Epaper_23-06-25 LHR

TH E federal government has imposed Rs415 billion in new taxes in the 2023-24 budget in order to secure the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan

While winding up the budget speech Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on the floor of the National Assembly said that Pakistan has agreed on Rs215 billion taxes after three-day parleys with the officials of the IMF to complete the 9th review under the EFF pending due to the country’s external financing gap ”

with the IMF with complete sincerity and assured the parliament that once t h i n g s w i t h t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l l e n d e r w e r e s e t t l e d ; a l l d e t a i l s w o u l d b e made public by placing the agreement on the official website of the Ministry of Finance

He

T wo shepherds mar t yred, another injured in unprovoked Indian firing along LoC: ISPR

He also said that the government has fixed Rs 9 415 trillion as the new revenue target of the Federal board of Revenue

Earlier, the Finance minister on June 9, 2023 announced that FBR revenue target would be Rs 9 200 trillion in 2023-24 On the other hand he said that the provincial share would go up from Rs 5 276 tr to Rs 5 390 tr in next fiscal year

Finance minister further said that Pakistan would bring down the running expenditure by Rs 85 billion, which would have no impact on the proposed development budget the raise in salaries and pensions of the federal government employees

He said the government held talks

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Managing Director of International Monetary Fund

(IMF) Kristalina Georgieva in Paris on Friday and reiterated the resolve of Pakistan to complete the loan programme with the financial institution

The PM met the IMF chief before leaving for London

It was his third meeting with the IMF chief on the margins of the summit of world leaders on a new financing pact

He appreciated the Managing Director IMF for taking into consideration the economic realities of Pakistan

He said “Pakistan is determined to fulfil all its commitments ” He said Pakistan valued the assistance of the world in coming out of its severe economic challenges

The floods in Pakistan further increased the economic difficulties but despite that, the government gave relief to

SNGPL board removes Ali Javed Hamdani as Managing Director

CONTRACT

The Board of Directors (BoD) of Sui Northern Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has taken a decisive step by terminating the job contract of Ali Javed Hamdani as the Managing Director (MD) of SNGPL

The termination comes in light of serious allegations of malpractices corruption and nepotism which have plagued the company under his leadership

Sources revealed that Hamdani had been under investigation for various misconducts, including the misappropriation of funds It is alleged that billions of rupees were syphoned off through projects executed at significantly higher costs One such project the highly controversial Rs 22 billion 270 km Bannu West 1 and Walid Gas Fields pipeline, has repeatedly raised concerns from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) due to its extended route and exaggerated financial expenses

Based on OGRA’s viewpoint and internal analysis it was found that the project could have been completed by laying a 55 km line from CPF Lach to Bannu East, considering that an existing 10-inch transmission line and ROA already connected Daudkhel to CPF, instead of the current 270 km pipeline These findings have further raised questions about the decision-making process and financial management under Hamdani s tenure Sources also highlight allegations of favouritism and nepotism in Hamdani s appointment as MD of SNGPL, suggesting that political considerations played a significant role They claim that his close association with former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as an Aitchisonian and Shaukat Khanum donor secured his position despite years of unemployment prior to his appointment Furthermore it is alleged that Hamdani exploited official trips to Karachi involving numerous officers, to justify personal visits while incurring substantial expenses on luxury accommodations and air travel

its people, he noted He said it was the right of the people of Pakistan to receive relief as economic challenges caused a lot of unbearable pain to people

“We want a balance between relief to the people and economic reality he said adding bringing the economy back on the path of growth was imperative for meeting the targets set by the IMF

The PM said important measures needed to be taken for restoring the economy that had been battered in the four years of the previous government, adding revival of the economy would help in better achievement of targets of the IMF

S TA F F R E P O R T

Policeman mar tyred as woman suicide bomber blows herself up in Turbat

At least one policeman was martyred and a woman constable sustained injuries in a suicide blast in the Turbat district of Balochistan a senior official said on Saturday

The deputy commissioner of Ketch district said the woman suicide bomber blew herself up on Commissioner Road in the district

The vehicle of the security forces was also damaged in the explosion he added Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo condemned the Turbat blast saying the aim of terrorist s incident is to halt the development of the province

“The objectives of terrorists will never succeed the CM was quoted as saying in a statement

He said the provincial government will ensure the welfare of the people and make efforts to end backwardness of the province

The determination and morale of the security forces cannot be lowered ” he added Earlier in April this year as many as four people including two policemen were martyred in a bombing targeting a police vehicle in Quetta s city s Shahrah-eIqbal area Officials had told Geo News that at least 15 people were also injured in the blast which left several cars and motorcycles in the vicinity damaged Those killed in the blast also include a minor girl Civil Defence Director Rafu Mandokhail said that three to four kilos of explosives were used in the blast while the explosive material was installed in a motorcycle For the past few months, Pakistan has been gripped by a spate of terror attacks with even the country’s major urban centres such as Karachi and Peshawar under the radar of militants targeting security forces with the aim to deteriorate peace

The National Security Committee (NSC) in a meeting held in April also decided to kick start an all-out comprehensive operation against militant outfits to root out the menace of terrorism from the country

The meeting was held in continuation with the NSC meeting after the terrorist attack on January 2 2023 in Peshawar Police Lines which claimed the lives of more than 80 people mainly law enforcers

Meanwhile, security forces have been conducting operations against terrorists with the determination to eliminate terrorism from the country and resolve to strengthen the sacrifices of its soldiers

The Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS), a think tank in Islamabad, stated that the number of terrorist attacks in the country have increased by 27% last year compared to 2021 At least 419 people were killed while 734 were injured in 262 terrorist attacks last year

BBDO bags first Cannes Glass Lion for Pakistan

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the Gold Lion second only to the Grand Prix Lion in its category The award-winning campaign was English Biscuit Manufacturers (EBM) Schoolgirl Newscasters, which aired in December 2022 “This award demonstrates EBM’s unwavering commitment to girls education and our country s boundless creative potential, stated Atiya Zaidi, Managing

Di-

Two civilians were martyred and another critically injured when Indian forces opened indiscriminate fire on a group shepherds in Sattwal Sector along the Line of Control (LoC) on Saturday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Following the attack, Pakistan summoned the Indian Charge d’ Affaires to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saturday here to register strong protest over the ceasefire violation committed by the Indian forces in Satwal Sector of the Line of Control (LoC) Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding reaffirmed in February 2021 It was further underscored that targeting of civilians is contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws

The Indian side was urged to respect the Ceasefire Understanding, investigate the incident, and maintain peace along the Line of Control

According to ISPR, the military’s media wing, “The Indian Army in a display of its usual inhumane approach towards innocent Kashmiris opened indiscriminate fire at 11:55 am onto a group of shepherds in Sattwal Sector

In sequel to Indian Army unprovoked firing today while adopting an inhumane approach towards innocent Kashmiris at Sattwal Sector, one more civilian has embraced shahadat while one remains critically injured (Total two martyred and one critically injured) it said in a subsequent statement

The ISPR identified the martyred as: Obaid Qayyum, 22, and Muhammad Qasim, 55 Both shaheeds (martyrs) are residents of village Bara Dari Tetrinote, Tehsil Hajira, District Poonch,’ it added

The military’s media wing said that driven by a newly found geo-political patronage Indian forces have embarked on a plan to take innocent lives to satiate their false narratives and concocted allegations

The statement further said while a strong protest was being launched with India and Pakistan reserved the right to respond back in a manner of its choosing to protect Kashmiris’ lives in the LoC belt

The ISPR reminded the Indian side to respect the basic human rights of Kashmiris particularly their inalienable right to their lands

Last month, Indian troops had shot dead a 25-year-old inadvertent crosser from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Earlier on May 15, Parveen Fatima, a 65-yearold widow from the Pandu sector of AJK’s Jhelum valley district was also mercilessly killed by the Indian army after she had strayed across the LoC while picking some medicinal plants

U S-I N D I A J O I N T S TAT E M E N T: The ugly episode unfolded days after the United States and India issued a joint statement, calling on Pakistan to crack down on extremists that target New Delhi

The statement was issued as Indian Prime Minister

Narendra Modi met US President Joe Biden on his visit to the US It called for action against extremist groups based in Pakistan such as the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad It said: They (Biden and Modi) strongly condemned cross-border terrorism, the use of terrorist proxies and called on Pakistan to take immediate action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terrorist attacks A day ago the Foreign Office (FO) had termed the statement misleading and unwarranted , saying that the reference is contrary to diplomatic norms and has political overtones

Responding to media queries, FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch had said “India in addition to being a statesponsor of terrorism habitually uses terrorism bogey to deflect attention from its brutal repression of Kashmiri people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and maltreatment of its minorities She had further asserted that the joint statement failed to address the key sources of tension and instability in the region and to take cognisance of the grave human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir ’

Pakistan fishing for LNG suppliers again. But why does no one want to bite?

The news stories hit like clockwork every year As the winters approach

Since Russia was sanctioned, the global supply of gas was affected and European countries rushed to plug shortages by procuring it from suppliers elsewhere This not only created a global energy crisis threatening the energy security of countries such as Pakistan but also crowded them out of the spot market

Due to the increased demand, prices in the Asian spot market went up to a record high of $70 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) in August 2022 Coupled with the rapidly devaluing rupee and low foreign exchange reserves Pakistan either failed to attract any bids or the ones received were too expensive for the cash-strapped nation Between March 2022 and June 2023, Pakistan issued 11 tenders for procuring LNG from the spot market the last of which is set to close on July 14 Pakistan received seven bids for a tender

issued in March 2022, the lowest of which was $33 53 per mmBtu It received 10 bids for the next tender in April, with the lowest priced at $24 15 per mmBtu However the number of bids started declining after that with the country receiving only one bid for a tender issued in May It failed to attract any bids in another tender, this time in July The country also tried to procure LNG for a sixyear period via a tender issued in October last year but again failed to attract any bids While Pakistan procures LNG from the spot market to cover its energy needs the country has two long-term deals with Qatar totaling 6 75 million metric tons per year, and an additional contract with ENI for 0 75 million metric

scheduled

$

million by can-

between late 2021 and early

and reselling them These shortages combined with the surge in oil prices due to the Russian invasion exacerbated Pakistan s energy crisis Power production was affected, tariffs and inflation increased and there was prolonged loadshedding However, as the global supply started stabilizing later the prices declined with the Asian spot market rate falling below $10 mmBtu

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 g L N G P R I C E S D E C L I N E I N T E R N AT I O N A L LY B U T PA K I S TA N S T I L L FA C I N G P R O B L E M S C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 g

ATC EXTENDS QURESHI’S BAIL TILL JULY 10

LAHORE

S ta f f R e p o R t

TH E Anti-Terrorism Court on Saturday extended the interim bail of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a terrorism case till July 10

Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Raja

Jawad Abbas has been transferred and the new judge has not assumed charge yet, therefore the hearing was adjourned without proceedings The former foreign min-

Aramco, TotalEnergies sign $11bn contract to build petrochemicals complex in Saudi Arabia

PR OFIT

R e u t e R S

Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) (2222 SE) and TotalEnergies (TTEF PA) have signed an $11 billion contract to start building a new petrochemicals complex in Saudi Arabia, the two companies said in a joint statement on Saturday “Aramco and TotalEnergies today awarded Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts for the $11 billion “Amiral” complex a future world-scale petrochemicals facility expansion at the SATORP refinery in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the statement read

Overseas Pakistanis urged to prioritise ‘state interest over political affiliation’

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer

Tarar stressed the importance of prioritising state interests over political affiliations during a gathering with Pakistani community leaders and dignitaries at the embassy in Washington Accompanied by Pakistan s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan and local community leader Sajid Tarar, the minister expressed concern over attempts by self-interested elements to divide the overseas community and distance them from their homeland

