Epaper_23-09-27 ISB

PTI AMONG ALL PARTIES FREE TO CONTEST POLLS: CARETAKER GOVT

in its statement that Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) and its leaders are free to participate in the elections like any other party

It has been clarified that there is no impediment to contesting elections by any leader of PTI or the party as a whole

The statement further added that every citizen is equal before law and the law will take its course with respect to any person currently facing legal charges The courts are free and independent and the caretaker government has neither authority nor intention to influence the courts at any level

Power Division anticipates recover y of around Rs150b within 3-4 months

Power Division has so far recovered appropriately Rs 10 billion during its campaign against electricity theft and recovery from power defaulters while it anticipates a recovery of around Rs 150 billion within 3 -4 months

These facts and figures were presented by the power division (Energy Ministry) during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Power which met on Tuesday under the Chairmanship of Senator Saifullah Abro here at Old Pips Hall Parliament Lodges

The Senate Standing Committee on Power was also apprised by the power division that the electricity theft campaign has proven to be very fruitful and the power division was able to recover appropriately Rs 10 billion during the campaign It was apprised that the campaign continues in different districts and areas of the country on different models The Senate Committee recognized the efforts of the power division and recommended to give appreciation certificates to the officers who led the campaign

The Committee chair recommended that the recovery should be utilized as relief for the people of Pakistan

k e part in the general elections

The ministry drew attention to the following text of Prime Minister s interview:

We are not pursuing anyone on a personal vendetta Kakar said But yes we will ensure that the law is appropriate Anyone, be it Imran Khan or any other politician who violates, in terms of their political behavior the laws of the country then the restoration of the law has to be ensured We cannot equate that with political discrimination Kakar said fair elections can take place without Khan or hundreds of mem-

PM sees no end to army’s role in politics as civil institutions struggle

ISLAMABAD

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar affirmed on Tuesday that the military will continue to play a significant role in the country s politics unless civil institutions bolster their organisational capabilities

This persistent imbalance prompts military interventions in the daily affairs of the government, Kakar stated during an interview with TRT World Kakar attributed this lopsided civil-military relationship to the long-standing deficiencies in civilian institutions over the past four decades Whether it is education healthcare disaster management or tax collection he emphasised that civilians often turn to the army as a last resort to resolve pressing issues The interim PM accused the country’s political leadership of cultivating ties with the military for personal gain and political power He criticised them for adopting a convenient and expedient approach blaming the army for their failures when out of power thereby perpetuating the perceived civil-military imbalance Kakar stressed that to rectify this imbalance and prevent further military intervention in government affairs, civil institutions must enhance their capabilities rather than weakening the organisational strength of the army

When asked if the disciplined military would continue to be a political force in Pakistan s near future Kakar unequivocally affirmed In practice honestly speaking and considering the ground realities, the answer is yes

The interim PM also pledged to oversee fair and transparent elections, vowing to prevent interference from any institution in favour of a particular political party He displayed indifference towards concerns about potential election delays due to the extension of the delimitation exercise beyond the constitutional deadline following the dissolution of the National Assembly According to Kakar, this task was a legislative requirement Kakar’s statements came in response to the 2023 Digital Census findings ratified by the Council of Common Interest (CCI) which endorsed the final national headcount in August Per Section 17(2) of the Elections Act the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is obligated to delimit constituencies after each census publication Notably, this census notification coincided with the impending dissolution of the National Assembly However many legal experts argue that the Constitution takes precedence over parliamentary acts

bers of his party who are jailed because they engaged in unlawful activities including vandalism and arson, a reference to the violence that rocked the country following Khan’s initial arrest in May

The caretaker prime minister added that the thousands of people in Khan’s party who didn t engage in unlawful activities will be running the political process they will be participating in the elections

The Information Ministry reiterated

A day after the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order, authorities on Tuesday shifted incarcerated

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)

Chairman Imran Khan to Rawalpindi s Adiala jail from Attock prison

The PTI chief was shifted to Adiala jail amid tight security in an 18-vehicle convoy including 15 vehicles of Islamabad police two armoured vehicles and an ambulance escorted Khan from Attock to Adiala prison via motorway

On Monday, IHC CJ Aamer

Farooq expressed his annoyance over keeping an ‘under-trial prisoner ’ in Attock jail instead of Adiala jail and directed the concerned authorities to move Khan who is currently serving a three-year sentence in the Toshakhana corruption case to the Adiala jail

Confusion arose as officials of Adiala jail denied reports of the former prime minister s shifting to the prison after his lawyers made such claims

Hours after the IHC directed the authorities concerned to move Khan to Adiala prison from the Attock jail where he had been incarcerated for over a month the members of his legal team said that the orders had been complied with Naeem Panjhota, who is the spokesperson of Khan on legal affairs, claimed that the ousted premier who was removed from power via a parliamentary vote in April last year had been shifted to the prison in Adiala

However, the Adiala jail administration refuted the claim, saying that Khan had not yet been shifted there

Later taking to X formerly known as Twitter Panjhuta said

It was further clarified that any person aggrieved by any order or ruling of a statutory or judicial forum has a constitutionally guaranteed right to approach the next forum in judicial hierarchy for relief

“The caretaker government is committed to holding free and fair elections

The caretaker government will support the constitutional and legal structure for holding elections and would ensure that all orders and directions of the Election Commission of Pakistan and independent judiciary are complied with in letter and spirit,” the government said in its statement

The power division anticipated that a recovery of around Rs 150 billion is expected within 3 -4 months

At the outset of the meeting Senator Saifullah Abro expressed reservations on the absence of Chairman NEPRA and all its provincial Members from the Committee meeting He said that NEPRA seems to avoid the meetings of Senate Power Committee because they do not have the courage to answer the questions raised by the Members on this forum

The Committee chaired immediately sought details on the incumbency report of Additional Secretary (AS) Power Division from January 2021 – December 2021 to determine as to why the Chairman NEPRA is absent from the Committee meeting today and also with regard to agenda item pertaining to illegal extension of KAPCO Power Plant The Chairman Committee inquired on the amount of energy payment made to KAPCO Power Plant whose agreement was already expired in June 2021, the officials replied that Rs 151 Bn was paid as Energy payment to KAPCO Power Plant out of which 95 pc were fuel charges

IB moves SC to withdraw plea against verdict on 2017

Faizabad sit-in

that he had been informed that Imran Khan had been shifted to Adiala jail but it is beyond understanding that Attock jail [authorities] are also saying that they have PTI chairman ” E X - P M G E T S B - C L A S S FA -

C I L I T I E S : According to jail sources, the PTI chief has been provided with a high-security BClass barrack in Adiala jail, where former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was also kept Khan would be provided with the facilities as per the directions of the court, the sources said, adding that there would be an attached bathroom with his room in the prison A prison service facility will be provided to the PTI chief around the clock His menu however is yet to be decided the sources added

I M R A N K H A N ‘A D J U S T E D’ HIMSELF IN ATTOCK JAIL:

A day after pleading with the court to shift Imran Khan to Adiala jail so that he could be provided better facilities his lawyer said that the PTI chairman has adjusted himself in the Attock prison

During an interaction with journalists today, Barrister Umair Niazi Khan’s counsel took a U-turn from the PTI legal team s yesterday stance in the IHC say-

ing that his client has adjusted himself in the Attock jail

Jail is after all jail I am fine in Attock jail,” Niazi said, quoting the incarcerated PTI chairman

On Monday Khan’s lawyer Advocate Sher Afzal Marwat requested the IHC that his client be given the facility of an exercise machine Imran Khan is entitled to the better class,” said Barrister Salman Safdar lawyer of the deposed prime minister At this the IHC CJ remarked

It is confirmed that the PTI chairman is entitled to the better class, as he is the former prime minister and an educated person ” Justice Farooq also maintained that Khan should receive the facilities he is entitled to and that his rights should not be violated

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court seeking withdrawal of its review petition against the court s verdict on 2017 sit-in by Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) at Faizabad in Islamabad Authored by Justice Qazi Faez Isa years before he took oath as the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), the verdict had instructed the Defence Ministry and the tri-services chiefs to penalise personnel under their command who were found to have violated their oath

It had also directed the federal government to monitor those advocating hate, extremism and terrorism and prosecute them in accordance with the law Adverse observations were also made against several government departments for causing inconvenience to the public as the 20-day sit-in paralysed life in both Islamabad and Rawalpindi

Pleas were subsequently moved against the verdict by the Ministry of Defence, IB, PTI, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority

The IB’s review petition had urged the court to set aside its observations against the department Calling itself a premier civilian intelligence agency responsible for state security the bureau had claimed the order created a bad impression on the public that the IB was transgressing its mandate and involved in unlawful activities and politics

The observations were based on “vague facts” the bureau had claimed adding that during the sit-in it was in close contact with the federal and Punjab governments and forewarned them about the plans and intentions of TLP Headed by CJP Isa, a three-judge bench, which includes Justice Aminud Din Khan and Justice Athar Minallah will take up the review petitions on September 28 (Thursday)

More than 70 rendered blind as unregulated dr ug continues to wreak havoc

The interim Punjab government has thus far been unable to provide sufficient information regarding the production, quantity, and distribution of the injections linked to patients losing their eyesight In the meanwhile the number of vision loss cases in Punjab has surged to over 70

According to the caretaker Health Minister of Punjab, Dr Javed Akram, people were not affected by the side effects of this injection but rather due to the use of counterfeit injections The primary issue lies in the misuse of these injections

Dr Akram explained that the genuine problem with these sixteen-milliliter injections is their limited shelf life after being taken out of their protective seal Addressing recent events in Punjab Dr Javed revealed that a private hospital in Lahore administered Avastin injections to several eye dis-

ease patients using separate syringes at different times, resulting in many patients losing their eyesight

He also mentioned that the injection solution was tampered with to increase its volume contributing to the adverse effects

These adulterated vaccines were produced by an unregistered fake company, a criminal offense according to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP)

Dr Javed Akram disclosed that these fake injections were being manufactured illegally within a private hospital in Lahore specifically located at Thokar Niaz Baig area

Certain rooms in the private hospital were converted by a dispenser or doctor to illicitly produce this injection that is not safe for use

Dr Javed Akram emphasized “We took immediate action on Saturday morning removing the entire stock of this injection from the market and promptly banning its usage to prevent further harm Additionally, three individuals have

been apprehended in connection with this illicit operation, and legal proceedings have been initiated against them However on one hand Dr Akram is discussing the punishment for the three accused individuals while on the other hand the Department of Health Care has only named two people, Naveed and Bilal, in the FIR

Moreover, Dr Akram explained that a comprehensive investigation is underway to determine the scope of the distribution network for these counterfeit injections Simultaneously stringent measures have been taken to immediately cease the sale of Avastin in the market, prioritizing public safety

bered 05-352-0065-96873P , only permits the dispensing of skin items and tablets Dispensing Avastin injections requires a separate license from DRAP Furthermore no legal action has been taken against the individual holding the license issued by the healthcare department

The responsibility for the illegal action falls upon the qualified individual listed on the license Asim Khalid who has not yet been charged The FIR only names Bilal and Naveed as accused parties As per the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), the Avastin injection sold in Pakistan by M/S Genius Advanced Pharmaceutical Services is both fake and unregistered Drug Regulatory Expert Noor Mehr stated that these counterfeit injections have been circulating in the market for years priced at just Rs 12 000 In Pakistan, the Roche Company s Avastin injection is sold for 80,000 to 1 lakh rupees In contrast, its price in Europe is ap-

proximately 1900 Euros (around six lakh rupees), and in India, it costs approximately one lakh rupees in local currency

However as per media reports the initial investigation has uncovered chronic issues in the repackaging (compounding) and distribution of the Avastin drug, as well as the maintenance of the cold chain, leading to a disease outbreak in Punjab

Official data indicates that the contaminated drug has severely affected the vision of 68 patients in the province since the scandal came to light Among these patients 25 cases were reported in Lahore, 19 in Multan, five in Bahawalpur, and four each in Kasur, Rahim Yar Khan, Sadiqabad, and Khanewal, with an additional three patients reported in Mian Channu There are reports of more cases emerging across the province and health authorities are assessing them to include them in official records

‘Dillydallying’ comes to end as Imran Khan finally shifted to Adiala jail

C H I N A R E L U C TA N T T O I N C L U D E S E V E R A L

P R O J E C T S I N C P E C E X PA N S I O N P L A N

disparities between the initial draft presented to Beijing and the final signed minutes

PAKISTAN and China have encountered challenges in expanding their cooperation within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), particularly in the areas of energy, water management and climate change as highlighted by the 11th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting

The 11th JCC meeting held virtually in October 2022 but with minutes signed only on July 31, 2023, revealed significant differences in opinion and a year-long delay in reaching a consensus between the two nations

