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CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE, MUSLIM LEADERS CASTIGATE ISRAELI BRUTALITIES

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Sunday, 12 November, 2023 I 27 Rabi us Sani, 1445

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KSA CROWN PRINCE TERMS ‘GAZA HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE’ FAILURE OF INT’L COMMUNITY, UNSC

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IRAN’S PRESIDENT DUBS PALESTINE KEY TO DIGNITY OF HUMANITY, URGING ISLAMIC WORLD TO UNITE TO SORT OUT PROBLEM

TURKIYE, QATAR ASK INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO ACT FAST TO END PALESTINIAN CRISIS

PM Kakar suggests ICJ proceedings against Israel for its war crimes RIYADH

STAFF REPORT

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RIYADH AGENCIES

HE leaders of the Arab and Islamic countries in unanimous show of solidarity with the Palestinian people bracing the brutal onslaught of Israel’s aggression for the last five weeks in Gaza, on Saturday strongly condemned the ongoing killing of about 11,000 civilians, besides, calling for an immediate solution to the issue and end to the humanitarian crises.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is hosting a Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit, which brings together leaders from the Arab and Islamic world to discuss the current worsening situation in Gaza and the future strategy.

In his opening remarks, Crown Prince of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mo-

hammed Bin Salman demanded an immediate end to the Israeli military operations in Gaza. Terming the situation as ‘a humanitarian catastrophe’ he said that it showed the failure of the international community and the UN Security Council to put an end to Israel’s gross violations of global humanitarian laws.

The crown prince further called for an end to the Israeli occupation, illegal Israeli settlements and restoration of the rights of the Palestinian people, besides establishment of the state on the basis of 1967.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in his address, highlighted that besides targeting Gaza, Israeli forces were conducting raids in the occupied West Bank. He called for an end to “Israel’s aggression, the occupation, violation and desecration of the holy sites”.

President Abbas rejected any military and security solutions and said they

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Saturday suggested that the Arab and Islamic countries should explore the possibility of initiating proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel for its war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Genocide Convention and under the interim measures request.

The UN Secretary-General could be requested to establish a special commission of inquiry to investigate Israel’s war crimes and crimes against humanity since October 7, the prime minister said during his address at the a Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit, which brings together leaders from the Arab and Islamic world to discuss the current worsening situation in Gaza and the future strategy.

The prime minister further said that they should also demand for the establishment of an international

categorically rejected any efforts to displace their people from Gaza or the West Bank. Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan Anwaarul Haq Kakar was among the other Muslim world leaders attending the summit.

In his address, Prime Minister Kakar suggested that the Arab and Islamic countries should explore the possibility of initiating proceedings at the International

Pakistan’s gas king, Iqbal Z Ahmed arrested in Hyderabad g

Rs 15.00 | Vol XIV No 133 I 8 Pages I Lahore Edition

ACCOUNTABILITY COURT REFUSED TO EXTEND HIS BAIL IN A CASE DATES BACK TO 2013 PROFIT

AHMAD AHMADANI

Iqbal Z Ahmed, the chairman of Associated Group, was arrested on Saturday by an accountability court in connection with a money laundering case.

Ahmed, who is also accused of involvement in the rental power projects scam, had sought an extension of his bail, which was denied by the court. The money laundering case stems from December 2013, when the authorities lodged a reference against Ahmed under the Money Laundering Act, implicating him in inflicting a whopping Rs 29 billion in losses to the national exchequer. The reference was approved by the thenchairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The case alleges that Ahmed made illicit transactions worth billions of rupees from his companies in various countries, including the United Kingdom. He is said to have sent Rs 1.7 billion abroad to acquire foreign exchange for payments related to his companies and those of others. This marks Ahmed’s second arrest since 2019.

Who is Iqbal Z Ahmed?

This publication has already covered in extensive detail the life, and history of Iqbal Z Ahmed — the man who earned the moniker of Pakistan’s gas king.

Ahmed was born in 1946 to a police officer. He received his initial education at Aitchison College and later Government College in Lahore, where he obtained his Masters degree in economics. Following this, he embarked on his entrepreneurial odyssey by joining his father’s business.

Their initial foray into commerce involved selling Lambretta scooters in Lahore, later diversifying into selling NEC televisions and importing IMT tractors from Yugoslavia. Their ambition led

them to establish a tractor manufacturing plant in Pakistan, which was unfortunately nationalised by the Bhutto government.

1989 marked a significant pivot in Ahmed’s career when he ventured into the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) marketing business. Establishing Lub Gas and Mehran LPG, he later bid for setting up an LPG extraction plant in the Badin gas field in 2000. This initiative led to the birth of Jamshoro Joint Venture Ltd (JJVL), the flagship company of Associated Group. However, his allocations, pricing, and royalty payments of LPG were met with criticism and controversy.

Despite his success, Ahmed’s career has been marred by scandals and controversies. Accusations of giving LPG marketing quotas to his friends, who were army generals, politicians and bureaucrats, and of running a cartel that kept LPG prices artificially high, have followed him. He was fined by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) in 2009, but he denied any wrongdoing and challenged the fine in court.

Israel faces pressure over Gaza deaths as fighting rages near hospitals GAZA

REUTERS

Israel faced mounting international pressure, including from its main ally the United States, to do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza as the death toll rose and fighting intensified near and around hospitals.

The number of Palestinians killed during the bombardment of the coastal enclave in the past five weeks rose above 11,000, as Israeli forces waged war on Hamas resistance fighters who carried out the October 7 rampage in southern Israel.

In his strongest comments to date on the plight of civilians caught in the crossfire, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters on a visit to India on Friday: “Far too many Palestinians have been killed; far too many have suffered these past weeks.”

But Blinken reaffirmed the US’ support for Israel’s campaign to ensure that Gaza can no longer be used “as a platform for launching terrorism”.

French President Emmanuel Macron, in a BBC interview published late on Friday, said Israel must stop bombing Gaza and killing civilians.

France, he said, “clearly condemns” the “terrorist” actions of Hamas, but that while recognising Israel’s right to protect itself, “we do urge them to stop this bombing” in Gaza.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said world leaders should be condemning Hamas, and not Israel. “These crimes that Hamas (is) committing today in Gaza will be committed tomorrow in Paris, New York and anywhere in the world,” Netanyahu said.

Israel has said that Hamas, who are holding as many as 240 hostages of different nationalities taken in last

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month’s attack, would exploit a truce to regroup if there were a ceasefire.

Saudi Arabia will host an extraordinary joint Islamic-Arab summit in Riyadh on Saturday, the Saudi foreign ministry said. The joint meeting “will be held in response to the exceptional circumstances taking place in the Palestinian Gaza Strip as countries feel the need to unify efforts and come out with a unified collective position,” it said.

Gaza official says two patients, including baby, died at hospital besieged by Israel A baby died in an incubator at Gaza’s largest hospital after the facility lost power, and another person was killed by an Israeli shell in intensive care, a spokesperson for the Palestinian health ministry said on Saturday.

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mechanism and call for a halt to illegal settlements by Israel. “We call for a political solution for which it is imperative that conditions are created for a dialogue between the Palestinians and Israel to evolve a way forward through the two-state solution,” he reiterated.

The prime minister said that a permanent solution to the conflict was in the establishment of a secure, viable, contiguous and sovereign state of Palestine on the basis of pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its Capital and urged upon the Muslim countries to work towards that end.

Gaza urgently needed reprieve and an immediate and complete ceasefire, he said, adding Israel must be forced to halt its indiscriminate aerial bombardments and ground invasions in compliance with the international humanitarian and human rights laws, and should ensure immediate lifting of the blockage and ensure rapid and unhindered humanitarian aid supply.

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Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel for its war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Genocide Convention and under the interim measures request.

The UN Secretary General could be requested to establish a special commission of inquiry to investigate Israel’s war crimes and crimes against humanity since October 7, he proposed.

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ECC raises sovereign guarantee ceiling for PSO by Rs100b PROFIT

SHAHZAD PARACHA

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has given its approval to extend the sovereign guarantee in favour of Pakistan State Oil (PSO), to Rs 100 billion. The Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, and Economic Affairs, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar presided over a meeting of the ECC of the Cabinet, on Friday.

The ECC discussed and approved a summary submitted by the Ministry of Energy, for the extension of GOP guarantee ceiling of Rs 100 billion in favour of PSO till December 2024, subject to approval of terms and conditions of each financing facility by the Finance Division upon renewal.

Earlier, ECC in March 2023 allowed sovereign guarantees for Rs 50 bn to improve liquidity requirements and to avoid possible default in international payment obligations.

It is important to note here that sovereign guarantees aren’t paid out upon approval. Rather it means that, if PSO fails to abide by any of its debt obligations, the government of Pakistan guarantees an amount of Rs 100 billion (instead of Rs 50 billion, as set previously).

The ECC also took up a summary submitted by the Ministry of Energy regarding “Uniform Quarterly Tariff Adjustments for K-Electric Consumers at par with XWDISCOs 2nd & 3rd Quarterly FY 2023”.

After detailed discussion, it was decided by the ECC that the tariff rationalisation by way of adjustments for K-Electric in line with the uniform QTA application guidelines already issued to NEPRA, shall be applicable on the consumption of July, August, and September 2023, and should be recovered from consumers of K-Electric in December 2023, January 2024, and February 2024, respectively.

Moreover, application of XWDISCOs’2nd quarterly tariff adjustment (QTA) of Rs. 0.4689/unit, already approved for K-Electric consumers, in line with the uniform QTA application guidelines already issued to NEPRA, shall be applicable on the consumption of April, May, and June 2023 to be recovered from consumers of K-Electric in December 2023, January 2024, and February 2024, respectively. The ECC also discussed the summary submitted by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs regarding the “Revision of Lighthouse Dues”. The ECC, after detailed discussion, decided to revise the Lighthouse dues from Rs. 7/ NRT (Net Register Tonnage) to Rs. 20/NRT, under Section 10(1) of the Lighthouse Act, 1927.

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SECP STANDARDIZES IPO APPROVAL PROCESS TO BOOST MARKET EFFICIENCY

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sunday, 12 november, 2023 | LAHORe

news

Technological tools to expedite approval process for companies going public ISLAMABAD

Ghulam abbaS

HE Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has taken a decisive step towards streamlining the Initial Public Offering (IPO) market by implementing a standardized approval process. A recent circular under section 172 of the Securities Act, 2015, has set a maximum period of 14 working days for the

regulatory approval of listing applications and prospectuses.

Moreover, the circular has introduced a 15-day window for the Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited (PSX) to complete the post-approval procedures for listing, marking a significant overhaul in the IPO application process. These timelines were established after extensive consultations with stakeholders, reflecting the commitment to enhancing

Court acquits Ata Tarar in police station attack case GUJRANWALA

Staff RepoRt

A local court on Saturday acquitted PML-N’s Ata Tarar and others, who were nominated in a police station attack case. Civil Judge Asif Gul’s court acquitted the Muslim LeagueNawaz leader and other co-accused of attacking Alipur Chattha police. An FIR was filed at Alipur Chattha police station against Tarar and other accused. After the court decision, talking to media, PML-N leader alleged that the case was registered against him on the orders of former federal ministers Shaikh Rashid and Fawad Chaudhry. “After my arrest Fawad Chaudhry said that he will not allow me out of jail before three years,” Tarar said. “Those who were claiming to keep me in jail are behind the bars themselves now,” he said. Talking on the election he called the matter of the PML-N’s electoral alliance with other parties as premature. “The PML-N leadership will visit Baluchistan. We have started enlistment of the party’s election candidates in Punjab,” he added.

Sanam Javed sent on three-day physical remand LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore on Saturday sent Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) activist Sanam Javed on a three-day physical remand in a case pertaining to an attack on police. The PTI activist, Sanam Javed was presented before the ATC court in Lahore, where the judge Arshad Javed presided over the hearing and awarded Sanam Javed threeday physical remand in police custody. The investigation officer (IO) stated that the PTI activist Sanam Javed and members were found involved in throwing petrol bombs at the police officers and arson police mobile outside Zaman Park. According to the prosecutor, Sanam Javed made provocative speeches outside Zaman Park and incited the activists to attack the police.

efficiency and transparency in the IPO market.

