Epaper_24-01-26 LHR

Pakistan shares draft mini budget with imf in bid to helP resume stalled loan Program

gate a Pres dential Ord nance to impose taxes to the tune of Rs200 bill on

The IMF team was a so informed by the Pakistani authorities that the government has planned to col ect Rs100 through ntroduc ng the Flood Levy during the remaining period of the current fiscal year

The government is l ke y to impose a d d t o n a l d u t i e s o n s e v e r a l l u x u r y g o o d s T h e g o v e r n m e n t w a s a l s o c o n s d e r i n g w i t h d r a w i n g t h e t a x e xe m p t i o n s g r a n t e d o n g o o d s w o r t h R s 7 0 b i o n

It has been proposed to impose a flood levy on banking transactions of non-filers Meanwhi e it was also proposed to impose ‘ withholding tax ’ on bank transactions exceeding Rs 50,000 per day

iSLAMABAD

AkISTAn has shared a draft of a mini-budget worth Rs200 billion w th the Internat ona Monetar y Fund (IMF) to conv nce for resuming the sta led loan program

Sources n the Finance Ministr y told the scr be that the virtual meet ng between the officials of the Finance Ministr y and IMF was also held on Wednesday Pakistani authorities have presented a comprehensive p an on proposed tax measures for the rest of

pr ofit report

Despite a tense start to the morning in Pakistan s foreign currency market, the dol ar rate in Pak stan defied expectations and managed not to ump particularly high after the countr y ’s exchange compan es announced they would be removing the artif c al cap on the rupee-dollar parity

A day earlier the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP) announced in a dramatic statement that money changers wou d remove the cap on the do ar This had dr ven speculation that the greenback could go ber zerk on the open market despite the desperate efforts of the federal government to the contrar y

With al eyes on exchange companies the dol ar opened at Rs 251 at the start of the day but closed at Rs 242 by the c ose of market The threat from ECAP lasted al of one hour before the exchange companies and the central bank sorted out the r differences and reached a consensus

Tensions quick y dissolved into negotiations with the ECAP and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the rate of the do lar on the open market ended up be ng dec ded behind c osed doors rather than by market forces So what exact y went down yesterday, and how did we get here?

the current fiscal year sources added

Sources further said that the Federal government ed by Pr me Minister Shehbaz Sharif has devised a plan to collect additional Rs200 through tax measures to convince the IMF to resume the stalled oan program

The authorities have shared the plan and nformed that the government will ikely introduce a mini budget through ord nance during the next few days add ng that sources said that the government was considering implementing the m ni budget from Februar y 1 2023 They further added that the government is all set to promul-

The build-up

It all started on Monday when the central bank suspended 11 outlets of 8 Exchange Companies for 7-15 days for hoarding dol ars The SBP used a technique cal ed myster y shopping to catch these v olators Through this technique, a team from the SBP posed as regular customers and found that these outlets were refus ng to sel dol ars despite having them avai able at the r counters These outlets would buy dol ars at the art f cia ly low buying rate set by the SBP, but would then refuse to sell them at the low sell rate set by the SBP despite the allowed spread between the two rates

This led to what ECAP calls confusion between the SBP and the exchange companies, with the SBP feel ng that the exchange compan es were hoarding do lars and blackmailing the government In response, the ECAP ca led a nationwide meeting on Tuesday and announced that they would remove the artific a cap on the dollar rate c a m ng that th s was in the larger nterest of the countr y But was this announcement real y made out of the goodness of their hearts? Some analysts believe that the real reason for th s announcement was the action taken by the SBP the day before and that t was a pressure tact c and retaliator y action by the ECAP How day one played out Fast for ward to the next day

However, sources added, the proposed tax wil not be applicable to ind viduals inc uded n the Active Taxpayers List The government estimated Rs 50 bi lion from w thho ding tax on non-filers, they said

The sources said that the Pak stani authorities have also shared a plan to introduce sales tax and full petroleum levy on petroleum products under the agreed plan n June 2022 These tax measures will be taken after formal approval of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, sources said

S o u r c e s s a i d t h a t t h e I M F w i l l s e n d i t s t e a m i n P a k s t a n t o r es u m e t a l k s a f t e r t h e p r o m u l g a t i o n o f t h e o r d i n a n c e

(Wednesday) when the market opened currency exchanges were n tially unw llng to trade, saying that they had not rece ved the opening rates for the day from ECAP However, at around 10:30 AM the currency exchange compan es announced a ittle more than a ten rupee increase in the dollar rate

This was the highest ncrease in dolar rate in a single day and as the news started com ng in tens ons continued to r se and a ong with them the anxieties of people buying and sel ing dolars People were now free to buy and se l dollars at th s market rate Despite this official position, the reality on the ground was different Individual ex-

The united States of America on Wednesday offered Pakistan with its support and cooperation to help resolve economic and financ al issues being faced by the countr y

The offer was made by Deputy Assistant Secretar y of the uS Department of the Treasur y for As a Robert kaproth who ca led on M nister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar here at the Finance Div sion Senior Macroeconomist for the Deptt of Treasur y for Pakistan Eva ghirmai Financ al attache Larita Bolden Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr Aisha ghous Pasha SAPM on

Finance Tariq Bajwa Secretar y Finance and senior officers from Finance Division attended the meet ng Mr Robert kaproth on his part underscored good relations between Pakistan and the united States He further expressed conf dence in the policies and programmes of the government for econom c and financial stabi ity He further extended h s support and cooperat on on econom c and financ a issues The Finance Minister extended gratitude to Mr Robert kaproth for support and cooperation

Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar welcomed Robert kaproth and briefed on the economic outlook of the countr y

change companies were sti l not se ling dollars cit ng unavailab lity First people need to sell at Rs250, for us to sel further at Rs 252 5 said one currency dea er ta king to Profit

This no-cap system asted al of an hour Even as your correspondents were close y mon toring the market ’s reaction to this new reality of no artif cia controls the cap was put back in place by 11 30 AM

The Dollar rate ping-pong

A l this time, apparently the rea decisions were not tak ng place n the open market but beh nd closed doors There was a meeting going on at the SBP between representatives of the

ECAP and the SBP When that meeting ended the ECAP nstructed all their members to reduce the Rs 10 increase announced earlier and start transactng at an average rate of Rs 242 This meant that as also witnessed n the past week or so there would only be a minimal change of a itt e more than a single rupee and nothing more than that And more importantly as witnessed in the past few months, there would be no market forces at play

A Forex player on condition of anonymity to d Profit “It is likely that the ECAP would have agreed to follow SBP s nstructions once again in return for verbal assurances from the SBP that t will n future take a more len ent v ew if a particular out et of an exchange company was found to be hoarding some dol ars and treat it is a one of case being comm tted by a single employee and not to consider it the policy of the company

Another currency dealer told Profit that when we opened the market today at the increased rate of Rs 250 we noticed that not many people were will ng to sell even at this increased rate It seemed that the strategy of the ECAP had backfired, as the currency exchange companies w l now have to purchase do lars at a higher pr ce and sell them at the normal margin instead of their previous practice of buying at a ver y ow rate and sel ing n the black market

Imran says Fawad’s arrest part of ‘greater plan to rig by-polls’

iSLAMABAD

B a B a r N i z a m i & S h a h N awa z a l i

C o n d e m n at i o n s P o u r i n o v e r Fawa d ’ s a r r e s t

CoNdEmNATIoNS poured in over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry s arrest as political analysts, journalists and activists on Wednesday took the government to task over the arrest, questioning the logic behind the move michael Kugelman – a regional political expert – slammed the government saying if Islamabad fought inflation and debt with half as much rigor as it is fighting the opposition, it would have vanquished the economic crisis many moons ago”

C a l l i n g o u t t h e g o v e r n m e n t f o r a r r e s t i n g t h e s e n i o r P T I l e a d e r f o r “ s p e a k i n g b o l d l y a n d c h a l l e n g i n g ” t h e r u l i n g c o a l i t i o n ’s p o l i t i c s , p r o m i n e n t journalist moeed Pirzada blamed what he t e r m e d a s t h e “ B a j w a - N a w a z - Z a r d a r i F a u s t i a n P a c t - 2 0 2 1 ” f o r h a v i n g t u r n e d Pakistan into the worst place on earth

Another political analyst and journalist mazhar Abbas condemned the arrest saying

there was no justification behind it “What have they achieved so far in cases of Azam Swati, Shahbaz Gill or in the cases against journalists? he said, warning that “historically such actions only go against government of the day” P T I l e a d e r s c o n d e m n a r r e s T S o o n a f t e r t h e a r r e s t c o n d e m n a t i o n s b y P T I l e a d e r s a l s o s t a r t e d p o u r i n g i

Former interior minister Shehryar Khan Afridi took to Twitter to denounce the arrest of Fawad, arguing that the arrest in violation of fundamental rights suggested that the country had been put under martial law and the Constitution had been held in abeyance

Senior party leader and former human rights minister Shireen mazari lamented over the fact that an unarmed politician [was abducted in early hours today [and] now being escorted by this huge contingent

“mohsin Naqvi doesn’t waste time to show his virulent hatred of PTI & also do his masters bidding,” she added, calling the move disgusting

us, Germany approve long-awaited heav y tanks for ukraine

WAShIngton a f p / a p p

The United States announced Wednesday that it will provide heavy tanks to help Ukraine repel Russia s invasion mirroring a similar move by Germany in the face of dire warnings from moscow After months of intense lobbying for the military equipment, news of the tanks supply comes as a major relief for Kyiv -- particularly as Russia reports advances in Bakhmut, an eastern Ukrainian town the invading forces have been trying to capture for months Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his German counterpart olaf Scholz for the "important and timely decision to allow the long-sought delivery of its powerful Leopard 2s Hours later President Joe Biden delivered an address from the White House to announce the United States will also be providing 31 m1 Abrams tanks -- the equivalent of one Ukrainian tank battalion -for Kyiv's fight NATo Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg "strongly" welcomed the decision by Germany -- which reportedly sought a US commitment of tanks before giving its own green light -- saying it would help Kyiv defeat Russia s invading forces Unlike the German tanks, the m1 Abrams will be procured with Ukraine assistance funding rather than directly drawn from existing US stocks, meaning they will not arrive on the battlefield for months "Tanks are complex systems that require a significant amount of training and maintenance," a US official said, and the United States "will begin now to work to establish a comprehensive training program " 'B l aTa n T P r o vo c aT I o n': The twin announcements come despite dire warnings from moscow, with Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, warning a US approval for Abrams deliveries would be "another blatant provocation against the Russian Federation " moscow's ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechaev, likewise warned that the "extremely dangerous decision takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation, and contradicts statements by German politicians about the unwillingness of the German Federation to get involved in it " While scores of nations have pledged military hardware for Ukraine in recent weeks, Kyiv has been clamoring for the more sophisticated Western tanks, seen as key to punching through enemy lines Germany will give 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from its Bundeswehr supplies, Scholz told the German parliament It is also granting approval for other European countries to send the German-made tanks from their own stocks to Ukraine, with the aim of quickly assembling "two tank battalions with Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine, he said

Is that a crime in a democratic country?” he questioned

meanwhile, some used the opportunity to simultaneously remind the PTI of similar political persecution when the party was in power

Activist Ammar Ali Jan, while condemning the arrest tweeted that “we were against sedition laws when PTI used them and we are against them when they are being used against PTI”

“Sedition laws are a colonial relic meant to suppress the public, he added, warning that “placing sedition charges on Fawad Chaudhry will only aggravate the current crisis ”

In a similar tone, a public policy professional mosharraf Zaidi said that Fawad had “celebrated numerous senseless arrests and jailings of his political opponents” and that “he is now on the receiving end of this cycle of this political toxicity

“Shameful then and now ” he stated urging the powers that be to “stop the madness”, “release him now” and “announce elections

PM, UAE president resolve to fur ther enhance bilateral relations

Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday met President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan wherein the two leaders expressed their resolve to further enhance brotherly bilateral relations

The meeting took place here as the UAE president arrived in Pakistan on a private visit, a Pm office statement said on his arrival at Chandna Airport, Sheikh mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was welcomed by Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, minister for Information marriyum Aurangzeb, Caretaker Chief

minister of Punjab Syed mohsin Raza Naqvi and Special Assistant to the Prime minister Syed Tariq Fatemi during their meeting, the prime minister recalled his recent visit to the UAE and emphasized that both countries would work on the understandings reached between the two leaders during that visit Sheikh mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that the brotherly relations between the two countries went back many decades and his father, who had immense love for Pakistan and its people, laid the foundation of their bilateral ties

The UAE president said that he considered Pakistan as his second home and assured the prime minister that the UAE would always stand by Pakistan

ECP seeks additional Rs14b for conduc ting general elec tion

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sought Rs14 billion additional grant for meeting the general election s expenses In a written correspondence with the ministry of finance, the electoral watchdog states that an extra amount will be needed for the general elections in addition to byelections on the vacant seats of the National Assembly (NA) Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) The ECP has pleaded that the cost of the general election has been increased from Rs47 billion to Rs61 billion while an amount of Rs25bn out of Rs47bn is required on immediate basis

The electoral watchdog has already received Rs5bn and is seeking Rs20bn forthwith The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) proposed dates for holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The Election Commission wrote letters to principal secretaries of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governors about the polling day The ECP has suggested to hold general elections in Punjab on any date between 9 April to 13 April while

Zardari also gets major relief in Park Lane reference

in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa it proposed polling day on any day between 15 April to 17 April The governors will decide about the final date for polling and inform the ECP

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday had said that it was ready to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces An important meeting was held in this connection at the ECP under the chair of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja

T h e m e e t i n g w a s t o l d t h a t p r e p a r a t i o n s regarding setting up of polling stations and voters l i s t s h a d b e e n m a d e T h e C E C d i r e c t e d t o s p u r e ff o r t s f o r c o n d u c t i n g t h e p o l l s i n b o t h t h e p r o v i n c e s T h e m e e t i n g d e c i d e d t o r e l e a s e t h e e l e c t i o n s c h e d u l e a f t e r g o v e r n o r s o f b o t h t h e p r o v i n c e s w o u l d g i v e t h e i r p o l l i n g d a t e s T h e m e e t i n g w a s a t t e n d e d b y t h e E C P m e m b e r s provincial election commissioners and officials of all the wings of the commission

The meeting mulled over

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairperson and former president Asif Ali Zardari got a major relief as the accountability court on Wednesday returned the Park Lane reference to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Accountability court judge Rana Nasir Javed heard the arguments before reserving his judgment The judge declared that the reference exceeded the court’s jurisdiction In the mega money laundering charges, the former president, his sister and several of their business associates were being probed as part of a 2015 case involving fake accounts and fictitious transactions The main reference in the Park Lane case accused Zardari of influencing relevant authorities during his tenure as the president – from 2008 to 2013 – to obtain loans for his front companies The former president allegedly received a loan of Rs1 5 billion released for Parthenon Private Limited “with ill intention , and the money was later transferred for his personal use through fake bank accounts NAB accused the former president of causing the national exchequer a loss of Rs3 77 billion The anti-graft body later filed a supplementary reference against Zardari in the Park Lane case, accusing him of using fake documents to acquire a bank loan for a dummy corporation

S h e r r y h i g h l i g h t s i m p a c t o f c l i m ate c h a n g e o n Pa ki s t a n’s fi n a n c i a l l a n d s c a p e

For the 20th time at davos Pathfinder Group this time in partnership with UBank, hosted the traditional Pakistan Breakfast at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Summit 2023

The Chief Guest, Pakistan’s Federal minister for Climate Change ms Sherry Rehman, highlighted the havoc played on the people of Pakistan because of climate change, its effect on our financial landscape and the deteriorating regional situation because of the security challenges in and around Afghanistan

