Epaper_23-05-14 LHR

Sunday, 14 May, 2023 I 23 Shawwal, 1444

Profit

PM ShehBaz SetS 72-houR deadlIne FoR

aRReSt oF ‘vandalISM and aRSon’ SuSPeCtS

g CONDEMNS ACTIONS OF IMRAN KHAN, HIS FOLLOWERS, WHO HE BELIEVES ACTED AS ENEMIES OF PAKISTAN

g DESIRES INCREASE IN NUMBER OF ATCS TO ENSURE SWIFTE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST SUSPECTS

volved in the attacks with an iron hand.

The prime minister regretted the destruction of the Corps Commander’s House in Lahore. He noted that the armed forces and law enforcement personnel had always been ready to sacrifice their lives to protect the country from the enemies, and those responsible for the recent attacks should be dealt with strictly to prevent such incidents in the future.

The prime minister also criticised the previous government’s “criminal negligence”, which he claimed allowed the PSCA cameras to lie dysfunctional. He stressed that about Rs12 billion had been spent on PSCA, making it the biggest institution in South Asia.

SHEHBAZSharif ordered the caretaker government of Punjab to arrest those involved in the incidents of “vandalism, attacks, and arson” in Punjab following the arrest on Tuesday of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Police in Punjab have arrested hundreds of supporters of Khan for violence after his arrest, and later release, in a land dispute, according to authorities, deepening a political crisis in the country.

Mobile data services were restored after being shut for over 48 hours while Twitter, YouTube and Facebook were still disrupted,

as security forces tried to restore order after violent protests killed at least a dozen people.

During his visit to Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) on Saturday, the prime minister directed law enforcement agencies to arrest the perpetrators within 72 hours and initiate legal proceedings against them in anti-terrorism courts.

He expressed grief over the incidents and condemned the “actions of Khan and his followers”, who he believes acted as enemies of Pakistan.

He stressed that those responsible for the “attacks” should be brought to justice in accordance with relevant legal and constitutional provisions.

Sharif also desired an increase in the number of anti-terrorism courts in the

Six terrorists killed as operation at Balochistan FC Camp completed: ISPR

The clearance operation at FC Compound Muslim Bagh in Northern Balochistan, which had commenced on the evening of May 12 after repulsing the initial onslaught of terrorists, has been completed in the morning of May 13, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement informed that all the six terrorists in the compound, who were well equipped, have been sent to hell. Necessary intelligence follow-up will continue to trace their linkages and arrest facilitators and expose their sponsors. “The complex clearance operation involved hostage rescue operation as well to save three families from a residential block. The terrorists had not even spared children of their horrendous approach,” the InterServices Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

While In the process of clearance operation, seven sons of the soil including a civilian embraced Shahadat while another six individuals including a woman have been injured, the statement said. The ISPR said Security Forces, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart all attempts at sabotaging the peace, stability, and progress of Balochistan.

Meanwhile, security forces have repulsed a terrorist attack on a check post in Hoshab – Balochistan, InterServices Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday.

Terrorists attacked a security check post in the general area of Hoshab – Balochistan. The security forces successfully repulsed the distant fire raid.

The escaping terrorists were pursued into the nearby mountains of Balore, using aerial surveillance means, the ISPR said. During the skirmish, five terrorists were killed and a cache of arms and ammunition was recovered. The operation, however, continues to track a few fleeing terrorists into adjoining areas, it concluded.

RAWALPINDI STAFF REPORT

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed

Asim Munir Saturday vowed to bring to justice all the planners, abetters, instigators and executors of vandalism on the Black Day of 9th May.

“The Armed Forces will not tolerate any further attempt of violating the sanctity and security of its installations or vandalism and resolved to bring to justice all the planners, abetters, instigators and executors of vandal-

province to ensure that legal proceedings against the suspects commence swiftly. Dur-

ing a meeting in Islamabad, he had already issued clear directives to deal with those in-

On his Twitter account, the prime minister reiterated his commitment to bringing the perpetrators of the attacks to justice and urged law enforcement agencies to use all available resources, including technological aid and intelligence, to achieve this goal.

‘Imran responsible for torching of Corps Commander House’

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Imran Niazi was responsible for the barbaric act of torching of Corps Commander House in Lahore as he planned and instigated the act of arson. Talking to media during his visit to Jinnah House, the prime minister said the planners, instigators and abettors behind this attack would not be given any relief. He said Jinnah House was the home of Corps Commander Lahore which was tragically and cruelly burnt on May 9. The rioters attacked and set the house on fire, he said, adding that the arsonists did not care that it was a historical building and the army officer and his family were living there. The building was inhabited by the son of the land who was on duty to protect his motherland, he remarked. This was a cruel and anti-state act which never happened before in the 75 years; history of the country. The prime minister said that he was saddened while talking about the incident and said nobody thought that such an incident could happen. STAFF REPORT

Weekly inflation stays above 48pc for 2nd consecutive week

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The weekly inflation, measured by Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), witnessed an increase of 0.27 pc to jump to 48.02pc on a year-on-year basis for the week ending on May 11, official data showed. The short-term inflation rose by an all-time high of 48.35pc for the period that ended on May 4. Out of the 51 monitored items, the average price of 23 items increased, 7 items decreased whereas 21 items registered no change during the week.

During the week under review, the items whose prices increased the most over the same week a year ago were: potatoes (112.80pc), gas charges for Q1 (108.38pc), tea Lipton (106.09pc), wheat flour (101.20pc), gents sponge chapal (100.33pc), diesel (99.39pc), bananas (98.22pc), rice basmati broken (90.76pc), eggs (89.40pc), petrol (87.81pc), rice irri-6/9 (83.47pc), pulse moong (66.91pc), bread (62.83pc) and pulse mash (58.79pc). A decrease was observed in the prices of onions (9.40%), chicken (2.25%), LPG (1.51%), garlic (1.39%), bananas (0.68%), pulse gram (0.13%), and mustard oil (0.05%).

The SPI has steadily been on the rise since the start of Ramazan due to continued rupee devaluation, costly petrol prices, increase in sales tax and higher electricity charges.

Of the 51 items in the SPI basket, prices of 23

ism on the Black Day of 9th May,” said the COAS while addressing the officers of Peshawar Corps during his visit to the Corps Headquarter.

The COAS was given a detailed briefing on the prevailing security situation and ongoing counter-terrorism efforts. He appreciated the professional competence, performance and achievements of Law Enforcement Agencies in the ongoing fight against terrorism.

The COAS while briefing the officers of the Corps emphasised on the evolving

goods soared, seven dropped and 21 remained unchanged compared to the previous week.

On a week-on-week basis, the biggest rise was observed in the prices of tomatoes (6.32pc), gur (3.41pc), wheat flour (2.76pc), tea prepared (2.66pc), potatoes (2.14pc), cooked beef (2.12pc), cooked daal (1.98pc), powdered milk (1.91pc), eggs (1.83pc), rice basmati broken (1.42pc), pulse masoor (1.19pc), beef (1.18pc) and washing soap (1.04pc).

According to a finance ministry report, the lower-income segment of society is already feeling the brunt of high inflation, which has become unrelenting on the back of political instability, financial mismanagement and delay in an agreement with the International Monetary Fund. Slow recovery from the flood-led damages had caused the supply of essential crops to remain short of domestic requirements, consequently intensifying inflation, the report added.

On the other hand, the State Bank of Pakistan was enacting a contractionary monetary policy, “but inflationary expectations are not settling down”, the report noted.

The government has been taking harsh measures — hikes in fuel and power tariffs, withdrawal of subsidies, market-based exchange rate and higher taxation — under the IMF programme to generate revenue for bridging the fiscal deficit, which may result in slow economic growth and higher inflation in coming months.

threats to national security.

“We shall continue with our endeavors of peace and stability and there will be no room for spoilers of the process”. The COAS also sensitised about challenges of information warfare and efforts to create misperceptions. He highlighted that a concerted effort is being made maliciously by inimical elements to target the Armed Forces. He pledged that such nefarious attempts will be foiled through the support of people of Pakistan. Earlier on arrival, COAS was received by Corps Commander Peshawar.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

India’s illegal, unilateral actions of 2019 vitiated atmosphere for dialogue, says FM

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has categorically stated that India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August, 2019 had vitiated the atmosphere and shut the door for dialogue.

He was talking to a 10-member delegation of the Azad Kashmir chapter of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) led by APHC Convener Mehmood Ahmed Saghar here Saturday.

The minister said India would have to go back to the drawing board of August 4, 2019 for any meaningful bilateral engagement.

The meeting with APHC’s AJK chapter took place at a time when the entire pro-freedom leadership in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) remained incarcerated.

The delegation briefed the Foreign Minister on the situation in the occupied territory with particular reference to the ongoing human rights violations, efforts for demographic change and attempts at political engineering.

The delegation expressed great appreciation for the Foreign Minister’s unequivocal stance on Jammu and Kashmir during his recent visit to India.

Terming them an effort to further consolidate India’s control over the territory, the delegation rejected the plans to hold different G-20 meetings in IIOJK, under India’s ongoing presidency of the grouping.

The Foreign Minister informed the delegation that his recent visit to India took place in the context of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as Pakistan attached great importance to that regional organization. However, in the run up to the visit, Pakistan had made it clear that no bilateral meeting was on cards, he added.

Recalling that Pakistan’s official position on Jammu and Kashmir dispute had been consistent over decades, the Foreign Minister assured the delegation that the government would leave no stone unturned to support the Kashmir cause.

Saluting the sacrifices and courage of the Kashmiri people, the minister stressed that their fundamental rights and freedoms, including their inalienable right to selfdetermination, must be granted.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people’s just struggle.

He also stressed that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute must be resolved in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

COAS vows to bring to justice all planners, instigators, executors of vandalism on May 9

MARYAM NAWAZ TO LEAD PML-N IN PDM’S SIT-IN OUTSIDE SUPREME COURT ON MONDAY

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

THEPakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has geared up preparation for a sit-in outside Supreme Court (SC) amid political turmoil crisis taking new turns in the country.

According to details, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has begun preparations and will go from Lahore to Islamabad to participate in the protest sit-in announced by PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman outside Supreme Court Building on Monday (tomorrow).

The PML-N sources confirmed that the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PML-N chief organizer, Maryam Nawaz will lead the PML-N rally to participate in the sit-in.

The preparations for the rally have already begun with Malik Saiful Muluk Khokhar, president of PML-N Lahore heading the efforts.

According to reports, Khokhar has been appointed as the convener of the rally, which is set to depart from Thokar Niaz Baig towards Islamabad on Monday morning. The PML-N leadership has directed the party office-bearers to bring as

many workers as possible to the rally and Khokhar is making strenuous efforts to ensure a massive turnout. PDM head Maulana Fazl had announced sit-in outside the apex court on May 15 after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

(PTI) chief Imran Khan was granted bail in several cases against him by Islamabad High Court a day after his release on the orders of a Supreme Court bench.

‘Maryam Nawaz to lead PML-N in PDM’s sit-in outside SC’ Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday said Vice President and Chief Organizer of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz Sharif had arrived in Islamabad to participate in the sit-in to be staged by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) outside the Supreme Court on Monday.

“On the instructions of Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Party’s President Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz Sharif will represent the Muslim League (N) in the PDM sit-in on Monday,” the minister said in a news statement.

The PML-N would participate in the sit-in under the leadership of Maryam Nawaz Sharif, she added.

LCCI echoes call for charter of economy as unrest costs billions of rupees losses to economy

LAHORE Shahab omeR

In the aftermath of four days of intense political unrest, the nation faces staggering economic losses amounting to billions of rupees coupled with tragic loss of life and property.