Addressing rumours of a supposed “list” to prosecute overseas Pakistanis supportive of former prime minister Imran Khan Tarar firmly denied its existence and assured the gathering that no such action was planned He reiterated that overseas Pakistanis were a valuable asset to the nation and that it was the shared responsibility of all to uphold the dignity of Pakistan Regarding the violent protests that followed Khan s arrest on May 9 Tarar emphasized the need to differentiate between political struggle and acts of sedition and anti-nationalism He asserted that no civilised society could tolerate attacks on its institutions and martyrs highlighting the government’s commitment to taking legal action to prevent similar incidents in the future

However, Tarar cautioned against falling victim to baseless propaganda and advised overseas Pakistanis to verify information through relevant embassies and government institutions to thwart the intentions of those involved in spreading misinformation In response to suggestions for increased participation of overseas Pakistanis in the political process, the law minister acknowledged their right to full engagement but cautioned against hasty and thoughtless actions Tarar emphasized the need for careful consideration and a consensus among all political forces regarding proposals for voting rights and representation of overseas Pakistanis to ensure an effective and beneficial strategy

ister appeared in the Anti-Terrorism Court along with his lawyer Ali Bukhari

Speaking to the media outside the court, Qureshi said a case of abetment in the vandalism has been registered against him the Lahore Khanna police station He claimed it was a political case as he neither had been involved in the vandalism nor he was present in the city on the day Commenting on the meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden, the former foreign minister said every Pakistani had concern

over the joint statement issued after the meeting Pakistanis have always made efforts to eliminate terrorism he said adding it is a pity that the leaders made a political issue out of this as well Qureshi also said that he regretted that there was no mention of human rights in the US-India joint statement No voice was raised against the oppression of Muslims in India-held Kashmir he regretted and added human rights organizations are also silent over the situation in held Kashmir

Defying odds: amputee Pakistani pilgrim embarks on Hajj after

30 years

MECCA a p p

In a remarkable demonstration of determination and unwavering faith

Muhammad Shafeeq a pilgrim from Pakistan, overcame immense challenges to fulfil his lifelong dream of embarking on the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca

Despite losing one of his feet in a tragic road accident three decades ago Shafeeq s indomitable spirit propelled him forward allowing him to heed the call of Allah

At the age of 43, Shafeeq firmly embraced the belief that “where there is a will, there is a way ” Undeterred by his physical limitations he embarked on an awe-inspiring journey from Pakistan to Mecca fueled by enthusiasm optimism and an unyielding determination to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage

Through years of hard work and personal savings, Shafeeq exemplified the virtues of persistence resilience and seizing opportunities in the face of adversity I found enthusiasm optimism and determination within me after losing my foot, pushing me to strive for this lifelong spiritual journey I will perform the stoning ritual at the Jamarat myself during the days of Al-Tashreeq relying on my crutches ” proudly shared Shafeeq Shafeeq s inspiring story stands as a testament to his unwavering commitment to his faith Despite the physical

challenges posed by his amputation he embarked on the arduous journey to the House of Allah, driven by a sense of peace and self-realization Recalling his lifelong aspiration, Shafeeq shared “Words cannot express the joy and delight I felt when Allah Almighty enabled me to witness my dream come true I now eagerly await the Day of Tarwiyah and the ritual of Standing at Arafat, the most crucial pillar of Hajj, where I will join a procession of fellow pilgrims clothed in seamless white garments resembling a white sea of humanity Shafeeq s triumphant journey

serves as an inspiration to pilgrims worldwide His ability to transform challenges into opportunities and his unwavering dedication to his faith remind us all of the power of perseverance and the profound fulfilment found in pursuing our dreams As Shafeeq sets foot on the sacred grounds of Mecca relying on his crutches he epitomizes the spirit of Hajj and the unity of believers from all corners of the globe His story serves as a testament to the transformative power of faith and the indomitable human spirit leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those who bear witness to his extraordinary pilgrimage

Alvi orders gas company to correct billing error and apologise to consumer

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

President Dr Arif Alvi has instructed Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) to rectify the gas bill of a consumer who was wrongly charged for two solar geysers instead of one at his residence

He expressed his disappointment in a statement issued by the press wing of the presidency on Saturday, saying it was shameful for the company management to ignore corruption within the organisation and burden the public due to their incompetence and connivance He demanded a thorough inquiry into the matter and the prosecution of those involved According to the complaint filed by Tahir Hussain, an SNGPL official installed a single solar geyser in his house and assured him that the payment would be claimed in instalments through the bills

Adviser to Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam survived unhurt a botched terrorist attack in Martung area of his home district Shangla of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday

According to details Amir Muqam was targeted by the militants during a visit to his hometown for the inauguration of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office

An exchange of fire took place between the assailants and the police after which the terrorists fled the scene

Meanwhile aerial firing was fired in the area while suspicious armed persons were also seen On which a heavy

police force reached the area

DIG Malakand Division, Nasir Mahmud Satti said that as soon as the police got the information a high alert was put in the entire area and a search operation was started by encircling the area, but no arrest was made

On the other hand, Engineer Amir Muqam said that earlier there was a suicide attack on him at the same place in 2014 in which his companions were martyred I am thankful to Allah that this attack has failed and we left after completing our scheduled program , Amir Muqam expressed

It should be mentioned here that the PML-N leader was attacked at the same place in 2014 The two attacks on a convoy of Muqam had left ANP leader

Ye a r a f te r m a j o r fl o o d s, c h a l l e n g e s l o o m

ISLAMABAD t h e a S S o c i at e d p R e S S

Last summer s flooding in Pakistan killed at least 1,700 people, destroyed millions of homes, wiped out swathes of farmland, and caused billions of dollars in economic losses

All in a matter of months At one point a third of the country was underwater

Officials in Pakistan and scientists worldwide blame climate change for the unusually early and heavy monsoon rains

A year on, the country hasn t fully recovered The aftermath runs the length of the country; survivors living in makeshift huts where their homes used to be millions of children out of school and damaged infrastructure waiting to be repaired This journey through Pakistan looks at how the unprecedented flooding of 2022 affected everyday life and future generations

RESTORING WATER: The high altitudes and sharp peaks of the Hindu Kush Mountains mean that heavy rains barrel down through the northwest province of Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa That s good because the waters quickly drain to lower-lying areas But it’s bad because of the damage they wreak along the way Last summer ’s raging floods were so

powerful that some rivers changed course

They wrecked more than 800 drinking water supply systems across nearly half of the province’s 34 districts damaging pipelines supply mains storage tanks and wells

Residents living by stagnant water were forced to rely on contaminated water for drinking Healthcare teams started receiving thousands of patients with diseases like dengue, malaria, acute diarrhoea, cholera and skin infections

Authorities are taking some steps to prepare for the next disaster They have installed an early warning system on seven of the major rivers and a monsoon contingency plan Embankments were strengthened last year ahead of the flooding and riverbanks breached by floods have been repaired and reinforced

LUCKY BREAK FOR AGRICULTURE:

It wasn t the flooding that nearly killed 80year-old Razia Bibi and her family, it was the hunger The floods washed away the wheat they’d stored for the whole year in their home in Rojhan Rajanpur district Then they had to wait for weeks scrounging for food before supplies arrived from the government and aid groups Across Punjab stores of grain were wiped out along with at least a half-million acres of crops and orchards Then relief came, mostly by luck rather

than preparation Authorities installed pumps that got rid of some of the water, but most of it drained on its own some flowing down into Sindh province some spreading into deserted open areas Waters receded in time for Punjab farmers to do the October sowing season and the result was a bumper crop But the risk remains for future disasters

LEFT WITHOUT SCHOOLS: Situated downstream from Pakistan s other provinces Sindh suffered a heavy blow from last year s flooding and has been slow to recover Around half of Sindh s 40,356 schools were either fully or partially damaged, affecting 2 3 million of its 4 5 million students, according to local education official Abdul Qadeer Ansari So far only around 2 000 schools are being rebuilt Ansari estimates reconstruction will take at least two years, with the new schools intended to be climate resistant

In the village of Maskran

Mian Mushtaq and at least seven other people dead

He described terrorists as enemies of the country Pakistan can achieve goals of development and stability only by curbing the terrorism, Muqam said On the other hand, the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban issued a statement after the “botched attack” claiming that an attempt was made to hit Amir Muqam through land mines but this attack could not be successful due to technical failure

: Prime

Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned the attempt on the life of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President and his Advisor Engineer Amir Muqam in Martong area of Shangla

Talking to Amir Muqam on Saturday he said “We are thankful to Allah Almighty that Amir Muqam remained safe in the attack and there was no loss of life Premier Shehbaz Sharif also paid tribute to bravery and steadfastness of the PML-N Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President “You are lion of Nawaz Sharif and we appreciate your services for the public nation and the party he added An attempt was also made on the life of Amir Muqam at the same place in 2014

However the SNGPL issued a bill indicating the installation of two solar geysers On visiting the SNGPL office, Hussain discovered that the contractor responsible for the installation had absconded after committing fraud Despite seeking assistance from the police they declined involvement claiming it was an internal matter Hussain subsequently approached the federal ombudsman to address the issue The ombudsman directed SNGPL to rectify the maladministration and correct the billing amount as per the prescribed procedure However, SNGPL filed a representation against the decision which was rejected by President Alvi He supported the ombudsman s observation that the contractor s fraudulent actions could not have occurred without the cooperation of SNGPL staff Alvi further criticised SNGPL for failing to follow its own procedures and arbitrarily billing the complainant in violation of the law and the prescribed rules set by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) In response to the president s directives SNGPL has been instructed to rectify the consumer s gas bill, issue an apology for the inconvenience caused, and take appropriate action against those involved in the fraudulent activities The president emphasized the importance of upholding integrity transparency and accountability within the company to ensure the public s trust and prevent further instances of corruption

JPMorgan cuts nearly 40 investment bankers in US

PR OFIT R e u t e R S

JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM N) is cutting nearly 40 investment bankers in the U S a source with knowledge of the matter said The reductions come after months of sluggish markets that have depressed dealmaking across Wall Street and prompted banks to lay off thousands of employees JPMorgan’s investment banking and trading revenue are both expected to decline 15% in the second quarter its president Daniel Pinto warned last month

Rivals Goldman Sachs Group (GS N) Morgan Stanley (MS N) and Citigroup (C N) have also laid off investment bankers as uncertainty weighs on economic activity JPMorgan’s staff reductions are typical given the environment the source said noting that the bank is still hiring executives and bankers in key areas

PERVAIZ EL AHI GRANTED POST-ARREST BAIL IN MONEY L AUNDERING CASE

TH E Special Court (Central) on Saturday granted PTI President Pervaiz Elahi post-arrest bail in money laundering case and ordered his release days after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested him

On June 21, Elahi was taken into custody from the district jail in the said case

The FIA had requested physical custody, but a district court denied it and he and was sent to jail on judicial remand He has been accused of money laundering via five companies and frontmen

The same day, his son Rasikh Elahi had filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking details of all cases against his father as well as a protective bail The next day a special court for banking offences had issued notices to the FIA on Pervaiz Elahi s post-arrest bail petition while confirming the interim pre-arrest bail of his son and two daughters-in-law

During court proceedings on Saturday, Advocate Amjad Pervaiz appeared as Pervaiz Elahi’s counsel while he was in jail

Meanwhile the FIA had opposed the acceptance of his bail plea

Later judge Bakht Fakhar Bahzad s

SNGPL board removes Ali Javed Hamdani as Managing Director

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An internal audit report ordered by the BoD has highlighted extreme misuse of power by Hamdani during his tenure as MD The strained relationship between the Ministry and the BOD with Hamdani resulted in the sidelining of senior management and the alleged prevalence of corruption within the company

Earlier the BoD of SNGPL had disallowed Hamdani from exercising any powers as the top executive of the company Subsequently a Special Sub-Committee of the BoDs was formed to investigate his conduct and alleged financial irregularities, particularly related to the Uch Compression Project

The termination of Hamdani’s contract marks a significant development in the efforts to address the issues plaguing SNGPL It is expected that the company will now focus on restoring transparency, accountability, and efficient operations under new leadership to regain public trust and ensure the provision of uninterrupted gas supply to consumers

