Epaper_23-06-23 KHI

P M C A L LS F O R FA I R , J U D I C I O U S D I S T R I B U T I O N

O F R E S O U R C E S T O E N S U R E P E A C E , H A R M O N Y

MEETS UN GENERAL SECRETARY, DISCUSSES CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE BEING FACED BY PAKISTAN

PR I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif

Thursday called on the international community to come up with a plan for fair equitable and judicious distribution of resources to ensure sustainable peace and harmony in the world

Speaking here at the summit for a “New Global Financing Pact” he said North had made progress and they would look forward to implementing its experiences in Pakistan for providing jobs and livelihoods and for promoting industry and agriculture by learning from its model of success

“It must be remembered that if South is in trouble the world can’t move ahead We are like one body and if one limb of the body is in trouble it is painful for the rest of the body as well

The prime minister said last year, Pakistan faced devastating floods due to climate change and in those floods 33 million people were affected millions of acres of standing crops were washed away 1700 people including children died and half a million animals were drowned

Two million houses were either completely demolished or partially damaged, he said, adding the people of Pakistan bravely faced the devastating impacts of the floods

He said his government had to spend hundreds of millions of dollars from its own scarce resources to give financial assistance to the flood affectees all over the country

We are very grateful to friendly countries across the globe for the valuable and timely contribution ” he added

He said the international financial institutions agreed to give loans for help of millions of people but it would have burdened Pakistan, further exacerbating the already

precarious financial situation

Shehbaz Sharif said he took the United Nations Secretary General to the flood affected areas where city after city was sunk

Thousands of women gave birth to children in the camps set up for the flood affectees he recalled adding in far flung areas the government had to provide food medicine water and education at temporary camps

He said the people of Pakistan faced crises and problems in the past courageously and they would also overcome the adverse effects of the floods

He urged the world to come forward to generously provide opportunity and assistance through a mechanism which satisfied the most vulnerable having bare minimum “It will create harmony in terms of economic justice and fairness It is never too late to say no to injustice ”

He appreciated French President Emmanuel Macron for organizing the summit to discuss the very important subject related to financing issues of humanity

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the New Global Financing Pact Summit being held in Paris, France

The Prime Minister appreciated President Macron for convening the New Global Financing Pact Summit

He also thanked the French President for inviting him to the Summit and for his warm hospitality

Speaking on this occasion Shehbaz Sharif hailed the French President s bold step towards a system, based on financial justice with developing countries He said the developing countries are facing problems of nonavailability of resources burden of interest for debt payments and slow development

The Prime Minister said under the new

No peace talks with TTP over involvement in killings of civilians: FO

In response to an offer of mediation by Afghanistan s Taliban government Pakistan has firmly reiterated its rejection of holding peace talks with Afghanistan-based Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group

Speaking at her weekly press briefing here in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz

Zahra Baloch stated that Pakistan was not engaged in any talks at any level with the proscribed Tehreek-iTaliban Pakistan (TTP) The statement from Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch comes days after Taliban Information Minister Zabihullah Mujahid offered to mediate between the TTP and Pakistan due to escalating tensions, particularly after the former terminated a ceasefire last year

If Pakistan wants us to mediate and we know that it is beneficial we will undoubtedly mediate as it benefits the region and we don t want war in the region, Tolo News quoted Mujahid as saying

The Afghan minister had also denied the presence of TTP in Afghanistan and reiterated that the Islamic Emirate is committed to preventing the use of Afghan soil as a launchpad for attacks on other nations

At a press briefing the FO spokesperson referred to a previous statement made by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, emphasising the clarity of the minister s position on this matter The rejection aligns with the earlier stance expressed by Foreign Minister Bilawal BhuttoZardari” she added Ms Baloch said talks could not be held with the outlawed TTP which has been involved in the killing of Pakistani civilians and law enforcement officials Pakistan constantly in touch with Greece on boat capsizing incident At her weekly press briefing, the Foreign Office spokesperson informed Pakistan is constantly in touch with the Greece authorities on boat capsizing incident and investigations are going on regarding the circumstances that led to the incident

g HOLDS MEETINGS WITH JOHN KERRY, PRINCE MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN AND PRESIDENT ABDEL FATTAH EL-SISI

Global Financing Pact help of the indebted developing countries is the need of the hour so that the people of these countries can get relief He said devastating effects of climate change have added the hardship to already troubled developing countries Shehbaz Sharif praised the French President saying that he made a significant effort to create global consensus on an important issue

On this occasion, the French President thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for attending the New Global Financing Pact Summit During the meeting the two leaders also agreed to remain engaged on issues of mutual interest

Shehbaz meets IMF chief, urges lender to release stalled funds

PR OFIT

S TA F F R E P O R T

In a meeting held on the sidelines of the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact in Paris, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday engaged with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva urging the IMF to expedite the release of stalled funds

During the meeting, Shehbaz outlined the robust economic measures implemented by his government to bolster growth and stability within the nation He underscored the successful completion of all prerequisites for the 9th review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), firmly

reiterating Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to fulfill its obligations as agreed with the IMF Echoing the aspirations of the Pakistani people the prime minister expressed hope that the allocated funds would be promptly disbursed, fortifying ongoing efforts towards economic stabilization and providing much-needed relief In response Kristalina Georgieva the IMF s Managing Director shared the institution s perspective on the ongoing review process taking stock of the progress made by Pakistan

It is worth noting that Pakistan s foreign currency reserves currently teeter on the precipice barely sufficient to cover imports for a single month

With expectations to unlock $1 1 billion in November the IMF s insistence on

Pakistan grapples with depleting gas resources

raise awareness about the critical gas issues and initiate a dialogue on viable solutions

During the presentation the EPRC team delved into the report s findings highlighting the alarming projections for the future If the current trend persists, natural gas production is forecasted to shrink to 2 306 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) by 2030 Furthermore pipeline and dedicated gas availability is expected to decrease to 1,907 MMCFD by 2030, down from 2,971 MMCFD in 2021 The demand for natural gas however continues to grow steadily despite a moratorium on new gas connections since 2011 (with exceptions for residential and special commercial purposes)

An in-depth analysis revealed that customers falling into the high-consumption category are the largest consumers of gas in the domestic sector utilizing 88% of gas for water heating and 62% for space heating This additional gas consumption for heating during the winter months contributes significantly to the gas shortfall experienced during peak demand

meeting specific benchmarks before further disbursements has become paramount With only one remaining IMF board review on the horizon slated to conclude the $6 5 billion EFF program, Pakistan faces the arduous task of presenting a budget aligned with programme objectives, reinstating the proper functioning of the foreign exchange market and bridging a $6 billion gap prior to the review

The pressing need to secure the release of IMF funds underscores Pakistan s steadfast commitment to achieving financial stability As the nation strives to meet the IMF’s stringent requirements the timely disbursal of funds holds the key to alleviating economic pressures and ensuring a brighter future for its citizens

Pakistan’s circular debt surges to Rs2.6tr in July- April FY23

circular debt has continued to rise, with the total payables for the July-April FY23 period clocking in at Rs 2,631 billion This is an increase of 7 38 percent from the same period last year when the circular debt stood at Rs 2 450 billion However it is expected to decrease to Rs 2 374 billion by the end of the current fiscal year

by 2021 This rapid decline raises concerns about the country’s future gas production and supply

The ceremony attended by key stakeholders in the energy sector, including ministers, representatives from energy organizations, think tanks, academia, and international bodies aimed to

The report emphasized that a major portion of the high BTU gas from a total value of 926 068 902 million British thermal units (MMBTU) is consumed by the domestic sector Cooking purposes alone account for 76% of gas usage in households However during the winter season space heating becomes a significant factor with gas consumption for space heating increasing to 47%, followed by 40% for cooking and 12% for water heating in January

In response to these challenges the EPRC team proposed a comprehensive demand-side management policy for the domestic sector The report recommended substituting gas usage for space and water heating with electric appliances presenting an estimated substitution model that could potentially conserve 31,447 million cubic feet (MMCFt) of gas through water heating and 24,155 MMCFt through space heating substitution

To encourage consumers to adopt electric alternatives during winter, the report suggested reducing electricity prices while increasing gas prices to achieve price parity These measures could result in conserving 55 602 MMCFt of gas which could either produce 5 042 gigawatthours (GWh) of power or save USD 583 million by reducing LNG imports

Circular debt is racked up when power purchasers fail to pay power producers and is also known as a cash shortfall across the power supply chain A mounting circular debt is a serious problem as it means power companies may be unable to pay for fuel infrastructure maintenance and upgradation thus putting the viability of the entire energy system at risk

A major reason behind the increase in the circular debt is unreleased and unclaimed subsidies, along with interest charges payable to independent power producers (IPPs) for delayed payments A budgeted subsidy of Rs 108 billion for July-April FY23 has remained untouched while unclaimed subsidies amount to Rs 30 billion straining the energy sector Besides this interest charges on delayed payments to IPPs have reached Rs 76 billion in July-April FY23 and are projected to further increase by Rs 30 billion by the end of the fiscal year Moreover, Rs 56 billion has been utilized from IPPs’ claims for FY23 to cover Public Holding Limited (PHL) markups

The circular debt crisis is exacerbated by nonpayment of K-Electric dues which stand at Rs 102 billion, and losses caused due to inefficiencies of and under-recovery by distribution companies (DISCOs), which are Rs 93 billion and Rs 204 billion respectively Outstanding generation costs including Quarterly Tariff Adjustment (QTA) and Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) stood at Rs 94 billion during the July-April period and are expected to reach Rs 108 billion by the end of FY23

Pleas against militar y cour t trials: SC summons record of all those ar rested af ter May 9 protests

ISLAMABAD S TA

The Supreme Court s (SC) seven-member bench on Thursday sought record of all those arrested in the country after May 9 violent protests broke out in the country following arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan

The seven-member bench constituted after two senior judges recused themselves from the nine-member bench resumed hearing a set of petitions challenging the trial of civilians in military courts

Earlier today, a nine-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar

to

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that those who moved the Supreme Court (SC) against the trial of civilians in Military Courts (MS) have political motives

S Khawaja Aitzaz

Ali and PTI Chairman

country’s dignity and honor for the sake of their political motives He said our security personnel continue to render sacrifices in the war on terrorism and that they are our benefactors Khawaja Asif said the memorials of martyrs and the military installations were attacked on May 9 He said the political workers were motivated by their leader to attack the state calling it a heinous crime The Defence Minister also stressed that the institutions should refrain from encroaching into each

other s territory He warned that such

G O V T A L LO C AT E S R S 5 4 8 M I L L I O N F O R

C Y B E R S E C U R I T Y F O R D I G I TA L PA K I S TA N

ISLAMABAD

S h a h z a d pa R ac h a

THE federal government has allocated Rs548 billion for Cyber Security for Digital Pakistan project Document states that the government has allocated Rs6 billion for 32 ongoing and new projects of Information Technology including Cyber Security for Digital Pakistan project Sources said that foreign heckers are making over 100 000 hacking attempts on government websites on a daily basis and

recently hacking made an attempt to breach the system of National Institutional Facilitation Technologies (NIFT) a department responsible for clearing all cheques across Pakistan

It is pertinent to note that hackers had also hacked the website of two major departments including SECP and FBR

Even hackers had uploaded the confidential data of CEO as well as directors subsequently SECP had removed all the publicly available information from the website The government in the Economic

Survey of Pakistan also mentioned that the enhancement of cybersecurity and data protection measures establishment of special technology zones the expansion of broadband and 5G networks, the promotion of ecommerce and egovernance platforms and the facilitation of foreign investment and collaboration shall surely boost the IT industry in the coming years The Economic Survey also states that PTA has also released the National Telecom Cyber Security Framework in 2022 to define obligations for auditors and

Lahore

money

PTA licensees to perform gap assessment considering PTA s Cyber Security Regulations

The framework is a milestone towards improving the security landscape of the telecom industry in Pakistan and enabling organizations to better manage and control cyber security risks

In addition the Ministry of IT had also held a second nationwide Digital Pakistan Cyber Security Hackathon 2022 in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta to enhance awareness about cybersecurity, Survey added

Arrest of Omar Cheema’s wife, PTI

Chakwal President’s son shameful: Imran

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman

Imran Khan termed the unlawful arrests of Omer Cheema s wife and PTI Chakwal

President Ali Nasir Bhatti s school going son as absolutely shameful act saying that how low has this regime sunk simply to isolate him

PTI Chairman, in a statement on

Thursday said: “Absolutely shameful how

Omer Cheema’s wife was illegally arrested from outside the ATC where she had come for her husband s hearing who is in prison for over a month now

Imran Khan said that PTI Chakwal

President Ali Nasir Bhatti s son a school going boy has also been picked up This level of fascism and oppression against women and children has never been witnessed before in our country, not even during the worst martial law days,” he added PTI Chairman said: “How low has this regime sunk simply to isolate me However he made it clear that the reverse was happening in fact, as our public is repulsed by all those in power while more and more people are joining PTI

IMRAN KHAN CONDEMNS ARREST OF YASIR GILLANI'S WIFE Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that these

Capital hospitals put on high aler t

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

After the Pakistan Meteorological Department s warning of a heat-wave, all hospitals in the federal capital has been put on high alert to deal with any untoward situation The Islamabad admin has sent a letter to the PIMS and Polyclinics hospitals requesting them to be prepared for any medical emergency that may arise during the ongoing hot weather The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has advised the masses to take precautionary measures to cope with the scorching heat-wave and summer winds that could be deadly sans care The NDMA in its advisory said that people should use plain water more avoid carbonated drinks and abstain from going out during the hottest hours of the day Cover your head and then go out in the hot sun Take special care of the sick, elderly, children and pets Drink lemon water and ORS to compensate for salt deficiency Wear light and soft clothes,” it said The NDMA added, “If someone faints in the heat the people should pour cold water on his or her head

ATC rejects request for bail of fashionista

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

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Lahore has rejected the bail plea of Khadijah Shah a prominent fashion designer, in a plaza arson case Shah, considered the prime suspect in the incident by the police, has been sent to jail on judicial remand The incident involved arson and vandalism at a plaza in Gulberg and a case was registered at the Gulberg police station in Lahore On June 10 several incarcerated women protestors including Shah Sanam Javed, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Aliya Hamza, filed bail applications in the ATC regarding the Corps Commander House attack case The court responded by issuing notices to the prosecution and scheduling a hearing for June 12

As part of the preparation for the upcoming hearing the court has ordered the police to provide the record of the case

cour t delays

laundering case

against son-in-law of PM

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

An accountability court in Lahore Thursday decided to postpone until July 5 the summoning of Haroon Yousuf son-in-law of the prime minister along with other suspects in a money laundering case The case pertains to allegations of money laundering against Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shehbaz, son-in-law Yousuf, and several others During the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented a report stating that no evidence was found against Suleman Shehbaz another son of the prime minister Yousuf and Tahir Naqvi Considering the report, the court decided to postpone the summoning of Haroon Yousuf and individuals who joined the investigation at a later stage Furthermore, the court granted Hamza Shehbaz’s request for a one-day exemption from appearing in court citing back pain as the reason Accountability Court Judge Qamaruz Zaman presided over the proceedings of the money laundering reference The court has set the next hearing date for July 5, where further proceedings on the case will take place

are unprecedented times in our country I doubt even in occupied Kashmir this level of cruelty could happen as police raided

our ticket holder from Shahdara Yasir Gillani s in-laws home and took his wife with them to an unknown location

Imran Khan strongly condemned the police s raid on PTI s ticket holder from Shahdara Yasir Gillani's in-laws home during which they took his wife with them to an unknown location She is a government school teacher and mother of four kids and a totally non political woman, he added PTI Chairman stated that they took her while leaving the youngest daughter(who's 1 5 year old) weeping behind “These are unprecedented times in our country I doubt even in occupied Kashmir this level of cruelty could happen he added

L aw yers ’ body demands judicial probe into Greece boat tragedy

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t A l a w y e r s ’ b o d y h a s t a k e n a c t i o n b y s e n d i n g a l e t t e r t o P r e s i d e n t A r i f A l v i a n d P r i m e M i n i s t e r S h e h b a z S h a r i f u r g i n g a j u d i c i a l i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o t h e d e v a s t a t i n g b o a t i n c i d e n t o f f t h e c o a s t o f G r e e c e w h i c h i s f e a r e d t o h a v e r e s u l t e d i n t h e l o s s o f h u n d r e d s o f P a k i s t a n i l i v e s Azhar Siddique, the head of the Judicial Activism Panel has proposed the formation of a judicial commission comprising three Supreme Court judges to uncover the truth behind the incident Citing Article 9 of the Constitution which guarantees citizens right to information Siddique emphasized the need to investigate the reasons behind the boat disaster and identify those responsible Earlier this week, Pakistan observed a national day of mourning to honour the victims of the shipwreck Reports

Shah Mehmood, Asad Umar granted transit bail in riots case

PESHAWAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

indicate that over 200 Pakistani nationals were among approximately 750 people on board the fishing trawler en route to Europe when it sank off the Peloponnese peninsula on June 14 T h e c i t y o f G u j r a n w a l a , i n P u n j a b p r o v i n c e , m o u r n e d t h e l o s s o f a t l e a s t 2 0 i n d i v i d u a l s w h o w e n t m i s s i n g i n t h e t r a g e d y One of them Mohsin left a voice note as he boarded the boat in Libya s Tobruk on June 9th His cousin Amir Malik, revealed that the smugglers confiscated Mohsin s phone upon his arrival in Libya, leaving them no choice but to communicate through the smugglers to stay in touch Malik shared that Mohsin informed them about his forced journey by boat expressing his helplessness and the lack of alternatives

The Peshawar High Court on Thursday granted transit bail to former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and former federal minister Asad Umar until June 23 in a case registered by the Islamabad police over the May 9 violent protests Justice Waqar Ahmad of a singlemember bench accepted the joint petition of the two former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers for pre-arrest transit bail and stopped police from arresting PTI leaders till Friday The court also asked PTI leaders to appear before Islamabad High Court (IHC) in riots case tomorrow The PTI leaders moved PHC days after the district and sessions court in Islamabad dismissed their bail petitions in cases related to May 9 riots Judge Tahir Abbasi Supra dismissed the bail petitions of PTI leaders in two separate cases registered at Islamabad s Tarnol police station Following the verdict Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Asad Umar hurriedly walked towards their vehicle and left the court premises

IHC bars ECP from issuing verdic t in contempt c ase against Fawad C h

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has taken action regarding the contempt case against former information minister Fawad Chaudhry by barring the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from issuing a verdict IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued a two-page order in response to a petition filed by the former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader

In response to the boat incident Pakistani authorities have taken action by arresting multiple suspects involved in human smuggling A crackdown against these criminals is currently underway

NA hosts consultative session on strengthening local gov ts

CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

The judge took up the bail pleas of Umar and Qureshi, along with that of another suspect, Khan Bahadur, all three of whom were booked in a case registered at Islamabad’s Tarnol police station During the hearing the court order said, the counsel for the petitioners argued that his clients were “innocent” and “falsely involved” in this case ISLAMABAD

challenging the show cause notices issued by the electoral body to him in January and June of this year

The high court has allowed the commission to proceed with its proceedings; however it has prohibited the issuance of a final ruling in the case Furthermore the court has summoned a reply from the ECP by the first week of July, seeking clarification on the matter Recently, the ECP decided to press charges against Chaudhry

former prime minister Imran Khan and former minister Asad Umar in a contempt case Nisar Durrani, a member of the ECP from Sindh, announced that all three political leaders will be indicted on July 11 and they are required to appear before the panel in their personal capacity

