Epaper_23-08-25 LHR

PRESIDENT SEEKS L AW MINISTRY’S ‘ADVICE’ AFTER CEC DECIDES AGAINST MEETING ON POLLS DATE

PR E S I D E N T Arif Alvi on Thursday wrote a letter to the Ministry of Law and Justice to seek “advice” following Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja s refusal to meet head of the state for fixing an appropriate date for general elections

“Participation in such a confab would be of “scant importance” after recent changes to the election law citing Clause 57 of Election Act meant that giving election date is the sole prerogative of ECP the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja mentioned in his response to the letter sent by President Arif Alvi

On Wednesday President dr Alvi had written to Sikander Raja inviting him for a meeting regarding holding general elections in the country

In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, the President House said that Alvi has written the letter to the ministry’s secretary on the ECP’s response with regard to the letter he had sent for a meeting to decide the election date

On the other hand Caretaker Law

Minister Ahmad Irfan Aslam Ahmed Irfan Aslam has said that they are yet to receive the said letter from the president

“We will send a response in light of the applicable laws once we receive the

letter, Aslam told Geo News In his letter, President Alvi quoted Article 244 of the Constitution, saying he was duty-bound to get the elections conducted in the 90 days’ prescribed period once the National Assembly is dissolved prematurely

Whereas the National Assembly was dissolved on the advice of the prime minister by the president on August 9

Whereas by virtue of article 48 (5) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan the president is obliged to appoint a date not later than ninety days from the date of dissolution for the holding of the general elections, the president s letter said

According to the ECP spokesperson,

11 more cases lodged: 10 JITs formed to dig fur ther into Jarawanwala incident

LAHORE

On the other hand, the police claimed to have arrested 17 more suspects in Jaranwala incident after collecting data through geofencing while 11 more cases were registered by the police

On August 16 a charged mob incited by messages through loudspeakers from mosques stormed the Christian neighbourhood ransacking and torching at least 19 churches and over 80 residences besides terrorising members of the community

The JITs have been constituted under the provisions of Section 19(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and comprise six members, including SSP (Investigation) Faisalabad, DSP CTD Faisalabad, DSP Inv-1 Faisalabad as well as Inspectors/SHOs and Sub-Inspectors of relevant police station Each JIT shall also comprise of one additional co-opted member

Earlier that day the Punjab police had booked at least three local Christians over blasphemy allegations and attempted to negotiate with the Muslim mob

Members of the Christian community have held demonstrations demanding immediate repair to and restoration of the burnt churches and houses

The protestors have alleged that despite intimation the Faisalabad police did not take timely action against the agitators

On the other hand, initial investigations have indicated a meticulously orchestrated plot behind the incident of ransacking of property in Jaranwala

Following the attack Caretaker Prime Minister

Anwaarul Haq Kakar assured all the minority communities in the country that the government was committed to protecting their lives and properties vowing to bring the perpetrators of the heinous attacks against them to justice The Punjab government has already announced it will pay Rs2 million in compensation to each family of the Christian community that lost a house during the violence

the CEC had sent a written response to the president, in which it mentioned that he [Raja] won’t meet him to discuss the election date issue

The letter stated the last National Assembly was dissolved under Article 58 (1) [just days before the completion of its tenure] on the advice of prime minister [Shehbaz Sharif] Had the president dissolved the legislature after it completed the five-year term he would have enjoyed the power to announce election date under Article 58 (2) which wasn t the case it added

Moreover the CEC also noted in the letter that the process to carry out delimitation had started on the basis of new census Earlier in the day, it was reported

that Raja had decided to meet Alvi after he received a detailed briefing on the issue by legal experts who said consulting the president wasn’t required after the amendment introduced by the coalition government before leaving the office

However, the situation has changed now, as under recent amendments to election laws, the CEC has been empowered to fix the date for polls without the president’s input

In the letter addressed to the president today CEC Raja said it was imperative to point out that Section 57 of the Elections Act had been amended due to an act of Parliament, which had empowered the commission to “announce the date or dates for the general elections”

Where the president dissolves the National Assembly in his discretion as provided in Article 58(2) read with Article 48(5) of the Constitution then he has to appoint a date for the general elections

However if the assembly is dissolved on the advice of the prime minister or by afflux of time as provided in Article 58(1) of the Constitution then the commission understands and believes that power to appoint a date or dates for elections rests exclusively with the Commission

PM commends heroes who rescued trapped cable-car passengers in daring operation

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Thursday awarded commendation certificates to the valiant commandos armed forces personnel and local residents who rescued eight trapped passengers from a dangling cable-car in Alai area of Battagram

The prime minister addressing the commemoration ceremony held at the PM Office said the recognition was well-deserved by every individual involved, who exhibited remarkable prowess in orchestrating the mission to a triumphant conclusion

He emphasized that the entire nation shared the concerns for the safety of the trapped children who remained stranded on the cablecar for hours

He remarked that the successful endeavour was a collaborative achievement acknowledging that recognition was also due to those who from the confines of their homes, prayed for the safe and successful rescue operation

He said being a father, he could feel the pain of stranded children’s parents but the teamwork based on prudent efficient planning ensured their safety Hats off to all of you who did an immaculate job The biggest credit goes to those who were carrying out the planning,” he remarked

Sharing their emotions with the prime minister the children said they were extremely worried but had a sense of satisfaction after coming to know that the Pakistan Army had launched the rescue operation

The prime minister said that the paramount duty of the state encompassed providing quality

healthcare and education, and an atmosphere for a dignified life

Referring to the martyrdom of security personnel in South Waziristan the prime minister said that those trying to obstruct the State s functioning through their ill intentions must remove their misunderstanding

He reiterated that the nation would never forget the sacrifices of the martyrs of the war against terrorism, including politicians, police services, Pakistan Army, journalists, PAF (Pakistan Air Force), and common citizens

“This is our home We know how to run it he remarked

The prime minister said the pains of the terror victims families could not be expressed in words

He said the salaries being given to the security forces personnel were just meant to suffice their needs as their sacrifices could only be recognized through respect

We revere them We respect them, he commented

Prime Minister Kakar reassured that the state affairs were in the hands of highly capable individuals The caretaker setup had limited time and mandate to facilitate the forthcoming general elections, he added

price free of tax {Editor s note: Urea has just been used as an example here and the production numbers are also simply hypothetical and meant to help the reader understand better } This then creates an artificial shortage In most industries under reporting is much more blatant than in our example Urea cigarettes, cement, and sugar are susceptible to g C E C R E S P O N D S TO A LV I ’ S L E T T E R, I N S I S T I N G G I V I N G E L E C T I O N S D AT E S O L E P R E R O G AT I V E O F E C P

Earlier, the prime minister also distributed commendation

certificates among the security forces personnel as well as the local experts who took part in the rescue operation The rescued children who also attended the event, were also given souvenirs

In his address, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt General Inam Haider Malik said the effective coordination among all relevant departments led to the success of the difficult operation

He said the safety audit of all the cable cars in the region had been ordered and a report would be presented to the prime minister

He however emphasised the capacity building of the local rescue departments to deal with such emergency situations, which, he said, was also being worked out Caretaker federal ministers Murtaza Solangi Jalil Abbas Jilani Jamal Shah Sarfaraz Bugti Anwar Ali Hyder Ijaz Gohar and Madad Ali Sindhi also attended the ceremony

Track and trace of cotton as well. But g S AY S S I T U AT I O N C H A N G E D N O W A F T E R R E C E N T A M E N D S TO E L E C T I O N L A W S, W H I C H E M P O W E R C E C TO F I X D AT E C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03

artificial shortages and are also part of smuggling rackets Just last month the FBR’s customs department (yes the FBR has one of those precisely for this reason) seized urea fertiliser and sugar worth Rs 392 million from g C A R E TA K E R L A W M I N I S T E R S AY S N OT Y E T R E C E I V E D P R E S I D E N T ’ S L E T T E R

The US dollar ascended to a record high against the Pakistani rupee on Thursday, crossing the barrier of Rs300 to the greenback during morning trade in the interbank market

The greenback was changing hands in the interbank market at Rs300 4 at 11:15am, according to the Forex Association of Pakistan In the open market, the dollar was trading at Rs314

Yesterday the dollar closed at Rs299 64 according to daily data released by the State Bank of Pakistan In the open market it was traded up to a price of Rs315 during the day but the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP) had reported the buying and selling prices as Rs309 and Rs312 respectively

As the dollar continued its upward march today

analysts called for a sound strategy from the government to curtail the black market “The government and all stakeholders need to implement a sound strategy to eliminate the black market, said Saad bin Naseer, director of financial data and analytics portal Mettis Global Naseer stated that it is very difficult to find the dollar in the interbank market however it was readily available in the open market at a black [market] price”

He added that the central bank s policy to keep the interest rate at 23pc was not helpful as individuals find it more lucrative to invest in the foreign [currency] market”

Forex Association of Pakistan Chairperson Malik

Bostan warned against hoarding dollars in the hope that its price will increase further “Due to the increase in the dollar in the [inter]bank market common people are also unnecessarily buying dollars in the hope that its price will increase further,” he said

He added that the lifting of the bans on imports due to International Monetary Fund (IMF) requirements has added more pressure on the PKR Zafar Paracha, secretary general of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan cited the resumption of non-essential imports as the primary reason for the steady decline of the rupee H e a l s o a g r e e d w i t h B o s t a n ’s c o n c e r n s , r e q u e s t i n g p e o p l e t o a v o i d b u y i n g t h e g r e e n b a c k i n a n a l r e a d y t u m u l t u o u s t i m e f o r t h e r u p e e Paracha went on to say that no one will come from the outside to save us and neither will our politicians do anything stating that the people should face this together

The desperation was noted in the open market as the average buyer was purchasing dollars at all costs according to a Dawn report Currency dealers said the increasing demand had pushed the price so high that it went beyond the red line set by the IMF

The government had assured the IMF before the renewal of Extended Fund Facility in June that the difference between the rates in the two markets would not exceed 1 25pc The current differential is about 5pc

Currency dealers argued that while the IMF was not in favour of interference in the currency market the demand for keeping the differential at 1 25pc was in itself an interference

The exchange companies contend that the open market is a reflection of prices in the interbank market but the rise of the dollar in open market belies this explanation

The increasing dollar price is a serious cause of nervousness for the government as it has raised the public debt unexpectedly high Former finance minister Ishaq Dar said in a recent tweet the devaluation of rupee had raised the public debt by Rs9 3 trillion in FY23

Ali Swati the local expert who rescued the trapped passengers through the zipline said that while carrying out the mission he had concerns about the strength of the wire the cable car was dangling on

The struggle to keep the dollar below Rs300 won t work Within a few days the dollar will cross this line This will happen because the demand is high and there are no inflows in the pipeline according to Atif Ahmed a currency dealer in the inter-bank market Observers feel that uncertainty on the economic front is growing and the currency market is sensitive to political developments

A currency dealer who claims to know the mind of policy makers, said political uncertainty had made the common man desperate leading to “dollarisation of the economy

it be effective?

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03

D o l l a r r e a c h e s r e c o r d h i g h , s o a r s a b o v e 3 0 0 a g a i n s t

P K R i n i n t e r b a n k

g RISING PRICE SERIOUS CAUSE OF CONCERN FOR GOVT A S IT HA S RAISED PUBLIC DEBT UNEXPECTEDLY HIGH

P U N J A B G O V E R N O R , N E W LY - A P P O I N T E D U K

H C D I S C U S S T R A D E , C L I M AT E C H A N G E

o v e r n o r P u n j a b s a i d t h a t t h e r e a r e

GO V E R N O R P u n j a b M u h a m m a d B a l i g h u r R a h m a n w a s c a l l e d o n b y t h e n e w l y a p p o i n t e d B r i t i s h H i g h

to Pakistan

M a r r i o t t a t t h e G o v e r n o r s H o u s e L a h o r e o n T h u r s d a y a n d d i s c u s s e d w i t h h i m t h e i s s u e s o f m u t u a l i n t e r e s t , t r a d e a n d c l i m a t e c h a n g e w e r e d i s c u s s e d i n d e t a i l

Friendly countries keen to invest in Balochistan’s mineral sector: Domki

QUETTA I N P

Balochistan Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki has said that the friendly countries are taking keen interest to invest in mineral sector of the province This was stated by him while chairing a meeting of mines and minerals development department held in Quetta on Thursday Ali Mardan Khan Domki said Balochistan has immense potential for investment in this year On the occasion the caretaker chief minister was given a comprehensive briefing on agreements with the foreign countries

