Epaper_23-06-15 LHR

A C T I O N P L A N I N P L A C E A S B I P E R J O Y

L I K E LY T O H I T PA K I S TA N

S C O A S T T O D AY

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

CYCLONE Biparjoy moving closer to Pakistan’s coast and is at a distance of about 310km from Karachi on Wednesday night after it made a turn northeastward, staying on its projected path and is expected to make landfall on Thursday (tomorrow) evening between Keti Bandar in Sindh and Kutch in Indian Gujarat

In its latest alert issued around 9:30pm on Wednesday the Pakistan Meteorological Department said the cyclone was at a distance of about 310km south of Karachi, 300km south-southwest of Thatta and 240km south-southwest of Keti Bandar

Maximum sustained surface winds are 150-160km/hour gusts 180km/hour around the system centre and sea conditions being phenomenal around the system centre with maximum wave height [of] 30 feet ” the alert said

According to the PMD under the existing upper-level steering winds the VSCS Biparjoy has been tracked further northward since Wednesday morning, then it will recurve northeastward and cross between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh) and Indian Gujarat coast on June 15 afternoon/evening as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) with packing winds of 100-120km/hour gusting 140 km/hour

However, the intensity of Cyclone Biperjoy has started to decrease and the situation is not dangerous in Karachi

The storm is only 350 kilometers away from the port city

The NDMA in a Tweet said that Cy-

clone Biparjoy is located 300km southwest of Keti Bandar, 350 km south of Karachi and 360 km south of Thatta The storm will pass through Keti Bandar and Indian Gujarat after staying in the north in the afternoon of June 15

There is a possibility of light and moderate rain in the city today, and heavy rains are expected during the next two days

While watching its current trajectory it could be predicted that the cyclonic storm is likely to cause widespread wind/dust storms, as well as thundershowers in Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparker, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts until Friday These may be accompanied by squally winds of up to 120kmph Karachi Hyderabad Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Shaheed Benazirabad and Sanghar are likely to be hit

by similar weather, along with squally winds of 60-80kmph, between today and Thursday

On Tuesday three people died in Indian Gujarat and four drowned in Mumbai Both Pakistan and India have spurred their efforts to evacuate people from their coastal areas The NDMA said that the concerned departments are on high alert considering the progress and possible effects of Cyclone Biperjoy

The NDMA urged the people living in coastal areas to follow the instructions of the local administration

Yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting to review the preparedness ahead of the possible impact of the Biparjoy cyclone He asked the Sindh government NDMA and other organizations to ensure the establishment of mobile hospitals in coastal areas and provide adequate emergency

medical assistance there

He said in view of the storm special arrangements of clean drinking water and food should be made at the camps of displaced persons

The World Health Organization (WHO) also mobilized health sector partners for initiating a preparedness and response plan for Tropical Cyclone Biparjoy According to WHO currently Pakistan is facing the threat of Tropical Cyclone Biparjoy, and due to the threat people living along the coastal areas in Sindh especially are being evacuated to safer places

WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Mahipala chaired an Incident Management Support Team (IMST) and health sector partners meeting on Tuesday in the wake of severe cyclone Biparjoy and issued immediate directives for preparations for Tropical Cyclone Biparjoy emergency preparedness and response measures 67 367 locals shifted to safer locations in three coastal districts Overall 67,367 locals have been shifted to safer locations and 39 relief camps were established in three coastal districts before Cyclone Biparjoy hit areas in Sindh The latest statistics were provided to the Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a report It stated that overall 67,367 persons were shifted to safer locations from three coastal districts and 39 relief camps were established 10 000 residents of Keti Bandar were evacuated by the administration and 3 000 locals have voluntarily shifted to other localities Six relief camps of Keti Bandar can accommodate 5,000 persons while 1,500 families have already arrived there

Petrol price estimated to decrease, diesel to surge for second half of June

fixed dealer’s commission on the sale of petrol and HSD currently stands at Rs Rs7/litre If approved the decrease in petrol price would result in an ex-depot price of Rs 260 13 per litre compared to the current market rate of Rs 262 per litre

to strike a balance between stabilizing the economy and addressing the challenges in the energy sector The government aims to maintain reasonable prices for citizens while managing the fiscal constraints faced by the country

JCP ‘unanimously’ approves Justice Hilali’s nomination as SC judge

PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t

Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Musarrat Hilali is set to become the second woman judge of the Supreme Court after the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) unanimously approved her nomination on Wednesday Justice Hilali s name will now be sent to the Parliamentary Committee on Judges Appointment for approval A meeting of the JCP was held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to consider Justice Hilali s ascension to the apex court Her name was initially suggested for elevation by Justice Qazi Faez Isa It was subsequently agreed to be officially nominated by CJP Bandial She will be the second woman judge of the SC after Justice Ayesha Malik was appointed in January 2022 Since March 2013, she has been the only woman on the bench of the Peshawar High Court She is the third woman to sit on the bench in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and was the first chief justice of the PHC

ECC allows PLL to execute proposed agreement with A zerbaijan Republic’s (SOCAR) trading

w o r k

government The final decision will depend on a careful assessment of various factors including global oil prices currency exchange rates and the financial implications for the energy sector

The Pakistan State Oil (PSO) exchange adjustment for petrol is estimated at Rs 3 50 per litre while for diesel it stands at Rs 0 31 per litre Similarly the government currently imposes an Inland Freight Equalization Margin (IFEM) of Rs 4 04 per litre on petrol and Rs 3 79 per litre on diesel Likewise, at present the petroleum levy is fixed at Rs 50/litre on petrol and diesel (HSD) Likewise Oil marketing Companies (OMCs) margin on the sale of petrol (92 RON) is fixed at Rs 6/litre and Rs 5/litre on HSD Furthermore

However, diesel price could soar to an ex-depot price of Rs 256 29 per litre, rising from the current market rate of Rs 253 per litre These potential changes have raised concerns among consumers who rely heavily on diesel for transportation and power generation In contrast, kerosene prices are expected to witness a hike of Rs 2 10 per litre, reaching an ex-depot price of Rs 166 17 per litre while Light Diesel Oil (LDO) might experience an increase of Rs 2 48 per litre bringing the ex-depot price to Rs 150 16 per litre These adjustments could impact households relying on kerosene for cooking and LDO for various industrial processes

The fluctuations in fuel prices reflect the government’s ongoing efforts

The anticipated decrease in petrol prices is expected to provide some relief to motorists, as the cost of running vehicles is likely to be slightly reduced However the substantial increase in diesel prices might pose a burden on industries such as transportation agriculture, and manufacturing, where diesel is a primary source of fuel

As the government finalizes its decision on fuel prices stakeholders are closely monitoring the situation anticipating the impact it will have on their operations and expenses The fluctuations in fuel prices could have broader implications for the overall cost of living and economic stability in the country It is worth noting that these proposed changes are subject to approval by the

In Pakistan petrol (also known as gasoline) is primarily used as a fuel for vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, and other modes of transportation It is the most widely consumed fuel type in the country Petrol is also used in power generators small engines and some industrial applications High-Speed Diesel

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has allowed Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) to execute the proposed framework agreement with State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic SOCAR trading The meeting of the ECC was held under the chair of Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar The Ministry of Petroleum presented the summary with regards to the approval of the framework agreement between PLL and SOCAR trading As per the summary PSO and PLL are importing liquefied natural gas under the long term LNG supply contracts to minimise the gas demand and supply gap Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) is a public sector entity which operates under the governance of the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), Government of Pakistan (“GOP”) The company operates on the strategy of solving Pakistan’s energy and gas crises For the longest time PLL has been importing up to 3 LNG cargoes through spot tendering conducted from time to time to meet seasonal peak demand Spot tendering refers to a need-based procurement of the said LNG from the international spot market of LNG, the prices in which are subject to many volatilities However PLL has been facing considerable difficulties in procurement of spot LNG cargoes since June 2022 owing to exorbitantly high international LNG prices as well as Pakistan downgraded credit rating Apart from the developments made in the ECC session today, the PLL has also been exploring availability of a greater LNG volume through government-to-government (G2G) agreements with different countries

THAT ’S ALL FOLKS! S hell exiting Pakistan: What does it mean and what could this transac tion look like?

DANIYAL AHMAD AND AREEBA FATIMA

Shell Petroleum one of the world s preeminent oil and gas conglomerates has declared its intention to relinquish its stake in Shell Pakistan, its subsidiary in the nation This resolution, made on June 14, heralds the termination of a 76-year-long partnership dating back to 1947

In a detailed press release that followed the announcement Shell said that the decision to divest its interests in Pakistan was part of a constant effort to streamline its portfolio and that the oil giant was departing Pakistan The decision the company insisted was not made frivolously It is now looking to sell more than 77% of its shares in Shell Pakistan

In short they have had enough The truth is that Shell has in earnest been streamlining their portfolio over the past few years and getting out of Pakistan has always been a part of that conversation But what was the final straw that finally broke the camel s back? Some would point towards rising political instability and the conditions in the Pakistani market that make it very difficult to conduct business in this country

But there is more than meets the eye in Shell’s exit from Pakistan For starters the company is not wrapping up proceedings

Instead the global headquarters of Shell is

selling their stake in the company that is Shell Pakistan But why are they selling?

What makes Pakistan such a difficult market? Who could possibly step up as a buyer?

And with the forex situation in the country seriously backlogged can the transaction even take place right now?

Why is Shell leaving?

There are two parts to this The first is that Shell has been wanting to leave Pakistan for years as it is The second is that the oil marketing business has globally gotten tougher over the past few years which means difficult markets like Pakistan have become more burdensome

There are two aspects to this story - one that Pakistan’s economy is deteriorating as a market for Shell and second that Shell announced a review of their retail business in Europe some 5 to 6 months ago and has been looking into the decision of divesting from retail business in the UK, Netherlands and Germany, says Mustafa Pasha, the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at Lakson Investments Shell first indicated that it was looking to drastically change its presence and streamline its activities back in January 2023 when the company contemplated exiting its home energy retail business in the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany citing "tough market conditions" This means that the exit is not an isolated issue that has to do with Pakistan

But it still makes for terrible optics

“Whether the transaction has any real impact in Pakistan is doubtful, but the messaging is very negative it says that people have lost confidence and are wrapping up businesses in Pakistan However political instability is a problem much closer to home, adds Pasha Corroborating this sequence of events, columnist and independent macroeconomist Ammar H Khan says that the timing o f S h e l l s e x i t m a y j u s t h a v e t o d o w i t h them finding a buyer Shell has been trying to exit for the last 8 to 10 years it is p o s s i b l e t h a t o n l y n o w h a v e t h e y c o m e across a potential buyer and have decided t o o ff i c i a l l y a n n o u n c e t h i s d e c i s i o n , ” h e s a y s “ S m u g g l e d I r a n i f u e l e n t e r i n g t h e market has also caused the industry to face more volatility Established and legitimate i n d u s t r y p l a y e r s l i k e S h e l l w h o a r e n o t able to participate in the informal market a r e f u r t h e r m a rg i n a l i s e d A s l o n g a s t h e g o v e r n m e n t i m p l i c i t l y k e e p s s u p p o r t i n g the black market MNCs will continue to exit our economy However Habib also h i g h l i g h t e d t h a t o p e r a t i o n a l l y t h i s d e c ision has little impact on the overall indust r y b e y o n d s e n d i n g a n e g a t i v e m a r k e t s i g n a l a n d s o l i d i f y i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l i nvestors’ uncertainty while dealing with the Pakistani markets

What made the Pakistani market so difficult for Shell?

