Epaper_23-08-23 KHI

StuDEntS tRAPPED In BAttAgRAm CABLE-CAR RESCuED AftER 14-HOuR OPERAtIOn

LHC disposes petition filed against ECP’s delimitation notification

LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T

The Lahore High Court (LHC) disposed of on Tuesday a petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) delimitation notification

dren were rescued after the fourth attempt to airlift them

AL L seven students and their teacher, trapped in a cable-car in Allai tehsil Battagram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were rescued as a result of an operation spanned over 14 hours by Pakistan Army Aviation officers, Special Service Group (SSG) commandos, Rescue 1122 and locals

Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz

Bugti confirmed that the rescue operation was completed and all the trap students had been rescued Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz

Bugti wrote on the social media platform

‘X’ (formerly Twitter): “thanked

Almighty Allah for safe rescue and evacuation of seven schoolchildren and a teacher who were trapped in dangling cable-car in the hilly area of Battagram

District All appreciation for our valiant armed forces personnel for their selflessness and determination in carrying out this complex operation

He also shared the names of trapped individuals: Irfan son of Amraiz Niaz Mohammad son of Umar Zaib Rizwan son of Abdul Qayyum, Gulfraz son of Hakeem Dad, Sher Nawaz son of Shah Nazar, Ibrar son of Abdul Ghani, Attaullah son of Kifiatullah and Usama son of Muhammad Sharif

Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul

Haq Kakar also confirmed the development on social media platform X (formerly Twitter)

“Relieved to know that all the kids have been successfully and safely rescued Great teamwork by the military

rescue departments, district administration as well as the local people,” he said

The incident had occurred early in the morning estimated between 7am and 8am when six students and two locals were on the way to school

The successful completion of the operation was first confirmed in a statement issued by Rescue 1122 and later by the military’s media affairs wing

The footage showed the rescuer hanging from a helicopter pulling out one of the students trapped in the Battagram chairlift by using the harness The student was safely shifted to the ground after hours-long rescue efforts

The schoolchildren got stuck when two wires of the cable-car snapped Assistant Commissioner (AC) Jawad Hussain said adding the cable-car was privately run by locals for transportation across rivers as there were no roads or bridges in the area

Haris Rauf’s fifer helps Pakistan rout Afghanistan in first ODI

Fiery pacer Haris Rauf led a pace assault on Afghanistan with a career-best five-wicket haul to give Pakistan a thumping 142-run victory in the first one-day international in Sri Lanka s Hambantota on Tuesday Rauf ’s shattering 5-18 in 6 2 overs forced Afghanistan to their second-lowest ODI totals of 59 in a staggering 19 2 overs after Pakistan were bowled out for 201 in 47 1 overs

The victory gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match series the first bilateral between the two nations with the remaining matches in Colombo on Thursday and Saturday

Rauf carried on the demolition act after fellow fast

bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi had removed Ibrahim

Zadran (nought) and Rahmat Shah (nought) off successive deliveries in the third over

It had become 3-4 when Naseem Shah dismissed Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, also without scoring, before passing the baton to Rauf to complete the rout

Rauf grabbed wickets of Ikram Alikhil (four), top scorer

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (18), Mohammad Nabi (seven), Rashid Khan (nought) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (four) to complete the rout Rauf s previous best of 4-65 was against England at Birmingham in 2021

Shaheen finished with 2-9

Afghanistan s lowest in all ODIs is 58 against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 2016

Earlier Rahman was Pakistan’s wrecker-in-chief

The 22-year-old dismissed world number one batter

Babar Azam for a third-ball duck to finish with figures of 3-33 while Nabi took 2-34 and Rashid 2-42

Only opener Imam-ul-Haq with a 94-ball 61 Shadab

Khan (39) and Iftikhar Ahmed (30) offered some resistance as Pakistan’s much-vaunted batting failed on a slow Hambantota stadium pitch

Batting first after winning the toss Pakistan lost opener

Fakhar Zaman off the fourth ball of the match for two before Rahman dismissed Azam and Mohammad

Rizwan (21) in his first spell

Haq steadied the innings with a fifth wicket stand of 50 with Ahmed and another 40 with Shadab before Nabi dismissed Haq and Ahmed in quick succession

Haq’s 17th half century had only two boundaries

Ace spinner Rashid chipped in with the wickets of Agha

Salman (seven) and Shaheen Shah Afridi for two

Shadab who hit three boundaries in his 50-ball knock added an invaluable 35-run stand with Naseem (18 not out) for the ninth wicket before the latter was run out AG E N C I E S

The cable-car remained dangling in the middle of a deep ravine surrounded by towering mountains and a rocky surface along with the Jhangri river for hours

Initially the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) estimated that the passengers were stuck at a height of 1,000-2,000ft But after the rescue operation ended, the ISPR said they were stranded at a height of 600ft

H O U R S-L O N G R E S C U E O P E R A-

T I O N: The rescue operation to retrieve the stuck passengers began in the morning but the first two children could not be rescued before late in the evening They were rescued by the armed forces amid rough weather and following multiple attempts shortly before sunset as part of an operation that saw the use of four helicopters

After rescuing two children the air rescue operation was suspended due to windy weather and darkness The chil-

The Pakistan Army Aviation and SSG teams also decided to continue the chairlift rescue operation from the ground Once the darkness set in state broadcaster PTV News reported that the aerial operation had been called off due to “night and weather conditions” but rescue efforts through “alternative means” were ongoing GOC SSG led the rescue operation and a last attempt was made to pull out the trapped students and a teacher via helicopter

All arrangements have been made to continue the operation in the nighttime Moreover the SSG commandoes provided food and medicines to the people trapped in the chairlift According to Radio Pakistan the army took the assistance of local cable crossings experts for this operation

Later, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said three more children had been rescued So far five children had been rescued the ISPR statement issued around 9:45pm more than 12 hours after the rescue operation began said

Separately, Deputy Commissioner Tanveerur Rehman told AFP that “zipline experts and other civil and military experts and local cable operators are on the spot and helping us in the rescue operation State broadcaster Radio Pakistan, meanwhile, reported that food and drinks were being supplied to the stranded people via a small chairlift dolly

After the operation concluded an ISPR statement termed it extremely complicated and difficult

The petitioner Muhammad Muqsit Saleem contended that the caretaker government setup was causing a delay in elections beyond the statutory period of 90 days

He requested the court to declare the ECP s impugned notification, issued on August 17, as ultra vires of the Constitution of Pakistan He further requested the court to demand concerned respondents to stop following unconstitutional directions and take legitimate steps to ensure the implementation of the Constitution, which guarantees elections in 90 days Saleem had further asked the court to suspend the operation until the decision of this petition was announced

During today’s proceedings Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh questioned the petitioner s counsel about why the president failed to announce election dates The situation would have been different today had the president announced the election date, he remarked “Is there any law under which the ECP can announce the election date?” he further asked

The lawyer representing the ECP argued that the president can constitutionally not direct the ECP in this regard but can announce an election date However Justice Sheikh stated that it is, in fact, the constitutional obligation of the president to give an election date

The judge told the petitioner that his first question should have been about the election date instead of worrying about its delay

The counsel responded that the ECP was rendering its role in accordance with the law adding that the Constitution was very clear that elections will be conducted on the latest de-limitation record

The petitioner challenged the ECP’s delimitation notification on the grounds that the delimitation process would delay the elections beyond the statutory period of 90 days The time period is stipulated in Article 224 of the Constitution and Section 17(2) of the Elections Act

He argued that the delimitation notification violates Section 17(2) of the Elections Act, since the limit of constituencies was already published by the commission on August 5 2022 “A year has passed since then the elected government s tenure is over and this caretaker setup is causing an illegal delay in the statutory period of elections he stated

He further remarked that he understands that a caretaker government is appointed to oversee the country’s administration in the run-up to general elections with the mandate to ensure free fair and transparent elections as well as to maintain law and order during the electoral process

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Tuesday reiterated that the interim government would ensure holding of the upcoming general elections in the most transparent and impartial manner accepted to all

Talking to media after visiting Mazar-e-Quaid to pay tribute and offer Fateha, the prime minister said that the caretaker government would function in the limited timeframe only to ensure the election process “We would play our part in this regard by holding transparent and impartial polls so that Pakistan could move through its constitutional transitional period, PM Kakar reaffirmed the resolve

On the occasion the prime

minister was accompanied by Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tissori Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (r) Maqbool Baqir and the members of his cabinet

It was the maiden visit of the caretaker prime minister to Karachi after assuming his office

The prime minister said that he along with his few cabinet members came here to pay homage to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and reaffirm to work for the progress and prosperity of the country by highlighting the social contract under which a separate state came into being Referring to an address of the founder of the nation on August 11 1947 before the Constituent Assembly, he said it focused on rights of the minorities and equality among individuals

Prime Minister Kakar expressed the optimism that the people of the country would excel in different fields on the basis of their talents and it was the future of the country Earlier the prime minister laid a floral wreath at the grave of the founder of the nation and offered Fateha He also penned down his expressions in the visitors’ book

Earlier, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar chaired a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad on Tuesday and directed the cabinet members to hold a national level Interfaith Harmony Conference next week

Six soldiers mar tyred, 4 ter rorists killed in South Waziristan

RAWALPINDI

F

R

P O R T Four terrorists were killed in exchange of fire between own troops and terrorists in Asman Manza area of South Waziristan

According to ISPR own troops effectively engaged the terrorists location and resultantly four terrorists were sent to hell while two terrorists were injured However, during intense exchange of fire,

will be laid to rest with full military honours in their respective hometowns Corps Commander Peshawar

Lt-Gen Sardar Hassan Azhar Hayat and other senior serving officers attended the funeral prayers

The high command of Armed Forces of Pakistan stands resolute and committed to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the motherland at all costs

However if elections are not held within the timeframe specified in the Constitution, the mandate of the caretaker government should typically end –but “it never is that simple in Pakistan, especially given the current political climate ” he had remarked The Constitution specifies 90 days and 60 days election periods According to Article 224(1) a general election to the National Assembly or a provincial assembly must be held within 60 days of the day after an assembly s term is set to expire According to Article 224(2), when the National Assembly or a provincial assembly is dissolved general election must be held within 90 days of the dissolution and the result must be declared no later than 14 days after the polls close

Indian Charge d’Affaires summoned to register protest over killing of a civilian at LOC

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

The Indian Charge d’ Affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday to register Pakistan s strong protest over the killing of a 60-yearold civilian Mr Ghias resident of Oli village of Kotli district, as a result of firing by the Indian forces The incident took place in the Nikial Sector of the Line of Control (LoC) on 21 August 2023

Emphasizing the need for maintaining peace and tranquility at the LoC it was underscored that such acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire

Understanding reaffirmed in February 2021

It was stressed that utmost caution should be exercised by the Indian forces as targeting innocent civilians is contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws

The Indian side was urged to investigate the incident and respect the Ceasefire Understanding

I n t e r i m g o v t t o e n s u r e t r a n s p a r e n t , i m p a r t i a l e l e c t i o n s : P M Ka ka r

A R R E S T O F E X - P T I S I N D H M PA C O N F I R M E D ; A C E , P O L I C E R A I D H O U S E S O F Z A R TA J G U L , N A E E M I B R A H I M

KARACHI/LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

THE Karachi police on Tuesday confirmed arrest of former PTI Sindh MPA leader Raja Azhar while the Punjab Anti-Corruption accompanied by the Punjab Police raided the houses of PTI leaders including former state minister Zartaj Gul and Naeem Ibrahim houses

A c c o r d i n g t o d e t a i l s , K a r a c h i E a s t P o l i c e ( I n v e s t i g a t i o n s ) c o n f e s s e d t o h a v e a r r e s t e d f o r m e r S i n d h A s s e m b l y m e m b e r Raja Azhar saying he will be produced in t h e A n t i - Te r r o r i s m C o u r t ( AT C ) T h e p o l i c e s t a t e d t h a t t h e P T I l e a d e r i s a c c u s e d o f v a n d a l i s m o f R a n g e r s c h e c k p o s t , p u b l i c a n d p r i v a t e p r o p e r t y

n e a r S h a h r a - e - F a i s a l o n M a y 0 9

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI leader Raja Aznar was taken into custody b y t h e p e r s o n n e l o f p o l i c e a n d l a w enforcement agency (LEAs) from Saddar

K a r a c h i a n d h a s b e e n s h i f t e d t o a n

undisclosed location

The police across the country, especially in Karachi and Lahore have registered several cases against politicians belonging to the PTI on charges of vandalism arson and terrorism charges after riots of May 9 ACE POLICE RAID RESIDENCES OF PTI LEADERS

Meanwhile, the Punjab Anti-Corruption along with personnel of the Punjab Police raided the houses of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders including former state minister Zartaj Gul and Naeem Ibrahim on Tuesday

Both teams raided the house of Zartaj Gul in Dera Ghazi Khan searched the house completely However Ms Gul was not present when the house was raided The officials claimed that Gul was accused of taking commission in development projects They said she was wanted in the corruption and kickbacks cases and not cooperating in the investigation A raid was also carried out on the house of Naeem Ibrahim in Arifwala a former member of the provincial assembly of PTI Ibrahim is not in Pakistan as he left for abroad sometimes ago The PTI leader was booked in some cases of government land grabbing

