Epaper_23-02-15 ISB by Pakistan Today

wednesday, 15 February, 2023 i 23 Rajab, 1444

Federation tells SC Imran lacks locus standi to challenge NAB law amends

Profit

Communication Ministry asked to clear Rs8.7b owed to DISCOs

Rising panic over blocked imports in crisis-hit Pakistan

Coffee trumps economic crisis as Tim Hortons opens in Pakistan

Cabinet okays 'mini budget' as President refuses to Promulgate ordinanCe

g finance Bill proviDes for 1pc increase in Gst, aDDitional taxes UnDer imf’s nintH review

islamabad profit report

PresiDentDr arif alvi on tuesday advised finance minister ishaq Dar to take the parliament into confidence and call immediate session to discuss the issue of raising additional revenue through taxes.

Dar apprised president alvi about the progress in talks with the international monetary fund (imf) and that all modalities have been agreed upon, such as raising rs 170 billion taxes in the next four months.

the president appreciated the efforts of the government in negotiating an agreement with the imf and assured that the state of pakistan would stand by the commitments made by the government with the imf.

the minister said the government wanted to raise additional revenue through taxes by promulgating an ordinance. the press release issued about the president House said that, “the president advised that it would be more appropriate to take parliament into confidence on this important subject, and that a session be called immediately so that the bill is enacted without delay.”

Cabinet aPPRoves 'FinanCe suPPlementaRy bill 2023' as moRe taxes on luxuRy items with 1% inCRease in Gst: the federal cabinet on tuesday ap-

proved the finance supplementary Bill 2023 providing for a 1% increase in general sales tax and additional taxes on luxury items as part of the reforms related to the international monetary fund’s ninth review.

the supplementary bill was passed in a cabinet meeting chaired by prime minister shehbaz sharif who gave the directives not to tax any daily use items which could affect the poor or middle class.

During the briefing given to the prime minister, it was told that under the reforms, the luxury items would be taxed.

the prime minister said the government was making maximum efforts to put the minimum possible burden on the poor people, however, he called for taking necessary measures to tax luxury goods.

the supplementary finance bill would now be tabled before the parliament on wednesday as the president has already summoned the sessions of the national assembly and senate.

the prime minister said that an austerity policy would be adopted at the government level which would soon be formally announced as the economic difficulties could only be overcome while limiting ourselves within our resources.

He said all of the cabinet members and the government officers would be bound to ad-

g earlier, Dr alvi aDviseD Dar to take parliament into confiDence over taxes raise

here to the austerity package as it was imperative to steer the country out of economic challenges. He said the 220 million of pakistan were bearing the brunt of the incompetence and negligence of the previous government.

“we assumed the power in difficult circumstances and sacrificed our politics for sake of the state. the previous government betrayed the people through its tall claims of simplicity and austerity,” he remarked.

the federal cabinet approved the renaming of the turkiye earthquake victims fund as turkiye and syria earthquake victims fund as the prime minister urged the people to donate wholeheartedly to this fund.

the prime minister expressed condolences over the destruction caused by the unprecedented earthquake in turkiye and syria. He also apprised the cabinet members of his telephonic interaction with turkish president recep tayyip erdogan in which he assured pakistan’s all-out support to the quake-hit people. He said the relief goods including blankets, warm clothes and others had been dispatched to turkiye and syria, as more goods were also being sent there. the pakistan air force, rescue workers, nGos and philanthropists were also taking part in the relief activities, he added.

the cabinet members also offered fateha for the late

Petrol, diesel price may go up by Rs32/litre effective from next fortnight

islamabad

AhmAd AhmAdAni vehicle owners should gear up to be hit with another jolt as the government is likely to jack up petrol prices by up to 12.8% per litre for the second half of february 2023. according to sources, the ex-depot per litre price of petrol is calculated to go up by rs 32.07 (or 12.8%), High speed Diesel (HsD) price is to witness a rise of rs 32.84/litre (or 12.5%), while kerosene oil price is estimated to be hiked by rs 28.05/litre (or 14.8%) and light diesel oil (lDo) price may witness a hike of rs 9.90/litre (or 5.3%) during the second half of february this year. “likely new prices are based on current government taxes and estimated pso incidentals,” said sources.

the estimated UsD/rs adjustment applies rs 15/litre for both products (petrol & HsD)

while it is assumed that petroleum levy (pl) on the HsD will rise to rs 50 per litre, they added. at present, petrol is available at rs 249.80/litre, HsD at rs 295/litre, kerosene oil at rs 189.83/litre and lDo at rs 187/litre. However, sources further said that if the hike is approved then the new price of petrol will stand at rs 281.87/litre, HsD at rs 295.64/litre, kerosene oil at rs 217.88/litre and lDo at rs 196.90/litre during the last fifteen days of february 2023.

HsD is widely used in transport and agriculture sectors. therefore, any increase in its price will be a blow to consumers in the form of rising inflation. similarly, petrol is used by motorbikes and cars and is an alternative to compressed natural Gas (cnG). and gas is already not available for cnG stations to feed transport due to the issue of availability in the

winter months. furthermore, kerosene oil is used in remote areas where lpG is not available for cooking purposes; the pakistan army is a key user of it in northern parts of pakistan.

it is also learnt from sources that the ex-refinery price for the second half of february 2023, of petroleum products is calculated to go up by 21.4%. the ex-refinery price of petrol is calculated to go up by 21.4% from rs 177.40/litre to rs 215/litre, HsD price from rs 221.36/litre to rs 240/litre (8.8pc), kerosene oil from rs 182.13/litre to rs 210.18/litre (15.4%) and ex-refinery price of lDo is also estimated to go up from rs 153.99/litre to rs 163.89/litre (6.4%).

it is important to remember that the common man is already burdened and this hike in the prices of petroleum products will add much more to their misery.

mother of advisor to prime minister ahad cheema. the federal cabinet endorsed the economic coordi-

nation committee’s decisions it had taken in its respective meetings held on february 10 and 13, 2023. it also endorsed

the decisions of the cabinet committee on legislative cases taken in its meeting held on february 9, 2023.

Rs 15.00 | vol xiii no 228 i 14 Pages i islamabad edition In par tnership with

Story on Back Page Story on Back Page Story on Back Page Story on Back Page

PAkIstAN PlANs to quAdruPle doMestIc coAl - fIred Power, Move AwAy froM gAs

DESPITE INCREASING POWER DEMAND IN 2022, PAKISTAN'S ANNUAL LNG IMPORTS

profIt ReuteRS

PAKISTANplans to quadruple its domestic coal-fired capacity to reduce power generation costs and will not build new gas-fired plants in the coming years, its energy minister told Reuters on Monday, as it seeks to ease a crippling foreign-exchange crisis.

A shortage of natural gas, which accounts for over a third of the country’s power output, plunged large areas into hours of darkness last year. A surge in global

prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and an onerous economic crisis had made LNG unaffordable for Pakistan.

“LNG is no longer part of the long-term plan,” Pakistan Energy Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan told Reuters, adding that the country plans to increase domestic coal-fired power capacity to 10 gigawatts (GW) in the medium-term, from 2.31 GW currently.

Pakistan’s plan to switch to coal to provide its citizens reliable electricity underscores challenges in drafting effective decarbonization strategies, at a time when

FELL TO LOWEST IN FIVE

some developing countries are struggling to keep lights on.

Despite power demand increasing in 2022, Pakistan’s annual LNG imports fell to the lowest levels in five years as European buyers elbowed out price-sensitive consumers. “We have some of the world’s most efficient regasified LNG-based power plants. But we don’t have the gas to run them,” Dastgir said in an interview.

The South Asian nation, which is battling a wrenching economic crisis and is in dire need of funds, is seeking to reduce the value of its fuel imports and protect itself

YEARS

from geopolitical shocks, he said.

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank have fallen to $2.9 billion, barely enough to cover three weeks of imports. “It’s this question of not just being able to generate energy cheaply, but also with domestic sources, that is very important,” Dastgir said.

The Shanghai Electric Thar plant, a 1.32 GW capacity plant that runs on domestic coal and is funded under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), started producing power last week. The CPEC is a part of Beijing’s global Belt and Road

Car prices continue to soar as Toyota, Chery hike prices simultaneously

profIt report

Daniyal ahmaD

Toyota and Chery have introduced price hikes for their entire lineups.

The most likely explanation for the price increases are the increases in the cost of production due to the Rupee’s depreciation, the global commodity supercycle, and the general rise in the domestic cost of production.

These new prices are likely, and hopefully, also reflective of the companies factoring in further dips by the Rupee, and potential increases in taxes levied on vehicles. The latter is potentially a consequence of the rumours across industries of new rounds of taxation across industries due to negotiations with the IMF.

Playing Devil’s aDvocate:

toyota

This price increase amounts to Toyota’s third price increase within the span of a month.Toyota’s rationale is clear. It has made operating losses for two consecutive quarters. It recorded an operating loss of Rs 3.3 billion in Q1FY23, and Rs 1.483 billion in Q2FY23 taking its HFY23 operating loss to Rs 4.78 billion. Its HFY23 loss is a 150% Year-onYear contraction, for a staggering reduction of Rs 15 billion.

Furthermore, Toyota has been unable to meet demand due to inventory shortfalls. This has led to it announcing non-production days from February 1 to February 14, and its intent to shift to a single shift work day from February 15 until stated otherwise. Toyota seems to be so crippled by these shortfalls that it

TOYOTA JACKS UP PRICES BY RS890,000 WITH CHERY’S PRICES GO UP BY RS1.1M

is the most likely explanation for why Toyota has also reduced its shift; it is expecting demand to fall, and therefore aims to reduce its fixed costs whilst bolstering its margins.

Playing Devil’s aDvocate Part Deux: chery Chery cannot be faulted for its price increase. The company has withheld its prices from September till now, and its decision is a likely consequence of the aforementioned macroeconomic reasons plaguing the entire industry. Ghandhara Nissan introduced the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro and 4 Pro almost a year ago, however, the reception has not been lacklustre to say the least.

Initiative.

In addition to the coal-fired plants, Pakistan also plans to boost its solar, hydro and nuclear power fleet, Dastgir said, without elaborating.

If the proposed plants are constructed, it could also widen the gap between Pakistan’s power demand and installed power generation capacity, potentially forcing the country to idle plants.

The maximum power demand met by Pakistan during the year ended June 2022 was 28.25 GW, more than 35% lower than power generation capacity of 43.77 GW.

It was not immediately clear how Pakistan will finance the proposed coal fleet, but Dastgir said setting up new plants will depend on “investor interest,” which he expects to increase when newly commissioned coal-fired plants are proved viable.

Financial institutions in China and Japan, which are among the biggest financiers of coal units in developing countries, have been backing out of funding fossil-fuel projects in recent years amid pressure from activists and Western governments.

Imran ‘super corrupt’, filed false cases against rivals via ‘pressure tactics’: Marriyum

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum

reintroduced its refund policy, from July, last month.

Thus, Toyota’s decision comes down to a confluence of two things: It can only produce a limited number of vehicles, and it needs to increase the profit margins for its vehicles. The price increases, therefore, are a means for Toyota to achieve this. There is no doubt that Toyota’s sales volume has fallen as a result of these. Its 7MFY23 sales volume stands at 21,877 units. This is a 51% contraction from the 44,869 units it sold over the same period last year. However, there seems to be a method to the madness.

Toyota gross profit, and gross profit margin both improved Quarter-on-Quarter from Q1FY23 to Q2FY23. This was despite Toyota selling fewer vehicles

within that time span. This is likely in part due to the change in the composition of vehicles Toyota sold over the period.

Q1FY23 saw the Toyota Yaris and Corolla constitute 72% of total sales, with the remainder being attributed to the Toyota Fortuner and its IMV line of vehicles. Q2FY23, in contrast, saw the Yaris and Corolla’s share dip to 60% with the shares of the Fortuner and the IMV line of vehicles rising to 40%.

Based on past precedent, the higher prices are likely to dissuade customers from the more affordable options across Toyota’s portfolio, whilst encouraging sales across Toyota’s more expensive lineup. Such a dynamic would therefore lead to Toyota only producing those cars which it has higher profit margins for. This

Ghandhara Nissan started Q1FY23 with a Rs 78 million loss. Now, the company did not provide disaggregated segment wise data to extrapolate which of its automotive brands was failing. However, the fact that it made a loss overall, is indicative of Chery also struggling.

This is despite the fact that Chery International outlined its eagerness and plans to expand across the Pakistani market in 2023, earlier this year. Chery’s Tiggo Pro 4 might serendipitously be a beneficiary of Toyota’s price increase as Chery’s SUV enjoys an even more considerable price advantage compared to Toyota’s sedans. The Tiggo Pro 8, however, now operates in a very competitive price market with the majority of the newer entrants who entered the market having their premium offerings either within that price range or on the boundaries of it.

Toyota records lowest half-yearly earnings since 2019

profIt report Daniyal ahmaD

Toyota Indus Motors has released its quarterly financials for Q2FY23 on the Pakistan Stock Exchange. The financials reveal that Toyota was able to record a Quarter-on-Quarter (QoQ) increase of 2.59%, however, its half year financials stand at Rs 2.67 billion. This amounts to the lowest half-yearly earnings Toyota has recorded since December 2019, with this also being the second lowest half-yearly earnings in the past five years.

Toyota’s sales revenue grew by 33% QoQ to Rs 49.5 billion. The whopping 33% is significant given that Toyota only saw a 6% increase in the number of units sold QoQ based on the sales data provided by the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA). The increase is likely a result of the composition of vehicles Toyota sold over the period. Q1FY23 saw the Toyota Yaris and Corolla constitute 72% of total sales, with the remainder being attributed to the Toyota Fortuner and its IMV line of vehicles. Q2FY23, in contrast, saw the Yaris and Corolla’s share dip to 60% with the shares of the Fortuner and the IMV line of vehicles rising to 40%.

On a Year-on-Year (YoY) basis, Toyota’s revenue is down 29% from the Rs 69.6 billion it earned over the same

period last year.

Toyota, however, still recorded a gross loss of Rs 490 million. This is an 80% QoQ reduction on the Rs 2.3 billion gross loss it incurred in the previous quarter. The change in Toyota’s sales composition is also the likely reason for its gross profit margin (GPM) improving from -6.33% last quarter to -0.99% this quarter. Its current GPM still stands significantly lower than the 7.56% it recorded last year over the same period.

Toyota’s operating expenses have increased by 4.86% QoQ to Rs 954 million. This is also a 2.27% YoY increase. Similar to last quarter, Toyota was able to record sizable income from its

other earnings to bolster its overall earnings, and thereby prevent a cumulative loss.

Toyota’s quarterly financials do not reveal the make-up of its other income. However, its other income elucidates upon how these are the gains that Toyota makes from engaging in investment activities.

Toyota’s other income, similar to last quarter, exceeds its operating income which, again, indicates that Toyota made more money from being a bank or investment institution than a car company. Its other income stands at Rs 3.45 billion, and is Rs 4.89 billion in excess of its operating loss of Rs 1.4 billion. Toyota’s other income has experienced a 33.09%

QoQ decrease, but it is still 38.07% higher on a YoY basis.

Toyota ended the Q2FY23 with a net income of Rs 1.3 billion. This amounts to a 2.59% QoQ increase but a 72% YoY decrease. Looking at the quarter ahead, it is likely that Toyota will do similarly, if not worse. By similarly, we mean that it will record a sluggish QoQ increase if it does at all. Toyota has not only undergone three upward price revisions across January and February, but it has also observed non-production days from February 1 to February 14. Toyota has announced that it will operate a single shift going forward from February 15 due to its inability to maintain its inventory levels which in turn are a consequence of the country’s forex, and the subsequent import situation.

Toyota’s biggest challenge, beyond its supply-chain quagmire, will be the waves of inflation that will erode customers’ purchasing power in the months to come. January has already recorded the highest inflation in the past five decades, with most expecting February and March to exceed this.

Aurangzeb said on Tuesday that if General (Retd) Bajwa was a “super king”, Imran Khan was a “super corrupt” person who filed false cases through threats and pressure tactics against the then-opposition leaders in front of “selected judges”. Addressing a press conference here she said, “Not a single evidence has been presented against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in any court inside and outside the country to prove the allegation of corruption. The then opposition leadership appeared in every court and never made any excuse like Imran Khan, wearing a plaster on the leg.” She said that the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) including Nawaz Sharif, and Shehbaz Sharif become victorious and Imran Khan got “exposed every day”. She said the political victimization of Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif by Imran Khan damaged the county. The minister said that “Imran Khan had destroyed the economy, and foreign policy and deprived the youth of employment and pushed the country into a storm of inflation”. She asked the Supreme Court of Pakistan to “summon Imran Khan in the fake narrative of cypher and foreign conspiracy against his government as this was a national and public interest issue at present”. She said that during Imran Khan’s rule, baseless cases were filed against Shehbaz Sharif. The minister said that Shahzad Akbar the head of the Asset Recovery Unit and his team were hired for filing of false cases against Shehbaz Sharif and Imran’s other political opponents.

PPP decides against contesting NA by-elections

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

According to details, the decision to boycott the upcoming by-elections was taken during PPP’s parliamentary board meeting held with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the chair. The PPP’s parliamentary board meeting was attended by Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Nair Bukhari, Farhatullah Babar, Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood, Faryal Talpur and candidates of the by-elections. The participants of the meeting were divided over the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) proposal, sources claimed. During the meeting, the party’s senior leaders opined against contesting the elections. However, sources claimed, the meeting decided in principle to boycott the by-polls and let the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) fight against no one. The candidates – who were nominated to contest the polls – were taken into confidence. It is pertinent to mention here that by-polls on 33 NA seats would be held on March 16.

Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 ISLAMABAD 02 NEWS

02-03 NEWS-15 February_Layout 1 2/15/2023 1:46 AM Page 1

BoeINg sees trAvel growth As AIr INdIA PrePAres huge jet order

profIt report ReuteRS

INDIA’Sairlines have bounced back well beyond pre-pandemic levels, Boeing said, as Air India, the country’s national carrier, prepared to unveil an historic order for almost 500 new planes on Tuesday.

The U.S. plane maker forecast Indian

Ihc fixes April 4 as date for hearing of NAB plea against tarin, Pervez Ashraf

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

airline capacity – the number of seats on offer and a gauge of industry confidence –to be 7% higher in the first-half of 2023 than in 2019 amid a strong rebound in the world’s fastest-growing market.

Over the next 20 years, Indian passenger traffic is expected to grow by 7% annually, requiring 2,210 new planes, Boeing said in a statement during the Aero India air show.

India’s former state-run carrier Air

India, now owned by Tata Group, is poised to announce a deal on Tuesday for some 470 jets, worth more than $100 billion at list prices, split between Boeing and Airbus, industry and diplomatic sources said.

The widely anticipated move is expected to include a major deal for FrenchU.S. engine maker CFM International, co-owned by General Electric and France’s Safran (SAF.PA), to power more than 200

Airbus single-aisle jets included in the transaction.

None of the companies commented ahead of the announcements, which have triggered hopes of significant industrial spin-offs for local suppliers at the air show, though the commercial deal making is happening away from the mainly defence event.

On Monday, Boeing said it plans to invest

about $24 million in India to set up a logistics centre for airplane parts to boost its footprint in the country that it considers as the thirdlargest domestic aviation market in the world.

“The Indian market is recovering rapidly and its domestic capacity has exceeded 2019 levels, with domestic traffic expected to double by the end of this decade,” Dave Schulte, Boeing commercial marketing managing director for Asia Pacific, said in a statement.

Boeing expects 90% of India’s demand for new airplanes to be for single-aisle ones like the 737 MAX and competing Airbus A320neo over the next 20 years.

On the military side of India’s largest air show, state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HIAE.NS) said it is in talks with at least four countries to sell its light-combat aircraft.

After more than 2 years, PTM leader Ali Wazir released from Karachi jail

KArACHI newS DeSk

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has fixed National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) appeals against the acquittal of former finance minister Shaukat Tarin and National Assembly (NA)

Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the rental power case, for hearing on April 4. Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan will hear the cases. NAB’s appeals against Shaukat Tarin’s acquittal in Sahiwal Rental Power Project and Pira Ghaib Rental Power Plant references are pending. The court has issued notices on the appeal against the acquittal of Tarin, Ashraf and others accused in the case. NAB has challenged the accountability court’s June 2020 acquittal of the accused. The accountability court had acquitted Tarin, Ashraf and others.

Mohmand deputy commissioner orders increase in night-time patrolling

peSHAWAr Staff RepoRt

Mohmand Deputy Commissioner Shahid Khan has instructed officials and Malakand Levies to increase night-time patrolling in the district to maintain peace and order. Assistant commissioners under him have been directed to visit their respective areas regularly, review the security situation, and take measures accordingly. Shakil Khan, the assistant commissioner of Batkhela, visited several Levis posts in Khar town and Batkhela late at night and checked duty records and officials on duty, in compliance with the Mohmand’s directives. The protection of lives and property is the top priority, and security officials showing lethargy in their duties will be dealt with strictly, warned Mohmand.

Last month’s mosque bombing in Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa has underscored a resurgence in militant attacks in recent months in the nation. The principal threat to Pakistan is an organisation called the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which was formed in 2007 as an umbrella organisation of various hardline groups operating individually. TTP pledges allegiance to, and gets its name from, the Afghan Taliban, but is not directly a part of the group that now rules neighbouring Afghanistan. Its stated aim is to impose religious law in Pakistan, as the Taliban have done in Afghanistan.

After languishing in prison for more than two years, the MNA from South Waziristan and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Ali Wazir was released from Central Jail Karachi on Tuesday.

The PTM leader had been in Karachi’s prison since December 31, 2020 after being arrested in various sedition cases. Confirming Wazir’s release, his counsel Qadir Khan said that his client had been released after a court granted him bail in the final case registered against him. He said Wazir was now on his way to Sohrab Goth where the PTM had arranged a reception in his honour. The advocate said that the lawmaker had been arrested 26 months ago and had been languishing in prison ever since.

He said that whenever his client was acquitted or granted bail in one case, he was booked in another in either Sindh or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khan pointed out that Wazir had been acquitted by an anti-terrorism court in one case and granted bail in

three others registered against him in Karachi. He further said that three cases were registered against the lawmaker in KP. He said Wazir had been granted bail in two of the cases earlier and had obtained bail in the third one today.

‘Justice cannot be DenieD forever’:

MNA Mohsin Dawar shared a picture of Wazir after his release from Karachi’s Central Jail.

He earlier said that he was “very happy” for the long-incarcerated MNA finally being released. “Every attempt was made to break Ali’s spirit and to keep him in jail but he has prevailed. Justice cannot be denied forever,” he said on Twitter. The National Commission for Human Rights said it was “heartened” to hear news of Wazir’s release. The commission also shared a picture of the statement it released in June 2022 expressing concern over the “humiliating treatment” being meted out to the MNA.

PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen also welcomed the news. “The cruel system has turned our society into a prison, so congratulations on being released from a small prison to a big prison. We will also break the chains of the bigger prison through resistance,” he said.

Former PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said it was a “positive” development. “Even detention and difficulties could not break his resolve. Where his detention exposed the constraints of this system, can we imagine that our establishment no longer wants to bear the burden of past mistakes? I wish it was so.”

US delegation to visit Pakistan as two sides seek to repair ties

profIt ReuteRS

U.S. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet will lead a delegation to Pakistan this week as Washington and Islamabad seek to repair ties strained under former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The U.S. delegation will visit Bangladesh and Pakistan from Feb. 14-18 to meet with senior government officials, civil society members and business leaders, the State Department said in a statement on Monday. Khan, who was ousted in a noconfidence vote in parliament last April, had antagonized the United States throughout his tenure. He

welcomed the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and accused Washington of being behind the attempt to oust him in 2022.

Washington and Pakistan’s National Security Council, a body of top civil and military leaders, dismissed his accusations. Khan was succeeded as prime minister by Shehbaz Sharif. The U.S. delegation’s visit comes as the $350-billion economy of Pakistan is still reeling from devastating floods last year that left at least 1,700 people dead, and the government estimates rebuilding efforts will cost $16 billion.

The nuclear-armed nation is in the grip of a fullblown economic crisis. Talks between Pakistan and the

International Monetary Fund were scheduled to resume online this week after 10 days of face-to-face discussions in Islamabad on how to keep the country afloat ended without a deal on Friday.

The Dawn newspaper reported late in January that Pakistan had sought U.S. support to unlock the stalled IMF program that would release $1.1 billion to its strained economy as the country rebuilds. “The delegation will also reaffirm the strong security cooperation between our nations,” the State Department said on Monday. Economic ties and cooperation to tackle the impact of climate change would be on the agenda in the meeting between U.S. and Pakistani officials, the department added.

Iranian delegation calls Pakistan pride of Islamic world

LAHore Staff RepoRt

President University of Religions, Iran, Syed Abolhassan Navab said on Tuesday that Pakistan was pride of the Islamic world as it was custodian of the thought of poet, philosopher Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal – the voice which more powerful than the atomic bomb.

Addressing a seminar by Persian Department Punjab University at Al-Raazi Hall New Campus here, he said the main objective of Islamic revolution was self-reliance – best conceived by Allama Iqbal, adding that Allama Iqbal and Imam Khomeini had same view on self-confidence.

“Presence of Allama Iqbal in Pakistan is a matter of pride for the people of the region and we breathe with the name of Pakistan,” he added.

PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, Acting Vice-Chancellor Allam Iqbal Open University Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood, from different universities of Iran including Dr Muhammad Najaf Lakzai, Ustad Abdolhadi Masoodi, Hossein Ahmadi and Ebrahim Amini, former PU VC Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem Mazhar, Dean Faculty of Oriental Learning Prof Dr Moinuddin Nizami, Chairman of Persian Department Prof Dr Muhammad Nasir, heads of departments, faculty members and a large number of students were present. Syed Abolhassan Navab said that terror, fear and

extremism were not part of Islamic teachings. He said that he raised the slogan of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in front of ten thousand people in Skardu and that the country which came into being in the name of Islam has to remain forever.

He said: “We respect all religions and our message in this regard is very clear”. He said he could never forget the love and hospitality of Pakistanis.

VC PU Prof. Niaz Ahmad said the exchange programme of teachers and student delegations was necessary to further strengthen ties between the two countries, adding that the aim of universities was to provide the best guidance to their students for which higher education institutions had to work together.

Virgin halts flights to Pakistan, pivoting focus to other markets

ISLAMABAD monitoRing RepoRt

Virgin Atlantic has announced the suspension of its services to Pakistan. The decision comes after the airline reviewed its network and made some changes as it continues to ramp up its flying programme in 2023. In a press statement, the airline said it would no longer operate flights between London and Lahore and Islamabad.

Virgin launched new flights from Manchester and Heathrow to Pakistan in December 2020, becoming the second western carrier after British Airways to

serve destinations in the country.

At the time, the airline’s US-focused network had been heavily disrupted by pandemic restrictions. However, as the airline has gradually rebuilt its transatlantic programme, adding routes to Austin and Tampa, it has now made the decision to suspend its Pakistan services.

Instead, it plans to restore its LondonShanghai service from May, following China’s easing of coronavirus restrictions. ”As we continue to ramp up our flying programme in 2023, we’ve taken the opportunity to review our entire network and decided to make a few changes,” the airline said. “Following

this review, it is with regret that we’ve taken the difficult decision to suspend our services between London Heathrow and Pakistan.”

A spokesperson for the company acknowledged that the decision was not taken lightly and apologised for any inconvenience caused.

The airline suspended its Manchester service to Islamabad in winter.

Virgin will, however, continue to operate flights to Lahore until May 1 and to Islamabad until July 9. The airline will provide options such as rebooking or a full refund to affected customers, according to the statement.

03 NEWS Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

02-03 NEWS-15 February_Layout 1 2/15/2023 1:46 AM Page 2

GOVERNOR BALIGH SEEKS ‘CLARITY’ FROM LHC ON ROLE IN ELECTION DATE CONSULTATION

THE governor of Punjab, Baligh urRehman, is seeking clarity on his role in the consultative process for the election date in the province and has decided to approach the Lahore High Court (LHC) for interpretation.

The development follows a meeting with an Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) delegation, which was ordered by the Chief Election Commissioner, Sikander Sultan Raja.

The ECP had requested the meeting to consult on the date for the general elections

for the Punjab Assembly, following a verdict issued by the high court last week.

On February 10, the court ordered the electoral watchdog to hold elections in the province within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly.

“The ECP is directed to immediately announce the date of election of the provincial assembly of Punjab with the notification specifying reasons, after consultation with the governor of Punjab, being the constitutional head of the province, to ensure that the elections are held not later than ninety days as per the mandate of the Constitution,” the order had read.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) dis -

banded 397-member Punjab Assembly in January after former prime minister Imran Khan decided to step away from the “corrupt political system” and force snap elections by resigning from the provincial legislatures in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khan has also banked on his popularity and wide grassroot support to force elections, and has since his ouster staged rallies across the country, calling for the vote.

According to the Constitution, the assembly was automatically disbanded 48 hours after the chief minister called for it to be dissolved. The Constitution also stipulates that elections must be held within 90 days.

MPs call for action to address global water crisis at UN hearing

A group of Pakistani parliamentarians spoke at the annual Parliamentary Hearing at the UN, calling for enhanced international cooperation to address the growing water crisis.

The water scarcity crisis is increasingly being impacted by global climate change, which is leading to water scarcity in some regions and flooding in others.

The Hearing, entitled ‘Water for

People and Planet: Stop the waste, change the game, invest in the future,’ is a joint initiative between the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and aims to provide a parliamentary contribution to the UN Water Conference, which will be held from March 22-24, 2023, in New York.

Over 250 members of parliament, Speakers, advisers, and related officials from 60 countries are participating in the

event at the United Nations headquarters in New York. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani led the parliamentary delegation from Pakistan, which included several senators and a minister. Durrani told the hearing that water scarcity caused by climate change stemmed from underinvestment in water and sanitation and insufficient cooperation on transboundary waters. He emphasized that finance, technology transfer, and enhanced international

Pakistan plans to quadruple domestic coal-fired power, move away from gas

ISLAMABAD

REUTERS

The government plans to quadruple its domestic coal-fired capacity to reduce power generation costs and will not build new gas-fired plants in the coming years, the energy minister told Reuters, as Pakistan seeks to ease a crippling foreign-exchange crisis.

A shortage of natural gas, which accounts for over a third of the country’s power output, plunged large areas into hours of darkness last year. A surge in global prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and an onerous economic crisis had made LNG unaffordable for Pakistan.

“LNG is no longer part of the long-term plan,” Khurram Dastgir Khan told Reuters, adding that the country plans to increase domestic coal-fired power capacity to 10 gigawatts (GW) in the medium-term, from 2.31 GW currently.

The plan to switch to coal to provide the nation reliable electricity underscores challenges in drafting effective decarbonisation strategies, at a time when some developing countries are struggling to keep lights on.

The nation, which is battling a wrenching economic crisis and is in dire need of funds, is seeking to reduce the value of its fuel imports and protect itself from geopolitical

cooperation are essential to overcome the challenges.

The other speakers in the hearing also stressed the need to scale up investments, prioritize nature-based adaptation, mobilize innovative financing, adopt climate-smart agriculture, and explore and sustainably use groundwater. They called for the fulfilment of longstanding commitments, such as the mobilization of $100 billion in annual climate finance by developed countries.

shocks, he said.

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank have fallen to $2.9 billion, barely enough to cover three weeks of imports.

“It’s this question of not just being able to generate energy cheaply, but also with domestic sources, that is very important,” Dastgir said.

In addition to the coal-fired plants, Pakistan also plans to boost its solar, hydro and nuclear power fleet, Dastgir said, without elaborating. If the proposed plants are constructed, it could also widen the gap between Pakistan’s power demand and installed power generation capacity, potentially forcing the country to idle plants.

The maximum power demand met by Pakistan during the year ended June 2022 was 28.25 GW, more than 35 percent lower than the power generation capacity of 43.77 GW. It was not immediately clear how Pakistan will finance the proposed coal fleet, but Dastgir said setting up new plants will depend on “investor interest,” which he expects to increase when newly commissioned coal-fired plants are proved viable. Financial institutions in China and Japan, which are among the biggest financiers of coal units in developing countries, have been backing out of funding fossilfuel projects in recent years amid pressure from activists and Western governments.

Police, Interpol and FIA liaison wing set up to net runaway fugitives: IGP

Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar on Tuesday said that a liaison wing comprising the Punjab Police, Interpol and FIA, has been established to arrest runaway fugitive, asking all RPOs, CPOs and DPOs to take full coordinated measures with the complainants of cases to arrest the proclaimed offenders in the country and aboard.

In his special message for the media representatives, the IG Police said that if any proclaimed offender in any case resides abroad, the complainant should immediately contact the police so that practical steps could be initiated to arrest and bring back the accused. Dr Usman Anwar said that if proclaimed offenders are residing in countries such as the Middle East, South Africa, Europe and America, including the countries with which Pak-

Separately, on Tuesday, a petition was filed in the high court asking President Arif Alvi to announce a date for elections in Punjab, citing its order to the election tribunal.

The petitioner has named the federal government, the president, the governor, and the interim government as respondents. The petitioner has also requested that the court order the president to announce the election date under articles 48, 58, and 224 of the Constitution and Section 57 of the Election Act, 2017.

The petitioner is seeking disciplinary action against the governor and the ECP for not following the court order.

RUDA attracts foreign investment at UAE exhibition

The Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) attracted investment in a three-day long international property show in Dubai, which culminated with a huge turnout of international developers, realtors and property conglomerates. According to a spokesman for RUDA, A total of 36 countries showcased their flagship projects. RUDA and CBD (Central Business District) presented the Pakistani Pavilion, which attracted interested international investors, expatriate Pakistanis and general visitors from host of business backgrounds. RUDA, the upcoming city by the river, closed the process of signing three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with world renowned realtors and an internationally reputed brokerage firm. Negotiations with an international hospitality group has also finalised, which showed immense interest in building a chain of international hotels in Pakistan. For the construction of lowcost houses under RUDA’s different projects, funding of millions of dollars is finalised for prefabricated green houses. On the other hand, the CBD signed 4 MoUs, accruing substantive investment in the business district. A group of 50 expatriate investors based in Dubai visited Pakistani pavilion and showed their desire in materialising investments in RUDA and CBD. Chief Operating Officer and head of Pakistani delegates, Mansoor Ahmed Janjua thanked the organisers of the international property show for providing very congenial and people friendly atmosphere to the participants during the shows, seminars and walk around. He also reiterated that Government of the Punjab is committed to bringing prosperity to the people through foreign investment on one hand and providing affordable living opportunities to its denizens on the other.

Aamir Liaquat’s widow granted bail in obscene video leak case

KARACHI STAFF REPORT

istan has an agreement, then immediate action will be taken to arrest them and every facility of Interpol will be used to arrest the proclaimed offender immediately. He said that these SOPs and instructions have been issued to all the RPOs, DPOs of the province.

“The investigation officers themselves should contact the complainants and get whatever information they have about the proclaimed offenders to accelerate efforts for arrest the proclaimed offenders. Dr Usman Anwar said that instructions have been issued to speed up the efforts of the police officers to personally contact the plaintiffs to arrest the proclaimed offenders in the country. He said that the police officers with the cooperation of the plaintiffs should make it a priority to arrest the proclaimed offenders of all cases including dacoity, murder, theft, fraud, possession of property and cheque bounce as soon as possible.

