Epaper_23-04-29 LHR

GOVT, PTI CLAIM ‘PROGRESS’ AS TALKS PUT OFF FOR ‘FINAL ROUND’

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

MEMBERSof the government and PTI teams on Friday tabled their proposals in the second round of much-anticipated talks on developing a consensus on same day elections in the country and agreed to resume dialogue on Tuesday (May 2).

The talks were held in the Parliament House, which was initiated yesterday (Thursday) for a breakthrough in the weeks-long deadlock on elections between the ruling coalition and the PTI.

The team represented the opposition PTI consisted of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry and Senator Ali Zafar. The government was represented by PML-N’s Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Azam Nazeer Tarar and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq along with PPP’s Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani and Syed Naveed Qamar.

Talking to the media after conclusion of second round of the talks, Ishaq Dar informed that each side had tabled two proposals, which would be presented to the government and PTI leadership.

“Some progress was made today,” he said, adding that “almost final round” of the talks would resume on Tuesday (May 2) at 11am.

When asked to share details about the proposals, Dar said, “We are morally bound. We cannot share the proposals of either side.”

Meanwhile, PTI’s Qureshi also said progress was made during the talks today.

Speaking to the media outside the Parliament House, he said the negotiations were held in a “pleasant environment” today and with the intention to “find a way forward while staying within the ambit of the Constitution”.

“In my view, we made appropriate progress in this regard today,” he added.

Qureshi confirmed that both sides had tabled their proposals during today’s meeting, saying that the PTI’s suggestions were “reasonable, implementable and within the constitutional bounds”.

“We will now consult our leadership and they will seek the opinion of their coalition partners,” he said.

“I, Fawad Chaudhry and Ali Zafar will go to Lahore tomorrow and take

Imran Khan into confidence on today’s progress,” Qureshi said, adding that talks on Tuesday would be held in the light of this development. Speaking alongside Qureshi, Chaudhry criticised the detention of PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur and “arrest of 33 supporters of Imran Khan” outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) today, saying that such actions would “destroy the process of dialogue”. He noted that government ministers had maintained that they had no involvement in these arrests. “Then whoever is doing this, it is akin to ruining the talks, and the responsibility falls on the govern-

IMRAN MAKES TALKS CONDITIONAL ON EARLY POLLS: Later, while addressing his supporters at Zaman Park via a video link at night, Imran said his party would make a decision regarding the talks by tomorrow. He further claimed that the government had proposed to dissolve the assemblies — which sources privy to the talks say is a key demand of the PTI — after the budget.

“I ask them what will you achieve with the budget? You have already led the country to default,” he remarked.

ECP reports no fund-availability for polls to SC ‘for third time’

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

ment in any case,” he added. “If you will engage in arrests without reason, the matter will derail,” the PTI leader said.

Qureshi also condemned the arrests outside the IHC today, saying that today’s discussion began with this issue.

The arrests, he said, had no justification.

“There are talks on the one hand and this situation on the other. So they ( government representatives) were asked what are they trying to do and were they creating an enabling environment.

“They understood [our stance] and consequently, 33 arrested people were released,” he added.

Ahead of the second round of negotiations today, Imran — during an informal conversation with journalists at the Islamabad High Court — said that he had requested Fawad and Qureshi to initiate talks with the government only if the ruling party was prepared to immediately dissolve the assemblies and hold elections. He added, “There’s no need to proceed if they insist on holding polls in September or October,” with both leaders present during the conversation. Separately, Fawad said prior to today’s meeting that the main objective of the negotiations was to recognise that the public was the “centre of power” in Pakistan and move towards elections.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Imran blasts govt for brazen display of ‘state oppression’ against PTI yet again

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman

Imran Khan came down hard at the imported government for resorting to brazen display of state oppression once again against peaceful PTI workers, reiterating that they could not break the PTI through fear of jail and harassment, as all these brutal tactics would not serve their purpose.

PTI Chairman said that PTI’s workers were sitting in their vehicles peacefully when Imamabad police in brazen display of state oppression pulled them out and took them away.

“This is why they want elections to be delayed because they feel they can break PTI by then, through fear of jail and harassment,” he added. However, Imran Khan vowed that these tactics would not work.

In a strong reaction to the imported government’s highhandedness, PTI Central Secretary General Asad Umar said that the PTI senior leader Ali Amin Gandapur was not being released despite being granted bail in all cases. He said that this act of the imported government clearly indicated that they were afraid of him.

Government hikes drug prices by 20pc, manufacturers want more

PROFIT REUTERS

Pakistan on Friday approved a rise of up to 20% in retail prices of general medicines and 14% for essential ones, prompting immediate criticism from drug manufacturers who said the increases were too small.

The government decision followed a months-long stand-off with importers and manufacturers, whose associations have been demanding an across-theboard 39% rise, warning that the industry could otherwise collapse.

Pakistan’s annual inflation rate hit 35% in March, fuelled by a depreciating currency, a rollback in subsidies and the

imposition of higher tariffs to secure a bailout package of $1.1 billion from the International Monetary Fund. Food inflation has soared to 47%.

But the government had pushed back against the demands for higher medicine prices, fearing such a move would lose it support months before national general elections. The finance ministry said medicine prices could be reviewed again after three months if the Pakistani rupee appreciated, adding that “no increase under this category” would be granted in the next financial year.

The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association (PPMA) criticised the increase, which it said was way lower than it had expected.

Lashing out at the cabal of crooks for targeting judges of the apex court, Asad stated that an FIR was registered and arrest warrants was issued instantly against Imran Khan for his one sentence about Sessions Judge that they would take action against her. However, he said that contrary to it, the government was threatening and targets the judges of the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice, but there was no one to question them. He asked why these blued-eyed were given free rein.

He went on to say that innocent citizens were being arrested from outside the Islamabad High Court once again. Asad stated that negotiation session with the government should be put on a halt until these innocent detained people were not released.

About elections funds, Asad stated that the government repeated the mantra that they did not have Rs. 21 billion to conduct elections; however, the government sanctioned Rs. 515 billion in expenses in the first 8 months of this financial year, which were not even in the budget. STAFF REPORT

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday submitted in the Supreme Court its report about the unavailability of funds for conducting elections to Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies for third time. According to apex court sources, the electoral watchdog, in the two-page report, informed the apex court about non-availability of funds for elections in Punjab and KP.

According to the report, the ECP has not received funds from the federal government so far.

The apex court had issued a notice to the ECP secretary in this regard and gave the federal government deadline till April 27 for the provision of polls fund for the third time.

The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned indefinitely the hearing of the petition seeking simultaneous elections in the country after hearing from all the sides about the prospects of the talks between the government and the opposition.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial declared that political parties should sit together and find a solution to the issue, otherwise the court is there to act.

He remarked the court had proposed political dialogue keeping in view the prevailing situation in the country. “The political atmosphere is bitter,” he said. CJP Bandial remarked the court could not force the government to enter into dialogue with the opposition. “There is a proposal, not an order, to hold talks. For now, the court is not issuing any directive or timeline,” he made it clear.

The top judge observed that there is Constitution and the apex court’s judgement if there would be no outcome of the talks.

Earlier on Wednesday, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf wrote a letter to CJP Bandial, conveying “profound concerns” of the electedrepresentatives over recent Supreme Court orders and some comments by judges, terming them an “encroachment” on parliament’s domain. In his five-page letter, the speaker advised the Supreme Court to “avoid getting involved in the political thicket”, saying that “it is best to leave the resolution of political matters by the parliament and the political parties”.

China, Pakistan hail bilateral ironclad friendship

BEIJING

STAFF REPORT

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir in Beijing on Thursday, with both sides praising the ironclad friendship between the two countries.

Wang said the Pakistani army is a staunch defender of the ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan, noting that it is founded on mutual respect, trust and support, and has withstood changes in the international landscape. He stressed that the bilateral ironclad friendship has tremendous vitality and “will remain unshakable whatever incidents we encounter.”

China commended successive Pakistani administrations and all political parties for their commitment to friendly policies towards China, Wang said, adding that China will continue to firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, achieving unity, stability, and development, and playing an active role in the region and the world as a major Muslim country.

He also emphasized that no matter how

the international situation changes, China will always be a strategic partner that Pakistan can rely on.

The senior Chinese diplomat further noted that China is ready to restart exchanges with Pakistan in all aspects in the post-COVID era, and suggested taking the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative and the 10th anniversary of the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic

Corridor (CPEC) as opportunities to promote the quality and efficiency of the CPEC and help Pakistan enhance its independent development capacity.

Munir responded by saying that Pakistan will always stand with China through thick and thin no matter how the international situation changes, and that the Pakistani army firmly supports the further development of Pakistan-China relations.

to build multibillion-dollar refinery to meet energy needs’

The estimated cost for the refinery is between Rs10-14 billion. Malik also shared that the government

has stopped giving gas to power plants and will instead provide 50 million cubic feet per day of gas to poor households. The government will take back cheap gas from the rich and provide it to the poor. In addition, the government has formed a policy to provide cheaper energy using liquified natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and solar energy resources. Lastly, Malik revealed that Pakistan’s first purchase of Russian crude oil will dock at Karachi port in May.

Earlier last week, Malik had told Reuters that the government had made its first purchase of Russian crude oil, and cargo would dock at Karachi port in May. He said the country would seek to import 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Russian crude oil if the first transaction went smoothly.

Initially, the Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) would refine the crude oil in a trial run, to be followed later by Pak-Arab Refinery Limited (PARCO) and other refineries.

Shawwal, 1444

g DAR SAYS BOTH SIDES TABLED TWO PROPOSALS EACH AS TALKS TO RESUME ON TUESDAY

g QURESHI INFORMS PTI’S SUGGESTIONS ARE REASONABLE, IMPLEMENTABLE AND WITHIN CONSTITUTIONAL BOUNDS

‘Govt

OIL HEADS FOR ANOTHER MONTHLY DECLINE AS WEAK US DATA WEIGHS

TEXAS

ReuteRS

OILprices were heading for another monthly decline on Friday after disappointing US economic data and uncertainty over further interest rate hikes weighed on the demand outlook.

Brent crude futures for June were up 42 cents, or 0.5 per cent, at $78.79 a barrel by 09:46 GMT while the more actively traded July contract was down 1 cent at $78.21. Brent is set for its fourth straight monthly fall.

Brent prices retraced earlier losses after data showed the euro zone returned to growth in the first quarter, albeit only modestly and more slowly than expected.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude lost 15 cents, or 0.2pc, to trade at $74.61 a barrel and is set for its sixth straight monthly decline.

Data on Thursday showed that US economic growth slowed more than expected in the first quarter.

Investors are worried that potential interest rate

Celebrated author Fatima Bhutto ties the knot

KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

Celebrated author and rights activist Fatima Bhutto has tied the knot in Karachi, her younger brother artist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Junior announced on Twitter Friday night. Fatima, the daughter of the late Mir Murtaza Bhutto and granddaughter of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, married Graham (Gibran), on Thursday at their family home of 70 Clifton. “The ceremony was attended by Fatima’s loved ones in our grandfather’s library, a place that means a lot to my dear sister,” he wrote, adding, “Due to the difficult circumstances felt by our fellow countrymen and women, we all felt it would be inappropriate to celebrate lavishly.” Zulfikar asked people to keep Fatima and her husband (Gibran) in their prayers. Fatima and Zulfikar raised money for flood victims by auctioning experiences this past year. They were vocal in their calls for help for people affected by the floods and Zulfikar was praised for his anti-feudalism stance after a speech at the Sindh Moorat March.

Imran’s nephew, photographer released after brief arrest

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Islamabad police on Friday released 23 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers including the nephew and photographer of former prime minister Imran Khan after a brief arrest. The PTI workers were taken into custody by Islamabad police from the surrounding of Islamabad High Court during Imran Khan’s court appearance. Earlier in the day, PTI leader Musarrat Cheema in her tweet said Khan’s nephew Shershah and photographer Anush had been arrested by the Islamabad police.

hikes by inflation-fighting central banks could slow economic growth and dent energy demand in the United States, Britain and the European Union. The US Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting is over May 2-3.