The raid team comprising police elite and anti-corruption conducted a thorough search of Ibrahim s house

Rangers nab six Indian smugglers inside Pakistani territory: ISPR

RAWALPINDI

S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Rangers troops deployed along international border with India have apprehended six Indian nationals inside Pakistani territory between July 29 and August 3, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Tuesday

According to the ISPR’s statement the military media wing the Indian national were trying to smuggle narcotics weapons and ammunition into Pakistan

It shows likely complicity of BSF troops in narco and weapons smuggling,” the ISPR said “In addition, it is also surprising that Indian BSF troops have so far failed to report six missing citizens

Four of these smugglers the ISPR said belong to the Indian Ferozpur namely Gurmeej, son of Guldeep Singh, Shinder Singh son of Bhora Singh,

Interim gov t fixes

Juginder Singh son of Thakur Singh and Vishal son of Jagga Rattan Pal Singh belongs to Jalandhar and Garvender Singh belongs to Ludhiana These Indian smugglers will be dealt with as per law of the land for illegally

entering into Pakistan and indulging in nefarious activities the ISPR said The military s media wing added that the security forces of Pakistan will continue to maintain vigil and expect that Indian BSF will act professionally and

Riz wana tor ture case: Remand of civil judge’s wife extended

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

sever their ties with smuggling rackets operating from their territory VIOLATION OF CEASEFIRE

Yesterday, the Indian BSF troops resorted to unprovoked fire violating the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) for the second time in as many months According to the ISPR Indian troops martyred a villager in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) while he was working in his field

The ISPR had said the attack was “blatant Indian aggression” and in clear violation of the existing ceasefire understandings

Pakistan desires peace and tranquillity at its borders, however, all necessary measures will be taken to protect the life and property of our citizens,” the military’s media wing added “Any misadventure against the people of Pakistan will be befittingly responded at the time and place of our choosing

Diyat

amount at Rs 67,57,902 for F Y24

S ta f f R e p o R t

On the recommendation of the finance ministry the Interim Federal Cabinet on Tuesday fixed the amount of Diyat which is equal to 30 630 grams of silver, at Rs 67,57,902 for the year 2023-24 The meeting of the cabinet was held here under the chairmanship of Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul-Haq During the meeting, the prime minister informed the meeting about his previous day’s visit to Jaranwala He said extremism and religious agitation will never be allowed in the country and protection of minorities in Pakistan was the foremost duty of the state He expressed his resolve to punish all those involved in the incident of Jaranwala The meeting recommended to organize a national level inter-faith harmony conference next week Scholars of different religions and schools of thought would be invited to the conference The conference will prove to be an important milestone for the promotion of inter-faith harmony in Pakistan

Khadim Rind to become new

Police Chief of Karachi

KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t

A reshuffle of top police officials in Sindh has been on the card as a list of Grade-21 police officers has been prepared for transfers It has been decided to appoint Additional IGP Khadim Rind as the new police chief of Karachi Incumbent police chief of the city Javed Alam Odho will be transferred to the IG

Police Jails post Javed Alam Odho had took charge as the city police chief in June last year Additional

IGP Imran Yaqoob Minhas will be posted as Chairman Anti-Corruption Department while AIG Munir Shaikh will be transferred to the Motorway

Police The federal government on Saturday approved appointment of Dr Riffat Mukhtar as the new Sindh inspector general on Saturday, replacing Ghulam Nabi Memon as the provincial police chief

According to a notification issued by Establishment Division Riffat Mukhtar – a BS-21 officer serving under government of Punjab – was transferred and posted as provincial police officer government of Sindh with immediate effect

CPJ asks India to immediately unlock K ashmir Walla website, end journalists ’ persec ution in K ashmir

KUALA LUMPUR

S ta f f R e p o R t

The Committee to Protect Journalists has impressed upon India to immediately unblock the website and social media accounts of the independent Kashmiri news outlet The Kashmir Walla known for its human rights reporting in the disputed territory of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir Beh Lih Yi, CPJ s Asia program coordinator, in Kuala Lumpur, in a statement said, The Indian government s arbitrary ban on The Kashmir Walla’s website and social media accounts marks a new low for press freedom in the region ” “If the Indian government aims to be taken seriously as a democracy it must promptly reinstate The Kashmir Walla s website and accounts and put an end to the persecution, harassment, and arrest of journalists in Kashmir

The blocking of The Kashmir Walla s website and social media accounts is the latest move to stifle the press in

Muslim-majority Kashmir where dozens of journalists have been attacked imprisoned and forced to flee as the government has tightened its control following the repeal in 2019 of the region s constitutional autonomy

On Saturday, August 19, The Kashmir Walla became inaccessible in India following an order by India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to block its website under the IT Act without any prior notice according to a statement by The Kashmir Walla reviewed by CPJ and news reports The Kashmir Walla said its accounts on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, were also blocked, describing the government s action as opaque censorship and gutwrenching ” The media outlet said it also received an eviction notice from the landlord of its office in Srinagar, the largest city in occupied Jammu and Kashmir on the same day Fahad Shah the editor and founder of The Kashmir Walla has been detained for 18 months and is on trial under terrorism charges over a 2011 opinion piece published by the outlet, while Sajad Gul, a reporter with the website, has been held since January 2022 under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act

When CPJ tried to access The Kashmir Walla’s website in India on Monday the page showed a message saying “The website has been blocked as per order of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under IT Act 2000 Similarly, The Kashmir Walla s Facebook page, which has 476,000 followers, said, This content isn t available at the moment” and its X page said, “@tkwmag’s account has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand ” CPJ was able to access the outlet’s website and social media pages from the United States

In surprise visit, PHA boss reviews hor ticulture progress

During the tour Mr Wattoo not only observed the ongoing work but also personally engaged with the dedicated workforce responsible for maintaining the horticultural landscapes that grace the city In recognition of their diligent efforts, he extended his felicitations and further motivated them by announcing a well-deserved cash

Jail Road and Pico Morr He made it clear that punctuality and commitment are non-negotiable aspects of their roles

A district and session court in Islamabad on Tuesday extended the judicial remand of Somia Asim the wife of a civil judge in the housemaid Rizwana torture case Somia is currently in jail after a local court in Islamabad rejected bail petition in the Rizwana torture case last week Judicial Magistrate Hafeez Ahmed heard the case and extended the judicial remand of Somia The 14-year-old maid was allegedly subjected to brutal torture by the wife of a civil judge in Islamabad and a case was lodged by the parents of the girl at a local police station The wife of a civil judge namely Asim Hafeez deputed at the Federal Judicial Academy Sargodha allegedly tortured her maid namely Rizwana after blaming her for stealing gold jewellery The family of the affected maid said that the girl was working as a servant at the civil judge s house in Islamabad for six months and she was subjected to brutal torture by the civil judge s wife They added that the owners did not pay a single penny of salary to the girl Police said that more than 15 torture marks were found on the affected girl’s face and body The seriously wounded maid was immediately shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital for medical assistance The doctors of the DHQ Hospital referred the girl to the Lahore Hospital for further treatment Police said that the torture case will be lodged at a police station in Islamabad

Asad Umar granted interim bail in c ypher c ase

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Special court constituted for hearing cases under Official Secrets Act on Tuesday granted interim bail to former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secretary-general Asad Umar in cypher case Earlier in the day, Asad Umar dispelled rumours about his arrest in the cypher case and moved a special court in Islamabad for interim bail in the case Judge Abu Al-Hasnat Zulqarnain took up the plea of Asad Umar and after hearing initial arguments from his lawyer Babar Awan the former minister was granted interim bail until August 29 Asad Umar during his appearance in the special court refuted rumours of his arrest, saying he had joined the investigation twice and that there is no reality in reports about his arrest

Earlier Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was arrested from his residence in Islamabad PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi was arrested in connection with the Cypher case and shifted to Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) headquarters It is pertinent to mention here that Azam Khan exprincipal secretary to the PTI chairman and former prime minister made startling revelations and claimed that the former PM used US cypher for his political gains and to avert a noconfidence motion against him

S anjrani disc usses issues of mutual interest with British HC, Iranian Envoy

ISLAMABAD

Chairman Senate, Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani was separately called on by the British High Commissioner, Ms Jane Marriott and the Iranian Ambassador Dr Reza Amiri Moghaddam at Parliament House on Tuesday

During the meetings detailed exchange of views was held on issues of bilateral interest including the exploration of avenues for enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and the respective countries

In meeting of Chairman Senate and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott a comprehensive range of topics were deliberated upon Issues of paramount importance such as trade, investment,

parliamentary cooperation and public relations between the two nations were discussed in detail Chairman Senate highlighted the need to amplify partnerships between Pakistan and the United Kingdom across various sectors, particularly in the realms of health, education, and technology The emphasis was placed on fostering collaboration through the mobilization of existing parliamentary friendship groups Sanjrani underscored the abundant investment opportunities that Pakistan offers within a favorable economic environment

He emphasized the ongoing efforts to promote investment and extend incentives to potential investors The belief in the stabilizing impact of investor confidence on the economy was reiterated Furthermore the Chairman hailed Gwadar s emergence as

a burgeoning economic hub and encouraged British investors to explore investment prospects in the region The convergence of Pakistani expatriates in the United Kingdom as a bridge between the two countries was acknowledged, and Chairman Senate expressed his warm wishes for the British High Commissioner Echoing the sentiments of the Chairman Senate the

British High Commissioner praised Pakistan’s hospitality and socio-cultural diversity She affirmed Britain s recognition of Pakistan as a vital partner and expressed eagerness to advance and broaden the bilateral relationship

In a subsequent meeting, Iranian Ambassador Dr Reza Amiri Moghaddam called on Chairman Senate and discussed various facets of bilateral cooperation The talks encompassed parliamentary relations trade cooperation and the stability of economic ties between Pakistan and Iran Sanjrani reaffirmed the shared pursuit of regional development and prosperity between the two countries The commonalities in religious cultural and social dimensions were identified as robust foundations for advancing bilateral

collaboration

The commendable history of international cooperation between Pakistan and Iran was lauded reflecting the depth of their relationship

The Chairman Senate welcomed the reinforcement of political, social, and economic stability in bilateral ties He highlighted the recent agreement to bolster parliamentary relations between the two countries and expressed gratitude for Iran s assistance in restoring electricity to Gwadar and Makran divisions alleviating the hardships faced by the local populace

Both the British High Commissioner and the Iranian Ambassador recognized the Chairman Senate’s vision for enhancing the bilateral partnership and concurred on the imperative to fortify this cooperation across various dimensions

PA K , C H I N A S I G N M O U T O P R O T E C T

T H O U S A N D - Y E A R - O L D R O C K C A R V I N G A R T

BEIJING S ta f f R e p o R t

WITH the theme of Cave

Temple Conservation in the Context of Climate Change, the first International Forum on Cave Temple Conservation was launched in Chongqing Municipality China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Tuesday

The event was held in the Baoding Mountains, whose carvings were made during Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) are regarded an important part of the Dazu Rock Carvings World Cultural Heritage Site which was were listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1999

However, in recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in extreme weather events, and the impact of climate change on carvings is mainly reflected in two aspects: humidity and wind erosion

To protect the rock carvings not only in Chongqing but also around the world heated discussions has triggered among scholars and experts from Germany, Pakistan, Italy and other countries on the

protection of cave temple conservation and the mitigation of climate change through international cooperation In such a context, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Establishing

Friendly Relation and Cooperation between two institutions the Academy of Dazu Rock Carvings and Museum of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Peshawar, was signed

Dr Abdul Samad, Director-General of

Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Peshawar, who signed the MoU on behalf of Pakistan, noted that signing the MoU will benefit a wider group outside China and Pakistan

In China we have many areas of cooperation covering economic issues the Belt and Road Initiative, the CPEC However, exchanges and cooperation

between our two fraternal countries in terms of cultural heritage are still relatively small I have been to China many times after watching the Beishan Rock Carvings in Dazu District this time I presume it was largely influenced by the art of the Gandhara

Art in KP

Therefore, we should have more collaboration space in the field of cultural heritage Furthermore this rock art deserves to be seen by more international tourists In addition I also hope that Pakistan can welcome more Chinese visitors

The reporter learned that a small village in Pakistan has similar stone carvings, which resemble to Dazu art carvings “Pakistan and China are facing similar cultural relics protection challenges thus cooperation and learning from each other s experience are essential Samad emphasized this MoU is by no means just talking on paper, we need to do practical things in all aspects

Dazu Rock Carvings has a total of 74 places with more than 50 000 stone statues most of which are excavated between mountains and on cliffs Due to many influencing factors such as geology and climate, the protection and restoration of

MoC for Business Park initiative to enhance trade

ISLAMABAD G h u l a m a b b a S

In a significant move to boost Pakistan s global trade connections Dr Gohar Ejaz the Federal Minister for Commerce & Industries has announced a compelling plan to establish Business Parks in major cities across the nation Dr Ejaz, during a recent meeting in his Islamabad office engaged in discussions with prominent exporters and traders including industry leaders such as Fawad Mukhtar CEO of Fatima Fertiliser; Anwaar Ahmad

Ghani CEO of Ghani Glass Ltd; Mian M Ahsan of US apparel and denim; Shahid Soorti, CEO of Soorti Textile; Fawad Javed of Din Textile; and Faisal Afridi of Haier Appliances

