Epaper_23-06-13 LHR

Profit

M P S B A C K ‘ S P E E D Y A C T I

A G A I N S T

M AY 9 R I O T E R S U N D E R A R M Y A C T

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

IN an unprecedented move the National Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution demanding speedy action against the May 9 rioters under the Army Act The resolution was presented by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, demanding that action be taken against the perpetrators of the May 9 events under the Army Act while ensuring respect for human rights

The text of the resolution stated that a group and its leaders had crossed all limits on May 9, launching attacks on military installations, causing irreparable damage to state institutions and the country Therefore the resolution demanded that action be taken against all such elements in accordance with the law and the Constitution

It stated that there should be no delay of even a day in taking action against the culprits adding that even the party’s workers and leaders were distancing themselves from the May 9 events

The resolution stated that no violation of human rights took place during the action taken against the miscreants and criminals

The resolution mentioned that the military has the authority to take action in response to attacks on military installations worldwide and all individuals involved should be punished under the Pakistan Army Act of 1952 for their actions

D e f e n c e M i n i s t e r K h a w a j a A s i f , w h i l e e x p r e s s i n g h i s v i e w s i n t h e house stated that military installations w e r e t a rg e t e d o n M a y 9 O u r s y s t e m h a s b e e n c o m p r o m i s e d N o n e w l a w s

are being created against the culprits of May 9; the existing laws found in books are being utilised

He stated that the cases related to attacks on military installations are heard in military courts worldwide “We have not created any new law; rather these laws already exist Where there is terrorism, cases will be dealt with under antiterrorism laws, he added

He also stated that where cases are supposed to be heard under Article 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) they will be dealt with accordingly However those who targeted fighter jets and attacked the Bala Hisar Fort will face cases under the Army Act Maulana Abdul Kabir Chitrali, a

member of the Jamaat-e-Islami opposed the trial of civilians in military courts, saying that no one is above the law, not even the prime minister, the army chief, or the chief justice

He questioned whether the government and the judiciary have completely failed If that is the case then send the cases to military courts, and if not, then proceed with the cases in civilian courts, he added

He stated that JI opposes the demand for cases to be heard in military courts as mentioned in this resolution

Senate resolution lauds martyrs sacrifices, condemns May 9 attacks T h e U p p e r H o u s e o f t h e P a r l i am e n t o n M o n d a y t h r o u g h a r e s o l u t i o n

c o m m e m o r a t e d t h e s a c r i f i c e s o f m a rt y r s r e n d e r e d f o r p e a c e , s a f e t y, s e c ur i t y a n d s t a b i l i t y

The resolution presented in Senate by Minister of State for Law and Justice

Shahadat Awan paid tribute to the unparalleled role played by the Armed Forces in safeguarding the nation against both external and internal threats

The resolution strongly condemned the shocking and distressing acts of vandalism and arson that occurred on May

9 These reprehensible actions targeted prominent landmarks such as Jinnah House Lahore monuments dedicated to martyrs and national heroes, installations belonging to the Armed Forces, and the Radio Pakistan Peshawar building

Expressing their deep sense of dismay and resentment the House deplored these attacks and demanded that those responsible for planning facilitating and instigating them be brought to justice under the full extent of the law

In a show of unwavering support and solidarity the Senate extended its backing to the armed forces and other security agencies in the aftermath of this unfortunate incident

Additionally, the resolution expressed solidarity with the families of the martyrs, recognizing and honoring the tremendous sacrifices they had made for the nation

The Senate resolved to hold their invaluable services for the motherland in the highest regard for all times to come

The passing of this unanimous resolution in the Senate serves as a powerful testament to the nation’s unity and determination to protect the ideals of peace and stability that Pakistan holds dear

Budget 2023-24 promises to tur n things around despite constraints: PM

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that despite the constraints imposed by domestic and global circumstances the budget 2023-24 promised to turn things around and has outlined a clear path for the purpose

The prime minister, in a tweet, said that achieving economic selfsufficiency, remained the overarching goal where the economy was insulated from external turbulence and shocks

He said as the experts were analysing the various facets of budget 2023-24, he considered it important to highlight the special emphasis the government had placed on the growth- inducing sectors in the budget

He said the measures for the uplifting of information technology, agriculture, solarisation, youth development and other sectors were proposed after thorough deliberations

They are aimed at incentiviz-

Evacuations

ing innovation and entrepreneurship of our talented youth and boosting the productivity of agriculture and attracting investment in the agro-industry At the same time, the prime minister said the government was working on a solarisation initiative to replace the costlier sources of

At least 10 killed as bus plunges into ravine in A JK

KOTLI

S TA F F R E P O R T

At least 10 people were killed and 13 others were critically injured on Sunday night when a coaster plummeted into a ravine in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) The bus was headed to Gujranwala from Nairiyan a remote village in the Sudhnoti district near Kotli where 35 passengers had gone to attend Urs festivities

The deceased and the injured were shifted to Mirpur District Headquarters Hospital

According to Mirpur Commissioner Chaudhry Shaukat rescue personnel reached the site on receiving information At least three of the 13 injured were in critical condition he added

The commissioner told media that the accident was caused due to a brake failure and added that a large number of Jamia students reached the hospital to donate blood to the victims

SBP interest rate stands unchanged at record high 21pc

In line with market expectations, Pakistan s central bank left its benchmark policy rate unchanged at a record high of 21 percent

The bank maintains that the rate was appropriate considering inflation peaked at 38% in May and is expected to ease down from June and onward

In its monetary policy statement issued on Monday

the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) stated MPC (monetary policy committee) views the current monetary policy stance, with positive real interest rates on forward-looking basis, as appropriate to anchor inflation expectations and to bring down inflation towards the medium term target – barring any unexpected domestic and external shocks

However, the MPC emphasised that this outlook is also contingent on effectively addressing the prevailing domestic uncertainty and external vulnerabilities ”

The bank noted that higher inflation outturns for April and May were generally as anticipated The committee expects domestic demand to remain subdued amid tight monetary stance domestic uncertainty and continuing stress on the external account

To recall, the central bank has so far jacked up the policy rate cumulatively by 7 25 percentage points in the outgoing fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2023

The rate was partially hiked on the recommendation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to win back its stalled $6 billion loan program expiring along with the ending FY23

The committee noted multiple important developments since the last meeting First, the provisional National Accounts estimates show real GDP growth to have decelerated considerably during FY23

Second the current account balance recorded back-toback surpluses in March and April 2023 which reduced some pressures on foreign exchange reserves Third, the government unveiled the budget for FY24 on June 9, which envisages a slightly contractionary fiscal stance against the revised estimates for FY23”

Fourth global commodity prices and financial conditions have eased recently and are expected to persist in the short term The MPC expects that reduced demand-side pressures and ease in inflation expectations, along with moderating global commodity prices and high base effect, would help bring inflation down from June 2023 onwards

begin as Cyclone Biparjoy nears Sindh coastal areas

gence) are supporting the system to maintain its severity

“Under the existing upper-level steer-

i n g w i n d s t h e E S C S B i p a r j o y i s m o s t l i k e l y t o t r a c k f u r t h e r N o r t h w a r d u n t i l

June 14 morning then recurve Northeastw a r d a n d c r o s s b e t w e e n K e t i B a n d a r

(Southeast Sindh) and Indian Gujarat coast on June 15 afternoon as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) PMD s cyclone warning centre Karachi is continuously monitoring the system and will issue update accordingly it added Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in a tweet urged all citizens to stay alert adding that evolving situations and the impact of the cyclone “will only be certain with further development of the weather system

southern and south-eastern parts of Sindh on June 13,” it tweeted

Thousands of people have been evacuated from villages near the coast in view of the possibility of the cyclone hitting Keti Bandar

The Sindh government has estimated that about 60,000 people in Sindh s coastal districts, including Badin, Sujawal and Thatta

The district administration along with law enforcement agencies reached Keti Bander and Gorabari

The local residents told media that fear

prevails among them as Cyclone Biparjoy approached the coast “We are leaving our homes to safer places said Shakeel Memon a resident of Keti Bander We do not have any choice to live here he said quoting the authorities that evacuation is a must Memon said that the majority of the residents will have to stay in nearby areas like Bhagan some 35km from Keti Bander He said that the district government set up camps in Bhagan to accommodate the dis-

placed families

Another resident said that he was planning to move to other cities like Gharo or Karachi

It is not easy to live in a camp in this situation he commented On the other hand residents were being shifted to living in creeks, especially in Gorabari

Some of the families have already left, Memon said He said that the situation was critical for them “It seems that the cyclone is about to hit this area and I don t know what will be there when we come back he said

PM, CM Sindh discuss preparations to deal with cyclone

ISLAMABAD

an effective strategy should be formulated for implementation by the departments of federal and provincial governments to address concerns about ships fishermen coastal infrastructure danger of flooding and issues related to Thatta Badin and the southwestern areas

Balochistan

The weather service elaborated that maximum sustained surface winds are 160180km/h and are gusting up to 200km/h around the storm s centre with sea conditions being phenomenal with maximum wave height 35-40 feet

“The favourable environmental conditions (sea surface temperature of 30-31°C low vertical wind shear & upper-level diver-

The Met department advised fisherfolk to not venture into the open sea till the system is over by June 17 as the Arabian Sea conditions may get very rough/high accompanied with high tides along the coast”

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has urged citizens to stay away from shorelines as the cyclone heading towards the coastal areas of Pakistan and India was likely to intensify during the next 24 hours

“The cyclone is expected to impact

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday spoke on the phone with Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah and discussed the preparations to deal with the cyclone and the present situation in the coastal areas In a tweet on social media platform Twitter, the PM said “I just spoke to CM Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah and discussed the preparations to deal with the cyclone I commend the Sindh government for the prior arrangements it has made under the leadership of the chief minister I assured the Sindh government of complete support of the federal government God willing, we will be able to overcome this situation with the support of the people,” he added According to the PM Media Wing the prime minister said that

He said the evacuation of people from these areas to safer places should be ensured

The prime minister was informed about the steps taken for early warning and conveying of information to people in these areas The PM inquired about the necessary items equipment and goods required for prior preparation to deal with an emergency situation

He said the federal government departments were ever ready to assist the Sindh government in the protection of the life and property of citizens

The Sindh chief minister thanked the prime minister for his sentiments and for showing concern for the people of the province

IHC ORDERS SHIFTING OF SESSIONS COURT TO JUDICIAL COMPLEX FOR IMRAN KHAN’S CASES

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

TH E Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday declared that the int e r i m b a i l p e t i t i o n s o f P a k i s t a n

Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman in nine cases would be heard at the Judicial Complex instead of the F-8 Kachehri Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the verdict on a petition filed by the PTI chief who appeared before the court along with his lawyers

The petitioner s lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar said as per information the Chief Commissioner ’s Office had issued a noti-

Hina discusses bilateral ties, cooperation with Belgian officials

BRUSSELS

S ta f f R e p o R t

Minister of the State for Foreign Affairs Hina

fication regarding shifting of the sessions court to the Judicial Complex for hearing seven bail petitions of the PTI chief, who, however, had filed pleas for bail in nine cases He prayed the court to issue direc-

tives for hearing of all cases of his client at the Judicial Complex Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb asked as to why the application had been moved after a delay He inquired whether the five-day protective bail granted by the IHJC was going to expire today The lawyer replied that it would end tomorrow as per the law After hearing arguments, the court issued orders regarding the shifting of the sessions court to Judicial Complex

Earlier the court of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq transferred the same petition to Justice Aurangzeb for further hearing The chief justice observed that the said bench had already given judgment in identical case The petitioner s lawyer, how-

ever, prayed the court to fix the case for hearing in the same day Imran Khan’s lawyer Barrister Gohar said that his client wanted to file interim bail petition to the session court in nine cases and prayed the court to issue orders for shifting of lower court to the judicial complex Islamabad for one day due to security threats in F-8 Kachehri

The chief justice had asked the petitioner to file the application to the chief commissioner office as it was authority of the district administration to issue notification regarding transfer of the lower court The IHC bench also instructed the chief commissioner officer to decide the matter in same day after listening the petitioner

Khaqan asks public to raise questions about wealth status of MPs

HYDERABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday advised the public to raise questions about the wealth status of their elected representatives

Rabbani Khar arrived in Brussels the capital of Belgium on official visit on Monday The State

