Epaper_23-07-12 ISB

PAKISTAN RECEIVES $2B DEPOSIT FROM SAUDI ARABIA: ISHAQ DAR

g PM SAYS GOVT EXPECTS INVESTMENT OF $40B IN NEXT 4 TO 5 YEARS, CREATION OF 4M NEW JOBS

culture products to the tune of $40 billion annually Shehbaz said the step would be taken under the supervision of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), for which the ground has been prepared

Earlier

ment from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries into the country’s food and agriculture sectors

He said in a tweet that the GCC countries imported food items and agri-

In the next four to five years he said there would be an investment of approximately $40 billion in addition to the creation of four million new jobs

The prime minister mentioned that at the national seminar on agriculture and food security held Monday, he

Indus Motors set to be first automotive firm to expor t semi-processed par ts to Egypt

stressed the importance of revitalizing agriculture as a harbinger of the second Green Revolution

The second Green Revolution is about making agriculture the major driver of our economic growth, leading to food security that reinforces our national security ” he said

He said the seminar was not a routine event meant for churning of rhetoric, but it represented the beginning of a long overdue national effort for the economic revival of the country owned

Israel’s criticism of human rights in Pakistan ‘politically motivated’: FO

by all stakeholders

“The future holds the promise of departing from loans to building a resilient economy which stands on its internal strengths he said

In addition the Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif thanked the Saudi leadership for their generous and unwavering support for Pakistan, which, he said, was particularly instrumental in securing the deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

He was talking to Ambassador of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy, who called on him, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release

The prime minister asked the ambassador to convey his special gratitude to Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for the deposit of $2 billion dollars with the State Bank of Pakistan

He also apprised Ambassador Nawaf about the formation of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SFIC) to facilitate and fast-track potential investments from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Pakistan, China always stand test of time: PM

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that as ‘Iron Brothers’ and old friends Pakistan and China always stood together in difficult times and had extended unflinching support to each other on issues of mutual concern

The

The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting with Charge d’affaires of the People’s Republic of China Pang Chunxue who called on him The prime minister felicitated the Communist Party of China on its 102nd anniversary and thanked the CPC leadership for its firm support to Pakistan’s sovereignty integrity and economic development PM Office Media Wing said in a press release

Recalling his substantive interactions with President Xi Jinping and more recently with Premier Li Qiang, the prime minister appreciated the strong personal commitment of the Chinese leadership for strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries

government and the Communist Party of China accorded a special place to Pakistan in its neighborhood diplomacy and looked forward to further deepening relationship in all fields of bilatral cooperation Thanking the prime minister for his virtual participation in the first High-Level Forum on Global Development Initiative (GDI) Chinese Charge d’ Affaires expressed China’s resolve to implement GDI projects in Pakistan as envisaged by the leadership of two countries

The Foreign Office on Tuesday termed a statement by Israel on human rights situation in Pakistan during a United Nations (UN) session politically motivated and fundamentally at variance with the positive tone” with the agenda of the meeting

The FO rebuttal came after Israel’s Permanent Representative to the UN Adi Farjon said during a sitting of the UN Human Rights Council that the country was deeply concerned about the overall rights situation in Pakistan where enforced disappearances, torture, crackdown on peaceful protests and violence against religious minorities and other marginalised groups remain prevalent”

FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated t:

Israel believes that it is essential that Pakistan heeds our recommendations to take all appropriate steps to prevent arbitrary arrests, torture and other ill-treatment and bring perpetrators of such acts to justice and end the widespread use of the death penalty, especially against children and persons with disabilities ”

The envoy said Israel also called for Islamabad to decriminalise same-sex activities in line with international human rights standards and adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation in this regard

She further mentioned that Israel was also concerned over the National Assembly passing amendments in January to tighten the blasphemy law in Pakistan which she claimed was often used to target and persecute religious and other minority groups

In its rebuttal, the Foreign Office (FO) noted that Pakistan s Universal Periodic Report a process which involves a review of the human rights records of UN member states was adopted unanimously in the same session

Several states and civil society organisations commended Pakistan on the progress achieved in promoting human rights, the statement said, adding that Israel s politically motivated statement is fundamentally at variance with the otherwise positive tone of the session and the statements made by a vast majority of states”

Given Israel s long history of oppression of Palestinians Pakistan can certainly do without its advice on protecting human rights, the statement added ‘India-Israel nexus with PTI stands exposed behind May 9 mayhem’

Meanwhile, government representatives linked the statement by Israel’s envoy to UN with the PTI with Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman seeing criticism of the country s human rights situation as Tel Aviv s support for Imran Khan

IMC highlighted how the partnership supports the Government of Pakistan’s “Look Africa” policy, which seeks to enhance connectivity and trade links between the two regions However more importantly the deal with Toyota Egypt aligns with the Auto Industry Development and Export Policy (AIDEP)

2021-2026 AIDEP outlines the objectives for bolstering the export capabilities of the Pakistani auto industry AIDEP mandates that OEM contracts that restrict exports from Pakistan must be revised to permit exports to desired destinations and establish Pakistan as an export base for auto parts and vehicles

Noting the upward trajectory in Pakistan-China ties and deepening economic and financial relationship the prime minister thanked China for its support for Pakistan s economic stability and expressed his firm commitment to further deepen development cooperation between the two countries under the rubric of Global Development Initiative and China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Conveying the best wishes and felicitations of the Chinese government for Pakistan, Pang underscored that Pakistan was an all-weather strategic cooperative partner of China and a time-tested friend

She highlighted that the Chinese

She further underscored that CPEC was a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative and that Chinese leadership would continue supporting Pakistan s efforts for developing CPEC as the highquality demonstration project of the BRI She reiterated that China regarded Pakistan as an important economic partner and would continue its efforts for promoting socio-economic development and financial stability of Pakistan

P M P R A I S E S I B’S P E R -

F O R M A N C E, R O L E: Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday appreciated the performance and role of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in strengthening the country s solidarity sovereignty and thwarting threats posed

by local and foreign elements

The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting with IB Director General Fawad Asadullah Khan who presented a one-year performance report of the Bureau, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release

He expressed his satisfaction over the performance of the IB and observed that it had played a very critical role in national solidarity and safeguarding its sovereignty

The prime minister said that he had tasked the IB with additional tasks after assuming his office and the Bureau had achieved them successfully

It also played an effective role in rooting out criminal activities and performed well in the anti-terrorism efforts, he said, adding the IB’s role was also excellent with regard to gleaning of timely information leading to correct decisions

He said the nation felt pride over the sacrifices of its Shuhada who embraced martyrdom for the security and defence of the country

The prime minister lauded professional ability of the DG IB and his efforts to further improve the Bureau and also commended the role and performance of IB officers and staff

Addressing a press conference alongside Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Interior Attaullah Tarar in Islamabad, she said Israel had issued a “highly condemnable” statement on the alleged violation of PTI s human rights

It is now evident that they have a nefarious alliance they have a collusion that is an old one she alleged Sherry went on to say that it was a collusion in which Pakistan’s enemies, who spew venom against Palestinians, Muslims and Kashmiris at every international forum across the world were now together supporting the PTI

The minister also linked the statement to the events of May 9 when countrywide protests had erupted after Imran s arrest during which several properties, including military installations, were vandalised “Everyone now knows who benefitted from May 9 Everyone knows why there was foreign funding

Everyone now knows why Imran Khan is called a foreign agent she said Sherry also berated Israel for its treatment of Palestinians

Speaking on the occasion, SAPM on Interior and Legal Affairs Attaullah Tarar said the fake narrative of the Israeli government at a United Nations meeting about the human rights violations in Pakistan was the clear evidence that the Jewish state extended support the PTI chairman in carry out the May 9 arson and mayhem

We have been pointing out since the first day that those who carried out the mayhem have links with the enemy, he added SAPM Tarar said Hakeem Saeed Shaheed had indicated decades ago that a leader would be imposed on the country with the nexus of Jewish lobby In the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf s foreign funding case it also transpired that the money trail was from Israel

The PTI had close links with anti-state elements since Israeli would not have funded any pro-Pakistan party, he added

At UN rights body, FM Bilawal denounces Holy Quran’s desecration as ‘attack on faith’

ISLAMABAD

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Tuesday described the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden as “the incitement of religious hatred and attack on faith of Muslims” as the UN Human Rights Council debated a motion in the wake of a recent incident of the holy book s burning in Sweden

The session of the UN Human Rights Council convened in response to the desecrated the Holy Quran in Sweden’s capital Stockholm, resulting in strong condemnation from several Muslim states including Pakistan the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation the European Union Pope Francis and the Swedish government among others

The motion was brought by Pakistan that sought a report from the UN rights chief on the topic and called on states to review their laws and plug gaps that may “impede the prevention and prosecution of acts and advocacy of religious hatred

It highlighted rifts in the UN body between the West and a Muslim grouping, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, with Western members concerned about its implications for

free speech and challenges posed to long-held practices in human rights protection

During the debate on the contentious draft today other Muslim nations also joined Pakistan in condemning the act and called for accountability For his part, Bilawal said while referring to the Holy Quran’s desecration, “We must see this clearly for what it is: incitement to religious hatred discrimination and attempts to provoke violence

Addressing the session via a video link, he said the deliberate desecration of the Holy Quran has continued under the government sanction and with a sense of impunity” and that such acts were designed to “maximise provocation We must join hands in condemning it and we must isolate those who stoke hatred, he stressed Bilawal added that it is important to understand the deep hurt that a public and premeditated act of the Holy Quran’s desecration causes to Muslims It is an attack on their faith

Bilawal further said the call made in the motion for prevention and accountability over such acts was reasonable and necessary”, adding that he was not losing sight of

the fundamental right of free speech in making this demand

Free speech is as indispensable as hate speech should be indefensible Our vigour to protect free speech must not lose sight of the imperative to reject hate speech, he asserted

Bilawal said no Muslim country allowed the desecration of holy texts of other religions adding that such an act was “unthinkable to any Muslim and forbidden by faith by culture and by law

It is in the same spirit I resolutely stand alongside those who are calling for prevention, legal deterrence and accountability of actions that constitute incitement of hostility against people of faith

“Let us unite against hatred discrimination and intolerance and forge pathways for mutual respect understanding and intolerance, he said, concluding his address Bilawal s remarks were echoed by ministers from Iran, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia with the latter calling the Holy Quran’s desecration an act of “Islamophobia”

Stop abusing freedom of expression said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi Silence means complicity Germany s ambassador Katharina Stasch called the burning a “dreadful provo-

cation” and condemned it But she added that “freedom of speech sometimes also means to bear opinions that may seem almost unbearable France s envoy said human rights were about protecting people, not religions and their symbols

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk told the 47-member council that inflammatory acts against Muslims as well as other religions or minorities are offensive irrespon-

sible and wrong” But he continued these were “complex areas” and care needs to be taken in setting legal limits on free speech which could be abused by those in power

Diplomats said intense negotiations had not led to a breakthrough on Tuesday and expect a vote Such a vote would almost certainly pass since OIC countries make up 19 members of the 47-member body and also have support from China and others

g

IMC WILL JOIN TOYOTA’S GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN WITH TOYOTA EGYPT DEAL

g THANKS KSA LEADERSHIP FOR UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR PAKISTAN

SINDH CM FORESEES BIL AWAL BHUTTO AS NEXT PM

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

SI N D H Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the newly elected representatives of the local bodies have taken over, therefore he has decided to announce the next Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) for the vertical distribution of available resources

“We have started spade work to design the next PFC and it will be finalized within a month This he said while talking to media just after performing the concluding ceremony of the three-day Urs of Abdullah Shah Ghazi at his Mazar on Tuesday

Replying to a question CM Sindh said that the cabinet had decided to announce the PFC award within a month of the formation of local bodies Now the elected representatives of the local bodies have taken over and we are going to form the commission and then the commission decides the formula of the award ” he said and added that his government would financially strengthen the

Rashid demands clarit y from ECP on timely elections

RAWALPINDI: Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the leader of the Awami Muslim League (AML), has expressed the nation’s anticipation for a decision from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding the upcoming general elections He highlighted the lack of concrete indications suggesting that the elections would be held on schedule In a tweet, the former interior minister conveyed the prevailing uncertainty, stating that with only four weeks remaining until the completion of the assembly s tenure the public is confused about whether the elections will proceed as planned Ahmed criticized the government, asserting that it had not taken any significant action in the past fifteen months to address the concerns of the public He strongly condemned the record inflation saying that those who bear the burden of purchasing flour paying bills school fees and rent are exasperated with the government and have openly expressed their dissatisfaction Expressing the sentiments of the people, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed emphasized that the public is eagerly waiting for the elections as an opportunity to remove the current government through the power of their vote He expressed dismay over the defiance of court orders and criticized the restrictions imposed on the media The AML chief voiced his concern about the treatment of political workers, likening it to the treatment of terrorists, and highlighted the lack of protection for the dignity of individuals He warned of a potential public outburst emphasizing that it would be beyond anyone s control He further criticized those who advocate for the sanctity of the vote, accusing them of humiliating innocent voters He claimed that people are being abducted from their homes and their voices are being silenced He urged the government to hold a single press conference that can address all these concerns and provide clarity S ta f f R e p o R t

