Epaper_23-06-26 KHI

NA APPROVES FINANCE BILL 2023 TO HELP CLINCH IMF DEAL

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NEW TAXES OF RS215B IMPOSED ON ALREADY OVERBURDENED CONSUMERS

A total of nine amendments were introduced in the Finance Bill 2023-24 – eight of the government while one of the opposition – and all were approved

g TAX COLLECTION TARGET INCREA SED FROM RS9,200 BILLION TO RS9,415B

TH E National Assembly on Sunday approved the federal budget for the next fiscal year of 2023-24 as Pakistan tries to secure the crucial International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a final bid to clinch a much-delayed rescue package Under the Finance Bill 20232024, which was approved with a majority vote the tax collection target has increased from Rs9 200 billion to Rs9 415 billion and pension payment increased from Rs761 billion to Rs801 billion

Moreover, under National Finance Commission (NFC), instead of Rs5,276 billion, Rs5,390 billion will be received Rs215 billion new taxes are also imposed under the Finance Bill s further amendment and the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) budget has been increased from Rs450 billion to Rs466 billion

The federal development budget is allocated at Rs950 billion

The clause-wise approval of the bill had begun in the NA earlier on Sunday Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also presented an amendment to the Petroleum Development Levy Ordinance which was approved by the House with a majority vote In the amendment, the petroleum development levy limit was increased from Rs50 per liter to Rs60 per liter

Opposition member Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali s amendment authorising the chairman standing committee to use a 1200 cc vehicle, was also accepted The government did not oppose the opposition member ’s amendment Earlier 1300 cc to 1600 cc vehicles were allowed

Except for Chitrali the sole member of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in the NA all the government and opposition members opposed taking the opinion of the Islamic Ideological Council (IIC) on the Finance Bill due to the inclusion of interest

The JI member has demanded to send the bill to the IIC for an Islamic-scale review

Speaking on the floor of the House, the finance minister said that the country has a massive burden of pensions adding that the cost has reached Rs800 billion He maintained that pension-related reforms are being attempted and that pension cash accounting will become unsustainable in the future Dar also clarified the issue of

two pensions, saying that officers of grade 17 or above with two or more pensions will be entitled to one pension only He added that the officers with a higher pension will be able to choose one of the

pensions of their choice and on the death of a retired government officer, the widow will be able to obtain funds

PM Shehbaz meets IMF chief for third time to foster deal expectations

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz

Sharif met International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva for the third time in Paris, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to fulfilling the loan programme

According to a report published by The News the encounter between the two dignitaries took place before the premier left for London and encompassed their discussion on the new financing pact on the sidelines of the world leaders’ summit

During the meeting PM Shehbaz thanked the IMF chief for acknowledging

Pakistan s economic situation Pakistan is determined to fulfill all its commitments, the prime minister said, adding that Pakistan valued the assistance of the world towards helping it out of the severe economic challenges

The floods in Pakistan further increased the economic difficulties but despite that, the government gave relief to its people, he noted PM Shehbaz stated it was the right of the people of Pakistan to receive relief as economic challenges caused a lot of unbearable pain to people S TA F F R E P O R T

Parliament adopts bill restricting lawmaker disqualification to five years

In a long-awaited development the National Assembly passed a bill on Sunday that seeks amendments to the Elections Act, 2017, aimed at granting increased powers to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)

The bill, moved by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, aims to empower the regulator to unilaterally announce poll dates along with the authority to make modifications to the election programme as necessary

Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf presented the bill for voting, and it was passed with a majority The proposed amendments in Section 57(1) stipulate the commission shall announce the date or dates of the general elections through an official gazette notification and call upon the constituencies to elect their representatives

This move aims to streamline the electoral process

and provide the ECP with greater autonomy the government said

The amendments also include a proposed change to Section 58(1) which empowers the ECP to make alterations to the election programme after the initial notification has been issued

The commission may modify the elections programme for different stages of the election or issue a fresh programme with new poll dates, if deemed necessary as per the Act

Additionally, the bill approved by the National Assembly includes an amendment to Section 232 (Qualifications and Disqualifications) of the Election Act

According to this amendment lawmakers will face disqualification for a period of five years in cases where the Constitution does not specify the duration of the punishment The disqualification will be imposed based on orders from the Supreme Court or high courts

The proposed amendment to the law is expected to

provide benefits to Nawaz Sharif the supreme leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Jahangir Tareen, a former minister

Both individuals were disqualified by the Supreme Court in 2017 on grounds of being deemed “dishonest” under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution which sets the precondition for an MP to be sadiq and ameen (honest and righteous)

PROPOSED PRIVILEGES TO EX-SENATORS

OPPOSED: Meanwhile, Minister for Defence Khawaja

Asif appealed to the House not to support the recently passed bill entitling the Senate chairman, the deputy, members and chairmen of the committees of the upper house of parliament a number of privileges as well as allowances citing the nation s inability to afford such incentives in the current economic situation

Speaking in the National Assembly after the passage of the budget for the fiscal year 2023-24, the minister expressed his respect for senators and the Senate, as he

himself began his political career in the Senate

However, he emphasized that the people and business community were facing immense difficulties due to the ongoing financial crisis

Pointing out that the salary of an MP stood at Rs168 000 per month which was lower than that of a federal secretary the minister argued that providing additional privileges under the prevailing financial circumstances was not feasible

He commended Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his entire finance team for presenting a balanced budget despite the critical situation, expressing hope for the beginning of a new era of economic stability F u r t h e r m o r e t h e m i n i s t e r c l a r i f i e d t h e g o v e r nment was not bearing the expenses or providing any s p e c i a l f a c i l i t i e s f o r N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y m e m b e r s t o p e r f o r m H a j j H e a d d e d t h a t e v e n o r d i n a r y p e o p l e w e r e p a r t o f t h e s p e c i a l f l i g h t a r r a n g e d t o t r a n s p o r t pilgrims to Saudi Arabia

MINISTER URGES REVIEW OF FATA MERGER

ISLAMABAD

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MI N I S T E R for Communication Asad Mehmood called on the government to conduct a comprehensive review of the merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in response to the ongoing challenges faced by the region

In 2018 the parliament passed legislation to merge the tribal regions along the Afghanistan border with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a key step to ending the region s much-criticised colonial-era governance system Before the legislation, the semi-autonomous region consisted of seven big districts and six towns known as FATA and had been governed for over 150 years by colonial-era tribal laws

Rights groups have long argued that residents of FATA have the same laws as

Joint Archaeological Research meeting on Basha ancient rock car vings held

ISLAMABAD s tA f f R e p o R t

“Chinese civilization has been enriched by interactions with other civilizations such as interaction with Islamic civilization

Buddhism and Western civilization Senator

Mushahid Hussain Sayed said at the joint Archaeological research meeting on Basha ancient rock carvings which was held here

Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) has organized the meeting with the participation of Chinese and Pakistani archeologists According to Gwadar Pro Prof Li Xiguang Eminent Chinese Scholar presided over the meeting which discussed ways to protect and preserve important rock carvings and inscriptions at Basha ranging from the 7th millennium B C to the 16th century A D via 3-D scanning documentation replication and relocation

According to Sayed the first example of connectivity in this region was the Silk Route, 2000 years ago which was the real example of globalization, with China leading the way “We are very happy that the silk route has now been revived by the Belt and Road Initiative which is the most important diplomatic and developmental initiative of the 21st century

the rest of Pakistan pointing out that the use of collective punishment and other prepartition laws against local people tramples basic rights During his address to the National Assembly, Mehmood stressed the importance of ascertaining the desires of the people of FATA through a referendum

He emphasised that while progress has been observed in FATA it is crucial to obtain firsthand information about the issues faced by the local population He urged government officials to personally visit the area and assess the ground realities to gain a comprehensive understanding

In addition to addressing the merger the minister clarified that the matter of appointments within Pakistan Post is currently under review by a committee He assured the House that once the committee concludes its deliberations, the findings will be shared Mehmood emphasized the need to avoid exploiting this issue for political gain

and highlighted discrepancies in the appointment of division personnel He even pledged to resign from his position if it is proven that an individual from one division has been appointed to another division as claimed by a Member of the National As-

sembly Highlighting the achievements of the Pakistan Post the minister proudly acknowledged the organisation s remarkable progress under the diligent efforts of its officers Notably, Pakistan Post has successfully overcome financial deficits and received international recognition for its accomplishments

Furthermore Mehmood underscored the expansion of road networks and motorways across the country, leading to improved connectivity for citizens He revealed that approximately 50 new projects have been included in the current Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) demonstrating the government s commitment to national development The minister also disclosed that over the past year, around 2,000 contract employees have been regularised without any discrimination, reflecting the government’s dedication to providing equitable employment opportunities

H u g e c r owd s c i r c l e K a a b a a s h a j j b e g i n s i n S a u d i h e at

MECCA

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Vast crowds of robed pilgrims made solemn circles around the Kaaba the black cube at Mecca s Grand Mosque on Sunday as the biggest hajj pilgrimage in years began in the heat of the Saudi summer Islam’s holiest site is expected to host more than two million worshippers from 160 countries during the annual rites that could break attendance records with 1 6 million foreigners already arrived by Friday evening

The hajj began early on Sunday with the “tawaf” the circumambulation of the Kaaba the large cubic structure draped in black cloth with gold trimmings that millions of Muslims pray towards every day

I am living the most beautiful days of my life, said Abdel-Azim, a 65year-old Egyptian as he performed the ritual “The dream has come true ” said the retiree who saved up for 20 years to pay the $6 000 fee to take part

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once

PTI Sindh expels 6 more members for skipping Karachi mayor elections

KARACHI s tA f f R e p o R t

Mr Sayed said Mr Sayed said that through the efforts of Prof Li Xiguang s team and PCI, they were enduring to recapture the historical heritage that unites China with Pakistan and the broader region Professor Ghani Ur Rehman of Quaid e Azam University Islamabad discussed the feasible suggestions for the protection of Buddhist rock art and inscriptions in the upper reaches of the Indus River

NLC launches cargo ser vice to China

ISLAMABAD s tA f f R e p o R t

National Logistics Cell (NLC) launches regular cargo service for China, connecting Islamabad and Karachi to Kashgar and Shanghai In a bid to promote bilateral trade and activate the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project the National Logistics Cell (NLC) has commenced regular cargo service from Islamabad and Karachi to Kashgar and Shanghai The launch of this cargo service will help pave the way for the implementation of the Quadrilateral Transit Trade Agreement between China Pakistan Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and the International Road Transport (TIR) Convention in the future These agreements will establish clear roadmaps for regional trade development, ensuring overall economic progress in the region To mark the departure of trucks heading towards China NLC organized a ceremony at the Silk Route Dry Port in Sost After completing the required customs and immigration procedures, the trucks ventured on their journey to Kashgar, eventually entering the border city of China through the Khunjerab Pass Upon their return, these trucks will carry imported cargo to various cities across Pakistan strengthening the two-way nature of the Silk road as historic trade route

A series of rites are completed over four days in Mecca and its surroundings in the west of oil-rich Saudi Arabia

O n S u n d a y n i g h t p i l g r i m s w i l l start moving to Mina, about five kilom e t r e s ( t h r e e m i l e s ) f r o m t h e G r a n d Mosque, ahead of the hajj’s climax at Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his final sermon ‘ G R E AT B L E S S I N G ’: Outside the Grand Mosque, thousands prayed on colourful carpets that adorned the pavement, with male pilgrims wearing a simple white robe The area was dotted with ambulances mobile clinics and fire trucks

The hajj has seen several disasters over the years including a 2015 stampede that killed up to 2,300 people

There have been no major incidents since, and catastrophe was the last thing on pilgrims’ minds “I cannot describe my feelings ” said 25-year-old Indonesian student Yusuf Burhan This is a great blessing I never imagined that I would perform the hajj this year

This year s summer timing for the hajj, which follows the lunar calendar, will test the endurance of worshippers during the mostly outdoor ritual Carrying white umbrellas to protect themselves from the scorching sun policemen in the mountainous city have conducted foot patrols and set up checkpoints to inspect hajj permits

Others splashed water on pilgrims as temperatures climbed towards 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit)

Inside the Grand Mosque, thousands of paramedics stood on standby Saudi authorities said more than 32 000 health workers will be on hand to help fend off heatstroke dehydration and exhaustion

The hajj, with its hefty fees, makes billions of dollars a year for the world’s biggest oil exporter, which is trying to diversify its economy beyond fossil fuels

This year s will be the biggest since 2019 when about 2 5 million people took part Only 10 000 were allowed in 2020, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, rising to nearly 59,000 in 2021

Last year ’s cap of one million has been removed Saudi businessman Samir Al-Zafni said all his hotels in Mecca and Medina are at full capacity until the first week of July This year there is not a single vacant bed in our group of 67 hotels, he told AFP from his office The

Pak-China collaboration enhanced to promote Pakistani pharmaceutical development

ISLAMABAD s tA f f R e p o R t

Pak-China collaboration has enhanced recently to promote Pakistani pharmaceutical development China has equalized or surpassed the developed nations pharma standards over a period of time With 30 years of experience in cooperation with China, our progress is accompanied by the dividend of the development of China s pharmaceutical industry said Waheed Ahmed Chief Executive of Shaigan Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd at the CPHI & PMEC China held last week, according to Gwadar Pro

As Asia’s leading pharmaceutical show for trading knowledge sharing and networking CPHI & PMEC China spans all industry sectors along the pharmaceutical supply chain including APIs, excipients, finished dosage, natural exacts, biophama &CDMOs, animal health&feed, medical supplies, etc Waheed who has been attending the expo since 1995 noted that CPHI China is becoming more and more informative due to the major R&D work being carried out in China China, Pakistan s largest trading partner and the largest producer of API, attaches importance to investing in chemical labs and training scientists China’s key technologies are developing rapidly and the quality of pharmaceutical and mechan-

ical products is reliable he explained

This time I am exploring future technologies and newly developed products, especially in biosimilers and new drug delivery systems,” Waheed mentioned, “meeting my over 15 collaborative partners who are all old friends at the expo and witnessing their growth is always a pleasure and opportunity to tap new business range

