Epaper_23-02-9 LHR

thursday, 9 February, 2023 i 17

Tyre industry fears closure due to shutdown across auto industry

Suzuki announces fourth plant shutdown of 2023

Alvi Asks ECP to ‘immEdiAtEly’ sEt Polls’ dAtE for PunjAb, kP

g sensitises ecp to importance of fair, free polls as specified in constitution

g points to example of u.s. where elections were held even during wars

ing of elections, in fact, if such postponements of constitutionally mandated elections are evaluated throughout the world in recent history, they have morphed into serious long term set-backs to democracy,” he said.

the commission has already taken an appropriate constitutional measure and announced the holding of by-elections on the national assembly seats of various differently situated constituencies.

“it will thus be in the fitness of things and in accordance with constitution and law i.e. elections act, 2017, to immediately announce the date of polls by issuing election schedule and put an end to such dangerous speculative propaganda for these and future general elections,” he added.

Ruling coAlition insists on ‘elections

Police raids on Elahi’s home, arbitrary arrests naked fascism: Imran

Amid oil shortage reports, petroleum minister warns hoarders of stringent action

iSLAMABAD staff RepoRt

Presidentdr arif alvi on wednesday ordered the election commission of pakistan (ecp) to immediately announce the date for snap elections in Khyber pakhtunkhwa and punjab, and put an end to “dangerous propaganda” suggesting the vote should be postponed.

in a letter addressed to the chief election commissioner, sikandar sultan raja, the president has directed the commission to “immediately announce” the election dates for the provincial parliaments in accordance with the elections act, 2017.

he referred to the dissolution of the provincial parliaments in punjab and Khyber pakhtunkhwa and said that, as per article 224(2) of the constitution, elections for the assembly must be held within 90 days of the dissolution.

in his letter, the president emphasised the importance of the ecp’s duty to con-

duct fair and free elections, as specified in part-viii of the constitution, particularly article 218 (3).

he also reminded the cec and members of the tribunal of their oath, as stated in article 214 and the third schedule of the constitution, to discharge their duties in accordance with the constitution and the elections act.

he stressed the significance of the preamble and objectives resolution, which maintain that the state shall exercise its power and authority through elected representatives of the people, and emphasised the democratic principles and values that must be adhered to.

alvi also pointed to the examples of the united states, where elections were held even during wars, and said that the commission had already announced the holding of bye-elections for national assembly seats.

“i am of the firm view that there are no such circumstances as may furnish any justification for delaying or postpon-

in one go’: president alvi’s letter comes a day after the ruling coalition insisted that the country could not afford separate polls, confirming its intention that elections in punjab and Kp within 90 days were not going to happen.

pml-n leader saad rafique said in a press conference on tuesday that elections should be held simultaneously as the country could not afford separate polls amid a precarious economic situation.

“elections should be held in the country at one time,” he made it clear.

similarly, the prime minister’s special assistants, malik ahmad Khan and attaullah tarar, also spoke the government’s mind to hold elections of the national and provincial assemblies on the same day after completion of the tenure of the federal coalition.

malik ahmad Khan was very categorical about the delay in polls in Kp and punjab, saying the constitution doesn’t say anything about holding elections within 90 days. “we cannot meet the demands of imran Khan,” the pml-n leaders said.

the downsizing rigmarole continues

profit report ahmad ahmadaNi instead of announcing a quick and effective strategy to deal with the ongoing shortage of petroleum products in various parts of the country, the minister of state for petroleum musadik malik has preferred to issue a warning of strict action against the hoarding of petroleum products while addressing a news conference in the federal capital on wednesday.

malik said that the country has sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel to meet the needs of the country. “we have stocks of petrol to meet the needs of 20 days while the high speed diesel (hsd) stock is enough to cater the demands of 29 days.”

warning hoarders of petroleum products with serious consequences, he said the government will cancel licenses if someone is found involved in creating artificial shortage. he said that these hoarders are earning

g in most recent round of layoffs, daraz and Byte Become latest targets

profit report

Nisma Riaz

when it rains, it pours. and pakistan’s startup ecosystem has caught the worst part of it for the past year or so. in the latest in a series of lows, e-commerce platforms daraz and Byte have been experiencing serious downsizing, whereby they have cut 11% and about 30% of their workforces respectively. earlier, tech giant foodpanda also discretely laid off employees as the startup this looming threat of unemployment has both the companies’ employees teetering on the precipice of getting fired. apart from the overall economic slowdown in pakistan, what else can be causing such pressing job insecurity in the startup industry?

What has been happening in Pakistan’s startup ecosystem?

the last year ended with a total of an estimated $355 million raised in disclosed funding across 57 deals by pak-

istan’s startups in 2022, according to data compiled by vc and insights firm invest2innovate (i2i). compared to more than $380 million of funding in 2021, last year’s numbers translate to a drop of about 6.6%. this might not seem like a significant drop, however, when considered in light of the expected increase in funding every year, even a small drop seems sizable. the tl;dr below explains how the last quarter of 2022 recorded the lowest amounts of startup funding in the last four years.

for those who thought that last year was the final step in the opposite direction, with prominent startups like airlift and swvl shutting down operations in pakistan, the worst is yet to come. after last year’s abysmal performance, the situation seems to be worsening this year. startup funding is expected to drop even further and companies, like the ones discussed above, are reacting by prioritising profits over growth and slashing their workforces. we might

be headed towards an economic crisis as bad as the one during covid.

Why is this happening?

according to insights, asia encountered a 70.52% year-on-year and a 38.72% quarter-on-quarter decline in startup funding in 2022. moreover, the last quarter recorded the poorest performance of startup funding in asia in five years, whereby only $16.3B was raised. the deal count of 2,371 has also been the lowest count recorded since the pandemic lockdowns across the continent. this shows that venture capital investment all over asia has been declining. cB insights’ data shows that pakistan recorded the lowest investment of $15.15m in the last quarter of 2022 compared to emerging markets. while the rest were northwards of $100 million, except for Brazil, which was at $600m, pakistan only recorded $15.15 million. moreover, pakistan also experienced the steepest decline in quarter-to-quar-

ter investment and the second-worst decline in year-on-year investment. this slowdown can be attributed to the global recession we are living through. it can be argued that the domino effect of a global economic

disrespect from people by creating artificial shortages, adding that these shortages of petroleum products are only due to illegal hoarding. he explained that all this has been happening while the government has been taking measures to ensure availability of oil and gas in the country.

when the state takes action, hoarders will be found weeping while conducting press conferences, malik warned them.

amidst the dire shortage of petroleum products, the minister it seems, chose to change the narrative and lay the blame on hoarders. he rejected reports of shortages across the country and termed them ‘rumours’.

he dispelled the impression that the government has been planning to jack up prices of oil on the demand of the international monetary funds (imf). he said prices of petroleum products are determined in accordance with those of the global oil market.

CONTINUED ON

slowdown, paired with the dreadful local macroeconomic crisis is cascading down to pakistan’s startup ecosystem, explaining the aggressive downsizing in daraz and Byte. more could also be coming.

Amir Dogar, 24 others arrested after PTI-PML-N workers clash

Rajab, 1444

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HOLDING ELECTIONS IN PUNJAB ‘DIFFICULT TASK’ UNTIL OPERATION AGAINST MILITANTS IS OVER, IG TELLS ECP

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

PUNJAB Inspector General (IG) Dr Usman Anwar informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday that it would be a “difficult task” to hold elections in the province until a police operation against militants, expected to be completed in four to five months, was over.

Last week, the Punjab police had launched a grand counterterrorism operation in the highly complex and inaccessible hilly areas of Mianwali district, hours after some heavily equipped militants of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked a police station in the area in the dead of the night.

It is pertinent to mention that the Punjab police chief’s remarks come a day after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IG Moazzam Jah Ansari informed the electoral watchdog that terrorism during the upcoming provincial polls and by-elections for the National Assembly could not be ruled out.

The handout issued by the ECP today said that a meeting was convened to give a briefing on the Punjab elections and the upcoming by-NA elections.

During the meeting, the Punjab IG said that a police operation was under way in

some districts and in South Punjab’s riverine areas which would be completed in four to five months. He said it would be a “difficult task” to hold the provincial assembly elections till the operation was completed.

e also highlighted that terrorism was on the rise in the province, adding that 213 attempted attacks had been thwarted since December on the basis of intelligence reports.

IG Anwar said there were reports of terrorist incidents in “almost all Punjab

districts”. He highlighted that Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan districts were among the top “hotspots” for terrorist activity.

He said that there were various terrorist groups in Bhakkar, Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan, adding that a major terrorist operation was recently prevented in Lahore Police Lines and Mianwali.

IG Anwar said that 412,854 police personnel were required to ensure peaceful

elections in the province while the force comprised only 115,000 officials. He said 300,000 additional officials would be needed to ensure peaceful polls.

The IG said that the services of the Pakistan Army and Rangers would be required to compensate for this shortcoming, while stressing the need for their static deployment. During the meeting, Punjab Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal also pointed out that there was a “serious terrorism threat” in the province.

He assured the meeting that transparency would be ensured in the upcoming polls.

Sumbal said that the provincial government had initiated work regarding the NA byelections, preparation of a security plan and installation of CCTV cameras in all sensitive polling stations.

He added that a control room would also be established in each district during the elections. He suggested that the ECP carry out NA by-elections and the Punjab Assembly polls on the same day.

He explained that if this was not done, the expenses would double. He further said that in such a scenario, law enforcement agencies would also not be able to provide foolproof security.

The electoral watchdog appreciated the input from the two officials and said that it was aware of the provincial government’s

LHC suspends ECP de-notification of 43 PTI lawmakers

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

In a landmark ruling that could have farreaching implications, the Lahore High Court (LHC) Wednesday suspended the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to de-notify 43 lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI) party.

The court has also temporarily postponed the by-elections in the constituencies represented by the denotified members, originally scheduled to take place in two phases on March 16 and 19, until further notice.

The ruling came after a plea was filed by Riaz Fatyana and other lawmakers challenging the National Assembly speaker’s approval of their resignations. The commission had acted after the speaker, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, sent the resignation letters to the electoral body.

Ashraf approved the letters last month after former prime minister Imran Khan indicated a return of his party to the parliament to appoint one of its members as the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.

However, the development meant that only dissident lawmakers of the party, headed by “turncoat” opposition leader

Raja Riaz Ahmed, remained in the National Assembly.

Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice president of the party, had said the main reason for returning to the parliament was to remove Ahmed from the post since the parliament had “no importance”.

During the proceedings, Syed Ali Zafar, a lawyer for the PTI party, argued that its MPs had withdrawn their resignations prior to being accepted by the speaker of the National Assembly.

Zafar argued the speaker’s decision to accept the resignations was against the law and politically motivated, as the retractions made the speaker powerless to accept the resignations.

He also claimed that the speaker’s order was in violation of Supreme Court rules and that he had not even consulted with the PTI lawmakers before accepting their resignations.

As a result of Zafar’s arguments, the court suspended the speaker’s decision and the order from the election tribunal de-notifying the MPs.

The court also issued notices to the federal government and the ECP, instructing them to submit their responses in the matter at the next hearing.

More than 120 MPs loyal to former prime minister Khan resigned en masse

SC seeks details of earthquake relief funds, spending from ERRA

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) to submit details of funds collected for 2005 earthquake relief and reconstruction. A three-member SC bench comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi heard the case filed by Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan against ERRA regarding funds received from the donor countries for relief and reconstruction of the earthquake affected areas in 2005. During the course of proceedings, the court summoned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief secretary and secretary of relief work. The court asked how much funds were collected for rehabilitation of the earthquake-affected areas and how much funds generated at the national and international levels were spent on the relief and construction in affected areas.

on April 11, two days after he was ousted following a contentious vote of noconfidence marred by unprobed allegations of military intervention.

Former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri — who was performing his duties as acting speaker after then-incumbent Asad Qaiser’s resignation — accepted the resignation letters on April 15. However, once Ashraf was elected as the speaker, he decided to verify the resignations by interviewing lawmakers individually, but instead decided in favour

Bilawal urges IMF to avoid burdening flood-hit people with more inflation

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

Wednesday urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and world institutions to avoid burdening the flood hit people of Pakistan with more inflation. The formal talks between Islamabad and IMF started last month to discuss an economy-rescuing plan that also includes an instalment of a $1.1 billion loan payment from a $6.5 billion bailout package, which was designed to ward off Pakistan’s economic meltdown in 2019. The government in pursuance of the IMF’s demand for the much-needed loan has already increased the price of petroleum products which will move the already record-high inflation upwards and increase the rates of power, gas and other commodities that are also in the pipeline. The bailout package is critical for the nation of 220 million as the State Bank of Pakistan-held foreign exchange reserves are at a critical level of around $3 billion, for the week ended January 27, which is enough to cover imports for less than a month.

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

Such situations require a lot of thought process, he had said, declaring he will not accept the resignation letters until he was completely satisfied they were not stepping down under pressure.

However, after Khan hinted at “testing” the prime minister through a confidence vote in a tit-for-tat move similar to the one he himself had faced, Ashraf hastily accepted the resignations and sent the list to the commission.

Pakistan trashes reports it denied access to Indian flight

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan has strongly rejected reports that it denied its airspace access to an Indian Air Force aircraft travelling to Turkey for relief operations, terming them as baseless, false and fabricated. According to diplomatic sources Pakistan never received any request from Indian side for any overflight. The sources said in absence of any request, the question of giving permission to any Indian aircraft for overflight was quite ridiculous. They said Indian media was propagating false and fabricated reports to malign Pakistan. Indian media reported that Pakistan has denied its airspace to Indian Air Force aircraft travelling to Turkey early Tuesday morning.

This is the second time that Pakistan has attempted to prevent India from sending humanitarian aid to nations in need of it. Reports said IAF aircraft were following a standard routine for the HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) missions from India to Turkey.

problems. However, the ECP highlighted that conducting polls was its constitutional and legal responsibility and it would utilise all resources in this regard.

“The Election Commission will hold its own separate meeting in which the decision [on holding elections] will be taken keeping in mind the security of the people and the peaceful conduct of the election,” the statement said.

Earlier today, President Arif Alvi urged the ECP to “immediately announce” the date for polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab and put an end to “dangerous speculative propaganda” on both the provincial assembly and general elections.

In a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja today, Alvi said that the election of an assembly is to be held within 90 days of the dissolution as provided by Article 224(2) of the Constitution.

The president conveyed that it was ultimately the commission, which if it failed to discharge its functions and duties, was to be held responsible and answerable for the violation of the Constitution of the country.

The letter came a day after the ruling coalition insisted that the country could not afford separate polls, confirming its intention that elections in Punjab and KP within 90 days were not going to happen.

PTI demands Raja Riaz’s removal as opposition leader after LHC verdict

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) demanded National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to issue a notification for removing Raja Riaz as leader of the opposition. Reacting over the LHC’s decision of restoring PTI 43 MNAs, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) urged the NA Speaker to show some decency and issued a notification to change the Leader of Opposition in the lower house. PTI leader and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry and Secretary General Asad Umar made the demand in a tweet after the Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended an order of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to denotify the 43 MNAs of the Imran Khan-led party. All the 43 PTI lawmakers, including Riaz Fatyana, Tahir Sadiq, Nasrullah Khan, moved the high court after the speaker and ECP accepted their resignations, which were submitted following the ouster of Imran Khan as prime minister in April last, despite their announcement regarding withdrawal of the resignations. Last month, the speaker had swiftly approved the resignations after the PTI announced to return to the National Assembly in a bid to bar opposition leader Raja Riaz, a dissident PTI leader, from negotiating with the government on caretaker setup in case general elections are announced or supporting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in noconfidence vote. The PTI wanted to appoint its leaders of the opposition and parliamentary leader to put pressure on the coalition government. Taking to Twitter, Fawad Chaudhry said the NA speaker should show some democracy in his actions and issued a notification to replace the leader of the opposition.

