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Rs 40.00 | Vol XIII No 296 I 40 Pages I Lahore Edition

ARMY DOESN’T FAVOUR ANY POLITICAL PARTY OR IDEOLOGY

RAWALPINDI STAFF REPORT

THEmilitary Tuesday reiterated its “neutral stance” towards any political party or ideology, responding to former prime minister Imran Khan’s suggestion that the government’s efforts to prevent him from running for office were backed by the powerful army chief.

“The government and the army have constitutional and non-political relationships, which should not be politicized as it will be in the best interest of all that the army remains apolitical. Political parties need to promote the idea that the army is apolitical”, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said while addressing a presser at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

In his maiden news conference, the DG ISPR emphasized: “While respect for all political parties is embedded in the ethos of the Pakistan Army, it is important to clarify that we do not favour any political party or ideology.”

The DG ISPR added that only chaos has spread in that country where the military is used for a particular political vision, ideology or religion. The nation and the military do not want to see the armed forces leaning towards a specific political party because the political use of the military leads to chaos.

The chief military spokesperson commenced the briefing by focusing on the army’s counter-terrorism offensives.

SPECIAL POLITICAL AGENDA

OF NEW DELHI: Beginning with the situation on Pakistan’s eastern border with India and the Line of Control (LoC), Lt-Gen Chaudhry pointed out that the de facto border at Kashmir had remained

relatively peaceful after the 2021 ceasefire agreement.

However, he criticised India for spreading “fake propaganda” on infiltration and technical air violations, citing the “special political agenda” of New Delhi.

Furthermore, he highlighted that Pakistan had provided complete access to United Nations observers to the LoC, whereas India had not done so, showing that India wished to conceal the situation in occupied Kashmir.

Mr Chaudhry noted Pakistan had organised 16 visits to the LoC, which included participation from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) secretarygeneral and foreign media.

He, however, said India has not taken any initiative like this to hide the ground realities in the Occupied Kashmir from the international community.

He said that India had violated the LoC ceasefire 56 times this year, which included three airspace violations, 22 in-

stances of speculative firing, six ceasefire violations, and 25 technical airspace violations. Mr Chaudhry further said that India cannot change the historical status of Kashmir through “aggressive designs and baseless allegations.” “Should India choose to undertake any misadventure, Pakistani forces will give a strong response,” warned the official. He declared the Armed Forces of Pakistan are fully prepared to respond to all kind of provocation from India and are resolute to respond to any aggressive designs of the enemy.

SITUATION ALONG THE WESTERN BORDERS: Talking about the situation along the western borders, MajGen Chaudhry said a surge in the attempts to harm the law and order situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been witnessed in last few months. However, the armed forces, police and Law Enforcement Agencies are fully active to foil designs of the foes of the country. He said the armed forces are fully focused to ensure internal and border security and they are playing a cardinal role in breaking terrorists’ networks.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Gen Munir heads to China to bolster military cooperation

ISLAMABAD/BEIJING: The army chief has arrived in Bei-

jing on a four-day state visit to China aimed at boosting bilateral defence ties, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

According to Radio Pakistan, during the visit, Gen. Syed Asim Munir will hold separate meetings with the Chinese leadership. This is Gen. Munir’s fourth overseas visit ever since he took command of the military in November of last year. In January, he visited Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) on his first visit abroad since his appointment.

A month later, he visited the United Kingdom on a visit on Britain’s Ministry of Defence invitation to discuss security-re-

lated strategic issues. After the UK, Gen. Munir again toured the UAE. Gen. Munir “is on a four-day official visit to China for enhancing bilateral military relations,” the media wing of the military said in a statement without providing any further details about the trip. It is common for the new army chief to undertake a visit to China within weeks of his appointment. The delay this time is attributed to the volatile political situation in Pakistan. The visit comes amidst mounting pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on cash-strapped Pakistan to arrange at least $6 billion to bridge the external payment financial gap. STAFF REPORT

Audio clip violation of my right to privacy: ex-CJP

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Following leak of a latest audio clip on Tuesday, former chief justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar said that his patience and silence should not be misconstrued as ‘weakness’ and termed the leakage of the audio clip “theft”, questioning its authenticity.

Earlier, a purported audio leak involving former chief justice Saqib Nisar and lawyer Khawaja Tariq Raheem emerged. The latest leaks added to the controversy already stirred up by a leaked phone call between the mother-in-law of the incumbent top judge of the Supreme Court and the latter's wife.

The audio clip was — purportedly of a conversation between him and PTI legal adviser Khawaja Tariq Rahim regarding a high-profile case currently being heard by the Supreme Court.

The ex-Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice (r) Mian Saqib Nisar reacted to the alleged audio leak and said that his patience and silence should not be mistaken for his weakness.

Mian Saqib Nisar said in a statement that he has the legal right to take action against those who leaked the audio of his private conversation.

“It is an illegal and unconstitutional act to record a private conversation of any citizen. What are they trying to get in return by recording a private conversation between individuals? These people are shattering the Constitution, law and moral values.” He further said that the wrong deeds of some people cannot be covered by tapping someone’s private conversations. “Khawaja Tariq Raheem is a senior lawyer and my friend. He sought legal advice from me which I gave him. I did not know for whom he was getting my opinion.”

“I am an independent citizen now. I am neither the

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Death toll from blasts in Swat rises to 17

g IGP OTHER TOP OFFICERS CONFIRM BLASTS OCCURRED IN AMMUNITION STORE OF POLICE STATION

SWATSWAT SYED SHAHABUDDIN

The death toll from the CTD police station's compound bomb blasts reached 17 and about 57 persons were injured in the twin blasts, including eight civilians.

Among the deceased are one children namely Azlan son of Meharan and a woman.

According to police, among the dead, ten are policemen, two are civilians, and five accused persons kept in custody for interrogation in the police station. About 57 persons were also injured in the blasts, including eight civilians.

The deceased policemen were identified as: Sher Alam, Taj Muhammad, Asmat Ali, Khalilur Rahman, Bakht Rokhan, Fazal Raziq; Nahid, Abdullah Khan, and Ashraf Ali.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police

Akhtar Hayat Khan, Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Sardar Hassan Azhar Hayat and IG FC KP Major General Noor Wali Khan,Chief Secretary KP Nadeem Aslam Choudri and Advisor to Prime Minister Engineer Amir Muqam visited CTD Police station on Tuesday.

chief justice nor part of any bench. If someone is seeking my legal opinion then I would definitely give it. I give legal consultancy without any charges to the people at my son’s office.”

The former CJP questioned what message they are giving to the young generation by tapping into someone’s private conversation. He added that the use of tapped private conversations for blackmailing is a serious crime.

In the alleged audio clip, Nisar discusses the judgement of a seven-member bench on a "suo motu" notice taken by the apex court in 2010 with Raheem and asks him to investigate the matter.

The former top judge is heard describing the details of the judgment and stating that it provides a "way out" for them.

The conversation also touches on the removal of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sardar Tanveer Ilyas as the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir over contempt of court.

Raheem mentions plans to file another contempt case, to which Nisar suggests filing one against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif through Muneer Ahmed.

In the video, Raheem mentions that a verdict by the three-member bench regarding the case of clipping the top justice's powers will be issued soon. An eight-member bench had previously issued a stay on the case.

The three-member bench has ordered the government to release Rs21 billion by April 27 for snap polls and warned of serious consequences for non-compliance with the order.

‘MIAN SAQIB NISAR HAS GONE TOO FAR IN NAWAZ SHARIF’S ENMITY’: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif Tuesday declared that Saqib Nisar has gone too far in rivalry with Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)’s supremo Nawaz Sharif.

Khawaja Asif wrote on his tweeter account, “Saqib Nisar Sahib! You have gone too far in Nawaz Sharif’s enmity.” In Twitter statement regarding the alleged audio leak of former Chief Justice Of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and lawyer Khawaja Tariq Rahim, the Defense Minister said, “Mian Saqib Sahib, listening to your audio, it is very sad. You went too far in Nawaz Sharif’s enmity.”

Kh Asif further said that 14/15 years ago, Saqib Nisar narrated two reservations to him regarding Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif, which were completely baseless, assuring that can tell the truth to the media.

Addressing the former chief justice, he said that he took revenge on Nawaz Sharif, and sentenced him. How long will he keep this poison now?

MARRIYUM REGRETS 'JUDICIAL BIAS': Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday expressed disapproval of what she viewed as "judicial bias" in some high-profile cases.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

All top officers also offered funeral prayers for the deceased policemen and laid wreaths on their coffins. The IG KP Police, while giving a briefing to media representatives, said that the number of martyrs in the incident reached 17. “Among the deceased are five accused who were in the custody of CTD police. According to the preliminary investigation, the incident was not due to terrorism, but due to the explosion in the ammunition storage, mainly seized in various operations from time to time by police,” he said. According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shafiqa Gul, the rescue operation is underway on the second day, in which about 100 rescue officials and heavy machinery are participating to remove rubble of the collapsed building. She said that about 13 dead bodies were shifted to their hometowns.

Protests in Kabala and Mingora

Meanwhile, massive protests took place in Mingora and Kabal on Tuesday against the bomb blasts in CTD police station.

Though the KP police termed the blasts occurred at a weapon storage facility inside an old office of the Counter Terrorism Department on the premises of the police station, people of Swat raised questions on police claims and stated it was an incident of terrorism.

Soon after the blasts, people from all walks of life in Swat condemned the attack, announcing protests in Kabal and Mingora bazaar. The protest at Kabal Bazaar was organized by Swat Olasi Pasoon, while Swat Quami Jirga organized the protest at Nishat Chowk in Mingora. PkMAP’s Khurshid Kaka Ji, Mukhtiyar Yousafzai, Dr Khalid, Abdul Jabbar Khan, Ayoub Asharey, Hameedul Haq, Irfan Chattan and others addressed the gatherings.

The protests were attended by a large number of people from across the Swat condemning the attacks. They demanded durable peace in Swat and other Pashtun belts and said that the people of Malakand division would no more be deceived under terrorism dramas.

The speakers said that if it by any chance it was believed that it was an accidental blast at the weapon storage facility, then it seemed an unprecedented irresponsible act.

They said that Pashtun would no more tolerate terrorism on their land as they believed that terrorism in the country was always carried out for dollars.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Another day, another claim of ‘just a few more days’

g GOVT’S REPEATED CLAIMS THAT A DEAL WITH IMF IS ONLY A FEW DAYS AWAY HAVE BECOME LAUGHABLE

LAHORE PROFIT REPORT

At this point, the government’s repeated claims that a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is only a few days away have become laughable. On Tuesday, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said the agreement with the lender would be inked formally during next week.

The claim came during a public address in the interior minister’s native Faisalabad. But such claims by different government officials have become a dime-a-dozen. The only question is whether the government is still trying to (albeit desperately) convince the public or convince itself.

The mantra of right around the corner has been repeated ad nauseum since at least January, when finance minister Ishaq Dar

gave up on his misguided plan of fighting the IMF. Those initial months where the government and the IMF were engaged in a Mexican standoff have brought the country close to default.

The IMF team came to Pakistan on the 1st of February, which was already pretty late in the context of the 9th review. What is however more important is the way in which their arrival was anticipated by the government. In the start of December 2022, the Finance minister Ishaq Dar assured that within 2 weeks, friendly countries would lend $3 billion to Pakistan after which the IMF deal will come through.

On the 9th of January, the Prime Minister of Pakistan stated that the IMF team is about to arrive in a couple of days. Weeks turned into months, days turned into weeks, but when the IMF team finally arrived, on the 1st

of February, Pakistan was still not able to secure the Staff Level agreement. The two week long visit was followed by negotiations that were supposed to happen virtually.

Little to no news left the boardrooms of these negotiations with the IMF but one after the other, steps were taken in lieu of the IMF prior conditions. Contentions on fiscal budget, revenue collection, exchange rate and smuggling all were resolved, and Pakistan imposed additional taxes worth Rs 170 billion. Currency was depreciated but the SLA still did not come through. While presenting the finance (supplementary) bill in the Parliament on the 20th of February, the finance minister said that this was the last step required to fulfill the IMF program.

Later, it was State Minister for Revenue

Aisha Ghaus Pasha that said written assurance from friendly countries of financing to

Pakistan is something that the IMF team requires. What is perhaps because of the tall claims made by Ishaq Dar last year, Pakistan now has to prove the worth of its friendships.

Since then, the entirety of the Q-block has maintained that the IMF deal is about to materialize. These presumably last minute housekeeping issues that took a month to resolve finally seem to have come to a close. After a long wait, Saudi Arabia has assured its financing of $2 billion dollars to the IMF.

The UAE has also given assurances.