One of the key aspects of the revamped process is the automation of procedures, bringing in technological advancements to expedite the approval process. To ensure a swift and thorough evaluation, the Consultant to the Issue (CTI) has been assigned a pivotal role.

The CTI is now tasked with conducting a detailed assessment of both the issue and the issuer, providing a due-diligence

certificate that confirms the comprehensive disclosure of all material information required by law or suggested by the PSX and SECP in the prospectus.

This strategic move by SECP is expected to make the IPO market more appealing to potential issuers and investors alike. The move to remove unnecessary red tape comes on the back of an increase in market activity in the PSX, as the benchmark KSE-100 index crosses the 55,000 milestone for the first time. It is important to note that throughout 2022, Pakistan Stock Exchange only saw 3 successful IPOs. The new step represents the initial phase of SECP’s broader efforts to revamp the IPO

regime, with a vision to foster growth and development in the financial ecosystem.

The efficient allocation of funds and the subsequent boost in local economic growth are anticipated outcomes of a more robust IPO market.

The circular, effective immediately, is meant to serve as a directive to all stakeholders, including PSX, CTIs, book runners, issuers, and other market participants, urging them to adhere to the standardized approval process. This regulatory shift signifies a pivotal moment in the evolution of Pakistan’s financial landscape, emphasizing the commitment to modernization and increased market attractiveness.

‘179 IBOs conducted’: CTD lassoes five terrorists belong to TTP, LeJ LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday claimed to have arrested five suspected terrorists affiliated with outlawed outfits during intelligence-based operations carried out in different cities of the province.

The CTD, in a statement issued here, claimed it carried out 179 intelligence-based operations in Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi to “foil a major terror plot.”

During these IBOs, as many as 179 suspects were interrogated and five alleged terrorists were arrested.

According to the CTD, the five alleged terrorists belonged to banned organisations Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

The statement further said that 565 grams of explosives, two hand grenades, two improvised explosive devices, five detonators, 13 feet of safety fuse wire, 3.5 feet of primer cords, five pamphlets of banned organisations, 36 stickers and Rs5,520 rupees were recovered from the possession of the suspected terrorists.

The CTD alleged that the suspected terrorists had “planned to sabotage [sic] across the province and wanted to target important installations”. The police have registered five cases against them and shifted them to an “unknown location”, it added.

PML-N team to meet MQM-P delegation today KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

The statement concluded that the CTD was “working towards a safer Punjab and authorities were determined to put anti-state elements behind bars”.

This week, 769 combing operations were conducted in various parts of the province, resulting in the arrest of 82 suspects, the statement added.

In August, 13 alleged terrorists were arrested by the CTD, among them “key Daesh commanders.”

CTD arrests four banned organisation ‘facilitators’ from Peshawar

PPP Chairman Bilawal to visit KP next week

PESHAWAR

Staff RepoRt

The Anti-Terrorism Department has arrested the accused, allegedly involved in providing financial assistance to the banned organization, and his three facilitators on Saturday.

The CTD spokesperson stated that the arrested individual, identified as Sultan, originated from Afghanistan was allegedly involved in money laundering, and used this money for sabotage.

The CTD officials recovered foreign currency from the possession of the arrested individuals which includes 175,000 Euro, $15,000 USD, and 44,000 Saudi Riyal.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered against all the arrested accused.

Earlier in August 2023, the Counter-Terrorism Department

PESHAWAR

Staff RepoRt

(CTD) foiled a major terrorism bid in Peshawar’s Model Town area and killed two terrorists.

The CTD conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Peshawar’s Model Town area and killed two terrorists belonging to a banned outfit.

During the operation, six terrorists escaped from the crime scene, an STC spokesperson said.

They recovered four SMGs with ammunition, bandoliers, and various other items from the possession of the dead terrorists, the spokesperson concluded.

Pakistani enterprise taps surgical instruments market at 6th CIIE SHANGHAI

Staff RepoRt

In a milestone for the Pakistani dental and surgical instruments industry, a leading enterprise from the country showcased its products for the first time at the prestigious China International Import Expo (CIIE).

The event, held in Shanghai from 5 Nov to 10 Nov, provides a unique platform for the Pakistani company to tap into the immense potential of the Chinese and international markets, Gwadar Pro reported.

The proprietor of NJ Enterprises from Sialkot, Mr. Akif Javaid Butt expressed his excitement over the opportunity to showcase their products at such a prestigious event.

He stated, “China has emerged as a global leader in various industries, including healthcare. Since its establishment in 2006, we have

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) delegation will arrive in Karachi today (Sunday) to hold meetings with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and GDA leaders. The PML-N team will visit MQM-P’s head office in Bahadurabad on Sunday to discuss an electoral alliance between the two parties in Sindh. Both parties will discuss electoral collaboration, seat adjustment and future course of action in the meeting, say sources According to the MQM-P spokesperson, both parties have agreed on a close working relationship. Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQMP) has prepared its ‘charter of demand’ ahead of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) delegation’s visit to its headquarters.

exported to the US, Germany, Australia, etc.

By participating in CIIE, we aim to tap into the vast potential of the Chinese market and establish strong partnerships with Chinese companies.”

The Pakistani enterprise, known for high-quality dental, surgical, diagnostic, arthopedic, cosmetic, and surgical instruments, attracted significant attention at the expo.

With a wide range of products on display, the company aims to establish itself as a reliable and competitive player in the Chinese market.

CIIE, known for its focus on international trade and cooperation, attracted numerous exhibitors from around the world.

The Pakistani enterprise’s participation in the event marks a significant step towards enhancing bilateral trade between Pakistan and

China, particularly in the field of healthcare equipment.

The enterprise has registered six major categories of products in China this year. Mr. Akif Javaid is confident of tapping the huge potential of the Chinese market as his products already meet the stringent quality standards and requirements of the Chinese healthcare sector.

Pakistan’s dental and surgical instrument industry has gained recognition for its high-quality products and competitive prices.

With the increasing demand for healthcare equipment in China, the Pakistani enterprise aims to leverage its expertise and experience to meet the growing needs of the Chinese market.

During the expo, the Pakistani company engaged in productive discussions with potential Chinese partners, distributors, and buyers.

Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto will visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa next week for mobilizing party and workers for the upcoming general elections to be held in February 2024. During the visit, PPP Chairman will address four workers conventions and two public gatherings in different parts of KP including Abbotabad, Nowshera, Dir and Chitral, said Amjad Khan Afridi, Deputy Information Secretary PPP KP. Addressing a press conference here at Peshawar Press Club on Saturday, Amjad Afridi said during the visit, PPP Chairman will also take into confidence the party leadership and workers about strategy adopted for upcoming polls. Amjad Afridi was confident over better position of PPP in elections and expressed the hope that people will support Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto for their propeople’s policies in the past governments. “PPP will revive its past glory and emerge victorious in the general elections of 2024,” Afridi claimed.

In response to a question, Amjad Afridi said PPP’s doors are opened to all political parties for talk and to form election alliance. About forming election alliance with PTI, Ajmad said party chairman, Bilawal Bhutto will take any decision in this regard. He informed that Bilawal will also hold another visit to KP before elections for covering other parts of the province.

NAB changes Bushra’s status to accused in £190m scam ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has changed the status of former first lady Bushra Bibi from witness to accused in the £190 million scam case. According to media reports, Bibi was initially called as a witness in the investigation, but NAB has now made her an accused based on new evidence.

She is scheduled to be interrogated as an accused on November 13. If Bibi does not cooperate with the investigation, NAB may seek her arrest from the court. The sources also said that NAB is likely to file a reference against Bibi in court soon.

Second phase of Tablighi Ijtima to conclude today amid tight security LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The second phase of the annual international congregation, Raiwind Tablighi Ijtima, would concluded on Sunday, Nov 12, with final prayer, amid tight security arrangements.

According to the Ijtima administration, the second and final phase of Ijtima 2023 had started on Thursday, Nov 9. The districts and areas participating in the second phase included Kohat, Hangu, Karam and Kazai Agency, Tirah, Dara Adam Khel, Sada, Mardan,

Malakand, Dargai, Swabi, Ghazi, Tarbela, Gilgit, Besham, Bitgram, Mansehra, Chillas, Abbottabad, Kohistan, Haripur, Torghar, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Lodhran, Gujranwala, Gujarat, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Narowal and Mandi Bahauddin. Around six to seven lakh people are participating in the second phase.

The arrival of delegates from abroad has already completed; however a large number of people around Lahore and suburbs is likely to attend final prayers on early hours of Sunday. Around more than 600,000 people so far have reached the venue. The data of

citizens, residing in nearby houses, hotels, guesthouses, bus stops and railway stations, has been collected through geo-fencing, biometric verification and Hotel Eye app.

The Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue-1122) had provided an emergency medical cover to the participants in the Raiwind Ijtima. District Emergency Officer (DEO) Shahid Waheed told APP that eight emergency vehicles and 17 motorbike-ambulances have been deployed with staff to provide emergency services to the participants in the second session of the annual Raiwind congregation.

sunday, 12 november, 2023 | LAHORe

GWADAR’S MOST-AWAITED ROAD WIDENING PROJECT FINALLY COMMENCED

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ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

WADAR Development Authority (GDA) initiated construction activities to enhance and expand the Makki Masjid-Mullah Fazil Chowk section of Syed Zahoor Hashmi Road, commonly known as Airport Road.

This marks a pivotal step towards advancing the city’s connectivity and underscores the commitment to

bolstering its overall development.

Based on the directive issued by Dawood Khan Khilji, GDA Director Gene, the initiative aims to address a long-standing demand from the local community for better connectivity, according to a report carried out by Gwadar Pro on Saturday.

The stakeholders and public circles in Gwadar not only expressed satisfaction with the initiation of the work on the city’s crucial business highway but also stressed the urgent implementation of the long-delayed project.

They voiced confidence in wholeheartedly supporting the construction and development of this significant project.

“Due to illegal occupation and unauthorized encroachments, the construction work on Maki Masjid to Mala Fazil Chowk was stalled for many years,” reads GDA’s statement.

However, the government has already arranged a handsome amount as compensation for the legitimate owners if their shops or properties are disturbed during the

expansion of the road.

“These compensations, benchmarked against market values, represent the most competitive rates in the entire region,” according to GDA. The improvement and widening of the road will facilitate convenient access to key business hubs in the city, such as Mullah Fazil Chowk and Shahi Bazaar. With the upgradation of the road, Mullah Fazil Chowk will also get sewerage and drainage lines, which is an environmental issue for the city of Gwadar.

Israel faces pressure over Gaza deaths as fighting rages near hospitals CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 Israel’s military, which residents said had been fighting Hamas gunmen all night in and around Gaza City where the hospital is located, did not immediately respond to quest ions on the comments from health ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra.

“The situation is worse than anyone can imagine. We are besieged inside the Al Shifa Medical Complex, and the occupation has targeted most of the buildings inside,” said Qidra, who represents the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza.The Israeli military has said that Hamas fighters who have placed command centres under Shifa hospital and others in Gaza, making them vulnerable to being considered military targets.

“The hospitals need to be evacuated in order to deal with Hamas. We intend on dealing with Hamas who have turned hospitals into fortified positions,” it said in response to the question of whether it planned to enter Gaza hospitals at some point. Hamas has denied using civilians as human shields and health officials say growing numbers of Israeli strikes on or near hospitals put at risk patients, medical staff and thousands of evacuees who have taken shelter in and near their buildings.

Qidra said Israeli army snipers commandeering rooftops of buildings near the hospital fired into the medical complex from time to time, limiting the ability of medics and people to move.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The hospital suspended operations after fuel ran out, Qidra said, adding: “As a result, one newborn baby died inside the incubator, where there are 45 babies.” Hamas denies using the hospital for its military purposes and has asked the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to send missions to come to Shifa to investigate the Israeli allegations.

The Palestinian Health Ministry, which is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank – separated from Gaza by Israel and run by a rival administration to Hamas – said separately that 39 babies were at risk at the hospital.

Minister Mai Alkaila had initially said they had died because they could not get oxygen or medicine to them and electricty was cut off, but the later corrected the ministry information to say that one had died and 39 were at risk.

