Epaper_23-07-25 ISB

Profit

PR I M E Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday as-

sured that no increase in power tariff for 60 percent domestic consumers consuming upto 200 units monthly

The prime minister further said that those 31 percent consumers of power tariff, consuming upto 300 units months would also be given a partial subsidy

Speaking after witnessing the signing of a framework agreement between State Oil company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) here on Monday he said: Due to the toughest conditions from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government had to raise the electricity prices but I stressed that the burden should not be passed on to the protected segments of the society

The framework agreement was signed by Managing Director PLL Masood Nabi and Chief Executive Officer of SOCAR Trading Mariam Almaszade

Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik Governor Punjab Baleegh Ur

Rehman, diplomats and government officials were also present on the occasion

Under this framework agreement SOCAR Trading has offered LNG supply to Pakistan in the form of one cargo per month, on flexible terms and with the credit lines for 30 days after delivery of the cargo in one year contract which is extendable by another year

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said it was really a great day as we are stand-

Amid rise in militant attacks, army chief meets Centcom boss

RAWALPINDI

S TA F F R E P O R T

Commander of the United States Central Command (Centcom) Gen Michael Kurilla met with the army chief Gen Syed Asim Munir on Monday to discuss a variety of issues including the region s security situation The meeting, which comes on the heels of increasing attacks allegedly carried out by Afghanistanbased Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants on the security forces in recent months was held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi said a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)

It also follows Munir s recent visit to Washington s arch-rival Iran

During the meeting matters of mutual interest, regional security situation, and defense cooperation were discussed ” the statement added

The two reiterated the desire to further enhance bilateral relations between the two armies in all fields Kurilla for his part acknowledged and appreciated

Pakistan Army s successes in the fight against terrorism and Pakistan s continued efforts for bringing peace and stability in the region ” Pakistan Army last week warned the Afghan Taliban against “providing safe havens” to TTP and said the militants safe havens and sophisticated weapons pose a security risk to the country

Pakistan has witnessed a steady increase in militant attacks in the first six months of the current year, claiming the lives of 389 people, including soldiers, across the South Asian nation

Around 271 attacks occurred during the period

The TTP is a conglomerate of several militant groups in Pakistan that Islamabad says are currently inside Afghanistan Gen Munir has claimed that the TTP militants have freedom of action across the border in Afghanistan and urged Kabul not to allow its soil to be used against any country

ing here as brothers from two brotherly countries Pakistan and Azerbaijan

He expressed wishes to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev whom he met in Baku few weeks ago and thanked him for finalizing this agreement We had extremely productive and very fruitful discussion over there as to how to promote economic relations between the two friendly countries ” he said adding that immediately on his re-

turn to Pakistan, the Pakistan government extended approval to the Azerbaijan airline to land in Islamabad Lahore and Karachi This is a big step forward to promote tourism and investment and exchange of delegation between the two countries

The prime minister also appreciated and thanked Finance Minister Ishaq Dar Dr Musadik Malik secretary petroleum Pakistan’s ambassador in Azerbaijan CEO SOCAR Trading and MD PLL for their work to conclude the framework agreement Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Islamabad on the occasion said this framework agreement would help further strengthen bilateral economic relations

He said cooperation between the two countries had remained sustainable since start of the diplomatic ties between the two brotherly countries

He said approval of giving airspace to the Azerbaijan airline would increase the number of visitors and business delegation between the two counties

He informed that a team of horticulture experts from Azerbaijan was arriving here in Pakistan to share their first hand experience in the sector with the Pakistani authorities

NEPRA , Govt under fire over proposed Rs7.50 per unit power tariff hike

g STAKEHOLDERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE REPRESENTING EXPORT-ORIENTED SECTORS AND INDUSTRIES, RAISED OBJECTIONS OVER MA SSIVE TARIFF HIKE

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and the government faced severe criticism during a hearing on

The stakeholders especially those representing the export-oriented sectors and industries, raised objections over the massive tariff hike and questioned the government’s implementation of cross subsidies without thoroughly assessing its impact

During the hearing NEPRA and the Power Division received scathing remarks for allowing the installation of several Independent Power Plants (IPPs), which increased the country s capacity to 45000 MW without investing in the transmission and distribution network Intervenors, particularly representatives from the textile sector and other industries pointed out that despite these plants producing a maximum of 26000 MW consumers were still paying capacity payments for the remaining idle power plants The motion filed by the federal government to increase electricity prices by 7 5 rupees per unit prompted the hearing The Power Division justified the proposed increase citing rupee depreciation and capacity payments as the main reasons but NEPRA officials emphasized that the specific increase for each slab is the government s political and administrative decision

During the hearing, Member NEPRA, Rafiq Shaikh, questioned the legality and rationale behind the government’s subsidies allocation and demanded transparency in determining the subsidy amount for each slab The Power Division officials clarified that the government would grant a subsidy of 158 billion rupees to electricity consumers, exempting consumers using up to 200 units from any increase They further explained that 40 percent of consumers in the country living below the poverty line would receive subsidies covering 90 percent of all consumers

Representative Tahir Basharat Cheema from

APTMA raised concerns about the potential impact of even a one percent tariff increase on exports and highlighted that commercial and billboard operators receive a commercial tariff He expressed that a switch to alternatives would incur a cost of 300 rupees per unit Cheema also questioned the power companies’ resorting to load shedding and sought accountability for the burning of 22 thousand meters of electricity during recent rains

Member NEPRA, Rafiq Shaikh, emphasized the need for the Power Division to present an economic case justifying the subsidies for electricity consumers voicing concerns about its potential impact on the industrial sector

Following the hearing NEPRA reserved its decision on the proposed power tariff hike The decision will be forwarded to the federal government for review, and upon approval, a notification will be issued to implement the tariff increase

In response to the proposed tariff hike Jamaate-Islami Karachi Amir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman rejected the increase and accused NEPRA of following the government s instructions

He argued that the proposed hike would burden the urban population and regular electricity bill payers, further lamenting that the public is bearing the brunt of the government’s inefficiency

Naeem ur Rehman criticized NEPRA for not taking decisive action against Independent Power Producers (IPPs) despite their agreements being detrimental to the country s economy and people

He accused NEPRA of acting under the instructions of the cabinet, making the hearing seem futile and merely an attempt to save face

He argued that the subsidy itself represents inefficiency in the government s management of power plants and distribution companies leading to hardships for the public The Chairman of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) voiced disappointment at Naeem’s refusal to accept past invitations for collaboration

The discussion revolved around the rising electricity tariffs and K-Electric s provisional license renewal

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Cabinet committee approves draft framework agreement with UAE on cargo terminal

The Cabinet Committee on Inter-governmental Commercial Transactions (CCoIGCT) has approved G2G agreement between the Governments of UAE & Pakistan on Cooperation for the Development of Bulk and General Cargo Terminal at East Wharf at Karachi Port under Inter-Governmental Commercial Transaction Act 2022

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting of the CCoIGCT Sources said that the Ministry of Maritime Affairs informed the CCoIGCT that Karachi Port consists of 03 Wharves as East Wcst and South containing 05 terminals Three docking terminals outsourced to Terminal Operating Companies (TOC) while remaining two i e Oil Terminal and Clean Bulk Cargo Terminal (CBCT) are presently operated by the KPT

The CBCT was handed over to KPT in 2016 after the same was built from a loan from the World Bank In 2019 KPT proceeded to outsource the CBCT by inviting E01 from TOCs

In the pre-qualification stage eleven TOCs were declared qualified by NESPAK whereas only QTerminal submitted technical proposals

KPT decided to go for international bidding but at the time the consultants finalized the tender documents the AD Port approached the government of Pakistan and KPT through UAE s Ambassador expressing its interest in operation of the two terminals on east Wharf

KPT further informed that gross revenue of CBCT is Rs 3100 million pa and Repayment of loan is Rs 3000 million operating expenses is Rs 675 million

The KPT ends up with a deficit amount of Rs 575 million pa MoFA has also been tracking the progress of KPT s outsourcing efforts since 2022 for offering CBCT to the State of Qatar

In May, 2023 SAPM for Foreign Affairs informed that CBCT can be offered to Saudi Arabia (KSA) The KPT also on its own approached the Q-Terminal who indicated interest to the extent of participating in bidding

In the meantime MoFA forwarded UAE

Ambassador s letter enclosing G2G Agreement between the Government of the United Arab Emirates and Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the Development of Bulk and General Cargo Terminal at East Wharf Karachi Pon Framework Agreement Committee therefore recommended that the draft Agreement may be placed before the Cabinet Committee on inter-governmental Commercial Transactions for consideration and recommendation for the Federal Cabinet for granting approval in tem of Rule-16(1)(h) of Rules of Business

1973

Moreover CColGCT during its meeting held on 19-72023 had desired that sponsoring the Ministry of the proposal must ensure that the transaction is being carried out with a Government owned entity as required under G2G Agreement Therefore, MoFA was requested to confirm that AD Port is a UAE government entity MoMA asked the CCoIGCT to approve the criteria for the purpose of price discovery by the Negotiation Committee to be nominated by the CColGCT

In addition, a Committee may be constituted to negotiate price discovery on criteria indicated as in para-6 and frame a Commercial Agreement to be signed between KPT and AD Port UAE

The Price Negotiation Committee may submit its recommendations for the approval of Cabinet through CColGCT

Effor ts for Dar ’s nomination as caretaker PM suffer major setback

ISLAMABAD

Efforts of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to get Finance Minister Ishaq Dar appointed as caretaker prime minister have suffered a major setback as neither the Pakistan People s Party (PPP) nor other stakeholders are ready to accept Dar as caretaker PM

Well informed sources say that successive meetings between PPP’s Asif Zardari and PML-N’s Nawaz Sharif have failed to reach consensus over Dar and the matter may be discussed later in the week when PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman joins the duo

Fazl is about to dash to Dubai where the talks between coalition partners have entered into a critical phase as the PPP has geared up its contacts with the other parties of the coalition government reflecting that Dar is unacceptable for many of the partners

Meanwhile PPP s several leaders contacted media houses on Monday and conveyed that no consensus has been reached on the nominee of PML-N Ishaq Dar as caretaker PM Separately, PPP’s minister Sherry

Rehman and Faisal Kundi also addressed a presser to claim that there was no consensus on Dar s nomination as caretaker PM

Minister for Climate Change and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Senator Sherry Rehman refuted any consultations or agreement for the caretaker prime minister s position terming all such news as fake

The statement came a day after reports emerged, suggesting that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar s name had been finalised for the interim PM’s position Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi Sherry said that no decision has been made yet regarding the position There is a constitutional procedure in place for the appointment of interim PM Stability in the country can only be achieved through timely elections and a non-partisan interim government ” she added

On the occasion Kundi dismissed the rumours of reaching an agreement with PML-N over the position of interim PM He asserted that no official or unofficial meetings in Dubai, or elsewhere, have confirmed the veracity of such news

He categorically rejected that the name of Ishaq Dar was proposed to the PPP till now All parties including the PML-N have the right to shortlist candidates but if [Ishaq Dar ’s] name is given to PPP, we will discuss it ” he added

He clarified that no meetings were held in Dubai they want the assembly to complete its term and elections to be held in 60 days He further said that his party had reser-

vations over the census as well Later in the day Minister for Defence and central leader of PML-N Khawaja Asif also ruled out the possibility of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar becoming a caretaker prime minister (PM) Talking to a private news channel on Monday Khawaja Asif confirmed there were differences over Dar s nomination I personally wish to see Dar as the care-

taker premier It come to my knowledge that objections are being raised for considering Dar, he said However, the minister did not elabourate whether the objections were raised by the

likely to visit to Dubai to meet

Zardari to discuss caretaker setup

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

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

THE National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has directed the authorities concerned to make all necessary arrangements to relocate the people from flood hit and risk areas to safer locations

There is risk of floods in the low-lying areas near Nowshera due to rapid discharge of water at river Kabul said that authority on Monday

According to NDMA heavy rains are likely to continue throughout the country during next two days, there is risk of land sliding and flash flooding in Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad

Jammu and Kashmir

Meanwhile hill torrents are expected in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts of south Punjab and Makran and Dera Bugti hilly areas of Balochistan while there is risk

of flooding in Loralai Kalat Naseerabad Sibi and Makran

The NDMA also directed relevant authorities to issue advance warnings and safety measures for people

Meanwhile in the upper catchment areas of the Indus River water flow has been recorded slightly higher due to rains

Moderate flooding is expected in the Kabul River which may accelerate while discharge of water in other rivers is normal

MORE RAINS LASH PARTS OF COUNTRY

Sindh received maximum rainfall in last 24 hours as monsoon wet spell continuing in the country Met Office on Monday

According to weather report Padidan received 120mm rainfall, Dadu 75mm, Mirpur Khas 72mm, Surjani Town in Karachi 20mm rainfall Moreover Murree received 45mm rainfall Khanpur 42mm Katchehry in Rawalpindi 26mm Chaklala 22mm Bokra

in Islamabad 24mm Zero Point 21mm and Astore in Gilgit-Baltistan received 38mm rainfall during last 24 hours Monsoon currents continuously penetrating in Sindh and eastern parts of the country Dust-thunderstorm/rain with few heavy falls likely in Jamshoro Dadu

Qambar-Shahdadkot Noshahro Feroze

Jacobabad Shikarpur Larkana and Kashmore districts till July 25 night Isolated heavy falls likely in Karachi division, Sukkur, TharParker, Umerkot, Mirpur Khas Badin Thatta Sujawal

Shaheed Benazirabad Matiari Hyderabad

Tando Allahyar Tando Muhammad Khan Sanghar Khairpur and Ghotki districts till early morning 26 July with occasional gaps, the Pakistan meteorological department (Met Office) forecast

Heavy falls may create water logging/localized urban flooding in low lying areas in Jamshoro Dadu QambarShahdadkot Noshahro Feroze Jacobabad