The focus of the meeting was to explore strategies for enhancing Pakistan’s trade relations and economic growth

Emphasizing the need to tap into every avenue to realize Pakistan s export potential Minister Gohar Ejaz

Pakistan, Qatar agree to enhance cooperation in customs and tax

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan and Qatar have agreed to enhance cooperation in areas of customs and tax to further boost trade relations between the two brotherly countries Essa

underscored the crucial role that Business Parks could play in advancing the nation s economic prosperity on the global stage These proposed Business Parks are envisioned as facilitation centers for foreign traders, aiming to strengthen trade relationships and stimulate economic development

In alignment with immediate solutions the discussion delved into options such as establishing buying houses and utilizing rental properties managed by the local business community These pragmatic measures are aimed at addressing the urgent requirements for providing support to foreign traders within Pakistan

The minister also advocated for a targeted approach proposing the identification of specific countries based on their industry sectors This approach he believes would optimize Pakistan s export efforts and lead to stronger global trade ties A s s u r i n g t h e b u s i n e s s c o m m u n i t y o f s t e a d f a s t g o v e r n m e n t s u p p o r t M i n i s t e r E j a z p l e d g e d t o

Mohammad Al-Dasem Al-Kubaisi, Charge d’ Affaires of Qatar, visited the Federal Board of Revenue Headquarters today and held a meeting with Chairman FBR Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana During the meeting the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in areas of customs and tax to further boost trade relations between the two brotherly countries It was agreed that mutual collaboration would be strengthened by sharing best practices and expertise of the two countries in these fields This exchange of knowledge would help optimize processes, enhance efficiency and facilitate smooth bilateral trade Streamlining the procedures and reducing trade barriers were identified as essential factors in achieving this goal The two sides also discussed several other matters including the possibility of exploring more potential areas for future cooperation between the two countries

a d d r e s s c o n c e r n s a n d c h a l l e n g e s f a c e d b y e n t r e p r e n e u r s H e d i r e c t e d r e l e v a n t a u t h o r i t i e s t o p r o v i d e c o m p r e h e n s i v e a s s i s t a n c e t h r o u g h t h e m i n i s t r y ’s Tr a d e a n d I n v e s t m e n t O ff i c e r s s t a t i o n e d in

cultural relics here has always been an international difficulty

Located in the high temperature and humidity environment of Chongqing southwest China the biggest hidden danger affecting the protection and survival of Dazu Rock Carvings is water For a long time, water erosion has caused weathering and biological diseases in some carvings

In order to protect precious cultural relics a number of protection platforms such as the Stone Cultural Relics Protection Research Center, the Dazu Rock Carvings Cultural Relics Hospital, and the Digital Exhibition Center have been built

A g r o u p o f s t o n e c u l t u r a l r e l i c s p r o t e c t i o n d e m o n s t r a t i o n p r o j e c t s r e p r e s e n t e d b y t h e r e s c u e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e T h o u s a n d - h a n d e d Av a l o k i t e s v a r a ( G u a n Yi n ) s t a t u e a l s o c o n t r i b u t e d a l o t

Under the cooperation framework of the Memorandum of Understanding, the two parties will exchange experience and share technology jointly promote the development of cultural protection and promote the inheritance and common prosperity of cultural heritage Jiang Siwei Director of the Dazu Rock Carvings Research Institute

ECP sets up committee to finalize arrangements for elections

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Ejaz s strategic i n i t i a t i v e i s p o i s e d t o r e s h a p e P a k i s t a n s t r a d e l a n d s c a p e Wi t h t h e b a c k i n g o f t h e b u s i n e s s community and strategic government measures, this ambitious endeavor holds the potential to fortify the n a t i o n ’s e c o n o m i c c a p a b i l i t i e

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Cultural Counselor, China Embassy Mr Zhang Heqing on Tuesday called on Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Jamal Shah here at Heritage and Culture Division Chinese Counselor felicitated Jamal Shah on assuming charge as Federal Minister

During Meeting, they discussed mutual interest issues particularly cultural exchange programs Chinese Counselor extended special invitation to the Federal Minister for attending ongoing Gandhara exhibition being held in China The Federal Minister assured to visit the exhibition during his visit to China The Counselor also congratulated renowned artist Jamal Shah on releasing his first ever Pak China joint

feature film Ba’tie Girl

The federal minister said that Pak China should collaborate in all fields of art as there lies huge scope adding that it will further strengthen people to people ties between two friendly nations The minister also expressed his desire to restart cultural activities at China Culture Center and also reinitiate Pak China cultural exchange program

Students trapped in Battagram cable - car rescued af ter 14 hours operation

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

It said the general commanding officer of the Pakistan Army s Special Services Group (SSG) led it and the unit s sling team rescued the stranded people

They retrieved all the people stuck in the chairlift and moved them to a safe location, the statement read, adding that the operation was “expeditiously” initiated by the Pakistan Army Aviation and SSG on the directions of the army chief and later joined by the SSG s sling team

The Pakistan Army Aviation provided complete technical assistance to the sling team which made the successful completion of the operation possible

A helicopter of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was also used in rescue efforts, the ISPR said, praising Pakistan Army and PAF pilots for their expertise during the operation

Impediments to rescue efforts: Earlier Shariq Riaz

Khattak a rescue official at the site of the incident told Reuters that initially two attempts at rescue were aborted He added that a cable 30 feet above the dangling cable car was impeding the operation

He explained that the rescue mission was complicated due to gusty winds in the area and the fact the helicopters rotor blades risked further destabilising the lift Similarly tehsil chairman Ghulamullah told Geo News that every time the helicopter lowered the rescuer closer to the chairlift, the wind from the helicopter would shake and disbalance the chairlift making the children scream in fear”

DC Tanveerur Rehman explained to AFP that “this is a delicate operation that demands meticulous accuracy The helicopter cannot approach the chairlift closely as its downwash (air pressure) might snap the sole chain supporting it

Syed Jawad Ahmed, a former army pilot, gave a similar analysis while speaking to Geo News

“The television footage clearly shows the helicopter battling against strong winds struggling to maintain a

steady position he said adding that swift winds were a primary factor impeding the commandos efforts

He was of the view that a smaller helicopter could potentially execute the task more effectively owing to its inherent stability Additionally Ahmed raised the possibility of employing an MI-17 helicopter for the rescue mission However he acknowledged that this option was contingent upon the terrain, which seemed unfavourable given the high altitude and challenging conditions

AC Hussain told Dawn com that the local administration along with Rescue 1122 teams were present at the spot but due to the height and the hilly terrain it was not possible for rescue officials to carry out a relief operation

He said immediately after the incident was reported a request was sent to the provincial chief secretary for a helicopter to rescue the passengers

As sunset approached, Rescue 1122 spokesperson

Bilal Faizi told Dawn com that the rescue operation would continue into the night

Flashlights disaster vehicles and [rescue]

personnel are present at the site while rescue authorities and the Pakistan Army are preparing a joint strategy to continue operation at night, he said

Student speaks to media from cable car: Talking to Geo News in the morning, Gulfaraz, one of the passengers stuck in the cable car said two of the students aboard were slipping in an out of unconsciousness The 20-year-old said the stuck students were between the ages of 10 and 15 years

G u l f a r a z u rg e d t h e s t a t e a u t h o r i t i e s t o t a k e a c t i o n k e e p i n g h u m a n e m p a t h y a n d h u m a n l i f e i n m i n d H e a d d e d , “ P e o p l e i n o u r a r e a a r e s t a n d i n g h e r e a n d c r y i n g ” W h e n a s k e d i f t h e s t u d e n t s h a d a n y f o o d i t e m s w i t h t h e m G u l f a r a z r e p l i e d t h e y d i d n o t e v e n h a v e d r i n k i n g w a t e r : W h e r e w i l l f o o d i t e m s c o m e f r o m ? [ ] T h e r e i s a g r e a t n e e d f o r d r i n k i n g w a t e r He added that his mobile battery was also low while

others had a simple mobile phone

Hours later, he spoke to AFP on the phone while still stuck midair The evening is coming nearer Tell us why the helicopters are going back?” he said during the conversation that took place in the evening

By then government official Rehman told AFP that several military helicopters flew reconnaissance sorties and an airman was lowered by harness to deliver food water and medicine

Meanwhile, Abdul Nasir Khan, a local resident, said while speaking to Reuters, “We are helplessly looking at them but can’t help ” PM asks authorities to utilise all resources for rescue operation Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar had earlier directed authorities to immediately rescue the trapped people Radio Pakistan reported It said the premier has directed the NDMA, the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and all relevant rescue agencies to rescue students and teachers by utilising all resources He further instructed that the “safety arrangements on all such chairlifts in the hilly areas be ensured and directed to immediately close the chairlifts which are in dilapidated condition and do not meet safety standards, the report added Radio Pakistan further said that the NDMA has provided coordination support to the PDMA for the rescue of the persons Safety audit has been asked from all PDMAs by the NDMA on tourist infrastructure in their respective areas the report added Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan also took notice of the incident and directed that action be taken on an emergency basis for the safe rescue of the stuck persons

LACK OF ROADS

Iqbal the school teacher explained that at least 150 students took the hazardous journey to school by cable car every day due to the lack of road facilities in the area There are no other arrangements he lamented, adding that no such incident had occurred previously

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has constituted a high-powered supervisory committee to finalize arrangements for upcoming general elections in the country The committee led by Special Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan will maintain close coordination with the relevant departments to ensure smooth elections Chairing a meeting in Islamabad, Election Commission Secretary Omar Hamid Khan directed the heads of all Election Commission divisions and Provincial Election Commissioners to promptly finalize election-related arrangements Meanwhile the Election Commission has again cautioned the federal and provincial governments against getting involved in any political activities that might undermine the smooth conduct of elections In a notification, the Election Commission asked the caretaker administrations to confine themselves to the authority granted to them by the Elections Act 2017 The Commission further directed the interim administrations to refrain from announcing or commencing any fresh development initiatives on both federal and provincial levels

Interim gov t to ensure transparent , impar tial elections: PM Kakar

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The cabinet directed to invite scholars of international stature from different religions and schools of thought It was noted the conference will prove to be a milestone for the promotion of interfaith harmony in the country Apprising the cabinet about his Jaranwala visit, the Prime Minister termed the protection of minorities as the topmost priority He categorically stated that fanning the religious hatred and extremism will not be allowed at any cost in the country Anwaarul Haq Kakar assured to award exemplary punishment to those involved in Jaranwala incident The caretaker Prime Minister said the prime mandate of caretaker government is to assist and monitor the electoral process as per the constitutional requirement He said the caretaker set up is for a limited period and it cannot design the government’s model or structure He said as continuation of the previous government we are supposed to carry on with the general policy and works He said we have to perform day-to-day monitoring of activities to the best of our abilities The Caretaker Prime Minister expressed the hope the cabinet members would have taken or would be in the process of taking briefings from their relevant departments He asked the cabinet members to come up with their work plans assuring that the weekly cabinet agendas would be pursued keeping them in view On the recommendation of the Finance Ministry the federal cabinet fixed the diyat amount which is equivalent to 30630 gram silver at about 6 705 million rupees for the current fiscal year

Boys grab top positions in SSC annual exams held under Swat BISE

securing 1 073 marks Irfanullah Khan of the same school secured 1 072 marks and was declared second, while Shakirullah of Al-Azhar Education Institute and Adil Munib Ahmed of Cadet colege Swat got third position by securing 1,070 marks each In the general group, private candidate from Shangla Ms Salma Shaheen bagged 977 marks and secured first position Ms Neraz of Government Girls High school Bigra Buner secured second position by obtaining 974 marks while Marhaba Gul of Government Girls High School Barikot grabbed third position with 965 marks According to the results, a total of 44,390 male and female students participated in the ninth examination, out of which 39 177 candidates got success and ratio of the result remained 82 percent Similarly 21 236 out of 51 156 candidates passed the Class tenth examination on an average only 41%

C hina Cultural Counselor c alls on Federal Minister Jamal S hah

Currency bloodbath

The fall of the rupee on the interbank market to Rs 299 to the dollar means that the rupee is about to cross the psychological barrier of Rs 300 very soon It has already crossed that barrier on the open market where the rate reached Rs 312

The rupee still seems to need reining in as the gap between the interbank and open-market rates is not staying within the range demanded by the IMF It seems that that very mechanism is causing the trouble It must be remembered that when the dollar crossed Rs 200 not so long ago it was predicted that it would go past Rs 300 Already, there have been voices, even before the breach of Rs 300 a dollar, that Rs 400 is coming up

That leads to speculative pressure on the rupee, and a situation where the buyer genuine and speculative alike has to go to the open market and even the hundi market, in search of dollars The government then tries to maintain the gap allowed by the IMF between interbank and open markets, and lowers the rate Speculators are proved right, and other investors try to jump on the bandwagon

Those who bought at Rs 200 in the belief that the rupee would reach Rs 300, now hear it will drop further, and will hold on to what they have As for those with a genuine need of dollars, importers find that the interbank simply refuses while open-market dealers are charging hefty premiums even the interbank market seeks ways to charge premiums, because the banks do not want to have to honour pledges to buy at a lower rate than the market

