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Tuesday, 12 December, 2023 I 27 Jamada Al-Awal, 1445
Rs 50.00 | Vol XIV No 163 I 40 Pages I Islamabad Edition
PM TELLS TERRORISTS TO ‘SURRENDER UNCONDITIONALLY’ ‘NO NEGOTIATIONS’
SAYS STATE WILL NOT SHOW 'ANY LENIENCY' TOWARDS TERRORISTS
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ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
ARETAKER Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Monday warned terrorist groups in Pakistan to make an “unconditional surrender”, noting the state would not negotiate with them. “The state will not show any leniency towards terrorists who committed violence and killed innocent citizens,” he said during an interaction with the families of martyrs at the interior ministry. PM Kakar categorically said that no person would be allowed to take the law into his hands, adding that only the state had the legitimate right to use armed power through its security forces. “No one should have any doubt about the stance of the state against terrorists,” he
said. “All organs of the state have the clarity to remain persistent against militancy.” He said any damage incurred in the past
by giving a lenient space to militants would be mitigated. The prime minister said if someone
NO PERSON WOULD BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THE LAW INTO HANDS, SAYS PM KAKAR
wanted to denounce terrorism, they must seek forgiveness from the families of the martyrs, who paid the ultimate price of terrorism. “We cannot compensate those who lost their loved ones, but can make a gesture to acknowledge and honour their invaluable sacrifices,” he said. Kakar said the reward for the martyrs’ souls rests with Allah, however, it was the responsibility of the society to honour them with a distinguished status. “I pay tribute to all the martyrs with an unending list of heroes from all sections of society including police, politicians, journalists, soldiers, and even children,” he said. Over a year back, terrorism surged across the country after the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) called off its ceasefire and began targeting security forces and civilians. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have seen a significant rise in terrorism, with
Justice Ahsan objects to benches hearing military trial, Justice Naqvi appeals ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Senior Supreme Court judge, Justice Ijazul Ahsan on Monday raised objections on the formation of two benches – one hearing the intra-court appeals against the judgement declaring the trials of civilians in military courts as unconstitutional and the other Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi’s plea against the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) proceedings. A six-judge larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood will hear the appeals against its earlier verdict – wherein it had unanimously declared the trial of civilians allegedly involved in the May 9 riots in military courts as unconstitutional – on Dec 15. According to the SC roster issued on Saturday, the
bench will also include Justices Aminuddin Khan, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hilali and Irfan Saadat Khan. “A meeting of the Committee (“the Committee”) constituted under Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 (the “Act”) was held in the Chambers of the Honourable Chief Justice at 4:00 PM on Thursday 7th December 2023. I attended the meeting being a member of the Committee,” Justice Ahsan wrote in a letter to the secretary of the judges committee on Monday. He said that it was agreed that since the judgement in the matter of the trial of civilians by military courts had been rendered by a five-member bench of the court, a seven-member bench would be constituted to hear the appeals. “I categorically and in clear terms stated that in order to dispel any impression of pick and choose, all Judges of this Court in the order of seniority be included
SC to review matter of lifetime disqualification ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) took notice on Monday of the discrepancy between the judicial decision on lifelong disqualification under Article 62 (1) (f) and the amendment made to the Election Act. The apex court scheduled the hearing for January as it issued notices to the attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) and provincial advocate generals. The court further referred the matter, pertaining to ascertain the time period for disqualification, to the judges’ committee to have it fixed before a larger bench for hearing. The apex court’s notice came on a petition filed by a former MPA of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), Shamona Badshah Qaisrani, who was disqualified for concealing assets in 2014. During the hearing today, Justice Qazi Faez Isa observed that the SC had two opinions on lifetime disqualification. “Disqualification in NAB [National Accountability Bureau] cases appears to be strict. How long will the disqualification be in a murder case?” he questioned. Justice Athar Minallah observed that the case was related to the 2018 elections, expressing concern over whether it was feasible to hear it now that the next general elections were right around the corner.
However, the judge later remarked that there was no uncertainly regarding the next elections, and anyone trying to encourage it will be in contempt of the apex court. The court observed that the current matter will not be allowed to be used as a tool to delay the February 8, 2024 polls, urging for notices regarding the case to be published in two mainstream English dailies. In 2018, in a landmark verdict, a five-judge bench of the SC had unanimously held that disqualification handed down under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution is for life. Under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution of Pakistan, which sets the precondition for a member of parliament to be ‘sadiq and ameen’ (honest and righteous), former prime minister and PMLN chief Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the SC bench on July 28, 2017, in references pertaining to the Panama Papers. Similarly, former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen was disqualified by a separate bench of the apex court under the same provision. Last year, legal experts had observed that it was interesting to note that a person who has committed a murder is allowed to contest the elections after a specific period of time, whereas, a lawmaker, who lies under oath, has been barred permanently.
Indian SC upholds Modi’s suspension of special status to Kashmir SRINAGAR
AGENCIES
The Indian Supreme Court in unanimous verdict on Monday upheld the Modi government’s 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370, revoking special status to occupied Kashmir. The court directed the election commission to hold elections in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) region by September 30, 2024. In 2019, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revoked the special status of occupied Kashmir by abolishing Article 370 of the constitution. Not only did the law reserve state government jobs for residents, as well as college places, in an effort to keep the state from being overrun by people from the rest of India. This article had further restricted the Indian parliament’s authority to enact laws in the region, except in defense, foreign affairs, and communications. However, the abrogation then enabled people from other parts of India to buy property and settle permanently in Kashmir. Critics, including Kashmiris, international organisations, and opponents of India’s Hindu nationalist-led government, viewed this decision as an attempt to alter
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the Muslim-majority demographics of Kashmir with Hindu settlers. The court’s direction today was part of the verdict on pleas challenging the revocation of the special status of IlOJK. A five-member bench, led by
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, had reserved its verdict on September 5 regarding whether the move was legal despite lacking the endorsement from parliament usually required for constitutional change.
ISLAMABAD
Kashmir was a global conflict, and that there were UN resolutions present on the matter. “Indian actions on August 5, 2019 were illegal and in violation of UN resolutions,” he said, adding that the people of Kashmir had already rejected unilateral actions. “The decision of the Indian Supreme Court cannot divert the attention of the world from the ongoing Indian atrocities in Kashmir,” Jillani asserted. Reiterating that Indian actions were a violation of international law, the foreign minister added that its actions were an attempt at committing genocide of the Kashmiris and turning them into a minority in their own land. The foreign minister maintained that the issue will be raised before all stakeholders as Islamabad has already shed light on New Delhi’s unilateral actions.
Indian SC’s decision on status of Kashmir holds no validity: FM Jillani STAFF REPORT
Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said on Monday that India has no right to take any unilateral action on the status of occupied Kashmir, strongly rejecting the decision taken by its supreme court as invalid. The foreign minister’s remarks came hours after the Supreme Court of India upheld the Modi government’s 2019 annexation of the disputed territory. The unanimous verdict was handed down by a panel of five judges, on over a dozen petitions challenging the revocation and a subsequent decision to split the region into two federally administered territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and the Buddhist territory of Ladakh. Jillani said that Jammu and
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in the appellate Bench,” he added. Justice Ahsan said that the chief justice had agreed to his point, but said that he would ask the judges and if any of them did not want to sit on the bench, the next available judge will be included. “I waited all day on Friday for any information regarding the two Benches. At least three phone calls were made to you, but my office was informed that the file with your note had been sent to the Honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan. The last call was made at 6:30 PM when your office stated that you had left for the day,” he said in the letter. “Neither the minutes of the 4th meeting nor those of the 5th meeting were sent to me on Friday or Saturday. Neither of the minutes have been seen or signed by me, yet these have been uploaded on the website of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
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some politicians also raising concerns about the security situation during the general elections — scheduled for February 8, 2024. Pakistan saw a notable surge in militant activities in November as the attacks rose by 34% following a two-month decline, data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) showed. A total of 63 attacks took place which resulted in 83 fatalities, including 37 security forces personnel and 33 civilians. Additionally, 89 individuals sustained injuries, comprising 53 civilians and 36 security personnel. Pakistani security forces responded with precision, eliminating at least 59 militants, while 18 suspected militants were apprehended. Analysis of October 2023 data underscores a 34% surge in militant attacks, a 63% rise in fatalities, and an 89% increase in the number of wounded during November 2023.
Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi get bail from ATC
ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Monday granted bail to former prime minister and PTI founder, Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. ATC Judge Abu Alhasnat Zulqarnain heard the pleas of the PTI founder and Qureshi. The prosecutor opposed the PTI stalwarts’ bail plea, citing it as an ‘extraordinary’ relief. Were the PTI founder and Shah Mahmood Qureshi present at the incident scenes, in which they were booked? the judge asked the prosecutor. No, they were not, the prosecutor replied. Later, ATC granted bail to PTI founder chief Imran Khan in three cases and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two cases. Both PTI founder and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi are currently in Adiala Jail in cipher case. STAFF REPORT
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02 NEWS
GOVT PLANS TO RAISE RS6TR IN DEC-FEB THROUGH DEBT INSTRUMENTS
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SBP ANNOUNCES AUCTION CALENDAR TO RAISE RS3.646 TRILLION THROUGH MTBS, RS2.25 TRILLION THROUGH PIBS, AND RS110 BILLION THROUGH GOP IJARA SUKUK VRR AND FRR PROFIT
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HE government has announced its borrowing plan for the next three months (December-February) of the fiscal year 2024, aiming to raise Rs6.006 trillion through various instruments. According to the auction calendar issued by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the government will borrow Rs3.646 trillion through the sale of Market Treasury Bills (MTBs), Rs2.25 trillion through the sale of Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) Fixed Rate and Floating Rate, and Rs110 billion
Solangi underlines significance of active role of women in electoral process ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Monday highlighted the significance of active role of women in the electoral process. Addressing a policy forum organized by South Asia Partnership Pakistan titled “Women’s Participation in Elections”, he said that women constitute half of the population of Pakistan and their empowerment was a sacred task. Murtaza Solangi while referring to Benazir Bhutto, said that the first woman prime minister in the Muslim world was from Pakistan. He said that ending gender discrimination should start from home and daughters should have equal rights to sons in every home. He opined that it was not possible to eliminate gender discrimination only by enacting new laws. “We have to change our thinking to give equal rights to women,” the minister remarked. He said that the caretaker government had a limited mandate but it was ready to take all possible steps to empower women if concrete proposals were given to it. Solangi said that the ECP will release the election schedule before December 16.
Roshan Digital Account inflows exceed $7bn mark PROFIT
through the sale of Government of Pakistan Ijara Sukuk Variable Rental Rate (VRR) and Fixed Rental Rate (FRR). The SBP will conduct six auctions of MTBs and four auctions of PIBs during the period of Dec-Feb 2024. The first auction of MTBs will be held on December 13, with a target of Rs2.25 trillion, followed by another auction on December 27, with a target of Rs510 billion. In January, the SBP will hold two more auctions of MTBs, one on January 10 with a target of Rs100 billion and another on January 24 with a target of Rs6 billion. In February, the last two auctions of MTBs will be held, one on February 06 with
a target of Rs480 billion and another on February 21 with a target of Rs300 billion. The first auction of PIBs will be held on December 15, with a target of Rs270 billion for fixed rate bonds of 3-year, 5-year, 10year, 15-year, and 20-year tenors. The second auction of PIBs will be held on January 12, with a target of Rs720 billion for floating rate bonds of 10-year tenor with a semi-annual coupon payment. The third auction of PIBs will be held on January 26, with a target of Rs480 billion for floating rate bonds of 2-year tenor with a quarterly coupon payment. The fourth and final auction of PIBs will be held on February 09, with a target of Rs480 billion for
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Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ulHaq Kakar on Monday directed the concerned departments to prepare and submit an action plan immediately to ensure uninterrupted supply of urea on priority basis. He also ordered to ensure supply of urea fertilizer to the farmers at government control rate and submit a report in this regard by tomorrow (Tuesday). “To ensure uninterrupted supply of urea fertilizer during crop sowing, a comprehensive framework should be prepared and presented in consultation with the provinces and the relevant industry,” he said while chairing an emergency review meeting regarding demand and supply, and price of urea fertilizer in the country. During the meeting, the prime minister asked the district administration to take immediate action against the hoarders of the fertilizer and identify and punish those responsible. He said the government subsidy on urea fertilizer must be extended to the deserving farmers. The prime minister directed the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Food Security to provide the production and supply statistics of urea fertilizer to the provincial governments to ensure cooperation in operations to prevent hoarding of fertilizer.