Shireen Mazari moves IHC for de-listing from ECL

ISLAMABAD: Former minister Dr Shireen Mazari on Tuesday moved a petition to Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking to remove her name from the exit control list (ECL) and provincial national identification list (PNIL) The petitioner had made the Secretary Ministry of Interior and the director general Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) respondents in his case The petition stated that she had been serving as minister for human rights in the previous regime adding that Article 15 of the constitution guaranteed basic human rights She said that her name had been placed in ECL and PNIC illegally and prayed the court to order the delisting of her name She also prayed to the court to seek a report from the ministry regarding any ban on her from travelling abroad She requested the court to set aside the law pertaining to PNIL S ta f f R e p o R t

third tier of the government

It may be noted that the PFC ascertains the share of available resources between provincial and local bodies, generally known as vertical distribution It also formulates a criterion for the distribution of allocated funds to local government horizontally among different tiers and local councils This mechanism of distribution is known as Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) Award

To another question, the chief minister said that the digitalization of the salaries of the KMC and some other local bodies’ employees have unearthed a large number of employees who were drawing double salaries – from KMC and another provincial department This is a crime and punishable under the law,” he said and added his government has decided to dismiss such employees after fulfilling the legal requirements He said that similar pension cases have also been found which were being scrutinized and would be dealt with accordingly

To another question, Murad Ali Shah said that he has not received official figures of the digital census “When I’ll receive them offi-

cially I will be able to comment ” he said

Giving an oblique reference to MQM the Sindh CM added that through a press conference on January 27 2023 they (MQM) had expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the digital census They told the media that they have formed committees to facilitate the people to get them registered but it was me who had questioned the methodology of the census he said

Murad Ali Shah said that despite his requests they [MQM] boycotted the local bodies elections and now in order to satisfy their frustration they were levelling baseless allegations against his government and trying to take the credit for the achievement they never achieved He added that it was election stunts and let them play with the galleries

He said that the Nooriabad Power plant has been providing 100 MW of cheap electricity to Karachi since its commission “it is an irony that the power plant which operates to its maximum capacity for the last five years and providing uninterrupted electricity to the city but even then I am facing NAB case from the last four years, he deplored but such vendetta of serving the people would not stop him and his party from serving the people of the province

The chief minister replying to a question said that the bandits in the Katcha area have become a challenge Since we have posted good officers the dacoits have reacted, he said and added once the highway robbers were on the rise and no highway of the province was safe to travel He said that

the Sindh government crushed the robbers and made the highways safe and now strict measures were being taken to eliminate the dacoits operating from the Katcha area

CM Sindh said that Karachi was declared as 156th most dangerous city in the world but we restored law and order to protect life and property of the people of this city It is a track record of the PPP government that it has restored the writ of the government by eliminating the terrorists, target killers extortionists and kidnappers for ransom Similarly the issue of the dacoits would be resolved with iron hands

To a question Murad Ali Shah said that in Dubai no consensus was made on the premiership of Shahbaz Sharif He added that in the forthcoming general election, PPP would emerge as the single largest party in the country and Bilawal Bhutto would be elected as the next prime minister

Earlier the chief minister performed the concluding ceremony of three-day Urs of Abdullah Shah Ghazi by laying chadar and a floral wreath on the Mazar He distributed clothes among deserving women

e s h av i n g ‘ t a ke n o ff- a i r ’ j o u r n a l i s t fo r a s ki n g ‘q u e s t i o n’ f ro m P M

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Tuesday denied having taken off air senior journalist from the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) for asking a question from the prime minister related to press freedom “Azam Chaudhry was never an employee of the state-run broadcaster he is and has only been a member of an issuesbased analyst pool for PTV He has not been removed from this pool and has not been asked to leave Nothing of the sort has been communicated to him,” the minister said Journalist Azam Chaudhry has reportedly been “taken off air” from the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) for asking a question related to press freedom from the prime minister Aurangzeb s clarification comes after several local media outlets reported that

Chaudhry who is also the president of the Lahore Press Club, was told he was no longer with PTV

According to a report published in the Express Tribune the journalist received the message after he attended a press conference in Lahore where he had asked a question from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding diminishing space for freedom of speech in the country

The report said Chaudhry had asked a two-part question from the premier in which he had pointed out restrictions on the media across the country and enquired when these curbs would end In response to the journalist, the premier had expressed his disapproval of the restriction but then deflected the query to Aurangzeb

The Express Tribune report quoted Chaudhry as saying that “he was informed that PTV would be doing a panel program from the Governor House after the PM s press conference where he would also be

joined by Sajjad Mir and Salman Ghani

But he was told after the press conference that he was off aired and told that he was no longer with PTV”

“The journalist said that he was part of the pioneer team of the program BaKhaber that started airing last year He added that according to the last communication he had with PTV, he was not with them officially as there was nothing given to him in writing as he was on contract and they were not bound to give him any written intimation ” the report added

Responding to the reports today Aurangzeb said they were completely false and baseless Chaudhry is still a part of PTV Lahore analyst pool”, she maintained She stated that the view and opinions of the journalist were “known to the government” when he was invited to the press conference If the government wanted to suppress his voice or questions he would not have

Reviving Gandhara civilisation: three day symposium kicks off in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD a p p

A three-day Gandhara symposium, with the theme “Cultural Diplomacy: Reviving Gandhara Civilisation and Buddhist Heritage in Pakistan is set to commence today in Islamabad

The symposium aims to promote and preserve the rich cultural heritage of Gandhara, an ancient civilisation that thrived in the region now known as Pakistan Organised by the PM Task Force on Gandhara Tourism the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the event has attracted prominent speakers and participants from various countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea Nepal Sri Lanka and China as well as Pakistan

The symposium comprises four sessions that focus on exploring the signif-

icance of the Gandhara Civilisation and Buddhist Heritage in Pakistan Additionally a round table discussion and visits to Taxila and Peshawar Museums are planned, followed by a cultural evening

The Inaugural Session will feature an address by President Dr Arif Alvi, who will serve as the chief guest Ramesh Vankwani deputy minister and chairman of the task force on Gandhara tourism will be the guest of honour

The concluding session will be addressed by Senator Talha Mahmood, Minister for Religious Affairs and InterFaith Harmony

The Gandhara civilisation located at the crossroads of ancient trade routes emerged as a vibrant hub of cultural exchange and creativity The rediscovered cities of Gandhara showcased their well-structured and modern lifestyles through various art forms such as paintings sculptures coins pottery and their association with Buddhism

Recognising the importance of preserving and promoting the Buddhist Gandhara heritage Pakistan aims to leverage digital and social media platforms to project it to the world The sacred sites, sculptures, and artifacts of Gandhara not only serve as historical relics but also inspire both the faithful and tourists from around the globe

The Gandhara Symposium seeks to raise awareness about Gandhara and cultivate a greater appreciation for Pakistan s diverse cultural heritage, both within the country and internationally

Additionally, the event aims to explore new initiatives that will bolster Pakistan s cultural diplomacy efforts and foster tourism especially faith tourism in the country

With its focus on cultural diplomacy, the symposium is poised to contribute significantly to the revival and promotion of Gandhara Civilisation and Buddhist Heritage in Pakistan

been invited and given the opportunity to ask his questions

The prime minister answered his questions in detail I answered his questions as well,” the minister added

She went on to say that unlike the previous PTI government and its fascist prime minister who Aurangzeb claimed was declared a predator by Reporters Without Borders PM Shehbaz and the incumbent government firmly believed in media freedom”

“The PTI government used to only allow selected reporters and journalists to its fascist PM s press conferences

The present government ensures that PM Shehbaz Sharif s press conferences are open to all reporters and journalists

The information minister further said the reports published on the matter did not take the government’s point of view into account This is unprofessional and falls short of journalistic ethics and standards Aurangzeb added

Posters appear in IIOJK , urging people to obser ve shutdown tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Posters have appeared paying tributes to martyrs of July 13 1931 and other martyrs In Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir(IIOJK) According to Kashmir media service,the Kashmir Martyrs’ Day is observed on July 13 every year not only on both sides of the Line of Control but also all over the world by the Kashmiris to pay homage to 22 Kashmiris who were martyred by the forces of Dogra ruler in 1931 They were demanding the freedom of Kashmir from the despotic Dogra rulers The posters were displayed by All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Wareseen–eShuhada Jammu and Kashmir Sadai Mazloom Nawjawanan-e-Hurriyet Jammu Kashmir Political Resistance Movement (JKPRM) Jammu and Kashmir Justice League Forum (JKJLF), Democratic Youth Forum, Jammu Kashmir Democratic Movement, Jammu Kashmir Peoples Resistance Party, Kashmir Resistance Movement (KRM) Kashmir Hurriyat Forum (KHF) Youth Democratic Political Movement Jammu and Kashmir Tehreek-e-Azadi Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Alliance and several other profreedom groups in several parts of Kashmir valley The posters also urged people to observe a strike on Thursday, July 13 The posters read sacrifices of Kashmiri martyrs would not be allowed to go waste and would definitely bring positive results Call for the strike has been given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and supported by all pro-freedom organizations

The posters urged the United Nations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and world peace-loving countries to save the innocent Kashmiris from trigger-happy Indian forces by resolving the Kashmir dispute in its historical perspective S ta f f R e p o Rt

Imran’s sister faces legal trouble in land fraud probe

WASHINGTON: S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistan s ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, has praised the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) for its significant contributions to Pakistan s health education and economic sectors S p e a k i n g a t

the importance of unity among the Pakistani diaspora as Islamabad faces

support of the Ambassador ’s sentiments reaffirmed APPNA’s unity and highlighted the overwhelming support for the organisation and the record number of participants in all events

In discussions with Pakistani-American physicians, the ambassador assured them that they could continue visiting Pakistan without fear or apprehension emphasizing that no lists were being prepared to target them He acknowledged the invaluable contribution of overseas Pakistanis and their freedom to visit their motherland

Regarding APPNA’s role, Khan said:

Turkey and Syria He praised APPNA’s ability to transcend boundaries and reach out to people in distress emphasizing that the organization s service to humanity has elevated its profile

and demonstrate unity Dr Arshad Rehan in

“APPNA is the bright face of Pakistan and is playing the role of a bridge builder between Pakistan and the United States He expressed pride in APPNA s achievements and anticipated even greater contributions to both the US and Pakistan Notably, Ambassador Khan commended APPNA’s efforts in disaster response and relief both within Pakistan and in response to devastating earthquakes in

The ambassador also recognized APPNA’s contributions to health tech startups, telemedicine, online pharmacies, and the establishment of hospitals He noted that these contributions had not only advanced the healthcare sector but had also bolstered Pakistan s digital economy Dr Rehan provided further insight into APPNA s social and disaster relief programs, emphasizing the organization’s goal of involving second and third generation of Pakistani-Americans to ensure the continuation of its humanitarian work Prominent Pakistani-American

LAHORE: Uzma Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, has found herself entangled in a legal dispute as the Anti-Corruption Faisalabad registered a case against her on Tuesday The allegations revolve around the fraudulent transfer of valuable land in the subdivision of Athara Hazari in Jhang Local authorities have taken a keen interest in the case, which accuses Uzma Khan of acquiring 300 kanals of land through fraudulent means According to sources within the anti-corruption agency Khan allegedly gained ownership of Chak No 7/2 Thal South and Chak No 11/2 Thal South in Attara Hazari by employing fraudulent tactics and forgery As a result of these accusations, nine individuals including the Tehsildar Naib Tehsildar Patwari and Land Record Center staff have been included in the First Information Report (FIR) alongside Uzma Khan The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has swiftly taken action, leading to the arrest of the naib tehsildar and patwari involved in the case S ta f f R e p o R t

I n fo M i n i s te r d e n i

GCF APPROVES $66M FUNDING FOR RECHARGE PAKISTAN PROJECT

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

TH E Green Climate Fund (GCF) has announced US$ 66 million in funding to support the Government of Pakistan s efforts to reduce the twin climate impacts of flooding and drought

The investment will improve the resilience of some of the country’s most vulnerable communities affected by the impacts of climate change including catastrophic flooding

The new 7-year project, Recharge Pakistan: Building Pakistan s Resilience to Climate Change through Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Integrated Flood Risk Management’ is the largest investment at the national level to date in an ecosystembased approach to flood and water resources management a news release said

A collaboration between the Government of Pakistan s Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) under the Ministry of Water Resources and WWF-Pakistan; the project will demonstrate the effectiveness of ecosystem-based adaptation and green in-

PTI leader, four others booked in robbery case in Sindh

M AT I A R I : Police in Matiari city of Sindh on Tuesday arrested three persons after registering a case of dacoity of millions of rupees against five people, including PTI leader Makhdoom Fazal Hussain his son Makhdoom Mohsin and Imran Taj Memon

