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Rs 20.00 | Vol XIV No 228 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition

FAZL REJECTS POLLS RESULTS; ANNOUNCES COUNTRYWIDE PROTEST MOVEMENT thursday, 15 february, 2024 I 4 Sha'ban, 1445

JUI-F CHIEF ALSO JOINS OPPOSITION’S BANDWAGON

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Invites Nawaz Sharif to join him on opposition benches in Parliament ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

AMIAT Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday rejected the ‘rigged’ results of the general elections, inviting the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif to join him on opposition benches in the parliament. “If the establishment thinks the election has been transparent, then their narrative of May 9 tragedy is over,” he stated, challenging the credibility of the electoral process. He extended an invitation to Nawaz Sharif, urging him to join the opposition in their protest against the alleged irregularities. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday. Fazl raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process and criticised the role of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The JUI-F chief stated, “Today, our cen-

tral committee met, which has rejected the election results and expressed reservations about the role of the Election Commission of Pakistan, but JUI-F will play its role in the parliament and will attend it with reservations.” He accused the election process of being manipulated at the behest of “anti-Islamic forces”. He emphasised the party’s commitment to maintaining strong relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, stating that their efforts in this regard were not accepted by the United States and Israel. “JUI-F is an ideological force, which will not compromise on national issues. We will run the movement for our greater goals,” Faazl declared, adding, “The role of the ECP has been suspicious since day one.” He went on to claim that the election results indicated widespread bribery and asserted that the party’s candidates and workers faced threats and intimidation. Maulana Fazl accused the police of being

taken hostage in several villages, creating a tense environment for the elections. Responding to questions, he clarified that the conflict was a matter of minds with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and not of bodies. He expressed the possibility of

reconciliation if the PTI’s stance changed. Fazl concluded by stating that the JUIF would initiate a protest movement across the country to press for the approval of their demands. Fazl emphasised that the extent of rig-

Nawaz Sharif won’t step away from politics, says Maryam Nawaz LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

Maryam Nawaz, Chief Organiser of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has refuted claims about former prime minister Nawaz Sharif stepping away from politics, stating there is no truth to the speculation. Taking to X, Maryam posted, “If not accepting the prime minister’s position creating an impression that Nawaz Sharif is distancing himself from politics. There is no truth to that.” She asserted that in the next five years, the PML-N supremo not only plans to actively participate in politics but also aims to supervise government affairs both at the Centre and in Punjab. Explaining Nawaz’s decision not to become the prime minister, she said that PML-N had a clear majority during his father’s three terms. “He (Nawaz) had even said during his speeches [before elections] that he would not become part of a coalition government. Those familiar with Nawaz Sharif’s principles would un-

derstand his stance,” she added. Furthermore, she affirmed, “Shehbaz Sharif and I are his soldiers, bound by his command. We will work under his leadership and supervision. May Allah grant us success. Ameen.” For years, PML-N and its leaders have been shouting slogans of “Wazeere-Azam, Nawaz Sharif” – PM [would be]

Nawaz Sharif. Even, when Shehbaz was the prime minister and during the election campaign, the party projected Nawaz as the next prime minister if PML-N comes to power. However, it seems, the split mandate and the last-minute adjustments left him with no other option but to nominate his brother assume a new role

for himself: the person who nominates people on key positions. “Nawaz Sharif will assist both Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz,” Marriyum Aurangzeb, PML-N spokesperson said, adding, “He will help both in their jobs.” To a question if the jailed PTI founding chairman, Imran Khan, just ended Nawaz’s political career by forcing him to change plans seeing the split mandate in the polls, Marriyum refuted by saying that it is Nawaz, who is still nominating people on the premium and most powerful positions in the country. “Nawaz Sharif is very much playing on the front foot,” Marriyum said in response to a question if he would continue playing his political role from behind the scene. Soon after the PML-N decided that Shehbaz and Maryam would lead the federal and Punjab governments, the social media was abuzz with questions if Nawaz’s political career was finally over. To the question if Nawaz was eying the office of President for himself, Marriyum replied in negative.

25-member ‘coalition’ federal cabinet likely in initial phase LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

Hectic parleys are underway between the PML-N, PPP and the MQM-P for the formation of a coalition government in the Centre, and initially, the new federal cabinet is likely to be comprised of 25 members in the first phase. According to insiders in the PML-N, the party has outlined an initial power-sharing formula for the upcoming federal government. The formula suggests that if the coalition agrees to appoint a PML-N candidate as the prime minister, the posts of the president and National Assembly speaker would be given to the PPP. Yesterday, Shehbaz emerged as a leading contender for the premiership, garnering support from former coalition partners, including PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, BAP, and IPP. Nawaz Sharif strategically nominated his younger brother for the premiership and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, for the role of Punjab chief minister.

A joint news conference held in Islamabad featured prominent political figures, including Shehbaz, Asif Ali Zardari from PPP, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui from MQMP, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain from PML-Q, Sadiq Sanjrani (representing BAP), and Aleem Khan from IPP. They expressed unequivocal support for Shehbaz and pledged to address the country’s challenges collaboratively in a coalition government. On Wednesday, the PML-N leadership – Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif – held a crucial meeting to review the party’s interactions with various allies and considered the names of potential cabinet members. During the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif briefed his elder brother on the party’s alliances and deliberated on potential candidates for the federal cabinet. In the first phase, the cabinet is expected to have 25 members, with MQMP likely to secure three to five ministries. Leaders from MQM-P, including Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar, Mustafa Kamal, Aminul Haque, and Khawaja Izharul Hasan, are being considered for key positions within the federal cabinet, according to PML-

N sources. PML-N has shortlisted 15 senior leaders for ministerial roles, including Ishaq Dar, Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Riazul Haq Juj, Bilal Azhar Kayani, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Qamarul Islam Raja, and Rana Tanveer Hussain. Awn Chaudry from the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) is expected to be appointed as the special assistant to the prime minister. While the details of the power-sharing formula remain undisclosed, the conference hinted at Zardari’s potential candidacy for the presidency in the near future.

ging in the recent election surpassed even that of the 2018 polls. He accused the Election Commission of Pakistan of being under the control of the establishment, claiming that the entire election process was manipulated. “The election process was held hostage, with bribes influencing both victories and defeats. In response, we are initiating a nationwide protest movement to advocate for democracy. The decisions will now be made in the field, not just within the confines of parliament,” Fazl declared. Clarifying the party’s stance, he emphasised their preparedness and independence, asserting, “We did not come to the field hastily; we have made thorough preparations. We are not aligned with any political party, including PML-N. We will not endorse Shehbaz Sharif as the prime minister candidate in parliament, as our party has prohibited him from forming the government. Therefore, we will not be part of any government. Those who believe in the rigged nature of elections should join our cause, while others can choose to remain indifferent.”

CJP seeks govt’s assurance over ‘no army role in business’ ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has sought assurance from the attorney general that the army would only work on defense-related matters and not run any business. The assurance was sought from CJP Isa during a hearing of a petition filed against commercial activity being done on military land. During the hearing, CJP Isa remarked that the army was conducting business and had set up marriage halls on military lands. He then sought assurance from the attorney general that the army would remain the “protector” and not do any business. “Can you get this assurance?” CJP Isa asked the attorney general. He also added that everyone should work as per their mandate. “The army should do its own work and courts will do their job,” said CJP Isa. In response, AGP Mansoor Usman Awan stated that as per principle, everyone should do their job. However, CJP Isa insisted that if the AGP had the directives then he should give the assurance to the court. On this point lawyer for the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) intervened and told the court that the building from which the dispute started belonged to his client. He added that the allottees sold the land based on fake documents and now a fivestory building sits there. At this, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked that the ETPB was a bystander when the five-story building was being constructed. However, CJP Isa observed that it would not have been possible without the involvement of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). He then further remarked that the assets of officers above the rank of inspector at the SBCA should be checked. “The Karachi sub registry’s assets should also be audited by the FBR. The residents of demolished buildings should receive money from all assets beyond means,” said the CJP. He also added that the Sindh government would never do an inquiry on this. On this point, the director general of the SCBA appeared in court and the CJP inquired how many inspectors and officers were part of the department. The DG informed the court that currently there are 1,400 employees with the SCBA out of which 600 are building inspectors and 300 are senior inspectors.

‘Unlike public announcement,’ PPP likely to join federal cabinet in second phase ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Unlike Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s claim of “support without any share in federal govt”, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is likely to get ministries in the second phase. “Unlike the public posture of only support for PML-N candidate to become the prime minister, the PPP will share the power with induction its ministers in the federal capital in the second phase”, sources privy to the development informed on Wednesday. Yesterday after PPP CEC’s meeting, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari announced it would support the PML-N in government formation without being part of the federal cabinet. Addressing a press conference on the conclusion of the two-day Central Executive Committee of the PPP, Bilawal said the party would be willing to support on an

issue-to-issue basis and in the case of important votes for the candidate of the prime minister of Pakistan, to ensure that a government is formed and political stability is restored. “The PPP has decided that while we are not in a position to join the federal government ourselves, nor will we be interested in taking ministries in such a set-up, we also do not want to see political chaos in the country. We do not want to see perpetual crisis in the country,” he said. According to sources who observed the “allies meeting” at the hosted by PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in Islamabad on Tuesday night, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif told the allies that he was nominated for the slot of prime minister before the PMLN publicly announced the decision. Announcing the six-party alliance for the next coalition government in a press conference, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali

Zardari said that it was decided to form the government together. The party heads included Shujaat Hussain, Shehbaz, Asif Zardari, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Aleem Khan, Senate Chairman and BAP representative Sadiq Sanjrani. Soon after the presser ended, PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb announced on social media platform X that party supremo Nawaz Sharif nominated Shehbaz Sharif for the post of prime minister and Maryam Nawaz for the Punjab chief minister. Before the announcement of Shehbaz’s nomination for the post of PM, the PML-N president told allies he had been nominated for the coveted slot and said he would make the decision public if allies agreed to vote for him in the National Assembly. The sources said the heads of all parties assured Shehbaz that they would vote for him in the election of the prime minister.

PPP to enjoy key posts sans ‘any responsibility,’ says Zubair KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader and former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will accept all key positions, but “will not take responsibility for anything.” In an exclusive interview with a private Tv news channel, Muhammad Zubair stated that there is no alternative for the PML-N other than accepting the conditions of the PPP, and the PML-N will attempt to

include the PPP in the cabinet. He mentioned that without the cooperation of the PPP, a simple majority cannot be achieved for forming the government in the centre. Zubair stated that the PPP will only vote to elect the Leader of the House, and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members will sit in the opposition. In my opinion, the PML-N faces significant challenges similar to the 16-month government, he added.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

02 NEWS

COALITION GOVT MAY FACE CHALLENGES IN SECURING CONSENSUS ON NECESSARY REFORMS: MOODY’S

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Thursday, 15 February, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

PROFIT

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oody’s Investors Service has said that a coalition government in Pakistan may not be very united and politically strong, and it will face challenges in securing consensus to pursue difficult, but necessary reforms, Bloomberg reported this on Wednesday. According to some investors, the breakthrough in the political impasse could still lead to an unstable administration. The nomination of former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as Pakistan’s new leader on Tuesday, following support from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), ended a deadlock arising from the split mandate in the February 8 elections. Shehbaz Sharif, who previously served as prime minister from 2022 until last year, played a crucial role in securing the nation’s $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout,

INVESTORS SEE BREAKTHROUGH IN POLITICAL IMPASSE CAN STILL LEAD TO AN UNSTABLE ADMINISTRATION, REPORTS BLOOMBERG

which is scheduled to conclude in April. Pakistan’s stocks surged on Wednesday, breaking a four-day downward trend, while both dollar bonds and the rupee remained stable amid prospects of a new government. The benchmark KSE-100 Index soared by as much as 2%, marking its best performance since January 1. However, the country’s dollar bonds experienced a slight dip, with notes maturing in 2031 declining by 0.3 cents to 65.7 cents on the dollar. Amjad Waheed, CEO of NBP Fund Management in Karachi, expressed optimism, stating, “The initial anxiety will end when the new government comes to power. The stock market will change direction as the government is formed and it will gradually start to

SBP suspends authorisation of three exchange companies

rise.” Pakistan’s markets had faced pressure in the wake of inconclusive polls, as investors awaited the announcement of economic policies to address the nation’s financial crisis and potential plans for another bailout. The new government’s primary challenge will be negotiating a new loan program with the IMF, given Pakistan’s $25 billion external debt obligations in the upcoming fiscal year, which is approximately three times its foreign-exchange reserves. Memoona Tanveer, head of corporate and high net worth individuals at Dawood Equities Ltd., noted, “It is clear that another coalition government is in formation, leading to stability. Rupee and dollar bonds should remain steady as the current account deficit