On the supply side, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on Thursday said the OPEC+ producer group saw no need for further output cuts despite lower than expected Chinese demand.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, known collectively as OPEC+, this month cut its combined output target by about 1.16m barrels per day (bpd), which sent oil prices higher. The market rallied on the OPEC+ announcement but has since weakened on concern about possible recession and the impact that would have on demand.

Energy Information Administration data this week showed that US crude oil and gasoline inventories fell more than expected last week as demand for the motor fuel picked up ahead of the peak summer driving season.

Putin exempts ‘friendly’ countries from Russian price cap response

MOSCOW ReuteRS

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree exempting the current contracts with so-called “friendly” countries and companies from his ban on Russian oil sales imposed in response to price caps, according to the government’s website.

Putin in December signed a decree that banned the supply of crude oil and oil products from Feb. 1 to nations that abide by the cap. The Group of Seven major powers, the European Union and Australia

PM Shehbaz to to attend King Charles’ coronation

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake a visit to the United Kingdom next week to attend the coronation of King Charles III, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Friday. Charles, 74, became king after the death of Queen Elizabeth last year in September. As per royal tradition, a British monarch’s coronation takes place some months later, after national mourning and intense preparations.

King Charles III’s coronation ceremony will be held at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6. The event is expected to be attended by heads of state from around the world, including Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium, Japan, Hungary and Australia.

Earlier, Buckingham Palace said that Prince Harry will also be attending the coronation but without his wife Meghan. The announcement came after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the couple’s attendance, who quit royal duties in early 2020.

In a press briefing today, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake a visit to the United Kingdom to attend the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla on May 6, 2023.”

She went on to say that during the visit, the premier will also participate in an event for Commonwealth leaders on May 5. “He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders participating in these celebrations,”

she said. Baloch stated that Pakistan and the UK shared a long history of relations strongly anchored in the dynamic Pakistani-British community. “We see the British monarch and the royal family as friends of Pakistan and its people and look forward to further strengthening of ties between Pakistan and the United Kingdom,” she added.

The PM had met King Charles III last year in London and offered his condolences over the passing of Queen Elizabeth.

President urges Chinese investors to benefit from Pakistan’s investment-friendly policies

President Dr Arif Alvi has urged the foreign investors to take benefit from investment friendly environment offered by Pakistan.

This was stated by him while talking to a delegation of the Chinese Company (Easyway Innovation Technology Company Ltd), led by its CEO, Mr. Joe Hanyu, which called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday.

President Alvi said that the development of the IT sector was one of the major priorities of the country and the foreign entrepreneurs needed to invest in this important sector, which had immense potential to grow.

He said that the Special Technology Zones Authority offered various incentives, including 10-years tax exemption for the enterprises, and the Chinese IT companies should capitalize on these opportunities.

The CEO briefed the President about the role of his company in providing various IT services and industry solutions. He highlighted that Easyway provided

integrated solutions and professional software development for smart transportation, smart logistics and other fields. He informed that his company had developed e-ticking system for Pakistan’s railways that would help enhance the efficiency of the organization.

agreed to impose a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil from last Dec. 5 in response to Moscow’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Putin on Friday signed amendments to his December decree to exempt current supply contracts with companies and nations who Russia does not consider “unfriendly”.

Russian oil production and exports have held up despite sanctions as the country has rerouted its oil exports to China and India from its traditional supply markets in Europe.

PTI leader shot dead in Murree

KOTLI SATTIAN

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Raja Ahsan Satti was shot dead in the Kotli Sattian area of Murree. Unidentified gunmen sprayed the car of Ahsan Satti with a volley of bullets, injuring him critically, police sources said. He was rushed to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital where he breathed his last. According to police, they have launched an investigation.

FM Bilawal to attend SCO meeting in India on May 4: FO

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will undertake the visit to Goa, India, on May 4 to attend the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) amid insistence from Pakistan that India should take steps to create an environment which facilitates peace and dialogue on outstanding disputes, especially the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at the weekly press briefing, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said, “The visit is taking place because Pakistan is an active member of the SCO and the foreign minister has to represent Pakistan in the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Any activities of the foreign minister during his visit to Goa will be in the context of SCO.” “Pakistan’s voice must be heard in the Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of SCO. I reiterate that this visit is taking place in the context of SCO and it is not a bilateral visit and any other noise that accompanies the visit of the foreign minister must be ignored, because that’s just noise and has no bearing on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and its proceedings,” she added. The spokesperson stressed that Pakistan would continue to raise its voice against grave and systematic human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “We will also continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.” She said in the IIOJK, the human rights violations continued unabated. “For the fourth consecutive year, the Indian authorities prevented Kashmiris from attending the congregational Eid prayers at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid. Earlier, the occupation authorities had imposed curbs and restrictions on the freedom of religion during the Holy Month of Ramazan as well. We urge the Indian authorities to bring an end to the restrictions imposed on Kashmiris that prevent them from freely practicing their religion.”

Gen Bajwa’s ‘combat worthiness’ statement quoted out of context: ISPR

RAWALPINDI

Staff RepoRt

The military on Friday declared that Pakistani Armed Forces are always ready to defend the motherland and are well aware of their responsibilities, clarifying that former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s statement on “combat worthiness” was “quoted out of the context”. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement came following discussions in the media on “Pakistan Army’s combat worthiness in view of the condition of certain weapon systems on its inventory”.

“To this end, views of former army chief on the future threat to Pakistan, which he shared with media persons in an off-therecord interactive session, have been quoted out of the context,” said the ISPR.

The military’s media wing assured the people that the army will always take pride in its “operational preparedness and utmost combat worthiness”.

“Pakistan’s Armed Forces always did and will continue to keep their weapons, equipment and battle-hardened human resource ever ready for the defense of the motherland,” said the ISPR.

COUNTRY’S DEVELOPMENT LINKED WITH BALOCHISTAN’S UPLIFT: PM

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

PRIMEMinister Shehbaz Sharif

on Friday said that the country’s development was linked with the progress and prosperity in Balochistan province. The prime minister, in a meeting with Chairman of Balochistan National Party Sardar Akhtar Mengal, who called on him here, said the skilled Baloch youth were an asset for the country and their uplift was government’s priority.

The prime minister said the government was making all-out efforts for Gwadar’s development as well as for providing the facilities of international

Second PAF aircraft lands back at Karachi after completing evacuation mission from Sudan

KARACHI Staff RepoRt

standard to the residents of the port city.

The BNP head expressed confidence over the prime ministers’s steps for country’s security as well as Balochistan’s development, on behalf of the people of Balochistan and their elected representatives. He said that for the first time, Prime Minister Shehbaz had made the progress and prosperity of Balochistan’s youth as his priority. Akhtar Mengal said that the prime minister personally sympathised with the flood-hit people of Balochistan which was unprecedented.

The BNP chief said that during last one year, the prime minister stabilized the country’s economy despite utmost economic difficulties and the natural calamities.

Govt, PTI claim ‘progress’ as talks put off for ‘final round’

CONTINUED FROM PAE 01

“Yesterday, talks were held in a pleasant environment,” he tweeted. “Today, we should move forward for the country by understanding each other’s point of view.”

‘NEGOTIATIONS A WASTE OF TIME’

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said he was of the opinion that the ruling coalition should not hold talks with the PTI, terming the exercise a “waste of time”.

However, he added, while party leaders had their individual opinions, final decisions were made collectively.

The PML-N leader expressed these views while speaking to the media outside the Parliament House in Islamabad.

He said the government had already stated that it lacked the funds to hold elections on separate dates and that it was “not financially possible” to organise elections on different dates.

“Secondly, if elections are held on different dates, I believe it would cause irreparable damage to the federation”, he said, adding that it would increase the anti-Punjab sentiment in other provinces.

The PML-N leader further said there was an ongoing power struggle between the institutions, adding, “I think the country and Constitution are not being served if someone is aiding Imran Khan.”

He highlighted that while the Constitution mandated that polls should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of assemblies, “it also states that they should be held on one day”.

Toyota announces third round of NPDs this year

CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

A usance LC is a type of trade finance instrument that guarantees the confirming bank (exporter’s bank) that the issuing bank (importer’s bank) will make the payment by a specified future date. “We have been instructed to obtain 365-day usance LCs from our suppliers and make the payment in 365 days,” says Rehmani. “However, it is highly unlikely that any supplier would agree to provide us with materials for payment one year later.

Furthermore, it is difficult to forecast the exchange rate one year in advance. It is not feasible to operate a business under such circumstances,” he adds.

INDUSTRY-WIDE LIGHTS OUT:

These decisions follow a string of similar decisions by other companies in Pakistan’s automotive industry. Suzuki most recently announced that its automotive and motorcycle plants would observe NPDs from May 2 to May

9. Similar to Honda, but to a lesser degree, Suzuki’s motorcycle plant has crossed the one month mark as it was originally scheduled to be offline from March 20 to March 31. This was later extended until April 15, then until April, until the current May 9 given now. Toyota previously announced its second round of NPDs for 2023 from March 24 to March 27, after already observing them from February 1 to February 14 and moving to a single production shift. Ghandhara Tyre & Rubber Company and Hinopak Motors will also observe NPDs from March 24 to April 3 and March 24 to April 4, respectively. Ghandhara Nissan observed NPDs from March 6 to March 10 and shifted to a biweekly production schedule for the rest of March. Agriauto Industries announced a partial shutdown for the entire month of March, while Sazgar announced NPDs for its four-wheel plant from February 27 to March 4. Similarly, Suzuki also observed NPDs for its four-wheelers from January 2 to January 6, from January 9 to January 13, from January 16 to January 20, and from February 13 to February 21. Millat Tractors also closed its plant from January 6 to January 15.

“Elections will be held on one day in October,” he asserted.

FIRST ROUND OF TALKS:

On Thursday, representatives from both sides held at least an hour-long meeting inside Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani’s chamber to begin the negotiations. Negotiations efforts are underway as per the Supreme Court’s advice while a written order is awaited by it regarding elections in Punjab and KP — an issue on which there has been a weeks-long impasse between the ruling coalition, the opposition and the higher judiciary. With Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman reiterating a day ago that his party would not be part of any negotiations with the PTI, the PPP and PMLN seem to have taken command of the talks.

Gilani said after yesterday’s meeting that the PTI would present its demands during today’s meet-up, after which parties of the ruling coalition would be apprised about them and consulted.

It was principally decided that matters would be resolved within the ambit of the Constitution, Dar had said alongside him.

Meanwhile, insiders told Dawn that the PTI had put forth three key demands during Thursday’s session — the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) and Sindh and Balochistan legislatures in May to pave way for general elections in July; the passage of a constitutional amendment for a one-time concession to delay polls beyond 90 days if the government wanted to go beyond the May 14 election date in Punjab; and, the withdrawal of the speaker’s order accepting the resignations of PTI MNAs to bring them back to the

NA. The government team sought some time to discuss the demands, the sources said.

ELECTIONS IMPASSE:

Efforts to reach a consensus come against the backdrop of an impasse on elections, with the PTI seeking early polls — particularly in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where assemblies were dissolved in January — and the government maintaining that elections across the country be held on the same day in October.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court — while hearing a PTI petition — had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold general elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14. However, the government had rejected the apex court’s orders.

After repeated back and forth last week, the Supreme Court on April 20 afforded a temporary respite to the country’s main political parties, giving them time till April 26 to develop a consensus on the date for elections to the provincial and national assemblies, so they could be held simultaneously across the country.

However, on April 26, Shehbaz reiterated that simultaneous elections will take place in October or November after the current National Assembly completed its term on August 13, whereas parliament will have the final say regarding the initiation of talks with the opposition.

The government wanted to talk to the PTI, he said, adding that there was an overwhelming opinion that the doors of dialogue should not be closed, but its format was yet to be decided. “The decision [regarding talks] has to be taken by parliament, not you or me,” he added.

Candidates vying for Punjab Assembly polls allotted

electoral symbols

given the party symbol.

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday allotted electoral symbols to candidates for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections, some of which have raised eyebrows. The electoral watchdog, despite the fact the PMLN does not fielding any candidate, allotted random symbols to even the party’s bigwigs.

Hamza Shahbaz, a former PML-N member who is contesting as an independent candidate from PP-145, was given the electoral symbol of “Peacock”.

Meanwhile, Waqar Ahmed of the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) was assigned his party’s symbol, the “bat”.