According to a copy of the FIR the case registered under sections 397-504-507 (2) of the PPC on the complaint of three persons, including Mumtaz Hanguru, read that the complainants were travelling from Saeedabad to Hala when they were intercepted by five men including the PTI leader who robbed them of Rs500 000 cash a gold ring and other valuables Police later stormed residence of the PTI leader at Hala and took into custody three persons

However, the Force refused to give any further details On the other hand, Makhdoom Fazal Hussain the PTI leader giving his version said that the police had registered a false case against him and his associates We are not at Hala these days

frastructure as an innovative addition to the nation’s traditional grey infrastructure solutions to flood and drought

T h i s w i l l b e a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h r e s t o r a t i o n a n d r e f o r e s t a t i o n o f f o r e s t s and wetlands; rehabilitation of water flow p a t h s a n d c h a n n e l s ; d e v e l o p m e n t o f recharge basins and retention areas; and s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e c l i m a t e r e s i l i e n c e o f l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s i n t h e a g r i c u l t u r e a n d forests sectors

In addition to the GCF funding the project is supported through a collective US$ 12 million investment and technical support from the U S Agency for International Development (USAID) the CocaCola Foundation and WWF-Pakistan

Collectively the project’s interventions will directly benefit over 600 000 people and will indirectly benefit close to 7 000 000 people

Speaking about the announcement, President WWF International Dr Adil Najam stated, “The floods of 2022 were yet another stark reminder of climate change’s impacts on Pakistan Initiatives like Recharge Pakistan are the need of the hour to rehabilitate the Indus Basin Pakistan s lifeline Through ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions, this collaboration will help restore the basin’s health, enhance resilience, and safeguard the most vulnerable communities Today we are one vital step closer to building climate re-

silience protecting biodiversity and securing a sustainable future for Pakistan Director General WWF-Pakistan, Hammad Naqi Khan added, A focus on green infrastructure and ecosystem-based adaptation is crucial especially for a country like Pakistan where the impacts of climate change are manifesting with increasing frequency and severity and deepening the economic crisis On behalf of my team, I am thankful to the GCF for their trust and acknowledgment, and would like to thank Minister Sherry Rehman for her support in seeing this through Under her leadership the Ministry of Climate Change took all possible measures to secure this critical funding I am confident that in collaboration with our capable partners, we will deliver the impact expected from this critical and farreaching undertaking ” Announcing the news on social media

Senator Sherry Rehman Minister of Climate Change stated We worked very hard to convert this GCF funding from loan to grant After the 2022 megaflood our view was that Pakistan needs grant based climate financing and are grateful to the GCF for accepting our advice

President for skill development, financial, digital inclusion of women

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday underscored the need for skill development digital inclusion and financial inclusion of women in Pakistan in order to make them financially self-sufficient He stated that women, who constituted almost 50 percent of the country’s population needed to participate in all sectors of the economy for their economic empowerment Women s and girls education is a vital component that contributed to gender equality as well as to the socio-economic development of the country, he added The President made these remarks during a meeting with the delegation of Women Business Network led by Sam Ali Dada at Aiwan-e-Sadr Women Business Network (WBN) is a global network of business professionals and corporate leaders that aims to uplift women for key leadership positions in the industry and create opportunities for their businesses

During the meeting the president urged the delegation to increase employ-

ment opportunities for women in the private sector besides establishing linkages with skill development institutions, such as NAVTTC and TEVTA, to provide women with marketable skillsets

He also emphasized the importance of skill and educational development of women and girls in the fields of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) The president highlighted the need for projecting the success stories of women to encourage and motivate other women to take part

A JK President urges int’l communit y to help resolve Kashmir conflict

MIRPUR (AJK): Azad Jammu and Kashmir

(AJK) President Barrister Sultan Mahmood

Chaudhry has said that the international community should play its due role to resolve the lingering Kashmir conflict in line with the wishes and will of the Kashmiri people The AJK president said this while speaking at a dinner party hosted by him in honour of foreign diplomats and ambassadors posted in the federal metropolis Monday night Referring to the worsening political and human rights situation in the Indian-occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) the president told foreign diplomats that the situation in the IOJK had worsened to an alarming level since the Modi government revoked articles 370 and 35 A of the Indian constitution that guaranteed special status to the Indian occupied territory of J&K Kashmiris at this crucial point in time he said were desperately looking for urgent intervention and support from the international community He said that given the dire human rights situation in the region, it was high time that the world community should play its role in granting the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination to help resolve the Kashmir issue which happens to be the oldest unresolved issue pending on the UN agenda The dinner ceremony was attended, by the ambassadors of Norway, Turkey, Austria, Japan, Kyrgyzstan and the High Commissioners of Malaysia, Kenya, the Acting High Commissioner of Great Britain the Political Consul of the American Embassy and several others S ta f f R e p o R t

in business and economic activities

He also called for taking practical and meaningful steps to address gender disparity He stressed the need for integrating women into the mainstream of economic activities for their financial empowerment The delegation briefed the president about the steps being taken by WBN for the socio-economic empowerment of women He commended the efforts of WBN in providing job opportunities to women and taking steps for their financial inclusion

Nothing done to promote KP growth by PTI: Marriyum

But the police are bent upon harassing us, he has said, adding, “An effort is being made to malign us But we are confident that soon we will able to break these shackles and the truth will triumph Meanwhile an AntiTerrorist Court (ATC) extended the physical remand of former Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf member Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Amjad s son for three more days On completion of arguments from both sides, ATC Judge Hamid Hussain extended the physical remand of Chaudhry Abdul Basit and ordered his appearance in the court on July 14 The MPA s son was arrested in the case of setting fire to a military check post during the May 9, protest against the PTI chairman’s arrest A case had been registered against him in the area of Morgah Police Station S ta f f R e p o R t

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Sirajul Haq has urged the rulers to pay attention on public problems instead of concentrating on personal issues

Criticizing the PDM and the PPP government he said that those who had taken out rallies and long marches against inflation were ridiculously silent on the soaring prices of basic need items after coming into power Sirajul Haq while talking to different delegations at Mansoorah on Tuesday said that the coalition government failed to provide any relief to the masses in 15 months

The people would not accept the decisions made in closed rooms in Dubai, London or Washington he said adding that the country was not freed for the rule of dynasties The people were the real owners of this country and had the ultimate right to decide about its future, he said The JI chief ridiculed the institutions responsible for dispensation of justice and establish rule of law saying a person received clean chit against all crimes after coming into power The law and accountability became a laughing stock and replaced with the system of might is right, he said He said the so-called democratic government of tested parties and martial laws failed to bring any change and now

only Islamic system could save the country He said the rulers only focused on accumulation of wealth capturing and looting state resources The Panama Leaks and Pandora Papers he said narrated the horrible stories of tax evasions and corruption of ruling class Sirajul Haq said that there was no institution and law to made the powerful answerable Only the people of Pakistan could hold the looters accountable with the power of vote he said appealing the masses to vote for the honest and capable people in the elections He said the transparent polls without interference of institutions were the way forward to put the country on track

Women empowerment key to achieving elusive goal of sustainable population growth

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Wo r l d P o p u l a t i o n D a y c o m m e m o r a t e d o n Tu e s d a y t o d r a w a t t e n t i o n t o t h e u rgency and significance of population-related matters

This year ’s theme “Unleashing the Power of Gender Equality: Uplifting the Voices of Women and Girls to Unlock Our World s Infinite Possibilities, strikes a profound chord in the context of Pakistan where women empowerment has remained a significant challenge due to low literacy rates and limited female participation in the workforce Shockingly 48% of women in Pakistan are illiterate 79% are not part of

the labor force, and only 10% can make independent decisions about their own health

This was discussed during the Media Coalition Meeting held to mark World Population Day organized by the Population Council Media Coalition, comprises of media persons from all provinces representing all major media outlets of Pakistan The coalition highlights the cross sectoral impact of rapid population growth periodically to raise awareness and hold governments accountable for improving the well being of the people

Briefing the media, Ummi Kalsoom, Senior Project Officer at the Population Council presented the data on women’s education health and labour force participa-

tion She stressed the media to raise awareness on these issues through their news stories She said “media should highlight the issues to remove all forms of discrimination against girls in terms of diet education and healthcare Girls should be treated as equal as boys and must be educated to plan their families according to their resources” She also urged media to play its part in ensuring enrollment of all out of school girls and incentivization of their education till secondary level as 37% girls remain out of school in the country Media can also hold governments responsible to ensure service delivery of family planning services besides raising awareness to enhance male engagement in fam-

ily planning

Speaking to the media on challenges of women empowerment in Pakistan Fauzia Yazdani Social &Public Policy Advisor (Gender and Women Empowerment) said

One of the most important ways to enhance women s rights is to increase their access to education and employment

When women are educated and employed they are more likely to be able to make their own choices about their lives and contribute to the economic development of the country Research indicates that lack of women empowerment contributed to the country’s unsustainable population growth as educated and employed women are empowered to better plan their families”

PESHAWAR: Information Minister

Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday vowed to take the country out of the quagmire Speaking to media Aurangzeb took a swipe at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) saying The police and Rangers vehicles were set to fire at Zaman Park Through the use of the vote, the PTI chief was removed from his position as prime minister” “During the PTI’s tenure, nothing has been done to promote the growth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) The people of KP will no longer vote for the PTI chief she maintained Aurangzeb praised her party saying The PML-N has a history of advancing the country Before we leave the government, we will solve every issue that the masses are facing” Aurangzeb on Monday assailed the PTI chief over the foreign funding case Addressing a press conference Aurangzeb chided the embattled party saying Today the PTI is having no spokesperson But only Twitter is the spokesperson for the party these days She spoke about the “torture” the leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) endured while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was in power Khawaja Asif Khawaja Saad Rafique Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Hamza Shahbaz had to face jail and were given no facility, she said The Information Minister also inaugurated the rehabilitation work of Radio Pakistan Peshawar decrepit building in Peshawar on Tuesday Speaking on the occasion she regretted that Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan conspired against state institutions of the country She said 9th May will always be remembered as black day in the history of the country The Minister paid tribute to the engineers of Radio Pakistan Peshawar for resuming broadcast within twenty-six hours She also inaugurated the renovation work of Radio Pakistan Peshawar auditorium and establishment of cinema hall on the occasion S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan ranks first for number of scholarships awarded under Erasmus

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Maintaining its 2022 position, Pakistan has once again been ranked first in the world for the number of scholarships awarded under the Erasmus Mundus scholarships this year

As many as 192 Pakistani students 103 men and 89 women have won the scholarships

The Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan held on Tuesday a pre-departure session to celebrate the awardees who are set to leave for different European countries to study under the Erasmus+ Programme A total of 2835 students from 128 countries have been selected for the scholarships

HEC began offering facilitation for materialisation of the programme for Pakistani

students in 2016, which resulted in an increase in the number of scholarship awardees Pakistan is continuing the upward trajectory from 46 students awarded scholarships in 2017 to 78 in 2018; 91 in 2019;

134 in 2020; 141 in 2021; 166 in 2022 and

192 selectees proceeding in 2023 Hence, the number of students benefitting from the programme in Pakistan has reached 848

Congratulating the students for winning the scholarships Dr Shaista Sohail advised the students to focus their studies and learn about Europe and its culture Studying in Europe is not about academic excellence alone, but it will also provide you with an environment of diverse culture,” she highlighted She noted that the European nations are coming closer to one another with good economic so-

cial and cultural relations She urged the students to demonstrate the qualities of a good Pakistani learn and gain experience She hoped that the students will be part of the development process in Pakistan as they return home after completion of their studies The Executive Director also shed light on HEC’s role in increasing the number of scholarship recipients with every passing year She said that the EU Delegation in Pakistan in collaboration with HEC conduct a series of workshops/information sessions in different cities of Pakistan to create awareness about Erasmus+ activities These workshops and awareness sessions have turned out to be very effective resulting in highestever number of Pakistani students receiving scholarships to study in the EU universities

In his welcome remarks, Chargé d’Affaires Delegation of EU in Pakistan Mr Thomas Seiler expressed his pleasure that women in a large number are benefiting from the scholarship opportunity offered under the programme He said the ceremony is a celebration of the partnership between EU and HEC which has made it possible to have so many programme beneficiaries from Pakistan He said EU focuses on enhancing people-to-people contact and higher education is effective means to achieving this end He said that the programme will help students in personal development as well as their national role in the future Alumni of the Erasmus + Programme also expressed their views and guided the selected students The ceremony concluded

after a question-and-answer session held to give the students a clearer view of features offered under the programme

The Erasmus+ Programme is a prestigious integrated international study programme, jointly delivered by an international consortium of higher education institutions It is designed to support programme countries efforts to benefit from European knowledge institutions in a lifelong learning perspective It is a programme for education training youth and sport for 2021-2027 It offers a range of opportunities for higher education students, staff and institutions from around the world It places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions and promoting young people s participation in democratic life

Siraj urges rulers to pay attention to public problems instead of disc ussing personal issues

Elections on time

WI T h Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar joining in saying that the assemblies will stand dissolved when they complete their tenure in August all that seems a subject of debate within the coalition is whether the National Assembly, the Sindh Assembly and the Balochistan Assembly should be left to end their tenures at their maximum possible limit, or whether they should be dissolved a day or two earlier In the first case the Constitution allows for elections within 60 days, in the latter within 90 Whatever the case it is essential that the Constitution be followed