W E F ’s m a n a g i n g d i r e c t o r m i r e k d u š e k emphasized WEF’s commitment to helping Pakistan s h o w c a s e i t s a c h i e v e m e n t s a n d d e l i v e

impact for its people

having brought

promote Pakistan’s potential mentioning WEF s Edison Alliance, as a global movement accelerating collaboration between the ICT community and other critical sectors of the economy He congratulated Pathfinder for working with over 350 organizations of the Alliance from the public and private sectors committed to improving the lives of 1 billion people with better solutions for (1) Financial Inclusion, (2) Education & (3) Health He said that Virtual Remittance Gateway (VRG)’s “Asaan mobile Account” (AmA) Scheme, the World Bank financial inclusion Initiative regulated by both State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was shortlisted by WEF s Edison Alliance for being No 3 in the world for financial inclusion and thus one of the Lighthouse Countries (only 2 at the moment) mr Ross Perot Jr, Chairman Perot Companies USA and former Chairman Eastwest Institute (EWI) called for strengthening the US Pakistan relationship positively

F

F

n c l u s i o n w i l l b e b e n e f i t e d t h r o u g h t h e A m A S c h e m e T h a n k i n g t h e W E F t h r o u g h m i r e k d u š e k f o r t h e E d i s o n A l l i a n c e ’s c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f P a k i s t a n a s a p o s s i b l e L i g h t h o u s e C o u n t r y, h e s a i d t h i s w i l l a t t r a c t m o r e i n v e s t m e n t i n t o P a k i s t a n specially in Fintech and Banking industry He said it i s a p r o u d m o m e n t f o r P a k i s t a n f o r V R G t o h a v e Pakistan mentioned as No 3 in the world in financial inclusion in the Edison Alliance report

RAhIM YAR KhAn S ta f f R e p o R t

ISLAMABAD N e w S D e S k

to deter the discriminatory policies of the present noninclusive Afghan regime with its inherent potential for increasing terrorism in the region and the world He said that while military ties were important the emphasis should be primarily economic for the future

Speaking at the event mr Kabeer Naqvi President & CEo UBank commented about the partnership with

Pathfinder Group and said, “As a mission driven bank with financial inclusion for citizens across all societal segments as our objective, we are glad to have entered into this collaboration with Pathfinder Group This gives us an opportunity to expand our digital outreach and bring the unbanked population into the financial ecosystem in an efficient manner”

Chairman Pathfinder Group, Zarrar Sehgal shared his views on the importance of this digital Inclusive

i n a n c e a n d h o w t h e d i g i t a l t r a n s f o r m a t i o n f o r

i n a n c i a l I

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Shaukat Tarin also said, “all Fawad has been asking the State organs is to fulfill its

constitutional obligations and hold free and fair elections”

the preparations for the election in Punjab and KP provinces as well as bypolls on the vacant seats The CEC asked the authorities to expedite appointments of presiding officers and other polling staff for the elections

i H C s e e ks C o m m e n t s o n i m r a n k H a n ’ s a P P e a L w i t H d r awa L a P P L i C at i o n i n t o s H a k H a n a C a s e

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

tH E Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday sought comments from respondents on a plea filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan seeking to withdraw his appeal against the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana case Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, who heard the petition, addressed Imran Khan’s counsel Barrister Ali Zafar and observed that such a mistake was not expected from a senior lawyer like him

asif proposes comprehensive strategic cooperation accord to deepen defence ties with ksa

ISLAMABAD

minister for defence Khawaja muhammad Asif on Wednesday proposed an all-encompassing strategic cooperation agreement to deepen defence ties with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Building on a solid legacy, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are progressing towards a comprehensive defence relationship for the 21st Century, the minister said while welcoming Saudi Assistant defence minister Engineer Talat Abdullah Alotaibi, who called on him along with a delegation here at the ministry of defence Khawaja Asif expressed good wishes and prayers for the health of the Custodian of the Two Holy mosques King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz The Saudi minister stated that the KSA wanted to enhance defence-related collaborations with Pakistan, particularly in the field of defence production Secretary defence Lt Gen (R) Hamood uz Zaman Khan was also present during the meeting

Pakistan strongly condemns desecration of the Holy Quran in netherlands

ISLAMABAD

Pakistan strongly condemns the despicable act of desecration of the Holy Quran in the Netherlands on January 22 2023 In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Foreign office spokesperson said, “It is undoubtedly a provocative Islamophobic hate crime committed under the guise of freedom of expression Such offensive acts deeply hurt the feelings of 1 5 billion muslims around the world and can create disharmony among the international community He said that Pakistan has always maintained that freedom of expression comes with responsibilities We also believe that it is the responsibility of national governments and the international community at large to prevent such vile acts, which are perpetrated with the ulterior motive to provoke and incite religious hatred and violence The Fo spokesperson said that international community should raise its collective voice against Islamophobia and work together to promote inter-faith harmony and peaceful coexistence That was the spirit behind the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2022 to mark 15 march as the International day to Combat Islamophobia

implementation of national action Plan reviewed

ISLAMABAD

ministry of Human Rights Pakistan held the third meeting of the Inter-ministerial and Inter-Provincial Steering Committee on the implementation of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights to share the progress on Action Plan in 2022 and deliberate on goals for implementation of Pakistan’s National Action Plan (NAP) on Business & Human Rights (BHR) in 2023 Federal minister for Human Rights mr Riaz Hussain Pirzada chaired the meeting and emphasized that coordination among the federal and provincial governments is the key to ensuring the effective implementation of National Action Plan The Steering Committee has representation from all line Federal ministries and Provincial departments members of the Steering Committee deliberated upon goals for 2023

Ali Zafar said the ECP had announced its verdict in the Toshakhana case on october 21 last year and a wrong impression was created on the matter He wanted to clarify the things in that regard

T h e c h i e f j u s t i c e r e m a r k e d t h a t i t w a s t h e r i g h t o f e v e r y o n e t o f i l e t h e p e t i t i o n i n a n y c o u r t h o w e v e r t h e P T I ’s l a w y e r w o u l d h a v e t o c l a r i f y w h e t h e r t h e L a h o r e H i g h C o u r t ( L H C ) h a d d e c l a r e d t h a t i t w o u l d n o t t a k e u p t h e i s s u e r e l a t e d t o t h e E C P ’s d e c i s i o n o f o c t o b e r 2 1

Ali Zafar replied that the LHC had stated that it would go through the said decision on this the chief justice observed that in such a scenario the case was

K a r a c h i LG Po l l s : C E C vow s r e c t i f y i n g LG r e s u l t m i s t a ke s

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Wednesday vowed rectifying the mistakes in Karachi local government elections and taking action against the responsible for alleged irregularities in the electioneering process

A three-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner heard the petition of Jamat-e-Islami regarding anomalies in local government elections in Karachi, he asked Jamat -e-Islami to provide Form 11 and results issued by Returning officers and assured that the reservations of JI would be removed Presiding officers would be held responsible in case

of any negligence

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was hearing the case of irregularities in six union councils of Karachi in local bodies’ elections

Earlier, JI’s lawyer said that the party has brought the case of six UCs before the election commission as a sample, “In each union council, a difference of one to two thousand votes surfaced,” the counsel said

There is a difference of hundreds of votes in a polling station of manghopir,” he said “There is a difference in results of presiding and returning officers JI counsel said ECP had warned that presiding officers will be terminated if they fail to issue the form 11,” CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja said “JI had complained of non-issuance of Form 11 he added

Asif urges PTI leaders to respect national institutions

integrity

Adopting uncivilized behavior against the national institutions including judiciary is not a decent practice promoted by opposition party, he said while talking to a private television channel

In reply to a questions about elections, he said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is responsible to hold free fair and transparent elections across the country

About elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa he said that ECP would follow the constitutional way to conduct elections in 90-days after dissolution of assemblies by PTI in KPK and the Punjab

To a question about arrest of the PTI leader, he said that government has no role in the arrest of PTI leader He however said that we didn t have any objection if the court grants bail to him He made it clear that no one is above the law in Pakistan

Mohmand D am projec t likely to

The diversion system of mohmand dam is scheduled to be completed by November, while the project is likely to be ready in 2026

Chairman WAPdA Engineer Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd) was briefed that most of the damages caused to the diversion system by the devastating flood last summer, were got repaired till december last At present, the construction work was progressing ahead on all 11 sites of the project, day and night on the sites, said a press release

WAPdA is constructing mohmand dam Hydropower Project on River Swat, upstream of munda Headworks in mohmand district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province during his visit of the site the Chairman reviewed construction work on different sites, which included reregulation pond main dam spillway diversion tunnels, access tunnel, power intake, powerhouse, switch yard and irrigation system etc Chairman Wapda urged the project management to strictly adhere to the specifications laid down for the construction of the project

Reviewing the pre and post-flood situations, the Chairman was of the view that concerted efforts are needed to complete this mega project in

accordance with the time-line WAPdA’s project management, the Consultants and the Contractor will have to work proactively in this regard, he further said Later, Gm and Pd, mohmand dam Project, flanked by the Consultants and the Contractor, gave a rundown of progress on the project member (Finance) WAPdA Naveed Asghar Chaudhry and member (Power) WAPdA Engineer Jamil Akhtar were also present during the Chairman’s visit to mohmand dam Project mohmand dam is a multi-purpose project on completion, it will store 1 2 mAF of water and help mitigate floods in Peshawar Charsadda and Nowshera

Besides supplementing 160,000 acres of existing land, it will also irrigate 18 237 acres of new land in mohmand and Charsadda Installed generation capacity of mohmand dam is 800 mW It will contribute 2 86 billion units of low-cost and environment-friendly hydel electricity per annum to the National Grid The project will also provide 300 million gallons of water per day to Peshawar for drinking purposes The estimated annual benefits of the Project stand at Rs 51 6 billion A sum of Rs 4 5 billion has been earmarked for Confidence Building measures (CBm) in the project area for socioeconomic development of the locals

Pakistan

other lawyers opposed the Imran Khan’s request citing decisions of the apex court in similar matters

The court adjourned hearing of the case till February 20 and served notices to the respondents for submission of written answers

Punjab Finance dept halts rs180b funds released by Per vaiz elahi’s gov t

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Punjab Finance department has halted the 180 billion rupees fund released on directives of former chief minister Pervaiz Elahi Sources said that the finance department has halted the development funds of exchief minister Pervaiz Elahi, members of the provincial assembly, provincial ministers and former Cm’s principal secretary muhammad Khan Bhatti meanwhile, the funds released by Pervaiz Elahi for preferred areas including Gujrat and mandi Bahauddin have also been halted and development schemes underway in those areas have also been stopped Punjab Finance department has also directed to stop the funds of districts of muhammad Khan Bhatti, principal secretary to former chief minister

membership of 16 more mPs restored

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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday restored the membership of 16 more parliamentarians and allowed them to function as members of the Senate, National Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on filing their mandatory statements of assets and liabilities to the commission According to an ECP official, the parliamentarians, who were suspended over non-submission of their asset details had now filed their statements of assets and liabilities and fulfilled the legal requirement in conformance with the relevant election laws In total, the membership of one senator two members of National Assembly (mNAs), five members of the provincial assembly, (mPAs) of Balochistan and eight mPAs of Sindh has been restored

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minister for defense Khawaja muhammad Asif on Wednesday urged the leaders of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) to respect national institutions and their

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be completed in 2026

pending before two high courts, and his court would pass an appropriate order into the matter

Barrister Ali Zafar pleaded that it would be appropriate to let the counsel of other respondents to submit their comments, and he would also give arguments in the case

muslim League-Nawaz’s lawyer mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha and

P r e S i d e n t f o r P r A c t i c i n G i S l A m i c t e A c h i n G S t o e n S U r e i n t e r - f A i t h h A r m o n y, G lo b A l P e A c e

PR E S I D E N T Dr Arif Alvi on

Wednesday called for practicing cherished principles of Islam which called upon everyone to practice one s own religion without interfering in other’s religions

Practicing such principles ensures political social cultural legal and religious freedoms for the followers of all religions,

respecting and protecting their places of worship and allowing followers of all religions to pray in their worship places, he added

The President expressed these views while addressing the opening session of the International Inter-Faith Peace Conference, titled Respect for Humanity and its Importance” in the Federal Capital

Chairman Inter-Faith Council for Peace and Harmony Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabeer Azad, and Founder of the Community of Sant’ Egidio, Prof Dr Andrea

Ricardi, also addressed the session, whereas Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Muhammad bin Abdul-Karim AlIssa, addressed the occasion through a recorded video message

The Conference was attended by the national and international scholars of different religions, and people from different walks of life

The President said that all the religions of the world preached peace security and harmony in society but unfortunately, followers of different religions forget and neg-

lect these teachings and resort to war on the basis of vested interests nationalism racism land, resources or politics

He said that it was the duty of the Islamic society to protect the religious places of other religions, provide security and respect to their religious leaders and give equal rights to them under the law He added that Muslim societies were responsible to protect the honor dignity life and properties of followers of all other religions

The President said that religion was

Hajj expenses expec ted to exceed Rs 1 mln this year

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The Hajj expenses are expected to cost beyond Rs 1 million under the government scheme this year, said official sources

The resources ruled out the possibility of inexpensive Hajj due to the “global economic situation, burgeoning inflation and depreciation of rupees in the international market

They further said there were no chances of “Hajj subsidy by the government this year too The sources said the announcement of Hajj Policy, 2023 was expected to be tabled by the end of February and the

Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony was planning for the early agreement with the scheduled banks for receiving the Hajj applications

They said along with Hajj applications, a passport, three photographs, a Corona vaccination certificate, and the pilgrim and his/ her heir ’s computerized national identity card would be required

They said the bank account was mandatory for all the Hajj applicants “Saudi Arabia has lifted the ban on pilgrims over 65 years of age,” sources added

For this purpose, sources said, the ministry had intensified communication with airlines, banks, Saudi authorities, and other stakeholders for the smooth sailing of Hajj operation

US organizes US -Pakistani diaspora engagement conference

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United States Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Schofer on Wednesday highlighted the valuable contributions of the US-Pakistani diaspora, which was a key partner in the humanitarian, social, and commercial sectors in Pakistan

Andrew Schofer, at a US-Pakistani diaspora conference here in the Federal Capital, also shed light on the longstanding US-Pakistan partnership to advance Pakistan’s economic growth and emphasized continued opportunities for the future partnership, according to an embassy news release

“As the Green Revolution improved lives in the past a Green Alliance between the United States and Pakistan will help us jointly strengthen climate resilience, develop clean energy alternatives, and foster economic growth he said

At the event, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) signed four partnership memoranda of understanding with US-Pakistani diaspora entities, under which the Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs of North America Silicon Valley will promote technology and digital investments in Pakistan and support Pakistani startups; SARCMedIQ to improve the health digital ecosystem in Pakistan; The

Crescent Charity Foundation to support physical infrastructure in flood-affected areas of Pakistan; and PakFoods to improve humanitarian and social development outcomes for Pakistan

The conference, which was sponsored by the US Embassy in close coordination with the Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs of North America Silicon Valley, deliberated on the fundamental challenges and opportunities in the technology sector of Pakistan

More than 300 participants attended in-person, including members of the US-Pakistani diaspora, prominent local business leaders, and Pakistani officials, including Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar and Prime Minister ’s Ambassador at Large for Investments Zeeshaan Shah USAID Mission Director Reed Aeschliman, in his remarks, said, “The conference was an opportunity to highlight some of the contributions and investments already made by the Pakistani diaspora, facilitate collaborations between Pakistani diaspora entities, and develop a road map for collective action to address the current economic, humanitarian and social challenges in Pakistan ”

The US remained firmly committed to engaging and partnering with the US-Pakistani diaspora to address Pakistan’s challenges in the technology, humanitarian social and commercial sectors and to further its development goals, he added

wrongly labelled as the reason for war as most of the wars fought in the recent history were by those countries which had the knowledge, education and information, were developed but still they fought amongst themselves and with the others on the basis of their hegemonic designs and self-serving vested interests

The President said that human beings learn more from making observations from what was happening in reality around them and less from the history and academic debates and in the same manner countries and nations do not learn from their past mistakes of waging senseless wars but repeat the same mistake again and again like USA and USSR invaded Vietnam and Afghanistan and learned a bitter lesson, but soon forgot and invaded again in Afghanistan and Ukraine

