PTI denounces Lu’s statement , calls for open trial in cypher case
P r e s i d e n t
Z a r d a r i s e e k s p r e s i d e n t i a l i m m u n i t y i n T h at t a Wat e r S u p p l y r e f e r e n c e
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
President Asif Ali Zardari filed on Thursday moved an accountability court, seeking presidential immunity in Thatta water supply reference The president’s counsel sought presidential immunity through an application submitted to the Accountability Court, stating the immunity had also been attained in other cases The court issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the case and adjourned the hearing till April 22 The other accused in the case include former secretary Ejaz Ahmed Khan Ali Akbar
Ejaz Memon Ali Akbar
Abro Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, Manahal Majeed, Abdul Nadeem Bhutto and others
The water supply reference pertains to an alleged illegal award of a contract for the water supply scheme in Thatta to a private contractor In January 2023, an accountability court sent back a corruption reference against Zardari after amendments to the NAB law Earlier, Zardari also secured presidential immunity in the Park Lane reference case Accountability court Judge Nasir Javed Rana presided over the proceedings and heard the Park Lane reference against the president and others Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H Naik emphasised that President Zardari s status as the country s elected head granted him immunity from legal action, thus rendering the continuation of the case against him untenable
Pakistan doesn’t want any ar med conflict with Afghanistan: Kh Asif
PR OFIT N E W S D E S K P R I M E Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that Pakistan wanted to negotiate another loan programme from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) spanning over three years hinting at tough economic decisions to steer the country out of the crisis Addressing the meeting of the Apex Committee of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) here, the prime minister said the IMF had concluded the final review for the last tranche of$1 1 billion that will hopefully be received by next month After this he said Pakistan also wanted to start another programme with the IMF for a period of three years during which the government will take strict measures to bring deep-rooted structural reforms in the country He was of the view that the government was going to make tough economic decisions to steer the country out of crisis assuring to protection of downtrodden segments of the society He said that the burden of these measures would primarily fall on the wealthy and elite with safeguards in place to protect the interests of the poor and vulnerable With the reforms he said we will succeed in gradually breaking the begging bowl and come out of the debt trap The prime minister sought the support of all political parties and the provincial governments to successfully implement the agenda of macroeconomic stability in the country For this we will have to work together With the support of all the provinces, we will together resolve all the challenges and difficulties faced by the country”, he added In par tnership with Profit Fr i d a y, 2 2 M a r c h , 2 0 2 4 I 1 1 Ra m a z a n , 1 4 4 5 R s 2 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 2 6 4 I 8 Pa g e s I Ka r a c h i E d i t i o n PAKISTAN NEEDS ANOTHER LIFELINE FROM IMF FOR THREE YEARS: PM SHEHBA Z ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that his country does not desire an armed conflict with Afghanistan following Islamabad s airstrikes on alleged terrorist hideouts across the border In an interview with Voice of America (VoA), Asif emphasized, Force is the last resort We do not want to have an armed conflict with Afghanistan ” He cautioned that Pakistan could block the corridor it provides to landlocked Afghanistan for trade with India if Kabul fails to curb anti-Pakistan terrorists operating on Afghan soil, questioning the rationale behind providing this corridor if Afghanistan treats Pakistan as an enemy Asif highlighted the surge in terror attacks in Pakistan since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in August 2021 He noted that a message needed to be sent that cross-border terrorism has become intolerable He expressed Pakistan s desire to convey to the de facto rulers in Kabul that the current situation is untenable Regarding Pakistan’s interactions with the Taliban the defence minister stated that during a visit to Kabul in February 2023 he advised Taliban ministers to not let past favours from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) tie Kabul s hands He warned, If they [TTP] can harm us, then we’ll be forced to [retaliate] ” Asif expressed hope that Afghanistan would meet the single demand of reining in the TTP thereby preventing the need for future military strikes from Pakistan Asif also alleged that Kabul was allowing the TTP to operate against Pakistan to prevent its members from joining the Islamic State terrorist outfit’s local chapter known as IS-Khorasan Province He referred to IS-KP as a major internal security threat for Afghanistan Despite China s silence on the cross-border fighting, Asif dismissed the lack of public support from Beijing, stating, It s not necessary that the world must applaud us What is in our interest is enough for us We are protecting our interest, irrespective of whether someone applauds us or not ” Pakistan strikes inside Afghanistan Accusing certain elements in the Taliban government for patronizing the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates, Pakistan carried out what it termed intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations in the border regions inside Afghanistan on Monday in a significant escalation in tensions between the two neighbours However a carefully worded statement did not specify the nature of the operation or mention the air strikes Although Pakistan has carried out air strikes in the past inside Afghanistan, notably in April 2022 this was the first time Islamabad officially acknowledged striking inside the neighbouring country The strikes were prompted by the March 16 terrorist attack in Mir Ali, North Waziristan in which seven Pakistani soldiers including two officers were martyred The attack seems to be a tipping point in the relationship that has remained on the edge for months A statement issued by the foreign office said the target of the operation was the terrorists belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which along with TTP, was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials Taliban condemn strikes The Taliban government confirmed the strikes but rejected Pakistani claims that those attacks killed any militants Condemning the strikes as a violation of sovereignty, Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, claimed attacks killed five women and three children in the eastern border provinces of Khost and Paktika The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan does not allow anyone to compromise security by using Afghan territory Mujahid said in a statement Last night at around 3am, Pakistani planes bombed the houses of civilians,” said the IEA spokesperson He added that the bombings resulted in the deaths of six civilians including three women and three children in Paktika with an additional two women losing their lives due to the collapse of a house in Khost province
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has strongly rebuked recent remarks made by US diplomat Donald Lu denouncing them as false and deceptive and has demanded an open trial regarding the cypher case In a press conference held on Thursday PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan addressed the media, asserting that PTI founder Imran Khan has urged former envoy to the US Asad Majeed to clarify his position on Lu’s statement According to Gohar Khan declared Lu’s deviation from his initial testimony before Congress as misleading alleging a conspiracy against PTI s democratically elected government which was ousted through a vote of no-confidence in 2022 Barrister Gohar challenged Lu s denial of his previous statement, urging Majeed to reaffirm his stance in response to Lu’s testimony, citing prior discussions between the two parties He criticised Lu’s apparent diversion during a congressional hearing where he purportedly spent minimal time addressing the cypher issue and instead shifted focus to unrelated matters Highlighting Lu s comments regarding the general elections on February 8, Barrister Gohar underscored the diplomat s assertion that the United States had never endorsed Pakistani elections as ‘free and fair ’ Consequently, he called for a thorough investigation into any irregularities in the electoral process PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan highlighted the Pakistan Democratic Movement s (PDM) evolving stance on the cypher issue He said despite initially denying its existence PDM later acknowledged violations of the Official Secret Act within the cypher case, despite the cabinet s declassification of the document Hassan noted that Lu’s testimony supported the reality of the cypher, despite his reluctance to acknowledge its content Expanding on this Hasan referenced two National Security Council meetings convened to discuss the cypher during which it was decided to issue formal demarches to the US government in Islamabad and Washington Meeting minutes, he claimed, provided evidence of significant interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs Hasan emphasised that the contents of the cypher were no longer confidential having been reported in the international press He aligned with Imran Khan s consistent stance stressing the disparity between the ongoing secretive trial against Khan within the cypher and the public hearings in the US Congress ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The Supreme Court (SC) observed on Thursday that returning officer (RO) must scrutinize all nomination papers in the best interest of justice and uphold the fundamental right of any individual to contest elections “Returning Officers must remember that it is a fundamental right of an individual to contest elections and if they sabotage an individual not only do they rob the individual of their fundamental right but they also rob the populace at large of voting for that individual, which is also a fundamental right protected by the Constitution ” said an 11-page detailed judgment authored by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan regarding the acceptance of the nomination papers of a candidate Shaukat Mahmood A three-judge bench led by Justice Munib Akhtar heard the matter The detailed judgment noted that ROs are an integral part of the electoral process and it is highly unbecoming of them to exercise the authority conferred upon them in a manner that sabotages the electoral process We have carefully perused the one-page notification multiple times and in any of those instances have not come across any official office hours With due respect to the Returning Officer if the ECP has fixed the last date for scrutiny of nomination papers as 30 12 2023 the Returning Officer has no right to determine the cut-off period on 30 12 2023 or what office hours he or she will operate until on the last date, i e 30 12 2023 In our view, until the clock strikes midnight on 30 12 2023 or whatever the last date of the scrutiny of nomination paper may be for any future election the Returning Officer must scrutinize all nomination papers submitted to him, in the best interest of justice and to uphold the fundamental right of any individual to contest elections ” the statement read Justice Irfan Saadat Khan also said Elections are the bedrock of a democracy; and as the 16th President of the United States of America Abraham Lincoln once said elections belong to the people Therefore it is essential that those wishing to contest elections be facilitated as far as is legally permissible It goes without saying that it is against democratic norms and principles to add technical bottlenecks in the way of any individual who is a citizen of this country trying to contest elections And in this backdrop, it is pertinent to say that electoral laws and rules cannot be used as an arbitrary filtering mechanism, dependent on the whims of a Returning Officer Therefore a Returning Officer should exercise the discretional powers available to him in a rational and meticulous manner SC r ules ROs must avoid using authority to sabotage electoral process C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 PR OFIT M O N I T O R I N G D E S K The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has instructed the Power Division of Pakistan (PD) to ensure timely tariff rebasing, directing power Distribution Companies (Discos) to submit their tariff petitions for the 2024-25 fiscal year as reported by Business Recorder Sources familiar with the matter reported that the IMF emphasizes the importance of meeting the deadlines for these petitions, which are set to take effect from July 1 2024 The upcoming rebasing will not only determine the necessary tariff increase but also update longstanding reference figures During discussions, the IMF team inquired about the expected tariff increase through rebasing The Power Division, however has yet to finalize these figures due to disagreements over the projections for the fiscal year 2024-25 Regarding Pakistan s circular debt issue, sources indicated that the Power Division is aligned with the IMF s targets, achieving a circular debt figure of Rs378 billion against a target of Rs385 billion by December 2023 Additionally the division is progressing with reforms including the privatization of Discos and the finalization of the Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) scheduled for April 2024 The IMF in a press release dated March 20 2024 advised the government to continue with timely power and gas tariff adjustments to ensure tariffs reflect actual costs while protecting vulnerable consumers through progressive tariff structures The Fund also recommended accelerating cost-reduction reforms in the energy sector including enhancements in electricity transmission and distribution integration of captive power demand into the grid, and strengthening governance and management of distribution companies The Power Division addressed additional inquiries from the IMF confirming that the budgeted Rs48 billion for 2023-24 is allocated for CPEC Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and explaining the January 2024 Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA) of Rs7 per unit was a result of system constraints as clarified in a recent public hearing chaired by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) The Power Division is aiming for an early completion of tariff rebasing to mitigate the financial impact of FCAs and Quarterly Tariff Adjustments (QTAs), seeking to lessen the burden currently passed on to consumers I M F d i r e c t s Pa k i s t a n t o ex p e d i t e t a r i f f r e b a s i n g f o r D i s c o s