We know that Shell has been reconsidering its portfolio globally But we also know that the oil giant has been unhappy being in the Pakistan market for the last decade That is because of very specific peculiarities of this country s oil markets that make it a difficult place to conduct business in "In Pakistan the milieu for oil management companies is exceedingly arduous The regulatory environment renders operation in the country onerous explains Pasha Federally implemented price changes have precipitated significant exchange and inventory losses For years, oil management companies have encountered impediments importing the raw materials they require Supply chain issues only exacerbate the conundrum Collaboration with Pakistan is met with hesitation and business confidence is low The pricing environment is a veritable minefield, stringently regulated by the government " As a result many have not been surprised by the news One highly placed industry source that wished to remain anonymous told Profit that the decision was long overdue Shell has been threatening to leave Pakistan for the past decade or so This was writing on the wall ” they said

"Successive governments, through erratic devaluation, have increased the risk exposure that companies with dollar-based structures must incur It s not viable for these companies Multinationals have these dollar-based structures because the Shell Group like others has central costs that it must incur globally You cannot change that for any country "

“The incompetence of past governments has led to this problem while current incompetence has merely expedited the process as a whole

Yousuf Farooq ex-Director of Research at Topline Securities and independent analyst, explains that "Historically, Shell has encountered impediments due to turnover tax and has never been able to generate as much revenue as they could have Their profitability has always been problematic Look Shell has been wanting to leave for years but this is the first time they have issued a notice So what could be behind that,” explains Khan "They are already in the electricity distribution business and have been withdrawing from that market In the retail business they have been present for over a century so they are exiting their core business of fuel delivery after essentially 100 years "

KP DECIDES TO FREEZE 517 DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WORTH RS469B

PESHAWAR

H E Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has ordered the freezing of 517 development projects worth Rs 469 billion in the current developmental program These projects include both approved and yet-to-be-approved initiatives however work cannot commence even after their approval because of financial issues According to the documents, after reviewing 2,187 development projects, the Department of Planning and Development has recommended the freezing of these projects for a period of five months Among these projects there are 375 projects that were part of the development pro-

Shah Farman’s house raided, two vehicles taken into custody

gram for the fiscal year 2022-23, but they have not received approval from the relevant forum yet A token amount of Rs 1 000 will be allocated to incorporate these projects into the development programSimilarly, 142 ongoing projects will also be suspended, with an estimated cost exceeding Rs 141 bn A budget of Rs 9 billion has been allocated for these projects However work on these initiatives

will not commence until November, even though they have already received approval from the respective forum The KP government has also decided not to approve any new projects during the

oversight period of the caretaker government in the fiscal year 2023-24 Projects that have been approved but have not yet issued tenders will not progress further and no tenders will be issued for them

Likewise projects that have received approval but have not commenced work will not be initiated, and work orders will not be issued for them The allocated funds for the suspended projects will remain unchanged and projects that have not been approved under the umbrella scheme will not be presented for approval However the Department of Planning and Development will be able to approve highly significant projects

A large number of development projects were left in limbo after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ended its government in the province Only one meeting of the Provincial Development Working Party was held afterward in which only highly significant projects were approved Due to the lack of approval from the PDWP, these projects have faced delays

‘Chief propagandist ’: PM Shehbaz fires fresh broadside at Imran Khan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reacting on Wednesday to Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) supremo Imran s denial of responsibility for May 9 riots asserted that Khan s speeches and Twitter posts provide substantial evidence contradicting his claims

Karachi Mayor: Only Hafiz Naeem and Mur taza Wahab left in the contest

KARACHI

S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan People s Party s (PPP) Murtaza Wahab and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman are in one-to-one competition for the office of Karachi Mayor as other candidates have withdrawn from election race According to details the PPP has filed nomination papers of former Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab, while JI fielded its Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman for the office of Karachi Mayor PPP’s Najmi Alam has withdrawn his nomination papers for mayor slot while Karam Allah Waqasi and Irshad Shar have also withdrawn from election race for mayor and deputy mayor slot respectively Meanwhile, PPP s Salman Abdullah Murad and JI s Saifuddin Advocate will contest for the Karachi Deputy Mayor slot

BHC stays vehicles ownership scheme for MPAs

QUETTA

S ta f f R e p o R t

PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t

A joint raid was conducted at house of former Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Shah Farman in Peshawar on Wednesday and two vehicles were impounded The police and excise department conducted raid at Shah Farman s house who had gone underground after violent incidents of May 9 in reaction to arrest of the Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) The excise department officials said that laboratory test of the impounded vehicles would be conducted It is worth mentioning here that police was conducting raids for arrest of Shah Farman and other PTI leaders including Murad Saeed Mian Aslam Iqbal and Hammad Azhar who went underground after May 9 vandalism

PPP candidates elected as Mayor, Dy Mayor Hyderabad unopposed

HYDERABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Kashif Ali Shoro and Muhammad Saghir

Qureshi the candidates nominated by Pakistan Peoples Party were elected unopposed as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Hyderabad

respectively on Wednesday

According to Muhammad Yousif Majeedano, Returning Officer of the indirect election for the seat of Mayor and Deputy Mayor Hyderabad Municipal Corporation both Kashif son of Deedar Hussain and Muhammad Saghir son of Bashir Ahmed have been declared elected unopposed as Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Hyderabad, respectively, following the withdrawal of nomination papers from other candidates on both seats

The Returning Officer declared both PPP candidates as elected unopposed while exercising powers under Rule 53 (1) of the Sindh Local Councils (Election) Rules-2015

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Wednesday claimed that trials under army laws clearly meet the internationally acknowledged minimum requirements that form the basis of a fair trial Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar was talking to the media after a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council in Islamabad here on Wednesday The minister insistence comes a month after the government decided to try the suspects accused of attacking military installations on May 9 under army laws

The minister particularly cited Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 regarding a fair trial, saying this clearly gives the right to appoint a counsel of choice reduce defence evidence have access to the relevant record and seek a judicial review The army laws covered all these [aspects] and that is why it is

The premier took to Twitter and deemed the PTI chief as “chief propagandist saying If there is someone who deserves the title of modern-day Joseph Goebbels – chief propagandist for the German Nazi Party – is none other than

Imran Khan

Mr Khan is certainly perfecting the art of lying PM opined

Reminding Khan of his malicious campaigns against armed forces the premier said Khan over the span of one year, he called Army intelligence top guns names, and names, exploited the people’s emotions through slogans of “Haqeeqi Azadi” & use of religious symbols & even administered the oath of Jihad to them

As the State symbols & military installations came under attack at the hands of his goons, he refused to condemn violence, what to speak of urging the arsonists to stand down ” he added Holding the PTI chairman for tragic events that unfolded last month Mr Shehbaz said Imran s speeches and Twitter posts have enough evidence to

refute his claims and establish a buildup to the events of May 9

I N A U G U R AT I O N F O U N D AT I O N L AY I N G O F U P L I F T P R O J

E

PM Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the Seventh Avenue overhead bridge at the Srinagar Highway The project has been completed within 12 months There are four loops of the Seventh Avenue overhead bridge and the length of the underpass is 615 meters The

bridge connects Sector G-7 and G-6 which has added to the beauty of the Srinagar Highway

On the occasion, PM Shehbaz Sharif was also be given a detailed briefing on the development projects

Two days earlier PM Shehbaz inaugurated Sabzazar Sports Complex in Lahore The Sabzazar Sports Complex is the first of a total 14 sports facilities planned during Shehbaz’s term as Punjab chief minister

The residents of Sabzazar would get free entry to the sports complex while bright students would also be given free membership The prime minister inspected different sections of the sports complex and interacted with young athletes and school children Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqavi was also present on the occasion

Youtuber Adil Raja ‘released af ter brief detention’ in London

LONDON

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Youtuber Adil Farooq Raja was released on bail following a “brief detention” in London over charges of inciting violence against state of Pakistan while sitting in the United Kingdom s capital London

Adil was arrested by United Kingdom s counter-terrorism police on suspicions of encouraging acts of terrorism inside Pakistan, his lawyer confirmed on Wednesday He was released after being questioned by the police However Mr Raja posted a tweet to announce that he had been released Mr Raja s lawyer told media in London that his client had been released but there were “certain conditions on social media use even in some cases mobile phone use is banned the lawyer added The lawyer said he does not believe Raja was involved in terrorism encouragement or anything unlawful Raja was detained by Scotland Yard and was summoned for questioning by the United Kingdom investigators for his alleged involvement in

said that they meet the internationally acknowledged minimum requirements pertaining to the procedure and law , he added

When asked whether any special considerations” were being mulled regarding the trial of women under army laws the minister replied: “Matters [pertaining to military trials] will be decided according to the operation of the law

It is not the choice of the federal government or any institution

The relevant institution will proceed on this in line with how they are satisfied with the [available] material ” However he continued no case of woman had been referred to the military court till now

The minister s remarks come amid concerns over the government s decision to try May 9 suspects under army laws

On May 9, countrywide protests had erupted after the paramilitary Rangers had whisked away PTI chief Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court in a corruption case While the protests were under way pub-

incitement to violence through YouTube and other platforms

Somewhere in the UK, right now Lots of love for those who care about me and prayers for those who don’t ” Mr Raja tweeted along with his fresh photo

There have been many rumours about me and my welfare Alhamdullilah, I am well I remain fully committed to raising a voice against fascism and for democracy in Pakistan I will continue to advocate people’s democratic right to peaceful protest as the only way to bring about real change A sea of peaceful protesters can achieve

lic and private properties including military installations were attacked and vandalised Subsequently, the army termed the day a dark chapter and announced around a week after the incidents its intent to try the rioters under relevant laws including two military laws the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act The decision was endorsed by the National Security Committee the country s principal decision-making forum on foreign policy and national security a day later amid opposition by rights organisations and activists

the change which violent protest can not as violence can only be counterproductive he wrote The only way forward for Pakistan to bring political and economic stability, which every Pakistani, regardless of political affiliation desires is through free and fair elections and ‘uninterrupted’ democracy All institutions working within their powers as mandated by the constitution, are vital for the success of Pakistan But Mr Raja looked adopting a reconciliatory tone after his detention

“Criticism of individuals should never be allowed to undermine the institutions I am humbled by all the prayers concerns and good wishes sent my way My thoughts and prayers are always with each and every Pakistani who wants a better and peaceful future in our beautiful land,” he concluded Earlier this week an FIR was lodged against Pakistani-American journalist Shaheen Sehbai Haider Raza

Mehdi YouTuber and anchorperson

Wajahat Saeed Khan and retired major

Adil Farooq Raja, in Islamabad s Ramna Police Station

Balochistan High Court on Wednesday restrained provincial chief secretary and secretary S&GAD from providing official vehicles on ownership basis to provincial treasury and opposition benches till June 22 A division bench of the Balochistan High Court comprising Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Muhammad Aamir Nawaz Rana issued notices to respondents in the matter in response to a plea of one Bayazid Khan Kharoot who appeared in person before the bench in the matter According to a copy of the BHC order that the high court issued to TLTP on Wednesday the petitioner urged for court directives against vehicles provisions to provincial assembly members on ownership basis, terming the facility will make a dent to provincial kitty It has been stated in the order that petitioner has challenged “allotment/providing official vehicles on ownership basis to the Provincial ministers members of the Provincial Assembly and opposition leader on the grounds that the same will be an unnecessary burden on the public exchequer and will also cause inconvenience to the future incumbents After a brief hearing of the matter the Bench issued directives to the office to issue notices of the application to the Secretary Balochistan Provincial Assembly Chief Secretary GoB Secretary S&GAD GoB as well as to the learned AAG The notices to accompany copy of the application with annexures – In the meanwhile, Secretary Balochistan Provincial Assembly, Chief Secretary GoB and Secretary S&GAD GoB are restrained from further proceedings with the plan for providing official vehicles on ownership basis to the Provincial Ministers Members of the Provincial Assembly, Opposition Leader, Deputy Speaker, Chairman of the Standing Committees, Advisors to the Chief Minister Balochistan and Parliamentary Secretaries till the next date” After issuing the notice in the matter the Bench sought compliance from the concerned respondents and adjourned the hearing till June 22

LHC annuls ‘incomplete’ Lahore’s Master Plan 2050

LAHORE

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ings, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah

sanctioned the handing over of 16 May 9 suspects to the military and a Rawalpindi court has approved the handing over of another eight suspects both developments having taken place within the span of a week in May During the gap between the two hear-

IMRAN BL ASTS GOVT FOR CROSSING ALL LIMITS OF ‘BARBARISM’

PA K I S TA N Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)

Chairman Imran Khan came down hard on the imported government for unleashing reign of terror and said that the PTI leadership workers and even voters were subjected to worst brutality as if they did not have any fear of God

Addressing the nation, PTI Chairman said that it was not a big battle that all the state resources were being used against PTI people and security forces broke into the homes of innocent people and desecrated women, pick up children, vandalize and loot their homes Law of the jungle prevails in Pakistan where might is right The shameful way houses are broken open raided robbed and vandalised has no precedence in ours or any civilised society he added

Imran Khan said that the worst aspect was the way the poor servants are beaten up and jailed, who work to feed their families

“My sister ’s cook was so badly treated

JCP ‘unanimously’ approves Justice Hilali’s nomination as SC judge

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

She took oath as acting chief justice of the Peshawar High Court on April 1 2023 and became the permanent CJ of the PHC on May 12 Justice Hilali was also the first woman additional advocate general of K-P from November 2001 to March 2004 and was later appointed as the first woman chairperson of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Tribunal

She served as the first female ombudsperson for the Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act

Born in Peshawar on August 8, 1961, Justice Hilali received a law degree from Peshawar University’s Khyber Law College She enrolled as an advocate of district courts in 1983; as an advocate of the high court in 1988 and as an advocate of the Supreme Court in 2006

