of the oldest areas of the city

“i absolutely think more indians are wanting to know more about the very old mix of cultures that made us who we are ” he says “nationalism and thinking we are the product of one main culture is more prevalent and it s spreading, but i think knowing the truth about our past is one small way to stand up to the hatred ”

Yet for some skeptics, the small slice of the population with interest in history will never match the large majority who are indifferent and susceptible to alternative versions of Delhi’s heritage i f a n y t h i n g , t h e r e s a g r o w i n g c h a s m b e t w e e n t h e s m a l l p e r c e n t a g e w h o t a k e a n i n t e r e s t i n h i s t o r y a n d v a l u e o u r c u l t u r a l i n f l u e n c e s , a n d t h e m a n y w h o j u s t d o n t c a r e , s a y s e k t a C h a u h a n , a n o r a l h i s t o r i a n w h o f o c u s e s o n S o u t h D e l h i s h i s t o r i c a l M u s l i m n e i g h b o r h o o d s

it’s almost certainly no coincidence that one of the focal points of this multicultural heritage boom is Mehrauli, a neighborhood in the south of the capital that hugs the vestiges of Delhi’s first major islamic constructions built nearly a millennium ago

The neighborhood’s 12th-century minaret Qutub Minar towers over streets increasingly dominated by bookshops art galleries indian designer boutiques and trendy restaurants that both reflect and cater to the growing young professional class

For many of these young people work and high-rise

A master crisis manager

apartment living is in Gurgaon, a satellite city on new Delhi’s eastern flank where the offices of high-tech companies and other multinationals are clustered But for others, it s the historical and culturally rich districts like Mehrauli that are calling “i dare say Gurgaon is in some ways more cosmop o l i t a n t h a n M e h r a u l i , b u t i t c a n a l s o f e e l a b i t l i k e Dubai ” says Chiranjiv Sawhney who works at Apple i n G u rg a o n b u t r e c e n t l y m o v e d w i t h h i s w i f e t o Mehrauli, where he s made a point of going on a couple of walking tours “We were drawn to the history the culture, and parks That was something Delhi offered, he says evidence suggests Mr Sawhney is not alone A variety of Delhi historical websites have popped up in recent years, while social media postings on local history and heritage have mushroomed – including on TikTok where young users are feeding the growth M r k h a n c i t e s h i s U n z i p D e l h i w e b s i t e , w h i c h grew out of the first walking tours he started conducti n g i n 2 0 1 8 Vi s i t s t o h i s h i s t o r i c a l s t o r y t e l l i n g s i t e took off once lockdown ended – and, Mr khan surmises as acts of cultural intolerance and anti-minority violence spiked again Unzip Delhi’s instagram page now has more than 130,000 followers The restarted (and expanded) walking tours each limited to 50 participants, usually sell out

“For sure, part of the growth after the pandemic was just from people desperate to get out and do things again says Mr khan “But there’s also this hunger people have to understand where Delhi came from and how that past relates to events and trends in our society today

FALSE NARRATIVES CREEP IN: That upbeat outlook on Delhi s history boom is not shared by all even among the city’s growing number of oral historians “i hear the argument that more people are interested in history and our multicultural roots but i think it s more

wishful thinking than true, says Ms Chauhan, who focuses on khirki village just east of Mehrauli – one of the 350 “historical villages” she says are scattered around urban Delhi When i do my historical walks i get 25 to 30 people, and i think, ‘Wow, this is amazing!’” she says “But then i think, ‘Really, how many people can i reach like this? even if you are generous and say 1% are really interested in knowing and und e r s t a n d i n g c u l t u r a l i n f l u e n c e s , t h a t s t i l l l e a v e s t h e mass that doesn t care – or worse, accepts the fake versions of our past ”

Ms Chauhan cites the case of khirki Mosque, an imposing 14th-century structure located down sinewy alleyways in khirki village Over recent years as relations between india’s Hindu majority and Muslim minority have deteriorated, the neighborhood s perception of its signature monument has changed as well she says Stories that the building was built as a fort and was never a mosque are gaining ground “ i g r e w u p h e r e a n d i ’ v e s e e n t h i s c h a n g e i n t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d a n d i n m y o w n f a m i l y f r o m c a r i n g f o r t h i s s i t e t o t r e a t i n g i t w i t h i n d i ff e r e n c e a n d e v e n d i sp a r a g i n g i t f o r b e i n g s o m e o n e e l s e ’s h e r i t a g e ” s a y s M s C h a u h a n , w h o d e s c r i b e s h e r f a m i l y a s u p p e rc a s t e H i n d u

For Mr khan of Unzip Delhi the growing interest in his walking tours and history-themed blogs is not just a flash in the pan but evidence that more people want to know about the past as a way to celebrate the cultural variety that makes their city what it is

To that end, he says the themes and messaging of his walks have shifted as the tours have returned postpandemic “During the pandemic i tried to include stories of hope and perseverance from the past, to say, like people back then we ll get through this and be back together soon,’” he says “now i tell more stories of love and community as a way to stand up to the hatred growing around us

Un l i k e The Man Who Ran Washington: The life and Times of James A Baker iii from Peter Baker and Susan Glasser, Diana Villiers negroponte’s Master negotiator: The Role of James A Baker iii at the end of the Cold War focuses on James Baker ’s time as secretary of state rather than his entire career in Washington By focusing on this phase of Baker s career negroponte still presents a thorough and rigorous analysis

The title of negroponte’s book nicely sums up her work Her first four segments explore questions and themes related to James Baker ’s overall time as secretary of state She explores the real goal for the foreign policy review initiated by the national Security Council and how it affected all aspects of President George H W Bush’s administration; the challenges of German reunification and Germany s admission to the north Atlantic Treaty Organization (nATO); the response of the United States to the June 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre; and the aftermath of Saddam Hussein s August 1990 invasion of kuwait

negroponte focuses her three remaining themes on issues about the Soviet Union and the end of communism in europe She analyzes the challenges and issues the Baltics, Yugoslavia, and Ukraine presented; the Bush administration s reaction to the failed coup against President Mikhail Gorbachev; and the tense negotiations with the Soviet Union, and later Russia, over American loans

and credits

Throughout the book, negroponte depicts Baker as a secretary of state who negotiated strong and impressive deals with a variety of nations regarding security loans and other issues of international and national security Through the title and her methodology, the author tries to show Baker as a master negotiator One of the best examples is through his support for the north American Free Trade Agreement (nAFTA) Yet, Baker was not able to successfully negotiate a settlement of issues related to israel and Palestine, to prevent the disintegration of Yugoslavia into ethnic warfare, or to avoid problems concerning iraq after the Gulf War or those connected to the Tiananmen Square massacre For some incidents, like Tiananmen Square, Baker deferred to President Bush to address the crisis For the others mentioned Baker made attempts, but crises in these regions continued for years or even decades afterward The author attempts to show that Baker did all in his power to resolve or prevent these crises; his inability to solve them, however, undermines the depiction of him as a master negotiator

