Epaper_23-07-16 ISB

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PM SHEHBA Z HOLDS MEETINGS WITH Z ARDARI, TAREEN AS POLITICKING PICKS UP

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

PR I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday met PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) patron-in-chief Jahangir Khan Tareen in Lahore on Saturday, as political parties gear up for general elections

The PML-N said in a statement on Twitter that Zardari who is an important ally of the PM-Shehbaz-led ruling coalition at the Centre called on the premier at his residence in the Punjab capital today where the two discussed the country s current political situation

In another tweet, the PML-N said the PM visited Tareen today and extended condolences over the demise of the IPP leader’s brother Alamgir Khan Tareen earlier this month who died purportedly by suicide

The meetings take place with just four weeks remaining in the 15th National Assembly’s tenure, which will end on August 12, and political parties set to kick off their election campaigns

For his part PM Shehbaz has promised timely elections saying that the government s reins would be handed over to a caretaker setup in August

However, no hint has been dropped by either the premier or any other leader from the ruling coalition about when the elections will be held as they have been insisting that it is the domain of the Election Commission of Pakistan to issue the polls schedule

Similarly, the legally required consultations that must take place between the prime minister and opposition leader in the National Assembly over candidates for the caretaker government have

g NATIONAL-FLAG-CARRIER REMINDED

TO PAY 8 2M RIYAL

yet to begin

On this, a Dawn editorial said today, “The names of several controversial characters have been doing the rounds and it is with quiet trepidation that many have been speculating the actual mandate of the interim set-up that will be announced

It further pointed out: Given the absence of any real opposition in the National Assembly the consultation process at the moment appears to be a mere formality The opposition leader a

PTI turncoat keen on securing a ticket from another political party is unlikely to have any strong or independent opinions on the matter

The editorial also mentioned a Dubai huddle between the PML-N and PPP leadership last month during which the two sides discussed the timing of the elections names for the caretaker setup and their share in the future setup if they won the polls, according to reports

The huddle seemed to have irked another key ally Maulana Fazlur Rehman president of the political alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement of which the PML-N is a part for not being consulted on the meeting However, after he had a meeting with PM Shehbaz, Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl spokesman Mohammad Aslam Ghauri denied his party chief had expressed any concerns or dislike over the Dubai huddle claiming the media had distorted Fazl s off-record conversation with journalists

PM Shehbaz s today s meetings also come a day after the PPP and the newly formed IPP which is expected to play an important role in Punjab politics in the upcoming general elections reacted sharply to the PML-N s reluctance to go for major seat adjustments

COAS Munir, Iran’s top general discuss defence cooperation in Tehran meeting

ISLAMABAD

Chief of the Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir met Iran’s top general Mohammad Bagheri in Tehran on Saturday and discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest including defence cooperation Gen Munir reached the Iranian capital for a two-day visit on Friday where, an Inter-Services Public Relations’ press release said, he would meet the Iranian military and civilian leadership and discuss with them bilateral matters relating to defence and security cooperation

Subsequently he met Chief of General Staff for the Armed Forces of Iran Mohammad Bagheri on Saturday morning, Iran s state news agency IRNA reported The meeting was held with the aim of increasing bilateral interactions to expand military educational defence and security cooperation the report said During the exchange the report added Bagheri highlighted the historical background of the two neighbouring countries as a basis for the expansion of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, especially military”

Gov t slashes petrol price by Rs9, high speed diesel by Rs7

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday strongly rebuked Afghanistan for neglecting its obligations a neighbouring and fraternal country , and disregarding vital obligations made in the Doha peace agreement, specifically with regard to use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities

In a detail tweet on Saturday the defence minister lashed out at Afghanistan, alleging a failure to uphold its commitments as outlined in the Doha agreement “Afghanistan is neither fulfilling its obligation as a neighbouring and brotherly country nor safeguarding the peace agreement

Kh Asif issued the categorical statement a day after the Armed Forces of Pakistan expressed “serious concerns regarding the safe havens and freedom of movement enjoyed by the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) within Afghanistan

the TTP from Afghanistan to Pakistan, should also communicate with the families of those who become martyrs on a daily basis

He further stated that those individuals were the ones who “introduced Imran Khan in 2018 leading to the unfortunate events of May 9 that the nation had to endure

For the subsequent four years, they were responsible for causing immense destruction to our beloved country in every possible aspect He prayed to Allah to protect this sacred land through the sacrifices made by the martyrs

ISLAMABAD S TA F F C O R R E S P O N D E N T

retaliatory action

of Marketing & Corporate Communications Abdullah Khan states that the matter is not something extraordinary

He says that There is no final warning It was merely a reminder The news is ‘overly exaggerated'” He admits that “PIA is behind payments” but insists that “the airline is making regular albeit delayed payments and that operations continue as normal If the situation is as dire as it is being made out to be then they would have seized our permissions, Khan asserts

S

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had issued the statement following Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir ’s visit to Quetta Garrison where he was briefed on a recent attack on a military installation in Balochistan s Zhob Cantt Gen Munir is presently in Iran, having arrived there yesterday for an official visit scheduled to last two days

A total of nine soldiers were martyred in the attack that took place on Wednesday while security forces killed five terrorists in

LAHORE

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that the economy is taking a positive turnaround due to untiring efforts of the government The role of business community is of utmost importane

The Prime Minister was addressing LCCI Executive Committee at the Governors House Lahore Governor Punjab

Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman and Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar through zoom

LCCI President Kashif Anwar gave a detailed well thought out and well tailored roadmap to expedite economic recovery He said that alternative energy, agriculture, import substitution and broadening of tax base are path to progress

LCCI Senior Vice President Zafar Mahmood Chaudhry Vice President Adnan

Khalid Butt former LCCI Presidents Mian

Anjum Nisar Sheikh Muhammad Asif

Mian Misbahur Rahman, Muhammad Ali

Mian, Shahzad Ali Malik, Almas Haider, Secretary Finance, Secretary Commerce, Secretary Industries CCPO Lahore DIG Operations Lahore CEO PBIT DG TDAP DGTO Chairman FBR and LCCI Executive

Committee Members were also present Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that he has a deep attachment with the Lahore Chamber as he has served this organization as President He said that the businessmen are facing difficult situation but the government is utilizing its all energies to make the things good

“I have thanked the Managing Director of IMF while US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has congratulated us on the approval of the IMF program , he said and added that it also makes it clear that the previous government’s unfortunate blow to our relationship with the US was due to narrow-mindedness Shahbaz Sharif said that this government has worked day and night to smooth relations with the United States During the last fifteen months, we have repaired our relations with the US and the efforts of Foreign Minister were also laudable All this was possible through collective efforts It is our aim that the personal interests should be placed under the national interests The PM said that the real thing is to solve the problems of entrepreneurs and take the economy forward Pakistan has not fol-

According to Zhob District Commissioner (DC) Azeem Kakar a civilian woman was also killed in the incident after being caught in the crossfire while five other civilians were left injured Kh Asif continued that Pakistan has provided refuge to five to six million Afghan refugees for 40 to 50 years with all their rights intact However he added: Conversely, the terrorists who shed the blood of Pakistanis find refuge on Afghan soil ” The minister cautioned that the ongoing situation could no longer persist He asserted that Pakistan would employ all possible resources and measures, with the guidance of Allah, to safeguard its territory and citizens”

In another tweet, the minister stated that the individuals who attended the assembly during the PTI government and provided briefings to the members, emphasising the advantages of bringing

lowed the conditions of IMF in the past so it did ask for a guarantee from us Now it has got a nine-month breathing space with $2 billion from Saudi Arabia $1 billion from the UAE and $1 2 billion from the IMF

He said that currently, our reserves have reached 14 billion dollars China must be mentioned in all these cases China has rolled over five billion dollars of Pakistan’s commercial debt in four months If China had not done this we would have defaulted He said that this breathing space we have got is meant to reform and restructure A country that was self-sufficient in jute, today imports cotton Bangladesh’s textile exports have surpassed us The same factories the same system is there as in Pakistan but how did their exports become more than ours? He said that this is our collective failure

The industry has become a rental income in Pakistan We don’t want to compete We did not bring modern technology We were supposed to spend on research “During my tenure as Chief Minister I spent a hundred billion rupees only on farm-to-market roads but there was no difference he added He said that in 1990, Nawaz Sharif came with an economic program which made a big difference

Pakistan has witnessed an increase in terrorist activities, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan following the termination of the ceasefire between the government and the banned TTP in November of the previous year

Apart from the assault on Zhob garrison, the militants also targeted security forces in Sui, Balochistan resulting in the martyrdom of three brave soldiers who valiantly fought during the exchange of fire Two terrorists were eliminated during the operation

The cumulative loss of 12 soldiers from these attacks marks the highest single-day death toll reported by the military from terrorist incidents this year

During a weekly news briefing on Wednesday, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch emphasised the importance of Afghan authorities fulfilling their commitments to prevent their territory from being exploited for terrorism against Pakistan

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday announced a reduction of Rs9 per litre in the price of petrol and Rs7 per litre in that of high-speed diesel (HSD) for the next fortnight The new price of petrol is Rs253 per litre and Rs253 5 per litre for HSD

The finance minister did not announce any changes in the price of kerosene oil or light diesel oil

Dar said that there was a reduction in the price of one fuel product and an increase in the others in the international markets in the last 15 days without specifying which products he was referring to

He said the appreciation in the value of the rupee had compensated for the price increase of these products Dar added that since the government had already passed on a portion of the petroleum development levy (PDL) to the masses in the fuel prices announced on July 1 it had decided not to make any increase with respect to the levy this time Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wants us to grant as much relief as we can [to the people] so we are not doing any change in the PDL ”

On July 1 the government hiked the HSD rpice by Rs7 5 per litre to Rs260 5 and kept the petrol price unchanged at Rs262 per litre

He had said the decision to increase the HSD price was made considering the rising prices of petroleum products in the international market at the time At the same time, the finance minister had said that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority had made efforts to minimise the burden of price increases on the masses

The Prime Minister said that earning profit is the right of every entrepreneur but earning profit should not be the end of the story but should move on to next industry and research He said that we had to increase electricity rates This is due to the circular debt and it is also the demand of the IMF We have line losses and transmission losses The billing system is in shambles He said it is also true that the taxes have been increased but if the levied taxes are not paid then additional taxes will have to be imposed

He said that the Special Investment Facilitation Council is a recovery plan The secret of Pakistan’s development and prosperity lies in it revival of agriculture is the easiest task Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar who attended the meeting through zoom, said that before the budget, he has detailed meetings with the President of Lahore Chamber Kashif Anwar and the budget was made according to his suggestions

He said that borrowers cannot be choosers The re-engagement of the IMF by us was a tough decision We did as much as we could bargain He said that various good announcement made in budget, were taken back half heartedly

“I have been saying for the last twentyfive years that devaluation is the mother of all evils Due to devaluation we have to increase the policy rate which has been 22 percent , he added

He said that we need private sector support in many things We are running different models It is hoped that our economy will reach six to seven percent in two years

He said that if we win after the general election we will fulfill the agenda of the business community We realize that businesses cannot run with 22 percent markup We will try to bring it down as well He said that the government has set up a Central Monetary Unit to monitor State Owned Enterprises He said that A way has to be found for the grey economy but only in consultation with the IMF He said that the confidence of businessmen is improving in Pakistan

LCCI President Kashif Anwar lauded the efforts of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for economic development He said that in the budget the government tried to give us all the facilities we were asking for like the limit of SMEs was increased from 250 millions to 800 million

Afghanistan failed to uphold commitments outlined in Doha agreement: Kh Asif

g NO HINT DROPPED BY ANY LEADER FROM RULING COALITION ABOUT UPCOMING ELECTIONS DATE

g PM YET TO HOLD CONSULTATION WITH OPPOSITION LEADER IN NA OVER CARETAKER SET UP

W H E AT P R O C U R E M E N T D I S R U P T E D , F LO U R M I L L O W N E R S R A I S E F LO U R P R I C E S

LAHORE S h a h a b o m e R

THE provincial capital is facing a crisis as the procurement of wheat has been disrupted, leading to a sharp increase in the price of flour

The Punjab Food Department’s actions including the seizure of wheat trucks and restrictions on wheat storage have sparked allegations from flour mill owners exacerbating the situation

According to Asim Raza, Chairman of the Punjab Flour Mill Association, the open market price of wheat has surged by Rs 75 per 40 kg, reaching a staggering Rs 4700 per 40 kg This sudden increase has resulted in a 20-kilogram bag of flour being sold for Rs 2800 in the market causing significant financial strain on consumers

The Punjab Food Department has accused flour mill owners of profiteering and hoarding wheat, contributing to the scarcity and escalating prices It alleges that some mill owners have purchased wheat at Rs 3900 per 40 kg for storage purposes artificially inflating rates to sell the wheat stocks at higher prices

The Department claims that the actions of these greedy flour mill owners are exploiting the poor and hindering efforts to establish a transparent system Furthermore some flour mills have actively opposed the government s actions against hoarders reflecting a resistance to curbing their practices