Dania Shah, the former wife of late MP Aamir Liaquat Hussain, has been granted bail in an objectionable video leak case by the Sindh High Court (SHC). The cyber crime circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Karachi arrested Shah in December, and she challenged her arrest in the SHC on January 19. The court has ordered her release on surety bonds of Rs200,000. Shah was accused of leaking obscene videos of her late husband, and the FIA arrested her following a complaint from her stepdaughter. The prominent televangelist - turned-politician, 50, was found unconscious at his home in Karachi in June of last year and was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. He had switched from televangelism to politics, becoming an MP for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party. In the last chapter of his life, he married Shah, his third marriage, but it ended publicly and acrimoniously within months. His bride, reportedly 18 then, filed for divorce, accusing him of domestic abuse and being a drug addict. A magistrate ruled in January that Shah, in May and afterwards, without authorisation, surreptitiously recorded Hussain, obtained his personal identity information (his sexually explicit images and videos) and then used, and transmitted it through information systems i.e. in the cyber village of multiple social media platforms, an offence punishable under section 16 (1) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.

Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 ISLAMABAD 04 NEWS

STAFF REPORT

LAHORE

NATIONS

UNITED

STAFF REPORT

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

04 NEWS 15 February 2023 (ISB)_Layout 1 2/15/2023 12:24 AM Page 1

POLICE RECOvERs bIKE usED by F - 9 PARK GAnG RAPE ACCusED

ISLAMABAD

ejaz aRShad Cheema

FEDERAL Police has made a breakthrough in the investigation into the F-9 Park gang rape case and recovered the bike used by the accused with the help of CCTV footage obtained from Safe City Project.

Sources in Capital Police have told Pakistan Today that the main accused in gang-rape case has been identified who turned out to be the resident of Rawalpindi. The accused had parked their motorbike in the parking lot of the F-9 Park and later was identified with the help of CCTV footage. However, the CCTV footage failed to capture the crime due to non-availability of CCTV cameras inside the park.

The sources said that after completing the process of identification of the accused with the help of CCTV footage, the police

IHC reserves judgment on appeal of journalist in sedition case

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

have obtained full details of the bike from the excise office and initiated raids to apprehend the rapists. However, no arrests could be made till filing of the report.

It should be noted that on February 2,

2023, the tragic incident of rape took place in the thick forest of the F-9 Park.

The accused tortured and raped the victim girl on gun point and escaped from the spot. The victim lodged the FIR of the inci-

Petition against DG ACE appointment referred to LHC CJ

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

dent at Margalla police station. During the investigation of the case, the police also interrogated dozens of suspects with the help of geo-fencing.

However, due to the lack of CCTV cameras inside the park, the police also faced difficulties in the investigation.

Initially, the police prepared a sketch of the main accused in light of the statements of the victim and her colleague. The police also claimed that the drawn sketch of the accused bears an eighty percent resemblance to the accused.

Police also obtained footage from the park’s gate through Safe City cameras helped in the investigation. Police sources say that in the ongoing investigation in past ten days, the police also obtained the footage of the accused parking the motorbike in the parking lot of the park and later escaping on the bike. Police sources say that soon the accused will be behind the bars.

‘Powerful mafia’ pushing country to point of no return: Fawad Ch

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader (PTI) leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday regretted that the ‘powerful mafia’ had the country into a banana republic where there is no rule of law, saying the “cabal of vested interest” was taking the country to the point of no return.

“No nation can progress until the rule of law prevails for everyone, he added.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on an appeal of co-accused Ammad Yousaf against the order of the district court in the Shahbaz Gill sedition case.Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by Ammad Yousaf through his lawyer.The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the complaint was filed by magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Chandio and six more people were added in the supplementary statement out of which four persons had already been acquitted while the fifth person Arshad Sharif has died.The chief justice remarked that the court had to view the role of the petitioner in connection with the crime. The lawyer said that his client was a director of news in a TV channel and it was his responsibility to view the overall affairs.The chief justice said that there were criminal charges in the FIR, adding that who would be responsible if the filters were not added in a news organization. The court said that it would view only the legal points while the role of the accused would be determined in the trial.The lawyer said that his client was accused of being consulted by Shahbaz Gill before he gave statements.Special Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that the trial court had found it appropriate to continue the trial as there were some solid reasons. After listening to arguments, the court reserved its judgment on the appeal of the accused.

Talking to the media persons here on Tuesday, Fawad Ch said that filing a sedition case against a Senator and exfinance minister Shaukat Tarin was ridiculous and reprehensible which indicated that Pakistan had become a banana republic.

He started “if someone says that the agreement with the IMF is wrong in respect of Pakistan’s interest and we should prevent it from happening in every possible way, then the question is how it treason or rebellion”?

It was worth mentioned here that earlier Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that after completing the inquiry against Tarin, FIA had sought permission to arrest Tarin and the government has given permission to arrest him. On the other hand, Tehreek-e-Insaf leader (PTI) leaders are reacting strongly to the filing of a sedition case against Shaukat Tarin.

PTI SUBMITS REPLY IN ECP CONTEMPT CASE: Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leaders including party chief Imran Khan submitted their response to a show-cause notice

issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in contempt case, ARY News reported on Sunday.

The ECP had initiated contempt proceedings against Imran as well as party leader Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry for issuing statements against the electoral body and the chief election commissioner.

PTI Secretary General Asad Umar submitted reply to the ECP today.

During today’s hearing, Imran’s lawyer requested the postponement of proceedings in contempt case due to by-elections.

Requesting for the hearing to be resumed after the election, the PTI chief stated that he will “try and appear in person for the next hearing”.

Subsequently, the ECP postponed the hearing until February 28.

A Lahore High Court (LHC) judge on Tuesday referred a petition challenging the appointment of director general Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab to the LHC chief justice with a request to fix it before a larger bench. Justice Muzamil Akhtar Shabbir heard the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Secretary General Asad Umar. The petitioner’s counsel argued before the court that the caretaker Punjab government was responsible for holding transparent elections in Punjab only and it could not make appointments and transfers. He argued that the caretaker government had appointed Sohail Zafar Chatta as DG ACE Punjab in violation of rules. He pleaded with the court to set aside the appointment being illegal. However, a law officer opposed the petition and submitted that the caretaker government was empowered to make appointments and postings. He further argued that the petition was not maintainable. To which, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the petition was maintainable. At this stage, the law officer submitted that a larger bench was hearing identical petitions and requested the court to refer the matter to it. Subsequently, the court referred the petition to the LHC chief Justice with a request to fix it before the larger bench.

IHC Registrar Office raises objection to Imran Khan’s appeal

ISLAMABAD Staf RepoRt

The Registrar Office of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday raised objections on petition seeking appearance of PTI chief Imran Khans before the banking court through video link in the prohibited funding case. The Registrar Office said that the petitioner had not done his biometric verification so far. Imran Khan had prayed the court that he should be allowed to appear before the Banking Court through video link due to his health conditions. It may be mentioned here that Imran Khan had challenged the decision of the Banking Court which had summoned him in personal capacity on February 15 and granted him the last opportunity in this regard. The FIA had registered an FIR against Imran Khan and others under Foreign Exchange Act after the decision of ECP in the prohibited funding case.

Pandemonium reigns Senate over AGP’s ‘clarification’ of CJP’s ‘honest premier’ remarks

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pandemonium reigned the Senate on Tuesday over a letter pinned by the recently-appointed Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Shehzad Ata Elahi, clarifying that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial’s ‘honest premier’ remarks were misconstrued.

The chaotic session of the upper house of parliament resumed with Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani in the chair wherein the incumbent Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government and the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) members came face to face.

The pandemonium in the House oc-

curred over the letter written by AGP Elahi to Law Minister Nazir Tarar regarding the CJP remarks. In the letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, the AGP had urged the law minister to share correct facts in this regard with fellow parliamentarians for setting the record straight, stating that the observation regarding CJP’s remarks was “incorrect”.

He had stated that he was present in the court during the hearing and can confirm that no such remark on the honesty of the prime ministers of Pakistan was made by the apex court chief justice.

“The CJP went on to comment on the then deposed Prime Minister of Pakistan

Muhammad Khan Junejo being a very good and independent man who was removed through Article 58(2)(b),” the AGP had clarified.

Elahi added that the observation, that Junejo was the “only honest premier” of the country, seems to have “been misconstrued and misstated”. The clarification had come a week after the upper house had witnessed a heated debate between the treasury and the opposition members as both locked horns over CJP Bandial’s “remarks” during a hearing on the appeal against the NAB law amendments. As the session began today, Senator Raza Rabbani protested the attorney general’s letter.

Tarar detailed that the AGP explained the matter because he was present in the court and that Chief Justice Bandial’s comment about one honest premier was “social” and taken out of context on social media. Senator Rabbani argued that if the AGP was so supportive of the Parliament and the judiciary, then he should defend the parliament when it is being attacked by the court. He added that a letter should be written to the AG on the matter.

PTI Senator Shehzad Waseem said that the AGP was correcting who was honest and who was not. He added that the court had said that the Parliament is incomplete and that the House had pushed a big party – the PTI – against the wall.

Govt working to improve relations with all international partners: Bilawal

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday said the government was arduously working for betterment of relations with all international partners, urging young Pakistani diplomats to utilize technology and be proficient in geo-political and geo-economic issues, climate change, food security, public health, and water issues, while remaining cognizant of these subjects.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 42nd Specialized Diplomatic Course at the Foreign Service Academy, he stressed the importance of effective communication and amicable management of diversities in enhancing relationships with the international community.

The foreign minister emphasized Pakistan foreign policy’s pragmatic approach and constructive engagement and recognized the country’s success in the Resilient Pak-

istan conference as a testament to its effective foreign policy.

He called for effective liaison with overseas Pakistanis and the facilitation of their needs. Finally, he commended the director general of the academy for conducting an excellent training program and hoped for the continued production of outstanding diplomats.

Referring to the changes taking place at the international level, the Foreign Minister said this necessitates a foreign service equipped more with the skills and capacities to comprehend and adapt to the current day geo political and geo economic realities. He said it is imperative to adopt new tools and technologies which can act as a force multiplier for shaping and disseminating narratives, identifying opportunities for economic linkages and markets for exports as well as improving services for Pakistanis residing abroad.

He said Pakistani diplomats are expected

to be skilled navigators of electronic, print and social media in order to protect, promote and sustain national narratives. He said the diplomats have a great responsibility to enhance Pakistan’s strategic space in the international arena.

The Foreign Minister was confident that the Foreign Service Academy will continue to produce outstanding diplomats who will uphold the tradition of excellence in representing Pakistan on the global stage.

VISIT TO SYRIAN EMBASSY IN ISLAMABAd: Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited the Syrian Embassy in Islamabad on Tuesday and offered condolence to the Syrian Ambassador over the death and destruction caused by the recent earthquake. In his remarks, the Foreign Minister said Pakistan stands with the government and people of Syria in this hour of difficulty. On the occasion, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also jotted down his impressions in the guestbook.

05 NEWS Wednesday, 15 February 2023 ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

PAkIstAN PlANs to quAdruPle doMestIc coAl - fIred Power, Move AwAy froM gAs

DESPITE INCREASING POWER DEMAND IN 2022, PAKISTAN'S ANNUAL LNG IMPORTS FELL TO LOWEST IN FIVE YEARS

profIt ReuteRS

A shortage of natural gas, which accounts for over a third of the country’s power output, plunged large areas into hours of darkness last year. A surge in global

prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and an onerous economic crisis had made LNG unaffordable for Pakistan.

Pakistan’s plan to switch to coal to provide its citizens reliable electricity underscores challenges in drafting effective decarbonization strategies, at a time when

some developing countries are struggling to keep lights on.

The South Asian nation, which is battling a wrenching economic crisis and is in dire need of funds, is seeking to reduce the value of its fuel imports and protect itself

from geopolitical shocks, he said.

Car prices continue to soar as Toyota, Chery hike prices simultaneously

profIt report

Daniyal ahmaD

Toyota and Chery have introduced price hikes for their entire lineups.

Playing Devil’s aDvocate:

toyota

TOYOTA JACKS UP PRICES BY RS890,000 WITH CHERY’S PRICES GO UP BY RS1.1M

is the most likely explanation for why

Toyota has also reduced its shift; it is expecting demand to fall, and therefore aims to reduce its fixed costs whilst bolstering its margins.

Playing Devil’s aDvocate

Part Deux: chery

Chery cannot be faulted for its price increase. The company has withheld its prices from September till now, and its decision is a likely consequence of the aforementioned macroeconomic reasons plaguing the entire industry. Ghandhara Nissan introduced the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro and 4 Pro almost a year ago, however, the reception has not been lacklustre to say the least.

Initiative.

In addition to the coal-fired plants, Pakistan also plans to boost its solar, hydro and nuclear power fleet, Dastgir said, without elaborating.

If the proposed plants are constructed, it could also widen the gap between Pakistan’s power demand and installed power generation capacity, potentially forcing the country to idle plants.

The maximum power demand met by Pakistan during the year ended June 2022 was 28.25 GW, more than 35% lower than power generation capacity of 43.77 GW.

Imran ‘super corrupt’, filed false cases against rivals via ‘pressure tactics’: Marriyum

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum

reintroduced its refund policy, from July, last month.

There is no doubt that Toyota’s sales volume has fallen as a result of these. Its 7MFY23 sales volume stands at 21,877 units. This is a 51% contraction from the 44,869 units it sold over the same period last year. However, there seems to be a method to the madness.

Toyota gross profit, and gross profit margin both improved Quarter-on-Quarter from Q1FY23 to Q2FY23. This was despite Toyota selling fewer vehicles

within that time span. This is likely in part due to the change in the composition of vehicles Toyota sold over the period.

Toyota records lowest half-yearly earnings since 2019

profIt report

Daniyal ahmaD

On a Year-on-Year (YoY) basis, Toyota’s revenue is down 29% from the Rs 69.6 billion it earned over the same

period last year.

Toyota’s operating expenses have increased by 4.86% QoQ to Rs 954 million. This is also a 2.27% YoY increase. Similar to last quarter, Toyota was able to record sizable income from its

other earnings to bolster its overall earnings, and thereby prevent a cumulative loss. Toyota’s quarterly financials do not reveal the make-up of its other income. However, its other income elucidates upon how these are the gains that Toyota makes from engaging in investment activities.

QoQ decrease, but it is still 38.07% higher on a YoY basis.

Toyota has also reinstated its refund policy earlier this month. The refund did not lead to a significant dip in sales according to Asghar Ali Jamali, CEO Toyota Indus Motors, however, it remains to be seen whether a similar outcome will happen this time. Toyota’s biggest challenge, beyond its supply-chain quagmire, will be the waves of inflation that will erode customers’ purchasing power in the months to come. January has already recorded the highest inflation in the past five decades, with most expecting February and March to exceed this.

PPP decides against contesting NA by-elections

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Accepting the proposal tabled by Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Tuesday decided against contesting the upcoming by-elections to 33 seats of the National Assembly (NA). According to details, the decision to boycott the upcoming by-elections was taken during PPP’s parliamentary board meeting held with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the chair. The PPP’s parliamentary board meeting was attended by Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Nair Bukhari, Farhatullah Babar, Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood, Faryal Talpur and candidates of the by-elections. The participants of the meeting were divided over the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) proposal, sources claimed. During the meeting, the party’s senior leaders opined against contesting the elections. However, sources claimed, the meeting decided in principle to boycott the by-polls and let the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) fight against no one. The candidates – who were nominated to contest the polls – were taken into confidence. It is pertinent to mention here that by-polls on 33 NA seats would be held on March 16.

Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 KARACHI 02 NEWS

General intervention

Measured accountability creates deterrence

tHere is nothing particularly unique or remotely surprising about pti chief imran Khan frequently backtracking and changing over statements and accusations he has made that, to begin with, he is mostly unable to back up with proof. this practice works well for him as it gives his followers and diehard supporters fresh fodder to remain interested. additionally, it helps him mould a narrative that suits his ever-changing politics and plans.

His latest ‘U-turn’, that in ‘in light of new evidence’ the entire “US conspiracy” to remove him from office was conceived and ‘exported’, as in presented and pushed, to be executed by the Biden regime by former CoaS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. Until and unless that ‘evidence’ is presented in public, it remains an unsubstantiated and meaningless claim, just as the ones before. What we are currently left with is the political debris from the imran-Bajwa saga. as per his own comments, the latter was heavily committed to bringing the former to power and maintaining him in that position until the relationship turned sour. Mr Khan, who believed he had the job security of at least one full term, is bitter at his premature departure from office and holds the person who brought him there as primarily responsible. that General Bajwa is no longer serving, makes it easier for imran Khan to excoriate him in the manner which he is since the latter’s retirement. it is unlikely Mr Khan will stop here. He will continue to push and there may be some less frequent pushback -General Bajwa’s recent interview is a case in point -as well but definitely not the sort where the military’s pr arm fires back. it is important to understand that the ‘Bajwa doctrine’, which has inflicted a heavy blow to the political and economic stability of the country, did not spare the army either; one can call it collateral damage. the armed forces, directly or indirectly, have remained politically active since independence. However, one is hard pressed to recall a time when the reputational fallout from its extracurricular activities was so severe. the only way to discourage such covert and overt, manipulations and violations of the Constitution is to bring to the fore what has transpired in the past and for punitive action be taken against those responsible on both sides of the divide. Short of this, business-asusual is likely to persist.

Forcing Lebanon’s Parliament to Act

A country that can’t even elect a president

plummeted from $450 to $10. as a result, almost 75% of the population is living in poverty. three hundred thousand children are left without schools. patients with serious illnesses are left without medical care or essential medications. and most damning, they write, “Cholera is spreading, 90 percent of the water supply is polluted, and over one million families cannot afford fuel.”

