Epaper_23-06-16 KHI

C O A S TA L A R E A S R E A D Y F O R ‘ W O R S T ’ A S B I PA R J O Y Y E T T O M A K E L A N D FA L L

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

TH E landfall of Cyclone Bipar-

joy classified as a very severe cyclonic storm has commenced along the coast of Indian Gujarat and the Pakistan-India border on Thursday but has not reached Keti Bander yet, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD)

The PMD said the cyclone had moved further east-northeastward during the last three hours and its landfall would be complete by midnight

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) too said in its latest bulletin that the landfall process is continuing and by midnight it will be completely over the land Strong winds and heavy rain lashed coastal areas of Pakistan and India as the cyclone made the landfall, the weather office said

Chief Meteorologist at PMD Sardar Sarfaraz told Dawn com that various areas in Sindh had been receiving rain and experiencing strong winds under the impact of this weather system

He said the cyclone had not directly hit any of the areas in Pakistan as of Thursday night “However some of the areas in the country came under its outer periphery ”

Meanwhile the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) tweeted that the cyclone had yet not reached Keti Bandar, which is at a distance of 150km from Indian Gujarat, and its impacts in Pakistan would only be certain after further development

In another tweet posted at 11:35pm the NDMA said the cyclone had not veered towards Keti Bandar until then

On the other hand, Climate Change

Minister Sherry Rehman said the cyclone was “still at a distance from Pakistan

and will likely begin counterclockwise landfall around or after midnight in our coastal areas The sea may be rough with high waves at the core Please stay safe ” she added As the cyclone’s landfall began Sherry urged the people not to panic assuring them that all preparations to deal the situation were in place

Don t go out to see the storm or venture into the water Sindh police has better things to do right now than plead for picnickers to come back to dry land ” she tweeted P M D F O R E C A S T: In its latest alert the PMD said the cyclone now lies near latitude 22 9°N and longitude 68 2°E at a distance of about 245km south of Karachi 200km south of Thatta and 150km south of Keti Bandar

It added that the cyclone would bring winds between 100-120km/h with gusts up to 140km/h with maximum wave height of 20-25 feet

The alert said that widespread winddust/thunderstorm and heavy rain was likely in Sindh’s Thatta Sujawal Badin Tharparkar Mirpurkhas and Umerkot

Education Ministr y approves new National Curriculum of Pakistan

districts from June 15-17

It further predicted dust/thunderstorms and rain accompanied by squally winds in Karachi Hyderabad Tando Muhammad Khan Tando Allayar Shaheed Benazirabad and Sanghar districts today and tomorrow (Friday)

It added that dust/thunderstorm and isolated heavy rainfall was likely in Balochistan’s Hub, Lasbela, and Khuzdar districts today and tomorrow

The weather alert said that a storm surge of 3-4 metres was expected at Keti Bander where the cyclone will make landfall, and its surroundings

Sea conditions along Sindh coast may get very rough/high (2-2 5m) and rough/very rough (2m) along Balochistan coast (Sonmiani Hub Kund Malir Ormara and surroundings) it added Sarfaraz too explained that the cyclone s effects would persist in the region for at least next two days, as a cyclone s reduction to a depression and then a low pressure area was a gradual process

PECTED IN KARACHI: Addressing a

f o r n ex t f o r t n i g h t

press conference alongside NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider after noon today, Rehman said Karachi would experience heavy rainfall and strong winds but would not be directly impacted by the cyclone Rehman also stated that there were 90 electricity feeders in coastal areas and there were chances of power failure when the cyclone made landfall Therefore, teams have been called in from Punjab for assistance in repair work ”

Regarding flight operations the minister said airports had been given told to suspend commercial flights at airports in Karachi Hyderabad Nawabshah Sukkur and Moenjo Daro if the air pressure crossed the threshold of 30 nautical knots Separately, Rehman took to Twitter and shared a PMD report saying that over 100mm of rainfall was predicted in Karachi Hyderabad Tando Mohammad Khan Tando Allahyar Dadu Shaheed Benazirabad, and Sanghar Meanwhile, over 300mm of rainfall was predicted in Thatta, Sajawal, Mirpurkhas Badin Umerkot and Tharparkar between June 15-17

:

As the cyclone fast approaching Sindh s coastline, rain has been reported in several areas across the province on Thursday

According to the PMD light showers were recorded in Karachi s Clifton Defence Housing Authority Sharea Faisal Keamari and other areas

Similarly in Shah Bandar, a port town located at a distance of 200km from Hyderabad, said heavy rains commenced at 2pm and continued throughout the day in intervals Light showers with strong winds were also reported in Badin Chuhar Jamali Hyderabad Thatta and Sujawal, the PMD added

Pakistan secures deal for cheaper LNG impor ts from Azerbaijan, boosting energy supplies

Pakistan has received approval from the federal cabinet to procure liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes from Azerbaijan at discounted rates as announced by the PM House in a statement on Thursday

During a meeting with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif informed him of the cabinet’s decision marking another significant achievement for Pakistan in meeting its energy needs following the recent shipment of crude oil from Russia

Under the agreement, Pakistan will start receiving one LNG cargo per month at concessional rates, starting from next month PM Shehbaz has been actively working on this deal with Azerbaijan for the past six months as stated by the PM Office

Both leaders agreed on cooperation in the oil and gas sectors to support Pakistan s energy requirements

The Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) will collaborate at the government-to-government level to determine the energy resources

Moreover Azerbaijan has expressed its willingness to invest in Pakistan s alternative energy sector including solar power generation

In a separate development this week, Pakistan issued two tenders seeking spot LNG cargoes for the first time in almost a year

Due to its reliance on gas for power generation and challenges in foreign exchange availability for imports Pakistan has faced difficulties in procuring spot cargoes of LNG, especially after global prices surged following Russia s invasion of Ukraine This situation led to widespread power outages

However Asian spot LNG prices have eased this year currently trading below $10 providing some relief Pakistan LNG a government subsidiary responsible for LNG procurement has issued tenders seeking a total of nine cargoes to be delivered to Port Qasim in Karachi in October, December, January, and February

Pakistan continues to have long-term supply agreements with Qatar and ENI which help fulfill a portion of its LNG requirements

In 2022 Pakistan s LNG imports decreased to 6 93 million metric tons from 8 23 million metric tons in 2021, according to data from analytics group Kpler

The recent agreement with Azerbaijan is expected to enhance Pakistan’s energy supplies and contribute to meeting the country’s growing demands

MPs reiterate gov t pledge to combat powerful tax evaders, leakages

ISLAMABAD

G H U L A M A B B A S

development the notification said An intensive consultation exercise was carried out with the stakeholders including policymakers, academics, practitioners, parents, and students from across Pakistan, it added For this purpose not only policy dialogues were conducted across Pakistan but also a number of curriculum workshops were held to take feedback from the concerned Moreover all concerned were also invited to share their feedback via an online portal After regional curriculum workshops in each province, a final curriculum workshop was held at National Curriculum Council (NCC) Secretariat Islamabad where nominated experts from all the provinces Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan signed off the curriculum for nine subjects: Urdu, English, Islamiat, Pakistan Studies, Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer Science

The federal government has announced that the prices of petroleum products will remain unchanged for the next 15 days, according to a statement made by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar during a press conference in Islamabad Minister Dar confirmed that the current prices will continue to be in effect until June 30 He highlighted that in the previous two rounds, there were significant reductions in the prices of petroleum products with a reduction of Rs35 in high-speed diesel tariffs and Rs20 in petrol prices Explaining the decision to keep the prices unchanged, the minister noted a slight increase in international market prices for petroleum products from June 1 to June 15 As a result the government opted to maintain the existing prices

Petrol is primarily used in motorbikes and small cars, serving as an alternative to com-

pressed natural gas (CNG) Highspeed diesel (HSD) finds widespread usage in the agriculture and transport sectors while the low-speed diesel oil (LDO) is commonly used in industries

The reduction in HSD prices is expected to benefit farmers and potentially lead to a decrease in transportation costs for goods

Kerosene oil is utilized in remote areas of Pakistan particu-

larly in the northern regions where liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is not readily available for cooking purposes The military also relies on kerosene oil in the northern parts of the country

By maintaining the current prices of petroleum products, the government aims to provide stability and relief to consumers while considering the dynamics of the international market

While the government has already presented the budget for 2023-24 in the assembly, federal ministers emphasized the government’s determination to tackle tax evasion in various sectors Addressing a briefing session organized by IPSOS for parliamentarians Sardar Ayaz Sadiq the federal minister for economic affairs claimed that tax evasion in various important sectors was a major issue The briefing session focused on the prevalence of tax evasion in five sectors of Pakistan Highlighting the detrimental effects of tax evasion, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq expressed concern over the significant losses suffered by the domestic industry and employment opportunities due to smuggling This situation leads to increased dependency on foreign goods, creating an endless cycle of economic challenges He specifically mentioned tax evasion in the real estate and tobacco sectors as major contributors to the problem Estimates indicate that the tobacco industry s annual tax potential for the fiscal year 202324 exceeds Rs500 billion but more than 50% of this amount is lost to a powerful illicit tobacco sector

Clashes, rigging allegations as PPP wins KMC ’s top slots for first-time

KARACHI

Clashes erupted between the workers of Jamaat-e-Islami and PPP on Thursday following the announcement of unofficial results of mayoral election wherein Murtaza Wahab was elected as mayor becoming the first elected chief of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation belonging to PPP

South Deputy Inspector General (DGP)

Irfan Ali Baloch told the media that the police detained eight suspects after clashes erupted between JI and PPP supporters outside the Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP) where voting for the city s mayor elections was held

The DIG said the clashes broke out after unofficial announcement of PPP’s Barrister Murtaza Wahab victory in the mayoral elections

According to Returning Officer (RO) Nazr Abbas Wahab won the election for the seat of the mayor by securing 173 votes while his rival JI s Naeemur Rehman remained runner-up with 160 votes

According to reports the situation outside the ACP premises remained extremely tense during the voting process but the police maintained control and let nobody take law into

hand However as unofficial results came out the verbal altercation turned into clashes

The workers of both parties pelted stones at each other, on which the police and Rangers took action to control the situation Moreover law enforcers also detained several workers for pelting stones

In the tight contest Pakistan Peoples Party s (PPP) Murtaza Wahab and Jamaat-eIslami s (JI) Hafiz Naeemur Rehman were facing each other with Salman Abdullah Murad of PPP and Saifuddin Advocate of JI contesting for the post of deputy mayor Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) City Council

F R I D AY’: Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq announced to mark Friday as “Black Day” after Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Murtaza Wahab was elected as Karachi s mayor defeating JI s Hafiz

Naeemur Rehman In a tweet the JI chief said: Black Day will be observed across the country tomorrow (Friday) against the controversial Karachi Mayoral Election I appeal to every democrat

participate in tomorrow’s gathering

VO I D : Addressing a press conference outside Arts Council Jamaat Islami Karachi chief Naeem has demanded of the Chief Election Commissioner to declare the mayoral election in Karachi as null and void and issue a new schedule We had the 192 while PPP had 173 voters he claimed Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also announced to approach courts against Karachi mayor poll In a letter to ECP, the JI leader said: the Sindh government abducted 29 PTI council

members to restrain them from casting vote in the election

The election commission should cancel this ‘fraud exercise’ and issue a new schedule for polls,” JI letter read

“It is prime objective of the election commission to hold fair and transparent election but the electoral body was utterly failed in it the letter reads The doors of the hall were closed at the time of the mayor s election, while 29 PTI members were stopped from casting vote

after abducting them from homes JI spokesperson complained in the letter Hafiz Naeemur Rehman questioned role of the returning officer, saying that more than 30 elected members have gone missing

“There are reports that these persons have been detained and it was the ECP s responsibility to bring these people he said Rejecting the rigged mayoral contests the PTI said that the PPP has preferred rigging over elections from day one

Mur taza steals mayor election by using police, cor r uption money: Far r ukh

government and candidate to buy or kidnap millions of voters

He stated that even in the Punjab Local Bodies Act Imran Khan passed the direct election law despite all the political opposition Similarly, Farrukh Habib said that Imran Khan tried to reform the open and traceable ballot in the Senate for transparency, which was thwarted by the fraud mafia

election of mayor in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) so that voters could directly elect their mayor because it was next to impossible for any

He recalled that PTI Chairman also made attempts to bring electronic voting machines in order to prevent rigging in the national and provincial assemblies which were also rejected by the rigging mafia Farrukh said that it was Imran Khan who first demanded for neutral empires in cricket

G o v t m a i n t a i n s P O L p r i c e s

PA K I S TA N C O N D E M N S I N D I A F O R S E I Z I N G

P R O P E R T I E S O F K A S H M I R I A C T I V I S T S I N I I O J K

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

PAKISTAN on Thursday strongly condemned India for confiscating the properties of Kashmiri activists and human rights defenders in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)

We are concerned about the recurring acts of confiscation of properties by India in IIOJK, the Foreign Office spokesperson said at a weekly press briefing Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said India’s National Investigation Agency and the State Investigation Agency (SIA) had moved aggressively to seize immovable properties of several Kashmiri activists It is concerning that just SIA has attached 124 such properties since its

establishment in 2021,” she said She said, “We condemn India’s recent move to confiscate the property of All Parties Hurriyat Conference Spokesperson and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Ayaz Akbar in Srinagar Akbar remains behind the bars since 2017 on fictitious charges The FO spokesperson said India must end dispossessing the political leaders and human rights defenders of their rightful properties “Kashmiris are the rightful heirs to their own land It is unfortunate that nonKashmiris are being encouraged to buy land and property in the disputed territory while the properties of Kashmiris are being confiscated and destroyed,” she said

