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DEPORTATION OF ILLEGAL MIGRANTS STRAINS TIES WITH AFGHANISTAN Monday, 6 november, 2023 i 20 rabi us Sani, 1445

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Haqqani denounces decision as unIslamic, saying Islamabad shifting blame onto Afghanistan for its own problems

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Rs 15.00 | Vol XIV No 126 I 08 Pages I Islamabad Edition

High-ups say move to repatriate these individuals necessary to address economic strain Pakistan is facing

Over 221,000 Afghans left Pakistan since Sept 17: official data KHYBER/ISLAMABAD Staff report

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ISLAMABAD

SaleeM Jadoon

SLAMABAD’S decision to deport illegal migrants has caused significant strain in its relationship with Afghanistan, as the Taliban government and several of its leaders publicly criticize Islamabad for evicting thousands of Afghans.

The move has put bilateral ties at stake, with the interim prime minister, defense minister, and interior minister of Afghanistan openly expressing their discontent with Pakistan’s actions.

While Pakistan has consistently stated that its decision is solely aimed at repatriating individuals without legal documents, the Afghan Taliban government continues to accuse Islamabad of harassing refugees. The Taliban government has even suggested that Pakistan’s move may be a pressure tactic to address the issue of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), further exacerbating tensions between the two nations.

In a recent video message, Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani ap-

pealed to Pakistan to refrain from punishing Afghan refugees if there were any issues with the Kabul administration.

Haqqani denounced Pakistan’s decision as un-Islamic and claimed that Islamabad was attempting to shift blame onto Afghanistan for its own problems. Additionally, Defense Minister Mullah Yaqub warned that there would be consequences for Pakistan due to this decision.

However, Pakistani officials have vehemently denied any connection between the deportation of illegal migrants and the TTP issue. An anonymous senior government official clarified that the decision to send back all foreigners residing in the country illegally was made six months ago, emphasizing that it was not intended as a means to pressure the Afghan government.

The official further explained that Pakistan, facing economic challenges, could no longer bear the burden of illegal migrants. With limited resources, the country cannot sustain the presence of individuals without legal status. The move to repatriate these individuals is a necessary step to address the economic strain

Around 221,958 Afghan immigrants have left Pakistan since Sept. 17, while on Saturday, at least 7,723 crossed into Afghanistan from Torkham and two other border crossings in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, according to data shared by an official on Sunday. In September, Pakistan launched a crackdown against illegal Afghan nationals in the country, with Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar saying Islamabad would repatriate undocumented Afghan citizens to curb the smuggling of goods and foreign currency. In October, Pakistan’s caretaker administration handed an ultimatum to illegal immigrants in the country: leave by Nov. 1 or face deportation. The government said Afghan nationals were involved in smuggling, suicide attacks, and other offenses. Islamabad set up holding centers across the country to speed up the repatriation process as authorities continue to arrest illegal immigrants in nationwide sweeps. Around 1.7 million, out of a total of four million, Afghans in Pakistan are not registered, according to the Pakistani government. It insists the expulsion order did not specifically target Afghans, but undocumented foreigners living in the South Asian country. “At least 54,184 people have returned from two points [in Balochistan since Sept. 17] and around 90 percent of them are voluntarily evictions,”Balochistan Caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai, told Arab News.

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Pakistan is facing. Despite criticism from certain international organizations and Western countries, Pakistani officials have dismissed their concerns. They argue that these countries should first implement what they preach and address their own handling of illegal migrants.

The officials also highlighted incidents in which boat-riding migrants drowned off the coasts of Europe, implying that these countries failed to rescue illegal migrants.

Pakistan has treated illegal migrants with respect over the years, but now it in-

sists that they must return to their home countries. The process of repatriating an estimated 1.7 million illegal Afghan migrants is expected to be completed within a year. The deportation of illegal migrants has further complicated the already strained relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly due to the presence of TTP sanctuaries across the border. As both nations navigate this challenging situation, diplomatic channels remain open for dialogue to address concerns and find common ground.

cussions only benefit the country’s enemies. Ashraf also commented on President Dr Arif Alvi’s performance, stating that the position of the presidency is Pakistan’s highest constitutional office and should not be perceived as representing any specific political party.

In relation to the Faizabad sit-in case, the PML-N, which had previously distanced itself from calls for accountability, seems to be indirectly pushing for it once again. PML-N leader Mian Javed Latif, known to be close to Maryam Nawaz, declared former Inter-Services Intelligence chief Gen Faiz Hamid as the ‘mastermind’ behind the sit-in. Latif demanded that all those who “ruined the country” be exposed before the upcoming elections. Another senior PML-N leader, Khawaja Asif, also accused Gen Hamid of being the mastermind behind the sit-in in a recent TV show.

The case has gained renewed attention as the Supreme Court hears challenges to the Feb 6, 2019 judgment related to the sit-in. Journalist Absar Alam had previously informed the apex court that certain armed forces personnel were attempting to incite violence during the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan sit-in. He also alleged that Gen Faiz Hamid had called him to support a media outlet when he ordered the shutdown of Channel 92 for allegedly inciting violence through its live coverage of the sit-in.

NA speaker urges dialogue, future focus for national progress ISLAMABAD

Monitoring report

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has called for a constructive dialogue between political entities, highlighting the need for the country to move forward and focus on the future rather than getting stuck in the past.

Speaking during Dawn News show “ Doosra Rukh”, Ashraf emphasized the importance of looking at the outcome of past events and evaluating whether Pakistan has been able to stand on its own feet after 75-76 years of independence.

He suggested that it is time for the nation to take a step towards progress and engage in intra-political party dialogue.

Ashraf expressed his concern about the practice of repeatedly bringing up past issues and remaining silent when they occur. He criticized this approach as a sign of cowardice and called for a living nation to address wrong actions when they are being committed. He lamented the confusion and spread of hate that arises from constantly reopening past issues, and urged for an intra-party dia-

logue to devise a new social contract that includes input from all stakeholders.

Regarding accountability, Ashraf advised that any issues with the military should be resolved privately, behind closed doors, rather than in public or on social media. He argued that public dis-

Israel strikes Gaza refugee camp as death toll rises to 9,770

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PPP questions Dar’s leading role in Senate, impartiality of interim govt ISLAMABAD

Staff report

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has expressed its concerns regarding the involvement of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar as the leader of the house in the Senate. The party has called for clarification from the interim government, questioning the basis on which Dar is functioning in this role and suggesting that it reflects an alliance between the PML-N and the caretaker set-up. PPP Secretary-General Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari has raised the issue of why an independent senator was not appointed by the interim administration to represent the leader of the house in the Senate, as is customary. Bokhari emphasized that the leader of the house in the Senate is the representative of the prime minister in the upper house and should have an impartial and independent standing. Bokhari also highlighted the close association between caretaker Federal Minister Ahad Cheema, Fawad Hasan Fawad, and PML-N leaders, including Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif. He further noted the affiliation of the Punjab governor with the PML-N. These connections raise concerns about the impartiality and transparency of the caretaker government.

Lahore ranked world’s second most polluted city as AQI reaches 393

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ISLAMABAD

There is no respite from smog for the people of Lahore as the city, with the air quality index (AQI) recorded at 393, was ranked as the second most polluted city in the world on Sunday. The AQI over Fida Hussain Road was recorded at 481. Similarly, it was 462 over Phase-8 in DHA, 368 over Shimla Paharri and 464 over Syed Maratab Ali Road. Doctors, on the other hand, advised people to take precautionary measures by avoiding travelling unnecessarily, and use facemasks if travelling was inevitable. The Metrological Department Weathermen, on the other hand, forecast dry weather for the provincial capital during the next few days, thus considerably minimizing chances of any relief for residents of the city as it will be due to rain that dust particles suspended in the air will settle down and the smog will be over. The Met Office predicted that maximum temperature in the city would reach 29 degrees Celsius later in the day while it would be 16 degrees Celsius on the minimum side in the early hours on Monday. Smog in India poses threat to Pakistan’s environment On the other hand, smog in neighbouring India, especially over capital New Delhi, has become a threat for Pakistan. According to the images and report released by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 740 per cent increase has been noticed in the incidents of burning of crops’ residue, especially in parts bordering Pakistan. Indian media, on the other hand, have said that there is no chance of smog getting thin in the next two days. The situation had come to such a pass in New Delhi on Thursday that an emergency had to be imposed in the city. Intense smog in the Indian capital has also made the teams participating in the Men’s Cricket World Cup worried as they can’t practice in nets let alone playing matches in an extremely polluted environment. The smog has forced the International Cricket Council (ICC) to assess the situation.

Health ministry says 4,800 children among those killed in bombardment since Oct 7 KHAN YOUNIS/WEST BANK/CAIRO agencieS

Israeli warplanes struck a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip early Sunday, killing at least 33 people and wounding dozens, health officials said. The strike came as Israel said it would press on with its offensive to crush the territory’s Hamas rulers, despite US appeals for a pause to get aid to desperate civilians.

The soaring death toll in Gaza has sparked growing international anger, with tens of thousands from Washington to Berlin taking to the streets to demand an immediate cease-fire.

The health ministry in Gaza Strip urged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) or Egypt on Sunday to ensure the safe exit of the wounded from the enclave.

“We call on the ICRC to provide a safe passage for the wounded, accompany them and ensure their safe arrival to the Rafah land crossing until they are discharged to hospitals in Egypt,” the spokesman for the

ministry of health, Ashraf Al-Qudra, said.

He said another option could be for Egypt to let Egyptian ambulances enter the Gaza Strip and transport the wounded from the enclave’s hospitals to Egyptian hospitals “to ensure their safe exit”.

Meanwhile, evacuations of injured Gazans and foreign passport holders through the Rafah crossing to Egypt have been suspended since Saturday, two Egyptian security sources and one medical source told Reuters. One of the security sources and the medical source said the evacuations were suspended after an Israeli strike on Friday on an ambulance in Gaza being used to transport injured people.

The Rafah crossing to Egypt’s Sinai peninsula is the only exit point from Gaza not controlled by Israel. Aid trucks were still able to travel into the territory, two of the sources said.

Israel has rejected the idea of halting its offensive, even for brief humanitarian pauses proposed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his current tour of the region.

Instead, it said that the besieged enclave’s

Hamas rulers were “encountering the full force” of its troops. “Anyone in Gaza City is risking their life,” Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said.

Large columns of smoke rose as Israel’s military said it had encircled Gaza City, the initial target of its offensive against Hamas.

Staff report

Gaza’s Health Ministry has said more than 9,400 Palestinians have been killed in the territory in nearly a month of war, and that number is likely to rise as the assault continues. Early Sunday, airstrikes hit the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, killing at least 33 people and wounding 42, said Ashraf Al-

Qidra, the spokesman for the Health Ministry.

He said first responders, aided by residents, were still searching the rubble for dead or possible survivors.

The camp, a built-up residential area, is located in the evacuation zone where Israel’s military had urged Palestinian civilians in Gaza to seek refuge as it focuses its military offensive in the northern areas.

Despite such appeals, Israel has continued its bombardment across Gaza, saying it is targeting Hamas fighters and assets everywhere. It has accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields.

Critics say Israel’s strikes are often disproportionate, considering the large number of women and children killed in such attacks.

Egyptian officials said they and Qatar were proposing humanitarian pauses for six to 12 hours daily to allow aid in and casualties to be evacuated. They were also asking for Israel to release a number of women and elderly prisoners in exchange for hostages, suggestions Israel seemed unlikely to accept.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the press on the discussions. Israel has repeatedly demanded that northern Gaza’s 1.1 million residents flee south, and on Saturday it offered a three-hour window for residents to do so.

An Associated Press journalist on the road, however, saw nobody coming. The head of the government media office in Gaza, Salama Maarouf, said no one went south because the Israeli military had damaged the road.

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02 NEWS

PAKISTAN LEAPFROGGING INTO NEW ERA OF TECH INDUSTRY: MASOOD KHAN

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SAN FRANCISCO stAff RepoRt

MBASSADOR of Pakistan to the United States (US), Masood Khan has said that tech entrepreneurship in Pakistan has taken off and the country was leapfrogging into a new era of tech industry.

“A number of factors have contributed to the exponential growth of tech sector of the country. One is the ecosystem; the digitization of the economy. A new class of professionals graduating from universities is participating in digitized economy and this is giving a new direction to our economy,” he said.

“Second is the enabling environment that the Government of Pakistan has created for the growth of tech and IT sector keeping in view of its immense potential not just for Pakistan, but also for the extended neighbourhood comprising Middle East, Central

CM Naqvi commends services of forensic scientist died of Congo in Quetta LAHORE

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Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi Sunday mourned the death of senior forensic scientist Dr Ashraf Tahir and commended his services while Balochistan Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Domki has directed the Livestock Department to take all possible measures to control possible spread of Congo virus. In a message on social media platform X, he said: “It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of Dr. Ashraf Tahir, a stalwart in the field of forensic sciences and a true national treasure. His departure is an irreparable loss to our nation.”

He added: “Dr. Tahir was more than an individual; he was an institution in himself.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Ashraf Tahir displayed an exceptional ability to adapt to the evolving challenges of law enforcement and investigative procedures.” He further said: “His innovative approaches and tireless efforts have left an indelible mark on the landscape of criminal justice in our country. The vacuum left by his absence is one that we will never be able to fill.” He pointed out: “Dr. Tahir Ashraf’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations, and his contributions to the betterment of our nation will be remembered with deep gratitude.” He “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. May he rest in peace, and may we carry forward his dedication to making our nation a safer and more just place.

‘ALL POSSIBLE MEASURES TO CONTROL CONGO VIRUS’: Meanwhile, Balochistan Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki has directed livestock department to take all possible measures to control possible spread of Congo virus. “The department concerned needs to make all out measures to keep a check on Congo virus spread.” In a statement issued here on Sunday, Ali Mardan Domki directed concerned officials to create awareness among people regarding Congo virus in cattle. He directed livestock department to adopt all precautionary measures to overcome possible spread of Congo virus.

Africa, West Asia and other adjoining markets,” Ambassador Masood continued.

“So it is in this context what we call a nascent tech revolution in Pakistan,” he added. Masood Khan made these remarks as a key note speaker during a special session, ‘Tales of Triumph: The Rise of Pakistani Startup’, at Annual OPEN Global Silicon Valley Convention in Santa Clara, CA. The panelists, Hamza Jawaid, founder of Bazaar Technologies, Omair Ansari, CEO & CoFounder ABHI and Aaqib Gadit, CoFounder and former CEO Cloudways, shared their success stories and booming startups of the country. The event was moderated by Liza Miller.