Minister s visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties between Pakistan and Belgium across all areas of cooperation, with a particular focus on labour mobility from Pakistan to Belgium Pakistan attaches great significance to its relations with Belgium that are embedded in history with a important focus on trade investment and educational cooperation Commencing her official engagements, Hina Rabbani Khar held a meeting with Belgian Secretary of State for Migration and Asylum Nicole de Moor During the meeting constructive discussions were held on enhancing cooperation in the field of labour mobility The state minister also met Senator Allessia Cleas, the Chair of the Pakistan Belgium Parliamentary Friendship Group The discussions focused on fostering stronger ties between the two nations and exploring avenues for increasing trade and investment cooperation Both sides emphasized the mutual benefits of promoting people-topeople contacts as enhancing parliamentary interactions Hina invited the Belgian Parliamentary members to visit Pakistan and build on the excellent people to people ties between the two countries

Pellet victim, blind in both eyes – Insha

‘wants to be independent in life’

SRINAGAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, India’s worst state terrorism victim, Insha Mushtaq who recently qualified class 12th examination despite having lost eye-sight in 2016 pellet firing has said that she has faced multiple challenges on her way to make herself independent in futuristic days of her life Insha Mushtaq who hails from Shopian, in a media interview narrated her ordeal how she reached to the level of success “I am very happy on qualifying class 12th exams Given to my health issues I have faced multiple challenges during the period but I didn t loose my courage I stood firm and fought challenges energetically I continued my studies and hard work which finally led me to the success,”

Insha said Insha said that she gives the credit of the success to her parents teachers mentors friends and well wishers who supported her in odd times The 23-year-old Insha Mushtaq who lost her vision in both eyes due to pellet firing by Indian troops during 2016 protests, has passed her class 12th board examinations with flying colours The results of the exam were declared on Friday and Insha Mushtaq daughter of Mushtaq Lone of Sedow village of Shopian has secured 73 percent marks in the examination Insha also said that she doesn t want to become burden on her parents and said I want to continue my studies so that I will become independent in my life”

C J P B a n d i a l v o i c e s c o n c e r n s o v e r s t o n e c r u s h i n g a t

M a r g a l l a H i l l s

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

ministratively difficult to govern such large provinces, he added

You should question your assembly members when they again visit you for votes aboard land cruisers with 12 armed bodyguards that how they can afford so many luxury vehicles fuel and guards he said while addressing a seminar titled Reimagining Pakistan here in Latifabad

Khaqan Abbasi, who is also a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader said it was not difficult for the public to check the wealth status of their representatives because their tax record was available online

Have you ever asked them how they pay for the vehicles, their fuel and guards? No change is possible until they are asked such questions as they enjoy all such perks and privileges from public taxes he underlined

He said Pakistan fortunately had the 1973 Constitution as many countries lacked such an elaborate constitution However, an academic research should be carried as to how much the constitution was beneficial for the ordinary people and the country s system of governance he added Khaqan Abbasi said if new provinces were carved out of Sindh, Balochistan and KP, then Punjab could also be divided into more federating units Punjab s population was over 120 million which was even more than that of 80 percent countries and it was ad-

While sitting in Karachi, you can’t solve the problems of Hyderabad,” he said adding in case consensus could not be reached on the creation of new provinces at least a devolution of authority within the provinces should take place He reiterated that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and its laws had made the governance difficult because the bureaucracy was reluctant to work fearing NAB action

Former finance minister Miftah Ismail underlined that dynastic trends existed not only in the political families, but the same were evident among Ulema He said the elite class, which was only one percent of the population, was controlling the country The linguistic issues were unnecessarily hyped up as the real issue was the English speaking elite who got all the opportunities, eh added The leaders of nationalist parties and representatives of the civil society organizations also expressed their views

Sherry Rehman urges new financial regimes for climate funding

ISLAMABAD a p p

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday urged for new financial regimes for climate funding

A fair amount of thought leadership and retooling is needed, both for markets and public institutions to change their instruments to meet quantum growing needs as navigating a forest of barriers has become normalized for accessing a small percentage green financing said the minister

The minister was keynoting virtually at a Chatham House Conference on Green Accountability and Climate Finance, a news release said She said, “The accelerated impacts of climate change require transformational thinking both in terms of the quantum needed for social impact but also to bridge the dangerous gap between different levels of emitters, especially for the less-prepared developing world, where the speed and scale of financing can mean the difference now between survival and subsistence development or dystopia The scale of human suffering has totally changed because climate change is coming at us so fast and furious that we’re having trouble just understanding its scale and velocity It can’t even be called ‘climate change’ anymore it’s a climate emergency said the minister

She said that the U N estimates that developing countries already need $70 billion per year to cover adaptation costs now and will need $140–$300 billion in 2030 rising to $280-500 billion by 2050 but she reiterated that these numbers are also underestimated

She highlighted that Pakistan alone needs to invest US$348 billion by 2030 as per the World Bank s CCDR Report to keep its head above water As it stands, the capitalisation of public financing funds is at a fraction of global pledges made The total annual investment requirement of developing countries would hit $2 4 trillion by 2030 but no such amount or fund or resource is available to climate-distressed countries trying to access climate funds to actually rebuild resilience in real-time

The formal green financing mechanisms themselves such as the GCF and GEF while important are difficult to access because they require projectization which then goes into onerous competitive bidding processes, taking more than a year to materialize Additionally, the problem of double counting is a serious issue causing a lack of trust in lending from both bilateral and MDBs to developing countries as it can simultaneously count towards meeting climate change obligations and development commitments, she said

The minister said that other than pitching for carbon credits on market frameworks that are non-standardized and fragmented green financing has become a site of growing contests so the private sector and businesses must be brought to the table for scaling up the surge of climate financing that is needed She said “Big business remains outside of the formal negotiations naturally at multilateral convenings but needs to be brought in as part of the solution We can t anymore expect just rich states to be the only source of formal funds, and in the current frameworks, the private sector, or blended

finance has not been able to tip the scales for countries in distress because investors look for profits

Countries struggling with both debt and climate challenges cannot attract the level of climate financing or private investment needed at non-predatory or concessional terms The public sector financing is clearly drying up and what is needed right now is for big business to be part of the solution which I am sure they ll want to be, instead of running dazzling side shows at the COP convenings ” Responding to the conference agenda of enhancing transparency and accountability of green financial mechanisms the minister highlighted the challenges of accountability in climate finance, noting that while there have been some successes in controlling corruption in overseas development assistance for the public sector Transparency International reports that significant amounts of climate finance bypass typical control channels The complexity of the institutional network governing climate finance at international, national, and local levels contributes to this issue The minister emphasized the importance of multistakeholder accountability mechanisms to enhance transparency in designing implementing and monitoring adaptation and mitigation frameworks

She concluded, The global climate crisis has left no country untouched, but it is the developing world that is facing the most severe consequences In this context while IFIs have been crucial players in providing technical support and loan-based support, they must readapt their instruments and broaden their initiatives and share expertise to allow more grant-based financing

Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial expressed deep concerns on Monday regarding the ongoing issue of stone-crushing activities in the Margalla Hills A three-member bench headed by CJP Bandial heard the case against the occupation of forest lands During the hearing Chief Justice Bandial inquired about the measures being taken by the authorities to counter the adverse effects of stone crushing on the environment The top judge directed the government’s counsel, Raja Shafqat to provide information on the progress of tree plantation initiatives “The provincial governments need to provide details on the number of trees sold and the number of trees planted thus far, asked CJP Bandial In addition, the Chief Justice questioned whether the land belonging to the forest department was being leased out under public-private partnerships The council responded by informing the court that all leases had been canceled in compliance with a previous court ruling Expressing his concerns regarding the Margalla Hills, Chief Justice Bandial highlighted the alarming fact that mining activities were still being conducted despite the area’s designation as a forested region Seeking detailed information on the tree plantation efforts the court adjourned the hearing for one month

NIA attaches Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali’s proper ties in IIOJK

SRINAGAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

Pursuing the Israeli model of dislodging the Palestinians from their lands and properties India continues to confiscate the Kashmiris lands and properties and in the latest case its dreaded National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached three immovable properties of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmad Watali on Monday Watali was arrested in 2017 by the brutal agency The properties are located at Baghatpora Handwara in the Kupwara district of north Kashmir The attached properties include land measuring 13 3 Marlas, 8 6 Marlas, and 10 3 Marlas The NIA officials carried out the attachment this morning, and the public has been informed about it through the erection of notice of attachment signs near the land Earlier this year on May 31 the NIA had already attached Watali s house at Baghat Srinagar near the Gurdwara This action was taken based on the orders of the special NIA court at Pataila House Courts, New Delhi

Saif Ullah Abro, Mubeen Jatoi notified as SVP, VP of PTI

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) made some important appointments with the approval of Chairman PTI Imran Khan in order to further strengthen the party central organization Senator Saif Ullah Abro and Mubeen Jatoi were appointed as members of PTI Central Organization and were notified as Senior Vice President (SVP) and Vice President (VP) respectively Similarly Lal Chand Malhi was appointed as President Minority Wing of PTI PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan issued the notifications in this regard

Free media plays crucial role in safeguarding democrac y from attacks: Marriyum

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Minister for Information and Broadcasting

Marriyum Aurangzeb Monday lauded the journalist community for playing a critical role in protecting democracy from different kinds of threats in the country

Nobody can dare to attack democracy if the voice of journalists is powerful and their message is load and clear,” the minister said while addressing a reception organized by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) here at the National Press Club

The reception was also attended by Federal Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Sohail Ali Khan, Principal Information Officer Mobashir Hassan and a large number of journalists and media workers The minister said the health insurance scheme for journalists and media workers was introduced in the Federal Budget 2023-24 in line with the vision of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif

This step is continuity of the policies of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif who also has credit of the constitution of 8th Wage Board after a hiatus of 18 years ” she added

When PM Shehbaz Sharif was opposition leader in the National Assembly many journalists visited his chamber complaining about their health problems, she recalled while highlighting directives of the prime minister who soon after coming into the power ordered establishment of a fund for the medical treatment of deserving journalists and media workers This is not a favour to anyone since this is your right and our responsibility the minister remarked She said owners of media houses could not be absolved of their responsibilities regarding welfare of the journalists and media workers Marriyum said the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) had been given representation on the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority s Council of Complaints and PEMRA Authority so that issues faced by the journalists and media workers were resolved in the earliest possible time She said the government had worked out a new strategy to ensure timely clearance of media workers dues by the media houses which would get advertisement payments from the government only on clearing outstanding payments of their workers The minister said health insurance for

journalists and media workers was part of the vision of the coalition government led by PM Shehbaz Sharif who played a crucial role in that regard She said the incumbent government had not tortured any journalist during its tenure, nor issued directives to suspend any television programme or current affairs show “We have not taken any retaliatory measures against any media professionals she added On the contrary she said during the previous government tenure the opposition was not allowed to speak and even the doors of Parliament were closed upon its leaders However, the doors of National Press Club remained open for the then opposition leaders at that time

She noted that censorship on the media was enforced during the tenure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government which enacted laws to suppress media freedom Marriyum said that the proposed legislation of the PTI regime regarding the Pakistan Media Development Authority was a back law and its sole objective was to silence the voice of dissent The credit of foiling the PTI regime s plan to introduce PDMA law goes to the unity of media organizations, civil society and political workers,” she added

She said it was the resistance showed by the then opposition which hampered the PTI government s move to enact a draconian law for the media and journalists

This happens only when the country has a brave leader like Nawaz Sharif who courted his arrest before his workers,” she said while highlighting his era’s development works particularly launch of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor Nawaz Sharif made the country s defence impregnable curbed inflation, created massive job opportunities and rooted out terrorism, she added

When he was disqualified, she said, not a single pot was broken nor any ambulance hospital or mosques was tortured He did not give any call either for attack on the GHQ or vandalizing memorials of martyrs she said while referring to the May 9 tragedy when sensitive installations came under attack following the arrest of the PTI chief

She said Nawaz Sharif had not disrespected any institution as he was convinced that he did nothing wrong

Recalling the Army Public School tragedy when terrorists killed innocent children, she said Nawaz Sharif emphasized on enacting a law which could ensure security

and safety of the field journalists

Nafeesa Shah of the Pakistan Peoples Party presented a private bill in the House for safety and security of journalists when I held the portfolio of Information Minister during the previous government tenure of PML-N,” she said while regretting noprogress on the legislation which was put in cold storage during the four years of the PTI