She was the first woman to be elected as the secretary of the Peshawar Bar Association in 1988; the vice president of the bar twice from 1992 and 1994 and the general secretary of the bar from 1997 to 1998 Justice Hilali had the honour to be the first woman to be elected twice as an executive member of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) respectively from 2007-2008 and 2008-2009

in jail that he is on a ventilator and fighting for his life he added Imran Khan said that the police stated another trick to mint money from poor innocent people as they arrested any person in the excuse that their name appeared in the geo-fencing and then took handsome amount to get them released

He said that the rate started from Rs 15 lakh because now they had got the license to commit atrocities in this country adding that they were committing atrocities like the occupying forces of India and Israel

PTI Chairman stated that there was punishment for committing cruelty as an Australian man in Afghanistan whom everyone considered as a hero however many soldiers revealed that he was killing justifiably and wrongly, resultantly he faced the punishment However, Imran Khan said that at present, in Pakistan, we are seeing quite strange situation as if those wielding power had no fear of Allah adding that the country was built in the name of Islam but there was no justice no humanity and no one cares about the orders of the courts

He recalled that Usman Dar, Mian Aslam

Iqbal s mothers were treated inhumanly because these people have no shame and no fear of God PTI Chairman stated that Shehryar Afridi was not allowed to attend his brother’s funeral, while when Nawaz Sharif ’s wife died, we allowed him four days leaves Imran Khan said that Shehryar Afridi was kept in the cell where the killers were kept adding that first he was not allowed to attend his brother s funeral and then his relatives who attended the funeral were picked up and put them in jail He went on to say that Shehryar Afridi was a minister who was given facilities in jails adding that Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz who had been convicted for theft of billions of rupees but they lived lavishly in jails PTI Chairman said that Shehryar Afridi did peaceful protest, which was not a crime but it was a constitutional and fundamental right of every citizens Imran Khan suggested that they should carry out investigation to prove that someone had done vandalism or arson and PTI would help the authorities in this regard

However, he said that no investigation

was done on it as even CCTV footage of the Corps Commander s house has not been revealed yet, adding that when Trump supporters stormed Capitol Hill, the first thing they did was suspend the police chief Has anyone here questioned the IG Punjab, he asked

Imran Khan raised question that those responsible for the May 9 mayhem who benefited the most from it adding that whenever independent probe was carried out into to it it would be established that it was preplanned He asked as how it was possible that within 48 hours all the people were listed along with their locations and they all were rounded up as well

PTI Chairman said that all attempts were being made to crush PTI so as it did not come to power again Imran Khan stated that a 75-year-old Dr Yasmeen Rashid, whose video was available barring people from entering the Corps Commander ’s House was kept in jail in the scorching heat

Similarly he said that Mian Mehmoodul-Rashid told the court that he was tortured by unknown persons, adding that Ejaz Chaudhry was also tortured while Ali Mo-

S hell exiting Pakistan: What does it mean and what could this transac tion look like?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Whether this is a strategic decision or not: There are two factors here - A significant amount of debt means that a lot of money in the energy sector is stuck with the government "Yes there are some strategic decisions but largely it is driven by economic conditions in Pakistan They can t smuggle; other small informal oil marketing companies have been smuggling Iranian fuel - they generate revenue through the informal market - Shell has also recently suffered a substantial loss S O W H

And this is where the next problem lies If Shell itself is unable and unwilling to maintain its stakes in Pakistan, who will come in and buy its shares in an already devastated market? With a book value of almost Rs 46 Pasha tells us that their asset valuation alone could be Rs 8-9 billion

It s not as though it s a prodigious transaction; any local OMC or some company like Taj Energy has also expressed interest in acquiring shares of Hascol or Attock Petroleum if they find a new sponsor Domestic oil marketing companies with available liquidity will be able to execute this without much difficulty Perhaps someone decides to expand from a smaller to a larger per-

centage of the market - branch networks, synergy, etc , a plethora of different factors are playing into this," Pasha adds Meanwhile Farooq says that deal flows have been in a lull due to the lack of clarity Until conditions improve it will be exceedingly difficult for any major transactions to transpire At present, no small transactions are occurring When clarity emerges, then someone will invest Currently the conditions are such that if someone possesses cash they will endeavour to conserve it so that if conditions deteriorate they have cash on hand That s what companies are striving to do Very few individuals will have the audacity to undertake new projects until there is clarity on what will transpire next

And this is where our final question comes in The real question Will the transaction even materialise? Shell will obviously desire dollar-denominated sales proceeds but can they obtain them during Pakistan s current forex crunch?

It will become problematic for any domestic buyers to even evince interest - if someone is bidding domestically, either they arrange dollars from outside or the transaction won't be approved "

explains Pasha

"With a market cap of 19 billion rupees, the 77 6% share would be worth approximately $50 million at a spot rate of 287 rupees against the dollar The transaction could ascend much higher or descend much lower but yes at present we cannot proffer money It s not as though a transaction of this magnitude cannot materialise The question is whether the State Bank of Pakistan will permit $50 million to exit the country in the current situation " states Farooq I don t foresee any foreign exchange exiting the country right now

At the end of the day, it shows that international investors don t have a good view of the economy It's just a very big market signal ” explains Khan

The IMF agreement is of paramount importance Farooq explains Clarity on the external account is critical so that there is lucidity on what will transpire next in Pakistan If that clarity is absent, companies will continue to depart and no one else will arrive "

If you desire debt restructuring for example Farooq continues then all the appendages of the state finance apparatus must be in unison in terms of communication, not the current disparate points What businesses in Pakistan require is clarity "

hammad Khan was re-arrested for fifth time after being acquitted by the courts in a case

PTI Chairman stated that every crime from murder to terrorism was absolved on paying just one magic phrase I am leaving PTI’, which clearly showed justice ended However, Imran Khan vowed that they could commit all atrocities but they could not destroy PTI come what may adding that the vote bank of PTI would increase with these barbarity and cruelty adding that hatred against the institutions was growing due to this cruelty which was the destruction of our country and the benefit of the enemies

PTI Chairman said that there had been over 150 cases against him which was nothing but to make a mockery of Pakistan in the world Imran Khan recalled that a lawyer was killed in Quetta, whom I did not know him but within four hours the law minister claimed that I am involved in this murder

Petrol price estimated to decrease, diesel to surge for second half of June

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Kerosene oil commonly referred to as kerosene has several uses in Pakistan It is primarily utilized as a domestic fuel for cooking and lighting purposes, especially in rural areas where access to electricity is limited Kerosene is widely used in kerosene stoves lamps and lanterns It is also utilized in some industrial applications such as heating and as a solvent in certain processes Light Diesel Oil (LDO) is a lighter and less refined form of diesel fuel In Pakistan, LDO has limited usage compared to other fuel types It is primarily employed in certain industrial applications such as in boilers furnaces and kilns LDO may be utilized in specific machinery and equipment that require a lower grade of diesel fuel

In conclusion, Pakistan is preparing for potential fuel price fluctuations in the second half of June 2023 While petrol prices are expected to decrease diesel prices might witness a significant surge These adjustments underscore the government s efforts to manage economic challenges while ensuring reasonable prices for citizens The final decision on fuel prices will have farreaching consequences for consumers and industries across the country

No development, prosperity without politic al stability: PM

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

3 500 out of 5 000 population of Ghorabari taluka of Thatta district were evacuated by the administration whereas 1 500 individuals have voluntarily shifted to other locations In three relief camps established in Ghorabari, there is an accommodation capacity of 1,000 persons and 445 families have been shifted

The administration of Shaheed Fazil Rahu city in Badin district evacuated 14 310 persons out of the total population of 19 038 whereas 5 160 persons voluntarily shifted to other locations 10 relief camps have been established in the city, having the accommodation capacity of 11,000 people where 3,009 families are residing now The Badin administration moved 5,960 persons out of the 12,300 population, whereas, 5,600 people voluntarily shifted to other locations The accommodation capacity of six relief camps is 1 650 and 1 650 families have been shifted there

In Shahbandar tehsil of Sujawal district the administration evacuated 8,300 persons to safer localities and established 10 relief camps, having an accommodation capacity of 9,500 people 1,300 families have been shifted to the relief camps In Jati Tehsil the administration shifted 2 165 individuals to safer locations out of the total population of 8 070 whereas 3 000 persons have voluntarily shifted to other places Four relief camps have been established in Jati, having the capacity to accommodate 2,500 persons 840 families have been residing in the relief camps

The administration evacuated 3 872 out of 7 935 persons from Kharo Chan whereas 1 000 persons have voluntarily shifted to other places

The Pakistan Army after Tropical Cyclone Biparjoy inten-

sified into a very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) have expedited its efforts for the evacuation of vulnerable communities of coastal areas on a fast-track basis

The Pakistan Army has also issued statistics pertaining to the masses relocated from the areas to be impacted by the cyclone Over 82 percent population of the to-be impacted areas have been shifted to safer places and the evacuation process would complete by Wednesday night According to recent data, some 60,442 people have been relocated out of the total 73,843 to safer locations Pakistan Army has established some nine relief camps in Thatta and 14 each in Sujawal and Badin PAKISTAN NAVY ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN RESCUE & RELIEF OPERATIONS AT

CREEKS AREA: On the other hand Pakistan Navy is actively participating in Rescue & Relief operations at Creeks area amid Tropical Cyclone BIPARJOY

In the latest developments in collaboration with District Government PN Emergency Response Teams evacuated over 1000 personnel from various remote villages of Chuhar Jamali area Additionally 40 local fishermen including children were rescued from Kajhar and adjoining Creeks The rescued fishermen were provided necessary medical assistance by PN medical teams exclusively employed for the purpose Diving teams of Pakistan Navy SSG assisted Local Administration for safe evacuation of 9000 personnel from Keti Bandar Karo Chan & Tarky Bundar to relief camps Emergency Response Teams from Pakistan Navy Creeks Brigade patrolled in remote coastal areas to provide immediate assistance to aggrieved populace Pakistan Navy is maintaining continuous liaison with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) LEAs Provincial Government and Local Administration to provide emergency assistance amid natural calamity of Tropical Cyclone

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that political stability was highly important to achieve economic strength attract investment and ensure development and prosperity in the country

Until there is no political stability, there would not be any economic stability as both are inter-linked with each other,” he said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the rehabilitated and widened Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed Road (previously known as IJ Principal Road) Shehbaz Sharif said in a situation where

there was political instability in the country the political opponents were hatching conspiracies everywhere spreading false propaganda and misleading the nation; nobody would be ready to invest in the country Putting the responsibility of current economic crisis on the previous government the prime minister said it breached its own agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) due to which the confidence of the Fund in Pakistan shattered and it was now hesitant to resume its agreement

However, he said the current government had met all the conditions of the IMF and hoped that the programme would resume anytime very

soon PM Shehbaz resolved that “under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif we all together would bring the country out of all crises and make it a stable and developed Pakistan

He said the previous government had ignored development projects and the progress on reconstruction of IJP Road was also going on at a snail’s pace However he said current government made it possible to complete it in the stipulated time Appreciating the team responsible for the project to complete it on time, the prime minister said the project, previously known as IJ Principal Road had now been named after Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed (Nishan-e-Haidar)

Election assurances

TH E Election Commission of Pakistan, as was perhaps only to be expected, has said that it is more than willing to conduct elections This it repeated at a PILDAT seminar on the issue However the members of the ruling coalition continued to show coyness and a refusal to commit themselves to the holding of elections It should be noted that the4 debate is no longer abou5 the holding of Punjab and KP Assembly elections within the 90-day limit presc riveted by the Constitution That boat has long sailed The debate now is whether the elections that must follow after the expiration in August of the tenures of the National, Sindh and Balochistan Assemblies are held in time The precedent of the Punjab and Assemblies is not encouraging Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar has said that the ECP has got the requisite funds implies that one of the main reasons for the ECP’s hanging back, is now at an end Similarly, the extra duties of the armed, that were mentioned as another reason, for postponing polls, are now at an end allowing them to provide adequate personnel for security purposes to the ECP It is perhaps a pity that one of these duties was accompanying the census, which was held ahead of schedule because of the dissatisfaction of one political party with the results of the last Its expressing dissatisfaction again has meant an advance rejection of the delimitations that it entails That gives rise to the suspicion that the census is being used as a political stalking-horse, and is not either seriously intended, nor can any measure be taken to satisfy those claiming to be affected

However the refusal of the parties in the coalition to commit themselves unequivocally to elections upon the end of the current tenure is suspicious, and is fuelling the very insecurity it accuses its main opponent, the PTI, of fomenting The political and economic systems would be immeasurably strengthened by the knowledge that elections would be held on a particular date and failure to hold them on the constitutionally mandated date would cause immense damage to the constitution and the rule of law The destruction of the PTI may be a desired goal, and fear of its return to power a reason for the shilly-shallying on elections but it is by no means a reason within the ambit of the law or the constitution There is not much time left for such a countdown Indeed, any declaration even mow would probably be overdue

Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late)

Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor

M A Niazi Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor

US method to law fully punish

of Islamabad High Court ( IHC ) by men in uniform that triggered the countrywide protests has already been declared illegal by the Supreme Court

TH E Prime Minister during his recent address at Karachi said “ Pakistan would apply US methods to lawfully punish May 9 arsonists He compared the May 9 countrywide protests to the planned assault on Capitol Hill by far-right Trump supporters on 6 January 2021 At best the attack on US Capitol Washington DC is comparable to the storming of the Supreme Court of Pakistan by PML(N) goons in the capital of Islamic Republic of Pakistan on 30 November 30 where no one came to the rescue of the judges of the highest court of law

Police in Punjab is a private Militia recruited and controlled by the Sharifs of Gawalmandi and the Chaudhrys of Gujrat The embattled Chief Justice requested the COAS for protection but was told to come through the proper channel Finally an in-house coup was fueled and funded by the party in power

The poor CJ had to step down

Another pillar of the state was trampled by an establishment-conceived and -created brand of Sarkari League’ led by Mian Nawaz Sharif Planned and focused attacks on national institutions and countrywide public protests are not comparable The Media Cell of the PML(N) has mastery in creating confusion by distorting and concealing facts

It is certainly a good idea to follow the democratic norms of the oldest constitutional democracy of the world The US Constitution was written in 1787 and has been in operation since 1789 It is the world’s longest surviving written charter of government that is respected and followed in totality and no individual or institution can dare to cross the constitutional boundaries

The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan by contrast enforced on 14 August 1973 is the most abused and violated document ever Colonial era laws like the Sedition Act of 1864, Official Secrects Act of 1923 Government of India Act 1935 and Martial Law legislations like MPO Section 144 the Army Act of 1952 continue to haunt the Constitution and the people of the Republic violating the fundamental human rights enshrined in the Constitution

The events of May 9 have to be carefully understood before passing judgements and state-sponsored media campaigns The abduction of the ex-PM and the most popular national leader from the premises

Here are the events of the day About a hundred armed Rangers entered the premises of the Islamabad High Court manhandled and abducted Imran Khan after breaking doors and glass windows of the court offices It was a unique event of its kind Sanctity of the court was violated on the basis of illegal orders issued by the Chairman NAB as the due process of issuance of three notices before arrest was not followed IK was then taken to the NAB headquarter and later shifted to the Police lines where a special court was set up which was against the principle of am open public trial Peaceful protest call was issued by IK s party In Lahore the largest gathering was at the Liberty Chowk where instigators infiltrated, urging the crowd to move to the Corps Commander s house, located in the well guarded and barricaded Cantonment area The saner protesters did not pay heed to these calls; however some fell into the trap and reached there with no usual resistance on the way which is mind-boggling Those who ransacked the property must be brought to justice but after an independent inquiry and due process as was followed in the USA

The events of the Capitol Hill attack on 6 January 2021 were totally different Far-right supporters of the incumbent President stormed the US Capitol buidling to disrupt the proceedings of the Electoral College which had assembled to confirm the winner of the Presidential election in which Joe Biden had been declared victorious defeating Donald Trump Vice President Mike Pence who was presiding was asked to nullify the count but he refused as it was unconstitutional to do so Some of the protestors were armed and reportedly carried pipe bombs as well The police tried to stop them but they broke through the barricades There were pitched battles, 138 Policemen were injured It was called Save America March With the control of the country in the hands of the FarLeft Liberals serious political legal and social repercussions were bound to take place which had to be stopped The President did not send the National Guards to control the situation The in-house security had to move the Congressmen to safety behind closed doors Finally when it was all over, Joe Biden was confirmed President the next day Thorough investigations were carried out A year later on 6 January 2022 725 people were charged They went through the usual Jury Trial President Trump was impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives but the motion did not carry through the Senate No special Anti-Terrorist Courts were established to try the attackers Due process of law was followed There were no mass arrests and no

B o g u s l a w s : T h e u n e x p e c t e d c o n s e q u e n c e o f A I i n l a w

A s w i t h a ny te c h n o l o g y, A I n e e d s c a re i n i t s u s e

model developed by OpenAI Schwartz had relied on the model to draft his brief, likely captivated by its ability to produce human-like responses and seemingly accurate legal content1

The incident has sent ripples across the legal community prompting discussions about the intersection of AI and legal ethics It s a timely discourse considering the accelerating adoption of AI in various sectors, including law While AI has shown promise in streamlining legal research and document analysis, its use must be tempered with caution, and the Schwartz case serves as a stark reminder of this reality

L i k e t h e U S A , Pa k i s t a n

h a s a w r i t t e n c o n s t i t u t i o n

t h a t mu s t b e r e s p e c t e d

a n d p ro t e c t e d Pe o p l e

h av e s t o o d u p , n ow t h e

c o u r t s h av e t o s t a n d u p

t o o b e fo r e i t i s a l l ov e r.

one was forced to leave their party There are no Cantonments in the USA The Armed Forces are confined to barracks and camps where they live and train Their life revolves around barracks and borders only till they retire to return to civilian life In India they recently finished all the cantonments as they were a relic of the colonial era In Pakistan at the time of partition the civilian and military areas were clearly marked Growing up on the Mall we seldom crossed the Mian Mir bridge to enter the Cantt area As the property was leased, not owned, very few civilians lived there There was hardly any commercial activity I remember there used to be Globe Cinema and a wineshop across from it in a small market that was all There were Army and Air Force messes for the officers and a small CSD building (Canteen Stores Department) Till the first Martial Law in October 1958 the only event of public interaction was the March 23rd parade; later on the Horse and Cattle Show and Tattoo Shows were introduced Increased traffic flow started when the airport was moved from Walton to the Air Force base in Cantt Despite the increased civilian entry the place is always kept well guarded All entry points are manned and checked but on May 9 there was no one to stop or check the intruders

In the 1960s a teargas shell landed in the premises of the LHC while controlling the mob The CJ issued a contempt notice against the IG Police who had to appear before the court and apologise The sanctity of the court has to be guarded at all costs, it is for the CJ of the Islamabad High Court to summon the DG Rangers whose men trampled the protective legal sanctuary of his court Like the USA Pakistan has a written constitution that must be respected and protected People have stood up now the courts have to stand up too before it is all over The state derives its power from the Constitution, which cannot be trampled om, otherwise the consequences can be disastrous

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

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

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

Spike in drug abuse needs attention

D R U G addiction is dangerous because it interferes with activities of daily life and affects the physical and mental health of people Unfortunately, drug addiction is rising among the young of the nation; both in urban and rural areas

AdAm JAbbAr

TH E unexpected has become the expected in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) We ve been amazed by its innovations, from self-driving cars to voice assistants, but the recent controversy surrounding the AI model, ChatGPT, has presented an unexpected twist: bogus case laws

This instance while unsettling provides an opportunity to reflect on the ethical implications and responsibilities when harnessing AI in the legal sector Recently, a New York lawyer, Steven Schwartz, submitted a court brief that cited six non-existent judicial decisions These fictitious cases were not the product of intentional deceit but the output of ChatGPT an AI language

T h e u s e o f A I i n l aw i s s t i l l a r e l a t i v e ly n ew f ro n t i e r, w i t h p o t e n t i a l fo r b o t h g r e a t i n n ova t i o n a n d s e r i o u s m i s s t e p s . T h i s i s a m o m e n t o f l e a r n i n g a n d a d a p t a t i o n fo r t h e l e g a l p ro fe s s i o n , a t i m e t o s t r i k e a b a l a n c e b e t w e e n l ev e r ag i n g t h e c a p a b i l i t i e s o f A I a n d m a i n t a i n i n g t h e h i g h s t a n d a rd s o f e t h i c a l c o n d u c t a n d p ro fe s s i o n a l i s m t h a t t h e l aw d e m a n d s

The American Bar Association s (ABA)

Model Rules of Professional Conduct do not explicitly address AI use Yet several existing ethics rules are pertinent Lawyers are responsible for the representations they make in their practice; it s their license at stake This responsibility extends to three key areas when using AI: competence confidentiality and nonlawyer assistance

First the duty of competence requires lawyers to provide competent representation and stay updated on current technology They must ensure that the technology they use provides accurate information, a concern raised by the ChatGPT incident Over-reliance on AI tools might introduce errors and potentially misleading information as seen in Schwartz s case

Second the duty of confidentiality mandates lawyers to protect their clients information By using AI programs like ChatGPT, lawyers might inadvertently provide AI companies with data that could be used to train and improve their models potentially breaching confidentiality rules

Lastly the rule concerning nonlawyer assistance means lawyers must supervise those who aid them, including AI programmes, to ensure their conduct aligns with professional conduct rules Lawyers must understand the technology well enough to guarantee it meets the ethical standards they are obligated to uphold

This incident underlines the need for guidelines on AI use within the legal profession As AI continues to evolve and become more integrated into our lives and professions, it s crucial to understand and manage the risks associated with its use It’s not enough to marvel at AI’s ability to streamline tasks; we must also be vigilant and responsible users aware of its limitations and potential for error

The Schwartz case is a wake-up call for the legal profession, a call to think critically about AI s role in law and the safeguards necessary to ensure its ethical use AI, for all its potential, is a tool, and like all tools, its use needs guidance and oversight It’s time to consider not only how AI can benefit law but also how it can be ethically integrated into legal practice In the meantime the incident serves as a cautionary tale for lawyers tempted to rely too

heavily on AI As we navigate the new frontier of AI and law, we must remember that while AI can aid us it doesn’t replace the need for human oversight integrity and professional responsibility The power of AI in law lies not in its ability to replace humans but to augment our capabilities– while the human element remains, as ever, irreplaceable In the wake of this incident, attention has turned to Pakistan where a judge recently used ChatGPT in a trailblazing legal decision A Pakistani judge recently utilized the AI tool to ask legal questions concerning a juvenile criminal case He noted the potential of AI technology in assisting the justice system in passing efficient and intelligent judicial orders and judgments following the law However, he also emphasized that the decision to grant pre-arrest bail was not based on the answers provided by ChatGPT but on the human judicial mind

The Pakistani judge s experiment underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of AI s role in the judicial system It demonstrates the potential value of AI as a tool to aid human decision-making and reduce the burden on the judicial mind by providing relevant and reliable answers but also highlights the importance of human oversight and that the ultimate responsibility lies with the legal professionals themselves Lawyers and judges in Pakistan, and indeed worldwide, must tread carefully They can harness the potential of AI in their work but should be aware of its limitations and the potential for errors as the Schwartz case illustrates AI is a tool not a replacement for human legal expertise and its use must be properly supervised to prevent unintended consequences such as the citation of non-existent case law

The use of AI in law is still a relatively new frontier with potential for both great innovation and serious missteps This is a moment of learning and adaptation for the legal profession a time to strike a balance between leveraging the capabilities of AI and maintaining the high standards of ethical conduct and professionalism that the law demands The

advocatehc adam@gmail com

A number of factors lead to the development of such a harmful addiction However the widespread availability of drugs of all varieties is one of the biggest factors that has led to the spike in the number of addicts in the country The devastation caused by the menace to individuals and families is massive The destruction caused to society is too colossal to be estimated According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Pakistan is among the top countries in the world where drug use is prevalent This is an alarming situation that requires urgent attention from the government civil society organisations and individuals We need to take collective action to address the issue and stop it before it ruins even more lives

The root causes of drug abuse are complex, and tackling them requires a comprehensive approach It is crucial to increase public awareness about the harms of drug use and provide education and support to individuals and families affected by addiction Additionally, while facilitating access to healthcare services for those seeking assistance to get out of the rut the country needs to increase and improve the capacity of its law-enforcement agencies to effectively curb drug trafficking which will disrupt the supply chain and control the easy availability of drugs in society

Furthermore, we need to promote a culture of responsibility and accoun-tability It is essential to hold drug manufacturers, distributors and retailers accountable for their role in fuelling the drug crisis

Drug abuse is a grave problem that requires immediate attention of all the relevant stakeholders By working together we can create a society where drug abuse is no longer a menace and individuals even when they are in distress may lead healthy productive lives Currently there is a massive gap in the scale of the problem and society s response to it MUHAMMAD TAHA ALI LAHORE

Changa Manga

CHANGA Manga is the largest man-made forest in Pakistan It is spread over 12 560 acres having a large variety of plants and wild animals This forest produces one of the finest timbers in the world Its location is good which gives people an opportunity to have a relaxed outing in the middle of a forest

Unfortunately trees in Changa Manga are being cut illegally for many years and that will ultimately have a negative impact on the environment as well as on the wild inhabitants of the forest There are many reasons for this problem Influential political personalities, who do not care about laws, are involved in cutting trees for financial interests The lack of security in the forest is another issue There are no officials to protect the forest and wildlife Apart from deforestation owing to illegal hunting some species may become endangered and extinct soon which is really not what we need or want