In response to this dire situation, Kashif Anwar, President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has issued a compelling plea to all political parties to set aside their differences and prioritize the revival of national economy. According to the latest data released by economic analysts, the ongoing political unrest has resulted in an estimated

loss of over Rs10 billion to the country’s economy. This figure includes the direct impact on businesses, the decline in consumer spending, disruptions in supply chain, and the adverse effects on investors’ confidence. The unrest has dealt a severe blow to multiple sectors, including manufacturing, tourism, and services.

Kashif Anwar’s urgent call for unity emphasizes the need for a cohesive and concerted effort to address the economic challenges at hand.

He has proposed the signing of a comprehensive Charter of Economy, which aims to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and promote local investment as key drivers of economic recovery.

No instructions received so far to unblock Twitter, Facebook, YouTube: PTA

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has received no instructions to restore social media, a spokesperson for the authority said Saturday. Confirming that mobile internet services have been restored across the country, the PTA spokesperson said that no instructions have been received so far to restore social media platforms. Earlier, on May 9, the government restricted mobile internet service across the country and prohibited the use of social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The information technology (IT) sector has suffered a devastating loss of Rs10 billion, while the telecom sector suffered a loss of Rs2.5 billion in merely three days due to the restrictions on mobile internet services, which adversely affected several businesses. Moreover, sources in the telecom industry confirmed that the government’s tax revenue took a hit of approximately Rs860 million. The telecom regulator was instructed to take these measures due to increasingly-violent agitation and protests that erupted in several cities across the country following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan outside the Islamabad High Court. Enraged PTI supporters resorted to violence attacking military and government buildings in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar.

Sindh detains over 260 PTI members for a month

KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

The Sindh government has announced the detention of 263 people, including leaders and workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), for a month in order to “maintain law and order” in the province. These individuals have been placed under house arrest under the pre-emptive Maintenance of Public Order law. The arrested workers will be kept in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, and Khairpur Mirs. It is worth noting that the number of PTI workers arrested in Karachi has exceeded 400. Since the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan, 672 people have been arrested in protest rallies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Peshawar, 164 people, including 44 men, were arrested, while 18 were arrested in Nowshera and 41 in Haripur. Additionally, 316 people were arrested for violating Section 144. Section 144 of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) allows officials in charge of a district to stop other people from doing something for a specific amount of time. The police can take action against those who break this rule and charge them with a crime under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Those who violate the rule can be punished with up to six months in prison or a fine, or both.

Judiciary saves Pakistan from anarchy, civil war: Sh Rashid

RAWALPINDI

Staff RepoRt

The proposed Charter of Economy would encompass a range of strategic measures, including policies to enhance the ease of doing business, establish investor-friendly regulations, develop robust infrastructure, and foster a conducive environment for domestic and international investors.

“These initiatives are designed to revitalize economic growth, generate employment opportunities, and stimulate sustainable development across various sectors,” Kashif said.

The LCCI president’s plea for political parties to unite under the Charter of Economy is based on the understanding that the stability and prosperity of the nation depend on collective action and

shared responsibility.

“By putting aside partisan interests and focusing on the well-being of the economy, it is hoped that political leaders will pave the way for a brighter future, ensuring stability, progress, and prosperity for all citizens. As the nation grapples with the aftermath of recent political unrest, the implementation of a comprehensive Charter of Economy stands as a beacon of hope, offering a pathway to economic recovery and the restoration of investor confidence. The time is now for political parties to heed the call for unity and join forces in charting a course towards a resilient and thriving national economy,” he concluded.

IHC issues written orders regarding bails of Imran Khan in multiple cases

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday issued written orders regarding the bails of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in all cases against him including Al-Qadir Trust.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz issued the written order in Al-Qadir Trust case. The court said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) could file a case for bail cancellation of Imran Khan if he didn’t cooperate with the investigation.

It said that Imran Khan would have to appear before the NAB whenever it was required by the investigation officer. The order further said that advocate general and additional attorney general had adopted the stance that Imran Khan couldn’t get relief after imposition of article-245 of the constitution. The stance meant that they wanted to seize the basic rights of the citizens.

The court served notices to attorney general of Pakistan for assistance on the point of access to the court during the imposition of article 245. It said that the additional attorney general also raised the objection on the maintainability of the case as the accountability court was the right

forum. The order said that Imran Khan was produced before the IHC on the directives of the top court, adding that the said objection was not maintainable. The high court was authorized to hear the case under section-561A of code of criminal proceeding, it said.

Meanwhile, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb also issued a four pages judgment refraining the authorities from arresting Imran Khan till May 17, in any case registered in federal capital after May 9. It said that as per the petitioner’s lawyer, Imran Khan was arrested from the court premises at the time when he was confirming his biometric.

The lawyer had stated that Imran Khan was produced before the high court on directives of the top court. The order said that Imran Khan should be provided foolproof security as former prime minister in light of the judgment of the superior court. It said that Imran Khan wouldn’t be arrested in any case which was registered after May 9.

The court also instructed advocate general Islamabad to produce the details on next hearing regarding total cases registered against PTI’s chief. Similarly, a single member bench comprising Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri issued written order regarding the protective bail of Imran

Khan in Zille Shah murder case.

The order said that the court had acceted the protective bail of Imran Khan till May 22, against surety bonds worth Rs 50,000. The court instructed PTI’s chairman to approach the relevant court for the relief during the said time period.

It said that Imran Khan’s lawyer had stated that the case was registered on political grounds and it based on dishonesty. He pleaded the court to grant bail for provision of justice to his client. The lawyer had stated that the police had already recorded the statement of Imran Khan in this case. The police had stated before the LHC that arrest of PTI’s chief was not required in this case, it added.

The order said that the petitioner had adopted the stance that he could be arrested after reaching Lahore. The court said that it had granted bail to the petitioner and the case is disposed of.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb also issued a three pages judgment stopping the arrest of Imran Khan under Section-16 of Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and in other cases.

The order said that the lawyer had stated that there was a threat of the life of his client as the security had been withdrawn from him. The court ordered to provide security to Imran Khan as per the directives of top court.

Chief of Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Saturday that the people of Pakistan emerged victorious and the conspirators lost as judiciary saved the country from anarchy and civil war. In his message on Twitter, Sheikh Rashid said the entire nation stood by the great army and the army did not need any pretentious rallies. He claimed that the army also wanted the looters of national kitty and money launderers to be held accountable as per constitution and law. He added the looted wealth of the country should be returned to the country. Instead of protesting outside the Supreme Court, Shehbaz Sharif should step down as prime minister. “If the vote sellers can get security, why it cannot be provided for elections,” he questioned. The head of Awami Muslim League said that attackers on the Supreme Court in 1997 should remember that time gone and now it is 2023. “When the argument ends, the government is left humiliated,” he said. He said the poverty and inflation-hit people had hate sentiments for the government. Due to the incompetent government the deal with IMF was in limbo and the sword of default was hanging over Pakistan. He stated “Government commits a mistake every day and cuts a sorry figure. The desire of martial law and emergency has also died down for government.,” He pointed out that PDM realizing the impending decision of the court, planned ill-intended sit-in.

Pakistan releases 198 Indian fishermen

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan on Saturday released 198 Indian fishermen after completion of their sentences and verification of national status. In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the repatriation of Indian fishermen was completed last night through Wagha border. The FO spokesperson further said, “their release is in line with our consistent policy of not politicizing the prisoner issue and taking a humanitarian view of the matter.” Earlier, Pakistani authorities decided to release 500 Indian prisoners, 499 of them fishermen, who have completed their jail terms. Indian prisoners will be released from jails in phases. Two hundred prisoners will be released from Malir District Jail today and will be sent to Lahore. Edhi Foundation will facilitate travel of the released Indian prisoners to Lahore by train which will be handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border on Friday (tomorrow). Another batch of 200 Indian fishermen will be released from Karachi jails on June 02 for repatriation to India. The third batch of 100 Indian prisoners will be released from jails on July 03 for repatriation to their home country. The fishermen end up to jails of two neighboring countries after being arrested for allegedly violating the marine borders of Pakistan and India. Pakistan and India regularly arrest each other’s fishermen for violating the maritime boundary, which is poorly marked.

Punjab team to probe vandalism during protest against Imran’s arrest

LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The caretaker chief minister of Punjab has announced the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the vandalism of civil and military installations during nationwide protests that occurred following the arrest on Tuesday of former prime minister Imran Khan.

The announcement by Mohsin Naqvi was made during a visit to the head office of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority, where he reviewed the law and order situation.

At least a dozen people died in violence in the wake of Khan’s detention which has aggravated instability in the country as it grapples with a severe economic crisis and a delay to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout since November.

Khan was arrested from inside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a move that was later declared illegal, prompting supporters to storm military buildings and ransack the residence of the corps commander of Lahore. Other state buildings and assets were

also attacked and set ablaze by protesters, and the government of Shehbaz Sharif approved requests from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad to deploy troops to restore order. The team will submit a comprehensive report to the government after completing its investigation into the

developments following Khan’s arrest and subsequent release on Friday.

In addition, Naqvi, whose time in office ends Sunday, also ordered law enforcement officials to accelerate their efforts to apprehend the protesters responsible for the violent attacks, stating that geo-fencing

related to vandalism.

All cases related to the vandalism will be tried in the anti-terrorism court. Naqvi has also directed the Public Prosecution Department to ensure that trials in these cases are conducted expeditiously in order to bring those responsible to justice.

Naqvi promised that those who attacked the residence of the Lahore corps commander, military, civil and private properties would be given exemplary punishment, and that a zero-tolerance approach had been adopted against the miscreants.

The caretaker chief minister announced that educational institutions would reopen across the province on Monday, as the law and order situation had improved.

He also instructed the relevant departments to maintain coordination in order to ensure security in the province.

The head of Punjab police, Usman Anwar, briefed the caretaker chief minister on the prevailing security situation in the country during the visit.

Naqvi said that the force was on high alert to thwart the “nefarious designs of the miscreants.”

TWO ADANI GROUP FIRMS TO RAISE UP TO $2.57B FROM THE MARKET

PROFIT ReuteRS

Two Adani group companies including the Indian conglomerate’s flagship firm announced plans on Saturday to raise up to $2.57 billion from the market, months after a short-seller report battered investor confidence and drove share prices down.

India’s Adani Transmission (ADAI.NS) said its board approved a plan to raise up to 85 billion rupees ($1.0 billion) from the stock market. Adani Enterprise (ADEL.NS) said in a filing to exchanges that its board had approved plans to raise up to 125 billion Indian rupees ($1.53 billion) through similar modes.

The equity fundraising is Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s first real test of broad investor appetite since he called off a

record $2.5 billion share sale in January following allegations by U.S-based Hindenburg Group of stock market manipulation and use of tax havens.

U.S.-based short-seller Hindenburg Group’s January report battered investor confidence and drove share prices of the group down.

Adani has denied Hindenburg’s claims even as India’s market regulator is probing the allegations as well as Adani group’s relatedparty dealings following a Supreme Court directive.

“The fact that they have announced it implies to me that the funding has been locked up,” said Varun Khandelwal, director at Bullero Capital, a New Delhi-based proprietary trading firm. “This will help them reduce pledges and it’s a show of strength.” Adani Transmission and Adani Enterprise

said in separate statements they planned to raise the funds via selling equity shares through qualified institutional placements or other permissible modes.