Gov t committed to strengthen its precursor control regime for drug regulation

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Federal Minister for Narcotics Control, Nawabzada Shazain Bugti Wednesday said that the government is committed to strengthening its precursor control regime in pursuance of its commitments to address the World Drug Problem under the principle of common and shared responsibility Addressing the launching ceremony of the automated Precursor Management System (PMS), the minister highlighted that the upgradation is the centerpiece of the government’s modernization drive and has greatly contributed towards its long-term goals and objectives He said that the upgradation has enabled the Ministry of Narcotics Control in drug regulation, and countering drug abuse and associated health issues affecting the young Pakistani strata particularly in educational settings He also thanked UNODC for its continued technical support that led to the design and automation of Pakistan’s PMS In her remarks, Federal Secretary of the Ministry of Narcotics Control Ms Humaira Ahmed highlighted that the new automated PMS is a manifestation of the government’s broader vision to automate the entire process of registration and issuance of ‘No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to the chemical and pharmaceutical industry for importing, exporting and utilizing controlled precursor chemicals

The requests for grant of NOC can now be generated electronically and all steps (including document submission, utilization details, and import licenses) have also been automated It will also significantly improve transparency and trust among the publicprivate stakeholders concerned she said Addressing the event Dr Jeremy Milsom, Representative UNODC Country Office in Pakistan highlighted that the new web-based PMS has significantly enhanced the capacities of these national authorities to collect or receive, process, interpret data and approve requests related to import and legitimate industrial use of controlled precursor chemicals in a more secure and realtime manner This technical capacity-building initiative will improve Pakistan’s precursor control regime and improve ‘ease-of-doing businesses for the Pakistani chemical and pharmaceutical industry he said Hence this capacity development has paved the way for attaining the objectives of the Government of Pakistan’s Anti Narcotics Policy 2019, and our shared aspirations under the provisions of UNODC’s Pakistan Country Program III (2022-2025) , Dr Milsom said

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A group of 25 Pakistani bikers embarked on a spiritual journey to Makkah, and on Tuesday, they reached Riyadh to perform Umrah They began their journey from Lahore on Jan 6 and after 18 days of travel, they arrived in Saudi Arabia The bikers plan to stay for 15 days in the Saudi Arabia before returning home Upon their arrival in Riyadh, Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ameer Khurram Rathore and other officials welcomed them A reception ceremony was also held in their honour at the Pakistani embassy During the ceremony, the ambassador awarded a shield to the group The bikers’ group will leave for Makkah today to perform Umrah Earlier on Saturday, the bikers en route to Saudi Arabia reached Abu Dhabi, capital of United Arab Emirates (UAE) The Pakistani embassy in Saudi Arabia hosted a lunch to honour the group of bikers During the event, Mukarram Tareen, the leader of the bikers’ group, said that their goal was to promote a positive image of Pakistan, its rich cultural heritage, and the warm hospitality of the Pakistani people as they passed through other countries on their way to Saudi Arabia

The over 4000 professors of public sector universities, employed under Tenure Track System (TTS) of Higher Education Commission (HEC) are now worried about their future as the HEC has revised the policy of TTS for financial constraints

Through the revised funding policy shared with all universities, HEC has informed that it will not be able to fund any new TTS program for financial/grants constraints

“HEC will not be able to provide funds against TTS owing to serious financial limitations However universities may undertake TTS hiring and arrange funds from their own resources,” HEC made it clear to all universities which want to start the TTS and recruit faculty under this program

Since the TTS program was initiated by HEC and it was bearing a share of the attractive packages of-

fered under this program the universities, as feared by professors, would exploit the teachers by various means

An office bearer of All Pakistan Tenure Track Faculty Association (APTTA) claimed that through the new policy, it is feared that HEC is going to ultimately stop the program, which according to him has been very successful as compared to the existing basic pay scale (BPS) system in terms of research development and advance studies in the universities

According to him, under the direct control of universities, faculty members under the TTS system would be exploited by reduction in salaries and other perks offered under the program by HEC while sharing a major portion of the package of TTS faculty with universities

The APTTA, which is the representative body of over 4000 TTS professors across the country, is scheduled to hold a press conference over the new issue on Friday as they are now worried about not only their

salaries and other perks but also promotions and future of the program

As per the new policy the commission will not be able to provide funds to new TTS programs owing serious financial limitations However, universities, which want to start the program, may undertake TTS hiring and arrange funds from their own resources

According to an official spokesperson of HEC if universities prepare their budget in such a way that there is some cushion to allow them to recruit faculty on TTS, they may do so T h i s d o e s n t m e a n t h e y a r e a l l o w e d t o c h a n g e T T S S t a t u t e s p r e p a r e d b y H E C T h e Q u a l i t y Assurance department of HEC has a n e y e o n t h e s e t h r o u g h i n s t i t ut i o n a l p e r f o r m a n c e e v a l u a t i o n , ” t h e s p o k e s p e r s o n s a i d w h i l e r ep l y i n g t o a q u e r y a b o u t a s s u r a n c e a b o u t f o l l o w i n g t h e T T S s t a t u t e b y t h e u n i v e r s i t i e s i n i t i a t i n g t h e

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Fu t u r e o f T T S f a c u l t y h a n g s i n b a l a n c e a s H E C r ev i s e s p o l i c y fo r f i n a n c i a l c o n s t r a i n t s

Pakistani bikers reach Saudi Arabia to per form Umrah

THAil AnD offErS To DEvEloP SUSTAinAblE ToUriSM in PAKiSTAn

TH A I L A N D S Ambassador to Pakistan, Chakkird Krachaiwong, suggested on Wednesday that his country was looking forward to working with Pakistan on sustainable tourism as they have a lot of experience in it

We have a lot of experience in terms of tourism and would like to share it for sustainable tourism in Pakistan We are looking for-

ward now to working with Punjab and other provinces for it, he said while addressing the executive body at the Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) here

Tourist police can also be formed to deal with tourists because normal police did not know how to deal with them because they can only tackle robbery and other routine crimes he said and added that he wanted more and more to visit Pakistan to experience for themselves the generosity and hospitality of Pakistanis

The envoy regretted that this part of Pakistan has been represented in the eyes of international media, adding that tourists informed the country was quite different to what they had seen in the news I contribute some of my travel experience to Pakistan and will write an article about Multan too which will hopefully be published in Thailand too ”Mr Chakkird maintained

He noted that a Thai rubber was used in football made by Pakistan for the last world cup and added that his country was an expert

in the food processing industry for which good packaging, The envoy informed that they would share the information of a trade exhibition held in Thailand to businessmen here and added that they had visited some textile factories today to have first-hand knowledge Thailand is also an agricultural country as Pakistan is and facing challenges in this connection, he observed He ensured to forward proposals of business and other issues highlightedáby MCCI

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Corruption Muhammad Zaman Wattoo has been assigned additional charge of DG Anti-Corruption

Secretary Social Welfare Mehar Muhammad Hayat Luck has been made OSD while Secretary Literacy Wajiullah Kundi will be holding additional charge of secretary social welfare Ahmad Mustajab Karmat has been removed as secretary housing while Nasir Mehmood Bashir will look

Chairman HEC urges varsities to highlight achievements for improved global positioning

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Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Mukhtar Ahmed on Wednesday urged the universities to highlight achievements for improved global positioning He was addressing an international seminar on ‘Pakistan’s Growing Global Impact: A Data Masterclass by the Times Higher Education (THE) for the public and private sector universities of Pakistan The seminar was organised by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in collaboration with the University of Lahore (UoL) Representatives of universities from different parts of the country took a keen interest in the explanations of parameters and standards set by THE in the global rankings The event focused on ‘THE World University Ranking’ and other rankings relevant to the region Chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmed delivered a presentation on the National Ranking Standards and Mechanisms “During the last two decades, HEC has done pretty well in the higher education sector, and I am confident that if our universities learn from this opportunity and position themselves accordingly by showcasing their achievements, the global landscape of top universities will include many Pakistani institutes,” the Chairman said Dr Mukhtar Ahmed emphasised that Pakistani universities need to collate their data and highlight their achievements in the submissions made to global ranking agencies He also underlined how, in terms of the ranking requirements the standards of Pakistani universities are different from those of the universities in other countries of the world Keynote speaker of the event Chief Global Affairs Officer of THE Mr Phil Baty, provided a detailed breakdown of the World University Rankings methodology as well as data and in-depth analysis based on the most recent ranking so universities could gain an understanding of how to best position themselves in order to enter and excel in the World University Rankings Emerging Economies University Rankings, Impact Rankings, and Asia University Rankings Mr Baty also provided exclusive analysis of Pakistan’s performance across THE’s flagship global rankings, the prestigious THE World University Rankings, and the pioneering THE Impact Rankings along with the country’s current worldwide status “Pakistan is making rapid progress In fact, it is matching China in its pace of improvement

Gwadar will get 100 MW electricit y from March

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Gwadar will have additional 100-megawatt electricity from Iran to resolve electricity issues in the area The additional electricity would be supplied to Gwadar from March to ensure a round-the-clock supply of electricity, Director General (DG), Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Mujeeb Qambrani said on Twitter It would boost industry and the progress of various projects pertaining to China Pakistan Economic Corridor he added As per the agreement Iran would supply 100 megawatts of electricity through 132 KV transmission line, which would be sufficient for the population of the area

after the affairs of this office in addition to his own duties Registrar Cooperative Asad Naeem has been made OSD and Muhammad Ahmad will look after the affairs of Registrar Cooperative in addition to his own duties

Secretary Mine and Minerals Syed Najaf Iqbal, Additional Secretary Rao Pervaiz Akhtar, DC Mandi Bahauddin Tasneem Ali, DC Gujrat Amer Shehzad and DC Wazirabad Naveedul Islam Virk have been made OSD

L ahore bullying incident: DC suspends registration of school

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Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali on Wednesday suspended the registration of an elite school wherein an incident of bullying of a girl took place a few days ago

The DC ordered the CEO Educat i o n A u t h o r i t y t o l o o k a f t e r t h e a ff a i r s o f t h e s c h o o l d u r i n g t h e suspension period, while suspending the registration of the school till the next date of hearing

The DC decided to suspend the registration after hearing the argu-

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Known as land of six world heritage sites and second highest mountains peak K-2 Pakistan was a unique country with plenty of ancient archeological, cultural and mountains treasures that required proper projection especially through digital and electronic media to ease the country’s economic and financial woes

Despite being home to six world heritage sites, including an archeological wonder Moenjodaro in Sindh, Buddhist Ruins at Takht Bhai and neighbouring city remains at Sahri Bahlol in Mardan and Taxila, ancient Indus and Gandhara civilizations five highest mountains peaks of above 8,000 meters including the second highest K-2 (8611m), 108 highest peaks of above 7000 meters in globe Kalash culture in Chitral and numerous historical monuments, Pakistan’s tourism revenue was very low by earning only $8 8 billion from this key sector in 2021

The world travel and tourism council report 2021 has revealed that the travel and tourism sector has contributed only $8 8 billion approximately 2 9% of the total GDP of Pakistan in 2017 against $15 billion, which accounts for 5 7% of total GDP in 2019 Alike in 2020, tourism growth has decreased by nearly 25%, falling to $11 6 billion or 4 4% of GDP while jobs in the tourism industry also fell 11 1% from 3 45 million in 2019 against 3 63 million in 2020 mainly due to COVID-19

“These six world archeological sites, cultural heritage and highest mountain peaks in northern Pakistan are properly showcased especially through digital media to unpack its tourism potential in addition to addressing the country’s economic problems,” said Abu Zafar Sadiq, President, Alpine Club of Pakistan while talking to APP on Wednesday

He underscored the need of appointing digital professionals and experts to promote the tourism industry abroad and ensuring good communications infrastructure, especially in northern KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, which is necessary to promote adventure and mountain sports here

Abu Zafar said Pakistan was the most suitable country for winter sports specifically skiing at Nalthar Gilgit Baltistan and Malam Jabba Swat Khyber-

ments of the parties on the recommendation of the inquiry report by the Education Authority The owner and principal of the school appeared during the proceedings

The school administration was also asked to submit their reply about recommendations of the inquiry report by the next date of hearing

T h e p a r e n t s o f t h e s t u d e n t s i nv o l v e d i n t h e b u l l y i n g i n c i d e n t w e r e asked to file their replies till the next hearing as no reply was filed on their b e h a l f y e t T h e C E O E d u c a t i o n h a d been asked to issue notices to the parents of the students

Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat valley, Naran, Kaghan, GilgitBaltistan, and a lot more regions in the country were the most beautiful places where holding of rivers rafting, paragliding and snow sports can help attract foreign tourists in droves

Today is an era of digital tourism Technological advancements were transforming the travel and hospitality industry fast in developing countries including Pakistan and negative perceptions and opinions could be changed through effective and responsible digital media strategies and policies besides special programs and features through electronic media to explore former Ambassador Manzoor said

“The scientific advancements and modern technological inventions have virtually turned the globe into a town and our amazing tourism sites may be effectively explored through the use of the latest gadgets, IT tools and apps before the world

He said in developed countries including the USA, UK, and China, the culture of publicity of tourism destinations through brochures, booklets and pamphlets had been replaced by digital tourism and Pakistan could fully exploit its tourism treasures by using digital platforms including social media, global positioning system (GPS), internet, mobiles apps and artificial intelligence in the wake of mushroom growth of IT sector In this connection, he said Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Instagram and other effective social media services could be utilised for quick dissemination of information and projection of tourists sites to bolster the rural economy, travel and hotel industries, adding the services of noted vloggers, bloggers and social media groups may be hired for projection of tourism sites

Ambassador Manzoor said China had made rapid progress by promoting tourism and its one belt and one road initiative (OBOR)” has proved a game changer, adding CPEC being a major component of OBOR was aimed to improve infrastructure and transportation networks that would immensely help promote tourism in Pakistan, especially in GB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior planning officer, KP tourism and sports department Malik Muhammad Luqman said KP’s tourism was being promoted through digital technology and social media

to Bangkok for formal approval and redressal Earlier, in his welcome address, MCCI president Mian Rashid Iqbal shed light on the history of Multan and its popularity across the world for its matchless mangoes, sohanáhalwa, cottonáand other products

He stated that the agricultural strength of South Punjab makes it the most suitable region for investment in agro-based industries like fruits vegetables processing dairy and livestock besides a sizeable industry of cotton ginning, spinning, weaving, fertilizers, cosmetics glass manufacturing oil mills confectionery & beverages and juices etc

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Appoint special representative for Kashmir: A JK President to EU

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President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, has asked the European Union (EU) to appoint its special representative for Kashmir to help resolve the lingering dispute peacefully The AJK President made this call while addressing members of the European Parliament, the Belgian Senate and the Belgian Parliament at a dinner party in Brussels Barrister Sultan Chaudhry highlighted the European countries significant contribution to defend human rights and seeking settlement of world disputes He said there is a dire need of reviving the Kashmir Committee in the European Parliament The AJK President expressed hope that the EU would play its important role in resolving the Kashmir dispute for establishing peace and security in South Asia Referring to the Indian government’s ban on BBC documentary he said the footage has exposed the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi s real face before the world

US offers support , cooperation to help resolve economic, financial issues of Pakistan

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He apprised that the present Government inherited a weak economic legacy and said that despite challenging economic conditions, the government is focusing on fixing things in the right direction and introducing reforms in all sectors including energy sector and capital market to achieve economic growth and development He said that due to pragmatic measures taken by the government, the country is destined for progress and development The Finance Minister also apprised them on the economic priorities of the government to fix the economy to the right path while fulfilling its international obligations The Finance Minister also shared with Mr Robert Kaproth damages caused by the floods in Pakistan and its impact on the economy of Pakistan He stressed that the government is handling all challenges with complete commitment

Dollar rate defies expectations, but what’s the real stor y?