As the forest does not have a designated entrance, people from all around the forest easily enter and harm any tree or animal The area needs to be fenced and monitored Some work in this regard has been initiated, but the pace at which it is moving suggests there is no deadline in place for the project There must be relevant laws to protect the forest and its wildlife from influen-tial people who are out to destroy whatever forest cover has been left after massive deforestation across the country The people at the helm of national affairs especially those who are responsible for protecting forests and wildlife, must take action to save Changa Manga by deploying security staff and expediting the fencing project SAIRA MUSHTAQ ELLAH ABAD

The silence of the coalition par tners about coming elec tions is raising suspicions

Afew years ago a country s strength was determined solely by the amount of arms it possessed and the technology of its missiles

However, in today s world, science and technology have surpassed these traditional indicators of power We are now living in an era dominated by scientific knowledge where security economy power politics and even social life are all interconnected with knowledge

The true measure of a superpower today lies not in its high-tech weaponry, but in the brilliance of its intellectual minds Countries endowed with vast natural resources but lacking in intellectual capacity find themselves economically suppressed by those with limited resources but great minds brimming with innovative ideas

Fortunately Pakistan has recently recognized the importance of a knowledge-based economy and has made efforts to join the ranks of developing countries Numerous autonomous projects have been initiated within the country as well as collaborative ventures with friendly nations

It requires the combined determination and efforts of the government and its citizens to fully appreciate and embrace the concept of a knowledge economy in order to thrive in this new world era

The progress witnessed in the world today is the culmination of a long process of evolution We have not been standing where we are today since time immemorial Mankind has made tremendous efforts and traversed diverse stages to reach this point where we are ready to embark on journeys to other worlds What was once a nightmare for early humans is now an absolute reality

The industrial revolution brought about a radical change in the history of humanity, leading us through various stages until we arrived at the third wave of industrialization encompassing information technology trade business and artificial intelligence Throughout this journey knowledge has remained the driving force behind each progressive stage It is through knowledge that humanity has gained superiority over all other creatures in the universe The game of the mind is fueled by knowledge, ultimately shaping the world we inhabit As Claire Fagin aptly put it, “knowledge will bring you the opportunity to make a difference ”

The progress of the world today is collectively proportional to the knowledge economy of all countries

combined What were once utopian ideas have become the beautiful realities of today Man is diving into the depths of the oceans and exploring space developing chemicals that render him invisible conducting surveillance on enemies without leaving a trace practising agriculture in saline water, and even turning deserts into fruitful lands All these miracles are the language of growth Humanity is doing an incredibly great job, innovating in every sphere of life, leading to an economic boost Education health shelter food infrastructure and governance all directly link to knowledge and innovation Just take a look around you; all the successful individuals today started with a single great idea that changed the course of their entire lives The truth of the ages is that investing in innovative minds is much safer than investing in weapons Today enemies no longer fight on battlefields but in laboratories and libraries Similarly, in the economic sector, the more you learn, the more you earn Countries like China Russia America and Britain have recognized this fact and are investing in the development of intelligent minds They have transformed their education systems to meet modern requirements and equipped them with the necessary resources They now prioritize the education of their citizens over harming the people of their enemies It is high time to follow the blueprints of Plato’s education system

have lost them

However, we haven t lost them all Our country is filled with brilliant minds and determined youth who have the potential to bring greatness to our nation They simply require the right platforms and opportunities to thrive Education and information infrastructure serve as the new foundations for progress

Economic incentives within institutional frameworks and innovative systems act as catalysts for the idea of a knowledge economy There is no ambiguity in accepting the fact that the global village is based on the internet and e-commerce plays a significant role in national revenue In Pakistan we are still far from experiencing an industrial boom Having loyal leadership alone is not enough; we need educated guidance in this race

We can no longer rely solely on land resources In a knowledge economy, a successful business is a community with a purpose, not just a piece of property

Currently, ar tificial intellig ence has surpassed human capacities Given PakistanÊs weak economy, the prevalence of pover ty prevents a significant por tion of its population from accessing schools and colleg es.

Currently the top 20 countries in the world contribute 75 percent of the global economy An economy based on knowledge is enduring and secure devoid of the threats of loss or depletion As a developing country Pakistan is gradually realizing the importance of a knowledge-based economy in its path to progress, but there is still a long way to go Countries committed to progress value their people and ensure their protection both within and outside their borders whereas the treatment of our national heroes is no longer a secret Dr Abdul Salam Dr Abdul Qadeer Abdul Sattar Edhi and many others are real assets to our country but we

Sextech and the mating habits of humans

Th e s e x t e c h i n d u s t r y i s a $ 3 0 b i l l i o n m a r ke t I t b o g g l e d my m i n d t o l e a r n t h at w h i l e i t t o o k Fa c e b o o k t h re e ye a r s t o g a i n 5 0 m i l l i o n u s e r s, i t t o o k Po r n h u b o n l y 1 9 d ay s t o a c h i e ve t h e s a m e

MAIL AND GUARDIAN S k y e S c Ot t

YO U R brain is your biggest sexual organ

Have you thought about it that way before?

It’s a complex interplay of not yet fully understood dynamics involving your somatic and autonomic nervous systems both centrally (in the brain) and peripherally (nerve conduction outside of the brain)

This universal human drive is a driver of population growth, intimacy, meaningful connection and, hopefully, pleasure It is a strange reality to consider that people seem to be having less sex than ever before men’s sperm counts are lower than they have ever been and the sextech industry is booming With so much of sex being cognitive it makes sense that it s digitisation is upon us

H o w d o w e r e c o n c i l e t h a t 2 9 % o f A m e r i c a n s aged 35 to 45 haven’t had sex in the past year and that 17% of married Americans have sex only once a month? We don’t have data on South Africans but if my general practice in Johannesburg is a reflection people s libidos don t seem to be as high on their priority lists as their career aspirations or the burden of their bills to pay

The latest United States Census Bureau report tells us that fewer men are looking for romantic, committed relationships than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic and that one in six men report that they have no close friends With women under 30 earning more than their male counterparts and women not wanting to be partnered with men who earn less than them, the loneliness is growing

What are the public health consequences of these trends? What does this mean for our species? Different sites state that up to a third of internet web content is adult in nature and 87% of American men watch porn daily Pornhub reports that three in 10 of their users are female It seems a likely explanation that the pandemic s imposed isolation has had a significant effect on people s pleasure-seeking behaviours At the same time, the world has seen an uptick in sexually transmitted infections in the American population which must mean that the people still having sex with real people are doing so unsafely

It is a global phenomenon that men s sperm counts are the lowest they have ever been in history and I wonder if having your cell phone snuggly tucked into your pocket has anything to do with the scrotum’s decrease in provisions It’s difficult for our reproductive systems to escape the effects of the digital revolution

The sextech industry is a $30 billion market It boggled my mind to learn that while it took Facebook three years to gain 50 million users it took Pornhub only 19 days to achieve the same Pornhub is the Netflix equivalent for adult content While this sex-use case may prevent some unwanted pregnancies and re-

duce the burden of chlamydia it was Anaïs Nin who famously said Abnormal pleasures kill the taste for normal ones And she was right More than 50% of men who watch porn suffer from erectile dysfunction that is entirely psychological Which brings me to the estimated value of the erectile dysfunction drug market In 2021, it was valued at $2 3 billion and is on an upward trend of 8 5% annually We have fewer people seeking partners; those who are seeking a partner can t get an erection and the frequency of intimacy in longstanding relationships is on a decline along with men s sperm counts I am an advocate for inspiring reverence for the beauty and intelligence of the human body I have faith in the design of the natural world And I believe that meaningful human connection is what keeps humans sane So it s no surprise to me that this generational sexlessness and use of technology for auto-erotica is, in part, responsible for some of our collective psychic undoing and no one is talking about this flaccid elephant in the room

How do we heal this evolution from how nature intended things to be? Are we accelerating towards a new reality where human form and function is metamorphosing? If we continue on this trajectory that might be very possible While we may be more efficient with gadgets and screens, I argue that we are losing the essence of what makes us unique and beautiful as a species And the symptom of this loss is a debilitating effect on our mental health which is a euphemism for widespread anxiety depression obsessive thoughts and suicidal ideation Add to this bouquet performance anxiety in the bedroom and not being aroused enough by the pretty girl next door when she comes knocking

Because so much of our arousal is through cognitive stimuli, we need to be extremely mindful about tickling these networks artificially A virtual reality where you can observe your greatest fantasy with any face you choose superimposed on the actor s body is a potential quagmire Why would you have sex with your husband when you can enjoy Mel Gibson virtually (I am showing my age here ) It also raises the question of consent in a wholly different way because, now not only can technology put your face in the farmyard it can dub your voice for a saucy dialogue with the virtual avatar

I am not throwing water on all of the sexy spark these innovations are offering to the free thinking movement and making a certain kind of joie de vivre accessible to all and sundry Perhaps we are also protecting a certain population from sex offenders who can now get their kicks safely with their screens But what of the deep quiet human need for touch intimacy and human connection I fear that if we lose this we lose our very selves for what are we but mirrors of one another

Recently the government of Pakistan has taken commendable initiatives to enhance the country s knowledge economy Four major initiatives deserve special mention The Prime Minister Technology Driven Task Force encompasses projects such as the Pak-Austria Fachhochschule University in Haripur which is in collaboration with eight foreign universities Two more universities with similar objectives have been established in Islamabad and Sialkot Scholarships worth Rs 13 billion have been awarded for PhD programmes Other projects under this initiative include the Punjab Information Technology Board, the Safe City Project, Smart Policing and the collaboration with China to manufacture Bullet Trains The HEC budget has witnessed a 600 percent increase and the improvement in tax collection can be attributed to these projects Notably major departments such as NADRA and FBR have been linked for better functioning Additionally, the MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) initiative promotes virtual learning enabling students to learn online from universities around the world while residing in Pakistan

The STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art Mathematics) project has established 30 new schools in the Islamabad Capital Territory, where students are taught

basic subjects at a primary level expanding their career options and fostering specialization among responsible citizens The Matric Tech Program combines traditional and vocational training with formal education while the Go School e-project introduces e-learning through Zoom classrooms, making education accessible to a larger number of students who are unable to attend physical schools Moreover it facilitates access to international-standard education while residing in Pakistan

The Pakistan Digital Vision Policy 2019 aims to transform numerous public departments from manual to digital working systems This includes the digitization of the land record system, the implementation of the Pakistan Citizen Portal, the digitalization of the tax system, the incorporation of ride-hailing services like Uber and Careem telehealth services virtual education E-courses video sessions the utilization of biometric systems improvements in the police system the introduction of echallan systems and many other endeavours

The Pakistan Electric Vehicle policy seeks to promote the use of electric vehicles to reduce fuel consumption and combat the adverse effects of climate change This is achieved through the implementation of low taxes on the import of electric vehicles encouraging their adoption and usage The Presidential Initiatives for Artificial Intelligence and Computing is a federally administered program aimed at promoting schemes related to artificial intelligence and computing to enable Pakistan’s growth and excel in this field in competition with the rest of the world

Currently artificial intelligence has surpassed human capacities Given Pakistan s weak economy the prevalence of poverty prevents a significant portion of its population from accessing schools and colleges Therefore, efforts to promote a knowledge economy are the wisest decision of our time Literacy serves as the most fundamental currency in the knowledge economy

The writer is a lecturer at the University of Okara and can be reached at uzmarana70@gmail com

Biden’s tough choices on agreeing a new deal with Iran

I n t e re s t i n g l y, t h e U S s e e m s t o h ave a l l o we d I r a q t o re l e a s e a b o u t $ 3 b i l l i o n t o I r a n i n o ve rd u e p ay m e n t s a s i g n t h at s o m e o f Te h r a n’s d e m a n d s a re b e i n g m e t

Moscow as early as this month And Iran last week unveiled a hypersonic missile it claims can hit Israel in 400 seconds while outmaneuvering the Iron Dome defense system The technology to develop such a sophisticated system could only come from Russia or North Korea

ARAB NEWS

O S A m A A l - S H A r F

DESPITE initial denials by both countries, Iran confirmed this week that it engaged in indirect talks with the US in Oman last month over Tehran’s nuclear program Several Western media reports confirmed that US Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk and Iran s top nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani were in the Omani capital Muscat at the same time in early May and that Omani officials acted as intermediaries Both the US and Iran denied that talks centered on reaching an interim agreement, with Iranian officials insisting on reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action That agreement which the Trump administration pulled out of in 2018 was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231 in July 2015