SeveraL weeks ago, i wrote an article outlining a radical proposal ralph nader and i put forward for discussion. the proposal called on Lebanon’s civil society to petition the United nations to declare Lebanon a Chapter vii “failed state” requiring international intervention. Many readers commented favorably on the idea, also registering their frustration with Lebanon’s corruption and dysfunction. others noted that, although the idea was worth considering, they believed that it would never pass the Security Council. the point of the proposal, however, was not to present a fait accompli. rather it was to spur exactly the type of discussion that ensued.

What’s clear is that Lebanon is broken, its people are suffering, its governing institutions aren’t functioning, and its traditional leadership appears incapable of meeting the challenges confronting the country. evidence of this dysfunction is the fact that for the past four months Lebanon’s parliament has been unable to elect a president.

in the face of this paralysis, we have witnessed a courageous and important step being taken by a group of newly elected members of the Lebanese parliament, who have been conducting a protest sit-in, now in its fourth week, at Beirut’s parliament building. Led by two of the independent “Forces of Change” group of newly elected, najat Saliba and Melhem Khalaf, the protesters are calling on their colleagues to convene and fulfill their responsibility to elect a president so that at least a semblance of a functioning government can be formed.

While it’s important to acknowledge that seating a president and a cabinet is at best a short-term fix that will not solve Lebanon’s multi-layered crises. at the same time, it’s important to support the Mps’ decision to sit-in precisely because their action shines a light on the dysfunctional mess created by the sectarian cliques controlling the parliament. By focusing on their petty agendas instead of the national interests, the sectarian elites in power have led the country to ruin. in a letter appealing for support, Mps Saliba and Khalaf listed some of the unaddressed hardships confronting the Lebanese people noting, in particular, those brought on by the country’s economic collapse.

Given the steady erosion of the value of Lebanese currency, Lebanon’s average monthly income has

this nightmare is the reality in the country whose capital was once heralded as the “paris of the Middle east.” in the face of this catastrophic situation and governing vacuum, the Lebanese parliament has met 11 times since october and each time failed to fulfill its basic constitutional duty to elect a president. each of these sessions, as Mps Saliba and Khalaf have noted, has turned “the presidential election into a theatrical comedy.” there has been no serious voting, followed by adjournment. During each of the 11 meetings, some members of parliament have approached their responsibility seriously and have simply disagreed on the right candidate to support. others have been purely obstructionist, seeing paralysis as better than electing a president who will not protect their partisan group’s corrupt control over ministries and budgets. as a result of this inaction and/or obstruction, Lebanon has not had a functioning government for almost four months. Without a president, there is no cabinet; ministries of government aren’t able to implement policies; and the parliament can’t pass laws or enact reforms. there is no authority that can negotiate with international institutions for loans or grants with which

to provide needed revenues and services. and members of parliament cannot enact reforms to protect basic rights, address income inequality, ensure accountability for crimes committed against the Lebanese people, or challenge and expose endemic corruption that is at the heart of the Lebanese dilemma.

that is why, beginning on January 19h, Saliba and Khalaf, supported by a number of their reformminded colleagues, decided to begin their sit-in to force compliance with the Constitution, which calls for the parliament to remain in open session until a president is chosen. they deserve support for their courageous challenge, not because a new president will solve Lebanon’s crisis— that is a far deeper problem than can be remedied by simply putting a new face at the helm. rather, their action, if it can build popular momentum, may press the parliament to elect a president, leading to the formation of a government that can take steps to alleviate the hardships facing the long-suffering Lebanese people.

at the same time, this protest action helps to expose the dysfunctional state of the political system and empowers the newly elected independent reformists whose numbers must grow if Lebanon is to change. in the end, more fundamental transformations will be needed to end the corrosive impact of sectarianism and corruption, but this direct action by a handful of reformists is a first step on the long road forward.

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

Judicial amendment to the constitution

vites the courts to become moral and ethical readers of the text, risking additions into the Constitution which are alien to the vision of its framers. presidential reference 1/2022, is a recent and by far the most zealous example of moral reading in which the Honorable Supreme Court interpreted article 63a of the Constitution. the Supreme Court held that article 63a was inserted in the Constitution to counter defections of members in parliament from their political parties and floor-crossing which vitiated the spirit of the democracy and eroded the primacy of the political parties.

Interpretation of the constitution as a living document has attained a position of such pervasiveness across pakistan’s constitutional jurisprudence that it has practically left limited space for shifting towards a different paradigm of constitutional interpretation. Doctrinally, the “living document” interpretation seeks to synchronize the Constitution with trends and attitudes of the society as it stands today.

on the one hand, such an interpretation may act as a constitutional bulwark against attributing meanings to its text that render it archaic and obsolete thereby preventing it from cascading into irrelevance for the society. on the other hand, an incessant reliance on it comes at the cost of losing track of the structure of the constitution envisaged by its framers as it allows courts to achieve a preconceived notion about socio-political issues through an ever expansive reading.

When a constitution is exclusively seen from a vantage point of a living document, it inevitably in-

Yet the Honorable Court found article 63a of the Constitution as it stood inscribed in the Constitution alone was not an effective panacea to ward off the vice of defections and found that something more and substantial had to be done and it did so by drawing on the concept of an expansive living Constitution which is to be read for times to come and thereby read into the Constitution that even votes cast by members of the parliamentary party ought not to be counted.

article 63a of the Constitution contains both procedural and substantive provisions which were inserted in 1997 and then amended by the eighteenth amendment. even subsequent to the eighteenth amendment, the only penalty envisaged for voting contrary to the directions of the parliamentary party was a declaration of defection by the party head which would consequently result in the defected member being de-seated.

Furthermore, prior to the decision of the Court, the only function of the Speaker was to transmit the declaration of defection passed by the party Head against a defected member to the Chief election Commissioner; his constitutional role under article 63a was merely of a post office and nothing more. However, the decision of Supreme Court has significantly

widened the power of the Speaker by permitting him to impose a penalty of cancellation of votes cast before any occasion for a declaration of declaration arises. Such a power is not supported by the text of the article 63a.

the idea of finding the true spirit or ethos of the Constitution which necessitated judicial amendment to the Constitution, begs a critical question for a country, such as pakistan with a weak constitutionalism, of the limit to which the Supreme Court will venture out in finding the ethos of our Constitution. Would this new judicial innovation be ever used to dilute the devolution project intended by the eighteenth amendment which already stands diluted by the case of Dr Nadeem Rizvi v Federation of Pakistan .? Could the next step from imputing a broadest interpretation to the Federal legislative list, further propel the judiciary to read into the Constitution a concurrent legislative list (which stood deleted by the Eighteenth Amendment) in certain situations?

a carte blache ethical exposition of every constitutional provision threatens to undermine the neatly arranged structure of the Constitution. the Constitution of pakistan is divided into a series of parts, such as, fundamental rights, relations between federation and provinces, judicature etc. While the fundamental rights section is deliberately broadly framed, so as to impose widest obligations on the State to guarantee certain enumerated rights, it invariably allows the courts to make value judgements in interpreting the broadly framed fundamental rights.

a court faced with interpretation of freedom of speech will have to ascertain whether restrictions imposed on free speech and press are reasonable and therefore justified on the given facts of the case. What is the scope of security or defense of pakistan, decency

or public morality could invariably have several meanings approved by different courts. Friendly relations with another country is an additional permissible field of restriction on the fundamental right to speech; how are friendly relations determined? What is the nature and extent of speech that could jeopardize friendly foreign relations?

the Constitution is purposely silent about these questions to avoid providing a straitjacket formula therefore, answers to these would largely depend on the particular facts of the case. in this penumbra of uncertainty, an interpretation premised on the living tree doctrine might be inescapable, yet still regularized under the weight of judicialprecedents.

However, the defection clause under article 63a of the Constitution provides an unequivocal penalty for the transgressor therefore, it allows no room for imputing moral values into the text of the provision; doing so undermines the intent of the Constitutional framers of not invalidating the votes cast by members when it amended article 63a through Legal Framework order, 2002, and more recently through the eighteenth amendment in 2010. it is in this context that a carte blanche application of a ‘Living Constitution’ fails.

Many provisions of pakistan’s Constitution, such as article 63a, are self-sufficient codes of operation and must not be employed to produce results that satisfy anyone’s moral and ethical orientations. an originalist would ask that if the courts being guided by the spirit and ethos of the Constitution can judicially amend the Constitution as it did in the article 63a case by reading into what is not present in its text, then what remains of the exclusivity of the parliament to the amend the Constitution under articles 238 and 239?

The writer is a practicing lawyer based in Pakistan and tweets at @RajahAnwar

06 Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 COMMENT Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 I Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 I Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545 I Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk I Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

rAJA HAmZA ANWAr

This protest action helps to expose the dysfunctional state of the political system and empowers the newly elected independent reformists whose numbers must grow if Lebanon is to change.

WASHINGTON WATCH Dr JAmeS J. ZOGby

The ‘living document’ doctrine can be taken too far Yousaf Nizami Editor Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor M. A. Niazi Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor

06-07 Comments - 15th February 2023_Layout 1 2/15/2023 12:52 AM Page 1

Editor’s mail

Send

Let’s focus on what can still be done

it was good to see pakistan’s a sizeable entourage along with provincial representation at the international Conference on Climate resilient, which it co-hosted with the United nations. the issues got properly highlighted and the outcome was positive. in this context, a report titled, ‘resilient recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction Framework pakistan (4rF)’ was prepared by the Ministry of planning, Development and Special initiatives in December last year.

Given the critical nature of the subject matter, however, it was not clear if professional experts in relevant fields were involved at some level. Such fields included climate change and disaster management, health and environmental impacts, public policy and policy outreach, computational methods, sensing systems, and risk management. there is no doubt that only individuals with professional competence in these fields have the ability to come up with climate resilience solutions. it is with the right policy frameworks formulated by leading experts — rare, though they are — that pakistan can attract private investment to build its resilience, particularly in sectors such as water and flood management, coastal protection, water resource management, agriculture, urban infrastructure, municipal services, housing, and asset management.

the focus should be on looking beyond engineered flood defences, and considering innovative, nature-based solutions that support local biodiversity. the involvement of experts in power systems and smart grids who can tackle pakistan’s energy challenges by enabling collaborative research, strategic partnerships, policy outreach, entrepreneurship, and education is necessary.

Smooth Rohingya repatriation needed

The process must be continual and sustainable

JubeDA CHOWDHury

DeSpite some ongoing crises worldwide, a piece of good news for the world is that Myaanmar expressed its interest in repatriating some rohingya (an estimated 700 rohingya primarily) t rakhine. although the estimated number of rohingya refugees needing repatriation in rakhine is very low, the significance of the issue seems to be very important.

the Myanmar military starts to understand that rohingyas are the people of the rakhine (a state in Myanmar). it is appreciable that Myanmar understands the reality in the long run. But Myanmar should have goodwill and commitment to repatriate the rohingya. it would be pragmatic when Myanmar would ensure the implementation of its goodwill. Bangladesh is continuously emphasizing the need for efforts to facilitate early repatriation of the displaced people of Myanmar’s rakhine state.

However, it is a matter of hope to note that there is a sign of progress in negotiations over the repatriation of the rohingya ethnic minority of Myanmar from Bangladesh, who were subjected to expulsions from Myanmar in 2017.earlier, Bangladesh signed a bilateral agreement with Myanmar on 30 october 2017 and on 30 october 2018 respectively. But the world didn’t see the implementation of the agreements.

there are more than one million rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. with 0.7 million new ones have come, while there were 0.4 million from before. Bangladesh has shown its humanity by sheltering these huge numbers of rohingya. neighbouring Myanmar, on the other hand, has always played a controversial role at home and abroad, which is beyond diplomatic etiquette. according to various reports published in Bangladeshi newspapers recently, the junta government of Myanmar has sent a letter expressing its interest in taking back the rohingyas.

Myanmar’s junta says it is working to bring back rohingya refugees who fled rakhine State for Bangladesh following the military’s supposed counter-insurgency operations in 2017.

Junta leaders, including international Cooperation Minister U Ko Ko Hlaing, Border affairs Minister Lt Ge tun tun naung, Social Welfare, relief and resettlement Minister Dr thet thet Khaing and immigration and population Minister U Myint Kyaing, visited Maungdaw on the Bangladesh border on Sunday and instructed the authorities to prepare transit camps for repatriation.

one Maungdaw resident said: “i heard they asked departments to make transit camps ready, that they would take back refugees from Bangladesh, that they would make preparations whether [rohingya] come back or not.”

Some Muslim and Hindu leaders from Maungdaw were summoned to Sittwe to meet junta ministers. Ko Khin Maung, from a rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, said whether the rohingya will return to Maungdaw depends on the junta’s honesty and the refugees have little trust in the repatriation programme.

“We do want to return. We are experiencing hardships, after staying for a long time in refugee

camps. But the question is if we will be allowed to go back to our homes. it is not oK for us if we will just be held at the Hla poe Kaung transit camp. the repatriation programme will not be successful if the regime is dishonest,” he said.

rohingya rights activist U nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Germany-based Free rohingya Coalition, said the rohingya would not return unless their rights are guaranteed.

“the news of junta ministers making inspection tours at the border to take back refugees is no longer news to us. We are used to hearing such news. and refugees are not excited anymore. the military moves slightly when there are growing pressures from the international community and China. nothing more than that,” U nay San Lwin said.

recently, the regime sent back over 900 rohingya detained in Yangon and elsewhere in Myanmar to Maungdaw. they will reportedly be accommodated at transit camps but this could not be independently verified.

the regime’s repatriation moves, according to some rohingya activists, are an attempt to salvage its international reputation and help its case at the international Court of Justice (iCJ), where Myanmar faces genocide charges. a brutal military crackdown in the wake of arakan rohingya Salvation army attacks on police outposts in rakhine in 2017 forced more than 700,000 rohingya to flee across the Bangladesh border. in response tthe Gambia in november 2019 brought a case at the iCJ, accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against the rohingya.

on november 23, 2017, Bangladesh and the now-ousted national League for Democracy government signed a repatriation agreement but there has been no progress.

Bangladesh hopes to repatriate 750,000 rohingyas in various phases. and this repatriation is supposed to be done voluntarily and by ensuring a safe environment. the United nations will also be involved in this process. the process of rohingya repatriation has been stalled for a long time due to elections, military coups, and the covid-19 pandemic in Myanmar.

Myanmar must have goodwill to engage positively with Bangladesh. The world wants to see a fruitful and sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis. The Rohingya crisis solution would be essential for the safe and dignified repatriation of Rohingya people to Myanmar from Bangladesh

More than 700,000 rohingyas were forced to migrate to Bangladesh after the start of the military operation in rakhine on 25 august 2017. the Myanmar government made an agreement with Bangladesh to take back the rohingyas, but Despite international pressure, the repatriation has not started even today. on the contrary, Myanmar has repeatedly obstructed the repatriation process by resorting to various tactics. the international community has also not taken a strong stand on the rohingya issue. on the contrary, it has ended its ‘liability’ with boastful words the prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Wajid, has always shown humanity on the rohingya issue. Myanmar’s current interest should not be manipulated in the end. in this case, Bangladesh must remain vigilant as always. if we want fruitful and durable repatriation of rohingyas to rakhine, now the international community must compel Myanmar to abide by some international customary law regarding the repatriation of the rohingya. Myanmar government must fulfil such criteria:

1) rohingya repatriation must be safe, continual, dignified, and sustainable based that is something Myanmar must guarantee.

2) Myanmar should amend the 1982 citizenship law. it must consider rohingyas as a legal ethnic group in Myanmar.

3) Safe zone for rohingyas must be ensured.

4) they must fulfil the requirements or proposals of the Kofi annan Commission (the advisory Commission on rakhine State), and the Bangladesh prime Minister’s proposals at the 74th, 75th, 76th Un General assembly.

5) However, analysts advise Bangladesh to be cautious if Myanmar now wants to take back 700 people. they must keep their word. Myanmar must confirm it will take back all stranded rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

6) they must be committed that the process would be a continual process. all rohingya would be repatriated gradually.

7) Bangladesh needs to increase diplomatic contacts Bangladesh needs to take a holistic stance on the rohingya issue in various forums regarding the proposed rohingya repatriation. third parties such as UnHCr and aSean, even third countries, can be included in the process.

8) Myanmar must act as a friendly neighbour with Bangladesh. it isn’t possible for Myanmar and Bangladesh to change their neighbours. Basically, Myanmar and Bangladesh must engage with neighbourly spirit. Myanmar and Bangladesh must strengthen their ties to resolve the long-pending rohingya crisis. the whole of South asia and Southeast asia could benefit from resolving this regional humanitarian crisis.

9) Myanmar must have goodwill to engage positively with Bangladesh. the world wants to see a fruitful and sustainable solution to the rohingya crisis. the rohingya crisis solution would be essential for the safe and dignified repatriation of rohingya people to Myanmar from Bangladesh. However, Myanmar’s proposed rohingya repatriation process must be smoothly implemented, continual, sustainable.

The writer is a freelance columnist

pakistan needs fundamental shift in its development path and policies, requiring substantial investments in people-centric climate adaptation and resilience that will require international support. if we want to tackle climate change, we need to prioritise investing in adaptation to help prepare pakistan for future climate-related calamities, which are growing in frequency and intensity.

only climate experts, both local and global, can help us understand the climate risk and then respond to the critical challenge of enabling pakistan to adapt and thrive in a changing world. this is where our climate resilience journey begins with the aid of techno-logy, big data analysis, and domain expertise.

the first step is understanding, quantifying and explaining the climate risk. then, regardless of the task, like preventing flooding and erosion, protecting assets and infrastructure, and creating new policies and systems, we can plan and implement resilient solutions, and monitor their respective impacts to stay climate-resilient.

the combined risks of extreme climate-related events, environmental degradation and air pollution are projected to reduce pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDp) by at least 18-20 per cent by 2050. pakistan is currently ranked among the countries most vulnerable to the widespread and cross-sectoral impacts of climate change.