She said the Security and Safety Bill had been sent to the Parliamentary Committee on Information and Broadcasting that would be enacted soon A fund for death claims of the journalists who lost their lives in accidents had also been included in the bill she added Rs 1 billion for health insurance scheme has been announced and second announcement regarding security and safety legislation will be made soon, she stressed She said a circular regarding Rs 35,000 minimum wage had been sent to ITNE and PEMRA to ensure its implementation Marriyum also lauded the role of journalist community for defending democracy and raising voice against censorship during four years under the leadership of Afzal Butt and RIUJ leaders She said she would soon visit the Rawalpindi Press Club

SIRA J SAYS Z ARDARI SHOULD ACCEPT PPP’S DEFEAT AS PEOPLE STAND WITH JI

claiming they still wanted the PPP to win

PPP

JA M A AT- E - I S L A M I Emir Sirajul Haq said on Sunday that Pakistan

People s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari should accept the defeat of his party as the people supported the Jamaat-e-Islam

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman would become the mayor of Karachi as he is the right choice for this post , JI Emir Sirajul Haq declared while addressing the party workers here in Karachi on Sunday The JI Emir said the Jamaat wanted an Islamic system in the country adding that the JI wanted to implement rule of law in the country

Mr Haq said the progress of Pakistan was linked with the safety of Karachi He said the JI had votes of 0 9 million while the PPP only possessed 0 3 million votes while

The JI chief said Karachi would be established on the lines of Istanbul as a developed city mentioning the resources would be spent in the city while adding there was lack of leadership that resulted in such sad state of affairs

The JI chief said Karachi would be established on the lines of Istanbul as a developed city mentioning the resources would be spent in the city while adding there was lack of leadership that resulted in such sad state of affairs PPP accused of stealing Karachi s mandate ahead of mayor s contest

Meanwhile, the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) launched a broadside at the PPP on Sunday ahead of the upcoming Karachi mayor elections accusing it of attempting to steal the city s mandate

The mayoral elections are scheduled to be held on June 15 (Thursday)

JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman and

s Murtaza Wahab are top contenders for the office of Karachi mayor Rehman and his party have been accusing the PPP of not only rigging the local government elections but also the upcoming mayoral poll In a party rally in Karachi today Rehman doubled down on his allegations and claimed the PPP had taken over seats belonging to his party as well as the PTI He questioned why the PPP was claiming it would win the mayoral contest when it had overall fewer seats than the JI and its allies What calculation is this? What science is this? What kind of election is this? What kind of election commission is this? Who are these people who are imposed over us? They are thieves of the mandate and a mafia that controls Karachi ” Rehman said any attempt to “take over Karachi s mandate would haunt the PPP and its leadership adding that the stain would never be removed from the party

Govt enhances BISP ’s budget from Rs 404 to Rs 455 billion for FY 2023-24: S hazia M arri

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety (PA&SS) Shazia Marri Monday said the incumbent government had further enhanced the budget of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) budget from Rs 404 billion to Rs 455 billion for the financial year 2023-24

Informing the journalists about the budget increase during a press conference here, she said the Benazir Nashonuma Programme’s budget also saw a leap upwards from Rs 4 87 billion in 2021-22 to 21 88 billion in 2022-23 which was an increase by 349% whereas an amount of Rs 32 27 billion had been proposed in the upcoming budget of 2023-24 She said the Benazir Nashonuma Programme had also registered 0 643 million children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers to date, and was all set to meet the target of 1 5 million during the next financial year 2023-24

Shazia Marri emphasized the importance of the BISP s role in uplifting the lives of the underprivileged and marginalized segments of the society The BISP, which commenced in 2008 and was the brainchild of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had proven to be a highly successful programme

It functions on non-political grounds, providing financial assistance to approximately 9 million women across the country which is targeted to be expanded to 9 3 million households after the recent increase in the budget she added

While talking about the budgetary allocations, she said over the years, the budget allocation for the BISP had witnessed significant growth, reflecting the government’s commitment to social welfare of the poor of the poorest

When the incumbent government she said came to power the BISP s budget al-

TikToker Sundal arrested for ‘leaking’ Hareem Shah’s private videos

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

The very intriguing controversy regarding Pakistani Tiktok stars Sundal Khattak and Hareem Shah which has been managing to cause an uproar over social media for quite some time has now come to an end as Sundal Khattak has been arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday

Sundal Khattak and Hareem Shah have lately been asked by the authorities to attend a court hearing which has been conducted due to the very appalling scandal that was initiated after Hareem Shah decided to press charges against her former best friend and TikTok star Sundal Khattak accusing the Pakistani social media star of leaking some very triggering personal videos of Hareem Shah that contained sensitive content However, after attending the court hearing, Sundal Khattak ended up getting arrested by the FIA right outside the premises of the court Sundal Khattak, in her defense has informed the authorities regarding how Hareem Shah has been blackmailing her for the past year whereas Sundal Khattak claimed that she has not captured any of Hareem Shah s personal moments or begin with, and if the TikToker has not captured any content in the first place, then how can she leak it? However Hareem Shah has presented all the proof against Sundal Khattak in the latest court hearing the videos and the pictures leading to Sundal Khattak getting arrested by the FIA

Aleema Khan gets interim bail in Jinnah House attack case

LAHORE

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore has granted interim bail to PTI

S e c u r i t y f o r c e s k i l l a t e r r o r i s t i n N o r t h

W a z i r i s t a n : I S P R

RAWALPINDI S ta f f R e p o R t

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa “The service which will be operational by July this year, will provide easy access to people in far-flung areas of these provinces She said some 820 000 beneficiaries who were filtered out of the BISP beneficiary list by the last government, were being re-examined after they appealed to be heard Out of those, she added, “136 525 beneficiaries have successfully been enrolled again with the BISP and they will receive their stipend in the upcoming tranche During the press conference

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Faisal Karim Kundi urged the Sindh government to follow all the instructions of relevant departments to protect the citizens from the cyclone impacts

location was Rs 235 billion, which had now been augmented to Rs 455 billion in a short span of over one year

The minister also informed the audience that the quarterly cash transfer amount was enhanced from Rs 7 000 to Rs 8 750 during the last quarter 25% increase

The government intended to further increase the stipend of Benazir Kafaalat Programme in light of the economic situation, she added She also announced to start a mobile service for the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) in remote areas of Sindh Balochistan South Punjab and

While discussing the situation caused by Cyclone Biparjoy, Faisal Kundi said the government was closely monitoring the situation, with particular attention to areas such as Sajawal, Badin, and Thatta which were highly vulnerable “These areas have been placed on high alert and efforts are underway to ensure the safety of over 8 million people he added

The SAPM urged the public to cooperate with the government and adhere to safety guidelines issued from time to time during the emergency situation

‘What an irony ’ – caretaker CM Punjab to discuss budget with PM: Omar

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan said that the illegitimate CM Punjab would discuss the upcoming Punjab budget with an imported fascist PM knowing fully well that the budget would be illegal and would be challenged

In a statement on Monday PTI Secretary General said: What an irony!!

An illegal CM Punjab will discuss the upcoming Punjab budget with PM knowing fully well that the budget to be presented will be illegal and will be challenged ”

He said that the expenditures authorized and expended would be illegal as the Chief Secretary and bureaucracy would open themselves to a plethora of litigation in the days to come

The icing on the cake is that the Punjab budget will be based on false assumptions just as the federal budget presented was based on fudged figures and

on imaginary money inflows to finance very real expenses,” he added Omar Ayub stated: “This is a receipe for a disastrous catastrophe that will cause deep pain for the people of Pakistan Meanwhile lashing out the fascist government for unabated police raids on houses of PTI leaders and supporters, Omar Ayub termed the Sindh police’s raid on Khurrum Sher Zaman’s home and harassment of his family shameful

PTI Secretary General strongly condemned the police raid and women harassment in the strongest possible words adding that there was a complete anarchy in Pakistan This imported corrupt government does not have much time, but they are using every method to browbeat PTI!! Karachi will have Hafiz Naeem as Mayor inshallah no matter what this corrupt PPP Government does ” he added

PML-N to suppor t PPP c andidates in K arachi mayoral elec tion

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has extended support to the People’s Party candidates in Mayor and Deputy Mayor s election

The PML-N central leadership has communicated the PPP, a coalition partner in the federal government, about its decision PML-N Sindh President Shah Muhammad Shah while informing the PPP leadership has directed the deputy mayor ’s party candidates to withdraw their nomination papers

Fourteen PML-N members in the city council will vote for the PPP s mayor and deputy mayor s candidates

The decision has been taken on the instructions of the PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif People s Party has

welcomed the PML-N decision and vowed to work jointly with the allied party for development of the city

Earlier, the PML-N s elected chairmen had decided to field their own candidate, while expressing their discontent with the decision of the party’s committee headed by Muhammad Zubair to extend support to the PPP

The party’s UC chairmen had informed the PML-N Sindh president Shah Muhammad Shah about their reservations and asked him to decide the matter Total number of seats in the City Council is 371 and the Karachi mayor needs 186 votes to win the majority in the council

The finalized list of candidates will be released on June 14 and the mayor election will take place on June 15 On June 16 the Returning Officers will announce the results whereas the successful candidates will take oath on June 19

A terrorist was killed and two were injured during an exchange of fire with security forces in the Spinwam area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district on Monday according to a statement issued by the military s media affairs wing Own troops effectively engaged the terrorists location and after intense fire exchange, one terrorist was sent to hell, while two terrorists were injured,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said It added that weapons and ammunition were found in the possession of the terrorists among whom the slain militant remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces, as well as the killing of innocent citizens Locals of the area appreciated the operation and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the area the statement said In a similar incident last week three terrorists were killed and four injured during a gun battle with security forces in North Waziristan s Miranshah area A statement issued by the ISPR said at the time that the fire exchange had taken place on the night of June 9/10 during which three soldiers had also embraced martyrdom

LHC orders action against those conducting, facilitating child marriages

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

The Lahore High Court has ordered action against those who marry at a young age or are involved in conducting child marriages According to media reports the court has also ordered the relevant departments to ensure implementation of the law against underage marriages The court asked to which extent the law against those who marry at a young age has been implemented The high court also asked how many complaints have been received against child marriages and what action was taken Justice Anwarul Haq Pannu issued the order on the petitions of Rukhsana Bibi and Irshad Bibi Rukhsana Bibi has approached the LHC for the recovery of her 13-year-old daughter Irshad Bibi has moved the court for the recovery of her 14-year-old daughter A statement was also presented in the court on behalf of young girls regarding marrying of their own free will

Gu ns V s Bu tter

Wi t h the budget of course comes the debate in its wake And within that debate of course is the one on the quantum of financial resources allocated for defence in this context, both sides of the divide in the public sphere are resorting to some misleading talking points

Consider, for instance, a graphic uploaded online by a tV channel associated with one of Pakistan s most respected papers of record Rs 1 84 trillion for defence it read and a paltry Rs 82 billion of education An appalling imbalance obviously given how the latter is a thousandth of the former however, the comparison itself is completely unfounded After the 18th amendment to the constitution, education, much like a lot of subjects, are purely provincial concerns the aforementioned Rs 84 billion are being spent on federal regulatory bodies federal directorate of education and the smattering of remaining FG colleges that’s it if one were to add up the provincial education budgets they do make up a number quite comparable to the defence budget

Does that mean that all apprehensions about our defence budget being unsustainably large are unfounded?