Bulls dominate at PSX amid coalition govt formation g

PROFIT

KSE-100 INDEX SURGES BY 926 POINTS OR 1.51%

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The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has suspended the authorisation of three exchange companies due to serious violations of SBP regulations and instructions. The affected companies include M/s AA Exchange Company (Pvt.) Limited, M/s Galaxy Exchange Company (Pvt.) Limited and M/s Al-Hameed International Money Exchange (Pvt.) Limited. This suspension means that these companies, along with their head offices and outlets, are prohibited from conducting any business activities until further notice, the SBP said in a statement. The SBP’s action emphasizes its commitment to upholding regulatory standards within the financial sector. Earlier, the SBP on Monday revoked the authorisation/license of M/s PBS Exchange Company (Pvt.) Limited due to noncompliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Here’s why PML-N is calling for a boycott of Careem PROFIT

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is improving, and improvement in reserves has quashed all speculations of default.” Bilal Khan, head of institutional equity sales at Arif Habib, cautioned that the stock market’s recent declines have created uncer-

Ride-hailing service Careem Pakistan has incurred the wrath of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) following a controversial post on the social media platform X on Wednesday. Careem tweeted, “program warr gaya,” (the game is over) a ‘derogatory and politically motivated comment’ mainly associated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and now VicePresident Sher Afzal Khan Marwat. The original tweet was deleted, but snapshots of it are circulating on social media. PMLN took to Twitter, condemning the tweet by Careem and stated, “This isn’t the first time they have done this. @CareemPAK is showing its true colors again. More interested in pushing political agendas. Shameful.” The political party urged the people to boycott the online ride service using a hashtag #BoycottCareem. Careem’s tweet appears to be a marketing stunt, but the company finds itself in an already highly charged political environment. Later, the company posted a video that says, “ab har program ko paka karao, ride ko advance main book karao!” Twitter users are also unhappy with the politically motivated slogans used by a ride-hailing service. A Twitter handle @Ridwanjt wrote, “Dear Careem,,,Be apolitical…You don’t know when the Mood of the Nation Changes….!!”

PROFIT

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Bulls dominated at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday after a breakthrough in the political impasse, a day after the the key parliamentary rivals announced their decision to set up a coalition government in the centre.

According to the PSX website, the benchmark KSE-100 Index experienced a surge of 926.92 points, or 1.51% to close at 62,153.84 level. Throughout the trading session, instances of gains surpassed those of losses, indicative of a strong investor confidence in the equity market. On Tuesday, former allies, includ-

ing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), among others, announced their plan to form a coalition government. These political parties also extended an invitation to the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) to engage in a reconciliation process for the betterment of the nation. On the other hand, Moody’s Investors Service has warned that a coalition government in Pakistan may not be very united and politically strong, and it will face challenges in securing consensus to pursue difficult, but necessary reforms, Bloomberg reported. According to some investors, the breakthrough in the political impasse could still lead to an unstable administration. The nomination of former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as Pakistan’s new leader, following support from the PPP, ended a deadlock arising from the split mandate in the February 8 elections. Stocks broke a four-day downward trend, however, the country’s dollar bonds experienced a slight dip, with notes maturing in 2031 declining by 0.3 cents to 65.7 cents on the dollar.

ECC approves key financial measures including Rs6bn grant for urea import PROFIT

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The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved a series of financial measures aimed at providing relief to the public and boosting the economy. Despite the refusal from Sindh and Balochistan provinces to share the cost of importing urea, the ECC has decided to release Rs6 billion as a technical supplementary grant to cover the federal government’s share for the imported fertilizer. This decision comes after both provinces declined to bear 50 percent of the cost, prompting the Finance Division to consider a mechanism for recoveries from each province. In a meeting held on Tuesday, the ECC deferred a decision on amending the import-cum-export scheme of IPO2022, which would allow the temporary import of automobiles for repair and restoration in Pakistan, with the intention of re-exporting them afterward. Furthermore, the ECC sanctioned the Ramazan Relief Package-2024, allo-

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DECISION COMES AFTER SINDH AND BALOCHISTAN DECLINED TO BEAR 50% OF IMPORTING COST

cating a Rs7.49 billion subsidy for the beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to ease their burdens during the holy month of Ramazan. The committee also reviewed proposals for tariff rationalization across different sectors, approving measures that aim to coordinate tariff adjustments with trade policy for economic betterment. In addition, the ECC gave its nod to a proposal allowing the import of

wheat and the export of wheat flour under the Export Facilitation Scheme 2021, directing relevant ministries to develop comprehensive proposals to enhance value-added exports. Another crucial approval was granted for the commissioning of the 1263 MW CCPP Punjab Thermal Power (Pvt) Limited in Jhang, marking a significant step towards augmenting the country’s power generation capacity.

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PAKISTAN STEEL MILLS OWES GOVT OF PAKISTAN RS.102 BILLION IN PRINCIPAL AND RS.48 BILLION IN INTEREST PROFIT

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The Sindh government has agreed to the federal government’s proposal to establish an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) on the land of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), as reported by Business Recorder. The decision was made following directives from the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s Apex Committee. The Chief Secretary of Sindh has been tasked with obtaining the necessary approval from the Provincial Cabinet to change the grant/lease purpose, paving the way for the Ministry of Industries and Production to commence work on the EPZ. The move comes after a prolonged attempt to privatize Pakistan Steel Mills, a process that spanned four years and involved extensive collaboration among various entities including the Privatization Commission, Ministry of Industries and

Production, and the management and board of Pakistan Steel. Despite significant investment in terms of resources and effort, the privatization initiative did not yield the intended outcomes, resulting in substantial financial losses and adversely affecting community and national morale. The Privatization Commission attributed the delay in privatization to challenging economic conditions, among other factors. These included the condition of the asset at the time of sale, structural problems, a shift in strategy from Public Private Partnership to outright sale, neglect of liability settlement, and issues related to the capacity and capability of the Privatization Commission and its advisors. Pakistan Steel Mills’ financial woes are compounded by its debts to three major institutional creditors: SSGC, the Government of Pakistan, and the National Bank of Pakistan.

The accumulation of interest on these debts, at high rates, has significantly contributed to the corporation’s annual losses, with interest charges adding approximately Rs. 20 billion each year. Despite efforts to negotiate settlements and reduce interest burdens since the Mills’ closure in 2015, these financial obligations remain largely unresolved. As per the latest figures, PSM owes the Government of Pakistan Rs.102 billion in principal and Rs.48 billion in interest.

The National Bank of Pakistan is owed Rs.38 billion in principal and the same amount in interest, while SSGC’s claims include Rs.23 billion in principal and a contested Late Payment Surcharge of Rs.40 billion on the principal amount. The establishment of the EPZ on PSM land marks a significant development in efforts to repurpose the site and stimulate economic activity, following years of financial challenges and stalled privatization efforts.

tainty, requiring significant positive catalysts to overcome. He remarked, “The declines at the stock market this week have created an overhang, which will need some very positive triggers to overcome.”

Interim govt falls short of development spending targets amid economic challenges PROFIT

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Economic Recovery - Concept. Golden Gears with Economic Recovery Concept. Economic Recovery on Mechanism of Golden Cogwheels with Lens Flare. 3D Render. The interim government spent Rs191 billion on development projects in the first seven months of this fiscal year, a shortfall of Rs300 billion (61%) from the target, indicating economic challenges. The Ministry of Planning reported that expenditures during July-January were only 38% of the authorized budget. The government aimed to spend Rs494 billion or 52% of the annual budget during this period, falling Rs300 billion short. The intentional slowdown in spending aims to meet the IMF’s annual primary budget surplus target, but the government missed the target in the first quarter, receiving an IMF waiver for a $706 million tranche. The gap between authorized and actual expenditures highlights challenges in fund release, slow project progress, and capacity issues. The government aims to offset higher current expenditures by reducing development spending. During the first review with the IMF, Pakistan committed to fast-tracking spending and prioritizing PSDP to save at least PRs 61 billion. The NEC directed provinces to take over 68 projects, saving Rs202 billion, including Rs112 billion for the current fiscal year, by banning spending on parliamentarians’ schemes and the prime minister’s initiatives. However, Sindh and KP chief ministers questioned the caretaker government’s financial decisions, citing Election Act limitations (Section 230). In a separate review, the IMF deemed Pakistan’s PSDP “unaffordable” due to limited fiscal space, requiring over 14 years and Rs12 trillion to complete approved projects.

Sindh, Balochistan, KP witness protests against alleged polls rigging

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Protests are ongoing across three provinces in Pakistan — Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PTI, JUI-F, PTI, and other political parties are staging protests in different cities against the results of the general elections 2024. In Quetta, workers of National Party, Hazara Democratic Party and Balochistan National Party demonstrated outside the district returning officer’s office, while roads across the provincial capital, Chaman, Killa Saifullah, Loralai and Pishin were blocked due to the ongoing protests. As a result, land communication of Balochistan with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was cut off. Meanwhile, PPP continued its sit-in in Naseerabad against the alleged polls rigging for the sixth day. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has staged a protest in Sindh’s Hyderabad city against alleged rigging in the February 8 nationwide elections. The demonstration was organised outside the politico-party’s district secretariat at Shehbaz building. The protesters demanded the issuance of notification for ‘victorious candidates’ on PS-9, PS-22 and NA-191 seats. ANP has announced kicking off its nationwide protests against alleged alteration in the general election results from February 20. The party, which failed to win any National Assembly seat and only secured two Balochistan Assembly seats and one KP provincial seat, will start its protests from Swabi district which will be followed by another demonstration on February 23 in Charsadda.

LHC GRANTS BAIL TO PERVAIZ ELAHI IN ILLEGAL APPOINTMENT CASE

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Thursday, 15 February, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

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LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

HE Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Pervaiz Elahi in a case of alleged illegal appointment in the Punjab Assembly during his last stint as the Punjab CM. The court grant bail to Ch Pervaiz Elahi against the surety bonds of Rs100,000. Single-judge LHC bench comprising Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhary presided over the hearing while Advocate Amir Saeed Rawn and Farman Munis appeared on behalf of Pervaiz Elahi. During the hearing, Rawn informed the court that a judicial magistrate had discharged Bhatti from the case. He argued that the notification for Bhatti’s appointment as the principal secretary had been issued by the Punjab chief secretary before Pervaiz Elahi assumed the role of the CM. Rawn said that the provincial chief secretary had not been made a respondent

in the case, adding that the case was filed on a “political basis”. Subsequently, the court granted Elahi bail against surety bonds worth Rs100,000. The former twice chief minister had initially been taken into custody on June 1, last year and after that he has faced a series of releases and re-arrests, and has been de-

CJCSC Gen Sahir Shamshad discusses bilateral ties with Turkish Deputy Chief

RAWALPINDI

Staff RepoRt

General Irfan Ozsert, Deputy Chief of General Staff Turkish Armed Forces called on General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee at Joint Staff Headquarters, Rawalpindi, today. During the meeting, matters related to bilateral military engagements and cooperation were discussed. Both sides reaffirmed the commitment to forge deeper strategic ties. The dignitary lauded the professionalism of Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged their sacrifices in fight against terrorism. Earlier, upon arrival at Joint Staff Headquarters, a smartly turned-out tri-services contingent presented ‘Guard of Honour’ to the visiting dignitary.

Lahore ready for by-election frenzy as new govt takes hold LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

Lahore’s political scene is buzzing with byelection talk, with five constituencies already slated for polls and potentially more on the horizon. Key decisions by the newly formed government will determine the final count. Shehbaz Sharif’s dual National Assembly seats in Lahore and Kasur pose a dilemma. His nomination for Prime Minister necessitates vacating one, triggering a byelection in either NA-131 (Lahore) or NA-140 (Kasur). Further complicating matters, Maryam Nawaz’s possible appointment as Punjab Chief Minister would require her to vacate the NA-119 seat, leading to another byelection. Additionally, there’s speculation that Hamza Shehbaz might relinquish his PP-147 provincial seat, sparking yet another electoral contest. The final number of by-elections hinges on strategic choices. Keeping Hamza Shehbaz in the National Assembly strengthens their presence there, while utilizing him in the Punjab Assembly serves another purpose. Regardless of the final count, Lahore residents can expect a flurry of electoral activity in the coming days as the new government and its decisions set the stage for these by-elections.