Six priority sectors have been identified namely agriculture and food security, forest and biodiversity, disaster risk reduction, water sanitation and hygiene, integrated coastal management, and energy and transport. We need to develop local expertise in collaboration with global experts and organisations to drive this urgent change.

even if pakistan’s carbon emissions are near 0.5 today, the climate will continue to change for at least a century. So, while achieving net zero is vital, despite the fossil fuel challenge, adapting to climate change is equally important. We cannot hold back the changing climate. But we can implement adaptation measures to become resilient and be able to mitigate the overall risk.

FAISAL HABIB KARACHI

The reality of storytelling

StorieS have been a significant part of human culture for thousands of years. they serve as a tool for passing down knowledge, values, and experiences from one generation to the next. We are surrounded by stories - some may have just begun, some may be in the climax phase, and some may have ended in tragedy or happiness. But stories never stop contributing to the construction of the reality of society. With over 22 crore people and countless stories to be heard, there is a story for everyone, the story of a martyr in a terrorist attack who didn't want to die because he was a beloved son of his mother, or a story of a beggar who woke up on the side of the road in the morning and waits for a generous person.

Which story do you want to hear? Which story would you like to tell? the reality is that we all tend to tell stories that reflect the perspectives and experiences of the dominant class in society, such as the ruling class, political leaders, business elite, and land aristocrats. From their parties to their funerals, all aspects of their lives are glamorized in various forms of media, including literature, film, news, and social media.

even in literature, the stories written about the upper class and elite receive more attention and recognition than those written by marginalized groups. today entertainment industry like, Hollywood, Bollywood and Lollywood is criticized for its lack of representation and opportunities for actors and filmmakers from underrepresented communities.

in the digital age, celebrity culture is also prevalent with social media and news outlets constantly covering the actions and reactions of the rich and famous. this focus on celebrities often ignores the stories and experiences of everyday people.

However, digital media and the increasing representation of marginalized voices are changing the balance of power in storytelling. Social media and independent publishing platforms provide a space for underrepresented groups to share their stories and perspectives. the #Metoo movement and independent filmmakers and writers are examples of this shift. additionally, our own biases and prejudices can shape the stories we choose to listen to and tell, perpetuating the power dynamic that exists in storytelling.

in conclusion, the reality of storytelling reflects the power dynamics in society. By recognizing and challenging our biases and seeking out diverse perspectives, we can work towards creating a more representative and inclusive storytelling landscape. By valuing the stories of marginalized communities, we can gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and perspectives and work towards a more just and equitable world.

07 Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 COMMENT

ASIM NAVEED LAHORE

your letters to: Letters to Editor, pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to pakistan today exclusively

06-07 Comments - 15th February 2023_Layout 1 2/15/2023 12:52 AM Page 2

8th Multinational MaritiMe exercise aMan-2023

culMinates with fleet review in arabian sea

KaRachi staff report

MULTINATIONALMaritime

Exercise AMAN-23 organised by Pakistan Navy culminated in the North Arabian Sea with a powerful conduct of International Fleet Review (IFR) followed by spectacular forming up of AMAN Formation comprising Pakistan Navy and foreign naval ships. The Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif graced the occasion as Chief Guest.

Upon arrival onboard Pakistan Navy Ship MOAWIN, the Honourable Prime Minister was received by Chief of the

Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi. Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Mr. Rana Tanveer, SAPM to PM Mr. Fahad Hussain, Governor Sindh, Chief Minister Sindh, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Air Staff were also present on the occasion. In addition, ambassadors, high commissioners, senior military officers, Defence & Naval Attaches from various countries also witnessed the fleet review.

The Chief Guest observed various naval operational manoeuvres and drills conducted during IFR. The Fleet Review also featured an impressive Fly Past by Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force and participating foreign

Framing Charter of Economy-LCCI, ICAP and PIFA announce collaborative eﬀorts

Minister of State and Chairman Reforms and Resource

Mobilization

CommitteeAshfaqYousafTola, led an economic briefing session hosted by Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI). The delegation also included President Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) - Mr. M. Ali Latif and Council Members - Mr. M. Maqbool and Mr. Zeeshan Ijaz. The event, held at the LCCI, was attended by LCCI President Kashif Anwar, Senior Management of LCCI, Stakeholders representing the business community, as well as prominent journalists. The Minister of State stated that they have been discussing the Charter of Economy for a long time. This is a dream that will soon be realized. He further suggested that stakeholders should sit with ICAP, suggest solutions, bring up issues one by one, and work to resolve them. pr

OICCI launches Diversity & Inclusion Handbook at 5th Women Empowerment Awards

Karachi: The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI),consisting of more than 200 of the largest foreign investors operating in Pakistan, has strived to promote females at leadership positions through its flagship Women Empowerment Awards, marking this the 5th successive year the Awards were held. Dr. Ishrat Hussain, former Governor State Bank of Pakistan, was the Chief Guest of the Ceremony. President OICCI, Ghias Khan, remarked “There is a high need for gender inclusive measures to ensure expedited socioeconomic growth. pr

Bank Alfalah introduces behavioural profiling for students at Career Fair

Karachi: Bank Alfalah, one of the leading commercial Bank in Pakistan, participated in recruitment career fairs at various universities where it engaged with students for its 9th Management Trainee Program called Alfa Lead. The 12-month program is designed to recruit top-tier talent possessing versatile skills that are aligned with the specific focus areas of the Bank. pr

aircraft followed by Man & Cheership by participating ships. The mega exercise culminated with the participating ships forming up in traditional `AMAN Formation' to signify collective resolve 'Together for Peace'.

The Prime Minister lauded Pakistan Navy for successfully hosting Exercise

AMAN-23 for promoting peace and security in the region.

The Chief Guest thanked the participating regional and extra-regional navies for displaying their commitment to collaborative maritime security and joining hands for peaceful co-existence.

Shan Foods partners with Citizens Archives of Pakistan for CAP Family Carnival 2023

KaRachi pr

Shan Foods joined hands with the Citizens Archives of Pakistan (CAP) to sponsor its annual fund raising event, CAP Family Carnival, held at the Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi.

The Citizens Archives of Pakistan (CAP), founded in 2007, is the only not-for-profit organisation dedicated towards preserving the history and culture of the country, building and maintaining archives, and designing educational tools to raise awareness and instill pride in ordinary Pakistani citizens.

CAP Family Carnival is the NGO’s yearly fundraising event, aimed at raising funds for its core projects, while also sharing a snippet of its archive and

providing avenues of education, entertainment, and engagement for all generations of the family. The event presented an interactive exhibition curated entirely from the CAP archive that explored 75 Years of Pakistan through the lens of heritage and culture. Through the exhibit, students got an opportunity to learn about everything from the folklore of the region to Pakistan's firsts, including the making of Pakistan's first flag, and the designing of the national currency and emblems. Additionally, several immersive activities on innovations in science and film were also available and visitors got a chance to take pictures with one of Pakistan's only Oscars. The carnival also brought an exciting lineup of retail in the CAP Carnival Bazaar and an exciting food street, including several vendors who designed special products especially for the carnival.

Peshawar Zalmi announces Bank of Khyber as oﬃcial banking partner for PSL 8

LahoRe pr

Peshawar Zalmi announces Bank of Khyber as its Official Banking Partner. In partnership, the logo of Bank of Khyber will be placed on the leading leg of the Playing Kits’ Trouser and the Alternate Kits’ Trouser of Peshawar Zalmi’s Kits for HBLPSL 8. The partnership between Bank Of Khyber and Peshawar Zalmi, two leading organizations, stands out to be an organic one, with the former showcasing its commitment to uplifting sports.

Bank of Khyber, with its head office in Peshawar, is undergoing a transformation process. This entails branch network expansion, capability enhancement across all business segments, significant upgrade of our digital financial services and investing in our brand. Bank of Khyber has a long history of supporting sports

and young athletes across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and it's commitment continues with this partnership.

“The passion for sport and adventure runs deep in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Everyday young aspiring cricketers are at play in the streets of Peshawar imagining themselves playing besides their cricketing idols. At Bank of Khyber the same passion inspires us to work tirelessly to up our game, to enhance our capabilities and exceed the expectations of our clients to become their choice banking partner.

8th Annual Deaf Reach Golf Tournament –Karachi In Support of Deaf Education

KaRachi pr

Deaf Reach hosted their 8 th Annual Charity Golf Tournament in support of Deaf Education on Sunday, February 12th, 2023 at DHA Golf & Country Club. The proceeds from the tournament help to sponsor the education and skills training of 1,500 deaf students enrolled in the eight Deaf Reach Schools & Colleges across Sindh and Punjab. Over 130 golfers partici-

pated in the 18-hole Texas Scramble tournament. Platinum sponsorship was by KFC, Gold sponsorship by IGI Life, and Silver sponsors included Jubilee Life Insurance, Habib Metro, Engro Foundation, and HMR Waterfront.

Darren Sammy, the famous West Indies cricketer in Karachi for a PSL match, had fun playing 18 holes and learning some sign language from the students along the way. “I’m so impressed with the work being done by Deaf Reach,” he said.

Unemployment: A menace to the local economy

employed. This problem is particularly acute in rural areas and among the youth, where unemployment rates are even higher.

Rayaan MiRza

Unemployment is a critical issue in Pakistan, with significant consequences for the local economy. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the unemployment rate in the country was 6.8% in 2020, with an estimated 6.5 million people un-

The impact of unemployment on the local economy is far-reaching and can be seen in various sectors. One of the most significant impacts is on household incomes, as unemployed individuals and their families may struggle to make ends meet. This can lead to poverty, food insecurity, and an inability to access basic services such as healthcare and education.

Unemployment also has a negative impact on the business sector, particularly small and medium-sized

enterprises (SMEs). When individuals are unemployed, they have less disposable income to spend on goods and services, leading to decreased demand and revenue for businesses. This can result in reduced investment, job cuts, and closures, which further exacerbates the problem of unemployment.

The local economy also suffers from a lack of productivity and innovation when there is high unemployment. With a large portion of the population not participating in the labor force, the economy is unable to fully utilize its potential for growth and development. This can lead to a lack of economic diversification, a

lack of investment in new technologies and infrastructure, and a lack of opportunities for businesses to expand.

Furthermore, unemployment also has a direct impact on the government’s budget as it leads to an increase in social welfare spending and a decrease in tax revenue. The government has to spend more money on providing assistance to the unemployed and their families, while at the same time, it receives less revenue from taxes as the unemployed are less likely to be paying taxes.

The government has implemented various policies and programs to address unemployment in Pakistan. These include job creation

The Prime Minister emphasized that AMAN-23 will pave the way to make the region more peaceful and secure with combined efforts by all stakeholders.

The Chief of the Naval Staff thanked the honourable Prime Minister for gracing the International Fleet Review with his presence. The Naval Chief assured that Pakistan Navy will continue to play a dynamic role in enhancing regional maritime security individually and in collaboration with partner navies. Naval Chief also highlighted that successful conduct of PIMEC 23 held in tandem with Multinational Exercise Aman 23 is a manifestation of PN resolve to promote maritime potential of Pakistan.

Zong 4G signs MoU with ‘Knowledge Platform’ for a state-of-art Learning Management System

islamabad: In order to address the rising demand for organizational administration, campaign analytics, and the generation of digital content, Zong 4Ghas partnered with Knowledge Platform, a top EdTech company, to help speed up the penetration of a hi-tech Learning Management System (LMS). One of the top providers of "next-generation" learning solutionsforthe AsiaPacific, with headquarters in Singapore, Knowledge Platform was established in2000.As a channel partner, Knowledge Platform will help Zong 4G develop an online learning and management solution for its corporate clients that will help them improve their business operations. The ceremony took place in Islamabad where both Zong 4G management and representatives from Knowledge Platform were present. pr

BankIslami celebrates PSL with bike rally as it becomes Platinum Sponsor for Karachi Kings

Karachi: BankIslami, Pakistan’s leading Islamic financial institution, celebrated the start of PSL 2023 with another successful bike rally: The Kings March as Karachi King’s platinum sponsor for the second consecutive year. The event was attended by the employees and senior management of BankIslami, cricket legend Moin Khan and representatives of the sports bike community. The event offered cricket fans and motorcycling enthusiasts, a perfect opportunity to come together in support of their favourite local team. The rally started at Dolmen Mall Clifton and after making its way through Shahrah-e-Faisal, culminated back at the mall. pr

Nestlé Pakistan recognised at OICCI Women Empowerment Awards 2022

Karachi: Nestlé Pakistan was recognised at the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry Women Empowerment Awards 2022, held in Karachi, becoming the first runner-up.

The acknowledgement reaffirms Nestlé Pakistan’s constant commitment towards creating an inclusive culture, in a country where gender gap is staggering and female representation in workforce is low.

Upon receiving the award, Komal Altaf, Chief Financial Officer, Nestlé Pakistan said, “Long-term prosperity is only possible when women are provided a level playing field to achieve their potential and we have been working very hard to implement these principles within our organization as well as outside. pr

schemes, such as the Prime Minister’s Youth Training Program, and the establishment of special economic zones to attract foreign investment. Additionally, the government has also introduced policies to support small and medium-sized enterprises, such as microfinance schemes and tax incentives.

However, these policies have had limited success in reducing unemployment. The main reason behind this is the lack of implementation and monitoring of these policies, as well as the lack of coordination among different government departments and agencies. Furthermore, the lack of a proper education system in the country has also led to a lack of skilled workers, making it difficult for businesses to find the right employees.

In conclusion, unemployment is a critical issue in Pakistan, with significant consequences for the local economy. It has a negative impact on household incomes, the business sector, and the government’s budget. The government has implemented various policies and programs to address unemployment, but these have had limited success due to lack of implementation and coordination.

To effectively address unemployment, the government needs to take a comprehensive approach that includes improving the education system, increasing investment in infrastructure, and creating an enabling environment for businesses to grow and create jobs.

The author is a A2 student at Aitchison College Lahore.

08 NEWS Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 ISLAMABAD

08-NEWS-15 February_Layout 1 2/15/2023 1:02 AM Page 1

Federal Minister for Human Rights meets APPG delegation

ISLAMABAd: Federal Minister for Human Rights Mian

Riaz Hussain Pirzada held a meeting with the parliamentary delegation of All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Freedom of Religion or Belief from the United Kingdom at Ministry of Human Rights in Islamabad. Minister welcomed the delegates and said that Pakistan has traditionally strong and strategically significant and longlasting relations with the UK. In response to a question posed by one of the delegates on the steps taken by the state for the protection of minorities minister said that there was a strong constitutional and structural framework present in the country for the freedom and protection of the rights of minorities. Articles 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 33 and 36 of Pakistan’s Constitution provide guarantees to the minorities regarding freedom of religion, equal participation as well as right to preserve and promote their cultural identity, value and practices. He expressed that it was a fact that whenever we were to receive some visit of international monitory or human rights organization, an untoward incident happens where foreign spy agencies of hostile neighbors were mainly involved for doing fake propaganda to defame Pakistan. Minister further stated that recent incident of lynching a man accused of blasphemy in Nankana Sahib is very tragic and highly condemnable act. No one should be allowed to take law into own hands. Blasphemy laws are framed for the deterrence and punishment are rigorous in such offenses but the misuse of these laws can only be averted by taking strict actions under the law against the culprits. pr

PTA unveils centralized platform for cyber security management

ISLAMABAd: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has launched its National Telecom Security Operations Center (NTSOC), a centralized platform for the management of cyber security incidents in the telecom sector. The NTSOC is established under the Pakistan National Cyber security Policy 2021 and Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA 2016), with the goal of securing Pakistan’s critical telecom data and infrastructure against cyber-attacks. The NTSOC is the first ever sectoral Security Operations Center in Pakistan, after issuance of Cyber Security Policy. It is comprised of three key components: Security Incident and Event Management (SIEM), Threat Intelligence, and Security Orchestration and Automated Response (SOAR) which have been indigenously customized to improve the country’s cyber-security ranking. The NTSOC will have integration with telecom operators’ SOCs and the national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), ensuring quick and effective incident response. Six telecom operators have been integrated with the NTSOC, with the rest to follow gradually. The project includes continuous enhancements in the provided solution to keep pace with evolving cyber-security threats. Staff report

PSQCA opens liaison oﬃce in Gwadar

GwAdAR: The new liaison office of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) is inaugurated today

14th February, 2023 in Gwadar

Baluchistan. The Director General, PSQCA Mr. Zainul Abedin inaugurated the new office, he told the media that cross border trade is important for economic development and PSQCA shall open more cross border offices in future in the province. This will bring in new opportunities, concessions, posts and infrastructure in Baluchistan. The decision of opening liaison office in Gwadar has been taken during the 24th Board of Directors meeting of PSQCA. The Director General PSQCA, Mr. Zainul Abedin told the media that Mr. Agha Hassan Baloch, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Govt. of Pakistan believes that development of cross border trade should be the priority as it will bring economic cooperation in the region. These ports can play an important role in developing trade and meeting the logistical and communication needs at the same time. pr

NOT-BY- PROFIT

Pakistan, Us to hold energy secUrity dialogUe next month

Islamabad NewS deSk

WRITINGfor Business Recorder, Mustaq Ghumman reports that according to well-informed sources, Pakistan and the United States are scheduled to hold an "Energy Security Dialogue" on March 15, 2023, in Islamabad to discuss a range of issues, including TAPI, CASA1000, US LNG procurement, and concerns related to the purchase of Russian oil. Geoffrey Pyatt, the US Department of State's Energy Resources Assistant Secretary, will head the US delegation, while the US Ambassador to Pakistan has requested that

the Minister for Power Division, Khurram Dastgir Khan, give the opening remarks.

The US Embassy in Islamabad has contacted the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) to confirm whether the proposed date is suitable for hosting the delegation and the dialogue. The US has expressed its concerns regarding the outstanding issues related to the resolution of five wind-power projects financed by DFC, which is expected to be one of the top agenda items.

During the dialogue, both sides are also anticipated to discuss the US-Pakistan Green Alliance, which aims to jointly address the challenges of climate, energy, and the economy.

