Epaper_23-08-11 ISB

M A S S I V E C R I M E I F C O N T E N T S O F

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

PR I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday described as massive crime if the alleged contents of the muchtouted diplomatic cipher which former premier Imran Khan cited as proof of a conspiracy against his government published in a US-based news organisation were true

In an interview with WE News on Thursday, PM Shehbaz was asked if The Intercept story proved Imran s claims regarding the cipher and the foreign conspiracy

The answer to your question is that two meetings of the National Security Committee were held on the cipher under my leadership In one of the meetings, former ambassador and Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed clearly stated that there was no discussion of a conspiracy in his meeting with Donald Lu ” the outgoing premier said

The purported cipher sent to Islamabad last year by Pakistan s former ambassador to the US contained an account of a meeting between US State Department officials including Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and Pakistani envoy Asad Majeed Khan, and was reproduced on Wednesday by The Intercept

As per the purported contents of the cable the US objected to Imran Khan’s foreign policy regarding the Ukraine war

Although The Intercept has claimed

in its report that they were provided with the document by an anonymous source in the Pakistani military who said that they had no ties to Imran Khan or [Mr] Khan s party, many believe that the source of the leak could be the PTI itself

As per protocol, only a handful of key officials had access to the confidential document These included the foreign minister the prime minister and the army chief

The timing of the purported cable s publication also seems quite significant, as it comes in the wake of the imprisonment of Imran Khan over charges of graft in the Toshakhana case

PM Shahbaz said former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and other service chiefs also confirmed that there was no conspiracy against Pakistan, adding

that Majeed too had stated that there was no question of a conspiracy at all

Imran Niazi said that this conspiracy was hatched because of his growing relations with Russia but my government purchased cheap oil from Russia

“If god forbids this government had come from a US conspiracy then it would have been a moment of shame for us PM Shehbaz asserted

He also recalled that Imran had himself retracted from his narrative and said that the US never hatched any conspiracy

“Will you consider Imran Niazi’s first statement genuine or the other one?” the prime minister asked adding that the PTI chairman s statements were poles apart

Can a former prime minister spew hatred against the country to this extent?

In itself, if the contents of the cipher

are published (in the international newspaper), and are if true, then it is a massive crime,” he added PM Shehbaz reiterated that Imran’s conspiracy allegations were a bunch of lies from head to toe and there was no reality in them

He went on to say that the coalition government worked tirelessly to mend US-Pakistan relations, which he said were damaged during the PTI tenure and establish mutual respect and trust

In response to a question on Pakistan s soured relations with other brotherly countries , PM Shehbaz said the Imran-led government had made Saudi Arabia upset “I can’t go into details, but to demean Saudi Arabia efforts were made to form a block to isolate Saudi Arabia he claimed adding that it was shameful that a country that had helped Pakistan over all these years was treated in such a way THE INTERCEPT STORY: Don[ald Lu] referred to Pakistan’s position on the Ukraine crisis and said that ‘people here and in Europe are quite concerned about why Pakistan is taking such an aggressively neutral position (on Ukraine) if such a position is even possible It does not seem such a neutral stand to us He shared that in his discussions with the NSC ‘it seems quite clear that this is the prime minister ’s policy’ ” said the excerpt published by The Intercept

In response Asad Majeed Khan said that this was not a correct reading of the situation as Pakistan s position on Ukraine was a result of intense interagency consultations

Caretaker PM: No census yet as PM, opposition leader meet again today

As per the Constitution, the prime minister had invited the opposition leader to a meeting to develop a consensus on the appointment of the caretaker prime minister

However, after a detailed deliberation, the two leaders decided to meet again on Friday to reach a consensus on selecting a name for the caretaker prime minister

Leaked cypher: PTI renews call for high powered judicial probe

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has once again called for the establishment of a high-powered judicial commission to thoroughly investigate the matter of cypher and subsequently make its findings public The demand follows a news report published by an international news outlet which, according to PTI, corroborates former prime minister Imran Khan’s assertion that his government’s removal was influenced by the encouragement of the US government

A press statement released by PTI emphasised that the report further solidified the accuracy and authenticity of Imran Khan s statements regarding the cypher

The PTI spokesperson remarked that the report’s revelations indicated that the ousting of Imran Khan’s government was orchestrated through a conspiracy involving a no-confidence motion

Highlighting the sequence of events the spokesperson underscored that the former premier had presented the cypher during a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting

In that session, he added, the cypher was characterised as an intrusion into Pakistan’s internal matters prompting a unanimous decision to protest through diplomatic channels while upholding diplomatic norms

The subsequent NSC meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, endorsed the stance taken in the initial security committee meeting

However the spokesperson pointed out that efforts were made thereafter to diminish the significance of the cypher with the ruling alliance attempting to dismiss it as insignificant and denying its existence

The PTI spokesperson criticised attempts to attribute the exposure of the cypher to PTI s chairman, highlighting the need for an informed discussion and critique while maintaining the appropriate context

The spokesperson underscored the necessity of acknowledging that there had indeed been external interference in Pakistan s internal affairs calling for an open and transparent dialogue on this sensitive matter Meanwhile, the PTI s core committee has protested against what they see as a lack of adequate attention to the health and safety of Imran during his incarceration

The committee has called for the urgent transfer of former premier from Attock Jail to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, asserting that his well-being must not be compromised

Expressing profound disquiet over the delay in allowing Imran Khan to receive food and water from home the committee expressed its deep dissatisfaction with the behaviour of the ruling authorities in ensuring the health and safety of the PTI chairman

in July 2023 against $2 51 billion in the same month last year

The SBP data shows overseas Pakistanis workers in Saudi Arabia remitted $486 million United Arab Emirates (UAE) sent $315 million, $305 7 million from United Kingdom (UK) and $238 1 million from United States (US)

The meeting to consult the name of the caretaker prime minister was held in a cordial environment, said a press release issued by the Prime Minister Office “We’ve yet to reach a consensus ” Riaz told reporters after leaving the Prime Minister House in Islamabad

Under the constitution the two have three days to reach agreement on a caretaker leader If they can t, the decision will go to a parliamen-

tary committee, and if it can t agree, then the Election Commission of Pakistan will decide

The lower house of parliament was dissolved on Wednesday three days before the end of its five-year term on Aug 12

A general election in the country should be held in 90 days but it could be delayed for several months because the election commission has to redraw the boundaries of hundreds of constituencies based on new census data

Speculations about different contenders for the post of caretaker prime minister have been doing rounds for weeks now but

there is no official word yet

It all started when the government showed its intention a few weeks ago to dissolve the assembly earlier than its scheduled time so that it could get an additional month for the election campaign

The situation was intensified when Finance Minister Ishaq Dar ’s name for the post of caretaker premier started making rounds Though several other names surfaced later PM Shehbaz hasn t ruled out Dar s name yet

Following his meeting with the opposition leader, it is expected that a unanimously agreed upon name would be revealed

The committee underscored that Imran Khan s history includes being the target of multiple assassination attempts and they consider it unacceptable to put his health and safety at risk while under the umbrella of imprisonment resulting from a contentious court ruling Citing established rules and jail protocols the committee emphasised that access to quality and safe sustenance is a fundamental entitlement for former PM The committee urged the court to take immediate cognisance of the situation and permit Imran Khan to receive food and water from his home

Furthermore the committee concluded that an immediate action should be taken by the court to transfer PTI chairman from Attock Jail to Adiala Jail

The transfer is advocated as a necessary step to address the concerns over Khan’s well-being and safety, considering the conditions in the current incarceration facility

BRACE program: Repor t

To continue the benefits of

in the next financial year i e 2022-23 an amount of Rs 48 billion was allocated to BISP under Fuel Subsidy Scheme However, due to unprecedented rain during the month of July and August 2022 and subsequent floods in low lying areas the amount for fuel subsidy was re-allocated to Flood Relief Cash Assistance whereby the Government committed an amount of Rs 70 billion According to report, a subsidy amounting to Rs 14 03 billion till December 2022 has been given to the five export-oriented industries in gas / RLNG supply tariff on the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL s) network out of which Rs 4 55 billion has been released to SNGPL against the tariff differential whereas Rs 9 47 billion subsidy is estimated to be required for the exportoriented sectors Meanwhile the government made an allocation of Rs 7 billion for the FY 20222023 However to date no release has been made from Rs 7 billion According to the report, the persistent Challenges included High fuel as well as

edible oil prices as the impact has been almost double for the poor

The Russian-Ukraine war crisis has a s e r i o u s i m p a c t o n p o v e r t y t h a t c a n i ncrease the burden on the already tightened fiscal space besides Rising inflation, particularly food inflation (highest in the history of Pakistan) increase in administered prices of petroleum products electricity a n d g a s a n d c o n t i n u o u s d e p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e c o u n t r y s c u r r e n c y h a v e a n e g a t i v e impact on household consumption which w i l l l e a d t o g r e a t e r p o v e r t y, p a r t i c u l a r l y in rural areas

The quarterly progress report (end 31 December 2022) shows that the financial progress achieved till 31 December 2022 on CDEP is satisfactory as 41 5% of the budget, under social protection, is utilized

To support the business and agriculture sectors, the government is taking measures to generate employment protect job losses and ensure food security

The overall financial progress achieved shows that 38 3% of budget has been utilized till 31 December 2022, which is expected to improve in the remaining two quarters of FY 2022-2023

Govt already utilized 41.5pc budget under ADB’

I N F L AT I O N H I T S H A R D A S V E G ETA B L E P R I C E S S O A R B E Y O N D R S 1 5 0 / K G I N P E S H AWA R

PESHAWAR a z i z B u n e R

THE worst inflation has hit Peshawar with the cost of vegetables soaring beyond Rs150 per kilogram The price of tomatoes has reached an unprecedented Rs150 per kg up from Rs120 Bitter gourd known has surged from Rs100 to Rs130 per kilogram Potatoes are now scarce, and peas are being sold at Rs400 per kg

The prices of vegetables from various districts of Peshawar have skyrocketed with rates from Afghanistan and Punjab and

Sindh provinces not falling below Rs200 to Rs300 per kilogram

The soaring prices have forced the impoverished working class into an unending cycle of distress The cost of food has become unbearable and even basic vegetables are out of reach

Urban dwellers believe that the district administration has failed to effectively curb the inflation crisis leaving the working-class population burdened Aman Ali a vegetable vendor reports that the substantial increase in prices of petroleum products, electricity, and gas has shattered the backbone of the common people The new wave of

inflation has given rise to new challenges, affecting not only the consumers but also severely impacting the business community due to reduced purchasing power

Farid Khan a resident of Peshawar said that he works as a daily wage labourer and struggles to find work every day While he manages to find work, it has become extremely difficult to afford a meal for his family when he goes out to buy groceries

He further said that previously, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa enjoyed abundant vegetable production, benefiting from lower transportation costs However,

due to the establishment of housing societies on agricultural lands and reduced agricultural output, the province now relies on importing vegetables from other regions incurring high transportation expenses

F u r t h e r m o r e e x t e n d e d v e h i c l e c h e c k s a t t h e P a k i s t a nAfghanistan border have caused a d e c l i n e i n v e g e t a b l e i m p o r t s from Afghanistan as perishable goods often rot in transit due to t h e p r o l o n g e d c h e c k s T h e d i s t r i c t a d m i n i s t r a t i o n h a s n o t i s s u e d a n y s t a t e m e n t o n t h e matter, but it is believed that they are working on a plan to address the inflation crisis