The previous wheat quota system, which has long been criticized for fostering corruption forced the government to release wheat stocks by increasing the price of flour

The Punjab Food Department emphasizes that this system resulted in losses for the national treasury as subsidized wheat was sold at higher prices I n r e s p o n s e t o t h e p r e v a i l i n g s i t u a t i o n t h e P u n j a b F o o d D e p a r t m e n t i s s t r i v i n g t o e l i m i n a t e t h e c o r r u p t p r a c t i c e s t h a t h a v e p l a g u e d t h e w h e a t p r o c u r e m e n t a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n s y s t e m E ff o r t s a r e u n d e r w a y t o e s t a b l i s h a t r a n s p a r e n t s y s t e m t h a t w i l l e r a d i c a t e t h e p r e v a l e n t s y s t e m o f l o o t a n d p l u n d e r

As the crisis unfolds the people of Lahore are left grappling with skyrocketing flour prices and limited access to affordable food staples The Punjab Food Department is expected to take further measures to rectify the situation and alleviate the burden on consumers ensuring a fair and accessible supply of wheat and flour in the market

Impossible to conduct elections on new digital census: Ahsan Iqbal

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said Friday that elections within the stipulated time are only possible if they are conducted on the basis of the census carried out in 2017

The minister s remarks came when he was asked about the legal complications arising from the delay in the notification of the digital census which concluded on May 15 on Geo News’ programme “Aaj

Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath

The provisional results of the census released by the government showed that the population had reached 250 million, and under Article 51 of the Constitution, seats in the National Assembly must be allocated on the basis of population in accordance with the last preceding census officially published

So even if the results are notified by the Council of Common Interests (CCI), there s no time left for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to carry out the delimitation process which needs

at least 4 months

Secondly the coalition government doesn t have the two-thirds majority in the NA needed for the constitutional amendment to change the number of seats in the legislature

Speaking to the anchorperson Ahsan Iqbal said that according to the schedule the census results were to be notified by April 30

However, the minister added the final

CJP calls for action on population management to secure resilient future

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t C h i e f J u s t i c e o f P a k i s t a n U m a r A t t a B a n d i a l o n S a t u r d a y e m p h a s i z e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f e n f o r c i n g l a w s a n d p o l i c i e s r e l a t e d t o p o p u l a t i o n m a n a g e m e n t S p e a k i n g a t t h e c o n c l u d i n g c e r e m o n y o f t h e t w o - d a y n a t i o n a l c o n f e r e n c e t i t l e d R e s i l i e n t P a k i s t a n : C a l i b r a t i n g P o p u l a t i o n a n d R e s o u r c e s , h e l d h e r e , t h e C h i e f J u s t i c e h i g h l i g h t e d t h e n e e d t o i m p l e m e n t m e a s u r e s t h a t p r o m o t e e ff e c t i v e p o p u l a t i o n m a n a g e m e n t i n t h e c o u n t r y A c k n o w l e d g i n g t h e e x i s t e n c e o f r e l e v a n t l a w s a n d p o l i c i e s c o n c e r n i n g f u n d a m e n t a l r i g h t s C h i e f J u s t i c e B a n d i a l e m p h a s i z e d t h e n e c e s s i t y o f e n f o r c i n g t h e m i n b o t h t h e i r w r i t t e n t e x t a n d i n t e n d e d s p i r i t H e e m p h a s i z e d t h e r o l e o f t h e j u d i c i a r y i n e n s u r i n g t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e s e l a w s D u r i n g h i s a d d r e s s C h i e f J u s t i c e B a n d i a l e x p r e s s e d s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h t h e s i g n i f i c a n t p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f w o m e n f r o m d i v e r s e f i e l d s i n t h e c o n f e r e n c e H e s t a t e d t h a t e m p o w e r e d a n d e d u c a t e d w o m e n a r e i n d i s p e n s a b l e f o r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f s o c i e t y H e f u r t h e r s t r e s s e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f s a f e g u a r d i n g w o m e n s r i g h t s t o l i f e , h e a l t h , e d u c a t i o n , a n d d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g a s a m e a n s t o s t r e n g t h e n t h e i r p o s i t i o n i n s o c i e t y T h e t w o - d a y c o n f e r e n c e e n c o m p a s s e d v a r i o u s t h e m a t i c s e s s i o n s w h e r e l e g a l a n d h u m a n r i g h t s e x p e r t s a c a d e m i c s a n d c i v i l s o c i e t y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a s s e s s e d t h e p r o g r e s s m a d e t h u s f a r i n p o p u l a t i o n m a n a g e m e n t i n P a k i s t a n A d d i t i o n a l l y, d i s c u s s i o n s r e v o l v e d a r o u n d v i t a l i n t e r c o n n e c t e d t o p i c s s u c h a s w o m e n s e m p o w e r m e n t t h e e n f o r c e m e n t o f f u n d a m e n t a l r i g h t s , a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l p e r s p e c t i v e s o n p o p u l a t i o n g r o w t h

Barrister Jahangir Jadoon resigns as AG Islamabad

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t B a r r i s t e r J a h a n g i r K h a n J a d o o n h a s t e n d e r e d h i s r e s i g n a t i o n a s t h e A d v o c a t e G e n e r a l o f I s l a m a b a d c i t i n g p e r s o n a l r e a s o n s i t e m e rg e d S a t u r d a y J a d o o n f o r m a l l y i n f o r m e d P r e s i d e n t A r i f A l v i a b o u t h i s d e c i s i o n t o s t e p d o w n f r o m t h e p o s i t i o n C o n f i r m i n g t h e d e v e l o p m e n t , s o u r c e s s t a t e d t h a t t h e P r e s i d e n t ’s o ff i c e r e c e i v e d J a h a n g i r J a d o o n ’s r e s i g n a t i o n a s t h e A d v o c a t e G e n e r a l o f I s l a m a b a d J a d o o n a m e m b e r o f t h e P a k i s t a n M u s l i m L e a g u eN a w a z L a w y e r F o r u m w a s a p p o i n t e d t o t h e p o s i t i o n b y P r e s i d e n t A r i f A l v i i n M a y o f l a s t y e a r P r i o r t o h i s a p p o i n t m e n t a s A d v o c a t e G e n e r a l J a d o o n s e r v e d a s D e p u t y A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l d u r i n g t h e p r e v i o u s P M L - N g o v e r n m e n t H o w e v e r, h e r e s i g n e d f r o m t h a t r o l e a f e w m o n t h s a f t e r a s s u m i n g o ff i c e i n o r d e r t o r e s u m e h i s p r i v a t e l e g a l p r a c t i c e J a d o o n h a d a c t i v e l y d e f e n d e d j o u r n a l i s t s w h o f a c e d l e g a l c a s e s u n d e r t h e P r e v e n t i o n o f E l e c t r o n i c C r i m e s A c t ( P E C A ) d u r i n g t h e P T I r e g i m e H e w a s a l s o a v a l u e d m e m b e r o f t h e J o u r n a l i s t s D e f e n s e C o m m i t t e e o f t h e P a k i s t a n B a r C o u n c i l

T wo former KP MPAs arrested from ATC

PESHAWAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

date was extended multiple times at the request of the provinces due to the discrepancies identified during the enumeration process “As the final census revealed an abnormal increase in population in some areas the committee of demographers recommended that areas with undercounts or overcounts should be investigated with the help of SUPARCO Because the results

were to be presented in CCI they had to be authentic Ahsan Iqbal said that even if the census is finalised immediately, it is impossible before July 30 The federal minister who previously rejected elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saying the CCI had decided to hold polls on the fresh census said that after the new census the process of delimitation remains, and the ECP has to take the final decision on the election date “If elections are to be held, they will have to be conducted on the basis of the old census it is not possible to release the results of the census according to the new election schedule The minister said that a two-thirds majority is required for a constitutional amendment, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the government would hand over the reins to the caretaker setup after completing its term He also opposed the delay in polls saying the country may move towards a new economic crisis if the uncertainty is prolonged

U-Turn: Awn Chaudhr y, Nauman Langrial to remain par t of govt till end of tenure: Tareen

MULTAN S ta f f R e p o R t

The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has made a major decision for the sake of the country’s political stability

The party’s Patron-in-Chief Jahangir Khan Tareen has announced that estranged PTI leaders Awn Chaudhry and Nauman Langrial will continue to be part of the federal cabinet until the tenure of the federal government ends

“We want to give out a message of unity for the sake of political stability

in the country,” Jahangir stated At this juncture the country is in dire need of stability he said further

Under these circumstances we do not want to give a negative impression by separating from the federal cabinet, Tareen maintained He added that the IMF wants to see political and economic stability in the country adding that the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) believes in political stability and is a responsible party

Both leaders will remain part of the federal cabinet till the end of the government’s term,” the veteran

politician said He added that political stability is linked to economic stability

Any political decisions on the upcoming elections will be made according to the situation at that time Tareen said Nothing is more important than national security and stability, he asserted A day ago, media reports suggested that both Chaudhry and Langrial had decided to submit their resignations from their positions as assistants to the prime minister However IPP Central Information Secretary Firdous Ashiq Awan rejected the reports, saying neither had resigned yet

Two former members of KP Assembly were arrested by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police on Saturday from the court premises after the AntiTerrorism Court Peshawar rejected their pre-arrest bail application Former MPA Arbab Wasim Hayat and Malik Wajid had appeared before the court to plead for a pre-arrest bail, in a case registered against them at Peshawar ’s Khan Raziq police station The court rejected their application for pre-arrest bail after which the police arrested the two PTI leaders from the premises

Ex-MPA Neelum Hayat quits politics

On the other hand, former Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) MPA Neelum Hayat Malik condemned the May 9 vandalism and announced quitting the party and politics

In a statement issued on Saturday she said that after arrest of the PTI chairman the way protests held was condemnable and could not be justified in any way Neelum Hayat Malik said that she don’t believe in politics of vandalism and what took place at Core Commander House should not have been done She said “Pakistan army protects our borders It is our pride The country stands firm due to our armed forces

PTI terminates basic membership of GB’s Javed Manwa

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday terminated the basic party membership of Javed Ali Manwa and directed him to refrain from using party name designation and membership in any manner PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan issued Javed Manwa s termination notice on Saturday The notice reads: You were member of PTI It is learnt via large scale broadcast and your press conference circulated on different fora of media that you left PTI It was stated that on Jul 7 you willfully announce your resignation from party offices as well as basic membership of the party

L H C f i xe s K h a d i j a h S h a h ’s p o s t - a r r e s t

b a i l p l e a f o r h e a r i n g o n 2 0 t h

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

The Lahore High Court has fixed for hearing on July 20, the post-arrest bail application of PTI activist and fashiondesigner Khadijah Shah

According to the cause list for the next week issued on Saturday a two-member LHC bench will hear Shah s bail application on July 20 Justice Ali Baqar Najafi will head the bench A c a s e u n d e r Te r r o r i s m A c t w a s r e g i s t e r e d a g a i n s t K h a d i j a h S h a h a t t h e S a r w a r R o a d p o l i c e s t a t i o n f o l l o w i n g v i o l e n t p r o t e s t s a n d v a n d a l i s m o f C o r p s C o m m a n d e r H o u s e i n L a h o r e I n t h e b a i l p l e a t h e f a s h i o nd e s i g n e r h a s a d o p t e d t h e s t a n c e t h a t s h e i s i m p r i s o n e d i n j a i l o n j u d i c i a l

r e m a n d , a n d t h a t n o i n v e s t i g a t i o n i s r e q u i r e d f r o m h e r It requested the court to approve the post-arrest bail application T h e L H C h a d o n We d n e s d a y d i s m i s s e d p e t i t i o n s s e e k i n g t o d e c l a r e u n l a w f u l t h e d e t e n t i o n o f S h a h a n d others allegedly involved in the May 9 violence cases A two-member bench headed by Justice Najafi had heard the case and issued the written verdict The verdict stated that the detention of the petitioners cannot be deemed illegal at this stage, as the law is currently taking its

procedures

be bypassed and that the case against the petitioners has been duly registered with investigations underway

C TD lassoes D aesh commander among five terrorists in Punjab

interrogating them

The spokesperson said that in 200 combing operations during current week, 46 suspicious persons were arrested He said that as many as 10 755 people were investigated during the combing operation

Earlier on Thursday, the CounterTerrorism Department (CTD) on Thursday arrested an active operative of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Karachi

According to the CTD officials the arrested operative Asif Rehman is from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

The officials stated that the accused collected funds for the banned organization in different parts of the city and receipts of the donations were also recovered from the alleged operative

PAKISTAN DENOUNCES UN REPORT FOR OMITTING VIOLENCE IN IIOJK , PALESTINE

WITH a forceful call for its rectification, Pakistan on Saturday denounced a United Nations report on conflictrelated sexual violence for not including heinous crimes and violence committed in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIoJK) and Palestine