Balochistan Governor calls for promoting cross-border trade

QUETTA I N P

Balochistan Governor Malik Abdul Wali Khan Kakar on Thursday underlined the importance of profitable investment opportunities by promoting cross-border trade to generate employment in the province He remarked in a meeting with Caretaker Provincial Minister for Information Jan Muhammad Achakzai who called on him here Both sides discussed issues of mutual interest including the overall political situation ending the economic stagnation and paving the way for international investment Malik Abdul Wali Khan Kakar said that the economy is the basis of every society and it is a fact that without economic stability positive results could not be achieved He said that overcoming the rapidly growing gap between the rich and the poor in society was definitely a big challenge He acknowledged the role of media in highlighting the soft image of Balochistan at the national and international level

a p p r e c i a t e s B r i t i s h c o o p e r a t i o n i n t h e f i e l d o f e d u c a t i o n G o v e r n o r P u n j a b f u r t h e r s a i d t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t b e l i e v e s i n g i v i n g e q u a l r i g h t s t o a l l m i n o r i t i e s a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n o f P a k i s t a n O n t h i s o c c a s i o n , G o v e r n o r P u n j a b p r e s e n t e d a s o u v e n i r

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Pak istan earns $892m by expor ting transpor t ser vices during FY 2023

ISLAMABAD

N F P

Pakistan earned US $892 890 million by providing different transport services in various countries during the current fiscal year (2022-23) as compared to the corresponding period of last year

This shows a growth of 9 69 per cent as compared to $813 980 million earned through the provision of services during the corresponding period of the fiscal year (2021-22) the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported

During the period under review the exports of sea transport services witnessed an increase of 74 76 per cent, going up from $146 650 million last year to $256 290 million during the year under review

Among the sea transport services the

I N P

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that Pakistan will continue its unconditional moral and political support to Kashmiris for their inborn right to self-determination

He was talking to the Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq who called on him here on Thursday

The AJK prime minister congratulated the caretaker prime minister on assuming the office and expressed his best wishes for him

Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar assured the AJK prime minister of unconditional support of Pakistan to Kashmir He said Pakistan stood shoulder to shoulder with people of Kashmir in their struggle for right to selfdetermination

The caretaker PM said Pakistan would continue the

C hurch head demands judicial inquir y into Jaranwala incident

LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T

The Lahore Bar Association (LBA) has endorsed the demand of the president bishop of the Church of Pakistan (CoP) for a judicial inquiry into the Jaranwala incident punishing the perpetrators in accordance with the law and implementing concrete measures to prevent similar incidents from taking place in the future

Addressing the members of Asia’s largest bar association CoP President Bishop Azad Marshall condemned the attacks on churches and homes of poor Christians in Jaranwala on August 16 after two Christian youths were falsely accused of committing blasphemy

“At least 22 churches and 86 homes were vandalized by the rioters, who also desecrated hundreds of bibles and other holy books of the Christians in Jaranwala on that fateful day It pains my heart to say that this tragedy unfolded in the presence of police who acted as silent spectators as the rioters went on a rampage in different neighbourhoods of the area ” said Marshall

LAHORE I N P The Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) and the Iranian Auto Parts Manufacturers Association (IAPMA) have announced the plan to exchange technologies and barter the parts and raw materials, exploiting the immense scope for the manufacturing and supplying auto parts and accessories between the two countries The delegation of auto parts makers visited Iran under the banners of the Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers and Pak Iran Business Council of FPCC at the invitation

The church leader lamented that though judicial inquiries were conducted into similar incidents in Gojra and Joseph Colony their reports have yet to surface

One wonders if appropriate steps were taken to stop such incidents, then there would have been no Jaranwala incident Now let us not lose this opportunity to firmly work together in seeking the answers he emphasized Bishop Marshall said that prevention of such incidents from recurring could

diplomatic political and moral support of Kashmiris till the Kashmir issue was resolved according to the United Nations Security Council resolutions and as per wishes of the people of Kashmir through a plebiscite

settle personal vendettas is a well-known but despite recommendations of the Islamabad High Court and other government forums no attempt has been made to legislate against false accusations which can be a strong deterrent against fake cases he said H e a d d e d t h a t t o d e t e r f a l s e a c c u s e r s , i t i s e s s e n t i a l t o c o n s i d e r i m p o s i n g t h e s a m e p u n i s h m e n t t h e y f a l s e l y a c c u s e o t h e r s o f “ T h i s a p p r o a c h w o u l d a c t a s a s t r o n g deterrent against malicious allegations e n s u r i n g t h e s e r i o u s n e s s o f s u c h a c c u s a t i o n s a r e n e v e r t a k e n l i g h t l y a g a i n The bishop also called for a unified law against the desecration of all holy scriptures, along with consistent application regardless of faith affiliation This is essential for promoting equality and fairness within the legal system he stressed

exports of freight services surged by 38 65 per cent from $94 610 million last year to $131 180 million whereas the exports of other sea transport services also increased by 140 41 per cent from $52 040 million to $125 110 million current year, the PBS data revealed The exports of air transport services however witnessed a decrease of 4 47 per cent declining from $644 160 million last year to $615 360 million during July-June (2022-23) Among the air transport services, the exports of passenger services dipped by 1 65 per cent, from $427 440 million to $420 380 million, whereas the exports of freight services declined by 25 10 per cent from $32 950 million to $24 680 million in addition the export of other air transport services dipped by 7 33 per cent from $183 770 million to $170 300 million

Imaan Mazari sent to Adiala Jail on judicial remand

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Thursday sent human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari to Adiala Jail on judicial remand after rejecting a plea to extend her physical remand The ATC heard the case against former federal minister Shireen Mazari s daughter and human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari related to the interference in state affairs Police produced Imaan Mazari before the court The prosecutor apprised the court that they conducted voice matching and photogrammetry tests of the accused He added that they are due to recover the transcripts of her written speeches Later the court rejected the plea for an extension in physical remand of the accused lawyer and sent her to the Adiala Jail on judicial remand The ATC judge granted permission to Imaan to meet her mother in the courtroom and directed authorities to not create any hurdles in the meeting

Iraqi Air ways allowed extra flights to facilitate Zaireen during Arbaeen

ISLAMABAD I N P

not be ensured without accountability of those responsible for the security lapses and introducing changes in the investigation procedures especially in cases involving blasphemy allegations

Law enforcement agencies should be held accountable for their prolonged inaction against the rioters This is not the first time where police has surrendered to mobs giving them a free hand to destroy everything that came in their way The misuse of blasphemy laws to

of the Iranian government to attend the Auto Parts exhibition held in Tehran besides meeting high-ups of Iran Chambers and the Iranian Auto Parts Manufacturers Association (IAPMA) to pave the pathway of trade venues The Iranian officials and entrepreneurs reciprocated their big cooperation between two great friends tied by religion neighborhood culture and friendship Pakistan embassy and its commercial section dedicatedly remained active during the seven days long hectic-trip of the leading parts producers After affirming the barter trade agreement, positive energy is seen on both sides of the Pak-Iran border Referring to the great capabilities and long history of the relationship between Iran

Marshall also recommended that a comprehensive investigation led by senior officials should be conducted prior to filing a blasphemy FIR

“This could prevent unwarranted arrests and the prolonged detention of individuals without sufficient evidence This approach would uphold human rights and mitigate wrongful incarceration,” he said Concluding his speech, the church leader demanded a transparent judicial inquiry into the underlying factors that contribute to such violence in name of religion

and Pakistan Nilofar Esadi the deputy head of the international affairs of the Iran Chamber said the two countries could fill the gaps in the auto industry in their countries by cooperating in this field Pursuing the memorandum of understanding signed between the presidents of the Iran Chamber and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce for establishing the Iran-Pakistan Joint Business Council she added that we planned to cooperate closely to develop trade with Pakistan Mr Muhammad Nasim, Head of the Delegation, and Mr Najam Ul Hassan Jawa, Co-head of the delegation, said the Pakistan auto parts sector was producing the top quality parts since they had to aftermarket the

Advisor to Prime Minister on Aviation Air Marshal (R) Farhat Hussain Khan was called on by Ambassador of Iraq to Pakistan Hamid Abbas Lafta and discussed with him issues of bilateral interest The ambassador was accompanied by officials of Embassy of Iraq in Pakistan Secretary Aviation was also present in the meeting held at Ministry of Aviation Speaking on the occasion Hamid Abbas Lafta said that Iraq places high value to its relationship with Pakistan Advisor to PM Farhat Hussain Khan said that both Pakistan and Iran have cordial relationship based on shared religion and culture Both sides explored options to enhance cooperation in aviation sector Ways to facilitate pilgrims during Arbaeen were discussed Request was extended by Iraqi side to allow Iraqi Airways extra flights to facilitate Zaireen during Arbaeen The airline was given permission for extra flights Both sides also agreed to cooperate in future to find ways to enhance cooperation in aviation sector

world's best Japanese standards They had localized tractors and motorcycles more than 95% followed by cars 60% Nasim further stated that Pakistan was producing the cheapest tractor in the world Pakistan is strategically located in an ideal position due to CPEC to connect the Iranian markets to the world Pakistan was enjoying preferential or zero duty to all major markets which could give respite to Iranian auto parts makers in the form of export excess to the world they were clipped due to sanctions The delegation expressed identical thoughts at the reception honored by the (IAPMA) The association's president greeted the board and said they had many common things to cooperate Muhammad

Nasim underlined the close interaction between the two auto-parts-producing countries to remove existing barriers and misperceptions Najam Ul Hassan Jawa requested both governments to ease the modus operandi for making barter trade

The delegation also visited the Pakistan embassy, and the HE Rahim Hayyat Qureshi Ambassador to Iran and Dr Amir Husain Commercial Counselor briefed the delegations on how to work with the emerging Iranian market under the new regime The delegation thanked the embassy for its exceptional support to them and for connecting the chain The consensus for not letting appear the cracks between two great friends were evidently seen

TA X E S O N C O N S T R U C T I O N I N D U S T R Y N E E D E D T O B E

C U R TA I L E D T O S AV E I N V E S T O R S F R O M D E FA U LT : I C C I

ISLAMABAD

I N F P

President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Ahsan Zafar

Bakhtawari has said that taxes on construction should be rationalized as it plays a key role in the development of the economy and the growth of business activities of over 70 allied industries is dependent on this industry

He said, the levy of new taxes on the construction industry has plunged it into great difficulties due to which unemployment is expected to increase so the government should rationalize high taxes on this industry to save it from further troubles

This was stated by him on Thursday while addressing the business community during his visit to the under construction J7 Group’s Icon five-star hotel Royal Swiss along with a delegation Fayyaz Awan

Project Director of J7 Group along with his

warmly welcomed the ICCI delegation

team

Ahsan Bakhtawari said that many businesses in the construction and real estate sector have already closed due to the increase in taxes and if these taxes are not rationalized more businesses of this sector could be closed He said that instead of increasing taxes, the government should consider providing attractive incentives to the construction industry which will attract more investment to the country increase business activities and revive the overall economy Fayyaz Awan, Project Director, J7 Group, said that if the high taxes imposed on the construction sector are not withdrawn, many investors in this sector would face default He said that after the announcement of the construction package investors have invested billions of rupees in the construction sector but the imposition of high taxes has made the future of construction projects uncertain

He said that the Lahore High Court has

issued a stay order against the imposition of tax under Section 7E, so it is the right time for the government to withdraw this tax across the country as it will have disastrous consequences on the property business He said that hike in taxes has pushed up the prices of other construction materials, including concrete and cement, due to which the cost of construction projects has increased manifold and investors are suffering

The Project Director J7 Group said that the withholding tax has also been increased on sale & purchase of property to which business activities in this sector are slowing down Due to this situation, the country's tax revenue will decrease instead of improving He strongly demanded that in order to save the construction industry from further difficulties taxes should be reduced appropriately in consultation with the investors of this sector so that the construction Industry can play its active role in driving the economy Former President ICCI and Secretary

General UBG Zafar Bakhtawari said that Pakistan needs to build more five-star hotels in major cities including Islamabad to promote tourism in the country However with the existing taxes, it is very difficult to promote investment in this sector, so it is better that taxes should be revised in

consultation with the stakeholders so that the government s revenue is not affected and the construction industry achieves better growth Raja Muhammad Imtiaz Khalid Chaudhry, Malik Mohsin Khalid, Babar Chaudhry, Nisar Mirza, Nasir Chaudhry and others were in the ICCI delegation

Tareen visits Jaranwala, announces financial help for affected Christians

FAISALABAD I N P

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

So if we go back to our fertiliser example when the government first brought in a T&T system it asked the fertiliser industry to invest heavily in a mechanism that would have a stamp placed on each and every bag of fertiliser produced which could then be scanned before it was sold The data from this scanning would go directly to the FBR which would then record the total number of bags produced and tax them accordingly T&T solutions are used across the

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

globe to assist in the process of tax collection But how have these four industries in particular reacted to the attempts, and has the track and trace system had any results that speak to its efficacy?