Housemaid torture case: Court turns down bail plea of judge’s wife

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t T h e c o u r t o f l o c a l j u d i c i a l m a g i s t r a t e o n T h u r s d a y t u r n e d d o w n t h e b a i l p l e a S o u m i a A s i m , t h e w i f e o f c i v i l j u d g e , i n t h e m i n o r h o u s e m a i d R i z w a n a t o r t u r e c a s e Judicial magistrate Shaista Kundi heard the plea and announced the verdict after hearing counsels from both sides D e f e n c e c o u n s e l Q a z i D a s t a g i r claimed in the court that the girl was not e m p l o y e d I f s h e w a s n o t s e r v a n t , w h y s h e w a s k e p t a t t h e h o m e , ” j u d g e q u e s t i o n e d “ S h e w a s b r o u g h t f o r t e a c h i n g a n d w e l f a r e ” d e f e n c e c o u n s e l c l a i m e d I f s h e w a s a d m i t t e d a t s c h o o l j u d g e a s k e d S h e i s 1 6 y e a r s o f a g e t h u s n o t a d m i t t e d t o s c h o o l t h e l a w y e r r e p l i e d A Q u r a n t e a c h e r a n d a t u t o r w e r e t e a c h i n g h e r a t h o m e , d e f e n c e l a w y e r s a i d “The judge’s family was being

blackmailed for money the lawyer claimed adding that a woman Zunaira from the US was also sending money for the girl Prosecutor told the court that the girl’s both arms and legs were injured and a

tooth was broken Her ribs were broken and there are injuries on hind side of the girl s head, the lawyer said The petitioner didn t call the police b u t t h e 1 5 r e c e i v e d p h o n e c a l l f r o m S a rg o d h a h o s p i t a l ” t h e p r o s e c u t o r

AVM Amir Hayat appointed new CEO of PIA

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

Air Vice Marshal

further said R i z w a n a h a v e 1 7 w o u n d s o n h e r b o d y, o w i n g t o t h e s e i n j u r i e s t h e g i r l w a s r e f e r r e d f r o m S a r g o d h a t o L a h o r e t h e l a w y e r s a i d A c c o r d i n g t o x - r a y s h e r a r m s b o n e s w e r e f r a c t u r e d h e f u r t h e r s a i d D P O

S a r g o d h a h a d w r i t t e n

China-Pakistan hold third round of consultation on South Asian affairs

ISLAMABAD

China-Pakistan held third round of consultation on South

Asian affairs on Thursday in Beijing

Leading the Chinese side at the meeting China s

Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong said that China supports Pakistan in playing a bigger role in international and regional affairs

From Pakistan, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ilyas Mehmood Nizami had come to China to hold the consultation says a statement issued here

Nong Rong said that China is ready to work with Pakistan to consolidate and deepen China-Pakistan allweather strategic cooperative partnership, and accelerate

the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, according to Chinese ministry of foreign affairs

Nong Rong said that the China-Pakistan friendship is higher than mountains, deeper than oceans and sweeter than honey

The friendly relations between the two countries have shown strong momentum of development with close high-level exchanges between the two sides and constantly strengthening cooperation in various fields

No matter how the international landscape may change, China will, as always, firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding national independence sovereignty and territorial integrity support Pakistan in maintaining unity and stability and realizing prosperity and revitalization

and support Pakistan in playing a bigger role in international and regional affairs, he added

Nong Rong extended his wishes for a complete success of the third China-Pakistan consultation on South Asian affairs

Ilyas Mehmood Nizami spoke highly of PakistanChina relations highly praised China s development achievements and sincerely thanked China for providing Pakistan with long-term valuable support and assistance in its national development Pakistan hopes to strengthen high-level exchanges and pair-up consultations with China, continue to firmly support each other maintain close cooperation on South Asian affairs jointly respond to challenges and safeguard the common interests of both sides he added

Zulfii slams PDM govt for illegally detaining his brother

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

PTI leader Sayed Zulfi Bukhari has accused the outgoing PDM government of illegally detaining his brother Khawar Bukhari in a fake FIR Khawar Bukhari was recently released on bail after spending two months in jail, but was arrested again”, he claimed in a statement on Thursday

Zulfi Bukhari said that his brother had nothing to do with politics and that his one son was a special child He added that there were reports that the government was planning to detain Khawar Bukhari under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) today as well

Zulfi Bukhari said that Pakistan was currently ruled by a mafia instead of the constitution and law He accused the government

and police of setting a bad example of fascism and said that they knew which officers were involved in the illegal detention of his brother Z u l f i B u k h a r i a l s o s a i d t h a t P T I

C h a i r m a n I m r a n K h a n ’s e n t i r e l e g a l t e a m w a s b e i n g s u m m o n e d a n d h a r a s s e d b y t h e F e d e r a l I n v e s t i g a t i o n A g e n c y ( F I A ) H e s a i d t h a t e v e n t h e m o s t s e n i o r l a w y e r K h w a j a H a r r i s , h a d b e e n s u m m o n e d a n d t h a t e a r l i e r l a w y e r N a e e m P a n j u t h a a h a d b e e n d e t a i n e d

f o r e i g h t h o u r s

Zulfi Bukhari said that these tactics were being used to ensure that there was no one left from the legal fraternity to represent Imran Khan He said that the government s actions were politically motivated and that they were an attempt to silence the opposition The government has not yet commented on the allegations made by Zulfi Bukhari

(retired) Muhammad Amir Hayat has been appointed Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on Thursday According to PIA spokesperson the appointment of Muhammad Amir Hayat has been made for a year Earlier, the retired Air Vice Marshal was working as acting CEO of PIA The position of the CEO has been lying vacant after Air Marshal Arshad Malik completed his three-year tenure on April 25 Arshad Malik was appointed in October 2018 The appointment was made after the federal government approved the appointment of the chief executive officer (CEO) of the national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines, last week The federal cabinet approved the summary through circulation Sources told ARY News that Hashim Raza and Mazhar Uddin were also being considered for the PIA s top slot

Cop mar t yred in attack on polio team in Bannu

LAKKI MARWAT S ta f f R e p o R t

A policeman accompanying the polio vaccination team was martyred when unidentified miscreants targeted him in Miryan area of the Bannu district According to police the lower head constable (LHC) Kamran Khan was on the security duty with polio workers in Akhundkhel area when he came under the attack Kamran received serious bullet wounds and was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead, said police Later, the martyred cop was laid to rest at a graveyard in his ancestral Lalozai Surani village On August 1 two cops were martyred as unknown gunmen attacked a polio vaccination team in Quetta s suburban area The volunteers two women in the polio vaccination teams remained unhurt said police Taking notice of the unfortunate incident, Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo condemned the attack and expressed grief over the martyrdom of the policemen

KP caretaker cabinet: 20 ministers tender resignations

PESHAWAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

Twenty ministers of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) caretaker cabinet have tendered their resignations following the directives of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP The ministers mostly from PDM parties have sent their resignations to the caretaker chief minister (CM) following the ECP s directives after they were found involved in running their own election campaign despite being appointed as caretaker ministers The ministers, who stepped down from their positions included Masood Shah, Abdul Haleem Qasuriya, Irshad Qaiser, Muhammad Ali Shah Hidayatullah Salma

Begum Riaz Anwar Pir Haroon Shah Sheraz

Akram Malik Meher Elahi Hamid Shah Bakht

Nawaz Haji Ghufran Fazal Elahi Taj

Muhammad, Himayatullah, Zafar Mahmood and Rehmat Salam Khattak

Pakistan honours overseas Chinese for commitment to share prosperity through CPEC

appreciated Lahore Overseas Chinese Association (LOCA) for its commitment to shared prosperity through CPEC, according to a report published by Gwadar Pro on Thursday

In a remarkable commendation ceremony for the contributors to the shared prosperity through CPEC held here as one of the series of celebrations to mark the 10th anniversary of CPEC On this occasion, the Pakistani government extended its gratitude and recognition to the overseas Chinese for their unwavering commitments to CPEC project The event attended by high-ranking officials from both countries highlighted the significant contribution made by the overseas

He pointed put that over the past decade CPEC has made such tremendous achievements, which not only promoted the socio-economic development of Pakistan and created a large number of jobs, but also further enhanced the ‘iron iron’ friendship between China and Pakistan and is a game changer in Pakistan and South Asia

Appreciating the Chinese government and Chinese enterprises for their investment and unwavering support to Pakistan, Shehbaz maintained that the Pakistani government would extend full support for the high-quality development of CPEC to better benefit the people of both countries Pang Chunxue the Charge d affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan noted that

the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan will continue to work with all walks of life in Pakistan to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries continuously promote high-quality development of CPEC and strive to build a closer China-Pakistan community of shared future in the new era

A total of 29 Chinese and Pakistani enterprises and institutions were honoured on the occasion Luo Jianxue President of Lahore Overseas Chinese Association (LOCA) was presented an award by Shehbaz to honour the association s commitment towards shared prosperity through CPEC

Through cooperation with Chinese and Pakistani enterprises and institutions, LOCA will always promote the development of bilateral trade investment and infrastructure construction bringing more opportunities and exact benefits to the two economies Luo concluded

P U A R C H E O LO G I S T S D I S C O V E R T R A C E S O F

B U D D H I S M I N C E N T R A L P U N J A B

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

ABOUT 2 000 years old artifacts of Buddhist were discovered by a team of Punjab University archaeologists from the old Ravi bed of Jhelum that reflect presence of Buddhism between Sarghoda and Jhang for the first time

A press conference regarding briefing about first-ever discovery of Buddhist civilization in Central Punjab was held

Lahore Press Club on Thursday PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Dean Faculty of Arts & Humanities Prof Dr Amra Raza, Secretary Tourism Asif Bilal Lodhi, PU Department of Archaeology Chairman Dr Muhammad Hameed and others addressed the press conference Prof Mahmood said that according to the prevailing perception for more than a century, Buddhism was limited to Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa and Taxila region He said that a research group under the patronage of Dr Hameed discovered the 2000-year-old Buddhist civilization in Central Punjab H e s a i d t h a t t h e d i s c o v e r y o f t h e

a r t i f a c t s c o n f i r m s t h a t t h e f o l l o w e r s o f

B u d d h i s m w e r e i n h a b i t a n t s o f t h i s a r e a

a n d t h e y e s t a b l i s h e d t h e i r r e l i g i o u s buildings, stupas and monasteries He said that PU has played a leading role in tracing

B u d d h i s m i n C e n t r a l P u n j a b a n d r e s e a r c h e r s w e r e p r o v i d e d r e s o u r c e s t o explore the region Tourism Secretary Mr Asif Bilal Lodhi appreciated the efforts of PU research team

a n d s a i d t h a t t h e r e s e a r c h h a s p r o v i d e d e v i d e n c e r e g a r d i n g p r e s e n c e o f B u d d h i s t civilization H e extended his full s upport t o l a u n c h j o i n t v e n t u r e s f o r e x p l o r i n g various tourist and heritage sites He said t h a t s u c h u n i q u e d i s c o v e r i e s w o u l d c o n t r i b u t e t o d o c u m e n t a t i o n o f e m i n e n t tourist spots in Punjab Dr Hameed said that in the recent field tour, innumerable evidences of ancient settlement in form of cultural mounds were recorded He said that prior to this discovery there were unsubstantial evidences of Buddhism in Punjab He stated that this great achievement of Punjab University researchers has opened a new chapter in the religious and cultural history of the province, which indicates that the followers of