In PP-147, Hamza Shahbaz received the “BOAT” symbol, while the PTI’s Ghulam Mohiuddin Dewan was

Maryam Nawaz, another former PML-N member, will contest from PP-173 with the symbol of “Tandoor”. Her opponent, the PTI’s Dr. Yasmin Rashid, was also given her party’s symbol. Saiful Malook Khokhar of PML-N was awarded the symbol of “Traffic Signal” in PP-167, while the PTI’s Malik Nadeem Abbas Bara will contest against him on the party ticket.

In PP-144, 34 candidates were allocated election symbols, with 28 of them running as independent candidates. Despite this, Rana Faqir Hussain from the People’s Party and Muhammad Yasser from PTI were given their respective party symbols. Similarly, in PP145, 27 candidates received symbols, with 21 of them contesting as independent candidates. The PTI’s Muhammad Asif and the Jamaat-e-Islami’s Muhammad Sulaiman were given their party’s symbols.

Rain, wind-thunderstorm expected in most party of country

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Rain and wind-thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls and hailstorm is expected in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region, south Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir during the next twenty-four hours. Temperature of some major cities recorded on Friday. Islamabad sixteen degree centigrade, Lahore twenty-two, Karachi twenty-six, Peshawar twenty-one, Quetta and Muzafarabad fifteen, Gilgit thirteen and Murree seven degree centigrade.

According to Met Office weather forecast for Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, cloudy and chances of rain with wind thunderstorm weather is

expected in Srinagar, Leh, Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian and Baramula, while partly cloudy in Jammu. Temperature recorded. Srinagar, Pulwama, Anantnag and Baramula six degree centigrade, Jammu seventeen, Leh minus four and Shopian five degree centigrade. Meanwhile, agriculture spokesman has urged farmers to beware of unexpected rains and windstorm and modify their schedule for cotton sowing or wheat harvesting in the light of weather forecasts issued by meteorological department and aired and published by electronic and print media.

Efforts urged to boost exports of leather goods

PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt

Pakistan’s leather industry is largely export-oriented, but it has been facing challenges such as rising raw material costs, shortage of gas, and lack of government support. This was stated by Muhammad Iqbal, Secretary General of Pakistan Leather Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association. Talking to Media about the challenges faced by the leather garment industry and the steps to address them, he said despite having significant growth potential, the industry had struggled due to a lack of government support and the burden of high customs duties and tariffs on imported raw materials. He added that the shortage of gas had

only added to these challenges, resulting in the closure of tanning units and job losses for thousands of workers.

To address these issues, Iqbal suggested the government formulate specific policies for the leather sector, as was done for the textile industry, to boost exports.

According to him, reducing customs duties and tariffs on raw materials, as well as providing concessions to industrialists on the consumption of electricity and gas were necessary. He added that encouraging foreign investment in the industry could also help increase exports of leather garments. Moreover, Iqbal stressed the importance of training labourers in the latest technologies, such as 3D and digital fabrication, to improve the industry’s competitiveness.

The second PAF aircraft has landed back at Karachi after successfully completing evacuation mission from Sudan. The C-130 Hercules carrying 110 Pakistanis from conflict-hit Sudan took off this afternoon from Jeddah. Earlier today, the first batch of 149 Pakistanis who were stranded in the war-torn Sudan safely reached Karachi on Friday. Pakistani mission is actively engaged in the evacuation of Pakistanis from Sudan which has been slipped into the worst kind of civil war. The ministry of foreign affairs in its tweet on Friday said:

“The first batch of 149 Pakistanis evacuated from Sudan arrives safely in Karachi. “Safe evacuation of every Pakistani and bringing them home safe remains our top priority.” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday lauded the team involved in helping Pakistanis in Sudan for its efforts to ensure successful evacuation of Pakistanis. The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the safe arrival of 847 Pakistanis at Sudan Port and 107 Pakistanis in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. PM Shehbaz also lauded the efforts of the Pakistan Air Force for ensuring the safe return of Pakistanis from Sudan. He appreciated Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and Secretary Foreign Affairs for efficiently supervising the overall work. He also praised the Pakistani Ambassador in Sudan Mir Behrose Reki, Head of Chancery Muhammad Saeed, Defence Attache Col. Muhammad Haroon, and Commercial Attache Atta Ullah. The prime minister especially paid tributes to the staff members of the Pakistani Embassy in Sudan Muhammad Bilal Shafiq and Rashid Khan for their efforts in this regard. He directed the concerned authorities to continue to work with full vigour until the safe return of all Pakistanis from Sudan. Intense clashes between Sudan’s military and the country’s main paramilitary force have killed hundreds of people and sent thousands fleeing for safety, as a burgeoning civil war threatens to destabilise the wider region.

Police kill three more in Kacha operation

RAHIM YAR KHAN Staff RepoRt

The Punjab Police on Friday gunned down three more dacoits during the ongoing operation in Kacha area of Rahim Yar Khan. The spokesperson of the Punjab Police District Police Officer (DPO) Rizwan Umar Gondal said that the ongoing operation against the criminal elements in Kacha area of Rahim Yar Khan has entered its 20th day. The police have moved into the Kacha Rajwani and besieged the area. Intermittent firing took place between the police and the robbers. He said the operation will continue with full force until the area has not been completely cleared or all the bandits are apprehended. He confirmed that three bandits have been killed during the operation on 20th say of the operation, while 28 have been arrested and a huge cache of heavy weapons and ammunition was also seized. He further said police camps have been established after destroying the hideouts of many dacoits.

Airlink’s profit collapses by more than half for Q3FY23 amidst LC inaccessibility

CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

Operating profit fell by 30.37% YoY from Rs 2.68 billion to Rs 1.869 billion, while OPM fell from 7.58% to 5.92%. The company’s other income spiked by a whopping 946.57% YoY from Rs 20.5 million to Rs 215.3 million. The company’s tax expense fell by Rs 854.4 million for a rebate of Rs 285.19 million, while its ETR clocked in at a negative 42.56% to reflect the rebate against 9MFY22’s ETR of 29.59%. Final net profit clocked in at Rs 955.29 million with an NPM of 3.03%, against last year’s Rs 1.354 billion and NPM of 3.82%.

What’s the verdict?

“The absence of letters of credit (LC) resulted in a shortage of inventory, preventing them from operating at full capacity. This inventory deficit, combined with fixed costs, caused a decline in their profit margins,” explains Yousuf Farooq, Director of Research at Topline Securities.

“It’s astonishing that they managed to generate any revenue at all given their limited access to LCs. Considering it’s a processing business facing a scarcity of raw materials, the numbers are impressive. Once the LC issue is resolved, their margins will naturally increase due to the depreciation of the Rupee,” Farooq elaborates.

COMMENT

Need for a review

tHe new Army leadership, which took over last year, might have thought that outgoing CoAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa would trouble them no more, but instead found itself on a damage control exercise over remarks he was supposed to have made to journalists while he was serving. the ISpr, which had to issue a clarification, must be hoping and praying that there were no other interactions which might suddenly spring out of someone’s notebook which would necessitate a clarification being issued. part of the problem is that General Bajwa has refused to do what his predecessors have done, with the exception of Gen raheel Sharif and Gen Jehangir Karamat, and keep quiet in retirement, playing golf and grow old with their grandchildren. Instead, he has given interviews (indirectly, because there is a two-year restriction on him). perhaps he cannot be blamed. He perhaps cannot wait out that time, because of the charges and countercharges that have been flying around over the rise and fall of Imran Khan. General Bajwa is blamed for both, for Mr Khan’s rise to the prime Ministership by the present coalition, and for Mr Khan’s fall by himself and the ptI. General Bajwa also has to answer questions about the Indian abolition of occupied Kashmir’s special status, which occurred on his watch. It was in that context he is said to have remarked that pakistan lacked fuel for its tanks, the remarks the ISpr has claimed were ‘taken out of context.’

His institution may be trying to dampen the calls for his court martial (as demanded by one of the offending journalists), but it should engage in some introspection at least. General Bajwa is directly responsible for the Kashmir situation, where pakistan was unable to stop India changing the status of Kashmir, and he was also responsible for the intervention in politics. While retiring he did say that the military was now neutral, but it will have to do much more to prove that it is no longer involved in an area which is not only prohibited, but which distracts it from its constitutionally defined role. the Army must not just learn to live with General Bajwa’s legacy, but must also examine its much vaunted procedures and filters to work out whether they might be part of the problem rather than the solution.

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

Contempt of Parliament

Times

have changed too much to allow such contempt

dr Qaisar rashid

THe old order is meant for dissolution and replacement. Judicial activism– in the name of asserting fundamental rights to interfere in the affairs of the state frequently and unnecessarily– is one such order. parliament has finally realized that it cannot abide any more a status subordinate to the judiciary, especially the higher judiciary.

on April 26, National Assembly Speaker raja pervez Ashraf wrote a letter to Chief Justice of pakistan (CJp) Umar Ata Bandial. the letter conveyed the concerns and sentiments of parliamentarians on some recent decisions of the Supreme Court made by some judges. the allusion was to the bench of judges known now widely as ‘the like-minded bench’.

the Speaker’s letter offers no surprise to anyone following the proceedings of ‘the like-minded bench’ keenly. In recent history, it is the first time parliamentarians have conveyed their reservations on the functioning of the SC. Apparently, the bench works on the assumption that the law is a complicated matter known only to it: the audience is just stupid, ignorant of the law and bereft of even common sense– not to speak of judicial sense. ostensibly, the ‘like-minded bench’ has misinterpreted the constitution and has failed to subdue its bias. By so doing, the bench has exacerbated the political crisis, which is accentuating the economic crisis.

the Supreme Court practice and procedure Bill, 2023 has finally attained the shape of an Act of parliament. With that parliament has resumed its status of being the originator of the law, after being the originator of the Constitution. the parliament has taken years to reach this milestone. the 18th Constitutional Amendment of 2010 remained the major expression of the supremacy of parliament to rectify anomalies existing (or introduced later on) in the Constitution of 1973. the Amendment ensured the independence of the judiciary by making it as independent of the influence of parliament as possible. Unfortunately, benevolence was misconstrued as the subordination of the parliament to the SC.

earlier, the movement for the restoration of the deposed judges had given an added power to the higher judiciary, in the wake of events led to 3 November 2007. the higher judiciary overlooked the fact that without participation of political parties, the

restoration of the then deposed judges to their former ranks could not have been possible. that is, it was not only the lawyers who took to the streets to restore the judges but it was also political parties which played a decisive role in getting the judges restored to meet the aspiration of the people who wanted the judges to be restored. At that time, lawyers remained an insufficient power unless backed by civil society. Hence, the strength of both lawyers and civil society culminated in the restoration process. Seeing the rise, the Army decided to acquiesce, and then it joined hands with the higher judiciary. this was the beginning of the nexus that surfaced in 2017, which overturned the Charter of democracy (signed in May 2006), and which heralded the hybrid-regime experiment in 2018. From 2018 to 2021, the bond enjoyed coalescence until the country’s economy refused to halt its nosedive. the hybrid foundered on the economic downturn of the country. the Speaker’s letter is a grim reminder to the SC that parliament is getting intolerant of the interference. the next step might be to invite the like-minded bench to parliament for giving a presentation, couched as a debriefing. on April 25, if the director General ISpr held a press conference to announce reducing defence expenditures (both operational and non-operational) in the face of economic odds, it was expected. the reason is that the hybridregime experiment not only shattered the country’s developmental prospects, but it also obliterated the country’s future prospects. today, pakistan is so compromised internationally that it cannot oppose the aggression of russia on Ukraine. pakistan had to abstain in the United Nations each time on voting against the war. the stance has been pakistan’s diplomatic low. otherwise, pakistan has never reconciled with an aggressor. the reason is simple: the hybridregime experiment has brought pakistan to the verge of economic bankruptcy. to bolster its dying econ-

Indian rhetoric lacks legal legitimacy

The G20 countries are only egging on the Modi regime

Malik MuhaMMad ashraf

Reportedly India is going to host the G20 meeting in Indian occupied Kashmir. the Indian move has evoked sharp reaction from pakistan. While condemning the Indian decision it has dubbed the move as irresponsible and rightly so. China has also objected to it urging India to avoid politicizing the issue. However India, dismissing the pakistani objection, maintained that Indian occupied Kashmir was an inalienable and integral part of India, so it was natural to hold the meeting on its own territory. the position taken by pakistan on the issue derives legitimacy from UN resolutions that recognize Kashmir as a disputed territory and have made it obligatory to resolve the issue through a plebiscite under the auspices of the world body, the implementation of which is still awaited. the Indian claim of Indian occupied Kashmir being its integral part, therefore, has no moral or legal basis and is nothing but a travesty of the ground realities.