Minister urges export oriented policies to accelerate economic growth

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

A senior official has said the government is committed to facilitating the country’s exports and urged the exporters to adopt export-oriented policies for the public and private sectors to accelerate export-led growth. Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal made the remarks during a roundtable with the nation’s exporters to review the progress of the exports and issues being faced by them. “Increasing exports is the only solution to get rid of the economic crisis and every sector should set a target to increase exports,” Iqbal said while assuring them the government would facilitate and remove all bottlenecks in this regard. He told the exporters that the government will soon organise a conference in which 50 brands of the country would be invited to highlight their work globally, adding that a body would be established for this purpose as well so that Pakistan’s work could be showcased internationally.

PAKISTAN, IMF AGREE ON ‘SOME MATTERS’, AISHA PASHA CLAIMS

ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA

MINISTER of State for Finance Dr Aisha

Ghaus Pasha has stated that the Pakistani authorities have reached an understanding with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on some matters.

While talking to the media outside the Finance ministry, the Minister of State for Finance said that discussions with the IMF are moving in the positive direction.

Government is asking for major relief for common people as our focus is to put on hold the expected increase in electricity tariff for the time being.

She said that the electricity tariff would be decided later on as we cannot increase adding that we would be able to protect the common man but those who can afford will have to pay more now.

The Minister claimed that “we have reached some

Suzuki announces fourth plant shutdown of 2023

CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

Suzuki had previously halted production in August, September, and October of 2022. It observed NPDs from August 18 to August 19 , from August 22 to August 26, from August 29 to August 31, from September 6 to September 9, from September 19 to September 23, from October 19 to October 21, and October 24 to October 26. However, Suzuki only saw a Month-on-Month (MoM) decline in August where its sales contracted by 41%. Its MoM figures saw increases of 52% and 33% in September and August respectively based on PAMA’s figures. PAMA’s figures do depict Year-on-Year (YoY) sales decreases in the aforementioned three months of 2022 where Suzuki saw declines of 67%, 46%, and 22% respectively. These decreases, however, are visible even in those months where Suzuki did not observe NPDs. The YoY declines are a characteristic of the entire automotive industry this fiscal year, with those companies not observing NPDs also falling prey to it. February’s round of NPDs will be interesting as they come nearly a month after Suzuki announced an increase in prices across its entire portfolio, with its most affordable car now at the Rs 2 million mark.

Financial inclusion in Pakistan increases to 30%

CONTINUED FORM BACK PAGE

By region, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) recorded the highest level of financial inclusion at 45%, followed by Gilgit Baltistan at 35% and Azad Jammu & Kashmir at 34%. Looking at the division by gender, male registration accounted for the bulk of financial account registrations in 2022 with 47% having at least one registered financial account. Comparatively, only 13% of women are recorded to have at least one registered financial account. Although women’s percentage accounts for less than half of their male counterparts, the financial account registration for women has reached double digits for the first time. Overall, the largest increase was seen in mobile money wallet users, as active usage increased from 8% in 2020 to 16% in 2022. Active usage also saw an increase in bank account holders, indicating an increase from 12% in 2020 to 14% in 2022. Addressing the webinar held by Karandaaz Pakistan on February 7, 2023, Noor Ahmed, Director of the Agri Finance and Financial Inclusion Department of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said, “Over the years, there has been significant progress on financial inclusion. Key initiatives such as RAAST have been transformative in furthering the inclusion of the marginalised.” Karandaaz Pakistan is a not-for-profit specialpurpose vehicle set up under Section 42 in August 2014. The company is the implementation partner of the Enterprise and Asset Growth Programme (EAGR) and Sustainable Energy and Economic Development (SEED) programme of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

understanding and clearance from the prime minister level has also been given on some things”.

She said that the IMF wants more clearance on some issues and Pakistani authorities would satisfy them to reach an agreement.

On the first day of policy level talks, Governor SBP said to have briefed the IMF on external financing before hosting a dinner for the IMF mission.

Sources added that the high-ups from both sides informally held discussions on policy-level topics including the budget deficit, external financing and other key issues.

Sources said that during the technical level talks, the IMF said to have expressed disappointment over the performance of the power sector and wanted withdrawal of Rs 100 billion subsidy provided to the export oriented sector and sought imposition of one percent in general sales tax across the board.

The Fund was not satisfied with the circular debt management plan provided by the government to reduce

Muree Police granted daylong transit-remand: Sh Rashid files another plea for post-arrest bail

the power sector circular debt of Rs 952 billion. The government said to have placed on the table a one off flood levy to mobilize around Rs 180 billion and did not dismiss the possibility of substantial slash in the public sector development program (PSDP) to limit the fiscal deficit.

Historic initiatives taken for rehab, welfare of police ghazis: IGP

Punjab Inspector General Police Dr Usman Anwar on Wednesday described the Punjab Police as a family and he as “its chieftain”, saying care and welfare of every member of “this family” is his foremost priority.

The IG Police said his office has taken historic steps to address financial difficulties and problems of police Ghazis and employees who got disabled due to accidents in service and directed the RPOs, DPOs and unit heads to finalize welfare cases of martyrs, Ghazis, serving and retired employees by the month of February. He reiterated that there should be no delay in completion of cases and sending the recommendations to the Central Police Office for release of fund.

Punjab IG Police Dr Usman Anwar expressed the views while distributing cheques of relief funds under welfare package to the Ghazis of Lahore Police at the Central Police Office here.

Dr Usman said that meeting anything in the line of duty to protect people’s life and property and eradicate anti-social elements were a pride. He said that under the new special welfare package, artificial limbs, electric wheelchairs and beds are being provided to these Ghazis, disabled and sick. Dr Usman Anwar directed that the welfare branch should ensure that the final salary, pension, dowry fund, medical aid, funeral dues, educational scholarships of the martyrs, Ghazis, serving and retired employees of the Punjab Police are paid by the end of February and there should be no pending case of any category of welfare.

According to details, the IGP distributed relief cheques worth Rs3.2 million to Lahore police Ghazis who were disabled in bomb blasts, fighting with dacoits and accidents during duty. Constable Asif Ali was given Rs0.6 million cheque for his lower body paralysis. Similarly, constables Tariq Mehmood, Faisal Farooq and Naseem Khalid were given relief

cheques of three and a half lakh rupees each. Likewise, Rs350,000 each were given to Ghazis of incidents of bomb blasts namely Head Constable Asif Ali , Constable Rizwan Ali , constable Muhammad Rizwan.

ASI Muhammad Fazal was given Rs250,000 while Head Constable Sarfraz Ahmed and Constable Jawad Hussain were given cheques of Rs150,000 each.

IG Punjab directed that the welfare branch should finalize all the future applications of martyrs, Ghazis, serving and retired employees within the stipulated deadline. In this regard, RPOs, DPOs and unit heads should also take decisions on the welfare of martyrs and Ghazis in their districts on priority basis. IG Punjab emphasized that supervisory officers should not spare any effort in solving their problems by keeping close contact with the Ghazis and families of martyrs. Additional IG Welfare Riaz Nazir Gara, DIG IT, Ahsan Younis and DIG Welfare Ghazi Salahuddin and other officers were also present on this occasion.

PTI’s Shandana Gulzar moves IHC for disposal of sedition case

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former MNA Shandana Gulzar Khan moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking disposal of a sedition case against her. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani will hear the petition wherein Ms Khan pleaded the high court to dispose of the case registered at the women police station in Islamabad. She has made the federal government, IG

Islamabad police and SHO of the police station respondents in the case.

Earlier this month, the PTI leader was booked over “provocative remarks” against state institutions. The case against her was lodged under sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), 124-A (sedition), and 505 (statements conducive to public mischief) of the Pakistan Penal Code. STAFF REPORT

ISPR: 12 militants killed in TTP

hideout raid

ISLAMABAD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Security forces acting on intelligence raided a hideout of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) along the border with Afghanistan, triggering an intense shootout that left 12 militants dead, the military said Wednesday.

The pre-dawn raid came amid soaring tensions in Pakistan and in the aftermath of a mosque bombing last week that killed 101 people in Peshawar. The officials blamed the blast on the proscribed group which denied involvement after initially claiming it.

The group is suspected to have a strong presence in Lakki Marwat, where they have launched multiple attacks in recent months. Overnight in the district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security forces launched the operation after monitoring the insurgents for a week, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

“Terrorists were lured in by providing a vehicle for escape that was intercepted and neutralised,” it said.

A day after rejection of bail by a local court, Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Wednesday filed a post-arrest bail plea with the district and sessions court while another court granted the Murree Police one-day transit remand of AML Chief Sheikh Rashid in the same case of remarks against former president Asif Ali Zardari. As per details, District and Sessions Judge Tahir Mahmood sent the bail plea to Additional District and Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra and he will take up the case for hearing on Thursday (tomorrow). In the petition, AML Chief Sh Rashid stated that with the assistance of police, the prosecution has filed false cases against him and despite the notice suspension by LHC they filed the case. “The police have misused their power and the case was registered on a political basis against me”, he claimed. The plea further stated that there is no need for an investigation from Sh Rashid in Adiala Jail, thereby the court is requested to accept his bail plea. Muree Police get one-day transit-remand of Sh Rashid Meanwhile, a local District and Sessions Court granted the Murree Police one-day transit remand of AML Chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid. The Islamabad Police arrested Sh Rashid on Feb 2, over remarks against former president Asif Ali Zardari. Later, another case was also registered against him at the Murree police station for manhandling a police official at the time of his arrest. The veteran politician was brought to the court amid tight security and as the proceeding commenced, Ali Bukhari and Intizar Panjhota, the counsels for Sh Rashid — and the prosecutor presented their arguments.

Pakistan draws attention to escalating Islamophobia on human fraternity day

UNITED NATIONS STAFF REPORT

Pakistan highlighted the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia and escalating hate speech against Muslims in some parts of the world at a virtual event held to mark the Day of Human Fraternity on Tuesday. “While none of the religious communities are immune from violence based on religion or belief, a particularly alarming global trend is the resurgence in Islamophobia that has emerged as a new form of racism characterised by xenophobia, negative profiling and stereotyping of Muslims,” Munir Akram, Pakistan’s permanent representative at UN, said in remarks at the event organised jointly by the missions of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and UN Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC). The Day of Human Fraternity was established by the General Assembly on December 21, 2020, as a way to promote greater cultural and religious tolerance. The declaration “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” was co-authored by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb.

The military said troops also recorded a case of weapons, munition and Afghan currency.

There was no immediate comment from TTP.

The overnight operation against TTP was the first major confrontation since November, when the militant group halted a monthslong ceasefire with the government and resumed attacks on troops and police across the country. The TTP, which maintains sanctuaries in neighbouring Afghanistan, is separate from but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban.

TTP has waged an insurgency in Pakistan in the past 15 years, seeking stricter enforcement of religious laws, the release of its members in government custody and a reduction in the military presence in areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa it has long used as its base. Its fighters, most of whom are hiding in Afghanistan, have been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO troops pulled out of the country after 20 years of war.

COMMISSIONER LAHORE, RUDA CEO REVIEW BAB-E-PAKISTAN PROJECT

AT RUDA’s headquarters a joint meeting between CEO RUDA Imran Amin and Commissioner Lahore Muhammad Ali Randhawa was held to review the progress on ongoing underpass from Kalma Chowk till Bab-e-Pakistan.

Deputy Commissioner Lahore Rafia Haider, representatives of allied departments like WASA, LWMC, PHA etc were also present on the occasion along with the Engineering Executive Directors of both CBD and RUDA.

Mr Imran Amin highlighted the efforts being made by RUDA to add on the solid waste and water treatment along with the initiatives being taken to enhance the green cover through afforestation. He while highlighting the importance of historical site of Bab-e-Pakistan, said that CBD is making the national monu-

Exhibition ‘Photographic Images and Matter: Japanese Prints of 1970s’ inaugurated

The Japan Foundation and the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan in collaboration with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) have showcased an impressive exhibition of “Photographic Images and Matter: Japanese Prints of the 1970s” here at the premises of the National Art Gallery. WADA Mitsuhiro, the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, inaugurated the exhibition on Wednesday 8th February in the presence of many guests including artists and art students. The Japan Foundation’s newly organized travelling exhibition “Photographic Images and Matter: Japanese Prints of the 1970s” which is curated by the curator Kyoji TAKIZAWA focuses on print expressions from the 1970s as seen in the work of 14 artists who helped develop a print movement in the world of Japanese contemporary art. Divided into two sections, the exhibition showcases “The Age of Photographic Images,” which focuses on the use of photographic images in the print medium, and “Images of Autonomous Matter,” which focuses on works that were shaped by the intentions of matter.

Academic Saeed

Shafqat elected chairman of PEF BoD

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

ment there which will also house a museum of future, thereby blending history to the posterity.

“The maximum area of Bab-e-Pakistan is going to be green, which is one of the first monuments of Pakistan where first Muslim Refuge camp was settled in the aftermath of independence of Pakistan,” he added.

Moreover, proper mechanism for water storage and flow of sewerage in business district was also discussed in detail.

At the end, commissioner Lahore assured that all necessary and required support from allied departments will be provided to RUDA and CBD for the completion of assigned tasks in the realm of public good and facilitation to the denizens of Lahore.

Pak, China space technology cooperation landmark in history: Pang Chunxue

ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

Madam Pang Chunxue, Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan said on Wednesday said that China, Pakistan cooperation in space technology represents a landmark experience in Science and Technology cooperation and it will be recorded in the history of bilateral friendship.

Addressing the participants of a ceremony to mark the bilateral cooperation here at the Ministry of Science and Technology with support of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Pakistan, COMSTECH, International Center for Chemical and Biological Center on the eve of the return of Pakistani Seeds from Chinese Space, Ms Pang laudd the scientists of both countries for their joint efforts in a successful scientific experiment.

The ceremony was attended by the political leadership, diplomats, scientists, technologists, professionals and senior officers of the ministry and its

attached organizations. She also said that both countries are committed to building a closer community with a shared future, through open and inclusive cooperation, for the benefit of their peoples and the prosperity of the nations. Ms. Pang said that she believes that deepening cooperation will bring greater benefits.

Addressing the ceremony, Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Prof. Dr. Ahsan Iqbal said that the “Seeds in Space” project is a milestone in collaborations between scientists of both countries. The project provides a plat-

form for researchers to share knowledge and resources, leading to economic growth. This project is a cornerstone in advancing space science, herbal medicine, and research.

The Minister further said that continuity of policies and political stability plays vital role in progress of any country as it was seen in China while approach of polarisation, sudden change in governments, left the country behind in today’s world.

Space technology today was very critical for human development, life on earth and protection of environment, he added. He also hoped that soon Pakistani astronauts would join the China in space missions.