Furthermore, the US Embassy has asked Pak-

istan for assistance in the rehabilitation of Ukraine's power system, which has been affected by Russia's targeting of Ukrainian plants. The US is spearheading an effort, with partner countries and the G-7, to secure the necessary support for Ukraine, and the US side has shared a list of hundreds of equipment and asked for any form of energy equipment or financial support in this regard. The matter was also raised with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, during his visit to Washington in December 2022, and the Foreign Minister has requested that the availability of the equipment be checked and feedback be provided accordingly.

To read the full article visit www.brecorder,com

India and Pakistan struggle with mutual pollution: The Economist

As per an article by The Economist, India and Pakistan, two countries with a long history of tension, are now facing a mutual environmental issue that is becoming more challenging to handle as each day passes. The two countries are choking on each other’s pollution, and resolving the problem requires cooperation between governments that have deep-rooted conflicts. The article by The Economist highlights the severity of the problem, its impacts, and the challenges facing governments in tackling it.

According to the article, India's commercial capital, Mumbai, has been covered in a pervasive smog for much of this winter. The thick grey haze, made up of particulate matter, has made the city's skyline almost invisible.

On some days, Mumbai's air quality has been worse than Delhi's, which is known for its polluted air. Between November and January, Mumbai recorded 36 days of "poor" air quality, posing a health risk even to healthy people. The World Bank analyzed data and found that nine of the ten world's most air-polluted cities are in South Asia, which includes India and Pakistan.

The article shows that the smog is spreading

across the region as the countries accelerate industrialization and infrastructure building, leading to post-pandemic growth. During the winter smog season, only two of the ten most polluted places in India were in and around Delhi. The other polluted areas included western India, such as Mumbai. Karachi and Peshawar, two Pakistani cities, also topped the global index of cities with the worst air quality. Kathmandu, on the northern edge of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, has also been hit by a yellowbrown haze that obscures the Himalayan peaks.

The article highlights the health and economic impacts of the pollution on the people in the region. The high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) enter the bloodstream and increase the risk of heart and lung diseases, strokes, and respiratory problems. Air pollution is estimated to kill over two million people in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan each year, reducing average life expectancy globally by 2.9 years.

In India, it reduces life expectancy by five years, while on the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the average Indian life is seven years shorter than it would otherwise be. A Lancet study estimated that in 2019, India's economy lost $37bn, or 1.4% of GDP, to pollution-related deaths and illnesses. In the same year, India lost 1.3 billion working days due to pollution-related illnesses, according to a

Clean Air Fund and Confederation of Indian Industry study.

According to the article the poor are the most affected by pollution. The poorest parts of South Asia, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, are among the most polluted, with over 115 million of their inhabitants living on less than $2 a day.

Poor people are likelier to use dirty fuels, contributing to high levels of indoor pollution, while the rich use air purifiers to create a bubble for themselves. Governments in the region have launched several initiatives to tackle the pollution crisis, but their efforts have been mostly ineffective. India's National Clean Air Programme launched in 2019 aimed to improve air quality in 102 cities, later increased to 131, but only 38 cities are on track to meet their targets. Pollution in many cities, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Nagpur, has increased. Pakistan has not launched a national clean air program, while Bangladesh drafted a clean air act in 2019 but has not passed it. According to the World Bank, policymakers are mostly trying to abate pollution within the cities concerned, yet much of it originates elsewhere. For example, the smoke that arises in India's Punjab state every autumn

To read the full article visit www.economist.com

The new normal in world cotton prices: Impacts and implications

highest since 2014.

In an analysis report published by The Business Recorder, it was noted that World cotton prices have stabilised over recent months, currently trading at around $2.25 per kg after two years of extreme volatility triggered by the pandemic. However, the price is a 25% premium over pre-Covid averages. Locally, cotton export earnings have not been affected so far, despite the price changes.

The impact of the new normal in world cotton prices has had a stark impact on global demand, with consumption expected to hit a nine-year low, according to the USDA. The reduction in demand is reflected in the global stock build-up, with the ratio of ending stock to use for the current marketing year predicted to be the

However, a key factor impacting the global cotton supply chain is China, the world's largest cotton producer, which accounts for one-quarter of global output and one-third of global consumption.

The US ban on textile products made from cotton originating from the Xinjiang region of China has cut off a large portion of the raw material from the global supply chain. Until recently, the region was responsible for almost 90% of Chinese cotton production, feeding into the global value chain of textile and garment manufacturing that produced goods with the US as their ultimate destination.

This has led to a reduction in the tradable surplus of cotton in the global market, keeping prices at an elevated level. Meanwhile, high

global energy prices have ensured that global PET prices remain prohibitively high, elevating the prices of cotton substitutes such as polyester or synthetic fibres.

The world cotton market has stabilized after two years of extreme volatility, but global demand is expected to hit a nine-year low due to the new normal in world cotton prices.

The impact of the US ban on textile products made from cotton originating from the Xinjiang region of China and high global energy prices have further elevated the prices of cotton substitutes. It remains uncertain when world cotton prices will return to pre-Covid territory, and any such hopes should be approached with caution.

To read the full article visit www.brecorder,com

Experts debate bold action to address Pakistan’s economic challenges

Writing for The Express Tribune, Shahbaz Rana reports that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has demanded that Pakistan increase its interest rates by 150 to 200 basis points, arguing that higher rates are necessary to curb inflation and reduce the country's current account deficit.

The IMF's demand comes as Pakistan is struggling to cope with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, with GDP contracting by 0.4% in the 2020-21 financial year and inflation reaching nearly 10%, the highest level in years.

The Pakistani government has resisted the IMF's demands, arguing that higher rates would harm the economy by slowing growth and increasing unemployment. Some economists have also criticised the IMF's approach, arguing that it is prioritising the interests of creditors over the needs of developing countries. They argue that austerity measures could exacerbate Pakistan's economic problems by making it more expensive for businesses to borrow money and invest in the economy, and could lead to social unrest and political instability.

Pakistan has already received a $6 billion loan from the IMF in 2019, but disbursements have been suspended due to the government's failure to meet re-

form targets. The IMF has indicated that it will not release further funds until the government takes steps to address the country's economic challenges, including reducing corruption and improving tax collection.

Some experts have suggested that Pakistan could seek assistance from other countries and international organisations, or negotiate a more favourable loan agreement with the IMF.

However, others have argued that bold action is needed to address the country's economic challenges, including reforms to improve governance and reduce wasteful spending.

To read the full article visit www.tribune.com.pk

09 NEWS Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

corporate corner

Islamabad NewS deSk

09 Business-15 February 2023_Layout 1 2/14/2023 11:28 PM Page 1

LAHORE: Activists and office-bearers of Kissan Board Pakistan rally against discontinuation of subsidies under Kissan Package and black marketing in pesticides under the leadership Rashid Ahmed Munhala on Tuesday. Staff photo

NokIA, kyNdryl exTeNd PArTNersHIP for PrIvATe 5G fACTory NeTworks

profit report

NOKIA(NOKIA.HE) and Kyndryl (KD.N) have extended their partnership for three years after clocking up more than 100 customers for automating factories using 5G wireless networks, following their first tie-up a year earlier.

Big technology firms have been partnering with telecom gear makers such as Nokia to sell private 5G networks to customers, mostly in the manufacturing business, but only a few companies have been able to get any traction in the business that is expected to grow by billions of dollars every year.

“We grew the business significantly last year with the number of customers and number of networks,” Chris Johnson, head of Nokia’s enterprise business, told Reuters.

The companies said some customers were now coming back to put private networks into more of their factories after the initial one.

In Dow Chemical’s petrochemical processing plant in Texas, the private wireless network increased worker safety, enabled remote audio and video collaboration, personnel track-

ing, and vehicle telematics, the companies said.

Dow is now planning to expand the same coverage to dozens of its factories, said Paul Savill, Kyndryl’s global prac-

Beijing to support key firms in building ChatGPT-like AI models

tice leader.

“Our pipeline has been growing fundamentally faster than it has been in the last 12 months,” he said. “We now have over 100 customers that we’re working with in the private wireless space … in around 24 different countries.”

After getting spun off from IBM (IBM.N) in 2021, Kyndryl has focused on building its wireless network business and has signed several agreements with cloud providers.

The size of the global private 5G network market is expected to reach $41.02 billion by 2030 from 1.38 billion in 2021, according to a study by Grand View Research.

The companies have also developed automated industrial drones that can monitor a site with different kinds of sensors such as identifying chemicals and video recognition as part of surveillance.

While drones have not yet been deployed commercially yet, customers are showing interest in rugged, industrialized non-stop automated drone surveillance, Johnson said.

China’s capital Beijing will support leading enterprises in building large artificial intelligence (AI) models that can challenge ChatGPT, the city’s economy and information technology bureau said on Monday.

The city will support key firms to invest in building an open source framework and accelerate the supply of basic data, it said in a statement. The bureau also said that 1,048 core AI companies, or 29% of the country’s total, were located in Beijing as of October last year, and that it would look into ways to cultivate talent and conduct research in areas such as ethical governance. Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s hit chatbot ChatGPT has become the fastestgrowing consumer application in history and is rapidly raising awareness in China about how advanced U.S. AI is. While residents in the country are unable to create OpenAI accounts to access the artificial intelligence-powered (AI) chatbot, firms are rushing to integrate the technology into their products and Chinese tech giants such as Baidu (9888.HK) and Alibaba Group (9988.HK) are gearing up to launch rival services. Chinese regulators have not commented on ChatGPT so far, though state media has warned about stock market risks amid a frenzy over local ChatGPT-concept stocks.

Apple’s

eﬀorts to diversify manufacturing in India face

stumbling blocks, reports FT

ing iPhones, according to a person familiar with the matter. This 50 per cent “yield” fares badly compared with Apple’s goal for zero defects.

The report highlights that operations in India are not running at the pace seen in China, where suppliers and government officials took a “whatever it takes” approach to win iPhone orders. Apple engineers have also been housed at city-centre hotels in Chennai, two hours away from the factories where they are working, requiring four hours of daily commuting, with occasionally poor Wi-Fi connections along the route.

India’s tax oﬃcers search BBC oﬃces in Delhi and Mumbai

Adani hires Grant Thornton for some independent audits after Hindenburg fallout -sources

profit report

India’s Adani Group has appointed accountancy firm Grant Thornton for independent audits of some of its companies in a bid to discredit claims by short-seller Hindenburg Research that have battered its stocks and bonds, two people familiar with the matter said on Monday.

profit report

Apple’s efforts to reduce its reliance on China by increasing production in India have hit a roadblock, according to a report published in the Financial Times. The report highlights the challenges faced by the tech giant in its efforts to establish its supply chain in the country. Apple has been sending engineers and product designers from California and China to factories in southern India to train locals and help establish production. This is in line with the company’s efforts to diversify its supply chain strategy, following months of Covid-19 disruption that led to a decline in quarterly revenues.

While Apple has been producing lower-end iPhones in India since 2017, last September was significant, with Indian suppliers building flagship models within weeks of their launch in China. However, its experience in recent months has demonstrated the scale of the work to be done in the country. The report states that at a casings factory in Hosur run by Indian conglomerate Tata, just about one out of every two components coming off the production line is in good enough shape to eventually be sent to Foxconn, Apple’s assembly partner for build-

Despite these challenges, analysts say India’s potential for Apple is huge. The report quotes a consultant at Bain, who estimates that manufacturing exports from India could more than double from $418bn in 2022 to more than $1tn in 2028, driven by policy support and low costs. It estimates that electronics exports alone will grow at an annual rate of up to 40 per cent.

Vivek Wadhwa, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and academic who last month met with government officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the central government is encouraging businesses to take advantage of Apple’s need to diversify from China.

Recent job ads from Apple make clear it has major ambitions in the country. One ad tells prospective employees they will “grow nascent operations in India to service all product lines of business at Apple while simultaneously building the factory of the future”. “India” was also mentioned 15 times in Apple’s earnings call earlier this month, with CEO Tim Cook calling the market “hugely exciting” and “a major focus” and confirming plans to open the first Apple Stores in the country soon.

According to the FT report, Apple declined to comment.

Indian tax officers searched the BBC’s bureaus in New Delhi and Mumbai on Tuesday, the British broadcaster said, weeks after the government came down hard against a BBC documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The documentary had focused on the Hindu nationalist politician’s leadership as chief minister of the western state during the deadly communal riots, in which at least 1,000 people were killed, most of them Muslims, though activists put the toll at over twice that number.

“The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating. We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible,” the BBC said in a statement.

The tax department did not respond immediately to emails seeking comment.

One of two sources in the BBC’s New Delhi of-

fice told Reuters that tax officials were speaking with the accounts officer and no one was allowed to leave.

While the search was underway, television news crews set up outside the office near Connaught Place, in central Delhi, to report developments.

The main opposition Congress party condemned the tax department’s actions.

“The IT raid at BBC’s offices reeks of desperation and shows that the Modi government is scared of criticism,” lawmaker and Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal wrote on Twitter. “We condemn these intimidation tactics in the harshest terms. This undemocratic and dictatorial attitude cannot go on any longer.”

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said Indian institutions work independently and the tax department was “within law in looking into tax compliance”.

“India is a vibrant democracy where no one is above the law,” Gopal Kr-

ishna Agarwal, a BJP spokesman, said.

Last month, police in Delhi detained students as they gathered to watch the documentary that the government has dismissed as propaganda. India’s foreign ministry in January said the documentary was meant to push a “discredited narrative”, was biased, lacked objectivity and showed a “continuing colonial mindset”. The BBC has stood by its reporting for the documentary.

Modi ruled Gujarat for more than a decade before becoming prime minister in 2014. Accusations he did not do enough to stop the rioting have dogged his career. Modi has always denied any wrongdoing. In 2013, a panel appointed by the Supreme Court said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him.

A suspected Muslim mob set fire to a train carrying Hindu pilgrims in Gujarat in February 2002, setting off one of independent India’s worst outbreaks of communal violence.

The appointment marks the first major effort by Adani Group to defend itself in the wake of a Jan. 24 report by Hindenburg that accused it of improper use of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation. The conglomerate, led by billionaire Gautam Adani, has strongly denied the allegations but investors remain concerned. Shares in the group’s seven listed subsidiaries have cumulatively lost about $120 billion in market value in the last three weeks.

Adani Group said last week it was considering independent evaluation of issues relating to legal compliance, related party transactions and internal controls following the Hindenburg report. The appointment of Grant Thornton is reported here for the first time. Grant Thornton has been hired to conduct independent audits of some Adani Group companies, said the sources, declining to be named as the appointment is confidential. One of the sources added that Grant Thornton would look at whether related-party transactions at the Adani Group complied with corporate governance standards. Grant Thornton and Adani Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Adani Group sought to reassure investors on Monday, saying it had strong cashflows, its business plans were fully funded and that it was “confident in the continued ability of our portfolio to deliver superior returns to shareholders.” But regulatory pressure has been increasing. India’s market regulator confirmed on Monday it was investigating the report by Hindenburg, as well as market activity immediately before and after the report was published. The U.S. short-seller’s report said it had identified numerous “undisclosed related party transactions” by both listed and private Adani companies, alleging it was in violation of Indian disclosure laws. In its rebuttal, Adani had said “all related party transactions are at arm’s length, properly disclosed and reviewed/audited by statutory independent auditors.”

China’s economy likely to grow at 6 percent in year 2023: Experts

Although there are still great uncertainties ahead, the Chinese economy is likely to rebound strongly in 2023. This observation is based on two rationales. First, because of the low base GDP growth rate of 3 percent in 2022, the base effect will play an important role in shaping China’s growth rate in 2023.

Second, China still has ample room to implement expansionary macroeconomic policies to stimulate the economy when necessary. Barring “black swan” events, China’s

GDP growth rate in 2023 should exceed 5 percent. To boost confidence, the Chinese government could set the GDP growth target at 6 percent for 2023.

The most recent official statistics show that the contributions of final consumption, capital formation, and net exports to China’s GDP growth in 2022 were 1 percent, 1.5 percent, and 0.5 percent, respectively.

Consumption accounted for some 55 percent of GDP. It should be the most important

contributor to GDP growth. In fact, in 2021, its share of the contribution to GDP growth was 65.4 percent. However, in 2022 the share shrank to just 32.8 percent. Certainly, China needs to see a strong recovery of consumer demand, but it remains unclear how direct stimulation measures will work out.

While consumption may “rebound with a vengeance” in the short term, it won’t last if household incomes fail to increase and income expectations fail to improve. Measures

such as issuing consumer coupons, as advocated by many scholars, may be necessary for poverty alleviation and social stabilization. But these measures may not work to encourage households to spend more in a sufficiently large and sustained way. Instead, households may save more, because they have purchased certain goods and services with coupons. The key to promoting household consumption is an increase in household incomes based on economic growth.

For decades, China’s economic growth was mainly driven by investment. Though since 2010, the contribution to GDP growth by investment has decreased significantly. However, in 2022 growth in investment once again became the main driver for GDP growth. Its share of contribution to GDP growth surpassed 50 percent. Investment in China consists of three main categories: Manufacturing investment, real estate investment, and infrastructure investment. agencies

10 FOREIGN NEWS Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 ISLAMABAD

profit report

hbl PSl 8: lahore QalandarS beat Multan SultanS in laSt-ball thriller

mUlTaN staff report

iNCREDIBLEbowling in the death by Lahore Qalandars’ pacers kicked off their title defence with a sensational one-run win over Multan Sultans in the opening match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 8. Multan Sultans, playing in front of the home crowd at the Multan Cricket Stadium, required 49 off the last five overs and with set batter Mohammad Rizwan and David Miller at the crease seemed on course to a comfortable win.

But, in an outstanding spell of death bowling, Shaheen Shah Afridi gave only 16 runs in two overs (16th and 18th) and bowled Rizwan with a slower one. Haris Rauf was equally brilliant, giving only four runs in the 17th and removing Miller with a pitch perfect yorker at the start of the 19th.

