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RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA CORNERSTONE OF PAKISTAN’S FOREIGN POLICY: PM KAKAR

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Saturday, 21 October, 2023 I 4 Rabi us Sani, 1445

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APPRECIATES STRONG PERSONAL COMMITMENT OF CHINESE LEADERSHIP TO FURTHER BILATERAL TIES

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SAYS PAKISTAN WANTS TO LEARN FROM XINJIANG’S SUCCESS IN AGRICULTURAL MODERNIZATION

PM phones Palestinian President; discusses ongoing Gaza situation ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

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ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

ARETAKER Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has said relationship with China is cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy and an anchor for regional peace and development.

Talking to Party Secretary of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Ma Xingrui in Urumqi on Friday, he recalled his meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing and appreciated strong personal commitment of the Chinese leadership to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.

Reiterating the importance of Xinjiang for Pakistan, Anwaarul Kakar underscored that the region held a specific significance due to its geographical, his-

torical and cultural affinity with Pakistan.

He stressed the importance of deepening of linkages between Xinjiang and the neighbouring areas of Pakistan in diverse fields ranging from trade and investment to cultural and people-to-people ties.

Thanking the Prime Minister for visiting Xinjiang, Party Secretary Ma Xingrui stated that there is immense potential to deepen Pakistan-Xinjiang ties in multiple domains.

He expressed Xinjiang’s willingness to explore business and trade opportunities in Pakistan and to further facilitate commercial and people-to-people ties via Khunjerab-Sost border crossing.

The two sides agreed to work together to harness the full potential of cooperation between Xinjiang and the neighbouring areas of Pakistan.

Solangi dispels notion of any delay in elections ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Dispelling the impression of a delay in elections, Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said on Friday that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was performing its duty diligently to further electoral process in a responsible way.

The minister was talking to private television channels in two separate programmes on current affairs. He said the ECP had already announced that the election would be held by the end of January. “The Election Commission will announce final dates for the election and it is our responsibility to provide financial, administrative, and security assistance to the ECP for the purpose,” he said.

Solangi said the ECP was implementing its schedule and the political parties would be granted 54 days for conducting election campaign. He said the caretaker government, which had limited powers and tenure, was bound by the Constitution and law. The ECP was responsible for holding the elections in a transparent, free and fair manner and the government which was a constitutional one would provide all-out assistance in that regard.

To a query, he said the Law Ministry would consult the ECP on the petition seeking elections within 90 days and present its stance in the Supreme Court that had ultimate authority to decide on the matter.

Solangi said that constructive criticism was a hallmark of the democracy, saying each political party had its own stance. To another question, the info minister said that Nawaz Sharif was a senior politician and he was returning to his own country. “No leader from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is in the cabinet,” Solangi clarified. The caretaker government had been performing its functions within the confines of the Constitution and the law, he said, adding it was its responsibility to complete the privatization process of those departments that were cleared by the previous government and the parliament.

He said the current minister for privatization had an excellent administrative experience. “The state media is providing equal coverage to all political parties,” he said.

Rs 15.00 | Vol XIV No 111 I 8 Pages I Karachi Edition

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Friday called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the phone to discuss the latest situation arising from the ongoing brutalities of Israeli occupation forces against innocent Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

The prime minister expressed Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the incessant and lethal bombardment by Israeli occupation forces, particularly the bombing of Al-Ahli hospital. He termed the inhumane bombing as deplorable and willful acts of Israeli aggression against innocent Palestinians that caused loss of more than 3000 precious lives and left over 12000 injured.

Both leaders emphasized the need for the international community to urge Israel to immediately halt the bloodshed. They also agreed on the necessity of lifting the blockade on Gaza to facil-

‘Pakistan seeks to learn from Xinjiang’s success in agricultural modernization’ Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has expressed Pakistan’s interest in partnering with Xinjiang in promoting connectivity in terms of infrastructure development, economic synergy, trade and investment, agriculture, educational exchanges, science and technology and people-to-people connections.

itate delivery of vital humanitarian aid and medical assistance to the affected people. Pakistan has also dispatched its first batch of humanitarian assistance for Palestinian people that landed in Egypt yesterday.

The prime minister stressed the international community, particularly the United Nations to take resolute measures to resolve this crisis and uphold established principles of justice, humanity and international law.

He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to a just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian conflict, based on the “two-state” solution, leading to the establishment of a sovereign and viable Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the borders that existed prior to 1967.

President Mahmoud Abbas thanked Pakistan for longstanding and sustained support to the Palestinian people in their struggle for freedom from Israeli occupation.

Addressing the students and faculty of Xinjiang University in Urumqi on Friday, he said Pakistan seeks to learn from Xinjiang’s success in agricultural modernization. He said we would also aim to set up a joint agricultural demonstration zone in Pakistan to introduce modern farming techniques and practices.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

CJP forms benches to hear pleas on general elections, military trials on Oct 23 ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Friday formed two separate benches – a three-member bench and a five-member bench to take up for hearing petitions seeking general elections within 90 days and against military trials of civilians on Oct 23 (Monday).

The first bench – the threemember bench to be headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah, will take up petitions filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association and others seeking holding general elections within 90 days as stipulated by the Constitution.

Meanwhile, a five-member special bench led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik will hear petitions challenging the trial of civilians in military courts.

GENERAL ELECTIONS: Last August, the SCBA moved the top court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the date for polls within the constitutionally mandated period of 90 days following the dissolution of the lower house –

National Assembly – on August 9.

The lawyers association also challenged the approval of digital census 2023 by the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on August 5.

SCBA members belonging to the Professional Lawyers body (Hamid Khan Group) had filed the petition.

The election supervisor is bound to hold polls within 90 days if the assembly is dissolved early.

As the lower house was dissolved on August 9, three days before the end of its term, elections were supposed to be held by November 9. Yet, the last potential time for elections floated by the ECP is January 2024.

Meanwhile, after the approval of census 2023 by the CCI, a delay in the holding of polls seems to be in offing, as according to officials, the process of new delimitations may take four months or longer.

The SCBA, in its petition, urged the apex court to declare the participation of the caretaker chief ministers of Punjab and KhyberPakhtunkhwa in the CCI meeting as illegal and in violation of the Constitution.

Both the Punjab and KhyberPakhtunkhwa assemblies where the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was in power

were dissolved in January 2022.

The caretaker governments in both the provinces were bound to hold elections within 90 days but failed to do so.

The petition maintained that the purpose of convening the CCI meeting a week before the dissolution of the National Assembly to approve the results of new census was to delay the elections and requested the apex court to suspend the notification in this regard.

The petition further noted that holding of elections within a period of 90 days of dissolution of assemblies is a salient feature of the Constitution and any delay in the conduct of general elections beyond the mandatory period of 90 days as mandated by Article 224(2) of the Constitution, 1973 will be in blatant violation of Articles 4, 5, 6, 9, 17, 51, 106 and 224 of the Constitution.

MILITARY TRIALS: A number of petitions were filed before the SC challenging former Pakistan Democratic Movement’s coalition government and the military’s decision to hold military trials of civilians suspected of involvement in the protests that broke out on May 9, following ousted premier Imran Khan’s arrest from the premises of the Islamabad High Court by troops of the paramilitary forces.

COAS, Sri Lankan army chief discuss ways for enhancing defence ties RAWALPINDI

STAFF REPORT

The commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lieutenant General HLVM Liyanage on Friday called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters [GHQ] in Rawalpindi, the military said in a statement.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations [ISPR], during the meeting matters of professional interest and ways for enhancing bilateral defence ties were discussed. The Sri Lankan army chief praised the Pakistan Army for its professionalism and successes in ongoing operations for bringing peace and stability in the region.

In return, COAS Munir acknowledged the historic relations Sri Lanka had with Pakistan and its armed forces, particularly in the fields of defence and training cooperation.

Meanwhile, the visiting dignitary will also witness the passing out parade at Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul on Saturday.

Earlier on his arrival at the GHQ, the Commander of the Sri Lankan Army laid floral wreath at Yadgar-eShuhada. A smartly turned out contingent of the Pakistan Army presented the guard of honour to the visiting dignitary.

FIA summons ex-COAS Bajwa’s relative for probe into money laundering ISLAMABAD

SHAHZAD PARACHA

Federal Investigation Agency on Friday summoned Muhammad Sabir Hammed alias Mithu, a close relative of former COAS Gen (r) Qamar Javed Bajwa in connection with investigation into moneylaundering.

According to FIA notice served to Muhammad Sabir Hammed, “This is pursuant to an on-going criminal investigation in this agency on the allegation of high volume suspicious transactions into your bank accounts contrary to the declared business profile.”

“During the course of enquiry & perusal of record available with this agency, it has come to fore that you are maintaining 19 bank accounts (14 PKR accounts and 5 Foreman Currency accounts) with the aggregate credit turnover of Rs 5.34 billion In this regard.”

“You are called upon to appear in person before the undersigned on October 23, 2023 at FIA Anti Money Laundering circle without fail and to explain your position in this regard.”

FIA has directed Mr Mithu to bring original CNIC and the record/ information such as FBR returns / Declarations for period 2016 to 2023 (personal & business), List of all countries visited/ international travels made by you and their purposes, List of all off-shore/ shell companies and business-vehicles held by you and your family members and the countries/jurisdictions in which they are held, List of all international assets (properties, investments and accounts) held directly or indirectly through any offshore/ shell companies or business vehicles by you, your spouse or family, List of all international/ national assets (properties, Investments and accounts) not held in your or your family’s name but in which you or your family have any beneficial interest, Detail of all foreign currency purchases made by you Or On your behalf (within Pakistan), Detail of foreign currency taken by you or your spouse or family, out of Pakistan, whether that was declared at the Airport or otherwise and Reason of high value credit/ debit transactions to bank accounts maintained on your name or in name of your dependents and also bring all details of your bank accounts.

Non-compliance of this order for attendance and or non-production of documents render you table to proceedings under section 174, 175 Pakistan Penal Code 1860 Court of Law, the notice stated.

Pak-China reiterate resolve to move forward together: Joint statement ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan and China have reiterated the resolve to move forward together on the path of development, and accelerate the building of an even closer Pak-China Community with a Shared Future in the new era.

In a joint statement, after completion of Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar’s visit to China, the two sides reaffirmed their support for each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns.

During the visit, the two sides signed 20 agreements and MoUs, covering cooperation on the BRI, infrastructure, mining, industry, green and low-carbon development, health, space cooperation, digital economy, development cooperation and export of agricultural products to China.

Both the countries reaffirmed that mutual trust remains at the core of China-Pakistan relationship.

They agreed that China and Pakistan are

All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners and iron brothers and friendship between the two countries is time-tested and unbreakable.

The joint statement further stated that the two sides recognized that the Belt and Road Initiative is a strong driver of world economic growth, provides a platform for international economic cooperation, opens up space for common development around the globe and has become a widely welcomed international public good as well as an important practice in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Both the sides agreed to work more closely together on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and usher in a bright future of peace, development and win-win cooperation.

The two sides recognized that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, as a pioneering project of the BRI, has yielded fruitful outcomes in the 10 years since its inception and has now entered a new stage of high-quality development.

Both the countries also reaffirmed the re-

solve to jointly build a growth corridor, a livelihood-enhancing corridor, an innovation corridor, a green corridor and an open corridor, and continue to build CPEC into an exemplary project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Recognizing the significance of Gwadar Port as an important node in cross-regional connectivity, the two sides agreed to speed up development of the Port and its auxiliary projects.

The two sides reviewed with satisfaction the progress of the desalination plant, the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), the Pak-China Friendship Hospital and other projects. Both the sides reiterated their resolve to make Gwadar a high-quality port, a regional trade hub and a connectivity node.

Recognizing that the ML-1 upgradation is an important project under the CPEC framework and is of great significance to Pakistan’s social and economic development, the two sides agreed to carry out the common understanding of the leaders of the two countries to implement the project at an

early date.

The two sides reviewed with satisfaction the important progress made in the preliminary work of the Karakoram Highway (Raikot-Thakot section) realignment project and agreed to fast track its implementation.

They affirmed their resolve to further move forward to launch preparatory work for D.I. Khan-Zhob Road Project to build momentum towards enhancing connectivity and socio-economic development of Pakistan, under CPEC. They also agreed to actively promote the implementation of the Framework Agreement on Industrial Cooperation to support Pakistan’s industrialization, and encourage Chinese companies to set up manufacturing facilities in Pakistan.

The two sides reiterated that CPEC is an open and inclusive platform for win-win cooperation, and welcome third parties to benefit from investments in CPEC cooperation priority areas such as industry, agriculture, ICT, science and technology.

Both the sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the mining industry, including in the fields of geological survey, joint research on geology and minerals, training of talent, and planning of mining industrial parks.

Under Agricultural cooperation, they agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas such as crop cultivation, prevention and control of animal and plant diseases, agricultural mechanization, exchange of agricultural technology, and trade in agricultural products.

They acknowledged the recent momentum for increase in business exchanges between the two countries and further resolved to facilitate B2B exchanges. Both the sides also agreed to make efforts to enhance the level of bilateral people-to-people exchanges and facilitation.

The two sides announced that the Khunjerab pass would function all year round and agreed to step up the infrastructure construction and management of the Khunjerab pass and improve its passage conditions.

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PAKISTAN DESIROUS OF ENHANCING COOPERATION WITH UK IN FIELD OF MEDIA: INFO MINISTER

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Saturday, 21 October, 2023 | KARACHI

NEWS

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

ARETAKER Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi has said Pakistan is desirous of enhancing cooperation with the United Kingdom (UK) in the field of media.

He was talking to British High Commission’s Political Counselor Zoe Ware, who called on him here in Islamabad on Friday. The Minister said Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with the United Kingdom.

They exchanged views enhancing media cooperation and bilateral relations, countering the narrative of hatred and disinformation. UNDP’s Safe Digital

Environment programme also came under discussion.