Addressing the UN Security Council which met to examine implementation of its resolutions on conflict-related sexual violence, Pakistan ambassador Munir Akram said “There is ample documented evidence

that since 1989 Indian occupation forces have used rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war in occupied Kashmir ” The meeting was convened by the United Kingdom (UK) which holds the rotating presidency of the 15member Council this month APP reported Opening the debate, Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral on Sexual Violence in Conflict, said that rising militarisation and arms proliferation is bringing conflicts across the globe to a boiling point with gang rape sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence being used as tactics of war torture and terrorism Patten presented data from her latest

report, published last month, which documented 2,455 UN-verified cases of wartime rape committed during 2022 Women and girls accounted for 94% with 6% against men and boys with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) again accounting for the highest number of cases – 701 atten also detailed horrors committed in other countries, such as Haiti, Ethiopia and Iraq Serious allegations of conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan have also surfaced since fighting erupted in April R e a c t i n g t o t h e r e p o r t t h e P a k i s t a n i envoy said, The credibility of the report is seriously eroded because of what looks like

Revolution brought about in education sec tor: Rana Tanveer

SHEIKHUPURA

S ta f f R e p o R t

Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain said on Saturday that the amount of work done by the present government for promotion of education is unprecedented in the history of Pakistan

He was speaking at the foundationlaying ceremony of Allam Iqbal Open University Regional Campus at Sheikhupura, which would be completed with Rs 250 million He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, a revolution was brought about in the education sector He said his entire team is making progress and improvement in every sector

Imran Khan s role in May-9 incidents was very condemnable and he should not be pardoned for those heinous acts under any circumstances Those who attacked national installations their mastermind and accomplices should be punished severely Now he is expected to be arrested, added the minister Director General Pakistan Institute of Education Dr Muhammad Shahid Saroya PML-N central leader Chaudhry Shahbaz Chhina Chaudhry Sarfraz Ahmad Chhina Director General Regional Services Malik Taukir Ahmed Regional Director Javed Iqbal, Dr Bashir Ahmed, Dr Syed Baqar Hamdani, Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam Gujjar, Rana Muhammad Irshad Chaudhry, Iftikhar Ahmed Gujjar Malik Muhammad Ramzan Columnist Mirza

Punjab apex body reviews securit y arrangements in province

LAHORE

A meeting of the provincial apex committee was held at the Punjab Chief Minister House on Saturday to review security arrangements in the province The meeting was jointly presided over by Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Lahore Corps Commander Lieutenant General Syed Amir Raza

The forum reviewed the progress made on the decisions taken during the last meeting of the apex committee in February 2023 The participants took a comprehensive look at the progress on the revised National Action Plan (NAP) and overall security related issues including the Punjab Safe City Project During the meeting major damage to Safe City Project installations/equipment due to vandalism on May 9 2023 was highlighted and the subsequent remedial measures were also discussed

Besides this, the participants reviewed the elaborated security measures during upcoming Moharamul Haram The forum was also briefed on the close cooperation and joint response of the civil administration and the armed forces to mitigate the difficulties arising from the floods The forum expressed satisfaction over the measures taken in the province to protect foreigners, especially Chinese nationals, including those working in the CPEC projects The committee resolved to continue to work in concert to defeat terrorism and achieve common goals in the light of the NAP

Speakers highlight importance of e-commerce, online businesses

PESHAWAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

Speakers at an awareness seminar highlighted the importance of E-commerce, online businesses and trade promotion in the emerging world and asked the business community especially young male and female start-ups to adapt modern techniques and tools to harness benefits of growing digitization in businesses and trade The awareness seminar on Ecommerce was organized by Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), and Trade

Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) here at the chamber s house on Saturday

The SCCI s acting president Ijaz Khan Afridi presided over the awareness session while TDAP Director General Nouman Bashir was chief guest on the occasion

Besides, the TDAP officials Zahid Muhammad, Aamir Khan, members of the SCCI’s executive committee Naeem Qasmi Laal Badshah and Aurangzeb Ihsanullah Fazal e Wahid Saddar Gul

Ishtiaq Muhammad traders importers and exporters digital leaders innovators and male and female entrepreneurs were in attendance in a large number on the occasion Ijaz Khan Afridi in his opening remarks stressed the need for equipping modern knowledge and techniques for business and trade promotion He said the business community start-ups and young entrepreneurs should take full advantage of online businesses especially with advent of Amazon in Pakistan The chamber s president said Pakistan has ranked fourth in freelancing in the world and will soon improve and consolidate its position by consistent and vigorous efforts He noted Pakistan’s IT exports are gradually increasing over the passage of time He said E-commerce is ideal for young male and female entrepreneurs especially start-up businesses He went on to say that the Trade Development portal has provided assistance for Pakistan s share in global trade

Yasin Baig and a large number of participants were present Rana Tanveer Hussain said that the future of youth lies in getting skilled

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Remittances from expatriats with no source disclosure were enhanced to 100 000 USD incentives for the IT sector and no new taxes were imposed The government had to accept the conditions in the IMF agreement and many facilities given in the budget were withdrawn

The LCCI President said that the difference between the state bank and interbank dollar rate is creating a lot of problems Remittances have decreased by five billion dollars in the last year Many problems are caused by devaluation FDI is not coming into the country due to high cost of doing business

He said that maintaining the system after the flood and covid was critical It is to the credit of the present government that they not

a d e l i b e r a t e d e c i s i o n n o t t o r e p o r t t h e crimes of sexual violence being committed i n I n d i a n - o c c u p i e d J a m m u a n d K a s h m i r a n d i n I s r a e l i - o c c u p i e d P a l e s t i n e ”

Thousands of women and girls have been

r a p e d a n d g a n g r a p e d a n d s u b j e c t e d t o e n f o r c e d i n c a r c e r a t i o n , t o r t u r e a n d a b d u c t i o n , A m b a s s a d o r A k r a m s a i d I n a d d i t i o n , t h e P a k i s t a n i e n v o y s a i d , thousands of women, girls, boys and men h a v e b e e n d e t a i n e d a n d t o r t u r e d a s punishment and humiliation while entire c o m m u n i t i e s w e r e p r e v e n t e d f r o m t h e i r r i g h t s t o f r e e d o m o f e x p r e s s i o n a n d religion, education and employment And since India s unilateral and illegal

education instead of traditional education In the modern era, the demand for technical people is increasing day by day He said that 25 million children are out of school in Pakistan but he made sincerely efforts and enrolled 90 000 children in schools of Islamabad within a year The number of out-of-school children has been reduced to zero in the capital area, he said and added that the method of online education has been permanently adopted He said that e-schooling has also been started in the country He said Muridke area of Sheikhupura had been made hub of universities, and added that Pakistan’s number one university Quaide-Azam University campus would be inaugurated in Sharqpur Sharif area of Sheikhupura in few days

only managed the system but also addressed our grievances We want to increase exports but the priority should be to reduce imports and that will be through industrialization and import substitution He said that many industries were closed after Corona However there is a problem with MDI fixed charges It should be resolved He said that regulatory duties and customs duties should be abolished on raw materials which are not manufactured in this country He said that the tax net has to be increased The benefits should be communicated to those who are not in the tax net Depreciation of rupee increases inflation and interest rate

The interest rate is twenty two percent If it decreases the business cost will decrease

The LCCI President said that

solar and alternative energy should be made mandatory for houses of more than one kanal He said that work should be started on reservoirs and dams to avoid floods He said that State Owned Enterprises should be privatized He said that SMEs should be promoted They should be given easy access to loans Banks should be asked to ease conditions for loans Steps should be taken to regulate the undeclared money He said that the confidence of overseas Pakistanis should be restored He said that government s work on climate change is commendable He said that Assessing Officer should be accountable if he does wrong He said that political stability is essential for economic stability He also requested Prime Minister to spare time for LCCI Achievement Awards

Pakistan condemns permission for desecration of Torah, Bible in Sweden

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Saturday condemned the permission for public desecration of the Torah and Bible in Sweden

In a statement, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said, “Offensive acts of religious hatred cannot be condoned in the guise of freedom of expression and opinion

As a religion of peace Islam calls for respect for all religions, sacred personalities and holy scriptures

“In line with this Islamic ethos, Pakistan has always stressed the need to advance mutual respect harmony and peaceful coexistence among religions faiths and cultures We call on the international community to condemn, with one voice, all such

abhorrent acts of religious hatred, which hurt the sentiments of its followers and constitute deliberate incitement ” she added The fresh incident of desecration of a holy book comes of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) approved a resolution on religious hatred on Wednesday

An Iraqi immigrant to Sweden desecrated the Holy Quran in Stockholm last month and this act of religious hatred drew a strong condemnation from several Muslim states, including Pakistan, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the European Union, Pope Francis and the Swedish government Introduced by Pakistan on behalf of the 57-nation OIC the resolution calls for the UN rights

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed warned on Saturday that any attempt to manipulate the upcoming caretaker setup in the Centre would make the general election controversial before time

Taking to Twitter, the former interior minister said if the PDM-led government tried to show cunning in formation of the caretaker setup it would make the polls controversial He said the formation of the interim government would make it clear whether the elections would be held in a transparent manner or not

chief to publish a report on religious hatred and for states to review their laws and plug gaps that may “impede the prevention and prosecution of acts and advocacy of religious hatred

The United States and the European Union strongly opposed the resolution, saying it conflicts with their view on human rights and freedom of expression Condemning the desecration of the Holy Quran they argued the OIC initiative was designed to safeguard religious symbols rather than human rights The outcome of Wednesday s vote marks a major defeat for Western countries at a time when the OIC has unprecedented clout in the council the only body made up of governments to protect human rights worldwide

He warned that the prevailing crisis would deepen if the poor segment of society was ignored by the caretaker government Sheikh Rashid said the rulers were busy in power struggle by turning a deaf ear to the inflation-bitten public, adding that the economic crises would intensify if the public was not taken on board in matters of national interest Lashing out at the ruling coalition he said inflation was on the rise while a recent decision of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to increase electricity price by Rs5 per unit had also frightened the public He also took aim at Finance Minister

measures of August 5, 2019, conflict-related violence and harassment and humiliation of women and girls in Kashmir has increased significantly ” Ambassador Akram told the Security Council We would therefore urge the secretary-general to rectify the report s omissions and include information on the incidence of sexual violence in foreignoccupied Kashmir and Palestine and list India and Israel amongst those parties perpetrating conflict-related sexual violence in future reports to the Security Council In this regard he also called for faithful implementation of all Security Council resolutions related to protracted conflicts

Ukraine FM likely to arrive in Pakistan on 20th

ISLAMABAD M o n i to R i n g R e p o R t U k r a i n i a n F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r D m i t r y K o l i b a i s l i k e l y t o v i s i t P a k i s t a n n e x t w e e k t o m e e t t h e c i v i l - m i l i t a r y l e a d e r s h i p o f t h e c o u n t r y A c c o r d i n g o ff i c i a l s o u r c e s , U k r a i n i a n F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r D m i t r y K o l i b a w o u l d a r r i v e o n a t h r e ed a y v i s i t t o P a k i s t a n o n J u l y 2 0 D u r i n g h i s s t a y i n P a k i s t a n , K o l i b a w i l l m e e t h i s P a k i s t a n i c o u n t e r p a r t B i l a w a l B h u t t o Z a r d a r i , a n d w i l l c a l l o n P r i m e M i n i s t e r S h e h b a z S h a r i f b e s i d e s h o l d i n g m e e t i n g w i t h m i l i t a r y a u t h o r i t i e s H o w e v e r, t h e r e w a s n o o ff i c i a l c o n f i r m a t i o n o n e i t h e r s i d e a b o u t t h e v i s i t I t m a y b e n o t e d t h a t I s l a m a b a d m a i n t a i n s a n e u t r a l s t a n c e o n t h e R u s s i a - U k r a i n e c o n f l i c t a s i t h a s e x p r e s s e d c o n c e r n s o v e r t h e h u m a n i t a r i a n c r i s i s i n t h e w a rt o r n c o u n t r y L a s t y e a r F M B i l a w a l r e i t e r a t e d P a k i s t a n s n e u t r a l i t y o n t h e R u s s i a - U k r a i n e c o n f l i c t s a y i n g t h a t I s l a m a b a d w a s n o t t a k i n g s i d e s We w o u l d n o t b e t a k i n g s i d e s a s w e a r e s i c k a n d t i r e d o f w a r s a n d c o n f l i c t s , t h e m i n i s t e r s a i d i n a n i n t e r v i e w w i t h A l J a z e e r a PM appoints Fuad

Asadullah as DG IB K A R A C H I S ta f f R e p o Rt P r i m e M i n i s t e r S h e h b a z S h a r i f o n S a t u r d a y a p p o i n t e d F u a d A s a d u l l a h K h a n a s d i r e c t o r g e n e r a l o f t h e I n t e l l i g e n c e B u r e a u ( I B ) A c c o r d i n g t o t h e n o t i f i c a t i o n t h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r h a s a p p o i n t e d F u a d A s a d u l l a h K h a n a s D G I B f o r a p e r i o d o f t h r e e m o n t h s o n a c o n t r a c t b a s i s L a s t y e a r i n D e c e m b e r t h e c o a l i t i o n g o v e r n m e n t g a v e h i m a n a d d i t i o n a l c h a rg e o f t h e D G I B f o r a y e a r F u a d A s a d u l l a h K h a n i s a g r a d e 2 2 o ff i c e r a n d h e h a s b e c o m e t h e f i r s t I B o ff i c e r w h o h a s b e e n e l e v a t e d t o t h e r a n k o f D G

Strong Pakistan-origin lawmakers’ coordination to help play greater role in US politics: Envoy

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan has said strong networking and greater coordination among lawmakers of Pakistani descent would serve the interest of the community by aggregating their strength and enhancing their ability to play even a greater role in US politics In a virtual interacting with US state lawmakers of Pakistani descent who are serving their respective constituencies in different parts of the United States he said coordinated efforts will ensure synergy to the efforts aimed at promoting Pak-US relations and bringing the people of two countries closer to each other Masood Khan expressed satisfaction over increasing role of Pak-American politicians in political arena and expressed the hope that services of Pak-origin law makers would contribute positively towards US politics and serving the interests of the community and their constituents Referring to the landmark resolution successfully introduced by Representative Farooq Mughal in Georgia for establishing sister-state relations between Sindh province and the state of Georgia, he said the agreement provided a blueprint for other lawmakers to facilitate similar arrangements of Pakistan with their respective states

Ishaq Dar saying he had no other plan except begging for the IMF bailout package He said the default was still staring at Pakistan despite the IMF loan deal as the existing foreign exchange reserves of $4 billion were barely enough for one-month imports He also lamented decline in remittances The former minister said PDM leader Fazlur Rehman who was ignored in Dubai meeting by the PML-N and the PPP, was a candidate for the president s slot and demanding more share in the caretaker setup He also called the silence of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari meaningful

G ovt tr ying hard to bring down polic y rate, inflation: PM

M anipulation of c aretaker setup in Centre to make polls controversial: S h Rashid

A f g h a n b l o w b a c k

The T TP safe havens in Afghanistan are proving a stumbling block to regional peace

SOMEONE somewhere is itching to say “I told you so” when he sees the reaction of the Defence Ministry and the Foreign Office to Wednesday s Zhob attacks, which led to the largest single-day casualties, with nine soldiers being killed Both fulminated against the Taliban government of Afghanistan, with Defence Minister Kh Asif saying it was neither fulfilling its obligation as a neighbouring and brotherly country nor safeguarding the peace agreement ” At the time of the Taliban takeover it had been predicted that there would be an upsurge in terrorism

Whether it is indeed the fault of the PTI, which Kh Asif was quick to blame there is no doubt that there has been an upsurge in Tehrik Taliban Pakistan activity mainly because they now have safe havens in Afghanistan Though the Pakistan government has repeatedly demanded that the TTP members who had carried out acts of terror in Pakistan be handed over the Afghan Taliban have refused to do Now it seems, those who had been most supportive of the Afghan Talban, and happiest at their accession to power, and most confident that they would act according to Pakistan s interests are seeing the consequences of that policy in the shape of military fatalities

It is not entirely reassuring that the Afghan government has said that it remained committed to the Doha agreements and the peace and stability of the region The Afghan government shows a recognition that stability is essential to achieve the aim of making Afghanistan a hub of trade and prosperity However that recognition does not accord with its actions which have protected its ideological colleagues, and which have extended to its attempting to mediate between the TTP and Pakistan, as if they were equals rather than a state dealing with citizens who had violated the law

The problem has been that the Afghan Taliban have been handled by the establishment This must stop, for the Afghan Taliban s protection of the TTP has led to the establishment itself becoming a victim Rather than reinforcing failure, the establishment must allow the civilian government the authority to deal with the problem The Talian whether Afghan or Pakistani hsave become a problem too hot to be left to some murky and amorphous agency to handle The deaths in Zhob are only the latest example of how establishment intervention in matters that should be left to the government lead to the hand that feeds being bit May 9 was another

Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late)

Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor

M A Niazi

Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor

FOR any country,literacy rate determines its success The more educated the people are, the more the country will progress Thus a country needs to provide an advanced education to its students and focus on their well-being It is important because children are the future of a country

As I take it, education is meant to serve many purposes It should enable students to look at the world in a different perspective than just living in it Education is preparing a person to face everyday life problems

It changes our personality and way of talking and education helps us to live in this world and understand it It is only education which enables you to give your opinion Think,if you don t go to school,could you criticize your education system? I think that life without education is a waste in today's world Unfortunately for us the education system of pakistan is not very good In fact since Independence Pakistan has been facing critical problems regarding the education system and is not paying much attention to it

If Pakistan wants to progress, than it must pay attention to its educational system Japan is prime example of gaining progress through education Japan has always been very strict regarding its educational system and keeps the students a top priority The strategy has gained them a lot of progress and today Japan is one of the most developed countries in the economic field Although we are also seeing some increase in the current literacy rate of Pakistan (almost 60%, )the changes are way too low Keeping in mind the current economic situation of Pakistan,the education system has been affected the most Problems start with Insufficient attention to primary classes: if you notice half of what we learn in school isn t needed at all A student from the very beginning of education is forced to copy things rather to understand thoughts Our education system has been under the curse of cramming where memorizing has more importance than understanding

One of the main problems is that faculties of these institutions are not implementing the education policies set by the government

The burden of studies of higher classes: In higher studies as we know the condition is the same Instead of acquiring know;edge, students are taught cram-

ming by copying the answers and writing the same in exams So much stress is put into higher education

These institutions are more focused on getting their profit For this purpose they are feeding countless information in the brains of students which they are forced to swallow They only teach them to get good grades rather than attaining knowledge

Expensive institutions: Especially,private institutions have become so greedy for money, for colleges and universties,the cost is in the lakhs per semester

For the government institutions the merit for fields like medicine increases day by day Thus our education system is also too focused on grades rather than skills and willingness to learn

I personally feel that the money makers (private schools) are the vital reason to lose our quality of education because they provide education affordable for the rich but not our poor people

Barrier building institutions: Instead of unity of nation the education system of Pakistan is only building barriers due to different categories of education C a m b r i d g e schools only teach international syllabus and are highly expensive Then we see the English medium schools that teach Pakistani syllabus but in english These schools are also very expensive and lastly we have our government institutions that teach the syllabus in Urdu The government system should be at the top to encourage the study in Urdu to maintain the identity in Pakistan These different categories are creating barriers making the the government students seem less educated If the government starts to focus on its educational system, almost all problems of Pakistan can be solved We should not play with the future of the children We should set aside all of the politics and focus on the education system for the success of our country There are several ways we can do so:

Up-to date syllabus:The curriculum should be advanced at least yearly we should keep the syllabus upto-date according to the advancements especially in the fields of science Skillful teachers: Teachers should be hired based on their skills to make the syllabus easy They should have a simple manner of teaching Many teachers are highly qualified but their explanatory skills are very weak Also, more teachers should be hired so that they are not burdened Currently, a teacher has to teach 30-40 students in class which can be quite stressful The number should be decreased to at least a half so that teachers can teach easily

Focus on primary level: Attention should be given to the primary level It forms the foundation of a student Thus basic teachings should be given to personalities and increase their confidence

Lower the fees: The fees of all institutions (private and government ) should be lessened to lighten to burden of parents

Primary education should be made free of cost Scholarships should be given to bright students or to the ones who can t afford the fees

Education without any determination:Another important step is to raise awareness about the importance of education

The system has to be changed according to the age groups that are given a very big burden in many schools The education should give them the proper course structure which should be a must in all schools This has to change right from primary education to graduation level The system of examination has to be changed from admission given by money power leaving the poor who have good marks unable to get admission in their choice of study Education is the most fundamental factor in one’s social and economic success in life Our government should adopt the learning techniques which are useful for children in this competitive world The government must work on those things before it gets too late

Same curriculum:There should be only one curriculum followed by every institution,no matter private or government This will help to keep every child equal and hence they will be able to avail themselves of equal opportunities in future The government should keep a close eye on the institutions to check whether the same curriculum is being taught

COMBATING AND UNVEILING ISL AMOPHOBIA

Many children especially girls are not able to get educated due to family traditions or poverty

Some are not given admission due to their race or religion

Thus it s important to take steps we should go to such areas and teach them about the importance of education

According to Nelson Mandela

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world ” The system has to be changed according to the age groups that are given a very big burden in many schools The education should give them the proper course structure which should be a must in all schools

This has to change right from primary education to graduation level The system of examination has to be changed from admission given by money power leaving the poor who have good marks unable to get admission in their choice of study Education is the most fundamental factor in one s social and economic success in life Our government should adopt the learning techniques which are useful for children in this competitive world, The government must work on those things before it gets too late

The writer is a freelance columnist

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

GROWING Islamophobia calls for a firm action by the joint efforts of Muslim countries Cases of anti-Muslim sentiments have been seen across the globe which have fostered hostility and hatred towards Muslims leading to their exclusion based on religion in Western nations

The recent case of burning Quran outside a mosque in Sweden has sparked another debate and is for sure the result of a wave of hatred that has been implanted in minds through an organized action over the course of time

What is Islamophobia? It s the bitter and fearful feelings towards Islam that lead to such actions which ultimately consider Muslims and Islam as aggressive and harmful Beginning at the end of the 20th century Islamophobic sentiments paced up after the 9/11 attack followed by other events It is not a random phenomenon that just began and sparked but has been systematically inculcated through behaviours and expressions that lead to weakening of Muslims politically and hinder their progress in the Western world due to their engagement in actions protecting their identity and proving themselves to be normal citizens

It would not be wrong to say that such feelings are innate in the Western World A child born is continuously subject to such perceptions and representations that portray Muslims in negative roles The inculcation of the idea is so strong that a strong bias against Muslims remains with them throughout their lives Differ-

ent platforms contribute to the idea among which media is the strongest Mainstream and social media have both played an active role in promoting the idea in West and a strong symbolic interactionism has been developed including negative feelings attached to dressing beard and sometimes prayers of Muslims One of the examples of how media platforms engage in spreading propaganda against Islam and pollute minds with this dangerous concept is how an important news platform Wall Street Journal shared a news headline Islam is a cancer” quoting a film maker Sam Bacile The issue isn t limited to individual hatred only, but is expressed structurally within the system which leads to such legislation and policies that exclude Muslims from many o p p o r t u n i t i e s and the civil liberties that West usually talks about ultimately unveiling the hypocrisy According to a report by Global Justice Program s Human Rights Agenda report, Because of their race, ethnicity, national origin, and religion, Muslims are unjustifiably the target of unlawful profiling exclusion and discrimination Islamophobia is understood as a type of xenophobia and ethnic and religious discrimination that targets and excludes Muslims This assumption serves as the foundation for a misguided worldview that considers Muslims and Islam to be inferior to Judaism and Christianity and a dan-

ger to "Western" civilization Since 2010, there have been 223 anti-Sharia measures presented in state legislatures in the United States Twenty of the measures introduced have become law in 13 states These bills impose legal barriers that specifically seek to prevent Muslims from fully and freely engaging with their religion by preventing Islamic interpretations that guide ethical and moral life, as outlined in Sharia, from being considered in US state courts, as well as by infringing on Muslims' rights ”

The matter must be resolved through awareness on global platforms and seriously posing a threat to media houses that propagate views which are hostile towards the Muslim community Organization of Islamic Cooperation is the platform that can be used for the purpose. The matter must be resolved through awareness on global platforms and seriously posing a threat to media houses that propagate views which are hostile towards the Muslim community

There is a strong clash of civilizations that has led to this hatred for reaching political purposes and anti-Muslim feelings have been spreading like fire in the West The implications of this agenda can be seen in the form of violence against Muslims due to the instilled fear against the whole community including the recent case The French anti-separatism bill was yet another step towards curbing the freedom of Muslims which although it seemed to be a step towards secularization but the main purpose is not hidden anyway Protests across many Muslim countries including Iraq and Turkey were seen as a result of the Swedish desecration In Pakistan too, masses participated in protests as disrespecting the Holy Book isn’t acceptable for the Muslims at any cost The West is clearly aware of the cards it has to play to instigate reactionary response from Muslims which helps them prove their agenda right Pakistan demanded Sweden to clarify its position on burning of Quran in Stockholm and Sweden too has condemned the scenario but this seems to be a part of a greater game than it seems It is high time Muslim countries come together at an organized platform and take practical steps towards combating Islamophobia rather than unorganized protests within countries which bear no fruit The matter must be resolved through awareness on global platforms and seriously posing a threat to media houses that propagate views which are hostile towards the Muslim community Organization of Islamic Cooperation is the platform that can be used for the purpose and must be actively involved in protecting the interest of Muslim community as a whole

The writer is a freelance columnist

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

Elite capture

LIAQUAT Ali Khan must have known the future of Pakistan when just before passing away after being shot by an assassin, he said, May Allah protect Pakistan In our dear homeland, things are getting messy and the future of Pakistan looks bleak and gloomy

Economy is in a tailspin, crime rate is high, electricity is rapidly becoming a rare commodity youth is directionless infrastructure is not up to the mark and political scenario is confusing Is there any ray of hope for the people? In the foreseeable future no The current political battle in the country points to the fact that the only class that seems to be secure and the centre of all debate is the one called elite For instance, hundreds of opposition workers belonging to middle and lower-middle classes have been arrested by police, but no news channel talks about their fate But the same media is pretty concerned about the powerful few having high social status and influential family background They remain the centre of attraction and in the spotlight all the time It seems the biggest issue facing Pakistan now is whether such souls will be dealt with in accordance with law or otherwise There should indeed be justice for all, but why should the media focus only on the elite?