Not at all it is unsustainably large and something has to be done about it

As per the World Bank’s figures for 2021 india which splurges more on defence than it should spends around 2 7% of its GDP on defence Pakistan spends around 3 8% We re worse off if one were to compare the figures as a proportion of the federal budget

What makes matters even worse is that the Rs 1 84 trillion isn t our total military budget there are other heads buried away in pockets within columns in the finance bill that in all honesty should have been a part of the military budget Most famously the military pensions but also the running costs of certain civil armed militias that are officered by the Pakistan army these paramilitary organisations are essentially the military the combined strength of the four Frontier Corps alone is almost equivalent to a corps-and-a-half of the army proper the biggest issue of course remains that of scrutiny the relative opacity of how the military budget is spent is counterproductive to our nation’s defence if the nation’s public works engineers have to submit themselves to questions by our elected representatives, so should all organisations Only then can we figure out how to plug leaks while still maintaining a cohesive national defence

PA K i S tA N a nation known for its rich cultural diversity and vibrant democracy, has long grappled with the complex relationship between politics and religion As a country where islam serves as the state religion, Pakistan has faced numerous challenges in ensuring the preservation of human rights and safeguarding religious harmony Recent incidents have shed light on these issues urging the nation to prioritize the protection of individual liberties while navigating the delicate interplay of politics and religion the Constitution of Pakistan (1973) guarantees fundamental rights particularly religious rights in articles 20 21 & 22 and freedom of speech and expression in article 19 serve as bedrock for protecting individual liberties however ensuring the implementation of these rights remains a challenge in recent years, there have been a number of high-profile incidents that have highlighted the challenges facing Pakistan in the areas of politics and religion Religious minorities such as Christian hindus and Ahmadis have faced significant challenges in Pakistan

Discrimination persecution and even violent attacks against these communities have tarnished the nation human rights records On December 30th 2020 a frenzied mob vandalized a hindu temple in Karak in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2022, a mob of extremists attacked a Christian church in Peshawar killing 9 people and injuring dozens of others followed by a shocking even last month when a hindu temple was desecrated in the Sindh province All these incidents have received condemnation from religious leaders, civil society and the government who called for swift action against the perpetrators But it highlights the growing threat of religious extremism in Pakistan in 2023 a group of women was attacked by a resentful mob of men in Lahore for wearing immodest clothing the attack was condemned by the government and by women s rights groups, but it highlights the continued discrimination against women in Pakistan these incidents prompted a nationwide debate on the delicate balance between religious sensitivi t i e s a n d i n d i v i d u a l f r e e d o m s M a n y a rg u e d t h a t w h i l e f r e e d o m o f s p e e c h s h o u l d b e p r o t e c t e d i t should not be misused particularly on social media a s a l i c e n s e t o i n c i t e v i o l e n c e o r p r o m o t e h a t r e d these incidents highlight the need for a comprehensive legal framework that delineates the boundaries of free speech while ensuring the protection of citizens rights the government must strike a delicate balance between respecting religious sentiments and maintaining social order the recent incidents served as a

Empowering Youth

Collaboration with Policy Makers

Th e active involvement of youth in shaping policies and decision-making processes is crucial for the progress and development of any society Recognizing the potential of the younger generation and harnessing their energy, ideas, and perspectives can lead to innovative solutions and inclusive governance i am going to explore the significance of fostering collaboration between youth and policy makers highlighting the benefits challenges and actionable steps towards effective engagement

Youth engagement holds immense importance for various reasons Firstly, the fresh perspectives, creativity, and innovative ideas that young people bring to policy discussions can help address complex challenges and drive positive change By involving youth policies can better reflect the needs and aspirations of younger generations, promoting inclusivity and equity the unique experiences and perspectives of youth enable them to provide insights and propose solutions that might not have been considered by older generations this diversity of thought is essential for robust and comprehensive policy-making processes

Additionally, engaging youth in decisionmaking processes nurtures future leaders When young people are given the opportunity to participate and contribute to policy development, they develop a sense of ownership and empowerment this involvement instills leadership skills critical thinking abilities and a deep understanding of the policy landscape which can shape their future roles as effective leaders and active citizens

By encouraging youth to take part in policy-making, we are investing in the long-term development and progress of our society

however there are challenges that hinder effective collaboration between youth and policy makers Limited access lack of representation, and systemic biases often prevent youth from participating in decision-making platforms Many policies and institutions are structured in ways that exclude young people from actively engaging in meaningful discussions

Overcoming these barriers requires intentional efforts to create inclusive spaces where youth voices are heard, valued, and considered in the policy-making process Policy makers must recognize the importance of youth participation and work towards breaking down these barriers by implementing measures that promote youth inclusion such as establishing dedicated youth advisory boards or task forces

Bridging the communication gap between youth and policy makers is crucial for meaningful collaboration Often, policy documents and discussions are filled with technical jargon and complex language that may alienate or deter young people from actively engaging to address this issue policy makers should make efforts to communicate policy information in accessible and youth-friendly formats Using

plain language visual aids and interactive platforms can ensure that young people understand policy issues and are able to contribute meaningfully to the discussions it is essential to create an environment where youth feel comfortable expressing their ideas and opinions without fear of judgment or exclusion

Recognizing and including diverse perspectives interests and backgrounds within the youth population is another challenge that policy makers need to address Young people come from different socio-cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds, each with their unique experiences and concerns to ensure effective youth engagement policy makers must strive for diverse representation and inclusion this can be achieved by actively reaching out to marginalized communities involving youth from different sectors and regions, and considering the intersectionality of identities By embracing this diversity, policies can become more comprehensive equitable and reflective of the needs and aspirations of all young people to achieve meaningful collaboration, several actionable steps can be taken establishing Youth Advisory Boards or Councils provides platforms for direct interaction between youth and policy makers, allowing young people to share their ideas and provide input these platforms should be structured in a way that ensures the voices of youth are not merely tokenistic, but truly influential in shaping policies Policy makers should actively seek the input of youth representatives and give weight to their recommendations during decision-making processes Capacity building and skills development programs are essential to empower youth in policy engagement Providing training mentorship and educational programs that enhance the knowledge and skills of youth in policy analysis, advocacy, and leadership can equip them to engage more effectively these initiatives can include workshops on policy formulation and implementation training in public speaking and negotiation and mentorship opportunities with experienced policy makers By investing in the capacity development of young people, we are cultivating a generation of informed, skilled, and confident policy advocates Moreover policy makers can support and integrate youth-led initiatives projects and organizations these grassroots initiatives often address local issues and have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by their com-

stark reminder of the importance of protecting religious sites and ensuring safety of minorities communities it also prompted the government to reevaluate its approach emphasizing the importance of promoting tolerant accommodative inclusive and holistic approach to diverse religious beliefs in this context, the role of human rights organizations cannot be understated Advocacy groups, such as the human Rights Commission of Pakistan (hRCP) and Amnesty international plays a pivotal r o l e i n h i g h l i g h t i n g h u m a n r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s f o st e r i n g d i a l o g u e s a n d u rg i n g t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o take appropriate action these organizations act as a voice for the marginalized and oppressed, drawing attention to instances where political and religious interests overshadow individual rights F u r t h e r m o r e i n t e r n a t i o n a l p r e s s u r e a n d e ng a g e m e n t a r e c r u c i a l i n s h a p i n g t h e d i s c o u r s e o n h u m a n r i g h t s i n P a k i s t a n C o u n t r i e s a r o u n d t h e world must remain engaged with Pakistan emphas i z i n g t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f p r o t e c t i n g f u n d a m e n t a l f r e e d o m s a n d f o s t e r i n g i nt e r f a i t h h a r m o n y D i p l om a t i c p r e s s u r e a n d c o o p e r a t i o n c a n e n c o u r a g e the government to take conc r e t e s t e p s t o a d d r e s s r e l ig i o u s d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a n d e n s u r e t h e e q u a l t r e a t m e n t of all citizens i n r e c e n t y e a r s s t e p s have been taken to address t h e s e i s s u e s i n c l u d i n g t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e N at i o n a l C o m m i s s i o n f o r M i n o r i t i e s R i g h t s h o wever, more comprehensive and sustained efforts are needed to protect the rights of religious minorities and promote an inclusive society the contentious issue of blasphemy laws has also resurfaced in recent time Pakistan s blasphemy laws article 295-c of the Constitution designed to protect religious sentiments, have often been misused to settle personal scores and target religious minorities in a high-profile case, a Christian woman was accused of blasphemy garnered international attention and led to calls for reform even liberal abodes like academia were not spared as the lynching of Mashal Khan at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) on April 13th 2017 over the allegations of posting blasphemous content online proved human rights organizations and religious minority groups argue that the misuse of these laws undermines the principles of justice and religious freedom exacerbating tensions amid different religious communities Moreover recent local elections held in Pakistan s provinces have predominantly demonstrated

munities By partnering with youth-led organizations policy makers can tap into this valuable resource and incorporate their on-the-ground knowledge and expertise into policy development and implementation processes Supporting youth-led initiatives also sends a strong message that the contributions of young people are valued and acknowledged enhancing youth representation in decisionmaking bodies, consultative processes, and policy forums is crucial to ensure that their voices are heard and valued it is essential to create mechanisms that enable young people to participate in the development implementation and evaluation of policies that affect them directly this can be achieved by advocating for youth quotas or reserved seats in decision-making bodies, establishing youth-led committees within existing policy structures, and actively seeking the input of youth in public consultations and hearings By including young people at all levels of the policy-making process we can ensure that policies are responsive relevant and effective in addressing the needs of the youth population Successful examples of youth-policy maker collaboration serve as inspiration and demonstrate the positive outcomes of engaging youth in policy making For instance youth involvement in climate change negotiations has been instrumental in raising awareness about environmental issues and advocating for more sustainable policies

Youthdriven social entrepreneurship initiatives have empowered young people to address social challenges through innovative business models while youth-led policy reforms have brought about positive changes in various sectors, including education, healthcare, and social welfare these examples highlight the transformative potential of youth engagement and serve as models for other policy makers and young people to emulate in a nutshell, collaboration between youth and policy makers is crucial for inclusive governance and sustainable development By recognizing the importance of youth engagement addressing challenges and implementing actionable steps, societies can harness the potential of their younger generation, creating a brighter future that reflects the aspirations and needs of all Fostering this collaboration is a shared responsibility requiring commitment from policy makers youth organizations civil society and communities at large together we can build a society where the youth s hand-inhand with policy makers shapes a more prosperous and inclusive world

the intersection of politics and religion on a grassroots level Several candidates with a strong religious background secured victories signaling the growing popularity of religious parties among the electorate this shift has raised concerns among proponents of a secular state, who fear that the rise of religious politics could infringe upon the rights of religious minorities and undermine the country’s diverse cultural fabric in response to the escalating tensions the Pakistani government has vowed to address the challenges arising from the confluence of politics and religion Prominent political leaders have called for national dialogues and debates to find a common ground that respects religious freedom while upholding the principles of a democratic state there are also ongoing discussions regarding the need for reforms in educational curricula to promote tolerance and inclusiveness with an emphasis on countering extremism it is essential to recognize that religion should not be exploited for political gains the misuse of religious rhetoric and manipulation of religious sentiments by politicians can deepen divisions within society and undermine the principles of equality and tolerance Political leaders must be held accountable for their words and actions, ensuring that their discourse promotes unity respect and peaceful coexistence to foster interfaith harmony and protect individual liberties, Pakistan needs to invest in education and promote interfaith dialogue By encouraging a culture of understanding and respect, the country can lay the foundation for a more inclusive and tolerant society educational institutions and pulpit should play a pivotal role in promoting diversity and teaching the values of pluralism and acceptance from an early age in a nutshell , discussion on the incidents surrounding politics, religion, and human rights in Pakistan highlight the delicate balancing act the country faces it is crucial for the government human rights organizations and the international community to work collaboratively to protect individual liberties and promote religious harmony By upholding the principles enshrined in the Constitution, investing in education, and fostering interfaith dialogue, Pakistan can strive towards a state where every citizen’s rights are respected and celebrated regardless of his religious beliefs Only through such concerted efforts can Pakistan emerge as a shining example of religious tolerance and democratic values

The writer is a freelance columnist

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

HEC attestation is a serious miser y

t h e higher education Commission (heC) offers degree attestation services through a designated private courier company to almost 99 per cent of the population that does not live in islamabad i recently used this option for my own graduate degree attestation and now consider it my civic duty to detail my ordeal for anyone considering going down that route irrespective of what diploma one wants to get attested heC requires all previous original diplomas to be sent for verification With heC being a trust- worthy institution or so i believed it did not take much reassurance for me to take this leap of faith But, as it turned out, i was so horribly wrong on that count

As i got to know later the courier company sends the documents in thin plastic envelope and it does not label any care instructions on it either i had requested that they should send my documents in a hard plastic envelope i had brought along, and they thankfully agreed

Once this step was done, i awaited to receive confirmation of my documents reaching the destination No such luck in this comedy of errors, not only the courier company turned out to have a faulty tracking system (even today it shows the documents to be ‘in transit’) it turns out the heC online portal also does not deem it important to inform applicants of the whereabouts of their documents i had to call the courier company to confirm the location of my documents

Meanwhile, heC still carried on with its indifference the frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on its website says that it takes 10 working days for attestation via courier While in reality, on the 10th working day i was yet to know if the documents had reached the relevant hands

Feeling impatient and legitimately worried i filed an online complaint to request whatever assurance i could be provided in return in an apparent you-got-some-nerve move the ticketing system offered me 10 further days to have the issue resolved

At this point, eid was around the corner, and, being a typical Pakistani, i left it to God to not let the proof of all my life’s hard work end up as a samosa plate for a street vendor exactly four weeks after i had sent my documents the miracle happened and i received the much-awaited confirmation email that my documents had been received the online ticketing system meanwhile extended its own deadline to resolve the issue, and, knowing that this charade would never result in anything concrete, i considered it best to put my complaint out of its misery, and closed it myself

Seven days later, a thin plastic envelope, like the one i had sent the documents in without the additional protective cover was at my doorsteps My documents had visible creases on them and someone had also deemed it wise to adorn them with plenty of staple holes At this point the fight left in me only allowed me to write these lines Anyone who is thinking about choosing this path of paid helplessness, please know that the C in heC actually stands for callousness it really is JUWAYRIYAH QAZI

Beyond capacit y

i t seems that theft incidents have gone beyond the capacity of local police to handle them take for example a case handed over to a police station in Karachi A 5kv generator was stolen from Defence housing Authority

(DhA) phase i After acquiring the CCtV footage, it was handed over to the investigation officer, but nothing has happened any further thus far this has left a big question mark on the performance of the department Will anyone come forward to tell us where has the investigation reached so far?