In the wake of the rebellion by the people of Kashmir against the so-called instrument of accession of the state signed by the Maahraja of Kashmir, lord Mountbatten clearly said that the accession was accepted provisionally and the question would finally be settled through a reference to the people. However when a war broke out between pakistan and India, the Indian prime Minister Jawahar lal Nehru took the issue to the UN. Consequently the resolutions adopted by the UN reiterated the settlement of the question of accession of the state by allowing its people to exercise their right of self-determination.

Nehru is on record to have assured his pakistani counterpart repeatedly that India would abide by the UN resolutions and also having unequivocally made statements to this effect in the Indian parliament. However India reneged on its commitment and tried to have the question of accession resolved through the constituent assembly of the occupied Kashmir in 1957. that move was repudiated by the UN through its resolutions 91 and 122, maintaining the issue could not be settled through any arrangement other than a UNsponsored plebiscite.

It is also significant to note that India in spite of declaring Indian occupied Kashmiras its integral part, granted special status to the state with its own assembly and constitution through Articles 370 and 35 of the Indian Constitution which also prohibited purchase of property in the state by outsiders.

that itself negated the Indian claim of the state being an integral part of India.

Under Article 370 only the president of India could revoke the special status of the state on the advice from the constituent assembly of Jammu and Kashmir. Since the constituent assembly of Kashmir was dissolved in 1957 after adoption of the state constitution and replaced by a legislative assembly, the possibility of this article ever being revoked was foreclosed. the Supreme Court of India also held that this article has attained permanency and could not be revoked. the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in its decision also ruled out any such possibility.

the strongest repudiation of Indian claim is the armed struggle launched by the people of Kashmir in 1989 to throw off the Indian yoke which still continues with its own momentum. the Indian security forces, as per the documented details, have killed more than 95,000 Kashmiris and raped thousands of women. the foregoing realities prove beyond an iota of doubt that Indian rhetoric of Indian occupied Kashmir being an integral part of India, lacks legal legitimacy.

But regrettably in spite of the foregoing realities the Modi government repealed Articles 370 and 35 on 5 August 2019 and bifurcated the state into two union territories, followed by a new domicile law with a view to change the demographic features of the state and also allowing outsiders to buy properties there. He took this step notwithstanding the fact it was not only vehemently opposed by opposition Congress party and other saner elements within India but was also rejected by the pro-Indian politicians like Farooq Abdullah and Mehboob Mufti who had also served as Chief Ministers of Indian occupied Kashmir. there was also a strong reaction in Indian occupied Kashmir over the Indian move and the Indian security forces turned the state into an open prison while continuing the killing spree. Since then hardly a day passes without martyrdom of Kashmiris in the name of cordon

and search operations. But India continues to tell the world that situation in the state had become normal. the Indian decision to host the G20 meeting in Indian occupied Kashmir is meant to engineer a façade of normalcy and deceive the world into believing that the situation in the state is safe and secure. that is what the Kashmir diaspora Coalition and its international affiliate organizations from the western countries have alluded to in their letters to all the heads of G20 countries expressing the hope that the G20 countries, as signatories to the universal declaration of Human rights and the Geneva Convention, would adopt a definitive pro-people stance.they have reiterated that their credibility was on the line. therefore they should stand firm and refuse to be used in the disempowerment and subjugation of the hapless people of the state.

In the light of the foregoing facts the Indian action in Indian occupied Kashmir is a blatant violation of the UN resolutions, the fourth Geneva Convention, international laws and the bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement, between pakistan and India. It is also an affront to the UN and the members of the world community who believe in people’s right of self-determination and adherence to international laws and Geneva Conventions.

the move by the Modi government has surely exacerbated the security situation in the region and intensified tensions between the two nuclear states. the UN and the international community must act to defuse the situation before it is too late. the refusal by the G20 countries to participate in the meeting in Indian occupied Kashmir would surely send a strong message to India that it could not get away with its indiscretions in defiance of the UN resolutions and Fourth Geneva Convention provided they look at the situation rising above their strategic and commercial interests.Whether they do it or not remains a million dollar question.

Malik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic. He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail.com.

omy, pakistan is seeking the supply of cheap oil from russia. pakistan’s internal realities are dictating pakistan’s foreign policy objectives.

It is also the first time in the country’s history that the Army has distanced itself from the stand-off between parliament and the SC. the utterance such as Woh kambukht martial law lagane ko bhi tayyar naheen na” (He, the army chief, is reluctant to impose martial law), as heard by all pakistanis, became possible after economic devastation of the country. In the leaked audio conversation, the mother-in-law of pakistan’s CJ, Mr Justice Umar Ata Bandial, is found lamenting on the inaction of the incumbent army chief, who has otherwise got it announced through the dG ISpr that the Army itself was in economic distress.

No mother-in-law knows that the age of imposing martial laws is gone. It is not who would run the country; it but how the country would be run. Inflated institutions and burgeoning population are the two main challenges pakistan is faced with. What the pakistan Army has refused to learn that the USA saved its soldiers by deploying technology, especially the drone technology (both surveillance and missile-laden) to fight the war against its opponents, Al-Qaeda, in both Afghanistan and pakistan’s tribal area.

the USA achieved its target of purging the regions from Al-Qaeda operatives. pakistan has to learn from this strategy. Instead of relying on man power, the Army has to use and rely on technology. the preference should be reducing the number of fallen soldiers, instead of flaunting them to have crossed the 100 mark recently, as the dG ISpr did. the higher number of sacrificed soldiers is not the success but an expression of the failure of strategy employed by the Army in the face of ongoing militancy crisis.

In short, the country is fast bracing for a situation which might be intolerant of the contempt of the parliament.

The writer can be reached at qaisarrashid@yahoo.com

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

Highway ‘robbery’

reCeNtly, I was travelling in a taxi from Hyderabad to Karachi. At the toll plaza in Karachi, the traffic police stopped the vehicle and asked for documents. the driver handed over all the relevant documents to the officials. After examining the documents, including the driving licence, one policeman told the driver that since he did not own the vehicle or had an authority letter, he could not drive the vehicle. He threatened the driver to be ready for a penalty worth rs10,000, or his vehicle would be taken to some police station. the poor diver started begging for mercy, saying he had all the documents and the policeman should let him go. the police personnel asked the driver to come out of the vehicle to have ‘negotiations’. the driver obeyed the ‘order’ and later told me the official demanded rs2,000 as bribe, and he finally let him move ahead only after settling for rs1,000. this was a highway ‘robbery’ by those who are supposed to enforce the law of the land. poor taxi and rickshaw drivers are deprived of their daily earnings by these ‘robbers’ in traffic police uniforms. those who have small vehicles are also robbed the same way every day. However, those from the elite class travelling in large, luxury vehicles are never stopped or questioned even when they break traffic laws.

Saviour politics

WItHoUt mincing words, let me say no one is sincere in resolving the national problems, and this is how the country is being run by the ruling elite for long. It was against such a background and with mounting desperation that the nation identified a saviour. the reality has left many disappointed and disillusioned. the current opposition, after being ousted from power through a vote of no-confidence, has been ridiculing national institutions, spreading venomous propaganda against other politicians, blaming them for all the ills without proof, and labelling everyone ‘else’ a traitor. All this simply reflects immaturity and hunger for power. empty slogans, full stretch abuses, misogyny and sexism are used as tools that have torn apart our culture and civility. let no one throw dust into eyes of sanity and sense, or whatever is left of them in the country. this nation will no doubt prevail strongly over brainwashed mobs creating frenzy, chaos and anarchy across pakistan. the opposition failed miserably during its four years in power. It will do well to remember that.

AIJAZ ALI SHAH TORONTO, CANADA

Generation gap

GeNerAtIoN gap is a term used to describe the differences in attitudes, beliefs and behaviours between different age groups. It is a natural phenomenon that has been observed throughout history. But in today’s fastpaced world, the gap seems to be widening. As we move towards the future, we notice more and more differences between the older and younger generations. this can be attributed to various factors, including changes in technology, lifestyle and values. the older generations tend to have a more conservative outlook, having values that were prevalent during their formative years. they often view members of the younger generations as being disrespectful, entitled and lacking in morals. on the other hand, younger generations are more liberal, open-minded and technologically efficient. they are quick to embrace change and are not afraid to challenge traditional norms. While the generation gap can lead to conflicts and misunderstandings, it is essential to recognise that both generations have something to offer to the other. the older generation has years of experience and wisdom, while the younger generation brings fresh ideas and perspectives to the table.

ISPR’s clarification shows that there must be fresh thinking about selection procedures

The age of imposing martial laws is gone. It is not who would run the country; but how the country would be run. Inflated institutions and burgeoning population are the two main challenges

Pakistan is faced with.

The move by the Modi government has surely exacerbated the security situation in the region and intensified tensions between the two nuclear states. The UN and the international community must act to defuse the situation before it is too late.

Refocus on the Sikh Genocide of 1984

After the California State Assembly’s resolution, it’s the US Congress’ turn

Indian Army led by Maj Gen (later lt Gen) Kuldip Singh Brar, supported by troops and armoured vehicles, broke all records of state terrorism and extra-judicial killings through that barbaric operation.

At that time, there were only 251 Sikhs inside the complex to protect the Harmandir Sahib, and to resist the well-trained Indian army, equipped with sophisticated weaponry. In those days, the majority of the Sikhs were coming to the temple-complex to celebrate Martyrdom day of Guru Arjun dev.

murdered or arrested. Shops belonging to Sikhs were looted and their houses were set ablaze by Hindu mobs. In most of the cases, Sikh women were molested and some persons of their community were also burnt.

Another tragic dimension of the operation is that historical Sikh artefacts— all the manuscripts written by the gurus—were also set ablaze by the Indian Army. But New delhi fabricated a false story by claiming that they were burnt, while bombing the Harmandir Sahib.

sajjad shaukat

THe California state assembly passed a resolution on April 10, this year, which said that the Sikh community in the USa had not yet recovered from the physical and psychological trauma of the riots, urging the US Congress to recognise the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as ‘genocide’, and to condemn the violence. the resolution was introduced by Jameet Kaur Bains, first–ever elected Sikh member, was unanimously passed by the assembly. the resolution also stated that the ‘Widow Colony’ in New delhi still houses Sikh women who were assaulted, raped, tortured, and forced to witness the dismemberment, burning and murder of their families, and who are still calling for justice against the perpetrators.

However, the Sikhs are fighting for a separate homeland since 1947, but the movement attained impetus by the efforts of their spiritual leader Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, which in 1984 resulted in the most brutal operation against the holiest shrine of the Sikhs-the Golden temple complex (Harmandir Sahib) in Amritsar, punjab, and resulted in killings of thousands of Sikhs.

In this regard, ‘operation Blue Star’ was an Indian military operation which occurred between 3–8 June 1984, ordered by the then prime Minister Indira Gandhi to gain control over the Harmandir Sahib, and to arrest Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, and his followers from the complex buildings. Bhindranwale had earlier taken residence in Harmandir Sahib and made it his headquarters in April 1980. He was the only leader who had boldly been fighting for the genuine rights of the Sikhs.

Nevertheless, the Indian regime used tanks and destroyed the Akaal takhat Sahib which is right in front of the Harmandir Sahib. on June 6, when all Sikh fighters were martyred along with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Indian troops entered the temple-complex with their shoes, deliberately ignoring the holiness of the place, showing utter indecency. When the Indian Army realized that only 251 men had prevented them from entering the Harmandir Sahib for so many days, they started killing innocent Sikhs who had come there to visit the temple. the only purpose was to hide their humiliation.