According to American reports, the US passed a message to Iran that it would face a severe response if it reached the 90 percent uranium enrichment levels required for use in a nuclear weapon According to the International Atomic Energy Agency Iran has at least 114 kg of uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity Israel has also warned that it will never allow Iran to come close to the 90 percent enrichment level

Following US Secretary of State Antony Blinken s visit to Saudi Arabia last week, which must have focused on threats posed by Iran’s nuclear program, and the leaking of reports regarding possible progress in negotiations Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Blinken that Israel would not be bound by any agreement with Iran and that it would take the necessary steps to protect its national security

On the other hand, Iran s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said earlier this week that a deal with the West over the nuclear program is possible but only if Tehran can keep its nuclear infrastructure intact Since the US pulled out of the 2015 agreement and imposed sanctions Iran has installed advanced centrifuges and raised its uranium enrichment levels to more than 60 percent It has also prevented IAEA monitors from inspecting some facilities and is believed to have built new ones and expanded others

Previous attempts by the Biden administration and Western partners to engage Iran in a bid to reach a new agreement were unsuccessful Iran insists on reviving the 2015 agreement while the West wants to tie the agreement to other issues, such as Tehran s controversial ballistic missiles program, curbing the regional activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and allowing the IAEA to carry out a full investigation of Iran’s nuclear facilities

For a while it looked like the Biden administration was no longer interested in pursuing further talks with Iran But a number of factors have forced it to reengage Russia s war in Ukraine has brought Moscow and Tehran closer than ever and Iran is believed to have supplied Russia with advanced drones and is helping the Russians build a drone factory In return, Tehran may get its hands on a first batch of state-of-the-art Su-35 fighter jets from

Also the recent China-mediated deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran to normalize ties took the US by surprise Relations between Riyadh and Washington have gone through some rough periods since President Joe Biden was elected while the Saudis have adopted an independent foreign policy approach that has seen improved ties with both China and Russia Feeling its regional influence waning Washington has made an about-face; seeking to revive ties with Riyadh and sending its top diplomats there

The thaw in Saudi-Iranian ties has been reflected in the Gulf region and beyond Earlier this month, the commander of Iran’s naval forces Shahram Irani announced that Tehran was looking to form a joint maritime alliance with the UAE Qatar Bahrain Iraq Pakistan and India Saudi Arabia was also interested in heading in this direction, Irani said The announcement came a few days after the UAE decided to quit the Combined Maritime Forces led by the US

The change in Washington’s attitude toward talks with Iran underlines its geopolitical concerns as well as fears that the suspension of the nuclear deal has only played into Tehran s hands in many ways US threats of resorting to force against Iran are no longer in sync with regional developments Its key allies in the region, save for Israel, are now actively talking to Iran, with some, like Egypt, on the verge of restoring ties with Tehran

These allies are now in favor of a diplomatic resolution to the Iran nuclear program issue This week the Gulf Cooperation Council issued a statement calling on Iran to commit to working with the IAEA and asking for the involvement of the Gulf states in possible negotiations to meet the bloc s security concerns Interestingly, the US seems to have allowed Iraq to release about $3 billion to Iran in overdue payments a sign that some of Tehran’s demands are being met Also a prisoner exchange is expected to take place between Iran and the US in the coming days according to Iranian officials A deal, whether interim or not, would be good for the region and for the world But it might not help Biden and the Democrats in the coming election cycle Both will get a lot of flak from Republican candidates, as well from the current Israeli government This week a bipartisan letter from 35 members of Congress called on the European parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal to snapback sanctions on Iran for noncompliance

In fact, any agreement reached will almost certainly give former President Donald Trump and other Republican hopefuls the ammunition to tear down the Biden reelection campaign This is how hard it will be for the White House to decide its next move Not doing anything carries the risk of Israel and Iran finding themselves in an open war with an unpredictable outcome Securing a deal would harm Biden s election chances, while the return of Trump or a Republican hard-liner to the White House might make any new agreement a short-lived one anyway

Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman

K n o w l e d g e E c o n o m y : P a k i s t a n ’ s p a t h t o p r o g r e s s a n d p r o s p e r i t y

X I H A I L S E S TA B L I S H M E N T O

President Xi and Premier Li Qiang

CHINA-PALESTINE JOINT STATEMENT

Palestine pledged firm adherence to the one-China principle and opposed any attempts to interfere in China’s internal affairs

CHINESE President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that his country was establishing strategic relations with Palestinians ahead of talks with leader Mahmud Abbas in Beijing Abbas will be in the Chinese capital until Friday Beijing has said on his fifth official visit to the world s second-largest economy

Facing a century of global changes and new developments to the situation in the Middle East, China is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the Palestinian side ” said Xi during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People Today we will jointly announce the establishment of a China-Palestine strategic partnership which will be an important milestone in the history of bilateral relations, added Xi

Abbas arrived in Beijing on Monday to hold talks with top Chinese leaders including

China and Palestine issued a joint statement on the establishment of strategic partnership between the two countries on Wednesday during Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas s state visit to China

Both sides agreed to support each other on issues involving each other ’s core interests and major concerns China said it supports the Palestinian people’s just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights and establishing an independent and fully sovereign state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital China vowed support for maintaining the historical status quo of the religious holy sites in Jerusalem Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations as well as Palestine s resumption of peace talks with Israel on the basis of the principle of land for peace, relevant UN resolutions and the twostate solution

Both sides agreed to promote cooperation in building the Belt and Road Initiative give full play to the mechanism of the ChinaPalestine Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, actively promote negotiations on the China-Palestine Free Trade Area, and continue to promote exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture education and information China will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Palestine and support the implementation of its livelihood and development projects, and to provide personnel training support, and help Palestine strengthen capacity-building China also agreed to continue to provide government scholarships and support the integration of the Chinese language into Palestine s education system The two sides will actively cooperate to promote the implementation of the outcomes of the first China-Arab States Summit The two

countries also vowed to strengthen coordination and cooperation in regional and international affairs and jointly uphold true multilateralism President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Beijing on Tuesday starting a four-day state visit to China

Experts said it will be a great chance for China and Palestine to promote their traditional friendship to new heights and for China to put more efforts into promoting peace and stability in the region under the guidance of the Global Security Initiative (GSI) proposed by President Xi Jinping and

Trump uses hearing day to rally suppor ters

AGENCIES

Former President Donald Trump, facing serious legal charges, made a strategic move after his court appearance

He visited a famous Cuban restaurant called Versailles in Miami just minutes after pleading not guilty to numerous felony counts related to classified documents This visit was seen as a deliberate attempt to rally support and turn the event into a campaign opportunity Versailles restaurant holds significance as a social and political hub in Miami attracting high-profile politicians Trump s motorcade arrived at the restaurant, where he was warmly received by supporters who took photos with him and even sang “Happy Birthday” as he was about to turn 77 the next day

During his brief visit Trump engaged in prayer led by a rabbi and a priest with people placing their hands on his back and shoulder The prayers expressed gratitude for Trump s presidency and expressed a belief that communism would not prevail Trump thanked those involved in the prayer and greeted patrons while receiving words of encouragement He also briefly addressed the court proceedings stating that he believed they were going well and claiming the existence of a rigged deal

This visit to Versailles showcased Trump’s resilience and determination as well as his refusal to back down despite the legal challenges he faced It was a calculated move to demonstrate to his supporters that he remains a viable candidate for the presidency, regardless of the indict-

Two killed in shooting at Japan army training range

TOKYO

Ag e n c i e s

Two soldiers were killed and a third wounded when a fellow recruit opened fire at a training range in central Japan on Wednesday the military said During a live-bullet exercise as part of new personnel training, one Self-Defense Forces candidate fired at three personnel,” the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) said in a statement “The death of another person has been confirmed of the three who were shot at the GSDF added later after earlier announcing a first death and two injuries Earlier government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said a suspect had been detained, but gave no further details Local police told reporters the shooter was an 18-year-old SDF candidate who was detained on the spot by other soldiers He has been charged with the attempted murder of a 25-yearold soldier a local police spokesman said declining to be identified The suspect fired a rifle at the victim with the intent to kill the spokesman said National broadcaster NHK reported the wounded were a man in his fifties and two other men in their twenties Aerial footage broadcast by the station showed military and civilians gathered around an emergency vehicle and police blocking nearby roads

NEW DELHI

Ag e n c i e s

ment By turning his court appearance into a campaign-like event, Trump conveyed a message that he was undeterred and focused on his bid for the White House in the upcoming 2024 presidential campaign This development created a challenge for Trump s Republican rivals

At least nine people were shot dead in the remote northeast Indian state of Manipur officials said Wednesday the latest incident in weeks of violence sparked by long-standing ethnic tensions Manipur saw days of deadly clashes in May, prompted by a dispute over access to government jobs and other perks

More than 100 have died in the resulting unrest during which mobs raided police stations and stole weapons, while tens of thousands of others fled their homes to seek safety Unidentified gunmen stormed Kamenlok village on the outskirts of state capital Imphal late Tuesday and shot indiscriminately at houses using sophisticated weapons , Manipur government information officer Heisnam Balakrishna told AFP

“Nine persons including a

woman was killed during the firing ” he added Ten others were injured in the attack and were taken to a hospital in Imphal for treatment

Another nine people were injured in a separate attack on Monday in the same village, according to police Tensions in the state came to a head last month between the majority Meitei who are mostly Hindus and live in and around Im-

who must navigate how to respond to his indictment and ongoing campaign activities Some critics such as former governors Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson, have called for Trump to end his campaign, while others, like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have directed their criticism towards federal prosecutors instead Former Vice President Mike Pence and Trump s former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley find themselves in a delicate position, attempting to strike a balance between criticising Trump and maintaining support from his loyal followers Trump’s visit to the Cuban restaurant further reinforced his determination to continue pursuing the presidency leaving his rivals with the task of navigating their responses to this defiant campaignlike event

by improving regional development

In past decades, more and more regional countries find that US policy on Middle East issues including the Palestine-Israel conflict the Iranian nuclear deal and the Syria crisis is unreliable and unsustainable Not only has the US failed to solve regional problems to bring peace and development to the region, but it has added more tensions and chaos, which is causing regional countries to lose faith in the US and expect China to play a greater role in promoting peace stability and development in the region analysts said

World Bank approves $200m aid for Pakistan

PR OFIT i n P

The World Bank (WB) approved $200 million emergency aid to Pakistan for repairing infrastructure which was damaged in floods According to the World Bank s statement reported on Wednesday

The Bank s Executive Board approved the $200 million for the uplift of the damaged infrastructure during devastating floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The aid will be transferred into State Bank of Pakistan’s account in the upcoming days Earlier Pakistan after the last year floods decided to reach out to global lenders including International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Bank (WB) Asian Development Bank (ADB) and others for monetary assistance to deal with devastating floods in the country According to the sources, the global lenders were conveyed a joint report of NDMA, finance and planning and development ministries over losses during the floods

Swat’s beaut y, Buddhist Archaeological sites hold Germany, Nepal envoys spellbound SWAT s y e d s h A h A b u d d i n

phal and the mainly Christian Kuki tribe in the surrounding hills The Kuki community had protested Meitei demands for reserved public job quotas and college admissions as a form of affirmative action This also stoked long-held fears among the Kuki that the Meitei might also be allowed to acquire land in areas currently reserved for them and other tribal groups

Minister of State and Chairman Prime Minister Taskforce on Gandhara Tourism Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani on Wednesday called for promoting religious tourism in Swat and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to promote inter-faith harmony and generate revenue During his two-day visit to Buddhist Archaeological sites located at Barikot Tehsil of Swat valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa along with the Ambassador and diplomat of Germany and Nepal he said that people of Swat were very hospitable and wanted promotion of tourism and development in the area He said that this region was house to various Buddhist heritage sites and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and if preserved and developed properly these could attract foreign tourists and help generate huge revenue He said that these sites of Buddha in Swat and other areas of KP were believed as holy places by devotees of Buddha religion and they wanted to visit these places He said that Swat is known as mini Switzerland due to its natural beauty and foreign tourists wanted to come and invest in the area adding that there was a great need of improving the existing tourism policy to facilitate the foreign tourists On the occasion Dorota Berezicki Head of Communication and Cultural Affairs German Embassy, expressed her happiness and said that Swat was a peaceful place and there was no security risk for local or foreign tourists She said the people of Swat were very hospitable and paid great respect to their guests, adding that foreign tourists should witness the mesmerizing beauty of Swat valley especially the Buddha heritage Ambassador of Nepal Tapas Adhikari said that people know little about the importance of this land adding that proper media projection and promotion of religious tourism could build a strong image of the country besides promoting tourism

