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CHINA, PAKISTAN AGREE TO FURTHER HIGH-LEVEL ENGAGEMENT, DEEPEN MULTI-FACETED TIES thursday, 19 october, 2023 i 2 rabi us sani, 1445

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Both neighbours ink multibillion-dollar ML-I deal, other agreements at landmark meeting

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ISLAMABAD

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PM says Chinese investment in SEZs will contribute in diversification of Pakistan’s export basket

– Vow to boost economic cooperation, high-quality CPEC development BEIJING

staff CorresponDent

Pakistan and China on Wednesday expressed the collective resolve to enhance economic cooperation, with renewed focus on the centrality of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its high-quality development. The bilateral relations were discussed in a meeting between Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Member of the Standing Committee of Politburo of Communist Party of China Mr Li Xi. The prime minister congratulated Li on the successful hosting of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum by China and felicitated him on his election as the member of Politburo Standing Committee. The two leaders reaffirmed the commitment of Pakistan and China to strengthen bilateral political and economic ties and their unwavering support to each other on core issues. The two leaders also discussed measures to increase the volume of Chinese investment in Pakistan, especially in ICT, mining, infrastructure and agriculture sectors. They emphasized the importance of expanding industrial cooperation and the development of Special Economic Zones in Pakistan. Prime Minister Kakar and Li exchanged views on anti-corruption and financial discipline. The prime minister briefed the Chinese leader about measures taken by Pakistan for transparent and inclusive governance and evinced interest to learn from the Chinese experience.

mian abrar

AKISTAN and China on Wednesday signed the longawaited multi-billion-dollar Mainline One (ML-I) railway project which would cost US$ 6.7 billion and would transform and replace the centuries-old existing railway track from Peshawar to Karachi.

The agreement, among many others, was signed at a befitting signing ceremony held in Beijing and was attended by Chinese premier Li Qiang and caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar.

On the occasion, both the countries also agreed to further strengthen high-level dialogue and engagement besides deepening the political, economic, education, science & technology, cultural, and people-to-people relations. The bilateral ties were discussed in a bilateral meeting between Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of Third Belt and Road Forum (BRF) China’s capital. Accompanied by the ministers and senior officials, the two leaders reaffirmed the time-tested and iron-clad friendship between Pakistan and China.

Prime Minister Kakar extended felicitations to the Chinese leadership on the suc-

cessful holding of the Third Belt and Road Forum (BRF).

Noting the depth and breadth of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the prime minister termed it as a project of immense significance for the world in terms of connectivity and shared prosperity.

The two leaders discussed bilateral collaboration in the context of CPEC and prospects of further deepening economic linkages. Prime Minister Kakar underscored the importance of CPEC for Pakistan’s

economy and noted with satisfaction its expansion into new areas of development – including industrial development; livelihood projects; ICT; mining and minerals exploration and agriculture.

He expressed the confidence that Chinese investment in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will contribute in diversification of Pakistan’s export basket and expansion of its industrial base. Premier Li Qiang underlined the steady growth of bilateral cooperation and noted the positive

PKR extends decline, settles at 280.29 after losing Rs3.26 in interbank trading

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Rs 15.00 | Vol XIV No 109 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition

momentum of CPEC projects. He hoped that leadership consensus would give further boost to trade and economic relations between the two countries.

The two prime ministers also witnessed the signing ceremony in which several MoUs/Agreements were signed in areas of commerce, communication and transport including ML-I, connectivity food security & research, media exchanges, space cooperation, urban sustainable development, capacity building, mineral development and industrial cooperation, climate change, vaccine development.

Rupee depreciates by PKR3 in open market and was quoted at 280 for selling and 277 for buying against greenback PROFIT

news Desk

A currency trader counts Pakistani Rupee notes as he prepares an exchange of U.S dollars in Islamabad, Pakistan December 11, 2017. REUTERS/Caren Firouz/File Photo The Pakistani rupee (PKR) extended its decline against the US dollar as it depreciated 1.16% by losing Rs3.26 in interbank on Wednesday.

In the early hours of interbank trading, the local currency was quoted between the ranges of PKR 278.5 to 280 in interbank trading, with actual trades being executed at PKR278.50 per US dollar.

The rupee finally settled at 280.29 after a decrease of Rs3.26 in the inter-bank market at the closing of trading session, as per data shared by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The remarkable 28-day winning streak of the Pakistani currency came to an end on Tuesday (October 17) when it experienced 0.07% devaluation against the US dollar after settling at PKR277.03.

Furthermore, the Pakistani rupee was quoted at 280 for selling and 277 for buying, reflecting a depreciation of 3 rupees in comparison to the previous session.

According to a report by Profit, the rupee had fallen to a record low of PKR 307.09 per

dollar on September 5. But following a crackdown by agencies on illegal foreign exchange trading and structural reforms introduced by the central bank, the rupee had recovered every day in the interbank market since then.

It had gained PKR 30.26 or 9.85% prior to today’s depreciation.

Sana Tawfik, a senior analyst at Arif Habib Limited, attributed recent depreciation to “rebalancing”. This implies that the rupee

Let there be crude; Pakistan, China ink petroleum sector agreement

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Agreement set to increase PRL’s refining capacity from 50,000 bpd to 100,000 bpd PROFIT

Daniyal ahmaD

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed by Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) and the United Energy Group of China (UEG). This agreement is set to escalate PRL’s refining capacity from 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 100,000 bpd. The MoU was inked at the Third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. “Under the MoU, both parties have expressed their mutual desire to establish a strategic cooperation relationship,” states Zahid Mir, Managing Director & CEO of PRL. “This relationship is anchored in a shared interest in Pakistan’s energy sector,” Mir adds. “In the spirit of good faith, both parties will engage in earnest negotiations to explore potential opportunities for cooperation and collaborations.

These opportunities include equity investment in PRL as a strategic investor, with adequate board representation, to upgrade and grow the refinery,” Mir elaborates further. Once the new capacity comes online, PRL will ascend to become the third largest refinery in Pakistan, only surpassed by Cynergico and Parco. At present, PRL holds the position of the smallest refinery in Pakistan, lagging behind National Refinery and Attock with a capacity of 50,000 bpd.

Why does PRL want to increase capacity?

PRL’s refinery upgrade plan — formally known as the refinery expansion and upgrade project — dates back to 2021.

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has become overvalued following 28 days of appreciation and needs to fall again to its ‘actual value’.

“Given that we have a flexible exchange rate, this was bound to happen because our import restrictions have been lifted and debt repayments have to be made. The rupee’s appreciation was going to be halted at some point. The day-on-day depreciation is driven by demand and supply,” she commented.

WORK TO COMMENCE ON ML-I PROJECT SOON On the occasion, Secretary Ministry of Railways Syed Mazhar Ali Shah told that the work on the Main Line-I (ML-I) project between Pakistan and China would commence soon. During a signing ceremony between Pakistan and China, he said that it was a major breakthrough in the ML-I project, said a news release. “ML-I is a strategic project which will change the entire transportation system of Pakistan,” he added. Syed Mazhar Shah said the cost of the project has been reduced from $9 billion to $6.7 billion which is a major success.

Avenfield, Al-Azizia cases: IHC serves notices to NAB on Nawaz’s pleas for protective bail ISLAMABAD

staff report

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on two petitions filed by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif seeking protective bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases.

Nawaz, who is expected to return to Pakistan on Saturday, was convicted in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references and was declared a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana vehicle case, pending before an accountability court in Islamabad. He was on bail in these cases when he proceeded to the UK in 2019 for medical treatment. A two-judge IHC bench, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb took up Nawaz’s pleas, which were filed earlier on Wednesday. The PML-N leader’s lawyer, Amjad Pervez, told the court that his client was seeking protective bail. Referring to previous judgements, he said that in the past, absconders were granted protective bail in order to surrender before the court. “The court provides an opportunity whenever someone wants to surrender before it,” Pervez said, contending that Nawaz had not taken undue advantage of his bail. The lawyer noted that the court had also provided PTI Chairman Imran Khan with protective bail earlier. Pervez also said that Nawaz’s conviction was handed down when he was not in the country. At one point during the hearing, the NAB prosecutor said that the bureau did not have any objections if Nawaz wanted to come back. At this, Justice Aurangzeb said, “You have no objection to granting protective bail. Tomorrow you will say that the judgement should be struck down. Then you should also ask the NAB chairman and let us decide the appeal [against Nawaz’s conviction] today.” However, the NAB prosecutor said that the watchdog would give its arguments when the appeal would be fixed before the court. The hearing was subsequently adjourned till Thursday (today).

THE PLEAS: The petitions, copies of which are available with Dawn.com, were filed by PML-N’s Ataullah Tarar on Nawaz’s behalf. The pleas said that Nawaz was seeking protective bail in order to surrender before the court and “submit to due process of justice and avail remedies permissible under the law”.hey stated that Nawaz’s absence before the IHC was neither “intentional nor deliberate nor mala fide”, rather he was unable to do so due to “medical advice” and circumstances beyond his control“.

Gaza toll rises to 3,478 as humanitarian crisis unfolds amid world’s bickering g

WHO says it has no supplies or equipment left in Gaza warehouse GAZA

staff report

The death toll from the barbaric airstrike on a Gaza hospital rose to 471 while total number of killing from Israeli bombardment on the enclave reached 3,478, deepening tensions in the Middle East with The World Health Organisation has said it has no supplies or equipment left at its Gaza warehouse and hospitals are relying on their last reserve of supplies.

The Israeli attack sparked global condemnation and angry protests around the Muslim world.

In the meanwhile US President Joe Biden who is in Israel, pledged solidarity with Tel Aviv in its war against Hamas and backed its account that a blast that killed huge numbers of Palestinians at a Gaza hospital had been caused by Palestinian fighters.

GAZA DEATH TOLL REACHES 3,478: HEALTH MINISTRY At least 3,478 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip since fighting between

Hamas and Israel began on October 7, says Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra. Another 12,065 Palestinians have been injured, with 70 percent of the victims being women, children, and the elderly, the ministry said. At least 1,300 others also remain missing under the rubble, including 600 children.

Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden said: "I was deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion of the hospital in Gaza yesterday, and based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you."

"But there's a lot of people out there not sure, so we’ve got a lot, we’ve got to overcome a lot of things," Biden added.

"The world is looking. Israel has a value set like the United States does, and other democracies, and they are looking to see what we are going to do."

Palestinian officials said an Israeli air strike hit the hospital, with the Palestinian Authority's health minister accusing Israel of causing a

"massacre". The catastrophe has inflamed the region. Palestinian ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qudra said rescuers were still pulling bodies from the rubble.

Al Jazeera carried footage showing a frantic scene as rescue workers scoured blood-stained debris for survivors. Rescuers and civilians were shown carrying away multiple victims in body bags. A Gaza civil defence chief gave a death toll of 300, while health ministry sources put it at 500.

Biden's complex diplomatic mission to the Middle East was supposed to calm the region and shore up humanitarian efforts for Gaza, but after the strike, Jordan cancelled a planned summit with the US president, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah alSisi. Abbas also cancelled plans to meet Biden, as Palestinian security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse anti-government protesters in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah as popular anger boiled.

Protests also took place at Israel's embassies in Turkey and Jordan and

near the US embassy in Lebanon, where security forces fired tear gas toward demonstrators.

Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that a strike on a hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds of Palestinians was a shocking crime, adding that Israel should provide satellite images to prove that it was not involved in the attack.

HUMANITARIAN AID The Israeli military urged Gaza City residents to relocate southward on Wednesday, saying there was a "humanitarian zone" with aid available in Al-Mawasi, 28 km (17 miles) down the coast of the Palestinian enclave. "The IDF calls on #GazaCity residents to evacuate south for their protection," said a social-media post by the military.

Speaking to reporters as Biden flew to Tel Aviv, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Biden would put "tough questions" to Israeli leaders but did not give details.

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02 NEWS

MDCAT 2023: STUDENTS CAUGHT CHEATING HIT WITH TWO-YEAR BAN

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KP caretaker minister encourages transformation of agricultural products into profitable business PESHAWAR

Staff RepoRt

Dr. Aamir Abdullah, the caretaker minister for Industries, Commerce, Technical Education, and Newly Merged Districts Affairs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, announced the government’s decision to process fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products in accordance with international standards and develop them into a lucrative business sector. He made this declaration while chairing a meeting at the Committee Room of the Industries, Commerce, and Technical Education Department in the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Syed Zulfikar Ali Shah, Secretary of Industries, Commerce, and Technical Education, along with officials from various subsidiary sectors, including agrobusiness expert Saleem abne Fazil, who is also the head of Alfazil Institute of Technology Lahore. The caretaker minister urged relevant authorities to take concrete steps to focus on these sectors, alongside more traditional investment sectors, with the goal of generating maximum profits for the province’s economic development. During the meeting, Saleem abne Fazil, head of the Agriculture Business and Training Institute, provided a detailed presentation on the enhanced utilization of fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products, emphasizing improvements in quality to meet market demand, drawing from successful practices in other countries. Meeting participants emphasized the need for more effective use of the province’s available resources and agreed to sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for collaborative efforts between department subsidiary bodies and the training institute. This collaboration will involve the institute providing quality training to interested youth in technical and vocational training institutes to harness their expertise for the benefit of these sectors. The provincial minister highlighted the investment potential in the province, citing the cultivation of four million wild olive plants in tribal district Orakzai as an example of profitable opportunities.

Court issues nonbailable arrest warrants for Capt (r) Safdar in sedition case GUJRANWALA

Staff RepoRt

A court of judicial magistrate in Gujranwala Wednesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Capt (r) Safdar in the sedition case.

Judicial Magistrate Faisal Al-Islam issued nonbailable arrest warrants for Capt (r) Safdar over not appearing before the court. The court ordered the police to arrest Capt (r) Safdar and produce him before the court on October 24. It is to be noted here that a case had been registered against Capt (r) Safdar on October 3, 2020, at the Satellite Town police station in Gujranwala during the tenure of the PTI government on the charge of sedition and inflammatory speeches against the institutions.

PESHAWAR

Staff RepoRt

TUDENTS caught cheating in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) will face a two-year ban from taking part in the test.

The Medical and Dental College Admission Tests (MDCAT) held on September 10, 2023, were suspended by the KP cabinet after a number of cheating cases were reported across the province.

According to an official statement released by Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, 219 have been banned from taking part in the test over cheating.

The ban, which forbids these students from participating in the MDCAT for a full

two-year period, serves as a stern warning to those attempting to compromise the integrity of this critical examination.

The MDCAT is a pivotal assessment for aspiring medical and dental students in Pakistan.

This disconcerting scandal unfolded when students at multiple examination centers in Peshawar were caught employing various illicit means, most notably Bluetooth devices, to cheat during the MDCAT held on September 10.

The blatant cheating prompted the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to cancel the test in its entirety, following the discovery of widespread cheating practices.

Separately, the Sindh government announced to conduct the medical colleges’ entry tests – MDCAT – again on November 19 over ‘paper leak’ complaints.

PTCL seeks $400mn loan from IFC in a bid to acquire Telenor Pakistan PROFIT

MoNitoRiNg DeSk

In a significant development within the telecom industry, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) is in talks with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a subsidiary of the World Bank, to secure a loan of $400 million for a potential acquisition of Telenor Pakistan.

According to a report in The News, citing trustworthy sources, it has been substantiated that PTCL and IFC are currently in the advanced phases of concluding the $400 million loan agreement.

Following a comprehensive due diligence process, PTCL’s Board of Directors authorized the submission of a binding offer to the target company on August 29, 2023. While the official documents did not explicitly mention the company’s name, it was widely known that Telenor Pakistan was planning to divest its holdings and exit the country.

Telenor’s Board of Directors is expected to convene in either November or December 2023 to consider and potentially approve a binding offer. It has

come to light that Telenor has already received two offers, one from a Lebanese group and the other from PTCL. However, several crucial questions must be addressed before proceeding.

PTCL has expressed its intent to purchase Telenor Pakistan, a transaction estimated to be in the range of $400 to $500 million. Given that only 26 percent of the shares are held by another shareholder, it implies that the majority of the financial burden will fall upon the Government of Pakistan.

Sources said that the potential deal between PTCL and Telenor Pakistan is still in its preliminary stages, and as such, it has not yet been shared with

regulatory bodies such as the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP).

These procedural requirements will be fulfilled once Telenor’s board provides its approval, which is expected within the next two months.

As per report, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) clarified that Telenor had not formally approached the authority for any potential buyout, nor related documents were submitted. Telenor Pakistan’s spokesperson declined to comment on whether they had received a binding offer and when it would be finalized and termed visit of Telenor Asia Pacific Head as part of his onboarding program.

Japan provides 5.3 million USD for reconstruction of educational facilities in flood-affected areas

Thursday, 19 October, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

Refugees will be sent back to their country with dignity, says Jan Achakzai QUETTA

Staff RepoRt

Balochistan Caretaker Minister for Information Jan Achakzai said on Wednesday that Pakistan will deport all illegal Afghan immigrants by November 1. While talking to media here, he shared over 1,000 Afghan families have left Pakistan so far, and around 250 families are returning to Afghanistan via the Chaman border daily, The minister also said that the government has compiled complete data on where illegal immigrants are living in the province. Achakzai said that refugees have been treated with hospitality for the last 40 years, and now they would be sent back to their country with dignity. He added that no political pressure will be tolerated in that regard and illegal migrants will have to leave Pakistan. The state has taken some principled decisions and they will strictly follow it, he said adding that after the deadline, the illegal residents will be sent back. Jan Achakzai said that the deadline for illegal Afghan refugees is the final deadline and the fingerprint registration of returnees will be done. He said that foreign immigrants who have visas and Proof of Registration Card (PoR) will not be deported. He said that 500,000 people have legal documents in Balochistan while 300,000 people are living illegally.

CTD arrests 9 terrorists, including 2 banned group commanders in Punjab LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab arrested nine terrorists, including two key commanders of a banned terrorist organization, during operations in different districts of the province on Wednesday. The two commanders of banned group, identified as Amin and Waqar, were arrested during a major operation in a border village of Lahore.

Officials said that the arrested terrorists were planning to target sensitive installations in the provincial capital. CTD also conducted operations in other cities of Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Nankana Sahib, Rahim Yar Khan, and Sheikhupura, during which seven terrorists were arrested. Explosive materials, mobile phones, weapons, and cash were recovered from the possession of the arrested terrorists. Officials said that the networks of arrested terrorists wanted to operate simultaneously in all cities. Cases have been registered against them, and an investigation has been started. The CTD operation is a major breakthrough in the fight against terrorism in Punjab. The arrest of the two Daesh commanders is a particularly significant achievement, as it has prevented a major terrorist attack in Lahore.

Karachi Circular Railway to be built

by CRCC: CM Sindh KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Government of Japan has agreed to provide new grant assistance worth 794 million Japanese Yen (equivalent to around 5.3 million USD/ around 1,530 million PKR) for reconstructing educational facilities in flood-affected areas in Sindh.

On October 18, 2023, a signing ceremony for the assistance was held at the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Islamabad. H.E. Mr. WADA Mitsuhiro, Ambassador of Japan, Mr. KINOSHITA Yasumitsu, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and other officials from both countries attended this ceremony.

Since June 2022, heavy monsoon rains have intermittently caused flooding that has submerged one-third of the country, resulting in more than 1,700

deaths and 33 million people affected.

Damage in Sindh province has been severe, accounting for 66% of the total damage in the education sector. As medium- and long-term measures, the rapid reconstruction of damaged educational facilities are important to ensure that children have safe learning opportunities.

This is the fourth grant aid through which the Government of Japan supports the improvement of educational facilities in Sindh province. It has been reported that the school buildings assisted by Japan in the past projects suffered less damage and destruction from the rainfall and flooding in 2022 because they were designed and constructed based on analysis of the 2010 floods.

The new project will also incorporate the concept of “Build Back Better” to reduce vulnerability of the target schools to future disasters and build resilience of communities where the

schools are located. This project aims to establish safe and disaster-resilient learning environment through reconstruction of elementary schools which were heavily affected by the flood and heavy rain in 2022.

The assistance contributes to improving the school enrollment rate and gender equality in the target areas, contributing to the SDGs Goal 4 (Quality education) and 5 (Gender equality).

In the signing ceremony, H.E. Mr. WADA Mitsuhiro stated, ” I hope that the project this time will further contribute to creating an environment where children can continue to receive education even after the floods in the future”.

Mr. KINOSHITA, while speaking at the event said “we believe that the new grant aid project will build not only school buildings, but also it will build brighter and more resilient future for the next generation of Pakistan”.

Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) will be built

by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) at a cost of $2.002 billion. This was announced by the Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh, Justice (R) Maqbool Baqir, after a meeting with the President and Vice President of CRCC in Beijing. According to media reports, the KCR will be a 43-km long elevated railway with 24 stations. It is expected to carry 650,000 passengers per day and will connect the diverse landscape of Karachi, including industrial zones, commercial and residential areas. The KCR project was included in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2016. A new feasibility study was prepared in 2023, which updated the cost of the project to $2.002 billion. The Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh and Vice President of CRCC agreed to resolve the land issues related to the KCR project.

The construction of the KCR is expected to begin in 2024 and will be completed in three years. Once completed, the KCR will be a major boost to Karachi’s transportation system and will help to reduce traffic congestion in the city.

India’s fixed basmati rice price raises fears of stiff Pakistan competition PROFIT

NewS DeSk

India’s decision to maintain the floor price for basmati rice exports is causing concerns about the potential impact on overseas sales and farm incomes. This situation intensifies the competitive landscape with Pakistan in the basmati rice market.

Pakistan and India are the exclusive producers of basmati rice, with India exporting over 4 million metric tons of this premium long-grain rice to various countries.

In August, New Delhi set a Minimum Export Price (MEP) of $1,200 per ton which was initially expected to be revised downwards, but the Indian government recently announced its decision to maintain the current floor price until further notice.

As the world’s largest rice exporter, India has also limited exports of non-basmati rice varieties to control domestic prices, especially in the lead-up to signifi-

cant state elections.

The fixed MEP has left basmati rice farmers concerned about substantial losses.

With the planting of summer-sown rice varieties happen in June and July and harvesting commencing in October, prices tend to decline as the new harvest enters the market.

Farmers, millers, and exporters had hoped for a reduction in the MEP, which they considered to be too steep. A leading exporter from the northern state of Haryana, one of India’s primary grain-producing regions, has called for an immediate reconsideration, suggesting a range of $850-$900 per ton.

This inability to sell their production has led to a challenging situation for basmati rice farmers. Traders report that prices of basmati rice varieties have fallen by over 20 percent since the introduction of the MEP. Notably, basmati rice is not widely consumed within India, and the government does not acquire this variety for state reserves. This situation has left some

within the industry concerned that Pakistan may gain a competitive edge in the basmati rice market.

Meanwhile, the international rice market is experiencing turbulence due to India’s consideration of a ban on non-basmati rice exports. This uncertainty has led to increased demand for Pakistani rice, resulting in higher prices. International buyers are increasingly turning to Pakistan to fulfill their non-basmati rice needs.

Exporters look this as an opportunity for Pakistan to capture essential markets. With the potential decrease in rice supply from India, Pakistani non-basmati rice prices have surged by over 20 percent, or at least $100 per ton. As Pakistan’s fresh crop nears harvest, growers are raising prices due to the uncertain global situation.

They emphasized that with the right government support, Pakistan’s rice exports could potentially increase by $1 billion, boosting the sector’s total export value to

around $4 billion.

However, a potential downside of the surge in non-basmati rice exports could be a price hike in the local market. Exporters be-

lieve that basmati rice prices might not see the same increase as non-basmati rice because India continues to export its highquality basmati rice without disruption.

CHINESE ENTERPRISE EYEING ENHANCED ‘SOFT CONNECTIVITY’ WITH PAKISTAN AND OTHERS Thursday, 19 October, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

“H

BEIJING

Staff RepoRt

AVING established cooperation with 157 countries in the world including Pakistan, we aim to take a step further to leverage our advantages in the whole infrastructure industrial chain and promote the ‘soft connectivity’ of rules and standards and people-to-people exchanges with the Belt and Road countries”.

This was stated by Wang Tongzhou, Chairman of China Communications Construction in an interview with China Economic Net (CEN) after the Belt and Road CEO Conference held here.

Wang Tongzhou, Chairman of China Communications Construction in an interview at the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation [Photo/China Economic Net] The construction company has undertaken a series of major infrastructure projects in Pakistan, including the KKH Phase-II, Gwadar Port, Eastbay Express Way etc., upgrading facilities for Pakistani people and breaking local technical boundaries.

“As iron brothers, we have full confidence in our cooperation with Pakistan”, Mr. Wang told CEN. For him, technology transfer is of critical importance in enhancing soft connectivity. “On one hand, frontier technologies such as IoT, big data, AI, etc. will be more widely employed. Through

digital connectivity, more smart transportation projects will be built”, he said.

“In addition, green, low-carbon technologies are expected to be applied throughout the process of as many projects as possible to empower Belt and Road countries to achieve energy conservation and emission goals as the world is moving towards green, low-carbon, intelligent development”, he added. By transferring technologies, standards are shared and chances for people-topeople connections are created.

According to Mr. Wang, all of the six projects for which agreements have been signed at the Belt and Road CEO Conference put priority on people-to-people connectivity and green technologies.

The Conference was the first official

event of the ongoing Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Nearly 300 Chinese and international delegates signed agreements at the conference, involving 68 countries and covering projects in infrastructure, clean energy, artificial intelligence, financial services, modern agriculture, rail transit, etc. As of June 2023, China had signed 107 documents with standardization bodies in 65 countries and also with regional and international organizations, in areas covering civil aviation, climate change, agri-food, building materials, electric vehicles, oil and gas pipelines, logistics, small hydropower stations, oceanography, and surveying and mapping, according to a white paper on Belt and Road Initiative released last week.

Gaza toll rises to 3,478 as humanitarian crisis unfolds amid world’s bickering CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Biden will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli war cabinet seeking to get a sense of Israel's plans and aims, Kirby said. He also aims to get humanitarian aid into Gaza, where millions of Palestinians are surviving with scant food, fuel and water due to Israel's siege.

"He'll be asking some tough questions, he'll be asking them as a friend, as a true friend of Israel, but he'll be asking some questions of them," Kirby said.

It was unclear what Biden could accomplish during his visit. Kirby said the US president planned to speak with Abbas and Sisi on his way back to Washington.