Shikarpur Larkana and Kashmore districts today

The weather department has also cautioned that wind/dust-storm may cause damage to lose structures including electric poles solar panels and trees

TORRENTIAL RAINS KILL 133,

INJURE 215 ACROSS COUNTRY

The recent torrential rains across the country have so far killed 133 besides leaving 215 injured and causing damages to houses and infrastructure

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) data stated that so far 133 deaths and 215 injuries to people have been reported which includes 21 women and 55 children

As many as 368 houses have also been damaged as torrential rain continued to play havoc across the country, it added

Punjab has the most number of people who died where 65 people were killed in the heavy rains and 35 lost their lives in Khyber

SC bars authorities from arresting PTI chairman in lawyer murder case till Aug 9

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday

barred authorities from arresting PTI

Chairman Imran Khan till August 9 in a case pertaining to the murder of lawyer

Abdul Razzaq Shar in Quetta

A three-member bench led by Justice

Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice

Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mussarat Hilali issued the directives while hearing Imran s plea seeking to quash the case

On June 6, Shar was fatally shot by unidentified assailants near Alamo Chowk

on Airport Road According to the police the attack occurred while he was en route to the Balochistan High Court (BHC), targeted by unknown individuals wielding automatic weapons

The government and the PTI had traded blame over the incident with both sides accusing the other of having a role in the killing Prime minister s aide Attaullah Tarar had alleged that the lawyer was killed at the behest of Imran to allegedly evade accountability in a treason case while PTI spokesperson Raoof Hassan had accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah of being behind the murder

It may be recalled that Shar had filed a constitutional petition against the PTI chief in the Balochistan High Court, seeking proceedings against the ex-premier under Article 6 that pertained to high treason Subsequently a first information report (FIR) was registered on the complaint of Shar s son Advocate Siraj Ahmed, at Quetta s Shaheed Jamil police station against Imran

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) had subsequently issued Imran’s arrest warrants in the case which were later upheld by the BHC Imran had then approached the apex court to quash the FIR registered against him

Pakistan, China to improve quality and efficiency of CPEC: Pang Chunxue

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Charge’ D Affairs of the Chinese Embassy Pang Chunxue declared that under the leadership of the two countries China and Pakistan will continue to work hand in hand to improve quality and efficiency of CPEC They will also upgrade the all-round strategic cooperation to a new height, building a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era

She was addressing here on Monday the International Conference on Decade o f C h i n a P a k i s t a n E c o n o m i c C o r r i d o r a n d B e l t & R o a d I n i t i a t i v e f r o m v i s i o n to reality

It was organized on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of CPEC and BRI She said she believes that CPEC will better benefit all the people of Pakistan

The conference was organized by the

Ministry of Planning Development & Special Initiatives in collaboration with Embassy of China

Those who attended the opening session included Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Secretary of Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed Chairman of Higher Education Commission and Dr Nadeem Javaid Chief Economist of Pakistan and Executive Director of CPEC Secretariat

Pang Chunxue announced that the New Gwadar International Airport, the Desalination Plant and the Pak-China Friendship Hospital will be completed one after another this year which are all using assistance from China

With economic free zone booming and infrastructure completing, Gwadar is making steady progress towards the goal of a logistics hub and industrial base, as well as benefiting local people

PSC director killed in targeted attack on Peshawar’s Ring Road

PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t

A director of the Public Service Commission (PSC) was killed in a firing incident on Peshawar s Ring Road Express News reported on Monday The director of the examination department, Irshad Khan, was en route from Charsadda to Peshawar for duty when he was targeted near Ranpur, said police, adding that his driver was with him According to the Khyber-Pakhutnkhwa (KP) Police Irshad Khan son of Hamdullah Sakna was in a government car when he was targeted by unidentified men and shot dead The area police reached the site upon receiving information and took the deceased s body into custody Initial investigation was commenced and two bullet casings from a 30-bore pistol were collected from the site among other evidence A case will be registered after completion of medicolegal formalities and coordination with the deceased s family said the police The incident comes amid a series of targeted attacks in Peshawar district in recent days Last week, at least two police personnel were martyred and another two were injured when militants opened fire at a check post in Peshawar According to officials the policemen had set up a check post in the Regi Model Town area of the provincial capital when unidentified armed men opened fire at the police personnel, causing critical injuries to four of them

The injured cops were shifted to Khyber Teaching Hospital, where two of them succumbed to their injuries

The other two were under treatment That same day three other policemen and a civilian embraced martyrdom after two suicide bombers exploded in Bara According to the police terrorists wearing police uniforms drove in a car to the Tehsil Offices Compound in Bara, Khyber District, and broke into the premises by cutting a barbed-wire fence As the intruders opened fire at the policemen on duty two suicide attackers attempted to enter the premises through its main gate In retaliation the security personnel opened fire at the suicide attackers, killing both of them However, because of the firing from the security personnel, the explosives-laden vests of the suicide attackers exploded, which resulted in the collapse of a part of the building the officials said

S h e a d d e d “ F a q e e r s c h o o l b u i l t b y

C h i n a s o l v e s t h e s c h o o l i n g p r o b l e m o f m o r e t h a n 5 0 0 c h i l d r e n s a v i n g t h e m

f r o m g o i n g t o s c h o o l s 1 0 k i l o m e t e r s a w a y f r o m h o m e C h i n a h a s a l s o d o n a t e d a t o t a l o f 7 , 0 0 0 s e t s o f s o l a r panels to the common people in Gwadar, p r o v i d i n g e ff i c i e n t e l e c t r i c i t y t o l o c a l c o m m u n i t y Energy projects which enjoy the largest investments have laid solid foundation for economic development and brought tangible benefits to society Back in 2013, Pakistan encountered with severe energy crisis To the request of Pakistan government Chinese investors came here to launch energy projects Up to now there are 19 projects under the CPEC energy cooperation, with a total installed capacity of 13,010 MW Fourteen projects have been put into commercial operation with a total

During the previous hearing on June 20, the bench had directed the ex-premier to submit before it in person before asking for the annulment of the FIR and warrants of arrest Imran Khan appeared before the SC during Monday s hearing alongside his lawyers At the outset of the hearing the Balochistan advocate general urged the SC to instruct the petitioner to appear before the joint investigation team (JIT) tasked with probing the murder

In response Justice Afridi stated that the court would not issue such an order at this stage On what grounds do you wish to include the PTI chairman in the investigation? asked Justice Naqvi

installed capacity of 8 020 MW accounting for 19 4% of Pakistani total installed capacity, significantly solved the problem of power shortage

Among them Sahiwal coal power plant was completed in only 22 months which sets a new record for fastest thermal power complex construction in Pakistan

Infrastructure cooperation under CPEC has achieved great accomplishments The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrading project has greatly facilitated commuters by shortening traveling time from 8 hours to 2 hours

The Lahore Orange Line is the first metro train in Pakistan, carrying about 120,000 people daily The PeshawarKarachi motorway is running well and greatly improved the connection and communication of the country

Industrial Cooperation under CPEC is pivotal for the second phrase of CPEC high quality development CPEC Framework Agreement on Industrial Cooperation has been signed and Mining working group has been established Rashakai Special Economic Zone Phrase I as a fast-track project has completed construction

Pakhtunkhwa (KP) six were killed in Balochistan, the NDMA report read

Earlier, the Met Office warned that heavy rain may cause urban flooding in lowlying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and other major cities from July 20th to 22nd

Heavy rain may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad Rawalpindi

Peshawar Sialkot Narowal Gujranwala and Lahore, according to the weather report Heavy rainfall may trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Murree, and monsoon rains rains kill Monsoon in Pakistan

Heavy rain may cause flooding conditions in local Nullahs of Dera Ghazi Khan and adjoining areas of Balochistan during the forecast period, Pakistan Meteorological Department cautioned Monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are penetrating most parts of the country A westerly wave is affecting upper parts of the country

Marriyum launches registration process for working journalists’ health insurance scheme

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Minister for Information and Broadcasting

Marriyum Aurangzeb launched the registration process for the working journalists health insurance scheme in Islamabad on Monday

Speaking on the occasion she said the working journalists can apply for this scheme by filling an online registration form available on the websites of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Press Information Department (PID) She said the process of registration is very transparent and there is no restriction of the sort that only members of press clubs can apply for this scheme She asked the working journalists to start filling the form from today She said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will formally launch the health insurance scheme for journalists on the 7th of next month She said this scheme is not confined to the journalists of federal capital territory but also to other parts of the country as well The Information Minister said under the health insurance scheme the working journalists will be able to access treatment for various ailments She said it was on the direction of the Prime Minister that an amount of one billion rupees was earmarked in the budget for this health insurance scheme The Information Minister said the present government has taken steps for the protection of rights of working journalists Rejecting the propaganda against PEMRA amendment bill the Information Minister said it is in line with the definition of the UN Human Rights Council and prepared keeping in view the best international practices

Senate body asks to refer recover y of $32m of damaged GT-14 to FIA

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

The Senate Power Committee meeting held under the chair of Senator Saifullah Abro at Parliament House on Monday discussed at length the matter of the recovery of amount of damaged GT-14 (747 MW) from GE and after being dissatisfied on the briefing by the acting CEO GHCL directed the Power Division to refer the matter to the FIA as amount of US $32 million is in question

The Senate Committee also directed the Power Division to refer the matter of the constitution of the new Members of BoDs and also recommended to appoint fresh Members of BoDs as per qualification and merit

The Committee while discussing the matter inquired on the action taken regarding the three letters issued by Power Division on 31-3-2022 on the recovery amount to which the acting CEO GHCL apprised the Committee that the letter issued by the Power Division

and the actions to be taken therein were rejected by the BoD, GHCL as the BoD did not approve of the allegations therein

The Committee expressed amazement on exercise of such authority and inquired the rationale behind rejecting the letter by the ministry The acting CEO GHCL confirmed the fact that the entire management of the GHCL was lacking competency and persistence lethargy responsible for corrupting the whole department

The Committee while further discussing the status of appointment of CEO GHCL recommended readvertising the post with qualification requirement as combination of both the degrees/diploma Engineering and Business Administration and in case the company already has a CFO with required qualification the only degree to be preferred is that of Engineering The Committee also sought list of scrutiny based on the previous advertisement The acting CEO, GHCL also admitted that fact that no revamping took place leading

to consistent irregularities and damages to the power sector

Furthermore, the Committee unanimously decided to make Amendments in the “State-owned Enterprises (Governance & Operations) Act 2023 (Act No VII of 2023) regarding matters of appointments composition of the BoDs and other matters of the HR in the Power Division and observe strict relevancy The Committee while taking briefing on the progress of 2X66) MW (132MW) Coal Fired Power Project Jamshoro showed resentment on the unpreparedness of the representative of acting CEO GENCO-I and showed serious concern over the fact that when allotment of total amount of the project has been made how come it is still not completed

The Committee lamented that had it been completed 2 years back when dollar was at Rs 160 the country would have saved double amount of money it requires now The Committee directed to take written action against the officers

responsible for its delay; the Committee also sought details of the cars being consumed on the project and sought details on its progress and completion in the next meeting The Petition No PP 5309 regarding non-payment of group of life insurance after retirement referred by Chairman Senate was also discussed The Petitioner, (All Pakistan WAPDA Hydro Retired Workers/Pensioners Association, raised that WAPDA has made deductions of Group Life Insurance (GLI) from salaries of Petitioners (retired WAPDA Employees) It was briefed that the insurance premium is deducted from salaries of employees which are called GLI deductions; hence GLI deductions are for payment of their expenditure as a group It was further briefed that these are paid by WAPDA to Insurance Companies and nothing is retained by WAPDA The Committee deferred the matter and directed the Member (Finance) WAPDA and the MD, State life to put appearance and brief the matter

Coalition par ties to be taken onboard regarding caretaker PM: PPPP

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

PPP leader Sherry Rehman rejected reports on Monday that a name for the caretaker prime minister had been finalised terming them fake news No name [for the caretaker PM] has been shared with us and neither has PPP made any decision regarding this, she said in a press conference alongside PPP Information Secretary and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Faisal Karim Kundi in Islamabad

name had been finalised she said adding that this was not the case The PPP s party position is the same as before which is our democratic position entrenched in the Constitution that it’s better if the caretaker government is non-partisan process and involved discussions among multiple parties, as well as the opposition leader Reiterating that unbiasedness was one of the requirements of an election, she said, “We are inclined towards it” Rehman said her party had formed a three-member committee for consultation on the caretaker setup They will inform the party leadership of the [proposed] names but no decision has been taken regarding this yet It should be clear now that we have not settled on a name She also denied that her party had been consulted o n a p p o i n t i n g t h e c a r e t a k e r P M f r o m t h e c u r r e n t federal cabinet The PPP leader further said her party’s leadership had maintained that elections should be held on time within the constitutional term be it 60 days or 90 days

L AW MINISTER, SPEAKER NA DISCUSS ELECTORAL REFORMS BILL , PENDING LEGISL ATIVE BUSINESS

ISLAMABAD s ta f f R e p o R t

FEDERAL Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar held a meeting with Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf in his office on Monday to discuss matters related to pending legislative business and electoral reforms bill The delegation of Lawyers

community of Gujar Khan Bar Council was also present in the meeting The meeting discussed the issues being faced by the lawyers community in Gujar Khan Raja Pervez Ashraf that said resolving the problems being faced by the lawyers of Gujar Khan Bar Council had been his top priority He said that the role of the lawyers’ community was of key importance for ensuring rule of law supremacy of the

NEPRA , Gov t under fire over proposed Rs7.50 per unit power tariff hike

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Naeem directed criticism at NEPRA for their approach particularly in Karachi He further emphasized the predicament facing Karachi: without K-Electric s license renewal, the city would be left without a viable alternative for electricity provision, as no other power distribution license applications have been received to date