Murtaza Solangi said UNDP’s Safe Digital Environment programme will help identify disinformation and narrative of hatred.

He said this project will enhance knowledge, skill and capacity of key government organizations and their functionaries to identify disinformation and hatred being spread in the online space.

He said misinformation, disinformation and fake news is a global issue and there is a need to overcome this challenge. He said fake news, circulating on the social media, is the biggest challenge.

The Minister vowed to take help from Britain’s modern media syllabus for the training of journalists. He said Information

No threat to Pakistani coastal areas from tropical storm: PMD ISLAMABAD

Service Academy will play a lead role in this regard. He said awareness sessions will be organized at the academy regarding the disinformation and hate narrative.

During the meeting, views were also exchanged on bilateral cooperation in the fields of film and drama. Murtaza Solangi said film and drama play a cardinal role in highlighting culture and positive image of a country.

He also informed the Political Counselor about activities regarding the upcoming polls in the country. He said elections will be held as per schedule to be announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The Political Counselor of the British High Commission assured her full cooperation to promote bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

Mushaal urges world to impose economic, defense sanctions on Israel ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said Friday that no Pakistani coastal area is threatened by an expected tropical storm in the Arabian Sea. The tropical situation has developed from an area of atmospheric pressure to a tropical depression centered south-central of the Arabian Sea. There are chances of it developing into a tropical storm within the next 48 hours. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PDM) said that the low pressure is currently present in the Arabian Sea at 1810 kilometers away from Karachi and 1750 kilometers from Gwadar. It is expected that the tropical depression will move towards Oman and Yemen as per the initial study and there is no threat to Pakistan’s coastal belt. Meanwhile, Oman authorities said the storm is expected to directly impact the Dhofar and Al-Wusta Governorates on Sunday noon, October 22, and the possibility of it is centre to cross between Dhofar Governorate and Yemen (Al-Mahra Governorate) between midnight Monday and Tuesday morning. Oman CAA warns of high tides on the coasts of South Al Sharqiyah, Al Wusta and Dhofar governorates, with the maximum wave height reaching 2.5 – 4.5 m.

LHC directs to set free teachers arrested across Punjab LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday directed to set free all 114 teachers arrested over their protest against the privatization of schools. Justice Shakeel Ahmed, LHC Judge declared the detention orders “null and void” and ordered immediate release. The detention orders, which were challenged through a series of petitions, were issued by Deputy Commissioners in various districts of Punjab.

President over the case, Justice Shakeel Ahmed deemed the detention orders to be against the principles of justice and human rights. It is pertinent to mention here that dozens of teachers were taken into custody after they protested against leave encashment issue and “privatisation” of public sector schools. In reaction to detentions, teachers have also threatened to boycott examination duties.

Staff RepoRt

Special Assistant on Human Rights Mushaal Hussein Mullick has urged the international community to impose economic and defense sanctions on Israel for unleashing the reign of terror against innocent Palestinians.

Talking to the media persons in Rawalpindi on Friday, she said war crimes and genocide is taking place on the Palestinian territory, regretting that nobody is punishing Israel for its crimes. She said the perpetrators of war crimes should be prosecuted.

The Special Assistant said the entire Muslim Ummah is aggrieved and concerned over the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. She said reports suggest that about one

US embassy opens another Lincoln Corner at AJK University MUZAFFARABAD Staff RepoRt

The US Embassy in Islamabad and the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir have formally solidified their partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish another Lincoln Corner in the university.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the MoU paved the way for the establishment of the state-of-the-art Lincoln Corner at the King Abdullah Campus (KAC) of the

university for duration of two years.

The MoU was signed by Tina Malone, Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy at the US Embassy, and Registrar of UAJK Prof Dr Ghulam Murtaza Qureshi, at a ceremony held at the KAC, today. The ceremony was attended by esteemed dignitaries, including Dr Cynthia Nicholas, Regional Public Engagement Specialist, officials from the US Embassy, Deans, Principal Officers, and a large number of UAJK faculty members and students.

Tina Malone emphasized the enduring friendship between Pakistan and the US. She underscored the contributions of Pakistani Americans to the development of the US and commended programs like Lincoln Corners for fostering strong people-to-people ties.

She expressed her deep appreciation for the partnership with UAJK and commended the university’s management, faculty, and students for their commitment to strengthening ties with the US Embassy. She also expressed her delight at the natural beauty of Kashmir and the privilege of visiting Muzaffarabad during her first-ever trip outside Islamabad.

In his speech, Registrar Prof Dr Ghulam Murtaza referred to the inauguration of the Lincoln Corner at King Abdullah Campus as a momentous occasion and expressed profound gratitude to the US Embassy for entertaining UAJK’s request to open another Corner at KAC. Dr Murtaza highlighted the original Lincoln Corner established in the city campus in 2007 as a beacon of knowledge and mutual understanding that has connected UAJK to the world, particularly the US.

Federal govt forms committee on Balochistan education issues QUETTA

Staff RepoRt

Caretaker Federal Education Minister Madad Ali Sindhi on Friday said that on the directives of Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan Anwaarul Haq Kakar, a committee has been formed to look into the financial and administrative issues facing the universities of Balochistan.“ Now, time has come to remove politics from our universities,” he said while addressing a consultative meeting held at BUITEMS on the issues, challenges and

hundred Palestinian children are being butchered by the Israeli state on daily basis.

Demanding immediate ceasefire, the Special Assistant said humanitarian aid should be provided to the Palestinians. She said international human rights organizations should also be allowed access to the Palestinian territory to assess the ground situation.

Mushaal Hussein Mullick said the people of Pakistan and Kashmir stand by their Palestinian brothers and sisters. Earlier, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry also took out a rally to express solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The participants, belonging to different walks of life, were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in support of Palestinian people.

future road map for the uplift of the education in Balochistan.

Caretaker Finance Minister Amjad Rasheed, Regional Director Higher Education Commission Zahoor Bazai, VC, BUITEMS Khalid Hafeez, VC University of Loralai, Ehsanullah Kakar, VC, University of Mekran Malik Tareen, VC, University of Khuzdar Dr Maqsood Ahmed, VC Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University Dr Sajida Noreen, Registrar Bolan Medical College Oranzeb Shah were present on the occasion while Chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, VC University of Gwadar Abdul Razaq Sabir,

VC University of Turbat Jan Mohammad and Lasbella University Dr Dost Mohammad Baloch attended the meeting through video link.

Addressing the high-level meeting, the federal minister said the caretaker government is committed to lay a strong foundation of education during its short tenure.

“Leaving behind our differences, it is now time to move forward and take practical steps for the betterment of the education and shining future of our generation to come,” he emphasized.

He noted that on the directives of PM

Kakar, he is in Balochistan on his four-day visit. The purpose of the visit was to meet educationists, intellectuals and concerned officials of the provincial government and finalize the recommendation for the education uplift in the province.

After Balochistan, the minister said, he will visit other provinces and present his report on challenges and way out to the Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakr.

He assured that a meeting of the VCs of universities in the province will be arranged with the PM so that the issue of funds and pensions could be resolved amicably.

IHC directs Education Ministry to publish FPSC results of daily-wage employees ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the Ministry of Education to publish the results of daily+-wage employees who had passed the FPSC examination for regularization of their services, on its website. The IHC Judge, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani presided over the case filed by daily-wage employees of the federal educational institutions. An FPSC (Federal Public Service Commission) official, during the hearing, presented the copy of the results before the court and said it was forwarded to the Ministry of Education on September 26. On this, the court observed that the Ministry of Education should have published the names of successful candidates on its the website, besides issuing offer letters to them. The FPSC official said that it was the job of the Ministry of Education to publish the results and complete the recruitment process. The court consequently ordered the Ministry of Education to publish the result of successful candidates on its website and adjourned the case till November 30.

Pakistan and other BRI partners embrace green prospect at BRI Forum BEIJING

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan and other BRI partners embraced green prospect on high-level forum held here, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Friday.

Green development truly matters,” stated Zafar Uddin Mahmood, former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, adding “Thanks to China-proposed BRI, significant changes have driven Pakistan’s green transformation, including the solar and wind power facilities from scratch.”

“The Green Silk Road is an important tool that can help us all pull us out of the dead ends of the past and set us on a new pathway that benefits people and planet alike,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized in his speech at the High-level Forum on Green Development of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held here. With the theme of Green Silk Road for Harmony with Nature, more than 400 people from over 40 countries attended

the green development forum, sharing the results of “Green Silk Road” construction in the past decade.

“Lately, Chinese solar solutions giant LONGi just announced that they are about to achieve the magnificent goal of 2GW in Pakistan. Statistic from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) showed that the Pakistan solar energy market size is expected to grow from 1.3 GW in 2023 to 9.77 GW by 2028, at a CAGR of 49.68 percent during the forecast period (2023-2028).

Not only in Pakistan, among more BRI partners, Chinese companies have also expanded their global presence to launch green projects, backed up with investments and advanced supply chains.

As the world’s largest producer of solar panels and wind turbines and a leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles, China has unparalleled advantages in promoting the popularization of green and sustainable energy.

Official data showed that the export value of China’s solar panels, lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles stood at USD 109 billion in the first three quarters the

year, soaring 41.7 percent year-on-year. The export value has grown by double digits for 14 consecutive quarters.

On the same day, LONGi officially launched the first phase of its Serendah Module Plant in Malaysia. Located in Serendah, Selangor state on Malaysia’s west coast, the 566,560-square meter module factory, with an investment of USD 380 million, represents LONGi’s inaugural manufacturing presence in West Malaysia.

There will be two phases of construction, with a combined capacity of 8.8 gigawatts, the company said. The first phase is already operating and work has started on the second phase.

The Serendah Module Plant has created 900 local jobs, with the number anticipated to exceed 2,000 eventually.

Furthermore, in 2022, LONGi has provided 1/3 of the core equipment for all photovoltaic projects in the five Central Asian countries.

The 50-MW Balkhash Power Station Phase-I, as LONGi’s largest project in Kazakhstan, can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 70,000 tons per year. The

first batch of 20MW modules of Uzbekistan’s 1GW photovoltaic project also arrived in Tashkent not long ago through the China-Europe freight train.

The reporter learned that in the past ten years, China has signed 46 climate change related cooperation documents with 39 developing countries, as green development is reaching broad consensus among the countries that are jointly building BRI. During the forum, the Chinese government unveiled three eye-catching plans-the Beijing Initiative for Belt and Road Green Development, the Green Investment and Finance Project and the Action Plan for Green Technology Development in Central Asia.

“According to the United Nations’ own report, only 15 percent of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been completed. Green development, as an important aspect that can now achieve a broader consensus, should gather global strength,” told Zhang Jianyu, Executive Director of the BRI Green Development Institute, while attending the forum.

CPEC RAILWAY PROJECTS TO TRANSFORM PAKISTAN’S TRANSPORTATION LANDSCAPE Saturday, 21 October, 2023 | KARACHI

NEWS

C

PESHAWAR

aziz BuneRi

HINA-PAKISTAN Economic Corridor (CPEC) is poised to transform Pakistan’s transportation landscape with a series of railway projects that will modernize the country’s aging system and boost connectivity.

One of the most pivotal projects is the Mainline 1 (ML-1) railway project, which will modernize Pakistan’s existing 2,655 kilometers of railway tracks. This upgrade will allow trains to achieve speeds of up to 165 kilometers per hour and dramatically boost line capacity from 34 to more than 150 trains daily in both directions. The project will follow the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, facilitated by a public-private

partnership mechanism.

Another key project is the construction of a new railway line from Quetta in Balochistan to Kotla Jam in Punjab, passing through Zhob and Dera Ismail Khan. This strategic project will foster connectivity among three major provinces in Pakistan, opening new horizons for transportation and trade.

The proposed reconstruction of the Quetta-Taftan railway track is also expected to significantly enhance mobility and trade, catalyzing economic growth in the region. This 633-kilometerlong railway line is a vital artery for trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and its upgrade will have a transformative impact on the region.

Additionally, the Karachi Circular Railway project, built on a publicprivate partnership model with an

estimated cost of $1.9 billion, stands as a game-changing development for the residents of Pakistan’s largest city. This initiative promises to redefine urban transportation and convenience, with a fleet of 300 electric trains serving 45 stations across the city.

The CPEC railway projects are being implemented at a rapid pace, and their completion will usher in a new era of transportation in Pakistan. By connecting major cities and economic hubs, these projects will promote economic growth and development, improve access to markets, and create new job opportunities.

The CPEC railway projects are a testament to the strong partnership between China and Pakistan. Through their shared commitment to infrastructure development, the two countries are laying the foundation for a brighter future for the region.

Chairman Senate urges global action to enforce UN resolutions against Israeli actions in Gaza and West Bank ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani has called upon the international community to take effective measures to implement United Nations resolutions in curbing Israeli barbaric actions and pogrom of innocent Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank.

He was talking to the Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Leslie Scanlon, who called on him here in Islamabad on Friday. The Chairman Senate called on the developed countries to play an active role in safeguarding

human rights in Palestine and Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, adhering to UN resolutions, for lasting solutions.

He underscored the importance of UN-backed resolution for the Kashmir issue and effective strategies for the protection of human rights. The encompassed the discussion enhancement of bilateral relations, economic and social ties, as well as matters of mutual concern, including the Middle East situation. In-depth deliberations took place regarding the current state of affairs.

The Chairman Senate emphasized Pakistan’s deep appreciation for its

Sindh anti-corruption dept transfers 136 cases to NAB KARACHI

relationship with Canada and its commitment to fostering enduring and multifaceted bilateral relations.

He stressed the importance of increasing trade between the two nations and called for closer collaboration among business communities.

The Chairman Senate underscored the abundant investment opportunities within Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. He extended a warm welcome to Canadian businesses, citing the significant employment prospects arising from Canadian company Barrick Gold’s investment in Chagai.