WHAT S THE DEAL WITH COTTON? This initiative aims to assist the textiles and apparel industry in meeting the traceability standards set by various trading blocs, nations, brands, and retailers Currently FBR with assistance from its Licensee Authentix Inc US and

consortium partners AJCL Private Limited and MITAS Corporation of South Africa has implemented T&T solution on major Tobacco companies as well as Sugar factories besides the department is struggling hard to fully implement T&T on Fertilizer and Cement units Recently FBR has also started work to introduce T&T in the beverages sector

The T&T System’s capability for real-time production monitoring offers a transformative shift from conventional retrospective auditing approaches

The real-time production monitoring

will enable the Tax Authorities to have access to current and comprehensive data which will facilitate proactive decision-making and ensure more accurate tax assessments

This centralized repository will provide Tax Authorities with unprecedented visibility into the sector s production landscape

The implementation of the Track and Trace System will not only encompass the Sector within the Track and Trace network but will also amplify revenue collection thereby contributing to the national exchequer

Istehkam Pakistan Party (IPP) Chairman Jehangir Khan Tareen visited Jaranwala on Thursday and met Christian community members, whose houses and churches were burnt by mob on August 16 Other leaders of the party including former provincial minister Chaudhry Zaheeruddin and Noman Langrryal accompanied him Tareen announced Rs 10 million financial support for the victim families The IPP leaders visited churches and homes of Christians vandalised during riots by anti-social elements They condemned the incident and expressed sympathies with the Christian communities He said although the Federal and provincial governments had taken timely measures for rehabilitation of churches and homes and announced financial aid for the victim families it was also a responsibility of all to support the Christian brethren

Missing person returns home after six years with Rs500

The CEC said that the delimitation of constituencies, after the approval of the digital census was one of the “foundational legal steps” towards holding polls

Raja said that the ECP was taking its responsibility of holding general elections in the country very seriously and had also invited major political parties to give their views on the electoral map

“Notwithstanding the declared position of the commission referred herein above it is stated with all reverence that the commission holds the office of the president in high esteem and it has always been an honor to meet and seek your kind guidance on national issues at an opportune time

In view of the above, the commission is of the considered view that participation in the meeting would be of scant consequence,” Raja said

Later the Presidency said on X (formerly Twitter) that it had sought the law ministry’s advice on the CEC’s letter

The Presidency has asked for advice on the Election Commission of Pakistan s stance that only it had the authority to decide the election date, the statement on X said

ECP BEGINS CONSULTATIONS WITH POLITICAL PARTIES

Separately the ECP began consultations with political parties on matters pertaining to general elections today

The consultations begin a day after the ECP sent identical letters to four political parties, inviting them to discuss the electoral roadmap, the delimitation of constituencies updating electoral rolls conduct of general elections schedule for elections and other

related matters

The ECP met the representatives of the JamiatUlema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and the PTI today and later shared the details of the interactions in an official statement

The statement said the PTI stressed the importance of conducting the elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9 which is the constitutionally mandated period for organising elections

However, the ECP has already ruled out the possibility of elections within this timeframe following the notification of the 2023 digital census, citing the requirement for fresh delimitations of constituencies

The ECP said last week the process of fresh delimitation of national and provincial assembly constituencies was expected to be completed by December 14 over a month beyond the constitutionally mandated deadline for conducting general elections However, the PTI was of the view during today’s meeting that fresh delimitation was not a necessity the ECP statement said adding that the party “also emphasised the need for a level-playing field [for itself] in the electoral competition similar to what other political parties are provided

It also called for the prompt release of incarcerated party leaders, the statement said For its part, the JUI-F advocated for the prioritisation of delimitation procedures, the statement added

The JUI-F delegation urged the ECP to complete the delimitation process ahead of advancing further ensuring a seamless experience for all political parties candidates, and voters in the forthcoming elections

The ECP stated that both delegations were given

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

assurance that the commission was committed to ensuring that elections were held at the earliest possible time and a level-playing field for all political parties

Following the JUI-F s meeting with the ECP, party leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said while speaking to the media that their emphasis was on timely elections but fresh delimitation was also necessary

ECP LACKS AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT DELIMITATIONS

Meanwhile PTI s Barrister Ali Zafar told journalists that the meeting was held in an amicable atmosphere He said his party conveyed its stance to the ECP that the commission lacked the authority to conduct delimitations without a constitutional amendment as two of the chief ministers who participated in the Council of Common Interests meeting that approved the new census were caretakers

Moreover he added the PTI also raised the question of how would a level playing field be ensured in the elections when the party chief was in jail

Later in a post on X (formerly Twitter), PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan said that the party had brought up several matters during the meeting foremost among them being their request for the elections to take place within the stipulated 90-day timeframe following the dissolution of the assemblies

He further revealed that the PTI also strongly urged for permission to engage in political activities Khan articulated, “It is vital that overseas Pakistanis are granted their rightful participation in the political process

He added that the party also called for an enabling environment to ensure free and fair elections

The ECP is set to hold a meeting with the PML-N tomorrow and with PPP on August 29

also got his hand injured after it was trapped in the rope while pulling the victims

( P P M A ) a l s o p r o t e s t e d t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s r e f u s a l t o b u d g e c i t i n g t h e d e v a l u a t i o n o f t h e r u p e e a n d t h e r i s i n g c o s t o f p r o d u c t i o n T h e P P M A w e n t a s f a r a s t h r e a t e n i n g t o s h u t d o w n i n d u s t r y u n i t s r e s u l t i n g i n a w i d e s c a l e l o s s o f e m p l o y m e n t O n 1 6 A u g u s t D R A P f o r w a r d e d a s u m m a r y t o t h e h e a l t h m i n i s t r y, s e e k i n g y e t a n o t h e r i n c r e a s e i n t h e p r i c e o f m e d i c i n e s h o w e v e r A b d u l Q a d i r P a t e l w h o w a s t h e h e a l t h m i n i s t e r t h e n , r e j e c t e d t h i s d e m a n d M o r e t h a n a w e e k l a t e r, o n 2 4 A u g u s t , D R A P f i x e d a m a x i m u m r e t a i l p r i c e o f 2 5 l i f e - s a v i n g d r u g s a n d h a s a l s o p r o p o s e d t o p h a r m a c o m p a n i e s t h a t t h e y s t a r t i m p o r t i n g m o s t o f t h e i r r a w m a t e r i a l s f r o m C h i n a T h e p r i c e s o f m e d i c i n e s i n P a k i s t a n a r e m u c h h i g h e r c o m p a r e d t o o t h e r c o u n t r i e s i n t h e r e g i o n s i n c e m o s t o f t h e m a r e i m p o r t e d f r o m a b r o a d C o n s i d e r i n g t h i s , i t i s d i f f i c u l t t o i m a g i n e h o w A s i m R a u f p l a n s o n d o u b l i n g t h e e x p o r t o f p h a r m a c e u t i c a l p r o d u c t s

He said the car was hanging merely on nut bolts which was also at the risk of splitting for supporting a heavy weight of eight people However he took up the challenge with a passion for saving human lives

He was hurriedly flown by the Pakistan Army who carried out the daring task after the helicopter operation was called off when it got dark Swati, who himself runs the world s highest zipline in Kaghan, said prior to launching the operation, they instructed the trapped passengers about the safety gear

He said behind them there was a protective rope tied was being pulled by the army men as well as the civilians

Ta l k i n g a b o u t t h e v i c t i m s , S w a t i s a i d h e f o u n d t h e m i n e x t r e m e d i s t r e s s a n d t h e y h a d t o convince them about their strategy which they had been exercising in the past too During the operation, Ali Swati

Amidst huge applause from the gathering, Prime Minister Kakar warmly embraced Swati and his team members as they received a commendation certificate

ALSO CHATTED TO ALLAY FEARS: SURVIVOR

Gulfaraz, one of the eight stranded passengers, talking to APP, was much happy over the rescue, though the memories of the tragic day still haunted him

Before the operation by the Pakistan Army we remained hung in the air for around three hours with no help in sight The cable operator had also poor eyesight and could not see us trapped in midair,” he said wearing a smile on his face Asked what they had been doing for 16 hours in the car he said We were crying We were calling for help Sometimes we also chatted with one another just to allay the stress ” PM assures of all steps for

Anwaarul Haq Kakar Thursday held a meeting with Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Gulbar Khan and discussed issues of mutual interest

The chief minister congratulated the prime minister on assuming the office and expressed his best wishes for him

The prime minister said Gilgit-

KARACHI I N P

A government employee Mohammad Javaid Khan who went ‘missing’ six years ago in Karachi was left on road with Rs 500 on Thursday Sindh High Court (SHC) conducted a hearing session regarding the recovery of seven missing persons including Mohammad Javaid Khan one of the seven missing persons’ The seven individuals who gone ‘missing’ six years ago were allegedly associated with the political group Muttahida Qaumi Movement London (MQM-L) Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto presiding over the case questioned Mohammad Javaid upon his return asking him where he had been taken Mohammad Javaid Khan, responded, I don t know where I was kept, I was blindfolded Justice Phulpoto, in his remarks, urged Mohammad Javaid to provide more information to assist in the recovery of other six missing individuals Justice Kausar Sultana also inquired asking if he had been interrogated Mohammad Javaid Khan replied that he did not know where he was being kept for the last six years as he was blind folded, claiming that he was detained due to the affiliation with the political party Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) Mohammad Javaid’s mother present in court expressed her joy at her son s return after six years requested the court to unblock her son s National Identity Card (NIC) which had been blocked and called for the reinstatement of his job at the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) In response to her plea, the court ordered the restoration of Mohammad Javaid Khan’s blocked identity card and directed the Water Board to review the legality of his employment

Houses submerged, crops destroyed as Sutlej roars down at Vehari, Lodhran

CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

There is medium to high flood in Sutlej River and we have been continuing efforts to evacuate people to safe areas from the villages lying near banks of Sutlej River passing through Bahawalnagar and Bahawalpur districts and other areas ” he said on Sunday He said the government had also been providing facilities to people to evacuate their cattle to safe areas in view of the flood situation Meanwhile official sources said that rescue and relief camps had been set up in areas near the banks of the Sutlej River so that emergency aid could be extended to people if they were affected by a flood-like situation RAIN WITH WIND, THUNDERSHOWER FORECAST M e a n w h i l e r a i n a n d w i n d w i t h t h u n d e r s h o w e r i s e x p e c t e d i n P o t h o h a r r e g i o n I s l a m a b a d u p p e r P u n j a b , K h y b e r P a k h t u n k h w a , G i l g i t B a l t i s t a n a n d K a s h m i r d u r i n g t h e n e x t t w e n t y - f o u r h o u r s A c c o r d i n g t o t h e P a k i s t a n M e t e o r o l o g i c a l d e p a r t m e n t a l e r t h e a v y f a l l s m a y a l s o o c c u r a t i s o l a t e d p l a c e s i n P o t h o h a r r e g i o n I s l a m a b a d u p p e r K h y b e r P a k h t u n k h w a K a s h m i r a n d u p p e r P u n j a b d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d H o t a n d h u m i d w e a t h e r i s e x p e c t e d i n o t h e r p a r t s o f t h e c o u n t r y Te m p e r a t u r e o f s o m e m a j o r c i t i e s r e c o r d e d o n T h u r s d a y m o r n i n g I s l a m a b a d a n d M u z a ff a r a b a d t w e n t y - f o u r d e g r e e c e n t i g r a d e , K a r a c h i a n d P e s h a w a r t w e n t y - s e v e n L a h o r e t w e n t y - e i g h t Q u e t t a t w e n t y G i l g i t t w e n t y - s i x a n d M u r r e e s i x t e e n d e g r e e c e n t i g r a d e

Assenting to any thing

IN D I A deserves full kudos for the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the south pole of the moon which catapults into the exclusive club of countries even more exclusive than the nuclear club which have achieved a moon landing, along with China, the USA and Russia Of course, the most exclusive club of them all is those two countries, the USA, and Russia, in its USSR avatar which managed manned moon landings India and China have only made their achievements this century so the space race was essentially a two-horse race

The Chandrayaan programme has had its share of successes and failures The crash of the Chandrayaan 2 back in 2019 was a devastating blow to the entire program, recovering from which took four years In a way this was a repetition of that mission succeeding this time

While credit goes to a lot of people and rightfully so one person who should be remembered is Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who dealt with the ordinary problems of governance, which included a messy Partition and wars with Pakistan (1948) and China (1962) and also set himself the task of preparing an educational infrastructure which would enable the country to compete

Because of the network of Indian Institutes of Technology, started in 1950 (23 all over India), India has got a large number of scientists and engineers True much of the population is still uneducated but with a population of 1 4 billion even a sprinkling of trained professionals is very many They have been enough not just to provide the manpower needed to make the moon landing, but also to achieve the dominance in information technology that the country has Pakistan was unable to replicate this and install the foundations required to develop an evolved education system in the country early on following partition nor has been thus far been able to introduce reforms that would put it on a track to achieve it Budgetary outlays aside, there is also the matter of political stability

The country has faced multiple political crises in the past two decades which includes one out of the four martial laws the country has been through No Prime Minister to date has completed a full 5-year term as a result of a continuous disregard for the principles of democracy on which the country was founded and the constitution according to which it should be run

There should be no shame or pain in praising what India has achieved Rather it should be a point of introspection We too should strive for the environment that was created so much in advance of this achievement that fostered the ambitions and talents of those responsible for this feat

Behind this was a stable system The stability is not shown by the long Prime Ministership of Jawaharlal Nehru but by the fact that the system continues today Those who are celebrating India’s achievement the hardest, the BJP, are actually the ones who threaten the Nehruvian consensus which made the landing possible with their divisive Hindutva ideology

Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late)

Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor

M A Niazi

Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor

Education holds the key

AT present a new caretaker government has taken the reins of the country with the ongoing economic crisis

It is a good beginning towards holding the General Elections 2023 after political disturbances It is expected to have fair and free elections to have a smooth functioning of the country under one elected democratic government as what we have observed in the near past can never be forgotten where some mischievous acts tried to spoil the situation by targeting the reputation of our country

However, there is a need to look at the root causes of these developments which caused many to rise violently Capacity-building programmes are required for handling sensitive issues instead of creating chaos in surroundings on one call of a leader Here, education comes The correct imparting of education for the sake of the country is required It starts from the basics The question arises is our education and curriculum providing us with enough knowledge and guidance to tackle the issues on political grounds?

We need to think here There is a need to teach and make aware the youngsters to handle maturely and tactfully sensitive and controversial issues In this, the teacher ’s role is crucial Thus teachers are required to undergo formal training in tackling issues such as; terrorism political polarization violence and extremism along with thoughtfulness problem-solving dialogue, patience, and so on Islam also teaches us to balance in every situation It is the moral duty of a teacher to de-escalate the situation where extremism is observed Instead of aggressive teaching promoting feedback discussion and participation should be involved to encourage the students to be a part of healthy culture instead of keeping them distracted from the right path It enhances their cognitive thinking skills and they can act sensibly instead of answering any call of any other person without realizing right or wrong A little motivation will surely work wonders This missing loop needs to be bridged from the institutional ground

Quality education requires imparting the true capacity and character building of our young students A society grows with good and quality leaders who teach youngsters on the

TH E Constitution of Pakistan is creaking and showing signs of breaking down It is not simply a matter of the big things, like elections being held on time Even the little things, like the presidential assent to a bill, are now being thrown into doubt Both are not to be ignored because they show an underlying malaise a desire to undermine the Constitution

Perhaps it can be counted an advance that the postponement of the elections is being justified on legal, indeed constitutional, grounds When General Ziaul Haq took over on 5 July 1977, he promised to hold elections in 90 days That should have meant by October 4 He didn’t The first elections he conducted were local body polls in October e1979 The National and Provincial polls he had promised were not held until 1985

In the same way the murkiness over the matter of assent contrasts with how Presidents have been treated

If the example of President Fazal Elahi Chaudhry is any guide, perhaps Dr Alvi should count himself lucky that he has not been simply brushed aside At least Chaudhry was allowed to complete his five-year tenure and then Zia took over President Rafiq Tarar was simply brushed aside in 2001 midway through his term, allowing Gen Pervez Musharraf to take over as President, and then attend the Agra Summit with Indian PM A B Vajpayee while holding that office

The President’s assent corresponds to the monarch’s assent in the UK which is now by convention not to be refused Indeed the last refusal of assent was in 1708 and some constitutional experts have no idea of what would happen if the monarch was to refuse assent The monarch is a component of Parliament, and the President has acquired that status Another indication is that the President addresses a joint session of Parliament at the beginning of every parliamentary year

The President s assent is not just a formality It was originally meant that way for the original constitutional period have him seven days to assent, following which it was deemed to have received assent Now, he has 10 days, either to assent or to return the Bill to Parliament, asking that it be reconsidered He has to give reasons, no matter how frivolous He could have objected to the Official Secrets Act amendment on the ground that the caretaker Interior Minister was ugly Whatever the objection Parliament could reject it in a joint session

Reconsideration has not been a problem in provincial assemblies, which just have to re-pass the bills, but for Parliament, it involves summoirst carrying out in a joint session something that will only be possible after elections

Elections are to be held by the Election Commission of Pakistan but it is also responsible for delimitations It is not so much a matter of choice, but obligation, that it must carry out fresh delimitations However, the document so obliging it, the Constitution does not specify when those delimitations are to

right path Quality guidance and education are true weapons of our strength As quoted, If there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do no harm” Then, why not equip oneself with this powerful weapon and be a strength of each other and improve cognitive skills?

When we glance at the quality of books and curriculum is it providing enough guidance to our young generation? No it requires to be improved, instead of repeating the same old curriculum of many years We cannot find enough appealing material in textbooks that can be called a good capacity and character-building material A society will produce the leader from the circle as he or she is the product of the same society having the traits which have been inculcated within him or her Thus, there is a need to inculcate valuable traits in our society for great future products or leaders having great, inspiring leadership qualities As has been said “A secret to success is good leadership and good leadership is all making the lives of your team members or work better Other than this the educational problems i n c l u d e , f i r s t l y, e d u c a t i o n a l n e e d s a r e a dj u s t e d p e r l o c a l n e e d s , i n s t e a d o f p r o v i d i n g and leading to the current knowledge There a r e t w o s e g m e n t s i n s o c i e t y p u b l i c a n d p r ivate schooling which leads to two different educational standards that create the disparity among the people

Secondly, lesser emphasis on technical institutions means lesser manpower for industry and leads to lesser finance generation Thirdly, there is need for more funding in the educational sector for boosting and encouraging the morale of students Fourthly there is a need to look into the pay scales benefits training and perks of teaching faculties as they are the actual providers of quality education

Fifth are poverty issues The low attendance in schools leads to an ignorant generation being developed Sixth checks and balances of funds are required to be kept under a responsible eye Seventh poor deliverance of educational services Eighth the obvious difference in government facilities and private schools leads to low

be carried out Indeed, the relevant statute provides no timeframe as it does for elections

The ECP might find itself in a booby trap if there is to be any reallocation of seats between the federating units There is already a demand for an increase in the number of seats in Islamabad Such a redistribution is impossible without Parliament amending Article 51 of the Constitution No amendment is at the moment possible, again because the National Assembly is dissolved

Of course, in the presence of a new census the old delimitations are displeasing to the observer However there does not seem any obstacle to the conduct of the election and then for the ECP to conduct delimitations almost immediately It might do well then to wait for Parliament to amend the Constitution to allow Islamabad to increase a seat, and for there to be a seat reduced for some other federating unit

By first carrying out delimitations the ECP is also creating difficulties for itself in the presidential and Senate elections, which are inter-linked, because the Senate Chairman is the official supposed to act as President in the event of the vacation of the office

However the Senate Chairman does not take over automatically Indeed according to Article 44 even if his term expires the President is supposed to remain in office until his successor enters upon it The election is supposed to take place between 30 and 60 days before the term expires, but if the National Assembly is dissolved, then it is to take place 30 days after the election it is not a bar if a provincial assembly is at the time dissolved It should be noted that even if the election is being held the absence of the National Assembly is However while the President may continue in office, the Senators due to retire in March cannot Unless provincial assemblies are in place by then, fresh Senators cannot be re-elected If the Senators are elected later, when will their six-year term be considered as

having started? From the date of the vacancies being created or their taking oath as members? There is the separate issue of the Senate Chairman and Deputy Chairman, who have to be elected as soon as the Senate is completed The Speaker National Assembly continues in office so if the President and the Senate Chairman vacate their offices because there has been no election at least the Speaker is there to act as President

The present President has meanwhile sent the Secretary to President back to the Establishment Division, and given the name of the replacement he wants (someone who had previously served in the job) The officer concerned Ms Humera Ahmed, has rejected the assignment, while the sacked incumbent, Waheed Ahmad, has denied any impropriety

The whole affair is in a way greater than two deviations from the constitutionally established norm, abhorrent as that might be It is also about the unravelling of the constitutional fabric an attack centred around the heart of the constitution of any constitution for that matter the system of government

It is almost as if there are two axes of advance against the Constitution: the sanctity of elections, and the sanctity of elected officials Elections are not about a single assembly but about virtually all elected offices If one thread is pulled out of the fabric there is the danger of the whole cloth unravelling And the President s complaint about his officials must not be ignored; he is an elected official, who must be obeyed by permanent officials

It is not enough to hold elections

Those elected must be assured that their positions will be duly regarded If an elected official is to throw a state dinner he should not have to count the spoons afterwards However anyone who merely wails about lost spoons without having the waiters searched, has only himself to blame

The writer is a member of staff

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

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

enrollment and an uncomfortable learning environment, and ninth, focusing on theoretical work as compared to practical work Burki (2005) stated in research that the public-school curriculum requires to be updated as not catering to the needs of the 21 century The mentioned problems are ongoing and have seen little or no improvement in different previous governments but still they are present and require to be dealt with properly and monitored aggressively From time to time, criticism is raised against the Pakistani educational system within the country Thus the practices and standards may be rationalized by improving accountability and governance It would further be workable by enabling capacity-building programmes, check and balance, educational investments, faculty training, hiring, and curriculum development per the requirements of the 21 t-century educational system Not the least making the standard educational system within reach of the salaried class As observed a drastic increase in tuition fees per annum especially in private institutions makes it beyond the reach of the majority There is a cry in our society for quality education as awareness has emerged Honesty, dedication and loyalty are required in implementation The nation looks forward to a prosperous nation and a fair and free election in the coming months for the smooth functioning of departments and the selection of leaders on merit A leader s vision takes the project or aims to heights and can be spoiled per his/her capabilities Whether it’s educational or any political institution or department all dependent on political stability and vision Thus in a nutshell the implementation of strategies is affected by undue political interference

The writer is a PhD from University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), an awardwinning columnist researcher and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Riphah International University (Media Sciences Department) Islamabad Pakistan She can be reached at saira asad2011@gmail com

A drastic increase in tuition fees per annum especially in private institutions makes it beyond the reach of the majority There is a cry in our society for quality education as awareness has emerged Honesty, dedication, and loyalty are required in implementation The nation looks forward to a prosperous nation and a fair and free election in the coming months for the smooth functioning of departments and the selection of leaders on merit A leaderÊs vision takes the project or aims to heights and can be spoiled per his/her capabilities

Why plastic bags should be banned

P L A S T I C bags remain one of the biggest environmental hazards because they are difficult and expensive to recycle Yet, they are part of our lives despite several bans having been imposed on their usage over the years

Most plastic bags end up at landfill sites where they may take hundreds of years to photodegrade During that time they turn into toxic particles that contaminate the soil and groundwater More worryingly these particles enter the food chain when animals, like cows and buffaloes, ingest them These plastic bags cannot and should not be burned because that pollutes the environment Scientists have also discovered that plastic bags cause many deadly diseases such as cancer immune system disorders and asthma The authorities concerned should conduct surveys to ascertain the damage caused by plastic bags to human beings animals and the environment They should get all stakeholders on board and raise public awareness about the adverse effects of using these bags

Conformit y vs Creativit y

A M E R I C A N linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky meticulously portrayed today’s schooling system especially in developing Asian countries particularly Pakistan when he said that the institutional role of the schools for the most part is just to train people for obedience and conformity

His words, grounded in reality, clearly depict our obsolete and fragile education system In our country, children are taught from the very beginning in a way that they are expected to be obedient and submissive to what is being imparted Asking questions is considered a negative trait among students As expressed by French philoso-pher Michel Foucault the central theme of a school is surveillance over children whether they nod their heads to the given instructions or think on their own Students are warned against thinking beyond what is being delivered, and are appreciated for being rote-learners and reproducers on the exam day In doing so, curiosity, inquisitiveness, creativity and critical thinking are compromised These are all indispensable skills for anyone planning to not just survive but to contribute something to the world The only way to get out of this mess is through efforts from individuals concerned Teachers have to work on their own on this model by encouraging students to ask questions think of ideas and bring something new to the table

FAIZAN RAZA

LARKANA

Thermal energy

T H E non-functional Sukkur thermal power station is located at the right bank of Indus River between Sukkur and Rohri The power station was shut down in 2005 At that time Pakistan had the capacity to generate ample electricity for domestic and industrial use

Today Pakistan is facing an acute shortage of energy and we have to put up with loadshedding for 12-16 hours which can be minimised because the Sukkur thermal power station has the capacity to generate 50-100MW of electricity According to a 2011 report, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) cannot afford to run this power station with unpurified domestic gas and therefore it should use unrefined natural gas available in nearby areas The electricity generated from the plant can meet the needs of Sukkur city and will considerably reduce the burden In the ongoing power crisis federal and provincial governments should take necessary and collective measures to manage the situation by ensuring that all nonfunctional thermal power plants, including the one in Sukkur, are functional FAHEEM HUSSAIN SUKKUR

P r e s e n t S t a n d i n g o f o u r S o c i e t y

Dr SAIrA KAZMI

It is not enough to hold elections. Those elected must be assured that their positions will be duly regarded. If an elected official is to throw a state dinner, he should not have to count the spoons afterwards

IS R A E L has been ruled by the most right-wing coalition in its history Its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, remains on trial, since March 2020, on multiple corruption charges These two are interconnected The composition and behaviour of Netanyahu’s current coalition is largely dictated by his desire to avoid sentencing or to quash his trial altogether In previous coalitions he has led Netanyahu has made efforts to include centrist parties and has been generally successful in doing so

But these parties are no longer willing to join his government, due to the corruption charges he faces and the way he dealt with his former centrist coalition partner Benny Gantz in 2020-2021 Now Netanyahu prefers to associate with parties to his right that support his goal of reforming the judiciary Some in his coalition have more far-reaching aspirations than Netanyahu, who is most interested in three specific legal changes that could tip the judicial process in his favour

Of the three changes Netanyahu is interested in, two have been approved by the Knesset as a bill each one in the final days of the Knesset session: Unsuitable for indictment was passed in March 2023 while the related criterion of reasonableness was passed in July 2023

It is no coincidence that of the judicial reform package initially presented by Justice Minister Yariv Levin in early January 2023, the only two bills to pass were those essential to Netanyahu’s trial This underscores how Netanyahu controls the legislative process and his coalition partners even if it is often convenient for him to create the perception that they are holding him back politically

The Knesset is currently in recess until after the Jewish holidays in mid-October Until then, there will be no new legislation, but once it meets again, Netanyahu’s third priority (changing the composition of the committee to select judges) will emerge along with a bill that would formally exempt the ultra-Orthodox

Meanwhile the Supreme Court must decide if and how it will intervene with respect to the two laws already approved It may be the first time in Israel s history that a Basic Law has been overturned, and the crucial Supreme Court hearing in mid-September on the “standard of reasonableness” bill will include all 15 justices another first On the “invalid for office” bill the Supreme Court will debate at the end of September whether to postpone its implementation until after the next elections

to avoid it being a bil tailored to Netanyahu

Time and time again Netanyahu has refused to say he will accept a Supreme Court ruling overturning the new legislation Instead, his ministers are trying to delegitimize the court, saying it has no mandate to change Knesset decisions on basic laws while the justices clearly say the opposite and by publicly attacking the judges and their motives In early August far-right Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said that if the Supreme Court struck down a basic law it should not be respected and would suggest that judges break the law in trials

All of this creates the risk of an unprecedented constitutional crisis, as the Supreme Court makes a decision the government refuses to accept This sparked a lot of anxiety in Israel and speculation about worrying scenarios Asked about this in a closed meeting Mossad Chief David Parnea said in a constitutional crisis he would be on the right side of history

Along with judicial reform, the government is pushing its ideological agenda in other areas Take drastic measures to increase control over the media civil society schools universities and more; restriction of freedoms there; and increasing tensions with the Palestinians

The recent decision by Education Minister Yoav Kish to ban the Israeli-Palestinian Forum for Grieving Families, a grassroots peace group, from schools, is just one example

From day one of the current government, Israelis have taken steps to protect democracy After several weeks of on and off work led mostly by concerned citizens from all walks of life (rather than by major parties or NGOs) a broad pro-democracy movement began to take hold and has steadily grown ever since For over 30 consecutive weeks, protests have taken place every Saturday night At least a quarter million people regularly take part, sometimes many more Similar protests have been held in cities worldwide by Israelis and Jews residing there The protests are unprecedented in Idrael s history

Besides the usual weekly protests additional resistance demonstrations and activities were organized around key events, such as the spontaneous overnight opposition to Netanyahu’s attempt to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in March and the massive pro-democracy rally from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in July

This process creates new alliances that transcend former dividing lines in Israeli society This is perhaps most evident in the various weekly protests in Jerusalem in front of the President s House, where a unique mix of Israelis congregate and take the stage But these same events are

also leading to dramatic polarization between those supporting and opposing the government s actions and have already led to violence against pro-democracy protesters

While Netanyahu seeks to downplay legislation already passed, the pro-democracy camp highlights just how dramatic the changes really are As a result large numbers of IDF reservists stopped volunteering for service High-tech companies are gradually moving their business elsewhere; Clinicians collectively and individually research resettlement options; consumer boycotts are gaining momentum; Foreign investment is declining and more The protest movement, decentralized in nature, has given rise to new leaders with unusual backgrounds For example Professor Chikma Pressler a physicist at the Weizmann Institute has become a prominent figure Others including those in the high-tech sector have risen to the occasion and altered their lives and career plans to help protect democracy

This will eventually lead to a political renewal in the Israeli liberal camp, the first signs of which will be evident in the next municipal elections in October Pro-democracy Israelis also seek international support They are learning from peers in Hungary Poland and Turkey who have experienced gradual but dramatic democratic decline They warn against the Lebanonization of Israel, seek to raise awareness abroad of domestic developments, work to create joint liberal networks with like-minded partners in other countries, and mobilize international politicians and leaders to express concern and take action

International struggle has already achieved results

For example after a long campaign by Israelis in the USA Arthur Danczyk the main benefactor of the rightwing Kohelt Forum, decided to stop funding the think tank that had spurred judicial reform Everything in recent months inside Israel and in its troubled relations with the Palestinians also affects Israel’s relations abroad

In response to the new Israeli government the USA initially invested its energy in seeking détente between the Israelis and the Palestinians especially around Ramadan and Passover It held two regional summits in Jordan and Egypt, and has expressed his concern and opposition to settler violence and settlement expansion Over time, President Joe Biden has become increasingly critical of the judicial changes in Israel He did so while highlighting his commitment and friendship to Israel as evidenced by President Isaac Herzog s visit to Washington

Biden refused to invite Netanyahu to the White House until he changed course, and he was making his concerns and positions public by speaking to American

and Israeli journalists

So far Biden has failed to turn words into action, and his repeated interventions have not affected the course of events in Israel

One-sided legislation was passed despite opposition from the Administration In response Netanyahu gave a series of interviews to US media painting an optimistic and inaccurate picture of events in Israel

Outside the USA criticism of Netanyahu s policies in Europe has been expressed, but quietly, and mainly by European member states, not the EU as a whole

This is due to internal divisions among EU members (some of which suffer democratic setbacks of their own) differing foreign policy priorities in Europe (such as the war in Ukraine) and the interest of some in maintain close relations with Israel

Closer to home Arab states have slowed their cooperation with Israel in recent months, a trend evidenced by the repeated postponement of the Negev Forum meeting in Morocco, originally scheduled for March and intended to convene ministers of Israel, the USA and several countries Arab leaders have regularly sent messages of concern about Israel s policies toward the Palestinians while refraining from taking steps that would jeopardize their current relations with Israel

Efforts are underway to advance the implementation of previously agreed upon projects, such as the water and electricity exchange agreement between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan It seems that some Arab countries are ready to move forward with Israel even in the current circumstances as long as its main demands are met This is the case of Morocco regarding Israel s acceptance of its position with regard to the Western Sahara, and this seems to be the case of Saudi Arabia as well, in the case of the US nuclear programme, and in the event of an Israeli government willing to make some concessions on the Palestinian issue

In short Israel is in uncharted territory and the crisis is likely to continue for months to come The government is eager to continue its judicial reform and prodemocracy Israelis are determined not to let that happen

This could lead to several possible options, ranging from an unprecedented constitutional crisis with deep social polarization to a change in the composition of the government due to internal chaos a major security escalation with the Palestinians or Hezbollah or a diplomatic breakthrough with Saudi Arabia It is difficult to predict political events in Israel in normal times

The writer has a PhD in Political Science and can be reached at akramzaheer86@yahoo com

Can BRICS challenge the G7? Dating apps: Blessing or curse?

B

A D E R S of the BRICS nations Brazil, Russia India China and South Africa are gathering this week for a summit in Johannesburg focused on whether to expand the bloc to make it a stronger rival to the Group of Seven made up of the world s largest developed economies, including the United States If we expand BRICS to account for a similar portion of world GDP as the G7, then our collective voice in the world will grow stronger ” said one Chinese official quoted by The Financial Times S o u t h A f r i c a s p r e s i d e n t C y r i l R a m a p h o s a s a i d ahead of Tuesday s meetings that boosting BRICS influence would fulfill a common desire to have a more balanced global order Russia, desperate for allies as t h e We s t o p p o s e s M o s c o w ’s w a r i n U k r a i n e , a n d C h i n a , l o c k e d i n e s c a l a t i n g t r a d e a n d d i p l o m a t i c clashes with the United States are particularly eager to strengthen BRICS China has long aimed to broaden membership in the bloc which already accounts for about 40% of the world s population and a quarter of the global economy But India and Brazil are wary of following Beijing s and Moscow’s lead, for fear of losing their own influence and increasing China’s dominance Can BRICS unite and grow enough to seriously counter the G7?

w h e t h e r i t ’s t i m e t o

BRICS IS NO G7, AND NEVER WILL BE: BRICS is trying to convince everybody it’s a “non- or anti-West geopolitical alternative to U S hegemony said Andreas Kluth at Bloomberg But they re not and never will be Since the end of the Cold War s bipolar world, a dizzying array of blocs has emerged Africa has the African Union, of course, but also Comesa, Ecca, Ecowas, and more Latin American has “SICA, Caricom, Mercosur and what not ” BRICS does boast something like 42% of the world s population but next to the other groups the BRICS nations arguably have the least in common aside from a dislike of U S clout in global finance, economics and geopolitics There s little chance this hodge-podge of three democracies in different stages of backsliding and two increasingly repressive autocracies” will ever be able to cooperate as well as the G7 “a club of rich liberal democracies with a shared sense of custodianship for the world economy Expansion might only weaken BRICS hand said Alexandra Wexler in The Wall Street Journal The group s size is matched by the scale of its disunity on political and security issues including relations with the U S ” Expanding the bloc “could multiply those differences ” It’s true that a beefed-up BRICS “would likely give China another mechanism for exercising leadership of the developing world and Russia access to new markets in Africa and cheerleaders on Ukraine But analysts say New Delhi and Brasília share concerns that an expanded group could become too antagonistic toward the West and destabilize the bloc ” And if the current members can’t agree on expansion their ability to “channel discontent and opposition toward the U S and its allies through a bloc aspiring to rival the Group of Seven major economies may be hampered

DISMISSING BRICS IS A MISTAKE: It s a mistake for the West to dismiss BRICS as a talk shop with little impact on U S foreign policy,” said Sarang Shidore at Responsible Statecraft “BRICS is gradually making a mark ” More than 20 countries have expressed interest in joining When a club has a waiting list for getting in it is hard to characterize it as irrelevant Prospective members see BRICS as a serious attempt to fill a vacuum in a U S -led global order that doesn t meet their needs on issues like development, or pressuring wealthy nations to take more re

D

DW I n e s e s e l e

Like the 32-year-old Brazilian Giovana Idalgo Zanforlin and her partner Juliana Online dating is often superficial, but it s also pretty convenient, says Idalgo Zanforlin “You don’t have to go somewhere to meet someone And you know right away what the other person’s sexual orientation is ”

HOW DO DATING APPS WORK? On popular providers like Tinder Bumble or Grindr online dating usually works like this Users create a profile with photos and information about themselves and what they seek An algorithm then introduces them to potential matches based on various criteria including where they live their preferences and interests

The global market leader Tinder became famous for this type of online dating in 2012 The profiles the app sends to its users can be swiped left (if you don t like the person) or right (if you like the person) If someone also swipes right on you, you have a match and can start chatting with each other

People browse a prearranged selection of other users and usually decide within a few seconds whether or not they find them attractive However it s often the case that a match doesn t lead to a conversation and if it does, it may fizzle out once you ve exchanged a few banalities

That doesn’t sound particularly profound or engaging And a few years ago many were outraged when it became known that Tinder was internally applying a so-called Elo score to its users This score evaluated how well people responded to a particular user, which could be described as their attractiveness, and was supposed to improve the algorithm

‘YOU HAVE TO SELL YOURSELF, LIKE IN A SHOP’ Alfonso Rosales Garcia is a physical therapist who moved from Spain to Berlin two years ago He uses the dating app Hinge and he too criticizes the superficiality of the apps It s weird, he says You feel like you have to sell yourself, like in a shop The 29-year-old also highlights a paradox of dating apps: if they work too well, they will quickly lose their users “They want to do business with the people’s dating life he says If not they would not offer [for] you to pay to get more likes or visibility Many users are similarly frustrated by certain as-

pects of online dating The psychologist Pia Kabitzsch encounters the same issues However the author of the best-selling book It s a Date! thinks putting all the blame on the apps is wrong

“Users have control of how they use the apps and what they make of new acquaintances ” she says “This is often the source of people’s frustration For example users click through profiles quickly then complain that the app is superficial They ghost others, then see dating apps as too detached

WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVES OF DATING APPS? Dating apps have other downsides, as well They are potentially addictive for example in the same way as other social networks such as Instagram or TikTok With seemingly endless possibilities some users will spend hours swiping on dating apps and cannot stop Each new match, or even just the prospect of one, provides the brain with a dopamine kick

ebutante balls, family matchmaking, newspaper ads, blind dates: People have always found different ways of giving happiness a helping hand when searching for a partner Now though the Internet and the smartphone in particular has revolutionized how we seek out sexual and romantic contacts Pia Kabitzsch is a Berlin-based psychologist and dating expert She says that online dating is taken for granted in many countries, especially among the younger generation “A 2023 survey showed that 77% of 16- to 29-year-olds and 66% of 30- to 49-year-olds have already dated online she says And most couples nowadays do actually meet onlineFaced with too many possibilities, the user can also become tired and overwhelmed In psychology this is called the “choice overload effect ” In the same way that people in a big city are sometimes barely aware or appreciative of each other in everyday life on dating apps, they may find they have less attention and patience to give to the next contact

Several studies also suggest that dating apps can be stressful, dissatisfying, and even exacerbate psychological problems For example Elias Aboujaoude a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University studied the satisfaction levels of Tinder users based on testimonies from more than 1,300 respondents

In July, the Stanford University medical blog quoted the study, saying the results showed that online dating was an ineffective coping mechanism for those facing mental health challenges As someone who has studied problematic Internet use for 15 years Aboujaoude drew parallels with social media use which he said, can exacerbate conditions like depression, anxiety and low self-esteem

Some dating app providers have already implemented measures to try to counteract negative consequences like these On OKCupid for example users must fill out a fairly detailed questionnaire so the app can consider more personality traits And Once only offers one suggestion per day rather than hours of swiping

HOW USERS CAN BETTER USE DATING

APPS: Users can take their own steps to avoid frustration and unhealthy user behavior Kabitzsch advises them to make a point of being aware of what they want and are looking for They should also take time to look at other profiles quietly and calmly and not forget that there is a person with feelings behind every profile I f y o u a r e g h o s t e d w h i c h r e f e r s t o s o m e o n e suddenly breaking off contact with no explanation or receive only a few likes it helps she says to be aware that: What is being rejected is not you as a p e r s o n o n l y t h e t i n y p o r t i o n y o u h a v e r e v e a l e d

about yourself online

Kabitzsch is also familiar with the addictive aspect of dating apps “I’ve even missed my stop occasionally because I was so engrossed in the ‘Tinder game ’” she says The dating expert therefore advises taking regular breaks from Tinder and co at the very latest if online dating starts to feel like a burden

This article has been translated from German Ines Eisele is fact-checker, editor and author

B R I C S I N V I T E S S A U D I , I R A N A N D O T H E R S T O J O I N D E V E LO P I N G W O R L D B LO C

PR OFIT r e u t e r S

THE five BRICS developing nations will admit Saudi Arabia Iran Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates, they said on Thursday, a move aimed at growing the clout of the bloc as it pushes to rebalance the prevailing world order

The expansion could also pave the way for dozens more countries to seek admission to the grouping which has pledged to address their grievances over a world order many feel is rigged against them

BRICS – whose acronym was originally coined by an economist at Goldman Sachs currently comprises Brazil Russia India China and South Africa

eepening geopolitical polarisation in the wake of Russia s invasion of Ukraine and China s declining relations with the United States are spurring efforts by Beijing and Moscow to forge BRICS into a viable counterweight to the West BRICS has embarked on a new chapter in its effort to build a world that is fair a world that is just a world that is also inclusive and prosperous, said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is hosting a summit of BRICS leaders

T h e s i x c a n d i d a t e c o u n t r i e s w i l l f o rm a l l y b e c o m e m e m b e r s o n J a n 1 ,

Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Luiz

Inacio Lula da Silva left the door open to the possibility of admitting other countries in future

We have consensus on the first phase o f t h i s e x p a n s i o n p r o c e s s a n d o t h e r p h a s e s w i l l f o l l o w, R a m a p h o s a s a i d a t a m e d i a b r i e f i n g

Lula said globalisation’s promises had failed adding that it was time to revitalise cooperation with developing countries as there is a risk of nuclear war an apparent allusion to growing tensions between Russia and the West over the Ukraine conflict United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed, whose country is already a shareholder of the bloc’s New Development Bank said he appreciated the inclusion of his country in the expansion Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called the BRICS leaders decision to invite Ethiopia to join a great moment

PLEDGE TO REBALANCE

WORLD ORDER

In a reflection of the bloc’s growing in-

fluence United Nations Secretary-General

Antonio Guterres attended Thursday s expansion announcement

He echoed a recurring plea by BRICS

Pakistan’s economic conditions hinder it from joining BRICS

The 15th BRICS Summit kicked off on August 22 in Johannesburg South Africa

The theme of this year s event is BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism “The meetings being held from August 22 to 24 are very important where some key decisions are expected to be announced

I think the most essential thing that the summit is likely to discuss is the expansion of BRICS, said Amjad Zarin, Associate Professor at Riphah International University, Islamabad “So far, many countries have shown their interest in joining including Saudi Arabia Iran Indonesia Egypt Ethiopia and Argentina

f o r r e f o r m s o f i n s t i t u t i o n s l i k e t h e U N Security Council the International Monet a r y F u n d a n d Wo r l d B a n k s t a t i n g t h a t

The criteria for this should also be confirmed BRICS is a grouping of the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

As an important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries BRICS is an open and inclusive mechanism More and more countries have applied to join the bloc and hope to receive its cooperation

We were invited and became BRICS member in 2010, which makes us the first beneficiary of BRICS expansion, and we are fully aware of its benefits ” stated Dr Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele South African Ambassador to China After joining BRICS South Africa s trade with other BRICS countries has increased significantly, especially with China, with which it has grown exponentially, the ambassador added

global governance structures “reflect yesterday s world For multilateral institutions to remain

C hina suspends all aquatic produc ts from Japan over Fukushima contaminated water dumping

BEIJING S ta f f C o r r e S p o n d e n t

China on Thursday strongly condemned the Japanese government’s commencement of dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater as the Chinese Foreign Ministry made serious démarches to Japan and urged it to stop the wrongdoing

The Chinese government has always put people first, and will take all necessary measures to maintain and protect food security and the public health

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press briefing on Thursday China has with immediate effect banned import of all aquatic products

originating from Japan starting from Thursday, when Japan started dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater from crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea – a move by the Asia island nation that will be nailed to history s mast of shame decried stakeholders and the wider public at home and abroad On Thursday 1 pm local time the start of the dumping of around 540 Olympic swimming pools’ worth of water over several decades marked a big step for Japan in decommissioning the still highly dangerous site 12 years after one of the world s worst nuclear accidents in Fukushima Prefecture according to media reports Although the move of dumping is a fait-accompli and the majority of the Western world remain silent, fishermen environmental activists and the wider public in Japan and the world at large vowed to fight till the end and some have even asked Japanese Prime Minister Fumio

Kishida to step down Given that Tokyo has used July’s IAEA report which has lost its credibility as a shield China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) told the press on Thursday the move by the Japanese government seriously undermined the authority and credibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) the health of the people of neighboring countries and the rights and interests of the marine environment and the safety and development interests of the global nuclear energy industry

In order to prevent nuclear-contaminated Japanese food from entering the country and protect the health of Chinese people China s General Administration of Customs (GAC) said Thursday it has carried out continuous evaluation of risk over radioactive contamination of Japanese food and has tightened supervision measures on food imported from Japan to strictly ensure food security In another follow-up measure the National Nuclear Safety Administration of China s Ministry of Ecology and En-

vironment (MEE) on Thursday announced that relevant departments are organizing the marine radiation environment monitoring of China s jurisdictional sea areas in 2023

Also the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will step up monitoring of nuclear pollution risks of aquatic products The MEE said China organized and carried out marine radiation environment monitoring in the sea areas under its jurisdiction in 2021 and 2022 The monitoring results showed that the concentration of artificial radionuclide activity in seawater and marine organisms in the jurisdiction area of China was normal

The direction of ocean current and the concentration of discharge affect the conclusion of how much influence the release of nuclear-contaminated water has on China Ma Jun director of the Beijingbased Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times Ma stressed that China should further strengthen its nuclear radiation early warning and monitoring network laid out in many cities

Anti-India demos in S outh Afric a greet Modi at BRICS summit

JOHANNESBUR G (SOUTH AFRICA) ag e n C i e S

Protest demonstrations were held near the BRICS Summit venue in South African cities against the Narendra Modi Modi-led Indian government s oppressive policies in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and in India The protests took place as Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi arrived in Johannesburg to attend the B R I C S s u m m i t T h e p r o t e s t o r s c o n d e m n e d t h e u na b a t e d o p p r e s s i o n o f K a s h m i r i p e o p l e b y I n d i a n troops in IIOJK and persecution of minorities by Hindutva forces in India T h e y w e r e h o l d i n g b a nners bearing slogans like “ F r e e K a s h m i r ” “ R el e a s e Ya s i n M a l i k a n d M o d i t h e B u t c h e r o f

Gujarat

A protest demonstration was held near the BRICS Summit venue in Johannesburg A large number of human rights activists of South Asia and media p e r s o n s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e e v e n t T h e y h e l d anti-Modi placards and Kashmir flags and raised slogans condemning the Modi s fascism Another protest r a l l y w a s h e l d i n J o h a n n e s b u rg t o p r o t e s t a g a i n s t

M o d i T h e p a r t i c i p a n t s c a r r i e d K a s h m i r f l a g s a n d anti-Modi placards The event was covered by the international media outlets, which also recorded interv i e w s o f t h e p r o t e s t e r s A l a rg e n u m b e r o f h u m a n rights activists also held a protest demonstration near the Indian Consulate in Durban

They carried placards with slogans India Implement UN resolutions on Kashmir India stop killing of minorities , From Kashmir to Palestine, occupation is crime and Modi the killer of humanity It i s t o m e n t i o n h e r e t h a t B R I C S i s a g r o u p i n g o f t h e world economies of Brazil Russia India China and South Africa

truly universal, they must reform to reflect today s power and economic realities In the absence of such reform, fragmentation is inevitable,” he said

The debate over enlargement has topped the agenda at the three-day summit taking place in Johannesburg And while all BRICS members publicly expressed support for growing the bloc, there were divisions among the leaders over how much and how quickly T h o u g h h o m e t o a b o u t 4 0 % o f t h e world’s population and a quarter of global gross domestic product BRICS members f a i l u r e t o s e t t l e o n a c o h e r e n t v i s i o n f o r t h e b l o c h a s l o n g l e f t i t p u n c h i n g b e l o w i t s w e i g h t a s a g l o b a l p o l i t i c a l a n d e c onomic player

“This membership expansion is historic ” China’s President Xi Jinping said in remarks following the announcement on enlargement It shows the determination of BRICS countries for unity and cooperation with the broader developing countries

More than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials and 22 have formally asked to be admitted They represent a disparate pool of potential candidates motivated largely by a desire to level a global playing field and attracted by BRICS promise to rebalance world bodies dominated by the United States and other wealthy Western states Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the bloc’s expansion should be an example to other global institutions

The expansion and modernization of BRICS is a message that all institutions in the world need to mould themselves according to changing times, he said

CORPORATE CORNER

2nd Chief of Naval Staff All Pakistan squash championship 2023 commences

KARACHI: The opening ceremony of 2nd Chief of the Naval Staff All Pakistan Squash Championship was held at Pakistan Navy Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex Karachi Commander Karachi Rear Admiral Muhammad Saleem graced the occasion as Chief Guest and declared the Championship open Players from WAPDA, Army, Navy and KPK, Punjab and Sindh Squash Associations will be competing during the event A total of 54 matches will be played from 23–27 Aug 23 Earlier during his welcome address

Tournament Director Commodore Tauqeer Ahmad Khawaja apprised that the National Squash tournament is organized every alternate year which is a manifestation of Pakistan Navy s resolve and commitment towards the promotion of squash within Pakistan and abroad The event will prove to be instrumental in promoting Squash at National level and will also provide an opportunity to domestic players to show their professional acumen The Tournament Director also appreciated the players officials, sponsors and Commander Karachi for their support and presence for this mega event

OICCI fosters dialogue on promoting indigenous resources for

sustainable energy

KARACHI: Thursday 24th August 2023: Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) organized an Industry Dialogue titled Promoting Localization and Harnessing Indigenous Resources for Sustainable Energy in Karachi The event aimed to fuel discussions on sustainable economic expansion and energy selfsufficiency by embracing native resources for power generation propelling Pakistan towards fortified economic resilience Khalid Mansoor Former SAPM on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and a distinguished expert on the energy sector, as part of his keynote address, underscored, " the critical importance of achieving national energy security while minimizing the impact on the balance of payment” Khalid Mansoor further highlighted the need for integrated planning and coordination among various government bodies with a strong focus on long-term environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and conservation

PTC appreciates enforcement action against tax evasion in tobacco industr y

ISLAMABAD: In a press release, PTC spoke out about the multiple online and print publications regarding an enforcement raid at the premises of a leading manufacturer and seizure of a substantial quantity of cigarettes on alleged tax law violations and sale of cigarettes below minimum price Pakistan Tobacco Company Limited (PTC) clarified that this news did not pertain to their operations The Company upholds the strongest governance standards and abides by the rules and regulations set by the Government of Pakistan They appreciated and supported any enforcement action against widespread tax evasion violations of tax laws and non-compliance with tobacco control laws in the tobacco sector, which has grown manifolds since unprecedent increase in Federal Excise Duty rates in February this year The Company reiterated their commitment to complete compliance of rules and regulations related to tobacco industry and highlight the need for strict enforcement against tax evasion and blatant violations of the Prohibition of Smoking & Protection of Non-Smokers Ordinance 2002, enacted by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination to provide level playing field to legally complaint industry players

CORPORATE CORNER

CHINESE COMPANIES TO IMPORT MORE MEAT FROM PAKISTAN

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

Etihad Town Phase-1 lights up Raiwind Road with spectacular grand ballot night

L A H O R E: Etihad Town Phase 1 located on Main

Raiwind Road sets the stage for an enchanting evening of celebration as it organized a grand ballot event on the 13th of August Hosted by the dynamic Vasay Chaudhry, the event marked a significant milestone for the community showcasing its commitment to excellence and innovation The highlight of the evening was the eagerly awaited balloting of plot numbers to fortunate individuals who had acquired files, a tangible realization of their investment This momentous act was a testament to Etihad Town s unwavering dedication to fairness and transparency Continuing the patriotic fervour the festivities extended to the 14th of August with a mesmerizing concert featuring the celebrated artist Bilal Saeed The night sky was illuminated with a stunning display of fireworks embodying the spirit of Pakistan s Independence Day PR

5th International Conference on applied development economics

CH I N E S E companies are to import more meat from Pakistan said Umair Ahmad Khan, representative of Hardoi Livestock and Meat Company “These days, the volume of meat export is about to go up after China allowed Pakistani meat to be imported

The Chinese government has given some specifications and standard operating procedures for boiled and heattreated meat, he said at Pakistan s first International Food and Agriculture Exhibition held recently

The event attracted more than 400

delegations from 55 countries, while China has the largest delegation participating in the Expo Many Chinese enterprises want to import meat chili and other products from Pakistan and are ready to set up industrial units there, said Ghulam Qadir, Commercial Counselor of Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, who led a delegation of around 110 Chinese representatives from Beijing and neighboring provinces to the expo China had agreed to import meat from Pakistan Gwadar Pro reported on Thursday He added, at the expo, meat booths attracted a lot of Chinese visitors

“Pakistan is one of the world’s leading cattle and buffalo producers We have

the second-largest population of buffaloes and sixth-largest cattle population in the world We can produce high-quality buffalo meat

Umair Ahmad Khan who used to target Gulf States, Middle Eastern states and Central Asian countries as the main market, is now trying to export heattreated meat, frozen beef and boneless meat to China Chinese government has recently concluded an agreement that heat-treated meat from Pakistan can be imported to China We have a big potential market in China if our producers can produce such standard-compliant meat ”

“About 80 percent of the visitors to the expo were Chinese Since they also

N ew l y- p o s te d U S co n s u l g e n e ra l

S i n d h G ove r n o r

Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori has said that the projects of USAID are helping the people of the province with provision of better essential amenities of life and its role in specially health and education sectors is considerable

This he said while talking with newly appointed Consul General of USA in Karachi Conrad Terrible here today at Governor House Governor Sindh welcomed Consul General to Karachi and hoped that he would endeavour his utmost to further enhance US cooperation in the province Governor Sindh said that Sindh provides conducive investment environment and US inventors can invest in various sectors for which every possible help and assistance would be provided to them Enhance-

Standard Char tered Pakistan delivers record half-yearly operating profit

The second day of the conference opened with a plenary address by Dr Danila Serra (Associate Professor, Texas A&M University) on the impacts of war violence mainly focusing on education and health outcomes, economic outcomes, mental health and individual preferences especially for girls in Northern Uganda This is especially pertinent considering that the year 2022 was the deadliest year since the Rwandan genocide in 1994 with 100% increase in war related fatalities mainly due to the wars in Ukraine and Ethiopia Dr Serra found that long term impacts of war victimization persisted in terms of poverty, education, prosociality and risk aversion PR

CBD Punjab's tax workshop illuminates financial literac y

L A H O R E: In a bid to foster financial literacy and raise awareness about tax implications among its employees The Finance Directorate of Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA), also known as the Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab) organized a Tax Workshop at CBD Punjab Complex The workshop was aimed to provide insight into tax laws and amendments done in Finance Act 2023

The workshop addressed a wide spectrum of taxrelated subjects, including income tax implications on salaries, commissions, property transactions, rentals, sales, goods, services General sales tax GST) and Punjab Sales Tax (PST)

K A R A C H I: Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Limited delivered a record profit before tax of PKR 38 1 billion for H1 23, registering an increase of 73 per cent year on year Profit after tax grew by 132% year on year to PKR 18 8 billion during the first half of the year Performance was driven by strong income growth as well as continued cost and risk discipline Overall revenue grew by 70 per cent to deliver a top-line of PKR 46 6 billion with positive contributions from all segments Net Interest Income witnessed strong growth of 150% year on year, driven by proactive balance sheet management pricing discipline and higher interest rates Operating expenses were well-managed through efficiencies and disciplined spending with an increase of 27 per cent from comparative period in line with inflation Moreover, lower impairments as a result of a prudent risk approach coupled with recoveries of bad debts led to a net release of PKR 12 million in H1’23 PR

KATI industrialists collaborate to showcase Pakistani goods in Turkey

ment of cooperation in various fields between the two countries was very encouraging he added Consul General thanked Governor Sindh for his best wishes and said that US investors desire to invest in various sectors in the province

MediaTek leverages Meta’s Llama 2 to enhance on-device generative AI in edge devices

MediaTek a leading global fabless semiconductor company powering more than two billion connected edge devices every year, today announced it is working closely with Meta’s Llama 2 the company’s next-generation opensource Large Language Model (LLM) Utilizing Meta s LLM as well as MediaTek s latest APUs and NeuroPilot AI Platform MediaTek aims to build a complete edge computing ecosystem designed to accelerate AI application development on smartphones, IoT, vehicles, smart home, and other edge devices Presently, most Generative AI processing is performed through cloud computing; however MediaTek s use of Llama 2 models will enable generative AI applications to run directly on-device as well Doing so provides several advantages to developers and users, including seamless performance, greater privacy, better security and reliability lower latency the ability to work PR

foodpanda and Heal Aid Foundation join forces to suppor t hardworking deliver y riders

The initiative was endorsed by Consul General of the Republic of Turkey Cemal Sangu during his visit to KATI where he emphasized the importance of raising awareness in Turkey about the excellence of Pakistani manufacturing Present at the event were KATI President Faraz-ur-Rehman, Deputy Patronin-Chief Zubair Chhaya, Senior Vice President Nighat Awan PR

foodpanda Pakistan s leading delivery platform has teamed up with Heal Aid Foundation to extend support and appreciation to its dedicated delivery riders As part of this collaboration, Heal Aid Foundation has generously donated 50 White Cards to a select group of foodpanda delivery riders who meet specific eligibility criteria To commemorate this impactful collaboration foodpanda hosted an event at their Karachi head office, where the Heal Aid Foundation team distributed the White Cards to 50 PR

knew that Pakistan had been allowed to export meat to China a lot of them took interest in our products ” said Mirza Waqas Baig another meat exhibitor from Organic Meat Company China is probably the largest meat consumer in the world There was no approval in Pakistan to export to China before, now there is approval We would like to cater to this market and increase our exports there He added

The event witnessed $410 million worth of deals and the signing of 10 MoUs Data shows that Pakistan s exports to China are improving gradually Export of meat is expected to play a key role in achieving Pakistan’s export target of USD10 billion to China in the future

Pakistan remittance summit to be held in Dubai next month

KARACHI

S TA F F R E P O R T

Dellsons Associates in collaboration with leading commercial banks will organize an international conference, Pakistan Remittance Summit in Dubai next month to appreciate the role of overseas Pakistanis in supporting the national economy through remittances

The conference will also educate overseas Pakistanis to utilize formal banking channels through various options available in formal channels in order to maintain their valuable contribution of sending remittances to the homeland Ibrahim Amin, Chairman Dellsons Associates said a significant number of Pakistanis migrated to GCC countries in recent years but the share of their contribution to the economy remained flat which needs to be investigated and addressed duly by the government and stakeholders

He added that the government and banks should facilitate overseas Pakistanis in foreign countries mainly in GCC states with incentives and technological solutions to enhance the inflows of remittances from the oil-rich region

Tufail Ahmed Khan CEO Dellsons Associates said

The conference has a unique agenda to facilitate overseas Pakistani workers who have been serving our country for a long period while staying away from families, friends and country The conference will also prove to be a stepping stone to strengthening communities of overseas Pakistanis mainly in the Gulf region hence they could develop their professional and social networking for mutual interest and celebrate their festivals together with country fellows abroad

The share of overseas Pakistani workers residing in GCC regions stands at 52% from the overall inflows of $27 02 billion reported in FY23, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)

Workshop on ‘Over view of China’s National Conditions & Understanding of Chinese Enterprises’ held

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

Bahria University, Pak-China Study and Research Center (PCS&RC) organized a two-days workshop from 22 to 23 August 2023 titled Overview of China s National Conditions & Understanding of Chinese Enterprises His Excellency Mr Zhang Heqing, Cultural Counsellor Chinese Embassy and Director China Cultural Center graced the occasion as Guest of Honour CPEC projects initiated an enhanced and deeper interaction with Chinese Govt Enterprise and General Populous However there still exists a gap in understanding Chinese management Culture and Enterprise working,therefore, the workshop was aimed to fill this gap

While addressing the audience, His Excellency Mr Zhang Heqing, highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between Pakistan and China He further emphasized that CPEC provides unprecedented opportunity to region in general and Pakistan in particular and this opportunity can only truly be capitalized with mutual understanding of working ethics and enterprises smooth interactions Other Chinese and Pakistani speakers also enlightened audience with the Chinese culture working ethics and way to enhance B2B relations with Chinese enterprises

Meezan Bank wins first prize at ICAP Digital Technology Awards

K A R A C H I: Meezan Bank, Pakistan s leading Islamic bank has been recognized at the first ‘The Digital Technology Awards - AccounTech Innovation Congress’ held by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) The Bank has been conferred with the top award in the Best Dashboards category for its Customer 360 Degree Dashboard – a pivotal tool that has helped the Bank bridge gap between data streams and actionable insights The award was received by Mr Faizur Rehman – Group Head Information Technology Meezan Bank at a ceremony recently held in Karachi which brought together senior management dignitaries business leaders and eminent personalities from the corporate sector of Pakistan The award recognizes Meezan Bank for demonstrating progress in digital technology, data analytics, machine learning and for showcasing best practices and excellence in automation PR

m e e t s

CARETAKER HEALTH MINISTER ORDERS DRAP TO PROMPTLY DEAL WITH ARTIFICIAL DRUG SHORTAGES

ON E of the first things Dr Nadeem Jan the new caretaker federal health minister has done after coming to power is take notice of the age-old prevalent health crisis in Pakistan: the artificial shortage of drugs In a meeting on 22 August 2023, Jan, Secretary Health Iftikhar Shallwani and Additional Secretary Kamran Rehman were briefed by the DRAP CEO Asim Rauf He explained the challenges faced by the association and vowed to come up with a comprehensive and integrated strategy to not only improve DRAP s efficiency as a regulator but also double the export of medicines from Pakistan, which is currently worth $713 million Nadeem Jan directed Rauf to take all necessary measures to deal with the artificial shortage crisis and to coordinate a nation-wide strategy to deal with the sale of unregistered or fake medicines It was also decided that DRAP will launch a mobile application where citizens and retailers are able to report drug shortages by geo-tagging and subsequently DRAP will then be able to address the issue

In June 2023, an officer DRAP wrote to the Secretary Health alleging that the CEO Asim Rauf was running a Benami pharmaceutical company

According to an explanation letter reported by Dawn, the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) recently sought an explanation from Asim Rauf over misuse of power and serious violations of SOPs leading to gross irregularities The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also sent Rauf 24 questions regarding his alleged benami pharmaceutical company, M/s Zeta

Pharma This is in line with a letter written to the Secretary Health by a DRAP employee detailing a number of issues of misconduct by Asim Rauf since his appointment in 2002

Although the DRAP chief assured the newspaper that these are frivolous accusations, it casts a serious doubt on his ability to execute promises made to the new caretaker health minister

A brief history of artificial drug shortages

Last year when the Pakistani market experienced a dearth of panadol –the most staple over-the-counter drug used in households all over the count r y A l t h o u g h i t i s n o t a l i f e - s a v i n g d r u g t h e f r e q u e n c y o f i t s u s e c a s e

m a d e t h i s a n i s s u e t h a t w a s h i g hlighted in the media In this case the federal health minister for NHS Abdul Q a d i r P a t e l o p e n l y b l a m e d p h a r m a -

c e u t i c a l c o m p a n i e s f o r h o a r d i n g t h e d r u g a n d f o r c i n g D R A P t o j a c k u p p r i c e s b e y o n d t h e m a n d a t o r y 1 5 %

r i c i n g i n c r e m e n t f o r m e d i c i n e s L a t e r p a c k e d c a r t o n s o f m i l l i o n s o f t a b l e t s w e r e r e c o v e r e d f r o m a c o mpany s warehouse in an illegal raid

This is a perfect example to epitomize the crisis of artificial drug shortages

It is a history of an endless tussle between big pharma and the regulators One blames the other for not allowing allegedly legitimate price increases and the other accuses them of hoarding medicine and creating an artificial supply problem

In November and December 2022 again, the Pakistani market faced shortage of painkillers, insulin, eye drops, paracetamol and its variations However, retailers and traders while speaking to the media told the media that taking advantage of the shortage the black market is thriving and selling the same medicines at more than double the price

Come January 2023, with the nonopening of commercial letters of credit, this problem worsened and a dangerous lack of life-saving medication was ex-

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Wednesday said the date for the upcoming general election would be announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) which was constitutionally responsible to conduct the polls in the country The minister in a media interview clarified that the Caretaker government had no role in fixing the election date, as it was solely within the purview of the ECP

Solangi said there might be a “slight delay” in the elections as the new census had been notified “Once the census is notified the Election Commission of Pakistan a constitutional body responsible for conducting elections needs four months to complete the delimitation exercise

perienced nationwide Even after the State Bank of Pakistan issued the notification for opening LCs for the most crucial sectors banks refused to comply In response the pharmaceutical companies recorded their protest and felt that they would be forced to suspend manufacturing

On 7 February 2023 the Pharma Bureau a representative body of multinational pharmaceutical companies wrote a letter to the ministry of NHS requesting across-the-board price adjustment to deal with the increase in cost of production due to the devaluation of the rupee and the rising inflation PB claimed that the cost of production has risen by 60% and the price of the product must reflect the same Now this was definitely a difficult time for the pharmaceutical industry, as they had to jump several hurdles with regards to a deteriorating economy

In March, the companies and the NHS entered a heated price dispute causing life-saving drugs to remain halted at the port leading to an artificial shortage of supply in the market The government rejected the companies demand for a 38% increase in price

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Thursday constituted the Cabinet Committee for Energy Federal Minister for Power and Petroleum Muhammad Ali has been appointed chairman of the cabinet’s energy committee Federal ministers for finance, revenue, economic affairs privatization planning communications railways maritime affairs law climate change and water resources will be members of the energy committee Caretaker PM has decided not to keep the chairman s office of the energy committee with him and entrusted it to the energy minister

Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif was holding office of the chairman energy committee in the capacity of the prime minister

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday kick-started its consultation process as it met with the delegations of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F)

Both the parties, expressed opposing viewpoints, as the PTI stressed the need for voting within the constitutional timeframe of 90 days while the JUI-F backed the idea of re-demarcation of electoral constituencies and updating the electoral rolls first

The back-to-back meetings were chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and attended by the ECP members as well as other senior officers Various politicians also joined the meeting via video link The PTI delegation comprised Dr Babar Awan Barrister Ali Zafar Umair Niazi and Ali Muhammad Khan They told the ECP that the elections must be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the National Assembly as per the Constitution

Though the ECP had already announced the schedule for revamping the constituencies in the light of the digital census, the PTI delegation emphasised that the there was no need for redrawing the constituencies at this time

On other issues the PTI demanded an immediate release of its arrested leaders and party workers They also stressed that the PTI should be allowed to hold political rallies and given equal opportunities in politics like other parties

The JUI-F delegation comprised Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hyderi Jalaluddin Maulana Darwish Kamran Murtaza and others They called for revamping the constituencies before the elections

The JUI-F delegation emphasised that as the census results had been officially notified therefore the ECP should first complete the delimitation process to facilitate the political parties, candidates and voters

The delegation also stressed the need for an accurate registration of voters as per the new census and updated electoral rolls They urged the ECP to ensure completion of this process before the election

The voter lists of polling stations should be corrected and the appointment of impartial and honest returning officers and district returning officers should be ensured, the JUI-F delegation told the polls supervisor

“We want transparent elections within the framework of the Constitution ” Hyderi later told the media persons after the meeting the CEC at the ECP

We want such an election that is accepted by the entire nation According to an ECP statement the CEC assured representatives of both the parties that their effort was to hold election as soon as possible He assured the parties of equal opportunities in the elections The ECP said that consultation with the political parties would continue The ECP would consult the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Aug 25 (today) and the Pakistan Peoples Party on Aug 29

LODHRAN/PAKPATTAN

River Sutlej remained in high-level flood at Sulemanki Headworks and continues to wreak havoc along the river belt in Pakpattan, Lodhran and Vehari districts, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Thursday

According to PDMA report the floodwater in the Sutlej has entered Vehari whereas the inflow and outflow of water at Islam Headworks was about 94,000 cusecs

On August 21, it was reported that Sutlej witnessed a deluge after India released more water into the river

Subsequently, a constitutionally mandated 54-day period was allocated for political parties to conduct election campaigns, he added

As regard the Tuesday’s chairlift incident the Information Minister commended the joint effort of the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force for successfully rescuing all individuals who were stranded on the chairlift in the remote and rugged valley of Hindkush

ISLAMABAD

G H U L A M A B B A S

In a significant development, Dr Umar Saif the Caretaker Minister for Science and Technology (MoST) has lauded the groundbreaking education reforms implemented in the picturesque region of Gilgit Baltistan (GB)

During a high-level meeting held at the MoST attended by esteemed officials including Secretary MoST Ali Raza Bhutta Chief Secretary GB Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani, and other representatives from both the ministry and GB government, the far-reaching initiatives to overhaul education, technology, and healthcare sectors across the region were extensively discussed

The focal point of these transformative interventions is a multifaceted approach that is already reaping impressive results One of the most remarkable achievements has been witnessed in Government Primary Schools where students are now receiving daily nutritious meals This thoughtful initiative has led to an awe-inspiring increase in attendance rates, soaring from a mere 65% to an outstanding 90%

Embracing the importance of modern education 200 schools have pioneered the integration of STEM (Science Technology En-

An earlier report issued by the Flood Forecast Division suggested that there was a high-level flood at Ganda Singh Wala as well having inflow and outflow of water of about 174 062 cusecs On Thursday report issued by the provincial irrigation department stated that the inflow and outflow of water at Sulemanki Headworks is 136,632 cusecs previously it was 146,271 cusecs Furthermore, the inflow and outflow of water at the Ganda Singh Wala is now at 115,046 cusecs Due to destruction of safety embankments and flooding of roads connection of Pakpattan with rest of the region has severed Similarly a current of 150 000 cusec

and Korakram mountain ranges in Battagram Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa

The operation was carried out with meticulous coordination ensuring the safety of the trapped passengers, he said while sharing insights on the rescue operation

Highlighting the challenges in dissemination of information due to the remote nature of the area he said the district administration on receiving the news approached the provincial and regional administrations that subsequently alerted the federal authorities

Solangi detailed the comprehensive rescue mission, which involved deploying helicopters from the Pakistan Army and Air Force, along with a Commanding Officer from the SSG and his troops who led the efforts on the ground

He said an extensive inspection of all chairlifts and cable cars in the region had already been initiated by the provincial authorities The Hazara region had 70 cable cars, including 11 in the specific region where the incident took place

The minister said the remote area, affected by both climate change and seismic activity had witnessed natural disasters including a significant earthquake in 2005 and severe flooding in 2010 that destroyed infrastructure of the area

gineering and Mathematics)

Computer Education, and Entrepreneurship courses, supplemented by practical training To facilitate this innovative approach, 34 schools are now equipped with cutting-edge IT infrastructure including Digital Interactive Smart TVs and Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Underscoring their commitment to the advancement of education 200 additional Smart Schools are in the pipeline set to be adorned with high-tech LED Smart Screens Chromebooks and solarpowered facilities The educational transformation also extends to Skardu, where 18 schools have been furnished with Smart Interactive Whiteboards Multimedia Projectors and Core i7 computers – a concerted effort to promote interactive learning

To alleviate infrastructure challenges, the region is adding 55 classrooms, all equipped with state-of-the-art IT tools and Learning Management Systems A recent milestone was the grand GB Summerfiesta 2023 which engaged a staggering 28 000 students over 10 days The festival offered diverse programs such as IT Boot Camps, Mathematics Clubs, Mental Health Awareness Sessions and even Yoga Classes attracting collabora-

Bilawal convenes PPP CEC meeting in Karachi today

KARACHI

S TA F F R E P O R T

PPP Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called a meeting of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) in Karachi on Friday Party members from all over the country including Punjab have been invited to the CEC meeting and directed to attend the CEC meeting in their personal capacity

No CEC member will take part in the meeting through video link

PPP Lahore President Ch Aslam Gill and Women

Wing Punjab President Samina Khalid Ghurki will participate in the CEC meeting

National Assembly Speaker and PPP Punjab President Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Qamar Zaman Kaira Syed Hassan Murtaza Chaudhry Manzoor Tasneed Qureshi and others will also be in attendance

Sources in the party said the CEC huddle will ponder over preparations relating to the general elections Decisions are also expected to be taken regarding reactivating PPP organisations in Punjab and Lahore and to fill the vacant slots immediately

tion from distinguished organizations like Karandaz, LUMS, and NHA, thus culminating in a dynamic learning experience

To ensure quality instruction, t h e g o v e r n m e n t r e c r u i t e d 1 0 0 0 Education Fellows through a rigorous bidding process effectively e n h a n c i n g t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f S T E M a n d C o m p u t e r E d u c a t i o n t e a c h e r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e r e g i o n This step, where fellows are emp l o y e d o n a c o n t r a c t u a l b a s i s aims to elevate educational standards across the board

Notably Karandaaz Pakistan is also actively engaged in promoting financial literacy among students

The initiative imparts principles of budgeting, decision-making, and saving equipping young minds for financial success

In a nod to sustainability and preparedness 184 IT labs in schools have been solarized, offering a much-needed power backup to counter frequent outages and ensuring uninterrupted IT usage Over 2000 students are benefitting from free evening coaching at KIPS significantly bolstering their academic performance and university admissions Moreover, the Taleem Finance Scheme extends loans and stipends to students enrolling in top universities easing their educational journey

entered Burewala and inundated dozens of villages, settlements and thousands of acres of crops as several protective embankments were damaged The cattle have also been deprived of fodder Local residents of Pakpattan have been confined to their homes as the Rehmani Malkana and its adjacent settlements have been flooded The situation has also left the cattle in a poor condition, while the flood victims await government help A dearth of facilities at flood relief and medical camps has been reported There is a continuous increase in the flow of water in the Sutlej The level of inflow and discharge of water at Head Sulemanki has been recorded at 155 330 cusecs

PTI chairman challenges cancellation of his bail pleas in LHC

LAHORE

S TA F F R E P O R T

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister on Thursday challenged the cancellation of his interim bails in seven cases including the Jinnah House attack case in Lahore High Court (LHC)

The PTI chairman has challenged the cancellation of his interim bails through his lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar A two-member bench of the Lahore High Court will hear the petitions of the PTI chairman today at 11 am

The petition maintained that the PTI chairman was being victimised and the cases were politically motivated The petitioner has sought a court order for hearing of his interim bail pleas on merit by the relevant court

It is pertinent to mention here that the anti-terrorism court had rejected the bail pleas of PTI chairman in the May 9 cases and allowed the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman

The court was informed that the PTI premiere was convicted under the Election Act and is currently under arrest

The ATC accepted the plea and granted permission to police to conduct the inquiry and arrest of the former prime minister in Jinnah House attack case

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI Chairman Khan was arrested from his Lahore residence on August 5 after he was slapped with a five-year disqualification and a three-year prison term in the Toshakhana criminal case

The huge water current has led to destruction in Bahawalnagar after 35 years

The breaking of several protective embankments has submerged dozens of settlements, as flood water enters house and has destroyed thousands of acres of crops Rescue teams claim to have safely shifted more 7 000 people to safety Similar damage and destruction has been reported from Arifwala and Minchinabad as well Meanwhile, the flow of water in Sutlej River is reducing at Kasur, as the level has fallen to 118 000 cusecs With the land surrounded with water the temperature has also risen and the cattle have been left without fodder Rescue efforts are underway by the local

administration to provide relief to locals A mobile hospital has been set-up in the flood-affected areas, said a spokesperson of the health department adding that about 52 flood relief centres had been established Teams from Rescue 1122 of Rahim Yar Khan had also reached Lodhran to help the flood victims

Meanwhile the education department said that about 24 schools near the river belt were closed in the areas surrounding Sutlej

Earlier, Bahawalpur Commissioner Ehtesham Anwar said that the divisional management was engaged round the clock to evacuate people to safer areas from the areas near the banks of the Sutlej River

C a r e t a k e r P M f o r m s c a b i n e t c o m m i t t e e f o r E n e r g y

C a r e t a ke r g ov t h a s n o r o l e i n f i x i n g e l e c t i o n d at e : S o l a n g i

Saif lauds education reforms in GB; terms it a leap towards progress, prosperity

ECP takes up election agenda with PTI, JUI-F delegations