"This sort of murky but horrific event makes diplomacy harder and increases escalation risks," said Richard Gowan, UN director at International Crisis Group.

Biden has previously said the United States does not want the conflict to flare up into a wider war. Iran has warned Israel of escalation if it failed to end aggressions against Palestinians. The US State Department told Americans not to travel to Lebanon after exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon's south.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "horrified" by hundreds of people killed in Tuesday's strike on the hospital. Guterres appealed to Hamas for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, and to Israel to allow immediate unrestricted access to humanitarian aid for Gaza.

WHO SAYS IT HAS NO SUPPLIES OR EQUIPMENT LEFT IN GAZA WAREHOUSE: The World Health Organisation has said it has no supplies or equipment left at its Gaza warehouse and hospitals were relying on their last reserve of supplies. In a post on X, it said four out of 35 hospitals were not functioning.

“Health workers are having to make impossible choices to ration what little they have left in supplies, incl. operating without anaesthetics,” WHO said.

‘Nobody knows’: Palestine Red Crescent Society chief on Gaza aid The director general of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, Marwan Jilani, has said “nobody knows” whether humanitarian assistance would get into the besieged Gaza Strip. “There are preparations, yes,” he told Al Jazeera when asked about the

aid deliveries.

“We are getting ready so that whenever this border crossing opens, we will be using this opportunity to get critical relief for the people inside Gaza, especially for the patients, the hospitals, and the people at large,” Jilani added.

UN SECURITY COUNCIL HAS ‘NOT FULFILLED ITS RESPONSIBILITY’ IN GAZA: ERDOGAN: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has criticised the United Nations Security Council for its failure to pass a resolution in favour of a pause in Israeli forces’ continued attacks on Gaza so that aid could reach civilians. In a post on X, Erdogan said Turkish efforts to establish calm in the region had been hindered by the “wholesale punishment” being given to the Palestinians, cutting off aid supply as well as the deployment of US aircraft carriers in the region. “The United Nations Security Council, which has become even more ineffective, has once again not fulfilled its responsibility,” Erdogan said.

“Western countries, which leave no stone unturned when it comes to human rights and freedoms, have taken no steps other than adding fuel to the fire,” he added.

BAHRAINI POLICE CRACKDOWN ON PRO-PALESTINE PROTEST: Bahraini police appear to have cracked down on a small demonstration in Manama in support of Palestinians in Gaza, a video on X (formerly Twitter) posted by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights shows. The handful of activists gathered in front of the cordoned-off Israeli embassy were calling for Bahrain to break off diplomatic ties with Israel and to expel its ambassador, the rights group said.

PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS IN BEIRUT SPRAYED WITH WATER CANNON, TEARGAS: Lebanese security forces used teargas and water cannon to repel scores of protesters demonstrating near the US embassy in Beirut against Israel’s attack on a hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds of Palestinians, Reuters reports. Demonstrators were prevented from reaching the embassy’s boundary by barricades blocking roads hundreds of metres (yards) from the mission in a north Beirut suburb.

Some protesters waved Palestinian flags while others hurled stones at the security forces, who pushed them back with water cannon and volleys of teargas.

Punjab CM Naqvi announces new facilities for Chinese investors in FIDMIC

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi Wednesday announced a series of new facilities and projects for the Chinese investors working in the Faisalabad Industrial Estate and Management Company (FIEDMC).

According to a report, CM Naqvi visited Faisalabad on Wednesday and addressed a special ceremony held in FIEDMC. CM Naqvi said that a club will be established in the FIEDMC as a gift for the Chinese friends while a 10bed hospital under construction here in the FIEDMC will be completed in a few weeks. He said the Chief Secretary of Punjab and his team are working hard to establish a One Window Operation Centre that will be functional by January and Chinese investors will be provided NOCs of different departments under one roof. Mohsin Naqvi said the One Window Pilot Project will be launched simultaneously in Lahore and FIEDMC. The Punjab CM also announced that a branch of the Bank of Punjab will be set up in FIEDMC to facilitate the industrialists in the estate. He urged the FIEDMC authorities to promote the agro-based industry, recycling of industrial waste, the weaving sector, and Chiniyot furniture export. He thanked the Chinese authorities for teaching the Chinese language to 200 officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) of the police exclusively deputed for their security and said that the third batch of SPU is coming to learn the Chinese language. He expressed his gratitude to all the Chinese officials living and working in FIEDMC. Staff RepoRt

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PRO-PALESTINIAN DEMONSTRATORS IN THE HAGUE URGE ICC ACTION: Several hundred pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside The Hague headquarters of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to urge it and the international community to take action against what they call “genocide” against Palestinians, Reuters reports. “We are against killings of any (parties), however when it comes to Gaza the world is always (turning) a blind eye. We came here to say enough is enough,” Rafat Alkayyali, 50, said, adding that he came to the ICC to protest because he believes in international law.

Protesters carried signs that said: “Justice for Palestine — Stop the Genocide” and “How many children will die until Israel is prosecuted”.

DELHI UNIVERSITY STUDENTS BURN ISRAELI FLAGS TO PROTEST ATROCITIES IN GAZA: JOURNALIST: Indian journalist Alishan Jafri has shared a video on X that shows students of Delhi University burning Israeli flags to protest atrocities in Gaza.

The clip was not independently verified by Dawn.com.

SAUDI ARABIA URGES CITIZENS TO DEPART LEBANON ‘IMMEDIATELY’ Saudi Arabia has called for all its citizens to leave Lebanon “immediately” as tensions mount along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel, Reuters reports.

The Gulf kingdom’s embassy in Beirut said it was “closely following the developments” in southern Lebanon, where at least 18 people have been killed in exchanges of fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel.

After a rocket strike on a Gaza hospital killed hundreds on Tuesday, Hezbollah called for a “day of rage”. Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs to protest the strike. The Saudi embassy statement said citizens remaining in Lebanon should “exercise caution and stay away from places where gatherings or demonstrations are taking place”. Kuwait this week also warned its citizens against travelling to Lebanon.

UN RELIEF CHIEF, EGYPTIAN FM DISCUSS AID ACCESS TO GAZA: United Nations relief chief Martin Griffiths held a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to discuss the dire need for humanitarian conditions in Gaza and aid access to the Palestinian people.

FRENCH COURT RULES PROPALESTINIAN PROTESTS SHOULD BE BANNED CASE BY CASE: France’s highest administrative court has said pro-Palestinian protests must be banned on a case-by-case basis, while upholding the validity of an instruction from the French interior minister banning all pro-Palestinian protests.

In a note sent to regional police authorities, dated Oct 12, the interior minister had ordered that “pro-Palestinian protests, because they are likely to generate disturbances to public order, must be banned”, Reuters reports.

The appeal on the blanket ban instruction was brought by the organisation Comite Action Palestine, arguing that a total and absolute ban is not justified and encroaches on freedom of expression and assembly. The Conseil d’Etat upheld the validity of the note but said that local authorities could not ban a protest based solely on the note or the fact that a protest is in support of Palestinians.

‘IMAGERY, INTERCEPTS’ SHOW ISRAEL NOT BEHIND GAZA STRIKE: WHITE HOUSE: US intelligence based on aerial images and intercepted communications shows Israel was not to blame for a strike on a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds, the White House has said. “While we continue to collect information, our current assessment, based on analysis of overhead imagery, intercepts and open source information, is that Israel is not responsible for the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said on social media.

UN AGENCIES SEND HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES TO EGYPT: UN agencies have sent supplies to meet the huge needs of children and families in Gaza to Egypt near the crossing to Gaza, the Unicef has said.

“We need an immediate humanitarian pause to ensure unhindered and safe delivery of life-saving supplies,” it said on X. BIDEN ANNOUNCES $100M FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN GAZA, WEST BANK: US President Joe Biden has announced $100 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. In a post on X, he said the money would support over a million displace and conflict-affected Palestinians.

Let there be crude; Pakistan, China ink petroleum sector agreement CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The project aims to transform the hydroskimming refinery into a deep conversion facility. The transformation will dramatically curtail the production of high sulphur fuel oil, while simultaneously augmenting the production of commodities such as High-Speed Diesel (HSD) and Motor Spirit (MS/Petrol). The revamped complex will also yield propylene, a feedstock for petrochemicals. The upgrade is scheduled for completion by September 2024.

WHY DOES PRL WANT TO EXPAND THEIR REFINING CAPACITY? Every two months, a meeting called the Product Planning and Review Meeting is convened. This gathering brings together the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority, the Ministry of Petroleum, and all industry stakeholders: refineries, oil marketing companies (OMC), and large state-owned consumers of petroleum products. During this meeting, local consumption for the forthcoming two months is projected and juxtaposed against local production by refineries. Any demand not met by refineries is fulfilled through imports.

Essentially, the Government legally ensures that refineries have customers.What do refineries need to do? Merely exist and continue refining.

Despite grappling with soaring prices and rampant inflation, Pakistan’s demand for refined petroleum products is projected to escalate at a compounded annualised growth rate of 3%, reaching 682,970 bpd by 2032.

A significant portion of Pakistan’s petroleum products — approximately 70% of petrol and 55%-60% of HSD — are imported. Why? Our refineries simply lack the capacity to meet local demand. This scenario provides PRL with a sustained market and customer

base to tap into. The only bottleneck to their sales is their refining capacity.

However, there’s more to this than just profit. As the primary shareholder of PRL through their ownership of Pakistan State Oil, the Government of Pakistan has a vested interest in ensuring that as much of the projected 682,970 bpd demand by 2032 is met by local refineries, rather than through direct imports of petroleum products.

“We have ample room for refining locally. More investment is required to bolster local refining capacities to reduce the refined product import bill,” articulates Hassan Tahir, CEO of Hi-Tech Lubricants.

Projections based on the current installed capacity suggest that Pakistan’s domestic capacity will be inadequate to meet local demand from 2023 to 2032. As a result, Pakistan is expected to import petroleum products averaging 389,000 bpd annually over this period.

The forthcoming expansion of PRL is set to dovetail seamlessly with Cynergyico’s strategic pivot from a crude-to-fuel to a crude-to-chemical refinery. This metamorphosis presents a dual opportunity: a commercially enticing proposition for PRL, and a chance for their principal shareholder to stem the tide of imports.

“We need products like base oil for the production of lubricants, and polymer/resin for the local packaging of high-density polyethylene products in Pakistan. There is a substantial market for such raw materials, which are currently being imported,” Tahir clarifies. “Upgrades are imperative for our oil refineries to manufacture products that align with high-end OEM specifications,” Tahir continues. “Owing to the non-availability of local raw materials, most high-end industrial OEM products are imported. For instance, semi-synthetic and fully synthetic lubricants,” Tahir further elaborates.

NEWS 03

Jordan cancels summit with Biden, Sisi and Abbas in Amman GAZA

agencieS

Jordan has cancelled a summit it was to host in Amman on Wednesday with US President Joe Biden and the Egyptian and Palestinian leaders to discuss Gaza, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said. Safadi said the meeting would be held at a time when the parties could agree to end the “war and the massacres against Palestinians”, blaming Israel with its military campaign for pushing the region to “the brink of the abyss.” Biden was expected to make a whirlwind trip to Israel where he would later head to Jordan and according to Jordanian officials meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Jordan’s King Abdullah would have hosted the four-way summit, which would have on its agenda the need to get humanitarian assistance to Gaza to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and tamp down the conflict with Israel. Abdullah has blamed Israel for a blast at a Gaza hospital that killed about 500 Palestinians on Tuesday, saying it was a “shame on humanity” and called on Israel to immediately end its military campaign against Gaza. Israeli and Palestinian officials blamed each other for the deaths. The monarch warned that Israel’s response following a deadly cross border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 that killed and injured more than 1,000 Israelis went beyond the right of self-defence to collective punishment of Palestinian civilians. The outpouring of anger against Israel also fuelled a large rally on Tuesday near the Israeli embassy in Amman, where police used tear gas to disperse several thousand protesters who chanted slogans in support of Hamas and demanded the government close the embassy and scrap a peace treaty with Israel. Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel is widely unpopular among many citizens who see normalisation as a sellout of the rights of their Palestinian brethren. The Israeli embassy, where protesters gather daily, has long been a flashpoint of anti-Israel protests at times of turmoil in the Palestinian territories. Earlier, dozens of youths attempted to storm the heavily guarded compound but security forces used tear gas to break them up.

Several protesters were arrested.

‘YOU ARE NOT ALONE,’ BIDEN TELLS ISRAEL: President Joe Biden has said that he has come to Israel with a sole message for its close ally: “You are not alone.” In a statement posted on X, the US president vowed to stand with the Israel “forever”.

AID TO BE ALLOWED INTO GAZA VIA EGYPT: Israel would let aid enter Gaza via Egypt, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has announced, saying only “food, water and medicine” will be allowed into the blockaded Palestinian enclave. “In light of (US) President (Joe) Biden’s demand, Israel would not foil the supply of humanitarian aid via Egypt,” AFP reports quoting the prime minister’s office as saying. The statement noted that aid to civilians in the southern Gaza Strip would be allowed “so long as these supplies do not reach Hamas”.

SAUDI FM MEETS IRANIAN COUNTERPART, DISCUSSES CURRENT MILITARY ESCALATION IN GAZA: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, where they discussed the current military escalation in Gaza and surrounding areas, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said on X.

04 COMMENT

Long live resistance

PIA woes

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PIA’s great people to fly with– if it flies

IA’s financial woes continue, as its inability to pay for fuel forced it to cancel 24 international and domestic flights, and delay 12 others, on Thursday. This followed the cancellation of 24 flights, both international and domestic, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Those cancellations meant the loss of revenue that it should have earned. Perhaps the PSO cannot be blamed for the refusal to provide fuel to PIA, because it had run up such a huge bill. PSO is already facing pressure because of the debt run up by the power generation sector, and does not need this particular headache. This particular bind in which PIA finds itself follows the freezing of its bank accounts by the Federal Board of Revenue at the beginning of September. The stand-off was over Rs 8 billion in unpaid excise tax. PIA had welshed on a promise to pay Rs 2 billion in August; the September stand-off only ended after nearly a fortnight when PIA promised to pay Rs 2.5 billion.

Such money problems, along with huge liabilities, are not a very good advertisement for PIA which the caretaker government wants to privatize before elections.

Its accumulated debt is Rs 743 billion, over five times the value of its assets, and its losses were Rs 38 billion in the first three months of 2023. Not surprisingly, much of its expenses included debt servicing.

However, even as its financial woes prevent it from flying, its employees keep on receiving salaries. That is one of the problems with PIA; it is not just overloaded with employees, but they are also paid lavishly.

It is not the only problem. PIA also suffered more than most airlines during the covid-19 pandemic, which was itself a scourge for the aviation industry as well. Already in trouble, it came out of the pandemic in even worse shape. It did not help when Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan threw doubts on its pilots’ qualifications, something which led to the withdrawal of landing rights from some European airports. Pilots did not help, getting caught drunk on more than one occasion. It is a shame that what was once a national asset and a proud symbol of the country should have come to a pass where it cannot pay to stay in the sky, but it seems likely that it will now have to be gotten rid of, sold to whoever is willing to buy, because past governments used it was a cash cow rather than as a national asset to be built up.

All Western slogans have gone out of the window USmaN Torwali

UNDREDS of Palestinians have been butchered, and thousands have been driven out of their homes. Yet there isn’t a collective condemnation of the Palestinians’ racial genocide, while partial condemnation though has got a corner in the news from a few states in the global south.

However, nothing has stopped Israel from their Hamas-based revenge costing the lives of innocent Palestinian civilians. Political scientists will call it a state behaviour based on national interests. Religious men see it through the lenses of history and are likely to be more extreme in their actions, had they been freed to do so. Just like a prominent historian Yuval Noah Harari, the liberal section of our country does see only one side of the picture and is flooded with accusations and condemnations over Hamas. The Western hemisphere’s acolytes of liberty and freedom have tacitly denied any support to Palestinians’ right to freedom and are at the forefront of the occupier Israel’s defence. People across the world however do not see things from the state perspective and do not necessarily accede to the statements issued from the power corridors.

Despite the UK ban on the Palestinian flags and chants, people unwavering rallied to support Palestinians and their right to self-determination. The ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian Arabs has been condemned by Jews in the USA as well. Ironically the land of revolutions, France, too has banned proPalestinian rallies. The world’s biggest secular democracy, India, is by no means lagging in antiPalestinian propaganda. According to BOOM, India’s most effective fact-checking service, many Indian verified X users are involved in anti-Palestinian propaganda and most of their tweets are supportive of Israel. The majority of the anti-Muslim and Islamophobic material on social media, according to the Islamic Council of Victoria report, is shared from India. Plenty of evidence is supportive of the right-wing Indian section negatively impacting the Palestinian plight.

The Islamophobic problem in India has increased manifold since the BJP under Narendra Modi has come into government. The IT cell, as Swati Chaturvedi puts in his book, I Am A Troll, has an army of volunteers who spread islamophobia and hatred. However, in the current escalation of the Palestine-Israel conflict social media has been drowned with disinformation spreading hatred and negativity about Palestinians. Several fake videos having got more than a million views each, are fabricated by users from India. Pratik Sinha, a co-founder and editor of the Indian non-profit fact-checking website AltNews, tweeted: “With India now exporting its disinformation actors in the Indian mainstream media and on social media in support of Israel, hopefully, the world will now realise how the Indian right-wing has made India the disinformation capital of the

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami

world”.

Gaza, an open-air prison, as it has been called, is now turned into an abyss with a complete siege of Israeli forces. A complete cutting off of food, electricity, fuel, and water could only be imagined in the dark-ages warfare. The UN calls it a collective punishment. The food trucks sent from Egypt are bombarded on the way by Israeli forces. The UN once again has failed to maintain peace during an escalation and fix a problem that’s long been on its agenda.

This makes a bleak horizon for any conflict in the future. With interests involved in the conflicting parties, the major powers will always put a veto over any peace-building process or de-escalation.

The postmodernist world doesn’t know the truth, it only knows what has been repeatedly pronounced to it. Nonetheless, nothing ever has exposed Western hypocrisy more than the ongoing Gaza war where thousands of casualties and deaths of civilians are ig-

Executive Editor

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Nazia Sheikh

USTRALIA, Japan, and the Philippines have all urged the international community to begin talks on a convention that would limit the manufacture of fissile materials that can be used to make nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons require fissile materials, which are chemicals that may undergo fission processes.

Highly enriched uranium and plutonium are the two fissile elements used in nuclear bombs the most commonly. Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, pledged to take the initiative to restart the international nuclear disarmament campaign by urging nuclear weapon states to hold talks with non-nuclear weapon states. The fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT) event was co-hosted by the Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, the Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and the Phillipines Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly on September 19.

The stance of these three states on nuclear weapons was that no nuclear weapons programme existed in Japan. It has passed internal legislation outlawing the production of nuclear weapons and is a Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory in good standing. The Philippine Constitution’s Article II Section 8 outlaws the use of nuclear weapons in the country. As a signatory to the Biological Weapons Convention, the Philippines prohibits the import and manufacture of all biological weapons. Australia does not currently have nuclear weapons and has no plans to acquire them. The NPT outlines Australia’s primary responsibilities as a state without nuclear weapons.

It can be perceived as a milestone in disarmament as Japan will donate 3 billion yen ($20 million) to a fund to establish Japan Chairs at foreign research institutes and think tanks to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. The goal is to restart the conversation and end the polarized discussion between deterrence and disarmament.

Japan has taken the lead in efforts by the international community to promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation since it is the only nation to have experienced atomic bombardment during a war. Japan must spearhead international efforts for nuclear disarmament at this time when

Editor’s mail

roshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament” of the Group of Seven Leaders. International community must revive the treaty prohibiting the manufacturing of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

The Philippines, Japan, and Australia’s request for negotiations on an FMCT highlights the significance of international collaboration in halting the spread of nuclear weapons and advancing global disarmament efforts. The necessity for such a pact is becoming more essential as the global community deals with ongoing security issues.

An FMCT lies at the heart of the international non-proliferation efforts; the implementation of a treaty would strengthen international non-proliferation efforts. States should not believe that discussions on such a treaty cannot begin; rather, they must have the political will to do so. Furthermore, the FMCT should be pursued in order to foster confidence among nations.

Countries which haven’t declared a voluntary halt to the manufacturing of fissile materials for nuclear weapons ought to be urged to do so.

Nazia Sheikh is a Research Officer at Centre for International Strategic Studies, AJK. She can be reached at Nsheikh536@gmail.com

An FMCT lies at the heart of the international non-proliferation efforts; the implementation of a treaty would strengthen international non-proliferation efforts. States should not believe that discussions on such a treaty cannot begin; rather, they must have the political will to do so. Furthermore, the FMCT should be pursued in order to foster confidence among nations.

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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The writer is a freelance columnist

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

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

The Philippines, Japan, and Australia call for treaty to curb nuclear weapons production the global security situation is unpredictable, and to keep taking proactive steps to realize a world free of nuclear weapons.

According to the DFA Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippines has maintained its position that an FMCT must be negotiated without delay and any conditions and until an FMCT enters into force, plans must be made to impose a five-year moratorium on new uranium enrichment and plutonium separation facilities.

Since the height of the Cold War, the risk of a nuclear weapon being used has never been higher, and at the same time, the regime designed to stop it has never been fragile, according to Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN’s High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. She added that there was also a lack of discussion and trust. The pursuit of disarmament is a core pillar of multilateral efforts rather than being pursued in technical silos, pointing out that it is crucial to the larger goal of peace, security, and development.

A world free of nuclear weapons is becoming more difficult to achieve as a result of widening national divisions and after the Ukrainian War. In light of this, it is in the interests of the world community to preserve and strengthen the NPT. A strong foundation for a world free of nuclear weapons is provided by the recent “Hi-

nored, and Israel has vowed to exterminate Hamas from the world, a naïve pretence aimed at cleansing the Palestinians. The Western world’s long-held slogans such as égalité, liberté, fraternité, and life, liberty, and property have perhaps meanings only for the West as they are never meant for the global south.

The right to self-determination of the Kashmiris and Palestinians is brushed under the carpet when it comes to international law. The UN General Assembly resolution grants an occupied people the right to resist by all available means, of course, armed struggle as well. But that’s what is reserved only for the people who have been backed by the Western powers.

Today the developed states are backing the atrocities of Israelis in Gaza. There are dozens of UN resolutions on the illegal settlements and occupation of the Palestinian territory but all to no avail.

Currently, all the de-escalation efforts of Russia have been stopped in the UN General Assembly.

Despite the negativity and propaganda spread against Gaza, people around the world are out in the streets in support of the Palestinians. The resistance has never been halted by fake propaganda, atrocities, and repressions.

Today the developed states are backing the atrocities of Israelis in Gaza. There are dozens of UN resolutions on the illegal settlements and occupation of the Palestinian territory but all to no avail.

Currently, all the de-escalation efforts of Russia have been stopped in the UN General Assembly. Despite the negativity and propaganda spread against Gaza, people around the world are out in the streets in support of the Palestinians. The resistance has never been halted by fake propaganda, atrocities, and repressions.

Milestone in disarmament Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi Joint Editor

Thursday, 19 October, 2023

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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Energy drinks

In the fast-paced world we live in, energy drinks have become a popular choice for many seeking a quick boost. However, it’s crucial to understand the risks associated with these seemingly innocent beverages, primarily due to their high caffeine content. Caffeine, the primary ingredient in energy drinks, can be perilous when consumed in excessive amounts, exceeding 400mg daily.

Overindulgence in energy drinks can lead to a myriad of health issues, ranging from cardiovascular problems to neurological, psychological, and metabolic disturbances. Disturbingly, it can even disrupt sleep patterns and, in extreme cases, prove fatal. A tragic incident recently made headlines, underscoring the severity of this issue: a 22-year-old man lost his life due to the overconsumption of an energy drink, which wreaked havoc on his urinary system.

It is concerning to note that a significant demographic falling prey to this trend is medical students. The pressure of exams often drives them to overconsume energy drinks, erroneously believing they enhance their focus and stamina while reducing the need for sleep. This misconception not only jeopardises their well-being but also sets a dangerous precedent for others.

In light of these alarming facts, we implore the authorities to launch comprehensive campaigns, educating people about the potential hazards these drinks pose to their health and well-being.

TAHIRA WASHDIL TURBAT

Quantum dots

THE Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2023 celebrates the remarkable discovery and advancement of quantum dots (QDs). To comprehend their significance, let’s begin with a fundamental concept: the characteristics of an element depend on the number of electrons it holds. However, when we scale matter down to the nanoscale, something extraordinary unfolds—we enter the realm of quantum phenomena.

QDs—these incredibly minute nanomaterials, typically measuring between 2 and 8 nanometers—stand at the heart of this scientific breakthrough. Due to their exceptionally small size, electrons within QDs find their movements restricted in all directions. What’s truly remarkable is that this size-dependent behaviour grants scientists the power to precisely manipulate the properties of these QDs. This remarkable ability to finetune their characteristics eliminates the need for expensive semiconductor materials. In the early 1980s, Alexei Ekimov achieved a breakthrough by creating size-dependent quantum effects in coloured glass. The colours originated from nanoparticles of copper chloride, and Ekimov demonstrated that particle size influenced the glass’s colour through quantum effects. A few years later, Louis Brus became the world’s first scientist to prove size-dependent quantum effects in particles suspended freely in a fluid. In 1993, Moungi Bawendi revolutionised the chemical production of QDs, resulting in nearly perfect particles. This high-quality production was crucial for their utilisation in various applications.

These wondrous QDs have found their way into a myriad of incredible applications in the field of nanotechnology. They work their enchantment to enhance the brilliance of your television and LED lamps, making your viewing experience more vibrant. However, their magic doesn’t stop there; these mystical QDs serve as guiding lights for surgeons during complex procedures, particularly when navigating intricate challenges like tumour removals. They assist doctors in pinpointing precisely where to make their incisions, enhancing the safety and precision of surgeries.

Today, QDs are making substantial contributions to benefit humankind.

Researchers believe that in the future, they could play pivotal roles in shaping flexible electronics, miniature sensors, thinner and more efficient solar cells, and encrypted quantum communication. The potential of these minuscule particles is just beginning to unfold.

DR INTIKHAB ULFAT KARACHI

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

COMMENT 05

Significant contribution of Pak Army to improve economy

Thursday, 19 October, 2023

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Bringing down the dollar and stopping smuggling

AbDuL bAsIt ALvI

NFLATION is a chronic economic challenge encountered by nations worldwide including Pakistan. While moderate inflation is a normal facet of a robust economy, excessive or hyperinflation can have grave repercussions on the purchasing power of citizens, precipitating economic instability.

There are several underlying factors contributing to the elevated inflation rates in Pakistan. One of the principal instigators of inflation in Pakistan lies in the monetary policy dictated by the nation’s central bank, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). When the SBP embarks on expansionary monetary policies, such as reducing interest rates or augmenting the money supply, it can trigger an upsurge in the currency circulating within the economy. This heightened currency circulation can elevate the demand for goods and services, resulting in price escalations.

Fiscal policies instituted by the government can also wield a substantial influence on inflation. Elevated budget deficits and heightened government borrowing can give rise to amplified public spending.

This augmented demand for goods and services can exert upward pressure on prices, consequently leading to inflation. The exchange rate between the Pakistani Rupee and foreign currencies impacts inflation.

A depreciating rupee elevates import costs, thereby contributing to inflation. Given Pakistan’s reliance on imported commodities, spanning energy, machinery, and raw materials, it is susceptible to currency fluctuations.

Disruptions in the supply chain, be it due to natural calamities, political instability, or logistical issues, can perturb the availability and cost of goods. Such disruptions can engender supply shortages, resulting in elevated prices for essential goods. Pakistan’s economy places a high premium on energy resources, and fluctuations in energy prices, especially oil, possess a direct influence on production and transportation costs. An increase in energy prices can catalyze price hikes across various goods and services.

Pakistan stands as a net importer of numerous commodities, including food, petroleum, and metals.

Shifts in global commodity prices, driven by international market dynamics, can directly sway the cost of imported goods, thereby propelling domestic inflation. The rapid population growth in Pakistan represents a distinctive challenge. The nation’s capacity to generate jobs and resources to accommodate this burgeoning population is limited, contributing to underemployment and poverty. The population pressure can

incite greater demand for goods and services, resulting in price surges.

Structural shortcomings within the economy, such as inadequate infrastructure, inefficient production processes, and low agricultural productivity, impede the supply side of the economy. When the supply fails to keep pace with escalating demand, it culminates in price hikes and inflation. Pakistan’s vulnerability to external shocks, spanning natural calamities, political strife, and geopolitical events, can disrupt economic activities and contribute to inflation. These occurrences can impact agricultural production, energy supplies, and overall economic stability.

It is on record that the economic situation has been so poor during previous political governments that it was said that Pakistan is going to default. Lately, Pakistan has witnessed notable developments in its economic sector, delivering a welcome relief to individuals grappling with inflation. The government’s recent announcement of substantial reductions in petroleum product prices has been met with enthusiasm. According to the official notification from the Ministry of Finance, the cost of petrol per litre has undergone a significant decrease of Rs 40, resulting in a new price of Rs 283.38 rupees per litre. Similarly, the price of high-speed diesel has experienced a reduction of Rs 15 per litre, bringing it down to Rs 303.18 per litre, while the price of kerosene has been trimmed by Rs 22.43 per litre, with the new price reaching Rs 214.85 per litre.

It’s worth recalling that on September 30, petrol prices were lowered by Rs 8 per litre, and diesel prices saw a reduction of Rs 11 litre. The Ministry of Finance has attributed this decrease in petroleum product prices to the appreciating value of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar and the decline in global crude oil prices.

The continuous depreciation of the dollar’s value is noteworthy. At the commencement of this business week, the American currency witnessed a decrease of

79 paisa in the interbank market, concluding at Rs 276.83 in the interbank market. It’s worth mentioning that the dollar’s price has swiftly descended from its record high of Rs 332. Today, one month after these measures, positive news has started to be received regarding the economy. The crackdown against illegal dollar trade, smuggling, betting, administrative measures and reforms by the State Bank have brought positive results.

In the month of September, the rupee outperformed the currencies of the world. According to the report of the international organization, the Pakistani currency has improved by 6.2 percent against the dollar in a month.

In September, the Pakistani rupee became the world’s number one currency. Today, the situation is that there is no buyer for dollars in the market, whereas a month ago, dollars were not available in the market.

Furthermore, due to declining gold prices in the global market and stringent measures taken within the country, gold prices in Pakistan have also seen a dip.

At the outset of this week, the price of gold per ounce in the international market diminished by $15 per ounce to reach $1923. Simultaneously, in Pakistan, the price of gold per tola decreased by Rs 1900, and the price of gold per 10 grams dropped by Rs 1629. Consequently, the local exchange markets witnessed a per tola gold price of Rs 200,100 and a per 10-gram gold price of Rs 171,553.

The Pakistan stock market has displayed a consistent positive trajectory, benefiting investors significantly. On the first day of the business week, the stock market observed favourable business trends, with the 100 index concluding at 49,731 points, marking an increase of 238 points by the close of the trading day.

It’s noteworthy that, at the conclusion of the previous business week, the 100 index stood at 49,493 points.

In the course of the trading day, the stock market witnessed transactions involving 296,340,716 shares, with

Having such a leader at the helm of PakistanÊs armed forces is a positive sign, and the recent developments and signs of rapid economic revival reflect the COASÊs and the Pakistan ArmyÊs deep commitment to the country. The nation is grateful to General Asim and the Pakistani Army for their efforts to heal the nationÊs wounds and take concrete steps to improve the economy.

The US should think twice about Israel’s plans for Gaza

The only possible solution is one that ends the oppression of one people by another and guarantees absolutely equal rights and security for both peoples

I

NEW YORK TIMES RAshID KhALIDI

SRAEL has ordered more than a million people to leave northern Gaza, presumably to prepare for an imminent ground offensive. Its military strategists appear to be planning the depopulation and reoccupation of at least part of an area home to around 2.3 million people — nearly half of them children — and most of them descended from people driven from their homes before and during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. We must understand that these are human beings at grave risk, not just numbers.

Consider what some in the Israeli defense establishment have said. “The State of Israel has no choice but to turn Gaza into a place that is temporarily or permanently impossible to live in,” a reservist major general, Giora Eiland, wrote in Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli newspaper. “Creating a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza is a necessary means to achieve the goal.” He added, “Gaza will become a place where no human being can exist.” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, “We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly.” Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian declared that in Gaza, “there will be no electricity and no water. There will only be destruction. You wanted hell; you will get hell.”

The depopulation of Gaza would be manifestly inhumane and a violation of international law. President Biden and his advisers should ask themselves how it can be in the national interest of the United States to allow another mass expulsion of Palestinians from their homes. Such a cataclysm would be a second nakba, or catastrophe, as the displacement of 1948 is called. The United States would thereby be a partner with Israel in creating a future for the Palestinians that offers only periodic death, destruction and dispossession and permanent subjugation or expulsion.

Israeli forces have attacked Gaza six times from 2006 until the recent siege, killing well over 4,000 people.

According to the Jerusalem-based human rights watchdog B’Tselem, that figure includes 405 in 2006, 1,391 in 2008 and 2009, 167 in 2012, 2,203 in 2014, 232 in 2021 and 33 in 2022. Each

time, casualties for Palestinian civilians have outnumbered combatants.

Even though Israel has left Gaza to Hamas control, the area is still under de jure Israeli military occupation under international law, according to the United Nations and some humanitarian groups.

It is also practically so, given that Israel can cut off access to electricity, water, fuel and food for much of the territory.

The Biden administration has offered what is effectively unconditional support to Israel as it attacks Gaza, citing the killings of approximately 900 Israeli civilians and hundreds of soldiers and police officers during the Hamas assault and the captivity of roughly 150 people.

Palestinian deaths in Gaza and the West Bank as of Saturday numbered at least 2,228, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza. Most of the dead on both sides are civilians, including at least 724 children in Gaza, according to Defense for Children International. It is worth noting that before the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, at least 200 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank this year, as well as 30 Israelis.

Unremarkably, the loss of Palestinian life has had little impact on U.S. policy: For some, it seems not all innocent civilian lives are equal. At the same time, U.S. diplomats have apparently been asking Egypt to take in Palestinians whom Israel would drive out of Gaza.

These echoes of the 1948 nakba may only be the beginning. If Washington encourages Israel down this path, it may trigger a much wider regional conflagration. The flight or expulsion of at least a quarter-million Palestinians from Haifa, Jaffa, Tiberias, Beisan and other localities before the Israeli declaration of independence that May helped trigger the first war between the Arab states and Israel. The war and subsequent expulsion or flight of even more Palestini-

ans later in 1948, for a total of roughly 750,000 people, then helped precipitate decades of periodic conflict.

The last time a president and his advisers allowed outrage at unimaginable loss to drive policy was after Sept. 11, when they unleashed two of the most disastrous wars in American history, which devastated two countries and resulted in the deaths of a half million or more people and brought many people around the globe to revile the United States.

We are on the brink of an equally fateful decision in Washington over which Israeli actions to condone in Gaza, one that would make the United States a full party to all that follows, whether Mr. Biden and his team realize it or not.

It is past time for the United States to cease repeating empty words about a two-state solution while providing money, weapons and diplomatic support for systematic, calculated Israeli actions that have made that solution inconceivable — as it has for roughly half a century.

It is past time for the United States to cease meekly acquiescing to Israel’s use of violence and more violence as its reflexive response to Palestinians who have lived for 56 years under a stifling military occupation.

It is past time to accept that American efforts to monopolize a tragically misnamed peace process have helped Israel to entrench what multiple international human rights groups have defined as a system of apartheid that has produced only more war and suffering.

The only possible solution is one that ends the oppression of one people by another and guarantees absolutely equal rights and security for both peoples.

Rashid Khalidi is a professor of modern Arab studies at Columbia University and author of The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine.

a total worth of Rs 10,597,776,148.

These positive developments have been brought about by the decisive actions taken by COAS Gen Asim Munir and the Pakistan Army, which have provided substantial practical support to the government in overcoming the financial crisis.

The Pakistan Army has taken concrete measures to combat sugar and dollar smuggling, the prevention of which is considered a catalyst for economic recovery.

The COAS has demonstrated a strong commitment to curbing smuggling activities by tightening border security, and the anti-smuggling operations have played a pivotal role in these recent improvements.

Gen Asim is actively promoting foreign direct investment through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), which is poised to have a transformative impact on the country’s development and progress. Investments in the productive sectors of the economy, particularly industrial manufacturing, will be crucial for growth. Thanks to the personal interests and efforts of the COAS, friendly countries have expressed their readiness to make substantial investments in Pakistan. Moreover, meaningful reform necessitates the facilitation of small businesses and the empowerment of entrepreneurs, not solely focusing on foreign investors.

Substantial efforts to ensure political stability are also pivotal contributors to our economic recovery. The ongoing battle against terrorism and the zero-tolerance stance against anti-state elements represent key factors behind these remarkable developments.

With the reduction in petroleum product prices, government agencies are now set to address the issue of inflation. The government has announced significant reductions in petroleum product prices and directed relevant authorities to establish a price control mechanism.

Furthermore, all provincial governments have been instructed to reduce the prices of essential commodities.

The government is committed to taking measures that will ensure the benefits of reduced petroleum product prices are effectively transferred to the people and that this policy is rigorously enforced.

It’s important to note that the driving force behind these recent developments is Gen Asim. Personally, I am aware that he does not hail from an upper or elite class background, as his father served as the principal of a school in Rawalpindi where my father was a teacher.

GenAsim is a self-made and down-to-earth personality from a middle-class family, and his understanding of the common people’s issues is invaluable.

Having such a leader at the helm of Pakistan’s armed forces is a positive sign, and the recent developments and signs of rapid economic revival reflect the COAS’s and the Pakistan Army’s deep commitment to the country. The nation is grateful to General Asim and the Pakistani Army for their efforts to heal the nation’s wounds and take concrete steps to improve the economy.

The writer is a freelance columnist

In the name of children in Gaza, we must denounce US complicity in Israeli war crimes In less than a week, Israeli forces have dropped more than 6,000 bombs on the Gaza Strip, or about one every 30 seconds

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MIDDLE EAST EYE MIRANDA CLELAND

AST week, as Israel plunged Gaza into darkness by cutting off food, water, electricity, fuel, medical supplies and more amid nonstop Israeli air strikes and shelling, my colleague Mohammad Abu Rukbeh, senior Gaza field researcher at Defense for Children International - Palestine (DCIP), wrote and shared with us an account of his day. There was one scene that hasn’t left my mind since.

As Mohammad took his wife and four young children from place to place, seeking somewhere safe, Palestinian civil defense teams were recovering a woman’s body—in pieces—from the rubble of a building on the street they walked along.

Despite Mohammad’s attempts to shield this horrific scene from his children’s eyes, they saw, and they screamed. His 10-year-old son, Karam, was completely frozen, unable to walk.

Knowing they must continue moving in search of somewhere safe, Mohammad picked up Karam and carried him.

That one moment could lead to years of psychological trauma for any child. But for Palestinian children in Gaza, that moment was just one of a seemingly never-ending list of traumas unleashed by Israel.

In Gaza, where Israeli forces have killed more than 1,030 Palestinian children in little more than a week, injured even more, and displaced hundreds of thousands, not a single child is safe right now.

UNWAVERING US SUPPORT: To say that the world has failed Palestinian children is a colossal understatement. Most of the world’s leaders, led by the United States and the European Union, have allowed and enabled Israeli forces to kill, injure, torture, and detain Palestinian children with complete impunity for decades.

Palestinian children in Gaza have lived 16 years under Israeli siege, where children with cancer must obtain a permit to seek medical care outside of Gaza and where Israel controls every item—and person—that enters and leaves. This is the reality in Gaza that the West has allowed Israeli authorities to enact. And then, of course,

there are the bombs. In less than a week, Israeli forces have dropped more than 6,000 bombs on the Gaza Strip, or about one every 30 seconds.

The Israeli air strikes, shells and white phosphorus have practically been invited by US President Joe Biden, who has repeatedly expressed the US’s “unwavering” support for the state of Israel, indicating that the Biden administration would back whatever Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his military do next.

Rather than demand an immediate ceasefire as Israeli forces destroy Palestinian civilian life in Gaza, the Biden administration is actively working to further provide cover for Israeli forces by discouraging US diplomats from publicly saying the terms “de-escalation/ceasefire,” “end to violence/bloodshed” and “restoring calm.”

SECOND NAKBA: At DCIP, we are sounding the alarm for genocide: Israeli forces and authorities have made their intentions clear to carry out a second Nakba and completely eradicate the Palestinian people. They are bombing whole city blocks, wiping entire families from the civil register, and cutting off electricity, fuel, and water from hospitals providing lifesaving care.

Under international law, genocide is prohibited and constitutes the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group, in whole or in part.

Genocide can result from killing or by creating conditions of life that are so unbearable it brings about the group’s destruction.

There are already over 1,000 Palestinian children in Gaza killed during this Israeli military offensive. In barely more than a week, Israeli forces have obliterated twice as many children as in 2014, when they killed at least 535 Palestinian children over 50 days.

Countless more are injured and missing, and surely there are even more children and their families under the rubble whose names we may never know. The Palestinian children who have, so far, survived Israel’s latest brutal assault on Palestinians in Gaza have left their homes, searching for somewhere not in ruins to wait out the bombs.

But even their parents cannot keep them safe, try as they might to shield their children from the carnage. Instead, all they can do is pick them up—and try to stay alive.

No matter what Israeli forces do next, Palestinian children have already paid the price and the US and the international community are complicit in Israel’s campaign of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Miranda Cleland is an advocacy officer at Defense for Children International - Palestine and lives in Washington, DC, where she advocates for the human rights of Palestinian children.

06 news

CHINESE VISIONARY XI UNVEILS 8-POINT ROADMAP FOR HIGH-QUALITY BR COOPERATION

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BEIJING

Mian abrar

HINESE President Xi Jinping on Wednesday announced eight major steps China will take to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. First, China will build a multidimensional Belt and Road connectivity network, Xi said in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF).

The country will speed up high-quality development of the China-Europe Railway Express, participate in the trans-Caspian international transportation corridor, and host the China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum, the president said.

He noted that China, together with other parties, will build a new logistics corridor across the Eurasian continent linked by di-

Thursday, 19 October, 2023 | IsLAMABAD

rect railway and road transportation.

“We will vigorously integrate ports, shipping and trading services under the ‘Silk Road Maritime,’ and accelerate the building of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the Air Silk Road,” he said.

Second, China will support an open world economy, with its total trade in goods and services expected to exceed 32 trillion U.S. dollars and 5 trillion U.S. dollars respectively in the 2024-2028 period, Xi said.

He said the country will establish pilot zones for Silk Road e-commerce cooperation, and enter into free trade agreements and investment protection treaties with more countries.

The country will remove all restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector, he said.

Efforts will be made to further advance high-standard opening up in cross-border service trade and investment, expand market

access for digital and other products, and deepen reform in areas including the stateowned enterprises, digital economy, intellectual property and government procurement, the president noted.

The country will hold the Global Digital Trade Expo annually, he said.

Third, China will carry out practical cooperation for the BRI. The country will promote both signature projects and “small yet smart” livelihood programs, the president said. He vowed more financing support for BRI projects on the basis of market and business operation, noting that the China Development Bank and the ExportImport Bank of China will each set up a 350 billion yuan (48.75 billion U.S. dollars) financing window, and that an additional 80 billion yuan will be injected into the Silk Road Fund.

China will carry out 1,000 small-scale livelihood assistance projects, and enhance

vocational education cooperation through Luban Workshops and other initiatives, Xi said, adding that more efforts will be taken to ensure the safety of BRI projects and personnel.

The CEO Conference held during the forum saw the conclusion of agreements worth 97.2 billion U.S. dollars, he said.

Fourth, China will continue to promote green development. The country will further deepen cooperation in areas such as green infrastructure, green energy and green transportation, and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition.

“China will continue to hold the BRI Green Innovation Conference, and establish dialogue and exchange mechanisms for the solar industry and a network of experts on green and low-carbon development,” Xi said. He added that China will implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and

India’s fixed basmati rice price raises fears of stiff Pakistan competition

Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030.

Fifth, China will continue to advance scientific and technological innovation.

China will continue to implement the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan, and hold the first Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange, noted Xi. The country will also increase the number of joint laboratories built with other Belt and Road parties to 100 in the next five years, and support young scientists from other countries to work on short-term programs in China, he said.

China will put forward the Global Initiative for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance at this year’s forum. “We stand ready to increase exchanges and dialogue with other countries and jointly promote the sound, orderly and secure AI development in the world,” Xi said.

Pakistan abandons Russian oil deal as import via SPV involves high risks PROFIT

news Desk

GLOBAL RICE MARKET EXPERIENCES TURBULENCE DUE TO INDIA'S CONSIDERATION OF A BAN ON NON-BASMATI RICE EXPORTS, RESULTING IN HIGHER DEMAND FOR PAKISTANI RICE PROFIT

news Desk

India’s decision to maintain the floor price for basmati rice exports is causing concerns about the potential impact on overseas sales and farm incomes. This situation intensifies the competitive landscape with Pakistan in the basmati rice market.

Pakistan and India are the exclusive producers of basmati rice, with India exporting over 4 million metric tons of this premium long-grain rice to various countries.

In August, New Delhi set a Minimum Export Price (MEP) of $1,200 per ton which was initially expected to be revised downwards, but the Indian government recently announced its decision to maintain the current floor price until

further notice. As the world’s largest rice exporter, India has also limited exports of non-basmati rice varieties to control domestic prices, especially in the leadup to significant state elections.

The fixed MEP has left basmati rice farmers concerned about substantial losses. With the planting of summersown rice varieties happen in June and July and harvesting commencing in October, prices tend to decline as the new harvest enters the market.

Farmers, millers, and exporters had hoped for a reduction in the MEP, which they considered to be too steep. A leading exporter from the northern state of Haryana, one of India’s primary grainproducing regions, has called for an immediate reconsideration, suggesting a range of $850-$900 per ton.

This inability to sell their production

has led to a challenging situation for basmati rice farmers. Traders report that prices of basmati rice varieties have fallen by over 20 percent since the introduction of the MEP. Notably, basmati rice is not widely consumed within India, and the government does not acquire this variety for state reserves. This situation has left some within the industry concerned that Pakistan may gain a competitive edge in the basmati rice market.

Meanwhile, the international rice market is experiencing turbulence due to India’s consideration of a ban on nonbasmati rice exports. This uncertainty has led to increased demand for Pakistani rice, resulting in higher prices. International buyers are increasingly turning to Pakistan to fulfill their nonbasmati rice needs.

Exporters look this as an opportunity

for Pakistan to capture essential markets.

With the potential decrease in rice supply from India, Pakistani non-basmati rice prices have surged by over 20 percent, or at least $100 per ton. As Pakistan’s fresh crop nears harvest, growers are raising prices due to the uncertain global situation.

They emphasized that with the right government support, Pakistan’s rice exports could potentially increase by $1 billion, boosting the sector’s total export value to around $4 billion.

However, a potential downside of the surge in non-basmati rice exports could be a price hike in the local market.

Exporters believe that basmati rice prices might not see the same increase as non-basmati rice because India continues to export its high-quality basmati rice without disruption.

Palestinian singer Dalal Abu Amneh arrested by Israeli police over Gaza post JERUSALEM agencies

Palestinian singer Dalal Abu Amneh was arrested by Israeli police for “incitement” after posting on Facebook

in support of Gaza. The post featured a Palestinian flag with the caption: “There is no victor but God”. It was published last Saturday by the artist’s media team, according to her lawyer Abeer Bakr. Bakr added that the artist “is still subject to investigation and at this moment

no (official) decision has been taken to extend her detention”. She stressed that “this is the intention of the police (to arrest her), even before they interrogate her”, according to the Arab 48 newspaper.

Israeli police arrived at the artist’s house to arrest her after filing complaints against Israeli settlers for harassment. Shai Glick, director of the Israeli right-wing activist group, demanded that the President of the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology), Uri Sivan, remove alleged supporters of Hamas, including Abu Amneh, from the institute. Abu Amneh is a research doctor in brain sciences and neurophysiology at the Technion, and has no links to the Islamist movement. She has been praised for reviving traditional Palestinian heritage and folk music through her music videos that are currently produced by and aired on Al Araby 2 TV, a sister channel of The New Arab. She is vocal in her support for Palestine, both through her songs and outside music. She boycotted Dubai’s EXPO 2020 due to the UAE’s recent normalisation with Israel.

Israeli police have launched a series of arrests within the Palestinian community, since the beginning of Gaza war. Most of these arrests are related social media posts. Job terminations, and threats of expulsion from universities have also been recorded among Palestinians in Israel due to posts condemning the attacks on Gaza. Israel has launched a wave of arrests and raids in the occupied West Bank since 7 October, when 1,300 Israelis were killed by Hamas gunmen. Around 61 people have been killed and 700 detained in the West Bank, including 200 suspected members of Hamas.

China confident to achieve 5% GDP growth rate in 2023

BEIJING: China has full confidence in achieving its stated annual GDP growth target of around 5 percent in 2023, with economic growth of 5.2 percent in the first three quarters setting a solid foundation. Annual GDP expansion goal will be achieved provided fourthquarter GDP growth reaches 4.4 percent, Sheng Laiyun, deputy director of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), said on Wednesday.

According to NBS data released on Wednesday, the country’s GDP grew by 5.2 percent in the first nine months of the year to reach 91.3 trillion yuan ($12.5 trillion). Sheng said there are positive changes in multiple macro-economic indexes, including economic growth rates, employment, foreign trade, market vitality and business expectations, which underscore the continuous recovery of the Chinese economy in the first three quarters. Mian abrar

The Pakistani government has decided to shelve its plans for a long-term oil import deal with Russia under a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement. Instead, it has now allowed local refineries to pursue direct commercial agreements with Russian companies. This decision comes after delays in establishing a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for crude oil imports, which was part of the original G2G agreement between Pakistan and Russia. The move to establish the SPV was intended to facilitate the import of Russian crude oil, which would then be processed by local refineries. However, following a recent visit by a Pakistani delegation to Moscow, it was decided to put the SPV plan on hold due to the perceived high risks involved in this approach. Previously, Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) imported a vessel carrying Russian oil, a process that took approximately one month for the oil to reach Pakistan’s shores. This lengthy process raised concerns about the feasibility and efficiency of importing Russian crude via the SPV. Private-sector refinery Byco also imported a 100,000-ton oil consignment from Russia, further prompting the government to reconsider its G2G deal with Russia. According to sources, Pakistan’s oil refineries are now engaged in direct talks with Russian companies for crude oil imports based purely on commercial terms. Before the Pakistani delegation’s visit to Russia on October 10, Pakistan had sought to negotiate a long-term oil supply agreement while adhering to a price cap of $60 per barrel. Initially, Pakistan requested that Russia set a free-on-board (FOB) price at $60 per barrel in the long term, with FOB representing the actual price charged at the port.

Pakistan disappointed over UNSC’s failure to adopt Russia’s draft for Gaza ceasefire UNITED NATIONS agencies

Pakistan, which along with many Arab and OIC countries co-sponsored the Russian draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, expressed disappointment that the UN Security Council did not approve the balanced text. “The most urgent need at this stage is a ceasefire,” Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN said. “It is, therefore, disappointing that the Russian draft resolution, which called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, was not adopted,” he added. The draft did not secure the required number of nine votes for adoption. The final vote tally was 5 in favour (China, Gabon, Mozambique, the Russian Federation and the United Arab Emirates), 4 against (France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States), and 6 abstentions (Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta and Switzerland). The Arab and OIC countries, which co-sponsored the Russian draft resolution, were: Pakistan, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkiye, Bangladesh, Maldives, Mauritania, Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea and Mali. Zimbabwe, Nicaragua, and Venezuela were also among the co-sponsors.

Thursday, 19 October, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

CORPORATE CORNER

Caretaker Federal Minister for Human Rights Khalil George distributing rikshaws under ‘Rozgar Scheme’ to victim families of Jaranwala incident.

Shafaq Cooking Oil is thrilled to announce its win at 17th Consumer Choice Awards. Nominated in Best Cooking Oil category by the Consumer Association of Pakistan, we are delighted to have secured esteemed award. This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering excellence, exceptional quality, and a delightful culinary experience. We thank our customers for their trust and support.