Speaking at the occasion, Pakistani scientists’ project and group lead Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General COMSTECH and Director ICCBS said that ICCBS is proud to announce a major milestone in the cooperation of space science and technology between Pakistan and China with the successful sending of seeds into space.

Senator sees CPEC as transformative initiative for economic development

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Mushahid Hussain Syed, chairman of the Defense Committee of the Senate, said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a transformative initiative for the economic development and growth of Pakistan.

Briefing the upper house of the parliament on the Senate delegation’s visit to CPEC projects in Sindh, the senator said that infrastructure and energy projects under CPEC have been bringing about socio-economic growth for the country. Expressing his gratitude to the Chinese government for

supporting Pakistan in developing CPEC projects, he said that CPEC has provided a basis for energy security, employment, and changing the lives of Pakistanis.

Hussain highlighted that various development projects in Sindh, especially in Tharparkar, a Hindu-dominated district of the province, are a success story of the country. “The world has changed and Tharparkar is leading from the front. The women of Tharparkar are riding dumper trucks under CPEC projects. They are brave and strong. Some 1,000 dumper trucks are operating in the area out of which 100 are ridden by women,” he said.

The senator said Tharparkar is producing 5,000 MW of power, generating 12,000 new jobs, and is home to 12.8 billion tons of coal, the black gold that is contributing to the national economy through coalpowered energy projects under CPEC.

CPEC is a guarantor of a better tomorrow for Pakistan, he said, adding that as a trusted friend, China has reposed its confidence in the future of Pakistan by investing in CPEC projects.

Launched in 2013, CPEC is a corridor linking the Gwadar port in southwestern Pakistan with Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport and industrial cooperation between the two countries.

The 82nd meeting of the Board of Directors at the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) headquarters in Lahore was conducted on Wednesday, and Dr. Saeed Shafqat, a renowned author and academic, was elected as the new chairman of the body. Attendees included Naveed Shahzad Mirza from the School Education Department, Hassan Farooq from the Planning and Development Department, Qaratul Ain Zafar from the Finance Department, Shaheen Mehboob from the Social Welfare Department, Dr. Intizar Hussain Butt from the University of Education, and Moazzama Masood from the Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department. Dr. Azam Chaudhry and Dr. Basit Khan participated in the meeting online. The managing director of PEF, Manzar Javed Ali, welcomed all board members and congratulated Dr. Shafqat — who is also the founding director of the Centre for Public Policy and Governance (CPPG), a public policy and research institute at Forman Christian College — on his election as its chairman. During the meeting, Dr. Shafqat expressed his gratitude to the board members and Ali, and expressed hope for further improvements in PEF’s educational initiatives through the collective experience of the members. The chairman praised the work of PEF partners and team members, crediting their success to the public-private partnership model used by PEF. He also acknowledged the efforts of the teachers in PEF schools, stating that they are contributing to the improvement of education quality through their hard work and dedication.

Pilots unharmed in PAF training plane emergency landing

KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) training aircraft, a Super Mushshak, made an emergency landing in a field near Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday. Both pilots survived the crash and a board of inquiry will be established to investigate the incident. The Super Mushshak is an advanced variant of the Mushshak used for training aspiring pilots. It has a service ceiling of 22,000 feet, a max speed of 268 kilometres per hour, and a range of 814 kilometres. It was upgraded in 2017 for counter-insurgency operations and is in use by several countries including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran, and South Africa. Pakistan was set to export 40 Super Mushshaks to Turkey in a joint effort between PAF and the Turkish aeronautical complex.

Pak, China to collaborate in animal IVF, cloning technologies

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

A Chinese cell biotechnology company and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to collaborate in the research and development of animal In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and cloning technologies. According to a Gwadar Pro’s report, Muhammad Ishaq, Secretary PARC and Dr. Qaisar Shahzad, Director Royal Cell Biotechnology (Pakistan) signed the LoI in the presence of Chairman PARC Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali. Under the LoI, the Chinese company will assist PARC in establishing an animal IVF lab at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), the research arm of the PARC, Dr. Qaisar told Gwadar Pro. He said that the scientists of the company will also train Pakistani scientists at NARC in animal IVF and cloning technologies. Dr. Qaisar said that the company had already established a state-of-the-art animal IVF lab in Lahore and will assist PARC in setting up similar labs at NARC. Furthermore, the company will soon receive a delegation of scientists from the Guangxi Buffalo Research Institute of China. “They will place cloning equipment worth around PKR 25 million and also train our Pakistani staff in cloning technologies. We will then train the NARC scientists”, Mr. Qin Junjie, CEO of the company said. He said that the company will be the first organisation to conduct research in animal cloning in Pakistan.

Multinational aMan 2023 exercise to start on 10th: pak navy

ISLAMABAD Staff report

MEDIAbrief of multinational Maritime Exercise AMAN-23 was held at PNS JAUHAR. Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami briefed media regarding Exercise details.

Pakistan Navy has been conducting AMAN series of multinational maritime exercise every two years since its beginning in 2007. Eighth edition of the exercise is scheduled to be held this year from 10-14 February, involving participation of over 50 countries with ships, aircrafts, Special Ops Forces/ EOD Marines teams and observers. The exercise is divided into two phases: harbour and sea. Harbour phase involves activi-

ties such as seminars, operational discussions, professional demonstrations, international get togethers and pre-sail planning of evolutions at sea. The sea phase would include tactical maneuvers, exercises related to maritime security such as anti-piracy and counter terrorism, search and rescue, gunnery firings and air defence exercises. Highlight of the sea phase will be the International Fleet Re-

pr cargo trains’ fare increased by 25pc, notification issued

ISLAMABAD

Staff report

After a 10 percent increase in passenger trains fares, the Pakistan Railways has jacked up the fares of freight trains by 25 percent also.

A notification about raise in cargo train fairs were issued here on Wednesday.

Those who desired to send parcels and luggage through freight trains would have to bear 25 percent additional expanses now.

Former chinese ambassador appointed as assistant minister

ISLAMABAD

Staff report

Nong Rong, the former Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, has been appointed assistant minister of foreign affairs, the State Council announced.

Nong, 56, was appointed Chinese ambassador to Pakistan in 2020. He held a farewell reception on Jan 16 in Islamabad announcing his departure. Nong spent the majority of his career in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. He became mayor of Guigang in 2015 and was named head of the regional commission of ethnic and religious affairs in 20.

corporate corner

way. Cumulatively, these realities make maritime stability a vital national security interest. We realize the importance of maritime security not only for Pakistan but for all other countries whose prosperity and progress are tied to the seas.

descon oxychem completes 9-million ‘safe’ man-hours

view, which will be witnessed by national and foreign dignitaries

As a maritime nation, Pakistan has substantial stakes in keeping our seas safe and secure. Our interests are based on three major factors. Firstly, our extraordinary dependence on the seas for trade; secondly, operationalization of CPEC project and thirdly, our strategic location astride the global energy high-

While we talk of security and stability at sea, let us be mindful of the threats and challenges that we face in the maritime domain, ranging from piracy, terrorism, narco-arms trafficking to climate change. However, vastness of the seas makes it extremely difficult for any one nation to deal with these diverse challenges alone. This calls for collective effort to make sure the seas remain safe and secure for all of us to use and benefit from. Pakistan Navy is therefore a firm believer in the concept of Collaborative Maritime Security and has been actively participating in Maritime Security.

Three die in Swat loader pickup plunge

SWAT

Syed Shahabuddin

Three persons died here on Wednesday when a loader pickup plunged into a ditch near Sarbanda area of Matta Tehsil in Swat District.

According to Matta Police Moharar Fayaz Khan, the loader pickup was on the to a hilly area Sarbanda from Matta when the accident occurred.

He informed the dead included driver 22-year-old Muhammad Salim, son of Muhammad Saeed;

25-year-old Attaullah, son of Ghulam Muhammad and 21-year-old Abdul Samad, son of Pai Mohammad. The police said cause of the accident could not be ascertained yet. However, a local source told this scribe that the accident happened due to “brake failure.”

Meanwhile, two persons including a woman died and two others sustained injured in an explosion in a firecrackers-producing factory in Okara.

According to police, the explosion occurred in a firecracker-man-

ufacturing factory near Shabir Walakho in Okara. As result, four persons including three women sustained injuries. Rescue 1122 rushed to the post and rushed the injured to THQ Hospital Okara where two of them including a woman, succumbed to their burns. Later, the two other injured namely, Muhammad Ahmed and Fouzia were referred to Lahore due to their precarious.

Meanwhile, DPO Mansoor Aman ordered to arrest the culprits behind the incident.

Pakistan Railways, two Chinese companies to launch app in Gwadar

GWADAR Staff report

Pakistan Railways, state-owned department, has established offices in Gwadar, and it has been assigned the task of increasing relations with Chinese companies working in Gwadar Port Authority, Gwadar Development Authority, Gwadar Port and Free Zones.

According to Gwadar Pro, Pakistan Railways and two Chinese tech companies NORINCO International Cooperation, Easyway have signed an MoU to launch an app named ‘Railway Automated Booking & Travel Assistance (RABTA)’ to modernize the operations of the department.

Talking to media after the MoU signing ceremony at the Railway Headquarters in Lahore on Monday, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said the

RABTA app was one top solution for all travel needs where passengers can reserve hotel rooms, taxies and plan their food during traveling. The minister said the agreement with the Chinese companies was totally based on the revenue sharing formula.

He further added while admitting the importance of Gwadar Port that there is enough land of Pakistan Railways in Gwadar, they have opened their sub office there and assigned the officers and staff from it. “Apart from this we will set up the railway for the future together with Gwadar Port Authority, Gwadar Development Authority and other companies that are working.”

He said that Pakistan Railways will build its strong system in Gwadar to take full advantage of the upcoming economic boom, which will stabilize the financial condition of the railways.

Amid oil shortage reports, petroleum minister warns hoarders of stringent action

conTInueD fRoM pAGe 01

Regarding the import of oil from Russia, Malik said these matters will be settled by the end of March, and it is hoped that the supply of Russian oil to the country will start in April 2023.

Malik also said that he will submit a report to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within the next two days regarding the recent power breakdown.

It is relevant to note that reports of the shortage of petroleum products in various cities of the Punjab have been circulating in the media since the last few days and petrol pumps have curtailed oil supply to the customers.

On Wednesday, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Au-

thority (OGRA), in a letter written to the Punjab chief secretary, pointed out 19 illegal storage facilities.

According to OGRA Spokesman Imran Ghaznavi, these storages are illegal which might be in use to dump/store petroleum products for inventory gains and contribute to the existing shortage in different cities of Punjab. He said OGRA had directed the chief secretary to take strict action against the illegal hoarders, sharing a list of illegal petrol/diesel storages, identified through market intelligence.

“It is aimed at avoiding deliberate shortage [of the petroleum products] in the province,” said Ghaznavi.

He added that the authority had also dispatched its enforcement teams to check the identified storages and

ensure a smooth supply of petroleum products across the province.

It is pertinent to mention here that citizens are experiencing a repeat of the January 2015, June 2020 and June 2022 petroleum shortage situation and that the absence of concerned authorities is conspicuous. It appears that regulators, the petroleum division and other market players have not learnt any lesson from past crises.

All concerned are shifting the blame onto each other as is the norm, and no one seems ready to take responsibility to come up with a plan to avoid a repeat oil crisis in the country. The need of the hour is to take swift and constructive action so that people need not suffer again in the days ahead.

PM forms committee to revive operations of ‘neglected’ STZA

ISLAMABAD

Shahzad paracha

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee to revive the operations of the ‘neglected’ Special Technology Zones Authority (STZA) due to his dissatisfaction with its performance.

The PM held a crucial meeting today with high-level officials regarding the STZA. He instructed the committee to

present its recommendations within a week and also directed to immediately operationalise the STZA’s board of governors which should consist of experts from the relevant field. The committee will be led by the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar while other members include the Minister of IT and Telecom, the Minister of Law, Chairman BoI, Senator Afnan Ullah, Advisor to PM Ahad Cheema, Special Assistant to PM Jahanzeb Khan, and Chairman CDA.

The prime minister stated that any waste of public funds would not be tolerated. He pointed out that while Pakistani skilled youth were earning a living on their own, the relevant authority was not functioning properly.

The STZA’s true purpose, he emphasized, was to support technology and not real estate. He stressed that there must be no delays in reforming and reviving the organization. The prime minister was

lahore: Descon Oxychem Limited (DOL) — a leader in Hydrogen-Peroxide (HP) market of Pakistan — which prides itself with a strong commitment for health, safety and environmental-sustainability, achieved the milestone of completing ‘9 million safe man-hours’, spread over its 14 years of operations. Commenting on this remarkable success, the ViceChairman of Descon, Faisal Dawood said, “I would like to congratulate every employee at Descon Oxychem for this accomplishment. Your performance has been inspirational over the years and I am sure you will continue to work with the same passion and diligence in future too.”

A formal ceremony was held to reward the key performers of DOL, with certificates of recognition, to recognize their valued efforts for maintaining the highest level of operational-safety. Renowned scholar and LUMS faculty member Dr Faheem Akhtar also attended the event and shared industry insights with the audience. pr

Funeral in absentia for turkiye quake vicitms to be offered in Faisal Masjid on Friday

Islamabad: The funeral prayers in absentia for the people of Turkiye and Syria who lost their lives in the recent huge earthquake shall be offered in Faisal Masjid on February 10 after jumma prayers at 1:30. On this occasion, faithful shall pray for the eternal peace of Turkish and Syrian Muslims who died in the earthquake. Ambassadors of Muslim countries, prominent political figures, senior officials of Islamabad administration and a large number of citizens from the twin cities will participate in the funeral prayers in absentia. pr

nust prepares relief aid worth rs4M for quake victims of turkiye

Islamabad: Following a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Turkiye and Syria, NUST Islamabad has joined the Government of Pakistan in its relief efforts for providing humanitarian assistance to the victims of brotherly nations.

So far, NUST has prepared relief aid worth PKR 4 Million for earthquake victims of Turkiye and continues its efforts through Donation Camps established outside Gates 1 and 2, and at Concordia 1, NUST Campus, Islamabad. An appeal has also been launched with messages being disseminated through various platforms of digital media requesting people to be part of the noble cause. pr

eng Qamarul islam raja, chairman Bodiesco distributes appointment letter

also briefed about the interest shown by several hundred companies in STZA, with 63 percent being Pakistani companies and the rest from China, America, Turkey, and other countries.

Sources said that the high ups of STZA were asking for time from the Prime Minister for the last nine months but the PM did not bother to take briefing from the department merely because the previous government had established this department.