IJARA SUKUK FIRST-EVER AUCTION AT PSX The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) had earlier announced that it would hold the first-ever auction of listed government Ijara
GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY ON UREA FERTILIZER MUST BE EXTENDED TO DESERVING FARMERS
He said fertilizer transportation should be monitored on all provincial borders, and the fertilizer which is meant to meet the provincial requirement should not be obstructed in any way. He said all provinces should bear the burden of subsidy on urea fertilizer in proportion to their own consumption. Earlier, a detailed briefing was given in the meeting on the recent production, demand and supply of urea fertilizer to farmers in the country. The meeting was told that the production and stock of urea in the country was sufficient for the recent wheat crop. Whereas 220,000 metric tons of urea is being imported for buffer stock, the first batch of which would reach
Pakistan by next week. In the meeting, the chief secretaries of the four provinces also gave a briefing on the steps taken by the district administration to ensure the supply of fertilizers to the farmers at government concessional prices. The meeting was informed that the summaries to provide subsidy from the provinces would be presented in the cabinets of all the provinces for approval very soon. Caretaker Ministers Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Captain (retd) Shahid Ashraf Tarrar, Dr Kausar Abdul Mulk, Muhammdad Ali, relevant high officials and chief secretaries of all the provinces attended the meeting.
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The total inflows into Roshan Digital Account (RDA) reached $137 million during November 2023, contributing to the cumulative inflows surpassing $7.035 billion, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Data indicates that $110 million was repatriated and locally utilized during the same month, resulting in a net increase of $27 million in Net Repatriable Liability (NRL) for RDA. Of the total amount, $7 million was repatriated, while $103 million was utilized locally in November. The cumulative repatriation and local utilization since the inception of RDA amount to $5.853 billion, with $1.531 billion repatriated and $4.322 billion locally utilized. The Net Repatriable Liability (NRL) now stands at $1.181 billion, representing 16.79 percent of the total RDA. Breaking down the NRL, $323 million remains invested in Conventional Naya Pakistan Certificates (NPC), $432 million in Islamic NPC, equity investment at $29 million, balances in accounts at $374 million, and other liabilities at $23 million. During the current financial year, RDA received a total of $685 million, compared to $830 million in the corresponding period of the previous year. The total repatriation and local utilization in the current financial year amounted to $624 million, down from $1.135 billion in the corresponding period last year. In November alone, 11,146 new accounts were opened, bringing the total number of RDA accounts to 640,875. Notably, the highest monthly inflow into RDA was recorded in June 2021, with inflows reaching $310 million. Conversely, the highest monthly repatriation and local utilization occurred in July 2022, resulting in a reduction of $330 million in the NRL of RDA.
SIFC proposes centralised authority for economic zones to enhance investment Minister for Privatisation Fawad Hasan Fawad, the working group emphasized the need for a streamlined approach to existing frameworks. Currently, different types of special zones with varying incentive structures exist, confusing and impeding the industrialization process. The recommendation is to create a singular, fully empowered authority with the support of all stakeholders, providing a one-window operation to address investor needs. A working paper outlining the group’s recommendations will be presented to the SIFC executive committee in an upcoming session. Represen-
PROFIT
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The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has recommended the establishment of a single authority to oversee various economic, technological, and industrial zones across the country. The proposal, aimed at enhancing both foreign and domestic investment while fostering industrial development, was discussed during the second and final meeting of SIFC’s working group on special economic zones (SEZs) in Islamabad. Chaired by the caretaker
Sukuk bonds in a bid to raise Rs90 billion from the sale of one-year Islamic bonds between December 2023 and February 2024. The first one-year Ijara Sukuk auction at the PSX took place on December 8 and the government raised Rs479 billion, attracting 16 times more than the target amount of Rs30 billion. The cut-off yield for the Sukuk was below 20%, which was significantly lower than the average 22% return on one-year T-bills. The auction was conducted through the Capital Market Infrastructure Institutions (CMIIs), which include the PSX, the National Clearing and Settlement Company of Pakistan (NCCPL), and the Central Depository Company of Pakistan (CDC). The Ministry of Finance had recently approved some amendments to the rules governing the issuance, registration, trading, and transfer of government debt securities through the CMIIs, enabling the PSX to conduct the primary market issuance. The second auction will be held on January 23, with the same target of Rs30 billion, and settlement on January 24, 2023. The third and final auction will take place in February 2024, with a target of Rs30 billion and settlement on the same day as the auction date.
floating rate bonds of 3-year tenor with a quarterly coupon payment. The SBP will also conduct two auctions of GOP Ijara Sukuk, one on December 29 with a target of Rs60 billion for VRR Sukuk of 3-year tenor, and another on January 31 with a target of Rs50 billion for FRR Sukuk of 5-year tenor. The borrowing plan shows that the government is relying more on long-term instruments, as the target amount for PIBs is higher than that for MTBs. The government will also issue two new types of PIBs, with a floating rate and a quarterly coupon payment, for 2-year and 3-year tenors.
PM instructs to guarantee availability of urea fertilizer at govt-regulated prices PROFIT
Tuesday, 12 December, 2023 | ISLAMABAD
tatives from federal and provincial levels attended the meeting, stressing that optimal investment facilitation can only be achieved through a unified authority. Furthermore, participants highlighted that legal and constitutional provisions already exist to facilitate cooperation and coordination between the federal government and federating units. The group was encouraged to explore potential investment opportunities in Pakistan, with representatives expressing appreciation for the initiatives undertaken and conveying optimism for a favorable investment environment in the country.
Pakistan again in state of war due to lack of continuity of policies: Bugti ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
Caretaker Federal Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti reiterating the government’s resolve to rid the country of the scourge of terrorism has said that Pakistan had won the battle against the menace but due to lack of continuity of policies, it was again in the state of war. Addressing the swearing-in ceremony of the 39th batch of police constables at the Police Lines Islamabad on Monday, he said that it was not a war of the Pakistan Army and the civil armed forces but that of the State. The ceremony was attended by Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Inspector General of Police Islamabad, diplomats, and former police officers. Sarfraz Bugti said that at present the government was facing two types of challenges – terrorism on the basis of religion and terrorism on the basis of nationalism although the two things had nothing to do with the menace. He said “proxies” were out to weaken the country, but to defeat them Pakistan’s armed forces and civil armed forces had set a new example by standing on the frontline with great spirit of sacrifice. The minister said that Pakistan being the citadel of Islam was the prime target of enemies. “Islam unites the whole nation, but the war was imposed on us to damage this unity. However, our all security forces fought the menace bravely.” He said that the memory of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism would always remain alive in the hearts of every Pakistani. Sarfraz Bugti made it clear that only the State had the authority to use force, and those treading the path of violence would be taken to task. He said that a CTD inspector was martyred in a terrorist incident in Balochistan yesterday and another one embraced martyrdom a few days ago, but unfortunately cases were also being instituted against the Counter-Terrorism Department. The minister regretted that some people sitting in the assemblies and media-persons were becoming the voice of anti-national elements under an organized conspiracy, who were being monitored closely. “No force can stop us from succeeding in the war against terrorism,” he said, adding that when the institutions became apolitical, they became stronger. Addressing the newly recruited policemen, Sarfraz Bugti said, “If you live within their means, then you will not be attracted to corruption.” Corruption in the society had also become a big challenge like other problems, he added.
Mari Petroleum drills third successful horizontal well in Mari gas field g
WELL WAS TESTED AT A RATE OF AROUND 17 MMSCFD OF GAS AND WILL BE PUT ON REGULAR PRODUCTION IMMEDIATELY AFTER RELEASING THE DRILLING RIG PROFIT
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Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MARI), the operator of Mari Gas Field, announced on Monday that it has successfully drilled and tested a third horizontal development well in the Habib Rahi Lime-
stone (HRL) Reservoir of the field in Daharki, Sindh Province. The well, named Mari-124H, is part of the Mari Field Revitalization Project, which aims to better manage the delivery pressure, sustain the gas production, and optimize the reserves recovery from the field, which has been facing depletion in production.
According to the company’s filing on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), the well was drilled to a total measured depth of 1,740 meters with a horizontal section length of around 750 meters. After completion, the well was tested at a rate of around 17 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas at a flowing well-
head pressure of 470 pounds per square inch gauge (psig). The well will be put on regular production immediately after releasing the drilling rig. The company also said that it is evaluating opportunities to drill additional horizontal wells in due course. MARI holds a 100% working interest in the Mari Gas Field, which is one of the largest gas fields in Pakistan. The field supplies gas to various sectors, including power, fertilizer, industry, and domestic consumers.
Dismal November: Passenger car sales plunge by over 68% YoY in Pakistan g
PAKISTAN'S AUTO SECTOR STRUGGLES WITH INFLATION, CURRENCY WOES, AND SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS PROFIT
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In November 2023, there was a substantial 68.41% year-on-year drop in passenger car sales, with only 4,875 units sold compared to 15,432 units in the same month last year, according to the latest data from the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA). On a month-on-month basis, car sales increased marginally by 0.52%, reaching 4,875 units compared to 4,850 units in October 2023. The total production of passenger cars in November 2023 increased by 10.42%
month-on-month to 4,271 units, compared to 3,868 units in October 2023. However, on a year-on-year basis, production decreased by 72.46% compared to the 15,506 units produced in November 2022. In the first five months of fiscal year 2024, car sales plummeted by 53.30% yearon-year, totaling 25,746 units, reflecting the challenges faced by the auto industry in Pakistan. The industry is grappling with issues such as high inflation, currency depreciation, low demand, political uncertainty, and recent disruptions in the supply chain. Despite some easing of import restrictions by the State Bank of Pakistan, the auto sector continues to face challenges, with cer-
tain essential parts still subject to restrictions. The shortage of dollars has significantly impacted the import of car parts and raw materials, leading to temporary shutdowns of plants like Honda and Suzuki. The data from PAMA also revealed that the ‘Below 1000cc’ category accounted for the maximum sales, with 2,113 units sold. Suzuki Alto led in this category with 1,944 units sold, followed by Suzuki Bolan with 169 units. The ‘1300cc and Above’ category saw the second-highest sales at 2,033 units, with Honda Cars (Civic & City) leading at 912 units, followed by Toyota (Corolla & Yaris) with 693 units. Truck sales in November 2023 stood at 128 units, marking an 18.47% month-onmonth decrease and a 56.76% year-on-year decrease. Motorbike and three-wheeler sales also declined by 20.36% year-on-year, totaling 88,493 units. The cumulative production
and sales of motor vehicles in the first five months of fiscal year 2024 were 459,459 and 459,703, respectively, reflecting a 12.31% and 11.98% year-on-year decrease.
Honda dominated the production and sales of two/three-wheelers, with 398,303 units sold and 398,058 units produced in the first five months of fiscal year 2024.
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Tuesday, 12 December, 2023 | ISLAMABAD
PAKISTAN WATER WEEK 2023 CONCLUDES WITH CALL TO COLLABORATE ON SHARED ASSET
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ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
RESIDENT Dr Arif Alvi says that Pakistan needs to employ more innovative and less waterintensive practices, such as drip and spray irrigation in agriculture to avert the looming water shortage crisis. He said this at an international conference, Pakistan Water Week 2023, which focused on ‘Transformative Pathways for Water and Food Systems in a Climate Resilience in Pakistan’. The event was organised by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in partnership with the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) through the Ministry of Water
ECP refutes claims on issuance of schedule for general elections
Resources (MoWR) and support from UNICEF, GIZ Pakistan. Experts in water management, agriculturalists, government officials, and business leaders from different parts of the world discussed practical strategies to tackle water scarcity and enhance the skills of the general public. “The agriculture sector consumes around 95% of the country’s water, requiring immediate planning and reforms to improve efficiency,” Mr Alvi said. He pointed out that Pakistan’s water crisis is a pressing issue, worsened by population growth, urbanization, industrialization, depletion of resources, environmental problems, climate change, and irrational human behavior. “It’s a great week where we had to engage with a lot of people from Pakistan and
ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday refuted the news item claiming that the electoral watchdog had issued the schedule for the forthcoming general elections. A spokesperson for the ECP dismissed a news report published in the local newspaper, labelling it as baseless and lacking any factual basis. The spokesperson clarified that the schedule circulating on social media platforms is fraudulent. The ECP representative highlighted the consistent emergence of false information regarding the elections in both print and electronic media. Emphasising the need to rely solely on statements from the official spokesperson of the ECP, the spokesperson urged the public to dismiss any information claiming to originate from the commission but not endorsed by its official representative. On Thursday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja had said that the commission will announce the election schedule in the coming few days. In his message on National Voters Day, Raja noted that the printing and delivery of the final electoral rolls had concluded. He added that the ECP would notify the district returning officers, returning officers, and assistant officers in the coming days.
Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi get bail from ATC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Last month, an Anti-terrorism court indicted the charges against PTI leaders Yasmeen Rashid and Ijaz Chaudhry in the May 09 police van arson case. The court also indicted another PTI leader Rubeena Jameel in the case. ATC admin judge Abhar Gul Khan heard the case that was registered at Sarwar Road police station of Lahore. All three accused were produced in the court for indictment. They pleaded not guilty and decided to contest charges against them.
SC to review matter of lifetime disqualification CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
In January 2022, legal eagles had raised objections that out of five, four judges, namely Saqib Nisar, Azmat Saeed Sheikh, Umar Ata Bandial and Ijaz ul Ahsan belonged from Punjab and also questioned the very nature of the bench that passed the landmark ruling. Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, who belongs to Sindh, was also part of that larger bench. Interestingly, most of these judges were part of benches that issued rulings in high-profile cases. In October 2018, the SC in PML-N leader Khawaja Asif’s case finally laid down an objective criterion to test the honesty of a lawmaker by declaring that Article 62(1)(f) could not be applied to every omission or nondisclosure of assets’. Later, declaring that such disqualifications must be based on oral or documentary evidence and not presumptions, the court set aside the lifetime disqualification of PTI Balochistan chief Yar Muhammad Rind in a fake degree case. In May, the apex court had reiterated that it was now a well-established principle that all non-disclosures or misdeclaration would not be sufficient enough to permanently disqualify a member of parliament or a candidate under Article 62(1)(f). Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, in an 11-page judgment, had stated: “The purpose and intention need to be seen behind the nondisclosure or misdeclaration. The returned candidate would be disqualified only if he/she has dishonestly acquired assets and is hiding them to derive certain benefits”. The verdict was issued on a petition filed by politician, Shamona Badshah Qaisarani, who had been disqualified for a lifetime over non-disclosure of her agricultural property inherited from her parents in the nomination papers. The court had said that it was the credibility of the explanation that would be the determining factor as to whether non-disclosure of an asset carries with it the element of dishonesty or not. In view of the previous judgment, several lawyers had contended that Tareen could not be disqualified for life. SC Judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa had also posed seven questions to determine the eligibility criteria for lawmakers.
outside who’ve seen a lot of external speakers coming in and sharing their practice practices,” Mark Smith, Director General, IWMI, told media sidelines of the event. “It was vital to have this dialogue, especially in a water-scarist country. Our overarching goal is to contribute meaningfully to constructing a future characterized by resilience and sustainability, particularly in the realms of water, food, and ecosystems.” Director Water, Food and Ecosystems, IWMI, Dr MohsinHafeez, said the conference will provide valuable insights to government and policymakers to build Pakistan’s resilience. Meanwhile, the Director General PCRWR, Dr. Hifza Rasheed, said Water Week is a pivotal platform, fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
“As we reflect on its significance, it becomes evident that this annual event not only provides opportunities for meaningful dialogue but also lays the foundation for sustainable water management practices.” The five-day event, held for the third time in Islamabad, welcomed more than 10,000 participants in person and online from 15 countries and included the winners of the water board game, essay writing, poster, and debate competitions. Throughout the week, participants engaged in sessions and side events, including Technologies and Innovations: Responding to the Challenges of Water and Food Security,” focused on cuttingedge technologies and innovations offering solutions to the complex challenges in Pakistan.
Pakistani EAC members strive to expand exports to China ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
The recently established two Export Advisory Councils (EACs) are anticipated to boost Pakistan’s exports, particularly to China, its largest trade partner.” This was started by Khalil Sattar, former Chairman of the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) and CEO of K&N’s Foods (Pvt) Ltd, the representative of the poultry industry in the EAC, in an interview with Gwadar Pro. The EACs consist of major representatives from various industrial sectors to advise the Ministry of Commerce on pertinent issues. The Ministry has included representatives from almost all sectors of the economy, including textiles, agriculture, marble, cement, etc. Mr. Sattar termed this as a crucial initiative by the Ministry of Commerce, as the private sector engaged in business is aware of the issues hindering the realization of export potential and is apprising the government about these hurdles. Recent data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) indicates that the country’s trade deficit has increased by a significant 33.59%, with a notable 17.3% decrease in imports as
the country strives to improve economic indicators amid a depreciating local currency and depleting foreign exchange reserves. Pakistan’s exports to China also increased by 41% from July 2022 to Oct 2023, totaling USD 1.23 billion, compared to USD 876.8 million in the same period last year. However, under the agreement with the IMF, the Pakistani government is required to increase revenue collection. To meet the targets, the government has had to impose import duties and sales taxes on various raw materials imported for the production of exportable items. There has also been a lack of foreign currency, affecting imports of raw materials otherwise used in the production of exportable goods. Current challenges for Pakistan in expanding exports also include export competitiveness, production costs of potential export projects, meeting sanitary and phytosanitary control requirements of importing countries for livestock and horticultural products, and insufficient value addition for abundant horticultural products. To overcome the above challenges and expand exports to China, Mr. Sattar mentioned that the Council has been recently formed, and initial efforts are underway to export cooked bovine meat to
China, with two bovine meat export companies already starting production of cooked meat. The Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) issue is also being addressed by making FMD-free zones through compartmentalization and free vaccination against FMD by provincial governments. China has become the most important export market for Pakistani seafood. At present, many Pakistani companies are seeking to deepen cooperation with China and increase their exports of aquatic products. Mr. Khalil Sattar noted that in the field of the export of fisheries and fishery products, the Ministry of Commerce has advised the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to improve and modernize the fish harbor, for which the Minister of Commerce has assured them of providing funds from the Export Development Funds. To further expand the country’s exports, the CEO recommended that the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Finance work out sales tax and duty drawbacks for all exportable items. “There is also a need to encourage incentives for establishing horticulture value addition plants in FATA and Gilgit Baltistan, which produce tremendous volumes of dry fruits, apricots, plums, peaches, cherries, apples, etc.,” he added.
Justice Ahsan objects to benches hearing military trial, Justice Naqvi appeals CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
He said that it was his right and duty to ensure that the minutes reflect accurately what was discussed in the meeting, what were the points of view of the members of the committee and if there was any unanimity or a difference of opinion. “The minutes of the 5th Meeting prepared and uploaded by you most certainly fail to do so,” he added in his letter to the secretary. The senior jurist said that he has the greatest respect for each and every honourable judge of the court, but as a matter of principle and in the interest of transparency and to maintain the dignity and honour of the court, the rule of seniority was agreed to be followed to hear these matters. “I have therefore written this note to set the record straight. In view of the
fact that you have upload the minutes of the meeting without even showing them to me, let alone getting my signatures, I expect that this note will also be uploaded on the website of the Supreme Court of Pakistan immediately,” he concluded. On Oct 23, a five-judge bench comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mazahir Naqvi, and Justice Ayesha Malik ordered that 103 accused in cases relating to the violence on May 9 and 10 should be tried under ordinary criminal laws. Their verdict came on the petitions filed by former chief justice Jawwad S Khawaja, senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan and others, questioning the legitimacy of trying civilians in military courts. The intra-court appeals against that verdict had been filed by the caretaker federal government and the interim set-
ups in the provinces of Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The caretaker Sindh government refuted reports that it had challenged the judgement. The defence ministry also filed an appeal before the SC against its verdict, requesting the top court to suspend the judgement’s operation during the pendency of its plea. Meanwhile, in his objection against the bench to hear Justice Naqvi’s petition, Justice Ahsan requested a fresh court roster to be issued as he deemed it in violation of Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023. He urged the court to recall the original court roster and issue what was agreed by the committee during its meeting on October 26, 2023 which was required to be continued till December 16, 2023.
Fawad’s physical remand plea rejected by ATC RAWALPINDI
Staff RepoRt
Plea seeking physical remand of former minister Fawad Chaudhry in graft case was rejected by the Anti-Corruption Court (ATC) on Monday. After completion of one-day physical remand under the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), the former minister was produced before the court
seeking further physical remand of the accused. However, after hearing the argument from both sides, the senior judge Ghulam Akbar rejected the further physical remand and sent Fawad Chaudhry to jail on judicial remand. It is worth mentioning here that the politician Fawad Chaudhry left PTI over the May 9 violence and was arrested from his home in Islamabad, con-
firmed by his wife Hiba Chaudhry. The other day, a local court in Islamabad granted the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) a one-day physical remand of former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry in a graft case. The former federal minister was presented before the judicial magistrate where the judge reserved its verdict and sent Fawad on a one-day physical remand under anti-corruption authorities.
Nawaz Sharif to visit Karachi on Dec 18 to lead election campaign in Sindh LAHORE
Staff RepoRt
Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif will reach Karachi on December 18 as the party has decided to accelerate election campaign in Sindh. According to sources, Nawaz Sharif will hold meetings with leaders of Muttahida Qaumi MovementPakistan (MQM-P) during the visit. He will also meet PML-N leaders from Sindh. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president, Shehbaz Sharif, chief organizer Maryam Nawaz and Khawaja Saad Rafique will also accompany Nawaz Sharif during the visit.
PPP seeks live telecast of hearing against Zulfikar Bhutto’s death sentence ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has moved the Supreme Court (SC) for live telecast of a hearing on a presidential reference against former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s death sentence. A nine-member larger bench of the Supreme Court will take up a long-pending presidential reference seeking to revisit the ‘controversial’ death sentence awarded to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on December 12 (tomorrow). The plea was moved by the PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, stating the narrative of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is still alive despite awarding him a death sentence in 1979. The PPP chairman has requested the apex court for a live telecast of the hearing. On April 2, 2011, then-president Asif Ali Zardari approached the apex court through a presidential reference to seek its opinion on revisiting the trial of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) founder. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was handed a death sentence during former military ruler General (retired) Ziaul Haq’s regime. The first elected prime minister of the country was charged with the murder of a political rival Nawab Mohammed Ahmed Qasuri and a trial took place. Amid petitions and appeals of clemency, and mercy from several Heads of States, Bhutto was hanged on April 4, 1979.
President Alvi condemns Indian SC verdict about special status of IIOJ&K ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday strongly condemned the Indian Supreme Court’s (ISC) decision to uphold the revocation of the special status of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). Expressed dismay over the decision, the president said that the Indian judiciary had succumbed to the fascist Hindutva ideology giving decisions suited to the Indian government. Dr Alvi that such decisions could not legitimize the occupation of IIOJ&K by India as the Jammu and Kashmir issue was an internationally recognized dispute that remained on the agenda of the UN Security Council for over seven decades. While condemning the decision, the president said that it was unfortunate that Indian courts had a history of giving decisions against Muslims as in the cases of Babri Masjid, Samjhuta Express, Hyderabad Mecca Masjid blast and Naroda Gam massacre during the 2002 Gujrat riots etc. He added that the verdict of the ISC could not change the status of the IIOJ&K. He said the Judgment would further strengthen the resolve of the people of IIOJ&K in their just struggle against Indian illegal occupation. He urged the international community to make India fulfill the pledges made by her to the Kashmiri people in the past. President Alvi reiterated that the entire Pakistani nation was committed to continue its moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiri brethren till the achievement of their right to selfdetermination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
Indian SC upholds Modi’s suspension of special status to Kashmir CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
The unanimous order by a panel of five judges came in response to more than a dozen petitions challenging the revocation and a subsequent decision to split the region into two federally administered territories while, the central government, on the other hand, had defended its action, asserting there was no “constitutional fraud” in nullifying the provision. Criticism had poured in, claiming that media freedoms and public protests have been significantly curtailed since the decision regarding the legality of the move, with the authorities consolidating control. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had defended the move, asserting that it had brought “peace, progress, and prosperity” to the region. The decision to uphold the suspension of special status taken today sets the stage for elections in the region, which was more closely integrated with India after the government’s contentious move, taken in line
with a key longstanding promise of Modi’s nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The judgement is a shot in the arm for the government ahead of general elections due in May. The challengers had maintained that only the constituent assembly of IIOJK could decide on the special status of the scenic mountain region, and contested whether parliament had the power to revoke it. The court said special status was a temporary constitutional provision that could be revoked by parliament. It also ordered that the federal territory should return to being a state at the earliest opportunity. It should be noted that India’s only Muslim-majority region, IIOJK has been at the heart of more than 75 years of animosity with neighbouring Pakistan since the birth of the two nations in 1947 at independence from colonial rule by Britain. The territory is divided among India, which rules the populous Kashmir Valley and the Hindu-dominated region of Jammu, Pakistan, which controls a wedge
of territory in the west, and China, which holds a thinly populated high-altitude area in the north. Series of actions in IIOJK: In 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah had told parliament that the president had signed a decree abolishing Article 370 of the constitution giving special autonomy to the Muslimmajority Himalayan region. Indian media had said that Occupied Kashmir and Ladakh would now be Union Territory with a legislature. After the abrogation, Modi had held a security cabinet meeting, hours after his government ordered a lockdown in occupied Kashmir, cutting phone and internet links and putting local politicians under house arrest. New Delhi had claimed the sweeping clampdown, enforced by tens of thousands of military reinforcements, was needed because of the “prevailing law and order situation”. All phones, internet services and cable networks were snapped at midnight in the region of more than seven million people
following days of soaring tensions. Only residents with a “curfew pass” were allowed on the streets and had ordered thousands of tourists out of occupied Kashmir saying there was a threat of militant attacks. At the same time in IIOJK, nearly 80,000 paramilitary forces had been flown into Kashmir. UNITED NATIONS (UN) EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER INDIA’S MOVE: The UN-recognised disputed territory, IIOJK was met with concern in 2019 from the United NationsSecretary-General who had ‘all along’ maintained that Pakistan and India should resolve all outstanding disputes between the two countries through dialogue including Kashmir. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had also urged the two neighbours to exercise restraint. Shortly before the abrogation, the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) had also observed and reported an increase in military activities along the Line of Control (LoC).
