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SC DECLARES MILITARY TRIALS OF CIVILIANS NULL AND VOID In partnership with

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Tuesday, 24 October, 2023 I 7 Rabi us Sani, 1445

IN 4-1 JUDGEMENT, JUSTICE YAHYA AFRIDI DISAGREED WITH MAJORITY VERDICT

ISLAMABAD

VERDICT CAN STILL BE APPEALED BEFORE A FULL COURT BY THE STATE

AGENCIES

five-member Supreme Court (SC) bench on Monday declared the military trials of civilians arrested in the wake of violent protests in the country on May 9 to be null and void. The court announced its verdict in the case a few hours after it was reserved. Justice Ijazul Ahsan had headed the bench comprising Justices Munib Akhtar, Yayha Afridi, Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Ayesha A. Malik. In a 4-1 majority ruling, the court said that the trial of May 9 suspects would be conducted in ordinary courts. Justice Afridi had disagreed with the majority verdict. The court, in a short order release later in the day, declared Section 2(1)(d) of the Army Act, which elaborates on persons subject to the Act, to be in violation of the Constitution and “of no legal effect”. The court also declared Section 59(4) (civil offences) of the Act to be unconstitutional. Section 2(1)(d) of the Pakistan Army Act states: “persons not otherwise subject to this Act who are accused of seducing or attempting to seduce any person subject to this Act from his duty or allegiance to government, or having committed, in relation to any work of defence, arsenal, naval, military or air force establishment or station, ship or aircraft or otherwise in relation to the naval, military or air force affairs of Pakistan” can be tried under the secrets act. Section 59(4) states : “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other law for the time being in force a person who becomes subject to this Act by reason of his being accused of an offence mentioned in clause (d) of subsection (1) of section 2 shall be liable to be tried or otherwise dealt with under this Act for such offence as if the offence were an offence against this Act and were committed at a time when such person was subject to this Act ; and the pro-

visions of this section shall have effect accordingly.” The order said the trials of 103 civilians and accused persons, identified by the government in a list provided to the SC, and all other persons who may be placed under trial in connection with the events of May 9 should be tried in criminal courts “It is further declared that any action or proceedings under the Army Act in respect of the aforesaid persons or any other persons so similarly placed (including but not limited to trial by court martial) are and would be of no legal effect, the court added. Today’s verdict can still be appealed before a full court by the state. A six-judge bench, which included former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, had been hearing the petitions since June. However, after Justice Bandial’s retirement, the bench was reduced to five judges. On Sunday, at least nine accused facing trials under the Army Act moved the apex court for early conclusion of their cases by the military courts. In their separate applications, the suspects pleaded that they had complete faith and confidence in the military authorities to provide justice to them and to other accused persons. Following the violence on May 9 which targeted civilian as well as mili-

Rs 40.00 | Vol XIV No 114 I 40 Pages I Islamabad Edition

tary installations, a total of 102 persons were taken into custody for their involvement in the attacks on military es-

tablishments, including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, corps commander’s residence in Lahore, PAF Base Mianwali, and an office of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Faisalabad. At the outset of hearing on Monday, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan came to the rostrum and said that he would present arguments on why a constitutional amendment was not required in the case at hand. “A trial in military courts fulfils all the requirements of criminal courts,” he said. He said that the military trials of civilians had formally commenced. He said that the verdicts issued by the military courts would also detail the reasoning. The AGP said that a matter concerning an attack on a restricted area or building could also go to military courts.

Legal experts welcome SC judgement LAHORE

SHAHAB OMER

Commenting over the verdict of the five-judge bench of the apex court on trail of civilians in military courts, legal experts welcomed the decision, saying that the top court has upheld the principal set in the constitution. Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan — who was one of the petitioners in the case — termed the verdict “very important”, adding that it “would also strengthen democracy, Constitution and the justice system”. He said that all institutions must now realise that the SC had declared that no one was above the law. “We were against military courts and we endeavoured against it. The verdict has shown that giving relief is the prerogative of the SC,” he said. Ahsan said that reports had alleged that trials had begun even though the government had stated that this would not happen until the apex court was informed. “The government informed the SC but after the commencement of trial.

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The government was supposed to inform before trials [began],” he said. He said civilian institutions would gain confidence after the verdict and strive to improve their performance. He thanked the apex court for listening to the petitioners in the case and giving them a chance to speak. He said that judges should be impartial and should not fear repercussions from their judgements. “In military courts, the judges are not independent. There is a colonel and he knows he can be transferred or expelled from the army,” he concluded. Malik Sajjad Ahmed Khokhar Advocate while commenting on the verdict, termed the decision a good verdict, which shows that the country’s judiciary is independent. “No one is winner in this Case, because the judges interpret the constitution of Pakistan,” he added. Former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Ahsan Bhoon told media that the decision was “absolutely correct” and in accordance with the Constitution.

Israel-Hamas ground battles burst out as Gaza martyrdoms top 5,087 GAZA

AGENCIES

Israeli forces continue to bombard the Gaza Strip with airstrikes while also engaging in ground skirmishes with Hamas, with over 436 people killed in Israeli aerial attacks. Most of the casualties occurred in the densely populated southern region of Gaza, with the conflict expanding beyond Gaza, with Israeli aircraft conducting strikes in southern Lebanon. Additionally, Israeli troops clashed with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The United Nations has expressed deep concern about the humanitarian situation, as civilians in Gaza are running out of food, water, and shelter. Although some aid reaches Gaza, it falls far short of the amount needed to address the crisis. The death toll on the Palestinian side continues to rise, with over 5,087 Palestinians killed in two weeks of Israeli airstrikes, including 2,055 children, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The current Israeli bombardment was triggered by a cross-border assault by Hamas militants on Israeli communities on October 7, resulting in casualties and hostage-taking. Both Israel and Hamas have reported clashes in Gaza. Israel has indicated that its ground forces con-

ducted limited raids to combat Palestinian gunmen, while airstrikes focused on sites where Hamas was believed to be preparing for potential attacks. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari explained that these raids targeted groups of terrorists and collected information about hostages held by Hamas. It is also not clear how such an invasion might unfold. Hamas has built up a powerful arsenal with Iran’s help, and Israeli forces would risk being drawn into fighting in a crowded urban setting against a group that has built a vast tunnel network referred to by Israeli troops as the “Gaza Metro”. “During the night there were raids by (Israeli) tank and infantry forces,” Hagari told a briefing. Describing incursions that went “deep” into Gaza, he said: “These raids are raids that kill squads of terrorists who are preparing for the next stage in the war.” Gaza’s Hamas-run interior ministry reported an Israeli airstrike in the Al-Saudi and Janina neighbourhoods of Rafah, near the southern border with Egypt. Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement on Sunday that its fighters had engaged with an Israeli armoured force east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. “Fighters engaged with the infiltrating force, destroying two bulldozers and a tank and forced the force

to withdraw, before they returned safely to base,” it said. It said on Monday that it had also targeted two Israeli military posts in southern Israel with drones. The Israeli military said two drones had been identified crossing from Gaza into Israeli territory and were thwarted. Israel has said its military campaign will exceed any previous moves against Hamas, but the Palestinian group has proved capable of surprising Israel in the past and will be fighting in a dense urban setting with powerful weapons. Based on what happened in Israeli incursions in 2008 and 2014, Israel’s bunker-buster bombs and hitech Merkava tanks will be up against a vast network of deep tunnels, booby-traps and arms, including Russian-made Kornet anti-tank missiles. The conflict shows no signs of abating and remains highly volatile. Israel has amassed troops and tanks along its border with Gaza, but the timing of a potential ground invasion is uncertain. The conflict is being fought in densely populated urban areas with an extensive network of tunnels. The international community, including the United States, has expressed concerns about the escalating violence. The United Nations has called for an immediate ceasefire, and humanitarian organisations are struggling to provide aid to those affected by the conflict.

IN TODAY’S ISSUE

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Meeting 90-day deadline for elections no longer possible: CJP ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Monday observed that it was “not possible” to meet the 90-day deadline for holding elections and lamented the lack of preparations of the petitioners. The CJP passed the observation while hearing the petitions seeking timely elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies. The CJP is leading a three-member bench comprising himself, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan on the matter. The pleas were filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and others to ensure that polls in the country are held within the stipulated time period. At the outset of the hearing, CJP Isa asked the SCBA when they had filed the petition and questioned why it was not listed for a hearing at once. He also asked the lawyer to give his arguments based on facts and lamented the petitioners’ lack of preparation. When SCBA lawyer Abid Zuberi started to speak about the 2017 census, the CJP observed that the counsel was not speaking on facts. He also said that if the lawyer had so many issues about the census then why did he not file a plea between 2017-2021, adding that he was now raising questions about the issue after the process was completed. However, the lawyer clarified that he was not taking a position that the 2023 census was wrong. On this point, Justice Minallah observed that those who were responsible for the delay in the census be held responsible and asked the counsel if he wanted polls in the country.

Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood indicted in cypher case

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RAWALPINDI

STAFF REPORT

PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi have been indicted in the cypher case. However, both the suspects pleaded not guilty. The special court of the Official Secrets Act has issued a notice to summon the government lawyers for October 27. On the previous hearing, copies of the investigation report were handed over to the suspects. Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain resumed hearing the cipher case in Adiala Jail under the Official Secrets Act on Monday. The PTI lawyers team is being led by Naeem Haider Panjotha, while the FIA team is also present in the court with the complete case record. Speaking to the media outside the jail before the hearing, FIA Special Prosecutor Shah Khawar said the suspects have to be indicted today, while the defence side is expected to file an application under Section 265D of the CrPC. If the suspects plead not guilty, 28 witnesses will be summoned in sets, Shah Khawar added. On Oct 17, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi could not be indicted in the cypher case. The copies of the investigation report were shared with the suspects, however. The special court of the Official Secrets Act redistributed the copies of the investigation report among the suspects over the objection of their lawyers. After a hearing in Adiala Jail, Special Prosecutor Shah Khawar told the media that the proceedings were postponed till October 23. PTI lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat told the media that they were not given the copies of the report at the last hearing because of which the indictment has been postponed. He said they received the copies of the report, so the charges will be framed at the next hearing.

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New Chinese investments to stimulate Pakistan’s economic growth: PM ISLAMABAD

MIAN ABRAR

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Monday said that the Chinese investment expected under the newly signed 20 MoUs would prove to be a stimulant for Pakistan’s economic growth. Addressing a press conference about his recent visit to China, the prime minister said 20 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed, hoping that the upcoming government would ensure consistency of the policy. He reaffirmed his commitment to an inclusive electoral process, asserting that no major political party would be excluded from participating in the upcoming elections unless they were legally barred from doing so. The prime minister, along with a highlevel delegation visited China from October 16-20, mainly to attend the Belt and Road Forum where he also held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

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. “The signing of 20 MoUs was very encouraging. This is after a long time that the MoUs in such a huge number were signed with China… We have brought along three guiding principles of coordination, cooperation and consultation with us,” he remarked. He said the MoUs were yet in the planning stage and the assessment of the potential, market needs and impact on exports would precede their execution. He said a designated cell at the Prime Minister’s Office would carry out the follow-up of the bilateral and other engagements with China to pave the way for their implementation. Mentioning his interaction with the Chinese business leaders, he said under the second phase of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), the Chinese private

business entities would invest in Pakistan’s agriculture, mining and other sectors. He told the newsmen that Pakistani leadership’s “constructive” engagement with Chinese counterparts was well received by the Chinese people, media and think tanks. Emphasizing the consistency of relations with China, he expressed the hope that the upcoming government would carry forward the momentum as any deviation from the commitments might put the state’s dignity at stake. He said the address by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Forum was in fact an answer to all the challenges confronting China, the region as well as the whole world. He said the land, sea and aerial connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative would not only bring the regions closer but also create opportunities for the people. During the visit, the prime minister also met presidents of Russia, Sri Lanka and Kenya. In their meeting, the Kenyan president told him that a lot of investigation had been done into the killing of Pakistani news anchor

Arshad Sharif and assured him of working in coordination with the Pakistani authorities. The prime minister pointed out the minimal linkage between the Pakistani and Chinese media, despite the fact that there existed immense opportunities for both private and state-run media for story-telling, documentaries and other content. Coming to the issue of Gaza, Prime Minister Kakar told the media that humanitarian aid had landed in Egypt for its onward dispersal to the suffering Palestinian people. However, the foremost priority was the cessation of hostilities for which Pakistan was making collaborative efforts as the country had also co-hosted an OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) ministerial meeting in Jeddah on the issue. To a question about the elections, he said the final date for voting would be announced soon and that the caretaker government was trying its utmost to facilitate the electoral process. He said no major political party was out of the political process unless anyone was legally barred. About the return of Pakistan

Muslim League-Nawaz Quaid Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Kakar said that he was a political reality and his adversaries should face him in politics. About the economic situation, he said for the first time in the country’s history, the dollar rate had meaningfully reduced and that he would hold a follow-up meeting with provincial chief secretaries later in the day to ensure the trickle-down effect on the common man in form of commodities’ prices and transport fares. To another query, the prime minister said the existing business model of print media was flawed and would collapse. The print media entities should realign their business approach to thrive the private business instead of relying on the state. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi, Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, Privatisation Minister Fawad Hassan Fawad, Commerce Minister Gohar Ejaz and Planning Minister Sami Saeed accompanied the prime minister.

02 NEWS

PTI DUBS INDICTMENT OF KHAN, QURESHI IN CYPHER CASE ‘MURDER OF JUSTICE’

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

HILE strongly rejecting the special court’s decision, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson dubbed the indictment of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cypher case as murder of justice and judicial system. In a statement issued here, the PTI spokesperson and said that PTI Chairman and Vice Chairman were indicted through the ongoing tradition of brutal murder of justice in Pakistan. He expressed disappointment over the total failure of the judiciary in ensuring upholding of the constitution, supremacy the rule of law, besides protecting the right of citizens, especially the PTI leaders and workers to a fair trial in the country. PTI spokesperson said that the entire state was under the attack of the absolute lawlessness like paralysis and due to which its organs started ceasing to function one after another. He recalled that during the last 18-month-long rule, the state first lost its vision, followed by intellect and ability

to think and after the collapse of the justice system, its entire existence was under attack of the paralysis. PTI Spokesman went on to say that the sick and paralyzed state machinery has taken the help of a non-professional greedy and selfish group of journalists to make the misguided decisions, serious crimes against democracy and lawlessness acceptable to the nation. He stated that the elements like Kamran Shahid, Adil Shahzeb

and Muneeb Farooq under the guise of journalism have become its facilitators in covering up the crimes of the state. PTI spokesperson underlined that the Cipher case was the most absurd, fabricated and baseless case among more than over 200 fake and bogus cases filed against PTI Chairman, adding that the state even lacked capacity to at least conduct judicial proceedings on the most false cases in the light of any rule of law.