The industrialists from Karachi also rejected proposed increase in electricity rates and said that Karachi was contributing 42 percent in revenue but electricity rates for industries were being increased that would hit the industrial sector The criticisms during the hearing shed light on the prevailing challenges faced by NEPRA and the government in addressing the power tariff issue The hearing brought to light the complexities and challenges faced by NEPRA and the government in addressing the power tariff issue The final decision on the proposed hike will have far-reaching implications for consumers and the energy sector, urging authorities to carefully assess all aspects before reaching a verdict

Effor ts for Dar’s nomination as caretaker PM suffer major setback

CONINUED FROM PAGE 01

Khawaja Asif said a caretaker PM plays the role of an umpire in a caretaker set-up He added that Ishaq Dar ’s name was not considered for the caretaker PM s slot on any platform He added that the federal government did not even give any hint at appointing Dar as the caretaker premier The report was actually leaked by a reputed journalist in the media To a question, Asif said that Nawaz Sharif will definitely return to the country soon However he did not mention a specific time for Sharif s return PML-N confirms Dar s candidacy: On Sunday top leaders of PML-N confirmed about amending the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) law in order to empower the caretaker set-up and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar candidature for the next caretaker prime minister

According to sources the PML-N leaders have been pushing Dar ’s name for the caretaker premier position

In response to questions about his candidacy Dar stressed that he did not aspire or lobby for any office and that he had already fulfilled his responsibilities as the finance minister during his political career Dar emphasised the importance of not allowing the nation’s three-month transition period to be spent solely on day-to-day affairs noting that such an approach had led to past inefficiencies He argued that significant decisions especially concerning the country s economy needed to be made during the caretaker government s term to ensure a smooth and productive transition

constitution and promotion of democracy in the country

The NA Speaker said that it was very encouraging that the 15th National Assembly was about to complete its constitutional term He said that the current National Assembly of Pakistan had held regular sessions during the last 14 months to discuss issues of public importance along with enacting important legislation and proposed their solutions

Pervez Ashraf also appreciated the cooperation of the Ministry of Law and Justice in this regard The pending legislation was also discussed in the meeting and it was agreed to bring the pending bills to the House for consideration Azam Nazeer Tarar appreciated the Speaker ’s keen interest in supporting and enacting public friendly legislation He also assured all possible cooperation from the ministry

India’s economy to hold top spot for GDP but not so much for jobs growth: Reuters poll

PR OFIT

R e u t e R s

India s economy will grow at a solid pace for the rest of this fiscal year and next but well below its potential rate according to a Reuters poll of economists who also said the employment situation will improve only slightly The world s most populous country aspires to leapfrog to the status of a developed nation, riding on the unprecedented demographic dividend which demands an annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of around 8% for the next 25 years

But reaching this milestone hinges on implementing key reforms in education, infrastructure, healthcare and technology If we want to realize that 8% growth potential this decade the biggest challenge before policymakers is to reallocate the surplus labour from agriculture to more productive sectors with gainful jobs in them said Dhiraj Nim economist at ANZ Research If India s reform momentum is lacklustre a less exciting picture is on the cards

The latest Reuters poll of 53 economists taken between July 13 and 21 showed the Indian economy would grow 6 1% this fiscal year, a respectable rate when other major economies are expected to slow maintaining a conducive environment for job creation

It was forecast to grow 6 5% next fiscal year with expectations of 6 2% growth this quarter followed by 6 0% and 5 5% The outlook was largely unchanged from a June poll I think

6 0% to 6 5% is a very achievable and a very conservative forecast for India’s growth trajectory,” Nim added World Bank President Ajay Banga recently said the key to India s growth story is through more jobs as

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he outlined the opportunity to cash in on the China Plus One strategy, a scheme adopted by many companies to build manufacturing units outside of the People’s Republic DEMAND VS SUPPLY

Asked how the employment situation will change over the coming year 17 of 25 economists said it will improve slightly The unemployment situation hasn t improved yet and the skilling to some extent is also missing So, there is a gap in terms of the demand versus the supply,” said Radhika Piplani, chief economist at DAM Capital Advisors

Asked what impact the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme designed to attract foreign manufacturers to set up factories in India would have on the country s GDP this fiscal year, 21 of 27 economists said it will only increase it modestly

The remaining six said the PLI scheme, which allocated billions of rupees as incentives from the Union budget in 2023-24 will have no impact

All the sectors where PLI has started are seen booming but the actual impact of it to on-the-ground employment – that is still something which is yet to be seen, Piplani added While India has a lot more ground to cover to replace China as the world s manufacturing hub, some economists acknowledged the PLI scheme was a step in the right direction

More economic reforms could bolster the scheme s prospects and create millions of jobs they added Manufacturing needs to see strong growth and that is possible only when we iron out the issues that are preventing fresh investments in the sector, said Suman Chowdhury, chief economist at Acuite Ratings and Research

Pakistan plans to launch Rs23 kharabs Sovereign Wealth Fund but how will price determination take place?

CONTINUED FR OM BACK PAGE

The recent staff level report of the IMF has hinted towards the fact that the government should look to sell some of its state owned assets to foreign investors and official bilateral creditors including foreign sovereign wealth funds By using this avenue, the government can look to limit some of the losses that are a drain on the exchequer and also fetch a good amount of funds which can be used for future development and investment in the country CONCERN OF TRANSPARENCY AND PRICE DISCOVERY

At this point in time, there are concerns over the price discovery and transparency of any such transactions taking place Companies like Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) have huge government investment in them Based on the interest

by UAE in the oil and gas sector, these two companies can prove to be sold at good valuations

However, the stock market of the country is seeing low market prices currently as compared to the book values This is due to the fact that the country has faced more than 15 months of uncertainty on the political and economic front Due to this the equity markets and valuations have been battered and the valuations being quoted are depressed The industry feels that selling these national assets at depressed prices will be detrimental as these assets can bring in higher valuations

It would be difficult to sell companies through the stock market at this point as local interest rates are too high and the general market valuations are very low Due to a lack of liquidity and market valuations being low, it is felt that the government should use avenues other than the stock market to get better price discovery ” added Farooq

Elon Musk posts new Twitter logo X to replace blue bird

CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

Matt Rhodes, strategy lead at creative agency House 337, told Reuters any changes to a brand so established in popular culture was a risk

“Only a few brands have become verbs or seen themselves referred to in global news outlets as often as Twitter has he said

Anything that makes it harder for people to find or want to open the app on their cluttered phone screens risks harming usage

‘EVERYTHING APP’

Weeks before completing his Twitter acquisition last year Musk had said that buying the company would

ISLAMABAD s h a h z a d pa R ac h a

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet Rs50 billion funds for parliamentarians schemes just before the expiry of government term

The move apparently looks like an effort to influence the voters just months ahead of upcoming elections and may attract attention of international observers and election monitors as such development projects worth billions of rupees may tantamount to prepoll rigging Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting of ECC ECC on the request of the Ministry of Housing and works, Power and Petroleum divisions approved more than Rs50 billion funds for execution of development schemes under SDGs Achievement Program (SAP) in Punjab Sindh Balochistan and KPK provinces Meanwhile the Ministry of National Food Security & Research submitted a summary for allocation of PASSCO s Wheat amongst recipient agencies/ provinces /areas for the year 2023-24 and informed that the recipient agencies have made their demand of 2,488,000 MT for the food year 2023-24 The ECC after discussion allowed allocation of wheat amongst

speed up his ambition to create an “everything app” called “X” by three to five years Musk bought x com back from PayPal in 2017 saying it had sentimental value Musk had cofounded x com as an online bank in 1999 which later transformed into PayPal

While Twitter s official page on the platform has been renamed as “X”, the domain x com is not active

“X is the future state of unlimited interactivity –centred in audio video messaging payments/banking

creating a global marketplace for ideas goods services and opportunities

Yaccarino tweeted on Sunday Yaccarino the former advertising chief at NBCUniversal who started as Twitter CEO on June 5,

has taken over when the social media platform is trying to reverse a plunge in advertising revenue

Since the takeover of Twitter the company has faced tumultuous times with layoffs a sharp drop in advertisers and the meteoric rise of Threads Meta s response to Twitter

The last few months have been tumultuous at Twitter, and I don’t think a new brand is going to solve everything,” Drew Benvie, CEO of social media consultancy Battenhall said

This is less about reinventing Twitter and more about building a brand around Elon Musk s empire including SpaceX where the X branding really connects a little more closely

LAHORE s ta f f R e p o R t

In a game-changing collaboration ABHI a leading embedded finance platform has partnered with BlueEx Pakistan s only listed e-commerce logistics company, to offer e-commerce Revenue, Cash on Delivery Financing and inventory financing in Pakistan, a complete solution for financing needs of not only eCommerce Companies but also other SMEs in Pakistan (AbhiCOD) Amidst the rising inflation e-commerce platforms have faced financial hurdles that demand strategic solutions In response to these pressing needs they ve introduced AbhiCOD which is an innovative short-term Shariah-compliant loan solution tailored to meet the financial needs of ecommerce businesses serving as a lifeline for them striving to thrive in today's competitive landscape "AbhiCOD represents our commitment to empowering businesses during challenging times Our equity with BlueEx has created an unmatched solution, allowing businesses to unlock their true potential by accessing growth financing to capture the opportunities that arise amidst uncertainties," said Omair Ansari, Group CEO of ABHI Notably, prominent figures like Mr Wasim Akram a pre-IPO shareholder in BlueEx have extended their support to promote AbhiCOD Their endorsement highlights the significant impact this innovative solution can have on businesses, making it an invaluable asset for entrepreneurs and industry professionals

are vigilant and actively monitoring the weather forecasts and are on standby to address any eventuality KE teams are also in touch with the relevant departments to quickly address any faults and ensure a smooth supply With intermittent rain is forecast over the next few days it is important to follow safety precautions Citizens are advised to keep a safe distance from electrical installations including utility poles and transformers Illegal kundas and unauthorized TV/internet cables also pose as significant safety risks and are a known hazard during this rainy season For further assistance, customers can remain updated about the power supply situation via KE’s social media platforms SMS KE Live App or WhatsApp service or helpline at 118

ABOUT K-ELECTRIC:

K-Electric (KE) is a public listed company incorporated in Pakistan in 1913 as KESC

Privatized in 2005 KE is the only vertically integrated utility in Pakistan supplying electricity within a 6500 km square territory including Karachi and its adjoining areas The majority shares (66 4%) of the company are listed in the PSX owned by KES Power, a consortium of investors including Aljomaih Power Limited of Saudi Arabia, National Industries Group (Holding), Kuwait, and the Infrastructure and Growth Capital Fund (IGCF) The Government of Pakistan is also a minority shareholder (24 36%)

the recipients @ 50% local and 50% imported on weighted average price of the stock

The ECC further directed that all recipients would pay full price of wheat and incidental charges of PASSCO as there would be no financial liability on part of the federal govt for supply of the wheat to the respective provinces/entities The ECC also directed the provincial governments to pay the pending liabilities of Rs 149 billion of PASSCO before signing of MoU for the procurement of wheat for the current year

The ECC approved summary of Ministry of Industries and Production regarding amendments in the EPZA Rules, 1981 and EPZs

Care tak e r ru m o u rs

BY the time this editorial was written, the PPP s Sherry Rehman had clarified that there was no truth to the rumours That there hadn t been some sort of consensus within the ruling PDM on the League’s Ishaq Dar as caretaker prime minister

The decision would have been symbolic - and catastrophic - as the ruling coalition would have thrown away even the pretense of a neutral caretaker regime by appointing perhaps the most important cabinet member after the PM himself, as the caretaker PM

Yes we cannot take the government to book over mere rumours, but the way Dar himself addressed these rumours in media appearances seemed to imply that the possibility was being seriously discussed They should have been strongly denied instead of the faux humility and halfdenials of a man being selected for a job

In fact, so bad was the government’s media management regarding the issue that the PTI is set to already include it in its arsenal of complaints, even if it didn’t happen (“They were even about to ”)

As things stand now, the odds are stacked against the former ruling party with a huge chunk of the leaders having jumped ship, most of them, under reported - and apparent - duress The party’s chairman is facing a bevy of court cases (some under clownish charges others not so much) and there is a bit of a gag order on him on the mainstream legacy media

The times were tough for the news media and the political opposition during the previous dispensation; Pakistan had moved several rungs down on the press freedom index under the government of Imran Khan and the then opposition were facing cases that were clearly farcical That things are worse under the current administration is a sad sign of the times Pakistan s political class is now supping with the devil just to make shortsighted gains against foes with whom they have more in common than the devil would like them to believe

On this front even though at the moment the blame lies squarely on the ruling coalition for acquiescing to the onslaught it would also bode well for the erstwhile ruling party to do some introspection The major two parties of the PDM have had a lot of serious gripes against each other but they did decide to bury the hatchet The PTI s chairman, on the other hand, almost made it some sort of virtue to not even treat them like representatives of a quantum of people much larger than the ones that had voted in the PTI

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

PA K I S TA N a nation of over 220 million people has faced its fair share of economic challenges in recent years The nation has been grappling with a severe economic meltdown characterized by depletion of reserves and an overwhelming burden of ungovernable debt The country is currently confronted with mounting challenges such as soaring inflation political strife between different political parties and a surge in terrorism These factors along with Pakistan s massive external debt obligations, have placed the nation at risk of default In addition, the devaluation of currency has resulted in the highest inflation rate in the country since its inception which in return accelerated poverty affecting human development which is ranked 161 h in the current ranking of HDI

The IMF has reached a Staff-Level Agreement with Pakistan on a $3 billion Stand-by Arrangement

Though, this deal has had some positive impacts, like the inflow of $2 billion from Saudi Arabia and $1 billion from the United Arab Emirates and it may help Pakistan in gaining investor confidence but all of these are short-sighted In the long run it will not help Pakistan solve its economic crisis completely Instead it will worsen the country s debt position