“39 premature babies in Al-Shifa Medical Complex are threatened with death at any moment, and one of them died this morning. Failure to bring fuel into the hospitals will be a death sentence

for the rest. The incubators will only be able to work until this evening, after which the fuel will run out.” Contacted again about the ministry’s statement, Qidra reiterated that there was no electricity at the hospital and no internet.

“We are working hard to keep them alive, but we are afraid we may lose them in the coming hours,” he said.

“There is no electricity in the hospital completely.” On Friday, Gaza officials had said missiles landed in a courtyard of Al Shifa, killing one person and wounding others. Israel’s military said later that a misfired projectile launched

by Palestinian fighters in Gaza had hit Shifa. World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said health workers the group was in contact with at Shifa had been forced to leave the hospital in search of safety.

“Many of the thousands sheltering at the hospital are forced to evacuate due to security risks, while many still remain there,” Tedros wrote on social media on Friday.

‘NO ONE IS SAFE’ Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra said Israel had bombed Shifa hospital buildings five times.

“One Palestinian was killed and several were wounded in the early morning attack,” he said by phone.

Videos verified by Reuters showed scenes of panic and people covered in

ECC raises sovereign guarantee ceiling for PSO by Rs100bn CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Another summary submitted by the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety regarding the “Grant of Special Relief Package for Daily Wage Workers on Chaman Border” was also considered. After detailed discussion and deliberation, the ECC asked BISP to examine the cases of 8,000 registered daily wage workers employed at the Chaman border to see whether they were already in its system. BISP was directed to provide support to the eligible ones from its allocated budget in consultation with the Finance Department, Government of Balochistan, who will later reimburse the amount spent on the provision of six-months’ support to the daily wage workers.

A proposal for disbursement of Rs 20 billion credited to the Federal Government Account by

Ernst & Young hired as financial advisor for privatisation of PIA CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

On the basis of the laid down criteria the evaluation committee formed by the board declared the consortium led by Ernst & Young as the “Top ranked Interested Party”. The board formed a negotiating committee and tasked it to conclude the financial services agreement with the top ranked bidder. The financial services agreement with the FA on the privatisation of HBFCL expired in January, 2023 and the board accorded approval for a 24-month extension. The board also accorded approval to the revision of cost due to additional work required from the financial advisor. Similarly, the financial services agreement with the financial advisor on the privatisation of FWBL expired in April, 2023.

The agreement has been accorded a 24-months extension with price adjustment for changed scope of work. The Board decided that the responsibility for the unnecessary delay in the privatisation of both HBFCL and FWBL may be fixed after a detailed enquiry into the matter. The board, after considering the issues and litigation in the privatisation of Pak China Fertilizer Limited, directed that details of all proceedings since the initiating of the contract for privatisation be shared with the board in its next meeting. The board resolved to determine the factors behind the change of stance of the privatisation commission more than once despite the arbitration award decision in 1997. It was decided that the board will form a final stance for presenting to the court in its next meeting after considering all the details involved.

the Finance Department Government of Punjab for further disbursement to Green Cooperative Initiative (Pvt) for Green Pakistan Initiative was also discussed.

The ECC approved the disbursement with the observation that the provincial governments may directly engage with companies operating under Green Pakistan Initiative for future disbursements.

The summary submitted by the Ministry of Interior regarding Technical Supplementary Grant amounting to Rs. 47.45 million within the sanctioned budget, for repair and maintenance, during CFY 2023-24, was considered and approved. ECC also considered a summary submitted by the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication, and approved release of Rs 5 billion as bridge finance from the R&D Fund for the Digital Information Infrastructure project.

PM Kakar suggests ICJ proceedings against Israel for its war crimes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted a Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit, which brings together leaders from the Arab and Islamic world to discuss the current worsening situation in Gaza and the future strategy.The caretaker prime minister stressed that the Israeli occupation forces were in clear violation of the international humanitarian and human rights law, and their indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity. He called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its crimes. Prime Minister Kakar underscored the urgency of bringing an end to Israel’s campaign of terror with an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, lifting of the siege of Gaza, and rapid and unhindered humanitarian and relief assistance for the people of Gaza.

Calling for immediate ceasefire, Muslim leaders castigate Israeli brutalities CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The prime minister said that permanent solution to the conflict was in the establishment of a secure, viable, contiguous and sovereign state of Palestine on the basis of pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Shareef as its Capital and urged upon the Muslim countries to work towards that end. In his speech to the Summit, OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said that the ArabIslamic Summit was being held to confirm their solidarity with and unwavering support for the Palestinian people, and their joint commitment to the responsibilities for supporting the central cause, the Cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

blood. Israeli tanks have taken up positions around the Nasser Rantissi hospital as well as the Al-Quds hospital, medical staff said earlier.

The Palestinian Red Cross said Israeli forces were shooting at Al-Quds hospital, and there were violent clashes, with one person killed and 28 wounded, most of them children.

Israeli army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht said at a briefing the army “does not fire on hospitals. If we see Hamas terrorists firing from hospitals, we’ll do what we need to do. We’re aware of the sensitivity (of hospitals), but again, if we see Hamas terrorists, we’ll kill them.”

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan said Israel had created a taskforce to establish hospitals in southern Gaza.

On October 12, Israel ordered some 1.1 million people in Gaza to move south ahead of its ground invasion.

Palestinian officials said on Friday that 11,078 Gaza residents had been killed in air and artillery strikes since October 7.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said around 1,200 people had been killed in the Hamas attack on October 7, a revision of the earlier death toll, although it added that might change again once all the bodies are identified.

Israel has also said 39 soldiers have been killed in combat since October 7.

news

03

Pakistan’s gas king, Iqbal Z Ahmed arrested in in Hyderabad CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Ahmed’s flagship company JJVL was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013 for causing a loss of Rs 22 billion to the state-owned SSGC by paying lower royalty for extracting LPG from a gas field. Ahmed claimed that he followed the government policies and that the bidding process for setting up the plant was transparent and fair. His company, Pakistan Power Resources, was one of the rental power plants (RPPs) that were declared illegal by the Supreme Court in 2012 for being awarded in a non-transparent manner and for causing a huge burden on the national exchequer.

Ahmed alleged that the project was politicised and that there was no evidence of corruption or inefficiency.

Ahmed’s entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop at the gas sector. He invested in setting up rental power plants and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal. His company, Gas Port, has also touted plans to import Pakistan’s first private LNG cargo. Ahmed has partnered with international companies like Trafigura and BW Group for these projects. Beyond the energy sector, he owns the Pakistan edition of Newsweek and has plans to launch a news channel and a commercial airline service. He also operates a foundation that supports education, health, and community development projects and the arts. His son, Razi Ahmed, is the founder of the Lahore Literary Festival

Pakistan’s soaring debt reaches Rs78tr, raises concerns of unsustainability CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

The average exchange rate depreciated by 26.3 percent to Rs287.8 to a dollar within one year, significantly impacting the government’s external debt. External debt expanded by 26 percent to reach Rs33.4 trillion within a year, with a net increase of Rs6.9 trillion, primarily due to currency depreciation and foreign currency reserve building through borrowing. Pakistan’s external debt and liabilities climbed to $128 billion by the end of September, an increase of $3.4 billion in the last three months. The country’s debt from the IMF grew by 31 percent to reach Rs2.3 trillion by the end of September, according to the SBP. The federal government’s total domestic debt increased to Rs39.7 trillion, rising by Rs8.2 trillion (or 26pc) in the past year. In the July-September quarter alone, the country spent Rs2.2 trillion solely on servicing the total debt and liabilities—a figure that marked a 41.5 percent increase from the previous year. On interest payments alone, Pakistan disbursed Rs1.56 trillion in three months, reflecting a 58 percent surge compared to the same period of the preceding year.

04 COMMENT

Sunday, 12 November, 2023

Preventing Cyberattacks Through Compliance

Campaign over

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AKISTAN’S World Cup campaign came to an end with its failure to qualify for the semifinals.

Though there was still a theoretical chance of their going through if they won the match, and if they improved on New Zealand’s runrate, their failure to prevent England from setting a target of 338, and to meet that target not in 50 overs, but in less than 3 overs. They did not, and only a last-minute flourish by the last pair took them past 200, though it was not enough to prevent them losing that match b. Even though the World Cup is not over, it is already time to look forward, specifically to the `three-Test our of Australia. The change of format shows quite clearly that one of the problems with Pakistan is that they had not been playing enough 50-over ODIs of late, and the concentration on the 2020 and Test formats had left not just the players but the selectors at sea.. One result was that Pakistan was unm.yu763ejJable to pick the right bowling combination.

It could be argued that Pakistan’s bowlers were below par, and it was thus impossible to field a good attack, but that would be to absolve the coaching staff and the selection committee. It might be hard to hold the selection committee responsible, especially after the chairman had to resign in mid-tournament over the allegations that he was involved in a sports management company. This led PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf to begin intervening in team selection, even his appointment was controversial because it was so obviously political, being the result of inta-coalition arm-twisting by PPP co-Chairman Asif Zardari of then Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The government should look at how the International Cricket Council suspended Sri Lanka because the government sacked the board.

While the government should avoid any knee-jerk reaction, it must be careful to organize a proper investigation which can fix responsibility, but which is not a witch-hunt. However, our of the lessons our boys should learn from England is how their seniors are more than ready to go, y 95 runsbecause they realize that the only ebay to keep a team good is if it is refreshed by new blood constantly. Unfortunately, our players stick to the team like limpets, by hook or by crook, because it is so lucrative.

A Call for a Collective Defence

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MuhaMMad sulaMan

UR daily lives, our way of working, and our communication have all changed dramatically because of the digital age's unleashing of innovation and connectedness.

However, the ongoing and constantly changing threat of cyberattacks has also emerged as a significant challenge because of this amazing progress. It is obvious that a new strategy based on a shared commitment to compliance is required as the cyber landscape grows more dangerous.

Attacks by cybercriminals have become all too common, and their sophistication and scope are growing. The ramifications are severe whether the threat comes from nation-state actors trying to compromise vital infrastructure, cybercriminals holding companies hostage, or hackers taking advantage of weaknesses to make money. They tamper with data integrity, interfere with operations, and occasionally endanger national security.

The proverb that states, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," is more applicable today than it was ever before, in the field of cybersecurity. To prevent cyberattacks, proactive steps and strict adherence to compliance requirements are essential. This calls for a paradigm change, for seeing cybersecurity as a shared responsibility as well as an IT problem.

Cybersecurity compliance standards establish a set of best practices and guidelines to mitigate risks and offer an organised framework to protect against cyber threats. However, compliance is not just a checkbox exercise; it is the foundation of a strong cybersecurity posture. These standards can vary by industry and jurisdiction.

Regular software updates, strong access controls, and meticulous incident response plans are among the measures that must be implemented to meet compliance requirements. Demanding, adherence to these standards can significantly lower vulnerabilities and improve the cyber resilience of an organisation.

For instance, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) mandates stringent security measures for companies that handle credit card information. The USA’s Health Insurance Portability

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi

and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets guidelines to protect patient data in the healthcare sector. Similarly, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe is a global standard that focuses on data privacy. Effective cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, not an individual one. Every stakeholder; governments, companies, and people; have a responsibility to fulfil. To counteract cyber threats, government organisations need to create clear regulations, encourage information sharing, and support global cooperation.

Large amounts of sensitive data are in the hands of businesses, who look after it. To secure this data, maintain the privacy of their customers, and protect their business, they must rigorously apply compliance standards. Instead of being merely considered as a budget line item, cybersecurity needs to be integrated into every aspect of business strategy.

Additionally, each user has access to a multitude of digital portals. In the collective defence against cyberattacks, fundamental procedures like creating strong, one-of-a-kind passwords, updating software frequently, and being alert for phishing attempts are crucial.

Although compliance is essential to cybersecurity, there are difficulties with it. Due to the dynamic nature of the cyber threat landscape, compliance standards must quickly change and adapt. Furthermore, firms may experience compliance fatigue due to the overwhelming amount and complexity of regulations.