At this point, the IMF deal might actually be close. But with political instability rising in the country and the government out of power outside Islamabad, it is anyone’s guess. The problem is, even if the staff level agreement is signed, the government’s claims have become worth not more than words in the air.

g DG ISPR SAYS OVER 70 IBOS BEING CONDUCTED A DAY ON AVERAGE TO STEM OUT WAVE OF TERRORISM

g SAYS ARMED FORCES FULLY PREPARED FOR BEFITTING RESPONSE TO ANY INDIAN AGGRESSION

PAKISTAN VOWS TO COMBAT MISINFORMATION, HATE SPEECH AS NEW CHAIR OF UN BODY

NEW YORK

Staff RepoRt

PAKISTANhas been elected as the chairman of the United Nations Committee on Information for a twoyear term. In his opening statement, Ambassador Aamir Khan, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, pledged to promote fact-based information and fight against the spread of misinformation.

He called for building a cohesive system that enhances understanding of the principles of the UN Charter and bridging the digital divide to

achieve universal connectivity. He emphasised that this will enable people to make informed decisions and contribute to building inclusive, peaceful, and just societies.

The Pakistani envoy also highlighted the triple crisis that the world is facing, including the Covid19 pandemic, the existential threat caused by climate change, and the inter-related shocks to food, fuel, and finance.

He stressed the committee’s role in combating these challenges by ensuring accurate and timely information. He called for confronting the existential threat of climate change and for promoting the

exchange of information and best practices to accelerate bold climate action.

Ambassador Khan also underscored the need for a fair, equitable, and resilient global information landscape, addressing the technological divide and lack of access by developing countries to reliable, factual, and multilingual information.

He recalled Pakistan’s initiative in the General Assembly, which adopted resolution 76/227 entitled “Countering Disinformation for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,” and

welcomed the launch of the “Group of Friends” on Countering Disinformation to advance the multidimensional response to counter all forms of disinformation, including in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lastly, Ambassador Khan welcomed the new Vice-Chairs and Rapporteur of the Committee as well as new member Estonia, which has been admitted to the Committee on Information. He called for persevering and renewing the commitment to meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) despite the challenges posed by Covid-19.

Four Paws delegation arrives to evaluate living arrangements for elephants

KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

A team of veterinarians and wildlife experts from Four Paws, a global animal welfare organization, arrived in Pakistan to visit Karachi’s Safari Park on Tuesday.

The delegation is assessing the accommodation arrangements for elephant Madhubala, as part of a plan to expand the park’s elephant enclosure by three and a half acres.

While one and a half acres have already been designated for elephants Sonia and Malika, the team will evaluate the suitability of keeping Madhubala separately and provide recommendations if needed.

The team will also evaluate the phyical fitness of Sonia and Malika to ensure they are healthy and able to

adjust to their new living conditions.

The Safari Park’s elephant enclosure is being expanded to improve the conditions of captive elephants in Pakistan, and the recommendations of the Four Paws team will be carefully considered and implemented as needed.

The presence of the Four Paws team is significant for the park’s efforts to enhance the living conditions of Madhubala, Sonia, and Malika.

Earlier, the team had recommended relocating Madhubala and her companion Noor Jehan, who passed away on April 21, to a speciesappropriate place that meets international standards.

Four Paws tweeted that Noor Jehan’s tragic story is a reminder of the suffering that captive wild animals endure in Pakistan and around the world.

Former CJ Saqib Nisar has violated his oath, claims Informaton Minister

KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said on Tuesday that former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar’s audio was leaked, and all his suo motu notices had become question marks. Addressing a press conference, Mr Memon questioned should the decisions of the former chief justice not be withdrawn?”

Continuing to take a dig at Mr Nisar, Mr Memon said, “The former CJ has violated his oath.” He berated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, saying, “The efforts are being made to pave the way for Imran Khan.” On Monday, Mr Memon called on supporters of the ruling PTI party to “open their eyes” and “get rid of liar like Imran Khan.” Mr Memon accused Mr Khan of being mentally ill and having “oonly enmity with Pakistan.” His comments came in response to a recent interview given by Imran Khan, in which he claimed that he had dissolved the provincial assemblies on the advice of General Qamar Javed Bajwa. “Why did Imran end Punjab and KP governments on Mr Bajwa’s advice?” Mr. Memon questioned. “All the words of Imran Khan show that he was fooling the entire nation, and nothing of this person can be trusted.” The PPP leader called the interviews a “charge sheet” against the prime minister and accused him of running a campaign based on “100 percent lies.”

Sheikh Rashid advised President to ask PM Shehbaz for vote of confidence

AWALPINDI Staff RepoRt

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid gave President Dr. Arif Alvi advice on Tuesday to order Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to seek a vote of confidence from the National Assembly.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ally claimed in a letter that Shehbaz’s Cabinet had lost the House’s confidence by refusing to pass a supplementary grant, provide the necessary funds, security, and support to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for general elections for the Punjab and KhyberPakhtunkhwa (K-P) assemblies.

Rashid argued that the NA had lost trust in the current leadership as a result of their refusal to follow directives, particularly the most recent directive from the Supreme Court to allot and distribute money from the Federal Consolidated Funds for holding elections.

The letter claimed that the government “deliberately” failed to uphold its promises after the Cabinet promised to address the “artificially created” financial crisis and give the ECP the necessary funds.

The premier and his Cabinet lost both the majority in the NA and the confidence of the people after they

were unable to enact a supplementary budget, despite the AML leader’s assertion that the government needed to maintain a majority in the legislature. He added that Article 73 ofthe Constitution, which indicates that the permission of the federal government is required for financial measures, and Article 84 of the Constitution, which specifies the legislative procedure for additional and excess grants, both highlight the procedure involving money bills.

According to the letter, the president was encouraged to call a

Chinese Language Day celebrated in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Over the weekend, the nation of Pakistan celebrated International Chinese Language Day, highlighting the growing interest in learning one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. The interest in the Chinese language in Pakistan is mainly due to the significant investments made by China under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This year’s celebrations were held under the theme of “Chinese Language: Facilitating Dialogues across Civilisations,” with activities hosted by the China-funded Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms across Pakistan. The country has five major Confucius schools, including ones at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), the University of Sargodha, the University of Punjab, the University of Agriculture, and the University of Karachi, with over 30,000 students learning the Chinese language Chinese is also one of the official languages of the United Nations, with April 20 designated as UN Chinese Language Day to promote multilingualism and cultural diversity.

meeting of the NA and secure a vote of confidence under Article 91(7) of the Constitution because PM Shehbaz was unable to adopt a supplementary budget to give the necessary cash.

Federal Information Minister

Marriyum Aurangzeb clarified earlier that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has not decided to take the vote of confidence.

In a tweet, the information minister stated that there had been no such consultation and that it was unnecessary.

Alvi congratulates new Bangladesh president on taking office

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

President Dr Arif Alvi extended his congratulations to Muhammad Shahabuddin, a former judge, on assuming the office of the president of Bangladesh on Tuesday. He expressed his confidence that during Shahabuddin’s tenure, the “brotherly ties” between Pakistan and Bangladesh would be strengthened further. Taking to his Twitter handle, the president wrote: “I am confident that during your tenure our brotherly ties would be further strengthened. I wish you a very successful term in office and look forward to working closely with you for the mutual benefit of our countries.”

Shahabuddin, the nominee of the ruling Awami League party, was elected as the president of Bangladesh on February 13 without opposition, as no other candidate filed papers to contest the election. His party holds the majority in the 350seat national parliament, with 302 members, making it impossible for any other party to nominate a candidate. Following the oath-taking ceremony, he was congratulated by the outgoing president, Abdul Hamid, who is the only person in Bangladesh to have held the presidential post for two consecutive terms of 10 years. As per the country’s constitution, the presidential election must be held 60 to 90 days before the completion of each five-year term.

The Problem With Pakistan’s Supreme Court

that its constitutional authority has been undermined by the Supreme Court as the latter issued a date for Punjab assembly elections without its consent.

UMAIR JAMAL

Recent rulings by the Pakistan Supreme Court have thrust it into the middle of the ongoing political crisis in the country. These decisions, often made by partisan judges, are eroding the stature of and public confidence in Pakistan’s judiciary. For over a year now, Pakistan’s political parties have been wrangling over the holding of elections. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been pushing for elections to the National Assembly (NA) to be advanced and for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly elections to be held before general elections. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)- led government prefers the elections to be held at the same time. Elections to the NA are due later this year.

Amid this political wrangling, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial has come under scrutiny for his suo motu action on the Punjab assembly elections. Earlier this month, a three-member bench led by Bandial fixed May 14 as the new date for elections

to the Punjab assembly. In doing so, he quashed a decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to defer polls in the province from April 10 to October 8. This Supreme Court ruling is a major setback to the Shehbaz Sharif government, which has been trying to defer elections to the Punjab assembly, which was dissolved on January 13. The ruling PML-N-Pakistan People’s Party alliance is opposed to holding assembly elections in Punjab ahead of national elections.

As per the rules, elections are to be held under a caretaker government. With an elected government in place in Punjab, especially should that be led by the opposition PTI, the chances of victory for the ruling combine in Pakistan’s most populous and electorally crucial province in the general election could be undermined.

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Sharif’s government has openly objected to the Supreme Court order to hold assembly elections in Punjab on May 14, saying that this is meant to facilitate victory by the PTI.

The PTI, which enjoys immense popularity

in Pakistan, believes it can win the upcoming election in Punjab, which will give it an upper hand administratively in the province when the NA elections take place subsequently across Pakistan.

Chief Justice Bandial’s authority and neutrality have been further eroded following revelations that the Supreme Court judges objected to the initiation of proceedings under Article 184(3) of the Constitution on the PTI’s petition regarding polls in Punjab.

When Bandial ruled in favor of early elections in Punjab, a number of top judges ruled that PTI’s suo motu request was dismissed on the ground of maintainability. The objection from the judges was based on their understanding that such action should not be taken without consulting all members of the court, and that the issue was pending in provincial courts and didn’t qualify as an issue of public interest.

The ruling coalition is in no mood to implement the top court’s rulings, which it believes may undermine its electoral prospects in the upcoming general elections. Meanwhile, the ECP has complained

To find a way out of the situation, the parliament has tried to enact legislation to curtail the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) with regard to unilaterally taking suo motu actions. However, earlier this month Bandial ruled that the bill curtailing the CJP’s powers will remain ineffective even if it becomes law. The ruling virtually undermines the legislature’s ability to do its work.

The situation has gotten to a point where the state seems to be in a revolt against the top judge’s orders over the elections. The State Bank of Pakistan has refused to obey the chief justice’s order to directly allocate funds to the ECP without the parliament’s approval. The Defense Ministry has made it clear that it cannot allocate security personnel as they are busy with military operations across the country. Meanwhile, the government has refused to enter into negotiations with PTI leadership under pressure from the Supreme Court.

This is not the first time that the apex court’s chief justices have tried to intervene in matters that are beyond their remit, undermining the judiciary’s legitimacy and

harming Pakistan’s interests at home and abroad.

Rulings by Supreme Court judges have in fact left Pakistan weaker and caused trouble for policymakers and concerns for international investors. One of the most notable examples in this regard is the verdict handed out by former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary in the Reko Diq deal in 2013. The ruling damaged Pakistan’s reputation among investors and cost it financially too.

During his term at the helm, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar gave several controversial verdicts that were beyond his constitutional authority. Not only was Nisar behind the scandalous initiative of establishing a fund to collect donations for the construction of a dam but also, he repeatedly interfered in daily administrative affairs by using suo motu authority of his office to an unprecedented extent.

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The Supreme Court is tasked with providing a fair and impartial interpretation of the law. However, its recent decisions have created an atmosphere of uncertainty in the country as citizens are unsure of how these decisions will be implemented. It is now up to the Supreme Court to prove that it can remain impartial and make decisions as per the Constitution rather than politics. Only then can it restore public trust in the judiciary and prevent further damage to the institution and the country.

RECENT RULING FIXING DATE FOR PUNJAB ELECTIONS IS DEEPLY CONTROVERSIAL AS IT LAYS BARE APEX COURT’S PARTISAN BIAS

BARONESS WARSI, SAPM MALIK PRIORITIZE GENDER EQUALITY, POVERTY REDUCTION

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, a current Member of the House of Lords and former co-Chairwoman of the UK’s Conservative Party, recently discussed with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Muhammad Jawad Sohrab Malik the importance of serving the public interest and expanding the scope of charitable work for the betterment of humanity.

At a reception hosted by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM)

Muhammad Jawad Sohrab Malik at his residence in Islamabad, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi and SAPM Malik, exchanged ideas on how to enhance the impact of charitable initiatives and address the needs of the community more effectively.

They exchanged ideas, goals, and visions for providing equal opportunities to the masses at all levels. The meeting was an opportunity for

both dignitaries to discuss their shared commitment to promoting equality and serving the public interest.

SAPM Malik, who comes from Gujar Khan – the ancestral home of both individuals – also runs a charity organization called the Sohrab Foundation. During the reception, he praised Baroness Warsi for her philanthropic work in the Gujar Khan district, where she has been working towards poverty alleviation and promoting girls’ education through the empowerment of women.