Shell Pakistan announces financial results for Q3-2023 KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

The Board of Directors of Shell Pakistan Limited (SPL) announced nine months results for the company on October 18th, 2023. The company successfully delivered a profit after tax of PKR 6,450 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, compared to the profit after tax of PKR 2,864 million made in the same period last year.

An interim cash dividend for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2023, was announced. The results also reflect the impact of one-off technical service fee relief received from Shell International Petroleum Company. As always, the company continues to focus on business performance, safety of people, and protection of the environment. OGRA recognized industry efforts in promoting refuelling safety among two and three wheelers, an initiative trailblazed by SPL. During the period, Mobility business introduced 19 new retail sites.

CDCSRSL conducts client awareness session KARACHI,

SAFF REPORT

SECP has recently introduced the concept of categorized voting for the election of directors to address the practical challenges faced by Listed Companies, during the election of directors by way of amendments in Companies (Postal Ballot) Regulations, 2018 and Code of Corporate Governance Regulations, 2019. Being an Industry Leader, CDC Share Registrar Services Limited (CDCSRSL) took the initiative to provide a comprehensive understanding and practical knowledge of these amendments among the stakeholders by arranging a seminar.

Holding open courts best forum to find out consumers' issues: IESCO

ISLAMABAD: IESCO management and field formations have always tried to address the issues of esteemed customers on priority basis while at the same time ensuring the provision of best services to them. In the same spirit and with a sense of professional responsibility, IESCO has issued a schedule of open Katchary in all operational circles. According to the details, Islamabad Circle (IESCO G-7 Sub Division, Islamabad), Rawalpindi City Circle (Westridge Marquee, Near Transit Camp, Bakery Chowk, Rawalpindi) Rawalpindi Cantt Circle (IESCO Choa Khalsa Sub-Division), Attock Circle (IESCO Operation Hassan Abadal Sub Division), Jhelum Circle (IESCO Operation Complex, Mangla Road, Dina) and Chakwal Circle (Iqbal Marquee, Daultala) Superintending Engineers will hold Open Kachary on October 19, 2023 (Thursday) From 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and will issue necessary instructions to resolve the issues of consumers on the spot. STAFF REPORT

Beware ethical dilemmas and greenwashing in sustainability reporting, warns ACCA LAHORE

STAFF REPOERT

We need to ensure that poor quality application of the professional accountant’s code of ethics doesn’t undermine positive progress in implementing sustainability reporting by businesses – Global Ethics Day warning Lahore,18 October 2023: – Latest research from ACCA examines the ethical dilemmas regularly faced by accountants and other professionals involved in implementing sustainability reporting. Launched to mark Global Ethics Day the resulting guide, Ethical dilemmas in an era of sustainability reporting, identifies the risks around ethics and independence associated with sustainability reporting. At a time when the regulatory requirements for sustainability reporting are growing, the guide provides real-world scenarios, written in partnership with academics from Warwick Business School, for accountants and non-accountants to equip them to manage dilemmas often presented.

07

CHINESE CHIP EQUIPMENT MAKERS GRAB MARKET SHARE AS US TIGHTENS CURBS NEWS

A

PROFIT

REuTERS

S the U.S. tightens its restrictions on China’s semiconductor industry, Chinese manufacturers of tools used to make chips are benefiting, with orders from the country’s foundries accelerating in recent months.

Domestic equipment manufacturers, such as toolmaker Naura (002371.SZ) and etching equipment maker AMEC, are winning a much higher proportion of tenders from Chinese foundries than in previous years, as chipmakers race to replace foreign-made equipment with domestically made alternatives, research showed.

Nearly half, or 47.25%, of all machinery equipment tenders by Chinese foundries from January to August 2023 were won by local manufacturers, according to an analysis of 182 tenders by Huatai Securities last month.

From July to August 2023, 62% were won by Chinese suppliers compared to only 36.3% from March to April, the brokerage’s analysts said.

It marks a turning point for the industry, reflecting acceptance that U.S. restrictions on technology imports are unlikely to ease and could get worse and that self-

reliance – as urged by Chinese President Xi Jinping – is the way forward.

The Biden administration on Tuesday expanded measures aimed at China’s chip industry that seek to stop Beijing from receiving cutting-edge U.S. technologies to strengthen its military.

The measures are expected to be updated annually. China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that it has lodged a stern rebuke over the latest chip restrictions, saying that they violated the principles of the market economy and fair competition.

“Before the sanctions, top Chinese foundries would use a small amount of machines from Chinese suppliers, but they would really only experiment with new equipment when they would add new capacity,” one source briefed by the companies told Reuters.

“Now, foundries are testing out Chinese-made equipment for every foreign machine they own and if they find that it meets their needs, they replace all of them,” he said. “They want as few foreign machines as feasible.”

AMEC and Naura in particular were receiving more orders from China’s largest foundries SMIC (0981.HK) and Hua Hong Semiconductor, he added.

AMEC, Naura, SMIC, and Hua Hong did not immediately respond to re-

quests for comment.

The equipment-related revenue of China’s top 10 domestic equipment manufacturers grew 39% year-on-year for the first half of 2023, representing $2.2 billion in sales, according to a report by CINNO Research.

Chinese companies have been stockpiling foreign-made chip equipment from Japan and the Netherlands, but those avenues are also set to close with those countries expected to join the U.S. in enacting restrictions in coming months.

Analysts said that Chinese manufacturers were getting better at producing equipment in areas such as etching and cleansing, where they compete globally with the likes of U.S. firms Applied Materials Inc (AMAT.O) and Lam Research Corp (LRCX.O).

Some AMEC machines have entered production lines for chips as advanced as those using 5 nanometer technology, it has disclosed in earnings reports. Its etching equipment is used to remove excess material from the surface of silicon wafers. One China-based semiconductor analyst, who declined to be named as he was not allowed to speak to the media, said the quality of Chinese-made chip equipment was improving faster than he had anticipated, estimating that they

were two years ahead of his original estimates.

“There is definitely huge progress happening in the Chinese semiconductor equipment space, as reflected in the strong revenue growth metrics,” he said.

Still some pain points remain, particularly lithography, which requires extremely complex optics and process precision. China has not been able to procure extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines needed to make the most advanced chips, and the U.S. has now barred even some less advanced deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography systems from entering China.

The Huatai Securities report revealed that for the first eight months of 2023, only one tender for lithography equipment was awarded to a Chinese company, out of many bids. China’s imports of lithography machines and components used in such machines from the Netherlands rose 81.2% year-over-year to $3.3 billion from January to August, according to Reuters’ calculations based on data from China’s customs.

The Netherlands’ ASML, Europe’s largest technology company and a maker of the advanced technology, on Wednesday reported that sales to China represented nearly half of its revenue for the third quarter of 2023.

SNGPL crackdown on gas theft continues; 145 illegal connections disconnected LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

During the ongoing crackdown against gas pilferers, SNGPL continued raids in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad, disconnecting another 145 connections while imposing fine of Rs.4.27 million and 275 under billing cases processed In Lahore, the regional team disconnected 12 connections on illegal use of gas, another 05 connections on the use of compressor and 49 Under billing cases processed. The team also booked Rs.0.46 million against gas theft and Under billing cases. In Bahawalpur, the regional team disconnected 03 connections on illegal use of gas, another 05 connections on the use of compressor and 09 Under billing cases processed. The team also booked Rs.0.08 million against gas theft and Under billing cases. The company disconnected 04 connections on illegal use of gas, another 02 connections on the use of compressor and 05 under billing cases have been processed in Multan and amount of Rs 0.025 Million have been booked against gas theft and Under billing cases.

In Sheikhupura, the regional team disconnected 07 connections

SEED Ventures under its banner, What’s The Alternative hosts second event ‘EmpowerHER’ on illegal use of gas, another 04 connections on the use of compressor and 34 Under billing cases processed. The team also booked Rs. 2.16 million against gas theft and Under billing cases.

SNGPL’s team in Mardan disconnected 04 connections on account of direct use of gas and illegal connections, the team also booked Rs.0.05 million against gas theft. In Peshawar, the Regional team disconnected 41 connections on account of direct use of gas and illegal connections, the team also booked Rs.1.22 million against gas theft. In Sargodha, 01 meter was disconnected on the use of compressor.

The regional team in Gujranwala, 01 meter was disconnected

on the use of compressor while another 02 on illegal use of gas and 44 Under billing cases processed.

The region also imposed fine of Rs.0.09 million against gas theft and under billing cases.

The company disconnected 47 connections on illegal use of gas and 33 Under billing cases processed. in Islamabad. In Sahiwal, 04 connections were disconnected on illegal use of gas. The regional team in Faisalabad 101 under billing cases have been processed. Rs 0.09 Million have been booked against gas theft and Under billing cases.

In Sialkot, the company disconnected 02 connections on illegal use of gas. In Gujrat, the

Global accolades for NUST researchers: 31 stand among top 2% ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

As many as 31 researchers from the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) have risen to prominence by standing amongst the world’s top 2% from amongst 100,000 top-of-the-line researchers in 2023.

NUST has consistently made headway in its R&D pursuits, bolstering its way to the top in Pakistan, and build-

ing the nation through transformative higher education.

NUST is currently ranked #367 in the world, #67 in Asia and among top leading universities in Pakistan, as per QS University Rankings 2024 and among top 300 universities of the world as per THE Impact Ranking 2023.

EFU Insurance recognized with Lifetime Achievement Award by IAP KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

Mr. Hasanali Abdullah, Vice Chairman - EFU General Insurance Ltd. has been recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Insurance Association of Pakistan (IAP). This prestigious accolade is a testament to his exceptional contributions to the insurance industry and his

remarkable leadership qualities.

Insurance Association of Pakistan (IAP) bestows the Lifetime Achievement Award to individuals who have made extraordinary and long-lasting contributions to the advancement of the insurance sector in Pakistan. The recognition of Mr. Hasanali Abdullah's accomplishments further strengthens EFU General's position as a leader in the industry and serves as an in-

spiration to the entire insurance community, motivating them to strive for excellence and make a meaningful impact in their respective roles.

KARACHI

STAFF REPORET

SEED Ventures under its banner, What’s The Alternative (WTA) hosted its second event, EmpowerHER: Women's Wellness Symposium. The event aimed to establish a platform that brings together medical experts and women for comprehensive dialogue around alternative approaches to women’s well-being. WTA is an innovative sustainability platform devised and managed by SEED Ventures to offer sustainable alternatives with a focus on three pillars: environment, wellness, and lifestyle, aiming to inspire individuals to rethink their choices and translate them into meaningful actions.

Commenting on the symposium, Shaista Ayesha, CEO & Director, SEED Ventures, said, “EmpowerHER serves as a crucial platform for fostering dialogue and collaboration on women’s wellness. At SEED Ventures, we are committed to improving women’s well-being, and to rethink conventional practices for alternatives that empower women to lead stronger, healthier lives and foster better communities.”

CDA receives healthy response on second day of plots auction ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Capital Development Authority (CDA) received a healthy response on the second day of the auction of plots. During the first two days eight (08) plots have been auctioned and fetched more than 10.94 billion. Auction of plots will remain continue on October 19th and 20th , 2023 at Jinnah Convention Centre, Islamabad. According to the details, on the second day of the auction, Plot No. 1 measuring 355.55 square yards in Sector G-6/1-1 was auctioned for Rs. 602 million. Similarly, Plot No. N-1 measuring 1066.66 square yards located in Sector E-11 was auctioned for 1.24 billion rupees . On the second day of the auction, hostel plot measuring 1111.11 square yards in Sector G-7/3 was auctioned for Rs. 706 million while hostel plot measuring 1111.11 square yards located in Sector G-9/4 was auctioned for Rs 604 million. Residential and commercial plots of different categories are being offered for investment in the four-days auction of plots. During the four-days auction, plots of various marakaz, Blue Area

Commander Turkish Air Force visits air headquarters KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

A delegation led by General Ziya Cemal Kadioğlu, Commander Turkish Air Force, called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force in his office today. The meeting covered a wide array of matters related to geo-strategic situation, progress of current joint ventures and exploration of further avenues of collaboration in the aviation industry. The discussion also involved an exchange of insight from both dignitaries on the operational training of their respective air forces in the backdrop of PAF's on-going mega aerial exercise, Indus Shield 2023 which is being witnessed by dignitaries from around the globe. Both the commanders also agreed to explore further avenues of bilateral cooperation including collaboration for joint production of military hardware with special focus on unmanned aerial platforms.

On his arrival, a smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Air Force presented guard of honour to General Ziya Cemal Kadioğlu. Later, the visiting dignitary was introduced to the Principal Staff Officers.

During the meeting, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air

Force, shared the framework of PAF's comprehensive modernization strategy involving procurements of technological equipment from allied countries, bolstering critical infrastructure and a comprehensive restructuring of its training set-up, in order to address contemporary air warfare challenges.

The Air Chief highlighted that both the brotherly countries enjoy long-standing religious and historic ties which are manifested through unprecedented strategic partnership. Appreciating the participation of Turkish Air Force in Exercise Indus Shield, the Air Chief reiterated his resolve to further enhance the existing bilateral relations in military-to-military cooperation, strategic alliance and the training domain. The Air Chief further remarked that PAF pilots are playing an active role in providing basic and tactical level training to Turkish aircrew. He reiterated Pakistan Air Force's commitment to provide training and capacity-building assistance to the Turkish Air Force.