Experienced T20 batter Kieron Pollard, who Multan Sultans had picked in the replacement draft, smashed Haris for a six and a four towards the end of the penultimate over that added 14 runs for

army, Wapda bag national netball C’ship titles

islamabad

staff report

his side and left only 15 to be chased in the last over. Shaheen trusted Zaman Khan, who had bowled incredibly well in the last season to defend 12 off the last over against Islamabad United, and the right-arm fast bowler delivered.

In what turned out to be dramatic last over, Pollard was run out, running for the second, on the second ball, the third ball,

a full toss, thudded onto Usman Khan’s pad right in front of stumps, Usama Mir was run out on the fourth, Khushdil Shah spanked the second last ball for a four to bring down the equation to six off one but failed to connect the last ball that raced away for four instead. This was Multan Sultans’ first defeat at home – they had won their all three

matches here in 2020 – and that came from a side who were playing their firstever match at this venue.

Multan Sultans had a solid start to the run chase of 176 with Shan Masood (35 off 31) and Rizwan, whose 75 off 50, comprising eight fours and a six, was the top score in the match, putting a 100-run partnership. Shan was caught off Hussain Talat on the 12.2 overs marks and that was the only wicket to fall before Rizwan’s dismissal.After Multan Sultans had accumulated 53 runs in the Powerplay, Lahore Qalandars did well to dry up the flow of boundaries as when Miller, who scored 24 off 20, struck David Wiese for four on the second ball of the 14th over; it ended a 28ball-long boundary drought.

Lahore Qalandars were given a solid start by the opening pair of Fakhar Zaman, who became the only second batter in the HBL PSL to cross the 2,000-run mark, and debutant Mirza Tahir Baig after Rizwan, the Multan Sultans captain, decided to field after winning the toss. The pair added 61 runs before Tahir fell to Akael Hosein after scoring 32 off 26.

Former England captain Morgan retires from cricket

islamabad staff report

England’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket aged 36 on Monday, bringing the curtain down on a career studded with short-form success.

Pakistan Army and Wapda clinched the National Netball Championship titles here at Liaqat Gymnasium of the Pakistan Sports Complex on Tuesday.

In the men’s final match, Army defeated Wapda by 2730 points and won the title. Both teams were tied at 25, 25 points at the end of scheduled time. Later six minutes were given on which Pakistan Army won by 27-30 points. Iqbal and Wasim scored 17 and 13 points for Pakistan Army while Zain Hussain scored 27 points for Wapda.

In the women’s final, Wapda defeated Sindh by 16-7 points. Nisha Sultan scored 11 points for Wapda and Quratul Ain scored 7 points for Sindh.

Before the finals, 3rd position matches were played in which Pakistan Air Force outplayed Pakistan Navy by 13-23 points in the men’s event.

Akhtar scored 23 points for Pakistan Air Force while Babar Manan scored 13 points for Pakistan Navy.

In the women’s third position match, Pakistan Army downed Higher Education Commission by 18-30 points. Ayesha got 24 points for Pakistan Army while Khadija got 12 points for Higher Education Commission. Chairman, Pakistan Netball Federation and former IG Police (R), Zafar Iqbal Awan who was the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the championship distributed trophies, medals and certificates to the winning players. President, Pakistan Netball Federation, Mudassar Arain, Senior Vice President Sameen Malik, Secretary General, Syed Gohar Raza, Directors, PSB Saeed Akhtar and Muhammad Waheed Khan and a large number of peoples were also present on the occasion.

dS Polo, Master Paints emerge triumphant in openers of Jinnah Gold Polo Cup 2023

laHORE staff report

DS Polo and Master Paints (MP) emerged victorious in the opening day matches of the Jinnah Gold Polo Cup 2023 sponsored by Al Rehman Developers and Town Planners here at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Tuesday.

Bautista Garcia guided DS Polo to a thrilling 8-7½ triumph over Diamond Paints in the first match of the day. DS Polo were 5-7½ down when they made a tremendous comeback in the last one and a half minute by thrashing in three back-to-back goals to snatch victory from Diamond Pants.

Bautista Garcia emerged as hero of the match with a convincing contribution of five fabulous goals while displaying high-quality polo and mallet skills. He was ably assisted by another top performer of the day Javier Guerrero, who hammered three tremendous goals including two dying moments’ match-winning goals, that steered DS Polo to a welldeserving 8-7½ victory. From Diamond Paints, which had a half goal handicap advantage, Chulo Corti fired in four fantastic goals while Nico Roberts hammered a hattrick.

Former white-ball captain Morgan, who bowed out of the international game last June, led England to 50-over World Cup glory on home soil and the top of the oneday and Twenty20 rankings. Morgan captained England in 126 ODIs and 72 T20s, registering 118 wins as skipper across the two formats.

“After much deliberation, I believe now is the right time to step away from the game that has given me so much over the years,” Morgan said in a statement on Twitter.

“I will undoubtedly miss the adventure and challenges of play-

ing professional cricket.

“Since my retirement from international cricket, I have been able to spend more time with my loved ones, and I look forward to being able to do so more and more in the future.”

Dublin-born Morgan made his ODI debut aged 16 with Ireland before he was called up by England in 2009. He played 248 ODIs and 115 T20Is, scoring 10,159 runs in total, and scored 700 runs in 16 tests.

Australian cricketer prefers cash-rich HBL PSL 8 over domestic tournament

islamabad staff report

Australian pacer, Andrew Tye, has preferred HBL Pakistan Super League over playing for his domestic side, Western Australia’s remaining matches in the ongoing Marsh One-Day Cup.

The right-arm pacer will be representing Karachi Kings in the HBL PSL 8, which has ruled him out for the final two games of the tournament against South Australia (in Adelaide on Wednesday) and Tasmania (in Hobart on February 26) as well as the final on March 8.

Tye’s absence will be a massive blow to the domestic side’s title defence. The 36-year-old isn’t contracted with Western Australia, but is a regular part of their playing XI in the white-ball games.

Karachi Kings will play their first match of the season against Peshawar Zalmi on Tuesday in National Bank Cricket Arena, Karachi.

Earlier, England batter, Alex Hales has decided to skip England’s upcoming tour to Bangladesh, in order to honour his £145,000 contract with Islamabad United for the upcoming edition of HBL Pakistan Super League.

Both the sides started the match well and converted two goals each to finish the first chukker at 2-2. DS Polo played better polo in the second chukker as they slammed in two goals against one goal by Diamond Paints to take a slight 4-3 lead. The third chukker was fully dominated by Diamond Paints as they hammered a hat-trick of goals to gain a 6-4 lead.

DS Polo started the fourth and decisive chukker with an impressive goal to reduce the margin to 6-5 but Diamond Paints struck one more to stretch their lead to 7-5. In the last one and a half minute, DS Polo played outstanding polo and thrashed in three backto-back goals to win the match by 8-7½, as Diamond Paints also had a half goal handicap advantage.

Manuel Crespo’s heroics helped Master Paints register a close 8½-7 win over Remounts in the second match of the day. Manuel Crespo, the hero of the day from Master Paints, did magic with mallet and polo pony and pumped in splendid five goals. Pelagio Balazaldi, Agha Musa Ali Khan and Sufi Muhammad Haroon also played well and contributed with one goal each. For team Remounts, the major contribution came from Manuel Sundblad, who slammed in four goals while Jota Chavanne banged in a brace and Imran Shahid converted one goal. The first chukker saw both the sides scoring two goals each to level the score at 2-2. Master Paints played well in the second chukker by converting two goals against one by Remounts to earn a slight 4-3 lead. Remounts started the highly-charged third chukker with two back-to-back goals to take 5-4 lead but Master Paints then started playing aggressive polo and succeeded in cracking a classic quartet to gain a healthy 8-5 lead.

Remounts, which had a half goal handicap advantage, though dominated the fourth and last chukker by banging in a brace yet they lost the opening day match by a close margin of 7½-8. John Fisher and Chris Hyde supervised both the matches as field umpires. Two important matches of the prestigious tournament will be played tomorrow (Wednesday).

Britain to boycott women’s world championships in New Delhi

lONdON reuters

Boxers from Britain will not participate at the women’s world championships in New Delhi next month, the governing body said on Tuesday, citing concerns about the sport’s Olympic future.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) was stripped of involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and boxing is not on the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, pending reforms demanded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

In December, the IOC raised the possibility of boxing being excluded from the 2024 Paris Games, accusing the IBA of having “no real interest” in the sport or its athletes. Qualifying for Paris is being or-

ganised by the IOC.

The IBA, backed by Russian energy firm Gazprom, has also reversed bans on boxers from Russia and Belarus competing with national flags and anthems despite the war in Ukraine.

“The decision reflects ongoing concerns about the future of boxing’s place on the Olympic programme and the recent move by IBA to allow boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags, which contravenes resolutions passed by the IOC,” GB Boxing said in a statement.

“This has put further distance between IBA and the Olympic movement in addition to the significant, longstanding issues over sporting integrity, governance, transparency and financial management which the IOC has asked IBA to address to protect boxing’s place on the Olympic programme.

“GB Boxing condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has solidarity with the people, boxers, coaches and officials of Ukraine.”

The British governing body added that their participation at the men’s tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in May, was “under review”.

The announcement follows USA Boxing and the Irish Athletic Boxing Association’s (IABA) decision to boycott this year’s world championships. read more Following the boycotts, the IBA offered to fund U.S. and Irish boxers wanting to compete in this year’s world championships.

The IBA also warned that it would pursue “strong sanctions against those who initiate and join the participation boycott”.

The Boxing Federation of India could not immediately be reached for comment.

Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 | ISLAMABAD 11 SPORTS

CommuNICAtIoN mINIStry ASked to CleAr rS8.7B owed to dISCoS

profIt report ahmad ahmadani

tHEPower Division has asked the Ministry of Communication to release remaining liabilities of power distribution companies (discos) amounting to Rs 8.7 billion.

This would enable discos to recover their bills from customers deposited in the General Post Offices (GPOs) from July 2022.

In an Office Memorandum dated 14th February 2023, the power division has asked the Secretary Ministry of

Federation tells SC

Communication and Director General (DG), Pakistan Post to clear liabilities of discos pending from July 2022.

As per details, the GPOs had received the electricity bills from the power consumers and withheld the collected amount instead of paying to the discos.

These funds would not only help the power sector to meet its financial obligations, and payments to the generators but also help to avoid unscheduled loadshedding in the coming summer, said the power division’s memorandum.

The memorandum further exclaimed that, “urgent action is highly de-

Imran lacks locus standi to challenge NAB law amends

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The federation’s lawyer on Tuesday submitted before the Supreme Court of Pakistan that Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has no locus standi to file petition against the amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah on Tuesday heard the petition filed by former prime minister Imran Khan against the amendments to the NAB Ordinance, 1999.

The Attorney General for Pakistan informed that on Monday, he issued a clarification on Chief Justice remarks appeared on social media, adding that the social media misreported his statement. Justice Bandial appreciating the gesture said; “Yes we read it in the newspapers.” About the case, the federation’s counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan adopted the stance that on July 28, 22 some of the PTI MNAs filed a writ petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) wherein they challenged the non-acceptance of their resignations, and told the Court that ex-Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri had validly accepted the resignation.

The IHC, however, dismissed their petition on 6-9-2022.

On the other hand, when the NA Speaker (Raja Pervaiz Ashraf) accepted their resignations they approached Lahore High Court (LHC) on 8th February, 2023 and took completely different view. They asked the LHC to restrain the Election Commission of Pakistan from denotifying them. He informed that on 11-04-22 when no-confidence vote succeeded against Imran Khan at that time amendments in the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 were pending before the Standing Committee of the Parliament. After the no-trust vote though the PTI MNAs chose to resign but none of its Senators tendered resignation, adding none of the MPAs resigned from the provincial assemblies. It shows the mala fide of the petitioner, adding there is inconsistency in their legal battle.

sirable”.

According to the document, GPOs of the Communication Ministry have to clear liabilities of four discos and KElectric.

Out of total Rs 8.7 billion with GPOs include Rs 2.4 billion amount of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO), Rs 8 billion of Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO), Rs 750 million of Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), Rs 783 million of Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO) and Rs 3.9 billion amount of K-Electric.

It is pertinent to mention that Fi-

nance Division in a letter from September last year, carrying subject “Release of Retained Electricity Bills of discos Collected by the GPOs” had allowed Pakistan Post Office Department (PPOD) to draw released Rs 20 billion from State Bank of Pakistan through letter of credit arrangement to clear the outstanding liabilities of discos including K-Electric.

The PPOD has so far cleared the liabilities of over Rs 17 billion owed to the other discos. However an amount of Rs 750 million of LESCO is still pending with the PPOD which the power division has asked to release on urgent basis.

Coffee trumps economic crisis as tim Hortons opens in Pakistan

INT’L COFFEE CHAIN SET TO OPEN TWO MORE OUTLETS IN LAHORE

profIt

ReuteRS

Fitch

downgrades Pakistan’s issuer default rating to CCC-

LIQUIDITY CRISIS, POLICY RISKS AND UNDER PRESSURE RESERVES REGARDED AS KEY DRIVERS BEHIND FALL

The international ratings agency, Fitch has downgraded Pakistan’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘CCC-‘, from ‘CCC+’.

An Issuer Default Rating (IDR) is an assessment of an issuer’s relative vulnerability to default on financial obligations, and is intended to be comparable across industry groups and countries. Issuers often carry both long-term and short-term IDRs. In this particular case, Pakistan’s likelihood to default on its longterm foreign currency obligations, has been deemed more plausible than before. Ratings don’t typically change the chances of default. Rather, they are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments.

The ratings agency has not given an outlook like usual. Typically, Fitch gives an outlook of the entities that it rates, be it “stable” or “positive” or “negative”. However, the agency clarified in its statement that below the CCC+ rating, the agency does not give outlooks.

According to Fitch, the key

drivers in the fall of Pakistan’s rating were a number of factors that can be linked to the current financial crisis. The agency states that even while assuming a successful conclusion to the 9th review of the IMF program, the country’s forex outlook is bound to worsen, considering the coming elections and subsequent policy instability. Under such circumstances, either default or a restructuring of debts is highly likely. It is important to note, that if the staff level agreement is not reached on the IMF program, the current position of Fitch would be considered an overstatement, about the country’s ability to fulfil its obligations.

The ratings agency also points towards Pakistan’s falling CAD figures that have been

maintained due to the restrictions. The agency fears that the figures are bound to rise once the economy opens up under the strict IMF conditions. As per Fitch, “(Pakistan’s) External public-debt maturities in the remainder of the fiscal year ending June 2023 (FY23) amount to over $7 billion and will remain high in FY24”. Under these circumstances, the country’s already under pressure reserves are very likely to crumble without external aid.

It is important to note that CCC- is one of the most dangerous categories for a sovereign entity. Typically, countries don’t see the light of the R’D or the D category but entities that do, do so after they have entered bankruptcy filings.

Pakistanis are queuing for hours to grab coffee and pastries from Canadian chain Tim Hortons, which opened its first outlet in the South Asian country this week just as its economic crisis took a turn for the worse. In less than a month, Pakistan’s currency has lost more than a quarter of its value against the U.S. dollar, and fuel prices have risen by almost a fifth as the government implemented fiscal measures that are prerequisite to unlocking funds from an International Monetary Fund bailout. Inflation in January spiked to 27% year-on-year, the highest in more than a decade, and the government only has enough foreign reserves to pay for just over three weeks of imports. All that hasn’t stopped scores of Pakistanis from thronging to the cafe since it opened on Saturday at an upmarket Lahore shopping mall. Tim Hortons is owned by Restaurant Brands International Inc (RBI) (QSR.TO), , a Toronto-based company that also owns other fast food brands including Burger King and Popeyes. “Higher prices don’t really matter for the class of people coming here,” Ahmad Javed, a medical student who used to go to Tim Hortons while he was living in Canada, told Reuters as he queued up. “Rich people in Pakistan are getting richer, the poor are becoming poorer while the middle class is struggling.”

According to its online menu, a small brewed coffee costs 350 rupees ($1.30), while a large flavoured coffee is twice as much. By comparison, the average government-mandated minimum wage is 25,000 rupees ($94) a month.

With a population of more than 230 million and a $350-billion economy, Pakistan remains a growth market for fast-food companies. McDonald’s (MCD.N), Retail Food Group (RFG.AX)-owned Gloria Jean’s Coffee and Yum Brands Inc (YUM.N)-owned Pizza Hut are among the international brands with outlets in Pakistan. Tim Hortons is set to open another two outlets in Lahore, RBI said in a statement. Pakistani firm Blue Foods operates the franchise. Both companies declined to give any details about the outlet’s sales in the opening week. For students such as Pareeshay Khan, the brand’s social media traction trumps the cost of the coffee. “I’m here to taste the coffee that’s the top social media trend. I don’t know about the price, nor do I care.”

Rising panic over blocked imports in crisis-hit Pakistan

INDUSTRIES SUCH AS STEEL, TEXTILES AND PHARMACEUTICALS BARELY FUNCTIONING, FORCING THOUSANDS OF FACTORIES TO CLOSE

profIt afp

Pakistan business chiefs are clamouring for the cash-strapped government to allow manufacturing materials stuck at the key port of Karachi into the country, warning that a failure to lift a ban on imports will leave millions jobless.

Faced with critically low US-dollar reserves, the government has banned all but essential food and medicine imports until a lifeline bailout is agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Industries such as steel, textiles and pharmaceuticals are barely functioning, forcing thousands of factories to close and deepening unemployment.

The steel industry has warned of severe supply-chain issues caused by a shortage of scrap metal, which is melted down and turned into steel bars. In the past few weeks, the bars have reached record prices.