Therefore, the stability of Pakistan depends upon the outcome of the escalating economic crisis caused by the current political turmoil in the country

C u r r e n t l y P a k i s t a n i s u n d e r t h e s t r e s s o f u ngovernable debt The Country has borrowed extensively from international sources to finance budget deficits development projects and meet its financial obligations The IMF has expressed dissatisfaction with Pakistan s commitment and its ability to secure funds for meeting external financing requirements Moreover the country’s external debt was totaled $126 3 billion Roughly $45 billion owed to multilateral creditors including $18 billion to the World Bank $15 billion to the Asian Development Bank and $7 6 billion to the IMF This debt comes with a great repayment pressure, since Pakistan has to pay an external debt of $77 5 billion from April 2023 to June 2026 In 2024-25, debt repayment burden will be around $24 6 billion and by 2025-26 it will be $23 billion Hence almost 50% of the total budget is allocated in the repayment of the external debt which is Rs7 3 trillion out of Rs14 4 trillion

Thus, for a $350 billion economy, this is a huge financial burden

One of the key factors contributing to Pakistan’s economic meltdown is the depletion of its foreign exchange reserves Foreign exchange reserves serve as a lifeline for any country enabling it to stabilize its currency fuel economic growth and meet its international obligations Pakistan s foreign exchange reserves have declined to $3 5 billion, marking the lowest level since February 2014 - an amount insufficient to cover even a single month’s worth of import expenses This decline in reserves coincided with a

period of political instability in Pakistan as former Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from power through a parliamentary no-trust vote

The level of reserves is barely sufficient to cover the cost of imports for a month

Currently, Pakistan

Owing to this the depletion of foreign exchange reserves had a major consequence on the national currency, leading to the devaluation of over 21% throughout 2022 The US dollar closed at 226 43 against rupee in the interbank market on the last trading session of the year on December 30 After this, the Pakistani rupee experienced a decline of 3 02% in relation to the US dollar reaching a trading rate of 299 in the interbank market This decline in the currency has resulted in growing foreign debt, increasing the cost of imports for Pakistan As the debt burden grows, there is a possibility that investors will worry about the country’s capacity to meet the financial obligations, leading to decrease in the demand of Pakistani rupee Here again the value of the Pakistani rupee relative to US dollar may decline If we strengthen our foreign trade and encourage export it can contribute in solving this problem

Moreover, frequent changes in the government or shifts in political power can lead to economic crisis

The major cause of economic crisis in the country is the political uncertainty The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) a US-based Think Tank suggests that the prevailing political uncertainty in Pakistan has the potential to further worsen the economic crisis As long as Pakistan s political conditions are unstable, its economic conditions cannot get any better The political stakeholders are continuously in a fight

R e g i o n a l i s m a n d D i p l o m a c y

The SCO summit which was held virtually Modi regime lacked credible explanation for not holding SCO summit in physical or hybrid mode Indian Foreign secretary failure to give even one credible reason for having a virtual summit indicates that India is moving away from the approaches which led it to become an SCO full member in 2017

Theme of the Sum-

mit was Towards a SE-

CURE SCO The term SECURE stands for Security, Economy and Trade Connectivity Unity Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity and Environment

PA K I S TA N is always committed to dialogue and diplomacy It prefers the resolution of disputes through peaceful means Pakistan s existence is itself evident of its commitment towards dialogue over war History of Pakistan-India relations also highlights frequent shift towards peace processes initiated by Pakistan such as Composite Dialogues Pakistan also played crucial role in bringing warring groups in Afghanistan on table Even on regional platforms Pakistan always prioritized the significance of forum over its enmity As a committed member of the SCO since joining in 2017, Pakistan recognizes the important role of regionalism in enhancing security stability and economic growth

Regardless of its strained relations with India Pakistan did not back off from the regional forum undermining credibility of platform over India s hostile approach While, on other hand India always tries to sabotage the regional arrangements via blame gaming or refusing to participate such as 19 h SAARC summit, in which Pakistan was host but got cancel Contrary to this Pakistan is committed towards regionalism a in last SCO meet of foreign ministers in Goa Pakistan s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended the meeting despite of having war of words with its India s counterpart at UN India blamed Pakistan for spreading terrorism, calling Bilawal Bhutto spoke person of terrorists India’s animosity towards Pakistan drives India to exploit every regional platform to degrade Pakistan On other hand Pakistan was aware of India s attention still attended the meeting owing to its commitments to the principles and charter of SCO Pakistan accepted India’s invitation to the 23 d meeting of SCO Council of Head of States (CHS) The event held virtually with SCO member states heads joined the meet along with Iran Belarus and Mongolia invited as Observer States where Iran joined as new member The heads of six regional and international organizations were also invited including UN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building

Measures in Asia (CICA)

India is needed to raise against the regional politics in interest of all the regional states. The region can only prosper and regionalism can prevail if India stops manipulating mutual issues such as terrorism, extremism, and Kashmir conflict for diplomatic gains and move towards collectively addressing these issues

Though the term was coined by Narendra Modi, but if one analyze Indian government under Modi these elements of SECURE were sabotaged by Modi himself India s hegemonic designs under Modi have blatantly tarnished the concept of Security within state where Manipur is burning Minorities are at verge of Genocide Sikhs are fighting for their rights, Kashmiris are struggling against state oppression, and Muslims are victim of discriminatory policy of state Bulldozer politics is one of the tactic by Modi regime to silence the sane voices As far as the respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty is concerned, the Balakot Crisis and the Brahmos Missile incident is the utter violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty of its neighboring state India is needed to implement these elements contributing towards regional stability Even regionalism is the main factor that can contribute towards economic growth of whole region These regional platforms should not be ex-

ploited for petty vested interests and diplomatic point scoring As India again attempted to exploit virtual summit via blame gaming on Pakistan for terrorism Though this time, China hard handedly deals with India, Xi Jinping said: We should keep in mind the overall and long-term interests of our region and make our foreign policies independently We must be highly vigilant against external attempts to foment a new Cold War or campbased confrontation in our region ” India is needed to raise against the regional politics in interest of all the regional states The region can only prosper and regionalism can prevail if India stops manipulating mutual issues such as terrorism extremism and Kashmir conflict for diplomatic gains and move towards collectively addressing these issues The way European Union successfully contributed towards thwarting war and boosting economic growth

The Eurasian region can also overcome its internal rifts through such platform as SCO boosting durable peace and stability in the region

The SCO provides an excellent opportunity for such engagements where Pakistan and India along with other regional states can collaborate towards paving way for sustainable peace and stability in the region The SCO could prove to be an effective platform where steps must be taken to promote peace trust and cooperation between the two nations

The writer is Research Officer at Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), AJK

against each other not paying heed to the worsening conditions of Pakistan They have to sideline their personal interests and engage in a constructive dialogue to find common ground for collective gain against these issues

It is argued that political uncertainty and economic crises has a negative impact on human development The current economic crisis has put Pakistan on the 161 t position out of the 185 countries and it is among the 25 countries with the lowest human development in the world

This has led to an increase in poverty which is because of decline in income due to ever increasing inflation

All these factors have widened the gap between the rich and the poor Due to the increased financial strain people have reduced access to healthcare and education, contributing in the decline of human development

There is dire need of taking short and long term measures to curb with the current crisis Pakistan needs to encourage domestic industries to produce goods that are currently being imported This can reduce the reliance on imports conserve foreign currency and boost local production Restricting unnecessary foreign imports can reduce the demand for foreign currency and will help in revaluation of the currency By prioritizing healthcare, education and skills development of the citizens of Pakistan the level of human development can be improved In the long run Pakistan should work on enhancing its exports base in order to increase its competitiveness in the global market

The writer is working as a Research Assistant at Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN) Quetta

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

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

Post-grad crisis

H AV I N G completed my graduation I have now spent two years in the professional arena focussing on developing my practical skills During conversations with my friends, we often end up wondering what was the point of four academic years if we still have to spend two years learning the ropes in a real-world scenario

We question whether our university and teachers ever anticipated this crisis and how the curriculum prepared or failed to prepare us for this challenging phase Many young graduates including myself struggle to find a way out of this existential trap often feeling suffocated

The pressure to join the rat race of securing a private-sector job, pursuing the Pakistani American dream of a government job, succumbing to the fallacy of owning a home and car right after graduation, and the desire for financial independence to support our families and repay them for their financial and moral support during our education; it all becomes outright overwhelming In addition to the challenges and pressures we face during the post-graduation phase there are also moments of introspection and self-doubt We question whether we made the right choices, whether we are on the right path, and whether our education has truly equipped us for the real world Imagine how nice it would be if the universities offered a course specifically designed to address the post-graduation crisis This course could provide valuable insights guidance and practical tools to help fresh graduates navigate through this challenging period

Such a course could cover various aspects including self-reflection career exploration and personal development It could help fresh graduates identify their passions, strengths and values, allowing them to align their career choices with their authentic selves Through workshops, seminars and mentoring sessions, students could gain clarity about their career goals and develop strategies to achieve them Additionally the course could focus on developing crucial skills for professional success such as effective communication networking and adaptability It could teach graduates how to leverage their education and experiences to create opportunities whether it be through entrepreneurship, freelancing or joining established organisations Moreover, the course could address the emotional and psychological challenges that often accompany the post-graduation phase It could provide guidance on managing expectations coping with uncertainty and maintaining a positive mindset Fresh graduates would learn resilience perseverance and strategies for overcoming setbacks

RAKHSHANDA ABBAS GILGIT

Law yers’ strikes

C O U RT S are the only place where it is believed that justice is administered, and that is why people approach them to get justice and their rights But, regrettably in Pakistan, the situation is contrary to it, for there is neither the rule of law nor is quick justice provided to the common man

Unfortunately despite the backlog of millions of cases and the judiciary s ranking at 130 out of 139 in the World Justice Project Ranking the clashes between judges and the bar members have not reduced

The courts in Malir are a case in point, where the strike by bar against the conduct and administration of a district judge recently led to a halt in proceedings in all cases Such a rift between the bench and the bar affects only the people who despite their harsh economic conditions take time out and wait outside the courts from 8am hoping that it would be the day when they would get at least an inch closer to getting justice But that does not happen often On the matter of strikes the Supreme Court in one of its landmark judgments, cited as 2023 SCMR 421, held that the strikes by lawyers for their personal means consequently injures the fundamental rights i e right of due process of law, fair trial, liberty, right of equal protection of law guaranteed by the Constitution, of an accused, who is behind the bar are violated”

is under the stress of ungovernable debt. The Countr y has borrowed extensively from international sources to finance budg et deficits, development projects and meet its financial obligations

Syeda Tahreem Bukhari

Itip my hat to every single Israeli demonstrator the heroes who converged onto the streets for 30 consecutive weeks to protest the government’s sinister design to “reform” the judiciary They know full well the dire implications to the country that these reforms the first stage of which has just passed at the time of writing will have It is no secret that the government wants to usurp the power of the impartial Supreme Court, the crown jewel of Israel s jurisprudence that ensures the democratic nature of the country, and place it in the hands of biased and corrupt elected officials who put their self-serving interests and lust for power above the national interest

The opposition parties rightfully claim that the passage of the first legislation of reasonableness will allow the government to exercise unchecked power, removing the safeguard that shields the rights of the individual and minorities In addition, it will dangerously further polarize the country between secular liberals and ultra-religious messianics and create a permanent schism that could lead to widespread violence between the two sides a prospect that will destroy the country s remarkable achievements in all fields of life which were earned through the hard work and dedication of many Israelis, and pave the way for a creeping dictatorship

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s disingenuous statement that the judicial reform will in fact strengthen rather than erode Israel s democracy flies in the face of what democracy is all about as it is largely practiced in the Western hemisphere But Netanyahu who is totally self-consumed by his inflated ego, his authoritarian design, and his radical ideological bent, forgot what a democracy stands for Let me remind him

Democracy is not merely limited to fair and free elections where the majority of voters elect a representative government In a true liberal democracy everyone is granted equal rights under the law and to secure equality, an independent judiciary becomes a prerequisite In a democracy, there is a clear separation between the state and religion, and there is no discrimination on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, language, or culture Freedom of speech and the press are sacrosanct in a democracy

Finally albeit not exhaustively the state budget should benefit all segments of the population equally

s r a e l i s o n t h e b r i n k o f a d i s a s t e r

The other false claim that Netanyahu and his cohorts assert is that the majority of Israelis voted for his government, which gives it the mandate to govern as it deems fits To begin with, whereas the current government did win the election, it was essentially a tied vote 2 36 million eligible voters voted for the pro-Netanyahu bloc and roughly 2 31 million voted for the opposition parties approximately 39 percent versus 38 9 percent of eligible voters Over 1 3 million eligible voters did not vote in addition to 3 05 million Israelis under the age of 18

Thus, to suggest that a government that was voted in by less than half of the population can usurp the power of the Supreme Court enshrined in the basic law by a simple majority is absurd as it runs completely against the will and the interests of the overwhelming majority of the people In addition it will impair the future of Israelis under the age of 18 one-third of the country s total population who may well end up living under a dictatorship with catastrophic implications Tens of thousands of young people will leave the country causing a dire brain drain that will have a crippling effect on just about every economic and scientific sector in the country

Beyond efforts to severely undercut the judiciary from the moment the current Netanyahu government was formed the onslaught on democracy began with a vengeance, as each of the coalition partners wanted to secure their share of power and the financial largess that comes with it

The creation and distribution of new superfluous ministries like candy with appropriations of hundreds of millions of shekels only to satisfy the egos of various party leaders is sick and alarmingly damaging to the well-being of the country The funds appropriated for these utterly unnecessary ministries, such as the Ministry of National Security headed by a thug, Itamar Ben-Gvir could have been spent on the poor and the needy the tens of thousands of children who live in poverty, go to sleep hungry and live in squalor This is not a democracy; this is hypocrisy and a criminal waste of the country’s resources

Prime Minister NetanyahuÊs disingenuous statement that the judicial reform will in fact strengthen rather than erode IsraelÊs democracy flies in the face of what democracy is all about as it is largely practiced in the Western hemisphere.