CORPORATE CORNER

PAKISTAN’S BEEF EXPORT TO CHINA HELPS OVERCOME BAL ANCE OF PAYMENTS CRISIS: OFFICIAL

ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t

P

AKISTAN’S beef export to China helps overcome balance of payments crisis said Ghulam Qadir Commercial Counsellor of the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing China an all-weather friend of Pakistan has once again extended its help to assist Pakistan in overcoming its balance of payments crisis by permitting the import of heat-treated beef from Pakistan Qadir confirmed that the General Administration of Customs of the People sRepublic of China (GACC) has granted Pakistani beef the access to the Chinese market This news holds significant implications for both countries as China is one of the world s largest meat importers, and Pakistan is a prominent beef exporter The Pakistani ambassador to China Moin ul Haque expressed his elation via Twitter stating Chinese Customs has issued a notification to allow the export of Pakistan s boiled beef to China

This development marks a significant milestone in China-Pakistan bilateral trade It presents Pakistani exporters with a big opportunity to tap into the $15 billion

Chinese market ” Qadir told Gwadar Pro that Pakistan already a significant beef exporter will see its economy boosted by this new market For China the move will help meet the country s growing demand for meat and provide greater variety for its consumers “This is major news for Pakistan as it opens up a $15 billion market and provides a great opportunity to enhance its exports It will also have positive macro-economic implications for Pakistan s balance of payments, added Qadir Qadir informed Gwadar Pro that the GACC and the Pakistan Ministry of Food and Security will oversee the entire

process of heat-treated beef being exported to China from packaging and storage to transportation

Owais Mir CEO & founder of DAE Group, told Gwadar Pro that the decision by GACC to allow Pakistani beef imports is a significant development for both countries The evolution of the market in the coming years remains to be seen

It is expected that heat-treated beef from 1 5 million cattle can be exported to China this year Further capacity enhancement would necessitate the plantation and upgrade of livestock, along with new farms ” he mentioned

Paymob and easypaisa drive digital payment acceptance in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD

s ta f f r e p o r t

Paymob, the leading omnichannel financial services enabler in the Middle East North Africa and Pakistan (MENA-P) and easypaisa Pakistan’s leading digital payments platform have announced that they have partnered to process easypaisa digital wallet payments through Paymob s payment infrastructure, accelerating digital payment acceptance in the country The agreement will enable merchants in Paymob’s network to accept fast, easy, and secure digital payments from easypaisa’s customer base of over 14 million monthly active users across Pakistan The integration will vastly expand the potential addressable market for businesses on Paymob s network while serving to make digital payments more accessible to unbanked consumers This strategic partnership will advance the State Bank of Pakistan’s goal of driving inclusive economic growth while also promoting ecommerce in the country

Pakistani star tups showcase products at London Tech Week 2023

ISLAMABAD

s ta f f r e p o r t London Tech Week 2023, a global celebration of tech, uniting the most innovative thinkers and talent of tomorrow in a week-long festival, is being held from 12th -16th June 2023 at Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London It brings together industry leaders innovators entrepreneurs investors and policymakers from around the world to explore the latest advancements and trends in technology Continuing with its tradition of powering Pakistan s startup ecosystem, Ignite National Technology Fund, a public sector company with Ministry of IT & Telecom participates in London Tech Week 2023 showcasing six exciting startups from its different National Incubation Centers (NICs) NIC startups participating include Xylexa (NIC Islamabad), CricFlex (NIC Islamabad), EyeSmarty (NIC Peshawar), CalCart Technologies (NIC Islamabad), Gridizen (NIC Karachi), and SLOSH AI Solutions (NIC Islamabad) Pakistan’s High Commissioner in UK Mr Moazzam Ahmad Khan met Pakistani startups at the event and appreciated their work and passion to generate new leads for sales and investments in future

Wavetec appointed as channel par tner by NCR

KARACHI

s ta f f r e p o r t

Wavetec, a leading technology company, has been appointed as the Channel Partner in Pakistan of NCR top provider of banking & self-service solutions globally With a legacy of over three decades in delivering innovative solutions to major financial institutions worldwide, Wavetec is poised to provide best-in-class services and solutions in Pakistan through this strategic collaboration As NCR s trusted channel partner Wavetec aims to deliver unparalleled services and solutions that redefine the future of digital self-service banking in Pakistan The partnership between Wavetec and NCR holds tremendous potential for facilitating branch banking transformation digitization and enhancing the financial landscape by introducing innovative banking solutions "We are excited to join forces with NCR as their Official Channel Partner in Pakistan " said Raheel Malik VP Strategy and Business Development Wavetec This collaboration will allow us to leverage our expertise and combine it with NCR's cutting-edge technology, enabling us to deliver exceptional value to financial institutions across the country We are confident that this partnership will revolutionize the banking experience and contribute to the growth and development of the financial sector in Pakistan "

PTCL Group mobilizes blood donation drive to help give life another chance

ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t

Pakistan s largest telecommunications and integrated ICT services

provider, PTCL Group (PTCL & Ufone 4G) undertook a massive blood donation campaign at its headquarters in connection with ‘World Blood Donor Day’ The initiative stems from PTCL Group s sustained commitment to creating shared value and giving back to society

The blood donation drive has been organized as part of PTCL Group’s CSR strategy which spanned over two days Top management senior executives and employees along with tenants of PTCL Group Tower came forward to donate blood with full enthusiasm The Group collaborated with the Fatimid Foundation for this initiative World Blood Donor Day is primarily celebrated to raise awareness regarding the importance of healthy blood and its donation as a

gift of life to those in pressing need PTCL Group stands as one of the key proponents of blood donations in the country that encourages people to come forward and donate blood to save lives

On the initiative Chief Marketing Officer PTCL Group Atif Raza said Realizing the importance of life, we engage in various social corporate responsibility initiatives to generate shared good for our people Every day countless lives are at risk due to unfortunate incidents and medical conditions

I believe that a small contribution from our side can create a world of

Foodpanda par tners with SIEHS to enhance rider safet y

KARACHI

s ta f f r e p o r t

difference for someone who is fighting for life, and our humble initiative aims to create a much larger ripple effect in society I am thankful to Fatimid Foundation for collaborating in the cause ” PTCL and Ufone 4G have a proven track-record of prioritizing social responsibility initiatives for the common good of fellow citizens The Group uses its prowess in digital technology and connectivity as a lever for promoting socio-economic enablement apart from reaching out to the most underprivileged segments of society in times of urgent need

O G R A h o l d s s e s s i o n o n n e u t r a l m a r ke t p r i c e

ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA has conducted a consultative session on Neutral

Market Price under OGRA Gas

(Third Party) Access Rules for Gas

Pipelines and Gas Network Codes 2018 to encourage market liberalization and private investment and ownership in the gas sector The session was held at OGRA head office and through zoom online application to seek meaningful suggestions and proposals from the stakeholders for a balanced decision making on ‘Neutral Market

Price’ by the Authority Mr Masroor Khan Chairman OGRA and other members of the Authority chaired the session The stakeholders in the field, SNGPL, SSGCL, PLL, Pak Arab Fertilizer, Universal Gas Distribution Company, Shell Energy Tabeer Energy Energas Pakistan Gas Port K Electric Tri-

figura Pakistan Ltd Vitola Resources Pakistan etc have actively participated in the session and presented their point of views

In concluding remarks Mr Masroor Khan, Chairman OGRA appreciated the active participation of all stakeholders and assured that a judicious decision shall be taken in this regard

It has to be noted that some private entities are utilizing gas companies’ pipeline capacity to transmit their energy molecules from one point to another while

some are also under engagement for the same kind of access arrangement Therefore a variety of opinion and divergent interests of all stakeholders could play a vital role for the Authority to pass a decision having unanimity and to harmonize Neutral Market Price

Cyclone Biparjoy: SIEHS deploys 60 ambulances along Sindh's coastal belt

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

In the wake of tropical cyclone Biparjoy the Sindh Integrated Emergency & Health Services 1122 have deployed 60 ambulances along the coastal belt of Sindh

The SIEHS has taken this step on the directions of the Health Department and the ambulances have been stationed at the important points across nine districts of Sindh that are expected to be affected by the cyclone The ambulances have been deployed on 14 locations in Karachi on four locations each in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas two in Tando Allahyar three in Tharparkar five in Umar Kot nine in Sujawal eight in Thatta, and on five locations in Badin

The SIEHS has enough ambulances in the backup while the trained personnel will be available 24 hours

a day seven days a week

Besides, the SIEHS officials on the ground are in coordination with the Ministry of Health, PDMA, Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, District Health Officers (DHOs) and other local administration bodies from various districts to ensure their full support during the Government of Sindh s declared rain emergency

It is pertinent to mention here that tropical cyclone Biparjoy has strengthened into an "Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm" (ESCS) - Category 3, with sustained winds of 160-180 km/h and gusts of up to 200 km/h

Tropical storm Biparjoy is projected to continue northward and make landfall as a very severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) between Keti Bandar (Southeast Sindh Coastline) and the Indian Gujarat Coastline in the afternoon of June 15, 2023

Pakistan foodpanda the leading food delivery service in the country, conducted a comprehensive basic life support training session for its dedicated riders last week The company recognizes the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of its riders who serve as the backbone of the food delivery service

Shell’s statement regarding sales of its holding in SPL

LAHORE s ta f f r e p o r t

Shell Petroleum Company Limited a subsidiary of Shell plc (Shell) has announced its intention to sell its holding in Shell Pakistan Limited (SPL) simplifying Shell s portfolio Shell Pakistan has been in the country for 75 years and has a substantial retail footprint and a strong lubricants business Any sale will be subject to a targeted sales process, the execution of binding documentation and the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals Shell is seeing strong interest from international buyers SPL remains committed to delivering safe reliable operations Joint Launch of Nourishmaa Campaign by Nutrition International and Federal and Sindh Governments to Improve Maternal Nutrition in the Province Over 5,000 healthcare providers and frontline health workers will benefit from the campaign, as it aims to enhance their knowledge and skills in maternal nutrition and integrate nutrition counseling into their regular practice

HDS unveils nourishMaa campaign to promote maternal nutrition agenda

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

Nutrition International partnered with the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (MoNHSR&C) and Health Department Sindh launch NourishMaa Campaign – an initiative aimed to promote maternal nutrition agenda in the province The joint efforts of the partners aim to improve the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers (HCPs) and frontline health workers (FHWs) in four districts of Sindh with the overall goal to improve maternal nutrition status in the targeted areas The health nutrition and wellbeing of women during preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods are vital for positive pregnancy outcomes and long-term wellbeing of both mother and child " emphasized Mr Nasir Hussain Shah Provincial Minister of Sindh for Local Governments Mr Shah expressed appreciation for the efforts of Nutrition International in launching this initiative and assured government s ample support to successfully implemting the campaign in the province The latest National Nutrition Survey 2018 confirms the macro and micronutrient deficiencies amongst women of reproductive age (WRA) are very alarming 14 4% WRA are underweight similarly 42% of them are anaemic while 22% are vitamin A deficient These high rates of undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies among WRA indicate a vicious cycle of malnutrition in the country which needs to be urgently addressed

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

Indus Motor Company (IMC) joined the world to mark the 7th UN Global Road Safety Week becoming the first automobile manufacturer in Pakistan's history to undertake such an initiative The catchphrase “I am a Road Safety Leader” resonated across the company as it stressed for the need for safer roads across the country during the week-long campaign The week aptly kicked-off with IMCs CEO, Ali Asghar Jamali’s video message to his entire team of over four thousand employees that emphasized the need to always fasten seatbelts and remaining cognizant of the fact that road safety is every person s responsibility He also invited them to become Road Safety Leaders

As part of the immersive awareness raising campaign, IMC launched a dedicated micro landing page on the company’s website where users could test their knowledge on road safety and earn a badge to become a Toyota Road Safety Leader Chief Executive, Ali Asghar Jamali, expressing himself said, “Pakistan has one of the highest road traffic accident rates in the world; 75 percent of road crashes in the economically productive age What we see happening on the roads today is really disappointing; an utter civic responsibility deficit

cities for ourselves and other around us Campaigning during the global week gives us exactly this opportunity to reach out to people within and outside the company to become advocates of road safety as Toyota Road Safety Leaders IMCs Ambassador for Road Safety, Mr Niaz Malik, has played a pivotal role in driving awareness through various channels His virtual and interactive meet with the company’s employees during the global week garnered much interest as he advocated road safety consciousness through his own near fatal road accident and life altering experience Other activities during the week included sending out powerful text messages to 100 000 customers; dedicated awareness sessions for its van transport staff ensuring their active involvement in promoting road safety

Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management Ltd outsources back office functions to ITMinds Limited

