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OVER 200 DEAD IN STRIKES ON REFUGEE CAMP, KHAN YOUNIS In partnership with

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Sunday, 19 November, 2023 I 4 Jamada Al-Awal, 1445

SEPARATE STRIKE ON BUILDING IN JABALIA CAMP KILLS 32-MEMBER-FAMILY, 19 OF THEM CHILDREN, HEALTH MINISTRY OFFICIAL SAYS

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GAZA HEALTH AUTHORITIES RAISE DEATH TOLL TO MORE THAN 12,500 WITH 5,000 CHILDREN

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N official of the health ministry in the Gaza Strip has said more than 200 people were killed in double Israeli strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp and Khan Younis camps including women and children.

“At least 50 people” were killed in an Israeli strike at dawn on the UN-run Al-Fakhura school in the camp, which had been converted into a shelter for displaced Palestinians, the official told AFP. A separate strike on another building in the camp on Saturday killed 32 people from the same family, 19 of them children, the health ministry official said.

Jabalia is the biggest refugee camp in Gaza, where some 1.6 million have been displaced by more than six weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas.

The Israeli army did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the two strikes. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) was also unable to offer an immediate reaction.

The ministry released a list of the names of 32 members of the Abu Habal family killed in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, the largest in the Palestinian territory.

Air strike west of Khan Younis kills 15 Palestinians At least 15 people have been killed following an air strike that hit a house west of Khan Younis, health officials from Gaza’s Nasser Hospital said, Reuters reports.

Gaza health authorities raised their death toll on Friday to more than 12,000 with 5,000 of them children. The United

Nations deems those figures credible, though they are now updated infrequently due to the difficulty of collecting information.

Attacking hospitals makes ‘criminal nature’ of Israel more obvious to world: Iran minister Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani has decried Israel’s “attacks” on hospitals in the Gaza strip, AFP reports.

“Attacking hospitals is in conflict with all human rights standards, international law and Geneva Conventions and makes the criminal nature of this regime even more obvious to the world,” he said on X, formerly Twitter, in reference to Israel.

His statement came as hundreds of people fled Gaza’s main Al-Shifa hospital, where more than 2,000 patients, medics and displaced people

Sindh denies having challenged SC’s verdict on military courts KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

The Sindh government on Saturday vehemently denied reports that it has filed appeal against the Supreme Court verdict on trial of civilians in military courts.

The spokesperson for the Sindh government, in a statement, asserted that the rumors circulating about the province’s involvement in the appeal are entirely unfounded, emphasizing the provincial government stands by the Supreme Court’s verdict and upholds the fundamental principle of civilian oversight over military proceedings.

The clarification comes amidst widespread criticism of the Ministry of Defense’s decision to declare military trials unconstitutional, a move that has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

“The Sindh government remains committed to safeguarding the rights of its citizens and ensuring due process of law for all individuals. The province’s stance aligns with the Supreme Court’s judgment, which highlighted the potential for abuse of power and violation of fundamental rights when civilians are subjected to military trials”, the spokesperson further clarified.

In a related development, the Supreme Court has ordered the retrial of all accused individuals involved in the May 9 protests in ordinary courts. This decision underscores the court’s unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that civilians are not deprived of their constitutional rights.

The Sindh government’s denial of involvement in the appeal for military trials serves to reinforce the province’s adherence to the principles of civilian supremacy and the protection of individual liberties.

The Supreme Court’s landmark decision to declare military trials unconstitutional marks a significant step towards safeguarding fundamental rights and ensuring a fair and just legal system for all citizens.

Rs 15.00 | Vol XIV No 140 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition

were trapped.

Rallies held across Iran to support conflict-battered Gaza Thousands of Iranians have held rallies across the country against Israel’s unrelenting bombardment of Gaza Strip following the shock attacks by Hamas last month, AFP reports.

The demonstrations in the capital Tehran and other cities were held in “support of the oppressed children of Gaza” under the slogan “Palestine is not alone”, according to local media.

In Tehran, crowds of demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, while others held banners reading “Down with America” and “Down with Israel”, according to AFP journalists.

Others burnt Israeli flags while some waved the flags of the Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah, Iran’s ally, which has

been engaged in border skirmishes with Israel since Oct 7.

“The Zionist regime (Israel) can no longer see peace and security,” Hossein Salami, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said in a speech during the Tehran rally. Similar demonstrations took place in other major cities including Shiraz, Kerman and Isfahan.

‘These attacks cannot become commonplace’: UN agency chief on strike on Gaza school Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner general of the United Nations’ agency for Palestinian refugees, has said he was “receiving horrifying images and footage of scores of people killed and injured” in the strike on AlFakhura School.

‘Ceasefire now. The killing in Gaza must stop’: LA Times editorial board The Los Angeles Times’ editorial board has said “it is time for a ceasefire” in Israel’s military offence against Gaza.

In an editorial, it stated, “It is time for the Biden administration to assert strong and sustained pressure on the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to stop attacks that have reportedly already killed more than 11,000 Gazans.”

Terming Israel’s operation as “decidedly non-surgical”, the LA Times emphasised that when the “so-called humanitarian pauses in the bombardment and ground operations are too brief to realistically permit innocents to flee […] such pauses are “so deficient as to be meaningless”.

The publication highlighted that the displaced people who moved to the south from northern Gaza Strip are now “trapped” as they can neither enter Egypt nor Israel.

Shehbaz Sharif, Ahad Cheema, Fawad acquitted in Ashiana reference LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

An accountability court in Lahore has acquitted former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Ashiana Iqbal Housing Project reference.

Other accused including former director general of Lahore Development Authority Ahad Khan Cheema and interim Minister for Privatization Fawad Hassan Fawad were also exonerated in the reference.

Judge Ali Zulqarnain Awan announced the reserved verdict on Saturday.

The other co-accused in the Ashiana reference were: Munir Zia, Imtiaz Haider, Bilal Qadwai, Sajjad Bhatta, and Shahid Mehmood.

In his verdict, judge Ali Zulqarnain Awan said that allegations of corruption against Shehbaz Sharif, Ahad Khan Cheema and others could not be proved. The NAB report had already given a clean chit to all the accused, the judge added.

The court has been told that the decision of the Supreme Court does not stop the trial court from deciding the Ashiana reference.

According to the verdict, the

accused did not take any advantage in the Ashiana case. The hearing on the case was held on merit in the accountability court. The court did not find evidence of corruption against the accused, the accused should be acquitted.

Shehbaz’s lawyer told the court that in the Ashiana Iqbal Project, not a single penny was lost to the national kitty and none of the accused got any financial benefit.

He said that two other accused Naeem Zia Pirzada and Kamran Kayani were already acquitted in the case.

He said that the Ashiana reference was filed in 2018 and nothing was proved during the last five years.

The lawyer said that the reference was made to politically victimize Shehbaz Sharif and Ahmed Cheema. They were sent to jail in bogus reference.

Earlier in May this year, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had clered Shehbaz Sharif, the then prime minister, in the Ashiana Housing scandal.

The Ashiana Housing scandal, which involved allegations of irregularities, had been a highly contentious issue. However, NAB’s report had stated that no concrete

evidence of corruption or misuse of authority was found during Bureau’s inquiry which led it to give clean chit to Shehbaz Sharif.

The report submitted by NAB officials in court had also emphasized that the accusations against Shehbaz Sharif in the Ashiana Housing scandal could not be substantiated. The inquiry was conducted twice, and no evidence was discovered to support claims of any wrongdoing.

The NAB report had further highlighted that Shehbaz Sharif did not derive any personal benefits from the Ashiana Housing project. The evidence presented had indicated that public officeholders did not exploit their positions for personal gain, nor did they cause any financial losses to the government treasury.

Furthermore, the NAB report had also cleared Fawad Hassan Fawad and Kamran Kayani from allegations of accepting bribes for awarding contracts.

The NAB report had confirmed that the contract for the Ashiana Housing Scheme was awarded in accordance with the law and anti-corruption laws were strictly followed during the process.

US envoy meets Nawaz; discuss bilateral ties ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

US Ambassador Donald Blome on Saturday met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and discussed the ‘enduring relationship’ between Pakistan and the United States.

During the meeting, Nawaz Sharif reflected on the historical ties between the two countries and discussed the political and economic situation in Pakistan, particularly in the context of the upcoming general elections. The discussions also encompassed bilateral ties, cooperation on mutual interests, and key issues such as trade, economy, climate change, security, and regional stability.

It was the second meeting of the PML-N supremo with a foreign dignitary as the three-time former premier had previously met British High Commissioner Jane Marriot earlier this week.

During today’s meeting, Nawaz reflected on past interactions with the US leaders, underscoring the mutual acknowledgment of the pivotal role of Pakistan-US ties. Nawaz shared his views on the political and economic situation of the country, particularly in the context of PML-N’s preparations for the upcoming general elections.

“He expressed confidence that the people of Pakistan would once again repose their trust in the PML-N to lead the country out of the myriad problems confronting it today,” said the PML-N statement.

The two also discussed bilateral ties and cooperation on matters of mutual interest between the two countries and “acknowledged the importance of steadfast and sturdy partnership” between Islamabad and Washington.

Trade, economy, climate change, security and regional stability also came under discussion.

The PML-N statement added that Nawaz “raised the issue of the plight of innocent Palestinians who were being mercilessly killed by the indiscriminate Israeli bombardment and imposition of siege around Gaza”.

Ambassador Blome appraised the PML-N leader of “shared US priorities” and thanked him for the meeting.

PML-N RE-ISSUES STATEMENT: The PML-N later re-issued the statement on the meeting between the two after the initial statement faced a strong reaction from different quarters.

PPP ‘used to’ contesting polls without level playing field: Bilawal

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

PESHAWAR

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday said that the PPP never had a level playing field in the general elections and the party had become accustomed to contesting polls despite all odds. “There was never a level playing field and PPP is used to contesting elections without having a level playing field,” he said while addressing a workers’ convention in Peshawar.

Recalling the past, the former foreign minister told the workers that PPP won the 1988 elections despite the formation of a united political alliance known as Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) with the backing of the then establishment. “You all tell me that in 1988 what kind of a level playing field was given? Do you remember or not? In 1988 they made a united alliance with the name of IJI,” he said. “But still Benazir Bhutto won the election and became the first female prime minister of the country.”

He then highlighted how the 2002 election under the late military ruler General Pervez Musharraf was “snatched away” from the PPP. “I want to make you remember the 2002 election.

Even then PPP performed well. But some people turned out to be sell outs. Benazir termed them ‘Pakistan People’s Parasites’,” Bilawal added.

Govt establishes Industry Advisory Council to develop industrial policy

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COUNCIL TO HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM LEADING PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES PROFIT

GHULAM ABBAS

The federal government of Pakistan has introduced the Industry Advisory Council (IAC), a consortium of 13 leading industrial entities within the nation. This initiative aims to spearhead the development of a robust industrial policy vital for economic growth.

Caretaker Federal Minister for Commerce & Industries, Dr Gohar Ejaz, expressed his enthusiasm in leading this initiative. In a statement shared on the social media platform X, he announced, “Excited to announce the formation of the Industry Advisory Council, comprising 13 top groups in Pakistan.”

The list of members includes prominent names such as Lucky Cement, Fauji Foundation, Hilton Pharma, and Dawood Group,

among others. Dr Ejaz emphasized the collective effort, stating, “Together, we will be formulating a robust industrial policy that will drive economic growth and development.”

The Industries and Production Division of the government will extend secretariat support to the council. The council is scheduled to convene weekly, with a commitment to deliver its final report within ten weeks, as outlined in the statement. Dr Ejaz, serving as the Minister for Industries and Production, will hold the positions of IAC’s convener and chairman. Additionally, he has the authority to co-opt individuals from the public or private sector, if deemed necessary.

Private sector representation in the council comprises distinguished individuals such as Fawad Ahmed Mukhtar, Muhammad Ali Tabba, Waqar Ahmed Malik, Abdul Samad Dawood, Raza Mansha, Shahzad Asghar Ali,

Samir Chinoy, Amir Fayyaz Sheikh, Shahbaz Yaseen Malik, Ahsan Bashir, Syed Hyder Ali, and Farooq Naseem. These individuals represent some of the biggest conglomerates of Pakistan. Meanwhile, the public sector will be represented by key officials including Additional Secretary (In-charge), I&P Division; Secretary, Finance Division; Secretary, Commerce Division; Chairman, Federal Board of Revenue; and Chief Secretaries of the provincial governments, including GB & AJK. The Joint Secretary (IF), I&P Division, will act as the Secretary of the Committee.

A diverse representation from both sectors aims to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach in formulating the national industrial policy. As the nation eagerly awaits the outcomes of this collaboration, Dr Ejaz urged the council to “chart a path towards a prosperous future.”

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SINO-PAK WORKSHOP ON MAJOR LIVESTOCK DISEASE CONTROL HELD

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sunday, 19 november, 2023 | IsLAMABAD

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ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

AKISTAN and China acknowledged the untapped potential for agricultural cooperation, this was noted at a Workshop on major Livestock Disease Control held in Faisalabad.

The workshop was the part of third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. according to a report published

by Gwadar Pro on Saturday.

During the workshop, Pakistan and China acknowledged the untapped potential for agricultural cooperation within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Both sides agreed to enhance collaboration in areas including “crop cultivation, animal and plant disease prevention, agricultural mechanization, technology exchange, and trade in agricultural products”.

According to the report, as a manifestation of their recent commitment, the Department of Pathology at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Faisalabad, and China Agriculture University in Beijing had jointly organized the Workshop on Control of Major Livestock Diseases”.

Pakistani and Chinese experts shared their views on the control of major diseases in animals in Pakistan.

The inaugural session of the seminar was chaired by Professor Dr. Farzana Rizvi, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

In her opening remarks, she highlighted the significance of collaborative efforts in addressing the challenges faced by the livestock industry, underscoring the importance of sharing expertise and fostering cooperative strategies for disease management.

Professor Dr. Cheng He from China Agriculture University shared his expertise

LHC fixes Bushra Bibi’s plea for Nov 20 LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Lahore High Court (LHC) fixed the plea of Bushra Bibi for hearing seeking the detail of cases registered against her. A two-judge bench headed by Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry will hear the case on Nov 20. The bench also issued notices to the respondents for submission of replies by Nov 20. The lawyer of former first lady argued that there was no case against the petitioner before the removal of her husband (PTI chairman) from the prime minister’s office.

She was being targeted on political grounds since the ouster of her husband, the plea added. The NAB and FIA were made respondents in the plea moved by Bushra Bibi. The petitioner isn’t being provided with the detail of the cases against her, it added. The counsel asked the court to order the respondents to provide details of the cases against Bushra Bibi.

Khadija Shah challenges detention order in LHC LAHORE

on preventive veterinary medicine and innovative measures for major animal disease control.

Dr. He, who has contributed to zoonotic infection originating from animal industry and human health, shared his experiences with the participants and highlighted Sino-Pakistan cooperation in animal sciences.

The ten-member Chinese experts shared their experiences with Pakistani counterparts regarding major diseases in animals. They highlighted key areas for Sino-Pak cooperation in the livestock sector.

Dr. Sajjad Hussain, Director of General Research, Livestock Department Punjab highlighted key areas of cooperation between China and Pakistan, informed the participants about the prevalence of the Congo virus in animals, and detailed the initiatives undertaken by the government of Punjab to address this issue.

Peshawar BRT commercial centers fail to attract businesses PESHAWAR

aziz BuneRi

Commercial centers built as part of the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project have failed to attract businesses and generate profit. As a result, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is forced to provide billions of rupees in subsidies each year. Moreover, several large depots are still under construction, preventing commercial activities.

The BRT project includes shops built in various underpasses, as well as large shopping malls planned for Chamkani, Hayatabad, and Dabgari depots. However, commercial activity has not yet begun at any of the three depots.

On the other hand, the commercial centers in the BRT underpasses are deserted. Shops built in underpasses at Tehkal, Gulbahar, and other locations have been empty for the past three years,

as no one is renting them due to “flawed” policies of the authorities.

The provincial government had hoped that these centers would generate significant revenue for the BRT, but this has not yet happened.

TransPeshawar, the company that operates the BRT, needs billions of rupees in annual subsidies to cover its expenses. Trans Peshawar has demanded a grant from the provincial government to cover the costs of the BRT’s commercial centers, which are not operating. These costs include salaries for employees, service expenses, and other expenses.

According to sources, the provincial government has not yet been able to provide funds to Trans Peshawar due to financial difficulties. As a result, the company may be forced to lay off employees and close some feeder routes to reduce costs.

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) supporter Khadija Shah has challenged her 30-day detention in the Lahore High Court on Saturday.

In her petition, Shah has named the provincial government, Lahore DC, provincial police chief, and superintendent Kot Lakhpat Jail, among others as respondents. The plea termed the charges filed by law enforcers as “false and baseless”. The Lahore administration Friday ordered the detention of PTI activist Khadija Shah for 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance. DC Rafia Haider issued the order after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) granted post-arrest bail to Khadija Shah yesterday in the final case linked to the May 9 riots. According to the order, SP Cantt Division Lahore and the district intelligence branch recommended Shah’s detention under 3MPO for the period of 30 days. “It is feared that Khadija Shah may create a law and order situation as she had been involved in May 9 violence,” the notification added.

Pervaiz Elahi wins B class facilities in prison LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench has disposed of a petition moved by PTI senior leader and former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi for not awarding him B-class facility in prison after receiving assurance from the home secretary and the Adiala Jail superintendent. The Punjab government assured the court on Friday that all B-class facilities will be provided to Pervaiz Elahi. LHC’s Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan remarked that as per the assurance Pervaiz Elahi will be entitled to receive home-cooked meals and will be allowed to meet family members twice a week. The judge disposed of the petition after receiving assurance from the government.

Sardar Abdur Razzad Khan Advocate represented Pervaiz Elahi in court.

China, Pakistan hold first joint naval patrol to safeguard CPEC KARACHI

Staff CoRReSpondent

Amid a joint exercise, Chinese and Pakistani naval warships have for the first time conducted a joint maritime patrol in the northern Arabian Sea, a move experts said is part of the two countries’ concrete actions to safeguard the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s Type 054A frigate Linyi and the Pakistan Navy’s F-22P frigate Saif formed a task group and launched the joint patrol in waters around major maritime routes and port channels in the northern Arabian Sea, as the China-Pakistan Sea Guardian-3 joint exercise entered the sea phase.

This marks the first time that the PLA Navy and the Pakistan Navy have held a joint maritime patrol, observers said.

The joint patrol is an important part of the Sea Guardian-3 joint exercise, which is dedicated to displaying the two countries’ common duties and firm determination in

safeguarding the CPEC, according to the press release.

During the joint patrol, the two sides conducted training that included joint search and rescue operations, formation maneuvering and VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure), effectively enhancing their capabilities in jointly dealing with maritime security threats, the PLA Navy said.

During another part of Sea Guardian-3, six warships, including the PLA Navy’s Type 052D destroyer Zibo, Type 054A frigate Jingzhou and Type 903 replenishment ship Qiandaohu as well as the Pakistan Navy’s Type 054A/P frigate Shah Jahan, formed a task group and launched the sea phase of the drill in the northern Arabian Sea, the PLA Navy said in a separate press release.

They practiced multiple training operations including VBSS, aerial photography, air defense, communications and joint antisubmarine training during the first day of the sea phase, with warships from both sides taking turns to act as the command ship, according to the PLA Navy.

Kicked off at the Karachi Naval Dockyard on Saturday, the Sea Guardian-3 consists a port phase from Saturday to Monday and a sea phase from Tuesday to Friday.

Explaining the differences between the joint patrol and the sea phase of the joint exercise, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday that a joint patrol is a military presence that allows fast response to emergencies and safeguards security in a region, while a joint exercise is training with preset goals and targets.

The Arabian Sea is important to both China and Pakistan in terms of goods and energy transport, highlighted by the CPEC that connects the two countries’ economic activities, so it is important for the two countries to safeguard this sea lane from security threats, Song said.

This type of joint naval patrol will likely become routine, Song said.

This is the third and the largest edition of the Sea Guardian exercise.

The first edition was held in 2020 in the northern waters of the Arabian Sea, while the second edition was held in 2022 in the waters off Shanghai.

According to official releases and media reports from both sides, the PLA Navy sent a Type 052D destroyer, two Type 054A frigates, a replenishment ship, a conventional submarine and a submarine support ship, while the Pakistan Navy sent at least two Type 054A/P frigates, two F22P frigates and an anti-submarine patrol aircraft, plus special forces from both sides.

Gohar Ayub laid to rest in ancestral graveyard in Haripur HARIPUR

Staff RepoRt

Funeral prayer of former Speaker National Assembly and foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan was offered in the Rehana area of district Haripur on Saturday. A large number of people belonging to all walks of life including social and political leaders attended his Namaz-e-Janaza. Later, father of Omar Ayub was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in Haripur. Gohar Ayub Khan died on Friday night in Haripur after a brief illness. Meanwhile, the Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa’s caretaker Chief Minister Retired Justice Syed Arshad Hussain Shah in their separate messages expressed deep sorrow over his demise.

They extended heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved family.

Pakistan, China most reliable neighbours, iron brothers: Solangi MALE

Minister for Information, Broadcasting, and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi said on Saturday that China and Pakistan were each other’s most reliable good neighbors, good friends, and ‘iron brothers’. This he said during his sidelines meetings with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and Chinese State Councillor Miss Shen Yiqin here on the occasion of the banquet given by the President of the Maldives, Muhammad Muizhu. He said that Pakistan and China’s friendship had been time-tested and steadfast at every opportunity.

PPP manifesto to be unveiled soon, says Senator Gillani MULTAN

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator and exprime minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, said on Saturday that his party has a comprehensive plan to steer the country out of crisis and to put it on its way to progress and prosperity.

While holding a news conference at Bilawal house here along with President PPP South Punjab Chapter Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood, Dost Muhammad Khosa and other local leaders, Yousuf Raza Gillani said that law and order, economy, inflation, and unemployment were main issues and PPP has the solution of all these issues.

He informed that the party manifesto regarding upcoming general elections would be unveiled soon.

Gillani said that the PPP had rendered matchless sacrifices to strengthen democracy in the country. ‘Political stability leads to economic stability ‘, Gillani added.

To a question about whether PPP is part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani said that we are not part of PDM. However, they were part of the coalition government.

He said Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has demanded equal opportunities for all political parties to launch their election campaigns as it was necessary for free, fair and transparent elections.

Gillani said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are twin brothers and prosperous and sovereign Afghanistan was in favour of Pakistan.

He said that the Kashmir issue should be resolved as per resolutions of the United

Nations and it would help in bringing stability to the region.

He said that 65 percent country’s population consisted of youth and PPP Chairman was representing the youth.

Giallni also said that the PPP would contest elections without any seat adjustment. ‘politics is a day-to-day affair ‘. Replying a question about electables, the minister said that the doors of his party were opened.

He said that they had conducted a two-day meeting of three divisions of South Punjab regarding election preparations.

He said that PPP workers would fully participate in the PPP Foundation Day which is scheduled in Quetta Balochistan this year.

PPP South Punjab president, Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood said that Pakistan People’s Party would give a surprise in the upcoming general elections.

Staff RepoRt

PAKISTAN CALLS FOR MECHANISM TO PROTECT PALESTINIANS Sunday, 19 November, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

UNITED NATIONS staff report

Pakistan, on behalf of a group of 17 countries, called on the United Nations to “urgently” establish a mechanism to ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians being subjected to relentless bombardment in Gaza by the Israeli military and to intensify efforts to promote a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict.

“The people of Gaza are desperately looking up to the UN to save them from further death and destruction that is being wreaked upon them with impunity,” Ambassador Munir Akram told the UN

General Assembly at an informal meeting held to discuss the dire situation in the besieged enclave.

The Pakistani envoy did not specify the form of the proposed mechanism, which, he said: “Shall be set up in accordance with international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions.

“The obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, particularly in regard to the protection of civilians and civilian objects, as well as the protection of humanitarian personnel, must be fully adhered to.”

The group of countries he spoke for are:

PPP-KP leader Asma Alamgir quits party following ‘rift with leadership’

Algeria, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Russia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

The Pakistani envoy told the 193member assembly that more than 11,000 Palestinians had lost their lives, twothirds of them women and children.

Another 27,000 have been injured, with about 2,700, including 1,500 children, reported missing, dead, or trapped under the rubble.

“Over 1.6 million Gazans have been displaced, and over 41,000 housing units have been destroyed. More than half of the hospitals in Gaza are non-functional

staff report

PESHAWAR

staff report

Central Deputy Information Secretary Pakistan People’s Party Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Asma Alamgir on Saturday resigned from the party, saying her departure stems from differences with both central and provincial leadership of the party. In a statement, Asma Alamgir expressed that internal disagreements within the party forced her to take the decision.

“Certain elements are contributing to weaken the party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”, she added. Voicing concerns about the party’s current state, she questioned how Bilawal Bhutto, the party chairman, perceives the apparent decline of his parents’ political legacy. She underscored the need for Bilawal to address these issues. Highlighting the enduring commitment of the late Shaheed Benazir Bhutto to the party, Alamgir remarked, “Shaheed Benazir Bhutto has always sacrificed for the party. Some central and provincial officials are not tolerating my position in the party.” She clarified that her allegiance lies with the party itself, as she initially joined at the request of Benazir Bhutto. Furthermore, Alamgir made it clear that any decision regarding her future political affiliations, including the possibility of joining PPP Kochhode or another party, will be made after thorough consultation.

This significant resignation comes at a notable time, coinciding with the visit of party chairman Bilawal Bhutto to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The departure of the Central Deputy Information Secretary adds a layer of complexity to the internal dynamics of the People’s Party in the region.

PPP ‘used to’ contesting polls without level playing field: Bilawal CONTNUED FROM PAGE 01

Questioning the alleged impartiality of the 2008 elections which the PPP won, he said 200 workers were killed in the first pre-election rally held on October 18, 2007, adding that the party’s leadership (Benazir) was also assassinated later that year on December 27. “But still the election was postponed. It had to take place within a week but they took 40 days. Despite all that, the PPP won the election and formed a government.” Bilawal made it clear that if somone thinks that they can forcibly make someone the prime minister, they are wrong. He said PPP activists were present in the field as he vowed to not become part of any future IJI and contest on his party’s symbol, the arrow. The PPP chairman reiterated that the people were fed up with “old politicians” leading the country, asking why make someone the prime minister for the fourth time when one can be picked from the youth. Bilawal shed some light on his accomplishments as the foreign minister, saying that he needed to be elected as the prime minister if he wanted to do more for the country. Vowing to bury the “old politics” practised in the country, Bilawal said he would work for the betterment of the people and Pakistan’s modernisation to transform it into a powerful country if he comes to power.

He also requested the people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to not fight among themselves. “If you forget these differences, no one can defeat you,” the PPP chief said. “I promise you that if you support me, we won’t need anyone else.”

due to lack of fuel, damage, attacks, and insecurity. Essential supplies of food, fuel, and medicines are blocked. Schools and places of worship are being targeted indiscriminately by Israeli strikes. No place is safe: women, children, and the elderly, as well as other civilians with specific vulnerabilities, are bearing the brunt of the onslaught by the occupying power.” He paid tribute to UNRWA’s 102 staff members who have perished in Gaza, the highest number of UN aid workers killed in a conflict in the organization’s history.

“The whole world expects the member states to take decisive action to end the

Chakwal seminary case: ‘Abusers used to write initials on victims’ hands’ CHAKWAL

The students of a local seminary in Chakwal district have revealed some gruesome details of being sexually assaulted and tortured by two teachers.

According to media reports, one of the victims alleged that the two teachers – identified as Zeeshan and Anis – sexually assaulted 13 students of the seminary. The two teachers used to write initials of their name, “Z or A”, on students’ hands with knives to threaten them, the student claimed.

However, the student said, deputy in-charge Ziaul Haq expelled the two teachers in question.

It is pertinent to mention here that the FIR – registered on the complaint of one of the victims’ father – stated that the suspects used to threaten students and make marks on their bodies with knives. The police arrested the two accused – Zeeshan and Anis – after the father and uncle of one of the victims approached District Police Officer (DPO) a day earlier. The accused were apprehended in two separate raids conducted in Mianwali and Jatli. The police registered a case of “unnatural offences” against the accused teachers.

Meanwhile, doctors at the District Headquarters Hospital conducted examinations of the victims and revealed that at least eight students showed signs of assault. After the incident came to light, Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi took notice and directed the police to submit

a detailed report in this regard.

Suspects remanded to police custody A Judicial Magistrate remanded two seminary teachers to police custody for four days.

The accused were produced before the court of the judicial magistrate at the Chakwal district courts today. After hearing the arguments, the magistrate approved four-day physical remands of the suspects.

POLICE ACTIONS UNDERWAY On the other hand, the district police have detained principal and admin in-charge of the seminary following the allegations levelled by the students. The detainees, Principal Akhter Jawed and admin in-charge Bilal, were shifted to Saddar Police Station. However, seminary’s in-charge and its deputy – Naveed Haidari and Ziaul Haq – were nowhere to be found as the police visited the place for inspection.

SEMINARY’S STANCE In a statement, in-charge of the local seminary – Naveed Haidari – rejected the allegations levelled against the institution, saying that the safety of students and the trust of parents are their topmost priority. The statement noted that they had summoned the students’ parents after they received complaint of physical violence in classrooms. “On November 11, we had expelled both the teachers in question in front of the students’ parents,” Naveed said, adding that the complaints of physical violence turned to be true after seeing the CCTV footages.

Interim govt launches crackdown against medicines’ profiteers ISLAMABAD

staff report

On the direction of caretaker Health Minister Dr Nadeem Jan, the authorities concerned have launched a crackdown on medicines profiteers across Pakistan. According to the spokesperson, major action was taken against those selling more than the approved price during the operation in Lahore.

Heparin injection, TB, epilepsy, cancer and life-saving drugs were being sold in the black, said the spokesperson.

These medicines were being sold at a higher price than the approved price. Tegeral epilepsy medicine was being sold for Rs 1300 to 1400 rupees instead of 260 rupees per box.

Heparin injection was selling at Rs 1500 to 3000 instead of Rs 975 while Rivotril was being sold at Rs 700 to Rs 800 instead of Rs 267 per box.

A box of Rivotril 2mg was being sold for Rs 800 to Rs 1000 instead of Rs 400.

Similarly, a box of Zenax 0.5mg was being sold at Rs1400 instead of 278 while Zenax 1mg

box was selling at Rs 4000 instead of Rs 502.

The Ultrawest box was being sold at Rs 6500 instead of Rs 3418. In a statement, Health Minister Nadeem Jan said that he has initiated action against the involved elements under DRAP [Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan] Act. He said that heavy fines and punishments will be given against profiteers as per the DRAP Act. “The task force of DRAP will take full action against the profiteers,” the minister added.

SAPM explores opportunities for Pakistani professionals in Saudi company ISLAMABAD

staff report

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Jawad Sohrab Malik called on the leadership of Alfanar, a leading power and construction company in Saudi Arabia, to explore opportunities to increase employment for Pakistani professionals in the company’s upcoming projects.

The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sabah Al-Mutlaq and Deputy CEO, Muhammad Al-Mutlaq.

Alfanar, a leading power an d construction company in Saudi Arabia with a workforce comprising 20 percent Pakistanis, aims to further strengthen the hiring of Pakistani professionals for

NEWS

upcoming projects. Pakistan boasts a significant pool of skilled and experienced individuals across various sectors, including engineering, IT, healthcare, and hospitality.

Accompanied by the Ambassador of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Farooq, and Community Welfare Attachés, SAPM Malik emphasized the Pakistani government’s dedication to strengthening economic relations with Saudi Arabia. They are striving to create opportunities that are mutually advantageous for both nations.

Pakistan possesses a considerable pool of proficient and seasoned professionals spanning fields such as engineering, IT, healthcare, and hospitality. “I hold the belief that Pakistani workers have the potential to make noteworthy contributions to the realization of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 development objectives.”

conflict,” he said.

While condemning all atrocities against Palestinian people, in line with the General Assembly’s Oct 27 resolution, Ambassador Akram, speaking for the 17 countries, called for a durable “humanitarian truce” leading to a cessation of hostilities; the immediate provision of essential goods and services to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip, including but not limited to water, food, medical supplies, fuel, and electricity; the establishment of humanitarian corridors to facilitate aid delivery; and the establishment of a mechanism for civilians’ protection.

“We firmly reject and condemn any attempt at the forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population and the illegal evacuations and relocations inside Gaza and consider it a grave violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and its 1977 Protocol,” the ambassador said. “We stress the need for the immediate return of displaced Palestinian people to their homeland.”

US envoy meets Nawaz; discuss bilateral ties CONTINUD FROM PAGE 01

In the first statement’s second paragraph, the PML-N stated that the two leaders discussed the political and economic situation of Pakistan, especially the preparations for the general elections during the meeting, stating that they expressed confidence that the people of Pakistan would once again give PML-N a leadership role to overcome the innumerable problems and crises being faced today. However, the second statement issued by the party states that the two leaders discussed the political and economic situation of Pakistan as well as the preparations for the general elections, and attributed the second part only to Nawaz where he expressed confidence that the people will once again give PML-N a leadership role. Meanwhile, the PTI issued a statement on the PML-N’s initial statement and declared the US ambassador’s meeting with “a convicted criminal” an interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan.

US EMBASSY STATEMENT The US embassy also issued a short statement regarding Ambassador’s Blome’s meetings with political leaders in Pakistan. As per the embassy’s statement, besides meeting Nawaz, the envoy also met with “representatives of various political parties” at a gathering hosted by Pakistan Peoples Party’s Yusuf Raza Gilani, as well as Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party leader Jahangir Tareen.

The meetings were held in Lahore and Multan.

Police solve mystery of woman's body in Karachi’s DHA KARACHI

staff report

In a rapid response, Karachi police have successfully identified the woman whose body was discovered in DHA Phase VII within 24 hours and are now conducting intensive raids to apprehend the suspected murderer. SHO Defence Police Station, Shaukat Hayat Awan, confirmed that the victim, identified as Hasina, was found near Fatima Masjid on Friday night. The investigation has swiftly led to the identification of a suspected culprit, Hazratullah, who had been living with Hasina for the past one and a half years. The couple had recently moved to a house in Qayyumabad a month ago. Hazratullah has been arrested, and further details surrounding the circumstances of the murder are expected to emerge during the course of the investigation. Shaukat Hayat revealed that Hazratullah and his cousin, Shoaib, are potentially involved in the woman's murder, hailing from the Tak area of Waziristan. The police received confidential information about a house in Qayyumabad where a woman and a man had been missing since November 14. Acting on this tip, the police raided the specified location, discovering an old photograph of the deceased in wedding attire, along with photocopies of her and Hazratullah's identity cards, clothes, and other personal items. While the motive behind Hasina residing with Hazratullah remains unclear, attempts are underway to locate the deceased woman's heirs, who are believed to be from Rahim Yar Khan. In the absence of any identified relatives, the police are prepared to file a case in the name of the state. The rented house where Hasina lived has been a focal point of the investigation, and the police have gathered information from the landlord. However, a conclusive determination of the cause of death awaits the post-mortem report.

Al-Shifa registers 1600 pediatric eye cancer cases, treats 400 in one year RAWALPINDI

staff report

Al-Shifa Eye Trust Hospital documented 1600 pediatric eye cancer incidences in single year while 400 children with eye cancer were successfully treated at the hospital during this time.

Talking to media persons on Friday, Pediatric Oncologist of Al-Shifa, Dr. Tanzeela Farah said that every stage, from evaluation to chemotherapy, was carried out under one roof at the Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Rawalpindi. This facility was exclusive to it, she added.

She informed that the eye cancer centre has 1600 youngsters registered and that as more people become aware of the significance of the issue, the number of patients was rising.

Pakistan was seeing an alarming rise in

pediatric eye cancer cases when compared to other nations of the region, she added.

Dr. Tanzeela Farah said that the occurrence of eye cancer needs early detection, diagnosis, and proper treatment and added that almost 30 percent of eye cancer patients are children, which was a big challenge for us. She said timely detection could save a child’s sight.

However, in case of failure to consult an expert, most eye cancer patients may suffer vision loss or loss of an eye, or it may prove fatal in some cases. The Pediatric Oncologist of the hospital further stated that the treatment of eye cancer was a lengthy and very costly process. Still, AlShifa is determined to treat poor patients free of charge with the help of experts and the latest apparatus.

After chemotherapy, follow-up sessions continue every six months; the patients are

observed for 5 to 7 years, she said, adding that eye cancer is sometimes diagnosed at birth and that we are fully equipped to treat children from zero to 15 years old.

Dr Tanzeela Farah said that most of the children who have eye cancer belong to lowincome families living in remote areas, and their parents ware unaware of the specialised facilities needed to provide proper treatment.

The eye cancer needs more time and effort to be treated, she said.

It was pertinent to mention that Al-Shifa Trust has set up a chain of five eye hospitals of international standard in the last three decades, including those in Rawalpindi, Kohat, Sukkur, Muzaffarabad, and Chakwal.

Al-Shifa Rawalpindi was Asia’s biggest children’s eye hospital.

At its Rawalpindi location, Al-Shifa Trust also manages the largest children’s eye facility in Asia.

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04 COMMENT

Sunday, 19 November, 2023

Rohingya’s infiltration as a threat to India

Blaming the IMF

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tators have been using both Tripura and Assam as corridors to infiltrate Rohingyas from the Bangladesh refugee camps to India.

The infiltrators are subsequently sent to different Nava Thakuria places with tampered documents showing they were residents of the region by those agents.

Earlier, Assam police personnel arrested a few Rohingya from the Bangladesh bordering areas.

ERCEIVING the threat of illegal Months back, they arrested 10 middlemen, who were Bangladeshi migrants for decades, the peoinstrumental in receiving Rohingyas and later helping ple of Assam (also India) come to realise them shift to different locations across the country. another important matter of concern and The police forces were maintaining a strong vigil that is from the inherent influx of Rohingya over the illegal migrants and successfully even people. Currently taking shelter in south Bangladesh pushed back nearly 450 Bangladeshis and Rohingyas after fleeing from Myanmar six years back, the Muswith the help of border guard agencies. It was found lim Rohingyas start leaving their camps for various that notorious middlemen remained active both in countries namely Indonesia, Malaysia and India. On Bangladesh and India. many occasions, the traffickers have taken advantage Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma termed the arof the situation to send those Stateless people through rests a great success and an excellent synergy beWest Bengal and Tripura with the proximity of Bentween the two responsible forces. Sarma, also in gali language. charge of the State home portfolio, commented that The looming threat Rohingya’s infiltration from the unrecognised Roemerged as a threat to nahingyas in the country in tional security, and their negeneral and Assam in particfarious designs must be ular came alive in a televiextinguished with due surKumar Bhattacharya, Samujjal sion talk show beamed by a veillance. He also recomGuwahati-based satellite adviser to AASU and North chief mended an NIA probe into news channel, which was the matter. Assam police anchored by its editor RaEast Students’ Organization, chief GP Singh revealed jdeep Bailung Baruah. He it’s a pan-India network asserted that agitating people of that guided the audience on the of touts, which deals with sensitive migration issue, the region identified the problem the Rohingya’s entry to where the Assamese comIndia. munity continues to be of influx at least four decades New Delhi maintains haunted the migration of that all illegal migrants, inback, but New Delhi did not take Bangladeshi nationals that cluding the Rohingya, may provoked the anti-foreigner pose a serious threat to nathe issue seriously.

The Centre movement (1979 to 85) led tional security. The media by the All Assam Students’ insensitive to the issue remains reports relating to Rohingya Union (AASU) and which involvement in various culminated with the signing and hence even after 38 years of crimes worry the concerned of historic Assam Accord authorities hence any the accord, Assamese people are operation and with the Union government to target the in New Delhi. human trafficking rackets still deprived of due political The issue of Rohingya’s dealing involving illegal infiltration came stunningly importance in their own land. migrants is always welalive with the arrest of 47 comed by them as well as insisted on a major Bhattacharya touts, who were facilitating the common people. The Rohingyas to come inside most debated Citizenship crackdown operation against the India illegally and supplyAmendment Act (CAA) exing forged documents, fol- Rohingyas, as earlier done against cludes Myanmar and hence lowing a even nationwide crackdown armed militant outfits of the being a religious minoron 8 November 2023. Naity in the southeast Asian region, to wipe out the new threat tional Investigation Agency nation, Rohingyas can not (NIA) along with Assam enjoy the legal advantage to Police and other responsible apply for Indian citizenship security agencies picked up (as can be done by the per25 middlemen from Tripura, secuted minorities from five from Assam, three from Bengal as well as nine Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh). from Karnataka, three from Tamil Nadu and one each The Rohingya crisis surfaced after a religious terfrom Telangana and Haryana. rorist outfit attacked many border outposts of Myan"After meticulous planning, the country-wide opmar which invited a brutal crackdown by the eration was launched during the wee hours of 8 NoMyanmarese forces in August 2017. No less than vember in association with various State police 700,000 Rohingyas fled to neighbouring Bangladesh forces,” stated top Assam police officer Harmeet to escape the atrocities of Burmese soldiers. The terSingh. The special DGP added that a group of facili-

The Finance Ministry’s refusal to make a supplementary grant reflects local incompetence, not foreign intervention

India finds another target

HE federal Finance Ministry has refused the Rs federal Health Ministry the Rs 11 billion supplementary grant it demanded for the ’smooth running’ of its hospitals, in a letter which said that it had been forbidden to do so by the IMF except in the event of some natural disaster or emergency. That the supplementary grant has been refused, means that five federal government hospitals, as well as the federally funded Sh Zayed Hospital in Lahore, are in danger of shutting down, as well as the federal government’s various dispensaries, rural health centres and other institutes, such as those producing vaccines. The Health Ministry’s financial management skills are certainly questionable. A supplementary grant this early in the year, and for keeping its institutions running, indicates that it is all at sixes and sevens, and that the caretqaker Health Minister has not been very good at the budgeting required. The outgoing government did pass a budget, but it seems that if the Health Ministry had been shortchanged, the caretaker Finance Minister should have intervened to ensure that some balance was restored, even if it meant offending the IMF. It is another matter that if the IMF is offended, it should take over the functions of the Finance Ministry, and take responsibility for whatever is being done in its name.

It almost seems that the Finance Ministry is using the IMF as a bogeyman to refuse requests for money. It may be remembered that the IMF was mentioned as one barrier to the release of money for the holding of elections, leaving the IMF sc rambling to issue strident denials. This latest claim by the Finance Ministry comes at a time when an IMF mission is still in Pakistan holding talks. Though the staff-level agreement has been reached, this latest attempt by the government to shift blame onto the IMF cannot go down well. There is clearly a need to ensure that these institutions keep operating, for they provide medical care to those who are most in need of free medical care.

PIMS not only has 1000 doctors and 2000 beds for patients who visit daily, but also has a college and a school for paramedics. Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Lahore has a medical college attached. It is not just hospitals that will shut down. At the same time, unless the officials responsible are identified and punished, future misdemeanours will keep on being committed, At bottom, though, the caretaker government already sees the end of its tenure, and will not accept responsibility. Then who will?

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi

Disabled children deserve education Joint Editor

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Executive Editor

themselves stronger and avoid this fact that they are disabled but unfortunately, our society is trying in numerous ways to demotivate and disapterest and create a positive change in how peopoint them. Just like any other member of our ple perceive disabled children.

Embracing the universally known but often societies, they deserve equal and impartial acignored truth, disabled children deserve equal cess to education. It plays a pivotal role in our and impartial access to education. Establishing lives, guiding us towards success and prosperinstitutions with necessary facilities can end in- ity, helping us discern right from wrong. It must justice, reaffirm the value of humanity, and con- be available to try to bring awareness within this tribute to the country's development. Islam issue. They require an equation that is not established. emphasizes Instituequality, yet tions must be the denial of established education to must prodisabled chilIt can help to ensure that they emerge with a and vide all necesdren contrasary facilities, strong sense of self-worth, confidence, and ending dicts this injusprinciple. determination to keep going even when tice with them E v e r y and recreating country and things are tough. It can help them to face and the value of city, including overcome challenges with resilience. By not humanity. It Turbat, should would conestablish supporting them, we can break their tribute toward schools for a country's disabled chil- expectations and confidence. It can also help and its econdren, ensuring omy's develthem to develop their leadership skills and a bright future opment. and giving reach their maximum potential. We must take Especially in them the opchilportunity to a big step in case disabled children must not Turbat, dren with refulfill their edgard to suffer further, and we should give them ucational education are rights. Supsupport for getting their rights of education being denied porting distheir fundaabled children mental right in their educato educate tion is not just themselves. a step forward; it's a stride towards a more inDue to this, they are losing the opportunity to clusive and compassionate society.

They must be facilitated according to their have a successful career.

Being a Muslim, everyone must know that needs. Similarly, if they are provided with the best facilities for education, they would have Islam emphasizes equality, yet the nation is much more interest as compared to others. They denying the fact by providing no value to disare fond of each and every work they do. Facil- abled children. Seeing into the eyes of reality, itating them in schools can create a positive en- they are struggling to find schools where these vironment and can also change the way people talents can be recognized. Schools for disabled think about disabled children. Because a person children must be established in every country, knows everything with knowledge. Education is including cities, shaping a bright future and proa thirst for human beings, which includes them. viding them a chance and opportunity to get Embracing all citizens of Turbat, the truth their educational right. Schools for disabled of this issue that is universally known but often children must be constructed with necessary faignored, is the need for disabled children to rise cilities modifying their numerous needs. By above their educational rights. They will make providing them with the best facilities, they can boost their thinking capability, position reinforcement, and get encouraged.

It can help to ensure that they emerge with a strong sense of self-worth, confidence, and determination to keep going even when things are tough. It can help them to face and overcome challenges with resilience. By not supporting them, we can break their expectations and confidence. It can also help them to develop their leadership skills and reach their maximum potential. We must take a big step in case disabled children must not suffer further, and we should give them support for getting their rights of education.

Today Turbat, tomorrow the world Shari Wahid

N the second-largest city of Balochistan, Turbat, an unexpected issue is faced by disabled children, creating a challenging situation for them. They are not capable of facing it with resilience, courage, and strength due to a lack of support from the citizens of Turbat.

Disabled children constitute a large part of our city. In today's era, it is well-known that basic rights are intrinsic and should be provided, with education being one of them.

Disabled children deserve the right to educate themselves by gaining knowledge. Unfortunately, Turbat lacks any educational facilities for disabled children, potentially having a bad impact on their lives. Sometimes, we do not consider them capable of educating themselves, but they are also capable of being something for themselves in their purposeful lives. Education is not just a desire; it is a need that should be provided to all citizens, including disabled children who are a significant part of our society.

Constructing schools for disabled children is crucial for their development and progress. It not only creates a conducive environment for learning but also contributes to the overall progress of the country. However, the lack of importance given to building schools for disabled children results in numerous hardships and challenges for them. As responsible citizens, it is our duty to ensure that basic education needs are provided to disabled children, preventing not only their suffering but also enhancing the well-being of society.

Unfortunately, some people do not realize the value of disabled children and fail to acknowledge their talents. By constructing schools tailored to their needs, we can create a positive environment that fosters their abilities.

Many disabled children have high intelligence and talents that can contribute significantly to society.

Our society often fails to see how unique and talented disabled children are. Instead of focusing on their differences, we should appreciate and support them. By providing the best facilities for education, we can ignite their in-

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Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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rified Rohingya families, including women and children, were given shelter at makeshift camps in Bangladesh. Unconfirmed reports say around 300,000 Burmese Muslims had previously left their country following political turmoil from time to time.

The current batch of military dictators led by Min Aung Hlaing has lately shown interest in receiving back the refugees as the junta authority faced unprecedented backlash from the international community. Negotiations are going on with the Bangladesh government for their repatriation even though it continues to be a tough job as the Rohingya have placed many conditions for their return. They maintain their demand to relocate in their original villages and the approval of the same legal rights as other Burmese nationals.

But the ground situation in Myanmar itself has been volatile for years as the Buddhist-majority nation has witnessed a civil war-like situation in the last few months. The military forces are continuously facing various ethnic armed groups along with the people’s defence forces. Thousands have been killed and seriously injured, and millions displaced, many of whom are now taking shelter in refugee camps since the military coup on 1 February 2021 ousting the democratically elected National League for Democracy government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Participating in the discussion from New Delhi, senior journalist Deepak Dewan, who has covered northeast India for four decades, opined that hundreds of Rohingya women are working as housemaids in the national capital region identifying themselves as Bengalis from Assam. He stated that the common residents of Delhi, Noida or Haryana cannot distinguish the difference in accent among a Bengali, a Bangladeshi and a Bangla speaking Rohingya. Moreover, often they wear traditional Hindu attire to work, hiding their Muslim identity.

Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya, chief adviser to AASU and North East Students’ Organization, asserted that agitating people of the region identified the problem of influx at least four decades back, but New Delhi did not take the issue seriously. The Centre remains insensitive to the issue and hence even after 38 years of the accord, Assamese people are still deprived of due political importance in their own land. Bhattacharya insisted on a major crackdown operation against the Rohingyas, as earlier done against armed militant outfits of the region, to wipe out the new threat.

Another guest, Aabhijeet Sarma, who leads non-government organisation Assam Public Works that approached the Supreme Court in 2009 to update the 1951 National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, also supported the idea of a massive operation against the Rohingyas as they have slowly emerged as a serious threat to the nation. Retired IPS officer Pallab Bhattacharya stated that the NRC data should be used to verify the identity of illegal migrants from both Bangladesh and Myanmar. Expressing concern over the threat, he hoped that the Centre will take necessary actions over the matter.

The writer is a northeast India based journalist

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

Diabetes

ACCORDING to the latest global data available with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), more than half a billion people are now living with diabetes. In Pakistan, an estimated 33 million people live with the condition, and, rather alarmingly, 27 per cent of them happen to be undiagnosed.

In 2021, diabetes led to as many as 396,625 reported deaths, and we spent a massive amount of money in health expenditure.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on its member states to strengthen primary healthcare systems to achieve UHC by 2030. However, global progress to achieve UHC is falling short, with millions of people unable to access the care they need, and nearly half of those with the condition remaining undiagnosed.

This can lead to an increased risk of developing severe and potentially life-threatening complications, putting individuals and health systems under increased financial strain. IDF activities for the World Diabetes Day focus on the importance of having access to the right information and care to ensure timely treatment and management to reduce the risk of diabetesrelated complications.

Achieving the global targets will not be possible without improving access to quality diabetes support and care. Ensuring UHC everywhere is the best way to achieve the targeted outcome. The government should allocate sufficient resources to improve access to diagnosis and care facilities in Pakistan.

DR ASHRAF JAFRANI SUJAWAL

Streetlights

THE streetlights in Malir area have not been repaired for quite a while.

Only a few of them are functioning properly. At various places, there are no streetlights at all. The situation turns dangerous after sunset. Many accidents have taken place due to poor visibility at night. The situation is dangerous for both motorists and pedestrians. Besides, the area falls into complete darkness at night which has increased the incidence of crime in the vicinity. The authorities concerned should install more streetlights in the area and repair the broken ones.

BUSHRA AFSAR KARACHI

Cyber bullying

THE rise of cyberbullying, closely tied to technological advancements, prompts reflection on its roots and consequences. Beyond the impact on victims, the overlooked repercussions on cyberbullies themselves include diminished empathy, hindering their social development. Engaging in cyberbullying correlates with increased behavioural issues, academic struggles, and ethical decision making challenges, casting shadows over future interactions. Victims, facing academic decline and mental health challenges, demonstrate the severe repercusions of persistent cyberbullying.

HAMNA MASOOD KARACHI

Migration crisis

A significant number of people in Pakistan are choosing to migrate to other countries in search of better opportunities. This trend reflects the country’s shortcomings in providing for its citizens. The prevalent poverty and various challenges drive individuals to seek a more comfortable life abroad.

Moreover, around 40 percent of the population in Pakistan grapples with poverty and confronts multiple hardships. The government must address the citizens’ needs adequately to discourage migration and encourage a prosperous life within the country.

SANAULLAH RASHID BALNIGWAR

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Sunday, 19 November, 2023

A New Era of Strategic Relationship The Pak-Russia rapprochement will affect the entire region

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dr. MuhAMMAd AkrAM ZAheer

SIA is a gold mine of opportunities and choices for the major powers. Significant location of Pakistan in the region attracts major powers as well. Change in geopolitics with opportunities and choices leads regional states towards decisive shift in their foreign policy. Russia is opening eyes and looking to be a regional hegemon. Although Pakistan and Russia have no history of good relationship, strategic realities gave birth to the current shift which is positive for both Islamabad and Moscow.

Pakistan and Russia have had an adversarial past but today, both are welcoming the idea of building and stimulating a strategic relationship. Pakistan wants to build a better relationship with Russia to reduce dependency on the USA. Islamabad wants to prove to Washington that it has another strategic option if there is any tension between Pakistan and the USA. Washington has never liked Moscow’s influence in Islamabad. There are differences between Pakistan and the USA over drone attacks. According to some analysts American hegemony is near to ending in the region and Pakistan does not like to become overly an ally of the USA and dependent on it.

In fact, the increasing relationship between India and the USA motivates Pakistan to look for new friends and alliances. Pakistan also likes to drive a wedge between India and Russia by improving relations with Moscow.

Pakistan also has an eye on Russian military equipment supply and technology assistance that is better than China’s. Pakistan wants to gain much commercial incentive from Russia; for example, the Karachi-to-Lahore Pipeline, and Russia is also interested in the renovation of the Pakistan Steel Mill. According to some reports Russia may join the CASA-1000 energy project providing electricity to Afghanistan and Pakistan from Central

Asia.

On the other hand, today Russia is interested in Pakistan because of its strategic location, being next to Afghanistan and the Central Asian states. Although the countries do not share borders, they have the same geopolitical space. Moscow has long considered Pakistan as a troublemaker for Russia and supporter of terrorism in the region. The Russian motivation is to convince Pakistan to be moderate and subdue Islamic radicalization and militancy in the region. Pakistan is a Muslim state which has great influence in the Muslim world and Russia also has a large Muslim population.

Russia thinks that Pakistan can play a vital role for a stable Afghanistan. Moscow hopes, after the withdrawal of US forces, Russia will find a strategic place in the region and then it will be able to play a better role in the Indo-Pacific region. Russia also hopes that its understanding with Pakistan will decrease terrorism in Afghanistan and the region.

It is also building relations with Pakistan to counter the alignment between India and the USA. The Pak-Russia relationship can impede India from getting close the USA. The Indian tendency to look toward Israel and the USA for advanced weapons and technology encourages Russia to look for new markets for her arms. Moscow’s proposal to Islamabad, is that Pakistan can be a part of the Russian strategy to play a significant role in the region. On the issue of Ukraine, Russia is being isolated and has few friends in the international sphere. In the aftermath of the Ukraine issue, Russia is looking for new friends who may help her and challenge the West.

Islamabad and Moscow first noticed each other in 2009 when Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Tajikistan floated a quadrilateral to promote regional security and economics. This quadrilateral idea held three meetings and did not take off due to cancellation of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected visit to Pakistan for the fourth meeting in 2012. President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari had visited Russia in 2011 and the COAS also visited Moscow during 2012.

There were reciprocal visits continued by ministers and high level officials of both the countries. Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pakistan in 2014, the first such visit in the last 45 years. During this visit the both countries agreed on information exchange on political and military issues; cooperation for promoting international security, counterterrorism and arms control activities; collaboration in various military fields and other areas of education, medicine, topography, hydrography, cultural and experience sharing in peacemaking efforts were signed. In August 2015, Moscow agreed to provide Mi-35M helicopters to Pakistan. Pakistan wished to buy 20 Mi-35Ms over the next year and got

four helicopters in 2017.

In addition, both the countries enhanced military relations and joint military exercises were carried out by the two armies under the rubric of Druzhbha (friendship). Russian naval forces also participated in the Aman-17 international exercise in the Arabian Sea, hosted by Pakistan in 2017. Further both countries agreed about coordination against terrorism and drug trafficking. Russia had already cooperated in outer-space exploration and helped in launching Pakistani telecommunication satellite Al-Badar in 2001. It also had refurbished the only Pakistani steel mill.

An agreement of $2 billion for the North-South gas pipeline was signed in October 2015 which would connect Lahore to Karachi terminal. This agreement was signed on the first visit of Pakistan by Russian energy minister. 1100 kilometer pipeline is anticipated to be completed in 2018. The Russian company will complete this project and will use for 25 years. In the energy sector, both states are collaborating as well and have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Moscow between Russia’s Gazprom International and Pakistan’s Oil and gas Development Company Limited on July3, 2017. The project will fulfill the energy requirement of Pakistan.

This understanding was for mutual cooperation and joint ventures and use of state of art technology that would aid exploration and development in Pakistan. This is the beginning of commercial ties between these two countries.

The increasing cooperation between Pakistan and Russia should be viewed in the context of the Afghan scenario which had created challenges for Moscow. Pakistan is considered an important country for the stabilization of Afghanistan. Without the constructive involvement of Pakistan, the problems of Afghanistan and its stability are a dream. During the Last six decades, very few Pakistani leaders and officials visited Russia.

Visits yielded positive results; the Tashkent declaration in 1966 and Pakistan Steel mills in the 1970s.

Pakistan has revisited her foreign policy during the 21st century and gave importance to neglected states.

When the President of Pakistan visited Russia in 2002, a joint work group on strategic stability, counterterrorism and an inter-governmental commission were established. Regular meetings of these groups have been held since then.

Russia also seems to be accommodating Pakistan.

Russia condemned the Salala Post attack by NATO on 26 Novembe 2011 and issued a friendly public statement. And it also supported Pakistan on the closure of supply to NATO in Afghanistan through Pakistan. Russia has supported Pakistan to be a member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and to be part of the Russian security mechanism. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an important initiative to counter American influence and to bring peace and stability in the re-

US diplomacy threatens to rock Bengal

I

The Indian ambassador might clarify to his US counterpart that Bangladesh is no longer East Pakistan and that the toppling of Imran Khan is not necessary in Bangladesh DHAKA TRIBUNE

FArid erkiZiA BAkht

T has become obvious that the nature and external orientation of the next administration in Dhaka is a serious concern for the US. But the obvious unanswered question remains: Where is India in all of this? How come Delhi is apparently allowing the US to set the agenda? It is true its diplomats are not exactly sitting on their hands. (Nor, by the way, are the Chinese.) But why they have taken an apparent non-speaking role remains a conundrum.

DELHI DOWN IN THE DUMPS? With Prime Ministers Modi and Sheikh Hasina both celebrating connectivity and power projects, the relationship seems as smooth and set as ever. Perhaps. Still, I wonder what the Indian Ministry of External Affairs privately expects to achieve in Bangladesh. More to the point, sipping whiskey over the weekend, do they really subscribe to the idea of India as a superpower? Publicly, they are certainly not acting like one. A superpower would never allow a distant state -- ally or not -- to ride roughshod over Delhi’s interests, sensibilities, and prerogatives.

One would expect a confident India would have sent a private, terse telegram to Washington that this is their backyard. Publicly, they might have explained that while Delhi and Washington share concerns about the benefits of deepening democracy (blah blah blah), that given that India has a rich history of beneficent relations with the lands of the Meghna, Jamuna, and Ganga, it would take the leading role as the sub-conti-

nental superpower.

Once, Delhi’s finest would have been more than capable of guiding Bengali politics in the “right” direction. The Indian ambassador might clarify to his US counterpart that Bangladesh is no longer East Pakistan and that the toppling of Imran Khan is not necessary in Bangladesh. Delhi cares little about Western adventurism in Islamabad. Here, it is a different kettle of fish.

Firstly, Dhaka is a lot more ambivalent and transactional towards China than Imran ever was.

Secondly, the Baluchi-Xinjiang energy link is as important as the Nordstream Pipeline connecting Berlin with St. Petersburg. One could go on. Bottom line: China has invested a lot less, geo-politically, strategically, economically, and emotionally, in Bangladesh compared to Pakistan. Thus India should remain a lot calmer regarding China in its eastern backyard.

Instead, is the danger to Delhi’s own medium-term interests, not stemming from a grand US entry into the Bengali delta and beyond. Myanmar, anyone?

Alas, Indian anglophone elites appear as deluded as Britain’s elites in thinking India has some sort of special relationship with the United States. The recent tilt

by Modi towards the US, on the flimsy promise of technological upgrading, offers one explanation for Delhi’s current stance. Add Sinophobia, and it becomes easy to fall into the US orbit, and eventually become prey.

IF ONLY BEIJING AND DELHI WOULD TALK ABOUT BANGLADESH It is heartening to hear reports of constructive discussions between the two Asian giants over the Hi-

malayas. What a pity they could not translate this to a practical conversation about the Bengali neighbourhood. What a shame no one links the two regions in their mindset.

With the Awami League in office, India has achieved its long-held need to end the isolation of Assam and the rest (including Arunachal Pradesh/Zang Nan). Bangladesh has opened its lands to trans-shipment. Give it a decade and at last the Brahmaputra may well develop and enter the 21st century.

Bangladesh is cruising at a decent rate and no longer a potential economic disaster in need of rescue.

Dhaka, however, faces headwinds in climbing to the next level.

So what is the problem if China builds out the foundations for a more resilient Bangladeshi economy? Unless a Chinese-constructed Sylhet airport terminal sprouts surface-to-air missiles, why is it an issue?

Is it not clear that Beijing just wants a neutral Bangladesh (translation: No QUAD)? Is it not obvious that an incoherent external orientation on the part of Dhaka discourages deeper commitment from China?

If India were a genuine superpower, and Delhi’s own neo-cons would relearn the lessons of the postMughal era, it might agree with China on parameters for mutual involvement and presence on the eastern edge of the sub-continent, and turn a cold shoulder to its distant ally. Delhi and Beijing will not bury the hatchet in the short term. Asia’s two superpowers continue to suffer a fractious relationship. To the obvious satisfaction of the US. China also has other fish to fry if they are rebuffed.

Ultimately, I blame Dhaka’s foreign policy leadership for not showing agency. It could weave an intelligent strategy and stimulate dialogue with and between the Asian giants.

How AI can detect diabetes with a 10-second voice sample Mental illness, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and heart disease can also be detected using voice analysis

A

DW

AlexAnder Freund

RTIFICIAL intelligence can analyze speech patterns to detect type 2 diabetes with astonishing accuracy. The method could prove to be a useful diagnostic tool. But it comes with a warning label. Medical diagnostic tools using advanced voice analysis are becoming increasingly precise. Analyzing speech patterns can provide valuable insights, particularly for diseases such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.

Mental illness, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and heart disease can also be detected using voice analysis. Artificial intelligence (AI) can even detect signs of constricted blood vessels or exhaustion. This allows medical professionals to treat patients sooner and reduce any possible risks.

According to a study published in

the Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health medical journal, a short voice recording is all it takes to determine with surprising accuracy whether an individual has type 2 diabetes.

UNDETECTED DISEASE This technology is intended to help identify people living with undiagnosed diabetes. Worldwide, some 240 million adults have diabetes and don't know it.

Nearly 90% of cases are type 2 diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation. People with type 2 diabetes have an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack, stroke and poor circulation in the legs and feet.

Diabetes screening tests using voice analysis would significantly improve detection. Most other tests require a trip to a health care provider. These include the fasting blood glucose test (FBG), the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), or the glycated hemoglobin test (A1C). The latter is performed to measure average blood sugar levels over the course of two to three months.

HOW DOES VOICE ANALYSIS WORK? With voice frequency analysis, changes in the voice that are inaudible to the human ear are analyzed by AI. Oftentimes, recordings of a phone conversation are all the software needs for the analysis.

It examines factors such as speech melody, cadence, pauses and pitch. Certain symptoms have characteristic phonetic traits, such as how the vowel A is

pronounced over a period of five seconds. The human voice can display up to 200,000 distinct characteristics. AI algorithms can filter through all of these to identify particular vocal patterns that match certain symptoms.

REMARKABLY ACCURATE The newly developed AI screens voice recordings lasting between six and 10 seconds, looking for differences in vocal pitch and intensity. Combined with basic health data such as age, gender, height and weight, the program can gauge whether the speaker has type 2 diabetes. Its results are remarkably accurate but are skewed slightly depending on gender. Due to differences in vocal variances between male and female speakers, the tests were 89% accurate when examining females, and 86% when assessing males.

DISTINCT ACOUSTIC FEATURES In order to train the AI, Jaycee Kaufman and her team at Ontario Tech University in Canada recorded the voices of 267 individuals who either did not have diabetes or who had already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Over the course of two weeks, participants recorded a short sentence six times daily on their smartphone. This generated over 18,000 voice samples, from which 14 acoustic features were singled out, as they differed between participants with and without diabetes.

"Current methods of detection can require a lot of time, travel, and cost,"

said Kaufmann, a research scientist at Klick Labs. "Voice technology has the potential to remove these barriers entirely." In the future, Klick Labs hopes to examine whether voice analysis can also assist in detecting other conditions, such as prediabetes or hypertension.

DANGERS OF VOICE ANALYSIS Proponents of voice analysis as a diagnostic tool emphasize the speed and efficiency with which diseases could be detected using a patient's voice.

But even if AI-supported tools are able to provide very specific information, a handful of voice samples are not enough to develop a well-founded diagnosis. The risk of obtaining false positives or overdiagnosis is also high. In the end, assessments should always be made based on human expertise.

INDICATIONS, NOT MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS This is particularly the case for psychological illnesses. Certain vocal tonality might be an indication of depression, for example, but only a thorough examination by a trained human professional can provide surety.

MISUSE CANNOT BE RULED OUT Critics and data protectionists have warned of the enormous risk of voice analysis software being used in bad faith, for example by employers or insurance call centers. There is a risk voice analysis software could be used without explicit consent and that customers or employees could be disadvantaged on the basis of personal health information.

This article was originally written in German.

COMMENT 05

gion. The membership of SCO will enhance the strategic and regional importance of Pakistan.

There is a strong potential of Pak-Russia relations in steel production, communication, and the space technology and energy sectors. Pakistan should embrace these choices because it has learnt much from past errors and mistakes. There is a common perception in Pakistan that its policy of ignoring nearer countries and aligning the distant ones cost her politically, economically and strategically.

These alliances could not become successful to achieve all ideals of Pakistan such as the Kashmir issue and security against India. Washington has enhanced its relationship with India and is projecting it as a regional power. It did not fulfill the promise which it had made in the beginning of the relations. It also did not make Pakistan a progressive and modern society but turned it into a radical and fragmented society. In fact, the ideal of choosing the democratic West against the authoritative East resulted in a long and consistent spell of dictatorship in Pakistan. Comparatively India chose the other way round and always had a stable and functional democracy.

Although Pakistan and Russia are becoming close, Pakistan will never jeopardize its relations with Washington. Washington is providing military aid and financial assistance to Pakistan but getting tense over the Pak-Russia romance. Russia understands Indian concerns and believes that Moscow and Islamabad rapprochement will normalize the hostile situation between India and Pakistan. The historical background of the India-Russia relationship is very strong and Russia will never like to lose India.

However, it is expected that there will be a period of much more intensive and extensive interaction between these two countries. The Pak-Russia rapprochement should not surprise the regional powers due to current geopolitical turmoil. The Pak-Russia relationship may become a true strategic partnership in future. If Russia improves strategic relations with Pakistan it might be able to influence Pakistan to play a constructive role in Afghanistan and not act against India. This would be a regional interest as regional powers want stability in Afghanistan.

If Russia goes ahead to defense cooperation with Pakistan it would be detrimental to the Indo-Russia relationship and Pakistan is a smaller market than India for Russia. Russia may lose some major contracts which it has made with India recently. Both India and Russia have a history of relationship and India has never openly criticized Russian policies over Ukraine. And both the countries are members of several multilateral organizations like BRICS, RIC and SCO. Although India has expressed its concerns about Pak-Russia growing cooperation several times, Russia believes that Pak-Russia rapprochement will normalize the Indo-Pak hostility.

It seems that Pakistan and Russia are going to forge true strategic partnership.

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

The question is no longer ‘Are Western forces participating in fighting the Palestinians?’ but ‘What is the size and type of their operations?’

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MIDDLE EAST MONITOR hussein MAjdouBi

NDER the guise of helping to search for hostages and preparing to evacuate their citizens, Western countries, led by the US and France, sent special military forces, considered among their elite, to Israel. There is a debate about whether these forces are participating in some of the Occupation army’s operations or not. Previous experiences, including in Libya during the Arab Spring, confirmed that these forces worked secretly at that time and contributed to the pursuit of Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. The Pentagon has announced, on many occasions, the deployment of various military forces, starting with warships, including aircraft carriers and destroyers, as well as antimissile systems, especially the advanced THAAD system, in addition to thousands of soldiers. Among the units are teams from the Delta Forces that specialise in hostage rescue and Marine forces, especially the elite ones, namely the Marine elite forces known as Raiders.

Hints provided by the military website, Galaxia Militar, when collecting various data on this subject from media outlets such as The New York Times and other military websites indicate the presence in Israel of commando teams from various major and mid-sized Western countries. It is not unlikely that they are present in the Gaza Strip and are fighting alongside the Israeli forces or, at least, providing logistical support and participating in the search for tunnels and the locations of the hostages.

Reading the military situation on the ground in the Gaza Strip and Israel indicates a significant Western military presence. The most prominent data includes: First, Western countries have expressed absolute political support for Israel, including opposition to any ceasefire, and this support cannot be unaccompanied by direct military support, especially since some countries, such as the US, have established an air bridge to transport military equipment, while British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, arrived with military equipment to Israel. Second, Western countries have provided Israel with significant military equipment, most notably anti-missile systems, some of which the Israeli army does not have much experience in operating. That is why the Pentagon sent experts to operate the THAAD systems, and the French, Germans and Italians sent experts for the Eurosam system. Third, while the Pentagon has admitted to sending thousands of elite soldiers, there are admissions by Western countries, especially European countries, that they have “reinforced their security and military staff” in their embassies in Tel Aviv in anticipation of the evacuation of their citizens and the search for hostages. Fourth, experience reveals that when it comes to an issue that concerns the entire West, such as preserving Israel from collapse, the West engages in a military operation. It became clear, years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in Libya, how units and even an entire platoon of French, German and British elite forces contributed to striking the military units that were around Gaddafi, and they were tracking him to facilitate his assassination by the protesters.

While American units step up security of Israeli nuclear facilities, especially the THAAD system, and the field guarding against Hezbollah commando infiltration, European units participate in operating other systems to intercept the missiles of the Palestinians, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iraqi groups. There are also military units that participate in a discreet manner and are ready to intervene if the situation worsens and the war spreads.

Therefore, it is no longer a matter of “Are Western forces participating in fighting the Palestinians?”, but rather, “What is the size and the type of their contribution?”

Translated from Al Quds Al Arabi.

06 NewS

‘exposed and wanted’: IMF chIeF says BIden-XI engageMent an controversial canadian Indian businessman sri IMportant sIgnal For world to cooperate ram tumuluri

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Sunday, 19 November, 2023 | iSlAmABAD

SAN FRANCISCO

DUBAI

AGENCIES

NTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday this week’s meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping is a badly needed signal that the world needs to cooperate more.

“It sends a signal to the rest of the world that we must find ways to cooperate on those challenges where no country on its own can succeed,” Georgieva told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

The Biden-Xi meeting is “important at a time when geo-economic fragmentation has indeed deepened with negative consequences for the prospects for accelerating growth,” Georgieva said.

Biden and Xi agreed on Wednesday to open a presidential hotline, resume military-to-military communications and work to curb fentanyl production, showing tangible progress in their first face-to-face talks in a year.

The meeting did not alter a growing array of national security-driven trade and investment restrictions between the world’s two largest economies, but Georgieva said the resumption of communications was important at a very uncertain time for the global economy.

Georgieva said the US.-China thaw had a positive effect on leaders at the APEC summit, where her key takeaway was that “the spirit of cooperation is demonstrably stronger. And the world does need it.”

Georgieva said revived US.-China communications will also help foster cooperation on global challenges, especially climate change, with the COP28 climate conference due to start at the end of November.

US -China engagement also will be an important factor on negotiations over World Trade Organization reform, including restoration of its dispute settlement

MONITORING REPORT

system. WTO ministers are due to meet in February in the United Arab Emirates.

GAZA WAR IMPACT: Israel’s war against Hamas continues to be “devastating” for the population and economy of Gaza, with “severe impacts” on the West Bank’s economy, Georgieva said as well.

It is also putting pressure on the neighboring economies of Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan, which are seeing reduced tourism and higher gas costs, she said. Israel, too, will see an economic slowdown, as nearly 8% of its workforce has been diverted to military service, she said.

For Egypt, the IMF is “seriously considering” a possible augmentation of the country’s $3 billion loan program due to economic difficulties posed by the Israel-Hamas war.

An IMF staff team is currently holding virtual consultations with Egyptian authorities on the program.

The Israel-Hamas war has had “a very, very limited

impact” on the global economy as an initial run-up in energy prices was not sustained, but impacts could grow if there’s an “accident” that widens the conflict or it is prolonged, Georgieva said.

“We are already seeing the impact of antisemitism and Islamophobia, raising their ugly heads all over the world. The sooner this war ends, the better,” she said.

IMF SHAREHOLDING REFORMS: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said during meetings last week with her Chinese counterpart that a key outcome of U.S.-China economic engagement was Beijing’s support for a 50% increase in IMF quota-based resources, without an immediate rise in shareholding for China.

Georgieva said it was important for the IMF to start quickly on revamping its shareholding formula to boost the representation of fast-growing developing economies: “The world needs an IMF that is financially strong, and that is also legitimate.”

Sudan announces ‘immediate’ end to UN mission in war-torn country NEW YORK

AGENCIES

Sudan has informed the UN chief of the “immediate end” of the United Nations political mission in the war-torn country, according to a letter circulated in the Security Council.

In an official letter in Arabic dated Thursday, accompanied by an English version from the Sudanese ambassador to the UN, Foreign Minister Ali Elsadig Ali informed Antonio Guterres of “the decision of the government of Sudan to terminate the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) with immediate effect.”

According to the English version, UNITAMS had aimed to “assist the transitional government of Sudan after the December 2018 revolution,” but the government said the mission had proven “disappointing.”

However, Khartoum said it would continue to work “constructively” with the United Nations.

Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday the mission’s mandate was scheduled to end on December 3.

“The Secretary-General has appointed Ian Martin to lead a strategic review of the UN Mission in Sudan to provide the Security Council with options on how to adapt the mission’s mandate,” he said.

Guterres was also appointing Alge-

ria’s Ramtane Lamamra as his personal envoy for Sudan.

“We will continue to engage closely with all actors, including the Sudanese authorities and members of the Security Council, to clarify next steps,” Dujarric said.

UNITAMS employs 245 people, including 88 in Port Sudan, as well as others outside Sudan in Nairobi and Addis

Ababa, Dujarric confirmed.

In an address to the Security Council on Thursday, the UN assistant secretary general for Africa, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, denounced the spread of the conflict to other parts of Sudan, which already has the largest number of displaced people in the world.

“Sudan is facing a convergence of a worsening humanitarian calamity and a catastrophic human rights crisis,” she said.

After almost seven months of fighting between the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, almost 25 million people need humanitarian aid in Sudan, UN humanitarian operations chief Martin Griffiths said Monday.

The civil war, which started on April 15, has left more than 10,000 dead, according to an estimate by the NGO Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (Acled), a figure that is widely considered an underestimate.

Congress says BJP govt benefitting Adani in Dharavi redevelopment project NEW DELHI

AGENCIES

Congress party has said that Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is benefitting the Adani Group by relaxing norms for the Dharavi redevelopment project in Mumbai.

Congress General Secretary, Jairam Ramesh, in a statement said that as per reports the Maharashtra Urban Development Department – which had originally expressed its reservations about relaxing the rules – “has been compelled to issue a notification that removes the provision of indexation in Dharavi’s real estate Transferable Development Rights (TDR) and made it mandatory for all Mumbai builders to buy the first 40 percent of their TDRs from Adani.”

He said, this has the effect of greatly increasing the value of TDRs accruing to Adani – and Adani alone – from the Dharavi project.

The Congress leader said the party had in its “Hum Adani ke Hain Kaun (HAHK) series” raised questions on the matter on February 27 and April 23 this year.

“We asked the prime minister questions about how the Adani Group was allowed to bag the Dharavi Redevel-

opment Project in 2022 with a bid of only Rs 5,069 crore, lower by Rs 2,131 crore than the original winning bid in 2018. And this was after the original winning bidder was excluded,” he said.

Ramesh said TDR is a transferable credit that allows builders who agree to give up their rights to build in sensitive areas – for reasons related to the environ-

ment, historical or cultural significance or similar reason – to be compensated with extra construction rights in other approved areas. However, he said, the decision to remove indexation means that TDRs generated in low-cost areas like Dharavi can be used to develop expensive real estate in premium locations such as Bandra, south Mumbai and Juhu.

“These policy changes are expected to further push up prices in Mumbai’s already expensive housing market,” he stated.

The Congress leader said, this one policy change that benefits only Adani is yet another ‘revdi’ (freebies) offered to the prime minister’s most favoured business group. “Is there no sector of the economy that is not being converted into a Modi-made Monopoly (3M) for his friends? What is the nature of this strong Electoral Bond between the BJP and Adani? Only a JPC can unravel the full truth,” he said.

It is to be mentioned here that the Congress has been targeting the Adani group, led by Narendra Modi’s close friend Gautam Adani, accusing it of benefitting from the BJP government and has been demanding a JPC probe into the allegations made by a US Research group Hindenburg about brazen stock manipulation.

Controversial Canadian-Indian businessman Sri Ram Tumuluri was recently arrested by the Dubai police – as part of a financial corruption investigation – over several bounced cheques. He remains on bail and under investigation in the Middle Eastern state.

The Government have said that the investigation is ongoing, and that Tumuluri will be banned from the country if he doesn’t settle his debts.

Following his arrest, this report takes a deeper look into the murky world of Ram Tumuluri’s business dealings across the world. Indian and American media have this week written in detail about a trial of deception and lies which traces its roots to Canada and India.

The journalist’s killing: The report mentions how Celebrated Malta journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed in October 2017 in a car bomb near her home within weeks after announcing that she would be exposing several financial scandals of controversial Canadian-Indian businessman Sri Ram Tumuluri, spent several years investigating Ram Tumuluri till her tragic murder.

Although Maltese national brothers George Degiorgio and his brother Alfred have confessed to the killing but close associates of Daphne Caruana Galizia have said the Malta authorities have not investigated the murder properly and several questions remain unanswered.

The murdered journalist had written in detail about the financial crimes of Sri Ram Tumuluri. The journalist, who had also worked on Panama Papers scandal, had written dozens of articles on Sri Rama Tumuluri and was set to release a big story when she was killed. Her assassination rocked Malta.

Through her “Running Commentary” blog, Daphne Caruana Galizia dedicated a considerable amount of time and resource to exposing Ram Tumuluri. Before her untimely death, in various articles on her popular site, she described Ram Tumuluri as: Ram Tumuluri “a fraudster with a shedload of unpaid debts in Canada” https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2017/05/memorybox-muscat-sacked-godfrey-farrugia-made-konrad-mi zzi-health-minister-instead/ and Ram Tumuluri “ultrashady Ram Tumuluri” https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2017/05/herespicture-head-civil-service-celebrating-labour-hq-2013/ and Ram Tumuluri “corrupt incompetent” Ram Tumuluri ttps://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2016/11/toldmoment-ever-one-ill-gracious/ and Ram Tumuluri “the man of questionable repute” who corrupted nurses https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2017/01/ramtumuluri-gives-doctors-nursing-staff-zara-vouchers-fre e-drinks-buy-support/ and Ram Tumuluri “the fraudster and cheat from India by way of British Columbia” and Ram Tumuluri “the shyster from British Columbia” who had “stolen $400,000 from hotel bank accounts” in British Columbia and “destroyed the accounting books and left” Mark Pawley is known for running Oxley Capital out of Singapore and doing shady deals. Recently, Ram Tumuluri has claimed that he had to flee Malta because a senior politician threatened him with a similar fate as the assassinated journalist.

However, the office of the politician has said that Ram Tumuluri’s claims are ludicrously wild and plainly false and he is lying in order to save his skin by throwing others under the bus. While working in Malta, the local media reported that Ram Tumuluri had an affair with Deborah Chappell, Maltese lawyer and former director of Technoline. Local intelligence has said that Daphne Caruana-Galizia was also in the process of writing on this matter and the involvement of another politician in it but she was killed.

Corrupt payments to Govt official: Ram Tumuluri was recently thrust again into limelight after evidence emerged that his UK-based Causis Group made several undeclared and corrupt payments in 2015 to Carmen Ciantar, the chief political advisor of Malta’s health minister Chris Fearne.

She resigned from her role after evidence was released that Carmen Ciantar received a total of €443,500 Euros from Gozo International Medicare Ltd – part of the VGH group. The money came from the firm’s account at the Dubai-headquartered Emirates NBD Bank. Within a few months of the transfers, according to local daily the Times of Malta, she had gone to work as the head of Fearne’s election campaign – during which time he also appointed her CEO of FMS. It’s understood that Malta authorities are seeking to speak to Ram Tumuluri but he has refused to go to the country to cooperate with the inquiry. He has said through his lawyers he has done nothing wrong by making these payments which were, according to his words, for a business deal.

Permanent deceptive pattern: In all his operations, Ram Tumuluri has a consistent pattern: he presents investors with deals he does not himself have the funds to invest in; portrays them as easy money opportunities; sets up an opaque offshore corporate structure; pulls in his associates and past business connections; obtains partial funding for the project; walks away from the projec.

Xi calls for next ‘golden 30 years’ as APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting concludes SAN FRANCISCO

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward proposals for the Asia Pacific region to usher in another “golden 30 years,” calling on Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members to commit to innovation, openness, green and inclusive development in promoting regional cooperation, as APEC’s Economic Leaders’ Meeting concluded in San Francisco on Friday.

Xi made the remarks addressing the 30th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting held at Moscone Center in San Francisco, stating that since the establishment of the economic leaders’ regular meeting mechanism, APEC has always stood at the global forefront of openness and development.

Chinese observers hailed President Xi’s speech as helping to guide the region’s development for a further three decades. They also noted the 2023 APEC annual conference, which featured the largely cordial summit between Xi and US President Joe Biden, offered much needed certainty to the region’s peace and stability, laying foundations for even

more promising development in the future.

Xi called on APEC members to remain committed to innovation-driven development, stressed the importance of staying committed to openness in development in his speech. The Chinese president also urged the APEC members to promote free and open trade and investment, support and strengthen the WTO (World Trade Organization)-centered multilateral trading regime, and keep global industrial and supply chains open and stable, noting the APEC members must say no to any attempt to politicize, weaponize, or impose security implications on economic and trade issues. It is also necessary to stay committed to green development, said the Chinese president. Furthermore, Xi also called for staying committed to inclusive development that delivers benefits to all.

Noting that China will remain committed to the path of peaceful development, Xi said that Chinese modernization will bring the world more and greater opportunities for the modernization of all countries, and that he is ready to work with other APEC leaders for new success in Asia-Pacific cooperation and for another “golden 30 years” of the region.

According to the 2023 APEC Leaders’ Golden Gate Declaration, China and the US as well as more than a dozen of economies in the region, have reaffirmed their determination to “deliver a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, inclusive, and predictable trade and investment environment,” and the importance of “the rulesbased multilateral trading system, with the WTO at its core.” Leaders of the 21-member grouping which accounts for nearly half of global trade, also made commitment to continuing efforts to enhance transparency and technical cooperation, push for “resilient, effective, sustainable, and open” supply chains and improved transport links, as well as efforts to fight corruption and address climate change issues, per the joint declaration.

At the end of the APEC meeting, President Joe Biden said goodbye to President Xi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying wrote in a post on X, on Saturday with an image attachment of the two leaders’ close interaction, which has been one of the focal points of this year’s APEC annual conference since the very beginning.

Fernando Reyes Matta, former Chilean

Ambassador to China and the Director at the Center for China Studies at Andrés Bello University, told the Global Times on Saturday that this APEC 2023 takes place at a time when the global economy is showing many problems, and it is a time to seek solutions with a lot of cooperation and shared strategies.

Matta noted that it is logical that everyone is very attentive to whatever the meeting between the leaders of the US and China within the framework of the APEC forum. If there is understanding between both parties in a world that is increasingly complex and shaken by crises such as those in Ukraine or the Middle East, it will be good, Matta noted.

“It is not about the agreement of who dominates who over the long term. These are agreements that can be achieved to coexist within the framework of the unavoidable three Cs: cooperate, compete, confront,” Matta said. “The achievements in the conversation in Bali in 2022 deserve to be followed by new agreements in San Francisco 2023. The world waits for it and needs it.”

According to recent statistics published by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, China’s total import and export volume with

APEC members exceeded $3.7 trillion, accounting for 59.7 percent of the country’s total import and export. China is the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies.

China have proposed numerous cooperation initiatives that bring tangible benefits to the people in the region, which have been highly recognized by all parties in the region, according to the ministry.

“Today, China is a determining actor for the future not only of the Asia Pacific but of the entire planet. In other words, there is no real and definitive development of the Asia Pacific area without China, at the same time that China has a fundamental key to its own development in this region of the world. Therefore, it is absurd to believe that policies of confrontation and creation of blocs against China such as those promoted by Washington in recent years provide a good future,” Matta said.

“The past 30 years have been a golden era. In these years, the Asia-Pacific region has been the most remarkable in terms of economic growth globally. The leading roles of China and the US have been evident,” Lü Xiang, a research fellow from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Sunday, 19 November, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

CORPORATE CORNER Spotify moderates a dynamic chat with leading artists at +92Disrupt

LAHORE: +92Disrupt, a national tech and innovation conference designed to offer startups a comprehensive launchpad and bring together visionaries as well as innovators, recently hosted a captivating panel moderated by Khan FM, Spotify’s Artists and Label Partnerships Manager for Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh titled ‘Pakistani Tunes on the Global RADAR’. The star-studded lineup accompanying him during the discussion included prominent artists Natasha Baig, and Maria Unera, both EQUAL Ambassadors designated by Spotify as well as Taha G, the RADAR artist for the last quarter, and Faisal Kapadia, a legend who needs no introduction.The conversation delved into pivotal aspects of the music industry, shedding light on Spotify's transformative impact and the collective efforts to shape Pakistan's musical landscape.In this insightful discussion, Khan FM passionately conveyed Spotify's mission to unlock human creativity, emphasizing the platform's unprecedented support for Pakistani artists. This commitment represents a paradigm shift in the industry, setting new standards and fostering a thriving creative environment. PR

PSA aims to propel country towards 60% renewable electricity by 2030

The Pakistan Solar Association (PSA) Chairman Amir Chaudhry has said that they are thrilled to announce their commitment to collaborate with the Government of Pakistan in realizing the ambitious vision of achieving 60% renewable electricity by 2030.

Addressing an event titled Lets Grow Together on Friday here, he said that the PSA recognizes the significance of recent initiatives, such as the 10 GW Fast Track projects launched by the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) and the Energy Ministry last year. In alignment with this vision, he said that PSA applauds initiatives such as the solarization of public buildings, tubewells, and 11 kV feeders, each with tremendous potential exceeding 1,000 MW, 2,500 MW, and 2,000 MW, respectively.

Notably, he said, PSA emphasizes the importance of local private sector companies taking a leading role in financing these projects, minimizing reliance on foreign investors or donors. PR

FC College (University) celebrates graduation of 1,292 exceptional students

Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) held its Commencement 2023 on Saturday, November 18, 2023, where 1,016 undergraduate (Bachelor Honors), 268 postgraduate, and 8 PhD students graduated across diverse disciplines. The grand ceremony, graced by distinguished dignitaries, faculty, staff, students, and their families, welcomed Punjab Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman as the esteemed chief guest.

Amena Aamir, achieving a remarkable CGPA of 3.983, delivered the valedictory speech for the Bachelor (Honors) class, while Rawail Fatima shared her insights as the representative of the postgraduate cohort. The ceremony included the presentation of medals for outstanding achievements, Certificates of Distinction for academic excellence, Roll of Honor for co-curricular accomplishments, and Outstanding Student Awards recognizing excellence within various departments and faculties. PR

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ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

HE National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) will host over two dozen activities at the global climate summit COP-28 in Dubai. The Fund will also launch a special web portal to live telecast the events and share updates for media reporting and information dissemination to the public.

This was announced by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), Bilal Anwar while chairing his first media face-off with environmental journalists to brief them on the Fund’s transition from a disaster risk reduction financing facility to a proactive multistakeholder institution. He discussed the Fund’s recent preparations for participation in COP-28, scheduled to take place

in Dubai, UAE, from November 30 to December 11, 2023.

Highlighting the significance of the COP forum as an international platform, Bilal Anwar emphasized that negotiations held at COP have global legal implications for climate preservation. The Fund has issued a special newsletter and developed a dedicated website to centralize information related to the country’s delegation activities, ensuring a continuous flow of information, public engagement, and inclusivity.

NDRMF was collaborating with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination to organize over 20 activities covering topics such as climate finance, governance, rapid urbanization’s impact on the environment in Pakistan’s major urban centers, and food security.

The CEO NDRMF revealed that the Fund was developing a two-way information-sharing strategy related to COP events and the country’s delegation en-

Till today more than 12000 innocent Palestinians have been killed and still the joint meeting of OIC-Arab League is busy in cosmetic signaling and diplomatic posturing.

No action plan, no concrete solution and no unified leadership of Muslim world to halt the worsening human situation in Gaza. It is indeed one of the most bitter lessons of human history that only debates will not rebate peace. Muslim Ummah should think beyond the mundane to seek peace and stability in Gaza, the new spot of Romans luxury human killings.

Unfortunately, social media is flooded with further division of Shia Crescent and Sunni monarchies which is not a good omen for regional stability.

It seems that the Middle East is going to be further subjugated into deadly proxies starting from Yemen to Lebanon entangling countries and communities into the flames of so-called holy war. The critical analysis of International relations discipline vividly reflects that it is not a much projected religious war. It is a true reflection of naked power politics which does not even care about moralities and always deals in mortars.

gagements. He emphasized the need for media reporting to align with local context and guide stakeholders during the analytical part of the COP negotiations.

Manager Finance at NDRMF, Samia informed journalists that the Fund has always promoted a proactive approach to disaster management and risk reduction.

The Fund’s objective is to provide funds for disaster resilience initiatives, with approximately $38 million disbursed for this purpose. Project interventions related to disaster resilience have received around $250 million in funding.

Muhammad Fawad Hayat, Head of Climate Change, Climate Finance, and Carbon Markets, explained that the Fund initially focused on flood protection and retrofitting disaster-vulnerable buildings.

However, it has repurposed its objectives to include promoting carbon markets, saffron and olives’ harvesting, and strengthening the fiscal space of the

13th Pakistan Mountain Festival from Dec 2 ISLAMABAD INP

All set to kick off a 10-day long 13th edition of Pakistan Mountain Festival to mark the International Mountain Day with the Margalla Hills Trail-3 hiking, cleanup, and mountain biodiversity talk here on December 2.

It would be followed by a live painting competition on the theme “Mountain Ecosystem” at the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) Rawalpindi on December 4. Other events will include an exhibition of paintings, Pakistan Mountain Youth Forum, screening of documentaries, and mountain products and cultural showcasing, a news release said.

Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed who is the founder of Pakistan Mountain Festival, briefing about the series of events said: The festival will conclude with a grand combo of events

including a conference on mountain conservation, sustainable tourism and cultural Heritage in the Changing Climate. Other attractions of the grand event will be mountain food stalls, handicrafts, folklore, and cultural and musical performances by the troupes from Gilgit, Baltistan, Hunza, Chitral, and Swat.

Munir Ahmed said as many as twenty best professionals will be given away the 4th Pakistan Mountains Pride Awards (PAMPA) while some will receive Friends of Mountains Awards (FOMA).

National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) and Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) have consented to support the grand ceremony of awards. The Pakistan Mountains Pride Awards (PAMPA) are dedicated to the five living legends in their fields and given to the best professionals who have devoted their lives to the mountains and its natives.

The Pakistan Mountains Pride Awards include one Agostino Da Polenza Mountain Conservation Award, four Shoaib Sultan Khan Mountain Community Development Awards, two Nazir Sabir Mountaineering Awards, one Ashraf Aman Sustainable Mountain Tourism Award, two Ustad Jan Ali Mountain Music Awards.

PPAF launched four Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) awards last year. From this year onward, we are including the Raja Changez Sultan Himalayan Odyssey Award for the artist who has been passionately painting mountains over the years, Munir Ahmed said.

Speaking about the objectives of the Pakistan Mountain Festival (PMF) and Pakistan Mountains Pride Awards (PAMPA) Munir Ahmed said: Usually, we don’t see the gradual impact of climate change on life, livelihood and as stress on the ecosystems.

India carrying out slow genocide in IIOJK ISLAMABAD INP

India is carrying out slow genocide in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir through extrajudicial killings in fake encounters to suppress the Kashmiris’ ongoing struggle for securing their UN-acknowledged right to self-determination.

The troops have martyred eight Kashmiris including a 60-year old man in Baramulla, Kulgam and Rajouri districts in the last three days and arrested hundreds during cordon and search operations and house raids in the last one week. The troops using drones and chemical weapons are brutally targeting the youth during the socalled search operations in the territory.

The killing of Kashmiris in fake encounters is part of the nefarious game plan of Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government and its Hindutva-influenced establishment to eliminate the indigenous population in IIOJK. People of occupied Kashmir have been facing the brunt

of brutal Indian suppression for the past over 7 decades.

The killing of innocent civilians in fake encounters and arrests under black laws are the decades-old tactics being used by Indian troops in occupied Kashmir.

Meanwhile, political analysts and civil society members in Srinagar talking to media persons lamented that the Kashmiris are being punished for demanding their inalienable right to self-determination guaranteed to them by the United Nations.

They said that India itself had taken the Kashmir dispute to the UN Security Council and the World Body had passed successive resolutions, calling for its settlement through plebiscite. They added that the UN should take cognizance of the grim situation in IIOJK, particularly the human rights violations being perpetrated by Indian troops.

The political analysts and civil society members said it is high time for the international community to come forward and hold the Modi regime accountable for its crimes against the Kashmiris.

Dr Fai calls for resolution of Kashmir dispute through tripartite talks WASHINGTON, DC INP

The Chairman of Washingtonbased World Forum for Peace & Justice, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, has called for resolving the Kashmir dispute through tripartite talks involving Pakistan, India and the genuine Kashmiri leadership.

Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai in a statement issued in Washington said that the United Nations Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cul-

tural) during its 55th meeting on Friday (November 17) approved a draft resolution on the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination. He said, “This is one more promise given to the people of occupied lands, including Kashmir that cannot be kept. If promises are made to be broken, then Kashmir may be summoned to prove the treacherous proposition.

Broken promises haunt Kashmir’s history and explain its tragedy.”

And, if we were to judge the

United Nations based upon its history of involvement in efforts to resolve international conflicts, Dr Fai added, the simplest answer is that it has been an enormous failure. He said counted among the greatest failures of the UN are dozens, in particular, Palestine and Kashmir.

“In context, Kashmir cannot be ignored, perhaps for no other reason than the conflict there has gone on for 76 years and seems destined to continue as long as the 900,000 Indian military and paramilitary.

Israel-Palestine War: A New Endgame ZULKAFIL HASSAN KHAN

07

CEO NDRMF ANNOuNCES SpECiAl wEb pORtAl; tO pARtNER 28 ACtivitiES At COp-28 NEWS

The hawkish leaders sitting in Tel Aviv, Washington, and Brussels and in the Middle East are playing with the falling souls of Gazans to secure their own lion share in the region. Thus a new end game has started in the Middle East. The end of this war will determine the new rules of regional engagements and reconciliation in the days to come.

The secret mission of Hamas has rattled many capitals and security headquarters around the globe. Initially it was a gross security failure of Israel which paved the way for a massive infiltration from various channels. It has badly exposed the efficiency of the Iron-doom system which has numerous strategic ramifications forcing the US and its regional allies to reinforce their anti-missile apparatus. However, it has effectively reunited the politically divided Israel and all its political parties.

Regionally, it has badly struck the imminent grand regional reconciliation drive among Israel and other countries mainly Saudi Arabia. The ongoing massive protests and processions in the Middle East have emerged as potential threats, posing risks of social disharmony and political chaos to established dynasties.

The re-union of Hamas and Hezbollah,

re-grouping of Riyadh and Tehran and last but not least, rapprochement between Washington and Beijing all clearly indicate redefining, redrafting and re-settlement of the new Middle East. Humanity and economics have now been specifically targeted in the naked play and ploy of power politics in Gaza.

The economies of Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Syria and to some extent Saudi Arabia are now feeling the heat of Israel-Palestine unmatched war, indiscriminate killing of small babies and elderly alike. It has now become the biggest ethnic cleansing and genocide of the 21st century and it seems that the victims of holocaust are now committing another “holocaust”.

Even the Chinese BRI and most recently announced India-Middle East-US-EU transregional transport corridor have been delayed and derailed, compromising regional progress and prosperity.

The start of a new round of war between Israel and Hamas has changed the dynamics of international politics. The unending war between Russia and Ukraine has been put into the background which has to be considered one of the biggest strategic defeats for the Pentagon and the United States. The US Military Complex Theory has now another

country. Hayat noted that the Fund’s enhanced audit systems have increased donors’ confidence.

Bilal Anwar addressed media queries, stating that the Fund, in its six-year journey, has achieved a professional level and is now focusing on disaster and climate risk modeling due to the prevailing knowledge gap in the country. He revealed that the Fund, in collaboration with the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), has established the first-ever data center for sharing quality information on climate and disaster risk modeling and assessment.

The CEO NDRMF added that the data center, hosted by the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), will become operational in January 2024. It will be accessible to academia, policymakers, civil society, and research groups, serving as a new platform to stimulate quality research and development.

Rehmani denounces ban on Juma prayers in Srinagar Jamia Masjid, Al-Aqsa ISLAMABAD INP

Senior leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani, has castigated Israel for banning Juma prayers inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque, compelling the worshippers from offering prayers in the compound outside and forcibly bulldozing Palestinians' houses and killing protesters in Gaza and Al-Quds.

Muhammad Farooq Rehmani in a statement issued in Islamabad also urged the international community to take notice of the sealing of the Srinagar Jamia Masjid for the 6th consecutive Friday by the Indian authorities to stop the Muslims from offering Juma prayers in the grand mosque.

At the same time, he strongly condemned continued house detention of senior APHC leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to stop him from offering the Juma prayers.

He said that India had sealed the Jamia Masjid to appease Israel and collaborate with the Zionist policies in Palestine. He added that the world should take note of such racist and neo-settler measures in both Kashmir and Palestine without delay to safeguard interests of the indigenous populations in the two regions.

Administration committed to ensure working hours, one-dish law SHEIKHUPURA INP

The district administration of Sheikhupura was committed to ensure implementation of one-dish law during wedding ceremonies and timely conclusion of the events.

On Punjab government’s special instructions, the ban on working hours and one dish in marriage ceremonies was being strictly implemented in the district.

In line with the directions of Deputy Commissioner Sheikhupura Dr. Waqar Ali Khan, all the Assistant Commissioners were conducting surprise raids of marriage halls in their respective tehsils. As many as 80 marriage halls were checked on Saturday with reference to working hours and one-dish ban.

The ACs checked 16 marriage halls in tehsil Sheikhupura, 37 in Ferozewala, 12 in Muridke, seven in Safdarabad and eight in Sharqpur during which violations of working hours and one-dish were found in three marriage halls.

The administration closed one marriage hall over violation while a total fine of Rs1,10,000 was imposed on others.

Deputy Commissioner Dr. Waqar Ali Khan said that the district administration has issued instructions to the owners and managers of marriage halls to ensure punctuality and one-dish implementation.

He said that violations were being dealt indiscriminately and no pressure will be taken into account.

Dr. Waqar Ali Khan warned of strict action against the marriage halls violating the one-dish and working hours directions.

window of supplies which is in search of new avenues of testing and targeting in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.

The UN Security Council has been acting as a toothless puppet and has become a musical chair for the big powers, using vetoes intentionally against each other just to secure their allies’ vested interests. This crisis has exposed the myth of western humanity.

Despite the good intentions of Türkiye, Qatar and Pakistan, the spoiled child, Israel is ruthlessly busy in demolishing the homes and hopes of innocent and helpless Palestinians in Gaza. It is reported that in 36 days Israel has destroyed more than 250 schools, 90 mosques, and almost every hospital that exists in Gaza. This absolute barbarism shows that Israel is not committing this violence to “defend” itself but this savageness is part and parcel of its colonial dna.

Naturally, the wounds, wandering souls and unjust killing of Palestinians will give rise to a new round of radicalization, terrorism and fanaticism in the Middle East in the days to come. It is also feared that the true socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic dividends of recently concluded peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran will not yield any substantial outcome.

Somehow, a symbolic pause has been secured only for four hours a day, but it is evident that the US has pushed its ally for such a pause only to protect its own interests so the call for pause came after immense pressure from the raging public and after it exposed the rhetoric of the west being “humanitarian”. Unfortunately, humanity is bleeding and the regional leaders and global powers are busy in new war games.

In summary, true implementation Two States solution is the way forward. Palestine and all other frozen issues i.e. occupied Kashmir and Northern Cyprus should be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and development as soon as possible because failure of these attributes of modern human civilization and political settlement may provoke the Third World War in the future.

According to many estimations it may take a decade to rebuild bombed Gaza. Thus only pledges of peace and noble acts of charity will achieve nothing but further division and destruction in the Middle East. Unfortunately the ongoing Israel-Palestine war is the start of decline of so-called Arab Nationalism.

The author is Youth Ambassador at The Center for South Asia & International Studies (CSAIS) Islamabad.

SOLANgI eNgAgeS IN HIgH-LeveL TALkS DurINg MALDIveS vISIT NewS

C

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

ARETAKER Minister of Information, Broadcasting, and Parliamentary Affairs Ghulam Murtaza Solangi, during his visit to Maldives, conducted meetings with the President of Maldives, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Minister of Economic Affairs, Islamic Minister of Maldives, and Pakistani community residing in Maldives.

Solangi called on President of the Republic of Maldives Dr Mohammad Muizzu at the President's Office, Male, on Saturday. During the meeting, the President warmly welcomed and expressed his gratitude to the minister for visiting the Maldives to witness the Presidential inauguration on Friday (Novem-

ber 17), said a press release.

Minister Solangi conveyed congratulations and best wishes on behalf of Pakistan’s leadership and his own behalf, to the President of Maldives and his newly sworn-in Cabinet.

While matters of mutual interest were discussed, the President and the minister expressed their hope for additional collaboration, strengthening bilateral relations and establishing further cooperation including the need to have direct connectivity between the two countries.

President of Maldives Dr Mohammad Muizzu conveyed best wishes to the leadership in Pakistan.

Minister Solangi also held a meeting with the Islamic Minister of Maldives Dr Moihammad Shaheem Ali Saeed at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

Shaheem warmly welcomed Minis-

ATC remands underage driver into custody for five days in Lahore’s DHA accident case LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

An Anti-Terrorism Court here in the provincial on Saturday sent 17-year-old Afnan Shafqat, on a five-day physical remand in the case of a tragic road accident in Lahore’s Defence Phase-VII, which had claimed lives of five members of a same family.

The court also directed the police submitted investigation report of the incident at the next hearing.

During hearing on Saturday, the police told the judge that provisions of terrorism have been added to the first information report (FIR) and requested for the physical remand of the accused to investigate the further.

“Did the judicial magistrate grant physical remand before this?” the court asked. At this, the victim’s lawyer said that the investigating officer did not ask for remand from the judicial magistrate.

He urged that the police should be granted Afnan’s physical remand, saying that they have not recovered anything from the accused yet.

Later, the lawyer representing the teenager said that a fair trial is everyone’s right.

“We are saying that an unfortunate incident happened and we admit that the accident happened due to the negligence of the accused,” said the lawyer.

Afnan’s lawyer told the court that he is only 17 years old, requesting the insertion of appropriate clauses in the FIR. “The accused can be tried under the juvenile court,” he mentioned.

OCCURRENCE: According to police, teenage driver Afnan had clashed with the victims and threatened them before hitting their car in Lahore’s DHA earlier this week.

The driver followed the women sitting in the car from Y Block for quite some time. Hasnain, the driver of the victims’ car, sped up his vehicle multiple times so that Afnan could give up the chase, but the accused did not give up and continued harassing the family.

However, Hasnain later stopped the vehicle and scolded Afnan for his behaviour.

Hasnain’s father, travelling in another car, also asked Afnan to stop harassing the women but he rammed his car into the victims’ vehicle at a speed of 160km/hour near McDonald’s Chowk.

After the accident, Hasnain’s car flew 70 feet away from the road and all the occupants died on site. Four people came to rescue but the suspect ran away after seeing the anger of the people.

Following the incident, the teenager was taken into custody and the case was handed over to deputy superintendent Kahna with sections of terrorism and murder added in the FIR. On the other hand, the teenager’s family is resorting to unethical tactics to pressure the victims’ family into withdrawing the case.

CRACKDOWN ON UNDERAGE DRIVERS: A day earlier, Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered a crackdown against underage drivers across the province after the incident.

Naqvi directed the inspector general of Punjab police, capital city police officer Lahore and regional police officers to take action against those driving cars and bikes without a license.

ter Solangi and extended gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for maintaining good relations with the Government and people of Maldives, both sides agreed to work together to further deepen the ties between the countries.

Another meeting of the visiting Solangi was held with the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Maldives Mohammad Saeed. Solangi highlighted the available scope in the trade and economic sector between the two countries.

It was emphasized to establish trade forums for improving the trade activities and capitalize the trade potential. Minister Saeed also thanked Solangi for participation in the Presidential inauguration ceremony.

Solangi also took some time from his busy schedule and interacted with the representing members of the Pakistani community in Maldives.

He appreciated the Pakistanis for their valuable services in the Maldives and their homeland- Pakistan. The members paid gratitude to Solangi for providing the opportunity for interaction and exchanging of views.

The community members, including those engaged in business; requested for the establishment of direct air connectivity between Pakistan and Maldives, which would help to improve people-topeople contacts besides trade relations.

During the meetings, High Commissioner of Pakistan Vice Admiral (retd) Muhammad Fayyaz Gilani and Deputy Head of Mission Zulqurnain Ahmed accompanied Minister Solangi.

The meetings went well and both sides re-affirmed their commitment to further strengthening the bilateral ties between the two brotherly countries.

‘Deceptive Marketing’: CCP’s battle with Mezan Beverages’ Sting-lookalike storm continues g

DELAY IN CASE POSES QUESTION MARK ON CCP’S STATUTORY POWERS PROFIT

GHULAM ABBAS

Mezan Beverages (Private) Limited, a prominent player in the beverages industry, has been entangled in a legal battle with the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for the past five years, employing strategic court stay orders to impede the ongoing enquiry.

As per the details shared by the CCP, the saga began in August 2018 when the CCP initiated an enquiry into Mezan’s alleged involvement in deceptive marketing practices. This was prompted by a formal complaint filed by PepsiCo Pakistan. The complaint accused Mezan of mimicking the packaging of Pepsi’s famous energy drink “Sting” for its own energy drink “Storm.”

Mezan swiftly responded with legal maneuvers, filing a writ petition on October 12, 2018, leading to a two-year stay order against the initiation of the enquiry. Later, the Lahore High Court (LHC) vacated the stay on October 26, 2018, allowing the CCP to resume its investigation. Subsequently, on June 28, 2021, the CCP completed its enquiry, issuing a show cause notice to Mezan on July 7, 2021.

Undeterred, Mezan secured another stay order from the LHC on August 3, 2021, against

the CCP’s show cause notice. This has prolonged the legal standoff, leaving the outcome of the enquiry in limbo.

The legal saga continued with a parallel incident in 2020 when the CCP initiated an inquiry seeking information from cooking oil and ghee companies regarding pricing. Dalda Foods challenged this enquiry in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), resulting in the IHC setting aside CCP’s call for information letters and initiation of the enquiry. The IHC also imposed stringent requirements on CCP’s regulatory and enquiry powers.

In response to this setback, the CCP took the matter to the Supreme Court of Pakistan in September 2023. The apex court, in a historic and landmark judgment, unanimously upheld the statutory powers of the CCP related to the initiation of enquiries and gathering of information.

The Supreme Court’s ruling set aside the extraordinary requirements imposed by the IHC, including the need for detailed reasoning when initiating an enquiry and passing a reasoned order. This judgment reaffirms the authority of the CCP in enforcing fair competition practices, however the current delay in result on the Mezan beverage case, once again brings into question CCP’s statutory prowess.

PTI terms US envoy’s meeting with Nawaz interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

In a strongly-worded statement, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has vehemently rejected the contents of meeting between the United States Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif.

The party labeled the encounter as a serious interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan, accusing it of being part of a broader conspiracy to undermine the elected and legitimate democratic government of ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan.

According to a PTI spokesperson, the contents of the declaration indicate a continuation of a conspiracy aimed at dismantling exPremier Imran Khan’s government. The party alleged that the meeting with Nawaz Sharif, who has been convicted by the court, exposes a sinister plot against the nation.

The spokesperson goes on to claim that the Sharif family, with its roots in non-political and non-de-

mocratic dictatorships, has consistently prioritized personal interests over those of Pakistan, engaging in questionable dealings both domestically and internationally.

The statement accuses Nawaz Sharif of compromising the constitution, democracy, and national interests during his tenures as prime minister. Despite failing to secure a seat in the National Assembly today, Sharif is accused of attempting to manipulate the democratic process to regain power.

The announcement of the meeting with the American Ambassador is seen by PTI as a deviation from diplomatic norms and a violation of basic rules and regulations. The party is calling on the Election Commission of Pakistan to promptly investigate the matter and demand an explanation from the US Embassy and the US administration through the Foreign Office.

Expressing concern over potential consequences, PTI warns that any secret conspiracy or actions against national security, constitution, democracy, and transparency in elections will

not be accepted by the nation. The party asserts that such actions could have serious effects on national harmony, internal security, and national unity.

In a final declaration, PTI emphasizes its unwavering commitment to the supremacy of the constitution, defense of democracy, transparency in elections, and the true freedom of the nation, vowing not to back down from its agenda.

It was worth mentioned here that United States Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, called on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif at his residence in Lahore on Saturday.

The meeting between the two comes a day after the senior politicians met with the British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott with party’s Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz also in attendance.

It should be noted that the former three-time prime minister has become the most sought-after leader by senior diplomats posted in Islamabad since his return to Pakistan following four years of exile ahead of the February 8 general elections.

Sunday, 19 November, 2023

PRAYER TIMINGS FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

5:50

1:30

4:00

CM Naqvi spells priorities to rein in smog 6:30

5:05

7:00

LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday emphasized that dealing with smog is a national responsibility and that segment of society needs to play due role, saying the provincial government is going to install 12 smog control towers in Lahore to tackle chronic air pollution problem.

“The government is taking every step possible to deal with smog, including setting up a high-powered environmental commission and hiring experts for artificial rainfall”, CM Naqvi informed, urging people to wear masks.

He also announced that a month-long drive for free registration of quingqi rickshaws will be started, followed by a crackdown on unregistered rickshaws.

In addition, the government has banned the purchase of fuel-powered motorcycles and will only be buying electric bikes in the future. An environmental lab will also be established in Punjab for the first time, and checking of non-standard fuel has been accelerated in all districts, including Lahore. The police and transport department have been ordered to crack down on pumps selling substandard petrol.

Naqvi said that a team of Chinese experts who helped to eliminate smog in Beijing will soon visit Lahore, and that a special technical team from the Punjab government will travel to Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday to study air pollution control measures in that country.

The caretaker chief minister also noted that 10% of crop residue is burnt in Pakistan, compared to 90% in India. He said that farmers will be given modern machinery to destroy crop residue in an effort to reduce air pollution.

Smart lockdowns are currently in effect in 10 districts of Punjab due to smog. Lahore has once again been ranked as the most polluted city in the world.

British High Commissioner calls on Asif Zardari KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

Former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari met the British high commissioner and deputy high commissioner in Karachi and exchanged views on important matters including boosting bilateral relations between Pakistan and the United Kingdom on Saturday.

The former president sent his felicitations to King Charles III on his birthday and also expressed good wishes for David Cameron who has been appointed as UK Foreign Minister.

During the meeting, Zardari demanded Britain to play a conciliatory role in ending the Israeli aggression in Gaza, while the former president and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott also discussed the promotion of bilateral relations.

Senator Salim Mandviwala and ex-minister Dr. Asim were also present on the occasion.

On Thursday, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott also paid a courtesy call to PML-N supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, fostering discussion on historic ties between Pakistan and Britain. The former prime minister emphasized the significance of the robust trade, economic, and investment ties between the two nations.

Security forces kill four terrorists in North Waziristan IBO RAWALPINDI

STAFF REPORT

Security forces conducted an Intelligence Based Operation (IBO) in North Waziristan and killed four terrorists including a high value target namely Ibrahim Musa.

“On 18 November 23, security forces conducted an intelligence based operation in general area, Khaisoor, North Waziristan District, on reported presence of terrorists. Own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location as a result of which 4 x terrorists were sent to hell, including a High Value Target (HVT), Terrorist ring leader Ibrahim @ Musa, who was highly wanted by the Law Enforcement Agencies,” said an official handout issued by the media wing of military, ISPR. “Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities,” the statement said.

“Sanitization of the surrounding areas is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area, as the Security Forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country,” the statement added.

PML-N to form govt in centre with simple majority after polls: Sanaullah LAHORE/FAISALABAD STAFF REPORT

Former Interior Minister and senior PML-N leader Sanaullah on Saturday claimed that his party would win around 120 to 125 seats out of a total 141 in Punjab in the upcoming general elections 2024, saying the PML-N would form the next government in the Centre with a simple majority.

During his interaction with journalists in Lahore on Saturday, the PML-N stalwart said: “We are in the winning position. We are regaining our position and it is not out of the blue.”

“You are displeased as it is not happening now whatever happened to us in the 2018 elections,” he said while referring to the PTI criticism.

Stressing the need for a level playing field, Rana Sanaullah said that “all political parties” should be allowed to contest the 2024 general elections. The PML-N leader

and former interior minister said: “All political parties will partake in the electoral process. People will decide [who they wanted in power].”

Two mainstream parties — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — have repeatedly been complaining that they were being denied a level playing field in the run-up to elections and attempts are being made to pave the way for the PML-N’s return to power ahead of general elections scheduled to be held on February 8, 2024.

Amid reports of minus Imran Khan elections, PTI accuses the caretaker government of denying a level playing field. With the election drawing closer, the PTI chairman remains behind bars in Adiala Jail and the party’s leadership claims that they are not allowed to run electioneer.

On the other hand, PPP — a former ally of PML-N in the previous Pakistan Demo-

cratic Movement (PDM) led coalition government — also blames Sharifs’ party for denying a level playing field.

Responding to a question, Sanaullah hit back at the PPP and asked if lodging false cases against PML-N’s leadership was a “level playing field”. The PPP and PTI have been raising concerns over “preferential treatment” being given to the PML-N ahead of the upcoming elections.

Amid accusations by the PPP and PTI, PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz’s statement strengthened their doubts this week when he said that there was nothing wrong with maintaining “cordial ties” with the establishment.

Earlier in the day, the former interior minister said that seat adjustment among political parties was part of the election procedure and alternate candidates have been elected in the democratic process where there was space.

“Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will get

nothing from the supporters of PML-N in Punjab as the latter is ready to give chance to new candidate in some constituencies of Central Punjab.

Talking to media persons in Faisalabad, Rana Sanaullah said that the PML-N was of the view that it would be better to jointly contest elections with MQM in Karachi. He said that the MQM delegation has not met Nawaz Sharif on directions of anyone.

He said that the PPP did nothing good to MQM in Sindh and it would be better for MQM to make an alliance with the PML-N in the general elections as Nawaz Sharif has vote bank in Karachi.

Rana Sanaullah said that we haven’t single candidate but four to five candidates in the 130 constituencies of Punjab. He said that thousands of applications have been received so far for PML-N ticket.

Those who voted to elected Imran Khan as country’s prime minister brought no-con-

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

fidence motion against him together with the opposition after supporters of the PTI chief backed down, he added.

The PML-N leader said that one should not forget the mistakes of past, neither remain under its tensity but should learn lesson from them.

He said that in politics, matters can’t be carried ahead without trust and as the democracy will strengthen, the scars of the system would diminish.

Rana Sanaullah admitted that Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto extended all out support during the 16-month rule to run the government affairs in better way. He said that he was well aware of the political helplessness of Bilawal and if PPP wants to acquire a seat in Punjab, it would have to adopt anti-PMLN narrative.

He said that the Chairman PPP will not be able to acquire 10 votes if it adopt PMLN supportive narrative.