Adani Green Energy Ltd (ADNA.NS), which was also expected to announce similar funding plans, on Friday rescheduled its board meeting to May 24.

In March, U.S-based investment firm GQG Partners invested $1.87 billion across Adani Enterprise, Ports, Transmission and Green Energy via secondary market deals. Adani Group shares have risen in recent months, although they remain far below the highs they touched before Hindenburg’s report.

Adani Enterprise’s January-March profit doubled from a year earlier to $88 million, helped by a strong performance at its key coal trading division.

‘Imran responsible for torching of Corps Commander House’

CONINUED FROM PAGE 01

This nation was feeling shy and it was grieving after this episode, he added. He said that those who perpetrated this act would be brought to justice, adding that such elements would be dealt with iron hands of the Constitution and law by giving them exemplary punishment according to law and the world would remember their fate for a long time.

Shehbaz Sharif said that the barbaric act was committed against those sons of the soil who were eradicating terrorism for maintaining peace in the country.

Leaders among 250 PTI activists arrested so far: Pindi Police

RAWALPINDI Staff RepoRt

The City Police on Saturday confirmed it had arrested 250 party workers including leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in 17 violent protests cases registered in the city. According to police, eighty party workers have been produced before Anti-Terrorism Court in violent protest cases and all arrested PTI workers have been sent to Adiala Jail on 14 days’ judicial remand. The local PTI leadership Raja Basharat, Fayyaz Chohan, Wasiq Qayyum along with workers has been nominated in cases pertaining to recent violent protest after arrest of PTI chairman Imran Khan. Police further added that more party workers and leaders wanted in cases being arrested. On the other hand, Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that all cases against miscreants involved in violence will be sent to AntiTerrorism Courts. The Chief Minister said, “No perpetrator of crime will be left unpunished and the miscreants will be brought to justice with evidence.” Speaking Talking in a meeting on the law and order, Punjab CM said that the attackers of Jinnah House and public properties will be awarded exemplary punishment. The countrywide protests erupted after Rangers personnel whisked away former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan from Islamabad High Court in Al-Qadir Trust case of NAB on Tuesday.

It was an act against those who sacrificed their lives to protect our borders and their wives become widows and their children become orphans, he added.

Inquired after well being of injured officers at CMH

During his visit to Combined Military Hospital and Services Hospital Lahore, the prime minister inquired after the well being of the officers including DIG Operations Ali Nasir Rizvi and jawans who were wounded while performing their duties during rioting

Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and senior army and civil officers

accompanied the prime minister.

IK’s statement against Army Chief reflective of diseased mindset Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Niazi’s statement about the army chief ‘is a reflection of his diseased and obsessive mindset’. On his Twitter handle, the prime minister said that as Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), General Asim Munir had unearthed the corruption syndicate of Niazi and that was why he had been maligning the chief of army staff (COAS) from day one.

FC Camp Muslim Bagh Operation martyrs’ funeral prayers offered

RAWALPINDI Staff RepoRt

The prime minister, while criticizing the PTI’s chief, further said that Imran Khan’s statement was also an admission of masterminding the tragic and disgraceful incidents of terrorism undertaken by the PTI’s goons at his behest.

“The desecration of the martyrs’ monuments and attack on the national installations represent an unimaginable low in our politics,” he further added.

The prime minister said that the nation stood behind its armed forces and would thwart any nefarious attempts at undermining them.

LHC orders release of Dr Yasmin among 18 PTI women workers

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday suspended detention notifications and ordered the release of 18 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) women workers, including former health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, who was arrested in response to protest erupted after arrest of former premier Imran Khan May 9.

Moreover, Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid sought a report from the concerned quarters by May 15 in a plea seeking the recovery of the party’s former provincial minister Ali Afzal Sahi.

Police officials informed the court that Sahi was not in the custody of the police. DR YASMIN RASHID During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel argued that Dr Yasmin was a senior citizen and a cancer patient. They argued that forged and faux first information reports were being registered against PTI leadership and workers.

The lawyers continued that in some cases, PTI workers were being detained under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960. They added that when the party initiates rallies, the government imposes Section 144 and restrains them from exercising their democratic right.

Justice Shahid asked if Section 144 could be imposed after the election date was announced, and the law officer parried the questions.

The judge also questioned what evidence the government had to detain her. The law officer stated that Dr Yasmin

was the central Punjab president of the party and participated in every political activity. He added that had she avoided participating in the political activities, the detention order would not have been issued against her.

The officer stated that there were video clips that established the involvement of Dr Yasmin in the attack on the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence.

Justice Shahid remarked that the incident occurred on May 9 but the detention notification was issued on May 12, he suggested that an FIR should have been registered instead of detaining people.

The law officer argued the unpleasant incidents could have not been stopped even if FIRs were registered, adding that Dr Yasmin was leading a crowd of thousands of participants.

Justice Shahid, after hearing detailed arguments, first reserved the decision and then suspended the detention notification with instruction to release the former minister with immediate effect.

WOMEN WORKERS

RELEASE CASE

Justice Shahid heard several petitions filed by the relatives of the women workers and protesters seeking their recovery from the “illegal custody” of the police and jail authorities.

During proceedings, the counsels of the petitioners argued that the alleged detainees were respectable women, some of whom were members of the bar association while the others were household ladies.

They contended that the women were neither active members of any

political party nor involved in any anti-state activities and had no connection with any political party nor were their activities prejudicial to police safety and maintenance of public order.

The lawyers continued that the women were falsely detained under the impugned order issued by the Lahore deputy commissioner on May 10, 2023, under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960.

The law officer informed the court that the women could not be released as they were detained under the aforementioned order.

However, Justice Shahid suspended the operation of the impugned order issued on May 10, 2023, ordering to release the women not required in any criminal case.

FORMER MINISTER ALI

AFZAL SAHI

Justice Shahid also sought reports from concerned quarters by May 15 on an application seeking the recovery of former PTI provincial minister Ali Afzal Sahi.

During the proceedings today, the additional inspector general police told the court that neither the police arrested Sahi nor was he in their custody.

The petitioner’s lawyer told the court that Ali Afzal Sahi was arrested from the district bar office but his arrest was being concealed.

Police officials informed the court that they had formed a team to investigate the matter.

Justice Shahid sought a report from the concerned quarters to know who arrested the detainee and where he was shifted.

At G7, a warning about economic outlook as US debt crisis looms

UKARAIN ReuteRS

Finance leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations warned on Saturday of mounting economic uncertainty, in a subdued end to a three-day meeting overshadowed by concerns about the U.S. debt stalemate and fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The gathering in the Japanese city of Niigata came as global policymakers –already preoccupied by U.S. bank failures and efforts to reduce reliance on China – are now forced to grapple with a potential default by the world’s largest economy. While the communique made no mention of the U.S. debt ceiling stalemate, it figured constantly in discussions.

he standoff has hit markets as borrowing costs have risen on aggressive monetary tightening by U.S. and European central banks.

“The global economy has shown resilience against multiple shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and associated inflationary

pressures,” the finance ministers and central bankers said.

“We need to remain vigilant and stay agile and flexible in our macroeconomic policy amid heightened uncertainty about the global economic outlook,” they added in the communique after the meeting. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who has said a first-ever U.S. default could occur within weeks if the impasse is not resolved, told Reuters on Saturday the standoff was “more difficult” than in the past but remained hopeful of a solution.

Britain’s finance minister, Jeremy Hunt, gave a sobering assessment, saying it would be “absolutely devastating” if the United States failed to reach agreement to raise the federal borrowing limit and had its economic growth “knocked off track”.

G7 central bank chiefs vowed to combat “elevated” inflation and ensure expectations on future price moves remained well-anchored, a sign many of them will not let their guard down against stubbornly high inflation.

The debt ceiling showdown was discussed at a dinner on Thursday night,

Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki told a press conference after the meeting. He declined to elaborate.

CHINA AND SUPPLY CHAINS Seeking to reassure investors after recent U.S. bank failures, the G7 finance chiefs retained an April assessment that the global financial system was “resilient”. But they pledged in the communique to tackle “data, supervisory, and regulatory gaps in the banking system”. China, although not a member of the G7, was a focus. Japan has spearheaded efforts to diversify supply chains and reduce the G7’s heavy reliance on the world’s second-biggest economy. In the communique, the finance leaders set a year-end deadline for launching a new scheme to diversify global supply chains. That envisages the G7 offering aid to low- and middle-income countries to secure them a bigger role in supply chains for energy-related products.

“Diversification of supply chains can contribute to safeguarding energy security and help us to maintain macroeconomic stability,” the communique added.

It did not mention an idea, flagged by the United States, to consider targeted restrictions on investments to China to combat Beijing’s use of “economic coercion” against other countries.

But it said G7 countries would work to ensure foreign investment in critical infrastructure did not “undermine the economic sovereignty of host countries”.

INFLECTION POINT

Many central banks face an inflection point, with aggressive interest rate hikes beginning to cool growth and unsettling the banking system.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, who chaired the meeting’s discussion on monetary policy, said most central banks appeared to feel the impact of past interest rate hikes had yet to show fully as they look to guide future monetary policy.

“Many said they wanted to guide monetary policy taking that point in mind,” he said at the press conference with Suzuki. The group reiterated its condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pledge to strengthen monitoring of cross-border transactions between Russia and other countries.

The funeral prayers of martyrs who embraced Shahadat while fighting gallantly against terrorists in FC Camp Muslim Bagh, were offered on Saturday at Quetta Garrison. The martyrs identified as Naik Amin Ullah, age 31 years, resident of District Kalat , Lance Naik Abdul Manaf, age 35 years, resident of District Chakwal and Steno Typist Ghulam Fareed, age 34 years, resident of District Sahiwal, an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said. The Corps Commander Quetta including serving and retired officers and soldiers and civil government officials attended the funeral prayers. The funeral prayers of other martyrs would be offered at their respective hometowns with full military honours. “Armed Forces of Pakistan stand resolute against nefarious designs of the enemies of Pakistan, who are hell-bent to spoil hard-earned peace. These sacrifices will not go in vain and further strengthen our resolve to continue the fight against terrorism till it’s conclusion,” the ISPR said.

KP flour crisis: Punjab pledges 3,000 metric tons wheat supply on daily basis

PESHAWAR aziz buneRi

Citizens in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have been facing a shortage of flour for some time now, which has resulted in rising prices of the basic food commodity. However, Punjab has pledged to provide KP with a daily supply of 3000 metric tons of wheat, according to a recent announcement made after a meeting between officials from both provinces.During the meeting, the shortage of wheat and flour in KP and its impact on its prices in the market were discussed. The Secretary Food revealed that he had held discussions with his Punjab counterpart, who agreed to issue a permit for the release of 3,000 metric tons of wheat to KP during May.To control the rising prices of flour and dispel rumors of a shortage of wheat in the market, KP government will provide 3,000 metric tons of wheat to flour mills at the same price stipulated by the Punjab government until the completion of the procurement process in May.It is a welcome relief for the citizens of KP, where the price of bread has doubled, with a 120-gram bread costing Rs30. Despite the hike, the district administration has not yet allowed increase in prices, and the market in Peshawar has only 80kilogram wheat flour bags that are being sold at a higher price due to the shortage of wheat.Local bakers have reported that when the price of a 120gram bread loaf was fixed at Rs15, a sack of 80 kilograms of flour cost Rs8,600. Over the time, the price of flour has increased substantially, reaching Rs15,000 presently, which is double the initial cost. Consequently, the price of bread has also doubled. Negotiations with the district administration to increase the weight of bread loaves have failed, leading the bakers to increase the price themselves.