As per a report by the Express Tribune China showed reluctance to endorse numerous proposals put forth by Pakistan in areas such as energy, water management, climate change, and tourism in regions including Giglit-Baltistan, KhyberPakhtunkhwa Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and coastal areas This resulted in

SBP suspends two exchange companies for violating rules

China notably excluded cross-border tourism cooperation in GB KP and AJK and collaboration to promote coastal tourism from the finalized minutes It rejected Pakistan s suggestion to incorporate Water Resources Management, Climate Change, and Urban Infrastructure Development within the CPEC framework and dismissed the proposal for a joint working group on water resources management and climate change

The Ministry of Planning emphasized that it is customary for both countries to sign meeting minutes only after thorough consultation and consensus-building to ensure accurate representation of agreements and understandings In this case the 11th JCC meeting minutes were signed in July 2023 after a meticulous consultation process

Additionally, China omitted discussions about the financial challenges faced by power companies from the final minutes,

including details regarding the financial closure of projects such as the Azad Pattan hydropower project, Kohala power plant, and Thar Block 1 Shanghai Electric Co power plant

A significant concession was made by Pakistan concerning the establishment of the 300 megawatts power plant in Gwadar Pakistan had initially considered shelving the project or relocating it to Thar to utilize local coal However, China did not support Pakistan’s proposal, leading to an agreement to proceed with the Gwadar Power Plant according to the existing plan Pakistan committed to follow the consensus reached by both sides and instructed Pakistani power purchase companies to halt deductions of the capacity power rate and refund any previously deducted amounts To ensure the smooth operation of CPEC power projects Pakistan promised timely exchange of US dollars for CPEC power projects to purchase necessary fuels China also declined to include a 500kv transmission line from Hub to Gwadar in

Cotton production expected to decrease significantly this year

MULTAN S ta f f R e p o R t

C o t t o n p r o d u c t i o n i n P a k i s t a n i s e x p e c t e d t o d e c r e a s e s i g n i f i c a n t l y t h i s y e a r, d u e t o d a m a g e c a u s e d b y w h i t e f l y a n d r a i n s T h i s c o u l d l e a d t o a d e c r e a s e i n t h e c o u n t r y s t e x t i l e e x p o r t s A c c o r d i n g t o t h e a g r i e x p e r t s t h e c o t t o n c r o p t a rg e t o f 1 2 7 m i l l i o n b a l e s i s u n l i k e l y t o b e a c h i e v e d , a n d p r o d u c t i o n i s e x p e c t e d t o b e l i m i t e d t o 9 m i l l i o n b a l e s T h i s i s 3 7 m i l l i o n b a l e s l e s s t h a n t h e t a rg e t T h e M e t e o r o l o g i c a l D e p a r t m e n t f a i l e d t o p r e d i c t t h e u n e x p e c t e d r i s e i n t e m p e r a t u r e a n d i n c r e a s e i n w h i t e f l y a t t a c k w h i c h h a s l e d t o t h e c u r r e n t s i t u a t i o n C o t t o n p r i c e s h a v e f a l l e n t o R s 1 9 0 0 0 p e r m a u n d i n P u n j a b a n d R s 1 8 , 0 0 0 p e r m a u n d i n S i n d h a f t e r f a l l i n g b y R s 5 0 0 p e r m a u n d Tr a d e r s s a y t h a t l a rg e e x p o r t d e a l s h a v e b e e n c a n c e l l e d d u e t o t h e f a l l i n c o t t o n q u a l i t y c a u s e d b y t h e w h i t e f l y a t t a c k T h e d e c r e a s e i n c o t t o n p r o d u c t i o n c o u l d h a v e a s i g n i f i c a n t i m p a c t o n P a k i s t a n s e c o n o m y T h e t e x t i l e i n d u s t r y i s o n e o f t h e c o u n t r y s l a rg e s t e x p o r t s e c t o r s , a n d i t e m p l o y s m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e T h e g o v e r n m e n t n e e d s t o t a k e s t e p s t o s u p p o r t t h e c o t t o n i n d u s t r y a n d h e l p f a r m e r s r e c o v e r f r o m t h e l o s s e s t h e y h a v e i n c u r r e d

was earlier shifted to Chandka Hospital Larkana where she was referred to civil hospital Karachi due to critical condition but could not survive despite all out efforts of medics

the CPEC framework and rejected proposals related to the development of Thar coal blocks, conversion of coal into other products, and the South-North gas pipeline project Pakistan’s proposals for Chinese participation in a strategic underground gas storage project a national seismic study for sedimentary areas and joint exploration

development and marketing of metallic minerals were also not mentioned in the final minutes However, the Ministry of Planning said that the signing of the 11th JCC meeting minutes underscores the strong relationship between Pakistan and China and reflects their commitment to working together to achieve common goals

Cypher c ase: IHC decides to hold open cour t hearing on Imran’s bail plea

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday ruled that the next hearing of Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan s bail plea in the cypher case will take place in an open court

IHC

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued a two-page written order in response to the prosecution’s request for in-camera proceedings

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had initially sought closed-door hearings citing the presence of privileged and sensitive documents and information The court has, consequently, instructed the FIA prosecutors to submit a separate petition for in-camera proceedings during the upcoming hearing The order further said that the special prosecutor for the agency

had contended that when the bail application before the trial court was argued, the public was isolated, however, the official conceded that the petitioner argued its case in open court However, the order mentioned that the PTI counsel said he had no objection if unnecessary people were barred from the courtroom

The FIA prosecutors in their request also mentioned that the hearing of the case in the special trial court was also held incamera and unauthorised people were asked to leave the courtroom

“Be that as it may Section 14 of the Official Secret Act 1923 permits exclusion of the public from the proceedings however the reading of the section shows that if such is to be undertaken, the prosecution has to make an application,” it added The court mentioned that the prosecution may move an appropriate

application if it is interested in the public s exclusion from the proceedings

Attock jail notification declared null and void

In a separate hearing, the IHC declared null and void the authorities’ notification to keep PTI chairman in Attock jail

In a written order IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq approved the request to transfer Khan to Adiala jail

The court stated that the PTI chief had been sentenced to three years in the Toshakhana case The trial court had directed to keeping the PTI chief in Adiala Jail but due to security concerns he was transferred to the Attock jail to complete his sentence on the recommendation of the Inspector General of Prisons

Despite the suspension of his sentence in the Toshakhana case by the IHC on August 28 the former prime minister remained incarcerated in the prison as he

Sindh revises minimum wage for fac tor y workers

by the Sindh government The SHC had specifically ordered the government to ensure the implementation of Rs 25,000 minimum wage for sanitary workers The Sindh Minimum Wage Board is a tripartite body that consists of representatives from the government, employers and workers It is responsible for setting the minimum wages for workers in the province

The revision of the minimum wages is a welcome

move that will help to improve the living standards of factory workers in Sindh It is important to note that the minimum wages are just a starting point and factory owners are encouraged to pay their workers more than the minimum wage, depending on their skills and experience

Govt grants one -year grace period for restoration of 750 de -listed oil tankers

concerns voiced by the transporters and the broader economic context of inflation the government has instructed OGRA to conduct a comprehensive review of freight rates for oil transportation This review may lead to potential revisions to ensure that transporters can operate sustainably

was also arrested in the cipher case

The additional advocate general of Punjab stated that shifting Khan to Adiala jail poses a security risk Under-trial prisoners of all cases registered in the federal capital are kept in the Adiala jail while only convicted prisoners can be shifted to any jail in Punjab

The court said that Khan as a former prime minister, is entitled to better class facilities in jail

In its written order, the court stated that the PTI chairman’s lawyer had requested the provision of gym equipment to his client in jail; however the court said it cannot issue such instructions because it is not clear whether such facilities are allowed or not

The superintendent jail, the court said, is the authorised authority in this regard, and appropriate requests should be filed with them

Fatima murder case:

Pir Asad Shah’s wife Hina Shah surrenders to police

KHAIRPUR S ta f f R e p o R t F u g i t i v e H i n a S h a h a n o t h e r p r i m e a c c u s e d i n m i n o r m a i d F a t i m a P h a r i r o m u r d e r c a s e o n

Tu e s d a y s u r r e n d e r e d t o p o l i c e A c c o r d i n g t o t h e S e n i o r S u p e r i n t e n d e n t o f P o l i c e ( S S P ) S a m i u l l a h S o o m r o s a i d H i n a S h a h , w i f e o f P i r A s a d S h a h s u r r e n d e r e d d u e t o r e p e t i t i v e r a i d s a n d a c t i o n s o f t h e p o l i c e T h e w i f e o f t h e p i r h a s b e e n m o v e d t o t h e w o m e n s p o l i c e s t a t i o n f r o m w h e r e s h e w i l l b e p r e s e n t e d b e f o r e t h e c o u r t f o r r e m a n d t h e S S P s a i d T h e 1 0 - y e a r- o l d F a t i m a h a d d i e d i n t h e H a v e l i o f A s a d S h a h a n d t h e v i d e o o f h e r t r a g i c d e a t h a l s o w e n t v i r a l o n s o c i a l m e d i a T h e p o s t m o r t e m r e p o r t , c o n f i r m e d t h a t t h e m i n o r m a i d w a s s e x u a l l y a b u s e d a c c o r d i n g t o D I G S u k k u r J a v e d J i s k a n i A s a d S h a h h i s f a t h e r- i n - l a w F a y y a z S h a h a r e a l r e a d y a r r e s t e d i n t h e c a s e E a r l i e r F a t i m a s m o t h e r c o m p l a i n e d t h a t S H O K h a n w a h i n G h a n i D a y o i s s u e d t h r e a t s t o a b d u c t o r k i l l m e H e i s u s i n g f i l t h y l a n g u a g e a g a i n s t m y l a t e d a u g h t e r, ” s h e s a i d “ S H O K h a n w a h i n p o l i c e h a s b e e n a h e n c h m a n o f R a n i p u r p i r s , ” s h e a l l e g e d a n d d e m a n d e d p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t K h a n w a h i n p o l i c e o ff i c e r T h e c a r e t a k e r h o m e m i n i s t e r o f S i n d h d u r i n g h i s v i s i t t o t h e f a m i l y h a d d i r e c t e d f o r a c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e S H O w h o i s s t i l l h o l d i n g t h e S H O c h a rg e

LHC gives RPO one week for recover y, release of Sh Rashid

RAWALPINDI

S ta f f R e p o R t

The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench on Tuesday gave a week time to Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rawalpindi to immediately recover and release former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and submit a report in the court in this regard The court adjourned hearing of the case till October 2 LHC Rawalpindi bench Justice Sadaqat Ali presided over the hearing on a petition filed against detention of former interior minister Rashid RPO Khurram Ali appeared in the court and expressed his ignorance about the “kidnappers ” He requested the court to grant him weeklong time for recovery of the senior politician The court asked the RPO about progress in the case The police officer replied that Rashid was not in custody of Rawalpindi police He further told the court that the place from where Sh Rashid was detained did not fall in their jurisdiction Sh Rashid s lawyer said the AML head was arrested by the Rawalpindi police and they had proofs about the occurrence The court said “Are you ready to give us in writing that Rashid is not with you? If he is recovered from Rawalpindi in future a case will be filed against you

g 11th JCC meeting minutes reveal differences in opinion, delay to endorse numerous proposals put forth by Pakistan

C L E A N I N D U S D R I V E C O N D U C T E D T O P R O T E C T E C O S Y S T E M

m e d i a l o c a l b o d i e s a n d a u t h o r i t i e s

WWF-Pakistan organized community m e m b e r s f r o m t h e r i v e r i n e a r e a , S R S O m a n a g e d t h e E M O H u b S c h o o l i n N u m a i s h C o l o n y S u k k u r a n d s c h o o l c h i l d r e n S u k k u r M u n i c i p a l

Corporation Media and Hindu Panchayat

a n d o t h e r s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e C l e a n t h e Indus Drive and contributed to the event s success and played a role in the event

While highlighting the importance of local authorities in environmental initiatives, the Team Leader of the Living Indus

k k u r t h e d r i v e t o o k p l a c e I t s m a i n g o a l w a s t o i n c r e a s e p u b l i c a w a r e n e s s o f the value of maintaining the Indus River s c l e a n l i n e s s a n d p r o t e c t i n g i t s e n v i r o n m e n t T h i s w a s a c c o m p l i s h e d b y o rg a n i z i n g c l e a n u p e ff o r t s w i t h t h e h e l p o f n u m e r o u s p a r t n e r s f r o m t h e c o m m u n i t y c i v i c s o c i e t y a c a d e m i a t h e