The government must strike a delicate balance between respecting religious sentiments and maintaining social order.

By involving youth, policies can better reflect the needs and aspirations of younger generations, promoting inclusivity and equity

The unique experiences and perspectives of youth enable them to provide insights and propose solutions that might not have been considered by older generations.

P o l i t i c s , R e l i g i o n

Kur ti’s confrontation with the United States is alarming

It is time for Kosovo’s Prime Minister Kurti to wake to the reality in which he finds himself and demonstrate the statesmanship and the vision to do the right thing for his country

Th e recent flare up in Northern Kosovo brought about as a result of the local elections in the Serb-majority municipalities and the demonstration by ethnic Serbs that followed was unnecessary and most unfortunate it should not have come to this unfortunate state where US Special envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel escobar, issued what amounts to an ultimatum demanding that Prime Minister Kurti immediately de-escalate the conflict institute a new election and implement the Ohrid Agreement or otherwise face consequences Kurti seems to ignore the fact that without the full support and the backing of the US and the eU, Kosovo does not have strong enough legs to stand on By defying the US and the eU’s attempts to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo Kurti has shown severe shortsightedness which he must now correct because he must maintain good standing with his most critical allies who are committed to Kosovo s independence well-being, and security it is one thing the protect and safeguard the territorial integrity and independence of the country, as Kurti indeed has an obligation to do; it is another thing however to be fixated on four Serb-majority municipalities in the northern part of Kosovo as if the future of Kosovo is entirely depended on their unconditional subordination to the central government t h e r e c e n t e l e c t i o n s o ff e r a g o o d e x a m p l e o f Kurti’s obsession with these municipalities the ethnic S er b s mad e it clear n ear ly tw o mo n th s ag o ( r ig h t o r w r o n g ) t h a t t h e y i n t e n d e d t o b o y c o t t t h e e l e c t i o n s Nevertheless Kurti went ahead with the elections in which only 4 percent of the population voted resulting i n t h e e l e c t i o n o f f o u r A l b a n i a n m a y o r s A l t h o u g h

technically the election was fair and free it did not reflect the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the population in these areas W h a t m a d e m a t t e r s w o r s e i s K u r t i s i n s i s t e n c e that the newly-elected mayors assume their duties in t h e o ff i c i a l g o v e r n m e n t b u i l d i n g s , w h i c h f u r t h e r h eig h ten ed th e ten s io n , p r ecip itatin g th e d emo n s tr at i o n o f e t h n i c S e r b s K u r t i a d d e d f u e l t o t h e f i r e b y d i s p a t c h i n g t h e p o l i c e t o q u e l l t h e d e m o n s t r a t i o n s which turned violent and ended up causing injuries to nearly 50 KFOR peacekeepers Gabriel escobar was correct to state that: We re seeing that choices are being made despite our partnership, and that is a signal to us, we can’t not accept that as a signal At some point, when we want to re-establish that coordination and partnership with this [the Kurti] government we stand ready Because we always stand with the people of Kosovo that doesn t mean that we have to stand with an individual who doesn t share that instinct to cooperate and to coordinate this, of course came on the heel of the nearly tirel e s s n e g o t i a t i o n s f o r t h e M u n i c i p a l i t i e s A s s o c i a t i o n agreement which Kurti refused to honor albeit there is nothing in the agreement which i carefully examined that compromises Kosovo s independence in any s h a p e o r f o r m B u t f o r K u r t i w h o i s z e a l o u s a b o u t

Kosovo s independence and suspicious even of the US unmitigated commitment to Kosovo s sovereignty, still balks at what the US and the eU want to achieve for Kosovo Afterall, if Kurti casts Kosovo’s fate with the West he must demonstrate that he is a worthy and reliable partner on whom they can count to play his role

What made matters worse is Kur tiÊs insistence that the newly-elected mayors assume their duties in the official government buildings, which fur ther heightened the tension, precipitating the demonstration of ethnic Serbs

T h e u p s a n d d o w n s o f t h e

M o d i d e c a d e

to maintain calm and cooperate in every which way in the process of normalization with Serbia this does not mean by any interpretation that the US and the eU favor Serbia over Kosovo; to the contrary For them Serbia is a significant party to this whole debacle they seek its cooperation because Belgrade exercises significant influence over the ethnic Serbs in Kosovo and because they seek to distance President Vucic as much as possible from Russia’s Putin this is particularly important at this juncture when the Ukraine war is raging and Putin is doing all he can to destabilize the region the total sum of this whole unfortunate development is that Kurti has now diminishing control over the four municipalities while frustrating his most valua b l e a l l i e s t o a p o i n t t h a t l e d t h e U S t o b a r K o s o v o from further participation in the NAtO defense exercise “Defender 23 ” if nothing else this sad episode has only further distanced Kosovo s integration into the eU to the chagrin of its population whose future w e l l - b e i n g i s i n t e r t w i n e d w i t h t h e e U a f a c t t h a t K u r t i , i n s p i t e o f h i s o c c a s i o n a l d i s d a i n t o w a r d t h e West, must not forget Prime Minster Kurti, who told CNN last tuesday that he would not surrender the country to a Serbian “fascist militia ” completely mischaracterized the reality on the ground to further state that we cannot

T h e I n d i a n p r i m e m i n i s t e r ’s n i n e y e a r s i n o f f i c e h a v e i n c l u d e d b o t h w o r t h y a c h i e v e m e n t s a n d f l a w e d p o l i c i e s

tion with key Gulf countries has never been closer

But these successes have been offset by far less admirable policies the BJP s belligerent hindutva nationalism which promotes a narrow interpretation of history and demonizes india’s minorities, particularly Muslims can be likened to a toxin injected into the veins of indian society

JU S t recently, indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government inaugurated a new parliament building in New Delhi it was supposed to symbolize the vision of a “new india” that Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claim they have been realizing during nine years in power But the building has proved highly controversial, with 20 opposition parties boycotting the inauguration ceremony the latest manifestation of the seemingly irreparable breakdown in relations between the opposition and the government

As a member of the opposition i too have strongly criticized the indian government s policies rhetoric and functioning But the fact is that Modi reportedly enjoys the highest approval ratings of any world leader As we approach the beginning of an election year, it is worth considering the sources of this support the Modi government can claim some notable accomplishments the most obvious has been the rapid construction of much-needed infrastructure including new airports ports and highways enabled by streamlined procedures, quick approvals and extensive reliance on private contractors the infrastructure boom has changed the face of many parts of india and the work continues, with large new investments in modernizing india’s railway network one of the world s largest but among its creakiest the government has also strengthened the social safety net for millions of poor indians though Modi campaigned in 2014 against the previous government s welfare efforts, which he claimed were colossally wasteful and bred a culture of dependence, his government has presided over the provision of toilets cooking-gas cylinders cash transfers to farmers and access to electricity and clean drinking water in rural india Such initiatives are not perfect toilets lack enough running water women are unable to afford to refill gas cylinders and electricity supplies are erratic But they have undoubtedly improved the quality of rural life, especially in the poor states of the northern “hindi Belt ” the Modi government has also overseen progress in the diffusion of technology the proliferation of smartphones with cheap data plans has connected nearly a billion indians to the internet the much-vaunted india Stack comprising government-backed application programming interfaces has enabled private companies to build the online commons A startup culture has developed mainly in the tech domain and several unicorns (startups valued at more than $1 billion) have emerged

When a Pakistani video blogger gushes about indian street vendors offering Paytm QR codes on their tea carts or bankers rave about india s Unified Payments interface (which transfers money directly between bank accounts) india gains in global esteem the government’s claim to have reduced “leakage” by delivering welfare payments directly to beneficiaries accounts is credible

Finally, Modi has invigorated indian diplomacy, traveling tirelessly around the world, hugging world leaders and addressing raucous rallies of indian expatriates in foreign capitals india’s relations with the United States and its allies have never been better and coopera-

With BJP leaders and their acolytes in the hindutva Parivar or family of associated organizations regularly spouting inflammatory and divisive rhetoric, it should be no surprise that violence has surged Muslims have faced lynching by so-called cow vigilantes and some Christians have been subjected to vandalism and assault during the Christmas season though indian elections remain free and fair antidemocratic trends have taken hold between votes Dissent is framed as disloyalty with criticism of government policies labeled anti-national the tax agencies and financial police have been unleashed against opposition leaders and their supporters and “bulldozer justice” has been dispensed mainly against Muslim protesters whose homes and businesses are literally bulldozed without due process

Moreover the autonomy of indian institutions from the Reserve Bank of india to the election Commission has been weakened even the judiciary has come under pressure Parliament has been reduced to a bulletin board for government decisions the Modi government has also fallen far short on economic policy Despite the progress in areas like transport infrastructure and technology diffusion india has a long way to go on many fronts particularly schooling, skills development, sanitation and public health care facilities

Likewise, the benefits of economic growth have failed to reach the poor and lower-middle class Unemployment is at record highs and female labor-force participation is plummeting Many small and microenterprises had to be permanently closed after the disastrous demonetization of 2016 Farmers are struggling to cope with falling incomes Budgetary allocations for many essential welfare programs, including the National Rural employment Guarantee Scheme, have dwindled Crony capitalism is rampant the Modi government s response to the COViD19 crisis also left much to be desired though indians were eventually vaccinated images of migrant workers trudging homeward during a nationwide lockdown still haunt the country And while the government claims that less than 500,000 people died the World health Organization estimates that the real figure is 10 times higher raising questions about the reliability of official statistics the jury is still out on the Modi government s handling of several other challenges, from the Ukraine war to Chinese encroachments along the disputed himalayan frontier it is far from clear that india is prepared to handle a conflict with China or Pakistan (or both) the 2015 deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from the French company Dassault Aviation continues to draw controversy owing to contractual irregularities india s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, is the only one to have won three successive terms in office Next year, the indian people will weigh Modi’s mixed record and decide whether it warrants making him the second

Shashi Tharoor a former U N under-secretarygeneral and former Indian minister of state for external affairs and minister of state for human resource development, is an MP for the Indian National Congress He is the author, most recently, of “Ambedkar: A Life” (Aleph Book Company 2022)

have a privileged minority because Belgrade is lamenting for the loss of Kosovo in 1999 when NAtO intervened to stop the genocide of the regime of (Slobodan) M i l o s e v i c i s a n o t h e r m i s r e a d i n g o f w h a t m u s t b e done now to defuse the tension and restore amicable and trusting relations with both the eU and the US

Now it is time for Kurti to wake up to the reality and accept without any reservation the three demands t h a t t h e U S a n d e U e m i s s a r i e s e s c o b a r a n d L a j c a k have clearly and ambiguously stated he should imm e d i a t e l y s c h e d u l e n e w e l e c t i o n s w i t h d r a w t h e p ol i c e f o r c e s t o m a i n t a i n c a l m a n d e x e c u t e t h e Association of Municipalities Agreement without any further delay indeed, restoring full cooperation with the US and the eU is central to Kosovo s future as an independent country to be sure, Kurti has now the opportunity to show statesmanship and a clear vision as to where he wants to lead Kosovo his country s fate rests with the West and he must stop short of nothing to nurture and carefully guard Kosovo s relations with the only allies that he can count on

Dr Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Centre for Global Affairs at NYU He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies alon@alonben-meir com

G u l f s t a t e s s p e n d i n g b i g o n A I :

O p p o r t u n i t y o r o p p r e s s i o n ?

DW C At h r i n s C h A e r

Th e world s best-known arbiter of artificial intelligence isn t sure if the new technology might not pose a danger to people in the Middle east there have been reports and concerns raised about human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia that involve the use of digital technologies,” ChatGPt, the artificial intelligence language model that’s been making international headlines since it was introduced last November replies when a DW journalist asks whether it might cause problems in the Middle east But the robotic assistant added, it is important to note that these reports and allegations are not limited to artificial intelligence specifically but encompass a broader range of digital technologies and their potential misuse ” Recent high-profile cases involving Saudi Arabia include the country using digital technologies to spy on dissidents and their families overseas as well as trying to infiltrate twitter in order to identify government opponents using anonymous accounts this is why there are concerns about what the country’s government might do with its increasingly rapid deployment of artificial intelligence or Ai a technology whose implications are already regularly questioned by digital rights activists the use of so-called Ai and Ai-based systems is increasing all over the world, and they open up novel ways of potentially infringing on people s most basic rights by surveilling or manipulating them,” Angela Mueller, the head of policy and advocacy at Berlin-based organization, Algorithm Watch told DW “there is definitely the danger that the use of Ai-based systems will further exacerbate existing injustices especially when such states [without human rights protections or rule of law] now boost Ai development and use by billions of dollars, she pointed out BIG SPENDERS ON AI: the most recent market intelligence suggests that governments of wealthy oil-producing Gulf states like the United Arab emirates Saudi Arabia and Qatar are now spending as much if not more than some individual european countries on advancing Airelated technologies at home

A report on worldwide Ai expenditure by the international Data Corporation says the Middle east will be spending $3 billion (€2 8 billion) on Ai this year, rising to $6 4 billion by 2026 investment will continue to ramp up market researchers say with the region seeing annual growth in spending of almost 30% in this technology over the next three years that s the fastest growth rate worldwide over the coming years, they note A much-hyped term, Ai covers a wide range of digital technologies it can mean anything from the speedy processing of large amounts of digital data for analysis, to what’s known as “generative Ai ” the latter which includes the attention-getting and much-discussed ChatGPt is considered one of the most exciting developments in Ai because it generates information and insights as it evolves the more computing power, data and users it gets, the better it [generative Ai] performs, sometimes in unexpected ways,” Deutsche Bank research analysts explained in a briefing on the technology “its talents range from sifting through data and recognizing images and speech to identifying sentiment in swathes of documents and generating text images and code Future iterations will soon do still more Most importantly, it synthesizes these tools so they feed on each other FAVORED GULF STRATEGY: Gulf states are spending so much on Ai because it is an important part of future plans to develop their national economies away from oil income the UAe was the first in the region to adopt a national Ai strategy in 2017 and became the first country in the world to appoint a minister for artificial intelligence Other countries, including egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have since followed suit, most of them over the past three years

Saudi Arabia is particularly notable because it intends to use all kinds of Ai in its futuristic city-building project

Neom, and it has the wealth to invest in these technologies both via state funding and through its state-controlled sovereign wealth fund

Perceptions of Ai in the Gulf states also differ A 2022 iPSOS survey of international attitudes toward Ai asked people whether they thought using Ai in consumer products and services offered more advantages than disadvantages Just over three-quarters of Saudi Arabians were enthusiastic agreeing that it offered more benefits compared to only 37% of the more cautious German respondents

HOW IS AI BEING USED? Currently in the Gulf states Ai technologies are being used for the same kinds of things they are in other countries: for example, as chatbots on retailer websites or to streamline state services for power and water, enhance digital financial services like web-based banking analyze the performance of companies like the emirates airline or to provide insights from local health care data in late May the UAe released its own version of ChatGPt

None of this is necessarily nefarious But the same concerns that have been expressed about the use of Ai elsewhere also apply here Digital rights activists are not seriously worried about a science-fiction-style scenario where robots kill us all they’re more concerned about data security surveillance content filtering the targeted dissemination of propaganda accuracy in Ai analysis and bias as well as the potential for dual use of certain Ai-linked technologies For example, Ai-powered facial recognition has potential for dual use, for both civilian and military purposes On one hand, it’s useful on Facebook to find your friends On the other it could be used to identify protesters at an anti-government demonstration As Geoffrey hinton the respected Ai pioneer who made international headlines when he quit his job at Google recently told the New York times, it is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it [Ai] for bad things

BAD ACTORS AND AUTOCRATS: So what happens when Ai ends up in the hands of autocratic governments such as those in the big-spending Gulf states? the countries may have some trappings of democracy but they are essentially led by royal families who tolerate little dissent and no political opposition in countries where the authorities already target human rights defenders and journalists for peacefully exercising their rights, the implications [of Ai] can be even more devastating ” iverna McGowan director of the european office of the Centre for Democracy and technology or CDt told DW in a 2022 summary of the laws that currently pertain to Ai in the Middle east, researchers at multinational legal firm Covington and Burling pointed out that no legislation on Ai exists in the region as yet this is also true for many other jurisdictions they added the sector is largely unregulated

Both the UAe and Saudi Arabia have published ethical guidelines for the use of Ai however neither country s guidelines, which include a checklist of do s and don ts for software developers, are legally binding that s something they have in common with heavily criticized ethical guidelines on Ai elsewhere “Ai ethical principles are useless failing to mitigate the racial social and environmental damages of Ai technologies in any meaningful sense Luke Munn an Australian digital cultures researcher argued last year in the journal Ai and ethics Part of the reason for this is the lack of any laws backing up the ethical guidelines, he wrote the result is a gap between highminded principles and technological practice ” CDt director McGowan agreed “Voluntary measures in the context of such systemic repression will be nothing other than window dressing she told DW these systems open up novel ways of potentially infringing on people s most basic rights by surveilling or manipulating them, by preventing their means to have a say and to defend themselves,” Algorithm Watch’s Mueller concluded “the combination of opacity sensitive areas and these potential impacts are especially problematic in contexts where there is no reliable protection of human rights and the rule of law

China-arab Cooperation deepens at key biz ConferenCe, in Clear rejeCtion of Us’ zero-sUm game

RIYADH

A G E N C I E S

CH I N A and Arab countries are swiftly expanding economic and trade cooperation in all fields as more than 3 500 Chinese and Arab officials and business representatives gathered in Riyadh capital of Saudi Arabia from Sunday to Monday for a major business conference, in which dozens of deals worth billions of dollars were inked

The business deals and great enthusiasm for cooperation seen at the 10th Arab-China Business Conference offered the latest sign of closer diplomatic and economic ties between China and Arab countries, following a slew of recent major developments, including the first China-Arab States Summit at the end of 2022 and China’s contribution to the agreement on the resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran

The increasingly close ties between China and Arab countries have drawn

widespread global attention as well as criticism from some Western countries particularly the US which has tried to dominate the Arab world for decades and is relentlessly stepping up its containment of China While Washington tries to sabotage China-Arab ties, growing China-Arab cooperation is a clear rejection of the US zero-sum games Chinese and Arab experts noted

On

O N:

Sunday, the first day of the 10th ArabChina Business Conference, a total of 30 investment agreements worth $10 billion were signed covering a wide range of sectors including technology renewables agriculture real estate minerals supply chains tourism and healthcare according to media reports

The deals include a $5 6 billion agreement between Saudi Arabia’s Investment Ministry and Chinese carmaker Human Horizons for a joint venture and a $266 million deal signed by Saudi Arabia with Hong Kong-based Android developer Hibobi Technology for tourism and other apps, media reports showed

massive data breach hits india as id card number, private details leaked online

Indian citizens have suffered violations of their personal data as their private information was available on the messaging platform Telegram including the details of high-profile legislators of the country with Trinamool Congress claiming that the Modi government is unaware of this big data breach

According to Indian media reports, the information includes the citizens’ Adhaar Card number, ID card used for vaccination gender birth year name of the vaccination centre voter ID and PAN card numbers

According to a report by Malayala Manorama Monday the data leak happened because of the CoWIN portal the COVID vaccination portal in which citizens registered their details

The report noted that when a mobile number registered with the CoWIN portal is entered, the Telegram bot discloses data which becomes accessible to anyone on the platform

The News Minute report suggested that the details of several politicians such as Telangana s Minister of Information and Communication Technology

Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao, DMK Member of Lok

Sabha Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, BJP Tamil Nadu

President K Annamalai Congress Member of Lok Sabha

Karti Chidambaram and Former Union Minister of Health Harsh Vardhan of the BJP were easily available

A tweet by All India Trinamool Congress spokesperson

Saket Gokhale revealed the details of Rajya Sabha MP and TMC leader Dered O Brien, former Union Minister P Chidambaram, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, journalists Rajdeep Sardesai (India

Today) and Barkha Dutt (Mojo Story) have also been leaked in a similar way

Gokhale took to Twitter to write There has been a

MAJOR data breach of Modi Govt where personal details of ALL vaccinated Indians including their mobile nos , Aadhaar numbers, Passport numbers, Voter ID, Details of family members etc have been leaked & are freely available ”

A final tally of deals signed during the two-day conference was not released as of press time on Monday as various activities were still underway to promote China-Arab cooperation in more areas such as healthcare and mining

“In terms of areas covered, this is allround cooperation ” Liu Zhongmin a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University told the Global Times on Monday, noting that in addition to traditional cooperation in energy, the two sides are also expanding cooperation in more areas such as technology

The conference focused on 16 industry sectors including finance agriculture mining artificial intelligence and e-commerce It also drew about 2,000 Chinese participants, the largest ever business delegation to Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters Zhou Rong a senior researcher at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China said that there is great interest from Saudi Arabia and other Arab states in boosting

cooperation with China in various sectors other than energy as they seek to cut reliance on the sector There are broad prospects for bilateral cooperation, Zhou told the Global Times on Monday Highlighting this great interest among Arab countries, several Arab officials on Monday extended an invitation to Chinese firms to invest in their countries Speaking at the event Abdulla bin

Adel Fakhro Bahrain s minister of commerce and industry, emphasized the importance of collaboration with China, noting that it is a very important player in their future industrial strategy

“We started to work on creating Saudi-Chinese integration at many levels and many sectors said Osama AlZamil, Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia, at the conference

While both China and Arab countries are seeking to further boost win-win cooperation the US is reportedly concerned about the deepening cooperation between Riyadh and Beijing in security and sensitive high-tech sectors

Fossil fuel company net zero plans ‘ largely meaningless,’ repor t says

PR OFIT

R E U T E R S

The number of fossil fuel companies setting net-zero emissions targets has risen sharply over the past year but most fail to address key concerns making them largely meaningless a report showed on Monday

Some 75 of the world s largest 112 fossil fuel companies have now committed to reaching netzero – the point at which greenhouse gas emissions are negated by deep cuts in output elsewhere and methods to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide

That’s up from just 51 a year ago according to the assessment of publicly available data by Net Zero Tracker run in part by the Britain-based Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit and the University of Oxford

But most targets do not fully cover or lack transparency on Scope 3 emissions which include the use of a company’s products the biggest source of emissions for

japan starts trial operation of treated water discharge facility at fukushima plant