That may not have been the case with the Punjab or KP assemblies which were dissolved in January but to which elections are yet to be held, despite much litigation Subsequent legislation has made it the election Commission of Pakistan s responsibility to set the date, but to change it if it feels necessary

Now that the talk has died down of the National Assembly extending the life of the Assembly pursuant to a Proclamation of emergency, or Financial emergency, there is already some talk of the eCP postponing the elections, and giving the caretaker government a longer tenure much as it has done with the Punjab and KP Assemblies That it should not and must ensure that polls are on time If the elections are not held on time, the President s tenure ends on September 9 which means that his successor must be elected between 30 and 60 days earlier, at which point the electoral college must be completed It should be remembered that the Chief election Commissioner is ex officio Returning Officer for this poll Then there are Senate elections next March for which provincial assemblies must exist In short, any deviation from the constitutional timeframe means a crumbling of the entire constitutional edifice

Whatever else might be said about the elections it seems that the PTI stands no chance, as after May 9, the very forces that brought it into power now seem determined to keep it out It is an unfortunate truth that election results are predetermined It does seem unfortunate that the coming election though it is not certain in every mind, is already tainted, as one party is preparing to explain away its defeat as pre-poll rigging Unless such claims are rendered toothless by the fairness of the poll, the country cannot be described as a functioning democracy The country should not be satisfied with the holding of the poll on time; it should be free of any interference too

TW O recent and seemingly unrelated news stories raise serious questions about whether any consistent values undergird US foreign policy One involves the US response to attacks by Israeli settlers on the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya The other is about the Biden administration’s considering shipping cluster bomb munitions to Ukraine

Following the armed settler invasion of Turmus Ayya and the burning of homes and cars killing of one resident and injuring of 12 others it was reported that many of the Palestinian victims were US citizens or permanent residents The State Department quickly condemned the assault, calling on the Israeli government to immediately investigate the crimes committed and bring the perpetrators to justice In the days that followed there were more condemnations of escalating settler violence and calls for the Netanyahu government to rein in the out of control settlers

It apparently took the presence of US victims to elicit such a clear response, but several questions were left unaddressed

In the first place, settler violence isn’t new It’s been ongoing for years spiking annually at harvest time in an effort to deny Palestinians the fruits of their land In recent years these incidents have become more frequent and are now seen as routine receiving only passing mention in US reports This raises the first question: Is the USA only concerned when Palestinian victims are Americans?

Not only isn’t this phenomenon new it has an insidious intent one that has its roots in the very founding of the Zionist movement to remove the Palestinians from their land Just a week ago a highranking minister in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s cabinet stated that the goal behind the violence was to make the lives of Palestinians so difficult and miserable that they would have three choices: “to submit leave or die ” Why hasn’t this clearly racist and ongoing genocidal intent been directly addressed by the US government? even if we accept that the USA should make a special point of speaking out in defense of its own

citizens is calling on the Israeli government to investigate itself the best we can do? After all we are still waiting for accountability and justice to be served in the murders (yes that s what they were) of Omar

Assad and Shireen Abu Aqla

Despite clear evidence demonstrated by major media outlets (including CNN, AP, and the New York Times) that Ms Abu Aqla’s death wasn’t accidental and was at the hands of Israeli personnel the Israelis continue to deny lie and obfuscate regarding the facts of the case And when it comes to Mr Assad it s clear even from the Israeli telling of the story that at the very least his death was due to criminal negligence on the part of the soldiers who bound and gagged this 80-year-old man and left him face down on the cold ground where he died At the end of an Israeli review of the case they decided to drop charges against the officers involved And so, is calling on the fox to investigate the maiming or killings in the chicken coop a satisfactory response?

Finally the question I asked when this story of Turmus Ayya first broke: We know that the victims were US citizens, but were some of the rampaging Israeli settlers also US citizens? And what about the Israeli soldiers who shot at Ms Abu Aqla or whose cruelty resulted in the death of Mr Assad?

Israel into the Visa Waiver Program if this would give violent extremists or Israeli soldiers or police with blood on their hands free access to the USA? As a victim of Meir Kahane s violence four decades ago

I demand to know the answer to that question

The other major news story that should be cause for concern is the ongoing debate within the Biden administration regarding shipping cluster bombs to Ukraine This weapon is so insidious that 120 nations have signed a convention calling for a ban on its production and use The USA a major stockpiler of cluster munitions has refused to sign

The moral inconsistencies involved in our refusal to hold Israelis accountable for Palestinian civilian casualties, both US and

This information is important As US citizens, the Palestinian victims and their families ought to be able to pursue legal action in the USA against those who attacked them and torched their homes and cars If the USA is serious about defending their rights to life and property, they owe it to US citizens to assist them in finding this out And whether or not the victims are Palestinian Americans shouldn’t the US government take action against its citizens engaged in unlawful violence on behalf of a foreign government or cause?

foreign policies

The cluster bomb is a large shell that can be delivered from aircraft or ground artillery The shell is designed to explode over a t a rg e t r e l e a s i n g s m a l l e r bomblets contained within t h a t s h o w e r a l a rg e r a r e a d e t o n a t i n g o n i m p a c t w i t h e a c h b o m b l e t r e l e a si n g e i t h e r p r e c u t s h r a p n e l or pellets that cause serious damage It wasn’t until 1983 that I learned firsthand the horror of this weapon A project I helped lead brought to the USA over 60 Lebanese and Palestinian children who had been injured in the 1982 Israeli assault on Beirut Many had lost limbs or were scheduled to undergo amputations because the nerves and muscles in their legs had been shredded by cluster bombs shrapnel But the story doesn’t end there Because so many of the bomblets do not immediately detonate they lay on the ground like pinecones taking new victims who, years later, trip over and trigger them

We know this and yet we continue to stockpile this horrible weapon, have used it in Iraq and Afghanistan and are now debating whether to send it to Ukraine In an unconvincing feeble attempt to justify our considerations US officials argue that our cluster bombs have a much lower dud rate than those produced by other countries

Our intelligence services work with the Israeli to identify Palestinians who are deemed a security threat They are placed on a “watch list,” even when violence isn’t involved Visas to visit the USA are routinely denied to prominent Palestinian officials and leaders in civil society simply because they are viewed as anti-Israel And yet there is no such cataloguing of Israelis who have engaged in violent acts or incitement how can we even consider admitting

Electoral reforms: Weighted voting

Th e political history of Pakistan has been evidently plagued with mismanagement, instability, corruption and bad governance The masses have experienced a revolving chair of the leaders who failed to deliver and meet the expectations leading to a sense of disappointment among the people

Despite the availability of capable and honest people in the country, inefficient and incapable representatives and leadership, with a very few exceptions, are still being elected

One of the key reasons for the election of incompetent and corrupt representatives in the country is the lack of education and political cognizance among the voters A large portion of the populace is illiterate and lacks the necessary awareness and understanding to make informed decisions about their political representatives, causing a major hurdle in electing capable and honest leaders The voters are often driven by prejudice or bias and are usually swayed by emotional appeals and empty promises made by politicians during election campaigns

In the aforementioned situation of illiteracy, low level of education, lack of political awareness and analytics skills of the voters, the principle of ‘one-man one-vote’ doesn’t seem suitable for Pakistan

The principle of one-man one-vote has generally led to the election of leaders lacking the competence, knowledge and expertise needed to effectively govern the country In this system, each person, after reaching the age of 18 years in Pakistan is granted with vote to cast regardless of his education level age political awareness experience analytical skills and roles and responsibilities But on the other hand in general, it is an established fact that an illiterate cannot be equated with a voter having qualification of PhD as far as the political wit of both is concerned Similarly, political wisdom of voters aged 18 years cannot be compared with those having the age for example 50 years or more Likewise it will not be wise and justified to keep the weightage the same of the voters who do comply with various state responsibilities, rules and regulations with those who don t

Therefore, besides other electoral reforms widely discussed and suggested time and again

at various forums instead of one-person onevote a weighted voting system in which each voter has a variable voting power should be adopted Weighted voting is a voting system that gives different weights to different voters based on a predetermined set of criteria, for example education age experience and compliance of the state rules and regulations and so on An illiterate should have only one vote while a voter with matriculation and intermediate may have two votes, 14-year graduates and the voters with a 16-year educational qualification should have three votes; while the voter having MPhil/MS or PhD degrees should have four

As far as the age is concerned, the voter from the age of 18 to 25 years may be given the right of only one (1) vote while the citizens of the age group 26-35 and 36-49 years may have two and three votes votes, respectively; whereas the voters having the age of 50 and above should be powered with four votes

earning of foreign remittances for the country community services international exposure and analytical skills may also be made a part of this weighted voting system

The weighted voting model is much better than the Âone-man, onevoteÊ system as it takes into account the knowledge, exper tise and contribution of the individuals

Similarly amounts of various types of taxes paid by the citizens should also be made one of the criteria, making the voters eligible for the additional votes ranging from one to four

Those, who don’t pay, should be deprived of any additional vote in this regard while those who pay the taxes up to Rs 0 5 million may be given two; whereas those who pay the taxes in the range of Rs 0 51-Rs 2 0 million should additionally be given three votes; whereas those, who pay more than Rs 2 0 million should be equipped with four additional votes

Now, suppose an MPhil-qualified 50-yearold voter pays Rs 0 5 million as taxes It is suggested he be armed with 10 votes - four votes for his education four votes for his age and two votes for the amount of taxes he pays

A few other factors, like criminal history,

The counting of votes is proposed to be automated as and when the vote will be cast by the pertinent voter on Internet-based electronic voting machine (eVM) connected with the data of NADRA for the age the heC and the boards of intermediate and secondary education for educational qualification, FBR for tax and other remittances information, Ministry of Interior for criminal history and local municipalities for the community services Special tests may be conducted for gauging the analytical skills of those voters who are interested to get further additional voting power The relevant data may be fed with the voter s identity if the live Internet connection with the eVMs is not possible everywhere

The weighted voting model is much better than the one-man onevote system as it takes into account the knowledge expertise and contribution of the individuals The one-man, one-vote rule apparently seems fair and democratic, but it usually leads to uninformed decisions being made, leading to negative consequences for the country Therefore it is important to consider implementing a weighted voting system to ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of the state and the people for the election of honest and competent political leadership capable of pulling the country out of the prevailing issues of economy, unemployment, poverty and poor governance in Pakistan

The author works for the University of Gujrat Pakistan and can be reached at khalid@uog edu pk

The moral inconsistencies involved in our refusal to hold Israelis accountable for Palestinian civilian casualties, both US and non-US citizens, and our refusal to join the international effort to ban cluster bombs call into question the moral underpinnings of our foreign policies

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

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

Odd procedures or meaninglessness?

I N my early practical life, I worked with two commercial banks for some years before I moved on to other avenues Those were the days when, generally speaking, client service was uppermost as a policy in the mind of the banks and the bankers Rules were in place and they were rather stringent but the officers had space for bona fide intervention when they thought one was necessary

After about 60 years as I go to the bank as a mere pensioner I realise that compliance back in the day was supreme I have a joint account where my funded pension from a corporate is being sent for quite some time

The bank recently informed me that the pension could no longer be credited to the existing account and I needed to have a separate account as a single person I was shown a circular of the Ministry of Finance to support the demand I told them that the circular pertained to the pension paid from the exchequer and not to the pension from a corporate however, the bank staff insisted that I follow the instructions as they feared objection from the audit department I protested, but to no avail, and finally gave them a request to open another account

This set in motion another dark tale The bank officer asked me to provide proof of the fact that I was a retired pensioner I reminded him that the bank already had that proof which had been submitted when I had opened the joint account he told me that this was a new account and I had to submit that proof again for this one I narrated to him the old story about the office of the Accountant-General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) when the pension of an individual was released for May, but not for April because life certificate for April had not been provided

The banker took some time to get the humour but insisted that the current situation was different I surrendered and provided the certificate a second time Soon enough things took another turn I received a pension cheque in the name of M h As while the bank account carried my full name as per my CNIC as Muh ha As The operations manager wanted the cheque corrected, again citing a possible audit objection By the way, the proof of my being a retired person also carried the short name as that is how I was known by all and sundry for 45 odd years I lost my nerve finally and tore the cheque in frustration Not a nice thing to do and I am not proud of it Of course I will go back to my employer to have another cheque issued with my full name as beggars cannot be choosers

This narration is not a complaint of the bank branch or its officers It is just a lament even though I know it will fall on deaf ears M H ASIF KARACHI