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The only way for the currency exchange companies to have made the same level of profit would have been if there was a higher volume of trade

In response to a question about the recent meeting between the ECAP and the Deputy Governor of the State Bank, Secretary General of ECAP, Zafar Paracha, stated that the exchange rate values of the open market were not even discussed in the meeting According to him the decision to make the increase gradual, a few rupees every day, until it reaches the market value was made to avoid unnecessary panic in the market

The dollar is currently selling around Rs 265/USD in the black market, and the ECAP believes that their rate should be upwards of 255 to reclaim their share of the trade “We look forward to going to that mark in a few weeks”, said Mr Paracha

Despite suspicions, Mr Paracha stated that the State Bank of Pakistan is not meddling with the open market value of the dollar, and that the decision to make the increase gradual was completely the ECAP s own decision in the greater interest of the country

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Punjab government has made reshuffle in bureaucracy transferring and posting many secretaries and deputy commissioners, it emerged on Wednesday Secretary C & W Asif Bilal Lodhi has been made OSD Nadeem Sarwar has been removed as DG Anti-

Showcasing Pakistan’s archeological, cultural heritage sites through digital media imperative to ease economic woes

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Fawad Chaudhr y’s arrest

THe arrest of Pakistan Tehrik insaf leader and former Federal information Minister ch Fawad Hussain was perhaps inevitable, in view of the charge, which was that of inciting violence against the chief election commissioner s family but the manner was all too drearily familiar it is no justification to say that such arrests of political opponents took place when Mr chaudhry was in office However, it does seem that the legal formalities are being observed so far, as Mr chaudhry was produced after arrest before a magistrate, and the arresting authority, islamabad’s Kohsar police, was granted transit remand which allowed it to take him from Lahore to islamabad, and again produce him before a magistrate in islamabad, which duly granted the police remand However, it remains to be seen whether the niceties continue to be observed it would be most unfortunate if Mr chaudhry was meted out the same treatment as shahbaz Gill or senator Azam swati, both of whom alleged they were tortured in custody Dr Gill was accused of attempting to incite mutiny in the Army, and senator swati of having made tweets against senior military officers The petition against Mr chaudhry’s arrest was duly dismissed by the Lahore High court

Mr chaudhy s arrest is being taken seriously by the PTi because it came within 72 hours of the takeover of caretaker Punjab chief Minister Mohsin naqvi and may well signal a wave of arrests, which had been made impossible because of the presence of PTi ally ch Pervez elahi in Punjb’s top job The prospect was revealed of even PTi chief imran Khan being arrested it is worth noting that, unlike Dr Gill and senator swati, the charge involves a civilian While it was ‘understood’ by realists that military men would be off-limits this is the first case involving a civilian, on whom open season seems to have been declared by the PTi However, it now seems that any immunity given by friendly forces has now been removed

While the law should always be followed, there is a pressing need that it be followed in this case not least because Mr chaudhry is not just a former minister and a political leader but also a lawyer He is easily the highest-ranking PTi leader arrested so far, not least because he is close to Mr Khan, and thus his case will be under closer-than-usual scrutiny

Old PTI needed to build Naya Pakistan

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor

Wi T H i t s s h a d o w c a b i n e t a n d f u n ct i o n a l T h i n k Ta n k s , t h e o l d P a ki s t a n Te h r e e k - e - i n s a f ( P T i ) w a s w e l l p r e p a r e d t o b u i l d n a y a P a kistan through good governance The mammoth public support at the Lahore Jalsa on 30 o c t o b e r 2 0 11 s e n t s h o c k w a v e s t o t h e f o r c e s o f s t a t u s q u o A t t h i s t a k e o ff s t a g e , t h e p a r t y c a m e u n d e r a t t a c k f r o m t h e e v e rg r e e n e l e c t a b l e s o n the second show of strength on 25 December 2011 at the Mazar-e-Quaid the old party guard had been r e l e g a t e d t o t h e l o w e r s t a g e w h i l e i m r a n K h a n ( i K ) w a s s u r r o u n d e d b y n e w p l a y e r s o n t h e m a i n s t a g e T h e r e w e r e c l e a r s i g n s t h a t t h e m o v e m e n t h a d b e e n h i j a c k e d c o m r a d e A h s a n r a s h i d t h e c h o u - e n - L a i o f t h e p a r t y h a d a r r a n g e d a l a v i s h a f t e r- J a l s a d i n n e r a t t h e s h e r a t o n H o t e l w h i c h p r o v e d t o b e t h e p r o v e r b i a l L a s t s u p p e r ' f o r t h e P T i i d e o l o g u e s w h o h a d w o r k e d h a r d t o b u i l d t h e p a r t y i n t o a f o r m i d a b l e m o v e m e n t w h i c h c o u l d n o l o n g e r b e i g n o r e d

The PTi was denied election victory in the disputed 2013 electoral contest it was made to wait for another term before coming into power in 2018 at the centre Punjab and KPK Despite popular support iK had to form coalition governments both in islamabad and Lahore it is indeed interesting to note that only the PML(n) was able to manage an absolute majority not once but twice ( 1997, 2013 ), clearly indicating its proximity with the establishment, while both the PTi and the PPP (Pakistan People's Party) were denied this support

iK came into power surrounded by age-old tested and failed electables The shadow cabinet which was a blend of highly qualified technocrats and clean political players, was largely ignored The selection of the PsPM (Principal secretary to the Prime Minister) was also imprudent, as it was an extension of the Peshawar bureaucracy which lacked broader understanding at the national level

The preparatory policy formulation by the Think Tanks was also binned as being impractical, prepared

by 'political novices' The know-all and deliver-nothing electables were back in the saddle While the leader tried his best, the managers lacked the spirit to fight for change by taking-on the forces of status quo i n o r d e r t o d e l i v e r c h a n g e o n e h a s t o r e l y o n o u t - o f - t h e - b o x s o l u t i o n s , b u t b e f o r e v e n t u r i n g o u t of the system, its inside has to be fully understood D e c i s i o n s a r e r e a c h e d o n t h e f i l e s f o r w h i c h d o cumentation and paperwork is required which is in c o n t r o l o f t h e b u r e a u c r a t s w h o a r e c h a m p i o n s o f t h e s t a t u s q u o M o s t p o l i t i c a l p l a y e r s a r e w e a k i n t h i s a r e a over the years, established political parties have reached an understanding to operate within the system for mutual benefits with the policy of; 'You scratch my back, i ll scratch yours’ with no concern for public interests i n 1 9 7 1 w h e n B h u t t o c a m e i n t o p o w e r t h e P P P w a s w e l l p r e p a r e d f o r t h e m u c h - n e e d e d c h a n g e t h r o u g h g o o d g o v e r n a n c e s e v e r a l a g e - o l d c o l o n i a l r o a d b l o c k s w e r e r e m o v e d T h e r i g h t t o t r a v e l w a s r e c o g n i s e d w i t h m a j o r r e f o r m s i n t h e P a s s p o r t D i r e c t o r a t e F o r p u r p o s e s o f i d e n t i f i c at i o n a n a t i o n a l i d e n t i t y c a r d ' s c h e m e w a s i n t r od u c e d w h i c h w a s l a t e r c o m p u t e r i z e d u n d e r n A D r A ( n a t i o n a l D a t a b a s e a n d r e g i s t r a t i o n A ut h o r i t y ) A g e n e r i c m e d i c i n e s c h e m e w a s i n t r od u c e d t o l o w e r t h e c o s t o f m e d i c i n e s i t w a s t h e b r a i n c h i l d o f ' B a b a - e - s oc i a l i s m ' s h e i k h r a s h i d o f L a h o r e r e c e n t l y t h e s a m e a p p r o a c h h a s b e e n a d o p t e d i n i n d i a u n d e r n a r e n d r a M o d i W h e n t h e p o l i c e f o r c e d e c i d e d t o g o o n s t r i k e i n P u n j a b a n d F r o n t i e r ( K P K n o w ) t h e y w e r e h a n d l e d w i t h a n i r o n h a n d i n t h e 1 9 7 3 c o n s t i t u t i o n s e v e r a l c l a u s e s o f h u m a n r i g h t s w e r e l e g i s l a t e d w h i c h r em a i n u n - i m p l e m e n t e d t i l l today Within the party there w a s a b l e n d o f p o l i t i c a l p l a y e r s a n d t e c h n i o c r a t s B h u t t o h i m s e l f u n d e r s t o o d the system and the required paperwork

L i k e B h u t t o ' s P P P, t h e PTi was also well prepared f o r g o o d g o v e r n a n c e through a blend of clean pol i t i c a l p l a y e r s a n d t e c hn o c r a t s i n t h e 1 9 7 0 s Bhutto's challenge' was not t a k e n s e r i o u s l y b y t h e e stablishment but after the show of strength by PTi in october 2011 no chances were taken this time old tainted players or electables were inducted i n d r o v e s p u s h i n g t h e p a r t y i d e o l o g u e s a n d t e c hnocrats aside over the years these political bounty hunters have been pushed out of the party but some still remain in close proximity to the chairman in the recently held local body elections in sindh, Firdous shamim naqvi ( Fsn ), an old party guard,

Let's move outside the box but only after exploring the options within; the party homework can be put to good use this time around to deliver the much needed change through good governance. New players and a fresh start have to be made

prevailed against all odds The PTi of post-october 2 0 11 h a s t o b e r e s t o r e d / r e v i v e d t o g e t h e r w i t h i t s T h i n k Ta n k s w i t h s e r i o u s r e v i e w o f p o l i c i e s p a i n f u l l y f o r m u l a t e d b y e x p e r t s T h e p a r t y i s blessed with leadership but needs good managers of the likes of comrade Ahsan rashid ( late ) and naeem-ul-Haq ( late ) Dr Arif Alvi also played an important role within the party as secretary Gene r a l b u t w a s c o r n e r e d l i k e s e v e r a l o t h e r g e n u i n e old party players i K h a s ta lk e d a b o u t t h e n e e d f o r s t r u c t u r a l c h a n g e s i n t h e s y s t e m o f g o v e rn a n c e Te c h n o c r a t s h a v e t o replace the outdated bureaucrats Pakistan also faces ser i o u s e c o n o m i c c h a l l e n g e s F o c u s h a s t o b e o n ' F o o d and Fuel' Both areas need a major focus and an effective r o a d m a p t o m o v e f o r w a r d w i t h i n d i g e n o u s r e s o u r c e s A s a n a g r i c u l t u r a l c o u n t r y f o o d s e c u r i t y c a n b e e nsured With huge deposits of coal (175 billion tons), energy needs can be met with a p p l i c a t i o n o f 2 1 s t c e n t u r y e n v i r o n m e n t - f r i e n d l y t e c hn o l o g i e s W h i l e e x p o r t s h a v e t o b e i n c r e a s e d , t h e i m p o r t b i l l m u s t a l s o b e d r a s t i c a l l y r e d u c e d t o n a rr o w t h e t r a d e d e f i c i t A u st e r i t y m e a s u r e s a r e a l s o r e q u i r e d t o c u t d o w n s t a t e expenses Yes, let's move outside

P r e c i s i o n M e d i c i n e s : I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r N a t i o n a l S e c u r i t y

diseases that could pose a threat to national security Precision medicine can improve national security by helping to prevent and treat diseases that could threaten national security and improving the health and readiness of military personnel

Precision medicine is a medical approach that uses an individual s genetic, environmental and lifestyle information to inform the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases it is a way of tailoring medical treatment to the specific characteristics of each patient to improve outcomes and reduce side effects

on the other hand, national security refers to protecting a country's citizens territory economy and institutions from internal and external threats it encompasses various issues, including military defence, intelligence gathering counterterrorism and cyber security

Precision medicine has the potential to improve national security in several ways For example, it can be used to develop more effective vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases, which can help prevent outbreaks that could threaten national security Additionally, precision medicine can be used to develop targeted therapies for conditions such as cancer, which can help improve the health and readiness of military personnel Precision medicine also has implications for national security in the area of biosecurity

The knowledge and technology used in precision medicine could be misused to develop biological weapons, so countries need to implement measures to prevent the misuse of these tools and technologies in conclusion precision medicine has the potential to improve national security by helping to prevent and treat

However, there are also challenges to national security that arise from the use of precision medicine one of the main challenges is protecting sensitive genetic and health information collecting and storing large amounts of genetic and health data can create new vulnerabilities for cyber-attacks, data breaches, and espionage Unauthorized access to this information could have severe consequences for the security of individuals and the nation in terms of espionage, precision medicine could potentially be used to gain an advantage in intelligence gathering For example if a spy agency has access to an individual s genetic information, it could use that information to develop a targeted toxin or another agent that would only harm that specific individual This would allow the spy agency to eliminate a particular target without harming innocent bystanders Additionally, precision medicine could potentially be used to create new forms of surveillance For example, if a spy agency could track an individual's genetic information, they could possibly use that information to identify and locate the individual, even if the individual is using countersurveillance tactics it is important to note that these scenarios are hypothetical and the technology is not yet advanced enough to achieve such scenarios; however, with the rapid development of precision medicine, it is vital to be aware of the potential implications and have measures in place to mitigate any possible misuse

To address these concerns, it is essential to have robust security measures in place to protect this data in-

cluding encryption, firewalls, and access controls Another challenge is the potential misuse of precision medicine technologies The knowledge and technology used in precision medicine could be misused to develop biological weapons, so countries need to implement measures to prevent the misuse of these tools and technologies This includes ensuring that research is conducted ethically and in compliance with international agreements and regulations and implementing measures to control the export and transfer of sensitive technologies Additionally, precision medicine raises ethical questions about privacy, autonomy, and equity For example the collection and use of genetic data may raise concerns about discrimination, privacy, and informed consent, and it s crucial to ensure that the benefits of precision medicine are distributed equitably

Leaking genetic data can have a significant impact on national security Genetic data is extremely sensitive and personal information; if it falls into the wrong hands it can be used to identify and track individuals This could be particularly dangerous for individuals at risk of persecution such as members of minority groups or individuals with a history of political activism Genetic data can also be used to create bioweapons or target specific populations with malicious attacks

Furthermore, data leaks can also have economic consequences For example, a company's genetic data might be used to replicate its research or product Another way that leaking genetic data can impact national security is by exposing vulnerabilities in the country s cyber security systems This can make it easier for hackers and malicious actors to access sensitive information or launch cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure overall, the leakage of genetic data can have severe consequences for the privacy

Precision medicine has the potential to improve national security, but it also poses challenges, such as protecting sensitive genetic and health information, controlling the misuse of technologies, and addressing ethical concerns

Countries must take a comprehensive approach to address these challenges and work together to ensure that precision medicine is developed and used responsibly and ethically

and safety of individuals, and countries need robust security measures to protect this sensitive information

Precision medicine has the potential to improve national security, but it also poses challenges, such as protecting sensitive genetic and health information, controlling the misuse of technologies and addressing ethical concerns countries must take a comprehensive approach to address these challenges and work together to ensure that precision medicine is developed and used responsibly and ethically

The writer is a research officer at the center for international strategic studies, AJK

the box but only after exploring the options within; the party homework can be put to good use this time around to deliver the much needed change through good governance new players and a fresh start have to be made

The writer is ex-Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail com

Dr FariD a Malik

Yousaf Nizami Editor

Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

M A Niazi Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor

Emotions in decision-making

Political pluralism through reforms

PAKisTAn has a long history of political instability marked by frequent changes in the government The ongoing power struggle among political parties and factions is continuing to add to the nation’s woes in recent years, this instability has been exacerbated by the rise of religious extremist groups and tensions with neighbouring countries particularly india and Afghanistan

While there are many factors contributing to this instability, one key factor is the lack of political pluralism which refers to the presence of a variety of competing political parties and interest groups within society, each representing different viewpoints and agendas The issue is not diversity of opinions but the rigidity of attitude

Pluralism is actually seen as a key component of stable democracy, as it allows for a range of voices and perspectives to be heard and for power to be shared among different groups However in Pakistan political pluralism is limited, with a small number of powerful parties dominating the political landscape and often suppressing the voices of smaller parties and marginalised groups

one reason for the lack of political pluralism in Pakistan is the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a small elitist group Many of the major political parties are controlled by wealthy families or business interests that use their financial resources to influence elections and policy decisions This creates a barrier for smaller parties and marginalised groups to gain representation and influence leading to a lack of political pluralism

Another factor contributing to the lack of political pluralism is the role of the military in politics The military has historically played a significant role in national politics, with several coups having taken place in the past This has created a culture of political instability and a lack of trust in the civilian process, as the military is seen as a more stable and reliable institution As a result, political parties have become more focussed on courting military support than on representing the interests of their constituents, further limiting political pluralism

Decision-making can be a complex process, as it often involves balancing multiple factors and trade-offs, and making choices that have both short-term and long-term consequences There are many different approaches to decision-making, and the most appropriate one to use can depend on the specific situation and the goals of the person making the decision some common approaches include: rational decision-making: This involves carefully analysing the available options and choosing the one that is most likely to achieve the desired outcome, based on logic and evidence intuitive decision-making: This involves relying on gut feelings and personal experience to make decisions quickly, without necessarily analysing all the available options collaborative decisionmaking: it includes involving multiple people in the decision-making process, either by seeking input and feedback from others or by working together in addition, emotions can play a role in decision-making, as they can influence our thoughts and behaviour some research suggests that emotions can help guide decision-making by providing quick and intuitive assessments of potential outcomes and options For example the feelings of fear or anxiety may prompt us to avoid certain situations, while feelings of hope or optimism may lead us to pursue certain goals in this context, it's important to note that emotions can also sometimes lead to irrational or suboptimal decision-making particularly if they are too strong or not well-regulated in these cases, it may be helpful to take a step back and try to consider the decision rationally using logic and evidence to guide our choices and decide as a group in addition, creative decisionmaking involves using imagination and innovative thinking to generate new and novel options, and choosing the one that is most creative or innovative emotions can have both positive and negative aspects in decision-making some of the potential positive aspects of emotions in decision-making include: Providing a quick and

intuitive assessment of potential outcomes and options it can help us quickly evaluate situations and make decisions based on our gut feelings and past experiences This can be particularly useful in situations where time is of the essence and we need to decide quickly The second important factor is motivation of emotions such as excitement or determination which can provide the motivation and energy needed to pursue a particular goal or course of action Helping us to prioritise our values and goals: emotions can help us to understand what is most important to us and guide our decisionmaking accordingly However, emotions can also have negative aspects in decision-making which may lead us to irrational or suboptimal decisions while strong emotions can sometimes cloud our judgement and lead us to make decisions that are not wellreasoned or that do not align with our long-term goals in a negative sense, it can also distort our perception of reality and can influence how we perceive and interpret events, and this can sometimes lead to distorted or biased views of reality which curtails our ability to consider all available options in general, when we are emotionally charged we may be more focused on our own perspective and less open to considering alternative viewpoints or options However in all situations, it's important to try to strike a balance between considering both emotional and logical factors in decisionmaking and to try to regulate and manage our emotions in a way that allows us to make sound, well-reasoned choices emotions can play a role in decision-making by influencing our thoughts behaviour and motivations Largely, it can affect how we perceive and interpret information, and how we weigh the potential consequences of different actions They can also motivate us to take certain actions or pursue certain goals some research suggests that emotions can help guide decision-making by providing quick and intuitive assessments of potential outcomes and options For example, feelings of fear or anxiety may prompt us to avoid certain situations, while feelings of hope or optimism may lead us to pursue certain goals it's difficult to predict exactly what the future role of emotions in decision-making will be, as it will depend on a variety of factors such as technological developments, societal trends, and advances in the field of psychology However, it's likely that emotions will continue to play a role in decision-making, as they

T e c h n o l o g y c o u l d b e d e v e l o p e d t o h e l p p e o p l e b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d a n d r e g u l a t e t h e i r e m o t i o n s , w h i c h c o u l d p o t e n t i a l l y i m p r o v e d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g b y a l l o w i n g i n d i v i d u a l s t o m a k e m o r e b a l a n c e d a n d w e l lr e a s o n e d c h o i c e s E v e n a t p r e s e n t , t h e r e a r e a l r e a d y s o m e t o o l s a v a i l a b l e t h a t u s e a r t i f i c i a l i n t e l l i g e n c e o r m a c h i n e l e a r n i n g t o h e l p p e o p l e i d e n t i f y a n d m a n a g e t h e i r e m o t i o n s , s u c h a s s m a r t p h o n e a p p s t h a t u s e f a c i a l r e c o g n i t i o n t o d e t e c t e m o t i o n s o r w e a r a b l e d e v i c e s t h a t t r a c k p h y s i o l o g i c a l i n d i c a t o r s o f e m o t i o n

are an integral part of the human experience and are closely tied to our thoughts behaviours and motivations one possibility is that technology could be developed to help people better understand and regulate their emotions which could potentially improve decision-making by allowing individuals to make more balanced and wellreasoned choices even at present there are already some tools available that use artificial intelligence or machine learning to help people identify and manage their emotions such as smartphone apps that use facial recognition to detect emotions or wearable devices that track physiological indicators of emotion overall, it s likely that the role of emotions in decisionmaking will continue to be an important area of research and discussion in the future emotions can play a role in political decision-making, both for individuals and for groups it can influence how people perceive and respond to political issues, and can also affect the way that they communicate and interact with others about those issues For example feelings of anger or fear about a particular issue might lead someone to advocate for a certain policy or act in a particular way on the other hand emotions can also lead people to make decisions that are not well thought out or that are based on biased or incomplete information it is important for people to try to be aware of their emotions and to strive to make decisions based on reason and evidence, rather than just reacting to their feelings emotions can also play a role in economic decision-making and people might make purchasing decisions based on how they feel about a product or a brand rather than just considering the cost and practicality of the item emotions can also influence investment decisions, as people might be more likely to take risks or make more conservative choices based on their emotional state in general, it is important for people to try to be aware of the role that emotions might play in their economic decision-making and to make sure that they are considering all relevant factors before deciding

The writer is a Youth Motivator, presently Professor of Political Science and Dean of Social Sciences along with Dean Student s Welfare (DSW), at B N Mandal University, Madhepura (Bihar) India His 22 books published in addition to 900 articles in national and international journals and daily newspapers from 25 foreign countries

The lack of pluralism has contributed to the ongoing political instability and has made it difficult for the country to have a stable democracy Without a range of competing parties and perspectives, it is difficult for the government to be fully aware of the needs and concerns of all citizens in order to address the issue, it is important for Pakistan to promote greater political inclusion and diversity, allowing for a more representative and stable system of governance This may include measures, such as campaign financing reforms, efforts to increase participation by marginalised groups, and steps to reduce the influence of the military in politics By taking these steps Pakistan can move towards greater political pluralism and stability

MUHAMMAD ZAHEER UL HAQUE ASTORE

The smog saga

As the winter has set in, smog in all its might and magnitude has gripped most parts of the country, especially Punjab Lahore was recently labelled the most polluted city in the world with air quality index (AQi) level of 334, which is way beyond the value set by the World Health organisation (WHo) Karachi and Peshawar are not doing much better either

Deforestation vehicle emissions industrial pollution power stations fired with fossil fuel, waste-burning and coal fumes out of brick kilns are some of the major contributors to the menace of smog The government should keep a check on deforestation encourage the use of zigzag technology in brick kilns, ensure the reduction of crop burning, issue tickets to owners of smoke-emitting vehicles and handle the industrial sector in a stern manner The government must step forward to save the people from this severe challenge that disrupts life every year

MUHAMMAD NALEMITHO AALMANI DOKRI

Going green

Fog turns into smog, which is more intense and hazardous than the former Most of the major cities of Pakistan, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Karachi, are badly affected by smog this year it is because of the severity of smog that visibility in these areas gets reduced to as low as 10-20 feet

Motorways are closed by the police in order to avoid road accidents People are told to wear masks whenever they come out of their homes and offices According to a report, if a person grows in such an environment, his/her age limit decreases by 8-10 years

While major parts of the country are going through a tough time the capital city of islamabad is much better off as there is no smog worth its name What makes things so markedly different is the level of greenery in the federal capital compared to the rest of the country

it is a city with the Margalla Hills as well as uncountable tall trees on these hills that ensure clean air and a con- siderably less polluted environment in the city Visibility remains good and the sun continues to have its warmth about it, keeping life normal it is a huge lesson for the people, in general, and for the government, in particular that the country is in a rather desperate need for plantation cover Plant trees and stop chopping down the ones we already have This is the only solution to the problem of smog

ABDUL SALAM ISLAMABAD

Ignoring histor y

AT the beginning of a new year, everyone thinks about things to do and not to do in the year ahead i wish somehow nations could do that as well Undue optimism is just as misplaced as undue pessimism is Pakistan is a classic example of a country which continues to ignore lessons from its own history and that of the world at large it is foolish to commit the same mistakes again and again in the strange hope of somehow getting a better outcome That is nothing but foolishness

After years of going round in circles we find ourselves stuck rather than moving towards a target even at a slow pace The best way to achieve progress and prosperity is through plans and decisions taken in the light of history But that is precisely what we avoid so meticulously As a result, we continue to face political vacuum, and a virtual collapse of state institutions Will the year 2023 be any different? Your guess is as good as mine

ABDUL QADEER SEELRO LARKANA

Decision-MAKinG is the process of choosing between different options or courses of action it involves identifying and evaluating possible alternatives, and selecting the one that is most appropriate or desirable given the specific situation

D r r a j k u M a r S i n g h

Wa y s o f A n a l y s i n g

Western

anti-iran reporting Waives

joUrnalistic integrit y to manUfactUre hate

Perhaps the most prominent piece of disinformation that has been disseminated about iran during the past few months was the assertion, by Newsweek, that 15,000 iranian demonstrators were sentenced to death according to the initial claims, the iranian parliament had supposedly voted to approve this move, implying that the country's judiciary took no part in such a massive decision the story was spread by leading online personas and even Prime Minister of Canada Justin trudeau, who later deleted his post on twitter about the matter

siNCE the eruption of civil unrest in the islamic Republic back in September, Western media has not shied away from spreading uncorroborated or outright false stories about iran s government the implications of the constant stream of disinformation is the justification of sanctions that kill iranians Following the death in iranian custody of 22-year-old Mahsa amini back in mid-September civil unrest in iran spread far and wide, with protests sparked over foreign media reports that had indicated that the young woman was beaten to death by iran’s morality police Later, CCtV footage was released, which contradicted some reports on how the young woman had died followed by a coroner report which indicated her death came due to cerebral hypoxia as a result of underlying issues Despite this, the demonstrations that started on September 16 continued

What started initially as a number of demonstrations, primarily in Kurdish-predominant areas of iran, turned into a nationwide disunited movement that took the form of violent riots, online social media campaigns, symbolic hijab burning protests and even deadly terrorist attacks against sites of worship as iran accused the United States and israel of attempting to spark a Syria-style civil war, US President Joe Biden vowed to “free iran” during a speech in California amongst the chaos and the media reporting that aimed to portray the iranian government as a distinct kind of evil, the Biden administration began to tighten its maximum pressure sanctions campaign the current US sanctions campaign, first enacted under the former trump administration, has been condemned by the international Court of Justice due to its impact on humanitarian goods, such as medicine, entering iran

However, since then the outlandish claims have not stopped coming Prior to the iranian national team's game against the US in the FiFa World Cup, CNN released a report that no other major news outlet, save for a few tabloid news sites in the UK, touched CNN quoted an unnamed security source that according to the report had managed to find out that the islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (iRGC) had infiltrated Qatar in order to threaten the iranian team s players the CNN story states that the source somehow found out that the players were offered luxury gifts, such as vehicles, prior to the beginning of the World Cup, which would imply that the source had intel on the iranian team when they were in tehran before the tournament the report goes on to say that iRGC officials threatened the iranian players’ families with torture in the event that they may protest their government during the World Cup CNN s source also claims that the coach of the iranian team a Portuguese national was also interviewed by the iRGC, although they weren’t able to hear what was discussed like they did with the players the same article makes the additional claim that the iranian government was flying out pro-government supporters to watch the team play, in essence creating artificial fans None of the claims have been corroborated and it didn’t gain purchase with major news outlets, which is strange considering the severity of the allegations being made that the iRGC an official branch of iran’s armed forces, had violated Qatar ’s sovereignty in order to threaten their own football team the difference between the CNN and Newsweek piece is that with the “security source”, there is no way to determine with certainty whether the whole thing is made up or not in the advent of news that iran had abolished its morality police unit, responsible for the arrest of Mahsa

amini another false story emerged from a number of little-known crypto-currency outlets online, claiming that iran was set to freeze the bank account of women who weren t wearing the appropriate islamic covering the origins of the story came from an interview that was conducted with an ultra-conservative member of iran’s parliament, Hossein Jalali, who allegedly proposed a three-warning system via SMS, with the end penalty being the freezing of bank accounts this has never come close to being implemented or even been discussed in parliament Despite this, tweets claiming that iran was implementing this strategy went viral Posts on social media from influencers have claimed that the iranian security forces “are raping children”, and that young women are being murdered for showing their hair in a horrific and medieval crackdown these reactions naturally come as a result of the factual inaccuracies of the reporting about iran and we continue to see more and more as the weeks go on the most recent misrepresentation of the facts has come in the coverage and reaction to a number of executions in iran Earlier this month, the second death sentence connected to the recent civil unrest was carried out this led to headlines from the likes of the associated Press (aP), that read iran execution: Man publicly hanged from crane amid protests' which is how we saw the sentencing of Majidreza Rahnavard to death, by the iranian judiciary, framed throughout Western media the aP piece opens with the following paragraph: “iran executed a second prisoner on Monday convicted over crimes committed during the nationwide protests challenging the country s theocracy publicly hanging him from a construction crane as a gruesome warning to others ”

Whilst the aP article did explain, further down in the piece that the young iranian man had stabbed to death two iranian security officials, injuring 4 others, what is written works to present tehran as a monstrous regime that is unjustly killing iranian protesters as a warning to others the reality is, iran does have a death sentence and does carry it out, but since some States in the US do the same the story has to be twisted so that iran is singled out as a special kind of evil iran’s death sentence is handed out through a judicial process, during which Majidreza Rahnavard admitted to killing two security officials the incident was even filmed No country on

earth would allow such a crime to go unpunished in total, roughly 400 iranians have allegedly been sentenced to prison terms for their involvement in various criminal activities during the latest round of civil unrest two iranians have been executed after admitting to carrying out attacks against the nation s security forces Whilst there are others who may receive the death penalty the Western media took it upon themselves to whip up a frenzy about an execution that was not even ruled Earlier this month, several outlets ran headlines with allegations that an iranian football player from isfahan was next in line for execution Reports claimed that a small-time football player, Nasr azadani, had been sentenced to death and despite the iranian judiciary denying this, the claims took hold on social media 26year-old Nasr azadani was arrested in connection with the murder of several members of iran’s security services it has been reported that an indictment carrying the charge of accessory to moharebeh had been communicated with azadani the charge of “moharebeh” (“war against God” in islamic law) can carry with it a death sentence, however, it is not clear whether being an accessory would be ruled this way

the problem here is that Western media outlets jump on unsubstantiated claims, and repeat half truths, in an attempt to extract a predetermined anti-iran narrative From trusted outlets like the aP, to CNN, all the way to the tabloids, there is little care for fact checking and journalistic integrity the goal is to delegitimize the iranian government, to encourage outrage Factual information is only important for nit-picking in a way that supports this biased narrative at the same time it is somewhat ironic that none of these media outlets, or Western politicians that repeat their claims and feign concern over iranian prisoners care one bit for journalist Julian assange, who the US is attempting to extradite from the United Kingdom the outcomes of this kind of reporting are the encouragement of prejudiced hate against iranian culture the justification of sanctions that kill iranians and the peddling of new-Orientalism talking points, all whilst claiming to be in support of human rights and feminism there are various ways to make good faith criticisms of the iranian government, but this is not what we are seeing, this is the Western media machine piling in on a regime change agenda, and everything they say needs to be taken with a pinch of salt

Ko r e a h e r a l d

US President Joe Biden said no when asked by a reporter at the White House on tuesday if he was currently discussing joint nuclear exercises with South Korea His reply briefly caused confusion as it could be interpreted as contradicting remarks by his South Korean counterpart President Yoon Suk-yeol said in an interview with the Chosun ilbo, published Monday, “the nuclear weapons belong to the United States, but planning, information sharing exercises and training should be jointly conducted by South Korea and the US the US has a considerably positive position (on the idea)