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

Ignoring the Constitution

Elections should have been held in the Punjab

TODAYis the day the Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold elections to the Punjab Assembly, which was dissolved prematurely on January 14 after Chief Minister Pervez Elahi tendered advice to this effect. constitutional provisions led to the Assembly’s automatic dissolution. The Constitution mandates fresh elections within 90 days, which should have meant by April 15. The date was at issue. The Supreme Court ruled that the President would set the date, which he did for April 20. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan then decided to delay those elections to October 8, saying that it had not got the money IT needed, and nor did the security situation allow. The Supreme Court then said the ECP could not change the polling date, setting May15. The Court also issued a fresh election programme, as well as dates by which money needed (Rs 20 billion) was to be transferred to the Election Commission. The Court summoned both State Bank and Defence Ministry officials, which argued that neither money nor security could be provided.

Meanwhile, while the first case had paid cursory attention to the KP Assembly, dissolved on January 18 by the Governor, with the Governor asked to supply a date. He first gave May 28 as the date, then changed it to October 8, after the ECP changed the Punjab date. Into the question of holding the date on time, the question of the Chief Justice’s suo motu powers has come in, as well as the relative positions of the Supreme Court and Parliament. In the midst of these grand constitutional debates, the constitutional provision of elections within 90 days somehow got lost sight of. The failure to obey itself became a weapon, a stick for one side to beat the other on the head with. Not to put too fine a point on it, the elections are being put off by the government, and called for by the PTI, because they see political advantage, not because of any overarching principle.

The political nature of choosing an election date can be gauged from the fact that the power to dissolve (and thus set off a process ending in elections in 90 days) exists at all. If elections to all assemblies must be held on the same day, a constitutional amendment is needed. An illustration of how the Constitution is supposed to operate may be seen across the border, where election to just one provincial legislature, Karnataka, have been held. India has many defects, but the constitutionally mandated election ties to be held on time. There seems no concept of not doing so.

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

P J mir

There is no one above the law and that has to be accepted. The law has to ensure that it executes this in the true meaning of the constitution. No matter who is in the dock the courts have to play without the third umpire, which they usually do, although there have been past fixings in the top flight, and to write about the lower courts would require at least five articles. Decisions about the judiciary should only be addressed to the appellate authorities, to name the judges and ostracise them in Parliament does not do any justice. At least what article 68(3) tells us, and whatever the disagreements the Supreme Judicial Council is there for addressing them; a time has come to save the judiciary. Rectifications and amendments need to be made to thrash out debating points. Why cannot the Constitution not be amended with moving times and circumstances; after all we run the country on PCOs and SROs when it’s suited, why can we not make it flexible, why so rigid?

However, coming to the current performance, the Chief Justice Islamabad High Court was prompt in taking notice of Chairman PTI Imran Khans arrest in the vicinity of the courts, pulled up the Inspector General Police, the Director General National Accountability Bureau and threatened if necessary, to call the Prime Minister. Later when it was explained to him, he agreed that a due process of law was followed, which Imran Khan denies, but what was the

Stay Safe from Cyber Scam

Better

safe than

Eman Tarar

CYBERsecurity has become a topic of paramount importance in our digital age. With cybercriminals becoming more sophisticated in their tactics, it's becoming increasingly essential to protect ourselves from their malicious attacks. But how do we do that? How do we safeguard our digital lives in a world where technology is evolving at an astonishing pace?

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To create a strong and unique password, it's recommended to use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. The longer the password, the better, as longer passwords are more difficult to guess or crack. It's also important to use different passwords for different accounts. This way, if one password is compromised, the hacker will not have access to all of your other accounts. In addition, it's recommended to use a password manager, which can generate strong and unique passwords for you and store them securely. This eliminates the need to remember multiple passwords, making it easier to use unique passwords for every account.

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Is there a chance that clicking on the link could compromise your personal information or device security? By taking the time to think before you click, you can avoid falling prey to scams and keep your personal information and device safe. It is also important to have antivirus software installed on your device and to keep it updated, as well as to regularly back up your important files to protect against data loss.

By regularly updating software and enabling automatic updates, people can stay ahead of potential threats. Keeping software updated is crucial for ensuring the security and stability of your computer. Software updates contain bug fixes, security patches, and feature enhancements that are essential for optimal performance of your system. When software is released, it is often tested by the developers to ensure that it is working correctly. However, as time goes by, vulnerabilities may be discovered, and hackers may try to exploit them. When software vendors become aware of these vulnerabilities, they release updates to fix them. If you fail to install these updates, your system may be vulnerable to attacks, and your data may be compromised. In addition to security, updating soft-

hurry of the Islamabad police to arrest him?

And that too within the vicinity of the courts, when biometrics were going on, prior to the arrest. Looking at a bigger picture did the authorities not understand or expect the reaction of the PTI, and take appropriate measures for the aftermath; they had already seen the trailer in Zaman Park, so couldn’t the binoculars be stronger, at least that would have been good damage control, and I at least would not have had to see the destruction of Army and other public property.

To make matters fragile and uncontrollable, the arrest of PTI leadership was, and is, not the right answer; people are casting aspersions that the whole scenario was preplanned, all leading to the election’s syndrome.

HErecent events which have taken over the country reminds me of the 1960s and 1970s, political unrest somehow keeps everyone on their toes; these days people at large are now becoming more of daredevils, that old fear of the unknown seems to be fading, maybe lack of implementations of law, maybe a laidback approach to let situations simmer down, nothing seems to work to get the country back on track, this continuing struggle to get in and remain in the corridors of power is an ongoing enigma, which no one wants to know, yet everyone knows, as in my previous observations survival depends in staying in the right corridors; surely this cannot go on; everyone knows the disease yet no one wants to treat it, that is what our predicament is in reality.These hooligans who we have seen destroying national property all over the country need to be brought to book. I feel law has to take its course, but this course may have been avoided by the PTI party leaders had they been around, a headless swarm of bees had taken over, Former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and a few others called for calm, but who would listen to a charged up mixed bunch of supporters and hooligans when there was no one of stature to calm them down.

To make matters even worse, provocative remarks from political rivals hailed the arrests instead of showing restraint to calm down temperatures. There was and is all round gloating and point scoring, they have all done what we are seen, to pretend they have been dry cleaned. I can assure you when events are not going their way, they will adopt the very same method.

So in order to stop this stampede the law has to come hard and firm, and also teach a lesson for these future performances to take heed that such lawlessness will not be allowed under any circumstances, In the same breath law has to be executed in its true spirit. The elements of victimisation must not be the focal point; today there is still time for a dialogue, there was an opportunity which both sides have missed out due to their stupidity and stubbornness, Both these parties must learn a lesson, because of their bitterness and hatred towards each other the fifth columnist forces have played a major role in what has

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The writer is a freelance columnist

been witnessed. RAW is one of the players. We have never witnessed a corps commander’s house being demolished. Soldiers insulted, army installations challenged ever before by any political party. I know PTI workers’ majorly are true patriots, but this calculated move by enemies of the state has creeped in. What was the need for national songs to be played against the Army, Azadi or freedom, they all were chanting against the PDM in all meetings, suddenly now lands up on the armed forces, by armed forces, only the Army. Who supplied these paid insurgents to do what they did? Who financed the onslaught on the Army? All political leadership has in the past has indeed criticized the Army, but they will never ever go against the realm of the state. Despite all political reservations All leaderships are diehard Patriot missiles; it’s the intrusion of some paid sleepers of RAW who need to be identified. Our national act has to be reviewed by one and all, meaning the people who elect, the leadership which emerges, the justice system which keeps us together, while on the security side we need to invest more to come to international standards, at least till the time we come to mutual terms between India and Pakistan.

Wounded warriors always heal up to fight another day, today is not the right time.

The writer is a freelance columnist

Editor’s mail

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

Civilian supremacy

I am an American of Pakistani origin. I have been following developments on the economic front in Pakistan. It pains me to see that while the country’s economy is in a tailspin, politicians — from the ones in power to those who have been ousted — have such an ego that they cannot see the suffering of the people.

Companies are shutting down every day, exports are collapsing, and the relevant minister says that natural gas cannot be supplied to consumers as reserves are declining. None of this bothers the politicians. They live in large mansions, their relatives live in palatial houses, and they spend millions on luxury; millions from state funds raised with people’s taxes. How can these ‘leaders’ know the suffering of the middle class and the poor?

Pakistan has never had a government in its real sense. People moving in the background are mostly believed to take decisions and let the civilian government of the time take the fall when required. That being so, even if the current opposition gets back into power, the economy will not turn around for years.

Free dollars are a thing of the past. Our government in Washington will never give billions to Pakistan in grants as we have been doing since the 9/11 attacks. Pakistani politicians need to get together to make sure that the supremacy of the elected is above anything else. They should make real changes to the economy so that Pakistan may actually have an economy that is worth its name.

If the politicians would somehow stop screaming at each other, maybe they can actually achieve the real change. I am convinced that each of them loves Pakistan, and not one of them wants harm to their country. They just need to get over their personal grievances and look at the common cause.

If they cannot get over their personal egos, Pakistan has no future. I just hope they can still ensure civilian supremacy.

TARIQ I AHMAD NEVADA, USA

Islam and Muslims

THE actions of those who adhere to an ideology or belief can serve as a measure of its substance. The viral video showing Algerian Imam Walid Mehsas cuddling a cat that jumped on to him during his taraweeh prayer exemplified how kindness is ingrained in Islamic teachings towards all creatures. Islam’s emphasis on spreading peace and kindness is wellestablished in the holy scripture, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) demonstrated these values through his conduct. The viral video clip served as evidence that Islam is a religion that promotes peace and kindness. However, if we follow the analogy of ‘actions’ being a measure of the substance of any ideology or belief, we must acknowledge that it also paints a less favourable picture of Islam, too.

High crime rates and oppressive societies, both morally and socioeconomically, in many Islamic countries are just a few examples of the many challenges faced by the Muslims today.

As Muslims, we can easily recognise the stark difference between the true teachings of Islam and the actions of some individuals who claim to practise the faith. In contrast, it is natural that outsiders may judge Islam based on what they see, rather than delving deeper to understand the differences. Although this moment of kindness and positivity by the imam serves as a reminder of the beauty and nobility of Islam, it is quite unfortunate, and is critically important to note that these actions represent a minority of Muslims. The path to achieving the level of kindness and morality that Islam teaches, and that every human being should possess, is a long and challenging one for the Muslims. It requires continuous effort, introspection and, above all, the cultivation of a love for humanity.

Nurturing such love would be the first step in the tricky process of fostering a love for all creatures in Muslim societies.

The law must be implemented

Head- on collision unavoidable!

PML(N) have been thought to be quietly inspired by those very powers. The two parties discreetly protested over what they felt was the intervening powers’ encroachment over the domains exclusive to the civil order. These two parties never crossed the psychological barrier of openly accusing the powers of complicity.

and for all. It is ironic to note that despite that talk, the party has never wargamed a strategy of change without the crutches of the established order.

THEinevitable finally happened Tuesday, May 9, in Islamabad, but in a clumsy manner. When the chairman of the PTI, former Test pace bowler Imran Khan was bundled into an armored personnel carrier in the premises of the Islamabad High Court in a manner, which was enough to ignite the PTI supporters; given the fact that the PTI chairman has almost a devotee-like following. The damage control by the Supreme Court might have stalled strife for the time being. However, as things stand; the deployment of the Amy, as reported in the federal capital, Punjab and in KPK; the strongholds of PTI, the non-availability of the internet services across the country; or a somewhat erratic connectivity; all strongly indicate a sort of ‘soft coup’ in place in Pakistan, with strings being pulled from somewhere. Further, the causes of unrest have not been put to rest, as they could have been.