The narrative that negroponte depicts of Baker s time as secretary of state resembles not so much a master negotiator, but rather a master crisis manager The author depicts the numerous challenges Baker and the United States faced between 1989 and August 1992 when Baker left the State Department to become Chief of Staff to George H W Bush The Gulf War, Tiananmen Square, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of communism in europe, the Middle east peace process, and the ethnic fighting that erupted in Yugoslavia were just some of the challenges that Baker faced With these, and other challenges, the author presents Baker as a capable and able secretary of state Yet, the limitations Baker sometimes faced in trying to get parties to negotiate in Yugoslavia and in the Middle east, for example are expertly described by the author and illustrate how it was

sometimes not possible for Baker to juggle and balance the interests of the parties involved to achieve a negotiated settlement negroponte, rather than depicting a master negotiator presents an able member of Bush s administration working to implement his policies, but facing limits, even at the height of America’s power and prestige at the end of the Cold War and America s victory in the first Gulf War negroponte conducted significant research in writing this book with ample sources cited that include interviews, newspapers, books, articles, and other sources The book would be a stronger asset for researchers, however, if it included an index The organization of the book via seven main themes works to focus the reader on some key issues Baker faced as secretary of state The drawback to this thematic approach however is that the chronology of events sometimes gets lost Baker faced multiple challenges at the same time A thematic approach, rather than a chronological one does not illustrate just how many international issues Baker managed concurrently if such a chronological approach had been offered, readers would have a better appreciation for the complex issues and negotiations that Baker had to manage

The style and focus of this book make it a good source for readers wanting an introduction to either the foreign policy of the Bush administration or events leading to the end of the Cold War Stylistically, the book flows in a more journalistic fashion than scholarly This is not to say the work is not rigorous in its sources it is, but it does not read like a typical scholarly work of history negroponte s narration of events is suitable for this work that is covering several major events over four years if, however, readers want more in-depth analysis or detail on a particular event, like Yugoslavia, they should consult other sources even so the amount of information provided by the author is enough to whet readers appetites for more

By focusing this book on Baker s work as secretary of state, the reader gets an in-depth and intense study of one of Baker ’s most public works in government service

The author does provide some interesting personal vignettes, especially between Baker and Soviet Foreign Minister edward Shevardnadze, and how Baker organized the State Department when he became secretary

The focus of this work, however, is his public, foreign policy contributions This is not a book that focuses on Baker s private life or life before or after becoming secretary of state This is not meant as a criticism, but if a reader wishes a more fully biographical study on James Baker they should consult other sources This study is a solid work into the accomplishments and events faced by secretary of state James Baker during a complicated and tumultuous time in history

Javan David Frazier is Professor of History at Middle Georgia State University-Cochran Campus Dr Frazier s academic interests are in the Cold War and particularly U S -South African nuclear relations

Master Negotiator: The Role of James A Baker III at the End of the Cold War Diana Villiers Negroponte Bloomington IN: Archway Publishing 2020

corporate corner

Sanofi's business in Pakistan to be led by Pakistani Consor tium

ISLAMABAD: Sanofi Aventis Pakistan Limited's management shares will be acquired by a consortium led by the Packages Group and includes the Arshad Ali Gohar Group The group's association with Sanofi spans over five decades Syed Babar Ali, the founder of Packages Limited, has been guiding Sanofi-Aventis Pakistan Limited for over half a century since its inception in 1967 as Hoechst Pakistan He is the current Chairman of the company and Packages Limited has been a long-time respected local partner Over the past couple of years, Sanofi has been evaluating its international footprint Their long-term strategic roadmap seeks to simplify international operations while retaining a presence and interest locally According to Sanofi’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Laila Khan, "Sanofi is not exiting the Pakistan market pr

BOP, PMIC sign MOU to promote financial inclusion

NOT-BY- PROFIT 09

SEvEn-POInT agEnda FOR SUSTaInaBlE EnERgy FUTURE In PakISTan

islamabad

n e w s d e s k

WR I T I N G for Dawn Ahmad Faruqui, an experienced energy economist, presents a seven-point agenda for a sustainable energy future in Pakistan

The country has been plagued by recurring power outages and blackouts, leading to widespread discontent and

economic hardship, with the most recent blackout in January lasting for over 15 hours This is due to Pakistan's reliance on imported fossil fuels, which make up two-thirds of its energy mix and its aging electrical grid

According to the World Bank, power outages may have decreased Pakistan's GDP by $18 billion or 6 5% in 2015 To resolve the ongoing electricity crisis Faruqui suggests a comprehensive approach to explore

alternative sources of energy, such as wind and solar power

The seven-point plan focuses on the use of locally sourced renewable energy resources, energy efficiency, tariffs, incentivizing customers to install solar panels, promoting resilience during blackouts, and shelving plans to electrify transportation This will result in a cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable energy future for Pakistan

The author believes that a thor-

Culture of charitable giving thrives in Pakistan

islamabad n e w s d e s k

ISLAMABAD: The Bank of Punjab (BOP) signed an MoU with Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company (PMIC) under which BOP will become the first commercial bank to use PMIC’s Credit Enhancement Facility (CEF) for lending to microfinance institutions Under CEF, PMIC will provide credit guarantee to BOP for lending to MFIs across the country Both entities will also jointly work on product development, syndication and offering advisory services to microfinance providers in the quest for improving financial inclusion across Pakistan

Mr Yasir Ashfaq (CEO – PMIC) and Mr Farid Ahmed Khan (Group Chief Corporate and Investment Banking – BOP) signed the MoU Senior leadership from both institutions witnessed the signing pr

USC jacks up prices of certain branded items

I S L A M A B A D: In order to improve demand and supply and ensure uninterrupted supply of branded items, prices of certain branded items have been increased at all utility stores across the country However, this increase is from branded companies, which is due to factors like market volatility/rising trend Utility Stores Corporation does not manufacture or produce itself but purchases from reputed and certified branded companies of the country When raw material prices increase, production charges increase and transportation charges increase, the product cost also increases due to which the prices have to be revised So that demand and supply improve and availability of these products is possible pr