Islamabad: IESCO is your own institution and we hope that you will utilize all your abilities for its improvement and will take IESCO to new heights of success like your parents did, these views were expressed by Chairman Board of Directors IESCO Engineer Qamar-ul-Islam Raja while distribution of appointment letters on regular basis among the widows and children of 45 employees under Deceased quota. Chairman BOD IESCO advised newly appointed employees that your first priority should be to provide the best services to the electricity consumers and make it easier for them. IESCO Chief Dr. Muhammad Amjad Khan said on this occasion that your parents have made sacrifices for this institution and we feel happy today by recruiting you in IESCO. Chief Executive IESCO further said that the institution will provide you all the facilities but you should also have a duty to render your services with honesty, hard work and dedication. General Manager Development Mian Dilawar Shah, Director General (HR) Baray Karam, Additional Director General (HR) Ghulam Rasool and others also participated in the event. pr

Getting our act together

The government is making itself ineffective

THE present government has managed, despite apparently the best intentions, to show that it does not really care about the resurgence of terrorism in the country. it is not really the sole stakeholder to be blamed, because the opposition PTi is also busier playing politics over an issue that affects the entire nation. That an all Parties conference has been called by the government on the issue is a preliminary step, barely an acknowledgement that the country is faced with problems that cannot be solved by the party or parties alone. it is also an acknowledgement that Parliament cannot speak for the nation as a whole, because one component, the PTi, has resigned from it. it might be remembered that, at the time of the 2014 army Public School massacre, the last time an all Parties conference was called by the government, the PTi, then a component in the opposition, had also withdrawn from Parliament. in 2014, on the other hand, when the government wanted to get everyone on board for the Salala incident (when US gunship helicopters had shot up a Pakistani border post, as no one was sitting out of Parliament, the government did not have to resort to the aPc mechanism, but merely called a joint session Parliament to express the will of the nation.

However, while by calling an aPc, the government is accepting that the problem is now too big for it to handle on its own, its postponements to accommodate the schedule of key officials, belittles it. First the coaS, who was one of the briefers, and who could probably be substituted by another officer, had to make a prescheduled visit to the UK. Now the Prime Minister finds it necessary to go to Syria and Turkey to express condolences. it has to be acknowledged that the tragedy is immense, but also that Turkey’s President Recip Tayyip Erdogan visited Pakistan after the catastrophic 2014 floods, yet it also has to acknowleged that Pakistan is itself still reeling from the January 30 attack, and the aPc on it should be his priority, more so because there is no one else who can substitute for him.

apart from the need for individuals to realize that the aPc must top their list of priorities, parties must realize that it is possible to attend the aPc while sticking to their political stance. While the terrorism issue, and even that of the economic quagmire, are issues of governance, and thus of governance, they are too big to be handled by the normal tactics of partisan politics, and demand a show of national unity that might run contrary to the divisions that rive the polity today. History will not forgive those who insist on narrow political ends.

Zia Bhi Zinda Hai

Zia

EaRly morning on 5 July 1977 Pakistan came under the boots, coaS Gen Ziaul Haq deposed the elected government of Zulfiqar ali Bhutto and clamped Martial law in the country after weeks of street protests by the opposition parties. in the evening he addressed the nation and promised to hold national elections within 90 days as required by the constitution. a day earlier the negotiating team of the government and opposition had reached an agreement on holding fresh national elections yet the Sipah-e-Salar decided to defy the constitutional limits.

ZaB was moved to the Murree Governor’s house under protective custody. Within the army there was resistance to the move, it was considered an operation conducted mainly by Zia and lt Gen Faiz ali chisty, the corps commander Rawalpindi. i personally had the chance of meeting the senior most officer Gen Muhammad Sharif, who was the cJcS (chairman Joint chief of Staff). Unlike Zia, General Sharif was a professional soldier with an outstanding service record. He lived in his very basic house in Westridge.

i asked him a direct question; “Why did you support the takeover”?in his own words; “i was against the move, called Zia and asked him to return to the barracks. He promised to hold elections within the stipulated period and requested me to continue till then. on the 91st day when elections were not held, i stopped going to the office”. in the Supreme cournat Zia admitted that he decided to take over as he was being removed as Sipah-e-Salar.

Zia held office for over 11 years on the promise of holding elections. He had to be blown up in midair to end his rule and revive the democratic order.

The Wagon Route from Faysal Mosque where his parts are buried is chanted by conductors as; “Jabrha (Jaw) chowk to Bomb Factory (PiNSTEcH Nilore). He came up with all the excuses in the book to prolong his misrule (islami Nizam, Positive results, Pehlay Ehtesab, Referendum etc). in Punjab he launched his brand of Pakistan Muslim league (PMl) while in Karachi he founded the militant Mohajir Quami Movement (MQM). He

aalso decided to indulge in the US war in afghanistan against the USSR on the second day of the new year when i heard PMl(N) stalwart and federal minister Javed latif utter “Pehlay Ethesab” (First accountability) i was reminded of the fact that “ Zia Bhi Zinda Hai (Zia is still alive) even over 34 years after his violent demise. His misdeeds continue to haunt us till today.

While ZaB’s party ceased to exist after the assassination of Benazir, the current leadership continues to chant the slogan; “Jiye Bhutto” (long live Bhutto) which has now become a brand for them to win votes. While on the other hand the ‘ Zia Doctrine’ is alive and kicking as well through his proteges. The usurper used the state apparatus against the will of the people to extend his misrule. The ‘Zia Doctrine’ is repeatedly used to thwart the will of the people. in 1993, when the government of Nawaz Sharif was restored by the Nasim Hasan Shah-led Supreme court, he went straight to the grave of his ‘political godfather’ and mentor to offer fateha despite the fact that he was removed through the draconian Zia amendment’s article 58(2b). i was compelled to write an article titled; “ Victory of Restoration “ to remind him of the ‘Zia Dark ages’ that deshaped the unanimously agreed constitution of 1973.

untold and unappreciated by the remnants of these dictatorships.

During the hay days of altaf Hussain, another Zia find, i read an interesting wall-chalking in Karachi “Quaid Hum Sharminda Hain Aapke Dushman Zinda Hain” (o leader we are ashamed that your enemies are still alive). Since then a lot of water has flown under the bridge. The vigillantes of the MQM Quaid no longer control the streets of the city, and he himself lives in self-exile in london. currently efforts are in place to unite and revive the MQM which is an effort to keep the ‘Zia Doctrine’ alive. Perhaps the tussle between two dead men (Bhutto, Zia) is about to be re-ignited decades after their demise.

The establishment has erred again. The battle is now being fought for civilian supremacy. The ‘Zia Legacy’ can no longer be kept alive. Another free and fair election in 2023 will perhaps bury the dead for all times to come

Zia’s takeover in July 1977 has been discussed by various scholars. it is widely believed that Zia waited in the wings until he was convinced that Bhutto had lost his public support. He went to meet his former boss in Murree where Bhutto gave him a piece of his mind. Even then Zia thought they were cries of a wounded beast. after his release when Bhutto arrived in lahore to a hero’s welcome the emergency bells started to ring. Quaide-awam was back with a bang. Nawaz tried a similar entry after his removal from office but failed. it seemed that Zia had been finally buried but with thePMl(N) coming back into power in april 2022 they were hoping for another chance but to their misfortune Kaptan came in the way.

Pakistan has a history of constitutional crises. Recently a book has been published, The Miracle of Philidelphia, which narrates the story of constitutionmaking in USa in the late 18th century. colonized nations find it hard to reach an agreement between the rulers and the ruled. Dictators have played havoc with our constitution. Personally i think the story of the making of the 1973 consensual document remains

The establishment has erred again. The battle is now being fought for civilian supremacy. The ‘Zia legacy’ can no longer be kept alive. another free and fair election in 2023 will perhaps bury the dead for all times to come. While thousands of devotees still pay homage to their fallen Quaid in Naudero, the Zia grave is usually deserted in the centre of the capital where he ruled for over 11 years, indicating that ‘Zia Zinda Nahin Hai ‘ (Zia is not alive).

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

Hybrid Warfare and Pakistan’s sluggish approach

Social media and cyber domains are important components of hybrid warfare in the 21st century. Pakistan is a victim of offensive actions carried out by a potential aggressor against its national security, just like many other developed and developing nations. in spite of having more than 80 million active users who are directly connected to the internet, it didn’t release its first cyber security policy until 2021.

However, the idea of “cube security” is becoming more crucial as a result of the rise in automation brought on by information technology. Three key tenets—privacy, data quality, and availability—form the foundation of cube security. With regard to cube security, Pakistan’s recently released 2021 cyber security policy demonstrates that the country’s decision-makers and experts are well aware of its significance and various dimensions in the cyber domain. The 2021 policy highlights all major aspects of cube security. This policy also provides an implementation framework to achieve the desired results.

However, the issue and main obstacle stem from the lack of resources needed to implement this policy framework and achieve the desired results. The weak institutional framework further aggravates the situation, along with a fragile economy.

Whereas strong economies and institutions play a very important role in the prosperity of any nation, if the country doesn’t have the available resources to implement the already devised policies, then policy formulation only goes to waste. Similar circumstances exist in Pakistan, where the implementation of the cyber Security Policy 2021 is already behind schedule and is further hampered by a lack of resources and unstable economic conditions.

The 2021 cyber Security Policy clearly demonstrates the failures up until now because of the rapid increase in cyber-attacks that have taken place in recent times. The prime minister’s office is regarded as the most accountable body of the state, and it is where the current and former prime ministers of Pakistan had their private conversations. if the security of that office is compromised to the point where confidential and secret data related to governing issues and problems can be easily bugged and leaked on social media to cause chaos among the general public, then the state faces serious security challenges.

There are a number of reasons why Pakistan has a hesitant approach to cyber security. one of the main reasons is a lack of awareness and understanding of the threat. Many Pakistanis are not taking the necessary precautions to protect themselves because they are not aware of the risks posed by cyber warfare and social media manipulation. Similar to this, Pakistan’s enemies use the weaknesses and openings in its social media infrastructure as a tool of exploitation to gain a political advantage. Some recommendations Pakistan should take into account, keeping in mind the current threat and challenges, are the following:

Pakistan must act quickly to combat a new foe. it realized its position only when the storm was already near enough to cause destruction. There is no doubt about the fact that it also takes many initiatives to contain the situation. However, in order to compete with its adversaries’ cyber capabilities and strength, it is crucial to invest quickly in the cyber army. after all, it must contend with nations that have been active in this field for a long time.

Pakistan has been slow to react in recent years to the escalating threat of cyber warfare and social media ma-

nipulation. This has made the nation susceptible to numerous cyber-attacks, such as hacking, phishing, and defamation campaigns. Recently, there have been a number of attacks on Pakistan’s military by political parties. These attacks have taken the form of public statements and demonstrations and have been directed at both the military’s leadership and its actions. The implications of these attacks for Pakistan’s national security are significant.

First, attacks on the military, a crucial element of national security, have the potential to erode public confidence in the institution. Second, these assaults have the potential to cause divisions within the military, which could reduce its effectiveness and cohesion in defending against security threats. additionally, any negative perception of the military can also affect the foreign relations of the country, particularly with the countries that have strategic defense ties with Pakistan. Therefore, in

Pakistan’s political system, the military is a crucial institution, and any deterioration in its standing could have a significant impact on the stability of the entire nation.

Significantly, more funding ought to be given to both the military and the government. as the cyber domain is now evolving into a new battlefront between india and Pakistan and will gain momentum in the following era, Pakistan’s strategy and spending in this area need to change. Therefore, it is crucial that the government make significant investments in cyber security resources to handle the new dynamics.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of political will to tackle this issue. cyber security and social media are not a priority for the government, as it is more focused on other pressing issues such as terrorism and political instability. The country must take immediate steps to address this issue by increasing awareness, investing in resources and expertise, and prioritizing cyber security and social media in its national security strategy. Failure to do so could have significant consequences for Pakistan’s security and stability in the long term.

Pakistan should develop an effective social media army to counter misinformation and propaganda. The development of some delaying strategies is necessary in order to gain some control over the social media environment within its sphere of influence while operating under the restrictions of constrained finances and resources.

The government can maintain strict control over the situation by using neutralizing strategies, such as counter-narrative campaigns supported by substantial background evidence. Promoting self-empowerment and indigenization in relation to computer infrastructure and technologies as well as develop one’s own social media platforms, can also be bright spots in a gloomy situation.

The writer can be reached at rafiashafique1999@gmail.com

The government can maintain strict control over the situation by using neutralizing strategies, such as counternarrative campaigns supported by substantial background evidence.

Rafia Shafique

Population explosion and deluded minds

lation bomb which poses a threat to the security of the state and well-being of people. another origin of high birth rates in poor and middle-class families is the mistaken belief that having children is a divine blessing. People overlook the other crucial religious teaching that parents are equally accountable for their children’s upbringing, which includes providing for their needs as they grow up. islam encourages planning in all aspects of life. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) remarked “a strong and physically fit Muslim is better than a feeble and physically weak Muslim.” it is obvious that having healthy, strong children is impossible without adequate birthing facilities and family planning.

Editor’s mail

Dunning-Kruger effect is at play

iN the current post-truth era, where truth no more matters, and when fake information is pedalled and imbibed through osmosis, everyone behaves as the most authentic person in town; the pseudo-savants. The deluge of halfcooked information has produced people with shallow knowledge who are nothing more than intellectual quacks. Such people actually suffer from the Dunning-Kruger effect under the influence of which individuals with half or no knowledge about a phenomenon paradoxically pose as the most authentic source of information on that very topic.

This is to perpetrate intellectual dishonesty and reasoning corruption. although the Dunning-Kruger effect remained scientifically undiscovered till the late 20th century, it was present in human society as is corroborated in proverbial sayings, like ‘a little knowledge is a dangerous thing’.

Even writers through the ages warned of its deleterious impact. charles Darwin said: “ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.” But now the whole thing has attained pandemic proportions, especially, but not exclusively, in our part of the globe with questionable digital literacy.

The ubiquitous affectees, the victims of Dunning-Kruger effect, are ever ready to express their half-baked opinions unasked on every matter whether it falls in their purview or not. They shun others opinions with definitiveness without giving a single thought.

it makes them intolerant in discussions and dialogues where they barge into on their own. actually it springs from knowledge gap when they fail to keep pace with the world around them which is moving on at high velocity. Their inflated self-assessment makes them egoistic regarding the acceptance of their opinions. Their inauthentic ideation ends up making them persona non grata in public discourse. The study of the DunningKruger effect in the field of education goes a long way in gauging the rot that is eating into the vitals of our education system. Students spending more time on digital screen are know-it-all, and they do not like to listen to teachers even on topics that require experience-based knowledge.

PoPUlaTioN explosion is considered as one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. it occurs when the number of organisms surpasses the maximum capacity of their habitat.

The ticking bomb of population poses a severe threat to the national security of Pakistan. Pakistan’s population has pushed it up to the ranks of the world’s fifth most populous country with 230 million people. at the time of independence, the western wing of the country was home to approximately 43 million individuals. Every year, four to five million children are added to the population due to an alarmingly high growth rate of 2.4 percent. at this rate, Pakistan will likely have over 300 million people by 2030. it is an undeniable fact that no nation can climb the ladder of prosperity without first controlling its population growth rate. Pakistan’s rapid population growth is a major impediment to the country’s development and it has effects on nearly every aspect of the state.

Several factors are contributing to the rapid increase in the population of Pakistan, and low literacy rate is one of them. it is well-established that there is a causal association between a female going to school, even for a brief period of time, and having fewer kids in her lifetime as compared to a girl who does not go to school at all. The Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey in 2018 found that the average number of children born to uneducated women in Pakistan was 4.2 while the average number born to highly-educated women was 2.6. For instance, in iran, where there has been a dramatic increase in female education, the fertility rate has dropped from seven children per woman in 1980 to fewer than two in 2006. This shows that illiteracy invites population explosion.