Predictably, the incumbent government is also assessing its strengths and weaknesses. The erratic calling of a National Security Council meeting and then settling for the cabinet, indicates uneasiness in the incumbent ranks. Likewise, the summoning of the legal team, all precisely indicate that the war has not ended with the damage control exercise of the Supreme Court, rather the plot has been further complicated.

Coming back to the on-ground situation, the so-called ‘regime change’ of April 2022 unleashed the PTI’s and its voter’s wrath towards the powers-that-be in a way unprecedented and unseen before in Pakistan. The component parties in the PDM coalition, the PPP and the PML(N), have been subject to interventions by the same powers several times between 1988 and 1999 and even after the exit of Musharraf from the political horizon in 2008. The Memogate, Iqama case, the Tahirul Qadri sit-in in 2012 against the PPP and the PTI’s own sit-in against the

However, the response to the same type of intervention by the powers in the post-April 2022 period has been unprecedented, to say the least. The reasons for that confidence; what the PTI distractors opine is due to its proximity with the powers-that-be. They feel that unplugged manner of protest by PTI in word and in action can only be imagined by an ‘intimate’ fellow of the establishment; which precisely looks convincing.

Any talk or conversation with the PTI-affiliated political activist or journalist would reveal the fact that con-

Connecting the nodes; the scenes witnessed in the afternoon of May 9, might well be brushed off as ‘agent provocateurs’ from any side; however, it is also illustrative of the fact that the common supporter; who has been fed on the simple narrative during the last one year of PTI protest; was precisely expected to do that. The attacks on buildings, vandalism as well as outpouring of unrestrained anger; make one valid point.

The protestors declared their knowledge of where the strings are being pulled from. The equally strong worded reaction from the powers-that-be also made one thing starkly clear, that the reentry of the PTI in the corridors of power was impossible in the current scheme of things; unless the Americans intervene, as they did in the aftermath of the November 1988 elections between the Army and the late Benazir Bhutto.

isolated with lingering FIRs, bothering them throughout their lives, as is the practice with the innocent political activists acting on impulse. The deployment of the armed units in two major provinces is geared towards a brutal crackdown of the aforementioned section of society and polity; an intent starkly reminded of in the ISPR press note.

trary to the restraint of the PTI leadership towards radical action; the former two sections of society make no bones about their hate for the establishment. While the leadership has been talking ‘loose’ over the establishment role in the so-called coup of April 2022; it never realized the fact that it was slowly poisoning its voter and supporter base about the need to dismantle the whole system; once

Predictably, fearful that the spontaneous reaction of its cadre must have gone badly with the powers-that-be, the PTI leadership seems to be in a fix. Into the late afternoon Tuesday, select PTI voices, which were able to cross the barriers of an erratic cyberspace, tried their best to make a distance from the protestors vandalizing the military buildings. In properly worded statements, the vice chairman tried his best to disown the protestors; though calling for protests for the coming days; until Imran Khan is released from detention.

The emerging scenario looks like one where the public, or specifically the PTI sympathizer, has been radicalized to the limit, unseen in the Pakistani context. While on the other hand the PTI leadership is still bent upon playing by the system; courts attendance; electoral laws, pressing for elections, and so on, that dichotomy between the people and the party leadership is one point where there can be enough space for the ‘old regime’ to reorganize itself and pounce upon the forces it opposes it with greater zeal.

With a deeply divided nation, divided along political orientation, beliefs, ethnicity and tribal loyalties, there is ample chance that the radical few are further

The emerging scenario: if the current state of affairs continues, as it looks evident, it will, the political way out of the stalemate might fade away. Such a scenario means that solutions within the system will carry lesser weight for the prime stakeholders, the Pakistani nation. A politically astute nation can brave military takeovers, disappearances, single party dictatorships etc. The resort to the complete reset of the system will then be unavoidable.

Here it is important for the political forces to gauge through their grassroot nodes that people might well be fed up with the beaten track; the nuisance value of the ‘establishment’ and might want to call it a day for a return to complete democracy. That calling of the day, if not allowed within the system, might well ask for other ways to do the same. Here Pakistani politicians had the chance to learn from the Erdogan of 2002, when he selected the evolutionary way to achieve the goal of striking the balance between the two forces governing the society. The Pakistani politicians lacked the will to challenge with courage and results are evident.

For Mr Khan and the other political stalwarts, it is high time they listen or decode what the resilient nation has to tell them. Failing which, the country can only afford to descend further into chaos and continue to perform new experiments in hybrid and quasi-democracy arrangements. As said many times, a reset of the system is necessary instead of new players every five years supported by the powers, while those fallen out of favour languish. Pakistanis need to be ’on the scene’ for a ‘Magna Carta’. Not for actions, which allow their servants, the state, to frame charges against them.

The writer is a freelance columnist

Why Europe is desperate to see Erdogan lose

West. And what about Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's crown prince and prime minister, who had business rivals hung upside down until they signed away their assets?

Does this colour The Economist’s view of a kingdom undergoing reform and modernisation? The Economist is by no means alone in throwing rational judgement out of the window about Turkey.

For Mr Khan and the other political stalwarts, it is high time they listen or decode what the resilient nation has to tell them. Failing which, the country can only afford to descend further into chaos and continue to perform new experiments in hybrid and quasi-democracy arrangements. As said many times, a reset of the system is necessary instead of new players every five years supported by the powers, while those fallen out of favour languish. Pakistanis need to be ’on the scene’ for a ‘Magna Carta’. Not for actions, which allow their servants, the state, to frame charges against them MIDDLE EAST

THEEconomist has surpassed itself in its clearly expressed hatred for an elected head of state, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In its latest edition, it casts the Turkish presidential election as the most important that will take place this year, and claims that not just the future of Turkey but the future of democracy itself will hinge upon the result. "Most important, in an era when strongman rule is on the rise, from Hungary to India, the peaceful ejection of Mr Erdogan would show democrats everywhere that strongmen can be beaten," it opines. This is an enormously stupid thing to say.

It may have escaped The Economist’s attention but Turkey - under the hyper presidential rule of a strongman - is a country where a free election can still take place, in contrast to a region where dictatorship is the norm. And this election is free. It's ferociously populist, polarised, and undoubtedly an uneven playing field in the access opposition parties have to the state media. But it is free and hard-fought.

Despite the Supreme Electoral Council's decision in 2019 to cancel the initial victory of Istanbul opposition mayoral candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu, on the grounds that the vote was too close (he won with a bigger majority in the rerun), Turkey’s electoral system is still robust.

All parties are present at the polling stations. They are present at every stage of the counting, transport of boxes and final count. Every ballot paper is confirmed or objected to by every political stakeholder.

Furthermore, it will be the seventh free election that Erdogan, whom the Economist dubs as a dictator, will have put himself through since he was elected mayor of Istanbul in 1994.

THE OTHER DICTATORS

The Economist has devoted six other covers to the same theme for over a decade. All of them were aimed at Erdogan. Where are the similar condemnations of leaders who are - by general consentfar worse than the Turkish leader? The Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi has just added 81 names of human rights defenders and journalists to its "terrorism list", which is now 6,300 strong. The list includes 32 Egyptian journalists from Al Jazeera, Al Sharq, Mekameleen, Watan, the Rassd Network, and other news websites critical of the government. This is in addition to 60,000 political prisoners languishing and dying in Egyptian jails. Not a word, not a peep from those defenders of a value-driven foreign policy in the

Der Spiegel, that paragon of German social democratic liberalism, pictured Erdogan sitting on a cracked throne behind him a crescent, the symbol of Islam, was breaking apart. "In the 100th year of its existence, the Turkish Republic is at a crossroads: if Erdogan is confirmed in office for a second time, observers fear he could turn the country into a dictatorship; he could become ruler for life, abolish elections."

Can you imagine the uproar there would have been if Der Spiegel had put Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has allied himself with terrorists and fascists, on a fractured Jewish throne, with the Star of David breaking up behind him?

Le Point seriously - and without any intended irony - compared Erdogan to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both men, it argued, dream of a restoration of empire. Both have instrumentalised religion, and both have invaded other countries. In Turkey’s case Le Point cites Turkey’s invasion of Northern Cyprus. This happened in 1974 when Mustafa Bulent Ecevit, a Kemalist and the CHP politician, was in power. And then of course there is Turkey’s incursions in Syria, as well as Libya.

Am I forgetting something but are not American, Russian and Iranian troops also in Syria? Did not all western countries support the failed attempt to oust Bashar al-Assad? And has not Turkey just killed the last head of the Islamic State group (IS), which the western coalition are still fighting? And in Libya was not Russia's Wagner mercenaries, the UAE, and Egypt behind the attempt to capture Tripoli, before Turkey intervened with its drones?

A EUROPEAN MENTAL BREAKDOWN

This sort of commentary is not just wilfully littered with error and omission. For Turkey, all fact-checking has been temporarily suspended. It is also mentally unhinged.

Erdogan is now dubbed an Islamist, even though his first act when the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi came to power in Egypt was to call for secularism during his visit to Cairo.

Can you imagine the uproar there would have been if Der Spiegel had put Netanyahu on a fractured Jewish throne, with the Star of David breaking up behind him?

The truth notwithstanding, all manner of satanic force is now placed on his shoulders. He is deemed to threaten Europe’s democracy not merely because he is labelled an au-

tocrat, but because he is Muslim. This commentary reveals a European mindset in the throes of a mental breakdown. A psychiatrist would find this delirium richly informative.

To return to planet Earth for just one moment, Erdogan could well lose the presidential election. If - as expected - he fails to win an outright majority in the first round on Sunday and opposition parties gain control of parliament, much would then depend on how the votes of the other parties split. This election is indeed the tightest he has faced for 20 years. The opinion polls which have under law stopped being published in Turkey put the two main candidates as neck-andneck and are all within the margin of error.

If Erdogan does lose, it will be because of inflation and the rising cost of living which has materially affected purchasing power, and for this he has only himself to blame. He has gone through three central bankers in the process of pursuing a policy on interest rates which is untenable and has begun to empty Turkey's foreign exchange and gold reserves. He may indeed signal a new and more orthodox monetary policy after the elections, but if he loses it is "the economy, stupid" not his authoritarianism that would have led to his downfall. For the last segment of his period of office, Erdogan represented stability. In 2018 Turkey voted for stability over change. Now it has been reversed. Turks want change. A whole generation has been moved up the social ladder and entered the middle class. Now the sons and daughters of AK party loyalists are doctors and engineers who cannot afford the rent in Istanbul and who are in the midst of a real cost of living crisis. They yearn for opportunity and advancement, based on merit rather than political connection.

A ONE-MAN SHOW Presidential government under Erdogan has become a system where one man micromanages a huge government and civil service machine. His signature is required on the appointment of almost the bottom rung of the executive chain, invalidating the signatories of immediate superiors. Much indeed has to change. Kilicdaroglu’s story of a return to parliamentary democracy and stronger institutions that are independent of the political power is appealing. But for the moment, it is just that, a story. Beneath him run powerful and less attractive currents to a European liberal audience, such as the populist racism of the CHP politicians being directed at Syrian refugees and Arab speakers in general, racism that was on show in the terrible aftermath of the recent earthquakes.

Kilicdaroglu has promised the earth, not least visa-free travel to Schengen countries within three months of gaining office. But so too did Erdogan arrive on the political stage committed to gaining entry to Europe, and so too did Erdogan come close in 2016 to ne-

gotiating a deal on visa-free travel.