Shan Foods Collaborates with Textile Institute of Pakistan to Provide Skill-Based Education

K A r A c h I: Shan Foods being one of the leading food companies in Pakistan, has taken a strong step towards educating the youth by joining hands with the Textile Institute of Pakistan (TIP) This is the second time that the company has taken this initiative to grant scholarships for the financially struggling students In addition to being one of Pakistan's top institutions of Art & Design, TIP is a non-profit organization that strives to provide students the access to both skilled and non-skilled education to become well-rounded and successful citizens Students who apply to the Textile Institute of Pakistan, clear their exams, and demonstrate promise but are not able to continue due to financial restraints are provided scholarships to pursue a career through both professional and industrial-related knowledge, which help them land successful jobs after they have graduated from the institution pr

Writing for Dawn, Dr Zainab Salim says that Despite the challenges of poverty and underdevelopment in Pakistan, the country boasts a thriving culture of giving According to the author, a study by the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP) found that 98% of Pakistanis contributed roughly 1% of the country s GDP, or about Rs240 billion, to philanthropic causes in a single year Giving is motivated by both religious beliefs and compassion with most donations going to individuals or religious institutions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, despite rising poverty and unemployment, 84% of Pakistanis still gave

in some form Monetary donations were the most common and convenient way of giving, and respondents were more likely to help people they knew personally or street beggars Corporate philanthropy is also growing, with public companies contributing the largest share of an estimated Rs13 32 bbillion in donations in 2020

According to the author Diaspora giving has also become more prominent in recent years PCP found that Pakistani-Americans donated approximately $1 billion annually, including $250 million in cash, while British Pakistanis gave about £1 25 billion the gains from philanthropy are not always sustainable, as most donations are directed to individuals rather

than charitable organizations

The author further believes that for sustainable development in Pakistan, there needs to be a shift towards more institutionalized forms of philanthropy Effective government regulation and support for social welfare organizations could help ensure that private charity is routed towards more structured social philanthropy By building public trust in social service delivery organizations and ensuring clear structures and transparent reporting systems, philanthropy can have a greater impact on Pakistan s social and economic development

To read the full story visit www dawn com

Pakistan's economic woes result in mass layoffs in tex tile, auto sec tors

islamabad n e w s d e s k

Wr i t i n g i n D a w n , A a m i r

S h a f a a t K h a n r e p o r t s t h a t t h e c u r r e n t f i s c a l y e a r h a s seen a 7% drop in textile exports, resulting in thousands of layoffs in the industry and p u t t i n g d a i l y w a g e r s a n d c o n t r a c t u a l w o r k e r s a t r i s k o f s t a r v a t i o n T h e s i t u a t i o n in the auto sector is equally dire, with over 250,000 people losing their jobs due to a d i p i n a u t o m o b i l e s a l e s O v e r 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 i n f o r m a l w o r k e r s i n t h e t e x t i l e a n d a u t o s e c t o r s h a v e l o s t t h e i r

j o b s i n t h e f i r s t h a l f o f

FY23, leading stakeholders t o u rg e t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o develop a strategy to prevent

further retrenchments

According to the author, the market is buzzing with claims of at least seven million layoffs in the textile sector, including value-added textile exporters ValueAdded Textile Exporters Patron Jawed Bilwani attributes the lack of export orders to rising gas and utility charges, a shortage of dollars and raw materials, and foreign buyers preference for low-priced items A textile exporter estimates that 150,000-200,000 people have definitely lost their livelihood during the ongoing economic crisis

Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers Senior

Vice Chairman Usman Aslam Malik estimates that at least 250 000-300 000 workers have been laid off in the auto sector due to the persistent drop in sales of vehicles The only way forward to save the industries and jobs is the establishment of the National Economic Development Plan, developed through consensus among stakeholders, political parties, and industrialists

The textile sector holds a 60% share of the country s total job outlook and the majority of people working in the sector are not on a permanent basis having been outsourced by companies

To read the full story visit www dawn com

ough inquiry into the recent blackout is necessary to ensure it does not happen again and that more concrete steps must be taken to resolve the ongoing electricity crisis in Pakistan

The seven-point plan is a roadmap for the Pakistani government to consider in its efforts to move towards a sustainable energy future

To read the full story visit www dawn com

Central bank's expor t incentive scheme fails

islamabad n e w s d e s k

According to an article published by BR Research, In January 2022, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reduced the allowed realization period for export proceeds from 180 to 120 days in response to rumors of exporters withholding receipts to maximize returns on currency depreciation Exporters accused SBP of bullying tactics, causing it to go into damage control and offer creative incentives

The article further says that in August 2020, SBP expanded the Export Financing Scheme (EFS) to raise goods exports by $3 billion but the International Monetary Fund (IMF) later demanded that concessionary finance be capped When the exchange rate changed in Q2-FY22 the central bank came up with a new scheme to refinance commercial banks against Rupee-backed foreign bill discounting

However, according to the article, the scheme was a failure and total outstanding against foreign bill discounting fell by 37%

Fast forward to January 2023, SBP continues to face criticism for its poor response and flip-flops on policy, such as the exchange rate and incentives to exporters

The central bank remains overly sensitive to criticism and must do better in its independence

To read the full story visit www brecorder com

Circular debt to increase by Rs952b

islamabad

n e w s d e s k

Shahbaz Rana writing for Express Tribune, says that the Pakistani government has revealed that a revised Circular Debt Management Plan (CDMP) will add Rs952bn to the country's circular debt, a gap it aims to fill by increasing the price of electricity and subsidies

The government has proposed quarterly tariff adjustments from February to May this year to reduce a gap of Rs73bn, as well as a debt surcharge of Rs2 93 per unit According to the author, the plan is unrealistic as it was based on an exchange rate of Rs232 per dollar and a 16 84% KIBOR rate, while the current rate stands at Rs268 and KIBOR is close to 18% There may be an additional increase in the cost of electricity from now until June, and the plan may face criticism from the IMF The government had earlier planned to lower the circular debt to Rs1 526tn but about Rs952bn may be added to the debt this fiscal year, with a major reduction sought through additional subsidies from the government The IMF may raise concerns about the plan and its deviation from the earlier approved plan

To read the full story visit www tribune com pk

PTCL launches OT T Platform, ‘SHOQ ’ to bring high quality video streaming to Pakistan

islamabad

p r

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), a subsidiary of e&, (formerly known as Etisalat Group) has launched its new Over-The-Top (OTT) platform, SHOQ, to provide a superior and immersive viewing experience to all data users in Pakistan SHOQ hosts a rich repository of selected content that is accessible to all, in line with PTCL's vision of empowering digital transformation for all