Initiative-UN Pakistan Ms Humaira

Jhanzeb shared the initiative s objectives emphasizing the critical role that the Indus River plays in livelihoods and the need for collective responsibility to protect it from pollution The cleaning drive symbolized the community’s commitment to the

conservation of the river and aimed to inspire joint actions toward this goal

The Deputy Mayor of Sukkur, Dr Arshad Mughal, expressed gratitude to all participants and stakeholders for selecting Sukkur as the location for the cleaning drive

He reiterated the city’s commitment to becoming a clean and green urban area under the leadership of Barrister Mayor Arslan Sheikh, pledging support for initiatives like the Living Indus Clean Drive Other key figures, including Tariq Chohan, Mukhi Eshwar Lal of the Hindu Panchayat S u k k u r To h e e d G h a n i o f W W F - P a k i s t a n Sukkur Shahzaib Mahar Senior Manager S R S O N a v e e d M e m o n S e n i o r M a n a g e r MER-SRSO and Akram Shaikh ManagerEducation SRSO, shared their insights and d i s c u s s e d t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e r o l e s i n promoting and protecting the environment

1 0 s t u d e n t s s e l e c t e d f o r Vo l u n t e e r Yo u t h

A m b a s s a d o r P r o g r a m m e : P FA

RAWALPINDI

S ta f f R e p o R t

The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has arranged a capping ceremony for the first batch of the Volunteer Youth Ambassador Program (VYAP) of Tehsil Model/ Safe Food City Project at the PFA Directorate Rawalpindi

PFA Director Operations North Amna Rafique was the chief guest of the ceremony while PFA Additional Director Operations Sabtain Kazmi, Anti Corruption

Deputy Director Ehsan-ul-Haq and PFA deputy director were also present Director Operations North Amna Rafique during her address congratulated the students on the selection and

successful completion of their training

She said that the purpose of the VYAP is to promote the PFA motto Community Participation through Awareness Program, Nutrition Program in Educational Institute during the Safe Food City project about food nutrition and educate the public about the importance of healthy eating habits balanced diets and the benefits of proper nutrition Ambassadors will also intend to integrate all initiatives of the authority in local cities in a coordinated manner for better results in food hygiene, quality and safety, she said P FA D i r e c t o r N o r t h f u r t h e r s a i d t h a t a m b a s s a d o r s c a n o rg a n i z e e v e n t s , c r e a t e e d u c a t i o n a l m a t e r i a l s a n d c o l l a b o r a t e w i t h t h e c o m m u n i t y t o r a i s e

Protest in Kashmir on Indian EAM speech at UNGA

MUZAFFARABAD ag e n c e S

a w a r e n e s s a b o u t f o o d s a f e t y h y g i e n e n u t r i t i o n a n d e n c o u r a g e p e o p l e t o m a k e i n f o r m e d c h o i c e s f o r t h e i r h e a l t h The selfless services of people from different walks of life are highly appreciated for the success of Safe Food Zone, she added At the end, the participants appreciated the efforts made by PFA Director General Raja Jahangir Anwar regarding quality food and promoting the safe food culture in Punjab In the first phase the authority has selected 1 0 s t u d e n t s f o r t h e v o l u n t e e r y o u t h a m b a s s a d o r program including Shaeema Noman, Museera Nauman, J a v e r i a H a m e e d A b b a s i , H i n a N a u m a n , R a h e e l a R a s h e e d , B u s h r a F i r d o u s , A n i s a S o h a i l , M u h a m m a d Danyal, Ayesha Nawazish and Zunaira Shahid

Power D ivision anticipates recover y of around Rs150b within 3-4 months

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The committee members inquired on the reasons of illegal extension and said that whatever work between KAPCO Power Plant and Power Division took place after the expiry of the agreement may deem to be illegal The committee chair said that not even the extension was illegal but the Power division does not even hold the authority to give extensions to IPPs Regarding the payments made to IPPs the officials informed that under policy 2002 onwards the payments are been paid by NEPRA The chairman committee inquired that if so is the case then on which basis, NEPRA has issued a show cause notice and sought explanation on the extension from CPPA-G The committee deferred the matter for further deliberation and inquired on the details of breakup of Rs 151 billion as energy payment paid to KAPCO Power Plant The committee also sought the fine charged to CPPA-G on the same The CPPA-G officials also briefed the committee about the Members of BoD

Kot Addu Power Company Limited members including its Chairman Lt General (Retd) Sajjad Ghani The committee sought full details about the BOD, Members before the next Committee meeting The committee while deliberating on a g e n d a i t e m r e g a r d i n g t h e 7 6 5 k V d o u b l e c i r c u i t t r a n s m i s s i o n l i n e f r o m D a s u H y d r o P o w e r S t a t i o n t a b l e d t h e l e t t e r i s s u e d b y Wo r l d B a n k t o P o w e r Division The letter said that the World B a n k c o n f i r m e d t h a t t h e c o n t r a c t w a s p r o c u r e d f o l l o w i n g t h e Wo r l d B a n k P r o c u r e m e n t R e g u l a t i o n s a s s t i p u l a t e d i n t h e l e g a l a g r e e m e n t s i g n e d b e t w e e n t h e Wo r l d B a n k a n d g o v e r n m e n t o f Pakistan for the US $700 million IBRD l o a n H o w e v e r t h e l e t t e r s a i d t h a t r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s r e g a r d i n g t h e m i sprocurement and re-tendering of Lot-1 is incorrect, the letter pointed out The c o m m i t t e e a p p r e h e n d e d t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y ( E n e rg y M i n i s t r y ) s e e m s t o mis-communicate the objective behind obtaining the process details strictly in l i n e w i t h t h e W B g u i d e l i n e s a n d s a i d that no such details are provided which

c l a i m s t h a t n o d e v i a t i o n h a s o c c u r r e d w h i c h p o t e n t i a l l y l e a d t o m i s procurement

The committee chaired inquired from the Power Division to specify the in accuracies in the Senate recommendations by the World Bank Power Division said that the NTDC is the procurement agency and a committee has already been constituted by NTDC to further deliberate upon the findings of senate recommendations The committee chair after thorough deliberation observed that the basis on which the World Bank issued the NOC and termed the project legal is only on the stage wise information and process details provided by the NTDC

More than 70 rendered blind as unregulated drug continues to wreak havoc

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Swiss pharmaceutical company

Roche stated that its Avastin drug was approved in over 130 countries including the United States, for treating various types of cancer However, it strongly condemned the criminal act of counterfeiting in Pakistan and emphasized its cooperation with authorities to protect patients from counterfeit drugs

In Pakistan the vision loss associated with Avastin has been attributed by authorities to contamination from a third-party supplier The regulator clarified that Avastin had been used offlabel in the cases in question meaning it was used outside its approved indications to treat diabetes-related eye conditions Avastin, a cancer drug, is used at lower doses as an

alternative to the eye drug

Lucentis in many countries to treat certain conditions that cause blindness Roche emphasized that Avastin is not approved for eye use and warned of the health risks posed by counterfeit medicines as their contents may be ineffective and potentially harmful Punjab s deputy drug controller, Alam Sher, who filed a police complaint against the distributors explained that some companies purchase Avastin and repackage it in smaller doses to make it more affordable for patients

‘HIGH-PROFILE’ VICTIMS

The revelation came to public attention when Chaudhry Manzoor a prominent leader of the Pakistan People s Party shared on social media the distressing experience of his

brother who was adversely affected by this injection

Chaudhary Manzoor reported that his diabetic brother had complained of eye pain and was taken to a hospital in Kasur At the hospital he received an injection called Avastin which is administered into the eye

Subsequently his brother began experiencing pain in his eyes Late at night, his brother expressed that the pain had become unbearable However when he woke up the next morning he had lost his eyesight Manzoor added We promptly transported him to Lahore, where, upon examination by a doctor, it was revealed that the injection was likely responsible for his vision loss ”

He further stated that they sought a second opinion from another doctor at a different private hospital in Lahore, who informed them that around 250 to 300 patients had been affected by this injection

Additionally, twelve more affected patients arrived during their visit Afterward I took to social media and posted a tweet informing others about my brother ’s experience to raise awareness and prevent

my

b r i e f i n g b y M D N E S PA K o n t h e i r consultancy and progress of all projects i n P o w e r S e c t o r a n d o n A D P p r o j e c t A C S R b u n t i n g c o n d u c t o r L o t - I I A T h e c h a i r m a n c o m m i t t e e i n q u i r e d o n the technical experience required by the M / s N e w a g e C a b l e s L a h o r e a n d M / s H e n a n To n g - D a C h i n a T h e c o m m i t t e e observed that the experience of bunting c o n d u c t o r i s m i s s i n g o n t h e A C S R b u n t i n g c o n d u c t o r L o T I I A p r o j e c t i n b o t h q u a l i f i e d c o m p a n i e s I t w a s a p p r i s e d t h a t M / s N e w a g e C a b l e s Lahore emerged as the lowest evaluated s u b s t a n t i a l r e s p o n s i v e o n t h e b a s i s o f d o m e s t i c p r e f e r e n c e T h e C o m m i t t e e s o u g h t e n t i r e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e m a d e b e t w e e n N T D C a n d N E S PA K o n t h e p r o j e c t t o d e t e r m i n e t h e b a s i s o f M / s N e w a g e C a b l e s L a h o r e a s t h e l o w e s t b i d d e r

A massive protest was organized by Pasban-eHurriyat Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar speech at the United Nations General Assembly According to details large number of citizens participated in the protest held at front of the United Nations Mission Observer Office in Muzaffarabad Protestants carried black flags and banners stated slogans against Indian atrocities in Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir Speakers on the occasion said that India has become a country known for spreading terrorism around the globe In such an environment Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar s speech at the world forum is a failed attempt to mislead the world Speakers maintained that BJP led government by Narendra Modi is creating unrest and instability particularly in South Asia “Indian Foreign Minister has tried to hide their heinous war crimes by misleading the world in the United Nations, the country that has been involved in the massacre of civilians, the worst violations of human rights and the atmosphere of war in the region should not be allowed to speak at (UNGA) prestigious forum” Speakers stated They said that Narendra Modi Ajit Duval Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah are responsible for killing political opponents in Azad Kashmir Pakistan Canada and other countries through its spy agency RAW India continues to ignore the UN resolutions on the Kashmir issue and under these circumstances the speech of the Indian foreign minister at the international forum is nothing but to hide the importance and sensitivity of the Kashmir issue from the eyes of the world , They lamented Speakers urged the United Nations and countries around the world to take notice of Indian terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and fulfill their constitutional obligation to resolve the Kashmir issue The speakers demanded the implementation of the resolutions on the right of self-determination passed on the issue of Kashmir by UNSC Chairman Pasban-e-Hurriyat Uzair Ahmed Ghazali, Hurriyat leader Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Shaukat Javed Mir, Usman Ali Hashim, Shehbaz Ahmed Azmat Hayat Kashmiri Riyaz Awan

Iqbal Yasin Awan Muhammad Ishaq Shaheen Chaudhry Muhammad Mushtaq Khawaja Muhammad Sadiq Aslam Awan Faisal Farooq Muhammad Fayyaz Khan and others were also present on the occasion

tweet the administration became aware of the issue and contacted me, requesting that we bring my brother to Mayo Hospital immediately ” Manzoor explained According to him “Dr Asad Aslam the CEO of Mayo Hospital Lahore promptly performed surgery on my brother We were informed that his vision had been lost within a few hours due to the injection, necessitating an urgent eye operation ” He concluded by saying “My brother s eye patch has not yet been removed so we are uncertain if he has regained his sight following the surgery

DRAP IN ACTION

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) initiated a crackdown against medicine distributors on Monday responding to the increasing cases of vision loss attributed to the use of substandard injections in Punjab Initially, it was reported that more than 40 diabetes patients in Punjab had experienced vision issues prompting the provincial caretaker government to impose a two-week ban on the sale and usage of Avastin for ophthalmology-related treatments However the number of affected individuals has since risen to over 70 Following the reports of these cases DRAP imposed a nationwide ban on the use of these injections in hospitals, pharmacies, and by patients DRAP officials emphasized that no hospitals laboratories

Sweden ablaze again

Th e r e is a certain sense of déjà vu however, instead of a copy of the holy Quran, a mosque was burnt in eskilstuna one of the neighbouring cities of Stockholm, the capital, where the Quran was burnt by a rightwing politician Luckily there was no loss of life, but a mosque spokesman did say that there had been threats received before Muslims about 20 000 loom large in the total population, which was 67,000 in 2015

The standard condemnations will once again be issued, But clearly, the renewed wave of Islamophobia is continuing and the sight of haplessness of Muslim countries’ haplessness would be risible, if it were not so painful

One of the most important reasons for this is their disunity, which means that they cannot take a united stand on this or any other issue This renders their collective forum, the OIC, singularly toothless, as members pull in different directions, in accordance with their narrow national interests Another deeper problem is the inability of the members to speak for their own peoples because they are, with a few exceptions, unrepresentative regimes

If Muslims could truly express their sentiments, they would probably come up with a more forthright stand on Islamophobia

It is not just Sweden, but elsewhere, there are problems Apart from the persecution of the rohingyas and the Uighurs, Indian Muslims are being targeted A Muslim father and son from India have recently come to Karachi after a tortuous journey involving going first to Dubai, then going to Afghanistan and crossing into Pakistan via Chaman have claimed refuge and expressed readiness to go to a Pakistani jail rather than return to persecution in India This is just one example, though more extreme than average, of how Muslims are made to feel in their own country Perhaps Pakistanis can empathize not just because Muslims are persecuted but because only recently, in Jaranwala, the burning of churches made many Christians feel like aliens in their own country

One part of the solution is for the Muslim countries to develop the necessary strength to fight this menace This involves a development of their economies, of their educational institutions, and other aspects of soft power, so that when they speak out against Islamophobia they are listened to At present assuming the disunity could be ended, does the world, particularly the West, have enough reason to heed Muslim voices?