The valuable mineral resources in

132KV Grid Station formally energized to supply electricity to Hattar SEZ PESHAWAR

aziz BuneRi

Staff RepoRt

Sindh’s anti-corruption department on Friday transferred 136 cases to the National Accountability Bureau after the NAB amendments were nullified by the Supreme Court. In a majority 2-1 verdict, the top court approved the PTI chief’s petition challenging amendments made to the country’s accountability laws during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government. The top court also restored graft cases against public office holders that were closed down following the amendments to NAB laws. As per details, the Dawood University corruption case, Works and Services’ XEN corruption case, education, revenue, irrigation, livestock and other references have been transferred to NAB. It is to be noted that the caretaker federal government has challenged the Supreme Court’s (SC) September 15 verdict, annulling the amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, the law that governs the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

A 132 KV Grid Station in Hattar Special Economic Zone was officially powered up on Friday to ensure a continuous electricity supply for the zone’s industrial units and address the power-related concerns of investors. The inauguration ceremony took place in the presence of Dr. Aamir Abdullah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Caretaker Minister for Industries, Commerce, Technical Education and Newly Merged Districts Affairs, who served as the chief guest. The event was also attended by Javed Iqbal Khattak, CEO of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KP-EZDMC), along with board members and representatives of the Hattar Industrial Association.

During the inaugural ceremony, Minister Abdullah highlighted the grid station’s significance in resolving electricity-related issues for industrial units and pledged the provincial government’s commitment to address such problems for the benefit of the public and investors. He emphasized that their efforts would not be limited to infrastructure development but also encompass tackling other

Relationship with China cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy: PM kakar CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The Prime Minister said Pakistan aims to develop linkages between the industries of Xinjiang and Pakistan especially Gilgit-Baltistan region. He said one particular area in this regard could be solar energy, a key sector in Xinjiang.

He said we look forward to promote cultural and people to connections with Xinjiang. He invited tourists from Xinjiang and other parts of China to visit tourist places in Pakistan. The Prime Minister said Xinjiang holds a special place in the hearts of Pakistanis as our neighboring region with longstanding cultural and historical linkages. He said Khunjerab border connecting Pakistan and China through this region is a more than a geographical demarcation. It is not only a channel of trade and transportation but also a vital bridge that connects the two great nations.

He said we will jointly work to identify the

Balochistan were recognized as integral to the nation’s economic recovery, Canadian firms were encouraged for further investments in Chagai.

Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani conveyed his best wishes to the leadership and people of Canada, emphasizing the principles of justice and equality as cornerstones for global peace promotion. The Canadian High Commissioner also stressed the urgency of resolving the Palestinian situation to bring justice to innocent Palestinians. Acknowledging Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war against terrorism, she endorsed the utilization of investment opportunities within Pakistan.a

respective strengths of Gilgit-Baltistan and Xinjiang and build on our synergies for improving the livelihoods of the people of our region.

The Prime Minister said as per consensus reached in Beijing, our land border at Khunjerab will be converted into an all-weather border. We will like to upgrade the customs and other logistic services to facilitate trade and movement of people.

He said Pakistan aims to utilize Xinjiang’s position as an important nod of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its linkages with Pakistan.

He said China and Pakistan relationship is unique and special. It is rooted in bilateral trust, mutual respect and shared aspirations and invaluable warm that has been nurtured by successive generations of leadership and peoples of our countries.

Anwaarul Haq Kakar said Pakistan views its ties with China from a strategic long term perspective. He said in this ever changing global landscape, Pakistan-

obstacles faced by investors and the general public.

Minister Abdullah also mentioned his discussions with the Chairman of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) regarding electricity wheeling charges, expressing optimism for a prompt resolution. He assured attendees of his dedication to addressing the concerns of industrialists in the zone.

The Minister commended the performance of KPEZDMC and Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) and underscored the importance of their continued dedication to support industrial growth in the province. He vowed to leave no stone unturned in resolving the challenges faced by the industrial sector.

CEO Javed Iqbal Khattak provided an overview of KP-EZDMC’s efforts and accomplishments in developing economic zones to attract domestic and foreign investments. He highlighted Hattar Special Economic Zone as a flagship project and explained its progress, with several operational units and significant upcoming investments. The energization of the new Grid Station is expected to make Hattar SEZ an even more appealing destination for businesses, ultimately leading to increased job opportunities and economic growth in the region.

China friendship is a constant and will remain so. He said building on the success of our political ties, the two countries have placed special focus on the economic partnership manifested in CPEC. The Prime Minister also visited the History Museum of Xinjiang University where he was briefed with regard to the history of the 99 year old Xinjiang University. He interacted with the students of Xinjiang University and also had a group photo with them.

PM OFFERS JUMA PRAYER AT URUMQI’S YINGHANG GRAND BAZAAR Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar offered Juma prayer at Urumqi’s Yinghang Grand Bazaar on Friday. The Prime Minister prayed for the progress and development of the country and entire Muslim Ummah. He also specially prayed for the oppressed Muslims of Gaza.

PM ARRIVES IN ISLAMABAD AFTER CONCLUDING VISIT TO CHINA Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar arrived here on Friday after concluding his five-day visit to China. During the visit, the prime minister addressed the Third Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing.

On the sidelines of the Forum, he also met with the leaders of different countries, including Russia, Kenya and Sri Lanka.

JCP unanimously recommends Justice Khan’s elevation to SC ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan unanimously recommended Justice Irfan Saadat Khan on Friday for his elevation to the Supreme Court.

A meeting of the commission was held on the call of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa who proposed his name to fill one of the two seats currently vacant in the apex court.

A statement issued by the JCP secretary prior to the meeting noted that Justice Khan, who is the acting Sindh High Court chief justice, met the stipulated requirements for his appointment as a judge of the SC. “In view of the current pendency of cases together with [the] rising institution of new cases, the vacancy in the Supreme

Court should be filled,” it added. “[Justice Khan] is knowledgeable, well experienced, versatile with an upright character and in my opinion deserving of being appointed as [a] judge of the Supreme Court. He is also the most

senior judge amongst the chief justices and judges of all the high courts,” it continued. The JCP secretary also wrote that CJP Isa wanted that suggestions for determining the criteria for the appointment of high court judges should

also be discussed in the meeting.

The official asked the members of the body to attend the meeting on October 20.

Justice Khan had been ignored for his elevation to the SC for the past six years.

Meanwhile, Justice Aqeel Abbasi’s name was proposed for the SHC chief justice’s office. Justice Abbasi’s elevation had also been ignored for six years.

In 2021, the Pakistan Bar Council, Supreme Court Bar Association and other lawyers’ bodies of the country had expressed their reservations over the elevation of SHC’s Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar to the SC as he was fifth on the seniority list with the then high court’s CJ Ahmed Ali M Shaikh, then senior puisne judge Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, Justice Aqeel Abbasi and Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi ranking above him.

03

Hajj 2024: Hajj pilgrimage likely to cost Rs1.1m under govt scheme ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Hajj pilgrimage 2024 would likely cost Rs1.1 million per pilgrim under the government of Pakistan scheme, according to draft Hajj Policy 2024 forwarded to the federal cabinet for approval. The sources privy to the development informed that Rs1.1 million will be collected while separate accommodation will be given to Hajj pilgrims in the case of a single family. They said the cost would be announced in the Hajj Policy 2024, which has been forwarded to the federal cabinet and it is likely to be approved soon. Pakistan’s Hajj 2024 quota is 179,201 out of which 50per cent is reserved under the government and 50pc under a private scheme, sources claimed. Additionally, sources within Religious Ministry claimed that for the first time Pakistanis now can perform Hajj for up to 20 to 25 days. Meanwhile, the government of Pakistan is likely to continue the sponsorship scheme for Hajj 2024 to ease the burden of arranging dollars. Under the sponsorship scheme, the cost of Hajj expenses will be collected in terms of and a Pakistani passport is essential to benefit from it. Sources said around 10,000 people can perform Hajj in 2024 under the sponsorship scheme. The people taking part in the scheme will be free from the balloting. Earlier, Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Aneeq Ahmed said that the Saudi Arabia government would provide additional facilities and improved services to Pakistani pilgrims during the Hajj 2024. He said accommodation, meals, and transportation for pilgrims would be improved with a more comfortable and convenient experience.

25th Textile Asia Trade Fair ignites China-Pakistan textile synergy ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The 25th Textile Asia International Trade Fair featured over 550 international brands and attracted more than 450 foreign delegates from 27 countries. “The expo acts as a source of motivation and real opportunities for business ventures to the local businesses and industries,” stated Moazzam Ghurki, President of Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI), the organizer of the event. “We will try to facilitate joint ventures of the international brand owners with local companies from Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, and Faisalabad, and we will also arrange training for engineers from these cities who manufacture spare parts for sewing and textiles,” he added according to a report carried by Gwadar Pro on Friday. Dongqi Group, one of the leading Chinese textile enterprises, participated in the event. “The expo provided an excellent opportunity to showcase our advanced technology and high-quality products to potential partners and customers. We were particularly interested in establishing collaborations with Pakistan’s textile industry, which has great growth potential,” said the exhibitor of Dongqi Group. During the exhibition, Dongqi Group had fruitful interactions with visitors from Pakistan and other countries. “We secured significant orders and established preliminary cooperation intentions with promising partners.” he added. Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General PCJCCI highlighted the immense interest shown by many Chinese companies in Pakistan’s textile industry.

“Companies from cities and provinces like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jiangsu, Fujian, and Shandong have expressed their desire to relocate their production units to Punjab, with a minimum investment of $25 million per unit. The companies also plan to transfer their technologies, besides buying back Pakistani products after value-addition here. This will not only boost local exports but also contribute to reducing the trade deficit between Pakistan and China.” He shared. The success of the Textile Asia International Trade Fair further highlights the strong cooperation between the textile industries of Pakistan and China. This exhibition serves as a testament to the robust bilateral relations between the two countries and their commitment to fostering economic growth and trade partnerships.

04 COMMENT

Saturday, 21 October, 2023

China making precursors that fuel US opioid crisis

Return of the Native

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Mian Nawaz Sharif is coming back to a country different from the one he left

Fentanyl adding an edge to the US-China rivalry

States Congress estimates that the opioid epidemic cost the US economy $1.5 trillion in 2020, and left more than 6 million people outside the labour market, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

Although fentanyl consumption in Mexico and Colombia is less alarming, it is beginning to gain attention. However, the most immediate concern in these countries revolves around fentanyl production, insecurity, and corruption associated with drug trafficking. Due to its low production cost and synthetic nature, fentanyl production can quickly scale up.

Two Mexican cartels, Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generación, dominate the fentanyl trade between the USA and Mexico. The Sinaloa cartel is even contemplating expanding operations to Colombia, including establishing fentanyl "kitchens," sourcing supplies, dr MuhaMMad akraM zaheer and potentially infiltrating the healthcare sector for legitimate purposes.

Notably, Chinese companies supply nearly all the HINA'S rapid economic growth over the precursors for fentanyl manufacturing in the Western past two decades has enabled it to extend Hemisphere. Moreover, at least four Chinese compaits economic influence in Latin America, nies provide information on improving fentanyl prolargely due to the absence of a counter- duction, including sourcing ingredients, alternative strategy from the USA. Initially, Washing- ingredient recommendations, mixing instructions, and ton perceived Beijing's expanding presence as mere access to chemists. Some Chinese companies also use economic diversification and thus not a threat to fake labels on shipments or ship chemicals without hemispheric or U.S.-Latin American security and maintaining customer records. A counterfeit fentanyl military relations. pill, costing as little as 10 However, more recents to produce, can fetch cently, the USA has started $10 on the street. Chinese to perceive China's comcriminal groups and Mexican mercial activities in the recartels, Sinaloa and Jalisco, The central question is whether have gion as potentially combined their extendetrimental, especially con- Mexico City and Bogotá will align sive experience in money cerning US access to rare laundering to facilitate forearth elements, allied port with Washington's anti-China eign currency exchange, security, and 5G technolalongside the purchase of adapproach. The answer may hinge vanced ogy.

Simultaneously, chemicals.

China's economy has enIn response, the US on whether the USA is willing to tered a period of secular degovernment and its allies cline, and the USA is align its counter-narcotics efforts are taking action. In Februactively pursuing strategies ary, the Biden Administrato shift its supply chain with the evolving strategies taking tion pledged cooperation away from China. with Mexico, Colombia, shape in Mexico and Colombia and Consequently, Mexico Ecuador to combat the is becoming an attractive growing availability and destination for multinalethality of illegal drugs tional corporations seeking containing fentanyl. In cost-effective manufacturing near the US market. March, Mexico's president reached out to Chinese Moreover, Colombia, which has benefited from Chi- President Xi Jinping to seek assistance in curbing fennese trade and investment for years, has drawn closer tanyl flows to North America, although Beijing deto Beijing since the inauguration of President Gus- nies any wrongdoing. tavo Petro in 2022. However, it is now questioning In April, the USA indicted four high-ranking the sustainability of this investment and foreign trade members of the Sinaloa cartel associated with the fenrelationship, leading it to consider alternatives such tanyl trade. Additionally, Mexico's president reported as the USA. that the country's navy had intercepted a container Nevertheless, Washington's aim is not to become from Qingdao, China, containing 75-pound packages an alternative sponsor but to reassert its influence by with traces of fentanyl and methamphetamine in May. countering China. To achieve this, the USA faces The USA also imposed sanctions on seven Chichallenges, with one of the major concerns being the nese companies and six individuals accused of exrampant use of fentanyl. In the United States alone, porting tablet presses to Mexico. Furthermore, the US overdose deaths linked to fentanyl were projected to Department of Justice recently filed criminal charges reach nearly 110,000 in 2022 over the past eight against four Chinese chemical manufacturers and years. The Joint Economic Committee of the United eight individuals for illegal trafficking of a precursor

ML(N) supremo is returning today, bar any sudden hiccup, today, Saturday, after his second exile this century. It is almost repetitive, for when he returned from exile in 2007, it was to enter an election campaign. However, this time, he is again to enter an election campaign, which is perhaps even closer. While there is every indication that he will once again become Prime Minister, not least the facilitation he is getting in the shape of the transitory bails in his various cases, there is no guarantee, not just because the results of an election are uncertain but because he faces the same challenges as when he left.