Six more independent candidates come into PML-N’s fold LAHORE

tention ever since. The legal challenges coincided with the state’s crackdown on the PTI that followed the violent May 9 protests that saw important government and military installations vandalised. The case at hand pertains to the alleged illegal appointment of Muhammad Khan Bhatti as the principal secretary to the chief

minister during Pervaiz Elahi’s tenure as the Punjab CM. However, Pervaiz Elahi is not expected to be released as he is still under arrest in other cases. The case pertained to illegal recruitments of 12 Grade-17 officers in the provincial assembly and the PTI vice president is accused of getting the results of the testing service changed to select the candidates of his choice. He was then arrested on September 18 in the case of allegedly illegally appointing Bhatti, following which a Lahore court sent him on judicial remand. In October, a Lahore district and sessions court had granted police Pervaiz Elahi’s two-day physical remand in the case. Days later, the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had informed the court that it had allegedly recovered Rs4.1 million from the ex-CM’s house in the case. The next month, a judicial magistrate had discharged Bhatti in the case but he remained in jail as he was on judicial remand in other corruption cases. Later the same month, Pervaiz Elahi was denied bail in the case.

Senate body on education seeks plan for teachers training, moral values ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Chairman of Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training Senator Irfan Siddiqui on Wednesday instructed the education ministry to devise plans for teacher training encompassing dress code, moral values, and teaching acumen. The session of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training took place at Parliament House, presided over by Senator Irfan Siddiqui. Before delving into the agenda, the chair conveyed to committee members that this marks the final meeting of the standing committee before its dissolution. Expressing gratitude, the chair acknowledged the unwavering support of both committee members and officials from the education ministry and HEC over the past three years.

Committee members commended the chair for ensuring the smooth functioning of the standing committee proceedings. The committee addressed the agenda item related to a starred question posed by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi during the Senate Session on 5th January 2024. The question inquired about government-established institutes for teacher training. The Caretaker Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training informed the committee about two such institutions in Islamabad. Senator Tangi urged international training for teachers to expose them to modern educational practices. A point of public importance concerning the absence of a service structure for university teachers was discussed. The HEC Chairman reported on the special committee’s progress, and the chair directed the HEC to submit an interim report by Friday.

The committee also discussed a starred question from Senator Mushtaq Ahmed regarding the number of students studying “A” and “O” levels under the Cambridge system in Pakistan. Senator Mushtaq Ahmed expressed concerns about the lack of information, citing a message received from the UK embassy in which the sought information was being termed as “Business Secret. The chair emphasized the need for control and directed ministry officials to coordinate with the foreign ministry to obtain this vital information. The committee meeting was attended by Senators Prof. Dr. Mehr Taj Roghani, Fawzia Arshad, Engr Rukhsana Zuberi, Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, Falak Naz, Naseebullah Bazai, and Bahramand Khan Tangi, along with the caretaker Ministry for Federal Education and Professional Training, Special Secretary Education, and Chairman HEC.

Hub Power reports 17% YoY growth in profits for Q2FY24 g

DECLARES INTERIM DIVIDEND OF RS 4, TOTALING RS 9 PER SHARE FOR H1FY24 PROFIT

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Hub Power Company (HUBC) disclosed its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2024, reporting a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 17 billion, which represents a 17% year-over-year increase but reflects an 6% decline quarter-over-quarter. The company declared an interim cash dividend of Rs 4 per share, culminating in a cumulative dividend of Rs 9 per share for the first half of FY24. Topline Securities suggests, “finance cost increased by 46% YoY to Rs 7 billion in 2QFY24. This is likely on the back of higher borrowings to finance the newly operational ThalNova plant and Thal Energy alongside higher short term borrowings and higher interest rates.” The company’s unconsolidated fi-

nancial results for the first six months of 2023 show a turnover decrease of 22.92% from the same period in 2022. Operating costs fell by 56.3%, and gross profit rose by 13.20%, reflecting a higher gross margin despite lower turnover. General and administration expenses increased by 83.80%, and other

income decreased by 17.61%. Finance costs rose by 26.04%, likely due to increased borrowing or higher interest rates, affecting net profitability. Profit for the period fell by 5.33% in the first six months ending December 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, leading to a decrease in EPS for 2023.

PML-N eyes to form govt in Balochistan QUETTA

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was eyeing to form government in Balochistan as the party secured 10 National Assembly (NA) seats in February 8 general elections. The provincial leadership of PML-N held first consultative meeting after the elections – which was chaired by party’s Balochistan president Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhail. The meeting was also attended by victorious candidates. The PML-N also speeded up contacts with the victorious independent candidates. Taking to X (Formerly Twitter), former chief minister Jam Kamal said that PML-N had secured ten seats in Balochistan. “We are meeting and interacting with independent members and rest parties so that a progressive and prosperous way forward can be made for Balochistan,” he added.

ECP defers decision on Rehana Dar’s plea against NA 71 results till Feb 22

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday deferred a verdict on Rehana Dar’s plea to suspend the results of NA-71 Sialkot constituency until February 22, following initial investigation into alleged voting irregularities. Rehana Dar, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed candidate in the NA71 election contested the elections against PML-N leader Khawaja Asif. She raised concerns over discrepancies in the official vote tally. She contends that while Form 45, utilized at polling stations, indicated her leading with a margin of 50,000 votes, the final outcome declared by the Returning Officer (RO) on Form 47 showed her trailed by 47,000 votes. The Election Commission, in response to Dar’s appeal, had previously solicited a report from the RO to probe the inconsistencies. Despite initial deliberations on February 14, the Commission opted to extend the hearing for an additional week. The scheduled resumption of the hearing on February 22, implies that the ECP will evaluate the findings of the RO’s report alongside arguments presented by both parties before reaching a final determination. Until then, the official outcome of the NA-71 Sialkot constituency remains in abeyance.

16 candidates from KP challenge Feb 8 polls result, file pleas in court PESHAWAR

Staff RepoRt

More than 16 candidates from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have filed the pleas against the Feb 8 polls result in the court. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), independent candidates have challenged the results of 3 national and 13 provincial constituencies in KP. The results of NA-28 Peshawar, NA-11 Shangla, and NA-40 North Waziristan constituencies have also been challenged. As per the report, the provincial capital, Peshawar, has become a focal point of contention, with challenges filed against the results of eight provincial constituencies – PK20, PK-21, PK-73, PK-74, PK-75, PK-78, PK-79, PK-80, and PK-82, and. Meanwhile, polls result of two constituencies in Bannu, PK-101 and PK-102 have also been challenged in the court as independent candidates rejected the polls result. ECP stated that independent candidates have contested the results and submitted applications in the court for the annulment of results in these constituencies. It is noteworthy that multiple candidates across the country have raised explicit allegations of rigging during the general elections scheduled for February 8 polls.

PPP to enjoy key posts sans ‘any responsibility,’ says Zubair CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

He stated that the PPP has shifted the entire burden onto the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) alone. Muhammad Zubair remarked that Shehbaz Sharif’s body language during the press conference indicated a lack of confidence, and no decisions were made during their meeting. In response to a question, he said that this time the IMF program will also be challenging; tough decisions will have to be made, and the entire responsibility will fall on PML-N. Muhammad Zubair said that the PML-N needs to include the PPP in the cabinet to share the burden of the tough decisions. The former governor further stated that it is already evident that there will be an extremely weak government, and the budget is coming up, which will pose challenges for the PML-N, including important issues like foreign policy and economic policy that will require tough decisions.

Staff RepoRt

Six more independents who emerged victorious on Punjab Assembly seats in the General Elections 2024 have announced to join the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The MPAs-elect announced their decision of joining the PML-N in a meeting with the party’s Chief Orgnaiser Maryam Nawaz in Lahore. Independent candidate who joined the PML-N included Sultan Bajwa from PP-132 Nankana, Shazia Tareen from PP-225 Lodhran, Mahmood Qadir Laghari from PP-289 Dera Ghazi Khan, Hanif Pitafi from PP-288 Dera Ghazi Khan, Taimoor Ali from PP-94 Chiniot and Ali Asghar from PP-283 Layyah. The newly elected members of the Punjab Assembly expressed full confidence in Nawaz Sharif. Welcoming the victorious independents in the PML-N’ fold, Maryam Nawaz said that their joining will contribute to achieve the party’s goal of prosperity of the people of Punjab. “We will give relief to the people from the destruction of the past and ensure a happy future,” Maryam Nawaz.

Auto sales rise 81% in January amid economic hurdles PROFIT

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Pakistan’s automobile industry reported a significant surge in sales during January, with a total of 10,536 vehicles sold across various segments including cars, jeeps, vans, and pickups. This represents an 81% increase from the 5,816 units sold in December 2023, as per data released by the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA). Despite this monthly upswing, sales were still 5% lower than the 11,124 units sold in January 2023. The first seven months of the fiscal year 2023-24 (7MFY24) witnessed a contrasting trend, with sales plummeting by 48% to 49,990 units from 95,240 in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

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DESPITE THIS MONTHLY UPSWING, SALES WERE STILL 5% LOWER THAN 11,124 UNITS SOLD IN JANUARY 2023

Analysts attribute the decline to a combination of factors including rising vehicle prices, expensive auto financing, and reduced consumer purchasing power. January’s sales spike was notably driven by increased demand for new-year registration vehicles, with Toyota Fortuner and Revo models experiencing a significant jump to 619 units from 130 in December 2023. The surge in sales of these high-end models raised questions about whether the demand was influenced by the upcoming February 8 elections or if it was a typical increase observed every January.

Nevertheless, the seven-month performance for these models remained low, with sales totaling 2,538 units compared to 8,093 in the previous fiscal year. Indus Motors’ introduction of the Toyota Cross Hybrid to its lineup in January contributed to a boost in sales for Toyota vehicles, including the Corolla and Yaris, totaling 2,143 units for the month, up from 554 in December 2023. However, overall sales for Toyota during July-January FY24 were down, with 7,422 units sold compared to 13,784 in the same period last fiscal year. Honda Civic and City also saw a rise

in sales in January, with 1,207 units sold, while Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Elantra, and Hyundai Sonata sales remained subdued. Suzuki Cultus, WagonR, and Bolan experienced a drop in sales, with the WagonR production halted from November 2023 to January. In contrast, Suzuki Alto 660cc sales increased in January, and Sazgar Haval, Hyundai Tucson, and Hyundai Porter saw varied performances. The tractor segment, representing the agricultural sector, showed positive growth with sales of Fiat and Massey Ferguson models doubling in the first seven months of FY24. However, truck and bus sales declined significantly, and while two- and threewheeler sales saw a jump in January, their seven-month performance remained flat compared to the previous fiscal year.

04 COMMENT

The ‘spirituality’ trade

Thursday, 15 February, 2024

PDM 2.0

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Will the markets be quietened by the formation of the government?

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HOUGH no formal decision has been announced as yet, the PML(N)’s Shehbaz Sharif is inching closer to becoming Prime Minister. However, the markets have already reacted to the meeting at PML(Q) chief Ch Shujat Hussain’ residence by gaining on Wednesday 1000 points lost by the benchmark KSE-100 Index. However, the KSE-100 has not recouped the losses since Friday, when the Index lost heavily. This was in contradiction to the Index’s trend after the last three elections, when it had risen two to three percent in the first two days after the poll. However, it should be noted that each time, it had been clear who would form the government. This time, the Parliament was so split that it was anyone’s guess, and clearly, the stock market could not be sure. Another factor has been that the parties do not have widely differing approaches to the economy. They have been surprisingly reticent about their plans for the economy, and have been cagey about how they intend to tackle the economic crisis afflicting the country. Therefore, when the news came that the IMF had shot down the government plan on the circular debt, it became clear that was another problem facing any new government, but for which the solution was not known. The Index’s positive reaction to Mr Sharif becoming PM should not be taken as a vindication of the PDM government, but simply as relief that a government, any government, was being formed. Another imponderable is the apparent withdrawal of Mian Nawaz Sharif. Will he be a backseat driver, as he was during the PDM government? Will he insist on Mr Ishaq Dar as Finance Minister? Other decisions filtering in are that the PML(N) has nominated Ms Maryam Nawaz as Punjab CM, and the PTI has named Ali Amin Gandapur as KP CM. Ms Maryam’s nomination was probably inevitable after her father withdrew from his claim to the Prime Ministership. Mr Gandapur, a former member of Imran Khan’s Cabinet, is also provincial party president. The PPP is going to form the Sindh government, though it remains to be seen if it will do so on its own or if it will bring in the MQM(P). That might seem a heavy price to pay for MQM(P) support in Islamabad for a PML(N) PM, but that might be part of the cost of getting the Senate Chairmanship, the National Assembly Speakership and the Presidency.