DETAILED DECISION EMPHA SIZES ROS NEED TO UPHOLD FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS CONTESTING ELECTIONS g H I N T S AT TO U G H E C O N O M I C D E C I S I O N S TO S T E E R C O U N T R Y O U T O F C R I S I S g C L A I M S B U R D E N O F T H E S E M E A S U R E S W O U L D P R I M A R I LY FA L L O N W E A LT H Y A N D E L I T E
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Unity Foods announces acquisition intent by consortium
Pakistan, ADB agree to enhance cooperation to boost
The
They
Young Ye, congratulated the Minister for Finance and Revenue on the stafflevel agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and stated that the market has positively responded to the development
During the meeting Minister Aurangzeb expressed appreciation for the support provided by ADB over the years He particularly highlighted ADB s assistance through Policy Based Lending (PBL) to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic and floods Acknowledging ADB s pivotal role in promoting climate-conscious programs across Asia and the Pacific, the Minister emphasized the alignment of ADB’s climate operations with Pakistan’s own climate goals and commitments
The minister outlined the government s priority areas for achieving macro-economic stability and sustainability, including measures to enhance revenue, SOE reforms, privatization, and public-private partnerships
Young people becoming less happy than their elders: repor t
PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb and Country Director of the Asian Development Bank
Young Ye have reiterated to further enhance bilateral cooperation to foster economic growth
(ADB)
ADB s country director called on the finance minister here on Thursday and discussed with him the ongoing collaborations and future initiatives aimed at fostering economic development in Pakistan
reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their partnership, with a shared goal of promoting sustainable economic growth and development in the country according to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Finance
the status of ongoing policy-based programs, including the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program and the Climate and Disaster Resilience Enhancement Program (CDREP) were also discussed
Furthermore,
PR OFIT s TA F F R e P O R T The sale of motorbikes and three-wheelers in Pakistan witnessed a decline of 11 92% during the first eight months (July-Feb) of the current fiscal year FY202324 compared to sales of the corresponding period the last year According to the Pakistan Automobile Manufacturing Association (PAMA) as many as 740,204 motorbikes and three-wheelers were sold from July to February FY24 against the sale of 840,396 units from July to February FY23 The sale of Honda motorcycles dipped by 7 645 from 697 864 units to 644 544 units whereas the sale of Suzuki motorcycles witnessed a decline of 58 70% from 24,981 units to 10,316 units during the months under review Similarly the sale of Yamaha motorbikes also went down from 8 623 units to 5 218 units while the sale of Road Prince motorbikes witnessed a sharp decline of 52 06% from 22 109 units to 10 597 units The sales of United Auto motorcycles decreased 23 74% from 71 213 units to 54 305 units According to sources within the industry the drop in sales can primarily be attributed to the increased prices of motorbikes, rising fuel costs, and a decline in consumers’ purchasing power Meanwhile, the sale of United Auto threewheelers however surged from 1 100 units to 1 805 units showing growth of 64 09% while the sale of Sazgar three-wheelers also witnessed an increase of 18 35% from 7 335 units to 8 681 units The PAMA data showed that Qingqi threewheeler sales had decreased by 28 72% from 5,229 units to 3,727 units whereas sales of Road Prince three-wheeler also witnessed a decrease of 38 08% from 1 326 units to 821 units F iday 22 Ma ch 2024 | KARACHI 02 NEWS PR OFIT N e w s D e s k T HE Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced a new policy directive that mandates the quarterly determination of minimum values for steel products for the purpose of sales tax assessment This decision, informed by recommendations from field offices, aims to align tax collection more closely with current market conditions Instructions were dispatched to both Large Taxpayer Offices (LTOs) and Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) following a conclusive meeting between the FBR and the Pakistan Association of Large Steel Producers (PALSP) The meeting underscored the necessity of adjusting the minimum value of steel products on a quarterly basis based on comprehensive market analysis and the input of respective field offices To facilitate these adjustments, the FBR has requested its field formations to conduct regular market surveys and provide updated market prices along with recommendations These findings are to be submitted on a monthly basis to aid in the quarterly revision of steel product values, as stipulated in the Board’s recent directive Further instructions from the FBR highlighted the importance of designating a focal person within each field formation This individual will be responsible for coordinating with the FBR on determining the minimum values of steel products and ensuring timely communication of findings Pakistan Association of Large Steel Producers acknowledges the policy as a significant step towards ensuring fair sales tax contributions from the steel industry and enhancing government revenue through periodic value adjustments FBR TO ADJUST STEEL PRODUCT VALUES QUARTERLY FOR ACCURATE SALES TA X CALCUL ATION PR OFIT N e w s D e s k U n i t y F o o d s L i m i t e d h a s f o r m a l l y a n n o u n c e d o n T h u r s d a y t h a t a c o n s o r t i u m c o m p r i s i n g Wi l m a r P a k i s t a n H o l d i n g s P t e L t d U n i t y Wi l m a r A g r o , M r M u h a m m a d F a r r u k h , a n d M s F e h m i d a A m i n , h a s e x p r e s s e d a n i n t e n t i o n t o a c q u i r e a 2 3 2 0 % s h a r e h o l d i n g i n t e r e s t i n t h e c o m p a n y This share acquisition is set to give the group joint control of the company, beyond the threshold prescribed under section 111 of the Act, the company disclosed this development to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) through a notice This intention has been notified to the board of directors of the target company on March 18 2024 E a r l i e r, a p r e s s r e l e a s e i s s u e d o n M a r c h 1 9 , s a i d t h a t Wi l m a r P a k i s t a n H o l d i n g s P t e L t d , a s u b s i d i a r y o f Wi l m a r I n t e r n a t i o n a l L i m i t e d , U n i t y Wi l m a r A g r o ( P r i v a t e ) L i m i t e d a n d c e r t a i n s h a r e h o l d e r s o f U n i t y F o o d s L i m i t e d h a v e a n n o u n c e d t h e i r intention to acquire up to 277 070 908 shares of UFL Unity Foods Limited listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, specializes in manufacturing edible oils, industrial fats, flour, and feed ingredients for the poultry and livestock sectors Wilmar International Limited a Fortune 500 company founded in 1991 and headquartered in Singapore is Asia s leading agribusiness group
Gul Ahmed Textile to install 17.1MW rooftop solar plant PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Gul Ahmed Textile Mills Limited announced on Thursday that it will install a 17 1 MW roof-top solar power plant to meet its energy needs According to a notice sent to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) the company said that its board of directors has accorded approval to the management to sign a Term Sheet with K Solar (Private) Limited in respect of 17 1 MW on a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) basis on the rooftop of the manufacturing facility of the company The Project is expected to come live by the first quarter of 2025 The company s current installed solar capacity stands at 0 5 MW and 1 4 MW is under the installation phase After this project, the solar installed capacity will stand at 19 MW This initiative will play a key role in cost savings and underscores our proactive efforts to diversify our energy portfolio enhance operational efficiencies and mitigate long-term energy risks read the notice Furthermore it reinforces the company s commitment to achieving sustainability targets in line with global best practices and regulatory requirements g I n s t r u c t i o n s d i s p a t c h e d t o b o t h L T O s a n d R T O s f o l l o w i n g a c o n c l u s i v e m e e t i n g b e t w e e n F B R a n d PA L S P g F i n a n c e m i n i s t e r a n d A D B c o u n t r y d i r e c t o r r e a f f i r m t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t t o s t r e n g t h e n i n g p a r t n e r s h i p Motorbikes, three -wheeler sales decline 12% in 8MFY24 Pakistan’s foreign reser ves rise by $105m to $13.4b PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) increased by $105 million for the week ended on March 15 2024 According to a press release issued on Thursday the total liquid foreign reserves held by the country stood at $13 39 billion as of the week under review Central bank s total foreign exchange reserves reached $8 017 billion after an increment of $105 million While foreign exchange reserves held by the commercial banks stood at $5 372 billion PR OFIT N e w s D e s k A recent report has unveiled that young people have been less happy than their elders in recent years, especially in the United States, Canada, and some Western European countries The World Happiness Report an annual barometer of well-being in 140 nations coordinated by Oxford University s Wellbeing Research Centre Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, showed “disconcerting drops in youth happiness As per the report Pakistan maintained its position at 108th and India continued to rank at 126th in the latest World Happiness Report sponsored annually by the United Nations The report confirmed Finland as the happiest country globally for the seventh consecutive year Other Nordic nations including Denmark Iceland and Sweden also secured their spots within the top 10 happiest countries The top 10 was rounded out by Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia, each maintaining high happiness rankings At the lower end of the scale Afghanistan remained the least happy of the 143 countries evaluated a status attributed to ongoing humanitarian crises following the Taliban s return to power in 2020 A notable shift in this year s report was the absence of the United States and Germany from the top 20 happiest countries ranking 23rd and 24th respectively This is the first instance of such a ranking since the report s inception over 10 years ago Meanwhile Costa Rica and Kuwait made their debut in the top 20 securing the 12th and 13th positions The report highlighted a significant observation: none of the world s largest countries featured among the happiest nations The happiness ranking relies on individuals’ self-assessed evaluations of life satisfaction along with several other factors including GDP per capita social support healthy life expectancy freedom generosity, and levels of corruption In a new development this year, a distinct list of countries ranked by age groups was introduced Lithuania emerged as the top-ranking country for happiness among individuals under 30 years old Notably Pakistan secured the 107th position while India and Bangladesh followed closely at 127th and 128th respectively The four countries in the NANZ group – the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – all have rankings for the young that are much lower than for the old with the biggest discrepancies in the United States and Canada where the gap is 50 places or more These gaps have mainly arisen since 2010, and probably involve some mix of generational and age effects There are many more countries where the rankings for happiness in young people are more than 40 places higher than for the old, mainly in Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America The biggest gap is in Croatia, where the ranking for the young is 66 places higher than for the old There are gaps of 50 or more places for Bulgaria Moldova and Serbia, and between 40 and 50 places in Romania Bosnia and Herzegovina Montenegro and Paraguay There are clearly generational as well as age effects at play here as well as the older populations of Bosnia Serbia Croatia and Montenegro bear the most scars from the early 1990s wars and genocide following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia
economic growth Panther T yres invests Rs2b in expansion drive, boosts Infrastructure PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Panther Tyres Limited has announced the successful allocation of Rs1 99 billion towards its development and expansion efforts, alongside addressing its short-term working capital needs This was highlighted in the company’s latest progress report submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday In a strategic move to fuel its growth, Panther Tyres conducted an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in February 2021 The primary objective was to fund a significant portion of its expansion project From the IPO proceeds Rs1 41 billion was earmarked for the project covering costs related to Plant & Machinery acquisition of Freehold Land & Development Expenses and Building & Civil Work initiatives The company managed to raise a total of Rs1 97 billion by issuing 30 million ordinary shares, priced at Rs65 80 each The additional funds generated through the IPO amounting to Rs464 43 million were strategically utilized to lessen the company s reliance on shortterm working capital facilities The balance was allocated towards further expansion activities Detailing the expenditure, the report specifies that Rs101 million was allocated for Freehold Land & Development Expenses, Rs593 million for Building & Civil Works and a substantial Rs1 29 billion was invested in Plant & Machinery g Big three bike manufacturers face a decline in sales
Pakistan maintains its position at 108th ahead of India
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Pakistan s economic progress
PSC accepts review petition of Attaul Haq Qasmi in
forests are lost every year
he said, has profound impacts on Pakistan s biodiversity, environment and agriculture Being one of the most climateimpacted countries in the world, he said climate change events are becoming more frequent and massively devastating for Pakistan pointing to the urgent need to conserve our indigenous forests This has become critical to our survival as a nation He urged the nation to synergize their efforts in safeguarding this invaluable resource and ensure its effective stewardship for the next generation
Our government is embarking on the next phase of our ambitious Green Pakistan Initiative which was first launched by PMLN-led government in 2016 to improve forest cover and concerted efforts were made for
conservation of biodiversity in Pakistan
In its next phase, the Green Pakistan Initiative aims to improve the forest cover, preserve wildlife habitats and help carbon sequestration Given the important role that forests play in the environment let us
resolve to protect and conserve them
I would reaffirm Government of Pakistan s firm commitment to undertake all necessary steps to preserve and improve forest cover in Pakistan We will ensure that our crucial forest ecosystems all over Pakistan are protected as they are the lifeline of livelihood and environmental well-being of our nation I call upon the provincial governments civil society and all our citizens to become our partners in our quest for Green Pakistan Today is about investing in our future I urge the nation to synergize their efforts in safeguarding this invaluable resource and ensure its effective stewardship for our next generation he added Targeting Gwadar aims to disrupt Pakistan s economic progress Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underscored that those who targeted the peace of Gwadar, aimed at disrupting
Pakistan Day parade preparations enter final stage
a n d e v e n t C i t i z e n s g a t h e r e d a t t h e p a r a d e g r o u n d t o c a t c h a g l i m p s e o f t h e f u l l d r e s s r e h e a r s a l , e x p r e s s i n g t h e i r f e r v e n t p a t r i o t i s m a s t h e y s o a k e d i n t h e s i g h t s “ T h e p a r a d e i s b e i n g o rg a n i z e d u n i q u e l y t h i s y e a r, s h o w c a s i n g t h e d i s c i p l i n e a n d p a s s i o n o f o u r a r m e d f o r c e s ” r e m a r k e d o n e s p e c t a t o r A n o t h e r a t t e n d e e e x c l a i m e d I t w a s a n i n c r e d i b l y a t t r a c t i v e a n d t h r i l l i n g p a r a d e a t e s t a m e n t t o t h e s t r e n g t h o f o u r n a t i o n M u h a m m a d K a b i r, A d v o c a t e S u p r e m e C o u r t , e c h o e d t h e p r e v a i l i n g s e n t i m e n t , o b s e r v i n g , “ T h e d i s p l a y o f d i s c i p l i n e a n d p a s s i o n h e r e r e f l e c t s t h e u n i t y o f P a k i s t a n ” C i t i z e n s d e e p l y m o v e d b y t h e e v e n t v o i c e d t h e i r a d m i r a t i o n f o r t h e s a c r i f i c e s m a d e b y t h e n a t i o n s m a r t y r s We h o n o r t h e b r a v e s o u l s o f o u r a r m e d f o r c e s w h o h a v e s h e d t h e i r b l o o d t o s a f e g u a r d o u r h o m e l a n d , o n e c i t i z e n a ff i r m e d s o l e m n l y A m i d s t t h e c r o w d , a p a r e n t p r o u d l y p r o c l a i m e d , “ M y d a u g h t e r s e r v e s i n t h e a r m y, a n d I a m p r e p a r e d t o s a c r i f i c e e v e r y t h i n g f o r t h e s a k e o f o u r b e l o v e d c o u n t r y A n i m p a s s i o n e d p l e a r e s o n a t e d a m o n g t h e o n l o o k e r s : L e t u s n u r t u r e l o v e f o r o u r c o u n t r y i n o u r h e a r t s f o r o u r n a t i o n s p r o s p e r i t y i s i n t e r t w i n e d w i t h o u r d e v o t i o n O p t i m i s m f o r P a k i s t a n s f u t u r e r a d i a t e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e g a t h e r i n g , w i t h o n e c i t i z e n e x p r e s s i n g “ P a k i s t a n ’s t r a j e c t o r y i s o n e o f p r o g r e s s a n d p r o m i s e e n s u r i n g a b r i g h t f u t u r e f o r g e n e r a t i o n s t o c o m e
I M F r e v i e w p a s s e d
AFTER several days of negotiation, the IMF review reached a staff-level agreement with Pakistan, which should lead to the release of the final $1 1 billion tranche of the current Stand-By Arrangement next month by the IMF Board of Directors This agreement must have provided a sigh of relief to newly-inducted Finance Minister Muahmmad Aurangzeb as it marked the accomplishment of his first task, leaving him now to handle the next two It was also a prelude to those tasks, for the next thing is the negotiation of a medium-term package, one which Pakistan has already indicated to the review mission that it will apply for Though mo application has been made yet, while announcing the agreement to the Cabinet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also told it that the government would apply for another package This would be the 15th package Pakistan would get from the IMF Mr Aurangzeb’s further task beyond that agreement will be to prepare a budget including the measures agreed in that package Already, to pass the review, he has already agreed a couple of measures for the Budget though it is not clear to what extent they will count towards the new agreement These include the almost formulaic agreement to increase electricity and gas prices, as well as the GST registration of online digital platforms However there does not seem to be any certainty that even if a package is obtained and completed successfully, Pakistan s foreign exchange crisis will be over Pakistan completed a programme before under Mian Nawaz Sharif but ultimately the country had to have recourse to the IMF
The IMF seems to have dropped a brick, with its suggestion that the NFC Award be revisited As Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah was quick to point out the Constitution does not allow this The Shehbaz government is nowhere near the two-thirds majority needed to amend the Constitution From advocating a cut in
Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
Talking turkey
Th e f i r s t o f t h e n e w F i n a n c e M i n i s t e r ’s t a s k s
Hthat he was put to work Even before he filed his
passing the
means that the door is open for more
Aurangzeb was forced, at just a couple of days’ notice to do one of three immediate tasks for which he was inducted in the Cabinet: get a release of the last tranche Though the $500 million that will come in will be welcome it will also serve
ask for more money The IMF seems to think that the provinces should be given more responsibilities without much or even any extra money The only way out is for the provinces to cut back on their functions like shutting
schools or hospitals The concept of public-pri-
partnership was actually meant as a money-sav-
exercise That brings up another area where the IMF has l o n g s h o w n a n i n t e r e s t t h e p o w e r s e c t o r m o r e p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e c i r c u l a r d e b t w h i c h i s b e i n g caused because of the inability of the distribution companies to keep up with the capacity payments that have been promised the IPPs The IMF sees t h a t c i r c u l a r d e b t a s a s o r t o f b l a c k h o l e i n t h e budget, which it is However the problem the IMF does not address is that if the government collects the money where will it buy the dollars from because the country owes external debt in foreign exchange
T h e I M F a n d P a k i s t a n n e g o t i a t i o n s a r e p r o v i n g t o b e t o u g h , w i t h t h e I M F p r o b a b l y u s i n g t h e P T I l e t t e r c o m p l a i n i n g a b o u t t h e f a i r n e s s o f t h e F e b r u a r y 8 e l e c t i o n s a s a l e v e r T h e I M F h a s a l r e a d y p u b l i c l y r e j e c t e d t h e l e t t e r , b u t i t w o u l d n o t b e p o s s i b l e f o r i t t o k e e p i t o u t A f t e r a l l , t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e e l e c t i o n s w a s t o p r o d u c e a g o v e r n m e n t t h a t c o u l d d e a l w i t h t h e I M F A n y t h i n g s h o w i n g i t c o u l d n ’ t , w o u l d b e a g r e a t h e l p
E t h n i c p r o f i l i n g o f t h e p a s h t u n s
A n e n t i r e p e o p l e i s b e i n g u n f a i r l y t a r g e t e d
and held the Foreign Affairs portfolio as PM s Adviser Aurangzeb should learn lessons from the fate of Miftah Ismail, who was the first Finance Minister chosen during Shehbaz Sharif s first tenure as PM He was unceremoniously turfed out to make way for Dar on the express recommendation of Mian Nawaz Sharif whose touching faith in his abilities were not justified for despite hiking the interest rate to 23 percent inflation was not tamed The result was that the PML(N) suffered a mauling in the elections, and only formed the government because it had been decided that the PTI could not Miftah was not found a seat in Parliament, and contested a by-election, but lost Aurangzeb represents a return to the old pattern of technocrat Finance Ministers because politicians are wary of this portfolio Interior used to be the portfolio held by the second in line However Ijaz Shah who first held the portfolio under Imran, was not so considered, but was thought to represent Imran s backers Similarly, Mohsin Naqvi’s induction, also relying on a Senate seat means that the Finance Foreign and Interior Ministers also belong to the Senate t These are the three great offices of state and the PML(N) s failure to find an MNA for all of these jobs can only reflect the weakness of its parliamentary party Even when Benazir Bhutto was allowed to take office in 1988 after she accepted Ziaul Haq’s Foreign Minister Sahibzada Yaqub Khan as Foreign Minister, V A Jaffery as Finance Adviser was a technocrat (being a former State Bank Governor) with only Interior going to a party stalwart Aitzaz Ahsan Senator Dar as Foreign Minister will still be heavily involved in economic decision-making That is because all the important relationships Pakistan has are about money China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are proving lenders of last resort; the USA has influence over the international lending institutions including the IMF; even with India the question of trade is linked; Iran has a pipeline project to be handled; and Afghanistan has numerous informal trade issues While the Commerce Minister will be involved in much of this, the primary responsibility will rest on Senator Dar Already his phone call to his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi shows that while Pakistan s foreign relations have an economic component there is also a strong political component The discussion with Muttaqi focused on Afghan support for the TTP and the rise in terrorism in Pakistan, with trade relations only mentioned in passing The IMF and Pakistan negotiations are proving to be tough with the IMF probably using the PTI letter complaining about the fairness of the February 8 elections as a lever The IMF has already publicly rejected the letter, but it would not be possible for it to keep it out After all, the purpose of the elections was to produce a government that could deal with the IMF Anything showing it couldn’t would be a great help