General Ziya Cemal Kadioğlu, Commander Turkish Air Force, who is on his maiden visit to Pakistan, commended the professionalism of Pakistan Air Force and acknowledged its rising indigenous capacity in the aviation industry. He also expressed keen interest in the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park

and appreciated the unwavering commitment of the Air Chief in making this project a huge success. The visiting dignitary further affirmed that the on-going exercise Indus Shield hosted by PAF, would be a way forward to further consolidate the existing bond of brotherhood and military ties between the two countries in addition to enhancing the operational readiness of the participating air forces.

During his visit, the Turkish Air Force Commander also visited various installations and technological infrastructure established at Air Headquarters, Islamabad including PAF's National ISR and Integrated Air Operations Centre and PAF's Cyber Command.

Thursday, 19 October, 2023

FINANCIAL CRISIS HITS TWO-THIRDS OF KP MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATIONS, URGENT NEED FOR RS343MN pRayeR timingS

NEWS

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PESHAWAR

aziz buneRi

N Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 92 tehsil municipal administrations are struggling with a severe financial crisis.

These administrative bodies, employing 343,000 individuals and responsible for pension disbursements, are unable to meet their financial obligations.

The Municipal Department has submitted a grant request of Rs. 3.43 billion to the provincial government. This request includes Rs. 2.70 billion for 67 tehsil municipal administrations in settled areas, and Rs. 72.46 million for all 25 tehsil municipal administrations in tribal areas.

According to the Local Council Board’s documents, grant requests for various tehsil municipal administrations are as follows: Haripur: Rs. 15 million, Kohat: Rs. 10.1 million, Batkhela and Bannu: Rs. 9.9 million each, Batgram, Nowshera, and

Tank: Rs. 8.8 million each, Swat, Charsadda, and Sari Naurang: Rs. 7.7 million each, Lachi, Upper Dir, and Batkhela: Rs. 6.6 million each, Lakki Marwat: Rs. 6.4024 million, Paharpur, Havelian, Takht Bhai, Badbher, Hangu, Khall, and Takht Nasrati: Rs. 5 million each, Adinzai, Katlang, Merian, Lahor, Ghazni Khel, Draband, Shabqadar, Khwaza Khela, and Tangi: Rs. 4 million each Klachi: Rs. 4.1015 million Chitral and Darosh TMA are each requesting Rs. 39.863 million, while Bandai Daud Shah TMA is seeking Rs. 33.565 million.

For several other TMAs, the grant requests are as follows: Paroa and Martung: Rs. 0.5 million each, Bisham and Batkhela Koolai: Rs. 0.3 million each and Palas: Rs. 1.15 million In tribal districts, the tehsil municipal administrations have requested grants as follows: Parachinar: Rs. 11.4 million, Miranshah: Rs. 6 million, Sadda: Rs. 5 million,

Razmak: Rs. 4.5517 million, Landi Kotal: Rs. 4.706 million, Jamrud: Rs. 4 million, Lower Mahmand, Kuzi, Wazir, Khara, and Laddah: Rs. 3 million each, Upper Mehmund: Rs. 2 million, Central Kurram, Upper Kurram, Bara, Sarwakai, Jandola, Mir Ali, and Darazinda: Rs. 2 million each, Bajaur: Rs. 1.44334 million, Dara Adam Khel: Rs. 1.11 million, Wana: Rs. 0.9 million This financial crisis has left 74 tehsil municipal administrations in Malakand TMA requesting Rs. 5.5 lakh each, Paroa and Martung seeking Rs. 0.5 million each, and Palas requiring Rs. 1.15 million.

The urgency of the situation is further evident with the TMA of Paharpur, which has requested Rs. 1.15 million. The financial strain is impacting the functionality of municipal administrations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The requested grants are crucial to address the immediate financial needs of these administrations.

Govt assures PML-N, PPP of ‘conducive’ election environment KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

The caretaker government Wednesday assured the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of a conducive environment as the country heads towards elections.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has said that the general polls will be held in January next year, prompting political parties to begin their campaigns for wooing voters and strengthening party ranks.

However, apart from the PPP, the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other major political parties have demanded the authorities ensure a “level-playing field” for all.

Interim Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi, in his meetings with PML-N and PPP leaders, said the fundamental responsibility of the caretaker government was to provide a

conducive environment for elections and monitor the electoral process. tate-run APP reported that the minister held separate meetings with PML-N leader Musadik Malik and PPP’s Syed Akhunzada Chattan.

During the meetings, issues of mutual

Chinese and Pakistani companies sign MoU for chili farming in Pakistan BEIJING

Staff RepoRt

Chinese and Pakistani companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here at the Pakistan Embassy to enhance chilli production in Pakistan. The agreement underscores the growing economic partnership between the two nations and aims to spice up agricultural endeavors in Pakistan. From the Pakistani side, JW group signed with Qingdao SCO International Trade Group Co. and Qingdao Pinpinxiao Food Co, according to China Economic Net (CEN). The signing of the MoU was witnessed by the Minister of Commerce, Industries and Production, Dr. Gohar Ejaz, and other Pakistani officials from the Pakistan embassy and the Ministry of Commerce. The Minister of Commerce, Industries and Production, Dr. Gohar Ejaz, said that the MoU is expected to not only increase the production of this popular spice but also create job opportunities, improve agricultural practices, and contribute to Pakistan’s export potential.

According to the MoU, the Pakistani side will provide land for farming and industry, labor, and other related facilities to set up a complete package, while the Chinese side will provide technology and investment and will buy chilli from Pakistan.

Two killed, three cops injured in armed clash over disputed land SWAT

Syed Shahabuddin

At least two persons were killed and three policemen sustained critical injuries on Wednesday during exchange of fire between rival groups in Amankot area of Swat district. The deceased include Mohammad Ali, brother of DSP Peshawar Cantt Bacha Hussain and an elder of the area Mohammad Amin alias Khan Lala. According to Swat DPO Shafiullah Khan Gandapur, the fire exchange took place over a disputed piece of land near Mingora Grassy Ground. It involved two groups: one comprised of DSP Muhammad Ali, Nawab Khan, and Bacha Hussain while the other comprising Ejaz Khan, Akbar Khan, Jahangir Khan, Sabir Khan, and Salman, all residents of Amankot area of Mingora Swat district.

Abdul Hameed Mengal assumes charge as IRSA Chairman ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Member Balochistan Abdul Hameed Mengal assumed the charge of Chairman Indus River System Authority (IRSA) here Wednesday for period of one year. “In accordance with Chapter-II, Section 4, Clauses (2) & (3) of IRSA Act XXII of 1992, Abdul Hameed Mengal, Member IRSA (Balochistan) has assumed the charge of the office of Chairman IRSA for a period of one year with effect from October, 18 2023”, said a notification issued here.

interest — including upcoming general elections — were discussed.

Solangi said that the peaceful transfer of power was the topmost priority of the caretaker dispensation.

The minister assured both the leaders that the caretaker government would en-

sure that elections were conducted in fair, transparent, and impartial elections.

Despite being partners in the last government and demanding PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s return, PPP has raised concerns that the former prime minister might be a “special relief”.

Nawaz will return to Pakistan on October 21, with the PML-N’s legal team being hopeful that he will not have to go to jail despite being a convict and an absconder. Solangi’s meeting with both the politicos comes after he met PTI leader Shafqat Mahmood to evolve a consensus on the general elections and ease the prevailing tense political environment in the country.

Although Solangi said no political discussion took place, the PTI said conducting transparent elections, ensuring equal opportunities to participate in the polls for political parties, evolving greater national consensus, and other matters of mutual interest came under discussion during the meeting.

Military conducts successful flight test of Ababeel missile g

ISPR says missile system aims at strengthening deterrence and enhancing strategic stability ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan on Wednesday conducted a successful flight test of the Ababeel weapon system, said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) The latest test of the ballistic missile system was aimed at “re-validating various design, technical parameters, and performance evaluation of different sub-systems”. “The missile system is aimed at strengthening deterrence and enhancing strategic stability in the region through the operationalisation of full spectrum deterrence in the overall construct of credible minimum deterrence,” said ISPR. The launch was witnessed by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, senior officers from the Strategic Plans Division and Strategic Forces Command, scientists and engineers of strategic organisations.

CJCSC appreciated the technical prowess, dedication and commitment of all those who contributed to-

wards the successful test. The President, Prime Minister of Pakistan and Services Chiefs also congratulated all members of the Strategic Forces on the achievement.

Previously, in 2021, Pakistan successfully conducted a test flight of the locally developed Fatah-1 Guided Multi-Launch Rocket System. The rocket system has a range

of 140 kilometers and the capability for accurate targeting. On the other hand, on December 30, the Pakistan Air Force marked a significant milestone by initiating the production of the advanced JF-17 Thunder Block 3 fighter jets, equipped with improved radar and rivaling the capabilities of India’s Raphael aircraft.

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Elections put on hold because of one person, says Bilawal

KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

In an apparent reference to former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said that the general elections have been put on hold because of just one person. “The tenure of [coalition] government of the last 16 months taught us that Pakistan cannot be run from London,” he said while addressing a ceremony related to the 16th anniversary of Karsaz tragedy in Karachi. “We hope that his [Nawaz’s] return [to the country] would be big, and also that ECP would soon announce the election schedule.” The PPP chairman expressed the urgent need for all political parties to support the demand for the immediate announcement of the election schedule by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), saying that Pakistan can be brought back on the path of progress only via elections. “Our former ally would also agree that delay in elections is not vote ki izzat (respect of vote) but vote ki beizzati (disrespect of vote),” Bilawal said in reference to the popular slogan of PML-N. “We have to leave politics of abuses and divide behind. We need new leadership… a leadership which is not stuck in the past but thinks about the future. We don’t want 90s’ Pakistan or 2017’s Pakistan.

We want today’s Pakistan… Pakistan of 2023… a modern Pakistan.” Highlighting the current state of Pakistan, he lamented that the country was not on the right path at the moment and the economy was in tatters. “The democracy is in shambles. We will have to conduct elections and give space to democracy,” he added. Recalling the achievements of his party during their previous tenure, PPP chairman stated, “From 2008 to 2013, we had laid a path. We have shown that there can be unity. We introduced revolutionary programmes such as the Benazir Income Support Programme.” “We have to bury the politics of division and revive the politics of unity. Only then Pakistan will attain stability. We can only fight our issues if we have stability… we need political stability,” he added. On the economic front, he emphasised that the country would have to make policies for the betterment of the people. “When people are empowered, the economy of the country also benefits. During all tenures of PPP, our policies were people-friendly.” Bilawal countered the perception that the PPP is not business-friendly, citing the Thar Coal project as an example of their commitment to the country’s development. “Give me one such example which can match Thar Coal project throughout the country,” he challenged. Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said that former president Asif Ali Zardari laid the foundation of the mega project.

Overturning trial court’s verdict, LHC acquits PML-N’s Hanif Abbasi in ephedrine case LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday overturned trial court’s life imprisonment verdict against PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi and acquitted him of Ephedrine Quota Case.

A division bench of the LHC comprising Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Asjad Javed Gural pronounced the verdict, which was reserved a day earlier.

Hanif Abbasi had challenged the trial court’s decision of his life imprisonment after the prosecution successfully proved the allegations of smuggling and misuse of ephedrine qouta.

During the proceedings, the bench raised questions about the legality of the case and argued that the mere possession of ephedrine does not constitute guilt if it

is not misused. The law officer conceded that no allegations of smuggling could be substantiated against Abbasi. The petitioner’s counsel argued that his client had been intentionally embroiled in a ‘politically motivated’ and fabricated case in 2018 by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), solely to humiliate him.

The Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) court in Rawalpindi had sentenced Abbasi to life imprisonment. An appeal was filed against this decision, and in the meantime, the LHC suspended the implementation of the punishment, leading to Abbasi’s release.

The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the ephedrine quota had been allocated to 28 companies, and an investigation into the excessive issuance of the quota was initiated against his client. Additionally, allegations were made that Abbasi was in-

volved in drug peddling.

The bench inquired whether any action had been taken against those who allocated the excessive quota, to which the petitioner’s lawyer responded affirmatively. Interestingly, only seven companies were named in the First Information Report (FIR), while the rest were absolved of any wrongdoing. However, the trial court imposed a life sentence on Abbasi without delving into the facts or applying judicial discretion.

The petitioner requested LHC to annul the trial court’s sentence.

Back in July 2018, the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) court sentenced Hanif Abbasi to life imprisonment in the ephedrine quota case. At that time, Abbasi was contesting elections against Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid from NA-60 (Rawalpindi).

Published by Asad Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

Judge Sardar Muhammad Akram delivered the verdict, finding Abbasi guilty of illegally selling 500kg of ephedrine to narcotics smugglers. The court also imposed a fine of Rs1 million on the PMLN leader and acquitted seven other accused in the case, giving them the benefit of the doubt. ‘His great leader had predicted in 2012 the case as fabricated’ Following his acquittal, Hanif Abbasi addressed the media and expressed gratitude to Allah Almighty and praised the wisdom of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He noted that his great leader had predicted in 2012 that the case against him was nothing but a fabricated one. He acknowledged that during this ordeal, his family had faced significant hardship, with his brother being unlawfully detained and his daughter losing her job.