In this respect, in their book, The Sikh Struggle ramnarain Kumar and George Sieberer write: “the army killed every Sikh who could be found inside the temple-complex. they were hauled out of rooms, brought to corridors on the circumference of the temple and with their hands tied behind their back, were shot in cold blood. Among the victims were many old men, women and children.” However, “all visitors were locked up in rooms for two days without any food, water, or electricity and were starved to death. Besides, the Harmandir Sahib remained under the army control for many months.”

the brutality of the ‘operation Blue Star’ was not confined to the Harmandir Sahib. Indian armed forces simultaneously attacked 40 other historical gurdwaras all over east punjab. When Sikhs in other states came to know about the desecration of the Harmandir Sahib and massacre of their brethren, they quickly left for punjab. New delhi tried to stop them before they could reach punjab. Many Sikhs were assassinated on the way and many others were arrested.

According to an estimate, about 50,000 Sikhs were killed within a few days. the whole Amritsar city was sealed and was burnt. A number of tourists either were

In the same october, two dedicated Sikhs, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh who were posted at premier Indira Gandhi’s residence in New delhi as bodyguards, assassinated her. then anti-Sikh riots by Hindus erupted in the Indian Capital New delhi and other cities. they continued in some areas for several days, killing more than 3,000 Sikhs in New delhi and an estimated 8,000– 20,000 Sikhs in total were killed across 40 cities in India, while police watched silently so as to provide the Hindus with a free hand to massacre Sikhs.

In fact, the attack on the Harmandir Sahib and genocide of Sikhs accelerated the liberation of their movement for independent state in the Indian punjab, named Khalistan as Bhindrenwale became a folk hero. But, the Indian government made every effort to crush the same with the state machinery.

After these barbaric operations, Sikhs organised themselves into an armed power in order to fight the Indian state terrorism. Many Sikhs left India to escape further genocide. Sikhs have spread out all over the world to keep the movement of Khalistan alive. In this connection, their struggle is still going on.

The Sikh diaspora has expressed serious concerns over this crackdown harassing Sikh population in the Indian Punjab, elsewhere in India, including those living abroad.

Various Sikh entities living in India and abroad have strongly condemned Indian crackdown and emphasised to stop persecution of the Sikh community

to maintain its control over the Harmandir Sahib, another attack was launched on the temple in 1987, called ‘operation Black thunder’. this time the only Sikh resistance which was the natural outcome of the tragedy was the main target. In that connection, quite a number of people of their community were killed and dead bodies lay inside the sacred place for many days.

According to a report, many trucks were loaded with dead bodies and all were burned with kerosene oil. Afterwards, ‘operation Woodrose’ and ‘operation Black thunder-II’ were conducted against the Sikh community, which also assassinated them extra-judicially.

Notably, participation of almost 208,000 Sikhs in the Khalistan referendums held in the recent years in four western countries—the huge number of Sikhs who voted in favour of an independent Khalistan reflected that their demand for an independent homeland is gradually being accepted globally. on March 18, prior to launching crackdown by the Indian police and paramilitary forces, section-144 was imposed, and mobile phone service was suspended in Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka districts of Indian punjab. ever since Amritpal Singh Sandhu took over as the head of ‘Waris punjab de’, Indian police arrested a large number of Sikhs as well as members of ‘Waris punjab de’ and Amritpal Singh.

the Sikh diaspora has expressed serious concerns over this crackdown harassing Sikh population in the Indian punjab, elsewhere in India, including those living abroad. Various Sikh entities living in India and abroad have strongly condemned Indian crackdown and emphasised to stop persecution of the Sikh community. Undoubtedly, in light of the California state assembly’s resolution, we can conclude that anti-Sikh bloodshed of 1984 was the genocide and the US Congress must recognise this fact.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations and can be reached at: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Can China become a ‘peacemaker’ in the Middle East?

PolItICIANS come in all shapes, sizes, and colours. Some come from ruling parties, some from the military, some from the world of business and entertainment, while some have their roots deep within the security sector of a state. Some politicians are charismatic, some are boring, and some are full of hot air. politics is all about power. And to politicians –most of whom lack an iota of personal integrity –power is control over their citizens, patriotism is servility, and democracy is absolutism. they use power to rig elections by allowing their cadres to stuff ballot boxes, and/or encourage their supporters to vote under the cover of darkness the day before the election. or like richard daly, mayor of Chicago from 1955 to 1976, they are adept at making the dead vote for themselves. or, as Stalin said, “the people who cast the votes decide nothing. the people who count the votes [lackeys of the politicians] decide everything.” or, according to a former governor of louisiana, where election fraud is rampant, he could make the voting machines sing any tune he wants to.

politicians manipulate public employees, use state funds for political campaigns, resort to terror by unleashing their ancillary groups that are thinly conceived and at times crudely manoeuvred, and grant extensive power to law enforcement agencies to arrest their opponents without warrant.

Before (s)elections, their words are the most beautiful ever uttered on behalf of democracy. But once (s)elected, they conveniently become amnesiac and their eyes become focused on the nation’s treasury. the sense of power leads politicians to indulge in unbridled corruption and ethical lapses. their colossal hubris, high decibel level of hate speech, intolerance against differing views, use of uncivil language, kidnapping for political ends, and targeted killing to eliminate their foes dominate the political landscape of the third world.

For politicians, save a few, power also goes handin-hand with sex, greed, money, crime, and nepotism. that is why they use brute force and dirty tricks to stay in power.

to perpetuate their rule, politicians eliminate space for dissent by the opposition, and fine-tune the constitution more to their liking by eliminating amendments after amendments and introducing new amendments. they pass draconian laws to stifle dissent on social media, websites, and other digital platforms with the argument that times have changed and surely the founding fathers would not want them to live in an “analogue” age that is horribly out of sync with the modern digital age. their target includes journalists, cartoonists, musicians, activists, entrepreneurs, students, peasants who cannot read or write, and even minors, among others.

politicians seem to have a visceral need for enemies. they love enemies because by bashing them, they can stir up public’s sentiment and distract their attention from the myriad of problems facing their nation. Most politicians are egotistical, narcissistic maniacs, completely detached from their people, surrounded by stooges, toadies, and overzealous, greedy enablers. their mind is programmed to believe that they are indispensable to the stability and well-being of their nations. Hence, they control the entire machinery of the state and its security apparatus. political hooliganism and criminal activities by politicians and their surrogates have lent credence to George Bernard Shaw’s characterisation of politics as the “last resort for the scoundrels.” If blanket use of Shaw’s definition of politics and politicians seems derogatory, then a more pliant definition could be that it is the profession of people who lack talent for other professions. today, with the exception of a few, most politicians are liars extraordinaire. to score political points and advance their self-interest, they lie left, right, and centre. After all, when Bill Clinton said, “I did not have sex with that woman,” he lied through his teeth to maintain a facade of morality. exaggeration, omissions of truth, bending of truth, and sometimes flatout lies are part of the arsenal of a competent politician in a high office. people’s perception of politicians worldwide is more strident. Most of them are seen as crooks who are corrupt to the core. When Nixon said, “I personally thought it [Watergate cover-up] was a stupid thing to do, apart from being an illegal thing to do,” he negated his earlier utterance of the infamous five words “I am not a crook.”

Crookery and double-dealing are what the republicans in the US Congress are doing today. they sing songs of praise of their leader donald trump –the greatest thug, sexual predator, and tax dodger in the history of US politics. they are doing so in order to get reelected to serve their personal interests, to make deals on expediency, not principle, and cynically seek to manipulate the fragile democratic process rather than preserve it.

Bernard Shaw summed up a politician as a scoundrel who “knows nothing and he thinks he knows everything.” the political satirist Jarod Kintz describes most of the scoundrels more bluntly. He notes, “I once saw a politician walking a dog and I thought, how absurd – an animal walking an animal. then I thought, if given the choice, I’d rather vote for the dog.”

So, what can be done to pull a politically sick country out of the morass of “filth, corruption, dishonesty and above all the criminalisation that has come to afflict” its social fabric? We often hear people saying, “Vote out the incumbents. If we cannot vote them out, then impose term limits.” But the dynastic succession that is in vogue in many countries makes it difficult to bring about a change in the existing political culture. Furthermore, injecting integrity into and changing the status quo of a corrupt system is too unpalatable to politicians.

Finally, is it possible for a politician to be honest?

Can we equate morality and politics? Is “honest politician” an oxymoron? Maybe yes, maybe no. Although honesty and politics are strange bedfellows. Historically, there have been examples, albeit rare, of patriotic and altruistic politicians. However, a politician who admits that he/she does politics for money and power is definitely an honest politician and deserves our kudos!

‘Look, we respect China, we deal with China a great deal. But we also know we have an indispensable alliance with our great friend the United States’

Deutsche Welle (DW) WilliaM Yang

CHINA has been upping its diplomatic charm offensive in the Middle east in recent weeks, framing itself as a peacemaker between longstanding rivals in the region. After brokering a landmark deal, helping Iran and Saudi Arabia to re-establish diplomatic ties on April 6, Beijing is now trying to facilitate peace talks between Israelis and palestinians.

Following calls with top Israeli and palestinian officials, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang urged all parties to remain “calm” while calling for “restraint,” emphasizing peace talks and implementing the two-state solution.

He encouraged Israeli Foreign Minister eli Cohen to resume peace talks with palestinians and said China is “ready to provide convenience for this.” In a separate conversation with palestinian Foreign Minister riyad AlMaliki, Qin reiterated Beijing’s stance.

According to a press release from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a phone call with Qin, riyad Al-Maliki “expressed appreciation of China’s effort to facilitate the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, saying that this demonstrates China’s role as a responsible major country.” that statement was echoed by the West Bank-based, Fatah-affiliated Wafa news agency, which reported AlMaliki hailing China’s involvement in supporting stability, security and development in the region.

He also called on his Chinese counterpart to bolster relations and accelerate the signing of several business agreements, Wafa reported.

CHINA’S FOCUS ON ‘ACQUIRING RESOURCES AND MARKETS’: Beijing views longstanding disputes between different countries as “destabilizing” and potentially risky to its long-term business interests.

dawn Murphy, an associate professor of national security strategy at the US National War College, told dW, “China’s most important interests in the Middle east are acquiring resources and markets, which include economic and political interests.”

“China has an incentive to actually resolve these disputes, as it can benefit from stability in the region. Additionally, serving as a mediator gives China an opportunity to demonstrate that it’s a great power that wants to contribute to peace and stability in the Middle east,” she told dW.

prior to the groundbreaking deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia, China has long been a top trading partner for countries in the Middle east, purchasing oil and investing more than $273 billion (€250 billion) in the region between 2005 and 2022. the Belt and road initiative, China’s flagship global infrastructure project that started in 2013, has also allowed Beijing to expand its influence across the region.

CHINA WAS ‘JUST THE RIGHT PLAYER AT THE RIGHT TIME’ though China has revealed its aspiration to become a more important player in the Middle east, some experts think Beijing’s aspiration and actual influence on the region is overestimated.

“China saw an opportunity in the Iran-Saudi deal and provided a platform,” tuvia Gering, an expert on China-Middle east relations at the diane and Guilford Glazer Center at the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel (INSS), told dW. However, the deal was a result of a two-year engage-

ment between Iran and Saudi Arabia, with help from countries like oman, Iraq, and the United States. Gering said China was “just the right player at the right time,” and in the case of the Israelis and palestinians, the two sides aren’t interested in starting any peace talks, and there is skepticism about China’s role as a balanced mediator.

“China may see itself as a balanced power to all parties, but Israel doesn’t share the sentiment. they see China as a biased and completely cynical player in the region that has zero interest in solving this conflict. It’s just China scoring some diplomatic and geopolitical points,” Gering added. After Qin expressed Beijing’s interest in helping to facilitate peace talks between Israelis and palestinians, Israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told American business news channel CNBC on April 19, “look, we respect China, we deal with China a great deal. But we also know we have an indispensable alliance with our great friend the United States.”

With Israel viewing Iran as a threat to its security, China’s continuous support for tehran, only adds to Israel’s concerns. “one can’t quite escape the similarities between Beijing coming out with the Israel-palestine proposal and its ‘peace plan’ on the Ukraine war,” said Sari Arho Havren, a visiting researcher at the University of Helsinki. “In both cases, Beijing can’t be seen as a neutral party as in the case of the Ukraine war, Beijing stands on russia’s side, while in the past, China and Israel have hardly been eye to eye on the future of the region,” she added. But Murphy from the US National War College believes that palestine and other Arab states have welcomed China playing a more significant role in mediating the Israeli-palestinian conflict over the last two decades. “In their view, China has a constructive role to play in the resolution of this longstanding point of tension in the Middle east,” she said, adding that Beijing’s decision to reveal its intention to broker potential peace talks between Israel and palestine is likely the result of urging from palestinian and Arab leaders.

CAN CHINA CHALLENGE US DOMINANCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

As China looks to grow its influence in the Middle east, the international community is also closely following how it might challenge a regional order that has long been dominated by the United States. Murphy says that China puts emphasis on its ability to maintain balanced relations with every country in the Middle east, and that there are no signs that Beijing would start picking sides amid its ongoing attempt to present itself as a “peacemaker.”

“China sees itself as providing a platform and bringing together parties that China has good relations with,” she said. “I don’t think China seeks to provide security guarantees and countries in the Middle east don’t expect China to play the same role that the US does,” Murphy added.

even though some US policymakers view China’s growing influence in the Middle east with concern, Gering from INSS thinks top US officials like Secretary of State Antony Blinken view Beijing’s attempt to be a mediator in regional conflicts as a positive change. “they think China is finally acting as a responsible major power, and it’s an opportunity to continue its pivot to east Asia,” he told dW. “I don’t think we will see China become involved with boots on the ground in conflicts, but we might see China opening more military bases, which could be carried out through agreement with host countries or under UN frameworks,” he added.

Dr Quamrul Haider is a professor of physics at Fordham University in New York, US.

Exaggeration, omissions of truth, bending of truth, and sometimes flat-out lies are part of the arsenal of a competent politician in a high office

Is ‘honest politician’ an oxymoron?

CHINA’S SMALL STEPS ON OFFSHORE USE OF YUAN ARE STARTING TO ADD UP

PROFIT reuterS

CHINA’Syuan currency is slowly but surely being adopted for more international payments, which analysts say could lay foundations for a trade system running parallel to the dominant U.S. dollar.

In the past day alone, data showed that more cross-border transactions with China were settled in yuan in March than in dollars for the first time, and that Argentina said it aims to regularly pay for Chinese goods in yuan and not dollars.

While the dollar dominates world trade settlements, the news comes amid a steady drumbeat of more and more bilateral deals arranging yuan payments with China — from Chinese oil purchases in the Middle East to trade with partners from Brazil to Russia.

True global yuan adoption is unlikely, given expectations that Beijing will want to keep a tight grip on the currency. But incremental progress is already fashioning a new trade architecture and is gaining pace, particularly as Russia’s expulsion from much of the West’s payment systems has accelerated the development of alternatives.

“The world’s largest commodity exporters and importers – China, Russia and Brazil – are now working together on using renminbi for cross-border payments,” said Chi Lo, senior investment strategist at BNP Paribas Asset Management in Hong Kong.

“Their cooperation could draw other countries to renminbi payments over time and cumulatively, this group could lift the renminbi at the expense of the dollar,” he said. China has long sought to increase the yuan’s undersized 2.2% share of global payments, but seemingly without being willing to open its capital accounts and allow the

sort of free-flowing movement that makes dollars, euros and yen so convenient.

Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the resulting Western sanctions, has given substance to the push. Suddenly, Russia has come from virtually nowhere to become the fourth-largest yuan-trading hub outside China.

The yuan’s share of Russia’s currency market has leapt to 40% to 45%, from less than 1% at the start of last year. Its share of world trade financing, according to SWIFT, has increased to 4.5% in February from 1.3% two years ago. The dollar’s is 84%.

“It will not replace the U.S. dollar globally, but it is already starting to replace the dollar in some of China’s trade relationships,” said Gerard DiPippo and Andrea Leonard Palazzi, economists at Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies, in an article last week.

This kind of renminbi internationalisa-

tion may achieve Beijing’s goals, including reducing China’s exposure to exchange rate fluctuations and mitigating China’s vulnerabilities to U.S. financial sanctions.”

SLOW MOVING: World trade flows are dominated by dollars, euros, sterling and yen because those currencies are freely available and connected to open economies in ways the capital-controlled yuan is not. To be sure, there are no signs that is changing.

“In most trades, importers have a comparative advantage in determining the terms of trades, such as pricing and settlement currency,” says Zhang Yu, chief macro analyst at Huachuang Securities in Beijing.

“Therefore, if exporters want to use yuan to settle trades, they must persuade foreign importers to pay in yuan, which often takes a long time.”

China itself needs time to create depth in a limited pool of yuan outside its shores,

Heavy battle despite latest truce dampen hope for peace in Sudan

Fighting raged in Sudan on Friday, despite rival forces agreeing to extend a truce aimed to stem nearly two weeks of warfare that has killed hundreds and caused widespread destruction.

In the war-ravaged western Darfur region, scores have been killed in days of bitter urban battles in the city of El Geneina, the United Nations says. Black clouds rose over the capital Khartoum as foreign governments scrambled to organise mass evacuations of their citizens, with Turkey’s defence ministry reporting Friday that one of their military transport aircraft had come under fire.

There have been multiple truce efforts since fighting broke out on April 15 between Sudan’s army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by his former deputy and fellow coup leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. All have failed.

On Thursday, the two sides agreed to extend a repeatedly broken ceasefire for three more days, with the United States, Saudi Arabia, the African Union, the UN and others hoping it would help forge a “more durable cessation of hostilities”.

Since a power struggle between Burhan and Daglo erupted into violence, fighter jets have pounded RSF positions in densely packed districts of Khartoum, as

fighters on the ground exchanged volleys of artillery and heavy machine gun fire. In some parts of the city of some five million people trenches have been dug, as gunmen battle each other street by street.

At least 512 people have been killed and 4,193 wounded in the fighting, according to health ministry figures, although the real death toll is likely much higher.

‘FOOLISH WAR’

Fighting has also spread across Sudan, especially in long-troubled Darfur, where witnesses reported intense conflict and looting. The Darfur Bar Association, a civil society group, said fighters were “launching rockets at houses” in the West Darfur state capital, El Geneina, some 1,100 kilometres (685 miles) west of Khartoum, It also reported firing from “rifles, machine guns and anti-aircraft weapons”.

“There is no food except what people have stored at home,” one resident said, asking not to be named. Analysts have warned that conflict between the army and RSF could spark multiple other militias to exploit the chaos and settle old scores.

UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said 96 people were reported to have been killed in El Geneina since Monday. The UN was “concerned at the serious risk of violence escalating in West Darfur”, Shamdasani said, warning that the hostilities between the military and RSF “have triggered

intercommunal violence”.

Fighting has spread “nearly all over the city” and fighters have looted and torched “markets, public buildings, aid warehouses and banks”, the Bar Association added. It urged Burhan and Daglo to “immediately stop this foolish war that is being waged on the backs of civilians”.

Darfur is still reeling from the devastating war that raged in the 2000s when then hardline president Omar al-Bashir crushed ethnic-minority rebels by creating the Janjaweed militia to carry out atrocities, a force that later formed the basis of Daglo’s RSF. The scorched-earth campaign left at least 300,000 people dead and close to 2.5 million displaced, according to UN figures, and saw Bashir charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide by the International Criminal Court.

In El Fasher, state capital of North Darfur, medics are struggling to cope with an influx of wounded, said Mohamed Gibreel from Doctors Without Borders (MSF). “The situation is very, very difficult,” Gibreel said.

MASS EXODUS

Amid the chaos, several prisoners escaped jail, including war crimes suspects from Bashir’s regime. The UN on Friday voiced alarms at the prison breaks, pointing to “the prospect of further violence, amid a generalised climate of impunity”.

UNSC urges ‘swift reversal’ of curbs on Afghan women’s rights

UNITED NATIONS agenCieS

The UN Security Council unanimously condemned on Thursday a Taliban administration ban on Afghan women working for the United Nations in Afghanistan and called on Taliban leaders to “swiftly reverse” a crackdown on the rights of women and girls.

The resolution – drafted by the United Arab Emirates and Japan – describes the ban as “unprecedented in the history of the United Nations,” asserts “the indispensable role of women in Afghan society” and says the ban on Afghan women working for the UN “undermines human rights and humanitarian principles.”

UAE UN Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh said more than 90 countries co-sponsored the resolution “from Afghanistan’s immediate neighbourhood, from the Muslim world and from all corners of the earth.”

“This … support makes our fundamental message today even more significant – the world will not sit by silently as women in Afghanistan are erased from society,” she told the council.

The Security Council vote came days before a planned international meeting in Doha on May 1-2 on Afghanistan. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will convene behind closed doors special envoys on Afghanistan from various countries to work on a unified approach to dealing with the Taliban.

“We will not stand for the Taliban’s repression of women and girls,” Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Robert Wood, told the council. “These decisions are indefensible. They are not seen anywhere else in the world.” “The Taliban edicts are causing irreparable damage to Afghanistan.”

Earlier this month the Taliban began enforcing the ban on Afghan women working for the UN after stopping most women working for humanitarian aid groups in December. Since toppling the Western-backed government in 2021, they have also tightened controls on women’s access to public life, including barring women from university and closing girls’ high schools.

The Taliban says it respects women’s rights in accordance with its strict interpretation of Islamic law. Taliban officials said decisions on female aid workers

are an “internal issue.” The Security Council resolution also recognizes the need to address substantial challenges facing Afghanistan’s economy, including through using assets belonging to Afghanistan’s Central Bank for the benefit of the Afghan people.

The United States froze billions of the bank’s reserves held in the U.S. and later transferred half of the money to a trust fund in Switzerland overseen by U.S., Swiss and Afghan trustees. “As of today, what we have seen is only that assets have been transferred from one account to another, but not a single penny returned to the Afghan people,” China’s Deputy UN Ambassador Geng Shuang told the council.

which is less easy for Beijing to control.

“For yuan usage to grow in scale it make take 10 years or longer,” says Andre Wheeler, chief executive of supply chain, trade risk consultancy Wheeler Management Consulting based in Australia.

“If they were to try to change Australia iron ore trades to be settled in yuan, I don’t think China would be able to cope with that scale.”

Yet the yuan offers other attractions to China’s trading partners. In Argentina’s case, buying goods in yuan saves draining dwindling dollar reserves. More broadly, each new adopter adds to a currency system’s depth and usefulness.

“One of the many reasons for using the dollar is what we call network effects,” said Michael Pettis, senior fellow at Carnegie China. “The more of us that use it, the cheaper it becomes to use and the more efficient it becomes to use,” he said.

China’s defence minister for cooperating with SCO countries on security architecture

CHINA

Staff CorreSpondent

Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu said on Friday that China is ready to cooperate with other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture. Li said when attending the SCO defense ministers’ meeting in the Indian capital that the ministerial meeting has become a key platform for SCO countries to strengthen strategic communication and discuss security cooperation. Important consensuses have been reached at the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan last September, he noted. China is willing to join hands with other SCO members to implement the Global Security Initiative, deepen strategic mutual trust, enhance anti-terrorism cooperation, expand fields for cooperation and improve cooperation mechanisms, so as to contribute to global and regional peace and stability, Li said. The defense ministers pledged at the meeting to further boost strategic communication, focus on consensuses and expand SCO cooperation and jointly safeguard regional security and stability. A joint communique was released after the meeting. During his stay in India, Li met with defense ministers from Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Iran on international and regional situations, bilateral and military ties as well as issues of common concern. China for bringing China-India border situation under normalized management. Meanwhile, during a meeting with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu said that the China-Indian border situation remains stable, and border issue should be properly managed within bilateral ties. With contact and negotiations between two armies gradually resuming, experts called on India to reduce provocative statements, and meet with China halfway to solve the border issues, so as to inject peace and stability into bilateral ties, and support regional stability. Li, who arrived in New Dehli on Thursday for the SCO defense ministers’ meeting on Friday, held a meeting with Singh. Li said that common interest between China and India prevails over discrepancies, thus both sides should view bilateral ties and their development in a comprehensive.

KHARTOUM agenCieS

CORPORATE CORNER

OGDCL partners with IHHN to provide health facilities across Pakistan

NOT-BY- PROFIT DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION CAN ADD $60B TO ECONOMY: OICCI REPORT

COUNTRY'S E-COMMERCE SECTOR LAGS AT 1% OF MARKET, ACCORDING TO REPORT

ISLAMABAD

NEWS DESK

ISLaMaBaD: The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), a socially responsible corporate, has partnered with the Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) to provide quality health services at doorsteps in various districts across Pakistan. Under the OGDCL CSR program, the partnership aims to enhance health services in local communities by establishing and operating upgraded health facilities in various forms.