Mayor Poll: PTI expels 11 city council members

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

court issued an order for the PTI president s release from the District Camp jail which states that Pervaiz Elahi is to be released if not wanted in any other case and after confirmation of surety bonds

The court accepted Elahi’s bail plea for surety bonds worth Rs10,000 S O N S E E K S E L A H I S P R O T E CT I V E B A I L : Elahi s son Rasikh had filed a petition in the LHC on June 21 seeking details of all cases against his father as well as a protective bail Rasikh had made Punjab’s caretaker

government the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) the FIA Punjab Inspector General Dr Usman Anwar the capital city police officer and the deputy inspector general respondents in the petition

The plea, a copy of which is available with Dawn com, asked the LHC to direct the respondents to “produce all the details of criminal cases/FIRs registered against the petitioner s father which have not been disclosed by the respondents

It had also sought protective bail for Elahi in the money laundering case that the PTI president was booked in on June 20

Gov t imposes Rs415b new taxes in budget 2023-24

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The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday expelled its 11 city council members who opted to remain absent in the Karachi mayor ’s election The PTI officials have also blamed Mominabad Town vice chairman Mohammad Akbar for conspiring against the party The city council members expelled from the PTI included Mominabad s Asadullah, Salahuddin, Amjad Ali, Malir s Asim Hyder, Saddar Town s Aslam Niazi and Zubair Musa, Suleman Khan, Manghopir ’s Azizullah Lyari’s Abdul Ghani and Sanobar Farhan – a PTI representative elected on women s reserved seat The PTI had issued show-cause notices to the Union Committee members, who were absent during Karachi Mayor s elections held on June 15 PTI

Sindh’s President Haleem Adil Sheikh issued notices to 29 UC chairmen and sought their reply in three days

Rasikh had also requested the LHC to direct the respondents to not arrest Elahi “while being released from the Camp Jail Lahore till the petitioner has been provided with the copies of the FIRs lodged against Elahi, as well as till Elahi has been provided with a reasonable opportunity of at least three days to apply for anticipatory/protective bail”

The petition alleged that Elahi was being politically victimised by the lawenforcing agencies of Punjab and that he has been falsely implicated in various cases by the ACE

It had further said that false cases have been registered against Elahi on the “instructions and connivance of sitting federal government The plea argued that the respondents the police FIA and the ACE were not discharging their duties in accordance with the law It described the manner of raids conducted at Elahi s house on April 28 as being similar to “conducting an operation in the tribal (katcha) areas of district Rahim Yar Khan without showing any regard to the dignity and privacy of the family of the petitioner

The plea had recalled a May court order to not arrest Elahi in any of the cases registered against him till today” and stated that five cases have been filed against the PTI president by the ACE

SCCI stresses special incentives to boost construc tion industr y in KP

PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t

Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) sought pragmatic steps for provision of relief and special incentives to boost the construction industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Ijaz Khan Afridi while talking to project head of Al-Quresh Trade Centre

Maj (r) Asghar Ali which is adjacent to Peshawar Expo Centre during the meeting held at chamber s house on Saturday said construction industry has played a pivotal role in economic development of the country

Essentially, he said the construction industry is a major source of employment for many people which should be

incentivized at every level

He viewed the economic and commercial activities would be accelerated with the uplift of the construction industry Besides, he added the national economy would also be stabilized by luring investment in the sector

The meeting was attended by the SCCI s executive member Farhad Asfandyar and former executive member Muhammad Shafiq Afridi, Secretary General Sajjad Aziz and Coordinator Research and Development Cell Ishtiaq Ali and others

Asghar Ali briefed the meeting about the significance of the project and invited SCCI acting president to visit on site of the project He said the project would be estab-

lished at more than 11 kanals which would be equipped with all modern needs and facilities

He said the project is close to its completion He invited the private companies and investors to become partners in the project Farhad Asfandyar and Shafiq Afridi also spoke on the occasion and gave several proposals for the success of the project Ijaz Afridi termed the project as a milestone in the construction industry of KP and assured the SCCI will take all possible measures to convince investors to make investment in the project

The project head thanked the acting president of SCCI for highlighting the importance of the project and assuring to bring investment in the project

BBDO bags first Cannes Glass Lion for Pakistan

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

It is considered the largest gathering of the advertising and creative comm u n i c a t i o n s i n d u s t r y T h e f i v e - d a y f e s t i v a l t a k e s p l a c e a n n u a l l y a t t h e Palais des Festivals

were unable to read just three years ago taking over three Pakistani news channels to broadcast the news

The newscaster schoolgirls shared details of how the country s literacy rate had risen by 4 points in the last three years to 62 3% and needs to improve further The girls shared their literacy journeys and how it had enabled them to read the news to hundreds of millions of people in impeccable Urdu and English They also highlighted the role of education in making them better

caretakers of future generations: educating girls leads to fewer early marriages, better health for women, and a higher national gross domestic product ANOTHER ONE FOR THE ROAD T h e G i r l s N e w s c a s t e r c a m p a i g n h a s b e e n a r e s o u n d i n g s u c c e s s f o r b o t h BBDO and EBM with the Glass Lion being just another feather in its cap It i s a rg u a b l y t h e m o s t p r e s t i g i o u s f e a t h e r t h u s f a r b u t i s o n e o f m a n y a w a r d s t h e c a m p a i g n h a s w o n o v e r the past two months

The campaign was awarded a Silver Clio at the Clio Awards 2023 in April while also winning two silver and two bronze awards at the UK Caples Advertising Awards 2023 in May

Iran depor ts 27 more trespassers to Pakistan

Europe in search of greener pastures

CHAGAI: Iran has deported 27 Pak-

istani citizens who had illegally trespassed the international border into Iran on Saturday Pakistan’s border authorities said that citizens deported from Iran have been handed over the detained persons to the Federal Investigation Agency s anti-human trafficking cell People from here used to cross into Iran in the hope to illegally emigrate to

The deportees were intending to reach Greece and other European countries via Iran route without travel documents border officials said Several intending emigrants in search of better economic prospects travel on Iran Turkey and Greece route from Pakistan to enter into Europe The issue of illegal immigrants has highlighted on global

level with recent boat sinking incident near the coast of Greece, in which several Pakistani nationals have reported died At least 78 people from Pakistan were drowned when an ill-fated boat with reportedly 400 to 750 people onboard sank in the Mediterranean Sea near the Greece coast Some 104 people were rescued and sent to Kalamata, Greece, as per the media reports S ta f f R e p o R t

He said that we have proposed to reintroduce advance adjustable withholding tax at the rate of 0 6 percent on cash withdrawal from banks by non-ATL persons exceeding Rs 50 000

This will help in documentation of the economy besides FBR would be able to bring more and more people into the tax net, Dar added He also announced an intact 10 percent withholding tax on bonus shares issued by companies Adding to that he said that the shareholders instead of the company will pay this tax

While keeping the enabling proposal of windfall gain tax in the Finance bill, he said that the government will impose windfall gain tax when it thinks that specific sectors rather than individuals have earned extraordinary profit due to external factors Dar in his speech also announced that FED on Energy inefficient fans at the rate of Rs2000 per fan m, which will be applicable from January 1, 2024 The industry has assured that it will take time to convert its business to Energy efficient fans Informing the members Dar also said that we have decided to strengthen the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (ADRC) to solve 62000 tax cases worth Rs3 2 trillion pending in courts

A three member committee composed of retired high court judges as well as Chief Commissioner and a nominee of taxpayers will decide the tax cases he explained

The Finance minister also said that the Petroleum Development Levy on Diesel and MOGAS will get Rs60 per litre from Rs50 per litre Overseas Pakistanis are our asset so we have decided to allocate Rs 80 Billion to facilitate their remittances he announced

He also said that we have established a pension fund in budget 2023-24 and the government will apply a contributory pension fund scheme due to an extraordinary surge in pension bill We will have to make reforms as the pension expenditures have become unsustainable he added

Cour t delays indictment of Fawad in ECP threat case

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

A district and sessions court in the capital decided to defer the indictment of former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry in a case involving threats made against Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officials The court scheduled the next hearing for July 7 Saturday was the day when charges were supposed to be framed against Chaudhry a one-time close aide of former prime minister Imran Khan pertaining to his alleged threatening remarks directed at ECP officials However, Chaudhry failed to make an appearance in court, leading to the postponement Instead his legal representative submitted a plea seeking exemption from the hearing on his behalf Judge Tahir Abbas inquired about the reasons behind the politician s absence despite being instructed to ensure his presence In response, Chaudhry s lawyer cited his client’s illness as the cause for his nonattendance “[Chaudhry] can take a longer break once the charges are framed

Both you and Fawad take care of your health remarked the judge Following this exchange, the judge accepted the exemption plea and directed Fawad to appear for the next hearing on July 7 The former minister is facing multiple legal troubles, including a sedition case for allegedly “threatening” electoral body members during a media talk outside the former prime minister s residence in Lahore back in January Chaudhry was arrested on January 25, the same day he made the controversial remarks, but was subsequently granted bail on February 1

Pakistan fishing for LNG suppliers again. But why does no one want to bite?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

This was one of the reasons the response to Pakistan's tender was being watched closely as it might have indicated the global energy crisis has eased The failure to attract bids however appears to be unrelated to the global energy crisis and more to Pakistan s economy and the government s measures

Why no bids were received

An energy professional who spoke to Profit said the major factor behind zero bids was the government s deal with Azerbaijan

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) recently gave the go-ahead to the PLL for executing a framework agreement with the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), under which Pakistan will receive one LNG cargo a month Under the terms of the agreement which is initially valid for a year SOCAR will offer Pakistan one LNG cargo every month 45 days before the delivery window to be paid for in USD The PLL will compare the price with spot market rates and consult the power sector to evaluate affordability If it accepts the offer PLL will issue letters of credit (LCs) from local banks and pay the amount within 30 days of receiving the invoice The energy professional said that Pakistan s available capacity was one LNG

cargo a month Following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Baku and extensive publicity about the LNG deal, traders were aware that the tender was being issued for "price discovery" since the deal gave SOCAR the opportunity to match the lowest bid offered in the spot market Since the price was not pre-agreed with SOCAR, the government now needed to find out the spot market price However it got the timing wrong, he said Since SOCAR already had the option to match the lowest price global LNG suppliers would have effectively sent a bid into the tender only for the Azeri company s benefit the energy professional added If there were any bids in the opening, they would not have been honored Instead, the government would go to SOCAR and ask it to match the lowest price ” When asked whether the lack of bids was related to the ongoing economic crisis and difficulties in opening LCs he said that it wasn't However, Pakistan's critically low foreign exchange reserves $ 3 54 billion as of June 16 and the resulting difficulties in opening LCs may also be a factor behind the tender s failure Pak-Kuwait Investment Company s Head of Research Samiullah Tariq shared that LNG suppliers had said LCs could not be confirmed Lakson Investments Chief Investment

Officer (CIO) Mustafa Pasha said the main issue for Pakistan was the spike in its credit risk because of uncertainty regarding the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program's revival “We have about $ 10+ billion of debt repayments to make in the next six months (July-December) out of which $ 6 billion have to be paid And given that reserves are under $4 billion, it obviously creates doubts in the minds of banks and other financial institutions who will be part of the transactions in terms of LCs ”

He also noted that LNG prices had declined from record highs reached last year and the demand from Europe which stockpiled LNG supplies after the RussiaUkraine war began by outbidding everyone else in the market had declined Besides this, long-term deals were being signed, including a 20-year deal between US and German companies and another 27-year deal between China and Qatar he pointed out So it s not a question of whether there are no supplies in the market which is why Pakistan is being rejected It s a Pakistanspecific issue People are not willing to take the credit risk on Pakistan for that OctoberDecember period because there is very little certainty about Pakistan s going concern status in that time period An accounting term, going concern in the context of a country such as Pakistan

would mean it has enough money for financing and repaying debts

Profit reached out to Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik several times, both for a comment on the tender as well as reports that senior PML-N leader Shahid

Khaqan Abbasi quit the ECC over the Azerbaijan deal but he did not respond Profit also reached out to Abbasi but the former prime minister remained unreachable

A cause for concern?