The ‘victims’ are hardly innocent

haSaN aFTaB SaEED

VER since I started thinking seriously on life and its problems, I remember viewing pirs, dervishes, babas (spiritual guides), sheikhs and such with suspicion. Even before that, when I was naïve enough to buy into the purported miracles of these ‘elders’, I distinctly remember having weaker moments when I thought the whole thing was rather fishy. Of course, such moments must have been few and far between, for that phase of my life can still be characterised as one of ‘faith’. It was a little later (at and after the age of 12) that I started having serious misgivings about these pirs and their teachings. As I came to study Islam from its original sources, discarding concocted tales and fantasies fabricated for the purpose of preventing simpletons from going astray or for increasing somebody’s income (or both), I started to have an issue with these sheikhs for replacing the straight and simple path of Islam with complex labyrinths of what they like to call spirituality or mysticism, but which actually amounts to various sets of complicated and absurd mumbo-jumbo, and which has done infinitely more harm than good. With time my gripe has only been intensifying. Up until recently, that is. In the spirit of candidly admitting one’s excesses, past and present, I propose to publicly acknowledge that I have often been overly harsh on babas. Not that I now consider the activities and track record of these babas any less objectionable, or the case against them any weaker; but having viewed the ordinary man up close and for a consid-

Nobody is interested in sane advice. For that always means getting oneÊs act together; while nothing sums up our nation better than mental and physical laziness. Solutions based on the Quran and the Sunnat invariably demand hard work. The purpose of the Quran, for the vast majority, is giving relief to the dying or to the already dead– including those who never bothered to open it while they lived. Anything more demanding than having to repeat certain formulas a fixed number of times is a non-starter as far as most of these seekers are concerned. All the better if the spiritual guide is considerate enough to supply drinking water which he has blessed by blowing on it.

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late)

Historic mosques desecrated in India Founding Editor

M. A. Niazi

Babar Nizami

Editor Pakistan Today

Editor Profit

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Hindu extremism at work Dua Zahra Naqvi

HE recent demolition of a mosque and religious school in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, is a troubling illustration of the agenda pursued by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India and its potential consequences for human rights and religious equality. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there has been a notable transformation in India’s political landscape, steering the nation away from its professed commitment to secularism and democracy and towards a more divisive and authoritarian trajectory. Such developments not only threaten the fundamental principles of inclusivity and pluralism upon which India’s democracy was founded but also undermine its global standing as a beacon of diversity and tolerance. The demolition of a mosque and religious school in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, sparked protests leading to at least five deaths and numerous injuries. Residents argued that they were unfairly targeted despite an impending court hearing. Police fired live ammunition and tear gas after Muslims reportedly torched vehicles and threw stones. The incident reflects escalating tensions over religious structures and land encroachment issues. Uttarakhand’s chief minister vowed strict action against rioters, while critics blame hasty administration actions and Hindu supremacist sentiment emboldened

Countries worldwide have a responsibility to collectively condemn IndiaÊs actions and advocate for measures that compel the Indian government to uphold the rights of all citizens, regardless of their religious affiliation. Failing to address this situation decisively puts peace and security in the region at significant risk

under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, exemplified by recent temple inaugurations and past demolitions. The systematic demolition of Muslimowned homes and businesses in Nuh, Haryana, epitomizes a disturbing trend unfolding under the current Hindu nationalist regime in India. Following the destruction, Hindu right-wing groups in the state called for boycotting Muslim businesses and urged Hindu-owned establishments to dismiss Muslim employees. The Uttarakhand mosque demolition is a reflection of a new trend in India: using anti-encroachment drives to demolish mosques. The first was in Delhi, and this is the second. In a way, the second is more disturbing, for it reflects a trend, and cannot be seen as a one-off event. These actions are rooted in a hateful rhetoric perpetuated by the government, fostering an environment of discrimination and violence against the Muslim community. Moreover, the targeted destruction of Muslim properties in areas like Nuh, where Muslims have resided for centuries, suggests a calculated effort to eradicate all traces of Muslim heritage from the country’s landscape. In recent years, there has been a noticeable alignment between India and Israel, as Hindu nationalist leaders have shown admiration for Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. They draw inspiration from Israel’s systematic erasure of Palestinian history and culture, which bears resemblance to India’s demolition drives and discriminatory laws targeting Muslims. For instance, the destruction of the historic Babri Masjid mosque in 1992 by extremists supported by Modi’s party, followed by the construction of a Hindu temple on its site, mirrors Israel’s appropriation of Palestinian land and heritage. Similarly, India has witnessed the removal of chapters on Islamic history from school textbooks and the exclusion of Muslim presence from public discourse, parallel to Israel’s denial of Palestinian existence. During protests against discriminatory laws

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

erable period of time, I see the context better. These pirs are guiltty of many things, and there is no defending that. But I have had to revise my assessment that they are guilty of misleading unsuspecting, innocent public. For the public is anything but unsuspecting or innocent. A few months ago, a scholar (whom I happen to rate highly) shed light on the factors behind the sad state of affairs. With sadness in his eyes, yet in his characteristic humour, he said the following: Over and over it happened that some youth worried sick about his future, or some lady unhappy with her domestic life came to him and requested him to prescribe some cure for those troubles. On each such occasion he made it a point to tell them that while he did not have prescriptions or ready recipes for any outcome, they should employ all the worldly wisdom at their disposal to solve their problems– at any rate they must refrain from making matters worse by persisting with silly behaviour. And that they should at all times keep invoking God’s mercy to help them make wise decisions, for perseverance in their struggle, and for their efforts to bear fruit. Every time he did this however (the scholar continued), the other party looked at him as if saying: ‘But whoever has the time (or the inclination) for such a lengthy programme?’ Or: ‘What purpose does your existence serve if each man had to do everything on his own steam?’ And one would be wrong if one thought that this sort of thing was confined to the uneducated or to the lower strata of society. A serving judge came to him (he continued) and asked him to pray for him. He promised to pray but told the judge that his prayers would be useless unless the judge himself helped himself by doing all that was required. The judge remained quiet but his eyes said it all. Namely, ‘Why would anybody come to you if he was supposed to do it all himself?’

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Karachi – Ph: 021-32640318 I

like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Muslim homes and businesses have been selectively targeted, revealing the biased application of laws to suppress the Muslim community. Hindu supremacist groups, often with implicit support from authorities, have systematically attacked Muslim properties and places of worship, while avoiding accountability. These actions, combined with the removal of Islamic history from educational curricula, signify a deliberate attempt to erase the Muslim heritage in India. The alarming rise of anti-Muslim sentiments within the Hindu nationalist movement, exemplified by hate speech from political leaders and ideologues, raises concerns about the potential for genocide. The intent to eliminate or marginalize the Muslim community is evident in the rhetoric and actions of Hindu nationalist figures, echoing past genocidal atrocities. The recent surge of religious discrimination and systematic erasure of Muslim heritage in India poses a dire threat to the nation’s democratic fabric and stability, verging on the classification of a rogue state within its own borders. The demolition of mosques, targeted violence against Muslim communities, and the erosion of religious equality under the BJP-led government signify a perilous departure from India’s foundational principles of inclusivity and pluralism. These alarming developments not only perpetuate egregious human rights violations but also fuel internal strife and endanger the country’s social cohesion. In the light of India’s troubling slide into religious intolerance and authoritarianism, it is of utmost importance for the international community, with the support of organizations like the United Nations, to take urgent action. The erosion of India’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity is not only a concern within the country, but also has far-reaching consequences for regional stability and the promotion of human rights on a global scale. Countries worldwide have a responsibility to collectively condemn India’s actions and advocate for measures that compel the Indian government to uphold the rights of all citizens, regardless of their religious affiliation. Failing to address this situation decisively puts peace and security in the region at significant risk.

The writer is a freelance columnist. (Email: duaazehra89@gmail.com)

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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There is no defending the beneficiaries of the ÂspiritualityÊ trade. But it would require super-human commitment and effort to resist the temptation when masses are hell-bent on getting misguided. After all, our pirs and sheikhs are only human Nobody is interested in sane advice. For that always means getting one’s act together; while nothing sums up our nation better than mental and physical laziness. Solutions based on the Quran and the Sunnat invariably demand hard work. The purpose of the Quran, for the vast majority, is giving relief to the dying or to the already dead– including those who never bothered to open it while they lived. Anything more demanding than having to repeat certain formulas a fixed number of times is a non-starter as far as most of these seekers are concerned. All the better if the spiritual guide is considerate enough to supply drinking water which he has blessed by blowing on it. Motivational speakers and self-help gurus have also realized that nobody is interested in any practicable advice. They are smart enough to dispense clever-sounding truisms that make their audience feel good about themselves but that hardly mean anything if one decides to think them through. Any advice that requires a man to pull himself together and get rid of destructive habits that have brought him to the situation where he requires help is dismissed out of hand. Whether it is a conscious decision based on the fact that he has no intention of giving his merry ways up or on a subconscious conviction that he has been doing nothing wrong in the first place (of course, it is always somebody else’s fault or that of the circumstances) is neither here nor there. The reader can readily verify this for himself provided somebody asks his advice. Just tell him something sensible – for instance, it is better to understand the Quran even if it is one verse a day than ‘finishing’ it every month – and observe how he responds to the suggestion. There is no defending the beneficiaries of the ‘spirituality’ trade. But it would require super-human commitment and effort to resist the temptation when masses are hell-bent on getting misguided. After all, our pirs and sheikhs are only human.

The author is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed

Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

Thalassemia awareness

I recently watched an insightful interview on television regarding thalassemia. The doctor explained that thalassemia patients need to infuse blood after every 15 days. He also revealed that there were about 100,000 children affected by thalassemia in the country who need one million litres of blood on an annual basis. The doctor insisted that every couple should have medical blood screening before marriage to cut down the chances of having children affected by thalassemia. There are a number of blood centres that offer free blood screening across Pakistan, and people must make use of such services. MUMRAIZ KHAN KARACHI

Teacher’s salaries

THE Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) is a semi-autonomous organisation under the Sindh government, committed to providing quality education in the province. Numerous schools operate under its umbrella in both urban and underprivileged areas. These schools are run by school partners, both individuals and organisations. However, it is a matter of concern that in the face of high inflation, teachers receive relatively low salaries, ranging from Rs8,000 to Rs12,000 which is paid every quarter from school partners. It is essential for school partners to increase the salaries. The SEF should ensure that teachers receive their salaries monthly. FAROOQUE KHOSO JOHI

Survival challenge

THE holy month of Ramazan is not too far away, and just the thought is making many people jittery. The month of blessings for Muslims every year becomes a survival challenge for a large number of Pakistanis. The soaring prices of food and other commodities further increase the problems manifold for the common man. They are unable to afford most items and have to suffer while fasting. Regardless of which party, or coalition of parties, ends up forming the next government, the decision-makers must take due actions now so that people may have the peace of mind that is necessary for carrying out the religious rituals during the holy month. SAFIULLAH FAISAL SHEIKHUPURA

Nutrition awakening

IN the media, we’ve witnessed distressing reports of infant and child deaths in Tharparkar due to insufficient nutrition – a stark and disheartening reality in the 21st century. However, a less visible concern lies in urban areas, where reliance on processed, vitamin-deficient foods poses a silent threat. The consumption of nutritionally inadequate food not only hampers current well-being but also jeopardises the future productivity and development of the upcoming generation. The repercussions of this dietary pattern include stunted growth, hindering children from reaching their full potential in both height and cognitive development. Malnutrition-induced ailments further exacerbate the situation, threatening the health and future capabilities of the youth. If this trajectory persists, the forthcoming generation may become a burden on Pakistan rather than contributing to its progress. It’s imperative to devise strategic interventions that address both the immediate crisis in Tharparkar and the subtle, widespread malnutrition in urban areas. Focusing on nutrition education, promoting locally sourced and balanced diets, and establishing support systems can help steer the country away from the impending darkness. UMAMA RAJPUT SUKKUR

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

COMMENT 05

Height of irresponsibility Thursday, 15 February, 2024

The elections have yielded a fractured mandate

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Malik MuHaMMaD asHraf

HE other day I heard Shoaib Shaheen a PTI-backed candidate who lost the election from Islamabad speaking to the media, hurling allegations at the establishment for rigging the elections, notwithstanding the fact that the candidates of his party who contested elections as independents have won majority of the National Assembly seats and PML(N), contrary to pre-poll predictions, has not been able to emerge as the single largest party. Many of its stalwarts surprisingly have been defeated. That in itself is a clear testimony to the fact that the elections had been held in a free and fair manner. Had the establishment intervened as alleged by Shaheen, the PTIbacked independents would not have won in such great numbers. The PTI standing true to its political creed wants the whole of the cake, showing disrespect to the mandate given to other parties by

the people. I, as an independent observer and political analyst, take exception to the threatening words that Shaheen used against the alleged role of the establishment and accuse it of repeating the experiment of 1971 which according to him would have very serious repercussions for the country. That is the height of irresponsibility which descends into the realm of maligning the state institutions on the basis of one’s own wisheda rather than any credible evidence to the effect. He has surely crossed the Rubicon by likening the situation to the 1971 events, hurling threats at the establishment and asking it to go to Adiala Prison to apologize to Imran Khan or face the consequences. Such indiscretions have serious consequences and people like him should be made to face the law. His threats are also suggestive of some sinister move on part of PTI to create a law and order situation in the country. This impression gains currency from the statement of the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, who the other day, speaking to the media, said that the government had credible information that some elements were planning to create a situation like May 9 and warned that there would be a severe reaction by the government to any such attempt. Pakistan is not a banana republic where it is free for all. In my estimation it is a well planned campaign to malign Pakistan and its state institutions, particularly the Army and to build international pressure on them to secure clemency for Imran Khan. Taking a cue from the PTI false propaganda, the foreign media as well as some governments have ex-

pressed concern on the process of elections and delayed results. I heard an Indian anchor saying that it is impossible to hold elections in Pakistan without rigging. That is regrettable indeed. If the PTI and other contestants have any complaints regarding irregularities in elections and rigging. then instead of launching a sustained campaign to tarnish the image of the country and its institutions, they should adopt the legal mechanism available to seek redress to their complaints. As per law, the Election Tribunal and ECP are the proper forums to deal with such complaints and the latter has already taken up their hearing for adjudication. The next forums are the higher courts. So until and unless it is proven through the legal process that rigging has taken place it is not appropriate for anybody to jump to the desired conclusions. It is pertinent to point out that Imran Khan had created a lot of fuss in the country by building a narrative regarding rigging in the 2013 elections by vociferously claiming that the then caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab had helped the PML(N) to win at least 35 seats which he dubbed as 35 punctures. He also demanded a judicial probe. But when the judicial commission in its findings announced that there had been no rigging in the elections, Imran Khan admitted in a TV interview that 35 punctures was only a political statement and somebody had told him about it. The PTI has chosen to knock at the doors of high courts, bypassing the initial legal avenues that are there to address elections-related complaints. They are addicted to jumping the queue. First of all they have to learn to respect the law of the land and behave according to the democratic norms and internationally rec-

The PTI has chosen to knock at the doors of high courts, bypassing the initial legal avenues that are there to address elections-related complaints. They are addicted to jumping the queue. First of all they have to learn to respect the law of the land and behave according to the democratic norms and internationally recognized principles of political behaviour. The Lahore High Court has done well to return the petitions filed by PTI-backed losing candidates against winning candidates of PML(N) by advising them to approach the appropriate forum, which is the ECP.

ognized principles of political behaviour. The Lahore High Court has done well to return the petitions filed by PTI-backed losing candidates against winning candidates of PML(N) by advising them to approach the appropriate forum, which is the ECP. Unfortunately some of the media outlets and their wizards have also played a role in reinforcing the impression regarding rigging without verifying the facts, not realizing that such indiscretions can bring a bad name to the country. Freedom of expression does not mean doctoring the information in accordance with one’s own wishes and whims or the dictates of the vested interest one represents. It is actually intellectual and professional dishonesty. There is no denying the fact that PTI has a considerable vote bank in the country which has been amply reflected in the election results, but it is also a reality that PML(N) and PPP also enjoy massive public support. However the PML(N) has not secured the number of seats that it expected and different polls held before elections had predicted. However, the party has gracefully accepted the split mandate and expressed the desire to cooperate with other stakeholders to winch the country out of the quagmire it is stuck in. The PTI is therefore well advised to abandon its usual rhetoric and narrative of maligning the state institutions and focus more on the consolidation of the gains that it has made in the elections instead of thinking and planning to create chaos in the country. It has the right to form a government in KPK where it has gained a comfortable majority and also to try to stitch together a coalition government at the centre if possible, as the PML (N) and the PPP are doing

The country needs political stability to overcome the security and economic challenges it faces. The political parties, therefore, must learn from their past mistakes and place the national interest above their political ambitions. at the moment. It is obvious that no party is in a position to form the government on its own and it ultimately will be a coalition at the centre. The same seems to be the case in Balochistan and may be in Punjab. These are the ground realities. It is said that politics is the art of the possible. The parties have the right to do whatever is possible in view of the developing ground realities. The country needs political stability to overcome the security and economic challenges it faces. The political parties, therefore, must learn from their past mistakes and place the national interest above their political ambitions. Malik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic. He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail.com.

What Iran wants — and fears How sexually liberated attitudes Although Iran’s influence operates just beneath the earthquakes and filtered into the popular media tremors shaking the region, much like the Biden administration, Iran is serious about wanting to avoid a broader war

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CNN

Hussein iBisH

HE crises wracking the Middle East are simultaneously independent flashpoints and also a relatively integrated regionwide offensive by Iranian-backed armed gangs. It’s sometimes unclear how much control Iran has over these militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen and elsewhere. Although Iran’s influence operates just beneath the earthquakes and tremors shaking the region, much like the Biden administration, Iran is serious about wanting to avoid a broader war. Both are like Goldilocks, needing just enough but not too much. But there are key differences. The United States is a status quo power — upholding security and stability is its regional brand. The 2003 invasion of Iraq devastated US credibility partly because it was such an irrational deviation from a traditional commitment to order. Iran, conversely, is a quintessential revisionist actor, opposing the regional and global balance of power. The United States and Saudi Arabia, also a regional status quo power, are strongly drawn together, while Iran consistently partners with other revisionist powers such as Russia and China. This puts Washington at a tactical disadvantage since its partners have to behave with relative caution or put US interests at risk — as with the Saudiled Arab intervention in Yemen that began in 2015 and Israel’s ongoing war of vengeance in Gaza. That’s why the Biden administration is trying to quietly contain and restrain Israel in Gaza and prevent it from acting on its threats against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Conversely, Iran typically isn’t threatened when its clients sow chaos. For Iran, even the Hamas-led killing spree on October 7 has been useful by bleeding Israel in a battle against its on-again, off-again Hamas allies. Yet Iran must be careful about what its proxies do. When one of Iran’s collection of Iraqi Shiite militias, Kataib Hezbollah, earlier this year launched a drone attack on a US logistics center in Jordan, killing three US soldiers, it had gone too far. Iranian leaders rushed to insist they don’t want a broader war, especially with the United States. Kataib Hezbollah announced that it was suspending all military operations while complaining Iran ‘’does not know the nature our jihad,” meaning it was standing down on Iranian orders. Iran has backed Hezbollah’s efforts to avoid an all-out war with Israel despite consistent Israeli escalation and threats. When Israel assassinated a key Hamas leader, Saleh Al-Arouri, this year with a drone strike in Hezbollah’s primary area of Beirut, Hezbollah responded with a largely symbolic rocket attack on an Israeli radar station that caused no injuries and little damage. Israel responded by assassinating the deputy commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force,

Wissam Tawil, which has essentially gone unavenged, though intense skirmishing near the border persists. Israel is now demanding Hezbollah remove its forces 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from the border or face an all-out attack, with some 80,000 Israelis and 70,000 Lebanese evacuated on either side. Hezbollah refuses, and Washington’s negotiator, Amos Hochstein, has proposed a 7-kilometer (4.3mile) Hezbollah pullback. Hezbollah doesn’t want a war with Israel and Iran agrees. Tehran is loath to waste a trump card — Hezbollah’s 150,000, often precision-guided, missile and rocket arsenal on Gaza or Hamas. Hezbollah, arguably the most powerful nonstate military in history, is meant to deter Israeli or American attacks against Iran, especially its nuclear facilities. The potential for such US or Israeli airstrikes is among the most significant reasons Iran wants to avoid a broader conflict. As global attention is focused on the immediate crises spawned by the October 7 attack, Tehran has been making stealthy but significant progress toward nuclear weapons power status by enriching ever-more near-weapons grade uranium. The last thing Iran needs is anything that could reverse this progress and threaten other core national interests. The wild card for Iran is the Yemeni Houthi militants and their Red Sea piracy. This piracy has reiterated and emphasized two long-standing Iranian diplomatic points: that Iran and its “axis of resistance” network must be included in any de facto maritime security arrangement, and that if Iran cannot freely ship its oil due to sanctions, no one can be assured of unmolested maritime commerce either. Since three of the eight major global maritime chokepoints — the Suez Canal, Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al-Mandab Strait — encircle the Arabian Peninsula and are vulnerable to attacks from Iran and the “axis,” this global economic vulnerability provides Iran compelling international leverage. Yet the Houthis may well prove the most troublesome “axis” member for Iran. Like Hamas, but unlike almost all other axis groups, neither are creations of Iran but clients. Both have shown a capability and willingness to act alone, as Hamas almost certainly did on October 7. So, Iran has a great deal at stake in a set of conflicts that have to be carefully contained and controlled if it is going to avoid paying a significant, and possibly huge, price. Tehran has already restrained its Iraqi proxies, is working to help Hezbollah climb down and avoid a devastating Israeli attack. They may even both, either formally or informally, accept the American proposal for a more modest pullback from the border with Israel. And Iran is probably urging the Houthis to take great care not to kill Americans or otherwise go too far. It’s not just Washington that must play a careful balancing game in the Middle East morass. Despite Iran’s hostility to the status quo and gains from the current conflict at virtually no cost to itself, it clearly recognizes intensifying significant potential risks. Tehran surely realizes it must get better control of its Arab proxies or they could end up dragging it into a conflict that’s disastrous for Iranian national interests — and possibly even the future of the regime.

Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

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An excerpt from ‘The Shortest History of Sex,’ by David Baker SCROLL

DaviD Baker

LREADY after the end of the Second World War, a certain degree of pre-marital sex had been normalised for roughly half the Western population. Alfred Kinsey’s two books on male and female sexuality in 1948 and 1953 further normalised the idea of sex for pleasure among the Western intelligentsia, albeit using hugely inflated statistics about average sexual activity and some data derived from the systematic molestation, rape and torture of children between the ages of five months and 15 years. Aside from academia, sexually liberal attitudes further filtered into popular media. Sexual content became more common in 1950s literature, and 1950s movies and music were bursting with sexual innuendos that their producers could push past the censor. Meanwhile, Elvis Presley’s suggestive hip movements on The Ed Sullivan Show were so shocking his subsequent television appearances filmed him from the waist up – but everybody knew about them anyway. Also, magazines like Playboy increasingly pushed the notion of sex without shame for men. Marilyn Monroe was the cover girl and centrefold for the first issue in 1953. The mainstream circulation of pornographic magazines peaked in the 1970s before declining in favour of film and VHS. In 1965, a shift in the editorial tone of Cosmopolitan magazine similarly pushed the idea of sex without shame to a target audience of working women in their 20s and 30s. In several Western countries, after a series of lawsuits and legal precedents, censorship on movies and television was drastically loosened from the late 1960s onwards. From then on much more sexually explicit themes and visuals appeared in mainstream movies. Films such as The Graduate (1967), in which a young man is seduced by an older married woman, caused a tremendous stir. The first outright pornographic films were legalised in Denmark in 1969 and in the United States a few years later, kicking off the “Golden Age of Porn”, where such films were screened in mainstream cinemas to much public acclaim/outrage/arousal – until the availability of VHS porn turned spanking it to a movie into a much more private affair. One of the most notable financial successes of the era, Deep Throat, starred Linda Lovelace, who was physically abused and coerced to perform, encapsulating the dark side of the porn industry which persists to this day. Meanwhile, 1960s counterculture spurned the more chaste practices of previous decades, popularised the notion of sex for pleasure in the mainstream and combined sexual liberation with movements for social reform. New schools of thought rejected marriage and monogamy as forms of oppression, and in many cases championed promiscuity and/or polyamory. At the extreme end of this trend, numerous sex cults sprang up in North America and Europe and continued to enjoy a heyday throughout the 1970s, until government authorities moved against them in the 1980s and ’90s, sometimes with bloodshed, invariably with traumatised victims of sexual abuse. While the popular imagination exaggerates the number of young people in the 1960s and ’70s who were “hippies” or “swingers” – roughly 1.5 to 3 per cent of the population compared to the much more straightlaced majority – their prevalence in all kinds of media forever reshaped public attitudes towards sex as a form of entertainment and pleasure. By the late 1960s, homosexuality had been legalised in most Western countries. Prior to that, such acts could land a person in prison for several years (indeed, prior to 1861 in Britain, such acts could attract the death sentence). During the early 20th century, many legal authorities turned a blind eye to homosexual activities that were not completely blatant. But even where jail sentences were not imposed, social stigma was intense. With homosexuality classified as a mental illness, many

individuals were subjected to unnecessary shock therapy, chemical castration or lobotomy by the medical establishment. In the mid-20th-century West, the public’s growing embrace of the concept of sex for pleasure, separate from reproduction, enabled the justification for consenting adults to do what they pleased. But even after legalisation, homosexuality was largely excluded from the general atmosphere of sexual tolerance and acceptance for decades. Social stigma persisted and “closeted marriages” remained a widespread phenomenon for many years. Homosexuality was still considered a mental illness by most psychiatric organisations until the 1970s or ’80s, and public attitudes towards homosexuality were generally hostile until the 1990s. In the West today, open hostility towards homosexuality is most common in certain religious sects that have holy texts which prohibit it (with some denominations being more hostile than others). Secular hostility tends to be more sporadic and is often politically motivated, with the risk of public condemnation making much of the day-to-day hostility more covert. Meanwhile, across the wider world, homosexuality is still illegal in 71 countries, and in 11 countries the penalty is death. Gender affirmation surgery first became medically possible for the gender dysphoric in the 1920s. The first wellknown patient was Dora Richter, in Germany, who had her testicles removed in 1922, and her penis surgically reconstructed into a vagina in 1931. She disappeared in the 1930s and is presumed to have been murdered by the Nazis. Danish painter Lili Elbe also had transitioning surgeries in 1930-31, but died from complications during the fourth surgery, which attempted to transplant a uterus and construct a vaginal tract. In 1952, veteran Christine Jorgensen made national headlines for having a successful affirmation surgery. In the aftermath of the publicity, the practice became increasingly common across the West, with the number of clinics increasing significantly with each decade. However, broad public acceptance of trans people did not occur until extremely recently, in the mid-to-late 2010s. This shift towards acceptance at the present time has come with a significant backlash, objecting to the more malleable use of pronouns, the efficacy of transitioning to treat dysphoria and lower the rates of suicidal ideation, and the medical ethics and legality of transitioning children and teenagers. Perhaps the most widespread and successful social reform movements in the 1960s and ’70s were the efforts devoted to women’s rights, today classified under the conceptual umbrella of second-wave feminism (the firstwave title being applied to the suffragettes). Numerous individuals and organisations across the developed world worked to secure equal pay legislation and workplace equity, which contributed to the exponential increase in the number of married and unmarried working women. They also advocated for the use of birth control as the key to sexual liberation and independence from male control. They supported female victims of rape and domestic violence, setting up shelters and crisis centres. More ardent second-wave theorists decried traditional social structures as designed solely for the benefit of men, equated modern marriage with chattel slavery, raised concerns that Western culture facilitated and encouraged sexual violence against women and theorised that heterosexual sex was frequently male-centric, tainted by a misogynistic culture and could sometimes constitute patriarchal exploitation and assault.

06 NEWS

US SENATE PASSES $14BN IN AID FOR ISRAEL

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WASHINGTON agencies

N a predawn session, the Democraticled US Senate successfully passed a comprehensive aid package totaling $95.34 billion, aimed at bolstering support for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The legislation, which also includes provisions for humanitarian assistance in conflict zones worldwide, cleared the Senate floor with a comfortable 70-29 majority, surpassing the necessary 60-vote threshold. Notably, 22 Republicans crossed party lines to join Democrats in endorsing the bill, underscoring bipartisan support for the measure. Outlined within the package is $61 billion earmarked for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, and $4.83 billion designated to bolster

Thursday, 15 February, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

Indo-Pacific partners, particularly Taiwan, as a countermeasure against potential aggression from China. Additionally, the bill allocates $9.15 billion in humanitarian aid to regions such as Gaza, the West Bank, and conflict zones globally. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed the legislation as crucial not only for national security, but also for safeguarding the interests of Western democracies. However, its fate in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives remains uncertain. Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the bill for its perceived lack of provisions addressing immigration concerns at the USMexico border, indicating potential hurdles to its passage in the House. Despite Democratic optimism about bipartisan backing in the House, skepticism

Dawlance opens ‘Experience Stores’ in Rawalpindi at GT Road & Bahria Town KARACHI

staff report

To create unmatched convenience for the consumers, Dawlance - the technology leading enterprise in Pakistan’s home appliances industry, has recently inaugurated two new ‘Experience Stores’ in Pakistan. Over the years, Dawlance had already built 4 ‘Experience Stores’ in: Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar. Now, the company has established its 5th and 6th ‘Experience Stores’ - at Bahria Town Phase-7, Rawalpindi and GT Road Rawalpindi, simultaneously. At the Experience Stores, all the customers can get hands-on experience of the complete range of Dawlance products, all under one roof, by watching the live performance of all these products and using each appliance before purchasing it. These stores will have a standardized layout, decor and visual design, along with state-of-the-art equipment, to enhance the Consumer Retail Experience on trade-levels. Dawlance is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arcelik - the secondlargest manufacturer in Europe, based in Turkey. It is pioneering world-class innovations that ensure more than 50% energy-conservation for a sustainable future of the Earth. Vibrant launch ceremonies were held at these stores, attended by senior corporate leaders from Arcelik, Dawlance dealers, loyal customers and other stakeholders. The guests were delighted to witness the state-of-the-art store ambiance and innovative products displayed in the most ergonomic harmony. The Chief Executive Officer of Dawlance- Mr. Umar Ahsan Khan personally graced the occasion and let the guests through an introductory tour of the various sections and services being featured at the new experience store. The experience store also has a Kids-Zone, where the customers’ children can enjoy great entertainment with fun and games. Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Umar stated that: This revolutionary experience store concept is a milestone achievement for catering to the evolving retail needs of the modern-day consumers.

abounds among hardline Republicans, who argue that the Senate’s bill is unlikely to gain traction in their chamber. Senator Rick Scott of Florida, echoing sentiments from within his party, dismissed the bill as untenable in its current form. The debate over the aid package has been further complicated by former US President Donald Trump’s opposition, who advocates for converting aid to allies into loans. Trump’s influence within the Republican Party adds another layer of contention to an already divisive issue, as the party grapples with internal divisions over immigration and foreign policy priorities. As the bill now heads to the House for consideration, its prospects remain uncertain, with negotiations expected to unfold amid partisan wrangling over key provisions.

Exclusive: German investment in China rises to record high PROFIT

reuters

German direct investment in China rose by 4.3% to a record high of 11.9 billion euros ($12.7 billion) last year and also increased as a share of the country’s overall investment abroad, official Bundesbank data analysed by the IW institute showed. The data underscores concerns that German firms continue to invest heavily in China despite the government’s pleas for them to reduce their exposure and its sharp cut in investment guarantees for the country. German companies have invested as much in China in the last three years as in the previous six years, according to the IW institute report that was obtained exclusively by Reuters. Still, German investments in China in the last four years were financed entirely by reinvested profit and companies have also withdrawn capital, painting a more nuanced picture. “We can assume that there remains a split between the few big companies and the majority of small and medium-sized enterprises,” IW economist Juergen Matthes said in the report. “Other studies and anecdotal evidence support the thesis that

some medium and small-sized businesses are seeking to reduce their engagement with China or even to exit entirely.” The proportion of German firms exiting the Chinese market or considering doing so has more than doubled to 9% in the last four years, a survey by the German Chamber of Commerce in China published last month found. Overall German foreign direct investment dropped last year to 116 billion euros from around 170 billion euros in 2022 as Europe’s largest economy hovered on the brink of recession, the IW report said. Investment in China as a share of Germany’s overall investments abroad rose last year to 10.3%, the highest level since 2014, while German direct investments else-

where in Asia were stagnant at around 8%. Germany faces a dilemma. Although it wants to reduce its exposure to China, the country remained its most important trading partner for the eighth year in a row in 2023, according to preliminary statistics office figures. Within German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government politicians are divided over how much the risk of exposure to China needs to be reduced, with Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) seeking less aggressive cuts than junior coalition partners the Free Democrats and the Greens. Scholz will travel to China with a business delegation from April 15 to 16, a person involved in the planning told Reuters earlier this month.a

FBR sets 20% duty on child scooty imports from China PROFIT

NEW DELHI agencies

Modi government’s expanding censorship regime again came into play when Twitter handles of at least two journalists reporting independently from the ongoing protest by Indian farmers were taken town, today. The Twitter (now X), handles of Punjab-based journalists Sandeep Singh and Mandeep Punia were blocked in India on Wednesday afternoon. Additionally, the handle of Gaon Savera, the organization Mandeep Punia runs, has also been taken down in India. Reportedly, these Twitter handles covering the farmers’ movement have been blocked in response to a legal demand by the government of India. Earlier, Haryana government has declared the suspension of mobile internet services, bulk SMS, and all dongle services offered on mobile networks in the districts of Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa in the state. Thousands of farmers are marching towards New Delhi to press for their demand for a law governing the Minimum Support Price, amidst the rising losses to the farmers. The farmers are being met with brute force at the border between Punjab and Haryana. Dozens of farmers have been injured in police action so far.

Indian police blockade capital from protesting farmers NEW DELHI agencies

news Desk

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced the imposition of a 20 percent customs duty on the importation of children’s scooties from China. This decision was made by the FBR’s customs classification committee following a review of the duty structure for these imports. The review was initiated after the Collectorate of Customs (Appraisement) Karachi submitted a request to the committee to determine the correct duty for children’s scooty imports. The request arose from a classification dispute regarding a consignment labeled as ‘Baby Roller Skater Bar’ imported from China. The importer had

Modi’s censorship regime: X takes down journalists’ accounts reporting on farmers’ protest in India

declared the goods under the Pakistan Customs Tariff (PCT) heading 9506.9990, which would have subjected them to a 5 percent customs duty. However, upon examination, the department determined that the consignment consisted of children’s scooties, which fall under PCT heading number 9503.0010, thereby attracting a 20 percent customs duty. The customs classification committee carefully reviewed the physical attributes of the goods and concluded that the children’s scooties are indeed correctly classified under PCT heading 9503.0010.

Indian riot police fired tear gas on Wednesday at columns of farmers on tractors seeking to breach heavily guarded barricades and march on the capital to demand higher crop prices. Farmers in India this week launched a “Delhi Chalo”, or “March to Delhi”, in an echo of January 2021, when farmers breached barricades and rolled into New Delhi on Republic Day during their then year-long protest. But this time around, the lines of hundreds of tractors have been stalled by fearsome blockades of concrete blocks and lines of razor wire guarded by police. The farmers are demanding a law to fix a minimum price for their crops, in addition to a clutch of other concessions including waiving loans. Tear gas was fired at Shambhu, about 200 kilometres north of the capital on the border between Punjab and Haryana states where the main group of farmers has been stopped, AFP reporters at the scene said. Farmers in India have political influence due to their sheer numbers, and the renewed protests come ahead of national elections likely to begin in April. Two-thirds of India’s 1.4 billion people draw their livelihood from agriculture, accounting for nearly a fifth of the country’s GDP, according to government figures. TEAR GAS DROPPED BY DRONE After first deploying tear gas on Tuesday, police fired fresh barrages on Wednesday, including dropping canisters from the air by drone as tractor-driving farmers tried to open the road by dragging barricades away. “Heavy stones were pelted at policemen,” Haryana state police said in a statement on Tuesday night, reporting 24 officers had been injured. Police have ringed the capital on three sides, blocking highways with metal spikes, blocks and steel barricades, while mobile internet services have been cut in parts of Haryana. In places, ditches have been dug to stop the tractors. Where farmers have not been able to breach the barricades, some have taken their tractors across the fields to skirt them. Minister of Agriculture Arjun Munda said a law guaranteeing a minimum support price for crops “cannot be brought in a hurry”, the Press Trust of India news agency reported on Tuesday. Talks with farmer unions continue, Munda said, while urging protesters to be “aware and alert” about those seeking to exploit demonstrations for “political benefits”. Protests by farmers against agricultural reform bills in November 2020 lasted for more than a year, forming the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government since it came to power in 2014. Tens of thousands of farmers set up makeshift camps then, with at least 700 people killed during the protests. In November 2021, a year after the protests began, Modi pushed through parliament the repeal of three contentious laws that farmers claimed would let private companies control the country’s agriculture sector. Thousands of Indian farmers die by suicide every year because of poverty, debt and crops affected by ever-more erratic weather patterns caused by climate change.

Thursday, 15 February, 2024 | ISLAMABAD

07

CHINA AND PAKISTAN JOINTLY NBP sustained GDEIB MANUFACTURE HANGOR CLASS SUBMARINE Award recognition in 2024 NEWS

CORPORATE CORNER

National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has secured seven awards at the esteemed Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) Awards 2024. The GDEIB Awards, organized by Diversity Hub-HR Metrics, are recognized as a benchmark for businesses worldwide, setting the standard for diversity and inclusion practices. This recognition not only places NBP among Pakistan's top 20 Inclusive Companies but also shines a light on their dedication to foster a diverse and equitable workplace culture. NBP was awarded for "best practices" in various categories, including vision, strategy, and recruitment.

Saddamul Haq, Naveedur Rehman reach final of Squash C’ship KARACHI

sports reporter

Army's Saddamul Haque and Sindh's Naveedur Rehman have qualified for the finals of the third Image Torsum Khan All Pakistan Squash Championship. WAPDA's Mehwish Ali and Sindh's Mahnoor Ali made it to the finals of the girls category. In the men's semi-final played at the Pakistan Navy Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex, Army's Saddamul Haq outclassed Punjab's Ashar Butt in a one-sided contest with three zero games. Saddam won by eleven six, eleven seven and eleven seven in just twenty five minutes. In the second semi-final, Sindh's Naveedur Rehman defeated Army's Anas Ali Shah by three to two games after a tough fight. Naveed's score was eleven eight, eleven five, nine eleven, eleven thirteen and eleven four. In the women's semi-final,

METRO Pakistan join hands with Sindh Food Authority for training on food safety and hygiene KARACHI

staff report

METRO, the leading international wholesale company, in collaboration with the Sindh Food Authority (SFA) conducted a day long training session titled ‘Food Safety and Hygiene Training for Food Handlers’, in Karachi recently. The session, attended by more than 200 food handlers, was designed to train the participants to handle food items according to the principles of hygiene. The chief guest of the occasion DG-SFA Agha Fakhar Hussain was joined by senior team of SFA including Director Masood Bhutto, Dr. Ghufran, Chef Muqeem Soomro, along with the senior management of METRO Pakistan, including Zohaib Jamil, Divisional Manager QA, Imran Shamim, Manager Corporate Communications, Saulat Hussain Regional Manager QA, among others.

HBL ventures into Esports KARACHI stsff reprt

14 February 2024: HBL enters the world of Esports with the launch of the Konnect by HBL, EAFC Gaming Tournament. The tournament will provide a platform for aspiring and established Esports players to showcase their skills and compete. The tournament, focusing on the EAFC Football Game, will be held in Karachi on 15 February 2024, welcoming enthusiastic gamers from the city to participate. The tournament is powered by IGN and Raptr. This exciting initiative marks a significant step towards connecting with the nation's growing youth population and fostering a thriving Esports ecosystem within the country. By providing a platform for competition, nurturing talent, and promoting responsible gaming practices, HBL’s branchless banking platform, Konnect by HBL aims to play a key role in shaping the future of Esports in the country. Commenting on the initiative, Ali Habib, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer – HBL, said, "Pakistan has a booming gamers community of over 37 million people. Gaming and Esports are a fast-growing subculture, and we believe the Bank’s initiative aligns perfectly with its commitment to empowering dreams and providing an enabling environment for the youth of Pakistan."

CDA working rapidly on several projects to meet shortage of potable water ISLAMABAD

staff report

The water supply department of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) is working rapidly on several projects to meet the shortage of water in the city of Islamabad so that the citizens do not face any kind of difficulties during summer. In this regard, the annual cleaning work of Khanpur Canal has been started by the Water Supply Department of Capital Development Authority (CDA) which will be completed by the end of this month. Since water is supplied from Khanpur to the residents of Sectors G-10, G-11, F-10, F-11 and D-12 of Islamabad, and due to the annual cleaning campaign of Khanpur Canal, the water supply should be reduced by 50% in these sectors. The shortage of water in these sectors will be fulfilled by Sangjani Water Works including Simli Dam. However, to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the residents before the arrival of summer, the

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RAWALPINDI

staff report

CHIEVING another milestone in indigenous submarine development project at Pakistan, the Keel Laying Ceremony of second HANGOR Class Submarine was held at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW). Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf graced the occasion as Chief Guest. As per the defence agreement between Pakistan and China for development of eight HANGOR Class Submarines, four submarines are under construction at Wuchang Ship-

building Industry in China whereas remaining four are being built at KS&EW under Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement. This is the 2nd Submarine to undergo Keel Laying at KS&EW. Earlier, in Dec 2022, Keel Laying of first Submarine was successfully undertaken and currently it is at advanced stage of construction. Speaking on the occasion, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf said that it is a matter of great pride to witness the Keel Laying of HANGOR Class Submarine at Karachi Shipyard in collaboration with China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co. Ltd (M/s CSOC). He lauded the joint efforts

and performance of Ministry of Defence Production, Pakistan Navy, Karachi Shipyard (KS&EW) and M/s CSOC for construction of these Submarines. Chief of the Naval Staff highlighted that indigenization is a top priority of

Naval Headquarters policy which is being manifested by construction of these state of the art Submarines at KS&EW. Earlier during his welcome address, the Managing Director KS&EW, Rear Admiral Salman Ilyas highlighted that Karachi

Global LNG demand to grow beyond 2040, driven by industrial demand in China and economic development in South Asia and South-east Asia KARACHI

staff report

Pakistan, February 14, 2024 – Global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) is estimated to rise by more than 50% by 2040, as industrial coal-to-gas switching gathers pace in China and South Asian and South-east Asian countries use more LNG to support their economic growth, according to Shell’s LNG Outlook 2024. Global trade in LNG reached 404 million tonnes in 2023, up from 397 million tonnes in 2022, with tight supplies of LNG constraining growth while maintaining prices and price volatility above historic averages. Demand for natural gas has already peaked in some regions but continues to rise globally, with LNG demand expected to reach around 625-685 million tonnes a year in 2040, according to the latest industry estimates. “China is likely to dominate LNG demand growth this decade as its industry seeks to cut carbon emissions by switching from coal to gas,” said Steve Hill, Executive Vice President for Shell En-

ergy. “With China’s coal-based steel sector accounting for more emissions than the total emissions of the UK, Germany and Turkey combined, gas has an essential role to play in tackling one of the world’s biggest sources of carbon emissions and local air pollution.” Over the following decade, declining domestic gas production in parts of South Asia and South-east Asia could drive a surge in demand for LNG as these economies increasingly need fuel for gas-fired power plants or industry. However, countries in South Asia and South-east Asia would need significant investments in gas import infrastructure. The Shell LNG Outlook 2024 shows that gas complements wind and solar power in countries with high levels of renewables in their power generation mix, providing short-term flexibility and long-term security of supply. EUROPEAN ENERGY SECURITY LNG continued to play a vital role in European energy security in 2023, following a slump in Russian

pipeline exports to Europe in 2022, with new regasification facilities helping to improve security of energy supplies. European LNG imports remained at similar levels to 2022, despite an overall decline in European gas demand in 2023. Relatively mild winter temperatures in countries that rely on gas for heating, combined with high gas storage levels, stronger nuclear power generation and a modest economic recovery in China, all helped balance the global gas market in 2023. This helped bring down and stabilise gas prices in the key importing regions of Europe and East Asia compared to the record highs and unprecedented volatility seen from late 2021 through 2022. However, gas prices and volatility remained significantly higher in 2023 than in the 2017-2020 period. Despite a well-supplied global market in 2023, the lack of Russian pipeline gas supply to Europe and a limited amount of LNG supply growth over the last year mean that the global gas market remains structurally tight.

Short-term Hajj facility introduced for intending pilgrims: Religious minister LAHORE

staff report

Caretaker Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Aneeq Ahmed has announced that this year’s Hajj is set to be optimal for Pakistani pilgrims, offering unprecedented facilities. He introduced a short-term Hajj facility for the first time, marking a notable milestone in the nation’s history. Addressing the start of the training session for pilgrims at Darul Hajj Haji Camp on Wednesday, he announced that during Hajj, all women would receive Abayas, adorned with the Pakistani flag. Selected through a transparent system, the minister said fortunate pilgrims were chosen via a draw, and their training began on February 12. He said that Hajj pilgrims were the guests of Allah and a true ambassador of Pakistan, which would be facilitated with advance faculties. He said that when he took charge of the ministry, it was made clear that in 2024, Pakistani pilgrims would be provided with the best facilities. This year’s Hajj would be exemplary for Pakistani pilgrims, offering facilities that were not available in the past. The minister highlighted the comprehensive efforts made by the ministry regarding Hajj arrangements, collaborating with Saudi Arabia during a visit to assess the facilities, provided to pilgrims. He mentioned that accommodations, meals, and transportation, along with all basic necessities, had been standardised. While discussing transportation facilities for Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, he said that this year, there would be provision of trains along with

buses for pilgrims. Responding to a question, the minister said that for the first time in the country’s history, a short-term Hajj facility is being provided in Pakistan. Every pilgrim would be given a green suit-case containing a QR code to prevent any loss of belongings. The Hajj pilgrims would also be provided with a free SIM containing 180 international calling minutes and 7GB data to facilitate easy communication with their loved-ones. Additionally, for the first time this year, women in Pakistan would receive free Abayas, adorned with the Pakistani flag, contributing to the country’s identity. Aneeq Ahmed urged Hajj pilgrims to pray for well-being, prosperity, and elevation of the nation during the pilgrimage rituals. Lahore Hajj Director Iqrar Ahmad, Deputy Director Ministry of Religious Affairs Abdul Hakeem Khattak, Deputy Director Arif Zahoor, Deputy Assistant Director Mujeeb Akbar Shah and Tahir Latif and others were also present in the training session.

Shipyard is fully cognizant and completely aligned with the goals set forth by Government and Pakistan Navy in pursuing self-reliance in submarine construction. These submarines are a testimony of our commitment to this national cause. He also thanked Ministry of Defense Production and Pakistan Navy for their continued support and cooperation in realizing various projects at hand. The ceremony was attended by representatives of Embassy of China, M/s CSOC (China), M/s WSIG (China) and other high-ranking government officials including distinguished guests from MoDP and armed forces of Pakistan.

Jazz unveils matrimonial matchmaking platform 'Taqdeer' ISLAMABAD

staff report

February 14, 2024: Jazz, Pakistan's leading digital operator, in collaboration with eConceptions, has launched Taqdeer - an innovative digital matrimonial service platform that aims to redefine the journey of finding one's soulmate and nurturing meaningful connections online. With a blend of modern matchmaking algorithms, Taqdeer is crafted to offer personalized suggestions tailored to each individual's distinct profile and relationship preferences. By incorporating complex astrological analysis, Taqdeer reveals the cosmic compatibility between users, taking into account factors such as sun signs, moon signs, and planetary alignments.

25 students complete internship program with Islamabad Capital Police LAHORE

staff report

According to the details, 25 students from Capital University of Science and Technology (CUST) completed their internship with the Islamabad capital police traffic division, a police public relations officer said. He said that, following the directions of Islamabad Capital City Police Officer (ICCPO) Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, the Islamabad capital police are acquainting citizens and students about traffic rules through various programs. Under one such program, a batch of students from CUST University completed their internship. During the internship program, the students were briefed and given awareness about various tasks including radio production, technical issues, live broadcasting, road safety workshops, road safety seminars, driving license issuing procedure and road duty. Certificates were distributed among the students and hoped that they would further educate and brief their fellows and family members about road safety rules and play their role in disciplinary traffic system.

PTA escalates efforts to combat illegal SIM activation ISLAMABAD

staff repoert

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Zonal Office Sukhar, in close collaboration with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Circle, conducted a successful raid against a franchise involved in the illicit activation of SIMs at Ratodero, district Larkana. During the raid, 25 Active SIMs were discovered. Furthermore, Franchise owner and one other Kiosk person was also taken in custody by FIA team. The recent raid is part of PTA's ongoing efforts to prevent the circumvention of the Multi-Finger Biometric Verification System (MBVS). This steadfast dedication underscores the Authority's resolve to combat the illicit issuance of SIM cards.

EDOTCO Pakistan spearheads sustainable development, community wellbeing in 2023 ISLAMABAD

AIOU holds Int’l conference on recent trends in Chemistry

staff reporet

EDOTCO Pakistan, a key player in the telecommunications infrastructure industry marked a significant stride in its dedication to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in 2023. The company’s commitment to enriching underprivileged communities, particularly in areas with limited access to grid power, culminated in the successful execution of the Tower to Community (T2C) initiative. The visionary project, centered in Tehsil Kabir Wala, Multan, not only supplied clean energy to adjacent households but also set a benchmark in integrating sustainable energy practices with societal upliftment. By tapping into solar energy, EDOTCO Pakistan innovatively utilized its towers not just as telecom infrastructure to connect the unconnected, but also as power sources for neighboring off-grid homes. This initiative underscores the company’s role in driving sustainable development and cementing its unwavering dedication to enhancing community welfare and livelihoods. In its continuous pursuit to community welfare, EDOTCO Pakistan also introduced the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) school program, a pioneering step in promoting health and safety awareness. The program was piloted in Islamabad and the Mansehra District, reflecting the company's proactive stance in creating a safer and more health-conscious environment. Implemented initially at the Mansehra Public

ISLAMABAD

School & College in April 2023, and subsequently at the Pehli Kiran Schools, Islamabad, in December 2023, the OHS program educated students on crucial health and safety standards. It also equipped them with essential first-aid kits and fire extinguishers, aligning with EDOTCO Pakistan's objective of fostering a secure and healthful society. Abdul Aziz, the Country Managing Director at EDOTCO Pakistan, shed light on the company’s unwavering commitment to community upliftment through the successful execution of the T2C initiative and OHS School Program. He stated, “As an integral part of the EDOTCO Group, we consistently align our strategic initiatives with sustainable growth, with a laser focus on community development and positive impact creation. Our efforts to bridge technological gaps underscore our dedication to inclusive development. The fruition of these collaborative and innovative initiatives is a testament to our commitment to making a substantial difference.”

staff report

A two-day Sixth International Conference on "Recent Trends in Chemistry" has commenced at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU). Vice Chancellor, AIOU, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood was the chief guest at the inaugural session. He highlighted the importance of promoting science as it is crucial for the development of any country and nation. Dr. Nasir encouraged the students to work hard for the prosperity of the country, and to fulfill their dreams because it cannot be achieved without hard work. He also mentioned that the world is open for those who work hard, and the success of students is an honor for the institution. Additionally, the Vice Chancellor emphasized the need for useful and applied research for the betterment of society. This conference is being organized by the Department of Chemistry, AIOU. Dr. Nasir mentioned that experts in chemistry from Russia, China, and other parts of the world have participated in the conference to educate students about the latest trends in chemistry.

PTI-LED KP GOVT ABOUT TO INHERIT FINANCIAL CALAMITY

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New KP govt faces major fiscal, administrative challenges due to weak ties with center

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FTER a year of severe crisis, starting from dissolution of the assembly to extending the caretaker’s tenure, the people of KP have decided their fate rather unanimously. The new government is most

likely to be formed by Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) who faces the daunting task of reviving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which, not unlike the rest of Pakistan, is reeling under financial and administrative turmoil. Amongst the top priorities of the new government would be the restoration of government employees’ salaries, revival of the sanitation companies over 70 tehsil mu-

nicipal administrations which have gone bankrupt, consolidation of the staggering losses incurred by the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), establishment of medical teaching institutes/hospitals, and the revival of health card, will be among the top priorities of the new government. Apart from this, following the dissolution of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly

in January 2023, the caretaker government has delayed the payment of government employees’ salaries, citing unavailability of funds. Similarly, funds for stressed water and sanitation companies were also withheld, and during this same period, the subsidy amount for BRT was halted, while funds for TMA and other universities were also discontinued. According to sources within the caretaker provincial government, these difficulties were faced due to the federal government’s failure to provide funds. However, for the new government, managing the financially-stricken provincial gov-

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ernment will be the biggest challenge. Despite forming a clear majority in the KP provincial assembly, there is concern about conflicts with the federal government that does not bode well in obtaining additional funds, especially when the centre itself is short on cash. In such a scenario, managing the financially and administratively troubled province will be the biggest challenge for the new government. According to experts, from 2018 to 2023, both the KP governments under the PTI, especially after the vote of no confidence in 2022 had to resort to borrowing from local banks due to a decrease in provision of net hydel profits and transfers of other resources to the province. Now, if Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party form the federal government, the biggest challenge for the successful candidates supported by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be the revolving economic crisis of the province.

High­profits­expected­for­banking­sector on­back­of­interest­rate­ g

Bank Alfalah has registered an increase of 123% in EPS since last year. Others may see similar growth PROFIT

Saneela Jawad

With the interest rate still at a record high and no break in sight, commercial banks in the country are continuing to make bank off the back of government-backed securities. Take Bank Alfalah as an example. In their recently released financial results for the year 2023, Bank Alfalah revealed that they had achieved growth in the bottom line of more than 96%. Based on the results, it can be seen that the bank has been able to increase its earnings per share from Rs 10.38 at the end of 2022 to Rs 23.15 in 2023. The results showed that in 2022, the bank saw a net markup return of 36% which fell to 30% in 2023. This meant that even though markup income almost doubled, the interest expense for the company was much higher leading to a fall in the ratio. And it isn’t just Bank Alfalah. Most commercial banks in the country can expect rich returns this year. That is because despite a myriad of economic

challenges facing the country, the banking sector has thrived amidst challenging economic conditions, with remarkable earnings over the past two years, especially in the current financial year. Pakistan has seen interest rates at record-high levels since the end of June 2023. The country has been fighting a losing battle with inflation, leading to the State Bank of Pakistan maintaining interest rates at unsustainable levels. One of the conditions set by the IMF also revolves around the fact that as net interest rates are negative, no cut can be expected unless inflation falls below the prevailing rates. As a result, banks have been investing in government-backed securities which are secure and generate a high rate of return. By lending with minimal risk and earning a favorable spread between borrowing and deposit rates, banks have achieved impressive profits, as reflected in their year-end accounts. If this pattern of high interest rates continues in the upcoming year, banks may further enhance their financial performance, contingent upon the duration of rate stability.

JI turns down PTI’s offer for coalition govt in KP ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

­ resident­Biden­aware­of­elections P in­Pakistan:­White­House WASHINGTON

Staff RepoRt

NA session to be summoned as per law: Solangi ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Caretaker Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Wednesday said that the inaugural session of the new National Assembly would be summoned in accordance with the law. “I need to sign the summary for the NA session as I also hold the portfolio of Minister for the Parliamentary Affairs,” Solangi said while responding to the queries of media-persons regarding the procedure for the summoning of new National Assembly, outside the Election Commission of Pakistan. The minister said in accordance with the law the ECP was required to issue official results within 14 days of the elections. As per the Constitution, he stated, the president could convene the National Assembly’s session within 21 days of the polling date. “The last date for convening the NA session is February 29 and it can be summoned on any day before it.” Solangi said that any member of the National Assembly could contest the elections for the positions of prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker. To a query, he said legal forums were available for redressal of grievances regarding elections and justice should prevail if any violations were committed. Those who had complaints in that regard should reach out the legal forums for justice, he added. To another query, the minister said the caretaker Balochistan government was trying to solve the problems as per the law.

President of the United States Joe Biden is aware of the general election held on February 8 in Pakistan, the White House said. The Press Secretary of the White House Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference, that the President is very much aware of millions of Pakistanis who turned out to vote last week, including record numbers of Pakistani women, members of religious and ethnic minority groups, and young voters. She congratulated the Pakistani people for participating in general elections 2024 — including poll workers, civil society members, journalists and election observers who protected Pakistan’s democratic and electoral institutions.

Jean-Pierre maintained that the US is proud to stand with likeminded democracies, as it consistently conveys clearly, both publicly and privately, to the Pakistani government and across the Pakistani political spectrum the need to respect the will of the Pakistani people and ensure a transparent election process. It is critical, and it is obviously important.

Uncertainty looms over Pakistan’s political future as none of the major political parties – PML-N, PPP or the PTI-backed independent candidates – secured a simple majority in the National Assembly in the February 8 general elections. Political stakeholders were making efforts to forge alliances and secure 169 seats in the 336-member lower house of parliament.

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) on Wednesday turned down the PTI’s offer to form a coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), linking its decision to the PTI limiting its alliance to just provincial level. The statement from JI’s Central Naib Emir Liaqat Baloch comes a day after the PTI announced to form a coalition in Centre and Punjab with the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) and align with the JI in the KP. “He (Imran) has approved [of a coalition] with two parties. We will form a coalition with the MWM in the Centre and Punjab and a coalition with the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) in KP for the reserved seats. These are his decisions and we will implement them, we have already begun work on them,” PTI’s Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan had said. In a social media post today, JI’s Baloch said his party had held a meeting with the PTI after the Feb 8 elections for a consensus on the way forward. He said the JI had communicated its displeasure at the poll results but welcomed the PTI-backed MNAs who won through the public’s mandate. Baloch said the JI had also extended its unconditional cooperation with these MNAs in terms of party, constitutional and parliamentary protection. “The PTI welcomed it but in the last stage conveyed the message that they only wanted a coalition for the government in KP,” the JI leader said. “JI has decided that coalition with PTI at the national level would be in the national interest, but if the PTI has changed its position, then they can settle their affairs with whoever they want in KP,” Baloch added. Earlier in the day, JI spokesperson Qaiser Sharif claimed that the PTI had “changed its stance” on their plan regarding cooperation in the upcoming government. Sharif said that both parties had agreed to “cooperate at national level in the national interest”. “They can settle their affairs in KP with whoever they wish. JI would be glad,” he added.

ECP notifies winners of 21 National Assembly seats of Karachi ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Election Commission of Pakistan has notified the winning candidates of the National Assembly’s 21 constituencies of Karachi on Wednesday. The ECP has notified following candidates returned elected from various NA constituencies of Karachi: – The Pakistan People’s Party’s Jam Abdul Karim returned elected from Karachi’s NA-229, PPP’s Agha Rafi-

ullah elected from Karachi’s NA-230, PPP’s Abdul Hakeem Baloch elected from Karachi’s NA-231, MQM-Pakistan’s Aasia Ishaq returned elected from Karachi’s NA-232, MQM-P’s Muhammad Javed Hanif returned elected from Karachi’s NA-233, MQM-P’s Muhammad Moin Aamir returned elected from Karachi’s NA234, MQM-P’s Muhammad Iqbal Khan returned elected from Karachi’s NA-235, MQM-P’s Hassan Sabir returned elected from Karachi’s NA-

236, PPP’s Asad Alam Niazi elected from Karachi’s NA-237, PPP’s Nabil Gabol elected from Karachi’s NA-239, MQM-P’s Arshad Abdulla Vohra elected from Karachi’s NA-240, PPP’s Mirza Ikhtiyar Baig elected from Karachi’s NA-241, MQM-P’s Mustafa Kamal elected from Karachi’s NA242, PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel elected from Karachi’s NA-243, MQM-P’s Farooq Sattar elected from Karachi’s NA-244, MQM-P’s Syed Hafeezuddin elected from Karachi’s NA-245,

MQM-P’s Ameen ul Haq elected from Karachi’s NA-246, MQM-P’s Khawaja Izharul Hassan elected from Karachi’s NA-247, MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui elected from Karachi’s NA-248, MQM-P’s Ahmad Saleem Siddiqui elected from Karachi’s NA-249 and MQM-P’s Farhan Chishti elected from Karachi’s NA-250. According to the notification, the MQM-P has won 14 and the PPP 7 NA seats from the metropolis.

IHC reserves verdict on plea seeking annulment of notification of Islamabad NA seats ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved its verdict on petitions seeking to annul the ECP’s notification of the successful candidates from NA-46, 47, and 48 Islamabad. IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq heard the petitions and remarked that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) knew that they had a petition pending before the election. The IHC CJ questioned was it not appropriate that the ECP should have decided on the application first. “If the application is pending with the Commission, it should be decided,” the Chief Justice remarked. “The tribunal has not yet been formed,

so the court has the authority to hear this case,” the CJ Amir Farooq remarked. At this, the judge remarked that leaving that aside, “The RO should have done the consolidation first. The ECP was aware that it had a pending request. Shouldn’t the commission have waited for the decision on those requests first?” The judge emphasised that Shaheen filed a request in the IHC on Saturday, but due to the unavailability of a judge, the request could not be heard. When the request was filed in the high court, the commission had not notified the successful candidate. After the notification was issued on Monday, the request was amended and refiled. “Let’s even assume that the ECP issued one notification that did not reach the RO,”

CJ Farooq said, adding that the “notification is still your own mistake; we are not even discussing the merits of the case, but an appeal under consideration should be decided upon first”. “The commission has to decide whether to accept or reject the appeals. This is a legal matter that should be considered according to the law. We agree on the fundamental points that an appeal is under consideration, but now we have to see what the solution is. If the commission accepts their appeals, the notification will be withdrawn,” the judge observed. The lawyer explained that to declare the notification void, it is necessary to prove before the commission that there was “irregularity”. CJ Farooq stated that the ECP has pending requests and further questioned,

“What will happen if the ECP schedules the hearing for these requests today? If it is determined tomorrow that the points raised in the petitions are correct, then what?” Justice Farooq further questioned that “if the electoral watchdog has issued a stay order, it didn’t reach the RO okay, fine. But how did the commission issue the notification when it had the stay order?” Furthermore, Chief Justice Farooq also said that the “court will not even comment whether the petitions are admissible before the ECP”. The ECP’s counsel stated that they will still consider what the petitioners have filed, the merit of the argument is not affected by the fact that a final notification has been issued. The ECP’s decision can also be re-

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

voked if the petitioner’s argument is proven right. Therefore, the IHC does not have to worry about the matter of the notification’s issuance. Shaheen argued that if the whole process of recounting has to be repeated then why was the notification issued in the first place? He requested the court to declare the ECP’s notification null and void. The CJ replied that “the court does not have the authority to give directions to the ECP, but he will give his observations.” However, the petitioner then argued that the court could issue directions to the ECP. The chief justice remarked that the ECP is also a constitutional body therefore, it is a general perception that the high court cannot give it directions.