As a socially responsible corporate, OGDCL has been serving communities by providing treatment and medicines through various health facilities. However, with the growing demand for enhanced health services at doorsteps, OGDCL has partnered with IHHN to cater for health facilities at identified OGDCL operational fields. PR

Inauguration of Day Care Center at SNGPL Head Office

Inauguration of Day Care Center at Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Head Office took place today (Friday). Addressing the Inaugural Ceremony, Chairperson Board of Directors Roohi Raees Khan said that the Board of Directors with the cooperation of the Company Management, has always endeavoured for the welfare of the Company and its employees. She said that the measures taken by the Board and implemented by the Management resulted in UFG reduction, cost control and successful digitization program. She added that any organization or even a society cannot prosper without collective efforts hence all the employees, male and female, must work together and develop tolerance for each other. She said that day care center was a longstanding demand of the Company’s female employees which has been fulfilled today. She expressed hope that more initiatives for employees’ welfare will be ensured with the cooperation of the Company management. PR

BoP announces financial results for Q1-2023

Lahore: A meeting of the Board of Directors of The Bank of Punjab was held on April 28, 2023 to consider and approve the un-audited Financial Statements for the 1st quarter of year ended March 31, 2023. During the meeting, the Board reviewed Bank’s performance for 1st quarter of the year 2023 and expressed its satisfaction on overall financial performance of the Bank in the prevailing operating environment. During 1st quarter 2023, Non-Markup/ Interest Income (excluding gains on securities) increased to Rs. 2.68 billion as against Rs. 1.80 billion during 1st quarter 2022 showing an increase of 49%. However, Bank’s Net Interest Margin (NIM) remained at Rs. 7.77 billion as against Rs. 8.11 billion during 1st quarter 2022. During 1st quarter of the year, the Bank posted before tax profit of Rs. 2.11 billion and Earnings per Share (EPS) for the 1st quarter of year 2023 remained at Rs. 0.40 per share. PR

NAVTTC,

On the direction and guidance of Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana

Tanveer Hussain National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) signed MoU for collaboration to implement NAVTTC-OGDCL skill training initiative for training of 400 youth. The youth belonging to less developed areas of Punjab, Sindh, KPK and Balochistan will be equipped with state of the art cutting edge technologies, Computer Applications/Digital marketing, Mobile Phone Repairing, Heating Ventilation, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning (HVACR), Industrial Stitching Machine Operator etc. The free of cost skill training will be provided in NAVTTC-Center of Excellence, Islamabad which was established with the support of European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The Center of Excellence is equipped with state of the art labs and class rooms. It is envisioned that the collaboration would involve youth and potential beneficiaries from the various segments. PR

PAKISTANis seeking to transform its economy through digitalization, and a recent round table conference in Islamabad organized by the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives provided an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities of this transition.

One of the key speakers at the conference was the President of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), Amir Piracha, who presented a report titled “Recommendations for Digital Transformation in Pakistan.”

In his presentation, Piracha highlighted the potential of digitization and technological revolution, emphasizing the need for skill development to improve Pakistan’s freelancing sector, which currently lags behind in terms of revenue generation compared to other nations. He noted that while Pakistan is the 4th largest freelancing economy in the world, the subsequent revenue is low as freelancers work on low hourly rates as compared to other nations. Piracha

stressed the need for necessary skill development and utilizing competitive advantage for Pakistan to identify its strengths and specialize in 1-2 key areas to build upon its digitized economy.

According to the OICCI report, Pakistan’s e-commerce sector constitutes merely 1% of the country’s retail market. However, by implementing the recommendations outlined in the report, Pakistan could create innovative employment opportunities for its young population, which accounts for 23% of the total population. The report suggests that these measures could potentially add $60 billion to the economy within the next seven to eight years.

The OICCI report emphasizes the urgent need for increased fiber optic broadband penetration, improved 4G coverage, and the formulation of an AI policy to enhance decision-making processes. The report also highlights the importance of data analytics technologies for government departments such as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Additionally, the report emphasizes the necessity of an up-to-date cybersecurity law and strict enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights to attract

global IT companies to establish their presence in Pakistan.

To improve the income of Pakistani freelancers, JS Global ICT analyst Waqas Ghani Kukaswadia suggested that Pakistan needs to increase the number of active freelancers while simultaneously raising the average annual income to over $10,000, which would result in significant economic benefits.

However, Kukaswadia also stressed the need for education and certification, particularly in technical fields such as computer programming, mobile app development, and legal or financial writing. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and other stakeholders should cooperate and work for an updated curriculum in-line with global standards, one which can help address foreign client needs.

Kapeel Kumar, an ICT expert based in Karachi, highlighted that many freelancers lack the resources to acquire the necessary equipment and guidance to enhance their skills and market themselves effectively. Kumar suggested that the government could provide laptops and equipment through duty-free bulk imports at a low cost, financed by

small savings turned into investments in the digital economy.

The OICCI report also identified key challenges to Pakistan’s digitization journey, including inconsistent policies, a technical skills gap, and deficiencies in policy implementation and execution. The participants of the conference also emphasized the pressing issue of foreign exchange remittance.

Acknowledging the significance of digital transformation, Minister of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal expressed his support for the OICCI’s recommendations. He formed a working group comprising representatives from the ministry and the IT sector to monitor the implementation of the report’s key milestones. Iqbal stressed the importance of public-private partnerships for the long-term prosperity of the country and its population.

On another occasion, Iqbal formed a 15-member National Task Force on AI to develop a 10-year roadmap for the accelerated adoption of AI in the business, development, governance, education and healthcare sectors.

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

Ahsan Iqbal asks provinces to monitor field operations for success of first-ever digital census

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

A briefing session was organized by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) at Statistics House Islamabad for the Honorable Chief Ministers, Federal Ministers, Members of Parliaments regarding 7th Population and Housing Census, 1st ever Digital Census. The objective of briefing was to apprise the Honorable Members about the process and progress of the census as well as to get their feedback to allay their concerns for ensuring complete coverage, transparency, wider acceptability and attain

Iranian envoy for optimum use of existing capacities, possibilities in economic sectors

the confidence on this paramount national task. Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsen Iqbal welcome the Hounourable Members for sparing their valuable times for this briefing. The Chief Census Commissioner Dr. Naeem uz Zafar gave detailed presentation on the background, process, methodology as well various milestones achieved for the conduct of the census and role of various stakeholder including NADRA, SUPARCO, NTC, Provincial Governments and Pak Army for the conduct of the census. He briefed that the 1st digital system for the conduct of the census established with tireless efforts of the stake-

holders. He also shared the progress of the census made till now as well as population counted till now. The honorable members appreciated the efforts made by PBS for developing the digital system for the conduct of the census. Some of the members highlighted their concerns relating to under coverage in some area. Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives assured the utmost efforts will be made to ensure the complete coverage and urged provincial government to play their vital role for early completion of the census by ensuring complete coverage.

ISLAMABAD STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran Seyed

Mohammad Ali Hosseini on Friday called for the optimum use of existing capacities and possibilities in different economic sectors including tourism, and mutual investment of Iran and Pakistan.

“The capacities of the commonalities and links in the various areas of history, civilization, language, religion, geography, culture and so on should be availed for the betterment of the life of the people and for the development of the indigenous region which is a homeland to all of us and our next generations,” the envoy said while talking to journalists.

The envoy was of the view that journalists and media members can help in promoting ties, boosting cooperation, removing misunderstandings, lifting tensions and bridging the gaps.“We pay tribute to all the journalists that sacrificed their most loved life in engaging their careers to promote justice, truth and love around the world” he added.

About Iran and Pakistan's bilateral ties the ambassador said, Iran has strengthened its relations with the neighbouring, brotherly and friendly country of Pakistan in line with its policy of close relationship with its neighbours, and still now, this goal is being followed up nonstop and despite the obstacles.

He said, “During my mission in the neighboring and brotherly country of Pakistan, despite the illegal and unfair sanctions against my country, and despite the restrictions that the spread of pandemics imposed on all of us, we witnessed great progress and developments in the various aspects of our relations with Pakistan including political, economic, security and trade.”

In the political field, he said, high-level political exchanges and consultations and close cooperation in regional developments, kept a reasonable pace and continued appropriately. He said with the great determination and efforts made by the authorities of the two countries trade volume had reached $2.2 billion between Iran and Pakistan.

He said that great progress has been made in other fields of cooperation including cultural, scientific, defence and security.

He expressed gratitude to the media for their dedication, support, cooperation and contributions to further strengthening the relations between the two brotherly countries of Iran and Pakistan.

OGDCL sign MoU to impart different skills to 400 youth of less developed areas

NaTIoN STaNDS by aRMeD foRceS To TacKLe aNTI-PaKISTaN eLeMeNTS: PM

PRIMEMinister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that the whole nation stood behind its armed forces like a solid rock and it would continue to do so in the future to defeat the evil designs of anti-Pakistan forces.

Addressing the passing out parade of cadets at the Pakistan Air Force’s Asghar Khan Academy, Risalpur, the premier said this mutual bond of love, devotion and abiding reverence has remained unbroken, adding “I have unwavering belief that our armed forces will always live up to the expectation of the people in future as well.”

The prime minister congratulated the graduating cadets, their parents and the faculty on the most memorable moments of their lives.

PM Shehbaz said over the last two decades the nation had been tested by a combination of challenges such as terrorism, extremism, and militancy. “The manner in which our armed forces, including the air force, police, and intelligence community have risen to the challenges and neutralized the threats to our national security is simply outstanding.”

He lauded the PAF leadership to make the Pakistan Air Force a truly professional, progressive and high-tech organization.

He recalled the recent example of the PAF’s true professionalism when it showed a befitting and determined response to the Indian aggression in February 2019. “The whole world saw how our brave sons humiliated the Indian air force and show of exceptional skill and expertise,” he added.

Imran asks PTI negotiators to hold

with PDM govt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday granted PTI Chairman Imran Khan protective bail till May 3 in a case filed over charges of inciting mutiny against him at the Ramna police station of the capital.

In the information report (FIR), Imran has been accused of “spreading hatred between the institutions and the public” and for “trying to cause unforgivable damage to the institutions and their top officers”.

Subsequently, the PTI chief was granted bail in the case until April 26 by the Lahore High Court.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, who presided over the hearing, approved Imran’s bail against the submission of surety bonds worth Rs100,000. Earlier this month, Manzoor Ahmed Khan, a magistrate, filed a first information report (FIR) at Islamabad’s Ramna police station against Imran for “spreading hatred between the institutions and the public” and for “trying to cause unforgivable damage to the institutions and their top officers”.

Earlier Friday, the PTI chief had filed a plea through his counsels seeking protective bail in the case. The IHC registrar’s office had raised a few objections to the plea, one of which pertained to the lack of biometric verification. However, the PTI legal team later addressed and resolved these objections after which it was taken up for hearing.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on April 14 had granted to the former PM protective bail in the case until April 26. Subsequently, Imran had approached the IHC requesting that the mutiny case against him be quashed. During today’s hearing, Imran’s legal team comprising Barrister Salman Safdar, Faisal Chaudhry, Ali Bukhari, and others, appeared in court.

At the outset of the hearing, Safdar informed the court that the issue regarding the biometric verification had been resolved. However, Advocate General Islamabad Jahangir Jadoon objected to Imran’s plea being heard the same day it had been filed. Jadoon remarked others should receive the same treatment if they filed similar pleas.

However, the court emphasised that the petitioner, being a resident of Pakistan, had the right to be granted bail. The advocate general acknowledged the court’s stance, but suggested that the petitioner be directed to appear before the relevant court after being granted bail.

At the AG’s request, the court instructed the PTI chief to become a part of the investigation and granted him bail till May 3. The petition, filed by the PTI chief’s legal team, contended that the incumbent government had lodged the case against Imran for political reasons and to tarnish his reputation. According to the petition, the government has failed to find an iota of corruption against Imran and therefore, it is now dragging him into frivolous cases to blackmail him. The petition urged the court to quash the FIR. ‘Hold talks only if govt ready to dissolve assemblies forthwith’

During an informal conversation with journalists inside the courtroom, Imran Khan stated that he had requested members of the PTI negotiating team – Fawad Chaudhry and Shah Mehmood Qureshi to initiate talks with the government only if the ruling party was prepared to immediately dissolve the assemblies and hold elections.