The new platform was launched at a special event in Karachi, which was attended by President and Group CEO, PTCL & Ufone, Hatem Bamatraf, CEO, e& life, Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO evision, Olivier

Bramly; CEO and Co-founder, STARZPLAY, Maaz

Sheikh, senior PTCL & Ufone officials, industry leaders, showbiz celebrities, media representatives, and prominent personalities from different backgrounds

SHOQ is bridging the gap in access to high quality content in Pakistan at affordable prices through its collaboration with evision, the media and entertainment division of e& life (part of e&)

The partnership will provide PTCL and other data customers with access to media and entertainment content blockbuster movies and seasons from major Hollywood studios such as Warner Bros, Paramount, 20th Century FOX, among others SHOQ will also host one hundred most watched local and international live TV channels, Pakistani

movies and originals to cater to the entertainment needs of the entire family Hatem Bamatraf, President and Group CEO, PTCL & Ufone, said, "We are delighted to introduce Pakistan s largest OTT platform to provide premium entertainment and news content to all data users With the increasing penetration of the internet, Pakistan needed a high-quality local OTT service offering affordable entertainment that is tailored to local tastes and preferences SHOQ has what it takes to be the country's ultimate entertainment solution "

"We are pleased to support the development of Pakistan's largest OTT platform, powered by PTCL " Speaking at the panel, e& life CEO Khalifa Al Shamsi said

Xi Urges eFForts to accelerate establisHmeNt oF NeW developmeNt patterN

BEIJING s TA f f r e P o r T

XI Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has stressed efforts to accelerate the establishment of a new pattern of development and enhance the security and initiative of development

Xi made the remarks while attending the second group study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee on Tuesday afternoon

He said accelerating the establishment of a new pattern of development is a strategic decision to realize the Second Centenary Goal and ensure both development and security, as well as a strategic plan to seize the initiative of future development

Only by accelerating the establishment of a new pattern of development can China consolidate the foundation for its economy and enhance the security and stability of its development, Xi said

And only by doing so can China enhance its strength to survive, compete, develop and sustain itself amid all sorts of storms and high winds to ensure that the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will not be delayed or interrupted and that the goal of building China into a great modern socialist country will be realized, he said

Despite some progress in fostering a new pattern of development, there is still a long way to go before its full establishment, Xi said, calling for adopting a prob-

lem-oriented approach and applying systems thinking to tackle major problems, deepen reform, and advance innovation

A good job must be done in coordinating domestic demand expansion and supply-side structural reform to strike a more desirable dynamic balance between supply and demand and achieve a virtuous cycle of economic development Xi said

Xi stressed fostering an integrated domestic demand system that focuses on expanding consumption desire backed by income, demand for investment with reasonable returns and demand for financing with principal and debt constraints

He said China will also work to estab-

Former UN ambassador Haley set to announce 2024 White House bid

WASHINGTON

T h e A s s o c AT e d P r e s s

Nikki Haley is moving closer to making her presidential campaign official

On Wednesday, supporters of the former South Carolina governor will get an email invitation to a February 15 launch event in Charleston, at which she plans to announce her campaign, according to a person familiar with the plans but not authorised to speak publicly about them

News of Haley’s plans was first reported by The Post and Courier of Charleston

Haley, 51, served as South Carolina’s governor for six years before serving as President Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations

When she enters the race, Haley will be the first contender to join the contest against her former boss who is currently the sole Republican seeking his party’s 2024 nomination Trump was in South Carolina Saturday for the initial campaign swing of his 2024 campaign, standing alongside Governor Henry McMaster who served as Haley’s lieutenant governor and several Republican Party members of the state’s delegation, part of his leadership team in the early-voting state

During the Trump administration, Haley feuded at times with other White House officials while bolstering her own public persona Her 2018 departure fueled speculation that she would challenge Trump in 2020, or replace Vice President Mike Pence on the ticket, but Haley did neither

Instead, Haley returned to South Carolina, where she bought a home on Kiawah Island, joined the board of aircraft manufacturer Boeing Co

lish and improve long-term mechanisms for expanding consumer spending, improve mechanisms that help expand investment and continue to deepen supply-side structural reform

Xi also called for greater effort to accelerate building the country’s self-reliance and strength in science and technology and boost its strategic strength to make the country a global pacesetter in key scientific and technological fields

Xi said the new development pattern should be based on the modern industrial system and that smooth economic operation requires orderly and effective interconnectivity among industries

He added that the country will continue to keep economic development focused on the real economy and take concrete steps to advance new industrialization

Efforts will also be made to support enterprises’ full participation in the global industrial division of labor and cooperation, promote deeper integration of domestic and foreign industries and build a modern industrial system that is independent, controllable, safe, reliable and highly competitive Xi said

He noted that to expand domestic circulation, China should advance the coordinated development of urban and rural areas and different regions

The country should give full play to rural areas as a market of consumption and production factors while promoting rural revitalization and developing a unified national market, he said

Impetus and vitality will be injected into the dual circulation of domestic and international markets through continued reform and opening-up, Xi said, adding that China will improve mechanisms regarding intellectual property rights protection market access and fair competition to nurture a favorable environment for all types of market entities

Aimed at a high-level opening-up especially on institutional fronts, the country will also contribute to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative and actively participate in negotiations of global economic and trade rules to help establish an open, diverse and stable world economic order, Xi said

myanmar marks coup anniversar y with eyes on junta election plan

YANGON

A f P

Myanmar democracy activists called for businesses to close nationwide on Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of the coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s government, with the junta hinting it may extend a state of emergency and delay new elections

The military justified its power grab on February 1, 2020, with unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud in the elections Suu Kyi’s party won in a landslide Western powers launched a fresh broadside of sanctions against the generals on the anniversary, but previous rounds have shown little sign of throwing the junta off course Protesters in commercial hub Yangon draped banners on several bridges calling for people to join the “revolution” on Wednesday, images published by local media showed Activists have called for people across the country to close businesses and stay off the streets from 10:00 am (0330 GMT) to 4:00 pm

I made fewer snacks today and all are sold out now,” a vendor in Yangon told AFP, requesting anonymity for fear of reprisals

People rushed to buy since early morning

There will be a silent strike We don’t want to miss it ”

SAN FRANCISCO

A f P

Creators of a ChatGPT bot causing a stir for its ability to mimic human writing on Tuesday released a tool designed to detect when written works are authored by artificial intelligence