During the ongoing visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Azerbaijan she said the two sides would exchange views on diverse areas of bilateral cooperation

including in energy, culture, banking, education, defence, information technology, science and technology and trade and investment Also the two countries would sign a programme of cultural cooperation and a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the foreign services academy of Pakistan and Azerbaijan

The FO spokesperson said the 12th round of Pakistan -Iran Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) would be held in Tehran on June 17-18 June

The Foreign Secretary will lead Pakistani delegation while Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs of Iran, Ali Bagheri Kani will lead the Iranian side, she said Baloch said regarding the progress on implementation of decisions of last session the BPC would review all aspects of Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations covering

political, economic, trade, investment, border security, education, climate change and culture domains She said the two sides would also hold discussions on regional situation particularly Afghanistan Kashmir resumption of IranSaudi Arabia diplomatic ties and regional peace and stability The two sides will also discuss progress on institutional frameworks to promote ongoing cooperation in all areas of mutual interest she said

In Tehran the foreign secretary will call on the Iranian Foreign Minister and address the Institute of Political and International Studies He will also hold meeting with Secretary General of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and Chairman of Pakistan -Iran Parliamentary Friendship Group The last meeting of BPC was held in Islamabad in October 2021

Pakistan, Denmark agree to joint initiatives, projects to ght climate change: Bilawal

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy

Dan Jorgensen on Thursday agreed to enhance cooperation in building climateresilient green energy infrastructure including wind energy to overcome the challenge of climate change and resolve energy problems in Pakistan Ta l k i n g t o t h e m e d i a h e r e a f t e r e x c h a n g i n g J o i n t A c t i o n P l a n u n d e r G r e e n F r a m e w o r k E n g a g e m e n t Agreement the foreign minister said the a g r e e m e n t w o u l d s e t s t a g e f o r j o i n t i n i t i a t i v e s a n d p r o j e c t s i n r e n e w a b l e energy and green transition

The minister hoped that policies would be formulated on behalf of the federal government to encourage international companies to invest in Pakistan’s wind and other green energy sectors

He said Pakistan was facing climate change challenges and last summer historic floods hit the country resulting in the loss of precious lives and property

Bilawal said despite challenges, the two countries were working towards an energy transition and creating green resilient infrastructure for the people

There are a lot of areas that we can

PPP submits request to hold rally in Lahore

LAHORE

S ta f f R e p o R t

benefit from this cooperation,” he added H e s a i d u n d e r t h e g r e e n f r a m e w o r k a g r e e m e n t t h e t w o c o u n t r i e s w o u l d w o r k t o g e t h e r t o o v e r c o m e t h e c h a l l e n g e o f c l i m a t e c h a n g e I t w o u l d a l s o h e l p c r e a t e a h e a l t h y p a r t n e r s h i p i n g r e e n f r a m e w o r k t h a t w o u l d a l s o c r e a t e m o r e e c o n o m i c o p p o r t u n i t i e s b e t w e e n t h e t w o c o u n t r i e s

The agreement he said would also help Pakistan to become an energy independent and economically prosperous country

The foreign minister said the Danish government had been a leading voice and leading advocate for the green energy transition of climate agenda within Europe and Pakistan

He said partnering with the European countries on this ambitious agenda of green energy transition would not only have positive implications on Pakistan within the climate context but the economy as well

Terming the agreement as very important Danish Minister Dan Jorgensen said: We share the same ambitions as we also want to fight climate change and both feel that international efforts to overcome the challenge are going too slow

He assured the foreign minister of his country’s full support in Pakistan’s fight against climate change He also called

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Thursday submitted an application to the Lahore administration seeking permission for holding a rally in Punjab s provincial capital on June 20

The party has written to Lahore Deputy Commissioner Raafia Haider, seeking permission for holding a rally in Lahore on the birth anniversary of the PPP s slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on June 21

The PPP administration has contacted the Lahore capital city police officer for the security of the rally

The party has also requested the chief traffic officer to provide alternate routes for traffic at Liberty Chowk for the day of the rally

It is pertinent to mention here that former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members from South Punjab who have recently parted ways with the party joined Pakistan People s Party (PPP) in the past few days

Earlier, Pakistan People’s Party leader and former Punjab chief minister Dost Muhammad Khosa claimed that a part of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) current and former assembly members, leaders from Jahangir Tareen group are also in contact with the PPP

upon the international community to cooperate with Pakistan in this regard

He said Pakistan could be a superpower in wind energy keeping in view its location and wind potential We have decades of experience in wind energy, and we are ready to help Pakistan in this sector

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Pakistan

and Denmark were facing the consequences of climate change in different scenarios as the latter was a developed country while Pakistan was a developing country

I think it is a good example of how a developing world and the developed world partner together to find solutions and work together to face the challenge,” he added

KP minister c alls for quick completion of Pehur High Level Canal Extension projec t

PESHAWAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker

Provincial Minister for Irrigation Haji

Fazal Elahi has said that steps should be taken to complete the Pehur High Level Canal Extension Project soon so that farmers can be assured of water supply for farming bring maximum area under cultivation to benefit local population from it The improvement of the irrigation system in the province is among the top priorities

He expressed these views during his visit to Swabi to review the Pehur High Level Canal Extension Project

During the visit the caretaker

Provincial Minister for Irrigation Haji

Fazal Elahi inspected the ongoing work at various places including Chota Lahore of Pehur High Level

Canal and expressed his satisfaction over the quality of work Meanwhile the caretaker provincial minister for irrigation Haji

Fazl Elahi visited the project directorate of Pehur High Level Canal Extension Project where the project director Sardar Zafar along with the staff welcomed the caretaker provincial minister T h e p r o j e c t d i r e c t o r i n f o r m e d t h e P r o v i n c i a l M i n i s t e r I r r i g a t i o n H a j i F a z a l E l a h i a b o u t t h e c o s t utility, progress and problems faced by the Pehore High Canal Extension P r o j e c t a n d w a s t o l d t h a t a t o t a l o f

2 2 t h o u s a n d a c r e s o f l a n d w i l l b e irrigated from this project while in the future project can irrigate Thirty t h o u s a n d a c r e s o f l a n d T h e t o t a l l e n g t h o f t h e c a n a l i s 7 9 k m T h e estimated cost is 14938 million The p r o j e c t w i l l b e c o m p l e t e d b y

December 2024 About 81 percent of the work on Lot 1 of the project h a s b e e n c o m p l e t e d M i a n D h e r i a r e a w i l l b e i r r i g a t e d f r o m L o t 2 1 6 3 0 0 a c r e s a r e a w i l l b e i r r i g a t e d from Lot 3 About 75 percent of the w o r k h a s b e e n c o m p l e t e d i n l o t three Shah Mansoor, Jhangi Dher, P a n j P i r, K u n d a M e e r a , L a h o r e , Jalsai and Anbar areas of Nowshera a n d S w a b i w i l l b e n e f i t f r o m t h e project Later Provincial Minister for irrigation Haji Fazal Elahi along with Project Director Sardar Zafar inspected the ongoing work at various places on the Pehur High Level Canal Extension Project Besides Provincial Irrigation Minister Haji Fazal Elahi visited the Swabi Irrigation Division office where he reviewed the construction work of the newly built mosque

The spokesperson said the second round of Pakistan-Belgium Bilateral Political Consultations is being held in Islamabad Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe) Ambassador Muhammad Saleem will lead the Pakistan side while the Belgium delegation will be led by Ambassador Cooreman, Director General, Bilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Belgium

“The two sides will review the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Belgium relations and set the agenda for bilateral engagement and cooperation for the next year she said Pakistan and Belgium, she said, would discuss collaboration at international forums, including at the UN, and important regional and global developments This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Belgium

97% of vulnerable population shifted to safe places

KARACHI

S ta f f R e p o R t

In the wake of the threat of Cyclone Biparjoy hitting Thatta’s Keti Bandar and Indian Gujarat’s Kutch area this afternoon the Pakistan Army has released new statistics of the rescue process in the affected areas According to the new data 97% of the population has been shifted to safe places The Karachi corps commander said the Pakistan Army, Rangers, Navy, the NDMA and all civil administrations deserve applause for successfully moving the vulnerable population to safety within the stipulated time About 7 000 people have been shifted to 44 relief camps in Badin Sajawal and Thatta districts The corps commander ordered all stakeholders to remain on high alert until the storm passes Additional troops are on standby in Malir and Hyderabad

Eidul A zha: Dar announces salar y payment to FG employees on June 23

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday announced payment of salaries to the government employees for the current month on June 23 enabling them to meet needs of their families ahead of Eid-ul-Azha Making announcement on floor of the National Assembly, the minister said he had consulted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is currently in Baku – the capital of Azerbaijan – on an official visit; and directed the Secretary Finance to ensure issuance of the salaries accordingly He said the decision had been taken after the heads of different divisions contacted the Ministry of Finance requesting for early-payment of the June salary to the government employees as the Eid-ul-Azha would fall during last days of the current month

Naqeebullah murder case: ATC cancels bail of six policemen

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi has cancelled the interim bail of six policemen including former station house officer (SHO) Amanullah in Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case

The anti-terrorism court (ATC) ordered the concerned authorities to send six policemen including ex-SHO Amanullah to jail After the cancellation of bail police arrested all accused The court then approved the bail of an accused Shoaib aka Shooter The accused cops had gone into hiding after facing allegations of murdering Naqeebullah Mehsud

Commission approves Rs124.9 crores for fiscal year 2023-24

Privatisation

g COMMISSION TO PRESENT POLICY PROPOSALS TO CENTRE FOR PRIVATISATION OF STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES

The Privatisation Commission (PC) on Thursday approved a Rs 1248 8 million budget for the fiscal year 2023-24

According to PC, the Commission convened its latest Board meeting under the Chairmanship of Abid Hussain Bhayo The meeting attended by the Federal Secretary Board members and senior officials of the Ministry/Commission covered several topics requiring the Board s attention

The Privatisation Commission (PC) was established as a sub-branch of the Finance Division to implement the privatisation programme of the Government in 1991

The Commission is entrusted with the task of privatising federal government assets such as its shares in banks, industrial units, public utilities, oil, gas and transport companies, and infrastructure service providers in an open and transparent manner under the

PC ordinance 2000 In the meeting, one significant agenda item entailed the presentation and subsequent approval of the Audited Accounts for the fiscal year 2013-2014

The Board expressed appreciation for the extensive deliberations carried out by the Audit Committee and PC management in finalising the audited accounts The Board emphasised the importance of promptly completing the audited reports for the remaining years on priority In addition the Board granted approval for the Budget Estimates of the PC for the fiscal year 2023-24, amounting to Rs 124 8 crores These estimates, categorised under various heads of expenditure, will undergo further approval by the Federal Government as required by PC Ordinance 2000 Recognizing the necessity of financial sustainability in PC operations, the Board was pleased to constitute the PC Board Investment Committee ” This committee will oversee the

investment of available funds in accordance with the parameters provided in the PC Ordinance, 2000 and the instructions of the Federal Government

The meeting also included a comprehensive presentation on the current status of the privatisation process for Pakistan Engineering Company Ltd (PECO) It was acknowledged that significant inherent issues have led to a temporary suspension of the transaction, with no imminent resolution in sight

Consequently the Board concluded that it is imperative to propose to the government that the administrative ministry take immediate actions on priority basis to address these issues before proceeding with the privatisation of Pakistan Engineering Company (PECO) Moreover the Board provided its approval for the recommendations put forth by the Transaction Committee concerning the House Building Finance Company Ltd (HBFC), marking a positive advancement in the privatisation process The Board also endorsed the

organisational arrangement of the Privatisation Commission, which includes conducting in-house due diligence on entities proposed for privatisation to enhance the effectiveness of the transaction process Additionally the Commission will present meticulously researched policy proposals to the federal government, with the aim of fostering an enabling environment for the privatisation of state-owned enterprises in line with the functions outlined in the Privatisation Commission Ordinance The Privatisation Commission remains committed to its mission of facilitating the efficient and transparent privatisation of state-owned entities, and these decisions and initiatives would further its endeavours to achieve the objectives It is important to note that large state owned enterprises of Pakistan result in heavy bleeding of the country s primary budget every year, causing billions of rupees of taxpayer ’s money to go to waste

P P P AT LO G G E R H E A D S W I T H P M L - N O V E R

A D M I N I S T R AT I V E M AT T E R S I N P U N J A B

LAHORE M o n to R i n g R e p o R t

TH E P P P P u n j a b l e a d e r s h i p i s n o t h a p p y w i t h t h e m a i n c o a l i t i o n p a r t n e r P a k i s t a n M u s l i m L e a g u e - N a w a z ( P M L - N ) o v e r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e i s s u e s i n t h e

province and has ‘conveyed grievances’ to t h e p a r t y ’s C h a i r m a n a n d F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r B i l a w a l B h u t t o - Z a r d a r i d u r i n g h i s r e c e n t v i s i t t o t h e p r o v i n c i a l m e t r o p o l i s

According to sources privy to the development, rift has emerged between the ruling coalition partners Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) over administrative

issues in Punjab

The sources informed that the PPP leaders had complained to party chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal BhuttoZardari that the Punjab caretaker government is not paying heed to their requests regarding administrative issues in the province

The PPP members shared their concerns with Bilawal regarding the Punjab interim government, saying that their requests are not being entertained by officials in the province

They said the Punjab officials made a hundred excuses whenever they were asked for anything, the insiders added

The PPP members, as per the sources, said they could not even get a patchwork on

the road done, let alone get a Station House Officer (SHO) transferred within the province