Electric vehicles

W I T h everything that is going on in the country’s economy, the government should actively encourage people to convert their vehicles such as motorcycles rickshaws and smaller cars from petrol to electric In our region such a conversion costs anywhere from the equivalent of Rs50 000 to Rs250 000 Kits may be available from companies from Vietnam or China The cost of operating these converted e-vehicles would be about one-fifth of what it would be if they were running on petrol The kits may be subsidised by the government and commercial banks may also be encouraged to issue loans for the purpose Some local auto manufacturers have been raising the prices of their brands and even then they are shutting down plants because there are no buyers If this continues many workers would become unemployed adding to the overall economic burden Some of these companies should be encouraged to produce electric versions of their vehicles and to start converting the existing vehicles to set the ball in motion and then to keep it rolling DR SYED ARIF KAZMI

non-US citiz ens, and our refusal to join the international effor t to ban cluster bombs call into question the moral underpinnings of our

One way out of the dilemma of present- day voters

Dr KhaliD iqbal

A rogue state that stokes terrorism and insurgencies COMMENT 05

telligence agency Research and Analysis Wing Border Security Force Intelligence and State Special Branch for a quarter of a century his book mentions another RAW officer disguised as a diplomat Amit Munshi (real name Veer Singh) posted as Cultural Attache

Th e joint US-India statement in the wake of the Indian prime minister ’s visit to the USA is a source of concern

The statement has not only urged Pakistan to take ’immediate action against all terrorist groups but also left open the option of asking the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to further tighten its anti-money-laundering and terrorism financing standards The way the United Nations, under US pressure, designates a person or entity a terrorist is questionable At the SCO also India’s external Affairs Minister brought up the question of self-conceited and self–concocted “cross border terrorism” Pakistan s Foreign Minister rightly called it a myth India equates the freedom movement in the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir with terrorism She keeps mum about how it armed and trained Mukti Bahini terrorists in erstwhile east Pakistan

Indira Gandhi urged the army chief Gen Sam Maneckshaw to rush the invasion of east Pakistan But Maneckshaw delayed the invasion until the monsoon was over RAW officer B Raman in his book T h e K a o b o y s o f R & AW makes no bones about India s involvement up to the level of prime minister in east Pakistan s insurgency

In a published letter, RAW officer RK Yadav made a startling revelation that India’s prime minister Indira Gandhi parliament RAW and armed forces acted in tandem to dismember Pakistan The confessions in his letter are corroborated by B Raman s book The Kaoboys of R&AW:Down Memory Lane he reminds Indian parliament passed resolution on March 31, 1971 to support insurgency (terrorism from Pak angle) Indira Gandhi had then confided with Kao that in case Mujib was prevented from ruling Pakistan she would liberate east Pakistan from the clutches of the military junta Kao through one RAW agent hijacked a Fokker Friendship the Ganga of Indian Airlines hijacked from Srinagar to Lahore to block Pak flights to east Pakistan

Amar Bhushan in his book Terror in Islamabad reveals how he brazenly violated norms of diplomatic immunity to complete his missions Bhushan happened to have served as a diplomat at the Indian high Commission Islamabad Before being posted to Islamabad Bhushan had served as an officer of India s premier in-

Indian ambassador Bharath Raj Muthu Kumar, with the consent of then Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, secretly coordinated military and medical assistance to the Alliance via Tajikistan air base Farkhor (How India secretly armed Afghanistan s Northern Alliance Former envoy has a word of caution on Delhi s role in a postU S Kabul The Hindu 1 September 2019) The support involved helicopters, ordnance, mortars, small armaments, refurbished Kalashnikovs seized in Kashmir, combat and winter clothes packaged food medicines and funds These supplies were delivered circuitously with the help of other countries (Aeini and Farkhor air bases in Tajikistan) or through Massoud s brother in London, Wali Massoud India opened four consulates at Kandahar, Jalalabad, herat, and Mazar-e-Sharif, besides its embassy at Kabul India established a Free Balochistan office in New Delhi under Naila Baloch The inauguration was attended by many Indian government/intelligence officers India retaliates against any mention of disputed Kashmir with insinuation of cross-border terrorism actually freedom movement During a debate to reform the United Nations, Pakistan s Foreign Minister mentioned the need for resolving the Kashmir dispute his innocuous remarks were like a red rag to India’s external Affairs Minister In his retort he did not explain why the United Nations has not been able to hold a plebiscite to resolve the dispute Instead he taunted Pakistan for Osama s presence at Abbottabad (implying that Pakistan sheltered him) Irked by India s external Affairs Minister ’s reply, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister reminded him that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “butcher of Muslims in the Indian state of Gujarat’

To tarnish Pakistan s image Indian media even flashed a talk with CIA s former director Leon Panetta (he was grilled with Pakistan-bashing leading questions) At India Today Conclave, an interviewer expressed skepticism about Pakistan s feigned ignorance In his reply, Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf drew attention to the 9/11 incident he asked why the USA with its most advanced intelligence agencies remained unaware of hijacking of airliners their training at American soil and their flight trajectory

Bilawal Zardari-Bhutto s remarks about the Indian Prime Minister Modi prompted the US State Department’s spokesman Ned Price to say “Washington does not want a “war of words” between New Delhi and Islamabad but constructive dialogue In sum the US position on Kashmir was unchanged

The declassified Jawahar Lal Nehru papers speak volumes on India s volte faces Till about 1953 India continued to reiterate that Kashmir is a disputed territory And the Kashmiri people will be provided an opportunity to exercise their inalienable right to self-determina-

tion In about 1953, India took a volte-face saying that the United Nations resolutions on the dispute were of mediatory not mandatory nature

India had given a Special Status State to the disputed territory It abolished that status and annexed the territory as two Union Territories By flouting international resolutions on Kashmir, India qualified as a rogue state subject to international sanctions Aware of India’s intention to get the ‘Instrument of Accession’ rubber-stamped by the puppet assembly the Security Council passed two resolutions to forestall the foreseeable accession by the puppet assembly Security Council s Resolution No 9 of 30 March 1951 and affirmative Resolution No 122 of 24 March 1957 outlaws accession or any other action to change the status of the Jammu and Kashmir state

On 2 November 1947 Nehru declared in a radio broadcast that the government of India was “prepared when peace and order have been established in Kashmir to have a referendum held under international auspices like the United Nations (Chaudhri Mohammad Ali, The Emergence of Pakistan)

Till 1953, India was, at least verbally, committed to the plebiscite But, in the subsequent period, it made frantic efforts to warp the United Nations Organization and woo the USA in her favour

For instance during the temporary absence of Pakistan s representative India tried to get the India-Pakistan Question deleted from the UN agenda India based her plea on the Security Council s informal decision, dated 30 July 1996, about deleting dormant questions

The Question was deleted during the Pakistan rep’s absence but was restored to the agenda upon his arrival

Again at India s behest US Congressman Stephen Solarz elicited the statement from Bush-administration high-level diplomat, John h Kelly, that plebiscite was no longer possible in Kashmir To India s chagrin, John R Mallot, the US State Department’s point man for

South Asia in 1993, corrected Kelly’s faux pas he told the house Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Asia and the Pacific on 28 April1993 that John Kelly ‘misspoke’ in 1990 when he said that the USA no longer believed a plebiscite was necessary for South Asia Mallot clarified that Kelly made his comment after continued grilling by the panel s (pro-India) chairman, Stephen J Solarz of New York Avid readers may refer to Solarz-Kelly’s conversation and corrective policy action taken by the US State Department in Robert G Wirsing s book India Pakistan and the Kashmir Dispute published in 1994 They may also see Mushtaqur Rehman s Divided Kashmir: Old Problems New Opportunities for India Pakistan and the Kashmiri People Avtar Singh Bhasin’s book India and Pakistan: Neighbours at Odds quotes from Jawahar Lal Nehru’s declassified papers to prove that Nehru had a perfidious mind he hoodwinked Sheikh Abdullah and the UN India s attempt to equate freedom movement in Kashmir to terrorism is futile Kashmir is a simmering nuclear tinderbox India should eschew euphoria at the USA’s support as quid pro quo for participation in antiChina QUAD

There is no UNO resolution incorporating India’s volte-face that India-occupied Kashmir acceded to India through the so-called state assembly s resolution By flouting United Nations resolutions India qualifies as a rogue State It should be subjected to sanctions Besides Kashmir, there are other unresolved disputes like annexation of Junagadh, Rann of Katch, and Kargil These disputes also could not be resolved owing to India’s obduracy

The writer is a freelance journalist has served in the Pakistan government for 39 years and holds degrees in economics business administration and law He can be reached at amjedjaaved@gmail com

DER SPIEGEL: The first question goes to both of you, father and son Etzioni Are you afraid of artificial intelligence?

Oren Etzioni: Artificial intelligence is not a creature like the Golem or Frankenstein’s monster it’s just a tool albeit a very powerful one I m not afraid of the tool itself I m afraid of how people use it

Malicious actors or rogue states for example

Amitai etzioni: At some point during the Industrial Revolution, man lost control of technological and economic progress he’s been struggling to regain that control ever since Artificial intelligence makes this race even faster and harder to win At the same time new social movements are emerging that do not want a society in which these forces dominate us

DER SPIEGEL: You see people protesting against artificial intelligence?

Amitai Etzioni: At least harbingers: For me this also includes the people who refuse to return to the office after the pandemic They say: I want to spend more time with my family I want to play video games instead of spending time in traffic In the end AI is just the tip of the iceberg for a much larger conflict in our society: Is the human at the center or the machine?

Oren Etzioni: My father and I don’t quite agree on this point I think the idea of AI conspiring against humanity in a data center and running amok is science fiction Technology is certainly not neutral but in the end, people make the decisions And the powerful people operating these tools aren t politicians, they re tech entrepreneurs Mark Zuckerberg and elon Musk have that power not AlphaGo (eds note: AlphaGo is the AI program that defeated the world’s best in the board game Go in 2017 )

DER SPIEGEL: Your colleague Geoffrey Hinton who laid the scientific basis for the current AI boom has grown fearful of his creation

Oren Etzioni: With large language models like GPT-4, you have to distinguish between intelligence and autonomy Intuitively we often throw the two things together because humans are intelligent and autonomous GPT-4 is very sophisticated and somewhat intelligent but it has no will of its own how much autonomy it gets is a political question, not a technological one People decide that

Amitai Etzioni: I have to disagree every new drug in the U S needs approval from the Food and Drug Administration But if some people in San Francisco invent a new technology for better deepfakes tonight we ll have to live with it – even if it goes against our values and political will We couldn t even ban them if we wanted to

DER SPIEGEL: Why not?

Amitai Etzioni: That ship has sailed, the technology is in the world even if we had a treaty with China would Russia stick to it? Venezuela?

Yemen?

DER SPIEGEL: Even OpenAI boss Sam Altman is calling for his industry to be regulated

Amitai Etzioni: This is just PR

Oren Etzioni: I don’t think that’s the best way either We need targeted regulation Should a single AI law cover everything from chatbots to controlling our nuclear weapons? We should rather adapt our existing laws on copyright on drug research and all these areas

to the new reality

Amitai Etzioni: When I give lectures in Germany I always ask who has ever been asked by a company under data protection laws whether they can pass on their data Not a single hand ever goes up Because the laws have so many loopholes If there are overly broad AI laws in everyday life, I fear that the authorities who are supposed to implement them will be hijacked by the industry – just like the big U S banks have done with the financial regulators here

DER SPIEGEL: Let s talk about the dangers posed by people using these powerful tools What are you most afraid of?

Oren Etzioni: The next presidential election And every election after that Gutenberg’s printing press made copying information virtually free the internet made global distribution free and now information is becoming free to produce Voters can be bombarded with messages that sound like they were spoken by elon Musk or Angela Merkel Such applications need to be regulated, not GPT-4

Amitai Etzioni: AI will destroy the truth You can no longer believe your own eyes and ears This is a challenge for democracy and for our community

DER SPIEGEL: Which liar is more dangerous for democracy: Donald Trump or ChatGPT?

Amitai Etzioni: In the short term, that award still goes to Trump he has a real shot at being president again ChatGPT likely never will But in the long term, AI poses the greater threat

Oren Etzioni: A charismatic demagogue who can manipulate people is also more dangerous in the long term ChatGPT doesn t write rousing speeches its output is pretty average, so far at least But it can run countless Trump-friendly chatbots on Facebook and Twitter at the same time This is where the real danger comes from: Donald Trump combined with the money to pay for a million mini-GPTs

Amitai Etzioni: America s Founding Fathers feared the mob being seduced by a charismatic leader

That s why they established an indirect democracy: every two years people are allowed to vote, and in between times, they keep their mouths shut Technology challenges this system because a leader can now reach the masses directly Trump was already able to do this with Twitter and he will be even more effective with chatbots

DER SPIEGEL: AI-generated images of the Pope in a white puffy jacket and programs that clone voices from a few speech samples are already circulating How do we control this tidal wave of fake content?

Oren Etzioni: There is no panacea regulation can only be part of the solution One could for example require digital authentication a kind of watermark that all AI-produced content must include The technology for this is ready But the regulators problems remain: They are national, while the problem is international We need other means

DER SPIEGEL: What might they look like?

Oren Etzioni: education We must learn how to use this technology Grandparent scammers today can sound like the real grandson The other day a purported colleague texted me to ask for a favor It wasn t until he asked me about Apple gift cards that I figured it out With every phone call we must ask ourselves: Is this authentic?