Moreover, having children increases the social standing as childless households are stigmatised and women are often treated differently if they don’t have kids. in Pakistan, a male-dominated country, people are not particularly concerned with the health of women who face the weight of many pregnancies and associated health difficulties. Either a pregnant lady or a woman who is nursing her child is an appealing partner for males. likewise, the birth of boys is prioritizsed over the birth of girls, a wish of the majority of the citizens in Pakistan. it is a prevalent belief that a woman should keep giving birth until a boy or boys are born into the family. Hence, the deluded mindset is building a popu-

The significance of careful planning is a theme throughout the entire Surah yousuf of the Holy Quran. according to islamic teachings, we shouldn’t carry loads that are too heavy for us to bear. Unfortunately, the question of whether to have one child or six is taboo in our traditionally conservative society cannot be discussed openly. Many people mistakenly believe that this is a matter of free will; but they do not understand that a high population growth rate is a national issue of Pakistan. Many sectors of the society are negatively affected because of the individual choices of misinformed parents. likewise, numerous religious orators call for large families to increase their followers.

Many religious scholars, who oppose family planning, employ a variety of arguments to discourage individuals from using contraception. They consider it a ploy of the West that does not want a larger Muslim population in the world. The political and military leadership is equally responsible for stoking the flames of religious extremism and fundamentalism which foster the rot mindset and discourage family planning.

must recognise women as more than just a reproductive resource. Reduced birth rates will have good knock-on effects for economic development in addition to reducing pressure on limited resources like land and water. it is alsonecessary for all parties involved, notably the clergy, to actively promote birth control. Pakistan avoids addressing the subject of family planning. However, there is a simple formula for tackling the increasing population crisis in Pakistan: institute strategic, innovative, and morally upstanding family planning programmes that focus on lowering the fertility rate. The Ministry of Religious affairs and inter-faith Harmony has also an important role to play. it should encourage people to utilize contraception to limit the scourge of overpopulation. The government should launch targeted programmes to educate the public about the negative effects of overpopulation.

While the nation is preoccupied with the issues like early elections, corruption, IMF and so on, the policymakers should be reminded that the population clock is ticking. Population explosion, indeed, has become an existential threat for Pakistan. Only watchful practices and sound policies may limit the fatal impacts of overpopulation.

Muslim nations have instituted population control mechanisms to maintain the development of the country. Bangladesh provides a useful case study for the potential solutions as well as concrete strategies for population management. as Pakistan and Bangladesh have similarities in the social, religious, and economic orientations, Pakistan can learn lessons from its neighbouring country. in the 1970s, Bangladesh, like Pakistan, faced the perils of a rapidly growing population. To counter this, their policymakers prioritised overpopulation, education and prevention initiatives. Family planning and contraception were introduced in Bangladesh through media and physical campaigns to educate women on the importance of having fewer children for the betterment of the economy and their personal health. as a result of government policy, the fertility rate in Bangladesh has decreased from 7.5 percent in the 1970s to a current rate of two percent in 2022. Pakistan needs to follow suit.

Both iran and Bangladesh are Muslim countries, but still they have managed to control their population.in 1971, the population of Bangladesh was around 70 million, whereas that of Pakistan was approximately 60 million. Nearly Fifty years later, Bangladesh’s population is 164.7 million, whereas Pakistan’s is over 220 million.

The government needs to take stock that this is an emergency situation and the ramifications could be catastrophic for the national security of Pakistan. Therefore, the topic of population must be elevated to the level of national discourse.

The first step toward achieving a balanced and an effective human resource would be to recognise overpopulation as an imminent threat.

The social and economic strain caused by overpopulation can be alleviated, in part, by investing in women’s empowerment and, in particular, girls’ education. Pakistan as a country

While the nation is preoccupied with the issues like early elections, corruption, iMF and so on, the policymakers should be reminded that the population clock is ticking. Population explosion, indeed, has become an existential threat for Pakistan. only watchful practices and sound policies may limit the fatal impacts of overpopulation. Better legislation and increased investments in education can cure the misinformed masses. The onus also lies on the people to understand the gravity of the issue. are we waiting patiently for an explosion? The explosion of a population bomb will inevitably devastate us in the near future and it would be difficult to get back on the track if the train spins out of our control.

The writer is graduate of International Relations from National Defence University, Islamabad. He can be contacted atimaz.virk@gmail.com

Students gloss over their incompetence because they genuinely and most sincerely overestimate their abilities. it further leads to their inability to recognise that their performance in studies is poor. They are incapacitated to rectify their shortcomings as long as they remain under the spell of their self-delusion. interestingly, the effect also affects teachers who excel in a given discipline of knowledge and think a task is as simple for their students as it is for them. They express exasperation when students do not perform to their expectations. They seal the students’ fate then and there, ignoring the fact they have not come down to students’ level in their pedagogical approach. Their own cognitive blind spot does not let them acknowledge the gap between their calibre and that of their students. They will have to come down to their students’ learning level to make the learning process comprehensive and effective.

Socrates once said that his wisdom was knowing how much he did not know. and the self-acclaimed ‘Socrates’ of today simply play the role of some internet search engine, overblown with random knowledge that is doled out the moment someone uses the ‘keyword’. The simplest remedy for this suffocating malady is metacognition, that is thinking about one’s own thinking. it is to critically watch one’s own cerebral behaviour, the self-accountability of one’s thought pattern. one needs a few moments of solitude and monologue because the moment one recognises and acknowledges the inherent psychological snobbery, one is half way through the solution. after all, it has hampered one’s own positivity and growth.

Efforts super-saturated with sincerity and motivation to remove and recognise deficiencies in one’s own knowledge or cognition help one in the self-recovery phase. Books and newspapers keep one abreast of a kaleidoscopic range of changes in the global intellectual landscape. Books and newspapers develop mindfulness and soulfulness whereas on the screen every bit of knowledge is flashy and superficial.

For starters, such souls first have to demarcate the domain whereat they compare themselves with the others. Everyone is prone to this effect, but openness to feedback, objectivity in analysing others’ opinions, and a lifelong commitment to learning can help minimise its impact.

M NADEEM NADIR KASUR

Ukraine peace

THE 53rd meeting World Economic Forum (WEF) held this month was a meeting point for leaders, civil society representatives, and top-performing business people where discussions addressed multiple global crises and ways to mitigate the substantial risks they pose to the global economic and security system.

Jane Harman, a former nine-term congresswoman from california, recalling the old Helsinki Final act that was signed in august 1975 following two years of negotiations, known as the Helsinki Process, argued that Russia violated every single article of the Helsinki accords. Expressing the fear that china would take military action against Taiwan, she stressed that intervention by the United States through military hardware support to Ukraine would stop china in its tracks. The truth is that there can be peace in Ukraine if and only if the US backs off with its aggressive designs and allows for diplomatic channels to find an amicable solution among the states that once were part of the erstwhile Soviet Union when they shared deep cultural, economic and political bond.

FAISAL HABIB KARACHI

Double taxation?

THERE are many Pakistanis having dual nationalities. Most of them have returned to the country after having worked for decades in the United States and elsewhere. They have savings made during their stay abroad and are also paying taxes to the respective governments.

So, basically the foreign assets are their savings after tax payments. Why should they be paying capital value tax (cVT) on their foreign assets? cVT should apply to people who have made money in Pakistan and then transferred their assets abroad to escape from tax they owe to the government. Dual nationals, who are working in Pakistan, are filing their tax returns and paying the tax to the government, but why should they be subjected to double taxation on their foreign savings which have been declared in their tax return to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and are post-tax savings? can the relevant authorities clarify this point?

DR MUMTAZ LAKHANI KARACHI

iMaz TanveeR viRk

Aid TO eArThquAke vicTimS requireS The immediATe lifTing Of uS SAncTiOnS AgAinST SyriA

All told, the World health Organization (WhO) estimates that as many as 23 million people have been directly impacted by the earthquake, including 1.4 million children. “it’s now a race against time,” WhO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. “Every minute, every hour that passes, the chances of finding survivors alive diminishes.” According to a WhO estimate, the death toll could rise as high as 30,000.

actions will result in more suffering and death, recalls the remark of secretary of state Madeleine Albright in 1996 that the deaths of 500,000 iraqi children caused by Us economic sanctions against Baghdad was “worth it” in the furtherance of regime change.

and deployed troops under the cover of waging a “war on terror” against Kurdish forces.

ONE day after a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake and its aftershocks struck the western border region of Turkey and syria, the death toll has surpassed 7,700 and is expected to continue to rise as rescue and recovery efforts continue. The quake is one of the strongest ever recorded in the region and the deadliest in nearly 25 years.

More than 11,000 buildings were destroyed by the quake across 10 provinces in Turkey, including skyscrapers and hospitals. Videos posted on social media show entire apartment blocks suddenly collapsing into dust. in northwest syria, whole families were left trapped under the rubble of their collapsed homes. Tens of thousands across both countries have been left wounded, and hundreds of thousands are now homeless, struggling to survive in freezing winter temperatures.

Despite this catastrophe, the Biden administration is refusing to lift the Us sanctions imposed against syria, which drastically impede the flow of relief supplies, meaning that many more syrians will die from the disaster. Much less does Washington intend to provide any humanitarian aid to the Assad government in its recovery efforts. instead, state Department spokesman Ned Price made clear that the Biden administration saw the disaster as an opportunity to rekindle its regime change operation and funnel more money and aid to its proxy forces.

“it would be quite ironic—if not even counterproductive—for us to reach out to a government that has brutalized its people over the course of a dozen years now,” Price told reporters Monday. “instead, we have humanitarian partners on the ground who can provide the type of assistance in the aftermath of these tragic earthquakes.”

The ruthless refusal of the Biden administration to provide aid to the syrian government, when it knows its

Power in Asia: six surprising facts

Lowy InstItute JACK SATO AND SUSANNAH PATTON

This year’s Lowy institute Asia Power index – an annual measure and analysis of each country’s resources and influence in the region – uncovered a number of unexpected findings.

WHICH COUNTRIES IN THE REGION ARE

MOST INTERESTED IN JAPAN ONLINE?

Japan maintained its position as the most frequently searched Asia Power index country via online search engines in other Asia Power index countries. The trend was most pronounced in southeast and East Asia, where it was the most searched country among ten of the 14 countries, including Cambodia, China, south Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. however, this was not the case in south Asia, where, generally, india or the United states was the most searched nation. Consistently high online search interest in Japan is one of 15 indicators used to calculate Cultural influence in the Asia Power index and is a proxy reflection of Japan’s soft power and attractiveness in Asia.

THAILAND LOST 85 PER CENT OF ITS TOURISTS DURING THE PANDEMIC:

While traditionally one of Thailand’s strongest indicators, in 2020, the total number of foreign tourists from other Asia Power index countries dropped from nearly 33 million in 2019 to five million in 2020 due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. This included a loss of more than one million tourists from india, Japan, Laos, south Korea, Malaysia and singapore, and nearly 11 million from China. When considering all tourists, it’s even more pronounced – dropping from nearly 40 million to under seven million. This trend continued in 2021, when the number of tourists dropped to less than half a million. All countries lost tourism revenue during the pandemic, but our data shows the uneven impact, with tourism accounting for around 10 per cent of Thailand’s GDP in 2019.

IN 2022, THE NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT ROUTES FROM BEIJING HALVED: One of the more noticeable changes in the 2023 Asia Power index is the large loss of points for many nations in the connectivity submeasure. Of these, it’s most noticeable in the travel hubs indicator. Measured in July 2022, the number of international flight routes declined for 16 Asia Power index countries, including doubledigit loses for cities Tokyo, seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, Taipei, Bangkok and New York. While flight routes from many countries were cancelled in 2022, this was most extreme in China, with flight routes halving to 53 due to its protracted lockdowns and border closures. China also suf-

fered large losses in other connectivity indicators, including those related to global trade and investment flows, which affected its overall Economic Capability and power scores.

CHINA’S SHARE OF INVESTMENT IN BRUNEI REACHED 94 PER CENT: Following limited investment by Japan in Brunei in recent years, the share of capital investment from China among Asia Power index countries over the ten-year period 2013–21 soared above 90 per cent. Almost all this investment, worth more than Us$13.5 billion, came from one joint petrochemical project. While this is an extreme case, the overall trend in the region suggests that China is becoming a more important source of investment compared to Japan. since the first edition of the Asia Power index in 2018, the average share of Japanese investment across the region has dropped from roughly 12 per cent to ten per cent. By contrast, Chinese investment has increased from 16 per cent to 22 per cent.

THE UNITED STATES WAS THE TOP BILATERAL DEFENCE TRAINING PARTNER FOR HALF OF THE INDEX NATIONS: The United states is the most important bilateral military training partner for Australia, Bangladesh, Japan, south Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, as measured by the number of combined trainings in 2021. Notably, the United states accounted for a quarter of Australian joint trainings, around 80 per cent of both Japan and south Korea’s, and more than half of the Philippines. This highlights the preeminent role the United states plays as a defence partner in the region, a key source of relative Us advantage.

MORE THAN A THIRD OF JAPAN’S BILATERAL DIPLOMATIC DIALOGUES

WERE WITH THE UNITED STATES: This edition of the Asia Power index includes new data, tracking the extent of high-level diplomatic engagement among index countries in 2021. Japan and the United states met more frequently than any other pair of Asia Power index countries. Japan held ten meetings with the United states out of a total of 27 meetings tracked. These included two 2+2 meetings, four foreign ministerial-level meetings, and four at the leader level. The next most common pairings were between south Korea and both China and the United states – six each –and five between Australia and the United states. in addition, China met with more than three-quarters of the index countries, while the United states met with less than a third. This data highlights that deep partnerships with select allied countries are a hallmark of Us–Asia strategy, in contrast to China, which prioritises shallower relationships with a larger number of partners.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden pledged “any and all needed assistance” to Turkey in remarks on Monday. however, one can be sure the Biden administration will seek to exploit the disaster to press its geopolitical interests against Ankara, in particular, over the war against Russia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government has stood in the way of the rapid accession of Finland and sweden into the NATO military alliance, which Turkey has been a member of since 1952. Turkey maintains strong economic and military ties with Russia, and Erdoğan has sought to mediate the conflict in Ukraine, even as the Us and the imperialist powers in Europe press forward with an escalation which threatens a catastrophic nuclear war. Erdoğan survived a military coup attempt in 2016 which bore the hallmarks of a plot hatched in Washington, and the Us maintains a military alliance with Kurdish nationalist forces in syria and iraq which Turkey deems terrorist organizations.

Despite these differences, Erdoğan and his predecessors have played a key role in the imperialist interventions in the Middle East, including in syria, where it has also supported anti-Assad islamist groups in the civil war

Ultimately the earthquake disaster exposes the hypocrisy of American imperialism and explodes the narrative that the Us intervenes around the world to defend “human rights.” American imperialism is the greatest mass murderer in the world today, using its military might to trample on human rights and human life wherever it trods.

The wars it has waged since the 1990s, from iraq and the Balkans to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Yemen, syria and somalia have killed millions, displaced tens of millions and left entire societies defenseless against the privations of natural disasters. These wars have metastasized into an open war against Russia, even as Us imperialism prepares further escalation of its murderous interventions in the Middle East, with preparations for war against iran and throughout the region.

The Us sanctions on syria must be lifted immediately, and its occupation and regime change operations must end. This must be combined with the mobilization of social resources to provide emergency relief and rebuild infrastructures on a scientific basis which will protect the population from earthquakes, paid for with the enormous sums which are spent on war and funneled into the bank accounts of the rich. such a progressive program requires the building of a working class movement against war and against the capitalist system.