On the other hand they said the PML-N leaders’ requests get resolved in no time by the Punjab bureaucracy

Moreover the disgruntled party leaders said the former principal secretary of the prime minister is now a secretary of Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi “who does not resolve our issues”

They added that the banners put up for Zardari s welcome were also removed by the provincial authorities

Meanwhile Punjab caretaker CM Naqvi has suddenly left for Dubai with sources saying he is likely to meet Zardari, who is there for an eye operation

C o a s t a l a r e a s r e a d y f o r ‘ wo r s t ’ a s

B i p a r j o y ye t t o m a k e l a n d f a l l

CONTNUED FROM PAGE 01

Earlier the climate change minister said villages in Shah Bandar had been vacated and residents had been moved to relief camps

‘MORE THAN 80,000 PEOPLE

EVACUATED’ According to the government, 81,935 people have been evacuated and relocated from vulnerable areas with the help of the Pakistan Army Navy Rangers and police The climate change minister said that 63 evacuation camps were active while 106 were on standby

“We are ensuring the provision of cooked food and clean water at relief camps which are the most essential But we have also alerted medical teams and 86 units have been deployed in the field

Rehman added

Speaking on Geo News programme

Geo Pakistan on Thursday morning, she said that Biparjoy was a category three cyclone and 10 days ago nobody knew where it was headed

She further said that all government institutions had taken the threat seriously adding that the cyclone had tracked eastwards during the past four days

Rehman urged the public to “show unity” and avoid heading to the sea “We have seen this a lot when people head to the beach to watch the cyclone Our advice is to not even sit by the window she said She said that these were not natural climatic conditions

I have also been warned that maybe, just maybe another cyclone will head

towards us in July she said adding that she did not wish to spread panic

KARACHI, HYDERABAD ADMIN

PUT ON ALERT

The Sindh government has put district administrations in Karachi and Hyderabad on high alert to cope with any untoward situation arising out of Cyclone Biparjoy a Radio Pakistan report said

In a statement issued today, Sindh

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the commissioners, police chiefs, and deputy inspector generals of both cities to remain alert PDMA ALERTS DCS, DDMAS IN COASTAL DISTRICTS

Separately the Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority also directed the deputy commissioners and the chairmen of the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) in Karachi division and the districts of

Tando Muhammad Khan

Badin

Matiari

Tando Allahyar Thatta Sujawal Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar and Umerkot to take necessary “mitigation measures”

Officials were told to ensure vigilant monitoring of the cyclone and to coordinate with the Provincial Emergency Operation Centre (PEOC) They were also told to arrange rescue boats and transport in order to evacuate people from low-lying areas

The authority directed them to ensure fallen trees wires and “other loose objects were removed while also ensuring that residents were evacuated from weak residential structures or mud

houses It also told to identify high-risk areas prone to storm surges flooding and prepare evacuation plans accordingly

The officials were also directed to evacuate residents from coastal locations, ensure cleaning of stormwater drains ensure pumping stations were operational and to remove all bill boards Further they were asked to conduct a public awareness campaign about the cyclone s probable effects as well as safety measures Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was also briefed on the latest situation arising out of the cyclone

A handout issued by the CM Office said Shah was told that 76 925 people had been evacuated in Badin Sujawal and Thatta while a total of 44 relief camps had Transmission line damaged by Biparjoy to be restored in three days’ Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Engr Khurram Dastgir visited Jhimpir Wind Corridor for inspection of transmission towers affected by rainfall and extreme weather conditions due to Cyclone Biparjoy The affected transmission towers caused a disruption of 60MW The minister got in touch with the teams to ensure uninterrupted power supply Jhimpir II grid station is functioning as per normal schedule and 134MW are being supplied to the national grid The minister took notice of the situation for immediate repair The repair teams of NTDC have been deployed and the towers will be back in functioning within three days The towers will be separated from the tangled wires and

then will be brought back to functioning He assured instant relief measures and precautionary strategy in this advent of cyclone The entire visit of Sindh is directed towards the relief measures and counter strategy of Cyclone Biparjoy Khurram Dastgir further said that the Power Division and NTDC will work to provide relief and power supply in the same way as it worked in the emergency situation of 2022 floods He informed the people that the mechanism of Jhimpir Wind Corridor shuts down automatically in case of wind velocity higher than a certain limit Jhimpir in emergency situation will be ssaved from damage

Earlier NTDC Managing Director

Engr Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar briefed the Federal Minister about the restoration works on damaged Transmission line being carried out by NTDC MD NTDC assured the Minister that restoration work will be completed as early as possible NO

MAJOR ELECTRICITY

BREAKDOWN

Later addressing a press conference in Hyderabad, Energy Minister Khurram Dastagir said no major electricity breakdown had been reported amid the cyclone situation He said he was visiting areas along the coastal belt to evaluate the cyclonic situation on the directives of the prime minister Dastagir told media persons that eight poles and two electricity towers had collapsed in the Jhampir and Laadiyon areas of the Sujawal district “We have started repair work to restore the power supply ” he stated The minister went on to say that the Ministry of Energy and Hyderabad Electricity Supply Corporation (HESCO) had devised a comprehensive strategy to overcome likely electricity failure in the cyclonic situation

C lashes, rigging allegations as PPP wins KMC ’s top slots for first-time

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The PPP tried to bar elected members from casting votes by arresting them, the PTI said, warning that Wahab would suffer the same fate as Hamza Shahbaz did in the Punjab chief minister elections Bilawal says heavy responsibilities on Wahab’s shoulders: PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari congratulated Wahab on securing the seat of Karachi s mayor and said all elected representatives of PPP, including Wahab and Salman Abdullah Murad, now have heavy responsibilities on their shoulders T h e f o r e i g n m i n i s t e r a d d e d t h a t t h i s s u c c e s s i s t h e r e s u l t o f t h e l o n g s t r u g g l e a n d s a c r i f i c e s o f t h e p e o p l e o f K a r a c h i a d d i n g t h a t t h e p o l i t i c s o f h a t r e d a n d d i v i s i o n i n t h e e c o n o m i c h u b o f t h e c o u n t r y h a s r e a c h e d i t s l o g i c a l e n d

Democracy is the best revenge, reiterated the PPP chairman Bilawal also said that Karachi will now become the cradle of development peace and brotherhood adding that the local government problems of every street neighborhood and area of the city will be solved without discrimination

Zardari congratulates elected members: PPP cochairperson Asif Ali Zardari congratulated Wahab and all mayors and deputy mayors of Sindh

“The success of elected local representatives is the result of workers’ hard work ” he added The PPP coc h a i r p e r s o n f u r t h e r d i r e c t e d a l l e l e c t e d m e m b e r s t o

keep the doors of their offices open for the public

Earlier, the voting for KMC mayor and deputy mayor seats was held Auditorium Arts Council of Pakistan where the members were allowed to enter the premises after identification

The members were not allowed to carry mobile phones inside the polling station

Voting will be by show of hands in the auditorium and according to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) private media will not be able to cover the polling process

However the initial proceedings will be broadcasted on state TV but the show of hands will not be shown on state television as well

According to the entry register 303 elected members reached the polling station Three elected members were brought in an armoured personnel carrier However, sources within ECP confirmed that 333 members reached the city council while 33 were absent

The PPP is the largest party in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation City Council with 155 seats

However, it is short of a simple majority required to have its mayor elected The PPP has also secured the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam but their combined strength is also short of a simple majority

T h e s e c o n d a n d t h i r d l a rg e s t p a r t i e s i n t h e c i t y council are the JI and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) w i t h 1 3 0 a n d 6 3 s e a t s r e s p e c t i v e l y A s t h e P T I h a s supported the JI, their combined votes appear to be 1 9 3 , w h i c h i s m o r e t h a n t h e s i m p l e m a j o r i t y i n t h e

House of 367 members ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN, VCS OF NINE

TOWN MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS

Apart from this the election of the chairman and vice chairman of nine Town Municipal Corporation was also held while the candidates for chairman vice chairman in 11 towns have been successful without any opposition It should be noted that in 16 out of 25 Town Municipal Corporations of Karachi, PPP has won eight seats JI has won six seats and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has won two seats unopposed

T h e P P P h a s w o n u n o p p o s e d i n G a d a p To w n Malir Town Ibrahim Hydari Town in Malir District Ly a r i To w n i n S o u t h D i s t r i c t , M a n g h o p i r To w n i n We s t D i s t r i c t , B a l d i a To w n i n K e m a r i D i s t r i c t , Morero Mir Bahar Town and Maripur Town

JI has won unopposed on the posts of chairman vice chairman in Landhi Town Model Colony Town of Korangi District North Nazimabad Town Gulberg Town Liaquatabad Town and Nazimabad Town of Central District The towns that PTI won unopposed include Saddar Town in South District and Shah Faisal Town in Korangi District

‘Joined hands with people involved in May 9 riots’

Lambasting JI for supporting PTI Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that Jamaate-Islami has joined hands with people involved in May 9 riots

Before the voting began, Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani had said that the 173 members who were to vote in favour of Wahab were present inside the hall

MPs reiterate govt pledge to combat power ful tax evaders, leak ages

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

T h e m i n i s t e r a l s o h i g h l i g h t e d t h e n e g a t i v e i m p a c t o f t h e d e c l i n e i n l a rg e - s c a l e m a n u f a c t u r i n g , a s r e p o r t e d b y t h e P a k i s t a n

Exper ts, linguists talk ‘issues’ in scriptures of Pashto Language

SWAT S y e d S h a h a b u d d i n

Pashto Language experts and linguists said on Thursday that several issues erupted in written scriptures of Pashto due to diversity in its dialects

They made the revelation at a seminar on the modern script of the Pashto Language held at the Postgraduate Jahanzeb College Saidu Sharif The seminar was organized by the Pashto Department of the college Pashto language experts writers poets teachers and students participated in the event Renowned linguist of Pashto language Hanif Qais, Prof Dr Attaur Rehman, Attaullah Jan, Ihsan Yousafzai Usman Ulasyar Zafar Ali Naz Dr Didar Yousafzai Ihsanullah Shahid Fazal Mahmood Rokhan Fazal Mabood Diyar Saeedullah Khadim Rozi Khan Baba and Abdul Ghafoor Baba were among the prominent participants Organizer of the seminar, Prof Dr Attaur Rehman said that the correct use of Pashto script was the most important thing for students and writers of the language, which was why the Pashto department organized the event to teach the students and other people how to write Pashto correctly There is a long-standing issue about the use of vowels in the modern Pashto script so we have tried to educate our youngsters about the issue and devise a proper mechanism to resolve it, he said Hanif Qais, while briefing the students and participants about the issues arising in the modern script and vowels of the Pashto Language said that the written script of the Pashto language was made more complicated than before The biggest issue with the Pashto language is its diversity in dialects and the scholastic division between the linguist living in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Pak-Iran political consultation round to be held on 17th: FO

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in a weekly briefing said that 12th round of political consultations of Pakistan-Iran will be held soon She said foreign secretary will represent Pakistan in Pak-Iran consultation meeting The spokesperson said that the last meeting was held in October 2021 Zahra said that Russian oil cargo on discounted price arrived in Karachi after successfully negotiation process and Petroleum Ministry worked as lead ministry in this regard The FO spokesperson said that Pakistan has right to buy crude oil from the international market to solve its energy problems The FO spokesperson said that Pakistan expressed concerns on the forcefully occupation of Muslims properties in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir She said India has continued atrocities in Held Valley over a long period of time

NADRA Chairman to be appointed on merit: Rana

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Thursday said that the incumbent government is making all-out efforts to achieve progress in every organization including National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Appointment of NADRA Chairman would be made on merit, he said while talking to a private television channel There is no hurdle in the functioning of NADRA he said adding that everything is going on smoothly About the new appointment in NADRA he said he will make the appointment of Chairman through advertisement

B u r e a u o f S t a t i s t i c s T h i s d e c l i n e p o s e s l o n g - t e r m t h r e a t s t o t h e s u s t a i n a b i l i t y o f l e g i t i m a t e i n d u s t r i e s , e m p l o y m e n t r a t e s , a n d e x p o r t s W h i l e a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e r e a l e s t a t e s e c t o r S a r d a r Ay a z S a d i q s t r e s s e d t h e n e e d t o c o n t r o l t h e u n c o n t r o l l e d e x p a n s i o n o f h o u s i n g s o c i e t i e s o n a g r i c u l t u r a l l a n d He asserted that the economy would improve and Pakistan would be viewed as a business-friendly nation only when efforts are made to create a level playing field for fair market competition Tax harmonization was identified as a crucial factor for business growth

Qamar Zaman Kaira, advisor to the Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs & GB highlighted the massive loss of approximately one trillion rupees annually due to tax evasion in Pakistan He emphasized that controlling tax leakages through strict law enforcement and bringing the black economy into the tax net could help Pakistan avoid relying on foreign funding

Kaira pointed out that the real estate and tobacco sectors alone accounted for approximately 750 billion rupees in tax evasion He stressed that illegal trade not only poses a threat to legitimate businesses but also undermines the sovereignty of the country and jeopardizes employment and livelihoods He mentioned the concern of tax evasion in the cigarette industry in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the collaborative efforts with AJK authorities to implement a track and trace system in the industry D u r i n g t h e b r i e f i n g A b d u l S a t t a r B a b a r CEO of IPSOS presented the latest study on t a x e v a s i o n i n f i v e s e c t o r s : r e a l e s t a t e t o b a c c o , t y r e s a n d a u t o l u b r i c a n t s , p h a r m a c e u t i c a l s , a n d t e a T h e s t u d y r e v e a l e d t h a t t a x e v a s i o n i n t h e s e s e c t o r s