The announcement came amid intense debate at schools and universities in the United States and around the world over concerns that the software can be used to assist students with assignments and help them cheat during exams

US-based OpenAI said in a blog post Tuesday that its detection tool has been trained “to distinguish between text written by a human and text written by AIs from a variety of providers

The bot from OpenAI, which recently received a massive cash injection from Microsoft responds to simple prompts with reams of text inspired by data gathered on the internet OpenAI cautioned that its tool can make mistakes, particularly with texts containing fewer than 1,000 characters

“While it is impossible to reliably detect all AI-written text we believe good classifiers can inform mitigations for false claims that AIgenerated text was written by a human,” OpenAI said in the post

For example, running auto-

mated misinformation campaigns, using AI tools for academic dishonesty, and positioning an AI chatbot as a human ” A top French university last week forbade students from using ChatGPT to complete assignments, in the first such ban at a college in the country

The decision came shortly after word that ChatGPT had passed exams at a US law school after writing essays on topics ranging from constitutional law to taxation ChatGPT still makes factual mistakes, but education facilities have rushed to ban the AI tool

We recognize that identifying AI-written text has been an important point of discussion among edu-

cators, and equally important is recognizing the limits and impacts of AI-generated text classifiers in the classroom,” OpenAI said in the post

“We are engaging with educators in the US to learn what they are seeing in their classrooms and to discuss ChatGPT’s capabilities and limitations ”

Officials in New York and other jurisdictions have forbidden its use in schools

A group of Australian universities have said they would change exam formats to banish AI tools and regard them as cheating

OpenAI said it recommends using the classifier only with English text as it performs worse in other languages

A pro-military rally of “patriots, military lovers, monks and the public” was set to march through the streets of downtown Yangon

The US embassy in the city has warned of “increased anti-regime activity and violence” in the days around the anniversary

A junta-imposed state of emergency was due to expire at the end of January, after which the constitution states that authorities must set in motion plans to hold fresh elections

The military was widely expected to announce on Wednesday that it would prepare for the polls But on Tuesday, the junta-stacked National Defence and Security Council met to discuss the state of the nation and concluded it “has not returned to normalcy yet”

Junta opponents, including the anti-coup “People’s Defence Forces” (PDF) and a shadow government dominated by lawmakers from Suu Kyi s National League for Democracy (NLD) had tried to seize “state power by means of unrest and violence”, the council said The necessary announcement will be released on Wednesday, it added, without giving details ‘Barbaric’ campaign

The United States, Canada and Britain announced a new round of sanctions on the anniversary, targeting members of the junta and junta-backed entities Myanmar ’s former colonial ruler Britain targeted among others companies supplying aviation fuel to the military and enabling its “barbaric air raiding campaign in an attempt to maintain power

Australia also announced its first sanctions, aimed at 16 members of the junta “responsible for egregious human rights abuses” and two sprawling, military-controlled conglomerates

Chinese, Pak istani institutes to cooperate on water- energy-food

The project “Assessment and Regulation

Mechanism of Climate Change Impacts on Water-energy-food Linkages in typical Regions of China and Pakistan”, jointly submitted by Chinese and Pakistani research institutes, has been successfully approved recently

As an international (regional) cooperation and exchange project under China’s National Natural Science Foundation, it was jointly applied by Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute (CRSRI) and Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences It is also the second such project

of CRSRI approved in nearly 20 years

Based on its research on “Water Cycle Patterns and Effects of Water Conservation and Emission Reduction in Irrigation Areas of Yangtze River Basin CRSRI plans to cooperate with its Pakistani counterpart to explore the impact of climate change on water-energy-food linkages between China and Pakistan In addition, the project will provide technical support for realising the sustainability of natural resources, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Wednesday

To address future extreme events linked to climate change, systemic water-energyfood plans and programmes are urgently needed both in China and Pakistan

China’s Policies and Actions Responding to Climate Change and Pakistan’s Vision 2025 all call for the design of water, food and energy security policies that address climate change while protecting natural resources

According to CRSRI, it will take this project as an opportunity to strengthen personnel exchanges and cooperative research with relevant institutions in Pakistan, further broaden the channels of international scientific and technological cooperation, enhance its influence on international cooperation and provide technical support for improving agricultural water resources and food security in China and Pakistan

Pa k i s ta n w i n 1 5 t h w e s t a s i a B a s e B a l l C u P

ISLAMABAD

Ag

PA K I S TA N Baseball team won the 15th West Asian Baseball cup after thrashing their Palestinian counterpart in the final by a leading margin of 11-03 at Pakistan Sports Complex here on Wednesday Pakistan has also qualified for Asian Games and Asian Championship after lifting the title Pakistani captain Faqir Hussain stood as the top scorer (03 runs) of the match, Arsalan Jamshaid, Muhammad Hussain and Fazil Khan scored 02 runs each while Shahzad Ahmad and Muhammad Younas scored 01 runs each The Palestine team only managed to get 03 runs and was declared the runner-up of the championship Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Ehsan-re-Rehman Mazari and US ambassador Donald Blome witnessed the final and distributed medals and trophies

among the winners Both teams have qualified for the Asian Baseball Championship in Taiwan, a qualifying tournament for the Baseball World Cup Meanwhile Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 3-1 for the third position in the championship Amila, Sindon and Roshan scored one run each for Sri Lanka while Muhammad Musabbaral scored the only run from Bangladesh Pa l e s t i n i a n b a s e b a l l t e a m

v i s i t s H e C : The baseball team of the State of Palestine, currently in Pakistan for the 15th West Asia Baseball Cup visited the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and held a meeting with Chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmed

The visiting team was accompanied by the First Secretary Embassy of the State of Palestine in Islamabad Mr Nader al-Turk while Executive Director HEC Dr Shaista Sohail and other senior HEC officers were also present in the meeting

A d d r e s s i n g t h e t e a m , t h e C h a i r m a n

Chelsea inks argentine star Fernandez from Benfica for British-record transfer fee

ISTANBUL

Ag e n c i e s

Chelsea on Wednesday signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British-record transfer fee on an eightand-a-half-year contract, the Portuguese club confirmed on Wednesday Benfica informs that it has reached an agreement with Chelsea FC for the sale of all the rights of the player Enzo Fernandez, for an amount of €121m ($131 8 million), Benfica said in a statement Benfica will still have to deliver to River Plate the amount corresponding to 25 percent of the transfer value deducted from the amounts of the solidarity and intermediation services ” it added The 22-year-old Argentine is the currently most expensive signing in Premier League history, eclipsing the $123 million Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish in 2021 Fernandez who formerly played for River Plate, was part of Argentina’s World Cup-winning campaign in Qatar 2022