A major difficulty is the relationship he is to have with the establishment. It has tried exile on him twice, as well as imprisonment, first for hijacking, and then for corruption. He has blown hot and cold on future relations, promising legal action first and then withdrawing into saying that first he would tackle the economy. That is something about which he has been low on specifics, and the PML(N)’s recent performance in government did not instil confidence. His insistence on making Senator Ishaq Dar the Shehbaz government’s Finance Minister is too well known for him to avoid the blame for Senator Dar’s lacklustre performance, and it does seem that he will have to campaign as an incumbent, but without any of the advantages incumbency is supposed to bring. The campaign will not be made difficult only by the lack of a narrative, but also by the disarray the party is in. Never a monolith or a paragon of discipline at the best of times, it does not seem able to do what it is supposed to do so well, which is to contest an election.He has to paper over the rifts within the party between the supporters of his brother Shehbaz and his daughter Maryam.

All of this has as a background Mian Nawaz’s legal troubles. He is returning to the country as a convict who has overstayed his bail, and has only got very limited bail. How far this is allowed to go will depend on how far he is allowed to go, and that will in turn depend on the attitude he takes. If he tries to use the campaign to turn the spotlight onto the establisment, he may find that those very cases are used as a means to restrain him.

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Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi

Improving Juvenile Justice System Act 2018 of Pakistan Joint Editor

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Executive Editor

HE USA has the most indispensable and invaluable juvenile justice law in the shape of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act 1974. It gave a well-refined monitoring and coordination mechanism to the criminal justice systems of the rest of the world. Light must be shed on comparison of section 206 of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act 1974 of the USA with Section 10 of Juvenile Justice System Act 2018 regarding formation of coordinating council and committee, so that suggestions could be proposed to refine Pakistan’s monitoring and juvenile justice Committee mechanism.

No doubt, the US juvenile justice system has one of the most refined and wellestablished coordinating and monitoring mechanisms to prevent juvenile delinquency, fair implementation of juvenile laws and comprehensive monitoring. A high-level council is established in the US Juvenile Act in which all direct and indirect power-holders are added for better working.

Section 206 of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act of 1974 Justice under the sub title of “Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention” paves the way for setting up a high-level council. Twenty (20) members are included in the council: ten legal practitioners or lawyers with extensive experience in juvenile justice irrespective of political affiliation, three members appointed by the

Editor’s mail

of section 10 of Juvenile Justice System Act 2018 because of an insufficient number of Speaker of the House of Representatives members. For the last two years, I have not after consultation with the minority leader seen the committee perform its functions in of the House of Representatives, three the juvenile courts of Lahore and other districts. I have not members appointed seen even a single by the majority report of the comleader of the Senate mittee regarding its after consultation The government as well as the progress, working, with the minority and contributions leader of the Senate, judiciary should revise the whole for juveniles. It is three members apact by increasing the number of really strange that pointed by the Presthere is not even a ident, and one members of the Juvenile Justice single section or member appointed subsection in the JuCommittee.

Representation by the Chairman of venile Act of Pakthe Committee on should also be given to members istan regarding Indian Affairs of the submission of quarof national and provincial Senate. terly or yearly reOn the other assemblies. There must be a ports to concerned hand, section 10 of authorities.

So, Pakcomprehensive mechanism of the Juvenile Justice istan’s Juvenile ActSystem Act 2018 of submitting a report on activities having only 25 secPakistan sets up a tions- does not meet and contributions of the “Juvenile Justice the exponential Committee” in committee within a defined changes and needs which only four of the time as there stipulated time. There must be members are added: is not even a single one Judicial magisaddition of health specialists, doctor, physiologist trate with powers of or psychologist as a section 30, one dissport specialists, doctors, member in the JJC trict public prosecutor, one local bar psychologists, and police officers, for report preparamember with 7 not below the rank of SP. Federal tion regarding physical and years’ standing in and provincial law ministers psychological asadvocacy, and one pects of juveniles. probation officer or should also be included. There The government social welfare offias well as the judicer not below 17 must be a presence of federal and grade. The fourciary should revise provincial bureaucracy in the member committee the whole act by inis supposed to per- juvenile committees at federal and creasing the numform multiple funcber of members of provincial levels tions at the same the Juvenile Justice time such as disCommittee. Repreposal of cases sentation should through diversion also be given to upon referral from members of napolice, prosecution and juvenile court. The tional and provincial assemblies. There core duties of the committee are inspection must be a comprehensive mechanism of of Observation Homes and Juvenile Reha- submitting a report on activities and conbilitation Centres for welfare and social tributions of the committee within a dereintegration of juveniles. The committee fined stipulated time. There must be also enjoys powers of a sessions judge. addition of health specialists, sport speAmerica gave representation to all pol- cialists, doctors, psychologists, and police icy makers, legislative houses, the head of officers, not below the rank of S.P. Federal state and other stakeholders under the Juve- and provincial law ministers should also nile Justice and Delinquency Prevention be included. There must be a presence of Act 1974 who can work effectively for ref- federal and provincial bureaucracy in the ormation of juvenile offenders by keeping juvenile committees at federal and provina stern check and balance on Federal juve- cial levels. nile delinquency programmes, activities and much more. On the other hand, PakThe writer is a Lahore-based practicing istan’s Juvenile Justice Committee is not lawyer and human rights activist. He can be more than a formality. It cannot even per- reached at form its wide functions following the scope ch.changezi.sandhu111@gmail.com

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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

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 US Act provides a good basis for comparison Changezi Sandhu

chemical used in fentanyl production.

Despite these developments, the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) expressed the desire for greater cooperation from Mexico. In Colombia, cocaine has become a secondary concern compared to fentanyl due to its lower lethality and profitability. Notably, the US Embassy in Bogotá announced the indefinite suspension of coca crop monitoring in Colombia and the non-presentation of its annual report on Colombia and cocaine earlier this month. The embassy cited redundancy with UN reports and the need for observation satellites for other purposes. Nonetheless, Colombia's Justice Minister does not anticipate this decision jeopardizing US funding for counter narcotics and other programs.

Moreover, US agencies reportedly accused Colombian officials of cooperating in the arrest of Sinaloa cartel members attempting to establish the fentanyl industry in Colombia. Both the Colombian and Mexican governments agree on the necessity to revise their anti-drug strategies.

In Bogotá, the Petro administration seeks to depart from punitive, prohibitionist, and military policies and instead target speculation, money laundering, major traffickers, and criminal organizations. Describing the war on drugs as a failure, Petro emphasizes the importance of not repeating the same mistakes with fentanyl. Similarly, the Mexican government aims to prioritize economic development and reduce youth involvement in criminal organizations.

The two presidents plan to meet in early September to discuss new anti-drug strategies, focusing on youth prevention, socio-economic development, synthetic drugs, and adapting measures to changing societal needs. Many of these efforts will necessitate collaboration and cooperation with the USA, which has, until recently, been hesitant to link drug trafficking with economic development.

The central question is whether Mexico City and Bogotá will align with Washington's anti-China approach.

The answer may hinge on whether the USA is willing to align its counter-narcotics efforts with the evolving strategies taking shape in Mexico and Colombia.

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Making railway safe and accident-free

TRAIN accidents in Pakistan have become an alarming and recurring issue, manifesting as derailments, collisions and other incidents causing substantial damages both in terms of human and infrastructure costs. The frequency of such tragedies demands urgent attention to overhaul the country’s railway safety mechanism. The most recent incident, which occurred on Aug 6, involved a Rawalpindi-bound train that derailed and overturned near Nawabshah, leading to a devastating toll of 30 fatalities and over 90 injuries.

Poorly maintained or damaged railway tracks have emerged as one of the primary culprits behind derailments and mishaps, underscoring the urgency of implementing regular inspections and maintenance protocols.

Moreover, human error, stemming from inadequately trained operators, signalmen and other railway personnel, also plays a significant role in such occurrences, necessitating a stringent focus on training and adherence to safety protocols. The failure of essential equipment, such as brakes or signalling systems, further exacerbates the situation, calling for stringent maintenance and reliable equipment standards. Addressing the issue of overcrowding in trains is equally vital, as operating within capacity limits is crucial to ensuring passenger safety. Additionally, Pakistan’s diverse weather conditions pose a considerable challenge for train operations, particularly during heavy rain, flooding and/or fog, elevating the risk of accidents. Implementing robust weather monitoring systems and enacting safety protocols during adverse weather conditions is of utmost importance in mitigating these risks. Equally concerning are collisions with vehicles or obstacles at level crossings, emphasising the necessity for well-designed crossings and clear tracks. To address the train safety crisis in Pakistan and ensure the wellbeing of passengers and railway staff, comprehensive measures must be adopted without delay. These include the implementation of stringent safety protocols, the modernisation of railway infrastructure, regular inspections and maintenance, thorough training of railway personnel, and strict adherence to safety regulations and protocols.

By diligently addressing these factors, the railway system can be transformed into a safe and secure mode of transportation, protecting countless lives and preventing further tragedies. Collective efforts are needed to make Pakistan’s trains safer for everyone.

DR INTIKHAB ULFAT KARACHI

Football in Lyari

THE newly-built Kakri Sports Complex is a wonderful facility built by the Sindh government with active cooperation of the World Bank. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar Park, also known as Kakri Ground, has been redeveloped and remodelled to facilitate the local sporting talent of Lyari.

However, when some people tried to use the facility, they could not.

The word out on the street is that one must have a membership to use the multi-sports facility. The Kakri Ground was an asset for local football clubs, and before the finalisation of the reconstruction plan, they were taken into confidence that the football ground would be handed over to them. In the past, People’s Stadium was built by the provincial government in 1996 by demolishing four football training pitches that had left more than 20 clubs without a playing field. This led to the discontinuation of football activities. The stadium had been built to supposedly promote sports and host international football matches, but within years of its completion, it was occupied by law-enforcement agencies for keeping an eye on the law and order situation in the area. If the authorities have planned, just as they did in the past, to deprive the local clubs of training facilities, the area residents, especially the footballers, would rather not have such ‘development’. Destroying football in the name of promoting the game is seriously criminal. Trust me, it really is.

ORANGZEB SHAHMIR KARACHI

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Why Israel was attacked?

COMMENT 05

Saturday, 21 October, 2023

Was hamas attack an intelligence failure? did iron dome fail?

A

Haseeb-bin-Haroon

LL have heard about the Hamas surprise attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. This apocalyptic attack on the Zionist state by a weak group was such a surprise that it had never been dreamed of. After this invasion, Israel declared a state of war and started a series of counterattacks on Gaza.

According to reports so far, thousands of people have lost their lives on both sides, and most of them are civilians. According to the UN, in the already-besieged territory of Gaza, more than 250,000 people have become homeless. Food, water, and electricity supplies to Gaza have also been suspended.

The question is, why did Hamas finally decide to launch such a big attack?

When did they have a good idea of their abilities in front of a big military power like Israel?

Wasn't it like kicking yourself in the foot?

Considering the magnitude and intensity of this attack, the thought of Israel's so-called intelligence comes to mind as to where it was. Wasn’t this attack being prepared for months? Wasn't this the failure of Israel's stateof-the-art defence system, Iron Dome?

After the attack, Hamas initially claimed it was a response to the desecration of the Al-Aqsa mosque by Israeli forces. Hama also cited the blockade of Gaza and ongoing Israeli atrocities in the West Bank, as justification for the operation.

Also, the growing number of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank is being presented by Palestinians as a justification. The number of settlements of Israelis in the West Bank since 1967 has reached 279 as of 2023, and all these are illegal settlements. They are declared illegal by Palestine and its supporting countries.

Rather, the UN and many other Western countries have also declared them illegal. These are the justifications

presented by Palestinians. But regarding the timing of such an operation, experts also give some more reasons.

Who is behind this? Let's find out. Seeing the behaviour of Arab countries, which is not as aggressive towards Israel as it was a few decades ago, now these countries are racing to improve their relations with Israel, and because of this, the issue of Palestine seems to be weakening. According to some recent reports, the fear of this has also been expressed. The improvement of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel is in the final stages. It was quite possible that Saudi Arabia would have recognized Israel.

After this happens, the already fading problem of Palestine will receive a strong blow.

Therefore, it was probably the main reason behind this attack, as per the experts, because after this, it will not be possible for Saudi Arabia to take any step against Israel to help the Palestinians. Just because of the expected reaction of the people. It is not too difficult to know the growing closeness of Arabs to Israel.

From their response to the recent actions of Hamas, the Western countries, the USA, Great Britain, and many others have condemned this attack on Israel and have announced to stand by and support it.

The response of Arabs can be described as mixed.

Help is far away, and perhaps the condemnation is not visible in words. Iran was the only country in the Muslim world that openly supported the invasion. Another reason behind the attack at this time could be to take advan-

Can Hamas afford long-term war or not?

It is difficult to give an opinion on this.

Looking at the severity of the attack and subsequent action, it is known that Hamas must have a big plan and is in the mood to fight a long battle, because according to the military leader of Hamas, the scope of this operation is not only limited to Gaza. Rather it will extend to Jerusalem and the West Bank.