The inability to bring down the value of the rupee means that inflation is not going anywhere soon as the inflation the country is suffering from is not going to be tamed anytime soon That means the caretaker government may well have already squandered, in a week after its takeover, the caretaker government may have squandered the financial stability won at such great cost by outgoing Finance Minister Ishaq Dar Though the need for the StandBy Arrangement remains, there must be something left of the wreckage of the economy if the elected government is to negotiate a fresh package

late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late)

Founding Editor

M A Niazi Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor

I s r a e l n o r m a l i z a t i o n

It won’t help

Th e R e has been a great deal of commentary about a possible US-engineered Saudi-Israel normalization agreement: what it would actually do; whom it might benefit; and most importantly whether any such arrangement is even possible given current political realities in the USA and Israel A Saudi-Israel agreement would, no doubt, be consequential, but to introduce a touch of reality, let’s look at some of the exaggerated claims that have been made

This will be end of the Arab-Israeli conflict

It most decidedly will not Since the convening of the Madrid Peace Conference and culminating with unanimous Arab League endorsement of the Arab Peace Initiative, Arabs have made it clear that the conflict is not existential The central issue of concern has always been Palestinian rights even in countries that have made peace with Israel public opinion indicates that normalization is desirable and that their support rests on the belief that engagement with Israel may give their governments more leverage to press for an end to violence and for Palestinian rights Despite regional weariness with this conflict Arab leaders and their publics still react with outrage when Israel commits new atrocities or violates Muslim rights in Jerusalem

This will change the map of the Middle East

The map of the Middle east has already changed For all intents and purposes, the once powerful military-led “Republics” of the Levantine and North Africa have lost their dominance in the Arab world with leadership shifting southward to the Arab Gulf states Saudi Arabia and UAe for example are playing transnational roles across the region as well as with global powers No longer allowing their policies to be solely directed by the USA, Saudi Arabia and the UAe are deepening economic ties with China, remaining neutral on Ukraine and reopening diplo-

G r o w i n g H i n d u t v a i n

ment and the desire for absolution

With Palestinian Arabs comprising slightly more than one-half of the population between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea with Palestinians increasingly integrated into the Israeli economy with Israeli settlements infrastructure security zones, checkpoints, and with Israeli Apartheid policies in place, we are in for a long hard slog forward toward creating a unitary democratic state with equal rights for all

matic ties with Iran In pursuit of their ambitious economic development and societal goals both Gulf powers are seeking regional stability and calm This is how they are working to change the map of the Middle east Israel and the USA apparently want to turn back the clock from this changing Middle east with the goal of offsetting China’s growing role by swinging Saudi Arabia and the UAe back into an exclusive US orbit and creating a united front to challenge Iran

This is a disaster for the Palestinians

A Saudi-Israel normalization would have no consequential impact on the plight of the Palestinians In reality, Arab states have limited leverage over Israeli behaviour Agreements Israel made in the lead-up to the Madrid Conference made no difference neither did the Oslo Accords the Arab Peace Initiative or the Abrahamic Accords Israel continues to gobble up Palestinian land build new settlements and brutally violate Palestinian rights The only address that matters in changing Israeli behaviour is in Washington If the USA really wanted to make Arab-Israeli peace a reality it would use its diplomatic and political capital to do so If Saudi Arabia holds out for terms that include a real end to the oppressive occupation and if the USA is intent on pushing this process forward, the entire effort might have a positive impact on the Palestinian future If, however the normalization process moves forward without anything positive for Palestinians it wouldn t be a disaster it would be same old, same old

This spells the end of the two-state solution

This will give Biden a much-needed victory before the 2024 elections

While it is doubtful that anything close to the kind of Saudi-Israel normalization being touted in the US and Israeli press can occur, an agreement of any sort will not add five votes to the Biden column in 2024 Democrats and Republicans are deeply polarized and independent swing voters won t be moved foreign policy issues except for Ukraine Jewish voters will overwhelmingly support the Democratic nominee because of the domestic policies embraced by the GOP And while Jewish voters may be concerned with the future of Israel, because of their growing unease with the orientation of the current Israeli government they will not be impressed with any White house celebration that puts Netanyahu centrestage

As much as Israel may want an agreement, leaders in NetanyahuÊs coalition and leaders of the opposition have made it clear that they are unwilling to agree to Saudi ArabiaÊs insistence on processing nuclear materials and their desire to purchase advanced militar y equipment from the USA

Normalization would not spell the end of the twostate solution because that ship has already sailed There is no conceivable government that can be formed in Israel, now or in the foreseeable future, that would allow for anything close to the minimum requirements of an independent, sovereign, viable Palestinian state

At this point the calls for a Palestinian state come from those who refuse to recognize the realities created by Israel s massive settlement and Jewishonly infrastructure that have made real Palestinian independence and sovereignty impossible Refusing to accept this and falling back on the mantra of “support for the two-state solution” may make them feel good but it’s based less on reality and more on wish-fulfil-

I n d i a – M a n i p u r t o G u r g a o n

Th e general elections of 2014 in India resulted in a triumph for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and as a result a Pro-hindu leader Narendra Modi sat on the uppermost echelon of the governmental ladder Modi’s party won the elections with an absolute majority In the realm of economic diplomacy he championed the rallying cry of Reform Perform and Transform India pledging unwavering progress while elevating the nation s stature in the international decision-making arena The BJP made efforts to garner Muslim support during the election drive, but subsequently, their government implemented certain policies that contravene the social cultural and religious values cherished by the Muslim community

The BJP had a manifesto election in 2019 which pledged the elimination of Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution 5 August 2019 is marked as the gloomiest day for the populace of Jammu and Kashmir as the Indian premier ’s party declared the annulment of Articles 370 and 35-A of the constitution of India These interconnected laws provided the region of Jammu and Kashmir which is under Indian administration, with distinctive semi-autonomous status

Abrogation of these provisions had major repercussions for the predominantly Muslim populace of Jammu and Kashmir It also aggravated the previously strained relations between India and Pakistan and potentially triggered unrest in the region

The hindu Nationalists under the leadership of the BJP not only oppressed the Muslims but also the other minorities of the country

A graphic video recently came out, of two

women being sexually abused in public in India s northeastern state of Manipur The clip went viral on 19 July, showing two women belonging to the Kuki-zo group walking naked along a street, being ridiculed, insulted, and harassed by marauding hordes reportedly from the Meitei community There have been some ethnic clashes between the hindu Meiti and Christian Kuki-zo communities in the Manipur state Violence flared up among the majority Meiti and the minority Kuki-zo over the job quotas and land rights Furthermore, the chaos was sparked by the orders of the apex court of India that the government should consider extending special benefits enjoyed by the Kuki-zo to the Meiti populace as well The video was shot two months ago but because of the unavailability of Internet facilities, it came to the mainstream media a little late

The statistics are alarming, not less than 140 people have been killed 3000 plus injured and

A report by Islamabad Policy Research Institute states, under the contemporary government 61 percent of Muslims have been victims of Hindu extremism and an overall 73 percent of the minorities have been the prey of Hindutva ideologists, there have been an immense number of 700 casualties in the farmersÊ movement and last but not the least 124 Muslims have been assassinated in cow-related hate crimes. However, the role of international organizations addressing, promoting, and protecting Human Rights, for example, the Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International have been skeptical.

more than 50 000 have fled their homes since the unrest began After almost being silent on the incident for 80 days, Indian Premier Modi called it a ‘shameful’ act and told authorities to take strict action against the suspects

The Manipur incident has underscored the pressing need for inclusive governance and policies that promote equitable representation and fair distribution of resources Another recent event occurred in haryana- an Indian state located in the northern part of the country- the burnt bodies of two men were found in a car A report published by India Today disclosed that according to the relatives of the demised ones they were forcefully abducted by the cow vigilantes Later they were burnt alive and the bodies were discovered inside a car It serves as a wake-up call for Indian authorities to take proactive measures to safeguard the rights and security of all its citizens, irrespective of their ethnicity or religious affiliations

The aforementioned incidents are not the only incidents of this type but ample events have also been reported in the past A report by Islamabad Policy Research Institute states, under the contemporary government 61 percent of Muslims have been victims of hindu extremism and an overall 73 percent of the minorities have been the prey of hindutva ideologists there have been an immense number of 700 casualties in the farmers movement and last but not the least 124 Muslims have been assassinated in cow-related hate crimes however, the role of international organizations addressing, promoting, and protecting human Rights, for example the human Rights Commission and Amnesty International have been skeptical In essence these incidents underscore the immediate need for comprehensive steps to address the rife challenges presented by religious extremism and human rights violations, both at a national and international level

The writer is a freelance columnnist

All of this begs the question as to whether or not any form of Saudi-Israel normalization can even happen given current Israeli and American politics This topic deserves a more complete discussion but it should suffice to say that as much as Israel may want an agreement, leaders in Netanyahu’s coalition and leaders of the opposition have made it clear that they are unwilling to agree to Saudi Arabia s insistence on processing nuclear materials and their desire to purchase advanced military equipment from the USA Nor are any government or opposition figures in Israel willing to entertain even the most modest concessions regarding Palestinian rights W h i l e R e p u b l i c a n s would be loath to provide P r e s i d e n t B i d e n w i t h s u p p o r t f o r a n y f o r m o f a g r e e m e n t t h a t w o u l d e n h a n c e h i s e l e c t i o n y e a r standing, the President will also find it difficult to find support within his own party for concessions t o S a u d i A r a b i a o n n u c l e a r o r i n c r e a s e d s a l e s o f military hardware

Bottom line: It’s time to end the hyperventilating over the prospects of a Saudi-Israel normalization agreement The better approach is for the US to embrace the new realities of a changing Middle east in which Israel is an outlier and for the US to accept its responsibility as the enabler of the Israeli occupation and its Apartheid system

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor Pakistan Today

4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah Lahore Pakistan

E-mail: letters@pakistantoday com pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

The Kashmir issue needs a resolution

FeB 5 was observed as the Kashmir Solidarity Day in the country and elsewhere this month The day has been marked since the mid-1990s but it gained significance after India stripped Kashmir off its special status by revoking Article 370 and 35A in August 2019 Pakistan has, indeed, given moral support to the oppressed Kashmiris for over seven decades whose lives have become worse under the draconian rule of the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government under its fascist leader, Narendra Modi

The silence of the world community especially of the United Nations has been rather deafening all along Pakistan can still explore options to keep the issue alive at the international level for support from the global community

But in order to k Pakistan along with China must also engage other big powers, like Russia, to put pressure on India to withdraw the brutal measures and to restore Kashmir s previous status India s blatant violations of UN resolutions and human rights are no secret Pakistan only needs to highlight those violations and atrocities at every forum to seek justice for the Kashmiris

The people in Kashmir have been living under oppression for decades but change in its special status has brought about an unprecedented wave of draconian laws that are also changing the demographics of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir valley The Palestine issue is discussed internationally and we need to put Kashmir s case, too, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to end the Indian atrocities against our Kashmiri brethren

Moreover, Pakistani diplomatic missions have a heavy responsibility of highlighting the issue and fighting for the cause of the Kashmiris Pakistani diplomats must act to counter Indian lobby across the world by presenting the facts and history of the Kashmir issue

BAQAULLAH ISLAMABAD

Fight for a cause

G e N e R A L Ly Pakistanis are generous at verbosity and thrifty at action

The majority of the population department officials and workers tasked to promote family planning on average have eight to 12 children of their own while those in the education department indulge in embezzling funds and encouraging teacher absenteeism

The police force works to encourage crime and create artificial law and order situations to serve personal interests and does the biding of its political and feudal masters or patrons The forest department is either helpless or is involved in deforestation and encroachment on rapidly dwindling forest land The Ministry of Climate Change confines itself to issuing statements and blaming the developed countries though rightly for climate change impacts on the developing countries, including Pakistan Loud claims of billion tree plantation have not materialised into action We abhor planting the trees and revel in wiping the thin cover of remaining vegetation It looks like we actually despise greenery

however there are rare exceptions and there are a few persons in all departments who ignite a ray of optimism I spotted one such small but inspiring action on social media A doctor an environmentalist from Karachi, stood up to greedy and anti-environment builder, who was bent on clearing the trees planted on streets by the doctor lining his apartment block The doctor, despite being a busy professional, put up a resolute legal fight and succeeded in saving 130 trees from falling victim to the greedy builder If every Pakistani gathers courage to resist the onslaught of deforestation in every nook and corner of Pakistan and undertakes tree plantation and protection we can make the country green again and regain the status of 25 per cent area covered with trees We can thereby tackle a plethora of problems related to climate change And, indeed, we can sort things out in different domains of national life by adopting the same approach

R e a l i t y c h e c k o n S a u d i -

Abdul HAmeed

T

r e a t f r o m r e l i g i o u s e x t r e m i s

Th e J a ra nwa l a c a r n a g e wa s a n e g at i o n o f e ve r y t h i n g Pa ki s t a n s t a n d s f o r

free to go to your temples You are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State If you will work in cooperation forgetting the past, burying the hatchet, you are bound to succeed If you change your past and work together in a spirit that everyone of you, no matter to what community he belongs, no matter what relations he had with you in the past no matter what is his colour caste or creed is first second and last a citizen of this State with equal rights privileges and obligations there will be no end to the progress you will make

m

m a l i K m u h a m m a d a s h r a f

LE T me at the outset record my severest condemnation of the attacks on churches and homes of Christian community in Jaranwala which manifested extreme religious bigotry on the part of those who executed that nefarious plan Unfortunately it was not the first incident of its kind We have seen several such acts of bestiality in the past where minorities have been attacked by charged religious fanatics on the pretext of desecration of Holy Quran and Blasphemy There is absolutely no justification whatsoever to indulge in such acts and if at all anybody is guilty of desecrating the Holy Book and of blasphemy it is for the state to punish him according to law of the land Mob justice is the most abhorrent act from the constitutional legal and religious point of view