3rd allama iqbal Polo tournament: stage set for semifinals tomorrow

LAHORE

Diamond Paints (DP) and SQ Seagold from Pool A, while Remington Pharma and Master Paints/Newage Cables from Pool B qualified for the semifinals of the 3rd Allama Iqbal Polo Tournament sponsored by Lahore Smart City here at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Wednesday

Thus on Friday the first semifinal will be played between Diamond Paints and SQ Seagold, while the second semifinal will be played between Remington Pharma and Master Paints/Newage Cables In the first match of the day, Remington Pharma qualified for the semifinals by defeating 4 Corps polo team 6-5 For Remington Pharma, Hamza Mawaz Khan and Ahmed Bilal Riaz scored two goals each while Ahmed Zubair Butt and Basel Faisal Khokhar converted one goal apiece From the losing side Raja Muhammad Mikayial Sami fired in four goals while Ibrahim Khalil struck one In the second match of the day, Master Paints/Newage Cables defeated Inara Polo/Black Horse Paints by 8½ -4 Raja Temur Nadeem smashed in six goals while Adnan Jalil Azam and Farooq Amin Sufi hit one goal each from Master Paints/Newage Cables while they had a handicap advantage of a half goal

HEC referred to the 15th West Asia Baseball Cup final between Pakistan and Palest i n e a n d u n d e r l i n e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f s p o r t s a c t i v i t i e s f o r y o u t h H e s a i d t h a t HEC/Pakistan University Sports Board is committed to providing all possible sports facilities to student players

Dr Mukhtar Ahmed informed the dignitaries that an international Vice Chancellors conference of the Islamic world universities will be held in the near future He added that Islamic countries are considering launching a fully-funded scholarship programme for Muslim youth He said, We feel the pain of Palestinian brethren and our leadership always does whatever possible for the Palestinians ”

In his remarks on this occasion, Mr Nader al-Turk appreciated the Pakistani nation for extending support to the Palestinian cause We acknowledge Pakistan s continuous support to the State of Palestine he underscored He said that the Palestinians

in Pakistan do not feel like foreigners, but that they feel at home thanks to the affection and respect they receive from the Pakistanis He appreciated the Palestinian team for qualifying for the final

It is pertinent to mention here that seven

teams, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh India Palestine Sri Lanka and Nepal took part in the West Asia Cup held in Islamabad Pakistan sealed the victory over Sri Lanka by 16-1 whereas Palestine defeated Bangladesh by 14-3 in the semifinals

Paris 2024 organisers to abide by IOC decision on Russia’s par

PARIS

R e u t e R s

Paris 2024 organisers insisted they would abide by the International Olympic Committee’s decision on Russian and Belarusian athletes participation in the Games after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the governing body into banning them from the sport’s extravaganza

L a s t w e e k , t h e I O C s a i d t h e

O l y m p i c C o u n c i l o f A s i a h a d o ff e r e d R u s s i a n a n d B e l a r u s i a n a t h l e t e s t h e chance to compete in Asia, drawing an outcry from Kyiv which has called for Russian sportspeople to be banned over Russia’s invasion

Zelenskiy said that allowing Russia to compete at the 2024 Games would be tantamount to showing that “terror is somehow acceptable Belarus has allowed Moscow to use

ticipation

2 0 2 4 w o u l d l i k e t o e x p r e s s i t s f u l l s o li d a r i t y w i t h U k r a i n e , i t s p e o p l e a n d t h e U k r a i n i a n O l y m p i c a n d P a r al y m p i c m o v e m e n t s w h o a r e f a c e d w i t h a n u n i m a g i n a b l e c r i s i s , ” P a r i s 2 0 2 4 t o l d R e u t e r s i n a w r i t t e n s t a t em e n t o n We d n e s d a y s t r e s s i n g t h a t t h e I O C h a d t a k e n s e v e r a l m e a s u r e s a g a i n s t R u s s i a a n d B e l a r u s

its territory as a staging post for what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Monday that the IOC was “promoting violence, mass murders, destruction and that a Russian presence at the Games would constitute giving the country “a platform to promote genocide “ A s t h e c o n f l i c t c o n t i n u e s , P a r i s

In response to this the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has taken a number of sanctions since February 2022 including: no international sports event is organised or supported by an International Federation or National Olympic Committee in Russia or Belarus; “No flags, anthems, colours or any other identification of these countries are displayed at any sporting event or meeting, including at all venues; “No representative of the Russian government or state shall be invited or accredited to any international sporting event or meeting ”

A c c o r d i n g t o P a r i s 2 0 2 4 t h o s e s a n c t i o n s “ d i r e c t l y o r i n d i r e c t l y a ff e c t t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f R u s s i a n a n d B el a r u s i a n a t h l e t e s i n c e r t a i n q u a l i f y i n g e v e n t s f o r P a r i s 2 0 2 4 ”

Paris 2024 explained that their hands were tied on who could qualify for the next Summer Games

“With regard to the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Games, it should be recalled that the qualification system is determined by the international federations the IOC and the IPC (International Paralympic Committee)

Our wish is that the Olympic movement, the Paralympic movement and the athletes experience the Paris 2024 Games in a spirit of peace respecting the values of fraternity and solidarity ” The Paris 2024 Olympics will be held from July 26-August 11 and the Paralympics from August 28-September 8

S haheen raring for comeback in HBL PSL 2023

LAHORE

A P P

It was at the start of April in 2018 when a lanky teenager by the name of Shaheen Shah Afridi received international cap from Pakistan legend Wasim Akram at Karachi’s National Bank Cricket Arena

He had showed glimpses of brilliance in the last two months – during what was his maiden HBL Pakistan Super League season – that catapulted him to the national side The highlight was his five-wicket haul at Dubai against Multan Sultans which saw him become one of the only two bowlers that season to bag five wickets in an innings Shaheen never looked back from that moment establishing himself as an all-format bowler for Pakistan and, subsequently, the leader of the Pakistan bowling attack Such was his utility for Pakistan that be-

fore the first Galle Test in which he injured his right knee by landing awkwardly while attempting a dive at the boundary in July last year, he had taken the most wickets (204) behind Australia’s Pat Cummins’ 209 across all three international formats He was so lethal that his strike rate of 35 4 was the best in international cricket amongst the fast bowlers with at least a thousand overs

The fourth morning of that Test, however, put a halt on an ever-progressing career Shaheen was back in Pakistan colours in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia last year and his bowling form grew proportionally with the matches he played, before a freak twist while completing that famous Harry Brook catch at Melbourne in the final sent him back to rehabilitation