He contended that the certifications of innocence were handing over to the national criminal and his money laundering expert from the SC to the Accountability Court, whereas Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were not even being provided with the full charge sheet of the case. PTI spokesperson continued that the ongoing injustice, cruelty, conspiracy and revenge clearly reflected from every aspect of the case from its secret trial in the jail to the indictment under the guise of a fabricated charge sheet. He said that the courts’ acting on the dictations of the powerful state elements and facilitating their agenda of negating Imran Khan, the PTI chairman of the most popular political party, from politics was a betrayal of the constitution, the nation and democracy. PTI spokesperson made it clear that the nation neither accepted the patronage of the thieves nor the ongoing series of state oppression and revenge against innocent political leaders and workers at present and nor would accept it in the future. He vowed that let the time come, the people would hold them accountable who committed serious crimes against the country, constitutions and the nation.

COAS says education is not an option but a ‘necessity’ 62079 Afghanistan national return to country as volunteer repatriation continues ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The volunteer repatriation of illegal Afghans national residing across the country continues on daily basis. As per record, 2518 Afghans returned to their country through Chaman and Torkham borders, the other day. The data said that a total of 62079 Afghan refugees have so far been repatriated and it was hoped that this will have a positive impact on the region. It should be mentioned here that the illegal Afghans living in Pakistan have been given a deadline of 31st October by the government to leave the country and now 08 days are left for expiry of this deadline.

PML-N chief files applications in two references for restoration of appeals ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s legal team on Monday filed applications to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking the restoration of appeals in Avenfield property and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references. On behalf of former prime minister, Advocate Amjad Pervaiz filed the applications and prayed the court to decide the appeals after hearing arguments on merit in the cases. PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif in the petitions stated that he hadn’t completely recovered from the ailment, adding he decided to return country due to the miserable economic condition of the country. He said that he was awarded the imprisonment sentence by the accountability court in his absence on July 6, 2018. He said that his wife was under medical treatment and on the ventilator in a hospital of London. He had requested the trial court to delay the judgment but the request was rejected at that time. Despite the fact, he came back to Pakistan, faced the jail and filed appeals against his convictions, he added. Nawaz Sharif said that the co-accused including Maryam Nawaz and her husband had already been acquitted in Avenfield property case. The application said that the appeals were terminated the in absence of the petitioner. It said that the former prime minister couldn’t appear before the court due to his health issues, adding he had not misused his bail in manner. It also said that the petitioner had been submitting his medical reports to the Lahore High Court (LHC).

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir, while attending as the chief guest the inaugural “Master Convocation Ceremony” at the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) on Monday, highlighted the imperative nature of education, emphasising that it is not a choice but a fundamental necessity, according to the military’s official statement. Gen Munir, who also holds the position of Chairman of the NUST Board of Governors, conferred medals upon those students who had achieved distinction, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. In his address to the graduating students, General Munir underlined that this moment signifies the commencement of a new chapter in their lives, signifying a substantial change that calls for greater responsibility. He emphasised that this newly acquired responsibility should be reflected in their character and choices as they embark on their future journeys. The COAS stressed that it is now their duty to identify and analyse the

ISLAMABAD

Afghanistan pulled off their second major shock of the Cricket World Cup on Monday when they sent Pakistan crashing to an eightwicket defeat. Chasing 283 to win, Afghanistan rode on the back of impressive innings from Ibrahim Zadran (87), Rahmat Shah (77 not out), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (65) and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (48 not out) to reach their target with six balls to spare. Afghanistan, who stunned defending

PM assures to extend support to PIA until completion of its privatization process ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has assured to continue to extend support to PIA until the completion of its privatization process. Chairing a meeting to review matters pertaining to PIA in Islamabad on Monday, he directed to accelerate the process of PIA’s privatization. He said he should be kept informed regarding the progress on the privatization of PIA. The Prime Minister said public tax money will be saved from wastage by privatizing loss making state owned enterprises. The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the current financial position of the national flag carrier and its privatization process.

Nawaz Sharif leaves for Islamabad under tight security LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

challenges confronting the nation and employ their intellectual ingenuity to seek out solutions. The National University of Sciences & Technology commenced its annual convocation week at its main campus in Islamabad today. During the convocation week, students receiving Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD degrees from all NUST Schools in the seven core disciplines will be recognised. Over 3,500 graduates are set to receive

their degrees during this event. In his interactions with the students, General Munir extended his warmest congratulations to the graduates, their parents, and the faculty. He commended NUST for creating an environment conducive to teaching and learning, one that nurtures bright minds ready to contribute to the nation. Upon his arrival at NUST, the COAS was welcomed by the University’s Rector.

Former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has left for Islamabad from his residence in Jati Umra, Lahore on Monday. The former premier left his residence under tight security. The PML-N workers also sacrificed goats on this occasion for the safety of their leader. The former premier will appear in Islamabad court Tuesday. He was granted protective bail by the Islamabad High Court in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases until October 24. According to reports, Nawaz Sharif will go to Murree where he will hold meetings with party leaders. Ishaq Dar will also be accompanying him. He will stay there for 2 to 3 days. However, no details of his Murree route have been revealed due to security reasons.

SBP increases permissible retention limit of IT exporters from 35% to 50% ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

ECC approves import of 1mn metric tons of wheat to meet shortfall ISLAMABAD

Shahzad paRaCha

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved import of 1 million metric tons (MMT) of milling wheat for the year 2023-24 to maintain the strategic reserves. The Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, and Economic Affairs, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar presided over a meeting of the ECC of the Cabinet. Sources said that the Ministry of Food Security and Research has informed the ECC that the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) has fallen short of achieving its targeted wheat purchase. Specifically, only 75 % of the target was achieved, prompting the government to consider alternative measures to ensure an adequate supply of wheat. Sources said that the Finance ministry has put forward a recommendation to import wheat through governmentto-government (G2G) agreements and open tenders. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Food Security suggested that the private sector should be encouraged to partake in wheat import, with some government support for this initiative. Sources said that the imported wheat, which will be sourced from the international market, is expected to ar-

rive in Karachi at an estimated cost of Rs. 86,811 per ton (Rs. 86.8 billion ~1 metric ton). The decision to import wheat from the global market is based on securing the commodity at the most favorable prices available. According to the finance division, the ECC gave its approval to the summary submitted by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research regarding the cost efficient import of 1.00 MMT of milling wheat for the year 2023-24, through Trading Corporation Pakistan (TCP) through open tendering, to maintain the strategic reserves. The ECC also directed the Ministry to conduct a third party verification of

World Cup 2023: Afghanistan thrash Pakistan by eight wickets Staff CoRReSpondent

Tuesday, 24 October, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

champions England earlier in the tournament, and Pakistan both now have two wins and three losses from their five group games. Afghanistan came into the game with one win from four matches while 1992 champions Pakistan had lost their last two following back-to-back opening wins. Earlier, skipper Babar Azam and opener Abdullah Shafique put up half centuries before Afghanistan’s teenage leg spinner Noor Ahmad struck twice to put the brakes on Pakistan’s progress. Contributions of 40 runs each from Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan propelled

Pakistan’s total above 280, rescuing the Green Team from a minor collapse during the middle of their innings when they found themselves four down at 163 runs. By the end of the first innings, Pakistan scored 282 at the loss of seven wickets. The national team, with two wins and as many defeats in the previous four games, brought in Shadab Khan replacing fellow spinner Mohammad Nawaz who was ruled out with illness. Afghanistan, who have just one win from four matches, named left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad in place of fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi.

the wheat stock in the country. In the session of the ECC, the Ministry of Industries and Production submitted a summary regarding the measures to meet the requirements of urea for Rabi season 2023-24. The ECC discussed the proposal in detail and approved immediate import of 200,000 MT of urea fertilizers. The meeting also directed that uninterrupted supply of gas for the fertilizer industry is to be ensured. It was also decided that the provinces will be asked to act more proactively to bear the import cost. The meeting also deliberated over a summary submitted by the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) for approval of the Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) of Rs. 484 Million to meet critical expenditure on pay and allowances of 415 contractual and project employees from July 2023 onwards. The ECC directed the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives to identify the savings to finance the salaries of the ERRA employees. A summary of the Ministry of Finance regarding the establishment of the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited to support the credit enhancement of the Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) was also considered and approved by the forum.

In order to facilitate the IT exporters, and to boost the exports of IT and IT-enabled services, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has increased the permissible retention limit from 35% to 50% of their export proceeds in the Exporters’ Specialized Foreign Currency Accounts (ESFCAs). According to a circular issued by the Exchange Policy Department (EPD), of the SBP, exporters were only allowed to retain 35% of their net foreign exchange earnings in the form of foreign currency in their ESFCAs. Further, the usage of the balances available in the ESFCAs has been simplified by allowing the IT exporters to make their payments from these accounts without any approval from SBP or their banks. The banks have also been advised to facilitate issuance of debit cards, enabling the IT exporters to make online payments from the balances available in their ESFCAs. Moreover, a new framework for freelancers has been introduced to further ease the opening of their bank accounts and allow higher retention of amounts in their foreign currency accounts (FCA). The freelancers will now be able to open the bank accounts both digitally and physically, with minimum documentation requirements. Further, their own FCAs shall be opened concurrently with the opening of their primary PKR accounts. The freelancers can retain 50% of their earnings or USD 5,000/- per month, whichever is higher, in their FCAs and will be able to make all payments from these accounts without any approval from SBP or banks. The new step comes on the back of a large number of people keeping their forex earnings offshore, rather than bringing it inside the country. Not only does a higher retention option hedge the exporter against currency risks, but also facilitates overseas transactions.

NEWS 03

PKM LEADS TO REVITALIZATION OF MAJOR CITIES IN PAKISTAN Tuesday, 24 October, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

ESHAWAR-KARACHI Motorway (PKM project) MultanSukkur section in Pakistan, initiated by China State Construction Engrg. Corp (CSCEC), has been finished in three years, witnessing the unremitting efforts of the CSCEC team for more than a decade. It is a key project of the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) and the largest transportation infrastructure project under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The friendship between China and Pakistan brought closer by PKM will stand the test of time and grow with new vitality. Dreams and hopes are intertwined, allowing more people to embrace happiness and the future together, says a report carried by Gwadar Pro on Monday. The total length of the PKM (MultanSukkur) is 392 kilometers, with 6 lanes in two directions, the design speed is 120km/h, including 100 bridges, 1,522 structures, 11 mutual interchanges, 6 pairs of service areas, 5 pairs of rest areas, and 22 toll stations. Greening and smart transport systems have been set up along the entire route to achieve full coverage of video surveillance. Wang Yaodong, General Manager of CSCEC Pakistan and Executive GM of PKM Project, noted that the intelligent toll

Norwegian hydro firm, GB govt sign agreement for investment in power sector

collection system could reduce the transit time to two or three seconds. The electronic signs can help people reach their destination faster. Intelligent traffic management system can realize the monitoring of the entire road and comprehensively master the traffic flow, event detection, and other road conditions,” he added. Smart streetlamps light up all night long, illuminating every passenger’s way home. The combination of highway construction and technology keeps the road ahead bright, giving them safety and warmth. As the first of its kind in Pakistan with intelligent transportation capabilities, the road has reduced the commuting time between Multan and Sukkur from 11 hours to 4 hours. Usman, a truck driver who travels between Multan and Sukkur all year round, knows this well. The reduced transport time has brought numerous benefits to Usman’s life. “I get more time to rest, spend with my family, and even take on additional trips. My efficiency and punctuality also improved, as I can now deliver goods to my customers in a much shorter time frame,” said Usman excitedly. The faster delivery of goods allows businesses to operate more efficiently, leading to increased productivity and growth. The reduced travel time also means perishable goods can be shipped fresher and faster, benefiting both producers and consumers.

CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

As per details, this collaborative effort is anticipated to significantly bolster the region’s energy production, contributing to a greener environment through solar energy utilization and efficient hydroelectric technology. Aligned with global environmental goals, these projects promote clean and sustainable energy solutions, emphasizing a commitment to a cleaner future. Norway’s influence on Gilgit-Baltistan’s energy landscape has been profound. Dating back to the establishment of the Gilgit-Baltistan Hydro Electric Workshop in 1992, operated by the Norwegian government until 1998. They provided essential services such as turbine refurbishment and troubleshooting of power stations. The technical staff trained during this period now plays a vital role in operating 127 hydropower stations with a combined capacity of 200 MW across the region. Norway’s establishment of hydropower stations, including the Kargah Ph-V station in Gilgit (1994), Hassan Abad station in Hunza (1994), and Shekho Tangir station (1996), was a key stuff in fortifying Gilgit-Baltistan’s energy infrastructure. This collaborative venture is expected to propel Gilgit-Baltistan towards a brighter, energy-efficient future.

ECP asks citizens to register themselves as voters tomorrow ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has asked all eligible voters to get themselves registered as the process for registration of new voters, correction of their particulars and transfer of votes will close on Wednesday. According to the ECP official, the facilitation desks operated by the Election Commission in both Islamabad and its district-level offices are actively engaged in accomplishing this assignment. He urged people to register or rectify discrepancies in the voter lists to ensure their alignment with their Computerized CNICs data by October 25, 2023. The Election Commission invoked the Elections Act, 2017 to freeze the voter lists on July 20, 2023. In order to simplify the process for the public, the lists were then unfrozen from September 28 to October 25, 2023, allowing all eligible individuals to either register, withdraw or rectify their information.