The ECP had initiated contempt proceedings against Chaudhry, Umar, and Khan for making statements against the electoral body and the chief election commissioner

PIA offers 10pc discount on domestic flights for Eidul Azha

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

The national carrier has announced a significant discount on domestic flights in celebration of Eid ul-Adha Passengers will be able to enjoy a 10 percent discount on all Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) domestic flights during the Eid holidays from June 30 to July 1

According to a spokesperson from PIA discounted tickets can be obtained immediately

Meanwhile a massive raid took place at Lahore airport recently Details regarding the raid, such as the purpose and specific outcomes, have not been disclosed at this time Authorities are expected to release further information as the investigation progresses

The federal government has officially declared the Eid-ul-Adha holidays which will be observed from June 29 to July 1 The Cabinet Division issued a notification confirming the public holidays for this festive occasion

The prime minister granted approval for these holidays to allow citizens to celebrate Eid ul Azha with their families and loved ones

J a p a n p r o v i d e s a i d f o r h u m a n r e s o u r c e d e v e l o p m e n t s c h o l a r s h i p s t o P a k i s t a n

ISLAMABAD

The Government of Japan today announced grant aid worth 315 million Japanese Yen

k n o w l e d g e i n p u b l i c a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d t o s t r e n g t h e n r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n J a p a n a n d P a k i s t a n T h e p a r t i c i p a n t s o f J D S p r o g r a m e n g a g i n g i n t h e f o r m u l a t i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f s u c h p o l i c i e s w i l l b e e n r o l l e d a t t h e p a r t n e r

Many distinguished Members of the National Assembly attended the session In his role as chairperson Minister Ahsan Iqbal expressed strong support from himself and his party for empowered local governments He assured attendees of his commitment to support any legislation aimed at strengthening the role of local governments Mr Mohsin Dawar stressed that provincial governments should transfer powers to local governments as they have been doing for the past 15-20 years He also highlighted the need for district-wise finance commission awards to ensure fiscal spending is devolved to the grassroots level Ms Kishwar Zahra called for a revisit of Article 239(4) and supported the need for a Constitutional Amendment to empower local governments Mr Khalid Warraich emphasised the immediate holding of local government elections and the importance of granting financial empowerment to local governments by giving them control over functions such as tax collection The session primarily focused on strengthening Article 140-A of the Constitution It was aimed to create awareness among parliamentarians regarding the significance of empowering local governments and reinforcing the role and continuity of local governing bodies thereby reiterating Pakistan s commitment to democracy Participants reached a consensus that local governments can only become effective when provided with fiscal and administrative autonomy which can be achieved through Constitutional mandates This Consultative Session by the SDG Secretariat and Dehleez marks a significant step toward achieving sustainable development and the fulfilment of the SDGs in Pakistan by fostering inclusive and accountable governance at the grassroots level

u n i v e r s i t i e s i n J a p a n a n d a r e e x p e c t e d t o a c q u i r e f u r t h e r k n o w l e d g e i n t h e i r field while learning about the Japanese culture and traditions Since 2018 when JDS was launched in Pakistan 31 government officials have successfully completed their degrees while 35 are currently pursuing their academic goals in Japan Further, 18 officials will be dispatched to Japan in the middle of the year 2023 T h i s o c c a s i o n c e l e b r a t e s t h e s i g n i n g o f t h e s i x t h b a t c h o f t h i s program in Pakistan For this batch the m a x i m u m n u m b e r o f t h e s l o t s f o r J D S p a r t i c i p a n t s i n P a k i s t a n i s 1 7 s e a t s f o r the Master s degree and one seat for the D o c t o r a l d e g r e e

Mr KINOSHITA while speaking at the event said Through the wide varieties of courses, JDS nurtures talent, encourages intellectual growth and enabling minds of young government officials to reach their full potential We desire that the obtained skills and knowledge brought by JDS

S I N D H G O V T L A U N C H E S M O B I L E A P P

F O R P E O P L E S B U S S E R V I C E

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

IN a significant move aimed at enhancing commuter convenience Sindh Transport Minister, Sharjeel Memon, officially introduced a mobile application for the Peoples Bus Service on Thursday

Addressing the launching ceremony held in Karachi Sharjeel Memon stated that the primary objective behind the app s launch is to provide ease

and comfort to the city s commuters Improving the transportation system across Sindh, with a particular focus on Karachi is of utmost importance to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah

Minister Memon expressed The Sindh Government empathizes with the travel difficulties faced by the people and seeks to alleviate their suffering ” The minister further revealed that the bus service has been integrated into an online system offering a range of

features to benefit users These include: Direct complaint registration to the concerned authorities, facilitating prompt resolution of issues Online booking services route information fare details and other pertinent information accessible to users Implementation of an Intelligent Transport System to monitor and manage bus operations effectively Minister Memon also announced that more green and red buses are scheduled to join the People s Bus service in

July further improving public transportation options Additionally, he highlighted recent successful initiatives, such as the introduction of the first Ebus and Pink bus in Karachi He expressed the government s commitment to exploring the possibility of launching an electric taxi service in the city as well Further, the ongoing Yellow Line and Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects with an estimated cost of approximately Rs2 billion are progressing rapidly

he added Once completed it will be Pakistan s sole BRT system to operate on Biogas, aligning with sustainable energy practices ” The launch of the mobile app marks a significant step forward in streamlining public transportation and enhancing the overall commuting experience for the residents of Karachi He said the Sindh Government remains dedicated to continuously improving transport services and addressing the needs of the people

PM c alls for fair, judicious distribution of resources to ensure peace, harmony

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

PM discusses climate change challenges with UN Secretary General: Meanwhile Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday met United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the Summit for New Global Financing Pact here and discussed the challenges of climate change being faced by the world especially Pakistan The prime minister warmly welcomed the UN Secretary General and expressed his best wishes for him In response the Secretary General also expressed goodwill to PM Sharif Shehbaz Sharif told the UN Secretary General that he considered him the benefactor of Pakistan as we cannot forget your help during the last year s floods” He said the UN Secretary General himself was a witness to the devastation caused by the climate change in the country The prime minister also informed the UN Secretary General about the measures taken by the government for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-hit areas

“Reconstruction of the infrastructure affected by the floods and rehabilitation of the flood affected people is the

government s top priority, he added

He said due to the climate changes, financial burden on the developing countries had been increased manifold as they were facing new challenges to raise the economic growth and maintain fiscal balances PM Shehbaz called for utilizing the Loss and Damage Fund to provide financial assistance to the developing countries The summit in Paris for the New Global Financing Pact was a good start in the right direction he added

He said along with climate justice a fair attitude was also required in the distribution of global financial resources with developing countries

The UN Secretary General appreciated the commitment of the prime minister and his government for the rehabilitation of the flood victims

PM seeks resources mobilisation under Loss and Damage Fund in meeting with John Kerry: On the othe r hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the realisation of the pledges for resources’ mobilisation under the Loss and Damage Fund established at COP 27 was of the utmost importance

The prime minister in a meeting with Special US Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, on the sidelines of New Global Financing Pact Summit

here, said being a common problem, the environmental issues required a joint strategy and efforts Both the leaders expressed good wishes for each other

The prime minister appreciated John Kerry and the United States Administration for their priorities on the environment-related issues The firstever appointment of John Kerry as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate also manifested the realisation of the importance of the issue

John Kerry endorsed the prime minister s viewpoint of threats posed by the climate change to the developing world Both the leaders agreed to keep up the contacts and consultation to carry out joint efforts for the purpose

PM meets Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday met Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Muhammad bin Salman here on the sidelines of the Summit for New Global Financing Pact

Besides discussing matters relating to mutual interests the two leaders agreed to further expand the shared actions to promote bilateral cooperation in diverse areas

Prime Minister Sharif expressed his

Pakistan’s circular debt surges to Rs2.6tr in July-April F Y23

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

best wishes to the Saudi Crown Prince Prince Muhammad bin Salman also expressed his goodwill for the Pakistani government and its people Pakistan Egypt agree to strengthen cooperation in multiple fields

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday met with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi here wherein the two leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in multiple fields

The meeting was held here on the sidelines of the New Global Financing Pact Summit being hosted by France

The prime minister along with a delegation, is on an official visit here to attend the Summit on the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron

The prime minister said that the establishment of Loss and Damage Fund at COP27 held in Sharm El-Sheikh was an important development He said the Loss and Damage Fund had laid the basis for an important milestone at the global level

The prime minister said that the resolve shown at Sharm El-Sheikh was moving forward gradually The two leaders resolved to promote and further strengthen the bilateral relations They also agreed to keep up the bilateral contacts on regional as well as international affairs

Pakistan grapples with depleting gas resources

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The report also delved into pricing mechanisms and subsidy models for gas in Pakistan It stressed the importance of transitioning to a cost-reflective pricing regime, moving away from an entrenched crosssubsidy mechanism Regular revisions in natural gas prices based on the basket price of LNG could help reduce the accumulated gas circular debt which stood at Rs 577 billion The government has already taken steps in the ongoing fiscal year to reduce the differential accumulation by providing budgeted subsidies of Rs 25 billion

Furthermore, the report explored the country s reliance on LNG imports to bridge the gas shortfall

From importing 282 MMCFD of LNG in 2016 Pakistan’s LNG imports have steadily increased

reaching 1,070 MMCFD by 2021 To meet the country s projected gas demand of 3,828 MMCFD by 2030, the report estimates that 1,921 MMCFD would need to be fulfilled through LNG imports