When there is no clear separation between religion and state democracy is inherently compromised as it directly infringes on the right of every non-religious person to live as they see fit But this government has even

I s t h i s t h e e n d o f B i b i ?

thodox who have always known that he followed the rules of fidelity and kashruth with equal attention Netanyahu s cynicism, deceptions, and ethical gymnastics are no more shocking to his Israeli supporters than Trump’s similar qualities are to his immense base He won so long as he could deliver for his constituents

expanded the religious party’s authority Other than their traditional control over marriage divorce and rites of passage such as bar mitzvahs circumcisions and burials they now want complete a prohibition of El Al fights on Shabbat, and to prevent the courts from intervening in cases of human rights violations, which adversely impact LGBTQ persons, Arabs, and other minorities And on top of that they refuse to enlist their children to serve in the army while demanding and receiving full subsidies from the government This is not a democracy; this is a theocracy and a blatant breach of the separation between religion and state When demagogues and criminals including Netanyahu who is indicted for bribery fraud and breach of trust Ben-Gvir who was sanctioned for his bigotry and extreme views, and Smotrich who wants to burn down every Palestinian village control the levers of power only to further their interests and to hell with the country they make a mockery of Israel s democracy Indeed, a true democracy is a system of governance that puts the well-being and safety of the people first but this government is all about power grabs that do nothing but undermine Israel s reputation abroad and destroy its social fabric at home

When a country is an occupying power and applies two sets of laws one for Israeli Jews living in the West

Bank and one for the Palestinians that regularly violate the Palestinians’ human rights and subject them to a harsh and ruthless occupation it cannot be a democracy But then leave it to this wicked government to manipulate public opinion, leading them to believe that the Palestinians pose a real and present danger to Israel s national security, and must be dealt with firmly with an iron fist The occupation has been eroding Israel’s democracy from day one and as long as this authoritarian government remains in power and gets its way by subjugating the judiciary to its whims it will move to annex much of the West Bank and bury what s left of Israel s democracy

It is appalling and shameful that the reasonableness legislation has just passed But this disastrous, wanton act should become the catalyst for continuing the battle against this government and preventing it from passing further legislation that will completely cripple the Supreme Court and the appointment of judges who will be beholden to the ideology of a dangerous messianic cult

This government must be toppled by the people not only to prevent it from destroying the last vestiges of Israel’s democracy, but to save Israel from self-destruction Every demonstrator who held the Israeli flag so high must not allow history to repeat itself and bring about the destruction of the third temple because of internal disputes disunity rivalries and a morally bankrupt and irredeemable government

Beware, Netanyahu The real battle for Israel s soul has just begun, and you will be remembered as the despicable pharaoh who brought Israel to the brink of disaster

Dr Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Centre for Global Affairs at NYU He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies alon@alonben-meir com

BE N J A M I N Netanyahu has been Prime Minister of Israel longer than anyone in the history of the state, longer than F D R was President of the United States And yet for all his electoral success he has always been a known quantity Twenty-five years ago during Netanyahu s first term I spoke with his predecessor and fellow Likud member Yitzhak Shamir Bibi? Shamir said He is not a very trustworthy man ” He added, “I don’t believe he believes in anything He has a huge ego People don’t like such people I don t like him Not long after I spoke with Shimon Peres the Labor Party leader who had lost to Netanyahu in 1996 Peres was furious with Netanyahu s determination to undermine the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians His general assessment of Netanyahu’s amoralism and cynicism was much like

Shamir s Netanyahu s only consideration is his own coalition Peres said He s always worried about losing power that is always his first priority

On the same reporting trip to Jerusalem, I discovered that the cliché is true: No man is a hero to his director of communications and policy planning David Bar-Illan a former concert pianist and editor of the Jerusalem Post was without illusions about Netanyahu even as he pledged abiding loyalty to him When I asked Bar-Illan how Netanyahu won the ultra-Orthodox vote despite his rigorously secular life style, Bar-Illan said, “Finessing his being secular was nothing compared to other things like adultery One thing is to have an affair with a shiksa but a married woman! With a shiksa even the rebbes do it But a married woman!

Now Bibi ll go to synagogue on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, maybe he s gone to the Western Wall, or he’ll say the phrase ‘With God’s help ’ But he’s not fooling anyone ” When Bar-Illan s remarks were published in The New Yorker and then in the Israeli press Netanyahu was incensed He barred his spinmeister from his plane and his next trip to Washington Bar-Illan, who died in 2003, panicked and not only denied that he’d said those things to me but he also told Israeli television that he had never even met me (This forced me to go on Israeli TV to display the copy of his book Eye on the Media which he had inscribed, To David from David, With admiration and best wishes ) The point is, Netanyahu has never really fooled anyone He didn’t fool his fellowpoliticians or various American Presidents who knew him to be a liar and an opportunist

He was not fooling the Mizrahim who obviously knew that he came from an Ashkenazic background Nor has he fooled the ultra-Or-

And now this generation-long drama the Netanyahu era, has reached its dispiriting resolution Netanyahu has pursued his aim to cling to power at all costs Facing criminal charges he has made common cause with a cabinet of messianic authoritarians and bigots who are righteously determined to hack away at judicial independence freedom of the press minority rights, protest and opposition politics, and democracy itself Next week, the Knesset is poised to get rid of the so-called reasonableness clause, a stricture borrowed from British tradition which allows the Supreme Court to strike down actions of the legislature Such a move in a state with no constitution would undermine what modest balance of powers exists in Israeli political life Avichai Mandelblit, a former Attorney General, warned recently that, if Netanyahu fails to restrain his coalition, Israel is in the process of turning into a “borderline dictatorial state For years left-leaning parties and constituencies in Israel have been dispirited and weak The settlers of the West Bank have not only increased in their numbers and led the resistance to their territorial dominion but they have also helped shape the political rhetoric and character of the state The Palestinian issue is rarely spoken of as if the people of Gaza and the West Bank will somehow do Israel the favor of disappearing and Arab citizens of Israel are too often regarded, by the right wing, as less than citizens

But, as grim as the outlook has been, the defeatism among those who oppose the rightwing coalition government in Israel has come to an end There is a Kulturkampf in Israel but it is hardly a rout a settled matter For the past twenty-eight weeks, infuriated by the coalition government s judicial overhaul, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have marched at one dramatic protest after another It is a sustained act of resistance an inspiring reassertion of democratic values These demonstrations have taken place in cities both secular and religious The protests draw from all occupations and have immobilized city centers and highways Protesters fearing that the judicial reform will strip women of civil rights sometimes dress in the red robes of The Handmaid s Tale Arnon Bar-David the head of the Histadrut the national labor union, has suggested the possibility of a general strike, saying, If the situation reaches an extreme, we will intervene and employ our strength ” The Israel Medical Association, which represents nearly all of the country’s doctors voted to employ all available means if necessary to head off the judicial reform Leading figures in the tech industry have threatened to leave the country Most dramatic, perhaps, hundreds of Air Force reserve pilots signed on to a petition of protest, and there is now a question of whether they will serve if ordered Netanyahu knows that if he dares to fore-

his

leading Israeli journalist and the author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu, told me that no Prime Minister in the history of Israel has ever been in a weaker situation “In seventy-five years, there has never been a question of the military’s loyalty or any kind of mass disobedience Smaller things but not this he said We ve gone from the idea of Bibi being the longest-serving Prime Minister to the weakest P M ever! And, for him, it just doesn t compute He can t grasp what’s happening to him For him, it is like those nightmares that you are driving a car but when you press the brakes or turn the wheel nothing happens The car doesn t respond Netanyahu lives in a bubble and thinks How can they not be listening to me?, Pfeffer went on He has this crazy, mistaken idea that the tech miracle was his doing And he thinks, I made these guys rich! Before, we only sold oranges He thinks How could they join the protests or move abroad?

Netanyahu has criticized members of the armed forces who have broken with the government, but some leading reservists have insisted publicly they have the right to stop their voluntary service as a protest against a danger to the state According to the Times Brigadier General Ofer Lapidot a reservist who was among those who stepped down told Channel 11 What is worse? The destruction of the country? Or the strengthening of an army that will be serving an illegitimate government legal but not legitimate that is bringing us all to a dictatorship and will soon give us illegal orders?”

Some signs at the weekly protests read President Biden Help Us Please For his part, Biden spent much of this week sending Netanyahu clear signals that the Prime Minister is endangering the stability of his own country and his future relations with the United States Aluf Benn the editor of the liberal daily Haaretz wrote that those signals can be summed up as a demand to replace the coalition to dump fanatics like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir and replace them with Benny Gantz, a retired general and alternate Prime Minister from 2020 to 2021 Leading Israeli politicians say that Biden is a longtime friend of Israel and they worry that younger Democratic politicians don t share that affection Biden has made it clear that his Administration wants to see a series of serious policy changes, including a halt to the judicial legislation until there is a broader national consensus on its details; a freeze on construction in the settlements; the strengthening of the Palestinian Authority; and total coördination of military activity regarding Iran

It s impossible to fulfill even a single item on this list with Netanyahu s present coalition, Benn wrote “The only person with the power to pull the emergency cord and stop the train of destruction being led by Netanyahu before it destroys the country is Benny Gantz The time has come for him to offer himself as the national savior the one who prevents the destruction of the army and the economy moments before a civil war Israel won t return to the imaginary ideal portrayed in the army entertainment troupe songs beloved by Gantz but the bleeding will be stanched ”

Israeli protest against the judicial coup has militaristic characteristics

HAARETZ G D e o n L e v y

TH I S is (also) the story of an army that had a state Along came a government that acted to overturn the orders of the government in the army’s state whereupon the army rose in protest against the government

Even in the wake of the spectacul a r m a r c h t o J e r u s a l e m w h o s e l i k e s h a v e n e v e r b e e n s e e n h e r e b e f o r e , there is no mistaking the protest s militaristic character, which overshadows its civilian foundations This protest has taken on the bright khaki and overly blue hues of the Israel Air Force Its language is military most of its leaders are former service members Refusal to serve is its most effective weapon, and its ultimate goal is to keep the state as it was before A f t e r i t s e e m e d a s i f I s r a e l h a d m a t u r e d a n d w e a n e d i t s e l f f r o m i t s militarist childhood diseases its worship of generals and the cult of milit a r y s e r v i c e , a l o n g c a m e t h e p r o t e s t movement and demonstrated that militarism has not waned O n t h e c o n t r a r y i t h a s r e a c h e d new heights There is no better proof than this: When a democratic protest f i n a l l y e m e rg e d i t r e s t s o n m i l i t a r y u n d e r p i n n i n g s I t i s a m i l i t a r y z o n e , even if it s not a closed one There is n o c o n t r a s t g r e a t e r t h a n t h e o n e b et w e e n t h e m i l i t a r y – a p a t e n t l y n o nd e m o c r a t i c o rg a n i z a t i o n – a n d d e m o c r a c y T h a t i s n o t t o s a y t h a t there is no democracy with an army or that an army is necessarily anti-democ r a t i c A n d y e t , i s t h e a r m y d e m o cr a c y ’s g a t e k e e p e r ? A r e w e l i k e Turkey? Where exactly did our generals learn the rules of democracy in the army bases? In the casbah of Nablus? I n t h e m i l i t a r y t y r a n n y o v e r a n o t h e r people which has been its chief occupation for decades? Israel has gone even further Even the former heads of its secret services

are the protectors of its democracy People whose vocation is abuse, whose routine consists of political detentions and killings, the cruel extortion and exploitation of the weaknesses of large numbers of people interrogations under torture as well as abductions without any judicial review are now the framers of the democratic protest Nadav Argaman, Yoram Cohen and Yuval Diskin now stand at the forefront of the struggle for democracy, after heading an organization that employs Stasi tactics in the territories; they are the ones who are explaining to us how precious democracy is L i s t e n t o t h e m i l i t a r y j a rg o n : t h e protest movement s front and headq u a r t e r s ” t h e “ c o a l i t i o n o f s h i r k e r s ” (of Benjamin Netanyahu)”; the protest of the pilots and the dramatic news conference Saturday evening of all the reservists organizations in the protest m o v e m e n t T h e r e s n o e s c a p i n g t h e career soldiers in its leadership: Ehud B a r a k a n d D a n H a l u t z , “ b r o t h e r s - i narms” in their brown shirts; other org a n i z a t i o n s w h o s e i d e n t i t y i s a function of its members military service as well as the associations and petitions of the veterans of units that are t h e i r m o s t i m p o r t a n t a n d i m p r e s s i v e markers of identity The entire protest is painted in military colors

Even the old-new savior who popped up over the weekend Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is a former general the commander of Operation Cast Lead and a right-winger Where did Gallant learn about democracy? In Gaza City’s Zeitoun district, where as head of the army’s Southern Command he was responsible for the killing of 23 members of the Samouni family and for the killing of four women and girls of the al-Aish family?