Turkey-Syria earthquake: Are Syrian victims being overlooked?

border crossing at Bab al-hawa, a lifeline to syria that has been closed amid significant damage, and other difficulties. in syria’s regime-controlled areas, such as Aleppo and hama, the syrian government is leading the response. in oppositionheld areas, the situation is more complicated.

Although the epicentre was in southern Turkey, the earthquake has had devastating effects across northwestern syria where infrastructure has been severely weakened since the 2011 war broke out, with opposition-controlled areas bearing the brunt of the atrocities. This, combined with the syrian government’s war tactics - which have involved the destruction of civilian infrastructure in opposition-held regions - has left these areas in a state of extreme vulnerability. Facing a governance void, people there have relied heavily on crossborder aid from Turkey as the war has dragged on.

AT precisely 1:25am UK time, i received a WhatsApp message from my brother, who resides in Antakya, Turkey, on our family group chat, reading: “My home has gone.” This was quickly followed by a message from our mother, who resides in the same city, reading: “All walls in our flat were destroyed.” i was soon inundated with communications from both Turkey and northwestern syria about an earthquake that had taken thousands of lives and homes. it was a miracle that my parents and brother were able to escape the destruction that befell Antakya, leaving buildings in the city crumbling like paper boxes.

At first, i thought it was all a dream. it took me hours to comprehend the magnitude of the disaster. i struggled to come to terms with the reality that these very same vulnerable people, who had already endured 12 years of conflict, were now being affected by a natural disaster of a scale that had not been seen in decades. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake began at 4:17am local time in Turkey, and was followed by hundreds of aftershocks. The epicentre was around 20 kilometres deep, and the quake affected a large swath of southern Turkey and northwestern syria, including hatay, Gaziantep, Kilis, Aleppo and idlib, among other areas.

The number of deaths has been climbing by the hour and has already surpassed 7,000. i believe this number will continue to rise significantly, as many people remain unaccounted for. in Turkey alone, more than 5,600 buildings have been destroyed.

RESCUE MISSIONS: As rescue missions in Turkey began on Monday, i heard from people in hatay that heavy equipment did not arrive until Tuesday morning. While the ongoing rescue missions have surely saved many lives, with thousands of people being extracted from the rubble, many more remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings, waiting for help. in syria, the White helmets have been actively engaged in rescue missions in opposition-controlled areas, yet their resources are severely limited. Many NGOs have initiated large-scale fundraising campaigns, including the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations, the Molham Team and the syrian American Medical society, among others.

But the response is threatened by the status of the Turkish

The situation for those in government-controlled areas of northwestern syria, however, is not much better. The whole country has been devastated by the conflict, and the syrian government is internationally isolated amid allegations of war crimes, including the use of chemical weapons, resulting in wide-ranging economic and political sanctions. These have had drastic effects on the socioeconomic status of ordinary people, pushing many further into poverty. The earthquake, which devastated poorly constructed dwellings, will only exacerbate these challenges.

PRESSING NEEDS: At present, the most pressing needs for affected people in northwestern syria include support for rescue missions, emergency shelter and food relief, medical supplies, and diesel to ensure generators can function and provide basic electricity for hospitals.

While the Turkish government’s capacity and the influx of international aid will bolster rescue operations in Turkey, this scenario is unlikely to be replicated in northwestern syria in the near future. This is due to the protracted nature of the conflict, the governance vacuum in opposition-controlled areas, and the politicisation and manipulation of humanitarian assistance by the syrian government in areas it controls.

None of this, however, should be used as an excuse to disregard the plight of syrians affected by the earthquake. The international community must find ways to provide support to all affected regions of northwestern syria, such as by engaging with the highly experienced NGOs that have been operating there for the past 12 years. Unfortunately, certain donors remain hesitant to do so.

syrians have already endured more than a decade of conflict, and they are now faced with the additional tragedy of this earthquake. Many syrians have already suffered a great deal, working hard to re-establish their lives in northwestern syria or in Turkey. Now, they find themselves badly affected by this disaster - and yet, their suffering might be overlooked due to the chronicity of the conflict and the vast scale of the earthquake in southern Turkey. i can only hope that the world does not again turn a blind eye to syria’s victims, and instead extends them the same support offered to victims in Turkey.

Dr Abdulkarim Ekzayez is a Syrian medical doctor and health system expert. He serves as a senior research associate with King’s College London, where he leads a large project on strengthening the health system in Syria. He is also the general secretary of the Syrian British Medical Society, a member of the Syria Resource Group, and a trustee of the Amna organisation.

DESPITE THIS CATASTROPHE, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS REFUSING TO LIFT THE US SANCTIONS IMPOSED AGAINST SYRIA, WHICH DRASTICALLY IMPEDE THE FLOW OF RELIEF SUPPLIES, MEANING THAT MANY MORE SYRIANS WILL DIE FROM THE DISASTER

corporate corner

NOT-BY- PROFIT

AFGHAnISTAn STrenGTHenS CUrrenCy reGULATIOnS In reSPOnSe TO DOLLAr SmUGGLInG FrOm PAKISTAn

islamabad news desk

Khurram Jameel, MD & CEO Siemens Healthineers Pakistan & Afghanistan, hosted a business gathering @ the Healthineers office in Lahore in association with AHK and Diplomatic Mission of Germany. Dr. Rudiger Lotz, Consul General of Germany, Christian Bottcher, First Secretary Economic Affairs and M. Usman, AHK Pakistan Desk, invited leading business leader to discuss the current economic conditions of the country and initiatives to enhance bilateral trade between Pakistan & Germany. pr

Konnect by HBL launches Konnect Islamic Debit Card

Karachi: After the successful launch of Islamic Branchless Banking Account, Konnect by HBL further creates convenience for the clients to access their RIBA-free and Shariah-compliant Islamic Account through "Konnect Islamic Debit Card".

The introduction of this card aims to provide multiple features and benefits such as free cash withdrawal from HBL’s ATM network, safe and convenient contactless payments at multiple Point. pr

Unity Foods, JDC Foundation team up against malnutrition with Sunridge Taqatwar Pakistan

Karachi: Unity Foods Limited (UFL) partners with JDC Foundation Pakistan to promote food security and eradicate malnutrition in the country. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed at UFL’s head office in Karachi and was attended by the senior leadership from both sides. UFL launched Sunridge Taqatwar Pakistan following the country’s deteriorating economic conditions and rising inflation, with the aim to provide high-quality food to the masses. Under this program, JDC will be providing monthly ration packets to deserving and verified families through UFL’s developed digital platform. pr

AFGHANISTANhas implemented new restrictions on the export of foreign currency following reports of large-scale smuggling of US dollars from Pakistan, as reported by Bloomberg. The announcement was made by the office of the Acting Prime Minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan, after it was revealed that mil-

lions of dollars were being smuggled into the country daily from Pakistan, putting a strain on the local economy.

To combat this issue, the Taliban government has imposed fresh limits on carrying foreign currencies, as well as severe penalties for those caught breaking the rules. Previously, individuals were allowed to carry up to $5,000, but this limit has now been reduced to just $500 and the transportation of gold or precious stones is now prohibited. The order also stated that

anyone found transferring $1 million would be imprisoned for a year, for $100,000, they would receive a onemonth jail sentence, and ten days in jail for amounts less than that.

Interestingly, the order stated that bringing in foreign currency is now "prohibited," but it did not specify the maximum amount or conditions under which this would be allowed. Previously, the Afghan Finance Ministry encouraged individuals to bring in any amount of foreign currency.

Chinese AI companies see share price surge amid global frenzy for ChatGPT Chatbot Technology

islamabad news desk

China's artificial intelligence (AI) sector is experiencing a boost in interest as a result of the growing popularity of Microsoft-backed ChatGPT chatbot. Despite the fact that ChatGPT is not available in China, mainland investors are investing in local AI companies such as Hanwang Technology, TRS Information Technology, and Cloudwalk Technology. The CSI AI Industry Index, which includes larger companies like iFlytek Co, has performed exceptionally well this year, rising by 17% compared to the 6% rise of the benchmark CSI300 Index.

One of the closest competitors to ChatGPT in terms of functionality is search engine giant Baidu Inc and its "Ernie bot". The company announced the completion of testing for Ernie in March, causing its shares to rise by more than 15%. However, not all of the AI companies are experiencing financial success, with some reporting losses. Despite this, their share prices have continued to rise, leading to stretched valuations. For example, TRS trades at nearly 60 times earnings, while Haitian Ruisheng's price-to-earnings ratio is over 240.

It is worth noting that the industry as a whole tends to first speculate on expectations before trading on actual results, as stated by Zhang Kexing, General Manager of Beijing Gelei Asset Management. Hanwang Technology, for example, jumped by its daily limit of 10% on Tuesday, marking its seventh consecutive session reaching that limit since markets reopened from the Lunar New Year holiday. Despite expecting to report an annual loss for 2022, the company believes it has an edge over ChatGPT due to its ability to produce more precise results for clients. Meanwhile, Cloudwalk shares retreated by 5.5% on Tuesday but have still nearly doubled since the Lunar New Year holidays. The company warned investors that its losses deepened in 2022 and it has not cooperated with OpenAI and has generated no revenues from ChatGPT-related services and products.

In conclusion, China's AI sector is experiencing a surge in interest due to the growing popularity of ChatGPT and other AI companies are following suit. Despite some financial difficulties, their share prices continue to rise, leading to stretched valuations.

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

This development comes on the heels of reports that traders and smugglers have been bringing as much as $5 million into Afghanistan from across the border with Pakistan through illegal channels. This has resulted in the Taliban regime having access to more than $9 billion in foreign reserves over the past 14 months, but it is putting further strain on Pakistan's already struggling economy.

To read the full article visit www.propakistani.pk

Gwadar Port upgrade comes at a steep price

islamabad news desk

Writing for Dawn, Khalil Khaliq reports that the government has given the green light to the maintenance dredging of the Gwadar Port's navigational channel with a cost of Rs 4.7 billion, a significant increase from the original estimate of Rs1 billion made in June 2022.

The channel, which has not been cleared since 201415, has been impacted by sedimentation, reducing its capacity to handle larger cargo ships. The main reason behind the cost escalation is due to the emergency nature of the project when it was first developed, which did not take into account all necessary expenses.

The dredging project will be executed immediately and involves maintaining a 4.7 km channel, basin and berthing area to a depth of 13.8 meters for safe navigation and 14.5 meters for safe berthing. The project is in line with the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) requirement for safe navigation and the Gwadar Port Authority's obligation under its concession agreement with China Overseas Ports Holding Company Ltd (COPHC).

Delaying the dredging could have resulted in penalties and damages imposed on the GPA by COPHC, as well as potential loss of business. The completion of the project is expected to increase efficiency and port revenues. With a focus on safe and quick vessel traffic, the maintenance dredging is crucial for the success of the Gwadar Port.

To read the full article visit www.dawn.com

Sri Lanka's economic reform plan to end bankruptcy by 2026

islamabad news desk

On Tuesday, Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that the country will remain in a state of bankruptcy for at least three more years as he aims to repair the government's finances that have been devastated by an unprecedented economic crisis.

The President took office during a time of national unrest due to shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. Since then, he has pushed through tax hikes and negotiated with international creditors

after a default on Sri Lanka's foreign debt in order to secure an IMF bailout.

Wickremesinghe stated that the economy may have contracted by up to 11% in the last calendar year, causing foreign exchange reserves to dry up and leaving traders unable to import vital goods.

However, he expects the economy to return to growth by the end of 2023 as new revenue measures boost government coffers. The President's policies, including tax increases and the removal of fuel and electricity subsidies, have been unpopular among Sri Lanka's public, who have already been hit hard by the crisis and rampant inflation. At the same time as

MCB Bank posts highest ever profit before tax of Rs71.4b

lahore staff report

The Board of Directors of MCB Bank Limited (MCB) in its meeting under the Chairmanship of Mian Mohammad Mansha, on February 08, 2023, reviewed the performance of the Bank and approved the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022. The Board of Directors has declared final cash dividend of Rs. 6.0 per share i.e. 60%, in addition to 140% already paid, bringing the total cash dividend for the year 2022 to 200%.

With strong build up in core earnings, MCB’s Profit Before Tax (PBT) for the year ended December 31, 2022, posted an impressive growth of 37.3% to reach a historic high of Rs. 71.4 billion. Retrospective application of tax amendments along with higher tax rates for the current year enacted through Finance Act, 2022 resulted into a 54% average tax rate for the year compared to an average tax rate of

41% for last year. Profit After Tax (PAT) registered a growth of 6.3% and increased from Rs. 30.8 billion to Rs.

32.7 billion; translating into Earning Per Share (EPS) of Rs. 27.63 as compared to EPS of Rs. 26.00 reported in the last year.

On the back of strong volumetric growth in current account and

favourable yield curve movements, net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2022 increased by 36% over last year. Average current deposits of the Bank registered a highest ever growth of Rs. 96.8 billion (+18%) in 2022, on the back of strategically focused drive.

Non-markup income registered a growth of 23% and reported a base of

Rs. 24.6 billion against Rs. 20.1 billion in the last year. Improved transactional volumes, diversification of revenue streams through continuous enrichment of Bank’s product suite, investments towards digital transformation and an unrelenting focus on upholding the high service standards supplemented a growth of 14% in fee income. The contribution from foreign exchange line, debit cards, trade business and home remittances remained strong during the year.

The Bank continues to manage an efficient operating expense base and manage costs prudently. Despite exceptionally high inflation, impact of currency devaluation and continued investments in human resources, branch network and technological upgradation, operating expenses of the Bank were recorded at Rs. 41.8 billion, growing by 17% over the last year, while the cost to income ratio significantly improved to 37.4% from 42.4% reported in the last year.

Wickremesinghe's policy address, a huge trade union strike took place, with air traffic controllers, doctors, and other industries staging work stoppages.

The President stated that Sri Lanka is in the final stage of IMF discussions to secure a preliminary $2.9 billion bailout, which has been delayed by debt restructuring negotiations with China and other major creditors. Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka is in direct discussions with China about its outstanding debt and is working towards a final agreement. He concluded by saying that if the country follows the plan, it can rise out of bankruptcy by 2026.

To read the full article visit www.brecorder.com

Pak-Italy collaboration to promote Olive Culture through training

The OliveCulture initiative is a joint effort between the Pakistani government and Italian Cooperation aimed at promoting olive farming and cultivation in Pakistan. As part of the Project , experts from Italy are invited to Pakistan to share their knowledge with local farmers. These experts conducted training sessions in three provinces (KP, Punjab, and Balochistan) for over 800 stakeholders. A recent training session took place at the Salahuddin Farm in Manki Sharif, Nowshera district, as part of a three-week program on Olive Good Agronomic Practices. The well-kept olive orchard serves as a model for the rest of Pakistan. pr

KPK Governor Haji Ghulam Ali and Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman are collectively inaugurating FPCCI’s New Office Complex in Lahore. Mr. Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, President FPCCI; Suleman Chawla, SVP FPCCI; Shaukat Omerson, VP FPCCI; Mian Anjum Nisar, Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo, Zakaria Usman, former Presidents FPCCI; Saquib Fayyaz Maggo, Muhammad Ali Mian and other prominent business personalities from across Pakistan were also present on the occasion. pr

More survivors found as Turkey syria quake Toll Tops 11,200

seARCHeRSwere still pulling survivors Wednesday from the rubble of the earthquake that killed over 11,200 people in Turkey and Syria, even as the window for rescues narrowed.