While the sight of Shaheen limping off the field broke millions of Pakistani hearts it was the beginning of a struggle for a bowler who since his Pakistan debut

had done nothing but bowl in heaps

“There were times when I wanted to give up,” Shaheen, who now has checked all the requisites for his return to competitive cricket said on Wednesday “I was working on only one muscle and it was not improving Often during the rehabilitation sessions, I used to say to myself ‘this is enough I cannot do this anymore’

“But then I used to watch my bowling on YouTube and see how well I had done and that motivated me and I told myself ‘to push a little more’ It is frustrating for a fast bowler to miss cricket because of an injury ”

While there is no good time to be injured, Shaheen s had come at a time when Pakistan were scheduled for their biggest home season in over a decade with seven T20Is and three Tests against England followed by two Tests and three One-Day Internationals against New Zealand Shaheen missed all 15 games

Centur y 99 Punjab Polo Cup to get under way from Feb 6

LAHORE s tA f f R e P o R t

Historic Century 99 Punjab Polo Cup 2023 will get underway from Monday (February 6) here at the Lahore Polo Club

P r e s i d e n t L a h o r e P o l o C l u b U m a r Sadiq announced this along with Directors of Century Ventures Private Limited, Ayaz L a k h a n i , K a m r a n A f z a l , Wa s i m M a z h a r and Nazia Wasim Lahore Polo Club execu t i v e c o m m i t t e e m e m b e r s A g h a M u r t a z a

Ali Khan and Agha Najeeb Raza during a crowded press conference held here at the club premises On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between Lahore Polo Club and Century Ventures while the unveiling ceremony of Punjab Cup and National Open trophies was also held For the first time in the history of Lahore Polo Club, Century Ventures has sponsored the historic Punjab Polo Cup and National

Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-eAzam Gold Cup

President Lahore Polo Club Umar Sadiq said that the history of Punjab Polo Cup, the oldest event in Asia, is more than a century old As one of the world s oldest polo clubs Lahore Polo Club relishes the prestigious history of playing the game of kings

The Punjab polo trophy happens to be the oldest polo trophy being played for in Pakistan having been introduced in 1886 Ever since this tournament has always been played at the world’s famous Aibak ground of Lahore Polo Club,” he added

LPC Chief Omar Sadiq also thanked Century Ventures for sponsoring this historic tournament “I am grateful to Century Ventures and especially its Directors Ayaz Lakhani, Kamran Afzal, Wasim Mazhar and Nazia Wasim, for supporting the game of kings and knights Ay a z L a k h a n i , D i r e c t o r o f t h e s p o ns o r i n g o rg a n i z a t i o n C e n t u r y Ve n t u r e s ,

s a i d t h a t i t w a s g r e a t t o s p o n s o r s u c h a w onderful event in a his toric club like Lah o r e P o l o C l u b Wa s i m M a z h a r D i r e c t o r C e n t u r y Ve n t u r e s , s a i d : “ We h a v e b e e n a p p r e c i a t i n g t h e r o l e o f L a h o r e P o l o C l u b f o r y e a r s a n d t o d a y w e a r e a p a r t o f s u pp o r t i n g t h e g a m e , w h i c h i s a m a t t e r o f g r e a t p l e a s u r e ”

Lahore Polo Club Executive Committee member Agha Murtaza Ali Khan said that six to eight teams are participating in the tournament while two foreign players are also included in each team, in which players from Argentina, Iran, England and Spain will take part The umpires will also be foreigners, one of them is from England and the other one from Argentina

The tournament will commence from February 6 and the final will be played on Sunday (February 12), while Pakistan’s biggest polo event the National Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup, will kick off from March 6, he asserted

ANALySiS: PAKiStAN MoVeS towArd deAL-or-defAuLt eNdgAMe

PA K I S TA N ’s full-blown economic turmoil from its biggest ever currency devaluation to a rash of emergency spending cuts, offers the clearest sign yet that the nuclear-armed nation faces the risk of a default unless it receives massive support

Pushed to the brink by last year ’s devastating floods the South Asian nation has reserves of just $3 7 billion remaining, or barely enough for three weeks of essential imports, while hotly contested elections are due by November

It desperately needs the International Monetary Fund to release an overdue tranche of $1 1 billion, leaving $1 4 billion remaining in a stalled bailout programme set to end in June

Although an emergency IMF mission has arrived in Pakistan there are no guarantees amid a growing number of headaches after November ’s suspension of disbursements from the current package, which was topped up to $7 billion after the floods

A devaluation of 15% in the Pakistani rupee and a rise last week in fuel prices could help eliminate some key snags, particularly as tax measures are apparently imminent

Yet pressure is building as the bailout programme cannot be extended beyond June and the elections loom

“If they don’t get those (IMF) funds, default risk increases materially,” said

ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t

A court in Islamabad granted bail on Wednesday to Fawad Chaudhry, a prominent leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, accepting his bail petition on the condition that he won’t make any statements that could incite violence against a constitutional institution”

Chaudhry was arrested last week and charged with inciting violence against

the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) a constitutional body responsible for conducting and supervising elections in the country

He was granted bail against a surety bond of Rs20,000

The decision by the district and sessions court comes amid growing concerns about freedom of expression in the country and the increasing use of charges related to incitement to silence political dissent

Kathryn Exum, the co-head of sovereign research at distressed debt specialist fund Gramercy, which expects more of a debt “reprofiling” rather than mass write-off Pakistan’s former finance minister, Miftah Ismail who successfully negotiated an extension to last year ’s programme before being sacked in the political tumult, also thinks the IMF is the only logical option

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirms resignation as PML-N SVP

“If the IMF doesn’t come in, we’re looking at a default,” Ismail said, adding that another support package, the country’s 24th, would then be needed “I can t imagine Pakistan not going on a back-to-back IMF programme ”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s main election challenger is former cricket star Imran Khan, who was removed from the job last April but retains popularity Each blames the other for the crisis, although finances have long been strained With Pakistan s debt-to-GDP ratio in a danger zone of 70%, and between 40% and 50% of government revenues earmarked for interest payments this year, only default-stricken Sri Lanka, Ghana, and Nigeria are worse off “There is just a long-term indebtedness problem,” said Jeff Grills, the head of emerging markets debt at Aegon Asset Management, who held Pakistan bonds until the floods hit It is more a question of when they need to restructure, rather than if ” Most of Pakistan’s bonds are still trading at less than half their face value

