Epaper_23-05-25 KHI

M P S H I P, I M R A N

F F E R S O L I V E B R A N C H T O ‘ Q U A R T E R S C O N C E R N E D ’

THOUGH former premier and chairman Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)

Imran Khan on Wednesday reiterated his offer to initiate dialogue with the concerned quarters the PTI suffered another major blow as PTI Secretary General Asad Umar and former federal minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Wednesday announced to resign

“[With refference] to my earlier statement where I unequivocally condemned 9th May incidents I have decided to take a break from politics, therefore, I have resigned from party position and parting ways from Imran Khan,” Fawad wrote on his official Twitter handle Hours later Asad Umar followed the course by announcing to step down from all party positions shortly after he was released from Adiala Jail Though journalists had already got a hint of Umar s parting plans as the party’s secretary-general dodged media and left Adiala jail silently

“Not possible for me to lead the party under these circumstances I am resigning as Secretary General and core committee member of PTI he said while addressing the press conference at the National Press Club later in the day

However, Asad clarified that he has not left the party but only resigned as the secretary general of the party He said that the most dangerous thing that happened on May 9 was that military installations were attacked He said that the incidents of May 9 are not only condemnable, but also a point to ponder on where we have come I feel like there should be transparent investigation into those involved in these incidents But also the innocent thousands of

PTI workers and supporters were arrested a lot of those who are innocent it is also important that they are released as soon as possible, he added

In response to a question, Umar clarified that he has not abandoned the party entirely but rather resigned from his role as the secretary general He emphasised that his decision was voluntary and not influenced by any external pressure

Asad Umar said that the army does not comprise just a few generals whose names are heard on TV, but thousands of soldiers

w h o s a c r i f i c e t h e i r l i v e s f o r t h e s a f e t y o f the nation

My family has been affiliated with the army for the last three generations From the 1965 war to the war on terror, members of my family have been participating in these wars over the year,” he added The PTI leader said that an army is only powerful when the nation stands behind it but what was seen on May 9 is concerning

It gave a very wrong message a transparent investigation should take place and those involved should be taken to task

But those who are innocent should be freed ”

According to the PTI leader, thousands of party workers were imprisoned but a significant portion of them were innocent Nevertheless he acknowledged the importance of holding accountable those individuals who were involved in acts of vandalism

Fawad and Asad Umar join a long list of PTI leaders who have announced quitting PTI following the May 9 vandalism and violent protests across the country hours after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested PTI chief Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case

So far Dr Shireen Mazari, Malik Amin

Aslam Mahmood Moulvi Amir Kayani

Aftab Siddiqui Fayyazul Hassan Chohan

Jai Prakash and Sanjay Gangwani among many others have left Imran Khan s party Imran Khan offers olive branch Meanwhile, Imran Khan has said that he is ready to constitute a committee for talks with “anyone who is in power today” I am making this committee and I say two things: If they tell the committee that they have a solution and the country can function better without me Or they tell the committee what benefit will Pakistan gain

from holding elections in October,” he said while addressing a press conference

Convince us on these two things I am forming a committee and I will announce this tomorrow

PTI chief Imran Khan has said that it is better to die than accept slavery

“This slavery that they making us do the way they are gripping necks and forcing them to leave PTI You were not born for this when the nation bows its head in front of fear those nations die He told supporters that he won t lose hope and will stand till the last bowl I want

to tell my nation that you should not accept defeat in any way PTI chief Imran Khan has said that those trying to knock him out were destroying the country

He outlined the economic woes of the country Imran said that people were selling their dollars and the government was spending all the taxpayers money in paying interests Can t they see that there is no roadmap? That Pakistan is drowning he argued The cruelty we are being subjected today has been inflicted on the people of [occupied Kashmir] for the last 30 years Even they don’t have fundamental rights But whenever Kashmiris get a chance to raise their voice they will raise [the slogan] of freedom in unison he asserted PTI chief Imran Khan has said that this oppression will not eliminate PTI but will in fact increase its popularity “I can say this with confidence that whenever I distribute the PTI tickets and whoever I give them to they will win he said Those [people] and human rights organisations among us who were the soldiers of democracy, don t they see that [what is happening] would only result in the PTI’s loss but also crushing democracy The time is coming when democracy will see its end ” he asserted

All that is happening today who is behind it and why is it happening? Is it benefitting Pakistan or bringing a change in the country? Will people leaving the party to eliminate PTI? Whoever thinks so needs to get their heads checked ” Imran stressed that this way an idea or vision could not be eliminated saying that t h e r e w a s a d i ff e r e n c e b e t w e e n a n i m a l s and humans

Qureshi, Jamshed Cheema, his wife put under house arrest

ISLAMABAD

S tA f f R e p o R t

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday firmly blamed Pakistan

Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for May 9 riots claiming that former prime minister was mastermind behind riots and incidents of vandalism following his arrest, stating that he cannot acquit himself of responsibility

He said this while addressing the Martyrs Protection Convention at the Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad where he also expressed his firm stance against the miscreants who crossed the red line on May 9

The prime minister went on to assert that the miscreants of former ruling party led by Khan intentionally provoked the people as part of a premeditated plan

Acknowledging the sacrifices of Pakistan s forces, law enforcement agencies, police, and security personnel Shehbaz Sharif credited their contributions to bringing peace and

stability to the country However he also highlighted that the events of May 9 would forever be remembered as a dark day that should not be forgotten

Shehbaz Sharif raised a pertinent question, asking if any political party should be allowed to attack the state in the event of an arrest He contrasted the treatment of the opposition during Khan s tenure where they were imprisoned without resorting to unlawful actions that harmed the state or its defence institutions He reminded the audience that even in the face of adversity no political party had ever harmed the country brought shame to its flag

Regarding the May 9 incident, the prime minister described it as an unforgivable crime and an attack on the state

He expressed his concern for the desecration of pictures and memorials of the martyrs empathising with the pain experienced by their heirs and relatives Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the strength of the state, reassuring the nation that those responsible for the at-

tack would be brought to justice

He reiterated that no guilty person would be spared and the government would take strict action against the culprits in accordance with the law The prime minister emphasised the need to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future by enforcing robust measures against those who dare to challenge the state Ban on PTI being considered:

Khwaja Asif

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif

has claimed that a ban on the PTI is being considered

While talking to the media at the Parliament House, Asif said Imran Khan has not condemned the events of May 9 in clear words till date The PTI chairman said if he is arrested again there will be a similar reaction he added After the no-confidence motion all of Imran Khan’s actions have backfired the minister further said adding Imran Khan s party is not able to bear the burden of his wrong decisions

Asif further said those who attacked the Corps Commander House had nefarious motives, claiming the attacks were carried out under a plan the details of which he said he didn t want to divulge

Apart from Radio Pakistan no civilian building was attacked, the minister said, adding a ban on the PTI is being considered

He further said any decision regarding the ban will be taken unanimously by the PDM If a decision is taken to ban the PTI parliament will be taken into confidence, he added

RAWALPINDI

S tA f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his wife Musarrat Cheema have been put under house arrest for 15 days under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) section 3 The orders for the PTI leaders’ house arrest were issued by the Rawalpindi commissioner The former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Musarrat Cheema and Jamshed Cheema have been placed under house arrest for 15 days It may be noted that Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Musarrat Jamshed Cheema were on Tuesday rearrested from outside Adiala Jail after the IHC had ordered their release I am not leaving the party I am with the party, and I will stay with the party, Mr Qureshi was quoted as saying in the statement Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, presiding over the case at the IHC imposed a conditional release for Mr Qureshi requiring the submission of an affidavit by his legal representatives

OMAR AYUB KHAN S HOUSE RAIDED IN ISLAMABAD

Police raided the house of PTI Additional Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan in Islamabad on Tuesday night, sources said According to family sources, Omar Ayub Khan was not in the house at the time of police raid They claimed that police arrested three employees from the house

Khadija Shah presented in Lahore ATC

LAHORE S tA f f R e p o R t

f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l Tr a n s m i s s i o n a n d D i s p a t c h C o m p a n y ( N T D C ) r e g a r d i n g t h e t r a n s m i s s i o n l i n e c o n t r a c t o f t h e D a s u h y d r o p o w e r p l a n t C h a i r m a n A b r o c r i t i c i s e d N T D C o ff i c i a l s f o r favouring specific contractors by tailoring cond i t i o n s t o t h e i r p r e f e r e n c e b e f o r e a w a r d i n g t h e c o n t r a c t T h e c o m m i t t e e h a d p r e v i o u s l y i ns t r u c t e d t h e r e m o v a l o f t w o a l l e g e d l y c o r r u p t

The prime suspect in the attack on the Lahore corps commander s house Khadija Shah was presented before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) today Khadija Shah was transferred to a women s police station after she was arrested on Tuesday Sources, privy to the case, shared that the fashion designer would be investigated by Superintendent of Police (SP) Anush Masood A day earlier the Punjab Police had confirmed her arrest Despite her husband and other family members being arrested, the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) supporter did not surrender herself to the authorities even after claiming that she would present herself before them

The Corps Commander House or Jinnah House was attacked on May 9 when PTI stormed and burned it down following party chairman Imran Khan s arrest in the £190m settlement case In an over 16 minutes-long audio message released on Sunday Shah admitted that she was a PTI supporter and was part of the protest outside the Lahore Corps Commander s House but denied committing any wrongdoing, including inciting people to violence

Regarding the January 23 power blackout it was revealed that the Federal Cabinet had established four committees to investigate the incident However, the reports from these committees are still pending and not yet finalised, according to the Additional Secretary of the Power Division Senator Asad Junejo questioned the reason for setting up the committees and inquired about the notification regarding their formation Expressing dissatisfaction with the delay, Senator Abro noted that the committees were supposed to provide reports within two weeks However, more than a month and two weeks have passed without any inquiry reports being prepared Chairman Abro urged for immediate action and stated that miracles must happen within the Power Division The Secretary of the Power Division shared that the blackstart facility from Tarbela, Varsak, and Mangala was not operational during the blackout Twelve attempts were made to restore the system which took approximately 12 hours Kot Addu Power Plant also has black start facility said Secretary Power Division Four months after Januar y blackout, investigation still delayed as corruption allegations loom g CONCERNED OVER DELAY, SENATE COMMITTEE CALLS FOR SWIFT ACTION C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 PM Shehbaz blames Imran Khan as ‘master mind’ of May 9 riots g A SIF SAYS GOVT MULLING TO BAN PTI C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03

S I X T E R R O R I S T S K I L L E D I N S O U T H

W A Z I R I S TA N O P E R AT I O N

PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t

AT least six terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) on Wednesday in the Kot Azam area in South Waziristan district of Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa province the military said

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was conducted on the reported presence of terrorists It stated that intense fire exchange occurred between security forces and terrorists resulting in the killing of six terrorists during the conduct of the operation

Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists who remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces as well as

Plea filed in LHC for JIT to probe May 9 riots

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

extortion and targeted killing of innocent citizens ” it added ISPR further said that a sanitisation of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area

Locals of the area appreciated the operation and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism, it further said With a long history of valour and commitment to the nation the army has played a critical role in protecting Pakistan s sovereignty and territorial integrity In recent years, the army has launched several successful operations against terrorist groups operating in different parts of the country These operations have been crucial in dismantling the terrorist infrastructure and eliminating the threat posed by these groups to the civilian population and security forces alike

A petition was filed in Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) over the May 9 protests that broke out across the country following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in NCA £190m corruption scandal The petition was filed by Advocate Afzal Azeem

The petitioner has made Punjab caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi, IG Punjab and others respondents in the plea The petition stated that PTI workers were being arrested over May 9 violence urging the court to form JIT to investigate the cases Earlier the Punjab government constituted 10 joint investigation teams (JITs) to probe the May 9 violence in Lahore, wherein military installations including Lahore Corps Commander ’s house also known as Jinnah House were attacked

Jahangir Tareen ‘opens’ political office in Lahore

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan actively explores trade and investment cooperation opportunities with Chinese enterprises and welcomes direct Chinese investment in Pakistan, including manufacturing operations for sales within Pakistan or duty-free export, said Hussain Haider the Pakistani Consul General in Shanghai during the Pakistan International Promotion Conference