However concerns were raised about the existing long-term contract with Qatar Gas which includes a clause for price revision in 2026 The report emphasized the need to expedite the process of entering into fresh long-term LNG import contracts It also highlighted the potential of trading LNG at the lowest spot market rates, a concept gaining popularity globally To i m p r o v e g a s i n f r a s t r u c t u r e t h e r e p o r t r e c o m m e n d e d e x p a n d i n g L N G t e r m i n a l a n d regasification capacity exploring the possibility of i m p o r t e d g a s s t o r a g e i n e x h a u s t e d w e l l h e a d s , a n d d e v e l o p i n g a N o r t h - S o u t h G a s p i p e l i n e I t a l s o

suggested considering subsurface gas storage options i n d e p l e t e d r e s e r v o i r s a n d g a s s t o r a g e o v e r t h e s u r f a c e u s i n g s a l t c a v e r n s , w h i c h h a v e l o w e r c o s t i m p l i c a t i o n s F e a s i b i l i t y s t u d i e s w e r e p r o p o s e d t o evaluate the costs and identify suitable areas for such storage facilities Addressing

The report concluded by presenting an action plan policy matrix outlining short- medium- and longterm actions to be taken by the concerned ministries and departments It highlighted the responsibilities of each stakeholder in implementing the proposed measures and ensuring the improvement and sustainability of the gas sector

Pleas against militar y cour t trials: SC summons record of all those arrested af ter M ay 9 protests

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The former CJP pleaded that Section 2(1)(d)(i) and (ii) of the Pakistan Army Act were inconsistent with the fundamental rights conferred by the Constitution and therefore void, and should be struck down

As an interim measure, all proceedings against civilians based on the sections should be suspended or in the alternative any military court should be restrained from passing a final order in any case against civilians based on the sections the petition stated

Before this petition, five members of civil society from different cities, through their counsel Faisal Siddiqi, sought as illegal the trial of civilians in the military courts in connection with the violence in the country of May 9

Likewise Ahsan who has also served as a former law minister and also spearheaded the 2007 lawyers movement, explained that the primary purpose of his petition was to ensure that none of the thousands of civilians who have admittedly been arrested for allegedly having partaken in the May 9 violence and being nominated for trial be tried by military courts

The petitioner said he did not seek to scuttle the trial of any civilian before any lawfully established court of criminal jurisdiction

In his petition, the PTI chairman sought a declaration against the arrests, investigation, and trial of civilians in peacetime under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 as well as the Official Secrets Act 1923

The hearing: As the hearing began Justice Shah said that anyone who had reservations regarding the sevenmember bench should make it known right away Ahsan and Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan stated that they had no objections CJP Bandial said that some benches use to go to the provincial registries during court holidays “Keep all these things in mind ” he said

The PTI chairman s lawyer Shoaib Shaheen said that some objections were raised on their petition The CJP responded saying there were certain things of a political nature included in the plea

We don’t want to hear that right now Right now

the focus is military courts, Justice Bandial said Shaheen, however, urged the court to include the PTI’s plea among those being heard CJP Bandial responded by stating that the court would see Ahsan s lawyer Latif Khosa then began his arguments and said that after invoking of Article 245 the high courts jurisdiction under Article 199 had ended However, Justice Afridi pointed out that the notification for the requisition of armed forces had been recalled Khosa then said that the Formation Commanders’ Conference had stated that there was irrefutable evidence regarding the events of May 9

Did the press release say trials would happen in military courts due to irrefutable evidence? CJP Bandial asked, to which Khosa replied in the negative

The lawyer then proceeded to read the handout issued after the meeting out loud in court at which the CJP told him to only read out the relevant paragraph

The relevant paragraphs states that the perpetrators will soon be brought to justice under the Army Act Khosa said Justice Bandial then asked whether the trials of civilians in the country s military courts had commenced Khosa responded by saying they had started

The lawyer also highlighted that the handout issued by the National Security Committee also talked about irrefutable evidence

Either a colonel or a brigadier will conduct the trial of a civilian he said

The lawyer further said that the federal cabinet had also endorsed the statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in this regard “The country’s military leadership gave a unanimous decision that there is irrefutable evidence ” he said

The Formation Commanders Conference said there is irrefutable evidence so how will a colonel issue a different verdict during the trial? he asked At the same time, he made it clear that he was not asking for the perpetrators to be released “I have no sympathy for those who attacked military installations,” Khosa said Those who have committed crimes should be punished in accordance with the law he said

However Justice Shah urged the lawyer to show the

court that trials in military courts had in fact begun Khosa then read out the verdicts issued by anti-terrorism courts for handing over suspects to military courts

Justice Shah then asked if any of the affected persons had moved the apex court I have no such information Khosa responded

Justice Afridi then wondered if anyone had challenged the laws under which trials were to be conducted in military courts “Can the laws regarding military courts be challenged?” asked Justice Ayesha

“Who will listen to a case against the Army Act and the Official Secrets Act? Khosa asked Justice Ayesha then asked the lawyer to apprise the court about the Army Act and the rules of military courts Justice Afridi also asked Khosa to inform the court about the names of those sent for trial under military courts

Justice Naqvi said that the anti-terrorism courts were already empowered to hear the cases that had been registered That is also our argument: cases should be heard in anti-terrorism courts not military courts Khosa said He said that around 9,000 people were arrested under the pretext of May 9

CJP Bandial, however, said that the court wanted to stick to the facts He said that countless names were included in the cases that were registered “Why were the names of some policemen included in the cases? he asked How many people were booked and how many were arrested? Justice Shah also asked

Khosa said that around 4,000 people were arrested across the country on May 10, adding that cases were registered against PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Murad Saeed and Hammad Azhar Justice Shah said that a request is given to the court or the magistrate regarding trying civilians in military courts He said that the courts may have had a reason for allowing the cases to be transferred If the Army Act does not apply to civilians, how did anti-terrorism courts allow the cases to be transferred to military courts,” asked Justice Ayesha

“Under which law or reason was permission given to transfer civilians cases to military courts? Justice Shah asked

Efforts by the government to mitigate the circular debt crisis include allocating Rs 35 billion for principal repayments to PHL and projected stock payments of Rs 180 billion for FY23 The escalating circular debt crisis necessitates immediate and decisive action to address key challenges and restore stability in Pakistan’s energy sector Priority must be given to resolving subsidy disputes ensuring prompt payments to power producers and improving the efficiency of distribution companies These measures combined with comprehensive reforms, are crucial to curtail the mounting circular debt, stabilize the energy sector, and create a sustainable foundation for economic development It is imperative that stakeholders come together to implement effective strategies that promote transparency accountability and fiscal discipline in order to overcome the current crisis and pave the way for a resilient and prosperous energy industry in Pakistan

No peace talks with TTP over involvement in killings of civilians: FO

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Ambassador Aamar Aftab and his team at our Mission in Greece have worked round the clock for recovery and identification of Pakistani nationals who are missing or feared dead and for providing relief to the survivors The Spokesperson said Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has also spoken to his Greek counterpart to discuss arrangements for the recovery of the missing, identification of the bodies and providing relief to the survivors and our efforts will continue in this regard The spokesperson confirmed that among the 104 survivors 12 were Pakistani nationals who were in good physical condition While the Greek authorities have recovered 84 bodies the spokesperson noted that the number and identification of Pakistani nationals among the deceased and missing remains unconfirmed Efforts are underway to collect DNA samples from families of suspected individuals who were on board and Pakistan’s ambassador in Greece Aamar Aftab and his team are actively engaged in recovery and identification efforts ‘WORLD REFUGEE DAY A REMINDER OF THE SUFFERING OF KASHMIRIS’

Turning to prevailing situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, she said the international community commemorated the World Refugee Day this week which is a reminder of the suffering of Kashmiris who have been evicted from their land and forced to live in exile She said the Kashmiris were forced to flee violence, persecution and gross human rights abuses Thousands of people of Jammu and Kashmir are spending a homeless life and are unable to return to their homeland India must bring an end to the climate of fear and persecution in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and bring peace in the lives of the Kashmiri people Ms Baloch reiterated that Pakistan will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions FM Bilawal visit to Japan from July 2 Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is scheduled to undertake an official visit to Japan on July 2-3 upon the invitation of Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi The visit aims to strengthen bilateral trade and investment, and cooperation in various sectors including science and technology education information technology culture and human resource development

EXCLUSIVE: US TO EASE VISAS FOR SKILLED INDIAN WORKERS AS MODI VISITS

TH E Biden administration will make it easier for Indians to live and work in the United States using this week’s state visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help some skilled workers enter or remain in the country according to three people familiar with the matter

The State Department could announce as soon as Thursday that a small number of Indians and other foreign workers on H-1B visas will be able to renew those visas in the U S without having to travel abroad one of the sources said part of a pilot program that could be expanded in coming years

Indian citizens are by far the most active users of the U S H-1B program and made up 73% of the nearly 442 000 H-1B workers in fiscal year 2022

We all recognize that mobility of our people is a huge asset to us said another U S official And so our goal is to approach that in a sort of multifaceted way The State Department already has been working very hard to find creative ways to make changes to things ”

A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on questions about which visa types would qualify or the timing of the pilot launch Plans for a pilot program were first reported by

Bloomberg Law in February

The pilot would begin with a small number of cases with the intention to scale the initiative over the following one to two years,” the spokesperson said while declining to define small

The steps could change and are not finalized until they are announced The White House declined to comment

Each year, the U S government makes 65,000 H-1B visas available to companies seeking skilled foreign workers along with an additional 20 000 visas for workers with advanced degrees

The visas last for three years and can be renewed for another three years

The companies using the most H-1B workers in recent years include the In-

dian-based Infosys (INFY NS) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS NS) as well as Amazon (AMZN O), Alphabet (GOOGL O) and Meta (META O) in the U S , according to U S government data

The ability for some of the temporary foreign workers to renew visas in the U S would free up resources for visa interviews in consulates abroad the spokesperson said