“We directly feed materials to the construction industry which is linked to some 45 downstream industries,” said Wajid Bukhari, head of Pakistan’s Large Scale

Steel Producers Association. “This whole cycle is going to be jammed.”

Smaller factories have already shut after exhausting stocks, while some larger plants are just days from closing, he said.

With an import bill of around $150 million a month, the steel industry says its operations directly and indirectly affect several million jobs.

Latest data from the central bank said foreign exchange reserves had plunged to just $2.9 billion — enough for less than three weeks of imports.

“This situation triggers fears the construction industry will close down very soon, plunging thousands of labourers into unemployment,” the Constructors Association of Pakistan said, echoing calls for steel and machinery to be exempted from the import ban.

‘Grinding halt’

Years of financial mismanagement and political instability have damaged Pakistan’s economy — exacerbated by a global energy crisis and devastating floods that submerged a third of the country.

Alongside a shortage of raw materials, soaring inflation, rising fuel costs and a

plummeting rupee have battered manufacturing industries.

An IMF delegation left Pakistan on Friday after urgent talks to revive a stalled loan programme ended with no deal, leaving lingering uncertainty for business leaders.

The textile and garment industry is responsible for around 60 percent of Pakistan’s exports and employs about 35 million people, processing items such as towels, underwear and linen for major brands across the world.

“The textile industry should be prioritised,” said Shahid Sattar, secretary general of the All Pakistan Textile Association. “We are the mainstay of the country’s exports,” he told AFP.

“If you don’t have exports, how will you shore up your foreign exchange reserves? Then consequently, how will the economy recover?”

After floods devastated domestic cotton crops last summer the sector is importing a significant amount of raw fabric.

Factory owners appealed to the finance minister last month for “direct intervention” to unjam the backlog, which also affects

dyes, buttons and zippers.

“The textile industry has more or less come to a grinding halt in Pakistan. We don’t have raw materials to operate our mills,” Sattar said.

Around 30 per cent of the textile mills have shut down operations completely, while the rest are working at less than 40 per cent capacity. Tauqeer ul Haq, the head of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, said 40 medicine factories were on the brink of closure because of a lack of key ingredients.

Fueling poverty

Pakistani economist Kaiser Bengali said the supply-chain crisis was “feeding inflation and also hitting the government’s revenues”.

It is also escalating unemployment and fueling poverty, with a large proportion of construction and factory workers in Pakistan paid daily.

“On average during regular production, workers are paid for around 25 days (per month) but now they are getting wages for 10 to 15 days. While some companies have even suspended their production and work-

ers will only get paid once manufacturing resumes,” Bengali told AFP.

Nasir Iqbal, an economist at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, said export bans like the one currently in place “can never be a sustainable solution”.

Under-pressure Finance Minister Ishaq Dar last week said businesses must “let the money come in from the IMF” before letters of credit would resume for imports, ending the logjam.

Meeting the conditions of the bailout, such as by raising petrol and energy costs, is also expected to increase inflation, but should pave the way for further financial support from friendly nations.

In the old Silk Road city of Peshawar, factories producing everything from glass to rubber and chemicals, mostly for the neighbouring Afghan market, have closed one after the other in the past several months.

“Around 600 have closed, while many are operating at half capacity,” said Malik Imran Ishaq, the president of the Industrialist Association Peshawar, which represents 2,500 factories. “The entire business community is in serious trouble.”

pRayeR timingS Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 NEWS Published by Asad Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

profIt report Shahnawaz ali

FAJR SUNRISE ZUHR ASR MAGHRIB ISHA 6:10 6:50 1:15 4:30 5:50 7:30

CMYK Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 | ISLAMABAD 54x8 Supplement 15th February 2023 (Page 01)_Layout 1 2/15/2023 12:13 AM Page 1

The good SamariTanS of 4, fane road

collection. And then she reveals that the family had to leave it all behind when they migrated to Delhi during the summer of 1947, hoping the move would be merely temporary—for a week or two, at the most. They had fled in haste, acting in response to rumours of ghastly violence against women in Lahore, carrying minimum belongings and clothing.

liveminT aanchal MalhoTra

THE trial for the Lahore Conspiracy Case began on 10 July 1929 in Borstal Jail, Lahore, where Bhagat Singh and 27 others were charged with murder and waging war against King George V. The average age of the revolutionaries was 22. Their case was presided over by judge Rai Sahib Pandit Sri Kishen, and the accused were defended by a body of seven prominent Indian lawyers, one of whom, Amolak Ram Kapur, would outlive the 1947 Partition to tell a story of cross-border friendship and humanity.

When I meet Kapur’s daughter, Raj Suneja, in Delhi, she recalls the Lahore of undivided India. “4, Fane Road was our address, close to the Punjab high court where my father practised.” Fane Road, prominent due to the many lawyers who inhabited it, was named after General Sir Henry Fane, once commander-in-chief of the Indian Army. She says the kothis on the street were few but large, and tries to recall the owners from memory, “Bakshi Tek Chand, Bishan Narayan, Grover sahib, the Suris, the Sonis….” Unable to remember any more names, she says, “It was quite a close-knit community, where families respected one another, regardless of religion.” Fane Road was also home to the small legal chamber of none other than the late author Khushwant Singh.

When I ask her whether she still thinks about Fane Road, Suneja smiles and says in Punjabi, “Iss umar pe toh kayi cheezein bhool jaati hai, lekin bachpan da Lahore kadi nahi bhoolta, o’ shehr di baat hi kuch aur si (Age makes the past hazy, but memories of the Lahore of my childhood never leave me. There was something truly special about the city).” Fondly, she continues to speak about the public park on Fane Road, the akhara (wrestling area), their beautifully manicured garden, the two cars, cows and tanga (a horse-drawn carriage). She notes with pride that theirs was the first home on the street to get a Godrej refrigerator.

But the highlight of No.4, Fane Road was undoubtedly Amolak Ram Kapur’s grand library, with hundreds of books collected over the years. Suneja opens her arms as wide as they go, to show me the vastness of the book

During the early days in Delhi, they relied on the goodness of friends and other refugees. Partition had not yet happened, but Kapur’s eldest son, K.K. Kapur, a wellknown film distributor, had an office space in Lahore and proposed to exchange it for a Muslim friend’s property in Delhi. And so it came to be that the family occupied 9, Rajpur Road, Civil Lines, in Delhi. Suneja remembers walking along Connaught Place, seeing many of her father’s old friends and acquaintances selling their wares on the roadside. At home, food was sparse and relatives from across the border flocked into the small property, making it feel no less than a refugee camp. But whatever the circumstances, their door would always remain open to all. With the sudden influx of family, friends and other refugees, Kapur, once a member of the Lahore bar and owner of a thriving, prosperous practice, was now grateful for the additional financial support from his eldest son.

As the date for Partition approached, the family would listen to bulletins on the radio and read the newspaper, fearing with every passing day that their home and life in Lahore would soon become a thing of the past. As the summer of 1947 came to a close, Kapur reached out to an old friend with a sincere request. It is the mention of this very communication that first caught my interest.

In his memoir, Neither A Hawk Nor A Dove, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, a Pakistani politician, also alludes to 4, Fane Road, Lahore, writing from the perspective of his family. In the summer of 1947, the Kasuris were vacationing in Murree, an idyllic hill station. Young Khurshid recalls eagerly waiting for the pastrywala when his father told the family they had to pack up and return to Lahore immediately. Khurshid, having just turned 6, writes about being very angry at one “Amolak Ram Kapur, whoever he may be” for having cut short his summer vacation. Later, he found out that Kapur was not only a noted Hindu criminal lawyer and his father’s close friend, but had also rung up to ask whether the Kasuris could occupy his now abandoned house on Fane Road, as he feared looters and thieves might enter the grand premises.

When Partition was declared, Kapur realized that his temporary absence would certainly be permanent, and the Kasuris began to pack the Kapur family’s belongings. Boxes upon boxes were fitted in a truck and sent across the new border to an old friend. With tears in her eyes, Suneja recalls the contents of the boxes, “Not only had

Hum dekhenge: If state agencies fail to follow laws citizens will follow suit. Don’t push them to the brink

Times of india

The recovery notices with a stiff seven-day deadline issued by eight Uttar Pradesh districts to over 450 CAA protesters who allegedly vandalised public property raise several questions. States are justified in recovering costs from rioters and ordinarily this course would hugely boost the rule of law. After all, deterrence is sorely needed against those who get away with violence. However, there is a problem when state cannot dispel perception that laws are selectively enforced. Take for instance encounter killings, where instant justice undermines the state’s authority, mocks due process, and creates victims who are among the most marginalised or vilified. Governments wishing to act against rioters are hamstrung by the toothless Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, which merely prescribes a jail term and fine for convicts. The political class must take the blame here but that is no excuse for ad hoc rulemaking. UP is relying on a 2010 Allahabad high court judgment that empowered government to set up a competent authority to accept damage claims, give hearing to all parties, and pass appropriate orders within 30 days. However, this verdict diverges from 2009 Supreme Court guidelines that mandated respective HCs to appoint a sitting/ retired judge as claims commissioner to adjudicate on damages. The need for impartial judicial adjudication is underscored by videos and testimonies exposing acts of vandalism from UP police side too. Relatives of anti-CAA protesters point to the difficulty and fear of filing complaints before the same cops. Reports of police soft-pedalling FIRs on killing of protesters even as they double down on the rioting cases hint at institutional bias. Little different is IIT Kanpur setting up a probe panel to investigate iconoclastic poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s anthemic ‘Hum Dekhenge’. Ignorance about the poet and his verses which have achieved a timeless power to speak the human condition and challenge authoritarianism, while unfortunate, is understandable given the paucity of multi-disciplinary heft in Indian academia. However, to probe lyrically and peacefully protesting students on serious charges like communalism reeks of scare tactics. With judicial scrutiny beginning to kick in, two Muslim men arrested for alleged violence in Delhi’s Seelampur have secured bail after police couldn’t furnish video footage or eyewitnesses. Yogi Adityanath’s “badla” mode is bound to lead to miscarriage of justice, harassment and loss of livelihoods. Instead, UP’s goal must be truth and reconciliation to restore peace and order.

they sent across my father’s vast legal library and his complete and enviable collection of the works of Shakespeare, but the boxes even included all of our warm clothes.” Winter was arriving, and because they had left in haste and had no means to buy new winter clothes, the Kasuris made sure they would not freeze. It was a gesture of absolute kindness and consideration.

“From the boxes, yet another treasure emerged,”Suneja opens an old dusty file and offers it to me. A photocopy of old pages written in longhand, beginning from Sunday, 13 September 1914. This was Amolak Ram Kapur’s personal journal that he had begun as a 14-year-old boy in 1914. Carefully, it too had been packed and sent across to its rightful owner. As I perused the pages of history, Suneja smiled as the inheritor of her father’s legacy.

“I think the Partition broke him—physically, emotionally, even professionally. It took a few months before the East Punjab high court was established in Shimla, and we could return to a life of normalcy. Eventually, my father was appointed president of the Bar Association of the Punjab and Haryana high court. But even in those

first few years of beginning again, we tried to hold no malice for all that happened. Lahore had now long been left behind. But if we lost our homes, then so did people on the other side; and if we were witness to communal violence, then so were they. The pain of Partition is shared amongst the people of India and Pakistan, and though we constantly remember the madness and bloodshed, we often forget or ignore the courageous acts of kindness and friendship that also occurred.

“My father was so touched upon receiving the boxes of our belongings that he wrote a letter of gratitude to his friend, Mian Mahmud Ali Kasuri,” she says. In his memoir, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri recalls his father reading the letter out loud to the family. “Aap kay liyee dil se dua nikaltee hai, I pray for you from the bottom of my heart,” read the contents of the note. It was truly a friendship that survived the divide and has sustained for generations.

Aanchal Malhotra is an oral historian and author of Remnants Of A Separation: A History Of The Partition Through Material Memory.

WILL THE CDS AS PERMANENT CHAIRPERSON OF JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE OUTRANK THE THREE SERVICE CHIEFS EVEN THOUGH THEORETICALLY ALL ARE FOUR-STAR OFFICERS?

ion to another. Even in the exercise of his limited authority he was dependent on co-operation of the two Dominions. Although he represented a legally constituted authority, his position was at best tenuous.

ouTlook

Manish Tewari

On December 30, 2019, the BJP-led NDA government announced the appointment of the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). With this appointment, a new institution has been created not only in the Ministry of Defence, but also in the Indian Republic. This may well have Constitutional implications.

In order to fully appreciate the importance of this decision one needs to look at history.

Between 1861-1947, there were 20 Commanders-in-Chief of the Army in India or the British Indian Army as it was then called. The Headquarters of the Army in India — AHQ India— shifted to Delhi in 1911 when the capital moved from Calcutta to Delhi. During summer, some components of the headquarters would further move up to Shimla, concurrently with the colonial government as the imperialists could not stomach the Delhi heat.

At the commencement of the Second World War, the AHQ was re-designated as the General Headquarters –GHQ India Command. GHQ India remained in actuality up till August 15, 1947. It was disbanded upon the partition of undivided India. A new headquarters of the Pakistan Army was formed out of the Northern Command of the Army in India, and a new headquarters of the Indian Army took over the HQ in Delhi. Field Marshal Auchinleck, the last Commander-inChief of the Army in India, was appointed as the Supreme Commander of the Army in India and Pakistan to transfer responsibilities to the new armies, and to organize the withdrawal of British Army units, former officers and men of the British Indian Army.

On August 15, 1947, both India and Pakistan assumed operational control over their respective Armed Forces. From August 15, Auchinleck was re-designated as the Supreme Commander in order to avoid abstruseness with the new Commanders-inChief of the two Dominion states. Vide the Joint Defence Council Order of August 11, 1947, Auchinleck was vested with limited authority. He had no responsibility for law and order or operational control over any units except those in transit from one Domin-

The office of the Supreme Commander attained quietus on December 1, 1947 upon the formal retirement of Field Marshal Auchinleck. Major General L. G. Whistler was appointed the General Officer Commanding British Troops in India in 1947 and remained in the saddle until the last British unit — the 1 Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry -Prince Albert’s —left on February 28, 1948. The 2nd Battalion — The Black Watch -Royal Highland Regiment — was the last British Army unit to leave Pakistan on February 26, 1948.

The position of the chief of the Indian Army was also known as Commander-inChief from 1947–1955. There were four officers who served in this position. However, in 1955, a conscious decision was taken by the government and this designation was renamed as the Chief of the Army Staff. General Rajendrasinhji Jadeja was the last Commander-in-Chief and the first Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army.

It may be pertinent to note that while the Army Chief was called the Commander-inChief till 1955, the designation was limited to the Indian Army and Air force and the Navy continued to be headed by their respective commanders.

Sixty-four years later, on December 24, 2019, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) put out a press release about the Cabinet clearing the appointment of a CDS. The communiqué inter-alia stated: “The following areas will be dealt by the Department of Military Affairs headed by CDS: The Armed Forces of the Union, namely, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence comprising Army Headquarters, Naval Headquarters, Air Headquarters and Defence Staff Headquarters. The Territorial Army. Works relating to the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Procurement exclusive to the Services except capital acquisitions, as per prevalent rules and procedures”.

It further read that “The Chief of Defence Staff, apart from being the head of the Department of Military Affairs, will also be the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. He will act as the Principal Military Adviser to Raksha Mantri on all tri-Services matters. The three Chiefs will continue to advise RM on matters exclusively concerning their respective services. CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three Service Chiefs, so as to be able to provide impartial advice to the political leadership”. Herein lies the contradiction. As Secretary to Government of India (GoI), in-charge of the

Department of Military Affairs and having superintendence over the Army, Navy and Air Force, there would be an implied subordination of the three service chiefs to the CDS notwithstanding any declaration to the contrary. Moreover, the President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Article 53 (2) of the Indian Constitution declares: “Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the supreme command of the Defence Forces of the Union shall be vested in the President and the exercise thereof shall be regulated by law”. What then would the position of the CDS be qua the Supreme Commander –the President of India? There are also other questions that need to be looked at.

What implications does the nomenclature

Principal Military Advisor to the Defence Minister qua the three service chiefs have in relation to Military advice tendered to the government? Will the advice of the CDS override the advice of the respective Service Chiefs as he heads the newly created Department of Military Affairs?

Will the CDS as Permanent Chairperson of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee outrank the three service Chiefs even though theoretically all are four-star officers? Would the three Chiefs now report to the Defence Minister through Defence Secretary or CDS? In theory, the service chiefs report directly to the Defence Minister while in practice all files and decisions are routed through the Defence Secretary.

What will be the position of CDS qua the Defence Secretary? Would the Defence Secretary, in terms of Rule eleven of Transaction of Business Rules, continue to be the administrative head of the Defence Ministry? What is the remit/ mandate of the proposed Department of Military Affairs? Would the CDS override the Service Chiefs with regard to operational command and control of tri-service agencies and organizations. And finally, what are the implications of the appointment of a CDS for Civil Military Relations? The last part is profoundly serious, for the singular success of India going back to 1947 has been the supremacy of the civilian leadership over the military even in military matters.

For all the reasons that have been articulated by the Kargil Review Committee, Group of Ministers that went into the report of the Review Committee to make its own recommendations, and subsequently the Naresh Chandra Committee, all of whom looked at higher Defence Management issues, there still remain a lot of grey areas as far as the institution of the Chief of Defence Staff is concerned. Are we down another portentous path?

The author is a lawyer, MP, Member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence, and former Information and Broadcasting Minister, GoI.

CMYK Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 ISLAMABAD WORLD VIEW

BJP govt created Chief of Defence Staﬀ post without addressing several fundamental questions

WHEN THE KAPUR FAMILY WAS FORCED TO LEAVE LAHORE OVERNIGHT IN THE WAKE OF PARTITION, THE NEIGHBOURING KASURI FAMILY HELPED THEM SET UP THEIR LIVES IN DELHI

Raj Suneja holding a photograph of her father, Amolak Ram Kapur.