Regulatory bodies need to find a balance between practicality and strict requirements in order to handle these challenges. Organisations should be encouraged to take a risk-based approach to cybersecurity, and compliance standards should be flexible enough to keep up with new threats.

Boundaries are irrelevant to cyberattacks, which take advantage of the gaps in compliance standards

As we navigate this complex terrain, we must view compliance not as a burden but as a shield—our first line of defence against the ever-evolving threats of the digital age. Compliance is the foundation on which we build a collective defence, and by doing so, we can ensure a safer, more secure digital future for all

Making pension payments sustainable Executive Editor

Joint Editor

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The proposed admndments need revision MasuMa Batool

few amendments to the already existing pension scheme are proposed because of the increasing burden on the state’s economy while paying its retired employees, and given the unsustainable nature of the current pension scheme. A few of the proposed amendments are debatable.

It is proposed through the amendments that an early retirement penalty of 3-10 percent per year reduction in gross pension will be applicable to the employees who seek retirement earlier, that is, after 25 years of service. This amendment can be seen in two ways. Firstly, a penalty must be imposed as an employee is leaving his or her service before reaching the retirement age of 60 years. Doing so, the employee leaves the designated position to be filled by another person using the state resources. The process of recruitment takes quite a long time; thus, the state suffers because of the inefficiency caused by a blank position and the resources being used to hire a new employee. Secondly, a penalty must not be imposed as when an old employee leaves, it will create a way for more innovative and creative personnel to join the position left by the ex-employee. Other than that, the experienced employee who has left the position can get many employment opportunities in private firms for his or her experience.

Another existing rule suggests that if reemployed, an employee can get pay and pension both from the federal government.

Through the proposed amendment the government tends to change the rule of both pension and pay to the reemployed worker to forgo either pension or pay. In case of reemployment, the government must ensure both pension and pay for the employee. It would be quite unfair to make the employee do all the work on pension alone, which he or she would get even without being reemployed. In this manner, a reemployed worker will not be paid for his or her current job. Therefore, the government must ensure both pension and pay till the age of 60 years in case of reemployment in the public sector.

One of the existing rules suggests that pension is entitled to the third tier, that is, the unmarried/widowed/divorced daughter for life.

The proposed amendment suggests that pension is restricted to the third tier for only 10 years, or 20 years in case of Shuhada families and only disabled sons or daughter will be entitled for life. It is a welcome step to restrict the third tier to a specified number of years, but the exemptions must also include the unmarried daughters to get the entitled amount until they get married, as they are solely dependent on their parents. Doing so, the government will be able to provide for their social protection, avoiding them being subjected to any societal vulnerability which might be re-

last three years pay” which is quite obvious to lead to a comparatively smaller amount of pension. The very notion of pension comes under the social protection programme and employees’ old-age benefits. The government’s step must be directed towards facilitating the employees, and not only themselves, as they have spent their entire lives in providing public service under the umbrella of the government.

Through the proposed amendments, the government also tends to change the increase in pension will be given on net/gross pension authorized at the time of retirement. In future, the increase in pension has been indexed with Consumer Price Index (80 percent) of the last three years with a maximum 10 percent increase per annum. Though the increase in pension must be based on 100 percent of the CPI as the household expenses are directly related to the prices of goods and services, which keeps on increasing with the passage of time.

In the end, it is recommended that the government must utilize the pension cuts from the employees’ emolument to their fullest, making it a sustainable practice and not a burden on the shoulders of the state economy. One important step would be to invest the pension cuts from the emoluments of the currently employed personnel in higher return generating areas, for instance, in buying shares of multinational companies and selling them with a good marginal rate of return. It will not only make paying pensions easier for the state but also is capable of generating a greater revenue for the state economy. Not only the pension scheme but the investment of the pension cuts also needs to be amended to produce greater return for the state economy.

In the end, it is recommended that the government must utilize the pension cuts from the employees’ emolument to their fullest, making it a sustainable practice and not a burden on the shoulders of the state economy. One important step would be to invest the pension cuts from the emoluments of the currently employed personnel in higher return generating areas, for instance, in buying shares of multinational companies and selling them with a good marginal rate of return. It will not only make paying pensions easier for the state but also is capable of generating a greater revenue for the state economy. Not only the pension scheme but the investment of the pension cuts also needs to be amended to produce greater return for the state economy quired to be covered through any other social protection programmes by the government, such as the BISP. Another rule suggests that pension will be calculated on the basis of average pay for the last three years. The prior rule suggested it to be the other way around, that it must be based on the last pay drawn of the retiring individual.

Here, the point of concern is “the average of the

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

Masuma Batool, studying MS-Governance and Public policy at NUST, Islamabad.

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Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

and regulations. Hence, it makes sense and is even necessary for us to mount a collective defence. This effort relies heavily on cooperative cybersecurity initiatives and information-sharing platforms, like the US-based Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

International cooperation is vital, given the borderless nature of cyber threats. As cyberattacks increasingly blur the line between criminal activity and state-sponsored actions, a unified global response is essential. The development of international agreements and norms for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace is a step in the right direction.

In the fight against cyincentivizing berattacks, compliance is a powerful tool. Governments can consider tax incentives or liability protections for businesses that invest in robust cybersecurity. Cyber insurance can serve as a safety net, encouraging businesses to bolster their cybersecurity defences.

Additionally, consumers and stakeholders can influence organizations by demanding transparency and accountability in cybersecurity practices. Trust is an invaluable asset, and businesses that prioritize data security and privacy will not only protect their clients but also gain a competitive edge in the market.

Cybersecurity is not an isolated issue but an intricate web that binds us all. The prevention of cyberattacks demands a collective commitment to compliance, collaboration, and the safeguarding of our digital ecosystems.

As we navigate this complex terrain, we must view compliance not as a burden but as a shield—our first line of defence against the ever-evolving threats of the digital age. Compliance is the foundation on which we build a collective defence, and by doing so, we can ensure a safer, more secure digital future for all.

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Muhammad Sulaman is IT Administrator at BTTN

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

Children of Gaza

SOCIAL media websites, under Israeli pressure, have begun to block accounts and pages reporting on Zionist atrocities in Gaza, while foreign broadcasters have banned journalists who spoke out against the barbaric Israeli bombing of the oppressed Palestinians. Suppressing these voices is tantamount to suppressing freedom of expression. Journalist organisations around the world should take note.

Israel has been oppressing the Palestinians for more than six de cades. The Muslim Ummah needs unity and solidarity against this.

The humanitarian crisis inten sified in Gaza, with 1,000 chil dren, including 320 infants, mar tyred in the Israeli bombardment, while the total number of martyrs has increased to more than 3,000. During a moment of respite, the in ternally displaced persons (IDPs) were bombarded with explosives, a heinous war crime. Where will the so-called pioneer countries of humanity, including the United Nations, sleep?

Even hospitals are not spared from Israeli brutality, and the mor tuaries are filling up. Despite the Israeli government’s war crimes, indiscriminate and brutal massa cres, and destruction of homes, mosques, hospitals, and public spaces, the Palestinian resistance remains strong. The Israeli army’s directive to the Palestinians to leave North Gaza and go to South Gaza is not an effective warning; it is a forced eviction, the results of which will prove dangerous. The OIC meeting on October 18 must be made productive. Actions need to be taken. The Zionist army has crossed all its limits. The Mus lim community should go beyond condemnation and stop the atroci ties against Muslims. For this, Pak istan and Saudi Arabia will have to play their leadership roles. Today, the innocent and oppressed chil dren of Gaza are crying out.

MUHAMMAD IMRAN UL HAQ LAHORE

Causes and effects of early marriages

CHILD marriage involves the union of young girls and boys who are under 18 years of age. This is a prevalent issue nowadays across the globe and poses significant dan gers to children as they struggle to manage this burden in their youth. They may forfeit their education, leading to lifelong unhappiness. Child marriage doesn’t just rob a girl of her education; it also ex poses her to emotional and health challenges during early pregnancy. Early pregnancies are a common problem in my country. Being a mother is a tremendous responsi bility that should be handled with utmost care. However, how can a young woman manage this colos sal responsibility when she is too young to be a mother? The risks of pregnancy among young women increase significantly. Some young women who become pregnant ear ly may experience excessive stress, anxiety, and depression. First and foremost, parents should refrain from marrying off their children at a young age, and the law should intervene to halt this practice. It can destroy children’s lives, obstruct their education, and prevent them from becoming re sponsible individuals, leaving them with regrettable consequences.

YASIR ALI BALOCHISTAN

Smoking ban

SMOKING on campuses of educational institutions is common. The smokers harm themselves, and in the process expose others to passive smoking. The authorities should enforce the smoking ban efficiently. Let us work together towards building a smoke-free environment for a better, healthier future.

Khadijah Tarar Lahore

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

COMMENT 05

Bangladesh on route to chaos ahead of national polls

Sunday, 12 November, 2023

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Bangladesh is running into trouble nava thakuria

bouring India and Myanmar since 2009, asserted that Bangladesh election authorities will follow the regular electoral laws, which are implemented in all Parliamentary democracies like Australia, India, Canada, and others. Like those countries, the government in Dhaka will do only routine work till a new duly elected regime comes to power after the polls, she added.

The country’s chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal recently made a public statement that he had no other option except to conduct the election on time as per guidelines of the Bangladesh Constitution.

Political parties and individuals may have options to participate or boycott the polls, but the election commission cannot decide that and must go with the electoral process irrespective of the ground ambience. He however revealed that the commission is scheduled to hold dialogues with all political parties.

The constitution describes that the elections for Jatiya Sangsad (Bangladesh has no upper house of Parliament) must be arranged within 90 days before the end of its full term. The three-months count for the current Parliament has just begun on 1 November and the 12th national election must be conducted and completed by 29 January.

HE ground situation of Bangladesh remains disturbed as the opposition parties continue demanding the immediate resignation of PM Hasina Wazed, which she rejected outright, just putting the South Asian country into a cycle of chaos and violence. The political opponents have threatened to boycott the forthcoming national election due in January 2024 and announced nationwide protest demonstrations across the country in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the daylong agitation in Dhaka by the prime opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on 28 October and subsequent blockades by its political allies protesting the high handedness of the Bangla police and also the ruling Awami League workers simply merged with a series of violent incidents killing a numnone in power. Political observers believe that the polls ber people, and later the detention amd arrest of thouunder the interim administration were free, fair and insands of opposition activists along with common clusive to a great extent. But the Hasina regime abolBangladeshi nationals. ished the system in 2011 following a directive from the The Khaleda Zia-led BNP, which boycotted the 2014 country’s apex court terming it as unconstitutional. general elections but reluctantly participated in the 2018 In the last national election, held in December 2018, polls, vows to boycott the electoral Hasina’s party and its allies won over exercise if Hasina does not resign, 250 Parliamentary seats (elections are paving the way for a neutral careconducted in 300 constituencies) and taker government in Dhaka. The she is confident of winning once combined opposition parties includagain, even though the opposition Political observers predict a probable electoral loss for Hasina leaders alleged a large-scale manipuing the largest Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, claim that Hasina if the polls are conducted in a free and fair manner. But the BNP lation of ballots with the help of adand her party workers will rig the ministrations including the police. (if they finally decide to participate in the election) may not polls in her favour as she is seeking The BNP and other like-minded parthe mandate from nearly 120 milties apprehend that it would be reemerge as a winner. In such a situation, the Muslim-majority lion Bangladeshi voters for her conpeated if Hasina continues to be in country may go to the hands of military dictators once secutive fourth five-year term in power during the electoral exercise. office.

The BNP leaders officially again.More than that, the Islamist elements may grab the The daughter of Bangabandhu claimed that nearly 2300 of their Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the indeleader-workers (including secretaryopportunity to fulfil their long desire to make Bangladesh an pendence hero of Bangladesh for general Mirza Fakhrul Islam AlamIslamic nation with no hope of returning to parliamentary his leadership in the 1971 freedom gir) have been arrested by the police movement against the Islamic Refollowing the massive day-long democracy. It will jeopardise all bilateral relationships with public of Pakistan, Hasina has alprotest. The party lost at least nine acDhaka making significant negative impacts on the region ready stated that neither she will tivists in the police atrocities who resign nor the Jatiya Sangsad (the succumbed to injuries. The turmoil 330-member national Parliament) also resulted in increasing attacks on be dissolved prior to the January journalists who went to cover the adelection. The determined Awami leader disclosed that an ditional programmes. No less than 30 media persons susThe country developed a non-partisan interim ad- tained injuries as they faced unprecedented attacks from election-time government will function during the polls to run the regular affairs without taking any major policy ministration comprising a group of distinguished civil the police personnel and activist-goons belonging to both society representatives to conduct the polls within three the ruling and opposition parties. decisions.

Hasina, who is ruling the populous country neigh- months, where all parties participate in the elections with By now political disturbances in the developing

nation have attracted the attention of UN secretarygeneral Antonio Guterres, who called on all parties in Bangladesh to refrain from violence, any excessive use of force, or arbitrary detention of individuals. Expressing serious concern over the violent incidents during political rallies in the country, the UN chief emphasised on respecting the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly by the law-abiding citizens of Bangladesh. The UN office of the high commissioner for human rights (OHCHR) also echoed similar concerns.

Seven influential countries (namely the USA, IK, Republic of Korea, Canada, Australia, Japan and Norway) issued a joint statement through their diplomatic missions to condemn the ongoing political violence in Bangladesh following confrontations between the workers of BNP and Awami League from time to time. They mourned over the deaths in violence and urged all stakeholders to help ensure a free, fair, peaceful and inclusive election for the benefit of the nation.

Political observers predict a probable electoral loss for Hasina if the polls are conducted in a free and fair manner. But the BNP (if they finally decide to participate in the election) may not emerge as a winner. In such a situation, the Muslim-majority country may go to the hands of military dictators once again.More than that, the Islamist elements may grab the opportunity to fulfil their long desire to make Bangladesh an Islamic nation with no hope of returning to parliamentary democracy.

It will jeopardise all bilateral relationships with Dhaka making significant negative impacts on the region.

The writer is a Guwahati-based journalist, who writes on south Asian affairs for various media outlets

Is AI creating your food and drink?

India is the epicentre of hate and How artificial intelligence is being utilized to monitor crop misinformation against Palestinians production and design food and drink products

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Disinformation and jingoism against Palestinians is becoming widespread on Indian media and social media MIDDLE EAST MONITOR MohaMMad asif khan

N the wee hours of 7 October, 2023, Hamas, the Palestinian Resistance group based in Gaza, launched a surprise attack on Israel, code named operation AlAqsa flood; it started firing rockets and sending gunmen across the border, who took hostages. The Israeli military has responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground invasion of Gaza in the counter operation.

The initial reaction from Indian media was to label the operation as a terrorist attack, Firstpost Indian news website owned by News 18 which covers International affairs, labelled the attack as an invasion of the State of Israel

by Hamas in its headline. Its firebrand anchor, Palki Sharma, known for her angry and nationalistic rhetoric on international events labeled the attackers as terrorists.

Nearly all mainstream broadcast channels echoed her suit. Many Indian journalists drew parallels to the 26/11 terrorist attack In Mumbai.

Others, like right wing news anchor, Arnab Goswami, compared Hamas with separatists in the Kashmir valley.

Indian media was the leading proponent of spreading fake news about 40 beheaded babies, which was later found to be false.

Indian media, including outlets like Republic, NDTV, Times of India and Times Now, spread false news about 40 beheaded babies during the IsraelPalestine conflict.

War mongering is not new for Indian TV channels. During the 2019 Pulwama attack in Indian occupied Kashmir, there were loud calls for immediate action on Pakistan and a formal declaration of war by mainstream Indian channels.

India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s official tweet, expressing solidarity with Israel and labelling Hamas operatives as “terrorists”, mirrors the narrative echoed by Indian media. This stance diverges from India’s official policy, which does not designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

INDIA’S HISTORIC SUPPORT FOR THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE Historically, India has been supportive of the Palestinian people. It rejected the UN partition plan for Palestine in 1947 and, in 1974, India became the first non-Arab state to recognise the

Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

Palestine experienced colonisation at the same time India gained independence. Its land was forcibly taken from its inhabitants. Around 530 Palestinian villages and towns were destroyed, causing 7.5 million Palestinians to become refugees in the tragedy known as Al Nakba.

In 1938, Mahatma Gandhi, who is revered as “Father of the Nation” by India, had famously said, “Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French.”

In 1988, India was one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine. India also opened a Representative Office in Gaza in 1996, which was later shifted to Ramallah in 2003.

India had no diplomatic relations with Israel until 1992.

Commenting on India’s historic relations with Israel, Dr. Mosheer Amer, Professor of Linguistics at the English Department of the Islamic University of

Gaza, says: “Historically, India had traditionally been supportive of the Palestinian people. The strong ties that we have seen between the Israeli Occupation State and Modi’s government come at the expense of the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people.” The current policy calls for a two state solution with Israel and Palestine living side by side, a stance reiterated by India amidst the current conflict.

GENOCIDE IN GAZA: LUXURY AT WHAT COST? In recent years, India has grown closer to Israel and support for Palestine has dwindled significantly under Modi’s rise to power in India. In 2017, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. This shift in policy is attributed to the rise of Modi and Hindu Nationalism in India, which shares admiration for Israel. This admiration is loudly echoed and celebrated by the mainstream media in India. “There are strong ties between the Netanyahu’s extremist government and India’s Modi’s govern-

ment, who share similar right-wing ideological orientations in relation to a host of issues,” Dr. Mosheer Amer adds.

POOL OF DISINFORMATION AGAINST PALESTINIANS Indian media is using language that is sympathetic to Israel and dehumanising to Palestinians. Scores of reporters from major Indian broadcast channels like NDTV, India Today and News 18, etc., have been present on the ground to report on the current conflict. The behaviour of some correspondent media outlets has raised serious concerns. Reporters are staging dramatic scenes in front of moving tanks and anchors are resorting to dramatic visual effects to portray missile strikes.

This display of sensationalism and nationalistic fervour has not only overshadowed the gravity of the situation, but has also transformed the coverage into a spectacle of noise and theatrics.

Indian social media users, particularly on social media platform X, are flooded with anti-Palestinian posts filled with misinformation about the ongoing war, often posted by right wing users aligned with the ideology of India’s Hindu nationalist BJP party.

Indian influencers have been found spreading disinformation targeting Palestine negatively and supporting Israel, as found by factchecking service, BOOM. They have shared misleading videos, one falsely claiming Hamas kidnapped a Jewish baby, garnering millions of views.

Most of these accounts were based in India.

An analysis of fake news originated or spread by users in India by the Narrative Research Lab quoted by Al Jazeera in its report reveals the scale of disinformation against Palestinians being spread through X. Out of 4,316 tweets analyzed with the keyword “We Indians”, around 1,250 supported Israel and about 250 supported Palestine in the Israel-Palestine conflict. This indicates a five-toone ratio in favour of Israel.

Additionally, a significant number of Indian accounts used the hashtag “#IstandwithIsrael” on social media.

The spread of false information is being amplified by a network of India’s right-wing followers. They use this false information to support their cause, which relies heavily on strong emotional reactions from people who share these beliefs. In the current conflict, some Hindu nationalists are using Israel’s strong response to Hamas and the attacks on Gaza to further their antiMuslim agenda.

Swiss drinks company Vivi Kola, named after the kola soda it invented in 1938, has thoroughly embraced AI. It has just produced a new soda, the recipe of which was entirely created by ChatGPT

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GLOBALIST

Julia Watson

HIS could well be a picture of your local farmer. Not an individual you could cosily chat with over the gate, as you might be accustomed to doing if you live in the countryside. A bucolic selfie with this? Unlikely.

If developments proceed as “Big Food” hopes they will, flesh-and-blood individuals to exchange pleasantries with as you stop at a farm shop for your weekly supply of produce will be rare. Nor will there be many farm shops remaining, either.

ENTER ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE These robots are the least of it. Automated crop production is already so last century. Today, as in almost every other sphere, it is all about Artificial Intelligence (AI).

If you are in any doubt, AI has invaded the food world. A give-away is the word “optimizing” – a popular slogan among those promoting any development in the food industry.

Members of the global food production community do not consider AI as an existential threat but, according to Puneet Mishra, researcher at Wagheningen University and Research in the Netherlands, “We can use it to our own benefit and do tasks that were not possible beforehand.”

The planting of lettuces by robots is too elementary, I imagine, to qualify as cutting edge.

Now, it is all about the deployment of AI to grow food with even fewer resources. Those resources presumably include people – a costly bunch. And when is development not about money?

THE GM CROP PRECEDENT Legislation to protect producers and consumers too often ignored in new “improvements” could be vital. I remember its creators’ argument that GM would provide super-crops to feed the hungry, especially in the developing world.

Then they fitted their GM seeds with a terminator gene to prevent grains from being harvested by farmers (small and large) for future sowing.

Each new GM crop required a new licencing agreement and payment to its proprietary owners.

After several abundant crops, a proprietary fertilizer was also required to restore heavily depleted soil before new crops could flourish.

AN UNSTOPPABLE TREND? AI in agriculture and food industries may not yet be as far forward as it is in the financial, media, medical and other commercial sectors. But the effort to generate, collect, combine and apply AI data is increasing.

The Autonomous Greenhouses project uses AI to train robots to identify varieties of crops and growing situations to reduce energy use and labor costs. While the former is desirable, the latter commonly seems to be a euphemism for eliminating human labor entirely. AI is working particularly effectively in the chocolate industry. According to Mishra, “manufacturing chocolate through the use of sensors, and then combining data from these sensors with AI, (We) then take control of the process and optimize it to make it more efficient.”

This particular “optimizing” aim is to achieve “quality and consistency,” which they must have concluded is less well done by humans.

Swiss drinks company Vivi Kola, named after the kola soda it invented in 1938, has thoroughly embraced AI. It has just produced a new soda, the recipe of which was entirely created by ChatGPT. All on its own little self, the AI came up with a mixture of juice from the Haskap berry (also known as the honey berry, a type of edible blue honeysuckle), lime juice, chicory root powder, cane sugar and water.

SHAKEN AND STIRRED I am a little shaken, if not deeply stirred. How is it possible that AI can invent a drink that tastes nice, is vegan, has health benefits and is processed from the juice of a berry that I (for one) have never heard of. And it only took it two days.

How it did this is actually extremely simple.

The creative team merely asked ChatGPT to develop a vegan concoction from ingredients with known health benefits. Alexa’s elixir? It settled on its chosen ingredients because they are full of antioxidants, can strengthen the immune system, promote a healthy gut and stimulate digestion.

Vivi Kola’s researchers may well be putting themselves out of a job.

So far, they have expressed only amazement that ChatGPT could be so effective so fast. ChatGPT even produced its own pitch: “Haskap berries are known for their high antioxidant content, which helps to reduce inflammation and protect against cell damage,” it began – and continued in similar persuasive vein with a plug for each of the ingredients individually.

WHO NEEDS HUMANS? The Vivi Kola production team, having put them all together to make the drink, then asked ChatGPT what to call it. It proposed Vivi-Life, Tron, Best, Fuel, Tide, Luxe, Plex, Tone and Nova. The team went for “Vivi Nova.”

ChatGPT confirmed it was tickled pink. “Great choice!” it said, though how its views were conveyed is not revealed. Perhaps it raised a celebratory glass of Vivi Nova. To emphasize its enthusiasm, it continued, “Vivi Nova is a catchy and unique brand name that could potentially attract customers who are interested in trying a healthy and refreshing craft soda.” Vivi Kola’s marketing department may also be in the line for jobs elsewhere.

Its design department, too. AI bot Midjourney with 3D creation tool Unreal Engine were asked to provide visuals. They took the frankly dull picture of the haskap berry (in the photo above) and, clearly au fait with current trends in design, came up with a futuristic illustration that is now Vivi Nova’s label. Would “untouched by human hands” make an appealing sales slogan?

Julia Watson is an award-winning cookbook writer and blogger of “Tabled,” a blog with recipes and curious facts about big food business.

