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POLLS TO BE HELD ON FEB 8, ECP CLEARS AIR AFTER SENATE RESOLUTION

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Sunday, 7 January, 2024 I 24 Jamada Al-Sani, 1445

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SAYS RESOLUTION LACKS ANY LEGAL BINDING, THEREFORE HOLDS NO SWAY OVER ELECTORAL PROCESS

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ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

HE Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday categorically declared that the upcoming general elections will proceed as planned on February 8th, clearing the air, day after Senate passed a non-resolution demanding a delay in elections.

Moreover, Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan submitted a fresh resolution in the Senate secretariat, urging for timely conduct of the general elections.

ECP’s statement comes day after the upper house of the parliament passed a resolution, with a thin majority of only 14 members, seeking a delay in the general elections, scheduled for Feb 8, 2024.

Dismissing the Senate’s non-binding resolution, in a firm statement, the ECP declared that only orders issued by the

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STAFF REPORT

JI INTRODUCES FRESH RESOLUTION IN SENATE, SEEKING TIMELY ELECTIONS

SC petitioned for contempt proceedings against senators seeking polls delay

Supreme Court have the power to alter the established election schedule.

The Senate’s controversial resolution cited concerns about security threats, harsh winter conditions, and potential disenfranchisement of voters in certain regions.

However, the ECP remained unmoved by these arguments and emphasized its constitutional mandate to conduct timely and transparent elections.

In the statement, the ECP effectively highlighted all necessary preparations for the February 8th polling. The electoral watchdog further clarified that the Senate resolution lacked any legal binding and therefore holds no sway over the electoral process. ‘Fresh resolution lands in Senate’ On the other hand, a new resolution was submitted in the Senate on Saturday, seeking adherence to “constitutional requirements” and timely conduct of the general elections.

The resolution was tabled day after

CJP Isa urges for end to practice of taking every matter to SC

ISLAMABAD: A petition was filed in the Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday, seeking contempt proceedings against senators involved in passage of a resolution for a further delay in the February 8 elections. The elections are set to take place in 90 days when an assembly is dissolved, but the polls in all five legislative are yet to be held and they’ve already surpassed their constitutional limit.

The polls for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab assemblies — dissolved in January last year — have not been held for around a year, while the national, Balochistan, and Sindh assemblies have been pushed past their limits as well already.

With the fears rife of delays, a petition was moved in the apex court earlier, following which the SC directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and President Arif Alvi to announce a date, which they did: February 8.

the upper house of the Parliament had on Friday passed the resolution seeking to delay the polls due to security concerns.

In the latest development, JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan submitted a fresh resolution in the Senate secretariat, urging that polls should be conducted on time.

The inclusion of the resolution in the agenda of the upcoming session of the Senate remains uncertain, as the date for

Days after the announcement, the top court also ruled that no objections could be raised on the delimitations after the announcement of the schedule for the general elections, virtually closing all doors for a delay in polls.

But on Friday, the Senate approved a non-binding resolution seeking a delay in the general elections, set to be staged on February 8, drawing strong criticism from major political parties.

Senator Dilawar Khan, an independent lawmaker, moved the resolution in the upper house of the parliament, which got the approval during the presence of 14 senators — who were the only lawmakers present in the house of 100. In response, Advocate Ishtiaq Ahmed Mirza filed a petition in the top court today against Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, Senator Dilawar, and other lawmakers — including those from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

the session has not been confirmed.

“I introduce this resolution in the house, asserting that conducting elections is a constitutional requirement. It is the fundamental responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan and the caretaker government to ensure the timely holding of elections,” reads the draft of the resolution.

Fazl says to take up TTP issue during visit to Kabul today ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Saturday emphasized that the practice of taking every matter to the Supreme Court (SC) must end. Speaking during an event at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) in Islamabad, he stressed the need to raise the status of the lower courts in order to reduce the burden on courts higher up.

“This concept that has developed in the country, of taking virtually every matter right up to the SC before one is satisfied, must come to an end if we want this system to survive,” he said.

It is to be noted that CJP Qazi Faiz Isa is chairman of the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA).

He noted that the first point of contact with a litigant is not the SC or high courts, but rather a civil judge or judicial magistrate, which is why their status must be raised so that their ruling is “acceptable to peers and superiors”.

The CJP said he was pleased to see various technologies being used in the apex court, particularly the live broadcast of proceedings, which he termed an educational tool.

“I hope confidence is established in the common citizen that he is seeing justice being done. He may not agree with us, but he will see how it is being done,” the CJP said, adding that it brings about a level of transparency and openness.

The CJP also praised the efforts of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, who he appointed expert adviser to the FJA, which, he termed an institution that brings about cohesiveness, connectivity and communication in the country’s judicial framework.

“We look to [the FJA] to ensure that public confidence in the judiciary is raised, that people have confidence in courts, and that the [FJA] will ensure fairness and that all lawyers are treated with respect,” he said. He acknowledged the efforts of some 48,000 court staff across the country, emphasising that without them, judges may flounder.

He also requested the various provincial chief justices to ensure that court staff receive adequate training and reproduce at a provincial level what has been done by the FJA.

Rs 15.00 | Vol XIV No 189 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday said that he will leave for Kabul on Sunday (tomorrow) at the invitation of the interim Afghan government and that the issue of the banned militant group Tehreeki-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was on the agenda of his visit.

The representative of the Taliban government and Afghan envoy in Islamabad had officially invited Maulana Fazlur Rehman a few days ago to visit Afghanistan, his first since the Taliban takeover in Kabul in 2021.

The JUI-F chief had last travelled to Afghanistan in 2013 and met then-president Hamid Karzai.

Relations between the Taliban government and Pakistan have seen a rapid deterioration after an increase in terrorist attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is pertinent to mention here that repatriation of illegal foreign nationals including Afghans to their homeland is continued in a dignified and safe manner.

The apex committee of the National Action Plan (NAP) in a meeting on October 3, chaired by Caretaker PM An-

waarul Haq Kakar gave a deadline to all foreign nationals living illegally in the country until October 31 to leave voluntarily or face deportation.

“I have received an invitation with the approval of the Taliban supreme leader and will meet him,” the JUI-F chief told a group of reporters at his Islamabad residence on Saturday, saying that he would travel to Kandahar for a meeting with Taliban supreme leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, who rarely meets foreign delegates.

About taking up the issue of TTP with the Afghan side, he replied in affirmative, saying “Yes there is a possibility.

We will use our relationship for goodwill.”

To a question about whether he would represent the government, the JUI-F chief said the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

visit was arranged by his party but he had contacted the Foreign Office (FO) and relevant government officials as well.

“We will look into consideration of the interests of Pakistan and Afghanistan,” he added.

Fazl said the FO had arranged a briefing for him on January 3. “They informed me about Pakistan’s stance and its demands. I have realised that officials are attaching importance to my visit. The government is in contact with me,” he added.

To a question on whether he would deliver any message from the government to the Taliban rulers, he said he would use the level of his contacts with the Taliban leaders to the benefit of both countries.

“I will apprise the Taliban leaders of the stance of the government of Pakistan and whatever I have noticed during my meetings with the officials,” the JUI-F leader maintained.

When asked if his visit would help reduce tension between Pakistan and the Taliban government, he said it depended on the two countries.

“If they want to maintain brotherly relations and friendship, then complicated issues could be resolved. But if they do not have intentions, then small issues become big.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Israel, Hezbollah exchange fire across Lebanon border amid alarm over Gaza war spillover JERUSALEM REUTERS

Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah group said on Saturday it had fired rockets at Israel and its arch-foe said it had struck a “terrorist cell” in retaliation, as top US and EU diplomats visited the region to seek ways to halt spillover from the war.

Shortly after rocket sirens sounded across northern Israel, the Israeli military said that “approximately 40 launches from Lebanon toward the area of Meron in northern Israel were identified”. There were no reports of casualties or damage.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the European Union’s senior diplomat Josep Borrell were both in the region on separate diplomatic missions to stop the three-month-old Gaza war spilling over into Lebanon, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and Red Sea shipping lanes.

Israel and Hezbollah often trade fire across the Lebanese border, the West Bank is seething with emotion and the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen seem determined to continue attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes until Israel stops bombarding Gaza. Hezbollah said it had hit a key Israeli observation post with 62 rockets as a “preliminary response” to the killing of Hamas’ deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri on Tuesday.

Tensions have been especially high since Arouri was killed by a drone in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of Hamas’ Lebanese ally Hezbollah, in an attack widely attributed to Israel.

Israel’s military said it had responded to the rocket attacks with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strike on “the terrorist cell responsible for the launches toward the area of Metula”. Israeli fighter jets and troops also struck a series of Hezbollah targets in the areas of Ayta ash Shab, Yaroun, and Ramyeh in southern Lebanon, it said, hitting a launch post, military sites, and “terrorist infrastructure”.

Lebanon’s Jama’a Islamiya said later on Saturday it had also fired two volleys of rockets at Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel, in the third operation claimed by the hardline Sunni Muslim group since Oct. 7.

WESTERN DIPLOMACY: Blinken was meeting the leaders of Turkey and Greece on Saturday at the start of a week-long trip that will also take him to Israel, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

During two hours of talks in Istanbul, Blinken discussed the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the Turkish foreign ministry said.

A US official said Blinken then held talks with Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan, a fierce critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Turkey, which unlike most of its NATO allies does not class Hamas as a terrorist organisation, has offered to mediate in the Gaza conflict. Blinken also hopes to make progress during his tour on how Gaza could be governed if and when Israel achieves its aim of eradicating Hamas.

After meeting the Lebanese foreign minister in Beirut, the EU’s senior diplomat Borrell expressed alarm about the exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah and said it was important that Lebanon not be dragged into the Gaza conflict.

“Diplomatic channels have to stay open. War is not the only option – it’s the worst option,” Borrell said, adding that he was also alarmed by increased violence

by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

Israel’s onslaught began after Hamas fighters from Gaza attacked Israel on Oct. 7, with 1,200 people killed and 240 taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.

The offensive, aimed at wiping out the Islamist movement that rules Gaza, has so far killed 22,722 people, according to Palestinian health officials, and devastated the densely populated enclave of 2.3 million people.

Govt sets up body to unravel ‘knitting and stitching’ of May 9 episode ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

The caretaker Federal government, led by Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar, on Saturday, constituted a five-member committee to fix responsibility and identify “role of mastermind, planners, facilitators, and executors” of ugly incidents unfolded on May 9 across the country after the arrest of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan from Islamabad High Court. According to the notification issued by the Cabinet Division, the committee is headed by the caretaker law minister and comprises four members, including the Minister for Interior, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, and Minister of Human Rights and “any co-opted member to address any issue emanating during the proceedings of the committee”.

On May 9,2022, the National Accountability Bureau arrested Imran Khan with the help of the paramilitary Rangers from the Islamabad High Court in the Al Qadir Trust case which sparked countrywide protests amid incidents of vandalism and violence.

The military had subsequently termed the events of May 9 a “dark chapter” and announced its intent to try the rioters under relevant laws, including two military laws — the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act. The notification also mentioned the terms of references for the committee, which included examination of May 9 incidents “with a view to ascertain the identity and role of mastermind, planners, facilitators and executors”.

It also mandated the committee “to analyse the causes, and determine responsibility for these events and to evaluate their immediate and long-term implications”.

The committee is also mandated to “suggest preventive measures to ensure that such a breach of national security is not repeated”.

Under the ToRs, the committee must also recommend measures to strengthen the existing legal regime to deter such recurrences.

The notification said the Ministry of Interior would provide “secretarial support to the committee that will submit its report for consideration of the cabinet within a period of 14 days.”

Simultaneously, the founder of PTI has

been summoned by the Anti-Terrorism Court Rawalpindi on January 9 in connection with

various cases related to the May 9 incidents.

These cases include allegations of involve-

ment in the GHQ attack, burning images, and inciting the public.

Committee to carry out holistic probe: Solangi

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Information, Broadcasting, and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Saturday said there was a dire need to carry out a holistic investigation of the May 9 incidents to determine causes, responsibility, and future course of action to prevent recurrence of such events.

Speaking in television talk shows of private media, the minister said the investigation of those involved in May 9 was underway on an individual basis, but Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar deemed it appropriate to probe into the matter holistically.

He said the committee that was formed the other day would not only investigate the May 9 riots thoroughly but also give its recommendations to prevent a repetition of such events by strengthening the existing legal regime.

Solangi said the caretaker government never viewed the investigation of the May 9 incidents as invalid. The law would take its course in the matters related to the May 9 tragedy, he added. He said it was imperative to bring forth the reality before the people as to how these events were planned and what was its purpose.

The law minister would be convener of the committee which would collect the details about the events that led to the May 9 in-

cidents, Solangi said, adding the body could include a co-opted member to address any issues stemming from its proceedings.

He said the interior minister would provide secretarial support to the committee which would have two weeks to furnish the report.

The minister said the committee would work by the law and compile its recommendations in light of the information provided by the state institutions. “The committee is not a tribunal, nor a court, and we do not have any authority to punish anyone,” he remarked.

To a query, he said the government would not divulge details about the action taken by the previous government against those involved on May 9. He said the caretaker government was constitutional and would make all-out efforts to ensure enforcement of the law.

According to the information minister, a “ghost article” was published by a foreign media in the name of Imran Khan. “As per our information, no information leaked from the jail and nothing came inside the prison,” he added. The minister questioned whether the “ghost articles” could be published if nothing was written to the media from inside the jail. Suspension and termination of the sentence were two different things, he said, adding Imran Khan was not free as his Toshakhana case was not over yet. STAFF REPORT

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NTDC INQUIRY BLAMES JUNIOR OFFICERS FOR NATIONWIDE POWER OUTAGE NEwS

Committee was directed to conduct inquiry as provided under Rule-6 of The Pakistan WAPDA (E&D) Rules, 1978

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ISLAMABAD

ahMaD ahMaDani

HE National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) inquiry report on the major power breakdown that crippled Pakistan on January 23, 2023, points fingers at junior level officers, citing their alleged negligence as the primary cause for the countrywide blackout.