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began trial operation of a facility that discharges treated water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant Kyodo News reported on Monday Fukushima media reported that the trial operation will be carried out on Monday by mixing fresh water and seawater, and will take 10 days to two weeks to check whether the specified amount of water can flow to the sea and whether the shutoff device can shut off water in the event of an

emergency According to a report issued by the plant s operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) on June 5 the radioactive elements in marine fish caught in the harbour of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant far exceeded safety levels for human consumption, with the content of Cs-137 reaching 180 times that of the standard maximum stipulated in Japan’s food safety law South Korea also announced it would maintain a ban on imports of seafood from Japan s Fukushima Prefecture, according to reports from Nikkei Asia on April 30 The country has for the past decade banned imports of food from the area due to concerns over food safety and fears of radiation contamination following the 2011 nuclear disaster

companies on meeting those (guidelines) so there s still a lot of work to do to come up to that level, said Thomas Hale of the University of Oxford, who co-authored the report Daisy Streatfield, sustainability director at global asset manager Ninety One said “credible plans and meaningful execution are not going to happen overnight with many companies doing a better job than national governments

A study published last week in the journal Science found that about 90% of countries net-zero targets were unlikely to be achieved

NATO begins unprecedented air drill in ‘show of strength’

BERLIN

A G E N C I E S

NATO will begin the largest air force deployment exercise in Europe in the alliance s history on Monday in a display of unity toward partners and potential threats such as Russia

The German-led Air Defender 23” will run until June 23 and include some 250 military aircraft from 25 NATO and partner countries including Japan and Sweden which is bidding to join the alliance

Up to 10,000 people will participate in the drills intended to boost interoperability and preparedness to protect against drones and cruise missiles in the case of an attack on cities airports or sea ports within NATO territory

Presenting the plans last week, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz of the German Luftwaffe said “Air Defender” was conceived in 2018 in part as a re-

sponse to the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine four years before though he said it was not targeted at anyone

He said that while NATO would defend every centimetre of its territory, the exercise would not “send any flights for example in the direction of Kaliningrad the Russian enclave bordering alliance member states Poland and Lithuania We are a defensive alliance and that is how this exercise is planned,” he said

US Ambassador to Germany

Amy Gutmann said the drill would show beyond a shadow of a doubt the agility and the swiftness of our allied force and was intended to send a message to countries including Russia

“I would be pretty surprised if any world leader was not taking note of what this shows in terms of the spirit of this alliance which means the strength of this alliance, and that includes Mr Putin,” she told reporters, referring to the Russian president

Honduras inaugurates embassy in Beijing as C hina-Honduras ties usher in new era

BEIJING

S TA F F R E P O R T

Honduras officially inaugurated its embassy in Beijing on Sunday less than three months after China-Honduras diplomatic relations were established The move was seen by diplomats and analysts as being of great significance to ushering in a new era of bilateral ties

Diplomats and officials from both sides hailed the significant progress made in such a short period of time which has a demonstrative effect for other Central and Latin American countries

At around 11 am on Sunday, the inauguration ceremony of the Honduran Embassy in China was held at the Jianguomen Diplomatic Residence Compound in Beijing Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina attended the ceremony

The opening ceremony commenced with the playing of the national anthems of both China and Honduras Both Qin and Reina gave speeches and jointly unveiled the plaque for the Honduran Embassy Qin, on behalf of the Chinese government, extended hearty congratula-

tions, saying that two months ago, China and Honduras officially established diplomatic relations on the basis of the one-China principle fulfilling the long-standing aspiration of both peoples and ushering in a new era of China-Honduran relations In the past two months, both sides have firmly fulfilled their commitments to establishing diplomatic ties resulting in a robust start to bilateral relations The rapid development of China-Honduran relations fully demonstrates that adherence to the oneChina principle is in line with international justice, the general trend, and the will of the people

The inauguration ceremony was held during a six-day state visit by Honduran President Xiomara Castro to China which was the first visit to the country by a Honduran president President Castro s state visit to China is of milestone significance The historic meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Castro will surely lead bilateral relations to new heights and realize new developments Qin said at the inauguration ceremony Establishing diplomatic relations with China has ushered in a new

The South Korean government has decided to strengthen radiation detection of aquatic products and to inspect seawater loaded on ships The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to increase the number of radiation tests from more than 5,000 last year to 8,000 In addition, the South Korean government began investigating the origin labelling of Japanese fishery products in June and will expand the number of origin labelling items for restaurants from 15 to 20 from July

The government will also strengthen the supervision of seawater loaded on ships According to the regulations of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, vessels departing from the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident area must replace the seawater loaded and maintain a distance of 500 km or more from Korean waters

CORPORATE CORNER

Ufone 4G brings unbeatable Data roaming, unrestricted access to WhatsApp for Hajj Pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

of data for just PKR 4000 and exclusively unrestricted access to WhatsApp calls and messages from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia The offer once subscribed is valid for 40 days, which adequately covers the entire period of Hajj While Ufone 4G has data roaming services in place for Saudi Arabia around the year this exclusive offer aims to bring additional ease and enablement to Ufone 4G users by helping them fulfil their necessary communication needs in a convenient manner P R

Nation's Bank offer interestfree Prime Minister Kissan Package for Flood-Affected Farmers

k a r a c h I: National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) is proud to introduce an interest-free Prime Minister Kisaan Package in response to the recent floods that have severely impacted farmers This initiative aims to provide crucial financial support to farmers who have suffered losses due to the floods and are in need of assistance For farmers without their own agricultural land NBP is offering loans of up to 2 lac specifically for the purchase of seeds and fertilizers

The loan tenure is set at 6 months ensuring a convenient repayment period for the borrowers Farmers with their own agricultural land are eligible for loans of up to 5 lac, which can be utilized to meet their livestock and other agricultural needs The loan tenure ranges from 6 months to 3 years allowing flexibility in repayment options based on individual circumstances P R

23.6% of all unemployed urban youth in Sindh province hold a university degree!

k a r a c h I: Research conducted by Gallup Pakistan and PRIDE, using data from the Labour Force Survey 2020-21, shows that the overall unemployment rate of youth in Sindh is 3 9% The analysis of the labour force survey data on youth unemployment rate in Sindh by division shows that the overall youth unemployment rate varies from the highest rate of 11 2% for Karachi division to the lowest rate of 3 4% for Larkana division Research reveals that the overall unemployment rate in the Sindh province is 3 9%, with unemployment rate of females being substantially higher than males (6 6% vs 3 3%) This rate is substantially higher in respect of the urban residents compared to their rural counterparts (5 9% vs 2 1%) 21 9% of the unemployed young females in Sindh have a university degree (engineering, medicine, computer, agriculture degree in other subjects and Masters M Phil and Ph D ) while this ratio is 20 3% for males in the same group of education and 23 6% in case of the youth belonging to the urban Sindh P R

Innovation Meets D urability:

Agha S teel Green G80 all set to strengthen The Tallest Residential Project Mount Khalid

k a r a c h I: Agha Steel Industries, a prominent name in the steel manufacturing sector, has recently entered into a collaborative agreement with Mount Khalid to supply their cutting-edge Green G80 Ultra High Strength Rebars This partnership marks a significant milestone as Agha Steel gears up to contribute to the highly anticipated Mount Khalid project, enhancing its structural integrity and durability

The picturesque locale of Gulberg Greens in Islamabad is set to house the magnificent Mount Khalid poised to become the

SINDH TO BUY HUNDREDS OF HYBRID BUSES FROM CHINA

buy hundreds of hy-

buses from China in the next fiscal year, starting on July 1, 2023, according to a

Karandaaz and Vizpro Announce Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Digitization of Retailer to Distributor Payments in Pakistan

Karandaaz, a prominent organization at the forefront of promoting financial inclusion and driving digital transformation in Pakistan, is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with Vizpro a leading player in the digital payments ecosystem This collaboration aims to tackle a critical challenge faced by distributors and retailers across the country, which is the lack of easy access to e-money for digital payments The partnership falls under Karandaaz's esteemed "Pilot to Scale" program, a platform dedicated to fostering innovation and scaling up transformative projects in the financial sector The primary focus of this collaboration is to facilitate the digitization of retailerto-distributor payments introduce Raast IDs for merchants, and refine the existing business model while exploring a merchant lending framework By streamlining these processes, the partnership aims to significantly enhance the efficiency, convenience, and security of digital payments P R

S enetar Talha par ticipates in Hajj Training Program 2023

Islamabad: Under the auspices of Labbaik Services a training program for the prospective Hajj pilgrims of 2023 was held, and it witnessed the esteemed presence of Senator Talha Mahmood, the Federal Minister for Federal Minister of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony During his address at the event Senator Talha Mahmood emphasized the government s unwavering commitment to providing the best possible services for the Hajj pilgrims In his speech, Senator Talha Mahmood expressed his determination to ensure that this year, more than 80,000 fortunate pilgrims would have the opportunity to embark on the blessed journey of Hajj PR

AIOU organizes an extension lec ture on S eerat e Tay yiba

Islamabad: Youth needs to be trained in the light of the Holy Prophet (SAWW) s life to establish a righteous and happy society which will lead the entire humanity towards peace and tranquility," said Prof Dr Muhammad Yusuf Farooqui in an extension lecture on Prophet s (SAWW) style of Education and Training organized by Vice Chancellor AIOU Prof Dr Nasir Mahmood yesterday He said that we should learn the method of education and training from the Holy Prophet He (SAWW) had adopted the method of teaching by practical to describe the problem in a better way PR

Customs Enforcement Q uetta Foils Attempts to S muggle Illegal C igarettes

13 4 billion for the provincial Transport Department He stated that PKR 6 1 billion has been earmarked for the Intra-District Peoples Bus Service and PKR 2 billion for the maintenance of transport infrastructure Additionally, the government has set aside PKR 600 million for new routes Three new routes will be introduced from next year to facilitate employees of the Sindh secretariat Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who also serves as the Finance Minister, presented the budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 in the Sindh Assembly Addressing the budget session of the Sindh Assembly CM Murad Ali Shah announced that the total outlay of the budget for the province is estimated at PKR 2 2 trillion

And Private Consumers

Following the increase in Federal Excise Duty (FED) on cigarettes reports have emerged that the quantum of cigarette smuggling has increased Accordingly the Member Customs (Operations) devised a holistic strategy in

’

NUST think tank holds webinar on ‘S audi-Iranian Rapprochement

Islamabad – Ambassador (Retd) Javid Hussain, former Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran, Netherlands and South Korea, has said that the détente between Saudi Arabia and Iran has the potential to bring about positive changes countering the negative impacts of competitive and conflict-ridden trends of the Middle Eastern geopolitics He made these remarks as a keynote speaker at a webinar on Saudi-Iranian Rapprochement, held by NUST Institute of Policy Studies (NIPS) Mr Amir Yaqub, Director NIPS moderated the session attended by veteran statesmen, diplomats, academics, researchers and students Mr Hussain maintained that the agreement reached between Saudi Arabia and Iran through Chinese good offices is a testament to the victory of pragmatism, which shows that mutual understanding and cooperation are vital to safeguarding national interests The other keynote speaker, Professor Ahmet Uysal, Director of Middle Eastern Studies, Center for Middle Eastern Studies (ORSAM) Ankara said that Türkiye emphasises the importance of maintaining friendly relations with neighbours He stressed the importance of regional security to foster a harmonious and stable Middle East P R

Power S uspension S chedules for 13th June 2023

According

CDA to star t providing cleanliness ser vices in the unattended rural areas of Capital city

I s l a m a b a d: Capital Development Authority (CDA) to start providing cleanliness services in the unattended rural areas of Islamabad In this connection for the first time CDA has completed the process of outsourcing of cleanliness services in unattended rural areas This step will immensely improve the quality of sanitation services in previously neglected part of Islamabad The areas where sanitation services are being introduced include slums, thickly populated areas in the suburbs of the city rural areas etc In order to ensure smooth and efficient cleanliness system the unattended areas were divided into two packages For effective management 36 areas having estimated population around two (02) lacs have been included in package-I Package-I will include Muslim Colony (Bari Imam), Nur Pur Shahan Malpur Shahdara Mandla Kot Hathial

(complete) Rakh Bani Gala Lakhawal Phul Garan Ghora baz Tumair Lehtrar Road and other areas

Similarly package –II include areas of Badia Rustam Khan, Badia Qadir Bakhsh, Mera Sumbul Jaffar, Nathiyan / H-13 / H-14, Jhangi Syedan / H15, Mera Sumbul Akku, Gulshan e Khudadad, Bhadana Kalan, Noon, Pind Parian, Sara e Kharboza Tarnol Sangjani Sara e Madu Shah Allah Dita Pind Sanghrial Mera Bheri P R