Justice or bust: KP police take a stand with threat of mass resignation

PESHAWAR s ta f f r e p o r t

In a shocking development, a memo circulated by the so-called special branch of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police has revealed that over 100,000 junior ranks are considering resigning en masse if the recent attack on the mosque wasn’t not properly investigated T h e m e m o , w h i c h has been widely shared o n s o c i a l m e d i a , i s

b a s e d o n W h a t s A p p m e s s a g e s s e n t b y a group named “All KPK Police Junior Ranks ” The memo calls for an impartial joint investigation team to find and punish the perpetrators

of the attack, which claimed the lives of over 100 people, mostly police officers

The junior ranks have united in their demand for justice and have warned that if their demands are not met, they will “have to collect our dead every day P e s h a w a r, h o m e t o

a b o u t t w o m i l l i o n p e op l e , i s l o c a t e d i n t h e n o r t h w e s t e r n p r o v i n c e , j u s t 5 5 k i l o m e t r e s e a s t of the Afghanistan bord e r c r o s s i n g o f To r k h a m a l o n g t h e Khyber Pass Througho u t i t s h i s t o r y, t h e c i t y has played a major role in linking central Asia India and beyond

PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday confirmed that he had resigned as the party s senior vice president in an effort to give Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz an “open field”

Addressing the matter during an appearance on Samaa News, Abbasi confirmed that he had sent his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif when Maryam was appointed, adding that he had expected the party to announce the development

He said that the basic principle behind the move was that Maryam should be provided with an “open field” as she assumed the new responsibilities

Giving the example of former premier Benazir Bhutto, Abbasi said that her first stint in power suffered due to conflicts with her father ’s contemporaries He said that during Benazir ’s second term, there were “newer people” around which allowed her to move forward

“That is why I think it appropriate that Maryam should get an open field and my being there was not appropriate for her or for me he said adding that his presence as the senior vice president “would’ve been an obstacle “ for her Abbasi further said that he had not discussed the matter with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and had sent his resignation to PM Shehbaz, the party’s president Resignations are a normal matter so I don’t give them much importance ”

He also rebuffed a question about leaving the PML-N, saying: No one leaves the party it is a very big decision ” Abbasi’s decision comes at a time when Maryam has commenced a country-wide election campaign after returning to Pakistan from her fourmonth sojourn in London

In the past weeks, Abbasi has also been holding seminars and press conferences along with other likeminded leaders from across the political arena including former finance minister Miftah Ismail former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and former Balochistan chief minister Aslam Raisani in a campaign they ve termed Reimagining Pakistan

Previously, while talking to Shahzeb Khanzada on Geo News, Abbasi had refuted reports that he was planning to quit the PML-N, saying he had also seen such reports on social media, which surged after the seminars Citing sources, The News claimed the former prime minister had resigned from the party earlier this month after Maryam Nawaz was appointed its new senior vice president and chief organiser by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who also serves as the party president

In a tweet sent out after confirmation of her appointment, the prime minister said Nawaz possessed the drive, determination and experience to lead the party’s organisational matters”

“I have no doubts that she will very effectively galvanise our party s rank and file with the vision of Nawaz Sharif,” he said

In a separate report, Geo News said Abbasi’s decision to step down was driven by dissatisfaction with the appointment, which was made without consulting other party members

PM orders recovery of Rs1.13b royalty amount from two oil and gas firms

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has directed the petroleum division to recover an outstanding royalty amount of Rs 1 13 billion from two oil and gas firms, Spud Energy and Frontier Holdings Limited (FHL) within two weeks and submit a compliance report in this regard

The PM s office, in a letter dated January 20, 2023, to the secretary petroleum division, said that “it has been desired that the petroleum division shall ensure recovery of the outstanding amount within two weeks and submit a compliance report ”

In the letter which was addressed to the managing director, Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC), Fazal Abbas, the petroleum division’s financial analyst, advised the company to stop the payments of Spud Energy and FHL He said the outstanding royalty should be deposited in the government treasury

The royalty at a rate of 12 5% has accrued on the sale of natural gas and crude oil from Reti Maru, Badin IV South Block, and Zarghun field The government has taken action and sought recovery and submission of a compliance report from the petroleum division

According to documents seen by Profit, the total default on royalty payments on the part of Spud Energy as of December 2022 stands at nearly Rs 1 12 billion while total default on the part of FHL stands at Rs 297 million

However earlier the petroleum division had also sent two letters dated February 17, 2022, and June 13, 2022, to SSGC and advised to withhold the entire payment to the royalty defaulter i-e SPUD Energy and FHL of its share in the gas produced from the different fields and deposit all outstanding royalty in the government treasury immediately

In yet another letter dated December 16, 2022, Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) had requested the PM to look into this matter and if found correct to direct the regulator to first recover the outstanding amount from Spud Energy and Frontier Holding Companies

This should have been done prior to the summary being submitted to the PM for further assignment of 35% working interests in the Hanna Block from Mari Petroleum Company (MPCL) to Spud Energy Private Limited (SEPL)

Documents available with Profit disclosed that MPCL had earlier requested the Director General Petroleum Concessions (DGPC) to allow the MPCL to assign 35% of its working interests in Hanna Block to Spud Energy from its 100% working interests and also submitted un-signed draft Deed of Assignment (DoA) and unsigned annexures for the same

The petroleum division forwarded a summary with the title ‘Assignment of Working Interest in Exploration Licences/Blocks’ to the PM, being Minister In-Charge of petroleum division and re-

quested the premier to authorise submission of the summary to the cabinet

However, the PM’s office after seeing this summary directed the petroleum division to address several observations before the summary is submitted to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet for its consideration

Profit asked a spokesman of the petroleum division for an official stance on the TIP letter, and the latter said it is true that an amount of Rs 1 13 billion is outstanding

The government has taken necessary steps for the recovery of the amount, in accordance with the applicable rules The regulator i e directorate general of Petroleum Concessions has written to the government nominated buyer of gas (i e SSGC) to withhold the Spud and FHL invoices and deposit the outstanding royalty in the government treasury

The reply from SSGC is still awaited, however, FHL has recently deposited Rs 184 million royalty for Badin IV South The government is pursuing the recovery of the remaining amount

Furthermore, the DGPC has deferred the assignment of working interest cases in various concessions of Spud and FHL, till the recovery of outstanding payments, said a spokesman of the petroleum division

Earlier, Profit approached Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of MPCL and Spud but, both companies did not respond despite repeated efforts to obtain their stance on the matter

Fawad freed on bail on condition of ‘refraining from inciting violence’