Buddhism established their center of worship in Punjab and adopted a unique method for dissemination and preaching of their religion H e s a i d t h a t t h e s e f a c t s r e m a i n e d invisible and unnoticeable to date He said that after recent discovery further research and visits of the aforesaid areas are needed to be carried out to find the answers of the several questions including how and from w h e r e t h e B u d d h i s m c a m e i n t o b e i n g i n c e n t r a l P u n j a b , w h a t t y p e s o f s t u p a s o f B u d d h i s m w e r e a v a i l a b l e i n t h e s a i d r e g i o n h o w d i d t h e y e s t a b l i s h t h e i r religious buildings and monasteries what w a s t h e d u r a t i o n o f B u d d h i s m w h a t w a s the school of thought of Buddhism What w e r e t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f B u d d h i s m , How did Buddhism disappear / displace in the region Dr Hameed said that the practical implementation of these follow up works depends upon the support from the government society law enforcement agencies in order to complete this task as well as to save our glorious cultural heritage scattered and waiting to be unearthed in the plain of the Punjab province

G overnor inaugurates College of Engineering & Technology at UoS

Punjab Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman on Thursday inaugurated the newly-constructed College of Engineering & Technology at Allama

Iqbal Campus of the University of Sargodha (UoS) The campus spread over 50 acres has been built through an investment of Rs1 100 million funds provided by the Punjab Higher Education

Department

UoS Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Qaisar

Abbas expressed his profound gratitude to the Punjab Governor for gracing the momentous occasion He briefed the Governor on the remarkable academic and developmental progress of the university and underlined the institution s dedication to providing skillbased knowledge to empower students to support themselves financially, rather than relying solely on their parents’

resources Furthermore Prof Dr Qaisar Abbas unveiled plans for the establishment of a cutting-edge center, envisioned to cultivate skills, nurture innovative ideas, and facilitate their translation into the market “This forward-looking initiative

aligns with the university s commitment to producing graduates who are not only academically proficient but also wellequipped to make tangible contributions to their fields and the broader economy”

he added

Addressing the enthusiastic gathering Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman lauded the efforts of the university administration in

successfully completing the project He commended the University of Sargodha s achievements, citing its prestigious ranking as the top institution in Punjab and the second-best in Pakistan for its exemplary teaching practices He urged the university to continue its commitment to educational excellence and to keep adapting to the changing educational landscape

T h e B a n k o f P u n j a b s e c u r e s t o p r a n k i n S B P ' s A g r i c u l t u r e C r e d i t S c o r i n g M o d e l f o r F Y 2 0 2 3

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

Muhammad Balighur Rehman also highlighted the critical importance of investing in the youth, who are the future leaders of the nation and ready to take charge of the country s destiny The governor emphasized the need to equip students with technical skills and knowledge that would foster research productivity and innovation

The governor further emphasized, “The University should introduce the ‘Financial Assistance Program’ to address the needs of students who are forced to discontinue their education due to financial constraints and similar challenges

Dignitaries from various sectors also graced the inaugural ceremony, including Commissioner Sargodha Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti Regional Police Officer Shariq Kamal Deputy Commissioner Captain (Retd ) Shoaib Ali District Police Officer Faisal Kamran, exparliamentarians, representatives from civil society, as well as academic and administrative heads of the university

The ceremony concluded with Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Qaisar Abbas presented a commemorative souvenir to Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman for his continuous support and presence

PM Shehbaz terms massive crime if contents of leaked ‘cipher ’ true

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

I asked Don[ald Lu] if the reason for a strong US reaction was Pakistan’s abstention in the voting in the UNGA [United Nations General Assembly] He categorically replied in the negative and said that it was due to the Prime Minister s visit to Moscow The Intercept quoted from the purported cable

According to the text Lu then said I think if the no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister succeeds, all will be forgiven in Washington because the Russia visit is being looked at as a decision by the Prime Minister Otherwise I think it will be tough going ahead These words were ostensibly the threat that the former PM alluded to when he claimed there was a US conspiracy to overthrow his government

Obviously there is no conspiracy, but for a US official to use these words is unacceptable, a senior diplomat commented, referring to Lu’s remark that “all will be forgiven” if the vote of no confidence succeeds

The purported text of the cable details how Asad Majeed Khan tried to dispel the impression that Imran s visit to Russia was anything but a bilateral one that shouldn t be seen as an endorsement of Moscow s action against Ukraine The ambassador also conveyed how there was also a “feeling that while the US expected Pakistan’s support on all issues that were important to the US it did not reciprocate and we do not see much US support on issues of concern for Pakistan

Ministr y encourages devotees to apply for pilgrimage to annual Urs of Kh Moinuddin Chishti

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has opened its doors to fervent Pakistani pilgrims encouraging them to seize the opportunity and apply for participation in the annual Urs of the revered Sufi saint Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti scheduled to be held in Ajmer Sharif, India The Ministry’s Spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt on Thursday informed that pilgrims could submit their applications through the dedicated Ziyarat form until August 31 2023 He said the Urs ceremonies a cherished tradition among followers were set to grace the holy city of Ajmer Sharif from January 13 to 23 2024 Devotees from Pakistan and beyond would have the privilege to engage in this spiritually uplifting event, he added He said in anticipation of an overwhelming response if the number of applications surpass the available slots a selection draw would be conducted on October 10 2023

particularly on Kashmir

Asad Majeed Khan also asked the US diplomat that if Pakistan s position on Ukraine was so important to Washington why it had not engaged with Islamabad prior to the Russia visit by then-PM Imran Khan

At this, Donald Lu replied that: The thinking in Washington was that given the current political turmoil in Pakistan, this was not the right time for such engagement and it could wait till the political situation in Pakistan settled down

Subsequently in his own assessment at the tail-end of the purported text of the cable Asad Majeed Khan noted that Lu could not have conveyed such a strong sentiment without the express approval of the White House, to which he referred repeatedly ” In the envoy’s own assessment it was clear that Lu “spoke out of turn on Pakistan’s internal political process We need to seriously reflect on this and consider making an appropriate demarche to the US charge d affaires in Islamabad

‘PML-N SUPREMO RETURNING TO PAKISTAN NEXT MONTH’

Meanwhile, outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz

Sharif on Thursday said PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif would return to Pakistan next month

After the caretaker government takes the reins I intend to take a trip to London where I will finalise the programme with him If God permits, he will return to Pakistan next month, Shehbaz said about the expected

return of his elder brother on a TV talk show

The elder Sharif departed the country in November 2019 for medical treatment following his conviction in a corruption case He has not returned since and faces multiple cases in Pakistan When Shehbaz was asked about the possibility of the caretaker government creating any issues” for Nawaz upon his return, the PM replied, “He will face the law ” He further said that God willing, Nawaz would lead the PML-N’s election campaign and assume the role of the prime minister for a fourth time if the PML-N would emerge victorious in the polls Nawaz s expected return next month would also coincide with the retirement of Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, who PML-N leaders have termed an impediment in the way of Nawaz’s return Meanwhile in what was seen as a move to pave the way for Nawaz’s return the National Assembly and Senate approved the Elections (Amendment) Act 2023 in June which empowered the Election Commission of Pakistan to unilaterally fix the date for elections and also limits the lawmakers disqualification period to five years with retrospective effect The bill, dubbed as ‘person-specific legislation’ by the opposition, was expected to benefit Nawaz and newly-formed Istehkami-Pakistan Party (IPP) patron Jahangir Khan Tareen The two were disqualified for life more than five years ago after a Supreme Court judgement ruled that the disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution was for life

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) introduced a comprehensive Scoring Model to gauge the agriculture credit performance of the banks Based on this scoring model banks are ranked according to their sizes The Bank of Punjab (BOP) has been ranked at 1st Position in the Mid-Size Banks for the FY 2023 It is pertinent to mention here that on an overall basis, BOP s score is the second highest among all commercial banks regardless of their Tier Size This score has weightage of outstanding borrowers regional / geographical disbursements outstanding portfolio and overall disbursement with regards to Agriculture sector and includes both Farm and Non-Farm Sectors BOP has not only increased its agriculture customer base but also booked one of the largest Collateral Free Loans portfolios of Agriculture customers whereby loans are extended for Poultry Dairy and Animal Fattening against personal guarantee of the borrowers Introduction of Customer Centric proposition is the heart of bank s strategy Bank has dedicated branches to cater to Agriculture Sector needs, equipped with well-trained Agriculture Relationship Managers BOP offers extensive products under the Kissan Dost Umbrella which ranges from Lucrative everyday Banking accounts to Need Specific Loan Products BOP is also focused to use modern day technology and innovative tools for the well-being of its customers Recent launch of Kissan Digital Portal is the testimony to this fact, followed by its collaboration with different Agritechs for provision of Advisory Services in respect of Weather Forecasts Cropping Pesticide spraying and Utilizing Drones for Sprays to the Farmers Bank has also collaborated with Punjab Land Record Authority for real time lien marking on Agriculture properties situated in Punjab Province BOP stands committed to promote development and sustainability of agriculture sector by leveraging its Network and State of Art products and services

Lahore police constable ‘steals’ 40 motorcycles

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

Pak- C hina welding school help loc als lighten up future

In an astonishing incident a Lahore police constable stands accused of orchestrating the audacious theft of forty motorcycles A police constable, identified as Ilyas allegedly masterminded the theft of an astounding forty motorcycles, swiped right from under the nose of the very institution he was tasked to protect The audacious crime unfolded when Constable Ilyas reportedly conspired with an individual named Akram who was reportedly known in local circles as a junkie The duo meticulously executed their plan, making away with forty parked motorcycles that were stationed just outside the police station Their audacity reached new heights as they covertly stashed their loot in a warehouse located in the Harbanspura area KARACHI

A Karachi-based “Welding School” under the Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme – also known as K-IV – has trained several technical talents locally helping the locals receive both training and

According to the school, it was jointly launched by Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) and each training session lasts for seven days

training center led by professional Chinese welding masters specifically providing practical training and technical guidance for local

This school is dedicated to helping the locals improve their welding skills

After training, the project will greenlight outstanding trainees’ employment by allowing them to join the project or they can also choose to work for other companies P a k i s t a n i F e d e r a l M i n i s t e r f o r Wa t e r R e s o u r c e s S y e d K h u r s h e e d A h m e d S h a h h i g h l i g h t e d t h a t t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e K - I V p r o j e c t w i l l effectively alleviate the water shortage in Karachi and so to improve people s l i v e s a n d p r o m o t e e c o n o m i c development in the region

K-IV is the largest livelihood project in Pakistan to date, and upon completion, it will solve the water problem for over 20 million people in Karachi

The reporter learned that the project has been underway for one year and 39% construction has already been completed

The appearance of the purported cipher text sheds a poor light on our security

ABOUT a year and a half after Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from office, The Intercept magazine of the USA has printed the cipher that Mr Khan has claimed showed he was removed due to a conspiracy involving the USA and the opposition The purported text shows US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu as telling the Pakistani Ambassador that Mr Khan’ visit to Moscow on the day Russia invaded Ukraine had been noted but ‘all would be forgiven’ if Mr Khan was removed through the no-confidence motion There has been a lot of controversy about this cipher, as it was allegedly discussed by Mr Khan with Cabinet colleagues (who have since left the PTI) and his Principal SectretaryAzam Khan, who has since turned approver against him Mr Khan waved a copy of the cipher before being ousted to a public rally, but before being ousted

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the whole affair is where the magazine got a copy of the cipher It said that it did so from a military source in Pakistan This requires strict accounting, because a cipher is supposed to be a very secret document not a flier that can be handed out to any casual visitor Foreign Office denials are not going to be enough An investigation is required not just to assign blame, but also to recommend procedures preventing a recurrence After all Pakistan stands revealed before the world as a country that cannot be trusted, because there will be no knowing when or where cipher reports of conversations with its diplomats may appear in the media The waving of the cipher represented the first time such use was ever made of a secret document by a Prime Minister A separate issue has also developed that of where the waved document has gone Mr Khan airly says that he has ‘lost it Perhaps he need be told that while sufficient explanationfor cricket-boot laces, it will not wash for diplomatic ciphers

Apart from the issue of criminal liability under the Official Secrets Act, there is the question of timing The appearance of this report coincides with Mr Khan beginning a jail sentence for asset concealment and with the end of the government consequent upon the dissolution of the National Assembly Mr Khan has deep roots within the expatriate community, and personal contacts abroad It is within the realm of possibility that he might be using them

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

PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest was qualitatively different from two months ago Then it had been in execution of a NAB warrant by Rangers personnel to make him join an investigation, from the premises of a high court, where he had gone in connection with other cases This time, it was in execution of a conviction by a sessions court by the Punjab police to make him begin a sentence of imprisonment from his home

That it was from his home and not the court is a sign of how mildly the legal system has dealt with an ex-PM By not arresting him initially, the court had not submitted him to the indignities of an under-trial prisoner, which included the rather remote risk of being placed in leg-irons to prevent him trying to make an escape

It was to no one s credit that Imran was the third former Prime Minister to be arrested as well as convicted though in the case of the first two Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif, the more orthodox method of arrest before conviction was observed Actually, Imran was the fourth to be convicted, Yousaf Reza Gilani being found guilty of contempt and Mian Nawaz Sharif in his last term being removed by the Supreme Court finding him not sadiq and ameen and thus liable to disqualification Imran was the first to be removed by a vote of no-confidence

Except for 1993, the Supreme Court upheld all the four dissolutions of the National Assembly carried out by the President under Article 58 (2b) (1988 1990 1993 1996) In 1993 though the Assembly was restored the crisis continued when Mian Manzoor Wattoo replaced Ghulam Hyder Wyne after the dissolution, and resisted the federal imposition of Emergency, with the result that the President resigned and the Prime Minister dissolved the National Assembly Elected in 1996 Mian Nawaz did not confront the military but the judiciary Not only did he have the Chief Justice removed but he repealed Article 58(2b) However, not only was he removed by a military coup, but the judiciary upheld that decision

Since then, the pattern has continued of the Prime Minister losing office around the third year of his term The National Assembly remains and a new PM emerges The first example is of Zafarullah Jamali who took office in 2002 and resigned in 2004 making way for Shaukat Aziz Yusuf Reza Gilani took office in 2008 at the head of a PPP government, and was then convicted by the Supreme Court of contempt, and thus disqualified as an MNA, thus removed as PM Raja Pervez Ashraf replacing him until the House was dissolved Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court from the National Assembly in 2017 being replaced by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi His disqualification for not being sadiq and ameen was later declared to be for life To that extent, Imran is also better off, for the Constitution prescribes that he will be disqualified for five years after his release from jail His original sentence being for three years subject to the

usual remissios, he should be released in a year and a half If he pays the fine of Rs 20,000, well and good, but if he doesn’t, another six months would be tacked on to his sentence again subject to the usual reissions Add five further years of disqualification it would mean he would not be able to return to politics till 2032 If elections are held on time it would mean that Imran would not only miss this election, but the next, in 2028 He would only be able to return to electoral politics a year before the election of 2033 Of course that is if the next elections are held on time which is not necessarily a safe assumption Another factor is that Imran who is already 70 would be 80 in 2033 Of course, he could look to the example of his archenemy, Mian Nawaz He is proclaimed as likely to return as PM a fourth time That implies he has been forgiven by the establishment for whatever signs led to his ouster in 2017 He is going to turn 75 in December That seems to be no bar If he can make a comeback why can’t Imran? Of course Nawaz has had the immense advantage of having Shehbaz at his side, not just a loyal deputy to fill in as party president and PM but also someone who can build bridges with the establishment Neither Imran s sisters nor sons can perform the last role even if they could fill in the others Because of this one of the major problems for Imran seems to be finding a substitute for the party leader Before May 9 there was a lot of jostling but now there is not because of the number of desertions Those who have retained loyal are not being rewarded but are viewed with suspicion by Imran mainly because of their contacts with the establishment The question seems to be why would the establishment allow them to remain, when it had pulled out everyone else?

in 2009 Imran on the other hand has received a threeyear sentence for what is actually a white-ollar crime

It must also be noted that Bhutto and Nawaz were convicted in ways that made the courts look bad Bhutto was convicted for abetment of murder and became the only person ever sentenced to death for abetment, and to have the death sentence upheld by the Supreme Court Interestingly, no court has followed that precedent

Similarly Nawaz did not look anything like a hijacker or a terrorist nor had he been on the plane when the alleged hijacking took place

On the other hand the charges against Imran are credible Of course, supporters would swear by his honesty, but the crime is not one which is beyond him Nor did the judge have to strain any laws in making the conviction He may not have an honest face but then no one would claim it was particularly dishonest

There are certain problems with the conviction which may provide grounds for appeal, however First is the issue of the debate on maintainability The second is the refusal of the trial court to allow the defence witnesses However it will be up to the appellate forum whether it allows the appeal to result in an appeal or it orders a retrial For example if the trial was not maintainable, the appellate court may identify the appropriate forum, and remand the case there If it allows the witnesses it may order the trial court to pronounce a fresh verdict after hearing the witnesses

Politicians are attracted by the support they will get, the electables thrown their way. The landscape seems littered with parties that at one time or another were flavour of the month. However, no party leader at the moment seems comfortable with establishment interference in politics. That is a problem for the establishment perhaps bigger than Imran‘s fate.

It is also possible that such appeals are held back for the right time when the establishment has need of him again Pakistan s political history seems to show that the establishment does not make fresh mistakes and merely repeats the old ones The political forces it has produced have certain roots in the people already; that is why they are patronized

However, one encouraging sign for Imran is that the charges against former PMs are growing less serious Bhutto faced a capital charge and was duly convicted and hanged Nawaz faced a hijacking charge the first time and went into exile after getting two life terms in 2000 The conviction was quashed

Sino-India Competition in South China Sea and Indian Ocean

LOCATED in the south of China the South China Sea is traditionally considered its backyard by China It has its commercial value; however its strategic importance outweighs the former for China Its strategic importance for China is similar to that of the English Channel for the UK and the Central Pacific Ocean around Hawaii for the USA Taiwan Philippines Malaysia and Vietnam have borders along the Sea and have disputes over territories including the Spratly and Paracel Islands, the Scarborough Shoal, and the Gulf of Tonkin Although India has no dispute with any other state in the region, including China its growing interest is alarming for China particularly from the prism of the IndoUS strategic alliance to counter the growing China in the region India has somehow chosen Vietnam as a gateway for its entry into the South China Sea

What’s the motivation of India to venture into the South China Sea when even Australia is reluctant to openly alienate China through posturing in the region? The answer lies implicitly in the Modi government s vision of the Indo-Pacific Region capitalizing on ASEAN countries and using waterways for its economic and strategic compulsions

But India is not alone South East Asia is of great importance in the contemporary scenario for both India and the USA to contain China China is already exerting its influence in the traditional Indian sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean through its Strings of Pearl policy which stretches from the Asia Pacific to the Indian Ocean to the Middle East and even the Red Sea

Vietnam has a common objective with the USA and India to counter the growing Chinese influence in the region The USA and Vietnam have been signatories to Comprehensive Partnership since 2013 which is likely to be translated into Strategic Partnership if gauged from the outcome of the April visit of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Vietnam The pivot revolves around a connected open Indo-Pacific in line with US strategic policy in the region

However Vietnam is cognizant of its strategic geographical position and the ongoing tugof-war between the two powers If, on the one hand, it is considering strategic relations with

the USA then on the other it is also celebrating

15 years of Comprehensive Cooperation Policy with China The day the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan sailed into Vietnam on June 23, the Vietnamese premier met the Chinese Leadership in Being So a delicate balance in Vietnam is being maintained in terms of its foreign policy objectives India however is trying to appease the countries alongside the South China Sea The defence collaboration between India and Vietnam is at least a decade old Vietnam purchased 12 offs h o r e high-speed patrol boats for its Navy in 2013 through the Indian Defence LoC Vietnam also features regularly in the Milan Naval exercises being hosted by India India has also activated a satellite tracking system in Hanoi which helps Vietnam to track Chinese Naval activities in the region On June 22 India and Vietnam signed security-centric agreements for defence engagement India has also offered the Brahmos & Akash missile defence system to Vietnam torpedoes, and coastal batteries

mony of that India is also trying to extend its influence on the ASEAN countries toward South China It succeeded in its projection by successfully participating in/conducting the IndiaASEAN Maritime Exercise (AIME) on May 23

Thus, India needs to align itself with the USA all along Since it suits India to adopt the US policy in the region against China for the time being for its strategic compulsions, however, she is cognizant of the possibilities of the changing scenarios in the few decades and thus is not going all out against China History shows that today's competitors might be in alliances in a few decades against today's partners

Recently, on July 23, it gifted INS KIRPIN to Vietnam as part of its Maritime appeasement policy toward Vietnam to counter Chinese outreach in the Indian Ocean Region Indian Foreign Minister Jai Shankar s recent statement in the Philippines calling for China to abide by the 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea is a testi-

The trend is clear that India is on the path to complement the US Indo-Pacific policy to counter China and its growing influence in the South China Sea by maritime development of Vietnam and diplomatic support to other countries of the region with regard to its disputes with China, however, India is aware of the emerging realities of the world On the one hand it is part of the USA Security apparatus; however, it is part of BRICS with China to counter US Economic dominance Thus, India needs to align itself with the USA all along Since it suits India to adopt the US policy in the region against China for the time being for its strategic compulsions however she is cognizant of the possibilities of the changing scenarios in the few decades and thus is not going all out against China History shows that today's competitors might be in alliances in a few decades against today's partners

The author retired as a commander from the Pakistan Navy and is now a researcher associated with Bahria University Islamabad who can be reached at senananees@yahoo com

Politicians are attracted by the support they will get the electables thrown their way The landscape seems littered with parties that at one time or another were flavour of the month However, no party leader at the moment seems comfortable with establishment interference in politics That is a problem for the establishment perhaps bigger than Imran‘s fate

The writter is member of staff

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

Overcoming blood donation my ths

IN Pakistan, the need for blood donation is enormous, and it is a challenge to keep the supply chain moving The country faces several issues in maintaining an adequate and safe blood supply owing to various factors such as limited awareness misconceptions cultural barriers and inadequate blood donation infrastructure However none of the challenges is unsurmountable Pakistan faces blood shortage particularly during emergencies disasters and other such peak phases The limited availability of safe blood hampers the delivery of quality healthcare, leading to increased mortality rate

One of the major obstacles in encouraging blood donation in Pakistan is the prevalence of myths and misconceptions surrounding the process Common misconceptions include concerns about religious beliefs fear of infections and doubts regarding the safety of the donated blood It is crucial to debunk these myths and to educate the community about the reality of blood donation Through awareness campaigns, accurate information can be disseminated, helping to alleviate fears and misperceptions, and encouraging more people to donate blood Pakistan needs to foster a culture of voluntary blood donation Traditionally blood donation in the country has been reliant on replacement donations from family and friends which often leads to inadequate supply and a lack of diversity in blood types

What we need to do is to shift the paradigm and emphasise the importance of voluntary blood donation We should actively work towards promoting a culture where individuals willingly donate blood without any expectations of reciprocity, ultimately saving human lives and improving overall healthcare outcomes

We should mobilise our young educating them about the importance of blood donation and equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to become advocates for this cause By encouraging youth participation the community may create a long-lasting impact and ensure a continuous supply of safe blood for those in need Improving the blood donation infra- structure is crucial for enhancing the efficiency and safety of blood donation programmes in Pakistan We should also focus on developing well-equipped blood centres where the donation process may be seamless and the safety of both the donors and the recipients gets prioritised

Through active participation the community can urge policymakers and stakeholders to invest in upgrading the existing infrastructure and establishing more blood donation centres across the country

ALI ASGHAR MIRJAT KARACHI

A tragic spectacle

The practice of lifting animals through cranes to apartments in high-rise buildings especially during the days leading up to Eidul Azha has been going on for the last several years This is quite tragic, actually In many cases animals suffer injuries and harm during the lengthy and cumbersome process but the practice has continued without there being any rationale behind it In all such cases, there is a lot of noise and commotion in the area as people gather to watch the ‘spectacle’ and they all have some piece of advice for the owner of the animal the crane operator and even for the poor animal All this actually adds to the tragedy as it unfolds The provincial government needs to take effective measures to stop this practice immediately With a full year to go before Eidul Azha visits us again, the government definitely has time on its hand to plan, legislate and execute the ban on this preactice effectively

WANG YI KICKS OFF SOUTHEAST ASIA TOUR AMID US CREATING DIVISION

BEIJING

S TA F F R E P O R T

CH I N E S E Foreign Minister Wang Yi kicked off his visit to three Southeast Asian partners on Thursday to bolster strategic communication amid the sound momentum of China-ASEAN relationship Chinese experts view Wang s threenation tour as a signal of strengthening cooperation and building stronger ties with ASEAN member countries

Wang’s visit also comes against the backdrop of US creating tensions and divisions in the Asia-Pacific which experts believe further highlights the importance of regional solidarity and connectivity to avoid misunderstanding caused by discord sowed by the US And it s also believed that in the face of challenges, any move that undermines regional stability and prosperity will be opposed by countries in the region

Wang also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, is scheduled to visit Singapore Malaysia and Cambodia from August 10 to 13 upon invitation Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesper-

son Mao Ning said China hopes the visit will bolster strategic communication with the three Southeast Asian countries, put the new characterization of the China-Singapore relations into action, achieve solid progress in building a community with a shared future with both Malaysia and Cambodia deepen highquality Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation and bring the bilateral relations to new heights China stands ready to work with the three countries to implement the Global Development Initiative the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative boost economic recovery safeguard peace and stability deepen exchanges and mutual learning and make even greater contribution to peace, stability and development of the region and beyond the spokesperson said Gu Xiaosong dean of the ASEAN Research Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University told the Global Times on Thursday that Wang s visit is a signal that China will continue to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN member countries and build an even stronger relationship

Li Haidong a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University believes that 2023 is a significant year for ChinaASEAN cooperation and a special moment to promote ties

Ecuador presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio assassinated

QUITO

A G E N C I E S

Ecuador presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio a vocal critic of corruption and organised crime, was killed at a campaign event on Wednesday, authorities said, amid an upsurge in violence in the Andean nation blamed on drug traffickers Local media reported some 30 shots had been fired at an event in the north of the capital Quito Video footage posted on social media showed Villavicencio getting into a car after the event before the sound of apparent gunfire and screaming

Ecuador s police and Interior Ministry did not respond to repeated requests for comment about the details of the killing, but outgoing President Guillermo Lasso confirmed police safely detonated a grenade left behind by the killers

This is a political crime which has the character of terrorism and we do not doubt that this murder is an attempt to sabotage the electoral process, Lasso said in a video statement past midnight local time, after meeting with security and electoral officials Lasso declared three days of mourning and a national state of emergency saying the military would mobilise to guarantee security

Voting for a new president will go ahead as planned on Aug 20 he added The attorney general s office said one suspect in the crime later died of injuries sustained in a shoot-out The violence injured nine other people, including a candidate for the legislature and two police officers

The office later said it had arrested six people so far in connection with the crime during raids in Quito Lasso s government has blamed rising violence on the streets and in prisons on criminal infighting to control trafficking routes used by Mexican cartels, the Albanian mafia, and others to move drugs Security concerns along with employment and migration are major voter concerns in presidential contests Villavicencio had pledged to combat corruption and reduce tax evasion if elected

According to opinion polls, his support was at 7 5 per cent, ranking him fifth out of eight candidates Villavicencio’s party Movimiento Construye said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that armed men attacked its Quito offices in a separate incident

The year 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of China s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), and the 10th anniversary of an initiative for China to work with ASEAN member countries for a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and for a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future

The year 2023 also marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI and vision of building a global community of shared future for mankind Southeast Asian countries have been at the forefront of advancing BRI cooperation as well as the key to ensuring the sustainable stability of China s external environment Li said

The same is true for ASEAN members as well, as most ASEAN countries want the lasting and stable prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region maintained rather than an Asia-Pacific region with conflict and division Li said

P E A C E M A K E R V S T R O U B L E -

M A K E R : During the China-ASEAN (10+1) Foreign Ministers Meeting held in July, Wang along with other diplomats vowed to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership Wang said China will make new contributions to peace and prosperity in the region One month later the US and Philippines defense chief reiterated commitment

to bolstering military cooperation according to a statement released by the Pentagon on Wednesday, amid the recent tension between China and the Philippines over the Ren’ai Reef in China’s Nansha Islands Before Wang’s visit US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said he would visit Vietnam soon to elevate bilateral ties at the Vietnam s invitation according to media reports Relations between the Philippines and the US are strengthening Vietnam is balancing between China and the US, but its relations with the US in general are also elevating ” Gu said S o u t h e a s t A s i a i s t h e m o s t i m p o rtant part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy o f t h e U S a n d i t c a n n o t b e r u l e d o u t t h a t s o m e c o u n t r i e s a r e f o r c e d t o b ecome a wedge for the US to drive into ASEAN, Gu noted A disruptive factor in ties between China and ASEAN members is the US Li said He said Washington attempts to form an anti-China consensus in Southeast Asia through playing up China threats Only when more division and confrontation are created can the US regional hegemony be established As the US wants to kidnap ASEAN members onto its chess board against China the future development of regional countries will face greater challenges, Li said

Analysis: Moody ’s warning on US banks a wake -up call for sanguine investors

The slide in U S bank stocks this week appeared to catch traders in the options market by surprise data shows, raising questions over whether bank investors have become a little too comfortable with the sector that only months ago was in crisis U S bank shares dropped on Tuesday after ratings agency Moody s downgraded credit ratings of several U S regional lenders and placed some banking giants on review for potential downgrade

It warned lenders will find it harder to make money as interest rates remain high funding costs climb and a potential recession looms It also cited some lenders exposure to commercial real estate as a risk

The warning caught some investors off guard

A day before options traders expectations for near-term swings in the shares of two major sector exchange-traded funds (ETFs) –SPDR S&P Bank ETF (KBE P) and SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE P) – hit the lowest level since the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in March signaling little investor concern about the sector s outlook, data from Cboe s options analytics service Trade Alert showed

On Tuesday, SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF’s (KRE P) options-based 30-day implied volatility rose to 31 1% up from 28 9% touched on Monday At 30 7% late on Wednesday, that gauge of how much traders expect the shares to gyrate still re-

China decries US ‘economic coercion’ over investment ban, vows ‘necessar y’ countermeasure

China on Thursday scathingly criticized the US government’s move to ban new US investment in key technology industries in China the latest attempt in Washington’s relentless crackdown campaign against China China has lodged stern representations with the US side and vowed to take necessary measures to safeguard its interests While US officials cited the so-called national security reasons for the executive order and maintained that the US does not seek to “decouple” from China Chinese officials and experts said the latest US move is part of the US illintentioned campaign to contain China s technological rise which amounts to economic coercion and violates basic market principles

The exact impact of the US ban remains to be seen, but Chinese tech industry insiders and analysts dismissed any so-called chilling effect hyped by foreign media noting that the move has long been publicized by US officials and that US investments in the Chinese technology industry have already declined amid years of the US tech crackdown Most importantly, the move, or other arbitrary restrictions, by the US will not derail China’s pursuit of technological self-reliance and strength, analysts said After weeks of media hype and speculation US President Joe Biden on Wednesday US time signed an executive order to ban new US investments in key technology industries in China that could be used to bolster its military capabilities The order will ban US venture capital and private equity firms from investing in Chinese projects in semiconductors and other microelectronics quantum computers and certain artificial intelligence applications

In a statement the US Treasury Department insisted the move is a narrowly targeted action to defend America s national security, and that the US maintains its longstanding commitment to open investment

mains well below the high of 82% touched in March

Investors appear to have made their peace with risks in the sector and were not focused on defensive positioning, either because they had already shed banks exposure, or were not very concerned about fresh bad news said Steve Sosnick chief strategist at Interactive Brokers There s not nearly as much risk being priced in, he said

With some 1 5 put options open against each call option, as of Wednesday, positioning is less defensive than it has been about 80% of the time over the last four years and a far cry from March when there were more than 4 puts open against each call, according to Trade Alert

Calls convey the right to buy shares at a fixed price in the future and are usually used to bet on shares rising Put options give the right to sell shares and express a bearish or defensive view

While the S&P 500 Banks index ( SPXBK) is down about 3% for the year, compared with a 17% gain for the S&P 500 Index ( SPX) it is up about 17% from the multi-year lows touched in early May This is more of a shot across the bow for those investors that are getting complacent within this space,” said David Wagner Portfolio Manager at Aptus Capital Advisors referring to the Moody s ratings changes RISKS LINGER

The collapse of three midsized U S banks earlier this year and record deposit outflows from smaller lenders sparked investor

concerns about the broader banking industry but no further bank failures and resilient economic data have helped shore up investor sentiment since May

Still, risks linger, including exposure to the commercial real estate office sector, which has been hurt by lingering pandemic vacancies and high interest rates and the growing cost to retain flight of deposits Commercial real estate is one of the focal points for investors It is going to take a long time to play out and is one of the biggest risk factors for banks at the moment ” said David Smith an analyst at Autonomous Research

There has been a change in deposit mix leading to higher cost of funding which remains a concern, he added

Analysts also believe that some risks from impending new regulatory capital hikes may be under-priced since these could result in short-term capital pressure for some lenders Some investors, though, said the biggest risks are mostly short term Brian Mulberry, client portfolio manager at Zacks Investment Management which holds stocks in a number of major lenders said he was looking 12 to 18 months out when earnings are expected to jump In the near term, there are reasons for caution about banks in general and we have made changes where appropriate ” he said As interest rates go higher the more pressure it puts on banks profitability, even so, we do not see this as a solvency issue where the entire banking system will collapse ”

The US move immediately drew stern responses from Chinese authorities on Thursday “Restricting US companies’ investments in China with national security as a front is a clear act of overstretching the concept of security and politicizing business engagement The move s real aim is to deprive China of its right to develop and selfishly pursue US supremacy at the expense of others This is blatant economic coercion and tech bullying,” a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday

“President Biden has committed to not seeking to decouple from China or halt China s economic development We urge the US to follow through on that commitment, stop?politicizing, instrumentalizing and weaponizing tech and trade issues, immediately cancel the wrong decisions, remove the restrictions on investments in China and create an enabling environment for China-US business cooperation ” the spokesperson said adding that China has made serious démarche to the US and will resolutely safeguard its rights and interests

In a separate statement on Thursday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce blasted the US for seeking “decoupling” of bilateral investment under the guise of “de-risking ” which seriously violates the principles of market economics and fair competition that the US has always proclaimed China is seriously concerned about this and reserves the right to take measures, the ministry said Analysts said the move once again lays bare the US hypocrisy and lack of credibility, as the US repeatedly engages in “economic coercion,” while accusing others of “economic coercion ” and is seeking to “decouple” from and contain China while top US officials have publicly stated otherwise The move shows the US is getting desperate as it comes at the expense of its own companies after years of endless crackdown measures have failed to contain China, analysts noted “The US is still moving forward on the track of containing China’s development and it does not even hesitate to use administrative orders to block economic and trade exchanges The US has been doing it for many years so the new move carries no extra significance or chilling effect, Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Thursday

Russia says downed 11 Ukrainian drones near C rimea

MOSCOW A G E N C I E S

Russia’s defence ministry said early on Thursday it had downed 11 Ukrainian drones near Crimea overnight as well as two drones flying toward the capital Moscow

Two UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) flying in the direction of the city of Moscow were destroyed, the ministry said in a statement on Telegram

It said two Ukrainian drones were shot down near the city of Sevastopol on the Crimean coast and another 9 were sup-

pressed by means of electronic warfare and crashed in the Black Sea”

The ministry said there were no reports of damage or casualties in any of the affected areas The strikes come a day after Russia said two Ukrainian combat drones headed for Moscow were shot down, and constitute at least the fourth attack near the capital within a week Until a series of attacks in recent months Moscow had not been targeted during the conflict in Ukraine which began more than a year ago

The Russia-annexed Crimean peninsula,

however, has been disrupted by several strikes throughout the hostilities and has seen more frequent attacks in recent weeks

Russia said Saturday it had downed a drone over the ocean near Sevastopol the base of its Black Sea fleet

In July, Ukrainian drone strikes on Crimea blew up an ammunition depot and damaged the bridge across the Kerch Strait linking the peninsula to Russia’s mainland Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned last month that war was coming to Russia, with the country s symbolic centres and military bases becoming targets

BJP ‘traitors’ have murdered Hindustan in Manipur, says Rahul Gandhi

The politics of the BJP has murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said and called members of the ruling party traitors , as he launched a broadside against the Narendra Modi government over its handling of the violence in the Northeastern State of India

Speaking on the second day of the debate on the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha the other day Gandhi in his first comments in the House after the restoration of his membership, also slammed Prime Minister Modi for not visiting Manipur and said that the PM does not consider the State a part of India evoking strong protest by the treasury benches The former Congress chief also said that the Prime Minister listens to only two people

Amit Shah and Gautam Adani just as Ravan paid heed to only two people s advice–Meghnad and Kumbhakaran Gandhi showed an old poster of Modi and Adani sitting together in an aircraft, and claimed that “Modi doesn’t listen to India’s voice but theirs (Adani group)” The Indian Prime Minister was not in the House when Gandhi spoke I went to Manipur a few days ago Our Prime Minister has not gone there, he has not gone there till now He does not consider Manipur part of India I used the word Manipur, but the reality is that there is no Manipur left You have divided Manipur into two parts you have broken up Manipur Gandhi said Narrating his experience of visiting relief camps in the violence-hit State he said I asked a woman about what happened to her and she replied that her small son, an only child, was shot before her eyes She told me

that she spent the whole night with the body of her child and then she felt afraid and left her house When I asked her if she had brought along something with her, she responded ‘only the clothes she was wearing and a photo’ ”

“In another camp when I asked another woman the same question about what happened to her she started trembling and fainted, Gandhi added

These are the two examples In Manipur, they (BJP) have murdered Hindustan Their politics has not killed Manipur but killed Hindustan in Manipur Hindustan has been murdered in Manipur he said

As I had said India is a voice of the people You killed that voice in Manipur This means that you murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur, Gandhi asserted amid thumping of desks by opposition leaders

CORPORATE CORNER CPEC SET TO EMBRACE A BRIGHTER, MORE SPLENDID NEXT DECADE, SAYS CHINESE ENVOY

TCL, D araz unveil grand azadi sale: up to 21% off, free shipping, and more delights await!

LAHORE: Mark your calendars for an extraordinary shopping extravaganza as TCL, the unrivaled leader in LED TVs in Pakistan, joins forces with Daraz, the foremost online retail giant, to unveil the muchanticipated Azadi Sale running from August 14th to 23rd Embark on the Sale Now:

https://shorturl at/bCPZ5Prepare to be swept off your feet by the unparalleled offerings as TCL and Daraz present a remarkable collaboration gracing the period of August 14th to 23rd with remarkable deals Delight in savings of up to 21% on an extensive spectrum of iFFALCON and TCL products, encompassing an enticing array including Mini LEDs QLEDs 4K

UHD LEDs Smart Android LEDs the ingenious Smart Air Purifier Breeva A2 the ever-helpful Robot Vacuum Cleaner Sweeva immersive Soundbars and cutting-edge Air Conditioners The festivities don t stop there; revel in the luxury of complimentary shipping, the convenience of monthly installments, the assurance of brand warranty collectible vouchers and exclusive discounts with partnering banks This unparalleled opportunity is exclusively available at the prestigious TCL flagship store within the Daraz platform PR

Jazz, UNDP extend collaboration to promote women-led social innovation

ISLAMABAD: Jazz, Pakistan’s largest digital operator and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched the Women Initiative in Social Entrepreneurship (WISE) to promote women-led social innovation in Pakistan

The WISE Bootcamps, registrations for which are open now, aim to empower 400 women social entrepreneurs across 12 cities of Pakistan with essential business knowledge and skills to manage sustainable social enterprises

To strengthen the start-up ecosystem in Pakistan in 2020 Jazz and UNDP partnered to launch SDG Bootcamps to promote social innovation and entrepreneurship by youth in Pakistan The SDG Bootcamps engaged 401 participants, 40% of them being women entrepreneurs The solutions addressed by these enterprises included climate action health and digital transformation

Continuing the partnership – and with implementation through the School of Leadership Foundation (SoLF) – the WISE Bootcamps will focus on strengthening Pakistan's women social entrepreneurs PR

Bank Alfalah continues growth momentum

KARACHI: The Board of Directors of Bank

Alfalah Limited (BAFL), in its meeting held on August 10, 2023, approved the Bank’s financial results for the half year ended June 30, 2023 Pakistan weathered economic stress during the first half of 2023 However the Bank has delivered sound financial results posting profit before tax of Rs 35 865 billion The profit after tax stands at Rs 18 620 billion, representing a growth of 113 9% over last year, even after absorbing super tax imposed by the Federal Government The Earning Per Share (EPS) for the half year stands at Rs 11 81 (Jun ’22: Rs 4 90) The Board has declared an interim cash dividend of Rs 3 00 (Jun 22: Rs 2 50) per share Bank Alfalah s deposit base increased by 34 6% year-on-year (YoY), closing at Rs 1 776 trillion as at June 30, 2023 The Bank also improved its market share in deposits CA and CASA ratios stood at 42 8% and 71 3% respectively PR

Kuwaiti-based ener tech holding explores collaboration with K-Elec tric

K A R A C H I : “Pakistan’s energy landscape is rapidly changing, and clean energy is increasingly taking center stage At EnerTech Holding we have been exploring various markets and identifying partners in leading utilities with whom we can collaborate and catalyze the transformation We re very pleased to see K-Electric s ambitions for Karachi and its alignment with the country s renewable energy vision We believe that a collaboration which combines EnerTech’s expertise and K-Electric s legacy can have tremendous implications to accelerate these efforts These comments were made by His Excellence Abdallah Al-Mutairi, CEO of EnerTech Holding during a meeting with CEO K-Electric, Moonis Alvi The meeting between EnerTech and KE management marks a significant step towards furthering clean technology initiatives in the region which form an integral part of KE s forward-looking vision In addition to a

TH E Chinese Consul General in Karachi Yang Yundong has said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will embrace a brighter and more splendid next decade, propelling the China-Pakistan allweather strategic cooperative partnership to new heights and making greater contributions to the peace and prosperity of both countries and the region

Currently the CPEC has entered its second phase, which marks a crucial stage of high-quality development, the Chinese Consul General said while speaking at a press conference at a local hotel

The 10th anniversary of CEPC was celebrated in Islamabad last week and the Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message, which pointed out that since its launch in 2013, China and Pakistan have been advancing CEPC under the principle of extensive consultation joint contribution and shared benefits and have achieved several early harvests

This has added new impetus to the economic and social development of Pakistan and laid a good foundation for regional connectivity and integration

It is a vivid testament to the all-weather friendship between China and Pakistan and provides an important underpinning for building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era

Since CEPC started ten years ago, altogether 36 projects have been completed or under construction which has brought $25 4 billion of direct investment to Pakistan achieving cumulative revenue of $17 55 billion cumulative tax payments of $2 12 billion, creating 236,000 job opportunities and helping to add 8,000 megawatts of electricity, 510 kilometers of highways, and 886 kilometers of national core transmission lines ” the Consul General said

He said significant progress has been achieved in the construction of Gwadar Port The port now has 3 multi-purpose berths capable of handling 50 000-ton vessels fully operational Projects like the East Bay Expressway, Vocational, and Technical Training Institutions are already in operation

He said Gwadar New International Airport the desalination plant and China-Pakistan Friendship Hospital all aided by China are scheduled for completion in succession The first phase of the Gwadar Free Zone has been completed, and several livelihood and agriculture technology companies have started operations This shining “pearl” of the CPEC which used to be a small fishing village is accelerating its momentum towards becoming a strategic hub for logistics and industrial bases Yang said energy is one of the most heavily invested and productive cooperation areas under the framework of CEPC

“As many as 14 energy projects have already started commercial operation with the total installed capacity accounting for one-fifth of Pakistan s total capacity, and generating one-third of the electricity of the whole country at peak hours Sahiwal, Port Qasim, and Hub

coal-fired power plants were swiftly built and put into commercial operation at China s speed he added Various clean energy projects such as Karot Hydropower Project Dawood Wind Power Project, Sachal Wind Farm, and the Quaid-e-Azam Solar PV Power Plant, and K2, K3 nuclear power units have enriched Pakistan’s energy structure The Thar Block I and Block II coalfired power integration project has contributed to Pakistan s energy self-sufficiency, he added Yang Yundong said the Matiari to Lahore HVDC transmission line is the first high voltage direct current transmission project in Pakistan which transmits over 30 billion KW/hour of power every year with little power loss The implementation of various energy projects along the CPEC has illuminated millions of Pakistani households and provided reliable power support for Pakistan’s economic development People in Pakistan no longer have to worry about frequent power shortages or power cuts he added Yang Yundong said there has been tremendous progress in infrastructure development The Sukkur-Multan motorway, with a total length of 392 KM, is the largest transport infrastructure project

under CEPC, which cuts the travel time between the two cities from 11 hours to less than 4 hours

The Lahore Orange Line Metro is Pakistan s first Metro line and the only one so far and has taken Pakistan to the Metro era It significantly reduces the commuting time between the two ends of the line from 2 5 hours to 45 minutes

The Karakoram Highway Phase II project is connected to the China-Pakistan Friendship Road enabling cargo buses to directly reach the Khunjerab Pass

Many other examples exist The infrastructure construction along the CPEC has unlocked the potential of the regions, paving the way for development and prosperity ” he added

He informed that a remarkable achievement has been made in industrial cooperation CPEC has encouraged an increasing number of Chinese enterprises to come to Pakistan and engage in multifield industrial cooperation, including agriculture manufacturing and textiles

In the M3 Industrial City in Faisalabad ceramic products produced with Chinese investment and technology have reached thousands of Pakistani households, greatly enhancing Pakistan s independent capabilities in the sector of the building material industry In many places in Punjab and Sindh provinces Chinese hybrid rice has become a popular planting variety significantly increasing rice yield

He said at the same time, cooperation in chilli and canola planting is progressing steadily The Rashakai Special Economic Zone Phase I built by Chinese companies has been completed and begun attracting investment while the Dhabeji Special Economic Zone broke ground in July this year

With the development of special economic zones, bilateral industrial cooperation is expected to grow even closer laying a solid foundation for Pakistan’s industrialization process he concluded

British discount retailer Wilko said it has fallen into administration on Thursday, a form of creditor protection that puts its 12,000 jobs in danger

The family-owned retailer, facing a cash squeeze after a downturn in trading had failed to secure emergency investment

We left no stone unturned when it came to preserving this incredible business but must concede that with regret, we’ve no choice but to take the difficult decision to enter into administration Wilko Chief Executive Mark Jackson said

Administrator PwC did not have an immediate comment Wilko which sells everything from hardware goods to cleaning products, toys and gardening equipment, trades from about 400 stores across the UK and has an annual turnover of 1 2 billion pounds ($1 53 billion)

It is Britain s biggest retail casualty since convenience store chain McColl s collapsed in May last year McColl s was subsequently bought by supermarket group Morrisons Jackson said Wilko’s had “a significant level of interest” including indicative offers that could recapitalise the business

However, without the surety

of being able to complete the deal within the necessary time frame and given the cash position we ve been left with no choice but to take this unfortunate action, he said Wilko started as a single hardware store in Leicester, central England in 1930 but has become the first major retail victim of Britain s tougher economy grappling with high inflation and 14 consecutive interest rate rises since December 2021

Despite the squeeze on household incomes from the jump in interest rates and high levels of inflation most UK high street chains have traded resiliently so far this year

Pakistani, C hinese institutes sign MoU for joint research facility

The Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPPCAAS) and the Department of Entomology at the University of Agriculture have signed an agreement in Beijing to establish the Pakistan-China Joint Research Facility for Trim Brother Administration ’ The ceremony took place at IPPCAAS The letter of intent was duly signed by IPPCAAS Executive Director Lu Yanhui and UAF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, as stated in an official statement issued here

As per the agreement both sides will establish the joint research facility to address the prevention and control of crop pests in Pakistan and China

This collaboration involves conducting tests, demonstrations, and joint research on integrated disease control strategies for common crop

Pakistan Sports Board gears up for 19th Asian Games

The Director General of PSB Mr Shoaib Khoso and the Secretary General of Pakistan Olympics Association (POA) Mr Mohammad Khalid Mahmood, discussed important matters in a meeting held at the Pakistan Sports Board The focus of this discussion was to ensure the seamless participation of the Pakistan contingent in the prestigious 19th Asian Games set to take place in Hangzhou China Around 305 athletes both male and female will be participating in the 19th Asian Games To support the talented athletes, the contingent has been thoughtfully divided into three groups The first group is receiving full support from the PSB, the second is partially supported by PSB, and the third group benefits from the backing of the POA This comprehensive approach aims to provide the best possible resources and assistance to our athletes as they represent our nation on this grand stage A noteworthy aspect of our contingent is the significant participation of women athletes, a source of immense pride for our country Their dedication and achievements inspire us all The Asian Games commencing on September 23 2023 will witness a strong representation from Team Pakistan PR

Mari

Petroleum announces

outstanding results for FY-2022-23

ailments It also encompasses workforce training and exchange programs

Chaired by Tian Tooth, the Deputy Executive of the Division of Research and International Cooperation at the Institute of Plant Protection the meeting witnessed the presentation of the fundamental situation of UAF by its Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan Professor Dr Muhammad Jalal Arif emphasized Pakistan’s challenges with pest issues citing examples such as the impact of whiteflies on crops like cotton citrus and guava He also pointed out the risks posed by pests like fruit flies, pink bollworm, and whiteflies

OGRA holds interactive session with LPG industr y

Maintaining the upward performance trajectory of the previous years, Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) has announced excellent financial and operational results for FY 2022-23 Year on year, the Company’s net sales and net profit recorded impressive growth of 53% and 70% and stood at the historically highest levels of Rs 145 7 billion and Rs 56 1 billion respectively The net profit would have been Rs 64 7 billion without the provision of 10% super tax Growth in net profit was reflected in EPS, which also reached the historically highest level of Rs 420 75 per share from Rs 247 8 per share of the previous year MPCL Board of Directors has recommended final cash dividend of Rs 58 per share (580%) for approval of the shareholders in the upcoming AGM With this, the total dividend for FY 2022-23 will come to a Rs 147 per share (1,470%), also the highest in the Company’s history PR

Pakistan, Iraq sign convention for elimination of double taxation

Federal Board of Revenue initiated negotiations on the Convention for the Elimination of Double Taxation with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital and the Prevention of Tax Evasion and Avoidance with the Republic of Iraq In this connection tax delegations of both the countries met at Islamabad for the first round of negotiations from 7-9 August 2023 After detailed deliberations a consensus was achieved and draft of the Convention was initialed by the respective heads of delegation on 9th August, 2023 at Islamabad PR

Mr Zain-Ul-Abideen Qureshi, Member (Oil), Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, has convened an interactive session with LPG Industry and other stakeholders wherein the LPG Industry has pointed industry related issues regarding

75 Development Leadership Award bestowed upon

a c h I: Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC), in collaboration with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), was honored with the 75 Development Leadership Award for its exceptional contributions to the socio-economic development of Pakistan The award was presented to Mr Amir Iqbal CEO of SECMC by Prof Ahsan Iqbal, the Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, during a ceremony held at the Convention Centre in Islamabad PR

U K re t a i l e r Wi l ko co l l a p s e s, p u t t i n g 1 2 , 0 0 0 j o b s at r i s k

BALOCHISTAN, SINDH ASSEMBLIES LIKELY TO BE DISSOLVED TODAY

S TA F F R E P O R T

WI T H the dissolution of the National Assembly on Wednesday night attention turned towards the timing of the dissolution of the two remaining provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan

Like the National Assembly, both these assemblies held their inaugural sessions on August 13 2018 following their election in the July 25 vote Therefore their five-year term is set to expire on Saturday, August 12

As per the Constitution, if the assembly completes its term, the next general election would be held in 60 days But if the term is not complete even by a single day the elections would be held in 90 days

The National Assembly was dissolved on August 9 three days shy of its term completion with a view to getting another month s time for the election campaign

Same consideration is expected for the Sindh and Balochistan

According to the political experts

these two remaining assemblies were likely to be dissolved on Friday (today), one day before completing terms, to pave the way for the general election in November, along with the National Assembly polls

The two other assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – where the Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf (PTI) was in government – were dissolved in January this year, with a view to forcing the general elections across the country

However, it did not happen, while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) did not hold the election in the provinces in 90 days Now the elections for these two provincial assemblies will also be held along with the other assemblies

Meanwhile, the Sindh Assembly continued its session on Thursday, where the members delivered their farewell speeches Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani said that Friday (today) would be the last day of the assembly

A source said that Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah would send the advice for the dissolution of the assembly to Governor Kamran Tessori “The governor on the advice of the chief minister

PM Shehbaz calls for unit y to overcome challenges

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has emphasized greater unity cohesion and solidarity to steer the country out of challenges and put it on the path to prosperity

Addressing the staff of PM House and PM office on the occasion of luncheon hosted in their honour here on Thursday, PM Shehbaz recalled that our ancestors rendered immense sacrifices for a Pakistan where all the people had equal opportunities to excel in their fields He regretted that we deviated from our path

It is time to renew the pledge to follow the teachings of Holy Quran Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) as well as those of Quaid-eAzam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal to foster unity in our ranks , he underscored

He said we should serve the country in such a manner that rids it of loans and take us on the path of selfreliance He said this is not an impossible task but only requires sacrifice and sheer dedication and devotion to work

Alluding to the austerity measures taken during the past 16 months of his stint, Shehbaz Sharif said given the difficult economic situation, several cabinet members decided to forgo their perks and privileges

The Prime Minister noted that by saving our resources we could spend them in eradicating poverty unemployment and illiteracy He pointed out that God Almighty had blessed Pakistan with immense minerals, fertile land and a capable human resource

He said we can exploit this potential by putting our efforts together saying this will also enhance the country’s image in the comity of nations

The Prime Minister was appreciative of the support advice and guidance provided to him by the staff of PM House and PM Office over the last 16 months On the occasion, the staff of the PM House presented a portrait to the Prime Minister Earlier, the Prime Minister distributed commendation certificates amongst the staff of the PM Office and PM House Bureaucracy lauded for cooperation guidance during 16-month stint: In another ceremony held here PM

Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed his gratitude to the bureaucracy for their support and guidance throughout the 16-month tenure, enabling the coalition government to sail through tough circumstances

The prime minister, in his farewell interaction with the federal secretaries said despite being hugely diverse the 13-party coalition government ran the affairs smoothly with utmost cooperation and prudence also setting an example of the practicability of the coalition government

He said during the 16 months, the bureaucracy also faced some difficult scenarios but the will to do something productive for the people of Pakistan paved the way

The prime minister lamented the past practice of unnecessarily criticizing and victimising competent officers which adversely impacted public service He said just like the politicians, the officers were also victimised and their families harassed

He said the civil service faced a severe blow during the devolution due to very reason, some of the youngsters also opted to join other services

Mentioning the systemic delays in the execution of 10 000MW solar energy project Prime Minister

Shehbaz called for establishing robust systems to ensure the smooth execution of projects

He said the incumbent government ensured the completion of various public welfare projects which had been halted by the previous government

will sign the summary by midnight the source said During the session, the speaker told both the treasury and the opposition members to share their five-year experience “After the last sitting we will have a photo session before lunch with you he announced

The treasury members applauded the Sindh government and the performance of the assembly, while some opposition members cried foul in not giving them the chance to pass their private members’ bills and share in development budget

After the dissolution of the assembly the provincial cabinet would also cease to exist The government and opposition would then hold consultation for the appointment of the caretaker chief minister

So far, both sides are tight-lipped about their choices for the post From the government side there were a few names taking rounds but no-one would confirm or deny them Similarly nothing is being shared by the opposition

A similar situation prevails in Quetta, where Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Quddus Bizenjo was also expected to send the advice for the dissolution of the

n

t e b

y

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum expressed the resolve to call representatives of the gas-consuming industries and fertilizer companies in its next meeting, to devise collaborative solutions that address the evolving energy landscape

The meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of Senator Abdul Qadir to discuss a range of pressing energy matters

On the occasion, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) provided insights into the ongoing supply of natural gas to Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited (FFBL) SSGC MD informed the committee about the allocated 45MMCFD natural gas and 10MMCFD RLNG provided to FFBL against the demand of 68 MMCFD, stressing that these allocations are the maximum feasible

The SSGC MD said their resources are quickly depleted owing to the downward trajectory of gas production reduced from 1100

assembly on Friday (today)

So far, there is no consensus on the nomination of the caretaker chief minister The opposition, led by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) has formed a threemember committee to finalise its names

The committee comprises opposition leaderMalik Sikandar Advocate the party s Balochistan Amir Maulana Abdul Wasey and provincial Assembly member Mir Younas Aziz Zehri “So far none from the government has formally contacted our parliamentary committee a senior leader of the JUI said However official sources said that the chief minister was expected to meet the opposition leader very soon

The ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) has yet to form any committee for the negotiations with the opposition The sources revealed that the BAP was expected to nominate Mir Hamal Kalmati as its candidate Besides Kalmati the names of Mir Naseer Bizenjo and Senator Kuhda Babar are also being discussed for the post of the caretaker chief minister Other names taking rounds include Mir Behroz Regi and Dr Faiz Kakar

g

s

MMCFD to 750 MMCFD at present FFBL representatives shared their operational struggles due to these limitations citing substantial financial losses amounting to Rs 5 billion in the first two quarters being the sole manufacturer of DAP in Pakistan If Pakistan imports urea/DAP then the national exchequer will suffer an accumulative loss of $1-1 5 billion a year

The issue of gas supply irregularities in various areas of Karachi also came under the committee’s scrutiny SSGC revealed that substantial progress has been made with 0 1 million meters already installed and plans to bring 0 4 million more houses under the metering system by June 2024

The committee directed the immediate installation of meters for households utilizing gas without meters or else discontinuing their gas connection

The committee also received a comprehensive briefing on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives undertaken by OGDCL/PPL

in Balochistan The committee emphasized the prioritization of education/health in Balochistan under CSR After a brief discussion the committee decided to form a subcommittee to oversee the CSR initiatives undertaken in Balochistan by OGDCL/PPL

The committee also delved into concerns related to the issue of non-provision of gas supply to the residents within a 5km radius of the Jhal Magsi Oil & Gas field The chairman committee recommended a joint visit by SSGC and MNA Magsi to assess the area and conduct a re-evaluation as the houses in the area are being increased many times with the passage of time from the earlier 600 houses

If the government could not release the project amount in time then OGDCL which is casting Rs 1800 /MMCFT needs to be adjusted in the project completion SSGC outlined the project s scope costs and timeline with completion targeted for March 2024 contingent on the timely release of funds

Unregistered SCOM SIMs face crackdown in GB and A JK

ISLAMABAD

G H U L A M A B B A S

In a bid to curb the rampant use of unregistered mobile devices paired with SCOM (Special Communication Organization) SIMs in Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Azad Kashmir (AJK) the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a stern ultimatum Effective from September 1 2023 all mobile devices must be registered with the PTA failing which local SIMs will be deactivated on unregistered devices The decision comes as an increasing number of unregistered mobile phones, largely smuggled and thus avoiding import duties and PTA registration fees, flood the regions of GB and AJK

This thriving market for illicit devices is thriving due to the absence of the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) in these territories

To address this concern PTA has introduced the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) in GB and AJK The DIRBS system ensures the usage of legitimate mobile devices compliant with technical standards and regulations Mobile devices active on local GSM networks in AJK and GB until September 1 2023 will be paired with active phone numbers throughout their useful lifespan Industry insiders have estimated that over 100,000 smuggled mobile phones are currently in use in GB and AJK, primarily linked to the SCOM network This startling figure is attributed to the lower cost of smuggled phones in comparison to locally

their guidance and support in the preparation of the PEMRA Amendment Bill 2023

manufactured or imported devices, as well as the lack of regulatory enforcement in these regions Mr Manzar Shigri, a local businessman in Gilgit, emphasized that smuggled or non-duty paid phones are mainly compatible with the SCOM network as it is the predominant mobile operator in GB and AJK He noted that other major network operators like Telenor ZONG and Jazz are not operational on the same phone sets

To address this discrepancy, PTA and the Ministry of IT and Telecom have reached out to the Cabinet Division, urging the integration of SCOM into the DIRBS system

Once this integration is approved it is expected to extend the regulatory reach of DIRBS to SCOM connections as well discouraging the use of unregistered devices

The introduction of the DIRBS system was initially aimed at safeguarding local mobile device manufacturing by imposing import duties on mobile sets and deterring smuggling Integration of SCOM into the DIRBS system is expected to substantially reduce the usage of smuggled phones in GB and AJK generating additional revenue through import duties PTA s move to enforce device registration in GB and AJK represents a significant step towards curbing the use of unregistered mobile devices and ensuring compliance with the country s telecommunications regulations With the integration of SCOM into the DIRBS system, the widespread issue of unregistered phones is poised to witness a marked decline, ultimately benefiting the government’s revenue stream and contributing to a more controlled and secure mobile communications landscape

payment of Rs 4 million to the families of those who die in the line of duty

The former first lady Bushra Bibi on Thursday met her husband and former premier, Imran Khan in Attock Jail

The 70-year-old PTI chairman is currently in Attock Jail after the verdict in the Toshakhana case Bushra Bibi along with the team of PTI chairman’s lawyers reached Attock Jail to meet him but was reportedly stopped by the police for 30 minutes

Later, the authorities allowed Bushra Bibi to meet her husband in jail The meeting with the PTI chairman continued for an hour

Earlier, security was alerted outside the Attock Jail after the arrival of the former prime minister ’s wife at the jail PTI chairman s lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha said that Bushra Bibi and the team would meet with PTI chairman on the orders of the Islamabad High Court Naeem Haider Panjotha said no one from the legal team resisted upon being stopped to meet the former prime minister

General Elections:

MQM-P issues tickets to par t y candidates

The Mutahidda Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has started preparations for general elections by awarding tickets to candidates

According to details, the party leadership has issued tickets to four candidates for the upcoming general elections Syed Hafeezuddin will contest the elections from NA-245 Muhammad Iqbal Khan from NA-236 and Humayun Usman NA-243

Fayyaz-ul-Haq Khan has been awarded party ticket to contest election from Karachi s PS-112 constituency

The tickets were issued to all candidates after the approval from MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui

1 5 t h N a t i o n a l

A s s e m b l y p a s s e s r e c o r d 2 3 5 b i l l s i n f i v e - y e a r t e n u r e

I S L A M A B A D STAFF REPORT

The 15th National Assembly of Pakistan has concluded its tenure, leaving behind a legacy of legislative productivity, executive oversight, and transformative leadership changes

During its five-year term, the assembly passed a total of 235 bills including 181 government bills and 360 private member bills This is a significant achievement as it surpasses the number of bills passed by the previous two assemblies

The assembly also played a vital role in ensuring the effective functioning of the government by conducting thousands of question hours and adopting 107 resolutions on a wide range of issues

These resolutions addressed a number of key concerns such as governance education foreign affairs health and energy

The assembly s tenure was also marked by significant leadership changes In 2018, Imran Khan was elected prime minister, becoming the first cricketer to hold the office

He was succeeded by Shehbaz Sharif in 2022

These leadership changes reflected the assembly’s commitment to democratic governance and the peaceful transfer of power

Overall, the 15th National Assembly was a productive and transformative body that made significant contributions to Pakistan’s democracy and development Its legacy will be one of legislative productivity executive oversight and transformative leadership changes

i n i s t e r f o r I n f o r m a t i o n a n d B r o a d c a s ti n g

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u r a n g z e b o n T h u r s d a y u rg e d t h e j o u r n a l i s t s a n d m e d i a w o r k e r s t o r e m a i n u n i t e d a n d e n s u r e i m p l e m e n t at i o n o f P E M R A A m e n d m e n t B i l l 2 0 2 3 , w h i c h w o u l d r e p l a c e t h e 2 0

M R A

r d i n a n c e a b l a c k l a w i n t r o d u c e d b y P e r v e z M u s h a r r a f

During her visit to National Press Club here she said that for the past over 12 months consultations were held with all stakeholders for the preparation of the Bill S h e s a i d t h a t t h e r i g h t s o f w o r k i n g j o u r n a l i s t s a n d m e d i a w o r k e r s h a v e b e e n p r o t e c t e d i n t h e B i l l a s t h e i s s u a n c e o f g o v e r n m e n t a d v e r t i s e m e n t s h a s b e e n linked to payment of salaries and dues of the journalists and media workers Moreo v e r t h e r u l e o f m i n i m u m w a g e s w o u l d n o w b e a p p l i c a b l e f o r m e d i a o rg a n i z ations, she added The former minister said that the outgoing government had introduced Health Insurance Card scheme for journalists and media workers and had created a fund for

She ruled out the impression given by a certain lobby that the Bill was prepared in haste or it was being passed on the instructions of someone

The former minister also rubbished the impression that she had withdrawn the Bill from the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting under pressure of some persons Citing the examples of slogans against her by workers of a political party she said that she never bowed to pressure

She said that some people had been opposing the Amendment Bill without bothering to read it thoroughly She said that in the National Assembly and its standing committee, each and every clause of the Bill was discussed and then it was approved

Criticizing the impression that the Bill was meant to impose restrictions on the media she said as a political worker she could not even think about curtailing freedom of expression

Marriyum Aurangzeb said that PML-N leadership had always faced censorship and restrictions on their media coverage and they could not think about imposing any bill against the interest of the media industry

The PML-N Secretary Information said that she was shocked when a person alleged that she was strangulation the media and imposing gag on freedom of expression through this Bill

She said that she decided to withdraw the Bill as she did not want that the coalition government should be blamed in any way for bulldozing a bill to curb media freedom

She said the protection of journalists and media workers rights were linked with the PEMRA Amendment Bill 2023 as a lot of efforts were put in the Bill in this regard

She said that the positive aspect of these efforts was that all the industry stakeholders joined hands for approval of the Bill as it was meant for the betterment of the entire industry and the pro-worker bill was prepared by keeping in view the needs of changed media landscape

She thanked the former minister for law and justice Azam Nazeer Tarar for providing legal guidance for ensuring that there was no legal lacuna in the bill

The former minister said that the past couple of days, the efforts of journalists and media workers for protection of their rights were historic