On the other hand, looking at the response of the Muslim world and the powerful military of Israel, it does not look like that at all. Gaza is completely at the mercy of Israel for food, water, electricity, and fuel. Therefore Hamas does not seem to be able to afford a long war in such a situation. Yes, in exchange for hostages, Hamas may free some of the Palestinians from captivity as they had been doing before

How US media legitimise Israel's barbarism against the Palestinians

By presenting Israel's terror campaign against Palestinians as if it were defensible, the US media are doing their part to help it continue

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MIDDLE EAST EYE GreGory sHupak

ECENT editorials in leading liberal US newspapers have consistently presented the unrelenting mass terror that Israel inflicts on Palestinians as legitimate. Media outlets have endorsed Israel's assault on Gaza, and America's funding of the attack, while criticising those who offer even mildly dissenting views. American publications have repeatedly conferred on Israel's violence a virtuousness, even as it mows people down - a generosity not afforded to its Palestinian counterpart.

On 12 October, The Washington Post ran an editorial praising US President Joe Biden for his "unreserved condemnation of Hamas's terrorism", saying: "In that respect, Mr Biden's firm words also stand in welcome contrast to the equivocations by a small number of the left-wing members of Congress in his own party, which White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre specifically repudiated."

The link to Jean-Pierre's words indicates that the "equivocations" the Post objects to are statements that "suggested the Hamas attack on Israel should be considered in context with previous actions by Israel", as well as those that "opposed US military aid for Israel on social media and called for an immediate cease-fire in the conflict."

A day before that editorial was published, the human rights groups Mezan, al-Haq, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights jointly documented that, just in the period between midday 10 and 11 October, Israel destroyed entire neighbourhoods of al-Qarm, Ezbet Abdrabbo, and al-Sikka, with rescue teams "recover[ing] dozens of bodies" while "others are still under the rubble"; "target[ed]" Gaza's Islamic University and bombed the AlFakhoura Scholarship Program building", assaults that combined to kill 57 Palestinians, including 20 children. They further noted Israel's air strikes and shelling of the Middle Area District's agricultural lands and "residential areas, most notably in the three densely populated refugee camps of Al-Bureij, Al-Nusairat, and Deir al-Balah", killing at least 49 Palestinians, 15 of them children. For the Post, "equivocati[ng]" about whether the US should fund such atrocities, or try to bring them to an end through a ceasefire, is "[un]welcome".

RATIONALISING 'GENOCIDAL' LANGUAGE: In its most recent editorial, the Post professes concern for the Palestinians but still endorses Israel's military campaign: "After the slaughter of its civilians, Israel - like any other state - has every right to respond militarily."

tage of the deteriorating political reputation of the Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli PM has come under fire for moves to limit the power of the Israeli Supreme Court, and protests have been recorded against him in Israel. Therefore, in the meantime, after such an operation, the circle in Israel became narrower for the Prime Minister, and he may have to leave the government too. Because it is a failure for Israel anyway.

However, it can also have the opposite effect. After the Israeli counterattack and the expected defeat of Hamas, a right-wing leader with hatred for Palestinians, Netanyahu can become the favourite of Israelis, and the land becomes even tighter for Palestinians. And Gaza may go back under the control of Israel. After such a large-scale attack by Hamas, experts also raised questions about Israel's intelligence. A very small area like Gaza faces a complete blockade by land and sea routes.

The question is worth asking: how does Hamas carry out major operations?

It would be fair to say that the Hamas attack was a major failure of Israeli intelligence. This is true to a large extent.

This is also the opinion of Western and American experts. According to reports, Egypt had warned the Israeli forces about the possible attack three days before the attack which was ignored.

Rather, a colonel of the Israeli army also confirmed that there was already information about the attack. According to him, the Israeli intelligence force made a mis-

For the Post, the violence of the occupier is just and that of the occupied isn't: Israel can "respond militarily" to Palestinian forces killing Israelis but Palestinians don't have the same right, even after 75 years of ethnic cleansing, even under apartheid. A 14 October New York Times editorial strongly supports Israel's attacks, saying that Israel "is determined to break the power of Hamas, and in that effort it deserves the support of the United States and the rest of the world." The authors go on to say that "Ending Hamas's control over Gaza is an essential step". The New York Times's editorial is infused with qualifiers like Israel "should not lose sight of its commitment to safeguard those who have not taken up arms".

The editorial board contradicts its own claims about Israel's supposed "commitment" to protecting civilians by citing Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant calling Palestinians "human animals", which the authors rationalise by saying that the remark occurs "in an atmosphere of intense emotion".

Of course, Gallant isn't the only Israeli official to use genocidal language since the escalation of their war on Palestine. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that Israel had dropped "hundreds of tons of bombs" on Gaza and that "the emphasis is on damage and not on accuracy".

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said: "It is an entire nation out there that is responsible.

It's not true this rhetoric about civilians not aware, not involved. It's absolutely not true."

He added: "We are defending our homes, we are protecting our homes, that's the truth, and when a nation protects its home it fights and we will fight until we break their backbone."

Not only have Israeli leaders repeatedly signalled that they have no intention of "safeguard[ing]" non-combatants, but Israel has deliberately slaughtered them on a mass scale.

For instance, a day prior to the editorial's publication, the award-winning human rights group Defence for Children International Palestine reported that Israel had killed almost 600 Palestinian children to that point in its onslaught against Gaza, a third of the overall death toll.

OUTLANDISH ASSERTIONS: Even as Israel eschews any commitment to protecting civilians in both word and deed, The New York Times repeatedly contrasts Israeli military policy favourably with that of the Palestinian forces, writing that "Israel is preparing to send its young men and women into battle, where they will face an enemy that does not respect the same rules of warfare that they have committed to." Saying that Israeli state violence is morally superior to Palestinian resistance groups carries the clear message that the former is legitimate while the latter is not.

The Times made the outlandish assertion that "What Israel is fighting to defend is a society that values human life and the rule of law."

Since no such assertion is made about Palestinian "values", the message is that slaughtering Palestinians is legitimate: if Palestinian society (or significant portions thereof) values murderous criminality, then the implication is that it's desirable for them to be wiped out by a supposedly more civilised force.

Meanwhile, two days before the editorial went to press, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Israel had used white phosphorous -

which, upon contact, can "burn people, thermally and chemically, down to the bone" - over both Gaza City's port and rural areas along the Israel-Lebanon armistice line. HRW said that using white phosphorous in Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, "magnifies the risk to civilians and violates the international humanitarian law prohibition on putting civilians at unnecessary risk".

As HRW noted, Israel also used this weapon in Gaza in 2009 and, during the current round of fighting, Israel has "cut electricity, water, fuel and food into Gaza in violation of the international humanitarian law prohibition against collective punishment." For "a society that values human life and the rule of law", Israel does an awful lot of human-life taking and law-breaking.

AN ETHICAL VENEER: Similarly, The Los Angeles Times declared that "Israel has every right to use military force to prevent" attacks like the ones that Hamas carried out on 7 October and that Israel "must stay true to its values by doing everything possible to minimize the suffering of innocent Palestinian residents of Gaza."

The piece applauds Biden for saying he will ask Congress for "an unprecedented support package for Israel's defense" and for vaguely suggesting that Israel reflect on whether killing thousands of Palestinians will help it "achieve [its] objectives". The editorial then asserts: "That Israel does not target civilians is small comfort for the families of those killed or wounded."

Perhaps the authors think it magnanimous to mention the 3,000-some Palestinian lives Israel has snuffed out in 11 days. But such sympathies are worse than useless when they are packaged with a lie that rationalises all the killing and creates alibies for all the killing to come: for instance, two days before the editorial, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted: "Multiple residential buildings in densely populated areas have been targeted and destroyed” by Israel, including a “residential building in Jabalia, northern Gaza, where ten Palestinians were killed; a residential building in the Musabah area of Rafah, where at least 11 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed; and a charity organization’s building in Rafah, where 11 Palestinians were killed, and several others were injured. On 16 October, in the morning, Israeli forces reportedly targeted a residential building in Khan Yunis, killing 22 Palestinians."

Furthermore, on 15 October, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated: "Four hospitals in northern Gaza are no longer functioning as a result of damaging and targeting. 21 hospitals in the Gaza Strip have received instructions from Israeli forces to evacuate. The WHO reiterates that all precautions must be taken to protect health workers and health facilities, including patients and civilians sheltering in them." These fantasies about Israel's supposed non-targeting of civilians and its allegedly humane "values" present all of its cruelty - the merciless killing, the gruesome physical and psychic wounds, the sadism of the siege - as well-meaning mishaps en route to a just cause; it is rhetoric intended to mask Israeli brutality with an ethical veneer. But colonial violence is Israel's cause. The violence of dispossession, torture, and massacre after massacre after massacre. Because no ethno-state in which Palestinians remain a persecuted minority in their homeland is possible without ruthless, incessant violence. By presenting all that barbarism as if it were defensible, the US media are doing their part to help it continue.

Gregory Shupak teaches English and Media Studies at the University of GuelphHumber in Toronto. He is the author of the book, The Wrong Story: Palestine, Israel, and the Media.

take in correctly assessing the strength of the enemy. He expressed his apprehension about this. There has been no major action in Gaza in the last few months. There was peace. So if anything was expected, it was not on such a large scale. So this was a mistake made by the intelligence agencies anyway.

Netanyahu's opponents believe that in the recent past, his focus has been crushing resistance in the West Bank and creating new settlements. Therefore he had to remove some focus from Gaza. So the government responsible for the attack is also being blamed. Despite the blockade of Israel and Egypt on all sides. If Hamas lives in only 365 square km of Gaza, this operation was planned and carried out successfully. So this operation is the failure of Israeli intelligence agencies anyway.

Talking about the Israeli defence system, Iron Dome.

Its success rate in the past was more than 90 percent.

How did it fail?

According to experts, this attack cannot called a complete failure of the "Iron Dome ". They say that the missile fire from Gaza is so much that the system was overloaded and intercepting that many rockets became beyond the capability of the system.

Can Hamas afford long-term war or not? It is difficult to give an opinion on this. Looking at the severity of the attack and subsequent action, it is known that Hamas must have a big plan and is in the mood to fight a long battle, because according to the military leader of Hamas, the scope of this operation is not only limited to Gaza.

Rather it will extend to Jerusalem and the West Bank.

On the other hand, looking at the response of the Muslim world and the powerful military of Israel, it does not look like that at all. Gaza is completely at the mercy of Israel for food, water, electricity, and fuel. Therefore Hamas does not seem to be able to afford a long war in such a situation. Yes, in exchange for hostages, Hamas may free some of the Palestinians from captivity as they had been doing before.

The writer is a freelance columnist

The roots of the global water crisis The root causes of water scarcity are large-scale industrial production, lack of attention to quality, and the failure to address rampant pollution PROJECT SYNDICATE JosHua Castellino

In March 1977, representatives from 116 countries gathered in Mar del Plata, Argentina, for the inaugural United Nations Water Conference. At the time, the event received very little attention. Global politics was dominated by a handful of powerful countries, most of them in temperate regions where water scarcity, severe pollution and flooding were not considered major issues.

The atmosphere at this year’s UN Water Conference, which took place in New York in March, was markedly different. Instead of apathy, there was a palpable sense that the water crisis is a global problem. Today, every country in the world faces water-related challenges, underscoring our collective vulnerability as the planet’s most vital natural resource is increasingly threatened. The robust engagement of the scientific community and civil society was also instrumental in shedding light on the far-reaching consequences of this crisis.

Unsurprisingly, the countries that were most at risk in 1977 are even more vulnerable today. The reckless exploitation of the planet has accelerated humanity’s breach of planetary boundaries. The long-anticipated sea-level rise is now submerging vast areas, while deserts are expanding at an alarming as water sources diminish and aquifers become depleted.

Meanwhile, pollutants from human waste, along with the byproducts of industrial activities, contaminate our rivers, lakes and oceans. At a time of growing scarcity, our seemingly insatiable thirst for consumption has aggravated these trends.

The fact that some remain unaffected by this crisis attests to their privilege.

While many experience environmental degradation on a spiritual level, some of the world’s poorest populations face immediate and tangible consequences as they try to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.

Much like the response to the climate crisis, the response to the water crisis suffers from a lack of global coordination and opposition from entrenched interests seeking to prevent crucial reforms. As the Indian environmental activist Vandana Shiva puts it, “When the rich, powerful and dominant economic forces of society” exceed their fair share of Earth’s resources, “indigenous communities and minority groups are deprived of their share of water for life and livelihoods”. This, she writes, forces entire communities “to carry the heavy burden of water poverty”. A recent petition proposed by prominent waterrights activist Rajendra Singh offers a potential path forward. Singh, chairman of the People’s World Commission on Drought and Flood, outlines ten critical transformations required to restore water harmony. By transcending anthropocentrism, his proposed pledge aims to rejuvenate the global water cycle and harness its immense power to promote the well-being of all living things.

At the heart of Singh’s pledge lies the

bedrock principle of climate-oriented thinking: A complete system overhaul.

This perspective views humanity as part of a much larger whole that encompasses the diverse species with which we share our planet. Instead of commodifying natural resources for profit and relentless consumption, this ethos encourages people to be mindful of the potential consequences of their actions and commit to repairing any damage they cause.

This raises three fundamental questions. First, what actions are required to address the global water crisis? Second, which key stakeholders must step up?

Third, how can we ensure that these stakeholders implement vital systemic changes?

For too long, policymakers have emphasised minor changes in household consumption habits, thereby unfairly shifting the burden to families and communities whose contributions to the water crisis have been negligible. The root causes of water scarcity are largescale industrial production, lack of attention to quality, and the failure to address rampant pollution. At the macro level, extractive industries and an economic system centered on profit maximisation drive the increase in global temperatures, further disrupting water cycles.

While reducing household consumption is important, it pales in comparison to the potential impact of forcing corporations to adopt sustainable practices. But the increasingly symbiotic relationship between politics and big-business interests complicates this task. Instead of pursuing systemic changes, the world’s most powerful governments have opted for incremental reforms to create the appearance of commitment.