In case you haven t noticed, American politics are a dysfunctional mess You might be excused for missing this sad reality as the USA never tires of chiding other countries for their lack of democratic institutions or their failure to adhere to or protect democratic values

Both were on display this past week as President Joseph Biden, from the podium of the United nations General Assembly, prodded other nations to join the USA in defending democracy in Ukraine And then in a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin netanyahu Biden mildly criticized the Israeli leader s efforts to weaken that country s judiciary

While we continue to advocate overseas for democracy and its values, a recent study by Pew research shows that the confidence Americans have in our own political system has eroded to dangerously low levels and for good reasons Congress is paralyzed by hyper-partisanship stubborn ideologues and arcane rules that allow for and even encourage obstructionist behavior

In the house of representatives, the republican Speaker is held hostage by a handful of hardliners who have pledged to withhold votes from his effort to pass a budget that is favorable to republican priorities unless he submits to their demands for even greater cuts in domestic spending and foreign aid As a result the USA faces not for the first time the very real prospect of a government shutdown

Democrats have nominal (51-49) control of the US Senate, but they too face problems from two selfstyled “independents,” whose votes are never assured and from rules that allow a Senator to put a hold on approving any presidential nominations for reasons that have nothing to do with the nominees qualifications As a result one senator has blocked the approval of 200 military promotions and appointees because of his disagreement with a Pentagon policy on abortion After republicans blocked consideration of a President Obama appointee to the Supreme Court which was then filled by a President Trump appointee and then were gifted with the opportunity

intelligent male and female students who are s u ff e r i n g f r o m f i n a n c i a l c r i s e s h a v e b e e n h e l p e d i n t h e p u r s u i t o f e d u c a t i o n f o r m o r e

than two decades

to fill another slot as a result of an aged Justice s refusal to resign in time for his seat to be filled during the Obama Administration the Court has taken decidedly conservative stances on a number of key issues affecting separation of church and state, abortion, affirmative action, and environmental regulations

And while almost two-thirds of the electorate indicate displeasure with the prospect of a BidenTrump rematch both parties appear to be headed toward re-nominating them in 2024

The problems don t end there With the complete collapse of campaign finance regulations, our elections and the entire political process are increasingly dominated by billions of dollars raised not only by the two political parties but also by political action committees and corporate interest groups These billions are used to pay for consultants and massive negative advertising campaigns that have only served to polarize and pollute the political waters Add to this the very similar problems that exist in state and local governments and the role the corruption of major media outlets that no longer report news but mold it to match their particular political agendas and you have a witch’s brew of increasingly polarized dysfunction

The above only describes some of the problems confronting the major institutions that have, in the past, served to secure democracy in the US As a result it is no wonder that the recent Pew research study finds Americans losing confidence in the country s politics and its institutions here are a few of the findings:

n Only 4 percent say the US political system is working well 63 percent express little or no

confidence in the future of American politics

n When asked to identify the strengths in the US political system, 56 percent are either unwilling or unable to identify any

n 65 percent say they are either always or often exhausted when they think about politics

On the other hand 78 percent say they are either rarely or never excited about politics while a majority says are just not hopeful

n When asked to identify how they feel about our political system, only 2 percent use a positive term with 79 percent using negative terms like “divisive ” “corrupt ” messy” or “chaos ”

n Over 80 percent say the cost of political campaigns is so high that it keeps good people from running and gives too much influence to big donors and lobbyists

The Pew study concludes by asking voters to evaluate several ideas that could reform politics Proposals that gain the most support include: term limits on members of Congress imposing age limits on elected officials and Supreme Court Justices limiting the amount of money individuals or groups can spend in campaigns, and requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification before voting But the prospects of any of them happening are doubtful given that they must be passed by Congress, signed by the president, and pass constitutional muster by the Supreme Court As that won’t happen dysfunction will continue to define our system leaving part of the electorate alienated from politics, another part frustrated and ripe for exploitation by Trump-like demagogues and the rest hoping against hope that change will come but unsure how it can happen and whether it will be for better or worse

Proposals that gain the most suppor t include: term limits on members of Congress, imposing age limits on elected officials and Supreme Cour t Justices, limiting the amount of money individuals or groups can spend in campaigns, and requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification before voting

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

across the country, Alkhidmat is also running 6 5 c h i l d p r o t e c t i o n c e n t r e s i n t h e f o u r p r o v i n c e s , i n w h i c h 2 7 5 0 c h i l d r e n a r e p r o -

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

ED U C AT I O n is a jewel without which a person cannot progress in any field of life According to the Constitution of Pakistan, the state is obliged to provide free and quality education to children between the ages of five and 16 Loud claims of uniform curriculum and educational policies have also been formulated; some have not come to the fore and some have been practically tested but the results have not been satisfactory nor has there been any increase in our literacy rate so far education is a human rights issue and has been inculcated in the 4th Sustainable Development Goal of the 2030 agenda which prioritizes equitable quality education however it is very sad that 76 years have passed since our achieving independence, but there is no significant increase in our literacy rate According to the Pakistan economic Survey 2022-23, the overall literacy rate in the country is 62 percent, which is unsatisfactory in any case and it cannot be attributed to any one party nor has there been any specific action

In fact there have been many factors and the biggest hand in this has been the involvement of each government On the one hand, relatively little money has been allocated to education; on the other hand the aid received has not been used effectively The IMF UneSCO and other institutions all donate large sums of money to support education even if money is coming in, not all of it is being effectively and honestly spent on education I n e v e r y p e r i o d o f g o v e r n m e n t i n t h i s country the people have never been the priority of the rulers nor have the basic facilities of the people education and health been included in their priorities while the people are not able to carry their own burden due to such low financial resources nor educating their tale n t e d c h i l d r e n I n t h i s c r i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n , Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan is one institut i o n t h a t i s s u p p o r t i n g t h e p e o p l e i n t h e i r growing difficulties Where the organization is helping to provide every basic facility to the p e o p l e t h e r e i s a l s o a r a y o f h o p e f o r t h e youth through the AlKhidmat Alfalah Schola r s h i p U n d e r t h i s s c h o l a r s h i p , t h o u s a n d s o f

Such an educational mission was started i n 1 9 9 8 b y t h e v i c e p r e s i d e n t o f A l k h i d m a t Foundation Muhammad Abdus Shakoor with a few of his friends and colleagues dedicated t o t h e s p i r i t o f s e r v i c e u n d e r a p o s i t i v e a n d constructive thinking of the country The des e r v i n g a n d f i n a n c i a l l y c h a l l e n g e d s t u d e n t s a r e s e l e c t e d o n m e r i t a n d t h e n t h e y a r e p r ovided with scholarships for higher education Above all Al-Falah Scholarship has made the s e r i e s o f s c h o l a r s h i p s s o p r e s t i g i o u s t h a t a t any stage the self-esteem of students is not undermined Currently, under the Alfalah Scholarship Scheme 936 deserving students of the f o u r p r o v i n c e s i n c l u d i n g A z a d K a s h m i r a n d G i l g i t - B a l t i s t a n a r e b e i n g p r o v i d e d e d u c at i o n a l s c h o l a r s h i p s f o r t h e p u r s u i t o f h i g h e r studies irrespective of color, race, religion and political affiliation Alkhidmat is making a lot of efforts to inc r e a s e l i t e r a c y r a t e i n P a k i s t a n O n t h e o n e hand scholarships are being given to students and on the other 63 schools are also working u n d e r t h e s a m e o rg a n i z a t i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h e country in which more than 15 000 children are getting education Apart from this, in view o f t h e i n c r e a s i n g n u m b e r o f s t r e e t c h i l d r e n

vided with formal and non-formal education b a s i c h e a l t h f a c i l i t i e s f o o d d e l i v e r a n c e a n d h y g i e n e T h e i r e ff o r t s r e g a r d i n g f l o o d r e l i e f activities and provision of clean water are also not hidden from anyone and they receive donations from all over the world

There is no doubt that the future of the country cannot be made bright without equipping the young generation with excellent education and facilities If we want to face the world and move on the path of rapid development then every child of the country must be equipped with the best education and to achieve this goal, special attention should be paid to increase the literacy rate and improve the quality of education Alkhidmat foundation is playing its full role in this regard but what is the government doing?

If the rulers get free time from their political confrontations, they should think about the bright future of the nation or at least the government should cooperate with such institutions, so that the darkness of illiteracy can be dispelled by the bright light shed by them It will be tough for the authorities but it is not impossible in the national interest

The writer tweets @AttiyaMunawer

Kitchen gardening

I n a world where scientists are quite successfully cultivating meat kitchen gardening and growing vegetables for household use is no more a challenge What makes kitchen gardening more important today than before is the unprecedented inflation in the country

In addition to saving money, kitchen gardeners can also gain fresh and healthy vegetables have a balanced diet and may add to the aesthetic value of their houses

As per the human body s nutritional needs one person should consume at least 300gm of vegetables daily

Owing to a variety of reasons, however, kitchen gardening is not common in Pakistan The country imports vegetables worth almost a billion dollars This is despite the fact that we call ourselves an agricultural country In doing so we spend precious foreign exchange on commodities that may well be produced domestically Moreover floods and other natural phenomena which occasionally destroy crops further deteriorate the situation If kitchen gardening is practised in different parts of the country on a large scale, the government can meet such situations

The government, especially the Ministry of Food Security and research, should intensify efforts in this regard This can be done in various ways First, people need awareness about kitchen gardening, such as selection of seeds preparation of soil and seasons of different vegetables Second people should be motivated to utilise their knowledge and make the most of it Third the government may stimulate the initiatives of common citizens by distributing free seeds and seedlings of vegetables as per the seasonal requirement

As another important measure, the government can conduct free training workshops on kitchen gardening Coupled with such efforts by the government other key players such as media and social activists may also contribute effectively to make the whole thing come true

BARKAT BASHAM TURBAT

‘Vigilant’ police

O U r vigilant traffic police apply every novel idea to stop and harass law-abiding citizens in the middle of roads at different points around the city, especially near roundabouts and link roads, where the drivers have almost no chance to escape the blackmail of traffic police personnel

Although it is good to check and verify the driving licence and ownership documents of motor vehicles the purpose seems to be the opposite as the traffic policemen could be seen standing in groups at different points, stopping the vehicles for different reasons When stopped by these policemen in the middle of a traffic jam, some drivers manage to escape, while others are left at the mercy of these officials

Apparently, drivers are stopped for tinted glasses, fancy number plates, checking original documents etc however some fall victim to the traffic police despite having all documents and verified licence and they are ordered to pay an e-challan

In such a situation citizens are left with no choice but to compromise with the police officials who offer to reduce the challan amount Once the citizens pay the amount, they get to know the real reason why they were stopped in the first place

The traffic police should facilitate the law-abiding citizens and must check the validity of the licence which can be done easily through an online portal

At the same time citizens must cooperate with the traffic police and stop however traffic police need to follow some guidelines for checking vehicle drivers The excise and Taxation Department must issue the number plates of previous years to all citizens as the new number plates with an ajrak pattern need to be issued on an urgent basis The relevant authorities must take action against traffic officials who try to harass the law-abiding citizens for no valid reason M

If the rulers get free time from their political confrontations, they should think about the bright future of the nation or at least the government should cooperate with such institutions, so that the darkness of illiteracy can be dispelled by the bright light shed by them. It will be tough for the authorities but it is not impossible in the national interest.