According to sources, shockingly, the report, released after a year-long investigation, outlines significant lapses in operational procedures, absence of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and a staggering mismanagement of a sector worth Rs3000 billion being run by the NTDC. Despite the extensive inquiry, Deputy

Managing Director System Operations Ali Zain Bantewala was notably spared any blame, raising eyebrows as the entire power system fell under his jurisdiction during the critical period, said sources. As per details, Pakistan experienced a countrywide power breakdown on 23rd January, 2023 and it took approximately twenty hours to fully restore power through the NTDC’s network.

The NTDC inquiry, initiated through Company Secretary notification #NTDC/CS5146-47 on October 11, 2023, and later amended by GM (HR) Office Order #MD/NTDC/GM(HR)/IR/Enq1739/4556-62 on December 12, 2023, comprised key personnel within NTDC. The Board of Directors (BoD) NTDC conveyed its instructions through Company Secretary notification dated December 19, 2023.

THE ACCUSED OFFICERS UNDER INVESTIGATION WERE: Ateeq Ahmed, Assistant Manager/Shift Engineer Mubashir Hussain, Dy Manager/Shift Supervisor Farooq Jan, Dy Manager/Shift CoSupervisor Palwasha Khan, Dy Manager (Shutdown) Aijaz Ali, Chief Engineer (Network Operation)/Manager Power Control The committee, headed by Qaisar Khan, Deputy Managing Director (P&E) NTDC, as Convenor, Munawar Hussain, General Manager (PA) NTDC, as Member, Taqi-udDin, Chief Engineer (Substation Design) NTDC, as Member, and Husnain Arshad, Manager (C&RA) NTDC, was directed to

conduct the inquiry in accordance with Rule-6 of The Pakistan WAPDA (E&D) Rules, 1978.

MANDATE OF THE COMMITTEE The Committee was directed to conduct the inquiry as provided under Rule-6 of The Pakistan WAPDA (E&D) Rules, 1978 and instruction/guideline thereof. As per the office order, the Committee was directed to give clear cut finding/recommendations of allegations levelled against the Accused Officers in the charge sheet/statements of allegations issued to them.

The Committee held its meetings on 15th December, 2023 and 20th December, 2023 to deliberate on the matter including the earlier inquiry committee/fact findings report, constituted by NTDC BoD vide Company Secretary notification # NTDC/CS/4275-88 dated 28th April 2023.

The charge sheets along with statement of allegations and the defense replies of the accused were also discussed.

As per details, three of the accused officers appeared before the inquiry

Pakistan’s economy to face global challenges in 2024, modest GDP growth expected: UN report g

Sunday, 7 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

Real effective exchange rates, a comprehensive measurement, declined from 88 in 2022 to 72 percent in 2023 PROFIT

newS DeSk

The United Nations’ World Economic Situation and Prospects report for 2024 provides a detailed analysis of Pakistan’s economic landscape, projecting a modest GDP growth of two percent in 2024 and a slightly improved 2.4 percent in 2025.

Despite these projections, the report underscores concerning indicators, pointing to latent risks and structural vulnerabilities in the global economy.

South Asia’s major economies, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, are categorized as lowermiddle-income countries, with persistent challenges, particularly in the area of food security. In 2023, both Bangladesh and Pakistan witnessed an increase in people facing acute food insecurity, contrasting with Sri Lanka, where the situation improved. Afghanistan remains the most adversely affected, with 46 percent of its population facing acute food insecurity.

Examining Pakistan’s economic

FBR halts inquiry into Rs16b money laundering scam involving four shell companies PROFIT

SBP directed to review EFS facilities limits to boost export sectors g

MonitoRing DeSk

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has reportedly suspended inquiries into four shell companies accused of laundering Rs16 billion, involving influential figures from the business and political realms, as per Business Recorder. Sources reveal that the Central Vigilance Wing of the FBR unveiled a significant money laundering and tax fraud operation, spotlighting four private limited companies registered under false identities at a shared address in Karachi. According to FBR findings, these companies were established to benefit a powerful former parliamentarian from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who holds a substantial business conglomerate. Shockingly, all four entities shared a registered address in Karachi, yet they were unlawfully registered in the FBR’s Corporate Tax Office in Islamabad, indicating potential collusion involving certain IT officials and tax officers. Sources further claim that the companies, despite having low-income employees as dummy directors, engaged in transactions related to metal and battery products. Investors from various cities, including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, allegedly utilized these entities for black money laundering. The FBR investigation alleges that the four companies operated multiple bank accounts, facilitating the flow of Rs16 billion for whitening unaccounted cash. Additionally, they issued fake invoices totaling Rs10 billion without fulfilling tax obligations. Transactions with unrelated parties, coupled with fund rerouting through various accounts, were cited as serious violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) 2010. Despite the FBR blacklisting these companies, no FIR has been filed against them by the CTO Islamabad, raising concerns of a politically influenced halt to the investigation. Senior FBR officials, speaking anonymously, acknowledged the suspension, attributing it to intense political pressure. The apparent discriminatory treatment has sparked criticism, with tax experts advocating the intervention of other agencies to hold powerful entities accountable, emphasizing the impact on the economy and the FBR’s reputation.

Murree to witness season’s first snowfall as authorities prepare for tourist influx ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

In anticipation of the season’s first snowfall, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued a forecast for Murree and surrounding areas, with the snowfall expected to commence on Tuesday morning, January 9. The weather in Murree, Galyat, and nearby regions is predicted to turn cold and dry, with temperatures dropping further following rain and snowfall on Monday and Wednesday, a spokesperson from PDMA told a private news channel.

In response to a query about the tragic events of January 2022, when 22 lives were lost due to a snowstorm that left many stranded on the roads around Murree, he said the authorities have been diligently working to prevent a recurrence. The disaster was attributed to the negligence of local authorities, allowing an excessive number of vehicles (over 13,000) into Murree, surpassing its capacity of 4,000, the spokesperson maintained.

specifics, the report reveals alarming statistics. The inflation rate surged to 39.18 percent in 2023, leading the State Bank of Pakistan to maintain a recordhigh policy rate of 22 percent since June 2023. Additionally, the country experienced a currency depreciation of over 20 percent in the same year.

Pakistan is grappling with substantial sovereign debt and an unsustainable debtservicing burden. External debt accounted for 36.5 percent of the country’s nominal GDP in 2023, marking a significant

increase from the previous year. The government debt-to-GDP ratio reached 89 percent in 2022, highlighting the challenges of managing fiscal responsibilities. Real effective exchange rates, a comprehensive measurement, declined from 88 in 2022 to 72 percent in 2023, reflecting the economic challenges faced by Pakistan.

The World Economic Situation and Prospects report for 2024 presents a nuanced perspective on Pakistan’s economic trajectory, balancing modest growth projections with a range of challenges, including inflationary pressures, currency depreciation, and high levels of sovereign debt.

Export-Advisory Council on Textiles stresses importance of gaining preferential market access from USA, Japan, and Canada to level playing field with regional players PROFIT

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The Export-Advisory Council on Textiles has instructed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to reassess limits under the Rupee-based discounting facilities of the Export Finance Scheme (EFS), aiming to provide maximum facilitation to export sectors following concerns raised by council members.

Chaired by caretaker Minister for Commerce and Industries, Gohar Ijaz, the council discussed the challenges faced by the export-oriented sector.

Members noted disruptions in the implementation of policy interventions and support measures, making the sector less competitive due to high energy costs, liquidity issues, policy rate spikes, limited credits, import restrictions, and exchange rate volatility.

The council emphasized the need for medium-term predictability on key indicators such as energy costs, exchange rates, and borrowing costs for accurate costing and future orders. It highlighted the textile and apparel sector’s dependence on cotton-based exports and urged a

review of customs and anti-dumping duties on non-cotton materials. On market access, the council stressed the importance of gaining preferential market access from the USA, Japan, and Canada to level the playing field with regional players. The Commerce Ministry reported ongoing discussions at the G2G level to explore this possibility.

To address Pakistan’s image deterioration in international markets, private members recommended engaging international consultants for effective trade diplomacy, especially in the USA and EU. The council also discussed the need for effective utilization of Export Development Fund (EDF) proceeds and proposed the development of a framework. The members emphasized the importance of compliance with international social, labor, environmental, and OSH standards.

Lastly, the council highlighted the need to improve inlad transport infrastructure and reduce logistics costs.

The meeting concluded with the announcement that exporters surpassing $1 billion in exports by June 2025 will be conferred with the highest civil award.

Centre’s domestic debt surges to Rs41tr, reflecting 24% YoY increase g

Rapid growth in domestic debt, coupled with elevated foreign debt servicing, has limited space for development spending PROFIT

Staff RepoRt

The State Bank of Pakistan’s latest data reveals a substantial 24% year-on-year rise in the federal government’s domestic debt, reaching Rs40.955 trillion

at the end of November 2023, compared to Rs32.985 trillion in November 2022.

The increase of Rs7.985 trillion in the first five months of the current fiscal year reflects the growing burden of debt servicing, with domestic debt swelling

by Rs2.146 trillion from June 30, 2023.

committee on 26th December, 2023 while remaining accused officers appeared before the Committee through online video link on 27th December 2023.

The Committee provided appropriate opportunity to each of the accused officers to defend their stance and completed the procedure required under the Rules in the presence of prosecution witness and departmental representative.

RELIANCE OF THE COMMITTEE The Committee has relied on the report submitted by the officer of GM (HR) i-e An Independent departmental committee constituted by BoD NTDC in the light of instructions received from MoE (Power Division). Charge sheet along with allegations issued by the MD NTDC being competent authority and oral & written submission made by the accused officers and prosecution. Witness during personal hearing of respective accused officer.

OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE: Ateeq Ahmed, Assistant Manager/Shift Engineer: The committee absolved Ateeq Ahmed of responsibility, citing his role as an operator acting on the instructions of the shift supervisor. The committee emphasized that the status of the 500kV Moro-Rahim Yar Khan T/line was well within the knowledge of his seniors.

SIFC approves major restructuring of FBR, powers to formulate tax policies taken away PROFIT

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The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has approved the restructuring of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), marking the second overhaul in 15 years. Led by Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, the council has endorsed the division of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) into two entities, stripping its powers to formulate tax policies. Under the newly approved structure, two new boards will be established—the Federal Board of Customs and the Federal Board of Inland Revenue (IR). These boards will be led by separate chairpersons from the customs and Inland Revenue service groups, directly reporting to the finance minister. The restructuring, approved by the SIFC this week, is set for implementation within one month. An FBR Restructuring Implementation Committee will be formed to strategize the execution before the upcoming general elections, as per top government sources. The new structure eliminates the current form of the FBR, transferring the responsibility for formulating income tax, sales tax, and federal excise policies to the Revenue Division. The Revenue Division, headed by the Secretary of the Revenue Division, will consist of a tax policy office named the Federal Policy Board. Following the SIFC’s decision, interim Finance Minister Dr. Shamshad Akthar chaired a meeting with stakeholders, endorsing the decision with some modifications. The restructuring aims to enhance revenue collection and address a budget deficit of around 8% of the GDP per annum, addressing Pakistan’s growing financing needs and debt burden. The SIFC has given the government one month to implement the restructuring, emphasizing the need for alignment with existing rules and laws. A potential Presidential Ordinance may be required for these legal changes. This move represents the ninth attempt to reform tax policy and administration in the past 32 years, focusing on administrative improvements to enhance efficiency.

The rapid growth in domestic debt, coupled with elevated foreign debt servicing, has limited space for development spending, leading to increased government borrowing.

The budget for FY24 allocates Rs7.302 trillion for debt servicing, accounting for 50.5% of the total budget outlay of Rs14.46 trillion.

The government’s borrowing, particularly through Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs), has surged, increasing by Rs5.514 trillion to Rs24.976 trillion year-on-year. The external debt in PKR terms rose by 24.8%, reaching Rs22.434 trillion by the end of November 2023.

The total federal government debt, encompassing domestic and external components, stood at Rs63.389 trillion, reflecting a significant 24.4% increase from November 2022.

How climate-smart water management sprouting hope in Pakistan’s fields PESHAWAR

aziz BuneRi

Pakistan, a land where sun-drenched fields once teemed with abundance, now faces a stark reality: a growing population, a thirsty land, and the looming shadow of climate change. This intricate dance of need and scarcity calls for a new rhythm, a melody of resilience played on the strings of climate-smart water management.

At the helm of this agricultural revolution stands Muhammad Arif Goheer, Head of Agriculture at the Global Change Impact Studies Centre. He sees the fertile potential of Pakistan’s soil, but also the cracks in its foundation, caused by traditional flood irrigation methods

and the erratic whispers of a changing climate.

Goheer emphasizes.

“Modern irrigation techniques like drip and sprinkler systems are like a precise ballet, delivering water directly to the roots, reducing waste, and boosting yields.”

But the transition isn’t easy. Farmers, often unaware of these modern methods, cling to the familiar, their hands calloused by years of wrestling with inefficient practices. Limited access to resources adds another layer of complexity, making it a struggle for small-scale farmers to leap into the future.

Goheer’s voice carries the urgency of a clarion call. “We need targeted investments in climate-smart agriculture,” he says. “Empowering women farmers,

who often bear the brunt of water scarcity, is key to building resilience.”The scars of climate change are etched onto the land, the wounds of droughts and floods raw in the memory of farmers. Yet, amidst the challenges, hope blooms. The government,

like a gardener nurturing fragile seedlings, is investing in improved seeds, technology, and water infrastructure. Partnerships with research institutions and the private sector are cross-pollinating, creating innovative solutions tailored to Pakistani soil and sky.

Researchers paint a stark picture: Pakistan’s crop water productivity lags behind the world, its wheat and rice yields thirstier than their global counterparts.

But farmers, like intrepid explorers, are charting new paths. They are experimenting with drought-resistant crops, embracing water-harvesting techniques, and learning the language of efficiency. Pakistan’s story is not just about overcoming scarcity, but about rewriting the narrative of agriculture, one drop at a time.

160 HIGH-END E-BUSES TO BOOST GREEN TRANSPORTATION IN PAKISTAN Sunday, 7 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

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staff report

HE delivery ceremony for 160 Suzhou Higer high-end pure electric buses exported to Pakistan was held in Suzhou Industrial Park, China. It is reported that the order value of the order exceeds RMB 150 million, which is the first time that Pakistan has introduced pure electric buses in large quantities.

Honored guests including Mr. Rana, Director General of the Capital Development Bureau of Pakistan, Amer, General Manager of NTRC Commercial Projects, Mr. Amir, Chairman of Pakistan UAE Company, Huang Shuping, General

Manager of Suzhou Higer, Qiu Yuanhong, Deputy General Manager, Xie Jianghong, Customer Service Director, Jiang Haifeng, General Manager of Overseas Sales attended the ceremony.

Rana and Mr. Amer delivered speeches respectively, expressing high recognition for this batch of buses, Gwadar Pro reported on Saturday.

The day before the ceremony, Pakistani side tested these buses, which performed perfectly in appearance, performance and all other aspects.

Currently, Higer’s new energy buses have occupied the largest market share in Pakistan to contribute to Pakistan’s green and low-carbon travel.

Entered the Pakistani market in 2006, in

response to the local dusty and congested road traffic characteristics, Higer has continued to carry out technological innovation and customized high-quality buses for Pakistan that can calmly cope with

the local climate environment and complex road conditions.

The batch of pure electric buses exported this time have the advantages of zero emissions, low operating costs, and

31 years on: Justice continues to elude victims of Sopore bloodbath ISLAMABAD

staff report

Justice continues to elude the victims of a massacre carried out by Indian troops in Sopore town of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir despite the passage of over three decades.

A report released by Kashmir Media Service, today, on the completion of thirty one years to the carnage said that over 60 Kashmiri civilians were mercilessly killed and more than 400 shops and residential houses torched by the troops of Indian Border Security Force in Sopore town on this day in 1993. It said the Sopore mass killing is a bare proof of the worst Indian state terrorism in occupied Kashmir.

The report said, this is one of the few massacres that have been mentioned in TIME Magazine. The news report appeared on Jan 18, 1993 in TIME Magazine under the headline, “Blood tide rising: Indian forces

Japanese embassy announces MEXT Teachers Training Scholarship 2024 ISLAMABAD

staff report

The Embassy of Japan in Pakistan has announced MEXT Teachers Training Scholarship 2024 for Pakistani teachers who have teaching experience of 5 years in primary or secondary school, public or private. Age should be 35 or less. The purpose of this training course is to provide an opportunity to Pakistani teachers to conduct research on school education in Japan and learn new methodologies and teaching techniques from Japanese experts which may help them in their professional growth. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) of Japan offers each year scholarships to international teachers who wish to conduct research on school education at designated educational institutions in Japan as teacher training students under the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship program. This is maximum 18 month duration non-degree training course, but applicant will get a certificate after completing the required course at the university in Japan.

Pak, China cross border trade via Khunjrab Pass to continue till Jan 16 ISLAMABAD

staff report

Pakistan, China cross border trade across Khunjerab Pass will continue till January 16, boosting the trade ties and providing crucial gateway to Pak-China commerce. Connecting Gilgit Baltistan to China’s Xinjiang region, the Khunjerab Pass stands as the highest paved international border, cementing a vital link for both nations, according to Radio Pakistan. The Pass was traditionally closed from November to March due to extreme cold weather conditions but it has been temporarily reopened this week specifically to facilitate trade activities.

ECP rejects PTI’s claims on level playing field ISLAMABAD

staff report

In its detailed report submitted to Supreme Court registrar regarding level-playing field, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s claims against level playing field for general election 2024. According to the party’s sources, over 76 percent of the nomination papers of PTI candidates have been approved by the ECP. Earlier, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Inspector General Police (IGP) of Punjab Dr Usman Anwar, chief secretary and AG Punjab on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for failing to address the party concerns regarding level-playing field ahead of the upcoming polls.

On Dec 22, the Supreme Court (SC) directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to address PTI’s complaints regarding a level playing field in the general election 2024.

Following SC orders, the ECP took notice of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) reservations regarding the lack of a level playing field in the run-up to the upcoming general elections, scheduled for February 8, 2024.

carry out one of the worst massacres in Kashmir’s history”.

The magazine described the massacre as: “Perhaps there is a special corner in hell reserved for troopers who fire their weapons indiscriminately into a crowd of unarmed civilians in the Kashmiri town of Sopore.”

The KMS report said that the UK-based human rights watchdog Amnesty International in its report had expressed deep concern over the extra-judicial killings of people at Sopore by Indian paramilitary force and at the inadequacy of the Indian government’s response to effectively investigate the killings. The organization was concerned that the investigation lacked independence required for a fully effective and impartial investigation.

The report pointed out that India wants to intimidate the Kashmiris by carrying out mass killings but such tactics cannot deter them from carrying on their freedom struggle. It deplored that despite the passage of over

The resolution further stated that a verdict of the Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding the polls was in field while the ECP had also announced that elections would be held on Feb 8, 2024.

It termed the resolution passed on Friday by the Senate seeking delay in polls as “unconstitutional and undemocratic”.

The JI senator’s resolution emphasised that the Senate lacked the authority to act contrary to constitutional mandates.

“Therefore, this resolution calls for the insistence that free and fair elections be conducted in accordance with the directives of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” it asserted. The resolution further called for ensuring a

three decades, the victims are awaiting justice while the perpetrators of heinous crime roaming free. It said that the international human rights bodies must probe massacres by Indian troops in IIOJK and the world community must come forward to stop the genocide of Kashmiri people by India.

level playing field for all political parties. It urged the nullification of the resolution passed by the upper house on Friday.

Meanwhile, Senator Dilawar denied that he had brought the resolution for poll delay at someone’s direction. Speaking to media, Khan clarified that the resolution wasn’t introduced abruptly, adding that extensive consultations had taken place on the matter with the Balochistan Awami Party.

“The resolution was put forward following a consensus within the BAP,” he emphasized.

In the same programme, BAP Secretary-General Senator Manzoor Kakar said that a four-month delay in elections wouldn’t be detrimental. He called on all political parties to unite in support of the resolution passed by the Senate.

Three TTP operatives among seven terrorists lassoed in Punjab-wide IBOs LAHORE

low noise pollution, which will greatly improve the efficiency of public transportation operations and the quality of residents’ travel.

In addition, the cruising range of the buses exceeds 250 kilometers and the entire vehicle uses the most advanced cathodic electrophoresis technology, through which own an anti-corrosion period of more than ten years.

In terms of software intelligence, 160 pure electric buses are equipped with the intelligent operation system T-BOX, which can monitor driver behavior and vehicle operation data in real time to ensure operational safety and protect passenger travel.

As an important part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Belt and Road Initiative, the transportation field will continue to usher in more efficient and green reforms in the future.

The arrival of 160 e-buses to Pakistan, as a new starting point, promoting the highquality development of CPEC and BRI in the field of public transportation, according to Gwadar Pro.

Aneeq leaves for Saudi Arabia to finalize Hajj arrangements ISLAMABAD

Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Aneeq Ahmed, on Saturday departed for Saudi Arabia to finalize the arrangements for Hajj. During the visit, the minister is scheduled to hold significant meetings with Saudi officials and evaluate the arrangements for Hajj. The minister will also visit Jeddah to attend the International Hajj Conference organized by Saudi Arabia. Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Dr. Attaur Rahman, along with Joint Secretary Hajj, Sajjad Haider Yaldram, is also accompanying the minister on this visit.

4.6 magnitude earthquake jolts Quetta ISLAMABAD

staff report

A moderate earthquake of 4.6 magnitudes on the Richter Scale jolted Quetta and its adjoining areas on Saturday morning. According to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), tremors were felt in Quetta and suburbs. According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), the epicenter of the earthquake was Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, while its depth was 98 kilometers.

Sixth death anniversary of Aitzaz Hasan observed ISLAMABAD

staff report

The sixth death anniversary of Aitzaz Hasan, who laid his life to stop the attempt of a suicide bomber to enter his school in Hangu, was observed on Saturday.

He became a national hero after he saved hundreds of lives on January 6, 2014, thwarting the terrorist attack. Aitzaz Hasan had grabbed the suicide bomber at the main gate to prevent him from entering the school. Hasan was later awarded with Sitara-e-Shujaat for his bravery.

First batch of electric buses arrive federal capital ISLAMABAD

staff report

The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department on Saturday claimed to have arrested seven terrorists including three key operatives of the proscribed Tehreek-Taliban Pakistan.

The arrests were made during various intelligence-based operations carried out in various cities of Punjab.

According to the Punjab CTD spokesperson, the IBOs were conducted in Lahore, Kasur, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, and Bahawalnagar in which seven militants were captured. Three key activists of the banned outfit TTP are among the arrested suspects, he added.

The arrested terrorists were : as Khan Zaman, Shah Muhammad, Abid, Khalid Mehmood, Azeem, Ahmad Shah, and Noor.

According to the spokesperson, the militants were planning an

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staff report

Polls to be held on Feb 8, ECP clears air after Senate resolution CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

NEWS

staff report

attack on the law enforcement institutions.

The spokesman said that the CTD also recovered explosive

material, one IED (bomb), two safety fuses, Prima cards, mobile phones, and cash from the possession of the militants.

At least two police officials injured in DI Khan attack DI KHAN

staff report

At least two police officials were injured on Saturday when militants opened fire at Mughal Kot Police Station in the Darazinda area of Dera Ismail Khan district.

The police station is situated at the strategic junction of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The injured officers, identified as Alam and Ahsan, were promptly shifted to the hospital for immediate medical treatment.

Earlier, a convoy of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was targeted in a brazen attack at the Yarik Interchange in DI Khan, party officials said.

The assailants opened fire on the convoy, aiming from two sides, according to preliminary information.

All individuals, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman,

remained unharmed in the attack.

The JUI-F chief was reportedly passing through Dera Ismail Khan as part of his election campaign when the incident occurred.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has welcomed the first batch of 30 new electric buses which will introduced on additional routes to provide climate-friendly means of transportation for the citizens of Islamabad. Following the agreement of CDA regarding the procurement of 160 electric buses from China, the first batch of the 30 new zeroemission buses arrived at the Zero Point Bus Terminal in the first month of the new year.

Additionally, the second batch of Electric Vehicles (EVs) are expected to arrive in Islamabad in February or March this year. The chairman of CDA announced that the new electric busses will be added to 13 new routes within the metro bus fleet.

Meanwhile, the routes will cover the areas including Police Foundation, Orange Line Stations, Faiz Ahmed Faiz Avenue, Allama Iqbal Station to Potohar Station, sectors I-16 to B-17, and Sector 26 to Chungi No 26. The new electric buses provide an environment-friendly means of transportation, contribute towards traffic reduction, facilitate citizens with the availability of new routes, and contribute towards improvement in climate.

Fazl says to take up TTP issue during visit to Kabul today CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

“The signals I have received indicate Pakistan’s desire that my visit produce results,” Rehman said. “The Afgha n side is also giving importance to the visit as the Taliban chief has personally extended an invitation to me”. To another question on whether he would raise the issue of girls’ education with the Taliban leaders, he said there was no issue of girls’ education in Islamic law but every country had the right to adopt policies about internal affairs, peace and security, trade, economy and social reforms. “There is no political change in Afghanistan but a 20-year war has ended. What is the problem of the world to talk about every issue in Afghanistan and try to force the Islamic Emirate to accept their demands.” The visit is scheduled at a time when relations between the two countries have suffered due to a spike in terrorist attacks, mostly claimed by the TTP group. Islamabad has stated that the TTP and other groups use Afghan soil against Pakistan.

04 COMMENT

Pakistan's Economic Growth Potential

Sunday, 7 January, 2024

End-of-term jitters

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A cabinet committee to look into the May 9 incidents and a proposed complaint do not make sense

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Apart from population control, there must be more planning The Risks from Its Population Shifts

S the caretaker government nears the end of even its extended tenure (its constitutionally prescribed tenure having been over a month ago), it and its members have begun doing things which do not seem to have any real purpose unless it be that of burnishing their CVs for inclusion in some future caretaker setup.

There has been a Cabinet committee notified, headed by the caretaker Law Minister, which is to report back in 14 days on the May 9 incidents, identifying both perpetrators and instigators. Meanwhile, caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi has announced that his Ministry will be writing to The Economist over an article by PTI chief Imran Khan. That too seems as purposeless as setting up the committee.

The creation of the Cabinet committee begs the question of whether the Cabinet was unaware of what had happened on May 9, or of the litigation about its perpetrators being tried by military courts. It seems a little late in the day for such a committee. If there are indeed to be military trials, the military can handle the investigations; if civilian, then law and order is a provincial preserve. Setting up a committee now, which will report just two weeks before the February 8 elections, does not seem to have any purpose beyond signalling the military, which has taken a dim view of the incidents, as expressed in a corps commanders’ conference and a formation commanders’ conference, that the Cabinet members have their heart in the right place. Similarly, it is difficult to discern what Mr Solangi wishes to achieve by the letter to The Economist.

First of all, Mr Solangi runs the risk of being asked what business of his is it. He might also be asked what action had been taken against the jail authorities who let the article be written. Such letters may be given great respect by local publications, but surely Mr Solangi has knocked around the media long enough to know that a foreign publication will cock a snook at him. However, he may well show certain quarters that he can be relied on to act against the likes of Mr Khan, even though the old methods of control are now outdated. Mr Khan has been banned from both print and electronic media, so perhaps he cannot be blamed for using foreign media to get out his message. If foreign media wants to give him space, how can they be stopped?

rameeN Shahid

AKISTAN has a strategic location, abundant resources, and a youthful population.

However, demographic shifts and challenges impede social cohesion and economic growth. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics 2023 census estimated a population of 241.5 million and ranked Pakistan as the fourth most populous country globally. This also meant that it had registered an annual growth rate of 2.1 percent, compared to the world growth rate of just 1.0 percent.

Thus, by 2030, Pakistan's population is expected to surge to 311.5 million, equivalent to an additional 70 million people. This massive population increase will strain already scarce resources and enhance the demand for essential services like social safety, healthcare, and education.

Demographically, the median age in Pakistan is 22, meaning more than 50 percent of the population is below 25. If the country provides quality education, skills and jobs to its youth, this will be an opportunity to increase the country's economic growth levels and reduce poverty. However, the window of opportunity is closing quickly because Pakistan's population will be aging rapidly in the coming decades. By 2040, the share of the working-age population (15-64 years) will be around 68 percent, which will start declining to 62 percent by 2060. The proportion of elderly over 65 years will increase from 4 percent between 2020 to 15 percent by 2060. This entails that Pakistan will,

civil society, and the international community in the following areas: Population policy: The growth of the Pakistani population poses a big problem for development. The population policy of Pakistan must outline how the country will deal with issues related to population growth patterns and distribution. The policy should be focused on reducing the high fertility rate, which still stands at 3.6 children per woman, by improving family planning use, especially among the rural women.

Human development: Pakistan faces a human

Pakistan's population presents both possibilities and problems for the country's economic growth and development. Pakistan's future trajectory and possibilities will be determined by how it handles its demographic challenges. If Pakistan can leverage on its demographic dividend while regulating its challenges, it has the potential to become a successful and progressive country. The time to act has arrived. in the future, have to provide social security and healthcare for an aging population while maintaining its economic growth and fiscal sustainability.

Urbanization has been an engine of growth for many developing countries, as it increases physical proximity and access to basic services. On the other hand, failure to effectively manage urbanization may result in oversized mega-cities full of pollution, crime, and inequality. Pakistan has to devise an integrated strategy to take care of the population problem for the welfare of its citizens. This requires coordinated efforts from the government, the private sector,

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami

capital crisis, as it ranks low on the HDI scale and has high rates of poverty and malnutrition among its population, especially children. As per the UN Report, Pakistan was ranked number 154 out of 189 nations on the HDI 2021, with approximately 24.3 percent of its population living in poverty and 40.2 percent of its children suffering from malnutrition. Similarly, according to the Pakistan National Human Development Report, Pakistan is the 2nd country where 32 percent of children aged 5 to 16 are out of school. To address this issue, more investment in human capital

The shadow of the disappeared Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi Joint Editor

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Executive Editor

Editor’s mail

SaSSi NaSir ali

S we keep holding on for our loved ones, with the hope that they will come home, whether it's today or tomorrow, the glimmer of that hope fades when we learn that one of our people has fallen. There's a courageous woman, fighting for everyone today, standing strong in the face of adversity, Mahrang.

Balochistan has been plagued by suffering for decades as families long for their loved ones. The Baloch Long March, a largely unreported movement, has been making waves as thousands of ethnic Baloch come together to demand justice for the disappeared and vic- pearances. They call for the release of those tice. tims of enforced disappearances. Led by the who have been disappeared, as well as the disThe Pakistani government has faced critiBaloch Yakjehti Committee, this remarkable arming of the Counter Terrorism Department to cism for its handling of enforced disappearances journey from southern Balochistan to Islam- prevent future abductions and fake encounters. in Balochistan. While some steps have been abad has received a warm welcome along the These demands highlight the need for systemic taken to address the issue, there is a need for way, with videos on social media showcasing changes to protect the rights and lives of the greater transparency, accountability, and a comthe immense support and solidarity from the Baloch people. prehensive strategy to tackle the problem. The Baloch community.

The Baloch Long March has gained inter- Baloch Long March serves as a reminder of the Mahrang Baloch, a leader of the Baloch national attention, with activists and human government's responsibility to protect the rights Yakjehti Committee, has played a pivotal role rights organizations expressing solidarity with of its citizens. in organizing the march. Her personal experi- the cause. The movement has also received supThe Baloch Long March is just one step in ence of her father's abduction in 2009, followed port from various countries, urging the Pakistani a long journey towards justice and accountabilby the discovery of his tortured body in 2011, government to address the issue of enforced dis- ity in Balochistan. The movement has sparked has fueled her activism and conversations and determination to seek jusbrought attention to the tice. Mahrang's story is a issue of enforced disaptestament to the resilience pearances. However, susand strength of the Baloch tained efforts and The Baloch Long March stands as a powerful symbol of resilience, continued community in their fight pressure on the against enforced disappeargovernment are necessary determination, and the quest for justice. The participants, led by ances. to ensure lasting change One of the main reasons individuals like Mahrang Baloch, have shown immense courage in and bring an end to the behind the Baloch Long suffering of the Baloch their fight against enforced disappearances. As the movement gains people.

March is the heartbreaking death of Balaach Mola The Baloch Long momentum and garners international support, it is hoped that their Bakhsh. His family believes March stands as a powerdemands for justice and accountability will be heard, bringing that he was abducted and ful symbol of resilience, killed in a fake encounter, determination, and the solace to the families who have long awaited answers challenging the official quest for justice. The parclaim that he was arrested ticipants, led by individuwith explosives. This incials like Mahrang Baloch, dent has deeply impacted have shown immense his family and motivated them to seek justice. appearances and ensure justice for the affected courage in their fight against enforced disapThe marchers embarked on a journey to- families. pearances. As the movement gains momentum wards Islamabad, facing numerous obstacles Social media platforms, such as Twitter and and garners international support, it is hoped along the way. Despite being blocked from en- Facebook, have played a crucial role in spread- that their demands for justice and accountability tering the capital, they have received over- ing awareness about the Baloch Long March. will be heard, bringing solace to the families whelming support from thousands of ethnic Activists and supporters have been using hash- who have long awaited answers.

Baloch in different cities. This solidarity high- tags like #JusticeForBalochistan and #BringThThe Baloch Long March serves as a relights the urgency of addressing the issue of en- emBack to amplify their message and reach a minder that the pursuit of justice knows no forced disappearances and the need for justice. wider audience. This digital activism has helped boundaries and that the voices of the opDuring the Baloch Long March, the protest- in mobilizing support and garnering interna- pressed cannot be silenced. The attempts by ers have been making stops in various cities to tional attention. the Islamabad Police to arrest the protesters raise awareness about enforced disappearances.

The Baloch Long March has faced numer- failed to break their spirit, and the Supreme They also aim to register families of the victims, ous challenges and roadblocks along the way. Court taking up the issue gave at least a glimensuring their voices are heard and their stories The participants have encountered resistance mer of hope that the wrongs will be redressed. are documented. This step is crucial in the pur- from local authorities, who have tried to prevent More hope at least than being called terrorists suit of justice and accountability. them from reaching their destination. Despite by the caretaker PM. The marchers have put forth several de- these obstacles, the marchers remain resilient mands to address the issue of enforced disap- and determined to continue their fight for jusThe writer is from: Turbat I

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

I

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

Rameen Shahid is a researcher at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), Lahore. She can be reached at info@casslhr.com

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

Looking for answers

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

is needed by revising education, health, and social security policies, which can improve people's skills, health, and welfare and reduce inequality.

Economic development: Pakistan's economy suffers from low growth, poverty, and unemployment.

As reported by the World Bank, Pakistan's GDP declined by 0.6 percent in FY23, and the overall poverty rate in the country stood at 24.3 percent. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics indicated that Pakistan had an unemployment rate of 8.9 percent in FY 21 and -6.8 percent export growth in FY 20. In this regard, creating more and better job opportunities, particularly within the urban context, is essential for developing the country's economy. The country should also focus on enhancing its productivity and competitiveness, leading to increased exports and foreign investments.

Urban development: Urbanisation is a major challenge for Pakistan, as it has the highest rate in the region and a large and growing urban population. The UN Human Development report shows that Pakistan is leading in urbanization in the region, with over one-third of its citizens residing in cities in 2017. The UN projects that by 2025, roughly 40 percent of the country's population will live in urban areas. To manage this, Pakistan needs a national urban policy that can improve urban planning and governance, strengthen local government’s service delivery and infrastructure, and promote inclusive and sustainable development for all urban dwellers.

Pakistan's population presents both possibilities and problems for the country's economic growth and development. Pakistan's future trajectory and possibilities will be determined by how it handles its demographic challenges. If Pakistan can leverage on its demographic dividend while regulating its challenges, it has the potential to become a successful and progressive country. The time to act has arrived.

I

Drug abuse

THE rising trend of substance abuse among college and university students poses a threat to the health, academic progress and overall wellbeing of our young minds. Beyond individual consequences, its impact extends to increased rates of academic failure, disrupted social relationships, and potential involvement in criminal activities, affecting the fabric of society. To combat the issue, a collaborative effort among educational institutions, local authorities and the larger community is needed. Implementing preventive measures, awareness campaigns, and counselling services, along with stricter enforcement of regulations regarding substance sale and distribution near campuses can create a safer environment for academic and personal growth.

SUNIYA TARAR KARACHI

Shortage of fertilizers

THE shortage of fertilizer and its increased price during the peak sowing season of wheat has created an economic burden on the growers, and has reduced the crop yield. This year again, like other parts of the country, farmers of Johi in Sindh’s Dadu district are facing the issue. The government rate of urea fertiliser is about Rs3,500, but it is being sold in the black for more than Rs5,000 per bag. The mafia gets active in the wheat sowing season and earns millions of rupees without any fear of accountability or consequences. The higher authorities should take strict action against these mafias and ensure the availability of fertiliser at the designated rate across the country.

AYAZ GUL RUSTAMANI WAHI PANDHI

Loaded backpacks

A large number of primary school students can be seen carrying excessively heavy school bags. These overloaded backpacks exceed reasonable weight limits, and may impact the physical wellbeing and overall development of the young learners. These heavy bags can lead to a variety of issues, including musculoskeletal problems, fatigue, and hindered concentration in the classroom.

Research has consistently shown that carrying heavy backpacks on a regular basis can have long-term consequences for a child’s physical health. It is crucial that we prioritise the wellbeing of our students and take immediate action to address the matter.

School administrators, educators and policymakers should step forward and collaborate to find effective solutions, and then implement them in letter and in spirit. This may include regular monitoring of bag weights, encouraging the use of digital resources, and working with parents to streamline the materials that the students need to bring to the school on any given day.

Additionally, the community at large should engage in an open dialogue on the issue to raise awareness and foster collaboration.

Parents, teachers and school officials must work together to find practical and sustainable solutions that prioritise the health and academic success of our primary-level students. Through public discourse and collaborative efforts, we can bring about a positive change and alleviate the unnecessary burden that is placed rather literally on the slender shoulders of our young learners.

Our children deserve an educational environment that promotes their physical and mental wellbeing, setting the foundation for a lifetime of learning.

ZOOHA INDHER SUKKUR

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

COMMENT 05

How Pakistan needs to rethink its energy planning Sunday, 7 January, 2024

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A deregulated oil and gas sector with a revamped pricing strategy is the way forward ShEikh imranul haquE

HE stubborn refusal to look reality in the face and instead wish for a ‘good daddy saviour’ has been our norm for 75 years. The advocacy of non-realistic planning, the inability to make timely decisions, and the lack of focus on homegrown measures: these are all continuously replaced by dreams of biogas, hydrogen, creating a market for rice stubble, renewable energy potential and coal gasification as our saviour.

Only a country with an analytical mind can find real solutions, instead of believing in fantastical things being done in the West.

Besides, according to the UN trade chief, the rich use green policies to hold back the poor.

Our five-year plans are devoid of action, plans and strategy. The evaluation of Thar, Riko Diq, EXIMP Bank, hydel and nuclear projects reaffirm this. But they also identify process improvements to bring change – if we want to.

Who will bell the cat?

Our Planning Commission must become the equivalent of China’s NDRC, which was established as the State Planning Commission in 1952. It is the third ranked executive department, and functions as a macroeconomic management agency with broad administrative and planning control over China’s economy. Its subsidiary is the National Data and National Energy Administration, which is responsible for energy policy, decision-making, formulating development strategies, coordinating energy development as well as international cooperation on energy.

The ‘ostrich phenomenon’ has continued, and there have been meaningful efforts

in spurts to develop alternative sustainable resources based on individual initiatives, rather than a well thought-out plan with timely decisions.

A new beginning has to take place with the 13th Five Year Plan (2024-2029) by discarding ‘hopium’, and by challenging Winston Churchill "I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle".

It has been repeatedly confirmed that raising tariffs does not reduce circular debt and is contained by regular increases in line with cost. The reduction requires distinct alternate measures in parallel.

The chart below by DEA Pakistan depicts the need to price energy in an understandable unit, so as to enable comparison and fuel choice by consumers.

For many decades, the National Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority with EDB should have followed a target-driven aggressive energy conservation and equipment efficiency programme.

We need to start again aggressively, and

ductivity, the need to build a trading portfolio with long term agreements directly with liquefaction facilities and refineries (instead of expensive spot procurement), developing gas storage in depleting fields, E&P focus shift to offshore, understanding criticality of regional cooperation and in becoming part of energy networks evolving in our surroundings.

A five-plus-five year revolving planning strategy to diversify energy import sourcing has to be driven by geoeconomic and regional cooperation to ensure economic security as we build on our geostrategic focus.

It now needs to define fuel mix based on IGCEP, energy transition fuel (pipeline gas/LNG), coal with target of 60 percent renewable energy independently and taking into account the economic corridor from India to Europe; sourcing fuel out of the North American Energy Platform; LPG from Iraq, Central Asia, Saudi Arabia, Russia; Silk Road rail access to the Mediterranean Sea; and commercial long term engagement with Qatar, Oman, UAE, Australia, the USA, Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Continued rethinking due to growing need of energy infrastructure, depleting reserves and dependence on imported fuel would have also determined energy provision to consumers in the form of only electricity.

Also, 5.7m gas consumers would be delivered piped gas at imported LPG or LNG price (whichever is higher) with cross subsidies done away with. A monthly direct subsidy to 70 percent of the population using LPG and wood would focus on measures to reduce “dole” by recipients under a time-driven skill development programme.

We have started to walk the talk:

Plans are also being considered to reduce the industry subsidization of consumers and to ensure consistency of pricing; SHC stay and APTMA lobbying will delay matters. Citing Bangladesh has backfired as it went under an IMF programme, and now needs to manage its $5 billion circular debt with increasing CAD. Our refinery industry has now started to export furnace oil when pushed and rent seeking was denied conserve energy with measurable targets of two-percent improvement every year by 2029 or savings of 2.2 MTOE of energy and 8.29MTCO2 per NEECA current goals.

Reducing our import dependency involves a rolling roadmap of enhancing pro-

homegrown solutions for captive power plants have introduced 50:50 blend for 9 months and 100 percent LNG for three months (this year additional benefit for a month has been given). For industrial units, 75:25 blend for 12 months in Sindh and Punjab is presently at $9.7 and $10.8/mmbtu with increased gas load-shedding, CNG priced at LNG cost and going forward spot buying of LNG for consumers to be phased out by 2025.

These ratios will change depending on the availability. The application only to zero-rated industries registered till June 2022 needs to be done away with. The tax, import duty, ST subsidies need definition and need to be given to all listed firms based on an increase in audited exports value, tax paid, volumes increase, investment and/or increase in employment under a progressive “slab” system with blacklisting of audit firms misreporting the above in annual accounts, including extending Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act (FIPPA) to them.

Plans are also being considered to reduce the industry subsidization of consumers and to ensure consistency of pricing; SHC stay and APTMA lobbying

Sheikh Hasina: the Bangladeshi premier determined to retain power Re-election appears certain but economic strains may test the population’s patience with her autocratic style

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FINANCIAL TIMES BEnjamin Parkin

N 1975, 27-year-old Sheikh Hasina said goodbye to relatives seeing her off ahead of a trip to Europe from Dhaka. Among them were her three brothers, mother and father, the then president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who had helped secure independence from Pakistan four years earlier.

It was the last time she’d see them alive. Two weeks later, mutinous army officers murdered them in a massacre of nearly 20 of her relatives, plunging Bangladesh into a military dictatorship and leaving Sheikh Hasina stranded overseas with her sister Sheikh Rehana.

“We didn’t know what really happened,” she later said. “We didn’t know that all the family members were assassinated . . . My younger brother was only 10 years old. They didn’t spare him.”

This traumatic event would define Sheikh Hasina’s trajectory over the next five decades and that of Bangladesh itself. Now the 76-year-old prime minister is on the brink of winning a fifth term in Sunday’s elections. The massacre instilled in her a messianic zeal that has made her the world’s longest currentlyserving female leader and Bangladesh’s most consequential premier. She has helped the country punch above its weight, overseeing rapid development and the growth of its garments sector while balancing China and India to extract maximum investment and taking on

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the US, its largest clothing buyer.

But the incident also fomented bitterness and paranoia that has poisoned Bangladesh’s politics and, critics say, left her determined to retain power at all costs. The result on Sunday is all but guaranteed after the opposition claimed that authorities rounded up as many as 20,000 members of the rival Bangladesh Nationalist party. The BNP is now boycotting the vote altogether, leaving little meaningful resistance to her Awami League party. She has denounced calls

by Washington to ensure the elections are fair as an attempt at regime change. It is now an open question whether Bangladesh’s democracy can survive another term of Sheikh Hasina. Popular dissatisfaction is mounting as the economy slows, exposing inequality and corruption. Some observers fear more tumult and repression. “She’s decisive, courageous and single-minded,” says a person who has long known her. “[But] she’s like Louis XIV. ‘L’Etat, c’est moi. I am Bangladesh.’”

Sheikh Hasina was born in 1947 in what was then East Bengal, part of the new Muslim state of Pakistan. Her father Sheikh Mujib led a movement for the Bengali territory’s independence from its repressive, Urdu-speaking rulers, culminating in a war and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.

After her family’s murder, Sheikh Hasina returned from exile in 1981 to “fulfil my father’s dream”, as she told Time. She campaigned against the country’s dictators and later the BNP, a party founded by a military ruler who she blamed for her father’s assassination.

She was prime minister from 1996 to 2001, before assuming power continuously from 2009.

She has survived multiple assassination attempts, including a 2004 grenade attack she blamed on the BNP in which supporters formed a human cocoon to protect her from the blasts. This nearmiss cemented her belief that “maybe Allah has given me some job to do”, she

KOREA HERALD Editorial

HE Supreme Court’s latest ruling on the 52-hour workweek system is expected to offer some relief to companies as well as workers in need of a more flexible allocation of work hours without violating related laws.

But the dispute still lingers over possible side effects of the ruling, calling for remedy in labor policy.

The top court overturned some part of the lower courts’ rulings that found an owner of a flight cabin cleaning company in violation of the Labor Standards Act by forcing an employee to work beyond the limit set by the 52-hour workweek system.

The worker had worked for three straight days before getting a day off, a concentrated work pattern resulting in 21 work hours per

said. It also, according to the person who knew her, “basically closes the door for a democratic transition in Bangladesh’s politics. It makes her think that, ‘If I’m ever in power, I’ll make sure that I’m not out of power because . . . they’re going to kill me.’”

In office, she set about transforming Bangladesh, infamously dismissed by Henry Kissinger as a “basket case”. The garments export sector grew into the world’s second largest, while she turbocharged infrastructure and oversaw impressive development gains.

“It is Sheikh Hasina who gave some hope of prosperity to the people of Bangladesh,” AK Abdul Momen, her foreign minister, told the FT. “She doesn’t give a damn if she’s killed to pursue her policies. So she’s never afraid.” Yet reconciliation was never on the agenda. Sheikh Hasina repeatedly invokes her family’s massacre in interviews and speeches, and even presents visitors with photos of disfigured victims of alleged BNP attacks. She has built a personality cult around her father, whose image is ubiquitous across the country. “Loyalty matters,” says another person who knows her. “You’re with her, or

day (13 hours of overtime plus eight regular work hours) on 109 occasions, which violated the Labor Standards Act, according to the lower courts’ rulings.

The country’s 52-hour workweek system

you’re never with her.”

Hatred of her rivals has morphed into a broader assault on democracy.

Her re-election in 2018 drew allegations of ballot-stuffing, after the Awami League won an improbably large majority. The state has wielded power to fearsome effect, with a USsanctioned paramilitary battalion accused of extrajudicial killings.

Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning microfinance pioneer, was this week sentenced to six months imprisonment in a case that critics dismiss as a personal vendetta. Even if the outcome of Sunday’s vote appears to be preordained, observers argue another five years of Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League is not. They point to painful inflation, falling foreign reserves and rising defaults, economic pressures which they say will test a population losing patience with her increasingly autocratic rule. “She has decided the path that she wants to go,” says Ali Riaz, a political scientist at Illinois State University. “Her supporters say it’s development, it’s the wellbeing of the people. My assessment is that she wants to make sure that her party remains in power in perpetuity.”

with the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s labor reform policy which attempted early this year to make working hours more flexible.

In March, the government pushed for a

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new workweek rule in which longer work hours of up to 69 hours would be compensated with extra holiday time on a weekly, quarterly, six-monthly or annual basis. But the policy proposal sparked a wave of protests from workers and civic groups claiming it would lead to a 69-hour workweek. The government is yet to restart public discussions about changes to the current 52hour workweek system.

There is no question that Korea’s rigid labor regulations need more flexibility, especially when companies face tight deadlines to handle big orders for their products. In the

DAILY STAR

mohammad a arafat

HE criticism of the election lacking participation and being potentially rigged are not logical. Conducting the election is a constitutional obligation, not a choice. Participating, however, is a choice each party makes freely.

Awami League and 27 other parties are contesting, but BNP chose to boycott. It's true that without BNP participating, the election will not seem complete, and there will be questions about it. But can you hold Awami League responsible for this? BNP claims that if they participate, the election will not be free and fair, and that they will lose. Let's agree to that allegation for argument's sake—does their boycott benefit them? Without BNP, Awami League is likely to win the election anyway. Participating could've allowed them to highlight any irregularities and secure parliamentary representation. Therefore, BNP should have participated, no matter what. Boycotting is not a solution. Their abstinence might have been understandable if their movements had succeeded, but their failure on both fronts renders it illogical. Hence, the responsibility for the election's limitations lies solely with BNP. Conversely, to mitigate their non-cooperation, we've allowed our party members to contest independently, offering voters a wider selection despite the possibility of internal conflict. In South Asian politics, intense competition can lead to conflict and even violence. So, by deciding to allow independent candidates, we are now at risk of facing internal conflicts. Yet, Awami League prioritised a competitive election and democracy, even if it creates discord within the party.

The claim that we will rig the election is equally unreasonable. Why would Awami League need to resort to rigging in this scenario? Had BNP participated, concerns about manipulating the outcome to defeat them might have had some logic behind it. But in their absence, and if Awami League doesn't give seat concessions to any of its allies—or to Jatiya Party—we are poised for a landslide victory. Awami League has no incentive to rig the election, and doubting this suggests a lack of rationality. The entire election will be proper, fair, and free from any misconduct. What will BNP do then? Will their unfounded accusations continue?

Mohammad A Arafat is member of the central executive committee of Bangladesh Awami League.

Fix 52-hour workweek

allows for eight hours of work per day from Monday through Friday and an extra 12 hours and holds companies legally accountable for violations.

The Supreme Court returned the case to the lower court, holding a view that it is legal to adjust daily work hours if the total weekly work hours do not exceed 52 hours, a departure from the position of lower courts which had focused on the daily work-hour limit.

It is notable that the Supreme Court has ruled for the first time that overtime work should be calculated on a weekly basis -rather than on a daily basis. This is in line

The writer has served as the managing director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and chairman of the Petroleum Institute of Pakistan and OCAC. He can be contacted at ihaque58@gmail.com

‘Why would Awami League need to resort to rigging in this scenario?’

video game industry, the term “crunch mode” refers to long periods of compulsory overtime during the development of a game title. The latest ruling in favor of a weekly calculation could allow these firms to map

Policymakers must fix work hour limit following Supreme Court’s latest ruling

will delay matters. Citing Bangladesh has backfired as it went under an IMF programme, and now needs to manage its $5 billion circular debt with increasing CAD. Our refinery industry has now started to export furnace oil when pushed and rent seeking was denied.

The long overdue deregulation of the oil and gas sector starts by rescinding the Marketing Petroleum Act, oil marketing companies determining provincial or national retail price, doing away with the Inland Freight Equalization Margin, and removing the anti-competitive clause in white oil pipeline hindering Pakistan Railways freight growth.

Furthermore, a deregulated environment also requires the removal of the monopoly of Fauji Oil Terminal and Distribution Company on import infrastructure in Port Qasim, rebuilding oil piers in KPT on priority, and connecting the two ports by pipeline, which has been pending now for over a decade.

out overnight work schedules more freely without worrying about violations.

But critics argue that the Supreme Court ruling means that companies in theory can legally force employees to work for 21 hours and 30 minutes on two days each before getting three days off, an extreme yet legal work schedule that could hurt workers’ health. They also worry that crunch mode will be more widely adopted across diverse industries.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling and announced it would hurry up to

change its administrative interpretation of the 52-workweek system that has been based on the daily limit of work hours. But the government and the Labor Ministry must understand that the top court’s ruling does not necessarily present a desirable form of work schedules that can satisfy both employees and employers.

As critics point out, there could be side effects such as the introduction of a shorter minimum rest period. Labor groups say the labor law should be revised to ensure that workers get at least 11 hours of uninterrupted rest hours before starting a new workday.

The government and lawmakers must consider various options, including the revision of the Labor Standards Act to fix the work-hour limit. The key is to strike the right balance by making the workweek rule more flexible to enhance productivity without undermining the health of workers.

06 NEWS

UN WARNS GAZA ‘UNINHABITABLE’ AS ISRAEL BOMBS TERRITORY

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UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES

SRAEL bombed Gaza on Saturday as the United Nations warned the Palestinian territory has become “uninhabitable” after three months of fighting that threatens to engulf the wider region.

Israeli strikes early Saturday on Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of people have sought shelter from the fighting.

Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with the UN warning of a deepening humanitarian crisis as famine looms and disease spreads.

Abu Mohammed, 60, who fled to Rafah from the central Bureij refugee camp, said Gaza’s future was “dark and gloomy and very difficult”.

With much of the territory already reduced to rubble, UN humanitarian chief

Martin Griffiths said Friday that “Gaza has simply become uninhabitable”.

The UN’s children’s agency warned that clashes, malnutrition and a lack of

health services had created “a deadly cycle that threatens over 1.1 million children” in Gaza.

Israeli forces were continuing “to

fight in all parts of the Gaza Strip, in the north, centre and south”, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said late Friday.

Hagari said Israeli forces were maintaining a “very high state of readiness” near the border with Lebanon following the killing of a top Hamas commander in a strike in Beirut. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the strike, but a US defence official told that Israel carried it out.

The war in Gaza was triggered by an unprecedented attack on Israel launched

by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,140 people, most of them civilians. The militants also took around 250 hostages, 132 of whom remain in captivity, according to Israel, including at least 24 believed to have been killed.

In response, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment and ground invasion that have killed at least 22,600 people, most of them women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.

China’s 3rd-generation superconductor quantum computer comes online BEIJING

STAFF REPORT

US cop jailed for 14 months over death of black man COLORADO

AGENCIES

A white US police officer was sentenced to 14 months in prison Friday over the 2019 death of a young Black man who was put in a police chokehold and injected with ketamine.

The death of Elijah McClain in the western United States occurred months before the high-profile killing of George Floyd, but drew renewed attention soon after as protests against police brutality swelled.

A special investigation was launched in 2020, and Randy Roedema was convicted of manslaughter in October, while two other police officers were acquitted. Sentencing Roedema in a Colorado court Friday, judge Mark Werner said he was “shocked by what appeared to be, really, indifference to Elijah McClain’s suffering.”

McClain “was handcuffed and really wasn’t much of a threat to anybody,” noted Werner. McClain, 23, died in Aurora, near Denver, three days after he was put in a chokehold by police, injected with ketamine to sedate him and suffered cardiac arrest.

Police had responded to a call about a “suspicious” black male “acting weird” in the street and wearing a ski mask, the district attorney’s report said. One officer said McClain, who was unarmed, had reached for another officer’s gun.

McClain’s family said he had been out buying iced tea, and often wore the mask to stay warm because he suffered from anemia.

“Randy Roedema will always be a bully with a badge,” said Sheneen McClain, Elijah’s mother, on Friday ahead of the sentencing.

“Prison is the only accountable justice that Randy Roedema deserves”, she said, while denouncing the Colorado police’s “inhuman protocols.”

Roedema on Friday told the judge he and fellow officers had “responded in the way we were trained to do.” Last month, a Colorado jury separately found two paramedics guilty of criminally negligent homicide over the incident.

They are awaiting sentencing.

The case, which was initially closed by police, was reopened in June 2020, when Colorado Governor Jared Polis appointed the state’s attorney-general to probe McClain’s death.

A celebrity-backed online petition calling for justice in the case passed three million signatures, and Polis said at the time he had been “moved” after speaking with Sheneen McClain.

On Friday, Sheneen McClain told the judge that there was “no reason for Randy Roedema to put his knee in my son’s back, and sit on my son’s chest.”

Her son “was already handcuffed” and “just needed to sit up so he could breathe better.”

China’s quantum computing has made new progress, with its third-generation superconducting quantum computer “Origin Wukong” coming online at 9 am on Saturday at Origin Quantum Computing Technology (Hefei) Co. Powered by a 72-qubit superconducting quantum chip called the “Wukong chip,” the computer is the most advanced programmable and deliverable superconducting quantum computer in China, according to a joint statement from the Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center and the Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Quantum Computing Chips shared with the Global Times.

Superconducting quantum computer is a quantum computer based on superconducting circuit quantum chips. Internationally, both IBM’s and Google’s quantum computers apply such superconducting technology routes.

Equipped with Origin Quantum’s third-generation of quantum computing measurement and control system, “Origin Wukong” marked China’s first realization of automated batch testing of quantum chips, indicating that the quantum computer’s efficiency has increased by tens of folds, Kong Weicheng, a deputy director of the Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center, said in the joint statement.

According to Jia Zhilong, a deputy director of the Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Quantum Computing Chips, “Wukong chip” has a total of 198 qubits, including 72 working qubits and 126 coupler qubits.

Origin Quantum has already delivered its first-

and second-generations of superconducting quantum computers to the Chinese market. Established in 2017, the Hefei-based company was behind China’s first quantum chip production line, China’s first quantum computer operating system, and China’s first quantum computing measurement and control system. In terms of quantum computing patents, Origin Quantum ranks No.1 in China and No. 6 globally.

Quantum computing is seen as the most promising alternative to the current general computer based on silicon chips.

The Central Economic Work Conference, held in December 2023, urged renewed efforts on industrial innovations, and in particular forging new industries, models and impetus with disruptive and cutting-edge technologies. It also called for nurturing strategic emerging industries including biological manufacturing, the commercial space industry and low-altitude economy, and opening up new arenas for future industries such as quantum technology and life sciences.

Japan earthquake death toll tops 100 with hundreds still missing

WAJIMA AGENCIES

The death toll from Japan’s New Year’s Day earthquake topped 100 on Saturday with more than 200 people still missing, the country’s deadliest quake in nearly eight years. The magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck Japan’s west coast destroyed infrastructure,

leaving 23,000 homes without power in the Hokuriku region.

The search for survivors under collapsed buildings continued for a sixth day as more than 30,000 evacuees awaited aid.

Sixteen further deaths were confirmed in Wajima city and Anamizu town by 1 p.m. (0400 GMT) on Saturday, bringing the total to 110, Kyodo news agency

said, quoting the Ishikawa prefectural government and other sources.

As of Saturday morning, 98 people had been confirmed dead, according to the Ishikawa government website.

It is the highest toll since quakes in Kumamoto in southwestern Japan killed 276 people, including related deaths, in 2016.

Road disruptions and other problems have hindered the delivery of relief supplies.

Freelance cameraman Masao Mochizuki, 73, stood in a long line of Wajima residents in front of a supermarket that reopened on Thursday, to buy necessities.

“It is such a help that they have managed to reopen the store,” Mochizuki told a foreign news agency after buying a box of heat patches, blue plastic sheets to cover broken windows and a pair of shoes to protect his feet from the shattered glass that is all over the floors of his house.

“But I don’t see the road to reconstruction just yet,” Mochizuki said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Sunday, 7 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

AI speeds up economic development in China BEIJING

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become one of the most buzzworthy and eye-catching technical terms, widely discussed among various groups of people whether they are industry practitioners or not.

With one of the largest AI development teams in the world, China is playing a vital role in the AI industry.

It aims to promote industry development by making more contributions.

AI development is transforming many aspects of society today. We see that the emergence of AIgenerated content (AIGC) technology has changed the story dramatically. AI technology is deemed a potential technical revolution that will possibly subvert many of our current ways of doing things.

For example, adopting AIGC-based applications may reconstruct relationships. The role of service representation may need to be redefined as the way humans and machines communicate has been changed.

By emphasizing the visible role of AI development, China has made great efforts to upgrade and advance AI technologies, covering areas such as policy guidance, project support, fundamental research and ecosystem development.

It has been reported that China ranks first place in AIrelated patent filing in 2022, according to the World Intellectual Property Indicators Report. This implies a strong scientific and technological power as well as higher levels of industrial vitality.

We believe that fundamental research in AI is one of the crucial factors for powering up national economic development, considering distinct perspectives.

First, developing effective AI-based applications provides the potential to improve business processes or even reconstruct economic structures. As mentioned, emerging AI technologies, such as AIGC, are reshaping service models due to remarkable new characteristics in human-machine interactions and knowledge retrievals. The advancement has made machines “smarter” than ever before. It also offers enormous hints for future new applications and brings “blue-ocean” opportunities.

It is observable that this wave of AI advances has accelerated the evolution of industrial upgrades.

Human resource management is experiencing a transfer with redesigning labor structures and desired skills. The need for humans in basic positions will probably be eliminated in the coming years. Some job positions, once believed to be irreplaceable by machines, are encountering challenges from AIGCbased applications as well.

Even though AI is accelerating steps of replacing some human jobs, it indicates that more productivity will be released. Retraining in AI will possibly become a focus in the coming years.

Second, AI technology development itself brings great opportunities for economic growth. Heated discussions on AI development have been ongoing among those in the academic community in recent years.

Those discussions involve a few dimensions, with AI fundamental research being a principal topic. Many national-level AI labs or institutes have been founded in order to expand both research and applications, which also drives AI research and development towards a higher level of capability and adoptability.

Infrastructure construction is another side of AI development. China has approved projects to construct eight national computing hubs as well as 10 national data center clusters, indicating a great facilitation for AI computing resources. Moreover, AI development activates new education requirements, too. Higher education, vocational education and continuing education are all within the scope of exploration for matching the requirements of developing the AI industry.

Finally, concerns about AI security and safety may introduce new opportunities. With decades of continuous development, AI technology is knocking on the door of the full function of intelligence. For instance, facial recognition technology is being widely used for verifying individuals’ identities.

However, the adoption went through a long process, if we look back at its history. Meanwhile, privacy concerns are raised along with the popularization of facial recognition.

Similarly, concerns about security, safety and trust have penetrated into various aspects of people’s lives or industrial operations, such as personal digital assistant safety, industrial commands security, supply chain security, privacy protections, and so on.

This phenomenon shows a clue that the security industry may have new opportunities in the future.

AIGC, for example, has widened the scope of AI security and safety. Content protections have been upgraded from relatively deterministic entities to a more complex training-related environment.

From Harbin to Hainan, China’s tourism boom picks up pace in 2024 HARBIN

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

China’s tourism market boom over the threeday New Year’s Day holidays did not end with the holidays.

Over the past several days, bustling scenes of tourists enjoying ice and snow activities in Harbin in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province and sunshine in South China’s Hainan Province have become hot topics in China and abroad.

The busy, lively scenes are not limited to Harbin and Hainan. Other parts of China, including Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, are also seeing robust growth in the number of tourists and revenues they generate. The tourism boom is expected to last through the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays, which is about a month away, according to travel agencies and experts.

The tourism boom not only illustrates the vitality and potential of China’s consumption market, but also paves the way for the overall economic recovery in 2024, ex-

perts said, with some predicting solid economic recovery this year, though further policy measures are needed to tackle pressure and challenges.

On Friday, Harbin officially kicked off its annual International Ice and Snow Festival, declaring a public holiday. The festival also opened along with the launch of the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, according to a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Friday.

The opening of the International Ice and Snow Festival comes as Harbin became a sensation for its winter tourism boom since the New Year’s Day holidays, attracting hundreds of millions of views and comments on social media platforms. Video footage of tourists in winter clothes dancing to music in Harbin posted by China Media Group has attracted more than 13.18 million views on Sina Weibo as of Friday afternoon.

While a final tally on attendees at the festival was not yet available on Friday, Harbin has already seen robust numbers. During the three-day New Year’s Day holidays, the city

saw about 3.05 million tourist trips and a total tourism revenue of about 5.91 billion yuan ($832 million) – both are historical highs, according to local official data.

Harbin is not alone in seeing a tourism boom. Xinjiang, which has become a top tourist spot in China for its beautiful nature and culture, also saw rapid growth in trips and revenue. During the New Year’s Day holidays, Xinjiang received more than 1.66 million trips, up 195 percent year-on-year, and generated about 1.76 billion yuan in tourism revenue, up 424.3 percent year-onyear, according to local data.

Meanwhile, Hainan, which is known for its warm weather in the winter, also saw growth rates of over 60 percent in both trip numbers and tourism revenue over the New Year’s Day holidays. More importantly, bookings for Hainan for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year holidays are already picking up pace, according to media reports.

SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY: “As the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays approach, it is expected that

the tourism market nationwide will continue to see a relatively big boom,” Chen Fengying, an economist and former director of the Institute of World Economic Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.

Chen, who was visiting Hainan, said that the tourism market in the province is “very hot” and consumers’ willingness to travel is also “relatively high,” which “will provide support for China’s economic recovery,” she said.

The tourism boom means increased spending and businesses activity for companies in a wide range of areas. For example, after Harbin became a sensation, various companies have seen rapid growth in business. Notably, share prices of Changbai Mountain Tourism Co, which is based in Northeast China’s Jilin Province, surged more than 51 percent over the past five days.

As the ice-and-snow fever continues to grow after the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, China’s winter tourism market is rising rapidly, benefiting areas such as Northeast China and Xinjiang, where ice and snow

activities are popular. The China Tourism Academy predicted that during the 20242025 ice and snow season, a total of 520 million trips and a revenue of 720 billion yuan are expected.

Cao Heping, an economist at Peking University, said that he has been traveling across the country since the beginning of the year and has seen a robust recovery in the tourism industry.

“The rebound in consumer demand also reflects the development trend of China’s economy. The recovery of consumption has a positive impact on consumer confidence and further boosts economic recovery,” Cao told the Global Times on Friday.

The tourism boom has also lifted expectations among economists for China’s economic recovery in 2024, with many also pointing to ramped up policy measures to boost consumption and other growth drivers.

Yu Yongding, an academic member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a prominent economist, wrote in an article shared with the Global Times on Friday.

Sunday, 7 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

CORPORATE CORNER GTR celebrates 60 years of driving Pakistan forward with leadership and reliability

Ghandhara Tyre (GTR) recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, marking six decades of leadership and reliability with German-Engineered Technology, perfectly tailored for the roads of Pakistan.The event spotlighted GTR's remarkable achievements over the past 60 years, which have firmly established the company as the top tyre manufacturer in the country.

GTR's commitment to using German technology, in collaboration with Continental Germany ensures adherence to international standards. All tyres undergo rigorous testing procedures abroad, exemplifying the brand's dedication to quality and reliability.Hussain Kuli Khan, CEO of GTR, reflected on the company's journey: “Today, GTR stands as the number one tyre manufacturer in Pakistan, serving all OEMs with our advanced technology, reliability, and commitment to safe and empowered driving in Pakistan. Our 60-year journey in Pakistan is a story of progress, vision, and unwavering commitment.” PR

IndIa orders new drug-makIng sTandards afTer overseas deaThs NEWS

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PROFIT

REUTERS

NDIAN pharmaceutical companies must meet new manufacturing standards this year, according to a government notification released on Saturday, although small companies have asked for a delay, citing their debt load.

Jolted by a string of overseas deaths linked to Indian-made drugs since 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has stepped up scrutiny of pharmaceutical factories to clean up the image of the $50 billion industry.

“The manufacturer must assume responsibility for the quality of the pharmaceutical products to ensure that they are fit for their intended use, comply with the requirements of the licence and

do not place patients at risk due to inadequate safety, quality or efficacy,” said the notification, dated Dec. 28.

Companies must market a finished product only after getting “satisfactory

results” on tests of the ingredients and retain a sufficient quantity of the samples of intermediate and final products to allow repeated testing or verification of a batch, it says.

APHC pays tribute to victims of Tessori visits Iranian Consulate to offer condolence over twin Jan 6, 1993 Sopore massacre

blasts near mausoleum of Qasim Sulaimani

KARACHI: Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori visited Iranian Consulate to offer his condolence on loss of human lives in a tragic twin blast near the mausoleum of Qasim Sulaimani few days back.He was received by Consul General of Iran Hassan Nourian upon his arrival at the consulate. Governor Sindh while expressing his deep sense of grief and sorrow, said that he was with the families of martyred .He offered fateha for the departed soul. Governor Sindh also recorded his sentiments in condolence book kept at the consulate. PR

Meta launches Love Local Pakistan to celebrate local businesses

KARACHI: Meta has launched #LoveLocalPakistan video series to celebrate the vibrant community of local small and medium businesses in Pakistan. In collaboration with content creator Ali Gul Pir and one of Pakistan’s digital news platform, Meta hopes to share inspiring stories of local businesses that have used social platforms like Facebook and Instagram to start and grow. The video series will run throughout the month of January and give a platform to entrepreneurs to share how digital tools can transform ideas into reality and help grow online communities. PR

Pakistan, UAE to maximize bilateral trade and facilitate investment in key sectors

ABU DHABI: Dr. Gohar Ejaz (HI, SI), Pakistan’s Minister for Commerce, Industries and Investment, and Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates, held a productive meeting at Abu Dhabi to strengthen bilateral economic ties between the two nations.The discussions focused on maximizing bilateral trade volume and identifying promising avenues for UAE's investment in Pakistan's service and logistics sectors. These avenues encompass vital areas such as Infrastructure development of ports, logistics hubs, and aviation facilities, Expansion of shipping & cargo services, and Investment in modern technologies & services to enhance efficiency. Both ministers expressed their unwavering commitment to streamlining procedures and creating an environment conducive for UAE investors. PR

Two youth killed in motorcycles collision

MANSEHRA: Two youth were killed in collision between two over speeding motorcycles here on Saturday, police said. According to details, two over speeding motorcycles collided near Oghi city in district Mansehra. As a result of accident, 30-year-old Muhammad Jibran was killed on the spot while 31year-old Mansoor s/o Niaz Muhammad sustained critical wounds. The body and injured were shifted to Tehsil Hospital Oghi where the wounded youth was referred to King Abdullah Hospital Mansehra but succumbed his wounds during treatment. The bodies of deceased hailing from Shamadhara Oghi were handed over to heirs after legal formalities. INP

SRINAGAR INP

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference expressing serious concern over scores of massacres including the 1993 Sopore massacre committed by Indian troops in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir in the last over three decades has said that the deteriorating situation in the territory warrants an international initiative.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Indian troops of Border Security Force (BSF) had martyred over 60 innocent Kashmiris and torched over 400 shops and residen-

tial houses by setting the Sopore town ablaze on this day in 1993.

The APHC leaders and organizations including Professor Abdul Ghani Butt, Ghulam Muhammad Khan Sopori, Advocate Arshad Iqbal, Maulana Musaib Nadvi, Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Political Movement, Kashmir Freedom Front and Jammu and Kashmir Employees Movement in their statements issued in Srinagar said that brute Indian occupation forces set the apple town on fire, ruthlessly gunned down many innocent civilians, and destroyed the economic backbone of the occupied territory.

They termed the Kashmiris’

sacrifices as the priceless asset of the ongoing freedom struggle. They demanded an impartial international probe into the Sopor carnage and other such massacres to punish the involved Indian troops.

The leaders and organizations said that hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris had lost their lives in their just struggle for securing freedom from India’s illegal occupation since 1947. The unresolved dispute has been the main reason of the enormous sufferings of the people of Kashmir, they said. They said that the settlement of the Kashmir dispute is a prerequisite for lasting peace in South Asia.

Proponents of delay in elections enemies of democracy: Baloch LAHORE INP

Acting Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Liaqat Baloch has said that the elements sowing uncertainty and advocating for a delay in the timely general elections are, in fact, enemies of democracy.

Speaking during a corner meeting in NA-123 Lahore on Saturday, he asserted that the resolution passed by only 14 senators in favor of postponing the national vote holds no value.

Liaqat Baloch pointed out that the Supreme Court has removed all ambiguities regarding any delay or postponement of the polls. According to him, the resolution adopted by the Senate undermines the credibility of the upper house.

The Election Commission should not succumb to any pressure and must ensure that the people of Pakistan exercise their right to elect representatives in a free and fair manner, upholding the supremacy of the constitution, he emphasized.

The JI Acting Ameer further highlighted Punjab's historical role in promoting harmony among all provinces, expressing dismay at elements that have brought shame to the largest province. He mentioned that JI has issued 237 and 250 national and provincial assembly tickets throughout Punjab, signaling a clear message and commitment to a better future for the province. If elected with the support of the people, the JI would work towards progress and prosperity in Punjab, he assured.

In a separate statement, Liaqat Baloch demanded the restoration of passenger flights for Gilgit Baltistan, stating that the suspension of flights for over two months has created severe difficulties for the people in the hilly area, virtually blocking their access to other parts of the country.

The JI acting chief also extended congratulations to the National Labor Federation president, Shamsulhaq Swati, on winning the LDA referendum. He expressed hope that the PREM Union would also succeed in the Railways Workshop elections.

Safeguarding interests of Kashmiri people Law Ministry’s top priority: Minister ISLAMABAD INP

Caretaker Minister for Law and Justice Ahmad Irfan Aslam has said that safeguarding interests of Kashmiri people was top priority of the law ministry.

This was stated by him while talking to a delegation compris-

ing representatives from various Bar councils of Pakistan which called on him in Islamabad on Saturday.

Commending the lawyers for their proactive stance on the Kashmir issue, Ahmad Irfan Aslam emphasized the importance of crafting a unified counter-narrative involving all key stakeholders.

They discussed the issue of the Indian Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Modi government's revocation of special status for the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Ahmad Irfan said Law Ministry was committed to working collaboratively with all relevant parties to safeguard the interests of the people of Kashmir.

PPP only option to bring stability via democratic process: Gilani MULTAN INP

Former prime minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has claimed that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was the only option to bring the political and economic stability in country through democratic process.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, he said that in the prevailing the country needs a national leadership elected with support of people and truly believing in democracy to pave the country on venue of development and prosperity.

Yousaf Raza Gilani further claimed that the gatherings of the

PPP would prove to be electoral referendums well before the February 8 polls as the party has been receiving a massive response everywhere.

The remarks of PPP leader have come days after when he predicted that no one would be able to form the next government without his party.

Sharad Pawar says BJP promoting ‘Hindutva fascism’ in India MUMBAI INP

Nationalist Congress Party founder, Sharad Pawar, has said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is using a fivepoint agenda to promote “Hindutva fascism” in India.

Addressing party workers in Shirdi city Sharad Pawar stated that importance is being given to cow, 'gaumutra' (cow urine) and ideology of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader late M S Golwalkar.

“The basis of this is Hindutva fascism and they are attempting to bring it into the country. They have undertaken a five-point programme,” he said, attacking the BJP. Pawar said privatization in all areas, increasing ha-

tred towards the Muslim community and religious polarisation were components of this five-point programme. He said taking control of independent bodies like judiciary, the Election Commission, central agencies, the Reserve Bank, media, emphasis on "manuwad", ultra nationalism, aggression towards Pakistan and creating a different situation in the country were other features of the programme.

He also accused the Modi government of insulting women and highlighted incidents like the disrobing and parading of women in Manipur.

Pawar said the BJP’s unfulfilled promises and the situation in states where the party is not in power indicate an unfavorable condition for it.

07

The health ministry said in August that inspections of 162 drug factories since December 2022 found an “absence of testing of incoming raw materials”. It said fewer than a quarter of India’s 8,500 small drug factories met international drug manufacturing standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The notification said those concerns must be addressed by large drugmakers within six months and small manufacturers in 12 months. Small companies had asked for the deadline to be extended, warning that investments required to meet the standards would shut down nearly half of them because they are already heavily indebted.

The WHO and other health authorities have linked Indian cough syrups to the deaths of at least 141 children in Gambia, Uzbekistan and Cameroon.

six-year-old girl sexually assaulted, murdered in Lower dir LOWER DIR INP

A six-year-old girl was murdered after rape in the Manda Khazana area of Lower Dir on Saturday.

Reportedly, the accused got hold of a six-year-old girl and sexually assaulted her. After raping the minor, the pedophile killed her to conceal his crime and threw her body on the bank of the river.

Police found the body of the girl and started hunting the accused. In a few hours, they succeeded in reaching the culprit and arrested him.

During the investigation, the accused confessed to his crime. According to police, the accused is a proven felon. He is a resident of Bannu and has been living in Lower Dir.

four buried to death in hafizabad roof collapse HAFIZABAD INP

Four people were buried to death when roof of their house collapsed in Ramke Chattah in Hafizabad on Saturday. The rescue teams pulled out four dead bodies and four injured persons from the rubble. The condition of two of the injured was stated to be critical.

It has been learned that the family lit a fire on the roof to provide heat to their goats. But the fire engulfed the roof of the rickety house and caved in, killing four of the people and injuring another four.

On Dec 24, nine members of the same family including women and children were killed when the roof of their house collapsed in Terridi village of Abbottabad following eruption of fire in their home due to short circuit.

Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed condolences over deaths in Hafizabad roof collapse incident. He conveyed his sympathies to the heirs of the deceased.

The chief minister directed the administration to provide basic medical treatment to the injured.

Police beat back another terror attack in dI khan D I KHAN INP

Police personnel have thwarted another attack by terrorists on their post in Dera Ismail Khan, forcing them to flee after an intense gunbattle, police said on Saturday. Two policemen were injured in the terror attack on the checkpost in Sheikh Mela area in the precincts of Mughalkot Police Station.

The wounded cops were identified as Alam and Ahsan. The intense exchange of fire between police personnel and terrorists last for over an hour. In face of stiff resistance, the attackers fled the scene in the cover of darkness. Police force has launched a search operation in the area to hunt down the militants.

On Friday, the district administration of DI Khan had imposed Section 144 to maintain the law and order situation in the district from January 6.

According to the district administration, the order would take effect from January 06 to January 14, and it has been enforced for the safety of citizens’ lives and properties and to prevent any untoward incidents.

It imposes a ban on pillion riding on motorcycles, display of arms, and assembly of more than five people at one place.

fog suspends vehicular movement on motorway ISLAMABAD INP

Sections of the motorway have been closed due to dense fog in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Upper Sindh on Saturday.

The motorway sections which have been closed include M 11 from Lahore to Sialkot, M 2 from Lahore to Sheikhupura, M 3 from Faizabad to Dur Khana, M 4 from Multan to Pindi Bhattian, M 5, M 14, M 1 from Peshawar to Islamabad, Swat Expressway from Colonel Sher Khan to Chakdara and Hazara Expressway from Burhan to Shah Maqsood.

According to the motorway spokesperson, the duration of fog has been increased owing to a sharp drop in temperature. He advised the road users to avoid unnecessary travel and try to commute between 10 am and 6 pm.

FACT CHECK: PAYPAL IS NOT COMING TO PAKISTAN

sunday, 7 January, 2024

PRAYER TIMINGS

NEws

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CONTRARY TO IT MINISTER UMAR SAIF’S CLAIMS, PAYPAL AND PAYONEER ARE JUST ENTERING INTO A PARTNERSHIP TO ADD PAYPAL AS A PAYMENT METHOD ON PAYONEER PROFIT

TAIMOOR HASSAN

ONTRARY to Pakistan’s caretaker IT Minister Umar Saif’s claim, PayPal is not going to start operations in Pakistan, directly or indirectly. On Friday, the minister stated that PayPal would operate indirectly in Pakistan through a partnership with an existing payments service called Payoneer.

Sources have, however, confirmed that the partnership in no way means that PayPal would start operations in Pakistan in any way. According to details, Payoneer is entering into a partnership with PayPal to allow PayPal as a payment method for Payoneer users.

For instance if you are a US-based

company that outsources work to freelancers in Pakistan, you could make payments to freelancers via Payoneer using your debit or credit card. The new partnership allows Payoneer users to also use PayPal to make payments, just like their debit or credit card.

“Currently, the restriction for Pakistani users is that they can simply not create an account on PayPal from Pakistan. They can, however, do that if they are, say, a citizen of the UK or the US,” said a source familiar with the matter.

“This partnership in no way means that users in Pakistan would be able to open a PayPal account directly or via Payoneer.”

The partnership is not Pakistan specific and spans across all geographies where Payoneer operates. According to

FIA launches probe into billions of rupees irregularities in PSB, POA ISLAMABAD

SHAHZAD MALIK

The Federal Investigation Agency has launched investigation into huge financial irregularities in Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

According to details, the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad has initiated inquiry 329/2023 into huge financial irregularities in the PSB and POA and has issued notice to the president Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and DG Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for provision of record under section 94 CRPC. Through the notice issued to the President Pakistan Olympic Association and DG Pakistan Sports Board, the FIA anti-corruption circle Islamabad has informed that it is inquiring regarding huge irregularities in total expenditures of both the sports governing bodies. The notice reads that to proceed further, both the bodies should appoint a focal person, having knowledge of the facts and figure regarding instant matter along with all relevant record.

In this regard FIA seeks urgently record of budget allocation of financial year 2022-23 and details of expenditures for financial year 2021-22 of Pakistan Sports Board and Olympic Association. The FIA informed the PSB and POA through the notice that the matter may be treated as most urgent.

In this regard, when Pakistan Today contacted Director General Pakistan Sports Board Mr Shoaib Khosa confirmed that FIA has initiated an inquiry into irregularities in budgetary allocation of two financial years. Mr Kosa informed that the sports board faced a 40% cut in development and 25% cut in nondevelopment expenditures in past two years from government of Pakistan.

He expressed the willingness to handover all the record to FIA. Meanwhile, this reporter attempted to contact former president Pakistan Olympic Association Gen (r) Syed Arif Hasan a couple of times, but he did not respond. It is important to mention here that a few days back, president Pakistan Olympics Association Gen (r) Syed Arif Hasan resigned from his post.

ZAB Reference: PPP submits comments to SC

ments service for freelancers. The minister had then said that conclusive news could be expected in this regard in the next two months.

There has, however, been no headway in this regard since. According to a study published by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), PayPal not starting to operate in Pakistan could be mainly attributed to perceived restrictions associated with electronic money institutions (EMIs) licensing regime, concerns around money laundering and restrictions placed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Pakistan.

The study also attributes exchange control regime and data privacy as one of the major obstacles that prevent PayPal from operating in Pakistan.

Qureshi barred, many PTI leaders cleared to contest polls LAHORE/KARACHI/ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

With four more days to go for deciding appeals of candidates against rejections or acceptance of nomination papers by the returning officers, appellate tribunals on Saturday decided more appeals and many candidates were allowed to contest elections.

An election tribunal in Multan rejected appeal of PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi to contest election from NA-150, 151 and two provincial assembly constituencies PP-218, 219. The former foreign minister had filed appeal against RO’s decision. Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar announced the decision.

However, Zain Qureshi and Mehr Bano Qureshi were allowed to vie for polls from PP 219.

Fawad Chaudhry’s wife Hiba Chaudhry was declared ineligible by a tribunal to contest election for provincial assembly seat.

The Election tribunal accepted appeals of PTI’s Malik Niaz Ahmad Jhakar was granted permission to vie for election from NA 182 (Layyah). Similarly, PTI candidate from PS 113 Hasnain Chohan was also cleared by election tribunal to run election. Pakistan People’s Party candidate Rauf Ahmad’s appeal against RO decision to reject nomination paper was adopted by the election tribunal. Independent candidates Rafiya Hassan (PS 126), Jamaluddin, Deedar Ali’s appeal were also accepted by tribunals and they were allowed to contest elections scheduled for Feb 8. PTI candidate from Haala, Makhdoom Fazal was given go ahead by the tribunal to vie for election.

A tribunal, while declaring RO’s decision null and void, allowed Fiza Zeeshan to contest election from NA-237. Appellate Tribunal Judge Adnanul Karim Memon expressed his anger over the ability of returning officers. The judge while passing remarks said,” Are the candidates being deliberately barred from contesting polls. It seems the returning officer rejected nomination papers in bulk as a matter of fun.”

NOMINATIONS OF ASAD QAISER, TAIMUR JHAGRA, SEVERAL OTHER PTI CANDIDATES CLEARED: The Peshawar High Court’s election tribunals accepted the nomination papers of several PTI candidates including Asad Qaiser and Taimur Saleem Jhagra on Saturday.

Election tribunal comprising Justice Shakil Ahmad accepted former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser’s papers from NA 19 Swabi-II. The tribunal also accepted the appeals of former PTI finance

minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Taimur Saleem Jhagra and former MNA Sher Ali Arbab.

The tribunal also accepted the appeal of PTI Hangu President Yusuf Khan from NA 36 Hangu.

PINDI TRIBUNAL ACCEPTS APPEALS OF ALL THE CANDIDATES OF PTI: In Rawalpindi, the head of the election tribunal, Justice Mirza Waqas Rauf accepted the appeals of all the candidates of PTI including former deputy speaker Punjab Assembly Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Maj (r) Tahir Sadiq, his wife Naz Sadiq, former law minister Basharat Raja from PP-15, Col (r) Ajmal Sabir, Murtaza Satti, Tariq Murtaza, Seemabiya Tahir, and former minister Raja Rashid Hafeez.

The tribunal allowed them to contest the elections.

Moreover, the election tribunal in Rawalpindi accepted the papers of Fauzia Bahram from Constituency PP 23 Chakwal, and allowed her to contest the election. Only four days are left for appeals decisions. All decisions will be announced by January 10.

In Attock, nomination papers of four family members belonging to the PTI have been accepted.

The tribunal accepted the nomination papers of PTI candidate Maj (r) Tahir Sadiq from NA-49 Attock 1, his daughter Iman Tahir from NA-50 Attock-II, his wife Naz Tahir from PP-2 Attock, and his son Zain Elahi from PP 3.

SHC ELECTION TRIBUNAL APPROVES APPEALS OF MOST CANDIDATES: The Sindh High Court election tribunal approved appeals of most of the candidates against the objections raised by the returning officers.

The tribunal comprising Justice Adnanul Karim Memon approved appeal of the PTI’s Subhan Ali Sahil from NA-243 Karachi and Amjad Afridi from NA-242 constituency. The SHC tribunal also granted appeal of the PTI’s Hasnain Chohan against returning officer’s decision from PS-113 and PPP’s Rauf Ahmed.

The tribunal allowed independent candidate Rafia Hassan to contest election from PS-126 and approved nomination papers of independent candidates Jamaluddin and Deedar Ali. Justice Adnanul Karim also granted appeal of Makhdoom Fazal, the PTI’s candidate from Hala.

“Why the candidates being restricted from contesting elections,” Justice Memon said in his harsh remarks against returning officers. “It seems the ROs have rejected nomination papers only for the sake of fun,” the Judge remarked. “A candidate could not be restrained from contesting election owing to cases against him,” he observed.

Political interference, infighting ‘fail’ KPITB to benefit from CPEC

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

a source, the minister making this partnership Pakistan specific could turn out to be counterproductive for Pakistan’s plans to bring PayPal into country.

The issue of bringing PayPal to Pakistan has been at the center stage of policy debates of all IT ministers in recent years because of a growing demand from freelancers to bring this service to Pakistan. Pakistan is considered a rapidly growing market of freelancers in the world and was recently ranked as the fourth largest country in terms of numbers of freelancers.

In September last year, caretaker minister Umar Saif had said that his ministry was actively working to bring PayPal and Stripe, another global payments service provider, to Pakistan to meet the demand of a one-way pay-

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has submitted written response to the Supreme Court in the case of death sentence of Zulfikar Bhutto. Bilawal Bhutto’s counsel Farooq H. Naek submitted the written response of 108 pages. The written response consists of former chief justice Nasim Hasan Shah’s interview transcription in English and Urdu as well as references to various books. The interview of Nasim Hasan Shah has been submitted on USB and CD as well.

A larger bench of nine members headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa will hear the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto presidential reference case on Jan 8.

Other members of the bench are: Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali. The last time the reference was heard was Nov 11, 2012 by an 11-member bench headed by the then chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry – the fifth hearing in total.

PESHAWAR

AZIZ BUNERI

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) has failed to achieve its goals under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) due to internal rift and political interference, according to sources within the board.

The sources said that the board has been unable to create jobs in the science and technology sector or attract foreign investment over the past three years due to alleged illegal recruitments on various senior positions. The sources added that the Auditor General of Pakistan had highlighted these recruitments in a report, but the provincial government or other

agencies have failed to take action against those involved.

In an interview, Dr Ali Muhammad, the CEO of the KP IT Board, acknowledged that the board faced challenges in the early years of the CPEC. But since then, he said, the board has launched several successful projects. He also said that he cannot take action against those named in the auditor general’s report because the decisions were made by the board’s governing body, and he does not have the authority to overturn those decisions.

Dr Muhammad said that the board is currently working on five out of seven Special digital Economic Zones (SEZs) being built in Pakistan, including one in Haripur.

The other four SEZs in Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa will be developed through public-private partnerships.

According to MD, among the four projects that will be executed under the public private partnership, including Rs13 billion worth project in Peshawar, Rs10 billion project in Swat, Rs8 billion project in Abbottabad, while there is a land issue in Mardan.

The board has also received a grant of 16 million euros from the KfW Development Bank to help fund these projects.

However, the sources said that the board’s progress is being hampered by infighting between political appointees at senior positions. This infighting is preventing the board from implementing its key projects, which is causing the most harm to the youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

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CCTV footage of cleric Masood Usmani’s killing emerges ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

The CCTV footage of the murder of Sunni Ulema Council (SUC) leader Maulana Masood ur Rehman Usmani emerged on Saturday.

The CCTV footage showed the moment when Maulana Masood ur Rehman’s vehicle was passing through Ghori Town, when two armed assailants on a bike approached the vehicle, swiftly firing at the vehicle killing the Sunni Ulema Council (SUC) leader, before fleeing the scene. It is pertinent to mention here that the SUC leader Maulana Masood ur Rehman Usmani was shot dead by unknown assailants in Islamabad on Friday evening, leaving the driver injured in the firing incident.

According to police, unknown armed men opened fire on the vehicle of Deputy General Secretary Sunni Ulema Council Masood Usmani. He was rushed to hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, police say. Soon after the incident, police personnel reached the crime scene and cordoned off the area.

“An investigation has been launched to arrest the suspects,” said police. Law enforcement agencies are now actively investigating the incident with the help of CCTV footage to arrest the culprits responsible for the gruesome murder.

PTI founding member defects to MQM-P KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding member and former MNA from Karachi, Najeeb Haroon on Saturday announced joining MQM-Pakistan.

The former MNA Najeeb Haroon joined MQM-P after meeting with party convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal.

The development was also shared by MQM-P senior leader Faisal Sabzwari on his official X handle.

Earlier, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders Raza Haroon and Anees Advocate joined the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday ahead of the February 8 general elections.

The development came after both the leaders met former president and PPP’s co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in Karachi.

According to a statement issued by PPP, Asif Zardari welcomed Raza Haroon and Anees Advocate, who were former members of MQM’s Rabita Committee, to the party.

During the meeting, the politicians discussed the ‘charter of Karachi’ regarding the development, establishment of peace and security, and friendly environment in the port city.

LHC adds three more judges to appellate tribunals to speed up appeal process LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

The Lahore High Court has nominated three more judges for appellate tribunals to expedite large number of appeals against rejection or approval of nomination papers of candidates for the upcoming elections. According to the election schedule, four days remain to decide the large number of appeals against the decisions of returning officers.

The number of the high court judges nominated for appellate tribunals in Lahore has now reached six with the addition of three more judges.

The court has announced names of Justice Shakeel Ahmed, Justice Tariq Nadeem and Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad to hear appeals at the principal seat in Lahore. The election tribunal judges will hear objections and appeals against returning officers decisions. A total of 1,088 appeals were filed in the election appellate tribunals of the Lahore High Court against decisions of returning officers.

As much as 624 appeals were filed in the appellate tribunal at Lahore, while 219 appeals were filed in Multan. Apart of it, 81 appeals were filed in Bahawalpur tribunal and 164 in Rawalpindi.

The tribunals have to decide the appeals by January 10 as per the election schedule announced by the election commission. The polling for election will be held on February 08, 2024.

Polls on Feb 8 even if UN, OIC pass resolutions for delay: Bilawal LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

Amid apprehensions of further delay in general elections in the country, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Saturday that the polls will be held on February 8 as per schedule even if “they” get resolutions passed from the United Nations (UN) or the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The remark came during his press conference in Lahore, wherein he was questioned about the approval of a resolution by the Senate

to delay the polls.

Bilawal said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a schedule for the polls on February 8 so the polls will be staged on the same date.

“No matter if [they] get a resolution passed from the Senate, the UN or the OIC, elections will be staged on February 8,” the former foreign minister told reporters.

An independent lawmaker in the Senate moved a resolution seeking deferral of polls in the light of extreme weather and security situation in the country, which was adopted

by a majority of 14 senators present in the legislature on Friday.

However, a fresh resolution was tabled in the upper house for the elections’ conduct on February 8 as per schedule.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, in the resolution submitted to the Senate Secretariat on Saturday, pointed out that holding elections is a constitutional requirement.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court was also moved to initiate contempt proceedings against senators involved in passing a resolution in the Senate for polls delay.

PML-N won’t allow anyone to escape polls: Marriyum LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday blasted the PTI for backing the resolution passed in the Senate a day earlier, which called for the postponement of general elections scheduled for Feb 8, 2024.

“Pakistan and its people needed polls, and the PML-N won’t allow anyone to run away from elections”, PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Au-

rangzeb reaffirmed while talking to reporters outside Anti-Terrorism Court on Saturday. About PTI’s clamour for a level-playing field, she claimed it was three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif who never enjoyed a level-playing field – an obvious reference to how he was kept out of elections in 2002, 2008 and 2018.

Earlier, she appeared in the AntiTerrorism Court in connection with a case. Marriyum Aurangzeb said the PTI wanted to avoid elections and

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

had initially reached the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the purpose.

Continuing with her arguments about the level-playing field, the PML-N spokesperson mentioned how the PTI founding chairman was getting relief from courts and reminded the media persons how the person who orchestrated the May 9 violence was greeted with remarks like “good to see you” in the Supreme Court by the then chief justice Umar Ata Bandial.