At the expo, Jack, head of a pharmaceutical packaging machinery manufacturing enterprise integrating R & D, production and sales service told Gwadar Pro that Pakistan has a huge pharmaceutical market of 250 million people making it one of the most promising pharmaceutical consumer markets

The industry has grown rapidly in recent years and its production capacity has greatly increased as can be told from the fact that the equipment they provide has been upgraded from small and low speed machinery to large and high speed machinery

We provide guidance on the use and maintenance of the entire production line to help Pakistan master advanced packaging technology ” Jack added that Pakistan s pharmaceutical industry has a good foundation for cooperation with China We are in the process of selecting local partners in Pakistan for further cooperation ”

According to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan the Pak-

istani pharmaceuticals industry plays a prominent role in the domestic market

The value of the sector was estimated at $3 29 billion, growing in double digits in the last five years Although Pakistan has established itself progressively as a manufacturing platform for pharmaceuticals the country remains a small player in the global scenario

A significant untapped export potential exists in the exports of pharmaceuticals from Pakistan

Huang Hong, who supplies raw materials and pharmaceutical equipment to Pakistan said that Pakistan is encouraging the pharmaceutical industry to gain a foothold at home which is also the direction of his efforts They are turning to technical cooperation to boost exports from Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry Learning from China’s experience has driven his company to expand export range to South Asia Asia Pacific Central Asia Africa Waheed said adding that they are also collaborating with China in the high-tech pharmaceutical RND sector to develop more affordable products

The 20th Pharma Asia is scheduled to be held in Karachi in September Waheed welcomed the participation of Chinese pharmaceutical companies in the expo to learn more about the situation of the pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan and the investment environment and advantages in the country

PTI Sindh on Sunday expelled six more party members for skipping the Karachi mayor elections and not voting for the party s supported candidates for mayor and deputy mayor, which it said was “in complete defiance to the party directives” Last month the PTI had announced support announced for Jamaat-i-Islami s (JI) mayoral candidate Hafiz Naeemur Rehman but cracks had surfaced within the PTI s city chapter with a group of elected UC chairmen and vice chairmen announcing plans to not follow their party decision and to abstain from the voting process Despite the party’s reassurance to the JI and directives to party members to make sure of their presence in the June 15 polls 32 members did not show up to vote and the absence of these elected members led to Rehman’s defeat and PPP’s Murtaza Wahab’s victory Following the elections, the PTI on June 17 issued show-cause notices to its 32 elected members of the local government for violating party directives and sought an explanation Sunday s expulsion orders were issued by PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh to Muhammad Idrees, Malik Akhtar Gulsher, Abdul Moeed, Imran Parwani, Salman Khan and Muhammad Ali Raza

Fatal explosions in Bannu leave one dead and 12 injured

PESHAWAR s tA f f R e p o R t

In a tragic incident in Bannu city of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a series of hand grenade explosions claimed the life of one person and left 12 others injured The explosions occurred during the early hours of Sunday when two hand grenades were thrown at the residence of local resident Zia ur-Rahman, according to the police The explosions resulted in the loss of one individual’s life while 11 others including women and children sustained wounds Immediate action was taken by the authorities who swiftly transported the injured victims and the deceased person to the district headquarters hospital

Pre-monsoon rain, lash twin cities

ISLAMABAD

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Climate Change Minister and Senator Sherry Rehman quoting Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) shared an advisory that pre-monsoon rains are forecast from 26th to 30th June leading to the subsiding of the prevailing heat wave According to weather office rain wind-thundershowers are expected (with occasional gaps) from today (Sunday) until 30th June in Islamabad Rawalpindi Murree Galliyat and several other cities in Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, KP, Punjab Same expected from 26th to 29th June in South Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan Heavy rains may cause urban flooding and trigger landslides in vulnerable mountainous areas such as Murree Galliyat Kashmir Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Heavy rain may lead to flash flooding in the hill torrents of D G Khan and adjoining areas of northeast Balochistan on 27th June All relevant local depts have been instructed to stay alert and tourists are advised to exercise caution Citizens are requested to stay away from weak infrastructure power poles and watercourses during strong winds and rains to avoid any untoward incidents Prevailing heat wave conditions are likely to subside during the forecast period Heavy rain fall may cause urban flooding in low lying areas of Islamabad Rawalpindi Peshawar Gujranwala Lahore on 26th and 27th of June and may trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Heavy rain may cause flash flooding in hill torrents of D G Khan and adjoining areas of north-east Balochistan on 27th June

ahead of geopolitics not to mention the National Security Plan which said that the economic performance of the country was part of national security

TH E footage of Asad Umar and Shah Mehmood Qureshi walking very fast; well, running; after they had been refused bail by an Islamabad sessions court and used a discreet route to Qureshi s car showed that neither was really ready for life in the PTI after May 9

Last year, the PTI was in office, and Asad Umar and Qureshi were important ministers After the government fell, they were still important office bearers Then May 9 happened and the PTI became very hot indeed Asad Umar resigned as Secretary-General and remained within the party Shah Mahmood remained as Vice Chairman, and though arrested, was designated by Imran Khan to lead the party if he was arrested again

When he asked Imran to put up or shut up it appears that there was some unpleasantness at his meeting So both Asad and Shah Mehmood are both still in the PTI,

though perhaps neither enjoy the sun of royal favour Both are aspirants to the PTI legacy But neither showed at this court appearance the reassuring signs that they can take on the responsibility Neither of them has a nole, for example, a huge growth that should have thick wiry hair sprouting, preferably at the tip of the nose Neither wears a freight wig which would merge their head hair and their eyebrows They re not dressed for court either which is why they must have been refused bail Defendants wearing trousers should not expect any Now if they had been in dhotis with yellow kurtas with huge blue polka dots it would have been another matter Another fatal flaw in their bail applications was the absence of a good nickname Now if Makhdooom Shah had claimed to be also known as Mooda Chura, or Asad Umar to be called Asad Blade, no judge would have denied them Asad Qaiser was denied bail even though he looked a fit case His mistake was probably telling the judge he was ex-Speaker of the National Assembly instead of saying that he roasted corn cobs for a living

I suppose it was a sign of the times that Murad Ras was also summoned by an AntiTerrorism Court Now I wonder if being a member of the Tehrik Istihkam Party is not supposed to be protection against arrest If it isn’t, then what did Murad Raas join it for? To have Ch Fawad Hussain shouting outside the court (while vigorously pumping his fist in the air) the ominous slogan Murad tere khoon sey inqilab ayega (Murad, your blood will bring the Revolu-

tion)? That’s when Murad Raas finds out he s on trial for a capital offence

I see that the military has moved on It s now looking at its participation in the Special Investment Facilitation Council with some anxiety It also reflects the desire of the new COAS to get what was denied his predecessor: the Nobel Prize for Economics General Bajwa tried hard with his meeting with the country s businessmen followed by his putting geoeconomics

Of course, we must also remember that the military is the only institution left in the country The economy needs fixing so when retailers hear someone tell them in a paradeground bark to keep prices down They will have no choice but to obey

Well, the Army is focused on the economy, but the nation has had to deal with two tragedies that seem to have more to do with the Navy There was the sinking of a ship off the Greek coast with hundreds of illegal immigrants on board a lot of them Pakistani trying to get from Libya to Italy

I wonder whether they had burnt their passports already, or whether they would do so in Italy

And then there was the submersible that went down while trying to view the remains of the Titanic A prominent businessman Hussain Dawood lost not just his son but also his grandson It is the will of the Creator, but no one should ever go through that experience Both tragedies have meant that a lot of families will not have a very happy Eid so I won’t wish my readers (both of them) a happy Eid but ask them to remember all the affected families in their prayers

GB PARTNERS WITH CHARIT Y TO TACKLE CLEAN DRINKING WATER CRISIS

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

TH E government of GilgitBaltistan has announced its collaboration with the charitable Allah Walay Trust organisation to address the critical issue of clean drinking water in the region

Recognizing the pressing need to provide safe and accessible drinking water to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan this partnership seeks to prioritize the well-being and health of the local population Pakistan continues to face significant challenges in ensuring access to safely managed drinking water, with only 36 percent of the population having access to clean water according to the World Health Organisation (WHO)

This situation is expected to worsen due to factors such as rapid population growth, urbanization, and the impacts of climate change

In response to these challenges the government of Gilgit-Baltistan has proactively engaged with Allah Walay Trust to

Notorious human trafficker arrested in Faisalabad

LAHORE

S ta f f R e p o R t

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Faisalabad successfully apprehended a highly sought-after human trafficker Tahir Nadeem who has been accused of orchestrating over 30 cases of illegal transportation of individuals to foreign countries Nadeem is alleged to have defrauded numerous citizens through fraudulent activities and false promises of overseas employment Nadeem’s illicit operations primarily targeted individuals aspiring to migrate to countries such as Europe and Canada

implement a comprehensive clean water program

As part of this program, Allah Walay Trust will adopt and manage 35 water filtration plants in Gilgit city These plants will play a vital role in providing clean and healthy drinking water to the local population The partnership will involve the dayto-day operations and maintenance of these

filtration plants ensuring a continuous supply of safe water for the residents Allah Walay Trust has a commendable track record, having already adopted 41 water filtration plants in Islamabad These plants have successfully provided clean drinking water to 60 percent of the population in Islamabad as well as to 100 surrounding villages The trust s expertise and

Sanjrani assumes charge of acting president as Alvi leaves for Hajj

ISLAMABAD

The agency during the arrest seized a substantial amount of evidence that implicated the accused The evidence recovered includes 25 Pakistan passports, counterfeit bank seals, counterfeit visas, chequebooks, stamp papers, and checks from different countries Prior to his arrest Nadeem had already faced charges in 14 cases filed by the FIA in Faisalabad alone Additionally he was confronted with an additional 16 fraud cases registered against him in various police stations across the city The court had declared him a fugitive due to the seriousness of the charges brought against him

The Anti-Human Trafficking and Smuggling Wing (AHS) of the agency has been relentless in combating human trafficking Following the tragic Greece boat incident the wing arrested over 20 human traffickers from different parts of Punjab To further investigate this incident, the FIA has initiated three separate inquiries In parallel efforts, the Kashmir police have made significant progress in curbing human trafficking They have apprehended 11 human smugglers across various areas of the region and have registered cases against 26 suspects The main accused involved in human trafficking was captured by the police in Mirpur Charhoi tehsil, located in the city of Mirpur It has come to light that the main suspect received a sum of Rs3 6 million for carrying out these illicit activities highlighting the scale of the criminal enterprise involved in human trafficking

Trees covering swathes of land burn as fire erupts in Astore forest

ASTORE: Fire in Astore forests burned thousands of trees covering vast stretches of land on Saturday night According to sources, a major fire erupted in the forest of Astore district in Gilgit Baltistan set ablaze around 3 000 trees The locals are extinguishing the fire on their own as the fire is getting intensified by every passing moment

However the authorities are yet clueless about the origin of fire either it was natural or an act of arson S ta f f R e p o R t

experience in water filtration technology make them a valuable partner in this joint endeavour to improve the quality of life for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan

The regional government expressed its appreciation for Allah Walay Trust’s efforts in improving water access and their commitment to the well-being of communities across Pakistan The partnership with this esteemed organization reflects the government’s firm commitment to prioritise the welfare of its citizens

It also demonstrates the government’s dedication to finding innovative solutions and collaborating with reputable organizations to address the pressing challenges faced by the region Mohyuddin Wani, the chief secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan, said the government is grateful for the collaboration with Allah Walay Trust and looks forward to a successful and impactful clean water program in the region

The government believes that by working together, they can create a healthier and more prosperous future for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan he added

CPNE KP Committee demands for release of provincial advertisement arrears

PESHAWAR p R e S S R e l e a S e

The CPNE KP Committee demanded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government to release the arrears of 1 75 billion to newspapers in terms of provincial advertisement

The Committee held a meeting to consider the financial situation of member publications in KPK province which was especially attended by the CPNE president Mr Irshad Ahmed Arif and Secretary General Mr Aijaz ul Haq On this occasion caretaker provincial minister of information Barrister Feroz Jamal Shah, Secretary Information Mukhtiar Ahmed Khan and DGPR Basirur Rehman Ali Khan were also present All the participants discussed the challenges associated with the news-

papers being published from KPK and their Editors Mr Irshad Arif expressed his deep concern regarding the financial situation of KPK s publication He also urged the government to introduce an effective mechanism to regulate monthly payments to the newspapers CPNE Vice President and Chairman KPK Committee Mr Tahir Farooq demanded the provincial government for immediate payments to affected newspapers Meeting also approved his demand through a resolution Mr Aijaz ul Haq said that CPNE was ready to cooperate with KPK information department in Forensic Audit of newspaper s advertisement arrears Barrister Feroz Jamal Shah vowed to resolve the issues of the newspaper on the behalf of KPK ministry of information He said that the

information department has paid around 166 7 million to the newspapers during the previous year and the caretaker government has paid 101 2 million during 4 months He assured the house that the information department had been working for the payment of 1 6 billion in terms of the newspaper s arrears This meeting was also