During his presentation on trade and investment opportunities in Pakistan, the consul general provided an overview of unique Pakistani products, top exports, Pakistan’s foreign trade preferential investment policies in Pakistan the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor foreign investment incentives and priority sectors for investment, among other topics, according to a report published by Gwadar Pro on Wednesday

“Pakistan situated at a crucial juncture of the Belt and Road possesses a

unique geographical location and abundant natural resources, added the consul general He further highlighted that “with its substantial market potential youthful workforce and agricultural advantages Pakistan holds significant development potential in the fields of economy Special Economic Zones (SEZs), tourism, and culture, thus attracting Chinese investment and tourists ”

According to the Board of Investment Pakistan net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows from China reached USD 847 000 000 in 20192020 and USD 758,000,000 in 20202021 The consul general mentioned that “Shanghai-based companies that have invested in Pakistan have achieved significant success and serve as exemplary Pak-China collaboration cases We anticipate further investments from the Shanghai economic zone in the postpandemic era Jiawen Pei, the chairman of Shang-

Faiz Hameed ‘biggest beneficiar y’ in Al-Qadir Trust scandal, claims Faisal Vawda

ISLAMABAD

ag e n c e S

Former federal minister Faisal Vawda on Wednesday claimed that former DG ISI Lieutenant General (Rtd) Faiz Hameed was the architect and the mastermind in the National Crime Agency £190m case Imran Khan was currently facing The PTI leader was speaking to the media after he appeared before NAB in Al-Qadir Trust case Talking to the media, Vawda said that former accountability advisor Shahzad Akbar Zulfi Bukhari and other leaders were being named in this case but the biggest beneficiary is Faiz Hameed My compulsion today was to tell the nation that when you say the beneficiary is Imran, [ ] the biggest is Faiz Hameed ” Faisal Vawda further said that this was a “very small case” and that bigger crimes would be uncovered when things were further probed Criticising President Arif Alvi the federal minister said that Alvi played a huge role in these misunderstandings I had warned Imran Khan before about snakes in his party, who would be holding press conferences soon condemning the May 9 violence ” Faisal Vawda added

PM’s son-in-law acquitted of money laundering charges

hai Blue Sky Economic City Development Co , Ltd, acknowledged the presence of 20,000 enterprises in the city park many of which align with Pakistan’s encouraged investment direction

He welcomed the establishment of the Pakistan National Pavilion within the economic city, aiming to expand the sales of high-quality Pakistani products through offline display and e-commerce

The Shanghai Blue Sky Economic City is an economic development zone authorized by the government of Shanghai s Jiading District Established in 1994 it is located in Nanxiang a picturesque town with a rich historical and cultural heritage and a strong presence in the gaming industry The chairman expressed the desire to strengthen interaction with Pakistan jointly optimize the business environment and serve as a bridge for cooperation between the two sides

More than 100 enterprises in logistics, food processing, information technology, automobile parts, and hardware participated in the promotion conference demonstrating their interest in trade and investment

They raised various questions such as the currency for settling trade transactions between China and Pakistan, laws concerning the employment of local Pakistani employees, and preparations for joint ventures

The consul general addressed these queries on-site and provided the necessary answers 0

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

Senior politician Jahangir Khan Tareen has again become active in Pakistan’s political area as he has reportedly opened his political office in Lahore Sources having knowledge of the matter said the former lawmakers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) from South Punjab, who recently, parted their ways, met Jahangir Tareen in Lahore It was further said that more than 20 important political personalities whose names are yet to be revealed have met Jahangir Tareen in Lahore Earlier in the month of April it was reported that a splinter group of former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) leaders has proposed forming a new political party to contest the upcoming elections

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif s son-in-law Haroon Yousaf of money laundering charges An accountability court disposed of Haroon Yousaf s interim bail as withdrawn The court was hearing a money laundering reference against Shehbaz Sharif and others The court directed to provide a copy of the supplementary report to the suspects The accountability court judge said that on the next hearing the court will review the indictment based on the record The court then adjourned the hearing on the money laundering reference till May 31 Shehbaz Sharif ’s representative appeared in court and completed the attendance procedure Earlier this month the National Accountability Bureau submitted a supplementary report in the accountability court, declaring PM Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza, “innocent” in the money laundering reference

SHC moved to suspend by-poll on NA seat in Karachi

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

A petition was filed in Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday seeking the suspension of a by-poll in Karachi s NA-239 constituency

The petition was filed by PTI’s former MNA Akram Cheema The petitioner maintained that the PHC and LHC had already suspended by-polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab

At this, the SHC judge inquired to submit written order copies of both courts

To which Cheema’s lawyer told the court they have a copy of the written order of LHC but PHC judgement is currently not available

The court then ordered to submit a written judgement of PHC verdict regarding the suspension of by-polls and adjourned the further proceedings

Youm-e-Takreem-e-Shuhada-e-Pakistan

IN a recent incident that unfolded on May 9 Pakistan witnessed a deeply unsettling event that shook the nation to its core Military installations were vandalized and the sacred monuments of Shuhada, the martyrs who embody the spirit of the armed forces, were desecrated

The sanctity of the Shuhada of Pakistan holds the utmost importance irrespective of their respective fields or law enforcement agencies they work for Whether they belonged to the Army Navy Air Force Police or civilians, these individuals, through their selflessness and sacrifice, uplifted the spirit of Pakistan and fortified its integrity

While those who took part in vandalizing state property and desecrating the sacred monuments should be taken to task it is crucial to acknowledge the presence of miscreants who harbour malicious intent toward Pakistan This incident serves as a lesson for the people, urging them to reflect on the ‘May 9th arson’ and never to repeat such actions in the future It is imperative that if a similar situation were to arise again those protesting even in a peaceful manner should immediately come together to halt any aggressive mob attempting to vandalize and desecrate the monuments of our martyrs

The question arises: what did these miscreants hope to achieve? Their primary goal was to sow discord between the armed forces and the citizenry The tragic events of May 9 expose the tactics of grey zone warfare that have been unleashed upon Pakistan

The youth who constitute a significant portion of the population are particularly susceptible to exploitation through misinformation warfare and social media manipulation This misinformation confuses them and incites them to attack the state without comprehending the consequences Despite having diverse political allegiances people in other countries universally honour the sanctity of their martyrs refraining from attacking or desecrating their memory

Such events of violence, vandalism, and desecration not only inflict damage upon state property and disrespect the martyrs, but they also have a profound impact on the integrity and morale of the armed forces of Pakistan

When the monuments and symbols representing the sacrifices of the Shuhada are desecrated it undermines the sense of honour and pride that soldiers associate with their service If the nation fails to uphold the sanctity and grace of its soldiers and their sacrifices it raises questions about the value placed on their lives and their dedication to defending the motherland

It becomes crucial to preserve the sanc-

tity of the martyrs monuments and instil in every soldier the unwavering belief that their sacrifices will be cherished respected and remembered, even in the face of adversities

This ensures that the spirit of martyrdom and the commitment to defending the nation remains a source of inspiration and motivation for the soldiers who selflessly put their lives on the line Is it even conceivable to entertain politics or biases when a soldier lays down his life to defend his motherland? No, a Shaheed transcends all such divisions They do not represent any particular ethnicity, race, sect, or religion they embody the ultimate value of life sacrificing themselves for the greater good of their country Today, the families of the Shuhada are filled with anguish They demand to know why the national symbols were desecrated Were those who committed these acts terrorists or were they simply unaware that Shuhada do not die but live eternally receiving sustenance from the divine? The significance of martyrs is embedded in all religions, and the Holy Quran teaches us they remain alive, aware of the happenings in their country Imagine how the families of these martyrs must feel to learn that their loved ones’ monuments were desecrated by the very masses for whom they made the ultimate sacrifice

The LHC judge Justice Shahid Karim

issued the verdict on petitions filed by PTI leaders Farrukh Habib and Ijaz Shah

The petitioners argued that by-elections in both constituencies were scheduled to be held on May on May 28, adding that as per the law they could not be conducted when there are less than 90 days in completion of the National Assembly D u r i n g t h e h e a r i n g t o d a y A d v o c a t e A z h a r S i d d i q u e t o l d t h e c o u r t t h a t t h e b y - e l e c t i o n c o u l d n o t b e h e l d 1 2 0 d a y s before the expiry of the term of the National Assembly “The PHC had postponed the elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so it should be stopped in Punjab too he told court

At this, the ECP advocate argued that the election was stopped in KP by making false statements in the Peshawar High Court adding that all preparations for the elections have been completed and the court should dismiss the petition

Every citizen has the right to peacefully protest aligned with their chosen political party However it is crucial to remember that the leaders of these political parties should rise above all biases when it comes to safeguarding the respect and sanctity of the Shuhada Political parties should be well-informed and equipped to gauge the public s sentiments Looking ahead it is imperative to make sure that the elders of families ensure that their children will not be swayed or exploited by miscreants during times of public violence, vandalism, and desecration of martyrs’ monuments This can also be achieved through comprehensive educational programs and initiatives that focus on fostering critical thinking resilience and a strong

sense of national identity

In conclusion the recent events of May 9 have emphasized the importance of commemorating Youm-e-Takreem Shuhada-ePakistan on May 25, 2023 The vandalism of military installations, desecration of Shuhada monuments, and damage to state property highlight the need to uphold the sanctity of our martyrs Their sacrifices regardless of their field or affiliation represent the highest values of sacrifice and devotion By honoring their memory, we ensure that their sacrifices are never forgotten and that the sanctity of their legacy shapes our nation’s future with unity and resilience

The author can be reached at murtazamir88@gmail com

SEPARATED 75 YEARS AGO, SIBLINGS REUNITE AT K ARTARPUR

NAR OWAL S ta f f R e p o R t

EM O T I O N A L scenes were witnessed after a brother and his sister separated 75 years ago reunited at the Kartarpur Corridor The siblings were separated by the tragic Partition of 1947 that led to the formation of Pakistan and India

Mahendra Kaur, 81, accompanied by her family members, made the journey from India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur via the Kartarpur Corridor while 78-year-old Sheikh Abdul Aziz arrived in Kartarpur with his family from Azad Jammu and Kashmir

During the partition in 1947 the family

of Sardar Bhajan Singh who resided in Indian Punjab was tragically torn apart Following the partition Sheikh Abdul Aziz relocated to Azad Jammu and Kashmir while his other family members remained in India Sheikh Abdul Aziz told the media that he spent years in distress after being separated from his family He tirelessly searched for them but couldn’t find any leads He married at a young age but always carried the longing to reunite with his estranged family including his parents and other relatives

The video of the siblings was shared on Twitter by PMU (Project Management Unit) Kartarpur Official, in which the two can be seen embracing each other Both can be seen overwhelmed with emotions of happiness as

they finally met after these many years and that of grief over the loss of their parents

Overwhelmed with joy Mahendra Kaur repeatedly hugged her brother and kissed his hands In light of this joyful occasion, the Kartarpur administration adorned both families with garlands and distributed sweets

The families visited Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur together sitting side by side and sharing a meal They also exchanged gifts as a symbol of their reunion

The family members revealed that they came across a post on social media detailing the separation of a man and his sister during the partition The two families connected through this post and discovered that Mahendra and Aziz were indeed the estranged siblings

Mahendra expressed her gratitude for the Kartarpur Corridor project, praising the government of Pakistan She remarked that today the Kartarpur Corridor has brought together siblings who were separated 75 years ago exemplifying its power to unite families and bridge long-standing divides For similar stories of such reunification

Student dies of heat, load-shedding during board exam

KHAIRPUR

S ta f f R e p o R t

In a devastating incident, a student tragically lost his life on Wednesday due to load shedding and extreme heat during his 11th class board examination

The unfortunate incident occurred at the Government Degree College in the Thiri area of Khairpur, Sindh, where hundreds of students gathered to appear for their 11th class board exams

The student identified as Mehtab Ali lost consciousness while giving his exam

The boy was immediately rushed to the hospital But tragically, could not be revived, and eventually died Initial reports suggest that the boy died of suffocation

Reportedly, load shedding left the students exposed to the sweltering heat Amid scorching temperatures and a power out-

95% miscreants involved in May 9 incidents identified, 60% arrested: Cabinet told

CONTINEUD FROM BACK PAGE

The meeting was briefed in details about the Road to Makkah Project and about its implementation under a memorandum signed on May 17 Under the project the intending Pakistani pilgrims would be able to complete their immigration in Pakistan, thus saving them from the process in Saudi Arabia