It shows the pathetic manner in which society tends to view and treat the middle and lower classes Such is the sorry state of affairs in Pakistan that they are forced to live a life worse than that of, say, insects

The people of Sindh and Balochistan are particularly disadvantaged as they have to endure skyrocketing inflation and poverty and perpetual tribalism feudalism and political parties that are indifferent to their sufferings and misery I have come across many people who till a few years ago were enthusiastic about changing the fate of the country and who wanted to play a vibrant and positive role in the process However, they are now the most depressed souls and want to leave the country Why would anyone want to live in a country that offers nothing but depression frustration hopelessness and elite capture? Those who cannot leave for whatever reason can only continue to hope against hope that things will someday get better in the country

Wasting talent

I am a student at Harvard University and was lucky enough to receive a full scholarship from the university to cover my tuition and living expenses for my two academic years While I am extremely grateful for this generosity, I do remember how frustrating the process of finding scholarships had been for me I was accepted into the prestigious master’s programme for three consecutive years but funding was scarce to come by leading me to despairingly either defer or decline the acceptance each time At this moment I am the only South Asian enrolled in this programme and while two more very capable students from Pakistan have gotten accepted, they cannot find a way to pay for this education; therefore, they have deferred the acceptances till the next year This is heart-breaking, considering how rare such opportunities are to come by for hardworking intelligent students and how important it is for our country to be represented in a positive light at a coveted international university My cohort includes students from Indonesia China and Egypt and the governments of these countries have funded these students education without them having any political connections or overtly affluent backgrounds The question then arises: why can we not have such funds available to our students? I understand we are struggling economically and are severely disadvantaged but should this not be a point of concern for the authorities in any way, even if a few years down the road? Would they not want to see Pakistani students return to their country with a stellar education so they may make some difference?

The Pakistanis I have met at Harvard are mostly those who could fund their education themselves or take loans to pay off later But what should the students who cannot afford either option do? Those in power should pay attention to the matter As things stand currently, they suggest a rather sad state of affairs

Forensics of an unusual election

the established order; the Ayub prescription of economic development and a compliant polity

ITH categorical statements from the ruling coalition suggesting dissolution of the assemblies in August and possibly general elections in November 2023, the ground seems to be set; either to accord the formal electoral stamp to the incumbent as ‘desirable’ or to invite further chaos in an already fractured polity

A deep down forensic examination of the canvas on which the political and non-political forces will try to influence the mosaic of patterns and colours, can alert or at least point to the road ahead Here it may be pointed out that unlike the spectre where personal whims might have a free hand, the ritual availability of the constitution book at least imposes a discipline no matter how superficial; to compel the powers-that-be to hold polls We m a y d i s a g r e e w i t h t h e g r a v i t y o f the situation; but the fact remains that the 2 0 2 3 e l e c t i o n s s t a n d a p a r t i n t h e c h eq u e r e d h i s t o r y o f P a k i s t a n i g e n e r a l e l e ctions on many counts The 1988 elections w e r e h e l d a f t e r t h e d e a t h o f a d i c t a t o r

They were to predictably be influenced by a s y m p a t h y v o t e f o r B h u t t o T h e 1 9 9 0 , 1993, 1997 and 2002 elections were more or less managed; with the degree of interference varying based on the stakes of the b a c k g r o u n d p l a y e r s T h e 2 0 0 8 e l e c t i o n s were again influenced by the exit of a dictator through internal machinations of the e s t a b l i s h e d o r d e r a s w e l l a s t h e p o p u l a r will registered through the ballot

The 1970 general elections; rather the first ones ever held in Pakistan after 24 years of the country coming into existence can match the 2023 election; as regards the gravity importance and make or break potential The coup leader General Yahya Khan organized the 1970 elections The coup was the direct outcome of the political crisis, which hit the country’s polity, unity and economy for times to come The unrest against the then dictator Ayub Khan over rising prices lack of civil freedoms and angry federating units all combined to pose a direct threat to the first ever experiment of

The West Pakistanis were as much angry at the established order as were the East Pakistanis However the lack of political communication prevented formation of the united front The result; the country was treated to yet another coup The East Pakistani polity best represented by Sheikh Mujib Awami League, and when it was unable to put across its thought process it felt justifiably alienated from the Pakistani federation Further missteps by the established order effectively alienated the East Pakistani population from the federation The 1970 elections only put a formal electoral stamp on that feeling when the results started pouring in the early hours of 9 December 1970, courtesy the PTV Election transmissions H o w t h e p o w e r f u l s t a k e h o l d e r s m i s h a ndled the situation is hist o r y R e g r e t f u l l y n o l e s s o n s w e r e l e a r n t from the debacle; rather a j i n g o i s t i c a n g l e i s v i e w e d i n c r e a t i v e a r t s s till; making the w hole t r e a t m e n t a s t i n k i n g exercise complete with n a m e - c a l l i n g a n d s t e r e o t y p i n g C o m i n g back to the present scen a r i o , i t c a n b e s a f e l y a rg u e d t h a t t h e e r a t h e c o u n t r y i s p a s s i n g through is a unique per i o d o n t h e c o u n t t h a t i n f o r m a t i o n a v a i la b i l i t y h a s r a i s e d t h e a w a r e n e s s l e v e l o f t h e m a n o n t h e s t r e e t T h e m u c h f e a r e d

The current crisis was preceded by a period of unusual calm, where a one-page understanding was thought and claimed for all to observe The failure of the experiment or the hunt for new candidates for the one page or one passenger for the CG-125 bike of the establishment actually precipitated what is called in the political history of Pakistan the ouster of a serving PM through a vote of no-confidence in Parliament The first of its kind in the political history of the country, it could have been a medal for the shaky democratic culture in Pakistan However it only helped precipitate a confrontation which the prime stakeholders might never have even contemplated What happened through the summer of

What the PPP government on 20 December 1971 inherited was very much of its own making; its refusal to get into a unified act with Awami League to change the rules of business of the polity. If imagination allows visualization; the new social contract by the name of 1973 constitution could have been formulated, finalized and adopted by the 1970 assembly; the assembly which later bore from its womb, two treasury benches; PPP in Pakistan and AL in the new state of Bangladesh That might have wishfully saved the country from dismemberment.

establishment is now no more than a ‘nuisance’ which needs to be dealt with in the short and long runs That does not mean that people are wary of its original roles The intrusion into the domains not meant for them, remains a sore point between the common man and the establishment

2022 up to the winter of 2023 was the noholds- barred fight for survival by the established order and its former bed fellow in the eyes of public or the ‘public perception’ Never in the history of the country or the region had the top spy in civilian clothing had to explain things on part of his institution in a presser The result was that people knew more than what was traditionally tolerated in Pak-

The UK’s new sanctions on Iran will change nothing

the nation s international cooperation is also growing, allowing it to navigate its way around the dictates of the collective West

istan in the first place Very much like the famous confession of the top planner of the Ayub military regime Dr Mahbub ul Haque in the article or paper titled ‘The seven sins of economic planners’ in which the late economist laid bare the internal mechanism of economic planning that the development paradigm centred on promoting poverty and a wide difference between the haves and have-nots In a few words the Ayub regime justified what can be called the promotion and formation of the 22 families which even now continue to control the majority of resources in Pakistan I n b o t h t h e s i t u at i o n s , i n 1 9 6 9 / 1 9 7 0 and 2022, the informat i o n p r e c i p i t a t e d a p e rc e p t i o n w h i c h warranted a revision of t h e s t a t u s q u o t o w a r d s g r e a t e r i n c l u s i o n o f t h e i m p o r t a n t s t a k eh o l d e r, t h e m a s s e s I n 1 9 7 0 , t h a t r e v i s i o n w a s n o t f a c i l i t a t e d ; t h o u g h t h e e l e c t i o n s w e r e a l l o w e d t o b e h e l d w i t h o u t a n y t a mpering of the process or of the results The e l e c t i o n s d e m a n d e d c o m p l i a n c e o f t h e people s mandate and cons equent reforms a n d r e v i s i o n s H o w e v e r, n o t h i n g h a pp e n e d o n a p o s i t i v e n o t e W h a t t h e P P P g o v e r n m e n t o n 2 0 D ec e m b e r 1 9 7 1 i n h e r i t e d w a s v e r y m u c h o f i t s o w n m a k i n g ; i t s r e f u s a l t o g e t i n t o a u n i f i e d a c t w i t h Aw a m i L e a g u e t o c h a n g e

the rules of business of the polity If imagi n a t i o n a l l o w s v i s u a l i z a t i o n ; t h e n e w s oc i a l c o n t r a c t b y t h e n a m e o f 1 9 7 3 c o n s t i t u t i o n c o u l d h a v e b e e n f o r m u l a t e d f i n a l i z e d a n d a d o p t e d b y t h e 1 9 7 0 a s s e mb l y ; t h e a s s e m b l y w h i c h l a t e r b o r e f r o m i t s w o m b t w o t r e a s u r y b e n c h e s ; P P P i n P a k i s t a n a n d A L i n t h e n e w s t a t e o f B a n g l a d e s h T h a t m i g h t h a v e w i s h f u l l y s a v e d t h e c o u n t r y f r o m d i s m e m b e r m e n t G i v e n t h e p o l a r i z a t i o n w i t n e s s e d d u ri n g t h e l a s t o n e a n d h a l f y e a r g i v e n t h e c o n s t a n t r e s o r t o f t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t t o p l a y i n g m u s i c a l c h a i r s w i t h a v a i l a b l e players the elections if the establishment d e c i d e s t o h o l d i n f a i r a n d f r e e m a n n e r u n d e r t h e p r e s s u r e f r o m t h e P r i n c i p a l w e s t e r n h e m i s p h e r e , t h e n a p a r l i a m e n t w i t h m a n y b l o c s c a n n o t b e r u l e d o u t ; a s a c o n s e r v a t i v e e s t i m a t e I f a s y m p a t h y v o t e w o r k s a n d p a r t y u n d e r f i r e s w e e p s t h e p o l l s ; t h e n i t w o u l d b e a r e a l t e s t f o r t h e p o w e r s o n t h e t o p ; w h e t h e r t h e y s el e c t t h e i r w h i m s o r t h e s u r v i v a l o f t h e n at i o n s t a t e T h e r e c e n t I M F r e p r e s e n t a t i v e rendezvous with top opposition entity sign a l s t h a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l f i n a n c i a l m a r k e t i s c l o s e l y w a t c h i n g t h e c h a n g i n g j i g s a w i n Pakistan Any weak federation coming out o f t h e 2 0 2 3 p o l l s c a n b e a d a n g e r o u s d ev e l o p m e n t P o l i t i c a l m a t u r i t y o f t h e p o l i tical leaderships spread across the political s p e c t r u m w i l l t o b e a d e c i d i n g f a c t o r f o r t h e a b o v e - m e n t i o n e d a p p r e h e n s i o n s A s P a k i s t a n m o v e s a w a y f r o m t h e M o n s o o n to autumn the tests for all the components o f t h e n a t i o n s t a t e ; t h e p e o p l e t h e l e a d e r s an d th e in s titu tio n s ar e h ar d an d d ecid in g U n l i k e p r e v i o u s s c e n a r i o s , t h e r e m i g h t n o t b e m a n y c h a n c e s a t h a n d P u r e b l a c k and white scenarios will stare at the establ i s h m e n t I t w i l l b e a h a r d a n d c r i t i c a l d ec i s i o n t o m a k e f o r t h o s e w h o m a t t e r The writer is a freelance columnist

RT r o b E r t i N l A k E S H

THE UK s new sanctions regime against Tehran will make little material difference other than prompting unneeded backlash and imprinting the impression of recklessness on the government in London As Iran rises in today’s multipolar world, Britain’s obsession with the Western order of the past only weighs it down

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced that his government had decided to create a new sanctions regime for Iran expanding the United Kingdom s powers to sanction decision makers in Tehran to include those allegedly involved in weapons proliferation US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller quickly responded to “welcome the United Kingdom’s announcement of plans to create a new sanctions authority going on to encourage additional measures by all like-minded partners to address Iran s hostile actions Iran, on the other hand, retaliated by summoning the UK s chargé d’affaires to Tehran over Britain’s “destructive and interventionist” remarks

Despite the seeming seriousness with which the British government has announced its new decision t h e r e a l i t y i s t h a t i t s s a n c t i o n s w i l l m a k e l i t t l e d i ff e r e n c e t o I r a n s p r e d i c a m e n t S i n c e 2 0 1 8 w h e n

then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withd r e w f r o m t h e I r a n N u c l e a r D e a l a n d p u r s u e d t h e c u r r e n t l y p e r s i s t i n g ‘ m a x i m u m p r e s s u r e ’ s a n c t i o n s campaign the Iranian government has evolved to try and circumvent the consequences of such measures London does not have nearly as significant a position in the global economic arena as its ally in Washington If Tehran hasn t been forced onto its knees by the world s dominant economic power, the likelihood of sanctions that could target Iranian actions inside the UK itself are unlikely to do much at all to change this situation

If the sanctions will not do anything what could be the reason behind the recent announcement in the UK? This could have to do with a number of separ a t e f a c t o r s To b e g i n w i t h , I r a n h a s j u s t b e e n a ccepted as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) The Islamic Republic has been s e e k i n g p a t h w a y s t o r e d u c e t h e i m p a c t o f y e a r s o f i s o l a t i o n f r o m t h e g l o b a l e c o n o m y s o m e t h i n g t h a t

SCO membership may well help with Additionally

Tehran has been eyeing a position in the BRICS economic alliance, which at least in principle all member nations have supported On top of this, Iran and Russia inked a deal for the construction of a rail link a s p a r t o f t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l N o r t h -

It is likely that the US and its Western partners are in outrage about the successes of Iran, hence are seeking a way to undermine it or enrage it because of this Back in April something else happened that may have something to do with the recent sanctions declaration by the UK; 125 UK MP s called upon the government to proscribe Iran s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, following lobbying efforts and the recommendations of influential think tanks The European Union also announced its intentions to designate the IRGC as a terrorist group In both cases this has not been followed up on likely because this would lead to any support for the Iranian government being interpreted as support for terrorism and even the expulsion of Iranian ambassadors, a step that likely seems too heavy for the current predicament Therefore, the failure of the UK to commit itself to this is leading to criticism from inside the parliament itself over the introduction of a policy that could be designed to avoid going through with the proscription

The UK, along with its Western allies, continues to follow Washington’s lead on issues pertaining to Iran, the same US government that is controlled by a president Joe Biden who had promised to return to the 2015 Nuclear Deal and ended up doubling down on the Trump administration s hardline sanctions stance instead

The consideration of ushering in a terrorist group designation for the IRGC, for introducing new sanctions and the constant baseless accusations regarding the pursuit of nuclear weapons by Iran, all amount to meaningless tantrums

The UK has now joined Ukraine Canada and Sweden in seeking an International Court of Justice ruling that Iran illegally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in January 2020 Although this tragedy was clearly not deliberate, the Western media and governments carry on as if Iranian air defense purposely killed all 176 passengers on board, omitting the fact that there were legitimate threats of incoming US air attacks on the country following the IRGC s firing of ballistic missiles at the Ain al-Assad military base in Iraq as a response to the US drone strike assassination of its General Qassem Soleimani Although there are claims of a lack of transparency from Tehran, the Iranian authorities did sentence ten people to prison for what they deemed to be a misfiring of air defense missiles at the aircraft Days prior to the incident US President Donald Trump had publicly threatened to strike over 50 targets inside Iran including cultural sites

The UK refuses in all cases to take any responsibility for its own wrongdoing and persists in doing Washington’s bidding, lashing out at Iran at a time when a cost-of-living crisis plagues its own people The British government chooses to spend its time lecturing the world while refusing to adopt an approach that will provide a stable living condition and future for their own citizens The government in Tehran isn t going anywhere, the UK s fanciful machinations regarding regime change there are not helping, and attempts to delegitimize Iran will only create an unneeded backlash while demonstrating to nations outside of the West that the same Western arrogance blinds it from engaging in the emerging multipolar order

Robert Inlakesh is a political analyst journalist and documentary filmmaker currently based in London, UK He has reported from and lived in the Palestinian territories and currently works with Quds News

T

n t

t h e i r f re e d o m o f e x p re s s i o n

from being sold published printed or distributed Obscene acts and songs are also punishable by law For example a female BJP leader Ritu Tawde in 2013 proposed a motion banning mannequins modeling lingerie in Mumbai to "prevent the pollution of minds of today's generation," calling the models a "public display of obscenity " The city rejected the motion, saying there was no legal provision to ban mannequins

Obscenity laws now extend to the digital space as well According to the Information Technology (IT) Act anyone who publishes or transmits obscene material online can be punished However, what is considered obscene has consistently changed over the years

The subjectivity of the law means interpreting obscenity is often up to a judge who makes an individual determination of whether to deem something moral corrupting or obscene

a name for herself in the world of fashion Javed is known for her bold and creative clothing choices, which grab headlines and often face public backlash for being too revealing In January Chitra Wagh a leader of the "women s wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra state requested legal action from Mumbai police against Javed for indulging in nudity publicly on the streets of Mumbai " Wagh tweeted that police action should be "taken against those who roam the streets of Mumbai exhibiting a lewd and lascivious display of her body in public places " Javed responded with: "Started my new year with another police complaint from another politician Unless my (private parts) are seen you can t send me to jail She told DW that simply because she chooses to be creative and have her own sense of fashion she has often been called a slut a porn star a prostitute and more Javed added she has received multiple threats of violence and rape "It did take a huge toll on my mental health but now I'm learning to grow a thick skin while sticking to my guns I am not doing anything wrong, Javed said The definition of obscenity has been changing over time, so I try to not take the comments to heart but what I have learnt is that, in our society, everything stops at a woman's vagina It s always the woman's fault men can really do whatever they want she added THE LEGAL STATUS OF OBSCENITY IN INDIA India has long experienced a tug of war over obscenity laws, which are rooted in concepts of morality and decency However, the arbitrary and ever-evolving nature of these concepts pose a consistent challenge to the courts Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) defines as obscene any content which "appeals to the prurient interest which serves to deprave and corrupt those likely to read see or hear the content Anything deemed legally obscene is prohibited

The debate around obscenity often surfaces when it is at loggerheads with the freedom of expression and speech Shreya Munoth, a Delhi-based attorney, told DW that obscenity laws were introduced to India during the British colonial era She said that Indian courts have occasionally passed progressive judgments on obscenity but once the machinery of criminal law is put into play the process itself is the punishment Munoth said India has a restrictive idea of what entails free speech and expression, and that obscenity laws have often been used to control the bodies of women "Courts also take a particularly paternalistic approach to cases, especially when it comes to women The underlying tone of the courts tend to be that that women need to be taken care of by the state she said

OBSCENITY VS FREEDOM OF SPEECH

In some cases, however, personal freedoms have prevailed In June 2020, an obscenity case was filed against Rehana Fathima, an activist from India's southern Kerala state She had shared a video on Facebook which showed her children painting on her half-naked body The post was captioned #BodyArtPolitics

According to Fathima, the video was made to challenge societal values that consider sex and nudity as taboo The video triggered widespread outrage and Fathima s acts were called obscene and vulgar But last month, the Kerala High Court quashed the case against Fathima and made a poignant commentary on the obscenity laws morality and the female body in India Women are bullied, discriminated against, isolated, and prosecuted for making choices about their bodies and lives," said Justice Kauser Edappagath in his judgment

XI JINPING CALLS FOR ‘SOLID’ SECURIT Y BARRIER AROUND CHINA’S INTERNET

M

CH I N E S E President Xi Jinping said China must build a “solid” security barrier around its internet under the supervision of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) in his latest call to safeguard online data and information

China must persist in managing, operating and ensuring access to the internet in accordance with the law, Xi said in instructions delivered to officials attending a two-day cybersecurity meeting in Beijing that ended on Saturday

We must adhere to the Party s management of the internet and adhere to (the principle of) making the internet work for the people,” state-run Xinhua news agency cited Xi as saying

In the past decade Xi has made preserving security a priority with his concept of security covering everything from politics and the economy to the environment and cyberspace

In 2015, China passed a national security law with a broader scope to include its cyberspace A year later a law was passed that contained requirements for security reviews and for data to be stored on servers in China

In 2021, China rolled out regulations around so-called critical information infrastructure

This year lawmakers updated anti-

espionage legislation to ban the transfer of information related to national security and broaden the definition of spying

Navigating China’s dense network of rules and laws on online data and information is not without risk for companies

In April US consultancy firm Bain & Co said police visited its office in Shanghai and questioned some staff The Financial Times, citing people briefed on the surprise visit, reported that the police also took away computers and phones

Last year regulators told China’s biggest financial data provider Wind Information Co to stop providing offshore users with certain data, sources told

Wagner troops training Belarus forces

MOSCOW A G E N C I E S

Belarus announced on Saturday that instructors from the Russian mercenary force Wagner were training its troops, following weeks of uncertainty about the future of the group after its failed mutiny in Russia

The short-lived rebellion was ended by a deal under which some Wagner fighters and their outspoken leader Yevgeny Prigozhin were supposed to move to Belarus But Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had cast doubt on the deal when he said earlier this month that no Wagner fighters had moved to the country yet

The Belarusian defence ministry appeared to confirm Friday that at least some Wagner fighters had arrived Near Asipovichy units of territorial defence troops are undergoing training, the defence ministry said in a statement Fighters of the Wagner private military company are acting as instructors in a number of military disciplines,” it said The ministry later added that it and Wagner had worked out “a road map for the near term on training and sharing experience between various units

The Wagner group which recruited extensively from Russian prisons, played a key role in the Ukraine offensive A video released by the Belarusian defence ministry showed masked fighters as instructors in the drills for soldiers living in a nearby tent camp

A group of foreign reporters earlier this month was shown a camp near Asipovichy where Belarusian officials said the mercenaries could be based

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address Friday that Kyiv was closely monitoring what is happening there in terms of security” The latest development came as the clock ran down on a UN and Turkey-mediated deal with Russia to allow Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea a vital supply route for the developing world

The deal first signed in July 2022 five months after Moscow s all-out assault on Ukraine, is set to expire on Monday Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened not to renew it because of what he says have been obstacles to Russian exports

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared confident on Friday on the prospects of an extension to the deal

We are preparing to welcome Putin in August and we agree on the extension of the Black Sea grain corridor,” Erdogan told reporters But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told “There were no statements on this subject from the Russian side

Reuters at the time

In 2021, authorities launched a cybersecurity investigation into ride-hailing giant Didi Global two days after it went public in the United States

An article by Xi Jinping general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on deepening the reform of Party and state institutions to modernize the system and capacity for governance will be published on Sunday

The article by Xi also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission will be published in this year s 14th issue of the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Cen-

tral Committee

The article states that deepening the reform of Party and state institutions is an important measure to implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and a deployment to advance the modernization of China s system and capacity for governance

The reform will make Party and state institutions better meet the needs for developing the cause of the Party and the state says the article

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, upholding and strengthening the Party s overall leadership has been a significant objective of deepening the reform of Party and state institutions, the article notes adding that the latest reform has been carried out to strengthen the unified and centralized leadership of the Party s central authorities over major work

Reasonable designs and arrangements for institutional structures and assignment of duties have been made in reforms concerning financial sci-tech and social management says the article

Noting the importance of implementation the article says the institutional reform should be carried out in a coordinated and steady manner

Reforms at central and local institutions should be closely coordinated, it adds

It also calls for efforts to guide Party members and cadres to support the reform and adopt a law-based approach to advancing the reform

International ride -hailing ser vice, Yango, held

spec tac

LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T

The international ride-hailing service Yango has made its way to Pakistan after successfully launching in Lahore Rawalpindi & Islamabad The exclusive launch event held on Saturday declared the arrival of the renowned ride-hailing service and broughttogether industry professionals influencers stakeholders and potential customers Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, was the Chief Guest at the event Hosted by Sidra Iqbal, the launch was an informative and exciting affair as it will open the door to newer companies setting up operations in Pakistan and bring in the promise of hope and economic prosperity The event concluded with a special performance

launch event in L ahore

by talented singer Natasha Baig who enthralled the attendees with her powerful Yango maintains its dedication to providing secure and costeffective journeys for passengers and reliable and steady earnings for drivers Our goal is to benefit partners drivers users and society by introducing newer vehicles for improved partner earnings employing smart technology for efficient dispatching and optimised routes, and encouraging sustainable business practices ” Faisal Iftekhar Country Manager Yango Pakistan spoke about the service s launch in Pakistan We have successfully tested our service in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, and in less than two months of our presence in the country we already have partnered with more than 50 local transportation providers and seen

substantial growth in demand that exceeded our expectations We aim to go beyond that offering the people of Pakistan a convenient public transportation option that is hassle-free and dependable,” he added Yango has already established itself as a prominent entity in the mobility sector across Europe the Middle East and Latin America, encompassing countries such as UAE, Norway, Finland, Bolivia, Peru, and Algeria, including a strong presence in Sub-Saharan Africa Next Yango has set its sight on the South Asian demographic as it aims to expand in the region, starting with Pakistan The service is operational in more than twenty countries globally and is now bringing this contemporary secure and cost-effective application to the Pakistani economy

India ties up with UAE to settle trade in rupees

I n d i a h a s s i g n e d a n a g r e e m e n t w i t h t h e U n i t e d A r a b E m i r a t e s t h a t w i l l a l l o w i t t o s e t t l e t r a d e i n r u p e e s i n s t e a d o f d o l l a r s b o o s t i n g I n d i a s e ff o r t s t o c u t transaction costs by eliminating dollar conversions During a visit by India s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UAE on Saturday, the two countries also agreed to set up a real-time payment link to facilitate easier cross-border money transfers The two agreements will en-

able seamless cross-border transactions and payments and foster greater economic cooperation said a statement from the Reserve Bank of India on Saturday India, the world’s third biggest oil importer and consumer and whose central bank last year announced a framework for settling global trade in rupees currently pays for UAE oil in dollars Bilateral trade between the two countries was $84 5 billion in the year from April 2022 to March 2023 A n o ff i c i a l w i t h k n o w l e d g e o f t h e d e t a i l s o f t h e a g r e e m e n t

Wang urges India to provide fair business environment for Chinese firms

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Friday during which Wang urged India to provide a fair transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies Wang director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, expressed China s concerns over India s recent restrictions against Chinese firms during talks with Jaishankar on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN foreign ministers’ meetings according to the Xinhua News Agency Wang said common development and prosperity between the two neighbors is a global example calling for mutual support instead of suspicion Jaishankar said the normalization of India-China relations serves the common interests of both sides, adding that India is willing to properly handle differences with an open mind

Photo: MInistry of Foreign Affairs

In recent years the Indian government has intensified its crackdown on Chinese companies most obviously in the smartphone sector For instance, the Indian government in June frozen approximately 4 8 billion yuan($672 million)-worth of Xiaomi’s funds citing alleged illegal transfer of funds overseas This was followed by Indian government s curbs last month mandating that Chinese smartphone manufacturers such as Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo position such as CEO, chief operations officer, chief financial officer, and chief technology officer from local talent, according to Indian media reports Xiaomi India is reportedly undertaking a round of significant layoffs Recent media reports suggest that the company which employed an estimate of 1 400 to 1 500 employees at the beginning of 2023 has downsized its workface to approximately 1,000 India has significantly intensified its curbs against Chinese companies over the past few years, particularly after the border standoff between China and India in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 Liu Zongyi secretarygeneral of the Research Center for China-South Asia Cooperation at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times

These Indian actions toward Chinese firms are unjustifiable, Liu said

The targeted measures by Indian authorities against Chinese companies have not only dented Chinese investors but also potentially undermined the confidence of foreign investors in general with some foreign companies having chosen to exit the Indian market amid growing concerns about their future business prospects, analysts said

s a i d I n d i a c o u l d m a k e i t s f i r s t r u p e e p a y m e n t f o r U A E o i l t o A b u D h a b i N a t i o n a l O i l C o ( A D N O C ) , R e u t e r s r e p o r t e d o n F r i d a y

The Reserve Bank of India said the two central banks agreed to link India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and UAE s Instant Payment Platform (IPP) Such arrangements, which are a growing trend in Asia, typically lower the cost of payments Modi landed in Abu Dhabi earlier on Saturday for a one-day visit and met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

SBB varsity ’s final year DVM students to do internship in China

ISLAMABAD: The Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand has sought applications from final year students of the Doctor in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree program for internship in China

According to an update by the university the DVM students of 2019 batch will avail a 9-week internship opportunity at China starting September 2023

The eligible students of DVM Final Professional (currently enrolled in the 10th Semester) can apply until July 31st for the internship Gwadar Pro reported on Saturday

Accommodation and food facilities will be provided by the Chinese government while fair charges will be borne by the students

The university encouraged its students to take advantage of the ‘incredible’ opportunity to gain international exposure S TA F F R E

LG by-poll on vacant seats in DI Khan on August 27

DERA ISMAIL KHAN S TA F F R E P O R T

The District Election Commissioner has said that the local government by-poll on vacant seats of various categories in Village and Neighborhood Councils in Dera Ismail Khan would be held on August 27

According to a notification issued by District Election Commissioner Abdul Rauf Khan Marwat the candidates could submit their nomination papers from July 17 to July 19

The list of candidates who submitted nomination papers would be released on July 20, while the scrutiny of nomination papers would be held from July 21 to 24

The appeals against acceptance and rejection of papers could be filed from July 25 to July 26 and the decision on these appeals would be made by August 1

The revised list of candidates would be made public on August 2 and the candidates would be able to withdraw their nomination papers till August 3

The final list of candidates would be issued on August 4 and election symbols would be allotted on the same day

Bumper C rop: C hina achieves 146.13 million ton summer grain har vest in 2023

S TA F F R E P O R T

China has witnessed another bumper summer grain harvest this year, the country s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported on Saturday, despite adverse weather effect in some parts of the country hurting per-unit output Summer grain output totaled 146 13 million tons this year down 0 9 percent or 1 27 million tons from a year ago data from the NBS showed The output of this summer grain has stabilized and decreased slightly, and is still at a relatively high level, achieving a bumper harvest said Wang Guirong director of the bureau’s rural division Summer grain yield per hectare went down 1 2 percent to 5 491 8 kilograms Wheat a major grain saw harvest decline by 1 3 percent year-on-year in terms of harvest

per hectare A decline in per-unit output was mainly due to adverse weather in parts of the country including Central China’s Henan Province Wang said

Since the start of this year ’s sowing period agriculture conditions have been beneficial to grain growth through until late May when wheat-growing areas in central and northern China suffered from extended rainfall, resulting in insufficient light during the grain filling period, ultimately impacting on the harvest In addition the drought in southwestern part of China including Yunnan Province and Guizhou Province led to lower yields according to the official Sowing areas for the summer grain came in at 26 609 million hectares, up 0 3 percent on a yearly basis, the NBS data showed Wang attributed the increase of sowing areas to national supportive policies favor-

able agricultural conditions and optimization of the planting structure

In Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for example planting areas rose 4 6 percent year-on-year to 1 2 million hectares for the summer gain thanks to the optimization of the water resources

As the first season of annual grain production, the bumper harvest of summer grain has laid a solid foundation for stabilizing full year ’s grain output, and provided strong support for promoting a sustained economic recovery Wang said Traditionally the summer harvest spans from May to late June with grain output in the period accounting for about a quarter of the annual total China s policymakers have been driving the food security push as the country’s huge population rising level of urbanization and pollution are eroding the country’s arable land

a

ular official

CORPORATE CORNER

Role of AIOU for educ ation promotion is commendable, says Rana

PAKISTANI RELIGIOUS SCHOL ARS FOR STRENGTHENING BIL ATERAL TIES, FOSTERING CULTURAL EXCHANGE IN CHINA

GUILIN CITY CHINA

S TA F F R E P O R T

TH E local government of Guilin City, a renowned tourist destination in China hosted a dinner reception for a distinguished Pakistani delegation comprising notable religious scholars in a bid to strengthen bilateral ties and foster cultural exchanges Saturday

The event showcased the mutual commitment of both nations to promoting friendship and collaboration

The delegation led by Chairman of Pakistan s Council of Islamic Ideology Dr Qibla Ayaz, and Chairman of the International Research Council on Religious Affairs, Israr Madani received a warm welcome from Mr Tang, the representative of Guilin City This gesture highlighted the significance of the occasion and set the stage for productive discussions

tween Pakistan and China under the Pakistan-China Friendship Policy

academic block of AIOU regional centre Sheikhupura yesterday He said that Allama Iqbal Open University is playing an important role in popularizing education, training teachers, and improving quality education in the country He said that education plays a key role in the development of any country, and we must focus on merit, transparency and quality PR

Construc tion work of Pakistan's first National Police Hospital commences

islamabad: The construction work of Pakistan s inaugural National Police Hospital has commenced, marking a significant milestone in the country's healthcare infrastructure Islamabad Capital City Police Officer (ICCPO) Dr Akbar Nasir Khan personally visited the hospital site urging swift progress on the project

Recently Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif laid the foundation stone for the 100-bed hospital, emphasizing its importance for the police force The construction of Pakistan's first National Police Hospital, a groundbreaking initiative, has begun with Islamabad Capital City Police Officer (ICCPO) Dr Akbar Nasir Khan overseeing the project s early stages

Following the recent foundation stone ceremony conducted by Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, this state-of-the-art hospital is set to accommodate 100 beds, catering specifically to the capital police of Islamabad ICCPO Dr Akbar Nasir Khan personally inspected the hospital site located in Police Lines assessing the ongoing construction progress and issuing instructions to contractors to expedite the work PR

PRL launches REUP to boost refining c apabilities, urges polic y suppor t

Karachi: Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) is embarking on an ambitious project to enhance and modernize its refining capabilities through the Refinery Expansion and Upgrade Project (REUP) This initiative aims to propel PRL into a sustainable future, producing cleaner and environmentally friendly fuels, while meeting the growing demands of the market

However, the absence of a comprehensive refining policy to support industry development and attract investments remains a pressing concern The REUP project involves the expansion of PRL s crude processing capacity from the current 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 100,000 bpd, along with the installation of deep conversion capabilities PR

Water flows at Ganda Singhwala decline, situation stable at Sulaimanki: NEOC

The National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) on Saturday said the water flows at Ganda Singhwala were decreasing and the water flows at Sulaimanki despite increasing inflows sustained a stable level

As per the data of the Flood Forecasting Division and Punjab Irrigation Department, the water flow in Ganda Singhwala has been recorded with a decrease of 29,000 cusecs While the water reaching Sulaimanki has increased to 70,000 cusecs, but indicating a stable trend

During the event Dr Qibla Ayaz emphasized the active collaboration be-

He revealed that concerted efforts were underway to bolster tourism and trade between the two countries paving the way for enhanced economic cooperation and cultural understanding Dr Israr Madani, echoing Dr Qibla s sentiments, acknowledged that this was not the first time the Guilin City govern-

ment had played as host to Pakistani leaders Such gestures of hospitality and mutual respect had laid a solid foundation for stronger ties and facilitated productive dialogue he added

The Pakistani delegation consisting of esteemed religious leaders such as Maulana Tayyab Tahir, Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Ali, Maulana Fazl Ali Haqqani, Asif Lakhvi Qazi, Maulana Rashid Haq,

President c alls for prevention, early diagnosis of life threatening diseases

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday called for prevention and early diagnosis of diseases like breast cancer and water borne ailments to give people a chance to live longer healthy lives

Speaking virtually at an awareness programme arranged by Siemens Healthineers, he underlined the need for improvements in the health and education sectors of Pakistan

Despite the limited resources a developing country like Pakistan should give priority to health and education of the people, he stressed

He said preventive measures and widespread awareness was vital to prepare people against the onslaught of life threatening diseases

He said Pakistan had an experience of effectively and successfully tackling Covid 19 as compared to the neighboring country where the death rate was higher Spreading of awareness among people was critical to keep Covid under control he said adding peo-

ple followed the advice of the government to wear masks keep distance and take preventive measures helping the country eventually overcome the challenge

The President urged people to ensure cleanliness to stop the spread of communicable diseases

Religious scholars could play an important role by teaching the significance of hygiene during their sermons in mosques, he continued

He appreciated the efforts of Begum Samina Alvi in raising awareness about the threats posted by breast cancer to the health of women

While citing reasons for late diagnosis of breast cancer among

women in Pakistan he said women were hesitant to share information about any unusual signs which was the cause of delay in screening for breast cancer

He said those who go for early screening their chance of survival from breast cancer was 99 percent and women should undergo screening when they feel a lump in their chests

He pointed to the brain drain in Pakistan saying a large percentage of women who get higher education either prefer to stay at home or leave for better opportunities abroad which resulted in lack of availability of professionals in different fields

Another international honor for Pakistan, team claim one gold, four bronze

PESHAWAR

S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan’s six members Taekwondo team all of them hailing from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated in the International Taekwondo Championship held in Bangkok Thailand and bagged one gold medal and four bronze medals on Saturday

Team manager Nasir Khan Mohmand told APP that the six members team of Pakistan took part first in the Tirak and KDM Taekwondo International Championship in which 500 players from 10 countries of the world including Pakistan took part Pakistan won one gold and four bronze medals

According to the results so far the team won one gold and four bronze medals Wania Hassan won the

gold medal in Kyroungi Ayan claimed two bronze medals in Poomsae and Kyroungi and Muhammad Waqar won a bronze medal in Tirak Nasir Khan Mohmand appreciated the players of the Pakistani team for winning one gold and four bronze medals in the first international Tirak and KDM Taekwondo International Championship He said the team did hard work for winning the medal and especially the performance of Wania Hassan was excellent as she bagged the gold medal Chairman Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Taekwondo Association expressed his satisfaction with the team's result He said the junior players have very excellent performances in their first international appearance and if provided more such opportunities they would win back more medals

Confucius Institutes in Pakistan - an impor tant role to spread C hinese c ulture

ISLAMABAD

The Confucius Institutes in Pakistan are critical and will have an important role to spread Chinese culture and to enhance understanding between our countries; Similarly, Urdu language centers and Pakistan Study Centers in China are playing a similar role ”

This was stated by Mumtaz

Zehra Baloch Spokesperson and Additional Foreign Secretary at Ministry of Foreign Affairs

She was Chief Guest at Silk Road Cultural Forum themed on “China-Pakistan Civilization Exchanges and Mutual Learning organized by the Pakistan-China

Institute, Islamabad, in collaboration with China Study Centre, COMSATS University, Islamabad, according to a Gwadar Pro's report on Saturday She said that the world has become increasingly interconnected and Pakistan, China, and the entire continent were becoming more and more interlinked with connectivity projects and “this is the pure magic of ancient Silk Road”

According to Mumtaz Baloch the five major goals of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) include connectivity, people-to-people exchanges and contacts which are critical for understanding and mutual cooperation between countries and people She said that Pakistan and

China s relations were based on mutual respect and understanding

“This is a prime example of friendship between two countries which have different cultures languages civilizations and even religions Baloch said adding that this relation has prospered over the last seven decades and has taken root in the hearts of our people

Baloch emphasized the further development of China-Pakistan friendship and understanding via cultural exchanges

It is important that we try to understand each other s culture and language because with this it will be easier for us to appreciate our differences and celebrate our commonalities she said

National Day of France celebrated in Islamabad

The French Embassy in Pakistan celebrated the National Day with a grand event that witnessed the participation of government officials diplomats from various countries members of the media and individuals from diverse segments of society Addressing the event, the Ambassador of France to Pakistan, Nicolas Galey acknowledged the positive trajectory of bilateral relations between France and Pakistan and expressed gratitude to various sectors within Pakistan including

government departments businesses cultural institutions and the media for their active and positive contributions in strengthening these ties

The ambassador particularly highlighted the notable increase in the number of Pakistani students studying in France through university cooperation programs

Furthermore he said France s development agency has been actively engaged in major infrastructure projects in Pakistan, with a recent focus on the crucial agriculture sector, as prioritized by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ” The mutual cooperation and progress achieved in these areas exem-

plify the ongoing positive engagement between France and Pakistan signifying a successful resolution to a challenging period, the envoy added He recalled that in the multilateral institutions process, France supported the efforts that have led to a favourable outcome for Pakistan by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) The multilateral institution s process received backing from France, which contributed to this positive outcome” he added He said “We’re also very happy for the negotiation between Pakistan and the IMF contributed positively

This opens obviously and encouraging prospects for the Pakistani economy and therefore, for increasing international investments in Pakistan, he added About the GSP plus free trade program he said “We naturally support the fruitful negotiation between the EU and Pakistan over concentration of this essential program for the Pakistani economy

The ambassador emphasized the importance of the relationship between Pakistan and the EU, in particular through the GSP plus free trade program of which Pakistan is the largest beneficiary in the world

Maulana Yusuf Shah, and Maulana Dr Ataur Rehman expressed their gratitude for the warm reception

They extended an invitation to Chinese leaders urging them to visit Pakistan and witness firsthand the rich cultural heritage and religious practices that form an integral part of the bilateral relationship

Moreover the delegation highlighted the pivotal role of religious diplomacy in strengthening Pak-China relations

They emphasized that understanding and appreciating each other s religious values could forge deeper connections and pave the way for mutual respect and cooperation

The dinner reception concluded on a positive note with both the Pakistani delegation and the Guilin City representative expressing their optimism for the future of bilateral relations This event not only showcased the warm hospitality of the local government but also symbolized the commitment of Pakistan and China to build a prosperous and harmonious relationship rooted in mutual understanding and respect

‘Driving Sustainable Impact: SEED Ventures' 'EcoSummit' Sparks Change with Innovative Platform 'What's the Alternative?’

TA F F R E P O R T

SEED Ventures inaugurated their sustainability platform What s the Alternative today EcoSummit –the inaugural event for 'What's the Alternative,' was delivered in collaboration with the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OICCI) The summit aimed to engage industry leaders and understand the innovative and alternative practices organizations employ towards environmental sustainability

The event commenced with an inaugural speech delivered by Amir Paracha, President OICCI and Chairman and CEO of Unilever Pakistan Ltd “In Pakistan a significant 60% of the population indicates a willingness to pay a premium for sustainably produced products while 51% recognize the reality of climate change and express concern over its palpable repercussions These sentiments underscore a wealth of indigenous examples of organizations leveraging innovative practices to embrace sustainability

To elevate these efforts, it's crucial we amplify the discourse around such alternatives This will not only shine a light on the impressive work underway but also position Pakistan prominently on the global sustainability map

Three more human traffickers arrested as crackdown continues

LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested three more human traffickers during the ongoing countrywide crackdown linked with the migrant boat tragedy off the coast of Greece

According to details, FIA s Anti-Human Trafficking

Circle Gujarat arrested three human traffickers –identified as Arshadullah, Mubashir Nazir and Umar Hayat – from Mandi Bahauddin and Malakwal

In a statement the FIA spokesperson said the suspects were allegedly involved in sending Pakistanis to Europe illegally They have also received huge millions of Rupees to send the citizens to Europe the spokesman added The raiding teams also recovered several videos from the cellphones of arrested suspects, wherein migrants can be seen crossing the border on boat

The spokesperson said the suspects have uploaded the videos on multiple social media platforms in a bid to attract citizens for travelling to Europe illegally

Body of girl student found from private hostel

BIL AWAL INAUGURATES DHABEJI SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE IN THATTA

S

PA K I S TA N People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal BhuttoZardari on Saturday inaugurated the Dhabeji Special Economic Zone project, which is expected to bring an estimated $5 billion investment to the country

Speaking at the ceremony he said that the Sindh government has launched a number of mega projects in various sectors, including health, power generation, and infrastructure development while others have done nothing except providing lip service making tall claims

“I congratulate Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and his team who materialised the dream of President Asif Ali Zardari who had negotiated three important projects, Dhabeji SEZ, Keti Bunder, and Karachi Circular Railway with Chinese authorities,” he added

He said that it was Asif Zardari who laid the foundation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by giving Gwadar Port to China

He made frequent visits to China during his tenure as the president and negotiated the development of Pakistan, particularly the upliftment of industrial and road infrastructure power generation trade and commerce But he was criticised and targeted he said Bilawal added that today the fruits of his frequent visits are being harvested in the shape of CPEC projects under which the Thar coal project has started power generation, Dhabeji Special Economic

General elections to be based on 2017 census: Sanaullah

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Saturday asserted that the next general elections, scheduled to be held in 2023, will be based on the last census carried out in 2017

Speaking to a private news channel the interior minister said that the government has decided not to notify the latest census and the upcoming elections would be held on the basis of 2017 census

Rana Sanaullah noted that Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) – an ally of the government in the Centre – was unsatisfied with the new digital census as well “They don’t even accept this new census ” he added

The minister stressed that there should be consensus on census results and any decision in haste could lead to a controversial situation in the country

Developing a consensus on the census so that all parties were confident about it would take time, he added

A day earlier Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that the general elections 2023 would possibly be held on the old census data

In a statement Ahsan Iqbal reiterated that elections will be held at its prescribed time and the prime minister already gave the statement about the election commission s responsibility to finalise the schedule of the polls

He added that the general elections would possibly be held on old census data Iqbal was of the view that delimitations are still pending after the new population census If elections are held in October then it will be conducted on old census data

Zone is being developed and various road infrastructure projects have been completed in the country

The PPP chairman said that the development of the Gwadar Port and improvements being made at Karachi Port were part of Zardari s vision which was bound to bring prosperity generating employment opportunities Bilawal said that the concept of public-private partnership (PPP) was envisioned by former prime minister Benazir

Bhutto in her 1993 election manifesto

When the government works with the private sector as a development partner, its benefits trickle down to the people in the shape of employment opportunities development of their communication and industrial infrastructure and the businessmen reap the harvest as partners, Bilawal said He added that the provincial government, carrying forward the concept of the public-private partnership, had constructed the Karachi-Thatta dual carriageway the Jhirk-Mulakatiar Bridge on River Indus launched coal-mining with Engro corporation for power generation in Thar, and these projects were running successfully

The PPP chief proudly said that the public-private partnership unit of the Sindh government has been recognised as the sixth best-performing department by the International Intelligence Unit of the Economist

Neelum-Jhelum Projec t to resume power generation by July- end

Neelum Jhelum Hydel Power Project will resume power generation by end of July, said a Wapda spokespersons on Saturday Wapda spokesperson has said that remedial work of the tail race tunnel of the project has been nearing to completion

This was informed during a briefing given to Chairman WAPDA Lt Gen (Retd) Sajjad Ghani by the management during his visit to the project site

It was informed that hectic efforts were underway to complete the remedial works being carried out in the tail race tunnel of the project “The concrete lining of the collapsed portion of the tail race tunnel has been completed Other affected parts of the 3 1/2 kilometers long tunnel have been strengthened The cleaning work will begin next week after removing machinery from the tail race tunnel ” chairman Wapda briefed Water will be filled in the tunnel after completion of the cleaning work After filling of the tail

race tunnel, power generation will begin, Chairman Wapda was informed The Chairman WAPDA directed the project team to ensure restarting of the Hydel Power Station by end of the month without any compromise on its structural integrity

The 969-MW Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project had started electricity generation in April 2018 Prior to collapse of its tail race tunnel last year the project had generated more than 18 billion units of the electricity for the national grid

PTI chairman claims innocence in May 9 incidents

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)

Chairman Imran Khan defended his supporters protests inside the cantonment areas when he appeared before a joint investigation team (JIT) probing the May 9 violent incidents on Friday

Sources said that the former premier was interrogated by a sixmember panel comprising a DIG SSP and four SPs for an hour at the DIG Investigation headquarters for his alleged role in the attacks on the Corps Commander House (Jinnah House) and other military installations in the city

We will ask you only professional questions JIT members reportedly told Khan

When asked whether the May 9 events were planned or just a coincidence, the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf chief said it was a conspiracy against him and his party “I have got nothing to do with it it was

planned elsewhere, he said He was also asked why the PTI supporters protested inside cantonment areas to which he said people were bound to go there because I was arrested by a commander

There is evidence that you provoked them and gave orders, JIT asked The PTI chairman, according to the sources, rejected the allegation and maintained that protesters were acting on their own and went to those places voluntarily

Everything that happened that

day was a conspiracy, the PTI chief said, according to the sources aware of the details

The JIT also showed various videos and pictures to the PTI chief related to the May 9 mayhem

The sources said that Imran Khan denied knowing any of the protestors in those visuals and said, “they are not my people” Khan also warned the JIT members of consequences for actions taken against his party sources said Saturday

U S workers at the world's biggest package delivery firm threatens to delay millions of shipments snarl supply chains and send shipping costs higher A strike by roughly 340 000 U S workers at the world s biggest package delivery firm threatens to delay millions of shipments, snarl supply chains and send shipping costs higher Talks are deadlocked between UPS and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union

The Teamsters have vowed to strike if a deal is not ratified before the current contract expires at midnight on July 31 Consumers are going to feel this within days AEG CEO Patrick Anderson said of a potential strike, adding his analysis does not include the human cost of disruption to shipments of critical and perishable medicines to treat cancer and other life-threatening illnesses A sticking point in negotiations is pay increases for part-time workers who account for roughly half the UPS workforce Tenured part-timers are particularly frustrated because they make just slightly more than new hires whose wages have jumped in a tight labor market Anderson said a UPS employee walkout would be a bigger risk to the U S economy than a work stoppage by UAW workers at the “Detroit Three” automakers who started contract talks on Thursday

He noted that the automaker talks cover fewer workers and have a limited geographic impact In fiscal 2019, GM s (GM N) fourth-quarter profit took a $3 6 billion hit from a 40-day UAW strike that shut down its profitable U S operations UPS is urging Teamster negotiators to return to the bargaining table but union officials say UPS needs to sweeten its offer for workers who risked their lives during the pandemic to help the company generate outsized profits UPS faces two unappealing choices, Stifel analyst Bruce Chan said in a recent note: Risk a strike and resulting customer losses or acquiesce to Teamster demands that could worsen the company’s labor cost disadvantage versus nonunion rivals in an inflationary environment Both situations would create pain for UPS so it could just be a question of when and how the company wants to take its medicine, Chan said

Nawaz takes Fazl into confidence over meeting with Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif took PDM chief Fazlaur Rehman into confidence over his meeting with PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in Dubai In a telephonic conversation the former prime minister according to sources told Mr Rehman that he had discussed political matters and national issues with Zardari Mr Sharif also assured the PDM chief of taking him on board in all key political decisions, saying: “We are still part of the PDM” They also traded views on the caretaker setup as the current assembly will complete its tenure next month Both sides also agreed to hold consultation on key political matters while the PDM chief expressed his views about polls in the country

Following the telephonic conversation, the PML-N supremo had directed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to call a meeting of the heads of the ally parties