Reasons aside, will the failure to attract bids lead to an energy crisis similar to the one last winter where there were prolonged power outages and gas was only available for certain hours during the day?

Independent macroeconomist Ammar

H Khan said the energy supply this winter would be better than last year ’s as more coal-fired power plants had come online and Pakistan would be receiving one LNG cargo from Azerbaijan every month compared to 2022 when it had no options due to the elevated prices and lack of bids

Separately, Tariq also commented, It will not be as bad as last time because we have alternate power generation sources; Thar coal and nuclear power plants have come online because of which power supply is better We already receive eight cargoes of LNG, these can be diverted towards industry when there is a shortfall There will be a

shortfall It will however not be severe

Earlier this year, Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir had told Reuters in an interview that LNG was “no longer part of Pakistan’s long-term plan” Instead, the country would quadruple the electricity it generated from coal to reduce costs he had said

According to the Pakistan Economic Survey FY23 three coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 1,980 megawatts and a nuclear power plant of 1,100 megawatts became operational during the current fiscal year Pasha said that there would be gas and power shortages this winter just like in previous years if Pakistan failed to receive bids another tender for delivery of three LNG cargoes in January will close on July 14

But this is something we ve been seeing happening for a while So, if Pakistan doesn’t get these LNG tenders there will be a deficit in [energy] supply ” he added

On the other hand State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik has claimed that the LNG deal with Azerbaijan will end the gas crisis soon and domestic consumers, in particular, will not face any problems in the winter

Tariq said the long-term solution to ending the gas crisis is to focus on and improve policies to increase indigenous gas production Even with reduced prices importing gas puts pressure on the country s fragile balance of payments, he noted

IN D I A N Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come a long way From being wanted for his role in the 2002 Gujerat violence in which 790 Muslims were killed and thus being unable to enter the USA he is now on a state visit, complete with an address to Congress However, the visit was clearly not of a regional peacemaker but of a regional sub-hegemon someone who would act as the USA’s local catspaw in its struggle against China Not for nothing is India increasing its military cooperation with the USA, including its participation in the QUAD where Japan and Australia have joined with the USA and India in an alliance against China

It is noticeable that Mr Modi is both trying to avoid any criticism of India’s own distinctly patchy human rights record and trying to get the USA to help it act against Pakistan While Mr Modi ended away questions about his government’s own record ersecution of all non-Hindu religious minorities whether Muslims, Christians or Sikhs Specifically, he batted away any queries about the abolition of Kashmir ’s special status and its bifurcation into two union territories While the Kashmir issue is a matter of concern, Modi struck closer home when he spoke about the Financial Action Task Force increasing its restrictions India had tried to exploit the FATF list system by trying its best not just to keep Pakistan on its grey list, but have it downgraded to its black list It was only by the greatest and most coordinated of efforts that Pakistan was able to get off the grey list India’s move is merely aimed to portray Pakistan as a hive of terrorism Pakistan has to observe the Indian moves carefully Increasingly, India is throwing its weight around because it has been anointed by the USA as the regional hegemon, and is increasingly using international fora for venting its hatred against Pakistan The fault is really of the world community, especially the Western powers the USA the foremost which have all allowed India to engage in the most arrant bad behaviour without even the mildest of criticism, only because they think India is a very large market They should realize that it is only by following the principles to truth and justice that anythinglasting will be achieved

Dedicated to the legac y of late

PA K I S TA N is a country that has been facing significant road accidents and traffic issues for many years The country has one of the highest rates of road accidents in the world, with thousands of people losing their lives every year due to traffic accidents The major causes of these accidents include reckless driving poor road conditions and inadequate traffic management

Roads are crowded drivers are often aggressive and poorly trained, and many vehicles, particularly large trucks and buses, are badly maintained Donkeys, cattle, horse carts, and even the occasional camel, can pose roadside hazards in some areas Reckless driving is one of the leading causes of road accidents in Pakistan Many drivers in the country are often seen driving at high speeds dangerously overtaking other vehicles and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol The lack of awareness about traffic rules and regulations is also a significant factor contributing to these accidents To address this issue there is a need for strict enforcement of traffic laws and regulations along with proper driver education and training Poor road conditions are another major cause of road accidents in Pakistan Many roads in the country are poorly maintained, with potholes and cracks that make driving dangerous Additionally, many roads lack proper lighting, making it difficult for drivers to see at night The government needs to invest in the maintenance and improvement of the country s road infrastructure to ensure that the roads are safe for drivers and pedestrians

The roads need to be durable and strong for the smooth functioning of means of transportation, especially the delivery of food items and other essential goods in the country However the dilapidated condition of roads not only affects the means of transportation but also poses a serious danger to new drivers and their vehicles

With the provision of the Internet, where the passion for sports has gained acceptance among people, the trend of speeding has also been seen in the taste of people Racing is the only sport in which the driver rushes towards his destination for victory without caring about his life and the car but in this game there are safety measures for the life of the driver as well as for the car But due to a lack of awareness among the public, they do wheelies and racing without fear of death and safety measures on the road where they pose a danger to other drivers and vehicles as well as pedestrians and sometimes also cause death

Although numerous issues cause traffic problems

in Pakistan some of them demand the utmost attention

In this respect lack of road awareness especially that of traffic rules is considered the major cause behind road accidents Construction of roads and men working on the roads in the daytime with improper safety measures and signs also cause accidents Moreover, the absence of parking facilities, pedestrians and an increased number of vehicles are some other factors behind road accidents In Pakistan heavy vehicles that help transport goods are often involved in accidents especially due to overloading To save money, drivers often overload goods on one vehicle, due to which most of the vehicles are found overloaded Furthermore, overloaded vehicles on public highways within the city badly contribute towards increasing road wear and accidents Traffic rules are made for the safety of the drivers that need to be obeyed by every citizen and every road user These rules are made after many tests in which the necessary instructions are kept under consideration for the safety of both the driver and the vehicle Before a driver is issued a licence, traffic laws are taught and explained in classes Unfortunately, in many countries including Pakistan driver s licences are issued without classes and driving tests which makes the person himself or herself cause the death of others

Inadequate traffic management is another issue that contributes to road accidents in Pakistan Many intersections and roundabouts in the country lack proper traffic signals, which lead to confusion and chaos on the roads There is also a lack of proper traffic police on the roads, which means that drivers can get away with breaking traffic rules without any consequences To address this issue there is a need for better traffic management and more traffic police on the roads

s lives

other people

In developed countries motorcycles cars heavy vehicles or light vehicles even cyclists are aware of the safety measures that they can take to protect their life, but like many developing countries, safety in Pakistan is also lacking Measures are not taken into account such as avoiding the use of helmets for cyclists and motorcyclists not using seat belts not installing an Anti-Lock Braking System and Air Bags in the vehicle not using vehicle signals while taking hours parking the vehicle wrongly, avoiding using proper speed, not keeping an eye on the speedometer, indiscriminate use of AC and heater in the vehicle These are the mistakes that drivers often commit and these can be prevented and reduced by safety measures

Keeping in mind the growing population there is a need to continuously improve the road infrastructure- ;icences for rickshaw drivers should be declared essential, different simulators should be used for driver training and during this time they must also informed about different strategies to avoid accidents

By taking these measures, we can reduce the number of accidents on our roads and ensure that our roads are safe for all drivers and pedestrians

While the mobile phone is a source of ease of communication with people, its misuse also causes death According to a report, about 1 6 million accidents occur every year due to the use of mobile phones while driving It is incumbent upon every driver to not use a mobile phone or call while driving if there is an urgent need he must make a call by parking his vehicle which can save his life and

I n d i a ’ s s t a n c e o n u p c o m i n g n a t i o n a l e l e c t i o n o f B a n g l a d e s h

government leans towards China

A day after the USA threatened to impose restrictions on nationals of Bangladesh who are connected to electoral fraud Bangladesh has pledged genuine measures to ensure free and fair elections India which is close to both the USA (its strategic ally) and Bangladesh (the most reliable friend in South Asia), has played a crucial role by encouraging moderation on both sides

What is India’s desire for the elections in Bangladesh? Delhi has always had Dhaka’s best interests in mind because India played a significant role in the creation of this 72-year-old country However, there s more A happy, healthy neighbour is a wise purchase

TH E importance of the current administration of Bangladesh in the current geopolitical context has been highlighted in Prime Minister Narendra Modi s visit to Washington Last month, Modi went as the invited head of state to the G-7 Summit in Hiroshima Japan It was then that South Block had planned to raise the issue of Bangladesh But due to lack of time it was not possible New Delhi wants to tell Washington that the importance of Bangladesh in the Indo-Pacific region is considerable It is not advisable to do anything there now, so that a positive message goes to the fundamentalists fanatics and terrorists in that country The Hasina government recently announced a 15-point outline around the Indo-Pacific region It has been said to build a liberal, peaceful, secure and inclusive system for the prosperity of the region in line with India s position According to sources, New Delhi also wants to tell Washington that nothing should be done in that country so that the Awami League

Given that Bangladesh, a neighbor, is its closest and most dependable ally, India has given this visa policy great consideration India has been closely monitoring how the US decision has been received and any potential political fallout in the friendly neighbouring nation Bangladesh is significant to India for a variety of reasons Connectivity between India s mainland and the important northeast, which is a component of India’s “Look East” Policy may be at the top of the list

The Chicken s Neck a slender stretch of land that has long been a significant security concern, served as the only link between the northeast and India s mainland A sizable portion of the nation gets severed when the chicken’s neck is snapped Due to the several agreements that India and Bangladesh have made Bengal and Tripura can now be connected by sending products and people over land from India to Bangladesh India is now considerably better connected to the northeast than it was previously thanks to the opening of Chittagong port to Indian vessels, which will facilitate the delivery of products

The prevention of Bangladesh serving as a haven for its militants is another step in main-

BangladeshÊs stability and prosperity are important to India. The recent articles and reports by Indian writers and news outlets clearly indicate IndiaÊs growing concern over the US visa policy. Though the Indian authorities havenÊt formally clarified their stance on the issue, Indian analysts, journalists and civil society have delivered their concern against USÊs meddling in Bangladesh. The subtle statements of Indian media outlets indicate that India will negotiate with the USA in favour of their trusted neighbor Bangladesh and its ruling government

taining the northeast’s security Sheikh Hasina has performed admirably driving northeastern terrorists out of Bangladesh and even turning over ULFA militant Anup Chetia to India who was formerly feared The other major security concern for India is that Bangladesh not become the epicentre of Islamic terrorism in the southeast, which appeared possible in the early 2000s when Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh or the JMB ruled and its leaders like Bangla Bhai terrorized both India and Bangladesh India s involvement in Islamic terrorism began in Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina was the one who actively clamped down on organizations like the JMB that had free reign during Begum Khaleda Zia’s prior administration of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party

The connections between India Bangladesh and China are intertwined Bangladesh should not be included in China s String of Pearls plot to encircle India with the help of its neighbours Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives, Myanmar, and even the Seychelles have all followed this pattern

Despite accepting the Rohingya refugees Sheikh Hasina has received criticism from the western media both during this election and in the past for alleged human rights breaches Analysts in India believe this is a plot by the West to put pressure on Hasina

However, geography is not everything Industry is another thing The Indian industry is seriously interested in investing in Bangladesh given its GDP and economic growth The country has had an economic resurgence under Sheikh Hasina, which the business community expects will last

Finally, Bangladesh’s stability and prosperity are important to India The recent articles and reports by Indian writers and news outlets clearly indicate India s growing concern over the US visa policy Though the Indian authorities haven t formally clarified their stance on the issue, Indian analysts, journalists and civil society have delivered their concern against US’s meddling in Bangladesh The subtle statements of Indian media outlets indicate that India will negotiate with the USA in favour of their trusted neighbor Bangladesh and its ruling government