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

(ITMinds) a wholly owned subsidiary of Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited (CDCPL), whereby ITMinds will provide Back Office Accounting Services to AHDRML The agreement was signed by Mr Muhammad Ejaz CEO-AHDRML with Mr Iqleem-uz-Zaman Khan CEO-ITMinds in the presence of Mr Badiuddin Akber Director-ITMinds & CEO-CDCPL Mr Waqas Ashraf CFO- ITMinds, Mr Razi CFO-AHDRML and other senior members of both the Companies A group of journal sts recently visited FCEPL Sahiwal Dairy P ant where they observed product on process of safe packaged milk During the visit the journalists delved into steps involved n the collection refinement and processing of milk, which serves to maintain its nutrit onal value The reporters witnessed the plant s advanced machinery and careful handling of milk from collection to f nal packaging, ensur ng that only safest and highest-quality products reach the consumers General Manager Descon Technical Institute (DTI) a DEL s president of manpower and people services Mr Murtaza A i receiving diamond categary award over commendeable investment n ski ls deve opment

H O W A G O V T D E PA R T M E N T O P E R AT E D O N ‘ M A K E S H I F T ’ B A S I S F O R O V E R A D E C A D E ?

items Recently a petition was filed in front of the IHC against the appointment of an acting Director General (DG) at the PSQCA

IN a shocking revelation uncovered during a seemingly normal session of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) it has come to light that the Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has been running on a makeshift basis for more than a decade

The PSQCA is an attached department of the Ministry of Science and Technology, which is responsible for ensuring quality standards of over 190 food and non-food

However, during the course of proceedings it came to light that the department had been appointing DGs on an acting basis for more than 14 years The petitioner ’s counsel Advocate Saif ur Rehman presented compelling evidence before Justice Babar Sattar exposing the long-standing practice of filling the post of DG PSQCA on an acting charge basis Successive governments, in clear viola-

700MW A zad Pattan hydropower project ready for construction: Energy China

PR OFIT i n p

Wang Huihua, Managing Director of China Energy Int l Group s Pakistan Branch, announced that the 700-megawatt Azad Pattan hydropower project, run by Energy China is ready for construction after the completion of a feasibility study and land acquisition Wang made these remarks at the Pakistan Energy Sector Landscape: Challenges & Opportunities conference held at NUST University, Islamabad He explained that the project would provide cheap, clean energy to Pakistan “We have been developing this project for six years We hope the government will give it more priority in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative to expedite financial closure he said He further stated that Energy China believed that investing in renewable energy in Pakistan was financially viable We are committed to setting up our long-term operation in Pakistan and investing more,” he said He highlighted that China Energy Engineering Corp (Energy China) has been present in Pakistan for the past 20 years “Energy China considers Pakistan as its favored investment destination he added Wang also pointed out some of the challenges faced by foreign investors in Pakistan, underscoring the importance of resolving them quickly to foster win-win cooperation

Death toll tops 106 as boat capsizes in Nigeria

The death toll has reached 106 after a wedding boat carrying 250 capsized Monday in north-central Kwara state with rescue workers searching for other possible survivors police said Wednesday It was the latest boat incident in the country where such occurrences are common as they mostly take place due to overloading poor safety and heavy flooding in the rainy season One part of the boat by the engine side collapsed where water penetrated the boat which ultimately led to the boat capsizing Kwara police spokesman Okasanmi Ajayi said in a statement All efforts to draw the attention of the villagers hosting the wedding ceremony for assistance by the persons in the boat proved abortive, leading to the deaths of about one hundred and six people President Bola Ahmed Tinubu offered his condolences to the families of the victims Wednesday and said that his government would look to improve inland water transport safety I am deeply saddened by the news of the tragic boat accident that claimed the lives of our people in Kwara State That the victims were guests at a wedding ceremony made the unfortunate accident more painful, he said Ajayi, a Kwara police spokesman said: All efforts to draw the attention of the villagers hosting the wedding ceremony for assistance by the persons in the boat proved abortive, leading to the deaths of about one hundred and six people The residents near the Niger River use it as it can be faster for transportation in comparison to roads and also safer because the roads are poorly maintained and oftentimes dangerous due to the presence of kidnappings

tion of the law have repeatedly assigned acting charge to a chosen civil servant disregarding the requirement for a competitive selection process During the proceedings, it was revealed that the court had previously issued a status quo order against assigning the acting charge to a civil servant However in a further breach of the court’s order an Office Order dated 28 03 2023 assigned the look after charge to Mr Zain-ul-Abiden joint scientific adviser (BS-20) in the Ministry of Science and Technology Advocate Saif ur Rehman, highlighting the continuous defiance of the court’s direc-

tives argued that this new appointment of Mr Zain-ul-Abiden was a clear violation of the previous order He emphasized that the position of DG PSQCA should not be filled on a look after basis by assigning such a charge to a civil servant within the Ministry of Science and Technology

Acknowledging the deliberate disregard of the court s orders Justice Babar Sattar expressed concern over the repeated violation of the law and issued show cause notices under Sections 3, 5, and 12 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003, to the Minister for Science and Technology and

the Secretary of the Ministry They were given five days to respond and explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them

The court order also suspended the impugned Office Order dated 10 04 2023 which had once again frustrated the court s previous order by appointing Ghulam Farooq Langove to coordinate the affairs of the PSQCA and establish sub-offices This action by a Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology was deemed unauthorized and in violation of the PSQCA Act, 1996 The court s firm stance on contemptuous actions was evident as it sought accountability and upheld the integrity and legality of the appointment process at the PSQCA The case is scheduled to resume on 21 06 2023 providing an opportunity for the Minister the Secretary, and other implicated individuals to respond to the show cause notices and defend their actions Until then Ghulam Farooq and Mr Zain-ul-Abiden remain restrained from functioning in their respective roles at the PSQCA ensuring that the court s orders are respected and followed

PM Shehbaz ar rives in Baku on two -day official visit

BAKU S ta f f R e p o R t

At the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday arrived here on a two-day official visit to Azerbaijan

Upon his arrival the prime minister was warmly welcomed by First Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan

Yagub Eyyubov Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov Azerbaijan s Ambassador to Pakistan Khazar Farhadov and Pakistan s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Bilal Hayee, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release It is the maiden visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Azerbaijan after assuming his office

On Thursday (today) the prime minister will visit the tomb of Heydar Aliyev a national leader of Azerbaijan and lay a wreath He will also pay a visit to the martyrs monument

The prime minister will meet President Ilham Aliyev and both the leaders will later talk to the media

A d e l e g a t i o n o f A z e r b a i j a n m i n i s t e r s w i l l a l s o c a l l o n t h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r t o d i s c u s s t h e b i l a t e r a l c oo p e r a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e t w o c o u n t r i e s i n t r a d e a n d e ne rg y s e c t o r s

PLEAS AGAINST SC BILL 2023

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar

Ata Bandial on Wednesday emphasized the need for patience, fortitude and courage to deal with this situation, saying the country was going through a crucial phase of its history

CJP Bandial made the remarks while heading three-member bench of Supreme Court (SC) comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, during resuming hearing petitions against the recently introduced SC (Review of Judgments and Orders) Bill 2023

As the top court resumed proceedings today Advocate Rahi one of the lawyers challenging the law requested the court for permission to read out an application he wished to file with the court concerning his “abduction” “On my return from the SC I was kidnapped on June 6 and pressured to withdraw the petition [against the SC review law] I seek the court s permission to read a petition in this regard, he said However, the lawyer was prevented by the CJP from proceeding further “Do not read it now we can

read it later ourselves the top judge said Rahi protested saying he was pressurised to leave Islamabad and said he wanted to bring some facts to light ” “Sir this is your personal matter ” remarked CJP Bandial “I will accept the application You may come to my chamber and tell me more

Earlier in May, the bench had been taken off guard during a hearing over the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) review petition against its April order with regard to elections in Punjab after the state s top law officer revealed that a new law enlarging scope of review petitions had been enacted

SC rejects plea seeking directives to probe PTI chief in Arshad Sharif murder case

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

At the time the court had adjourned proceedings only to take up pleas challenging the law, the following week on June 6 During the last proceedings, the apex court had shied away from suspending the law in question However the bench also did not form a larger bench to hear the ECP s review petition as it decided to hear the petitions filed against the review law together with the poll authority’s review plea ADVOCATE RAHI’S ‘DISAPPEARANCE’

Notably on June 10 the Islamabad Capital Territory Police had confirmed that a case was registered after Advocate Rahi had gone missing

IMF shows concer ns over next year ’s tax target and mounting expenditures

PR OFIT

S ta f f R e p o R t

Minister of State for Finance

Aisha Ghous Pasha has said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has shown

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday declared as non-maintainable a petition seeking directives for a joint investigation team (JIT) probing the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif, to quiz people, including Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) chairman, for making claims of having information regarding the anchorperson’s murder The plea was filed by the slain journalist s mother s last week The court in present suo motu is merely facilitating the investigation into the assassination of Arshad Sharif and it has no mandate to direct the course of investigation said the written order issued in the case by the apex court The remarks by the top court come as Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, learned counsel representing the mother of the slain journalist, had shared the names of certain people who his client suspects have knowledge regarding the conspirators and perpetrators involved in her son s assassination A day earlier, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial underscored the importance of finding the reasons behind the killing of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif pointing out that there was no progress in the investigation During a hearing of the suo motu notice case pertaining to Sharif ’s murder in Kenya, the chief justice expressed his displeasure over publication of a report of the fact-finding committee and asked why precaution was not adopted regarding the report

industry requested the senate committee to abolish the 10% excise duty Government had increased the excise duty last year which, according to the representatives, has not resulted in a substantial revenue gain for the government It has also caused a substantial decrease in sales for the companies

tional organization she added The Minister of State said that there will be more technical discussion with the IMF on other data in-

cluding expenditure She also said that the IMF also plans to hold discussions with the Power Division and State Bank officials over exchange rate and policy rate She further said that the government will not take any step except for the economic stability of the country The government has not decided to increase the petroleum levy yet, only the law has left room If the law is passed the government will increase or decrease the rate of petroleum levy only if necessary she added It is important to note here that the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday proposed an amendment in the Petroleum Products (Petroleum Levy) Ordinance, 1961, to transfer the power of fixing the petroleum levy, from the parliament to the Cabinet Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha remained silent on a question pertaining to the introduction of an amnesty scheme for overseas Pakistanis Earlier, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and other enforcement agencies to check the massive misuse of UAE number plate vehicles in

Pakistan which foreign dignitaries including Arabs had temporarily imported for their use during hunting seasons

While reviewing the Finance Bill 2023 the committee recommended the confiscation of vehicles gifted by Arab dignitaries during their visits to Pakistanis for hunting Committee Chairman Senator Saleem Mandviwalla expressed serious concern that the vehicles temporarily imported by the Arab dignitaries are not re-exported back to their respective countries He said that there are instances where individuals freely bring these vehicles to the Parliament House These vehicles are gifted to the Pakistanis and they continue to use the vehicles with the same foreign number plates Adding to that the chairman said that the local police are also afraid to take action against the drivers of such vehicles on the assumption that some powerful person might be the owner of the vehicle Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Member Customs Policy Suraiya Ahmed Butt was of the view that the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs gave the foreign dignitaries a time period, for a temporary import of vehicles during the hunting season The procedure has been further tightened to check for any misuse of the facility

In this regard the government gives special permission for the temporary import of vehicles which is further extended The overstayed vehicles are confiscated as well She explained that a detailed procedure has been given in Chapter-99 of the Pakistan Customs Tariff for the disposal of such vehicles

The Committee chairman Senator Saleem Mandviwala emphasized the importance of ensuring that any relief or concessions provided to businesses in terms of duties should be passed on to the customers through a decrease in prices He also stressed the need for a complete picture to be presented regarding the sales tax and income tax concession if any are being extended to these businesses

Expressing his views on regulatory duties, Senator Mandviwala highlighted that they should not be utilized as a revenue-generating measure Instead, their purpose should be to promote fair trade practices and protect domestic industries Representatives of the Packaged Juices

Representatives of the Pakistan Association of Large steel producers briefed the committee about problems being faced by the Steel Industry They were of the view that supply of local steel scrap should be exempted from sales tax under section 13 of the sales tax act 1990 They also suggested that income tax withholding rate on scrap supplies be reduced to 0 25% under section 153 of the income tax ordinance

Representatives of APTMA briefed the committee about the problems faced by the textile industry in Pakistan They informed that in the current budget there is no subsidy in electricity and gas for the textile industry which will create problems for the industry

APTMA said that the government must amend the budgetary proposals and provide much needed relief to the textile industry as 20 million human resources are attached with the Textile industry They said that already 50% of textile units in Punjab have shut down due to increase in cost of production If the subsidy is not provided the 25% more units will shut down

They suggested that similar to the previous year s budget, subsidy on electricity and gas may be extended to the textile industry for its survival

C JP underscores patience, courage to deal with situation