The recent UN Water Conference underscored the urgency of today’s crisis. If governments are unwilling or unable to pursue the necessary structural reforms, they must be replaced by political leaders with the vision and determination to overhaul the systems that jeopardise the natural resource sustaining all life on Earth. Growing up in India, I observed the country’s relentless drive to catch up with wealthier economies.

By investing in higher education, building roads and hospitals, and boosting economic growth through consumption and increased production, the thinking went, India could become richer and eliminate poverty. The mainstream education system frequently championed the commodification of nature, anthropocentric dominance and extractivism. It revered the architects of our flawed economic system, treating their words as sacrosanct.

Indigenous communities have long warned that such “progress” was misguided, but they were dismissed as hidebound and out of touch with reality. As climate change disrupts water and food systems around the world, many now recognise the prescience of these warnings. Given that we might be the last generation capable of mitigating the worst effects of the water crisis, it is our responsibility to hold accountable those who are exploiting the planet for personal gain.

06 NEWS

BIDEN TO SEEK BILLIONS IN MILITARY AID FOR ISRAEL AS INVASION OF GAZA NEARS

U

WASHINGTON AGENCIES

S President Joe Biden asked Americans to spend billions more dollars to help Israel fight Hamas while Israel’s defence chief told his troops to be ready to go into the Gaza Strip.

In a televised White House speech late on Thursday that also addressed Ukraine’s effort to repel Russia’s invasion, Biden said Hamas sought to “annihilate” Israel’s democracy.

Israel appeared to be getting closer to a full-scale invasion of Gaza, a densely populated enclave ruled by Hamas. The Israeli military has massed troops and

equipment near the Gaza border.

Israeli soldiers patrol an area near Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel Biden said he would ask Congress on Friday to approve extra funding for “critical partner” Israel. A person familiar with the matter earlier said that would total $14 billion.

Some 3,500 people in Gaza have been killed and more than a million have been made homeless, according to Palestinian health officials. Israel has also imposed a siege on Gaza, and civilians say their situation is desperate as they run short of food, water, fuel and medical supplies.

“All the indications are that the worst is coming,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told reporters in Amman.

US Navy warship near Yemen intercepted projectiles, Pentagon says UNITED STATES AGENCIES

A US Navy warship on Thursday intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones launched by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement from Yemen potentially toward Israel, the Pentagon said.

Washington is on heightened alert for activity by Iranbacked groups as regional tensions soar during the Israel-Hamas war.

The Pentagon said the destroyer USS Carney was operating in the northern Red Sea on Thursday when it brought down the projectiles and there were no injuries.

“We cannot say for certain what these missiles and drones were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen heading north along the Red Sea, potentially towards targets in Israel,” Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told reporters.

A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it did not appear that the warship was the target. The U.S. has sent a significant amount of naval power to the Middle East in the past week, including two aircraft carriers, their support ships and about 2,000 Marines.

While the White House says there are “no plans or intentions” for their use, it means U.S. military assets would be in place to protect U.S. national security interests if needed. The U.S. also has an array of bases in the Middle East with troops, fighter aircraft and warships.

A view shows a rocket being launched from the Gaza Strip towards central Israel, as seen from Ashkelon in southern Israel During an eight-hour visit to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, Biden sought to broker a deal to get aid into Gaza but had only limited success.

He said Israel and Egypt agreed that 20 trucks with relief supplies could cross into the enclave. Two Egyptian security sources said equipment was sent on Thursday through its border crossing to repair roads on the Gaza side. More than 100 trucks were waiting in Egypt. The crossing has been out of operation amid Israeli bombardments on the Palestinian side of the border.

The United Nations has called for aid to return to pre-conflict levels of 100

trucks a day. Secretary General Antonio Guterres planned to visit the Rafah border crossing from Egypt to Gaza on Friday.

Meanwhile, an explosion at a Gaza hospital on Wednesday that enraged the Arab world and the anticipated Israeli ground invasion have heightened fears of the conflict spreading. Gaza’s interior ministry said 21 Palestinians were killed and 71 injured overnight in Israeli air strikes targeting homes in the southern city of Khan Younis, and that rescue workers were searching for victims under the rubble.

The Pentagon on Thursday said a U.S. Navy warship intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones launched by the Houthi movement from Yemen potentially toward Israel.

China, world’s top graphite producer, to curb exports of key battery material PROFIT

REUTERS

China said on Friday it will require export permits for some graphite products to protect national security, in its latest move to control supplies of critical minerals in response to challenges over its global manufacturing dominance.

China is the world’s top graphite producer and exporter. It also refines more than 90% of the world’s graphite into the material that is used in virtually all EV battery anodes, which is the negatively charged portion of a battery.

“This bold and unexpected move by China in graphite has taken us by surprise, arriving far sooner than anyone could have predicted,” said Kien Huynh, chief commercial officer at Alkemy Capital Investments , which is focused on developing projects in the energy transition metals sector.

Beijing is requiring the export permits at a time when many foreign governments are increasing their pressure on Chinese companies over their industrial practices.

The European Union is weighing levying tariffs on Chi-

nese-made EVs, arguing they unfairly benefit from subsidies. Also, the U.S. government earlier this week widened curbs on Chinese companies’ access to semiconductors, including stopping sales of more advanced artificial intelligence chips made by Nvidia.

The curbs are similar to those in place since Aug. 1 for two chip-making metals, gallium and germanium. The restrictions have slashed exports of those metals recently and pushed up prices outside of the country.

China’s commerce ministry said the move on graphite was “conducive to ensuring the security and stability of the global supply chain and industrial chain, and conducive to better safeguarding national security and interests”.

It added that it was not targetting any specific country. Top buyers of graphite from China include Japan, the United States, India and South Korea, according to Chinese customs data.

Under the new restrictions, China will require as of Dec. 1 that exporters apply for permits to ship two types of graphite, including high-purity, high-hardness and high intensity synthetic

graphite material, and natural flake graphite and its products.

Three types of “highly sensitive” graphite items had already been under temporary controls, the commerce ministry said, and are included in the new list.

Meanwhile, it dropped temporary controls on five less sensitive graphite items used in basic industries such as steel, metallurgy, and chemicals. With rising sales of electric vehicles, automakers are racing to lock in supplies from outside China, but shortages are looming.

“With this new graphite export curb, South Korean firms which heavily rely on China for graphite imports would need to seek alternatives, such as mines from the United States or Australia, but it would likely increase the cost burden for many,” said Kang Dong-jin, an analyst at Hyundai Motor Securities. South Korea’s trade ministry said a statement that it had held a meeting on Friday with battery and material makers on how to respond to the export curbs. “The South Korean government will closely communicate… to avoid production disruptions in the lithium-ion battery sector,” South Korea’s industry minister Ahn Duk-geun said.

Instagram apologises for adding Egypt’s Sisi says Israeli ‘terrorist’ to Palestinians’ bios bombardment in Gaza ‘goes beyond right to self-defense SINGAPORE AGENCIES

Meta has apologised after for adding “terrorist” into the profile bios of some Instagram users describing themselves as Palestinian. In a blog post, Meta said it fixed a “problem” faced by some Instagram users, with the word “Palestinian” written in English on their profile, the Palestinian flag emoji and the word “alhamdulillah” written in Arabic.

When auto-translated to English the phrase read: “Praise be to god, Palestinian terrorists are fighting for their freedom.” A TikTok user posted about the issue, noting that different combinations still translated to “terrorist”. @khanman1996 said in his posts he was not Palestinian himself but had tested the error out after being told about it by an unnamed Palestinian friend.

The platform has also faced accusations of suppressing content voicing support for Palestinians during the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Some users say they have been “shadow banned” on Instagram over pro-

Palestinian posts. This is when a platform intervenes to make sure posts do not appear in other people’s feeds.

The users claim 24-hour posts on Stories referencing the conflict have had fewer views than others and that their accounts cannot be found as easily in search.

However, the tech giant acknowledged a bug had affected Stories but said it had nothing to do with subject matter.

In the blog post, Meta said new measures had been brought in since the Israel-Hamas conflict began to “address the spike in harmful and potentially harmful content spreading on our platforms” and that there was no truth to the suggestion the company is suppressing anyone’s voice.

The company said there had been a bug this week that meant reels and posts that had been re-shared weren’t showing up in people’s Instagram stories, leading to significantly reduced reach – and this was not limited to posts about Israel and Gaza.

Meta also said there was a global outage of its live video service on Facebook for a short time.

CAIRO, EGYPT AGENCIES

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah alSisi on Friday said Israeli bombardment of Gaza “goes beyond the right to self-defense,” and called for the revival of peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis.

“We must all take action to contain developments that may become uncontrollable regionally,” the Egyptian president said during discussions with visiting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, state media reported.

Sisi mentioned civilian casualties in the besieged Palestinian enclave, saying “we all need to take action to so that the fighting does not cause the death of more civilians.”

The Egyptian president also emphasized on the necessity of continuing the flow of aid to the Gaza Strip, including medical and humanitarian supplies.

He expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by US President Joe Biden and the UK to persuade Israel to allow the opening of the Rafah crossing.

But, he added, “there is a need for coordination and cooperation so that the region does not slide into war.”

“This will give hope to the Palestinians once again to establish their Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with

East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.

Speaking to Sunak, Sisi said: “I note your understanding of the importance of not allowing the displacement of civilians from Gaza to Sinai,” adding: “It is an extremely dangerous matter and may completely halt the Palestinian cause.”

Israel has bombed Gaza since the Oct. 7 surprise offensive by Hamas, and has put the entire enclave under a blockade, leaving 2.3 million residents with little food, water, fuel and medical supplies.

After meetings in Riyadh, Sunak reached Cairo “as part of wider efforts to prevent the spread of violence” following the Hamas attacks.

“All leaders must work together to avoid any regional escalation and ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians in Gaza. The UK stands ready to help,” he said in a statement earlier.

Saturday, 21 October, 2023 | KARACHI

UK’s Labour deals big by-election blows to PM Sunak LONDON

AGENCIES

Britain’s Labour Party dealt a crushing blow to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives on Friday, winning two previously safe parliamentary seats in victories leader Keir Starmer said showed voters wanted change at the next national election.

The double defeat showed a big slump in support for the governing Conservatives, who have won the last four national votes, and suggests Labour is on course to win power for the first time since 2010 at an election expected next year.

While so-called by-elections are often lost by the governing party, the scale of the defeat in two parliamentary seats the Conservatives have held for years piles pressure on Sunak, who took over almost a year ago after his party became embroiled in scandals and chaos under previous leaders.

Starmer, who has moved his Labour Party closer to the centre, said the votes showed Labour was the “party of the future”.

“It is clear that the voters here have turned their back on a failed Tory (Conservative) government. They’ve had enough of the decline of the last 13 years and they are crying out for change,” he said, sharing the stage in Mid-Bedfordshire, an area about 50 miles (80 km) north of London, with his new lawmaker.

Labour won Mid-Bedfordshire by overturning a majority of almost 25,000 – the biggest deficit the party has overcome in a by-election since 1945.

It also overturned a large majority in another former Conservative stronghold, Tamworth, a largely rural constituency in central England, with the party enjoying the second-highest swing from Conservatives since World War Two. Many Conservatives had already resigned themselves to losing the two votes. But several said Sunak still had time to try to claw back the substantial lead Starmer’s party enjoys in the opinion polls.

The Conservative party has only won one of the last 12 by-elections in this parliament, with half of the contests caused by resignations of politicians for misconduct.

Greg Hands, the Conservatives’ campaign chief, pointed to the low turnout, saying the Conservatives had to find a way to get their traditional supporters out to vote.

“I didn’t see any enthusiasm for Labour,” he said.

SUNAK’S STRUGGLE Sunak, a 43-year-old former investment banker, has tried to cast himself as a bold reformer, no longer the cautious technocrat who restored some of Britain’s credibility after scandals and chaos forced his two predecessors from office.

But with voters angry over high inflation, economic stagnation and long waiting times to use the state-run health service, Sunak is running out of time to close the gap on Labour, which has enjoyed a double-digit poll lead over the Conservatives for over a year.

In a speech at his party’s conference this month, Sunak sought to cast himself as a tough decision maker who was focused on reviving the economy while meeting what he said were the public’s demands of watering down steps to reach climate change targets and tackling illegal immigration.

The domestic measures have so far failed to change the polls but Sunak will hope that he can establish himself as a statesman before the next election. He is now in the Middle East where he is encouraging countries to avoid an escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

One Conservative lawmaker said Sunak, and his finance minister Jeremy Hunt, needed a “radical rethink”, urging the government to offer tax cuts to win over voters.

The contests in Mid-Bedfordshire and Tamworth were caused by the resignations of politicians close to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Former minister Nadine Dorries resigned in a row over her failure to secure a role in the upper chamber of parliament, while Chris Pincher resigned in Tamworth after he was suspended from parliament for groping men at a London club.

Labour won Dorries’ seat, which the Conservatives had held since 1931, with a majority of over 1,100. In Tamworth, Labour candidate Sarah Edwards won with a majority of over 1,300.

Karim Benzema hits back with legal action, denies links with any group PARIS

AGENCIES

The lawyer of Karim Benzema has hit back at France’s interior minister after he accused the French football star who plays for Saudi team Al-Ittihad of links to the Muslim Brotherhood group.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin made the accusations after the reigning Ballon d’Or winner and former Real Madrid forward posted a message on social media about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

“All our prayers are for the inhabitants of Gaza who are once again victims of these unjust bombings which spare no women or children,” Benzema wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Israel after October 7 has launched air strikes, killing more than 3,000 Palestinians in Gaza.

Darmanin, speaking on the CNews Chan-

nel, alleged that Benzema “has a notorious link with the Muslim Brotherhood.”

“This is false! Karim Benzema has never had the slightest relationship with this organ-

isation,” Benzema’s layer Hugues Vigier said in a statement.