PR E S E N T LY Pakistan is wading through the worst ever period in its 76-year history The prevailing situation is a cumulative effect of the continuation of an exploitative system of governance with in-built avenues of corruption which has worked to serve the interests of the elite classes at the expense of the poor masses

Politics has become an industry where the people belonging to the elitist classes invest to multiply their fortunes while the poor bear the brunt of their devious m a c h i n a t i o n s N a m e a n y e v i l i n t h e s o c i a l , p o l i t i c a l a n d e c o n o m i c d o m a i n ; t h e s e c l a s s e s a r e r e s p o n s i b l e for it Consequently the country is actually ruled by d i ff e r e n t m a f i a s e n j o y i n g u n c h a l l e n g e d i n f l u e n c e i n manipulating markets and having strong clout in running the state affairs

Hereditary politics a culture of political vendetta the decisions given by some pliable and corrupt judges at different junctures of our history and detestable machinations of the politicians that warranted repeated military interventions have also immensely contributed to how we reached where we are at the moment The economy is in complete shambles making the lives of the people extremely miserable

While I have full sympathy for the suffering masses I honestly feel that there is no quick-fix solution to their miseries Those crying from every convenient roof-top to hold the interim government responsible for the repeated enhancement in the rates of petroleum products electricity and gas are actually the people who are responsible for the situation obtaining because they signed the agreement with the IMF in this regard

The interim government is fulfilling obligations from which there is no escape It is only there for holding free and fair elections in the country So any major decisions required to winch the country out of the current economic quagmire will have to be taken by the next elected government

Some elements are also trying to incite people to come out on the streets to launch an agitation against the government for frequent increases in the utility prices They are actually trying to misguide the people and want to exploit the feelings of the masses for their political

How we reached where we are

The case for propor tional representation

agendas That is crass politics

The people need to understand that agitation is not going to fix things It would rather add to the difficulties that the country is confronted with at the moment More than anything else the country needs peace and political stability to create an enabling and conducive environment for revival of the economy

It will take some time to reverse the situation provided an honest effort is made to identify and rectify the maladies afflicting our polity and social fibre which are having a debilitating impact on kickstarting economic recovery and changing the economic profile of the masses

However, in the perevaiing situation, it is encouraging to note that the Pakistan Army has taken centre stage in reviving the economy on war footing and also eliminating mafias and corruption wherever it exists The establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council to attract direct foreign investment from the Arab countries including Saudi Arabia UAE and Qatar in IT, minerals, agriculture and defence is an auspicious development Positive signals have already started emerging in this regard As revealed by the COAS in his interaction with the business community nearly $100 billion in investments are likely to be made in Pakistan by Saudi Arabia UAE Qatar and Kuwait

It is indeed an auspicious development but again it requires a time-lag for the things to materialize and produce the desired benefits

The Army chief not only talked about attracting foreign investment but he also expressed his determination to sternly deal with the land mafia and extortionists to weed out corruption He further said that four task forces

People need to show patience and suppor t the initiatives taken by the Army leadership to rectify the maladies afflicting the economy and the social fibre . Miracles do not happen in the economic domain.

Improvement in the economy surely has a time-lag

Narendra Modi’s hubris is ill-judged

OBSERVER

E d to r i a l

PO L I T I C A L assassination is a practice as old as human society although the term itself derives from the 12th-century Persian Order of Assassins first described by Marco Polo Julius Caesar, Thomas Becket, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Leon Trotsky, John F Kennedy, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Olof Palme and Yevgeny Prigozhin were victims of notorious political assassinations They had one thing in common: all were high-profile targets

That is not a description that may be accurately applied to Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen shot dead in June by two masked gunmen outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia If Nijjar had any claim to fame it was as a campaigner for Khalistan a notional Sikh homeland in the Indian Punjab fiercely opposed by India s government His activism provides the only plausible motive for his murder Little-known though he was Nijjar ’s death was a political assassination too

After failing to obtain a private explanation Justin Trudeau Canada s prime minister, went public last week, declaring that there were credible reasons” to believe agents of the Indian government were behind the murder His statement was immediately rejected by Delhi which called the allegation absurd That was a poor choice of word A moment s reflection should have told the prime minister, Narendra Modi, that it s a very serious matter indeed

Although Trudeau did not provide evidence for his claim he would not have made it in the formal setting of the Canadian parliament unless he had firm grounds for believing it to be true It has emerged that the Five Eyes intelligencesharing network – comprising the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand

may have provided Ottawa with incriminating information that allegedly points to the complicity of Indian offi-

cials and diplomats in Canada If so it would not be the first time India has been implicated in extra-territorial killings

A less haughty, quicker-thinking figure than Modi would also have understood that Nijjar ’s murder, appalling in itself, raised significant matters of state that Trudeau could not ignore “Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty, Trudeau said After the poisonings by Russian agents in Salisbury, Britain knows how that feels

Public expressions of concern by the US and UK governments were followed up in person when Joe Biden and other western leaders met Modi at the recent G20 summit in Delhi This, too, should have persuaded Modi that, whatever the truth of the matter, he faced a damaging diplomatic row Yet, unwisely, he escalated, expelling a Canadian diplomat and suspending visa services and trade talks At this point it is unclear where righteous indignation ends and purblind arrogance begins

It s true, as Indian critics say, that Trudeau faces domestic political complications Canada’s sizeable Sikh minority wields significant influence It’s also true that India has long regarded the Khalistan movement as a destabilising separatist force supported by terrorism Yet Modi an authoritarian populist who tends to treat any opposition as a betrayal akin to treason, faces political complications of his own principally a general election next year Confronting Canada a fellow Commonwealth country associated by some with the British imperial era serves his Hindu ultra-nationalist agenda India is a rising power on the global stage that ostensibly shares western values Britain and the US view it as an important ally in the wider contest with China But the Modi government s behaviour at home and abroad raise doubts about its commitment to democracy and India s reliability as a partner Nijjar s assassination, like that of the Saudi dissident, Jamal Khashoggi, leaves a bloody stain that will be hard to wash away

are being constituted on FBR, border control, smuggling and social media

Bringing reforms in the working and mandate of FBR is a long due initiative The country cannot be run only on foreign aid or investments According to the World Bank a tax-to-GDP ratio of 15 percent and above ensures economic growth and poverty reduction in the long term Taxes are a critical measure of a nation s development and governance The tax-to-GDP ratio is used to determine how well a government directs its economic resources

Higher tax revenues mean a country is able to spend more on improving infrastructure health and education keys to the long-term prospects for a country s economy and people

The latest available data for taxGDP ratio in Pakistan is 10 3 percent below the Asia Pacific average of 19 8 percent by 9 4 percentage points

It is also below the OECD average (34 1 percent) by 23 8 percentage points So there is considerable room for improvement in this regard

Smuggling is a pervasive issue that undermines both the economy and society of a country

It results in the loss of revenue for the government and has been estimated to cause an annual loss of over Rs 400 billion to the national economy of Pakistan It can be adequately curbed by strict border controls as rightly observed by the COAS Managing and reforming the social media is also an immediate imperative because its unwieldy nature and negative use, particularly rumour-mongering, is having a negative effect on social harmony as well as on the economic landscape People need to show patience and support the initia-

tives taken by the Army leadership to rectify the maladies afflicting the economy and the social fibre Miracles do not happen in the economic domain Improvement in the economy surely has a time-lag

The crackdown initiated against money launderers electricity theft hoarding smuggling and illegal dealings in dollars and their smuggling, have already started producing positive results These are however ephemeral measures with a very limited impact The country needs drastic reforms in the system of governance and a growth model that not only helps in putting the economy back on rails but also takes care of the distributive aspect of the produced wealth

My considered view is that things would start falling in place if we are able to break the hold of elite classes on political power Keeping in view our social milieu and cultural diversity the system of proportional representation provides the best solution in this regard It would eliminate the dominance of the elitist classes on the political power and also neutralize the non-democratic forces to have any role in the make and break of the governments The resultant political stability would act as a catalyst to economic growth But the problem is who will bell the cat?

The current political leaders, who are flag bearers and protectors of the corruption-ridden colonial system of governance would resist any change that undermines their vested interests This system will have to be imposed on them by the praetorian powers whose benign intervention is the call of the moment

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

will Israel seek forgiveness for its crimes against Palestinians?

War crimes are perpetrated hourly in cooperation with armed settler militias And Israelis view all of that with denial and repression

seeking - for a man who willfully set a house on fire in the middle of the night and was convicted in a court of law, itself a rarity in the Israel of 2023 where Jews are almost never brought to justice whether soldiers or civilians for their crimes against Palestinians

MIDDLE EAST EYE

G d E o n l E v y

TH E S E lines are being written in Tel Aviv on Yom Kippur the holiest day in the Jewish calendar This time around, the day is overshadowed by the 50th anniversary of the 1973 war known as the Yom Kippur War Of all of Israel’s wars, this was the most traumatic for Israelis and the old Israel is searching for its soul now under that shadow

The broader religious and traditional meaning of Yom Kippur and the days leading up to it are always a time of soul-searching, and above all a time when we seek forgiveness for sins we have committed

The ceremonial rituals are saturated with cliches including the blessing of wishing others that they be inscribed for a good yearwhich is how people greet one another on the street, instead of saying shalom (peace) as the holiday approaches Israel is supposed to atone for its collective sins on Yom Kippur and Jewish Israelis are supposed to atone for their individual sins - yet this has never properly happened in any year and this year less so than ever

It has never occurred to Israel to ask for the most significant forgiveness of all the kinds it ought to be seeking: that is, asking forgiveness from the Palestinian people Israel has never asked forgiveness for its sins towards the Palestinians committed in 1948 nor for those committed against them continuously since 1948 nor even for the sins it has committed against them during this past year, as demanded by Jewish law and tradition every year Moreover, this past year was a very hard one for Israel and the Palestinians a year in which Israel has been ruled by the most extreme right-wing government in its history

ALL SHAME LOST: This is the year when not only is there nothing to be said about asking forgiveness from the Palestinians but it is also the year in which Israel has lost all shame for the crimes it has committed against them

Some Israelis have already moved ahead a notch and are seeking forgiveness from the murderer rather than his victims They not only deny that he is a murderer; some believe that, because the Palestinians he killed were innocents, including an infant, he is made holy by this act This is what happens when all shame is lost

A real spiritual self-examination for every Israeli as Yom Kippur entails or at any other time of the year, would necessarily involve an accounting for actions vis-a-vis the Palestinian people On the national level, such an accounting has not even begun

Even when Israel was signing agreements like the Oslo Accords exactly 30 years ago now there was no question of taking responsibility nor any request for forgiveness: these things were not even on the table

A truth and reconciliation commission in the post-apartheid South African mode is completely far-fetched in Israel’s case; no more than a fantasy completely detached from reality It is not difficult to imagine the potential positive impact on relations between Israel and the Palestinian people of a move on Israel’s part to take responsibility for its crimes

CRUEL, DISCRIMINATORY REGIME:

After over 100 years of Zionism which for the Palestinians has meant 100 years of dispossession, oppression, killing, destruction, humiliation, loss of rights and loss of dignity, in Israel there is no whisper of a thought about taking responsibility and seeking to atone as Jews are bound to do by Jewish law on the holy day of atonement when these lines are being written

On the contrary, just as the killer BenUliel is the victim in the eyes of extremist Israelis, most Israelis see themselves as the victim, and only as the victim, in the context of their relations with their real victims the Palestinians

supremacy and demands only a return to the status quo ante, meaning democracy for the Jews in the Jewish state controlling a land in which two nations of equal size are living

One nation lives under a democratic regime that is currently in danger and the other nation lives under one of the worst military dictatorships in the world Few nations anywhere live under such a cruel, predatory and discriminatory regime Yet this is ignored by the democratic protest movement so admired by nearly everyone

ENTIRE NATION IN DENIAL: For more than 100 years we have been depriving the Palestinians of their land their property their way of life, their culture and their dignity While the methods of operation have changed over the years, the intention remains constant The aim was and continues to be to try to arrange for as few Palestinians as possible to stay here if any at all

This is the true meaning of a Jewish and democratic state This is the only way to settle the contradiction between Jewishness and democracy in the reality of a binational state In 1948, Israel expelled hundreds of thousands of people and even if some of them technically fled in terror in either case they were never given an opportunity to return Israel then imposed military rule on the remaining Palestinians residing within its domain, terming them “Israeli Arabs”

A few months after the military regime within Israel came to an end in 1966 it was replaced by a military occupation of the Palestinian territories that has continued ever since Nearly seven million Palestinians live under Israeli control in various ways, in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Conditions of deprivation in all areas of life for Palestinian citizens of the state; military tyranny for the stateless Palestinian subjects in the West Bank and East Jerusalem; and prison conditions for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the world s largest cage for human beings Brutality is the only means of preserving all of that There is no nonviolent way to preserve such a violent reality

of various other currencies, and intensified inflation, striking a heavy blow to other countries, especially emerging economies and developing countries

This is the year when government ministers referring to a Jewish criminal convicted of burning a Palestinian family alive as they slept in their home, have called the perpetrator a saint and a victim The campaign demanding the release of Amiram Ben-Uliel went viral in Israel and in a matter of days raised more than $400 000 through crowdfunding to support action on his behalf This is the forgiveness many Israelis are

Only by falsely positioning themselves as the victims can Israelis cope with their past denying and repressing it as few nations have managed to deny their past along with their present A nation of immigrants took control of a land already inhabited for hundreds of years suppressed its inhabitants deprived them of their land and possessions expelled some of them and oppressed the rest seized control of the land and established a state which is by definition a state where Jewish supremacy exists

This year Israel also lost any shame over defining Zionism as Jewish supremacy As Israel is pushed into a corner by an extreme right-wing government an impressive protest movement has taken to the streets month after month to fight for democracy

Yet this impressive protest ignores the question of the society’s inherent Jewish

The military regime employs cruel violence on a daily basis War crimes are perpetrated hourly in cooperation with armed settler militias And Israelis view all of that w i t h d e n i a l a n d r e p r e s s i o n T h e y l i e t o themselves and remain complacent, or morbidly indifferent Most do not know and esp e c i a l l y d o n o t w a n t t o k n o w t h e r e a l i t y w h i l e m o s t o f t h e I s r a e l i m e d i a d o e s t h e i r p a r t b y n o t d i s t u r b i n g I s r a e l i s w i t h a t r u e portrayal of the reigning immorality they are refusing to see

This is how we reached this state of affairs in which an entire nation is living in denial This is how we have ended up where we are now so that when the day of atonement approaches no one thinks about asking forgiveness from Israel s greatest victim

Malik MuhaMMad ashraf

When

US uses dollar hegemony to reap global wealth

C H I N A , J A PA N , S O U T H KO R E A C O O P E R AT I O N

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

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

HIGH-LEVEL officials from China Japan and South Korea have carried out in-depth discussions on working for the steady resumption of trilateral cooperation and agreed to hold a foreign ministers meeting in the coming months, as well as maintain communication on holding a leaders’ meeting at the earliest opportunity convenient to all three countries Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin briefed on Tuesday

According to the spokesperson, the meeting, held in Seoul on Tuesday, was attended by Nong Rong, China’s assistant minister of foreign affairs Takehiro Funakoshi Japan s senior deputy foreign minister and Chung Byung-won South Korean deputy foreign minister

It was agreed that trilateral cooperation serves the common interests of the three parties and it’s necessary to work together to step up practical cooperation in such fields as culture and people-to-people exchanges economy and trade scientific and technological innovation sustainable development and public health to make new progress in trilateral cooperation and make new contribution to regional peace, stability and prosperity,

Wang said As the chair of the trilateral cooperation mechanism, South Korea proposed a trilateral summit in late December, Japanese broadcaster TBS reported Chinese analysts said that it is still too early to commit to an actual meeting of the leaders in the near future and that South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his government need to make practical efforts to mend ties with China that have bottomed out due to Seoul’s extreme pro-US foreign policy

If conditions for a leaders’ meeting are achieved and it could take place within this year before South Korea s legislative elections in April 2024 – a pivotal moment of reckoning for Yoon and a litmus test of the sitting president s performance – it would be good news for Yoon, who faces slumping approval ratings, Wang Junsheng, a research fellow of East Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing told the Global Times on Tuesday Yoon took an extremely pro-US foreign policy path immediately after he took the reins of the presidency in 2022, which has harmed ties with its largest trading partner China weighing on the country’s domestic economy with mounting unemployment rates especially among young professionals As polls consistently highlight the economy as the predominant concern of South

Korean voters Wang Junsheng said it is Yoon and his government that have the most urgent need now to revive the leaders meeting to repair ties with China, as such a remarkable event could save them from low approval ratings at home

South Korean media reported that Yoon s domestic appeal remains lukewarm at best A recent Gallup poll pegs Yoon s approval rating at a modest 34 percent

Chinese Foreign Ministry has blasted the so-called historic US-Japan-South Korea summit at the US presidential retreat Camp David in August as a “deliberate attempt to sow discord between the world s secondlargest economy and two of its Asian neighbors Chinese analysts also said it could be a step toward creating a US-led mini NATO in the region that could force other regional countries to take more assertive actions Dong Xiangrong a senior fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences argued that it is only wishful thinking on the South Korean side to think the closer Seoul gets to Washington, the more bargaining chips it could leverage in talks with Beijing, as China would in fact handle ties with South Korea mainly within the China-South Korea bilateral setting or within that of the ChinaJapan-South Korea trilateral cooperation mechanism

Cisco’s $28bn Splunk deal may ignite sof t ware market

PR OFIT r e u t e r s

Cisco Systems (CSCO O) $28 billion deal for Splunk (SPLK O) is likely to prompt other technology giants to splash out on similar acquisitions of software vendors with predictable subscription revenue investment bankers and analysts say

Splunk a cybersecurity and data analytics firm, was in the process of shifting its business model from licensing its software to charging for subscriptions when it announced an agreement last week to sell itself to Cisco making it the third-largest software acquisition of all time Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins who has been expanding his company s services offerings to compensate for its moribund telecommunications equipment business told analysts that the $4 billion in annual recurring revenue that Splunk would bring from its subscriptions was a key driver behind the deal

This underscores how Splunk s subscription revenue-focused peers, such as Elastic NV (3E1 F), Datadog (DDOG O), Crowdstrike Holdings (CRWD O) and Dynatrace (DT N) are

potential acquisition targets for technology conglomerates such as Microsoft (MSFT O) Adobe (ADBE O) and Oracle (ORCL N) which are grappling with corporate customers seeking to cut spending, the bankers and analysts said Microsoft, Adobe and Oracle did not immediately respond to requests for comment

The improving outlook for software mergers and acquisitions is a welcome boost for dealmakers which have seen activity in the technology sector drop 61% year-to-date in the first 8 months of 2023 to $231 5 billion, according to LSEG data Dealmaking in the software sector has been dominated by private equity firms over the past year facing little competition from technology giants New Relic (NEWR N) a Splunk competitor, agreed in July to be sold to private equity firms Francisco Partners and TPG Inc (TPG O) for $6 5 billion

David Chen, co-head of global technology investment banking at Morgan Stanley (MS N) predicts that a rally in the Nasdaq 100 index this year and market fears of an economic recession receding will embolden technology companies to follow Cisco s example

and spend on big acquisitions

“I think the buyers’ outlook on their own business has really improved from four months ago and that gives confidence to pull the trigger on transformational transactions, Chen said in an interview Jefferies analysts wrote in a note the Federal Reserve putting the brakes on interest rate hikes has given acquirers more certainty around their funding costs helping dealmaking Even before Cisco s deal there were some signs that technology giants had started to eye acquisitions of software firms this year, albeit at a smaller scale IBM (IBM N) for example agreed in June to buy technology spend-management platform Apptio for $4 6 billion ATTRACTIVE VALUATIONS Splunk s stock performance made it receptive to a takeover While its shares had risen 39% in 2023 prior to the deal’s announcement, they were still down 44% from their October 2020 high when the COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to spend more on information technology because most of their employees were working from home Many of Splunk s peers have had similar stock perform-

It is too early to promise an actual meeting of the leaders in the near future as there should be ministerial-level talks to set tangible timetables and topics for discussion and that would not be an easy process,

Dong noted

Lü Chao, an expert on the Korean Peninsula issues at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences also warned that Yoon’s government must make practical redemption over its China policy including correcting its totally unacceptable remarks over the Taiwan question, stop echoing the US to provoke China in the South China Sea, and

ance Software stocks are cheap by historical standards making them attractive acquisition targets The average software stock trades at 5 8 times projected 12month revenue, 28% below its 8-year historical average when excluding the impact of COVID-19, which temporarily buoyed valuations in the sector, according to the Jefferies analysts Cisco s deal valued Splunk at 7 times projected 12-month revenue according to Jefferies They and other analysts said the price Cisco was paying was reasonable We note that the typical security company with 20% growth trades at about 7 times (sales) ” BTIG analysts wrote in a note last week Private software companies may also be more receptive to takeovers Keith Skirbe, managing director in Houlihan Lokey s (HLI N) technology investment banking group, said that some companies that raised money at high valuations during the 2021 fundraising cycle prefer to be sold rather than be forced to raise money from their investors again at a lower valuation A tidal wave of software M&A (is) on the horizon, Wedbush analysts wrote in a note last week

White Paper: C hina unveils plan of ac tion on building

BEIJING M i A n A b r A r

The Chinese government released a white paper on Tuesday to introduce the theoretical base, practice and development of a global community of shared future as by presenting China s vision of the course of human development it counters the hegemonic thinking of certain countries that seek supremacy Ten years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the idea of building a global community of shared future “His proposal lights the path forward as the world fumbles for solutions and represents China s contribution to global efforts to protect the shared home and create a better future of prosperity for all,” according to the white paper, titled “A Global Community of Shared Future: China’s Proposals and Actions ” The timing of releasing such a docu-

ment is crucial, as apart from marking the 10th anniversary of the proposal of a significant idea the world is in severe turbulence and experiencing profound changes which have not been seen in the past century, so the international community has been calling for solutions, and China, as a responsible major power which is much more powerful than it was 10 years ago has responsibility to contribute its wisdoms and actions to meet the demand of this era said Chinese analysts Chinese experts said that the white paper, without mentioning the US, has clearly expressed firm oppositions against many ideas and behaviors of Washington, such as “democracy versus authoritarianism alliance-based confrontation and small yard high fence and this shows that China is now openly disagreeing with the US-proposed rule-based order, which in fact is a way to preserve the old order dominated by US hegemony

Many ideas and behaviors of US-led West have already caused endless and ongoing conflicts and tensions worldwide and will lead the world into a new cold war China and majority of countries in the world share similar concerns, and they re responsible for finding a path to effectively reform the world order and build a global community of shared future experts said OPPOSE AND PROPOSE

The zero-sum game is doomed to fail, the white paper said But certain countries still cling to this mindset, blindly pursuing absolute security and monopolistic advantages, which will do nothing for their development in the long run but create a major threat to the world

It is increasingly that the obsession with superior strength, and the zero-sum mentality are in conflict with the needs of our times, the white paper said, point-

ing out that the new era calls for new ideas

Wu Xinbo director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University told the Global Times on Tuesday that many ways of thinking as well as actions of the US are against China s interest, and also against the interest of the vast majority of countries worldwide

“As a responsible major country we China should make our position clear and to clearly tell the world about what we are upholding, and if we want other countries to support us, we should tell them where we are going,” Wu said

The white paper and China-proposed initiatives are not aimed at challenging the US and the West or serve the ambition of struggle for power but actually to proceed from the common interests of mankind, because the US approaches will definitely lead the world to a new cold war,” Wu noted

withdrawing from the anti-China chip alliance otherwise China would not agree to any further arrangements for a three-way meeting of leaders

Featuring weapons ranging from ballistic missiles to tanks rolling through Seoul, South Korea put on the first large-scale military parade in a decade on Tuesday to mark its Armed Forces Day usually a muted occasion in South Korea More than 300 combat troops from the US Eighth Army under US Forces Korea took part in the parade as the South Korea and the US marked the 70th anniversary of their alliance, media reported

Modi’s BJP behind most hate speech against Muslims in India: Bloomberg

NEW DELHI

Ag e n c i e s

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and affiliated groups were behind most hate speech events against Muslims in the first half of the year, according to a report which flagged the escalating trend since Modi rose to power in 2014 Around 80 percent of the 255 recorded incidents of hate speech against Muslims took place in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Bloomberg reported citing a report released on Monday by Hindutva Watch a DC-based research group that tracks hate speech and crime against minorities in India Under the BJP, India s Muslim population has faced bias and religious persecution, which critics say is aiming to marginalise Muslims and transform India into a Hindu-dominated nation This report is the first of its kind to record instances of anti-Muslim speech after India s crime bureau discontinued collecting hate crime data in 2017 Hindutva Watch relied on online open-source information to accumulate data and then used the data scrapping techniques to locate verified videos of hate crimes The team then conducted in-depth investigations with the help of journalists and researchers as outlined in their methodology explanation The report saw more than half of the documented incidents this year were conducted by the ruling BJP and affiliates including the Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Sakal Hindu Samaj Those groups have links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS the far-right ideological mentor of (BJP) which was inspired by the Nazis in Germany The secretive militia group formed in 1925 aims to create an ethnic Hindu state It was briefly banned in 1948 after one of its members was suspected of assassinating Mahatma Gandhi, India s independence movement from the British The report revealed that Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat experienced the highest number of hate speech events Notably one-third of these documented incidents occurred in states slated to hold legislative elections this year

Russian air strikes on Ukraine kill six , damage grain and por t facilities

KYIV

Ag e n c e s

Russian air strikes and shelling killed six people in Ukraine and caused significant damage to infrastructure at the Black Sea port of Odesa and to grain storage facilities, Ukrainian officials said The air attacks were part of a campaign that has made it harder for major grain producer Ukraine to export its products since Moscow quit a deal in mid-July that had enabled Black Sea shipments and helped combat a global food crisis The strikes have intensified as Kyiv presses on with a counteroffensive in the south and east that has made slow gains but could be boosted by the delivery of U S -made Abrams tanks, announced on Monday by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy “Another massive attack on Odesa!” Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on X The attack resulted in the destruction of grain storage facilities and significant damage to the seaport Oleh Kiper, the Odesa region governor, said the facilities that were hit had contained almost 1,000 tons of grain and that the bodies of two men were found under the rubble of a warehouse where grain was stored Ukraine’s military said 19 Iranian-made Shahed drones and 11 cruise missiles were shot down overnight most of them directed at Odesa region The grain storage facilities that were destroyed were hit by two supersonic missiles, it said

‘a global community of shared future’

CORPORATE CORNER

Jazz, NUST to power Pakistan’s first ‘5G Innovation Hack athon’

CDA AskeD to stArt Development work in G-9 mArk A z on priorit y

CDA should start development works in Karachi Company without further delay to facilitate the traders in promoting business activities They assured that they would work with ICCI for the welfare of the trading community of Islamabad

serve as a breeding ground for novel ideas and solutions that could shape the future of telecommunications in Pakistan The event would not only empower local talent but also ensure Pakistan s presence at the forefront of digital revolution, paving the way for a more connected and innovative future PR

NSU at forefront of producing skillful outh

Pakistani skillful youth can steer this nation to prosperity Moreover rapid technological advancements have created limitless opportunities for people worldwide We have the edge over several other countries due to the higher number of youth learners ready to acquire skills for their livelihood

There is an urgent need for a paradigm shift in educational policies

Besides their ongoing programs universities across the countries must follow the National Skills University Islamabad model Each university s undergraduate program is an umbrella for almost a dozen short courses spanning 3 – 6 months This was stated by the Vice Chancellor of the National Skills University Islamabad while addressing the second badge of the skills learners in various certification programs including Solar System Design and

Installation Mobile Phone Repairing Technician

MS Office 365, Digital Marketing, Cybersecurity, Graphic Designing and Video Editing, Occupational Health and Safety, and Taxation

Certification comprised 108 students

Prof Dr Muhammad Mukhtar Vice Chancellor and the faculty involved in skills training were pleased to know that many learners are from well-reputed universities who polished their skills relevant to the degrees they have already acquired Moreover, it was fascinating to hear that among this batch, most have already obtained jobs and some are also involved in high-tech business While expressing their thoughts participants praised the university environment for learning skills They wished to expand such training across the country with the addition of more courses and online training that NSU is embarking on soon P R

EBM, S oL inspire youth with 100 ‘Leaders of C hange’ stories at 22nd Young Leaders sConference

K A R A C H I: English Biscuit Manufacturers (EBM) brought together future leaders for the 22nd time with the Young Leaders Conference (YLC) This edition marks EBM s decades-long commitment to the School of Leadership (SoL) as the founding partner to empower the young leaders of Pakistan The 22nd Edition of YLC holds a special significance to EBM, as it saw the launch of 100 “Leaders of Change” Stories with an emotionally charged exhibit of the transformative journeys of YLC alumni The impactful showreel highlighted authentic anecdotes of individuals from previous YLCs, their inspiring journeys and their impact, serving as a reminder of the conference's enduring influence In the current testing times, where everyone is uncertain about the foreseeable future EBM hopes that these stories serve as a beacon of hope and highlight the transformative power of leadership perseverance and hard work

The event was graced by the presence of esteemed dignitaries, including Kamran Rizvi, Founder of the School of Leadership, and Shahzain Munir, Executive Director EBM along with YLC alumni and notable industry representatives PR

Pak istan Nav y gif ts ship to United Kingdom as goodwil

ISLAMABAD P R

The Transfer Agreement Signing

Ceremony for the ex-Pakistan Navy

Ship TARIQ to Falls of Clyde International (FOCI) of United Kingdom was organized at Pakistan High Commission in London Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi graced the ceremony as Chief Guest Former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff Royal British Navy Admiral Lord Alan West attended the ceremony as Guest of Honour Ex PNS TARIQ was formerly decommissioned by Pakistan Navy on 4 Aug 23 and has been gifted by the Government of Pakistan to a UK based firm Falls of Clyde International (FOCI) that plans to convert the ship into a floating museum The ship will

be on static display at Clyde Maritime Heritage Centre in Glasgow as a symbol of common naval heritage of the Royal and Pakistan navies

Speaking on the occasion, Admiral Lord Alan West said that the close relationship between the navies and nations of Pakistan and UK are clearly shown by the historic agreement focused on one ship that served both each countries over many years

While addressing at the ceremony, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi acknowledged the meritorious services of PNS TARIQ for the defence of Pakistan The Chief Guest hoped that handing over of TARIQ to FOCI will further strengthen the bonds of friendship between UK and Pakistan as the ship will continue to symbolize the shared maritime heritage of both the navies in times to come

The historical ship served in the Royal Navy as HMS AMBUSCADE for 18 years and participated in the Falklands War before being inducted and re-commissioned in Pakistan Navy as PNS TARIQ in 1993

The ship served for over 3 decades in PN & distinguished herself on many operational deployments earning the reputation of a versatile agile and ever-ready combat ship

The ship was famously involved in Search and Rescue mission in Maldives during the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2005 which helped save precious lives of 377 tourists belonging to various nationalities

The ceremony hosted by High commissioner of Pakistan to UK H E Dr Mohammad Fasial was attended by Director FOCI, Mr David O'Neill, veterans from Royal Navy and representatives of Pakistani community in UK

ISLAMABAD P R

Planning meeting regarding 29th Annual Technical Conference (ATC) and Exhibition was held at Islamabad Leaders of the E&P Industry of Pakistan were invited for briefing over the various events planned and to seek their participation The response was overwhelming with a number of participants from different companies in Pakistan who will continue to support the event Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Pakistan Section and Pakistan Association of Petroleum Geoscientists (PAPG) are holding Annual Technical Conference (ATC) and Exhibition on 7th and 8th November 2023 at the Serena Hotel Islamabad The theme of this year s conference

is Exploring the Unexplored: High Risk Plays and Economic Challenges ATC is a mega event of Petroleum Industry of Pakistan which is held annually and attracts over 1200 delegates from local and in-

ternational E&P Companies Services Companies Regulatory Authorities and academia who bring and share their experience along with 35 stalls where global exhibitors display their technology

D araz and Meezan Bank par tner to drive elec tric bike adoption in Pakistan

K A R A C H I: Meezan Bank Pakistan s leading Islamic bank and Daraz Pakistan s largest ecommerce platform have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support and encourage the use of electric bikes in Pakistan Through this partnership, Meezan Bank will provide Shariahcompliant financing for electric bikes to Daraz delivery staff/riders across the country The MoU was signed by Syed Iftikhar ul Haq - Group Head Consumer Finance Meezan Bank and Ahmed Tanveer - Chief Operating Officer of Daraz Pakistan, in the presence of senior executives from both organizations On this occasion, Syed Iftikhar ul Haq remarked, "We are excited to collaborate with Daraz in promoting electric bikes in Pakistan Together we are working to reduce emissions and provide a more cost-effective and eco-friendly transportation solution that will benefit both our environment and the local community "Ahmed Tanveer added, "We are fully committed to enhancing our customers' delivery experience while actively contributing to a greener and more sustainable Pakistan Through our collaboration with Meezan Bank we hope that we are not only able to encourage environmentally responsible practices but also provide our riders with a more economically viable solution in light of rising fuel costs PR

Zafar Bakhtawari former President ICCI and Secretary General UBG Pakistan said that resolving the key issues of the business community is the top priority of Ahsan Bakhtawari and assured that he would work harder in his remaining tenure for the development works in markets including G-9 Markaz Islamabad Khalid Chaudhry Convener ICCI Traders Committee and others also spoke on the occasion and emphasized that CDA should start development works in G-9 Markaz to bring it at par with developed commercial centres of the federal capital

Timely payment of elec tricity bills a moral, national responsibility: IESCO

Pursuant to the vision of the Government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Energy regarding 100% recovery of electricity dues all operation circles of Islamabad Electric Supply Company IESCO have cracked down on electricity defaulters in Islamabad Rawalpindi City Rawalpindi Cantt Attock Jhelum and Chakwal Circles In which all the recovery teams of IESCO have full support of police and district administration

According to the details, 360 defaulters of 38 lakh 48 thousand from Islamabad circle, 253 defaulters of 51 lakh 82 thousand from Attock circle 73 defaulters of 19 lakh 35 thousand from Rawalpindi City circle 211 defaulters of 12 lakh 4 thousand from Jhelum circle and 210 defaulters of 65 lakh 25 thousand from Rawalpindi Cantt circle recovery was ensured from during the ongoing dues recovery campaign Overall recovery more than 200 million were made from 14 thousand 112 defaulters across the region and electricity connections of non-paying consumers were disconnected It should be noted that the defaulters also include those consumers whose electricity meters have already been disconnected due to non-payment Chief Executive IESCO Dr Muhammad Amjad Khan appreciated the performance of IESCO recovery teams and requested the consumers to show moral and national responsibility and pay electricity bills on time and if for any reason they do not receive electricity bills they can get the duplicate bill from Iesco official website address www iesco com pk, concerned SDO Office, Revenue Office or Customer Services Centers PR

Majority of citizens concerned about protein intake, but spend less than 20% on protein foods, study reveals

KARACHI: The 'Right To Protein' initiative powered by U S Soybean Export Council (USSEC) introduced the Pakistan Protein Perception Study 2023 an insightful report developed basis a nationwide survey conducted by YouGov assessing citizen s knowledge, behaviour, and perceptions about protein foods in Pakistan The study highlights the practical challenges that pose as a barrier to adequate protein consumption in Pakistan Majority of the Pakistanis are unaware of their ideal daily protein requirements and lack basic knowledge of protein rich foods The Pakistan Protein Perception Study found that majority of the respondents spend only between 1020% of their monthly food budgets on food sources that are rich in protein, which is the most essential macronutrient for human bodies Over 60% citizens surveyed agree that lack of protein affects their overall health with lifestyle issues being the most common symptom that lead to protein deficiencies Alarmingly 46% wrongly believe that high consumption of protein leads to weight gain and 45% state that controlling calories is more important than consuming protein Less than 50% of respondents felt they were consuming less than half of the required amount of carbohydrates fats and proteins and over 40% incorrectly classified fruits vegetables and whole grain cereals to be high protein food PR

PEC hosts launch of STEM educ ation at LC

WU

L A H O R E: The Launching ceremony of STEM education was successfully held at the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) in Lahore

The event commenced at 9:00 am and was organized by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) The Launching ceremony was attended by Honorable Mr Muhammad Baligh ur Rehman, Governor Punjab, as Chief Guest, Engr Muhammad Najeeb Haroon Chairman PEC and Prof Dr Shagufta Naz Vice Chancellor Lahore College for Women University Lahore (LCWU) Ms Sania Kamran PEC Governing Body Members(GB) and other eminent dignitaries The Chief Guest for the occasion was Governor Punjab, Honorable Mr Muhammad Baligh ur Rehman He first extended warmest greetings to Pakistan Engineering Council(PEC) for conduction of the launch ceremony of STEM initiative PR

GUL AHMED TEXTILE MILLS SEES PROFITS FALL BY NEARLY 50% IN 2023

ising trend on margin improvement

g ANALYSTS ATTRIBUTE SURGE IN RUPEE'S VALUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES

in fiscal year 2023, compared to Rs986 92 million last year While the textile manufacturer witnessed a 14% growth in total revenue, reaching Rs138 93 billion compared to Rs121 81 billion in the previous year its profit margin contracted from 22 2% in fiscal year 2022 to 20% in fiscal year 2023, due to higher cost of sales The company s operating expenses increased by nearly 19% year-on-year, totaling to Rs14 69 billion in fiscal year 2023

Despite the worrying numbers economic analyst A A H Soomro told Profit that the results could in fact show a prom-

Gov t decides repatriation of Rs1.1m foreigners/Afghans residing illegally

The federal cabinet has approved the repatriation plan for illegally residing Afghan citizens/foreigners allegedly because they pose serious threats to the security of country it was learned on Tuesday

According to sources illegally residing Afghan citizens have allegedly been found involved in terrorism, dollar, sugar, and fertilizer smuggling

Similarly, these illegally residing Afghan citizens are allegedly involved in funding and facilitating terrorists Illegally resident foreigners pose serious threats to the security of Pakistanis Furthermore after America left Afghanistan in 2021 four lakh Afghans came to Pakistan illegally and seven lakh Afghans did not renew their proof of residence in Pakistan However, the federal cabinet, through circulation of the summary, has decided repatriation/deportation of 11 lakh foreigners staying in the country illegally as they are not in possession of valid documents authorizing them to stay in the country said sources

Sharing details of the eviction plan, the sources said that in the first phase, it has been decided to expel those who resided illegally and did not renew their visas

And, in the second phase, Afghan citizens, and in the third phase those with proof of residence cards will be evicted from the country The Ministry of Interior has prepared the plan in consultation with all stakeholders including the Afghan government sources added

Official documents available with this scribe disclose that an estimated 0 4 million to 0 5 million Afghan citizens entered the country without any valid documents after the US exit from Afghanistan on 15th August 2021 In addition there are 0 74 million Afghan citizens in Pakistan who never appeared for renewal of their Proof of Residence (PoR) cards

The illegal foreigners pose serious threat the security of the country The deteriorating law and order situation, surge in number of crimes, and smuggling of essential commodities , currency and other contrabands across the border necessitate that they are deported/repatriated back to their countries of origin said documents

As per documents an Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) has been formulated in consultation with all the stakeholder, including the provincial/regional governments, to repatriate the illegal foreigners The plan comprises of mechanism to consolidate the database of illegal foreigners in the country check entry of new illegal entrants apprehension /deportation/repatriation of illegal/overstaying foreigners and implementation of One Documents Regime The Plan suggests that the process of repatriation shall be carried out in successive phases

The illegal/unregistered foreigners and those who are overstaying their visa validity periods shall be repatriated in the first phase In the next phases repatriation/deportation of Afghan Citizens Cards (ACC) and Proof of Residence (PoR) card holders shall be repatriated after consensus of all the stakeholders, said documents

In the global contractionary phase, fetching high sales is difficult That is visible with low dollar sales on a yearto-year basis Nevertheless despite a 40% plus increase in financial costs bottom line growth is solid on a quarterly basis and likely to continue, he said The analyst said heightened competitiveness in export orders is anticipated, due to substantial domestic crop, significant currency adjustments – despite a rise in energy expenses Gul Ahmed offers a strong mix of domestic and export sales and these results should comfort investors on improving prospects of unlocking the valuations,” Soomro stated In a related development, GATM’s Board of Directors decided to reclassify Rs23 billion from revenue reserves to separate capital reserves (un-distributable

by way of dividend), reflecting the nature of these reserves more accurately

It is pertinent to mention that the board over the years has discussed the company’s expansion and diversification efforts along with substantial investments have increased enterprise value for shareholders Consequently, the unappropriated profits are not entirely available for dividend distribution Gul Ahmed Group has been a textile trader since the 1900s and initiated its manufacturing operations as Gul Ahmed Textile Mills (GATM) in 1953 Subsequently becoming a publicly listed company in 1955 GATM, a subsidiary of Gul Ahmed Holdings (Private) Limited, is a comprehensive textile mill specializing in textile product manufacturing and sales Beyond manufacturing GATM has ventured into the retail sector with over 40 stores nationwide

ECP all set to unveil new delimitations

In the interbank market on Tuesday the Pakistani rupee exhibited a notable trend of strengthening against the US dollar with its exchange rate dipping to below Rs290

According to details, at mid-day, the rupee was trading at 289 73 against the US dollar, representing an increase of Rs1 13 Whereas, in the open market, the dollar was trading for Rs292 compared to the previous day s rate of Rs293

This appreciation of the rupee follows a trend that started when the interim government cracked down on illegal dollar trading earlier in the month The rupee had also appreciated by 0 31 percent on the previous day, settling at 290 86 Analysts attribute this surge in the rupee’s value primarily to administrative measures taken by the government These measures seem to be addressing speculative elements that were contributing to the rupee depreciation Analysts suggest that if the current trend continues and the Afghan border remains closed, the rupee is likely to appreciate further in the future

The rupee has made a significant recovery rising nearly 6 percent since reaching a record low of 307 1 against the US dollar in the interbank market on September 5

Internationally, the US dollar has been strong, standing at 10-month highs against a basket of major currencies This strength is supported by US bond yields reaching 16-year peaks

ber 28 to November 26 whereas the objections could be filed against the delimitations from Sep-

tember 27 to October 28

The hearing on the pleas against the delimitations will be conducted till November 25 The ECP will unveil the final delimitations on November 30

After the publication of the final delimitations a 54-day election schedule will be announced and general polls will be held in the first week of the January 2024

S anjrani, Chinese envoy disc uss bilateral ties, economic cooperation

C h a i r m a n S e n a t e M u h a m m a d S a d i q S a n j r a n i w a s called on by Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zeidang on Tuesday and various matters of mutual interest, enc o m p a s s i n g b i l a t e r a l r e l a t i o n s , e c o n o m i c c o l l a b or a t i o n , a n d c o o r d i n a t i o n c a m e u n d e r d i s c u s s i o n i n t h e m e e t i n g

During the meeting the determination to enhance bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors was reaffirmed underlining the mutual benefits for both nations said a news release

Furthermore, the meeting underscored the imperative for joint endeavours aimed at promoting peace, prosperity, and development in the region

Sadiq Sanjrani while extending his congratulations to Ambassador Jiang Zeidang on his new role expressed optimism that the ambassador s substantial skills would contribute to stabilising and fortifying the Pakistan-China relationship He commended China s commitment to regional peace and highlighted the necessity of bolstering cooperation in multilateral domains The discussions also encompassed the advancement of collaboration in agriculture and mining sectors

The Chairman Senate expressed his intent to draw inspiration from China s experiences in the realms of agriculture and mining, culminating in the potential strengthening of a Strategic Cooperation Partnership that would further enhance Pakistan-China relations

He underscored the historical solidarity between the two nations where they have consistently supported each other on various international platforms

Sanjrani acknowledged the transformative im-

pact of the Pak-China Economic Corridor project ushering in a new era of joint development and prosperity Urging the expedited exchange of parliamentary delegations, he extended an invitation to the head of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China to visit Pakistan

The Chairman Senate highlighted Pakistan s investment-friendly environment and encouraged Chinese investors to explore opportunities for mutually beneficial projects Furthermore, the Chairman Senate noted that Chinese investments in Pakistan have generated valuable employment opportunities for the nation’s youth and are instrumental in fostering regional development

He expressed appreciation for the private sector investments from China in remote areas of Pakistan

The chairman also recognised the global leadership qualities of Chinese President Xi Jinping, commending his impactful writings, and suggested translating the book into Urdu

Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zeidang reaffirmed the close friendship between China and Pakistan expressing China s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation He emphasised that China s experiences would contribute significantly to Pakistan s social and economic prosperity, expressing his happiness at being in Pakistan

The ambassador also extended an invitation to Chairman Senate to visit China Additionally he highlighted China s recent white paper titled Common Future of Mankind aimed at fostering global peace and development

The meeting was also attended by Secretary Senate, Mohammad Qasim Samad Khan and Additional Secretary Asim Khan Guraya

Senate panel pushes for 90-day election timeline as ECP secretar y pledges fair play

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

The Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, in its meeting on Tuesday, called for the general elections to be held within the 90-day constitutional timeframe

The recommendation comes days after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) annoucned that polls in the country would be held in January next year

However, the timeframe lacks a specific date for the elections

It also exceeds the Nov 6 cut-off date suggested by President Arif Alvi considering the 90day limit Since the National Assembly was dissolved three days before the end of its constitutional term Article 224 of the Constitution mandates that elections be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly by November 7 Today, the committee also expressed its reservations over the process of compiling the results during the elections, demanding that the result management be made clearer It urged the ECP to restrict the election process and immediately announce the election schedule

Meanwhile ECP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan assured the Senate committee that the commission was providing everyone with a level playing field for the upcoming polls

During a briefing to the committee, he asserted that there “would not be any rigging in the upcoming general elections as the arrangements the ECP was making would have no chance of rigging Khan went on to state that the electoral body has no favourite , adding: A lot has happened with us, which we have kept behind the curtains

He told the committee, “Provincial governments were not ready but we still conducted the local government polls We are making sure that the mistakes made by the ECP in past are not repeated

The official s assurance echoes the ECP s promise made a month ago that transparent polls would be conducted in the country as soon as possible and a level playing field would be provided to all political parties

However, soon, strong statements were made by several senior PPP leaders including party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari over the past month against the absence of a level playing field

The PPP has also termed the current caretaker setup as an extension of the PML-N, citing the induction of bureaucrats who have been closely affiliated with the Nawaz-led party Similar concerns have been raised by the PTI as well

Pak istan set to supply fuel to ships. How did we get here?

bunker fuel ?

What is furnace oil? Furnace oil, also known as heavy fuel o i l ( H F O ) i s a b r o a d t e r m e n c o m p a s s i n g fuels utilised to generate motion and heat c h a r a c t e r i s e d b y t h e i r n o t a b l y h i g h v i s -

cosity and density The MARPOL Marine

After a more than four year hiatus Pakistan is set to recommence fuel supply to seafaring ships

C o n v e n t i o n o f 1 9 7 3 d e f i n e s h e a v y f u e l o i l a s h a v i n g a d e n s i t y e x c e e d i n g 9 0 0 k g / m ³ a t 1 5 ° C o r a k i n e m a t i c v i s c o s i t y surpassing 180 mm²/s at 50°C These oils c o n t a i n a s i g n i f i c a n t p r o p o r t i o n o f h e a v y m o l e c u l e s i n c l u d i n g l o n g - c h a i n h y d r oc a r b o n s a n d a r o m a t i c s w i t h e x t e n s i v e b r a n c h e d s i d e c h a i n s , l e n d i n g t h e m t h e i r d i s t i n c t i v e b l a c k h u e

used as marine fuel,

is currently the most extensively utilised marine fuel; almost all medium and

rived from the distillation of crude oil The quality of this residual fuel is contingent on the quality of the crude oil processed in the refinery To meet various specifications and quality standards these residual fuels are blended with lighter fuels such as marine gas oil or marine diesel oil A quintessential distinction of heavy fuel oils lies in their sulphur content Per the standards set by ISO 8217, the upper limit of their sulphur content is firmly capped at 3 5% The main classes based on sulphur content are HSFO Low Sulphur Furnace Oil (LSFO) VLSFO and Ultra Low Sulphur Furnace Oil (ULSFO) VLSFO is a new type of marine fuel that was introduced in January 2020 to comply with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulation that limits the sulphur content of ship fuels to 0 5%

The potential gains for NRL

been obliging refineries to curtail production levels,” articulates Fahad Rauf, the distinguished Head of Research at Ismail Iqbal Securities VLSFO a preferred choice of the maritime industry could emerge as a lucrative product The tangible benefit would be contingent on the magnitude of the shift from HSFO to VLSFO, Rauf elaborates

The capacity of VLSFO to bestow immediate alleviation to NRL from the plethora of obstacles beleaguering the refinery sector is noteworthy The exigency to metamorphose the slate towards products boasting higher margins is intense, particularly in an epoch characterised by stringent regulatory compliance and a concentration on the bottom line where every subtlety is consequential

dollar equity is paramount

The Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), poised to be NRL’s immediate patron had earlier this year in March formalised a memorandum of understanding with ENAR Petroleum Refining Facility for the acquisition of VLSFO The details of the arrangement could not be obtained at the time of writing

Nonetheless, it is conceivable that PNSC still harbours unmet demand that NRL could fulfil In the unlikely scenario of a disagreement PNSC would be obligated to adhere from a regulatory vantage point rendering a pact between both entities highly probable

and how has NRL suddenly been able to produce the internationally approved fuel known as

From my perspective the transition towards VLSFO signifies a positive evolution for the sector HSFO, now an antiquated and deficit-inducing product, has

In addition refineries are grappling with the task of procuring funding for their brownfield enhancement incentives which are projected to be unveiled by the government in the imminent months For such large-scale endeavors, the significance of

At present, NRL holds the distinction of being the solitary major oil refinery engaged in the production of VLSFO Pakistan Refinery Limited had embarked on production two years prior but ceased operations shortly thereafter While interest from various private refineries in producing VLSFO has been observed, no tangible developments have come to fruition as yet