My discourse is aimed at reminding all those who are ignorant of their duties as citizens and as Muslims towards their fellow citizens, particularly minorities, as well as to the state in this regard Allow me to begin from what was promised for the minorities in the Pakistan Resolution The resolution while demanding grouping together of Muslim areas into an independent state also made mention of the rights of the minorities in these words That adequate effective and mandatory safeguards should be specifically provided in the constitution for the minorities in these units and in these regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them ”

I would also like to mention excerpts from the address to the constituent Assembly of Pakistan by the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on 11 August 1947, in which he emphasized the equality of citizens and how Pakistan could become a prosperous state He said “The first duty of a government is to maintain law and order, so that the life, property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by the State You are

The Constitution of Pakistan also gives due protection to the minorities Article 20 (a and b) of the Constitution says “Every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice and propagate his religion and every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall have the right to establish maintain and manage its religious institutions Article 25 says All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law

In the light of the constitutional provisions, the Protection of Religious Minorities Rights Act 2020 prohibits interfaith forced marriages; grants freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions; prohibits discrimination and makes it obligatory on the government to maintain and protect religious heritage of minorities

The Act also prescribes various penalties in the form of

„ T h e C h r i s t i a n s a r e my a l l i e s a n d t h ey w i l l e n j oy my p ro t e c t i o n a g a i n s t a l l t h o s e w h o m t h ey h a t e N o b o dy w i l l fo rc e t h e m fo r t r av e l o r w a r a n d i n s t e a d t h e M u s l i m s w i l l f i g h t fo r t h e m N o C h r i s t i a n wo m a n w i l l b e fo rc e d t o m a r r y a

M u s l i m a n d i f a ny m a r r i e s a M u s l i m o f h e r f r e e w i l l s h e w i l l n o t b e s t o p p e d f ro m g o i n g t o t h e c h u rc h T h e i r c h u rc h e s w i l l b e r e s p e c t e d a n d p ro t e c t e d

America’s ‘new’ China narrative

‘When

threat because it is in decline

US President Joe Biden set the terms of this new narrative

As The New York Times s

Michael D Shear reports the White House now worries that China s struggles with high unemployment and an ageing workforce make the country a ticking time bomb at the heart of the world economy ” Biden warned that, “When bad folks have problems they do bad things ” but he did not explain how exactly unemployment and an aging population turn China into a threat

For his part, Shear gives another reason for China s newfound decline: the president has moved aggressively to contain China’s rise and to restrict its ability to benefit militarily from the use of technologies developed in the United States Given the scope of Biden s new semiconductor restrictions he might have added and non-militarily as well

Meanwhile, Peter S Goodman, an economics reporter, points to a slew of developments” supporting the new narrative These include declining Chinese exports and imports falling prices on a range of goods from food to apartments a housing slump and a real-estate default that has produced losses of $7 6 billion (a sizeable event, but nothing close to the typical US bank bailout) In responding, Goodman writes, “Chinese authorities are limited in their options given mounting debts now estimated at 282 per cent of national output ”

According to Goodman (and to many economists including in China) China s difficulties stem from deeper problems such as a high savings rate, vast deposits in the banking system, a new wariness about real estate, and, consequently, a growing need “to boost domestic demand ” He and his sources agree that the proper cure is stimulus meaning more consumption and less investment

Moreover Goodman cites MIT economist Yasheng Huang, who notes that exports plus imports in China total 40 per cent of GDP (much of which comprises final assembly and re-exports of imported components) But while Huang appears to have left Goodman with the impression that reducing this pass-through trade would have a big effect the fact is that the effect would be quite small since imports are a subtraction from GDP China is losing merely the value-added, a fraction of the overall product value

Finally the Nobel laureate Paul Krugman rounds out the paper s coverage of China s stumble by offering an economist s systemic view According to Krugman China previously grew largely by catching up to Western technology , but now it faces the problem of too much saving, too much investment, and too little consumption It therefore needs “fundamental reforms” to “put more income in the hands of families so that rising consumption can take the place of unsustainable investment In fact, there is nothing new about Krug-

man s key point about savings Western economists were already pushing that line 30 years ago, when I became (for four years) chief technical adviser for macroeconomic reform to China’s State Planning Commission “Invest less! Consume more!” – the mantra made no sense to me then and it still does not today One wonders what it even means Should China have more cars but worse roads and fewer gas stations (not to mention subways and highspeed trains)? Does it need more televisions, but fewer apartments to put them in? Does the population need more food and clothing, even though it was already mostly well-fed and decently dressed three decades ago?

True Chinese families save prodigiously for education health care and old age But they can do that because they have incomes, which come in large part from jobs in the public and private investment sectors Chinese workers are paid for building the factories homes rail lines roads and other public works that have transformed China within our lifetimes Contrary to Krugman the typical (statistically average) Chinese family is not income constrained If it were, it would not be able to save as much as it does

Moreover, if China were to run out of investment projects, incomes would fall, savings would slow and consumption as a share of income would necessarily rise But this decline of savings would make Chinese families less secure deepening today s slowdown No wonder the government has taken pains to keep investment flowing through major programmes like the Belt and Road Initiative Even after China itself is fully built (or overbuilt) it still will have plenty to do in Central Asia Africa and Latin America China s investments have been welcome in those regions where it is said that, When we re engaged with the Chinese, we get an airport And when we re engaged with you [Americans], we get a lecture ”

Yes, China’s economy is slowing It will be hard to scale anything to match the cities and transport networks that are already in place or the recent campaign to eliminate extreme poverty China s main tasks now lie elsewhere: in education and health care, in matching skills to jobs, in providing for the elderly, and in curbing pollution and carbon dioxide emissions

There is no guarantee that these efforts will succeed but at least they are on China’s agenda That means they will be pursued in Chinese fashion: step by step over time

So, what is the new narrative really about?

It is not so much about China as it is about the West It is about our lead in technologies, our free-market system, and our ability to wield power and to keep all challengers at bay It is about reinforcing what Westerners like to believe: the inevitable triumph of capitalism and democracy Above all it is about our American leaders winning out against bad folks who may do bad things It s a narrative that s madeto-measure for the 2024 election campaign

James K Galbraith professor at the Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin served as chief technical adviser for macroeconomic reform and strengthening institutions to the State Planning Commission of the People s Republic of China from 1993 to 1997 under a contract with the United Nations Development Programme

imprisonment for violation of these rights of the minorities There are also several courts decisions on this

But the reality is that the constitutional guarantees and Acts providing protection to the minorities have not succeeded in deterring the religious extremists from attacking and persecuting minorities, especially the Christian community, on the pretext of desecration of Holy Quran and blasphemy These ghastly acts have not only brought a bad name to Pakistan and portrayed the religion of Islam in dismal colours but have also threatened social harmony In the attacks on churches in Jaranwala reportedly copies of the Bible were also desecrated which takes away the moral element from our protestation against desecration of Holy Quran in other lands It can also have serious consequences for the country at the global level

According to the Punjab government what happened at Jaranwala was a sequel to a conspiracy for fomenting riots in the country If that is the case and it has irrefutable evidence in this regard then no leniency must be shown to those who are responsible for it The state should make an example of them so that nobody could even think of repeating the act ever again

However leaving aside everything I would also like to remind the religious fanatics and extremists that what they are doing is also bereft of religious endorsement as is evident from the letter that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) wrote to the Christian community The teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his words are part of the faith of all Muslims and their implementation is a religious obligation of an Islamic State

RT m K b h a d r a K u m a r

Afamous incident narrated by Bob Woodward in his book Obama s Wars comes to mind: President Barack Obama disregarding the protestations of Chinese protocol officials, burst into a closed-door meeting of Chinese, Indian and Brazilian leaders on a late Friday afternoon in Copenhagen a week before Christmas in 2009 where the three BRIC leaders (this was before South Africa joined and the group became BRICS) were negotiating in secret a common position at the climate talks, which were on the verge of complete meltdown Obama had wanted the three leaders of the most powerful nations of the Global South – and South African President Jacob Zuma – to meet him individually rather than collectively, and was frantic that his ploy was upended Eventually, Obama joined the four leaders and the negotiations resulted in a meaningful agreement That incident just six months after the first BRIC Summit in Yekaterinburg in June of that year, underscored a cardinal truth that although the signs were there already that the West’s decline had begun no one had any doubts that the United States and Europe would continue to determine the characteristics of the world economy and international politics for a long time

Today, when India s approach to the upcoming BRICS Summit has become a matter of some controversy – with Reuters even floating a mischievous rumor that Prime Minister Narendra Modi might not travel to Johannesburg –what is being overlooked is that there is a remarkable consistency in India s conception of the grouping: that BRICS was a community of revisionist powers who were not seeking the destruction of the world order but the inclusion of their interests in this order

However time didn t stand still Globalization is moribund and the system of international institutions that provided its underpinnings are no longer inclusive In fact, Russia and China are under US sanctions On the contrary India s relationship with the US is perhaps at its highest point in history – almost a quasi-alliance – and Washington describes it as the defining partnership of the century Arguably, the US sanctions against China could even hold advantages for India The close bonding between the two countries that is in the pipeline for the chip industry is a case in point Suffice to say life may even be getting better for India, and the country s

The text reads “This message is from Muhammad (PBUH) son of Abdullah for Christians whether living near us or at far off places It is a pledge that we are with them Indeed me my servants my associates my helpers and followers will protect them because Christians are also my citizens By God I will refrain from anything which makes them unhappy They will not be coerced or persecuted Neither their judges nor any of the preachers will be removed from their positions Nobody will destroy their religious places and damage them or remove anything from there and take it to the worship places of Muslims If anybody removes anything from there he will be guilty of breaching the pledge of God and disobedience to the prophet

“The Christians are my allies and they will enjoy my protection against all those whom they hate Nobody will force them for travel or war and instead the Muslims will fight for them No Christian woman will be forced to marry a Muslim and if any marries a Muslim of her free will she will not be stopped from going to the church Their churches will be respected and protected They will not be prevented from repairing their churches or abiding by their agreements Nobody belonging to the Muslim Community will deviate from this covenant till the day of resurrection In the light of the contents of the Prophet (PBUH) s letter the religious extremists must do serious rethinking about their Islamic credentials and judge their acts accordingly

Malik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail com

I f t h e g ro u p o f r i s i n g p owe r s t r i e s to u s u r p g l o b a l g ove r n a n ce, i t w i l l co l l a p s e u n d e r i t s ow n we i g ht

let alone its destruction

The bottom line is that India is content if the influence of BRICS in the shaping of the main aspects of the global agenda can make the world more just and stable Indeed that is not a far-fetched dream as BRICS is on the right side of history None of the group s members have their economic opportunities and political influence grounded in a history of bloody wars, conducted with the purpose of establishing regional and global dominance centered around the wealth accumulated over several centuries India feels at home

This brings us to the core issue of the attraction that BRICS holds for so many countries today that are so patently divergent in their national characteristics, values, and interests – from Indonesia to Iran Egypt to Saudi Arabia – who tend to regard the grouping as if it is poised to pick up the banner of global governance from the West Such expectations are irrational, as they are premised on the evolution of the entire international order in a certain predetermined direction, which is of course not the case

Thus it is only natural that Brazil –or India for that matter – may feel troubled as to how moving forward BRICS contribution to global governance can truly be decisive Fundamentally, there is uncertainty as to whether, in the current circumstances, it is even possible for BRICS to maintain the revisionist behavior of the past The issue is not about the outcome of the Ukraine conflict which Russia cannot and will not lose but that even after a catastrophic defeat, its adversaries are highly unlikely to change their views on the world

Therefore if BRICS expands devoid of norms the unity of the grouping could get impaired rendering it diffuse and ineffectual That was what happened to the Non-Aligned Movement

Yet, this is also a transformative period where The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity,” to borrow Yeats’ anguished formulation of an eternal principle of politics

The predicament is acute against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict and the Biden administration s dual containment strategy against China and Russia, two founding members of BRICS Unsurprisingly Chinese and Russian world views have dramatically changed in the most recent past and are robustly countering US hegemony The no limits friendship between these neighboring giants sets them apart somewhat within BRICS, and that cannot but affect the alchemy of the grouping – although the collegial spirit continues thanks to their pragmatism and sagacity

Curiously many of the aspirants who seek association with BRICS could even be getting attracted to the grouping principally for that reason – a sort of second pillar that upholds a more just and less selfish global governance in relation to the small and medium-sized states of the world

Make no mistake that all the experience of strong institutions and global governance happens to be the experience of the West on the basis of common values and shared interests Ironically, it also accounts for their bloc mentality BRICS, on the contrary, lacks such cohesiveness and the capacity to set the world agenda which the G7 had been doing for decades That is why a country like India will always expect BRICS as a community to aim not at destroying the existing world order, but at changing it for the better India does not want the collapse of globalization, institutions and international law Put differently India prefers to create within the existing order such rules norms and ways of cooperation that would allow for the preservation of its advantages and the elimination of its shortcomings