The writer is a freelance columnist

Such vehicles should be imported as have Airbags and Anti-Lock Braking Systems with installation facilities An automatic camera system should be installed at signals and a heavy fine should be imposed for violating them Public travel on public transport should be encouraged and it should be made safe and travel permits should be given only to those vehicles that are in good condition In addition, an emergency call centre should be created for vehicles racing on public transport where people can be informed about travel precautions and get immediate help Action should be taken Moreover there is a need to renew the fog line on highways every year to reduce traffic accidents due to fog Road accidents and traffic issues continue to be a significant problem in Pakistan To address this issue it is essential to implement strict traffic laws and regulations improve road infrastructure and invest in better traffic management By taking these measures we can reduce the number of accidents on our roads and ensure that our roads are safe for all drivers and pedestrians

The writer is a freelance columnist

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

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

Tourism potential of Balochistan

B A L O C H I S TA N is not generally perceived as a tourism option, which is rather unfortunate because there is a range of eye-catching spots available across the province For instance, the Zhob district with a population of more than half-a-million people holds great potential in this regard in addition to agriculture and livestock sectors

The district has various natural tourist points For instance Silyaza is one of the most famous areas known for its colourful scenery and tourism potential The road to Koh-i-Sulaiman (pictured above) also begins from Silyaza These beautiful sites need special attention of both the government and the private sector The government should promote these sites and the local investors should play their part by making their money talk

According to rough estimates there are more than a hundred tourist sites in Zhob Every year on special occasions like Eid and during the summer season the area attracts more than 10 000 people from other cities of Balochistan and the neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)

The flux of tourists from other areas has created small enterprises and promoted the local economy in the last few years The promotion of Silyaza in terms of tourism at the national level will improve the standard of living and strengthen the local economy It will also help them earn a decent amount in a relatively short period of time during the summers

Proper entrepreneurial training programmes and investment strategies are required to guide and encourage the local investors For this purpose business and academic linkages can play an important role The government should go for it as this is a win-win for all

The APN approach

T H E Covid pandemic brought the spotlight on the vital role played by nurses and paramedics who globally received accolades for being at the forefront battling one of the worst health crises of modern times The crisis has also nudged the world towards adopting more inclusive and modern methods to enhance the capacity of nurses This phenomenon has given impetus to the promotion of advanced practice nursing, which is a field aimed at improving the quality of healthcare delivery across the world

An advanced practice nurse (APN) is a registered nurse who has achieved advanced education and training at the master ’s or doctoral level in a particular specialty area of nursing An APN can provide advanced care to the patients independently or in collaboration with physicians utilising their vast experience and skills acquired in disease prevention diagnosis and management Estimates suggest that about 40 countries have established, or are in the process of setting up the required structures to adapt to basic APN concepts Unfortunately, Pakistan has not taken even a minor step towards that goal According to international standards there should be two doctors per 1 000 people but in Pakistan the ratio is less than one In addition Pakistan has a history of natural disasters including floods and earthquakes and various epidemics like cholera and diarrhoea outbreaks The country needs APNs to deal with such scenarios

Once we have APNs on board, we would have a patient-friendly environment, with primary healthcare being provided at their doorstep APNs would help detect and even treat life-threatening ailments with a timely response and the patients’ quality of life would stand improved through proper education and follow-up by APNs As is obvious APNs will relieve the physicians of their current burden by treating illnesses that do not require a specialist consultation Introducing APNs in Pakistan needs coordinated efforts from all the relevant stakeholders, including the government, the Pakistan Nursing Council, nursing associations, and healthcare institutions

It is essential to implement strict traffic laws and regulations, improve road infrastructure, and invest in better traffic management

Samara aShrat

R o a d a c c i d e n t s a n d t r a f f i c

i s s u e s i n P a k i s t a n

India will intervene with the USA

Development without growth

Investments cannot do miracles without democrac y in essence!

been witnessed in similar setups the world over Indonesia for that matter under Suharto also developed an ‘Incorporated image around its military infrastructure for production; but the world knew the mechanics at work

KE E P I N G in view the limitations of a national security state; states where the centrality of a narrative is necessary for the rationale of an exclusive state as against an inclusive one;

It is imperative to realize the handicaps associated with singular emphasis on ‘national security’ In the modern evolving nation states the importance of growth of the society with the economic development has been accorded importance by the independentminded academics as against the compromised ones who can be found advocating stale economic growth rates to justify socio-political controls

The period under discussion, generally referred to as post-WW2 and the Cold War has been characterized by the very simple notion that all a developing country needs are loads of FDI or foreign direct investment; preferably in consumables where the foreign investor and its local partners are able to reap a quick profit The proponent of that development model; regretfully the ace Pakistani economist Dr Mahbub ul Haque; whose name has been identified with two extra constitutional dispensations in the history of Pakistan; advocated ‘a capital surplus whose preservation demands banning of collective bargaining activity In other words; a civil system and polity; where the public is proverbially divided into worker bees and consumer bees To keep the consuming and the worker bees at rest, it was imperative that the inflation and exchange rate be kept at bay

Ironically the stable exchange rate regimes are za story of the past; especially the previous extraconstitutional periods; punctuated with the Cold War Afghan Jihad and War on Terror The last period degenerated into hybrid experiments, where a sort of invisible line wwas drawn while apparently the 1973 constitution was enforced!

As things stand; the current economic reality means that the exchange rates are expected to be volatile and so is inflation; whether it is defined as demand-pull by the central bank or is perceived to be cost-push by the industry in general In such a scenario; the best policy is to enable economic activity without too many questions asked as well as greater participation of the private sector, SME and the knowledge-based cream of the society; instead of ‘Ayub Khan’-style development models Pakistan now cannot have the likes of PIDC PICIC IDBP or even ADBP The exclusive financing domains of the organizations listed are dealt by mainstream commercial banking What is needed is for the private sector the investor, and the financial system to flow freely into the space and find good matches for economic opportunity

Taking the private sector-led discourse further; it is important that the development models give the private sector a leading role and not the auxiliary role as has

The products churned out of that defence industry were one- time; with no research and development witnessed, as it was not led by the private sector like French aviation model Dassault, the company that produced Mirages and now is known for Rafaele combat jets

Talking of the private sector the Indian example can shed some light on the desired path Indian democracy and commerce havwe flourished without any political surgeries and engineering Practically the political forces have been allowed the space in the Indian scene, as are the market forces Except for the infamous ‘Emergency of 1975’ when political activity was stalled; the Indian nation state has consciously avoided the occurrence again in its 76 years of democratic existence

That political process without any extra-constitutional intervention naked or hybrid has allowed the system continuation of the democratic culture There are no doubt exceptions to that even However, the political process ensured few benefits, which need to be taken note of by observers of political science in the context of the recipes of economic growth

Firstly the policy continuation was not the domain of any state institution or a political party The policy allowed equal opportunity for the central and the provincial set-ups to enhance their investment potential In India investments have been tolerated whether they landed in the right-of- centre-governed states or in the Communist Party-led governments in West Bengal or Kerala The nonpolitical forces neither had any influence on these as witnessed in pro-Pentagon states the world over, nor was it their business in the first place

Finally taking on the headline phrase; ‘development without growth ; in its entirety independent social scientists believe that a society s development paradigm does not rest on Dollar stability, inflow of FDI, as it is generally perceived by political systems which are ‘exclusive’ in nature The proponents of

The stakes for the marginalized masses are still the same, debated many times; they need to be themselves and be „on the scene‰ Being exploited by this or that elite club (read political opportunist groups) might not change the scene of despair Invariably the Creator does not change the plight of people (read Pakistani masses), if they are not interested in that either

the ‘exclusive’ system feel that with no freedom of expression or debate, all that the population at large needs are big flashy transport vehicles constant supply of food items and so on These proponents feel that a police state which feeds its subjects well is all a nation state structure in the Middle East West Asia or North Africa needs They fail to realize that the common man needs an enabling environment more than the invasive police state wresting away his right to free movement and speech Readers might well recall that the Tunisian intifada in December 2010 was triggered by a fruit vendor who was pressured by a police officer from the then police state of Tunisian capital for a bribe The vendor opted to immolate himself These instances of police state and similar high handedness are more than evident in today’s world of facts travelling from person to person in a state of fear; through the famously proverbial Seena gazette (rumour mill) Independent social scientists’ contention that development and growth complement each other is regretfully absent in the 2023 nation-state model professed by the systems at work here The FDI

India’s tough talk on Kashmir belies its lobbying for US support

Modi wants Indian citizens to believe he will not brook western inter ference in domestic affairs India’s ex tensive lobbying effor ts in Washington suggest a different realit y

tical planning and government relations assistance According to FARA filings, several communications have been established between the lobbying firm with US congresspersons on the subject of Kashmir For example, emails with the subject “Kashmir update” were sent to several Democrat congresspersons in January 2020

LOBBYING CONTRACTS: Later that year Indian farmers began mass protests against a set of new farming laws which they saw as a threat to their livelihoods In this instance, too, US lawmakers took note and expressed support for the farmers

MIDDLE EAST EYE

U rva S h S a r K a r

M“Y reputation is not decided by a newspaper in New York,” India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar declared in 2019 referring to foreign press criticism about the revoking of article 370 which nullified Indian Occupied Kashmir s autonomous status Jaishankar has repeatedly accused the US media of being biased and ideological on Kashmir and defended the move as India s internal business Jaishankar belongs to the right-wing Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) which forms the national government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi This week Modi is in Washington for a historic state visit

While his government publicly and robustly rebuffs American criticism of its domestic matters, behind the scenes it has been lobbying hard through the Indian embassy in Washington to present its version of events to US policy-makers

In May the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) a government body recommended for the fourth time that India be designated by the US State Department as a country of particular concern citing systematic violations of the right to freedom of religion The Indian government rejected the USCIRF charges as motivated and biased

The BJP’s blunt responses to international criticism on Kashmir and India’s increasingly problematic human rights record have resonated with large sections of the party’s rightwing nationalist voter base But tough postures aside how India is perceived among US policymakers and media matters greatly to the Modi government much as it mattered to preceding Indian governments This is because the US has emerged as one of India s most important bilateral partners, seen in steadily increasing trade ties and a burgeoning defence partnership

The Indian diaspora in the US is 4 9 million strong and influential in American politics Therefore when US congresspersons wade into domestic Indian issues it is with an eye on Indian diaspora voters

BEHIND THE SCENES: Shortly after the August 2019 abrogation of Article 370, Democrats Rashida Tlaib and Pramila Jayapal sponsored resolutions 724 and 745 denouncing human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir Reacting to the resolutions a former Indian ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla wrote a letter in December of that year to the US House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) In it Shringla argued that life in Indian Occupied Kashmir had returned to normalcy However, Indian Occupied Kashmir at that time was in the middle of a lengthy internet blackout and a continuing security clampdown, with Kashmiri political leaders still under house arrest

Documents filed under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) show that India also hired several lobbying firms to represent its stance to US lawmakers Foreign governments routinely utilise lobbying firms in the US to advocate their interests FARA laws require entities working in the US on behalf of foreign interests - such as the governments of foreign countries and foreign political parties - to disclose their work and register with the US government In December 2019, the Indian embassy hired a lobbying firm to provide “strategic counsel tac-

Two lobbying firms working for the Indian embassy, sent emails to US lawmakers on the subject and shared background information on the protests The Modi government signed lobbying contracts worth over $4 41m between June 2019 and September 2022

It was the period during which the Observer Research Foundation, a think tank created by Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries and which has close ties to the Ministry of External Affairs, established its Washington DC affiliate Dhruva Jaishankar the son of India’s foreign minister was appointed as director of the initiative in September 2019 while ORF America was incorporated in Washington DC in 2020 The US chapter of the Overseas Friends of BJP the foreign arm of the BJP, registered as a foreign agent in August 2020 STRAINED US TIES: This is not the only instance when the Indian government has felt compelled to accelerate its lobbying efforts India’s ambition of being a nuclear weapons power in the 1990s majorly strained ties with the US which imposed sanctions on India (and Pakistan) for conducting nuclear weapons tests in 1998