06 NEWS

SENIOR CHINESE, US ECONOMIC OFFICIALS MEET, OPPOSE DECOUPLING

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BEIJING

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

HINA and the U.S. both stressed they do not seek decoupling as Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also China’s lead person for China-U.S. economic and trade affairs, held multiple talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during his visit to the U.S. from November 8 to 12.

The Chinese side expressed its concern over the U.S. sanctions against Chinese enterprises, two-way investment restrictions, export controls and tariff measures on China, asking the U.S. side to respond with concrete actions.

The two sides reached an important consensus as they agreed to strengthen communication, seek consensus, manage differences, and avoid misunder-

standing accidentally leading to escalation of friction.

Both sides welcomed the establishment and meetings of the China-U.S. economic and financial working groups.

The vice premier and Yellen also agreed to communicate directly with each other on a regular basis.

They also welcomed the development of a healthy economic relationship that provides a level playing field for businesses and workers in both countries and promotes the welfare of both peoples.

The two sides agreed to work together to address common challenges, including economic growth, financial stability and regulation, and to cooperate on economic issues related to climate change and the debt problems of low-income and emerging economies.

They also agreed to strengthen international financial architecture, promote

meaningful quota replenishment of the International Monetary Fund and efforts to increase the voice of underrepresented members/regions through the new quota formula, and accelerate the adoption of reforms of the multilateral development banks to make them better, bigger and more effective.

Chinese Vice Finance Minister Liao Min said at a press briefing on Friday that China and the U.S. ties have strong momentum, solid foundation and broad space for mutually beneficial cooperation, but the prerequisite is equality and mutual respect. The legitimate concerns of both sides should be properly responded to, and only in this way can China-U.S. economic and trade relations be truly stable and far-reaching, Liao said.

In building its external economic relations, any country needs to balance the two goals of development and security,

including the pursuit of diversification strategies in accordance with the principle of marketization, Liao said.

However, there is a fundamental difference between the diversification chosen by enterprises under the principle of marketization and the so-called “de-risking” that is currently being carried out on the grounds of “national security,” Liao said, noting that the latter violates basic economic principles such as division of labor and cooperation, and will lead to market fragmentation and rising costs, which is not conducive to maintaining good economic relations.

Liao expressed hope that both sides will meet each other halfway, take practical actions to create the necessary conditions for the maintenance and development of bilateral economic relations to jointly benefit the enterprises and peoples of the two countries.

CPC and Southeast, South Asian political parties discuss BRI cooperation KUNMING

MIAN ABRAR

Representatives of political parties and think tanks from Southeast and South Asian countries gathered in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming on Friday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation with the Communist Party of China (CPC) under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The event follows last month’s Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, announced eight major steps to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The dialogue explored the future of the BRI and how partner countries can share in its outcomes.

“The Communist Party of China upholds the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.

It does not pursue modernization in isolation but hopes to jointly realize the modernization of all countries through the BRI,” said Liu Jianchao, minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, at the opening ceremony.

Liu added that the CPC will work to strengthen bilateral and multilateral communications between political parties in the region, actively hold consultations to ensure policy continuity and stability, and align each other’s de-

velopment strategies.

Southeast and South Asian countries are active BRI participants. In recent years, some landmark BRI projects have gone into service, including the China-Laos Railway and the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia. These are playing a special role in boosting regional development. Some party leaders said they are eyeing greater cooperation with China under the BRI framework.

“Thailand is also trying to develop high-speed rail, and the government will provide strong support. We hope that Thailand can finance construction by itself, and we also hope to obtain technical support from China,” said Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, leader of the United Thai Nation Party, who also serves as the deputy prime minister of Thailand.

Madhav Kumar Nepal, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist), told CGTN that Nepal could learn more from China in the areas of agriculture, science and technology, and education.

“With collaboration under the initiative, we can know how to develop Nepalese agricultural output, and Nepal won’t be only a country of importing food items or agriculture production. Rather, it will be a country that can export food products to different countries,” said the politician, also the country’s for-

mer prime minister.

The dialogue also discussed political parties’ role in facilitating BRI cooperation.

“Although each political party has its own characteristics, we all have a common goal, which is to promote national development. I believe that the CPC will play an important role in promoting regional peace and expanding regional cooperation,” said Salirathavibhaga.

The guests refuted accusations that label the BRI a “debt trap,” which has been hyped up by some Western media outlets. They agreed that in the face of global challenges, including poverty, climate change and public health crises, only through such collaboration can different countries seek common development.

“All the challenges give a message to us that we have to sit together, live together, work together, and share together, so that our destiny will be safe,” said Nepal.

China also promised a slew of concrete measures to enhance exchanges at the event.

“In the next five years, we plan to provide 3,000 places for political parties in Southeast and South Asian countries to visit China and will actively support young people from all political parties to come to China for inspections, exchange, and study,” said Liu Jianchao. “We are also willing to send more Chinese experts to various countries for exchanges.”

Sunday, 12 November, 2023 | LAHORE

FBI agents seized New York mayor’s cell phones, campaign’s attorney says NEW YORK

AGENCIES

FBI agents seized the New York mayor’s cell phones and other devices, his campaign lawyer said, in an apparent escalation of a federal investigation into the campaign fundraising. “On Monday night, the FBI approached the mayor after an event. The Mayor immediately complied with the FBI’s request and provided them with electronic devices,” said Boyd Johnson, the campaign’s attorney, in a statement.

“The mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing and continues to cooperate with the investigation,” the attorney added.

The seizure appears to be part of a corruption investigation into whether Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign conspired with Turkey’s government and others.

The federal probe into Adams’ campaign went public last week when FBI agents searched the home of his former top fundraiser — a 25-year-old one-time intern, Brianna Suggs — seizing laptops, cell phones and a manila folder labeled “Eric Adams.”

News of the raid prompted the mayor to reverse course and abruptly return to New York from Washington, where he was to have met with officials at the White House and Congress over an influx of migrants into his city. In a statement on Friday, Adams, a former police officer, said that “I expect all members of my staff to follow the law and fully cooperate with any sort of investigation.”

“I will continue to do exactly that,” the mayor said. “I have nothing to hide.”

– ‘Committed to cooperating’ – The FBI’s warrant to search Suggs’ home sought evidence of conspiracy between the mayor’s campaign, the Turkish government and a Brooklynbased developer whose owners are Turkish, according to The New York Times.

The warrant reportedly indicated that authorities were probing whether donations from either Turkey’s government or Turkish nationals were made to Adams via a scheme under which false contributors would be listed.

It was not immediately clear if the seizure of Adams’ devices was directly connected to the FBI raid of Suggs’ home. In his statement on Friday, attorney Johnson said that “after learning of the federal investigation, it was discovered that an individual had recently acted improperly,” without specifying details of the probe he was referring to.

“In the spirit of transparency and cooperation, this behavior was immediately and proactively reported to investigators. The mayor has been and remains committed to cooperating in this matter.”

‘All of them should be killed,’ US professor expresses hate for Palestinians CALIFORNIA AGENCIES

As Israel continues to pound Gaza with air strikes killing hundreds of people every day, a video of an American Professor of Economics at the University of Southern California, John Strauss, expressing hatred for the warstruck Palestinians went viral on social media on Thursday. The Palestinian death toll from Israeli aggression has surged past 11,000, with thousands of others injured while people continue to die as the war on the besieged enclave of Gaza extends for over a month. “Every one of them should be killed, and I hope they all are,” Strauss was caught on camera saying this, apparently in response to a question about the situation in Gaza or as a remark on pro-Palestinian students at the varsity. Palestinian writer and poet Mohammed el-Kurd also shared the video on his Instagram Stories. “I received this video from USC students. The level of anti-Palestinian racism on US campuses is abhorrent. Shame on @uscedu,” he wrote. The video was also posted by an American-based organisation “fighting zionism and zionist hate” on the microblogging site X, questioning the university about the hate expressed by one of its teachers. “@USC does this Professor represent your institution’s values? Has he been reprimanded in any way? Your students and all Americans who are against hate demand an answer,” Stop Zionist Hate wrote. With hundreds of Palestinians dying every day and no respite in Israeli atrocities in Gaza, the Muslim and Arab leaders are scrambling to put Tel Aviv’s war on Palestine to an end. Currently, Saudi Arabia is currently hosting an extraordinary joint Islamic-Arab summit in Riyadh with the participation of Arab and Muslim

Sunday, 12 November, 2023 | LAHORE

CORPORATE CORNER ‘Zer: Beneath the Surface’ by House of PARISHAE

KARACHI: The collection titled “Zer: Beneath the Surface”, is about dealing with the damage of unremitting victimhood that creeps up in our day to day. From the plague and wars to sex and money, it is all cyclical and it is all inevitable. The collection is about the things we talk about the things we don’t talk about and everything in between that sits on our mind like dissonance. It is about all the things that are beneath the surface. The story starts with a fortune teller who represents the harbinger. It progresses onwards to show the journey of man from strength to breakdown and back again. From the plague and wars to sensuality and money, it is all cyclical and it is all inevitable. The collection is about the things we talk about the things we don’t talk about and everything in between that sits on our mind like dissonance. It is about all the things that are beneath the surface. PR

Sindh Governor, CM attend 100 years celebrations event at Turkiye Consulate

Federal Secretary for Communications and IG NH&MP chair meeting at Central Police office

ISLAMABAD: A high-level meeting, chaired by the Federal Secretary of Communications, Sher Alam Mehsud, and Inspector General of National Highways and Motorway Police, Sultan Ali Khowaja, was held at the Central Police Office in Islamabad. The meeting focused on the implementation of a 100% axle load control regime (ALCR) on motorways and highways in Pakistan.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Communications, National Highways and Motorway Police, and National Highway Authority participated, with federal secretary and provincial secretaries for various departments joining via Zoom. The decision was made to enforce the axle load control regime without relaxation from November 15, 2023, and achieving 100% compliance would require cooperation from all stakeholders. Federal Secretary Communications, Sher Alam Mehsud, emphasized the impact of overloading on National Highways, causing significant damage and financial losses for the government. The meeting outlined plans for offloading extra cargo under Motorway Police supervision, with the assurance of constructing warehouses by the National Highway Authority to secure the offloaded goods. The full implementation of the axle load control regime on national highways nationwide will involve imposing heavy fines on vehicles exceeding the prescribed weight, accompanied by strict legal action. PR

Foolproof security being ensured at high security zone

ISLAMABAD: Following the special directions of Islamabad Capital City Police Officer (ICCPO), Dr. Akbar Nasir Khan, the Islamabad Capital Police is ceaselessly dedicated to preserving law and order within the federal capital, a public relations officer said. He said that, to fortify the security of the superior courts and judges’ enclave situated in highsecurity zone, personnel stationed at the security diligently executing their responsibilities, meticulously verifying the particulars of individuals accessing the high security zone and meticulously documenting vehicle information. The high security zone encompasses pivotal government and private establishments, diplomatic missions, and other vital assets, necessitating an unwavering focus on their safeguarding. PR

DUE TO DELAY IN FUND RELEASE BY POWER SECTOR, COMPANY IS UNABLE TO MEET ITS COMMITMENTS, INCLUDING PAYMENTS TO UPSTREAM GAS SUPPLIERS

S g

PROFIT

NEWS DESK

UI Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has reported a significant liquidity challenge, citing outstanding dues of Rs176.302 billion owed by the power sector.

According to SNGPL, as reported

by BR, the undisputed amount is Rs76.749 billion, comprising disputed gas charges of Rs34.485 billion and Late Payment Surcharge on gas charges amounting to Rs62.866 billion. After the addition of Rs2.202 billion on account of GIDC, including LPS, total receiv-

ables stand at Rs176.302 billion.

Receivables against various entities include Rs33.329 billion for Guddu Power, Rs16.769 billion for Nandipur, Rs 1.235 billion for TPS Muzaffargarh, Rs175 million for GTPS Shahdra, Rs92 million for SPS Faisalabad, Rs56 million for NGPS Multan, Rs116 million for Rented Power Bhikki, and Rs161 million for Rented Power Sharqpur, totaling Rs53.497 billion.