For India, this is both a matter of tactic and strategy The prevailing rulesbased order gives India a sense of security and strengthens multipolarity in Asia It is a misconception that India is under pressure to bandwagon with the US That might have been the case previously, but present-day India, under the current leadership in particular, is consciously expanding the relations with the US which it considers to be in its own national interests It is a logical outcome of the trajectory of politics in India since the 1990s and it enjoys a bipartisan consensus between the ruling party and the main opposition party And it has become a long-term trend that already seems irreversible

Several factors are involved here and one main factor is paradoxically the phenomenal rise of China, India s BRICS partner, which raises alarmist sentiments in the country The partnership with the US is one of the few ways India hopes to address the security paradigm That said India s BRICS partners can and should trust India to continue to pursue an independent foreign policy based on its national interests There is no reason to doubt that India reposes faith in the decisive influence of the BRICS in the shaping of the main aspects of the global agenda that will make the world more just and stable

M K Bhadrakumar a retired Indian diplomat who has served in Russia South Korea, Sri Lanka, West Germany, Pakistan Afghanistan and Uzbekistan before ultimately retiring as Indian Ambassador to Türkiye

we’re engaged with the Chinese, we get an airpor t And when we’re engaged with you [Americans], we get a lec ture’

Why India doesn’t want BRICS to dismantle the world order built by the West

C H I N E S E P R E M I E R S AY S C H I N A - U S T I E S FA C E ‘ D I F F I C U LT I E S , ’ C A L L S F O R S I N C E R I T Y

BEIJING s tA f f c o R R e s p o n d e n t

CHINESE Premier Li Qiang on Monday told a US business delegation that China-US relations and economic and trade cooperation currently face some difficulties which require both sides to show sincerity and meet each other halfway but the two countries can absolutely achieve common development

The Chinese premier reiterated that China will continue to open up its market, optimize the business environment and improve the protection and treatment of foreign businesses The remarks further underscored China s determination to promote win-win cooperation, even as the US government continues to recklessly push for a decoupling, analysts noted Li met with the US business delegation

led by Marc Casper, chair of the US-China Business Council (USCBC) in Beijing during which he congratulated the council on its 50th anniversary and commended its role in helping promote bilateral cooperation according to the Xinhua News Agency China-US relations and economic and trade cooperation are facing some difficulties, which require both sides to show sincerity meet each other halfway and work together China and the US absolutely can achieve common development and work together to make greater contributions to the bright future of all mankind, Li said

For his part, Casper and other US business leaders said that the USCBC supports the development of healthy and stable bilateral relations and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries The Chinese market is critical to enhancing the competitiveness of US businesses, they said

The remarks highlighted both China s

commitment to further opening its market for foreign businesses including those from the US and US businesses’ great interest in investing in the Chinese market despite the US government s arbitrary decoupling moves, analysts noted The US public and the business community still attach great importance to the Chinese market and are inclined to further deepen and expand China-US cooperation ” Dong Shaopeng a senior research fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at the Renmin University of China said on Monday

However, Dong pointed out that US politicians’ anti-China rhetoric and actions are also having a great impact on various fields including the business community as they face increasing difficulties in pursuing development and cooperation in the Chinese market

Over the past several years, under the

guise of various manufactured excuses such as “national security concerns ” the US government has constantly intensified its decoupling campaign against China in an attempt to contain China

In one of the most recent moves, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order aimed at banning some new US investment in China in advanced technologies like computer chips and requiring government notification in other tech sectors Chinese officials called the move economic coercion and vowed to take necessary countermeasures after a comprehensive assessment

In stark contrast to the US sweeping ban, China’s door to opening-up will not be closed but will only open wider and wider and the vast Chinese market has huge growth potential and opportunities China will continue to expand market access and optimize the business environment for foreign businesses, Li said

Et h i o p i a u nve i l s j o i nt S a u d i p ro b e i nto a l l e g e d m i g ra nt k i l l i n g s

ADDIS ABABA

A f p E t h i o p i a w i l l l a u n c h a j o i n t i n v e s t i g a t i o n w i t h S a u d i A r a b i a i n t o a H u m a n R i g h t s Wa t c h r e p o r t a cc u s i n g t h e k i n g d o m s b o r d e r g u a r d s o f k i l l i n g h u nd r e d s o f E t h i o p i a n m i g r a n t s , t h e f o r e i g n m i n i s t r y s a i d Tu e s d a y

“The Government of Ethiopia will promptly investigate the incident in tandem with the Saudi Authorities ” the ministry said on X formerly Twitter a day after the publication of the HRW report sparked global outrage

At this critical juncture it is highly advised to exercise utmost restraint from making unnecessary speculations until (the) investigation is complete, the ministry said, noting the “excellent longstanding relations” between Addis Ababa and Riyadh

The allegations described as “unfounded” by a Saudi government source point to a surge in abuses along the perilous route from the Horn of Africa to Saudi Arabia where hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians live

Iran unveils latest attack drone

TEHRAN Ag e n c i e s I r a n u n v e i l e d o n Tu e s d a y i t s l a t e s t d o m e s t i c a l l y b u i l t d r o n e t h a t c a n f l y a t a h i g h e r a l t i t u d e a n d f o r a l o n g e r d u r a t i o n w i t h e n h a n c e d w e a p o n s c a p a b i l i t i e s , s t a t e m e d i a r e p o r t e d T h e “ M o h a j e r- 1 0 ” d r o n e w a s i n t r o d u c e d a t a c e r e m o n y i n Te h r a n a t t e n d e d b y P r e s i d e n t E b r a h i m R a i s i c e l e b r a t i n g t h e a c h i e v em e n t s o f I r a n s d e f e n c e i n d u s t r y T h e n e w d r o n e i s a n u p g r a d e d v e r s i o n o f t h e M o h a j e r- 6 w h i c h U S o ff i c i a l s h a v e a c c u s e d I r a n o f s e l l i n g t o R u s s i a f o r u s e i n t h e U k r a i n e w a r a n a c c u s a t i o n Te h r a n d en i e s We s t e r n g o v e r n m e n t s h a v e i n r e c e n t m o n t h s e x p a n d e d b i t i n g s a n c t i o n s o n I r a n o v e r t h e a l l e g e d a r m s s a l e s T h e n e w d r o n e “ c a n f l y u p t o a m a x im u m d u r a t i o n o f 2 4 h o u r s a t a n a l t i t u d e o f 7 0 0 0 m e t r e s ( 2 3 0 0 0 f e e t ) a n d w i t h a n o p e r a t i o n a l r a n g e o f 2 , 0 0 0 k i l o m e t r e s ( 1 , 2 4 2 m i l e s ) , t h e o ff i c i a l I R N A n e w s a g e n c y r e p o r t e d I t c a n t r a v e l a t s p e e d s o f u p t o 2 1 0 k i l o m e t r e s p e r h o u r ( 1 3 0 m i l e s p e r h o u r ) a n d i s e q u i p p e d w i t h u p d a t e d e l e c t r o n i c a n d i n t e l l i g e n c e s y s t e m s T h e u n m a n n e d a e r i a l v e h i c l e h a s a p a y l o a d o f u p t o 3 0 0 k i l o g r a m s ( 6 6 0 p o u n d s ) o f c a rg o d o u b l e t h a t o f t h e p r e v i o u s m o d e l a l l o wi n g i t t o c a r r y a l l k i n d s o f b o m b s a n d a m m u n it i o n s , I R N A s a i d T h i s i s d o u b l e t h e w e i g h t a n d f l i g h t d u r a t i o n c a p a c i t y o f t h e M o h a j e r- 6 w h i c h c a n h o l d 1 5 0 k i l o g r a m s o f w e a p o n s a n d f l y f o r 1 2 h o u r s T h e p r e v i o u s m o d e l a l s o h a d a l o w e r f l i g h t a l t i t u d e o f 5 4 0 0 m e t r e s a n d s p e e d o f 2 0 0 k i l o m et r e s p e r h o u r T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d I s r a e l a r c h - e n em i e s o f I r a n h a v e p r e v i o u s l y a c c u s e d Te h r a n o f u s i n g d r o n e s a n d m i s s i l e s t o a t t a c k U S f o r c e s a n d I sr a e l - l i n k e d s h i p s i n t h e G u l f

and work

One 20-year-old woman from Ethiopia s Oromia region, interviewed by HRW, said Saudi border guards opened fire on a group of migrants they had just released from custody

They fired on us like rain When I remember I cry she said Washington a long-time ally of Riyadh urged a thorough and transparent investigation into the allegations, which were dismissed by a Saudi government source who spoke to AFP

“The allegations included in the Human Rights Watch report about Saudi border guards shooting Ethiopians while they were crossing the Saudi-Yemeni border are unfounded and not based on reliable sources said the source, who requested anonymity

The European Union noted with concern the HRW allegations and plans to raise them with Riyadh and with the Huthi rebels who control strategic parts of Yemen a spokesman Peter Stano said Tuesday

We welcome the announcement by the government

of Ethiopia, specifically, to investigate the whole issue together with the authorities in Saudi Arabia, he said United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric called the report “very concerning” but noted the “serious” allegations were difficult to verify New York-based HRW has documented abuses against Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia and Yemen for nearly a decade

But it said the latest killings appear to be widespread and systematic and may amount to crimes against humanity

Last year UN experts reported “concerning allegations” that “cross-border artillery shelling and smallarms fire by Saudi Arabia security forces killed approximately 430 migrants in southern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen during the first four months of 2022 In March that year, repatriation of Ethiopians from Saudi Arabia began under an agreement between the two countries Ethiopia’s foreign ministry said about 100 000 of its citizens were expected to be sent home over several months

Highlighting China s great market potential, Li on Monday also presided over a special study session focused on developing the digital economy, stressing that China has multiple advantages such as a super-largescale market massive data resources and rich application scenarios and the development of the digital economy has broad space

To further optimize business environment and ease the burden on businesses, Li has also signed a document to amend certain administrative rules, including lowering administrative fines in certain minor violations starting on Monday when it was published

Casper and other US personnel said that the USCBC welcomes signals of deepening reform and opening-up from the Chinese government, according to Xinhua

It is important to “separate the US government from the US business community ” as the former pushes for restrictions and confrontation while the latter pursues commercial interests He Weiwen a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, said on Monday He said that China’s responses should also be compartmentalized – opposing and countering US restrictions that violate WTO rules while working to stabilize bilateral ties and further developing economic and trade cooperation

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SNGPL’S corporate briefing session held at Lahore Stock Exchange plaza

LAHORE s tA f f R e p o R t

S&P

downgrades multiple

US banks on growing liquidity worries

PR OFIT

R e u t e R s

S&P Global followed Moody’s in cutting its credit ratings and outlook on multiple U S regional banks on Monday saying higher funding costs and troubles in the commercial real estate sector will likely test the credit strength of lenders

A relentless rate-hike campaign by the U S Federal Reserve has raised deposit costs at banks which have been forced to pay out higher interest to keep depositors from fleeing to other high-yielding alternatives S&P cut its ratings on Associated Banc-Corp (ASB N) and Valley National Bancorp (VLY O) on funding risks and higher reliance on brokered deposits while UMB Financial Corp (UMBF O) Com-

erica Bank (CMA N) and KeyCorp (KEY N) were downgraded on large deposit outflows and prevailing higher interest rates KeyCorp and Comerica shares were down nearly 1% each in premarket trading

The outlook of S&T Bank and River City Bank was cut to negative from stable by the S&P citing higher CRE exposure The agency s action will make borrowing costlier for the ailing banking sector that is looking to shake off the effects of the crisis from earlier this year when the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank sparked a loss of confidence and led to a run on deposits at several regional lenders Borrowing costs globally have also surged with the U S Treasury yields hitting their highest in

16 years as the bond market rout entered its sixth week on Tuesday even as U S stock index futures gained, boosted by megacap growth stocks

The rating agency’s action came weeks after similar downgrades by its peer Moody s which earlier this month lowered ratings on 10 U S banks and placed six including Bank of New York Mellon (BK N), US Bancorp (USB N), State Street (STT N) and Truist Financial (TFC N) on review for potential downgrades

An analyst at Fitch the last of the three chief rating agencies also told CNBC last week that several U S banks, including JPMorgan Chase (JPM N), could see downgrades if the sector ’s “operating environment” were to deteriorate further

C hina urges Japan to revoke wrong decision to dump nuclear wastewater into sea

ISLAMABAD

Ag e n c i e s

China on Tuesday urged Japan to revoke its wrong decision to discharge nuclear wastewater into the sea Japan did not adequately consult with the international community particularly stakeholders regarding its ocean discharge plan said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin during a regular news conference Japan will begin discharging the nuclear-contaminated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea on August 24 Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday

Noting that Japan is extremely selfish and irresponsible in transferring the risk of nuclear contamination to the world and putting its own interests above the long-term well-being of all humankind, Wang said China is seriously concerned about and strongly opposes this move and has made solemn representations

to the Japanese side

The Japanese side has failed to address the major concerns of the international community about the long-term reliability of nuclear-contaminated water purification devices, the authenticity and accuracy of nuclear-contaminated water data, and the effectiveness of monitoring arrangement, he noted