The two discussed the importance of such efforts and the need to continue supporting initiatives that uplift marginalized communities.

The British MP Sayeeda was in Pakistan on a philanthropic visit to Gujar Khan, while running a charity foundation based in village of Bewal in Gujar Khan which is focused on supporting various charitable initiatives aimed at promoting community development and social welfare.

CM Naqvi orders to accelerate pace of work on Nishtar Hospital II

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi Tuesday paid a visit to Nishtar Hospital II in Multan and inspected the pace of work and ordered to accelerate it.

“We want to start OPD at the hospital soon,” Mohsin Naqvi said while expressing displeasure over slow pace of work. The chief minister ordered the Multan commissioner to carry out work in three shifts. arlier, the Multan commissioner and police high-ups welcomed the chief minister on his arrival in Multan. Information Minister Amir Mir, Health Minister Javed Akram and Secretary Coordination Amir Karim accompanied the chief minister.

Death toll from blasts in Swat rises to 17

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

They said that if terrorists were tried to bring back to Malakand division, the people of Swat would take action against them as they lost trust in the security forces. They demanded that an independent and transparent inquiry must be made to investigate the reality of the blasts that occurred in Kabal Police Lines and bring the facts in front of people.

‘SHORT CIRCUIT LIKELY BEHIND TWIN

BLASTS NEAR SWAT’: The initial investigation into the twin blasts that occurred inside the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Swat suggested on Tuesday that a short circuit in the ammunition depot caused the explosions. At least more 17 people died and around 50 people got injured in the blasts inside the CTD police station on Monday. which resulted in the deaths of at least 16 people and left many others on Monday night. The report states that the fire originated in the armory, where the weapons were stored, and it is highly likely that the short circuit caused the explosions. However, the CTD police station has been a target of militant groups in the past, with numerous attacks reported. Swat district recently experienced an increase in militant activity, leading to heightened security measures in the area. The motive behind this attack on the CTD police station is still unclear. District Police Officer Shafi

Ullah Gandapur said that the blasts caused significant damage to the building, and the Counter Terrorism Department DIG Khalid Sohail mentioned that the building's collapse caused a power outage of unknown extent. This latest attack on law enforcement agencies by militants in the region prompted a swift response from security forces and police, who cordoned off the area and launched a full-scale investigation. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion that shattered windows and damaged nearby buildings. Interior Minister, Rana Sanaullah, expressed his deep sadness over the loss of life caused by the blasts and condemned the attack, requesting a detailed report from authorities. The KP Interim CM, Azam Khan, also condemned the attack and ensured that the injured receive the necessary medical care.

FUNERAL OF NINE POLICEMEN OFFERED

AT POLICE LINES: Earlier in the day, collective funeral of the nine martyred policemen were offered at Swat Police Lines. Besides others, Corps

Commander Peshawar, IG Khyber Pakthunkhwa

Police Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, DIG CounterTerrorism Department Tauseef Khalid, the Swat District Police Officer, senior civil and military officers, and relatives of the victims attended. Later, their bodies were shifted to their native villages and towns for last rituals where they were laid to rest in full police honour. As a result of huge fire and blasts, the police station was razed to ground besides caused damages to the nearby buildings where rescue operations started. The people started coming to the residences of the victims and were offering fateha for eternal peace of the deceased. Grief and sorrow prevailed in the natives areas of the deceased. KP CM orders inquiry of Kabal blast Caretaker Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Azam Khan has ordered an inquiry into the incident of blast at CTD Police Station Kabal Swat to ascertain the actual causes of the incident. A two member inquiry committee comprising Home Secretary and Additional Inspector General, Special Branch has been constituted to this effect. In a statement issued here on Tuesday in this regard, the Chief Minister has said that inquiry into the incident is underway, adding that though apparently it seems to be caused by any mishap, but nothing could be said with certainty whether it was caused by any mishap or it was a terrorist activity.

Lathani gang’s head of Katcha area offers ceasefire

RAHIM YAR KHAN Staff RepoRt

The chief minister also visited the house of the two youths in Mohallah Dogran who died in Multan police firing on the day of Eid. He expressed condolences to the family and assured them of justice.

CM PRESENTS EID GIFTS TO ELDERLY

PERSONS: Earlier, Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi Tuesday paid a visit to Social Welfare Complex in Township, Lahore where he spent time in Afiyat Old Age Home and presented Eid greetings and gifts to the elderly persons. The chief minister went to the rooms of the elderly persons living in the old age home and met them individually and inquired about the facilities provided there. The chief minister also inquired from the elderly persons about their problems. They expressed satisfaction over the quality of food and other facilities

at Afiyat. “The quality of food and other facilities are very good. The facilities here cannot be described in words,” the elderly persons at Afiyat told the chief minister. Mohsin Naqvi ordered to get the names of the elderly persons living in Afiyat registered in Benazir Income Support Programme. “I have come to share the joy of Eid with you. It is our responsibility to take care of our seniors,” he said to the senior citizens living in the old age home. The chief minister directed to conduct regular medical check-ups of the elderly persons. He also met columnist Athar Zameer in Afiyat and assured him of solving his problems. In this regard, he issued on-the-spot instructions to Provincial Information Minister Aamir Mir and DGPR Rubina Afzal.

Audio clip violation of my right to privacy: ex-CJP

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

"Wives, mothers-in-law, children and Dam Baba vs Constitution of Pakistan...competition is tough and time is running out," she said in a tweet.

Marriyum also posted a short video along with tweet which showed that the scales of justice tilted towards one side.

Her remarks came in backdrop of an alleged leaked phone call between former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar and a lawyer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Tarar voices for transparency to ensure rule of law: Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) believed in the supremacy of law and the constitution and wanted transparency in all matters as it was utmost necessary for ensuring rule of law in the country. Addressing a press conference flanked by SAPM Malik Ahmed Khan here, he said that peoples’ confidence in the national institutions could be ensured through transparency.

Parliament being the legislature and supreme institution of the country, was mandated to make legislation as per the constitution, he said and added that Practice and Procedure Act was passed by the upper and lower houses of the Parliament by using its constitutional right, however a ruling was given to stop the act before its imposition.

He said the Parliament and the political fora were

the right place to discuss political matters. In the past, courts have tried to avoid questions being raised on political matters, Tarar said, adding when political matters were taken to court, it only harmed the country and the nation.

Tarar said that an audio leak between former chief justice Saqib Nisar and the PTI lawyer Khawaja Tariq Rahim had raised questions as various political matters and cases which were in the courts had been discussed in the audio tape. The conversation in the audio leak was aimed to create rifts among the institutions and to further deepen the prevailing crisis, he alleged. The country was passing through a tough situation, whereas, the audio leak was referring to further intensify it. Matters pertaining to future were discussed in the call, he said adding that the perception regarding ousting of prime minister of elected PML-N government in 2016-17 was getting strengthened that it was preplanned.

SAPM Malik Ahmed Khan said that interpretation of the constitution was a right and duty of the courts, however, they could not rewrite the constitution. He said various powers were abundantly misused in the courts including the suo moto powers particularly in political matters. He said the PML-N was never afraid of going into elections, however, it wanted a level playing field for everyone so that no one could raise questions over the conduct of elections and their transparency.

Shabbir Lathani, the ringleader of Lathani Gang in Katcha area has offered negotiations to police if “fake encounters” are stopped. According to media reports, Shabbir Lathani in a fresh video message uploaded on social media rejected the claims that there were terrorists, dacoits and “enemies of the country” in the Katcha area, He added poverty and tribal feuds were the actual issues plaguing the area and could be resolved through mediation. He said he and other members of his gang belonged to the Mazari tribe and their clan was led by their elder Nawab Sukhani. He said all the cases registered against him and Qabil Sukhani were the result of internal tribal conflicts. He accused that many “false” FIRs had been registered against him and his brother Mira Lathani. He said that in 2016 when the operation was initiated against Choutoo Gang, they were in Sindh and had met with officers of police and intelligence agencies at Dera Morr, along with Sardar Sakhi Sultan Shar. He claimed that in the meeting they had offered to surrender on the condition of withdrawal of cases and mediation to end the tribal feuds. Shabbir Lathani, in the message, denied there were any militants in the Kacha area belonging to the banned Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or nay other terrorist group, as being claimed by police. He appealed to tribal leader and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf formed MNA, Sardar Riaz Mehmood Khan Mazari, son of Sarda Balakh Sher Mazari, to not to portray the “unrest” in the Kacha area as a law-and-order issue. He said there was crime in the Kacha area due to poverty, hunger and tribal quarrels and that mediation between tribal people could help solve the problem and restore peace there. He said peace could be restored in the area through provision of electricity and construction of schools and roads, regretting that ex-MNA Riaz Mazari never demanded a school for the area despite being a parliamentarian.

Justice Sardar Tariq Masood not using any twitter account: SC

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday clarified that Justice Sardar Tariq Masood was not using any twitter account, page or any other ID on any other social networking websites. The clarification was given with reference to a fake twitter account with the name of Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Judge Supreme Court of Pakistan, was being run on social media. It was further stated that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has also been asked to block such names, IDs and pages and to take legal action against the delinquents in accordance with the law.

PTI Gujrat leader abducted, police lodge FIR

GUJRAT Staff RepoRt

A local leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Gujrat, namely Amjad Pervaiz Butt was allegedly abducted on Tuesday by unidentified persons and the local police have registered a case of the incident. According to the party’s sources, PTI Gujrat leader Amjad Pervaiz Butt has allegedly been abducted by unidentified persons and his vehicle was found parked on the premises of a local shopping mall. Butt’s brother submitted a complaint against the alleged abduction at the Rehmania police station. His brother said that Amjad Pervaiz Butt is a close aide of former Punjab CM and PTI President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, whereas, his mobile phone is still going switched off. A day earlier, former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan demanded the immediate release of PTI’s Instagram lead Attaur Rehman. In a Twitter message, Imran Khan alleged, “It has been 5 days since our PTI Instagram lead Attaur Rehman was abducted.” “We demand his immediate release and an end to abductions and torture of our social media activists,” he added.

Army doesn’t favour any political party or ideology

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

He informed the Pakistan Army along with civil and military intelligence agencies is conducting over 70 intelligence based operations (IBOs) on the average across the country to stem out the recent wave of terrorism and resurgence.

Maj-Gen Chaudhry shared that the security forces have so far conducted some 8,269 IBOs since 2023 and apprehended 1,378 terrorists and killed 157 among them during the anti-terrorism operations.

“The security forces are focusing on it. The civil and military law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have made wonderful measures. However, the Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch Separatist organizations have been found behind all that,” the DG ISPR said.

He said since the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan, some 436 terrorist incidents took place that martyred 293 innocent civilians and injured 521 individuals. “Today, Alhamdulilah (Thanks to Allah) with the support of the nation, there is no ‘No Go Area’ in Pakistan,” he added.

The armed forces spokesperson underlined that there were few terrorist groups making hostile activities whereas proper efforts were underway to exterminate them. He added that a large cache of illegal weapons, ammunition and ordnance was being recovered from the

terrorists during various IBOs and further recovery was underway. The Peshawar Police Lines and Karachi Police Office (KPO) attacks showed the nefarious intentions of the country’s enemies, whereas these terrorists had no contact with Islam, he added.

He informed that Peshawar attack was done by Jamaat ul Ahrar and the attacker hailed from Afghanistan. He added that the Peshawar attack facilitator was arrested who had trained the suicide attackers and received a sum of Rs7.5 million for facilitation and execution of the attack. “The attack on Peshawar Police Lines was postponed twice due to lack of the people offering prayer in the mosque. In the third time, the attack was executed in the presence of maximum people,” the ISPR DG said.

He added that the KPO attack facilitator Aryad Ullah Waheed alias Abdul Aziz was also arrested who received directions from TTP leadership and got Rs 3 million whereas he bought a car from that money to execute the attack.

The ISPR DG mentioned that during the anti-terrorism operations since January 2023, some 137 officers and soldiers have embraced martyrdom and 117 got injured. He said that the nation paid tribute to these brave sons of the soil. He added that the intelligence agencies’ day and night efforts had helped to arrest Baloch terrorist commander Gulzar Alam alias Shambey. Pakistan armed forces’ efforts were

not hidden to any and if compared to the world forces under which circumstances and resources it fought against terrorism, there was no precedent to it, he added.

“Our fight will continue till termination of the last terrorist,” he vowed.

WESTERN BORDER MANAGEMENT MEASURES:

Highlighting the Western Border Management measures, the ISPR DG said almost 98 percent border fencing along 2,611 kilometers Pak-Afghan international border was completed and 85 percent fencing was completed along Pak-Iran border.

He added that 85 percent construction of forts along Pak-Afghan and 33 percent along Pak-Iran border was completed.

During this entire process, he said many soldiers of Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom to complete fencing.

He added that 65 percent area in the newly merged tribal districts was cleansed from mines as some 98,000 mines have been neutralized.

Responding to media queries, he said the counter-terrorism operations were based on four components of clear, hold, build and transfer. The forces used to go in an affected area, terminate terrorists, revive socio-economic status and transfer the area to civil administration.

The DG ISPR said that the government had realized to move towards through enduring peace by build and transfer. He added that hostile agencies

were working and would be making all out efforts to fail it.

Replying to a query pertaining to India, he said Indian aggression and false statements could not change history. Kashmir’s disputed status was globally recognized and could not be changed. It was never an integral part of India, nor it will remain its part, he added.

The COAS, he said first visited the Line of Control (LoC) and said that Pakistan armed forces could defend every inch of the country and could take war to the enemies’ home.

CAMPAIGN AGAINST INSTITUTIONS: Referring to social media campaign against institutions, he said the Constitution gave freedom of expression under some legal caveats. He added that the discussion on social media against state institutions was senseless, unconstitutional and illogical.

He said that TTP and Pakistan Armed Forces had a relationship of kinetic operations. The decision of dialogue with TTP was made by the then government, he added.

He added that these hostile and inimical elements and agencies have no faith and religion as they attack all without any discrimination including law enforcement agencies (LEAs), ulema, forces and media etc.

He commended that the KP Police had rendered huge sacrifices and the nation must acknowledge it as the armed forces had acknowledged it.

tHat the new DG ISPR, Maj Gen ahmed Sharif, held a press conference on tuesday was unusual in itself, because General Sharif had avoided the press limelight since taking over the job in December, to the extent that this was actually his first press conference. this has appeared a marked contrast to the much more frequent appearances before the press of his predecessor, Maj Gen Iftikhar Babar. General Babar’s most daring appearance was with the DG ISI, Lt Gen Naveed anjum, whose appearance at a press conference was a first. General anjum had initially ordered that even photographs of him should not be published, but made that one appearance, and then receded into the shadows. General Sharif has so far followed that policy, therefore his pronouncements about the security situation, both on the eastern frontier, as well as internally, is all the more significant.

General Sharif gave out information about the number of LoC violations by India, 56, in the year so far. However, the information he gave about terrorist incidents and intelligence-based operations, 436 and 8269, indicated an increase in terrorism, and also an increase in the army’s efforts to combat it. However, it was also a little surprising that the DG ISPR did not take up the issue of the Swat Counter-terrorism Department blast in Kabal. this might be because the blast, which had led to 16 deaths and many more injuries; is being ascribed to a short circuit in the armory. It is not known what might have been in the armory which would lead to such a powerful blast at the building was reduced to rubble. Whether the blast was the result of terrorist action, or simply of police ineptitude, the fact that the DG ISPR, who belongs to one of the main forces combating terrorism, must be considered significant.

General Sharif’s low profile may not necessarily be a bad thing. It represents a reversion to the kind of anonymity that was observed traditionally. the role of the ISPR may have expanded in recent years, but the present COaS, Gen asim Munir, seems to be following the policy his predecessor, Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, had switched to, of strict neutrality, and refusal to intervene in politics. General Sharif repeated this assurance, and it is to be hoped that the remaining in the shadows is going to continue.

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late)

Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor

M. A. Niazi

Joint Editor Umar Aziz

Executive Editor

Judiciary must not become party in political chaos

The fount of justice must not be tainted

THe judicial crisis in Pakistan refers to a series of events that have occurred over the years, resulting in tensions between the government and the judiciary. In 2007, former President Pervez Musharraf suspended the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, on charges of misconduct and misuse of authority. this move sparked widespread protests and led to a standoff between the government and the judiciary.

Since then, there have been several other instances of conflict between government and judiciary.

In 2018, the Supreme Court disqualified then PM Nawaz Sharif from holding public office and sentenced him to 10 years in prison on corruption charges. this move was widely criticised by Sharif’s supporters, who claimed that the judiciary was being used to target political opponents. In 2020, the government passed a controversial law that would have allowed for speedy appointment of judges without proper consultation with the judiciary. the move was met with strong opposition from the legal community and civil society, who saw it as an attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary.

Recently, a debate on judicial activism has taken over the entire media and political fraternity. the Supreme Court’s suo motu notice on elections to the Punjab and KPK assemblies has triggered another debate on judicial activism and the Chief Justice’s authority across the country.

the Chief Justice of Pakistan, like any other judge, is bound to follow the Constitution and the law and make decisions based on legal principles and evidence presented before the court. It is the

duty of the judiciary to remain impartial and independent in its decision-making, and any actions or decisions that appear to be influenced by political considerations would be a cause for concern. Ultimately, the judiciary plays a critical role in upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of all citizens, and it is essential that it maintains its independence and impartiality.

However, the impression which is coming out from the apex court is different. It is being said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan has become a party in the ongoing political battle across the country. apparently, the top judge of the apex court is siding with an opposition party’s stance regarding the provincial assembly polls in Punjab and KPK. the questions are also being raised regarding the fixation of benches and exclusion of senior judges from the benches, headed by the Chief Justice himself. as the head of the judiciary, the Chief Justice of Pakistan has the responsibility to uphold the rule of law and ensure that justice is dispensed impartially and without bias towards any particular individual or political party. the judiciary’s duty is to interpret the law and apply it in a fair and equitable manner, and it must remain independent from any political influence or pressure. any actions or decisions that suggest bias or favouritism towards a particular political party can undermine the integrity of the judiciary and erode public trust in the justice system. therefore, it is essential that the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the judiciary as a whole remain committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice is served fairly and impartially. It is also essential for the judiciary to ensure that the allocation of cases and the composition of benches is fair, transparent, and based on merit. this helps to ensure that justice is dispensed impartially and without bias, and that the public has

The judiciary’s duty is to interpret the law and apply it in a fair and equitable manner, and it must remain independent and impartial in order to maintain public trust and confidence in the justice system. Therefore, the Chief Justice must prioritise the interests of justice and the Constitution above any political considerations. He should also avoid passing personal statements against politicians while hearing cases against them.

India-a serene land of art and culture

But the BJP is trying to make it a Hindu state

Satya Pal Malik’s recent statement on the Pulwama attack has turned the tables in a real sense. Intentionally or unintentionally, former Occupied Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has simply defended Pakistan’s stance on the Pulwama attack of February 2019. In a recent interview this former member of the Narendra Modi-led government, alleged that the Indian Prime Minister silenced him on the security lapses which led to the 2019 Pulwama attack. according to him, Modi played a dirty game by concealing the truth from his own nation and tried to fix and frame Pakistan in a matter which actually had nothing to do with it.

Whatever happened in Pulwama was the action of some indigenous groups already active in India; however the negligence and nonprofessional attitude of the Indian security organizations provided these groups a strong support. Satya Pal Malik has also pointed towards the same incompetence and carelessness of the Indian security organizations in his recent interview. It is also on record that the Modi government expressed no surprise after the Pulwama incident though it was no doubt a tragedy which claimed lives of more than 40 CRPF personnel and left five critically injured. Instead of lamenting the killing of those ‘sons of the oil’ and instead of taking to task those responsible for this mishap, the Modi govern-

ment started playing the old dirty game of blaming Pakistan simply as a routine practice. a more painful fact revealed by Satya Pal Malik is that Modi had asked him to ‘stay quiet’ about the security lapses he allegedly raised with the government. according to Satya Pal Malik, India’s National Security advisor ajit Doval had also advised him to keep silent over the alleged lapses. Malik said that he was well aware of the fact that all the onus of the attack would be “put on Pakistan” to reap electoral benefits. actually, by misrepresenting the facts, Modi tried to kill two birds with one stone; on one hand he attempted to defame Pakistan and on the other hand he tried to nurture the anti-Muslim feelings among the extremist section of the Indian society. For the last many years it has been Mr. Modi’s routine practice to follow and promote the Hindutva philosophy which directs its followers to adopt a strategy resulting in the conversion of a constitutionally secular India into an ethnic Hindu state. Mr. Modi, being a staunch follower of that philosophy, plans and struggles to push all minorities to a second-class status in India, including the Muslims who are more than 200 million in number.

a very important fact regarding the Pulwama attack is that some sections of the Indian media started raising hue and cry, without any confirmation, against Pakistan just after the incident. the noise they made was not for those soldiers whose lives were wasted in that incident; it was only against Pakistan. It seemed that on Modi’s direction, they had already tailored the desired or required propaganda material. It is something very positive on the part of some Indian media houses that they tried their utmost to bring the truth to the public even at that time. though they didn’t support Pakistan, they tried to expose the negligence and inability of the Indian security organizations; The Hindu is also one such media organisaton.

In a report published on 21 February 2021,

Frontline concluded its analysis by saying that ‘the election returns proved that the BJP’s muscular nationalism campaign was the predominant, if not the only, factor that facilitated Modi’s landslide victory’. India is not just a vast piece of land; it is the name of a centuries’ old culture, civilization and traditions. India has ever been a home to countless artists and artisans who created eternal types of masterpieces in the fields of poetry, singing and architecture, among others. Secularism has been the real beauty of India.

The Hindu said, “there were at least 11 intelligence inputs between January 2, 2019, and February 13, 2019, pointing to a macabre “Qisas (retribution) mission” in the making, one that culminated eventually in the attack on a security convoy in Lethpora, Pulwama. But the government was deaf to all these.” One of India’s most reliable magazines, Frontline, has something more shocking to reveal on the issue. In an investigation report on the issue, the magazine said, “In the aftermath of the attack, which took place eight weeks before the 2019 general election, there was relentless mobilization of emotion by the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), calling for avenging the attack and projecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the sole protector of the national interest. Prime time television hugely aided the politicization of national security issues, more so after the aerial raid at Balakot by the Indian air Force on February 26, when one news bulletin after the other claimed, without evidence, that at least 300 Pakistani terrorists had been eliminated in that bombing.”

Frontline concluded its analysis by saying that ‘the election returns proved that the BJP’s muscular nationalism campaign was the predominant, if not the only, factor that facilitated Modi’s landslide victory’. India is not just a vast piece of land; it is the name of a centuries’ old culture, civilization and traditions. India has ever been a home to countless artists and artisans who created eternal types of masterpieces in the fields of poetry, singing and architecture, among others. Secularism has been the real beauty of India. anyone who tries to deprive that country of its original and genuine colour of secularism could never be its well-wisher. For the sake of personal gains and subjective motives, no one must be given a free hand to deface the serenity of the Land of art and Culture.

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

confidence in the judiciary’s ability to fairly and effectively resolve disputes.

the apex court and chief justice both have to shun this impression that the top judge is working as a member of the opposition party, not Chief Justice of Pakistan. this is necessary in order to maintain the status of the top court.the honourable Chief Justice, while maintaining the constitutional rules, must not alienate senior most judges while hearing important cases. exclusion of senior most judges from the bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan himself, will strengthen the impression that the judiciary is biassed and tilted towards a particular group, party or individual.

the recent actions of the Chief Justice of Pakistan regarding suo motu notice to hold provincial elections in Punjab and KPK have clear3y made the judiciary more controversial. the Chief Justice of Pakistan needs to clear his stance first regarding the verdict in the suo motu case, whether it was a majority or minority decision. the verdict of the bench led by the Chief Justice of Pakistan has further complicated the constitutional as well as political crisis across the country. even other members of the honourable court have written dissenting notes, while clearly rejecting the observations, authored by Chief Justice of Pakistan.

the Chief Justice, in particular, holds a crucial position in ensuring the independence of the judiciary and upholding the rule of law. He is the head of the judiciary and has the responsibility to ensure that the judiciary functions effectively, efficiently, and impartially. In fulfilling this responsibility, the Chief Justice must not be swayed by political considerations or pressures.

the judiciary’s duty is to interpret the law and apply it in a fair and equitable manner, and it must remain independent and impartial in order to maintain public trust and confidence in the justice system. therefore, the Chief Justice must prioritise the interests of justice and the Constitution above any political considerations. He should also avoid passing personal statements against politicians while hearing cases against them. these statements may dent the already distorted image of the top court.

The writer is a freelance columnist

Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk

Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively

Police reforms may eliminate brutality

tHe recent incident at a police checkpost near Khanpur Dam in taxila has shocked the entire community. a young student, Muhammad aneeb Hussain, the son of an old friend, who was riding a bike, was stopped by the police. He was subjected to such severe humiliation that he lost consciousness and subsequently died.

Police claim that the boy died of heart attack. If true, what was the cause of the heart attack? Was it not the police action? even if heart attack was the cause, it is obvious that the physical and mental pressure exerted by the police on the student was the only cause because he had been in perfect health earlier and had no history of any cardiac issues.

the bereaved family is understandably devastated by the tragedy. Losing a loved one in such a violent manner is an unbearable pain for the parents, who are now seeking justice for their son’s death. the only charge against the boy was that he was over-speeding. there is a way to handle such a situation, and harsh life-taking treatment is simply unwarranted. there is never an excuse for the police to use such excessive force and intimidation to handle any situation, no matter how serious the offence may be. Police have a duty to uphold the law while respecting the rights and dignity of the citizens. It is important to note that over-speeding is a traffic violation and not a criminal offence that warrants such extreme measures from the police. the officials present on the spot could have simply issued a ticket or a warning, and the student should have been allowed to continue his journey without any further harassment. It is crucial that the police are trained to handle such situations in a manner that is nonthreatening and non-violent. Using excessive force and intimidation can have serious consequences and can even be fatal, as was unfortunately the case in the incident narrated above. the pain of losing a loved one cannot be imagined. Losing a son, or a brother, is an irreplaceable loss. the boy himself is no longer here to seek justice or answer these questions, and no one can bring him back or restore his father’s lost arm. But there are ways to seek justice and accountability of those involved in the incident.

JAMIL

Rising populism

tHe rising wave of populism has affected badly the social fabric in the country. the prevailing culture of hatred and utter intolerance has its roots in the tendency to blow political differences out of proportion to the extent that coexistence becomes seriously difficult, if not impossible. Pakistan is a state where sentiments of inflation-hit groups can be easily exploited by generating narratives for the sake of gaining political mileage, like promises to end economic instability.

Be it a populist measure to announce fuel subsidies ahead of the noconfidence motion that saw the then prime minister’s ouster, or the decision by the government to provide wheat and fuel subsidies ahead of seeking the loan tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the approach to convince the masses has a populist streak about it. the populist measures, like targeted subsidy on fuel, have affected the staff level agreement as the IMF was not consulted on the plan.

Other than inflation, one of the most common tactics to exploit the public for political gains is to play with their religious sentiments. We can clearly see opposition politicians running a hate campaign against the government, and calling it ‘jihad’. this has led to instability in terms of security across the country where people are putting their lives in danger by disrespecting state institutions. every political party needs to identify the loopholes in its agenda and narratives, and to work for the benefit of the state. Only then can we succeed in ensuring the kind of political stability that is so very necessary for the prosperity of the nation.

The DG ISPR made all the right noises, but the Swat CTD blast stayed unexplained

ALI SUKHANVER

THe recent events involving the arrest and criminal charges against former US President Donald trump have garnered significant public interest. For the first time in the USa’s 250 years of history, a President has been charged with criminal offenses and subsequently arrested. Donald trump is facing a total of 34 charges, each carrying a maximum prison sentence of four years, which could potentially result in a total of 136 years of imprisonment if he is convicted. Does this mean that Donald trump will spend the rest of his life in jail? What are the accusations against him? It’s an interesting story. the charges against Donald trump stem from allegations of an extramarital affair with adult actress Stormy Daniels, which he denies ever happened. the alleged affair took place in 2006 while Donald trump was married to Melania trump and hosting a tV show. Daniels attempted to reveal their affair to the public during the 2016 US Presidential elections, but her story was purchased by the National enquirer, a newspaper owned by american Media, Inc. (aMI), whose CeO, David Pecker, was known to be close to Donald trump.

aMI is accused of employing a tactic known as “Catch and Kill,” which involves purchasing the exclusive rights to negative stories about trump but never publishing them, effectively silencing potential whistleblowers. For instance, the story of Dino Sajudin, a former doorman at trump tower who claimed to have seen Donald trump with another woman and fathering a love child with her, was bought by aMI for $30,000, but never published. a brilliant tactic if you think about it.

Normally, if you want someone to remain quiet, you can bribe them into silence. But doing so is illegal. Here, to keep them quiet, this newspaper would approach them and offer to buy the exclusive rights to the sensational stories under the guise of publishing them, but

What next for Donald Trump?”

The first US ex-president to face criminal charges

they never published the stories. and that person cannot tell his story to anyone else because he gave exclusive rights to the story to that media organization in the signed agreement.

Interestingly, this isn’t merely an accusation, rather aMI CeO, David Pecker admitted that his media organization did employ the “Catch and Kill” tactic. another such incident took place between 2006-2007, when Donald trump had another affair with another actress, Karen McDougal. this story was bought by the same newspaper by paying $150,000 to the actress and as always, they didn’t publish it.

Coming back to the Daniels scandal, about one month before the 2016 elections, was around the same time as Donald trump’s famous “Grab them” quote was leaked. It won’t be wrong to say that Donald trump’s reputation was at stake. He was running to be the President of the USa and had the news of such affairs been made public, it would have had a big impact on the elections. Once again, this newspaper promised to pay $130,000 to Daniels, to buy the exclusive rights to this story of their affair. even as the elections were approaching, Daniels hadn’t received this payment. the responsibility to transfer the money fell on the shoulders of trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen. He kept delaying this payment. But when Daniels was about to cancel the deal because of non-payment, frightened he used a shell company to send this money.

Donald trump claims that this affair never happened. So the question arises, why did they pay her? there is proof that money was transferred from Cohen to Daniels. and when he was asked in court, Cohen didn’t deny it. Rather, he acknowledged that he had made the payment at trump’s direction. Due to this, hn was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. these three years have just ended.

Secretly paying someone to silence them is known as Hush Payment. and to add to your information, making hush payments isn’t a crime in america. thus, Michael Cohen wasn’t imprisoned for making the hush payment, he was sent to jail due to crimes such as willful tax evasions, giving false statements to banks, unlawful campaign contributions, and excessive campaign contributions.

Similarly, in trump’s case, a married person having an affair can be morally or ethically wrong, but in

terms of law, it isn’t a crime in most american states. Neither is it a crime to make a hush payment nor is it a crime to try to clean up one’s image. So what are the charges against Donald trump then? Interestingly, he has been charged with wrongfully recording transactions in the bank accounts, falsifying his business records. this happened when he tried to pay his lawyer for the legal services. trump is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records. Of these, it is alleged that he falsified the invoices 11 times, wrote 11 false cheques and cheque stubs and made 12 false general ledger entries. Broadly speaking, when his lawyers were making hush payments to Daniels to keep her silent, and when Donald trump paid his lawyer regarding this, there was some misappropriation of money. even though his lawyer Cohen acknowledged in court about doing these things, Donald trump keeps claiming that his lawyer is lying.

Furthermore, trump was accused because when he was paying his lawyer to pay the hush money to Daniels, this payment was disguised as a common payment i.e. a normal legal day-to-day expense which it wasn’t. that is why it is a case of falsifying business records. there is another twist in the story. according to New york’s state law, falsifying business records will be considered a crime only when it is done intentionally to cover up another crime. It means that merely falsifying business records isn’t a crime because this can be a genuine mistake. But it becomes a crime when one tries to cover up a primary crime. What is the primary crime in trump’s case? We will get to know this once the trial and court hearing starts, but according to experts, primary crime would be the crime for which trump’s lawyer Cohen was convicted. In addition to this, tax fraud is emerging as another primary crime. In a leaked document, it was revealed that Cohen paid $130,000 to Daniels to remain quiet in 2016 and trump paid Cohen $420,000 for the same thing in 2017. this means that Donald trump paid more than the actual amount and it is being seen as an instance of tax fraud.

Manhattan District attorney, alvin Bragg is the lawyer leading this prosecution. according to him, one of the primary crimes would be that information was “wrongly presented” to the voters before the elections. to increase his chances of winning the elections, Don-

How the BJP’s hostility towards civil society groups undermines Indian democracy

TeleGraph RAmAcHANdRA GUHA

EaRLIeR this month, three dozen voluntary organisations in Karnataka collectively prepared a manifesto for the political parties contesting the assembly elections in the state. this “Civil Society Forum” included groups working for the rights of Dalits, women, and slum dwellers, groups active in the fields of education, health and sanitation, and groups pressing for political decentralisation through the fuller application of the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Indian Constitution. their manifesto, running into 20 pages, was printed in both Kannada and english. It covered a wide array of issues, reflecting the varied priorities of the participating groups as well as the different challenges confronting the people of the state. the Civil Society Forum asked “all political parties” to include these demands in their own manifestos and, further, requested those elected to the assembly to take decisions in favour of them. the circulation of the manifesto was followed by a meeting to which the representatives of the political parties were invited. I attended the meeting too, and followed the proceedings with keen interest. they began with presentations by civil society workers on governance, health, education, agriculture, social justice, among other issues, and ended with the politicians in attendance responding to these presentations and also answering questions from the audience. the discussions were constructive, conducted in a spirit of tolerance and understanding. the meeting, however, was marred by the striking absence of representatives of two of the three major political parties in the state. these were the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party. the third major party in Karnataka, the Congress, had sent a representative, as had the aam aadmi Party, which is striving to make a mark in the state, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which has had pockets of support in working-class districts.

INSTINCTIVELY TOTALITARIAN: the organisers made repeated calls to the Janata Dal (Secular) and the BJP, but despite promising to send a spokesperson neither party did so. Why was that? My own surmise is that in the case of the Janata Dal (Secular), it was probably indifference. the party does not care about civil society per se. In the case of the BJP, however, its refusal to show up at this meeting was almost certainly based on the party’s intense dislike for civil society organisations that operate independently of it.

the origins of the BJP’s dislike for civil society lie partly in the ideological orientation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. totalitarian by instinct, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh seeks to control all spheres of social and cultural life in India. Wherever it works – among peasants, tribals, women, students, neighbourhood groups – it does not wish to have any competition. another, and perhaps even more consequential, reason for the BJP’s dislike for civil society is the personality of the present prime minister. Instinctively authoritarian, when in power, Narendra Modi seeks to control all aspects of governance and administration. as chief minister of Gujarat, he came down strongly on the state’s civil society groups. Indeed, at that time, he was even suspicious of the Gujarat wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, seeing it as a rival to his authority. after he moved to Delhi as prime minister, Modi’s relations with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have improved, largely because the sangh has accepted that it must play second fiddle to him.

In the nine years that Narendra Modi has been in power, his government has displayed a savage hostility to voluntary organisations. Groups doing excellent work in education, health, policy research, and social welfare, and with no connection to any political party or religious organisation, have been harassed through tax raids and the withdrawal of permission to receive donations under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) act. Many organisations have been persecuted in this manner, of which Oxfam and the Centre for Policy Research are only the best-known examples. at the same time, there has been virtually no bar on Hindutva groups sympathetic to the current regime getting funds from abroad. a couple of years ago, when it was reported that the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) act registration of nondenominational organisations had been cancelled while non-resident Hindus were freely funding RSS-affiliated bodies, the Kannada cartoonist, P Mahamud, satirically commented in print: “Modiji says ‘One Nation, One NGO’.”

In truth, when in power between 2004 and 2014, the Congress also misused the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) act to harass NGOs it felt threatened by, particularly those working on the environment and human rights. at the same time, the Congress did solicit advice from civil society groups with regard to social welfare policies (such as the rural employment guarantee scheme). the United Progressive alliance government’s attitude to NGOs was, we might say, marked by strategic ambivalence. On the other hand, the BJP government now in power distrusts all civil society organisations unless they subscribe to, and enthusiastically promote, its majoritarian Hindutva agenda as well as the personality cult of the prime minister himself. this fear of civil society is of a piece with the current government’s fear of independent scrutiny in general. Hence the extraordinary, and unprecedented, act of the prime minister not holding a single press conference in two terms in office. Hence also the state’s attacks on those sections of the press which still remain relatively free. Hence the jailing of journalists and student activists under

the obnoxious Unlawful activities (Prevention) act. Hence the venomous propaganda against such admirably peaceful protests as those against the (obnoxious) Citizenship (amendment) act and the farm laws. Hence the denial of research visas to foreign scholars and the curbs on what seminars Indian universities staffed and run by Indian citizens can or cannot hold.

ACROSS PARTY LINES: again, in fairness, one must acknowledge that many state governments run by parties other than the BJP do not much appreciate independent assessment of their policies either. Nor do they seek to encourage grassroots organisations doing constructive work outside a party umbrella. this has been true of West Bengal under the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and under the trinamool Congress, of tamil Nadu under the all India anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and under the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, of andhra under the ySR Congress, and telangana under the Bharat Rashtra Samithi. Nonetheless, the BJP has taken this hostility to civil society and independent thought to an altogether new level. Besides, unlike the CPI(M), the tMC, the DMK and others, the BJP is in office at the Centre as well as in many states and, thus, far better placed to use the levers of power to crush and intimidate civil society organisations.

Writing in the 1830s, the French thinker, alexis de tocqueville, argued that american democracy was nourished by its flourishing voluntary associations. at that time, aristocratic europe may have been a laggard, but by the end of the 19th century it had many thriving voluntary associations of its own. these were of two types – critical and constructive. the first sought to shine a spotlight on the failures of the state in assuring its citizens the freedom from want or fear; the second sought to make up for these failures by setting up schools, hospitals and so on themselves.

Writing almost two centuries after tocqueville, I endorse his view that the health of a country’s civil society can serve as an index of the health of its political system as a whole. In this regard, India was probably most democratic in the decades after the emergency ended. that was when voluntary associations of both the critical and constructive kind had the space to flourish, with salutary effects on our political system and on society as a whole.

Since 2014, however, the state has sought to assert its might against groups and organisations that operate autonomously. though it is true that in the past no political party liked civil society organisations to be wholly independent, the BJP today is not merely indifferent or suspicious but actively hostile to them. Its failure to send a representative to the recent meeting of the Civil Society Forum in Bengaluru was not a product of forgetfulness or oversight, but an act of deliberation. Increasingly, the BJP sees a free press and a vigorous civil society as antithetical to the promotion of its ideology and the perpetuation of its rule.

ald trump concocted this “Catch and Kill” scheme so that all negative news about him could be suppressed. What will happen next in this case? there are many hurdles in trying to prove Donald trump’s guilt. First, if this case reaches the Supreme Court, there is a high chance that trump would leave unscathed because of the Republican-appointed Supermajority in the Supreme Court. a major disadvantage of the american system is that in america, the Supreme Court judges are selected by the President. So when Donald trump was President, he selected multiple Supreme Court judges and those judges are still on the Supreme Court’s bench. Will those judges pass a sentence against trump? It looks uncertain.

the second problem with proving trump guilty will be that the crime of falsifying business records comes with a time limit of five years. If someone committed this crime five years ago, they cannot be convicted for that now. to mention, the final payment made by trump to Cohen was in December 2017. 5 years have already passed. Can trump be convicted for this crime any longer? there is a counter for this as well. according to New york’s law, this time limit can be suspended if the accused person was living outside New york. When trump became the President, he lived in the White House for four years, that is obviously not in New york. Moreover, he was living in Florida ever since his term as the President ended. So, technically thisfive years’ limitation will not be triggered here.

In response, Donald trump claims that the entire saga is a witch-hunt, that he is being targeted. He is accusing the judge of being a “trump-hating judge with a trump-hating wife and family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign.” trump made these statements despite being warned by Judge Merchan to stop making such threatening and inflammatory statements. Recently, in January 2023, a $1 million fine was imposed on trump for Bogus suit, that is, he was continuously misusing the courts in furtherance of his political narrative. Is this really a witch-hunt wrongfully targeting trump or is it justified due to his crimes? I feel the crimes aren’t so significant that trump need be sent to prison for years, but his unethical and immoral acts need to be presented to the public. So that the people know the kind of person they are voting for.

The writer is a freelance columnist

India at a crossroads: development, not dictatorship

Hindu nationalism in India is writing an epitaph for the country’s experiment with multi-ethnic secular democracy

Guardian EdItoRIAL

BeCOMING the world’s most populous nation allows India to burnish its credentials as a global economic and political heavyweight. With a population that is much younger than those of China, the US and the eU, there will be renewed interest in India’s potential to be a beacon of liberal values. the west is eager to draw a democratic giant into its orbit. China and India will together account for about half of all global growth this year. But India risks emulating its bigger northern neighbour’s economic ascent under tight political control by a dominant authoritarian party.

Hindu nationalism in India is writing an epitaph for the country’s experiment with multi-ethnic secular democracy.

Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) has weakened institutions meant to keep the state both transparent and accountable. Information is censored, civil society hounded and protests suppressed. It is absurd that opposition leaders have been targeted to the extent that Mr Modi’s main rival – Rahul Gandhi – is currently disqualified from parliament. Such is the polarisation in politics that India’s last parliamentary session was the least productive since 1952.

Mr Modi’s party has bent state institutions to service its ideology. this has effectively rendered minorities second-class citizens. the suppression of the civil rights of the world’s largest minority group, about 200 million Muslims, is unlikely to be viable over a long period without giving up on democracy. this would be a terrible outcome for India and the world.

Most western countries only enfranchised all voters after industrialising. India had been an exception to the rule that capitalism comes before democracy. Its citizens acquired the right to vote well before modern industrial development. autocrats have long claimed that democracy was inefficient.

that argument entrenches at best “enlightened despotism”, but more often just brutal dictatorship. Deng Xiaoping told foreign observers in 1987 that democracy on the mainland might be viable in “half a century”. that prediction – of Chinese elections by 2037 – looks unlikely to be fulfilled.

Until 1990, India’s per capita income was higher than that of China; now it is only about a fifth of China’s. Beijing’s success was to integrate into the world economy without losing control of its domestic one. this was more about economics than politics. Mr Modi’s bet is that a single Hindu identity can transcend Indian society’s faultlines of religion, caste, region and language. yet his parliamentary majority rests on the votes of just a quarter of the electorate. Large parts of India, especially its more developed regions, are resistant to his polarising politics. His crackdown on dissent is about weakness, not strength. India’s democratic reversal is also rooted in a development model that suits global concerns rather than domestic ones. Because of its economic heft, India is a member of the G20. Its citizens, however, are the poorest in this group. the richest 5% of Indians can consume the same goods as the average Briton. therefore the outside world tends to be interested in Indian success as defined by the growth in this class – as the greater their purchasing power is, the larger the market for global goods and services. the latest Lamborghini sports car models, which cost £400,000, are already sold out in India. But 350m Indians went hungry in 2022, up from 190m in 2018. Rather than taxing the rich and corporates to fund health and education, the BJP has taxed the poor to pay for public services. India added zero net new jobs over the past decade, even as the number of people in the labour force rose by more than 100 million. the country’s democratic rise is far from assured. But for it to be sustained, there must be a political consensus that the prosperity of all its people, not just those at the top, should be increased.

The government does not appreciate independent assessment of its policies

PRESIDENT BIDEN OFFICIALLY CONFIRMS HE IS RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION

WASHINGTON REUTERS

PRESIDENTJoe Biden said on Tuesday he will seek a second White House term in 2024, a decision that will test whether Americans are ready to give the 80-year-old Democrat, already the oldest US president ever, another four years in office.

Biden made his announcement in a slickly produced video released by his new campaign team, in which he declares it is his job to defend American democracy. It opens with imagery from the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump.

“When I ran for president four years ago, I said we’re in a battle for the soul of America, and we still are,” Biden said. “This is not a time to be complacent. That’s why I’m running for re-election.”

“Let’s finish this job. I know we can,” he said. Biden described Republican platforms as threats to American freedom, vowing to fight efforts to limit women’s healthcare, cut Social Security and ban books, while blasting “MAGA extremists.” MAGA is the acronym for the “Make America Great Again” political slogan of Trump, who may well be Biden’s Republican opponent in the November 2024 election.

In the two years since he took over from

Trump, Biden won Congress’ approval for billions of dollars in federal funds to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic and for new infrastructure, and oversaw the lowest levels of unemployment since 1969, although a 40year high in inflation has marred his economic record.

Biden’s age makes his re-election bid a historic and risky gamble for the Democratic Party, which faces a tough election map to hold the Senate in 2024 and is the minority in the House of Representatives now.

Biden’s approval ratings were stuck at just 39 percent in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on April 19 and there are steep concerns about his age among some Americans. He would be 86 by the end of a prospective second term, almost a decade higher than the average US male’s life expectancy.

Doctors declared Biden, who does not drink alcohol and exercises five times a week, “fit for duty” after an examination in February. The White House says his record shows that he is mentally sharp enough for the rigours of the job. Biden will be joined in his 2024 quest by his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris.

TRUMP MATCHUP AGAIN?

Biden’s entry into the race follows Trump’s announcement in November that he would seek a second term after losing the 2020 contest to Biden. In a statement about Biden’s candidacy,

Turkey arrests 110 people over alleged PKK links ahead of crunch elections

ANKARA AFP

Turkey on Tuesday held 110 people over alleged terror links just three weeks before a knife-edge vote that could extend President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s two-decade rule, police sources told AFP. The mass raids — dubbed by the sources as a “counter-terror” operation — took place in 21 provinces including the Kurdish majority Diyarbakir in the southeast. State media TRT reported that police held people suspected of financing the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) or roping in new members to the group. Deemed a terrorist organisation by the United States, the European Union and Turkey, the PKK has been waging a decades-long armed struggle against Ankara for greater autonomy for the Kurdish minority. The operation also involved suspects who transferred money to the PKK from municipalities held by Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), TRT said. The Diyarbakir bar association said the number of detentions could be as high as 150, adding that they included 20 lawyers, five journalists, three actors and one politician. The HDP — which is the second largest opposition party in the parliament — is widely seen as a kingmaker in the tight race. Erdogan has often accused the HDP of alleged links to the PKK, which the party denies. The HDP said last month it would not field a presidential candidate in May 14 elections, giving tacit support to Erdogan’s secular rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Trump criticised the president over his record on immigration, inflation, and the US pullout from Afghanistan.

“American families are being decimated by the worst inflation in half a century. Banks are failing,” Trump said on his social media platform. “We have surrendered our energy independence, just like we surrendered in Afghanistan,” he said.

Biden, running as an incumbent, is unlikely to face much competition from inside his party. No senior Democrats have shown signs of challenging him and he has compiled a board of rising-star Democrats to advise his campaign, including governors J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. Potential and declared Republican presidential candidates have begun framing the 2024 election around cutting back government spending amid still-high inflation, restricting abortion, crime in Democratic-run cities and illegal immigration.

The two leading Republican contenders, Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, want to limit the access of trans children to sports teams and gender-affirming medical care, and restrict how schools teach LGBTQ+ issues and America’s history of slavery and racial disparities.

Trump goes on trial in a civil lawsuit on Tuesday over writer E.Jean Carroll’s accusation that he raped her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.

The former president, who is not required to attend the trial, has denied raping Carroll in an October 2022 post on his Truth

Social platform. NOT A 2020 RECAP: Biden ran a mostly virtual campaign to defeat Trump in the 2020 election as Covid-19 raged, saying he sought to unify the country, rebuild the economy, and better control the virus.

With pandemic restrictions mostly over in the United States, the 2024 race is likely to be a much different, more physical affair.

After losing by 7 million votes to Biden in 2020, Trump refused to concede defeat, falsely claiming that there had been widespread electoral fraud. His supporters stormed the US Capitol building in Washington on January 6, 2021, in support of his claims but they failed to halt

Shakespeare First Folio goes on display in London

LONDON AFP

A copy of the first collected edition of William Shakespeare’s plays went on display in London on Monday, to mark the 400th anniversary of its publication.

The public was given the chance to see the First Folio held at London’s Guildhall Library — for one day only.

The edition, published on November 8, 1623, seven years after the playwright’s death on April 23, 1616, is one of the best-preserved copies in the world.

Others will go on display around the world to mark the anniversary of the publication between now and the end of the year.

The Guildhall Library stands where the folio’s editors, Shakespeare’s friends Henry Condell and John Heminges, once lived, and opposite the churchyard where they were buried.

The First Folio contains 36 plays, including 18 that had not been printed before, such as “Twelfth Night”, “Measure for Measure”, “Macbeth”, Julius Caesar” and “The Tempest”.

Condell and Heminges divided the plays into comedies histories and tragedies, shaping the way Shakespeare was performed and understood.

None of the dramatist’s original manuscripts survive from the time they were written.

“Without the First Folio, we might have lost most of Shakespeare’s heritage,” Guildhall Library principal librarian Peter Ross told AFP.

“The copy we have here is regarded as one of the finest in the world. It’s absolutely complete. Nothing’s been made up from another copy.

“Nothing’s in facsimile. We have one tiny bit of the corner of a page missing which has been repaired, but apart from that it’s a fantastic copy.”

“Shakespeare is so much part of our culture, and when you see something like that, and you think it’s amazing that it survives, but how wonderful that it has survived,” said psychologist Robert Richards, 81.

“And it’s awe-inspiring really.”

One First Folio sold for nearly $10 million at auction in New York in October 2020, setting a record for a work of literature.

India recall Rahane for World Test final against Australia

NEW DELHI AFP

Ajinkya Rahane earned a recall on Tuesday to India’s squad for the World Test Championship final against Australia in June.

Indian selectors named a 15-man squad led by skipper Rohit Sharma for the title clash at The Oval on June 7-11.

Batsman Rahane, who last played a Test in January 2022, makes a comeback after an excellent showing in the IPL where he hit a match-winning 71 not out off 29 balls for Chennai Super Kings on Sunday.

The usually sedate Rahane has surprised with a newfound explosiveness and has a strike-rate of over 199 in five IPL matches this season.

T20 sensation Suryakumar Yadav has been dropped. He made the five-day team for Australia’s recent visit and

played his only Test in Nagpur. Struggling batsman K.L. Rahul keeps his place after he was dropped from the XI for the final two Australia Tests. Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant are not included because of longterm injuries. Mohammed Shami leads the pace attack alongside Mohammed Siraj, while K.S. Bharat remains the lone wicketkeeper.

Babar Azam explains why fifth T20 vs New Zealand was lost

LAHORE AGENCIES

Pakistan captain Babar Azam thinks that Shadab Khan’s failure to catch Mark Chapman at a vital moment turned the tide of the game, as the lefthander went on to produce an undefeated hundred and win the fifth T20I for New Zealand, bringing the series to 2-2. In the fourteenth over, Chapman attempted to go deep against Shaheen but spliced it, allowing it to travel to Shadab, who dropped an easy catch while sprinting across from wide long-on. Chapman completed 104 not-out innings from 57 balls while batting on 67 at that time. At the news conference following the game, Babar stated, “The dropped catch cost us the game.” The Pakistani skipper, however, immediately defended his all-rounder and vowed to continue to back him.

certification by Congress of Biden’s win.

Biden’s campaign video suggests he plans to remind voters of these actions, while lauding his handling of the economic recovery from the pandemic slump, especially the strength of the labor market.

Other Biden themes may include strong US support for Ukraine in its war against Russia and what the White House says are Republican plans to unravel federal healthcare and programs popular with older voters. This summer, Biden is challenging Republicans to find common ground on raising the US debt ceiling before the country goes into default in a matter of months.

59 percent of Democrats polled by Reuters/Ipsos in February said the phrase “Joe Biden is too old to work in government” describes the president.

Man City’s £100 million man Grealish comes good to win over Guardiola

LONDON AFP

England’s most expensive ever player is beginning to live up to his price tag as Manchester City are getting the Jack Grealish they spent £100 million ($124 million) for after a frustrating first season at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola’s men are closing in on a potential treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup titles with Grealish at the heart of an upturn in form since the World Cup. City go into Wednesday’s potential Premier League decider against Arsenal five points adrift of the league leaders, but in control of their destiny thanks to two games in hand. Despite his price tag in a then record Premier League move from Aston Villa in 2021, Grealish spent most of last season’s title run-in watching from the sidelines as City held off Liverpool by a point to lift a fourth Premier League trophy in five seasons. Fast-forward 12 months and the England international has followed a pattern of earning Guardiola’s trust after a season to adjust to his methods. “He’s playing really good this season. But at the same time, like he knows, we want more,” said the ever-demanding Guardiola. “Now he believes he is part of it.

CORPORATE CORNER

Safe City project playing effective role against traffic rules violators

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Police’s Safe City Command and Control Center has launched a crackdown on suspicious persons, vehicles with black glasses, non-pattern number plates and motorcycle riders, during the last week, and shifted 05 motorcycles, 04 vehicles and 54 beggars to different police stations for legal proceedings.

According to the capital police spokesperson, following the special directions of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, the Islamabad capital police Safe City project is playing an effective role against traffic rules violators and maintaining law and order in the federal capital.

Under the supervision of CPO Safe City Shoaib Khurram, not only all suspicious activities are being monitored with Safe City high tech cameras, but the safety of life and property of citizens is also being ensured.

During the last week, through Safe City high-tech cameras 723 motorcycles were checked out of which 05 bikers were challan for violating traffic rules, while 171 motorcycles without number plates were shifted to different police stations. PR

Emaan Islamic Banking, TPL join hands to launch Emaan All-inOne Account

KARACHI: Emaan Islamic Banking, a division of Silk Bank Limited, and TPL Insurance LimitedWindow Takaful Operation, have announced the launch of their latest offering, the Emaan All-in-One Account. The account is tailored to cater to the needs of new-to-bank customers and existing Emaan account holders.

The Emaan All-in-One Account is the ultimate power bundle for clients because of its abundance of features, advantages, and free safeguards. Due to the numerous value-added services it provides to its customers, this account distinguishes apart from most retail-based banks. Customers of Emaan Islamic Banking who maintain an average balance of at least Rs100,000 can benefit from complimentary value-added services from TPL Insurance - WTO, including health, life, and travel takaful.

TPL Insurance - Window Takaful Operation is pleased to be collaborating with Emaan Islamic Banking, as a Takaful solution provider for their Allin-One Account. PR

NFL distributed 6000 Iftar meals in partnership with Rizq Foundation

KARACHI: National Food Limited (NFL) in partnership with Rizq Foundation distributed 6000 Iftar meals under the “Zaiqa Mil Bethne Ka” campaign. Meals were distributed at Kiran Foundation in Karachi and GC University in Lahore in alignment with the UN SDG 2 “Zero Hunger.”

According to the World Food Programme, approximately 37.5 million people in Pakistan lack reliable access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food, making it challenging for them to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. Such efforts by the NFL and Rizq Foundation are of great importance in eradicating hunger in Pakistan.

National Foods Limited's campaign 'Zaiqa Mil

Bethne Ka' offers a simple and powerful way for consumers to make a difference. With just one click, the public can show support for this cause and donate an iftar meal to those in need. To donate, one simply has to click on the banners available on various digital landscapes and join NFL in their mission to eradicate hunger and cater to malnutrition in Pakistan. One click can have an infinite impact on building a healthier and more prosperous society. PR

Rangers, police nab five-member gang of robbers in Karachi

KARACHI: Rangers and police on Tuesday arrested a five-member gang involved in robbery and street crime in Karachi. Rangers and police conducted a joint operation on the basis of intelligence information and arrested five suspects involved in multiple incidents of robbery, theft and street crime from the areas including Saeedabad Town, Noori Graveyard and Gulshan-e-Iqbal. According to the spokesperson of Rangers, the suspects have been identified as Shariyar alias Shera, Zeeshan alias Nari, Javed alias Gurkin, Shariyar alias Sharta and Farhan. STAFF REPORT

ABSENCE OF PTA’S DIRBS SYSTEM GIVES RISE TO SMUGGLED PHONES’ USAGE IN GB, AJK

ISLAMABAD

GHULAM ABBAS

FORbeing costlier than the local and imported smartphones, the number of smuggled phones is increasing in the country whereas the sets are largely being used in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Interestingly, according to sources, the precious mobile phone sets, which cannot not be operated in the four provinces and federal capital of the country, are being used in GB and AJK as both the regions are not connected with the registration system of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

As per details, the increasing number of smuggled phones in the country is mainly due to their lower prices compared to local and imported phones avail in local market, and the fact that they are not subject to import duties. In GB and AJK, these phones are in high demand, and there is little to no regulation of their usage.

According to industry experts, more than 100,000 smuggled mobile phones are being used in these regions, with most of them being operated through the Special Communication Organization (SCO), known as SCOM.

The PTA is the regulatory body that oversees the telecommunications industry in Pakistan. According to insiders,

apart from the import duty, the smuggled phones are also being used without payment of PTA’s registration fee. Additionally, these phones are not registered with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and do not comply with the country’s laws and regulations. The use of these phones is facilitated by the lack of the Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) in GB and AJK. This system, which is designed to identify non-compliant devices operating on local mobile networks, is only implemented in the four provinces and the federal capital of Pakistan. The DIRBS system automatically registers compliant devices operating on the mobile networks and

eventually blocks non-compliant devices. However, in the case of GB and AJK, this system is not applicable to the SCOM connections.

Moreover, the lack of regulations and legal barriers in GB and AJK also make it easier for smugglers to operate.

According to sources, these smuggled phones are making their way to these regions through different channels, including smuggling and theft. Many of these phones are blocked in mainland Pakistan, either because they were not registered with PTA or stolen, and the IMEI has been blocked.

Experts suggest that the lack of local manufacturing and the halt in the import of mobile phone sets has caused a short-

SAPM Malik emphasizes business-friendly environment to boost Pak-UK ties

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Jawad Sohrab

Malik met with Andrew Dalgleish, High Commissioner to the British High Commission, and Hamed Kamal, Deputy Director (Trade) Department for International Trade, to discuss measures to enhance trade and investment relations between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

During the meeting, the SAPM highlighted the prospects of creating a business-friendly environment in Pakistan to attract more investment in the country’s economy.

He emphasized the need for tangible measures to facilitate foreign direct investment (FDI) from the UK, including the creation of a mechanism for prompt redressal of legitimate concerns, such as the issue of free flow of capital.

Matters related to UK Pakistani diaspora also came under discussion since UK is home to more than 1.6 million citizens of Pakistani origin therefore, their

concerns need to be given due consideration.

Both sides emphasized the significance of bilateral trade between Pakistan and the UK, and discussed ways to explore new avenues and markets, diversify products and services, and create jobs under the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) in the Post-Brexit scenario. They also highlighted the potential for tariff reductions and simpler terms for Pakistan, including duty-free exports from Pakistan to the UK.

High Commissioner Andrew Dalgleish expressed keen interest in harnessing Pakistan’s economic potential for foreign investment in various sectors.

He acknowledged the longstanding strong economic relationship between Pakistan and the UK in many areas.

The meeting also addressed concerns of the Pakistani diaspora in the UK, with a commitment to give due consideration to their issues. Other bilateral and regional issues of importance were also discussed during the meeting.

Surge in exports jack up meat prices in Karachi

KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The retail prices of veal beef, both boneless and with bones, have witnessed an increase in the last one and half months to Rs900-950 and Rs1,100-1,200 per kg respectively, citing an increase in wholesale prices.

Despite the Commissioner Karachi fixing the prices at Rs750 and Rs900 per kg, retailersdidn’t follow the official price list during Ramazan. Similarly, mutton prices have risen to Rs1,700-1,800 per kg, with some markets selling it for Rs2,000-2,200 per kg.

The Commissioner Karachi had fixed the mutton price at Rs1,400, but it is not available in the city.

Retailers attribute the price hikes to increasing meat exports, but Pakistan’s meat export prices have remained stable at $4,378 per tonne in the first nine months of the current fiscal year (2022-23. Pakistan’s meat and meat preparation exports have also increased to 69,072 tonnes ($302m) in 9MFY23 as compared to 56,397 tonnes ($249m) in the same period last year.

In the case of chicken, live bird and meat prices have risen to Rs430-470 and Rs700-780 per kg respectively during Ramazan, compared to Rs400-440 and Rs630-650 before the holy month.

The official live bird and meat rates were set at Rs368 and Rs570.

age of smartphones in these regions, which is being filled by the smuggled sets. Moreover, the demand for mobile sets in GB and AJK is between eight to ten percent of the total monthly demand in Pakistan.

According to Manzar Shigri, a local businessman in Gilgit, the smuggled or non-duty paid phones are only operated through the SCOM network, whereas other SIMS like Telenor, ZONG, JAZZ, etc., are not operated in the same phone sets. This is because SCOM is the key mobile operator in GB and AJK.

According to officials, the PTA and the Ministry of IT and Telecom have written to the Cabinet Division to integrate SCOM into DIRBS. Once the approval is granted by the Cabinet Division, the system may be extended to the SCOM connections, which will discourage the use of unregistered phones.

The DIRBS system was introduced to protect the local manufacturing of mobile devices by imposing duties on imports of mobile sets as well as those brought by travelers coming from abroad. The system also discouraged smuggling, as these sets were not registered with PTA. With the integration of SCOM into the DIRBS system, the use of smuggled phones in GB and AJK will be reduced, and it will help the country generate revenue through the imposition of import duties on smuggled sets.

Fishermen advised not to sail into deep sea

The Fisheries department of Balochistan on Tuesday issued alert to fishermen advising them not to venture into the deep sea owing to high tidal waves.

The fisheries department in a statement said that the coastal belt of Balochistan will experience a windy weather from today (April 25) to April 26.

Assistant Director Fisheries Balochistan has advised fishermen to stay away from the deep sea today and tomorrow during the windy weather spell.

Met Office has forecast partly cloudy weather in most parts of the province with chances of light rain with gusty winds in some parts of Kech, Washuk, Awaran, Surab, Gwadar districts and surrounding areas.

Pakistan Railways restores Shalimar Express train service

KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Railways (PR) has decided to restore Shalimar Express Train between Lahore and Karachi from May 1, 2023, officials said Tuesday.

The Shalimar Express (up and down) will depart from Karachi and Lahore simultaneously at 6 in the morning. In this connection, the PR department has started advance booking. Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways has increased the fares of Shalimar Express. The economy class ticket from Lahore to Karachi has been increased by Rs1000 to Rs3200, while the AC standard ticket from Karachi to Lahore and Lahore to Karachi has been set at Rs5150.

Earlier, Pakistan Railways had increased the fares of Green Line Train by 25 per cent. The fare of business class from Karachi to Rawalpindi was increased to 10,000 and 9,500 from Lahore-Karachi.

Peace in merged districts prerequisite for economic prosperity: KP Minister

PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Excise and Narcotics Control Haji Manzoor Khan Afridi was called on by various tribal delegations and Jirgas in Peshawar on the third day of Eidul Fitr and apprised him of problems of the merged districts besides exchanging Eid greetings with him.

A delegation of Kukikhel tribe from Khyber district led by the prominent trader leader Pervez Khan Afridi also held meeting with the Minister and tabled certain problems and demands of the tribal people. Among these issues included ensuring government writ, law and order in tribal dis-

tricts, increase in education and health facilities, improvement of roads and communication network, ending electricity load shedding, supply of sui gas, prevention of drugs addiction and the launch of alternative agricultural schemes against poppy crops. The delegations also welcomed the efforts of the provincial minister to establish life-saving medicine industry from poppy produce as well as assured full support and cooperation in this regard.

Haji Manzoor Afridi listened to the issues of the tribal leaders patiently and assured that since he himself is the representative of the tribal people and hence in this capacity he will ensure concrete measures both at the provincial and federal

level to solve all these problems. The Minister agreed with the argument of tribal leaders that peace is the first imperative for economic, industrial and business development. However, he said that due to the more than 1,000 kilometers long border with the neighboring country Afghanistan, the possibility of unrest and terrorism in the merged districts is a natural phenomena and assured that the provincial government will secure the borders in all respects with the cooperation of the federal government. He said the government’s candid steps will create an ideal atmosphere of lasting peace and harmony so that we are on the path of industrial and economic self-sufficiency in a congenial peaceful environment.

WITH HELP FROM SBP, GB RECOVERS OVER RS1B WORTH OF GOVT FUNDS FROM 300 DORMANT ACCOUNTS

INVESTIGATION REVEALED CLOSE TO 600 PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, FROM AS FAR BACK AS 1984

ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS

INan interesting development, the government Gilgit Baltistan, has unearthed over 300 bank accounts which were dormant or inactive for years containing over Rs 1 billion.

Officially disclosed details have said that a team of the Finance Department of GB discovered that more than 600 accounts holding public money were not registered amongst the official public accounts.

The Finance Department decided to seek the help of the State Bank of

Pakistan in identifying the owners of these unregistered accounts. The State Bank of Pakistan, being the central bank of the country, was able to provide the necessary support in identifying the owners of these accounts. It was discovered that more than 300 accounts were dormant and had been inactive for over two years. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that these accounts held more than a billion rupees in public funds. Some of the accounts were as old as 1984, and it was evident that no one had been keeping track of them for decades.

The Finance Department realized that such a large amount of public funds

Load shedding expected to increase in coming months

LAHORE SHAHAB OMER

Well placed sources in the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) have claimed that the city will face increased power outages in the summer months due to the rising demand for electricity. According to the sources, the demand for electricity has been lower in April 2023 than it was in April 2022, mostly because of a cooler beginning to this year’s summer. Last year, the demand for electricity was around 4700 megawatts compared to 4000 megawatts this year. However, with temperatures set to increase it is expected that load-shedding will increase.

The demand for electricity will increase further due to the increase in heat intensity and the demand of LESCO is likely to reach 6,000 megawatts by June and July. The sources added that in June and July last year, LESCO was facing a short fall of 1000 megawatts due to which the duration of load shedding in the city had reached six to seven hours. On the other hand, the uninterrupted supply of electricity is impossible due to the fact that the transformers of the congested areas of the city are not upgraded in time. During the Eid holidays, the electricity supply companies have been providing uninterrupted supply to the public, but this will not be possible in the future.

“Unannounced load shedding will continue from May and the duration of load shedding in the city is likely to reach more than 10 hours a day this season,” they claimed.

China’s Shanghai to ramp up high-tech investments

PROFIT REUTERS

China’s financial hub of Shanghai will promote investments in specialized technology including chip design, circuitry and artificial intelligence as the country pushes forward with a move toward tech self-reliance.

The city plans to provide investment help for certain qualified semiconductor projects with up to 100 million yuan ($14.47 million)in support, a statement from the government said.

The broad aim is to boost investments, enhance industrial development and speed up the construction of modern industrial systems, the government said.

First Monkeypox case reported in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

should not be left unaccounted for, and decided to take immediate action.

Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani , recognizing the importance of public funds, had directed the Secretary of Finance to coordinate with the State Bank of Pakistan to close these unauthorized accounts and retrieve the funds. The money is to be returned to the GB Consolidated Fund, which would ensure that the funds are utilized for public good.

As per official sources, the Finance Department was successful in closing these unauthorized accounts and retrieving the public funds. The funds were now available for use in

public projects such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and other public services that would benefit the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. This incident was a stark reminder that public funds must be handled with utmost care and accountability. It was a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of transparency and accountability in public finances. It ought to be mentioned here that the mountainous region receives a limited grant for the annual development and non-development expenditure by the government. Keeping that limited fund unutilized was a gross negligence on the part of the relevant departments.

Pakistan received highest funding in 2022: ADB Report

PROFIT

MONITORING DESK

Pakistan has emerged as the only Asian country to receive the highest funding last year, as reported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday. The bank revealed that the floods had inflicted severe damage on Pakistan’s economy, especially on crops, leading to an imbalance in supply and demand and causing inflation to rise.

The ADB’s annual report disclosed that Pakistan had obtained the most funding during 2022.

The bank had financed projects amounting to $31.8 billion in Asia, and Pakistan was the recipient of projects worth $5.5 billion. In 2022, concessional loans of $2 billion and $60 million were also granted to Pakistan.

The report further stated that the floods had devastated Pakistan’s economy, with crops being destroyed, supply and demand deteriorating, and local inflation increasing as a result of crop destruction. The floods had caused a loss of $30 billion to Pakistan’s economy, with 1,730 people losing their lives and 33.3 million

people affected by the disaster.

The ADB’s report also revealed that Pakistan had received $1.5 billion for the flood-affected areas, while the international trade partners had pledged $16 billion for the restoration of the flood-hit regions.

In the annual ADB report, it was further stated that Pakistan had obtained $1.5 billion for flood-affected areas. The ADB aims to support the development of its member countries through its various lending programs, technical assistance, and knowledge-sharing activities.

PM chairs cabinet, coalition parties meetings ahead of SC hearing today

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned separate meetings of the federal cabinet and coalition parties for consultation on prevailing political situation as the Supreme Court is set to resume hearing on petition seeking simultaneous elections in the country on Thursday (April 27).

The meeting will be held on Wednesday (today) and all parliamentary leaders of the coalition parties are expected to attend it at the Prime Minister’s House. The premier would hold consultation regarding dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Punjab elections.

Before Eidul Fitr, a threemember bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar had given the political parties a week to develop a consensus on the date for holding national and provincial elections simultaneously.

The apex court had also directed them to submit a progress

report on April 27 about the meeting of political leaders scheduled to be held on April 26. The bench had issued the directives while hearing petitions seeking elections across the country on the same day, a key demand by the coalition government. However, the PTI is calling for snap polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where it had dissolved the assemblies earlier this year.

Federal cabinet meeting

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also convened meeting of the federal cabinet on

150 feet length of Neelum Jhelum’s collapsed tunnel restored

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

A significant development at the blockade in the tail race tunnel of the 969MW-Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHP) was achieved on Eid day, as the tunnel collapse of 150 feet length was restored.

To witness the construction activities on the remedial works, Chairman WAPDA Engineer Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd) visited NJHP on the second day of Eid and appreciated the efforts of

Project Team WAPDA, China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC) and consultants of the Project. According to Gwadar Pro, the hydraulic lining shutter is being installed inside the tail race tunnel for concrete lining, while the allied works are also continuing side by side. The risk analysis report by the consultants is expected to be finalized in May while the resumption of electricity generation from the project is expected by the end of July.

Similarly, the construction of the 220-kilometer-long Thar-

Matiari Transmission Line also continues uninterrupted during Eid Holidays. The 500 KV Transmission Line is being constructed to connect HVDC Converter Station Matiari with the 1320 MW Shanghai Electricity Coal Plant at Thar Block-1.

“The transmission line has entered its final completion with 93% of works having already been completed,” reads a statement of National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC). Special foods were prepared for the workers under the direction of MD NTDC.

Wednesday (today).

According to officials sources, the federal cabinet will mull over the political situation and the matters related to holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The cabinet will also mull over the issues that surfaced during the consultative process among the political parties. The meeting will likely to be given briefing on the economic situation and contacts with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over bailout package.

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The government on Tuesday announced a five-day extension in field work of the 7th Population and Housing Census till April 30 after the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) field teams observed ‘negative growth’ in 12 major urban areas and needed ‘data verification’ in 11 major cities of the country.

The areas where the census timeline has been extended include Quetta, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi Central, Karachi South, Karachi West, Karachi East, Malir, Kemari, Korangi, Hyder-

The Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination on Tuesday confirmed that the country has reported its first case of Monkeypox. According to an official of the Health Ministry, the health authorities have started contract tracing. The samples of the person were sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad and a day earlier, the Institute confirmed that it contained infectious virus.

The official added that the person’s relatives are now being screened and asked to remain in quarantine to ensure the virus does not spread.

He said that airports across the country have been put on high alert after the detection of the virus besides taking other preventive measures.

According to health experts, Monkeypox is a virus that spreads from animals, including rats and primates, to humans in exceptional cases.

The infectious disease is endemic in Central and West Africa, where the majority of cases have occurred.

The virus was first discovered in 1958 after the outbreak of “pox-like” disease in laboratory monkeys, which gives it the name Monkeypox. The symptoms of Monkeypox included fever, body pains, chills, and exhaustion, while people with severe illness can develop rashes and sores on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body. The disease is a component of the same viral family as smallpox. The quarantine period of the virus usually lasts between five days and three weeks, while majority of people recover within two to four weeks without hospitalization. However, one in ten persons can die from Monkeypox, and the disease is said to be severe in young people.

PM seeks additional revenue impact of 0.7m new tax-filers added into net

ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA

The Prime Minister has directed the Federal Board of Revenue to share additional revenue impact of new tax filers, around 700,000 being added into the tax net during the current fiscal year.

Sources said that the Prime Minister, in a recent meeting, discussed stocktake on revenue mobilization. On the occasion, Special Assistant to PM Jehanzeb Khan informed that FBR has been able to achieve Rs5.56 trillion, out of Rs7.64 trillion target, during the first ninth months of the current fiscal year. The tax collection target has declined to negative 9% in the month of March 2023 due to import compression and economic slowdown. Furthermore, collection of sales tax, customs duty and Federal Excise Duty dropped by 9%, 16% and 17% respectively.

Sources said that PM directed the FBR Chairman to share additional revenue impact of 700,000 new taxfilers added into the tax net during the current fiscal year 2022-23.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday also chaired a meeting on performance of FBR at the Finance Division.

SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, SAPM on Revenue Tariq Mehmood Pasha, Chairman FBR, and other senior officers from Finance Division and FBR attended the meeting.

FBR Chairman Asim Ahmad gave a detailed presentation on revenue targets and performance of FBR for the period July 2022 to March, 2023. It was expressed that FBR will make all out efforts to meet its targets in the remaining months of financial year 2022-23.

The Finance Minister expressed satisfaction and extended his full support to FBR in performance of their duties for revenue collection.

The Finance Minister further emphasized the FBR team to enhance their efforts to achieve the true tax potential in the country.

abad and Islamabad, PBS spokesman Muhammad Sarwar Gondal said in a press statement. Similarly, he said, verification of the data collected by the PBS field team from 11 cities including Gujranwala, Sialkot, Jhelum, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Attock, Chakwal, Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Abbottabad and Tank was needed.

The spokesman said the extension in the census timeline (from April 26 to April 30) was aimed at “complete coverage and assurance of no leftover structure/houses in the selected districts/big cities where negative growth rate or very slow growth rate has been observed.”

He also asked the provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to continue the physical verification process in 11 identified cities to ensure ‘smooth coverage.’

Meanwhile, the digital census has been extended until April 30th for Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, government reported on Tuesday.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has extended the fieldwork of the digital census for the third time. Earlier, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) extended the census date till April 15 on the recommendation of the provincial governments.

Pakistan calls on UN to take action on Kashmir and Palestine resolutions

UNITED NATIONS STAFF REPORT

Pakistan has urged the United Nations Security Council to take “bold decisions” to ensure compliance with the UN Charter’s principles and its own decisions, specifically regarding the right of self-determination for Kashmir and Palestine.

Speaking at a debate on effective multilateralism, Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram suggested that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres should conduct an annual review of situations where Council resolutions are being violated or remain unimplemented.

He also called for an enlargement of the Council to become more representative, accountable, democratic, transparent, and effective.

Meanwhile, Guterres called multilateral cooperation the “beating heart of the United Nations,” but warned that the multilateral system is under greater strain than at any time since its creation.

He highlighted the urgent need for effective multilateral responses to prevent and resolve conflicts, manage economic uncertainty, rescue the Sustainable Development Goals, and address challenges to global norms against the use and possession of nu-

clear weapons.

The debate was sponsored by Russia, the current holder of the Council presidency, whose foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, appeared in person at the UN headquarters in New York for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began 14 months ago.

In an impassioned speech, Lavrov appealed to nations in the global south to view Western criticism of Russian actions in Ukraine as part of a larger US plot to prevent the rise of other world powers. However, the US, its allies, and other representatives on the Council insisted that it was indeed all about Ukraine.

Govt extends census timeline for 5 days due to ‘negative growth’ in 12 urban areas