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KAKAR ALLAYS POLL DELAY FEARS, ASSURES FREE, FAIR ELECTIONS ON FEB 8 thursday, 7 December, 2023 I 22 Jamada Al-Awal, 1445

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PM endorses ECP’s denial of any delay in the polls ISLAMABAD

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Says elections would gauge popularity of any political leader

StAff REPoRt

ARETAKER Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar said that the nation should not have any doubts about the general elections scheduled to be held on February 8, 2024.

“I have no doubt about it… The concerns are often associated with our political system. We have a history of our own,” he remarked in an interview with Independent Urdu published on Wednesday. The prime minister expressed the hope that the elections would be held free and fair.

To a question, he said he did not consider the general elections of the 70s as a benchmark either as many people had different opinions about those elections.

“Of course, they were very transparent. At that time, it was already decided before the elections which way they would go to, so I consider it a problem,” he added.

He said as the arrangements were in place, he was hopeful that the caretaker government would be able to give results in a relatively better way.

The prime minister said that he endorsed the Election Commission’s denial of the any delay in the polls.

“They (Election Commission) have to conduct (elections). We are with them.” He said as per Election Commission, the election schedule will cover 56 days, based on which the schedule should be announced by December 14.

Asked about the notions of elections being associated with decline in Imran Khan’s popularity and his exclusion from the electoral process, the prime minister termed it political analyses.

However, the elections would judge

the popularity of any political leader, he commented.

To a question about the participation of Imran Khan or his party in the general elections, he that there was no restriction on him yet. “However, if something unusual comes up, I can’t say anything about it yet. As of today, they are in a position to contest elections and they will contets.”

About the disappearances and resurfacing of PTI leaders, the prime minister said such people went into hiding fearing the arrest for their involvement in attacks on state institutions on May 9.

He said while in hiding, they would have a second thought to leave PTI or politics which was their personal decision. He said that no evidence of ‘state coercion’ had come to his knowledge, and even none of those people had spoken of ‘state coercion’. Until then, it’s just allegations, he added.

Prime Minister Kakar disagreed with the view that the decision of May 9 arsons should be left to the people for elections. He also rejected the allegations of not having a level playing field.

Coming to the economic situation, he expressed his satisfaction with his government’s efforts so far to improve the national economy.

“They will leave the blueprint for the rest of the work to the next government,” he remarked.

Discussing the PIA, he rubbished the allegations of any malpractice in the privatisation process and said such conspiratorial assumptions had brought the country to that extent.

He said that expert advisors had been appointed for privatization.

“These are not union level talks. Best practices are being implemented.

They will advise in accordance with the global market trend. They can be audited even 50 years from now,” the prime minister commented.

Discussing the repatriation of illegal foreigners from Pakistan, he said those having no travel document would have to go back, though they can be back after obtaining the visa.

In response to a question regarding the phased evacuation, Prime Minister Kakar said that it was the discretionary

‘Vagaries of politics’ drive Nawaz to meet Shujaat after 15 years

LAHORE

StAff REPoRt

What is being seen as significant development in “political machinations” in the run-up to the general elections, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain held a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, discussing seat adjustments between both the parties ahead of the general elections scheduled to be held on February 8.

The meeting, held at Shujaat’s residence in Lahore, was the first between the two leaders in 15 years. Current political landscape and mutual cooperation in the upcoming elections were discussed during the meeting.

The meeting, attended by prominent members of both parties, addressed strategic collaboration and seat adjustments during the upcoming polls.

Among those present at the meeting were Shahbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Rana Sanaullah, Saad Rafique, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Ahsan Iqbal, from the PML-N, while

the PML-Q was represented by Salik Hussain, Shafay Hussain, Tariq Bashir Cheema, and Imtiaz Ranjha.

During the discussions, Nawaz and Shujaat emphasised the need for cooperation in the upcoming general elections. According to insiders, PML-Q sought a substantial share of seats from the PML-N in Punjab. They said that Shujaat requested more than 10 National Assembly and 22 Punjab Assembly seats.

Shujaat’s proposal for seat adjustments included requests for seats in Gujarat, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Hafizabad. He argued that areas where PML-Q candidates were successful in 2018 should be adjusted.

“We supported the no-confidence motion without any fear or greed; now we should be compensated accordingly,” sources quoted Shujaat as saying during the meeting.

Shujaat stressed the importance of not losing votes in Punjab to PTI, PPP or IPP, saying that unity would be beneficial for both PML-N and PML-Q. “Aligning with the PDM had led to differences within our family, but we have no regrets about our decision; we remain satisfied with our choice,” he added.

Sources revealed that Nawaz Sharif expressed gratitude for the PML-Q’s support during the vote of no confidence against Imran Khan in April 2022 and subsequent cooperation. Both leaders also reminisced about positive experiences of the past as well.

They disclosed that a joint committee of the PML-N and PML-Q is expected to be formed in the next few days which will present recommendations on all seat adjustment issues to the top leadership of both parties.

Let there be LNG: China Chemical, LNGFlex get ball rolling with private LNG terminals

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CNCE and LNGFlex ink deal for R-LNG VLNG terminals

EXPLAINER PROFIT

DANIyAL AhmAD

LNGFlex and China National Chemical Engineering (CNCE) have forged a partnership to establish regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) and virtual liquefied natural gas (VLNG) at various offshore locations near Karachi, Pakistan. The two terminals are designed to deliver a peak capacity of 750 mmscfd. The terminals will also circumvent the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority to allow all parties allowed to privately import LNG and distribute it to customers in Pakistan.

As part of this agreement, a master engineering procurement construction and finance (EPCF) contract will oversee the design, construction, and financing of both terminals. The cost of these ambitious projects is expected to surpass a whopping $500 million. However, an official estimate beyond this half a billion mark remains undisclosed, as the final quote hinges on the cost at the time of construction. “We are honoured to join forces with LNGFlex in this endeavour, aiming to mutually enhance and diversify Pakistan’s liquefied natural gas supply capacity,” says Armand Long, General Manager (Pakistan Branch) at CNCE. CNCEC is com-

Rs 15.00 | Vol XIV No 158 I 8 Pages I Lahore Edition

mitted to supporting LNGFlex in implementing its LNG project in Pakistan, encompassing aspects such as funding, technology, and social resources. Over the span of nearly two years, we have engaged in close cooperation and communication with LNGFlex, establishing a solid foundation for collaboration. Currently, two technical teams are collaboratively working on devising a comprehensive implementation plan for the project,” Long adds.

Likewise, “We are thrilled to reach this historic milestone of getting a step closer in our journey to provide energy to Pakistani customers efficiently and reliably. Both projects are technological breakthroughs and will benefit the consumer in Pakistan at no risk and cost to the public and the government,” explains Shahid Karim, CEO of LNGFlex. Now then, who are these entities, what are these terms, and more importantly what does all of this entail?

VERNACULAR AT HAND RLNG is the conventional way of importing LNG. It involves receiving LNG at terminals, where it is regasified and transported through pipelines to end-users.

VLNG, on the other hand, is an innovative way of importing LNG. It involves storing LNG in cryogenic tanks or containers, which keep it in a liquid state at 162 °C and reduce its volume by 600 times compared to its gaseous state.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

power of the government. We believe that it needed to be done at once to show the seriousness of the government,” he remarked.

To a question, he told the interviewer that there was no formal negotiations with the Afghan Taliban at present.

“Our policy regarding TTP is clear.

We consider them as an enemy of this society and state. We believe that fighting them is our survival, and we will fight till the last extent for the survival of this state,” he commented.

He denied the impression that Pakistan had any role in the Afghan Taliban’s return to power.

Coming to the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the prime minister said a lot could have been done, but Pakistan was still trying to establish an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian corridor. There is always something that can be improved, he remarked.

He said that if the world had stood with the OIC and other countries, the pressure on Israel could have been increased.

He said on the sidelines of the COP 28 in Dubai, he discussed the issue in detail with the King of Jordan, US Senator Kerry, Muhammad bin Zayed and the Crown Prince of Kuwait.

Prime Minister Kakar said expressed the fear that if continues, the Israeli aggression could also impact the entire Gulf and the world.

About the rumors in the country about establishing relations with Israel before October 7, he said that no such discussion was ever made at any level within the government.

Prime Minister Kakar, who recently returned after attending the COP 28 summit, he said that funds under Loss and Damage Fund were yet to be allocated.

IHC bins Imran’s plea for withdrawal of appeal against disqualification in Toshakhana case ISLAMABAD

StAff REPoRt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday rejected former prime minister Imran Khan’s request to withdraw his appeal against disqualification in the Toshakhana reference. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq announced the verdict, which was reserved on September 13. The reference alleging that Imran — who is currently incarcerated at Adiala Jail in the Toshakhana, Al-Qadir Trust and cipher cases — had not shared details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana and proceeds from their reported sales was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year. The Toshakhana is a department under the Cabinet Division that stores gifts given to rulers and government officials by heads of other governments and foreign dignitaries. According to Toshakhana rules, gifts/presents and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division. On October 21, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had concluded that the former premier had indeed made “false statements and incorrect declarations” regarding the gifts. The watchdog’s order had said Imran stood disqualified under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution. Subsequently, the ex-premier had approached the IHC against the electoral body’s decision contending that he had purchased the assets legally hence there was no reason for him not to mention the gifts in his assets statement. However, on January 18, the PTI filed a fresh plea in IHC seeking to withdraw the petition, saying that Imran wanted the Lahore High Court to hear the matter. The reference was filed against Imran by the Pakistan Democratic Movement, for “not sharing details” of Toshakhana gifts and proceeds from their alleged sale.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

02 NEWS

PTI TO ECP: ENSURE FREE, FAIR POLLS INSTEAD OF WASTING TIME ON PLEAS FOR DELAY

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ISLAMABAD

staff RepoRt

EACTING strongly to “what its dubs” organized attempts to unconstitutionally and unlawfully postpone the long-awaited general elections scheduled for February 8, 2023, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday demanded Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to utilize energies for free, fair and transparent conduct of elections instead of wasting time on petitions seeking polls delay.

A spokesperson for the PTI said that those, who were creating obstacles in the

Jhagra makes comeback at PTI convention in Peshawar, predicts victory in elections

PSX: IPOs hit record low in 2023, but stocks rebound in second half g

ISLAMABAD

staff RepoRt

He pointed out that the Supreme Court clearly determined the intent of the constitution pertaining to holding of elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies and in the petition seeking conducting elections within the stipulated constitutional period of ninety days. The PTI spokesperson further made it clear that the country and the nation had been suffering the consequences of the worst deviation from the constitution in the form of economic catastrophe. He reiterated that the solution to the prevailing untold crises imbibed in giving a decisive status to the people’s vote and holding free and fair elections in the country.

conduct of the elections, were the worst enemies of the country’s interest, constitution, people right to vote and democracy.

He noted that it was a shameful and dangerous plan to deprive Pakistan of its constitution and plunge the country into political instability, saying the PTI outright rejected the organized efforts to postpone the elections.

The PTI spokesman contended that the four provincial and central caretaker governments in the country were completely unconstitutional and illegal, whereas there was absolutely no scope for unelected and caretaker governments in the constitution after the expiry of their constitutional timeframe.

After months without making any public appearances, PTI leader Taimur Khan Jhagra resurfaced at a party convention in Peshawar on Wednesday and claimed that the PTI would “sweep” the general elections scheduled to be held on February 8. “Despite all these difficulties, PTI will sweep [the elections]. The reason for that is all of you. If you are standing then all of them are standing,” he said while addressing party workers in the provincial capital. Jhagra also thanked “all those colleagues, workers who served time in jail, who remained standing, are still in jail”. He thanked ex-National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and former MNA from Mardan, Mujahid Ali Khan, who he said were incarcerated before adding: “The one we must thank the most is Imran Khan sahib because he has been in jail for 120 days. “And he has said that he is ready to spend a 1,000 years in jail for his nation but will not opt for a deal,” he said. The former PTI chairman has been in jail since August. Referring to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who returned to Pakistan in October after four years in self-imposed exile, Jhagra said, “The laadla (blue-eyed) who has come from London has forgotten one thing. He has forgotten that Pakistan has changed. “The youth do not accept the laadla’s politics. The youth do not accept the politics of traitors,” he said. “Whatever the difficulties in front of us, on February 8 we will prove that this is a free nation. KP will come out [for the polls], God willing Punjab will also come out. God willing so will Karachi, so will Sindh, so will Balochistan for Imran Khan, for their honour,” he said. In the run up to the general elections, the PTI has complained that it is being stopped from carrying out political activities while several of its leaders have been jailed following violence in the country on May 9. Earlier this month, President Arif Alvi had also written a letter to interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and raised the PTI’s concerns regarding the “erosion of fundamental rights and a level playing field for all political parties”.

Subsequently, PTI chief Imran had penned a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and sought the top court’s intervention to stop alleged abductions and disappearances of his party workers and journalists sympathetic to it.

The letter had also called for action against PTI’s “political victimisation” and sought equal opportunities for the party to carry out an election campaign.

IPOS SLUMP TO A DECADE LOW IN PAKISTAN, AS ONLY ONE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY GOES PUBLIC IN 2023 AMID MACRO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CHALLENGES PROFIT

News Desk

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a dismal year for initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2023, with only one company going public and raising a meagre Rs435 million.

As reported by the brokerage firm Topline Securities, this is the lowest amount raised through IPOs in the past decade and half, and half of the previous record low of Rs800 million seen in 2013. The number of IPOs also declined to a single one in 2023, after a similar trend in 2019. This is in sharp contrast to the previous five-year and 10-year averages of four IPOs per year.

Analysts attribute this poor performance of IPOs to macro-economic instability, coupled with the looming threat of default, cheap valuations and political uncertainty discouraging equity investment.

The only IPO that the PSX saw this year was of Symmetry Group (ticker: SYM) on the main board. This is Pak-

PROFIT

News Desk

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced three new projects worth $658.8 million in Pakistan, aiming to support the country’s inclusive and sustainable growth and development.

The projects will improve tax collection and public spending, rebuild schools damaged by the 2022 floods, and enhance agricultural productivity and food security.

Improved Resource Mobilization and Utilization Reform Program: This $300 million policy-based loan will help the government implement reforms to policies, laws, and institutions that will improve domestic resource mobilization and utilization.

The program will support the transformation of tax administration, public expenditure management, and other institutional structures to increase non-debt resources such as private investment and savings.

Sindh Secondary Education Improvement Project: This project will receive additional financing of $275 million as part of ADB’s $1.5 billion pledge of support for Pakistan’s recovery from the 2022 floods. The loan will help reconstruct up to 1,600 flood-damaged schools using disaster- and climateresilient and gender-responsive designs.

The project will also provide a $800,000 technical assistance grant to help plan and monitor the reconstruction and introduce inclusive design features.

KP Food Security Support Project:

BENCHMARK INDEX TOUCHES 64,038.83 BEFORE FALLING BACK TO 63,917.72 POINTS, AN INCREASE OF 961.70 POINTS FROM PREVIOUS CLOSING OF 62,956.02 PROFIT

News Desk

Bulls run continued at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday, as the benchmark KSE-100 Index briefly soared past the psychological barrier of the 64,000 mark.

The upward trajectory was backed by economic revival initiatives, improved indicators, high investor confidence, and expected inflows in the form of a second tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The PSX website reported that the

This $80 million concessional loan, also part of ADB’s $1.5 billion pledge, will help address climate vulnerabilities, enhance food security, and boost the livelihoods of rural farm households in the most flood-damaged districts in the province. The project will provide essential agriculture inputs and training to smallholder farmers, including women, and improve household nutrition and women’s empowerment.

It will also enhance digital access and availability, especially with regard to market opportunities and climate information. ADB will also administer a $3 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific that will finance activities for women farmers related to seed cleaning and the safer handling of agrochemicals.

The ADB said that these projects are part of its strategic engagement in Pakistan and cohesively deploy its program lending and project investments to enhance support for Pakistan’s efforts to improve its economic situation and enhance the quality of life for its people.

ADB approves $659m for Pakistan’s development projects

KSE-100 index briefly hits 64,000 mark g

volume of 163 million shares and an average daily traded value of Rs6 billion.

In contrast, the index witnessed a sharp rally in the second half of 2023, and was up by 51% in PKR and 52% in US dollar till date, with an average daily traded volume in the cash/ready market improved to 377 million shares and Rs12 billion.

Analysts believe that this positive sentiment, if maintained, is likely to be capitalized by companies wishing to access external capital, which will lead to an uptick in companies applying to be listed at the PSX in 2024.

A new shorter IPO process has also been introduced by the PSX, where a 14 working-day limit has been placed for granting of regulatory approval to listing application and prospectus by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), coupled with a 15-day limit on PSX for post-approval procedure for listing.

Analysts said that this standardisation will also help in more companies raising funds through IPOs in 2024.

istan’s first publicly listed digital technology company with a focus on digitalisation of consumer-centric functions of organizations.

The company offered 101.24 million shares at a strike price of Rs4.3 per share, raising Rs435 million in August, 2023 with an oversubscription of 1.58 times.

The IPO market in Pakistan mirrored the global trend, where IPOs also dried up amid rising macro challenges, tighter liquidity, and higher cost of capital, the brokerage report added.

According to Ernst & Young (E&Y), a total of 968 IPOs were witnessed till the third quarter of 2023, raising $101 billion, compared to 1,018 IPOs raising $148 billion in the same period last year.

However, the stock market in Pakistan showed signs of recovery in the second half of 2023, after a lacklustre performance in the first half.

The benchmark KSE-100 index was up by only 3% in PKR and down 19% in US dollar in the first six months of 2023, with an average daily traded

KSE-100 index closed at 63,917.72 points, an increase of 961.70 points from the previous closing of 62,956.02.

At 3:15 pm, the benchmark index touched the 64,038.83 level before falling back. The recent market sentiment is boosted by a recent staff-level agreement between Pakistan and the IMF on the first review under the $3 billion Stand-By Arrangement (SBA). The agreement paved the way for releasing the second tranche of $700 million to Pakistan in mid-December.

According to the latest report by the Ministry of Finance, the PSX is experiencing a bullish wave due to a favourable IMF

review and a consistent monetary policy stance. The report, titled “Monthly Economic Update and Outlook for November” stated that “Pakistan’s economy is on a gradual but promising path to recovery.”

The report also observed that the economic activity is increasing due to the pace of economic revival initiatives.

The investors were also encouraged by the improvement in the country’s financial indicators, such as the extension of $3 billion deposit by Saudi Arabia, the expected $2 billion inflow from the World Bank in FY24, the above-target tax collection by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and

the relatively stable rupee.

The market experts believe that the interest rates have peaked and are likely to decline from 2024, which would attract more flows to the equity market. They also expect the corporate earnings to improve in the coming quarters, reflecting the economic recovery.

The PSX has seen a phenomenal rise of nearly 17% and the highest foreign investment in six years of $34.5 million in November 2023, indicating the strong confidence of investors in the country’s economic revival.

This was the second-highest monthly return in percentage terms in over a decade, only behind the Covid’s abnormal return in April 2020. The surge in Pakistan’s stock market rally has been a pivotal factor in the 50 percent increase in the benchmark index since late June, making it the world’s second-best performer during this period, following Argentina.

Thursday, 7 December, 2023 | LAHORE

SSGC’s LPG subsidiary to launch IPO of 33.3 million shares PROFIT

News Desk

Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC), a state-owned gas utility company, has announced its plans to convert its subsidiary SSGC LPG (Private) Limited (SLL) into a public limited company and issue 33.3 million shares through an initial public offering (IPO).

The board of directors of SSGC has approved the conversion of the status of SLL and the initiation of the process for the issuance of 33,333,333 ordinary shares by IPO at any time in the future, as deemed appropriate, according to a notice sent to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday. The board also authorised the management of the company to undertake all requisite steps for future listing at the PSX by the board of SLL. SLL is a 100% owned subsidiary of SSGC, engaged in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) marketing and distribution across the country.

The company owns and operates a dedicated open-access LPG terminal with storage facilities at Port Qasim to handle LPG imports. SLL is also a fully integrated LPG company capable of providing end-to-end solutions right from the terminal at Port Qasim to the supply of consumer retail packs of LPG. The IPO of SLL is expected to attract investors’ interest as the company has a strong market position and growth potential in the LPG sector. The company reported a net profit of Rs 1.2 billion for the year ended June 30, 2023, up by 28% from the previous year.

The company also declared a dividend of Rs 2.5 per share for its shareholders.

Pakistan’s economy to grow by 2.1% in 2024: Bloomberg PROFIT

MoNitoRiNg Desk

Pakistan’s economy is expected to rebound with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to grow by 2.1% in the fiscal year 2024, after contracting by 0.17% in the previous year, according to a report by Bloomberg. The growth rate will likely accelerate to 4.8% in the fiscal year 2025, the report added. The report cited several factors that will support the economic recovery, such as IMF loans, easing supply bottlenecks, and rate cuts coupled with political stability. Pakistan has received preliminary approval for another loan tranche of $700 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will help boost foreign exchange reserves and avert debt default. Pakistan will also likely negotiate a new longer-term deal with the IMF once the current program ends in March 2024. Pakistan’s economic activity grew by 3.2% between June and October 2023, as supply bottlenecks eased and imports of raw materials and machinery increased. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will likely start cutting its key policy rate from March 2024, as inflation slows down. Bloomberg forecasts that the SBP will cut rates by 700 basis points to 15% by the end of 2024. Pakistan’s farming sector is expected to perform better in 2024, as the cultivation area for major crops such as rice, cotton, and maize has increased compared to 2023, when floods damaged the crops. The general elections scheduled for February 2024 should lead to greater political stability and investor confidence, the report said. However, the report also warned of some headwinds to the growth outlook, such as high taxes, fuel and energy bills, debt servicing costs, and potential disruptions to the IMF aid or the elections.

SBP launches Raast P2M service to facilitate digital payment acceptance g

NEW SERVICE ENABLES CUSTOMERS AND MERCHANTS TO MAKE AND RECEIVE DIGITAL PAYMENTS VIA QR CODES, RTP, IBAN, AND MERCHANT ALIAS PROFIT

News Desk

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has launched an interoperable Raast P2M service to facilitate digital payment acceptance for merchants and businesses, according to a circular notification issued by SBP to all the Regulated Entities (REs).

The Raast P2M service is part of the Raast implementation project, which aims to create a fast, secure, and inclusive payment system in Pakistan. The service enables customers to pay for their purchases using various modes such as Request to Pay (RTP) Now and Later, IBAN, Merchant

Alias, and Static and Dynamic QR codes.

The SBP has directed all REs to enable the following capabilities for processing P2M transactions via their delivery channels including mobile apps, internet banking portals, and USSD channels by March 01, 2024: n Read/scan Raast P2M QR codes in line with DI&SD’s Circular Letter No. 1 dated March 02, 2022 and related specifications/instructions issued by SBP. n Process Request to Pay (Now/Later) transactions initiated by merchants or third parties. n Enable Push Payments to merchant Raast Aliases and IBANs. n Enable customers to initiate the request

for returns/refunds through the Raast provided option.

The SBP has also instructed all REs to design efficient, seamless and easy-to-use customer interfaces, and not to charge any fee from their customers paying for their transactions.

Moreover, REs are required to provide instant transaction confirmation or rejection advice, and update the account statements available for customers on digital channels in real-time.

The circular notification also outlines the roles and responsibilities of Raast Merchant Service Providers (MSPs), which are the REs that onboard businesses including but not limited to merchants, aggregators, marketplaces

and billers, after conducting due diligence in line with the relevant laws and regulations.

The MSPs are responsible for deploying QR codes, enabling the Raast payment acceptance modes, facilitating the refunds/returns of transactions, ensuring that merchants receive payment confirmation/rejection advice and funds on real-time basis or as per the agreed timelines, providing efficient, convenient and user-friendly checkout services and mobile apps/devices, devising comprehensive dispute resolution, liability and risk management frameworks, taking all possible steps to prevent the loss of customer data and funds due to cyber-security threats, preventing fraud and misuse of Raast P2M Service, and ensuring that customers are not charged any fee on their purchases by merchants or third parties.

The MSPs are also allowed to charge a reasonable fee from merchants to co-brand

their check-out service with Raast P2M Service and enter into agreements with third parties offering billing/invoicing services.

Furthermore, MSPs may embed Raast merchant services for checkout purposes into their partner apps, subject to compliance with all relevant SBP regulations.

The SBP has also advised that all REs shall ensure that billers/bill-aggregators already onboarded by them are also enabled to accept payments via Raast RTP by March 31, 2024.

The SBP has warned that non-compliance with the Raast-related instructions shall attract punitive action under the relevant provisions of the Payment Systems and Electronic Fund Transfer Act, 2007. It has also asked all REs to submit the status of compliance with this circular duly signed by the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) to this department on or before April 01, 2024.

NEWS 03

Thursday, 7 December, 2023 | LAHORE

LET THERE BE LNG: CHINA CHEMICAL, LNGFLEX GET BALL ROLLING WITH PRIVATE LNG TERMINALS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

These tanks or containers can then be transported by road, rail or sea to remote or off-grid areas, where they can be regasified on-site or used directly as fuel.

The RLNG project entails setting up a long-distance natural gas pipeline supply chain, incorporating LNG receiving terminals, gasification units, long-distance pipelines and supporting infrastructure in the Port Qasim area of Karachi. The VLNG project involves establishing a “virtual pipeline supply chain”, featuring an LNG receiving terminal, onshore LNG storage tank area, filling facilities and associated infrastructure in the Karachi Port area.

It is over here that we mention that there is a party involved in all this — Tabeer Energy. LNGFlex, and Tabeer Energy are the two subsidiaries of UAE based Bison Energy. Bison Energy is a company that primarily develops solar farms, with 73 operational in Japan and Australia and more under development in Taiwan, Romania and Italy. This is their first venture in LNG, which is likely why they have partnered with CNCE. “China is blessed with the world’s largest and most extensive gas infrastructure, of which CNCE constructed virtually 60% of that, including a dozen or so LNG terminals,” explains Karim. Tabeer Energy was given a licence to construct a mer-

chant terminal in 2021 and will be responsible for the RLNG side of the business.

LNGFlex will handle the VLNG side of the business and will use its own delivery mechanism for now.

The question then is if this will work?

ODDS OF SUCCESS Yes — if everything goes according to plan.

Pakistan, once self-reliant in natural gas due to abundant domestic reserves and low production costs, is projected to become more reliant on imports as local supplies dwindle. The Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority estimates that Pakistan currently faces a gas shortfall of about 38-40 billion cubic metres (bcm), which could soar to as high as 70 bcm within the next decade if infrastructure development lags behind.

Pakistan began importing LNG for the first time in 2015, following the inauguration of its first LNG import terminal, Engro LNG in March 2015. According to forecasts, Pakistan’s LNG imports are set to see a near 60% increase over the next decade. So the opportunity is there. However, that’s not to say there aren’t challenges the projects are set to encounter.

“The prospective challenges will be in acquiring on-grid and off-grid industrial, household, and heavy transport sector customers, followed by third-party access in the pipelines owned by Sui Southern Gas

PIA pays $13m to reclaim aircraft stranded for two years CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

Typically, PIA would opt to purchase the leased aircraft from the original owners, especially if they were too antiquated to hold much value. However, in this instance, AirAsia declined to sell the aircraft, despite PIA’s offer. AirAsia insisted on having its aircraft returned, leaving PIA with no alternative but to comply. The redelivery process, however, was riddled with complications. PIA failed to conduct a crucial inspection, known as a C Check, before dispatching the aircraft to Jakarta. There, a third-party company, FL Technic, was to inspect the aircraft. FL Technic, a global provider of aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul services, is headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania. The company was mutually chosen by both parties, as AirAsia was unable to send its team to Pakistan due to Covid travel restrictions and security concerns.

Upon arrival in Jakarta via Kuala Lumpur on September 19th, 2021, the aircraft were found to be in a state of disrepair, necessitating further repairs. PIA maintained that it had been paying the rent for the aircraft, but nothing more, and that the parking fee was covered.

However, rumours circulated that the parking fee was included in the payment made to FL Technic and the engineering facility in Jakarta.

PIA did not provide clarity on this matter.

In an attempt to resolve the issue out of court, PIA dispatched a seven-member delegation to Jakarta in October 2023, led by the Secretary of Aviation, Saif Anjum. The delegation also included PIA CEO Amir Hayat, the Chief Technical Officer, and the Chief Financial Officer. Following negotiations with AirAsia and PIA’s legal team, PIA agreed to pay $26 million to settle the dispute and repatriate the aircraft to Pakistan. This was in contrast to the $31.3 million that AirAsia had demanded in a court case against the national flag carrier in the UK. This incident marked a significant setback for PIA, which has been grappling with financial difficulties for years. The botched aircraft rental deal lays bare PIA’s mismanagement, inefficiency, and lack of transparency.

(SSGC)/Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL), and investment in the supply chain infrastructure for both projects,” explicates Sheikh Imranul Haque, former Managing Director and CEO at PSO and former CEO Engro Vopak.

The Bison subsidiaries have already been allocated 300 mmscfd apiece by both the Sui Companies at the time of writing.

“They (the Sui Companies) don’t have to keep the network empty. There is a lot of idle capacity currently, and if they can make money from a wheeling charge, then why wouldn’t they want to avail the opportunity,” exclaims Karim.

In terms of Haque’s concerns regarding finding customers, those are warranted. Pakistan currently has access to LNG at approximately $11-$12 per mmbtu through its long-term contracts, which include agreements with Qatar Energy, Qatargas II T1, and a recent agreement with Azerbaijan. Nonetheless, Pakistan has not shied away from the spot market.

According to data provided by the International Group of Liquefied Natural Gas Importers, Pakistan has obtained LNG cargoes from the spot market from Egypt, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, and the USA. More recently, Pakistan has bought spot cargoes from Trafigura and Vitol for December, and from OQ for January.

The consortium is betting on the

aforementioned domestic gas crisis to be the tipping point. “The issue was always affordability. However, with the revised tariff regime, effective from the first of November, the playing field is levelled,” asserts Karim. “The domestic top tier consumer is paying a hefty $14-$15 per mmbtu for gas, while the cement companies are hardly paying any less. Moreover, they are not even getting the gas they pay for, due to the chronic shortages,” Karim elaborates.

Haque’s apprehensions about the investment outlay are justified. The consortium will not only have to deploy the initial capital to kick-start the project, but they will also have to deliver 7-8 LNG cargoes per month at competitive prices to recoup their investment. The payment mechanism for the consortium will undoubtedly be a litmus test, given Pakistan’s perennial foreign exchange crunch. It is unclear whether the payment for the cargoes procured will be settled abroad or not. However, they have until 2026 to figure this out.

As for the sovereign risk, the consortium’s main concern will not be their own account, but rather the Government of Pakistan. “From a policy perspective, the Ministry of Energy needs to urgently address the pressing issue of gas shortage, otherwise both projects will remain on the drawing board for another five years,” warns Haque.

IHC bins Imran’s plea for withdrawal of appeal against disqualification in Toshakhana case CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

The PTI, while in government, had been reluctant to disclose details of the gifts presented to Imran since he assumed office in 2018, maintaining that doing so would jeopardise international ties, even as the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) ordered it to do so.

But later, in a written reply submitted to the ECP on September 8, 2022, Imran had admitted to selling at least four presents he had received during his tenure as the prime minister.

The former premier, in his reply, had maintained that the sale of the gifts that he had procured from the state treasury after paying Rs21.56 million fetched about Rs58m.

One of the gifts included a graff wristwatch, a pair of cuff links, an ex-

pensive pen and a ring while the other three gifts included four Rolex watches.

The reference against Imran was filed by MNA Barrister Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha carrying signatures of lawmakers Agha Hassan Baloch, Salahudeen Ayubi, Ali Gohar Khan, Syed Rafiullah Agha and Saad Waseem Sheikh and it was subsequently forwarded to CEC Raja.

In their disqualification reference, MNAs from the ruling alliance included documentary evidence to corroborate their claims against the ex-premier and sought his disqualification under Sections 2 and 3 of Article 63 of the Constitution, read with Article 62(1)(f).

Article 62(1)(f) says: “A person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) unless […] he is sagacious, righteous and non-profligate, honest and

ameen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law.”

Article 63(2) says: “If any question arises whether a member of Majlis-eShoora (Parliament) has become disqualified from being a member, the Speaker or, as the case may be, the Chairman shall, unless he decides that no such question has arisen, refer the question to the Election Commission within thirty days and should he fail to do so within the aforesaid period it shall be deemed to have been referred to the Election Commission.”

While, Article 63(3) reads: “The Election Commission shall decide the question within ninety days from its receipt or deemed to have been received and if it is of the opinion that the member has become disqualified, he shall cease to be a member and his seat shall become vacant.”

CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

In case any of these requirements are not met, the stock exchange has the power to reprimand the company. These regulations are placed for the interest of the investors and for the betterment of the market. In case the company is not working for the betterment of its shareholders or not following the rules, they can be checked and penalized accordingly.

Regulation 5.11 of the PSX Regulations details the different non-compliances that can be flagged by the stock exchange itself. These include, but are not limited to, the company not starting its production as disclosed in the Prospectus, suspension of operations for more than one year, not holding its Annual General Meeting as per law, failing to submit its annual audited accounts, failing to pay the fees accrued, qualification being issued relating to the going concern of the company by its statutory

auditors and/or license being revoked by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.

In all these cases, the company is disadvantaging the investors by not following through on their promises and falling short of their responsibility with the shareholders and the market aswell. In such a case, the PSX steps in and forces companies to either address these issues or be prepared to be punished.

As any of these requirements are not met, the PSX has the power to place the company as being defaulted. Once this placement has been done, the investors are made aware of the placement. The PSX does allow the company a period of 90 days to rectify the non-compliance after which the company would be brought from the defaulters’ counter to the normal counter and shares can be traded again. If, however, the non-compliance is not addressed, the PSX can stop the trading of shares on the ex-

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday sent the matters pertaining to the delimitation in various constituencies of the country to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by senior lawyer Ahsan Bhoon regarding the delimitation in Hafizabad. The ECP lawyer at the outset of hearing, adopted the stance that he was in court in another case, adding that the department has not received court notice in this case. The chief justice inquired that when the ECP was going to announce schedule for general elections. He said that several people have challenged the delimitation before the court. The court said that these were just minor issues which should be addressed by the electoral body as early.

Ahsan Bhoon Advocate said that there was no any constituency in the country where the population was more than 1.3 million. He said that the total population of Hafizabad was 1.319 million but only one constituency was made.

The court asked the ECP to address the issues after hearing the complainants as soon as possible and pass orders along with. The court sent the matters to the ECP.

Qureshi, Pervaiz Elahi reappointed as PTI Vice Chairman, President ISLAMABAD

staff RepoRt

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Ayub on Wednesday congratulated Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi over their reappointments as PTI Vice Chairman and President respectively, which, he said, was a testament of their bravery, resilience, and a long association with PTI. PTI Secretary General, in a statement, said: “Heartiest Congratulations to Shah Mehmood Qureshi over being reappointed as PTI Vice Chairman and Pervaiz Elahi as the party President.” He said that it was a testament to their bravery, resilience, and a long association with PTI, as they both stood with Prime Minister Imran Khan and endured tremendous hardships.

Meanwhile, Omar Ayub lashed out the caretaker government for dropping another bombshell of inflation by jacking up power tariff by Rs3.08 per unit. He said that Rs3.08 per unit electricity price increase was an inflationary bomb. “Electricity price is now effectively approx Rs85 per unit.

change and give the company another 90 days to rectify the situation. If it is seen that the company has still not rectified the situation, the company is asked to carry out a mandatory buyback. Even at this juncture, the company is given a period of 90 days to either rectify the situation or carry out the formalities to put the buyback in place.

DWAE seems to have come near this deadline to either comply or carry out a buyback.

SO WHAT PURPOSE DO THESE REGULATIONS HAVE? Consider an investor who had bought shares of DWAE in the past. They invested their hard earned money into the company.

Now, through no fault of their own, the company is flouting the trust that was placed on them and not following through on their commitment. Investors expected the company to perform and earn a return on their investment.

GRADE-17 EMPLOYEE OF WAPDA AND DISCOS, WHO ARE ALLOWED 450 UNITS PER MONTH, WOULD NOW BE PAID ITS COST AT RS15,858 PER MONTH, WHILE THOSE IN GENCOS, WHO ARE ENTITLED TO 650 UNITS, WOULD GET RS24,570 PROFIT

The grade-17 employee of Gencos, who were allowed 650 free units per month, would now receive Rs24,570 per month. n The grade-18 employee of Gencos, who were entitled to 700 free units per month, would now receive Rs26,460 per month. n The grade-19 employee of Gencos, who were entitled to 1,000 free units per month, would now receive Rs42,720 per month. n The grade-20 employee of Gencos, who were entitled to 1,100 free units per month, would now receive Rs46,992 per month. n The grade-21 employee of Gencos, who were entitled to 1,300 free units per month, would now receive Rs55,536 per month.

The notification said that the monetisation of free electricity units was aimed at rationalising the electricity consumption and reducing the burden on the national exchequer. The notification also revealed that the initial proposal did not include Wapda employees, but they have now been incorporated into the revised arrangement after discussions held at a meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office on August 27, 2023, which was attended by the chairman of Wapda. n

MoNitoRiNg Desk

The federal government has decided to freeze the monetised cost of free electricity units for the senior employees of power companies and the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) at the existing level for the future, the Power Division announced on Tuesday.

According to a notification, the cabinet had earlier approved the monetisation of free electricity units for the employees of Wapda, ex-Wapda companies, including distribution companies (Discos), generation companies (Gencos), National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) and Power Information Technology Company (PITC) on Oct 26.

The notification said that any change in the rates of monetised units would require prior approval of the federal cabinet. Therefore, the rates notified below would stand frozen.

The notification said that in the first phase, the electricity facility to in-service employees (BS-17 and above) of Wapda, Discos, Gencos, NTDC and PITC has been monetised after calculation of supply tariff issued on July 26, 2023, excluding taxes and duties.

ISLAMABAD

staff RepoRt

PSX gives compulsory buyback direction to Dewan Auto. What does it mean for company, shareholders?

Monetised cost of free electricity units for Discos, Wapda employees frozen at current rate g

IHC refers constituencies delimitation matters to ECP

The in-service employees in grade17 and above would have to pay the electricity bills issued by respective Discos against the reference numbers already available with Discos.

HOW MUCH WILL THE SENIOR EMPLOYEES OF DISCOS AND WAPDA GET PAID? The notification also provided the details of the revised compensation for different grades of employees in Wapda, Discos, NTDC, and PITC. The revised compensation is based on the monetised cost of free electricity units that the employees were previously entitled to.

For example, the grade-17 employee of Discos and Wapda, who were allowed 450 free units per month, would now receive Rs15,858 per month.

The grade-18 employee of Discos and Wapda, who were entitled to 600 free units per month, would now receive Rs21,996 per month.

The grade-19 employee of Discos and Wapda, who were entitled to 880 free units per month, would now receive Rs37,594 per month.

The grade-20 employee of Discos, Wapda and Gencos, who were entitled to 1,100 free units per month, would now receive Rs46,992 per month.

The grade-21 employee of Discos and Gencos, who were entitled to 1,300 free units per month, would now receive Rs55,536 per month.

For the employees attached to generation companies (Gencos) and power generation stations, the revised compensation is as follows:

The company has not followed the requirements of the stock exchange due to which they have been placed in the defaulters’ segment. In order to protect the investors, the PSX has made the regulations so that even if the company is being made to pay, the investors are still looked after. By making it compulsory for the company to carry out a buyback, the investors are being provided an opportunity to sell their shares back to the company and exit from their investment as they are not able to do so in the market.

This is a great solution that has been placed by PSX where the company is being punished for not following their regulatory compliance. In addition to that, the investors are being given a way out to liquidate their holding and make back some of their investment by mandating the company to refund the investors. As the date comes closer to the 11th December, it has to be seen which path is followed by the company in the coming days.

04 COMMENT

Perfectly imperfect elections

Thursday, 7 December 2023

Sticking to the schedule

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ECP’s money worries have been removed but still voices are heard for a polls delay

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The bureaucracy rules no matter who wins the elections

NE of the great hurdles for the Election Commission of Pakistan, that of money, has been removed by the Finance Ministry, which has given the State Bank the orders to transfer Rs 17.4 billion into the ECP’s account. This would bring the total disbursement so far to the ECP to Rs 27.4 billion. It might be remembered that the Finance Ministry’s refusal early in the year to transfer the requisite funds had left the ECP unable to hold the Punjab and KP Assemblies’ election within the constitutional framework. Even the federal elections are being held, by the ECP, on a date three months after the expiry of the constitutional limit. The monetary transaction should go to the credit of the ECP, which worked extra hard to get the money.

Another of the bottlenecks for the Punjab and KP Assemblies was the lack of military personnel to help fill in the gaps that would be left by a complete deployment of the police forces. The ECP has written to the military asking it to provide the necessary personnel.

Provision of security at polling stations is a big issue, which goes beyond the availability of troops. The postponement in January was made because the intelligence agencies had said there was a danger posed by militants. That spectre is being raised once again, amid voices that call for a postponement of polls. Not only has the ECP received petitions for postponement, but JUI(F) chief Maulana Fazlu Rehman has also voiced concerns about the polls in KP and Balochistan, traditionally the provinces where his party has been most competitive.

Another dimension is the potential uneven-ness of the playing field, by means of the placing of hurdles in the way of parties and groups from contesting. Though the PTI complied with the ECP order that it hold intraparty elections, those elections have been challenged by dissident founding member Akbar S. Babar, whose complaints about funding led to the adverse judgement against the PTI. The Balochistan caretaker government has also announced that it is contemplating action against both Manzoor Pashteen and his Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement. Elections must not only be safe, but they must also be inclusive if they are to have any credibility. The caretaker government should concentrate on the holding of these elections rather than anything else, which is what they seem to be doing.

Khaleeq Zaib

E all know that democracy is the only key to providing ease for the people of Pakistan. Our leaders want to participate in elections and also try to engage the public in this electoral process, but they forget one thing: the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was not a democracy at its initial time.

Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was not elected; neither was Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan elected by the people of the newly formed state. Our foundation was established on bureaucracy because the bureaucrats of Pakistan were more experienced than politicians.

They were equipped with the art of handling people at that time because they were part of the British Raj. They created hurdles for politicians. Many writers mentioned that there was bureaucracy behind the delay of elections at the initial time of Pakistan.

Both military and civil bureaucracy delayed the process of the election to hold power in their hands.

They tasted the joy of power during the time of the British Raj; they were all to all of United India, so they wanted to maintain the monopoly over power.

They delayed the process of the election, appointing many government officials as Governor-General and prime ministers. If you look into our past, you will find many names like Ghulam Muhammad, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Muhammad Ali Bogra, Iskander Mirza—all bureaucrats. They made all policies; they made ‘One Unit’ and declared Urdu as the national language only to rule over the state. United Pakistan was governed by bureaucrats; then, Pakistan divided into two parts after the first general elections because of the policies made by the former.

Bhutto came into power; he did the same thing.

He started an operation against the military and civil bureaucracy as they had done against the politicians.

Bhutto became so popular that no one could retaliate against him. He brought many changes; he ran the government with the elected members of the public.

However, after some time, the cartels and even the politicians became his opponents. They started lobbying against him, especially the PNA and its leadership, who despite helping their fraternity members, became his opponents. Then civil-military bureaucrats and the judiciary brought him into jail, and again, a military bureaucrat became the ruler of Pakistan.

The same tactics were applied by the new government to postpone the elections. The opposition made an alliance called MRD against Zia’s government. Initially, it was weak, but after some struggle, it became a sound voice of politicians and was popular in public.

Zia agreed to conduct the elections because he had to keep his power in his hand. After the elections, a new batch emerged in Pakistani politics, belonging to the rural elite and urban businessmen. They were initially pawns of Zia against the old and seasoned politicians. But when the Prime Minister Junejo got the point that they were being used for the oppression of the former, he raised his voice, and clashes arose between the President and the Prime Minister.

Again, a voice was raised in front of the bureaucrats. After the death of Zia, the long dictatorship ended, and our country faced a new setup called a hybrid regime for a long time, where the face was politicians, and the heart was bureaucrats. Then an era came when the face (politicians) turned its back on the heart, and it’s called Khan’s era.

It was for the first time after Zia’s death that the politicians went against the formula. Nawaz Sharif also showed some retaliation against the establishment, but he settled his matter. However, the face (Khan) showed a rigid attitude initially. The heart (bureaucrats) consulted the face, stating that it was supplying the blood (power), so should consider its importance.

But the face forgot its value after being recognized by many others. So, it showed arrogance, and finally, the heart stopped its work and became neutral.

You know what happens when the heart stops its

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami

Poor reading and library culture Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi

The writer is a freelance columnist

Executive Editor

Without a reading and library culture, the nation cannot move forward

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function. A similar thing happened to Khan; he was removed from the government and sent home. Again, our country was in political crisis and faced many issues like inflation, terrorism, and border attacks.

The process of elections was delayed after the resignation of Pakistan Tehreek Insaf in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. The constitution was violated after the tenure of PDM. Again, the elections were delayed, and only recently was a date for elections given. The interim government is not focusing on issues of the public. Again, the bureaucracy is trying to play their tactics and spreading news like a government of technocrats will be formed or this interim government will work for the next one year, to keep the power in their hands.

So, the heart and face must rebuild their connection. A government like that of the PDM is a thousand times better than the government of technocrats or this interim government. Why? Because the power will be in the hands of the public through their elected or partially selected members.”

The same tactics were applied by the new government to postpone the elections. The opposition made an alliance called MRD against ZiaÊs government. Initially, it was weak, but after some struggle, it became a sound voice of politicians and was popular in public.

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Joint Editor

So, the heart and face must rebuild their connection. A government like that of the PDM is a thousand times better than the government of technocrats or this interim government.

Why? Because the power will be in the hands of the public through their elected or partially selected members

abid hussain

EADING culture refers to the attitudes, behaviours, and practices within a community or society, whereas library culture reflects how frequently individuals in a society or community use library resources.

Both reading and library cultures encourage people to read regularly, whether for leisure, education or personal grooming. These cultures play a crucial role in shaping individuals’ and communities’ intellectual and educational development.

Unfortunately, like other developing countries, Pakistan also faces the same challenges. A robust reading culture includes a wide range of reading materials such as books, magazines, newspapers and online content. Readings explore new horizons and take you to the height of your success. Dr. Seuss (American children’s author, novelist and cartoonist) rightly said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

The cultural environment has a deep impact on human personalities. An ecological reading culture injects a hundred ideas into minds. The library is the best place for readings on leisure, education and personal grooming. Walter Savage Landor, an English writer and poet, articulated that “Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library.”

Both reading and library culture are interconnected, as libraries are essential institutions which foster a positive reading environment. Libraries provide access to a wide range of reading material, create space for community engagement, and contribute positively to the community’s intellectual and cultural life. A society with a sound reading culture and rich libraries can lead a nation in a more informed, educated, and progressive direction.

There are multifaceted challenges to Pakistan in both reading and library culture. Here are some key reasons why Pakistan lacks poor reading and library culture. Socioeconomic factors include limited access to education, leading Pakistan to a lower inclination towards readings. The lack of educational opportunities af-

fects the literacy rates of our youth.

The other factor includes economic challenges; the people facing hiked prices prioritize basic needs over educational and cultural pursuits. People do not find time to visit libraries or buy books for reading. Infrastructure and Resource Constraints: in Pakistan, most districts need well-established and well-equipped libraries, and the absence of adequate infrastructure hinders people’s access to reading materials and library services.

Limited availability of books: in Pakistan, libraries in some regions lack sufficient books to fulfil the demands of the local communities.

Such limitations prevent people from visiting libraries and reading books of their choice. Similarly, in every district, very few book suppliers exist, and these do not offer the desired books as per the demand of their society; this can also affect the reading and library culture.

Cultural priorities: the entire culture of Pakistan needs to have reading habits; in every big city, you will find cinemas, hotels and parks, but very rarely can you find a library for the general public; this can also affect the reading and library culture. Most people in developing countries prefer the latest fashion instead of buying books. The language barrier also hinders our society’s reading habits; very few people can read and speak English, and libraries need cultural books in Sindhi, Pashto, Urdu, Hindko, and so on. This can also affect the reading habits of our youngsters.

Technological changes have badly affected the reading habits of our youngsters; every individual in Pakistan has a costly smartphone and full internet access. They are browsing entertainment stuff other than reading materials; this culture has left no stone unturned in Pakistan’s decline of reading habits.

Lack of awareness and of promotion of library services hinder the reading habits among the masses in Pakistani culture. What is to be done? The question, however, arises in minds.

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

In short, sustained effort, community involvement, and constant strategies based on the populationÊs evolving needs will truly promote reading and library culture in Pakistan The Pakistani community should be engaged by conducting outreach programmes in schools, colleges, and universities to raise awareness about the importance of reading habits. Libraries play a pivotal role in promoting education and literacy programmes; they should strive to initiate literacy programmes to promote reading habits— collaborate with local community leaders, educational institutions and NGOs to organize reading events and workshops. Digital engagement like library websites, social media platforms and other similar online services may bring the community together for readings. Multilingual collections at every shop and library will further enhance the reading habits in Pakistani communities. Promotions of local authors, study spaces, mobile libraries, and so on are the best tools to empower the youth of Pakistan in terms of reading and library culture.

In short, sustained effort, community involvement, and constant strategies based on the population’s evolving needs will truly promote reading and library culture in Pakistan.

The writer is the Deputy Director of the library at ISSI, Pakistan.

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

Fair career flow

I am writing to express concern about the exclusion of Agricultural Engineering graduates from job opportunities within the Irrigation Department. Agricultural Engineering is a specialised field, covering thirteen courses related to irrigation, drainage, hydrology, and water management, providing expertise crucial for the department’s responsibilities.

Unlike Civil Engineering graduates, who cover fewer relevant courses, Agricultural Engineers are equally, if not more, equipped for roles in irrigation, drainage, and water resource management. The current practice of barring Agricultural Engineers from competing with Civil Engineers is unjust, given their qualifications and expertise.

The Irrigation Department’s responsibility involves managing water resources for agriculture, requiring professionals with skills in developing efficient irrigation systems. Agricultural Engineers possess these skills, making their exclusion from competitions within the Irrigation Department unjustifiable. This practice not only hinders the potential contributions of Agricultural Engineers but also denies them the basic right to compete, contributing to youth unemployment and underutilization of skilled resources. I urge the Chief Minister of Sindh, the Minister of Irrigation, the Irrigation Secretary, the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), policymakers, and stakeholders to review the recruitment policy.

Allowing Agricultural Engineers to participate in competitions will ensure fair opportunities, promoting sustainable growth in irrigation and agriculture for the benefit of Pakistan’s economy.

PROF DR ALTAF SIYAL TANDOJAM

Energetic advances

PAKISTAN holds immense potential in energy, capable of producing 50,000 MW of hydropower. In 2012, our electricity capacity was 22,000 MW, and by 2023, it has surged to 39,000 MW. To meet interim needs, we resorted to thermal energy, resulting in a significant spike in bills. Unfortunately, only 2% of females are engaged in the sector, signaling a concerning gender disparity. Qualified women should be actively recruited.

Our failure to devise a comprehensive plan for hydropower generation has led to a shift towards renewable energy. There’s an urgent need to privatise the sector and address internal issues in WAPDA, such as common line losses and theft. The current government deserves credit for recovering 42 billion from individuals involved in theft and non-payments.

To alleviate public suffering, hydropower should be prioritised.

The construction of Basha and Dassu Neelum Jhelum projects will usher in a new era. Installing the latest equipment to reduce electricity costs is also essential.

SHAKIR H SHAMIM SKARDU

A neglected village

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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A library is one of the most critical needs for students, providing a quiet space for reading and writing. It plays a crucial role in the academic lives of students. In Balnigwar Dasht, a populated village in the Kech district, the absence of a library poses significant challenges for students. The lack of this facility hinders their studies, and the government has failed to address their concerns or establish a library. Unfortunately, relevant authorities have not shown interest in resolving this issue. According to recent research, the literacy rate in district Kech is 62.66, and neighbouring areas lack libraries. I humbly request the current leaders of Balochistan to allocate funds for building libraries in Balnigwar to support its students.

TARIQ IBRAHIM BALNIGWAR

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

COMMENT 05 Sustainable groundwater management through comprehensive legal regulation Thursday, 7 December 2023

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Groundwater belongs to all, so all must take care of it

muhammad Saqlain arShad

E all can and should do something to protect groundwater. Why? Because everyone has a stake in maintaining its quality and quantity. Being a steward and to secure groundwater just makes sense. Not only that, most surface water bodies are connected to groundwater so how you can impact in maintaining cleanliness of groundwater, really matters. Furthermore, many public water systems draw all or part of their supply from groundwater, so protecting the resource protects the public water supply and impacts treatment costs.

Human activities can pollute groundwater, and this is where every person can help protect groundwater— both in terms of groundwater quality and quantity. There are two fundamental categories of groundwater protection: First, keeping it safe from contamination, and second, using it wisely by not wasting it.

We all know the importance of water for the people, businesses, wildlife and natural lands, all need adequate water there. Therefore it is the responsibility of the Government to take sustainable measures and provide for comprehensive water policy guidelines to ensure provision of clean water to the masses.

The government should consider the following social and economic issues of excessive use of groundwater especially by the industries, in order to secure the future generations from dearth of clean water: 1. Over-extraction of groundwater for industrial use can lead to depletion of aquifers. This can affect local communities that depend on groundwater for drinking water and agricultural purposes, leading to water scarcity.

2. Industrial processes may introduce pollutants into the groundwater, impacting its quality. Contaminated groundwater can pose health risks to nearby communities that rely on it for drinking and irrigation.

3. In some cases, excessive groundwater extraction can lead to land subsidence. This can result in the displacement of communities and infrastructure, particularly in areas with clayey soils prone to subsidence.

4. The impact of groundwater use may not be evenly distributed among different social groups. Vulnerable communities may bear a disproportionate burden in terms of water scarcity, pollution, and health risks.

5. Similarly, competition for groundwater resources between industries, agriculture, and urban areas can lead to conflicts. Such conflicts may have social implications, affecting community relations and access to water.

6. If serious steps are not taken by the government, groundwater depletion may lead to a rise in the cost of extracting water for industries. As groundwater levels drop, industries may need to invest in deeper wells or alternative water sources, increasing operational costs.

7. If groundwater depletion affects agricultural water supplies, it can impact the productivity of the agricultural sector. This, in turn, can have economic im-

plications for both farmers and the overall economy.

8. Land subsidence resulting from excessive groundwater extraction can damage infrastructure, including roads, buildings, and utilities. The economic cost of repairing or mitigating this damage can be significant.

9. Industries may incur costs related to compliance with water use regulations and environmental standards. Implementing water-saving technologies or pollution control measures may require investments.

10. Changes in industrial practices, such as adopting water conservation measures, may lead to job creation in water management and conservation sectors. Conversely, industries facing increased water costs may experience economic challenges, potentially impacting employment.

Groundwater is found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil beneath land. It means that by virtue of owning a piece of land every human being has proprietary rights over the underground water. Every individual has control over groundwater being a part and parcel of land. Being a natural resource available with access from one’s piece of property, the law recognises that the title of ownership of ground water vests with the owner of land. Therefore the land owner possesses not only collection rights over underground water but can also dispose of water as a commercial commodity. The said position however, leaves one to ask if the people who do not possess any land, can claim any proprietary rights over the groundwater.

It is observed that there exists no specific law in Pakistan which clearly defines ownership and rights over groundwater sources; however after referring to different statutes one can gather that rights of groundwater are associated with ownership of land. It is not therefore clear whether ground water is a resource meant for public use and whether it can be regulated by the Government.

Is there any specific legislation available that regulates groundwater in Pakistan? The answer to this question leads us to the fact that after independence, Pakistan has followed the British tradition. Therefore legal principles evolved by the British Courts, known as common law principles, were followed in Pakistan. However, there was no specific law in Pakistan to regulate or control groundwater use.

Under common law, groundwater was considered as part and parcel of the land and accordingly the owner of the land could dig one or more wells in his land and extract unlimited quantities of groundwater he may want.

The landowner was not responsible for any damage caused to water resources as a result of his over extraction. It was left open for the landowner to exploit and use groundwater with an intention to cause injury to neighbours’ wells. This legal principle could be seen in some laws dealing with land rights, for instance, the Easements Act, 1886. This principle was also endorsed by courts during the pre-independence period.

Even till today common law principles are part of groundwater law in Pakistan and will remain as a part of groundwater law unless Governments make specific groundwater laws. The importance of fair use of ground-

water has been upheld by superior courts in Pakistan. An excellent example of this is the decision of Sindh High Court in the cases of illegal hydrants supplying water to the industries.

Water rights are determined by land rights. Under the Easement Act, 1882, it can be determined who actually possesses the ownership rights over ground water.

A cursory view of the Transfer of Property Act of 1882 and the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 also show that groundwater is connected to the land as dominant heritage and cannot be transferred apart from the land. An ‘easement’ is a right that the owner or occupier of certain land possesses, for beneficial enjoyment of that land. Examples of easements are right of way, right to light and air, and right to standing or flowing water not on one’s land. Section 7(g) of the Easement Act states that every landowner has the right to “collect and dispose” of all water under the land within his own limits, and all water on its surface that does not pass in a defined channel.

Hence, by this Act, the owner of a piece of land does not, strictly speaking, “own” the groundwater under the land or surface water on the land; he only has the right to collect and use the water.

It is an admitted position that throughout Pakistan, a well belongs to the person who is the owner of the land where that well exists and the general public has no claimable rights to extract water from that well. There are also other legislations and irrigation laws, which provide for rights of the government on surface water, but these laws do not mention groundwater.

A UK-based international NGO, Water Aid, released a report on the eve of World Water Day, saying that water quality throughout the world has deteriorated, with Pakistan being no exception. Around 16 million people of Pakistan do not have access to clean water and that there are also inequalities in the cost of the commodity, with the poor having to pay more. According to the report “Pakistan is among the top 10 countries with the greatest number of people living without access to safe water...they have no choice but to collect unsafe water from unsafe sources.” About 84 to 89pc of the country’s water sources do not meet the water quality standards for human consumption, because of which about 53,000 children die of diseases like diarrhoea every year and over 3 million people suffer from waterborne diseases, the report says.

The need of the time is that there has to be a special regulatory authority to regulate the water use by the industries, or any activities of commercial use for the groundwater. It is abundantly clear that although everyone has an exclusive right to use the groundwater existing beneath his land, at the same time such right should not be exercised in a way to deprive others from their right to have availability of clean water. It necessitates that commercial and industrial use should be subject to a regulatory regime promoting fair use of groundwater.

Like other commercial commodities, there should be a price/cost prudently determined by an independent institution. Putting a price on groundwater may not be a simple task but there should be clarity on various cost components for the industrial use to determine the cost

Hindutva’s paranoid triumphalism through H-Pop

Purohit also quotes, verbatim, the last verse of this poem on Godse and Gandhi: “Agar Godse ki goli utri na hoti seene mein Toh har Hindu padhta namaz, Mecca aur Medine mein.

Mook ahimsa ke kaaran Bharat ka aanchal phat jaata, Gandhi jivit hote toh phir desh dobaara batt jaata”

The book’s strongest sections are on musicians, analysing the words and sentiments of their songs, and how they dehumanise Muslims

The poems and songs that constitute the world of H-Pop aim at rewriting the past to paint Muslims as perfidious and Hindus as noble and valiant. They urge “the listener to suspend reason and rationale, and, instead, consume the emotion”

I

TELEGRAPH, INDIA

ramachandra guha

N recent years, a stream of books and articles has appeared seeking to analyse the theory and practice of Hindutva.

They have sought to alternatively explain, critique, or justify the rising influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Some have focused on organisational questions, on the building of social networks on the ground and how they help garner votes for the party. Others have explored the role of ideology, the articulation of a belief system founded on Hindu pride and the demonisation of minorities. Yet others have adopted a biographical approach, writing about the role played in the rise of Hindutva by such individuals as Golwalkar, Savarkar, Vajpayee, Advani and Modi.

The literature on Hindutva is now large enough to fit a decent-sized library. The books and essays that make it up are of extremely variable quality. Yet even in this dense and crowded field, there is room for innovation and flair. Both these qualities are displayed in a book that was released late last month. The book carries the title, H-Pop: The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars, and its author – whom I have never met and had not heard of till a proof copy of his work arrived in my inbox – is a young, Mumbaibased writer called Kunal Purohit.

So far as I know, H-Pop is the first book to closely investigate the use – and abuse – of popular culture by the Hindu Right. The characters it features are carefully sketched.

The book’s strongest sections are on musicians, analysing the words and sentiments of their songs, and how they dehumanise Mus-

lims. However, it also deals with Hindutvainflected poetry and books apart from music.

Among the merits of Kunal Purohit’s book is its comparative approach. The author is alert and aware of global trends in right-wing pop culture, locating the Indian case in this wider context. The book thus talks of propagandist poems/songs promoted by the Nazis, the Italian fascists, al Qaida, in the Rwandan genocide, and by white supremacists in contemporary Europe and North America. I don’t know whether Purohit writes or sings song himself. He certainly is deeply interested in them. His book tracks the composing of the songs that make up the world of H-Pop, and how they are visualised and recorded. He tells the reader of how these songs find their often large and very engaged audience. We learn of the role of the internet, YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp in spreading these poems and songs and their messages of hate. (Unlike the Hindutvavadis, Hitler and Mussolini did not have access to these postmodern technologies, though the Neo-Nazis and ISIS do.)

ENEMIES PAST AND PRESENT: The lyrics of the songs examined by Purohit speak of the dangerous enemies the Hindus have allegedly faced in the past and the present. The songs nonetheless assure the audience that their side will be victorious in the end. They thus illuminate what I have elsewhere termed the “paranoid triumphalism” which defines Hindutva ideology today. Here is one verse from a popular song sung by a Haryanvi singer. This addresses (or rather instructs) Muslims in these words: “Vande Mataram gaana hoga/ Warna yahaan se jaana hoga/ Nahi gaye toh jabran tujhe bhaga denge/ Hum tujhko teri aukaat bata denge.” (Vande Mataram, you will have to chant/ Or you will have to leave this country/ If you don’t, you’ll be pushed out/ We will show you your place.)

Other songs highlight the savagery of Muslim conquerors like Timur. One poem cited by Purohit celebrated an utterly fictitious warrior named Jograj Singh Gurjar, who, it claimed, defeated Timur’s army and stopped it at the gates of Haridwar. A video of this poem with this fabricated story being recited was shared by the actor, Kangana Ranaut, on her Facebook page on the eve of the 2022 assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, with a message asking Ranaut’s followers to “listen to the story of the brave, powerful Jograj Singh Gurjar who defeated the cruel invader Timurlane. I appeal to all voters, to honour and respect the sacrifices of our brave ancestors. On polling date, make sure you vote for the security of our nation.” The poems and songs that constitute the world of H-Pop aim at rewriting the past to paint Muslims as perfidious and Hindus as noble and valiant. They urge “the listener to suspend reason and rationale, and, instead, consume the emotion”. For, as Purohit further remarks, “for Hindutva to survive and flourish, it needs enemies – constantly producing fresh ones as time passes”.

Many of the songs and poems reflect an illogical fear of Muslim demographic conquest.

Their words promote altogether false claims that Muslims are breeding so fast that they shall soon overtake Hindus and make them a minority in their own homeland. Consider this verse: “Kuch logo ki toh saazish hai/ Hum bacche khub banayenge/ Jab sankhya hui humse zyaada/ Fir apni baat manayenge.” (Some peo-

ple are conspiring/ That they will produce many children/ When their numbers go past ours/ They will make us dance to their tune.)

As a biographer of Mahatma Gandhi, I was particularly struck by Purohit’s description of a poem attacking Gandhi and extolling Nathuram Godse. As he writes of its recital: “For the next thirteen minutes, Kamal, through his poem on Gandhi and Godse, launches into what is, simultaneously, a searing indictment of Gandhi’s role in the freedom struggle as well as a justification and glorification for Godse’s action. The poem blames Gandhi for everything – from ‘betraying’ India by not stopping the executions of the three revolutionaries, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru to backing Nehru, instead of the other leaders, for the post of the Prime Minister of independent India. But the subtext, through the poem, was clear: killing Gandhi was justified and necessary.”

Purohit also quotes, verbatim, the last verse of this poem on Godse and Gandhi: “Agar Godse ki goli utri na hoti seene mein/ Toh har Hindu padhta namaz, Mecca aur Medine mein./ Mook ahimsa ke kaaran Bharat ka aanchal phat jaata,/ Gandhi jivit hote toh phir desh dobaara batt jaata.” (Had Godse not pumped that bullet into Gandhi,/ Every Hindu would have been praying at Mecca and Medina today./ Meek non-violence would have torn India apart,/ Had Gandhi lived, the country would have been splintered into more parts.)

NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE: Purohit’s book documents how this weaponising of popular culture has helped in the political ascendancy of the BJP. (Interestingly, it appears that these poisonous cultural forms find a more receptive audience in the North than in the South, in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.)

The adoration of Modi and Adityanath often animates these poems and songs. Purohit mentions the case of one right-wing poet who got a cash prize from the Uttar Pradesh government which he returned saying the regime should buy a new bulldozer (presumably to demolish Muslim homes with).

Kunal Purohit’s book offers an illuminating if often disturbing window into the paranoias and fantasies of the Hindu Right. As the author writes in conclusion, “the attempts to weave propaganda into popular culture have only grown more brazen, its effects have only become more insidious”. Being a Hindutva cheerleader “has become a financially lucrative proposition”. Interestingly, though, no major BJP leader has explicitly identified with or endorsed these propagandist poems, songs, and pamphlets. Rather, the “mobilisation of masses and execution of violence” has been “outsourced, to non-state actors, seemingly independent but tied with an invisible umbilical cord to the Hindu right”.

I read this book with a mixture of fascination and horror. For I had long been accustomed to think of music as an art form whose main purpose was to uplift and entertain. Musical forms Eastern and Western, folk and classical, instrumental and vocal, have provided succour and happiness to humanity down the centuries. I have myself been sustained and kept going all my life by Indian classical music. Yet in the country of Bismillah Khan and MS Subbulakshmi, Kishori Amonkar and Kishore Kumar, music has now become an artefact of right-wing propaganda, a vehicle of vindictiveness and violence.

for using groundwater. An option of claiming a royalty for use of groundwater can be explored but given the fact that under section 7 of Easement Act, ownership of ground water vests with landowner, in the absence of any other legislation, imposition of royalty over groundwater may be legally contentious.

The proposed law should specifically take into the following aspects:

Compulsory registration of bore well-owners.

Compulsory permission for sinking a new borewell. n Creation of a groundwater regulatory body. n Restrictions on the depth of borewells. n Establishment of protection zones around sources of drinking water. n Periodical reassessments of groundwater potential on a scientific basis, considering quality of water available and economic viability. n Regulation of exploitation of groundwater sources so that extraction does not exceed recharge. n Development of groundwater projects to augment supplies. n Integrated and coordinated development of surface water and groundwater so that they are used in conjunction. n Prevention of over-exploitation of groundwater near the coast to stop the ingress of seawater.

The basic scheme of the law should be to provide for the establishment of a grounder water authority under the direct control of the Government. The authority should be given the right to notify areas where it is deemed necessary to regulate the use of groundwater.

The final decision however in this regard should be taken by the Government.

It would be of great importance if the law proposes public participation in the regulatory aspect of the authority. In any notified area, every user of groundwater should apply for a permit from the authority unless the user only proposes to use a hand-pump or a well from which water is drawn manually. Wells should be registered even in non-notified areas. Decisions of the authority in granting or denying permits should be based on a number of factors which may include technical factors such as the availability of groundwater, the quantity and quality of water to be drawn and the spacing between groundwater structures.

The regulation of excessive groundwater use through laws is essential for balancing human needs, economic activities, and environmental conservation. It promotes the responsible and sustainable management of a vital natural resource, ensuring its availability for current and future generations. Regulation helps ensure the sustainable use of groundwater resources.

By setting limits on extraction rates and implementing conservation measures, authorities can prevent overextraction, depletion of aquifers, and long-term environmental damage. Furthermore, groundwater regulation aids in the protection of ecosystems dependent on groundwater, such as wetlands, rivers, and streams.

Maintaining adequate groundwater levels supports biodiversity and ecosystem health. n n

The writer is an advocate of the Lahore High Court

The age of diplomacy is over

There is no avenue for diplomacy between modern conflicting nationstates and their constant assertion of geopolitical and resource war.

International laws are redundant, for the institutions are partial and cannot appeal to the new pluralistic world as globalization hits the buffers. The new front of the post-liberal world is universal war, not universal peace

A

NATIONAL INTEREST

Brian Patrick Bolger

new front has opened up in the Gaza conflict. The new front is not Lebanon or the West Bank, but one whereby all the traditional forms of war have ended.

The essential features of war since the nation-state ascendancy post-Westphalia were, from the Medieval period onwards, wars of the “just state.” Wars were essentially conflicts between noble families, and since the average European traveled within a maximum radius of fifty kilometers throughout their life, war was something “out there,” not “imminent.” Conflicts didn’t draw in disparate neighbors or nationstates on the other side of the known world. This began after the formation of nation-states in the nineteenth century. It also resulted from the contradistinction between maritime (the British Empire) and land-based (Germany in the twentieth century) ascendancies. The United States inherited the mantle of the maritime ascendancy but is now losing it.

Last month, Houthi rebels managed to kidnap the crew of an Israeli chartered ship in the Red Sea shipping lane. The import of this is not the disappearance of the poor crew of twenty-five non-Israelis but the nature of modern conflict. For Israel, the event constituted another front. For the globalized world, it was another example of the dysfunctional nature of modern geopolitics.

The Houthis descent from a helicopter to capture the ship illustrates the fluidity, the fall of any semblance of “morality” from international affairs, the ending of borders, and the end of diplomacy.

No longer is diplomacy a chin wag between Napoleon and Alexander on a raft in the middle of the River Niemen at Tilsit in 1807, complete with fine wines and French cheeses. The forms of war have changed; solutions are technical and violent. The first maneuver is sending nuclear submarines to the Mediterranean. The age of diplomacy has shifted to the realm of computer games.

We are now in danger of “technifying” reality. We can become distant from its consequences, immune to suffering.

The new front means two things. For the world, it means globalized war. For Is-

rael, it means becoming embedded in a diaspora of terror in a wider Islamic world.

It was Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan that introduced the total absolute boundaries of the nation-state—yet this was balanced by the idea of the justus hostis and magni homines. Even wars between kings could be limited by dynastic ties.

On the other hand, the twentieth century brought what Ernst Junger termed “a mine that detonates silently.” By that, he meant war for modernity was afar, total, against an “enemy,” “rogue state,” or the “terrorist.” The opposition becomes dehumanized, for this is the narrative of black and white, good and evil. Aligned with this movement to technicity and rationality, there was the abandonment of previous notions of “natural law” allegiances prior to the nation-state. That is—allegiances to other things besides economics, resources, or borders.

Modern technical warfare has relegated diplomacy and conceptions of natural law to the dustbins of history.

Nation-states today regard with contempt the instruments of international justice: the United Nations or the International Court of Justice. Such arbitration only works on an equal playing field rather than the show trial atmosphere of many multilateral fora. Nation-states have dubious origins. The Holy Roman Empire, for instance, had the Pope or Emperor as the arbitrator of the status quo based on natural or customary law.

Modern contestation more resembles the realms of pirates, rootless states with a fundamental commercial orientation.

This leaves the world open to the death of diplomacy, a fight for resources with no underlying logos or law. Thus, modern liberal nation-states abolished the justus hostis for the ability to strike the enemy for merely territorial reasons. Kant, in his On Perpetual Peace, believed that economic cooperation would lead to perpetual peace. Hence, there would be a universal law based on a European concept of liberal democratic norms. This idea gained currency until the advent of modern total war in the twentieth century.

There is no avenue for diplomacy between modern conflicting nation-states and their constant assertion of geopolitical and resource war. International laws are redundant, for the institutions are partial and cannot appeal to the new pluralistic world as globalization hits the buffers.

The new front of the post-liberal world is universal war, not universal peace.

Brian Patrick Bolger LSE, University of Liverpool. He has taught political philosophy and applied linguistics in Universities across Europe. His articles have appeared in the US, the UK, Italy, Canada, and Germany.

06 NEWS

ISRAEL AND HAMAS LOCKED IN FIERCE GROUND BATTLE IN SOUTHERN GAZA

I

GAZA

Agencies

SRAELI troops and Hamas militants were locked in fierce ground combat in Gaza on Wednesday after the Israelis, fighting their way through the devastated Palestinian enclave, reached the heart of the southern city of Khan Younis.

Israeli warplanes also bombarded targets in one of the heaviest phases of warfare in the two months since the Hamas-Israel war began.

Palestinian medics said hospitals were overflowing with dead and wounded civilians, many of them women and children, and supplies were running out. Hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes were seeking shelter in a decreasing number of safe areas.

Palestinians inspect the site of Israeli strikes, amid the ongoing conflict between

Thursday, 7 December, 2023 | LAHORE

Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Khan Younis. /Ahmed Zakot/Reuters.

Palestinians inspect the site of Israeli strikes, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Khan Younis. /Ahmed Zakot/Reuters.

Israeli troops and tanks have pushed through to the southern part of the Gaza Strip after largely gaining control of the north in a campaign to eliminate Hamas. They have encircled Khan Younis in a surge of violence since a truce collapsed last week.

Israel said its forces were fighting fierce battles on Wednesday and had struck hundreds of targets in the enclave, including a militant cell near a school in the north.

Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, also said its fighters were engaged in clashes with Israeli forces.

Hamas said it had killed or wounded eight Israeli soldiers and destroyed 24 mili-

tary vehicles on Tuesday. Israel said 84 of its soldiers had been killed since the ground operation began five weeks ago.

NOWHERE TO GO Fuel and medical supplies have reached critically low levels at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, and hundreds of patients need emergency care, Medecins Sans Frontieres said.

MSF emergency coordinator MarieAure Perreaut Revial said the hospital has been receiving on average 150 to 200 warwounded patients daily since Dec. 1.

“There are 700 patients admitted in the hospital now, with new patients arriving all the time,” she said.

Since the truce collapsed, Israel has been posting an online map to tell Gazans which parts of the enclave to evacuate to avoid attacks. Khan Younis’s eastern quarter was marked on Monday, and many of its hundreds of thousands of residents took flight on foot. But Gazans say there is no

safe place, with remaining towns and shelters already overwhelmed, and Israel continuing to bomb the areas where it is telling people to go.

As the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, Gazans say there is now no safe place for them to go. /Raneen Sawafta/Reuters As the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, Gazans say there is now no safe place for them to go. /Raneen Sawafta/Reuters

ISRAEL INVESTIGATES LEBANON STRIKE The Israeli army said on Wednesday it was reviewing a strike that harmed Lebanese troops in south Lebanon, an apparent reference to Israeli shelling that killed a Lebanese soldier and wounded three others the previous day. “The Lebanese Armed Forces were not the target of the strike. The IDF expresses regret over the incident.

refutes US claim Green Engine: Chinese new-energy tech draws attention UN about safe places in Gaza at COP28, empowers carbon reduction in Middle East UNITED NATIONS

DUBAI

stAff correspondent

The on-going COP28 in Dubai, the UAE, a conference dedicated to green and low-carbon practices, has also showcased Chinese brands’ efforts in global environmental conservation.

Since the start of the conference, Chinese brands such as Higer and BYD have provided electric shuttle bus services to ferry attendees, with about 50 electric vehicles from South China’s Guangdong Province offering shuttle services in the conference’s “Green Zone,” which is open to the public.

This is just a microcosm of the vigorous develop-

ment of China’s new-energy industry on display in the UAE. The UAE Energy Strategy 2050 aims to increase the share of clean energy projects to 50 percent of its overall energy mix by 2050. Moreover, countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt have similar goals and visions.

In September 2020, China proposed its goals to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, with top-down societal involvement. The development of Chinese industries around new energy, including new-energy vehicle (NEV) and photovoltaic unit manufacture, ranks highly in the world and aligns with the transformational development path of the Middle East. During COP28 in Dubai, media visited and interviewed some Chinese new-energy enterprises operating in the UAE to understand cooperation efforts in the new-energy field between China and the UAE and how Chinese technologies and products are driving the carbon reduction process in the Middle East.

In October 2022, Dubai police held a grand induction ceremony to welcome the new Hongqi E-HS9 police cars from China as additions to the existing police car fleet.

Not only were leaders from both Dubai police and Hongqi in attendance at the ceremony, but a ceremonial guard on horseback was also held.

Dubai boasts an allstar police car fleet almost entirely comprised of

super sports and luxury vehicle brands, from Ferrari and Lamborghini, to Bentley, and now a Chinese brand.

More notably, Hongqi’s high-level debut marks the first independent automotive Chinese brand to join the Dubai police fleet and also the first NEV brand globally to do so.

Dubai also awarded the first Hongqi (EHS9) the prestigious number plate “8,” as a sign of respect and recognition. Local police leadership praised Hongqi’s local development and expressed high appreciation for the partnership, wishing the development of Hongqi cars in the UAE and the world well.

They said the entry of Hongqi into the Dubai police car fleet is a manifestation of the friendly development of relations between the two countries, with an anticipation for a longer and deeper relationship between China and the Arab world. It was Oneroad Group Dubai, a Chinese company, that introduced the Hongqi brand to the UAE. “We decided to introduce Hongqi cars not only because we saw the continuous improvement in independent Chinese-brand car technology but also recognized the reliable strength of China in making electric cars,” said Zhang Chenling, Acting Chief Executive Officer at the Oneroad Group Dubai, to the Global Times at the company’s offices at the Burj Khalifa. “We have been making deep inroads in the UAE for more than a decade and believe that we have the capability to introduce Chinese-brand cars into the UAE market,” Zhang explained.

Agencies

A UN spokesperson on Tuesday refuted the U.S. claim that civilians in Gaza should seek refuge in UN-designated safe places. In response to U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller’s suggestion on Monday that Gazans should seek refuge in UNdesignated sites that are listed by Israel as “deconfliction zones,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said there are no such things in Gaza. “Well, let’s be clear.

There are no UN-designated safe zones in Gaza. I think all my senior colleagues have been very clear, including the secretary-general, saying there are no safe places in Gaza,” said Dujarric. “There are shelters that fly the UN flag that are sheltering thousands and thousands and thousands of people – men, women and children who are trying to stay alive and get some food, get some water. We have seen, since the beginning of this conflict, that those places that fly the UN flag are not safe either,” he said.

Thursday, 7 December, 2023 | LAHORE

07

INDUS MOTORS INAUGURATES HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE ASSEMBLY LINE

Thursday, 7 December, 2023

pRayeR timinGS

NEWS

After years of anticipation, company looks all set to launch locally-assembled HEV

I g

ISLAMABAD

Ghulam abbaS

NDUS Motor Company (IMC), a major player in Pakistan’s automotive industry, has finally inaugurated its assembly line for the production of what they are calling Pakistan’s first ‘Made in Pakistan’ Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). The manufacturing facility, located in Karachi, is set to roll out the much-anticipated 4th generation Toyota Corolla Cross HEV after completing necessary tests and verifications.

As per information shared by the company on Wednesday, the landmark event, symbolizing a significant stride towards sustainable transportation, was commemorated at a private ceremony attended by key figures including Federal Secretary of the Ministry of Industries & Production, Asad Rehman Gilani; Toyota’s top leadership, in-

cluding Mr. Yoshiyuki Takai and Mr. Yoshihisa Miyabe; and the Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan, Mitsuhiro Wada.

WHY HEVS IN PAKISTAN: While the government has introduced incentives for both Electric Vehicles (EVs) and HEVs through the new auto policy, IMC emphasizes HEVs as a more viable option in the current landscape. A Toyota study supports this perspective, citing HEVs as a mid-term solution due to inadequate electric vehicle infrastructure and the country’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels for power generation.

HEVs are expected to result in lower carbon emissions and a huge reduction in the oil import bill compared to traditional vehicles. While Toyota’s HEVs already have a strong foothold on the Pakistani auto market, all of these vehicles are imported completely built units (CBUs).

In alignment with the Automotive In-

dustry Development and Export Plan (AIDEP) 2021-26, the policy aims to streamline the approval process for charging infrastructure, encouraging existing CNG and fuel stations to participate. Smart charging technologies, such as smart metering and time-of-use pricing, will be implemented to alleviate the main grid, especially for Level-2 and above charging stations. Initial promotions will focus on 2-3 wheelers, with major cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Peshawar considered for EV introduction.

The Finance Act 2021 incentivizes hybrid technology, offering customs duty reductions on specific parts and a 1% customs duty on the import of hybrid buses/trucks.

An 8.5% sales tax is applicable for both locally manufactured and imported hybrid cars, SUVs, Vans, and LCVs. TOYOTA’S LOCALLY-PRODUCEDHEV STORY: Many at IMC have made the

mistake of calling Toyota Corolla Cross the first locally assembled HEV of Pakistan.

However it is important to know that the title is proudly boasted by Sazgar’s Haval H6 HEV. The confusion perhaps arises from the delayed production, to a delayed launch of Toyota’s HEV. The company first announced its plans for producing locally assembled HEVs in September 2021, when they announced a $100 million investment into this venture.

It was later announced that their pilot vehicle is going to be the Crossover SUV, Corolla Cross.

Earlier this year, in June, while Shehbaz Shareef was still the Prime Minister of Pakistan, a team from Toyota including Toyota Asia’s president, met the Prime Minister, informing him about the launch of locally assembled Toyota Corolla Cross.

However, a strict control over imports due to an impending forex reserves shortage and huge fiscal deficit, forced Toyota to announce the suspension of their HEV production within hours of that meeting. Since then the launch of a locally assembled Toyota Corolla Cross has been highly anticipated

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

6:10

1:30

3:45

6:52

5:02

by the industry.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS – QUOTES FROM KEY FIGURES: Mr. Mohamedali R. Habib, Chairman, IMC, expressed pride in achieving the ‘Make in Pakistan’ milestone, emphasizing the deep-rooted friendship between Japan and Pakistan. Mr. Yoshiyuki Takai, President ECC, TMC & EVP, TDEM, highlighted the increasing preference for HEVs in Asian countries and expressed hopes for a positive reception in Pakistan. Mr. Asad Rehman Gilani, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Industries & Production, congratulated IMC and emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting hybrid and electric technologies.

Mr. Ali Asghar Jamali, CEO, IMC, briefed about the investment of over $100 million which was made to manufacture the first Make in Pakistan HEV. He also apprised the attendees that Toyota Corolla Cross will showcase the highest-ever localized content in the SUV category in Pakistan. The 4th generation Corolla Cross HEV SUV features an 1800 cc engine with hybrid and gasoline drivetrain options.

kiled as fire engulfs furniture Setting aside pHC orders, SC rules ex-FATA Three market near Karachi’s Ayesha Manzil industries exempted from ST till June 2024 ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Wednesday declared the imposition of sales tax on Ghee and Steel industries in erstwhile Fata/Pata as ‘unconstitutional,’ ruling that they enjoy total amnesty from sales tax until June 30, 2024.

A four-member SC bench, headed by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, on Wednesday heard the petitions filed by industries in erstwhile, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata)/Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA).

During the hearing, Shumail Ahmad Butt, the counsel for the petitioner, argued that no intelligible differentia could be established to discriminate these two sectors. Not only these two sectors were singled out but they are put at a loss vis-a-vis their competitors in settled areas, he added.

The bench agreed with the counsel and al-

lowed appeals filed by the industry.

The SC bench annulled the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision – which upheld the imposition of tax, terming entries 151 and 152 of the 6th Schedule to Sales Tax Act whereby tax was imposed on steel and ghee industries was ultra vires the Constitution and based on discrimination.

SC FINES MAN FOR DELAYING MAHR PAYMENT TO WIFE On the other hand, the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on a man for delaying the payment of Mahr to his wife. The court also declared that the husband is obliged to pay the Mahr whenever the wife demands it.

The verdict was given on a petition filed by a woman named Samina, who had sought the court’s intervention after her husband, Khalid Parvez, failed to pay her the agreedupon dowry amount. The court, in its judgment, noted that Parvez had unnecessarily delayed the payment of dowry for six years, causing mental anguish and hardship to his wife.

In its decision, the SC emphasized that dowry is a Shariah requirement and is protected under the laws of Pakistan. The court also clarified that if the time of dowry payment is not specified in the marriage contract, the wife can demand it at any time.

KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

A huge fire broke out in furniture shops of an apartment located near Karachi’s Ayesha Manzil on Wednesday, claiming the lives of three people.

As per details, the firefighters have managed to extinguish the flames after working tirelessly for several hours. At least 12 fire tenders, and a snorkel participated.

SSP Central Faisal Abdullah Chachar confirmed that three individuals have lost their lives in the incident so far, and their bodies have been recovered.

He said that the process of searching the building was ongoing, expressing concern about the presence of more people in the affected building.

Rescue officials said that the fire occurred due to a short circuit as per the preliminary investigation. They said that the fire also caused damage to numerous cars and motorcycles parked near the af-

piA pays $13m to reclaim aircraft stranded for two years PROFIT

Daniyal ahmaD

After a gruelling two-year hiatus in Indonesia, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has reclaimed one of its two aircrafts, by parting with a hefty sum of $13 million to the leasing company. The Airbus A320, bearing the registration number APBLZ (msn 2944), made its return to Islamabad International Airport on Tuesday night, having embarked on its journey from Jakarta and refuelling Bangkok.

However, its companion, an Airbus A320 registered as AP-BLY (MSN 2926), remains ensnared in Indonesia. Yet, there is a glimmer of hope as it is anticipated to grace Pakistani soil within a fortnight.

The root of this predicament lies in a leasing agreement between PIA and AirAsia that has since expired.

Ordinarily, aircrafts are dutifully returned to the lessor. This was also the intended fate for the AP-BLZ, which was scheduled to be returned in the autumn month of September in 2021. However, AirAsia declined to accept both aircrafts, citing their dilapidated condition after being utilised by PIA. As a result, AirAsia had the planes impounded in Jakarta in September 2021.

“PIA’s aircraft procurement department is a hotbed of incompe-

tence and corruption,” declares Tahir Mian, senior aviation journalist. “There is a glaring issue at hand, because it baffles me how and why PIA consistently secures the most problematic, the most troublesome lease deals – when the majority of the world airlines are securing the best deals for their aircrafts and everything proceeds without a hitch.

This entire saga is a testament to how poorly managed PIA’s maintenance is, that they have consistently failed to deliver a leased aircraft in a condition that is acceptable to the lessor after the leasing term expires,” Mian elaborates.

Mian’s remarks on the matter paint a grim picture, because not only are more fuel-efficient aircrafts available on more affordable terms, but this is also not the first time PIA’s aircraft has been impounded.

Earlier in May, PIA’s Boeing 777200ER, registered as AP-BMH, was seized earlier this year for the second time by Malaysian authorities in the span of three years.

We have previously delved into how PIA found itself in this predicament to begin with, and how it subsequently navigated the situation.

Read more: PIA bleeding millions paying rent for two A320s grounded for past nine months; PIA’s long dispute with aeroplane leasing company seems to have

ended; PIA resolves $26mn dispute with AACL through out-of-court settlement However, let’s take a moment to recap.

In 2015, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) entered into a sixyear lease agreement with AirAsia, a Malaysian multinational air carrier, for two Airbus A320 planes.

The monthly rent for each plane was a staggering $550,000.

For the ensuing half-decade, these aircraft soared the skies under the PIA’s emblem, bearing the registration numbers AP-BLZ and APBLY. This was not an anomaly for PIA, as the airline frequently resorted to leasing older models from other companies. The two A320s in question had their inaugural flights in France in 2006, before serving AirAsia and eventually being leased by PIA. However, as the lease period drew to a close in 2021, PIA found itself in a quandary. The aircraft were to be returned to AirAsia in the exact condition they were received, necessitating extensive refurbishment, replacement of original parts, and meticulous cleaning. This process was not only costly but also time-consuming, and PIA was obligated to continue paying the rent until its completion.

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pSX gives compulsory buyback direction to dewan Auto. What does it mean for company, shareholders?

PROFIT

Zain naeem

Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), on the 5th of December, issued a compulsory buyback direction to Dewan Automotive Engineering Limited (DWAE) which mandates the company to either address the non-compliances highlighted by the PSX or comply with the buyback direction before the 11th of December 2023.

This is not the first time that such an order has been passed against DWAE as the same was done in December of 2019. But why is there such a regulation and what is the utility of such a regulation being in place?

When a company wants to get listed on the stock exchange, it makes a commitment that it will be more open to the market and will allow investors access to information which might be kept private or hidden in an unlisted company. As investors are willing to hand over their hard earned money to the company, they are becoming part owners into the company. This allows them to get access to all the

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information that an owner would have or would want to have. This is the basic tenant on which the whole financial system is based.

What can happen if this tenant is broken?

Consider a company which wants to list in the market. Let’s call it Good Investments Limited. Good Investments is a company with a good track record and it feels that it needs to get an equity injection in order to expand its operations. As banks offer loans at strict terms, the company wants to get investors to invest. In order to do this, the company carries out an Initial Placement Offer (IPO) which allows individuals and companies to invest in the company. As the company raises the investments and gets listed, the investors are able to invest and divest their investments on a daily basis.

Just like there is a moral agreement between the investors and the company, the company also makes a formal pact with the stock exchange that it will comply with all the requirements that are placed on it.

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

fected apartment.

According to the spokesperson of the Pakistan Navy, the navy’s fire tenders and personnel also reached the scene of the incident, and provided full assistance in controlling the fire.

As per sources, goods worth millions of rupees have turned to ashes, while owners of the shops made desperate efforts to save their belongings.

An emergency was imposed on the water hydrants near Sakhi Hassan and NIPA. Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori took notice of the incident, and directed Karachi Commissioner to ensure the safety of the people inside the building.

He emphasised the need to employ all available resources to bring the fire under control.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab stated that the fire brigade worked tirelessly to extinguish the fire. He said that assessing the number of people inside the building at this time would be premature.