SBP seeks explanation over glitch in cheque - clearance system

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

The system of cheque-clearance institution, the National Institutional Facilitation Technologies (NIFT) remains non-functional as cyber attackers managed to breach its security and force the banking system to resort to a manual system despite the prevalence of digital technology Even after seven days since the cy-

berattack occurred last week NIFT is still in the process of fully restoring its normal operations Cheques are being cleared manually nationwide, and digital payment services remain halted Last Friday (June 16), the attack forced the national institution to shut down both its data centres in Islamabad and Karachi The private banks said their chequeclearance operation is badly affected as they are going for manual clearance and

due to staff shortage it is taking more time for clearance of cheques which were earlier being cleared in seconds through NIFT The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has sought an explanation from the NIFT Currently, Pakistani banks hold deposits worth around Rs23 trillion with 67 5 million bank accounts NIFT processes nearly 150 000 to 160 000 cheques through its online system every day

S ta f f R e p o R t

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani assumed the duties of Acting President as President Arif Alvi left for Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj The Cabinet Division has issued a notification of acting president Sadiq Sanjrani assumed the duties of the office of president in Quetta President Dr Arif Alvi along with family and staff will perform Hajj Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan along with his family members reached Jeddah to perform Hajj

Lightning kills eight in Narowal, Sheikhupura districts

NAR OWAL/SHEIKHUPURA S ta f f R e p o R t

At least eight people were killed and three others injured when lightning struck different areas of Narowal and Sheikhupura districts on Sunday According to details, during heavy rain followed by strong wind gusts light struck Ratanpur Changuwali Qangoi Panjpir and Ratikhurd areas of tehsil Shakargarh and Zafarwal of Narowal Six people were killed and four others were critically injured in the incident Meanwhile, lightning struck Chak Shahpur and Mandiali Town killing two people and leaving another injured Other the other hand lightning gutted various transformers of the Sheikhupura grid station due to which the city remained plunged into darkness for several hours

NA approves Finance Bill 2023 to help clinch IMF deal

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The minister further told the House that on the death of both the government officer and the spouse, the children will get a pension for 10 years The budget encompasses special initiatives for the uplift of agriculture industries and IT sectors besides relief for various segments of society including the salaried class Agriculture credit limit has been enhanced from 1800 billion rupees to 2,250 billion rupees Thirty billion rupees have been earmarked for shifting fifty thousand agriculture tube wells to solar energy He said all taxes and duties on import of quality seeds have been abolished Under the budget, the IT and IT-enabled service providers have been allowed to import software and hardware equal to one percent of their exports without any tax The limit of these imports will be fifty thousand dollars annually Ten billion rupees have been earmarked for the Prime Minister s Youth Business and Agriculture Loans scheme The budget also includes 35 percent ad-hoc relief allowance for the employees of grade 1 to 16, while 30 percent ad hoc relief for the employees of scale 17 and above The pension has been increased by 17 50 percent The minimum wage has been increased to 32000 rupees from 25000 rupees

Three sea dolphins sighted in drain near Badin

KARACHI

S ta f f R e p o R t

At least three sea dolphins have been sighted in the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) near Badin which reportedly entered the drain from the creeks after high tides caused by Cyclone Biparjoy

According to Wajid Shaikh, a senior officer of the Sindh Wildlife Department, two dolphins managed to exit the drain, while one dolphin is still reportedly swimming in the drain waters Shaikh said that his staff has confirmed and reported the presence of one dolphin I think two of them have been drained out, he said

He stated that it seemed to be the first occurrence of dolphins being reported in the LBOD emphasising that it was neither their natural habitat nor a direct route to the sea According to the official, the dolphins likely accessed the waters through the creeks and inadvertently ended up in the drain He further clarified that the dolphins came from the sea contrary to some local media reports which stated that they came from the river Shaikh announced that a dedicated team had been deployed, scheduled to commence a rescue operation the following morning “Once we successfully rescue the dolphin we will release it back into the creek he said

Javed Ahmed Mahar, the provincial head of SWD assured that every possible effort was being made to ensure the dolphin s rescue and well-being

Our team of experts is currently pres-

Exploiting hope: The ‘agents ’ smuggling people from Pakistan

LAHORE a n a d o l u ag e n c y

Malik Shiraz is frantically searching for his brothers in Kalamata, a small town on the southern Greek coast engulfed in a frenzy since last week’s deadly migrant shipwreck

“It was such a small boat Why did the agents put so many people on it?” he pleaded desperation palpable in his voice

By agents he meant the human smugglers who arrange the perilous journeys mostly with fake documents and through illegal channels for people seeking a better life abroad with Europe being a particularly preferred destination

Shiraz s brothers Qaiser and Tahir were among the estimated 700 people who were on a boat heading from Libya to Italy when it sank in the Mediterranean near Greece s coast on June 14 All but 104 survivors were killed in the disaster, the deadliest such incident in years

Hundreds of them were from Pakistan but the final figure is yet to be established In its latest update on Friday the Pakistani government said approximately 350 of its nationals were on the boat and the bodies of 82 have been recovered Shiraz is all too familiar with how human smugglers operate in Pakistan He is one of the thousands of desperate people

who have paid exorbitant sums to these individuals over the years to reach Europe

He arrived in Europe on a boat from Greece in 2015 without any documents after paying Rs150 000 ($525) He was in Germany for a while, before eventually settling in Italy

He came to Greece from Italy this week to seek answers and hopefully find his brothers whom he had strictly warned against following his path to Europe

I told them this was a dangerous route

I told them to come legally, but they trusted the agents, Shiraz, who hails from Gujrat, told Anadolu in a phone call

L M E D I A ‘ G A M E ’: For something so illegal human smugglers in Pakistan are operating quite openly especially on social media

There are entire Facebook groups dedicated to the illicit business They are also active on TikTok, giving desperate people the hope of reaching European shores but only if they can cough up thousands of dollars These groups are full of jargon such as dunky a word derived from dinghy and used to refer to an illegal boat crossing Another commonly used word is game, used to refer to any journey, from “road game” to “ship game” and “taxi

game ” Reaching out to the smugglers is as simple as messaging anyone on Facebook

Using an anonymous account, Anadolu contacted a person who had posted an advertisement on one of the groups

Within minutes the person replied with an offer to arrange a trip from Karachi to Italy via Greece and Serbia, all for $12,000

Others offer the route that was taken by the migrants who perished last week: a flight from Karachi to Dubai, followed by a layover of four to five hours before a flight to Egypt and then on to Libya and Italy

Despite being the more expensive option, this route has been gaining popularity as countries tighten border controls ‘ B I G M O N E Y ’: “Human smuggling is a lucrative business and makes big money,” said Asad Iqbal Butt a prominent activist who is the co-chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) These agents can collaborate with local enforcement authorities, officials at borders, and can have their people in the airlines or the travel agency business as well,” he explained They also work with people in other countries known as “sub-agents ” he added Agents reportedly collected between Rs2 3 million ($8 000) and Rs3 5 million ($12,200) from Pakistanis who were on the ill-fated trawler that sank last week In some cases, the smugglers allow people to pay after the journey a sort of tactic to build trust Abid Rajorvi who has lost two cousins

in the Greece disaster, shared the story of another cousin who made it to Italy without having to pay anything upfront

They told my cousin to bring $2 000 to $2 500 with him They paid for his flight tickets (Karachi to Dubai to Egypt) themselves, he told Anadolu in a phone call

“Once my cousin was about to get on the boat from Libya for Italy, they told his family in Pakistan to make the complete payment to an agent here Rajorvi is from Bandli a village in Azad Kashmir that he said has lost 28 men in the Greece shipwreck

He shed light on the staggering financial burden that families take on to pay agents, saying many people sell off properties, jewelry and essentially use up their life savings

O N : In Pakistan the main law enforcement authority on the matter is the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)

Since the June 14 disaster, the agency has launched an extensive crackdown, arresting at least 27 traffickers and registering 70 cases a spokesperson said on Friday

However the FIA has faced criticism for its inability to stamp out the networks of traffickers, with accusations against it ranging from negligence to complicity

“If anyone in the FIA is responsible for or involved in human smuggling they should be held accountable ” said Bashir

ent at the site and will commence the operation in the morning ” he said Mahar further confirmed that the dolphin in question was not a blind dolphin typically found in the Indus River

Memon, a former head of the agency

However he asserted that migrant smuggling and trafficking is a “worldwide phenomenon and not just limited to Pakistan

One of the difficulties in tracking down these smugglers is that any person could be an agent in Pakistan, Memon explained

“It could be anyone; a mason, a restaurant worker, or an actual travel agent Also, they don’t work alone they have strong networks he added

According to Memon there has been a spike in the number of people trying to exit Pakistan through illegal means, particularly due to the worsening economic situation

“Smugglers are targeting people mostly living in Gujrat and Gujranwala ” he told Anadolu referring to two cities in Punjab

Butt the HRCP official said another visible change is the socio-economic status of the people trying to leave Pakistan illegally

This used to be more prevalent among lower income groups, but now we’re seeing a rise among middle-class families ” he added On the action now being taken against traffickers Butt was fearful that the victims families would back out and not press charges, saying that has been a problem in the past Families could take back the cases because the agents will offer to repay them or to send someone else from their family to Europe for free ” he said

Tr ying hard for the IMF

TH e government seems ready to bend over backwards to get a deal with the IMF, whose ninth review has been pending, and since Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif not only met IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva thrice on the sidelines of the Paris Summit, but also huddled with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman not only has the government introduced a minibudget before the new fiscal year has begun with new taxes of Rs 238 billion imposed but it has also lifted all restrictions on imports While all of these measures might result in a staff-level agreement leading to the IMF approving more loans for Pakistan, with a consequent relief for the next financial year, it actually probably means no more than kicking the can down the road for even at the cost of further indebtedness and constant interference in government management of finances the country will probably find itself in the same situation a year down the road, surviving fearfully, from one debt servicing payment to the next

If either a PPP or a PTI government is elected after the next general election it will blame this coalition for making agreements it could not honour To avoid such an eventuality it is essential for all parties to accede to a Charter of the economy and agree on how to move the country forward, while making a commitment to those goals The taking of the reins by a caretaker government before an election provides continuity of policy, while a Charter of the economy would provide at least some certainty about the post-election future

The difficulty with which this IMF review is being completed is perhaps unprecedented There was a time when it would simply have been abandoned and a new one started even now, it seems more than likely that a new programme will immediately succeed upon this one, and may contain some of the essential reforms that have been avoided in this one In that case, this is probably the best time for the parties to come together and agree on a Charter of the economy It is perhaps helpful that at present none of the parties has any fundamental differences on economic policy, whatever they might have done in the past, or whatever they might be considered to be at present It is essential that all parties with any hope of being part of government come on board, with one benefit of such a process being a restoration of some of the civility among politicians that has gone missing of late

r d o g a n ’ s N e w E r a a n d t h e

h a n g i n g W o r l d

His third term is beset with problems

TU R K e y is a nation characterized by vast territories spanning across two continents europe and Asia, and occupying a crucial position in regional and international affairs

Such a role has been predetermined by Turkey’s destiny nonetheless these destinies bring forth numerous challenges both internal and external which have a profound impact on Turkey s destiny and identity In May Turkey conducted its presidential elections, resulting in the re-election of Recep Tayyip erdogan for a third term erdogan is a charismatic leader who has significantly transformed Turkey’s political, economic, and social landscape since his entry into the political arena at the beginning of the second millennium

Additionally he has pursued an assertive and ambitious foreign policy often leading to disagreements with both allies and neighbouring nations Currently, erdogan faces a pressing issue in the form of an economic crisis that has plagued Turkey in recent years

The country grapples with soaring inflation rates high unemployment an expanding trade deficit and dwindling foreign exchange reserves erdogan s unorthodox monetary approach of maintaining low interest rates and relying on currency swaps and injections from allies has failed to stabilize the Turkish lira Since 2020, the lira has experienced a devaluation of over 40 percent against the US dollar numerous economists express concerns that Turkey is edging towards a balance of payments crisis unless international confidence is restored and foreign investment is attracted

In his third term, erdogan has pledged to combat inflation and foster a productive economy However, achieving this objective necessitates making arduous choices and implementing reforms He must decide whether to raise interest rates to curb inflation and defend the lira or devalue the currency to boost exports and enhance competitiveness

Additionally, he must address structural issues within the economy, such as low savings, high debt, low pro-

The AUKUS submarine deal

to value

In September 2021 the United States the United Kingdom and Australia signed a new security agreement that gave Australia permission to buy nuclear submarines and advance its space programme in March 2023, the final agreement was disclosed by Australia the United Kingdom and the USA According to this agreement the USA was to sell Australia three to five Virginia-class submarines starting in 2032; the co-development by the United Kingdom and Australia of a new AUKUS-class submarine to enter service around 2040; and a multibilliondollar commitment by all three nations to increase the capacity of a trilateral submarine industrial base

AUKUS is an alliance of a bigger strategic transformation that is taking place in the IndoPacific as a result of different actions taken by US allies and partners to increase their capabilities and collaborate more closely

The motive of originating such an alliance will be in the US favour to broaden its influence in the Indo-Pacific area This alliance according to President Joe Biden is about investing in our greatest source of strength, our alliances, and updating them to better meet the threats of today and tomorrow ” Maintaining the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific is Washington’s top concern Analysts believe that the primary objective of the pact is the containment of a rising China even though the objectives and motivations underlying AUKUS have not been publicly disclosed by any of its signatories

The action demonstrates how AUKUS, in conjunction with a new wave of US-Australia force posture initiatives can develop a collective deterrent policy more quickly than anticipated by many It also provides a glimpse into the US-Australian alliance s seismic change as Canberra positions itself as a key supporter of advanced American military operations to maintain a stable balance of power in the increasing challenges in the Indo-Pacific area

The US-Australian alliance however has faced some challenges in recent years Under Trump the USA was ill-run fragmented unattractive and weak Although Biden is far from a perfect leader, his style reflects a noticeable change in US policy, which Australians appear