Usman’s success story soon became an inspiration to other truckers traveling the same route. They witnessed the transformation in Usman’s work and were motivated to embrace the new motorway, experiencing similar benefits. The construction of the PKM motorway has also brought new hospitals, schools, and restaurants… and brought vitality to the areas along the road. Qaisar had always dreamed of making a significant contribution to the infrastructure development of his country. After graduating from Harbin University of Science and Technology in China, he was selected to lead the construction department of the PKM Motorway project due to his exceptional organizational skills and extensive experience in the construction industry. From the very beginning, Qaisar faced numerous challenges. The project required meticulous planning, coordination and effective communication with various stakeholders, including government officials, engineers, contractors and local communities. With unwavering determination, the Chinese and Pakistani staff assembled a team of highly skilled professionals who shared their passion for excellence. They emphasized the importance of teamwork and encouraged open communication among team members. Regular meetings were held to discuss progress, address concerns, and brainstorm innovative solutions. By closely monitoring every aspect of the project, PKM engineers ensured

that the construction activities adhered to the highest quality standards and were completed within the scheduled timeline. They also prioritized safety, implementing strict safety protocols to protect both the workers and the surrounding environment. As Qaisar reflected on his journey, he felt a deep sense of fulfillment. The PKM Motorway project has not only transformed the physical landscape but also left an indelible mark on the lives of countless individuals. Qaisar’s legacy as the project manager of the construction department will forever be remembered as a symbol of progress and development in Pakistan. A total of 350,00 staff, including Qaisar, were involved in the PKM project. Over 4,500 equipment operators and 2,300 management and technical personnel were trained. The road built by CSCEC has opened up a world of possibilities for countless people like Usman and Qaisar. 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the joint construction of BRI. In the past ten years, CSCEC has taken “expanding happiness space” as its mission, adhering to the core values of “quality assurance and value creation”, and deeply cultivating the urban development along the “Belt and Road”. Taking this opportunity, CSCEC carried out the video planning of the 10th anniversary of the “Witnessing Revitalization of the Cities- a Tale of ten cities initiative.

Govt plans ‘massive hike’ in gas prices ostensibly to bridge revenue shortfall of Sui companies CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

Sources also informed that the gas price for export industry (process & captive) is proposed to be revised from existing Rs 1100/mmbtu to Rs 2,050/mmbtu and the gas price for non-export industry (process & captive) is proposed to be increased from existing Rs 1,200/mmbtu to Rs 2,600/mmbtu. Also, the gas price for the category of CNG is proposed to be revised rom Rs 1,805/mmbtu to Rs 4,400/mmbtu. Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) are public sector gas utility companies licensed from Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) for purchase, transmission, distribution and sale of gas to consumers in the country. OGRA determines annual revenue requirements of both sui companies in accordance with the respective license conditions, Nat-

ural Gas Tariff Rules 2002 and Section 8 of the OGRA Ordinance 2002. OGRA issued its determination of Estimated Revenue Requirements (ERR) for FY 2023-24 on 02-06-2023 for both SNGPL and SSGCL. According to the said determination, SNGPL required a revenue of Rs 358 billion and SSGC required a revenue of Rs 339 billion in FY 2023-24. Pursuant to Section 8(3) of the OGRA Ordinance 2002, federal government was required to advise OGRA to revise the consumer gas prices in accordance with government policy with effect from 1st July 2022 within 40 days of determination of OGRA. However, the revision in consumer gas prices could not be done as of date. Due t price inaction, the sui companies have already carried the revenue shortfall for the period July to September 2023. Section 8(3) of OGRA Ordinance requires the federal government to en-

sure that the sale prices so advised are not less than the revenue requirement(s) determined by the Authority. However, the consumer gas prices have not been adequately revised consistent with OGRA’s determination since FY 2013-14. This has resulted in accumulation of revenue shortfall/tariff differential amounting to Rs 878 billion (SSGCL: Rs 450 billion, SNGPL: Rs 332 billion) as of June 2023. This is part of petroleum sector’s total circular debt stock (excluding late payment surcharge) of approximately Rs 2,100 billion. Price inaction until June 2024 will result in revenue shortfall of Rs 185 billion on natural gas only. Companies have already carried a revenue shortfall of Rs 46 billion for the period July to September, 2023. On the other hand, the deficit on RLNG diversion of Rs 210 billion is anticipated during this winter, bringing the total shortfall to Rs 395 billion.

Marriyum Aurangzeb moves ATC for acquittal in anti-state speech case LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

Former information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Monday filed a plea in an anti-terrorism court (ATC) for dismissal of a case registered against her for an anti-state speech. The Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader appeared in the court of judge Abhar Gul Khan. The former minister contended in her application that she had no role in the talk show and was not responsible for the conversation in the programme. Marriyum requested the

court that she be acquitted in the case. Later, the court adjourned hearing for November 11. Talking to media after appearing before the court, Marriyum said that people from across Pakistan travelled to Lahore to welcome Nawaz Sharif. She thanked the people who welcomed their leader. “Only Nawaz Sharif can pull the country out of crises,” she added. The PML-N leader claimed that the country was thrown into chaos for removing only one person from power in 2017. She said people were aware of reality. “The masses are hopeful even today that

Nawaz Sharif will usher in an era of prosperity and development in the country,” she continued. Marriyum said Nawaz Sharif never placed petrol bombs in the hands of youth; he always talked about giving them employment. “The country was progressing in 2017; Nawaz Sharif’s narrative today is peace and prosperity,” she stated. She said that all stakeholders have to join hands with the PML-N and take the country out of crises. She said even opponents of Nawaz Sharif also praised him for his vision he outlined in his speech at Minar-e-Pakistan.

PMD issues alert for coastal areas of Pakistan against Cyclone TEJ KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a sixth alert against cyclone TEJ. It said the cyclonic storm TEJ over Southwest Arabian Sea had moved further west-northwestward, and had intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS). It said a low-pressure system had been evolved in the Arabian Sea. The evolving weather phenomenon, located

at a significant distance from Pakistan’s coastal areas, is expected to transform into a cyclonic storm within the next 24 hours, according to PMD reports. The low-pressure system is currently situated approximately 1,550 kilometres from Gwadar, indicating the potential for cyclonic activity in the region. Currently the cyclone was 380 km away from Oman and 290 km away from Yemen. It said the speed of the winds at the centre of cyclone was 170-190 km per

hour, creating waves in the sea over 45 metres high. Another weather disturbance is identified around 1,750 kilometers south of Gwadar, further underlining the need for vigilance in the affected areas. The PMD said a low-pressure system might escalate into a depression, a precursor to a full-fledged cyclone. The trajectory of the developing depression suggested it would move towards Oman, becoming a cyclone in the process.

77 flights cancelled as PIA’s crisis spirals amid ‘reported’ fuel supply halt CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

It is pertinent to mention here that Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar had already directed authorities concerned to expedite the privatization process of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Domestic flights cancelled As many as 25 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) domestic flights were cancelled on Sunday as the airline’s financial crisis aggravated. As many as 16 flights of the airline heading to different destinations from Karachi could not take off. Similarly, Islamabad-Karachi flights, PK 300, PK 308, PK 340, PK 301 and PK 369 also had to be cancelled. Two Lahore-Karachi flights PK 303 and PK 307 failed to take off either. Likewise, three flights, heading from Karachi to Lahore, PK 302, PK 304 and PK 306 which were to leave today also had to be cancelled. Moreover, six flights of the national flag carrier from Karachi to Gwadar, Bahawalpur and Faisalabad and vice versa had to be cancelled as well. One flight from Sialkot to Muscat and another from Muscat to Sialkot could not depart either. Four flights heading from Lahore and Islamabad to Quetta and vice versa were cancelled too. Similarly, two PIA flights from Islamabad to Jeddah and vice versa and one flight PK 288 which was to leave Doha for Islamabad was also cancelled.

SC declares military trials of civilians null and void CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

At one point, Justice Ahsan asked, “A constitutional amendment was required to try terrorists but not for civilians? I am trying to understand your argument.” AGP Awan said that if the accused had a “direct link” to the armed forces, then a constitutional amendment was not required. He said that the suspects would be tried under Section 2(1)(d)(ii) of the Army Act. He then noted that the court had raised a question about the framing of charges against the suspects. “All the requirements of a criminal case will be met in the trial under the Army Act,” he said. He further said that the trial of May 9 suspects would be similar to how it is conducted in criminal courts. “The reasoning will be given in the verdict and the evidence will be recorded,” Awan said. He said all the requirements for fair trial under Article 10-A (right to fair trial) of the Constitution would be fulfilled. He said that appeals against the verdict could also be filed in the high courts and subsequently the apex court. During the hearing, Justice Ahsan asked about those who had been tried by military courts in the past. “Were the accused in 2015 civilians, foreigners or terrorists?” he asked. The AGP replied that the suspects included both nationals and foreigners. He said that those tried in 2015 also included those who facilitated terrorists. Justice Ayesha also asked the AGP how he would connect his arguments with Article 8(3) of the Constitution. “According to the law, a link to the armed forces in necessary [for trial in military courts],” she said. Justice Ahsan remarked that the Constitution protected the fundamental rights of citizens.

Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood indicted in cypher case CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Marwat also told the media that the PTI chief and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood were once again brought to the court in a cage. He claimed that Judge Zulqernain said the next hearing will take place in a bigger room. The lawyer informed the media that statements of 22 people who held press conferences over the May 9 events were recorded, while statements of PTI members were also recorded under Section 164 of CrPC. He also feared that Imran Khan’s case will be sent to the military court based on these statements, the lawyer claimed. PTI lawyer Salman Safdar claimed the high court pronounced a verdict on the jail trial, but they did not get the copies. He hoped a decision will be announced on the remaining applications by Monday. He said Imran Khan was informed about the legal matters, and he asked to challenge the decision on the jail trial. The high court verdict will be challenged by Salman Akram Raja.

Meeting 90-day deadline for elections no longer possible: CJP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

“Yes, that’s what we only want that elections be held in the country,” said the counsel. However, CJP Isa stated that the SCBA’s petition was based on the census issue. At this, Justice Minallah inquired when the 90-day time period would end. “90 day period will complete on November 3,” responded Zuberi. “If we give orders to hold polls within 90 days will it be possible to hold the elections?” asked the CJP. Zuberi then conceded that if the top court gives the order even then it will not be possible to hold the elections within 90 days. The CJP then advised the lawyer to amend his petition, asking that if the president didn’t give a date, should the court issue a notice to him. “President has immunity,” responded Zuberi. “What can we do against the president? We can issue orders to restore our writ, if anyone is violating the Constitution then Article 6 will be applied,” remarked CJP Isa. Zuberi then mentioned that the Supreme Court had ordered polls be held in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. At this, the CJP agreed with the lawyer but asked him if the matter was not sub judice and told

the lawyer that they should file a contempt petition as no one was stopping them. The CJP then remarked that one of the lawyers had written to the president to give an election date and wondered what happened with the letter. Lawyer Munir Ahmed, who is one of the petitioners in the case, stated that they did not get any response from the president. “Then you are holding the president responsible for the delay in elections,” remarked CJP Isa on this. At this point, Justice Minallah interjected, stating that the census was a constitutional requirement and a delay in the elections was understandable. He then advised the lawyer to restrict his case to the issue of polls in 90 days. “It is not possible to hold polls within 90 days tell us what is possible,” remarked CJP Isa. Moving on, lawyer Anwar Mansoor Khan contended that after President Arif Alvi’s letter, it was the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) responsibility to give a date for the polls. However, the CJP said that the president himself was asking for an opinion in the document that he was using in his arguments. He also asked if the court should give a decision based on a tweet. The CJP then asked the SCBA president whose re-

sponsibility was to give a date for the polls. Who responded that it was the president’s prerogative. “You are twisting things again, If the president is responsible then do you want action against the president?” CJP Isa asked Zuberi. SCBA president then maintained that holding polls within 90 days was a constitutional requirement. But the CJP responded that the counsel was not pointing his fingers at the person responsible for not holding the polls within 90 days. “If you talk about elections then we can give a decision but if you talk about the interpretation of the constitution then we will have to form a constitutional bench,” said CJP Isa. He added that the bench had two questions to answer as to who was responsible for announcing the date of the polls and the other was if elections can be held within 90 days. The CJP then adjourned the hearing till November 2 and in his written order’s given in the court stated that the petitioners are contending that the census was notified as an excuse to delay the elections. “The petitioners said that holding the election in 90 days is a constitutional requirement. According to the petitioners, elections are not possible within 90 days

after the delimitation of constituencies and the census,” said the court. The court then issued notices to the ECP and the federal government in the case.

On ads and arguments

04 COMMENT

A big judgment

The civil courts, for civilians

T was four-to-one on the bench and the four in question have decided that civilians being tried for the May 9th riots shall not be tried in military courts. Regardless of how one feels about the perpetrators of the acts of that day, the principled stance should be to appreciate this decision by the Supreme Court. The apex court said the trials of 103 civilians and accused persons, identified by the government in a list provided to the SC, and all other persons who may be placed under trial in connection with the events of May 9 should be held in criminal courts. “It is further declared that any action or proceedings under the Army Act in respect of the aforesaid persons or any other persons so similarly placed (including but not limited to trial by court martial) are and would be of no legal effect,” the court added. For those awfully concerned about Pakistan’s image abroad, it is worth noting that it is steps like these that redeem our image as a republic with a working judicial system. The counterclaim to a statement like this would be that the impression of impunity being given to rioters doesn’t do our image any good either. But that stems from a misunderstanding of the judgment. It does not absolve the rioters, but only asserts that the responsibility for deciding their innocence or guilt, and their punishment in case of the latter, rests on the shoulders of the civil judiciary. In civilised democracies, civil rights activists try to wrest even serving military officials from court martials and try to get them tried in civil courts. They fail, of course, because court martials do have a place in all the militaries of the world, but there is at least a constant pressure to do away with the opacity of the military court process as much as it is possible. This suspicion on the nature of military courts should not be taken as a comment on our own army, because it is a worldwide phenomenon. As the famous French prime minister Clemenceau quipped, “Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.”

Unfulfilled promises and false claims galore

hAsAN AFtAB sAeeD

E are all sellers of one item or another. It could be a product, our own skill and talent, or an idea or philosophy close to our hearts at any given time. Whether a man offers trash or something worthwhile could, in many cases, be a subjective judgment on the part of the buyer. But the least that is expected of a decent man is that he will not supply garbage after advertising it as gold. Unfortunately, there is a big gulf between what men claim up front and what they actually end up delivering. Most advertising is such that it attempts to give an impression of demonstrating the original claim, where in fact it demonstrates something quite different. To cite an example, if the claim of Manufacturer A is that its sponge absorbs water faster than sponges from other manufacturers do, then the demonstration better not be that it absorbs more water, which is ‘proved’ when the two sponges are squeezed to release water into their respective buckets. The adman hopes that his potential customers will fail to notice the difference between more and quicker; and indeed, a large majority does not disappoint him. Of course, the adman does it deliberately, with impunity, and availing himself of every psychological

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami

Finding balance Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi

Executive Editor

Moscow’s strategy towards the Israel-Palestine war

trick up his sleeve. Whether it is the more familiar variety of advertiser that works for corporations or the thinly-disguised variant that is apt to introduce himself as media or campaign manager for a politician, the modus operandi is identical. False and misleading claims are right up there with fake reviews and testimonials when it comes to bread-and-butter tactics for advertisers. Sadly, most of us are guilty of the exact same behaviour as the adman’s, at least insofar as the results are concerned, even if in some cases it is done subconsciously, or (at any rate) not completely consciously. The only other difference is that while the adman is likely to be proud of himself for having exercised his marketing skills successfully, the ordinary man tends to hide from others and from himself anything but the most upright behaviour on his part. Just observe a man courting a woman, or a woman trying to get a man to woo her, or both the woman’s and the man’s folks in the stages preceding an arranged marriage. Every one of them attempts to projects an image scarcely possible for a mortal to live up to in real life, and which could not be more distant from his or her true self. The result is extreme disappointment on all sides, often followed by acute disillusionment. In many instances, the elaborate pretence at play stays in the subconscious mind (sometimes elaborate care is exercised to ensure that it stays there) so that the person manages to be happily oblivious of it. Using this brand of marketing, people not only sell their products (or their selves) but their social, religious and political views as well. Good Samaritans like you and I routinely deceive one another in this way: A position is taken by somebody, and the reasoning (in his opinion) behind it presented. If you are brash enough to point out the weakness of the argument, the person is apt to look at you as though you have completely lost your marbles. Most likely, what is actually going on beneath the surface however is that he finds himself stumped, because he has never bothered to subject his opinion to any sort of scrutiny ever. Trust him to pull himself together

Using this brand of marketing, people not only sell their products (or their selves) but their social, religious and political views as well. Good Samaritans like you and I routinely deceive one another in this way: A position is taken by somebody, and the reasoning (in his opinion) behind it presented. If you are brash enough to point out the weakness of the argument, the person is apt to look at you as though you have completely lost your marbles.

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Joint Editor

Gul AyeshA BhAtti

N the heart of the ever-shifting geopolitical terrain, on October 7th, the IsraelPalestine war resulted in the deaths of numerous civilians. Israel’s imposition of a comprehensive blockade on Gaza, which Human Rights Watch has denounced as “collective punishment” and a “war crime,” poses a significant threat to the lives of the 2.3 million Palestinians confined within the beleaguered area. Israeli forces are continuously targeting innocent Palestinians in all possible inhumane ways. Russia, which has strong relations with Israel and engages in diplomatic discussions with Hamas without officially labeling it a terrorist organization, has responded to this extraordinary situation with caution and restraint. Moscow’s strategy in this conflict is centered on maintaining equilibrium and fostering amicable relations with all parties involved. President Putin’s government has criticized the use of violence by both Hamas and Israel and has attributed most of the responsibility to the United States’ destructive approach which had ignored the need for an independent Palestinian state. Putin expressed his concerns over the significant rise in Israeli and Palestinian fatalities during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Moscow three days after Hamas’ attack. The Russian president seized the chance to reaffirm his government’s stance that establishing a Palestinian state is “essential” while simultaneously criticizing US policy and the UN role. He asserted that the U.S. has focused on providing economic “handouts” to the Palestinians while paying little regard to their fundamental challenges related to statehood, Putin described it as a manifestation of what he called an obvious failure of Washington’s peacemaking efforts. On 13 October, Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, urged for a “humanitarian ceasefire” and proposed a resolution to the UN Security Council. The resolution explicitly denounces all violence and conflicts targeted at people and any acts of terrorism. She also criticized the Western countries, accusing Washington of being accountable for the imminent conflict in the Middle East and criticizing Brus-

sels for disregarding the Israeli air force’s assaults on civilian facilities in the Gaza Strip. The UN Security Council rejected the Russian-led draft resolution, with France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States all voting against it. Russia attributed it to the “selfish intention of the Western bloc.” Russian officials are engaged in discussions with their counterparts from Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, and Turkey regarding different aspects of this crisis. These discussions have included topics such as the potential hazards of the conflict spreading, efforts to reach a truce, and the difficult situation Palestinian refugees face. In essence, Russia’s objective is to establish stability in the Israel-Palestine region and avert any additional loss of life. Moscow desires the implementation of a ceasefire and is advocating for a UN Security Council resolution that would explicitly require the parties engaged in the conflict to comply. Russia has shown interest in volunteering to mediate between Israel and Hamas, utilizing its connections with both parties. Moscow’s assertion that a two-state resolution is vital for addressing the conflict in Israel-Palestine aligns with the agreement among Arab states and the international community. Therefore, Russia aims to demonstrate its global integration and assert its significant diplomatic influence and power in the Middle East. Russia is attempting to attract the countries in the Global South by positioning itself as the antithesis of the United States. Additionally, it aims to strengthen its influence in the Middle East and the Global South by portraying itself as a supporter of the Palestinian cause Moscow is concerned about the possibility of this crisis spreading to other states in the Middle East, such as Lebanon and Syria. In the event of a full-scale conflict between Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Israel, it is likely that a significant number of Hezbollah forces would have to withdraw from Syria and return to Lebanon. Given these conditions, the Assad regime’s grip

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Tuesday, 24 October, 2023

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on authority may be compromised due to the multitude of economic challenges and social unrest afflicting Syria. This implies that Russia would assume a larger responsibility in terms of supporting the Syrian regime. In the backdrop of the Ukraine war, Moscow does not desire such a burden. Russia has demonstrated its ability to maintain strong relationships with both Israel and Iran consistently over the years. One may legitimately question the potential impact of a direct military conflict between Israel and Iran on Moscow’s ability to maintain positive relations with both Tel Aviv and Tehran. The Russians aim to avoid a scenario where they are forced to make a decision between their alliances with Israel and Iran. In the event of a larger clash between Israel and Iran, Moscow would have to closely monitor the potential repercussions of such a situation on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Kremlin places great importance on peace and stability in the Gulf due to Russia’s reliance on its relationship with Riyadh through OPEC Plus for its energy policies, as well as the significant role of the UAE, in helping Russia withstand economic pressure from the West. The potential consequences of an open conflict between Israel and Iran on the security of GCC states are unpredictable and might be significant. Moscow cannot disregard these concerns. Assessing the impact of the conflict in IsraelPalestine on Russia’s national interests is challenging. It is difficult to anticipate whether the awful violence in the Israel-Palestine war will, on balance, benefit or hinder Russia’s interests. However, Putin underscored that all efforts must be taken to swiftly terminate the war and pleaded with both the Israeli government and Hamas not to target civilians, warning that escalation would have serious implications. Questions regarding how the Hamas-Israel issue would affect Moscow and its foreign policy ambitions are tricky and will require more time to examine as the situation continuously evolves. Nevertheless, Moscow is ready to perform the role of mediator in the Middle East in an effort to find a long-term solution to the Palestinian cause.

The writer can be guleayeshabhatti@gmail.com

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

reached

Relevant evidence is seldom demanded, still less provided. No wonder the argument provided in the rare case when it is demanded leaves much to be desired. It is true that if somebody happens to be bashful or an outright introvert, he may not have advertised his thoughts to anybody else and offer a hastily-assemled argument that (he hopes) supports his conclusion. In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred however, the argument would be such that while it could support many positions, it does not support his original claim. Like the sponge example above, oft-times the conclusion it leads to is easy to confuse with his conclusion, but it is certainly not his conclusion. This is the plight of very many arguments in people’s mind that appear ‘irrefutable’ so long as they refrain from scrutinizing them. Not that the man is likely to abandon his position when he is finally forced to do that; for by now, it has typically become a matter of ego more than about what makes sense. The standard of evidence that humans typically hold themselves and others up to for presenting or accepting a philosophy are notoriously low. Relevant evidence is seldom demanded, still less provided. No wonder the argument provided in the rare case when it is demanded leaves much to be desired. It is true that if somebody happens to be bashful or an outright introvert, he may not have advertised his thoughts to anybody else. Even so, he has sold it to himself, if to nobody else. This makes this subtle form of deception the deadliest there can be. Whether something is worth offering (or accepting) may be a subjective call in many instances. That being said, whether the product happens to be a lowly sponge, a refrigerator, one’s hand in marriage, a political idea, a religious interpretation or a social change, the prevalent lack of honesty while promising it does the human race no credit whatsoever. What is more, it contributes very negatively to human happiness. As a species we would be much better off being a little more candid with one another and, more importantly, with ourselves.

The author is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed

Editor’s mail

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

Increase in overseas Pakistanis

THE revelation of the increase in the number of Pakistani beggars in foreign countries is a matter of concern and tarnishes Pakistan’s global prestige. Media reports about this are alarming. Every year, one million people are moving to foreign countries. On one hand, this network of beggars needs to be strictly broken, and on the other hand, those involved in this heinous business should be arrested immediately and brought to justice. Jails in Iraq and Saudi Arabia are full of these Pakistani beggars. According to media reports, a developed country like Japan has demanded 340,000 skilled people from Pakistan. Unfortunately, only 200 people will be sent to Japan. India has sent 150,000, while Nepal has sent 91,000 skilled people to Japan. Skilled people from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are also being sent to Japan. According to government data, 50 thousand engineers are unemployed in the country. Thousands of highly educated people are leaving the country every year due to the current situation. 1.6 lakh Pakistanis work in the UAE, while 2 lakh Pakistanis work in Qatar. Among these countries, 90% of the donkeys are from Pakistan. It is sad that most of the pickpockets caught inside the Haram Sharif are Pakistanis. Such groups must be eradicated, as they are a source of shame for the country and the nation. From the government down to the beggars, the spread of poverty must stop. IMRAN UL HAQ LAHORE

Rise of essential commodities

THROUGH the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to draw the government’s attention to the rising prices of essential commodities. The problem of rising prices has become very common. The prices of essential commodities, such as pulses, cereals, oil, spices, sugar, onions, vegetables, and other basic necessities of life, have reached new heights. The steep rise in prices has hit hard on the poor and lower-middleclass families. It has become very difficult for people to make ends meet. Middle-class salaried people cannot manage their household budgets within their salaries. The poor section of society and wage earners are the worst affected. The main reasons for the price hike are black marketing, hoarding, falling production, an improper distribution system, and corruption at all levels. It’s high time that the government takes the necessary steps to control prices. The government needs to act strictly against hoarding, black marketing, and profiteering of essential items. Acts of corruption and bribery must be rooted out. Only then can the common man be relieved from the effects of the price rise. AREEBA SIKANDAR KARACHI

Beggars and pickpockets

ONE of the reasons is that our rulers talk about breaking begging bowls and, after an instant, go begging with bigger begging bowls. When the government gloats over receiving IMF loans as a big success, then 90 percent of Pakistanis resort to a begging spree or busy themselves with pickpocketing. Furthermore, all our social security grants, including BISP, and, in the wake of natural disasters, unconditional cash support by humanitarian organisations also encourage dependence on cash handouts without doing any work. Seeking government jobs through favouritism and drawing salaries without performing duties is worse than begging. However, in this chronically inflation-infected country, there might be a large number of the neediest who require cash support to complement their low incomes or compensate for having no income. But, at the same time, due to the decadeslong process of delivering cash support without proper identification and verification, a considerable number of professional beggars have emerged. GULSHER PANHWER JOHI

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

But no home to return to

Muneeb ur rahMan HERE do the people belong to? The land, where they are born and raised or the land their ancestors used to live in? The answer to this simple question sometimes becomes very complex especially if you

are a refugee. For decades Pakistan has remained as a haven for escaping conflict and upheaval in Afghanistan, hosting about 5 million Afghan refugees at a time. Pakistan has been generously hosting Afghan refugees since 1980. Starting from the US-sponsored, Afghan Jihad against the former Soviet Union, with an off-and-on continued policy of allowing them a warm welcome for the past 40 years. Some refugees are registered, some are unregistered while others, through irregular channels like forgery and bribery, have become formal Pakistani citizens. However, this is not possible for every impover-

ished Afghan refugee as it requires a potential middleman to have a connection with high officials and is an expensive process. After decades of hosting Afghan refugees. The Pakistani caretaker government has set November 1 as the deadline for 1.7 million undocumented Afghans to leave the country or face deportation. This is incredibly difficult and heartbreaking for individuals who are born and raised in a country, and one day a 28-day deadline is announced for them to leave the country and ordered to go to a country that might have been a home to their ancestors but they have only heard about that place and had never seen and been there. This situation becomes more bayonet when the economic and security situation of a country ordered to go are dire and one has no home to return to and has the fear of being detained if deported to that country. The Pakistani government has remained silent on human rights laws which advocate that states should grant nationality at least to those refugees born on their territory and not convicted of any criminal charges and offense against the national security of that state. Unfortunately, Pakistan did not enact nor establish any comprehensive policy and procedure to determine the refugee’s status and treated them with ambiguous Foreigners Act, 1946. This uncertain status of residence is even for the thousands of Afghan refugees born and raised in Pakistan. These poor refugees born and raised in Pakistan are considered Pak-

istani agents in Afghanistan and are being humiliated on both sides and remain stateless. We need to understand that no one ever choses to be a refugee by his or her own will, it is only necessitated upon them. This decision of sudden deportation will further worsen the dire economic, security, and humanitarian situation grappling with, malnutrition, starvation, and harsh winter in Afghanistan and will create a sense of uncertainty, loss, and displacement. This sudden shift in policy will not work for Pakistan either. How the Pakistani government is going to pinpoint these refugees? They may track some poor Afghan refugees but in general, their differentiation is very difficult. This vague plan of deporting the refugees will apparently allow the local authorities to ratify whatever force they deem fit. There are already reports of Extra-judicial excesses committed by the officers during this exercise including harassing even the registered Afghans, possessing Proof of Registration (PoR) Card. They are being demanded for bribes, and forced with the confiscation of PoR card cases if they donot comply. The current political instability, economic disaster, and internal disunity of Pakistan and Afghanistan both demand a no-showdown with Afghanistan. Moreover, the growing concern of Afghan refugees as a security threat is an inhumane childish hypothesis with scant evidence. The terrorist activities in Pakistan are mostly pursued by groups from Afghanistan and India with a deliberate strategy for sending operatives into the country. The poor Afghan refugees should not be made responsible for paying the price for this, as most of

The current political instability, economic disaster, and internal disunity of Pakistan and Afghanistan both demand a noshowdown with Afghanistan. Moreover, the growing concern of Afghan refugees as a security threat is an inhumane childish hypothesis with scant evidence. The terrorist activities in Pakistan are mostly pursued by groups from Afghanistan and India with a deliberate strategy for sending operatives into the country.

Why France is happy to turn its Muslim and Jewish citizens against each other France’s politicians, thinking only of their careers, are trying to overlook the republic’s history of structural antisemitism by endorsing Israel’s actions in Gaza

COMMENT 05

Ordered to leave

Tuesday, 24 October, 2023

MIDDLE EAST EYE

Marwan MuhaMMad

N France, there is massive popular support for the Palestinian cause. Tens of thousands of people understand colonisation and, despite the grossly one-sided media coverage of the massacres and human rights violations in Palestine, many read reports from the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. As a result, Israel’s colonial policy and its far-right racist government programme are clearly understood as apartheid and ethnic cleansing. Unsurprisingly, this support for Palestinians does not sit well with the current French government, whose stance against Muslims is now a constant source of international ridicule and concern. Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron’s team is so desperate to secure the far-right vote that it has accused Marine Le Pen of being “too soft on Islam”. So the political framing of the Palestinian struggle for freedom is in part influenced by domestic biases against religious and ethno-cultural minorities, with most racist or ignorant media pundits projecting onto Palestinians any tropes they can conjure up from their anti-Arab and antiMuslim playbook. The problem is that some of these pundits are now ministers, and, in order to advance their ideological and political objectives, they use the French Republic’s institutions and laws to criminalise and destroy any form of dissent. In that sense, the tools and legal provisions used to demonise climate activists or pro-Palestinian organisations are the very same instruments that were designed to specifically target Muslims under the guise of “fighting separatism”. This is why activist Mariam Abudaqa, a long-time defender of Palestinian women’s rights, who came legally to France for a series of conferences, was arrested this week and faces deportation. This is why the French government is banning all demonstrations in support of Palestinians by labelling them as “pro-Hamas” and “public disorder” risks. And this is why the minister of interior has announced his plan to disband several organisations by accusing them of “promoting Hamas explicitly or implicitly”.

DUBIOUS PARALLEL: These measures could make the support for a human rights and international law-based proPalestinian movement a de-facto clandestine operation, with the government considering that “anti-Zionism is unquestionably a form of antisemitism” and that “the hate of the Jews meets the hate of the police”, in a dubious parallel. This marginalises France even further and adds to the pile of its violations of fundamental freedoms. But how did this “cafe-du-commerce” ignorant style

rant become a defining and structural feature of the French government’s foreign and domestic policy? How did we shift from Dominique de Villepin’s historical 2003 speech at the UN opposing the invasion of Iraq, and Jacques Chirac’s calling out of Israeli police harassment, to a full and unconditional endorsement of Israel’s apartheid and ethnic cleansing programme? Well, mainly for two reasons. The first one is global: there has been a consistent effort from pro-Israeli groups and lobbies to push for the criminalisation of pro-Palestinian movements, from the adoption of a politically disputed and deliberately extensive definition of antisemitism to the targeting of Muslim and Arab organisations, used as proxies for the Palestinians’ cause. In this respect, France is just another space in this ongoing campaign, with no regard to what harm it may cause Muslims and Jews in France. The second one is specific to France: the country collaborated with the Nazis willingly. Before the Nazis even asked, the French government implemented a series of measures that essentially removed Jews from civil service, before actually starting to confiscate Jewish property. As historian Robert Paxton explained: “The Vichy French government participated willingly in the deportations and did most of the arresting... The arrest of foreign Jews often involved separating families from their children, sometimes in broad daylight, and it had a very powerful effect on public opinion.” Overall, the French authorities helped to deport 75,721 Jewish refugees and French citizens to death camps.

A TOXIC CONSTRUCTION: From this history (back to Napoleon and even further), one can understand there is an ongoing, deeply rooted structural form of antisemitism in France, in which the government has always played a central role, from the Décret Crémieux (asking Jews to give away their identity as a condition for assimilation) to the Dreyfus affair. This history has consequences on the short-term thinking of contemporary politicians: they have to prove they no longer share this vision of Jews as a political problem. Even when they actually do. It usually means endorsing reversely racist views against Arabs and Muslims in a French political debate where the ongoing antisemitism is only partially hidden by an omnipresent form of Islamophobia, and where, in a toxic construction, some want to oppose French Muslims and Jews. The situation is made even more poisonous by the fact that the Jewish community in France has been the target of a series of killings and terrorist attacks from groups who identify as Islamist (which racists deliberately try to conflate with Muslims). This is how Minister of Interior Gerald Darmanin can brush away serious accusations of antisemitism by endorsing the Israeli government’s narrative. Darmanin, who explained that “tens of thousands of Jews in France caused difficulties... and gave rise to troubles and complaints”, feels compelled to give proof of his support for Israel. He does this even if it adds to the confusion between the colonial state and French citizens of Jewish faith, while further criminalising support for Palestinians and Muslim-Arab communities in France. Instead of bringing people together, this tragic history is used by politicians to try and turn communities against one another and advance their own careers, at the expense of their own citizens and the further weakening of France’s credibility at an international level. Meanwhile, the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza continues.

Marwan Muhammad is a French-Egyptian author and statistician. After a career in finance, he dedicated the last 12 years to the fight against Islamophobia.

The Pakistani government has remained silent on human rights laws which advocate that states should grant nationality at least to those refugees born on their territory and not convicted of any criminal charges and offense against the national security of that state. Unfortunately, Pakistan did not enact nor establish any comprehensive policy and procedure to determine the refugeeÊs status and treated them with ambiguous Foreigners Act, 1946. them have little or nothing to do with this. This security concern can best be dealt by focusing on improving the spatial border security mechanism and developing a comprehensive joint counterterrorism framework of cooperation with the Taliban that can seek an end to cross-border terrorism rather than extorting refugees having security concerns with the Taliban. Afghan refugees in Pakistan are also seen as an extra burden on the country’s economy but the cause of damage to Pakistan’s economy in reality is rooted in the illegal trade. Illegal smuggling in the guise of legitimate business, is greatly impacting the economy of the country. Sadly, this trade has not been regularized as it goes against the interests of a minor powerful lobby of Pakistani citizens backed by officials who are taking personal benefits from this. Shouldn’t the illegal trade be focused on rather than deporting the refugees? Stability and steady ties with Afghanistan are of significant importance and a strategic compulsion for Pakistan given its relations with a seven times larger country on the eastern border. It is also our moral responsibility to protect and support these vulnerable refugees. Pakistani strategists need to think about winning the hearts and minds of Afghans by making relevant sympathetic laws for removing uncertainty on the refugees’ status and refugee management in Pakistan. Pakistan needs to adopt comprehensive policies and procedures to facilitate crossborder movement and trade that could benefit both states, instead of a policy that will endure on its ideological and security interests and make a friend an enemy.

The author is Research Officer at Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN) at BUITEMS and can be reached at muneebnasar@yahoo.com

Arundhati Roy is being hounded by the Indian state That the author could be prosecuted for comments made 13 years ago is absurd – but also a deadly threat to freedom of speech

GUARDIAN

Meena KandasaMy

HE climate for media and free speech in India is in a dangerous place. The country is already ranked 161 out of 180 countries in the press freedom index, but the actions of prime minister Narendra Modi’s government in the past few weeks have shown how many more clampdowns await. Desperately in need of distraction tactics – given the many failures in governance, tackling inflation or delivering jobs – the regime is after a fresh dose of sound and fury against political opponents. And so a decade-old case has been dusted off, paving the way for initiating legal proceedings against the novelist, journalist and activist Arundhati Roy for comments she made in 2010 about Indian Occupied Kashmir. The Kashmiri law professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain has also had charges against him approved. It comes after police raids on the homes of more than 40 journalists in Delhi and elsewhere. They have been slapped with terrorism charges and had their phones and laptops seized. They were working for NewsClick, a website accused of having funding links with China: a charge denied by both the website and its funders. The original complaint against Roy is based on comments she made at a conference in New Delhi where she said Kashmir – the region disputed between India and Pakistan – has never been an “integral” part of India. Shorn of context, these words were used by the right to portray Roy as an “anti-national”. She has been charged for “offences related to provocative speech and the promotion of enmity between different groups”. Unleashing the state machinery against Roy shows that the Modi regime has crossed the Rubicon. In millennial speak, no other Indian writer has similar flex on a global level. The legal proceedings set to be launched against Roy are therefore a testing ground. Once the regime realises that it can go after Roy without a big reaction, it’s open season on all publishers, editors and authors. What’s more, the scourge of selfcensorship already tempers any potential criticisms of the state. Fear feeds our silences, but none of this makes headlines. The ripple effect of what will follow the public bullying of Roy is scary.

It will certainly embolden the vast troll armies that exist virtually, and their members and supporters who inhabit the streets. This won’t be just a one-off case – they will go after anyone who has made the slightest whimper of displeasure against the regime. I also fear that the ruling party, the BJP, and its affiliated student groups will take it to the next level. The last nine years of the regime has been replete with demands that the work of dissenters be removed from university syllabuses. Educational institutions will become the next contested site for rightwing bullying. Drawing strength from the action against Roy, they might disrupt peaceful meetings. Inspired by this case (and that of opposition politician Rahul Gandhi, who was disqualified from parliament before being reinstated), underlings of the regime would prove their loyalty and quench their thirst for publicity by using the legal machinery to file cases everywhere against those who criticise the ruling party. First, against the broader international backdrop of the intensification of the superpower rivalry between US and China, the Biden administration has made wooing India to its side a key part of its geopolitical strategy. US imperialism needs India as a regional bulwark against China – Modi’s visit to the US in June was pivotal from that perspective. Aware of its indispensability, Modi’s regime knows it can get away with a lot. In assuming that India has rising geopolitical (and to an extent economic) value for the west, the regime feels more confident to scale up its attacks against domestic political opponents without fearing too much backlash. Perhaps it has overplayed its hand. Second, facing a groundswell of opposition and criticism across the country on many issues, the BJP does not want to leave anything to chance ahead of next year’s general elections. Unaffiliated to any political organisation, unafraid when the riot act is read to her, unflinching in her criticism of the corporate cronyism that underwrites the hate-mongering Hindutva political programme – Roy embodies an opposition to everything the BJP stands for. Naomi Klein, John Cusack, Yanis Varoufakis – figureheads of the international left, openly addressing Modi on X (formerly known as Twitter), have asked him to keep his hands off Arundhati Roy. If the global outcry manages to reach a climax, the world’s unanimous outrage to protect its favourite literary hero might have the side-effect of protecting the dwindling remnants of free speech in Indian democracy. Within India, too, as an emboldened opposition under Rahul Gandhi seeks to consolidate itself, the attack on Roy might well transform into a national talking point. The ruling party has coined the advertising campaign of India being the “mother of democracy” to showcase itself globally – but the sheer optics of launching this petty attack on Roy might serve the purpose of galvanising public opinion against it. Meena Kandasamy is a poet and writer based in Chennai.

06 nEwS

ISRAEL BOMBARDS GAZA, LEBANON AS NETANYAHU CONVENES WAR CABINET

Tuesday, 24 October, 2023 | ISlAMAbAd

International Industries Limited hosts highly successful event

Palestinian child invokes divine help during surgery without anaesthesia

GAZA AGENCIES

SRAEL bombarded Gaza with air strikes and its aircraft struck southern Lebanon overnight, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting of his top generals and his war cabinet to assess the escalating conflict. Israel’s attacks concentrated on the Gaza Strip’s centre and north, Palestinian

media reported. A strike on a house near the Jabalia refugee camp, in northern Gaza, killed several Palestinians and wounded others, according to media reports. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, two Palestinians were killed at the Jalazone refugee camp near Ramallah, the Palestinian health ministry said. Residents told that Israeli forces raided the camp and carried out widespread arrests, as they clashed with gunmen and some youths who threw stones.

Bodies pile up in central Gaza as Israel steps up strikes GAZA/JERUSALEM AGENCIES

Scores of people rushed to Deir el-Balah hospital to identify bodies of their dear ones after Israel stepped up its air strikes on Gaza which the enclave’s health ministry described as one of the deadliest night with 266 Palestinians killed mostly in the southern part of the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours. Israel’s military has warned Gaza residents that they risk being identified as accomplices “in a terrorist organisation” if they do not move south, Palestinians there said, amid growing humanitarian fears with little aid being allowed in. Authorities said Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, has suffered most from one of the most intense nights of shelling since Israel started its bombardment on October 7. More than 260 people died in 24 hours, according to the health ministry toll, which said 1,873 of those killed in the past fortnight were children. At the hospital morgue in Deir el-Balah, bodies were everywhere. In the southern town of Khan Yunis, one strike on the Rio cafe killed 13 people. The health ministry confirmed that at least 266 Palestinians killed in Gaza in past 24 hours. The officials Israeli forces have killed 266 Palestinians mostly in the southern part of the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, Al Jazeera quoted a health ministry spokesman as saying. Dr Ashraf al-Qudra added that 117 of the victims were children. 10 hospitals non-operational in Gaza due to fuel shortages: health ministry Ten hospitals in Gaza have become non-operational due to fuel shortage as Israeli continues its bombardment in the Palestinian enclave, Anadolu Agency quoted the enclave’s health ministry as saying. It added that 23 ambulances were destroyed in bombardment. 12 DISPLACED PEOPLE AT UN SCHOOLS IN GAZA KILLED SINCE OCT 7 The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees has said 12 displaced people at its schools in Gaza have been killed in Israel’s bombardment of the besieged enclave since Oct 7. Nearly 180 people have been injured. PALESTINIAN DEATH TOLL IN OCCUPIED WEST BANK SURGES TO 91 The total number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank since Oct 7 has risen to 91, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. In a statement shared by Anadolu Agency, the ministry said that the General Authority for Civil Affairs, the Palestinian Authority’s contact point with the Israeli side, informed it of the death of a citizen — the sixth — whose identity is yet to be confirmed. The deaths came after “Israeli forces’ gunfire near AlArroub camp,” the ministry stated, adding that Israeli army “fired at the Palestinian at the entrance of the Al-Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron”. PALESTINIAN PM URGES WORLD TO HELP STOP ATTACKS ON GAZA Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has called on the international community to create a “united front” to stop Israel’s attacks in the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera reports “We place at the top of our priorities stopping the Israeli aggression … and bringing in medical and relief aid to prevent a major humanitarian catastrophe,” Shtayyeh said during a meeting with 25 ambassadors, representatives and consuls. More than a million people lived in the north of the Gaza Strip, and hundreds of thousands have gone southwards to cram into temporary refuges despite unremitting air and artillery strikes also hitting the southern areas they have fled to.

GAZA: The brutality of Israeli forces has claimed 4,600 lives in Gaza in just two weeks. One can see gruesome scenes coming from Palestine as the bombardment continues even today. Among the deceased, 70pc are children and women as hospitals are also being targeted by the Israeli forces. A horrible video went viral on social media in which a child was being operated upon without anaesthesia or sedation. The child was seen reciting verses from the Holy Quran during the surgery of his leg. The innocent child tolerated the pain of surgery with the help of divine force and the scene brought tears to many eyes. AGENCIES

The Israeli army has not issued a statement about the incident. Israeli bombing kills Palestinian writer Heba Kamal A Palestinian writer and poet Heba Kamal Abu Nada died in Israeli bombing in the Gaza Strip, Gulf Today reported. The Palestinian Ministry of Culture mourned the deceased in a statement on its account on the social networking site Facebook, explaining that the deceased wrote stories, novels, and poetry. She

was born in Saudi Arabia in 1991, from a refugee family from Beit Jirja, which was displaced in 1948. Heba Kamal studied biochemistry and educational rehabilitation, worked in education sector, and won several awards, the most important of which was first place in the short story in Palestine, and second place in the Arab world with the Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity for her novel “Oxygen is not for the dead.”

GLOBAL AID IN ISRAEL-HAMAS CONFLICT

Assistance provided to Gaza. Is it enough to meet the needs? ISLAMABAD

MANAL JAFFERY

Over the weekend, two significant shipments of humanitarian aid reached the besieged enclave of Gaza, marking the first such assistance since Israel initiated airstrikes. Gaza, home to 2.3 million people, had been grappling with a dire need for humanitarian relief after Israel’s blockade, which included cut-offs of essential supplies such as food, fuel, and electricity that have taken a toll on the lives of over 4,600 Palestinians, with children comprising more than a third of the casualties. COUNTRIES EXTENDING AID TO GAZA: Pakistan, as confirmed by the Foreign Office spokesperson, dispatched aid in the form of medicines and tents for Gaza’s residents. A chartered aircraft, carrying 100 tons of vital medical supplies, tents, and blankets, departed from Islamabad to Egypt. Several other nations have joined the effort. At least eight planes carrying aid from Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and Tunisia have landed at El Arish International Airport in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Additionally, India has sent medical and disaster relief to El Arish on Sunday. Rwanda has also joined the effort and sent 16 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Meanwhile, The European Union is launching an air bridge and has tripled its assistance to the territory. ENHANCED RESPONSE AND URGENT NEEDS: A convoy of 20 trucks made the crossing from Egypt into Gaza on Saturday, with a second convoy arriving the following day. Over 200 trucks,

loaded with approximately 3,000 tones of aid, are currently positioned on the Egyptian side, awaiting Israeli approval for entry into Gaza. Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF’s representative in Egypt, emphasized that the current aid volumes are insufficient to meet the needs of Gaza’s population, stressing the necessity of having “at least 100 to 200 trucks entering daily.” The crisis has displaced more than a million people, leaving tens of thousands wounded and in urgent need of medical care, alongside those requiring food and essential provisions. NATURE OF AID: The aid convoys have carried medical supplies from the World Health Organization (WHO), including dressings, anesthetics, and painkillers. Essential food items such as canned tuna, tomato paste, and wheat flour have been transported in the trucks. The convoys also included bottled drinking water, with the first convoy providing enough for 27,000 people for one day, and the second for 22,000 people for a day. IS THE AID SUFFICIENT? The United Nations’ humanitarian office has emphasized that the volume of aid entering Gaza so far accounts for only 4 percent of the daily requirements prior to the hostilities, and it falls significantly short of the current needs as food, water, medicines, and fuel stocks dwindle. It’s crucial to note that the aid delivered to Gaza does not encompass fuel, which is an urgent requirement as indicated by aid groups. Doctors at Gaza’s sole cancer hospital have issued a warning regarding critically low fuel supplies, raising the possibility of a forced shutdown.

China’s warships in Middle East on routine escort missions, not involved in Israel-Palestine conflict BEIJING

AGENCIES

China’s deployment of warships in the Middle East is part of the country’s routine escort mission and friendly visits to the region, not an interference in the current IsraelPalestine conflict, Chinese analysts said after some Western media outlets started hyping China’s navy deployment in the region. Spokesperson from Chinese Embassy in the US Liu Pengyu in a statement to Sputnik on Sunday called for an end to the groundless hyping over the deployment of Chinese warships to the Middle East amid the Israel-Palestine conflict. Liu’s comment came after some Western media’s hyping of China sending six warships to the Middle East last week, saying the arrangement was due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. According to the Chinese Military

online, the 44th Chinese naval escort task force including the guided missile destroyer Zibo, the guided missile frigate Jingzhou and the comprehensive replenishment ship Qiandaohu arrived at Shuwaikh Port, Kuwait as planned on the morning of October 18 for a five-day goodwill visit. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy had previously revealed that the 45th Chinese naval escort task force, including the guided missile destroyer Urumqi, the guided missile frigate Linyi, and the comprehensive replenishment vessel Dongpinghu, was scheduled to take over an escort mission from the 44th naval fleet in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia. It is a routine practice to send three military ships at one time to the region for escort missions, so six ships will be present simultaneously in the region during a handover, Chinese military experts explained, not-

ing that this has nothing to do with the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. The PLA Navy’s escort missions in the region also allow China to react quickly to any emergencies that could arise, for example, the evacuation of Chinese nationals in Sudan earlier this year, said experts. They opined that those military ships may get involved in evacuation tasks if any situation emerges. The Global Times learned from the Chinese embassy in Israel last Friday that China has no immediate plans to evacuate its citizens from Israel, as China’s Hainan Airlines is still operating two flights per week. from Tel Aviv to Shenzhen currently. But it also said the embassy is closely monitoring the situation and will make decisions accordingly. Foreign media linked China’s routine military operations in the Middle East with the US ramping up its military presence in the region.

KARACHI: International Industries Limited, a leading player in the construction industry, hosted a highly successful event at a Local Hotel on October 12th, bringing together key professionals and stakeholders from the construction and building sector. The event aimed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange within the construction segment. IIL’s Institutional sales team extended invitations to over 30 industry professionals, including consultants and prominent builders. The event featured distinguished speakers who shared valuable insights into the industry. Additionally, the QA Technical team, provided in-depth knowledge during their respective presentations. PR

Shah urges world to prevent India from robbing Kashmiris of their land, identity SRINAGAR

STAFF REPORT

Senior APHC leader and Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabbir Ahmed Shah has sought intervention of the world community to prevent the robbing of the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir of their land, identity and integrity by the Modi-led Indian regime. According to Kashmir Media Service, in his message from New Delhi’s Tihar jail, the incarcerated leader mentioned singing of a devotional Hindu hymn in Srinagar and renaming of schools, colleges, roads and other landmarks having Muslim-rooted names as part of the New Delhi’s latest bid to impose Hindutva ideology in the Muslim majority territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to settler-colonialism policies of the Indian state, he said, “Enactment of a series of anti-Kashmiri laws such as rebranding of demographics and redrawing of Jammu and Kashmir’s electoral map have instilled a fear of insecurity amongst the Kashmiris”. These laws, he said, were meant to change the region’s demography and to deprive natives of their resources, jobs, identity, cultural, land and above all the right of self-determination guaranteed to them by no less than the United Nations itself. Terming these laws as a serious violation of the UN resolutions, Shah urged the influential world governments to take effective notice of India’s settler colonialism drive intended to replace the indigenous population with a new society of settlers in the occupied Kashmir.

China, Japan exchange congratulations on 45th anniversary of peace, friendship treaty BEIJING

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Despite the severe difficulties facing the China-Japan relations, Chinese Premier and Japanese Prime Minister exchanged congratulations on Monday on the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan. Some experts considered the move a significant gesture of stabilizing bilateral relations, as Tokyo could make some tactical diplomatic adjustments in engaging with Beijing and easing tensions, considering its domestic political and economic dilemma as well as geopolitical challenges on the global stage. The current escalation of disputes between the two countries amid low public sentiment firstly pertains to geopolitical security, including the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands, in addition to Japan’s revised national security strategy that refers to China as a threat, along with its growing defense and security cooperation with the US in order to deter China, particularly on the Taiwan question, which could eventually lead to some essential changes and deliver a heavy blow to bilateral relations, experts warned. Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday exchanged congratulations on the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan. In his message, Li said that China is willing to work with Japan to revive the spirit of the treaty, stay the course in steering bilateral relations, and commit to building China-Japan relations suited to the requirements of the new era.

PM Kakar sacks ‘controversial’ US-Pakistani Tahir Javed ISLAMABAD

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar has removed Texas based Pakistani-American businessman Muhammad Tahir from the post of Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM). According to a notification issued by the PM Office here, the appointment notification of the SAPM Mohammad Tahir Javed has been taken back. The notification to appoint Tahir Javed as Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Investment was issued on October 6 but the decision was taken to re-

move him after lobbying by a group of American Pakistanis, according to sources. PM House sources said that PM Kakar took action after it was reported in US and Pakistani media that Tahir Javed has a previous conviction for theft which he hid and didn’t declare. It was also reported that Tahir Javed was a diehard supporter of Imran Khan and gave him money before turning against him. The Establishment Division Islamabad after the approval of the Prime Minister has withdrawn the notification for the appointment of Tahir Javed as Special Assistant. Soon after his appointment, it

was reported that Pakistani-American businessman Muhammad Tahir Javed had had been given the same perks and privileges as the minister of state for Tahir Javed despite the fact that he had donated money to and campaigned for Imran Khan and the PTI in the United States while he was prime minister. Tahir Javed, 57, moved to the US from Toba Tek Singh in Pakistan with just $500 and became a successful businessman. According to his interviews, Tahir Javed did senatorial duties and worked as a repairman, besides other jobs after initially moving to the US.

Tuesday, 24 October, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

CORPORATE CORNER Another 86 gas connections disconnected in Punjab, KP and Islamabad

LAHORE: During the ongoing crackdown against gas pilferers, SNGPL continued raids in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad, disconnecting another 86 connections while imposing fine of Rs. 1.39 million and 165 under billing cases processed In Lahore, the regional team disconnected 04 connections on illegal use of gas, another 06 connections on the use of compressor. In Bahawalpur, the regional team disconnected 06 connections on the use of compressor and 07 Under billing cases processed. The team also booked Rs. 0.01 million against Under billing cases. The company disconnected 13 connections on illegal use of gas and 37 under billing cases have been processed in Multan and amount of Rs 0.11 Million have been booked against gas theft and Under billing cases. In Sheikhupura, the regional team disconnected 19 connections on illegal use of gas and 44 Under billing cases processed. The team also booked Rs. 0.35 million against gas theft and Under billing cases. PR

07 PRESIDENT ALVI FOR DISSEMINATING BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MESSAGE TO HELP REDUCE MORTALITY RATE NEWS

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

RESIDENT Dr Arif Alvi on Monday stressed the need to disseminating the awareness message about breast cancer to every house across the country to ensure early detection of the disease and reduce the mortality rate. He said Pakistan had successfully handled the polio disease and this experience also helped the government to successfully handle COVID-19 later on. Now, he said the country was also driving the breast cancer awareness campaign very effectively. Addressing the Breast Caner Awareness Programme here, the president said awareness about other key health issues including mental health, stunting, and women health should also be raised along with the breast cancer awareness cam-

paign as it was very important to keep woman healthy for a healthy nation. Highlighting the family system in the country, the president said that a woman was the key member of a family that must be kept healthy, financially empowered and also be kept safe from any kind of harassment in the society. He said empowering the women economically was linked with the overall economic growth of the country. He said in Pakistan 24% of total population was suffering from mental disease that was due to a number of reasons including diseases, and financial issues. President Alvi also stressed the need to control population by increasing the access of the people to long term contraceptive products as it was key to development of the country both in terms of health and economy. Citing China’s example, the president said the country’s rapid development was due to its special

focus on health and education. He maintained that due to lack of resources in the country, prevention should be focused to avoid chronic disease at later stage. First Lady Begum Samina Alvi urged the women to learn how to make self detection to ensure timely diagnose of the disease. “Women should make habit of self examination for five months every month to minimize the death rate.” Appreciating the role of media in success of the campaign, the first lady said the media should continue its role in raising awareness about the disease. She said she initiated the breast cancer awareness campaign five years ago and now the topic that was considered a matter of discomfort and taboo to discuss, was now being discussed at every level. Expressing pleasure over increasing awareness about the disease, she hoped that the campaign would help further in-

creasing the message to every door across the country. She informed that every year some 44000 women die of breast cancer and the deaths could be avoided by early diagnosis. She said the early diagnose ratio in the world was 98% however in Pakistan most of the cases were reported at third and fourth stages where the death chances went high. However, she expressed her satisfaction over increasing number of cases being reported at first and second stages due to the awareness campaign. She said death rate among the breast cancer patients in Pakistan was 48% which was alarmingly high. She asked the people not to feel any hesitation while discussing this disease. Begum Alvi said the taboos and myths about the disease were now being broken and the people were now freely discussing about breast cancer disease at every forum.

IIUI Int’l moot marks success in advancing Women's Academic Leadership ISLAMABAD PR

IMARAT Launches the New Center of Islamabad: A $500M Project

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad has a new city center and it's called IMARAT Downtown. A visionary $500M venture by IMARAT, this megaproject is all set to herald a new age in Pakistan's urban development journey. The enthusiasm surrounding IMARAT Downtown was at an all-time high until IMARAT, the leading real estate group of Pakistan revealed the megaproject in a grand launch ceremony yesterday. This grand evening was more than just an introduction; it gave a glimpse into the thriving and developed Islamabad of 2047. More than just an infrastructure milestone, IMARAT Downtown aims to redefine the residential and commercial standards of the twin cities with a multiverse of its own. Nestled within this prestigious square kilometer are distinct projects that encompass all facets of life. PR

Jazz Clinches Top Honor for Low Carbon Network at SAMENA Telecom Awards in Dubai

ISLAMABAD: Jazz, Pakistan’s leading digital operator, has been awarded the prestigious Lead Award: Outstanding Low Carbon Network at the SAMENA (South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa) Telecom Awards held recently in Dubai. The award recognizes Jazz’s unwavering commitment to environment-friendly business operations, reducing its carbon footprint, and contributing to a greener planet. The picture shows Kazim Mujtaba, Chief Commercial Officer at Jazz, receiving the award. PR

IPPA's 5th Edition Steals the Spotlight in Manchester!

MANCHESTER: The glittering city, Manchester was set ablaze earlier today as the stars descended for Kashmir presents Bisconni Chocolatto, 5th International Pakistan Prestige Awards (IPPA), a celebration of talent, glamour, and achievement in the world of Pakistani entertainment. This year's event was nothing short of spectacular, marking yet another milestone in IPPA's journey after four successful editions.The red carpet was graced with the presence of numerous celebrities who lit up the night in their most glamorous outfits. With a star-studded guest list that included names like Atiqa Odho, Ahsan Khan, Humaima Malik, Ali Rehman, Komal Meer, Yashma Gill, Hiba Bukhari, Ahmad Ali Butt, Azfar Rehman, Mansha Pasha, Amar Khan, Adnan Siddiqui, Humayun Saeed, Nazish Jehangir, Hania Amir, Shiraz Uppal, Mehwish Hayat, Sheharyar Munawar, Ayesha Omar, Syeda Tuba Anwar and many more, Kashmir presents Bisconni Chocolatto 5th International Pakistan Prestige Awards 2023 truly lived up to its reputation as one of the most glamorous international events of the year. PR

The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) hosted the "Less Talk, More Action: Changing the Course of Women's Academic Leadership" international conference. This transformative three-day event, held in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission Pakistan (HEC), brought together a diverse assembly of academic luminaries, shedding light on the path to advancing women's academic leadership. Academic luminaries gathered for the opening ceremony of the international conference, setting the tone for what would be a transfor-

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf exchanging views with Ambassador of Indonesia to Pakistan H.E Mr Adam Mulawarman Tugio at Naval Headquarters Islamabad. PR

mative event. Dr. Samina Malik, the Rector of IIUI, emphasized the importance of inclusivity and collaborative discussions, which were the cornerstone of the conference. The event went beyond mere paper presentations, incorporating voices from diverse backgrounds, including academics, organizations such as ILFABET and HRDN Pakistan,

and international keynote speakers. The conference featured international keynote speakers who brought invaluable insights to the table. The University of Newcastle’s Professor Penny Jane Burke, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education and the Global Innovation Chair of Equity, took the stage.

IESCO continues its actions against defaulters and electricity thieves In the light of the instructions of the Government of Pakistan and Ministry of Energy, IESCO continues to carry out indiscriminate and intensive operations against Electricity Thieves and Defaulters in all its regions including Islamabad, Rawalpindi City, Rawalpindi Cantt, Attock, Chakwal and Jhelum Region. During a review meeting on the performance of the ongoing campaign regarding recovery and

anti power theft Chief Executive IESCO Dr. Muhammad Amjad Khan said that the recovery of electricity dues from the defaulters is being ensured in every case and no one has the right to use electricity but not paid the bill. He further said that the best results are being achieved during the ongoing campaign to clean the IESCO region from the scourge of electricity theft. According to the details, IESCO's recovery teams have successfully collected 220.72 million from 20167 running defaulters, as well as 253.91 million from 8699 dead defaulters. PR

Financial Strength & Resilience: PTCL Group Dispels False Speculations on U Microfinance Bank

Adamjee Life Pinktober Awareness Session with nationwide free medical consultations

ISLAMABAD PR

ISLAMABAD: PTCL Group, the largest ICT services provider in Pakistan refutes all claims and rumors regarding the financial health of U Microfinance Bank (Ubank) its wholly owned subsidiary. Ubank is Pakistan’s fastest-growing microfinance bank and one of the key players in the banking industry, highlights a robust and unwavering financial structure and has a strong capital base. PTCL Group ensures that the teams at Ubank, from the management to those on-ground, will continue to make progress, innovate, and endeavor to achieve the bank’s core mission of financial inclusion for all segments of Pakistani society. Ubank’s Gross Loan Portfolio is one of the highest in the industry as a result of the bank’s sustainable growth strategy. Almost 54% of this portfolio is backed by gold, displaying the financial resilience of the bank against its lending practices. PR

KARACHI: Adamjee Life, a leading name in the insurance industry, is pleased to have hosted such a successful Pinktober Awareness session aimed at promoting breast cancer awareness & early detection. This session took place on 20th October at the company’s head office, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing battle against breast cancer. The event featured renowned medical professionals as speakers, who provided valuable insights into breast health, prevention, and the importance of regular screenings. In a remarkable collaboration, Adamjee Life partnered with the Ministry of Health, Government of Sindh and MED IQ Smart Healthcare Solutions, creating a dynamic platform for sharing essential knowledge and fostering community engagement. The event provided a unique opportunity for attendees to gain insights from esteemed doctors. PR

Salman Khan Named COO of Rewterz, Propelling Cybersecurity Excellence

ISLAMABAD: Rewterz, a prominent cybersecurity company, proudly announces the appointment of Salman Khan as its new COO. With over 25 years of global technology leadership experience and a proven track record in managing international teams, Khan's appointment ushers in a new era of growth and innovation for Rewterz, fueled by the strategic partnership with AshreiTech.In an ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape, Rewterz remains dedicated to delivering toptier information security services. Khan's extensive background in IT solutions, product sales, and service management, along with his proficiency in executing business development strategies and managing strategic partnerships, positions him as the ideal leader to steer Rewterz forward.Khan's arrival coincides with Rewterz's strategic alliance with AshreiTech, a global technology enabler. PR

Zong Customers can now experience unmatched voicequality through VoLTE

ISLAMABAD: Zong 4G, Pakistan's leading telecommunications company, has officially launched its Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services. The operator has started its VoLTE roll-out by launching its services in major cities, namely Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi & Peshawar, enhancing customers’ experience through high-quality voice calls over its advanced 4G network.VoLTE is a cutting-edge innovation that allows voice calls to be transmitted over the 4G LTE network, ensuring crystal-clear sound quality, faster call setup times, and the simultaneous use of voice and data services, which means that customers can use data services while being on a call at the same time. It also offers improved call stability, even in areas with weak or fluctuating 2G/3G signal strength. With this latest advancement, Zong 4G is taking a significant step toward revolutionizing the communication experience for its customers.The official spokesperson for Zong 4G, expressed his enthusiasm for the VoLTE launch, stating, "At Zong 4G, we are dedicated to delivering the latest telecommunications innovations to our customers. The introduction of VoLTE in major cities represents a significant step forward in our mission to enhance the communication experience for Pakistanis. We are committed to expanding VoLTE services to more regions across the country, ensuring that our customers benefit from the best voice quality and a seamless data connection.". PR

Lucky Core Industries Limited Announces Results for the Quarter

KARACHI: Following the meeting of the Board of Directors, Lucky Core Industries Limited (the “Company”) announced its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Financial Highlights • On a consolidated basis, Net Turnover for the quarter under review from continuing operations under review at PKR 28,994 million is higher by 19% over the same period last year (SPLY). • The consolidated Operating Result from continuing operations stood at PKR 4,134 million, which is higher by 32% in comparison to the SPLY. • On a consolidated basis, Profit After Tax (PAT) for the quarter at PKR 2,537 million is 31% higher than the SPLY, whereas Earning Per Share (EPS) attributable to the owners of the holding company at PKR 27.48 is 41% higher than the SPLY, mainly owing to improved operating performance. • On a standalone basis, PAT and EPS for the quarter under review at PKR 2,513 million and PKR 27.21 respectively are 31% higher than the SPLY, primarily on account of higher Operating Results, exchange gain, and other income resulting from dividend income of PKR 646 million derived from the shortterm investments. PR

Yadea, global leader In electric bike sales, partners with Eiﬀel Industries to introduce electric bikes in Pakistan

KARACHI: Yadea, the global leader in electric bikes, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Eiffel Industries Limited (Road Prince) to manufacture and market Yadea electric bikes in Pakistan under the brand “YADEA”. This exciting collaboration aims to bring eco-friendly and innovative electric mobility solutions to the Pakistani consumer market, revolutionizing the two-wheel industry and significantly reducing traveling costs for consumers. Yadea, a brand renowned for its commitment to cutting-edge technology and sustainable transportation, is set to make a significant impact on the lives of Pakistani consumers by providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. Yadea electric bikes are designed to offer a highly efficient and economical mode of transportation. PR

HBL sets industry benchmark with Rs 1 billion disbursement in EWR Financing

KARACHI: HBL achieved disbursement of over Rs 1 billion in Electronic Warehouse Receipt (EWR) financing. The milestone was facilitated by quality warehousing of over 20,000 metric tons of maize and paddy/rice, (over 500,000 monds). HBL is a pioneer in EWR financing with a 60% market share and the only bank that has achieved the SBP targets allocated for this innovative product. The facility enables farmers to store their maize/paddy harvest at warehouses accredited by an independent collateral management company for the EWR repository. Farmers can avail financing up to 70% of the value in a convenient and cost-effective way. This innovative financing solution supports farmers by avoiding distress sales and improving food security by minimizing post-harvest losses. PR

COUNTRY IN GRIP OF ‘NEW FORM OF DICTATORSHIP’, SAYS BILAWAL NEWS

ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

AKISTAN Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday held that the country was in grip of a “new form of dictatorship”, demanding the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately announce the date of general elections. Bilawal made these remarks during an event organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Constitution. He lauded the SCBA’s role in upholding the Constitution, emphasising that it serves as an instrumental safeguard for democratic principles and the

protection of human rights. When the dictators abrogated the Constitution in the past, the judiciary upheld this abrogation sometimes in the name of the ‘doctrine of successful revolution’ and sometimes in the name of the ‘doctrine of necessity’, said the PPP chief. “One felt as if the soul of the state had been torn by those very luminaires who were supposed to protect and defend it,” he remarked. Chairman Bilawal said that he would not like to dwell more on it, as they say, “Forget the past, arrange for the present and face the future”. Those who abrogated the Constitution and ridiculed it as merely a 15-page document and those who upheld the abrogation not only disgraced themselves but also heaped disgrace on the people and our nation, he maintained. “They are the

Court orders jail authorities to provide spin bike to Imran Khan RAWALPINDI

STAFF REPORT

The Adiala Jail authorities were ordered Monday to provide Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan with a spin bike. Special Official Secrets Court judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain accepted the PTI chairman’s plea to provide him with a spin bike for exercise in jail. It is to be noted here that the spin bike for the PTI chairman to exercise was delivered once again outside Adiala Jail on Monday. It also merits a mention here that a spin bike for Imran Khan had been returned after the jail superintendent refused to provide him with the bike without written orders from the court. An argument between Imran Khan’s lawyer and the special judge also took place during the hearing of a case about the provision of a spin bike to the PTI chairman. The lawyer told the court that the PTI chairman wanted a cycle in the jail for exercise. The judge replied he had already given instructions to the jail superintendent in that regard. “If the court permits, I am ready to arrange an exercise cycle for my client,” Advocate Ranjha had said. The judge said that he did not want the cycle to be misused. “I am afraid the superintendent might ride the cycle himself,” he had added. “If the court has doubts, it can appoint a person to ensure that the cycle is not being misused,” Imran Khan’s lawyer had said. “We also have to consider the jail’s manual. For us, the prisoner’s security is important,” the judge had remarked.

Norwegian hydro firm, GB govt sign agreement for investment in power sector g

4.5 MEGAWATTS TO BE ADDED TO GB GRID THROUGH NEW SOLAR PROJECT PROFIT

GHULAM ABBAS

Norwegian Hydro Company (NOR Hydro) and the Gilgit-Baltistan government have joined forces to pioneer sustainable energy production. A historic investment agreement was signed at a ceremony held in Islamabad, signifying a crucial milestone in the region’s energy landscape. Under this historic agreement, NOR Hydro will invest in hydro and solar energy projects in GilgitBaltistan, beginning with Skardu in Baltistan. The focus of NOR Hydro’s investment includes augmenting the production capacity of existing powerhouses, establishing a 4.5-megawatt solar park for eco-friendly electricity, and collaborating on water and power projects utilizing advanced hydroelectric technology. The signing ceremony, attended by the Chief Minister of GilgitBaltistan Haji Gulbar Khan and the Norwegian Ambassador Per Albert Ilsaas was marked by expressions of gratitude and mutual acknowledgment. The Chief Minister commended Norway’s role in the region’s future progress, while the Norwegian Ambassador praised Gilgit-Baltistan’s growth and expressed confidence in the potential of the private sector in the region.

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traitors of the nation and history will always remember them with this title. This is why it is important to safeguard the Constitution and relentlessly pursue those who have subverted it,” Bilawal emphatically added in his keynote speech. However, the PPP chairman also commended a recent decision by the Supreme Court, in which it upheld the (Practice & Procedure) Act, 2023—a law enacted by parliament aimed at curbing the unilateral authority of the chief justice to determine benches and unilaterally initiate suo motu proceedings on matters of public significance without consulting other judges. In a related context, Bilawal lamented that politicians frequently find themselves subject to judicial accountability.