Yoon's top adviser for press affairs Kim Eun-hye said that probably Biden had no other choice but to answer “no” because a reporter asked him the question abruptly without context She added that joint nuclear exercises can only be held between nuclear weapons states ”

according to Reuters a senior US administration official said that joint nuclear exercises with Seoul would be “extremely difficult” because South Korea is not a nuclear power but that the allies are looking at enhanced information sharing, joint contingency planning and an eventual tabletop exercise

Further explanations by Kim and the US official seem to be made to prevent Biden‘s reply from creating the impression that there are differences between the two allies

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently vowed to increase his country's nuclear weapons arsenal “exponentially and singled out South Korea as an undoubted enemy ” He also vowed to develop a new type of intercontinental ballistic missiles that would give the North a quick counterstrike capability Last year it approved a new law authorizing the preemptive use of nuclear weapons

Considering Pyongyang's escalating nuclear threat, Yoon may have wanted to show through the interview a solid alliance with Washington However, Biden s terse no effectively weakened any such impression, though that may not have been his intention But given North Korea's rapid development of iCBMs

and nuclear weapons, South Korea and the US have no other choice but to strengthen nuclear deterrence North Korea is on the brink of completing intercontinental ballistic missiles that can strike US cities if it finishes the job, it would be difficult to expect Washington to use nuclear weapons to strike back against a North Korean attack on South Korea Few US presidents would take the risk of sacrificing a large number of US citizens for the sake of defending South Korea the US has defended non-nuclear allies through its nuclear umbrella and extended deterrence, but North Korea‘s ceaseless development of iCBM and nuclear weapon programs arouses concerns about the effectiveness of US nuclear umbrella South Korea and the international community have striven to denuclearize North Korea but the North has kept on increasing its missile and nuclear capabilities Denuclearizing the North should remain an objective for Seoul and Washington, but attaining it has become practically impossible South Korea needs to focus on a more realistic objective and that is nuclear deterrence a sure way to prevent a nuclear attack would be t o p o s s e s s n u c l e a r w e a p o n s i n t h i s v i e w S e o u l needs to consider defending itself with its own nuclear weapons But in reality, it is difficult to put the idea into practice Seoul has no other choice but to rely on US nuclear weapons to deter a North Korean nuclear attack

When it comes to fending off North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats, as a matter of f a c t , S e o u l a n d Wa s h i n g t o n p l e d g e d t o f u r t h e r s t r e n g t h e n t h e a l l i a n c e s c a p a b i l i t i e s i n f o r m a t i o n s h ar in g , an d co n s u ltatio n p r o ces s , as w ell as jo in t planning and execution the pledge was contained i n t h e j o i n t c o m m u n i q u e i s s u e d b y S o u t h K o r e a n National Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and US Defense Secretary Lloyd austin following the 54th Security Consultative Meeting held in Washington in November last year the US has barred South Korea from accessing nuclear weapons and instead offers its nuclear umbrella Given the North's nearly complete nuclear missile program, the effectiveness of nuclear deterrence must be raised if the US puts the pledge into practice early, it will be a significant progress in that direction

ait

was injured by a dog

the explosive account of a fight between Prince Harry and Prince William, from Harry’s forthcoming memoir Spare, contains the kind of intimate, incidental details that usually make me giddily incredulous i m the type of casual royal watcher who has vague political opinions about inherited privilege but will neck a new tina Brown book like it’s a tasty mojito i watch new seasons of the Crown in a single sitting i have even googled “Princess Margaret wearing sunglasses young” Basically, i’m here for the drama So i find myself in an unusual position Harry s book is undoubtedly the biggest and most anticipated book release of 2023, offering a no-holds-barred look into the reality of his royal life and yet the thought of actually reading it? Oh god Now i’m not actually sure that i want to So far, the leaked excerpts of the book, which was accidentally published early in Spain, have been horrifyingly personal the more that emerges – Harry begging his father not to marry Camilla, Meghan accusing Kate of having baby brain – the more i feel a stress headache coming on the Queen’s death in September made a forthcoming book full of broadsides feel catastrophically timed, with the publication date not finally confirmed until the end of October But now Spare – really what a title –is about to come out, and i want to run and hide it’s not just the problem of oversaturation, although there is that the joke that Harry has broken his silence – “again” – is turning into a cliché this is the opposite of silence; a constant cacophony the appearances come thick and fast now with two major tV interviews for the book’s release, both heavily trailed with déjà vu-ish

quotes (“i don’t know how staying silent is ever going to make things better”) Last year ’s six-hour Netflix saga made me feel like i was stuck in a Groundhog Day of softly lit petty grievances and dramatic but vague claims “i had to do everything i could to protect my family,” said Harry i was being fed to the wolves said Meghan We saw a couple who seemed paralysed by bitterness, who had overplayed their hand and overestimated the public s interest in them in my review of the second volume, i feared they’d made a Faustian pact, destined to only garner attention by criticising the royal family the very institution they d wanted to escape J u d g i n g b y e a r l y i n s i g h t s i n t o t h e c o n t e n t s o f Spare, this seems to be continuing – and it all just feels t o o p r i v a t e t h e r e s a n u n e a s y s e n s e o f b e i n g m a d e a v o y e u r t o a f a m i l y i n d e e p p a i n , i n a w a y w e d i d n ’t e v e r n e e d o r a s k t o b e S t o r i e s o f f i g h t s a n d f a l l o u t s m a y f a s c i n a t e u s , b u t i s u s p e c t m a n y w i l l s i m p l y w a n t to turn away as tolstoy wrote, “every unhappy family i s u n h a p p y i n i t s o w n w a y ” ; f e s t e r i n g f a m i l y r i f t s a r e a s c o m m o n a s t h e y a r e d i ff i c u l t , a n d a t t h i s p o i n t i d a s s u m e t h a t p r o u d r o y a l i s t s a n d s t a u n c h r e p u b l i c a n s a r e g e n e r a l l y u n i t e d b y t h e f a c t w e ’ d a l l q u i t e l i k e t o s e e t h e Wi n d s o r s h e a l in writing his own memoir Harry was perhaps inspired by his mother ’s collaboration with andrew Morton on the biography Diana: Her true Story, based on covertly recorded interviews with the princess it’s now been described as the closest thing we’ll ever get to her autobiography, but the context is quite different: unlike Harry, Diana was then still in the royal family married to their heir to the throne and unable to use her own voice in their Netflix documentary, Meghan, on one of the many occasions the couple used their own voices asked “When the stakes are this high, doesn’t it make sense to hear our story from us? But that s the thing with a lot of royal stories they’re low stakes glamourous soap operas full of unreal versions of real people, and most of us know that My own royal fascination basically comes from an interest in history gossip and nice dresses i’m not here to be a fly on the wall for a family therapy session Some may argue that the Crown is damaging to the royals – but we know that it mainly consists of nice-looking recreations of things on the public record, or imagined versions of things that aren’t

rt r o b e r T i n l a K e s h

Robert Inlakesh is a political analyst journalist and documentary filmmaker currently based in London, UK

F R O M T RU S T E D O U T L E TS L I K E T H E A P, TO C N N, A L L T H E WAY TO T H E TA BLO I D S, T H E R E I S L I T T L E C A R E FO R FAC T C H E C K I N G A N D J O U R N A L I S T I C I N T E G R I T Y

edItorIal

Independent J e s s i e T h o m p s o n

WSay that again they call each other Willy and Harold? Harry s necklace was ripped?! He

bowl!?!?!

pare is a step

far even

09 Business-26 January_Layout 1 1/25/2023 11:45 PM Page 1

corporate corner

Govt to facilitate investment in technoloGy, diGital ecosystem, says naveed Qamar

islamabad

i s l a m a b a

Privatisation Board meeting held

2 0 7 t h m e e t i n g o f t h e P r i va t i s a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n ( P C ) B o a r d wa s h e l d t o d ay ; Fe d e ra l M i n i s t e r / C h a i r m a n P r i va t i s a t i o n M r A b i d H u s s a i n B h ayo c h a i r e d t h e m e e t i n g Fe d e ra l S e c r e t a r y P r i va t i s a t i o n D r I ra m A K h a n , a n d s e n i o r o f f i c i a l s o f t h e m i n i s t r y w e r e a l s o p r e s e n t T h e B o a r d wa s b r i e f e d a b o u t t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n s t a t u s o f d i f f e r e n t d i r e c t i o n s i s s u e d b y t h e B o a r d i n i t s d i f f e r e n t m e e t i n g s T h e B o a r d s h o w e d i t s a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r t h e s t a t u s u p d a t e a n d d i r e c t e d t h e m a n a g e m e n t t o r e s o l ve t h e p e n d i n g i s s u e s b e s e t t i n g p r i va t i s a t i o n I t a l s o a d v i s e d t h a t o t h e r g ove r n m e n t d i v i s i o n s s h o u l d b e a p p r o a c h e d t o h e l p P r i va t i s a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n i n i t s w o r k T h e B o a r d d i s c u s s e d va r i o u s m a t t e r s o f i m p o r t a n c e i n c l u d i n g t h e p e n d i n g i s s u e s r e l a t i n g t o l i t i g a t i o n s i n d i f f e r e n t c o u r t s T h e a p p r ova l o f t h e P C B o a r d wa s a l s o s o l i c i t e d f o r t h e s p e c i a l a u d i t r e p o r t o n r e c e i va b l e s a s o n 3 0 - 6 - 2 0 2 2 o f P C s p r o c e e d s i n c l u d i n g t h e s t a t e m e n t o f a f o r e m e n t i o n e d r e c e i va b l e s T h e B o a r d p r o p o s e d t o f o r m a s u bc o m m i t t e e o f i t s m e m b e r s t o c o m e u p w i t h v i a b l e s o l u t i o n o f t h e m a t t e r i n c l u d i n g t o a s c e r t a i n t h e d u e a m o u n t s r e c e i va b l e f r o m o t h e r p a r t i e s p r

Foodpanda brings pharmaceutic

fE D E R A L Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar on Wednesday assured government’s full support to facilitate trade and investment in the field of technology and digital ecosystem

The minister was addressing on a USAID s U SPakistani Diaspora Conference on accelerating Silicon Investments in Pakistan Syed Naveed said that, getting the perceptive of the vibrant and well accomplished US Pakistani Diaspora of the Silicon Valley and of the local businesses and most importantly Government of Pakistan will certainly help in improving the technology and digital ecosystem of Pak-

istan The minister also congratulated USAID and OPEN Silicon Valley for initiating a Start up connect Program in Pakistan Syed Naveed said that investing in technology is critical to meeting Pakistan's goals, and that is why I am so pleased to hear that during today's conference, you highlighted the Diasporas

SAP highlights Impor tance of D ata Protec tion & D igital Transformation through C loud Migration for Businesses

Karachi p r

Saquib Ahmad, Country Managing Director, SAP Pakistan, recently held a discussion with the media for highlighting the role of cloud migration and the transformation that it will bring to businesses Cloud migration is essential to ensure digital transformation and manage applications and data in the most cost-effective, efficient, and secure IT environment

SAP has a strong presence in almost all business segments of Pakistan These digital solutions not only add ease of business and outreach but expedite the progress manifolds for their sheer evaluative data outlining the route forward most visibly

Saquib Ahmad while speaking on the essence of cloud migration and data backup for business enterprises, stated “The usage of technology by companies had changed in the postCOVID-19 situation It has now strengthened, making Cloud Computing the need of the hour Pakistani companies from big automakers to small-sized businesses are using the SAP software for the same SAP is also working with government institutions to create time-efficient processes with evaluative options for the best foot forward ” He elaborated on the strengths of SAP solutions for decision-making stating

“Highlighting successful behavioral trends with the right set of data is important for CEOs for best decisions SAP’s predictive analytics is the perfect and most viable tool for it

He further expanded on the flexibility of SAP which is a tailored solution provider for its customers Since the aim is to provide seamless digital transformation for organizations of all sizes, SAP ensures a unique solution to meet specific client needs to truly address the need of the business for growth and expansion When questioned on security issues, Saquib assured that the installation of software comes with the security paradigms in place SAP is strong with secure digital environment to combat cyber theft and fraudulent activities

He further said, “SAP Pakistan works with a clear vision to help the world run better and improve people s lives in the best possible ways SAP ensures a design and workflow that impacts the lives of the users (company and customers) most positively

Speaking of cloud solutions, he explained the infinite space available on the cloud and how companies need to make a focused migration to cloud solutions for the availability and security of data at all times Cloud solutions provide a stronger network and make it possible for users to work on the same project with fewer glitches

Traffic D ivision gets new office after 17 years

Traffic Division of Islamabad Capital Police has got its new office after 17 years as it was previously established in green belt in Sector F-8, Islamabad, a police public relations officer said He said that, with the special interest of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, Islamabad Capital Police Traffic get its office which is being shifted from Sector F-8 to Faizabad IGP Islamabad told that the F-8 residents were facing traffic congestion and parking issues due the traffic office which will now be solved adding that Capital Police Officer Safe City and Chief Traffic Officer Islamabad played an important role in the establishment of the new headquarters with the cooperation of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad The new traffic headquarters will be formally inaugurated by the Federal Minister of Interior The new office will have proper accommodation and other arrangements for police officials The shifting process will continue for a limited time period p r

pr

U Microfinance Bank (U Bank)and Pathfinder Group have entered into a strategic collaborationto utilize organizational strengths to offer digital financial services and other banking-related services to customers

The signing ceremony took place at the Pakistan Pavilion held on the sidelines of World Economic Forum 2023 in Davos - Switzerland, where the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Mr Kabeer Naqvi President & CEO – U Microfinance Bank and Mr Zarrar Sehgal, Chairman – Pathfinder Group, in the presence of Mr Ikram Sehgal Co-Chairman – Pathfinder Group, and other senior management members from both the organizations

Pathfinder

Group This gives us an opportunity to expand

ability to leverage investments in the technology sector to grow and modernize Pakistan

He observed that USAID is inking MOUs with the four Diaspora entities, who today are later signing partnership memoranda of understanding which will positively impact the development landscape of Pakistan Later he also thanked US Government on behalf of the Pakistan government for committing more than $ 200 million to date to support flood relief disaster resilience and flood security

Adding this includes their latest announcement of $100 million at the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva on January 9 At the end the commerce minister assured that his office is open for all to facilitate trade and investment in technology sector

C limate crisis has fur ther increased pover ty in Pakistan: Marri

Ms

While

Economist,

She

Minister apprised the WB delegation that smooth and seamless disbursement of cash assistant is an evolving process and BISP is introducing new cash disbursement method through individual Bank Accounts She informed that initially the initiative will be introduced

SECMC & Power Cement sign MoU to blend Thar Coal in cement manufacturing

KaRachi: Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) and Power Cement has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a trial run of Thar coal for cement production in their manufacturing unit The memorandum was signed by Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company CEO Amir Iqbal and Power Cement CEO Kashif Habib Under the MoU between the two entities, Power Cement will conduct a trial run of Thar coal for cement production in their kilns which will help them offset their demand for imported coal Commenting on this development, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company CEO Amir Iqbal said that Thar coal can turn around the short- and long-term economic crisis gripping the country In view of the extraordinary increase in the price of coal in the international market and the foreign exchange crisis in Pakistan p r

on their phone

C h a i r p e r s o n B I S P w h i l e e m p h a s i z i n g t h e e q u a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r t h e m a rg i n a l i z e d a n d v u l n e r a b l e s e g m e n t s o f t h e s o c i e t y s a i d t h a t t o e m p o w e r t h e t r a n s g e n d e r c o m m u n i t y, B I S P h a s b r o u g h t t h e m u n d e r B e n a z i r K a f a a l a t n e t w i t h o u t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t o f t h e P M T s c o r e F o r m a l l a u n c h i n g o f ‘ I n c l u s i o n o f Tr a n s g e n d e r C o m m u n i t y i n B I S P K a f a a l a t n e t ’ w i l l b e d o n e b y t h e e n d o f t h e c u r r e n t w e e k M r A m j a d Z a f a r K h a n S e n i o r S o c i a l P r o t e c t i o n S p e c i a l i s t l a u d e d t h e p r o g r a m m e w o r k e s p e c i a l l y d u r i n g t h e r ec e n t f l o o d s M r A m j a d f u r t h e r s a i d t h a t B I S P s a f e t y n e t s h a v e s u p p o r t e d t h e e c o n o m y i n m a n y d i ff e r e n t w a y s M o r e o v e r, W B r e p r e s e n t a t i v e M s M e l i s U G u v e n a p p r e c i a t e d v a r i o u s i n i t i a t i v e s o f B S I P f o r s o c i a l p r o t e c t i o n a n d u rg e d t h a t t h e s e e ff o r t s s h o u l d b e d o c u m e n t e d / p u b l i s h e d a t a l a rg e r s c a l e s o t h a t other countries from the developing nations can learn f r o m t h i s p r o g r a m m e

al produc ts, lab ser vices and teleconsultation to its c ustomers

islamabad

S TA F F r E p O r T

Shazia Marri, Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety (PA&SS) and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has said that Pakistan is among the most vulnerable and worst affected countries affected by the climate crisis despite of the fact that its contribution towards carbon emissions is less than 1%

speaking to a World Bank Delegation in Islamabad on Wednesday she vowed that we have to make Pakistan more resilient against the climate related disasters, which is increasing poverty in Pakistan A four member World Bank delegation comprising Amjad Zafar Khan Senior Social Protection Specialist Ms Melis U Guven, Lead

Zaineb Majoka, Social Protection Economist and Mr Gul Najam Jami visited Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to discuss various on-going initiatives and programmes Ms Marri has said that Pakistan and particularly the BISP highly value its partnership with the World Bank (WB) and the Bank has always supported Pakistan during the crisis

also welcomed the technical support offered by the World Bank for introducing Dynamic Registry Survey for BISP Beneficiaries

on pilot basis in some selected districts which will be further expanded to the whole of the country

This step will be a great leap towards financial autonomy of beneficiary women and they will also be able to plan their savings, the minister highlighted She also informed that BISP also intends to start SMS for beneficiaries so that they get their updated status through SMS

d: Federal Minister for Human Rights Mian Riaz

Hussain Pirzada chaired the 3rd meeting of inter-ministerial and inter-provincial steering committee for National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights pr

R a w a l p i n d i: AHZ Associates organized an educational expo on January 24, 2023 at Pearl Continental Hotel

Rawalpindi

SSP O perations holds meeting with admin officers of Police Stations

US averted Indo-Pak nUClear war: PomPeo

book published on Tuesday that India and Pakistan came close to nuclear war in 2019 and that US intervention prevented escalation “I do not think the world properly knows just how close the India-Pakistan rivalry came to spilling over into a nuclear conflagration in February 2019,” the likely future presidential contender wrote in Never Give an Inch his memoir of his time as Donald Trump’s top diplomat and earlier Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief India in February 2019 broke the precedent by launching alleged airstrikes inside Pakistan after blaming it for a suicide bombing that killed 41 paramilitary soldiers in the occupied Kashmir region Pakistan

Pompeo, who was in Hanoi for a

Cow dung protects from radiation, Indian cour t claims

NEW DELHI A F P

Houses made of cow dung are protected from atomic radiation such as nuclear blast fallout, an Indian court has claimed Cows are venerated as sacred creatures in much of India and authorities have cracked down hard on cattle slaughter in recent years in concert with Hindu nationalist groups The court in western Gujarat was ruling on the case of a Muslim man accused of smuggling a herd to kill them, which has been illegal under state laws Presiding judge Samir Vinodchandra Vyas said the 22year-old’s actions were “very disappointing” and sentenced him to life in prison after concluding that cow slaughter was the source of countless global problems “Every problem in the world will be solved on the day not a single drop of cow s blood falls on the ground,” said a copy of his ruling, made in late November but only published late last week It has been proved by science that even atomic radiation cannot affect houses made out of cow dung Drinking cow urine can cure many incurable diseases ” Hindu nationalist groups in India are vocal advocates of cow protection, campaigning against cattle slaughter with government support, and occasionally with deadly consequences “Cow vigilantes” have in recent years run Muslimowned abattoirs out of business and lynched people accused of involvement in cattle slaughter

But bovine-centric religious policies have led to unintended consequences, with stray cows no longer able to give milk or help plough fields now a common sight in villages and even on busy roads in big cities

India and Pakistan that neither

was preparing to go nuclear “No other nation could have done what we did that night to avoid a horrible outcome,” Pompeo wrote Pompeo, who wrote that Pakistan probably enabled the attack, said he spoke to “the actual leader of Pakistan,” then army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, in an allusion to the weakness of civilian governments

Pompeo at the time publicly defended India’s right to act In his book, Pompeo spoke highly of India and, unlike officials in New Delhi made no secret of his desire to see the South Asian nation confront China India was “the fulcrum of my diplomacy to counteract Chinese aggression,” Pompeo wrote calling India and the United States “natural allies ” India followed by Pakistan tested nuclear bombs in 1998 a watershed moment Then president Bill Clinton famously would say that Kashmir, divided between the two nations, was “the most dangerous place in the world ”

Grief grips A sian Americ ans af ter C alifornia mass shootings

LOS ANGELES

A F P

Asian Americans were reeling Tuesday after two mass shootings in California targeting members of their community left 18 people dead with the alleged gunmen in both cases being older men of Asian descent

The killings came in a span of just 48 hours so close together that California Governor Gavin Newsom was at a hospital meeting with victims of the first attack when he was pulled away to be briefed about the second

“It is said all the time: only in America,” a clearly exasperated Newsom told reporters Tuesday in Half Moon Bay

only in America Number one in gun ownership Number one in gun deaths It’s not even complicated he said

“What the hell is wrong with us, that we allow these weapons of war and large capacity clips out on the streets and sidewalks?”

Another shooting occurred overnight in Washington state, where a gunman killed three people at a convenience store in an act police said appeared to be random

The carnage prompted President Joe Biden to renew calls for Congress to act quickly on an assault weapons ban A group of senators on Monday reintroduced a federal assault weapons ban and legislation that would raise the minimum purchase age for assault weapons to 21

Biden also said he would be dispatching Vice President Kamala Harris to California in the wake of the shootings

“our hearts are with the people of California he said calling the massacres “devastating ”

Investigators were still probing the motives behind the two incidents, which stood out among the scourge of mass shootings in America both for the community im-

ChatGPt bot passes US law school exam

PARIS A F P

A chatbot powered by reams of data from the internet has passed exams at a US law school after writing essays on topics ranging from constitutional law to taxation and torts ChatGPT from openAI, a US company that this week got a massive injection of cash from Microsoft, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to generate streams of text from simple prompts The results have been so good that educators have warned it could lead to widespread cheating and even signal the end of traditional classroom teaching methods Jonathan Choi, a professor at Minnesota University Law School, gave ChatGPT the same test faced by students, consisting of 95 multiple-choice questions and 12 essay questions In a white paper titled ChatGPT goes to law school published on Monday, he and his coauthors reported that the bot scored a C+ overall

While this was enough for a pass the bot was near the bottom of the class in most subjects and “bombed” at multiple-choice questions involving mathematics

‘n o t A g r e At s t u d e n t’: “In writing essays ChatGPT displayed a strong grasp of basic legal rules and had consistently solid organization and composition,” the authors wrote But the bot often struggled to spot issues when given an open-ended prompt, a core skill on law school exams” officials in New York and other jurisdictions have banned the use of ChatGPT in schools, but Choi suggested it could be a valuable teaching aide

“overall, ChatGPT wasn’t a great law student acting alone,” he wrote on Twitter

pacted gun violence is usually seen as rare among Asians and Asian Americans and for the age of the suspects, 67 and 72

The nonpartisan Violence Project says 79 percent of mass shooters from 1966 to 2020 were under age 45 It says a mere 6 4 percent of mass shooters in that time were Asian

The Monday bloodshed occurred at two farms around Half Moon Bay, a rural coastal community south of San Francisco

San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said Tuesday that five men and two woman a mixture of Hispanic and Asian were killed, and that 67-year-old Half Moon Bay resident Chunli Zhao had been taken into custody

A semi-automatic handgun had been recovered

“The only known connection between the victims and suspect is that they may have been co-workers,” she said

All the evidence we have points to this being an instance of workplace violence ”

The San Francisco Chronicle reported a former co-worker had been granted a restraining order against Zhao over violent behaviour

“Mr Zhao said to me, today I am going to kill you Jingjiu Wang wrote in 2013 when the two worked

at a San Jose restaurant together

“He then took a pillow and started to cover my face and suffocate me ”

The small community of Half Moon Bay was on Tuesday struggling to come to terms with the mass shooting

“This is a tragedy, and to happen on the New Year,” Aily Li, whose family owns the China House restaurant, told AFP

Sophie Li, who works at Shiki Japanese Cuisine in the town, said guns were terrifying Without a gun we just argue But if you have a gun, it gives you more power and then something will happen she said “ Yo u d e a l w i t h p e o p l e w h o c a r r y a g u n a n d y o u n e v e r k n o w w h a t w i l l h a p p e n P e o p l e g o t s h o t , r i g h t ? ” v e n g e f u l : That tragedy unfolded as detectives in southern California were still probing what drove 72-year-old Huu Can Tran to shoot dead 11 people gathered for Lunar New Year on Saturday night at a suburban dance hall

Los Angeles County Sheriff robert Luna said Tran, who had been arrested decades earlier for unlawful possession of a firearm, fired 42 rounds in the attack in Monterey Park

But we expect that collaborating with humans language models like ChatGPT would be very useful to law students taking exams and to practicing lawyers ” And playing down the possibility of cheating, he wrote in reply to another Twitter user that two out of three markers had spotted the bot-written paper

“(They) had a hunch and their hunch was right, because ChatGPT had perfect grammar and was somewhat repetitive,” Choi wrote

new US rape lawsuit filed against boxer mike t yson

NEW YORK A F P

A woman in New York state has filed a civil suit against Mike Tyson, accusing the former boxing champion of raping her in a limousine in the early 1990s, according to court filings

The woman who asked the court to remain anonymous, filed her complaint in early January under a temporary New York state law allowing victims of sexual assault to seek civil damages regardless of the statute of limitations

Tyson spent three years in jail beginning in 1992 after being found guilty of raping model Desiree Washington, who was 18 at the time

In a short affidavit dated December 23 2022

the plaintiff states that she met the boxer at a nightclub “in the early 1990s,” then followed him into his limousine where he allegedly assaulted her before raping her

COVID -19 c ases in C hina substantially dropped in Jan: O fficial data

BEIJING

The number of CoVID-19 cases dropped significantly in China in the first month of 2023, according to data released on Wednesday by the disease control authority

Many of the data metrics have dropped below pre-optimization levels displaying a clear trend of recovery Daily visits to fever clinics reached 2 86 million on December 23 then dropped by 97 8 percent to about 63,000 on Monday, said a webpage posted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The number of hospitalized CoVID-19 patients across the Chinese mainland

dropped by 84 8 percent to 248,000 on Monday from 1 62 million on January 5 That of severe cases also dropped by 72 percent from 128,000 on January 5 to 36,000 on Monday

The number of daily deaths dropped by 79 percent from 4,273 on January 4 to 896 on Monday, the CDC data showed B A 5 2 i s t h e m A i n s u B-vA r i A n t

CDC said they had collected 10,165 virus samples from across the Chinese mainland since early December, over 70 percent of which belong to the omicron BA 5 2 sub-variant other sub-variants, like the BA 5 1, BA 2 76 and BN 1 3, each accounted for less than 0 4 percent

The second most popular sub-variant is BF 7 with a share of more than 28 percent

Beijing

More than 90 5 percent of the Chinese population have been fully vaccinated, up from 90 1 percent in August 2022

China’s health authorities have been trying to get more senior people vaccinated to reduce severe cases According to a recent CDC survey, 96 percent of senior people over 60 years old have been fully vaccinated while 92 percent are getting a boost dose

and Tianjin are the only two provincial areas that saw BF 7 as the dominant subvariant in this period s e n i o r p e o p l e A r e A l s o vA c c in At e d : Vaccination against CoVID-19 also saw progress, as more than 3 4 billion doses have been taken across the Chinese mainland

Fo r M E r US secretary of state Mike Pompeo wrote in a

shot down an Indian warplane, capturing the pilot

summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said he was woken up by an urgent call from a senior Indian official

He believed the Pakistanis had begun to prepare their nuclear weapons for a

strike India, he informed me, was contemplating its own escalation,” Pompeo wrote “I asked him to do nothing and give us a minute to sort things out,” Pompeo said Pompeo said that US diplomats convinced both

Djokovic crushes rublev to reach australian open semi-finals

no va k Djokovic delivered a masterclass Wednesday to race into the australian open semi-finals and edge closer to a 22nd Grand Slam title with a straight-sets thrashing of andrey Rublev

The Serbian was in the zone to blitz past the Russian 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 on Rod Laver arena and meets Tommy Paul for a place in Sunday’s final

The unseeded american Paul defeated countryman Ben Shelton 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4

“I cannot be happier with my tennis, honestly,” said Djokovic, after reaching a 10th semi-final at Melbourne Park only Roger Federer (15) and Jack Crawford (11) have been there more often “I’ve been playing very solid from the back of the court and I really love playing in these conditions and this court,” the 35year-old told Rod Laver arena

Some really close games that we had,” he added “andrey is a great opponent, great player I have tons of respect for him, one of the biggest forehands, quickest players on the tour

I knew what the game plan was and it

was important that I found my best tennis ”

Djokovic s quest for a record-extending 10th australian open title has been far from smooth, plagued by a left hamstring strain suffered en route to the title at adelaide this month

He struggled physically in the early rounds but was dominant during his fourth-round demolition of alex de Minaur and he showed few problems against Rublev

taimoor khan defends heav yweight title

ISlAMAbAD

Unseeded Magda Linette marched into her first Grand Slam semi-final on Wednesday and said it was a dream come true” after stunning former world number one karolina Pliskova 6-3 7-5 at the australian open

Linette continued flying the flag for Poland after the shock exit of world number one Iga Swiatek, taking 1hr 27min to set up a clash with aryna Sabalenka for a place in Saturday’s final “I’m so emotional, I can’t really believe it,” Linette said after the biggest win of her career

“It’s a dream come true I’m super grateful and happy Thank you for cheering and supporting I really needed this

“So we keep going I don’t want to get too excited because we are still in the tournament,” added the world number 45 who will break into the top 30 for the first time

There was plenty of on-court history between the two 30-yearolds, having met nine times before, with the Czech holding the advantage Pliskova, the 30th seed, won

victory for the red-hot favourite propelled him into a 44th Grand Slam semifinal to close the gap on Federer ’s all-time record of 46

In another astonishing record, he clocked a 26th consecutive match-win at the australian open to equal andre agassi’s open-era record for longest streak at the first Grand Slam of the year The signs were ominous for Rublev before the match even started

In contrast to Djokovic’s outstanding record in Melbourne, Rublev who was taken to five sets by Holger Rune in the fourth round came into the clash with a 0-6 record in Grand Slam quarter-finals after a shaky start when he served double fault to open proceedings, Djokovic quickly settled into a rhythm The Russian, who also sent down a double fault to start, struggled early on

His serving jitters persisted and when the Serb worked a break point at 2-1 he double-faulted again in response

Djokovic was on fire and raced to a 4-1 lead before converting a fifth break point to speed 5-1 clear and clinch the set in 39 minutes

Rublev had no answers to his precision and power

Djokovic continued in the same vein in the second set, grabbing his opportunity in game four after a 16-shot rally when Rublev blinked first with a backhand error another break left Rublev frustrated and castigating himself as he slumped two sets down

He took a bathroom break in between sets, but it didn’t work as Djokovic came out with more venomous shots and broke his serve in the opening game and never let up

Wo m e n ’s I P L f r a n c h i s e s fe t c h $ 5 7 2 m n fo r I n d i a n b o a r d

neW DelHI

The world’s most affluent cricket board India got further richer by $572 72 million after unveiling five franchises for an Indian Premier League-style T20 tournament for the women on Wednesday