Five special counters had been established at the Islamabad airport for the purpose where a total of 2 450 pilgrims had been facilitated in the current Hajj season A total of 26 000 pilgrims would be facilitated from the project in the current year, it was added The meeting was further apprised that in the next year the project would be extended to other airports of the country taking the number of pilgrims to 75 000 who would be provided with the facility The cabinet accorded its approval to the appointment of Major General (retd) Hafeez ur Rehman as Member Administration of Pakistan Telecommunication It also ratified the decisions taken during the Economic Coordination Committee s (ECC) meeting of May 16

Khadija Shah presented in Lahore ATC

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

age the situation at examination center quickly turned into a life-threatening ordeal The temperature inside the hall rose significantly creating an unbearable environment for those present

The Minister for Education Board Ismail had previously urged authorities to ensure uninterrupted power supply in examination centers, particularly considering the intense heat prevailing in Sindh

However this incident reflects a failure to implement necessary measures to protect students lives and well-being during crucial exams It is pertinent to mention here that the Education Department of Sindh had issued a notification declaring summer vacations across the province According to the notification, all educational institutions will commence their holidays from June 1 2023 until July 31 2023 with schools reopening on August 1

The decision to hold exams during the scorching heat of May, without reliable power supply, has now been questioned in light of this tragic incident

PM S hehbaz blames Imran K han as ‘mastermind ’ of M ay 9 riots

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

It has to be ensured that the respect of the army remains intact, Asif remarked, adding every such step will be taken so that no one can use the Pakistan Army for their politics

The minster also called Imran Khan a dishonest disloyal person who made the armed forces a party in his struggle for power Nawaz Sharif was stripped of power but no incident like May 9 happened,” the minister commented Asif He further said there was no legitimate reason to ban political parties earlier the minister said adding there is no international pressure on the government and all the decisions will be made in the county s interests

Crackdown on PTI continues; several leaders’ residences raided Amid continuing crackdown on party workers supporters and leadership the PTI said on Wednesday that residences of many senior leaders including Hammad Azhar, Omar Ayub Khan and Ali Nawaz Awan were raided overnight

On the PTI Islamabad’s Twitter handle the party asserted that during a raid former federal minister Hammad Azhar s 82-year-old father was threatened and a warning was given that his daughter would be whisked away if his son didn’t surrender to the police

T h e P T I a l s o c l a i m e d t h a t p o l i c e had conducted a raid at party’s Islama b a d r e g i o n p r e s i d e n t A l i N a w a z Awan house

Separately, PTI leader Omar Ayub alleged that the Islamabad Police raided and searched his house without a warrant abducted his staff and threatened to arrest his son

This is the level this imported government is stooping too low, he tweeted Meanwhile, condemning the re-arrest and ‘custodial torture’ of PTI leade r s w o r k e r s a n d s u p p o r t e r s p a r t y chief Imran Khan vowed to resist till my last breath

The constitution is being brazenly violated along with SC (Supreme Court) rulings Police are being used to crush PTI, our leaders forced to quit the party ” he further said in a tweet adding that giving into this cruelty means the death of our nation

Pakistan doubles daily Covid tests

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistan has diagnosed another five Covid-19 infections with no fatality despite more than doubling the daily tests during the last 24 hours showed the data released by the National Institute of Health (NIH) on Wednesday morning

According to the NIH data, the death toll in the country remained the same at 30,662 whereas the number of total infections now rose to 1,580,967 after adding the fresh five cases

During the last 24 hours (Tuesday)

Shah is the daughter of Dr Salman Shah who was a member of former president Parvez Musharraf s finance team and had also served as an adviser in the Punjab government during the Usman Buzdar government She is also the granddaughter of a former army chief Her arrest came after a report revealed how efforts to seek relief for the famed fashion designer failed miserably She had fled when police raided her residence and had been on the run since then Punjab Interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi had last week announced that the women involved in the May 9 attacks on the military installations would be arrested at all costs The army and the federal government have also vowed that all miscreants involved in the attacks on military installations would be tried under the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act Following the attacks, thousands of PTI workers have been rounded up across the country, with several leaders also parting ways with the party over the May 9 mayhem In her voice note released Sunday Khadija Shah said she was going to surrender to the police and admitted her mistake Shah acknowledged that she had made inappropriate tweets against the military leadership in anger and emotion, but now they have been deleted “I am going to surrender to the police I have taken this decision because the last five days remained very tough for me she said They (authorities) barged into my house at midnight and abducted my husband and father They roughed up my husband in front of our children my domestic workers were also subjected to torture,” she claimed The PTI supporter went on to say she did not violate any law or the country s Constitution adding that she had participated in many PTI protests during the past year She also disclosed that she was a dual citizen and trying to get help from the embassy but did not elaborate further in this regard

2 190 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas

E i

and love, the Kartarpur Corridor is also famously called the Corridor of Love, Peace and Reunification Last year as well, in January two separated brothers reunite in the corridor Muhammad Siddique 80 and Habib 78 met each other in an emotional reunion where they hugged and cried and garlanded each other on the happy occasion

PHC suspends arrest warrants of ex-minister, others under MPO

PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday suspended detention orders of former provincial minister Anwar Zeb Khan and other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers under the Maintenance of Public Order A bench of the PHC comprised of Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Jusitce Sahibzada Asadullah heard a petition of five PTI workers including Anwar Zeb Khan, challenging their arrest warrants under MPO-3 The court suspended the MPO order issued by Bajaur district administration The court restrained the administration from arrest of the accused under the MPO-3 The bench also ordered transfer of the case Mingora bench of the high court The court in its order also ordered petitioners to submit two lac rupees surety bonds each The court ordered petitioners to submit their statements on oath to the district administration that they will not take part in such activities in future

All knowledge stems from Quran: scholar

GUJRAT S ta f f R e p o R t

case tally was recorded at 4 49 crore (4 49 87 891) The active cases now comprise 0 01 percent of the total infections and the national Covid19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98 80 percent, the ministry said The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4 44 49 451 and the case fatality rate was recorded at 1 18 percent According to the ministry s website, 220 66 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive

Renowned motivational speaker and Islamic scholar Soban Attari addressing a seminar here at Hafiz Hayat Campus of University of Gujrat (UoG) on Tuesday urged the students to go for creativity and innovation in their academic journey and seek guidance from the Holy Quran – the only perfect source of knowledge and truth, some of which modern science has discovered only recently The seminar, titled ‘Islam and Science’, was organized by Hayatyans Science Society and Clubs (HSSC) in collaboration with the Student Services Centre and aimed at familiarizing and helping the students understand the glorious intellectual and scientific contribution of the Muslims who laid the foundation of various science branches The seminar was presided over by Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Mushahid Anwar HSSC coordinator Dr Zahid Anwar directors and chairpersons of various departments and other senior academics attended the event as guests of honour Soban Attari said that there is no contradiction between Islam and science The Holy Quran is a book of guidance and wisdom He stressed the need for today’s Muslims especially the students to spend some time for the learning and understanding of the Holy Quran The Holy Prophet (SAW) called upon the Ummah to seek knowledge and discover new scientific truths Allah (SWT) too invites us in the Holy Quran to contemplate His blessings and various other phenomena,” Soban Attari said Dr Mushahid Anwar said that serving humanity by exploring new knowledge is a noble cause President HSSC Muhammad Talha thanked the guests and gave a brief introduction of the society Faculty member Yasir Jami moderated the proceedings

o u r e d p o s t h u m o u s l y o n T h u r s d a y

Eight Pakistanis are among 103 United Nations peacekeepers from around the world would be honoured posthumously on May 25 at a special ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping, UN announced yesterday

The Pakistani peacekeepers include six who were martyred while serving with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) when their helicopter crashed on March 29 2022 They are:

Havildar Muhammad Ismail, Major

Faizan Ali, Lt Col Asif Ali Awan, Naib

Subedar Sami Ullah Khan, Major Muhammad Saad Nomani and Lance Havildar Muhammad Jamil Khan Havildar Babar Siddique lost his life while also serving in MONUSCO and Corporal Rana Muhammad Tahir Islam while serving with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA)

N e w Yo r k

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will l a y a w r e a t h t o h o n o u r t h e m o r e t h a n 4 , 2 0 0 U N p e a c e k e e p e r s w h o h a v e l o s t their lives since 1948 He will also preside over a ceremony in the General Ass e m b l y H a l l a t w h i c h g o l d M e d a l s w i l l b e a w a r d e d p o s t h u m o u s l y t o 1 0 3 m i l it a r y p o l i c e a n d c i v i l i a n p e a c e k e e p e r s who lost their lives serving under the UN flag last year

The Secretary-General will also present the 2022 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award to Captain Cecilia Erzuah, a military officer from Ghana who served with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) Created in 2016 the Award recognizes the dedication and effort of an individual peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Resolution 1325 on women

peace and security

In his message for the occasion the Secretary-General said, United Nations peacekeepers are the beating heart of our commitment to a more peaceful world For 75 years, they have supported people and communities rocked by conflict and upheaval across the globe

Jean-Pierre Lacroix Under-SecretaryGeneral for Peace Operations said: Peacekeeping is a powerful example of how strong partnerships and collective political will can result in meaningful change Working together with local communities and other partners our personnel protect civilians advance political solutions and help end conflicts in the pursuit of sustainable peace We appreciate the support of all stakeholders to ensure that UN Peacekeeping can continue to work as an effective multilateral tool for global peace and security

The International Day of UN Peacekeepers was established by the UN General Assembly in 2002, to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace

g h t P a k i s t a n i U N p e a c e k e e p e r s t o b e h o n

TH E PTI is in disarray The latest departures from its ranks include one former federal minister Shireen Mazari and one provincial Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan They are only the more prominent among the legislators and pasty office brearers who have left the party, jumping ship to another party, or abandoning politics all togather, as Dr Mazari says she will A lot of its leadership is already in jail and it is increasingly difficult to find anyone to speak for the party Mr Khan says that these are ‘forced divorces’ It’s easy for him to talk He has been doing his best to avoid arrest, while such figures as Dr Mazari were repeatedly arrested by the MPO, released on bail, only to be arrested again Mr Khan clearly had not prepared his party for something that no one has done successfully in the past: rise up against the establishment and succeed It is also worth noting that while these departures may include forced divorces a lot had entered the party as a result of forced marriages At that time, Mr Khan expressed no objection to Inducting people in his party who were being directed by the establishment to join

In the battle of ‘red lines’ the establishment seems to be winning at the moment If the party’s red line is Mr Khan the establishment’s are the symbols of its strength Mr Khan is stuck, because the May 9 incidents have not left him with a party, and he may have realized too late that the May n9 incidents will not be pushed behind him so simply He knows very well that no party has come to power without establishment approval According to his opponents no one would know better than him who was given all its electables and its other help in the 2018 elections and its help moving forward, whether it was a majority for a budget or against a vocal opponent

Where does Mr Khan go from here? More importantly, where does he take his party? He has a difficult task ahead of him, that of somehow rubbing out the red line his supporters crossed on May 9 and winning back the support he lost The point is now now to win the next election, as that is likely to be a bridge too far Now the purpose is to remain in politics until a situations time arises where all can be forgotten, if not forgotten

Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late)

Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor

Rashid MehMood

IN D I A will overtake China with almost three million more people in the middle of next year It has long been one of the world s most populous nations; but as per the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) report, as per the fresh report of this organization India has bypassed China and has become the most populous country in the world Its population is estimated at 1 428 6 million or in other words 1 429 billion Against China with 1 425 7 billion The data has been shown on its website and it described that India had surpassed China in its overpopulation

The last census in India was held in 2011 and the next was delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic which was due in 2021 China has controlled its population in the last few years and fell for the first time in six decades with profound implications for its economy worldwide

As per the report of UNFPA, it is assumed that population growth in India has averaged 1 2 percent since 2011 The report also indicated that the fertility rates of Brazil Egypt and Niger were too high; however the Indian population has surpassed other countries in fertility rate

As per the Global Hunger Index repor t of 2022, India ranks 107th out of 121 countries which is alarming for a populous country like India As per the educational ranking of world countries, India stands at 32 while China stands at 22. According to former President and nuclear scientist A. P. J. Abdul Kalam „Almost half of the worldÊs population lives in rural regions and mostly in a state of pover ty.

d R Fa R i d a M a l i k

TH E state apparatus in the Land of the Pure behaves like an omnipotent imperial power that is above all laws and unaccountable to the requirements of the due process Early this year after all taxes had been paid, I received a Last Notice from the Excise and Taxation Department with clear directions for personal appearance

During the hearing I was told that the department had changed the assessment as such additional tax was due I requested copies of the mandated three notices before which the final was issued The inspector was unable to produce them as they were never issued in total violation of the process The Director issued instructions for withdrawal of the Last Notice , ’ which in actuality was the first Such infringements of citizen’s rights have become the norm in most government departments Instead of facilitation exploitation has become the norm which must be contained and corrected Public anger is on the rise due to such misuse of authority and power called Badmashi

A few years back my late mother received a notice for personal appearance from the Wealth Tax Directorate I appeared on her behalf During a shifting of office the department had lost the files which it wanted to rebuild They wanted copies of my file

In utter surprise I asked them the purpose of issuing a notice for personal appearance Papers could have been sent through mail

To resolve the case, I asked them to ask for the record in writing which they refused as it exposed their inefficiency and lack of empathy for the assessee The notices kept coming and became an irritant Finally I decided to meet my old school friend who was the Income Tax Commissioner at that time He called the concerned officer who promised to stop the notices only if I provided a complete copy of my file

Friendly advice was to comply with an assurance that the harassment would be stopped once the departmental file has been reconstructed It was a act of arm twisting which even I could not avoid despite my links and standing Record keeping is poor in most offices which needs major attention for efficient governance

The onus for record has been unilaterally shifted to the public, and the departments create unnecessary hurdles by misusing their unlimited authority

Public harassment continues unabated The de-

partmental heads do not ensure observance of the required due process to make it legal The recent abduction of the most popular leader from the premises of the court calls for serious action

The Chairman

NAB who signed the arrest warrant should be called by the court to explain his lapse Aftab Sultan, the previous head of NAB, a professional intelligence bureaucrat, refused to sign the warrants, and instead he decided to step down He was replaced by Lt Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt who had spent all his professional life in the units/barracks and lacked the expertise of his new job He signed the warrants and went abroad as if it was a routine matter Then the Director General Rangers allowed his men to enter the court premises to abduct IK for NAB custody It was a serious infringement which should not go unpunished

From the NAB office in Rawalpindi, IK was moved to the Police Lines in Islamabad where a special court was set up again in violation of law Every accused is entitled to an open public trial, it s the basic requirement of Common Law

In the Bhutto trial an attempt was made to conduct the court proceedings within the Kot Lakhpat jail which was resisted Bhutto was driven from his prison cell for court appearance As a young engineer working in PITAC located on the Canal Bridge I had the chance of waving to the Quaid-eAwam as he was being driven to the hostile court of Justice Maulvi Mushtaq

tice and fair play Ministers do not have executive authority as such they do not sign warrants but are made to carry the blame Arrests must come at the end of the due process not at the start Bail is the right of the accused which should not be taken away before conviction In the Bhutto trial Bhutto was bailed out by Mr Justice K M A Samdani of the Lahore High Court, to be arrested under the Martial Law Regulation and then tried in internment Infringements through executive abuse must be made punishable providing relief to the aggrieved party is not enough; the perpetrators should also be punished Courts have to ensure individual liberty at all costs Kitnay Notice (How many notices?) is the right approach to contain rampant executive abuse and enforcement of due process

I n i t i a l ly i t w a s t h e p ow e r

o f b r i b e w h i c h l a t e r o n

t u r n e d i n t o m i s u s e o f

s t a t e p ow e r t o g row t h e

bu s i n e s s . S u c h a bu s e o f

l a i d - d ow n p ro c e d u r e s h a s

p ro d u c e d s ev e r a l

b l u n d e rs l i k e t h e S a h i w a l

C o a l F i r e d P l a n t , a n

e nv i ro n m e n t a l d i s a s t e r, a n d t h e O r a n g e L i n e , a f i n a n c i a l d r a i n , b o t h

u n fo r t u n a t e ly i n L a h o r e S t a t e a p p a r a t u s i s

m a n d a t e d t o fo l l ow t h e

d u e p ro c e s s a n d o b ey

He was always poised and well dressed Despite the court abuse his conduct was dignified Those who celebrated his judicial murder in 1979 now have started to eulogize him as a great leader of his times This hypocrisy of establishment-created politicians must be exposed Those who hunt with the hound cannot run with the hare when it suits them

o n ly l e g a l o rd e rs o r f a c e

t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f l aw

In the much hyped arrest of Rana Sanaullah in the narcotics case the arrest was carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) headed by a DG in uniform who signed his arrest warrants As Interior Minister Rana Sb should take the DG to task

An inquiry must be conducted to protect the innocent by punishing those who cross the lines It is all about due process which must be enforced for jus-

The consequences of an over-populous India

Some population representatives said in their statement that population numbers in India would not trigger anxiety or create alarm, but should be seen as a symbol of progress if individual rights and choices that are upheld

A population control volunteer in India named Poonam Muttreja has expressed that in this alarming population people should make sure that girls and women should not be pushed into early marriages and pregnancies Many experts have the view that the larger population will make a great contribution to the Indian economy as it is already the world’s fifth-largest economy and it will contribute more In the long run it is assumed that India will compete with China in the mid-to-low-end manufacturing sector and both countries have a large pool of young labour resources for economic take-off

However, India is diverse; it cannot compete with China by its larger labour force to harvest demographic dividends as the Indian majority population is poorly educated and most live below the poverty line It has been expected that the global population will cross 9 7 billion in 2064 and the Indian population is expected to continue growing to 1 7 billion The question arises of how a government can control the largest religiously diverse population singlehandedly The overpopulation will bring the Indian government to its knees by putting them on the right track

Overpopulation is one of the serious hazards which creates a great obstacle to national development; some serious issues associated with larger populations include pressure on food items, clothing and housing which are the basic needs for human life; thus it will affect the lifestyle of slum areas starvation and other problems

Another serious issue caused by overpopulation is unemployment and disguised unem-

ployment which ultimately will affect the country s low-income groups as larger families in India depend on one earning person, which will affect their lifestyle Overpopulation will also affect the decrease of forest area to construct houses and places for shelter in India Education is a serious issue for the Indian government as the current government is concerned with promoting Hindutva ideology which is a big threat to other sects like Muslims, Christianity and Jews in India This division will create a catastrophic divergence in inhabitants of other religions The energy crisis is yet another bottleneck for the Indian government; and the majority of the state in India is deprived of electricity According to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2022 India is ranked 180th among 180 countries and a country with the lowest rank in environmental pollution can compete with China In India, around 99 million people have no access to safe water and most of their newborns die from diarrheal diseases

As per the Global Hunger Index report of 2022 India ranks 107 h out of 121 countries which is alarming for a populous country like India As per the educational ranking of world countries, India stands at 32 while China stands at 22 According to former President and nuclear scientist A P J Abdul Kalam “Almost half of the world s population lives in rural regions and mostly in a state of poverty Such inequalities in human development have been one of the primary reasons for unrest and, in some parts of the world, even violence The Indian government should think deeply about the pros and cons associated with overpopulation

The writer is a freelance columnist based in Islamabad; He can be reached at rashidmehmoodkayani@gmail com

Mrr Justice Athar Minallah while hearing the case of abduction of Imran Khan on April 9 from the premises of Islamabad High Court asked a simple question; How many notices were served ? The NAB investigator reluctantly replied, One In his defense next day at the IHC the brilliant Khawaja Haris explained to the court that three notices are required before any arrest warrants can be issued; that too if the replies are not submitted by the accused Due process has to be followed for law to take its course While the NAB laws are draconian the Sharif Adhocism has destroyed civilian institutions and the due process that is mandatory Mian Muhammad Sharif,who ran a small foundry with his six brothers in Ram Gali adopted a simple approach to meet his objectives: Every man has a price Pay and get the job done For him procedures, rules, regulations carried no weight In serious conflict of interest business specific SROs were issued in the morning and then withdrawn in the evening after the goods were cleared Initially it was the power of bribe which later on turned into misuse of state power to grow the business Such abuse of laid-down procedures has produced several blunders like the Sahiwal Coal Fired Plant, an environmental disaster, and the Orange Line, a financial drain both unfortunately in Lahore State apparatus is mandated to follow the due process and obey only legal orders or face the consequences of law There can be no Blanket Mafi any longer This Badmashi prevalent in Punjab must end for normalcy to return

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

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

S e n d y o u r l e t t e r s t o : L e t t e r s t o E d i t o r Pakistan Today 4 - S h a a re y F a t i m a J i n n a h L a h o re P a k i s t a n E - m a i l : l e t t e r s @ p a k i s t a n t o d a y c o m p k L e t t e r s s h o u l d b e a d d re s s e d t o Pakistan Today e x c l u s i v e l y

Cab-rank rule may provide a way out

ACCESS to justice is a fundamental right of people that is enshrined in the Constitution However, for many, access to justice remains elusive due to various factors, such as cost, distance and lack of information In this context, the cab-rank rule plays a vital role in ensuring that justice is accessible to all

The cab-rank rule is a centuries-old principle that requires barristers to accept instructions in the order they are received regardless of their personal opinions or prejudices The rule is intended to ensure that all individuals regardless of their status or wealth have access to the best available legal representation The cab-rank rule is especially relevant in Pakistan, where the legal system is often perceived as being biased against those who cannot afford high-end legal representation In this context, the rule serves as a bulwark against the influence of power privilege and personal relationships in the allocation of legal representation

In Pakistan the cab-rank rule is enshrined in the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973 The rule requires advocates to accept instructions in the order they are received, subject to certain exceptions The exceptions include conflicts of interest, prior commitments, and cases where the advocate does not have the requisite expertise to handle the matter

While the cab-rank rule is an essential principle, its implementation in Pakistan has been somewhat lacking There have been instances where advocates have refused to take on cases for various reasons including personal bias and lack of interest Such conduct is not only a violation of the cab-rank rule but also undermines the fundamental right of individuals to have access to justice To ensure that the cab-rank rule is exercised effectively in Pakistan, the legal profession must take proactive steps First, the bar councils must ensure that the rule is widely known and understood by all advocates Second the bar councils must enforce the rule rigorously and penalise any advocate who violates it The legal profession must work to address the root causes of the reluctance of advocates to take on certain cases This may involve providing training and support to advocates in handling complex cases or creating a more conducive environment for advocates to take on pro bono cases The judiciary must play an active role in enforcing the cab-rank rule Judges must ensure that advocates are held accountable for any violation of the rule, and that litigants are not denied access to justice due to the misconduct of advocates

The cab-rank rule is a vital principle that ensures that justice is accessible to all in a country However its implementation must be strengthened to ensure that it is exercised effectively This requires a concerted effort by the legal profession and the judiciary to enforce the rule rigorously and address any underlying issues that may impede its implementation As a country that values the rule of law and access to justice, Pakistan must continue to uphold the cab-rank rule as a cornerstone of its legal system By doing so it can ensure that all individuals regardless of their social and financial status can access the best available legal representation and

Obsolete books

21st century our children are taught things that they cannot even practise It affects students development as well as critical thinking, creativity and imagination, and develops in them a habit of cramming and rote memorisation

Imran has got to do something new to reinvent himself and his par t y

The urgent need to address the water crisis COMMENT 05

PA K I S TA N is currently facing a severe water crisis with many parts of the country experiencing acute shortages of water According to reports the water crisis has affected virtually all sectors of the economy including agriculture industry and domestic use

With an estimated 220 million people in 2021, the country is already facing a per capita water availability that is significantly below the global average Moreover, the situation is expected to worsen as the population is projected to reach 400 million by 2050 according to the United Nations

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) warns that the country is on the brink of becoming a waterstressed country due to its growing population and increasing demand for water

According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Pakistan ranks 80th out of 81 countries in terms of access to safe drinking water and sanitation This ranking highlights the country s poor state of water supply and sanitation facilities The lack of access to safe drinking water is a severe public health issue which leads to the spread of water-borne diseases resulting in thousands of deaths each year The situation is particularly dire in rural areas where people rely heavily on contaminated water sources

The issue of water scarcity is further exacerbated by climate change, which has led to irregular weather patterns and extreme weather events such as floods and droughts

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department the country has been experiencing more frequent and severe droughts since the 1990s, with a particularly severe drought occurring in 2021 So, climate change is one of the primary causes of the water crisis in

Pakistan Rising temperatures, changing weather patterns and melting glaciers are affecting the country’s water supply According to a report by the PCRWR the water inflow in the country s major rivers has decreased by 30 percent due to climate change This reduction in water inflow is affecting agriculture, hydropower generation, and other sectors that rely heavily on water Moreover, Pakistan is the eighth most climate-vulnerable country globally and extreme weather events such as floods and droughts are becoming more frequent due to climate change These events are damaging the country s infrastructure and disrupting the water supply, leading to further water scarcity Pakistan’s rapidly growing population is also contributing to the water crisis The population has increased from around 34 million in 1951 to more than 220 million in 2021 As a result, the demand for water has skyrocketed, and the water supply is struggling to keep up In addition, the population growth has led to urbanization, which has put additional pressure on water resources in cities

First the increased demand for water for domestic purposes such as drinking cooking and washing is straining the country s water supply systems According to the PCRWR, the per capita availability of water in Pakistan has declined from 5,260 cubic meters per person in 1951 to 1 017 cubic meters per person in 2021 which is well below the internationally recommended threshold of 1 700 cubic meters per person per year

Second, the growing population is increasing the demand for water for agriculture, which is the largest user of water in Pakistan Agriculture accounts for around 90 percent of the country’s total water consumption and the demand for water for agriculture is expected to increase as the population grows This is putting pressure on the country s irrigation systems, which are already facing challenges such as waterlogging, salinity, and inefficient water use practices

Third the growing population is also increasing the demand for water for industrial purposes such as manufacturing mining and energy production The industrial sector is expected to be a major driver of economic growth in Pakistan, and as the sector grows, so too will its demand for water This is putting pressure on the country’s already limited water resources which could lead to conflicts between different users of water

Google CEO: Building AI responsibly is the only race that really matters

Wi t h t h e te c h n o l o g y n ow at a n i n f l e c t i o n p o i nt, I s t i l l b e l i e ve A I i s to o i m p o r t a nt n o t to re g u l ate, a n d to o i m p o r t a nt n o t to re g u l ate we l l

We’re launching a social innovation fund on AI to help social enterprises solve some of Europe s most pressing challenges

Second, we are making sure we develop and deploy the technology responsibly, reflecting our deep commitment to earning the trust of our users That’s why we published AI principles in 2018 rooted in a belief that AI should be developed to benefit society while avoiding harmful applications

FINANCIAL TIMES

s u N da R P i c h a i

TH I S year generative AI has captured the world s imagination Already, millions of people are using it to boost creativity and improve productivity Meanwhile, more and more start-ups and organisations are bringing AI-powered products and technologies to market faster than ever

AI is the most profound technology humanity is working on today; it will touch every industry and aspect of life Given these high stakes, the more people there are working to advance the science of AI the better in terms of expanding opportunities for communities everywhere While some have tried to reduce this moment to just a competitive AI race, we see it as so much more than that At Google, we ve been bringing AI into our products and services for over a decade and making them available to our users We care deeply about this

Yet what matters even more is the race to build AI responsibly and make sure that as a society we get it right

We re approaching this in three ways

First, by boldly pursuing innovations to make AI more helpful to everyone We’re continuing to use AI to significantly improve our products from Google Search and Gmail to Android and Maps These advances mean that drivers across Europe can now find more fuel-efficient routes; tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees are helped to communicate in their new homes; flood forecasting tools are able to predict floods further in advance Google DeepMind’s work on AlphaFold in collaboration with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory resulted in a groundbreaking understanding of over 200mn catalogued proteins known to science, opening up new healthcare possibilities

Our focus is also on enabling others outside of our company to innovate with AI whether through our cloud offerings and APIs or with new initiatives like the Google for Startups Growth program, which supports European entrepreneurs using AI to benefit people’s health and wellbeing

Mismanagement of water resources is another major cause of the water crisis in Pakistan The government and other stakeholders have failed to implement efficient water management practices resulting in the wastage of water and inefficient distribution of water resources For instance, Pakistan loses around 35 percent of its water supply due to leakages in the irrigation system and inefficient water management practices Moreover illegal water connections and the uncontrolled use of groundwater are contributing to the depletion of groundwater reserves, exacerbating the water crisis Pakistan s economy is heavily reliant on the agriculture sector, which employs around 42 percent of the country’s workforce However the water crisis is affecting agricultural production leading to reduced crop yields and increased food prices According to the PCRWR, around 90 percent of the country s agricultural land depends on irrigation, and the reduced water supply is affecting crop productivity As a result, the agriculture sector ’s contribution to the country’s GDP is decreasing affecting the livelihoods of millions of people The World Bank estimates that the water crisis is costing the country around 1 5 percent of its GDP every year

The water crisis is also affecting the industrial sector, which is crucial for Pakistan’s economic growth The industrial sector accounts for around 20 percent of the country s GDP and provides employment opportunities to millions of people However, the reduced water supply is affecting industrial production, leading to lower output and higher production costs According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the water crisis has reduced industrial output by around 30 percent This reduction in output is affecting the country s exports and reducing the foreign exchange earnings

Also, Pakistan s energy sector heavily relies on hydropower generation, which accounts for around 27 percent of the country’s total power generation However the water crisis is affecting the hydropower generation leading to power shortages and higher electricity prices The power shortages are affecting the industrial and commercial sectors, leading to reduced production and increased production costs According to the Pakistan Water Partnership, the water crisis is causing a loss of around $2 billion annually to the energy sector

The uncontrolled use of groundwater is

causing the depletion of groundwater reserves, leading to reduced water availability for irrigation and domestic use

The reduction in water supply is affecting the ecosystem leading to soil erosion reduced biodiversity and degradation of aquatic ecosystems The water crisis is exacerbating climate change, as the reduced water supply is affecting agriculture, leading to reduced carbon sequestration and increased greenhouse gas emissions According to the PCRWR the country is losing around 7 million acre-feet of water annually due to the depletion of groundwater reserves This depletion is leading to increased water scarcity affecting millions of people s daily lives Pakistan dumps water worth $22 billion into the sea every year mainly because of lack of storage capacity and poor conservation practices That is why efficient water management practices are crucial for addressing the water crisis in Pakistan The government should prioritize efficient water management practices, such as drip irrigation, water conservation, and recycling, to reduce water wastage and increase water use efficiency

Rainwater harvesting is an effective technique for increasing water availability

The government should encourage rainwater harvesting at the community level and promote the installation of rainwater harvesting systems in buildings The government should implement a water pricing system to incentivize efficient water use and discourage wasteful practices The pricing system should be based on the principles of equity and affordability to ensure that low-income households have access to affordable water The government should invest in improving water infrastructure, including water storage facilities, irrigation systems and pipelines to ensure the efficient

distribution of water

Groundwater management is critical for addressing the water crisis in Pakistan

The government should implement a groundwater management system to regulate groundwater extraction and recharge promote efficient use of groundwater and prevent groundwater contamination Public awareness campaigns are essential for promoting efficient water use and conservation practices The government should launch public awareness campaigns to educate the public about the importance of water conservation and efficient water use

The private sector can play a vital role in addressing the water crisis in Pakistan

The government should encourage private sector participation in water management, such as water treatment desalination and wastewater management Finally Research and development are crucial for developing innovative solutions to the water crisis in Pakistan The government should invest in research and development to develop new water technologies, increase water use efficiency, and promote sustainable water management practices

Apart from that the international community can provide technical expertise to assist Pakistan in developing innovative solutions to the water crisis Technical expertise can include support for water management, irrigation systems, groundwater management, and water treatment technologies

Thus the implementation of these recommendations through collaborative efforts by the government private sector and civil society can help address the water crisis and ensure sustainable water management practices for Pakistan s future

The writer is a freelance columnist

K i s s i n g e r ’ s k i l l i n g f i e l d s

Wa s t h e re a s o n f o r i t a n d t h e C a m b o d i a n d e a t h s t h a t re s u l t e d a d r u n ke n p re s i d e n t ’s o rd e r, p a s s e d a l o n g s w i f t l y a n d u n q u e s t i o n i n g l y b y H e n r y K i s s i n g e r ?

INTERCEPT N i c k T u R s e

We have many examples of putting those principles into practice, such as building in guardrails to limit misuse of our Universal Translator This experimental AI video dubbing service helps experts translate a speaker ’s voice and match their lip movements It holds enormous potential for increasing learning comprehension but we know the risks it could pose in the hands of bad actors and so have made it accessible to authorised partners only As AI evolves, so does our approach: this month we announced we’ll provide ways to identify when we’ve used it to generate content in our services

Finally fulfilling the potential of AI is not something one company can do alone

In 2020, I shared my view that AI needs to be regulated in a way that balances innovation and potential harms With the technology now at an inflection point and as I return to Europe this week I still believe AI is too important not to regulate and too important not to regulate well

Developing policy frameworks that anticipate potential harms and unlock benefits will require deep discussions between governments, industry experts, publishers, academia and civil society Legislators may not need to start from scratch: existing regulations provide useful frameworks to manage the potential risks of new technologies But continued investment in research and development for responsible AI will be important as will ensuring AI is applied safely, especially where regulations are still evolving Increased international co-operation will be key The US and Europe are strategic allies and partners It s important that the two work together to create robust, proinnovation frameworks for the emerging technology, based on shared values and goals We’ll continue to work with experts, social scientists and entrepreneurs who are creating standards for responsible AI development on both sides of the Atlantic AI presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the world to reach its climate goals, build sustainable growth, maintain global competitiveness and much more Yet we are still in the early days and there’s a lot of work ahead We look forward to doing that work with others and together building AI safely and responsibly so that everyone can benefit The writer is CEO of Google and Alphabet

PR E S I D E N T Richard Nixon was in rare form though in reality it was none too rare The whole goddamn Air Force over there farting around doing nothing,” he barked at his national security adviser Henry Kissinger during a phone call on December 9 1970 He called for a huge increase in attacks in Cambodia I want it done!! Get them off their ass and get them to work now As Nixon rambled and ranted calling for more strikes by bombers and helicopter gunships Kissinger ’s replies were short and clipped: “Right ” “Exactly ” “Absolutely right We know this because while Nixon was fuming about ass***** who said there was a crisis in Cambodia the conversation was being recorded It wasn t the secret White House taping system that finally laid Nixon low as part of the scandal that came to be known as Watergate, but Kissinger ’s own clandestine eavesdropping system Later it was up to Kissinger s secretary Judy Johnson to transcribe that night s exchange and add in the single double triple, and even quadruple exclamation points to capture the spirit of the call and accurately punctuate the president’s words Johnson was new on the job when she heard the December 9 1970 exchange She was just one of many Kissinger secretaries and aides who during his years working for the White House, either listened in on an extension and transcribed conversations in shorthand or typed up the transcripts later from Kissinger ’s own Dictabelt recording system that according to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein s 1976 book The Final Days was hooked up to a telephone housed in the credenza behind his secretary s desk and automatically activated when the telephone receiver was picked up ” The transcripts offer a window into policymaking in the Nixon White House Kissinger s key role and how so many Cambodians came to be killed by American military aircraft Johnson was somewhat reluctant to talk about them and expressed surprise that they were publicly available Decades later, the heated December 1970 exchange didn’t stick out in Johnson’s mind she told The Intercept None of their conversations did It was a long time ago and she said there was a lot of stuff going on at the White House Johnson didn t know whether Nixon was aware of Kissinger

Kissinger stormed off and his staff ignored follow-up requests for more than a decade Johnson also cautioned that it was very hard to get an accurate sense of a conversation from the transcripts alone There were nuances, she said, that were missing “Those conversations were strenuously edited ” said Roger Morris a Kissinger aide who resigned in protest of the U S invasion of Cambodia in 1970 and had listened to many conversations between Nixon and his national security adviser The men and women who took down the text didn’t completely eliminate the spirit of the conversations but if you were listening to calls in their raw original form it was more disconcerting It was worse because the words were slurred and you knew you had a drunk at the other end, he said of Nixon Did Johnson suspect that Nixon had been drinking when he called to direct policy and give orders? “If I did I wouldn’t tell you ” she said Any evidence is apparently gone forever In a 1999 letter to Foreign Affairs Kissinger claimed that the tapes of phone calls made in his office were destroyed after being transcribed No notes or other materials involved in the transcription survived either, according to a 2004 report by the Nixon Presidential Materials Staff of the U S National Archives Johnson joined Kissinger s staff in late 1970 before moving on to the White House press office in 1971 where she stayed until Nixon s resignation in 1974 After a brief stint in the administration of President Gerald Ford she moved to California and worked as a researcher for Nixon who was then writing his memoirs She might have been starry-eyed when she first arrived at the White House, she told me, but listening in on high-level phone conversations quickly disabused her of the notion that these were “super people ” She termed Nixon’s coarse talk “typical male language ”

Johnson took down Kissinger s conversations using shorthand she told me repeat-

edly emphasizing how difficult it was to transcribe conversations like these perfectly A shit or a damn might go missing but there was no deliberate censorship and nothing was sanitized, she said Morris recalled it differently While Nixon’s remarks might be prettied up he told me it was Kissinger ’s own acid-tongued ripostes that subordinates were supposed to excise to protect their boss Privately Kissinger called Nixon a madman said he had a meatball mind, and referred to him as our drunken friend “I just had a call from our friend,” Kissinger told his aide Alexander Haig moments after getting off the phone with Nixon on that December night according to Johnson s transcript The president wants a massive bombing campaign in Cambodia Kissinger told Haig He doesn t want to hear anything It s an order, it s to be done Anything that flies on anything that moves

You got that?” In a notation Johnson indicated that while it was difficult to hear him it sounded as if Haig started laughing

When I mentioned these orders and asked about Nixon s drinking, Johnson emphasized that there were buffers in place Policy changes, she told me, weren’t as simple as a presidential order given by phone Many discussions would occur before instructions were carried out But Kissinger s immediate and blunt relay of Nixon s command suggests otherwise The raw number of U S attacks in Cambodia does too While they had no explanation for it at the time, The Associated Press found that compared with November 1970, the number of sorties by U S gunships and bombers in Cambodia had tripled by the end of December to nearly 1 700

Was the reason for it and the Cambodian deaths that resulted a drunken president s order, passed along swiftly and unquestioningly by Henry Kissinger? Nixon and Haig have been dead for many years, and Johnson passed away earlier this month

That leaves only Kissinger to answer the question and to answer for the deaths

R U S S I A N I N T E L L I G E N C E C H I E F A C C U S E S U S O F ‘ T R A I N I N G D A E S H I N S Y R I A F O R AT TA C KS I N R U S S I A ’

MOSCOW ag e n C e S

THE Russian Foreign Intelligence Service chief on Wednesday accused the US of training Daesh/ISIS terrorists to carry out sabotage and terrorist attacks in Syria and Russia

Sergey Naryshkin claimed at the XI International Meeting of High Representatives in Charge of Security Issues in the Moscow region that the US Al-Tanf military base located on the border of Syria Jordan and Iraq, is used for training Daesh/ISIS terrorists to carry out sabotage and terrorist attacks in Syria and Russia

The intelligence director pointed out that the US occupies Syrian territories specifically those where it has built a military base and is waging an economic war in the form of sanctions against Damascus, which prevents the restoration of the country

To back up his claim, Naryshkin cited a wave of rapprochement between Iran and Arab countries claiming that the level of mutual trust in the Middle East has recently increased; nonetheless the US authorities

are sharply rejecting it

Normalization of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, he claimed, “provoked a painful reaction” in London and Washington

According to the Russian intelligence chief the US and UK have been used to playing on inter-Islamic contradictions in line with their positions, which is why their relevant bodies launched a smear campaign aimed at undermining the dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia and discrediting China’s mediation role

The traces of this destructive work are already clearly visible in the global information space he claimed He also mentioned the opportunities that have arisen in the region as a result of the restoration of relations between Riyadh and Teheran such as the settlement of the conflict in Yemen and the de-escalation of tensions in Syria Iraq and Lebanon Simultaneously he alleged that the US is developing plans for an information war against Russia with the goal to drive a wedge between Moscow and the Middle East “Anglo-Saxons can be advised to deal with their internal civil conflicts or even bet-

ter – reach out to their old friend to the devil ” he said

T h e i n t e l l i g e n c e c h i e f a l s o c l a i m e d t h a t t h e U K i s i n t e n s i v e l y w o r k i n g w i t h E u r o p e a n p a r t n e r s t o p r e v e n t a n y m e d i a t i o n b e t w e e n R u s s i a a n d U k r a i n e a s l o n g a s K y i v i s a b l e t o c a r r y o u t s t r i k e s o n R u s s i a ” Last year he recalled that during talks in

Istanbul Türkiye Moscow and Kyiv came close to reaching an agreement to end the conflict

The draft agreement was approved by the parties but these agreements were thwarted because Washington and London strictly forbade their Ukrainian vassals to conduct peace talks with the Russian side and ordered Kyiv to fight as they say to the

last Ukrainian he claimed

The official noted that the West could help ensure global prosperity and security, but “insane pride tightly closed such an opportunity for them ”

“In their pride Western totalitarian-liberal regimes led by the US have gone so far as to encroach on human nature itself De facto, they want to destroy everything human in man, turn him from a free being into a fully controlled ‘transhumance chimera,’” he alleged

According to Naryshkin the vast majority of countries in Asia Africa and Latin America do not share such a vision and even when pressed refuse to join sanctions against Russia, and the situation in Ukraine only strengthens the general desire to increase independence ”

“I am convinced that by joining efforts showing courage and wisdom we will be able to solve the common task of ensuring security and prosperity both in certain regions of the world and on the whole planet, he said

He said of the West, “Their end will be according to their deeds And this means that their end will be sad ”

What could happen on Main Street if Washington’s political showdown over the debt ceiling stopped the government from cutting checks that fund a quarter of the economy?

Americans could quickly notice painful blows dealt to their retirement accounts as stock markets swooned, and within days the lack of federal payments could weigh heavily on doctors’ offices retirees and workplaces throughout the country

IT START?

WOULD

HOW

If the U S Congress and the White House failed to lift the self-imposed $31 4 trillion legal limit on federal debt, the Treasury Department could start missing payments on its obligations as soon as June 1 according to the department s chief Janet Yellen At that point, Washington would be under severe pressure to keep making payments on U S bonds, which underpin

the global financial system Missing a payment would trigger a Wall Street meltdown of historic proportions It would be downright cataclysmic, said Mark Zandi, an economist at Moody s Analytics Even if the Treasury paid bondholders on time, as most observers expect it would try to the political dysfunction driving the crisis would sow distrust in America s economic prospects and the value of most everything owned by Americans, from their homes to their retirement portfolios, would drop Stock prices would fall, commercial real estate values house prices Everything would fall ” Zandi said Interest rates would increase making it harder to buy a home or car or borrow money to start a business Within days, the financial mayhem would be a principal force putting the economy on the path to recession, Zandi said

COULD IT GET WORSE?

The mass layoffs that normally come with recession could be weeks

away following a default More immediately hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending could be withheld from the economy D o c t o r s o ff i c e s , h o s p itals and insurance companies could be among the first to get stiffed On June 1 , t h e y a r e d u e a b o u t $ 4 7 b i l l i o n i n p a y m e n t s t h r o u g h M e d i c a r e A m e rica s public health insurance program for older Americans according to the Bipartisan Policy Center a think tank that estimates Washington s day-to-day schedule of bills due Because Medicare funds about a fifth of U S healthcare some doctors might not have money to pay staff and other bills Hard decisions would have to be made on scheduling surgeries and other procedures without being able to pay for them The longer this goes on, the more disruptive it could be,” said Tricia Neuman, a health policy expert at the KFF research group WHO ELSE COULD TAKE A DIRECT HIT?

On June 2 about a quarter of the na-

tion’s retirees could check their bank accounts and see that $25 billion in expected Social Security payments were not deposited P a y m e n t s c o u l d a l s o s t o p g o i n g o u t t o g o v e r n m e n t c o n t r a c t o r s , i nc l u d i n g $ 1 b i l l i o n d u e t o d e f e n s e c o n t r a c t o r s o n J u n e 2 O n J u n e 9 $ 4

C hina’s Lenovo revenue falls for third consec utive quar ter as PC demand slumps

PR OFIT r e u t e r S C h i n a s L e n o v o G r o u p L t d ( 0 9 9 2 H K ) o n We d n e s d a y r e p o r t e d a 2 4 % f a l l i n r e v e n u e f o r t h e J a n u a r yM a r c h q u a r t e r, m e e t i n g m a r k e t e xp e c t a t i o n s a s d e m a n d f o r p e r s o n a l c o m p u t e r s ( P C s ) c o n t i n u e d t o s l u m p

s

Xie Feng China’s new ambassador to the United States late Tuesday stressed the importance of the relations between the two countries saying the relationship is too important for us to let it fail hours after his arrival in the U S to assume office Speaking to Chinese and U S media at the Chinese embassy in Washington, D C , Xie acknowledged that his appointment comes at “a critical moment” since the China-U S relationship has once again come to “a historical crossroads ” “We should keep pace with the trend of the times and reject Cold War mentality and zero-sum game and open our heart and move forward in the same direction he said in an appeal to the U S side We should take concrete actions to deliver on the common understandings between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden, and explore the right way to get along with each other in the new era ” continued Xie “We should uphold the principles of mutual respect peaceful coexistence and winwin cooperation he said We should make the two peoples feel assured and set the world at ease A sound and stable China-U S relationship is not only in the interest of both countries, but also a shared expectation of the international community and a major contribution to world peace and prosperity said the ambassador Though faced with serious difficulties and challenges China and the United States have always been able to move the relations ahead he said The relationship is too important for us to let it fail, he said Neither side can change or replace the other Working together, both will come out as winners; fighting each other both will lose and the world will be hurt as well ” he emphasized Xie said whether China and the United States can manage the relationship properly is consequential to the future of the two countries and the planet The world is watching us, he said Xie Feng speaks to the media upon arrival at John F Kennedy International Airport, New York, U S , May 23, 2023 /Chinese Embassy in the United States Xie Feng speaks to the media upon arrival at John F Kennedy International Airport New York U S May 23 2023 /Chinese Embassy in the United States

India’s

Delhi

X i c alls for ad vancement of all-round cooperation with Russia

BEIJING S ta f f C o r r e S p o n d e n t

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Wednesday in Beijing with the two sides vowing to level up all-round pragmatic cooperation Mishustin is on an official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang Consolidating and developing SinoRussian ties is the will of the people and the trend of the times Xi stressed Noting there is broad space, a bright prospect and strong impetus for bilateral cooperation, Xi urged the two sides to take advantage push all-round cooperation to a higher level and constantly enrich the connotation of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries in the new era China is ready to work with Russia in extendng strong support

to each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and strengthen collaboration in multilateral arenas such as the United Nations the Shanghai Cooperation Organization BRICS and the G20 the Chinese president told Mishustin Calling for further growth in bilateral cooperation, Xi said the two sides should continue to tap potential, further upgrade the level of economic trade and investment cooperation improve the institutional mechanism of bi-

lateral cooperation and consolidate and expand cooperation in energy and connectivity He added that China and Russia should continue to expand people-to-people exchanges to jointly open up a new prospect of enhanced people-to-people bonds X i a l s o s a i d C h i n a i s w i l li n g t o w o r k w i t h t h e R u s s i a n s i d e a n d t h e c o u n t r i e s o f t h e E u r a s i a n E c o n o m i c U n i o n t o e n h a n c e t h e d o c k i n g o f c o o p e ra t i o n b e t w e e n t h e B e l t a n d

R o a d I n i t i a t i v e a n d t h e E u r a s i a n E c o n o m i c U n i o n p r om o t e t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a m o r e o p e n r e g i o n a l m a r k e t a n d e ns u r e a s t a b l e a n d s m o o t h g l o b a l s u pply and industrial chain, so as to bring tangible benefits to regional

CORPORATE CORNER

Naval chief, sindh CM inaugurate high school in District Sanghar

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

A simple yet impressive ceremony to inaugurate Admin and Secondary education block at Govt Boys High School (GBHS) was held at Sanghar Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi graced the ceremony as Chief Guest Upon his arrival the Chief Guest was warmly welcomed by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah Education Minister Sindh was also present at the ceremony The aim of High School inauguration is to provide quality education to the local students Speaking on the occasion, Naval Chief expressed his deep sentiments and called it a matter of great pride to inaugurate the school where he spent precious moments of his student life He paid rich tribute to his teachers who taught him great lessons of life and nurtured leadership qualities in him

The Admiral underscored that teachers are the backbone of nation building They play their vital roles in shaping the overall structure of society through nurturing the children in all aspects i e academically socially and morally

Bank Al Habib, ACE Money

Transfer join forces to stimulate remittance inflows to Pakistan

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

Remittance is a significant source of foreign reserves for Pakistan and any decline in its volume can severely impact the country's economic stability To sustain the declining remittance inflows to Pakistan that have become a major cause of concern for the country's economy ACE Money Transfer a UK-based growing remittance provider and Bank Al Habib one of the leading commercial banks in Pakistan have announced another joint campaign Pakistan is heavily reliant on remittances, with over 9 million Pakistanis living and working abroad, contributing to the country's economy through remittances Pakistan received around $31 9 billion in 2021 and $31 2 billion in 2022 in remittances accounting for almost 9% of the country s GDP In January 2023 remittances experienced a month-onmonth decline of 9 9% with a reported $1 9 billion in contrast to $2 1 billion in December 2022

PAF pays tribute to 1965 war hero Sqn Ldr Muniruddin Ahmed (Shaheed)

As a tribute to the bravery and valour of Squadron Leader Muniruddin Ahmed (Shaheed), Directorate General Public Relations (Air Force) has released a special promo commemorating the heroics of the 1965 war hero

During the war Sqn Ldr Munir Shaheed flew several combat missions causing significant damage to valuable enemy infrastructure On 10 September, 1965 he led his formation into Indian territory to seek out enemy fighters and shot down an IAF Gnat fighter jet

On the eve of 11 September 1965 he made the supreme sacrifice when his aircraft was fatally hit by the heavy concentration of enemy s ack-ack guns during a ground attack mission In recognition of his utmost professionalism and bravery, the war hero was honored with the prestigious ‘Sitara-i-Jurat’ posthumously

Government of Pakistan National Commission on Status of Women

S T E R

ISLAMABAD\ s ta f f r e p o r t

Ajoint delegation of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) and Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) called on the Federal Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar today at FBR Headquarters in Islamabad

The delegation comprised Mr Ahsan Bakhtawari President ICCI Mr Saqib Rafiq President RCCI and other senior members of the three Chambers

The Finance Minister was accompanied by Mr Tariq Bajwa Special Assistant to the Prime Minister

ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t

The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) on Tuesday established a strategic partnership with the Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) to identify and pursue potential cooperation opportunities and foster mutual growth in the energy industry of Pakistan Both companies have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a strategic cooperation relationship in the energy industry The MOU sets the framework for future collaboration and cooperation between the two companies

Under the MOU OGDCL a leading Oil and Gas Exploration and

on Finance Mr Tariq Mehmood Pasha Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue, Mr Ashfaq Tola Chairman Reforms and Resource Mobilization Commission (RRMC), Mr Asim Ahmad Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Mr Imdad Bosal Secretary Finance and other senior officers from the Finance Ministry and Revenue Division

The delegation apprised the Finance Minister and his team about the difficulties being faced by the business community and submitted their proposals for incorporation in the upcoming Federal Budget They assured the Minister that business community will support the Government in achieving exports and revenue targets for the next financial year and contribute to the development of the country The Finance Min-

ister said that the Government is always open to the implementable and valuable suggestions from the business community as they are the partners in progress He stated that the Government is taking measures to put the country towards the path of progress and prosperity without further burdening the business community and the general public

Procter & Gamble shares strong progress on commitments to promote

Equalit y and Inclusion

Production company in Pakistan and PRL a prominent refinery engaged in the production and sale of petroleum products will engage in good faith negotiations to identify potential areas of cooperation and collaboration One of the key aspects of this strategic cooperation includes OGDCL's equity investment in PRL as a strategic investor with adequate board representation aimed at the upgradation and growth of the refinery

Both companies will work together to execute necessary agreements including confidentiality agreements for data exchange to identify suitable investment opportunities The parties will also facilitate and support each other in realizing the objectives outlined in the MOU, with a commitment to defining a specific Scope of Work/TOR for any joint investment opportunity prior to entering into a definitive agreement

The MOU is effective from the date of signing and will be valid for a period of two years unless mutually extended by both parties Each party will bear its own costs related to the negotiation execution and performance of the MOU

Pakistan’s Population: A brighter future for all

ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t

Today marks the beginning of a twoday learning event by DAFPAK, a leading organization dedicated to improving population health outcomes in Pakistan focused on ensuring a brighter future for Pakistan titled

"Pakistan s Population: A Brighter Future For All "

Delivering Accelerated Family Planning In Pakistan (DAFPAK) is a £90m Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) programme that aims to improve family planning outcomes across Pakistan by improving access to family plan-

ning services for the most vulnerable and disseminating messages for the common good under a platform called KhairKhwah The British High Commission has been investing in family planning since 2012 Our current support programme DAFPAK is the largest

donor-funded program on family planning which has served over 8 million women and girls in mostly marginalized areas , said Andrew Dalgleish, Acting British High Commissioner to Pakistan while addressing the event in Islamabad Chief Guest Honourable Federal Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal

Chaudhry emphasized the urgency of addressing the population growth rate stating, "Unless we control our population, we won't be able to distribute resources in a manner where we can provide healthcare education and bright futures to our people Our future is linked to how fast we can control Pakistan s population growth

Events organised at Shauk at Khanum Hospital Lahore, Peshawar to celebrate vital role of nurses in healthc are

LAHORE: The Nursing Division of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) in Lahore and Peshawar organised an event to celebrate the vital role of nurses in healthcare More than one hundred nurses from different areas of SKMCH&RC and other institutions

including PKLI and National Hospital attended the event Nursing Director of SKMCH&RC Ms Rehana Elahi Medical Director of SKMCH&RC Dr Asif Loya and Chief Medical Officer of SKMCH&RC Dr Aasim Yusuf were also present Ms Rehana Elahi said that the coronavirus pandemic chal-

SOUTH PUNJAB

b y p r o f D r M u h a M M a D s u l e M a n ta h r

lenged healthcare systems around the world and nurses rose to this challenge and were at the frontline in this battle s ta f f r e p o r t

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t P r o c t e r & G a m b l e ( N Y S E : P G ) t o d a y a nnounced new commitments aimed toward adv a n c i n g E q u a l i t y & I n c l u s i o n ( E & I ) a t i t s t h i r d a n n u a l # We S e e E q u a l s u m m i t h e l d i n K a r a c h i T h e e v e n t s a w p a r t i c i p a t i o n f r o m r e n o w n e d a d v o c a t e s a n d p e r s o n a l i t i e s f r o m the private and public sectors P&G Pakistan C h i e f E x e c u t i v e O ff i c e r A d i l F a r h a t a nn o u n c e d t h e n e w c o m m i t m e n t s w h i c h w e r e earlier communicated at the regional event to a d v a n c e p r o g r e s s i n t h e r e g i o n : ( K e e p i n g Girls in School)

1 Through its Keeping Girls in School program, P&G will educate more than 35 million adolescent girls on puberty and menstrual hygiene across Asia Pacific the Middle East and Africa over the next 3 years

UBL launches dedic ated 'UBL Freelancer Account' for Pakistan's booming freelance market

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

Pakistan - UBL one of Pakistan s leading bank has announced the launch of UBL Freelancer Account a new banking solution designed specifically for the growing population of freelancing individuals in the country The product is envisioned to be a unique value proposition for freelancers providing them with the freedom and flexibility to bank on their terms while ensuring that their financial needs are met As a current account with no initial deposit balance, no minimum balance requirement and simple account opening documentation, customers can conveniently open an account through the bank’s website and branches across the country Customers can further enjoy various product benefits and preferential services including free general banking services, discounted tax facilitation and availability of credit card Discounts on coworking spaces – a pain point of freelancers – will also be offered

ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t

A helpline is a tool for survivors of violence to report and seek help, safely and confidentially In Pakistan, various emergency and gender-based violence (GBV) helplines are operating at federal and provincial levels Staff at the helplines are in most cases first-responders to guide and link the survivors with right services such as psychological first-aid to help heal trauma health facilities legal assistance shelters as well as law enforcement agencies Building synergies between these helplines and apps is key to coordinating better referrals and improving service quality for women and girls who face violence In a two-day conference, Ministry of Human Rights and National Commission on Status of Women in collaboration with UN Population Fund and Rozan brought together managers and staff from helplines including 1043 helpline 1737 (VAW) and Pucaar 15 Helpline helpline from Punjab, 1089 from Balochistan, Bolo helpline 0800-22227 from KP and 1094 from Sindh to learn and share regional experiences and support operations

South Punjab a region known for its rich cultural heritage and agricultural prowess has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years One area where this growth has been particularly notable is in the collaboration between industry and academia to empower women The integration of these three sectors - industry academia and women empowerment - has not only transformed the socio-economic landscape of the region but has also paved the way for a more inclusive and progressive society Historically South Punjab has faced numerous challenges in terms of gender inequality limited opportunities for women s education and employment and traditional societal norms However, in recent years, concerted efforts by various stakeholders, including industry leaders and educational institutions have created a paradigm shift in the region s development To begin with the industry has played a crucial role in providing opportunities for women s employment and economic empowerment Many companies, recognizing the untapped potential of female talent have actively sought to diversify their workforce by recruiting and empowering women This shift is evident in various sectors including textiles, agriculture, manufacturing, and information technology By promoting gender equality in the workplace, these industries are not only fostering inclusivity but also benefiting from the unique perspectives and skills that women bring to the table

Furthermore academia has been instrumental in nurturing and developing the talent of women in South Punjab Educational institutions have introduced programs and initiatives aimed at promoting women's education skill development and entrepreneurship By providing scholarships mentorship programs, and specialized courses, academia has empowered women to pursue higher education and gain the necessary skills to succeed in the professional

world Additionally, collaboration between industry and academia has resulted in the development of vocational training centers and apprenticeship programs enabling women to acquire industry-specific skills and enhance their employability

The transformation brought about by the integration of industry and academia has not only opened doors for women s economic empowerment but has also challenged societal norms and traditional gender roles As more women enter the workforce and pursue higher education there is a ripple effect in the communities This shift in mindset is gradually eroding gender stereotypes, as families and communities witness the positive impact of women's economic independence and intellectual contribution

However it is important to acknowledge that there are still challenges to overcome in achieving full women empowerment in South Punjab Deeprooted cultural norms and biases, lack of access to resources and inadequate infrastructure pose hurdles that need to be addressed Collaboration between industry and academia must continue to bridge these gaps by investing in women-centric initiatives, providing mentorship opportunities, and advocating for policy changes that promote gender equality

The Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology (KFUEIT) in South Punjab has emerged as a crucial player in promoting the integration of industry, academia, and women empowerment in the region Since its establishment KFUEIT has been at the forefront of empowering women through education fostering strong ties with the industry and driving socio-economic progress in South Punjab

KFUEIT recognizes the importance of women's empowerment and has taken significant steps to ensure equal access to education and opportunities for female students The university offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering and

information technology, providing women with the chance to pursue higher education in traditionally maledominated fields By breaking down gender barriers and creating a conducive environment KFUEIT has empowered countless women to gain the knowledge and skills necessary for successful careers in the industry

In addition to academic programs

KFUEIT actively engages in research and development activities that benefit both academia and industry The university promotes industry-academia collaboration through partnerships, internships, and research projects By bridging the gap between theory and practice, KFUEIT ensures that students gain real-world experience and industry exposure enhancing their employability and contributing to the growth of the local industry

KFUEIT has also established strong relationships with the industry, creating a platform for mutual collaboration and knowledge exchange Through regular industrial visits guest lectures by industry experts and industry-sponsored research projects students and faculty members at KFUEIT have the opportunity to understand industry trends, requirements, and challenges This collaboration not only enriches academic curricula but also prepares students to meet the demands of the industry upon graduation

Moreover KFUEIT has implemented various initiatives to promote women's empowerment within its cam-

pus The university has established women-centric facilities, including dedicated hostels and common rooms, to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for female students It has also created support systems such as counseling services mentorship programs and women empowerment societies providing a platform for women to voice their concerns, seek guidance, and network with like-minded individuals