Perhaps Gallant has changed his spots and is now a democrat in his soul, the Israeli John Locke But his becoming the hope of the liberal camp tells the entire story It s fascinating that most of the protest s effectiveness stems from its militaristic character Let the physicians strike, let the business leaders convene, the university lecturers march, the high-tech entrepreneurs and employees threaten and the poets and authors sign petitions

In the end it s the generals who will stop the judicial coup If that doesn t illustrate the nature of Israeli society, what would? It is right to salute the protesters, especially after last weekend with its disturbing sights But one should remember that saluting is also a typical military act

I

T WO PROMINENT MOSQUES IN NEW DELHI GET ‘ENCROACHMENT’ NOTICES

ANKARA

A n A d O l u Ag E n C y

AU T H O R I T I E S i n t h e I n d i a n R a i l w a y s h a v e i s s u e d n o t i c e s t o t w o p r o m i n e n t m o s q u e s i n t h e national capital New Delhi, aski n g t h e m t o r e m o v e e n c r o a c hm e n t s ” w i t h i n 1 5 d a y s , l o c a l m e d i a r e p o r t e d o n S u n d a y Local news broadcaster India Today said in a report that notices were issued to two prominent mosques over the weekend by the Indian Railways, stating that the land of Masjid Bachchu Shah and Masjid Takia Babbar Shah belongs to them

The notice stated that “their land has

been illegally encroached upon and they are urging the concerned parties to voluntarily remove any unauthorised buildings, temples, mosques, or shrines constructed on their property ”

The railways have warned that if the encroachments are not removed within the stipulated timeframe they will take necessary action to reclaim their land

The parties responsible for the encroachments will be held accountable for any damages incurred during the process, relieving the railway administration of any liabilities the broadcaster said Northern Railway spokesman Deepak Kumar confirmed the media reports

The local managing committee of the

R u s s i a s ay s d ow n s t wo U k r a i n i a n d r o n e s ove r M o s c ow

MOSCOW

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Russia said it had neutralised two Ukrainian drones over Moscow in the early hours of Monday with one crashing close to the defence ministry in the city centre

Officials said the drones struck nonresidential buildings in the capital and there were no casualties

The attack came a day after Kyiv vowed to “retaliate” for a Russian missile attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa

“A Kyiv regime attempt to carry out

a terrorist act using two drones on objects on the territory of the city of Moscow was stopped Russia s defence ministry said

Two Ukrainian drones were suppressed and crashed

There are no casualties

The TASS news agency reported one drone crashed in Komsomolsky Prospekt near the defence ministry while another hit a business centre on Likhacheva Street by one of Moscow s main ring roads

AFP reporters at the scene saw a building with a damaged roof on Komsomolsky Prospekt, where police had cor-

doned off the area

Several police cars and fire engines and an ambulance could be seen and an AFP reporter was instructed by a police officer to stop filming or face detention

I wasn t asleep It was 3:39 am The house really shook,” Vladimir, a 70-yearold local resident, told AFP about the moment of impact It is scandalous that a Ukrainian drone almost flew into the defence ministry said Vladimir who declined to give his last name, as he took pictures at the scene Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the drone strikes occurred at around 4:00 am local time (0100 GMT)

He said emergency services were working at the scene and also reported no casualties

The RIA Novosti news agency posted a video of the business centre, with some damage visible to the top of the tall building The road around it was closed Moscow and its environs lie around 500 kilometres (310 miles) from the Ukrainian border but have been hit by

several drone attacks this year with one even hitting the Kremlin in May

Earlier this month Russia said it had downed five Ukrainian drones that disrupted the functioning of Moscow s Vnukovo international airport

‘Will definitely feel this’

Russian forces have pounded the Ukrainian port city of Odesa since Moscow quit a deal allowing Ukrainian grain to be exported through the Black

Sea last week

The latest strike on the city on Sunday killed two people and severely damaged a historic cathedral Clergymen rescued icons from rubble inside the badly damaged Transfiguration Cathedral which was demolished under Stalin in 1936 and rebuilt in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union

The Ukrainian government condemned the cathedral strike as a “war crime”, saying it had been “destroyed twice: by Stalin and Putin”

President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed retaliation: They will definitely feel this he said We cannot allow people around the world to get used to terrorist attacks, Zelensky added in his evening speech late on Sunday “The target of all these missiles is not just cities villages or people Their target is humanity and the foundations of our entire European culture

At least 15 killed, 19 missing after ferr y sinks off coast of Indonesian island

JAKARTA

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At least 15 people were killed and 19 more were missing on Monday after a ferry sank off the coast of Indonesia s Sulawesi island, search and rescue officials said The boat sank with 40 people onboard just after midnight local time (1700 GMT on Sunday) the local office of Indonesia s search and rescue agency said in a statement Six people were rescued and taken to hospital for treatment and the cause of the sinking was being investigated it said Provisionally, there are 19 people who are still being searched for,” Muhamad Arafah head of the local search and rescue agency in Kendari city in Southeast Sulawesi said in the statement One search team will dive around the accident site, while another will search the water ’s surface using boats he said The ferry was crossing

from Lanto village on Buton island to Lagili village on Muna island in Southeast Sulawesi the agency said It shared images of rescuers mobilising for the search effort, and several dead bodies covered by sarongs laid on tarpaulin at a local hospital

It is common in Indonesia for the number of actual passengers on a boat to differ from the manifest Marine accidents occur frequently in the Southeast Asian archipelago nation of around

two mosques said Masjid Bachchu Shah and Masjid Takia Babbar Shah were built centuries ago and are historic Officials from the Delhi Waqf Board, which is responsible for maintaining Islamic properties also said the mosques were built a long time ago and that the matter is sub-judice

The two mosques were over 400 years old and existed before rail infra came up at the two locations The mosques are also part of the 123 properties, including mosques, mausoleums and graveyards over which the board is engaged in a court battle with the Centre The matter is currently pending in the high court Delhi Waqf Board official Mehfooz Mohammad told daily The Hindustan Times Hafiz Matlub Karim, a member of the managing committee of Bachchu Shah mosque has written a letter to the Delhi government over the matter

The notice which was pasted was without any signature and stamp this activity is harassment and an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere,” the daily quoted him as saying

Greta Thunberg goes on trial over Swedish climate protest

STOCKHOLM A F P

S w e d i s h c l i m a t e c a m p a i g n e r G r e t a T h u n b e rg i s s e t t o g o o n t r i a l o n M o n d a y c h a rg e d w i t h d i s o b e y i n g p o l i c e a t a r a l l y l a s t m o n t h i n w h i c h a c t i v i s t s b l o c k e d t h e p o r t i n t h e c i t y o f M a l m o S h e i s d u e t o a p p e a r b e f o r e t h e c o u r t i n t h e s o u t h e r n S w e d i s h c i t y a t 0 9 3 0 G M T T h e 2 0 - y e a r- o l d a c t i v i s t t o o k p a r t i n a d e m o n s t r a t i o n t h a t d i s r u p t e d t r a ff i c ” a n d “ r e f u s e d t o o b e y p o l i c e o r d e r s t o l e a v e t h e s i t e ” a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c h a rg e s h e e t s e e n b y A F P S h e f a c e s a m a x i m u m s e n t e n c e o f s i x m o n t h s i n p r i s o n b u t p r o s e c u t o r C h a r l o t t e O t t o s e n t o l d A F P t h a t u s u a l l y, t h e s e t y p e s o f c h a rg e s r e s u l t i n f i n e s T h e r a l l y, o rg a n i s e d b y e n v i r o n m e n t a l a c t i v i s t g r o u p “ Ta t i l l b a k a f r a m t i d e n ” ( R e c l a i m t h e F ut u r e ) t r i e d t o b l o c k t h e e n t r a n c e a n d e x i t t o t h e M a l m o h a r b o u r t o p r o t e s t a g a i n s t t h e u s e o f f o s s i l f u e l We c h o o s e t o n o t b e b y s t a n d e r s a n d i n s t e a d p h y s i c a l l y s t o p t h e f o s s i l f u e l i n f r a s t r u c t u r e We a r e r e c l a i m i n g t h e f u t u r e T h u n b e rg s a i d i n a n I ns t a g r a m p o s t a t t h e t i m e T h u n b e rg s h o t t o g l o b a l f a m e a f t e r s t a r t i n g h e r S c h o o l S t r i k e f o r t h e C l im a t e ” i n f r o n t o f S w e d e n ’s p a r l i a m e n t i n S t o c kh o l m a t t h e a g e o f 1 5 S h e a n d a s m a l l b a n d o f y o u t h s f o u n d e d t h e F r i d a y s f o r F u t u r e m o v e m e n t w h i c h q u i c k l y b e c a m e a g l o b a l p h e n o m e n o n I n a d d i t i o n t o h e r c l i m a t e s t r i k e s t h e y o u n g a c t i v i s t r e g u l a r l y l a m b a s t s g o v e r n m e n t s a n d p o l i t i c i a n s f o r n o t p r o p e r l y a d d r e s s i n g c l i m a t e i s s u e s T h u n b e rg s i m p l y r e s p o n d e d “ n o c o m m e n t ” t o p o l i c e q u e st i o n s r e g a r d i n g t h e M a l m o r a l l y a c c o r d i n g t o a p r e l i m i n a r y t r a n s c r i p t s e e n b y A F P

PTCL Group collaborates with GSMA to address Digital Gender Disparit y ISLAMABAD

17,000 islands, where people rely on ferries and small boats to travel around despite poor safety standards

In 2018 more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world’s deepest lakes on Sumatra island In May last year a ferry carrying more than 800 people ran aground in shallow waters off East Nusa Tenggara province and remained stuck for two days before being dislodged

No one was hurt in that accident

S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan s leading ICT services provider PTCL Group (comprising PTCL & Ufone 4G) joined forces with the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) to co-host a momentous knowledgesharing workshop titled "Connected Women Strategy Workshop " The primary objective of this workshop was to tackle the gender gap in mobile usage in Pakistan leveraging insights from the authoritative Mobile Gender Gap 2023 report During the workshop the invaluable expertise of the GSMA team in the realm of mobile technology usage by micro-entrepreneurs played a pivotal role in guiding the PTCL Group team The collaborative efforts led to the identification of strategic pathways for harnessing the transformative potential of mobile technology This newfound understanding facilitated the development of innovative approaches tailored explicitly towards empowering women micro-entrepreneurs fostering their growth, inclusivity, and economic empowerment through the effective utilization of mobile technology Sajid Munir, Group VP Commercial Strategy PTCL & Ufone 4G expressed "Amplifying connectivity for women across Pakistan is our unwavering dedication

C hina-Russia joint drills wrap up in S ea of Japan

BEIJING S TA F F C O R R E S P O n d E n T China and Russia successfully wrapped up the four-day Northern/Interaction-2023 joint exercises in the Sea of Japan on Sunday and are expected to switch to the next phase of joint naval and air patrols in the Pacific Ocean

Highly combat-oriented and practical, the drills displayed the two countries’ high level of military cooperation in the face of security threats experts said on Monday

A closing ceremony was held on board the Type 052D destroyer Qiqihar of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy which served as the command ship for the drills the PLA Navy said in a press release on Monday In the four days of intense joint military exercises, the naval and air forces from both countries completed multiple training objectives including sea-air integrated escort and deterrence expulsion as they switched between joint formations and combat groups and practiced live fire surface-toair shooting with ship-borne weapons systems, according to the

press release

The drills met the expected goals of deepening mutual trust enhancing friendship and boosting capabilities, the PLA Navy said The exercises marked a major China-Russia joint combat operation in safeguarding the security of strategic maritime routes as well as an important move in implementing the two militaries sea-air integrated joint capabilities said Rear Admiral Qiu Wensheng, the commander of the Northern/Interaction-2023 exercise The drills promoted the two countries’ strategic cooperation as well as the safeguarding of stability in Northeast Asia Qiu said Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Monday that the exercises practiced antisea mine anti-aircraft anti-ship and anti-submarine operations which closely matched the theme of safeguarding strategic maritime routes

The Sea of Japan features key strategic channels including the Soya Strait the Tsugaru Strait and the Tsushima Strait

While the exercise did not target any third party Song pointed out that it came at a time when

some major geopolitical powers are creating huge security threats in the region It also reflected a high level of mutual trust between the Chinese and Russian militaries, Song said

According to official releases and media reports, the Chinese side sent the Type 052D guided missile destroyers Qiqihar and Guiyang the Type 054A guided missile frigates Zaozhuang and Rizhao, and the Type 903 comprehensive replenishment ship Taihu at sea, and the Y-20 large transport aircraft the KJ-500 early warning aircraft the J-16 fighter jet and the Z-20 helicopter in the air while the Russian side sent the large anti-submarine ships Admiral Tribunts and Admiral Panteleev as well as the corvettes Gremyashy and Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov in addition to different types of aircraft

Both China and Russia deployed their main combat weapons and equipment to the exercise, and the training courses were designed to be complex and combat oriented another Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Monday The fleet of around 10 vessels

and 30 aircraft demonstrated capabilities in safeguarding peace and stability in the region amid a deterioration in the global security situation, the expert said

With the end of the Northern/Interaction-2023 joint exercise, the Chinese and Russian naval and aviation forces are scheduled to go on and hold joint patrols in Pacific waters according to a PLA Navy announcement on July 15, when the Chinese vessels set out for the exercise

This could be the first time that the two countries hold a joint naval and air patrol Song said China and Russia have had two joint naval patrols One came after the Joint Sea-2021 naval drills in 2021, which saw Chinese and Russian navies form a joint flotilla and sail across the Sea of Japan the West Pacific and the East China Sea in seven days in their first joint naval patrol marking a circumnavigation around Japan The other came after the Russia-led Vostok-2022 strategic drills in 2022, also in the Pacific Ocean The two countries also regularly hold joint aerial strategic patrols The sixth patrol was held in June this year

CORPORATE CORNER TRADE, ECONOMIC TIES WITH ETHIOPIA NEEDED TO BE STRENGTHENED: PRESIDENT

PepsiCo Pakistan and WWF-Pakistan Par tner to Inaugurate Coastal C lean-up Projec t in K arach

K a r a c h i: PepsiCo Pakistan has launched a Coastal Clean-up Project in collaboration with WWFPakistan at the Karachi Fish Harbour This project is a part of PepsiCo s global PepsiCo Positive (pep+) sustainability agenda that encompasses various environmental and sustainability initiatives to do good for people and the planet It is based on a scoping study conducted by WWF-Pakistan for waste quantification and characterization of coastal sites in Karachi to identify the interventions which

OGRA asks chief secretaries and commissioner Islamabad to join hands with OGRA to ensure safe use of LPG

i s l a m a b a d: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has shared the details of LPG Cylinder Blast at Jhelum wherein the complete building structure has collapsed resulting in death of 07 innocent lives with few injuries The information revealed that the catastrophic incident occurred due to lack of awareness and negligence on the part of illegal LPG decanting shop being operated within the building The LPG cylinders were installed inside the basement /confined space without having proper ventilation and oversight of gas leakage become the main cause of this fatal incident Moreover an LPG fire incident in the HiAce van at Bhalwal, District Sargodha has occurred causing the loss of 7 precious lives with many injuries The preliminary information revealed that the van was being operated on LPG gas with alteration on CNG cylinders/kits Despite the fact that the LPG in PSVs is completely banned as per the LPG Rules 2001 PR

Transfer, purchase, sale of KMC proper ty subjec t to payment

payment of arrears of municipal utility services charges, the vacated shops of the State Department, KMC will be given through public auction and should not be directly transferred to another person The permission issued for sign boards in the city should be cancelled if they did not pay the arrears

Department of Land Katchi Abadies Estates

Orangi Town Pilot Project ensure implementation of the orders regarding the payment of MUCT bills, he issued these instructions while presiding over the meeting of heads of departments in his office on Monday, on this occasion Mayor Karachi

Spokesperson for Political Affairs Karamullah

Waqasi Municipal Commissioner Noman Arshad and heads of various departments and other officers were also present Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab directed that the Department of Fire Brigade, Municipal Utility Services should not issue NOC to the concerned until the arrears of municipal utility services charges are paid PR

K arachi-based fintech company Swich wins a 20 million grant for digital payments revolution

PR E S I D E N T Dr Arif Alvi has said that bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Ethiopia needed to be strengthened through facilitating and enhancing interactions between business communities of the two countries Speaking during a meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador designate to Ethiopia Mian Atif Sharif who called on him in Islamabad on Monday he called for increasing trade volume with Ethiopia by reaching out to Ethiopian businessper-

sons for the import of Pakistani products

The President said Pakistan-Ethiopia bilateral ties are marked by common history, interests, and support for each other on various international fora He said that the bilateral relations between the two countries needed to be further cemented by taking the mutual trade volume to its fullest potential President Alvi also called for enhancing cooperation in the field of education and people-to-people contacts, adding that students in Ethiopia could benefit from online/video educational materials/courses of the Virtual University of Pakistan and Allama Iqbal Open University to enhance their skill sets

MG Pakistan Unveils Ambitious

He stated that Pakistan s offer of training young Ethiopian Diplomats at the Foreign Service Academy and scholarships for banking courses would further help improve bilateral ties with Ethiopia Dr Arif Alvi asked the Ambassador to create awareness in Ethiopia about the rising tide of Islamophobia in the world and the need for collective efforts to promote inter-faith harmony and mutual respect He also urged the newly-appointed envoy to highlight the human rights violations and atrocities being committed by India in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) as well as the maltreatment of minorities in India

Plans:

K a r a c h i: A fintech company based out of Karachi Swich has won the Pakistan Innovation Hub Award that led to a grant of PKR 20 million under the Ministry of Planning Presenting its innovative idea at the Pakistan Innovation Hub, Swich showcased its solution aimed at creating a digital Pakistan, fostering financial inclusion, and addressing critical macroeconomic challenges within the nation The proposal received an overwhelmingly positive response leading to Swich s selection as the highest grant winne PR

Introducing

New Variants and Expanding M arket Presence in 2023

LAHORE

P R

MG Pakistan a prominent player in the country s automotive industry aims to introduce two new variants of its popular models, the MG HS Excite and 2 0 AWD, in a bid to further strengthen its market presence and cater to evolving consumer preferences As part of their expansion strategy MG Pakistan is also turning its focus towards the sedan segment, which currently holds a substantial 45% market share

Asif Ahmed, General Manager Marketing Division expressed optimism about the potential of the sedan market and revealed that their first sedan offering for Pakistani consumers might be the MG GT, a 1600 CC Sedan car Following the remarkable success of the MG C-SUVs, with over 15 thousand units sold in the last two and a half years MG Pakistan sees great potential in the sedan category as

well as in other C and D SUVs

Key to MG Motors vision is the localization of high-value parts to enhance competitiveness within the domestic market and explore potential export opportunities While the company currently relies on imported parts due to its greenfield status it aims to seek partnerships with global manufacturers to enable the local production

PLPGMA rejec ts LPG strike announced by unregistered association

The Pakistan LPG Marketers Association (PLPGMA) statement on strike announcement by an unregistered association Our association believes that these sorts of calls of strike with mala fida intention will further increase the hardships of the consumer of LPG in Pakistan In this regard, ViceChairman Muhammad Ali Haider said that a few vested interests are misguiding the genuine members of Associations and Distributors of LPG to make their blitz shops and are exploiting them economically They have sold LPG in black by conducting strikes in the past and are still being attempted A strike call has been given to those who have stored LPG to sell at a high price, and rejected by the LPG industry PR

Air C hief felicitates Hamza

of high-tech components which will further contribute to the growth of Pakistan s auto industry Amidst the prevailing economic situation, MG Motors remains positive about Pakistan's automotive potential

Asif Ahmed noted that Auto industry has always shown ‘V’ type recovery and indicated a promising and prosperous market in the near future

PPP names three -member committee for nomination of caretaker govt in Sindh: Memon

The Minister for Information Transport and Mass Transit of Sindh, Sharjeel Inam Memon, stated that the People's Party has nominated a three-member committee for the caretaker government The opposition leader is currently in hiding and I urge him to fulfill his constitutional duty without fear of any repercussions both inside and outside the assembly

While speaking to journalists at the Sindh Assembly media corner, Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the Sindh government has initiated a housing plan for flood victims in Larkana, this initiative is based on the instructions of Pakistan People s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Under this plan ownership rights of the land will be granted to the women of the respective families aiming to empower women in the region Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed his intention to extend this program to other provinces if the Pakistan People s Party forms the next government Sharjeel Inam Memon stated that the Sindh gov-

K han for winning the world junior squash championship

Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, congratulated Hamza Khan on wining the World Junior Squash Championship 2023, held in Melbourne, Australia

The young squash player Hamza khan won the title by defeating Mohamed Zakaria of Egypt with a score of 3-1 during the final match played in the coastal city of Melbourne The Air Chief expressed his felicitations to the young champion for bringing the title back to Pakistan after a gap of 37 years He further said that this victory has evoked memories of Jansher Khan’s triumph in the 1986 World Squash Championship and termed it a revival of Pakistan s glory in the game of squash PR

ernment is actively providing houses to the flood victims in the province He mentioned that the People's Party is receiving gratitude from the people for their efforts Additionally he highlighted that population growth is a pressing issue for the country and it requires serious and immediate measures to address

Responding to questions from journalists, Sharjeel Inam Memon stated that every political party has the right to nominate its candidate for the Prime Minister s position and Maulana Fazlur Rehman also has the full right to exercise his political actions He mentioned that approximately 80 percent of GDA (Grand Democratic Alliance) members are in contact with the People s Party He emphasized that despite any accusations, the People's Party aims to collaborate with all political forces and holds respect for everyone Sharjeel Inam Memon also said that a neutral setup is necessary for transparent elections In response to a question he stated that all decisions regarding the caretaker government will be made with the intention of ensuring free and fair elections The priority of the People s Party is to conduct fair elections, and they will make efforts to include non-controversial individuals in the caretaker setup

Transportation of mortal remains of decased Pakistanis in boat wreck in Greece

i s l a m a b a d: On the direction of honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan and under supervision of honorable Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis & HRD the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & HRD/OPF in coordination with Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Pakistan Mission Athens is transporting mortal remains of Pakistanis who drowned in Greece in a migrant workers boat wreck As per details, a fishing boat overloaded with migrants sunk off the coast of Greece - killing at least 78 people and leaving hundreds missing Greek authorities rescued 104 people from the vessel after it got into distress and sank 45 miles southwest of Peloponnese in the early hours of Wednesday 14th June 2023 PR

B O O K R E V I E W: ‘ Th e Ce r e m o ny o f I n n o ce n ce’

seems to have intentionally subtitled the four parts of the book as ‘earth’ ’air ’ water and fire (Cf The Waste Land ) with a view to realigning the mythico-spiritual aura of the book

The events in the narrative relate to an exotic alien land (Thailand) that the (nameless) protagonist of the story, vicariously representing the author himself visited after a lapse of around three decades It was an official visit as the authorial persona had been delegated to represent his country at a multilateral moot lasting for three days in the country of his destination

The presence of a biographical nay autobiographical similitude in the novellaesque novel would seem to endorse the writer s contention that no author (of a fictional narrative like a novel) could afford to write it without something of himself in it whether it s fantasy, stream of consciousness or science fiction’

SYED AFSAR SAJID

‘The Ceremony of Innocence’

Syed Afsar Sajid

Title: ‘Second Coming’

Author: M Athar Tahir

Publisher: Lightstone Publishers, Mehran Town, Karachi

Price: Rs 1295/-

Pages: 190 –

Renowned Pakistani poet of English and a three-time recipient of Patras Bokhari Award for Literature in English, ex-bureaucrat M Athar Tahir has now come out with his maiden work of fiction named Second Coming which has been widely acclaimed by discreet readers of English fiction here and elsewhere

It is intended to explore layers, as it were, of ‘several countries and cultures, belief systems and social structures, ages and genders’ The quasi–symbolic title of the novel seemingly suggests inter alia a gyre-like revolution configuring the pietistic and the terrene The author

The anonymity of the protagonist is further explained by him as a deliberate artistic move to dissimulate his identity because if the name had been given it would have been a certain person Without a name, it could be anybody or everyman Much of it was left to the imagination of the readers if they think it’s autobiographical ’ Simultaneously as for the role of the reader vis-à-vis a work of fiction such as the present one the writer is of the view that for a character to be relevant in fiction, it must speak of some aspect of the reader’s personality’ This empathetic view of the art of narration is the cornerstone of Athar Tahir’s narratorial adeptness

The artist starts from life itself How then is he to express himself so that he may be understood by others who are sharing the common life of all humanity?

Only in terms of something known within the compass of that life, in a material medium!

That is why Pater ’s (renowned English art and literary critic and an accomplished stylist: 1839-94) stylist has to winnow and search for the right words that is why Winckelmann s (a pioneering German art historian and archaeologist: 1717-68) sculptor must wrestle with his resistant material because he is trying to get back into the world of sensible reality of life what he originally extracted from the same world The externals of life gave him the impulse

The externals of life can alone give him the language with which to express what he has seen All art, assuredly, is expression; but it is the expression of life, as the artist sees it in a language which other man can understand The implications of this Crocean (Croce Italian philosopher historian and art critic: 1866-1952) critical dictum could be conveniently extended to Athar Tahir s instant fictional work

The concept of second coming in Christianity implies the belief that Jesus Christ will return to Earth at some point in the future The Bible particularly the New Testament is the source of this belief that describes the return of Jesus with concomitant events It will be a transformative happening marking his glorious comeback He will judge the living and the dead The righteous shall be rewarded with eternal life in heaven whereas the wicked shall be punished with eternal damnation in hell

Notwithstanding the uncertainty shrouding the second coming, Christians are called to live in anticipation of it W B Yeats’s (1865-1939) poem ‘The Second Coming (1921) was a superbly controlled powerful poetic commentary not only on WWI and the decline of traditional standards but also on the 20 th century man and the new invention of horror Sukhon Urairat (aka Su) is the centrepiece

p o i s e , g e s t u r e s , a n d g e s t i c u l a t i o n s speak eloquently for her nature character and attitude

The monologic speeches of the ageing protagonist tend to vocalize his frenzied longings Verily it is an attempt on the part of the autobiographer to explore the parity of the sacred and the profane in his life which one would fain call the human condition In some kind of an impressionistic vein the author lays bare his cerebral ramblings so as to involve a thoughtful, discernible reader in the complex mechanism of his fictional art

In his ‘second coming’ to Thailand after his eventful 3-day official tour in the near past we are treated to a long drawn monologue signifying the emotional chaos caused by Su s growing indifference to his solicitousness

Dr Tariq Rahman has aptly elabor a t e d t h i s p o i n t i n h i s o b s e r v a t i o n : ‘Love, and that too of an elderly Paki s t a n i m i d d l e - c l a s s h a p p i l y m a r r i e d man for a younger Thai woman Who would dare to write a novel on this unpromising theme? Yet this is what the author does and with such pathos, such deep feeling, such aching nostalgia and s u c h p r o b i n g i n t o t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f the human experience that one cannot help admiring it ’

The analogy between the two prod u c t i o n s v i z S e c o n d C o m i n g a n d T h e S e c o n d C o m i n g c a n a t b e s t b e t e r m e d a s a m e t a p h y s i c a l c o n c e i t o b l i q u e l y r e f e r r i n g t o t h e g l o w e r i n g human condition exemplified in the ins t a n t n o v e l : ‘ T h e v a n v a n i s h e s i n t h e traffic spiriting away five years of fragrance The image of the vanishing van o u t o f t h e S p i r i t u s M u n d i ( C f T h e Second Coming by W B Yeats) could be likened to the drowning of the ceremony of innocence’ which would continue to trouble the protagonist’s sight, God knows until when!

PAKISTAN’S ENERGY SECTOR CAN SAVE OVER $8BN WITH IMPROVED PRODUCTION STRATEGIES: STUDY

2022-31 and identifies flaws in its projections It emphasises that effective planning must include not only

able energy sources particularly wind and solar power to reduce variable electricity costs by more than 10 percent and lower emissions by around 50 percent in 2030

H e a d o f P R I E D M u h a m m a d B a d a r A l a m s t r e s s e d t h e n e e d f o r a robust transmission and despatch syst e m s t a t i n g t h a t i t i s a c r u c i a l f a c t o r t o r e a l i s e t h e b e n e f i t s o f i n c r e a s e d g e n e r a t i o n c a p a c i t y Naila Saleh from Agora Energiewende, a German research organisation, also emphasised the importance of increased renewable energy integration for substantial cost and emission reductions

Teen domestic worker allegedly tor tured by judge’s wife in Islamabad

Sustainable Development Goal 7 but also unlock the country’s full potential for long-term emission reduction

Umer Farooq from LUMS Energy Institute emphasised the study s critical analysis of supply and demand, as well as the nexus between renewable energy incorporation and the associated challenges The study highlights the significance of energy-efficient buildings in reducing CO2 emissions and minimising the financial impact in the country

In an unfortunate incident on Monday a 14-year-old domestic worker was allegedly brutally tortured by the wife of a civil judge in Islamabad

According to details, the young girl was employed by her parents through a person named Mukhtar six months ago During her tenure of employment at judge Asim s residence in Islamabad the girl became a victim of severe abuse at the hands of his wife

high as 47 percent This highlights the potential for greater incorporation of renew-

The Federal Cabinet has approved the appointment of Rehmat Ali Hasnie as permanent President of National Bank of Pakistan for three years

Sources said that the Cabinet on Monday on the recommendation of the Ministry of Finance approved a summary for the appointment of Hasnie as President/CEO NBP

The Finance Ministry has also proposed the names of Muhammad Abdullah Ahmed and Mudassir Husain Khan as alternate candidates in case Hasnie does not accept the offer

He started his career in 1995 from Taurus Securities

Limited afterwards He was in Pak Iran Investment Company Limited in January 2010 when he joined NBP as Senior Vice President (SVP)

His total banking (or banking related) experience was 15 years when he joined NBP on 25-01-2010 as SVP, he was promoted as “Executive Vice President”

It is pertinent to note that Rehmat Ali Hasni has been working as the acting president of NBP since May 2022 and he was also very close to former President NBP Arif Usmain

Appointment of President ZTBL

The Ministry of Finance has also proposed three names including Principal Candidate Tahir Yaqoob Bhatti Naveed Qazi and Mohammad Haroon Zamir Khan to the federal cabinet after conducting interviews of 7 candidates

The position of President ZTBL has been vacant since November last year and the government has given acting charge to President Asad Ullah Habib for the past eight months

E l o n M u s k p o s t s n e w T w i t t e r l o g o X t o r e p l a c e b l u e b i r d

Elon Musk and Twitter Chief Executive Officer Linda Yaccarino unveiled a logo for the social media platform on Monday that featured a white X on a black background as a replacement for the familiar blue bird symbol “X is here! Let’s do this ” tweeted Yaccarino who also posted a picture of the logo projected onto the company s offices in San Francisco

Both Yaccarino s and Musk s Twitter handles feature the X logo, although the Twitter blue bird is still visible across the platform “#GoodbyeTwitter” was trending on the platform with reference to the old logo as some users criticised the new one Musk said on a post on Sunday he wanted to change Twitter s logo and polled his millions of followers on whether they would favour changing the site s colour scheme from blue to black

He posted a picture of a stylised X against a black outer space-themed background He also referred to the “interim X logo ” and tweeted that “soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and gradually all the birds

In response to a tweet asking what will tweets be called under X , Musk replied x s

The original Twitter logo was designed in 2012 by a team of three “The logo was designed to be simple, balanced and legible at very small sizes almost like a lowercase “e” ” tweeted Martin Grasser one of the designers

TA

A high-ranking Chinese official is likely to arrive Pakistan later this month to attend the celebrations of 10 years of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) This will be the first high-level visit by a Chinese leader since President Xi began a third five-year term in March with the next generation of his country s leaders The sources said the vice premier would be given a red carpet welcome upon his arrival

He will attend a ceremony to celebrate the 10 years of CPEC the flagship programme of President Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative that he

Moreover Ubaid-ur-Rehman from SDPI proposed that aiming for decarbonisation of the entire economy by 2050 would not only help Pakistan achieve the targets of United Nations

The findings of this independent study provide valuable insights into Pakistan’s energy sector and offer viable strategies for cost-saving and sustainable energy production Implementing these recommendations could lead to a more efficient and environmentally friendly energy landscape for the nation

Pa k i s t a n ’s c h e r r i e s s we e t e n u p

C h i n e s e m a r k e t : m a r k e t a c c e s s g r a n t e d a f t e r 1 2 - ye a r w a i t

While the cherry this year is over Pakistan has gained market access for exporting cherries to China

After a 12-year-long wait, the long-standing issue of market access for Pakistani cherries has been finally resolved for, what the officials claim, collective efforts of various agencies and departments

As per details the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) under the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) played a pivotal role in securing this breakthrough The General Administrations of Customs China (GACC) have officially confirmed that cherries from Pakistan can now be exported to China from DPP registered orchards and packhouses

This development is expected to boost the export of Pakistani cherries providing a substantial contribution to the overall growth of the national economy

Following the development the concerned departments have approved to upgrade and register orchards, cold treatment facilities, and packhouses to meet the requirements of GACC To improve food safety, phytosanitary measures quality storage and packaging standards at least 90 cherry orchards and 15 cold treatment facilities & packhouses in Pakistan have now been approved for export of cherries to China

However, the road to gaining market access was not without challenges Following the opening of the China-Pakistan border on April 1, the Chinese government allowed the import of cherries from Pakistan, but stringent phytosanitary standards posed difficulties for compliance The Chinese embassy informed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research that GACC would conduct remote video investigations to ensure compliance with these standards for

the export of fresh cherries from Pakistan to China

Zulfiqar Monin a leading exporter of fresh fruit pointed out that cherries produced in Pakistan especially those from Gilgit Baltistan are juicier than normal cherries but highly perishable The existing phytosanitary measures, requiring cherries to be kept at one-degree temperature for over 18 days, proved challenging To meet the protocols the cultivation of imported cherry plants was suggested as they could produce fruits with a longer shelf life of around 25 days at one degree centigrade However a lack of packhouses and major cold storage in Gilgit-Baltistan hindered implementation

Despite the obstacles, the potential for growth in the cherry industry is promising China is the largest consumer of cherries globally and the Chinese and Pakistani governments have worked together since 2019 to establish an agreement for fresh cherry exports from Pakistan The export protocol lays out strict conditions on quarantine pests and cold treatment facilities, which must be met by cherry orchards, packaging plants, and refrigerated warehouses With cherries from Pakistan enjoying zero tariffs under the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement Pakistan s cherry industry has ample room for further expansion Currently only 10% of cherries are available for export, but with China importing over 200,000 tons of cherries annually, the approval of Pakistani cherries to enter the Chinese market is expected to stimulate significant growth in Pakistan’s domestic cherry industry The collaboration between government agencies and the commitment to meet global quality standards will not only boost cherry exports but also open doors to exploring other agricultural exports, contributing to Pakistan s economic prosperity

According to her parents the distressed girl bears visible signs of intense violence all over her body Deep wounds from the abuse are evident on her head and face, while her right arm is swollen, they added

The girl s parents alleged that the judge s wife accused her of theft and in response subjected her to torture leading to the child s deteriorating condition

Subsequently, the couple handed over the girl to her mother in Sargodha She is currently receiving medical care at DHQ Hospital in the city

ASP City said that the suspect who facilitated the girl s employment has been taken into custody by the police and legal action will be taken against him in accordance with the law

Commenting on the incident, Chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau Sarah Ahmed stated that the case is an example of child trafficking, and the United Nations has urged Pakistan to take strict action against such practices The relevant authorities have been directed to act promptly on this matter she added

Contempt Case: ECP issues non-bailable arrest warrants for PTI chief

ISLAMABAD

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI) chief Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Fawad Chaudhry, and former PTI secretary general Asad Umar on Monday

A four-member ECP bench, headed by Member Sindh Nisar Durrani heard the ECP contempt plea against PTI chief Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar

However lawyers representing them did not appear before the ECP

Umar s assistant lawyer requested the commission to exempt him from appearing because Umar had cases against him, adding that he had got an appointment from doctor “Umar kept on presenting before the ECP ” he added

Member ECP ordered him to file the plea Chaudhry s assistant lawyer told the ECP that Chaudhry was in Lahore while his lawyer Faisal Chaudhry was in the IHC

The capital police have been directed to arrest the PTI chief and present him at 10am before the electoral watchdog The ECP will hear the plea on Tuesday

Pakistan is looking to launch its own sovereign wealth fund and there are estimates that this fund will be worth Rs 23 kharab in value

The recent pressures on the foreign reserves and with the country looking down the barrel in terms of facing a default the government sees the need to liquidate some of its investments to keep the country afloat The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has been asked to provide technical assistance in setting up the fund Law passed to set up the fund

In the past the government has faced constant criticism for perpetuating the existence of certain loss-making State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and it is now felt that the best course of action is to sell off any and all government interest that is held There have been examples in the past where assets have been sold and are now generating revenues for the government where they were making losses under the government s control Institutions like PIA, Pakistan Steel Mills and Railways are making losses

unveiled in 2013 China invested close to $30 billion in 10 years mainly focusing on energy and infrastructure projects The second phase of CPEC envisaging special economic zones could not move ahead primarily because of the PTI government s policy to slow down the project However, CPEC gathered renewed attention since the change of government in April last year China bailed out Pakistan on a crucial juncture when Islamabad was on the verge of a sovereign default Beijing rolled over and refinanced loans that helped Islamabad keep its foreign reserves to a level where it could avoid a default Recently China rescheduled $2 billion loan for two years, giving the

currently and the government will be best served to sell them off states Parvaiz Shahid co-founder Bank Alfalah Companies that are running well are afloat as they enjoy monopoly in their industry rather than having a competent management Selling shareholding to international operators will stop the rot and bring in better management and technologies at the helm ” The purpose for establishing a fund is to bring these assets under one umbrella which will allow the fund to manage these assets and then sell them off to foreign investors Currently, it takes months for such a transaction to go through and the aim of the fund is to expedite the process by cutting the red tape to facilitate foreign investment This fund will allow the government to manage and sell the assets in accordance with international standards and policies and present a brave, new face for the country to the world

In line with this decision a draft law has been finalised by the MInistry of Finance which will be presented in the assembly in the coming days The decision to set up a fund was taken in a meeting chaired by Finance Minister

much-needed space to Pakistan against the backdrop of its dwindling foreign reserves T h e v i s i t o f t h e C h i n e s e o ff i c i a l i s b e i n g s e e n a s s i g n i f i c a n t a n d w i l l b e v i e w e d i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e o n g o i n g geopolitical developments

Informed sources have informed this scribe that the senior government official would also discuss a potential visit of President Xi Jinping sometime after the country’s parliamentary elections The Chinese president last visited Pakistan in 2015 The sources added that initially Pakistan was keen to have President Xi attend the 10year CPEC celebrations but was now looking to invite him to the country after the

Ishaq Dar Experts like Asad Ali Shah, ex-Senior Partner at Deloitte feel that the Ministry of Finance should look to implement better public financial management in order to show that these companies can be valuable if they are run in a better manner At present, Pakistan Inc is a huge loss making entity with its fiscal deficit at Rs 125 kharab or around 15% of GDP Making a sovereign fund by such a country which is unable to pay its debts and obligations will be a public joke In a series of foreign transactions being realized

All these moves are coming due to the economic hardship that the country is facing and is in line with the recent passing of the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions Ordinance 2022 This ordinance empowers the Centre to be able to issue binding instructions to the provincial governments for acquisition of companies The ordinance allows for the center to negotiate sale of state’s assets to foreign countries and can bypass any and all procedures and regulatory checks that used to be applicable in such transactions In addition to this, the ordinance also disbars

parliamentary elections President Xi s likely visit sometime after the elections will kick off the next phase of CPEC Pakistan has set up a Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to attract foreign investment revive the economy and address the country s balance of payment crisis on a long-term basis China will be one of the countries Pakistan is looking towards for the success of this initiative The visit of the Chinese vice premier will renew Pakistan’s resolve to stick to its long-term strategic partnership despite the concerns of the West particularly those of the US Pakistan is trying to avoid any negative fallout of the deepening China-US rivalry

any court of the country to entertain petitions against the sales of these assets Yousuf Farooq director of research at Chase Securities says that the government should sell assets that it owns Privatization leads to companies becoming more efficient and pay higher taxes to the government He states that the government is not able to use capital efficiently and loss making SOEs have to be constantly recapitalized which are a burden on the resources of the country

The companies being identified and IMF staff report In terms of the fund being set up, currently seven state assets have been identified which will be transferred to the Pakistan Sovereign Wealth Fund The new law is being passed to exempt the sale of the assets from the Privatization Commission Ordinance Public Procurement Regulatory Authority Ordinance and the State Owned Enterprises Act of 2023 The companies identified are OGDCL PPL National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Pakistan Development Fund Government Holdings Private Limited and Neelum Jhelum Hydro Power Company Limited

Islamabad has publicly maintained that it wanted to maintain cooperative relationship with all powerful countries Pakistan has repeatedly stated that it did not wish to become involved in bloc politics The visit of the Chinese official is poised to draw significant attention from Western countries and Beijing s adversaries Many observers, however, feel Pakistan s interests seem to be aligned with China in the long run It was because of this reason that Pakistan stayed away from the US democracy summit Islamabad twice skipped US President Joe Biden s initiative as Washington invited Taiwan to the summit – a move that China perceived as crossing its red line

g MINISTRY OF FINANCE IS SETTING UP A SOVEREIGN FUND BUT PRICE DISCOVERY WILL BE AN ISSUE GOING FORWARD