The ocean is the common property of all mankind he said adding that Japan s push for the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea is unjustified unreasonable and unnecessary

Regrettably, the Japanese side has turned a deaf ear to international concerns, and makes every effort to create an illusion that the discharge plan is safe and harmless and even made groundless accusations on neighbouring countries which expressed legitimate concerns he said Japan s actions have triggered strong indignation from the neighbouring countries and the Japanese people, Wang said

Russia says Ukrainian boat destroyed in new Black S ea clash

duction facilities in the Black Sea Moscow s defence ministry said on Telegram It did not give details on what kind of boat had been destroyed, or where exactly the incident had taken place L a t e M o n d a y t h e m i n i s t r y s a i d i

Corporate Briefing session of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) was held on August 22 2023 at Lahore Stock Exchange Plaza Lahore Managing Director SNGPL Mr Amer Tufail briefed the analysts investors and shareholders about the Company s performance and its future prospects While addressing the event, Management of the company briefed the participants that the Company has achieved a milestone of revenue exceeding Rs 1 0 trillion first time in the history and further stated that the Company’s profitability has witnessed a reduction of 5 66% mainly due to reduction in change of ROA rate under WACC from 17 43% to 16 6% and imposition of super tax by the Federal Government Moreover, the Management of the Company highlighted that the Company’s gas losses (UFG) has reduced from 8 60% in FY 2020-21 to 8 06% in FY 2021-22 Highlighting the energy sector s situation Management of the Company informed that due to depleting indigenous gas resources RLNG now has approx 50% share in gas supplies which may continue to increase depending upon supply and demand situation in the Country

Prof Dr Samina Malik appointed as rector IIUI

LAHORE

s tA f f R e p o R t

Professor Dr Samina Malik has been appointed as Rector of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) She is the first female Rector of the university The President of Pakistan and Chancellor IIUI Dr Arif Alvi appointed her Rector of IIUI with immediate effect for a period of 4 years in terms of section 12 (1) of the IIUI ordinance, 1985 She has worked as Vice-President (Female Campus) She has been working as a Professor in the Department of Education at the International Islamic University Islamabad Pakistan She possesses diversified experience in administration, research and teaching She has experience of administration as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences,Chairperson of the Department of Education, Additional Director, Directorate of Distance Education IIUI and Director Female Campus

IIUI She is the winner of HEC best teacher award (2014) Prof Dr Samina Malik has done her PhD (Education) from University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi and Post Doctorate from Coventry University, UK

Etihad Garden Phase II - Rahim Yar Khan hosts spectacular ‘Grand Fireworks and Family Gala’ to celebrate Independence Day

LAHORE s tA f f R e p o R t

deal that had allowed the safe export of Ukrainian grain through the shipping hub R u s s i a h a s r e p e a t e d l y b o m b e d U k r a i n i a n p o r t i n f r a s t r u c t u r e i n s e a a n d o n t h e D a n u b e w h i l e

i n s u l a w h i c h w a s a n n e x e d b y M o s c o w i n

Etihad Garden Phase II Rahim Yar Khan the premier residential community proudly presented an awe-inspiring event, the Grand Fireworks and Family Gala," to mark the celebration of Pakistan's Independence Day The event, held at Phase 2 of Etihad Garden, showcased an evening of joy, togetherness and patriotism The event which took place on 13th of August illuminated the night sky with a breathtaking display of fireworks that left attendees mesmerized Families and individuals from across the city gathered to partake in the festivities, creating a vibrant atmosphere of unity and national pride

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Zong 4G launches D igital

Max O ffer – Innovating beyond traditional bundles

ISLAMABAD: Zong 4G the leading telecommunication network in Pakistan launches a revolutionary package that has redefined customercentric offers As part of the offer, customers can use an astounding 100GB of high-speed data along with 1000 Off-net minutes for effortless contact with loved ones outside the Zong network and an unbelievable 10 000 On-net minutes for nonstop communication with other Zong subscribers Moreover, this is the first offer to give amazing discounts and deals on Golootlo and Waada!This offer is available for only PKR 1400+ tax per month To subscribe to Monthly Digital Max Zong Prepaid customers can subscribe through the Zong website (https://www zong com pk/onlineshop/irbundles) or through the My Zong App PR

aisamul Haq Quereshi steps onto a new cour t as Brand ambassador aEO Pakistan

Railway expedites Rehabilitation woRk on Quetta-bostan tRack

pAKISTAN Railways (PRs) has expedited the efforts to complete the rehabilitation work of a 33 50-kilometre track ‘through sleeper renewal’ between Quetta-Bostan and QuettaChaman section at the earliest

According to an official of the Ministry of Pakistan Railways the track will not only facilitate the passengers and small businessmen but also connect three major cities of the Balochistan province

He said the railway network in Balochistan province mainly consisted of Quetta Division having Dera Allah Yar Sibi-Quetta Quetta-Chaman SibiKhost Spezend-Dalbandin-Taftan and Bostan-Zhob which were closed for the last 15 years

There were two passenger trains namely Jaffer Express (40Up 39 Down) and Chaman Passenger (349Up 350 Down) operating in Balochistan while no stations had been closed during the last 15 years in the Quetta division he said adding that the overall length of the railway track in Balochistan was 1470 36 kilometres in-

cluding the closed Bostan-Zhob section

“Most of the track was more than one-hundred-year-old and on certain stretches engineering speed restrictions have been imposed due to deferred maintenance and owing to resource constraints,” he said, adding that the routine maintenance of the track was being carried out with available resources To improve railway services in Balochistan the PRs official said the department was taking several steps like ap-

proval of PC-I for the track’s rehabilitation and the rehabilitation of another 100km track between Ahmedwal Dalbadin on the Quetta-Taftan section He said that 100-km rehabilitation of the track between Nokundi Kohi-Taftan on the Quetta-Taftan section while 160 024 kilometres of rehabilitation of the track between Bostan-Chaman on the QuettaChaman section would be carried out

The source said the tourist train s two trips had been started between Quetta-

Uzbekistan envoy calls on Sindh Governor

KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T

L A H O R E: This August once again AEO Pakistan is organizing Pakistan s biggest study abroad education fair being organized across 10 major cities of Pakistan i e Lahore Islamabad Karachi Multan Sialkot Faisalabad Abbottabad Peshawar Bahawalpur and Hyderabad The AEO expo is providing an ideal platform to prospective students across the country, to get free expert advice and counselling about how to apply to study in at top ranked international universities in Australia, USA, Canada and UK Representatives of more than 20 universities/institutes are participating at the expo providing golden opportunity for Pakistani students to get free guidance and counseling for their future study endeavors Information about IELTS test and preparatory classes is also being provided at the expo PR

MCB Live integrates MCB Funds for accessible S avings and Investments

L A H O R E: MCB Funds a leading asset management and investment company has established a strategic alliance with MCB Bank Limited (MCB), one of Pakistan s leading banks This collaboration aims to empower MCB's digital banking customers by offering them the convenience of opening an account, investing in mutual funds offered by MCB Funds and managing their investments through the digital app MCB Live Speaking at the signing ceremony held at MCB House Lahore Mr Shoaib Mumtaz President & CEO MCB Bank said, Cultivating innovation is at the heart of our commitment to our customers

With the integration of MCB Funds in MCB Live, we empower our valued customers to shape their financial futures conveniently and confidently all in a few clicks of our digital app PR

Mur taza Wahab for provision of all facilities on I.I.

Chadrigar Road

K A R A C H I: Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza

Wahab in a high-level meeting has directed the heads of various municipal departments to complete the work for providing all municipal facilities on the I I Chandrigar road by the first week of September

On all such places where cable operators have dug up the road, lying of pavers after filling be done immediately, Victorian-style poles should be installed and lights should be lit He said this while chairing a high level meeting held at kmc head office in which Chief Whip City Council and Mayor Karachi Spokesperson for Political Affairs

Karamullah Waqasi Municipal Commissioner KMC Syed Afzal Zaidi, Managing Director Water Corporation Syed Salahuddin, Chief Operating Officer Asadullah Khan, Local Government Project

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori met Ambassador of Uzbekistan Aybek Arif Usmanov at the Governor s House The Uzbek Ambassador also rang the Bell of Hope , reviewed the rations of 'Taqatwar Pakistan Programme and the furniture used by the 'Father of the Nation' In the meeting Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations promotion of mutual economic cooperation exchange of delegations in various fields favorable investment opportunities in Sindh province and other issues of mutual interest were also discussed Governor Sindh said that Samarqand Bukhara and Tashkent have a prominent place in Islamic history

he said that Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations are getting stronger with the passage of time Kamran Khan Tessori said that mutual cooperation will benefit the economy of both countries, adding that Uzbek investors

should benefit from the favorable investment environment in the province Ambassador of Uzbekistan Aybek Arif Usmanov said that Sindh Governor's public welfare measures are exemplary

2nd CNS all Pakistan Squash Championship 2023

Pakistan Navy has old and deep rooted association with the game of Squash This association of Pakistan Navy with Squash dates back to the independence of our mother land The Game of Squash started with a single Court at Manora and today Pakistan Navy has Pakistan s largest and world class Squash Complex at RKJK Karachi The journey from single court to present place has been possible by very deep commitment of Pakistan Navy with this game The Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex (RKJK) was named after two legends of the game Inaugurated by Admiral Yastur ul Haq Malik on 19 June 1991, this majestic complex comprises of six courts including newly built 4Sided Glass Court The inauguration of 4 sided Glass Court at RKJK on 21 July 2023 is also a testament of Pakistan Navy s efforts in promotion of Squash as sport in the country 1st CNS international Squash Championship was held in the year 2000 since then the championship has been organized without disruption 2nd Chief of the Naval Staff All Pakistan Squash Championship 2023 is scheduled from 23 to 27 Aug 23 at RKJK Squash Complex PR

Students of various colleges spent ‘a day with Pakistan Nav y ’

PM&DC opens por tal for fee submission for M D C at registration

L A H O R E: Pakistan Navy organized an event “A day with Pakistan Navy” for the students from various colleges of Lahore to enlighten them on functioning of Pakistan Navy its organization and defence capabilities The event was organized by Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore A total of 200 x Male and Female students alongwith the faculty members from Government College University Fazaia Degree College Garrison College for boys and Bahria College Lahore along with faculty members attended the event PR

As per directions from the Prime Minister the PM&DC has extended the date of MDCAT 2023 and rescheduled it on September 10 (Sunday) this year Therefore keeping in view the larger interest of the students and allowing the remaining students who were not able to complete their MDCAT registration due to fee non-submission, are again being given limited time by the Council to complete their applications Till the last date of submission of the application of MDCAT, 202336 candidates submitted their applications for the registrations wherein 189261 candidates were able to successfully complete the registration for the examination It was observed by the PM&DC Council that almost 9000 candidates submitted forms of MDCAT but they failed to complete their registration due to nonpayment of their fee due to any reason Therefore the PM&DC after receiving several requests from candidates through its helpline the matter was placed before the President of PM&DC PR

Bostan while the Bolan Mail passenger train would also be operational shortly to facilitate the passengers He said the establishment of Chaman Terminal in collaboration with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and track renewal SibiKhost section was also in progress To control the deficit and earn more revenue, he said the department had introduced

‘RABTA’- a platform for the improvement of its financial conditions Rabta was essentially an attempt to enhance customer facilitation via artificial intelligence Around 60 million passengers used Pakistan Railways annually, for which 40 per cent of the tickets were sold using an outdated process without any audit he said To resolve this problem Rabta allows customers to plan trips with the help of different options Single interface customers can check train statuses choose and purchase seats, book hotels, and order car rentals, meals, and refreshments He said Rabta also allowed passengers to lodge statuses during their journeys They can book tickets through multiple platforms including mobile applications websites ticket agents reservation officers, vending machines, and handheld devices, he added

world water week:

‘Reducing water wastage and improving productivity critical in light of climate change’

LAHORE

P R

Experts at a panel discussion organized by Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and Nestlé Pakistan agreed on the need for innovative irrigation solutions to improve agricultural productivity through efficient water management and modern irrigation methods The discussion was aligned with this year s World Water Week theme focusing on innovative solutions for a water-wise world Former Senator and Minister Irrigation, Punjab Mr Mohsin Leghari emphasized that stakeholders must collaborate on innovative solutions specific to Pakistan s agriculture challenges In light of climate change increasing food security issues and considering we are an agrarian economy, it is imperative to improve agricultural productivity through efficient water management and modern irrigation methods ”

iba karachi welcomes 4th Ms in Journalism cohor t after program’s relaunch

KARACHI

P R

The Centre for Excellence in Journalism at the Institute of Business Administration (CEJ-IBA) warmly welcomed the 4th batch of the Master s in Journalism (MSJ) program after relaunching it for the Fall 2023 intake The CEJ arranged an event to welcome the new students The event was attended by officials from U S Consulate Karachi and Public Affairs Officer, Lee McManis warmly welcomed guests Ms Amber Rahim Shamsi CEJ Director expressed great pleasure on relaunching the Program and said MSJ is unique since it is the only journalism program in the country that teaches reporting and digital skills from the start