Amitai Etzioni: When you watched television as a little boy I would say: Think about how this advertisement is trying to manipulate you

DER SPIEGEL: Did you still have to buy him candy?

Oren Etzioni (laughs): It’s a challenge to this day

DER SPIEGEL: ChatGPT doesn t just lie when people tell it to For example the chatbot recently accused an Australian mayor of a corruption scandal that the man had actually uncovered himself Why does program so wholeheartedly produce such absolute nonsense?

Oren Etzioni: It is difficult to calibrate the model s self-awareness because it has no concept of reality When ChatGPT decides whether to designate the sky as blue or gray it calculates with probabilities that differ little from each other The model must learn over time when to say: I don t know And don t forget: This technology is extremely young There will be missteps Think of nuclear technology I think everyone now agrees that hiroshima and Nagasaki were missteps

Amitai Etzioni: We need to find ways to teach the models ethics Not what a philosopher thinks of, but the values by which different religious or social groups actually live Different models may then reflect their different consensus on values

DER SPIEGEL: Elon Musk allegedly wants to develop a TruthGPT because he thinks ChatGPT is too politically correct Will we have right and leftleaning AI?

Oren Etzioni: Yes, in the end these models are primarily mirrors When we hold this mirror up to our society, we see Republicans, Democrats and all the unsavory characters too

DER SPIEGEL: That’s also a product of these large language models likely being trained with countless posts from Twitter and Reddit – not necessarily places where people show their best side

Oren Etzioni: As programmers we say: Garbage in, garbage out ” But the problem is solvable: People are constantly evaluating the output of models and thus over time teach it their values But it is impossible to give ChatGPT an ultimate value framework because we as a society are at odds about it ourselves

DER SPIEGEL: The big data analysis company Palantir offers armies an AI platform that develops battle plans and analyzes enemy targets Palantir boss Alex Karp calls generative AI a revolution that “will raise and sink ships

Amitai Etzioni: Imagine that: AI technology coupled with nuclear weapons and space technology that can identify every single point on earth

Mankind must find an international agreement that says: With offensive weapons of such destructive power artificial intelligence alone must not make an irreversible decision A human being has to have the last word here But we are already in an indirect war with China I therefore do not rate the chances of such an agreement as very high That worries me

Oren Etzioni: You have to make a clear distinction between defensive and offensive weapons Autonomous offensive weapons threaten our security Intelligent defense weapons even autonomous ones save lives They protect kindergartens and hospitals in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians or in the Ukraine

DER SPIEGEL: A few years ago, employees at Google, including AI experts, went on strike because they were asked to work on a contract from the U S military Oren Etzioni: I don’t have much understanding for their position I m not happy that more and more

Oren

powerful weapon systems are being developed But

I’d rather they be in our hands than in those of totalitarian regimes Society must define where we draw the line We technologists have a responsibility to engage in this discussion with a nuanced perspective rather than burying our heads in the sand

D E R S P I E G E L : T h e g l o b a l f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h

C h a t G P T h a s t r i g g e r e d a r a c e b e t w e e n M i c r o s o f t , G o o g l e a n d M e t a f o r t h e b e s t A I m o d e l s I s t h e t e c h n o l o g y t o o d a n g e r o u s t o b e l e f t t o t h e p r i v a t e e c o n o m y ?

Amitai Etzioni: We will see an even greater concentration of wealth in the hands of the few Whether Microsoft or Google prevails in the end isn t important at all What matters is whether the industry as a whole can prevent the U S Congress from making effective rules for it

Oren Etzioni: The fundamental truth of technology remains: It has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty

Amitai Etzioni: The question is will it continue to do so? In the past few centuries, technology has taken us from the Middle Ages to an affluent society What will the next centuries bring? Just more gadgets?

DER SPIEGEL: Do you see artificial intelligence primarily as a threat to our society?

Amitai Etzioni: Not at all Fake emotions can be helpful in building empathic computers So far, we have parked old people in old people s homes and let them be alone there because it’s easier to manage Is it better for a computer to say “I’m happy to listen to you” than no one? Yes I would prefer that

DER SPIEGEL: The virtual companion has so far been little more than a vision of science fiction

Amitai Etzioni: Nothing takes a toll on our mental health like loneliness Why should we only help people when they are desperate and developing depression? For this reason, artificial intelligence cannot simply be banned We need to think about the usefulness of rules as well as their harm

DER SPIEGEL: You have published articles on artificial intelligence together How do you discuss these issues with each other?

Oren Etzioni: As academics, we are used to operating within the narrow silos of our discipline and our jargon I’m lucky that my father is extremely curious and asks me questions Sometimes we disagree but that gets us talking about it Amitai Etzioni: We have a large family and we get together every year for a two-week vacation We need this time to talk about the limits of our discipline That s why we called

Etzioni (right) is an AI researcher while his father Amitai Etzioni (left) was one of the most important intellectual voices in the U S prior to his recent passing In Amitai Etzioni s final interview, he and his son discuss the dangers of artificial intelligence

US INTELLIGENCE FINDS IRAN NOT CURRENTLY PURSUING NUCLEAR WEAPONS

WASHINGTON A F P

AUS i n t e l l i g e n c e a s s e s s m e n t s a y s I r a n i s n o t p u r s u i n g n uc l e a r w e a p o n s a t t h e m om e n t b u t h a s r a m p e d u p a c t i v i t i e s t h a t c o u l d h e l p i t d e v e l o p t h e m

The assessment from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released Monday says Iran has moved to increase its capacity to produce an atomic bomb since 2020 but has stopped short of that so far

The findings corresponded with previous US assessments about Iran’s nuclear program although many in Congress and elsewhere have been skeptical of those

The Biden administration has been defending its desire to return to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA since it first took office

That effort has been complicated in

recent months by the suspension of its chief negotiator Rob Malley who was placed on unpaid leave last month pending an investigation into claims he mishandled classified information Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activ-

Liton, Shoriful help Bangladesh avoid Afghanistan whitewash

CHITTAGONG BANGLADESH A G E N C I E S

Liton Das top-scored with 53 not out as Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets to avoid a series whitewash in Tuesday s third and final one-day international in Chittagong

The hosts raced to 129-3 in 23 3 overs after Shoriful Islam’s career best 4-21 helped them bowl out Afghanistan for 126 in 45 2 overs

Tail-ender Azmatullah Omarzai offered some late resistance for Afghanistan to top-score with 56 his maiden ODI fifty

Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi gave Afghanistan a glimmer of hope, bowling out Naim Sheikh for a duck and Najmul Hossain for 11

Liton and Shakib Al Hasan put on 61 runs for the third wicket to steady the innings and bring Bangladesh back into control Shakib fell to Mohammad Nabi after making a run-a-ball 39 but Liton who struck three fours and two sixes in his 60-ball innings, took Bangladesh home

Young Towhid Hridoy hit the winning boundary off Ziaur-Rehman to stay unbeaten on 22

“There will be wins and losses that’s what happened to us in the first two games We tried to prove that we were the better team in the last game said Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam It feels good I was supported by the whole team so it was a good performance – ‘Mentality wasn’t right’ –

The tourists earlier won the toss and elected to bat first, but never managed to get their innings going “The guys didn t execute they didn t adjust to the conditions said Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott

Shoriful struck early after taking the field for the first time this series, dismissing Ibrahim Zadran for one and Rahmat Shah for a duck in the third over Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who smashed a career-best 145 in the previous match saw one catch land in no man’s land but soon top-edged Taskin Ahmed to depart for six

Shoriful compounded Afghanistan s woes by trapping Nabi leg-before to leave the tourists teetering at 15-4 inside nine overs They played bad shots, the mentality wasn t right today we kept losing wickets,” Trott added “We never had a partnership you need that big partnership when rebuilding your innings from 15 or 20 for four ”

Hashmatullah Shahidi and Najibullah Zadran stemmed the rot but Shakib sent back the latter for 10 to stop their partnership from developing Shahidi dragged one off Taijul Islam onto his stumps to end his patient knock of 22 from 54 balls Omarzai helped Afghanistan past the 100-run mark after the quick departure of debutants Abdul Rahman (four) and Zia (five) He was the last man dismissed holing out a catch to Naim Sheikh at long-off off Taskin who claimed 2-23 Afghanistan are already only the second team to win an ODI series in Bangladesh in the past seven years, with world champions England being the other

Six dead in Nepal tourist helicopter crash

KATHMANDU

ities that would be necessary to produce a testable nuclear device ” according to the two-page unclassified synopsis of the report However, Iran is also pursuing research and development activities that would bring it closer to producing the

fissile material needed for completing a nuclear device following a decision to do so,” the report said In that regard Iran continues to violate the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal regarding uranium enrichment that it agreed to with world powers the report said The Trump administration withdrew from that agreement in 2018

“Iran continues to increase the size and enrichment level of its uranium stockpile beyond JCPOA limits ” the report said adding that it also continues to exceed JCPOA restrictions on advanced centrifuge research and development These findings have been generally supported by inspections from the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

In addition to the nuclear findings the US intelligence report said that Iranian ballistic missile programs continue to pose a significant threat to countries around the Middle East Iran has emphasised improving the accuracy, lethality and reliability of its missiles ” it said

Bastille Day welcome for Modi as France cour ts India

NEW DELHI

A F P

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is guest of honour Friday for Bastille Day celebrations in France the latest Western power to court the world s most populated country and its booming economy President Emmanuel Macron s red carpet welcome comes weeks after Modi was given the rare honour of a White House state dinner in Washington a city he was once banned from visiting

That visit saw deals on arms sales semiconductor investment and space cooperation breezing past human rights concerns over India s Hindu nationalist government and accusations of rising religious intolerance towards the country’s Muslim minority

Further strategic and economic tie-ups are expected in Paris which is seeking to broaden its engagement in Asia alongside other Western nations to check growing Chinese assertiveness in the region Modi s visit alongside Indian troops joining the annual Bastille Day military parade, marks a new phase in the strategic partnership between France and India”, Macron’s Elysee Palace office said in June

Both countries have “a shared vision of peace and security especially in Europe and in the Indo-Pacific region the statement added using a term used by the US and its allies for the Asia-Pacific region Modi, who greeted the French leader with his customary bearhug during the latter s first state visit to India in 2018, said on Twitter last week that he

was looking forward to meeting with my friend President Macron

The India-France Strategic Partnership holds great significance for global good, he added India is already a customer for French arms, including Dassault’s Rafale fighter jets as it seeks to modernise its forces to match potential future threats from its northern neighbour

The urgency of New Delhi s task has been heightened by simmering disputes with Beijing over the countries immense Himalayan frontier, the site of a 2020 clash that killed 20 Indian and four Chinese troops, and sent relations between both capitals into free fall

B A L A N C I N G G A M E: India once faced crushing poverty but its middle classes have swelled in recent decades on the back of a rapidly growing economy, which last year overtook former colonial ruler Britain to become the fifth-largest globally

In April the country welcomed its first retail stores from Apple, eager to tap a burgeoning mark e t f o r u p s c a l e c o ns u m e r g o o d s i n w h a t i s n o w t h e w o r l d s m o s t populous nation

Mountaineer races rivals, hunts funds to chase summit record

LAHORE

A F P

Mountaineer Shehroze Kashif faces sub-zero temperatures and biting winds in his race to scale the world s highest peaks but his biggest challenge is finding the money Kashif, 21, aims this year to become the youngest person to climb every peak above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) all of which are in Asia with five in Pakistan Summiting Everest set him back around $60 000 and climbing all 14 super peaks can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars funds that are especially difficult to raise in a country gripped by an economic crisis

“My father sold my car and a piece of land that’s how I did Everest Kashif told AFP from his home

in Lahore, the sub-tropical, low-altitude city where he was born Only around 50 people are believed to have climbed all 14 super peaks the youngest being Mingma Gyabu David Sherpa of Nepal who summited them all by age 30

To break this record, Kashif still has three mountains to conquer: China’s Shishapangma, Cho Oyu and Manaslu in Nepal, having to re-climb the latter after a new higher summit was officially recognized in 2021 Hot on Kashif s heels is Adriana Brownlee a 22-year-old British-Spanish mountaineer who is also racing to be the youngest to scale all the eightthousanders Kashif describes Brownlee the youngest woman to climb the world’s second-highest peak K2 as sharing the same stage

Flash floods rage in New York, reser voir threatens to over whelm dam in Vermont

VERMONT, UNITED STATES

S TA F F R E P O R T

Torrential downpours have unleashed flash floods on the US Northeast that washed out roadways, overwhelmed rivers prompted 50 swift boat rescues and killed a woman who was swept away in front of her fiance officials said

More than 13 million Americans were under flood watches and warnings from Eastern New York state to Boston and Western Maine to the northeast the National Weather Service said in its forecast Monday, after storms that began over the weekend inundated rivers and streams Meanwhile a Vermont reservoir threatened to overwhelm a dam protecting the state s capital

All six people aboard a tourist helicopter in Nepal were killed when it crashed soon after take-off in the Everest region on Tuesday, aviation authorities said The Manang Air flight was heading for the capital Kathmandu from near Lukla the gateway for climbing expeditions to the world s highest peak with five Mexican travellers and a Nepali pilot onboard