PLRa starts e-registration of lands

it is for this purpose that he had always been a strong proponent of the charter of Economy. “Let me assure you that we are making all efforts to bring our economy back on track. Thanks to the tough decisions at the cost of our political assets, we are on the way to overcoming these challenges successfully one day soon.”

The prime minister said Pakistan was a peace-loving nation and wished to maintain friendly ties with all countries specially neighboring countries, however, he said “Our desire for peace must not be misunderstood as weakness”. He said there could be no peace in South Asia without a just and fair settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the UN aspiration and the aspiration of the people of Kashmir.

LAHORE SHAHAB OMER

While starting land reforms, the Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA) has started the facility of eregistration in the tehsils of Punjab.

Speaking to Profit, the spokesperson of PLRA informed that new reforms in land records have been introduced using modern technology and advanced software. This is done to develop the land administration system on modern lines and align the services with international standards.

With respect to the economic challenges, the prime minister said that the global economic crisis adversely affected all walks of life in the country. However, he vowed not to let the people at the mercy of the disruptions in the global markets.

“We need to build resilience and protect our economy from global shocks. This is possible if we think long and hard and introduce structural reforms in the economy to make it sustainable,” he said adding

“We condemn the grave human rights violation in India illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and urge the world to take note of the illegal changes by India post August 2019,” he added.

Earlier, the PM reviewed the parade and presented awards to cadets. PAF’s Sherdil Squadron also displayed a splendid air display on the occasion.

Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, and other civil and military officials were also present on the occasion.

toyota announces third round of npds this year

LAHORE

DANIYAL AHMAD

In separate announcements to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), Toyota and Honda have disclosed their plans to observe nonproduction days (NPD) in May.

Toyota will halt production from May 2nd to May 3rd, while Honda will pause production from May 1st to May 15th. The latter announcement is particularly noteworthy as it reveals Honda’s decision to extend its current NPD streak to a staggering 68 days – the longest in the company’s recent history.

Both companies have attributed their decisions to the paucity of raw materials due to the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) restrictions that inhibit them from accessing letters of credit (LC).

Why the NPDs?

On 22 December 2022, the SBP unveiled a new governance system for importing products

under Chapters 84, 85, and select items of Chapter 87. EPD Circular Letter No. 20 of 2022 authorised dealers (banks) to validate all transactions for these imports, offering a glimmer of hope to the beleaguered automotive industry.

Shafiq Shaikh, Head of Public Relations and Official Spokesperson at Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited, praised the move, declaring, “This intervention has not only rescued the industry but also safeguarded the livelihoods of thousands of employees,” upon the Circular’s release.

However, authorised dealers were instructed to prioritise essential imports over those associated with luxury consumption, raising doubts about the extent of relief the automotive industry would receive in the near future.

Munir Bana, Chairman of the Pakistan Association of Auto Parts & Accessories Manufacturers, contended that “The auto industry does not constitute an

essential item, and therefore, SBP will continue to regulate and allocate our imports,” in an interview with Profit.

Honda’s subsequent announcement confirmed Bana’s assertion. What on earth is going on at Honda?

Honda’s car plant originally shut down from March 9 to March 31. This was later extended until April 15, then till April 30, and now finally till May 15. The current spell of NPDs now exceeds Honda’s previous longest stretch of NPDs from March 24, 2020, to May 19, 2020 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Maqsood Rehmani, Vice President & Company Secretary at Honda Cars, informed Profit that the government has mandated that they obtain 365-day usance LC from their suppliers for completely knocked-down (CKD) kits and other parts.

Continued on page 03

pakistan urges uS to restore financing, equipment for armed forces

WASHINGTON STAFF REPORT

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan said it was important that the US restores – for Pakistan – Foreign Military Financing and Foreign Military Sales, suspended by the previous Administration.

Addressing a conference on “The Future of Pakistan-US relations” at renowned US think-tank Wilson Centre in Washington, he cautioned about serious perils of policy of imbalance in South Asia.

He also urged US to “revive its role on strategic stability in South Asia”. He said after a brief period of uncertainty, Pakistan and US were successfully recalibrating and rejuvenating relations in wake of changing circumstances.

Terming Pak-US ties as “a relationship of the future generations”, he said the results in a short span of time were impressive.

Referring to frequent high level contacts between Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and US. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Pak-US dialogues on health, energy, climate change, counternarcotics, counterterrorism and defence and the recently held Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Ministerial Council meeting, the ambassador said that these processes were producing results and defining pathways for future growth.

He highlighted confluence of shared values and ideas

that bind the people of Pakistan and the United States and brought them into alliances for advancing shared strategic purposes including rolling back aggression in Afghanistan and combating the scourge of terrorism.

The ambassador said that Pakistan’s foreign minister would be attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Conference in Goa in early May.

He said his country valued the US encouragement to India and Pakistan to engage, but beyond that, the US could act as a catalyst to help resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute which has kept the region on the brink of war.

He said that Pakistan sought to forge strong ties with the US and make them stronger and “we do not believe our relations with China should affect them in any way”. He said, “We earnestly hope that the US, the shining city upon a hill, and China, an emerging power, using their statesmanship, will opt for cooperation and competition rather than confrontation that can plunge the globe into strife or worse”.

He said Pakistan offered to build bridges in good faith and facilitate communication between the two powers, if they so desire, as it did back in the 1970s.

Ambassador Khan in his remarks appreciated US assistance to Pakistan in generating green energy and modernizing its agriculture through Green Alliance observing that these measure would prepare Pakistan to respond effectively to climate-induced disasters and “keep ourselves in step with fast transforming global economy.”

“In all the districts of Punjab, the phase-by-step training of registry through e-registration has been started from Lahore and Sahiwal district. The regular phase-by-step training will be completed in May in all the other districts to make the staff aware of the registry through e-registration portal. However, the training will be given to the sub-registrars of all districts and their staff,” he informed. According to the spokesperson, through eregistration, users will be able to get challan automatically from the e-stamp web portal at home. Similarly, payment of fixed fee in Bank of Punjab, facility of self-writing of affidavit at home, witnesses, statements before sub-registrar and after biometric verification, obtaining copy of registry will be possible in minimum time. Furthermore, eregistration enables protection of customer records, effective monitoring of staff and elimination of fraud in registry matters.

Seven terrorists killed in Lakki Marwat encounters: ISPR

RAWALPINDI

STAFF REPORT

Three soldiers of the Pakistan Army were martyred while seven terrorists were killed in separated encounters in different areas of district Lakki Marwat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday.

According to the military’s media wing – ISPR, on the night of 27/28 Apr 23, Security Forces, while fighting gallantly, repulsed three attacks by terrorists on different locations within a span of a short time in Lakki Marwat District. A suicide bomber riding motorcycle exploded himself near security forces post in the district followed by a fierce fire exchange between the troops and terrorists, the ISPR informed.

“Own troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which four terrorists were sent to hell,” the ISPR said. In two other encounters with terrorists in Amir Kalam and Tajbi Khel areas of the district, the army’s media wing said three more terrorists, including terrorist commander Musa Khan, were eliminated. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the seven killed terrorists, according to the ISPR.

“However, during intense exchange of fire, Naib Subedar Taj Mir (age 40 years, resident of District Nowshera), Havaldar Zakir Ahmed (age 38 years, resident of District Abbottabad) and Sepoy Abid Hussain (age 29 years, resident of District DI Khan) having fought gallantly, embraced shahadat [martyrdom],” the statement added. The military’s media wing said sanitization of the areas is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area. “Security Forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.”

Karachi reports another suspected monkeypox case

KARACHI STAFF REPORT

Karachi has reported another suspected case of monkeypox on Friday, National Institute of Child Health (NICH) said. As per sources, a seven years old boy, who is a resident of Karachi’s Lyari was brought to National Institute of Child Health (NICH) with the monkeypoxlike symptoms. The child has been admitted to the monkeypox isolation ward in the hospital. The sources within the NICH said that there is no travel history of the suspected patient and said the symptoms are like those of mpox but the confirmation will come after the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) report.

Earlier, Sindh health minister Dr Azra Fazl Pechuho ruled out the detection of monkeypox cases in Karachi. The rebuttal followed after it emerged that three cases of monkeypox had been reported in the Sindh capital. The Sindh minister in her statement said no passenger has tested positive for mpox at the Jinnah International Airport (Karachi airport) and added that airport administration is not authorised to pass the information without confirmation.

airlink’s profit collapses by more than half for Q3FY23 amidst LC inaccessibility

LAHORE

DANIYAL AHMAD

Air Link Communication released its financials for Q3FY23 to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on 27 April. The company’s earnings for both Q3FY23 and 9MFY23 collapsed to less than half on a quarter-onquarter (QoQ) and year-on-year (YoY) basis, respectively. The company ended the quarter with a profit of Rs 163 million for a 9MFY23 earning of Rs 955 million.

What is Air Link Communication?

Air Link Communication Limited is a leading distributor and manufacturer of mobile phones in Pakistan. The company has service centres throughout the country and

manufactures and distributes popular Android brands such as Huawei, TCL, Tecno, Itel, Realme and Xiaomi. Additionally, Air Link Communication Limited has an agreement wit h the Apple Authorised Distributor for Pakistan to distribute Apple products. It also distributes Samsung products. The company was incorporated in 2014 but did not become active until 2018. In 2019, Air Link Communication Limited was converted into a public limited company and was listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

Q3FY23 earnings

The company’s revenue fell to Rs 8.28 billion from Q2FY23’s Rs 13.8 billion and Q3FY22’s Rs 11.24 billion, representing a QoQ decline of 40.2% and a YoY decline of

26.26%, respectively. The company’s cost of goods sold (COGS) fell from last quarter’s Rs 12.745 billion to Rs 7.4 billion, for a QoQ decline of 41.28%. At Rs 7.4 billion, the COGS also represents a 25.1% YoY decline. COGS as a percentage of revenue improved from 91.89% in Q2FY23 to the current 90.29%. This still pales in comparison to the 88.88% figure that Air Link obtained in Q3FY22. The company’s gross profit clocked in at Rs 804.9 million for a QoQ decline of 28.43%, and a YoY decline of 35.59%. The company’s gross profit margin (GPM) improved from last quarter’s 8.11% to the current 9.71%. This, however, is still a downgrade from last year’s GPM of

11.12%. The company’s operating profit margin (OPM) fared similarly, clocking in at 6.28% against last quarter’s 5.43%, and last year’s 7.31%. Other notable changes include the astronomical increase in the company’s other income. At Rs 116.7 million, Air Link’s other income rose by 47.56% QoQ and by an astonishing 4742.83% YoY. The company’s tax expense rose by Rs 224 million or by 124.6% to Rs 44.24 million from last quarter’s rebate of Rs 179.84 million. The current tax expense is, however, still lower by 82.41% YoY from last year’s Rs 207.3 million. The company’s effective tax rate (ETR) clocked in at 21.3% against last quarter’s negative ETR of -73.2%, and last year’s ETR of 82.41%. Air Link ended the quarter with a final profit of Rs 163.516 million, representing

a QoQ decline of 61.57% from the previous Rs 425.5 million and a YoY decline of 50.45% from the corresponding Rs 330 million figure from last year’s quarter results. Its net profit margin (NPM) clocked in at 1.97% for the quarter against last quarter’s figure of 3.07%, and last year’s figure of 2.94%.

9MFY23 earnings The company’s revenue fell YoY by 10% from Rs 35.43 billion to Rs 31.57 billion, while COGS fell by 9.05% in comparison from Rs 31.5 billion to Rs 28.7 billion. COGS as a percentage of revenue worsened YoY from 89.18% to 91%. This is reflected in Air Link’s GPM, which fell from 9MFY22’s 10.82% to the current 9%. Gross profit as a whole contracted by 25.89% YoY from Rs 3.8 billion to Rs 2.8 billion.

QUARTERLY PROFIT SHRINKS BY 62PC QOQ WHILST 9MFY23 DOWN BY A THIRD YOY

only ‘meaningful dialogue’