Furthermore KFUEIT actively participates in outreach programs to promote education and awareness among women in the surrounding communities By organizing workshops, seminars, and career counseling sessions, the university encourages young girls to pursue higher education and consider non-traditional career paths These efforts play a crucial role in challenging societal norms and empowering women in South Punjab

The impact of KFUEIT's initiatives in industry, academia, and women empowerment is evident in the region Female graduates from the university have entered diverse sectors including engineering technology research and entrepreneurship breaking barriers and shattering gender stereotypes By providing a supportive ecosystem, KFUEIT has contributed to creating a pool of talented and skilled women professionals who are driving innovation and socioeconomic progress in South Punjab

In conclusion the integration of industry academia and women empowerment in South Punjab has brought about a significant positive change The region has witnessed a surge in women's education employment and entrepreneurship leading to greater economic independence gender equality and societal progress However sustained efforts are required to address the remaining challenges and ensure the continued advancement of women empowerment By nurturing the synergies between industry and academia and fostering an inclusive ecosystem South Punjab can become a model for women s empowerment not only within the region but also across the nation

O G D C L , P R L s i g n M o U fo r c o l l a b o r at i ve g r ow t h i n Pa k i s t a n's e n e r g y s e c to r

Industr y, ac ademia and women empowerment in S outh Punjab: A step towards inclusive progress

g G O V T O K AY S R S 1 1 1 B A G A I N S T A L LO C AT E D R S 7 0 B U N D E R PA R L I A M E N TA R I A N S S C H E M E S I N 2 0 2 1

HE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet

Federal Minister for Finance and

Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting of the ECC of the Cabinet on Wednesday

O v e r a l l t h e g o v e r n m e n t h a s a pproved Rs 111 billion for Parliamentari a n s s c h e m e s u n d e r S u s t a i n a b l e

Development Goals Achievement Programme (SAP) against the original all o c a t i o n o f R s 7 0 b i l l i o n d u r i n g t h e current fiscal year As the PDM governm e n t s e e s t h e b a c k o f i t s s h o r t l i v e d t e n u r e i t i s o f u t m o s t i m p o r t a n c e f o r the party to harbour the confidence of its allied parties

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industries and Production submitted a summary on urea requirement for the year

2023 and briefed on the urea fertiliser situation in the country

has approved another Rs 20 billion for Parliamentarians’ schemes The move is seen as an attempt at the appeasement of the allied partiesSources said that Ministry of National Food Security and Research has previously projected annual urea fertiliser off-take at 6 508 MMT, but in a letter dated April 3, 2023, it revised the annual estimates owing to substantial offtake in March by 86,000 MT and a production loss of 22 000 MT by Fauji

Fertiliser Bin Qasim Limited (FFBL) due to gas issues

The food ministry has projected the imports of 800,000 MT if Fatima Fertilizer (Sheikhupura) and Agritech (Mianwali) plants are shut down by the end of the month as scheduled Fertilizer Review Committee (FRC) earlier reviewed the matter in a meeting on April 6 and endorsed the proposals made by the food ministry regarding the import of 200,000 MT of Urea, extending gas supply to Fatima Fertilizer and Agritech till December 2023 and ensuring that gas pressures are maintained for optimum urea production

The ECC after detailed discussion allowed SNGPL based fertiliser plants i-e Fatima Fertilizer (Sheikhupura) and

Agritech to operate beyond May 31st, 2023 till August 31st 2023 on indige-

nous gas with no subsidy requirement from the Federal Government

95% miscreants involved in May 9 incidents identified, 60% arrested: Cabinet told

ISLAMABAD

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the proposals of the Ministry for a

Dar dismisses default possibilit y

f u n d s , b o n d s , f u t u r e s , a n d E T F s , w i t h p r o v i s i o n s f o r f u t u r e d e r i v a t i v e s I t i s a n t i c i p a t e d t o s t r e a m l i n e t r a d i n g p r o c e s s e s a n d p o t e n t i a l l y e x t e n d t r a ding hours saving time and boosting eff i c i e n c y F e a t u r i n g r e a l - t i m e a l e r t s a n d r ep o r t s , t h e N e w Tr a d i n g S y s t e m p r o c e s s e s 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 t r a d e s p e r s e c o n d I t c a n h a n d l e 2 0 0 0 o r d e r s p e r s e c o n d o n e x i s t i n g s e r v e r s w i t h p o t e n t i a l c ap a c i t y e x p a n s i o n u p t o 1 0 0 t i m e s b y a d d i n g m o r e s e r v e r s With automatic fail-over and quick d i s a s t e r r e c o v e r y, t h e s y s t e m e n s u r e s u n i n t e r r u p t e d t r a d i n g o p e r a t i o n s T h e l a u n c h o f t h i s c u t t i n g - e d g e s y s t e m i s s e t t o e n h a n c e t h e e ff i c i e n c y c o m p e ti t i v e n e s s a n d s t a b i l i t y o f t h e P a k i s t a n S t o c k E x c h a n g e a t t r a c t i n g m o r e i nv e s t o r s a n d d r i v i n g m a r k e t g r o w t h

t h e M i n i s t r y f o r t h e D B C - I a n d D B C - I I projects as these were initiated in prior c o m m i t m e n t m a d e u n d e r N D C s i n 2 0 2 1 T h e s e p r o j e c t s a r e e x p e c t e d t o generate about US$ 200 to 220 million t i l l 2 0 4 3 w i t h a d d i t i o n a l b e n

e f i t s o f c r e a t i n g g r e e n j o b s The ECC considered a summary of the Ministry of Energy ( Power Division) on payment mechanisms and agreements with M/s Uch Power (Pvt) Limited After detailed discussion, the ECC approved

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03

US calls for ‘equal application of democratic principles, freedom of expression’ in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD

S tA f f R e P o R t

Pakistan s Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, has assured the nation that it is not on the brink of a financial crisis and will not default on its financial obligations Dar ’s remarks come amidst concerns of a potential default due to declining remittances foreign exchange reserves and the delay in reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $1 1 billion tranche from a $6 5 billion loan package Speaking at a gathering in Islamabad, Dar commended his economic team for their dedication and highlighted Pakistan’s achievement of a current account surplus of $750 million in March and $18 million in April

Regarding the ongoing negotiations with the IMF Dar confirmed that his team has completed the necessary technical work and prior actions for the successful completion of the ninth review He expressed disappointment with the delay, acknowledging that the review should have been concluded earlier Dar revealed that Pakistan has already repaid $5 5 billion of its commercial loans China has rolled over $2 billion after recognizing Pakistan s fulfillment of IMF s requirements Dar expressed optimism that a substantial portion of the remaining $3 5 billion owed to non-Chinese commercial banks would be returned once the IMF’s staff-level agreement or board meeting is completed

soldiers, policeman mar tyred in Nor th Waziristan suicide bombing

RAWALPINDI

S tA f f R e P o R t

Two soldiers of the Pakistan Army and a policeman were martyred on Wednesday in a suicide bombing in the Datta Khel area of North Waziristan district

The suicide bomber, driving a vehicle, also claimed the life of an innocent civilian, according to the press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing The martyred soldiers have been identified as Naik

Said Ullah Shah a 33-year-old resident of Charsadda and Sepoy Jawad Khan a 31-year-old resident of District Haripur Police Constable Hakeem Jan, a resident of North Waziristan district, from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police department, also fell victim to the attack

According to the ISPR press release the suicide bomber intended to target a public gathering to cause mass casualties

However a major catastrophe was averted due to the swift response from the security forces who intercepted the suspicious vehicle In doing so, these brave men laid down their lives, preventing the bomber from reaching a highly populated area and thereby saving countless innocent lives the ISPR said

In the wake of this tragic event the ISPR has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating the menace of ter-

rorism from the country Security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers and innocent citizens further strengthen our resolve ” the military s media stated

Earlier on Wednesday at least four other people including three security personnel were martyred in a blast targetting the Liaquat Checkpost in Datta Khel tehsil of Miran Shah The country has witnessed a spike in bombings and terrorist attacks in recent months

On May 19 Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Amir Sirajul Haq’s convoy was hit by a bomb attack in Balochistan s Zhob district While the JI leader narrowly escaped the alleged suicide bombing at least four people were injured and his vehicle was partly damaged Law enforcement authorities claimed that the attacker s body was found at the site of the blast

S teel industr y claims producers in erst while FATA/PATA evaded Rs150b in taxes g I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N C L A I M S T H AT M A N U FA C T U R E R S I N F O R M E R FATA / PATA M I S U S E D TA X E X E M P T I O N S TO G I V E T H E M S E LV E S U N FA I R A D VA N TA G E Two

ISLAMABAD

G h u l A m A b b A S

Steel producers from all over Pakistan are crying foul over claims that steel manufacturers in the erstwhile FATA and PATA regions have been evading taxes giving them an unfair advantage over other steel producers in the country

The claims came to the fore on Wednesday when the Pakistan Association of Large Steel Producers (PALSP) said they had uncovered a shocking case of tax evasion in the Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) that were formerly known as FATA and PATA In a letter addressed to the finance minister, PALSP claimed that steel manufacturers in NMDs had misused tax exemptions granted to the regions to evade taxes worth over Rs 150 billion over the past five years

What is the claimed tax evasion? In 2018 FATA and PATA were merged as districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Up until this point, FATA was administered from the President’s office in Islamabad and PATA by the Governor ’s office in KP To ease the integration of these areas into the general constitutionally framework of the country instead of special status many industries were offered tax exemptions in these regions to bring them up to speed According to the Finance Act 2018, sales tax exemptions were provided exclusively for goods manufactured and consumed within the NMDs for a five-year period This exemption aimed to support the people of NMDs during their transition into the formal economy until June 30, 2023

PALSP’s study claims that there was widespread abuse of these exemptions by

In December 2022 at least three people were killed and five others were injured after a suspected suicide bomber blew himself up in North Waziristan s Miranshah town Government sources stated that most of the casualties were pedestrians in the area An investigation was initiated by law enforcement personnel in addition to a search operation in the area The suspected attacker was riding a motorcycle However, there were conflicting reports regarding the target

WASHINGTON S tA f f R e P o R t

guards he said while praying for

speedy

opportunistic individuals who are not resi-

dents of the NMDs These individuals have formed partnerships or employed NMD representatives in several industries, including the long steel industry, flat steel industry, ghee industry and pipe manufacturing among others

Saqib Riaz Chairman of PALSP expressed his concern over the situation stating, The misuse of sales tax exemptions in the NMDs has caused significant losses to the national exchequer and unfairly favored a select group of manufacturers This undermines fair competition principles and impedes the growth and development of domestic steel producers Over the past five years more than 1 billion USD has been allocated to these manufacturers, prioritizing their interests while neglecting the overall impact on the economy ”

SCALE OF THE ISSUE

THE

severity of the issue is evident in the long steel industry alone The NMDs s t e e l i n d u s t r y, w i t h i t s s a n c t i o n e d l o a d from PESCO/TESCO, has the capacity to produce 944 851 tons of steel accounting for approximately 25% of Pakistan s total steel consumption Surprisingly the actual

PRAyeR timinGS FA J R S U N R I S E Z U H R E A S R M AG H R B I S H A 4 50 5:30 1:30 5:30 7 20 9 15 Published by Asad Nizami at Plot No 66-C 1st Floor 21st Commercial Street Phase-II (Extension) DHA Karachi and printed at Ibn-e-Hassan Printing Press Hockey Stadium Karachi for PT Print (Pvt) Limited Ph: 021-35381208-9 Email: newsroom@pakistantoday com pk

The Chairman of PALSP emphasized the need for immediate action, stating, “It is crucial to ascertain the value of this tax evasion and promptly recover the funds The recovered funds can be utilized for the betterment of the nation including investments in infrastructure technology and education, to promote sustainable economic growth PALSP urges the Finance Minister to take immediate action in determining the value of this tax evasion and ensuring its recovery in the interest of the national exchequer It is imperative that the businessmen and tax officials involved in this malpractice are held accountable Disturbingly, as per the association influential owners of steel and ghee mills in the NMDs are making efforts to lobby for a retrospective waiver of this recoverable tax solely for their personal vested interests disregarding the welfare of the common people in the NMDs

The association calls upon the government to address this issue promptly and take decisive action to recover the billions lost to tax evasion in the NMDs