This change has been taking place covertly Washington and Canberra have been covertly rewiring the alliance through several new initiatives under the 2014 Force Posture Agreement driven by a shared understanding of the need to support the regional balance of power in opposition to China s growing military power and the USA s deteriorating strategic position A historic decision was made at the Australia-United States Ministerial Dialogue in 2021 to intensify force posture cooperation across five key areas four service-based projects involving the Australian Defense Force (ADF) and the US Air Force, Marine Corps, navy, and Army, and a cross-cutting logistics, sustainment, and maintenance enterprise-sped up this process

Despite the Australian Defense Force (ADF) having a lengthy history of fighting with American forces Australian bases have never been formally included in American war intentions Additionally they haven t been used as a staging area for American military activities, at least not since World War II now, this is essentially altering Australia is quickly developing into a base for other forms of force projection and will soon be the only ally in the world to host and assist military operations by forwarddeployed US strategic bombers and SSn attack submarines US warfighters will depend on Australian bases, infrastructure, and other resources as these new force posture initiatives

ductivity, and reliance on imports Furthermore, erdogan must confront the social consequences arising from economic hardships, including poverty, inequality and discontent among the urban middle class To address this predicament erdogan appointed the economist Mehmet Cesmak as Minister of Treasury and Finance

Another significant challenge confronting erdogan revolves around the refugee crisis resulting from the civil war in Syria, as well as the instability in Iraq and Afghanistan Turkey currently accommodates over four million refugees primarily Syrians who have fled violence and persecution in their home country While Turkey has received acclaim for its humanitarian response and generosity towards refugees, it has also encountered criticism and resentment from segments of Turkish society who accuse refugees of usurping employment opportunities, resources, and services intended for the local population erdogan endeavours to strike a delicate balance between maintaining his humanitarian stance and responding to popular pressure for refugee deportation or resettlement Furthermore he has employed the refugee card as a bargaining chip with the european Union, leveraging the threat of opening borders and triggering a new wave of immigration unless Turkey receives increased financial aid and political support from Brussels erdogan must find a sustainable solution to the refugee crisis in his third term that respects the rights and dignity of refugees while addressing the concerns and needs of the Turkish people Cooperation with the international community, particularly the european Union and nATO is essential to share the burden and responsibility of hosting and integrating refugees Moreover efforts must be made to facilitate the resolution of conflicts in Syria and Iraq ensuring the preservation of peace and stability in Afghanistan

services, transparency, and accountability to their constituents

A d d r e s s i n g t h e i r

g r i e v a n c e s a n d d e m a n d s

f o r i n c r e a s e d d e m o c r a c y, f r e e d o m , j u s t i c e , a n d

p l u r a l i s m i s i m p e r a t i v e .

The forthcoming municipal elections in March 2024 represent another formidable challenge for erdogan as they will serve as a crucial test of his popularity and legitimacy Municipal elections hold significance as they determine the control of local administrations and services in Turkey s major cities and regions Furthermore these elections reflect the prevailing sentiment and public opinion towards erdogan s policies and performance In the previous municipal elections in 2019, erdogan experienced a significant setback when the ruling Justice and Development Party lost control of Istanbul Ankara Izmir and several other major cities to opposition parties This outcome was perceived as an indication of erdogan s declining popularity Opposition parties capitalized on their victories by delivering improved

develop and take centre stage in American preparations

The US-Australian partnership has strengthened over the past year, but there are still disagreements Washington wants Canberra to do more to combat climate change, and Canberra wants Washington to challenge China’s economy which continues to be the top trading partner for the majority of Indo-Pacific nations The Trans-Pacific Partnership departure by Trump badly damaged US influence in Asia To make amends, Biden will need to put in a lot of effort

The USA and Australia do not have highly established systems for coordinated military planning in contrast to nATO and other US alliances and have not yet defined how they might allot roles tasks and capabilities to prevent and address high-end security threats

This is a problem that needs to be addressed head-on by SRF (Submarine Rational Force)West and other posture solutions The political truth that posture integration is a two-way street must be accepted by both parties Australia has made a very explicit commitment to supporting Washington in a regional crisis by making the autonomous decision to host a significant US warfighting force on Australian land However, it has also given itself some insight into and power over American military plans as well as enough stake in the outcome to positively influence them

The writer is a Research Officer at Centre for International Strategic Studies AJK and can be reached at Nsheikh536@gmail com

Australia has made a very explicit commitment to suppor ting Washington in a regional crisis by making the autonomous decision to host a significant US warfighting force on Australian land However, it has also given itself some insight into and power over American military plans, as well as enough stake in the outcome to positively influence them

To maintain his hold on power and safeguard his legacy, erdogan must regain the ground he lost in the upcoming municipal elections He must regain the trust and support of urban voters particularly the youth women Kurds secular individuals and minority groups Addressing their grievances and demands for increased democracy, freedom justice and pluralism is imperative erdogan must also confront a united and confident opposition bloc that challenges him on multiple fronts Since the onset of the Syrian uprising that escalated into a civil war erdogan has staunchly criticized and opposed the regime of Bashar al-Assad He has supported various rebel groups fighting against the Assad regime and engaged in military intervention in northern Syria to establish a buffer zone along the Turkish border erdogan has accused Assad of committing atrocities against his own people and called for his removal from power However Assad managed to survive and reclaim most of the territory lost to the rebels, thanks to support from Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah Assad has also regained some international recognition and legitimacy, as some Arab and european countries have resumed diplomatic relations with his regime Assad has expressed willingness to engage in political dialogue and negotiations with the opposition and other stakeholders under the auspices of the United nations erdogan must determine whether to continue his adversarial approach towards Assad or alter his policy and seek reconciliation This decision requires a careful evaluation of the costs and benefits associated with each option in terms of security stability and influence in Syria Additionally erdogan must take into account the perspectives and interests of his allies and partners, including Russia, Iran, nATO, and the United States, who possess differing agendas and expectations concerning Syria

The writer has a PhD in Political Science and can be reached at akramzaheer86@yahoo com

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

Eid holidays

T H e announcement of eidul Fitr and eidul Azha holidays is a rather tricky matter every year due to the tendency of the governments to avoid the timely issuance of the official notification in this regard It is hard to understand what might be the reason for delaying something so simple year after year It is beyond doubt that bringing the process under some rationally standardised standard operating procedure (SOP) will bring relief to one and all For instance intercity travellers will be able to plan their itinerary accordingly and may be able to book their seats well in advance to avoid hassle and to get competitive rates Teaching institutions will be able to manage their off days better, giving children, and eventually their parents, better control over their studies since several schools conduct examinations a few days after eid holidays Also, restaurants, food retailers, pharmaceuticals hospitals miscellaneous essential services basically all components of the economic sector will be able to better plan their inventory manpower and distribution etc to ensure uninterrupted supply of their goods and services during the holidays For the sake of consistency the number of holidays should be fixed for all time to come to ensure that different governments do not allow extra holidays on any account The government should seriously consider releasing official notifications not in the last few days before the two eids but by the first week of Ramazan and Zil-Hajj to facilitate businesses and masses alike It is mere common sense

Right banking products

T H e world is progressing at a great speed, and it is important to keep pace with it A bank account has become a necessity these days When a bank account is opened, a debit card is issued at customers’ discretion But customers can only choose whether they want the card or not They are generally not allowed to pick the type of card they want to have Most of the customers do not know the advantages and disadvantages of the card Their knowledge is limited to the fact that the card is used to draw money from an ATM at any time of the day The fact is that there are many payment card schemes operating in Pakistan When banks issue the card to a customer, they do not ask the customers about their preferred card scheme neither do they educate them about the pros and cons of having one or the other They just issue the card they are in contract with at the time Many of these debit cards are blocked for e-commerce transactions and when a request is made to the banks they tell the customers that the facility is not available

Due to increasing banking fraud some banks do not allow e-commerce transactions on specific cards which is not communicated to the customer while issuing the card The customer has to pay a huge price for these big payment schemes

Cattle market

THe annual cattle market in Karachi has been shifted this year to the northern Bypass which has caused tremendous difficulties to the people who want to go to the main market in search of more options and better prices The venue this year is at a far-flung, deserted area, and the path to which is dotted with criminals Dacoities and even murders have been reported from the area, underlining the dangers inherent in undertaking the journey Things being what they are people are forced to dish out additional money to those selling cattle within the city Other than the financial hassle there is also the issue of encroachments caused by these vendors on city streets causing traffic jams The authorities should definitely reconsider their decision the next year MUMTAZ

Dr MuhaMMaD akraM zaheer

Tec tonic Shift in the US-Australia alliance

U n l e a s h i n g t h e p o w e r o f c a r b o n a l l o t r o p e s

A Green Revolution in Climate Change Mitigation

wind turbines Pakistan can maximize energy production reduce reliance on fossil fuels and significantly mitigate greenhouse gas emissions

Carbon allotropes can enhance the performance and efficiency of solar cells by improving electron transport and light absorption The incorporation of carbon nanotubes into the structure of solar cells can enhance their conductivity resulting in higher conversion rates of sunlight into electricity This technology has the potential to revolutionize Pakistan s energy sector by making solar power more affordable accessible and efficient

PA K I S TA n holds significant potential in harnessing carbon allotropes to address climate change, promote renewable energy, enhance agriculture, and drive sustainable industrial growth With abundant renewable energy resources a diverse industrial landscape and a strong agricultural sector Pakistan is well-positioned to utilize carbon allotropes for a greener and more sustainable future Pakistan is a country that faces several environmental challenges, including air pollution, deforestation, and water scarcity These challenges are exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events and rising temperatures Recognizing the urgent need to mitigate and adapt to climate change Pakistan has made significant strides in recent years to transition towards a low-carbon economy

Carbon allotropes such as activated carbon carbon nanotubes, graphene, and biochar, can be obtained from various sources Activated carbon can be derived from materials like coconut shells, wood, or coal through a process of activation Carbon nanotubes are typically synthesized through chemical vapor deposition or arc discharge methods Graphene a two-dimensional carbon allotrope can be obtained through exfoliation of graphite or by chemical vapor deposition on metal substrates Biochar, on the other hand, is produced through the pyrolysis of biomass, such as agricultural waste or forestry residues These diverse carbon allotropes offer a range of unique properties and applications making them valuable tools in addressing climate change and driving sustainable development

One area where Pakistan can greatly benefit from the use of carbon allotropes is in the field of renewable energy The country has a rich potential for solar and wind energy, with vast areas of uninhabited land and favorable climatic conditions By incorporating carbon allotropes, such as carbon nanotubes into advanced solar cells and

Similarly, carbon allotropes can play a crucial role in harnessing wind energy By integrating carbon nanotubes into wind turbine blades, the strength, durability, and flexibility of the blades can be enhanced This, in turn allows for higher energy capture from wind and improves the overall efficiency of wind farms The use of carbon allotropes in wind energy technology can contribute to Pakistan s goal of increasing its renewable energy capacity and reducing its carbon footprint

Another area where carbon allotropes can benefit Pakistan is in the field of carbon capture and storage (CCS) As a developing country with a growing industrial sector Pakistan faces challenges in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from industries such as power generation, cement production, and oil refining With its growing industrial sector, Pakistan faces the urgent need to curb its carbon footprint and contribute to global climate change mitigation efforts Carbon allotropes, including activated carbon and amine-functionalized carbon, hold immense potential in capturing and storing CO₂ emissions Activated carbon with its porous structure and extensive surface area, can effectively trap CO₂ molecules from flue gases emitted during industrial processes By implementing activated carbon-based adsorption systems Pakistan can significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants factories, and other industrial sources Similarly, amine-functionalized carbon offers a selective CO₂ capture solution as amine groups have a strong

Don’t believe Modi’s economic success story

FOREIGN POLICY T i M S a h ay

WH I l e campaigning for the U S presidency Joe Biden sharply criticized the Modi government s human rights record writing how two of its landmark laws are inconsistent with the country s long tradition of secularism and with sustaining a multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy ” Today, Indian Prime Minister narendra Modi leads a country that is suddenly at the center of U S strategy in Asia And Biden has changed his tune inviting the prime minister to a state visit this week

It s widely understood that when U S elites refer to India having a functional free press, judiciary, and democracy, they are either dishonest or in denial about how the country’s political system has developed under Modi But the same is true when they praise India’s economy The U S government seems to be operating under the assumption that Modi s India can sustain the country as it decouples from Chinese manufacturing There is little reason to believe that is true

Modi s Gujarat model shot him to the prime ministry in 2014 As chief minister in Gujarat, he had led a developmentalist state: midwifing new industries, repairing bureaucracies and making huge electricity and infrastructure investments The state s growth rate boomed as subsidies were given to politically connected conglomerates and to state-owned players

But the model has failed when extended to the national stage While Modi has succeeded in selling himself to his constituents and the world as India’s great modernizer builder and attractor of capital the country’s growth under Modi has flagged Heaps of praise from foreign India watchers might lead one to think otherwise India s boosters point to Modi s

Make in India 2014 electoral pledge to boost manufacturing to 25 percent of Indian GDP and his government’s all-in bet on capital investments in airports, along with roads and rail 11 percent of its 2023 budget to create a larger internal market On these counts however Modi has either failed to fulfill his promises or made the wrong bet

Though Modi promised to add 100 million manufacturing jobs, India actually lost 24 million of those jobs between 2017 and 2021 COVID-19 was only the last straw: 11 million jobs had already been lost before the pandemic hit as state banks clogged with nonperforming assets followed by a shadow bank crisis led to a crunch in construction In India more people are out of work now than in 2011 Job prospects in cities are so dismal that agriculture now employs a greater share of workers than it did 5 years ago In 2019, 12 5 million people applied for 35,000 railway jobs