04 COMMENT
Four shades of foolishness
Sour grapes
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Criticism of anyone for being ‘selected’ does not sound good from anyone
Not listed in dictionaries
PP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zaedari’s saying that PML(N) Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif was trying to be ‘selected’ as PM for the fourth time does not really become someone whose party joined the PML(N) in ousting Imran Khan as PM, and who personally served as Foreign Minister in Mian Nawaz’s younger brother Shehbaz’s Cabinet. Mr Bhutto Zardari only made it clear that his own party is as ready as any to do the bidding of those that the PTI was accused of doing. The PPP claims to be a secular and democratic party. It might have secular credentials still, but ever since it joined the no-confidence motion against Mr Khan, its claim to being democratic have become doubtful. It seems that Mr Bhutto Zardari’s fulminations against his former ally are more a case of sour grapes rather than of an outraged principled position, because there are signs that the PPP feels it has not been rewarded in the way it should have been, with a share in Punjab and in the Centre, neither of which seem to be materializing. The PPP has now got a relatively longer history of playing power politics, going back to the 1990s, than of resistance. However, the PPP alone cannot be accused alone of having compromised. All other parties, except those too small to be worthy of attention from the powers that be, are equally or perhaps even more cooperative with the establishment in the hope of being thrown a scrap or two from the table. Mr Bhutto Zardari’s ire does not seem to be fueled solely by the fear of being excluded. It should not be forgotten that the PPP has been out of power in the Centre for a decade, and thus this election is crucial for it is also the first time that Mr Bhutto Zardari is playing such a hands-on role in the election campaign. The rhetoric should perhaps thus be seen as a search for a narrative rather than anything else. However, no party can claim to be democratic. Otherwise, after the question of attitude towards the establishment, they would all practise intra-party democracy. All parties have tightly controlled party elections, with ‘officially’ nominated panels being elected unopposed. It is likely enough that the heads of parties would be elected unopposed, but would this happen for every office unless the elections were controlled? If party leaders are unwilling to allow the votes of the people determine the least of their party’s posts, how can they be expected to accept the results of a general election?
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HASAN AFTAB SAEED
HERE is universal agreement on a fool being a stupid person who acts unwisely or imprudently. Harper-Collins describes a fool as somebody who is not at all sensible and shows a lack of good judgment. The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the noun as somebody who behaves or speaks in a way that lacks intelligence or good judgment. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a fool is a person who behaves in a silly way without thinking. The Britannica Dictionary describes a fool as somebody who lacks good sense or judgment. Merriam-Webster defines a fool as a person lacking in common powers of understanding or reason. All these definitions are, no doubt, correct. But composed of such generic terms, they are too general and abstract to capture some important and extremely common faces of foolishness on display everywhere, leaving much to be desired when it comes to covering concrete manifestations of foolish behavior on the part of a large number of individuals answering to the description of Homo sapiens (literal meaning: wise human or rational man). The variety of fool one comes across probably more often than any other is what can be described as the ‘Einstein fool’, although Einstein used the word ‘insane’ to describe this kind of a specimen. An Einstein fool is a person who does the same thing over and over, expecting different results each time.
Especially after a couple of weeks have elapsed since the last spectacular failure, the temptation to repeat the act becomes almost impossible to resist on the part of the Einstein fool. I prefer to call it foolishness instead of insanity because I believe that in nine cases out of ten, it is a man’s fault when he acts in this manner, and he is therefore to blame for it. (To the contrary, insanity carries the flavor of a medical condition – something that a man cannot help.) The wise man, on the other hand, knows that although he is not aware of the precise laws of the universe that govern the results of that particular act of his, they probably haven’t changed from the last time he tried the same act two weeks ago, and that, therefore, without any of the inputs having changed in the meantime, what failed the last time will likely fail this time as well. The second type of fool one meets on a daily basis is somebody who is apt to opine strongly on subjects about which he has no clue whatsoever. Anything he cannot wrap his head around, he is apt to ridicule or dismiss as nonsense, and to present in its stead something he heard somewhere – he does not remember where, and from whom. The thesis he favors makes sense to him, and anything that makes sense to him must be true – or so he likes to believe. A wiser man, on the other hand, would be wary of dismissing things before understanding them. He would not look at stars in the night sky and, just because he is unaware of the rudiments of astronomy, conclude that it is all a meaningless jumble. He would not ridicule relativity just because he does not know the ABC of physics. He would not remark “What do nutritionists know?” when he cannot tell fiber apart from carbs to save his life. He may suspend judgment, but never will he dismiss something out of hand, much less ridicule something he has not yet grasped. He knows better than concluding that something is nonsense or ridiculous just because he does not understand it, it is too difficult for him, or it requires time and effort in amounts that he is not prepared to devote. Instead, he will defer to expert opinion in matters he is not qualified to evaluate and judge for himself. And if needed, he will try and understand it, with the help of subject experts, in outline if not in all its details and nuances. The third type of the ubiquitous fool is the grumpy, complaining individual with a perpetual chip on his shoulder. This man makes it a point to
The variety of fool one comes across probably more often than any other is what can be described as the ÂEinstein foolÊ, although Einstein used the word ÂinsaneÊ to describe this kind of a specimen. An Einstein fool is a person who does the same thing over and over, expecting different results each time.
Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami
Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
Yousaf Nizami Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi
Hamas: Why, exactly, was it formed? Joint Editor
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Executive Editor
Tracking the origins of the outfit that won the 2006 elections in Gaza HASEEB-BiN-HArooN
N the morning of October 7, 2023, the Palestinian freedom fighter group Hamas launched a massive attack on Israel, an unprecedented event in recent history. According to the IDF, Hamas fired more than 2200 rockets at Israel, and their fighters engaged Israeli forces by crossing borders. The unique aspect of this attack was the use of paraglides by Hamas fighters to enter the occupied terror zone, resulting in the death of 250 Israelis and the capture of dozens. The longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestine has roots dating back to 1948, but the focus now turns to the formation of Hamas, its agenda, and the history of its confrontations with Israel.
THE BIRTH OF HAMAS: In 1987, Hamas came into existence in Gaza during the “Intifada” against Israel’s occupation. Imam Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his assistant Abdul Aziz led the movement in response to dissatisfaction with the political struggle waged by “The Palestine Liberation Organization” (PLO) against Israel. At this time, the PLO’s effectiveness was in question, leading to a call for participation in the Intifada. The Egyptian organization “Akhawan al Muslamoon” also joined the struggle, forming a military wing named “Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigade.” Under Sheikh Yaseen’s leadership, Akhawan al Muslamoon officially launched the movement named “Hamas” in January, emphasizing resistance against the Israeli occupation. The Charter of Hamas: On August 19, 1987, Hamas presented a charter vehemently opposing Israelis and Jews, asserting that Palestine is an
Islamic land reserved for Muslims. According to the charter, the only solution to the Al-Aqsa issue is Jihad, rejecting peace initiatives as a waste of time. Hamas’s popularity increased when, in the 1990s, the PLO sought peace solutions. Hamas further solidified its anti-peace stance, criticizing the Oslo Accord in April 1953 and rejecting the idea of two states. In 1994, a year after the Oslo Accord, Hamas conducted its first suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, resulting in 22 casualties. In 1997, the US declared Hamas a foreign terrorist organization, with many European allies following suit.
THE EVOLUTION OF HAMAS: The late 1990s and early 2000s witnessed multiple Hamas attacks against Israelis. The Second Intifada in 2000, led by Hamas, saw intense clashes, with Israel employing all its power to suppress the protests. The death of Sheikh Yassin in 2004 escalated tensions. In 2005, Israel, under PM Ariel Sharon, evacuated Gaza in response to the increased popularity of Hamas’s armed struggle. In the 2006 elections, Hamas secured a majority in Palestine-controlled areas, prompting a shift in its strategy toward moderation. However, international opposition and designations as a terrorist organization persisted.
THE HAMAS-ISRAEL CONFLICT HISTORY: The conflict escalated in 2008, resulting in a 22-day war with numerous casualties. In 2012, Israel targeted Hamas military leader Ahmad Jabbari, sparking another war in 2014. The May 2021 conflict near AlAqsa mosque arose from escalating tensions during Ramadan, leading to exchanges of fire between both sides. These historical clashes underscore the deep-rooted animosity between Israel and Hamas. ALLIES
AND
SUPPORTERS
OF
In conclusion, the evolution of Hamas reflects a complex narrative of resistance, political maneuvering, and regional alliances. The groupÊs history is marked by strategic shifts, internal conflicts, and external support, shaping its role in the ongoing struggle for Palestinian rights. HAMAS: In the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape, Hamas aligns with Iran, Syria, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, forming a regional alliance against US policies in the Middle East and Israel. Iran, a major supporter, provides funds, weapons, and training, although differences emerged during the Syrian Civil War. Turkey, under President Tayyip Erdogan since 2002, also supports Hamas politically, although Western media alleges weapons support. In conclusion, the evolution of Hamas reflects a complex narrative of resistance, political maneuvering, and regional alliances. The group’s history is marked by strategic shifts, internal conflicts, and external support, shaping its role in the ongoing struggle for Palestinian rights. The recent attack on Israel adds another chapter to the longstanding conflict, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive resolution to bring lasting peace to the region. The writer is a freelance columnist
The fourth common variety of fool one encounters is the individual who looks down on those who are able to enjoy quiet and simple pleasures of life, declaring those pleasures too low for his intellect. Selfproclaimed intellectuals have traditionally been notorious for being proud of their insomnia. carry grudges against all and sundry. He fails to see that by this attitude he harms nobody as much as he harms himself. If he were any wiser, he would let go of the real as well as imaginary injuries and slights of the past. He feels that moving on would be tantamount to fleeing the battlefield, so to speak, and therefore a sign of cowardice. He fails to realize that the tendency of carrying grudges culminates in making a man view the whole of the human race as a nuisance; which is the worst thing that he could ever do to himself. That he must travel light if he has to go far; and that competing in madness stakes, quite far from being brave, is stupid. That the best thing he could ever do to himself is to bring himself to become fond of others – something that is impossible in this imperfect world without being able to forgive and forget; and without being thankful for his own real gifts instead of being envious of others for their supposed blessings. The fourth common variety of fool one encounters is the individual who looks down on those who are able to enjoy quiet and simple pleasures of life, declaring those pleasures too low for his intellect. Self-proclaimed intellectuals have traditionally been notorious for being proud of their insomnia. Many of them like to think that those who can enjoy a sound sleep must be simpletons. This type of man thinks the same about simple pleasures like morning walks, breakfast, sunsets, tea, trees, and the changing patterns of day and night. He fails to realize that those who are able to genuinely enjoy simple things of life (which he himself cannot) are that much more likely to be happy. And that therefore there is nothing smart about looking down disdainfully on such pleasures – in fact, quite the opposite.
The author is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed
Editor’s mail
Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
Traffic woes
THE city of Sukkur is in the grip of severe traffic jams, making it impossible for commuters to reach hospitals, schools and offices in time. Being a large city where thousands of people move around for a variety of reasons, patients are the ones who really suffer due to traffic jams as their way to reach hospitals remains affected. The local authorities need to wake up to the situation, and initiate a thorough campaign to streamline the traffic flow. SAIFULLAH SOOMRO SUKKUR
Noise pollution
THE unnecessary and irresponsible use of loudspeakers by political parties has become a nuisance for people in most residential areas. In Karachi’s Federal B Area, for instance, political parties casually install tents on main roads and use high-volume speakers to play campaign songs. They do not care about the health and rest needs of the people living in the area. Will the relevant authorities intervene in the matter? YUSRA KHAN KARACHI
National security
EVER since the government decided to regulate the status of foreigners living in Pakistan, a certain lobby has been campaigning against the implementation of the decision. Pakistan did, indeed, accommodate the Afghans for four long decades despite the fact that our own social fabric suffered in many a way. Pakistan is already bustling with a huge population. There is no more room and resources for foreigners. M I SHAIKH ISLAMABAD
A level playing field
FOR holding free and fair elections, a level playing field is a prerequisite. It means that all individuals and political parties should be allowed to contest elections without any discrimination. The administration should provide equal facilities to them for holding political meetings and carrying out election campaigns. The establishment should not favour or oppose anyone, and stay away from the whole process. The interim government should issue clear-cut instructions to all government departments in this regard, and the ECP should take notice of any violation. KHAYYAM DURRANI KARACHI
A risky affair
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Tuesday, 12 December 2023
THE risky and illegal practice of one-wheeling has been on the rise in most urban areas for some time, but it is a rather new phenomenon in Islamabad. One-wheeling poses a threat to the rider’s safety as well as to the safety of pedestrians and other commuters. It is a violation of traffic laws and may lead to serious accidents and negative perceptions of young people in the community. It also puts a strain on the already overburdened emergency healthcare services in hospitals, as they are often called upon to treat injuries resulting from these accidents. The government should address this problem. This can include increasing enforcement of traffic laws and educating the public about the hazards of one-wheeling. Besides, parents should also take responsibility in this regard, and should educate and guide the younger ones to make safe and legal choices. IFRAH AMEER ISLAMABAD
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COMMENT 05
Balancing student activism and university harmony Tuesday, 12 December 2023
We have to empower student voices while upholding the law
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Dr SAIrA KAzmI
TUDENTS’ Unions are always considered a vital support for regional students in a university. It is appreciated in a university environment where it plays a positive and developmental role for its students in a peaceful manner. Recently, two main events have been observed closely in a renowned public university in Islamabad, where the Punjab Students’ Union had an intention of celebrating Punjab Cultural event. For that, for two weeks, students started to block the route of university transport, which is the main facility for the majority of students even for faculty and staff members. Intentionally, they closed the gates of the transport area and warned drivers not to open the gates per their schedule. They forcefully blocked the way of each bus for more than half an hour and used to dance to loud music. They even stood in front of buses’ windscreens and roofs to attract attention. The whole situation was so tense for those who had an emergency to reach in time back to their place and avoid the sunset. Especially, worrisome for females, who are the majority users of official university transport. At a side, security was standing but they couldn’t move them as students were on the point of holding permission. It was astonished to see, how they were arguing with faculty as well by considering their action right. Here, comes the respect towards teachers, whether they teach them or not. A few of them even spoke in a loud voice and refused teacher aggressively by joking and moulding her instructions of opening the gates. On the other hand, no doubt, a few Union council members forcefully pushed those students from the way, which showed their respect towards a female faculty member, who was not even teaching them. It is an appreciated act
and shows the grooming of a student. The point of discussion here is what type of permission was given to block the routes. Is it right to irritate and give mental stress to others forcefully? I don’t think so. This practice is not new, all students’ Unions have been practicing and following the same practice for a long. Why they are authorized to hold such a long demonstration at such a prominent place? It is suggested the authorities to designate a suitable place for gathering students instead of harassing and violating the discipline of the University. The security needs to be authorized to act accordingly on the violation of terms and conditions. On the other hand, it has always been great to see our students in a happy mood and participating in activities, but in a disciplinary way. University is a place to groom students and after passing out, they are the people who will be recognized on their educational affiliation. When there will be strict checks and balances, no doubt, there will be a change. For a change, there is a need to implement it with policies and strict orders. By looking at the regular practice of these sorts of activities by students under their Union Councils, another incident was observed. A young orphan conductor from a poor family was brutally injured by students with iron rods that caused fractured ribs, legs, arms, and hands. He was left with bruised fractured body in the transportation area in the late evening. It was heard, that the bus driver didn’t stop for a student on the way to the University. That ignited the aggression in the student and he followed him to the transportation area, where he called 30-40 students to beat him up. This incident is alarming and forces us to think about the mental status of the students who almost beat him to death. By the grace of Allah, the conductor is alive but, in a miserable medical condition. Observing these two recent weeks’ incidents, forces us to think, about what sort of power the students want
to avail. Are they fully authorized to do vandalism, and do any sort of activities under the umbrellas of their Union Councils? No, I do not agree with this. These students need to be counseled. A few suggested steps would surely be helpful in grooming and paving the right way for students. First, defined rules, and conditions in written form; strict checks and balances on implementation of rules; Students’ Union Councils are suggested to take a counseling session for handling students’ affairs peacefully; powers to security guards, and one to one interaction session with University Students’ Affairs Committee.
Recently, two main events have been observed closely in a renowned public university in Islamabad, where the Punjab StudentsÊ Union had an intention of celebrating Punjab Cultural event. For that, for two weeks, students started to block the route of university transport, which is the main facility for the majority of students even for faculty and staff members.
Why is Israel failing?
Multinational corporations, security companies and military industries, of course, would not join a new coalition that opposes the project of emptying the land. However, they could be challenged
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PALESTINE CHRONICLE ILAn PAPPe
T all began with Homa and Migdal – literally, a wall and a watchtower. It is quite possible that the early thinkers and leaders of the Zionist movement, back in late 19th century Europe, imagined, or at least hoped, that Palestine was an empty land and if there were people there, they were rootless nomadic tribes that, in essence, did not inhabit the land. If this had been the case, quite possibly the Jewish refugees making their way to that empty land would have built a prosperous society and, maybe, would have found a way to prevent polarizing themselves from the Arab World. What we do know, as a matter of fact, is that quite a few of the early architects of Zionism were perfectly aware of the fact that Palestine was not an empty land. These architects of Zionism were too racist and orientalist, like the rest of Europe, to realize how progressive Palestinian society was in relation to that period, with an educated and politicized urban elite and a rural community living at peace within a genuine system of co-existence and solidarity. Palestinian society was on the threshold of modernity – like so many other societies in the region; a blend of traditional heritage and new ideas. This would have been the basis for a national identity and a vision of freedom and independence on that very land they had inhabited for centuries. Zionists certainly knew in advance that Palestine was the land of the Palestinians, but they perceived the native population as a demographic obstacle, which had to be removed in order for the Zionist project of building a Jewish state in Palestine to succeed. This is how the Zionist phrase “The Palestine Question” or “The Palestine Problem” entered the political lexicon of world politics. In the eyes of the Zionist leadership, this “problem” could only be solved by displacing the Palestinians and replacing them with Jewish immigrants. Moreover, Palestine had to be torn out of the Arab world and built as a front post, serving the aspirations of Western imperialism and colonialism to take over the Middle East as a whole.
‘WALL AND WATCHTOWER’: These two elements were seen as the most important landmarks in the Jewish “return” to the supposedly empty land, and they are still present in every Zionist settlement until today. At the time, Palestinian villages had no walls or watchtowers, and they still do not have them today. People moved freely in and out, enjoying the
view of villages along the road, as well as the food and water available for every passerby. Zionist settlements, on the contrary, religiously guarded their orchards and fields and perceived anyone touching them as robbers and terrorists. This is why, from the very beginning, they did not build normal human habitats, but bastions with walls and watchtowers – blurring the difference between civilians and soldiers in the settler community. For a short moment, the Zionist settlements won the accolade of the socialist and communist movements around the world, simply because they were places where communism was unsuccessfully and fanatically experimented with. The nature of these settlements, however, tells us, from the very beginning, what Zionism meant to the land and its people. Whoever came as a Zionist, whether hoping to find an empty land, or determined to make it an empty land, was drafted into a settler military society that could only implement the dream of the empty land by sheer force. The native population declined the offer to, in the words of Theodore Herzl, be “spirited away” to other countries. Despite the huge disappointment by the British retraction from its early promises to respect the right of self-determination for all the Arab peoples, the Palestinians still hoped that the Empire would protect them from the Zionist project of replacement and displacement. By the 1930s, the leaders of the Palestinian community understood that this would not be the case. Therefore, they rebelled, only to be brutally crushed by the Empire that was meant to protect them, according to the ‘Mandate’ it received from the League of Nations. The Empire also stood by when the settler movement perpetrated a huge ethnic cleansing operation in 1948, resulting in the expulsion of half of the native population during the Nakba. After the Catastrophe, however, Palestine was still full of Palestinians, and those expelled refused to accept any other identity and fought for their return, as they do to this day.
KEEPING THE ‘DREAM’ ALIVE: Those who remained in historical Palestine continued to prove that the land was not empty and that the settlers needed to use force to achieve their goal of turning an Arab, Muslim and Christian Palestine into a European Jewish one. With every passing year, more force needed to be used to achieve this European dream at the expense of the Palestinian people. By 2020, we have already marked one hundred years of an ongoing attempt to implement, by force, the vision of turning an ‘empty land’ into a Jewish entity. Moreover, for some democratic as well as some theocratic reasons, it seems that there is no Jewish consensus on this part of the ‘vision’. Billions and billions of American taxpayers’ money was, and is still needed to maintain the dream of the empty land of Palestine – and the relentless Zionist quest to realize it. An unprecedented repertoire of violent and ruthless means had to be employed on a daily basis against Palestinians, their villages and cities, or the whole Gaza Strip, in order to maintain the dream. The human cost paid by the Palestinians for this failed project has been enormous – and is around 100,000 to date. The number of wounded, traumatized Palestinians is so high that probably every
Palestinian family has at least one member, whether a child, a woman or a man, who can be included in this list. The nation of Palestine – whose human capital was able to move economies and cultures around the Arab world – has been fragmented and prevented from exhausting this incredible potential for their own benefit. This is the background for the genocidal policy that Israel is now enacting in Gaza and for the unprecedented killing campaign in the West Bank.
ONLY DEMOCRACY? These tragic events raise, once more, the conundrum: How can the West and the Global North claim that this violent project of maintaining millions of Palestinians under oppression, is carried out by the only democracy in the Middle East? Maybe even more importantly, why do so many supporters of Israel and the Israeli Jews themselves believe that this is a sustainable project in the 21st century? The truth is, it is not sustainable. The problem is that its disintegration could be a long process and a very bloody one, whose principal victims would be the Palestinians. It is also not clear if the Palestinians are ready to take over, as a united liberation movement, following the final stages of the disintegration of the Zionist project. Will they be able to shake off the sense of defeat and rebuild their homeland as a free country for all in the future? Personally, I have great faith in the young Palestinian generation, who will be able to do so. This last phase could be less violent; it could be more constructive and productive for both societies, that of the settlers and that of the colonized people, if only the region and the world intervened now. If some nations stopped enraging millions of people by claiming that a century-old project – aimed to empty a land from its indigenous people by force – is a project that reflects an enlightened democracy and a civilized society. If this happened, Americans could stop asking “Why do they hate us?” And Jews around the world would not be forced to defend Jewish racism by weaponizing antisemitism and holocaust denial. Hopefully, even Christian Zionists would return to the basic human precepts Christianity stands for and would join at the forefront of the coalition determined to stop the destruction of Palestine and its people. Multinational corporations, security companies and military industries, of course, would not join a new coalition that opposes the project of emptying the land. However, they could be challenged. The only necessary prerequisite is that we, a naive people who still believe in morality and justice, who serve as lighthouses in this age of darkness, truly understand that stopping the attempt to empty Palestine is the beginning of a new era, of a much better world for everyone.
Ilan Pappé is a professor at the University of Exeter. He was formerly a senior lecturer in political science at the University of Haifa. He is the author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, The Modern Middle East, A History of Modern Palestine: One Land, Two Peoples, and Ten Myths about Israel.
No doubt, young students are aggressive and need to be guided in the right direction. We all are responsible for them to give them correct guidance. By implementing these steps, a bond, respect, sense of honor ship, and association would surely be seen among students. Just need to initiate honesty with checks and balances. Additionally, a strong bond between teacher and student needs to be built. Students need to be listened. If they are discouraged and not listened to, they will create this sort of aggressiveness. A young student is developing his opinions and we are equally responsible for listening to them, considering their interests, and learning each student’s learning style. As a teacher, we have the best interest of our students to shine brightly. They can not be left alone. They have to listen to their teachers and take their guidance, not as criticism, but as constructive criticism. It’s the need to realize these young students to act responsibly, sensibly, and maturely. Thus, in a nutshell, a strong relationship is required to be formed between a teacher and a student by giving them equal opportunity to talk and give opinions.
The writer is (Ph.D. Linguistics, Media Discourse, Malaysia) an award-winning columnist, researcher, and Visiting Assistant Prof. at Riphah International University & Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. She can be reached at saira.kazmi
An American license to kill The US veto has just contributed to the creation of a future generation of extremists in Gaza, and beyond
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ARAB NEWS
FAISAL J. ABBAS
N Arabic, we have a famous saying that translates as “when the excuse is uglier than the sin.” This is exactly what can be said about the US justification on Friday for being the only country on the UN Security Council to oppose an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood told the Security Council that the draft resolution “was divorced from reality.” He reiterated his government, and Israel’s, declared position that a ceasefire would strengthen Hamas. However, the only thing that is indeed “divorced from reality” is this US position; particularly since it was coupled with the State Department invoking an emergency provision to approve the sale of tank shells to Israel, bypassing Congress. Ironically, both the veto and the emergency provision come after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly criticized Israel for the high number of civilian deaths during its offensive in Gaza, saying that there is a gap between “the intent to protect civilians and the actual results”. How exactly can such a statement come from the same US State Department that just allowed Israel an additional 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition, valued at more than $100 million? However, what is even more “divorced from reality” is the argument that Hamas will emerge stronger as a result of a ceasefire. First, if the US and Israel were serious about preventing Hamas from getting stronger, they should have done so 16 years ago by stopping the group’s biggest enabler, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, from “upgrading them from a terrorist organization to a partner,” as recently described by The Times of Israel in severe criticism of Netanyahu’s long-standing policy of furthering divisions by undermining the legitimate Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, and empowering Hamas in Gaza. Second, I do not know how anyone could imagine that continuing with a war that has killed more than 17,700 people, mostly civilians, women and children — will make Hamas weaker. Just for the record, this is not in support of Hamas. Again, nothing justifies the killing or deliberate targeting of any civilians; before, on Oct. 7 or after. However, this war only gains Hamas more sympathy and breeds similar groups. This is simply because, as proven so far, it is impossible to achieve Israel’s goal of eradicating the groups without a severe population death-toll, displacement and unprecedented damage to civilian infrastructure. This is why, by being the only country to veto an immediate ceasefire, the US has effectively granted Israel a further license to kill. It goes without saying that this sharply contradicts America’s declared values, and previous positions, such as its criticism of Russian over Ukraine. This is why it was almost laughable that renowned PBS presenter Nick Schifrin would have the audacity to ask Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan if the Kingdom is saying one thing in public and another in private when it comes to Gaza. If there is any hypocrisy, it is now blatantly clear that this is coming from Washington. If anything, Schifrin should be asking the same question to his own administration. Furthermore, this American license to kill applies not only to Israel killing Palestinians: This US veto has just contributed to the creation of a future generations of extremists in Gaza, and beyond. As such, the fighting has to stop, and a solid path toward a two-state solution made by allowing for a Palestinian state. This all starts with a ceasefire — which is now “unfortunately seen as a dirty word,” Prince Faisal told PBS, adding that he simply cannot understand that … I do not think any sane person does! Faisal J. Abbas is the editor-in-chief of Arab News.
06 NEWS
ISRAEL CONTINUES TO BOMB SOUTH GAZA AS HAMAS BATTLES INVADING FORCES
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SRAEL continued its brutal bombardment of southern Gaza’s main city on Monday after Palestinian resistance group Hamas warned no Israeli captives would leave the territory alive unless its demands for prisoner releases were met. Israel’s barbaric offensive has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and killed at least 18,000 people, mostly women and children. The Palestinian health ministry said on Monday that dozens of people had been killed in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, while Israel’s army reported rocket fire from Gaza into Israel. An AFP correspondent reported that Israeli strikes on Monday hit the main southern city of Khan Yunis, while Palestinian fighters of the Islamic Jihad group said they had blown up a house where Israeli soldiers were searching for a tunnel shaft. Hamas on Sunday warned that Israel would not receive “their prisoners alive without an exchange and negotiation and meeting the demands of the resistance”. Israel says there are still 137 captives in Gaza, while activists say around 7,000 Palestinians are in Israeli jails. Months of intense bombardment and clashes have left Gaza’s health system on the brink of collapse, with most hospitals no longer functioning and nearly two million people displaced. AFP visited the bombed-out ruins of the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City and found at least 30,000 people taking refuge amid the rubble after Israeli forces raided the medical facility last month. “Our life has become a living hell, there’s no electricity, no water, no flour,
no bread, no medicine for the children who are all sick,” said Mohammed Daloul, 38, who fled there with his wife and three children. The UN estimates 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.4 million people have been displaced from their homes — roughly half of them children. Israel had urged people to seek refuge in the south, but after expanding the war to include southern targets, there are few safe places for civilians to go. Humanitarian organisations continued to press Israel for greater protection of civilians in the conflict. Mapping software deployed by Israel’s army to try to reduce non-combatant deaths was condemned as inadequate Sunday by Lynn Hastings, UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories. “A unilateral declaration by an occupying power that patches of land where there is no infrastructure, food, water, health care, or hygiene are ‘safe zones’ does not mean they are safe,” she said. Only 14 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are functioning at any capacity, according to the United Nations’ humanitarian agency
OCHA. “Gaza’s health system is on its knees and collapsing,” said World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as the agency called for immediate, unimpeded aid deliveries. Israel’s army chief Herzi Halevi said Sunday his troops were using “significant force” in Gaza, hailing “significant achievements” in the war. The army told AFP on Monday that 101 soldiers have died in the Gaza ground offensive, and previously put the number of wounded at around 600. It said Sunday it had struck more than 250 targets in 24 hours, including “a Hamas military communications site”, “underground tunnel shafts” in southern Gaza, and a Hamas military command centre in Shejaiya in Gaza City. Some 7,000 “terrorists” have been killed, claimed Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi. The UN General Assembly will meet on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Gaza, its president said, after the United States vetoed a Security Council resolution for a ceasefire on Friday.
A draft of the text seen by AFP closely follows the language of Friday’s failed Security Council resolution, “expressing grave concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip”. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a leaders’ gathering in Qatar on Sunday that the Security Council’s “authority and credibility were severely undermined” by the US veto. Qatar, where Hamas’s top leadership is based, said it was still working on a new truce like the week-long ceasefire it helped mediate last month that saw 80 Israeli hostages exchanged for 240 Palestinian prisoners and humanitarian aid. But Israel’s relentless bombardment was “narrowing the window” for success, said Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday again rejected a ceasefire. “With Hamas still alive, still intact and… with the stated intent of repeating October 7 again and again and again, that would simply perpetuate the problem,” he told ABC News. But Blinken also said the United States was “deeply, deeply aware of the terrible human toll that this conflict is taking on innocent men, women and children”. There are fears of regional escalation with frequent cross-border exchanges between Israel and Lebanese fighters, and attacks by pro-resistance groups against US and allied forces in Iraq and Syria. Syria’s state news agency said Israel had carried out strikes near Damascus late Sunday, but air defence systems had prevented any significant damage. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi fighters threatened to attack any vessels heading to Israel unless more aid was allowed into Gaza.
Xi Jinping’s upcoming state visit set to cement China-Vietnam ties
BEIJING STAFF REPORT
Over the years, China and Vietnam have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges and breakthroughs in practical cooperation, which have benefited the two peoples and facilitated regional as well as global peace and development. The comradely and brotherly bonds between the two countries are in the spotlight again as Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, is due to pay a state visit to the country from December 12 to 13 at the invitation of the Vietnamese side. Six years after his last Vietnam trip,
experts say Xi’s upcoming visit is bound to consolidate mutual political trust and promote mutually beneficial cooperation. In October, President Xi met with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong in Beijing at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Exactly a year before that, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong became the first foreign leader to visit China after the 20th CPC National Congress and was awarded the Friendship Medal of the People’s Republic of China by Xi. Reciprocal visits of both leaders took place in 2017, with Xi’s state visit to Vietnam being his first overseas trip after the 19th CPC National Congress.
It was during Xi’s 2017 state visit to Vietnam when a memorandum of understanding was signed on the joint implementation of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam’s Two Corridors and One Economic Circle plan, resulting in major projects that substantially improved the people’s well-being. Vietnam’s first city metro is an example of such projects. The 13-kilometerlong Cat Linh-Ha Dong line, which covers three districts in Hanoi with 12 stations, provides convenient and comfortable alternatives to traffic for commuters in the city crowded with millions of motorbikes and cars. Built by China, the metro line has demonstrated how the two countries are pushing forward practical cooperation. The cooperation has reached a higher level as the two countries mark the 15th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership this year. China has remained Vietnam’s largest trading partner for years, while Vietnam has been China’s largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. After the entry of Vietnamese durians in the Chinese market last year, vegetables and fruits exports from Vietnam have been expanding, with the durian exports expected to hit $1 billion this year. Still, Chinese investment in Vietnam has been on the rise, ranking second in
Positive signs rise for China’s economic recovery BEIJING
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Positive factors are emerging in China, including betterthan-expected economic indicators and increasingly clear signals of more policy efforts to boost growth, portending that the nation’s economic recovery is most likely to cap the first year of post-pandemic rebound on a solid note and kick off 2024 on an even stronger note, economists said on Sunday. At the highly anticipated upcoming Central Economic Work Conference, which sets the tone for economic policymaking for the coming year, top
policymakers will likely signal more forceful and effective measures to tackle risks and boost growth in 2024, which would boost confidence in the world’s secondlargest economy amid lingering global downside risks, the economists noted. An official date has not been announced for the conference, but it is usually convened in mid-December. Traditionally, official media would release a readout of the closed-door conference following its conclusion. While the readout often does not include any specific targets, which are usually released during the national two sessions to be held in March, global markets are watching closely for any clues on China’s economic agenda for 2024. “After the meeting on Friday, I think the general direction of economic development for next year is quite clear. Next year’s policy will focus on seeking progress to help ensure stability, instead of focusing on maintaining stability. It puts an emphasis on progress through proactive efforts, rather than a passive response to ensure stability,” Tian Yun, a Beijing-based economist, told media on Monday. Tian was referring to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee held on Friday, which analyzed and studied the economic work of 2024, among other things. The meeting, usually a prelude for the Central Economic Work Conference, stressed that it is important to boost economic vitality, prevent and mitigate risks, improve social expectations.
the first nine months of this year. Personnel exchanges have bounced back, expecting to grow as more flights resume. “Economic and trade cooperation between China and Vietnam has evolved from a simple trade pattern to a higher level of cooperation closely related to the industrial and supply chains,” Zhang Jie, director of the Department of Asia-Pacific Security and Diplomatic Studies at the National Institute of International Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told media. The two economies have great complementarities and deepening economic and trade cooperation serves the fundamental interests of both the countries, Zhang said. Statistics from China Customs show that the two countries’ trade increased to $230.2 billion in 2021 and the figure hit $234.9 billion in 2022. “The friendship, deeply rooted in shared ideals and beliefs of the two countries with the same social system, has been epitomized in their respective foreign policies that regard the bilateral relationship as a priority,” said Xian Manxue, associate professor at the School of Foreign Languages, Peking University. The upcoming trip will tighten the bond between the two peoples and provide a strong impetus for ushering in a new stage of bilateral relations.
Tuesday, 12 December, 2023 | ISLAMABAD
Advances to Deposit Ratio (ADR) records decline in Nov 2023 g
ADR AT 44.64%: MONTHLY AND YEARLY BASIS DECLINE OF 43 AND 415 BASIS POINTS PROFIT
NEWS DESK
The Advances to Deposit Ratio (ADR) stood at 44.64%, reflecting a monthly decrease of 43 basis points and a yearly decline of 415 basis points in November 2023. This ratio is based on total deposits, which surged by 17.88% year-on-year to reach Rs.26.79 trillion, compared to Rs.22.73 trillion in November 2022, as reported by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). On a month-on-month basis, there was a 1.52% increase in deposits, rising from Rs.26.39 trillion in October 2023. Additionally, total advances extended by scheduled banks increased by 7.86% to Rs.11.96 trillion compared to the previous year’s Rs.11.09 trillion. Monthly advances grew by 0.56%, reaching Rs.11.96 trillion in November 2023 from Rs.11.89 trillion in October 2023. Meanwhile, the Investment to Deposit Ratio (IDR) saw an upward trend, rising by 374 basis points to 91.75% compared to October 2023 and showing a substantial increase of 1044 basis points from the previous year, with total investments standing at Rs.24.58 trillion.
Japan PM to sack key ministers over graft claims TOKYO
AGENCIES
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to fire several top ministers who are reportedly under investigation for alleged fraud, local media said Monday, in what would be the second reshuffle in three months. Those to be axed, potentially as early as this week, include Kishida’s right-hand man Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno and Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister of economy, industry and trade, the reports said. According to the Asahi Shimbun daily, the total number to be sacked will be 15, including several deputy ministers and parliamentary vice ministers. All belong to a faction formerly headed by late premier Shinzo Abe — one of at least five major groupings vying for influence and power within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Prosecutors are investigating allegations that the faction failed to report tens of thousands of dollars raised through fundraising parties, according to media reports in recent days. Another of those reportedly implicated is former Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto. On Monday Kishida refused to be drawn on the possible reshuffle — which could take place once the current session of parliament ends on Wednesday — but said he took the fraud allegations seriously. “I’m thinking of taking appropriate measures at an appropriate timing for the sake of recovery of the public’s trust (in the government).
Tuesday, 12 December, 2023 | ISLAMABAD
CORPORATE CORNER
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KARACHI: K-Electric inducted its first EV unit into its fleet operations in collaboration with its business logistics partner, Dynamic Logistics International (DLI). Essentially, the first power distribution company to induct EV technology into its operational fleet, the utility is committed to ensuring environmental sustainability, lowering dependence on imported fuels, reducing its carbon footprint and overall operational costs. PR
KARACHI: Group Chief Financial Officer, PTCL & Ufone 4G, Nadeem Khan (7th from left) poses for a group photo along with the participants and guests at the concluding ceremony of PTCL Business Solutions Golf Tournament held at DHA Country and Golf Club. PR
UN High-Level Segment: Executive Director COMSATS urges greater responsibility for major polluters
The Executive Director, Ambassador Dr. M. Nafees Zakaria, of the Commission onScience and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS)_ anIntergovernmental Organization of 27 member states, was also invited.Ambassador Zakaria stated that the countries in the Global South, particularly the IndusBasin States having population of about 300 million, are grappling with the consequencesof climate change. He noted that the changing climate is causing security risksintrinsically linked to the stress on resources, which warrants urgent action. Whileacknowledging the fact that industrial activities have degraded environment overdecades, he noted that wars destroy environment instantly on much larger scale. Heunderlined that Militaries, contribute 5.5% of GHGs emissions but remained exemptedfrom accountability in Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreements. He stressed the need of animpact assessment of wars and military exercises to make the countries concernedresponsible for the damage caused. PR
HBL Recognized as Leading Remittance Mobilizing Bank of Pakistan
KARACHI: HBL has been recognized by the Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) as the “Leading Remittance Mobilizing Bank of Pakistan”. The Bank was recognized for its exceptional contribution to channeling over $2 billion (FY2023) in remittances to Pakistan. The award was presented at the 3rd Pakistan Remittance Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, held under the patronage of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Pakistan Remittance Summit brings together leaders and innovators at the forefront of remittance biggest companies from Pakistan. The event is an exploration of the infinite possibilities of the future of Pakistan with innovators, creative minds, and progressive thinkers of the financial industry. PR
Jazz Forges Partnership to Revolutionize Tracking Technology in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Jazz, Pakistan’s leading digital operator, has partnered with TPL Trakker, a prominent name in IoT, advance telematics and asset tracking, to revolutionize tracking technology and ensure unparalleled coverage and reliability by seamlessly integrating satellite and GSM tracking devices.Under the partnership, Jazz will enable TPL Trakker with hardware components and connectivity mediums, including fixed, GSM, and satellite. The strategic inclusion of satellite connectivity services serves a pivotal role in ensuring comprehensive coverage, particularly in remote regions where GSM signals may be inconsistent or weak. By utilizing satellite connectivity as a backup, uninterrupted communication, even in challenging environments, will be ensured. PR
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ADB ALLOCATES $155.5M TO ADVANCE WOMEN’S FINANCIAL INCLUSION IN PAKISTAN NEWS
CURRENTLY, FEMALE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION IN PAKISTAN IS APPROXIMATELY 23 PERCENT, WITH ONLY 4 PERCENT OF FEMALE WORKING-AGE ADULTS ENGAGED IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP, MARKING ONE OF THE LOWEST RATES GLOBALLY
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HE Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $155.5 million in financing for Pakistan, aimed at supporting policy reforms to improve women’s access to finance and provide credit to women-led micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The financing comprises a $100 million policy-based loan, focusing on legal and regulatory reforms to facilitate improved access to finance for women. Additionally, a $50 million financial intermediation loan has been allocated to enable participating financial institutions
to extend credit to women entrepreneurs. A $5.5 million grant will finance related activities supporting this initiative. ADB’s Director General for Central and West Asia, Yevgeniy Zhukov, emphasized the importance of equal economic opportunities for women, stating that ADB’s program aims to transform Pakistan’s financing ecosystem. The goal is to empower women by facilitating access to finance, thereby contributing significantly to economic development. Currently, female labor force participation in Pakistan is approximately 23 percent, with only 4 percent of female working-age adults engaged in entrepreneurship, marking one of the lowest
rates globally. Despite improvements in financial inclusion in Pakistan, there exists a significant gender finance gap of 34 percent. ADB’s Senior Financial Sector Economist, Andrew McCartney, highlighted the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Pakistan, emphasizing the need for policies that recognize and support women’s entrepreneurship. The policy-based loan supports reforms that incorporate women’s needs into national policies, aligning with initiatives like the State Bank of Pakistan’s Banking on Equality Policy. This policy requires banks to establish dedicated departments providing services to women, facilitating access to
Doctorate for philanthropist Tanweer Ahmed – thanks to $9m IT donation KARACHI STAFF REPORT
The Governor of Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori has underscored the pivotal role of quality modern education as an essential catalyst for empowering Pakistan’s youth. The Governor said this while addressing the 12th Convocation of the Indus University where hundreds of students were given degrees. He called for a national consensus to promote modern and quality education which could help Pakistani youth secure jobs locally and in the international market. In special, the Governor conferred a doctorate degree and a gold medal on Houston-based PakistaniAmerican businessman Tanweer Ahmed who recently donated $9 million for NUST University’s new IT Tower. Kamran Tessori said the university on his personal recommendation had agreed to honour Mr Tanweer Ahmed with the honorary degree for his contribution for Pakistan’s IT sector and for the unprivileged children as well as his role for Pakistan during the last national floods. Kamran Tessori appealed to more affluent overseas Pakistanis to come forward and help Pakistan’s youth through IT education. He said: “It’s my mission to give respect to those Pakistanis in Pakistan and abroad who help Pakistan.
I will also recommend Mr Tanweer Ahmed for the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz for his services.” Tanweer Ahmed said: “This degree is a huge honour for me. I believe in the empowerment of youth through IT investment. Unfortunately, Pakistan is left behind in this crucial area. Finally, there is a realisation and Pakistan is making the right efforts. I decided to make the donation, impressed by the army chief’s efforts to promote IT through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). This donation is only for the IT sector.” Tanweer Ahmed has donated $9 million to NUST to help students from poor backgrounds to gain access to quality education through scholarships. He also announced that he will be working with more education institutions to
OGRA conducts public hearing at Punjab’s provincial capital - Lahore
ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority holds public hearing at Lahore to on the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL’s) petition for Review of its Estimated Revenue Requirement / Prescribed Prices for F.Y.202324.The petitioner has projected a shortfall in its revenue requirement at Rs. 179,160 million, including Rs. 697 million on account of LPG Airmix project for FY 2023-24 seeking increase in its average prescribed price by Rs. 506.35 per MMBTU effective July 01, 2023 including the cost of RLNG diverted molecules to domestic consumers, as part of cost of gas in the light of the decision of Federal Cabinet dated 30-10-2023. The petitioner has also included Rs.427,830 million against previous years shortfall, thereby seeking total average prescribed Rs.2,961.98/MMBTU with effect from 1st July, 2023 to compensate for increase in cost of gas/RLNG and other components of the petition. Besides above, the petitioner has estimated RLNG cost of service at Rs. 72,160 million (i.e. 293.07/MMBTU) for Financial Year 2023-24. Therefore, OGRA conducted public hearing at Lahore to provide the opportunity of hearing to consumers/general public and interested/affected persons. The final verdict on petition shall be issued by the authority after consideration view points of all stakeholders. PR
arrange donations for IT education. NUST has confirmed that Tanweer Ahmed has entered into a partnership with the university through an Endowment Fund for unprivileged students which will benefit nearly 200 students who would be able to get scholarships every year. The business entrepreneur said Pakistan has essential infrastructure available along with significant public sector investment in resource development. “Pakistan has untapped digital potential of USD 59.6 billion (PKR 9.7 trillion) and FinTech potential of USD 35 billion by 2025. IT base potential is evidenced by a 47% growth in freelancing which stands at 4th in the world. Pakistan’s youth is 64% of the population under 30 years which is our biggest resource,” he added.
Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony between NAVTTC and Daraz
KARACHI: The National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) has formally entered into a strategic collaboration with Daraz through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed today at 12:30 PM in Karachi. This partnership marks a significant step in the initiative to enhance Ecommerce training across Pakistan. The MoU was signed by Mr. Hafeez Abbasi, Director General of SS&C, NAVTTC, with Mr. Aamir Jan, Executive Director of NAVTTC, overseeing the process remotely. The collaboration is aimed at empowering individuals by improving their skills in online commerce, thereby enabling them to become successful sellers on the Daraz platform. Both NAVTTC and Daraz are committed to this joint venture, which is focused on developing a robust Ecommerce ecosystem in Pakistan. The goal is to provide extensive training and resources, equipping individuals with the skills necessary to thrive in the digital marketplace. Mr. Hafeez Abbasi commented on the partnership, stating, "This MoU with Daraz is a key element in our ongoing efforts to elevate Ecommerce training in Pakistan. It opens up new opportunities for aspiring business owners and is a significant contribution to the growth of the digital economy.". PR
credit through digital channels, offering financial training, advisory services, and improving working conditions for women in the finance sector. The financial intermediation loan is expected to benefit approximately 2 million women entrepreneurs, including 510,000 who previously lacked access to finance. This support will be channeled through participating financial institutions. The grant from the Asian Development Fund (ADF) will finance various activities, including the development of financial literacy programs and a digital platform connecting women to financial services. The ADF provides grants to ADB’s poorest and most vulnerable developing member countries.
Chief of The Naval Staff visits Coastal & Creeks areas, PN Ships to review operational preparedness
KARACHI: Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited Creeks and Coastal Areas and PN Ships to review operational preparedness and combat readiness of the units. Upon arrival at Creeks Brigade Sujawal, a comprehensive operational brief was presented to CNS on prevailing threat environment and defences of Creeks Area. During the visit at forward posts, CNS interacted with officers and men and appreciated their readiness to respond any misadventure by the adversary. On the second leg of his visit, Chief of the Naval Staff arrived at PNS AKRAM at Gwadar and interacted with the troops deployed for the security of Gwadar Port. He also visited Jinnah Naval Base, Pakistan Navy Hospital Dar Maanjah and Cadet College at Ormara. Later on, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf arrived on PN Ships at PN Dockyard Karachi to review the operational preparedness and combat readiness of PN surface ships. PR
Roche Pharma and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal Expand Collaboration for Affordable Medical Support
ISLAMABAD: Adriano Trio, the Head of Roche Pharma (Global), called on Amir Fida, Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, at his office. The meeting resulted in an agreement that both organizations will further extend assistance and facilities to destitute and vulnerable individuals seeking medical treatment support from Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal. Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ulMal discussed with Roche's Head the provision of affordable medications, especially for breast cancer patients, expressing satisfaction with Roche's commitment. It should be noted that a previous agreement exists between Roche Pharma (Global) and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal to provide free medical facilities to the underprivileged patients in some ailments. The meeting emphasized enhancing mutual cooperation and detailed discussions on providing cost-effective medications for other critical illnesses. PR
CPNE delegation calls on the Chinese Consul General in Karachi KARACHI PR
A delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) called on H. E. Yang Yundong, Consul General of the Peoples' Republic China, in Karachi on Monday. H.E. Yang Yundong welcomed the guests and reassured that his country would continue its immense support for the development of Pakistan. He reiterated that the ironclad friendship between Pakistan and China will go from strength to strength. He said that China has been working on its trade infrastructure development for a long time under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), of which ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project. Pakistan is our key partner in the CPEC project. We have five components of BRI currently underway, he stated. Although CPEC is not giving desired output due to the global crises, but
as soon as CPEC attracts international investors, it will become one of the most successful projects, H. E. Yang Yundong said. He added that China has been working on the upgradation of CPEC and has
established an institute for the training of Pakistani youth in Gwadar. China also plans to launch a number of development and educational projects for the youth of Pakistan in other mega cities.
Talking about the upcoming election, the Chinese Consul General said that China would welcome any party that wins by the ballot. He further stated that in the past when China had faced terrorism threats all ruling parties as well as the Pakistan Army extended their full support of the Chinese diplomatic mission in Pakistan. On the proposal of an intra-country payment system between Pakistan and China, H.E. Yang Yundong said that it depends on mutual understanding between the two countries. The Secretary General CPNE, Aijaz ul Haq, presented a shield while Vice President CPNE, Mr. Aamer Mahmood presented Ajrak to the H.E. Yang Yondong. Mr. Arif Baloch, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Mr. Maqsood Yosufi, Dr. Jabbar Khattak, Abdul Khaliq Ali, Mr. Bashir Memon, and Mr. Mudassar Alam also attended the meeting. Issued by: Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors
Tuesday, 12 December, 2023
Mushaal condeMns ‘Kangroo courts’, rss-inspired judges for upholding Modi’s unlawful, unilateral annexation of j&K
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PECIAL Assistant to Prime Minister for Human Rights and Women Empowerment, Mushaal Hussein Mullick has strongly criticized the Indian Supreme Court, for shamelessly behaving like a kangaroo court and endorsing Modi’s unlawful and unilateral decision on August 5, 2019. During an event commemorating International Human Rights Day organized by Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, she emphasized that India should avoid pushing peaceful Kashmiri youth to resort to alternative forms of resistance. Zafar Bakhtawari, Secretary-General of UBC and former President of ICCI, along with Habib Malik Orakzai, Chairman Pakistan Red Crescent KP joined the event. The gathering also included Naveed Malik, President of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, and Asma Malik, a prominent social activist. Mushaal underscored the unwavering support of the Business Community of Pakistan for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, acknowledging their consistent presence on the forefront. She commended the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry for organizing the event aimed at raising awareness about human rights. The discourse swiftly shifted towards condemning the Indian Supreme Court for legitimizing Modi’s unlawful and unilateral act on August 5, 2019, and concerns about the ongoing
and unrelenting human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). She highlighted that India has established a grim record of the most severe human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Mushaal lamented the lack of visual evidence of these violations, attributing it to India’s stringent information and communication blockade. To shed light on the harsh realities faced by the people of IIOJK, she recounted leading a delegation of the AllParty Parliamentary Group (APPG) to meet refugees from IIOJK in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), providing a platform for the victims to share firsthand accounts of the brutality inflicted
by India on the people of IIOJK. Mushaal asserted that under the guise of revoking Article 370 and 35A, India is actively transforming the Muslim-majority region of Jammu and Kashmir into a Hindu-majority colony. She pointed out that through the persecution of Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir and across India, Modi, along with his associates from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), harbors ambitions of establishing Akhand Bharat. Emphasizing the need for global vigilance, especially during Indian elections, she cautioned against potential false flag operations by India. Mushaal alluded to leaked chats among Indian Airforce Officers discussing the orchestration of such deceptive operations, urg-
ing the international community to remain alert to such maneuvers. Mushaal affirmed that the struggle for the people of Jammu and Kashmir persists. She highlighted the resilience of Kashmiris, who are courageously facing off against a force of one million Indian troops, underscoring their steadfast commitment to achieving freedom from India. She went on to emphasize that the indomitable spirit of the brave Kashmiris cannot be shaken by brutal, coercive, or unlawful tactics and decisions. According to Mushaal, their determination remains unyielding, and they will inevitably break free from the shackles of Indian oppression and subjugation, regardless of the challenges they face. In a separate video message, Mushaal expressed concern about the implementation of “Jungle Law” in India. She pointed out that the Indian Supreme Court had violated its own constitution by endorsing the unilateral acts of August 5, 2019. Mushaal drew attention to the disturbing competition between Modi and Netanyahu to lead the world in the number of killings of the innocents. Moreover, Mushaal highlighted the global reach of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and the Indian terrorist network. Urging the international community to take notice. She also called for collective action to prevent the continued persecution of Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir, and Palestine. She appealed to the world to play an active role in halting the relentless violence perpetrated by India and Israel against Muslim populations.
Court declares Khawar Maneka’s plea against Imran, Bushra marriage admissible ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
punjab govt ‘hands over’ Khadija shah to Quetta police for two day transit remand LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday summoned fashion designer Khadija Shah after her transit remand was given by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) to Balochistan police pertaining to a case registered against her in Quetta. LHC’s Justice Ali Baqar Najafi also summoned Punjab’s inspector general. During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel, Barrister Sameer Khosa, informed the court of how they were drawing attention to the conduct under which Khadija was being treated. ATC PROCEEDINGS: On Monday, Balochistan police submitted an application before the ATC seeking transit remand for the fashion designer. The police contended in its application that ATC Quetta had issued her arrest warrants and that the police had yet to investigate the case and produce her before the relevant court, the transit remand of Khadija is required. ATC Judge Abher Gul Khan admitted the application and granted a two-day transit remand to the police with directions to produce her before the relevant court. PUNJAB GOVT WITHDRAWS KHADIJA SHAH’S DETENTION ORDER: The Lahore Deputy Commissioner on Monday withdrew the house arrest order of famous fashion designer, daughter of an ex-finance minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporter Khadija Shah. The detention order was issued by Lahore DC Rafia Haider on Nov 17 for a period of 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance, citing the need to maintain “law and order in the provincial capital. The DC issued the order after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) granted post-arrest bail to Shah on Nov 16 in the fourth and, thus far, final case linked to the May 9 riots filed against her. The decision to detain Ms Shah was taken on Nov 15. Ms Shah, who is also the granddaughter of a former army chief, is facing a terrorism case related to her involvement in the May 9 riots. The Punjab government law officer will present the PTI supporter’s order regarding the withdrawal of her detention notice to the court.
A district and session court in Islamabad on Monday declared that the illegal marriage case involving former premier Imran Khan and former first lady Bushra Bibi is admissible for hearing. The petitioner, Bushra’s former husband Khawar Maneka, appeared before the court today. Maneka’s counsel said that his client was informed of adultery. Civil Judge Qudratullah said that Maneka’s statement is present and it does not mention any such act. The judge added that two witnesses are required along with the complainant in such cases and further asked if there is any medical evidence for the same. The counsel replied that two witnesses are present if Maneka is included and hence, there is no need for a medical report. The judge however said that Maneka could not be the complainant and a witness in the case. He then prayed to the court to issue notices to Imran and Bushra in the case. After Maneka’s lawyer concluded his arguments, the judge declared the case admissible for
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Police are perceived to be the most corrupt sector in Pakistan, followed by tendering and contracting and judiciary, Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) gauged in its National Corruption Perception Survey (NCPS) said. Transparency International (TI) Pakistan has released results of the National Corruption Perception Survey 2022 (NCPS) — the eighth in a series for the past 22 years — as the world marked International Anti-Corruption Day on Sunday. The latest survey, comprising the perception of levels and frequency of corruption perceived by Pakistanis, was conducted in all four provinces from October 13 till October 31, with 1,600 respondents. At the national level, police remained
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govt approves ordinance aimed at facilitating the privatization process
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CARETAKER GOVT IN PAKISTAN ISSUES ORDINANCE RESTRICTING HIGH COURTS' ROLE IN PRIVATIZATION CASES PROFIT
NEWS DESK
In a significant development, the federal caretaker government in Pakistan has decided to issue a presidential ordinance to prevent constitutionallyestablished high courts from hearing cases related to the privatization of national assets. This decision comes in response to a petition challenging the proposed privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) that was admitted by the Lahore High Court (LHC). The interim government has approved the draft of the Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, aiming to establish a Privatisation Appellate Tribunal as the sole forum for addressing legal issues arising from privatization transactions. The move has raised concerns about the government’s authority to restrict the powers of high courts established under the Constitution, especially when no privatization transaction is currently tied to any international agreement. The caretaker government argues that the ordinance aims to provide investors with confidence by streamlining legal processes and creating a singular forum for dispute resolution, with an appeal option to the Supreme Court. Interim Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad highlighted that the Privatisation Appellate Tribunal would expedite the resolution of cases pending for decades.
lhc single bench refers imran Khan’s plea against jail trial to full bench LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
hearing and issued notices to the respondents. The court, issuing notices under Section 496-B, summoned both Imran and Bushra on December 14. Maneka, who in a recent TV interview blamed the PTI chief for ruining his married life, had also submitted a statement to Islamabad East Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah under Section 200 (examination of the complainant) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In the state-
ment, he repeated the claims he had made in the interview as well as in his complaint against the couple. He stated that Imran and Bushra were married on Jan 1, 2018, and attached a copy of the alleged nikkah documents with his complaint. Maneka described their nikkah as “neither legal nor Islamic as it was solemnised without observing [the] iddat period and both of them established illicit relations with each other”.
A single bench of the Lahore High Court has sent former PTI chairman Imran Khan’s petition against the ECP contempt proceedings and his jail trial to the full bench for hearing. LHC Justice Alia Neelam on Monday heard the petition of the PTI founder Imran Khan who filed his plea through advocate Ishtiaq A Khan. During the hearing, Justice Neelam remarked that several issues have been raised in the petition. Advocate Ishtiaq said that they have mainly challenged the issue of jail trial. The judge inquired in how many cases, the jail trial of the PTI founder is being conducted. The lawyer replied that there were notifications of jail trial by the Ministry of Interior in cases related to cipher disappearance and Al-Qadir Trust. The court inquired whether he had attached all the records with the application.
PTI Core Committee discusses party’s electoral, political strategy threadbare ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Core Committee held a detailed discussion on the electoral and political strategy of the party pertaining to the forthcoming general elections in the light of vision of the PTI founding chairman Imran Khan. During the meeting, they agreed to carry forward the party election campaign in benefitting manner in order to prepare the people for the polls while remaining completely peaceful and within the purview of the of the law and constitution despite the worst state oppression and fascism. The participants of the meeting recalled that PTI had an unparalleled history of peaceful and disciplined political struggle. The forum underlined the need that PTI was well-aware of the ongoing efforts to postpone the
elections, urging the party’s workers to prepare themselves for the upcoming elections while keeping a close eye on these attempts. PTI Core Committee made it clear that the nation would foil all overt and covert polls sabotaging bids by the spoilers and miscreants and they would not allow any such attempt to succeed come what may. They emphasised that they would proceed with complete unity and would execute a comprehensive program to pull the country out of the current economic and political hardships and would ensure supremacy of the constitution and uphold law after regaining the power again. The forum urged that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the caretaker governments should shun the coercion and provide a level playing fields to all political parties for free, fair and transparent elections. PTI Core Committee demanded the electoral body
to issue the the party’s election symbol “bat” forthwith. They expressed satisfaction over the decision of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on the the PTI’s appeal contesting the order of the electoral watchdog regarding the intra-party election. They made it clear that the electoral symbol of “bat” was the political identity of millions of voters and emblem of strength of the Federation of Pakistan. The participants of the meeting stated that the inordinate delay in issuing the “bat” symbol to the PTI was a matter of grave concern and a the biggest hurdle in conducting free, fair and transparent elections. PTI Core Committee vowed that the PTI would resist the biased, irresponsible and unacceptable efforts to irreparably damage the reputation of democracy by usurping the symbol of “bat” through technical and nontechnical means.
Police stays atop most corrupt institutions list in Pakistan: TIP’s survey STAFF REPORT
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the most corrupt sector, followed by tendering and contracting and judiciary. Education and Health departments have been evaluated as the 4th and 5th most corrupt institutions. Meanwhile, Local Government, Land Administration and Customs, Excise and Income Tax are assessed as 6th, 7th and 8th most corrupt. In Sindh, the survey report stated, police climbed to become the most corrupt sector, tendering and contracting was seen as the 2nd most corrupt, while education become the 3rd most corrupt since the NCPS 2022. In Punjab, police continued to remain the most corrupt sector, while judiciary and health ranked 2nd and 3rd most corrupt sectors. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police were perceived to be the most corrupt sector, followed by judiciary and tendering and contracting at second and third, respectively.
In Balochistan, tendering and contracting took the lead followed by the police and judiciary at the second and third spot, respectively. At the national level, the survey revealed, the average expenditure on bribery was around Rs11,121, based on 760 respondents. In terms of the public service delivery, the average expenditure on bribery was highest on judiciary (Rs25,846). Around 75 percent citizens considered private sector to wield too much power and influence often leading to corruption at the national level, while a majority of citizens (36 percent) considered the role of anti-corruption institutions “ineffective.” The major cause of corruption was a lack of merit, according to the survey. A majority of Pakistanis (68 percent) believed that accountability institutions such as National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Anti-Corruption Establishments were used for “political victimization.”
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
Around 47 percent Pakistanis considered corruption as the main reason hindering Pakistan’s progress.