He said that the country has set up a Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and IT sector was among its foremost priorities. He said that the Council is aimed at fast- tracking approvals and registrations, overseeing implementation and catalyze

stAff RepoRt

A woman gave birth to triplets in a private hospital for Kandiaro district Naushahro Feroze on Sunday. According to details, after feeling labour pain, pregnant wife of Hussain Ali hailing from Ikri was shifted to Hassam Medical Centre in Kandor. The woman underwent C-Section and gave birth to triplets including two boys and a girl. According to Dr Tasleem Masood Sitho of Hassam Medical Centre, all three children and mother were in good health condition.

ing and also to move to less capital intensive tech enterprises, he said while noting challenges in tech industry. “We have to have indigenous domestic investment,” he said.

He recounted various steps being taken by the Government to facilitate businesses that included moving toward investors’ friendly regulatory regime, E-Wallet facility introduced by State Bank of Pakistan, clear definition of a tech-startup by Securities and Exchange Commission and setting up of Special Technology Zones.

On incentives for US investors and businesses, Masood Khan said that the presence of some 80 US enterprises in Pakistan “creates an enabling environment for new entrepreneurs to go into Pakistani market.”

“We have suffered reputational damage due to global war of past four decades. We are making efforts to rebrand our image,” he observed.

“Let me tell you that IT sector is one that

President directs SLICP to pay insurance claim to heirs of deceased policyholder ISLAMABAD

stAff RepoRt

President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday directed the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan (SLICP) to pay death insurance claim worth Rs 300,000 along with a profit to the family members of a deceased policyholder, who were not being paid the claim for almost three years.

He further asked the SLICP to form a panel of doctors for devising a policy on pre-insurance tests of proposed policyholders. Dr. Arif Alvi issued the orders while rejecting a representation filed by SLICP against the order of the Wafaqi Mohtasib, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release.

The complainant Saad Taheer had alleged that his father had purchased a life insurance policy from the agency in 2013 for the sum assured of Rs 300,000/- with annual premium of Rs 18,406. His father died in 2020, and he filed the death insurance claim which was repudiated by SLICP on the ground that the deceased had a pre-insurance ailment of hepatitis-C, which he had deliberately hidden.

Feeling aggrieved, he approached the Wafaqi Mohtasib which asked

SLICP to reconsider the matter and provide appropriate relief to the nominees of the deceased policyholder. SLICP, then, filed a representation with the President against the Mohtasib’s order.

The President held a hearing on the matter, and after listening to both sides, gave his decision. He pointed out that the deceased purchased the policy in 2013, whereas SLICP had produced copies of medical reports of the year 2015 and all reports pertained to the post-insurance period and were not worth consideration. He further noted that the confidential report of the SLICP field officer had also declared the insured as healthy at the time of issuance of the policy and had clearly stated that

she knew the insured for the last two years.

He also referred to Section 80 of the Insurance Ordinance 2000, which provided that no policy of life insurance, after the expiry of two years from the date on which it was affected, shall be called into question by the insurer on the ground that a statement in the proposal for insurance or in any report of a medical officer was false or inaccurate.

President Arif Alvi, therefore, rejected State Life’s representation and directed it to pay the insurance claim along with the accrued profit within 30 days to the nominees. He further asked State Life to constitute a panel of doctors to advise it on a policy regarding pre-insurance medical tests. “This panel of doctors would suggest as to what are the most prevalent and common diseases in Pakistan and what tests should be included before issuance of the policy”, he added.

He also advised that the company might devise a risk assessment about different diseases and modify premiums accordingly, if they wanted to issue policies to patients with mild and very prevalent diseases like diabetes, hypertension, hepatitis etc.

No shortage of resources as country only need proper utilization: Amjad Saqib

Woman gives birth to triplets in Nausharo Feroze NAUSHAHRO FEROZE

much needed regulatory reforms including ensuring stable payment cycles, protection of intellectual property rights and addressing the issues related to repatriation of funds by foreign investors.

Highlighting the successes in tech and IT sector, he apprised the participants that from a meagre $10 million venture capital funding in 2018 per year, global VCs and other investors were pouring in $1 billion annually in Pakistan now.

“This is despite the headwinds that we faced; economic, political, pandemic and the devastating floods lost year,” he said.

He noted that leading global VCs including Kleiner Perkins, Target, Tiger Global, Dragoneer, Acrew, Sequoia Capital, UK’s Kingsway, Speedinvest from Europe, UAE’s Sharooq, and Chinaccelerator and Fatimah Gobi from China were betting their money in Pak tech startups.

“We need to retain venture capital fund-

LAHORE

stAff RepoRt

Chairman Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and Founder, Akhuwat Foundation Dr Amjad Saqib has said that there was no shortage of resources in the country but there was a need for proper utilization.

He was addressing the degree awarding ceremony organized by Punjab University School of Economics at Faletti’s Hotel, Lahore here on Sunday.

On this occasion, former Finance Minister Dr Hafeez A. Pasha, PU VC Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood, President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kashif Anwar, Dean Faculty of Business, Economics and Administrative Sciences Prof Dr Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry, Registrar Dr Ahmed Islam, Controller of Examinations Muhammad Rauf Nawaz, faculty members, students and their parents were present.

In his address, Amjad Saqib said that the main reason for the imbalance in the society is the unfair distribution of wealth. He said that one should spend according to their needs for a better life.

He said that economists should take steps to promote entrepreneurship. He said that it is possible to change society by connecting the knowledge of economics with ethics.

Hafeez Pasha said that the economic conditions of Pakistan are on the way to improvement. He said that the acceleration in the stock exchange, the strengthening of the rupee and the record profits of the commercial banks are all positive indicators. He said that after the elections, there will be more stability in the country’s economy. He said that providing high and quality education to students by providing 70% of expenses from PU is commendable.

M.A. NiAzi NE of the weird things that happened during this weird World Cup was the sight of Mickey Arthur, the Pakistan head coach, before the match with Bangladesh, Not only was he standing at attention for the Pakistan national anthem, but he was also mouthing something.

I suspect him of having heard the national anthem so many times that he’s become familiar with the words. Or what he probably thinks are the words. I don’t want to know what those words are.

However, he’s got one point of etiquette right. You’re supposed to stand for the national anthem of any country, not just your own. I think you’re supposed to sing along your own, or else you can do what US President Ronald Reagan did, which was to put his hand on his heart and look soulful. Ziaul Haq imitated him, but he couldn’t really do the soulful look. Reagan was of course an

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actor, and Zia a tank officer, so Zia was not good at looking soulful.

Still the World Cup has had its moments.

It seems the New Zealanders did one thing to support Imran Khan. On the one hand, they carted Shaheen Shah Afridi all over the place, as he leaked 90 runs without taking a wicket.

That meant he would find it that much harder to get on the same page. However, that match saw the emergence of another potential rival for replacing Imran Khan on the same page, in Muhammad Wasim, who took three New Zealand wickets.

If Pakistan somehow pulls off its entry into the semifinals, it would be a little like 1992, when Pakistan’s survival depended on the result of a match between two teams, and not just win/lose, but the margin of victory. If we win the Cup, I’m afraid that Babar Azam will get on the same page, and will become our Prime Minister somewhere around 2050. Of course, for that we will probably have to beat England by either 600 runs, or 21 wickets, to make it on the run rate.

Imran is being let down by everyone these days. While the Pakistan cricket team

keeps on throwing up candidates to replace him on the same page, his own supporters are trying to let him down. Look at the treacherous fashion Dr Faisal Sultan said that an examination of Imran showed there were no signs of poisoning. Even though, as Imran had revealed much earlier that the death of the FIA Director investigating Shehbaz Sharif, apparently a heart attack, was actually because he was poisoned.

Of course, Imran is not being given as poison that would kill him at once. He is

can burnish that credit because of our people’s successes,” he predicted.

The Ambassador called 235 million population of the country with a median age of 22 and a growing middle class of over 80 million, as suggested by Forbes, as a promising demographic profile that would steer the country towards growth.

He reiterated his call to have full faith in Pakistan. “Have faith in the ability of the people of Pakistan. Keep investing in Pakistan. We will make it. You have to decide whether you will be part of the revolution or not,” concluded the Ambassador.

Attacks on Gaza’s hospitals, healthcare workers condemnable,’ says Dr Nadeem ISLAMABAD

stAff RepoRt

Caretaker Federal Minister for Health Dr Nadeem Jan on Sunday said that attacks on hospitals, healthcare workers and schools in Gaza are highly regrettable and condemnable. In a statement, the minister said all such attacks should be stopped immediately, saying health workers should be given access to the injured.

He said help should be given to provide treatment facilities. Dr Nadeem Jan said, “We believe health should always be above politics and non-political in the whole world.” He said, “I have visited many international forums and made it clear from the platform of the World Health Organization even that health should be above politics.” Meanwhile, Caretaker Federal Minister for Health Dr Nadeem Jan on Sunday visited the Community Health Center G/13 to observe the patients’ care services. During the visit, the minister reviewed the facilities provided by the Community Health Center. Dr Nadeem Jan also inquired about health facilities being provided to women. He inspected the attendance sheet of the staff and the immunization counter. He stressed that pharmacy records should be computerized on an urgent basis. Dr Nadeem Jan asked to ensure an uninterrupted supply of medicines to patients.

He said that a population of 4,000 to 5,000 can benefit from the health facilities. He said that an integrated strategy has been formulated to strengthen the primary health care system. Dr Nadeem Jan said that the population of the suburbs should benefit from the facilities of the primary health care system. He said that the Community Health Center should be fully functional. “I will monitor the facilities of the primary health care system myself.” He said women must get their children vaccinated. He said the staff should create awareness about this hospital in social media so that more patients can benefit from the health facilities.

Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood expressed hope that the graduates will strengthen the country’s economy by playing a role in the field. He said that you are our ambassador, whoever learns new knowledge should come to varsity and teach to the next generation. He said that the School of Economics under the leadership of Dr Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry is playing an active role for the economic stability of the country.

Kashif Anwar said that for the recovery of the economy, the tax net must be increased and alternative means must be used. He said that we also have to increase our manufacturing capacity.

Dr Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry congratulated the graduating students and their parents on achieving important milestones in their lives. He ‘In today’s world, being equipped with knowledge and higher education is crucial. It is imperative to have the ability to think fast, consistently grasp knowledge and land on your feet. He advised the graduates to follow their dreams, take risks, learn from their failures, and believe in themselves and their vision. He said that our students are making a name at national and international level.

Later, degrees were distributed among 141 students of BS Economics, MPhil and Ph.D.

The drug sellers were using online apps to carry out their malicious business besides offering home delivery services. According to details, the elements involved narcotics business supply drugs in the provincial capital through delivery boys. Delivery boys were not aware of the reality that what they were going to supply to the customers. Footage of supply of narcotics through delivery boys has disclosed the online drugs business. The Lahore police said that it was tightening noose around the online drug dealers and strict actions were being taken against those involved in the illegal practice. DIG Operations stated that after receiving the drugs business through online apps, a major crackdown has been launched with cooperation of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

being given a poison in small doses, which would cause death to appear natural. Some rare Asiatic poison, much beloved of the authors of penny dreadful around the turn of the 20th century. The whole point of such a poison is that it escapes detection by doctors. But not by Imran. Remember how he diagnosed Mian Nawaz Sharif as being perfectly all right by an examination of a photo of the back of his head? It was the same Dr Faisal Sultan who had recommended that Mian Nawaz be sent abroad. The same Dr

Faisal who said that the attack on Imran had not broken his leg, and that he had been hit by bullet fragments, even though we all know that Imran was subjected to a hail of bullets, and only escaped because of the somersaults and dives he made while avoiding those bullets.

Imran didn’t got to LUMS, the caretaker PM did. But while he was asked why he was late, another thing emerged from the whole episode. LUMS Hostels are safe for smoking banned substances. A supposed raid provoked such a loud squawk of outrage that the IGP had to issue a video message. That shows that the LUMS hostelites can smoke what they want; there can be no raids. Anywhere else, and the police will crack down with a heavy (and open) hand.

Harking back to my college days, the use of illegal substances was not compulsory, but common. Even commoner than the use of alcohol, though that was not unknown. All this was done in the knowledge that the police could not raid without the Principal’s go-ahead. An D that he would not give. Criminal hostelites had a greater fear of the Warden, than of the police. I think that fear is all that stood between hash being smoked in the common room and dog-killer (Kuttey maar) accompanying canteen meals.

Letting Imran down City Notes

Monday, 6 November, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

Drugs sellers using online apps, offer home delivery service LAHORE

stAff RepoRt

ANTI-POWER THEFT CAMPAIGN: LESCO DETECTS 244 POWER PILFERERS ON 58TH DAY

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Monday, 6 November, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

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LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

HE Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) in its grand antipower theft campaign detected a total of 244 connections from where the customers were pilfering electricity in all its circles of five districts (Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur and Okara) on the 58th day.

A spokesman of LESCO informed media on Sunday that the company had also lodged FIR applications against 243 electricity thieves, out of which 56 FIRs had been got registered in respective police stations, while 37 accused have been

PPP questions Dar’s leading role in Senate, impartiality of interim govt

arrested.

LESCO Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engineer Shahid Haider was supervising the grand anti-power theft operations against electricity thieves being conducted on the directives of the Federal Power Division.

The LESCO chief vowed that the operations would continue without discrimination until the complete end of electricity theft. The electricity pilferers as well as the LESCO officers and employees who facilitate them were also being brought to justice.

On the 58th consecutive day (Nov 5) of the anti-power theft campaign, the spokesman added, large commercial con-

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Bokhari emphasized the crucial role of the establishment, Election Commission of Pakistan, and the caretaker government in ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections. He stressed that political and economic stability is directly linked to the conduct of such elections and called for the impartiality of the relevant authorities in this regard. The PPP’s secretarygeneral expressed the party’s willingness to engage in negotiations with any political party registered with the Election Commission.

However, he emphasized that negotiations cannot be held with those considered enemies of the state. Bokhari reiterated the PPP’s commitment to reconciliation and forming alliances with political opponents for the sake of upholding the Constitution and democracy.

PTDC to establish Tourism Information Center at Gwadar Int’l Airport ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) was planning to establish a modern Tourist Information Center (TIC) at New Gwadar International Airport to facilitate the foreign and local tourists about their destination.

An official of PTDC talking to media on Sunday said that the establishment of TIC would provide comprehensive information to tourists thronging to Pakistan from various countries to enjoy the beauty of recreational sites of Balochistan province. The TIC would not only play a pivotal role in promoting tourism globally but also emphasize the need for state-of-the-art facilities, he added. The PTDC official highlighted the growing significance of Gwadar as a tourist destination, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world. He said that Caretaker Minister of State for Tourism Wasi Shah was committed to construct Tourist Information Center at Gwadar airport as soon as possible to provide all kinds of information and facilities to tourists.

Kashmiris to observe Jammu Martyrs’ Day today ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and the world over will observe the Jammu Martyrs’ Day, tomorrow, (Monday) to reaffirm the resolve to continue the martyrs’ mission till the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination. According to Kashmir Media Service, hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris were massacred by the forces of Maharaja Hari Singh, Indian army and Hindutva forces in different parts of Jammu region while they were migrating to Pakistan during the first week of November in 1947. APHC leaders and organizations in their statements in Srinagar, while paying tributes to the Jammu martyrs, said that their blood would not go waste. They said that the martyrs of Jammu had laid down their lives for a sacred cause and their unprecedented sacrifices would not be forgotten.

General election to be held on time in fair, transparent manner HYDERABAD

Staff RepoRt

Caretaker Federal Minister of Education and Professional Training, Madad Ali Sindhi, has said that the general election will be held on time in a free, fair, and transparent manner, as announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan He expressed these views while talking to the media after the inauguration of the Government College of Technology Hyderabad as the assessment center for the Skill Verification Program (Takamol) here on Sunday. The Federal Minister said that Takomal was that institution in Saudi Arabia that was conducting vocational tests on students who were desirous of making a career in the vocational field and going to Karachi for such tests.

sumers were also found involved in electricity theft and all of them were also disconnected and charged with detection units. Among the seized connections 10 were commercial, 03 agricultural and 231 domestic, and all these connections were disconnected and charged with a total of 669,071 units as detection bill amounting to Rs 11.657 million.

Apprising the media about some major power pilferers, he explained that LESCO charged Rs 500,000 detection bill against 8,000 units to an electricity pilferer in Kot Lakhpat area of Lahore; Rs 250,000 fine in the form of detection bill against 5,165 units to a customer stealing electricity in Panorama Centre

Lahore; Rs 206,109 detection bill against 3,153 units to another power thief in Sundar area Raiwind; and Rs 205,609 detection bill against 2,540 units to a power thief also in Sundar area.

During the 58 days of grand anti-theft campaign, the spokesman mentioned that LESCO detected pilferage on 23,713 power connections and submitted 23,474 FIR applications against electricity thieves in the relevant police stations, out of which 22,625 FIRs had been registered, while 11,873 accused have so far been arrested by the police. The LESCO has so far charged a total of 45,212,509 detection units worth Rs 1,916,124,205 to all the power pilferers.

PRCS AJK distributes relief items among fire affectees of refugee camp MUZAFFARABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Red Crescent Society Azad Jammu and Kashmir (PRCS AJK) with the generous support of PRCS National Headquarters Islamabad and in collaboration with its dedicated volunteers and staff members, has swiftly mobilized relief efforts to provide support to the affected families of Ambore Refugee Camp.

A devastating fire broke out in the Refugee Camp in Ambore on November 02, causing significant damage to the camp and leaving 25 families homeless.

According to initial report of PRCS AJK Disaster Management Department 13 houses have been destroyed as a result of devastating fire outbreak. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, PRCS AJK immediately initiated a relief operation to address the immediate needs of the affected population.

The relief operation involved the distribution of essential relief items, including tents, shelter tool kits, blankets,

hygiene kits, water Filter coolers, shelter materials, lamps and tarpaulin sheets.

In this context, a distribution ceremony was held here at Deputy Commissioner Office Muzaffarabad. The Secretary PRCS AJK State Branch Gulzar Fatima, Deputy Commissioner Muzaffarabad Raja Tahir was also present and distributed relief items among affected families. These items were distributed in a well-organized and efficient manner, ensuring that the most vulnerable individuals received priority assistance. on this occasion, Program & Disaster Management Manager Naveed Akhtar Awan, Spokesperson PRCS AJK and volunteers were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman PRCS AJK State Branch, Ejaz Raza expressed his deep concern for the affected families and conveyed the organization’s commitment to providing timely and effective relief. He commended the dedication of PRCS AJK volunteers and partners who worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth execution of the relief operation.

“PRCS AJK remains resolute in its commitment to providing humanitarian aid and support to those in needs, and will continue to monitor the situation in Refugee Camp Ambore and respond as necessary”, added Ejaz Raza. The Chairman PRCS AJK also expressed gratitude to Pakistan Red Crescent Society National Headquarters Chairman Sardar Shahid Ahmed Laghari for swift response and generous support.

The Secretary PRCS AJK on the occasion said as the recovery process continues, PRCS AJK remains vigilant in its efforts to support the affected population and help them rebuild their lives after this tragic incident.

PRCS AJK’s response was in line with its humanitarian mandate, aiming to alleviate the suffering of those affected by disasters and emergencies.

The organization stands by the affected families in their time of need and reaffirms its commitment to the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

Over 221,000 Afghans left Pakistan since Sept. 17: official data CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

He further shared date that 588 people crossed into Afghanistan through two border crossing points in Balochistan on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Separately, data obtained from Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government showed that 7,135 Afghan immigrants, including 2,121 men, 1,765 women, and 3,040 children, crossed the border on Saturday, November 4, into Afghanistan. This figure also includes 209 individuals who were forcibly deported to their country.

In total, the data reveals that 167,774 people from 10,589 families in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have returned to Afghanistan from the Torkham border crossing since Sept. 17. This includes 46,936 men, 35,507 women, and 85,331

children. In Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, 70 undocumented refugees were transported towards the Chaman border in Balochistan on Sunday morning, official data showed. A video shared with Arab News by a Sindh police official showed a refugee thanking the Pakistani government for repatriating him and his family with dignity.

The refugee said in the video that he and his family were provided food, security, and medicines. “We thank the police for their good treatment,” he said.

Members of Pakistan’s civil society have criticized police for harassing documented refugees and detaining them.

However, Irfan Bahadur, senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Karachi East where the Afghan refugee settlements in the city are situated, said the allegations were baseless.

Bahadur said police had ensured only undocumented refugees were taken to holding centers.

“We are conducting the operation while respecting their privacy and culture,” he told Arab News. “Only the undocumented are taken into custody, and that too in the most respectful manner.”

Bahadur said only female police officers were entering the homes of undocumented immigrants.

“Those held in holding centers appreciate the good attitude of the police,” he added. Pakistan’s decision to expel illegal immigrants last month followed suicide bombings in the country this year that the government said involved Afghan nationals, though it did not provide any evidence. Kabul has criticized Pakistan for the move and said Islamabad needed to reconsider its decision.

BAP elects Khalid Magsi as its new president QUETTA

Staff RepoRt

Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) on Sunday elected Khalid Magsi as its new president.

Khalid Magsi and Abdul Karim Agha had filed nomination papers for the slot of BAP’s president. Magsi was elected unopposed after Agha withdrew his nomination for the top slot in the party. Earlier on Saturday, former Balochistan chief minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo was removed from the post. Addressing the party’s central general council, Magsi said, “The party has witnessed various challenges over the past five years, including witnessing mistakes and facing political crises in the country. Despite these circumstances, BAP has played a historic role.”

Girl poisoned to death by parents over love marriage GUJRANWALA

Staff RepoRt

A girl was allegedly poisoned to death by parents over entering in marriage of choice, police said on Sunday. According to details, Sana hailing from Qila Deedar Singh had entered in love marriage with Zahid some one month earlier and was living with husband.

The parents called their daughter to home on pretext of arrange meal for her and poisoned her to death. Over failure to establish contact with wife over repeated attempts, Zahid along with police reached the house of inlaws and found her wife death. The body was shifted to hospital for postmortem and police after registering a case into the incident started an investigation.

National folk festival helping in cultural tourism promotion ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The National Folk Festival (Lok Mela) was helping in promoting cultural tourism as a large number of local tourists coming from various parts of the country to enjoy amazing and mega event in the capital. Talking to APP, the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) official said that the biggest folk festival in the country called Lok Mela continued from November 3-12 here. It was organized by the National Heritage and Culture Division at Lok Virsa, he added.

He said the festival was attracting tourists massively by serving them with cultural and traditional treats, featuring a variety of activities such as provincial pavilions, food stalls, shopping at traditional stalls and music programmes that was reflecting and unveiling the rich cultural diversity of the country. The official said that the exceptional festival was encouraging and fascinating the folk lovers to throng the federal capital and enjoy the music, traditional dances, arts and handicraft. “The cultural nights are also part of the unique folk mela that also entraining the tourists,” he added. It is pertinent to mention here, the festival was being conducting under the theme ‘Peace and Harmony through Cultural Diversity’ offers an immense opportunity to enjoy the rich culture of all the provinces.

Israel strikes Gaza refugee camp as death toll rises to 9,770 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Israel asserted that Hamas “exploited” the window to move south and attack its forces. There was no immediate Hamas comment on that claim, which was impossible to verify. Some Palestinians said they didn’t flee because they feared Israeli bombardment.

“We don’t trust them,” said Mohamed Abed, who sheltered with his wife and children on the grounds of Al-Shifa hospital, one of thousands of Palestinians seeking safety at medical centers in the north.

Swaths of residential neighborhoods in northern Gaza have been leveled in airstrikes. UN monitors say more than half of northern Gaza’s remaining residents, estimated at around 300,000, are sheltering in UN-run facilities. But deadly Israeli strikes have also repeatedly hit and damaged those shelters. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said it has lost contact with many in the north. An Israeli airstrike overnight struck a water well in Tal Al-Zatar in northern Gaza, cutting off water for tens of thousands of people in the area, the Hamas-run municipality in the town of Beit Lahia said in a statement early Sunday.

At least 1,115 Palestinian dual nationals and wounded have exited Gaza into Egypt, but on Saturday authorities in Gaza didn’t allow foreign passport holders to leave because Israel was preventing the evacuation of Palestinian patients for treatment in Egypt, said Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority.

The UN said about 1.5 million people in Gaza, or 70 percent of the population, have fled their homes. Food, water and the fuel needed for generators that power hospitals and other facilities is running out.

Thousands of Israelis protested outside Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem, urging him to resign and calling for the return of roughly 240 hostages held

by Hamas. Netanyahu has refused to take responsibility for the Oct. 7 attack in south-

ern Israel that killed more than 1,400 people.

“I find it difficult to understand why trucks with humanitarian aid are going to monsters,” said Ella Ben Ami, whose parents were abducted. She called for aid to be halted until the hostages are released.

Air raid sirens sounded Saturday evening in southern Israel as Hamas launched rockets into Ashkelon. Rocket fire has continued in the area throughout the conflict, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

Among the Palestinians killed in Gaza are more than 3,900 Palestinian children, the Gaza Health Ministry said, without providing a breakdown of civilians and fighters. The Israeli military said four more soldiers have died during the Gaza ground operation, bringing the confirmed death toll to 28.

WFP CHIEF URGES FOR SAFE, EXPANDED HUMANITARIAN ACCESS TO GAZA: The UN World Food Programme’s Executive Director Cindy McCain issued an urgent plea on Sunday from the Rafah border crossing for safe, expanded humanitarian access to Gaza as humanitarian needs skyrocket and critical food supplies reach dangerously low levels.

Entry points into Gaza have been virtually sealed except through the Rafah border crossing point. While there has been a steady increase in aid entering Gaza, it is nowhere near enough to meet the exponentially growing needs. Since the beginning of the current escalation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip, the number of internally displaced people has reached 1.4 million, according to UN refugee agency UNCIEF. Children and families have practically no access to water, food and medicines, and the whole Gaza Strip is living with very little or no electricity, the humanitarian agency reports.

“Right now, parents in Gaza do not know whether they can feed their children today and whether they will even survive to see tomorrow. The suffering just meters away is unfathomable standing on this side

of the border,” McCain said as she returned from the Rafah border crossing in Egypt.

“Today, I’m making an urgent plea for the millions of people whose lives are being torn apart by this crisis,” she added.

McCain is concluding a two-day visit to Egypt, during which she met with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and senior government officials and visited the Egyptian Red Crescent’s humanitarian staging hub in Al-Arish.

“We appreciate all efforts to facilitate a steady flow of humanitarian supplies through its border with Gaza, and the work of the Egyptian Red Crescent is remarkable. We need to continue to work together to get safe and sustained access to Gaza at a scale that aligns with the catastrophic conditions facing families there,” McCain noted.

During her visit, McCain explored opportunities for WFP to leverage its extensive expertise in logistics during emergencies to further strengthen collaboration with partners such as the Egyptian Red Crescent and scale up the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. She applauded the efforts of their volunteers who have worked tirelessly to get lifesaving assistance to their neighbors.

“The crisis in Gaza is not just a local tragedy. It’s a stark reminder that our global food crisis is worsening. Not only does this crisis threaten regional peace and stability, it undermines our collective efforts to combat hunger worldwide,” McCain noted.

IRAN SAYS US ‘WILL BE HIT HARD’ IF NO CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA -TASNIM: Iran said that the United States would “be hit hard” if Washington did not implement a cease-fire in Gaza, the country’s Minister of Defense was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Sunday. “Our advice to the Americans is to immediately stop the war in Gaza and implement a cease-fire, otherwise they will be hit hard,” Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani said.

After a surprise attack by Hamas

against Israel on Oct. 7, the Israelis have sought to defeat the militant group. Iran considers the US to be “militarily-involved” in the conflict.

PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY COULD ONLY RETURN TO GAZA IF ‘SOLUTION’ FOUND TO CONFLICT: ABBAS: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a high-security surprise visit to the Israeli-occupied West Bank Sunday, meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, according to photographs released by the Palestinian Authority.

The top US diplomat met with Abbas in Ramallah as global concern grows over rising violence in the occupied territory in tandem with the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza since October 7. Abbas said Sunday that the Palestinian Authority could return to power in the Gaza Strip only if a “comprehensive political solution” is found for the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Israel has sought to destroy Gaza’s Hamas rulers since the deadly October 7 attacks, raising the question of who would run the Palestinian territory after the war.

“We will fully assume our responsibilities within the framework of a comprehensive political solution that includes all of the West Bank, including east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip,” Abbas told Blinken according to WAFA news agency. The war erupted after Hamas militants launched an attack on southern Israel that killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.

WEST BANK CLASHES: More than 150 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli soldiers and attacks by Israeli settlers since the start of the war, according to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority.

Blinken’s meeting with Abbas, whose secularist Fatah party is Hamas’s rival, came at a time when Washington has heaped political and military support behind Israel.

The United States has advocated that a twostate solution is the only path out of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

04 COMMENT

Enhancing fiscal space

IMF review

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The review is no guarantee of the next tranche being released

The requisite multilateralism is lacking

HE IMF team carrying out the review of the current Standby Arrangement was supposed to be just a formality, and the release of the next tranche under the SBA was supposed to be inevitable. However, the kind of queries the review mission is raising indicates that the next tranche is going to be as problematic as on previous occasions, and that it is probably not going to be without additional conditions imposed.

The problems that have come to light include the increase in debt servicing costs, which are directly related to the policy rate, which is at a high of 22 percent.

Though it has not advised Pakistan on this specifically or publicly, the IMF has come out in favour of enhanced interest rates in the hope that it will control the inflationary wave sweeping through the world. Another problem is that foreign debt servicing will demand a lot more money than the current SBA will provide, even if the tranche under review is indeed released. One of the means of meeting IMF demands for a primary surplus has been to cut development expenditure, but the reduction from Rs 950 billion to Rs 40 billion, seems likely to have a major contractionary effect on an economy which has already been hit by a number of contractionary forces, and has been experiencing negative growth. Also worthy of notice is the interest the IMF is showing in the Special Investment Facilitation Council. That incidentally has been the main vehicle, both under the PDM government and the current caretakers, for the establishment to contribute to economic well-being. That might be all very well, but the IMF still lacks an interlocutor. It may be the reason why the IMF has shown so much interest in Pakistan holding an election, and thus providing a government that could take responsibility for the steps that might be required. The recent announcement of a date for fresh elections might be seen as a fulfillment of an IMF conditionality, much like the gas tariff hike, than anything else. The government has not shown much inclination to take the sort of decisions that would set the economy on the path of reform, and nor should it, for its only task is to hold fresh elections. The IMF should understand that whatever fresh powers the government may have got, only an elected government can make the kind of commitments the IMF wants.

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Dr Omer JaveD

T a time when an existential threat in the shape of climate change crisis is unfolding at quite a fast pace, and there is increasing likelihood of the related ‘pandemicene’ phenomenon happening in the near future, and which requires a unified, and focused global response, geopolitics continues to take centre stage.

First, at the twilight of the covid-19 pandemic, it was the war in Ukraine in early last year that accentuated the global supply shock– especially in terms of food and oil– and with it built-in strong stagflationary headwinds in the developing countries, and high inflation in a number of developed countries.

More recently, the highly serious geopolitical tension in the Middle East has further put to risk global economic recovery.

Having said that, there is still a lack of the multilateralism needed to actively pursue solutions to these conflicts, so that attention could be paid to transforming economies to much-needed resilience against existential threats, and in reducing the otherwise rising income and wealth inequalities. It is important, therefore, in addition to resolving these geopolitical crises, and to reform multilateralism away from the neoliberal assault of, for instance, market fundamentalism, to fairer rules of the game for all countries, and economic agents, to also reinin overboard austerity, provide greater debt relief, control tax evasion, and make available greater climate finance.

All the above are important for enhancing the fiscal space of countries, especially the developing countries so that they can make the necessary shift towards much more resilient, and green economies; where development, and welfare, spending is also needed for greater empowerment of political voice, and hence the overall level of democracy in developing countries in particular.

Improvement in democracy in turn, will allow greater influence of the demos in dismantling the chronic issue of elite capture of resources, and public policy, away from serving their vested interests, to more inclusive, and sustainable, economies. Im-

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami

provement in political voice will also allow, for instance, increasing tax progressivity, and tax base, through greater push by demos for this on public policy. Currently, the lower tax-to-GDP ratio, in many developing countries, is one of the main reasons for narrow fiscal space with them in general.

To enhance fiscal space, it is important to not go overboard with monetary austerity, as currently is the case, whereby instead of correctly seeing inflation to have a significant supply-side determinacy, and to therefore not rely mainly on aggregate demand squeeze policy of keeping interest rates high, but to employ non-austerity policies to unclog supply bottlenecks, so as to diminish stagflationary consequences.

Lower interest rates will also help lower debt distress of developing countries especially, and will not only increase fiscal space for climate and welfare expenditure, but also will help reduce the imported and cost-push channels of inflation. In addition, meaningful debt relief or moratorium should also be provided to developing countries, especially not much fiscal stimulus could not be provided by them in general, in the wake of the recession-causing covid-19 pandemic, and later on in the climate disasters, especially in developing countries like Pakistan, which are among the topten climate-vulnerable countries. Moreover, lower inflation will once again reduce costs, both in terms of development and non-developmental expenditure, which in turn, will likely increase the productive and allocative efficiency of expenditure.

Fiscal space enhancement also requires improving the tax environment, so that tax evasion could be reduced. A report ‘Global tax evasion report 2024’ recently released by ‘EU Tax Observatory’ provided six proposals to improve the situation of tax evasion, which are ‘Specifically, we make 6 proposals: 1. Reform the international agreement on minimum corporate taxation… to implement a rate of 25% and remove the loopholes in it that fosters tax competition. 2. Introduce a new global minimum tax for the world’s billionaires, mimicking what was achieved for multinational companies. 3.

Institute mechanisms to tax wealthy people who have been long-term residents in a country and choose to move to a low-tax country. 4. Implement unilateral measures to collect some of the tax deficits of multinational companies and billionaires in case ambitious global agreements on these issues fail. 5. Move towards the creation of a Global Asset Registry to better fight tax evasion. 6. Strengthen the application of economic substance and antiabuse rules.’

Moreover, noted economist, Jayati Ghosh, in her recent article ‘Global tax evasion: the good and the bad news’ published by Social Europe, pointed out with regard to tax avoidance, and minimum corporate tax rate as ‘…OECD initiative, on ‘base erosion and profit-shifting’ (BEPS), to control tax avoidance by multinational companies shifting their profits to low-tax or no-tax jurisdictions, has not

Unpacking the legacy of the Balfour Declaration Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi Joint Editor

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Executive Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

Music and its effect on our mood

tween Israel and neighbouring Arab countries, further complicating the situation. Despite presenting a united front, each party was primarily focused on advancing its individual interests, and a pervasive sense of mutual distrust prevailed. Lebanese and Egyptian troops harboured suspicions toward one another, while Transjordan actively pursued an arrangement to claim what would later be recognized as the West Bank, driven by its self-interest. This intricate situation resulted in a state of chaos, with ordinary Palestinians finding themselves trapped in the midst of it all.

The war resulted in the Nakba, a catastrophe for Palestinians, with over 750,000 forced to flee their homes and lands during the establishment of the State of Israel. David Ben-Gurion took deliberate measures to avoid the occupation of the West Bank, encompassing Jerusalem, the Old City, and Gaza. This decision was influenced by the presence of Arab refugees who had been forcibly expelled and denied the opportunity to return to their native land, which we now recognize as Palestine.

November 2 marked the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, an exceedingly contentious and ill-considered proclamation made with limited understanding of the region and a lack of concern for its inhabitants. The British must be held responsible and reflect on their actions because, when they assumed control in 1917, Palestinians constituted 90 percent of the population. However, when they departed, the majority of Palestinians found themselves displaced and living in refugee camps. The commitment to safeguarding the rights of the non-Jewish population was left unfulfilled, and fundamental human rights were consistently disregarded both during the British mandate and in the state of Israel.

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The writer is a freelance columnist

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

The writer holds PhD in Economics degree from the University of Barcelona, and previously worked at International Monetary Fund.Prior to this, he did MSc. in Economics from the University of York (United Kingdom), and worked at the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Statistics (Pakistan), among other places. He is author of Springer published book (2016) ‘The economic impact of International Monetary Fund programmes: institutional quality, macroeconomic stabilization and economic growth’.He tweets @omerjaved7

Editor’s mail

Saman SiDDiqui

welcomed as liberators. The British fulfilled their promise by supporting Zionist efforts with the necessary governance and infrastructure.

This support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland became official with the appointment of Herbert Samuel, an ardent Zionist, as the first High Commissioner for Palestine, responsible for administering the territory.

The British-backed Zionist project led to significant changes on the ground. Landowners who had been living in exile in other regions such as Beirut and Damascus started selling large portions of land, displacing many Palestinian workers, and creating landless refugees. Urban centres like Tel Aviv developed, attracting Jewish refugees from Eastern European countries.

As the Nazi regime rose to power in the 1930s, the influx of Jewish refugees into Palestine increased. In response, the Arab population began developing their own national aspirations and fighting for independence. The Arab Revolt was harshly suppressed by the British through measures such as arrests, curfews, destruction of homes, torture, extrajudicial killings, and aerial bombardments, resulting in significant Palestinian casualties.

Following World War II, the British Empire’s presence in the region waned, and they faced financial constraints. The situation in Palestine remained turbulent, leading to the eventual decision to end the British mandate and transfer the issue to the United Nations. Regarding the British role in the Israel-Palestine Conflict, some argue that they favoured the Arab side, while others contend that they leaned toward the Jewish perspective. In reality, their primary allegiance was consistently and exclusively to British interests, which led to the clutter.

In 1947, the United Nations voted to partition Palestine into two states: one for Jews and one for Arabs. However, this decision did not lead to peace. Instead, it triggered a war be-

been as successful. …The rate finally agreed was only 15 percent– much lower than the 25 percent median of global rates and close to that in some tax havens. …Even this minimum rate has not however had the expected effect, because of carve-outs subsequently introduced. These include showing ‘economic substance’, which has enabled multinationals to continue to benefit from reporting profits in tax havens by investing some capital and hiring some workers there. As a result, the gains from this measure have been very limited, adding only 3 percent to global corporate-tax revenue rather than the projected 9 percent. And profit-shifting has continued unabated: the country-by-country reporting of profits by multinationals shows that about 35 percent of foreign profits, amounting to $1 trillion, were shifted to tax havens in 2022 – around the same as before.’

There is then the need to provide greater climate finance to developing countries. For instance, Pakistan is a very high climate-change-vulnerable country, and requires heavy climate-related investment, especially after a catastrophic flood that enveloped one-third of the country, and a highly difficult condition in terms of air quality of a number of countries; where for instance, Lahore– the second largest city of the country in terms of population– is reportedly the worst city in terms of air quality.

Moreover, pointing towards the high level of climate financing needed by developing countries, a recent Financial Times (FT) published article ‘Developing countries need up to $387bn a year to adapt to extreme weather, says UN’ highlighted the finding by UN in this regard as ‘Developing countries need up to $387bn a year to adapt to climate change but flows of international public cash are faltering at the same time as the effects of global warming become more disastrous, the UN has said.

The UNEP said a finance “gap” of about $360bn was 50 per cent higher than thought. It estimated that between $215bn to $387bn a year this decade would be required, but public multilateral and bilateral finance flows to developing countries had dropped 15 per cent to $21bn in 2021.’

Also, there is a need to not only make an enhanced allocation of IMF’s special drawing rights (SDRs) to the tune of $650 billion, it is also important, as per the ‘Bridgetown Initiative’ to provide a significant, annual SDR allocation to highly climate-vulnerable countries, like Pakistan, for a number of years, given the huge economic transformation the country needs to shift towards a much-more green economy.

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The complex history of the Israel-Palestine conflict

HE roots of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict can be traced back to the early 20th century, when the British arrived in the region. At that time, Palestine was home to a diverse population consisting of around 700,000 Arabs, 85,000 Jews, and a smaller percentage of Christians whose ancestors had lived in the area for centuries. The Jewish population was primarily concentrated in Jerusalem and Safed, focusing on urban economic activities, while the Arabs were more prevalent in the agrarian sector.

Theodor Herzl, a Jewish journalist from Vienna, played a pivotal role in the formation of Political Zionism. Herzl believed that Jews constituted a distinct nation and that the only way to escape centuries of persecution was to establish their own homeland. Early Zionist leaders explored various territories, including Uganda and Yemen’s Socotra Island, as potential Jewish homelands. However, these options were eventually rejected in favour of Palestine due to its historical and religious significance.

In 1917, during World War I, the British government made a pivotal decision. It promised the Jewish community a homeland in Palestine in exchange for its support in the war. Simultaneously, to gain the military and political support of the Arabs, Britain pledged to back their struggle for independence in lands at that time ruled by the Ottoman Turks, which notably included Palestine.

On 2 November 1917, the British government publicly declared its intention with the Balfour Declaration, stating that they viewed favourably the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. The declaration also emphasized the importance of safeguarding the civil, religious, and political rights of the non-Jewish communities in the region.

The Balfour Declaration, which publicly pledged support for a Jewish settlement in Palestine, marked the beginning of a complex historical legacy. While it was a moment of hope for Jews on their path to statehood, it marked a new era of struggle and displacement for Palestinians. Edwin Montagu, a Jewish member of the British cabinet, even labelled Zionism as a mischievous political creed that could promote anti-Semitism.

The Balfour Declaration faced immediate opposition from Arabs, and some within the British War Cabinet were sceptical of its validity. Nevertheless, the British government chose to issue the declaration, setting the stage for later conflicts.

After World War I, in the Treaty of Versailles, Palestine was divided between British and French rule. British forces subsequently invaded and occupied Palestine, were initially

Monday, 6 November 2023

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MUSIC has been an essential part of human life for thousands of years, and its influence on our moods and emotions is undeniable. From classical to rock, music has the power to evoke a range of emotions, from sadness and melancholy to joy and excitement. The impact of music on our mood is a topic that has received a great deal of attention from scientists, and numerous studies have been conducted to understand the complex relationship between music and the brain.

Music has the ability to affect our mood in a number of ways. For example, listening to music that has a fast tempo and a strong beat can stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of happiness and pleasure. This effect is not limited to music alone, as other stimuli such as food and drugs also activate the release of dopamine in the brain. In addition, music can stimulate the brain’s reward system, which can lead to a feeling of euphoria. This is why many people enjoy listening to music and why it can be a powerful tool for self-expression.

The type of music we listen to can also have a significant impact on our moods. Studies have shown that classical music can have a calming effect, reducing anxiety and stress levels. This type of music is often used in hospitals and other medical facilities to help patients relax and reduce their stress levels. On the other hand, fast-paced, energetic music can increase our energy levels and help us feel more alert and focused. This is why many people listen to music when they are exercising or working.

Music can also help us manage our emotions and moods. For example, listening to music that is associated with happy memories can help lift our mood and improve our overall sense of well-being. On the other hand, listening to music that is associated with negative experiences can have a negative impact on our moods, causing feelings of sadness, anger, or frustration. This is why it is important to be mindful of the type of music we listen to and to choose music that is positive and uplifting.

Music therapy is a form of therapy that involves the use of music to help individuals manage their emotions and moods. This type of therapy is often used to help individuals who are suffering from mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In conclusion, music is a powerful tool that has the ability to affect our moods and emotions in a number of ways.

WALEED QASIM BASHIR LAHORE

Equal chances

THE most peculiar and unfortunate fact in Pakistan is the denial of gender equality. Pakistani women do not have the same opportunities as men. The Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18 shows that only 3% of surveyed women between the ages of 15 and 49 in Pakistan own a house, while the same number for men is 72%. This stark gender imbalance can be seen across most socio-economic sectors within the country, including income, wealth, politics, education, and many more. Statistics present a gloomy picture of Pakistani women.

This evident disparity in education and politics manifests that Pakistani women do not have the same opportunities as men. Similarly, adult female literacy was estimated at 46% in 2019, while the same stood at 69% for males. Within the realm of politics, male voter turnout in the 2018 general elections exceeded female voter turnout by around 9.1%. Moreover, the persistent grim incidents of violence against women also support the argument that Pakistani women do not have the same opportunities as men.

No doubt, gender equality contributes to growth, but how can Pakistan reduce the gap without half the population having access to all opportunities? There are several factors that hinder gender equality and negatively impact the well-being of Pakistan. So, Pakistan is in dire need to provide equal opportunities to both genders for the betterment of the economy, bring in prosperity, and tackle all the challenges of this century.

SYEDA HADIA BAKHTAWAR NANKANA SAHIB

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

COMMENT 05

India: The International terrorist

Monday, 6 November 2023

The saga of bad behaviour continues

I

abdul baSit alvi

NDIA has been engaged in interventionist activities in numerous countries, utilizing RAW as a tool to exert its influence abroad. RAW, which stands for the Research and Analysis Wing, India’s external intelligence agency, has long been shrouded in mystery and conjecture due to its covert undertakings on foreign soil. The Indian spy agency RAW partakes in objectionable activities overseas that encroach upon the sovereignty of other nations.

India and RAW have persistently been implicated in supporting terrorist activities within Pakistan. Kulbhushan Yadav, an Indian Navy officer, was implicated in perilous activities in Pakistan’s Balochistan province and was found to be spying for India’s intelligence agency, RAW. He was apprehended by Pakistani security forces on 3 March 2016, on charges of espionage and involvement in acts of terrorism in Balochistan, with his arrest being based on information provided by the ISI. A few months ago, Canada made an announcement indicating its active pursuit of credible allegations linking Indian government agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia. This development dealt a significant blow to diplomatic relations between the two countries. In an emergency statement delivered to the Canadian House of Commons, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his firm stance that any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen constitutes “an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.” The victim in question was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, aged 45, who was fatally shot outside a Sikh temple on June 18 in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb known for its substantial Sikh population. Nijjar openly advocated for a Sikh homeland in the form of an independent Khalistani state and had been designated as a “terrorist” by India in July 2020.

Recently, a court in Qatar handed down the death penalty to eight former Indian navy personnel, accusing them of espionage on behalf of Israel. Among those sentenced are Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander

Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, and Sailor Rajesh. All of these ex-naval personnel were employed by Al Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private company owned by a former officer of the Oman Air Force. This firm was responsible for providing training and various services to Qatar’s armed forces and security agencies.

India appears to be heading towards increased international humiliation and isolation. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India continues to engage in actions that tarnish its remaining global reputation, revealing a growing degree of cynicism day by day.

Not too long ago, the Canadian Prime Minister subjected India to global humiliation, but the recent execution of eight Indian officers by Qatar for allegedly spying for Israel has further eroded India’s standing. India’s relentless humiliation on the world stage seems to have left it disoriented. Following Canada’s actions, India, instead of amending its objectionable mindset, engaged in yet another disgraceful act by violating the working boundary with Pakistan.

Most recently, a spy drone attempted to breach Pakistan’s territory and india initiated unprovoked firing, prompting a retaliatory response from Pakistan. India persists in its actions marked by cowardice and treachery, but consistently fails in its endeavours. Indian forces violated the ceasefire on the working boundary in the Zafarwal sector of Sialkot, unleashing unprovoked gunfire. It has been reported that Indian forces initially attempted an incursion into the Zafarwal sector using a quadcopter drone, which Pakistan’s forces promptly thwarted.

Subsequently, the Indian forces resorted to unprovoked firing on Pakistani posts in an apparent bid to obscure the failure of the quadcopter operation. The Pakistan Army responded decisively to the Indian ag-

India has been exposed as an international actor with a history of interference and involvement in the affairs of other countries. IndiaÊs actions raise questions about its commitment to democratic principles, human rights, and responsible international conduct. To some, India represents a potential threat to global peace and sovereignty.

Is China’s ‘neutrality’ helpful or harmful?

Beijing’s vague language on the conflict is effectively undermining the Palestinian position

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MIDDLE EAST EYE

Razan ShawamReh

SRAEL’S war on the Gaza Strip and its 2.3 million Palestinians has ushered in a new era of great-power political wrangling, with China and Russia on one side and the US on the other.

They have wasted no time in taking shots at each other.

Israel and the US have expressed their “disappointment” with China’s ambiguous position and failure to condemn Hamas. The US ambassador to China has urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to denounce Hamas, after Washington reiterated its ironclad support for Israel.

Rafi Harpaz, a diplomat in Israel’s foreign ministry, also expressed “deep disappointment” with China’s position, noting that the messages coming from Beijing had “no clear and unambiguous condemnation of the terrible attack and heinous massacre committed by the terrorist organisation Hamas against innocent civilians and the abduction of dozens of them to Gaza”. China’s initial reaction to the conflict noted that the flare-up was evidence that “the protracted standstill of the peace process cannot go on”, with a foreign ministry spokesperson adding: “The fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent state of Palestine.”

This is in line with China’s long-standing posture on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and it’s highly unlikely to change now, for several reasons.

Firstly, China differs from the West in its approach to the international order. It often criticises western alliances, considering them a destabilising factor in the global system.

Secondly, Palestine is not Russia, despite US President Joe Biden’s attempt to equate Hamas with Russian President Vladimir Putin in asserting that “both want to completely annihilate a neighbouring democracy”. The conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine have bolstered western alliances, while subjecting China, which aims to challenge western dominance, to a substantial test.

‘FUEL TO THE FIRE’: China has refused to condemn Russia’s war on Ukraine, while accusing Washington and Nato of being stuck in a Cold War mentality. Beijing has also accused Washington of “adding fuel to the fire” by providing military support to Ukraine. Yet, while the same anti-Russia international alliance is also backing Israel in the current Middle East conflict, China has not deployed the same rhetoric. Its only criticism thus far has been China’s assertion that it was “deeply disappointed at the US blocking” a Security Council resolution condemning all violence against civilians in the Israel-Palestine war.

Thirdly, China does not engage unilaterally or assume responsibility for resolving international conflicts. Its statements consistently emphasise supporting international efforts and encouraging a more effective role for the global community. On the

gression, offering a comprehensive rebuttal to the hostile incursion. In response to these developments, the Additional Deputy Commissioner issued a high alert in border areas, mosque announcements were made, emergency camps were set up in affected regions, and the process of migration from various areas was initiated.

India has a longstanding history of interference and embroiling Pakistan in controversies. India has conducted several false-flag operations against Pakistan, casting doubt on its credibility and reliability as a nation, as no concrete evidence has been produced in support of its claims. A recent conversation between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and former Governor of Occupied Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik, on October 14, has come to light. In this discussion, Malik asserted that Prime Minister Modi exploited the Pulwama incident for political advantage. Rahul Gandhi responded by stating that Modi prevented him from receiving the bodies of the martyrs,

Gaza war, Beijing has urged the international community “to act with greater urgency, step up input into the Palestinian question... and find a way to bring about enduring peace”, while also emphasising the UN’s obligation to act.

Fourthly, China’s rhetoric of “neutrality” involves equally condemning both sides. “Violence for violence will only lead to a vicious cycle,” the foreign ministry noted of the Gaza war. “What’s most imperative is to stop fighting and end hostilities immediately.”

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning has condemned any acts that harm civilians or “moves that escalate the conflict and destabilise the region”. China did not explicitly name Hamas in this condemnation, nor did it take a stance on who was responsible for the al-Ahli hospital massacre, noting in a statement that China “strongly condemns the attack on the hospital in Gaza, which has caused massive casualties”, while calling “for an immediate ceasefire and cessation of hostilities”.

SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES: This “neutrality” in condemnation has serious consequences for Palestinians. Instead of offering support, it effectively undermines their position by suggesting an equivalence between the aggressive actions by Palestinian fighters and the disproportionate response by the Israeli army.

In this context, China must remember Dante’s eloquent warning that “the darkest places of hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis”. The final consideration is what could be termed as China’s biased impartiality in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. While China heralds its neutrality in the conflict, the facts on the ground suggest Chinese support for Israel.

China has consistently deviated from international norms on the conflict’s pivotal issues, including through its support of the “Jewishness” of the state of Israel; its investments in Israeli settlements and reinforcement of economic security for settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem; and its promotion of Arab normalisation with Israel, despite the adverse impacts on the Palestinian population.

For decades, China’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict has undergone a gradual transformation, moving ever closer towards the Israeli state. Its current position indicates that it will not revisit the era of Mao Zedong, who once described Israel as a “base of imperialism” in China. While China should not revert to this historical stance, at a minimum it should stop reinforcing the Zionist narrative.

Razan Shawamreh is a Palestinian researcher.

locking him in an airport room. The entire incident was manipulated by Modi for political gain.

Malik disclosed that when he informed Modi that Pulwama occurred due to their mistake, he was ordered to remain silent. He claimed that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also instructed him to maintain silence. The former Governor of Occupied Kashmir mentioned that the BJP deliberately pinned the blame on Pakistan for Pulwama to gain political mileage. Numerous alerts were relayed to warn about the attack, but Modi was occupied with other matters.

In his conversation with Rahul Gandhi, Malik noted that the Modi government compelled the Army to travel by road instead of by air, and the suicide car used in Pulwama roamed freely on the roads for ten days. On the day of the attack, no additional security measures were implemented. Rahul Gandhi pointed out that Atiq Ahmed was killed in front of the media to divert attention from Malik’s revelations. The former Governor of Occupied Kashmir disclosed that he was transferred five times as punishment for speaking about Pulwama.

India has been exposed as an international actor with a history of interference and involvement in the affairs of other countries. India’s actions raise questions about its commitment to democratic principles, human rights, and responsible international conduct. To some, India represents a potential threat to global peace and sovereignty. Therefore, it may be time for the international community to consider designating India as a nation that engages in acts of interference and compel it to cease such actions in other countries.

The writer is a freelance columnist

All about fair and unfair elections

Gayebi mamla or ghost cases with made-up accusations have proliferated exponentially

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DAILY STAR

hoSSain zilluR Rahman

HE quality of the upcoming general election is at the centre of national and international attention. And rightly so, because Bangladesh’s democratic and sustainable development future hinges on it to a great extent. Democratic backsliding through the widely questioned 2014 and 2018 elections and the comprehensive hollowing out of accountability structures and processes across all aspects of governance over the past decade have elevated the upcoming election beyond a routine political event. It rather looms as a do-ordie existential window to restore political and institutional accountability at all levels of the state and political life.

The quality of the election is also critical for the health of the economy and the prospects of an inclusive economic future. Economic managers empowered by political masters over the past decade have transformed economic policymaking into a corrupt playbook to benefit narrow oligarchic interests at the cost of fostering a competitive economy and inclusive growth. The gathering economic crisis is obvious to laymen and experts alike, but key managers of the economy continue to be in denial. The election is critical from this angle too, to bring economic management face-to-face with ground realities and prioritise a comprehensive course correction.

What makes an election fair? Ruling party spokespersons appear to suggest that their “assurances” should suffice to put the matter at rest. However, there is universal scepticism about relying only on such assurances. But rather than dwelling on definitional debates on what constitutes “fairness,” a more meaningful political discussion is about how elections become “unfair.” One does not need to go far to find the answers to this question. Bangladesh’s electoral experience over the preceding decade provides enough “lessons” on how elections can become unfair.

There are four areas of lesson-learning. The first is in the nature of the pre-election environment. The key instrument of “unfairness” in the pre-election phase is the suppression of political competition. The use of criminal judicial proceedings—cases, arrests, etc—is a common playbook in this regard. But what distinguishes the last decade in Bangladesh is the complete weaponisation of this instrument. The principal political challenger to the ruling party has had to remain politically active under a Himalayan weight of nearly half a million cases. New popular terminology has sprung up to capture this strategy by the ruling party of weaponising criminal legal proceedings to immobilise political opposition. Gayebi mamla or ghost cases with made-up accusations have proliferated exponentially. This is not to say there may be genuine instances that warrant judicial proceedings.

But the eerie similarity in accusations routinely making the rounds, constant drip of stories in the media where fact-checking exposes the made-up nature of accusations, and the new innovation of including a provision for a very large number of oggatonama or “unknown” accused to slap cases on mostly opposition members hint at the underlying story quite clearly. If some diligent sociologist was to undertake a study in today’s Bangladesh on the social base of opposition political parties, a likely finding would be a phenomenon of a very large number of internally displaced “political refugees” compelled to be “absent” from home in another district or another lo-

cation, in an unforgiving and economically ruinous struggle to navigate the treacherous burden of such gayebi mamla. The objective of the ruling group in many such cases is not necessarily to convict, but simply to keep the accused on the run.

The other key concerning aspect of the pre-election environment is how confrontational are street realities.

On this count, the political opposition has been remarkable in its dogged pursuit of peaceful mobilisation over the preceding year-long run up to the upcoming election.

But to what extent this will sustain remains an open question as the political positions of the ruling party and the opposition remain diametrically opposed. It is a moot question whether the heavy-handed police action and the return of hartal is signalling the beginning of a breakdown in the delicate tight-rope walking that has so far characterised the pre-election environment.

Elections can also become “unfair” in the quality of election management both in setting the stage for the election and the quality of oversight over the election process on election day. There have been three syndromes at work here contributing to making the election unfair. First has to do with partisan decisions on granting registration to new political party applicants or on the approved list of election-observing bodies. The recent decisions on these matters have already marked the new Election Commission with a partisan stamp. Recent public utterances by some of the commissioners only reinforce the perception.

The second election commission syndrome making elections unfair is the ready surrender of its powers to the executive branch to choose returning officers at district/sub-district level and presiding officers for election centres, despite the knowledge that the umbilical cord between the ruling party and the administration is too strong to avoid partisan management of election. Yet, this need not be if the Election Commission decides to exercise its jurisdictional powers. Similarly, an additional syndrome at work is the propensity of the partisan Election Commission to adopt an attitude of “see nothing, do nothing” when blatant anomalies occur on the election day. These anomalies can range from open ballot stuffing, voter intimidation within the booth, voter intimidation outside the centre, to pre-election day voter intimidation, prevention of voters from reaching the centre, etc.

What makes an election fair? Ruling party spokespersons appear to suggest that their ‘assurances’ should suffice to put the matter at rest. However, there is universal scepticism about relying only on such assurances. But rather than dwelling on definitional debates on what constitutes ‘fairness,’ a more meaningful political discussion is about how elections become ‘unfair.’ One does not need to go far to find the answers to this question.

Elections can be made unfair even after voting has ceased in terms of how counting is supervised and results announced. Recent experiences have thrown up these bitter truths time after time. And this tendency has extended to controlling the post-election narrative, too, by various types of media curbs.

Will the next election be fair? Howsoever the current political uncertainties work out, the road to a fair election appears neither certain nor easy. At least three factors absolutely have to be addressed to reverse the entrenched unfair realities bearing on the election. The Election Commission has to be purged of its partisan tendency. It has to take control of the election process from the authority of administration. And most importantly, the ongoing suppression of political competition through the weaponisation of criminal proceedings a gayebi mamla has to be reversed perhaps through a general amnesty and a moratorium on further such cases.

This perhaps lies at the heart of the demand for a nonpartisan poll-time government. However that may be, such a step can be a game-changing, confidence-building measure that can radically alter the political mood.

But the prospect of this seems distant for now with the violence centring October 28 political programmes hardening the political mood in the opposite direction.

Nevertheless, it may be wise to keep the fair election priorities in focus.

06 NEWS

THOUSANDS MARCH IN WASHINGTON, LONDON, PARIS AND BERLIN FOR PALESTINIANS

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Monday, 6 November, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

LONDON

Agencies

HOUSANDS of pro-Palestinian protesters rallied in London, Paris and Berlin on Sunday, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza after Iranians took to the streets against the United States and Israel.

Amid ongoing bombardments by Israel after the deadly Hamas attack on its territory last month killed 1,400 people, the British capital saw a large turnout in support of Palestinians for the fourth consecutive week.

Israel’s bombing campaign since the October attack by Hamas has killed nearly 9,500 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip.

Police estimated that about 30,000 attended the rally in Trafalgar Square, central London.

They said it had arrested 11 people, including one for displaying a placard that could incite hatred.

One group carried a bundle of fabric, representing a dead baby killed during the Israeli bombing campaign.

Sama Dababneh, 26, a Jordanian business consultant said she was tired of all upsetting images from Gaza.

“We came here to support the ceasefire,” she said. “We spend the whole week con-

suming the news and this is very draining, so this is our only form of outlet.”

Pro-Palestinian protests also took place in cities across the United Kingdom on Saturday, including in Sheffield, Manchester and Glasgow.

BIDEN DENOUNCED AT WASHINGTON PROTEST Thousands of protesters in the US capital Washington called for a ceasefire in Gaza, with some slamming President Joe Biden’s support for Israel.

It was the largest protest in Washington since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7.

“This is a massacre, a genocide… a stain on our history, and I cannot accept as a citizen that my taxes are funding this,” said 24year-old Amanda Eisenhour of Virginia.

‘FREE PALESTINE’ CALLS IN PARIS French authorities said 19,000 people demonstrated in Paris, while the CGT communist-led trade union put the numbers at 60,000.

“Free Palestine” placards proliferated in the French capital, where slogans were heard calling for a boycott of Israel along with shouts of “Israel terrorist state”.

Legal assistant Leila Gharbi, aged 46, held a Palestinian flag and demanded “an immediate ceasefire”.

Her 21-year-old student daughter Ines wanted “the barbary to stop”.

Retired 75-year-old Algerian Keltoum Alouache said she turned out “for the children of Gaza and Palestine”.

Around forty other demonstrations were called across France, with 5,000 people turning out in the city of Lyon, according to a police estimate.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON BERLIN STREETS Berlin and Duesseldorf also saw thousands march in solidarity with the Palestinians. Many protesters came with their families and children.

“Stop genocide” and “Ceasefire” were emblazoned on placards and Palestinian flags were carried aloft.

German police estimated the crowd at 17,000 in Duesseldorf and 9,000 in the capital Berlin, where some 60 arrests were made including on suspicion of incitement to hatred. Several placards playing down the Holocaust were confiscated.

‘DOWN WITH USA’ IN IRAN In Tehran, demonstrators gathered in front of the former US embassy chanting “Down with USA” and “Down with Israel”.

They set ablaze an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu as well as the US and Israel flags in front of flag-waving crowds.

The demonstrations come on the Islamic republic’s “day of the fight against global arrogance”.

Protesters amass outside Israeli PM Netanyahu’s house as anger grows JERUSALEM Agencies

Police held back protesters outside the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid widespread anger at the failures that led to last month’s deadly attack

by Hamas gunmen on communities around the Gaza Strip. Waving blue and white Israeli flags and chanting “Jail now!”, a crowd in the hundreds pushed through police barriers around Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem.The protest, which coincided with a poll showing more than three quarters of Israelis believe Netanyahu should resign, underlined the growing public fury at their political and security leaders. Netanyahu has so far not accepted personal responsibility for the failures that allowed the surprise assault which saw hundreds of Hamas gunmen storm into southern Israel on Oct 7, killing more than 1,400 people and taking at least 240 hostage. As the initial shock has faded, public anger has grown, with many families of the hostages held in Gaza bitterly critical of the government response and calling for their relatives to be brought home.

In Tel Aviv, thousands demonstrated, waving flags and holding photographs of some of the captives in Gaza and posters with slogans like “Release the hostages now at all costs” while crowds chanted, “bring them home now”. Ofri Bibas-Levy, whose brother, along with his four-year-old son Ariel and 10-month-old son Kfir were taken hostage

by Hamas, told reporters that she came to show support for her family. “We don’t know where they are, we don’t know what condition they are kept in. I don’t know if Kfir is getting food, I don’t know if Ariel is getting enough food. He is a very small baby,” said Bibas-Levy. Since the attack, Israel has launched an intense air and ground offensive in Gaza, killing more than 9,000 people, health authorities in the Hamas-run area say, and reducing large areas of the enclave to rubble.

UN says poppy growth down 95% in Afghanistan since Taliban ban KABUL

Agencies

Poppy cultivation and opium production have plunged 95 percent in Afghanistan since Taliban authorities banned the crop, according to a UN report published Sunday. Since returning to power in 2021, Taliban authorities have vowed to end illegal drug production in Afghanistan and in April 2022 banned the cultivation of the poppy plant, from which opium and heroin are made.

The report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) found that poppy cultivation has collapsed by an estimated 95 percent — from 233,000 hectares (575,755 acres) at the end of 2022 to 10,800 in 2023.

Opium production has followed suit, plummeting from 6,200 tons to 333 tons in 2023. This year’s estimated harvest amounts to 24-38 tons of exportable heroin, compared with 350-580 tons last year.

The UNODC warned of potential

Remounts clinch title of coveted 10th Shah Rafi Alam Polo Cup 2023 LAHORE

stAff RepoRt

Team Remounts clinched the coveted title of the United Bank Limited-sponsored 10th Shah Rafi Alam Polo Cup 2023, defeating Team FG/Din Polo by a score of 9-5 in an electrifying finale at the Lahore Polo Club ground. The event witnessed a significant turnout of enthusiastic spectators, including families and polo aficionados who gathered at the Lahore Polo Club to witness this thrilling polo spectacle. Mrs. Tamiz Alam, the esteemed chief guest and wife of the late Gen Shah Rafi Alam, graced the occasion with her presence. Haider Malik of United Bank Limited, Azam Hayat Noon, the President of the Lahore Polo Club, executive committee members, Gen Shah Rafi Alam’s family, and many polo enthusiasts joined in to enjoy the high-quality polo showcased during the finals. The day’s festivities also included a classic car parade and an archery competition. The main final lived up to its reputation as an enthralling encounter. After a hard-fought battle, Team Remounts emerged victorious with a final score of 9-5. The Argentinian sensation, Abelenda, representing Team Remounts, displayed exceptional prowess by scoring impressive six goals. His teammates, including Mohammad Naeem, Shahid Imran, and Hamza Iqbal, contributed with one goal each. On the opposing side, Juan Cruz Greguol led the charge for FG/Din Polo with a remarkable hat-trick, while Mumtaz Abbas Niazi and Mian Abbas Mukhtar each scored one goal. In the subsidiary final, Team Diamond Paints registered a 9-6½ victory over DS/Sheikhoo Steel. Raja Temur Nadeem showcased outstanding performance by firing four incredible goals for Diamond Paints. Mir Huzaifa Ahmed and Saqib Khan Khakwani added to the tally with three and two goals, respectively. For DS Polo/Sheikhoo Steel, which held a half-goal handicap advantage, Nicholas Roberts stood out with five goals, while Lt Col Omer Minhas scored one goal.

Dropping nuclear weapon on Gaza ‘an option’: Israel’s minister JERUSALEM Agencies

An Israeli minister was suspended from government meetings “until further notice” on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said, after suggesting in an interview dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza. Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu, an ultranationalist politician part of Netnayahu’s ruling coalition, told Israel’s Kol Barama radio he was not entirely satisfied with the scale of Israel’s retaliation in the Palestinian territory after Hamas carried out a deadly attack on October 7 inside southern Israel. The attacks killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, Israeli officials say. Israel’s military campaign in Gaza since October 7 has killed 9,488 people, most of them women and children, the Hamas-run health ministry says. When the interviewer asked whether the Israeli minister advocated dropping “some kind of atomic bomb” on the Gaza Strip “to kill everyone,” Eliyahu replied: “That’s one option.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office quickly responded to the minister’s remarks, issuing a statement in which it described them as “disconnected from reality,” adding that Israel was trying to spare “non-combatants” in Gaza. Following the outcry over his remarks Eliyahu later said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that his statement about the atomic bomb was “metaphorical.” Israel has never admitted to having a nuclear bomb.

“humanitarian consequences for many vulnerable rural communities” due to the sudden contraction of Afghanistan’s opium economy, as growers have had to turn to far less lucrative alternative crops.

Farmers’ incomes, estimated at $1.36 billion in 2022, have fallen by 92 percent to $110 million this year, according to the UNODC, with the loss expected to impact the country’s already struggling economy more broadly. Last year, poppy crops accounted for almost a third by

value of total agricultural production in Afghanistan, the world’s leading producer.

“Today, Afghanistan’s people need urgent humanitarian assistance… to absorb the shock of lost income and save lives,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly in a statement. “For all the other production — cotton, wheat — they need much more water,” she said at a briefing on the report, while the country was experiencing “three years of consecutive draught”.

Virat Kohli equals Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most ODI centuries KOLKATA

Agencies

India’s batting maestro Virat Kohli on his 35th birthday equalled legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s longstanding record of most ODI centuries in the ICC World Cup 2023 fixture against South Africa.

Kohli conceded 119 deliveries to reach the record-equalling hundred, getting to the landmark in the 49th over of India’s innings by working Kagiso Rabada’s length delivery to cover for a single at the iconic Eden Gardens.

India’s batting great Tendulkar took 451 innings to score his 49th ton while Virat Kohli achieved the feat in 277th innings in his 289th match.

Notably, this was his 79th international century overall, taking a step closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 centuries across formats.

Furthermore, Virat Kohli has thus far scored two centuries in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 and is the second leading run-scorer of the tournament behind South Africa’s Quinton de Kock.

Kohli has thus far enjoyed a purple patch in this year’s global event, where the right-handed batter averages more than hundred and has a strike rate of around 85.

He has also scored more than 500 runs in an ODI World Cup for the first time in his prolific career.

Virat Kohli’s record century came in what has

been a successful year for the star batter. He has scored more than thousand runs with the help of five tons in 2023, at an average of more than 70 and a strike rate of nearly 100.

It is the eighth time in Kohli’s career that he has scored more than thousand ODI runs in a year, surpassing Tendulkar’s record of seven.

Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 101 turned out to be the centrepiece of tournament hosts India’s 326/5 in their 50 overs.

He shared a third-wicket partnership of 134 with Shreyas Iyer (77) after India captain Rohit Sharma (40) had won the toss on what turned out to be a tricky pitch.

China to promote greater opening up, easier market access: Li Qiang BEIJING

Agencies

China will continue to promote the greater opening up of market opportunities and implement policies to remove all restrictions on foreign investment in the country’s manufacturing sector, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said during his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum.

Addressing the event in Shanghai on Sunday, Li said China, with a population of over 1.4 billion people and a middle-income group of over 400 million people, presents huge potential in terms of market demand and the country has always been willing to share its market opportunities.

“China will actively expand imports, promote coordinated development of trade in goods and services, implement negative lists for cross-border service trade, support innovation in foreign trade formats and models, and boost digital trade,” Li said.

China’s imports of goods and services are expected to reach $17 trillion in cumulative terms in the next five years, he added.

China will soon release an overall plan to promote high-standard institutional opening up in the Shanghai free trade zone and establish a pilot zone for Silk Road e-commerce cooperation in the city.

“China sincerely hopes to work with other countries in the world, to meet each other halfway and achieve mutual success on an open stage,” he told the gathering.

This year’s CIIE Country Exhibition features 72 nations and international organizations while the Business Exhibition is expected to attract more than

3,400 enterprises from 128 countries and regions.

Covering 367,000 square meters, the Business Exhibition features a record-high 289 of the world’s top 500 enterprises and industry giants.

The exhibition area and number of projects in the Innovation Incubation Area have doubled compared with the previous expo.

Notably, there are 64 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries participating in the Country Exhibition, with more than 1,500 related companies participating in the Business Exhibition. The exhibition area is also approximately 30 percent bigger compared with the previous expo.

Rescue efforts called off after Nepal quake JAJARKOT, NEPAL Agencies

Search and rescue efforts after an earthquake in Nepal wrapped up on Sunday as the focus shifted to providing relief to survivors awaiting food and shelter, officials said 36 hours after the disaster struck. At least 157 people were killed in isolated western districts of the Himalayan country when the 5.6-magnitude earthquake hit late Friday. Many survivors spent the night under the open sky, their mud houses reduced to piles of rubble.

Several people died in the village of Nalgad, in the worst-hit Jajarkot district, where Mahesh Chanare prepared to cremate his father-in-law Sunday. “The rest of my family is safe,” the 34-year-old plumber told AFP. “But the houses have buried everything with them, there is hardly anything to eat,” he added. “No relief materials have reached us. People here desperately need food and tents.” Altogether 105 people died in Jajarkot and another 52 in neighbouring Rukum district, officials said, with more than 100 injured, and search and rescue operations had been concluded. “We are in touch with all areas and rescue operations have wrapped up,” said provincial police spokesman Gopal Chandra Bhattarai. “But we are still on alert as this is a remote area and there might be some isolated areas from where information has not flowed.” Harish Chandra Sharma, a Jajarkot district official, said the focus was now on providing relief to the victims. “It has been a tough night and we are trying to get relief materials to those affected by the quake,” Sharma said. “Some have been distributed but we need to reach all areas.” On Friday, locals frantically dug through rubble in the dark to pull survivors from the wreckage of collapsed homes and buildings, as others crouched outside for safety. The quake was felt as far away as India’s capital New Delhi, nearly 500 kilometres (310 miles) from the epicentre. Security forces were deployed on foot and in helicopters to assist with search and rescue operations. Nepal lies on a major geological faultline where the Indian tectonic plate pushes up into the Eurasian plate, forming the Himalayas, and earthquakes are a regular occurrence. Nearly 9,000 people died and more than 22,000 were injured in 2015 when a 7.8-magnitude quake struck Nepal, destroying more than half a million homes. Six people also died in November last year when a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck Doti district, near Jajarkot. Friday’s quake was followed several hours later by an aftershock in the same area with a 4.0 magnitude, the US Geological Survey said.

Smog-ridden New Delhi extends schools shutdown till Nov 10 NEW DELHI Agencies

Authorities in the smog-ridden Indian capital New Delhi on Sunday extended an emergency school closure by a week, with no signs of improvement in the megacity’s choking levels of pollution. Every autumn New Delhi is blanketed in acrid smog, primarily blamed on stubble burning by farmers in the neighboring agrarian states.

The city is regularly ranked as one of the most polluted on the planet, with its annual smog blamed for hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year. “As pollution levels continue to remain high, primary schools in Delhi will stay closed till 10th November,” Delhi state’s education minister Atishi posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Secondary schools “are being given the option of shifting to online classes”, added Atishi, who uses only one name, after days of high pollution levels.

The Indian capital — which has a population of 30 million — once again ranked as the world’s most polluted city Sunday, according to monitoring firm IQAir. Delhi state annually imposes restrictions on construction activities and orders some vehicles off roads when pollution reaches severe levels. But critics say that governments wilfully ignore the agricultural primary source of the public health crisis. The farmers in neighbouring states are a powerful electoral lobby and elected leaders have long resisted calls to impose strict fines and other punitive measures on them for their actions. New Delhi is set to host a cricket World Cup match on Monday between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. But both teams cancelled their scheduled pre-match training sessions in recent days over health risks from the smog. Severe smog levels are expected to persist for several more weeks. Levels of the most dangerous PM2.5 particles — so tiny they can enter the bloodstream — reached 570 micrograms per cubic metre on Sunday according to IQAir, nearly 40 times the daily maximum recommended by the World Health Organisation. A Lancet study in 2020 attributed 1.67 million deaths to air pollution in India during the previous year, including almost 17,500 in the capital.

Monday, 6 November, 2023 | ISLAMABAD

CORPORATE CORNER

T

THREE-DAY FESTIVAL BRINGS TOGETHER AUTHORS, READERS, AND LITERARY ENTHUSIASTS FOR A MEMORABLE ACADEMIC EXPLORATION AND DISCUSSION

Karachi: We are delighted to announce that Vidan AI, a product of Liquid Technologies, has received the most prestigious P@SHA Award for Best Security Solutions at this year's event. This accolade reaffirms our dedication to pioneering video analytics technology, and we take great pride in our role as industry leader in advancing security solutions. We sincerely thank you for your unwavering support.

Experts at Mehran University propose potential solution to address water scarcity KARACHI

staff report

A seminar was organized at the Water Research Center at Mehran University, Jamshoro, highlighting the latest water research. The event aimed to raise public awareness and dissemination of outcomes of research projects initiated with grants from the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. The seminar saw participation from a diverse array of stakeholders, including representatives from the Textile, Chemical and Food industries, the Sindh Agriculture Department, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, researchers from Sindh University and Mehran University Jamshoro, researchers from various fields, young scholars, and students interested in environmental studies. During the seminar, Professor Dr. Rasool Bakhsh Mahar, Professor Dr. Kamran Ansari, and Dr. Tanveer Ahmed Gadhi provided detailed information about three research projects. While speaking to the media, Dr. Tanveer Ahmed highlighted that a significant portion of the water used in Pakistan's industries becomes contaminated and goes to waste as sewage and pollutes water bodies. The research conducted at Mehran University has developed technology that has the potential to treat and reuse industrial wastewater discharged from the textile and chemical industries.

ICT authorities conduct crackdown on alms seekers; nets 31 ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD

staff report

HE Islamabad Literature Festival (ILF), a celebration of literature and the arts, came to a close, marking the end of a successful and inspirational event.

The festival, which began on November 3, 2023, brought together authors, readers, and literary enthusiasts for a memorable event of academic exploration and discussion.

It provided enriching experiences, engaging conversations, and deep appreciation for the impact of literature on society, and covered book launches, author signings, film screenings, panel discussions, and art exhibitions; ILF 2023 has served as a platform for celebrating the world of literature in all its forms.

The closing ceremony comprised keynote speeches by Senator Sherry Rehman and Anwar Masood. Senator Rehman expressed her appreciation for the revival of the Gandhara Citizens Club and was impressed by the theme because it is crucial to the times, we live in. Reiterating the importance of a sustainable planet she shared: “The planet is under stress, and we need to look at possibili-

ties. We are not responsible for the melting glaciers, heatwaves, or monsoons but this does not translate to a total abjection of responsibility at our homes. No army of consultants will be able to formulate policies or develop projects for us and governments alone can also not do this.

Climate successes are collaborations, and we all need to play our part in doing so.”

In his vote of thanks, Arshad Saeed Hussain, Managing Director, Oxford University Press (OUP) Pakistan was

grateful for the phenomenal response, “Immersed in the compelling narratives and profound discussions of this literary festival, we’ve unravelled the deep ties binding humanity, the planet, and the realms of potential. In these trying times let us offer hope, fostering a united awareness for a world that thrives on sustainability and empathy.”

Muhammad Mikal Soomro, Manager Corporate Communications, Getz Pharma, Pvt. Ltd., lauded the efforts for

Pakistan, Russia locked in strong bond of friendship: Tessori KARACHI

staff report

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori has said that there are deep ties between Pakistan and the Russian Federation and many important projects of cooperation between the two countries have been working in the past and many projects are still ongoing.

Talking to the media at the reception held on the 75th diplomatic relations, Unity Day of the Russian Federation at the Russian Consulate by Mr. Andrey V Fedorov, Consul General Russian Federation. Caretaker Chief Minister Sindh Justice (r) Maqbool Baqir Jafri, and Consul General Mr. Andrey V. Fedorov, also addressed the ceremony.

Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Darrni, Provincial Interior Minister Brigadier (R) Haris Nawaz, politicians, foreign diplomats and a large number of dignitaries participated in the event. On this occasion, a Russian cultural show was also presented and the cake was cut.

Caretaker Chief Minister in his speech, said that the Russian people celebrate the People's Unity Day every year on November 4. At the end of the 16th century, Russia went through a critical period in its history. Russia and its people have successfully defended their independence.

The Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh said that in 1612, public volunteers liberated Moscow from the evil forces, and the Russian people formed an alliance and formed a council of social classes across Russia,

the council elected a new head, Mikhail Romanov, for 300 years later.

He said that Russia and Pakistan are close to each other on trade, economics, science, and strategic cooperation. The Consul General of the Russian Federation Mr. Andrey V. Fedorov, thanked the guests and said that Russia was passing through a period called the Time of Troubles.

It is said that all possible suffering fell deeply upon our people, but the Russian people took their destiny into their own hands, united against evil, overcame internal strife, and defended the country's sovereignty.

staff report

In a major crackdown on professional beggars, Islamabad authorities on Sunday arrested 31 individuals and sent minor children to Edhi Center.

The operation was carried out under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon, with teams of Civil Defence led by the Assistant Commissioner Secretariat Aneel Saeed and Assistant Director Civil Defence, ICT spokesman Dr AbdullahTabasum said. The teams raided different areas of Islamabad and apprehended beggars who were found soliciting money from the public. The beggars were then transferred to the police station for further processing, while the minor children were sent to the Edhi Center, a non-profit organization that provides care and support to children in need. The operation against beggars is going on with overseeing the raids by the Assistant Commissioners on daily basis. The authorities have warned that they will continue to take strict action against professional beggars, and they have urged the public to refrain from giving money to beggars.

PIAF stresses structural reforms for sustainable economic growth ISLAMABAD

staff report

Chairman Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) Faheemur Rehman Saigol has said the real answer to country’s problems lies in the structural reforms, as there are a number of inefficiencies in tax collection, which must be removed. In a statement issued on Sunday, he observed that the tax compliance should be improved and tax base should be enhanced, which cannot be achieved with a single policy change, but through a systemic approach. Faheemur Rehman Saigol said that businesses are already in a complicated state-of-affairs, while anti-business actions against business community will not only add to the miseries of the business community but also promote trust deficit between the government and the business community. He said that in the past instead of focusing on controlling under-invoicing, curbing smuggling and expanding the tax net, the FBR seems to be inclined to pressurize registered taxpayers, who are already suffering due to a high rate of sales tax, income tax, and custom duties by creating fictitious cases for recovery of outstanding dues to meet revenue target.

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9TH ISLAMABAD LITERATURE FESTIVAL ENDS WITH APLOMB NEWS

SNGPL anti-gas theft crackdown rages on in Punjab, KP and Islamabad LAHORE

staff report

During the ongoing crackdown on gas pilferers, SNGPL continued raids in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad, disconnecting another 112 connections while 197 under billing cases processed; Rs3.52 million fine imposed In Lahore, the regional team disconnected 11 connections on illegal use of gas and another 12 on use of compressor.

In Bahawalpur the company disconnected 4 connections on the use of compressor and three Under billing cases have been processed .In Multan the company disconnected 2 connections on illegal use of gas while another one on the use of compressor ,58 Under billing

putting together such an impeccable literary event.

Interim Minister of Information Murtaza Solangi also attended all three days of the event.

ILF 2023 has highlighted the importance of literature as a means of artistic expression and societal connection. The first half of the day featured various discussions like Curriculum, Textbook, High Stakes Assessments- A Way Forward, and Hamari Mitti hui Zabanain. A presentation on Aag ka Darya was followed by a dialogue alongside more panel discussions; Resilient PakistanThe Sociocultural Impact and Harmony Across Borders, Capital Talk: In conversation with Hamid Mir and Quest for Peace and Security Among Neighbours.

Various informative conversations like Securing Pakistan’s Interest: Navigating Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, The Idle Stance of the Tipple Pigeon, Duktar-e-Rumi, Siyaah Heeray, 1980 ki Dehai Ka Ashob and Rawal Raj also captivated the audience.

Oderated by Raheela Baqai, the session on Haya Fatima Sehgal’s book, Resilient Pakistan- The Sociocultural Impact, touched upon various inspirational aspects from the life of Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah. Mushahid Hussain Syed appreciated Haya’s work that it addressed the status quo and focused on the possibilities and resilience of the nation. Raheela commented that the book proves to

Mama Organic: Pioneering Pakistan's first natural, organic beauty and skincare products

LAHORE: Mama Organic, Pakistan's first startup in the beauty and skin care industry, is proud to announce its mission to bring the goodness of nature to skincare enthusiasts. Founded by a team passionate about natural and toxin-free products, Mama Organic is revolutionizing the industry with its range of skin, hair, and body care solutions. Mama Organic offers an extensive selection of natural and organic products across various categories, catering to the diverse needs of its customers. Their product lines include Vitamin C, Ubtan, Tea Tree, Retinol, Onion & Argan, as well as specialized offerings for moms and babies. Product categories at Mama Organic encompass Facewash, Serum, Body Wash, Shampoo, Oils, Scrubs, Moisturizer, Cleanser, Lotions, Hair removal solutions, and Creams. With this wide range, Mama Organic is committed to providing comprehensive, nature-inspired solutions for all your beauty and skin care needs. What sets Mama Organic apart is their unwavering commitment to quality and purity. staff report

Reliance on indirect taxes must be reduced for national development: Atif Ikram

LAHORE: Presidential candidate of Federal of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Atif Ikram Sheikh has said that reliance on indirect taxes should be reduced to push the country towards rapid development.

Dependence on direct taxes is necessary for national development, but progress towards this is very slow, he said in a statement issued on Sunday. Atif Ikram Sheikh, who has also served as VP FPCCI, Chairman PVMA, and President ICCI, said in a statement issued here today that reforms should be introduced in the tax administration to improve its workings. Reliance on indirect taxes and withholding taxes are damaging; therefore, basic structural changes are needed for documenting the economy to increase revenue, he said. The business leader stressed that the policy measures would expand the tax base, eliminate tax gaps, and enhance the efficiency of the tax system.

Many hurdles in tax collection can be overcome by employing technology, as is being practised in other countries where tax collection is satisfactory. staff report

AIOU commences final exams of MBA from Nov 18

cases have been processed.

The team imposed fine of Rs0.12 million against gas pilferers. In Peshawar and Karak, the company disconnected 38 connections on account of direct use of gas and illegal use of gas and amount of Rs0.88 million against gas theft .In Rawalpindi the regional team disconnected 15 gas

connections on illegal use and 21 Under billing cases processed and Rs1.20 fine imposed against gas theft. In Mardan 30 under billing cases have been processed while 0.05 million amount booked against under billing cases. The regional team in Islamabad disconnected 3 connections on illegal use of gas.

ISLAMABAD: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) is conducting final examinations of 2.5 and 3.5 years MBA programs offered in the spring 2023 semester from November 18. These examinations will take place throughout the country till December 7, 2023, said a press release. The date sheet is available on the university website (www.aiou.edu.pk). Roll number slips have been uploaded to students’ CMS portal.Additionally, the deadline for fresh students to enroll in the Associate Degree in Arts (BA General), Associate Degree in Commerce (BCom), Associate Degree in Education, BS (ODL) programs, 1.5, 2.5, 4-year B.Ed programmes, BBA, and Post Graduate Diploma programs is tomorrow (Tuesday, November 7).

Pakistan gets golden chance for promoting trade in Canton Fair BEIJING

staff Correspondent

Pakistan gets golden chance promoting its trade in Canton Fair, said Safdar Fayyaz, Chief Manager Exports, Piano Exports FZCO, Pakistan.

“Business is good this time. I’m here to find out more possibility of doing business with China as well as the whole world,” he said while talking with China Economic Net. He was in Guangzhou, China to attend the 134th China Import and Export Fair.

The China Import and Export Fair – known as Canton Fair – kicked off on October 15 and entered its third and final phase on October 31.

The event, which ended on November 4, has attracted exhibitors and buyers from across the globe.

It is Fayyaz’s 2nd time attending the fair. This year he had dazzling stationery products with price & quality

combination with him. He told CEN that they have some unique colored pencils from Pakistan that might interest international buyers.

According to the organizer, during the first two phases, a total of 157,200 overseas buyers attended the fair, representing an increase of 53.6 percent com-

pared with the same period of last fair.

Among them, more than 100,000 buyers were from Belt and Road countries and regions, accounting for 64 percent of the total, witnessing an increase of 69.9 percent year-on-year.

The number of buyers from Europe and the United States saw an increase of 54.9 percent compared with the 133rd event.

On top of increasing buyer traffic, the event attracted more exhibitors, too.

Compared with the previous edition, the exhibition area for the 134th fair is expanded by 50,000 square meters and the number of exhibition booths also increased.

More than 28,000 exhibitors participated in the event, with 650 enterprises coming from 43 foreign countries and regions. Famous Pakistani textile brands including Gohar Textile Mills Pvt Ltd. and M.K. Sons (Pvt.) Ltd., and so on are here to fortify ties with business partners and tap into the Chinese market.

GOVT APPROVES 21 PROJECTS WORTH $3B FOR FLOOD-AFFECTED AREAS UNDER 4RF

Monday, 6 November, 2023

pRayeR timingS

NEWS

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ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

AKISTAN’S efforts to address the devastating impacts of climate change and rebuild flood-affected areas have gained momentum and since the launch of the Resilience, Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (4RF) framework by the Planning Ministry, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved 21 development projects worth $3 billion.

These projects aim at supporting the areas affected by last year floods and rains, which impacted 33 million people and caused economic losses well over $30 billion.

The 4RF framework, devised by the

government, emphasizes effective coordination among federal and provincial governments, development partners, NGOs, and private sectors. In January, Pakistan secured pledges of $10 billion from donors during an international conference on ‘Climate Resilient Pakistan’ held in Geneva. Building on this support, the CDWP has now approved various projects, including flood assistance, clean energy access, rehabilitation and reconstruction, and agriculture enhancement.

The projects, funded by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Islamic Development Bank, cover a wide range of sectors and provinces. They include initiatives such as farm water management, infrastructure development, livelihood enhancement, and healthcare support. To en-

sure effective implementation and monitoring, the Federal Steering Committee (FSC) has been established, and regular meetings have been held to track progress.

In an effort to enhance transparency, a real-time monitoring dashboard for the 4RF projects will be operational by November 10. This will provide up-to-date information to the public and development partners regarding the execution of projects in the flood-affected areas. Pakistan’s commitment to addressing climate change and its vulnerability to climatic disasters have been recognized by the World Bank, which has expressed appreciation for the country’s efforts and pledged continued support.

Despite being responsible for less than 1% of global carbon emissions, Pakistan

faces significant challenges from climate change, including floods, droughts, heatwaves, and melting glaciers. The approval and implementation of these development

Fazl, Hamas leaders urge Muslim world to unite against Israeli atrocities ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman who reached Qatar on Sunday held a meeting with the Hamas leadership to discuss the situation in Gaza and Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.

According to the JUI-F spokesperson, the JUI-F chief held a meeting with Qatar-based Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and former chief of the resistance group Khaled Mashal in Qatar.

On the occasion, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh urged the Muslim world to unite against Israeli atrocities.

“It is the duty of the Muslim Ummah to unite against Israeli atrocities”, Haniyeh stressed.

On the occasion, the JUI-F chief and Ismail Haniyeh said that Israel was trying to turn Al-Qus (Qibla Awwal) into their temple by oppressing Palestinians.

In a veiled criticism of the west, the Hamas chief regretted that countries claiming to be human rights champions were sending shiploads of weapons to help Tel Aviv.

“The Muslim Ummah should also come to the field to support their Palestinian mothers, sisters and brothers”, Haniyeh stated.

“Worst atrocities being committed in Kashmir and Palestine since a long time are a slap in the face of the human rights claimants”, Khaled Mashal said.

“Maulana Fazlur Rehman is playing the role of the ambassador of Palestine in

Pakistan,” Hamas leader Khaled Mashal said. The JUI-F chief said that hands of the proponents of human rights were stained with the blood of innocent children and women. He declared that Palestinians were not only fighting for their land but also for the freedom of the first Qibla while fulfilling their duty on behalf of the Muslim Ummah.

“The time has come for the Muslim Ummah to stand side by side with the Palestinian brothers in the practical field,” Fazl emphasized.

Secretary General JUI Sindh Maulana

Naegleria claims another life in Karachi, tally rises to 11 KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

The Naegleria fowleri, brain-eating amoeba, has claimed the life of another patient in Karachi, Sindh Health Department said on Sunday. According to the health department, a resident of Bufferzone Karachi in the metropolis died due to Naegleria.

He was suffering from fever and headache for the last three days, said the spokesperson of the Sindh Health Department.

This is the third death reported due to Naegleria in Karachiís Central district in the last two weeks. According to the Sindh health department, 11 people have lost their lives so far due to Naegleria fowleri infection (NFI) across the province. Sindh caretaker minister for health, Dr Saad Khalid has asked the people of Karachi to take preventive measures to avoid becoming a victim of Naegleria fowleri ó a rare but deadly waterborne amoeba that thrives in freshwater sources. Khalid Niaz urged public to refrain from swimming in pools that have not been properly chlorinated. He further advised the public to avoid activities that may cause water to enter the nose. On October 23, the brain-eating amoeba, claimed the life of another patient in Karachi. According to the health department, 45-year-old Adnan, a resident of New Karachi in the port city died due to Naegleria.

Red alert issued as Congo virus runs amok in Balochistan QUETTA

Staff RepoRt

The Balochistan government on Sunday issued a red alert over alarming situation of Congo virus fever in the province that has claimed 16 lives so far including senior forensic scientist. The government sprang into action following the death of senior forensic scientist Dr Ashraf Tahir on Sunday, who was diagnosed with the Congo virus in Quetta. Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Domki has directed the province’s health and livestock departments to take immediate steps to curb the disease. The chief minister has instructed for conveying immediate information about the virus to general public. He also directed for anti-viral spray at dairy farms. This new type of Congo virus fever could become deadly for an infected person, Domki said. “In case of symptoms of Congo virus, the patient should be provided emergency medical guidance,” Balochistan CM said. According to the young doctors’ spokesperson, the patient passed away while he was being shifted to Karachi for medical treatment. At least 41 patients with the Congo Virus have been brought to Fatima Jinnah Hospital of Quetta this year and 16 of them have died. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans by ticks on cattle and other livestock and can cause severe fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and internal bleeding. It has a high fatality rate, and currently no vaccine or specific treatment available for the virus.

Rashid Mahmud Soomro and Mufti Abrar Ahmed also participated in the meeting.

During the trip, it is expected that Fazl will also reach out to the Arab world leadership to find a way to provide aid to Gaza who are facing the barbarism of Israeli forces.

The JUI-F leader is expected to visit Turkey after Qatar and is expected to hold meetings with government officials in both countries to facilitate peace talks.

A day earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi, Qatari, Emirati, Egyptian and Jordanian foreign

ministers in Amman who called for a ceasefire.

However, the top US diplomat failed to reach a resolution with the Arab leaders and maintained that a ceasefire would only give Hamas time to regroup and launch more attacks.

The Palestinian death toll has climbed past 9,488, mostly women, children and the elderly, with thousands of others injured and displaced as Israel has continued relentless bombing in the narrow Gaza enclave compounded with an onground invasion since October 7, when a surprise raid by Hamas claimed around 1,400 Israeli lives.

Palestinian envoy thanks Pakistani people, media support for Gaza Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan Ahmed Jawad Rabi’i said hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israel’s brutal attacks including 3,718 children and 1,929 women.

Talking to a private Tv news channel, the envoy expressed gratitude and extended his appreciation for Pakistan and its media’s unwavering support for Palestine during these challenging times.

He emphasized that people’s support not only showcases the strong bond between the two nations but also sends a powerful message of solidarity from the Muslim Ummah to the Palestinian cause.

He added by thanking Pakistan and the Pakistani media for standing with Palestine in its fight for justice and freedom. As per Hamas Health Ministry, over 9,000 civilians lost their lives in Israel’s land, and air strikes.

Court remands Fawad Ch in police custody for two days ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Rejecting the police’s request for a five-day physical remand of former PTI federal minister and now a member of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) Fawad Chaudhry, a court in Islamabad on Sunday granted to the police his two-day physical remand instead.

Earlier, Fawad was brought to the court of Duty Magistrate Abbas Shah in an armored vehicle, with his face covered with a piece of cloth.

Footage aired on television showed the former minister handcuffed while his face was covered with a piece of cloth.

His both brothers and wife Hibba Chaidhry were also present in the District and Sessions Court at that time.

Fawad, currently a member of the Istehkami-Pakistan Party, was taken to an undisclosed location on Saturday after police raided his residence in Islamabad, the police sources claimed. The former minister’s family had claimed he was “abducted from his house in Islamabad by officials in plainclothes when he was having breakfast”.

According to the first information report, Fawad was arrested in connection with a case registered at the Aabpara police station on Au-

gust 22, 2022, under sections 109 (punishment of abetment if the Act abetted committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 341(punishment f or wrongful restraint), and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Besides Fawad, AML chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, PTI leaders Murad Saeed, Faisal Javaid Khan, Asad Umer, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Ali Nawaz Khan, Faisal Vawda, Shahzad Wasim, Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, Shibli Faraz, Saifullah Khan Niazi, Shehryar Afridi, Fiazul Hassan Chohan, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Asad Qaiser, Zahir Abbas Khokhar, Ghulam Sarwar Khan and over 1,000 unidentified people were also booked in the FIR. At the outset of the hearing, Fawad requested Duty Magistrate Abbas Shah for permission to meet his lawyer, which was granted.

During the hearing, the police contended that Fawad was arrested in a FIR lodged by a citizen namely Zaheer and read it out loud in the courtroom. The investigating officer said Fawad, during his tenure as federal minister, had promised Zaheer a job in return for Rs0.5 million but never provided him the job. “When the complainant asked for his money back, Fawad threatened him,” he added.

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

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UNITED NATIONS

A top Pakistani diplomat has paid high tributes to the staff members of UNRWA, the UN agency mandated to serve Palestinian refugees, for their “courageous work” amid “Israel’s brutal campaign of bombardment, air strikes, and now a ground invasion,” as he renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire.

“I would like to express my great admiration for the courageous work of UNRWA and for the bold statement that was made by the CommissionGeneral Phillipe Lazzarini when he said that what was required first and foremost was a ceasefire,” Ambassador Munir Akram told the General Assembly’s Fourth Committee, which

deals with special political and decolonization issues.

UNRWA has lost more than 70 staff members as they served the besieged people of Gaza with bombs raining down indiscriminately on the ravaged enclave. The Pakistani envoy called UNRWA workers “martyrs”, rejecting ” with contempt” the “wild” allegations earlier made by the Israeli delegate that the UN agency was providing shelter to the Hamas fighters in its facilities.

“We reject with utter contempt the wild allegations that were made here this afternoon by the representative of Israel against the UNRWA. This is adding spice to the crime; this is disguising the crime; and it must be rejected with the contempt it deserves.,” Ambassador Akram said in a debate

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projects demonstrate Pakistan’s determination to build resilience, promote recovery, and ensure the well-being of its people in the face of these climate-related threats.

Supreme Court issues written order on general elections, NAB Law cases ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

In a ten-page written order, the Supreme Court addressed cases seeking general elections within 90 days. The court emphasized that it had facilitated the President and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in fixing the election date. According to the order, all parties involved agreed on the fixed date of February 8 for the elections. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who authored the decision, stated that it is time for the courts to avoid becoming embroiled in disputes that waste valuable time.

The written order further highlighted that the ECP did not provide a response to the President's letter, and setting the date of elections is not within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court as per the constitution. The order warned of serious consequences if any institution exceeds its constitutional limits by interfering in the affairs of another. It also criticized the unnecessary involvement of the Supreme Court in the dispute between the President and the ECP, stating that some individuals had concerns about the possibility of elections not taking place. Emphasizing the importance of upholding the constitution, the court reminded all constitutional bodies and officials, including the President and Chief Election Commissioner, of their obligation to be familiar with the constitution. It stressed that violating the constitution has a negative impact on both the people and the country's integrity. The written order also mentioned that Justice Mazhar Alam had left the issue of applying Article 6 to the Parliament. A notification regarding the election date has been issued with the consent of the President. The Supreme Court directed the federal and provincial governments to ensure the smooth completion of the election process on February 8, without any hindrance.

In a separate written order pertaining to the NAB law case, the Supreme Court stated that accountability courts are temporarily barred from making decisions on NAB references until a final verdict is reached on the appeals. However, the trials in corruption cases will continue. The appeals will be scheduled for hearing after the full court issues a detailed verdict on the Practice and Procedure Act.

‘IED blast’ kills two brothers in Lakki Marwat LAKKI MARWAT Staff RepoRt

Two brothers lost their lives and three other family members sustained injuries in a tragic explosion, believed to be caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) in in Bettani area of Lakki Marwat district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. According to police officials, the victims were included: five-year-old child Saeed Zaman and his elder brother 17-year-old Aman. They informed that three other members of the family including a woman sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for necessary medical treatment. The police sources suspected that the explosion was likely triggered by an IED concealed within the farming fields. According to police officials, all the injured and dead in blast are from the same family. Earlier, several people sustained wounds as a powerful blast rocked Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to police, the blast followed by intense firing took place in the market near Tank Ada. The nature of the blast is unknown as per the initial report.

Pakistani diplomat lauds UN workers amid Israeli bombing, calls for ceasefire Staff CoRReSpondent

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on UNRWA. Pakistan, he declared, will continue to support UNRWA until the Palestinian refugees are able to return to their homeland, once they establish an independent and viable contiguous state within the borders of pre-1967 June, with Al-Aqsa as its capital. Despite the UN General Assembly’s overwhelming call for a sustained humanitarian ceasefire, Israel is continuing its brutal air strikes and ground invasion he said.

“Let us not disguise what we are witnessing,” Ambassador Akram said, adding that war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed with complete impunity, while those who prevented a ceasefire enabled the continued slaughter of innocent– a reference to Israel’s Western allies who opposed the 193-member body’s

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

truce resolution. “We will not forget.

Some courageous people within the UN have said this (Israeli aggression) is genocide,” he said.

“Make no mistake, we will remember this genocide. Nine thousand were mercilessly killed in Gaza, and 22000 were injured, mostly 60% plus women and children. This is cowardly aggression,” the Pakistani envoy added. “Pakistan will continue to provide whatever it can to support the Palestinians who are besieged. We are sending the supplies through Egypt, a friend, and we hope that we can bring some measure of relief.”

Once the dust is settled, Ambassador Akram suggested that the Secretary-General must honour the martyrs of UNRWA in the same manner that fallen UN peacekeepers are honoured, he said, calling for an unconditional ceasefire. Further, he said, there must be a repository of the crimes committed in this war, because “the time will come when we ask for accountability”. “We will raise this issue again and again until we have an answer.”