Pakistan IT Companies to Break into 54- Countr y Afric an Economy Muhammad Zohaib K han, C hairman P@SHA

Athal, NIH Feeders, Rawalpindi Cantt Circle, Zaraj, Dhok Awan, IST, Mohra Nagyal, Kahota City-II, Hanif Shaheed Feeders, Rawalpindi City Circle P R

Nelson Mandela Talent Hunt Program – Trial D ay 02

karachI: The second day of the Nelson Mandela Talent Hunt Program was as busy as day one with a large number of talented kids turning up for the trials at the TMC Cricket Ground More than 500 kids appeared today aiming to be the next superstar of Karachi cricket Karachi – the city of cricket has produced many big international cricket stars that are role models for young cricketers These players have instilled passion in thousands of young players, driving them to make a name for themselves in the international circuit The Nelson Mandela Talent Hunt Program, conceived by Mr Majjid Bashir Ahmed P R

Muhammad Zohaib Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), has apprised that Pakistani participating delegation has assumed prominence at the launch event of GITEX Africa 2023 in Morocco Mr Zohaib Khan pointed out that as per latest statistics of IMF Africa has a population 1 3 billion people in 54 countries with Nominal GDP of $2,260 per capita and, in terms of purchasing power, African GDP has climbed to $6,370 per capita This is huge and Pakistan can achieve $1 billion in IT exports to Africa alone within a short-span of 2 years – if the right connections are established with African governments & private-sector, he added It is pertinent to note that P@SHA has brought an influential delegation of Pakistan’s top IT companies to the event in coordination with Ministry of IT & Telecom (MoITT), Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and Tech Destination Pakistan PR

Faysal Bank Par tners with TenX for Analytic al CRM and AI-D riven D ata Analytics

k a r a c h I: Faysal Bank Limited (FBL) one of the leading Islamic Banks of the country, and TenX Private Limited (formerly Analytics Pvt Ltd ) are proud to announce the successful deployment of Connect 360, an advanced analytical Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System This partnership has paved way for the integration of AIdriven data analytics which is set to enhance the overall customer experience, while also improving decision-making and operational efficiency FBL is revolutionizing the banking experience for its customers by embracing the latest technologies and trends Partnering with TenX, a leading provider of customer insights and growth strategies Faysal Bank aims to deliver a banking experience that is tailored to the modern customer s needs for accessibility, ease of use, and compatibility This transformation is powered by TenX s advanced analytical CRM system, which enables Faysal Bank to move away from an intuition-based system and rely on data-driven insights to improve the customer interaction framework and drive growth PR

FA ZL WANTS PDM GOVT TO TAKE ‘ACTION’ AGAINST IMRAN

fundamental objective of implementing Islam and a just system he added

PM terms arrival of Russian oil cargo as beginning of new relationship with Moscow

ISLAMABAD

TH E head of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, on Monday criticised the PDM government headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for not taking action against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan

Why there is no action being taken against the PTI chairman and his party regarding mega scandals? We are questioning the government If action can be taken against a person who had been prime minister of the country three times then why not against the PTI chairman he questioned while addressing a press conference here

Fazl said that the previous government of PTI had mercilessly crushed the national economy

He stated that the country is currently facing an economic crisis

He said that a balanced budget has been presented despite the difficulties and JUI-F will continue its efforts to provide relief to the people

The incidents of attacks on May 9 were strongly condemned Such inflammatory incidents should be avoided, and strong actions should be taken against those involved Our national politics has a long history of affiliations We have closely witnessed the ups and downs in politics The establishment of Pakistan had the

The head of the JUI-F stated further Our identity has been compromised, and Pakistan has been introduced as a secular country We will continue our struggle for the Islamic identity of the country We will make the revival of Pakistan’s Islamic identity part of our election campaign Reviving the national economy is a challenge Our foreign policy should focus on policies that benefit Pakistan

Fazl said that the PTI government wasted $70 billion in investment from China

“The Pak-China friendship transformed into an economic partnership due to CPEC, which was frozen under an international conspiracy We welcome Chinese investment in various sectors he added

The JUI-F chief stated that the occupation of Kashmir was a result of the alliance between the PTI chairman and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi The nation is still paying the price for this controversial decision

He said that all four provinces have been given the directives to prepare for the general elections

Ta r e e n n a m e s A l e e m K h a n a s p r e s i d e n t , K ay a n i s e c r e t a r y g e n e r a l o f n e w l y f o r m e d I P P

LAHORE

S TA F F R E P O R T

While strongly rejecting the government s resolution relating to May 9 incidents, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) termed the resolution a shameful attempt to protect the perpetrators of May 9 incidents of arson and attacking military buildings and to blame PTI and its Chairman Imran Khan for the arsons In a strong reaction to the government s resolution relating to May 9 incidents, the PTI strongly condemned the attempts to prosecute political opponents, especially PTI workers and leaders in military courts without any investigation

The PTI spokesperson said that the resolution was an attempt by the PDM government to completely deviate from the constitution and democracy to save its politics

PTI completely rejected the government resolution presented in the National Assembly PTI spokesperson said The spokesperson said that PTI and its Chairman strongly condemned the arson and vandalism of military buildings on May 9, adding that PTI Chairman also strongly condemned the brutal killing of 25 innocent citizens and injuries to hundreds of peaceful citizens

The PTI spokesperson went on to say that PTI Chairman demanded an independent investigation into the May 9 arson and killing of innocent civilians

It was said that the ruling PDM gang tried their best to efforts to crush PTI without any reliable investigation to bring to fore the real culprits involved in May 9 incidents PTI spokesperson stated that the PDM government instantly blamed PTI for the incidents in order to hide its failure in sheer violation of the constitution and law to achieve their political objectives

It was said that attempts were made to crush PTI through state power and to expel the party from politics on the basis of May 9 incidents

PTI spokesperson said that the constitution did not permit trial of civil accused in military courts adding that use military courts for political engineering are completely contrary to the basic constitutional right of fair trial Local and international human rights organizations have openly opposed the existence of military courts and their use against the civilian population, said PTI spokesperson It was said that the Constitution of Pakistan granted citizens full right to participate in peaceful protest and political activities adding that being a part of several international agreements regarding basic human rights

Former minister Abdul Aleem Khan has been nominated as the president of the newly-formed political party Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) while Amir Kayani has been named as secretary-general of the new party Earlier this month, senior politician Jahangir Khan Tareen formally announced the formation of the IPP with the promise of working for economic and social reforms in the country

Tareen – once a close confidant of the PTI Chairman but had a falling out in the later years – announced the new party at a news conference in Lahore with over 100 PTI defectors and deserters joining its ranks

Speaking alongside former PTI stalwarts Aleem Khan Ali Zaidi Imran Ismail Tanveer Ilyas and others, Tareen said that they were launching the party to fulfil the “teachings of Quaid-i-Azam and the dreams of Allama Iqbal”

In a tweet today Tareen announced Aleem Khan s presidency for the party

I am pleased to announce Abdul Aleem Khan as the President of the IPP, he said adding

that Aamir Mehmood Kiyani would serve as the party s Secretary General while Awn Chaudhary would serve as the Additional Secretary General and Spokesperson of the party as well as of the Patron-in-Chief Further announcements are expected to follow soon

Earlier, Aleem Khan had praised Tareen s decision to form a new party, saying that the situation had become highly chaotic after May 9 violence which caused concern among the patriotic Pakistanis He had acknowledged Tareen s efforts in bringing those people together in one party He said that they had spent the past 12 years at one platform, dedicating their energies to achieving their goals But regrettably those goals remained unfulfilled he lamented

3 soldiers mar t yred in Nor th Waziristan laid to rest with full militar y honors

RAWALPINDI

S TA F F R E P O R T

T h e f u n e r a l p r a y e r s o f t h e t h r e e s oldiers w ho embraced martyrd o m i n M i r a n s h a h o f N o r t h Wa z i r i s t a n w e r e o ff e r e d i n M i r a n S h a h a n d l a i d t o r e s t i n t h e i r n a t i v e a r e a s w i t h m i l i t a r y h o n o u r s

According to ISPR, the funeral prayers of subedar Asghar Ali,

sepoy Naseem Khan and Sepoy Muhammad Zaman attended by large numbers by officers and family members and local people

The three brave sons of the nation were martyred while fighting the terrorists The military spokesman says that the Pakistan Army is determined to ensure the defense of the motherland at any cost According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public

Relations (ISPR), on the night of 09/10 June troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and resultantly three terrorists were sent to hell while four terrorists were injured However, during an intense exchange of fire, Subedar Asghar Ali, Sepoy Naseem Khan & Sepoy Muhammad Zaman having fought gallantly embraced shahadat the ISPR said

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has termed the arrival of first ever Russian oil cargo to Pakistan as the beginning of a new relationship between Islamabad and Moscow In a tweet he said the first Russian discounted crude oil cargo has arrived in Karachi and will begin oil discharge on Monday The Prime Minister said it is a transformative day and he has fulfilled another promise to the nation He commended all those who remained part of this national endeavor and contributed to translating the promise of Russian oil import into reality The Prime Minister said we are moving one step at a time toward prosperity economic growth energy security and affordability

Capital police books senior journalist Sehbai, WSK , others for ‘inciting attacks on militar y installations’ on May 9

ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

The Islamabad police on Monday booked journalists Shaheen Sehbai and Wajahat Saeed Khan as well as Youtuber Adil Raja and anchorperson Syed Haider Raza Mehdi for abetting mutiny and inciting people to attack military installations across the country on May 9 the day violent protests erupted following PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest

During the protest military installations including the Lahore corps commander s residence and state properties were damaged across Pakistan

In a first information report (FIR) registered on Monday, complainant Muhammad Aslam said he was passing by the capital’s G-11 locality on May 9 when he saw 20-25 people sharing “screenshots of tweets and video messages of Raja Wajahat Mehdi and Sehbai

The FIR registered at the Ramna police station invoked sections 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging or attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war against Pakistan), 121A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable by Section 121) and 131 (abetting mutiny or attempting to seduce a soldier sailor or airman from his duty) It also included sections 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) and 21A (cordons for Terrorist Investigation) of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997

They were inciting people to attack military installations, spread terrorism and create chaos in the country,” he alleged

Aslam stated in the complaint that he checked the social media accounts of the four men after the incident After looking at their social media it was confirmed that all these people under a planned conspiracy and mutual agreement, are aiding anti-state agencies, defaming the military and attempting to create mutiny in the army,” the complainant claimed He further alleged that the persons nominated in the FIR wanted to “weaken the army” and “increase terrorism in the country

The complaint added that the accused indulged in foolish talks against the army with the aim to incite terrorist activities and spread fear in the government Moreover, their purpose is to attack government and military installations and create chaos through terrorism ” Aslam alluded and demanded that criminal action should be taken against the social media accounts of the accused persons

Qatar Air ways crewmember collapses onboard Doha-Lahore flight due to heat exhaustion

LAHORE M I A N A B R A R

Travellers boarding a Lahore-bound Qatar Airways flight QR628 early Monday morning registered strong protest over ill-treatment by the management after having to wait in the aircraft for close to three hours without any air conditioning The heat and humidity generated in the fuselage resulted in an episode of heatstroke and fainting of a Qatar Airways crewmember

A team of paramedics had to be called onboard to stabilize the crew member in question who had to be transported off the aircraft on a wheelchair Eyewitness accounts confirmed that the person in question was semi-conscious when being wheeled off of the plane

This was in addition to many passengers, especially infants and children onboard, becoming increasingly agitated due to the prolonged absence of sufficient ventilation and temperature control in the aircraft

Talking to Pakistan Today a passenger confirmed the incident stating that flight QR628 from Doha to Lahore on the night falling between June 11 and 12, 2023 was indeed delayed initially by two hours and then a further 45 minutes due to a health emergency onboard

“The conditions on board were not tolerable I saw the flight crew member who required medical attention working very hard to make passengers comfortable and I heard her complaining about the heat in the plane

Next I saw her she was on a wheel chair hardly conscious, being taken off the plane by the medical team, an eyewitness passenger described “I am very particular about what my child is exposed to The image of anyone being taken off the plane in an unconscious state especially when the same person greeted and served you in the most polite and gracious manner possible just minutes earlier is most unfortunate

Someone should be held accountable for this, said a disgruntled passenger