The failure to add manufacturing jobs is especially stark when India is compared with similar economies in Vietnam and Bangladesh Both nations doubled their share of manufacturing employment between 2000 and 2020 while India s share barely rose 2 percent

As for Modi s bet on logistics and transport, it has largely failed to inspire domestic investment Finance Minister nirmala Sitharaman has pleaded with Indian capitalists to invest in India saying “I want to hear from India Inc: what’s stopping you when countries and industries abroad think this is the place to be now? Instead they tend to offshore their profits and show a preference for financial assets

Indian capitalists blame lack of demand for their refusal to invest Modi’s crony capitalism has produced a massive upward distribution of wealth while failing to generate a middle-class consumer base large enough to entice investors to expand every index of private consumption of India s vast working and middle class sales of fast-moving consumer

goods two-wheelers entry-level cars even rail travel has stagnated over the last decade as Vivek

Kaul has documented As the economist reported, private investment in 2019-20 was only 22 percent of GDP, down from 31 percent in 2010-11 Investors also privately admitted to fearing Modi’s unstable and capricious use of tax authorities which his government uses to punish political foes

This is a development model that privileges huge politically connected Indian incumbents foreign firms have to seek partnerships with them to succeed And contrary to its image of global economic openness, the government has also hiked tariffs on various goods including goods from the United States as highlighted by arguments over Harley Davidson during the courtship between Modi and the Trump administration

A further obstacle to investment is India s profoundly unequal society Modi s economic strategy puts wealth before health at the cost of wealth for everyone Sickness knocks millions out of the workplace including some members of the middle class Pollution also shortens life expectancy for 248 million residents of northern India by an estimated eight years In 2019 the Modi government declared a so-called war on pollution but allocated a scant $42 million to the effort Modi simply will not take steps employed in countries around the world to fight pollution by taking on powerful opponents In contrast China’s war on pollution launched in 2014 has significantly cleaned up its air The Indian government has even gone so far as to label environmental activists in Greta Thunberg s Fridays For Future organization as terrorists, arresting them under India s draconian sedition laws

Institutionalized sexism also severely hampers Indian economic growth Female employment rates (ranging from formal work to self-employment to informal labor) have been dropping for over three decades with only 7 out of 100 urban women now employed, placing the nation behind even Saudi Arabia in terms of female labor participation The Modi government’s low funding of the Mahatma Gandhi national Rural employment Guarantee Act in 2023 further hurts working women; conversely boosting rural employment and creating urban employment guarantee schemes would be an easy growth (and electoral) win Modi s deft use of direct benefit programs such as the installation of toilets in homes, electricity hookups, and distribution of cooking gas has certainly improved his citizen’s lives While these programs do little to redistribute wealth or change India s economic trajectory the tangibility of these home-based benefits has redounded to Modi s personal popularity and helps to explain his slight electoral edge with women

But these programs, together with Modi s Hindu nationalist stunts such as the construction of a massive Hindu temple on the remains of an ancient mosque which was destroyed by Hindu nationalist mobs in 1992 also help to distract his supporters from his government s myriad failures This combination of institutionalized anti-minority violence, authoritarian crackdowns on free press and critics, youth unemployment, and soaring inequality, is explosive in Modi’s India As the economist R nagaraj concludes “never in the past seven decades has India witnessed such an economic reversal and the gravity of the problem is perhaps yet to sink into the minds of policymakers and the public

Tim Sahay is the senior policy manager at Green New Deal Network and a co-editor of the Polycrisis, a publication focusing on macroeconomics security and climate change

affinity for CO₂ molecules The captured CO₂ can then be stored underground or repurposed for various applications, supporting sustainable development goals By embracing the utilization of carbon allotropes in carbon capture and storage, Pakistan can not only address its emissions-intensive industries’ environmental impact but also foster economic growth by attracting investments and promoting the growth of a green industry sector By implementing carbon capture and storage technologies using carbon allotropes, Pakistan can make significant progress in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning towards a low-carbon economy Furthermore carbon allotropes offer tremendous potential in enhancing agriculture and soil fertility Pakistan is an agrarian economy, heavily reliant on its agricultural sector for food security and economic growth However unsustainable farming practices deforestation and land degradation have led to soil erosion, reduced fertility, and decreased agricultural productivity Biochar, a type of carbon allotrope derived from the pyrolysis of biomass can be used as a soil amendment to improve soil quality and sequester carbon By incorporating biochar into agricultural soils, Pakistan can enhance water retention, nutrient availability and microbial activity leading to increased crop yields and improved soil fertility Additionally, biochar acts as a longterm carbon sink, effectively removing CO₂ from the atmos-

phere and mitigating climate change

Carbon allotropes also offer significant opportunities in driving innovation and sustainable industrial growth

The catalytic properties of carbon nanotubes and graphene make them efficient catalysts for converting CO₂ into valuable products These catalysts facilitate the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, leading to the production of fuels or chemical feedstocks By utilizing carbon allotropes as catalysts Pakistan can promote the development of a circular economy where CO₂ emissions are transformed into useful products thus closing the carbon loop and contributing to a more sustainable future

Moreover, carbon allotropes have the ability to undergo mineralization reactions, transforming CO₂ into stable carbonate minerals This process known as carbon mineralization offers a means of permanently storing carbon in a solid form effectively removing it from the atmosphere While still in its early stages of development, carbon mineralization technology holds tremendous promise as a viable long-term solution for carbon removal and climate change mitigation

As promising as these developments are, it is crucial to acknowledge that large-scale implementation and cost-effectiveness remain significant challenges Research and development efforts along with supportive policies and investment are necessary to overcome these challenges and fully harness the potential of carbon allotropes in Pakistan

Pakistan’s commitment to harnessing carbon allotropes presents a unique opportunity to combat climate change drive economic growth and improve the quality of life for its citizens By investing in research initiatives fostering collaborations with academia and industry and creating an enabling environment for innovation, Pakistan can realize the full potential of carbon allotropes for a greener, more sustainable future

Pakistan possesses significant potential in utilizing carbon allotropes to address climate change promote renewable energy enhance agriculture and drive sustainable industrial growth By incorporating carbon allotropes into renewable energy technologies implementing carbon capture and storage solutions, enhancing soil fertility with biochar, and leveraging the catalytic properties of carbon nanotubes and graphene, Pakistan can make substantial progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions increasing renewable energy capacity improving agricultural productivity and fostering sustainable industrial development Through strategic investments, collaborations, and supportive policies, Pakistan can lead the way towards a greener and more sustainable future while contributing to global effort₂s in combating climate change

The writer is an Assistant Director at the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency He can be reached at fayyazsalih@gmail com and tweets @fayyazSHussain

The rise and fall of a Russian oligarch

Any western hopes of staging an insurrec tion in Russia and a regime change under a renegade oligarch’s banner will be an absurd idea

this deal paid a heavy price Mikhail Khodorkovsky worth $15 billion and once ranked 16th on Forbes list of billionaires is the most celebrated case who harboured political ambition and now lives in exile in the US, lavishly funding American think tanks and Russophobic activists all across the western world, spewing venom against Putin

TH e Kremlin leadership has acted decisively to meet the threat of an armed insurrection by the Russian oligarch and self-styled founder of Wagner Group of military contractors, yevgeny Prigozhin

In a series of videos released on Friday Prigozhin alleged that the Russian government s justifications for military intervention in Ukraine were based on lies He accused the Russian Defence Ministry under minister Sergei Shoigu of trying to deceive society and the president and tell us how there was crazy aggression from Ukraine and that they were planning to attack us with the whole of nATO ” He claimed that regular Russian armed forces had launched missile strikes against Wagner forces killing a “huge” number Prigozhin declared: The council of commanders of PMC Wagner has made a decision – the evil that the military leadership of the country brings must be stopped He vowed to march on Moscow and hold those responsible to account

The Federal Security Service or FSB (formerly the KGB) has called it “an armed rebellion”; Wagner ’s headquarters in St Petersburg has been sealed; Prosecutor General s Office said this crime is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 12 to 20 years

In an address to the nation at 10 00 am Moscow time on Saturday, President Vladimir Putin strongly condemned the developments describing it as an armed mutiny and calling for the “consolidation of all forces ” Putin drew a parallel with the insurrection in Petrograd (St Petersburg) in February 1917 that led to the Bolshevik Revolution and a protracted civil war with large-scale western military intervention including the United States while all sorts of political adventurers and foreign forces profited from the situation by tearing the country apart to divide it He promised, “Decisive actions will also be taken to stabilise the situation in Rostov-on-Don (700 kms south of Moscow where Prigozhin is located with Wagner fighters ) It remains difficult the work of civil and military authorities is actually blocked Putin vowed that those who organised and prepared a military mutiny who took up arms against his comrades – betrayed Russia, will be punished Significantly, Putin never once mentioned Prigozhin s name

This face-off has been in the making for several months and is traceable to tensions in the working relations between the Wagner forces and the Russian ministry of defence Prigozhin s personal antipathy towards Defence Minister Shoigu and the Russian top brass his bloated ego and overvaulting political ambition, and, most certainly, his business interests

Prigozhin has crossed the red line that Putin famously drew right at the beginning of his rule in the Kremlin in the summer of 2000 in a historic meeting with 21 of the richest men in Russia the rapacious oligarchs as Russians had come to derisively call them who had risen seemingly out of nowhere amassing spectacular fortunes as the country around them descended into chaos through shady deals, outright corruption, and even murder and had seized control of much of Russia’s economy, and, increasingly, its fledgling democracy At the closed-door meeting Putin told them face to face who was really in charge in Russia

Putin offered the oligarchs a deal: Bend to the Russian state s authority stay out of the way of Russia s governance or domestic politics, and you can keep your mansions, super-yachts, private jets, and multibillion-dollar corporations ’ In the coming years, those oligarchs who reneged on

But on the other hand the “loyalists” who stayed back went on to became filthy rich and live off the fat of the land like nobody s business Prigozhin a man of humble origin stayed back to amass great wealth In a way he symbolises all that has gone so terribly wrong with Russia s post-Soviet reincarnation

However, the dividing line is often blurred as even those who stayed back took care to keep a significant part of their loot in western countries in bank vaults or as moveable and immoveable assets beyond the reach of Russian law Which means the oligarchs are also highly vulnerable to Western blackmail Unsurprisingly the western capitals fancy that the oligarchs could lend a hand to undermine the Kremlin regime from within or create a social implosion to destabilise Russia and throw into disarray its war effort in Ukraine

Prigozhin’s antecedents are anybody’s guess But it is entirely conceivable that this man who is credited with extralarge influence in the Kremlin s corridors of power has been in the cross-hairs of the western intelligence Prigozhin is worth at least $1 2 billion in personal wealth Prigozhin was also a trailblazer of sorts, having got into the hugely lucrative profession of managing a quasi-state company of mercenaries who are trained and equipped to act as military contractors in hotspots abroad in countries where Russia has vital interests commercially politically or militarily

Moscow is no longer in the Soviet-era business of promoting national liberation movements But it also cannot be impervious to the regime changes that Russia s main western opponents routinely promote to serve their geopolitical interests in the so-called Global South (or in the ex-Soviet republics ) Thus Russia has found an ingenious Third Way by creating a military wing somewhat fashioned after the notorious French Foreign league The Wagner Group has proved to be extremely effective in Sahel region and elsewhere in Africa as a provider of security for the established governments The erstwhile colonial powers no longer have a field day in dictating terms to the African governments

Suffice to say the taming of Prigozhin has proved to be difficult although Russian intelligence would have been aware that western intelligence was in touch with him Indeed his increasingly defiant public posturing was becoming a serious distraction for the Kremlin One possibility is that Russian intelligence gave him a long rope to hang himself equally, Kremlin’s preference would have been to pacify and co-opt him in the war effort Putin even met him

In his address to the nation Putin stopped short of alleging any foreign hand in the current developments and put his finger on excessive ambitions and personal interests [having] led to treason But, rather explicitly more than once Putin also highlighted that it will be foreign powers inimical toward Russia who are the ultimate beneficiaries of Prigozhin’s activity

Significantly the FSB has directly accused Prigozhin of treason which could only have been on the basis of intelligence inputs and with Putin s approval The fact that Prigozhin s mutiny comes bang in the middle of the Ukrainian offensive when the war is nearing a tipping point in Russia’s favour must also be carefully weighed in

In the final analysis this macabre attempt at mutiny won’t fly Oligarchs are a detested lot in the Russian opinion Any western hopes of staging an insurrection in Russia and a regime change under a renegade oligarch s banner will be an absurd idea, to say the least

M K Bhadrakumar is a former Indian diplomat

Pakistan possesses significant potential in utilizing carbon allotropes to address climate change, promote renewable energy, enhance agriculture, and drive sustainable industrial growth. By incorporating carbon allotropes into renewable energy technologies, implementing carbon capture and storage solutions, enhancing soil fer tility with biochar

Fayyaz Salih huSSaiN

Contrar y to reputation, India’s c urrent government has made it worse off

WA

MOSCOW A G E N C I E S

TH E chief of the rebel Wagner mercenary force will go to Belarus and will not face charges after calling off his troops advance on Moscow, the Russian government said, easing the country’s most serious security crisis in decades

The feud between Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia s military brass came to a violent head in the past day with his forces capturing a key army headquarters in southern Russia on Saturday and then heading north to threaten the capital

Within hours of Prigozhin’s aboutface the Kremlin announced he would leave for Belarus and Russia would not prosecute him or Wagner s members

It had been a dramatic day, with President Vladimir Putin warning against civil war, Moscow telling locals to stay off the streets and Kyiv revelling in the chaos engulfing its enemy

The tide shifted suddenly when Prigozhin made the stunning announcement that his troops were turning our columns around and going back to field camps to avoid bloodshed in the Russian capital Prigozhin who has feuded bitterly with Moscow s military leadership even

as his outfit led parts of Russia’s Ukraine offensive said he understood the importance of the moment and did not want to spill Russian blood

By early Sunday Wagner had pulled fighters and equipment from Rostov-onDon, where they had seized the military headquarters, said the regional governor

But before they left dozens of residents were cheering and chanting Wagner! Wagner! outside the military headquarters they had captured Authorities in the southern Lipetsk region announced the lifting of restrictions after earlier reporting Wagner fight-

Trump warns Russia coup could result in ‘unintended consequences’

Days after the mercenary group Wagner ’s putsch to seize power in Russia misfired former US president Donald Trump Saturday warned the coup-mongers that if President Vladimir Putin is overthrown from power unintended consequences would follow

While writing on his social media platform Truth Social, 77-year-old Trump wrote: “A big mess in Russia, but be careful what you wish for Next in may be far worse!”