In 1996 lobbying constituted 10 51 percent of the total budget of the Indian embassy in Washington, according to a statement in the Indian parliament Between 1994 and 1999, the Indian embassy spent approximately $3 56m in lobbying fees and expenses with a range of lobbying firms according to FARA records In 2001 the US government lifted sanctions on India and in 2005 the two countries signed a 10-year defence partnership agreement widely regarded as a turning point

Under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, India lobbied hard for the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement 2008, which enabled India to import uranium and nuclear technology for its reactors despite not being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and resulted in major contracts for US energy companies Alongside lobbying firms the Indian diaspora in the US played a major role in enabling the agreement contributing with dollars and clout

LACK OF TRANSPARENCY: FARA documents show the Singh government spent approximately $4 93m between 2006 and 2010 in contracts with lobbying firms The government further spent approximately $2 2m from 2010 to April 2012 on lobbying firms according to Indian parliament data Doubtless India s lobbying expenditures are a tiny drop in the vast lobbying ocean of the United States The Open Secrets database points out that countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and Saudi Arabia spend millions of dollars annually lobbying the US government and decision-makers such as the media, universities and think tanks However, the lack of transparency under the Modi government is stark So far it has not disclosed any information on lobbying abroad whether in parliament or under the Right to Information Act

In February 2019 the Caravan magazine reported the existence of an obscure entity called the Democratic Party of India , which was operated by a lobbying firm hired by the Indian embassy No questions about this were raised in India’s parliament The Indian government wants citizens to believe that it is capable of retaliating against western criticism and will not brook interference in the country s internal affairs But the behind-the-scenes lobbying especially on Indian Occupied Kashmir, suggests a starkly different reality

Urvashi Sarkar is a journalist and writes on foreign policy, nuclear energy and climate change She is based in Delhi

models followed are outdated and have boomeranged in highly regimented and armed-to-the-teeth setups in Kemalist Turkey and monarchical Iran In Turkey after 2002 the state slowly ceded its space to the trend which it hated all along as part of its gospel; it means the secular state defeated by Islamist trends in politics In Iran of 1979, the FDI evaporated when the market where they came to sell their products rebelled against the very system which facilitated the FDI In both cases, not much space was left for the common person but to face the LEA and Intel sleuths over a benign expression of ideas by the old regimes Kemalist and Pahlavi What these two countries are now is the current history Though no nation state can be perfect to the core, however Pakistan s former colleagues in the RCD have been receptive to the winds of change; while Pakistan; elite as well as the masses; has opted to follow the beaten track For the proponents of a national security state it is important to realize that the silence enforced through force is temporary calm An expression of dissent within the system ensures its endurance better than the NSS referred to above For a stalemate like Pakistan, riddled with internal infighting, stalled political process and rule of force against the rule of law, these steps in isolation might not change much The systems at work have alienated the people at large with the elite fighting amongst itself for the control of resources

The stakes for the marginalized masses are still the same, debated many times; they need to be themselves and be on the scene Being exploited by this or that elite club (read political opportunist groups) might not change the scene of despair Invariably the Creator does not change the plight of people (read Pakistani masses) if they are not interested in that either

The writer is a freelance columnist

Why is Biden silent on Modi and India’s slide toward autocracy?

On India’s current trajec tor y toward repression, this will be impossible to achieve, in the Indo -Pacific or in India itself The countr y now ranks 161st on the World Press Freedom Index Freedom House and the Economist Intelligence Unit say it is no longer a fully free democrac y

IN D I A’S democracy is in danger There is no sound moral political or economic case for President Biden and other democratic leaders to pretend this isn t happening Yet the red carpets keep being rolled out This week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be welcomed for a lavish state dinner at the White House aimed at fostering a “free open prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific” region On India s current trajectory toward repression this will be impossible to achieve in the Indo-Pacific or in India itself The country now ranks 161st on the World Press Freedom Index Freedom House and the Economist Intelligence Unit say it is no longer a fully free democracy

This matters to us all India is in effect the world s biggest swing state in the struggle between democracies and autocracies It is both the world s largest democracy and a vital ally of the West in its rivalry with China

The challenge for Biden and other world leaders is how to get a genuine win for democracy in India how to not only recruit it into the democratic alliance but also persuade its leaders to reverse course and safeguard constitutional rights and freedoms Some contend these goals are in tension, but in fact they are one and the same An autocratic India will be no fast friend in the struggle against autocracies A sustainable alliance requires genuinely shared values

Positive reinforcement doesn’t seem to have worked On the contrary Modi has been feted and praised from Canberra to Paris including for his democratic credentials Yet his regime continues to muzzle big media and weaponize the legal system to crack down on dissent and has barred nearly 17,000 NGOs from receiving foreign funding from Oxfam to Delhi University

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi is the latest target of regime lawfare He was kicked out of Parliament in March after being convicted of defaming the prime minister s name The infamous Enforcement Directorate has increased investigations of political leaders by 400% since Modi came to power, with 95% of those targeted hailing from the opposition And all this has been in service of a Hindu nationalist regime that can be menacing to minorities Hate crimes against Muslims are up 300% since Modi came to power and new legislation threatens to disenfranchise a large percentage of the country s 200 million Muslims If praise hasn’t worked, maybe it’s time to try

a new strategy: criticism While acknowledging problems with their own democracies, world leaders and other opinion shapers need to go public with the concerns about Indian democracy that advocates like me often hear them express privately There will be blowback but good friends speak hard truths Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party will claim colonialism, bullying and Western hypocrisy But both Modi and Indians care about their international reputation, and the truth is they’re not running to China any time soon the two countries are nearly at war on India’s northern border India is profoundly culturally linguistically economically and politically entwined with the West and the democratic world The relationship is rapidly deepening as Western countries “decouple” their economies from China and shift industry to India That closeness makes a special relationship possible but it has to be a principled friendship if it is to last

And there is every reason to think that India could once again be a democracy that inspires the world Its constitution remains strong, and its Supreme Court shows signs of willingness to stand up to the regime It is governed by a highly federalized system with powerful state administrations half of whom are not in the hands of Modi s BJP Rahul Gandhi may have been kicked out of parliament, but his Congress Party just had its strongest showing since 1989 in the large state elections in Karnataka, in southern India

Authoritarians thrive on the aura of invincibility Every time we compromise with India’s current leaders we reinforce that strongman image and every time we criticize them we help puncture it

The criticism should be fair and constructive India s government deserves credit for progress on several fronts Just not on democratic freedoms And the right kind of pushback may actually persuade Modi to rein in the fanatics in his regime He is looking at possible successors such as his right-hand man and BJP pitbull Amit Shah, or Yogi Adityanath, chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state These men would probably take India in an even darker direction Populists tend to get ridden by the tigers they unleash Modi may genuinely fear the legacy he is on course to leave

But perhaps most importantly international criticism remains fair game for the Indian media to cover, and is thus a powerful way to reach the Indian public This is what the BJP fears most Their repression has been carefully hidden and spun to win over Indian voters Repression works well under this kind of veil but when exposed it can backfire and rapidly turn people against authoritarians

Biden says democracy is the single best way to realize the promise of our future He and many other influential supporters of democracy know that India’s democracy is in danger it’s time for them to say so loud and clear

Ricken Patel is founder and former chief executive of Avaaz a global organization promoting democracy and activism and is chair of Friends of Democracy

CHINA , FRANCE PLEDGE MORE COOPERATION, SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FOR SHARED FUTURE OF MANKIND

DU R I N G his fruitful France

tour Chinese Premier Li

Qiang held in-depth exchanges with various leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne President of the European Council (EU) Charles Michel and French Senate President Gerard Larcher on strengthening China-France and China-EU cooperation

Highlighting the common strategic and holistic perspectives shared by China and France Li called for further strengthening cooperation and communication to achieve mutual benefits and win-win results

China s development brings opportunities rather than risks to the world, sending stability rather than shocks to the global industrial chain and supply chain ” Li told Michel

As the highlight of Li s visit the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact aimed to explore the status and prospects of climate action and international financial system reform and was attended by representatives from over 100 countries

The closing ceremony of the summit attracted over 60 heads of state government and international organizations, with the focus on tackling debt burdens on vulnerable countries and climate change Li delivered a speech at the ceremony pledging China’s efforts to take practical steps to support its fellow developing countries

In a world full of disputes and un-

certainties China and Europe should seek common ground while reserving differences, Li noted, calling for expanding convergence while narrowing divergence, coping with the uncertainty of the international situation with the stability of China-Europe relations and jointly promoting the sustainable development of mankind Liu Mingli, a research fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told CGTN that advanced economies hold historical responsibilities for climate change and such summits can remind them of their responsibilities to provide aid to developing countries

China is actively promoting a green and low-carbon energy transition while participating in a responsible manner in promoting the global energy transition and addressing climate change Li said when delivering remarks on energy transition

Besides Li also called on the international community to advance the re-

China slams US indictment of Chinese companies, individuals on fentanyl-related charges

BEIJING

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Saturday that China strongly condemned US latest charges against Chinese companies and individuals over so-called crimes related to fentanyl production and has lodged serious démarches and strong protest to the US side US law enforcement personnel ensnared Chinese nationals through “sting operation” in a third-country and blatantly pressed charges against Chinese entities and individuals This is typical arbitrary detention and unilateral sanction which is completely illegal It seriously harms the basic human rights of the Chinese nationals and the interests of the Chinese companies concerned China strongly condemns this move and has lodged serious démarches and strong protest to the US side, a spokesperson from the ministry told media Things the US has so far been doing to address its concerns over the drug problem be it pressure tactics coercion or some kind of illegal operations

form of global financial governance and create a stable financing environment for developing countries, as well as advance economic globalization and free trade to inject fresh growth impetus into developing countries

L: During his meeting with Macron Li said China France and Europe have their own strengths and need to further strengthen cooperation, urging them to tap the potential of cooperation in such emerging areas as environmental protection digital economy artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing China and the EU should enhance mutual trust and address concerns through successful cooperation, which is conducive to the building of a multipolar world the Chinese premier noted in talks with Michel France was China s fourth-largest trading partner in the EU in 2022 with

total trade of 72 740 million euros ($76 653 million at the 2022 average exchange rate), accounting for 8 5 percent of the China-EU trade volume

In terms of exports of goods to China by the EU France (23 705 million euros) was the second-largest exporter China s infrastructure huge cluster strong labor pool and its demanding sophisticated urban consumers are very appealing, said Joerg Wuttke, former president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, adding there is a huge potential to deepen the economic cooperation between China and the EU

Noting that Li met with representatives of Chinese and French business communities during the visit, Liu told CGTN that it is vital for bilateral economic ties as it helps business leaders understand China’s policy Delivering a speech at a dinner with business representatives Li called on the two sides to jointly maintain the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains, strengthen cooperation on innovation, and foster a sound business environment He encouraged entrepreneurs from both countries to strengthen confidence seize opportunities and make joint efforts to achieve greater development and promote steady and long-term China-France and China-Europe cooperation

Mentioning that next year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism and the Paris Olympic Year Li told Larcher that the two sides should take this opportunity to strengthen people-to-people exchanges in an all-round way and enhance mutual understanding and friendship

Putin c alls armed rebellion by ‘mercenar y boss ’ a betrayal; vows to defend Russia

MOSCOW

President Vladimir Putin vowed Saturday to defend Russia against an armed rebellion by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin who led his troops out of Ukraine and into a key city south of Moscow

The uprising which Putin called a stab in the back, was the biggest threat to his leadership in over two decades in power

The private army led by Prigozhin appears to control the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, a city 660 miles (over 1 000 kilometres) south of Moscow that runs Russian offensive operations in Ukraine Britain s Ministry of Defense said in an intelligence briefing In his address Putin called the uprising by Prigozhin, whom he did not mention by name, a betrayal and treason