The chopper lost contact eight minutes after taking off on Tuesday morning, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said in a statement

“The six bodies have been recovered and brought to Kathmandu ” Pratap Babu Tiwari general manager at the Tribhuvan International Airport told AFP

Two helicopters were deployed for search and rescue but could not land at the crash site because of the weather

The teams on the ground brought the bodies to the helicopters which were able to land close by, Tiwari said Lhakpa Sherpa, a local resident who joined search and rescue efforts said the scene was “very scary”

“It looks like the helicopter first collided with a tree and then slammed on the floor It has caused a small hole in the ground he said

Myanmar crisis tops agenda at ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting

YANGON A F P

ASEAN foreign ministers gathered in Indonesia on Tuesday for talks dominated by the crisis in Myanmar with the regional bloc divided over how or whether to reengage with the coup-wracked country s ruling junta

The two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting will be followed by talks later in the week with Beijing, Washington and other powers where top US diplomat Antony Blinken will seek to push back on China s assertiveness in the South China Sea Myanmar has been ravaged by deadly violence since a military coup deposed Aung San Suu Kyi s government more than two years ago and unleashed a bloody crackdown on dissent

AIOU to introduce matric-tech program

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) is introducing a matric (tech) program to provide technical education and skills to youth in collaboration with JICA

This program will be offered in upcoming admissions of semester autumn 2023 starting from July 15

Vice Chancellor AIOU Prof Dr Nasir Mahmood said that this program was designed to gear up youth with skills for employ-ability

The university has already introduced a middle-tech program which is very effective in selected areas

Admissions in the semester autumn 2023 will commence from July 15 across the country

The programs being offered in this phase includes matric (general) matric (tech) matric (dars e nizami) matric (open courses) F A (general) F A (dars e nizami), F A (open courses), I Com, middle-tech, BS, MBA, MS/MPhil, PhD and certificate courses

FCCI seeks HEC’s action against varsities offering degree without approval by councils

FAISALABAD: The Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) has urged the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to take action against the universities offering degree courses without the prior approval of the concerned professional councils

In a statement issued here on Tuesday Senior Vice President FCCI Dr Sajjad Arshad expressed concern that various public and private universities are launching degree courses without the prior approval of the concerned professional councils “Such an irresponsible act is tantamount to looting the parents and wasting the prestigious time of students he said and added that HEC only issues an alert which is no substitute for the wastage of time by the student getting admission in unapproved courses Sajjad Arshad said that HEC should take action against such universities which are out to mint money He further said that some public sector universities are also adopting this illegal practice which is highly condemnable and responsible persons should be taken to task He said that the public sector universities are not meant to generate funds as the Government and HEC provide them sufficient funds to meet their expenses

NTDC secures land for construction of 500 kv grid station in Sialkot

MASSIVE POTENTIAL AVAIL ABLE TO EXTEND PAKISTAN CHINA REL ATIONS IN DIVERSE SECTORS: AHSAN

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

MI N I S T E R for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said there is a massive potential for expanding Pakistan-China relations in the areas of agriculture, industry, technology and mining

He made the remarks at the meeting of 12th Special Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Beijing according to a Radio Pakistan s report Ahsan Iqbal noted that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a remarkable endeavour that symbolizes the deeprooted ties between China and Pakistan

He recalled that this monumental project initiated under the visionary leadership of President Xi and the then

Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, had been instrumental in transforming the economic landscape of the region It has fostered connectivity en-

i

C

Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and these avenues provided an opportunity to consolidate successes and further enhance potential future cooperation Ahsan Iqbal reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to provide consistent policies and conducive environment for Chinese companies and citizens working in Pakistan

During the meeting, the conveners of the Joint Working Groups (JWGs) on Energy, Transport Infrastructure, and Gwadar Port made presentations highlighting the progress on their specific areas and informed about the future plans of actions

hanced trade, and opened up new avenues for shared prosperity

The Minister emphasized that CPEC is the topmost national priority of the

i e f, K S A e nvoy

of brotherhood between the two nations the Air Chief said Pakistan values its strong diplomatic, economic and defence relationship with Saudi Arabia which is based on convergence on all important issues relating to regional peace security and stability

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

H E Mr Nawaf

Saeed Al-Malakiy called on Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal

Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu in his office today The meeting was focused on areas of mutual interest and regional developments

During the meeting, Chief of the Air Staff shared his pragmatic policy decisions aimed at modernizing PAF through smart acquisition

of niche technologies upgradation of infrastructure and revitalization of operational & training domains

The Air Chief highlighted that Saudi Arabia being the center of the Muslim world and a significant strategic partner has longstanding religious cultural and historical bond with Pakistan which is exemplified through robust bilateral relations He also reiterated his unwavering commitment to enhancing the existing ties in realms of military-to-military cooperation and training Highlighting the bond

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expressed his admiration for the exceptional progress made by Pakistan Air Force, particularly in the area of indigenization and lauded the professionalism of PAF personnel He also pledged to play his role in further improving the existing bilateral ties at all levels and expressed his desire to consolidate cooperation in various fields including training emerging technologies and mutual cooperation in the aviation industry

The meeting between the Chief of the Air Staff and the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia is a testament to the strong commitment of both nations to further enhance their strategic partnership through continued dialogue and collaboration

B’desh, Nepal envoys call for tourism promotion in South Asia for ‘collec tive good’

ISLAMABAD S TA F R E P O R T

The envoys of Bangladesh and Nepal in Pakistan on Tuesday stressed the need for collective efforts to promote and develop the tourism sector of the South Asian region including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal for sustainable growth of their respective economies

T h e r e i s a h u g e p o t e n t i a l f o r t o u r i s m i n t h e South Asia region, he said adding that all the neighb o u r i n g c o u n t r i e s i n c l u d i n g P a k i s t a n B a n g l a d e s h need joint measures to attract tourists from other regions of the world

The JCC also highlighted the significance of the key projects for energy and infrastructure development; which are now operational and providing a myriad of opportunities for socio-economic development in Pakistan

QS International Trade Rankings 2023

A

I S L A M A B

D: We re excited to announce our newest rankings – the QS International Trade Rankings

These rankings explore programmes that upskill their students for a career in international trade using criteria that rates universities on programme content innovative teaching practices and how universities get students ready for employment If you re a student pursuing or considering a career in international trade, then these rankings will help you discover the courses that could get you into the sector most effectively The QS International Trade Rankings can include any MBA or master ’s programme with the content to prepare students for a career in international trade

The rankings use indicators including programme content and teaching faculty experience in international trade, university academic and employer reputation, return on investment for graduates, and university partnerships with employers Find out more about our methodology

These new rankings have been made possible by The Hinrich Foundation a philanthropic organisation working to advance mutually beneficial and sustainable global trade through research and education The Hinrich Foundation offers research and teaching materials to aid the strengthening of global trade education as well as grants and scholarships to support candidates S TA F F R E P O R T

Members of SMC batch of 33rd visit FBR

Headquar ters

North Islamabad Project Director (EHV-I) North Islamabad and Director General (Land) S TA F F R E P O RT

IESCO taking customers-friendly steps to address their complaints: CEO

ISLAMABAD: A new sub-division Gulzar-e-Quaid Rawalpindi has been established by the IESCO management to facilitate the resolution of customer complaints and to ensure the provision of best services to them The Chief Executive Officer IESCO Dr Muhammad Amjad Khan has said that due to the increase in the number of customers, Gangal Sub-Division has been divided into Gulzar-e-Quaid Rawalpindi, due to which Gangal Sub-Division Rawalpindi areas Dhok Raja Muhammad Khan Fazal Town-2 Dhok Hafiz Shah Khalid Colony Nazirabad Gulzar-e-Quaid New Gulzare-Quaid Faisal Colony Railway Scheme No 9 Railway View Housing Society, Dhok Kamal Deen, Wazir Town, Jabr Town, Airport Employee Co-operative Society Sector 1, 2, 3 & 4, Judicial Colony are part of new subdivision Gulzar-e-Quaid Rawalpindi Due to the establishment of new sub division the electricity reference numbers of the consumers have also changed and if electricity consumer does not receive the electricity bill, they can check the new number by visiting the IESCO website www iesco com pk Alternatively, electricity bills can be obtained from the concerned SDO office, revenue office or the nearest customer service center of IESCO S TA F F R E P O RT

They also lauded the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) for organizing the International Tourism Summit 2023 which they said would also help in further promoting tourism in Northern areas of the country said a press release High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Pakistan Md Ruhul Alam Siddique congratulated President ICCI for successfully organizing the "First ICCI Tourism Summit Skardu 2023"

He said that the initiative provided an opportunity to see the natural beauty of the northern regions and it would have a positive impact on the tourism industry of Pakistan

Regarding the summit Tapas Adhikari Nepal s a m b a s s a d o r t o P a k i s t a n , s a i d t h a t P a k i s t a n h a s a r i c h t o u r i s m h e r i t a g e w h i c h c a n c r e a t e t r e m e n d o u s e c o n o m i c o p p o r t u n i t i e s H e s a i d t h e i n i t i a t i v e s t o e x p a n d t h e b e a u t i f u l t o u r i s t d e s t i n a t i o n s o f P a ki s t a n f o r e c o n o m i c a c t i v i t i e s a n d p r o m o t e t o u r i s m a r e c o m m e n d a b l e

President ICCI Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari thanked ambassadors for participating in the ICCI International Tourism Summit He said that the ambassadors of Turkey, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Syria, Somalia, Kenya, Nepal, Iran and other countries also attended the summit and reviewed business opportunities He said that tourism is not only an industry that promotes economic growth and development but is a bridge to connect different cultures

PM&DC submits application for WFME recognition

The Pakistan Medical & Dental Council after completing the mandatory requirements to be eligible for WFME recognition of its Accreditation Programme has applied to World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) to initiate the process After the promulgation of the PM&DC Act 2022, the Council took up the matter of the WFME

Recognition Process on priority President PM&DC Prof Dr Rizwan Taj constituted a WFME accreditation cell consisting of experts from all over Pakistan and conducted several meetings for extensive deliberation to fulfill all the requirements of the WFME application PMDC furthermore carried out various workshops nationwide for the said purpose Almost 124 colleges anticipated the workshop The panel of experts from all over the country

was taken on board for the WFME accreditation process In the first step, the WFME after assessing the PM&DC s application has approved its eligibility for the WFME recognition of the PM&DC as an accrediting body and its Accreditation program PM&DC and WFME will now coordinate to schedule the visit of the WFME s international assessors who will undertake a site visit to Pakistan to inspect the PM&DC and its entire regulatory systems

56 ASIs of Capital Police promoted to next ranks

ISLAMABAD: As many as 56 Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) of Islamabad police have been promoted to next rank following the recommendations of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) of the force Islamabad Capital City Police Officer (ICCPO) Dr Akbar Nasir Khan said that welfare of the police force is among the top priorities and each member of the force is a hero for him as he serves the people despite various odds He said this while congratulating the newly promoted officers on Sub-Inspector ranks ICCPO had ordered the Capital Police Officer (Headquarters), the chairman of the Departmental Promotion Committee to call the meeting and fill vacant posts of different ranks as soon as possible S TA F F R E P O R T

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

A batch of 33rd Senior Management Course (SMC), National School of Public Policy, NIM, Karachi, visited the Federal Board of Revenue Headquarters as part of their ongoing mandatory training The 37 participants belonged to various Federal Occupational Groups Provincial Civil Services Economist Group & allied services After offering Fateha at Yadgar-I-Shuhada, the participants were given a detailed briefing on Revenue Collection Strategy and Related Challenges being undertaken by FBR as well as about organisational structure key policy and operational aspects of IRS and Customs They were also briefed by Chairman FBR Mr Asim Ahmad and Member Administration Mr Nadeem Hussain Rizvi on various initiatives being undertaken for the documentation of economy, meeting assigned targets, digitization of taxpayers’ data and anti-smuggling operations Chairman FBR also apprised the participants about measures being taken to broaden the tax base as well as about outreach programs to bring potential small tax payyers across Pakistan under the tax net

CDA approves various projects for capital

ISLAMABAD: CDA Design Works Planning meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chairman CDA Noorul Amin Mengal in which officers of Planning Commission, CDA Board Members and various officers of concerned formations also participated

The PC -I of Sector C-13 was presented in the meeting It was informed in the meeting that high-rise building apartments have been placed in this sector and this sector is situated in the most beautiful place of Islamabad, its planning has been done keeping in mind its beauty The PC -I of Sector C-13 has been approved by the committee and estimated cost is Rs1 078 million S TA F F R E P O R T

China Media Group (CMG) Urdu Service, also known as the China International Radio Urdu Service, (FM 98 Dosti Radio) Noreen (Chinese name: Nao Ling) has suc-

cessfully tried to explore various layers of the ancient rich diverse and unique culture of Pakistan She started her journey by visiting Faisal Masjid giving some useful information about its architecture, design and historical perspective She also visited the Pakistan Monument Saidpur Village Rawal Lake and the National Incubation Centre Pakistan in her words is a country full of wonders, she added At the closure of the documentary she said, My journey has just started and soon I shall be back with more

such captivating sights Special Assistant to Prime Minister (Minister of State) on Interior Affairs, Jawad Sohrab Malik was the Chief Guest on the occasion while among the noted guests who attended the show included Press Attache of the Embassy of China Liu Chang ViceChancellor of the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhtar ViceChancellor National Skills University Prof Dr Muhammad Mukhtar, CEO of Pakistan Observer and Vice Chairman 101 Friends of China Faisal Zahid Malik, DG National In-

stitute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) Vice Admiral (R) Ahmed Saeed and former Project Director (PD) China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Hassan Daud Butt

The audience that included a large number of the Pakistani and the Chinese viewers applauded as the short documentary progressed and admired her for portraying an enlightened peaceful and moderate Pakistan in her documentary Her command of Urdu and ease of using the right Urdu word at the right place is simply amazing, said Fatima, one among the audience

MOBILE MANUFACTURING REMAINED CRIPPLED FROM JANUARY TO MAY DUE TO L ACK OF LCS

market ” He adds that the PTA has taken cognisance of this and blocked many International Mobile Equipment

practice

CCP recommends initiation of proceedings against Urea manufacturers

A committee of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) concluded its enquiry and recommended initiation of proceeding under Section 30 of the Competition Act, 2010 against urea manufacturers and the Fertilizers Manufacturers of Pakistan Advisory Council (FMPAC)

of Pakistan made it exceedingly arduous for us to access letters of credit (LC) to import the components we necessitate for production This disrupted industry-wide operations and affected output Access to LCs has normalised this month so you can envisage a swell in these numbers as they will more closely emulate last year s henceforth

UN agency urges Pakistan to harness power of gender equalit y for prosperit y

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

Pakistan is one of the eight countries projected to contribute to half of the global population growth by 2050, with the current population estimated at 240 5 million and expected to reach a staggering 403 million by 2050, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) In a statement on World Population Day Dr Luay Shabaneh Pakistan representative for UNFPA emphasized that Pakistan with almost 3 percent of the global population plays a significant role in shaping the future and well-being of humanity

The rapid population growth in Pakistan presents both challenges and opportunities While it offers immense human capital potential, effectively harnessing this potential requires focused efforts to ensure gender equality women s empowerment and access to quality education and healthcare He stressed that placing women and girls at the centre of these efforts is crucial Investing in women s health and education, addressing gender disparities, and providing economic opportunities are critical steps toward building a sustainable and prosperous future

Dr Shabaneh highlighted the importance of empowering women through employment which can unlock their potential and increase labour market participation driving economic growth

Uplifting maternal health and improving access to family planning are essential elements that need urgent attention Progress in these areas has been slow hindering the collective ability to create positive change Challenging societal norms attitudes and practices that perpetuate gender discrimination and inequality is also imperative By doing so, an enabling environment can be created where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive and contribute to societal betterment Dr Shabaneh emphasized that addressing these disparities and empowering women and girls can unlock immense potential foster inclusive societies and work towards a brighter future

Muhammad Naqi CEO of Premier Code concurs with Piracha The LC issue was especially acute from January to April, he remarks, and it also affected the import of Completely Built Units (CBUs) and Semi Knocked Down (SKD) kits This engendered an opportunity for smugglers to bring in illicit phones into the

of 4 55:1

Customers still have an appetite to consume mobile phones, despite being pressed by inflation, Piracha said He explained that customers have shifted to more affordable options in the face of rising prices

“For example if customers previously wanted a phone worth Rs 1 5 lakh then now they are settling for phones worth Rs 1 lakh

Similarly he added customers have compromised on some features to save money If they wanted a phone with four cameras then now one with three cameras will suffice ” Piracha concluded that customers do not want to stop buying phones but they also have to deal with the reality of inflation over the past year

In terms of brand performance over the aforementioned period The top ten brands manufactured during the January to May period for 2023 are as follows:

PM for creation of enabling equal opportunities for women empowerment

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday stressed upon provision of equal opportunities to the womenfolk as they consisted of half of the country s population and were playing varying roles at different strata of society

PM Shehbaz Sharif was addressing the launching ceremony of the Prime Minister s Initiative for Women Empowerment which is being initiated at a total cost of Rs10 4 billion

The prime minister said that the country’s womenfolk were an effective and energetic segment playing effective roles in families and society as mothers sisters wives and daughters

He observed that in the last 75 years, the required opportunities for the women empowerment were not sufficient and stressed upon making of further efforts for securing women rights including the inheritance rights and creation of opportunities in a conducive environment, so that they could contribute meaningfully and productively in society

“Look around the Muslims world and the West the women have played their due role for the progress and prosperity of their respective nations, he added Lauding different prominent women personalities of the country he said that they had served as great ambassadors of Pakistan in different capacities

The prime minister said that there was no dearth of talent in Pakistan as they were blessed with

great minds, but there was a need to harness the true potential with creation of opportunities

Commending the rural women he said that the ratio of the rural area women in the national building capacity was immense as they had been working on fields along side with the men

He further observed that to achieve a place among the the comity of nations both genders of the country had to work together and underlined the need for provision of financial and actual opportunities in different fields

The women segment of our society is the driving engine for the country’s economy and serve as builders of nation ” he added

About the creation of Shuhada Fund initiative he said it was their duty as the martyrs had sacrificed their lives for the protection of the motherland and saved generations

There could be no other precedent of bravery and valour than their sacrifice he said adding their bereaved families deserved honour and support

The ceremony was attended by a large number of women belonging to all walks of life, besides ministers, parliamentarians, representatives of women organizations and relevant authorities

Referring to the current day challenges he expressed his gratitude to the brotherly country of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for extending financial support in form of $2 billion deposit with the State Bank of Pakistan

The prime minister questioned that as a nation for how long they would continue to depend upon

Per vaiz Elahi gets bail in money laundering case following meeting with Shujaat

A court in Lahore has granted bail to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, president of the Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI) in a money laundering case filed against him by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)

The decision to release the former chief minister of Punjab on bail was made by a special court, which reviewed his

at-

tempted to persuade him to distance himself from the embattled Imran Khan

The meeting on Monday marked the third encounter between the two since Elahi, who previously switched sides to join the opposition party of Khan was arrested in June Throughout this period Hussain has persistently attempted to persuade his cousin to rejoin forces

According to Dawn, which cited PML-Q sources, Elahi’s son and former minister Moonis Elahi is in no mood to ditch Khan

foreign loans

It is the pricking question, he added

He said a neighbouring country of Pakistan in the year 1991 sought the last IMF programme and then did not require any other financial programme

The prime minister underscored the need that they had to streamline their affairs by learning lessons from the past and ‘like an active nation have to move ahead’

For a year he said he had never faced such severe financial issues triggered further by the last year s floods, global inflation and Ukraine war which posed a huge challenge for the country’s economy

About the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme he hoped that it would proceed accordingly Terming the foreign debts fetters, he said the nation had to rid itself of financial chains

The prime minister further highlighted that they had to focus on the development of agriculture exports and exploration of precious minerals worth trillions of dollars

He regretted that billions of dollars had been wasted on litigation in the past and the country did not get a single penny profit which made them to suffer collectively

The prime minister without elaboration said that all the political leaders and dictators were equally responsible for those woes

If we show determination, the country can emerge within days,” he added The prime minister further highlighted that as chief minister of Punjab he embarked upon different initiatives for women empowerment

This Inquiry recommendation is based on a prima facie violation of Section 4 Prohibited Agreements of the Competition Act 2010 by manufacturers and FMPAC by announcing the Maximum Retail Price of urea at Rs1,768 per 50 KG Bag

The inquiry was initiated following an advertisement published by FMPAC and its members on 26th November 2021 announcing a Maximum Retail Price of Urea during a period of rising urea prices and reported shortages

According to the Fertilizer Policy of 2001, urea prices were deregulated, and respective provincial agriculture departments notified urea prices from time to time as it is considered an essential item These prices as already fixed by the Companies are notified by the Agriculture Department to use as a reference to check profiteering

It was noted that the companies issue their price lists which are then notified by the respective Deputy Director of Agriculture (Extension) under the authority of the Punjab Essential Articles (Control) Act 1973 To obtain copies of these price notifications and the underlying company price lists for the years 2021 and 2022 the enquiry committee contacted the Agriculture Department of Punjab

The department provided notifications from 22 districts, as detailed in Table 14 (copies of the notifications have been provided) As per the finding of the enquiry report, the pricing pattern of different Fertilizer manufacturers in the urea Industry exhibit price parallelism (uniform pricing) pointing towards possible collusion in the industry Specifically the prices of Engro FFC Fatima and Agritech show a parallel movement, with minor differences between them For instance, in Rawalpindi, between February 2021 and June 2022, the prices increased by Rs 232 for Engro Rs 233 for FFC and Fatima and Rs 230 for Agritech Interestingly all companies reduced their prices to Rs 1850 in May 2022 only to increase them again to Rs 1950 in June 2022 In Layyah district from January 2021 to November 2021 Engro, FFC, and Fatima (excluding Agritech) experienced an increase in prices by Rs 482 per bag or 27 26% between February 2022 and November 2022 These findings highlight the trend of price similarity and the common pricing practices within the urea industry

The enquiry concluded that the advertisement by FMPAC and its members constituted a prima facie decision by an association, specifying the selling rate for urea fertilizer Furthermore, it was observed that the announced price was implemented by urea companies raising concerns about whether this pricing consistency was coincidental or a result of collusive/coordinated activities

The urea sector in Pakistan comprises six companies FFC dominates the market with a 39% share, followed by Engro at 36% Fatima Fertilizer holds a market share of 13%, while Agritech accounts for 4% It is worth noting that urea producers received subsidized feedstock gas from the government Considering the variations in cost structures and subsidies received by manufacturers the similarity or uniformity in prices raises questions Pakistan s agriculture sector, contributing 22 7% to the GDP, relies heavily on fertilizers with an average usage of 207 kg per hectare Recent price hikes by FMPAC and its members resulted in gains of Rs 1 8 billion during the Rabi season Major fertilizer companies like FFC Engro and Fatima Fertilizer saw significant profits in 2021 except for Agritech FFC s profit before tax in 2021 was Rs 30 3 billion, Engro s Rs 29 8 billion, and Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited Rs 28 2 billion

PPP proposed elec tions on time af ter assemblies ’ dissolution: S anaullah

ISLAMABAD

R T Federal Minister for Interiors Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had given a proposal for holding elections on time after dissolution of the assemblies Assemblies tenure would be ended in mid August and the next elections could be held as per the schedule of ECP, he said while talking to a private television channel The ECP he said is an independent institution for announcing schedule for general elections in the country

Commenting on Nawaz Sharif s participation in the 2023 elections he said that Nawaz Sharif would lead the elections campaign He further

Imran, former aide face arrest warrant over criticism of ‘puppet ’ ECP

tempt of court shall have effect accordingly

Islamabad High Court (IHC)

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance and biased against his party

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)

Tuesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran Khan the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry in a case involving the alleged contempt of Sikandar Sultan Raja, the chief election commissioner

The decision to issue the warrant was made by a four-member bench headed by member Nisar Durrani

The leadership of the opposition party most notably Khan have been criticising the partisan conduct of the commission and Raja since its government was removed in April of last year Khan in particular has criticised Raja describing him as a “puppet” of the ruling

The party has repeatedly demanded Raja step down saying it cannot trust the results of polls conducted under his leadership

Following numerous instances of Khan targeting the commission in his speeches the ECP in August of last year issued notices to the three over passing inappropriate remarks and levelling allegations against the commission and its members

It said Khan had used “insulting and indecent language” against Raja in rallies on July 12 18 21 27 August 4 and 8

According to the Election Act 2017 Section 10 titled Power to punish for contempt states the election commission may exercise the same power as the high court to punish any person for contempt of court and the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003 (V of 2003) or any other law pertaining to con-

During the hearing on Tuesday, both Khan and Chaudhry, along with former PTI secretary general Asad Umar were notably absent despite being summoned by the commission Their failure to appear prompted further action from the regulator Umar s assistant representing his counsel, informed the commission that his client had prior commitments, including another court case and a medical appointment The assistant requested an exemption from personal appearance on Umar ’s behalf

Considering the circumstances the election commission granted the request and instructed the lawyer to formally submit a plea regarding the matter

Likewise, Chaudhry’s counsel informed the commission that the former minister was in Lahore while his lawyer Faisal Chaudhry was attending proceedings at the

Consequently, in light of their absence, the ECP issued non-bailable arrest warrants

of Pakistan He said that Shehbaz Sharif has similar views about the name of Nawaz Sharif for the next PM He appreciated the political role of Shehbaz Sharif in the country No decisions about seat adjustment or polls in Dubai Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, while reacting to PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman's reservations said on Tuesday that no decision had been taken in Dubai

boss

for both individuals

The commission adjourned the hearing until July 25, allowing for the necessary legal procedures to take place