TH E government’s failure to persuade the IMF to continue its current programme must be taken as a signal that the country will have to manage without the IMF for the foreseeable future That the deal is dead is not simply because Pakistan is unable to pass the present review, it is because the government is already behaving as if there is going to be no deal Clearly it knows something Part of this has been the IMF’s alacrity at shifting the goalposts at imposing new conditions whenever the old ones were met However that has been more because the IMF is trying to persuade Pakistan to obey non-economic dictates of the USA rather than for the economic reasons the IMF claims it has been following Pakistan’s purchase of discounted Russian crude is only one of its transgressions; another has been its striking a deal with Azerbaijan for LNG instead of Qatar At the same time the barter agreement with Iran and Russia has also not gone down well with the USA or the IMF Pakistan’’s own shortage of foreign exchange has made it inclined to any move that reduces its dependence on the US dollar At a time when the US dollar is facing criticism its attempt may be seen in some circles as a betrayal Pakistan though is obliged by its own difficulties as well as by the possibility of the USA heading to a default of its own something it only just averted thtough a bipartisan congressional deal on its debt ceiling

This has led to the fateful decision to move into uncharted waters Perhaps the most important matter that faces Pakistan is that the era of unlimited borrowing is over and now it is only through fiscal responsibility that the government can control what has so far been an inexhaustible appetite for foreign exchange It is also essential at this time through astute and shrewd diplomacy to persuade friendly countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE and China of the need to resist US and IMF pressure and help Pakistan survive its time of need The foremost priority must be to avoid a default Apart from that the government must also take whatever action is necessary to achieve political stability which has moved from something desirable to an essential for economic survival not just prosperity

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

A gathering of electables

parties, it is not really competing for national power, but wants to act as a pressure group, getting enough seats in the provincial assembly to parlay its position into either the chief ministership or the speakership, in exchange for its support to that party in the Centre

TH E formation of the Istehkam Pakistan Party has been heralded as the launch of a new King s Party, but even a cursory look shows that it is not the PTI, even though its leadership consists of PTI veterans That seems to be its most pressing purpose: that it provides a platform for those PTI leaders and electables who had left the party after the May 9 attacks on military installations made that party too hot to hold them

It is interesting that the new party is being led by Jehangir Tareen and Abdul Aleem Khan, both of whom had left the party before the May 9 attacks convulsed the PTI It is also interesting that both men were known as PTI chief Imran Khan s ATMs who bankrolled not just the party but him personally It is thus no coincidence that Tareen left the party because he was accused of having been responsible for the sugar crisis of 2021 because of his business interests

When Aleem Khan left the party he was accused of trying to misuse his position to get undue favours for his real estate businessBoth are also veterans of the PML(Q) Tareen having served in Shaukat Aziz s federal Cabinet and Aleem Khan in Pervaiz Elahi s Punjab Cabinet

However, the real test of the new party will be how attractive it is for people from other parties It is only when people start leaving the PML(N) and the PPP to join the new outfit that it would become a political platform capable of playing a national role

At present the IPP seems to have its ranks full of potential Punjab Chief Ministers Tareen and Aleem have both been aspirants for the slot, as has been Fawad Chaudhry, one of the lowkey participants at the launch So was Murad Raas who had earlier announced a Democrats Group Pervaiz Elahi Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Hammad Azhar have stuck to the PTI and while Usman Buzdar has left he has not joined the PTI

One problem the new party has, something which was probably in its genesis, but which it has somehow not tackled is that it lacks a candidate for PM

The PTI was the political platform through which Imran Khan became PM Indeed the ideology of the PTI was primarily to elect Imran PM Even through the events of May 9 that remains its ideology Imran brought a record to the election; a rather thin one, true, but still, there were things he could point to Principally, he had two major achievements to show: he had captained the 1992 World Cup-winning national cricket team and he had successfully built the country s first cancer hospital Neither Tareen nor Aleem can point to anything similar Tareen and Aleem are men of achievement, but that achievement is making money Though both have experience of government, neither has any achievement while there which immediately springs to mind which can be used as a talking-point by either to reach out to the public There is also the dilemma of what will happen if Tareen s current disqualification is lifted At present Aleem is party pres-

ident but the chairmanship is still vacant

This then brings one to what is the new party’s defining issue Imran s and the PTI s was corruption

He took the sense among the public that the PML(N) and PPP were headed by7 corrupt politicians, and converted it into votes It was a telling point that he himself was perceived as being untainted by that corruption One of the most enduring efforts of the opposition to Imran has been to dent that reputation

Corruption was not mentioned in the new party s foundation, leaving it without an issue Its leaders spoke about providing an alternative to the economic mess but seem to have missed the point: the fight against corruption was not an end in itself, but was a eans to improve the economy The IPP leadership cannot also claim the squeaky clean image that Imran cultivated Tareen is the originator of what might be called the South Punjab strategy, from which the PTI benefited in and after the last election There is a group of electables who come from South Punjab where party affiliations seem the least who go to the party which seems likeliest to win Train himself is from South Punjab, and sat for a Lodhran seat before his disqualification

Another person pursuing the South Punjab strategy is PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari Hemight have noticed that whenever the PPP has won an election it has won a majority in South Punjab which is precisely the area which Tarin is targeting

The PML(N) does not seem to be part of this race, which might explain why if the IPP is looking to coordinate, it is looking to the PML(N) Another reason is that if Aleem is to be found a seat, it would be better for the PML(N) not to put a candidate in his constituency than the PPP If the IPP is looking to coordinate with the major

How to approach learning

they do not deviate too much from set patterns)

Their difficulty is that they are stumped as soon as the question deviates from the template that they are used to To this category belong a large proportion of students who perform exceptionally well in their SSC/HSSC exams pass university entrance tests with flying colours but suddenly start having trouble the moment they are required to do any out-of-the-box or abstract thinking in the university

HASAN AFTAB SAEED

AS a teacher I am often asked this question: When it comes to learning (and teaching for that matter), should more focus be placed on theory or application? In other words which approach is more fruitful: Considering specific applications ( problems in technical jargon) as vehicles to understand the fundamentals or developing theory for the express purpose of handling applications?

A word of clarification is in order: this is by no means a this-or-that question Of course both the fundamentals and their applications are important in any subject area The issue is about where to place each category in the overall scheme of learning More than giving importance to one at the cost of another, it is a question of the best way to approach learning itself

In every semester one comes across students who claim that they are very good at theory but for some unknown reason they cannot handle applications On the other end of the spectrum are those that I like to refer to as problem-specialists These are students that are very adept at solving problems (as long as

The problem (as far as most of our students are concerned) is that where applications

The fact of the matter is that theory and problems, principles and applications are two sides of the same coin If somebody does not know how to apply abstract theory to concrete problems then it can be safely concluded that he does not know the theory no matter what he likes to tell himself Abstract thinking has its own joys but real life presents one with concrete problems In the technical domain, theory for the sake of theory is quite useless unless it can be applied successfully to those problems The ultimate test of understanding of fundamentals is how one handles applications

This much is quite obvious What is less obvious (judging from the vast numbers who err in this regard) is how to go about learning any subject Many try to learn theory from applications which is a big mistake You could solve hundreds of problems and start believing that you have figured out the underlying principles but suddenly come across a problem that completely exposes your lack of understanding It is undeniably true that the proof of the pudding is in the eating, but one tries to figure out the details of the recipe from the taste of the pudding at one’s peril Theory is abstract and therefore typically requires a bridge before it can be applied to concrete situations But it remains supreme, for it remains relevant at all times Applications are no-doubt important, but they keep changing, some even getting obsolete with time But the fundamentals remain relevant Therefore it is a

waste of time and effort to try and figure out the fundamentals using the many problems found in textbooks It is the applications that must be understood in light of the principles and not the other way around If one is to avoid discontinuities and inconsistencies in one s picture of the world one must cultivate the habit of thinking in terms of fundamentals Theory, if clearly understood, will help one deal with any number of applications Trying to figure out the fundamentals from specific instances, on the other hand, will never let one construct a consistent and coherent mental picture of the world Some readers may be wondering what I am talking about when the fundamentals themselves have been formulated (or confirmed) by observation and characterization of concrete instances While I agree completely, I would still recommend focusing more on the fundamentals Unless you happen to be a Newton or a Faraday; in which case you have a valid excuse to focus more on specific instances to try and come up with your own laws The problem (as far as most of our students are concerned) is that where applications are considered interesting and worth one’s efforts, theory is thought of as boring and lifeless Having taught undergraduate and graduate students for more than a decade now I know for a fact how horrified our typical student is of the very thought of grappling with theory He would much rather solve innumerable problems as a ‘shortcut’ to understanding the fundamentals It is incumbent upon us teachers to show him that he can not only have a much clearer concept of the fundamentals if he reverses his approach but that he only requires to put in a fraction of the effort that way

The author is a connoisseur of music, literature and food (but not drinks) He can be reached at www facebook com/hasanaftabsaeed

Of course there are certainly more permutations but it does mean that the IPP is basically a powerseeking platform In that respect its lack of ideology serves it well Is the new party as much of an establishment creature as the PTI is said by its detractors to be? In fact, its existence is one of the biggest arguments against the claim that the establishment is out of politics One of the noticeable features of the IPP is that it seems a platform not just for PTI dissidents but those who have always been loyal to the establishment This includes those who are reputed not to make a move without establishment blessing

If that is indeed the case, it seems that the establishment is now inclined to exert control Through the creation of pressure groups It already has control over the PML(N) and the PPP though Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Zatrdari respectively not so much because they are enthusiastic about the establishment, as because they have learnt that it cannot be beaten, and if you can t beat them, join them Establishment control requires cooperation Establishments in Myanmar or Thailand are much more direct, having a number of seats allocated to the armed forces in Parliament, convenient blocs which can be used in support of one person or another However in Pakistan since the establishment is formally banned from taking part in politics, it requires the support of political parties, preferably parties which are too weak ever to challenge it So far that has been the problem The PPP the PML(N) and the PTI all became too big for their boots However, the problem is that unless the party is strong enough to contend for power it is in danger of not fulfilling the purpose the establishment has assigned it So far any party that could contend for power has done so That seems to be the problem facing the establishment with the IPP If it grows strong enough, it will challenge for power However, if it remains as it is, it may not be able to generate enough votes to let it get enough seats to act as a pressure group

The real test of the IPP is whether without Imran it can get votes It is the party of electables those who depend on ties to a constituency If it succeeds in its purposes, it will mean that the combination of electables and establishment will gain strength However, never before have either seemed as vulnerable as now The writer is a member of staff

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

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

Political extremism

TO D AY we live in a free country only because of the efforts made by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and his associates His sincerity to the cause of creating a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent was doubtless and unmatchable

The tragic events that followed the arrest of the main opposition leader on May 9 have saddened the whole nation But the most horrific and tragic was the attack by the arsonists who brutally vandalised the Jinnah House, which today is known as the Corps Commander House whose parts were also put on fire by the mob behaving like a jilted lover throwing acid on the face of the beauty he was once bewitched by This was unprecedented in the history of the country No condemnation of the vile act is enough The nation s head is bowed in shame The incident shows how politicians can attack and go against the state for their petty political or vested interests

All the living rooms and equipment in Jinnah House were burnt, while a mosque inside the residence was destroyed Several historical artefacts including historical photographs of the father of the nation his sofa snooker tables chairs cigar holder vases beds shoes and clothes were decorated in three different rooms of the structure During the rampage several of these artefacts were burned or destroyed The Jinnah House currently serves as the official residence of the corps commander

Where was the plan to unleash such destruction made? Who was directly or indirectly involved in it? Did the protestors organise this all by themselves? The fact is that all this seems to be a part of some wellorchestrated plan considering the manner in which the local district and mainstream politicians were inciting the people It was not something done in the heat of the moment

Absolutely not We have heard about religious extremism, but what happened on that fateful day was a case of political extremism The seeds of hatred are being sown The persons behind the episode must think of Pakistan otherwise they will simply be playing into the hands of the country’s enemies MUHAMMAD IMRAN UL HAQ LAHORE

KE’s fate hanging

T H E contract of K-Electric (KE) is going to expire on July 20 At this juncture, when less than two months are left in the expiry of the licence, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has asked the public and all other stake-holders to give their input within 14 days on whether or not to extend the contract

Now if the input received is negative would it be possible for Nepra to ask for bids from the interested local and foreign bidders as the minimum response period for local bidders is 15 days and it is 30 days for foreign bidders, as per the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules

Then comes the matter of technical evaluation of the bids, financial opening and award of contract to the highest bidder, and in case the successful bidder does not match the minimum downpayment requirement post-tender the whole process will then have to be scrapped and repeated anew I wonder how all this procedure could be completed within the stipulated time period

Moreover, there is a sentiment among some political parties to nationalise the whole activity related to power generation and distribution This naturally betrays their vested interests

If the authorities are seriously considering such an option, they would do well to remember the unfortunate consequences of the country’s earlier experience with nationalisation

Besides the condition of nearly all government-run entities from schools to industrial concerns should be enough of an eye-opener The authorities concerned should think twice before taking any decision in this critical regard

Without an agreement with the IMF, the government must take an unfamiliar path

are considered interesting and worth oneÊs efforts, theory is thought of as boring and lifeless Having taught undergraduate and graduate students for more than a decade now, I know for a fact how horrified our typical student is of the very thought of grappling with theory

The real test of the IPP is whether, without Imran, it can get votes. It is the par ty of electables, those who depend on ties to a constituency. If it succeeds in its purposes, it will mean that the combination of electables and establishment will gain strength