“All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment ” Putin said “The armed forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders Prigozhin called himself a patriot Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the president was deeply mistaken We are patriots of our homeland,” he said in an audio message on his Telegram channel He said his fighters would not turn themselves in at the request of Putin, as we do not want the country to live on in corruption deceit and bureaucracy ” Prigozhin s Wagner private military contractor has been fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine It wasn’t immediately clear what his aims were, but the rebellion marks an escalation in Prigozhin s struggle with Russian military leaders who he has accused of botching the war in Ukraine and hamstringing his forces in the field

“This is not a military coup but a march of justice Prigozhin said Prigozhin confirmed

Canada launches probe into Titanic sub tragedy

TOR ONTO

A G E N C I

E S

Canadian authorities said Friday they would launch an investigation into the loss this week of the Titan submersible along with five people onboard during a dive to the Titanic wreck

The Canadian-flagged Polar Prince cargo vessel towed the Titan out to sea last weekend but lost contact with it about an hour and 45 minutes after the submersible launched into the ocean depths

The Canadian Transportation Safety Board said “as the investigation authority of the flag state of the support vessel it would conduct a safety investigation regarding the circumstances of this operation

The US Coast Guard said Thursday that all five people aboard the submersible had died after the vessel suffered a “catastrophic implosion ”

A debris field was found on the seafloor 1 600 feet (500 meters) from the bow of the Titanic

The somber announcement ended a multinational search-and-rescue operation that captivated the world since the tiny tourist craft went missing in the North Atlantic four days earlier

The Transportation Safety Board routinely probes air, rail marine and pipeline accidents with the aim of improving transportation safety It does not assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability

The independent agency said it has sent investigators to St John s, Newfoundland, from where the Polar Prince set sail, to gather information, conduct interviews, and assess the occurrence ”

“In the coming days we will coordinate our activities with other agencies involved ” it added in a statement

The Polar Prince is majority owned by the Miawpukek First Nation

Saturday he and his troops reached Rostov-on-Don after crossing the border from Ukraine He posted a video of himself at the Russian military headquarters in Rostov and claimed that his forces had taken control of the airfield and other military facilities in the city Other videos posted on social media showed military vehicles including tanks on the streets Prigozhin said his forces faced no resistance from young conscripts as they crossed into Russia saying his troops aren t fighting against children But we will destroy anyone who stands in our way, he said in one of a series of angry video and audio recordings posted on social media beginning late Friday “We are moving forward and will go until the end ” Putin condemned the rebellion which comes at a time when Russia is fighting the toughest battle for its future as Western governments heap sanctions on Moscow and arm Ukraine

The entire military, economic and information machine of the West is waged against us, Putin said Russia’s security services called for Prigozhin’s arrest after he declared an armed rebellion late Friday In a sign of how seriously the Kremlin took the threat authorities declared a counterterrorist regime in Moscow and its surroundings allowing restricted freedoms and enhancing security in the capital

It was not immediately clear how Prigozhin was able to enter the southern Russian city or how many troops he had with him Prigozhin said his aim was to punish Defense Minister Sergei Shogun after Russian government forces attacked Wagner field camps in Ukraine with rockets helicopter gunships and artillery Gen Valery Gerasimov chief of the General Staff ordered the attacks following a meeting with Shoigu at which they decided to destroy Wagner, Prigozin said He said Wagner ’s forces shot down a Russian military helicopter that fired on a civilian convoy but there was no independent confirmation Prigozhin said he had 25 000 troops under his command and urged the army not to offer resistance

After Putin s address, in which the Russian leader didn t mention concrete steps to suppress the rebellion but rather called for unity in the face of the revolt, officials and state media personalities in the country sought to publicly reiterate their allegiance to the Kremlin and urged Prigozhin to back down

Vyacheslav Volodin the speaker of Russia s lower house of parliament the State Duma said that the Duma lawmakers stand for the consolidation of forces″ and support Putin, adding that Wagner fighters must make the only right choice: to be with their people on the side of the law to protect the security and future of the Motherland to follow the orders of the Commander-in-Chief

Opposition in India to fight 2024 Lok Sabha election together, says Kumar

The Chief Minister of the Indian state of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, has said that all opposition parties in the country are united and will fight together against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next Lok Sabha election

The leaders of the opposition parties after a mega meeting in Patna jointly held a press conference where they said that they also decided to hold another meeting in Shimla on July 10 or 12 to decide the seats on which they would contest in the Lok Sabha election

“We have a good and positive meeting today where we have decided to contest the Lok Sabha election together The next meeting will take place under the chairmanship of (Congress President) Mallikarjun Kharge in Shimla where we will decide on seats If we stand together, we will reduce the BJP to under 100 seats,” Nitish Kumar said He said those who are in power are not working in the interest of the country They want to change the history and constitution of the country and if they come again to power in the country they will change the constitution

On his part, Kharge said, We are trying to come up with a common agenda to fight together in the Lok Sabha election The next meeting will take place in Shimla We have to make a separate strategy for every state for fighting the Lok Sabha election National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said that his party has been working against the party of Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena) in Maharashtra for the last 25 years but now come together to save the Constitution and the country

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said the Modi government has become a dictatorship in the country

The BJP and the RSS are attacking the democratic base of our country This is a fight of ideology and we are standing by the opposition parties to fight against the BJP We will work together and save our common ideology ” she added

No evidence Covid created in Chinese lab: US intelligence

CHINA A F P

The head of US intelligence said on Friday that there was no evidence that the Covid-19 virus was created in the Chinese government s Wuhan research lab In a declassified report, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) said that they had no information backing recent claims that three scientists at the lab were some of the very first infected with Covid-19 and may have created the virus themselves Drawing on intelligence collected by various member agencies of the US intelligence community (IC), the ODNI report said some scientists at the Wuhan lab had done genetic engineering of coronaviruses similar to Covid-19

But the US has no information indicating they had done such work on the specific Covid-9 virus, known as SARS-CoV-2, or on any close progenitor, or a backbone virus that is closely related enough to have been the source of the pandemic ” The report made for Congress and carry-

ing an unreleased classified annexe, came three months after lawmakers demanded a fuller explanation of US intelligence s information on the origins of the pandemic which erupted at the end of 2019 Some lawmakers allege that the virus was created out of so-called gain-offunction genetic engineering research at Wuhan and that Beijing had covered up evidence to show it was a man-made disease

Reiterating a conclusion announced in March the ODNI report said almost all of its constituent agencies which include the NSA, the CIA and the FBI, assess that Covid19 was not genetically engineered and most believe as well it was not laboratory-adapted

But the ODNI report, as in March, did not dismiss the possibility that Covid-19 was being examined in the Wuhan lab at the time and may have leaked out through carelessness

ODNI said the intelligence community remained divided on whether the pandemic arose from a natural occurrence of the virus perhaps transferred from animals like bats or from a lab leak

The report said the Wuhan lab had done

pathogen research and vaccine development together with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for public health needs But the coronaviruses used in this research were too distantly related to have led to the creation of SARS-CoV-2, the report said

It firmly rejected allegations that Covid19 was developed by the PLA as a bioweapon

The ODNI report responded to the allegation that three of the scientists at the Wuhan facility who were working on coronaviruses came down with Covid-19 around just ahead of the outbreak It said US intelligence found that several Wuhan researchers did become “mildly” ill in the Fall of 2019

Some of their symptoms were consistent with Covid-19; other symptoms were not consistent it said It also said US intelligence did not know if those who became sick handled live viruses in their work

The IC continues to assess that this information neither supports nor refutes either hypothesis of the pandemic’s origins because the researchers’ symptoms could have been caused by a number of diseases it said

EBM wins Pakistan’s first-ever Cannes Gold Glass Lion

ForeiGN iNveStorS urGe Govt to AddreSS ANomAlieS iN 2023-24 BudGet

tax on income which is subjected to a capped rate of 50 percent

This tax is intended for extraordinary gains resulting from economic factors determined by the federal government over the previous five years The OICCI finds this proposal "ambiguous and unclear," as the term "unexpected income, profits and gains" lacks a clear definition The retrospective implementation for the past five tax years without allowing for losses is perceived as unjust and obstructive to businesses

The OICCI warns the FBR chairman of the potential for numerous legal disputes if the additional tax is approved by parliament Regarding the withholding tax rates on the sale of goods and services which have been increased by one percentage point in all categories, the OICCI recommends a complete overhaul of the entire withholding tax system The rep-

Islamabad Capital Police organizes special feast for mar tyrs

families, ghazis

IESCO issues power suspension schedules for June 25 & 26th

resentative body suggests simplifying the withholding tax rate structure and making all withholding tax rates adjustable Additionally it calls for a reduction in the rate for taxpayers who comply with tax regulations

The OICCI acknowledges that some of the proposed tax measures will hinder efforts to broaden the tax base For instance, it suggests reintroducing the requirement of providing CNIC (Computerized National Identity Card) for retail transactions above a certain threshold Furthermore it advocates for making the point-of-sale system mandatory for sales tax, integrating it with traders' income tax returns On the contrary, the OICCI opposes the proposed exclusion of certain retailers such as furniture retailers with shops measuring 2 000 sq ft or more and other retailers with shops measuring 1 000 sq ft or more, from the definition of Tier-1 retailer This exclusion goes against the concept of expanding the tax base

Similarly, the representative body of multinational corporations objects to the proposed immunity on foreign remittances outlined in the budget The current provision allows the commissioner to investigate the sources of any unexplained investment and assets In case of unsatisfactory explanations, the amount in question is added to the taxpayer's income and taxed accordingly

However, remittances received from abroad through permissible channels are exempt from such investigation Previously there was no cap on such remittances until 2017-18 but it was then introduced at Rs10 million per year and subsequently reduced to Rs5 million in subsequent years The latest finance bill proposes increasing the limit to the equivalent of $100 000 per year The OICCI argues that this immunity is susceptible to misuse and therefore should be eliminated

To read the full article visit www dawn com

Pak istan, Uzbek istan to boost biletral transit trade to $1b: Amb Usmanov

ISLAMABAD

M I A N A B R A R

Uzbekistan Ambassador Mr Oybek Usmanov Saturday hoped that the Transit Trade and Preferential Trade Agreement which became effective since March of this year would help boost bilateral trade from US$ 150 million to US$ one billion soon

Uzbekistan-Pakistan Inter-governmental Commission on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation (IGC) was held in February 24th this year in Tashkent Transit Trade and Preferential trade Agreements which became effective since March of this year allowed to reach bilateral trade volume of $150 million

The Road Map agreement to increase bilateral trade upto $1 billion was signed during IGC meeting and the next step will be the signing Road map on Industrial cooperation, Inshallah, said the Ambassador while addressing a group of leading journalists and scholars gathered from various think-tanks here at the Uzbekistan Embassy to observe the Day of Journalism in Uzbekistan

Referring to the Day of Journalism Ambassador

Oybek Usmanov said that on June 27 1906 in Tashkent was published first ever in Central Asia Uzbek newspaper under the title TARAQQI

Likewise, the 1st ever newspaper in Urdu by the name ‘Jam-e Jahon Numa’ was published 1822 in Kolkatta, and ‘Daily Jang’ Urdu newspaper was published in 1939 in Karachi then ‘Daily Imroze’ in Urdu was launched in Lahore in 1947 said the Ambassador

So it s a great honour to me to congratulate Pakistani prominent experts and journalists photographers with this professional event It s well known indeed that

Global South to capitalise on its strength and contribute its share in climate action: Amb. Nafees Zakaria

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Executive Director COMSATS Ambassador Dr Mohammad Nafees Zakaria emphasized that the Global South need to capitalise on its strengths and play its due role in advancing climate action shaping global climate policy, and contributing to a sustainable and resilient future for all