Erdogan has learned from bitter experience to play hard ball with European capitals. As everyone who has studied the subject knows, the barrier to Europe does not lie in Turkey.

As far back as 1992 - 11 years before Erdogan came to power - Germany was sending mixed messages on Turkey joining the EU. Publicly, Germany's Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel assured his counterpart that the federal republic backed Turkish entry.

Privately however, the then Chancellor Helmut Kohl, according to confidential papers published by the Institute of Contemporary History in Munich, revealed to Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland during his visit to Oslo: "We are against it." And this was under Kohl, when liberal democracy was booming and good for business. Just imagine what the very thought of Turkey’s membership would be like today with the extreme right on the march in Germany, Italy, France, and Eastern Europe.

A BARRAGE OF HOSTILITY

Hatred of Islam and suspicion of Muslims has entered the political mainstream in Europe. No one gets denounced, no political careers come to a premature end for anyone who taps into this rich stream of white nationalism. On the contrary. Kilicdaroglu is honoured to be thought of as Turkey’s Olaf Scholz in an interview on German TV. No doubt he is pleased to be called Turkey’s Joe Biden too. In power, he will learn to rue these comparisons by a Turkish electorate who believed his promises and became quickly disillusioned.

keep the grain deal going, although possibly not for that much longer.

If the promised Ukrainian counter offensive falters, and Biden’s appetite for continuing to supply Kyiv with the rockets and shells it requires falters with it, it will be back to Ankara to arrange talks between the two sides. Once again Turkey’s neutrality in this conflict will not be so unappealing to Western Europe. Most analysis is predicated on the possibility that Erdogan will lose. But there are many scenarios left where he could win. The barrage of hostility from Europe has not gone unnoticed in Turkey. When Erdogan called a mass rally in Istanbul’s old Ataturk airport, hundreds of thousands turned up. The figures may be disputed but the size of the throng surprised everyone in what is now an opposition-controlled city.

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION

Can you imagine the uproar there would have been if Der Spiegel had put Netanyahu on a fractured Jewish throne, with the Star of David breaking up behind him?

If Erdogan does win, it will be because he persuaded the conservative voter to come back to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) fold. These are not voters that readily surface in opinion polls, as they would not be living in large cities. But they still hold huge power in elections. Kilicdaroglu’s strategy of splitting the conservative vote by getting on board two men who were Erdogan’s bedfellows in his first period of power, former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and former Foreign Minister Ali Babajan, will have failed. If, as expected, the election goes to a second round, Erdogan still has cards to play, not least the appointment of two or more vice presidents who are established heavyweights in monetary and foreign policy. Kilicdaroglu on the other would have played his most important cards.

Erdogan’s very flawed presidency is still light years ahead of what happens in Arab countries whose leaders declare arrogantly that their people are not mature enough or ready for free elections

He will learn the hard way that the real reason the West has expressed such hostility to Erdogan has nothing to do with his authoritarianism or his crackdown on a free press - neither of which stop the rush to invest in Saudi Arabia where such concepts are for the birds.

It is because Erdogan has fashioned Turkey into an independent state with its own powerful armed forces, that will not automatically toe the line dictated to it. This is the reason he has so many enemies in the West. His popularity as a leader in the Sunni Muslim world is a threat to the failing and ailing western consensus. Independent leaders like Morsi or Pakistan’s Imran Khan all meet the same fate. Erdogan has bucked that trend - so far.

He is crucified for being too close to Putin, and yet Turkey is one of the few countries in the region that can negotiate prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia and

This is Turkish democracy in action. It's rough around the edges, it is missing for large periods between elections. There is much in the presidential system that needs changing. I, myself, was against it from the start.

I argued then that Turkey needs a robust and independent media. It needs independent institutions. Ministers need to be scrutinised by parliament, and not treated by the president as his private secretaries. It needs an independent central bank that commands the respect of the markets. But Erdogan’s very flawed presidency is still light years ahead of what happens in the Arab countries whose leaders declare arrogantly that their people are not mature enough or ready for free elections. Europe prays for Erdogan's downfall. In so doing, it is giving the Turks the biggest reason why they should make their own minds up, if they want to keep the independence for which their country has struggled for so long and so hard.

David Hearst is co-founder and editorin-chief of Middle East Eye.

Hatred

CONGRESS WINS ELECTIONS IN KARNATAKA STATE, DEFEATING BJP

NEW DELHI AGENCIES

INDIA’s main opposition Congress party won elections in the southern state of Karnataka, today, emphatically defeating the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a big boost to its prospects ahead of national elections due next year.

The election is the first of five crucial state polls this year that are seen as setting the tone for parliamentary elections due in April and May 2024.

It is also the first big electoral faceoff between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP and Congress since Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was convicted of defamation in March and lost his parliament seat.

Karnataka, which was ruled by the BJP, voted on Wednesday and votes were counted today. Congress won 136 seats

against 64 for the BJP in the 224-member legislature. The defeat in Karnataka would be a rare blow for the BJP considering Modi remains highly popular after nine years

US military to bolster defensive posture in Gulf after Iran seizes tankers

WASHINGTON REUTERS

The US military will work to bolster the defensive posture in the Gulf region following Iran’s seizure and harassment of commercial shipping vessels in recent months, US officials said on Friday.

In the past two years, Iran has harassed, attacked or interfered with the navigational rights of 15 internationally flagged commercial vessels, officials said. “The Department of Defense will be making a series of moves to bolster our defensive posture in the Arabian Gulf,” White House spokesperson John Kirby told a news briefing.

Kirby added that in the coming weeks, there would be an attempt to “increase coordination and interoperability” with allies in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said it was working with regional allies to increase the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling around the Strait of Hormuz. “Iran’s unwarranted, irresponsible and unlawful seizure and harassment of merchant vessels must stop,” the Fifth Fleet’s commander, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, said in a statement.

A spokesperson from the US military’s Florida-based Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East, said the United States was discussing options with regional partners.

“Any decisions about force posture will be made after consulting with our allies and will be consistent with the collective desire to ensure the safety and freedom of navigation for all nations,” the spokesperson said. The moves come after Iran seized a second oil tanker in a week in Gulf waters earlier this month, and the State Department called for its release in the latest escalation in a series of actions against commercial vessels in Gulf waters since 2019.

The US Navy said on May 3 the Panama-flagged oil tanker Niovi was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Days earlier, Iran had seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman.

Kirby said the United States strongly condemns actions that threaten and interfere with commercial shipping, and will not allow foreign powers to jeopardize navigating Middle East waterways. About a fifth of the world’s crude oil and oil products passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point between Iran and Oman, according to data from analytics firm Vortexa.

in power and is favourite to win a third term nationally in 2024. Ecstatic Congress members burst firecrackers, danced to the beat of drums and distributed sweets at the party head-

quarters in New Delhi, and in Bengaluru, the global tech hub which is the capital city of Karnataka. “(The) Congress party stood with the poor in Karnataka, we fought on the issues of the poor,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters. “I feel happiest about the fact that we didn’t fight this fight with hate or wrong words. We fought this fight with love, with an open heart, and the people of Karnataka showed that this country likes love,” he said. Karnataka is home to about 65 million people and is considered the BJP’s gateway to southern India, as the party has struggled to win elections elsewhere in the region.

“We accept the verdict of the people of Karnataka with due respect, we will take this verdict in our stride,” Basavaraj Bommai, the BJP’s outgoing chief minister of Karnataka, tweeted.

Erdogan leads prayers on eve of fight for political life

ISTANBUL

AFP

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will lead Saturday prayers at Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia mosque, ahead of a battle for his political life against a powerful secular rival.

The 69-year-old will be emulating a ritual that Ottoman Sultans performed before they led their men off to war as he braces for Sunday’s parliamentary and presidential ballot.

Erdogan has never faced a more energised or united opposition than the one led by retired civil servant Kemal Kilicdaroglu and his disparate alliance of six parties.

The Turkish leader excelled at splitting his rivals and forging unlikely unions while winning one national election after another over 21 years.

But his Islamic-rooted party is reeling from anger over Turkey’s economic meltdown and an alleged crackdown on civil liberties during Erdogan’s second decade of rule.

The six opposition parties have put aside their political and cultural differences and joined forces for the lone task of pushing Erdogan out.

They are officially supported by Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish party — a group that accounts for at least 10 percent of the vote.

‘A VERY SILLY QUESTION’: The math is not adding up in Erdogan’s favour and most polls show him trailing his secular rival by a few points.

Kilicdaroglu is now desperately trying to break the 50-percent threshold and avoid a May 28 runoff that could give Erdogan a chance to regroup and reframe the debate.

“Are you ready to bring democracy to this country? To bring peace to this country? I promise, I am ready too,” Kilicdaroglu told a rally in Ankara.

Erdogan was put in the uncomfortable position on Friday night television of being asked what he would do if he lost.

The veteran leader bristled and pledged to respect the vote.

China will fight for rights as developing nation: Wang Wenbin

ISLAMABAD SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

In the WTO, China’s actual special and differential treatment is much lower than the average level of developing countries. China’s status as a developing nation, meanwhile, is well-founded and widely recognized, the spokesperson said.

“This is a very silly question,” he said. “We came to power in Turkey by democratic means, with the approval of our people. If our people were to change their mind, we would do what democracy requires.”

His campaign path to re-election will take him to the scene Saturday of one of the more controversial decisions of his recent rule.

‘THE WEST GOT MAD’: The Hagia Sophia was built as a Byzantine cathedral — once the world’s largest — before being converted into a mosque by the Ottomans.

It was converted into a museum when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk created a secular post-Ottoman Turkey in 1923.

Erdogan’s decision to convert it back into a mosque in 2020 solidified his hero status among his religious supporters and contributed to growing Western unease with his rule.

“The entire West got mad — but I did it,” Erdogan told an Istanbul rally on Saturday.

Qin Gang proposes three principles for boosting Sino-Europe ties

ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

The adherence to an inclusive worldview, commitment to a progressive view of history, and upholding the perspective of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation should be principles to maintain the stable development of China-Europe relations amid a changing and volatile international situation, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Friday during his visit to Norway.

“China and Europe are two globally influential powers, two vast markets, and two great civilizations.

I deeply felt, through the visit, a strong willingness of the European side to enhance communication, coordi-

nation with China,” Qin said during a joint press conference with the Norwegian Foreign Minister in Oslo.

Qin said that China and Europe should respect and support the different countries’ development paths chosen by their people, and jointly and positively respond to the universal concerns of the international community. What the international community needs most is peaceful development, fairness and justice, and progress rather than retrogression.

Both China and Europe, unanimously opposing “decoupling and breaking chains,” should jointly uphold the right direction of economic globalization, strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination, explore cooperation potentials, properly address each other’s major concerns, and jointly maintain the stability and smoothness of global industrial and supply chains, Qin said on his principles to maintain stable development of China-Europe relations.

During Qin’s visit to Norway, he met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt, and members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense of the Norwegian Parliament and exchanged views and understanding on bilateral cooperation and international hotspot issues. China attaches importance to its relations with Norway and is willing to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust and promote cooperation with Norway, Qin said on Friday when meeting with Store, Xinhua News Agency reported.

In 2022, China’s per capita GDP was $12,741, which is only one-fifth of that of developed economies and equivalent to only one-sixth of that of the US. In 2021, China’s per capita national income ranked 68th in the world, while its human development index ranked 79th, on par with that of other major developing countries. China is a developing country with a solid basis in international law and has been accepted by the international community at large, and cannot be deprived of its developing country status, Wang stressed. For a long time, China has fought side by side with developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America for national liberation movements and supported each other in promoting national development, vividly demonstrating the meaning of “true friendship is shown in times of adversity.” China will always work with developing countries to strive for common rights and interests and safeguard shared benefits, Wang said.

UN agencies brace for disaster as Cyclone Mocha intensifies in Bay of Bengal

UNITED NATIONS APP

UN agencies are working with communities across Bangladesh and Myanmar in preparation to face Cyclone Mocha, which is expected to hit the region on Sunday. The very severe cyclonic storm is quickly strengthening in the Bay of Bengal, threatening the region with violent winds, flooding, and landslides that could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of the world’s most vulnerable people, Clare Nullis, of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said in a statement. The agency’s regional specialized meteorological centre in New Delhi forecast that Mocha would move towards coastal Bangladesh and Myanmar. The storm would further intensify until landfall, between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu in Myanmar by midday Sunday.

Nearly one million Rohingya Muslim refugees in Cox’s Bazar camps are preparing for the worst. In 2022, they escaped devastation from the Bay of Bengal cyclone Sitrang, which nonetheless killed 35 people, displaced over 20,000, and caused over $35 million in damages in other parts of the country. Right now, Cyclone Mocha is headed straight for the camps in Bangladesh, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Speaking from Cox’s Bazar, the agency’s deputy chief of mission, Nihan Erdogan, said Bangladesh has a “massive” preparedness plan in place, of which IOM is a partner.

“We have trained 100 refugee volunteers in each camp on cyclone preparedness and the flag warning system in 17 IOM-managed camps,” she said. “Emergency shelter materials and hygiene kits are readily available, and personal protective gear has been provided to all volunteers”. “We have to alert and assist our fellow community members so they are prepared to respond and protect themselves and others should the weather conditions worsen when the cyclone reaches our camps,” said one of the refugee volunteers, who are disseminating awareness-raising messages and responding to community requests around the clock.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it has at the ready 40 ambulances and 33 mobile medical teams on standby at Cox’s Bazar, agency’s spokesperson Margaret Harris said.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has prepositioned some 230 tons of dry food and 24.5 tons of fortified biscuits, as aid agencies stand ready to provide 50,000 daily hot meals if needed, said Olga Sarrado, spokesperson for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). “We fear the impact of the storm with significant rainfall with landslides and flooding of camps near the sea,” she said. “Access to the camps may be impeded, while power supplies and mobile phone towers might be damaged.”

Leading American company to invest $200m in Pakistan’s Pink Salt industry

WASHINGTON APP

A leading American company in import, manufacture and supply of sea salt plans to invest nearly $200 million in curating, processing, distributing and importing Pink Himalayan Salt, which is mined in Pakistan's Khewra Salt Mine located in Jhelum district of Punjab, a press release of the Pakistani embassy said on Saturday.

The investment, it said, would be made in preparing feasibility, reserve report, upgradation of mining procedures and processes, construction of world-class processing and packaging facility and community development programs.

Pink salt has been used as remedies for a variety of health issues and is used by health professionals.

During a briefing by top leadership Miracle Saltworks Collective Inc. (MSCI), Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, was informed that Pakistan, with its geographical monopoly of the resource, has huge reserves of Pink Salt with a potential earning of $12 billion annually.

According to an estimate, the country possesses approximately 22.22 billion tons of natural resources, concentrated mostly in Salt Range areas of Kala Bagh, Warcha, Khewra and Bahadur Khel, with an immense potential of kick-starting massive economic activity.

The delegation included President and CEO Ahmed N. Khan; Vice President Tad M. Ballantyne; CCO/Board Member Muhammad M. Khan; Director & Board Member Jeffry Meilander; M. Shamsher Khan; Martyn Element (Vancouver Canada); Nasim Tyab (Vancouver Canada); Dan Terret (Vancouver Canada); Rana Rehan Anwar (Saint Louis); Tony Garson ( London England) and Attiq Rana (Saint Louis).

The Ambassador was informed that currently Pakistan was retaining $70 million only in lieu of export of this unique natural resource due to a lack of policy framework and adequate facilities for processing, packaging and worldwide distribution, the press release said.

Attack on PBC, APP offices attempt to silence media, shatter confidence of state institutions: Muqam

PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political, Public Affairs and National Heritage, Engr Amir Muqam here on Saturday said that attack on the offices of Radio Pakistan and Associated Press of Pakistan at Peshawar was an attempt to silence the voice of media and shatter the confidence of the state institutions. He was talking to media persons after visiting the Radio Pakistan Station and Associated Press of Pakistan at Peshawar to express solidarity with its employees and officers following the May 10, 2023 attack.

The violent mob ransacked and put on fire Radio Pakistan's building including an APP Office in its fourth flour besides destroying officials and private vehicles in its promises on May 10, 2023, which caused huge financial losses to both the national organizations.

He said that he came here on the directives of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to express solidarity with the employees of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation.

He said that Radio Pakistan was a national institution that had played a key role during Pakistan Movement and the attack on its station was a deep-rooted conspiracy to silence the voice of the national broadcaster besides tarnishing the country's image globally and demoralizing the state institutions.

Amir Muqam said that the restoration of the transmission of Radio Pakistan has passed a strong message to the attackers that its voice could not be silenced through such nefarious acts.

The PM's Advisor said attacks on state and security institutions, national installations, law enforcement agencies, police, toll plazas on Swat Motorway, ambulances and government/public vehicles on May 9-10 was no service to the country and exposed the evil mindset of the assailants.

He said that an investigation of the attack on the Radio Pakistan building was underway and strict punishment to the accused would be awarded. He underscored the need to arrest facilitators as well mastermind behind the attack so that no one could dare to do such deplorable acts in the future.

Amir Muqam who is also the provincial president of PML-N Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that Imran Khan was arrested in a mega corruption case of Rs60 billion by NAB and violent protests after his arrest was illogical as Islamabad High Court declared his arrest legal. He said that not a single flower was broken after the disqualification of three times elected Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on the baseless charges of not taking a salary from his son.

NADRA INTRODUCES NEW PLATFORM TO IDENTIFY OFFENDERS OF CHILD, WOMAN ABUSE

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

THENational Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) introduced a new platform National Sex Offenders Registry (NSOR), coupled with an SMS verification for citizens to identify sex offenders of child and woman.

The NSOR service helped citizens and institutions across the country to identify and track individuals who have been convicted of sex crimes against children and women. It is a dynamic database of sexual convicts, said a news release issued here on Saturday.

The links are established with various law enforcement departments and provincial governments so that updates are made in real time. This move is aimed at making the service more dynamic and responsive to the needs of the institutions and people at large in preventing sexual violence and abuse. An SMS-based verification service will alert citizens, employers and departments to beware of such culprits.

“This initiative has always remained

closer to my heart, which is a critical step toward safeguarding women and children from sexual violence and abuse” said Chairman of NADRA Tariq Malik. He announced that citizens can now use this service to verify the CNIC number of individuals being hired for household chores, at mosques, colleges, universities, or any other employment to

ensure they are not sexual convicts, have a clean record and can be trusted around women and children. The Chairman NADRA said, “Preventing even a single instance of child or woman from sexual abuse is not just an act of protection but also an investment in the future of our country. We owe it to the weakest of the weak, and our nation has

Development budget to enhance for betterment of Balochistan: Bizenjo

QUETTA STAFF REPORT

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo on Saturday said that the size of the development budget would be increased for keeping the unnecessary expenses to a minimum level.

He shared these views while talking to provincial ministers and Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) called on him at CM Secretariat. The current political situation of the country and issues related to the preparation of the budget for the next financial year came under discussion in the meeting.

They also condemned the propaganda against Pakistan Army by a political party in the meeting

The prestige of the country was damaged by the burning and violent protests, discussed in the

meeting They also paid tributes to the Pakistan Army, and the people and political parties of Balochistan have shown calmness and political prudence in this entire situation in the meeting. In the meeting, the budget development requirements of the next financial year and the proposals of the members were

also reviewed.

In the budget of the next financial year, priority will be given to the completion of ongoing projects and new collective development projects, said the meeting. The Chief Minister said that the all available resources would be utilized for public welfare projects.

JUI urges party workers to join PDM's protest in Islamabad

PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

Provincial Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa Maulana Ataur Rahman urged the party workers to join Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) protest in Islamabad on Monday.

Addressing a press conference at Mufti Mahmood Markaz here Saturday, Maulana Ataur Rehman directed

the district level party heads to join them at Hakla interchange along with party’s flags at 10am.

Strongly condemning the damages of public and private properties by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers during protest on May 10, Maulana Ataur Rehman said that we had done 15 million marches, Independent March even breaking a pot cannot prove it.

He said that PTI has spread hatred against the military leadership in the protest.

Our leadership had earlier said that this is a sedition which cannot be called a political party, said Maulana Ataur Rehman. Maulana raised a question that if Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan can be banned then they should be banned too.

He said that our leadership had appealed to the people to reach Islamabad on May 15 at 11am, adding preparation is going on in this regard.

Jamiat's volunteer force Ansar-u-Islam, Jamiat Lawyers Forum and other subsidiary organizations have also been instructed to participate in an organized manner. District organizations have been directed to bring workers in a systematic manner to remove the fear of mischief, said Maulana Ataur Rehman.

Balochistan CM lauds police, LEAs for maintaining peace

QUETTA STAFF REPORT

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus

Bizenjo on Saturday appreciated the performance of the police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in maintaining peace in the province.

He made this appreciation while talking to Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili and Inspector General (IG) Police Abdul Khaliq Sheikh.

Chief Secretary and IG Police briefed the CM about important provincial issues and they also discussed the law and order situation in the meeting.

The IG Police briefed the CM regarding the

protests of the last few days by a political party in the province. He said that police and law enforcement agencies took vigorous measures to maintain the law and order situation, adding that the people fully cooperated with the law enforcement agencies.

The CM also appreciated the performance of the police and other law enforcement agencies in maintaining peace in the province.

"The establishment of peace and the protection of people's lives and property is the first priority. No one will be allowed to take the law into their hands", he said.

The CM directed that anti-social elements and those who create unrest should be dealt with iron hands in order to improve the law and order situation.

to take this responsibility seriously. We must recognize that preventing children and women from sexual abuse is not just a matter of punishing offenders, but also of creating a culture of safety and protection for the most vulnerable segments, Children and women. Only then can we ensure that the next generation has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.”

It is pertinent to mention that the purpose of this service is to provide common citizens and institutions with quick and easy access to information about sex offenders, particularly those who may pose a potential threat to children and women in our well-knit communities. The information can also be used to locate offenders to prevent future crimes and ensure that they are held accountable for their actions.

Upon provision of CNIC by the individual being hired, the citizens of Pakistan can verify whether he is a convicted sex offender or not by sending a 13-digit CNIC number to 7000 (SMS short code). Upon verification he/she will receive a reply in Urdu: “Beware! ABC son of XYZ is a convict. Don’t let him be around children and women.”

Pakistan, Ethiopia ink deed to boost cooperation in science, technological fields

An Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation is signed between Ministries of Science and Technology Pakistan and Federal Republic of Ethiopia. Ethiopian official delegation led by Minister of State Dr. Fozia Ameen arrived in Ministry of Science and Technology Islamabad on Thursday 11 May 2023. This cooperation has a crucial importance in establishing a framework to increase cooperation in science, technology, engineering and education for mutual benefit and peaceful purposes between the science and education communities in both the countries. All activities under this agreement will be undertaken in collaboration with partners in Ethiopia and Pakistan. The diplomatic ties between both the nations were establishment in 1958, since then Pakistan and Ethiopia have enjoyed a cordial relationship and made great progress on bilateral, regional and international concerns. PR

13 foreigners among 14 held, weapon recovered

DI KHAN: The district police on Saturday claimed to have arrested 13 foreigners for not having traveling documents and another accused of possessing illegal weapon and ammunition in the limits of Daraban Police Station. According to a police spokesman, following the directions of District Police Officer Dera Abdul Rauf Babar Qaisrani, the Daraban police led by SHO Abdul Ghaffar Khan took various actions against the anti-social elements under the supervision of SDPO Kulachi Circle Abdul Rashid Khan. The police team detained 13 Afghan nationals including Josh Murad son of Kundi, Shafi Ullah son of Abdul Samad, Shafiullah son of Abdul Haq, Shukrullah son of Faiz Muhammad, Rustam Khan son of Muhammad Akbar Khan, Muhammad Alam son of Khairullah, Mujib ur Rahman son of Abdul Rahman, Tahir Shah son of Mira Jan, Ibrahim, Najam son Abdul Rasheed, Shafiullah son of Jan Muhammad, Rahmat Ullah and Zaman Khel son of Momi Khel residents of Afghanistan when they failed to produce their traveling documents. In another action, the Daraban police arrested accused Moeed Gul son of Shah Malang resident of Zarkani, recovering a 30-bore pistol and 10 cartridges from his possession. The police also registered separate cases against them. STAFF REPORT

Karachi’s population reaches 18.61m: PBS

ISLAMABAD: The total population in Karachi has reached over 18.61 million with two days left for completion of 7th Digital Population and Housing Census-2023, according to data shared by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

According to the data Karachi’s population has reached to over 18.61 million, registering an increase of 16.31 percent or 2.6 million individuals. The latest figures revealed that Sindh’s population has crossed the 56.2 million so far. Similarly, the population in Hyderabad, Larkana and Sukkur Division has surpassed to over 12.1 million, 8 million, and 6.3 million respectively.

Meanwhile, the population in Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpur Khas Division crossed six million and five million respectively. STAFF REPORT

Nobody can be allowed to damage national assets : minister

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Federal Minister for Railways and Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafique has said that nobody could be allowed to damage or destroy national assets and warned that those involved in burning of Tarnol Railway station would be brought to justice.

Presiding over a meeting to review several matters held at the PR headquarters here on Saturday, he condemned the burning of Tarnol Railway station building during a protest by the PTI activists on May 09, saying that the culprits of the incident had been captured and soon they would face the punishment by the courts. The minister also condemned the blasts

on the Quetta railway track and directed to arrest the culprits by chasing them. He directed the PR administration to present the forensic report of ablaze incident of Karachi Express train as soon as possible.

The minister was given briefing about the restoration of Sibbi-Harnai railway track and removal of hurdles in it.

The meeting also discussed different options about the reduction of feasibility assessment of ML-1 project and auction of shops constructed on railway land. A progress report about scrap disposal was also presented to the minister.

Taking the notice of the disturbance in the booking application, the minister directed to ensure provision of the facility without any discontinuation.

The minister also directed the Gawadar office to present a report about its performance and future plans. He ordered to study applicable suggestions about profit gain of sleeper-factories and other production units. He expressed his satisfaction over the popularity and number of passengers in the Shalimar Express train.

The minister also directed to appoint heads of Railways Estate Department and Marketing Company (REDAMCO) and Pakistan Railways Freight Transportation Company (PRFTC) within a week.

The meeting also decided restructuring of the railway divisions and a committee would present recommendations to the ministry of Railways in this regard.

COURT DISMISSES PLEA AGAINST IMRAN’S MARRIAGE AS INADMISSIBLE

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

ANIslamabad district and sessions court on Saturday declared as inadmissible an application, pleading that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s marriage was ‘illegal’.

Civil Senior Judge Nasr Minullah Baloch reserved his decision and later announced that the plea was inadmissible. In its decision, the court further said that the matter of marriage during the period of iddat was beyond its jurisdiction.

The iddat period is a waiting period that a Muslim woman must observe on account of the death of her husband or the dissolution of the marriage.

The alleged un-Islamic nikkah of Imran and Bushra Bibi was brought to light by a petition filed by Muhammad Hanif, a citizen of Pakistan. Mufti Saeed, the cleric who solemnised the couple’s marriage, had claimed that the initial ceremony was not conducted in accordance with Islamic Sharia law. He mentioned having a positive relationship with Imran Khan and being a part of his core committee. He stated that

he was taken by Imran Khan to Lahore’s DHA to officiate the couple’s Nikkah in 2018. Saeed stated that he officiated the marriage between Imran and Bushra on January 1, 2018, based on the assurance of the woman. Following the wedding, the couple began living together in Islamabad, he added. However, Imran contacted him again in February 2018 and requested him to conduct the nikkah again, saying that at the time of their first nikkah, Bushra’s iddat period had not been completed as she was divorced in November 2017. Therefore, Imran deemed

Murad Saeed comes under NAB scanner for ‘several malpractices’

PESHAWAR

their first nikkah to be not in accordance with Sharia. During today’s hearing the court inquired how the former premier’s marriage in Lahore became the jurisdiction of the Islamabad sessions court.

To this, the petitioner’s lawyer said that the “fraud” started at Bani Gala and the marriage took place in Lahore. According to the lawyer, the process of the marriage started in Islamabad so the matter would fall under the jurisdiction of the Islamabad court. “Imran Khan was eager to become the prime minister, so he got married during the iddat period,” he alleged.

PM calls for measures to control wheat, flour prices in KP

LAHORE: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed the authorities concerned to take immediate measures to control the prices of wheat and flour in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), besides increasing supply from Punjab province. The prime minister issued the directives while chairing a meeting to review procurement and supply and demand of wheat in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces. The meeting was attended by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi, PM’s Adviser Engineer Amir Muqam, Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi, federal secretaries, chief secretaries and other senior officials. During the meeting, PM Shehbaz while taking notice of price hike of wheat and flour in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province directed the relevant authorities to take immediate measures to control it, besides increasing supply from Punjab province. The prime minister expressed his satisfaction over the current bumper wheat yield in the country and desired practical steps to provide its benefits to the farmers. The meeting was apprised that KP was being provided with 300,000 flour bags of 10 kg on daily basis. He directed for increasing the supply bulk and directed the chief secretaries of KP and Punjab provinces to jointly devise a mechanism in this regard. PM Shehbaz further said that hoarding and smuggling of wheat would not be tolerated in any manner and directed for strict action against the hoarders so that the supply of basic requirement of atta to general public could be ensured without any hindrance. The meeting was further informed that the province of Punjab would soon complete the wheat procurement target. The chief secretary KP informed that the province was receiving a supply of 80,000 ton of wheat from PASCO. STAFF REPORT

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started the investigation of several allegations against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s former Federal Minister Murad Saeed and has sought records from Secretary Local Government, Livestock and Irrigation Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In a letter to these departments, NAB letter says that there are other complaints against Murad Saeed, including bribery and illegal appointments as well, therefore, NAB has sought information from concerned authorities regarding alleged illegal appointments through a letter issued here on Saturday.

NAB has also sought details regarding the alleged corruption and corrupt practices from the Secretary of Local Government through the said letter. Murad Saeed allegedly bought the property with the money through frontman Hameed and Fazale Mullah, the NAB letter clarified.

The NAB also sought information through the letter from the Secretary of Irrigation regarding alleged corruption in the Bagh Deri Swat Irrigation Channel. NAB asked the Secretary of Irrigation to present the total estimated cost of the Bagh Dairy Project besides ongoing funds and project estimates.

‘Vandalism not my philosophy’: Imran for ‘independent probe’ into arson, violence on May 9

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said that vandalism was not his philosophy and called for an ‘independent probe’ into arson, violence and vandalisation committed on May 9.

Speaking to his supporters from his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park, Khan called on the superior judiciary to resist orders from the “handlers” and choose freedom, urging them to question the legality of such orders and refuse to follow them.

“I ask judges to refuse to obey the orders of these handlers. Say I will not follow your orders. Under what law are you ordering me?” he said in a live speech to the nation.

“The time has come to choose true freedom,” he said.

Speaking to his supporters from his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park, Khan vented out his frustration over what he called “baseless allegations” levelled by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) against him and his party.

Imran Khan also clarified that the allegations were directed against a person who wanted to see a strong army. “I am not doing any drama here. My wealth is not hidden in some foreign country. I had 145 cases registered against me but I did not escape. Put me on ECL if you want as I am not going anywhere.”

The former prime minister further highlighted that he had been the recipient of the most charity because people trusted him. “You’re saying Imran is lying. You should be ashamed of yourself. I have been given the most charity because they trust me.”

Imran Khan emphasised the need for tolerance over criticism, saying that any society which tolerates criticism progresses. Lashing out at the treatment meted out to his party leaders and workers, he said that such crackdown had been carried out in East Pakistan, adding that such actions could have dire consequences. “You will not listen to me, but I advise you to think big. You should see where the country is heading,” he added.

Khan also urged media outlets to reject orders from them and follow the Constitution. He encouraged journalists to listen to their conscience and not be controlled by fear.

“I also ask the media to refuse their orders. Say to them that you will follow the Constitution. Follow your conscious. They only use your fear,” he added.

The former premier also called for an investigation into the protests and vandalism that occurred following his arrest on May 9, asking Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to lead the investigation and “personally” chair the panel. “I want investigation for the ransacking of government buildings but not from them (government). I want the chief justice to create a panel which he should chair himself,” he said.

Khan also questioned the motive behind the protests, asking why people did not react in a similar manner when he was shot in Wazirabad. “In the Supreme Court, I came to know about the protests. When I was shot, why didn’t people react in such a way?” he questioned.

Imran expressed his gratitude to the judiciary for taking a stand, saying that it is the only avenue left to get justice. He accused the police of illegally attacking his residence and looting his property while his wife Bushra Bibi was alone at home during a raid earlier in the year. He stated that he had instructed his supporters never to cause chaos as it is not how his party operates. He claimed that he was willing to give himself up to the authorities if there was a warrant against him.

Regarding the Al-Qadir Trust case, he stated that it was his intention to promote Seerat-e-Nabvi and build the university. He denied having any personal benefit from the university, and the whole drama was created based on a “fraud case”.

He accused the government of trying to create chaos and throwing PTI leaders and workers in jail. He also accused “unidentified persons” of firing straight shots at young protesters and instigating violence.

“Our supporters in Peshawar reported that they had never seen these individuals before. When they tried to stop them from causing trouble, they were attacked. The same situation occurred at Liberty Chowk in Lahore, where some individuals were instigating people. We observed unidentified individuals in civilian clothing present during these incidents, similar to what we had seen during the Wazirabad incident.” Lastly, he expressed his concern over senior journalist Imran Riaz Khan, who went missing from the airport as he was trying to leave the country yesterday, fearing he would be tortured. He claimed to know his whereabouts and warned that the same people responsible for assassinating senior journalist Arshad Sharif would be held responsible if anything happened to Imran Riaz Khan.

Khan also called on people particularly women across the country to join a peaceful protest against the government, urging them to step out of their homes at 5:30pm on Sunday (tomorrow) with hand-written placards that read “Haqeeqi Azadi” (true freedom) and “Aayin bachao, Pakistan bachao” (save Constitution, save Pakistan).