Climate migration as a multidimensional threat

mate migration being one of the most harmful factors

This phenomenon contributes to the emergence of other issues caused by the long-term effects of climate change This factor creates hurdles for states with weak management policies related to internally displaced persons (IDP) management In Pakistan we can witness the high impacts of climate migration specifically in the provinces of Balochistan and Sindh

these floods Infrastructure also suffered extensive damage with two million houses being damaged and 26 percent of total bridges and infrastructure affected by floods Livestock faced unprecedented consequences, with a reported 928,000 affected animals in both Sindh and Balochistan according to the Pakistan Floods Affected report

PA K I S TA N is one of those countries facing the worst consequences of climate change despite not making significant contributions to global warming This alarming situation has resulted in chaos and unpredictable disasters However the main factor sustaining the harmful effects of climate change is climate migration When displaced individuals move towards urban areas, the consequences they face are often worse than those which caused their displacement This phenomenon of climate migration is predicted to affect 2 million people by 2050 which is unimaginable considering the multidimensional issues it can cause within weak and unstable governance

The challenges arising from the internally displaced people of Balochistan and Sindh due to the consequences of climate change must be foreseen These individuals have migrated to different areas giving rise to new challenges and causing numerous multidimensional threats

Additionally the statistics regarding future climate migrants are expected to rise as well as the country is considered one of the largest displaced, but here the most affected provinces will have a high share of the rising number, which poses a highly threatening situation if not addressed promptly Climate change has become a global focal point with a primary agenda for this era Resolving this issue is crucial as it is interconnected with the prosperity of other developmental and peace-related goals worldwide Addressing the consequences of climate change requires a range of actions from the leadership of any state within its socioeconomic framework These issues cannot be effectively tackled without a stable economic status

The ongoing economic crisis exacerbates every emerging issue Climate change is deeply intertwined with grassroots factors in Pakistan as evidenced by the irreparable consequences of the disastrous floods in 2022 The floods led to numerous sub-crises, with cli-

In 2022 Pakistan faced a climate crisis and two of its provinces, Sindh and Balochistan were significantly affected Balochistan experienced rainfall five times higher than the 30-year average, while Sindh faced rainfall three times higher Floods covered the areas of Sindh and eastern Balochistan leading to the migration of displaced people towards urban areas This excessive rainfall resulted in severe flooding particularly affecting rural areas in these provinces The destruction caused by the floods was not confined to a specific area but had a widespread impact on the entire region over time

At the same time, these specific provinces and their rural and urban areas were among the hardest hit A total of 33 million people in Pakistan were affected by

But apar t from that some other recommended ways to mitigate the climate migration consequences. The ver y impor tant and initial factor to tackle climate migration is to concentrate on climate-resilient infrastructure that can be constructed for the climate migrants in the outlying areas of big cities where most of the migrants are routed. And to control routes as well with respect to the province

Furthermore people facing food insecurity issues were recorded as 3 9 million and 1 6 million in Balochistan and Sindh, respectively, making them the highest affected areas Water scarcity also became a pressing issue as the floods damaged drinking water sources, which accounted for 36 percent of the total drinking water

Migration is a core issue due to its far-reaching consequences Changes As a result of the destruction of their homes they migrate towards urban areas in search of food shelter and employment However in these urban areas, we witness even more chaos

Climate migration is estimated to be a number that is as alarming as its deepening connections with other social issues Understanding climate migration and its consequences in the two provinces particularly Sindh and Balochistan requires examining the 2022 floods that affected these regions The vast rural population heavily dependent on agriculture and daily wages faced lifethreatening situations However, this migration cycle created a multitude of problems

As a result of the floods, 200,000 people were internally displaced and migrated from Sindh and Balochistan to other areas This number includes only those people who were displaced by the floods but other environmental changes can also cause migration For instance, droughts in Pakistan are projected to displace 600,000 people by 2030, and without taking action, this number is expected to reach 620,000

The first issue we encounter due to migration is the overpopulated urban areas The recent census reveals a recorded increase of 25 million in the population of Pakistan with urban areas experiencing high population densities This situation poses another significant threat in the context of climate migration because, without stable policies, the first consequence we witness is poverty

According to the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), between 8 4 million to 9 1 million people may be pushed below the poverty line Addressing this increase in poverty requires a stable economic situation for such a large population

Moreover, the urbanization rate is increasing by 3 percent annually, which is considered the fastest in South Asia According to predictions, 50 percent of the population will be living in urban areas by 2050 This extreme urbanization automatically leads to resource scarcity as

H e re i s a l o o k a t h o w t h e b o t h a s g ro w n c o m p a re d t o o t h e r p i o n e e r i n g p l a t f o r m s s u c h a s Yo uTu b e ,

NO T H I N G seems capable of stopping the rise of ChatGPT, the generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool created by OpenAI that has amassed tens of millions of users since its launch just six months ago Not even the apocalyptic manifestos signed by AI leaders the threat it poses to jobs or the doubts it has raised about the potential and limits of AI technology appear capable of slowing it down When talking about artificial intelligence the only certainty is the overwhelming success of ChatGPT which recorded one million users just five days after its launch, according to a tweet from Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI Six months have passed since then, and ChatGPT has gone on to break many other records Its growth has surpassed that of other platforms that have changed the technological landscape be it in terms of numbers of users the chatbot is about to register one billion unique users per month, according to an analysis by VezaDigital agency or the amount of press and institutional recognition it has achieved worldwide

What Facebook Google Spotify or Apple took years to achieve, ChatGPT has done in months or even days

THE FASTEST GROWTH IN HIS-

TORY: The most striking result is how quickly ChatGPT has become popularized since its launch on November 30

2022 Indeed it is the fastest-growing product in history However, it should be noted that OpenAI does not offer official data What is known about the chatbot comes from Altman or from the analysis of external consultants A UBS study for example estimated that ChatGPT had 100 million active users in January, just two months after its launch The platform s meteoric rise has not gone unnoticed by large investors, such as Microsoft, which that same month invested $10 billion in OpenAI

It took Microsoft three years to invest

$250 million into Facebook ChatGPT s rise has been much faster than that of other social media networks

While ChatGPT took two months to

the migrated population in urban areas will face the same lack of necessities

Considering the situation from another perspective public health becomes a major concern in this scenario

As we witnessed during the covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan, especially its urban areas, was at high risk Now, with the added threat of climate change, we can predict the consequences we will face The larger the unmanageable population the higher the pollution and the risk of diseases whether due to the shortage of drinking water or the increase in pollution projected to reach 60 percent by 2050

Climate migration is not a temporary crisis; this is a major issue that requires careful consideration by governmental authorities The sooner we understand the multidimensional consequences, the earlier we can establish effective policies and implement strategies Dealing with disasters requires stable economic systems but the funds and aid received from the international community can be utilized to address them this would be an effective way but here the role of governance is primary

But apart from that some other recommended ways to mitigate the climate migration consequences The very important and initial factor to tackle climate migration is to concentrate on climate-resilient infrastructure that can be constructed for the climate migrants in the outlying areas of big cities where most of the migrants are routed And to control routes as well with respect to the province

Another factor is the policies that adapt modern technologies for dealing with disasters through which we can overcome the effects by fast reaching and rescuing more people Also by creating a stable structure to regain the loss of farmers community and agricultural sector This can only be possible through modern technological tools that will help them to rebuild their lands

The writer is a Research Intern at Balochistan Think Tank Network, Quetta

Washington is recalibrating its Asia strategy

A s i a i s h o m e to m o re t h a n h a l f o f t h e wo r l d ’s p o p u l at i o n , a n d t wo - t h i rd s o f t h e wo r l d ’s e co n o m i c a c t i v i t y o cc u r s h e re.

Th e re f o re, A s i a i s t h e e n g i n e o f g l o b a l g row t h

S p o t i f y a n d I n s t a g r a m GEOPOLITICALMONITOR

reach 100 million users, Facebook which launched in 2004 did not reach that figure for four and a half years Instagram which was not yet part of Meta when it launched in 2010 took two and a half years to reach one million downloads on iOS devices Twitter had to wait five years, while TikTok did it in just nine months

Other pioneering tech products also lag behind when compared to ChatGPT

In June 2007 Steve Jobs presented the first iPhone to the U S market The device which would change the cellphone industry forever sold one million units in just over two months, and 100 million in three and a half years Netflix, which was founded in 1999 did not exceed one million subscribers until 2017 It s important to note however that the streaming platform initially began as a DVD delivery which made it much more difficult for it to achieve this goal It took Spotify a decade to reach 100 million subscribers, a milestone it achieved in April 2019

YouTube grew much faster but still not as fast as ChatGPT

Founded in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees YouTube reached 100 million daily views in a year and a half It rose so quickly that a year after its launch, it was the fast-growing product on the internet

MEDIA ATTENTION: In addition to attracting users ChatGPT has not stopped making headlines In February this year three months after its launch the Time magazine dedicated its front cover to a screenshot of a conversation with ChatGPT in which it asked:

What do you think of a Time cover story with the title The AI Arms Race is Changing Everything

It took Facebook and YouTube three and two years, respectively, to land on the front cover of Time In 2006, Time set out to recognize the millions of people who anonymously contribute content to websites such as YouTube MySpace and Facebook choosing You as the person of the year The groundbreaking front cover featured a computer with the word “You” on the screen In the case of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has appeared twice on the cover of the magazine: first when he was named Time s person of the year in 2010, and again in 2021, more than a decade later, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal On that occasion, the magazine questioned whether it was time to delete Facebook It took Google s three founders eight years to appear on the cover of Time while Instagram s Kevin Systrom

and Spotify s Daniel Ek have never landed a cover shot That said, they both appeared on the front page of the equally prestigious Forbes magazine two and four years respectively after the launch of their platforms The only product that comes close to ChatGPT is the iPhone, which in November 2007, four months after its launch, was named “invention of the year” by Time

INTEREST OF WORLD LEADERS:

The unprecedented growth of ChatGPT and of artificial intelligence more generally has also caught the attention of world leaders Altman was virtually unknown six months ago But since the chatbot’s launch, he has been traveling around the globe nonstop on what he calls the OpenAI world tour He went to the White House where together with other AI pioneers he spoke to U S President Joe Biden about the dangers of AI technology And from there, he traveled to Canada, Nigeria, Portugal and Spain But perhaps the most striking meeting took place on May 16 in the U S Senate when Altman appeared before a Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy Technology and the Law to discuss the benefits and risks of AI technology This was not the first time that a Senate committee has met with the young leaders of the tech world But what was surprising was how quickly Altman reached this level of institutional recognition and the relaxed and cordial tone with which the hearing was conducted Zuckerberg also appeared before a Senate committee in 2018, 14 years after the birth of Facebook In this case the CEO of Meta which owns Facebook YouTube and Instagram was called to testify to explain the massive data leak from Cambridge Analytica Visibly nervous, Zuckerberg struggled to answer lawmakers’ questions, saying:

“I deeply regret that we didn’t do enough ” The encounter damaged both Zuckerberg s and his company s image Likewise concerns about TikTok the popular Chinese social network founded in 2016, took seven years to reach the U S Congress In March, just weeks before Altman’s hearing, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew waded in on the debate over whether to ban the platform in the United States It did not go very well judging by the fact that a few weeks later, the governor of Montana signed the first law that prohibits the use of TikTok in a U S territory Not only has ChatGPT managed to stay ahead of its competitors in terms of growth but it has also won over public opinion despite the continuous dooms-

about AI technology

PR A C T

N E R S and commentators have long proclaimed Asia the new center of global geoeconomics What happens in Asia matters to the world for two simple reasons First, Asia is home to more than half of the world’s population and two-thirds of the world s economic activity occurs here Therefore Asia is the engine of global growth Asia is also not a beautiful garden with benign actors It hosts seven of the world s largest militaries in its geographical expanse Thus, Asia is a contested space home to a tapestry of nationalities and ethnicities Unlike in Europe nationalism is not taboo in Asia Most Asian states have decolonized mainly in the last seven decades They are aspirational and fiercely protective of their identities The likely result is that Asian politics is dynamic and vibrant Thus, apart from geoeconomics, Asia is also a critical theatre of geopolitics China’s rise has further complicated this geopolitical dynamic

Given this recent churn in Asian geopolitics due to China s rise the US is recalibrating its traditional hubs-and-spokes alliance system and augmenting the capabilities of its regional allies and trusted partners For long Beijing was tight-lipped about its ambitions and sweet-talked its way through Astute Chinese leaders implicitly sold the idea to the Americans that political liberty would be a natural consequence of economic reform This was music to Washington s ears After all, the desire to mold others in your teflon is irresistible

So after Nixon’s outreach to Mao in 1971, China quietly sided with Washington against the erstwhile Soviet Union Former Chinese statesman Deng Xiaoping knew well that American capital and technology were the elixirs for China s economic transformation Riding pillion with Washington would catapult its teeming millions from poverty to the middle class

In retrospect the strategy bore rich fruit Western capital and Chinese domestic reforms and manufacturing smarts transformed China into a phenomenal economic powerhouse China s economic sprint also emerged as an opportunity for other regional actors to develop their economies Institutions like the ASEAN prospered under the twin benefits of the Chinese economic umbrella and American security shelter This equilibrium of the US-China bonhomie acted as the base for regional economic prosperity

However like all great powers Beijing now thinks its time has come It wants to transform its economic muscle into political power Therefore, Washington is recalibrating its Asia strategy by strengthening its alliance system’s spokes and devolving greater capabilities to its regional partners

In the 1970s Washington s humiliating debacle in the Vietnam War compelled many to strike off the US from Asian waters Vietnam was a severe case of passion overruling pragmatism However, Washington has repeatedly proved naysayers wrong by reinventing itself and recalibrating its role in the world For example practitioners have pointed out that the Vietnam War compelled the US to shift its strategy in Asia from onshore con-

tainment to offshore balancing

Put simply Washington discarded the idea of direct interventions to pursue a relatively more hands-off approach to securing its interests and those of its allies

Offshore balancing also means that if any regional conflict breaks out and threatens the position of an American ally Washington would apply its military muscle in such a scenario The primary objective of such a strategy was to prevent any single power from dominating Asia As long as no single power threatened American interests or its allies, the United States was happy to take a hands-off approach

However the dizzying rise of China and its explicit ambitions to replace the America-led Asian order has crumpled the premise of the old regional equilibrium Therefore, Washington is recalibrating its strategic outlook in Asia–by facilitating greater cooperation between the spokes of its alliance system and empowering its regional allies and partners with greater capabilities

Some would argue that China s assertiveness demonstrates its uneasiness with American superiority in Asia and is directly related to its perception of itself as the reigning power in the region However, Chinese assertiveness has also caused alarm about a conflict breaking out, more likely accidental given the regional atmosphere is pregnant with mutual suspicion

In this light the US is attempting to recalibrate its traditional hub-and-spokes alliance system to complement its larger offshore balancing strategy However, the logic remains the same: preventing a China-dominated unipolar Asia, in other words, pursuing a multipolar Asia This sentiment also reverberates with American allies and partners throughout the region America s Asia reorientation entails two key components First strengthening the spokes– aka its allies and partners– by facilitating greater engagement amongst them and second, augmenting the technological and military capabilities of regional allies and partners

Such a reorientation makes the role of regional allies and partners more relevant decentralizes burden-sharing and offers a temporary respite from American attention being bogged down elsewhere Therefore, the US plays a behind-the-scenes role in mending fences between Japan and South Korea, fostering greater cooperation between Australia and Japan and encouraging India to work more with Japan and Australia on a bilateral and minilateral level The Quad arrangement between US-Japan-India-Australia is another initiative to create flexible regional arrangements in Asia, stabilizing the regional order during a period of profound geopolitical flux

The other side of such initiatives is the greater willingness of America’s allies and regional partners to shoulder responsibilities for their own security and regional stability For example, the AUKUS arrangement– Washington and London supplying nuclear-powered submarines to Canberra– points towards greater devolution of capabilities AUKUS also shows greater appetite in the region to take more responsibility for regional security Therefore we should not be surprised to see more such developments in the medium term For starters the growing defense cooperation between New Delhi and Washington further points towards an altered Asian landscape

ChatGPT achieves in six months what Facebook needed a decade to do

AT L E A S T 7 9 D R O W N , H U N D R E D S M I S S I N G

I N M I G R A N T S H I P W R E C K O F F G R E E C E

ATHENS ag e n c e s

AT least 79 migrants drowned and hundreds more were missing and feared dead after their overloaded boat capsized and sank in open seas off Greece, in one of Europe’s deadliest shipping disasters in recent years

As a painstaking search for survivors continued a European rescue-support charity said it believed around 750 people were on board the 20- to 30-metre-long (65- to 100-foot-long) vessel The UN s migration agency estimated up to 400 while Greece declined to speculate on the passenger count

By midday 104 people had been rescued A media report said the boat left from Libya and a shipping ministry official who spoke on condition of anonymity said most of those on board were from Egypt, Syria

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The British government on Thursday announced the appointment of Jane Marriott as the first female high commissioner to Pakistan who is likely to assume her charge in mid-July

Marriott took to Twitter to make the announcement Delighted to be appointed as the next British High Commissioner to Pakistan!, she wrote She said that Britain and Pakistan are connected by heritage, strong people ties climate cooperation & growing trade “Dosti & Commonwealth links can ensure a prosperous future Aap se jald mulaqat hogi! she added

I am incredibly excited to be appointed as the next British High Commissioner to Pakistan a country I am delighted to have visited twice before “I am looking forward to getting to know this culturally rich and deeply diverse country even better The United Kingdom s relationship with Pakistan is

BEIJING

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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang had a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the latter s request on Wednesday Beijing time shortly before the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed that Blinken will visit China on Sunday and Monday

In the phone call, Qin expounded China’s firm stance on core concerns such as the Taiwan question The phone call serves as a reminder to the US side that it should hold a correct attitude for high-level meetings while correcting its wrong deeds, some experts said

During the phone call with Blinken, Qin pointed out that since the beginning of the year China-US relations have faced new difficulties and challenges and the responsibility for this is clear China has always viewed and handled ChinaUS relations following the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping Qin expounded China’s firm stance on core concerns such as the Taiwan question emphasizing that the US should

and Pakistan Search and rescue operations were to continue through the night, with military aircraft deploying flares to light up the Mediterranean waters around the wreck site about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of the southern Greek coastal town of Pylos Survivors were taken to the Greek port of Kalamata near Pylos Covered in blankets, they rested on mattresses at a warehouse shelter, and the migration ministry was expected to move them to a camp outside Athens Greek state broadcaster ERT said the boat was en route to Italy from the Libyan town of Tobruk, which lies south of the Greek island of Crete Greek authorities did not confirm the vessel’s departure port Alarm Phone which operates a trans-European network supporting rescue operations said it received alerts from people on board

a ship in distress off Greece late on Tuesday, with erratic contact after that

“According to the people, there were 750 people on board We now hear reports of a shipwreck and fear they are true ” it said on Twitter Greek coast guard spokesperson Nikos Alexiou speaking to Greece s MEGA TV, said authorities did not know how many were on the boat, especially below deck, but reported it was crowded “ There were too many people on the outer deck It was full ” he said The Greek coast guard said EU border a g e n c y F r o n t e x f i r s t s p o t t e d t h e b o a t o n Tuesday in international waters southwest o f P y l o s , a n d I t a l i a n a u t h o r i t i e s t h e n a l e r t e d G r e e c e t o t h e v e s s e l s p r e s e n c e A l a r m P h o n e s a i d i t i n f o r m e d G r e e k a uthorities Frontex and the Greek division of t h e U N r e f u g e e a g e n c y U N H C R l a t e o n Tuesday afternoon

Strong ties, cultural similarities to help promote tourism, trade between Indonesia, Pakistan

She also supported the restoration of over 1,000 hectares of deforested land, and under her leadership the UK established a Digital Access Programme in partnership with Kenyan stakeholders in the tech industry to train users on digital inclusion, cyber hygiene, and the regulation of online content

The newly-appointed high commissioner brings a wealth of thematic and regional experience to her new role having joined the UK s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in 2001 following roles in the Cabinet Office and Home Office

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rooted in shared history Our people-topeople ties bind our countries together in a common partnership which I will be aiming to strengthen further she added Prior to this appointment, Marriott was the high commissioner to Kenya from September 2019 to June 2023 During her tenure she delivered a new UKKenya Strategic Partnership strengthening ties across mutual prosper-

ity sustainable development security and stability people-to-people links and tackling climate change Under her leadership she oversaw the launch of new clean, green, sustainable energy projects as well as delivering UK-Kenyan cooperation to create the first-ever Kenyan Marine Commando Unit underlining the UK’s commitment to the fight against terrorism in Kenya and the region

She has previously served as the director of the UK’s Joint International Counter-Terrorism Unit joint FCDO Director for the Middle East and North Africa ambassador to Sana a Yemen (2013-15) deputy and acting ambassador to Tehran; and as an adviser to the US special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke She has also completed two diplomatic postings to Iraq and one to Afghanistan

respect it stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and stop harming China s sovereign security and development interests in the name of competition Blinken, as the highest-ranking US government official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021 is expected to relaunch the next stage of high-level exchanges between the two countries through the visit and to work together to manage divergences some experts said

The upcoming visit will undoubtedly facilitate face-to-face communication at a high level allowing both sides to express their concerns which will also enable both sides to more accurately and deeply discern and understand each other s intentions, policy essence and direction, some experts noted This is helpful in preventing misjudgments, enhancing understanding, and managing disagreements they said Some Chinese observers believe the phone call serves as a reminder to the US side that if the senior US diplomat comes to China without sincerity or continues pressuring China to achieve Washington s own goals, the visit would be meaningless

“Blinken’s visit has been delayed for

Modi now bans Al Jazeera’s film ‘India…Who lit the Fuse’? on ridiculous grounds

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After BBC documentary India: The Modi –Question, the Bharatiya Janata Party government is now faced with another challenge this time from Al Jazeera which made a film India who lit the fuse? on how the Muslim minority of India is living with a sense of fear amid attacks and fiery hate speeches against them by Hindutva leaders in India The Al Jazeera s film forced the Modi government to move the Allahabad high court, UP, for the ban on the documentary through one of its activists The court wasted no time in coming to rescue the BJP government by ordering New Delhi to ensure the film is not broadcast until its contents are examined by authorities, and necessary certification is obtained The petitioner, Sudhir Kumar, disguised as social activist filed the petition at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party government, He argued that the film “portrayed a negative and distorted version of facts with the intent of creating disharmony among religious communities The court set 6 July as the next date of hearing in the case The petitioner also relied on various social media posts commenting upon the film on its preview in some other countries The petitioner raised the apprehension that the telecast of the film in question may result “in injuring the public order and thereby the sovereignty and integrity of India” Interestingly critics of Modi government ridiculed the grounds on which the Al Jazeera has been restrained from releasing the film that the film portrays the Muslim minority of India living with a sense of fear and presents a disruptive narrative creating a sense of public hatred, which is far from reality”

a long period as the Biden administration first focused on unifying its allies and taking a Cold War stance against China but now the US is showing its eagerness to make this visit possible to relaunch US-China high-level engagement for the next phase,” Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University told the Global Times on Wednesday

The two sides are expected to exchange views on some divergences and may reach some consensuses on cooperation, for example, in people-to-people exchanges ” Wu said Qin told Blinken during the phone call that he hopes that the US will take practical actions to implement the important consensus reached between the two heads of state on the sidelines of the G20 Bali summit in November 2022 and the relevant commitments made by the US, move toward China effectively manage differences promote exchanges and cooperation and get China-US relations back on track to a healthy and stable development

Although the US has seemingly turned over the page of the balloon incident”, in recent days, it continued hyping China-related topics ahead of the reported

trip by Blinken to China as the Biden administration said it has taken diplomatic steps that slowed China s intelligence presence overseas following its recent hype over an alleged Cuba spy base Meanwhile, the US has been targeting more Chinese companies by adding 31 Chinese entities into its so-called Entity List in addition to some media reports suggesting that the US government is preparing evacuation plans for American citizens living in Taiwan

During the phone call, Qin once again pointed out the root cause of the current difficulties US-China relations are experiencing and the ways to resolve these problems It depends on whether the US side will correct its wrongdoings and wrong ideas in handling the bilateral relationship, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Wednesday “Blinken’s upcoming visit will undoubtedly help both sides to deeply understand each others intentions and policies to avoid misjudgment Li said During the visit, the US diplomat will probably discuss a variety of topics where both parties can engage in dialogue or potential collaboration

Indonesian Deputy Minister for Tourism and Economic Creativity Ni Made Ayu Marthini has said that Indonesia and Pakistan have strong bilateral relations and cultural similarities providing tremendous opportunities for both countries to promote bilateral tourism, mutual trade and ensure investment opportunities in the hoteling sectors Talking to APP in an exclusive interview after the inauguration of the Bali Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) in Bali on Thursday she said there are multiple common characteristics culturally and religiously between Indonesia and Pakistan that can help enhance people-to-people exchanges as both countries have the majority of Muslim populations Regarding connectivity between the two countries, the deputy minister said that direct air flights are essential to promote bilateral tourism between Indonesia and Pakistan She added that both countries are working on starting the flights soon which ultimately enhances our people-to-people relations She further stated that tourists from Pakistan have multiple opportunities and plenty of destinations Indonesia provides convenient access to mosques and halal foods which taste similar to Pakistan’s cuisine an essential need for Muslims “We are confident to promote our Moslem-friendly destinations with the highlight of our award-winning designated halal tourism destination, Lombok, which has beautiful sea sights and sceneries Located in one of five Super Priority Destinations, Lombok provides unique destinations and simplicity for Moslem Tourists Halal services’ excellence has led Lombok to achieve the first rank for the World s Best Halal Tourism Destination according to the Global Muslim Travel Index in 2019 She added that Lombok would be the next popular destination for Pakistani tourists because of its natural beauty after Bali Talking about investment opportunities in the tourism sector, the deputy minister said that investment is a big part of the success of tourism In Indonesia “we have created nine special economic zones including in Bali to promote tourism investments and inviting investors from all over the world as well as Pakistan, she added She also hoped that more Pakistanis investors would come and be part of innovation growth She maintained that the media is vital in promoting the tourism economy between the two countries Informing the total number of tourists in a year she said in 2022 Indonesia has a target of 4 7 million tourists receiving more than 5 4 million This year Indonesia set a target to have 8 5 million international tourists Talking about beaches in Bali and Lombok, she said several beaches in Indonesia are categorized as the most beautiful beaches in the world She said Senggigi Beach in Lombok Kuta Beach in Bali and Bunaken Beach in Manado are famous beaches in Indonesia Answering a query about the scope of tourism in Indonesia the deputy minister for tourism said that according to the National Medium Term Development Plan 2020-2024, the tourism sector has become one of the essential strategies for national economic transformation

China ready to work with world to push greater fairness in global human rights governance: Xi

ISLAMABAD

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Chinese President Xi Jinping on

Wednesday said that at a time of severe challenges facing the global human rights governance, China stands for safeguarding human rights with security respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries

In a congratulatory letter sent to the forum the same day, Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed to a Forum on Global Human Rights Governance, Xi called on all countries to follow the path of peaceful development and putting into action the Global Security Initiative

Over 300 scholars officials and experts of the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations from nearly 100 countries shared their views at the form as how to promote human rights development amid the increasing threat of geopolitical conflicts

Xi said China stands for advancing human rights with cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect and equality, putting into action the Global Civilization Initiative, and deepening exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations China is ready to work with the rest of the world to act on the principles enshrined in the Vienna Declaration and

Programme of Action, push for greater fairness justice reason and inclusiveness in global human rights governance and promote the development of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said in the letter The Wednesday forum, themed “Equality, Cooperation and Development: The 30th Anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and Global Human Rights Governance was jointly hosted by the Information Office of the State Council the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China International Development Cooperation Agency This year marks the 30th anniversary for the World Conference on Human Rights which adopted in 1993 the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action a common plan for the strengthening of human rights work around the world For the past decades, the global human rights developments have interwoven with achievements as well as divergences and it is important for more countries to discuss shared concerns on how to further promote human rights as well as resist increasing threats, especially on weaponizing and politicizing human rights, scholars who attended the forum told the Global Times They also noted that President Xi’s conratulatory

letter profoundly expounded important propositions on the promotion and protection of human rights, and provided a Chinese solution for promoting global human rights governance

PLATFORM FOR COOPERATION, NOT CONFRONTATIONS

During the forum many scholars and officials from developing countries and international institutions praised China s achievements on human rights developments, especially on poverty alleviation and they shared their prospects on how to promote developing countries to be more engaged in global governance China has always spared no effort to promote and protect human rights and it has indeed made remarkable achievements during this process Its role on the international stage is becoming more and

more important, and it has more and more international influence said Akmal

Saidov first deputy speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oily Majlis of Uzbekistan and director of the National Human Rights Center of Uzbekistan

Saidov also noted that the significance of the forum lies in the ideas to promote fairer and better cooperation on the respect to each country’s needs in exploring the pattern for human rights that fits them the best

More attendees at the Wednesday forum also called for closer cooperation to better promote the global human rights cause Veronica Birga, chief of staff from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also attended the forum on Wednesday and expressed her appreciation for China for hosting the important event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action Birga said that during this important anniversary year the world aspires for the two milestone documents - the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – to affirm the unwavering commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights for all individuals, irrespective of their differences or backgrounds

CORPORATE CORNER

M s K

tH E Minister of State for the Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar met the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and VicePresident of the European Commission (HR/VP) Josep Borrell in Strasbourg Recalling her meeting with the High Representative on the sidelines of the second EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Stockholm Minister of State expressed satisfaction on the ongoing cooperation between Pakistan and the EU based on the Strategic Engagement Plan

The Minister of State highlighted that Pakistan is engaging with the European institutions for building partnerships under various initiatives of the EU including the Global Gateway Strategy with a focus on green energy, and blue economies She also expressed the desire to further enhance EU-Pakistan mutual engagement, especially legal pathways to

Jubilee Life Insurance sends-off Pakistan contingent to special olympics world games at Berlin

K A R A C H I: Jubilee Life Insurance Pakistan s largest private sector insurance company, proudly supported the send-off event for the Special Olympics Pakistan contingent participating in the prestigious Special Olympics World Games, Berlin, 2023 The reception organized and hosted by Ronak Lakhani Chairperson of Special Olympics Pakistan was held in Karachi to honor the athletes and showcase the spirit of inclusivity Jubilee Life Insurance recognizes the importance of promoting sports and embracing diversity across all segments of society P R

PSW joins global e - commerce alliance to expand global outreach

Pakistan Single Window (PSW) has been granted the Associate Member status of the Pan-Asian ECommerce Alliance (PAA)- an international grouping of customs and trade service providers which aims to promote and provide secure, trusted, and reliable value-added IT infrastructure and facilities for efficient global trade and logistics services As a member

Plastic pollution, an insidious threat to our planet, imperils ecosystems and jeopardises marine life

As the world unites on World Environment Day to tackle this urgent issue companies around the world are increasingly embarking on profound sustainability journeys, determined to combat plastic pollution and forge a greener future for everyone

Plastic waste has evolved into a global crisis casting a dark shadow over our environment Recent reports from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reveal the alarming truth: over 400 million tons of plastic waste are generated annually worldwide This staggering statistic underscores the imperative for immediate action Plastic pollution not only desecrates our oceans and waterways but also poses grave risks to wildlife through entanglement and ingestion Moreover the burgeoning threat of microplastic contamination has grave implications for human health

play their part in making the world a better place for everyone

ment and plastic reduction

migration while addressing EU s concerns on readmission

Underscoring the importance of trade and economic cooperation Minister of State emphasized that the EU s GSP Plus framework had been mutually beneficial and instrumental in growth of trade between the two sides

T h e M i n i s t e r o f S t a t e h i g h l i g h t e d the importance of decisive global action on climate adaptation and building climate resilience and the importance of developed countries taking the lead in mobilising climate finance noting the s i g n i f i c a n t r o l e o f p u b l i c a n d p r i v a t e funds, and technology to facilitate the t r a n s i t i o n M i n i s t e r o f S t a t e a n d t h e H i g h R e p r e s e n t a t i v e / Vi c e - P r e s i d e n t also exchanged views on regional issues a n d r e a ff i r m e d t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t t o promote peace and prosperity through concerted efforts

PARC, C ABI collaborate to combate par thenium weed posing risk to biodiversity, human and animal health

Through educational programs and thought-provoking campaigns, foodpanda illuminates customers and its restaurant partners about the perils of plastic pollution By instilling a sense of responsibility and offering practical solutions, they empower individuals and companies to make informed choices

The narratives of success and testimonials from stakeholders vividly highlight the transformative impact engendered by these initiatives

The above mentioned companies' sustainability odyssey is far from reaching its destination Their unwavering commitment propels them to continuously refine and expand their eco-friendly practices

Investiture

held at Air Headquar ters

Leading FMCG companies around the world are actively combating plastic pollution and promoting sustainable practices Nestlé aims to make 95% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 and reduce the use of virgin plastics The Coca-Cola Company strives to collect and recycle every bottle or can they sell by 2030 while investing in plant-based plastics Procter & Gamble (P&G) is committed to 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2030 and reducing virgin plastic use by 50% Colgate-Palmolive targets 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 and supports recycling programs These companies are driving change while inspiring others to

Nafisa S hah flays K h A sif ’s derogator y remarks against universities ’ VCs

KARACHI: Nafisa Shah a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from the Pakistan Peoples Party, expressed her grave concern over the derogatory remarks made by Minister of Defense Khawaja Asif against all Vice Chancellors during the recent National Assembly session Shah emphasized the significant potential repercussions of these remarks on Pakistan s higher education institutions both within the country and on a global scale She further highlighted the detrimental impact these remarks could have on the prospects and future careers of the thousands of students currently studying in these institutions P R

The plastic waste challenge in Pakistan has prompted significant efforts by the government and private sector to tackle this issue head-on Recognising the detrimental impact of plastic pollution on ecosystems and public health, stakeholders across industries have taken proactive measures to reduce plastic and promote sustainable practices nationwide In this critical battle against plastic waste foodpanda has emerged as a notable industry leader, spearheading initiatives to combat this pervasive problem By implementing innovative and eco-friendly packaging solutions they have championed the use of reusable alternatives and embraced sustainable materials such as biodegradable and compostable options These forward-thinking measures have resulted in substantial reductions in foodpanda’s environmental footprint With a steadfast commitment to sustainability they not only have contributed to significant decreases in plastic waste generation but has also played a crucial role in minimising the number of plastic items that find their way into our environment This remarkable dedication to combating plastic pollution serves as an inspiring example for other businesses and individuals, igniting a collective movement toward a cleaner greener future These companies understand that combating the plastic pollution crisis necessitates collective efforts In close collaboration with environmental organisations, NGOs, and government agencies, the company’s endeavours to raise awareness and educate consumers about responsible waste manage-

Privatisation Commission convenes board meeting

Looking ahead businesses across industries envision a greener future not just for themselves, but for the whole world By setting an unwavering example, they hope to inspire other industry players to embrace sustainable practices fostering a collective effort to create a cleaner and healthier planet T h e r e l e n t l e s s c o m m i t m e n t by businesses around the world to s u s t a i n a b i l i t y a n d t h e i r u n y i e l ding efforts to combat plastic poll u t i o n a r e t r u l y c o m m e n d a b l e Their proactive approach collaborative partnerships and dedicat i o n t o b r i n g i n g a b o u t p o s i t i v e change have translated into tangible reductions in plastic waste As we celebrate World Environment Day and the theme of "Beat Plastic Pollution it is imperative for i n d i v i d u a l s a n d b u s i n e s s e s a l i k e to embrace sustainable practices To g e t h e r, w e h a v e t h e p o w e r t o shape a world where plastic poll u t i o n i s v a n q u i s h e d , a l l o w i n g our planet to flourish in all its resplendent beauty

Police determined to address public issues: SSP

perations

IsLAmAbAd: The Privatisation Commission (PC) convened its latest Board meeting under the Chairmanship of Mr Abid Hussain Bhayo The meeting, attended by the Federal Secretary, Board members, and senior officials of the Ministry/Commission, covered several topics requiring the PC Board's attention

One significant agenda item entailed the presentation and subsequent approval of the Audited Accounts for the fiscal year 2013-2014 The Board expressed appreciation for the extensive deliberations carried out by the Audit Committee and PC management in finalizing the audited accounts The Board emphasized the importance of promptly completing the audited reports for the remaining years on priority In addition the Board granted approval for the Budget Estimates of the PC for the fiscal year 2023-24 amounting to Rs 1248 8 million PR

I s L A m A b A d: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations/ Investigations, Malik Jameel Zafar has said that the Islamabad capital police was organizing open katchehries to address the issues of the public He was addressing the participants of an open Katchehry in the area of Shams Colony police station The Katchehry was organized under the direction of Islamabad Capital City Police Officer (ICCPO) Dr Akbar Nasir Khan and CPO/DIG Operations Islamabad Syed Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari The concerned police officers including the DPO SDPO Incharge police station members of Islamabad chamber of commerce and industry and conciliatory committees, ulema and notables of the area were present on the occasion At the outset of the proceedings, the participants shared their grievances and also gave suggestions to resolve them PR

I s L A m A b A d: (PR&P PARC) The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Islamabad, in collaboration with CABI, has taken a significant step in combating the parthenium weed, which poses various risks to biodiversity, human and animal health as well as food security in Pakistan This invasive species also known as famine weed not only triggers life-threatening allergic reactions but also serves as a habitat for malaria-carrying mosquitoes while displacing native plant species To address this issue, a sustainable approach to managing the parthenium weed has been introduced through the release of 500 stem boring weevils (Listronotus steosipennis) at the NARC Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali Chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) graced the event as the chief guest, alongside distinguished guests including Dr Babar Bajwa, CABI's Senior Regional Director for Asia, Dr Imtiaz Hussain, a member of the PSD PARC, and Dr Shehezad Asad, Deputy DG NARC who were present at the release ceremony P R

CEO Islamic Relief Worldwide meets King C harles III

L o n d o n: Pakistan witnessed the worst floods of its history affecting roughly 33 million people across the country With 2 million houses destroyed and 1700 people losing their lives, the scale of disaster was unprecedented and beyond the capacities of the government to respond Islamic Relief was one of the first humanitarian organizations to be on the ground with the affected communities soon after the floods The UK charity provided people with immediate lifesaving aid comprising of clean water, hygiene items, kitchen utensils, food packs and cash grants CEO Islamic Relief Worldwide, Mr Waseem Ahmad along with a delegation from Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) called on King Charles at the Buckingham Palace He briefed The King about the impact of donations to the Pakistan Flood Appeal, and his own visit to Pakistan last year P R

Pakistan Nav y continues relief operation in coastal areas of S indh, Balochistan

SHEHRYAR AFRIDI BEING ‘KEPT IN NOTORIOUS DEATH CELL’

SH E R Afzal Khan Marwat, counsel for incarcerated senior PTI leader Shehryar Afridi on Thursday made startling and shocking revelations that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader is being kept in the most notorious death cell, where previously Mumtaz Qadri had been kept before being hanged “Shehryar Afridi is lodged in the death cell with HIV and AIDS affected and TB patients in blatant violation of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) which has ordered shifting of Afridi from the death cell to an entitled barrack

Shehryar Afridi’s lawyer Sher Afzal K h a n M a r w a t m a d e t h e s t a r t l i n g a n d s h o c k i n g r e v e l a t i o n s a f t e r h o l d i n g m e e t i n g w i t h h i m S h e r A f z a l K h a n said: Today I met Shehriyar Afridi in Jail I shockingly learned that contrary to the IHC orders to remove Shehryar from the death cell to an entitled barrack the jail authorities under the DC Islamabad directions shifted him to the m o s t n o t o r i o u s d e a t h c e l l w h i c h w a s previously occupied by Mumtaz Qadri before being hanged He stated that still in solitary confinement, with no bathroom, Shehryar has constantly been denied a pillow, cushion or foam for sleep or leaning adding that before placing Shehryar in

Professors of universities excluded from payraise in budget 2023-24

the draconian death cell, the jail authorities had piled up HIV/AIDS affected and TB patients in the same Sher Afzal Khan revealed that he was grieved over the passing away of his elder brother and expressed his wish to have seen the deceased at least once before burial “Today I found him very tense and deeply concerned about the safety of his young daughters and spouse and he said he wished he could have shifted them to any place on earth from Pakistan, Sher Afzal added Shehryar Afridi s counsel went on to say that he looked pale and physically weak and gave me a message for Imran Khan adding that his left arm was still undergoing paralysis and his blood pres-

sure level was abnormally high and complained about the lack of essential healthcare facilities

Today the LHC Rawalpindi bench fixed the 19th and 20 of June in his cases He is still fighting, but I saw pain and helplessness in his eyes for his family s safety,” he added Sher Afzal said that Afridi’s kids and wife have already shifted to an undisclosed location and the kid s education has been discontinued He is fighting with himself and says he is vulnerable, but he will not let the name of Afridis down, come what may I hugged him tight, kissed his forehead and left him with a promise of uniting him with his family at the earliest Sher Afzal added

PRA implements measures to tackle tax evasion in Lahore’s real estate sector

g WITH A FOCUS ON DHA AREA, AUTHORITY SEEKS TO INCREA SE TAX COLLECTION, MEET REVENUE TARGETS

PR OFIT S H A H A B O M E R

T h e P u n j a b R e v e n u e A u t h o r i t y

(PRA) has introduced measures a i m e d a t a d d r e s s i n g t h e l o n gs t a n d i n g i s s u e o f t a x e v a s i o n within Lahore’s real estate sect o r Wi t h a f o c u s o n t h e D H A a r e a t h e a u t h o r i t y s e e k s t o i nc r e a s e t a x c o l l e c t i o n a n d m e e t r e v e n u e t a rg e t s b y t a rg e t i n g p r o p e r t y d e v e l o p e r s b u i l d e r s p r o p e r t y d e a l e r s , a n d p r o p e r t y commission agents, Profit learnt here on Thursday

PM greets Chinese President on bir thday

S TA F F R E P O R T

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday extended his greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping on his birthday

“It is my great pleasure to extend heartiest felicitations to H E President Xi Jinping on his birthday the prime minister who is currently on a two-day visit to Azerbaijan, wrote on Twitter

He said under the dynamic leadership of President Xi, China had emerged as a global leader advancing international solidarity, peace and cooperation He said the “iron brotherhood” between China and Pakistan entered a new era of enhanced cooperation since his visit to Pakistan in 2015 and had been going from strength to strength ever since

In a concerning development highly qualified faculty members working under the Tenure Track System (TTS) in public sector universities have been disregarded in the annual budget’s salary increase, sparking criticism and discontent within the academic community The All Pakistan Tenure Track Faculty Association (APTTA) representing over 5 000 professors associate professors and assistant professors in government universities expressed its disappointment in a statement released on Thursday

According to Dr Yasar Shah, the president of APTTA, the last salary increase for TTS teachers was implemented in 2021 leaving a gap of six years since the previous adjustment Despite more than two years having passed TTS teachers have not received any salary increments leading to growing unrest among academic staff

This neglect is particularly distressing as the country grapples with a staggering inflation rate, which has reached a record high of forty percent While government employees have benefited from notable salary increases to mitigate the impact of rising prices

TTS teachers have been deprived of such relief

President APTTA emphasized that two years ago the government s Finance Division under the directive of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, issued a notification approving a 35 percent salary gap between TTS and Basic Pay Scale (BPS) schemes However, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has failed to enforce this notification during the past two years exacerbating the frustration among TTS teachers

In response to these circumstances President APTTA demanded an immediate 50 percent salary increase for TTS teachers Furthermore, he urged the government to link future salary increments for TTS teachers to the annual national budget to ensure equitable treatment He also called for the swift implementation of the TTS/BPS salary gap notification to rectify the existing disparity

The TTS community has appealed to the Chairman of HEC, considering his role as the chief patron of higher education in Pakistan, to intervene and investigate this issue They hope that he will take prompt action to fulfill the government’s salary increase announcement for TTS faculty members

President APTTA conveyed to the HEC that if their demands are not met by the end of June 2023 TTS teachers nationwide will exercise their democratic right to stage a protest outside the HEC headquarters This ultimatum highlights the seriousness of their concerns and their determination to seek a resolution to their grievances

As the deadline looms the academic community and concerned citizens anxiously await the response from the HEC and the government hoping for a swift resolution that acknowledges the invaluable contributions of TTS teachers and ensures their fair treatment in the budgetary process

ISLAMABAD

S TA

Rights organisation Amnesty International and global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have raised concerns and called out Pakistani authorities over cases filed against journalists in connection with the events of May 9 under sedition charges in a bid to silence critics

At least seven journalists and commentators have been charged with offences against the state and anti-terror laws in the past four days,” Amnesty International said in a statement on Thursday, expressing concern over “the crackdown on voices critical of the state and military

The use of these laws to silence commentators and journalists is a violation of the right to freedom of expression, the statement added

The seven individuals referred to in the Amnesty International’s statement include journalists Shaheen Sehbai and Wajahat Saeed Khan anchorpersons Sabir Shakir and Moeed

According to details highranking officials from the PRA including the Additional Commissioner and Enforcement Officer, recently visited the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in Lahore During a meeting with the DHA Secretary at the headquarters of DHA the officials discussed strategies to combat tax evasion and sought cooperation from the DHA in ensuring compliance with tax regulations To expand the scope of tax

ISLAMABAD

Finance Minister Senator Ishaq

Dar has said that Pakistan and International Monetary Fund (IMF) talks have not failed nor the negotiation phase has concluded Ishaq Dar while talking to journalists on Thursday predicted that the 9th review of the IMF programme will be completed this month Our talks with the IMF are underway and it has not concluded yet We have already made the payment for which Fitch expressed concerns ”

The Pakistan-IMF talks have not failed and there is no issue in payments till June 30 We are fully prepared to make timely payments till June 30 ”

The finance minister claimed that some elements want to see Pakistan like Sri Lanka before holding talks with the IMF

Geopolitics is underway to default Pakistan The amendments in the State Bank Act are intolerable

We have also amended the State Bank Act however it is incomplete yet ” Dar said that State Bank is a

collection, the spokesperson for the PRA informed about the plans to identify multiple locations where tax targets will be enforced

The Chairman PRA further said that no leniency would be given to those who fail to pay sales tax on services throughout Punjab “ T h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e s e i n i t i a t i v e s i s e x p e c t e d t o not only achieve tax targets but also expedite the completion of public welfare projects through increased tax revenue he said

It is pertinent to mention here that the real estate sector in Pakistan, including Lahore, has long grappled with tax evasion issues resulting in significant revenue losses for the government

In a recent speech the Defense Minister Khawaja Asif highlighted that tax evasion in the real estate sector alone amounts to an estimated Rs 500 billion

Furthermore the real estate sector plays a vital role in generating employment opportunities both directly and indirectly O n e o f t h e m a j o r c o n t r i b u -

tors to tax evasion in the real estate sector is the lack of a comp r e h e n s i v e d o c u m e n t a t i o n system Many property transactions are conducted in cash enabling individuals to evade taxes easily In response, the government has previously introduced a t a x a m n e s t y p r o g r a m a n d p r o m i s e d t o e s t a b l i s h a m o r e t r a n s p a r e n t s y s t e m H o w e v e r these efforts have met with limited success so far

According to the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), the real estate market in Pakistan remains one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors of the economy The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported that the real estate sector contributed approximately 2% to the country s GDP in 2021, with an estimated value of PKR 5 2 trillion Despite facing a slight slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 the sector has exhibited consistent growth over the years with an average annual growth rate of 4 2% from 2011 to 2019

Pakistan, A zerbaijan agree to enhance trade and energy cooperation; start Islamabad-Baku flights

BAKU

S TA F F R E P O R T

Pakistan and Azerbaijan on Thursday agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, trade and aviation to reflect the decades-old strong relationship between the two nations

The bilateral relations were discussed at length in a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev here at Zugulba Palace The prime minister accompanied by a highlevel delegation is on a two-day official visit to Baku at the invitation of President Aliyev

At a joint press stakeout following their bilateral meeting, the two leaders told the media of agreeing to introduce flights of Azerbaijan Airlines between Islamabad and Baku and enhance number of military exercises besides exploring the avenues of cooperation in the areas of energy investment and education

Prime Minister Shehbaz, who earlier visited the mausoleum of Azerbaijan s first president Haider Aliyev and the martyrs monument, spoke high of President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership to build the city’s infrastructure and impressive horticulture

Citing the pleasant surprises of neatness and beauty of Baku the prime minister requested the Azerbaijan president to lend their experts in horticulture and waste management to Islamabad

He told the media that during the wonderful discussion, there was a “total unanimity” of views on various bilateral and multilateral issues as the relationship was built on mutual trust and sincerity of purpose

The prime minister said the Pakistani flags all across Baku manifested the love between the two peoples

Though our ties are so strong since ages, these do not reflect their intensity through trade and investment, exchange of visits and other important areas of cooperation,” the prime minister remarked Emphasising cooperation in the energy sector he said being an energy-deficient country Pakistan depended upon costly imported fuels spending $27 billion last year which was becoming unaffordable owing to the challenges of imported inflation and oil price hike due to the Ukraine crisis The prime minister said his government was committed to replace the costly imported fuels with solar energy to support industries exports commerce and offices

bank of Pakistan and it does not belong to any global institution It is our priority to make timely payments including bonds

Rejecting the rumours, Ishaq Dar that the federal government will not make a decision to freeze lockers gold and Roshan Digital Accounts He added that the enemies of Pakistan are spreading fear among people by telling lies Criticising the previous government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he said that the debts have in-

creased from $70 billion to $130 billion during the last four years

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction with Pakistan’s recently presented budget Pakistan has barely enough currency reserves to cover one month s imports It had hoped to have $1 1 billion of the funds released in November – but the IMF has insisted on a number of conditions before it makes any more disbursements

He thanked the Azerbaijan president for abolishing duties on Pakistani rice to facilitate the export of the commodity to the friendly country He said Pakistan welcomed the Azerbaijan Airlines to start its operations to Islamabad and invited the country s aviation minister to Pakistan to work out Baku-Karachi flights with a view to promoting bilateral tourism

The prime minister thanked Azerbaijan for being a staunch supporter of Kashmiris rights and highlighted the Indian acts of terror and atrocities in the occupied Valley, including the violations of United Nations resolutions He reiterated that Pakistan was committed to the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and appreciated the bravery of its forces for fighting for the country’s rights

c a l l o u t Pa k i s t a n o ve r c a s e s f i l e d a g a i n s t j o u r n a l i s t s

Pirzada, army-officers-turned-Youtubers Adil Raja and Syed Haider Raza Mehdi and an individual identified as Syed Akbar Hussain

The YouTubers among them are currently based outside Pakistan while the journalists and anchorpersons previously worked for mainstream newspapers and television in Pakistan but are currently either limited to YouTube or other social media platforms

No information is currently available about

Hussain’s current country of residence

Among the booked individuals Shakir

Pirzada and Hussain were booked by Islamabad police on Wednesday (yesterday) on charges of sedition and terrorism for their alleged involvement in the violence and vadalism that was witnessed amid protests erupted in the wake of PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest

Similarly, Sehbai, Khan, Raja and Mehdi were booked by Islamabad police on Monday for abetting mutiny and inciting people to attack military installations across the country on May 9 These individuals are the latest to face action following the launch of a state crack-

down on the PTI over their alleged involvement in vandalism and violence on May 9

Citing media reports, Amnesty International said in its statement today that all of these seven individuals had been charged with offences against the state and anti-terror laws

The Anti-Terrorism Act has been criticised for the sweeping powers given to the police and armed forces, to abuse human rights with impunity, and removes safeguards against arbitrary arrest, detention and ill-treatment ” it said stressing that “Pakistani authorities must end the use of offences against the state and anti-terror laws to silence critics It added that where there was sufficient evidence of wrongdoing, suspects should be charged under ordinary criminal laws, with an “internationally recognisable offence not weaponised to restrict the freedom of expression and produced before a civilian court Earlier RSF also urged Pakistan to immediately dismiss the ludicrous mutiny accusations in a complaint with no credibility that an individual has brought against Khan

and Sehbai

Although manifestly absurd, the charges [against the two] could carry the death penalty ” the RSF statement said

“The two journalists have just practiced journalism the statement said quoting RSF Asia Pacific head Daniel Bastard as saying that to arbitrarily associate the names of journalists with those of rebel ex-army officers was meant to intimidate the journalists into silence “In view of the absurdity of the supposed incriminating evidence we call on the Islamabad prosecutor s office to dismiss this complaint which should never have been received

According to the statement, Khan had already told RSF last week that he was being “subjected to mounting harassment, some of it targeting his family and professional partners And he has no illusions about the nature of the allegations brought against him this week He said the police officer who registered the FIR told his lawyer that this case is not under his ambit, which indicates that

some other authorities are handling this matter, possibly extra-legally In this connection, the statement also mentioned the disappearance of anchorperson Imran Riaz whose whereabouts remain unknown since his arrest at the Sialkot airport on May 11

It also mentioned the event of Geo News executive producer Zubair Anjum allegedly being picked up in Karachi earlier this month

Prior to this incident, activist and lawyer Jibran Nasir who had been vocal in his criticism of the recent state crackdown on the PTI following May 9 riots and the legal process involving those who allegedly took part in the riots was allegedly picked up by unidentified men in Karachi on June 1, and returned home around 24 hours later following protests and calls for his recovery Similarly senior journalist Sami Abraham was also taken away by unidentified men in Islamabad on May 24 and returned home six days later His brother Ali Raza had filed a complaint of abduction at Aabpara Police Station

r o u p s