He noted that while one can’t fight the nature no matter how powerful a country may be but efforts based on recurring experience supported devising ways to help prepare and mitigate impact by bringing about solutions manifested in scientific political social and cultural measures Ambassador Zakaria urged participants to consider advice to states for using policy instrument to address impact of solid waste on deteriorating environment & climate change He was addressing a webinar in Islamabad titled Advancing Climate Diplomacy in the Global South: The Road to COP28

The webinar organized by the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) in hybrid mode highlighted the importance of climate diplomacy and promoted the cause of South-South Cooperation About 50 persons comprising representatives of UN agencies government bodies R&D institutions civil society as well as academia, attended the webinar Technical talks, five in all, were given by representatives of international organizations focusing at climate change Prof Jinghua Cao Executive Director ANSO noted that the developing countries have assumed a greater role in the global development landscape and added that China

journalists play an important role in society as a source of news, information and opinion They provide an important public service by uncovering the truth and holding the powerful accountable Journalists help create informed citizens who can make decisions based on facts rather than rumour he added He said one of the most important roles of journalism is to educate people about the world, helps people understand their place in society and ongoing events

“Journalism is an important pillar of democracy and any statehood because it promotes human rights and freedom of the press Journalism promotes democracy by providing a platform for citizens to share their voices Journalists across the world face serious risks and threats every day, just for doing their jobs – reporting the news and bringing information to the public, he added

Referring to the upcoming Presidential elections in Uzbekistan Amb Usmanov said that the renewed Basic Law unites society around the idea of building a new Uzbekistan It states that Uzbekistan s foreign policy is based on the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity of states, non-use of force or threat of force, peaceful settlement of disputes non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and norms of international law In addition Uzbekistan pursues a peaceful foreign policy aimed at developing bilateral and multilateral relations with states and international organizations, he added

“Global and regional cooperation processes have reached a new level My President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s international initiatives have received broad support from the international community The foreign policy of the New Uzbekistan has led to fundamental changes in the political atmosphere in Central Asia and to the recognition of close interconnectivity with South Asia and interdependence at the sub-regional and global levels,” he added

“Our bilateral exports is almost the same between Pakistan and Uzbekistan PM Shehbaz Sharif is likely to visit Uzbekistan to attend SCO conference he added Managing Director APP Mohammad Asim Khichi said that journalists can influence policies and transform the institutions

“Media is very vibrant and positive criticism is welcome and the government changes its policies in light of criticism of media Media is influential in bringing the people together I hope that media exchanges can really help Pakistan and Uzbekistan governments learn from each other s experiences he concluded

CDWP APPROVES 29 DEVELOPMENT

PROJECTS WORTH RS 309.11 BILLION

Resigning from PML-N roles, Miftah retires from electoral politics

ISLAMABAD

Former finance minister Miftah Ismail officially tendered his resignation from various offices within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday expressing his intention to step away from participation in electoral politics

In his resignation letter addressed to PML-N secretary general Ahsan Iqbal, Ismail said: Given the forthcoming restructuring of the party, I believe it is time for me to formally acknowledge what is already true and move on ”

Consequently he resigned from his role as general secretary of the Sindh chapter of PML-N and all party committees as mentioned in the letter

Expressing gratitude Ismail thanked the party leadership, including party supremo Nawaz Sharif and President Shehbaz Sharif, for their unwavering support and trust throughout the years

He also acknowledged senior leaders such as Iqbal

Economic meltdown spurs more people to risk lives to reach Europe

KHUIRATTA R E U T E R S

Hameed Iqbal Bhatti had prospered over two decades working in Saudi Arabia, but after returning to Pakistan three years ago, he was getting desperate

The economy had suffered in the pandemic and his restaurant business closed With work avenues drying up and sky-high inflation blowing a hole in his budget the 47-year-old cobbled together $7 600 for a trafficker to smuggle him into Europe where he hoped to rebuild the life he once had his brother

Muhammad Sarwar Bhatti, 53, told Reuters

He told me that he would start afresh for his children’s future and the life he wanted for them,” the elder Bhatti said at the family home in Azad Jammu and Kashmir

A boat that left Libya carrying the younger Bhatti and hundreds of others sank off Greece last week in one of the deadliest migrant disasters of recent years He is missing and presumed dead, according to his brother, highlighting the perils faced by people who seek to enter Europe illegally

Pakistanis have been making these journeys in increasing numbers in recent months because of the economic crisis according to more than a dozen migrants and their relatives experts and data reviewed by Reuters

Cash-strapped Pakistan s $350 billion economy is in a meltdown, with inflation at a record 38 percent A rapidly depreciating currency and external deficit led the government to adopt drastic measures over the past year to avoid default

But with that came a huge hit to growth and jobs The industrial sector Pakistan s economic engine provisionally contracted almost 3 percent in the current financial year troubling for a nation of 230 million with more than 2 million new entrants to the labour force annually Official unemployment data have not been published in two years Hafeez Pasha a former finance minister and an economist renowned for his work on the labour force put the jobless rate at a record 11-12 percent, conservatively Pakistan s information ministry did not respond to questions from Reuters about economic factors fuelling migration

PUSHED TO THE BRINK: The 102 000 detections of irregular migrants at the European Union s external border between January and May was 12 percent higher than the previous year and the most since 2016, according to Frontex, the bloc s border and coast guard agency

Crossings of the central Mediterranean via Libya, mainly to Italy and Greece nearly doubled accounting for about half of the total Currently

Pakistanis are the No 3 nationality registered in Italy coming from Libya after Egyptians and Bangladeshis, a Frontex spokesperson told Reuters in an email Of the detections this year through May, 4,971 were from Pakistan, a record for the country on the central Mediterranean route in a single year, according to Frontex data that go back to 2009 Pakistan on Monday observed a day of mourning after the latest boat disaster At least 209 Pakistanis were believed to be on board according to official data based on information provided by relatives

Even before last week s sinking, numerous Pakistanis had perished in the Mediterranean this year

Muhammad Nadeem, 38, was aboard a boat that sank off Libya in February killing more than 70 Nadeem from the eastern city of Gujrat had three children and also supported his younger sister and mother He worked as a salesman at a furniture store but his wages were modest and rising inflation had made their situation precarious, according to his mother, Kosar Bibi

Minister High-Tech Skills Training & Global Skills worth Rs 19,330 000 million were also referred for approval

ECP extends voter registration deadline till July 23

where they want their names enrolled The prescribed Form (Enrolment / Transfer of Vote) is available online at the ECP website or they can be obtained free of cost from the office of the District Election Commissioner /Registration Officer OR Assistant Registration Officer/Display Centre Incharge

g p a c t a t Pa r i s s u m m i t

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif passionately made the case for a new global financial system that better aligns with the interests and needs of the Global South during the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact held in Paris

Invited by President Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister visited France to participate in the summit which took place from June 22-23

As a panellist for the Round Table on Innovative Instruments and Financing to Address Vulnerabilities, Prime Minister Sharif emphasized the need for a comprehensive reassessment to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of resources and the provision of adequate financing for sustainable development and climate goals

He also shared Pakistan s experience in addressing the consequences of last year ’s catastrophic floods highlighting the mobilization of a national effort for early response resilient recovery reconstruction, and rehabilitation

Against the backdrop of multi-

ple crises impacting the world particularly developing countries the New Global Financing Pact Summit aimed to foster a new consensus, including the reform of the international financial system, to effectively advance the global development agenda Pakistan as one of the largest developing countries deeply affected by climate change brought a crucial perspective to this critical debate Accompanying the Prime Minister were Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Sherry Rehman Minister for Economic Affairs Division Ayaz Sadiq Minister for Information

Marriyum Aurangzeb Minister of State for Finance Ayesha Pasha and Special

Assistant Tariq Fatemi

During the summit, Sharif engaged with numerous world leaders including the French President Saudi Crown Prince German Chancellor Presidents of Brazil Kenya Ghana Sri Lanka Egypt Niger and Cuba as well as Prime Ministers of Barbados and Ethiopia, and the UN SecretaryGeneral He also held bilateral meetings with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank Dr Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, and Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva These high-level meetings provided an opportunity to exchange views on bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation Prime Minister Sharif emphasized the need for global solidarity and a collective approach based on enhanced cooperation and shared responsibilities in tackling global challenges of development and climate change

AC a c q u i t s N aw a z S h a r i f i n p l o t s ’ a l l o t m e n t r e f e r e n c e

An accountability court on Saturday acquitted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the plots allotment reference The accountability court conducted hearing of the case wherein Advocate Qazi Misbah appeared before court on behalf of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif

During the hearing, the former prime minister s lawyer said the NAB reference was based on mala fide intention He said Nawaz Sharif had no role in allotment of plots He further said the case was not maintainable under the new law

After hearing the arguments Accountability Court Judge Rao Abdul Jabbar acquitted Nawaz Sharif of the charges of illegally allotment of plots

Khawaja Asif Ayaz Sadiq Pervaiz Rasheed and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi among others for their kindness and cooperation While declaring his withdrawal from politics Ismail emphasized a shared vision with the party members for a socially just, economically stable, and well-governed Pakistan He concluded his letter by extending his best wishes to Ahsan Iqbal the party and all its leaders

Ismail’s proposals during his five-month tenure last year faced criticism from Maryam Nawaz senior vice president of the party who publicly disowned his decision to increase petroleum prices

He resigned as finance minister in September to make way for Ishaq Dar In January, Ismail alleged that Dar was behind his removal as finance minister He also publicly criticised Dar ’s handling of the IMF negotiations Ismail along with Abbasi Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Aslam Raisani initiated the Reimagining Pakistan campaign aiming to address the country s challenges and develop a consensus on the necessary actions to overcome them

The leaders emphasised that the campaign was not intended to launch a political party and declared it to be an “apolitical” initiative

Hours-long power outages rile KP as shortfall surges to 35pc

PESHAWAR

A Z I Z B U N E R I

The electricity load-shedding duration exceeded 10 to 12 hours in most areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which has multiplied miseries of the masses already reeling under intense heatwave while the electricity shortfall reached 35% in the province

Due to the increase in heat-wave intensity the feeble system of PESCO failed to ensure power supply for a long duration to the consumers The forced closure of transmission system has given rise to loadshedding in different areas as a result the routine life of citizens is badly affected

Currently the demand for electricity in KP stands at 3 323MW while 2 150MW of electricity is being supplied to KP from the National Grid Out of the total of 262 feeders, 250 feeders are overloaded this month According to the Peshawar Electric Supply Company sources, there is a gap of more than 35% in the demand and supply of electricity from the center due to which the minimum load-shedding period is eight hours

The sources said that the load-shedding period was also high in areas where recovery is very low or nonexistent They informed that continuous power transmission is also not possible due to the very dilapidated transmission system of PESCO in the province In the face of intense heat, the transmission system of PESCO is unable to provide continuous electricity due to which the PESCO administration has to give the system a break resulting in forced load-shedding of electricity

Due to hours long load-shedding in the whole province including Peshawar, the life of the citizens has been badly affected According to the business community, owing to the non-supply of electricity during commercial hours by PESCO the business has been severely affected and the electricity bills have also increased the difficulties of the businessmen

According to the traders despite production exceeding the demand for electricity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there is no electricity supply to the province due to which industry, commercial centres and common people are facing serious problems

C J C S C a t t e n d s p a s s i n g o u t c e r e m o n y o f n av a l c a d e t s

KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T

The commissioning parade of cadets of the 119th Midshipmen and 27th Short Service Commission was held at the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported on Saturday Cadets from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were also among the graduating cadets During the event the Sword of Honour was awarded to

Midshipman Muhammad Mustafa and the Quaid-e-Azam Gold medal was presented to Lt Badar Ali Officer Cadet Sanaullah Safeer was awarded the CJCSC Gold Medal Officer Cadet Abdul Rahman Jaza S Alharthi from KSA was awarded the Chief of Naval Staff Gold Medal Chairperson Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza was the chief guest on the occasion He was received by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi

30 Pakistani manufac turers to showc ase tex tile, apparel exper tise at Tex world