For two days and nights since the 7.8 magnitude quake, thousands of searchers have worked in freezing temperatures to find those still alive under flattened buildings on either side of the border.

Turkish Red Crescent chief Kerem Kinik had warned that the first 72 hours were critical in search and rescue efforts but pointed to complications of “severe weather conditions”.

emergency workers on Wednesday saved some children found under a collapsed building in the hard-hit Turkish province of Hatay, where whole stretches of towns have been levelled.

“All of a sudden we heard voices and thanks to the excavator… immediately we heard the voices of three people at the same time,” said rescuer Alperen Cetinkaya.

“We are expecting more of them… the chances of getting people out of here alive are very high,” he added.

Officials and medics said 8,574 people had died in Turkey and 2,662 in Syria from Monday’s 7.8-magnitude tremor,

bringing the total to 11,236 — but that could yet double if the worst fears of experts are realised.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has warned that time is running out for the thousands injured and those still feared trapped.

‘People dying every second’

Due to the scale of the damage and the lack of help coming to certain areas, survivors said they felt alone in responding to the disaster.

“even the buildings that haven’t col-

Biden talks up bipartisan unity amid sharp congressional divide

U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday touted bipartisan unity in his second State of the Union Address even as congressional divide hardened and Republican lawmakers sat on their hands through many of his proposals. “We’re often told that Democrats and Republicans can’t work together. But over the past two years, we proved the cynics and naysayers wrong,” he said in his first address to a joint session of Congress since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives.

Noting that he signed over 300 bipartisan laws since taking office, the president called for finding consensus across the aisle.

Biden is faced with an imminent challenge as he has to win GOP support to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling to avoid a default in the coming months. But the two parties are at loggerheads over Republicans’ demand for spending cuts.

“Some of my Republican friends want to take the economy hostage – I get it – unless I agree to their economic plans. All of you at home should know what those plans are. Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans … want Medicare and Social Security to sunset,” he said, drawing boos. Biden blamed high inflation in the U.S. on “the pandemic that disrupted supply chains” and the conflict in Ukraine that disrupted energy and food supplies, a rebuttal to Republican claims that it was his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan in 2021 that threw the U.S. economy into disarray.

But the president said the U.S. has emerged stronger from the pandemic and touted the economic progress made under his administration.

“We have created a record 12 million new jobs, more jobs created in two years than any president has ever created in four years.” Agencies

lapsed, were severely damaged. There are now more people under the rubble than those above it,” a resident named Hassan, who did not provide his full name, said in the rebel-held town of Jindayris. “There are around 400-500 people trapped under each collapsed building, with only 10 people trying to pull them out. And there is no machinery,” he added. The White Helmets leading efforts to rescue people buried under rubble in rebel-held areas of Syria have appealed for international help in their “race against time”.

They have been toiling since the quake to pull survivors out from under the debris of dozens of flattened buildings in northwestern areas of war-torn Syria that remain outside the government’s control.

“International rescue teams must come into our region,” said Mohammed Shibli, a spokesperson for the group known formally as the Syria Civil Defence.

“People are dying every second; we are in a race against time,” he told AFP from neighbouring Turkey.

Syria appeals for EU help

The issue of aid to Syria was a delicate one, and the sanctioned government in Damascus made an official plea to the eU for help, the bloc’s commissioner for crisis management Janez Lenarcic said.

A decade of civil war and SyrianRussian aerial bombardment had already destroyed hospitals, collapsed the economy and prompted electricity, fuel and water shortages.

The european Commission is “encouraging” eU member countries to respond to Syria’s request for medical supplies and food, while monitoring to ensure that any aid “is not diverted” by President Bashar al-Assad’s government, Lenarcic noted.

In parts of quake-hit Turkey, shops were closed, there was no heat because gas lines have been cut to avoid explosions, and finding petrol was tough.

Surveys show China’s economic recovery expected to lead globally in 2023

BEIJING Agencies

China’s economic recovery is expected to take the lead globally in 2023, recent surveys by CGTN showed. One poll indicates that 78.34 percent of the global respondents believe that China has become an important engine for the global economy, and 76.23 percent believe that the Chinese economy will inject confidence and strength into the sluggish recovery of the global economy.

For the entirety of 2023, economists, international organizations and investment institutions generally predict that the global economy will continue to recover in a weak manner. However, the strong rebound of the Chinese economy in the early spring has brought a glimmer of hope.

With the Chinese government adjusting its COVID-19 policy in late 2022, the International Monetary Fund raised the estimate for China’s 2023 growth from 4.4 to 5.2 percent in its latest World economic Outlook report. Morgan Stanley raised its China GDP growth outlook to 5.7 percent in a research note released in January, 0.3 percentage point higher than its

previous estimate. China’s GDP growth has been relatively high when compared to that of other major economies over the past three years, as the average growth rate between 2020 and 2022 was 4.5 percent.

According to a CGTN poll, 71.6 percent of global respondents believe the country’s scientific and dynamic adjustment of epidemic prevention policies has effectively balanced the relationship between COVID-19 prevention and control and economic and social development. The achievements of the country’s efforts in balancing this relationship were highly recognized by 86.8 percent of the respondents.

One figure to note is that 84.7 percent of the respondents believe

China refused call with pentagon after downing of balloon, says us

WASHINGTON

Afp

Beijing rejected a request for a secure call between Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and his counterpart on the day an American warplane shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, a US Department of Defense spokesman said Tuesday.

“On Saturday, 4 February, immediately after taking action to down the PRC balloon, the DOD submitted a request for a secure call between Secretary Austin and PRC Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe,” Brigadier General Pat Ryder said in a statement, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

“Unfortunately, the PRC has declined our request. Our commitment to open lines of communication will continue,” Ryder added. China says the balloon was an errant weather observation aircraft with no military purpose, but Washington has described it as a sophisticated high-altitude spying vehicle. After slowly traversing the middle of the United States, reportedly over several top secret military sites, the balloon headed out over the east coast, where a fighter plane shot down it down on Saturday.

Austin and Wei met in Cambodia last November as Washington and Beijing sought to lower the temperature after a visit by then-speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi that enraged China. But the balloon incident has heightened tensions, and led US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to scrap a rare trip to Beijing.

On Monday, President Joe Biden defended the decision to wait until the balloon had crossed the country to down it, saying the Defense Department concluded that it was best to do so over water.

that China’s development path is in line with its national conditions, which is a key factor for the longterm stability of China’s economy.

China’s strong economic rebound started to emerge at the beginning of 2023.

The purchasing managers’ index for China’s manufacturing sector came in at 50.1 in January, up from 47 in December 2022, returning to expansion territory for the first time since September 2022, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Authorities in China’s exportoriented regions have also elevated support for merchants to secure orders overseas, including rolling out chartered flights and offering subsidies as the country relaxed its COVID-19 curbs last December.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the same day that measures were taken to ensure the balloon’s instruments were “mitigated” in their ability to spy during the flyover, while “at the same time increasing and improving our ability to collect intelligence and information from it.”

General Glen VanHerck, head of the US Northern Command, said a naval ship would map the debris field left by the balloon, which is expected to measure about 1,500 by 1,500 meters (yards) in the Atlantic.

The balloon itself was up to 200 feet (60 meters) tall and carried a payload weighing several thousand pounds that was roughly the size of a regional jet aircraft, he said. VanHerck said the balloon debris would be carefully studied.

“I don’t know where the debris is going to go for a final analysis, but I will tell you that certainly, the intel community along with the law enforcement community that works this under counterintelligence will take a good look at it,” he said.

Xi stresses grasping, advancing Chinese modernization

BEIJING

stAff report

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday stressed the importance of correctly understanding and vigorously advancing Chinese modernization.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when addressing the opening of a study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance).

The session was attended by newlyelected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, as well as principal officials at the provincial and ministerial level.

‘A major theoretical innovation’

The summation and elaboration of the

theory of Chinese modernization is a major theoretical innovation achieved at the 20th CPC National Congress, and it represents the latest major achievement in developing scientific socialism, Xi said during the address.

During the address, Xi said the concept of Chinese modernization comes from long and arduous exploration, and the country must continue to expand and deepen it.

Xi stressed that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Party has made new progress based on previous explorations, continuously achieved innovations and breakthroughs in theory and practice, and successfully advanced and expanded Chinese modernization.

The historic achievements and changes, particularly the elimination of absolute poverty and the completion of the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, have resulted in more robust institu-

tions, stronger material foundations, and a source of inspiration for taking greater initiative for Chinese modernization, Xi added.

A new model with unique features

Noting that Party leadership is vital to the fundamental direction, future and success of Chinese modernization, and defines the fundamental nature of Chinese modernization, Xi said only by upholding Party leadership can Chinese modernization have a promising future.

Xi stressed that the modernization process of a country should follow the general rule of modernization, but it should be suited to its realities and characterized by features unique to its context.

Citing the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, Xi said Chinese modernization is characterized by five features that are unique to the Chinese context. It is the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development.

He added Chinese modernization is rooted in traditional Chinese culture, embodies the advanced nature of scientific socialism, and draws on fine achievements of civilization.

Xi also pointed out Chinese modernization is a new model for human advancement, and it dispels the myth that “modernization is equal to Westernization,” presents another picture of modernization, expands the channels for developing countries to achieve modernization, and provides a Chinese solution to aid the exploration of a better social system for humanity.

‘A systematic endeavor’

Advancing Chinese modernization is a systematic endeavor, Xi stressed, adding that it is also an exploratory undertaking.

Once the strategy is formulated, it must be adhered to over the long term, he said and stressed that the right direction of Chinese modernization must be ensured.

ANKARA Afp

AQIB JAVED OPENS UP ON LAHORE-KARACHI RIVALRY IN CRICKET

Lahore Qalandars had a stunning run in the last edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League, which culminated in the Shaheen Afridi-led team lifting the trophy. It was the first instance of the side winning the coveted HBL PSL title.

The Lahore Qalandars fans have had a rollercoaster ride. Their side failed to qualify for the playoffs in the first four editions before ending up as runner-up in the 2020 edition.

Lahore Qalandars begin their title defence on 13 February in Multan when they play the home side – Multan Sultans – at 2000.

In a special interview with the PCB Digital, Aqib Javed, the Lahore Qalandars head coach, spoke about his team’s journey, what turned around their fortunes and their chances in the upcoming edition. Below are the excerpts from the interview.

When I joined the franchise in the sec-

ond edition, I faced the problem of forming a core as other teams had already picked the more skillful players in the domestic circuit.

This is when I began the Players Development Programme. We were subject to a lot of criticism in my first three years in charge but we realised our strength lay in developing players.

When we appointed Sohail Akhtar as our captain in the HBL PSL 5, there was further backlash but he led us to the final.

The setting of the 2022 title win was perfect for us – Shaheen as captain and winning the final in Lahore. We managed to develop our core group in HBL PSL 5. All we were missing was a captain and Shaheen has proved himself a capable leader.

The core members in every franchise are those who started their career with the same team and still play for them.

When we talk about Qalandars being a family, we see that Fakhar Zaman has been with us since the second season, Shaheen entered the team as an Emerging Category player and is now our captain, Haris Rauf was found through the Player Development

Islamabad United Partners with Ufone for HBL PSL 8

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Islamabad United, the most successful franchise in HBL PSL history and the winner of the first and third editions of the tournament, is happy to announce that Ufone 4G will be the official telecommunications partner for the franchise for PSL 8. Regarding the partnership, Islamabad United owner, Ali Naqvi said, "We are pleased to partner with one of the leading telecommunication companies in Pakistan. Ufone is a brand known throughout Pakistan. Every Pakistani has love of cricket in the country, nothing unites the nation as cricket does. Promoting Islamabad United and cricket is an effort to unite the nation and spread joy among the masses. We are thus delighted that Ufone, which connects the nation, will now be an official partner of Islamabad United. In addition, Group Chief Commercial Officer, PTCL & Ufone, Adnan Anjum stated, “We are thrilled to take our partnership with Islamabad United forward into the latest edition of PSL that not only features the finest quality of cricket but has also emerged as a tremendous brand ambassador of Pakistan globally. We wish Islamabad United the best of luck for the season.” For the past many years, Ufone 4G has closely engaged with Pakistani youth through its sustained support for promotion of sports. The company strongly believes that only a healthy and positively inclined youth can take Pakistan towards progress and development. Ufone 4G is a Pakistani Cellular Company with its presence in all the major cities of Pakistan along with a comprehensive coverage across all major towns, villages, and tehsil headquarters of the country. Customer-centricity has been the hallmark of the company’s years of engagement with its users, which is unremittingly professed as, ‘Tum Hi Tou Ho!’ Islamabad United is the most successful team of the Pakistan Super League (PSL); winner of the first and third seasons of the HBL PSL. The franchise believes in bringing change to Pakistani sports with the introduction of international standards of practice and a commitment to continuous progress. AAN – Leonine Sports is the proud owner of Islamabad United, the FIRST CHAMPIONS and the most successful team in the Pakistan Super League. AAN-Leonine Sports is focused on enabling sports and creating franchises with a mission to provide: 1) A truly global experience on sports entertainment; 2) A fan base which is loyal, aware and supportive of the sport and the franchise; 3) An aspirational beacon for up and coming players to strive for excellence in cricket for Pakistan in particular and for the world at large; 4) An eco-system for the promotion of sports through close partnerships with the respective sports boards; 5) A truly professionally-run organization with exceptional standards of corporate governance and international best practices; 6) Promotion of Pakistan through sports and involvement of internationally known figures into Pakistan; 7) A responsible member on CSR.

Programme and he is now one of the top bowlers in the format.

And, there is a lot of focus on the youngsters in Lahore Qalandars. Tell us about that.

We believe in giving our emerging players chances and making them superstars. In a similar way, we are focused on our future stars Kamran Ghulam, Abdullah Shafique and Zaman Khan. I remember Abdullah doubting himself after a few matches he failed to perform in but we backed him and reassured him that he will play all matches.

When you give confidence to a young player, only then can he realise his true potential.

You have been involved in cricket for a long time – first as a cricketer and then as a coach. Where do you rate the HBL PSL?

If HBL PSL did not exist, Pakistan cricket would have declined. Franchises invest in the best available players in the country and the competition is very tight in HBL PSL.

Credit is due to the HBL PSL for the emergence and progression of Shaheen Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan

Ali, Babar Azam and Shadab Khan.

A player is judged by his competitiveness and how well he handles the crowd pressure. The HBL PSL experience is thus akin to international cricket and provides you with the platform where you can stand out with your performances.

And what is your take on the famous Lahore-Karachi rivalry?

The Lahore-Karachi rivalry is similar to

UoG Sports Gala 2023 begins in a fashion

GUJRAT STAFF REPORT

A spectacular opening of the annual Sports Gala 2023 of the University of Gujrat was witnessed here at Hafiz Hayat Campus on Wednesday.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Shabbar Atiq was the chief guest of the grand opening ceremony of the twoday mega sports activities which are part of the brilliant academic and cultural traditions of the varsity.

Dr Shabbar Atiq said that sports are the vital source for promoting peace and attitude of tolerance and social consciousness. Promotion of a healthy culture of sports among the youth helps them better understand the benefits of mutual cooperation, friendliness and accepting others’ opinions as part of their character building process.