Since 2018, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been staging a three-team Women s T20 Challenge along side the hugely popular IPL for the men and faced demands to start a full-fledged women s tournament

The owners of IPL’s Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore franchises are among the five entities that purchased teams in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) which will be played in March

The adani group made the highest bid of approximately $158 million to buy the ahmedabad franchise, while Capri Global Holdings Private Limited agreed to pay $92 84 million for Lucknow

Today is a historic day in cricket as the bidding for teams of

six of their first seven meetings up to 2017

But last year she required a final-set tiebreak to win at the US open, before Linette turned the tables, winning 6-4, 6-1 at the Billie Jean king Cup

It was Linette’s first last-eight match at this level, but you wouldn’t have known it as she coolly recovered from being an early break down against the big-serving Czech to take the first set in 35 minutes

‘ I w I l l n e v e r f o r g e t t h I s ’: I definitely stayed composed at the beginning because she had a really good break at the very start of the match said Linette

“I knew how tough it was going to be to break her back, so I just stayed really composed and I m really happy that when I had my chance I took it

“I’m glad that I managed to serve it out and then later on, when I had the opportunity to break her again, I took my chances ”

Pliskova had by far the greater experience in Slams and was making her fourth appearance in the australian quarter-finals

sabalenka battles past vekic into maiden australian open semi-final

aryna Sabalenka reached her maiden australian open semi-final with a battling 6-3, 6-2 victory over unseeded Donna vekic on Wednesday at Rod Laver arena in a 1hr 49min tussle

The Belarusian fifth seed, the highest-ranked player left in the draw will play another unseeded player Poland’s Magda Linette, for a place in Saturday’s final “It feels really special to be in the semi-finals here it was a tough match said Sabalenka competing in her first australian open quarter-final “I’m super happy with the win and it was so great to play here today, the atmosphere was unbelievable ” Sabalenka came into the match as many observers’ favourite for a first major She won the recent WTa adelaide International and had not dropped a set in 2023 in eight matches

The world number five had reached the US open semi-finals in each of the last two seasons and made the final four at Wimbledon in 2021

By contrast, 64th-ranked Croatian vekic, aged 26, has been working her way back to the top 20 after knee surgery two years ago that she thought might end her career It was only her second major quarter-final after the 2019 US open

But vekic had won five of the pair s six meetings including at the Tokyo olympics and in San Diego last october, and she was able to put fierce pressure on Sabalenka’s serve early on

The Belarusian withstood the onslaught, saving three break points to lead 2-1

She broke vekic to love for 3-1 but the Croatian got straight back on serve in the next game, securing it on the first of two more break points

vekic’s serve remained shaky and she had to save break points in each of her service games, not helped by seven double faults in her first three service games vekic tried to mix up her play, delicate drop shots and punishing forehand winners creating more openings on Sabalenka’s serve

inaugural WPL broke the records of the inaugural men s IPL in 2008,” tweeted BCCI secretary Jay Shah

This marks the beginning of a revolution in women’s cricket and paves the way for a transformative journey ahead not only for our women cricketers but for the entire sports fraternity

The BCCI has already sold the tournament’s media rights for the next five years to viacom 18 for $117 million which translates into a per-match-value of

$870,393

This is a historic moment for Indian cricket, and we are delighted to be a part of it,” said Nita ambani of Mumbai Indians, which also owns teams in men’s T20 tournaments in South africa and the United arab Emirates (UaE)

Former India captain Mithali Raj predicted exciting times for women’s cricket, while England batter Danni Wyatt and former australia all-rounder Lisa Sthalekar also took to Twitter to welcome the new tournament

But this version of Sabalenka, who has so often been unhinged by nerves in the past refused to buckle and edged ahead again before taking a decisive break to lead 5-3 vekic still had a chance to level as Sabalenka served for the set But she went just wide with an attempted forehand winner and Sabalenka prevailed 6-3 after a titanic 60-minute battle “I think just because I was calm and I kind of expect this game from her,” said Sabalenka, 24 So I was able to stay in the game no matter what So I think this was the key ”

Sabalenka had the momentum and put the vekic serve under more pressure at the start of the second set stretching out to a double break for 3-0 as the Croat’s double fault count soared to 12

on

But she

“She

only seven

obviously the serve was not great today at all ” The decisive moment came on Pliskova’s serve at 55 in the second set

The Czech dished up two double faults at 15-15 and followed with a forehand into the net, before Linette served out for a memorable victory Linette was proud of how she handled the pressure moments on a big stage When it was really tough on my serve she was getting very aggressive My first serve wasn’t always there,” said Linette

“I think I did really well not to panic and still stay in the rally and go for the shots when I had the chance ”

“I will never forget this,” said Linette That s you know the first time ever I’m breaking through “This will stay with me for life ”

Melbourne ag e n c i e S

S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistani Boxer, Taimoor khan knocked out aekkaphob auraiwan (Thailand) in the second round of the title bout and defended asian Boxing Federation Heavyweight title at Bangkok on Wednesday aekkaphob auraiwan could not stand against mighty punches from the defending champion The umpires stopped the fight immediately after auraiwan fell down Taimoor was announced the winner after which he has also qualified for World Boxing association Intercontinental championship

Melbourne a f p

She needed it to hold on in the second set at 3-3 when facing two break points

The 6ft 1in (1 86m) tall Pliskova had swept into the last eight without dropping a set, largely

the back of serving 28 aces, including 12 in her last-eight romp past China’s Zhang Shuai

managed

in a stuttering display against Linette committing a massive 36 unforced errors to her opponent’s 16

really made it difficult for me She really played well from the baseline I just didn t find any space in the court to go for my winners,” Pliskova told reporters

Melbourne S ta f f R e p o R t

Isl aMaBaD Court aPProves t wo-Day PhysICal reManD of PtI leaDer fawaD ChauDhry

aDistrict and Sessions court in the federal capital on Wednesday remanded Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry to Islamabad Police for two days on charges of sedition for “inciting violence against a constitutional institution

The PTI leader was arrested in the wee hours of the day from his residence in Lahore and was brought to Islamabad the same evening Separately, a magisterial court in Lahore Cantt had also approved Fawad’s transitory remand to the Islamabad police

A first information report (FIR) was registered at the Kohsar police station against Fawad on the complaint of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary Umar Hameed, registered under sections 153-A (promotion of enmity between groups), 506 (criminal intimidation), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief) and 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code

Police later presented him before judicial magistrate Naveed Khan at the district and sessions court in Islamabad’s F-8 area on Wednesday evening, where they asked for an eight day physical remand of the PTI leader

According to the text of the FIR, during a speech on Tuesday Fawad had said that the status of the ECP is the same as a “secretary”, adding that the “chief election commissioner signs documents like a clerk”

During the press talk, while strongly criticising the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as Punjab’s caretaker chief minister the PTI leader had also said that “those who are being appointed as the caretaker of [Punjab] government will be followed until they are punished”

According to Islamabad police, Fawad tried to ignite violence against the state institutions and aroused the sentiments of the people Fawa d ‘ a b d u c t e d ’ e a r ly m o r n i n g F r o m l a h o r e r e s i d e n c e: Fawad Chaudhry was picked up from his Lahore residence early Wednesday morning

Faisal Chaudhry, Chaudhry’s brother, said the “abductors” who arrived around 5:30 am did not inform their family of the charges or location of the arrestee

Faraz Chaudhry, the brother of Fawad, was also arrested from Jhelum hours later, the opposition party said The former minister ’s arrest comes after a first information report (FIR) was registered against him in the Kohsar police station in Islamabad on the complaint of the secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Umar Hameed

According to the complaint, Chaudhry made derogatory remarks about the commission likening it to a munshi (secretary) and suggesting that it follows orders from higher-ups, a reference to the military

It further claims that Chaudhry in a speech outside former prime minister Imran Khan’s house late on Tuesday, threatened the tribunal saying that “those who become part of the caretaker government [in Punjab] will be pursued until they are punished ”

The FIR cites sections 153-A (promotion of enmity between groups), 506 (criminal intimidation), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief) and 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC)

The Islamabad police later stated in a tweet that Chaudhry attempted to “incite violence against a constitutional institution and inflame the sentiments of the people”

The police further stated that the case will be processed as per the law l h c s u m m o n s i g s o F P u n j a b , i s l a ma b a d o v e r Fawa d ’ s a r r e s t: The Lahore High Court (LHC) summoned the police chiefs of the provincial capital and Islamabad over the failure of the interim Punjab government to produce Fawad Chaudhry senior vice president of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), who according to the party was “picked up” from outside his residence in the predawn hours of Wednesday

The order came after the advocate general of Punjab Chaudhry Jawad Yaqoob told the high court that Chaudhry whose “illegal” arrest was carried out by

unidentified individuals in four Hilux pick-up trucks without license plates, according to his brother was in the custody of the Islamabad police ‘ n o b a s i s F o r a n y c a s e a g a i n s t m e ’: During proceedings before judicial magistrate Naveed Khan at the district and sessions court in Islamabad’s F-8 area, Fawad said that there was no basis for any case against him

“1,500 policemen are standing outside [the court] and I was handcuffed despite being a lawyer in the Supreme Court,” he said, adding that he had been a federal minister in the past well

It is unfortunate that we are taking revenge against each other in politics,” he said Fawad requested to dismiss the case against him, arguing that if the case continues free speech would end in the country

The lawyer for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Fawad Chaudhry’s counsels both gave their arguments during the proceedings

The PTI leader was produced in the court in handcuffs the removal of which was requested by the lawyer

The investigative officer requested an eight-day physical remand for the PTI leader Fawad’s lawyers argued against the request for physical remand

“I never gave a speech but was addressing a media talk during which I was misquoted I am the spokesperson of the PTI and whatever I say is the party’s policy It is not necessary that what I say is my own personal opinion, he argued

The PTI leader said that he was not threatening the ECP members or their families, saying that he was merely explaining the matter

Fawad said that he was arrested by Lahore police, not the Islamabad police, who have his mobile phone in their possession He questioned why he was kept detained at a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) facility as he was not a terrorist

The ECP lawyer, during his arguments, said that the commission was a constitutional institution and had all the power to conduct elections in the country

“The ECP is being targeted under a well-thoughtout plan and the purpose of Fawad’s speech was to incite people he said

He criticised Fawad for targeting the families of the ECP members, saying that the PTI leader was promoting hatred against the institution

The lawyer said that the people behind the speech also needed to be identified adding that there was sufficient evidence in the media against the PTI leader

Por t charges being collec ted from impor ters despite waiver

The court later reserved the verdict on the police’s request for the physical remand pr ofIt

report

tea, medicines and other imported goods, to pay all charges which will lead to an

increase in prices of raw materials and the risk of inflation and food shortages

Due to the failure of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to issue letters of credit (LC) on time thousands of containers of imported goods were stuck at the port, against which the former president of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Mian Anjum Nisar, has also started a protest movement

Shahid Hussain, Senior Vice President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) a platform representing KP industries and businesses said that on the one hand traders are buying dollars from the open market at Rs 265, and, on the other, banks are taking the same dollar at Rs 228 to open

LCs As a result, traders and importers are facing a loss of millions of rupees

According to Hussain, goods worth Rs 108 billion are stuck at the Karachi port He said despite the announcement of waiving port charges, it is being collected from importers which is “unfair”, because traders in Pakistan had already been affected by the COVID-19 and various restrictions imposed by SBP

The Frontier Customs Clearing Agent KP President, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, told Profit that the government had failed to implement its decision of waiving port charges He said that various charges are being collected in dollars from more than 3,000 containers most of which are loaded with raw materials, food items, and Afghan transit trade goods

Data Protection Bill 2021 to be passed by the parliament soon; Commerce Minister

ISLAMABAD

A P P

Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar said that the promotion of Information Technology and data sciences are key to future challenges and soon the National Assembly will pass the Data Protection Bill 2021’, which will lead to the strengthening the IT and digital economy in the country

Federal Minister for Commerce, Syed Naveed Qamar said this while addressing the USAID and open Silicon Valley Conference on Acceleration Silicon Valley Technology Investment in Pakistan organized by USAID here

Naveed Qamar said that the country s youth bulge will prove to be an important source of human resources for information technology

He said that by equipping our youth with modern digital sciences, a new era of development in the IT sector will begin in the country

Naveed Qamar said that the government is working on a priority basis to increase the current export volume of the IT sector in the country Data Protection Bill 2021 to be passed by the parliament soon; Commerce Minister

He said that a boot camp and incubation center will be created so that digital manpower can be used in the development of this sector

He said that the government will encourage all the stakeholders to increase investment in the digital sector

Sarhadi added that traders are forced to pay extra in dollars to foreign shipping companies He said that after the arrival of the Taliban government in Afghanistan traders are unable to send dollars due to closure of banks in Afghanistan which is severely affecting our exports In this regard, Malakand Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammad Shoaib Khan said that the shipping corporation collects port charges while clearing containers as statements of federal ministers are only limited to public announcements Khan said that if the government s attitude towards industrialists does not change, there will be shortage of food items and a further increase in inflation during Ramadan

The minister said that the government will make all efforts to provide funding and a suitable environment in this regard Continuity of policies is needed for a stable national economy and hope that all political parties will agree to the ‘Charter of Economy National economy should be protected from political ups and downs, the minister said adding that in order to increase exports in the IT sector, “we need academia-industry linkage, which must be implemented

On this occasion, Secretary Board of Investment (BOI) Mr Asad Rehman Gilani said we welcome investors by facilitating IT investment in Pakistan ” He said the government provides all facilities including one window operation to foreign investment in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Special technology Zones (STZs) in the country

Secretary BOI said the government also provides facilities to other sectors to encourage investment in this sector so that domestic exports can increase

On this occasion, in various sectors including IT and health worth $15 million agreements were signed to increase foreign investment in the country and floodaffected areas

I m ra n s ays Faw a d ’s a r r e s t p a r t o f ‘g r e a t e r p l a n t o r i g b y - p o l l s’

ISLAMABAD s tA f f r e P o r t

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan Wednesday termed party leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain’s arrest “a part of plan to rig elections”

In a televised address from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore, he said that PTI workers were being arrested and there are plans in place against his party saying that the caretaker setup was also a part of this plan

Imran said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had no vote bank in Karachi but won the local government elections from there as it was a part of “the grand plan”

Imran said that PTI expected judiciary to protect its fundamental rights “I salute the judge who repeatedly asked to produce Fawad in court but he wasn’t,” he added

Questioning why the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) chose Mohsin Naqvi as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab, he said that it is the electoral body’s responsibil-

ity to hold free and fair elections in the country as per Article 218(3) of the Constitution

“Did you not know about his background? Did you not know he had a major role in regime change operation [against PTI]? He was very active to oust us His channel was also involved in propaganda against us ”

Imran said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also conducted an inquiry against Naqvi and he had returned Rs3 5 million He said that as opposed to the candidates given by the government PTI had given “neutral candidates” with good reputations

The former PM said that the current regime wanted to silence him, therefore, it was taking steps against his party What had Azam Swati done? What he tweeted was his opinion They stripped him naked Made an objectionable video of him he added

“I do not fear jail I fear nothing I have seen death very closely I believe in the almighty I also ask others not to be afraid of prison,” he

said and added that till the last day he is alive, he will keep fighting for the country

Talking about journalist Arshad Sharif ’s murder, Imran said that every kid in Pakistan knows he was the most credible journalist in Pakistan”

I will fight till the last ball I will fight against them till my last breath I never fear jail I am a free person [and] I will never accept slavery

The former premier said that there were two segments in Pakistani society and the interests of one which was in minority did not align with the country’s interests “There are two segments of Pakistani society One is corrupt and loots everything They flee the country when it is in trouble Stake of this segment is not aligned with Pakistan But there is another segment which is in majority and its life depends on Pakistan ”

Imran said that he thought that the institutions will never back those who have nothing to do with this country “But unfortunately they backed those who ousted

our government Just Google what our own institutions brought to the fore against these people,” he added

Criticising the government for making a mess of the economy, Imran said that the way it is being handled, the system will stop

working entirely

During

ISLAMABAD s tA f f r e P o r t