The comments from the former president who was indicted two times on charges including hush money payment overturning 2021 election results and retaining highly classified documents in his house came as the news spread throughout the world about the rebellion

Later on, Wagner chief Evgeny Prigozhin agreed to cease his advance on Moscow after turning his guns on the Russian leadership

In response Putin pledged to crush the armed mutiny led by the Wagner which claimed to have gained control of a southern city in a coup attempt against top military brass

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a video address, on June 24, 2023, as Wagner fighters stage rebellion AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a video address on June 24 2023 as Wagner fighters stage rebellion AFP Putin during a televised address said termed the acts treason and a stab in the back adding that the Prigozhin move is a blow to Russia, to our people

On Friday, Wagner s chief appeared to cross a redline, saying Putin’s stated rationale for his special operation against Ukraine 16 months ago was based on lies “concocted by the army’s top brass”

The war was needed so that Shoigu could become a marshal so that he could get a second Hero [of Russia] medal, Prigozhin said in a video clip

At 2:00am, Prigozhin posted a message on Telegram saying his forces were in Rostov and ready to “go all the way” against the top brass and destroy anyone who stood in their way Prigozhin denied that he was trying to stage a military coup However Wager s boss

Prigozhin reached a point of agreement under which he will leave Russia and will not be persecuted

A local resident walks past members of the Wagner group in Rostov-on-Don, on June 24, 2023 AFP

A local resident walks past members of the Wagner group in Rostov-on-Don on June 24 2023 AFP

Trump also suggested that the US president was beholden to Xi China and Russia until Biden came along have always been natural enemies, with China wanting large portions of largely unpopulated Russian land to have for their much larger population,” Trump said

“This is China’s heretofore unthinkable opportunity –much bigger than Taiwan which to President Xi can wait ” US President Joe Biden who has previously called for regime change in Russia was reported to be consulting with allies and partners on the situation in Moscow according to RT A G E N C I E S

ers in their territory, where the local capital is 420 kilometres south of Moscow Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said he had negotiated a truce with Prigozhin drawing thanks from Moscow Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later told reporters that the “criminal case against him (Prigozhin) will be dropped He himself will go to Belarus Peskov also said that members of Wagner who had taken part in what authorities termed an armed rebellion would not be prosecuted “Avoiding bloodshed, internal con-

frontation, and clashes with unpredictable results was the highest goal, Peskov added

In Ukraine government officials said the situation had humiliated Putin Prigozhin humiliated Putin/the state and showed that there is no longer a monopoly on violence, presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter

While Russia claimed the rebellion had no impact on its Ukraine campaign Kyiv said the unrest offered a “window of opportunity as the nation pressed its long-awaited counter-offensive Analysts said there were likely to be consequences for Prigozhin and Wagner There has to be, otherwise the message is that a military force can openly challenge the state and others have to learn that the Russian state indeed has a monopoly on violence inside the country Samuel Bendett a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses, tweeted Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the USbased Foreign Policy Research Institute, said cooperation between Wagner and the Russian military was likely to suffer Putin and the security services will likely try to weaken Wagner or remove Prigozhin Lee tweeted Given Wagner s presence overseas, the greatest effects from this event may be felt in MENA/Africa”, where Wagner has a large presence

Taliban taking measures to ensure ‘comfortable, prosperous life’ for women: supreme leader

The Afghan Taliban supreme leader has said that steps were being taken to protect the country’s women from “traditional oppressions” and added that their status as free and dignified human beings had been restored Hibatullah Akhundzada who rarely appears in public and rules by decree from the Taliban s birthplace in Kandahar issued a statement on Sunday to mark the beginning of Eid ul Adha holidays He said the country’s interim government led by Taliban were taking measures to provide women with a comfortable and prosperous life according to Islamic Sharia

The United Nations expressed deep concern last week that women were being deprived of their rights under Afghanistan s Taliban government and warned of systematic gender apartheid

Since returning to power in August 2021 Taliban authorities have stopped girls and women from attending high school or university banned them from parks gyms and public baths and ordered them to cover up when leaving home

They have also barred them from working for the UN or NGOs, while most female government employees have been dismissed from their jobs or are being paid to stay at home

However Akhundzada said necessary steps have been taken for the betterment of women as half of the society All institutions have been obliged to help women in securing marriage, inheritance and other rights, his statement read

China and Sri Lanka will further strengthen their cooperation through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and promote greater development of China-Sri Lanka relations according to foreign ministers of both countries on Sunday

During their meeting in Beijing, Qin Gang, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister said that the two countries have set a good example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between big and small countries, and China is willing to further consolidate and expand the strategic cooperative partnership with Sri Lanka

He added that the two countries should implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state, intensify high-level exchanges, expand people-topeople and cultural exchanges, and push for more achievements in high-quality BRI cooperation

China will continue to assist within its capacity for Sri Lanka s socio-economic development and

improvement of people s livelihood Qin said Ali Sabry, the Sri Lankan foreign minister, expressed his appreciation for China’s assistance to Sri Lanka’s national independence and economic development

He also thanked China s support for handling the debt issue of Sri Lanka which has helped it overcome temporary difficulties Sabry pledged that Sri Lanka will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy promote Belt and Road projects intensify multilateral coordination and

push for greater development of Sri Lanka-China relations Sri Lanka attaches great importance to opportunities brought by China’s development and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in Sri Lanka ” Sabry added

The two sides also exchanged common concerns on international and regional issues with Qin calling for global cooperation, peaceful development and common prosperity S

G U A R A N T E E D R I G H T S: Akhundzada said a six-point decree issued in December 2021 guaranteed women their rights Among other things the decree outlawed forced marriages and enshrined the right to inheritance and divorce The negative aspects of the past 20-year occupation related to women s hijab and misguidance will end soon,” Akhundzada said

A report to the UN’s Human Rights Council last week by Richard Bennett the special rapporteur for Afghanistan said the plight of women and girls in the country was among the worst in the world Grave systematic and institutionalised discrimination against women and girls is at the heart of Taliban ideology and rule, which also gives rise to concerns that they may be responsible for gender apartheid ” Bennett said UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif added: Over the past 22 months every aspect of women s and girls lives has been restricted They are discriminated against in every way Despite his rare public appearances, Akhundzada has regularly issued lengthy “state-ofthe-nation”-style statements ahead of important Muslim festivals and holidays

At the national level the independence of Afghanistan has been restored once again he said He praised Afghanistan s economic resilience efforts to eradicate poppy cultivation, and the improvement in national security “It is our shared responsibility to protect and serve our Islamic system ” he said “The current system is the result of the sacrifices of thousands of mujahideen Let s stand by each other eliminate conspiracies value security and prosperity and work together for its further enhancement A G E N C I E S

New Zealand PM to boost cooperation, promote ties in first China visit

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins bringing a business delegation of 29 representatives from various fields is making his first trip to China starting from Sunday with a dual focus to boost the country s economy and promote ties with its largest trading partner

In the increasingly complex international situation and with the Biden administration accelerating its alliancebuilding, New Zealand has set a good example for Western countries of how to balance its relations with both China and the US and maintain strategic autonomy experts said

According to the Xinhua News Agency Hipkins is paying an official visit to China from June 25 to 30 and will attend the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, in Tianjin at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang Hipkins is accompanied by 29 delegates representing a wide range of export sectors including tourism and edu-

cation said the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) the country s international business development agency

In the past, many may think that New Zealand, as a relatively small country, lacked diplomatic autonomy, but in fact it has more say in various aspects including economy and national defense even more than its neighbouring country Australia Chen Hong director of the New Zealand Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Sunday Grasping a major chance as the world enters the post-pandemic era, New Zealand has been able to exclude all kinds of pressures and influences to strengthen its relationship with China setting a good example for other US allies of balancing well between its own interests in cooperating with China and its relations with Western countries Chen said China-New Zealand relations have maintained positive development over the past decades, with New Zealand making many “firsts” with China, for example the first Western country to support China’s acces-

sion to the WTO and the first country to sign a free trade agreement with China, Shen Shishun, an AsiaPacific affairs expert at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday

Against the backdrop of growing protectionism and unilateralism Hipkins’ first visit to China underscores the importance the New Zealand government attaches to its major trading partner Shen said The economic and trade cooperation between China and New Zealand is complementary and has served as a ballast stone for bilateral relations, Shen said China has reportedly been New Zealand’s largest trading partner for years accounting for around 30 percent of New Zealand s exports of goods and services according to the website of the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand

During Hipkins visit the two countries may strive to seek in-depth cooperation in more fields in addition to trade, tourism and education, Shen said, suggesting that the two sides continue to uphold multilateralism and winwin cooperation to deepen their friendly cooperation

‘G od’s guests’: S audis safeguard Hajj hospitalit y tradition

MAKKAH A F P

Braving the scorching Saudi heat Makkah resident Amer Abdullah distributed free tea and bread to worshippers performing the annual Hajj pilgrimage, honouring a longstanding tradition in Islam’s holiest city

Joined by his five sons the 45-year-old Saudi man who spends his evenings serving warm beverages to worn-out Muslim pilgrims, said Hajj hospitality runs in his blood

For the people of Makkah, there is no higher honour than serving pilgrims,” Abdullah told AFP ahead of the start of Hajj rituals on Sunday

My father did it as did his forefathers before him and now I am trying to pass it down to my sons he added pearls of sweat forming on his face

Before hotels and high-rises sprang up in Makkah, locals used to host pilgrims in their homes

Now while the holy city is dotted with luxury accommodation and air-conditioned

shopping malls, these have not replaced the deeply ingrained culture of hospitality

Every day at around noon Abdullah and his sons start filling vacuum flasks with tea and hot milk

They pack hundreds of loaves of bread into tightly sealed plastic bags before heading out for the night

They set up near the Grand Mosque which is overflowing with worshippers some of whom survive solely on handouts for the duration of the four-day pilgrimage

This is an honour passed down through generations here, Abdullah said, pouring tea into a paper cup Hospitality, already firmly rooted in Saudi culture gains even more currency during Hajj one of the five pillars of Islam that all Muslims with the means must undertake at least once in their lives

More than two million pilgrims from more than 160 countries are expected this year According to Muslim tradition they are guests of God meaning they must be pro-

vided with accommodation, food and drink even if they cannot afford it

Across Makkah young men distribute free meals consisting of rice chicken or meat to pilgrims who line up in long queues Faisal al-Husseini, a Pakistani businessman living in Makkah, has been distributing hot meals every day for weeks

“It is a great honour to serve God’s guests ” he said handing food in a blue plas-

CORPORATE CORNER

Fruit Juices industr y decries

20pc FED on pack aged juices by clubbing industr y with c arbonated beverages

J u i c e s a n d f r u i t d r i n k s h a v e v a r y i n g a n d h i g h p e r c e n t a g e s o f f r u i t c o n t e n t a n d c a n n o t b e e q u a t e d w i t h c a r b o n a t e d / a e r a t e d b e v e r a g e s T h e f r u i t j u i c e i n d u s t r y a l l i a n c e i s s t r o n g l y o p p o s e d t o t h e d r a c o n i a n i m p o s i t i o n o f 2 0 % f e d e r a l e x c i s e d u t i e s o n p a c k a g e d j u i c e s a n d d e c r i e s b e i n g c l u b b e d w i t h t h e c a r b o n a t e d b e v e r a g e s i n t h e n e w t a x a t i o n m e a s u r e s u n d e r t a k e n b y t h e f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t o n t h e f i n a l d a y o f t h e f i s c a l b u d g e t 2 0 2 3 - 2 4 T h e 2 0 % h i k e i n F E D f r o m t h e a l r e a d y e x i s t i n g 1 0 % , a n d t h e a d d i t i o n a l 1 8 % G S T, w i l l n o t o n l y d e r a i l t h e s e c t o r c o m p l e t e l y b u t a l s o h a v e d e v a s t a t i n g i m p a c t o n t h e r u r a l e c o n o m y a f f e c t i n g f r u i t g r o w e r s a n d a l l i e d i n d u s t r y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e j u i c e s s e c t o r e v e n t u a l l y r e s u l t i n g i n d e c l i n e i n g o v e r n m e n t s o v e r a l l t a x r e v e n u e a s w e l l E a r l i e r d u e t o t h e 1 0 % F E D l e v y, i n d u s t r y s a l e s p l u m m e t e d t o P K R 4 3 b i l l i o n i n 2 0 2 3 t h a t w e r e t o i n c r e a s e t o m o r e t h a n P K R 7 0 b i l l i o n , c o n s i d e r i n g t h e i n d u s t r y g r o w t h r a t e “ P u t t i n g t h e j u i c e s e c t o r i n t h e s a m e l e a g u e a s c a r b o n a t e d d r i n k s i s a b s o l u t e l y u n d e r m i n i n g t h e v i t a l r o l e i t s b e e n p l a y i n g a s a s a f e a n d h e a l t h y a l t e r n a t i v e t o c a r b o n a t e d d r i n k s , s p o k e s p e r s o n o f t h e j u i c e i n d u s t r y a l l i a n c e s a i d “ P u t t i n g t h e j u i c e s e c t o r i n t h e s a m e l e a g u e a s c a r b o n a t e d d r i n k s i s a b s o l u t e l y u n d e r m i n i n g t h e v i t a l r o l e i t ’s b e e n p l a y i n g a s a s a f e a n d h e a l t h y a l t e r n a t i v e t o c a r b o n a t e d d r i n k s s p o k e s p e r s o n o f t h e j u i c e i n d u s t r y a l l i a n c e s a i d P R