Among the entities with outstanding amounts, the total undisputed amount of Rs16.835 billion is against Kapco, Engro Energy, and Liberty Power. However, the total outstanding amount

against several entities, including Kapco, Engro Energy, Liberty Power, Orient Power, FKPCL, Sapphire Power, Saif Power, Davis Energen, and Halmore, is Rs26.586 billion.

The Chief Financial Officer of SNGPL emphasized that Rs277 million is outstanding against disconnected Wapda rented power units (Bhikki and Sharqpur), and Rs77 million is outstanding against disconnected IPPDavis Energen.

Expressing concern about the company’s sustainability, he stated, “The current situation is detrimental to the sustainability of the company and may jeopardize the overall financial structure

EduFi raises $6.1m to help students in Pakistan access loans for education g

KARACHI: A colorful Turkiye Century celebration reception hosted by Mr. Cemal Sangu Consul General of the Republic in Karachi and his beautiful wife. The consulate building is tastefully decorated to celebrate the Century Celebration, and guest lists were too long because the entire roads around the Consulate were chocked by vehicles, inside the Consulate long queues of guests every guest would like to Congratulate to host and hostess on the auspicious occasions of the Turkiye 100 years. Who is who was present Mr. Kamran Khan Tessori, Governor of Sindh, Justice (R) Maqbool Baqir Jafri, Agha Siraj Durrani, many caretakers ministers Pakistan Leagent Actor Javed Shaikh, Turkish Artagul Actor Abdurahman, high-level government and arm forces officials businessmen, industrialists, large number of Turkiye Citizens based in City, elite of town and journalists. THY and Dawlance stalls were there with lots of giveaways. Pegasus and THY gifted so many round-the-trip tickets, a group of Turkiye Darwesh performed, the Pakistan Navy Band played Turkiye, and the Pakistan National Anthem. PR

07

SNGPL FACES LIQUIDITY CRISIS OF RS176B OUTSTANDING DUES, APPEALS FOR URGENT ACTION NEWS

SINGAPORE-BASED STARTUP LAUNCHED AN AIPOWERED STUDY NOW, PAY LATER (SNPL) LENDING PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR EDUCATIONAL LOANS PROFIT

MONITORING DESK

A new fintech startup EduFi wants to make education more affordable and accessible for students in Pakistan. The Singapore-based startup has raised $6.1 million in a preseed round led by Zayn VC, with participation from Palm Drive Capital, Deem Ventures, Q Business, and angel investors.

EduFi has launched an artificial intelligence-powered study now, pay later (SNPL) lending platform that allows students to apply for loans for their education.

The platform uses a proprietary credit scoring system that evaluates the students’ academic performance, future earning potential and other factors. EduFi claims that its

credit scoring system allows for the dispersal of student loans within 48 hours of application and the quick disbursal of the loan. The twoyear-old company has already had partnerships with 15 universities, allowing the app to be available to about 200,000 students who must pay their fees for undergrad, Master’s and PhD across Pakistan.

EduFi, which has received approval for a license to make loans from the Securities and Exchange Commission Pakistan (SECP), is waiting for the license to be granted, which is expected in November.

“Many children in Pakistan make it to high school, but there is a sharp drop in those who are able to achieve a higher college education,” founder and CEO of EduFi Aleena Nadeem said.

In Pakistan, about 40% of students attend private schools due to public schools’ poor quality, resulting in spending more than $14 billion on their education every year.

Moreover, over 50% of the adult population in Pakistan does not have access to financial services such as bank accounts and insurance.

EduFi wants to address the country’s two issues, high poverty levels and low literacy rates, via its fintech platform. It plans to use the new funding to expand its team, scale its operations and partner with more educational institutions and employers in Pakistan. The startup also hopes to eventually expand to other emerging markets in Asia and Africa, where there is a similar demand for education financing solutions.

of the company. SNGPL is facing a grievous liquidity crisis due to the delayed release of funds by the power sector and is now unable to discharge its commitments, including payments to upstream gas suppliers.”

In response to the challenging situation, SNGPL has formally requested the Petroleum Division to intervene and address the matter with the Power Division, urging an early release of funds to WAPDA, IPPs, and GPPs (Government Power Plants). This, they believe, will enable these entities to fulfill their respective liabilities towards SNGPL, allowing the company to honor its commitments to gas suppliers.

PPP to provide tangible relief to common masses: Gilani MULTAN INP

Former Prime Minister and Central leader Pakistan People’s Party Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said that PPP was capable of steering the country out of economic troubles and providing tangible relief to common citizens. He said this at the residence of Pir Fayyaz Shah, in Union Council Sher Singh.

Gilani stated that people were faced with the problem of inflation and high utility bills. He urged the masses to give a heavy mandate to the PPP as it was the only party that could resolve such issues.

PPP will implement revolutionary measures, he said adding that he always highlighted PPP’s role in providing jobs to youth. The youth come forward to support PPP, he stated. PPP leadership is committed to addressing the economic problems of the country. On this occasion, Syed Ejaz Shah, Shakeel Shah and Hashim Shah were also present.

AIOU strives for education of out-of-school kids: AIOU VC

Punjab govt releases Rs400m for upgrading three hospitals SARGODHA APP

The Punjab caretaker government released Rs 400 million funds for construction and repair of buildings and various departments of three hospitals in Sargodha including Government Dr. Faisal Teaching Hospital, Government Mian Moula Bakhsh Hospital and Government TB Hospital.

A meeting was held under the

chairmanship of Commissioner Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti in his conference room on Saturday in which SE Buildings Ghulam Abbas Virk, ADCR Mohsin Salahuddin, MS Dr Faisal Masood Teaching Hospital Dr. Akif Bashir, MS Moula Bakhsh Hospital Dr. Imtiaz Bhatti, Principal Sargodha Medical College Dr. Humaira Akram, Deputy Director Technical Rana Shahid Imran, District Officer Population Malik Aftab Ahmad Awan and oth-

ers also attended the meeting.

The commissioner ordered for starting work of the hospitals immediately. He said that the buildings of the three hospitals including other departments should be upgraded.

The meeting was told that in the three hospitals, repair of floors, tiles, walls, ceilings, new doors and windows including improvement of sewerage system and underground wiring of electricity, lawns and waiting rooms would be completed.

Pak-China joint Naval exercise Sea Guardian-2023 commences at Karachi

KARACHI STAFF REPORT

Opening Ceremony of Pakistan Navy and PLA (Navy) bilateral exercise Sea Guardian-2023 was held at Pakistan Navy Dockyard, Karachi.

Commander Qingdao Naval Base, Rear Admiral Liang Yang graced the occasion as Guest of Honour. Commander Pakistan Fleet, Vice Admiral Muhammad Faisal Abbasi was also present at the occasion.

In his opening remarks, Vice Admiral Muhammad Faisal Abbasi welcomed the officers and personnel of PLA (N) Flotilla, underscoring the close and strategic ties between the two countries in general and Navies in particular.

The admiral emphasized on the importance of im-

maculate & sound planning during the exercise and hoped that this exercise will further enhance strategic cooperation and interoperability between the two navies.

During his speech, Commander Qingdao Naval Base Rear Admiral Liang Yang thanked Pakistan Navy for hosting Exercise Sea Guardian and hoped to have a mutually benefiting and professionally rewarding experience from the joint exercise.

Earlier, Chinese Flotilla comprising of naval ships, Submarine and Submarine Rescue Ship along with PLA (Navy) Marines Corps Detachment, arrived Karachi to participate in the exercise. During exercise, frontline destroyers/ frigates along with Air and other assets and Marines/ Special Forces from Pak-

istan Navy and PLA (Navy) will carry out advance level joint drills and naval maneuvers in North Arabian Sea besides professional and social activities during the harbour phase.

The aim of Exercise Sea Guardian-2023 is to share professional experiences on contemporary traditional and non-traditional threats in Indian Ocean Region as well as to enhance bilateral cooperation and interoperability between the two Navies.

The exercise is a reflection of strong bilateral military cooperation between Pakistan Navy and Chinese Navy and will foster greater bilateral cooperation between the two navies. The ceremony was attended by a large number of military officials from both the navies.

ISLAMABAD: "Allama Iqbal Open University is providing educational opportunities to the remotest areas of the country, especially the most backward areas of Balochistan, we are on a mission to bring every out of school child of Balochistan into the educational network", said Vice Chancellor AIOU, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood in his message on the l inaugural session of the Model Study Center in Dalbandin. It is pertinent to mention here that former Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training. PR

Sunday, 12 November, 2023

SOLANGI SAYS CONSTITUTION TO TAKE COURSE AS CM’S DEATH LEAVES KP IN STATE OF TRANSITION NEWS

T

PESHAWAR

STAFF REPORT

HE sudden demise of Caretaker KP Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan has left the province in a state of transition.

Khan, aged 89, passed away in Peshawar after battling a severe stomach infection and suffering a heart attack.

His funeral prayer was offered in Charsadda, and the provincial government is expected to appoint a new Chief Minister soon.

According to reports, Azam Khan was shifted to Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar on Friday after he fell ill. Khan was suffering from a severe stomach infection and suffered a heart attack on Friday night. He was kept in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU).

Caretaker Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Murtaza Solangi has emphasized that the spirit of the constitution will be followed in letter and spirit, ensuring a smooth transition of power.

In a post on X, formerly twitter, Minister for Information and Broadcasting

Pakistan’s soaring debt reaches Rs78tr, raises concerns of unsustainability

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DURING JULY-SEPT, COUNTRY SPENT RS2.2TR ON DEBT AND LIABILITIES SERVICING —41.5PC MORE THAN PREVIOUS YEAR PROFIT

NEWS DESK

Pakistan’s total debt and liabilities have surged by an alarming 26 percent, reaching a new record of Rs78 trillion in the past year, with Rs4.7 trillion attributed to liabilities, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The increase, totaling Rs16 trillion by the end of September, highlights an unsustainable trajectory that may necessitate debt restructuring in the longer term. The government’s accumulation of debt at a rate of 26 percent translates to an average of Rs44 billion per day since September of the previous year.

Austerity measures introduced by successive governments have failed to yield substantial benefits, with no meaningful reforms implemented to curb the accumulation of debt. Despite initial budgeting by the finance ministry for Rs7.3 trillion in interest payments alone for the current fiscal year, the government has informed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that interest payments could soar to a staggering Rs8.5 trillion, reflecting a deviation of Rs1.2 trillion in just four months.

The cost of servicing the debt cannot be diminished until the central bank reduces the key policy rate and the government negotiates with commercial banks for a reduction. The gross public debt, falling under the direct responsibility of the finance ministry, totaled Rs64.5 trillion by the end of September, according to SBP data. During the previous fiscal year, the federal budget deficit reached a record Rs6.7 trillion, attributed to expansionary fiscal policies. The surge in public debt exceeded the budget deficit, indicating the impact of currency devaluation. Over their respective five-year terms, political parties added significantly to public debt: PML-N added approximately Rs10 trillion, PPP Rs8 trillion, and PTI alone accumulated over Rs19 trillion.

The surge in public debt during the PTI’s tenure can be attributed to lower-than-targeted tax collection, steep currency devaluation, higher interest rates, increased expenditures, losses by state-owned companies, and mismanagement of debt.

Public Sector Enterprises’ debt and liabilities reached Rs2.33 trillion by the end of September, reflecting uncontrolled losses. No government has taken steps to reform state-owned enterprises, where political appointees often fill key positions.

PTI leader Asad Umar quits politics

Continued on page 03

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar announced on Saturday that he is quitting politics altogether. Umar, who had served as the PTI’s secretary general and planning minister in the Imran Khan government, said that he disagreed with the party’s current policy of confrontation with state institutions. In a statement on Twitter, Umar said that the PTI’s policy of confrontation had led to “severe conflict” with state institutions, and that this was not in the best interests of the country. He added that he was resigning from the basic membership of the PTI as well.

Umar’s resignation comes as a major blow to the PTI, which has been struggling to regain its footing since Khan was ousted from power in April. Umar was one of the most senior and respected leaders in the party, and his departure is likely to raise questions about the PTI’s future direction.

