Epaper_23-08-7 ISB

30 DEAD, OVER 100 INJURED AS 10 BOGIES OF HA Z ARA EXPRESS DERAIL NEAR NAWABSHAH

Khawaja Saad Rafique said that initial investigation showed that the train was travelling at a reasonable speed, adding that officials had reached the scene and an emergency was imposed in hospitals in Sukkur and Nawabshah

He said “This is quite a big accident There can be two reasons: first that it was a mechanical fault or the fault was created it might be a sabotage We will investigate it

The minister further stated that relevant district administrations, Rescue 1122 personnel, the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Railways staff reached the site of the accident soon after the incident and began relief activities

The incident comes a day after the Allama Iqbal Express escaped a major disaster when two of its bogies derailed near Padidan railway station in the wee hours of Saturday, resulting in the suspension of traffic on the affected railway track However, no casualty was reported in the incident, said rescue officials

The accident was also a grim reminder of a collision between two trains near Daharki in Sindh in June 2021 which resulted in the death of at least 65 people and left about 150 others injured In that accident an express derailed onto the opposite track, and a second passenger train crashed into the wreckage roughly a minute later

Hafeez Shaikh among candidates shor tlisted for slot of caretaker PM: Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

Federal Minister for Interiors Rana Sanaullah on

Sunday revealed that former finance minister Hafeez Shaikh was among the candidates shortlisted for the slot of the caretaker prime minister

The minister made the revelation while speaking during Geo News show ‘Naya Pakistan’ saying that the coalition partners had developed a consensus recently that a person considered neutral should be appointed to the post

Asked whether Hafeez Shaikh was willing to take up the responsibility, Sanaullah said, He surely would be Shaikh’s name was among those earlier reported to have been included in a list of five finalised by parties in the ruling coalition for the caretaker prime minister The purported list was also said to have included former chief justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani

In an apparent reference to him, when Sanaullah was asked on the Geo News programme whether a retired judge of the apex court was also among the shortlisted candidates his reply was vague

Yes there are people from all segments he said

AT least 30 passengers were killed and over 100 sustained injuries when 10 bogies of Hazara Express travelling from Karachi to Rawalpindi derailed near Nawabshah, the railways officials and police confirmed

Railway officials reported that the tragic incident occurred near Saharai Railway Station located between Shahzadpur and Nawabshah when the Hazara Express was en route from Karachi

As a result of the derailment 10 bogies of Hazara Express were veered off the tracks, leading to chaos and injuries among the passengers on board

Talking to media at People’s Medical College Hospital in Benazirabad Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad

Ali Shah confirmed the death toll

He said that the injured could be shifted to Karachi if needed and directed the local administration and health officials to expedite relief and rescue efforts

According to Railways and Aviation Minister

Khawaja Saad Rafique, the accident occurred at 1:18pm and around 1 000 passengers were travelling in the Hazara Express

The injured and bodies were transferred to People Medical University (PMU) Hospital in Nawabshah

DC Nawabshah Shehryar Gul Memon said an emer-

KASUR/LAHORE

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday said Nawaz Sharif would be the next prime minister of Pakistan and would change destiny of the country by initiating projects in the sectors of agriculture industry and infrastructure

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was speaking at a public meeting here after laying foundation stone for Taray Garh interchange on Lahore-Bahawalnagar motorway and Rai Mansab Ali Khan interchange on Abdul Hakim motorway on Bucheki-Nankana road Nawaz Sharif will serve the people of Pakistan as prime minister for another term if voted to power He considers the whole of Pakistan as his family and in the past selflessly had served the people he remarked PM Shehbaz said Rs263 billion would be spent on the construction of motorway from Lahore to Bahawalnagar and on other projects

He recalled that in the past Pakistan suffered from load-shedding of 20 hours every day and then Nawaz Sharif came in 2013 and he removed the darkness caused by power shortages by setting up power projects, revived industry and agriculture and brought the CPEC project of $ 30 billion with the collaboration of China

He said their government provided laptops worth billions of rupees to millions of students, adding he was unfairly criticised for delivering laptops to youth who were now using modern tools of

gency has been declared in nearby hospitals while the rescue operation is also underway He further said ambulances and the rescue staffers have been sent to the spot to gear up for relief operation

During rescue operation, dozens of cars, tractors, rickshaws and motorcycles were seen parked on a road that runs alongside the track at the site of accident

Volunteers were witnessed through a canal that separates the road from the railway line to help and lifting the injured to get them assistance

Some passenger compartments were upright but off the tracks, while others lay on their side, mangled steel from the undercarriage twisted and buckled

There were chaotic scenes at the Nawabshah Trauma Centre as ambulances and private cars ferried the injured for treatment

The cause of the derailment is not yet known as officials reached the scene to probe the incident

Meanwhile, on the directions of DG Rangers Sindh, Major General Azhar Waqas, paramilitary forces have left for the spot to assist the civil administration in the rescue and relief operation

Addressing a press conference Minister for Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique said as per initial reports, the train was moving at a normal speed

He said the ‘sabotage’ and ‘mechanical fault’ cannot be ruled out in the major train accident

Talking to media in Lahore Minister for Railways

PAK ARMY, RANGERS PERSONNEL BEGIN RESCUE ACTIVITIES: Soon afterwards, on the special instructions of Army Chief General Asim Munir contingents of the Pakistan Army and Rangers reached site of the incident and started relief and rescue activities immediately

The contingents also brought with them food items for the affected people More contingents of army and Rangers were called in from Hyderabad and Sakrand

Besides that helicopters of Pakistan Army’s aviation also left for the accident site in order airlift the injured to hospitals

Images posted to local media show dozens of people at the site, with some smashing windows to help passengers clamber out of the twisted carriages and at least one coach overturned

A relief train carrying bogies and heavy machinery left Hyderabad for Nawabshah

Sindh Minister for Information Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon said that an emergency was imposed at the local hospital of Benazirabad district as soon as the information about the incident was received Memon said that the entire machinery of the Sindh government has been mobilised to the incident site adding that the critically injured will be transported to Karachi

Asked whether former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan had been shortlisted, he said: I don t think so He is a senior member of our party and I don’t consider him neutral “How could a person from a political party be neutral?”

The minister also referred to the commotion following reports of Finance Minister and PML-N leader Ishaq Dar s name being proposed for the caretaker prime and said since there has been stress that a neutral person should be appointed, the caretaker PM would not be from a political party” Sanaullah said the name of the caretaker PM was expected to be announced on Tuesday and Wednesday And just one name would be announced he added

C O N S U LTAT I O N S O N C A R E TA K E R P M: The minister s revelation of today comes just three days before the date given by the government for the dissolution of the assemblies, following which a caretaker setup would take the country’s reins until a new government is elected Meanwhile the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement coalition has upped the ante on consultations for the appointment of a mutually agreed name for the caretaker PM On Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz chaired a virtual meeting of his allies on a three-point agenda the dissolution of national and provincial assemblies selection of caretaker PM and polls on the basis of the 2023 census

Pakistan decides to send cricket team to India for ICC World Cup 2023: FO

idence permit even when his name was not among the 400 persons named in the Panama papers Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz appeared before the court 100 times in their cases and did not evade arrests as was later done by Imran Niazi who presented a fake receipt for an expensive watch imprinted with a model of Khana-e-Kaaba and came in court with a bucket on his head he added

He said those who filed false and concocted cases against opposition leaders now met divine justice

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

communication and earning livelihoods

He noted that Nawaz Sharif initiated the project of Diamer Bhasha and Dasu dams and made Pakistan a nuclear state by conducting six nuclear explosions in response to five explosions by India

He reminded that Nawaz Sharif rejected the offer of $ five billion by the then US President Bill Clinton and went on with the nuclear explosions while ignoring pressure Nawaz Sharif also started Zarb-e-Azab led by Pakistan army to eradicate terrorism and the jawans of armed forces and people from all sections of society rendered sacrifices against terrorism

Shehbaz Sharif said unfortunately terrorists were again allowed to re-enter Pakistan and they took many innocent lives in terrorist acts

In the era of Nawaz Sharif the PM said Pakistan had good relations with friendly and brotherly countries including China Saudi Arabia Iran Turkey Qatar and others Then Imran Niazi was imposed on the country after rigged election in 2018 and his regime caused severe damage to relations with these countries including Islamic countries and he resorted to baseless allegations of corruption against companies of China, he added Ties with China were broken by the former government of Imran Niazi despite the fact that the neighbouring country massively invested in infrastructure power and road projects he pointed out

The prime minister said former judge Saqib Nisar and other co-conspirators ousted Nawaz Sharif on the basis of res-

part on bilateral issues Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that no matter how the international situation changes, China will, firmly support Pakistan in defending its national sovereignty independence and territorial integrity

He said Beijing firmly supports Islamabad in development and its more active role in international and regional affairs

l e p h o n i c c o n v e r s a t i o n b e t w e e n F o r e i g n

h u t t o

a r d a r i a n d h i s

It is pertinent to mention here that a special ceremony was held last month to celebrate the completion of the first decade of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

High-level leadership attended the event from Pakistan and China including Prime

He said in the tenure of Imran Niazi, several cases of corruption surfaced including wheat and sugar scams in which money was minted by unnecessary export and import of these commodities and then these acts of fraud were never probed and citizens bore the burden of loot and plunder

He said his government faced unprecedented challenges of inflation and devastating floods

My government distributed Rs100 billion among the flood affectees and several hundreds of billions are still required for their rehabilitation ”

He said due to his government’s policies and distribution of seeds and fertilizer on lower rates bumper wheat was produced while cotton production this year would also be at record levels

My government saved the country from default and from difficult economic conditions unemployment and price hikes by signing the agreement with the International Monetary Fund

Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Xi

Jinping s Special Representative, and the Vice Premier of the State Council of China

He Lifeng Senior ministers of China and Pakistan high-ranking officials from both countries and corporate executives of leading Chinese companies working in Pakistan also participated in the event Addressing the event, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Vice Premier He Lifeng paid rich tribute to CPEC for its positive contribution to Pakistan’s socio-economic development and progress and prosperity of the peoples of the two countries

Pakistan consistently maintained that sports should not be mixed with politics so it has, therefore, decided to send its cricket team to India to participate in the upcoming 13th edition of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 scheduled to take place there in October and November this year Pakistan has consistently maintained that sports should not be mixed with politics It has, therefore, decided to send its cricket team to India to participate in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 ” said a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday Pakistan s decision shows its constructive and responsible approach vis-à-vis India s intransigent attitude, as the latter had refused to send its Cricket Team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, adding “Pakistan, however, has deep concerns about the security of its cricket team We are conveying these concerns to the International Cricket Council and the Indian authorities We expect that full safety and security of Pakistan cricket team will be ensured during its visit to India Sunday s long-awaited decision follows weeks of doubts about Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup as the government delayed approving the team’s visit to India citing security concerns

The FO said in its statement that Pakistan authorities continued to have deep concerns about the security of the country s cricket team in India We are conveying these concerns to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Indian authorities We expect that full safety and security of the Pakistan cricket team will be ensured during its visit to India ” the statement read It added: Pakistan believes that the state of bilateral relations with India should not stand in the way of fulfilling its international sports-related obligations

Bilawal, Wang Xi vow to take Pakistan, China friendship to ‘greater heights’

MARRIYUM AURANGZEB SAYS PTI CHIEF ARRESTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

MI N I S T E R for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum

Aurangzeb said Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief was arrested on corruption charges after he failed to prove his innocence in a court of law

I n a n i n t e r v i e w w i t h B B C s h e s a i d t h e P T I c h i e f ’s a r r e s t h a s n o t h i n g t o d o w i t h p o l i t i c s o r p o l i t i c a l v i c t i m i z a t i o n the case has gone through due process of l a w a n d t h e c o u r t h a s g i v e n h i m a s e ntence after he failed to provide any evidence in his defense

The Minister said everyone who is proven guilty has to be arrested and there is nothing to do with politics She said political victimization was when during PTI s rule entire two benches of opposi-

Punjab CM, Uzbek minister agree to improve cooperation in cotton production

LAHORE: Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister

Mohsin Naqvi met Uzbekistan’s Agriculture Minister Dr Aziz Votov in Tashkent wherein they agreed to promote cooperation in agriculture especially cotton production

tion in the parliament were put behind bars on false charges

The Minister said there is no question of the timing of the PTI chief s arrest because no one can be spared of arrest just

because elections are down the row

Marriyum Aurangzeb added that the PTI chief was given ample opportunity to defend himself but he kept on evading the court hearings and did not produce any ev-

PM preferred Pakistan over politics; saved country from economic default , says Amir Muqam

idence to refute allegations against him

She said PTI chief attended only three out of forty court hearings and instead blamed his staff and team for every wrong

Responding to a question, Marriyum Aurangzeb said there is no crackdown against PTI workers instead PTI is a party that unleashed violence against the state institutions and sensitive installations on May 9

She said national interest must be put above all politics and no one can be allowed to attack sensitive buildings, schools and hospitals and there is clear evidence against PTI chief being the mastermind of all that happened on May 9 Marriyum Aurangzeb said the PTI chief cannot be compared with Nawaz Sharif who not only presented himself for accountability but attended 150 court hearings and there was not a single attack on sensitive installations buildings or hospitals and mosques by his workers

PIA Corporation Conversion (Amend) Bill 2023 sails through to address financial woes

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

The Senate on Sunday passed ‘The Pakistan International Airline Corporation (Conversion) (Amendment) Bill 2023’ with a resounding majority of votes

The bill presented by Leader of the House and Minister for Finance Muhammad Ishaq Dar, aimed at bringing about crucial amendments to the Pakistan International Airline Corporation (Conversion) Act of 2016 The amendments came in response to concerns raised by the committee concerned regarding the airline s financial situation

According to a statement issued on Sunday, on this occasion, Naqvi said on behalf of the Punjab government, “I have brought a message of love brotherhood and mutual love for the Uzbek government and people “Pakistan’s political and military leadership is on the same page for sustainable development of agriculture, the Punjab CM said He said the Punjab government wanted to use the expertise and experience of Uzbekistan to achieve higher production of cotton in the agricultural sector The caretaker CM said Uzbekistan was one of the top cotton producing countries in the region and the weather conditions of Uzbekistan were compatible with the weather conditions of Punjab There are wider possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in agriculture and other fields,” Naqvi stated Uzbek Minister of Agriculture Dr Aziz Votov said he would fully cooperate with the Punjab government in the agricultural sector especially in the production of cotton The friendly relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan are rooted in cultural, religious and historical ties S ta f f R e p o Rt

Flour price hiked by Rs15 per kg in Quetta

QUETTA: The price of flour has increased by Rs15 per kg in Quetta in particular and Balochistan in general, adding to miseries of people already reeling under the burden of inflation According to details reports on Sunday the price of flour after an increase of Rs15 per kg has reached Rs150 in Quetta adding misery to the already inflation-hit people Sources say the price of 20 kg of flour has increased from Rs2,800 to more than Rs3,200 According to the member of flour mills wheat from Balochistan is smuggling to other provinces it is not possible to stabilize prices until wheat smuggling is stopped A few days ago data was released from PBS according to which Karachi s citizens are buying the most expensive flour in the country where 20kg bag is being sold at Rs3200 In addition, the prices of flour across the country, including Islamabad Rawalpindi Haiderabad Gogranwala Khazdar Bahaulpur have also increased S ta f f R e p o R t

Addressing the house, the minister highlighted the adverse impact of disinformation disseminated by a former government minister leading to an annual loss of Rs71 billion

He emphasized that this misleading statement not only incurred severe financial losses on national exchequer but also negatively affected Pakistani pilots employed by international airlines such as Emirates Revealing alarming figures Minister Dar stated that out of the total loss of Rs71 billion experienced by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) a substantial portion of Rs59 billion was attributed to revenue generated from the United Kingdom (UK) He underscored the efforts of the current government to revitalize the national flag carrier and align it with international aviation safety and regulatory standards Minister Dar empathetically acknowledged the challenges faced by the Pakistani diaspora, especially those residing in the UK due to the suspension of national flights

He emphasized that the government had been repeatedly urged to find a resolution, as travelers had to bear additional expenses and inconvenience due to multiple transit flights

With the amendment now in place he said the relevant authorities were set to visit Pakistan in August raising hopes for the resumption of PIA flights by October this year

Highlighting the financial state of PIA Dar shared that the total liability of the airline amounted to Rs743 billion which included significant bank loans totaling Rs383 billion

He pointed out that the government had provided a sovereign guarantee, obliging it to pay Rs 262 billion in case of default by the institution Furthermore the PIA was burdened with outstanding dues to the tune of Rs 360 billion to entities like the Pakistan State Oil Federal Board of Revenue and Civil Aviation Authority, he maintained The minister expressed concern that the PIA was projected to incur a loss of

Rs 110 billion this year alone

He warned that if the airline continued its operations for seven more years, its liabilities could balloon to an astonishing Rs1973 billion

In a reassuring announcement he stated that the privatization of PIA would not result in the termination of any employee s service Currently, the airline employed around 7,900 individuals, he added Concluding his remarks, the minister underscored the legislation’s importance for the greater good of the country and its citizens

Earlier Senator Hidayat Ullah

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Aviation, presented a comprehensive report on the bill, highlighting the committee’s findings and recommendations Senator Saleem Mandviwala emphasized the absence of fake pilots in Pakistan and Senator Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani called for strict penalties against those responsible for causing significant financial losses and damaging the national reputation on the globe

Rallies, protests banned in several Punjab cities

SWAT: Adviser to the Prime Minister, Engr Amir Muqam here Sunday said that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has saved the country from economic default and put economy as well as development process back on track in his only 16 months coalition government He said the prime minister has taken bold and tough decisions in the interests of Pakistan and for revival of the economy besides saved the country's from an economic default and bankruptcy Addressing a big public gathering after laying the foundation stone of construction of KalamMadain Road here Engr Amir Muqam said the Prime Minister has prefered the country over politics and today people of all walks of life were appreciating his government decisions He said that work on mega development projects that was halted during the previous government has been restarted in Malakand Division including Swat district He said that Kalam-Madain Road would be constructed as per international standards and after its completion would turned the entire region into hub of trade and tourism Engr Amir Muqam who was also president of PML-N KP said that Pakistan Muslim League-N was the only party that has a committed and able leadership with a strong will to take the country out of all crisis He said the entire nation knew that it was the Nawaz Sharif government that eliminated terrorism and load shredding besides established a network of motorways and started CPEC besides made Pakistan defense impregnable Engr Amir Muqam said that Nawaz Sharif Kidney Hospital at Swat where thousands of patients were being provided free treatment, was a gift of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for people of Malakand Division Eng Amir Muqam said the overwhelming response of people in party meetings and joining of leaders of different political parties into PMLN has reflected that his party would form next Govt in all provinces including Khyber Pakthunkhwa Engr Amir Muqam said that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz has strong roots in masses and would address all the existing challenges On this occasion people in large numbers chanted full throated slogans in favour of PMLN supreme leader, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Engr Amir Muqam Earlier Engr Amir Muqam was given detailed briefing about different features of the project He directed speedy completion of the project S ta f f R e p o R t

RAWALPINDI S ta f f R e p o R t

The district authorities have imposed section 144 for seven days in Kasur Jhelum, Mianwali, Mandi Bahauddin and Rawalpindi districts, according to

official notifications issued on Sunday The authorities have notified ban on all gatherings, public meetings, demonstrations, sit-ins and rallies for seven days under section 144” Those violating the order will be tackled strictly according to the offi-

Going to jail in the monsoon

City NoteS

IT seems that anyone who can does

and you can get away with it depending on how powerful you are The Islamabad subordinate judiciary seems to be trying this out, with one civil judge neglecting the wounds of a teenage maid until they became infested with insects leading to her having to seek bail Meanwhile an additional sessions judge convicted Imran Khan of lying about his Toshakhana gifts and sentenced him to three years in jail

This time, it seems, the protests were nothing like on May 9 Instead of 9/6k, we had 5/8 Of course now there begins the long process of appeals Of course if Imran could make out a human rights case he could go to the Supreme Court straightaway

time, he has been arrested from his

residence and taken to Kot Lakhpat jail for onward transmission to Attock Jail One might remember that when Nawaz Sharif was in Kot Lakhpat he was flooded with visitors and the place became a sort of

HQ for the PML(N) Will it become the same for the PTI? Should the snack vendors rush to Attock Jail? Considering the loyalty Imran inspires one would expect one or two self-immolations outside it Or maybe someone committing harakiri Or at least some of the party s women s workers could throw a fit outside, complete with frothing at the mouth and rhythmic head movements from side to side Not to forget the drumming of the heels on the ground Of course some of the signs of things to come were shown in the recent meeting of the Council of Common Interests, which approved the results of the census this year

If those results are notified, the ECP will be bound to carry out delimitations accordingly But those delimitations can only be used if Parliament passes a constitutional amendment That it can t do

While everyone tries to square the circle, the Additional Sessions Judge Islamabad was handing down this sentence, and a civil judge iat the same station was saving his wife for not just beating their maid but leaving her wounds to get infested That implies that the girl was made to work after

being beaten, in the mugginess of the monsoon, and probably in contact with water

It seems the judges of Islamabad have a problem: their wives Back in 2026 an additional session judge had to defend his wife after she allegedly injured their maid

Maybe judicial officers marry strong women, Maybe the maids they get are so poor that they can’t complain As we know, the Chief Justice of Pakistan himself has had to keep to himself the appeal against his brother-in-law s bail by the Punjab AntiCorruption Establishment He also issued a stay against proceedings which would have seen his mother-in-law have to appear before a commission of enquiry One hopes there are no maids in his house Of course one could legitimately wonder why the husband kept quiet at the treatment of the maid After all it was so bad that he couldn t help noticing Well the person doing the wondering has obviously never been married Meanwhile, it seems that the story of the Love Jihad has become more complicated than the BJP and the UP government present it of Muslims inveigling Hindus into marriage After a Hindu Indian girl

cial order Yesterday Police declared security high alert in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi amid apprehensions of protests over arrest of the PTI chairman Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after a court found him guilty of corrupt practices in Toshakhana case and awarded him three years jail term Federal Police has declared security high alert in Islamabad a police spokesperson said “All officers have been directed to remain in their respective areas and enhance checking in all areas of the federal capital , police stated Rawalpindi Police has also been on high alert with special instructions to police to tackle possible protests from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Police authorities have directed subordinates to keep vigil over the situation

Higher cour ts to ensure justice in Imran arrest case: Sheikh Rashid

RAWALPINDI: Chief Pakistan Awami Muslim League and former federal interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has condemned the arrest of the Pakistan Tehreeki-Insaf (PTI) chief saying the former ’s arrest had hurt him Taking to Twitter the exminister said that the PTI chief should have been given the right of free trial The Supreme Court and the High Court will dispense justice to the former Prime Minister and he will secure liberty soon, Ahmed hoped He said the country is heading towards the fair elections which are only solution to resolve the issues The hatreds should be removed for fair elections he said adding outgoing government should refrain from making the condition worse The ex-interior minister said public is already facing the issues of poverty and unemployment and situation is going from bad to worse S ta f f R e p o R t

travelled all the way from India to KP to marry her love a Chinese girl also travelled to KP for the same reason Both couples got acquainted while playing PUBG Funny, I had heard the PUBG craze was more or less over So now it’s a dating app? India has got other women troubles The Indian Opposition has moved a vote of no-confidence against the PM It knows it has no hope of removing Narendra Modi but it wants to bring the Manipur stripping case in Parliament Modi has been ducking

condemning the incident because it was carried out by supporters Of course, in Pakistan, Imran was against it, because he had not been involved He has also been said to be exercised by the fact that he had had nothing to do with the Islamia University Bahawalpur scandal said to involve scandalous videos of many teachers and students The scandal is being hushed up because one of the students is the son of somebody in the federal cabinet Imran has got other videos to live down

PRESIDENT UPHOLDS PENALT Y OF PT V EMPLOYEES FOR CREATING HOSTILE, OFFENSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR FEMALE

PR E S I D E N T Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday upheld the penalty of withholding the promotion for two years upon six PTV employees who were involved in creating a hostile and offensive work environment for a female cameraman (the complainant)

He also held that the complainant’s termination from service was being rendered as void ab initio as disciplinary proceedings were initiated against her without following the due process, in a slipshod and clumsy manner, and rude and degrading actions were taken against her, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release on Sunday

The president gave this decision while rejecting the representations filed by PTV Abdul Rashid Ziaur Rehman Maqbool Shah, Muhammad Munawar, and Kanwal Masood, in which the Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH) had imposed the minor penalty of withholding of promotion for two years and fine of Rs100 000 upon Ziaur Rehman Abdul Rashid Maqbool Shah, Kanwal Masood, Saeed Ather, and

Muhammad Munawar (the respondents) for issuing charge sheets, suspension orders, transfer orders and orders to ban the entry of the complainant into the premises of PTV in a slipshod manner

He however set aside the penalty of fine imposed by FOSPAH on 16 10 2017 upon the employees involved in the matter

The complainant had filed a complaint before FOSPAH alleging that she had been assaulted by two employees at PTV premises and the respondents had supported them

The charges of sexual harassment however could not be established against the accused however FOSPAH had decided to impose minor penalty upon the respondents for initiating acts which amounted to workplace harassment

Earlier, the President of Pakistan on 05 01 2018 had reversed the decision of FOSPAH as the charges of sexual harassment were not proved in the case

Later the Supreme Court of Pakistan accepted civil review petitions filed by the complainant (female cameraman) and Attorney General for Pakistan, set aside the earlier judgments of the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court passed in the matter and remanded the representation to the President

for decision afresh

The Supreme Court in its judgment, dated 06 06 2023, had interpreted the word ‘harassment’ by elaborating that harassment had two components first pertained to sexual favors and the second was about creating a hostile or offensive working environment

It further held that the facts of the case did not fall within the ambit of harassment of the nature of the sexual favors rather the available record and the proceedings initiated against the complainant in a slipshod manner fell within the ambit of hostile or offensive working environment

Subsequently the president held per-

sonal hearings of the case in June and July

2023, and decided the matter afresh in the light of the Supreme Court s decision

In his decision, he noted that workplace harassment was a global phenomenon prevalent both in developed as well as developing countries and it cut across religion culture race caste class and geographical boundaries

He said that with improved access to education and employment, millions of Pakistani women were entering in employment and many faced workplace harassment on daily basis

He emphasized that it was crucial that in a country like Pakistan, we should strive to eliminate workplace harassment since it was an affront to the fundamental rights contained in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan He said that Article 25 forbade any discrimination on the basis of sex and guaranteed equal protection of law and equality in all matters

The president said that Article 34 mandated the state to ensure full participation of women in all affairs of national life and under Article 37(c) women had been given a special status in the matters of employment and conditions of work

PML-N to empower youth with info-tech skills: Ahsan Iqbal

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Prof Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry said on Sunday the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) wanted to empower youth of the country with info-tech skills and it was making all-out efforts in that direction

Speaking as the chief guest at the ‘Digital Narowal’ event held at E-Library here he said now his entire focus was on launch of modern-day projects for the youth of the country He said recently the first convocation of the University of Narowal was held, which had been delayed for the past four years He said the PML-N believed in merit only “It is very easy to talk of merit but PML-N government is demonstrating through practical steps that it believes in merit and only merit Laptop scheme for brilliant students is the process of recognising the talent of our youth, Ahsan Iqbal said

The federal minister said that with the laptops given by the PML-N government lakhs of students were freelancing from Pakistan and earning handsome amounts of money for their families as well as the country The minister warned that many jobs would disappear in the coming years and the

Hafeez Shaikh among candidates shortlisted for slot of caretaker PM: Sanaullah

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

At the meeting some political parties were reported to have sought time to submit the names PML-N s main ally, the PPP, has already given three names to the PM, according to a senior PPP leader who did not want to be named However, Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan Jamiat Ulema-i-IslamFazl and Balochistan National Party were yet to present their names sources told Dawn MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Aslam Bhootani the two independent lawmakers part of the ruling coalition have also given two and one names, respectively, Dawn has reported It is expected that PM Shehbaz will share the proposed names with his elder brother and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in London According to sources the elder Sharif will finalise three names which the PM will share with Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz Ahmed Meanwhile, besides Shaikh and Jillani other names reportedly being considered for the caretaker PM include ex-principal secretary to PM Fawad Hassan Fawad ex- permanent representative to the UN Abdullah Hussain Haroon and PPP s Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood

Pakistan decides to send cricket team to India for ICC World Cup 2023: FO

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Pakistan s decision shows its constructive and responsible approach vis-a-vis India s intransigent attitude, as the latter had refused to send its cricket team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup “

TRUCE EVENTUALLY CALLED:

Pakistan s participation in the tournament was first put in doubt following a row over the hosting of the Asia Cup for which India had refused to send its cricket team to the country In turn, Pakistan had made its cricket team’s visit to India for World Cup conditional on the Indian team’s visit to the neighbouring country for the Asia Cup

A truce was eventually called after Pakistan agreed to host the Asia Cup in September on the basis of a hybrid model Then in June this year, after the schedule for the World Cup was announced, the Pakistan Cricket Board said that it would still need government clearance for any tour to India including World Cup match venues

world would replace these professions with new and advanced technology due to artificial intelligence and digitalization Therefore it is very important that we prepare our youth to compete in this modern world of information technology, he added If you are educated, but you don t have IT skills, then you are not ready for new challenges

It is our determination that we want to make Narowal a Silicon Valley We are going to build a quantum computing centre at the University of Engineering and Technology Narowal campus, Ahsan Iqbal disclosed He said the

projects that were delayed during the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had resumed today We will not give you chicken and eggs but IT skills so that you can be successful in the 21st century In this age of technology, we should use technology; otherwise, we will lag behind others,” the minister said He advised the youth to use the social media sensibly Today Pakistan needs peace Destruction will be caused due to propaganda and disinformation and it will not take the nation towards progress, Minister Ahsan Iqbal said adding We

should not pay attention to the voices calling for hatred We need to keep our consciousness awake Development comes from making decisions based on facts in the practical world instead of mythical ideas ” the minister added He said all projects including the sports complex and hospitals which were neglected and delayed by the PTI government had been re-launched He said the person who had accused him of misappropriation of funds had reached Attock Jail today due to his own corrupt practices He said the previous government did not launch even a single project in its four-year rule Their agenda was spreading hatred but the PML-N agenda is development of the youth and the country He said ‘Digital Narowal’ is a foundation which would produce freelancers who would earn millions of dollars for the country E a r l i e r D e p u t y C o m m i s s i o n e r N a r o w a l C h a u d h r y M u h a m m a d A s h r a f said that under the Digital Narowal init i a t i v e , t h e v i s i o n o f P r o f A h s a n I q b a l Chaudhry would be materialised He said u n d e r t h e p r o g r a m m e I T t r a i n i n g courses of three months and one-year dur a t i o n w o u l d b e c o n d u c t e d f o r s t u d e n t s of Narowal

decides to take over KUTC to star t KCR, orders speed up work on Malir Expressway

KARACHI s TA F F R

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presiding over the 11th meeting of the Provincial Coordination & Implementation Committee (PCIC) decided to take over the Karachi Urban Transport Company (KUTC) to start Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) Project and resolved land issues of Malir Expressway to speed up work on the project

The PCIC meeting was attended by provincial ministers Imtiaz Shaikh, Sharjeel Memon, Nasir Shah, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab Special Assistant to CM Qasim Naveed Corps Commander Karachi Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar

Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi Commissioner Karachi Iqbal Memon, MD SSWMB Imtiaz Shah and others

KCR: The Chief minister was told that the Karachi Urban Transport Company (KUTC) would undertake the

Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project The company was still under the control of the federal government The chief minister said that he would talk to the prime minister to take over the KUTC which was responsible to fulfill the documentation of the KCR project

The CM was also told that Pakistan Railways had demanded equal value of land from the Sindh government to hand over the Right of Way (RoW) of KCR At this the chief minister said that the Sindh govt had given land to the railway authorities purely for railway purposes The KCR is also a train and it would operate on the same track, then why the railway authorities were demanding value of the land ” he question The chief minister directed the DS Railways present in the meeting to resolve the issue and give the go-ahead to the provincial authorities so that it could be communicated to the Chinese authorities to initiate the KCR project

It was pointed out that the National Railways Administration (NRA) China re-

quired to conduct an updated feasibility study of the KCR Project At this the P&D Chairman told the CM that the feasibility study has been done and sent to Chinese authorities The chief minister said that now the Chinese authorities have to make a Framework agreement to start the project Malir Expressway: Malir Expressway is 3x3 lane, 38 75 KM high-speed controlled access road starting from Jam Sadiq Bridge and ends before the Kathore interchange near M-9 It has six interchanges to be constructed which shall connect major traffic arteries of the city The Project is divided into two segments, 15 and 24 km respectively with a construction time of 30 Months The first section from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Quaidabad is to be constructed within 1 5 Years (18 Months) The completion of the first segment (till Quaidabad) is envisaged by the end of the current year Construction activities are in progress on Interchanges at EBM Causeway, Shah Faisal, and Bridges over Nallah and Chakora

The president underlined that the aim and objective of promulgation of the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2010 was to create a safe working environment for women which was free of harassment abuse and intimidation with a view towards fulfillment of their right to work with dignity

An environment which is free of harassment enables higher productivity and a better performance and quality of living Harassment is one of the biggest hurdles faced by working women who want to work and contribute to get themselves and their families out of poverty he remarked

The president maintained that the term harassment as defined in the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010 could not be examined in isolation but the other aspects of creating an intimidating hostile or offensive work environment also needed to be examined Gender discrimination is a pervasive evil that potentially confronts women who enter in any job either in public or private sector The element which poisons the workplace by creating hostile or offensive work environment even unrelated to sexual overtures is not tolerable he added

Nawaz Sharif to be next PM if PML-N voted to power, says PM Shehbaz

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

He said reasons of current inflation were war in Ukraine and rising international commodity and fuel prices adding due to the mismanagement of the past government, his government had to sign agreement with IMF despite its tough conditions Saudi Arabia gave $ two billion UAE $ one billion and China rescheduled loans of $ five billion so that Pakistan could meet the financing needs for finalizing the IMF agreement, he informed

He said as chief minister he served the people of Punjab with sincerity, undertook massive projects in health and education sectors built road network in the province and gave free medicine to people He vowed that their next government would bring revolution in the agriculture sector, extract minerals worth billions of dollars and equip youth with latest tools of information technology

The youth programme would be implemented at the federal and provincial levels and more laptops would be given to the students on merit He lamented that billions of rupees were wasted on unnecessary court cases instead of a focus on mineral extraction in the provinces

He told that the National Assembly would be dissolved on August 9 and a caretaker government would be formed He prayed for the departed souls who lost their lives in the train accident during the day and after sinking of a boat in Head Sulemanki

Earlier, the prime minister was given detailed briefing on the new infrastructure projects Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman and legislators of Pakistan Muslim League(N) accompanied the prime minister P M T h A N k s P E o P L E o f k A s U R f o R PA RT i C i PAT i o N i N M E E T i N g : Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday thanked the people of Kasur for enthusiastically participating in the public meeting and putting a stamp on the agenda of Nawaz Sharif for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan In a tweet, he said he made an effort to give their due to the people of Sahiwal division, district Kasur and Bahawalnagar by announcing development projects worth billions of rupees Certainly the progress of Pakistan is linked to constant hard work and not with hollow slogans Nawaz Sharif is not just a personality but is a symbol of progress of Pakistan, he added

30 dead, over 100 injured as 10 bogies of Hazara Express derail near Nawabshah

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The minister further stated that hospitals across all districts, including Sanghar and Nawabshah, have been put on alert

Meanwhile an official of the Pakistan Railways (PR) said that the train left Karachi at 8 am and the reasons for the accident were being probed On the other hand, a spokesperson of the PR in Karachi said that the intensity of the accident increased due to delayed application of brakes

At least eight to 10 bogies derailed he added The affected bogies will be lifted off the track in a few hours using machines he said adding that trains departing from Karachi might face delays

Sanghar District Health Officer Faiz Mohammad Mari, who was at the site of the accident, told the media around an hour after Memon spoke to reporters that 28 people had died in the accident with 15 bodies taken to Government Hospital Sarhari and 13 to People s Medical College Hospital State-run Pakistan Television reported that the Pakistan Army and Rangers launched immediate relief activities at the accident site with additional troops called in from Hyderabad and Skarund

It added that the army chief issued special instructions for relief activities Rescue teams of Pakistan Army and Rangers started reaching the accident site It further

said that army aviation helicopters were also sent for the rescue effort and personnel were also reaching the site with food items

The rescue operation of Pakistan Army will continue till the transfer of the last injured to the hospital and the rehabilitation of the people trapped at the accident site,” it said Meanwhile Sanghar Deputy Commissioner Ishaq Ahmed Gaad who also reached the site of the accident said several people had been injured and were being moved to hospitals in Shahdadpur and Nawabshah Separately, Pakistan Railways Sukkur Divisional Commercial Officer (DCO) Mohsin Siyal said that an unknown number of bogies had derailed in the incident

I am on my way to the site of accident Siyal told Dawn com over the phone He said that the incident occurred at the outer signal of the Sarhari Railway Station “Some people are reporting that five bogies had derailed some are saying eight have derailed and some are saying 10 have derailed he said Shaheed Benzirabad Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Muhammad Younis Chandio termed the incident a big accident” “Rescue teams are needed to launch relief and rescue operations ” he said The official said his team and the commissioner were

message, adding, “Our sympathies and prayers are with them May the departed souls rest in eternal peace ” Accidents and derailments occur frequently on Pakistan s antiquated railway system

In June 2021 two trains collided near Daharki in Sindh killing at least 65 people and injuring about 150 others

In that accident an express derailed onto the opposite track and a second passenger train crashed into the wreckage roughly a minute later At least 75 passengers burnt to death in a fire aboard the Tezgam express train in October 2019, while a two-train collision at Ghotki killed more than 100 people in 2005 f

N T: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also took notice of the incident and directed the authorities concerned to launch an investigation

He directed the Sindh government to provide immediate treatment to the passengers injured in the train accident and also called on PPP workers to participate in relief and rescue activities

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah expressed grief over the unfortunate train accident

My heartfelt sympathies go out to the families of the deceased passengers

The injured should be provided with the best healthcare facilities in the hospitals ” he tweeted

Murad

Railway derailment

TH E derailment of the Hazara Express near Sahara railway station, which is between Shehzadpur and Nawabshah, was a human tragedy, with as many as 22 killed and 80 injured, as 10 passenger coaches went off the track As is mandatory, the cause of the accident is bein investigated by Pakistan Railways itself, but going by past precedent, one of three causes will be put forward: driver error, signalling error, or track maintenance failure Driver error is because of human error, as can be a signalling error However, that can be because of a mechanical failure, ascribable to a lack of maintenance of equipment, which is also the reason for poor track maintenance

Whatever the cause of the present accident, the other causes will not have gone away Indeed, the determined cause will not be eliminated, and while railways are supposed to be a safe mode of transport, the passengers will take their lives into their hands each time they board a train The introduction of showy new services will not turn around the Railways

The reputation for reliability must be restored by appropriate action which will assure the intending traveller that he will get to his destination, and the sender of goods the assurance that his consignment will arrive safely, It is not viable for the Railways to rely only on cheapness as its unique selling point There is no point in cheapness if one does not reach, as was found by all those who travelled on the ill-fated train, which was bound for vRawalpindi from Karachi

The Railways should not place its hopes on the CPEC project for the preparation of the Main Line from Karachi to Rawalpindi to receive bullet trains (so that oil offloaded at Gwadar can be shipped to China)

The project itself has been mooted for a long time, but is still taking a long time to be implemented Besides, are people to keep on dying in train accidents until it is? The project should not be used as an excuse to put off needed repair work on the tracks, just because it will mean relaying both tracks and signals The Railways administration also needs to ask itself if it wants the current crop of engine drivers in charge of bullet trains Derailments of slow trains are unacceptable, but what about those at 120 mph or faster?

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

Whole-of-government approach to development

members including representatives from the Army

Additionally the implementation committee will have five members both from civilian and military leadership in addition to co-opted members including Secretary Finance Secretary Board of Investment Secretary Economic Affairs FBR Chairman of FBR

SBP Deputy Governor and provincial focal persons

to lay down a solid economic base through attracting investment from friendly countries

IT would be an understatement to say that Pakistan s economy was in a bad shape The factual position is that it was almost on the verge of collapse with the prospect of impending default Luckily, this spectacle was averted with the conclusion of a new staff-level agreement with the IMF worth $3 billion for a period of nine months when the ninth review of the previous EFF could not be accomplished due to a variety of reasons

Dealing with the IMF and securing a new agreement was undoubtedly a very arduous and excruciating undertaking which finally succeeded, courtesy the efforts made by the civilian and military leaders of the country and the support extended by Saudi Arabia China and the UAE

The PDM government inherited an economy in complete shambles The onus of its resurrection depended on tough economic decisions in consonance with the conditions of IMF which had to be taken to stem the rot and clear the economic courtyard of the rubble strewn by the PTI government The effort also entailed political costs for the coalition partners particularly the PML (N)

The focus now would be on consolidating the gains of stability achieved during the last year and a half and more, and the conclusion of agreement with the IMF When the Prime Minister says that the country has succeeded in wading through the most difficult times he is not off the mark in making this claim

His contention has also been endorsed and corroborated by the former Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Ali Awadh Asseri in an interview with Arab News by saying Sharif faced significant challenges upon taking office in April last year, inheriting a country on the verge of financial default Dealing with the subsequent political turmoil, a renewed wave of terrorism and a serious deterioration in Pakistan’s relations with major powers and trusted allies was also a daunting task But he has been able to successfully navigate this complex landscape by engaging coalition leaders the security establishment and key foreign partners

As regards to building on the progress made so far and putting the country on the path of sustained economic growth, a whole-of-the-government approach has been adopted which for the first time has made the Army a partner in propelling the economic progress of the country

The establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) is a step towards that end It will comprise three tiers including a six-member Apex Committee, including COAS, chaired by the Prime Minister The Executive committee will have eight

The Council is mandated to frame economic policies which ensure predictability, continuity and effective implementation; with a major focus on attracting foreign direct investment from GCC countries in the fields of agriculture minerals mining information technology and defence production

This important step is being complemented by the launch of the Pakistan Sovereign Wealth Fund and conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE

The consensus between the civil and military leadership on the pivotal role of GCC countries in the economic progress of Pakistan according to Dr Asseri has emerged against the backdrop of tangible progress made by the present government on economic, political, security and foreign policy fronts

There are no two opinions about the fact that GCC countries have been playing a crucial role in Pakistan s economy by serving as the primary source of energy imports and foreign remittances The ongoing economic diversification and regional reconciliation in the Gulf particularly under the Saudi Vision 2030 offer ample opportunities for Pakistan to attract investments from GCC countries as well as to export skilled manpower and tradable commodities to the Gulf countries

Yet another very significant initiative taken in collaboration with the Army is the initiation of corporate farming by the latter The Army had requested one million acres of land initially However the Punjab government signed an agreement with the Army to allot 45,267 acres of state land in the districts of Bhakkar, Khushab and Sahiwal on lease for 20 years

The move has survived a legal challenge and the work on the project has started Corporate farming envisages use of modern technologies and agricultural practices and will focus on import-substitution farming with a view to replace imports worth billions of dollars with domestic production as well as ensuring food security

The Pakistan Army deser ves unqualified gratitude from the nation for its role in defending the ideological and physical frontiers of the countr y and for rendering unparalleled sacrifices while tackling the security and existentialist challeng es and now lending a helping hand in resurrecting the economy and putting it back on rails

The Chief of the Army Staff inaugurating a model agricultural farm at Khanewal on Monday expressed his determination to steer Pakistan out of the prevailing problems reiterating that all Pakistanis have to throw away the begging bowl He emphasized that the Pakistan Army took pride in serving the nation and it was dedicated to the welfare of the people and the country Alluding to the potential for progress the COAS asserted that no external force could hinder a country s journey towards advancement That indeed is very reassuring

According to Dr Asseri, leading economies of GCC are also willing to contribute to Pakistan’s economic stability The establishment of SIFC in the backdrop of the above realities and emerging opportunities surely augurs well for Pakistan

Dr Asseri also feels that the most notable development in this regard has been the civil-military collaboration in the economic sphere giving renewed momentum to Pakistan s economic partnership with the leading GCC economies The Special Investment Facilitation Council offers a viable pathway in this respect Its establishment indicates that Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders understand the risk of dependency on foreign loans And they are preparing

The Army becoming a partner in the economic development of the country is a very significant and propitious initiative which will help in raising the confidence and trust of the people in the policies of the government; besides ensuring their continuity, which is a vital element in leading the country towards sustained development The involvement of the Army in the development process is also auspicious from the perspective that the Gulf and other friendly countries repose more trust on the military leadership than the political leaders under the prevailing circumstances

The Pakistan Army deserves unqualified gratitude from the nation for its role in defending the ideological and physical frontiers of the country and for rendering unparalleled sacrifices while tackling the security and existentialist challenges and now lending a helping hand in resurrecting the economy and putting it back on rails

h i n a ’

s u r e s t o f o s t e r e c o n o m i c r e c o v e r y

Th e C h i n e s e g o ve r n m e n t wa n t s t o t a ke t h e p r i vat e s e c t o r a l o n g

powering the real economy

The new measures target five crucial aspects including fair market access enhanced financial support robust legal guarantees streamlined services and fostering a favorable environment for private enterprises Amidst swift efforts to bolster the Chinese economy, comprehensive measures have been introduced including 20 on Monday to stimulate consumption This growing support for the private economy bodes well for a steady recovery in the second half of 2023 despite internal and external hurdles Effective implementation will be crucial for the policies success in targeting key growth drivers and sustaining economic stability

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

accelerate technological advancements Supporting micro and small enterprises with inclusive loans until 2024, the country also streamlines tax reductions for private companies engaged in cross-border business, affirming its commitment to promoting innovation and easing economic growth for all enterprises

The private sector a crucial catalyst for China s economic growth and innovation accounts for a substantial 70 percent of technological advancements

Rain washes away government claims in Karachi

AS the year progresses China intensifies its drive to bolster economic recovery, unveiling 28 measures aimed at addressing both internal and external challenges Emphasizing the significance of consumption and supporting the private sector officials and analysts emphasize these measures as vital in maintaining a steady path towards recovery In a resounding signal of support, China s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country’s top economic planner, and eight Chinese ministries unveiled 28 measures to bolster the private economy on Tuesday Issued a few days after the comprehensive guideline issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council on July 19 on bolstering the private economy, the 28 measures are specifically tailored to address the sector ’s most pressing challenges

Timely and targeted they signify the country s commitment to supporting private enterprises amidst economic headwinds Pledging fair access to major national projects and technological endeavors, increased financial and land assistance, and enhanced legal protection, China reaffirms its commitment to fortifying the private sector This move underscores the country’s determination to boost the private economy and foster a conducive environment for growth and innovation To further bolster the economic rebound in the latter half of 2023, additional stimulus actions, potentially including monetary policy adjustments, are also in the offing This proactive approach reflects China’s commitment to secure a resilient and sustainable economic trajectory amidst prevailing uncertainties

As per the National Development and Reform Commission, private capital will receive support to join lucrative and mature national projects, and real estate investment trust products will be issued for infrastructure ventures The Commission plans to unveil “green light” investment cases to facilitate the growth of the platform economy focusing on technologies and services em-

China’s strategic approach highlights its determination to navigate challenges and foster a resilient economic trajectory The comprehensive measures span market access incentive mechanisms and encouragement for private sector involvement in crucial projects Their detailed content facilitates effective implementation by local governments, ensuring specific private companies can experience the benefits these policies offer

A registry of profitable and mature major national projects will invite private firms to participate while the issuance of Real Estate Investment Trust products (REITs) for infrastructure ventures will surge Qualified private companies will be incentivized to issue REITs to boost private investment Additionally, the reserved 40 percent quota for private firms in government procurement will be extended until the end of 2023 These measures exemplify China s commitment to fostering private sector engagement in key areas of development

Private firms will be encouraged to take part in major science and technology projects, especially in crucial areas like industrial software cloud computing and artificial intelligence

The measures also involve continued support for green light investment cases granting approval for specific investment deals from private internet platforms, driving the platform economy forward By fostering cooperation between the private and public sectors through joint ventures and laboratories China aims to

The latest measures promise increased support for private enterprises to take the helm in science and technology projects encouraging further breakthroughs Embracing pragmatism these endeavours open doors for private firms to assume responsibility for major national ventures and drive innovation Facilitating cooperation between private and public entities, the measures facilitate joint ventures and laboratories, fostering accelerated technological breakthroughs Financially private businesses will receive eased tax reduction in research and development spending quicker export rebates and robust inclusive financial support Moreover more private firms will qualify to issue bonds

These measures reflect China s commitment to supporting and empowering the private sector

The concerted effort aims to harness the immense potential of private enterprises propelling China s scientific landscape towards greater heights In furthering fair market access government departments will bolster supply capacity for private firms in crucial industrial and supply chain segments

The focus is on nurturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to create characteristic industry clusters across counties nationwide This proactive approach aims to fortify the foundation of private enterprises and empower them to thrive in key sectors, fostering a robust and vibrant economic landscape Analysts anticipate a stable recovery for the Chinese economy in the second half of 2023 given the measures aimed at core growth drivers However success hinges on the effective implementation of these policies amid internal and external challenges

The writer is a freelance columnist

F i n a n c i a l l y, p r i v a t e b u s i n e s s e s w i l l r e c e i v e e a s e d t a x

r e d u c t i o n i n r e s e a r c h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t s p e n d i n g , q u i c k e r

e x p o r t r e b a t e s , a n d r o b u s t i n c l u s i v e f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t . M o r e o v e r, m o r e p r i v a t e f i r m s w i l l q u a l i f y t o i s s u e b o n d s . T h e s e m e a s u r e s r e f l e c t C h i n a Ês c o m m i t m e n t t o s u p p o r t i n g a n d e m p o w e r i n g t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r.

F O R the fourth time in around a month Karachi lay in chaos in the aftermath of another spell of monsoon rains on Thursday Flooded roads power breakdowns toppled trees roads choked with traffic damaged structures and authorities negligence and hollow promises – nothing was out of the ordinary for the city s residents as heavy downpours lashed the metropolis For the earlier part of the day, the city sizzled as temperature soared past 39 degrees celsius and sea breezes remained suspended With humidity levels rising from 79 per cent to 89 per cent later in the day the port city’s residents languished anticipating that the predicted rainfall would add to their misery Multiple roads including Sharae Faisal - the city s main artery - were soon flooded by rainwater which disrupted traffic on thoroughfares in the apparent absence of pre-emptive measures Besides Sharae Faisal and areas in its vicinity, other localities worst affected on Thursday included Nursery, Soldier Bazaar, Garden, Saddar, Burnes Road, North Karachi, New Karachi, Mehmoodabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and others

Terrorism is increasing day by day

T E R R O R I S M is a major problem in Pakistan and it has caused many innocent people to lose their lives It s important for the government and the people to work together to find ways to prevent terrorism and promote peace

Parents can help protect their children from terrorism by teaching them about safety measures, such as what to do in case of an emergency They can also educate their children about the dangers of extremist ideologies and encourage them to think critically and question what they hear Additionally, parents can help their children develop a strong sense of identity and belonging which can help protect them from the lure of extremist groups There is no one solution to overcoming terrorism but some ways to combat it include promoting education creating job opportunities and increasing security measures It s also important to address the underlying causes of terrorism, such as poverty and political instability The conclusion is that terrorism is a complex problem that requires a multifaceted solution It’s important for everyone to work together to address the underlying causes of terrorism and promote peace and stability

Monsoon destruction

T H E term moonsoon is used to refer the rainy phase of a seasonally changing pattern It s effects are visible in such a way that it causes wet and dry season throughout the year Monsoon is likely to be start on July to September vanishing most important parts of country with the adequate rainfall It has been active in most parts of Karachi now seeing the roads flooded and causes of unhiegenic environment

It is to be consider a fact that every find rain destruction is hitting Pakistan very hardly especially the monsoon heavy rain and urban flooding Karachi was the most affected city of Pakistan receiving monsoon ràin and the problems of sewerage hurts the residents very much There is seen the mixture of rain water and sewerage making the situation harsh Now we are taught to be alert by a monsoon warning and tropical storm in majority parts of Sindh and areas of Balochistan Consequentl the rain situation has created bundle of issues From the 1st of July weather system is likely to interact with monsoon The meteorological department has issued an alert for thunderstorms in more than a dozen So therefore government should maintain the preparations of monsoon this time and the problem of citizens too

Tragedy causes raises questions about how R ailways is run

s p r o a c t i v e m e a

Malik MuhaMMad ashraf

TH E global movement towards sustainable electric vehicle battery recycling is gaining momentum as the world grapples with the challenges posed by climate change In recent years the electric vehicle market has experienced significant growth driven by the adoption of cleaner and more sustainable transportation options As electric vehicles become increasingly popular, the use of lithium-ion batteries has become widespread due to their ability to provide efficient and reliable power However, with the increasing number of electric vehicles on the roads, a new challenge arises - the proper recycling and disposal of the large number of batteries that will soon reach the end of their service life

The urgency to find an effective recycling strategy for waste electric vehicle batteries stems from the potential environmental pollution caused by improper disposal As estimates suggest that by 2025, 11 million tons of waste lithium-ion batteries will flood the market without a proper recycling system in place the need for action becomes evident To effectively deal with climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions it is essential to utilize existing battery resources efficiently to avoid pollution from toxic waste and ensure a steady supply of raw materials with minimal environmental costs

The environmental hazards posed by waste electric vehicle batteries are considerable When these batteries are damaged or subjected to extreme temperatures they can become highly dangerous The risk of thermal runaway a phenomenon where the battery s temperature increases uncontrollably due to a chemical reaction leading to fires and explosions, is a significant concern Fires caused by battery explosions can release toxic gases and pose severe risks to human health and the environment

Additionally the transportation of electric vehicle batteries can contribute to global air pollution and negatively impact the environment Emissions of pollutants such as PM10 SO2 and NOx from electric vehicle transportation particularly lithium-ion batteries, can lead to acidification and eutrophication of water bodies, photochemical air pollution, and adverse effects on human health

Furthermore, high concentrations of lithium from waste batteries can be harmful to aquatic organisms plants and animals Low doses of lithium have been

R e v i v i n g p o w e r r e s p o n s i b l y

Innovations in elec tric vehicle batter y rec ycling will enable a S ustainable Future

found to inhibit the proliferation and growth of aquatic organisms, disrupting the balance of ecosystems Lithium accumulation in plants can lead to damage to their growth and development, impacting agriculture and the food chain In humans, exposure to high levels of lithium can lead to various health issues including effects on the nervous system kidney and endocrine system

Addressing these environmental hazards and ensuring the sustainable development of the electric vehicle market requires effective battery recycling technologies

Cascade utilization is a valuable strategy that involves repurposing retired electric vehicle batteries for secondary uses in various applications Approximately 70 percent of a battery’s capacity can still be utilized after it no longer meets the requirements for primary use in electric vehicles These batteries can find applications in fields like energy storage, photovoltaic power generation, and low- and high-speed electric vehicles Ultrasonic recovery is another promising technology for battery recycling It utilizes high-power ultrasound to separate active materials from composite electrodes in a continuous flow process This technology enables the electrode to delaminate within seconds effectively removing valuable materials from the battery for recycling purposes

As the demand for electric vehicles and energy storage continues to rise, researchers are exploring alternative battery technologies to address the potential shortage of lithium resources Sodium-ion batteries have emerged as a promising candidate for next-generation batteries

Sodium unlike lithium is widely available and its chemical composition is similar to lithium making it a cost-

effective and sustainable alternative By replacing lithium-ion batteries with sodium-ion batteries, it may be possible to address concerns about lithium resource availability and create a more sustainable battery market

However, challenges remain in developing optimized electrode materials and electrolytes with stable sodium storage capacity Research efforts are ongoing to unlock the full potential of sodium-ion batteries and ensure their commercial viability in the future

Efforts are also being made to improve the recycling process of lithium-ion batteries One approach involves the development of closed-loop recycling systems, where manufacturers take back used batteries and recycle them to produce new batteries This approach ensures that valuable materials are reclaimed reducing the need for raw materials and minimizing waste In addition to closed-loop recycling there are efforts to improve the recycling efficiency through advanced sorting and separation technologies These technologies can enhance the recovery of valuable materials from waste batteries, making the recycling process more cost-effective and environmentally friendly

The adoption of electric vehicles not only presents environmental challenges but also creates opportunities for the development of a circular economy In a circular economy, the focus is on reducing waste and maximizing the value of resources by keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible The recycling and repurposing of waste electric vehicle batteries are crucial components of this circular economy approach By effectively recycling and reusing battery materials we can reduce the demand for new raw materials minimize en-

A dd r e s s i n g t h e ch a l l e n g e s o f b a t t e r y r e cy cl i n g a n d d ev e l o p m e n t r e q u i r e s c o l l a b o r a t i v e e f fo r t s f ro m i n d u s t r y, g ov e r n m e n t s , r e s e a rch e rs , a n d c o n s u m e rs B y p r i o r i t i z i n g r e s e a rch , i n n ova t i o n , a n d t h e a d o p t i o n o f s u s t a i n a bl e p r a c t i c e s , w e c a n e n s u r e t h a t e l e c t r i c v e h i cl e s c o n t r i bu t e t o a cl e a n e r a n d m o r e s u s t a i n a bl e wo r l d T h ro u g h r e s p o n s i bl e m a n ag e m e n t , r e cy cl i n g , a n d t h e a d o p t i o n o f c i rc u l a r e c o n o my p r i n c i p l e s , w e c a n p av e t h e w ay fo r a f u t u r e w h e r e e l e c t r i c v e h i cl e s p l ay a v i t a l ro l e i n a ch i ev i n g g l o b a l cl i m a t e g o a l s a n d c r e a t i n g a m o r e s u s t a i n a bl e p l a n e t fo r g e n e r a t i o n s t o c o m e

vironmental impacts and create economic value

In addition to recycling technologies advancements in battery design and manufacturing can also contribute to more sustainable electric vehicle batteries Designing batteries with ease of disassembly and recyclability in mind can simplify the recycling process and reduce the environmental burden Moreover, the use of sustainable and ecofriendly materials in battery manufacturing can further enhance the overall sustainability of electric vehicles

Promoting consumer awareness and responsibility is also vital in ensuring the success of battery recycling efforts Educating consumers about the importance of proper battery disposal and encouraging them to participate in battery recycling programmes can significantly improve recycling rates Government policies and regulations can play a crucial role in supporting battery recycling initiatives by establishing clear guidelines and incentives for manufacturers consumers and recycling facilities

The global movement towards sustainable electric vehicle battery recycling is critical for mitigating the impact of climate change and promoting a cleaner and greener future Proper recycling and disposal of waste electric vehicle batteries are essential to reduce environmental pollution and protect human health Cascade utilization and ultrasonic recovery technologies offer promising solutions for maximizing the value of retired electric vehicle batteries and reducing waste Moreover the development of alternative battery technologies, such as sodium-ion batteries, holds the potential to revolutionize the battery market, providing a more abundant and cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries

Addressing the challenges of battery recycling and development requires collaborative efforts from industry governments researchers and consumers By prioritizing research, innovation, and the adoption of sustainable practices, we can ensure that electric vehicles contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable world Through responsible management, recycling, and the adoption of circular economy principles we can pave the way for a future where electric vehicles play a vital role in achieving global climate goals and creating a more sustainable planet for generations to come

The writer is Assistant Director Sindh Environmental Protection Agency He can be reached at fayyazsalih@gmail com and tweets @fayyazSHussain

Is the digital dollar dead?

estimates that in 2021

5 9 million US households were unbanked Besides that, Grey argues, cash has unique social features that we should be careful to preserve, including its privacy and anonymity No one can trace how you spend your coins and bills “I think anonymity is a social good ” he says

IT S summer 2020 The world is under a series of lockdowns as the pandemic continues to run its course And in academic and foreign policy circles, digital currencies are one of the hottest topics in town China is well on its way to launching its own central bank digital currency, or CBDC, and many other countries have launched CBDC research projects Even Facebook has proposed a global digital currency called Libra

So when the Boston branch of the US Federal Reserve announces Project Hamilton, a collaboration with MIT s Digital Currency Initiative, to research how a CBDC might be technically designed it doesn’t raise many eyebrows A hypothetical US central bank digital currency is hardly controversial after all And the US cannot afford to be left behind

How things change Three years later the digital dollar even though it doesn t exist and the Fed says it has no plans to issue one has become political red meat Tapping into voters widespread opposition to government surveillance, a group of anti-CBDC politicians has emerged with the message that the digital dollar is something to fear

It s difficult to pinpoint when the dynamic changed but a distinct brand of CBDC alarmism seemed to pick up after President Joe Biden signed an executive order in March 2022 stating that his administration would “[place] the highest urgency on research and development efforts into the potential design and deployment options of a United States CBDC ”

Now legislators in both houses of Congress have introduced bills aimed at making sure a CBDC doesn t see the light of day Presidential candidates are even campaigning against it

Not only does the Fed have no plans to issue a digital currency, but it has repeatedly said it wouldn’t do so without authorization from Congress

THE CASE FOR CASH: Opponents of a hypothetical US CBDC cast it as a solution in search of a problem

Dollars are already digital, after all If you paid with a debit card recently, did you not pay with digital dollars?

China’s move to pilot a consumer central bank digital currency is not reason by itself to pursue one, they argue Libra failed to launch; a global digital currency run by a tech company is no longer an issue What purpose would a government-issued digital currency serve other than to give the government a tool for financial surveillance and control?

But there is a problem probably one that you ve noticed yourself Physical cash is going away Fewer and fewer vendors are accepting bills and coins On top of that consumers are simply choosing to

Last year Grey helped author a US House bill called the Electronic Currency and Secure Hardware Act (ECASH) The legislation, which was introduced by Representative Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, would have directed the Department of Treasury to create a digital dollar that could be used both online and offline and have cash-like features “including anonymity privacy and minimal generation of data from transaction DeSantis and other CBDC opponents most likely agree with Grey that we should replicate the privacy of cash in digital form after all, they claim to be defending Americans against a financial surveillance state But whereas Grey is advocating for a government-controlled system they seem to prefer something more like decentralized cryptocurrency networks which are not controlled by any central authority DeSantis recently signed a bill explicitly banning a centralized digital dollar in Florida, apparently leaving the door open for one that is decentralized Representative Tom Emmer of Minnesota, who introduced a bill this year that would prohibit the Fed from issuing a digital currency has said multiple times that a CBDC must be open permissionless and private Permissionless is a term enthusiasts use for crypto networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum which are open to anyone with an internet connection

A SPECTRUM OF POSSIBLE DESIGNS: It is not clear how currency issued by a central bank could ever be controlled by a permissionless crypto network And Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies have privacy issues of their own Though users are pseudonymous information about the sender, the recipient, and the amount of every transaction is published on the blockchain Investigators are skilled at using clues, like personal information that users share with crypto exchanges, to discover users’ real identities

Either way using a blockchain network won t suffice says Grey because many of the same people who rely on cash also lack internet access He envisions cards that could be tapped together or to smartphones to transfer value anonymously, online or offline Like physical dollars, the digital stand-ins would be so-called bearer instruments meaning that possession gives the holder rights to ownership There are a number of unanswered technical questions about how to pull all this off securely however a fact that Grey acknowledges

Unanswered technical questions were also the motivation behind Project Hamilton The researchers set out to investigate possible designs for a “resilient transaction processor” that could handle at minimum tens of thousands of transactions per second the capacity they determined necessary to handle the volume of retail transactions in the US But they also sought to develop a transaction processor that was flexible enough in its design to leave open a range of options for other parts of the system, like technologies for privacy and offline payments

T h e s o f t w a r e t h e y c a m e u p w i t h d o e s n o t u s e a blockchain but it borrows components from Bitcoin

Neha Narula director of the Digital Currency Initiative at the MIT Media Lab says it s possible to break a b l o c k c h a i n s y s t e m d o w n i n t o i t s c o m p o n e n t p a r t s and then apply some but not all of those pieces in a different context

need this property since it would be run by a central bank Another property of blockchains is known as Byzantine fault tolerance (BFT), which allows the network to keep functioning even if malicious participants are acting dishonestly The Hamilton team decided they could assume that since the system would be run by a single central bank there wouldn t be malicious participants and so BFT wouldn t be required Ditching BFT and decentralized governance has its benefits In Bitcoin, maintaining them both makes the system expensive and slow to run, in part because data must be replicated on every computer on the network

The result is that Bitcoin can only process around seven transactions per second In early 2022 the Hamilton team demonstrated a system capable of processing 1 7 million transactions per second much faster than even the Visa network, which Visa claims is able to process 65,000 transactions per second

Like Bitcoin, Hamilton’s transaction processor used cryptographic signatures to authorize payments It also used Bitcoin’s method for recording transactions called the unspent transaction outputs (UTXO) model which stops people from spending the same coin twice

Narula stresses that Project Hamilton was a first step toward understanding how a CBDC might be designed The team made the software open source so that other teams could build on it But it was not advocating for specific design decisions There is a spectrum of possible CBDC designs ranging from traditional bank accounts that the Fed offers directly to consumers (currently it only offers accounts to banks) to something that looks like a digital bearer instrument, Narula says Besides demonstrating the ability to handle lots of transactions, Hamilton also showed that “if designers want to it’s possible to build a system that stores very little data about transactions users and even outstanding balances says Narula

SO WHAT’S NEXT? Nonetheless, not even a fundamental research project like Hamilton was able to escape the ire of anti-CBDC politicians

In December of last year, Emmer and eight other members of Congress sent a letter to the president of the Boston Fed arguing that there had been insufficient visibility into the interaction between Project Hamilton and the private sector The legislators cited an FAQ from the Project Hamilton report stating that the Fed had been working with government, academia, and the private sector” to learn about “potential use cases, a range of design options and other considerations” related to CBDCs

The letter went on to ask several questions including whether the Boston Fed intended to fund startups interested in designing CBDCs and whether any firms involved in the project might be able to exploit a regulatory advantage over competitors

Emmer ’s office did not respond to MIT Technology Review’s questions regarding whether it ever received answers to the questions in the letter But the Federal Reserve does not invest in startups And it s not surprising that Project Hamilton would openly take input from the private sector because many of the most innovative ideas for digital currency technology lie in the commercial arena

an emailed statement, adding that the Boston Fed continues to contribute to ongoing Federal Reserve System research that aims to deepen the Federal Reserve’s understanding of the technology that could support the issuance of a CBDC The spokesperson also reiterated that the Fed has made no decision on issuing a CBDC and would only proceed with the issuance of a CBDC with an authorizing law

According to MIT’s Narula, the collaboration with the Boston Fed “reached a natural end ” But the Digital Currency Initiative has continued working on the research project formerly known as Hamilton and still hopes to publish some of that work The only way to really truly understand these types of systems is to build and test them, she says

TAKE ACTION AGAINST BIG LOAN DEFAULTERS

B a n g l a d e s h n o w h o l d s t h e s e co n d p o s i t i o n i n S o u t h A s i a i n t e r m s o f b a d l o a n ra t i o, a cco rd i n g t o a Wo r l d B a n k re p o r t

STAR E d i to r i a l

OU R apex court s frustration at the present state of defaulted loans in Bangladesh is a sentiment shared by many people

According to a report in this daily, an Appellate Division bench, headed by the chief justice remarked on Monday that those with loans worth hundreds of crores of taka were getting away with not paying their debts off while farmers with small loans were being harassed for failing to make regular payments We completely agree with the court s observation and believe that, given the financial crisis that the country is going through, it is high time some tough actions were taken to redress this persistent problem

Non-performing loans (NPLs) have been a thorn in our side for decades but now it is turning into blight for our economy And we have gotten into this situation because of the leeway that has periodically been provided to habitual loan defaulters The result: Bangladesh now holds the second position in South Asia in terms of bad loan ratio according to a World Bank report We are behind Sri Lanka only but that should not provide any comfort considering the collapse of Sri Lanka s economy last year The amount of defaulted loans in Bangladesh, which stood at Tk 120,656 crore at the end of December 2022, jumped by Tk 11,000 crore in just three months rising to Tk 131 620 crore at the end of March 2023 according to the Bangladesh Bank Experts have been raising concern over the upsurge in defaulted loans for years pointing out the severe implications for both the banking sector and the economy overall

US, plenty of people rely on bills and coins because they don’t have bank accounts and can’t get credit or debit cards The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

For example, one piece is a blockchain’s decentralized nature, which makes it possible to run a cryptocurrency system without relying on any one person to control it The team decided that a CBDC would not

The Fed, which aims to stay out of politics whenever possible hasn’t stopped doing research on CBDCs says Darrell Duffie a professor of finance at Stanford’s graduate school of business But it has slowed considerably and nobody is charging ahead openly the way Hamilton did, he says Duffie speculates that maybe Project Hamilton would have had another phase if it had not been for Emmer ’s letter A spokesperson for the Boston Fed declined to answer questions about Phase 2 Project Hamilton “was completed at the end of 2022 the spokesperson said in

We all know what the solution is: stop being lenient to big loan defaulters The extraordinary lenience that the government has shown big borrowers through debt rescheduling and relaxation of rules has gotten our banking sector in a quagmire that it is struggling to pull itself out of High volume of NPLs is one of the three major domestic risks that our economy faces, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – something that our own economic experts have been flagging for years

Fayyaz Salih huSSain

Prominent politicians want to make sure a central bank digital currenc y never happens in the US just as we’ve learned the basics of how one might work

H I R O S H I M A C A L L S N U C L E A R D ET E R R E N C E

LY ’ O N 7 8 T H B O M B A N N I V E R S A R Y

TOKYO JAPAN

JA PA N on Sunday marked the 78th anniversary of the US atomic bombing on Hiroshima where its mayor urged the abolition of nuclear weapons and called the Group of Seven leaders notion of nuclear deterrence a folly

The day to commemorate the victims of the world’s first nuclear attack comes as Russia has raised the spectre of using nuclear weapons in its war with Ukraine

It also comes as biopic Oppenheimer , chronicling the creation of the atomic bomb, has become a box-office hit in the United States Some have criticised the film for largely ignoring the weapons’ destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – bombed three days later on August 9 1945 The film s release in Japan has yet to be announced Also causing controversy in Japan, the distributor of “Barbie”, a blockbuster released on the same day as “Oppenheimer latched on to fan-produced

Barbenheimer memes that depicted the actors in the title roles alongside images of nuclear blasts Hiroshima was in the spotlight in May where Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hosted a G7 summit in the western city his home constituency G7 leaders issued a statement expressing their commitment to achieving disarmament

Freedom suppressed all over India but most severely in J&K: Chidambaram

A G E N C I E S

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said that freedom is suppressed all over India but it is most severely suppressed in Jammu and Kashmir

In a tweet, Chidambaram said, The Government and the LG of Jammu & Kashmir celebrate the ‘peace’ that has descended on the State (now UT) after the abrogation of Article 37 ” “I wish to quote President (John) Kennedy who warned against the peace of the grave and the silence of the slave the former home minister said

If there is so much peace in Jammu and Kashmir, why has the government put Mehbooba Mufti under house arrest and sealed the offices of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference

Chidambaram asked

The Modi government on August 5 2019 had revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh

R: Anti-Terrorism Squad

(ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested a 30year-old man from Islamabad district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir dubbing him an over-ground worker of a mujahid organization Special director general (law and order) Prashant Kumar said the arrested man was identified as Firdaus Ahmad Dar

2 dead, 57 rescued from migrant shipwrecks off Italy’s Lampedusa

LAMPEDUSA ISLAND

A G E N C I E S

Italy s coastguard said on Sunday it had recovered two bodies and rescued 57 people off the southern island of Lampedusa, amid reports that more than 30 people were missing following two shipwrecks

The Ansa news agency citing survivors’ accounts reported that two migrant boats that had set off from the port of Sfax a hotspot for Tunisia s migration crisis had sunk on Saturday on their way to Europe

One was carrying 48 people, the second 42, Ansa said, adding that the coastguard found the survivors about 23 nautical miles (46 km) south-west of Lampedusa, as well as the two victims – a woman from Ivory Coast and her one-year-old child

A coastguard spokesperson said he could only confirm the number of survivors and the recovery of two bodies

More than 2,000 people have arrived in Lampedusa in the last few days after being rescued at sea by Italian patrol boats and NGO groups, as strong winds further complicate the situation around the island

but said that as long as nuclear weapons existed, they should serve to deter aggression and prevent war

On Sunday a peace bell tolled at 8:15 a m (2315 GMT on Saturday) the time the bomb was dropped About 50 000 participants in the outdoor memorial ceremony including ageing survivors observed a moment of silence,

with the summer heat hitting 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) Leaders around the world must confront the reality that nuclear threats now being voiced by certain policymakers reveal the folly of nuclear deterrence theory, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui said at the ceremony also attended by Kishida

The prime minister said the road to a world without nuclear weapons was getting steeper due in part to Russia s nuclear threats, but that this made it all the more important to bring back international momentum towards that goal United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his support World leaders have visited this city seen its monuments spoken with its brave survivors and emerged emboldened to take up the cause of nuclear disarmament, he said in remarks read by a U N representative “More should do so, because the drums of nuclear war are beating once again ” The bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6 nicknamed Little Boy killed thousands instantly and about 140,000 by the end of the year Japan surrendered on August 15

1 4 d e a d a s t o r r e n t i a l ra i n s l a s h n o r t h C h i n a

BEIJING

At least 14 people are dead after torrential rain hit China s northeastern Jilin province, state media reported Sunday, the latest fatalities from more than a week of weather-related disasters across the country China has been hit with record heavy rains in recent weeks with Beijing saying Friday that natural disasters had caused 147 deaths or disappearances last month

A further 14 deaths and one missing person were reported on Sunday by state-run broadcaster CCTV citing local authorities after heavy rain in the northeastern city of Shulan

Heavy rains in the area had now “basically ended”, state news agency Xinhua said with almost 19 000 evacuated and 21 temporary relocation facilities set up Torrential rain brought on in the aftermath of Storm Doksuri, which hit mainland China as a typhoon be-

RIYADH

A G E N C I E S Saudi Arabia is hosting talks on the Ukraine war in the latest flexing of its diplomatic muscle, a session that Kyiv acknowledged would “not be easy” given the wide range of countries represented The meeting which Ukrainian organisers had said would include representatives from around 40 countries but not Russia, began on Saturday in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah, participants said Agenda of the session features three hours of statements from various delegations before a two-hour closed discussion and a dinner

I predict that the conversation will not be easy, but the truth is on our side, Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, said in an interview broadcast earlier

“We have many disagreements and we have heard many positions

fore veering northwards is the most severe since records began 140 years ago Clean-up operations are ongoing after the overwhelming rainfall which destroyed infrastructure and flooded entire districts

And authorities have warned that in parts of two major rivers in Heilongjiang and Jilin, water levels surpassed the alert line , Xinhua reported CCTV broadcast video of recovery efforts in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang showing

villagers using shovels to clear muddy water from buildings

Millions of people have been hit by extreme weather events and prolonged heatwaves around the globe in recent weeks events that scientists say are being exacerbated by climate change Officials also said Saturday that at least 10 people had been killed in floods in a city in Hebei province, one of the most affected by the rains where more than 1 5 million people have been evacuated

Elon Musk said in a social media post that his proposed cage fight with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg would be live-streamed on social media platform X formerly known as Twitter

The social media moguls have been egging each other into a mixed martial arts cage match in Las Vegas since June

“Zuck v Musk fight will be live-streamed on X All proceeds will go to charity for veterans ” Musk said in a post on X early on Sunday morning without giving any further details

Earlier on Sunday Musk had said on X that he was lifting weights throughout the day, preparing for the fight , adding that he did not have time to work out so brings the weights to work

When a user on X asked Musk the point of the fight Musk responded by saying “It’s a civilised form of war Men love war Meta did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on Musk s post

The brouhaha began when Musk said in a June 20 post that he was “up for a cage match” with Zuckerberg, who is trained in jiujitsu

A day later Zuckerberg 39 who has posted pictures of matches he has won on his company s Instagram platform asked Musk 51 to send location for the proposed throwdown to which Musk replied Vegas Octagon , referring to an events centre where mixed martial arts (MMA) championship bouts are held Musk then said he would start training if the cage fight took shape

N i g e r m i l i t a r y o n b r i n k o f W e s t A f r i c a n b l o c ’ s d e a d l i n e t o r e v e r s e c o u p

Pressure on the leaders of a coup in Niger mounted Sunday with the approach of the West African bloc s deadline for the military to relinquish control or face possible armed intervention

The ECOWAS bloc, chaired by regional military powerhouse and Niger ’s neighbour Nigeria had given the troops that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 a week to return him to power ECOWAS military chiefs of staff have agreed on a plan for a possible intervention to respond to the crisis, the latest of several coups to hit Africa s Sahel region since 2020

“We want diplomacy to work, and we want this message clearly transmitted to them (the military) that we are giving them every opportunity to reverse what they have done ECOWAS commissioner AbdelFatau Musah said on Friday

But he warned that all the elements that will go into any eventual intervention have been worked out , including how and when force would be deployed Niger ’s military leaders have said they will meet force with force

In the dusty alleyways of Niamey s Boukoki neighbourhood the prospect of an armed intervention by ECOWAS is met with defiance

We re going to fight for this revolution We re not going to retreat faced with the enemy, we’re determined,” said Boukoki resident Adama Oumarou

but it is important that we share our principles,” added Yermak, who also heads Kyiv’s delegation to Jeddah Our task is to unite the whole world around Ukraine Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb 24 last year, failing in its attempt to take the capital but seizing swathes of eastern territory that Western-backed Ukrainian troops are fighting to recapture Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky s office said this week that the meeting would focus on his 10-point peace formula that calls for the full withdrawal of Russian troops and restoration of Ukraine’s borders including the territory of Crimea annexed by Russia since 2014

However Russia has in the past made it clear that any negotiations would need to take into account “new territorial realities”

B R I N G I N G I N B R I C S : The Jeddah meeting follows talks in

Copenhagen in June that were designed to be informal and did not yield an official statement US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is leading Washington s delegation to the Saudi city a senior White House official said While Washington does not expect a major breakthrough or joint statements to come out of Saturday’s session diplomats instead said the Ukraine-organised meetings were intended to engage a range of countries in debates about a path towards peace notably members of the BRICS bloc with Russia that have adopted a more neutral stance on the war in contrast to Western powers China which says it is a neutral party in the conflict but has been criticised by Western countries for refusing to condemn Russia, announced it would send its special representative for Eurasian affairs Li Hui to the meeting

“We were waiting for this coup for a long time When it arrived we breathed a sigh of relief she said Algeria itself an economic and military power on the continent which shares a long land border with Niger has warned against a military solution We categorically refuse any military intervention, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said in a television interview Saturday evening adding that such action would be “a direct threat to Algeria”

He stressed there will be no solution without us

(Algeria) We are the first people affected Algeria shares nearly a thousand kilometres of border with Niger, he said

“What is the situation today in countries that have experienced military intervention?,” he said, pointing to Libya and Syria Former colonial power France with which Niger s new rulers broke military ties after taking power said it would firmly back whatever course of action ECOWAS took after the deadline expired Niger has played a key part in Western strategies to combat jihadist insurgencies that have plagued the Sahel since 2012 with France and the United States stationing around 1 500 and 1 000 troops in the country respectively

Sweden sends holders US spinning out of World Cup af ter penalty drama

MELBOURNE

The United States long reign as Women s World Cup holders was brought to an end in the most dramatic fashion as they were dumped out on penalties by Sweden, who joined the Netherlands in reaching the quarter-finals on Sunday Sweden face Japan in the last eight as the drama and shocks just kept coming at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand

The Netherlands beat South Africa 2-0 and meet Spain

Their last-16 defeat after the game ended 0-0 after 120 minutes was the United States’ earliest exit in their Women s World Cup history and leaves European champions England now the firm favourites

Just devastated, feels like a bad dream, veteran striker Alex Morgan, for so many years one of the faces of the all-conquering Americans told Fox Sports

The USA have long been the dominant force in international women s football: they have won the World Cup four times and were chasing an unprecedented third title in a row Vlatko Andonovski s side were the better team against Sweden in Melbourne but they

could not beat goalkeeper Zecira Musovic and then lost their nerve in the penalty shootout

Megan Rapinoe, a two-time World Cup winner who was desperate to end her career with another title missed her spot-kick before the Swedes sealed the deal 5-4 on sudden-death penalties

Even then the end was excruciatingly tense US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher thought she had saved Lina Hurtig’s kick but VAR ruled it had just crossed the line

Cue belated pandemonium among the Sweden squad and tears for the Americans who despite dominating large periods of the game just never got going at this World Cup

They were held 1-1 by the Netherlands in the group phase in a rerun of the 2019 final and likewise 0-0 by debutants Portugal, meaning they squeezed into the last 16

“This team was a really special team I just feel like everyone just got along really well added Morgan

It s a tough one to swallow Sweden next face a Japan team who have been the sensation of the tournament so far

The 2011 champions eased into the last eight with a 3-1 win over Norway on Saturday

We were facing a really tough opponent today and somehow we managed to get to

the penalty shootout, where we showed a lot of courage, said Musovic, who was named player of the match “I’m extremely proud of the girls that we could go there and win the game “It’s a huge win for us I had a really good feeling before the game England face Nigeria in Brisbane on Monday hoping to avoid another shock, before cohosts Australia face Denmark in Sydney – Dutch delight –

Earlier Sunday the Netherlands secured their spot in the quarter-finals by ending South Africa s historic run

The Dutch runners-up in 2019 suffered some anxious moments in front of 40,000 fans in Sydney and had goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar to thank for making several big saves in the first half Jill Roord scored after nine minutes to put the Dutch on their way against a team that sits 45 places below them in the world rankings and was featuring in the knockout rounds for the first time

South Africa goalkeeper Kaylin Swart then made a mess of an innocuous Lineth Beerensteyn shot midway through the second half to gift the Dutch a second The African champions will be kicking

themselves after having numerous chances in the opening 45 minutes, almost all of them falling to their livewire captain Thembi Kgatlana “Daphne saved us a few times and I was happy to lead 1-0 at half-time ” said Dutch coach Andries Jonker We did much better in the second half and had much more control of the game We deserved to score again and in the end deserved to win ”

His team will now return to New Zealand for Friday s last-eight game in Wellington against Spain, who outclassed Switzerland 5-1 on Saturday South Africa coach Desiree Ellis was proud but felt her side should have won We had a lot of chances especially in the first half, to kill off the game, she said The chances we created should have put us out of sight ”

S a u d i d i ve s i n t o U k r a i n e p e a c e p u s h w i t h J e d d a h t a l k s

CORPORATE CORNER Pak-Mal aysia deterMined to enhance bil ateral trade already reached $1.8b: hc a zl an

PM&DC successfully conduc ts step -1 of NRE

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM&DC) with aim to reform and improve healthcare education and service delivery standards working tirelessly with all stakeholders and successfully conducted NRE Examination at 4 Venues of the country i e Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and Rawalpindi 2675 candidates appeared in the NRE The candidates were given best possible facilities so that they can be able to give the exam in a good environment NRE step one exam conducted was a theoretical MCQ based basic & clinical sciences evaluation exam for foreign medical graduates to qualify Candidates who successfully clears the NRE step 1 will be eligible for NRE step 2 which is clinical evaluation for permanent license The whole purpose of the NRE is to test the competency knowledge and skills of a graduate to ensure they are a safe doctor as they would be granted a license to treat patients independently PR

Eradic ation of power pilferage to help ensure affordable power supply:

IESCO CEO

ISLAMABAD: In view of the damage caused to the country s economy due to electricity theft organized operations against electricity thieves and their facilitators are going on in all operation circles of IESCO IESCO operation, M&T and surveillance teams caught 3554 cases of electricity theft during July 2023, out of which 3507 meters were found to be slow 44 meters were being supplied with direct electricity while holes were found in 2 meters More than 56 11 million fines have been imposed on the concerned consumers by charging 1 76 million units and requests for legal action have also been given in the concerned police stations Chief Executive IESCO Dr Muhammad Amjad Khan has said that the elimination of electricity theft is a joint responsibility of both the organization and the people He has requested the consumers to immediately report it to the concerned SDO, Helpline No 118 or Complaint and Monitoring Cell IESCO Islamabad No 0519252933-34 if they see anyone stealing electricity The name of the reporting user will be kept confidential PR

KU VC reviews postgraduate admission 2023 preparations

KARACHI: University of Karachi Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi on Saturday chaired a meeting to review preparations of the Postgraduate Admission Committee 2023 and Directorate of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for the postgraduate entry test which will be held on Sunday (today), August 06, 2023

The KU Convener PAC 2023 Prof Dr Anila Amber Malik informed the KU VC Khalid Iraqi that the deans of all faculties chairpersons and faculty members were also briefed in detail about the policy and procedure which will be followed to conduct the entry test Dr Anila Malik said that the candidates are directed to report at their respective departments and centers at 09:30 am along with their admit and CNICs The entrance test will start at 10:00 am sharp She mentioned that 3011 candidates completed their applications and applied for admission in different departments and centers for MPhil M S PhD MS (Surgery) and MD (Medicines) and LLM programs while admit cards were issued to 2847 applicants, which are uploaded on their admission portal PR

SI-UK Pakistan hosts educ ation expo

ISLAMABAD: SI-UK Pakistan, the leading educational consultancy, is having education expo today in Islamabad Marriott hotel which was started at 10 in the morning and finished at 5pm This event has provided relevant information to students parents and educators with a unique opportunity to explore educational opportunities both in the UK and abroad

This Education Expo is one of the most important events in the academic calendar, attracting hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of visitors each year This year's event promises to be bigger and better than ever with over 150 UK and international universities colleges and schools expected to be in attendance

The Education Expo will offer visitors a chance to meet with university representatives learn about various academic programs, receive guidance on admission requirements, and explore funding opportunities Visitors will also have the opportunity to attend informative seminars on a variety of topics related to higher education and career development PR

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

tH E High Commissioner (HC) of Malaysia to Pakistan, Ambassador Mohammad Azhar Mazlan has said that the annual bilateral trade volume between Pakistan and Malaysia has surpassed USD $1 8 billion and both nations are determined to further strengthen their trade and investment collaboration in multiple sectors

Addressing a ceremony organized for honoring Pakistan’s former participants of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program (MTCP) the High Commissioner emphasized the untapped potential for growth stating that Pakistan and Malaysia have the capacity to increase trade volume up to USD $ 10 billion annually

Ambassador Azhar Mazlan under-

scored the significance of mutual collaboration given that both Pakistan and Malaysia are integral partners in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with Pakistan implementing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the BRI framework He said “We believe in fostering stronger ties between our two nations and leveraging our respective strengths for mutual growth and prosperity Together, we can achieve remarkable outcomes and create a brighter future for both Malaysia and Pakistan ”

The High Commissioner highlighted MTCP’s history and success since its inception in 1980 spanning an impressive 43 years Under this program around 764 Pakistani officials have received training in various crucial sectors, including nation-building, anti-corruption, Islamic finance, taxation, counterterrorism and

good governance He expressed immense pride in this program, considering it an essential foreign policy tool for Malaysia

Emphasizing the historical ties, the High Commissioner said that the formal bilateral ties between Malaysia and Pakistan date back following Malaysia s independence in 1957 and have since grown stronger over the years This relationship has now extended into key multiple areas, among others, encompassing culture and tourism, education, defense, technical assistance on human resource development trade and investment

Acknowledging the significant educational ties between the two countries the High Commissioner revealed that currently, Malaysia is hosting around 5,000 Pakistani students pursuing their academic dreams

Global rice price index reaches record high in 12 years

LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T

The world rice price index of the United Nations Food Agency (UNFA) experienced a notable 2 8 percent rise in July as compared to June reaching the highest level recorded in almost 12 years

The overall world food price index also notably rebounded in July after experiencing two-year lows, said a UNFA report issued here

This hike in prices was mainly driven by excessive demand in key

exporting countries and India s decision to restrict its rice exports, it said

The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s All Rice Price Index (ARPI) that tracks rice prices among major exporting nations estimated an average of 129 7 points last month, a notable rise from June s 126 2 points

Likewise, the score from July was much higher nearly 20 percent than the same adjacent period in the previous year reaching 108 4 points marking the highest level since September 2011, the report reads

It is worth mentioning here that India, being a key player in the global rice market provider, with 40 percent of world rice exports restricted its largest rice export category to stabilise domestic prices that had increased to multi-yearhighs due to unpredictable weather and floods affecting production Countries such as Pakistan, Vietnam Thailand and Cambodia are also prominent rice exporters while China Benin Philippines Senegal Malaysia and Nigeria remain key importers of the food staple

Finance professionals suggest rebound in confidence stalled, but no downturn imminent

The latest economic conditions survey from ACCA and IMA of accountants and CFOs across the globe suggests that the sharp rebound in global confidence in the aftermath of Russia s invasion of Ukraine has ended Ongoing aggressive interest rate hikes by central banks, and China’s weaker than expected economic recovery, have likely weighed on confidence offsetting any benefit from receding fears of a global banking crisis and falling inflation

There is no evidence that a global recession is on the cards though Sentiment at the global level remains around its long-term average, as do the key New orders, Capital expenditure, and Employment indices

There were some notable regional trends Confidence fell sharply in Asia-Pacific and the export-sensitive Western Europe But confidence in North America

actually rose for the fourth consecutive quarter, with gains in the New orders Capital expenditure and Employment indices This would suggest that the U S economy may continue to defy predictions of a recession

It is somewhat surprising that the aggressive monetary tightening has not had a material impact on the GECS Fear indices which reflect respondents concerns that customers and/or suppliers may go out of business Both these indices continue to improve (see chart below) which suggests little concern about the impact of higher interest rates recession risks or the growing number of bankruptcies

Of course it may just be a case of calm before the storm, as the lagged effect of tighter monetary policy works its way through the global economy and financial system Indeed, our indices measuring global problems accessing finance and securing prompt payment both deteriorated in 2Q

Trade, industr y adversely affec ted due to aggressive economic measures: PIAF

Chairman Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF)

Chairman Faheemur Rehman

Saigol has said that the trade and industry have adversely affected

due to the aggressive economic measures high borrowing rates inflation oppressive taxation and unstable currency as many were forced to close their operations In a joint statement along with senior vice chairman Nasrullah Mughal and vice chairman Tahir

The Bank of Punjab and the Board of Revenue Balochistan signed a service level agreement in Quetta to initiate the E-Stamping project for automating this critical service for the benefit of the citizens This aligns with the Government of Balochistan’s vision of promoting digital services and ensuring ease of doing business in the province

Embracing the power of technology citizens can now obtain stamp papers effortlessly within minutes at the click of a button, thanks to a seamless process offered by the Bank of Punjab The E-Stamping project will be rolled out across the province and will enhance

Manzoor Ch, he observed that the ever-increasing cost of production in the country is the real threat to both large-scale manufacturing and smallscale businesses as frequent upward revisions in policy rate and continuous fluctuations in rupee against dollar are posing further challenges

revenue collection while providing complete data reconciliation The ceremony was attended by Mr Roshan Ali Shaikh (Senior Member Board of Revenue), Mr

Additionally prior to the COVID-19 pandemic a substantial number of Pakistanis sought higher education opportunities in Malaysia, reflecting the commitment to further expand and enhance this relationship

Recognizing the tremendous potential of Pakistan given its sizeable population of approximately 240 million the High Commissioner emphasized the abundant opportunities for collaboration between the two countries, particularly in the business environment

Recognizing the valuable contribution of Pakistani alumni who had the opportunity to receive training in Malaysia the High Commissioner called them Malaysian Ambassadors in Pakistan, attributing their exposure to Malaysia s expertise as a positive influence in fostering stronger ties between the two nations

F b r c h i e f a s s u r e s r e a l t o r s o f r e m o v i n g d i f f i c u l t i e s i n i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t a x l a w s

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

On the directives of Minister for Finance and Revenue issued during the 90th meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue held on 4th August, 2023, a meeting was held at FBR Headquarters, Islamabad, to address and resolve taxation issues concerning real-estate transactions

The meeting was presided by FBR Chairman Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana and attended by the delegation of Realtors led by Mr Sardar Tahir Mehmood President Federation of Realtors Pakistan and the team of FBR officers Realtors delegates emphasized the need to rationalize taxation of immovable property in the backdrop of poor health of the economy They stressed that real estate sector has been the major source of domestic and foreign investment in the past however deteriorating economic conditions have pushed people away from investment in this sector They also asserted that taxation measures on immovable property introduced through Finance Act, 2022 & Finance Act, 2023 have created a discouraging environment for investment in real estate sector The delegation proposed abolition of tax on deemed income from immovable property They also requested that there be either no revision of valuation table of the properties for the time being or increase if any must be made, at fair level after consultation with the stakeholders

Chairman FBR assured the participants that their concerns will be addressed and best possible facilitation will be ensured for removing difficulties arising on account of implementation of tax laws He directed his team to ensure proper coordination and consultations with the Realtors in this regard The Chairman further pointed out that under the Stand-by Arrangement with IMF, any new tax exemption, concession or preferential tax treatment may not be possible at this time The meeting ended with a note of thanks

Farid Ahmed Khan (Group Chief Corporate & Investment Banking – BOP), and Mr Sharjeel Raza Khan (Head Transaction Banking - BOP) along with senior officials from both organizations

The Bank of Punjab is the only bank in the country extending end-to-end fully automated E-stamping services successfully since 2016 The Bank plans to offer these services in other provinces in joint collaboration with key stakeholders

The Bank of Punjab boasts an extensive network of 780 branches spread across Pakistan In Punjab the bank operates 471 conventional and 91 Islamic branches In Sindh BOP has a growing network of 73 conventional and 10 Islamic branches In KhyberPakhtunkhwa, the bank has 48 conventional and 21

j a b M e d i a D e l e g at i o n f u e l s C P E C ‘ro m a nt i c i s m’

tions and passenger safety

“Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)” envisioned by Chinese President Xi Jinping

Debut of 4-day CPEC Punjab Media Delegation, an initiative taken by Chinese Consulate Lahore and Institute of International Relations and Media Research (IIRMR), has completed in befitting manner

Since the launch of CPEC project in 2013 it is first of its kind Program organized to showcase how CPEC projects in Punjab has been improving the quality of life of local people, their living standards, poverty alleviation, employability, transfer of technology, modern development and export-led growth for resilient economy of Pakistan

The activity led by IIRMR chairman

Muhammad Mehdi and President Yasir Habib Khan along with Chinese Commercial Attache Yan Yang and secretary to CG Chen Bo, is part of ongoing series of celebrations of successful completion of 10 years of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) an ace undertaking of global iconic project

On the first day high-octane delegation visited Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) considered as a gift from President Xi Jinping to the people of Pakistan” and also as

“the flower of friendship between China and Pakistan ” This flower of friendship has finally taken root and blossomed under the rain of shared destiny and win-win cooperation between the two countries Mr Lichen, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NORINCO-GMG-DAEWOO JV, the O&M service provider for the Orange Line Metro Rail along with other senior management personnel shed light about performance of OLMT South Asia s first electric train under CPEC that crossed milestone of 100 million rides so far since its launch in 2022

During the visit, the delegation was given a live demonstration of the state-ofthe-art Operation Control Room, highlighting the advanced technology and monitoring systems utilized to ensure seamless opera-

The Orange Line team emphasized the significance of regular maintenance and cleanliness in maintaining a world-class metro service The delegation was impressed with the level of expertise and meticulous attention to detail that goes into maintaining the rolling stock

The highlight of the visit was a delightful train ride to Anarkali Station (Station No 13) where the Orange Line management presented souvenirs to all members of the delegation as tokens of appreciation for their visit

Second day, delegation visited Allama Iqbal Industrial City (AIIC) a priority SEZ and being developed on approximately 3217 acres under CPEC framework It is operated and run under visionary leadership CEO Muhammad Tanveer Jabbar, Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development & Management Company (FIEDMC)

It has an advantage for being adjacent to M3-Industrial city which comprises a large number of projects including textile phar-

maceuticals information technology chemicals automotive service complex Delegates interacted CEOs of Chinese enterprises especially Time Ceramic and Green Crockery

Time Ceramic CEO Zhang Qi informed that company has made up 23 percent of market share in Pakistan and introduced new technology to help grow export of Pakistan 95 percent local people are employed in the company since its inception he told Green Crockery CEO Zhang Qi apprised of its first export valuing Rs 10 million to the UK last month, a milestone achieved as export-oriented enterprise that promote CPEC mission Total woman employability in the company stands at 20 percent which is on rise gradually he added Now instead of importing from China that inflate Pakistan import bill Pakistan traders will get produced their desired items in the such Chinese companies and others at CPEC’ Allama Iqbal Industrial City (AIIC) It means those Chinese companies providing multiple items to Pakistan traders are being functional at AIIC delega-

tion was briefed

Third day delegation visited CPEC s first energy project 1320 MW Sahiwal CoalFired Power Plant On the occasion of Sahiwal coal-fired power plant vice president Chen Wei briefed media delegation about its eminence, impacts and performance that supplied over 43 billion kilowatts hours of the energy in national grid

Being a joint venture of Huaneng Shandong Power Generation Company and Shandong Ruyi Group, with an investment of about $1 8 billion, he said that project is largest, fastest and the first environmentally friendly coal-fired power plant completed under CPEC with the most optimal technological and environmental indicators Ensuring higher standards in maintaining best ecosystem, values of hazardous gases and mercury are remaining lower than the values set by World Bank, Japan, EU as well as Pakistan, he added Filling a quarter of the country’s power shortage and meeting the electricity demand of more than 4m

B o P, B a l o c h i s t a n B o R c o l l a b o r ate to l a u n c h E - S t a m p i n g p r o j e c t

SERVING AILING HUMANIT Y COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILIT Y OF ALL , SAYS PM

PR I M E Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that all those who are tasked with serving the humanity, should strive for the provision of free-of-cost health and education facilities to the poor and deprived segments of society

The prime minister was addressing a conference arranged here to create awareness about the elimination of Hepatitis-C in the country arranged at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI)

Addressing the participants, the prime minister said it was their collective responsibility to serve the poor and deprived masses by setting up health facilities like the PKLI in line with the vision of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of the nation, and in accordance with the concept of the welfare state

The event was attended by Governor Punjab Muhammad Balighur Rehman ministers experts and relevant authorities

The prime minister termed the event a historic and said that he always desired to see PKLI working on the pattern of Johns Hopkins of the USA

He said the PKLI journey started in 2014 when he requested Dr Saeed Akhtar to set up a state-of-the-art institute for the kidney and liver diseases in Punjab province The prime minister said that the institute was established with an autonomous body to rid it of any official red-tapism

The project was launched in 2015

and was completed in 2018 when the first kidney transplant was performed he recollected

The prime minister said that till this day a total of 1000 transplants had been performed at PKLI which was another milestone

The PKLI had now Rs15 billion in the trust fund which would help in providing free treatment to the poor people he added He observed that previously they used to send liver disease patients to other neighbouring countries

PKLI was established in the country which entertained patients irrespective of class and without discrimination, he said, adding it was also an essence for the creation of Pakistan for which Quaid and a large number of people gave huge sacrifices

He regretted that the poor people in the country suffered while the rich had all the resources to get treatment for themselves at the best facilities in the world

The prime minister said during 2018, about 26 Hepatitis C filter clinics were es-

SIFC recommends 245MW hydropower projects for Gilgit-Baltistan

In a major development, the Executive Committee of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), chaired by Mr Ehsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning Development & Special Initiatives has recommended the development of hydropower projects having a total capacity of 245MW in Gilgit-Baltistan

As per details the proposed projects located one in Ghizer, two in Gilgit, and one in Skardu, aim at benefitting a staggering 260,000 domestic and commercial consumers

The envisioned hydropower projects are expected to bring a host of positive impacts to the region fostering prosperity and overall development By harnessing the region s vast hydropower potential these initiatives hold the promise of transforming the energy landscape, providing reliable electricity supply to thousands and promoting economic growth

Following the approval of the recommendation by the SIFC apex committee headed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan the projects will be poised to attract major investments in the region The meeting is scheduled to take place next week and it is anticipated to be a momentous occasion for Gilgit-Baltistan s future A key highlight of this development is the potential to draw significant foreign investment from countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Gilgit-Baltistan, with its strategic location and untapped resources presents a promising investment opportunity for international investors and the proposed Hydropower Projects are poised to make it a lucrative venture

Speaking about the prospects of these projects, Mr Ehsan Iqbal expressed confidence that this initiative will mark a turning point for the well-being and development of the region The availability of clean and sustainable energy will undoubtedly empower the local communities stimulate economic activities and create a favorable environment for businesses to thrive

As the SIFC gears up for the crucial meeting hopes are high that the Apex Committee will recognize the significance of these projects and give the green light for their implementation

Another 5.4 ear thquake jolts par ts of KP, Punjab

ISLAMABAD

tablished in the province under the umbrella of PKLI where patients were treated with great care and with free medicines

That programme was subsequently halted due to politics but now these filter clinics again started functioning and treatment was being provided across the province, he added About the Hepatitis C programme the prime minister said that Rs35 billion fund was provided by the federal government on the basis of half percent contribution by the provincial governments

Earlier, the prime minister launched the national Hepatitis C elimination programme and performed groundbreaking of PKLI University

Speaking on the occasion Governor Punjab Muhammad Balighur Rehman said today was a momentous day in the health and education sectors of the country as the prime minister would be inaugurating PKLI University and Hepatitis

C Elimination Initiative

The health and education sectors always witnessed progress during the governments of PML-N which established a vast network of different renowned institutions he added

The governor also expressed concerns over a number of out of school children in the country

Prof Dr Saeed Akhtar, in his remarks, said that they were successful in setting up an information-based system leading to a center of excellence to serve the ailing and poor segments of society

Despite Covid-19 pandemic the institute performed thousands of surgeries and transplants and achieved a milestone of 1000 such surgeries and transplants, he added PKLI had served over 3 5 million patient interactions since its inception in December 2017

More than 2 million patient interactions had been served at PKLI hospital in a short span of time Over 1 5 million patient visits for Hepatitis relief have been served under the Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment Programme (HPTP) since its launch till June 2019

E: Prime Minister Muhammad

Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday appreciated the landscaping work of Lahore Development Authority (LDA), under the supervision of Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Syed MohsinNaqvi at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) On his Twitter handle the prime minister shared his thoughts along with a combo of pictures of the entrance of PKLI

Power struggle, mismanagement plague Ministr y of Science and Technology

ISLAMABAD G H U L A M A B B A S T h e M i n i s t r y o f S c i e n c e a n d Te c h n o l o g y ( M o S T ) i s f a c i n g a severe internal crisis marked by a power struggle and mismanagement, leading to a series of abrupt t e r m i n a t i o n s a n d r e c k l e s s p o s ti n g s o f u n q u a l i f i e d i n d i v i d u a l s T h e s i t u a t i o n h a s c a u g h t t h e a tt e n t i o n o f t h e S e n a t e S t a n d i n g Committee on Science and Technology whose chairman Senator Sardar Shafiq Tareen, has accused t h e M o S T M i n i s t e r o f i n v o l v em e n t i n i l l e g a l t r a n s f e r s a n d a ppointments

In a strongly worded letter add r e s s e d t o t h e S e c r e t a r y E s t a bl i s h m e n t a n d c o p i e d t o v a r i o u s S e n a t e S t a n d i n g C o m m i t t e e s , S e n a t o r Ta r e e n h i g h l i g h t e d t h e o n g o i n g m i s m a n a g e m e n t a n d undue pressure on the Chairman of the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) Dr Shahid Mehmood B a i g T h e P S F a f e d e r a l a ut o n o m o u s s t a t u t o r y b o d y i s known for its scientific eminence and is chaired by a distinguished

s c i e n t i s t a p p o i n t e d b y t h e P r e s ident of Pakistan

The letter brought to light a summary initiated by the MoST Minister for the removal of Dr Shahid Mehmood Baig from his position as Chairman of PSF Senator Tareen asserted that the summary was illegal and violated the MPI Scale policy lacking any proper explanation notice or disciplinary proceedings against Dr Baig T h e c o n t r o v e r s y a r o s e w h e n D r B a i g t o o k a c t i o n a g a i n s t D r H a f e e z u l l a h K h a n , a n o ff i c e r who held four positions in a span o f t w o m o n t h s r a i s i n g c o n c e r n s about favoritism and mismanagem e n t w i t h i n t h e M i n i s t r y D r K h a n w a s a p p o i n t e d a s M e m b e r S c i e n c e i n P S F b y t h e M i n i s t e r b y p a s s i n g t h e a u t h o r i t y o f t h e Chairman of PSF, leading to further tensions U p o n s c r u t i n y i t w a s r evealed that Dr Khan had a history o f c o m p u l s o r y r e t i r e m e n t f r o m service in 2016 and despite losing his cases in 2017 and the app e a l i n 2 0 1 8 a t t h e I s l a m a b a d High Court, he was still awarded

the position by the Minister The termination letter by PSF cited that the de-novo inquiry rep o r t c o n c e a l e d a n d m i s r e p r esented court judgments related to D r K h a n , m a k i n g t h e r e p o r t f l a w e d D r H a f e e z , h o w e v e r, s t a t e d t h a t t h e C h a i r m a n o f P S F did not have the authority to withdraw his appointment order and o n l y t h e P S F B o a r d o f Tr u s t e e s c o u l d d o s o D r B a i g o n t h e other hand argued that in the absence of a functioning PSF BoT, he had the right to make such decisions as per the rules D e s p i t e n u m e r o u s a t t e m p t s , the MoST Minister Agha Hassan Baloch remained unavailable for c o m m e n t T h e P a k i s t a n S c i e n c e F o u n d a t i o n ( P S F ) e s t a b l i s h e d under the PSF Act 1973, operates as an autonomous body under the administrative control of the Mini s t r y o f S c i e n c e & Te c h n o l o g y T h e o n g o i n g c r i s i s r a i s e s c o nc e r n s a b o u t t h e i n t e g r i t y o f t h e Ministry and calls for immediate i n t e r v e n t i o n t o a d d r e s s t h e r a mpant mismanagement and restore stability

US says Imran’s arrest Pakistan’s internal matter

ISLAMABAD

A G E N C I E S

The US State Department has termed the arrest of f o r m e r p r i m e m i n i s t e r a n d P T I C h a i r m a n I m r a n Khan as Pakistan’s internal matter Mathew Miller the State Department spokesperson said The cases against the PTI chairman and other politicians are an internal affair of Pakistan

L i k e o t h e r c o u n t r i e s a c r o s s t h e w o r l d , t h e U S regularly stressed respect for democratic principles and the rule of law, Mathew Miller added

“”The cases against Imran Khan and other politicians in Pakistan are an internal matter We call for the respect of democratic principles and the rule of law in Pakistan as we do around the world

The reaction came as a local court sentenced the PTI chairman for a three-year term and a Rs100,000 fine in the Toshakhana case on Saturday – a move that will change the country’s political landscape as the country awaits general elections

Announcing the short judgement, the court also disqualified him for five years from holding any office and said the detailed verdict would be shared later Later the PTI chief was shifted to the Central Jail Attock T O S H A K H A N A R E F E R E N C E : T h e Toshakhana issue became a major sticking point in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the PTI chief for making false statements and incorrect declaration”

The reference which alleges that Imran failed to s h a r e d e t a i l s o f t h e g i f t s h e r e t a i n e d f r o m t h e Toshaskhana (during his time as the prime minister) was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year T h e j u d g e m e n t a d d e d t h a t t h e f o r m e r p r e m i e r was found to be indulged in corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution “A criminal proceeding will be initiated against him over filing a false statement

Another quake of mild intensity hit several cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa early Sunday morning

According to National Seismic Monitoring Centre tremours measuring 5 4 hit Bajaur Upper and Lower

Dir Chitral and Kurram areas The magnitude of the earthquake was recorded at 5 4 on Richter scale with its epicentre located in the Hindukush mountain range at a depth of 196 kilometres beneath the surface Earthquake tremors were also felt in other cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) including Malakand, Khyber Landi Kotal and Peshawar

The cities which were shaken by the quake in Punjab included Rawalpindi Islamabad Lahore Kharian Faisalabad and Hafizabad

There was no loss of life or property reported so far

However, people got panicked and came out of their homes reciting Kalima-e-Tayyaba

Only yesterday the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and parts of KP and Punjab were jolted by an earthquake which according to the Seismological Centre was measured on the Richter scale at 5 8 It added depth of the earthquake was 196 km while its epicentre was the Hindukush region in Afghanistan

Worst policies, massive corruption of PTI leadership triggered extreme inflation in countr y: Marriyum

KARACHI

S TA F F R E P O R T

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum

Aurangzeb on Sunday criticized the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf s (PTI) four-year rule which triggered extreme inflation in the country due to wrong economic policies and massive corruption of its leadership

The people fully know the difference between development, destruction and conspiracies,” she said while drawing a comparison between the destructive policies of the PTI government and developmentoriented and public-friendly initiatives of the coalition government during the past 15 months

Addressing a news conference at the Karachi Press Club, she recalled that the PTI unleashed petrol bombs on the police when the PTI chief ’s residence in Zaman Park was raided

She said the PTI chief was the mastermind of May 9 incidents when the Law Enforcement Agencies vans mosques ambulances memorials of martyrs and sensitive installations were set on fire

On the contrary, she said the three-time prime minister brought prosperity and development in the country by ending load-shedding and curbing terrorism Nawaz Sharif launched China Pakistan Economic Corridor made the country’s defense impregnable and spread network of roads across Pakistan she added Marriyum said curbs were imposed on the media and freedom of expression during the four-year of the PTI, however, the press clubs across the country provided a platform to the then opposition leaders to spread their messages among the masses and highlight fascism of the previous regime She said the PTI chairman was declared predator for media by the international organization but Pakistan ranking in press freedom improved during the last fifteen months of the coalition government She said the PEMRA Ordinance of 2002 was a black law which was enacted by a dictator, but it was the coalition government which introduced amendments after twelve months of extensive consultation with the relevant stakeholders

The PEMRA (Amendment) Bill 2023 would not be enacted until all the objections raised on the legislation were addressed she added To a query she said the appointment of caretaker PM was a constitutional responsibility of the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader, and the people would be informed as soon as the names for the purpose would be finalized

The National Assembly would be dissolved on August 9 she said adding responsibility of holding election was on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)

The minister expressed the confidence that the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) would be victorious in the next general elections under the leadership of former prime minister Mian Mohammed Nawaz Sharif She said that Gawadar was part of the country and the economic progress relied on the ports Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project was stopped by the previous government and it was restored by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif soon after coming into the power She said that the coalition government made the extensive efforts to chart the country on the path of progress and economic stability

Pakistan to achieve clean energy transition for future generations: Musadik

Minister of State for Petroleum Division Dr Musadik Malik on Sunday Pakistan will not just talk green but will achieve a just and clean energy transition with or without the rest of the world for the future generations

He was speaking at parliamentary consultation titled Towards a Sustainable Future: Inclusion of Just Energy Transition and Climate Action in Election Manifestos 2023”, jointly organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs a news release said

The State Minister said that RussiaUkraine crisis caused un-proportional energy inflation for the developing countries, thwarting the clean energy transition and access

Therefore, it is imperative that just and clean energy transition be supported with fi-

nance mobilization for developing countries to enable technology transfer and indigenous development, he said and stressed that accountability for clean energy transition should be extended equally across the table and not just on developing countries Dr Musadik emphasized that Petroleum companies in Pakistan including Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL)

Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) Pakistan State Oil (PSO) had been urged to transition into energy companies and were looking to invest in renewable energy

Romina Khurshid Alam Special Assistant to Prime Minister emphasized that prioritizing climate action and renewable energy while designing party manifestos can exhibit the commitment to tackling climate change and can strengthen Pakistan s position in international climate finance partnerships Clean energy solutions, just energy transition and climate action in election mani-

festos are not only crucial in addressing the climate crisis but demonstrate commitment to deliver social justice, economic growth and global leadership, she said She also proposed a resolution to phase out fossil fuel in collaboration with SDPI Senator Taj Haider emphasized on addressing the policy inconsistency in energy sector of Pakistan to ensure a rapid off take of RE in Pakistan He said that 3000MW electricity was generated from wind and solar at Jhimpir but poor transition infrastructure hindered supply to other areas and these issues were impeding foreign investor interest in wind and solar power plants He informed that the Senate had unanimously passed a resolution proposing that industrial areas must be equipped with solar parks He further said that 50,000 houses had been reconstructed, 200,000 houses had been solarized and out of the 2000 700 reverse osmosis plants were solarized in Sindh

after the 2020 floods He urged for improving transmission infrastructure and installing local grid systems to improve energy access in impoverished areas

The parliamentary consultation was also attended by senior experts from academia CSOs, the finance sector, development partners and diplomatic missions