Dr Asma Hyder, Professor and Dean, School of Economics and Social Sciences, lauded the efforts of the CEJ team under the leadership of Ms Shamsi and stated “The CEJ is doing a brilliant job I am looking forward to the MSJ classes

Qatari charge d’affaires calls on chairman FbR

Mr Essa Mohammad Al-Dasem Al-Kubaisi, Charge d’ Affaires of Qatar, visited Federal Board of Revenue Headquarters today and held a meeting with Chairman FBR Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana

During the meeting the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in areas of customs and tax to further boost trade relations between the two brotherly countries It was agreed that mutual collaboration would be strengthened by sharing best practices and expertise of the two countries in these fields This exchange of knowledge would help optimize processes enhance efficiency and facilitate smooth bilateral trade Streamlining the procedures and reducing trade barriers were identified as essential factors in achieving this goal The two sides also discussed several other matters including the possibility of exploring more potential areas for future cooperation between the two countries

M A S H R E Q S ET T O C O M M E N C E

D I G I TA L B A N K I N G I N PA K I S TA N

nancially comprehensive economy

MA S H R E Q, a prominent financial institution in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has announced its successful establishment in Pakistan and is poised to commence its digital banking operations within the country It is one of the five banks that received no objection certificates (NOCs) from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to establish digital banking in Pakistan A statement released by the bank emphasised the commitment to drive forward digitisation and financial inclusion in high-growth markets like Pakistan The bank is particularly focused on sectors such as SMEs payments and inclusion It aims to leverage its technologically adept infrastructure and digital orientation to empower customers, cater to evolving needs, provide seamless banking experiences, and align with the country’s vision of a digitally-led fi-

The announcement came after a high-level Mashreq delegation, including senior members of the executive committee visited Pakistan along with independent board members Syed Naseer Hassan and Rashid Khan

Fernando Morillo Group Head of Retail Banking at Mashreq expressed that the bank s entry into Pakistan marks a transformative phase in its expansion strategy “Our foray into Pakistan is a pivotal moment for Mashreq marking a new chapter in our strategic expansion said Morillo We eagerly anticipate the opportunities to collaborate with local stakeholders and contribute towards a robust digital ecosystem that will transform the country’s financial landscape

Notably Mashreq already maintains a Center of Excellence (CoE) in Pakistan focused on delivering a range of innovative products With its established presence in the country, Mashreq anticipates building a productive partnership that will bring benefits to con-

sumers businesses and the broader economy alike About Mashreq Bank Mashreq, found as the Bank of Oman in 1967 is the oldest privately owned bank in the United Arab Emirates and one of the oldest banking institutions in the Middle East According to Forbes its founder Abdul Aziz Ghurair possesses a multibillion-dollar fortune The bank is majority owned by the Ghurair family – one of the richest families in the Middle East – through two different investment firms Mashreq Bank s digital bank offerings in the middle east include specialised banking solutions for startups and SMEs and calls itself the Best Digital Bank” in the Middle East Mashreq spans 13 countries with 16 global offices From corporate banking in Bahrain Qatar and India to offering retail banking in Egypt they also offer foreign exchange expertise in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal Notably, full-service branches stand tall in New York, London, and Hong Kong

against IHC Chief Justice

ISLAMABAD

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Core Committee on Tuesday expressed strong resentment over Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) unnecessary adjournment of the party Chairman Imran Khan’s plea against the trial court verdict in Tosha Khana case and decided to file a reference in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against IHC Chief Justice Justice Amir Farooq PTI core committee strongly condemned the adjournment of the trial till Thursday under a malicious plan to prolong PTI Chairman’s captivity so as to subject him of vindictive actions and inhuman treatment in the jail In the meeting they demanded the Chief Justice IHC to recuse himself from the trial immediately and transfer the case to another bench because he made law and justice a joke

The PTI Core Committee stated that the facilitator of criminals and a person overwhelmed by prejudice was neither eligible to sit on the post of Chief Justice, nor he could be entrusted with the most sensitive responsibility of providing justice

They went on to say that a person lacking professional integrity and moral converted his court into a slaughterhouse of justice and a base of political engineering PTI Core Committee stated that disregarding all moral and legal requirements, the head of the country’s largest political party was punished under his nose by biased and prejudiced judge

The participants of the meeting said that the SC ordered him to deal with the case on merit however he in league with the fascists murdered the justice at the threshold of its court

In the meeting, they said that instead of protecting the honor of High Court on the violent and unlawful arrest of a petitioner from court room seeking bail on May 9 the puppet was trying to give shameful acceptance to the armed attack on the court PTI Core Committee pleaded that the delay in justice was tantamount to murder of justice and Chief Justice IHC was a key facilitator in this regard, adding that the only purpose of delaying the matter was to prolong the ordeals and sufferings of PTI Chairman in jail

They demanded that the Chief Justice of Pakistan should take notice of the decision-making style of the Chief Justice IHC in order to protect the sanctity the honorable House The PTI Core Committee decided to file a reference in the SJC against Justice Amir Farooq in order to ensure the concept of independent judiciary

They demanded that the CJP should ensure protection of the fundamental right of fair trial of Imran Khan under Article 10-A of the Constitution

PR OFIT

S TA F F R E P O R T

Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) has formally asked the Federal Board of Revenue to withdraw tax on Immovable property under Section 7E

According to Acting President of FPCCI

Muhammad Suleman Chawla the entire business industry and trade community of Pakistan is of the view that the Section 7E introduced in Income Tax Ordinance (ITO) 2001 has proven to be chaotic for the economic activities

Under Finance Act, 2022, section 7E was introduced in the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 whereby for tax year 2022 and onwards every resident person has been treated to have derived as income an amount equal to five per cent of the fair market value of the capital asset situated in Pakistan subject to exclusions of the capital assets provided in the law

The deemed income is chargeable to tax at the rate of 20 per cent What this means is that on rent or not anyone who has sizable real estate would pay 20% tax on 5% of the fair market value of that property This 5% is treated as potential rented income

As per FPCCI it has also proved to be futile and ineffective as it only generated Rs 10 billion revenue in the first year of its implementation Apart from this the president FPCCI said that “We have lost much more in investor sentiment of the domestic and overseas Pakistanis alike as far as the real estate sector is concerned ”

Chawla pointed out that after Lahore High Court (LHC) judgment FBR has issued a Circular recently stating that Section 7E will not apply to cases falling under the jurisdiction of LHC, i e Punjab

He said that it is time to listen to the longstanding concerns of the business community over 7E and

Beyond this Mashreq excels in conventional and Islamic personal banking, investment services, and asset management SBP grants NOC to Mashreq Bank

In January of this year the SBP issued NOCs to five applicants for establishing digital banks Mashreq Bank was one of the successful applicants

The central bank s objectives regarding digital banks are clear: to promote financial inclusion and improve access to credit for unserved and underserved segments affordability of digital financial services new financial technologies and innovation fostering a new set of customer experiences and developing the digital ecosystem The central bank evaluated 20 applicants on various parameters that included fitness experience business plans IT strategies cybersecurity measures etc After an exhaustive process lasting around 10 months the central bank granted NOCs to five digital banks: EasyPaisa, KT Bank, Hugo Bank, Raqami, and Mashreq Bank

7 E

called upon the caretaker finance minister to instruct FBR to withdraw Section 7E for the rest of the country and earn the goodwill of the business community Abolishment of Section 7E in ITO 2001 would prove to be a tangible confidence-building measure for the stakeholders of the country s economy and will impart a sense of being heard by their government, he added Chawla also highlighted that upward revised rates of withholding tax (WHT) on buying and selling of immovable properties have been implemented, i e from 1 percent WHT to 3 percent WHT under Sections 236C (Advance Tax on sale or transfer of immovable Property) and 236K (Advance Tax on purchase or transfer of immovable property) respectively Calling the increase unfair and counterproductive, the acting President demanded that the revised rates should be withdrawn with immediate effect before it inflicts more damage He also questioned the rationale and efficacy of repeatedly issuing thousands of income tax notices to the filers over 7E who were subjected to harassment and experienced psychological pressures due to the unfair notices Chawla demanded that all existing show cause notices under Section 7E should be withdrawn with immediate effect; wherein a recovery vis-à-vis deemed income of an amount equal to 5 percent of the fair market value has been demanded for the capital assets and immovable properties held by the concerned persons

He further explained that 7E is a levy of income tax on immovable properties, is a provincial subject under the constitution and is tantamount to double taxation He said that the real estate and construction sector would suffer directly due to 7E and will result in unemployment and a decline in commercial and economic activities

Divisional administration issues high flood aler t for bahawalpur, bahawalnagar

LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T Divisional Administration Bahawalpur on Tuesday issued high flood alert in Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar due to possible high level of flood in Sutlej River

According to Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Spokesperson Sulemanki Headworks will attain very high level of flood today which will cause severe damage to riverine areas of Sutlej River Vulnerable population and cattle are being shifted to safer places from

Imaan Mazari gets bail in sedition case

Lodhraan districts and high flood is expected to pass through the riverine areas during the next two days

According to district administration Vehari water inflow at Headworks Islam has been recorded around 52 thousand cusecs and water is rising at the headwork

The evacuation of people from the Sutlej riverine areas is going on rapidly in Vehari and Lodhraan 80 percent of people from the low-lying areas have been shifted to safe places in Vehari while evacuation is in progress in Lodhran district Irrigation department is closely monitoring the spurs and safety studs in the area to avoid any incident of breach

P a k i s t a n ’ s e c o n o m i c c

COPHC CHAIRMAN HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR FULLY UNLOCKING CPEC ’S ECONOMIC POTENTIAL

PR OFIT

S TA F F R E P O R T

China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC)

Chairman Yo Bo has emphasised that Pakistan’s economic circumstances were primarily responsible for delay in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) s development

In a meeting at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Yo shed light on the transformative progress of Gwadar under CPEC

He underscored the significance of Gwadar, hailing it as CPEC’s pivotal axis The first stage of Gwadar ’s port and city development along with the Gwadar Free Zone has been completed

His remarks outlined that Gwadar had been transformed from a modest village into a thriving modern city, replete with cutting-edge technology China has made substantial investment in Gwadar ’s growth, spanning construction, airport infrastructure and healthcare facilities

The Gwadar Free Zone which came under the auspices of Free Zone Company in 2018 has already established its phase one spanning 25 hectares adjacent to the port This area has attracted six companies

The North Free Zone, covering a large area of 900 hectares, has been designated for industrial and warehousing purposes which will play its role in processing raw material for export

Speaking about Balochistan s economic disparity

Chairman Yo highlighted the untapped potential of the region, which was brimming with natural resources, but plagued by underdevelopment and negligible trade “Gwadar Port however is fully operational equipped with facilities to manage imports and exports

The COPHC chairman outlined the Gwadar Port s operational status, its cargo handling capacity and plans for the Gwadar International Airport s fullscale operation

He also spoke about the port’s role in facilitating barter trade with Iran Afghanistan and Russia as well as its strategic advantages

The robust incentives extended to Chinese companies in free zones coupled with the prospect of win-win partnerships for Pakistani and Chinese businesses, were a recurring theme

An LCCI delegation was invited to Gwadar to come and explore opportunities of collaboration and investment which highlighted China’s eagerness to foster joint ventures and establish industries not just within Gwadar but also beyond its borders

Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Kashif

Anwar announced that a business delegation would visit Gwadar soon He hailed Gwadar ’s role within CPEC to catalyse regional connectivity, benefiting not only China and Pakistan but also adjacent nations such as Iran Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics

He viewed CPEC as a cornerstone of Pakistan s industrial and economic revitalisation

Despite the strides taken since CPEC s inception in 2015, Anwar acknowledged that much remained to be realised

The eight-year journey saw the construction of new infrastructure from extensive road networks to power plants and free zones

He underlined the need for fully unlocking CPEC s economic potential looking towards Chinese investors for guidance

IHC dismisses appeal against release of S hehr

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday maintained the objections of Registrar Office on an intra court appeal (ICA) seeking dismissal of a verdict against the detention of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders – Shehryar Khan Afridi and Shandana Gulzar – under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO)

A two-member IHC bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, heard the intracourt appeal filed by the District Magistrate Islamabad challenging the verdict of single

member bench In its order, the IHC bench noted that the Registrar Office had raised the objection that the single member bench had not issued its detailed order so far The single-member bench in its interim order had also directed to release Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar with some conditions The court asked whether the accused after his release had convened any political procession or harmed law and order situation The Advocate General of Islamabad read out the verdict of the single bench and said that it had given complete relief to the petitioners Justice Jahangiri observed that the court had not terminated the MPO instead it

yar Afridi, S handana Gulzar

had just added some conditions to apply it

The court questioned that how the appeal against the interim order was maintainable The chief justice remarked that it will set a precedent if the court take up the appeal against an interim order Justice Aamer Farooq said that the district magistrate could approach the court for the arrest of the accused if they violated the law The (single member bench) verdict did not stop arrest of the petitioners in other cases, he said, adding that purpose of such orders was to stop the repeated arrests of an accused under the MPO The court subsequently maintained the objections of Registrar Office and disposed of the plea

F P CC I a s k s F B R to w i t h d r aw t a x o n i m m ova b l e p ro p e r t y u n d e r S e c t i o n

‘Unnecessar y delay’: PTI core committee decides to move SJC