Dr Shabbar Atiq declared the sports gala open by releasing a bunch of colourful balloons in the air. The athletes participating in the games were sworn in to follow the rules and regulations and maintain discipline.

In-charge UoG Sports Board Dr Waseem Mumtaz said that sports help develop the spirit of teamwork and discipline in our daily life. Teams from different departments and city campuses of the UoG came in droves at the games’ venue. They wore different colours and carried the national flag and that of the department as they lined up and marched past the main stage and the guests’ pavilion.

The contests began with the athletes showing their agile performance in sprint competitions, gymnastics and tug-of-war. A friendly cricket match between Vice Chancellor XI and Registrar XI pulled large crowds.

The guests of honour at the inauguration ceremony in-

cluded Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Muhammad Mushahid Anwar, deans, directors, chairpersons, teachers, and members of the administration. Sports competitions like Cricket, Badminton, Table Tennis, Snooker, Chess, Tug of War and Athletics have been continuing at the main campus for the past several days. The winning teams and individual players in various competitions will be awarded prizes at a grand ceremony.

Pakistan-India as the stadiums are jampacked whenever these two sides take on each other. There is no added pressure on the contest but instead the players see it as an opportunity to perform and make their mark.

We might see a different rivalry emerge this season for Lahore Qalandars with Babar [Azam] moving to Peshawar Zalmi and people will be anticipating a thrilling clash between the Zalmi captain and Shaheen Afridi.

Will Wahab Riaz take part in HBL PSL 8?

LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

There is doubt over the participation of Peshawar Zalmi’s left-arm pacer, Wahab Riaz, in the upcoming eighth edition of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL). Pakistan fast bowler was recently appointed as the sports minister in the caretaker cabinet of the Punjab government in Pakistan. According to sources, Wahab is expected take oath as the minister on the evening of February 12. After the oath ceremony, left-arm pacer will decide whether he will take part in HBL PSL or not. Sources close to Wahab have said that it is unlikely that the left-arm pacer would be able to represent Zalmi in the tournament, due to the burden of increased responsibilities as minister. Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi made the aforementioned appointment as part of an 11person caretaker cabinet following the dissolution of the assembly and the end of Pervez Elahi’s tenure as chief minister.

Waseem ‘hurt’ after Naseem given honorary DSP post

Pakistan’s only World Boxing Council belt winner and professional boxer Muhammad Waseem feels being dumped by his own province when cricketer Naseem Shah was given the honorary DSP post and was made the goodwill ambassador of the Balochistan Police.

“I’m really hurt that this country only values cricketers, and even worse is that high achievers on international and national level from Balochistan are ignored, as if we don’t exist,” said Pakistan’s only World Boxing Council belt winner and professional boxer Muhammad Waseem, as he expressed his disbelief on the new development.

The 19-year-old cricketer, who has far fewer international achievements than many of the athletes from Balochistan, does not even belong to the province and yet he was bestowed with the honour, leaving the athletes from the province feeling left out and ignored.

“I was asked by the Balochistan Police officials to attend this ceremony

and it left me extremely disappointed and hurt,” Waseem told The Express Tribune. “It feels so bad because they never honour us. Not just me, but other athletes from Balochistan too.

“We have done so much for this country, for our land, but we are invisible to them despite competing and winning at the top international level in one of the toughest sports in the world. The invitation that I get from our own organisation like Balochistan Police is to come and sit through as an attendee instead of our achievements ever being recognised. It is like cricket is the only sport they care for.

“Naseem is from KhyberPakhtunkhwa (K-P). We have never gotten any honour from K-P Police or their departments ever. What about that?”

Waseem holds the impressive record of winning 12 bouts, with eight knockouts, out of the 14 professional boxing matches he has played professionally. He was the first Pakistani to win the WBC silver belt in 2017 in flyweight and then defended the title successfully. Just last year he took on England’s Sunny Edwards as well for the International Box-

ing Federation world flyweight title.

Waseem is looking for another shot at the world title this year.

But the 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist feels that there are other athletes among whom footballers like Saadullah, boxers, fighters and karatekas, males and females from

Balochistan who deserve the honours.

The 2010 world combat games gold-medallist said that it becomes difficult to justify the career choices to the families at time when they see that the government, both provincial and federal, do not care for the athletes besides cricketers.

Tyre INDusTry feArs cLosure Due To shuTDowNs Across AuTo INDusTry

TYRE MANUFACTURERS BECOME COLLATERAL AMIDST AUTO INDUSTRY’S DOWNTURN

profIT reporT GhulaM abbaS

TyREmanufacturers fear that they may be on the precipice of industry wide closures due to the fallout of demand destruction and non-production days across the automotive industry.

Pak Suzuki Motor Company and Toyota Indus Motor Company, the two largest automotive manufacturers in Pakistan by volume, have started 2023 with multiple weeks of non-production days (NPD).

Suzuki has observed plant shutdowns from January 2 to January 6, from January 9 to January 13, from January 16 to January 20, It will also observe another spell of NPDs from February 13 to February 17. The company has cited lacking inventory levels in storage as the primary reason

for its decision.

Toyota, similarly, is currently observing NPDs from February 1 to February 14. Furthermore, it has decided to reduce its production shifts to a Single Shift basis from February 15 until further notice. Toyota has cited persisted supply chain issues arising from the instructions given to commercial banks by the State Bank in EPD Circular Letter No. 20 of 2022.

Industry-wide vehicular sales stood at 724,724 for 1HFy23. This is a 22% year-on-year (yoy) reduction from the 928,384 units sold in 1HFy22. Tyre manufacturers fear these sales figures could dip even further due to the confluence of the plant shutdowns, the various rounds of pricing increases across companies, and inflation touted to cross its January threshold of a nearly a five decade high.

Speaking to Profit, Hussain Kuli

Amir Dogar, 24 others arrested after PTI-PML-N workers clash

The police arrested former MNA and Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) leader Amir Dogar along with 25 party workers following a clash outside Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) district office on Wednesday.

According to details, the workers of PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers clashed with each other outside the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) during submission of nomination papers for the NA-155 by-election. In a statement, District Election Commissioner Saleem Akhtar said that political workers have vandalised the office of electoral watchdog and created chaos. The election commissioner said that action will be taken against all those responsible for the commotion in the office. Soon after, police raided the guest house of Amir Dogar, and arrested him along with 25 PTI workers. Moreover, the police also arrested Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders –Sheikh Tariq Rasheed and Malik Anwar, in the case.

Multan police spokesperson told the media that 15 PTI workers, including Dogar, were arrested after a clash with PML-N workers outside the commission’s office.

He said Superintendent of Police (SP) Gulgasht Qazi Ali Raza arrested Dogar from his “dera” (camp).

The police spokesperson added that 10 PML-N workers had also been arrested, adding that action was being taken against party workers on the ECP’s request.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the spokesperson for the provincial election commissioner said Multan police had been directed to take “strict action” with regards to the incidents and to submit a report.

The statement added that those involved had been arrested and more arrests would be made after the first information report (FIR) was registered.

PTI crIes foul: PTI Secretary General Asad Umar termed Dogar’s arrest to be “another fresh example of growing fascism”, adding that the “funeral of democracy is being carried out”. PTI Information Secretary Farrukh Habib condemned the arrest and demanded the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) “stop the use of dirty tactics”. He demanded that Dogar be released immediately.

suzuki announces fourth plant shutdown of 2023

Khan, CEO General Tyres, highlighted a series of measures that the Government can take to avert the catastrophe that might unfold across the domestic tyre industry.

“Firstly, the Government should allow the opening of letters of credit (LCs) for raw materials, as most of the raw materials are imported. The Government would ultimately save forex as the local value addition is very high at around 40%,” states Khan.

“The second step would be to curb smuggling. This happens through the border from Torkham and Chaman from Afghanistan. The Afghan transit trade agreement needs to be revisited as it is being misused. Smuggled tyres account for over 50% of the tyres sold in the market. If this was done through regular channels then it would not only help the government raise tax revenue, but also help the local industry to compete and

grow,” says Khan. “The Afghan transit trade agreement needs to be revisited as it is being misused. The estimated total value of smuggled tyres is around Rs 300 billion which amounts to a loss of approximately Rs 50 billion to the national exchequer. The local tyre industry, in lieu of the growth of the auto sector in Pakistan, has invested heavily in increasing its production capacity to meet the rising demand of the market but the massive sale of smuggled tyres has put legal industry investment at risk,” Khan continues.

Finally, Khan tells Profit that “Though the FBR has improved enforcement by taking strict measures at the customs level, still a lot more effort is required. Also, it is necessary to check the stock in the markets and take action against sellers by confiscating the illegally imported tyres”.

EARNINGS RISE RS68M, HALF YEARLY PROFITS CONTRACT BY 15.07PC

profIT reporT

Daniyal ahMaD

Sazgar Engineering Works Limited released their earnings for Q2Fy23 to the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Wednesday. The company has managed to increase its quarterly earnings six fold by ending the quarter with a profit after tax of Rs 68 million, compared to the Rs 11 million they earnt in Q1Fy23. This amounts to increases of 518.62% and 119.34% Quarter-on-Quarter (QoQ) and year-on-year (yoy) respectively.

Sazgar’s half yearly earnings for Fy2023 now stand at Rs 79 million. This is a 15.07% yoy contraction from its Rs 93 million over the same period last year.

The bulk of the increase comes from Sazgar seeing its sales revenue double from Q1Fy23. Its sales revenue has increased by 112.19% from Rs 1.5 billion in Q1Fy23 to Rs 3.1 billion in Q2Fy23. The increase in sales is likely attributable to Sazgar’s Haval H6 line of vehicles.

The four-wheel segment accounts for 54% of Sazgar’s revenue, based on its annual report for 2022. Sazgar’s three-wheeler sales dropped by 24% QoQ. Q2Fy23 three-wheeler sales stand at 1,675 units compared to the 2,193 units sold in Q1Fy23 based on the Pakistan Automo-

tive Manufacturers Association’s sales figures.

The H6, their flagship offering, transitioned from a completely built-up unit (CBU) to a completely knocked-down (CKD) one. Sazgar also added a hybrid variant to the lineup in Q2Fy23 to take the title of being the first, and only till date, automotive company to have built a CKD hybrid.

These additions and revisions in their lineup are the likely reason for their cost of sales increasing by 119.27% QoQ from Rs1,337,357,547 to Rs2,932,457,584. The rise in the cost of goods sold has also seen their gross profit margin decrease QoQ from 10.98% to 8.01%. Sazgar’s likely push for its H6 lineup is also evident from the 41% QoQ increase in its marketing expenses from Rs 53.9 million to Rs 76 million. The

OUT OF THE FIRST SEVEN WEEKS OF 2023 NOT PRODUCING CARS

profIT reporT Daniyal ahMaD

Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) has notified the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) that it will be observing non-production days (NDPs) from February 13 to February 17. Its motorcycle plant will, however, remain operational. The company has not provided an explanation for its plant shutdown, however, it is likely that it is on account of lacking inventory in storage. The company had previously cited this as the reason for observing its non-production days (NPD) from January 2 to January 6, from January 9 to January 13, and from January 16 to January 20.

Following this round of NPDs, Suzuki will have spent 20 calendar days out of a total of 48 not producing cars. This is to say that Suzuki will have spent four out of the first seven weeks of 2023 not producing cars. The ramifications of Suzuki’s actions will be visible when the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA) releases the requisite sales figures. However, despite the lack of sales figures for the month of January as of right now, past precedent eludes to there not being a strong correlation between Suzuki’s NPDs and its sales figures.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

financial inclusion in Pakistan increases to 30% ACCESS TO BANKING, ONLINE PAYMENT RISE BY 9% IN TWO YEARS

marketing expense also represents a 84.36% yoy increase.

One interesting finding in Sazgar’s earnings is its decline in the ‘other income’ category.

The Rs 1.79 million made represents a 8.98% QoQ decline, and a 52.24% yoy decline. Sazgar breaks away from other industry players such as the Big 3 in this regard.

Looking ahead, it is unclear whether Sazgar will be able to replicate this success in Q3Fy23. This boils down to the general macroeconomic condition across Pakistan. The Pakistani Rupee’s free fall that began on January 26 has led to industry-wide upward price revisions. Sazgar also increased the prices of their entire Haval H6 lineup by upwards of Rs 1 million. These industry wide price increases coincide with Pakistan seeing the highest inflation levels in nearly five decades.

Financial inclusion in Pakistan has increased by 9% from 2020 to 2022 and women’s access, specifically has hit a double-digit percentage for the first time, as recorded by a survey conducted by Karandaaz Pakistan. As defined by the World Bank, “financial inclusion means that individuals and businesses have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs – transactions, payments, savings, credit and insurance – delivered in a responsible and sustainable way.” This means conducting transactions through banks, mobile money and fintech.

The Karandaaz Financial Inclusion Survey (K-FIS) measures the percentage of adults above the age of 15 who report having at least one account in their name with an institution that offers a full range of financial services that is also documented by the government of Pakistan.

Following a significant jump in financial inclusion between 2017 and 2020, K-FIS recorded a substantial rise in the level of financial inclusion from 21% in 2020 to 30% of adults in 2022.

Registered mobile money users more than doubled with an increase from 9% to 19%, while registered bank users also increased by 4% over the same period.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Police raids on Elahi’s home, arbitrary arrests ‘naked fascism’: Imran

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman

Imran Khan strongly condemned the repeated police raids on Pervez Elahi’s home in Gujrat and arbitrary arrests and said that it was naked fascism on the part of imported government and their handlers to spread fear among PTI’s supporters. PTI Chairman, in a statement on Wednesday, said that the repeated police raids on Elahi’s home as well as arbitrary arrests and abductions of his supporters and those who worked with him were condemnable.

Imran Khan said that this was naked fascism on the part of imported government and their handlers, simply to spread fear in all who support us.

“Just to remind, arrests of and actions against Sharifs and others during our government, were a result of NAB cases with over 95% filed before we were voted into

power and of the international Panama revelations,” he added.

Imran Khan said that they were given VIP treatment while in custody but what they wanted was NRO which we refused. In contrast, he said that they were using all manner of harassment, arrests, custodial torture and abductions purely for political victimisation.

“They know they cannot win any elections, so are trying to beat us down through use of brutal State power,” he added. However, Imran Khan vowed: “It won’t work. Our resolve only gets stronger.”

He continued that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government in contrast was “using all manner of harassment, arrests, custodial torture and abductions purely for political victimization”.

According to Imran, the government was trying to beat the opposing PTI down through brutal state power because they knew “they can’t win any elections”.

“It won’t work. Our resolve only gets stronger”. Earlier this week, Punjab police again laid siege to the house of former Punjab Chief Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PMLQ) leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in Gujarat but returned without making any arrest.

According to details, a heavy police force under the leadership of the District Police Officer (DPO) gathered outside Kunjah House, the residence of Pervez Elahi.

The contingent included police and elite force personnel from more than 10 police stations.

As per sources, there were gatekeepers and housekeepers at his residence while no member of Elahi’s family was present, adding that the PML-Q leader was in Lahore while Monis Elahi was out of the country.

It is pertinent to mention here that this was the second raid in a week after his house was besieged 5 days ago.

COMPANY WILL HAVE CUMULATIVELY SPENT FOUR

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

MULTAN Staff RepoRt

Sazgar bounces back in Q2FY23 with six fold increase in quarterly earnings