He expressed hope that the apex court’s validation of this legislation signaled the possibility of across the board accountability. He suggested that judges should also be prepared to face scrutiny and be held accountable. During his address, Bilawal underscored the foundational principles of the rule of law enshrined in the Constitution. He emphasised that every state institution was bound to follow the Constitution, adding that any postponement of elections would essentially equate to a denial of elections. Bilawal made it clear that the Pakistan Peoples Party stands as a staunch advocate of democracy and maintained that their demand for timely elections was a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan.

PPRA board grants exemption to PNSC for procurement of two secondhand vessels PROFIT

AHMAD AHMADANI

Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) board has granted exemption from applicability of PPRA rules to Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) for the procurement of two secondhand vessels, it was learnt on Monday. According to sources, PNSC asked the PPRA to allow it in the national interest to procure the secondhand/used vessels, crafts, ships and associated equipment/machinery through negotiated tendering under rule 42(d)(ii) of Public Procurement Rules, 2004. And, PPRA board has decided to recommend exemption under Section 21 of the PPRA Ordinance, 2002 from applicability of Public Procurement Rules, 2004 for the procurement of two secondhand vessels by PNSC to the federal government. Not only this, but the PPRA board further decided that PNSC shall forward a case through its line ministry (Maritime Affairs) for the insertion of a new rule defining mechanism for carrying out procurement of secondhand vessels in the future so that no one can question the PNSC in the future, said sources. Earlier, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) entered into a contract with Shell Singapore to buy two old ships for the import of petroleum products and crude oil from the world market, they added. As per sources, under the contract, one vessel

worth crores of rupees has so far been purchased by PNSC while one more vessel is yet to be purchased. They said that the matter pertains to the procurement of secondhand/used vessels came to the knowledge of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission, and the Commission started an investigation into the purchase of old vessels against the laws. They said according to the country’s laws, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) was not authorized to buy old ships. However, as soon as the Commission initiated the proceedings, PNSC promptly approached PPRA, seeking an exemption from the applicability of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules to avoid potential legal repercussions, said the sources. It remains to be seen what actions the PM Inspection Commission will take to protect the national treasury and address illegal activities, sources added. According to available documents, currently, PNSC has 12 vessels in its fleet and it (PNSC) is the only flag carrier which can bring commodities like crude oil etc from abroad in case of war and emergency. About 95percent of Pakistan’s trade by volume carried by sea for which Pakistan paying about $7 billion annually as freight charges to foreign shipping lines, and this number is growing annually. Brand new vessels cost around US$ 3.457 million while Pakistan has to pay around $7 billion to shipping lines in the absence of owned vessels, said documents.

Tuesday, 24 October, 2023

PRAYER TIMINGS FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

5:30

1:30

4:15

PKR experiences slight depreciation against USD in interbank market 6:07

5:28

7:15

PROFIT

NEWS DESK

The Pakistani rupee experienced slight depreciation against the US dollar, weakening by 0.11% in the interbank market on Monday. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the rupee settled at 279.12, marking a decrease of Re0.32 within the inter-bank market. This follows the rupee’s performance during the previous week, when it reversed its recent gains against the US dollar, closing 1.18 rupees or 0.42% lower week-onweek, settling at 278.80 within the interbank market. One contributing factor to the rupee’s dip, as suggested by currency dealers, was the increased demand for the US dollar to facilitate foreign payments. In the open market, the Pakistani rupee saw a decline against the US dollar on Monday. Currency dealers said that the rupee was selling at 281 and buying at 278. During the previous week, the PKR lost 3.50 rupees against the USD for both buying and selling, closing at 277.50 and 280.50, respectively. It’s noteworthy that the Pakistani rupee had enjoyed a remarkable 28-session streak of positive performance, one of the lengthiest appreciations in recent times. It had cumulatively strengthened by 10.93% since its record low of 307.1 in the interbank market on September 5.

77 flights cancelled as PIA’s crisis spirals amid ‘reported’ fuel supply halt g

PIA SPOKESPERSON CLAIMS AIRLINE HAD PAID OVER RS220M TO STATE OIL COMPANY FOR THE WEEKEND; PSO REBUFFS CLAIMS, SAYING FUEL PROVIDED FOR 64 FLIGHTS SINCE FRIDAY NIGHT PROFIT

STAFF REPORT

PM takes notice of ‘un-authorized’ third-party gas sale by Konnect Gas PROFIT

AHMAD AHMADANI

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar has taken notice on the complaint of Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) regarding unauthorized third-party gas sale by Konnect Gas (Private) Limited to the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations. Prime Minister has taken notice of the complaint of TIP on the violation of Pakistan Petroleum Rules (E&P) Rules, 2001 and Natural Gas Regulatory (Licensing) Rules, 2002 due to unauthorized third-party gas sale by Konnect Gas (Private) Limited, a subsidiary of Jura Corporation and PM’s Office on 16-102023 has directed the Petroleum Division to furnish comments regarding TIP complaint at the earliest. It is relevant to note here that Transparency International Pakistan (TIP), in a letter dated October 2, 2023, titled “Complaint on the Violation of Pakistan Petroleum (E&P) Rules 2001 and Natural Gas Regulatory (Licensing) Rules 2002 Due to Unauthorized Third-Party Gas Sale by Konnect Gas (Private) Limited, a subsidiary of Jura Corporation,” to Director General (DG) Petroleum Concession (PC), Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), requested to look into the allegations of the complaint and if found to be correct, take action against M/s Konnect Gas (Pvt.) Ltd for its illegal activities of providing unprocessed gas to CNG stations posing threat to the lives of citizens under applicable laws and rules. Earlier, Petroleum Division’s Director General Petroleum Concessions (DGPC), in a notice under Rule 68 (a) of Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Rules 1986 for illegal sale of natural gas by M/s Spud Energy Pty Ltd. from the Sara and Suri D&PLS to the unlicensed entity M/s Konnect Gas Pvt. Ltd dated 13th October 2023 to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Spud Energy Pty Limited, has asked to explain within 60 days from the issuance of this notice to remedy the breach, or where the breach is not capable of being remedies, offer reasonable compensa-

tion within 60 days. If spud energy fails to satisfy the Authority within 60 days, the office of SGPC will initiate action against the company in accordance with applicable PCA/Rules, said a notice of DGPC to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Spud Energy Pty Ltd. The DGPC, in its notice, said that House of Magna Cum Laude (HoMCL) has written a letter to OGRA on 18/08/2023 inquiring about the OGRA license of M/s Konnect Gas Pvt. Ltd (KGPL) to undertake the regulated activity of gas sale. And, OGRA vide its letter No. OGRA-6(1)-KGL/2019 dated 08/09/2023 responded to HoMCL intimating that M/s KGPL failed to secure a license under the NGRA Rules, 2000 and stated that M/s KGPL is not a licensee of OGRA to undertake the regulated activities. According to DGPC notice to CEO of SEPL, HoMCL filed a complaint against M/s SEPL and M/s KGPL on 12/09/2023 with the office of DGPC, requesting to inquire into the matter of the illegal sale of natural gas by M/s SEPL to M/s KGPL. HoMCL submitted further grievances in continuation of its complaint vide its letter dated 21/09/2023 to the office of DGPC. Wherein, it was intimated that M/s Konnect Gas is not a licensee of OGRA, that M/s Spud Energy has been illegally selling unprocessed gas to M/s Konnect Gas since year 2020, and that M/s Konnect Gas is further selling the unprocessed gas to CNG stations/end consumers, posing direct threat to the lives of the people. HoMCL, in another letter dated 26/09/2023 to OGRA, intimated that the unprocessed gas is being sold by M/s Konnect Gas to CNG stations in Sukkur (Sindh). It is also learnt from DGPC notice to CEO, SEPL that Transparency International filed a complaint against M/s Spud Energy and M/s Konnect Gas on illegal sale of natural gas on 02/10/2023 to the office of DGPC. Wherein, it was intimated that M/s Spud Energy has been selling unprocessed gas to M/s Konnect Gas, and that M/s Konnect Gas is selling unprocessed gas to CNG stations/end-consumers, posing direct threat to the lives of the citizens.

Financial crunch-triggered crisis of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aggravated on Sunday, affecting flight operations adversely as 77 flights were cancelled due to the ‘reported’ halt of fuel supply by Pakistan State Oil (PSO). According to the spokesperson for the national-flag-carrier, 52 international and 29 domestic flights were scheduled for Sunday, of which only 4 flights could depart. The spokesperson confirmed that flight operations were ‘completely suspended’ due to the suspension of the fuel supply to the airline and a total of 77 flights were cancelled. The media reports said that the PIA’s financial crises had intensified as Pakistan State Oil (PSO), according to a PIA spokesperson, stopped fuel supply despite ‘securing the payments.’ It added that the PIA administration was in constant touch with the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) as payments could not be made due to bank closure on Sunday. “The national carrier has paid over Rs220 million to the PSO for the weekend,” the spokesperson said, noting that the scheduled evening flights will operate as soon as today’s credit line is available while alternative connections are being provided to passengers of the affected flights. Meanwhile, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) – in a statement – rebuffed claims of fuel supply suspension to national carrier and said that it had provided fuel for almost 64 flights since Friday night. “On Friday evening, PIA paid Rs220 million for fuel for Saturday and Sunday,” the corporation said, adding that a list of 39 flights for fuel supply was also provided by the airline. According to the corporation, fuel was being provided as per priority flights list provided by PIA. “PIA’s payout limit for Saturday and Sunday is still pending”, it said, noting that the carrier was not providing flight schedules for the remaining amount. “Fuel worth Rs60 million is still available as the national carrier can still acquire it,” the corporation clarified. Due to cancellation and delay of PIA flights, hundreds of passengers have been facing inconvenience for past several days. They were not only the travelers, but flight crew was also facing inconvenience due to delay in flights departures.

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Govt plans ‘massive hike’ in gas prices ostensibly to bridge revenue shortfall of Sui companies PROFIT

AHMAD AHMADANI

The government is all set to jack up the gas prices with effect from 1st October 2023 and in this, the Petroleum Division has prepared a summary which would be presented to the federal cabinet’s economic coordination (ECC) for necessary approval. According to sources, the government is expected to revise the gas prices for various categories of gas consumers ostensibly to bridge the revenue gap and address the longstanding issue of pending tariff revisions. They said that the Petroleum Division’s proposal, titled ‘Natural Gas Sale Pricing for FY 2023-24 (Effective-1st October, 2023)’, has outlined revised gas prices for various consumer categories. They said under the proposed changes, nonprotected domestic consumers are expected to experience a substantial hike, ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 4,400 per Million British

Thermal Units (MMBTU), depending on their usage. Additionally, fixed monthly charges for both protected and non-protected domestic consumers will see substantial increases, marking a significant change in the cost dynamics for households across the country. And, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet is likely to take a final decision very soon in this regard, said sources. Sharing details of the proposed revision in the gas prices for various categories of gas consumers, the sources said that under the proposed gas prices for different categories of gas consumers, gas tariff for protected domestic (residential) consumers will remain the same while the gas price for nonprotected domestic consumers who use up to 0.25hm3 (cubic hectometer) is proposed to be revised from Rs 200 per Million British Thermal Unit (MMBTU) to Rs 300/mmbtu. Similarly, the gas price for non-protected domestic consumers who use

up to 0.6 hm3 is proposed to be increased from Rs 300/mmbtu to Rs 600/mmbtu, while gas price for non-protected domestic consumers who use up to 1hm3 is proposed to be revised from Rs 400/mmbtu to Rs 1,000/mmbtu and the gas price for non-protected domestic consumers who use up to 1.5hm3 is proposed to be revised from Rs 600/mmbtu to Rs 1,200/mmbtu. Likewise, gas price for non-protected domestic consumers who use up to 2hm3 is proposed to be revised from Rs 800/mmbtu to Rs 1,600/mmbtu and the gas price for non-protected domestic consumers who use up to 3 hm3 is proposed to be increased from Rs 1,100/mmbtu to Rs 3,000/mmbtu while the gas price for non-protected domestic consumers who use up to 4 hm3 is proposed to be revised from Rs 2,000/mmbtu to Rs 3,500/mmbtu. Furthermore, the gas price for non-protected domestic consumers who use above 4hm3 is proposed to be increased from Rs 3,100/mmbtu to Rs 4,000/mmbtu

with effect from 1st October, 2023. It is also learnt from sources that fixed monthly charges for protected category of domestic (Residential) consumers will go up from Rs 10 to Rs 400 while fixed monthly charges for non-protected domestic consumers who use up to 1.5 hm3 is proposed to be increased from Rs 460 to Rs 1,000 and the fixed monthly charges for non-protected domestic consumers category who use 2 hm3 of gas to above 4hm3 is proposed to be increased from Rs 460 to Rs 2,000 while with effect from 1st October, 2023. As per proposed revised gas tariff for other categories of gas consumers, the gas price for bulk consumers is proposed to be raised from Rs 1,600/mmbtu to Rs 2,000/mmbtu, while the gas price for special commercial (Roti Tandoor) will remain the same at Rs 697/mmbtu and gas price for commercial consumers is proposed to go up from Rs 1,650/mmbtu to Rs 3,900/mmbtu.

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

Similarly, gas tariff for Liberty Power is proposed to increase from existing Rs 2,406/mmbtu to Rs 3,890/mmbtu while the gas price for Liberty Power is based on HSFO linked formula and not fixed by the government. Likewise, gas price for fertilizer plant of FFBQL (feed) is proposed to be increase from existing Rs 510/mmbtu to Rs 580/mmbtu while no change in gas price for Engro (feed) is proposed as Engro Fertilizer Ltd (new plant) has a claim of extended period for feed gas concessionary tariff of US$ 0.7/mmbtu due to non-supply of gas by SNGPL and Sindh High Court has granted stay order to maintain the status quo. However, gas price for fertilizer (fuel) is proposed to be increase from existing Rs 1,500/mmbtu to Rs 1,580/mmbtu. Furthermore, gas price for cement category of gas consumers is proposed to be revised from existing Rs 1,500/mmbtu to Rs 4,400/mmbtu.

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