The pilot program would also include some workers with L-1 visas, which are available to people transferring within a company to a position in the U S one of the sources said

A separate initiative to clear a backlog of visa applications at U S embassies in India is finally showing signs

of progress according to another one of those sources and is expected to be figure into the discussions between the two countries delegations in Washington this week

India has long had concerns with the difficulty its citizens face in receiving visas to live in the United States including technology industry workers More than 10 million jobs stood open in the United States at the end of April, according to the Labor Department

Some H-1B visa holders in the U S have been among the thousands of tech workers laid off this year sending them scrambling to find new employers within a 60-day grace period or return to their home country

The Biden administration has spent months working to improve visa access for Indians, trying to get around the lack of political will in Congress to comprehensively reform U S immigration policy President Joe Biden wants to knit together the world s two largest democracies, partly in a bid to better compete with China

U S visa services are still attempting to clear a backlog after Washington halted almost all visa processing worldwide in March 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic The visa backlog has led to some families being separated for extended periods of time, with some taking to social media to lament their situation

Brexit an ‘economic disaster ’ for UK and German trade – DIHK

PR OFIT

R E U T E R S

Brexit has been an economic disaster for trade and investment ties between the United Kingdom and Germany, leading to a fall in German direct investment and seeing the UK decline in importance as a trading partner, German economists said

Britain voted on June 23 2016 to exit the European Union and it left the EU’s single market at the start of 2021

Brexit is an economic disaster for both sides of the channel, Volker Treier, head of foreign trade at the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), told Reuters on Thursday

Last year, Germany exported goods worth 73 8 billion euros ($80 57 billion) to the UK 14 1% less than in 2016 The year of the referendum the UK was Germany s third most important export market but by 2022 the country had slipped to eighth place

Treier said

TRANTO

A G E N C I E S

Rescuers searching for a missing submersible near the wreck of the Titanic focused on a remote patch of the North Atlantic where undersea noises were detected, although officials cautioned the sounds may not have originated from the vessel

With the submersible’s air supply expected to run out in a matter of hours an international search operation was sweeping a vast expanse of ocean for the Titan which vanished on Sunday while carrying five people on a deep-sea tourist voyage to the world-famous, century-old shipwreck

The U S Coast Guard said remotely operated vehicles (ROV) were deployed underwater near where Canadian aircraft recorded the noises using sonar buoys on Tuesday and Wednesday but have not found any sign of the Titan yet Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick said at a press conference that analysis of the noises has been inconclusive When you re in the middle of a search-and-rescue case, you always have hope,” he said “With respect to the noises specifically we don’t know what they are ” Officials did not offer a description of the sounds

In one highly anticipated addition to the search the French research ship Atalante was en route late on Wednesday to deploy a robotic diving craft capable of descending to a depth well below that of even the Titanic wreck, the Coast Guard said

The French submersible robot dubbed the Victor 6 000 was dispatched at the request of the US Navy which was sending its own special salvage system designed to lift large heavy undersea objects such as sunken aircraft or small vessels

The wreck of the Titanic, a British ocean liner that struck an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage in 1912 killing more than 1 500 people lies on the seabed at a depth of about 12 500 feet (3 810 meters)

S B F c u t s c a k e t o

m a r k 7 0 t h b i r t h d a y o f S h a h e e d

B e n a z i r B h u t t o

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

On the occasion of the 70th birthday of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto a seminar organized by the Shaheed Bhutto Foundation (SBF) was held in Islamabad Asifa Bhutto Zardari the daughter of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and former President Asif Ali Zardari, along with Federal Ministers Sherry Rehman and Shazia Atta Marri, and several assembly members affiliated with the People's Party, participated in the seminar The event also witnessed the presence of a significant number of People's Party leaders During the ceremony Asifa Bhutto paid tribute to Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and acknowledged her leadership during challenging times, emphasizing that she led Pakistan in dark hours She said that the legacy of martyr Ms Benazir Bhutto can guide us to get out of the darkness today

As a trading partner – measuring combined exports and imports – the UK has lost even more importance since then dropping from fifth to eleventh place he added

The volume of German direct investment in the UK has also declined In 2021, it was around 140 billion euros a decline of 16 1% compared with 2016

According to the DIHK some 2 163 German companies are now active in the UK 5 2% fewer than in 2016

Many British companies meanwhile have settled in Germany in recent years Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI), an organisation that helps international companies set up business in Germany has counted more than 1 000 new businesses from the UK since the Brexit vote

Last year alone there were 170 new businesses a number surpassed only by companies from the U S and Germany s neighbour Switzerland

“We expect inquiries from the UK to remain at a high level ” said GTAI Managing Director Robert Hermann “It is important for British companies to have a foothold in the EU Germany s size and central location are an advantage when it comes to attracting UK companies he added

The UK s exit from the EU has made our close trade relations more difficult and there is still considerable planning and legal uncertainty in the UK business of German companies ” said Treier

Jinnah House attack: PTI’s Sanam Javed, others’ bail pleas rejected

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore rejected the bail pleas of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activists Sanam Javed Khan, Khadija Shah, Aliya Hamza and 197 others in Jinnah House attack case

As per details, anti-terrorism court judge Ejaz Ahmad Bhuttar announce the verdict on 230- suspects in the Jinnah House attack case and rejected the bail pleas of PTI activists Aliya Hamza Sanam Javed Khan

Tayyaba Raja and 197 others

Whereas the bail pleas of 33 other suspects were accepted and the court ordered to release of them against the surety bonds of Rs 0 1 million each

Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Sanam Javed Khan and 12 other women leaders were sent on physical remand over the Jinnah House attack case

Chinese premier Li pledges to take China-France practical cooperation to a new level

ISLAMABAD

A G E N C I E S

Chinese Premier Li Qiang stressed on Thursday that China is ready to work with France to advance balanced development of bilateral trade, expand two-way market access and optimize business environment in a bid to push bilateral practical cooperation to a new level while meeting with French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne during the last stop of his ongoing first overseas visit since taking office Li also called on France to continue playing a positive role in facilitating Europe to form a more objective, rational perception and policy toward China, so as to make win-win cooperation between the two economies the main theme Analysts said on Thursday that Li s visit to France will consolidate the good momentum of China and France relations built based on the consensus reached by the two heads of state following French President s visit to China in April, serve to dispel misunderstandings of China in Europe amid “de-risking” rhetoric and avoid the potential widening of conflicts between China and Europe veering into confrontation The trip will also help promote deeper engagement and cooperation between China and France and China and Europe in industries sci-tech, aerospace, corporate and other practical sectors

ger and promote practical cooperation to reach a new level the Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday

China always regards EU as an important pole in a multipolar world Strengthening cooperation between China and Europe is a strategic choice based on each other ’s respective interests, and China-Europe relationship is not targeted at any third party, nor is it subjugated to or controlled by any third party ” Li said

He noted that both China and France are adhering to independence and autonomy and are committed to maintaining a balanced stable international order and promote the world peace and development

As next year marks the 60th anniversary of establishment of China-France diplomatic relations, the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism and the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics both sides will take the year as an opportunity to achieve a new peak in bilateral cultural and people-to-people exchange according to Li

For Borne s part she said that France welcomes Chinese investment, and vowed that the country would not take discriminative measures against Chinese companies Meanwhile, the EU will adhere to strategic autonomy and does not support “decoupling or severing supply chains push

After the meeting Li and Borne witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation agreements in aviation space research and nuclear energy

Paris on deepening aviation cooperation on Thursday

The two sides will facilitate the construction of Airbus new final assembly line in Tianjin as the next step according to a post on the NDRC s official Wechat account Li s visit to France comes after French President Emmanuel Macron’s productive state visit to China in April It is also the second leg of Li’s first overseas trip since taking office which observers said underscores a high level of mutual respect that is built on stable political trust between China and France and each other s firm attachment to the positioning of bilateral relations that won t be derailed by geopolitical noise and derisking calls floated by certain European politicians

It is about 900 miles (1 450 km) east of Cape Cod Massachusetts and 400 miles south of St John s Newfoundland BIEJING

Li pointed out that China is willing to work with France to promote the balanced development of bilateral trade adhere to mutual benefit and reciprocity expand market access make the “pie of common interests” big-

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China’s top economic planner, has signed a letter of intent with French aerospace corporation Airbus in

How China-France relations forge ahead is also consequential for China-Europe relations which are now at a crossroads amid Europe’s hot debate over its China strategy – with Washington having been ramping up pressure to rope in Europe allies based on its small clique mindset to target China rise It is expected that France, leveraging its long-standing tradition of diplomatic autonomy, will “play a unique role” in driving China’s relations with Europe as well as the West in a positive momentum analysts said Chinese Premier Li arrived in France on Wednesday afternoon to kick off an official visit Upon his arrival in Paris Li said China is ready to work with France to turn the blueprint for the development of China-France relations drawn up by the two countries heads of state into working plans and reality,” the Xinhua News Agency reported

Xi urges all- out rescue, safety overhaul as deadly restaurant explosion in NW China kills 31

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday demanded all-out rescue and treatment of the injured and safety overhaul after a barbecue restaurant explosion in Northwest China’s

Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

The death toll from a gas blast which ripped through a barbecue restaurant in Yinchuan, capital of Northwest China s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Wednesday night,

relocated residents of surrounding buildings near the barbecue restaurant to nearby

The National Health Commission quickly dispatched the national emergency medical rescue team to carry out the treatment of the wounded and sent out nationallevel burn and critical care experts to rush to Yinchuan to assist and support The blast happened at around 8:40 pm on a busy street in Xingqing district of Yinchuan, due to a leakage of liquefied petroleum gas from the operating area of a barbecue restaurant The fire caused by the explosion was put out at 9:20 pm Wednesday The explosion resulted in 38 casualties with 31 people confirmed dead despite rescue efforts, while seven individuals, including one in critical condition, are currently receiving medical treatment, according to the local government Yinchuan’s mayor Tao Shaohua said

CORPORATE CORNER

Alibaba.com Joins ‘Made in Pakistan’ Expo in L ahore

l a h o r E : Alibaba com, a leading global B2B ecommerce platform, is slated to participate in the “Made in Pakistan” exhibition to be held at the Lahore International Expo Center from 24-25 June, in celebration of the immense talent and craftsmanship of sellers in Pakistan Pakistan has a rich heritage of skilled artisans craftsmen and manufacturers but industry events that showcase the country s remarkable offerings to global buyers are scarce The two-day "Made in Pakistan" Expo, organized by AB Community Entertainment, is an initiative that will bring together and shine a spotlight on a vibrant community of Pakistani sellers It will feature an impressive range of products services and innovations proudly produced in Pakistan As a B2B e-commerce player with a 40 million-strong community of global buyers, Alibaba com recognizes the immense potential of Pakistan’s manufacturers and artisans, and is committed to raising their profile on the world stage by tapping the power of B2B e-commerce PR

Naval Chief addresses participants of PN staff course

l a h o r E: Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi addressed the course participants of 52nd Pakistan Navy Staff Course at Pakistan Navy War College (PNWC), Lahore Upon arrival at PNWC, the Naval Chief was received by Commandant PN War College Rear Admiral Javaid Iqbal While addressing the course members the Naval Chief delineated upon major challenges of the current era and technological changes occurring at breathtaking pace Accordingly he stressed upon the need to tailor our training regime to meet the challenges and incorporate modern education and training tools to improve the quality of our Human Resource which is the backbone of the Navy The Naval Chief advised the officers to focus on developing their leadership skills and constant personal improvement specifically underscoring the importance of ethics and values as enshrined in Islam P R

Commander Turkish Air Force visits Air Headquarters

A delegation led by General Atilla Gulan, Commander Turkish Air Force, called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force in his office today

During the meeting several key areas of mutual interest along with regional developments were discussed On his arrival a smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Air Force presented General Atilla Gulan the guard of honour He also laid floral wreath on the martyrs' monument Later, the visiting dignitary was introduced to the Principal Staff Officers During the meeting, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu Chief of the Air Staff Pakistan Air Force shared broad contours of PAF s modernization plan of smart acquisitions from allied countries, upgradation of infrastructure and revamping of training P R

Resolution of c ustomer issues made easier with CEO - I E S C O E-K acher y

i S l a m a b a d: In order to address and promptly resolve consumer complaints regarding electricity Chief Executive IESCO Dr Muhammad Amjad Khan will hold a special session of CEO IESCO E-Kachery

The session aims to provide a vision for immediate resolution of consumer complaints and address them directly at their doorstep Dr Muhammad Amjad Khan will be available to listen to electricity related issued face by IESCO consumers from Islamabad Rawalpindi City Rawalpindi Cantt

Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal Circles and surrounding areas The session will take place on Friday, June 23, 2023, From 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon To communicate with the CEO IESCO and ensure inclusion of their complaints for immediate resolution consumer are requested to contact through Facebook ID: CEO-IESCO E-Kachery and Tel No 051-9253105 P R

NOT-BY- PROFIT

PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES SEEK ‘PL AN B’

AMID UNCERTAINT Y OVER IMF PROGRAM

ment this new amnesty from June 25th

Sharif departed for Paris on Wednesday for a two-day visit

ON Wednesday the United States inquired with Pakistan about its backup plan in case the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program concludes next week without providing the third-to-last

loan installment of $1 2 billion

During a meeting between Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and United States Ambassador Donald Blome held in the Q Block this question was raised Pakistani authorities are now seeking a plan B as a precautionary blueprint in case the fouryear IMF program faces a similar fate as the previous 21 failed programs Blome's inquiry came after Dar briefed the top US diplomat in Islamabad about the government s efforts over the past few months to revive the $6 5 billion bailout package The meeting took place a day before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif s scheduled meeting with the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Finance Summit PM

Despite the premier s attempts to seek the managing director's intervention including interactions with ambassadors from Western European and Asian countries the desired results have not been achieved PM Sharif has had telephonic conversations with Kristalina in the past month and has written three letters to her, highlighting Pakistan's efforts to revive the stalled program Although Dar did not provide many details about the fallback option he mentioned that the country was managing without the IMF According to insiders, Pakistan's backup plan involves advancing government-to-government transactions to raise funds such as handing over four port berths to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Additionally the government is relying on a proposed $100,000 foreign remittance amnesty without any questions asked, which is part of the upcoming fiscal year's budget If the expected breakthrough is not achieved during the PM-MD meeting in Paris the government can imple-

If successful, the military s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) could attract funds from Gulf countries for corporate farming projects they are interested in However this plan is still in its early stages despite the interest expressed by these countries in joint ventures several months ago

According to the finance ministry, the finance minister updated the US envoy about the ongoing talks with the IMF and assured that the government is committed to completing the program Dar also mentioned that China provided significant assistance by refinancing $1 3 billion of foreign commercial loans ahead of schedule However, despite the difficult measures Pakistan has taken since February the finance minister expressed dissatisfaction with the IMF s lack of cooperation

During the meeting Dar briefed Blome on the progress made in reducing the current account deficit, which remained below $3 billion in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year May marked the third consecutive month of achieving a current account surplus

HEC withdraws letter criticizing Holi celebrations in universities after facing backlash

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Thursday withdrew a letter expressing objections to the celebration of the Hindu festival of Holi at a university

The HEC s statement comes in response to the widespread criticism received nationwide after its executive director, Dr Shaista Sohail, issued a letter taking exception to the celebration of the festival in a university

Later in the day Salman Sufi

the head of the Prime Minister s Strategic Reforms Unit, clarified that Education Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain had instructed the HEC to retract its controversial letter

According to the HEC statement issued by the Dr Sohail today it said that the HEC was highly respectful of all religions, faiths, and beliefs, and the associ-

ated festivals and celebrations observed in the country”

“The message communicated in this regard is in no way intended to hurt the sentiments of any individual or group according to the HEC official

The letter clarified that the impression that the HEC had banned any festivity was “out of context”

“Our letter portrayed impression and disseminated connotation that HEC has banned celebration of any festivities is out of context to the spirit of the communication made, as HEC has emphasized upon the higher education institutions in the country to focus upon the core reason of their existence i e academic excellence research quality and harnessing the talent of the youth towards a structured, disciplined, and responsible citizen as per the nation’s ideology “

The letter acknowledged that the message conveyed in the com-

munication had been subject to misinterpretation The HEC said it was withdrawing the notification for the aforementioned reasons

During today s session in the National Assembly the education minister informed the Lower House that the HEC had retracted its letter, which imposed a ban on the celebration of Holi

The minister expressed his disapproval stating The HEC should not have written this letter

He emphasised that the founder of the nation, Quaid-i-Azam, had affirmed the freedom of every individual to practise their religion without hindrance or restriction

The minister revealed that he personally ensured HEC officials had no respite throughout the night, compelling them to retract the letter He added: At 4am, I received a message from the HEC on WhatsApp confirming the withdrawal of the letter ”

helping to maintain the official foreign exchange reserves at their current level Dar also highlighted the fiscal consolidation measures introduced in the budget which resulted in a primary budget surplus of Rs379 billion

Furthermore Dar shared the government s budgetary measures to reduce the fiscal gap and fulfill national and international financial obligations He discussed the government's economic policies and priorities to address the challenging economic environment and stabilize and grow the economy

The day before Andrew Mitchell Britain s Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), held a virtual meeting with Dar and advised him to bridge the trust deficit with the IMF

According to an official statement from the finance ministry Dar emphasized Pakistan s deep-rooted and durable bilateral relations with the US on economic and trade fronts during the meeting with the US ambassador

To read the full article visit www tribune com pk

digitizing DLA payments PR

UNFPA 2023 S tate of World Population Repor t launched in S indh

Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori today inaugurated Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL) at Karachi Port Trust Earlier known as Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) has been acquired by Abu Dhabi Ports Group which will manage operate and develop KGTL with investment of over US dollar 1 billion An agreement was signed by chairman KPT Syed Sayedain Raza Zaidi and Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Ports Group Juma Shamsi in presence of Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Faisal Sabzwari and dignitaries from UAE

Governor Sindh said that investment from United Arab Emirates would help in strengthening

economy of Pakistan and with this investment the ties between the two countries would be connected further This terminal would serve as a focal point for enhancement of bilateral trade it would ensure its development on moderns lines with state of the art facilities

He thanked Abu Dhabi Group for reposing their confidence and making such an investment The economic hub of Karachi provides ample conducive investment op-

portunities in various fields with all necessary facilities he added

He also lauded the role of ministry of Maritime Affairs for making this investment possible Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Faisal Sabzwari while highlighting the importance of this investment said that all 634 employees of PICT have been employed for KGTL An enhancement in Royalty upto 12 5% is expected with this investment, he added

Bachat Expo 2nd edition to be inaugurated by Tessouri

K a r a c h i: The highly anticipated second edition of Bachat Expo will take place at the Karachi Expo Centre from 23rd to 25th June 2023 This event aims to provide the general public with an opportunity to access discounted goods during the auspicious month of Zil Hajj The inauguration of the second edition will be officiated by Governor Sindh, Kamran Khan Tessouri Following the immense success and media attention garnered by the premier edition of Bachat Expo, which served as a beacon of affordability during a period of economic challenges, Badar Expo Solutions, the organizer of the event, is delighted to continue the tradition with the second edition The overwhelming turnout and positive feedback received from customers who praised both the quality and affordability of the showcased products further motivated us to organize this event With the aim of alleviating financial burdens and providing relief to the people of Karachi, the second edition of Bachat Expo promises to be a haven for budget-conscious shoppers P R

Greece tragedy : 209 Pak istanis

based on information provided by families who came forward to say a relative of theirs had boarded the boat heading from Libya towards Greece and were still missing “An investigation to verify this is under-

K a r a c h i: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Pakistan on Thursday launched the UNFPA s global flagship report the 2023 State of World Population (SWOP), in Karachi, Sindh Province The report, titled '8 Billion Lives, Infinite Possibilities: The Case for Rights and Choices', was launched globally in April 2023, presenting the latest trends about population growth or decline fertility rates reproductive health family planning and migration around the globe P R

D iner Group opens new outlet on Peshawar University Road: CEO

PEShaWar: Diner Group has opened an outlet Prime Point for women s clothing on Peshawar University Road CEO of Diner Group, Anees Moten, inaugurated the outlet that has dresses for all occasions including formal, office wear, and wedding dresses for women CEO of Diners Group Anees Moten said that we are working for the economic prosperity of Pakistan The chain of our stores will increase employment opportunities for the youth in the country After Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, we are in Peshawar and now quality clothes will be available at affordable prices for the people of Peshawar PR

From evidence to impac t in public health: A success stor y of community-based educ ation and research

K a r a c h i: The Aga Khan University organized a symposium titled From Evidence to Impact in Public Health which showcased the impact of the work conducted by the University s Community Health Sciences department through education, training, and research PR

were on board ill-fated boat

way FIA Islamabad Zone Director Rana Abdul Jabbar said Meanwhile the government is yet to officially confirm how many of its citizens were on the boat, but kickstarted a DNA sampling effort to help Greece identify those who died

The data shared by the FIA showed that 181 people were from Pakistan and 28 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir Officials gathered the DNA samples from 201 families

Earlier today, at a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the country was in contact with authorities in Greece and investigations re-

garding the circumstances of the incident were underway State broadcaster a Radio Pakistan report quoted her as saying that Pakistan s Mission in Greece had worked round the clock for the recovery and identification of Pakistani nationals who were missing or feared dead Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has also spoken to his Greek counterpart to discuss arrangements for the recovery of the missing, identification of the bodies and providing relief to the survivors and our efforts will continue in this regard,”

Zahrah added Separately in a statement is-

sued today an FIA spokesperson said that 54 cases had been registered against human smugglers in Lahore, Gujranwala and Gujrat

He said FIA s Lahore Zone had arrested 17 traffickers so far while seven suspects were captured in Gujrat two in Lahore and eight in Gujranwala

The Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Lahore has registered five cases 18 cases have been registered in Gujrat and 31 in Gujranwala, the agency said

It further stated that 167 DNA samples of the kin of those killed in the Greece shipwreck had been collected

NA HOSTS CONSULTATIVE SESSION ON STRENGTHENING LOCAL GOVTS

HA S NO EFFECTIVE THIRD TIER OF DEMOCRACY DESPITE 18TH AMENDMENT

PR OFIT REPORT

TH E National Assembly of Pakistan witnessed a one-off event as the SDG Secretariat, in collaboration with Dehleez (Pakistan Local Democracy Dialogue) successfully conducted the first-ever Consultative Session on Strengthening Article 140-A that governs Local Governments in Pakistan on June 20, 2023 This session, held at the National Assembly, aimed to foster inclusive and accountable governance at the grassroots level and contribute to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Pakistan

Prominent Members of Parliament representing various political parties, and civil society members came together to participate in the discussion

The session was co-chaired by Ahsan Iqbal Minister for Planning Develop-

ment, and Special Initiatives, and Ms Romina Khursheed Alam, convener of the SDGs Secretariat

In the session former Chairman District Council & Project Director of Dehleez Ahmad Iqbal highlighted the need to address the fundamental challenges facing local governments in Pakistan He emphasised the importance of amending the constitution and incorporating sections in Article 140-A to ensure continuity and safeguard the tenure of local governments along with conducting timely elections

Iqbal also shed light on the critical situation faced by elected local governments in Pakistan since the passing of the 18th Amendment The absence of robust local governance has had severe implications for citizens quality of life as evident from Pakistan s current ranking of 125 out of 163 countries on the SDG Index This highlights the urgent

No survivors from missing Titanic submersible: OceanGate

ISLAMABAD

Commenting on the Indian Prime Minister ’s visit to the US Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar said that Pakistan would always look positively at bilateral ties between sovereign countries and not view them in a negative light

There is no need to look at anything negatively, she said in an interview with Voice of America (VoA)

However, she maintained Pakistan had a very belligerent neighbour who indulged in military adventurism by sending jets to Pakistan in 2019 terming the move unprecedented and unthinkable

She said the world must look into this factor and decide whether those being propagated for a role in regional security deserved it

“The world has to see whether there was conflict preservation instead conflict resolution due to them (India) then it did not augur well for the region We hope that nothing will go wrong for the region and Pakistan she remarked Modi is in US for his first visit with the full diplomatic status of an official state visit

The visit is also the third state visit of Joe Biden’s presidency and the third by an Indian leader to the US indicating the strengthening bond between Washington and New Delhi

The visit is expected to see the two countries expand cooperation in the defence industry and high technology sectors, with India getting access to critical American technologies that Washington rarely shares with non-allies

The visit however puts Pakistan in a precarious position given its strained ties with India

Over the years Washington s cooperation with India has increased as Pakistan has gotten closer to China especially after the latter s investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

About ties with the EU, the state minister said Pakistan’s Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status was not sufficient to define the country’s relations with the EU as their bilateral engagements were wider and broader at all levels including business contacts institutional linkages IT sector growth etc

She said the GSP Plus benefited Pakistan and enhanced the EU s trade with Pakistan, adding that Pakistan and the EU countries were engaged at different multilateral fora

The MoS further stressed that such relations should not be looked at merely through the GSP Plus lens but their interactions were much broader

About her recent visits to different Scandinavian countries, she elaborated that certain countries had an ageing population and required young people for various sectors

She said opening legal migration of skilled labour to these countries was their primary objective as Pakistan and these countries did not want to promote illegal migration

need to improve the local governance system and overcome deficiencies in various indicators

What is Article 140-A?

Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan pertains to the establishment and empowerment of local governments in the country While the article was introduced with the aim of devolving power and ensuring effective local governance, there are certain issues and challenges associated with its implementation that have hindered the proper functioning of local governments in Pakistan These issues include, political interference, limited fiscal space, less institutional capacity, and lack of authority and autonomy Another one of the important issues in the local governance of Pakistan is lack of continuity of tenure This discontinuity results in little to no incentive for a forward looking developmental approach The article presents a use case for

legislative reforms and these reforms have been under consideration since the 18th amendment was passed

It is important to remember that both the Charter of Democracy (2006) and the 18th Amendment (2010) were aimed at empowering local governments, A business that is unfinished to this day

What are the proposed Reforms?

The presentation by Dehleez, outlined a draft amendment bill that aimed to address the root causes of weak local governments primarily irregular elections and lack of continuity The proposed amendment includes provisions to protect the tenure of elected local governments and mandates the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct elections within 90 days of their term expiration This is expected to be a first in further devolution of power in essence of the 18th amendment

d a r h a s a l te rc at i o n w i t h

j o u r n a l i s t ove r i M F d e a l q u e s t i o n

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday slapped a journalist when he reportedly slapped a journalist here at the Parliament House over question asked about the loan deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The incident took place after Dar the most powerful member of the federal cabinet, was leaving the National Assembly after making a speech Shahid Qureshi, an economic reporter working for a private TV channel approached the minister with his questions who was leaving along with his security guards

In a video that has gone viral on social media, the reporter can be seen asking Dar if he would be willing to talk The minister responded by stating that he had just finished speaking in the National Assembly Qureshi then inquired about the progress of the stalled International Monetary Fund (IMF) pro-

gramme and referred to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif s recent meeting with the IMF chief However Dar remained silent in response to these questions

The journalist persisted and questioned the government’s failure to secure the IMF deal to which Dar retorted “Because people like you are in the system The journalist defended himself asserting that reporters were not part of the system but merely asked questions At this point, Dar became visibly angry and confronted the journalist, asking him what he wanted and telling him to fear God

A visibly agitated Dar then attempted to snatch the journalist s mobile phone He even instructed security personnel to seize and throw away the mobile phone

The finance minister ’s security personnel then intervened and escorted Dar towards a vehicle in the parking lot The journalist later released another video in which he provided a detailed account of the in-

cident claiming that Dar’s security guards had grabbed and slapped him

In response to the altercation the Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA) issued a condemnation statement, expressing its strong disapproval of the violence and disrespectful behaviour exhibited by Dar ’s guards

The PRA demanded an apology from the finance minister to the reporter and emphasised that such aggressive behaviour should not be repeated in the future They further stated that if Dar fails to apologise, the PRA reserves the right to walk out of the budget session and stage a protest The association also called on National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to take notice of the incident

Dar ’s frustration appears to stem from the government’s exhaustive efforts to secure the bailout package as the IMF has yet to revive the expiring programme scheduled to conclude by the end of this month

Lal Masjid cleric abdul a ziz opens fire at police; booked on terror charges

ISLAMABAD

Maulana Abdul Aziz, who dodged an arrest a day ago leading to road blockages by his supporters near Islamabad’s Lal Masjid has been booked over terror charges along with four others it emerged on Thursday

A day ago, Aziz evaded arrest after his guards put up resistance to the police team, following which female students of Jamia Hafsa wielding batons blocked roads in protest of the attempted arrest

A senior official of the capital administration said that a team from the Counter-Terrorism De-

partment (CTD) had gone to Lal Masjid to talk to Aziz and ask him to present himself for clearing certain queries Among the queries was his reemergence as a prayer leader in Lal Masjid despite the fact that he had retired and was replaced and attempts to take control over the adjoining plot of the former children s library as well as other matters

Senior officials of Islamabad police had made several attempts to talk them out of their protests

During the protest the seminary students also beat female constables with sticks However by Wednesday evening all roads were cleared The first information report

(FIR) was filed at the CTD police station by its Station House Officer (SHO) Shamsul Akbar on Wednesday shortly after the incident took place I t i n v o k e s S e c t i o n s 1 4 8 ( r i o ti n g a r m e d w i t h d e a d l y w e a p o n )

149 (unlawful assembly guilty of o ff e n c e c o m m i t t e d i n p r o s e c ution of common object) 186 (obs t r u c t i n g p u b l i c s e r v a n t i n d i s c h a rg e o f p u b l i c f u n c t i o n s ) , 3 5 3 ( a s s a u l t o r c r i m i n a l f o r c e t o d e t e r p u b l i c s e r v a n t f r o m d i sc h a rg e o f h i s d u t y ) 4 2 7 ( m i sc h i e f c a u s i n g d a m a g e t o t h e a m o u n t o f f i f t y r u p e e s ) a n d 3 2 4 ( a t t e m p t t o c o m m i t q a t l - i - a m d ) o f t h e P a k i s t a n P e n a l C o d e

KP govt to bridge Rs4.63b monthly gap to meet tribal distric ts’ c urrent expenditures

that it may reach up to 55 billion rupees in the coming year

The federal government had allocated 60 billion rupees for the current expenditures of tribal districts for the fiscal year 2022-23, while the actual requirement was 85 billion rupees The provincial government managed to save 10 billion rupees through various

means, but it still had to spend 15 billion rupees from its own share on expenditures in tribal districts This resulted in the total current expenditures reaching 75 billion rupees The current year has seen an increase in salaries and pensions along with other current expenditure leading to tribal districts expenditures exceeding 121 63 billion rupees In contrast, the federal government has allocated 66 billion rupees for this purpose This means that the provincial government is facing a shortfall of 55 63 billion rupees to fulfill the tribal districts’ needs from the federal side

To meet these expenditures the KP government will have to bridge the gap of 4 63 billion rupees on a monthly basis The provincial government plans to utilize its resources and development funds to fulfill the ongoing expenditures of tribal districts

The five people aboard a missing submersible are thought to be dead, according to the company that owns the vessel bringing a grim end on Thursday to the massive search for the vessel that was lost during a voyage to the Titanic

Later the US Coast Guard offered its deepest condolences to the bereaved families during a press briefing The submersible, owned by OceanGate Expeditions, lost contact on Sunday morning with its support ship about an hour and 45 minutes into what should have been a two-hour

descent

The minivan-sized Titan was carrying British billionaire Hamish Harding and Pakistani tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, who also have British citizenship Also on board were Ocean Gate CEO Stockton Rush and deep sea explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet

These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world s oceans

OceanGate Expeditions said in a statement Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time ” The statement from OceanGate came just minutes after CNN said that debris found on the ocean floor on Thursday near the wreck of the Titanic was assessed to be from the submersible citing an internal US Coast Guard document

An unmanned deep-sea robot deployed from a Canadian ship discovered a debris field near where the century-old wreck is located, two and a half miles below the surface the US Coast Guard said earlier on Twitter

The five people aboard a missing submersible are thought to be dead according to the company that owns the vessel, bringing a grim end on Thursday to the massive search for the vessel that was lost during a voyage to the Titanic Later, the US Coast Guard offered its “deepest condolences” to the bereaved families during a press briefing

The submersible owned by OceanGate Expeditions lost contact on Sunday morning with its support ship about an hour and 45 minutes into what should have been a two-hour descent

Suleman and Shahzada Dawood ReutersThe minivan-sized Titan was carrying British billionaire Hamish Harding and Pakistani tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman who also have British citizenship Also on board were Ocean Gate CEO Stockton Rush and deep sea explorer Paul-Henri

Nargeolet

These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans,” OceanGate Expeditions said in a statement “Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time

The detection of undersea noises on Tuesday and Wednesday using sonar buoys dropped from Canadian aircraft had temporarily offered hope that the people on board the submersible were alive and trying to communicate by banging on the hull

Omar Sar fraz Cheema’s wife arrested from Lahore’s ATC

LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T

F o r m e r P u n j a b g o v e r n o r O m a r S a r f r a z C h e e m a s w i f e , R a b i a S u l t a n , w a s a r r e s t e d b y t h e p o l i c e o n T h u r s d a y a s s h e a p p e a r e d f o r h e r h u s b a n d ’s h e a r i n g a t a n a n t i - t e r r o r i s m c o u r t ( AT C ) i n L a h o r e T h e P a k i s t a n Te h r e e k - e - I n s a f ( P T I ) l e a d e r w a s p r e s e n t e d i n t h e c o u r t t o d a y a f t e r h i s j u d i c i a l r e m a n d h a d e x p i r e d C h e e m a s w i f e w a s i n t h e AT C t o m e e t h e r h u s b a n d A f t e r t h e a r r e s t , s o u r c e s i n t h e p o l i c e s t a t e d t h a t S u l t a n w a s w a n t e d f o r i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t h e J i n n a h H o u s e a t t a c k c a s e T h e y c l a i m e d t h a t t h e f o r m e r g o v e r n o r ’s w i f e w a s p r e s e n t a t t h e J i n n a h H o u s e o n M a y 9 G e o f e n c i n g s h o w e d R a b i a S u l t a n w a s p r e s e n t a t t h e J i n n a h H o u s e o n M a y 9 , o ff i c i a l s p r i v y t o t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n s a i d T h e y a d d e d t h a t t h e p o l i c e h a d b e e n i n s e a r c h o f S u l t a n f o r q u i t e s o m e t i m e O n M a y 9 , P a k i s t a n Te h r e e k - e - I n s a f ( P T I ) C h a i r m a n I m r a n K h a n w a s a r r e s t e d f r o m t h e I s l a m a b a d H i g h C o u r t ( I H C ) p r e m i s e s F o l l o w i n g h i s a r r e s t c o u n t r y w i d e p r o t e s t s w e r e w i t n e s s e d E n r a g e d b y t h e P T I c h i e f s a r r e s t p a r t y w o r k e r s a n d s u p p o r t e r s a l l e g e d l y p i l l a g e d g o v e r n m e n t a n d m i l i t a r y i n s t a l l a t i o n s To c o n t a i n t h e v i o l e n c e , t h e g o v e r n m e n t c a l l e d i n t h e a r m y a n d a n n o u n c e d t h a t t h e p r o t e s t e r s w o u l d b e t r i e d u n d e r a r m y l a w s A l a rg e n u m b e r o f P T I w o r k e r s a n d l e a d e r s h a v e b e e n a r r e s t e d i n a c o u n t r y w i d e c r a c k d o w n C h e e m a w a s o n e o f t h e f e w P T I l e a d e r s t h a t w e r e a r r e s t e d f o l l o w i n g t h e v i o l e n c e a n d h a s b e e n p a r t o f t h e p a r t y d e s p i t e m a n y p o l i t i c i a n s j u m p i n g s h i p M a n y o f t h o s e l e a d e r s t h a t j u m p e d s h i p h e l d t o p p o s t s d u r i n g t h e l a s t P T I g o v e r n m e n t L e a d e r s s u c h a s F a w a d C h a u d h r y F a y y a z u l H a s a n C h o h a n F i r d o u s A s h i q Aw a n A l i Z a i d i I m r a n I s m a i l A a m e r M e h m o o d K i a n i S a r d a r Ta n v e e r I l y a s , M a h m o o d B a q i M a u l v i a n d M u r a d R a a s w h o h a d l e f t t h e P T I a f t e r t h e M a y 9 i n c i d e n t f o l l o w i n g t h e i r a r r e s t o r d i ff e r e n c e s w i t h t h e p a r t y h a v e j o i n e d J a h a n g i r Ta r e e n - l e d I s t i h k a m - e - P a k i s t a n P a r t y ( I P P )

ghulam S ar war, Humayun akhtar par t ways with pti over ‘confrontational polic y ’

installations across the country following PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest in the AlQadir trust case May 9 On the other hand former federal minister Humayun Akhtar Khan also announced to quit Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over May 9 protests

with the party over May 9 violent protests saying they strongly condemned the policy of confrontation with the state institutions In a video statement on Thursday, the exfederal minister also demanded punishment for rioters who attacked defence and public

Humayun Akhtar said that he cannot stay in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the current situation

He said that the nation cannot forget the sacrifices of the armed forces The May 9 incidents have hurt his family and the entire

nation as they have always respected the armed forces of Pakistan Pakistan s forces have rendered sacrifices for the survival and protection of the country, Ghulam Sarwar Khan said, adding that attacks on martyrs monuments, the General Headquarters (GHQ) and other sensitive installations were tantamount to anti-state acts

Referring to the attacks on the GHQ and Lahore s Jinnah House the minister said the protesters attacked the heart of Pakistan I condemn all those unholy actions all those involved in such crimes should be

given exemplary punishment ” he added

Moreover Sarwar also hit out at his party saying that he strongly condemned the policy of confrontation with the institutions I disagreed with the confrontational policy at every forum of the party We should not fight with institutions,” he remarked His statement emerged on social media a day after he was arrested from Islamabad over his alleged involvement in the May 9 protests police sources said on Wednesday

A large number of workers and support-

ers of PTI staged almost countrywide

demonstrations on May 9 when the PTI chairman was arrested by paramilitary troops on the directions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with the alleged Al-Qadir Trust corruption case

The demonstrators destroyed public and private properties and ransacked relics of martyrs Following the violent protests, dozens of party leaders and lawmakers including Fawad Chaudhry Imran Ismail Shireen Mazari Ali Zaidi Aamir Mehmood Kiani and others have parted with the party over the violent protests

No need to look at anything negatively about Modi’s US visit , says Hina Rabbani Khar