THE ranks R i U among A sia's top 200 universities

Riphah International University is delighted to announce its exceptional achievement in securing the 196th position in the prestigious Asia University Ranking (AUR) released by the Times Higher Education (THE) The Asia University Ranking evaluates universities based on five critical factors that encompass various aspects of institutional performance These factors include Teaching Research, Citations, International Outlook, and Industry Income Riphah International University's remarkable progress in the Asia University Ranking is a testament to its unwavering dedication to providing quality education and contributing to the advancement of knowledge By ensuring education is accessible to all and incorporating the latest technological advancements, the university continues to empower individuals and make a positive impact on society P R

PPP always strives for political stability: Tasneem Qureshi

PAKISTANI BUSINESS DELEGATION VISITS HUNNAN FOR EXCHANGES

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

Adelegation of Pakistani business representatives visited Hunan, China for exchanges and connections with government institutions business associations and relevant enterprises

The visit was organized and coordinated by the International Environmental Special Fund of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF)

The Pakistani business delegation consisting of eight members was led by Senator and General Abdul Qayyum along with Sheikh Ejaz Asghar Vice Chairman of the Pakistan-China Business Forum, Khalid Mahmood, CEO of Pakistan Green Energy Company, and Ms Wang Lihua General Manager of Pakistan Woda Limited

The business areas for connections covered new energy automobiles steel household appliances, building materials, electronic products, food processing, and agricultural products

On June 18, the delegation held forums with more than 60 Hunan enterprises Representatives

from the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce introduced the overall situation of Hunan s industries and the current status of trade with Pakistan

They highlighted the prospects and opportunities that Hunan’s industrial capabilities particularly in engineering machinery new energy IT technology and e-commerce can bring to the upgrading and competitiveness of Pakistan s industries

The representatives of the Pakistani business delegation stated that Pakistan has a population of over 200 million and is currently at the initial stage of rapid development with a relatively low overall economic level Due to the longstanding friendly relations the government attaches great importance to trade connections and cooperation with China They view China as a role model for development and expressed the urgent need for Chinese technology and products in the fields of communications building materials aviation new energy transportation, food processing, electronic products, agriculture, and household appliances

Following the introduction, representatives from Hunan enterprises engaged in information exchange and

preliminary connections with the Pakistani business delegation During the visit, the delegation split into two teams One team visited CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co , Ltd , while the other visited Lianyuan Iron and Steel Group At CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive the delegation toured the manufacturing center and held discussions with the leaders of Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric, Times New Material, and International Marketing Center General Abdul Qayyum highly praised the leading technologies of CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive in locomotive manufacturing rail transit and new energy fields He considered these technologies as urgently needed by Pakistan and expressed willingness to help CRRC open up the Pakistani market At Lianyuan Iron and Steel Group Vice Chairman Sheikh Ejaz Asghar obtained detailed information about Lianyuan s main products visited the production line, and acknowledged the excellent quality of Lianyuan s products He mentioned that there are several products that Pakistani manufacturers are currently seeking expressing their intention for procurement

Govt prioritizes reconstruc tion, rehab of flood hit areas: S herr y Rehman

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman on Sunday highlighted that the government has prioritized the reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas affected by floods in the federal budget 2023-24 Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly she expressed disappointment that the interna-

tional community seems to have overlooked the plight of those affected by the devastating disaster in Pakistan last year

The minister further acknowledged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's unwavering efforts in advocating for climate justice during a conference held in Paris His representation aimed to raise awareness and seek global support for addressing climate-re-

lated challenges faced by Pakistan she expressed

Meanwhile, Minister for Human Rights Riaz Hussain Pirzada commended the government for introducing various incentives for farmers in the budget He expressed his belief that these measures would contribute to the overall growth of the agriculture sector which was crucial for the country's economic development

CM Naqvi direc ts authorities to formulate comprehensive polic y for meat expor t

A high-level meeting with Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi in the chair on Sunday decided to declare Bahawalpur a meat division and discussed proposals to give same status to Dera Ghazi Khan

Addressing the meeting, the caretaker chief minister also sought a plan for making improvement in dairy and livestock sectors and directed the officials concerned to formulate a comprehensive policy for meat export

The meeting also decided to take steps on war footings for the promotion of beef, mutton and poultry industries in the province The participants were briefed that billions of dollars could be earned in foreign exchange through the export of beef mutton and poultry

The participants were informed that there was a need to adopt latest methods of farm management and vaccination It was informed that Punjab had the potential to export livestock and dairy products worth billions of rupees to Saudi Arabia and China

The meeting was briefed that more production of dairy products could be achieved through cow calf and black grounding

In the afternoon of June 19 during a visit to the Overseas Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Zhuzhou, General Abdul Qayyum reviewed the more than 30 years of interaction with China and expressed strong agreement with China’s proposed strategy of building the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Pakistan occupies a unique geographical location and the establishment of the CPEC can greatly shorten our trade distance between China and Europe, as well as other countries along the Belt and Road, while further ensuring economic security I sincerely welcomed enterprises from Zhuzhou to develop in Pakistan and assist Pakistan in achieving technological and product upgrades in industry and agriculture, he noted Dr He Ping, Director of the International Environmental Special Fund of CBCGDF emphasized the need for further strengthening exchanges and cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road He hoped that through the visit of the Pakistani business delegation to Hunan, bilateral connections can be established and strengthened, as well as further promoting the entry of outstanding Hunan enterprises and products into the Belt and Road market

QAU ranked among top 100 universities in A sia

I s l a m a b a d : Q u a i d - i -A z a m U n i ve r s i ty ( Q AU ) h a s a c h i e ve d a r e m a r k a b l e m i l e s t o n e b y s e c u r i n g a p o s i t i o n a m o n g t h e t o p 1 0 0 u n i ve r s i t i e s i n A s i a , a s r e ve a l e d b y T h e T i m e s H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n Wo r l d U n i ve r s i ty Ra n k i n g 2 0 2 3 Re c o g n i ze d f o r i t s e xc e p t i o n a l t e a c h i n g a n d r e s e a r c h e n d e avo r s Q AU h a s r e c e i ve d t h e 9 8 t h s p o t i n t h i s p r e s t i g i o u s ra n k i n g A t o t a l o f 4 0 0 u n i ve r s i t i e s a c r o s s t h e c o n t i n e n t w e r e c o m p a r e d i n t h i s ra n k i n g A c c o r d i n g t o t h e d e t a i l s Q AU h a s a l s o b e e n p l a c e d a t 4 0 t h p o s i t i o n g l o b a l l y f o r t h e c i t a t i o n s P r o f D r N i a z A h m a d A k h t a r ( S I ) V i c e C h a n c e l l o r Q u a i d - i -A z a m U n i ve r s i ty a t t r i b u t e s t h i s m o m e n t o u s a c h i e ve m e n t t o t h e e xc e p t i o n a l f a c u l ty, d e d i c a t e d s t a f f, a n d t a l e n t e d s t u d e n t b o d y I n h i s m e s s a g e , t h e V i c e C h a n c e l l o r a l s o e x t e n d s h i s a p p r e c i a t i o n t o t h e U n i ve r s i ty ra n k i n g c o m m i t t e e f o r t h e i r r e l e n t l e s s e f f o r t s " We a f f i r m o u r c o m m i t m e n t t o f u r t h e r e n h a n c i n g Q AU ’s e s t e e m e d p o s i t i o n o n t h e g l o b a l s t a g e e x p r e s s e d t h e V i c e C h a n c e l l o r P R

Turi announces reopening of 62 coal mines lying non operational for past 16 years in Kurram

saRGOdHa: State Minister for Production and Industries Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi said on Sunday Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had always strived to ensuring political stability and democracy in the country Addressing a gathering here he said all political parties were sitting together despite ideological differences for the sake of country s economic and political stability and strengthening democracy The coalition government came to power after removal of former prime minister Imran Khan through a constitutional way to mitigate the sufferings of people amid inflation unemployment and poverty Tasneem said About sufferings of those affected by floods last year, Qureshi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto effectively voiced the miseries of 33 million people of Pakistan at the international forums, who were affected due to devastating floods As a result Pakistan received financial assistance of $9 billion for the flood affected people s rehabilitation he added Referring to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto s recent speech in National Assembly, Tasneem dispelled the impression of any strife between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and said Bilawal Bhutto explained that the basic issue was funds for the flood victims I N P

Recent migrant boat disaster off Greece involving hundreds of lives onboard begs to awaken human conscience, if ever there was one If we can’t build a Noah’s Ark to save illegal migrants at sea, let us at least build a Guantanamo like detention centre in every maritime nation to rescue restrain and hold such heinous criminals until deported

Centuries ago Noah single-handedly built an ark and saved humanity Today its descendants still struggle to find a literally water-tight solution that focuses on the last mile segment of an international humanitarian crisis of deadly proportions – deaths at sea in derelict unsafe vessels

Yes it s migrants fault These heinous criminals shouldn t have left their homelands to illegally enter into another country and “steal” their resources Yes, they should have been sane enough to refuse passage in a derelict unsafe creaking rust-tub crammed beyond its capacity Alas if wishes were horses beggars would ride! No one leaves home unless the risk of dying during journey appears lesser than the risk of continuing to live on back home

It was decided to approach the federal government to remove impediments in the way of export of these items

The meeting stressed the need for the mechanization of poultry industry CM Naqvi directed the secretary livestock to meet Chinese counsel general for the purpose Fawad Mukhtar Naveed Iqbal and Prof Talat Naseer Pasha gave briefing to the participants Provincial Minister for Livestock Ibrahim Hassan Murad, chief secretary, Planning and Developm e n t c h a i r m a n , s e c r e t a r y l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t , s e c r e t a r y f i n a n c e a n d o t h e r c o n c e r n e d o ff i c i a l s were in attendance

UAE inaugurates pavilion at SCO Expo in Q ingdao, C hina

BEIJING S TA F F R E P O R T

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has set up a pavilion at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) International Investment and Trade Fair held in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province

UAE Ambassador to China Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi and Zhang Xinzhu a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee and head of the SCO Model Zone, jointly opened the UAE Pavilion

Also let us not enter into the great debate regarding State’s responsibility Yes a State of origin should be able to provide well for its citizens Yes a transiting State should crackdown on the human-smuggling international networks that exploit human insecurities Yes, a maritime State should exercise effective Port State Control to deny operation of derelict unsafe rust-tub like small boats from its shores

Yes an adjoining maritime State should effectively patrol its waters to disrupt such human-smuggling attempts through seas of its jurisdiction Yes, a destination State should build effective programme to deny entry of such illegal immigrants in hordes lest they become a burden on its population A State should do all this and more More so the States that are on the originating end of the problem bear greatest responsibility for preventing such migrants from leaving But what about the poor souls who have been eventually trapped in this vicious circle facing a certain death at sea? It’s not a question of emotional blackmail of States who can

Zhang congratulated the launch of the UAE national pavilion and said that the SCO Model Zone is based on economic and trade cooperation and seeks to promote platforms and demonstration models in this area an effort that has been unanimously recognized by both sides

For its next step, the SCO Model Zone will strengthen connections with UAE enterprises to help them expand into the Chinese market Hammadi said that as the UAE joins the SCO family UAE will work with China and other member states to achieve peace

and prosperity, promote regional development and contribute to global peace and development, Global Times reported The growing business ties between China and the UAE have been fruitful with trade between the two countries reaching $100 billion and expected to reach $200 billion by 2030 The UAE has 13 exhibitors dedicated to exploring cooperation opportunities building capacity for development and seeking Chinese and international partners to build solid partnerships the ambassador said

rescue migrants at sea but a question of coordinating emergency responses to save lives It is more of a case of a human’s right to live and a human s responsibility to save lives

Saving lives at sea from shipwrecks has been an ancient concern Noah did it then by building an ark And lately when Titanic sank in its full doom in 1912, the world scrambled to put together an International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea also short-titled SOLAS convention And then we have International Convention of Maritime Search and Rescue as well as a focused legislation by the name of Migrant Smuggling Protocol to the UN Transnational Organized Crimes Convention (UNOTC) All these international legislations focus on sacrosanct subject of the safety of life at sea

Thus in disasters like the current one at hand it is the States from whose shores such derelict unsafe boats are allowed to leave for sea and States in whose vicinity these boats transit come under greater focus The question of right to visit board and search a vessel/boat/flag flying another flag in interna-

I s l a m a b a d: Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development, Sajid Turi, in collaboration with the Pakistan Army, has made a significant announcement regarding the reopening of 62 coal mines in central Kurram These mines have been non-operational for the past 16 years due to terrorism in the region This decision is set to provide employment opportunities to over 5,000 individuals in the district of Kurram, ultimately contributing to the further development of Pakistan's economy On the auspicious occasion Minister Sajid Turi expressed that this initiative aligns with the vision of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto who aims to create employment opportunities and ensure the welfare of coal mine workers In a recent visit to Geneva, Minister Sajid Turi attended a conference organized by the Industrial Global Union, where he addressed the ongoing issue of mining accidents in Pakistan The minister s primary focus during the conference was to emphasize the welfare of coal mine workers recognizing its significant role in the development of Pakistan s economys PR

tional waters is very clear in international maritime law, and when human lives are at stake, the States have all the legal wherewithal to board such vessels for early rescue However persistent maritime disasters point towards a deviant practice which needs to be looked in by international community We must remember that illegal migrants are victims of an international mafia which exploits their economic fears and lands them on derelict unsafe ships States enforce laws for unsafe joyrides in entertainment parks; why not do same at sea which is universal jurisdiction as far as Search and Rescue is con-

cerned Search & Rescue is an international obligation and a Mariner ’s first duty at sea; so why do we tolerate criminal delay or neglect?

Finally I leave a Hobson’s Choice for the reader The world by and large made and accepted a Guantanamo Bay to restrain dangerous individuals until their cases are decided Why not make a similar facility to retain such illegal migrants until their cases are decided and they are either given asylum or deported? You Think or else they Swim that s only if they are lucky!

The author is an independent maritime scholar based in Lahore

Wh i t h e r N o a h’s Ar k ?

Qureshi l ambastes govt’s ‘l ack of response’ to us-india joint statement

fO R M E R foreign minister and PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday lambasted the coalition government for “what he called a lack of response” to the US-India joint statement which called on Pakistan to crack down on extremists that target New Delhi

Speaking to the media here in Multan, Qureshi said that as a former foreign minister he was “pained” to see the joint communique issued after Biden and Modi’s meeting in Washington

This was a bilateral visit it is his right They met [and] they had a discussion But the joint communique issued after the meeting reading that joint communique as a former foreign minister of Pakistan caused me great pain ”

He said that the statement failed to recognise Pakistan’s economic and human losses in the fight against terrorism

And then in a bilateral meeting setting aside diplomatic norms, Pakistan is made a target of criticism This was inappropriate,” he said US President Joe Biden laid out a red carpet for Indian Prime Minister Naren-

dra Modi at the White House on Thursday where the two countries sealed major defence and technology deals as Washington bets big on India as a counterweight to China In an apparent bid to use the visit to further India s agenda against Islamabad, a joint statement issued by the two heads of state late on Thursday called on Pakistan to crack down on extremists that target New Delhi The statement also called for action against extremist groups based in Pakistan

The Foreign Office (FO) had termed the statement misleading and unwar-

gov t initiates pension reforms to avoid snowballing: dar

R T

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday morning that pensions have been a problem for ages and should have been solved years ago Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly he said it s a common principle that one is entitled to one pension and gets the highest

But here, people have been the army chief, chief executive, president are receiving pension from all institutions This is a huge burden on this poor country ” he maintained

He reiterated that it was unfair that a family member of a deceased pensioner was receiving the pension all their lives Our pension bill has reached Rs800 billion We are trying to reform it, and are also introducing contributory pension These reforms were necessary, and we hope this will continue,” the minister concluded The Finance Bill 2023-24 is likely to be passed in Sunday’s session of the House After the approval of the bill the supplementary grants will also be put up for approval On Saturday the National Assembly approved the demands and rejected the cut motions

islamic state group claims killing sikh man in peshawar

PESHAWAR T H E A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S

Gunmen shot and killed a member of the Sikh community in an overnight attack in the city of Peshawar police said Sunday

Gauher Khan, a local officer, said the attack on Manmohan Singh, 35, appeared to be a targeted killing A police investigation continues, Khan said, into the motive Khan said the assailants opened fire at Singh while he was returning home from a suburban area The assailants fled the scene

The Islamic State group in a statement claimed responsibility for the killing saying Singh had been a follower of what it called a polytheistic Sikh sect in Peshawar It also claimed wounding a Sikh in the city the previous day It’s the third killing of a Sikh community member this year in Pakistan Last month assailants gunned down Sardar Singh in a drive-by shooting in Lahore In April gunmen shot and killed Dayal Singh in Peshawar In the same city in May 2022 gunmen killed two members of the Sikh community Most Sikhs migrated to neighbouring India in 1947, the year British rule of the subcontinent ended and Pakistan was created as a homeland for Muslims in the region Thousands of Sikhs stayed in Pakistan where they generally live peacefully But isolated attacks on minority communities have continued

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD

S TA

Hours long power outages have adversely affected the routine life and adding to people miseries already sizzling with intense heatwave while electricity shortfall has surpassed 8 500 megawatt According to officials figures the country s total energy requirement stands at 28,500 megawatts, while it is producing around 20,000 megawatts, resulting in a shortfall of 8 500 megawatt The mercury went up and crossed 40°C

ranted” saying that the “reference is contrary to diplomatic norms and has political overtones while Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the US president should consider facts the next time he fetes the butcher of Gujarat

The PTI chairman Qureshi said he was “amazed” to see that no one in Pakistan was saying anything He said that he had made his views and his disappointment on the topic clear yesterday outside an anti-terrorism court and was doing the same today The PTI leader said that while Prime

Minister Shehbaz Sharif was doing salesmanship of mangoes in France he should also have given a response to the statement issued by US and India

Our foreign minister says nothing on this? What is a bigger forum than the Assembly [ ] there is no discussion on this?” he asked He noted that the FO spokesperson had issued a statement but said it was not enough She gave the right response But it doesn t carry the same weight as one by a political, elected leadership So, I am sad to say that the government didn’t show the responsibility it needed to ” Qureshi further said that the US could not ignore the fact that Pakistan had cooperated in the fight against terrorism Terrorism is a global phenomenon [ ] it is not limited to our neighbourhood And Pakistan was and is ready to counter it We have always said that we are ready for cooperation with the US on counter-terrorism He said that the joint statement which had targeted Pakistan did not mention the Indian injustices against the people of occupied Kashmir There is no mention of it The treatment of minorities especially Muslims [ ] there is no mention of it and we are sitting silent ”

7 killed, 42 wounded in head- on collision on Mehran Highway near Nawabshah

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

At least seven people died and 42 sustained injuries in a head-on collision between two passenger coaches on the Mehran Highway near Nawabshah in Sindh on Sunday, officials said

Benazirabad Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Mohammad Younis Chandio confirmed the death toll The injured he said, were being treated at the People s University of Medical and Health Sciences

According to the DIGP, the accident took place on Daur Bandhi Road a little after 4am today when two passenger buses coming from Karachi and Peshawar collided with each other Chandio said the collision occurred because of the high speed of the vehicles He added that the Mehran Highway was closed for traffic after the accident and vehicles were diverted towards the National Highway Earlier this month at least 13 people, including five women, were killed and 31 others injured

pleas against militar y trials: farogh naseem to represent pm as sc resumes hearing today

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed former law minister and MQM-P leader Barrister Dr Farogh Naseem as his counsel in the hearing of petitions challenging the trials of civilians in military courts as the Supreme Court will resume hearing on Monday (today)

The seven-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, Justice Mansoor

Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya

Afridi Justice Ayesha Malik and Justice Mazahir

Ali Naqvi will resume hearing a set of petitions against trial of civilians in the military courts on Monday (today)

The petitions, separately filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan, former chief justice Jawwad S Khawaja, senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan, and five civil society members including Piler Executive Director Karamat Ali have requested the apex court to declare the military trials unconstitutional

when a bus veered off the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway and overturned near Kallar Kahar

The accident police had said occurred after the driver lost control over the steering apparently due to a brake failure

In April, nine people were killed when a truck collided headon with a mini-van near the Keenjhar Lake in Sindh’s Thatta district

In February at least 13 people were killed while more than 20 were injured when a speeding jeep rammed into two other vehicles on the Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M-5)

During the previous hearing CJP Bandial remarked that the apex court s bench would have a look under what basis the anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge shifted the cases related to May 9 riots to military courts CJP Bandial, while citing Justice Shah, said that the army is directly affected related to the matters like national security Provoking serving army officer for conspiracy against national security was a serious crime CJP remarked adding that reviewing Army Act clauses was not needed “It wasn’t correct to say that the civilians cannot be tried in the military courts ever A civilian is tried in the military court if he incites the army for treason ” It needs to be seen what method was adopted to bring civilians under the jurisdiction of military courts and on which basis the anti-terrorism court (ATC) sent the cases to the military courts, he added

G O V T TO ‘C H A L L E N G E’ S C B E N C H

H E A R I N

Not

pressing Pakistan to choose between US and China, says envoy Blome

KARACHI

S TA F F R E P O R T

Ambassador Donald Blome has denied that the United States is pressing Pakistan to choose between the US and China

He was speaking at an interactive session on USPakistan Relations: Present and Future’ organised by the Pakistan Council on Foreign Relations (PCFR) here

Ambassador Blome opined that trade among partners was key towards economic prosperity The trade must also be equitable and the US s message to China is to go forward with fair trade terms and Pakistan should demand the same from its economic relationships, he added

He said that for the last four decades, many policy makers in Washington have viewed Pakistan with the lens of US engagement in Afghanistan

More recently some commentators try to frame the US relationship with Pakistan in perspective of China or India or Russia, he said and added that it should stand on its own

The US engagement with Pakistan remained very strong, he continued

The ambassador saw Pakistan’s economic future

bright as an engine of a larger regional economy connecting South and Central Asia

He hinted at potential of an improved economic relationship with India

He said that on a regional level the US would like to reaffirm its commitment to partner with Pakistan to eliminate terrorism countering emerging terrorist threats and addressing the roots of instability in this region

He said that more than 2 000 Pakistani officers have gone on US-funded military education and training programmes and Pakistan is among the top two countries in the world for participation in US military exchanges

Ambassador Blome said the International Monetary Fund is an independent institution that works within its policy framework but the US wants to see Pakistan s programme with the IMF a success

He identified the economic issue as a major problem of Pakistan, saying that Washington is keen to see resolution of this problem

He said the trade ties between Pakistan and the US had been growing with the passage of time recalling that the US had donated 80 million doses of coronavirus vaccine to Pakistan during the pandemic

He expressed the hope that the ties between the two countries would further flourish

2 7 - m e m b e r A J K c a b i n e t t a k e s o a t h

The 27-member Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) cabinet on Sunday took oath which was administered by the AJK President Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry The oath-taking ceremony was also attended by AJK PM Chaudhry Anwarul Haq Chaudhry Latif Akbar and others

The new ministers who took oath today included 16 members of the AJK Legislative Assembly from like-minded group, 8 from Pakistan People’s Party ( P P P ) a n d t h r e e f r o m P a k i s t a n M u s l i m L e a g u e Nawaz (PML-N) The oath was taken by Sardar Hussain Khan Amir Abdul Ghaffar Lone Mir Akbar Khan Deewan Ali Chughtai, Abdul Waheed, Chaudhry Arshad Hussain,

in most parts of the country, increasing the demand for electricity As a result the power demand stretched but the supply remained stalled The situation has forced people to face multifaceted chronic problems when it comes to electricity supply in the country Their suffering continues unabated, no matter if it is the low-demand winter months or the peak-load summer season They are deprived of power supply on one account or another whether it is a socalled load management plan approved shutdowns, technical power failures, or in-

Muhammad Ahmed Raza Qadri, Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed Abdul Majid Khan Raja Muhammad Siddique Chaudhry Muhammad Akbar Ibrahim Javed Iqbal Budhanavi Bazil Naqvi Sardar Javed Ayub Amir Altaf Azhar Sadiq Nisar Ansar Chaudhry Akhlaq, Akmal Sargala, Zafar Iqbal Malik, Faheem Akhtar, Chaudhry Yasir Sultan, Javed Butt, Asim Sharif, Chaudhry Amir Yaseen, Qasim Majeed and Ziaul Qamar

In April Chaudhry Anwarul Haq had taken oath as the 15th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry had administered the oath to the newly-elected prime minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq had been elected as the 15th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) by securing 48 votes

tense fluctuations in voltage resulting in brownouts ” A relatively new phenomenon of intense nocturnal load-shedding has added misery to already suffering masses on account of distressing power cuts Under such clandestine moves by the energy establishment, night-time outages have been seen at an all-time high Masses are subjected to as many as three-six hours of load-shedding in urban areas daily

G: The government has decided to challenge the constitutional and legal status of the seven-member bench of the SC on Monday hearing the pleas against the trial of civilians in military courts Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Irfan Qadir will appear on behalf of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif before the bench while Shah Khawar would represent the interior minister in the court

The bench has issued notices to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Defence Minister Asif in the case

us-india joint statement failure of pakistan’s foreign policy: sh rashid

RAWALPINDI

S TA F F R E P O R T

Awami Muslim League chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Sunday that declaration issued after Modi and Joe Biden’s meeting was a failure of Pakistan’s foreign policy

In a series of tweets on social media website Twitter Sheikh Rashid said two Pakistani civilians were martyred by Indian forces on the border (Line of Control) on the very next day after Modi-Joe Biden meeting Pakistan should respond to Indian aggression in a befitting manner, he emphasized “Our soldiers are embracing martyrdom daily combating terrorism and the US-India declaration have held Pakistan responsible for terrorism ” he said

The former federal minister said that handcuffed women and violation of four walls of the home were making mockery of Sharifs democracy

He said rulers were leading a luxurious life and making foreign tours and the poor people were being burdened with Rs215 more taxes Tax levy on petrol was being enhanced by Rs10 Mr Rashid said inflation unemployment load-shedding shortage of commodities was the destiny of the poor

The whole world knows that ruling alliance is a corrupt and unpopular Qabza group (power grabbers) imposed on people through backdoor These unpopular rulers are brought only for delivering speeches and making photo sessions and they play havoc with the economic internal and foreign policies

Mr Rasheed said the rulers were not in a position to go for elections Neither people nor the world had faith in them He said they were walking with the help of crutches, not with the support of the people

Company (LESCO) is facing a shortfall of 1 000 megawatts the demand stands at 5 700 megawatts and the supply is at 5,700 megawatts

O utages, sweltering heat throw life out of gear as power shor tfall rise to 8,500MW