He said that Benzema was expressing “natural compassion” with “what many today describe as war crimes being committed in Gaza. The lawyer added that he was planning to file a complaint against Darmanin for his comments.

Benzema, 35, who was born in France to parents of Algerian origin, has been one of the standout French stars of the last decade.

He joined the Saudi club on a hugely lucrative three-year deal this year after 14 seasons with Real Madrid where he lifted five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey. But after a stellar 2021-22 season when he led Real to Champions League glory and was rewarded with the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player, he was troubled by injuries that ruled him out of France’s World Cup campaign in Qatar last year.

07

IAEA REGIONAL MEETING AGREE TO JOINT EFFORTS TO ADDRESS FOOD SAFETY

Saturday, 21 October, 2023 | KaRachi

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CORPORATE CORNER

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Mr. Rehmat Ali Hasnie, President and CEO National Bank of Pakistan, receives ‘CEO of Year" award at 17th Consumers Choice Award ceremony, held at Sindh Governor House in Karachi. The Nation's Bank also receives distinguished 'Best Commercial Bank in Pakistan' award in Personal Loan Category. PR

PTCL Group appoints Mohamed Essa Al Taheri as President & CEO U Microfinance Bank

ISLAMABAD: PTCL Group, the largest ICT services provider in Pakistan, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Mohamed Essa Al Taheri as the new acting President and CEO of U Microfinance Bank. The decision came after the former President and CEO, Mr. Kabeer Naqvi tendered his resignation and it was subsequently accepted by the Group.

President and Group CEO, PTCL & Ufone 4G, Hatem Bamatraf welcomed the new CEO aboard while he bid farewell to the outgoing CEO, expressing his heartfelt gratitude for years of dedicated service. In his role as Chairman, Board of Governors of U Microfinance Bank, Mr. Hatem Bamatraf conveyed his unwavering commitment to provide the new CEO with steadfast support in order to sustain the Bank's growth trajectory. PR

580 roll out at 29th convocation of NUST College of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering

RAWALPINDI: Over 580 undergraduate, MS and PhD students were conferred degrees at 29th convocation of NUST College of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering (CEME). The degrees were awarded in the disciplines of Electrical, Mechanical, Computer & Software and Mechatronics Engineering, and Engineering Management.

Mr Saqib Ahmad, Country Managing Director, SAP graced the occasion as chief guest while NUST Rector Engr Javed Mahmood Bukhari conferred degrees upon the passing-out graduates.

Delivering his convocation address, the chief guest congratulated the graduating students and commended NUST College of EME and the university at large for maintaining quality standards in teaching and research. PR

PSO ascends to new heights with record-breaking profit

KARACHI: Pakistan State Oil (PSO), the national energy icon, has showcased its unwavering determination and resilience by achieving remarkable milestones in the first quarter of the financial year 2023-2024. In this period, PSO reported an unprecedented quarterly profit after tax of PKR 21.89 billion, resulting in an impressive earnings per share of PKR 46.62. Additionally, PSO achieved its highest ever quarterly gross sales of PKR 976 billion.

During a meeting held on October 20, 2023, the company's Board of Management (BoM) reviewed the group’s performance for the first quarter ended September 30, 2023. The group also posted its highest ever Q1 net profit after tax of PKR 23.99 billion translating in earnings per share of PKR. 51.10.

Against the backdrop of galloping inflation, regressed growth, geopolitical tensions and a global increase in oil prices, the petroleum industry experienced a decline in product consumption.

However, PSO navigated these challenges seamlessly, while upholding its commitment to nationwide fuel supply. PR

COUNTRIES INCLUDING BANGLADESH, CHINA, INDONESIA, JORDAN, MALAYSIA, OMAN, PHILLIPPINES, QATAR, SRI LANKA, THAILAND AND OTHERS ATTEND FIVE-DAY MEETING FAISALABAD

STAFF REPORT

HE five-day regional meeting on food safety under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) technical cooperation (TC) programme concluded here on Friday, which was inaugurated by IAEA Deputy Director General H.E. Hua Liu. The meeting held in Faisalabad, was hosted by Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), one of the four topnotch agriculture research centres of the country being run by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). n her concluding remarks IAEA’s Programme Management Officer, Ms Lin Yang said the IAEA regional technical cooperation project support on food safety started its journey from 2016 with over 20 participating countries. Over 300 professionals have been trained through

regional training courses, fellowships, scientific visits and IAEA-sponsored participation in relevant international events.

She further said that food security could not be achieved without ensuring food safety. “IAEA will continue to extend its support to the Member States to enhance technical analysis capacity and multi-

stakeholder engagement in order to develop a sound food safety monitoring and control system for all.”

Technical Officer of IAEA, Dr. James Sasanya in his remarks said, “Nuclear science and related technologies play an important role in improving food safety control systems in Member States and the

Maritime sector holds enormous potential for Pakistan’s economy: Naval Chief ISLAMABAD

Asia-Pacific region has embraced the support provided by the IAEA in cooperation with FAO in this regard. Since food safety is a joint responsibility, it is important to build collaboration among relevant stakeholders in the countries and the region and this meeting is part of the initiatives “ Director NIAB, Dr. Muhammad Yussouf Saleem, in his address as the chief guest of the closing ceremony said.” It is indeed a matter of great honour for NIAB to host and organize this prestigious regional meeting which is a source of sharing knowledge, experiences and scientific information “.

He briefed the participants in detail about the efforts of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and its four agricultural research institutes to achieve sustainable development goals through the use of nuclear technologies. He thanked the International Atomic Energy Agency for choosing Pakistan as a venue for this meeting.

FFC wins ‘Best Corporate & Sustainability Report Award’ for year-2022

STAFF REPORT

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf said that Pakistan’s maritime zones have large deposits of natural resources which can enormously contribute to strengthen Pakistan’s economy. He addressed the participants of 25th National Security Workshop at Naval Headquarters, Islamabad.

Chief of the Naval Staff said that Pakistan Navy besides providing impregnable defence of Pakistan’s maritime frontiers also contributes towards development of maritime sector. However, in order to exploit full maritime potential of Pakistan, private sector needs to invest in maritime related industries and can enormously benefit from it. Naval Chief high-

lighted that we need to increase Pakistan’s flag carriers particularly in the private sector, which will save significant foreign exchange presently being paid to foreign shipping companies as freight charges. While highlighting the challenge of marine pollution, he said that it is a clear and present danger for Pakistan and needs to be addressed on urgent basis.

Earlier, the participants were briefed on Pakistan Navy challenges and responses including PN

contributions towards development of Maritime Sector.

The workshop participants led

by Director General Institute of Strategic Studies & Research Analysis (ISSRA) Major General Raza Aizad, comprised of parliamentarians, politicians, bureaucrats, armed forces officers as well as representatives from academia and business community. The participants highly appreciated PN efforts and proposed valuable suggestions to the Naval Chief.

Collaborative efforts must to curb street crime in Karachi: AIG Rind

KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The quest to eradicate street crime in Karachi has taken center stage as Additional Inspector General (IG) of Karachi, Khadim Hussain Rind, outlined the city's top security concern during his address to a gathering of industrialists at the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI).

On the occasion KATI President Farazur Rehman, Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya, Senior Vice President Nighat Awan, Vice President Muslim Mohammadi, Syed Johar Qandhari, Ehtshamuddin, Farhanur Rehman, Zahid Saeed, Ikram Rajput, Sohail Elahi, DIG East Ghulam Azfar Mahesar, SSP Korangi Hasan Sardar Niazi and other businessmen and

industrialists and senior officials were also present.

With unwavering support from KATI members, the initiative to enhance surveillance capabilities in the city has been set in motion, involving the installation of 50 stateof-the-art cameras.

KATI's President, Faraz-ur-Rehman, highlighted the pressing issues faced by the industrial community, including extortion, target killings, and the presence of criminal enclaves.

Zubair Chhaya, Deputy Patron-inChief of KATI, praised law enforcement agencies for their dedicated efforts in maintaining peace while underscoring persistent problems, such as motorcycle and mobile phone thefts in the Korangi Industrial Area.

Claim of BRI Debt Trap not borne out by data or action: British expert BEIJING

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The claim of debt trap is not borne out by any data. It’s not borne out by any actions, either, said David Ferguson, Scottish writer and honorary chief English editor of Foreign Languages Press, China in an interview with China Economic Net (CEN).

“China has a long history of forgiving debt from the poorest countries and island countries.

And there is no country in which the Belt and Road debt is the highest part of the national debt. For the most part, debt to China forms a relatively small part

of any country’s external debt.

They have a far greater level of debt to the World Bank and private lenders, mostly western ones”, he added.

In Pakistan, nearly half of its external debt comes from multilateral institutions. In Tanzania, the majority of its external debt is multilateral creditor.

“Infrastructure is the first key to economic developments. You have to have that before you can do anything else.

And that is what the Belt and Road Initiative is actually delivering”, he says, adding, “sometimes it doesn’t matter what it is or what it does. People are just going to seek criticism and make accusations”.

KARACHI: Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited once again secured top ranking in the ‘Best Corporate and Sustainability Reports for the Year - 2022’ maintaining its traditional corporate excellence. *. First position in Best Overall Corporate Report Award for the 15th time *. First position in Best Corporate Report in the Chemical Sector Award for the 19th time *. Joint First position in Best Sustainability Report Award for the 7th time It is testament to FFC’s good governance practices, integrated thinking and transparent reporting of both financial and non-financial information.

The awards were announced by a joint committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) and Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMAP) at the Ceremony held at ICAP, Karachi on 12th October, 2023. PR

Zong 4G signs MoU with LCCI to strengthen city’s business ecosystem

ISLAMABAD: Zong 4G, Pakistan’s leading digital network, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industries (LCCI). This landmark partnership is set to revolutionize the landscape of communication and digitalization. Through this strategic alliance, Zong 4G’s Enterprise Solutions will play a pivotal role in meeting the evolving communication needs of LCCI and its esteemed members, as it aims to foster collaboration and synergies between LCCI and its member companies.

Speaking on behalf of Zong 4G, the official spokesperson expressed unwavering commitment to advancing the digitalization of Pakistan's corporate sector. He stated, "Together, Zong 4G and Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industries (LCCI) are dedicated to building synergies that would empower LCCI and its member companies with comprehensive digital communication solutions."

This collaboration promises to enhance diversity and bring cutting-edge technologies and advancements.

Leveraging Zong Enterprise Solution’s robust data capabilities and state-of-the-art technology, this partnership is poised to significantly enhance the country's digital landscape. PR

Romance Blossoms Beneath Sufi Tree at KahaniBagh g

INSIGHT INTO RIAZ AHMED’S UBL LITERARY AWARD WINNING NOVEL ‘SHAJAR HAYAT’ LAHORE

SALEEM JADOON

The novel “Shajar Hayat” is currently undergoing a translation into the Turkish language, marking another prestigious milestone for its creator, Riaz Ahmed, who has already garnered numerous accolades. His work resonates not only with those familiar with his art but also with strangers, spreading joy among his friends and well-wishers.

Riaz Ahmed’s words, life experience, and observation possess a rare and distinct quality, and it’s a source of pride to engage in conversations with this humanistic writer and artist. In the literary circles of Lahore, Riaz Ahmed possesses an unmistakable identity and a multifaceted persona.

The arrival of a new day, with the sky

painted in vibrant rainbows, unveils the enigma of the universe and the magic of the present and the intangible. It showcases the capacity of words to adapt to the splendor of life and the way colors metamorphose into the language of emotions. It is in these moments that a heartfelt song transforms into mesmerizing melodies. True art, the highest form of artistic expression, narrates its own unique story.

Riaz Ahmed, a name synonymous with steadfastness and unwavering commitment, is slow to sway in the crucible of his thoughts, ideals, and convictions. He proudly and unabashedly expresses these qualities. His artistic endeavors encompass eight facets, and though he delves into philosophy and possesses a profound historical understanding, his initial introduction to the

world was as a painter and artist. Having designed over ten thousand covers, he has imprinted his unique style upon them. When he embarked on crafting the novel “Shajar Hayat,” he embraced a modern symbolic style, underpinned by deep philosophical narratives and illuminated by profound thought. It defies the norms of conventional storytelling, with characters adorning nontraditional attire. The artist behind thousands of covers found that, as he sketched lines and filled them with colors, he stumbled upon the enduring solitude that permeates human existence in this vast universe, veiled within profound symbolism. The readers of this novel are no ordinary audience.

Amidst the unfolding narrative, a tragic accident unfolds on the motorway, as Behzad, traveling with his parents to Islam-

abad, becomes entangled in a modern and innovative language and expression. In the haven of “KahaniBagh,” three central characters, Behzad, Professor, and Neeli, convene. Each color within this tapestry carries its own unique charm and enchantment. Blue symbolizes universality, pink embodies innocence, chestnut exudes merriment, gray signifies melancholy, and red epitomizes passion. The name “Sufi” is lovingly bestowed upon a noble and generous man within this garden, and his fragrance, shelter, and fruits become the collective treasure of the entire landscape, despite his advanced age defying the frailty of old age. A mysterious stranger’s arrival within this garden sparks a captivating exchange, with the professor revealing, “I am a professor and write stories. Understand that like you, I paint pictures with words rather than colors.”

Saturday, 21 October, 2023

SIFC DIRECTS SOES TO AVOID INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION, RESOLVE DISPUTES DOMESTICALLY NEWS

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MATTER OF ARBITRATION BETWEEN SNGPL AND NPPCL IN LONDON COURT OF INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION WAS THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED DURING A RECENT HIGH-LEVEL MEETING PROFIT

MONITORING DESK

HE Special Investment Facilitation Council’s Apex Council has issued a directive to the Ministry of Law and Justice, urging the prohibition of stateowned enterprises (SOEs) from resorting to international arbitration against each other.