The writer is a member of staff
and moral help from the Pakistani establishment enabling them to bring the entire state under their control A whole generation grew up in the violent shadow of the first Afghan jihad Despite ethnic profiling of Pashtuns, empirical facts state that there is no general cultural trend that can point to them as being extremists A study by a team from Princeton Georgetown and Stanford Universities shows that Pashtun areas in Pakistan are the least supportive of terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban This is because the Pashtuns have paid the most, socially and economically as well In the war, an estimated fighting force of 45 000 were on the side of the Taliban from which only 11 000 were Pashtuns and most of them were Afghans Hence the damage to Pashtun nationalism was done by none other than the state itself and its institutions It is unfair to the individuals who have given their all for the nation to paint Pashtuns as inflexible aggressive and terrorists based only on their ethnic profile Since 2003 Pakistan has lost over 80 000 civilians in the war against terrorism It is the second most affected country by terrorism, according to the Global Terrorism Index A recent research conducted by the Pakistan Political Science Association (PPSA) claimed that out of the 80 000 killed an estimated 57 254 were Pashtuns Another research study conducted in 2014 by Professor Luqman Saeed who took 329 files from Counter Terrorism Wing of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), showed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) including Federally
Transpor tation challenges
Taliban came to power our intelligence agencies failed in their attempt to bring all groups together leaving Afghanistan to deal with the internecine feuds until the rise of the Taliban in 1994, and later in 2021 As the Taliban gained popularity, they received material
04 Fr day 22 March 2024 COMMENT Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 I K arachi – Ph: 021-32640318 I Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545 I Web: www pakistantoday com pk I Email: editorial@pakistantoday com pk
does not make for good business Pa s s i n g t h e l a s t S B A re v i e w m e a n s g o o d c h a n ce s o n a n e w d e a l
military expenditure to adopting the view that the NFC Award should be revisited is not just a reversal of stance, but saddles it with another battle it probably cannot win It has not been able to do much about the circular debt but continues to use it as a stick to beat Pakistan over the head with It seems to have run out of worthwhile suggestions, so it comes up with ones that will be rejected out of hand That
Editor
M A Niazi
Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami
of students use shuttle buses to go to the University of Karachi every day Most of them keep standing throughout the commute because of overcrowding In November 2023 a student had died after falling from one of the university shuttle buses The government should provide new buses to the university ZAHID RASHEED HUB Public transpor t ONE of the primary issues with our public transport system is the lack of cleanliness in vehicles and at bus stands Accessibility is another significant challenge particularly for individuals with disabilities or special needs Almost all public transport vehicles lack ramps and designated seating areas for the disabled, making it difficult for these individuals to be able to move around independently Furthermore long waiting times and irregular schedules disrupt travel plans and cause inconvenience to the commuters, especially during peak hours Taking measures to enhance the efficiency of operations and improve service reliability is essential for addressing these issues and enhancing the overall commuter experience ABDULLAH ALI KARACHI Inexperienced teachers T H E i n d u c t i o n o f i n e x p e r i e n c e d t e a c h e r s i n p r i v a t e s c h o o l s i s l i k e p l a y i n g w i t h t h e f u t u r e o f s t u d e n t s S u c h t e a c h e r s o f t e n l a c k t h e e ss e n t i a l e x p e r i e n c e , q u a l i f i c a t i o n s a n d l e v e l o f m a t u r i t y t h a t a r e n e e d e d t o e ff e c t i v e l y t e a c h a n d m a n a g e a c l a s s r o o m Te a c h e r s h a v e t o p e r f o r m m u l t i f a c e t e d t a s k s A l o n g w i t h i m p a r t i n g e d u c a t i o n t h e t e a c h e r s n e e d t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e p s y c h o l o g y o f t h e i r s t u d e n t s i n o r d e r t o g u i d e t h e m p r o p e r l y IRSHAD ULLAH BUNER Cancer treatment I would like to draw the government s attention to a serious issue - the unavailability of cancer treatment It has become a significant hardship for cancer patients to access quality treatment due to a lack of sufficient doctors and facilities The government has not adequately addressed this alarming matter properly This compels patients to move to other cities Each year a substantial number of people lose their lives merely because of cancer Pakistan has been a global leader in cancer treatment Yet, the matter has been overlooked by authorities Therefore, I earnestly implore the government to look into this matter as soon as possible PALWASHA A GAHOOR PESHAWAR Climate change IN the face of the increasingly negative impact of climate change, countries across the globe have come up with effective measures to counter the challenges For instance Indonesia has enacted a law that makes it mandatory for a couple to plant a tree as they tie the knot This way, the country has decided to encounter the climate change impacts Pakistan can learn from the experience of such countries and initiate its own plans to face the menace NIAZ AHMED QUETTA E d i t o r ’ s m a i l 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 S INCE colonialism the majority of knowledge created about Pashtuns has been biassed and politicised Instead of reflecting their experiences of being at the entrance point of foreign invaders into India, opposing invasions into their territory, and so being forced to become accustomed to conflicts the Raj categorised them as a ‘martial’ and ‘savage’ people throughout the British era Post-British too much of the knowledge generated about the Pashtuns has not portrayed them as a mostly disadvantaged ethnic minority in Pakistan Before its merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa until 2018, the erstwhile FATA was referred to as ilaqa ghair that meant foreign territory or lawless area It included six Frontier Regions (FRs) namely FR-Peshawar FRKohat FR-Bannu FR-Lakki Marwat FR-Tank and FR-Dera Ismail Khan, in addition to seven Agencies including Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, North Waziristan, and South Waziristan The Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) which Pakistan retained was the parallel political legal and administrative framework that British colonists had imposed on FATA since 1901 It did away with fundamental rights Under these conditions, the area s social structure was preserved by the long-standing, unwritten Pashtunwali code of honourable behaviour Pashtuns the second largest ethnic group in Pakistan make up 25 percent of the population Despite their rich cultural traditions and diverse political and economic contexts they have been branded aggressive and violent due to the ongoing war in Afghanistan US funding for Pakistan’s proxy war in Afghanistan led to the growth of seminaries attracting students who turned into jihadists Intelligence agencies promoted these seminaries using the ethnic-religio card and a special curriculum to control Afghan refugee children There is no point in rehashing the political patronage that religious parties enjoyed under the regime of General Zia-ul-Haq Also, once the Soviet forces withdrew from Afghanistan and the
THOUSANDS
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) contributed
percent
the terrorists This implies that Pashtuns make up
sliver of the terrorists in Pakistan They have been systematically deprived of their right to both religious and secular leadership, due to the stigma attached to their ethnic identity After
of neglect
disenfranchisement
province
the adjacent tribal areas have remained underdeveloped
displacements
forced disappearances the Pashtuns struggle to regain their glorious identity while caught between mullahs, militants
the military
have become synonymous as the ‘bad’ Taliban, so no wonder US drones can operate with impunity, killing hundreds of innocent people with the backing of the state The media does not portray the Pashtuns in a kind light The culture of the Pashtun people have been highlighted since the time of Herodotus (484-425 BC) or Alexander the Great, who explored Afghanistan and what is now Pakistan, around 330 BC Their systematic profiling and categorization by our state is abhorrent; they belong to a group that is as ancient as time itself Famous love stories in Pashto literature and traditional dances such as Attan, Khattak, Mahsud, and Waziri attest to the amorous lifestyle of the Pashtuns The rural and tribal portions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continue to adhere to the traditional legal and governance system known as Pashtunwali The Pashtunwali encourages tolerance self-reliance fairness self-respect hospitality, love, forgiveness, and retaliation Pashtuns are gregarious individuals who are well-known for their intimate bonds and social networks Pashtuns are brave, industrious individuals who take great pride in their history and culture They also extend kindness and hospitality to visitors Liberty fidelity friendliness toughness thrift labour and caution are traits of the Pashtun people Not enough has been written on Pashtuns by academics throughout the world in recent years; much of it has been done in response to particular military or governmental requirements As a country we have to strive for inclusive social policies that would enable the Pashtuns in the country to once again participate in mainstream governance and administration
writer is Ph D in Political Science and visiting faculty at QAU Islamabad His area of specialization is political development and social change He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo com and tweet@zafarkhansafdar Dr ZAfAr KhAN SAfDAr Not enough has been written on Pashtuns by academics throughout the world in recent years; much of it has been done in response to particular military or governmental requirements As a country, we have to strive for inclusive social policies that would enable the Pashtuns in the country to once again participate in mainstream governance and administration
only 16
of
a
decades
and
the
and
Despite
and
and
Pashtuns
The
had Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb taken office it seems
comi n g S e n a t e e l e c t i o n s ( f o r h e h a d t o b e found a seat
team w h i c h w a s s u p p o s e d t o s a y P a k i s t a n h a d c a r r i e d out its promises to the IMF in the final review per i o d a n d t h e f i n a l t r a n c h e o f t h e S t a n d - B y A r r a n g e m e n t w i t h t h e I M F s h o u l d b e r e l e a s e d
s
ARDLY
nomination papers for the
in Parliament) he had to head a
Pakistan
review
as an assurance to friendly countries, notably the USA, Saudi Arabia and China, that the deposits they have made with the State Bank are safe, These negotiations are taking place in the backdrop of the next task ahead of Aurangzeb getting the IMF to give a fresh package of $ 6 billion over three years Pakistan will attend the meetings of the World Bank and IMF in April with the future package very much on its agenda, with some heavy sidelines negotiating to go on Auranzeb will lead the Pakistan delegation and as soon as he returns he will prepare a budget in view
those negotiations
it includes the conditions agreed on The IMF review team floated an idea which will take a lot of percolation so diametrically opposed it is to the general political consensus, which is that the federal and provincial shares in the NFC Award, presently 62 5:27 5, be revisited It is interesting that it did not raise the subject of cutting military expenditure as it has done in the past It has not taken this particular talking point off the table but it has chosen not to sound it At the same time, it is clear that it has not given up its effort to find some way of making the federal budget yield the funds necessary for repayment It would like the CBR to give more of its collection to the federal budget rather than pass it on to the provinces For that, it would like the revision of the Award It would be against the Constitution for the provinces’ share to be reduced, but it would not be against the Constitution for the provinces to be given more functions to perform Such actions as placing the power distribution companies with the provinces are a possibility However, the equation still will not balance out It is not as if the provinces are awash in money If they are given extra functions, they will
and it is the trade and balance of payments deficits that are the root of the problem If Pakistan’s exports and remittances earned enough dollars for imposters to pay their bills, and the government to buy dollars to service its debts there would be no need to involve the IMF It is also worth noting that the IMF seems to be ignoring the tremendous changes taking place in the power sector, particularly as far as generation goes The world is also on the verge of a revolution in the transport sector The need to combat climate change may have speeded it up but it was bound to happen anyhow Pakistan as a fossil fuel importer was bound to be in the forefront of the conversion The IMF does not seem to be involved in this process Instead, it seems to be protecting the interests of the IPPs making sure that whatever resources Pakistan can generate go to paying off fossil-fuel-based liabilities leaving little or nothing for the investment needed for the future investmentForeign Minister He will remain in the Senate, though he will move from the Punjab to Islamabad, which makes something of a difference from Sartaj Aziz, the man who was replaced by Dar as Finance Minister Sartaj left the Senate
of
so that
down
vate
ing
At Penpoint M A N I A Z I
TNo democracy in India today, says Rahul Gandhi
BEIJING
In
said the
and
The United States has been providing huge subsidies and tax incentives to its domestic chip sector and some measures have been forcing companies to abandon China and choose the United States, which are discriminatory and have violated market laws and international economic and trade rules, distorting the global semiconductor industry chain MOC spokesperson He Yadong said on Thursday
The semiconductor sector is highly globalized after decades of development and this is the combined effects of resources endowment of different countries and market laws he said China is committed to promoting high-level opening up and welcomes global semiconductor firms to invest in China and boost the healthy
development of the global semiconductor industry chain he noted In response to the U S Department of Commerce considering adding several Chinese chip companies related to Huawei to the sanctions list he said China has always opposed politicizing and weaponizing economic trade and technological issues but in recent years, the United States has abused export controls, unjustly sanctioned and suppressed Chinese enterprises and seriously disrupted the global industrial and supply chains
If the United States imposes sanctions on more Chinese companies along with persisting suppression of Huawei, citing so-called connections, this will be a typical economic bullying practice, violating international economic and trade rules and damaging the global economic and trade order he said While urging the United States not to adopt wrong practices, the spokesperson said
Minorities’ persecution in India: Over 150 attacks on Christians in 2024 so far
act of Gharwapasi Locals are
assaulting, threatening their lives and vandalizing their homes,” the UCF has said
Uttar Pradesh, which saw the second highest number of incidents after Chhattisgarh there is “clear evidence of state-sponsored harassment of Christians as the police files false allegations of conversion against the pastors even for praying in birthday parties and other social gatherings , the release said In all, there are 19 states in India wherein Christians are facing threat to their lives for practicing their faith There are 122 Christians who have either been detained or arrested on the false allegation of conversions in just 75 days of 2024 the group stated
Xi Jinping calls on Hunan to write its chapter in Chinese modernization
F id y 22 M h 2024 | K AR ACHI 06 NEWS
NEW DELHI A G E N C I E S The United Christian Forum (UCF) a Delhi-based civil society organisation focused on Christian issues, has said that the first 2 5 months of 2024 have witnessed a large-scale erosion of basic fundamental rights and protection of Indian Christians The UCF in a statement in Delhi said “January witnessed 70 incidents of violence against Christians followed by 62 incidents in 29 days of February and 29 incidents in 15 days of March, 2024 This comes to a total of 161 incidents in 2 5 months The incidents include violence, attacks on churches or prayers meetings, harassment of those following their faith ostracisation and limiting access to community resources and false
particularly
to forced conversions the Christian
release
from the community-bore-well
village In this state sadly even dead Christians
spared
many were denied burial as per Christian rituals Local
cremate the bodies
JEDDAH A G E N C I E S
allegations
those pertaining
forum said Ostracisation of Christians for following their faith continues in Chhattisgarh, according to the press
“Christians are being denied access to water
of the
are not
as
villagers have been threatening to
as a final
physically
In
H E United States has circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire linked to the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip Secretary of State Antony Blinken said The diplomat made his announcement whilst on a tour of the Middle East that will include a stop in Israel Key Israel backer the United States has vetoed previous UN Security Council votes on the nearly six-month war objecting as recently as in February to the use of the term immediate in a draft submitted by Algeria In recent weeks, however, Washington has upped the pressure on its ally while insisting that Hamas must immediately release the hostages seized during its October 7 attacks on Israel Well in fact we actually have a resolution that we put forward right now that s before the United Nations Security Council that does call for an immediate ceasefire tied to the release of hostages, and we hope very much that countries will support that,” Blinken said in Saudi Arabia “I think that would send a strong message a strong signal ” he told Saudi media outlet Al Hadath on Wednesday Of course we stand with Israel and its right to defend itself but at the same time, it s imperative that the civilians who are in harm s way and who are suffering so terribly -– that we focus on them that we make them a priority protecting the civilians getting them humanitarian assistance Blinken said US officials had been negotiating an alternative text since blocking an Algerian draft resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza at the end of February That alternative, focusing on support for a six-week truce in exchange for the release of hostages had little chance winning approval according to diplomatic sources US UNVEILS DRAFT UN RESOLUTION SEEKING IMMEDIATE GA Z A CEASEFIRE HUNAN S TA F F R E P O R T President Xi Jinping has called on central China’s Hunan Province to stay committed to reform and innovation and follow a realistic and pragmatic approach to write its own chapter in advancing Chinese modernization Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour to the province from Monday to Thursday Xi urged Hunan to build itself into a national hub for important and advanced manufacturing industries and a sci-tech and innovation center with core competitiveness, and continue to be a pacesetter for reform and opening up of China’s inland regions On Monday Xi first inspected Hunan First Normal University in Changsha City where he visited an exhibition featuring Mao Zedong in his youth and chatted with students and faculty members Xi stressed the importance of the role of schools in fostering virtue among students and guiding them to serve the country Later Xi inspected a Chinese-German battery materials joint venture He said sci-tech innovation and high-quality development are the key to enterprises’ growth and success He said China will keep opening its door wider to the world and welcome more foreign companies to invest and develop in China On Tuesday, Xi visited a cultural street in the city of Changde, where he pointed out that the country’s diverse traditional cultures with local characteristics constitute a splendid Chinese civilization Hunan is one of China s 13 major grain-producing provinces When visiting a village in Changde, Xi said as China has over 1 4 billion people, the country must ensure its own food security He stressed the importance of increasing grain production and quality He also called for efforts to let farmers become rich by producing grains Upon leaving the village, Xi said the Party leadership will take solid and effective policies and measures to turn the blueprint of rural revitalization into reality On Thursday after hearing the provincial Party and government authorities report their work, Xi gave acknowledgment to Hunan s work He called for reinforcing the principal position of companies in sci-tech innovation and promoting deeper integration of the chains of innovation industries capital and human resources He also called for advancing major technology and equipment research, and further developing advanced manufacturing On deepening reform, Xi said the focus should be placed on resolving problems that are holding back the fostering of a new pattern of development and high-quality development He said reforms must provide impetus and vitality to economic and social development Xi
urged Hunan to be deeply involved in Belt and Road cooperation develop well the pilot free trade zone with high standards and strive to build a pilot zone for deepening China-Africa economic and trade cooperation Xi asked Hunan to take on the responsibility of safeguarding national food security and accelerate breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields such as the seed industry and agricultural machinery
also
NEW DELHI A G E N C I E S Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asserted that there is no democracy in India today saying the idea that India is a democracy is a lie Rahul Gandhi addressing a press conference in New Delhi said by blocking the accounts of the largest opposition party, Congress, the BJP had caused great damage to Indian democracy “This is a criminal action on the Congress party a criminal action done by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister So the idea that India is a democracy is a lie There is no democracy in India today The idea that India is the world s largest democracy is a lie A complete lie,” he said “20 per cent of India votes for us and we are not able to pay Rs 2 for anything It has been orchestrated to cripple us in the elections Even if our bank accounts are unfrozen today huge amount of debt damage has been done to Indian democracy he added Rahul Gandhi claimed that all Congress bank accounts have been frozen, the party can do no campaign work, cannot support party workers and cannot support party candidates “This is not freezing of Congress party’s bank accounts; this is the freezing of Indian democracy As the biggest opposition party we are unable to take any action – we can t book advertisements or send our leaders anywhere This is an assault on democracy,” he maintained Meanwhile, former party president Sonia Gandhi on the occasion demanded that the party be given access to its bank accounts to ensure a level playing field in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls Sonia Gandhi said money from the Congress accounts was being taken away forcefully Systematic effort is underway by prime minister to cripple the Congress financially,” she said, hitting out at the Modi government “Even under these challenges we are doing our best to maintain effectiveness of our campaign she told reporters
Day: Posters again appear in IIOJK with greeting messages S R I NAG A R S TA F F R E P O RT Posters have again appeared in Srinagar and other areas of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir with greeting messages ahead of the Pakistan Day to be celebrated on March 23 The posters were displayed by APHC, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League, Jammu and Kashmir Political Resistance Movement Justice and Peace Initiative Nawjawanan-e-Hurriyet Jammu Kashmir Jammu Kashmir Democratic Movement Warseen Shuda Jammu Kashmir Peoples Resistance Party Jammu Kashmir Students Youth Forum, Freedom Lovers and other pro freedom parties The posters carrying the famous slogan coined by martyred veteran Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Gilani ‘Hum Pakistani Hain Pakistan Hamara Hai’ were pasted on walls pillars and poles in Srinagar and several other areas of the Kashmir valley Kashmir is jugular vein of Pakistan was also written on the posters The posters with Pakistan flag and pictures of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (RA), Allama Muhammad Iqbal (RA), Liaqat Ali Khan and Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir greeted the Pakistanis on their national day The posters said: People of Jammu and Kashmir demand an end to Indian illegal occupation and want freedom , Go India Go Back and Jammu and Kashmir is part of Pakistan
Pakistan
S TA F F R E P O R T
recent
the chip sector, China’s
Commerce
response to the
U S moves on
Ministry of
(MOC)
United States has overstretched the concept of national security abused export controls
disrupted the global semiconductor industry chains
China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises
hina
US subsidies, tax incentives for domestic chip sec tor discriminator
NEW YORK N E W S D E S K A U S pilot apprehended for exceeding the alcohol limit before a scheduled flight from Edinburgh to New York has received a 10-month prison sentence At around 09:15 on June 16 last year 63-year-old Lawrence Russell was detained by security officers at the airport In his hand luggage, two bottles of Jägermeister (a brand of an alcoholic beverage) were discovered, with one being half empty A breathalyzer test indicated that the Delta Airlines pilot s alcohol level was over double the legal limit for flying The Edinburgh Sheriff Court was informed that Russell, a Georgia resident, had undergone alcoholism treatment The court was informed that Russell’s blood alcohol content was at least 49mg per 100ml of blood surpassing the legal flying limit of 20mg Sheriff Alison Stirling determined that incarceration was necessary both as a punitive measure and to safeguard the public It was disclosed in court that Russell was slated to pilot a Boeing 767 from Edinburgh Airport to JFK Airport in New York with a departure time of 10:35 Security personnel who chose his luggage for a search noticed Russell in his pilot uniform, complete with a lanyard and a Delta Airline crew pass, and identified him as the luggage’s owner which held two bottles of the alcoholic beverage Prosecutor Matthew Millar stated to the court that one of these bottles was open and half-empty Millar explained, “With Mr Russell in a pilot uniform the police were summoned “Mr Russell introduced himself to the officers affirming he was the aircraft s captain Russell provided a breath sample to the police and was taken to Livingston police station in West Lothian after his arrest, where he gave a blood sample The prosecutor noted that upon being cautioned and charged Russell expressed his fear to the officers After Russell s arrest the New Yorkbound flight was canceled, and Delta Airlines assisted all passengers with their travel arrangements ‘Putting lives in grave danger ’ The court also learned that the father of two had two prior convictions for driving under the influence in the USA Defence attorney Pamela Rodgers highlighted that her client a recovering alcoholic had abstained from alcohol for 277 days and had finished a 12-step rehabilitation program Rodgers mentioned that Russell, feeling remorseful, was one of only four pilots ever prosecuted in Scotland for attempting to fly while intoxicated Lynne Barrie, the chief prosecutor for Lothian and Borders commented Lawrence Russell s actions could have endangered many lives; the outcomes might have been disastrous He exhibited a reckless disregard for the safety of his passengers and crew A commercial pilot is responsible for the lives of many He could have put all those lives in grave danger ” U S p i l o t j a i l e d fo r b e i n g ove r l e g a l a l co h o l l i m i t b e fo re t ra n s at l a nt i c fl i g ht
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J a z z i nve s t s P K R 3 7 b t o s u p p o r t g r o w i n g d at a d e m a n d, s t r e n g t h e n d i g i t a l e c o s y s t e m
PEC, IEP obser ve World Water D ay 2024 under theme: ‘ Water for Peace’
Pakistan Nav y, LEA s in joint operation seize liquor wor th Rs145.6 million
Pakistani, Iranian envoys share felicitations on Nowruz celebration
ISLAMABAD:
Iranian embassy condemns terrorist attack in Gwadar
ISLAMABAD:
07 NEWS Friday 22 March 2024 | K AR ACHI
Pakistani envoy to Iran and his Iranian counterpart took to social media site to share felicitations on Nowruz celebrations Pakistani Ambassador to Iran Muhammad Mudassir Tipu on Thursday took to social media cite X to share his emotions on Nowruz I joined the festive celebrations of Nowruz by visiting the imposing Azadi Square in Tehran The spirit of the Irani people was full of hope and joy marking this iconic occasion at the Square The beautiful spring with shining sunlight made the experience worth remembering In response Iranian ambassador to Pakistan Mr Reza Amiri Moghadam put the following note on X That s great to see my dear brother H E Muhammad Mudassir Tipu attired In the gorgeous national Pakistani garment On the occasion of Nowruz At the Azadi Square In Tehran Wishing you and your colleagues at the embassy of I R Pakistan a very blessed and joyous spring in Tehran he added S TA F F R E P O R T
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan on Thursday categorically condemned the cowardly terrorist attack in Gwadar leading to the martyrdom of two Pakistani security forces The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan, categorically condemns the cowardly terrorist attack in Gwadar, leading to the martyrdom of two Pakistani security forces Thwarting such violent attacks which are destined to prevent the Sustainable Development of the region disturb Sustainable Development Objectives and to destroy the infrastructures, by the Pakistan Army is appreciable, the statement said S TA F F R E P O R T PR OFIT N E W S D E S K P AKISTAN Railways (PR) has initiated a strategic shift towards solar energy by identifying 100 sites across its operations with high electricity consumption This move is projected to generate annual savings of approximately Rs1 billion The transition is part of a broader strategy to enhance revenue while mitigating financial deficits as outlined by senior PR officials The identified sites include railway housing colonies, hospitals, offices, and other infrastructure This transition to solar energy complements other revenue-enhancing initiatives such as increasing freight train operations and refurbishing coaches to attract commercial interest Despite a record revenue of Rs62 5 billion in the 2022-23 fiscal year, PR’s expenditures exceeded its income by Rs7 42 billion The organization s total losses are reported at Rs48 billion inclusive of Rs40 billion allocated for pension payments Current liabilities stand at Rs24 billion, with pensions and benevolent funds accounting for Rs20 billion The expenditure on salaries and pensions has notably surpassed the total revenue generated For the 2023-24 fiscal year PR has set a revenue target of Rs80 billion, aiming to exceed the previous year s figures by over Rs10 billion Revenue from the last fiscal year included Rs62 5 billion from operations Rs3 2 billion from land rent and over Rs2 billion from scrap sales Expenses comprised Rs40 607 billion for pensions and Rs35 7 billion on salaries PR has engaged NESPAK to conduct feasibility studies for the installation of solar panels at the designated sites To date, 16,535 out of 26,660 electric meters in railway residential colonies have been transitioned to Distribution Companies (Discos) and Karachi-Electric (KE), saving Rs1 3 billion RAILWAYS TO HARNESS SOL AR POWER, EYES RS1BN ANNUAL SAVINGS g NESPAK WILL CONDUCT FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR SETTING UP SOLAR PANELS AT DESIGNATED SITES CORPORATE CORNER easypaisa, Unilever's Knorr join hands to transform digital payments landscape In a landmark collaboration, easypaisa, Pakistan's leading digital financial services platform, and Knorr, Unilever ’s biggest food brand, have joined forces to revolutionize the digital payments landscape This strategic partnership represents a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to modernize and streamline the value chain for sampling initiatives, marking a significant step forward in leveraging technology to enhance convenience, accessibility, and affordability in digital payments By combining the strengths of easypaisa's robust digital payment platform with Knorr s renowned brand presence both organizations are poised to deliver unparalleled value to customers across Pakistan The initiative is currently being executed in 20 marketplaces across 14 cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Faisalabad Through this partnership, customers purchasing two packs of Knorr Chotu from shops will have the opportunity to participate in an engaging Wheel of Fortune (WOF) game – which is part of our collective effort to digitalize the product sampling process This game offers customers a chance to win exclusive gifts, including easypaisa ‘peel & win’ voucher codes and additional Knorr Chotu packs PR
Despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, Jazz, Pakistan's leading digital operator invested PKR 37 billion in 2023 aimed at supporting Pakistan s growing data demand and strengthening the digital ecosystem in key areas including fintech cloud services and data analytics bringing its overall investment in Pakistan to $10 6 billion The digital operator witnessed a remarkable 20 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in revenues in the local currency; however Jazz's revenue declined by 12 9 percent in USD terms during the financial year 2023 primarily due to the devaluation of the Pakistani Rupee (PKR) Additionally margins felt the impact of an unprecedented surge in business costs, amid record high interest rates and a substantial rise in network energy costs The majority of its capital expenditure during the year was directed towards adding nearly 1 000 new 4G sites showcasing the company's commitment to ensuring a consistent improvement in service quality for its customers This network expansion played a pivotal role in increasing Jazz s 4G customer base to 43 9 million PR
ISLAMABAD:
K A R A C H I: A joint intelligence based operation, coordinated through Joint Maritime Information and Coordination Centre, was conducted by Pakistan Navy Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and Pakistan Customs Intelligence in North Arabian Sea in which 4104 bottles of Liquor were recovered The value of seized liquor is approximately PKR 145 6 million The seized liquor has been handed over to Pakistan Customs for further legal proceedings The successful joint operation by PN, PMSA and Pakistan Customs Intelligence resulting in seizure of liquor is a testament to the fact that despite the prevailing maritime situation in which the criminals are active for their nefarious designs and leaving no opportunity to defame Pakistan; PN, PMSA and Pakistan Customs are vigilant and remain committed in preventing the use of Pakistani waters and land for any Unlawful act PN and PMSA are committed to National obligations and responsibility to establish lawful order at Sea PR
I S L A M A B A D: UN Water organizes the “World Water Day every year on 22 March under a specific theme This year s theme is Water for Peace, focusing significance of water towards stability and prosperity of the mankind In this regard, PEC observed the World Water Day wherein IEP also joined the discussion focusing water for peace to realize the significance of water challenges and promote awareness in Pakistan towards sustainable and equitable sharing of water and conservation among the communities within and transborder peace and harmony PEC Think Tank on Water deliberated for enhancing climateresilient water & food security and resolution of provincial and transboundary water governance related issues PR
I S L A M A B A D: The Policy Board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan held its 51st meeting in Islamabad, chaired by the Federal Secretary of the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination The meeting was attended by expert members of the Board Chief Executive Officer of DRAP and Directors of various Divisions of DRAP The Policy Board has taken a decisive step towards the provision of quality medicines and eradication of spurious/falsified drugs by directing all the pharmaceutical companies to print barcodes on the packaging of all local and imported pharmaceutical and biological drugs for human use within one month from today The Board also directed DRAP to closely monitor the compliance and take all the measures including legal actions to ensure the compliance This initiative aligns with global practices and standards, emphasizing the importance of robust supply chain management in the pharmaceutical industry DRAP is committed to ensuring the safety and quality of therapeutic goods in Pakistan and protecting the public from spurious and falsified products PR BEIJING S TA F F C O R R E S P O N D E N T China has started 2024 on a steady note with the economy underpinned by a stable financial ecosystem and increases in investments officials reported on Thursday The officials speaking at a media conference were representatives from the country s top economic planner the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) the Ministry of Finance and the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) NDRC announced a rebound in private investment which surged by 2 2 percentage points from the previous year to account for 52 6 percent of total investment during January and February This growth was complemented by a 6 3-percent rise in infrastructure investment during the same first two months growing 0 4 percentage point quicker compared to last year, and thereby bolstering the overall investment landscape, Liu Sushe, the NDRC’s deputy head added Despite a 2 3-percent decline in fiscal revenue year on year for January and February Chinese Vice Finance Minister Liao Min noted that there was an increase of 2 5 percent after adjusting on comparable basis In addition, fiscal expenditure during this period grew by 6 7 percent, utilizing 15 3 percent of the annual budget marking the fastest pace of expenditure over the last five years for the same period Liao explained at the press conference Highlighting the financial sector s contribution, PBOC Deputy Governor Xuan Changneng noted that there have been intensified macro-policy adjustments ensuring a reasonable expansion in credit and financing With ample room for reserve requirement ratio cuts and given shifts in global monetary policies, China aims to enhance the flexibility of its interest rate policy said Xuan highlighting China’s robust monetary policy framework These developments underscore China s strategic commitment to fostering a balanced and dynamic economic landscape, leveraging policy and financial tools for a stable and progressive beginning to the year officials said C hina’s economy off to steady star t in first two months of 2024: O fficials JAFAR R ONAS Marking cultural events and festivals is common to nations worldwide These celebrations and festivals not only symbolize different historical and cultural practices but also bring families and communities closer together, and introduce new generations to traditional customs and traditions Similarly, every year, as March arrives, a transformation takes place The shift from winter to spring brings about a profound sense of renewal and revitalization both in the natural world and within oneself The air becomes fresher the sun warmer and the mind clearer Nowruz is an Iranian or Persian festival that has been celebrated for thousands of years Nowruz begins at the exact moment of the Northern Hemisphere’s vernal equinox typically between March 19 and 22 that heralds the arrival of spring and signifies hope and rejuvenation This Iranian event has become a global phenomenon celebrated and respected by people of different communities and it became a popular celebration in communities that grew out of Persian-influenced cultural regions such as Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Afghanistan In recognition of the significance of this ancient rite Nowruz was inscribed on UNESCO s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 Moreover in 2010 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the March 21 as International Nowruz Day In the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nowruz is a time for unity that emphasizes the importance of family and community and of the resilience and hope that lies at the heart of the human spirit Families and friends gather and celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of the next In Iran Nowruz is followed by four days of public holidays, and schools and universities close for two weeks Throughout the holiday period friends and family gather at each other s houses for meals spend time together and exchange traditional gifts Although the traditions and customs that accompany the celebration of Nowruz vary from province to province, there are common traditional traits Nowruz is consisted of traditional cultural activities, combining common practices with local customs Iranians start their preparation for the festivities weeks beforehand They thoroughly wipe and polish their homes repair or replace any broken thing decor homes with flowers The essence of this tradition encourages cleaning bad luck and misfortune out of your home and prepare for better things to come in the new year One widespread tradition is the preparation of a Nowruz table or “Sofreh-ye Haft Sin” that displays seven symbolic objects: Seeb (apple) Sikeh (coin) Sirkeh (vinegar) Seer (garlic) Sonbol (hyacinth flower) Samanu (wheat sprout pudding) Sabzeh (sprouted wheat grass), Senjed (oleaster fruit) each symbolizes purity, brightness, abundance, happiness and fertility for the new year Some families even add a little more flair by including Sumac, Aineh (mirror), the Holy Quran Divan e Hafez Sha’m(candle) Tokhm e Morgh (egg) and all kinds of sweets and fruits Holy Quran is the first object Iranians place on the table while preparing the Haft Sin table They place Quran on their Haft-seen table to begin the New Year with faith in and an appeal to the Almighty after the advent of Islam in Iran and Persians converted to Islam Likewise the non-Muslim Iranians according to their religions keep their holy books on the Haft-Seen table as for Christians reciting the Bible is one of the mainstays of Nowruz and so do Zoroastrians recite the Avesta and Jews have Torah on their table The excitement leading up to Nowruz is palpable As Nowruz approaches streets in Iran come alive with the vibrant presence of Haji Firoz and Amoo Nowruz Haji Firoz and Amoo Nowruz are two traditional characters in Iranian culture who are associated with the celebration of Nowruz and appear annually at the beginning of the spring Haji Firoz, in his striking red attire and distinctive charcoal-painted face, adds a touch of exuberance to the pre-Nowruz atmosphere and Amoo Norouz the elderly guardian of the New Year symbolizes renewal and hope Nowruz is preceded by Chahar Shanbe Suri that is celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday of the Persian Year Chahar Shanbe Suri is the eve marking special customs and rituals, most notably jumping over fire The Nowruz festivities end on the thirteenth day after Nowruz with observance Sizdeh Bedar-Iran’s Nature Day Celebration a custom that involves picnicking outside to ward off bad luck The families go on picnics and take with them the Sabzeh from their haft-sin table and people discard it back to nature The countryside is full of families enjoying the last day of the holidays Pakistan and Iran enjoy common cultural, linguistic, religious and traditional roots and the proportion of commonality from a cultural point of view is quite high Khana Farhang Iran-Lahore since 1956 has been playing a significant role in establishing long lasting and deep relations between the two brotherly nations and serving purpose of promoting domestic culture and facilitating bilateral cultural exchanges Every year as the cultural representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Lahore Khana Farhang IranLahore celebrates Nowruz festivity to bring the historical and cultural heritage of Iran to Zinda Dalan e Lahore The author is Cultural Attaché, Khana-e-Farhang Islamic Republic of Iran, Lahore N o w r u z ce l e b ra t i o n i n h e a r t o f Pa k i s t a n RUDA takes Green Initiative: Forestation drive at Rakh Jhokk on World Forests D ay LAHORE: Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) has taken a significant step towards environmental conservation by organizing a plantation drive at Rakh Jhokk forest on World Forests Day The event was attended by officials from RUDA Director Project Planning and Control Nadeem A Bukhari, Sheikhupura Forest Department Divisional Engineer Iftikhar Janjua, along with students from various schools who actively planted trees This collaborative effort underscores the collective responsibility of diverse sectors in safeguarding our environment for the prosperity of future generations In a groundbreaking move, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, introduced the pioneering program 'Plant for Pakistan, an initiative by the Government of The Punjab aimed at enhancing greenery throughout the province This initiative reflects the government s steadfast commitment to combating environmental degradation and fostering green spaces across the region PR
S teps taken to c urb menace of spurious drugs from market
Afghanistan the spokesperson clarified it was not directed against the government and the institutions or people of Afghanistan but it was against terrorist hideouts and sanctuaries She said Pakistan has on multiple occasions shared concrete evidence and intelligence with the Afghan authorities about the presence of terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan She said it is a reality that terrorists especially the TTP have their basis in Afghanistan This is not just Pakistan s assertion but also confirmed by the international observers including reports by the United Nations
The spokesperson said Pakistan respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and looking forward to work together to find joint solutions in countering terrorism and preventing any terrorist entity from sabotaging bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan She empha-
‘Senate polls’: MQM-P’s session discusses suppor t for Vawda, final candidates today
vaiz Elahi’s four ribs fractured in Adiala washroom fall
Jail emerged on Thursday According to the report, Elahi suffered four broken ribs as a result of the incident which occurred in the jail s washroom X-rays conducted within the jail premises confirmed the fractures The incident was brought to light earlier in an anti-corruption court on Tuesday, where it was disclosed that the former Punjab chief minister had fallen in the jail s bathroom on March 17, resulting in a minor fracture This revelation came through a report submitted by the superintendent of Adiala Jail before Anti-Corruption Court Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta who was presiding over the Punjab Assembly illegal appointments case Deputy Superintendent Jail Tahir presented Elahi s medical report to the court, prompting the court to note the inability to proceed with the indictment due to an incomplete list of accused The medical report outlined a series of injuries sustained by the former Punjab chief minister in addition to the broken ribs Elahi reportedly suffered an injury to his forehead during the fall with visible marks noted on the left side of his head Furthermore, injuries were documented near his left eye and on his left arm, while swelling was observed on the right side of his chest Additionally, Elahi’s left knee was found to be injured Elahi underwent thorough medical examinations conducted by doctors from PIMS Islamabad and Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi including specialists in general surgery cardiology and orthopedics
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Mar yam Nawaz became CM Punjab through ‘elec toral fraud’: G andapur
Congressmen want US to ‘put pressure’ on Pakistan through IMF
Published by Asad Nizami at Plot No 66-C, 1st Floor, 21st Commercial Street, Phase-II (Extension), DHA Karachi and printed at Ibn-e-Hassan Printing Press, Hockey Stadium, Karachi, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited Ph: 021-32640318 Email: newsroom@pakistantoday com pk PR OFIT S TA F F R E P O R T The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has approved the merger of M/s TPL Life Insurance Limited with M/s Dar Es Salam Textile Mills Limited As announced earlier by TPL Corporation the parent company of TPL Life insurance in its notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange in November 2023 the companies had already agreed upon the merger and were awaiting regulatory approvals like that of CCP The approval comes following the parties agreement into a Scheme of Arrangement under the Companies Act, 2017 TPL Life Insurance Limited offers a range of services in life insurance reinsurance counterreinsurance and various guarantee and indemnity businesses They offer products which include insurance related to endowment pension funds and transit, among others In its earlier notice shared with the PSX, TPL also clarified that under the terms of the scheme, the name of DSML will be changed to TPL Life Insurance Limited and the principal line of business will also be altered”
a n d D a r E s S a l a m Te x t i l e M i l l s PRAYER TIMINGS FA J R S U N R I S E Z U H R A S R M AG H R I B S H A 5:05 6:08 1 30 5:00 6:17 8:00 Fr day 22 March 2024 NEWS
KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T The MQM-P has summoned its central adhoc committee meeting on Friday (tomorrow) to discuss support for Faisl Vawda in the upcoming Senate elections According to a private Tv channel the session will consider over various options of support for Faisal Vawda in the Senate election The MQM-P meeting will also decide about the party’s final candidates for Senate, the report said The party session will also decide the party’s priority candidates in the election of the upper house scheduled for April 02 It is to be noted that two MPAs of the MQM-P have proposed and seconded nomination papers of Vawda for Senate election The party had recently also expressed its willingness to see former federal minister Faisal Vawda join its ranks MQM-P leader Rauf Siddiqui while speaking to media in Karachi said “We had invited Vawda to join the party in the past Rauf Siddiqui who is himself a candidate for Senate election said the party has fielded a total of eight candidates for the upper house PR OFIT N E W S D E S K The government successfully raised Rs704 billion through the auction of treasury bills, significantly exceeding the pre-set goal for the event The auction held on Wednesday saw a considerable turnout with bids totaling Rs992 4 billion During this auction, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) garnered Rs541 5 billion for three-month treasury bills at an interest rate of 21 66% marking an increase of 26 basis points from previous figures Despite expectations for a rate cut, the yield for six-month treasury bills remained steady at 20 39%, with a modest sum of Rs5 3 billion raised Notably, the yield for the 12month treasury bills experienced a substantial rise of 60 basis points settling at 20 89% with the auction raising Rs102 5 billion for this duration This adjustment in yields came in the wake of the monetary policy announcement on March 18, where the SBP maintained the interest rate at 22% citing ongoing inflationary pressures as a significant concern G o v t s e c u r e s R s 7 0 4 b n i n t r e a s u r y b i l l a u c t i o n , s u r p a s s i n g t a r g e t g S B P G A R N E R S R S 5 4 1 5 B I L L I O N F O R T H R E E- M O N T H T R E A S U R Y B I L L S AT A N I N T E R E S T R AT E O F 2 1 . 6 6 % ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
A K I S TA N has reaffirmed its commitment to the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and Pakistan has o conveyed to the US authorities the importance of this project for its energy security Responding to the queries of the media persons regarding yesterday s US congressional hearing at her weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said it is the sovereign decision of the Pakistani government to move forward on the project She made it clear that at this point there is no room for any discussion or waiver from any third party for the construction of the pipeline inside Pakistan s territory When asked about the concerns raised at the US congressional hearing over the alleged rigging in the general elections the spokesperson said some statements made there reflected a misunderstanding of Pakistan s domestic situation and electoral laws She hoped to engage in meaningful discussion with the US to address these misunderstandings
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Pakistan values its close relations with the US and believes in constructive engagement with it She
Pakistan respects the prerogative of legislative bodies to discuss international issues She, however, said the deliberations of these legislative bodies should contribute promoting positive dynamics in bilateral ties based on mutual respect and understanding Responding to volley of questions regarding Pakistan s recent targeted and intelligence based operation inside
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Pakistan is committed to protecting CPEC related projects including Gwadar port When asked about the Indian Home Minister Amit Shah recent remarks that Azad Kashmir is part of India the spokesperson said these are unwarranted and based on fallacy
and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute whose final disposition is to be made by the Kashmiri people in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions She emphasized that instead of staking claim on Azad Kashmir it is important for India to respect the rights of the people of illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir PAKISTAN REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO IRAN PAKISTAN GAS PIPELINE PROJECT PR OFIT M O N I T O R I N G D E S K The US Congressmen wanted to put pressure on Pakistan through the International Monetary Fund in connection to the allegations of irregularities in Pakistan’s general elections held on February 8 Addressing the concerns raised by some congressmen regarding the potential use of US influence over the IMF against Pakistan, the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu underscored the critical need for a thorough investigation into the elections process articulating the significant repercussions such issues could have on bilateral relations It will be an impediment to our relationship if Pakistan does not have a democratic process that upholds its own Constitution It will retard our ability to have the type of relationship we want in security matters on business fronts and from people to people All of that suffers if Pakistan is not a full democracy, he said while answering questions during the hearing of a subcommittee of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs Pakistan signed a staff-level agreement with the IMF on Wednesday and needed another medium-term loan program to back its depleting foreign exchange reserves and meet international payment obligations Acknowledging America’s role in fostering economic stability Lu noted its substantial contributions to Pakistan’s export sector and critical infrastructure development Addressing Pakistan s mammoth internal and external debt pile, Lu stressed the need for economic reforms and increased private sector-led investments, given the substantial portion of the federal government’s revenue allocated to debt repayment Mr Lu refrained from describing the elections as free and fair He stressed that it is the responsibility of the ECP to ensure the integrity of the electoral process and uphold democratic principles Furthermore Mr Lu addressed the oversight of military aid to Pakistan noting that certain segments within the Pakistani military are restricted from receiving this aid He also explained that the US was not considering any substantial military assistance to Pakistan at the moment He said that the US continues to monitor the use of military equipment provided to Pakistan including F-16 aircraft and clarified that there are no current plans for substantial military assistance to the country The US diplomat further added that the US and Pakistani militaries have ties going back decades Pakistan has the sixth-largest military in the world and the largest of any Muslim nation Our generals train with their generals In response to a question regarding the ongoing partnership between the two nations, Mr Lu affirmed Pakistan’s status as an “important partner” and a major nonNATO ally
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IHC orders arrangements for PTI founder’s online meeting with law yers ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued the written judgment on a plea seeking meetings between PTI founder Imran Khan and his legal team The court in its verdict ordered the Adiala jail superintendent to arrange online meetings between the former prime minister and his lawyers till the resolution of the security issues IHC s Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan issued the judgment in which the court sought a report from the Adiala jail superintendent tomorrow (Friday) regarding the arrangement following court orders In the judgment, the court said that the PTI founder s lawyer had said that they were restricted from meeting their client due to security issues The IHC ordered the jail authorities to make arrangements to facilitate Imran Khan s online meetings with his legal team They were directed to ensure the required internet speed for smooth huddles of the former prime minister On Adiala jail s superintendent s contention that the jail rules did not allow online meetings, the court said that the rules were drafted in 1978 and there was no such facility in that period The Punjab home department on March 12 banned meetings with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in Adiala Jail citing security threats The ban was slapped for two weeks the sources within the Punjab home department said while media coverage is also prohibited in front of Adiala Jail’s gate no-5 The security officer stated that media coverage is not allowed and directed that the media teams would stay away for 2km far from Adiala jail Per
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The detailed medical report shedding light on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Pervaiz Elahi s injuries sustained after a fall in Adiala
g A N Y U N D E M O C R AT I C P R O C E S S W I L L R E TA R D R E L AT I O N S H I P S O N B U S I N E S S F R O N T S, S AY S D O N A L D LU DI KHAN S TA F F R E P O R T Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur has issued a warning stating that he is giving a final ultimatum for the federal and Punjab governments to resign In a video statement, the Chief Minister s aide, Ali Amin Gandapur, said that if they do not step down voluntarily, he would like to see how they can continue to govern Ali Amin Gandapur further stated that Maryam Nawaz became Chief Minister through electoral fraud Her government is illegitimate lacking both the support of the people and their votes Maryam Nawaz should stay within her limits He also claimed that 99% of the accusations leveled against him and his colleagues by the FIA are false He accused the authorities of targeting and imprisoning their supporters Despite these challenges, he urged the authorities to arrest him if they dare, challenging the strength of their resolve The Chief Minister’s aide asserted that DI Khan contains cases of treason against Prime Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz s father Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari Warrants have been issued and police can arrest them These individuals aim to pit provinces against each other in inter-provincial matters Ali Amin Gandapur emphasized that this is the final warning, urging the Punjab and federal governments to resign voluntarily If they refuse, he vowed to show them how governance is truly done
PR OFIT N E W S D E S K The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu stated that the United States is exerting maximum efforts to prevent the construction of the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline While answering the questions of congressmen during a Congressional hearing in Washington, Mr Lu expressed his country’s concerns about the strain in Pakistan s relations with neighbouring Iran particularly on the IP gas pipeline project He said that Washington was in contact with Islamabad on the matter Mr Lu emphasized the importance of monitoring the funding for the gas pipeline and reiterated the US’s close watch on the mega energy project We are monitoring the US diplomat said adding that Washington has not received any request from Islamabad regarding sanctions relief, so our efforts to stop Pakistan from Iran’s gas project will continue ” While emphasizing America’s opposition Lu claimed that the project was not in the interest of Pakistan as international companies would not invest in it In February, Pakistan s Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) granted its approval to start construction on an 80-kilometer (KM) pipeline from the Pak-Iran border to Gwadar as part of the IP Gas Pipeline Project One of the reasons for the delay in construction of the has pipeline have been consistent worries surrounding international sanctions on Iran The problem is that if Pakistan does not start construction of the IP Gas Pipeline Project within the next three months it will have to face $ 18 billion worth penalty Back in August 2023, Iran refused to accept Pakistan s force majeure notice to halt construction of the multibillion-dollar project and has instead granted two five-year extensions to meet the responsibilities of the IP project Iran had previously given Pakistan a 180-day deadline until September 2024 to start completion of the pipelaying work Tehran warned Islamabad if its authorities do not accept the suggestion Iran will move to the Paris-based International Arbitration for non-execution of the project and the Islamic Republic will seek an $18 billion penalty by lodging a complaint at the Paris-based institute U S o f f i c i a l a f f i r m s e f f o r t s t o h a l t I r a n - Pa k i s t a n G a s P i p e l i n e c o n s t r u c t i o n PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s decision to take back protocol driver security from seven former provincial chief ministers is being implemented A letter to respective institutions regarding withdrawal of protocol security and staff from ex CM’s was issued on Thursday The administration department has sent a letter to the relevant institutions for implementation After 2007, the protocol of the chief minister was increased After implementation of the decision, seven drivers, 56 gunmen and seven officers will return It was clear that the supervisors and elected former CMs had all privileges while Ali Amin Gandapur decided to end all privileges on March 8 KP begins implementation of protocol, security withdrawal from for mer CMs C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03