Umar’s resignation is also a significant development in Pakistani politics as a whole. Umar was widely seen as a potential successor to Khan as leader of the PTI, and his decision to quit politics altogether could lead to a period of instability within the party. It is also unclear what impact Umar’s resignation will have on the broader political landscape in Pakistan.

Murtaza Solangi said: “the spirit of the constitution is crystal clear and shall be followed in the letter and spirit after the sad demise of the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

He said the Governor, the Chief Secretary and the entire provincial government shall perform their duties accordingly. He said there is no crisis and the new Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be appointed sooner rather than later. He said there is no room for any speculations.”

However, former ECP secretary

Kanwar Dilshad has stated that all powers have been transferred to the KP Governor Ghulam Ali and the interim cabinet has been dissolved after the death of the Interim CM, saying the matter will be referred to the ECP if there is a disagreement over selection of a new CM. “Article 224 of the Constitution empowers the Senate to make decisions in emergency situations, and if there’s a disagreement in the selection of a new CM, the matter will be referred to the ECP”, Azam Khan had taken oath as caretaker CM in January 2023.

Minister urges president to ‘shun bias for a specific party’, play constitutional role ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Saturday said President Dr Arif Alvi should play his constitutional role instead of giving the statements that showed his bias for a specific political party.

Speaking in a Current Affairs programme of a private television channel, he said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was a registered political party with a large number of spokespersons who were using every resource to speak for themselves.

The President should not make such statements that showed his “bias” towards a certain political party, the minister added.

As regards the letter wrote by the President to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar about absence of level-playing field, he said how many times President Arif Alvi conveyed his concerns to former PM Imran Khan over the human rights violations during the four-year tenure of the PTI’s government.

He recalled that the journalists were abducted and attacked, opposition leaders arrested under false cases and media gags were imposed during the PTI’s government tenure.

The minister said the National Assembly was dissolved illegally for the first time in the history to prevent the no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan.

He said the President had a role of the symbol of federation in the constitutional framework and he should fullfil his responsibilities in accordance with the constitution.

According to the constitution, the President was the supreme commander of the armed forces, he said, adding why President Arif Alvi did not take any action when the sensitive installations were attacked on May 9. “How many letters, the President wrote in this regard,” Solangi questioned.

To a query, he asked PTI leader

pti takes Solangi to task for criticising president ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson took the caretaker Federal Minister for Information Murtaza Solangi to task for unduly criticising the President’s statement pertaining to the level playing field, saying that the nation was well-aware of the shameful tactics of the caretaker government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to deprive PTI of its constitutional and legal rights of contesting the elections freely.

In a statement, the PTI spokesperson strongly condemned the caretaker Information Minister’s absurd statement against the President Dr. Arif Alvi who was the only President of the country playing his due role within the constitutional purview.

He said that a person who held the ministerial position unconstitutional and illegally after the expiry of the prescribed constitutionally mandated period should be ashamed of teaching the Constitution to the elected President.

PTI spokesperson contended that the criminal facilitators in denying PTI permission for holding political gatherings and the enforced disappearances of party’s leaders and workers should not be made in violation of the constitution.

He recalled that the Presi-

Omar Ayub to refrain from lecturing him on his constitutional duties. He said if any party or individual had any complaint regarding level-playing field in the elections, they could reach out to the courts and the Election Commission that were functioning independently in the country.

dent of Pakistan announced the date of the general elections under his constitutional powers and stressed on ensuring the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections.

PTI spokesperson underlined that article 41 of the Constitution bestowed the power to the President as the head of the state to shield the constitutional rights of all the citizens of the country, adding that Arif Alvi was the only President in the history of Pakistan who has performed his duties in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution.

He reminded that earlier, the shameful tradition was established to appoint person, who feed Dahi Bhallas to Nawaz Sharif and carrying briefcases full of notes to buy judges on the important positions of the state.

PTI spokesperson noted that commenting on the constitutional role of the head of state by the caretaker minister, whose sole responsibility to conduct free and transparent elections in the country, did not suit him in any way.

He suggested that instead of lecturing the President on the constitution, the caretaker government should focus on providing equal opportunities to all political parties before the elections and stop facilitating the nefarious agenda of pre-election rigging.

To another query, the minister said the caretaker government would address all the complaints within its jurisdiction and in accordance with the Constitution and law.

The Election Commission was responsible for conducting transparent, free, fair, and impartial elections in the country, he remarked.

PRAYER TIMINGS FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

5:50

1:30

4:00

KP interim CM Azam Khan passes away at age 89 6:25

5:10

7:00

PESHAWAR

STAFF REPORT

Caretaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Azam Khan passed away on Saturday where he was admitted a day earlier after developing health complications. He was 89, according to his nephew Muhammad Ahmed.

According to family, the former bureaucrat was admitted to an intensive care unit of Rehman Medical Complex last night after he fell unwell a day ago.

The chief minister’s nephew said his uncle had invited him yesterday and discussed a plan to visit Charsadda University next Monday and was “absolutely fine”.

Azam Khan took oath as the KP chief minister in January this year after the dissolution of the provincial assembly after PTI chief Imran Khan decided to quit the KP and Punjab assemblies where he was in power.

He was a Barrister-at-Law from Lincoln’s Inn, London, and had earlier served as minister for interior, capital administration and development in the caretaker cabinet of ex-premier Nasir-ul-Mulk in 2018.

Ernst & Young hired as financial advisor for privatisation of PIA g

FINANCIAL ADVISORS FOR PRIVATISATION OF HBFCL AND FWBL GRANTED 24-MONTH EXTENSION PROFIT

STAFF REPORT

The Privatisation Commission (PC) Board has approved appointments of British multinational, Ernst & Young (EY) as a Financial Advisor to aid the process of privatisation of Pakistan International Airline Limited (PIACL).

According to PC, a meeting of Privatisation Commission Board under the chairmanship of the Federal Minister for Privatisation Fawad Hasan Fawad granted approval to the appointment of a financial advisor (FA) for divestment of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIA).

The agenda of the meeting also included the extension of financial services agreement with the financial advisor on privatisation of House Building Finance Corporation Limited (HBFCL) and the revival of the financial services agreement with the financial advisor on privatisation of First women Bank Limited (FWBL). The committee also discussed at length the issues regarding the 35 year long pending privatisation of Pak China Fertilizer Limited.

According to details, 8 Interested parties submitted their technical and financial proposals for the hiring of a financial advisor for the privatisation of PIA.

Food inflation pushes short-term inflation to seven-week high

Continued on page 03

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MAIN REASON FOR SPI SPIKE IS SURGE IN FOOD PRICES, ESPECIALLY WHEAT FLOUR PROFIT

NEWS DESK

Sanaullah confident about pML-n’s govt in punjab, Centre after polls LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Rana Sanaullah Khan has said that if free and fair elections are held in the country, the PML-N will secure the public mandate and make strong governments in Centre and Punjab.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said the PMLN steered the country out of crises in 1990 and in 2013 under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, and now the party Quaid had arrived with a more aggressive approach to tackle challenges like inflation, electricity tariff hike and revival of economy, etc.

He termed the PML-N rally in Lahore on October 21, held for welcoming party Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif, the largest public gathering in the present political history of the country, in which huge number of people participated to welcome their leader.

The former interior minister said the country’s journey towards

prosperity had been halted by imposing a selected favourite, and people had to face severe economic hardships. He said a failed project in the form of Imran Khan had been launched which later harmed the country’s economy and stability.

He mentioned that the PML-N had started its election campaign properly and Mian Nawaz Sharif was scheduled to visits other provinces. He said plan had been finalised under which he would visit Balochistan in the next week.

Various political delegations have also held meetings with party president Mian Shehbaz Sharif to form a comprehensive political strategy in the upcoming elections.

The PML-N delegation had also visited Sindh and held negotiations with the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leaders, he said.

“We rid the country of menace of terrorism and overcame shortage of electricity in 2013, when people had started saying that issues like terrorism and electricity shortage could never be resolved in

Pakistan,” he recalled. Only the PML-N has the ability to overcome challenges and put the country back on track to development like the other countries.

He said that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam, and everyone would have to play his role for its protection and stability, adding that the PML-N was working sincerely for overcoming the country’s challenges with the help of its expertise in the field of economy.

In reply a question, he said committees had been formed to address the objections of the dissenting party leaders and bring them back in party folds. He said the PML-N had always given preference to the loyal party activists over electables.

To another question about provision of all facilities to PTI Chairman Imran Khan in jail, he said the PML-N had never raised any objection on it, though he was being given 4-5 star hotel luxuries in jail. He said his party would not object even if he was provided more facilities according to the law of the land.

The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), which measures the weekly change in prices of 51 essential commodities, has risen by 0.73% in the week ending November 9, 2023, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

This is the highest increase since September 21, 2023.

The main reason for the spike in SPI is the surge in food prices, especially wheat flour, which has a high weightage in the index. Wheat flour price rose by 2.36% to Rs2,753.20/20kg, compared to Rs2,689.61/20kg last week and Rs1,519.14/20kg last year.

SPI was recorded at 281.12 points against 279.08 points registered last week and 216.48 points recorded during the week ended November 11, 2022.

Other food items that saw significant price hikes were tomatoes, which jumped by 15.43%, potatoes, garlic, salt, chicken, tea, georgette, banana and shirting.

The SPI, which covers 51 items, showed that 39.22% of them experienced price increases, while 15.69% saw price decreases and 45.09% remained unchanged.

The year-on-year comparison revealed 29.86% inflation rate, driven by the soaring prices of energy and food products. Some of these items, such as gas charges, cigarettes, chili powder, and rice, increased by more than 50% compared to the same week last year.

The financial markets expect the inflation to remain high in November and December due to historical trends and low base effects. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has acknowledged the challenge of controlling inflation but has maintained its forecast of 20-22% average inflation for the fiscal year 2023-24. The SBP expects the inflation to drop sharply from January 1, 2024.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures the monthly change in prices of a basket of goods and services, recorded a 10-month low of 26.9% in October 2023, after hitting a four-month high of 28.4% in September 2023.

Pakistan crashes out of World Cup as England wins crucial match ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

England defeated Pakistan by an impressive 93 runs in their last group match being played at Kolkata’s Edens Gardens on Saturday (today), with Green Shirts crashing out of the tournament.

Batting second and chasing England’s 338-run target, Pakistani batters kept losing their wickets as the English side restricted the Green Shirts to 244 runs as the national side was bowled in the 44th over.

During the chase, Pakistan lost early wickets with openers Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman being sent back to the pavilion by David Willey in the first three overs, leaving their side 10-2 in 2.4 overs.

The Men in Green got a bit of a breakthrough as skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan provided some stability to the team but both were after 22.3 overs as Pakistan were four down for 100 runs. Salman Ali Agha top-scored for the struggling Pakistani side by scoring 51 runs. Shaheen Shah Afridi contributed to 26 runs down the batting line.

Haris Rauf and Wasim smashed sixes at the end as the two combined for 53 runs but their heroics were not enough in front of the massive target set up by the English batters.

Earlier in the day, England — while batting first — managed to post 337 runs on the scoreboard courtesy of a solid batting display by their top order. Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow provided their side with a dominant start as they scored 80 runs within 13 overs without a loss. The former was the first batter to depart for the pavilion after becoming the victim of Iftikhar Ahmed for 31 runs.

Malan was soon followed by Bairstow as the right-handed aggressive batter ended up losing his wicket for 59 runs.

However, after losing two wickets, Joe Root and Ben Stokes built a crucial 132-run partnership that helped Jos Buttler’s men get in a comfortable position.

Stokes top-scored for his side with 84 runs courtesy of 11 fours and two sixes. The left-handed batter was on his way to score his consecutive World Cup century but was bowled by Shaheen Afridi.

Root scored 60 runs before becoming

the victim of Afridi. However, Buttler (27 off 18) and Harry Brook (30 off 17) provided their side with important runs late in the game that helped them set a 338-run target.

For Pakistan, Haris — who became the bowler to concede the most runs in a single World Cup edition — took three wickets, while Afridi and Wasim Jr bagged two and Iftikhar could only pick one.

Pakistan ended their World Cup campaign with four wins out of nine matches and finished at the fifth position in the points table with eight points.

Published by Asad Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk