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Monday, 29 January, 2024 i 17 Rajab, 1445

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LAHORE/ISLAMABAD/KARACHI Staff RepoRt

S the general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024 draw nearer, the political parties, especially the major parties, have intensified election campaign with public meetings, corner meetings, rallies and door to door canvassing. Both the PML-N and the PPP organized large gatherings in the country on Sunday, but the PTI’s rallies were thwarted by police in different cities.

With less than two weeks to go until the February 8 general elections, all the political parties applying different methods to drum up support for the their electoral victories.

On the other hand, the Election Commission of Pakistan has been finalizing all-out arrangements for the conduct of the elections in a peaceful and transparent manner. Security arrangements have been completed with arrival for deployment of Army personnel at sensitive polling stations.

Yesterday, the electoral watchdog carried out ‘successful’ trial run of the Election Management System (EMS) and initiated various other measures to ensure that the elections are held in free and fair manner.

Rs 15.00 | Vol XIV No 208 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Nawaz Sharif vows to contain inflation, unemployment ‘after coming to power’ SIALKOT

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday promised to contain inflation and unemployment after coming to power. Addressing a massive public gathering at Jinnah Stadium Sialkot, the PML-N supremo said that his party would put the country back on the path to development and prosperity and remove the darkness forever if people voted it to power. The ex-prime minister said that his party would make an all-out effort to get the country out of crises.

He asked the people to compare his tenure as a prime minster with the situation after his ouster. ‘’My government was toppled without any reason. We ourselves dragged our country to the quagmire. If the development and policy of our era had continued, the country’s economy would not have been in this condition today,” he added.

Nawaz Sharif expressed empathy for the youth, stating that he loved them and was saddened that they were unemployed. He attributed this unemployment to the former PTI government and said if Nawaz Sharif’s gov-

ernment had continued, no youth would have been unemployed today. The PML-N supremo blasted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for plunging the country into an inflation and unemployment ditch after his ouster. “I loved the young generation and will take steps for their betterment,” he maintained.

The former prime minister said that the PMLN government would provide laptops to youths because it was important to uplift the young generation to put Pakistan back on the prosperity track. “We will provide loans to our youths for a period of 20 years so that they can stand on their own feet and earn respectable employment.

To make the youth skilled, providing them with better employment opportunities, attracting the younger generation to the field of information technology, providing them with laptops like the past are all part of our manifesto, which will be implemented,” he added.

Nawaz Sharif said that with the support of the people, his party would make Pakistan prosperous, with employment in every house.

Nawaz Sharif said that in 2017 roti (bread) was available at Rs4 and now it costs Rs. 25, petrol was available at Rs. 65 per liter which is now Rs 260 per litre, similarly sugar was available at Rs.50 per kg which now costs Rs.150 per kg.

Zardari says only political forces can ‘cure country’s ailments’ HUB

Constitutional reforms promised as PTI unveils election manifesto ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Staff RepoRt

Former President and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari reiterated on Sunday that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) would give the people of Balochistan their due share and dignity, emphasizing that only “genuine political parties” could solve the problems faced by the country.

Addressing an election rally in Hub district of Balochistan, Zardari said that PPP is a federal party, which deemed serving the people as worship, according to a statement issued by Media Cell Bilawal House. He said that all the problems faced by the country could be solved through democracy, adding that “What can be done with democracy, cannot be done in the war.” He said that despite being a victim of grave injustices, the PPP never spoke of taking up arms.

“Yes, [we] talked about fighting on the streets, holding rallies, (and) fighting for democracy around the world, including Pakistan,” he added. He said Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto raised the flag of democracy and was elected prime minister twice. “I also followed in her (Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s) footsteps and elected my prime minister and became president myself,” he added.

Zardari said that although there is no perfect democracy in the country even now, but it gradually

He said that the Pakistan of 2017 was better or is it better in 2024? “Everything has been made expensive; bills are too high to pay; prices of bread and petrol have been increased; how much oppression has been done to the nation. I can bear the atrocities and sufferings done to me, but I can never bear the injustice done to my people,” he added.

The PML-N supremo said that the Sialkot-

Lahore Motorway was also built during the regime of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). “This motorway is not of the quality that I wanted to build. If people give us a chance to serve, I will do it better and start an excellent train project from Sialkot to Lahore so that the people of Sialkot can run their business in a better way and increase foreign exchange for the country,” he maintained.

Nawaz Sharif said that Sialkot is a city of faithful people which has a unique identity not only in the country but the whole world. “My political comrades from Sialkot always supported me and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and stood by us in every hardship.

“Among them are Khawaja Mohammad Asif, his late father Khawaja Mohammad Safdar, Rana Shamim Ahmed Khan, Vario family, the late Syed Iftikhar-ul-Hassan (Zahray Shah) and now his daughter Nosheen Iftikhar; Ali Zahid Hamid and his father are on the forefront. Khawaja Asif was my classmate and ties with the Khawaja family of Sialkot are over 5 decades old,” Nawaz Sharif said.

PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz also addressed the rally and said that the people of Sialkot had always honored the party for which they were grateful to them.

strengthens. Describing Balochistan’s progress in democracy, he said that those who take up arms need to be explained. He pointed out that during his tenure, the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Program was introduced.

“I gave Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, apologised to Balochistan, took as many steps as I could. I got people released from jails, and tried to be our friends and come back considering Pakistan as their country,” he added.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Sunday launched its election manifesto with party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan saying that they have been denied a level playing field. The party chairman also lamented the ‘harassment’ of the party’s candidates, calling “such tactics are against the law and the Constitution, and are akin to obstructing the people.” “If every day you obstruct the will of the people, what will and can we predict about February 8,” said Barrister Gohar.

He requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure equal rights for all. “The equal rights are not just for parties, but also for all candidates.” He added that the PTI is the “country’s largest political party” and yet is it is not being allowed to campaign for the upcoming polls.

PTI’S MANIFESTO Revealing the party’s manifesto, Barrister Gohar said if PTI comes into power again, they will make constitutional amendments to change how the prime minister is elected. The party intends to have the country’s premier directly elected by the people and the term of the assemblies will be changed from five years to four years. Gohar also promised to form a truth and reconciliation commission to address the injustices faced by the common man. Reiterating the party’s slogan of bringing change, he added that a glo-

rious future and getting rid of the inadequacies of the past is the new manifesto of PTI. “Our manifesto is one nation, one law, equality for all as there cannot be two laws in one country.”

He said the PTI insists on the rule of law, and whether criminal or civil, the laws of the country are “outdated”. Gohar further said the party will protect the fundamental rights of the people by bringing changes to criminal law and introducing a new system for investigations.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Can a premature rate cut threaten the rupee’s stability?

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The rupee remains vulnerable to external and domestic risks PROFIT

MaRiaM UMaR faRooq & ahtaSaM ahMad

As the country draws closer to the date of its 16th general elections on February 8, 2024, all eyes are set on the political scene, with the public anxiously anticipating the outcome of these contentious polls.

However, preceding this event is the first meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in 2024 scheduled for Monday, January 29, where the fate of the policy rate will be decided.

The government is facing significant pressure from the private sector to reduce rates; however, according to experts, the necessary prerequisites for a rate cut have not yet been met.

Profit has covered the rate outlook in its article: Has the policy rate peaked or will the SBP wait out an impending round of inflation?

Adding to the predicament is the inflation outlook which is still uncertain given the external and domestic economic and political landscape.

The dicey situation feeds into speculation around the rupee’s value. While over the last three months, the rupee has gradually appreciated, the downside risk pertaining to the currency remains high in the near term, as highlighted by the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) first review under the Stand By Arrangement (SBA).

THE FOREX MARKET Pakistan avoided a default by securing a last-minute staff-level agreement from the IMF for a SBA on June 30, 2023. At the

time, the country’s forex reserves plummeted to approximately $ 4.5 billion, covering not even a month’s worth of imports.

However, the currency market had other plans, as even after the disbursement of the much needed funds, speculators ran rampant and the rupee lost significant value, breaching the Rs 300 mark. This trend was curbed in September 2023, as a nationwide crackdown on speculators led to a sharp correction in the market.

This action was also necessitated by the fact that the IMF SBA required Pakistan to maintain the gap between the interbank and open market rates at a maximum of 1.25%.

The idea behind this condition is simple: the IMF suspected that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in the past has been coercing the banks into keeping the dollar rate artificially low in the interbank market. The IMF was apprehensive about this intervention, as it encouraged imports and discouraged exports, worsening the dollar reserve situation.

Therefore, post corrective measures, the rupee gained value significantly and the exchange rate outlook remained positive in the short run. The exporters also became cognizant of the trend and ran to the forward market to hedge their risk.

By selling the forward contracts, exporters can lock in a specific exchange rate for their future export transactions. This allows them to protect themselves against potential upward movements in currency exchange rates.

This trend continued through September and October of 2023, and slightly picked up in early January of 2024. However, since

then, the forward market has dried out as the short run expectation is that the rupee will stabilize around the current Rs 280 mark against the greenback.

THE EXTERNAL SITUATION The SBP reserve situation has gradually improved, as post the signing of the SBA in July, multilateral and bilateral flows have been unlocked, easing the liquidity situation.

The current reserves levels are around $ 8.3 billion after the disbursement of the latest IMF tranche. “Recently, the rupee has been stable with the current account remaining in the manageable range, even turning surplus in the last few months. Moreover, the latest

tranche received from the IMF helped boost reserves, resulting in the rupee remaining stable”, remarked Sana Tawfik, deputy head of research at Arif Habib Limited.

According to the IMF’s latest review report, the open market premium has largely been eliminated, although interbank trading volumes have weakened significantly in recent months. Even though import payments, repatriation of dividends and profits have picked up, nonetheless, concerns about insufficient foreign exchange via banks amongst businesspeople and foreign investors persist.

The reserve situation is a key driver in

the rupee stability. To maintain this equilibrium, banks have been instructed by the central bank to match the export receipts and import payments. Additionally, there are still restrictions on import of certain items, and repatriation of profits has not been fully restored.

“While Pakistan has been able to achieve a nearly balanced current account since August 23, it is a result of administrative measures where banks have been asked to match their import related USD needs with export proceeds,” read a report by Akseer Research.

SO WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE RUPEE? Analysts have cautioned against unfavourable developments which could reduce SBP’s foreign reserves. These include the inability to secure a fresh IMF program, and delayed support from friendly countries backed by changing geopolitical preferences. This would likely negatively impact investor confidence in the country’s macroeconomic outlook.

In its outlook for 2024, JS Global labeled the Pakistani rupee as the poster child of risks cautioning that any adverse move on international commodities, IMF, or inflation will reflect in the value of the rupee.

As per Tawfik,“Going forward, as demand picks up so does import, which we believe would still be in a managed way along with debt repayments. This is likely to put some pressure on the Pakistani rupee. We expect that the rupee might hover in the range of 310-315 per USD by June 2024.

Any further inflows from multilateral creditors, however, will provide a breather.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

02 NEWS

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FROM PP-35, SONS ARRESTED IN MAY 9 CASES

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WAZIRABAD

Staff RepoRt

OLICE on Sunday arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed independent candidate from PP-35 Chaudhry Muhammad Yousaf along with his sons in connection

PPP expresses concern over tearing up penaflexes in Bannu, Daska arrests

with the May 9 riots case.

Chaudhry Muhammad Yousaf and his brother-in-law were arrested from DC Colony of Gujranwala. Police said Yousaf and his sons were wanted in the May 9 riots case.

The countrywide protest broke out on May 9 after the former prime minister was taken into custody on the premises of the Is-

The People’s Party in a letter to election commission, has expressed concern over tearing up of the party’s penaflexes in Bannu, NA-39 and arrest of party workers in Daska, reported on Sunday. In-charge PPP’s central election cell Taj Haider in a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan has written that “Benazir Bhutto’s pictures have been allegedly torn by the JUI workers in Bannu.” He demanded of the ECP to direct the administration to take action against culprits. “Three party workers have been illegally detained in NA-73 Daska,” the letter read. “The workers have been arrested from the party’s Seeranwali election office”. “The officials in police uniform vandalized the election office and damaged furniture and other material,” the letter read. He said the DPO and DSP Daska have refused to release the arrested political workers, adding that the police openly supporting the PML-N candidate. “The police harassment could result in a law-and-order situation,” Taj Haider wrote in the letter. Staff RepoRt

Bikeathon in Karachi raises awareness against women’s harassment KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

A Bikeathon was held in the port city on Sunday to raise awareness about street harassment faced by women and girls in the country. At least 120 cyclists participated in the event. Bikeathon, an event in which participants ride cycle a long distance, was organised by Aahung, a Karachibased non-governmental organisation working for the promotion of women’s rights and health.

Multiple biking groups cycled from Hotel Metropole (Shahra-e-Faisal), following the designated route, to Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim (Seaview) to raise awareness for the prevention of street harassment faced by women and girls. The event was held with the slogan “Exercising her right to public spaces”. It was participated by people of all ages from 10 to 60. They were happy about their participation in the rally and expressed their desire to play their role in bringing about change in society. A female participant who’s also a student of Food Science and Technology, Uroosa said sometimes when they cycled on the roads and were left behind, they feared that someone might pass a comment on them as harassment cases are on the rise in the metropolis. Another participant said she started cycling a few months ago and it was the first time she participated in a bikeathon. Bikeathon rally organiser, Aahung Communications Manager Aamna Altaf said the incidents of women’s harassment were multiplying in the country for which suitable action was required.

district, was wanted by Sarwar Road police in a case related to vandalism on May 9 riots, that were triggered across the country after the arrest of the former prime minister in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The police said the presence of Naqeebullah was confirmed at Jinnah House during vandalism with the help of geofencing.

China tops renewable energy growth index, Pakistan to achieve 30% renewable energy target ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

lamabad High Court in the Al-Qadir Trust ‘corruption’ case.

The violent protestors also attacked Corps Commander House in Lahore and other military installations.

Separately on January 15, Lahore police arrested another suspect involved in the May 9 riots. Naqeebullah, a resident of Bajaur

Staff RepoRt

The United Nations (UN) celebrated the first International Day of Clean Energy, and China was recognized for achieving the highest growth in renewable energy among all countries.

Gwadar Pro quoting a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), stated that the amount of renewable energy capacity added to energy systems around the world grew by 50% in 2023, reaching almost 510 gigawatts (GW), with solar PV accounting for three-quarters of additions worldwide.

The largest growth took place in China, which commissioned as much solar

PV in 2023 as the entire world did in 2022, while China’s wind power additions rose by 66% year-on-year.

The increases in renewable energy capacity in Europe, the United States, and Brazil also hit all-time highs.

Another report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CRECA) indicates that clean energy was the largest driver of China’s economic growth in 2023, accounting for all of the growth in investment and a larger share of economic growth than any other sector.

Clean energy contributed a record ¥11.4tn ($1.6tn) to China’s economy in 2023, which is almost as large as total global investments in fossil fuel supply in 2023. China’s contribution to global re-

newable energy capacity growth was over 50% in 2023, indicating that it played a vital role in the world’s development of clean energy, the report says.

China has been investing in Pakistan’s energy sector for several years now, with a focus on coal and hydropower projects.

However, it has also invested in renewable energy projects in Pakistan.

China Three Gorges Corporation, a Chinese state-owned power company, has funded and built three wind projects with a combined capacity of nearly 150 MW in Jhimpir. In addition, China has also invested in hydroelectric power projects in Pakistan.

Speaking at the conference yesterday on “Stocktaking Pakistan’s Renewable Energy Progress 2024”, Pakistani experts and

Fog continues to disrupt flight operations in Pakistan PESHAWAR

Dense fog in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) continued to disrupt flight operations in Peshawar on Sunday, CAA sources said.

As per details, four domestic flights were cancelled and four others were diverted from Peshawar to Islamabad for landing due to dense fog. Several Peshawar-bound flights including PK 286 from Doha, PK 218 from Abu Dhabi, PK 260 from Muscat and PK 284 from Dubai were diverted to Islamabad amid dense fog. Where flight operation was completely restored in Islamabad, Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad and the flights are operating as per routine in these cities. The dense fog has blanketed parts of Pakistan especially Punjab, disrupting air, rail and road traffic and resulted in loss of life in several road accidents as well.

Earlier, at least three people lost their lives after a poultry supply truck rammed into the trailer truck parked on the roadside near New Kacheri Road, Multan, due to the dense fog and low visibility. A traffic accident was reported from Multan

FAISALABAD

The Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) has intensified its crackdown on electricity theft, with 20 more culprits apprehended in the last 24 hours.

Tahir Sheikh, the spokesperson for FESCO, reported that the operation spanned 6 circles within the FESCO region, resulting in the identification of over 32,000 detection units and fines totaling more than 13 lakh 15 thousand.

As part of the ongoing special campaign against electricity theft in the FESCO region, a total of 5748 electricity thieves have been nabbed, accumulating more than 139 lakh detection

PESHAWAR

in which three people were killed, while two others sustained injuries. The rescue officials shifted the injured individuals to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital for medical assistance. Last week, two passenger vans and a trailer truck met with an accident on the national highway due to dense fog, resulting in the loss of two lives, including a woman.

According to the details, more than 15 individuals, including women and children got injured while two others died in a tragic accident on the national highway.

units. Substantial fines amounting to over 63 crore 74 lakh have been imposed on these culprits, with 4641 arrests made. The recovered amount from these electricity thieves has exceeded 44 crore 54 lakh.

Breaking down the statistics for specific districts, Tahir Sheikh provided detailed insights into the success of the crackdown. In district Faisalabad, 1850 electricity thieves were identified, resulting in more than 43 lakh detection units and fines exceeding 19 crore 61 lakh. District Bhakkar witnessed 618 electricity thieves being caught, leading to fines of over 19 lakh 32 thousand detection units and 7 crore 68 lakh. Similarly, Chiniot district saw 543 electricity

The first snowfall of the winter season in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has painted tourist destinations in a picturesque white, attracting visitors to marvel at the enchanting landscapes. Popular spots such as Kalam, Chitral, Malam Jabba, Naran Kaghan, Guliyat, and other upper areas have transformed into winter wonderlands, heralding the onset of tourism activities.

Muhammad Saad, the spokesperson for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Authority on Sunday, high-

lighted the initiation of tourist influx to these snow-clad destinations. Tourism police personnel have been deployed to ensure the safety and comfort of visitors. Saad emphasized that tourists should take necessary precautions, including using chains on vehicles, and stay informed about the current conditions at tourist locations.

The tourism helpline at 1422 remains operational 24/7 to assist travelers.

Meanwhile, in Peshawar, the dry winter spell was broken with rain, providing relief to citizens who had endured an extended period of dry cold. The Meteorology Department reported increased humidity in areas like Inner City,

ECP finalizes arrangements to provide information about polling stations Staff RepoRt

FESCO nabs 20 culprits in 24-hour operation Staff RepoRt

thinktank suggested that the developments at COP28 and the 3rd Belt and Road Forum are a clear indication that renewables are not only environmentally friendly but make a much better economic scenario.

As a close friend and neighbor, Pakistan can benefit significantly from China’s renewable energy development, especially since the energy crisis remains one of the top issues of Pakistan’s economy. Moreover, there is potential for enhancing technology sharing and its transfer.

Pakistan has set an ambitious target of achieving 30% renewable energy in power generation by 2030. Therefore, China’s experience and expertise in renewable energy could be beneficial for Pakistan in achieving this target.

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

thieves penalized with over 17 lakh 44 thousand detection units and a fine exceeding 7 crore 47 lakh.

In district Khushab, 186 electricity thieves faced fines amounting to more than 446 thousand detection units and over 2 crore 28 lakh. District Mianwali recorded 761 electricity thieves with more than 15 lakh 53 thousand detection units and fines exceeding 7 crore 12 lakh. Meanwhile, in Sargodha district, 623 electricity thieves incurred fines of more than 12 lakh 80 thousand detection units and over 6 crore 21 lakh.

Lastly, Toba district reported fines totaling more than 9 lakh 52 thousand detection units and over 4 crore 99 lakh imposed on 420 electricity thieves.

Tourists flock to KP as snowfall blankets scenic spots Staff RepoRt

Monday, 29 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

Hayatabad, Kohat Road, among others. While the rain alleviated the dry conditions, it also contributed to a rise in respiratory illnesses. Citizens, previously grappling with the harsh dry cold, faced challenges such as nose and throat ailments.

Weather forecasters noted that regions like Hangu and Orakzai, experiencing light rains after a prolonged dry spell, are continuing to receive intermittent showers. Additionally, snowfall has commenced in Neelam Valley, adorning the mountains with a pristine white layer. The combination of rain and snow has brought about a pleasant and cool atmosphere in the region.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finalized arrangements to provide comprehensive information about polling stations through SMS to 8300 starting tomorrow. According to a report on Sunday, from tomorrow onwards, voters can acquire their voting information by sending their National Identity Card number via SMS to 8300. This service enables each voter to know the name of their assigned polling station and other related voting details. The spokesperson highlighted that there is a service fee of two rupees per SMS for this facility. The Election Commission of Pakistan has made arrangements to inform the public about their votes and polling stations through the 8300 SMS service starting from Monday. The voters need to send their National Identity Card number to 8300 to receive their voting information. The charges for this service are two rupees per SMS.

Section 144 imposed in Mardan and Haripur MARDAN, HARIPUR Staff RepoRt

Deputy commissioners of Mardan and Haripur imposed Section 144 in their districts on Sunday and ordered all political parties to seek prior permission for holding political rallies. A spokesman for the Mardan district administration said an executive order was issued as per the directives of the high court and Supreme Court of Pakistan. The district administration warned that strict action will be taken against the violators.

SECTION 144 IN DISTRICT HARIPUR In the light of instructions issued by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) home department, the administration of district Haripur has imposed section 144 across the district so that what it says peaceful elections could be ensured. According to the notification issued by the deputy commissioner Haripur, there will be a complete ban on the display of all kinds of weapons (including licensed) until further orders. Likewise, taking out rallies and holding public gatherings will also be prohibited, and no political party will be allowed to organize any such event without the prior permission of the district administration; otherwise, action will be taken against the organizers.

Unpleasant surprises and technical glitches City NoteS M.a. Niazi HE caretakers seem to spend their time being unpleasantly surprised.

One big surprise was how they got missiles thrown at Balochistan, at a Jaish-i-Adl camp, though the people killed included a little girl. Baloch women have been active, one having blown herself up in Karachi at the Confucius Institute in the University there. I’ve not heard of any active in Iran, though.

There was the response, to a missile attack on Baloch nationalist camps in Iran. It seems there are two movements, one of Baloch separatists inside Iran, and another of those within Pakistan. There are two organizations within Pakistan, which means that they will probably fight one another until one is left standing.

At least, that’s how the story has gone wherever there’s been a decolonization.

Baloch separatists claim that they’re colonized. But I’m not sure that there being two

T

separatist movements is very efficient. This division makes it likely that a sort of Somalia-like solution is envisaged. Your know, there were two Somali lands, one Italian and one Brish, but they obtained independence in 1960 as one country, Somalia. Just to add to the excitement, France also took control of a small portion of land inhabited by Somalis, which was known as French Somaliland, but became independent as Djibouti in 1977. If you ask me, the best thing the Baloch could do is maintain the status quo.

Another problem that has been revealed is that the Iranians can’t really be depended on. I mean, both in 1965 and 1971, theory said they wouldn’t attack us, meaning we could move the forces on its border east.

But now we can’t be sure, can we.

Anyway, after that unpleasant surprise, which was perhaps as much of a surprise for the Iranian government, was the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya for the Ram temple emerging at the site of the Babri Mosque, demolished in 1992. Just because the ceremony was held, doesn’t mean the Temple is complete. It’s just been opened for worshippers. Construction is

going to go on for decades.

That’s about par for Hindu temples.

There’s the Meenakhi Amman temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, which was sacked by an invading army in 1311, but was reconstructed, expanded and generally revised over the next 300 years. Just to keep temple builders hopeful, the BJP has got some immediate targets, where they claim mosques have been built on temple sites, like the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, the Taj Mahal itself, or the Mathura Idgah, which it is claimed was built in 1670, after the city was conquered by Aurangzeb in 1670.

Interestingly enough, the Muslims didn’t build a mosque on the site of the Somnath Temple, which is in Gujarat. The ruins there continued until after Independence, and a temple was built in the 1950s. The Mathura case is going to be a hot-button issue, because it also is supposed to a Janambhoomi, just like the Babri Mosque. That was supposed to be the birthplace of Ram, while the Mathura Idgah is supposed to be the birthplace of Krishna. There are already three temples there, but that doesn’t seem enough.

Babri Mosque was probably only the

first. There are 600,000 active mosques in India. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Sangh Parivar was to find that every single one was built on a demolished temple, which will need to be rebuilt. Apart from being part of the Sangh Parivar and pracharks Preachers) of the RSS, I would expect temple builders, or anyone involved in temple construction (like sculptors), to contribute heavily to the BJP. Back at home, one of the issues that doesn’t seem to be going away is that of Imran Khan’s Economist article. PTI enthusiasts are claiming that the article was written

by Imran, and the PML(N) was just jealous that he could write the article, while Mian Nawaz couldn’t. They were careful not to say that Imran was brighter than Mian Shehbaz. Nor did they mention Usman Buzdar, who does not rely on AI to write articles, but does it with his feet. That is something he has kept doing, whether or not he is in the PTI. Of course, Buzdar is no help to the PTI’s recent rally, which was supposed to be online, but which caused Internet speeds to fall precipitously. The government said it was because of a technical glitch. The PTI is not yet a terrorist, otherwise mobiles would be jammed.

NEWS 03

CHINESE TECHNOLOGICAL COLLABORATION EMPOWERS PAKISTAN MOBILE INDUSTRY

Monday, 29 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

I

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

N 2023, Pakistan manufactured or assembled 21.28 million mobile sets, according to the latest data from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

Additionally, the country imported 1.58 million mobile phones during the same period, Gwadar Pro reported on Sunday.

A thorough analysis of the data reveals

Outbreaks of measles in Upper Kohistan carefully monitoring: Secretary Health

that around 93.1% of the phones were locally manufactured or assembled, highlighting the significant contribution of the domestic industry. In contrast, about 6.9% of the phones were imported, showcasing a balanced market approach. This not only reflects the strength of the local mobile industry but also contributes to easing the burden on the country’s foreign reserves.

As per PTA’s data, of the locally manufactured/assembled phones 13 million were Second Generation Mobile (2G mobile),

commonly known as GSM phones while 8.28 million were smartphones.

The data indicates that within the entire spectrum of devices operating on the Pakistani network, 59.0% comprise 2G (GSM) phones, while 41.0% are smartphones.

In 2023, Chinese companies remained the top manufacturers or assemblers of mobile phones in Pakistan. Leading the chart is China VGO Tel with 2.73 million phone sets, closely followed by China’s Infinix with 2.62 million mobile phones.

India not a largest democracy but world’s most racist and apartheid state: Mushaal LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

PESHAWAR

Staff RepoRt

Secretary Health Mahmood Aslam Wazir Sunday said that the government had taken all out measures in the areas wherein the breaking of Measles including Upper Kohistan area.

Secretary Health Mahmood Aslam Wazir responding to the questions of the media men said, “So far not deaths from measles as highlighted on the social media.” “We are dealing with any kind of outbreak of measles, the deaths and epidemic in Upper Kohistan as a result of Measles,” he added. He said, “Quick response health teams have reached Upper Kohistan to deal with the measles epidemic wherein Emergency Control Room has been established in DHO Office Upper Hospital,” Secretary Health Mahmood Aslam Wazir said. “The response team includes public health experts and immunization staff,” Secretary Health Mahmood Aslam Wazir said.

“Due to the measles outbreak the health team has started its work in the affected area and five Union Councils of Upper Kohistan, which was affected by measles,” Director EPI Dr Arif said. “All EPI staff of the district have been directed to reach the emergency control room,” Dr Arif added. “The increase in pneumonia cases due to the cold wave may also be the cause of the epidemic,” he said. He said, “Confirmation of deaths due to measles will be premature at present.” Director EPI Dr Arif said, adding, “Measles response is going on in Upper Kohistan for the last six-days.”

“The cause of death of children will be confirmed only after the initial report is received,” Director EPI said.

Constitutional reforms promised as PTI unveils election manifesto CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Detailing another constitution change, the party chairman said the tenure of the Senate will also be reduced from six years to five years, with half the senators being directly elected by the people. The chairman also added that it was necessary to get rid of corruption and promised that PTI would introduce an initiative that would keep a stricter eye on the issue. A day earlier, the PML-N unveiled a cautiously optimistic economic manifesto in a bid to strike a balance between high hopes of the people and harsh ground realities concerning the country’s dire financial straits, setting mostly achievable goals without unravelling the economic stability. Some of the goals are largely in line with the five-year projections given by the International Monetary Fund in its staff report released this month. But the manifesto is silent on the questions of the new IMF bailout package and the treatment of a mounting public debt. The budget and the current account deficit goals suggest that the PML-N, if voted to power, might be thinking of going into an IMF programme. The party also reneged on its promise to give free electricity to those consumers who are consuming 200 units monthly.

Similarly, China’s iTel has manufactured/assembled 2.56 million mobile phones, while X Mobile has contributed 1.52 million sets. TECNO has manufactured/assembled 1.45 million sets, followed by China’s Redmi with 1.31 million mobile phones.

CALME, E-Tachi, ViVvo, and Cub Mobile have also individually contributed to the mobile phone industry with impressive production figures.

Specifically, CALME manufactured 1.07 million phones, E-Tachi produced 0.94

Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Human Rights and Women empowerment Mushaal Hussein Mullick has said that the apartheid and supremacist Indian state had no right to celebrate its Republic Day in bleeding occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Mushaal, wife of Jailed Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Mohammad Yasin Malik, in a video statement criticised the RSS-led Indian government for celebrating the abrogation of the constitution, targeting minorities, and undermining the so-called democratic values.

SAPM said that the RSS-inspired fascist government has unleashed a wave of state terrorism and brutalities to suppress the dissenting voices.

Mushaal said that they could not dampen the courage of the brave Kashmiri people, who, she said, would continue their freedom struggle until getting the birthright to self-determination.

The SAPM went on to say that it was shameful for India to call itself a republic despite the illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, which was con-

verted into a world largest tortured cell.

Mushaal said that the notorious Indian authorities usurped fundamental rights of the Kashmiris, as top Kashmiri leadership including Yasin Malik were put in jails in fake and fabricated cases just to silence their voices.

SAPM lamented that India was committing the worst atrocities and usurped all legal and constitutional rights of Kashmiris but the international community, UN bodies and human rights organization still called it the largest

democracy, which was disgusting.

She said that India was not a largest democracy but a world’s most fascist and apartheid state, where living a life not only for Kashmiri Muslims but for all other minority communities was a nightmare, who were subjected to inhuman and barbaric acts.

Mushaal vowed that despite the atrocities of the Indian troops, the Kashmiri people would not give up their struggle and would continue it till taking the freedom struggle to its logical end.

She said the current situation of IIOJK was a big challenge to the international community and urged the world powers to help settle the lingering Kashmir dispute according to the UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people to avoid the world’s worst looming humanitarian and human crises.

Mushaal remarked that Indian PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the idol of Lord Ram at the new temple constructed on the site where the Babri Masjid stood for centuries before being demolished by a Hindutva mob. SAPM on human Rights anticipated that India would eventually face disintegration due to divisive policies promoted by the RSS.

Mushahid Hussain elected Vice President of IPU Human Rights body ISLAMABAD/GENEVA

Zardari says only political forces can ‘cure country’s ailments’

Can a premature rate cut threaten the rupee’s stability?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Senator Mushahid Hussain is also Convenor of the Pakistan Parliamentary Forum on PKR (Palestine, Kashmir & Rohingya) and he also serves on the Executive Board of the Istanbul-based ‘Al Quds Parliament’, supporting the Palestine Cause.

PPP representative of labourers, workers: Aseefa KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, the daughter of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, has said that the Pakistan Peoples Party is the representative of the labourers and workers of the country.

She expressed this while addressing a gathering of the Party workers in Karachi’s Kemari and West districts, on Saturday night. She arrived at Shireen Jinnah Colony, where a mammoth gathering of the people welcomed her. A large number of women were eager to catch a glimpse of Aseefa Bhutto Zardari.

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari was accompanied by PPP Karachi Division President Saeed Ghani, former MNA Abdul Qadir Patel, Javed Naguri, Khalil Hoth, Humayun Khan, Liaqat Askani, Asif Khan and Abdul Qadir Mandokhel.

While addressing the public on this oc-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Talking about the unanimous NFC Award introduced during his tenure, the former President said that due to that initiative, the budget of Balochistan increased, and continued: “It has been 15 years since I gave the 18th Amendment. Your budget has been increased four times, but that budget (growth as a result of that budget) is not visible here.”

He reiterated that he would solve the problems of entire Balochistan including Hub, saying: “We promise that we will take you forward, and take care of you. The Hub should also be like Karachi, Hub should also have hospitals, water facilities and universities.” He said that if the law and order improved, the investors of Karachi would invest in Hub too. He said that he always called Balochistan the heart of the country, so the Hub could also play the role of “mind”.

Zardari said that only political forces could solve the problems of Pakistan. He appealed to the people of Balochistan, including Hub, to make the PPP victorious in the general elections to be held on February 8. Meanwhile, former President Asif Ali Zardari was given a warm welcome by the people on his arrival at the venue. Slogans of “Jeay Bhutto”, “Zinda Hai, Bibi Zinda Hai”, “Ek Zardari Sab Pe Bhari” and “Prime Minister Bilawal” echoed in the rally. PPP leader and former Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Ali Hassan Zehri, Sabir Baloch, Iqbal Shah, Wadera Hassan Jamot, Abdul Wahab Bizenjo, Abdul Karim Marri, Sharif Palari and other leaders were also present.

Staff RepoRt

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, who represents Asia in the Committee of Human Rights for Parliamentarians (CHRP) of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), was unanimously elected as Vice President of the Committee at it’s meeting in Geneva.

Ms Millie Odhiambo of Kenya was elected as President.

Senator Mushahid Hussain is the first parliamentarian from Pakistan to be elected to a high level office of a key body of IPU, which is a global organisation representing the world’s parliaments.

Two years ago at the IPU General Assembly in Rwanda, Senator Mushahid Hussain was elected as Member of the CHRP, the only Asian in this important 10-member Committee. Senator Mushahid Hussain, who is member of the Senate Human Rights Committee, served as Leader of the Pakistan Delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

In the year 2000, Mushahid Hussain was honoured by being declared as ‘Prisoner of Conscience’ by the prestigious London-based organisation, ‘Amnesty International’ due to his illegal detention without charges for 440 days, the only Pakistani political prisoner to be so honoured then.

million phones, ViVvo assembled 0.83 million phones, and Cub Mobile contributed 0.64 million phones to the market.

These diverse manufacturing outputs highlight the vibrant and competitive landscape of the mobile phone sector with Chinese companies playing a significant role in meeting consumer demands.

Meanwhile, PTA stated on Friday that the telecom sector generated Rs850 billion in terms of revenues in FY 2022-23, showing a growth of 17% despite economic challenges.

Moreover, cellular mobile services are available to 90% of Pakistan’s population.

The number of telecom subscribers reached an impressive 192 million at the end of September 2023 with 130 million broadband subscribers. Several regulatory measures and initiatives were taken during the reported year for the growth and development of the sector.

casion, she said that she, along with Chairman PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be the voice of the people. The PPP resolves to regularise temporary housing and give their residents ownership on February 8. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is to be made the Prime Minister of Pakistan by stamping the

symbol of the arrow.

The Benazir Mazdoor Card and Benazir Kissan Card will bring a revolutionary change in your lives, Bibi Aseefa said. Aseefa Bhutto Zardari further said that PPP’s passion is to serve the nation. The arrow is the symbol of the people and should triumph on February 8. The PPP is the only party in this country that gives power to the people. When Bilawal Bhutto becomes the Prime Minister, he will provide 300 units of electricity free of cost and build 3 million houses for the poor throughout the country.

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari visited the areas of Hub River Road, Maripur, Younusabad, and different other places in Baldia and addressed the public.

Candidates of the PPP from their respective constituencies accompanied Aseefa Bhutto Zardari as she campaigned for them.

Additionally, analysts at Akseer Research believe that due to substantial external financing needs, a limited export base, and upcoming negotiations for a longer-term IMF program after the general elections in 2024, the country will likely need to maintain a relatively undervalued currency. They anticipate the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) to remain around Rs 95. “The country will not have the resources necessary to defend its domestic currency while simultaneously meeting its obligations to repay interest payments and make settlements for imports. The rupee is expected to depreciate by 6% during 2024-25 on the back of high demand for USD. Premature discount rate cuts by the SBP would worsen the current account deficit, which in turn would affect inflation and the value of the currency,” remarked Nida Gulzar Siddiqui, Economist at Ktrade. “To keep the exchange rate stable, the SBP shouldn’t cut the discount rate too soon.

Instead, they should leave things as they are until inflation starts to slow down and falls just below the current policy rate. The market is predicting that the first cut will take place in March or April of 2024 since that is when the SBP has announced its subsequent MPC meetings,” she added. While the SBP’s monetary policy stance remains crucial for broader economic cohesion and rupee stability, the divergent fiscal position presents a significant challenge. The growth of net domestic assets, which refers to the availability of rupee liquidity in the financial system, has outpaced the growth of net foreign assets, which represents dollar liquidity. This can be attributed to the injection of substantial amounts of money into the system, necessitating the need for fiscal discipline to curb this trend.

Making Karachi sustainable city still a distant dream: Shakoor KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

Despite having an Ideal location, good industrial base and a large educated workforce, making Karachi a sustainable city is still a distant dream, mainly due to lack of vision and commitment of the successive governments, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor here Sunday.

In a statement, he said the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 defines sustainable cities as those that are dedicated to achieving green sustainability, social sustainability and economic sustainability. They are committed to doing so by enabling opportunities for all through a design focused on inclusivity, as well as, maintaining a sustainable economic growth.

He said presently Karachi is considered

amongst the most polluted cities of the region. It lacks efficient and environment friendly public transport, green architecture, urban farming, renewable energy sources, and proper water conservation and waste management. He said without meeting these five important goals we can’t make Karachi a sustainable or eco-city.

He said in terms of public transport, Karachi is the worst megacity of the world.

Not talking about eco-friendly public transport, it even lacks a respectable conventional commuting system. Even the decades old surface rail commuting system, Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) is dysfunctional.

The city still depends on rickshaws and Chingchi rickshaws. The Green Line bus rapid transit (BRT) system could not yet be fully completed. Orange Line BRT is totally ill-planned as useless till effectively extend-

ing it to the city centre, preferably to the Keamari port area. Red Line BRT is just a dug up road, with no sign in sight of early completion. Other government announced BRT systems are still on paper and there is no deadline for them.

In fact, without connecting all BRT systems with a working KCR, assisted by a fleet of feeder buses, Karachi could not be given an efficient commuting system. Making the public transport system eco-friendly is the next level and it may take a few more centuries considering our corrupt and visionless political parties and governments.

He said introducing big urban desalination plants, constructing new reservoirs and feeder canals from the Indus River are not on the priority of our policymakers and without them Karachi would continue to be a water deficient city. He said check dams on

rain-fed streams like Lyari, Malir and Mole Rivers are a must. Water recharging wells in different locations of the megacity are necessary to improve the water table. Recycling of waste water for industrial use is a must to cater our growing water needs. However, we are unable to even start a simple and small Cogen water desalination plant in the DHA. Solid waste system is another sorry story as even after giving costly contracts to foreign firms, the megacity is still a big garbage heap.

It needs an effective and corrupt-free solid waste system on a sustainable recycling basis.

Karachi is a sunshine city, but it is not tapping the huge potential of solar energy. In fact every household, shop, industry and other structure of the megacity needs solar panels to get rid of costly electricity as well as crippling load shedding. Green areas, parks, coastal mangrove jungles and urban

forests are badly needed in Karachi besides rooftop gardening to make it a clean and green megacity on a sustainable basis.

He also demanded steps for proper human development in the megacity. He asked for construction on new hospitals, educational centres, urban housing schemes and new industrial zones. He asked to construct Karachi-Keti Bunder and Karachi-Hyderabad industrial corridors to boost job creation activities not only in Karachi but also in its surrounding areas. He said focusing on new creek ports and new fishing harbours and jetties would also be helpful in sustainable job creation for the people of Karachi. Shakoor demanded from the city, provincial and federal governments to give top priority to making Karachi a sustainable city in true letter and spirit as it would also help in overall economic development of Pakistan.

04 COMMENT

Sovereign risks, IMF programme, and new government

Monday, 29 January, 2024

Manifesto season?

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With a fortnight left for the polls, two major parties come up with manifestoes

HE PML(N) and the PPP both presented their manifestoes on Saturday, less than a fortnight before the February 8 poll, while their main opposition, the PTI, has still to present its own document.

As was expected, both parties made promises but without disclosing their strategies on two matters: where they would find the money to do what they promised, and how they planned to deal with the IMF. Dealing with the IMF is perhaps the key issue, for most of their promises involve contradictory promises, such as about electricity tariffs, already made to the IMF. Perhaps one or both parties knows how to square the circle, but it seems that promises can either be kept to the IMF or to the people of Pakistan. Perhaps the only sign of hope to come out of the inordinately delayed exercise is that both these major parties have accepted that there is an economic crisis, and have zeroed in on the main problem for the common man, inflation. Indeed, the PPP had already launched a 10economic agenda, which accepted that this was the principal focus of the electorate, and harked back to 1970, when the party fought the election on an economic programme summed up in the iconic slogan roti, kapra aur makaan (food, clothing and housing).

That seems to have been taken over by the PTI in 2018, With its promise then of millions of houses and millions of jobs, it seems to have been inspired by the PPP. While the PPP has promised three million houses, the PML(N) has promised millions of jobs. Neither party has explained how it would succeed where the PTI failed.

The PML(N) has stuck its neck out by promising 6.5 percent growth. That would be needed for the creation of the jobs it has promised. How exactly, or even roughly it is to be achieved is the subject of a coy silence.

The electorate is thus heading into the election without any precise idea of what steps the parties stand for. It seems that every party is running on reputations.

Mian Nawaz is said to be a good economic manager.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is heir to party founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Imran Khan is said to be free from corruption. In 2018, at least the PTI claimed to have a very competent team, and Asad Umar (now having left the party) was being winked at as the next Finance Minister. No party has indicated who will get the crucial finance portfolio if it wins.

The next government has its work cut out for it

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dr OMer JAved

HE government that comes into office after the general elections next month will be faced with serious environmental, economic, and epidemiological challenges.

Given the enormity of challenges at hand, this perhaps could be the most important election for the country. With recent years showing the fast unfolding of the climate change crisis, its broadly understood link with the ‘Pandemicene’ phenomenon creating the urgent need to strengthen the public health sector, including drastically enhancing the capacity to manufacture vaccines, especially given the wide practice of vaccine apartheid during the Covid pandemic.

Then there is the urgent need to move away from an otherwise over-board practice of austerity policies accentuating debt distress on one side, while making it difficult to make development or welfare spending at a time when the Covid pandemic and increasing global conflict, together with climate change crisis, have acutely increased inequality and poverty, and ushered in strongly stagflationary headwinds, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. This has strongly necessitated greater public spending, and enhanced productivity, for which, unlike what is hap-

pening in terms of public policy, particularly emphasized by a strongly reinforcing IMF programme, it is important to quickly move towards non-neoliberal, non-austerity, and counter-cyclical austerity policies.

Doing this will require firstly that political parties, especially those that expect to form government, should come with a lot of preparation done on these lines. While no need to panic, the challenge at hand requires this proactive approach.

For one, although for instance the gross foreign exchange reserves situation has improved from less than a month in terms of import coverage, to have reached around one-and-a-half month, things have improved somewhat, given at least three months as minimum coverage according to international best practices, it will need a doubling of reserves to around $18 billion before the country could be considered by the government to have reached a comfortable situation.

Having said that, a sustainable build-up to this level, and holding and then improving further, thereafter, would require ushering in strong non-neoliberal economic institutional, organizational, and market reforms at the earliest possible basis, along with significant multilateral support that needs to be provided as both climate compensation, and for allowing developing countries like Pakistan, which are strongly challenged in terms of fiscal space, and debt obligations, and who also need to make climate related spending; given it is one of the top-ten climate change vulnerable countries, but like many developing economies having very low carbon footprint, to adopt non-austerity policies so that the cost of capital could be kept low, with positive consequences in terms of enhancing growth, employment, revenues, and exports, for instance, and for keeping the costpush, and imported inflationary channels as much low as possible.

Adopting a non-austerity policy is important given the recently released first review report by International Monetary Fund (IMF) of the current

There is a strong need for greater multilateral support– including large and frequent allocation of special drawing rights (SDRs), both under enhanced and climate related routine allocations by IMF for a number of years for developing countries in general, and specifically for highly climate change countries like Pakistan– and shifting away from neoliberal, and austerity based policies.

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami

Critical analysis of Saudi-Iran rapprochement Editor Umar Aziz M. A. Niazi Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Saudi leadership which led to high-level tensions between the two parties. Therefore, as long as religion remains in the political fabric of these two states, the peace deal may not help in achieving a long-lasting peace Moreover, the period after the Arab Spring in 2011 witnessed an astonishing proliferation of non-state actors in the Middle East due to their increased significance in the region.

These organizations have undoubtedly performed an important role in campaigns that led to the demise of autocratic regimes in Libya, Yemen, Egypt, and Tunisia. Above all, these groups were supported militarily by Saudi and Iran to pursue their own interests in the region.

As a consequence, the presence of these nonstate actors may compromise the relations of Saudi and Iran in the future.

In conclusion, the Saudi-Iran rapprochement plays an important role in shaping the future of the Middle East. It may lead to further agreements and negotiations over security issues between the regional actors. Ranging from technological and economic aspects to climate change initiatives, Saudi Arabia and Iran may use the deal as an opportunity to enhance cooperation in these crucial sectors by mutual efforts. Nevertheless, due to the threat of crisis escalation, the deal may not continue for long.

The struggle for dominance between Riyadh and Tehran is not a hidden fact any more.

Despite the cultural, religious and ideological differences, both Saudi and Iran had long friendly relations before 1979, which shows that through peace and cooperation, the two neighbours can become a source of regional stability and development. Both sides should engage in peaceful ways to achieve their objectives– the door of diplomacy is always open.

The rapprochement might not last long

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MuhtAsiM Afridi

RAN and Saudi relations have been differing over numerous geopolitical issues, for instance, the ambitions for dominance in the region, oil export policies, and relations with the Western powers, specifically the USA. The two contenders Iran (with a majority of Shia Muslims) and Saudi Arabia (with a majority of Sunni Muslims) have indulged in proxy wars for years and have backed opposing sides in Yemen, Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon and Syria.

After years of animosity, the two biggest rivals of the Middle East decided to mend their differences and re-establish diplomatic ties last year. The deal was brokered by China on March 10, between the leading officials of both nations. It will have an enormous impact on the Middle East, leading to major developments in the region. However, it might face some challenges given the presence of non-state actors, religious differences, and Saudi Arabia’s solid stance on Iran’s nuclear programme.

The tensions date back to the 1979 revolution of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini which resulted in the formation of an Islamic Republic in Iran. The Saudi monarchy which grounded its validity on Islam, feared the expansionist vision of Khomeini. In the subsequent years, the two neighboring countries embarked on a petulant rivalry brimming with moments of crisis and hostility.

Estimates show that the Al-Saud family spent around $100 billion on their evangelical cause. On the other hand, Iran established Shia groups, for instance, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain, to challenge the regional order. Such tactics revealed that both sides positioned Islam at the heart of political and security designs in the region.

After a long-standing rivalry, many efforts were made by Iraq and Oman to host talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, the reconciliation brought about by China is central to the debate, as we observe the power competition between the USA and China. Saudi Arabia plans are much beyond the effort to get involved in US-China rivalry, for instance, Vision-2030 con-

tains a lot of economic projects which are arduous unilaterally, hence the country requires the support of other regional and global actors– to this end, the peace deal has a lot of importance for Saudi Arabia. In addition, it carries muchneeded relief to millions of people living in the Middle East who were distressed by sectarian violence instigated by Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Similarly, it would provide an opportunity for economic cooperation on various projects. Given that both countries are resource-rich and have substantial economic potential, the peace deal would allow Saudi and Iran to collaborate in multiple sectors such as energy, communication, climate change, transportation and trade in the region. Besides, the deal may open a door for security dialogues among other regional actors, in particular, Iran and Iraq which have a long history of conflicts and proxy wars with Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi-Iran rapprochement possibly reduces the security concerns of the Middle East; however, it seems to be a temporary agreement which might break at any point. First, Saudi Arabia has a solid stance on Iran’s nuclear programme. Last year, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman stated in an interview with US Television that Saudi Arabia will also go for a nuclear weapon if Iran acquires one. Though Iran may not intend to deter Saudi Arabia with nuclear weapons, both states have a huge adversarial past– a little escalation in a crisis will bring the two sides to the brink of war.

Secondly, the peace deal might be compromised due to the menace of religious divergence. The differences of opinion might serve as the cause of rivalry in the future, given that both Shiites and Sunnis possess diverse views on Islam. It is a well-known fact that the expansionist policies of Khomeini threatened the

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

The writer can be at: muhtasimafridi166@gmail.com

reached

Standby Arrangement (SBA) programme with Pakistan. It shows a highly difficult debt distress situation facing the country, and it is therefore important that the current over-board monetary austerity stance should be significantly reined in. Hence, the Report raised strong alarm bells with regard to sustainability of debt, and sovereign risk facing the country as overall ‘high’; whereby in the medium term, categorizing it as ‘high’, while long-term risk in this regard as ‘moderate’.

To quote the Report, it indicated with regard to the overall risk as ‘The overall risk of sovereign stress is high, reflecting a high level of vulnerability from elevated debt and gross financing needs and low reserve buffers. Risks are mitigated by the fiscal adjustment safeguarded under the SBA and continuing onto the medium term, financial commitments by bilateral partners, and the ability of the banking system to rollover existing domestic debt.’ In terms of medium-term breakdown of this analysis, it pointed out accordingly ‘Medium-term risks are assessed as high (in line with the mechanical signal).

Risks include uneven program implementation, political risks, and access to adequate multilateral and bilateral financing in view of the high gross financing needs’, while with regard to long-term the Report indicated ‘Insufficient progress with policies and structural reforms could hamper potential growth, yet with its relatively young population Pakistan also bears great potential through leveraging digital technologies. Pakistan is also very exposed to the adverse consequences of climate change, such as more frequent floods and droughts, and the necessary adaptation costs would slow the reduction of debt and financing.’

Hence, as can be seen that while the IMF recognizes the country to be highly climate change vulnerable, and debt distressed, and emphasizes need for reform and rationalizing financing, it needs to understand– along with the majority of the country’s policymakers going along with similar policy mindset– that there is a strong need for greater multilateral support– including large and frequent allocation of special drawing rights (SDRs), both under enhanced and climate related routine allocations by IMF for a number of years for developing countries in general, and specifically for highly climate change countries like Pakistan– and shifting away from neoliberal, and austerity based policies.

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

Editor’s mail

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Exclusive lane

THE number of housing societies around the western side of GT Road between Sangjani and Taxila has increased significantly in recent years.

People need to travel frequently from Islamabad to these societies.

However, the U-turns on GT Road are very dangerous. There is a need to develop an exclusive lane for U-turns on the road between Sangjani Toll Plaza and Taxila. This should be done at the earliest to avoid any further road accident and loss of precious lives.

MUHAMMAD NOMAN MUNIR ISLAMABAD

Harsh reality

THE loadshedding of natural gas has become worse during winters. The inadequate supply affects industries, threatens economy, and leaves people without essential cooking and heating facilities. Gas loadshedding has become a painful reality of life. It is important to take prompt action to improve the gas distribution network and invest in other energy resources.

Additionally, keeping the public informed about the reasons of severe loadshedding and communicating openly about the actions being implemented are essential requirements.

ISHAA SADIQ ISLAMABAD

Public toilets

PUBLIC toilets, scarce as they are across Karachi, mostly remain locked.

One wonders what is the point of having them if they cannot be kept functional. One such ‘facility’ along the University Road close to Mosamiyat can be taken as an example. It is hard to guess whether it is a public toilet meant for women, or a wall built for pasting advertisements.

MUHAMMAD NAEEM KARACHI

Stray dogs

STRAY dogs that roam the streets of Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area have made the lives of citizens miserable. Road accidents and traffic disruptions have become common in the area. Those responsible for running the affairs of Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) have clearly failed to deal with the rising population of stray dogs. Reportedly, about a hundred cases of dog bites are being recorded daily in the city. Besides, the shortage of rabies vaccines in hospitals is a persistent issue in Sindh. The authorities should develop a pragmatic policy and ensure the safety of the citizens.

DANIA FATIMA KARACHI

Generation gap

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Karachi – Ph: 021-32640318

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Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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GENERATION gap is a term used to describe the differences in attitudes, beliefs and behaviours between different age groups. It is a natural phenomenon that has been observed throughout history. But in today’s fast-paced world, the gap seems to be widening. As we move towards the future, we notice more and more differences between the older and younger generations. This can be attributed to various factors, including changes in technology, lifestyle and values.

The older generations tend to have a more conservative outlook, having values that were prevalent during their formative years. They often view members of the younger generations as being disrespectful, entitled and lacking in morals.

ABID HUSSAIN KARACHI

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

A major health hazard Monday, 29 January, 2024

Pollution, on the other hand, The causes of chemical pollution is alsoChemical a by-product of

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dR RajkuMaR singh

heMICAl pollution is the presence of harmful chemicals in the environment, which can be detrimental to human health, wildlife, and ecosystems. It is a broad term encompassing various pollutants from numerous sources. Understanding its types, sources, effects, and control measures is essential for addressing this global issue.

The main source of chemical pollutants include: A. HEAVY METALS: Such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic, which can accumulate in the environment and living organisms.

B. PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES: Chemicals used in agriculture that can contaminate soil and water.

C. INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS: Includes a wide range of chemicals used in manufacturing, such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), dioxins, and formaldehyde.

D. VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCs): Organic chemicals that easily vaporize and can be found in paints, solvents, and cleaning products.

E. PHARMACEUTICALS: Medications that enter waterways through sewage and waste.

F. PLASTICIZERS AND BISPHENOLS: Chemicals used in plastics that can leach into food and water.

G. SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS: Manmade chemicals like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often used in non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, and fire-fighting foams.

A. INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES: Manufacturing, mining, and chemical plants release various pollutants.

B. AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF: Pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture can run off into water bodies.

C. WASTE DISPOSAL: Improper disposal of industrial, medical, and household waste.

D. URBAN RUNOFF: Chemicals from vehicles, roads, and households washing into water systems.

E. ACCIDENTAL SPILLS: Oil spills, chemical leaks, and other accidents can release large amounts of pollutants suddenly.

As a part of remedy, international agreements, like the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, aim to reduce and eliminate the release of dangerous chemicals globally and collaboration on the issue between countries can easily manage transboundary chemical pollution. To conclude, chemical pollution is a multifaceted problem that affects all components of the environment.

It requires a coordinated approach from governments, industries, and individuals to mitigate its impact on health and ecosystems.

In the context, ongoing research, public education, and adherence to environmental regulations are vital in managing chemical pollutants effectively. Chemical pollution encompasses a wide range of harmful chemicals that contaminate our environment. These pollutants come from various sources and can have far-reaching effects on ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.

Some of the main kinds of chemical pollution are: A. HEAVY METALS: These include lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and chromium. They often originate from industrial processes, mining activities, vehicle emissions, and waste disposal. In addition, heavy metals can accumulate in the food chain, posing significant health risks.

B. PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES: Widely used in agriculture, these chemicals help control pests and weeds but can contaminate soil, water, and air.

They can harm non-target organisms, including beneficial insects, birds, and

The IMF is an anchor adrift in a changing world economy

59.1 per cent of the voting shares in the IMF were held by countries accounting for 13.7 per cent of the world’s population. Meanwhile, India and China’s voting share together came to around 9 per cent

T

FINANCIAL TIMES adaM TOOZe

hIS summer will mark the 80th anniversary of the Bretton Woods conference at which the Allied coalition in the second world war conceived the postwar currency system and the architecture of international financial institutions — the IMF and the World Bank — that would oversee it. At the same time, they also decided the security architecture of the UN. Over the decades since, this global architecture has perdured. And it has done so by reinventing itself.

Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF’s managing director, recently celebrated the fund’s record of widening and evolving its role within a constant mandate. But as flexible as the IMF has been, like the rest of the global architecture, its evolution has followed the line of western power. And what defines the world economy at this moment is the realisation that this line no longer encompasses the future. In the case of the fund, this discrepancy is particularly clear.

In its early decades, the IMF was the house bank of advanced economy members of the Bretton Woods system. It largely did not lend to developing countries. Then, in the 1970s and 80s, as Bretton Woods collapsed and global capital flows surged, it became a firefighting organisation dealing with debt crises in latin America and the developing world. Money flowed from north to south, but it was no secret that what was at stake were the fortunes of systemically important banks in the north.

If the 1980s gave birth to the Washington consensus, the fund embodied it. But, as far as the IMF was concerned, the US political scientist Francis Fukuyama’s promised end of history never arrived.

What we now look back on as the halcyon decades of globalisation after 1989 were far from plain sailing. Crises flared in Mexico, east and south-east Asia, Russia and again in Argentina and Brazil. The fund’s harsh conditionality faced a backlash, including from high-profile economists in the west.

Though globalisation marched on, by the early 2000s the IMF was in a parlous state. Only the most desperate would voluntarily bend under the yoke of an IMF programme. As the client list dried up, the fund’s budget shrank. Staff were laid off.

What saved it was the global financial crisis of 2008 and its aftermath — a worldwide shock originating in the north

Atlantic banking system. Not only was the IMF besieged by eager borrowers, but the fund’s crisis-fighting was given the political backing of the G20, promoted to an assembly of heads of government in the thick of the crisis in November 2008.

Once again, power and money were aligned. But such high-level political backing came with strings. On account of its expanding economy, China was brought into the fold with promises of an adjustment to the IMF’s voting share. Meanwhile, the IMF’s european leadership fell in with former German chancellor Angela Merkel’s government and the Obama administration to place the resources of the fund behind successive eurozone bailouts.

In an extraordinary throwback, some of the largest programmes in the fund’s history were mobilised for Greece, Ireland and Portugal. The embarrassment was compounded by the fact that the adjustment in voting shares promised to China and other emerging markets was held up in Congress by “America first” Republicans. Not until 2016 was China’s quota raised to just over 6 per cent, a fraction of the 16.5 per cent held by the US. While in the interim, China’s economy, measured in purchasing power parity terms, overtook that of the US. Over the past decade, under the leadership of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Christine lagarde and Georgieva, the fund’s staff have been active in revising long-held assumptions about fiscal austerity and the absolute freedom of capital flows. They have loosened conditionality on large and politically sensitive loans. The fund has also broadened its surveillance to include issues of female labour market participation, inequality and climate. From 2020 onwards, it was notably proactive in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But although the fund’s agenda may be up to date, the question can no longer be avoided — who do the Bretton Woods institutions represent? As Martin Wolf has argued, one thing we know for sure about the direction of the world economy is that the balance is shifting from west to east. And yet, as the G20 met in New Delhi in September 2023, 59.1 per cent of the voting shares in the IMF were held by countries accounting for 13.7 per cent of the world’s population. Meanwhile, India and China’s voting share together came to around 9 per cent.

That this is grotesquely out of line with the future trends of the world economy is clear. What is also clear is that, short of a political revolution, the US Senate will never countenance an adjustment that substantially redresses this imbalance. Nor, for that matter, will the europeans, who are even more heavily over-represented.

We seem condemned to live, therefore, in a world in which the international financial institutions on which we rely to anchor the global financial safety net face unanswerable questions about their legitimacy.

For all the inventiveness and adaptability that their expert staff have recently displayed, they face an uphill battle.

aquatic life.

C. VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCs): These are organic chemicals that easily vaporize at room temperature. Common sources include paints, varnishes, fuel combustion, and industrial processes. VOCs contribute to air pollution and can cause health problems like respiratory issues and headaches.

D. INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS: This category includes a wide range of chemicals used in manufacturing and industrial processes. examples are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAhs).

They can persist in the environment for long periods and are often toxic.

E. PHARMACEUTICALS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS (PPCPs): Medications, cosmetics, and other personal care products can enter waterways through sewage systems.

They can affect aquatic life and disrupt ecosystems.

F. PLASTICIZERS AND BISPHENOLS: Common in plastic products, these chemicals, like bisphenol-A (BPA), can leach into food and drinks.

They are associated with health concerns such as hormonal disruptions.

G. SYNTHETIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS: These are primarily from agricultural fertilizers. They can cause eutrophication in water bodies, leading to oxygen depletion and harm to aquatic life.

H. PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS): Used in nonstick cookware, fire-fighting foams, and waterproof materials, PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment. They are associated with various health risks.

I. RADIOACTIVE CHEMICALS: These are by-products of nuclear power generation, nuclear weapon production, and medical applications. Radioactive contamination can have severe and long-lasting effects on health and the environment.

J. C H L O R O F L U O R O C A R B O N S (CFCS): Once commonly used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and aerosol propellants, CFCs have been phased out due to their role in ozone layer depletion.

K. ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS: Chemicals that can interfere with hormone systems. They include certain pesticides,

COMMENT 05

plasticizers, and industrial chemicals. each of these chemical pollutants poses unique challenges. Their effects depend on factors like concentration, exposure duration, and the vulnerability of affected organisms and ecosystems.

Chemical pollution cast a wide range of adverse effects on human health, depending on the type of chemical, the level and duration of exposure, and individual susceptibility.

The significant health impacts are: A. RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: exposure to air pollutants like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter can cause or exacerbate respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

EFFECTS: B. NEUROLOGICAL heavy metals like lead and mercury are neurotoxins that can impair cognitive development, particularly in children.

They may also increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases in adults, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

C. CANCER: Certain chemicals, such as benzene (a VOC), asbestos, and some pesticides, are known carcinogens. Prolonged or high-level exposure can increase the risk of developing various types of cancer, including lung, breast, and bladder cancer.

D. ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION: Chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and certain pesticides can interfere with the hormone system. They can lead to reproductive health issues, developmental problems in children, and increased risk of diseases like diabetes and thyroid disorders.

E. SKIN AND EYE IRRITATION: Di-

rect contact with certain chemicals, such as chlorine, can cause skin irritation, rashes, and chemical burns. eye irritation and damage can also occur with exposure to various chemical pollutants.

F. CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES: Air pollutants, particularly particulate matter, have been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases.

G. LIVER AND KIDNEY DAMAGE: Some chemicals, like certain heavy metals and industrial solvents, can be toxic to the liver and kidneys, leading to organ damage and dysfunction.

H. REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES: exposure to certain chemicals during pregnancy can affect fatal development, leading to birth defects, low birth weight, and developmental delays. It may also affect fertility in both men and women.

I. IMMUNE SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT: exposure to certain pollutants can weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections and reducing its ability to fight off diseases.

J. PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS: Chronic exposure to pollution can also have psychological effects, contributing to conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Thus, the impact of chemical pollutants on health is influenced by various factors, including the type of chemical, the level of exposure, individual susceptibility, and the presence of other health conditions.

The writer is a youth motivator and former Head of the University Department of Political Science, B.N. Mandal University, Madhepura, Bihar, India.

French fury: Farmers sowing seeds of revolution against elites in Paris

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France is joining a movement that now encompasses nearly 20% of the EU, with farmers in five of the bloc’s 27 countries convoying and blockading major roads. Farmers in Poland, Romania, Germany, and the Netherlands have now been joined by their counterparts from the country virtually synonymous with revolution

RACHELMARSDEN.COM Rachel MaRsden

he French government is scrambling to get a whole lot of tractors off the nation’s major highways.

Good luck with that when 89% of French citizens back the protesting farmers, according to a new Odoxa poll.

France is joining a movement that now encompasses nearly 20% of the eU, with farmers in five of the bloc’s 27 countries convoying and blockading major roads.

Farmers in Poland, Romania, Germany, and the Netherlands have now been joined by their counterparts from the country virtually synonymous with revolution. And one particular incident here in France has just shifted the nascent movement into overdrive.

Alexandra Sonac, a 35-year-old cattle and corn farmer from the south of France, and two of her three family members were struck by a car in the dark early morning hours at a farmers’ highway blockade near Toulouse. Sonac and her 12-year-old daughter were killed, while her husband is in intensive care. The incident is still under investigation, but to add insult to injury, the three Armenian occupants of the vehicle that struck the family were reportedly under an expulsion order.

The symbolism here is glaring. A productive farmer resisting government economic oppression was killed by someone who has enjoyed the benefits of government laxity. Just 12% of expulsion orders were carried out by France between 2015 and 2021, one of the lowest rates in europe, according to recent statistics.

French farmers’ complaints converge with those of their counterparts across the eU. They’re angry with their own governments, but only because these elected officials have insisted on sliding into the fitted straitjacket imposed on them by the unelected technocratic tyrants in Brussels and their top-down, ideologically driven policies.

There’s a good reason why French farmers this week have ripped up and burned the same eU flag that President emmanuel Macron insists on placing alongside the French tricolor in his various appearances.

Farmers all across the bloc have similar demands. They want a fair price for energy while the eU not only has imposed costly climate policies that treat fossil fuels like the plague, but has also decided, “for Ukraine,” to destroy its own supply of cheap Russian gas that drove europe’s economy. Then, again for Ukraine, they decided to lift import duties on goods and services from Ukraine, allowing the eU to be flooded with truckers who undercut local providers and with equally undercutting farm products that don’t

even meet the eU standards with which european farmers are forced to comply at their own expense. Farmers don’t want handouts, but they want governments to lay off the increasingly heavy taxation as their solution to filling state coffers emptied as a result of their constantly misplaced priorities. They also want their national governments to defend their interests against Brussels’ attempts to replace them with cheap foreign imports through endless free trade deals with countries whose farmers don’t operate under the same regulatory diktats, all while Brussels pushes member states (notably the Netherlands) to buy out farms whose cattle waste doesn’t serve its climate change policies.

It’s no surprise that the average person sympathizes, since they’re equally fed up with their incompetent heavy-handed government serving as a white glove for Brussels’ iron fist.

They see that their gas and electricity costs are endlessly climbing, and their buying power is circling the drain, all while the French defense minister, for example, talks about how the Ukraine conflict, that has served as a convenient pretext for europe’s transfer of wealth from the people to the elites, is such a wonderful opportunity for the military industrial complex. And when the French National Assembly approved themselves a €300 ($327) a month increase in their own allowances this week, just to offset the inflation that’s crushing the average citizen, it serves as yet another example of their total tone-deafness.

On the afternoon of January 24, a massive row of tires and manure was set ablaze by angry French farmers right in front of the prefecture of Agen, in southwest France.

Some farmers present denounced the move, others voiced their support, but all agreed to being fed up. More tellingly, police and firefighters on the scene dragged their feet in reacting as the smoke extended almost to the height of the adjacent building, considered a symbol of the French state. Apparently, even frontline workers who serve the state’s institutions are getting fed up with the establishment elites. And not just in europe, but elsewhere in the West.

Canadian Freedom Convoy truckers and their supporters were vindicated in Canadian Federal Court this week when a judge ruled that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government constitutionally violated fundamental rights and freedoms when it evoked the emergency Act against protesting opponents to the government’s Covid mandates, which they considered a violation of basic rights and freedoms. The fact that the government ordered bank accounts blocked as a deterrent against protesting should have been the first big hint of growing authoritarianism, but apparently it took a federal judge to spell it out.

German farmers and truckers who began convoying across the country earlier this month told me in Berlin that they were in-

spired by the Freedom Convoy as they railed against the German government’s imposition of more taxes on the diesel that fuels their farm vehicles, already pricy as a result of the government’s misguided energy policies driven by ideological, knee-jerk opposition to fossil fuels and to cheap gas from Russia. In both the Freedom Convoy and farmer cases, grotesque attempts by government officials to portray protesters as some kind of right-wing radicals, to absolve elites from responsibility, have fallen flat among the general population.

Truckers, bakers, students, firefighters, and police are already showing signs of solidarity with the farmers, backed by an overwhelming and quantified silent majority.

And these national movements are finding common cause with each other around europe and the Western world. Attempts to foster division by pitting big farms against small ones or right against left fall flat.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who only started in the job on January 9 and probably still hasn’t found all the washrooms at his new office, trudged down to the rural southern Rhone region last weekend. Attal said that “our farmers are not bandits, polluters, people who torture animals, as we sometimes hear.” Where does he hear that?

In Brussels? his seduction skills could use some work. It’s like showing up for a date and saying, “hey, you’re not as psycho as I heard you were.” What a charmer. Can’t wait to see how this diplomatic savant is going to resolve this whole mess.

A meeting last Monday between Attal and farming reps included a delegate for the Young French Farmers Union. I spoke with several of their counterparts in Berlin at that protest earlier this month – young entrepreneurs, so well-spoken and educated.

These young farmers say they work 80-hour weeks and feel there is so much red tape or prohibitions from the eU that it’s paralyzing.

And yet France is desperate to encourage young people to adopt farming as a profession at a time when it’s a dying business. Gee, big mystery why that might be, geniuses.

The tragic deaths of Alexandra Sonac and her daughter this week will forever stand as a symbol of struggle against the oppression of the working class by an authoritarian global governance that’s fomenting chaos as it caters to special interests increasingly divorced from those of the average citizen. No amount of tinkering by the offending governments will quell the growing unrest. Only a deep and fundamental rethinking of their relationship with their citizens, whose interests they’re supposed to serve exclusively, would have any hope of resolving this deepening crisis.

Rachel Marsden is a columnist, political strategist, and host of independently produced talk-shows in French and English.

06 NEWS

UN CHIEF CALLS ON DONORS TO MAINTAIN AID FLOW AMID ‘INTENSIVE BATTLES’ IN GAZA

U

GAZA/NEW YORK Agencies

N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on donor states to guarantee the flow of vital aid to Gaza after several halted funding to the agency, UNRWA, over Israeli claims that some of its staff participated in the October 7 attacks.

The Israeli army on Sunday said special forces were continuing to engage in “intensive battles” in Gaza’s main southern city of Khan Yunis, where it said troops eliminated “terrorists and located large quantities of weapons”.

Strikes were also carried out in central and northern Gaza, it added.

As heavy fighting sent more people fleeing south towards the Egyptian border, the row over the UNRWA aid agency for Palestinian refugees deepened.

UNRWA said on Friday it had fired several employees over Israel’s unspecified accusations about the involvement of some of its staff in Hamas’s October 7 attack.

Donors including Germany, Britain, Italy, Australia and Finland on Saturday followed the lead of the United States, which said it had suspended additional funding to the agency over the accusations.

“While I understand their concerns — I was myself horrified by these accusations — I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations,” Guterres said late Saturday.

He said the “abhorrent alleged acts” of some UNRWA staff should not mean that its thousands of other humanitarian workers should be penalised.

“The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met,” he said.

Israel’s envoy to the UN slammed Guterres, saying the UN chief had repeatedly ignored “evidence” presented to him regarding UNRWA’s involvement in “incitement and terrorism”.

Any country that continues to fund UNRWA before a comprehensive investigation of the organisation should know that its money will be used for terrorism,” Gilad Erdan said Sunday.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called on UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini to quit after saying earlier the body “must be replaced with agencies dedicated to genuine peace and development”.

“Mr Lazzarini please resign,” Katz said on X, formerly Twitter, late on Saturday, in response to a post by the UNRWA chief warning that the funding cuts meant the agency’s operation in Gaza was close to collapse.

UN SHELTER HIT Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel resulted in about 1,140 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official

Ukraine says it uncovers mass fraud in weapons procurement KYIV

Agencies

Ukraine’s SBU security service said on Saturday it had uncovered a corruption scheme in the purchase of arms by the country’s military totalling the equivalent of about $40 million. The announcement of mass procurement fraud, confirmed by Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, will have a huge resonance in a country beleaguered

by Russia’s nearly two-year-old invasion. The fight to root out endemic corruption remains a major issue as Ukraine presses its bid to secure membership in the European Union. The SBU said an investigation had “exposed officials of the Ministry of Defence and managers of arms supplier Lviv Arsenal, who stole nearly 1.5 billion hryvnias in the purchase of shells.” “According to the investigation, former and current high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defence and heads of affiliated companies are involved in the embezzlement.” The embezzlement, it said, involved the purchase of 100,000 mortar shells for the military. The SBU said a contract for the shells was clinched with Lviv Arsenal in August 2022 – six months into the war – and payment was made in advance, with some funds transferred abroad. But no arms were ever provided, the statement said, with some funds then moved to other foreign accounts. The statement said five individuals had been served “notices of suspicion” – the first stage in Ukrainian legal proceedings – both in the ministry and the arms supplier. One suspect, it said, was detained while trying to cross the Ukrainian border. Corruption within the military has been a particularly sensitive issue in Ukraine as it tries to maintain wartime public morale and present its case to join the 27-nation EU. Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov was dismissed last September over various corruption cases despite enjoying a solid reputation in representing Ukraine in its discussions with Western allies. Although he was not alleged to have engaged personally in corruption, several cases hit the military under his stewardship, one for supplying troops with food, another over procuring suitable clothing for servicemen.

figures. Militants also seized about 250 hostages and Israel says around 132 of them remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 28 dead captives.

Israel’s ensuing military offensive has killed at least 26,422 people, most of them women and children, in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Long-strained relations between Israel and UNRWA deteriorated rapidly after the UN body condemned tank shelling it said had hit a shelter for displaced people in Khan Yunis on Wednesday.

It said the tank shelling killed 13 people at the shelter where tens of thousands of displaced people had been registered.

The Israeli military has promised a thorough review but has also said it was examining the possibility it was a “result of Hamas fire”.

Protesters demanding the return of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas gather near Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea Protesters demanding the return of

hostages held in Gaza by Hamas gather near Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea The Israeli army is the only force known to operate tanks in the Gaza Strip.

There were heavy clashes in Khan Yunis overnight, including mortar rounds fired by militants at Israeli tanks, the armed wings of militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said.

Rockets were also fired into southern Israel, they said, and there was fighting in several neighbourhoods of Gaza City and further north.

The Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, where aid is inspected and sent into Gaza, was blocked Sunday by protesters including the families of hostages, said COGAT, the Israeli agency in charge of civilian affairs in the Palestinian territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing growing domestic pressure over his handling of the conflict, doubled down on his vow to eliminate Hamas from besieged Gaza. “If we don’t eliminate Hamas terrorists… the next massacre is only a matter of time,” he said in a televised statement on Saturday. Experts have told AFP Netanyahu’s target of eliminating Hamas is increasingly seen within his war cabinet as incompatible with returning the hostages held in Gaza.

CEASEFIRE SOUGHT The UNRWA row follows the UN’s International Court of Justice ruling on Friday that Israel must prevent possible acts of genocide in the conflict, and allow in more aid, although it stopped short of calling for a ceasefire.

Diplomatic efforts to find a solution have also gathered pace.

A week-long cessation of hostilities in November saw Hamas release dozens of

Agencies

India is seeking to distance itself from its largest arms supplier after Russia’s ability to supply munitions and spares was hobbled by the war in Ukraine, but must step carefully to avoid pushing Moscow closer to China, Indian sources said.

The world’s biggest arms importer is

hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The New York Times said on Saturday US-led negotiators were getting closer to an agreement under which Israel would suspend its war in Gaza for about two months in return for the release of more than 100 hostages.

Quoting unidentified US officials, it said negotiators had developed a draft agreement that would be discussed in Paris on Sunday.

Palestinians are meanwhile fleeing further south from Khan Yunis towards Rafah, close to the Egyptian border, where the United Nations says most of Gaza’s estimated 1.7 million displaced people have gathered.

AFP images showed people wading through ankle-deep water around plastic shelters in Rafah, where bombardment still threatens.

The Doctors Without Borders (MSF) aid group has said surgical capacity at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis was “virtually non-existent”.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the Al-Amal hospital was also “under siege with heavy gunfire”.

Türkiye expresses concern over aid halt to UN agency for PalestiniansTürkiye on Sunday expressed concern over the suspension of aid by some countries to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

“Working under very difficult conditions, UNRWA meets the vital needs of millions of Palestine refugees. Since October 7, more than 150 UNRWA personnel have been killed by Israel in Gaza,” the country’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“The suspension of funding to UNRWA, following allegations against a few UNRWA staff, will primarily harm the Palestinian people,” it added.

“We expect the countries that have announced suspension of funding to UNRWA to reconsider their decisions,” it concluded.

The US and Canada on Saturday announced the temporary suspension of new funding to UNRWA, following Israel’s accusation that some of the agency’s employees participated in the attack launched by the Hamas movement on Oct. 7.

North Korea fires cruise missiles off east coast SEOUL

Agencies

The missiles were launched at around 2300 GMT on Saturday and were being analysed

by South Korean and US intelligence authorities, the JCS said, without specifying how many missiles were fired or how far they travelled.

“While strengthening surveillance and vigilance, our military is cooperating closely with the United States and monitoring additional signs and activities from North Korea,” it said in a statement.

The latest launches came days after North Korea fired what it called a new strategic cruise missile called “Pulhwasal3-31”, suggesting it is nuclear capable.

North Korea is stepping up confrontation with the United States and its allies, but officials in Washington and Seoul say they have spotted no signs Pyongyang intends to take imminent military action.

Pyongyang is likely to continue or even increase provocative steps, officials and analysts say, after it made strides in ballistic missile development, bolstered cooperation with Russia and China, and scrapped its decades-long goal of peacefully reuniting with South Korea.

Earlier on Sunday, North Korea’s state media KCNA denounced a series of military drills conducted in recent weeks by US and South Korean troops, warning of “merciless” consequences.

“The reality that nuclear war exercises against our republic have been going on

FG/Din Polo clinch 11th Corps Commander Cup trophy LAHORE

stAff RepoRt

FG/Din Polo emerged title winners in the prestigious 11th Corps Commander Cup 2024, sponsored by Alfalah Investment and Abhi Investment, after defeating Team Barry’s with a narrow margin of 6-5 ½ in the final played here at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Sunday.

The event was graced by Muhammad Ali, COO and Co-Founder of Abhi Investment, and Syed Hussain Gardezi, Regional Head of Alfalah Investment, as the chief guests. Major Ali Taymur (R), Secretary of Jinnah Polo Fields, along with a significant turnout of polo enthusiasts and fami-

lies, witnessed the gripping finale.

Juan Cruz Greguol was a standout performer for FG/Din Polo, netting three goals, while Farhad Muhammad Shaikh contributed two goals, and Agha Musa Ali Khan added one to their tally. Team Barry’s, benefiting

from a half-goal handicap, saw Raja Mikael Sami leading their effort with four goals, complemented by Raja Jalal Arslan’s single goal.

Earlier in the subsidiary final, Rijas Polo/Master Paints outshone Diamond Paints with a 7½-4 victory.

India pivots away from Russian arms, but will retain strong ties NEW DELHI

Monday, 29 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

slowly turning West as the United States looks to strengthen ties in the Indo-Pacific region, hoping to contain an ascendant China by weaning the South Asian nation off a traditional dependence on Russia. Russia supplied 65% of India’s weapons purchases of more than $60 billion during the last two decades, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Still, the Ukraine war hastened the impetus to diversify its weapons base. “We are not likely to sign any major military deal with Russia,” said Nandan Unnikrishnan, a Russia expert at New Delhi think tank the Observer Research Foundation. “That would be a red line for Washington.”

That view comes despite Moscow’s offers, described by four Indian government sources, among them a senior security official who recently retired, as including platforms such as the most advanced Kamov helicopters and Sukhoi and MiG fighter jets, with the added fillip of joint manufacturing in

India. All four sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive subject. The foreign and defence ministries of India and Russia did not respond to requests for comment.

Russia has publicly urged India to step up defence ties, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned his focus to domestic production with Western technology, experts and officials said.

Such efforts would better fit Modi’s “Make in India” programme to encourage domestic manufacturing, as he makes a rare bid for a third term in general elections due by May. India expects to spend nearly $100 billion on defence orders over the next decade, its defence minister has said. Last year, India and the United States signed a deal for General Electric (GE.N), opens new tab to produce engines in India to power its fighter jets, the first such U.S. concession to a non-ally.

They also plan to “fast-track” technology co-operation and co-production in areas ranging from air combat to intelligence, they said at the time.

Further driving India’s ties with the United States is disquiet over China, as their troops are embroiled in a standoff on their Himalayan frontier since 2020, when one of their bloodiest clashes in five decades killed 24 soldiers.

The nuclear-armed neighbours fought a war in 1962, but their frontier,

more than 2,000 miles (3,200 km) long, is still contested.

CLOSER TO BEIJING India must walk a fine line in ties with Russia, as the largest buyer of its arms and, since 2022, one of the largest purchasers of its oil. Halting such trade would push Moscow closer to Beijing, the only other major economy it deals with. “Arms purchase buys you influence,” said the retired security official.

“By shutting them out you make them subservient to China.” Trade with Russia in energy and other areas would help “keep it as far away as possible from China,” added Unnikrishnan, the analyst.

Russia’s arms exports have largely stabilised since the Ukraine war’s early disruptions, which fuelled concerns about India’s operational readiness, the officials said, but the fears have not entirely dissipated.

“As the Ukraine war stretches, it raises questions if Russia will be able to give us spare parts,” said Swasti Rao, Eurasia expert at the state-run Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

“It is fuelling the diversification.”

India is eyeing French jets for its latest aircraft carrier and wants to make submarines with French, German or Spanish technology, and fighter jets with American and French engines, the sources said.

like crazy since the beginning of the New Year demands that we be fully prepared for a deadly war,” the dispatch said.

North Korea carried out its first test of a cruise missile with a possible nuclear strike capabilities in September 2021.

While UN Security Council sanctions do not bar the isolated country from testing conventional cruise missiles, South Korea’s defence minister Shin Won-sik condemned the recent launches as a serious threat to his country and beyond.

The latest launch came a day after a Chinese delegation led by Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong returned home following a three-day visit to Pyongyang, during which both sides vowed to boost tactical cooperation and defend common interests.

In a separate dispatch on Sunday, KCNA said a North Korean delegation headed by sports minister Kim Il Guk left on Saturday for China.

Arab League to hold emergency meeting to discuss ICJ ruling on Gaza war CAIRO

Agencies

The Arab League is set to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss a provisional ruling issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Israel’s deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip. The meeting will be held at the level of permanent delegates at the request of Palestine to draft an Arab position on the ICJ ruling, Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki said in a statement. South Africa took Israel to The Hague-based ICJ on Dec. 29 on charges of genocide against Palestinians amid a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7.

On Friday, the UN court found South Africa’s claim that Israel is committing genocide plausible. The court issued an interim order urging Israel to stop obstructing aid deliveries into Gaza and to improve the humanitarian situation. Flouting the ICJ’s provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip where at least 26,422 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 65,087 others injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel says nearly 1,200 people have been killed in the Hamas attack.

Thousands of Sikhs vote on referendum for Khalistan in San Francisco: Report NEW YORK Agencies

Thousands of Sikhs residents in the US state of California voted in San Francisco Sunday on a referendum that is aimed at creating an independent state in Indian Punjab called Khalistan, according to organizers. Known as “The Khalistan Referendum,” the vote also calls attention to the persecution of Sikhs in India. The Sikhs for Justice (SfJ), an advocacy organization, has been mobilizing Sikhs in the area to make the trip in large numbers to cast their votes. The goal of the vote is to determine how much support the movement has before bringing the matter to the United Nations. In California, supporters of the movement have placed hoardings along highways, adorned their cars in stickers, and left pamphlets outlining the cause at various Indian shops. Voting for the Khalistan referendum has been taking place since 2021 in countries like Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. The organizers hope to hold an official referendum vote in India in 2025. In a statement issued Saturday evening, the Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) said, “We believe strongly in the right to self-determination, and accordingly.

Monday, 29 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

1,500 PARTICIPATE IN FIRST-EVER INTERNATIONAL MARATHON IN KARACHI NEWS

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Tessori announces to bear hajj expenses of senior citizens above 75 years of age KARACHI

staff report

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori has announced to bear expanses of Hajj and Umrah for persons above 75 years, who have not performed the holy pilgrimage in their life. This he announced while talking with media after visiting Sindh Government hospital Liaquatabad (SGHL). “Such persons should register themselves with Governor House and they would be sent to holy mosques after balloting",he further announced Governor Sindh also announced to bear expanses of such students, whose parents are unable to afford heavy expediture of fees and books. “Such parents can also approach 1366” he added. He said that the emergency of Sindh Government Hospital Liaquatabad is like the emergency of Jinnah, Civil and Abbasi Shaheed Hospitals and need immense improvement “My main purpose of visits of city hospitals is to personally know the state of affairs of health care institutions for ensuring betterment of the same”, he added. Governor Sindh questioned the non-availability of Sehat Sahulat Cards for the residents of Sindh and said that what is the reason of the deprivation and injustice to the people of Sindh.

KU VC distributes laptops among students KARACHI

staff report

Vice Chancellor University of Karachi, Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi on Sunday said that we need to get out of fictions and myths and stressed the need for adoption of the reality of science and technology to compete with rest of the world.

“One of the major reasons that we are still behind other nations is that we did not adopt changes around the world on time and similarly Muslims were too late to take benefits of science and research in the modern days. He informed the audience that when printing press was introduced, west had started printing books and distributions of those books were easily increased but Muslims took 300 years to realize how important it would be for them as well. KU VC Prof Dr Khalid Iraqi was addressing the PM's National Laptop Scheme distribution ceremony. The KU Registrar Professor Dr Imran Ahmad Siddiqui, deans of various faculty and chairpersons of departments, students and others attended the event. Earlier, audience was informed that around 2800 students have been selected for the laptops after a long procedure and in the first phase approximately 200 students have received the laptops while others will get their laptops in coming days. Meanwhile, KU Focal Person of Prime Minister Laptop Scheme Dr Syed Asim Ali, the Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy Professor Dr Faiyaz H. M. Vaid, President Karachi University Teachers’ Society Professor Dr Shah Ali Ul Qadar and others also spokes on this occasion.

Dues of print media to be cleared on priority: Shah KARACHI

staff report

Caretaker Sindh Minister for Information, Minority Affair and Social Protection Muhammad Ahmed Shah said on Sunday that caretaker provincial government believes in freedom of expression and striving to safeguard this freedom. This he said while talking with a delegation of All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS) Sindh Committee, led by Syed Sarmad Ali. Director General Public Relation Information Department Muhammad Saleem Khan was also present on the occasion. The delegation members apprised caretaker Minister Information about the dues of newspaper, advertisement to specially regional papers and other related issues. Caretaker Minister Information said that caretaker Sindh Government was endeavoung to resolve the matter of payment of dues to print media. "I have issued clear instructions to Information department to ensure transport distribution of specially display advertisements to print media, as thousands of workers are employed there", he added. He asked publications to ensure timely payment of salaries to their employees so as to encourage them to work with even more zeal and dedication. He said that during the election campaign of forthcoming elections, it was the responsibility of publications to ensure fact base news so as to guide the voters to choose their representatives. "Newspaper have no restriction on publishing news, analysis and articles which is a proof that caretaker government respects freedom of pres,s” he added. The delegation members thanked caretaker Minister Information for listening to their issues patiently and for his assurance to resolve the same. The delegation members included Chairman Sindh Committee Javed Shamsi, Executive Committee members Muhammad Younis Mehar, Zahida Abbasi, Rafiq Ahmed Pirzada, Imtiaz Qazi and Mumtaz Ahmed Phulpoto.

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KARACHI

staff report

ORE than 1,500 runners, including local and foreign athletes, participated in the first certified international marathon in Karachi. The event was organized by Sports in Pakistan in collaboration with the government of Sindh.

Speaking as a chief guest, Dr. Junaid Shah, Minister for Sports, Culture, and Youth, Government of Sindh, said the international marathon in Karachi was a notable success for Pakistan, as this was organized on a high standard similar to marathons held in Paris, London, and New York. The marathon recorded a great achievement for the country to be a regular feature for the country and the city in the future.

The distance categories on offer were the full marathon (42.2km), half

marathon (21.1km), 5k (5km), and marathon relay. The Marathon Relay featured teams of participants, in which each participant completed one quarter (10.55km) of the full marathon distance.

The course of the event was certified

by AIMS and World Athletics, the international governing bodies for long-distance running. The starting line was at Nishan, Pakistan, from where the course headed southeast along the coastline. The timing system made use of state-of-theart electronic chips.

Handsome cash prizes were handed out to the top finishers in the full marathon, half marathon, and relay categories. As an affirmation of gender equality, the prize amounts were kept equal for both men and women. The winners were given cash prizes of Rs5,000 to Rs500,000 in different categories for different positions.

"We are proud of our efforts to bring a certified marathon to this great city,"

said Shoaib Nizami, CEO of Sports in Pakistan, the agency behind the event.

"This sports event was not just a race, but a celebration of the enduring spirit of Karachi." The marathon gave a platform to hundreds of athletes in Pakistan to show their best talent to the world, and it

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is expected that more runners will be participating in the next event. We are thankful to all the individuals who brought the event to life with their determination and love for running. We hope to see even more runners at the next edition of the event.”

Alternative Lifestyle Festival highlights PPP believes in service, alternate choices for a sustainable future not criticism: Wahab KARACHI

KARACHI

staff report

staff report

SEED Ventures, through its What's The Alternative (WTA) initiative, orchestrated the Alternative Lifestyle Festival in Karachi, Pakistan. The event served as a vibrant platform, uniting individuals in their pursuit of sustainable alternatives and mindful living.

WTA, an inventive platform conceived and run by SEED Ventures, endeavors to create dialogue around the power of conscious choices in our everyday lives and how they impact environment, wellness, and lifestyle. The platform's objective is to encourage individuals, corporates and society as a whole to reassess what seem as easy choices, and to opt for better alternatives, transforming them into meaningful actions, prompting positive change.

Shaista Ayesha, CEO & Director of SEED Ventures, emphasized, "The Alternative Lifestyle Festival has not only showcased the vitality of sustainable living but has also ignited a collective passion for conscious choices that resonate with our daily lives. As we reflect on the event's success, it's clear that festivals like this are essential-they catalyze change, uniting individuals under the common goal of a future where we make conscious choices for a more sustainable lifestyle, and encouraging them to think about alternatives in the choices they make in their everyday lives.

This gathering has proven that together, we have the power to inspire and drive meaningful impact in our

communities and beyond."

The panel, "Choices for Change" engaged leaders from across industries: from Hassan Sheheryar Yasin, Designer; to Sadia Dada, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, K-Electric; Andleeb Uroos Ahmed, Head of Communications, Philip Morris Pakistan Limited; and Sarah Nasiruddin, Co-Founder, Karachi Farmer's Market.

Hassan touched upon sustainable fashion and its impact on style and the environment; Sadia stressed the adoption of alternative energy for a better future; Uroos shed light on the importance of scientific & technological advancements leading to alternatives that reduce tobacco harm, and Sarah enlightened the audience about the significance of organic food choices.

There was also a fireside chat with Tofiq Pasha Mooraj, Horticulture expert, and Dr Ayesha Mian, CEO & Founder Synapse and a mental well-being expert with extensive experience in academia and capacity building.The event also featured a composting workshop by Trashit and a healing drum circle for the attendees.

Tiwana calls for enhanced FBR, FMU coordination to combat tax evasion ISLAMABAD

staff report

Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana emphasized the need for sustained collaboration between Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) for development of quality financial intelligence on tax evasion and its optimal utilization in investigations.

The Chairman said this while addressing the concluding ceremony of the FBR-FMU Joint Workshop on Financial Intelligence for Tax Evasion organized with the assistance of FCDO’s UPSCALE Programme in FBR headquarters.

The FBR chief congratulated the DG Intelligence and Investigation-Inland Revenue and the FMU for organising the event and stressed further enhancement of this partnership to achieve the

unanimous goal of combating illicit finance. Mr. Tiwana also thanked Mr. Lewis Evans of British High Commission, present at the occasion, for providing assistance in organising the event.

Ms. Lubna Farooq, Director General of FMU, thanked FBR and FCDO and underscored the need for sustained coordination between

FBR and FMU for enhancing the knowledge base and promoting mutual understanding for combating tax fraud and tax evasion. This collaborative approach, she said, will enhance the effectiveness of investigations and contribute to a more robust and interconnected framework for combating financial crimes.

Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab has said that the PPP do not believe in criticism but in service and will fulfill its responsibility as it accepts ownership this mega. Under the vision of Chairman Pakistan People's Party Bilawal Bhutto facilities like cyber knife have been provided in the Jinnah hospital , Sindh government of People's Party has provided Cardiology, Jinnah Hospital, Trauma Center, Gumit and other modern health facilities in the province. He said this while responding to Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori's unjustified criticism.

Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had laid the foundation stone of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital fifty years ago. He said that when the Mayor of your political party took charge, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital was pushed to ruin.

Iesco issues power suspension schedule for today ISLAMABAD

staff report

According to Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco)s spokesman, System Maintenance/Development Work is in process. Therefore power supply of below mentioned feeders/areas will be temporary suspended as per given schedule: On 29th January 2024, From 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM, Islamabad Circle, Rahara, Azad Shaheed, Lahtrar Road, Tramiree, ISI, Isolation Hospital, New Wahidabad, CM Pak Zong, Kari Road, Mahfooz Shaheed, Sohdran Road, G-6/3, Filtration Plant, Wapda Colony, New Marvi, Iqbal Town, S Road East, Tamir, F-8/3, ICT, FHS, I-8/4, G-14/3, E-11 /2, Kurry, Sunny Bank, Cecil, Kohala, Pearl Cantonent, Patriata, Upper Topa, Anguri Feeders, Rawalpindi City Circle, Khanna.II, Alnoor Colony, Noon, Nogzi, Bajnyal, 6th Road, Ghousia Colony, E Block, A Block, New Milpur, B Block, Mazam Town, Fazahia, KRL, Farooq Azam, Gangal, Airport, Zafarul Haq, Arya Mohalla, Fowara Chowk, Sarafa Bazar, Janah Road, Rajahabad, Dhok Najo, Asghar Mall, Azizabad, Railway Colony, Race Course, Captain Amir Shaheed, Shams Colony, MFM, Benazir Bhutto Head Feeders, Rawalpindi Cantt Circle, Hyder Road, Sir Syed Road, Kot Jabi, Car Chowk, Sarwar Shaheed, MSF, Park View, Lalkarti, Kalyal. , Dhamyal, Qureshiabad, Chongi No. 22, Chontra, Sehala College, Sagri, Lahtrar-II, Sep Abrar, Fazal Ahmad, New Chawah, Ghazan Khan, Hamid Jhangi, Jhata Hatial, Bahr Kalial, Raman, Gagan, Feeders, Attock. Circle, Amanpur, Margalla, Nawaz Shaheed, Behlot, Binbola, AWT-4, Punjab Small Industry, Small Industrial Estate, Lalazar, Khanabad, Lalah Rukh, Shafi Chauhan, Industrial, Maskinabad, Hazro, Darya Sharif, Haji. Shah, Shikradra, Attock Cantt, Dilawarabad, Pindi Ghep, Mithial, Bahtar, Nara, Kohar, Dharnal, Kanda, Gul Muhammad Feeders, Chakwal Circle, Tharpal, Milat Chowk, Mureed, Miani, Main Bazar, Jund Awan, Latifal, Drogi. Rajgaon, Chakral, CS Shah, Dufar, Katas, Tuba, PD Khan, Abdullahpur, Kursal, Dharanka.

Surging Pak-China trade in yuan to stabilize reserves, support rupee: PIAF

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF), hailing the improvement in China-Pakistan bilateral trade volume in the Chinese Yuan (RMB), reaching more than 14 percent in 2023 from just two percent of 2018, said that it would reduce dependence on the US dollar, stabilizing foreign exchange reserves and strengthen the rupee against the greenback.

The PIAF Chairman Faheemur Rehman Saigol also appreciated the SBP to take concrete steps to facilitate this shift by designating three banks – the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Bank of China, and Standard Chartered Bank to establish local RMB clearing and settlement setups. He said that this move was seen as a part of a broader strategy to ease pressure on Pakistan’s

balance of payments and stabilize its fluctuating foreign exchange reserves, which are predominantly in US dollars.

The PIAF leader said that that the increase in RMB trade was a result of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the People’s Bank of China (PBC) and the SBP, authorizing ICBC to act as an RMB clearing bank in Pakistan. This shift towards RMB in trade

PAK-IRAN TIES

‘Good neighbour is better than a faraway family Hasan nourian

An Iranian commonly used proverb says that a Good neighbour is better than a family who is far away. Iran & Pakistan are two brotherly, Islamic neighbours who have common challenges and opportunities.

Both are suffering from terrorism and as a result, during the last decades, numerous civilians and army staff of both sides have been targeted by terrorist groups.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, to date, more than 17000 Iranian people including President Rajaei, Prime Minister Bahonar, Chief Justice Beheshti, 72 parliamentarians, religious scholars, scientists and army commanders have been assassinated and now Iran considers the major victim of terrorism in the world.

In the recent incidents in the southeast of Iran, the Balouchistan area, the

border guards of Iran have been targeted by a terrorist group, which is known as the so-called Jaish Ul Adl. This group was in practice for another operation to kill Iranian civilians and border guards and for this reason, this group which was infiltrating the Iranian territory to make a horrible operation was halted by the border task force.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of

Iran clarified in its statement that it was only a preventative operation and there was no conclusion to disrespect the sovereignty of Pakistan.

This reason is completely understandable for the governments of both brotherly countries and they have managed this matter quickly through the dialogue and diplomatic channels.

Fortunately, the ambassadors of both sides returned to their posts and the Iranian foreign minister is due to visit Islamabad on Monday 29th January at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart.

There is no doubt that both sides are eager to utilise the voice of rationality and wisdom to govern their common challenges and how to avoid misusing their brotherly complaints by the ill-wishers.

In a brief review of the relations of both countries, we see that Iran was the first country that recognised Pakistan’s independence in 1947 and only 40 days after this political recognition, Iran inau-

transactions is not only significant for Pakistan but also marks a global trend.

According to reports, the Chinese yuan has ascended to the fourth most used currency in global settlements. In November, it surpassed Japan’s yen in international payments for the first time since January 2022, as reported

by Swift international payment service. staff report

gurated its embassy in Karachi as the time being capital of Pakistan.

Both countries stood with each other during their tough times and supported each other at all regional and international levels. There is a strong sense of understanding of the situation and hopefully, both countries will commonly fight terrorism and separatist groups.

Nowadays the issue of Palestine is the foremost concern of the Islamic world and nothing can make a diversion from this important topic.

Both of the Islamic Republic neighbours will join hands to play their crucial role in solving their bilaterally, regional and international issues through their commendable potential.

Now, it's the turn of the elites, think tanks, policymakers, diplomats, researchers, prominent journalists, leading NGOs, etc to make positive efforts in maintaining and strengthening Iran and Pakistan’s relationship.

The writer is the Consul General of Islamic Republic of Iran in Karachi.

‘SMEAR CAMPAIGN’ AGAINST APEX COURT JUDGES BEING PROBED AS PER LAW: SOLANGI

Monday, 29 January, 2024

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ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

ARETAKER Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Sunday said the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was carrying out a probe into the “malicious campaign on social media” against the judge of the apex court as per law.

Addressing a news conference along with officials of the FIA, PTA, and other relevant institutions, the caretaker minister said the JIT was formed on January 16 to probe the anti-judiciary campaign on the social media networking sites.

He said the JIT’s first meeting held was on January 17 while the second one convened on January 23. The process to probe

into the drive was still underway, he added.

So far, 600 social media accounts were investigated, he said, adding as many as 100 inquiries were registered.

The minister said notices were served on 110 individuals, including 32 journalists and 22 politicians and political workers.

The notices to the identified individuals were served in accordance with the law, Solangi said while brushing aside the reports regarding the harassment of journalists in the matter related to a “malicious campaign” against top judges.

The minister said it was imperative to bring forth the facts in this regard. So far no First Investigation Report was lodged against anybody, nor anyone was arrested for this matter.

Solangi said the law would take its courts and actions against those who were

involved in running the campaign against the judiciary would be taken in accordance with the law.

To a query, he said there were reasonable restrictions on the freedom of expression and the law of the land prohibited from running campaigns against the judiciary and armed

forces. “This is not about criticism rather it is related to character assassination and ridiculing [of the judiciary],” he said in response to another query.

“What has been done against the judges of the apex court during the last couple of days on social media, it does not come under

ANP asks Nawaz to tender apology over calling people of KP ‘fools’ PESHAWAR

Staff RepoRt

The Awami National Party (ANP) on Sunday demanded the PML-N Supremo to tender an apology to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over “dubbing them as fools.”

Yesterday, Nawaz Sharif Nawaz while speaking at the launch of PML-N’s manifesto in Lahore said: “Some of our people are easily fooled. And the easiest to fool are some people from KhyberPakhtunkhwa. This disease originated from there.. [KP].”

ANP spokesperson Samar Haroon Bilour, in a post on X, (erstwhile Twitter)

said “such language does not befit the PML-N chief who attained premiership thrice to refer to the people of a province as fools.” She added that Nawaz’s remark came at a time when his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, was canvassing in the province. “On what basis are these people seeking vote from people?” asked Bilour.

Criticizing the PML-N, the ANP spokesperson said the same party had earlier refused to give the people of KP their due rights. “Maybe Nawaz is repeating history,” she added.

“We know that any individual who has a domicile from Punjab is considered respectable in this country, but the leaders of K-P are still present.”

Condemning Nawaz for his language, the ANP spokesperson demanded the PML-N supremo to issue a public apology and retract his statement against the people of K-P. A day earlier, Nawaz took a swipe at the state of affairs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, asserting that those who left the country in a state of disarray were the ones who had initially disrupted it.

He questioned the outcome of the promised ‘Naya Pakistan’ by PTI founder Imran Khan and blamed the citizens of KP for bringing the PTI into power.

“What do the people of K-P say? Did the province progress? Has ‘Naya Pakistan’ been made?” he asked.

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the pretext of criticism,” he said while clarifying that there should be a fine line between the criticism and ridiculing someone.

To another query, he said the caretaker government could only take measures in accordance with its mandate. However, the legislation on any issue was the job of the Parliament whose lower house did not exist as of now. “Nobody has been picked up since the JIT is formed,” he said while dispelling the impression of a witch-hunt under the garb of the JIT. He said the intensity of the malicious campaign had decreased significantly since the formation of the JIT. FIA Director General Ahmad Ishaque Jahangir said notices were served to give an opportunity to the identified individuals to give their side of version on the issue. “Not every notice end up in the FIR,” he added.

Power companies set to shift tax burden on public ISLAMABAD

Electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) are seeking increase in power tariffs after a recent court decision has made them liable for minimum tax.

The Lahore High Court recently ruled that Tariff Differential Subsidy should be considered part of the DISCOs turnover which would make it liable to minimum tax. Lahore Electric Supply Compnay’s CEO has now written a letter to the power division asking for help to resolve the matter fairly so the companies do not face additional burden forcing them to raise tariffs. “We understand the challenges faced by the government in balancing fiscal responsibilities, but we believe that a fair and just resolution is crucial to maintaining the financial stability of Discos and avoiding any adverse impact on tariff,” said the CEO LESCO. The Federal Board of Revenue had reached an agreement with the DISCOs in 2008 which allowed them to deduct the purchase price of electricity from their turnover for the purpose of minimum tax. This meant that the DISCOs would have to pay tax on distribution margin

PTI’s Sanam Javed gets electoral symbol to face would halt any ‘undemocratic’ move during and after the Elections 2024.

Maryam Nawaz in NA-119 He added that any group resorting to

RAWALPINDI

Staff RepoRt

itics of hatred and division as well as political victimisation have led to these crises. “Only the PPP could get Pakistan out of trouble. We have announced 10point agenda to cope with inflation, unemployment and poverty,” he added.

Bilawal said that there will be no “Good or Bad Taliban” in Pakistan anymore and every terrorist will be brought to justice. “Only those who recognise Pakistan’s constitution will be pardoned and those who take up arms against the

country will be given a befitting reply,” the PPP Chairman warned.

Bilawal said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif wants to be the prime minister for the fourth time using ‘undemocratic’ means.

“This is their (PML-N’s) misapprehension that that he (Nawaz Sharif) will become the premier for the fourth time by using undemocratic means,” the PPP Chairman added. He went on to say that the PPP along with the people of Pakistan

taking up weapons against the state would receive a befitting response.

“It is crucial to address the issue of terrorism promptly. Pakistan has a tendency to make excuses until terrorism reaches its peak and endangers our children. Only then do we engage in the fight against terrorists,” Bilawal said.

He was of the view that only the PPP could rid the country of the economic, democratic, and social crises it was embroiled in. “We took Benazir’s ideology forward and presented our manifesto based on the principles of fighting poverty and unemployment,” he said.

Bilawal also vowed to bury the concept of revenge politics and form a “truth and reconciliation commission” after coming into power.

Towards the end of his address, he urged the people to vote for the “arrow” and said that PPP was the only political party that could take all stakeholders forward.

Day after trial run, PPP expresses reservations over result transmission system Not to let anyone steal JUI-F mandate in polls: Fazl GHOTKI

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Stamp ‘Arrow’ instead of voting independent candidates, Bilawal ‘again’ asks PTI workers Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari asked the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters to vote for the PPP instead of the independent candidates backed by the latter.

Addressing a public gathering at Rawalpindi, Bilawal asked the PTI workers and supporters to realise their founder is not contesting the elections and will not be able to become the prime minster.

“This is the time to be cautious but not to be emotional. The emotional PTI voters should understand that the PPP has been facing them for three generations,” he added.

He said that all the candidates backed by the PTI are ‘planted’. “Go out of the homes and vote for Arrow,” he told the PTI workers and supporters.

Bilawal said that Pakistan is going through severe economic and democratic crises. The PPP chief said that once again terrorism is emerging, adding that the pol-

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Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday expressed the resolve that unlike in 2018, the JUI-F would not let anyone ‘steal’ its mandate in the upcoming general elections. Addressing a public gathering in connection with the General Elections 2024 in Ghotki, Fazalur Rehman said that if someone still believes in ‘stealing’ the mandate, he should take a lesson from the condition of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder. The JUIF chief said that every other party is busy with power politics and nobody cares about the issues being faced by the common men. “No party is coming up for revival of Pakistan’s economy,” he added.

Maulana Fazalur Rehman also came down heavily on the PTI founder and said that he was ‘imposed to spoil the country’s identity and destroy the economy.He also condemned Israel over its violation of human rights in Palestine. “Israel is a terrorist and the United States stands beside it,” he added. The JUI-F chief asked the party workers to convey its message to the masses and request for vote for the February 8 elections. “When the JUI-F contest the polls, some elements criticise and mock us as they think we are fighting for the seat. You might be fighting for the seat and personal gains not us.

The path we are on is of Quran and Sunnah,” he added. Earlier on January 12, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, head of PakhtunKhaw Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) has announced his withdrawal from the NA265 constituency in favour of JUI-F chief. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be contesting the upcoming general elections from NA-265 Pishin.

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Day after the ‘successful’ trial run of the Election Management System (EMS), the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) expressed reservations over the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) results management system – to be used for timely tabulation and transmission of results.

Ad powered by advergic.com According to the party sources, the PPP has decided to approach the election commission to convey reservations over the “transparency” and “reliability” of the result transmission system.

They claimed that the electoral watchdog wants to introduce an app on result transmission system-style.

However, the PPP is of the view that the app may face technical issues.

The PPP suggested that the Presiding Officers should forward the results to Returning Officers on WhatsApp and the same result [Form 45] should be shared with Polling Agents with the messaging platform.

A day earlier, the Election

LAHORE

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Social media activist Sanam Javed Khan, affiliated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been assigned election symbols to contest in two national and one provincial constituencies, following a Supreme Court decision. After a three-member bench, led by Justice Muneeb Akhtar, heard appeals against the rejection of Sanam Javed’s papers, returning officers allotted her election symbols for constituencies NA-119, NA-120, and PP-150. The election symbols assigned are a photo frame and a pillow from PP-150, setting the stage for a competitive contest against Maryam Nawaz in NA-119. Sanam Javed, expressing determination, conveyed a message to Maryam Nawaz, stating, “Tell Maryam Nawaz that I have entered the field.

My family will spearhead my election campaign, and the people will fight Nawaz for me.” She accused Maryam Nawaz of engaging in video politics and running away when faced with adversity. Highlighting the commitment of PTI and its leader to serving the nation, Sanam emphasized that they endure imprisonment for the people and have a record of building universities for the welfare of the poor. She asserted that their leader did not engage in corrupt practices or establish sugar mills, emphasizing their contributions such as the health card during their tenure. In a separate legal development, Sanam Javed faced a post-arrest bail hearing in the Anti-Terrorism Court regarding the burning of Muslim League (N)’s office. The court adjourned the next hearing till January 29 after completing the post-arrest bail proceedings in the case. The decision on the bail application has been reserved by the court.

Iran offers condolences to Pakistan over killing of nine labourers ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Commission of Pakistan (ECP) successfully conducted a mock exercise of the Election Management System (EMS) on an experimental basis, yielding useful and encouraging results.

An ECP spokesperson said that presiding officers, on the whole, managed to deliver results satisfactorily. However, connectivity challenges at certain points during the exercise caused minor issues in transmitting results to some presiding officers. “These challenges are being promptly addressed.”

A comprehensive trial was initiated, involving the participation of returning officers’ offices at 859 locations nationwide, he said, adding that this comprehensive test encompassed Fiber/DSL connectivity,

EMS app log-in, usage, and the steps for results transmission and editing.

It effectively accomplished the transmission of results by presiding officers and the compilation of results by ROs through EMS. It’s noteworthy that the primary goal of EMS is to compile and tabulate results at the RO level. Throughout this exercise, all ROs completed the compilation and tabulation of results without encountering any issues.

If a presiding officer encounters difficulty in transmitting results to the RO via mobile phone, they are instructed to personally deliver the election results to the RO’s office.

Iran has offered condolences to Pakistan over the killing of nine of its labourers on its soil. Iranian envoy to Pakistan in his statement condemned the killings of Pakistani labourers in Iran and said Tehran and Islamabad will not tolerate affliction of damage to the countries’ relations. “Iran and Pakistan will not allow enemies to cause damage to the countries’ brotherly relations,” the Iranian envoy said in his statement. His remarks came hours after unknown assailants gunned down at least nine Pakistani nationals and injured three others in the suburb of the city of Saravan in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan. According to the information, among the victims, five hailed from different areas of Alipur in Punjab province and had been working in Iran for the past decade. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Pakistan’s envoy to Tehran condemned the “horrifying killings” and called upon Iran to extend full cooperation with Pakistani authorities on the matter. The development came a day after Mudassir arrived in Tehran while his Iranian counterpart landed in Islamabad, signalling the full restoration of diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring countries following deadly cross-border attacks.

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

Monday, 29 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

Monday, 29 January, 2024 | ISLAMABAD