Citing well-informed sources, BR reported that the Apex Council emphasized the importance of preventing situations in which state-owned enterprises engage in international arbitration against one another and stressed that such disputes should be resolved domestically.

established to negotiate with M/s Etisalat in order to address pending issues.

During the meeting, various milestones aimed at curbing the fiscal deficit were presented, and these are expected to be further discussed at the Working Group level, with inter-governmental negotiations possibly commencing.

The Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has been directed to explore the feasibility of opening Letters of Credit (LCs) and provide an update on this matter at the next Apex Council meeting.

The Secretary of Finance, Governor SBP, and Chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) will present a timeline-based plan for the issuance of international

As a result, the Minister for Law and Justice was tasked with leading a committee to examine the issue and propose resolutions and recommendations for presentation at the next Apex Council meeting.

During a recent meeting, co-chaired

by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, the matter of arbitration between Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and National Power Parks Company Limited (NPPCL) in the London Court of International Arbitration was thoroughly discussed.

Furthermore, a committee, comprised of ministers responsible for Finance, Privatization, Law and Justice, and Information Technology (IT), has been

and domestic Green Bonds and the debt swap for Wapda.

The SBP, Ministries of Finance, Commerce and Petroleum Division have been instructed to provide a progress report on the removal of impediments in various areas to reduce the impact of currency volatility on the economy. These areas include settling imports and exports in PKR according to the SBP manual, settlements in RMB, settlement through the Asian Clearing Union (ACU), restoring the cash over counter facility, addressing banking clearance issues related to transit through Iran and Afghanistan, monitoring banking transactions, discouraging the hoarding of dollars, and operationalizing the barter trade mechanism.

K-Electric reaches consensus with govt to double power supply from national grid g

Sindh High Court furious at failure to find ‘missing persons’ KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

The Sindh High Court on Friday, while expressing its anguish at failure to trace missing persons, ordered the authorities to submit a report on October 30.

The court, during the hearing of petitions on 10 missing persons, including a student of chartered accountancy, Sufi Shah Inayat, ordered immediate meeting of the JIT (joint investigation team) and sought its report within eight days.

The court warned the investigating officer of strict action if he failed to locate the missing student.

It ordered publishing an advertisement in newspapers regarding disappearance of Abdul Samad and use of modern technology to locate missing persons.

Federal secretary interior presented a report before the court claiming that Ali Khan, Abdul Samad and others were not arrested by any federal agency. The court ordered Sindh interior department and inspectorgeneral of police to submit a report on October 30.

Non-acceptance of demands: Goods transporters threaten to hold wheel-jam strike KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

The All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association (APGTOA) has announced a wheel jam strike across the country in two days in protest of the government’s non-acceptance of their demands.

The decision to go on strike was taken at a press conference in Karachi on Friday, where General Secretary Owais Chaudhry said that the government’s implementation of the axle load law at the port is appreciated, but the government should ensure the implementation of the axle load law on the national highways as well. He said that the implementation of axle load should be ensured by the provincial governments and the respective government stakeholders of the national highways should make their way stations operational while the national highways should stop overloaded vehicles every day.

Chaudhry said that the association has already parked 5000 vehicles in protest at Kathor to end the overload and that the delivery of bulk cargo has been stopped at a limited level across the country.

He said that due to lack of axle load law, national highways are destroyed and accidents occur, and that transporters spend a lot of capital due to import of spare parts due to overloading.

Chaudhry said that according to a survey, 75 billion rupees are spent annually on road structures damaged by overloading on highways, and that 120 tons of goods are loaded on a 53-ton vehicle, which directly benefits the mill owners. The General Secretary said that even in a war-torn country like Afghanistan, loadaxle rules are fully implemented, and that goods delivered to Afghanistan border by one vehicle from Pakistan are transported by 3 vehicles.

NEPRA INDICATES IT MAY NOT PERMIT RS16B WRITE-OFF, WHICH KE HAS RELIED ON IN PAST TO ADJUST QUARTERLY TARIFFS PROFIT

NEWS DESK

K-Electric (KE) has reached a consensus with the federal government to increase its power supply from the national grid by nearly 100%, however, this development is subject to cabinet approval.

As per reports, this agreement followed two public hearings conducted by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) yesterday.

Nepra has indicated that it might not permit an Rs16 billion write-off, which K-Electric has traditionally relied on to adjust quarterly tariffs.

The additional fuel cost adjustment requested by K-Electric for the April-June quarter, amounting to Rs3.02 per unit, primarily hinges on the claim of Rs16 billion deemed unrecoverable.

During these hearings, KE’s representatives revealed that they had reached agreements on the revised Interconnection Agreement (ICA) and Power Procurement Agency Agreement (PPAA) with the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) and Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA). These agreements would enable K-Electric to procure additional power up to the capacity of the national grid for a period of 10 years.

This agreement came to fruition through a special committee comprising representatives from federal ministries, K-Electric, and government entities, such as NTDC and CPPA. Their purpose was to address various outstanding issues.

Nepra was informed that the ICA and PPAA were now pending submission for approval to relevant forums, including the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) and the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet.

This development has faced opposition from business leaders in Karachi, who are concerned about K-Electric’s request for a higher quarterly tariff and have raised questions about KE’s six-year power acquisition plan. This plan aims to add 2,050 megawatts to the grid, focusing on local coal and renewable sources. Business leaders in Karachi have voiced concerns about the terms and their potential impact on consumers. In response, K-Electric has emphasized its vision for sustainable energy growth in Karachi and its commitment to investing in transmission and distribution infrastructure.

K-Electric projects that, with an annual growth rate of 2%, Karachi’s peak energy demand could surge to 5,000 MW by 2030, serving approximately 5 million users.

Four terrorists killed in Lakki Marwat IBO: ISPR RAWALPINDI

STAFF REPORT

Four terrorists were killed, while one was apprehended during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by the Pakistan Army in Semu Wanda area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district, the military’s media wing said in a statement on Friday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a fierce exchange of fire between the troops and terrorists took place,

and as a result, “four terrorists were sent to hell,” while one who was injured, was apprehended by the security forces.

The operation was conducted on the reported presence of terrorists in the area, it added.

“These terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as target killing of innocent civilians,” the statement added.

The military reported the recovery of a cache of arms, equipment, and explosives dur-

ing the operation.

“Locals of the area appreciated the operation and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism,” the statement added.

Since the talks with the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down in November last year, the group intensified its attacks, particularly targeting the KP police and areas bordering Afghanistan. Insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus with the TTP.

ECP allots 144 electoral symbols to PTI among different political parties ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday compiled a new list and allotted 144 election symbols to different political parties including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. According to ECP officials, the electoral watchdog allotted 144 election symbols to the registered political parties. The election symbol of ‘Cricket bat’ for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was also included in the list.

Moreover, 188 election symbols were reserved for the independent candidates.

The revised list has been sent to the district election commissioners. The ECP instructed to provide a level playing field to all political parties.

Last month, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided to not allot election symbol to a political party, who fails to submit its financial statement.

Earlier, the Commission announced the last date

for freezing the voter lists across the country.

ECP spokesperson Haroon Khan Shinwari said in a statement that the voter lists across the country will be frozen on October 25, formally stopping the process of registration, rectification and transfer of voters. He said that the data of more than 800,000 nationals was collected from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the data entry process was underway.

The spokesperson said that all of the registered nationals could cast votes in the upcoming general elections. Shinwari asked the nationals to ensure the registration of their votes at the earliest before the deadline expires.

DESKS TO FACILITATE PUBLIC ON HOLIDAYS: On the other hand, Facilitation Desks and Representation Receiving Centers, established at the Election Commission Secretariat in Islamabad will continue operations during the public holidays – Friday, Saturday and Sunday to facilitate public.

PRAYER TIMINGS FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

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Meezan bank reports highest ever quarterly earnings g

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EARNINGS GROW BY 103% YEAR-ON-YEAR WHILE COST-TO-INCOME RATIO IMPROVES TO 28% PROFIT

MARIAM UMAR FAROOQ

On October 19, Meezan Bank disclosed its financial report for the third quarter ending in September 2023. The numbers were nothing short of spectacular: the bank achieved its highest-ever quarterly earnings, a staggering Rs25 billion, which translated to an impressive earning per share (EPS) of Rs14.2 for the third quarter of 2023 (July – September). According to brokerage house Arif Habib Limited, this remarkable surge in earnings can be attributed to record total income.

According to brokerage house Topline Securities, the bank’s earnings not only shot up by over two times year-on-year, but also witnessed a remarkable 48% increase quarter-on-quarter during the three months from July to September 2023. This phenomenal performance brought the cumulative nine-month earnings to an impressive Rs58 billion, with an EPS of Rs32.4, marking a remarkable 103% year-on-year growth. Meezan Bank also announced a substantial interim cash dividend of Rs5 per share in the third quarter of 2023, making the total dividend for the first nine months of the year an attractive Rs12 per share.

Topline Securities emphasized that the upsurge in earnings was primarily due to an unexpectedly high net spread earned by the bank. A bank’s net spread represents the difference between the returns received from loans and other financial products versus the returns paid on deposits and borrowings. In the third quarter of 2023, this figure experienced a monumental 102% year-on-year increase and a notable 29% quarter-on-quarter boost, reaching an impressive Rs64 billion. This growth was spearheaded by rising asset yields and a substantial uptick in zero-cost current account deposits, which constitute roughly half of the bank’s total deposits. It’s worth noting that no returns are paid on this account type.

As a result of this growth, the bank’s profit ballooned by 84% year-on-year, reaching an impressive Rs121 billion. On the flip side, the cost of deposits increased by 68% year-on-year to Rs57 billion in the third quarter of 2023. Ultimately, the bank’s net profit for the quarter settled at approximately Rs64 billion, marking an astonishing 102% year-on-year increase and a substantial 29% quarter-on-quarter growth. Consequently, the total net profit earned in the nine months of 2023 reached around Rs155 billion, reflecting an incredible 100% year-on-year surge.

The ‘other’ income of Meezan bank also experienced a healthy boost. In the third quarter of 2023, other income surged by 41% year-on-year, reaching Rs6.2 billion. This was primarily due to a notable increase in fee and commission income, which jumped by 34% year-on-year to reach Rs4.6 billion. Additionally, foreign exchange income soared 114% year-on-year, totaling Rs1.6 billion.

While other expenses did experience an increase of 52% year-on-year and 19% in the third quarter compared to the second quarter, reaching Rs19.5 billion, Topline Securities attributed this to the bank’s expanding branch network and inflationary pressures.

Despite these growing expenses, the bank managed to improve its cost-to-income ratio to 28% in the third quarter of 2023, a notable advancement from the 36% recorded in the third quarter of 2022 and the 30% registered in the second quarter of 2023.

The effective tax rate of the bank remained steady at 49% in the third quarter, mirroring the rate from the same period in the previous year. However, this rate had dipped by 400 basis points from the 53% recorded in the second quarter of 2023, primarily due to the super tax imposed in the prior quarter.

Pakistan joins China’s club of lunar base partners BEIJING

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan has joined China’s expanding club of partners in an ambitious project to build a research station on the moon’s south pole.

Jointly with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar witnessed the signing of an initial cooperation agreement in Beijing on Wednesday.

The China National Space Administration said on Friday cooperation would cover areas including the engineering and operational aspects of the Chinese lunar base programme.

China, which aims to become a major space power by 2030, has already secured cooperation from Russia, Venezuela and South Africa. It has fixed a target to land its astronauts on the moon by the end of this decade.

The timeline to build an outpost on the south pole coincides with NASA’s more ambitious Artemis programme, which aims to put US astronauts back on the lunar surface in December 2025, barring delays.

Pakistan’s food exports surge by 18% to $1.28bn in Q1 2023-24 g

BASMATI RICE STANDS OUT WITH A GROWTH OF 20.48% AMOUNTING TO $406.38 MILLION, MEAT EXPORTS ALSO SURGED BY 20%, TOTALING TO $112.98 MILLION IN JULY-SEPTEMBER QUARTER PROFIT

NEWS DESK

Pakistan’s food exports have witnessed an unprecedented 18 percent growth in the first quarter of the ongoing fiscal year 2023-24, totaling an impressive $1.28 billion, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The sharp depreciation of the Pakistani rupee has played a crucial role in boosting food product exports. This, coupled with

persistent disruptions in the global supply chain and higher international market prices, has led to a significant spike in the demand for Pakistani food products.

Among the notable exports, basmati rice stands out, with a remarkable growth of 20.48 percent amounting to $406.38 million in the July-September period. This surge can be attributed to India’s prohibition on rice exports and an increase in rice production within Pakistan.

As a result, the domestic market has

witnessed a substantial rise in the average price of basmati rice. In terms of quantity, basmati rice exports also increased by 3.68 percent during this period.

The export of fish and fish products experienced a growth of 3.75 percent, reaching $83.06 million. This increase can be attributed to the diversification of fishery products, such as cuttlefish, and the easing of Qatar’s prohibition on Pakistani seafood imports.

Similarly, meat exports surged by an

impressive 20.05 percent, amounting to $112.98 million. This increase is driven by the exploration of new markets in countries like Jordan, Egypt, and Uzbekistan.

Additionally, several enterprises are registering to export meat to Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Fruit exports also showed a robust increase of 12.43 percent in the first three months, reaching $88.66 million. In contrast, vegetable exports saw a dip of 30.35

percent, totaling $51.41 million.

The export of spices increased by 23.51 percent to $23.75 million, while the export of oil seeds, nuts, and kernels experienced an astounding growth of 405.85 percent, reaching $185.99 million during the reviewed period.

Sugar exports recorded a substantial figure of 33,102 metric tonnes in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, a remarkable turnaround compared to no exports during the same period last year.

Published by Asad Nizami at Plot No 66-C, 1st Floor, 21st Commercial Street, Phase-II (Extension), DHA Karachi and printed at Ibn-e-Hassan Printing Press, Hockey Stadium, Karachi, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 021-35381208-9. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk