VJIT to investigate suicide attack on Chinese nationals, says Infor mation minister
Defence Minister terms Afghanistan as ‘source of terrorism’ in Pakistan
The
The
The
The
KSE-100 Index hits record high, closing above 66,500
PR OFIT n e w S D e S k
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a notable performance as the benchmark KSE100 Index surged to a new record closing at 66 547 points on Wednesday This marked an increase of 641 points or 0 97% from the previous session surpassing the former peak of 66 427 points recorded on December 12, 2023 The index had previously encountered resistance at the 66 000 level but managed to overcome this barrier amid buying in key sectors such as cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, and refineries Market sentiment was buoyed by positive developments including progress on privatization initiatives and anticipated new agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) according to Mohammed Sohail CEO of Topline Securities Additionally, foreign investment, as indicated by NCCPL data contributed to the bullish momentum with shares trading at attractive price-to-earnings ratios In parallel developments, the Board of Directors of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL) approved a Scheme of Arrangement for the airline s privatization, a move that is expected to facilitate its restructuring
In par tnership with Profit T h u r s d a y, 2 8 M a r c h , 2 0 2 4 I 1 7 Ra m a z a n , 1 4 4 5 R s 2 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 2 7 0 I 8 Pa g e s I La h o r e E d i t i o n
ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t
OWING a thorough joint investigation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to utilize all state resources to bring the perpetrators of the Besham suicide attack to justice The attack claimed six lives including five Chinese engineers who were working on the Dasu Hydel Power Project The prime minister offered deepest condolences to the families of the victims assuring that the attackers of the barbaric act would be brought to justice swiftly Chairing a high-level emergency meeting in the aftermath of the attack, the prime minister appreciated the law enforcement agencies and locals for swift response to save several precious lives The meeting was attended by Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir as well as federal ministers chief ministers chief secretaries and inspector generals of police of respective provinces, a PM Office press release stated The meeting discussed in detail the heinous attack on civilians working on a development project that would ensure energy and water security in Pakistan The prime minister underscored the enduring bond between the people of Pakistan and China and conveyed that the whole nation was saddened by the loss of Chinese lives He stated, “Terrorism is a trans-national threat that has been instrumentalized by the enemies of Pakistan to stymie Pakistan’s progress and development The acts targeting PakistanChina friendship are particularly aimed at creating mistrust between the two iron brothers The participants of the meeting expressed resolute commitment to completely rooting out terrorism from the country and expressed serious concerns over sanctuaries available to terrorists across the borders They emphasized the need for a regional approach to countering terrorism COAS REITERATES RESOLVE TO ELIMINATE SCOURGE OF TERRORISM Strongly reacting to Shangla terrorist attack which claimed six lives including five Chinese nationals, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir said that the military shall not leave any stone unturned to ensure that every foreign citizen especially the Chinese nationals contributing to the prosperity of Pakistan is safe and secure in the country The army chief reiterated the resolve of armed forces to eliminate the scourge of terrorism afflicting the country during an emergency meeting chaired on Wednesday by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the aftermath of Shangla’s Besham city terrorist attack on Chinese nationals working on Dasu Hydel Power Project read a statement issued by the Prime Minister s Office today V O W I N G T O B R I N G C U L P R I T S T O J U S T I C E , P M O R D E R S P R O B E I N T O B E S H A M I N C I D E N T g S a y s w h o l e n a t i o n s a d d e n e d o v e r l o s s o f C h i n e s e l i v e s a s Pa k i s t a n, C h i n a b o u n d b y e n d u r i n g b o n d g A r m y c h i e f s a y s m i l i t a r y w i l l t a ke a l l - o u t m e a s u r e s f o r s a f e t y o f C h i n e s e c i t i z e n s i n Pa k i s t a n ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Information Minister Ataullah Tarar on Wednesday said that a joint investigation team (JIT) would be formed to investigate the Besham suicide bombing that left six people dead including five Chinese nationals Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, Tarar said that PM Shehbaz had chaired a high-level meeting which was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir He further said that all provincial chief ministers police chiefs were also part of the meeting He said that during the meeting the participants recognized the need for a “unified policy against terrorism And today the nation was given a message of unity [ ] that we unite when there is an attack on our interests [ ] we know how to protect ourselves and our friends,” he said On Tuesday six people including Chinese engineers including a woman working on the Dasu dam project were killed when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car into the bus transporting Chinese staff in Shangla District s Besham area Tarar said that the meeting lauded the sacrifices of security forces who saved precious lives from being lost while dealing with the recent attacks in Turbat Gwadar and Besham He said that a JIT would be formed to probe the incident He further that the spirits were high in the meeting and all the participants were on one page “This is our clear message that we will not rest until terrorism is eradicated The premier expressed this resolve and we want to give the message that be it our Chinese friends our sensitive installations our any Pakistani citizen all possible steps will be taken for their protection and no effort will be spared to root out terrorism ”
C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t A full court meeting of the Supreme Court judges was held in the federal capital to deliberate on a letter written by the six Islamabad High Court judges about the alleged interference of spy agencies in the judiciary sources told Geo News on Wednesday The Supreme Court judges, including Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa attended the huddle that lasted for over two hours in the federal capital
development took place after the bar associations and legal experts called for a probe into the letter
sources said
the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor
Awan met the CJP and discussed the matter
the meeting AGP while talking to journalists said
the matter is serious and it should be probed
Lahore Islamabad
Pakhtunkhwa as well as senior lawyers condemned the alleged interference, urging the top judge to look into the matter LETTER BY IHC JUDGES
that
Usman
After
that
Bar associations of Sindh
and Khyber
letter written a day earlier on Tuesday urged the council to convene a judicial convention over the alleged interference of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, in judicial affairs
IHC judges who wrote the letter to the SJC include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri Justice Babar Sattar Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Fafat Imtiaz Seeking guidance from the council on “interference of the spy agencies in courts affairs the judges wrote: We are writing to seek guidance from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with regard to the duty of a judge to report and respond to actions on part of members of the executive including operatives of intelligence agencies that seek to interfere with discharge of his/her official functions and qualify as intimidation as well as the duty to report any such actions that come to his/her attention in relation to colleagues and/or members of the courts that the High Court supervises ” The development came days after the top court declared the removal of former IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui illegal directing that he may now be considered as a retired judge The IHC judges, in their letter, noted that the code of conduct for judges prescribed by SJC provides no guidance on how they “must react to and or report incidents that are tantamount to intimidation and interfere with judicial independence ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t The top lawyers bodies of the country including the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) the Islamabad and the Lahore High Court Bar associations and the Lahore Bar Association on Wednesday called for a transparent inquiry into the letter penned by six judges, citing “serious interference in judicial matters,” by the officials of the intelligence agencies T h e d e m a n d f o r a t r a n s p a r e n t i nq u i r y b y t h e p r o m i n e n t B a r A s s o c i at i o n s u n d e r s c o r e s t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f u p h o l d i n g j u d i c i a l i n d e p e n d e n c e a n d e n s u r i n g t h e i n t e g r i t y o f t h e j u s t i c e s y st e m A s t h e i s s u e u n f o l d s , s t a k e h o l d e r s c o n t i n u e t o e m p h a s i z e t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f u p h o l d i n g c o n s t i t u t i o n a l p r i n c i p l e s a n d s a f e g u a r d i n g t h e a u t o n o m y o f t h e j u d i c i a r y On Tuesday, six judges of the Islamabad High Court, including Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), pointing out interference in the judicial affairs The letter highlights the “interference of executive and agencies” in the judicial matters demanding initiation of a judicial convention against brazen interference in the judicial affairs
ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday took to social media to point fingers at Afghanistan for the recent surge in terrorist activities across Pakistan, labeling the neighbouring country as the “primary source of terrorism” within the country The minister made these remarks in a post on the microblogging platform X , underscoring the urgent need for fundamental changes in the functionality of the PakistanAfghan borders amidst escalating terrorism activities Asif s statement follows the devastating Besham suicide bombing, which claimed the lives of six individuals, including five Chinese nationals just a day prior in Pakistan The victims Chinese engineers traveling from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu fell victim to an explosives-laden vehicle attack near Lahore Nala on the Karakoram Highway, coming from the opposite direction Expressing frustration at the lack of progress from Kabul despite being aware of the presence and activities of terrorists within its borders, Asif highlighted the alarming situation where terrorists are operating freely against Pakistan He said while other traditional borders adhere to international rules the Pak-Afghan border stands as a unique case necessitating Pakistan s adherence to international regulations in the face of Kabul’s non-cooperation Furthermore, Asif stressed the importance of halting the cross-border movement of terrorists citing it as imperative for fostering positive relations between the neighbouring nations He reiterated that citizens from both sides should be allowed to travel with valid visas and passports emphasising the need for cooperation and mutual understanding between Pakistan and Afghanistan ISLAMABAD M a n a b R a R Pakistan and China have the determination and ability to make terrorists pay the price for their actions and any attempt to undermine China-Pakistan cooperation will not succeed Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a terrorist attack that killed five Chinese nationals in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday We strongly condemn this terrorist attack express deep sympathy for the victims, and extend sincere condolences to the bereaved families, Lin said during a media briefing in Beijing Noting that some other countries have also condemned the attack and expressed sympathy for the Chinese victims Lin said China is grateful for that He said that immediately after the incident, China s foreign ministry and the Chinese embassy in Pakistan triggered an emergency response mechanism They have maintained close contact with the Pakistani side in Beijing and Islamabad requesting that Pakistan accelerate the hunt for and subsequent punishment of the terrorist, seek justice for the victims, and take concrete measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in the country The Pakistani side pledged that it would investigate the attack thoroughly provide the Chinese side with timely updates on the progress of the investigation and take further comprehensive measures to improve the security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, Lin said He reiterated China’s stance on terrorism: Terrorism is the common enemy of all human beings and it is the shared responsibility of the international community to combat terrorism and prevent the recurrence of such tragedies China firmly supports Pakistan s counterterrorism efforts, Lin said China will continue to support Pakistan’s economic development social development and the improvement of its people s livelihoods he added and it will undertake firm cooperation with Pakistan in various fields to bring benefits to the two peoples Enemy will be given befitting response over Besham attack, says Interior Minister ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi says the government will deal with iron hands with the elements involved in terrorist attack on Chinese nationals in Besham In a statement issued today the Interior Minister expressed heartfelt grief and sorrow over the incident and expressed condolence with the families of the deceased Chinese citizens Mohsin Naqvi said the enemy has targeted the citizens of Pakistan s most trusted friend China He expressed hope that the great bilateral relations will not be affected due to such attacks The Interior Minister reiterated resolve that the enemy will be given a strapping response to the attack He assured a comprehensive investigation of the incident C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03
IHC judges letter ’: SC full cour t deliberates alleged ‘inter ference’ Bar associations demand transparent probe C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 Sino -Pakistan cooperation will not be allowed to be under mined: Chinese FM C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03
‘Six
PM presents awards to 65 top expor ters, compliant taxpayers
at PM Office highlighted the
28 years on, justice continues to elude Jaleel Andrabi ’s family in S rinagar Zafar Masud
Pakistan, has been elected as the Vice Chairman The association expressed its confidence that the new leadership would continue to advocate for the
sector emphasizing the importance of collaboration with key stakeholders such as the State Bank of Pakistan Acknowledgment was given to Muhammad Aurangzeb for his impactful contributions during his tenure as Chairman The PBA is optimistic that under Masud’s chairmanship and the stewardship of the Executive Committee the association will achieve notable progress and milestones
Zafar Masud is a seasoned banker and entrepreneur with a focus on Development Finance, boasting a 27-year track record of success and delivery He has held top positions at multinational banks both in Pakistan and abroad
Thursday 28 March 2024 LAHORE 02 NEWS Profit repatriation hits $759m in 8MF Y24 PR OFIT N e w S D e S k Repatriation of profit and dividends from Pakistan by foreign investors increased to $759 2 million in the first eight months (July-Feb) of the ongoing fiscal year FY24, 3 37 times higher than $225 4 million in the same period last year According to the latest data shared by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) foreign companies repatriated $703 7 million in profits against foreign direct investments in various sectors during the eight months of FY24, up from $188 5 million in the same period last year indicating a 3 73 times increase Portfolio investment saw an outflow of $55 5 million up 50 17% from $37 million in the corresponding months of the previous year In February 2024, the repatriation of profits and dividends by foreign firms was recorded at $64 9 million, a 48 71% decrease from the previous month The data showed significant repatriation in sectors such as Petroleum Refining Power Financial Business Food and Transport The Petroleum Refining sector led with $126 39 million repatriated overseas The Power sector followed with $109 12 million, and the Financial Business sector saw $104 02 million in profit outflows The Food and Transport sectors recorded payments of $97 41 million and $68 38 million respectively On a country basis, the SBP s data indicated that the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and China were the top countries in profit repatriation during the first eight months of FY24 The UAE led with $177 78 million significantly higher than the $11 84 million repatriated in the same period of the previous fiscal year The UK and China followed with $106 99 million and $75 96 million respectively France also saw a considerable amount of profit repatriation at $51 01 million during the period PR OFIT N e w S D e S k P AKISTAN State Oil (PSO) has issued a warning about potential disruptions in the country s energy supply chain due to escalating circular debt in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market In communication with Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) PSO highlighted the serious financial risks posed by increasing outstanding dues for LNG sales, which have significantly impacted its cash flow and financial stability PSO’s management expressed concerns over the low payments received for LNG supplies from SNGPL since the beginning of fiscal year 2024 leading to a substantial rise in its receivables by Rs49 billion with the total outstanding amount reaching Rs550 billion This financial strain is causing a liquidity crisis for PSO, threatening the continuity of the energy supply chain across the country To mitigate these risks PSO has urged SNGPL to settle the full amount owed promptly to prevent any interruption in the energy supply PSO, a major importer and supplier of LNG from Qatar, plays a crucial role in meeting the country’s energy demands The report also sheds light on the broader issue of circular debt in Pakistan s energy sector which has accumulated to Rs710 billion mainly attributed to LNG supply challenges This debt includes Rs568 billion owed by PSO and Rs142 billion by Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) reflecting the financial pressures on state-owned gas utilities The diversion of RLNG to domestic consumers especially in regions like Punjab with low local gas production, has added to the financial burden, with estimated costs reaching $1 billion for the fiscal year 2024-25 This diversion approved by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the federal cabinet is projected to cost Rs297 913 million for 2024-25 The circular debt crisis is exacerbated by delays in implementing the weighted average cost of gas, a measure approved by the previous government but challenged in court With the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) only partially applying this cost the financial implications are significant, potentially leading to higher charges for consumers or further increasing the circular debt Amid these challenges, SNGPL is proposing a significant rise in gas prices starting July 1 2024 aiming to meet its revenue requirements and address the financial issues plaguing Pakistan s energy sector PA K I S TA N ’ S E N E R G Y S U P P LY C H A I N M AY G ET D I S R U P T E D D U E T O C I R C U L A R D E B T, WA R N S P S O BEIJING S ta f f R e p o R t China will work with Pakistan with even stronger commitment to do everything possible to protect the safety and security of Chinese personnel projects and institutions in Pakistan China strongly condemns this terrorist attack We express deep condolences over the lives lost and extend sincere sympathies to the bereaved families , Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson remarked on the Dasu Bomb attack on Wednesday “China asks Pakistan to thoroughly investigate the incident as soon as possible hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice” Gwadar Pro reported quoting the spokesperson Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan to convey condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families and the Chinese government He strongly condemned the terrorist attack and said that terrorists’ attempt to harm Pakistan-China friendship will never succeed On the same day President Asif Ali Zardari, the Foreign Minister, the Interior Minister, and several other political figures strongly condemned the attack and expressed condolences over the lives lost “We ask Pakistan to take effective measures to protect the safety and security of Chinese nationals institutions and projects in Pakistan China is working with Pakistan on the follow-up work with all-out effort , the spokesperson remarked, adding, “No attempt to undermine China-Pakistan cooperation will succeed China opposes all forms of terrorism and firmly supports Pakistan in fighting terrorism China will work with Pakistan with even stronger commitment to do everything possible to protect the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan ” Late night on Tuesday Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong visited the hospital in Rawalpindi to receive the remains of the victims In his call with Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir earlier, the latter pledged to thoroughly investigate the case timely inform the Chinese side of the progress of the investigation and take further measures to comprehensively strengthen the security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan and ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan China to work with Pakistan to protec t Chinese personnel: Spokesperson SRINAGAR S ta f f R e p o R t In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, justice remains elusive for the family of the martyred human rights activist and lawyer, Jaleel Andrabi, even after 28 years This stands as a stark example of impunity and a violation of the family’s right to justice Jaleel Andrabi was arrested by Major Avtar Singh of the Indian army s 35th Rashtriya Rifles on March 8 1996 Three weeks later his body was discovered floating in the Jhelum River, as reported by Kashmir Media Service today, marking the 28th anniversary of the rights activist’s martyrdom Andrabi was targeted for his documentation of human rights abuses by Indian troops in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) He vocally opposed the crimes committed by Indian forces in the region Meanwhile, both the All Parties Hurriyat Conference spokesman, Adv Abdul Rashid Minhas, and the Kashmir Bar Association, in separate statements, paid homage to Jaleel Andrabi They emphasized that his activism and participation in the 1994 Annual UN Human Rights Council convention in Geneva led to his martyrdom highlighting his unwavering dedication to the Kashmir cause Asserting that the people of Kashmir will forever honor the sacrifices of martyrs like him, they demanded the international community to pressure India into allowing a thorough investigation into Jaleel Andrabi’s murder and holding the perpetrators accountable They emphasized that this is the only path towards justice J K L F PAY S T R I B U T E TO M A RT Y R S, VO W S TO C A R RY F O RWA R D F R E E D O M S T R U GGLE: The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) has paid rich tributes to prominent Kashmiri martyrs, including Ashfaq Majeed Wani, Dr Abdul Ahad Gooru, Jalil Andrabi Advocate, Shabbir Siddiqui and Basharat Raza along with the martyrs of Hazratbal on their martyrdom anniversaries of in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir According to Kashmir Media Service in a press release from the Central Information Office, the JKLF hailed martyrs as the Kashmiri people s cherished assets and the beacon of their struggle for freedom The party emphasized the significance of their sacrifices in the ongoing fight for freedom of occupied Jammu and Kashmir JKLF central leader Raja Haq Nawaz Khan highlighted the exceptional contributions of these martyrs to the freedom movement He specifically honored the courage and vision of Ashfaq Majeed Wani, who attained martyrdom on March 30 1990 in pursuit of his ideals The release also recounted the tragic fate of Dr Abdul Ahad Gooru and Advocate Jalil Ahmed Andrabi who were targeted for their outspoken advocacy against human rights violations Despite their untimely demise, their ideals continue to inspire the movement for justice and liberty Furthermore the JKLF paid tribute to Syed Shabb i r A h m a d S i d d i q u i a r e v e r e d I s l a m i c s c h o l a r a n d Commander Basharat Raza both of whom fell victim t o I n d i a n f o r c e s a g g r e s s i o n d u r i n g t h e s i e g e o f Hazratbal Shrine Instructing party members to organize prayer ceremonies on March 30, Raja Haq Nawaz Khan urged for a renewed commitment to the martyrs’ cause The press release also condemned Indian state terrorism in the territory and expressed solidarity with all pro-freedom prisoners including the incarcerated party chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik PR OFIT N e w S D e S k The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has issued licenses to two new exchange companies, namely MCB Exchange (Private) Limited and Habibmetro Exchange Services Limited, allowing them to begin operations MCB Bank Limited informed the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) through a notice on Wednesday that the State Bank of Pakistan has issued the License for Commencement of Operations to M/s MCB Exchange Company (Private) Limited MCB s board had approved the decision to establish MCB Exchange Company with an initial investment of up to Rs1 billion on September 18, 2023 Similarly Habib Metropolitan Bank Limited disclosed in a notice to the PSX that the State Bank of Pakistan has issued the ‘License for Commencement of Operations’ to M/s HABIBMETRO Exchange Services Limited The board of Habib Metropolitan Bank approved the establishment of an Exchange Company with an initial paid-up capital of up to Rs1 billion on October 10, 2023 Earlier on March 22 the SBP granted operational licences to exchange companies established by Bank AL Habib Limited (BAHL) and Allied Bank Limited (ABL) The SBP also granted a no objection certificate (NOC) to the Bank of Punjab for the establishment of an exchange company under the name BOP Exchange Company (PVT) Limited The establishment of the own exchange companies by the country s commercial banks is in line with the reforms introduced by the SBP last year to curb illicit practices in the currency market It is better to recall that the central bank in September 2023 made a decisive move and with the full force of the state launched a crackdown on exchange companies The SBP also unfurled a sweeping set of reforms targeting exchange companies and ordered the top ten banks to set up exchange companies While the National Bank of Pakistan and Habib Bank already had their own exchange companies, Meezan Bank, Allied Bank, Habib Metropolitan Bank, Bank Alfalah, Faysal Bank, Askari Bank and Bank Al Habib were also ordered to set them up The primary objective of these reforms was tightening control over the open market and fortifying governance, internal controls, and compliance standards within the sector
tate Bank grants licences to two new exchange companies g MCB EXCHANGE COMPANY AND HABIBMETRO EXCHANGE SERVICES ALLOWED TO COMMENCE OPERATIONS g C I R C U L A R D E B T O F R S 7 1 0 B I N C LU D E S R S 5 6 8 B O W E D B Y P S O A N D R S 1 4 2 B B Y PA K I S TA N L N G L I M I T E D
S
elected as new chairman
Association N E W P B A C H A I R M A N I S T H E C U R R E N T P R E S I D E N T & C E O O F T H E B A N K O F P U N J A B PR OFIT N e w S D e S k Zafar Masud the current President & CEO of The Bank of Punjab, has been elected as the Chairman of the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA) This election follows the appointment of the former PBA Chairman Muhammad Aurangzeb as the Federal Minister of Finance and Revenue for Pakistan The PBA Executive Committee recently convened and unanimously appointed Masud, who
in
of Pakistan Banks’
was serving as the Senior Vice Chairman of the association Concurrently, Yousaf Hussain, the President & CEO of Faysal Bank ascended to the position of Senior Vice Chairman of PBA Additionally Ahmed Khan Bozai the Managing Director & Citi Country Officer for Citibank N A
banking
PR OFIT N e w S D e S k Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif awarded 65 top exporters and compliant taxpayers for their significant contributions to the economy The award giving ceremony, held
contributions of approximately 40 leading exporters from various sectors including textiles, sports, surgical goods, pharmaceuticals, foods, and steel Additionally taxpayers were honored for their substantial income tax contributions across different categories including companies, Associations of Persons (AOPs) and individual taxpayers Recognitions also extended to business income taxpayers with notable growth entrepreneurial taxpayers SMEs significant contributors through foreign direct investment (FDI), and entrepreneurs from underdeveloped regions The government also took the opportunity to appreciate Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and firsttime tax filers for their notable tax payments, extending special incentives to high contributors A distinct feature of the event was the diverse recognition categories covering top IT exporters significant nontextile exporters first-time exporters with exports over $10 million exporters of non-traditional products, women exporters, and those showing notable growth from the previous year
g TA X PAY E R S H O N O R E D F O R S U B S TA N T I A L I N CO M E TA X CO N T R I B U T I O N S A C R O S S D I F F E R E N T C AT E G O R I E S
announces candidates
by-elections in Punjab LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday announced candidates backed by the party for by-elections in Punjab According to the details PTI Punjab President Hammad Azhar in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) announced two candidates for National Assembly constituencies and seven for the Punjab Assembly Hammad Azhar said that Shehzad Farooq will be contesting as PTI-backed independent candidate from NA-119 the seat vacated by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Hammad Azhar said that from NA132 Qusur Sardar Muhammad Hussain Dofra would contest the poll The PTI Punjab president added that Hakeem Nisar is the party’s backed candidate from PP-22 Chakwal Parvaiz Elahi from PP-32 Gujarat Owais Qasim from PP-54 Narowal and Aijaz Bhatti from PP-139 Sheikhupura Hamad Azhar added that from PP-149, Hafiz Zeeshan would be contesting the poll as a PTI-backed independent, Monis Elahi from PP-158 Lahore and Yousuf Meo from PP164 Lahore The PTI Punjab president said that candidates for the remaining constituencies would be announced later
PTI
for
Tin Khyber
Ahad Cheema foregoes fee waiver in letter to governor, accuses Principal of offering ‘quiet relief’
Pakhtunkhwa has been subject to controversy owing to the deadlock between the provincial government and opposition parties wherein the former has objected to the KP governor s decision to summon the assembly session upon the opposition s request
On Monday, opposition parties including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had moved the PHC seeking timely oath-taking of members linking it to their ability to participate in the upcoming Senate elections
The issue has become crucial for both the ruling and opposition parties as it will play an important role in the Senate polls slated for April 2 for filling 11 seats from the
province The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which has a clear majority in the house is planning to delay the oath-taking at least till the Senate polls
With the existing strength of the assembly, the ruling party can win most of the Senate seats in all categories from the province
On the other hand, the opposition parties want the 24 MPAs elected on reserved seats to be administered oath before the Senate polls to get the desired number of seats in the upper house of parliament
Bar associations demand transparent probe
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
‘Six IHC judges letter’: SC full cour t deliberates alleged ‘inter ference’
It also advocates for adopting a stance to ensure the judiciary’s independence through the convention Furthermore the judges have urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and the IHC chief justice to take action against those involved in interference Reacting to the alleging ‘interference’ in court proceedings cited by the honourable judges Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Shahzad Shoukat stressed the commitment to upholding the rule of law He expressed strong displeasure over the incident mentioned in the judges’ letter “Interference in the judiciary is not only condemnable but also warrants decisive action said the SCBA president in a statement Reiterating the belief in the independence of the judiciary, the SCBA president emphasised that any actions perceived as undermining this independence would not be accepted by the association
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) president and secretary convened an emergent meeting and asked all members to participate in it
During meeting chaired by IHCBA President Ali Azad, the participants emphasized the necessity of a transparent investigation into the matter The Association expressed deep concern over the letter addressed to the Supreme Judicial Council, asserting that judicial independence and autonomy were fundamental pillars of the Constitution
The IHCBA underscored the crucial link between public trust in the justice system and the independence of the judiciary It emphasized the importance of upholding constitutional principles to ensure the fair and impartial dispensation of justice
The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) in response to the Islamabad judges letter to the SJC also convened a meeting and lauded the judges Bar president Asad Manzoor said the lawyers stood by the judges
The LHCBA issued a statement condemning the lack of action by the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court to safeguard its judges Strongly denouncing any interference or influence, the Lahore Bar Association demanded immediate action against individuals from sensitive institutions who allegedly violated constitutional and legal norms The Association highlighted the importance of judicial independence in safeguarding the integrity of the judiciary and ensuring unbiased decision-making Furthermore the Sindh High Court Bar Association convened an emergency meeting to review the letter penned by Islamabad High Court judges The Association called for the formation of a judicial commission comprising three Supreme Court judges to investigate the matter thoroughly Expressing concern over institutional interference in judicial affairs the Sindh Bar Association stressed that such actions undermine the impartiality of the judiciary and the integrity of the legal system
Thursday 28 March 2024 LAHORE NEWS 03 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 He further said that Pakistan shared the grief of the Chinese government and the people, and assured that every possible step would be taken to stop them Responding to a question Tarar further said that standard operating procedures (SOPs) were in place for the security of Chinese nationals SOPs are in place for the security of Chinese nationals They are identified at airports and arrangements are made for their security wherever they go Wherever there are gaps we will fill them The security of all Chinese nationals will be ensured, he maintained Tarar also blamed ex-premier Imran Khan for the resurgence of terrorism in the country “Who was it who was sympathetic to terrorists? Who was it who failed to convene the National Action Plan’s apex committee? Who was it who was insistent on dialogue? he asked During Imran s tenure the terrorism we eradicated in 2018 has once again reared its head, the minister lamented “At that time, Imran was prime minister and he is responsible for his policy Now we are reaping what he sowed The attack prompted China to demand a thorough probe into the deadly blast and security for its citizens In response, Islamabad announced a swift probe to hold the “perpetrators and accomplices” accountable According to police the bus was travelling from Islamabad to Kohistan when it came under the attack on Karakoram Highway It was a suicide attack on the Chinese convoy and an explosive-laden vehicle approaching from Kohistan hit the bus ” Bisham Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Juma Rehman told Dawn SDPO Rehman said that following the attack, the bus caught fire and fell into the ravine “A huge amount of explosives were used in the attack, the force of which threw the bus into the ravine ” he said The officer said that police cordoned off the area to collect evidence We have also collected body parts of the suspected suicide bomber from the site, SDPO Rehman said Soon after the bombing, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif along with his cabinet members visited the Chinese embassy to assure Beijing about security for its citizens and promise a comprehensive probe into the suicide bombing JIT to investigate suicide attack on Chinese nationals, says Info minister
LAHORE N e w S D e S k Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema has decided to forego the school fee waiver he received courtesy the intervention of Governor Punjab after the Principal of Aitchison College refused his request In a letter dated 26th March 2024 Cheema writes to Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman to state that him and his family have received ‘mockery, slur and vilification’, due to the entire episode related And therefore under these circumstances he does not want to avail this facility However rightful he may be and just and fair the policy may be he adds And therefore, under these circumstances he does not want to avail this facility However rightful he may be and just and fair the policy may be”, he adds He calls the Principal’s refusal unheard of and termed his attituded towards the matter brazen and high-headed In the letter he also accused Principal Michael A Thomson of offering him individual relief on the quiet side via some respectable people We refused to take the under-the-table-deal”, he added Cheema ends his letter by encouraging the Governor to keep the policy in place so that it helps other parents and children
PAGE 01 The judges further said that they “believe it is imperative to inquire into and determine whether there exists a continuing policy on the part of the executive branch of the state to meddle in judicial affairs H R C P ‘D E E P LY T R O U B L E D’ B Y I H C J U D G E S’ A L L E G AT I O N S: In a statement, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said it is deeply concerned by the allegations made by six high court judges who claim that interference and intimidation by the state s intelligence agencies have undermined the independence of the judiciary The judges apprehension that such interference constitutes “a continuing policy” on the part of the executive and that intelligence operatives have attempted to engineer judicial outcomes in politically consequential matters is cause for serious concern it added Equally troubling are revelations that judges relatives have been abducted and tortured, allegedly by intelligence personnel as a means of intimidation, and that judges have been subjected to illegal surveillance in their own homes ” The HRCP said if judges of the higher courts are subjected to such blatant interference then by extension it is likely that the lower courts are even more vulnerable Such authoritarian tactics have compromised the integrity of the legal system at the cost of people’s access to justice, which is at the core of the constitution ” The HRCP has long argued that the intelligence services which have wrought significant damage to the country s institutions must be brought under transparent civilian oversight by means of a new legal architecture, the statement added “This must now be done urgently to strengthen democratic checks and balances ” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 The army chief said that the nation had steadfastly fought the war on terror for the last two decades and had defeated the nefarious designs of Pakistan s adversaries Noting the recent surge in terrorist incidents, COAS Munir remarked that the enemies of Pakistan had once again “underestimated the resilience and grit of the state and the people of Pakistan” He added: We shall fight terrorism till every terrorist casting an evil eye on Pakistan its people and their guests, is eliminated; we shall not leave any stone unturned to ensure that every foreign citizen, especially the Chinese nationals contributing to the prosperity of Pakistan is safe and secure in Pakistan We shall fight terrorism with all our might to the very end OFFICIAL SAYS SECURITY TIGHTENED IN BESHAM: Separately, Besham Station House Officer (SHO) Bakht Zahir Khan informed the media that his department had finalised and submitted their report to the Swat Counter Terrorism Department to lodge an FIR against the perpetrators of the attack “We have obtained the CCTV footage from the bus and are investigating the matter It has been confirmed that the silver Toyota Vitz used in the attack which was laden with around nine kilogrammes of explosives rammed one of the Chinese buses, the SHO said He added that security has been tightened in sensitive areas of Bisham, particularly around Chinese foreign projects Meanwhile China’s ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong visited a construction cmap of the Dasu project where he met Chinese nationals and observed a minute of silence to pay condolences to the victims Water and Power Development Authority Chairman (rtd) Lt General Sajjad Ghani also accompanied him on the visit E N E M I E S I N R E G I O N C A N T A CC E P T S T R E N G T H E N I N G O F PA KC H I N A T I E S: Z A R D A R I President Asif Ali Zardari also visited the Chinese Embassy today and offered condolences on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan According to a press release issued by the President’s secretariat Zardari strongly condemned yesterday s terrorist attack adding that the Pakistani nation shared the grief of the Chinese people He stated that the people of Pakistan stood in solidarity with the Chinese people in the hour of grief “This incident was orchestrated by the enemies of Pakistan-China friendship ” he said adding that enemies in the region couldn t accept Pakistan and China strengthening their bilateral ties He assured the Chinese Ambassador that the criminals involved in the gruesome act would be apprehended and brought to justice” Zardari further said that all necessary measures would be taken to ensure the security of the Chinese citizens working on various projects in Pakistan A day earlier hours after security forces successfully fended off an attack by Baloch terrorists on a Pakistan Navy base in Turbat district of Balochistan, a vehicle-borne suicide bomber targeted a convoy escorting Chinese engineers in the remote Besham area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) killing six people The Chinese engineers were en route from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu – the district headquarters of the Upper Kohistan district of KP Their vehicle was hit by an explosives-laden vehicle, coming from the opposite direction near Lahore Nala on the Karakoram Highway According to a Chinese Embassy statement a Chinese company s bus carrying staff, working on the Dasu Hydropower Project, was hit by a terrorist attack at around 1 pm Malakand Deputy Inspector General Muhammad Ali Gandapur confirmed the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber The Chinese engineers vehicle was thrown off the mountainous road into a deep ravine by the impact of the blast killing all six on board including five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver The security forces reached the spot, shut the strategic highway for traffic on both sides and launched an investigation According to a footage of the suicide attack on the bus of Chinese engineers in Besham the suicide attack on the bus took place at 4:18:00 pm It can be seen in the video that as soon as the bus tried to overtake a car, the suicide bomber in the car blew himself up Participants of the meeting expressed resolute commitment to completely rooting out terrorism from the country They also expressed serious concerns over sanctuaries available to terrorists across the borders and emphasised upon the need for a regional approach for countering terrorism The session concluded with the participants reiterating the resolve to comprehensively combat terrorism employing all resources available to the state
to bring c ulprits to justice, PM orders probe into Besham incident
CONTINUED FROM
Vowing
PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t
H E Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati to administer the oath to the lawmakers elected on reserved seats
decision was announced after a twomember PHC bench comprising Justice Attique Shah and Justice Shakeel Ahmad had reserved the verdict earlier today on a petition filed by the opposition parties in the provincial assembly regarding the swearingin of the members
on reserved seats
The
Oath-taking
During the hearing today, Justice Shakeel Ahmad questioned whether the speaker was refusing to administer the oath To this KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati’s lawyer replied in the negative stressing that for the first time, the governor ’s orders regarding the summoning of the assembly session came via the opposition leader On Justice Attique Shah s query whether the governor s orders have been challenged, the counsel, once again, replied in the negative He also further stressed that the speaker can only issue the summons for the assembly when one-fourth of the members submit such a request On the issue of whether the governor has the authority to summon the session, the court was apprised that Article 109 of the Constitution confers the said official to summon the assembly session Furthermore the court stressed that the members are administered their oaths in the assembly session However Justice Attique highlighted that neither the president nor the governors can summon an assembly session without consulting with the government first Presenting his arguments in the case, the advocate general underscored that Article 65 of the Constitution mandates the oath-taking of members with the third schedule linking it to the assembly session It is the members right to be sworn in as they have already been notified Justice Ahmad said while lamenting the delay in the oath-taking ceremony It seems that the [assembly] session won’t be summoned till April 2 ” he added The court then reserved its verdict on the plea PHC GIVES DIRECTIVE TO KP ASSEMBLY SPEAKER TO ADMINISTER OATH TO MPAS ELECTED ON RESERVED SEATS PTI gets conditional permission for Islamabad rally ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday conditionally allowed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold a rally in Islamabad As per details Chief Justice IHC Aamer Farooq heard the PTI plea seeking permission for a rally in Islamabad The Court directed the district administration to allow PTI to hold a rally in Islamabad on March 30 The Chief Justice IHC ordered that no unusual conditions should be imposed and only standard Terms of Reference (TOR) should be followed Earlier the deputy commissioner of Islamabad refused to grant permission to PTI to hold a rally in the capital on March 30 The district administration turned down PTI’s request saying that “in view of the law and order situation rallies cannot be allowed at any place including D Chowk It is pertinent to mention here that the PTI announced holding a public rally in Islamabad on March 30 against alleged election rigging Cour t orders Pakistan Railways to pay over Rs10m as damages KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t A local court in Karachi Wednesday ordered Pakistan Railways to pay more than Rs10 million as damages According to the details the court issued this order in the case of payment of compensation on behalf of the heirs of Javed Iqbal, who died in a train accident The court passed the order under the Fatal Accidents Act 1855 It is pertinent to note that there was a collision between Millat and Sir Syed Express near Dharki in which more than 50 people were killed in the train accident The heirs of Javed Iqbal, who died in the accident, approached the local court of Karachi for payment of compensation KSE-100 Index hits record high, closing above 66,500 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 This decision endorsed during the board s 83rd meeting will be submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Tuesday s session also saw the PSX closing on a high note, with the KSE100 Index gaining 381 points to approach the 66 000 mark In global markets Japanese stocks advanced amid a weaker yen while Chinese stocks saw a decline contributing to a mixed performance in the Asia-Pacific region ahead of a significant U S inflation report The Pakistani rupee experienced a slight appreciation against the US dollar, ending the day at 278 04 in the inter-bank market Trading volume on the all-share index rose to 354 6 million shares from the previous session s 303 71 million though the total value of shares traded saw a minor decrease Leading the day s trading volume were Lotte Chemical, Telecard Limited, and P T C L , with significant activity observed across 346 companies The market dynamics reflected a mix of 179 advances and 152 declines with 15 entities remaining unchanged LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t The opposition in Punjab Assembly demanded the release of the PTI founder on Wednesday The assembly session started after a delay of one hour and 40 minutes with Deputy Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar in the chair Opposition members displayed banners featuring the images of PTI founder within the House chanting their demands for his release Opposition leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar questioned why Mian Aslam Iqbal was being stopped from entering the House He expressed dissatisfaction over the presence of police outside and insisted that both Mian Aslam Iqbal and Ahmad Rashid Bhatti should be brought to the assembly He said the opposition would not make any compromise The deputy speaker assured that Mian Aslam Iqbal was free to enter the House at any time suggesting that he should consult the speaker house Bhachar advocated for the medical check-up of former chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi Sunni Ittehad Council MPA Khayal Ahmed Kastro, while expressing his views in the assembly, said he was treated unfairly before the elections A woman MPA from the treasury benches said things yesterday that need to be addressed he added Whether my leader is in government or not he will not go outside We will respond to the government in a strong manner, said Kastro O pposition in Punjab A ssembly demands release of PTI founder
P I A p r i v a t i z a t i o n
TH E PIA s Board of Directors, in its very first meeting since being reconstituted last Friday approved the Scheme of Arrangement for the privatization of the national flagcarrier The same day, Cabinet approval was obtained, by the mechanism of circulation among Cabinet members, for the Board of Directors of the holding company to which all assets and liabilities of PIA will go The privatization is to take place by June 15 The new government is thus rattling at full speed down the path laid out for it by the caretakers, who initiated the privatization in right earnest The sale, which is accompanied by that of four airports has attracted the attention of an indeterminate amount of local investors, and seven international investors
The biggest reason to privatize is the sort of money it has been bleeding Its liabilities are about Rs 1 7 trillion, which is too much for the government to take on One of the problems with the privatization is No-Objection Certificates have to be obtained from 35 lenders The financial advisers to the privatization have said that $250 million to $300 million could be obtained Clearly, the price would be what the market determined However the seller is a government and will be sensitive to the charge that it undersold a charge that its opponents will make whatever the final price Indications are that the favoured buyer from the Middle East It should be kept in mind that PTCL was similarly sold, to Etiselaat, of the UAE, back in 2006 a 26 percent share plus full management control for $2 6 billion The money was not paid upfront, and diplomatic pressure had to be exerted to get the money
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
I t d o e s n o t f o l l o w
HASAN AFTAB SAEED
Mplanned tactical move; in most cases non-sequiturs are employed unconsciously That is individuals do it while sincerely believing that they could not have been any more logical There is no shortage therefore of courage of conviction on their part Which makes the task of trying and making them review their reasoning that much more challenging Outside marital arguments (our no-go zone) the
T h e w h o l e ex e rc i s e , w h e t h e r i n t e n t i o n a l o r u n c o n s c i o u s , s m a ck s o f t h e s t r aw m a n f a l l a c y T h a t i s , t o d e f i n e , q u i t e a r b i t r a r i ly, a p a r t i c u l a r G o d ( f ro m s t r aw, s o t o s p e a k ) – a  G o d Ê a ny s e n s i b l e t h e i s t wo u l d
b e t h e f i rs t t o r e j e c t – a n d t h e n t o b l ow i t t o p i e c e s
The gordian knot of population
Ileviate poverty and improve health outcomes may inadvertently incentivize larger family sizes In a country where economic and social vulnerabilities abound, the lure of financial support may incentivize individuals to maximize their benefits by expanding their families, exacerbating the population challenge Moreover the Nashonuma Programme’s narrow focus on maternal and child health overlooks the broader determinants of population dynamics, including socio-cultural norms, access to education, and family planning services While initiatives such as the Population Control Department signal a recognition of the urgency to address population growth the coexistence of contradictory programmes underscores a systemic inconsistency that threatens to derail progress To navigate this complex terrain policymakers must adopt a holistic approach to population management that integrates evidence-based interventions across sectors This entails prioritizing investments in education healthcare and socio-economic empowerment to empower individuals and communities to make informed choices about family planning
P O L I C Y A L I G N M E N T: Ensure coherence and consistency in policy formulation and implementation, aligning interventions with the overarching goal of sustainable development and population control
non-sequitur arguably appears most frequently in arguments that propose to prove the non-existence of God Certainly not all, but many atheists who rely on such arguments genuinely believe them to be valid What makes the situation even more unfortunate is that many of their theist adversaries also fail to spot the flaw in the reasoning Once that happens they find themselves facing the dilemma of having to either publicly acknowledge that their belief in God was misplaced, or else resort to desperate apologies for a belief that has been thoroughly shaken on the inside Talk about finding oneself between a rock and a hard place Unless one subjects them to careful scrutiny these arguments typically sound mighty impressive For such usually is the appearance of these arguments that it is not easy– for the one presenting it as well as the one who is obliged to respond to it– to see that the conclusion drawn is unwarranted That, while the argument (if purged of its non-sequitur) could legitimately prove many things it falls short of leading to the conclusion that is being presented It rarely occurs to either side that in its present form the argument is little more than a mere slogan It is safe to say about all the popular arguments against the existence of God that those who present them have not thought them through But they keep believing them and peddling them around because they sound so convincing And they sound convincing precisely because they have not been thought through
For whatever it is worth and since the existence of God is a serious matter, I will list some of the more common variations of relevant non-sequiturs that keep doing the rounds A complete survey would be impossible However since there is a common theme to all (which the perceptive reader will identify straightaway) a complete list is quite unnecessary
So here goes: God cannot be observed or perceived scientifically; therefore, God does not exist There is a lot
of disease, death and destruction in the world; therefore, God does not exist ’ ‘There is much evil in the world; therefore God does not exist ’ ‘What with galaxy upon uninhabited galaxy and stars exploding all around there is great wastefulness and/or pointless violence in the universe; therefore God does not exist Earth is an insignificant dot in the scheme of the whole cosmos; therefore, God does not exist ‘Science explains the phenomena of rain earthquakes floods and the like; therefore God does not exist ’ ‘Biology describes how life evolved into higher forms; therefore God does not exist Sociology and medicine make clear that murder incest and the like, are not good for the species; therefore, God does not exist Anthropology and psychology explain phenomenon such as wishful thinking, fear of death, and group coherence, which in turn account for the human need to invent God Therefore God does not exist
The non-sequiturs are obvious even if all the premises are accepted as true All these arguments assume an identical three-step form: First, a certain kind of God is presumed (from pure imagination); Using some fact or observation, the same is then negated This is followed by the conclusion: ‘Therefore God does not exist’ In sheer enthusiasm it does not occur to the atheist that the theist probably does not accept that definition of God to start with However some of the theists, on their part, are too dazzled by the oratory to point out that while a particular idea of God has indeed been ruled out by the argument, that hardly justifies the blanket statement that God does not exist; that the claim is much more than what is warranted
The whole exercise whether intentional or unconscious smacks of the straw man fallacy That is to define, quite arbitrarily, a particular God (from straw, so to speak)– a God any sensible theist would be the first to reject– and then to blow it to pieces
The author is a connoisseur of music literature and food (but not drinks) He can be reached at www facebook com/hasanaftabsaeed
community engagement and participation in decision-making processes empowering individuals to take ownership of their reproductive health choices C
Hall for school
The cash incentives offered through the Nashonuma Programme while intended to al-
It is imperative to emphasiz e that providing basic health facilities at the doorstep could obviate the need for programmes such as the Nashonuma Programme , which consume significant human resources and inadver tently contribute to the population dilemma by incentivizing larg er families By implementing these recommendations, Pakistan can char t a course towards sustainable population manag ement and pave the way for a brighter future
04 Thursday 28 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
for a large sum of money but Pakistan remains mired in debt forced to fawn upon the IMF for another handout It is true that PIA will bring a few hundred million dollars, but the country’s external debt is in the billions Money will be saved in the Budget but where will that money go? Paying salaries? Debt servicing? This sale should show the writing on the wall more clearly than anything else The freeloaders’ ride is over The state has precious little that can be squeezed out of it
A wider problem is that the sale might be keep the IMF happy, but what happens when the family silver is all sold? PTCL went
l
Wi t h t h e n e w B o D a p p r o v i n g i t , t h e p l a n d o e s n o t f a c e a n y m a j o r h u r d
e s
T H E Government Boys’ High School, Tijaban, is facing multiple issues, such as lack of teachers a library a hall and classrooms The students cannot manage or arrange any programme examination or meeting in the school due to the absence of a hall In the recently-held matriculation examination the students had to travel long distances to sit the exam elsewhere There are several students who cannot afford this financial burden or do not know how to ride a bike or drive a car BILAL AHMED TIJABAN
tax on cars THE recent surge in the rate of general sales tax (GST) by 25 per cent on 1 400cc cars coupled with currency devaluation has dealt a severe blow to the local automobile industry Sales have plummeted by 30pc affecting manufacturing and employment This decline translates to decreased tax revenue while energy prices and financing rates continue to soar With over 40pc taxation on each local car sold, it is only logical to assume that imported cars will become a priority for the buyers The customers would be greatly benefitted if the authorities reconsider such policies, engage in a dialogue, and seek sustainable solutions that foster growth rather than stifle it QASIM HAIDER KARACHI
Sales
THE increasing burden of utility bills is pushing a significant portion of the population towards a precarious financial situation As such the recent surge in gas bills has caused a significant hardship to countless families especially those with limited income Moreover this additional financial pressure has forced them to make impossible choices, often sacrificing basic necessities, like food or medicines, to keep their homes warm The authorities concerned would do well to consider a reduction in utility bills to alleviate the growing financial burden on consumers to some extent People deserve this much M ABID HAFEEZ LAHORE Selection transparency THE Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) is believed to have told the judiciary that it plans to record the interviews of aspirants and release them on multiple social media platforms However in this scenario the missing elements of accountability and transparency have not been addressed by the SPSC If the SPSC goes ahead with the said plan, there is a good chance that corruption and nepotism may increase to an unstopable extent, as the authorities could potentially guide or train their favourite individuals on the questions that would be asked during the interview ABDUL SAMEE KARACHI Fear in Shikarpur SHIKARPUR is a historical city of Sindh which was once famous for its trade There was a time when Shikarpur was considered a haven of peace but now the city is in the grip of bandits and robbers From street crimes and robberies to kidnappings and murders the people of Shikarpur are being subjected to serious and severe lawlessness The local administration has failed to address the sense of fear and terror that is prevalent in and across the area HASEEB UR REHMAN MANGI SHIKARPUR 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
Utilit y bills
N the complex mosaic of Pakistan’s developmental journey the question of population control emerges as a central thread weaving its way through the fabric of socioeconomic and political discourse As the nation grapples with the dual challenges of rapid population growth and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the contours of government interventions reveal a paradoxical landscape fraught with contradictions and complexities At the heart of this puzzle lies the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) a cornerstone of Pakistan s social welfare infrastructure initiated in 2008 Conceived as a lifeline for the country’s most vulnerable, BISP was envisioned as a safety net to mitigate the harsh realities of poverty and deprivation However the programme underwent a transformative evolution in 2020 with the introduction of the Nashonuma Programme, signalling a departure from its original mandate Embedded within the foundation of BISP’s legacy is a tale of adaptation and innovation Originally conceived to provide financial assistance to impoverished families the programme underwent a metamorphosis with the inception of the Nashonuma Programme This extension, introduced in 2020, marked a significant shift in focus towards addressing maternal and child health disparities While the expansion of BISP reflects a commendable effort to adapt to evolving social needs the unintended consequences of the Nashonuma Programme underscore the complexities of population control in Pakistan s development narrative The Nashonuma Programme, with its promise of cash incentives for pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and their children under two seeks to incentivize maternal and child healthseeking behaviour Offering financial support amounting to Rs 2000 per quarter per PLW and boy child, and Rs 2500 per quarter per girl child of BISP beneficiary families, the programme aims to combat the pervasive issue of stunting Yet, beneath the veneer of benevolence lies a fundamental contradiction that threatens to undermine Pakistan s progress towards sustainable development As the Nashonuma
unintended
the overarching goal of population control
expansion of the program to 158 districts, boasting a network of 512 Nashonuma
signals a concerted effort to address the immediate health needs of vulnerable populations However amidst the backdrop of Pakistan
skyrocketing population growth,
the efficacy and sustainability of such interventions
Programme proliferates across the country its
consequences cast a shadow over
The
Centres
s
questions arise regarding
C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T:
O M P R E H E N S I V E E D U C AT I O N: Prioritize investments in comprehensive sexuality education and reproductive health services to equip individuals with the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions about family planning Accessible Healthcare: Improve access to affordable and quality healthcare services, including family planning services and contraceptives particularly in underserved rural areas SOCIO-ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT: Promote socio-economic empowerment initiatives, including women s education and economic opportunities, to address underlying factors driving population growth It is imperative to emphasize that providing basic health facilities at the doorstep could obviate the need for programmes such as the Nashonuma Programme which consume significant human resources and inadvertently contribute to the population dilemma by incentivizing larger families By implementing these recommendations, Pakistan can chart a course towards sustainable population management and pave the way for a brighter future The writer tweets @AliGulLeghari1
Foster
Po p u l at i o n co nt ro l o r p ove r t y a l l e v i at i o n ? Ali Gul lEGHAri
control
A R R I E D folks are no strangers to nonsequiturs even though many of them may not be familiar with the fancy Latin term In plain English it means It does not follow a sentiment that one cannot help feeling when something from one s significant other in no way or form follows from what has preceded Close observation of such situations reveals that if one is reckless enough to give voice to the thought what follows is even less related to what has gone before Prudence therefore demands that the sentiment remains unexpressed– in Latin in English or in any other tongue for that matter Discretion after all, is the better part of valour But non-sequiturs are hardly confined to arguments between married couples They are ubiquitous– in political speeches in interviews in heated religious discussions and in casual conversations; in public places drawing rooms and on social media alike Pointing out that your opponent has been guilty of a ranked non-sequitur is resented in these settings too; but nowhere else is the hazard involved comparable to the risk if one is foolish enough to express it to one’s better half While it is true that in some cases it is a
A k a n o n - s e q u i t u r s
AR e d u c i n g i n t o l e r a n c e t h r o u g h e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s
Education is the key
some Arabic script on it Thanks to a lady police officer for meddling and controlling the situation otherwise she would have been given some humiliating fate Similar incidents of intolerance are witnessed and reported in different sectors of our society often Intolerance is not confined to religious quarters merely rather it is instigated and internalized socially culturally environmentally economically politically and at the family level The unplanned population with scant infrastructure and job opportunities, the high birth rate with no proper education and socialization, the traditional and tribal lifestyle the churlish traffic and unlicensed drivers and the children driving vehicles and bikes recklessly the unhygienic health-care centres and contaminated environment the unethical and bad manners and attitudes of the masses, the dishonesty and fraud in each field and business, the corruption and bribery in government offices the injustice the familial embroilments the political rivalries and the youth being ignored in different spheres of life are the prominent factors and indicators leading a society towards intolerance
These factors have greatly affected individual and social psychology and have turned our society to a hell-like situation Hence this situation needs to be changed on priority basis
To reduce and counter intolerance in so-
ciety through educational institutions the sociologists put forward the two broad approaches Through “Structure Functionalism” the sociologists stress upon the structural rules and principles that may influence the system at the macro level like our overall educational system, subjects, syllabuses, course contents and the educational policies Consequently, in our educational system unfortunately there is no any single subject that may guide and train the students that how to behave in the society how to control emotions how to promote tolerance among the people how to interact with the people and so on Our students may have much potential and talent in respective subjects but
due to untrained attitudes they always show intolerant and unethical conduct which may leave a stain on their educational and academic performance Contextually there is a dire need to introduce subjects that may teach and internalize in the students situational ethics so as to promote tolerance among the social settings In advanced countries elementary education is completely given to the children to make them understand and aware about the norms and ethos of daily life Subsequently our existing courses need to be redesigned to imbue the intolerant segment of our society with the ideal societal codes and core values The contents must be designed in such a way to discourage
It creates hatred and increases distances among the people The state should focus on educational institutions more than the other forums, because they are elementary and influential forums to reduce intolerance The government should revisit the educational policies, restructure the courses, include the contents and stories which could promote tolerance and harmony, and the teachers should update themselves and interact with the students in a soft way, conduct seminars and debates, make aware the students about the drawbacks and repercussions of intolerance and highlight the glory of tolerance and harmony
the anti-social acts, promote tolerance and good manners among the students The courses should be very finely designed to make students disregard the religious ethnic social cultural racial tribal political and class-based intolerance and to view it as disgraceful
Symbolic Interactionism is the second sociological perspective stressed upon the day-to-day interactions and discussions of the teachers within the classes and outside of the classes with the students This perspective believes that a soft interaction of a teacher with the students may help to change the students thoughts minimize the intensity of intolerance and boost up the level of tolerance among the students The teacher should welcome the students with an open mind and care for them with a great zeal It is argued that the teacher should be very much emotionally mature tolerant and having fair control on his/her emotions; free from all kinds of prejudices and hatred It is further contended that to make the students attitude and conduct decent the teacher should be more knowledgeable and updated in terms of his/her subject He or she should be very curious about his pr her subject and professionalism so that the students may follow and imitate him or her as an ideal personality Research studies indicate that higher the educational level of students, it yields a higher level of tolerance and the lower level of education increases susceptibility to higher social intolerance Intolerance is a cancer for a society It creates hatred and increases distances among the people The state should focus on educational institutions more than the other forums because they are elementary and influential forums to reduce intolerance The government should revisit the educational policies, restructure the courses, include the contents and stories which could promote tolerance and harmony and the teachers should update themselves and interact with the students in a soft way conduct seminars and debates make aware the students about the drawbacks and repercussions of intolerance and highlight the glory of tolerance and harmony
Muhammad Rahim Nasar Lecturer in the Department of Sociology University of Balochistan Quetta Email rahimnasar83@gmail com
The day President Ashraf Ghani fled Kabul
Tlife liv-
in perpetual poverty Once again to get a sense of the pulse of the people, I reached out to the lady in the salon, the waiters in the Serena and my cab driver, asking them what it would mean for them if the Taliban came knocking on their door They were very clear almost with a sense of surety that this would not be the Taliban that had ruled earlier from 1996 to 2001 They argued that this Taliban would know that they were coming back in a changed Afghanistan a modern-day twentyfirst-century Afghanistan where women and men were bold beautiful and hardworking knew what they wanted and whom they wanted to rule them, and would not give in to any kind of suppression The guns did not scare them any longer, nor the bombs, and they knew they would be successful in asking the Taliban to have a democratic government Somewhere deep in their minds they still nurtured the hope that there would be a powersharing deal , a peace deal , that would come of the intra-Afghan talks that were still continuing in Doha Meanwhile the lights in Doha continued to turn dimmer and dimmer After a rigorous two or three days of talks, they finally ended that night with no tangible outcome in sight even as the Taliban continued to gallop across the north south east and west of Afghanistan and seemed very near Kabul It is no wonder that the US China and a handful of other countries urged the Afghan government to close the talks and wrap up the peace process as a matter of urgency The much-touted intra-Afghan talks, fanned by the Americans as the next step following the peace deal seemed to be crumbling fast
Thursday 28 March 2024 COMMENT 05
E C E N T LY, Bangladesh s external debt situation has become a topic of discussion and for several reasons While Bangladesh’s external debt is deemed comfortable according to the IMF’s Debt Sustainability Report (November 2023) there are concerns about the significant increase in debt servicing liabilities Due to high interest expenses, a larger share of non-concessional loans in the borrowing portfolio, and stricter loan conditions imposed by the lenders, the burden of foreign loans is increasing The mounting debt servicing obligations also threaten to exacerbate the strain on the country s low foreign exchange reserves In December 2023 external debt in Bangladesh reached $100 6 billion Of this, the share of public sector debt was 79 2 percent, while that of the private sector was 20 8 percent, as per the data from the Economic Relations Division (ERD) The increase in external debt from December 2022 to December 2023 is 4 3 percent The debt-to-GDP ratio in Bangladesh has been steadily increasing over the past few years In June 2023, external debt constituted 15 9 percent of the GDP, compared to 13 2 percent in FY2016 (Flow of External Resources into Bangladesh, ERD, 2024) Several other pertinent indicators paint a concerning picture of Bangladesh s external debt situation For instance the ratio of external-debt-to-exports surged from 56 3 percent in FY2016 to 116 6 percent in FY2023 The change in debt-to-exports highlights slower export growth compared to the increase of external loans, exacerbating the nation’s debt burden The escalating external-debt-to-exports ratio is disquieting as it implies that there may be a shortfall in resources to meet forthcoming repayments The ratio of external debt to revenue collection has risen from 133 3 percent in FY2016 to 192 3 percent in FY2023 This underscores the pressing need for increased revenue generation With high demand for foreign loans due to infrastructural gaps Bangladesh faces a heightened dependency on both domestic and external borrowings However with the tax-to-GDP ratio remaining around eight percent the government s constraints on development spending from domestic sources highlight the necessity for higher external borrowing Another feature of external debt is that since the amount of external borrowing is increasing the external debt outstanding has witnessed significant increase For example the external debt outstanding has gone up from $26 3 billion in FY2016 to $62 billion in FY2023 This is concerning since the amount of money borrowed and the amount that needs to be repaid exceeds the amount of debt Bangladesh has serviced With the growth in external debt repayment of foreign loans has also surged, escalating from approximately $3 billion in FY2013 to $4 78 billion in FY2023 marking a 59 3 percent increase over a decade Given exchange rate fluctuations and the potential for further interest rate hikes on foreign loans the repayment amount could increase even more Since Bangladesh made a transition from a lowincome country to a lower-middle-income country in 2015 according to World Bank’s criteria based on per capita income the terms and conditions for borrowings from the World Bank have changed This has also been the case for other lenders including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Indeed, the World Bank and ADB’s interest rates are up from one percent to two percent while that of Jica has gone up to 1 6 percent which used to be lower than one percent The proportion of non-concessional loans in the portfolio has been steadily increasing Borrowing conditions are becoming stricter, characterised by reduced grace periods and maturity periods, as well as additional fees and service charges Besides Bangladesh has obtained certain foreign loans tied to adjustable London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) which has now been replaced with Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) In recent years, there has been a noticeable rise in these rates For instance, the SOFR currently stands at over five percent a significant increase from its previous level of under one percent Therefore clear signs of an impending increase in the country s debt servicing liabilities in short and medium terms are visible Another concern arises from the existing problems of low forex reserves and a volatile exchange rate Bangladesh may face hurdles in effectively managing its debt servicing in the forthcoming years especially considering the ongoing decline in forex reserves The government should therefore plan effectively when pursuing foreign borrowings This entails reducing reliance on loans with stringent conditions, prioritising foreign-loan-funded projects, and ensuring efficient governance in implementing publicly funded projects Bangladesh’s economic trajectory has been on a tumultuous path since the onset of the pandemic FY2024 continued to reflect this trend While economic resilience contributed to growth for a long time, the economy is currently going through difficulties in the form of high inflation, declining forex reserves, volatile exchange rate, insufficient revenue collection and limited investment The combination of high growth and low inflation enjoyed by the country for a long time is now gone Amid these adversities the prominence of external debt and its servicing liabilities sends us a cautionary signal Given the current situation, a judicious repayment strategy and structural reforms are required to effectively mitigate the pressure of foreign debt repayment Indeed prudent management of the overall debt situation is needed both domestic and external in view of Bangladesh s emerging external debt landscape Reforms of the relevant institutions responsible for performing crucial tasks such as revenue generation, public expenditure, and project implementation are critically important Dr Fahmida Khatun is executive director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and non-resident senior fellow of the Atlantic Council H o w c a n B a n g l a d e s h m a n a g e i t s e x t e r n a l d e b t ?
R
very crucial issue which is undermining the basic fabric of our society is being ignored recklessly Intolerance is indeed one of the biggest issues that has affected the social structure of our society But unfortunately it has never been taken seriously by any segment of society including the government The practices of intolerance are very common in offices, organizations, in educational institutions, in markets, playgrounds and generally everywhere in the society The situation consequently leads to distraction among the people and is ultimately embodied in the professional ethnic cultural religious tribal and racial prejudices which sabotage the peaceful atmosphere Intolerance characterized by dislike is primarily caused due to peoples’ unawareness, ignorance and being ill-informed about the reality Moreover injustice inequality among the social and state structures and egoism and egocentric attitudes in the people are the contributing factors promoting intolerance among people The socially constructed phenomenon of intolerance is very intense in Pakistan Very grave crimes and acts are being committed by the people as a result of intolerance The impunity mode of the state has internally aggravated the situation matchlessly Intolerance is found excessively in youth rather than the other cohort of the society The emotional and frustrated mode of youth is very much easy to spark and use against any person or a group
examples of Mashal Khan
student of Abdul Wali Khan university Mardan) and the Sri Lankan engineer and general manager at sports company in Sialkot who were lynched by the furious mobs without any inquiry are in front of us Similarly, a professor from Peshawar Islamia college university named as Dr Bashir Ahmed and many other cases of intolerance are witnessed in our society frequently Recently an incident of a girl in Lahore wearing an Arabic brand dress with
The
(a
H I S is a day I would never want to see again An uneasy calm hung over Kabul since the morning I felt restless as I used to even at home when I did not find a story to file I stepped out of the hotel for a bit only to find myself again in the midst of a meaningless crowd just walking to and fro aimlessly And everyone seemed scared I wanted to speak to people but my attempts were of no use So I returned to the hotel I also wanted to have some time to myself Covering a war zone is not easy, and some days feel heavier, especially the relatively calmer days But journalists do not have the luxury to sit back and relax so mentally I was still searching for stories All appointments and meetings with senior government officials kept getting cancelled and all their key aides started to go phantom I kept pushing for an interview with Abdullah, which was promised by his team before my trip I was told I would get one as soon as he was back from Doha Reports from the Qatari capital were not sounding very positive as the peace talks with the Taliban had almost collapsed and prospects of a power-sharing deal looked grim And all the while the Taliban was claiming provincial capitals and cities one after another Back on ground zero the Taliban took over Ghazni and that literally shook Kabul I knew something was amiss when some of my sources in the Kabul government told me they were packing their bags while some sought my assistance to secure a temporary Indian visa before they could make their way to the West But how could I have told them that I myself was unsure of getting any help from the Indian embassy there if the Taliban took over Kabul? I was being constantly told by the mission that there was no evacuation happening It was only when the actual exercise took place that I realised it was incorrect on my part to blindly believe them The embassy, I learnt later, had been in evacuation mode since August 14, after Ghani fled from the country The then US chargé d affaires in Afghanistan Ross Wilson was quoted as saying The Taliban s statements in Doha do not resemble their actions in Badakhshan, Ghazni, Helmand and Kandahar Attempts to monopolise power through violence, fear and war will only lead to international isolation ” Wilson and his team at the embassy in Kabul had sent a dissent cable on July 13 2021 warning of a possible takeover of Kabul by the Taliban The conquest of Ghazni, which was the tenth provincial capital that gave in under Taliban pressure, was the easiest task for the Taliban as its then governor Daoud Laghmani simply handed it over to the Taliban forces Subsequently he was arrested by the Afghan government in the outskirts of Kabul The city of Ghazni had been under the Taliban forces for several months and the Afghan government had been controlling only the provincial office and a few governmental facilities Now those fell too Kabul was abuzz with murmurs that President Ghani was stepping down from his post The Afghan army was falling like a pack
cards, and Afghans in Kabul inside university campuses hotels restaurants salons and markets were saying the Taliban could enter the capital city any moment and there was nobody to defend it Those who had the money for it were already hunting for air tickets to flee the country, calling their relatives in the US Europe Canada and Australia to make a place for them and arrange for jobs and permits for them there It was a strange environment that day in Kabul People I knew and called friends nearly all were packing their bags to leave Some still had faith in the Afghan government while some – and they were the educated class who worked with the former government – wanted to give the Taliban a second chance , should it govern in a democratic manner This felt strange to me Back home in India, the news on Afghanistan suggested there was total chaos in the country My family was beginning to worry for my safety and by now my mother had completely given up hope about me Had it not been for my husband, my mother would have had a nervous breakdown But to me sitting in Kabul the city appeared completely peaceful It was calm and serene and people seemed to already have their respective Plan Bs ready I guess this is what it means to be truly resilient – where you don’t panic, don’t get nervous, but silently make your escape plans However it is also true that while the upper middle class the rich and the elite of Kabul had a Plan B for the poorer lot it was a do or die kind of situation Like all the poor in this unfortunate world, they were helpless But for the poor of Afghanistan, it also meant having a government that would be proscribed by every country as well as the UN And being ruled by a banned entity meant having restricted access to food and basic necessities of
of
ing
I n D e ce m b e r 2 0 2 3 , ex te r n a l d e b t i n B a n g l a d e s h re a c h e d $ 1 0 0 6 b i l l i o n A n exce r p t f ro m ‘ Th e Fa l l o f K a b u l : D e s p atc h e s f ro m C h a o s’, by N aya n i m a B a s u Dr m rahim Nasar
m i Da K
u N
DAILY STAR D r Fa
h
h at
SCR OLL
N aya N m a B a s u
Hworker in Kiryat Shmona following warning signs in the area
At least seven people were killed in the Israeli strikes on Hebbariyeh two Lebanese security sources told Reuters
The Israeli strikes appeared to be aimed
States
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Israel to give an ironclad com-
President Xi welcomes more Dutch companies to invest in China
BEIJING
Chinese President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister of the N e t h e r l a n d s M a r k R u t t e t h a t h e w e l c o m e s m o r e D u t c h companies to invest in China on Wednesday in Beijing
At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Rutte is paying a working visit to China on March 26 and 27
Hailing the Netherlands as a gateway of China-Europe cooperation, Xi said China is willing to promote the development of China-Netherlands open and pragmatic partnership for comprehensive cooperation
China will expand the import of high-quality products from the Netherlands he said expressing hope for a fair and transparent business environment for Chinese enterprises in the Netherlands
The Chinese president urged cooperation in artificial intelligence green transformation and silver-haired economy while promoting traditional cooperation in agriculture water conservancy and energy
It is hoped that both sides will facilitate personnel exchanges and promote educational, cultural and people-topeople exchanges, Xi said China is ready to strengthen coordination with the Netherlands in multilateral settings such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization and jointly address global challenges including climate change and biodiversity he added
Regarding the economy he said de-coupling is a dead end and the only choice is open cooperation
The Chinese side always believes that the win or lose binary mindset is outdated and that a real safe world is an interconnected and interdependent one, Xi said
“Artificially creating technological barriers and cutting off industrial and supply chains will only lead to division and confrontation he said
The Chinese people also have the legitimate right to de-
Xi Jinping expec ts more China-US mutual trust to resist disruptions
the U S engage in cooperation or confrontation is critical to the well-being of the two peoples, and the future of humanity The respective successes of China and the U S are opportunities for each other Xi said adding that as long as both sides regard each other as partners, respect each other, coexist peacefully and cooperate for win-win results, China-U S relations will be improved
As this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U S , Xi pointed out that the history of China-U S relations is a history of friendly exchanges between the two peoples with the past written by the people and the future created by the people
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY
The Chinese economy is
sound and sustainable, Xi said, noting that last year, China registered one of the highest growth rates among the major economies and accounted for over 30 percent of global growth as before China did not collapse as predicted by the China collapse theory, nor will it peak as forecasted by the ‘China peak theory,” Xi told the U S guests The Chinese president reiterated that China will continue to advance high-quality development and Chinese modernization enable the Chinese people to live a better life, and contribute more to sustainable development in the world Xi also recalled his oft-repeated saying that reform and opening up holds the key to contemporary China’s catching up with the times in great strides “China’s reform will not pause and its opening up will not stop said Xi China is planning and implementing a series of major measures to comprehensively deepen reform, foster a world-class business environment that is marketoriented law-based and internationalized and provides broader development space for international businesses including U S companies, Xi added
said whether China and
mitment for unfettered aid access into the Gaza Strip and described the number of trucks blocked at the border as “a moral outrage ” Israel says it puts no limit on the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza and blames problems in it reaching civilians within the enclave on UN agencies which it says are inefficient
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Tuesday he stressed with U S officials the importance of U S -Israeli ties a n d o f m a i n t a i n i n
India strongly objec ts to US remarks on opposition leader Kejriwal ’s arrest
MUMBAI r e u t e r S
India has strongly objected to remarks made by the United States on the arrest of key opposition leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday New Delhi’s objection came two days after Washington said it is closely following reports of Kejriwal s arrest and that it encourages a fair legal process Kejriwal whose Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governs the national capital territory and the northern state of Punjab, was arrested last week by the federal financial crime-fighting agency on corruption charges weeks before India begins voting in general elections on April 19 AAP all of whose main leaders are now imprisoned in connection with the case, says he has been falsely arrested in a fabricated case The federal government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deny political interference “India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted, the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents it said
Thursday 28 March 2024 LAHORE 06 NEWS
S
f C o r r e S p
n d e n t
ta f
o
velopment and no force can stop China’s scientific and technological development and progress ” the president said Xi also said China regards Europe as a partner and hopes the Dutch side will play a positive role in promoting mutual understanding between China and Europe and building a constructive relationship The Dutch prime minister affirmed that de-coupling is not a policy option for his government, as any act harming China’s development interests will hurt itself Rutte said the Dutch side values its friendship with China and is willing to deepen their partnership He expressed appreciation for China s 15-day visa-free travel policy for Dutch visitors, saying that his country is willing to facilitate personnel exchanges The Netherlands is ready to strengthen cooperation in economy and trade and reducing carbon emissions he said adding that the Dutch side will enhance coordination with China in multilateral settings such as the G20 as well as issues regarding regional and global hotspots
JERUSALEM ag e n C i e S
AMAS deputy military commander Marwan Issa was killed in an Israeli strike this month Israel s military spokesperson has confirmed With no sign of a ceasefire between the two sides, the separate conflict on the Israeli-Lebanese border continued to rage Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it launched dozens of rockets at Kiryat Shmona an Israeli town over the border Meanwhile, 12 people drowned trying to reach aid dropped by plane off a Gaza beach Issa was at the top of Israel’s mostwanted list together with Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’s military wing the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades and Hamas s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, who are believed to have masterminded the group s October 7 attack on southern Israel that triggered the Gaza war “We have checked all the intelligence ” Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement on Tuesday (March 26) Marwan Issa was eliminated in the strike we carried out around two weeks ago, he said Israeli emergency services said a Hezbollah rocket strike on Wednesday killed a factory
at the Islamist group s emergency
center in the village, the
Hezbollah
raeli strikes on southern Lebanon
already killed more than a half dozen medical personnel and rescue workers according to Lebanon s health ministry T h e d r o w n i n g o f 1 2 p e o p l e t r y i n g t o r e a c h a i d d r o p p e d b y p l a n e o ff a G a z a beach came amid growing fears of famine n e a r l y s i x m o n t h s i n t o I s r a e l ’s m i l i t a r y c a m p a i g n Video of the airdrop obtained by news agencies showed crowds of people running towards the beach in Beit Lahia in north Gaza, as crates with parachutes floated down, then people standing deep in water and bodies being pulled onto the sand In Washington, the Pentagon said three of the 18 bundles of airdropped aid into Gaza on Monday (March 25) had parachute malfunctions and fell into the water but could not confirm if anyone was killed trying to reach the aid It was the latest in a string of incidents involving deaths during aid deliveries in the crowded Palestinian enclave where some people are foraging for weeds to eat and baking barely edible bread from animal feed A piece of paper retrieved from Monday s airdrop said in Arabic written over an American flag that the aid was from the United
and relief
sources said
earlier on Wednesday had condemned the strikes on Habbariyeh Is-
had
g I s r a e l ’s q u a l i t a t i v e military edge in the region including its a i r c a p a b i l i t i e s G a l l a n t w a s s p e a k i n g t o reporters during his second day of meetings with senior U S officials in Washingt o n a t a t i m e w h e n w a r t i m e r e l a t i o n s b e t w e e n P r e s i d e n t J o e B i d e n a n d I s r a e l i Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have sunk to a new low U S Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said it was a moral and strategic imperative to protect Palestinian civilians in the war between Israel and Hamas and that the humanitarian catastrophe in besieged Gaza was getting worse H A M A S D E P U T Y ’ S D E AT H C O N F I R M E D A S I S R A E L - L E B A N O N AT TA C KS I N T E N S I F Y 18 Gazans die tr ying to collect airdropped aid GAZA STRIP ag e n C e S Twelve people drowned and at least six were killed in stampedes trying to recover aid airdropped into Gaza local authorities said on Tuesday The deaths occurred in the north of the besieged territory on Monday, with people rushing to collect packages dropped from planes along Gaza’s Mediterranean coast The UN humanitarian office called on Tuesday for Israel to revoke a ban on food deliveries to northern Gaza from the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA saying people there were facing a cruel death by famine Israel had earlier said it would stop working with UNRWA in Gaza, accusing the aid agency of perpetuating conflict The agency said Israel told it that it would no longer approve its food convoys to north Gaza Four such requests were denied since March 21 it said The decision must be revoked United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spokesperson Jens Laerke told a UN briefing in Geneva “You cannot claim to adhere to these international provisions of law when you block UNRWA food convoys ” A UNbacked report this month said famine was imminent and likely to occur by May in northern Gaza James Elder spokesperson for the UN children s agency Unicef in Gaza, described seeing paper thin children in a hospital in northern Gaza and incubators full of underweight babies from malnourished mothers “Tens of thousands of people crowd the streets ” he told the same briefing describing his latest visit to the north on Monday
BEIJING S ta f f C o r r e S p o n d e n t Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on people from all walks of life in both China and the U S to have more contacts and exchanges, continue to build a consensus, enhance trust, steer clear of disruptions and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation Xi made the remarks during his meeting with representatives from American business, strategic and academic communities in Beijing He called for bringing more tangible benefits to the people of the two countries and injecting more stability into the world Noting that the China-U S relationship is one of the most important bilateral relations in the world, Xi
Jaz z par tners with Huawei
Pakistan to accelerate network digitization through WISDOM framework
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t
Jazz, Pakistan’s leading digital operator, has entered into a strategic partnership with Huawei to accelerate its network digitization efforts using the WISDOM (WizTech Innovative Service assurance Diversification Operation Excellence & Mobile Money) framework The collaboration signifies Jazz's
Marriyum Aurangzeb chairs meeting to review progress on development projec ts
LAHORE
s ta f f r e p o r t
Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz has directed to undertake strict monitoring of development projects along with reviewing quality speed and transparency for timely completion of
UMT holds seminar on Pakistan’s Curriculum Development
Mobilink Bank launches ‘Center of Excellence for Women’ at Arid University
2.6m
particularly women farmers with the essential digital and financial tools they need to thrive in today s challenging landscape
Anti-Narcotics Force Ac ademy organizes workshop, seminar on Anti-Money L aundering, Counter-Terror Financing
J a m K a m a l c o n d u c t s i n - h o u s e p r e s e n t a t i o n t o a s s e s s f u t u r e p l a n s w i t h i n c o m m e r c e m i n i s t r y
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan on Wednesday conducted an in-house presentation to assess the government s future plans within the commerce ministry The presentation focused on key areas of development and strategies moving forward Following the presentation, a comprehensive review was undertaken to ensure alignment with the ministry s objectives The session highlighted the government s concerted efforts to prioritize commerce and trade initiatives aiming to enhance economic growth and prosperity Minister Jam Kamal Khan emphasized the importance of strategic planning and collaboration to capitalize on emerging opportunities and address challenges effectively With the in-house review completed the ministry is gearing up to present its findings and proposals to Prime Minister signaling a significant step towards shaping the country s economic agenda Minister Jam Kamal Khan expressed optimism about
Kaspersky warns of Android malwares capable of jeopardizing user privacy and securit y
KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t
Three new dangerous Android malware variants have been analyzed by Kaspersky researchers The Tambir, Dwphon, and Gigabud malicious programs exhibit diverse features, ranging from downloading other programs and credential theft to bypassing twofactor authentication and screen recording jeopardizing user privacy and security In 2023, Kaspersky
07 NEWS Thursday 28 March 2024 | LAHORE CORPORATE CORNER PR OFIT s ta f f r e p o r t B OTH the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) have denied any plans to update the current tiered gas billing system This proposed change would involve eliminating the existing slabs and discounts and transitioning to a flat-rate method Some media reports claimed that the federal government may update the current tiered gas billing system by ending slabs and discounts and moving towards a flat-rate method According to reports, this change will affect both domestic and industrial consumers equally, as everyone will be charged the same rate regardless of their gas consumption Under the new billing system the price per unit of gas (MMBtu) will be uniform across sectors including domestic, commercial, general industry, and even export-oriented consumers The exact price is yet to be finalized and awaits approval However it is expected to be around Rs 4 501 per MMBtu (excluding taxes) for consumers in Punjab Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the federal capital, media reports said On the flip side, sources within OGRA and SNGPL have contradicted these claims, stating that the government is in dire need of revenue and the gas slab system serves as a primary source of income in the energy sector Therefore the government is unlikely to take the risk of discontinuing this system Additionally, any decision regarding the gas pricing system is approved by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet Sources said that no such summary has been presented before the ECC It is better to recall that the SNGPL recently requested a 147% hike in gas tariffs The Sui company argued that the gas price needs to be raised to Rs 4 446 per MMBtu to reflect production costs Stakeholders of the gas sector also pointed out that existing gas prices have already forced numerous businesses to shut down, although Pakistan sells gas to some customers for as low as $4 per MMBtu while purchasing it internationally for $15 per MMBtu The OGRA chairman in a public hearing acknowledged the concerns of both consumers and gas companies and indicated that a final decision on gas price revisions will be made after careful consideration O G R A , S N G P L D E N Y A N Y P L A N S T O U P D AT E G A S B I L L I N G S Y S T E M S L A B S Y S T E M S E R V E S A S P R I M A R Y S O U R C E O F I N C O M E F O R G O V T KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t Mobilink Bank Pakistan s leading digital microfinance bank has reaffirmed its commitment to women s financial inclusion with the launch of the country’s first “Center of Excellence for Women” in partnership with Arid Agriculture University a leading agricultural institution in Pakistan to advance financial education In this joint endeavor, Mobilink Bank will serve as the exclusive financial partner for Arid University's outreach program which extends its services to approximately 200 rural villages in the Potohar region Alongside offering customized financial services, the Bank will actively contribute to advancing agricultural education by supporting financial literacy training skills development and capacity building for women Mobilink Bank is part of the VEON group a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160 million customers in six dynamic markets that are home to 7% of the world's population Pakistan s agricultural sector is a powerhouse contributing a substantial 24% to the GDP and engaging nearly half of the country s workforce Women constitute 45% of this agricultural labour force, predominantly employed on small farms Despite their critical role, women farmers encounter multiple challenges particularly in accessing financial services and technology Recognizing these challenges Mobilink Bank has taken proactive measures by launching the Center of Excellence for Women under its flagship initiative, the Women Inspirational Network (WIN) program to empower women promote financial inclusion bridge existing gender gaps and propel their economic growth Speaking about the initiative, Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary, Chief Operating Officer Mobilink Bank said “We are deeply committed to fostering growth within Pakistan s agricultural sector recognizing its vital role in the nation s rural landscape Currently, 40% of our borrowers are engaged in agriculture, highlighting our dedication to supporting those who form the backbone of rural communities Understanding their challenges we strive to empower them with innovative financial solutions One such initiative is our WIN program, which has already made strides by imparting valuable skills and knowledge to thousands of women nationwide We are poised to take another leap forward by partnering with Arid University With the launch of this center, we are expanding our reach and equipping more women
commitment to enriching the customer experience through the strategic implementation of innovative methodologies across its network infrastructure The partnership entails Huawei implementing the WISDOM framework a comprehensive approach aimed at boosting digital maturity and stimulating innovation within the organization Huawei will assess Jazz s current network components using industry standards, aiming to pinpoint immediate accomplishments through the identification of Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) By incorporating the WISDOM principles Jazz aims to maintain a leading position in the ever-evolving telecom industry Commenting on the development Abdul Rehman Usmani VP Network Development Jazz, said, We are excited to partner with Huawei and leverage the WISDOM framework, aligning with our vision to embrace digital innovation, as well as our DO1440 strategy to stay relevant to our customers throughout the day By embracing the principles of WISDOM Jazz seeks to build a resilient and future-ready network infrastructure that meets the evolving needs of its customers and stakeholders
out-of-school
education system KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t Land for building should be given to private schools while interest-free loans should be provided, laboratories and libraries should be set up in registered private educational schools All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association central president Malik Abrar Hussain's speech at the first meeting of the newly elected central executive body The first meeting of the newly elected central executive body of All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association was held yesterday at the head office of the association in Islamabad The meeting was presided over by Central President Dr Malik Abrar Hussain,While Senior Vice President Rana Sohail Ahmad Vice President Javed Iqbal Raja Secretary General Ashraf Haraj Zulfiqar Ali Siddiqui Irfan Muzaffar Kayani Malik Deen Muhammad Awan Qasim Abbas Asrar Bakhari Muhammad Ibrahim, Malik Hafeezur Rehman, Malik Shaukat Ali, Muhammad Arif Advocate, Qari Tariq Mehmood, Antak Hussain, Syed Abid Shah, Sardar Gul Zubair Khan, Dr Rukhsana Khan Nagina Younis and Sadia Ishaq also participated in the meeting and expressed their views On this occasion the meeting has demanded that there are more than two million and six million children out of school in the country, which is a big question mark on our education system The government should take concrete steps to bring the out-of-school children to school It was demanded in the meeting that the role of private education sector is above all for the educational development social and economic improvement of Pakistan ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t Anti Narcotics Force Academy organized a Workshop / Seminar on Anti Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism from 20th - 22nd March 2024 53 Investigation Officers and Public Prosecutors from ANF and Sister Law Enforcement Agencies benefited from the Workshop / Seminar Chief Instructor Anti Narcotics Force Academy Sahib Khan welcomed the audience and highlighted the importance of the workshop Experts from relevant stake holders on Anti Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism, including Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) State Bank of Pakista n (SBP) National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), FATF Secretariat and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Islamabad were invited as guest speakers Honorable Commandant Anti Narcotics Force Academy Brigadier Ghazi Kamal Kiani graced the Closing Ceremony on the final day of the Workshop / Seminar Commandant ANF Academy appreciated the earnest efforts of ANF Academy to provide a platform for capacity building on money laundering and terrorism financing related issues relevant to various stake holders He also highlighted Pakistan s efforts at policy, procedural and operational level to fulfill the requirements of FATF He underscored the importance of ANF as a vital link in “National Integrated Approach being a key member of various national forums on money laundering and terrorism financing As the task is multi sectoral endeavor, ANF is actively engaged with all stake holders namely MoI, NACTA FATF Secretariat FMU Police FIA NAB CTD and FBR for information sharing, cooperation and provision of data through a desk involving a dedicated focal person Anti Narcotics Force Academy (ANFA) strives to remain at the forefront of holding specialized courses and workshops for capacity building that in turn, feeds into the national efforts against money laundering and terrorism financing He stressed the need for continuous capacity building of investigation officers and prosecutors to better deal with the dynamics of assets investigation including financial intelligence to undertake proactive pursuance of assets investigation and money laundering cases British Investors invited to avail conducive investment oppor tunitues in Sindh KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t British High Commissioner Ms Jane Marriott along with Deputy High Commissioner Ms Sarah Mooney called on Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori at Governor House here today Bilateral relations, steps needed to further enhancement of the same and investment opportunities in Sindh province were discussed in detail on the occasion Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori said that the economic ties between the two countries were growing by every passing day which could be further expanded with the exchange of delegations in various fields, The help and assistance of British Government in Social sector of the province has resulted in improving quality of life of locals", he added He invited British Investors to get benefit from ideal investment opportunities available in the economic hub of Pakistan British investors would to provided every assistance with regards to investment in various sectors",he added British High Commissioner Ms Jane Marriott lauded public welfare initiatives of Governor Sindh She specially hailed his IT Initiative and termed it as a game changer for the youth of Sindh
children in Pakistan are a question mark on our
solutions blocked nearly 33 8 million attacks on mobile devices from malware adware and riskware highlighting a 50% global increase of such attacks from the previous year's figures Android malware and riskware activity surged in 2023 after two years of relative calm returning to early 2021 levels by the end of the year Last year Kaspersky detected more than 1 3 million unique malicious installation packages targeting the Android platform and distributed in various ways Among these were Tambir Dwphon and Gigabud malicious programs with the diverse features Tambir is a spyware application disguised as an IPTV app It collects sensitive user information such as SMS messages and keystrokes after obtaining the appropriate permissions Gigabud active since mid-2022, was initially focused on stealing banking credentials from users in Southeast Asia, but later crossed borders into other countries and regions It has since evolved into a fake loan malware and is capable of screen recording and mimicking tapping by users to bypass two-factor authentication Dwphon discovered in November 2023 targets cellphones from Chinese OEM manufacturers primarily targeting the Russian market The same malware earlier had been found in the firmware of a kids’ smart watch by an Israeli manufacturer distributed mainly in Europe and the Middle East Dwphon is capable of downloading, installing and deleting other applications on the device “Users should exercise caution and should avoid downloading apps from unofficial sources, meticulously reviewing app permissions Frequently, these apps lack exploitation functionality and depend solely on permissions granted by the user Furthermore using anti-malware tools can help preserve the integrity of your Android device, comments Hafeez Rahman, Technical group manager at Kaspersky
LAHORE s ta f f r e p o r t University of Management and Technology (UMT) organized a special seminar on Pakistan s Curriculum Development in which Provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat Khan participated as a special guest While talking to the students, he said that the decisions of one's fate cannot be made sitting in closed rooms, so educational reforms will be brought in consultation with all stakeholders Students will be taught all modern IT skills including Robotics and Python The education minister said that it was a pleasure to come to UMT while seeing that the future of Pakistan is being prepared in a wonderful educational environment The youth are the only hope and change With the help of youth, Pakistan will stand on its feet again Rana Sikandar Hayat further said that he is determined to bring Punjab to number one in the ranking of education and make Pakistan a significant country in the export sector as well He said that there is no shame in adopting a good policy of any party We will come up with a curriculum that will be requirements of the modern era The education minister said that now is the time to get out of the discussion of who is right and who is wrong only work for the betterment of the country We have to ponder why government educational institutions are not doing well as compared to private educational institutions Rana
Punjab government will give 500 scholarships to the youth for higher education The education minister told the students that he has started a series of surprise visits to ensure the immediate availability of basic facilities in the educational institutions
Sikandar said that the
these projects after every
months These
directions
being issued under
chair
Senior Provincial
Development
meeting
latest situation of such development projects being run through foreign financial assistance
viewed
11 development projects through the World Bank financial assistance
de-
projects through
Asian Development
fiscal
province
emergency
provision
facilities
further improve
enhance bilat-
cooperation
donor
leadership
3
CM
were
the
of
Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb during the Planning &
Board
The
was re-
during the meeting Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman apprised that
and 8
velopment
the
Bank
assistance are ongoing in the Punjab
Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb while addressing the meeting stated that the Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has directed to ensure
care in the Basic Health Centres along with
of ECG and other medical
Marriyum Aurangzeb apprised that CM Maryam Nawaz aspires to
and
eral
with the World Bank, ADB and other
agencies She highlighted that under the
of CM Punjab province would become progressive as well as prosperous through excellent planning and coordination She called for expediting the pace of work to ensure implementation for the establishment of Social Economic Registry for the provision of statistics Provincial Minister for Information Azma Bokhari Federal Secretary Doctor Kazim Niaz and Chairman P&D Board Nabeel Ahmad Awan participated in the meeting
Fladen vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers which was on its way from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu
Five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in the attack Gandapur said
The provincial police had reached the spot and launched relief operations The rest of the people in the convoy have been protected Gandapur said
Bisham SHO Bakht Zahir also confirmed that the incident claimed six lives of which five were Chinese engineers and one was a Pakistani
He said it was a suicide blast and the authorities concerned were collecting evidence Security arrangements were tightened at the spot and the bodies were being shifted to a hospital he further said
We will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened, the SHO said
Rescue 1122 station head Sheraz Khan said that the bodies were being shifted to the Bisham Tehsil Headquarters Hospital
The rescue official said that after the blast the vehicle with the Chinese passengers fell into a gorge and caught fire A rescue team then reached the spot and put out the fire, he added Dr Rehmat Ali, a spokesperson at the Dasu project, stated that the
US says it doesn’t suppor t progress on Pak istan-Iran gas pipeline projec t
PTI nominates Mar wat for PAC chairmanship
PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t
ATC puts off Imran’s bail in arson case till today; grants bails to Aliya Hamza, Sanam Javed
Most of c ypher copies returned to MoFA af ter FIA booked Imran, Q ureshi: Cour t record
EIGHT OUT OF NINE COPIES ‘NOT RETURNED’
The MoFA record showed that between March 8 and April 27, 2022, copies of the cypher were sent to the PM s secretary, president, chief of army staff, Inter-Services Intelligence chief, and Senate chairman Two copies each were also sent to the cabinet secretary and chief justice of Pakistan
Three copies DG ISI s Senate chairman s
Ali Muhammad Khan, a prominent leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has announced the nomination of Sher Fazl Marwat for the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Emphasizing the significance of the PAC chairmanship as an opposition privilege Khan asserted that it is not within the government s authority to dictate who leads the committee He dismissed any notion of factionalism within PTI, stating that despite internal discussions and differences the party remains united under the leadership of Imran Khan in the pursuit of safeguarding the electoral mandate Addressing a local TV program Khan highlighted the challenges faced by PTI, particularly during Imran Khan s incarceration, which led to the departure of key figures such as Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhary, Ali Zaidi, and Imran Ismail, creating a temporary vacuum within the party However he credited the resilience of PTI members and the support of legal professionals for navigating through turbulent times Referring to the legal battles faced by Imran Khan Khan reiterated the party s stance that the cases against their leader are baseless and politically motivated He referenced a statement by a finance officer during the Al-Qadir Trust case hearing which purportedly exonerated Khan from any wrongdoing reinforcing PTI s narrative of persecution
The
Delay in TAPI pipeline project raises concerns
9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and Section 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC)
They were accused of twisting and disclosing facts mentioned in the cipher for personal gains in a manner prejudicial to the state s security
The FIR also alleged that Mr Khan retained the confidential diplomatic cable, which had compromised the cipher encryption system used by Pakistan’s missions abroad According to the FIR, the inquiry was completed on October 5 2022 However Mr Khan’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar in a hearing on March 19 pointed out that a formal complaint was filed on Oct 12 2022
and justice was rendered without fear or favour
“This is a litmus test for the CJP and the SJC to rise to the occasion and be counted for doing the right thing by jealously defending the rights of an independent judiciary If they don t history and the people of Pakistan will not forgive them, he added
PTI Secretary General stated that Imran Khan, Bashra Bibi, Shah Mehmood Qureshi Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and their innocent women were in jail while innocent people were in the custody of
pRayeR timiNgS FA J R S U N R S E Z U H R A S R MAG H R I B I S H A 5 : 0 0 5 : 5 5 1 : 3 0 5 : 0 0 6 : 2 0 8 : 0 0 Thursday 28 March 2024 newS Published by Asad Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 Email: newsroom@pakistantoday com pk PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t
OLLOWING the suicide attack in Bisham tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa s Shangla, Tarbela 5th Extension project is suspended due to security reasons An official order has been released stating that “the project work is being suspended till further order due to security reasons from dated 26-03-2024 Due to which all site workers and office staff will be laid-off till further notification Soon after the incident, China has demanded a “thorough investigation” after five of its nationals and one Pakistani were killed in an attack on a convoy in Bisham tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa s Shangla according to the regional police chief and a station house officer (SHO) Reuters quoted Mohammad Ali Gandapur, the regional police chief, as saying that a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-
Chinese nationals were identified as four men and a woman adding that their bodies were being taken to Islamabad China s embassy demanded investigations into the attack T h e C h i n e s e e m b a s s y a n d c o ns u l a t e s i n P a k i s t a n h a v e i m m e d i a t e l y l a u n c h e d e m e rg e n c y w o r k , d e m a n d i n g t h a t t h e P a k i s t a n i s i d e c o n d u c t a t h o ro u g h i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o t h e a t t a c k s ev e r e l y p u n i s h t h e p e r p e t r a t o r s a n d t a k e p r a c t i c a l a n d e ff e c t i v e m e a s u r e s t o p r ot e c t t h e s a f e t y o f C h i n e s e c i t i z e n s t h e e m b a s s y s a i d i n a s t a t e m e n t TA R B E L A 5 T H E X T E N S I O N P R O J E C T S U S P E N D E D D U E T O S E C U R I T Y R E A S O N S PR OFIT R e u t e R S The US said it does not support a Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project from going forward and cautioned about the risk of sanctions in doing business with Tehran The Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline, known as the Peace Pipeline is a longterm project between Tehran and Islamabad and has faced delays and funding challenges for several years The pipeline would transport natural gas from Iran to neighboring Pakistan Iran and Pakistan had signed a fiveyear trade plan in August 2023 and set a bilateral trade target at $5 billion Pakistan s Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik said this week that his country was seeking a US sanctions waiver for the gas pipeline from Iran “We always advise everyone that doing business with Iran runs the risk of touching upon and coming in contact with our sanctions, and would advise everyone to consider that very carefully,” a US State Department spokesperson told reporters in a press briefing We do not support this pipeline going forward the spokesperson added saying that Donald Lu the State Department s top official for South and Central Asia, had said as much to a congressional panel last week A few weeks ago, Pakistan and Iran engaged, in tit-for-tat strikes when they exchanged drone and missile strikes on militant bases on each other ’s territory Washington’s relations with Iran have been thorny for a long time and the US has issued multiple rounds of sanctions on Iranian entities Officially allies in fighting extremism, Pakistan and the US have had a complicated relationship over the years bound by Washington s dependence on Pakistan to supply its troops during its long war in Afghanistan but plagued by accusations Islamabad played a double game Some Pakistani politicians have also accused Washington of meddling in Pakistan s domestic politics charges that Washington denies
g D o i n g b u s i n e s s w i t h I r a n w i l l e n c o u n t e r w i t h r i s k o f o u r s a n c t i o n s , s a y s U S S t a t e D e p a r t m e n t s p o k e s p e r s o n ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t When the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered a case against former prime minister Imran Khan for withholding a copy of a diplomatic cypher seven other state offices had not returned their copies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), court records show The confidential diplomatic cable, at the heart of the cipher trial against Mr Khan, was sent to nine top offices, and only the Presidency had returned the copy by the time a case was registered against the ex-PM and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Aug 15 2023 This is the gist of a reply submitted by MoFA on September 27, 2023, to an FIA letter about the status of the cipher s copies sent to various offices The
confidential document
revelation poses a daunting task for the FIA the prosecuting agency in the cipher trial as it will have to justify why only the former PM and foreign minister were singled out for prosecution when other state offices had yet to return their copies of the
Case against ex-PM FM filed on Aug 15 2023; documents show most other offices returned their copies in late September of that year Most of the recipients held on to their copies for well over a year and only returned them once proceedings against the ex-PM and his foreign minister were formally underway
copy
Mr
Mr
i
only exceptions among the eight recipients were the president who returned the document by June 15 2023 and foreign secretary who incidentally returned his
on the same date as the case against
Khan and
Qureshi was filed,
e Aug 15, 2023
and the cabinet secretary s second copy were returned to MoFA on Sept 26, 2023, only a day before FIA sought the record Interestingly, the FIA submitted its query on Sept 27, and MoFA replied the same day As per the reply the copies of the cipher sent to the cabinet secretary chief justice and army chief were also returned the same day The only copy marked not returned in MoFA s list was the one sent to the prime minister s secretary on March 8, 2022 The FIR, registered by the FIA s Counter Terrorism Wing in Islamabad, charged Mr Khan and Mr Qureshi under sections 5 and
LAHORE S
o R t
Anti-Terrorism court (ATC) Lahore postponed hearing on the bail plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in arson and three other cases till Thursday (tomorrow) and granted bails to Aliya Hamza Malik Sanam Javed and Ayesha Bhutta in the Shadman Police Station attack case ATC Judge Arshad Javed heard the bail plea of Imran Khan in arson and three other cases The court directed to make the complete arrangements for marking the video link attendance of the PTI founder During the hearing, the counsel for the former prime minister pleaded with the court to postpone the hearing Later the court asked the lawyers for arguments and adjourned the hearing till March 28 Bail plea of Aliya Hamza Sanam Javed approved Meanwhile the AntiTerrorism Court (ATC) approved the bail plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf s (PTI) leaders – Aliya Hamza Malik and Sanam Javed in the Shadman Police Station attack case of May 9 event Judge Arshad Javed heard the bail pleas of both the PTI leaders along with nine other cases of May 9 violent events During the hearing prosecutor stated that the women were part of the conspiracy against state in May 9 incidents He pleaded with the court to not grant bail to the accused women ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) called upon the Chief Justice of Pakistan to instantly constitute a larger bench to hold an open inquiry into a startling letter written by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) members documenting the brazen interference of the country’s intelligence apparatus in judicial affairs with damning evidence to specifically target PTI Founding Chairman Imran Khan Addressing a press conference along with PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan and PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that PTI strongly condemned the meddling into the judicial affairs by the intelligence agencies We demand that the inquiry, investigation and proceedings are conducted by the SC in open court because it is an extremely important for the independence of the judiciary ” he said PTI Chairman further said that the letter detailed revealed interference in p o l i t i c a l l y c o n s e q u e n t i a l m a t t e r s , adding that after the letter, it was clear t h a t d u e p r o c e s s w a s v i o l a t e d i n t h e cases against Imran Khan Therefore, Gohar demanded that all those decisions against Imran Khan should be declared null and void and he should be released without any further delay Moreover he said that the letter written by 6 judges of IHC to the SJC was a turning point for the judiciary of the country because it was not a letter rather than it was a charge sheet Gohar demanded that the steps should be taken for the safety and security of the six judges and their families who took a great step for the judicial independence PTI Chairman recalled that they had been talking about the state coercive tactics and meddling into the judicial affairs for the last two years, but finally the judges also mustered the courage and audacity to write a letter documenting all the proof how spy agencies were constantly interfered in the judicial proceedings and treated the judges to get favorable decisions He asserted that it became now crystal clear as how the cases against Imran Khan were conducted under duress and swiftly pronounced sentences against him Gohar recalled that police stormed at Zaman Park to arrest Imran Khan even though they did not have the certified copy of the order in this regard He demanded that apex court should constitute a larger bench similarly to the one constituted in the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case in all the cases framed against PTI Founding Chairman so as to ascertain as to why trials of cases against Khan were conducted on war-footing basis to unjustly sentence him, as they were even not given the right to crossexamine PTI Chairman pointed out that the judges had been intimidated and coerced into giving judgments based on political expediency raised a lot of questions on the fairness of the courts and their judgments over the last two years Gohar made it clear: “Politics is silent today We stand in solidarity with the judiciary ” adding that they wanted to tell the judiciary and legal fraternity that the entire PTI would stand by them in this just struggle of independence of judiciary Speaking on the occasion, PTI Secretary General termed the six judges letter as charge sheet and an indictment, as it highlighted the open interference of intelligence agencies in their working and putting tremendous pressure on them which was alarming and condemnable The system has been exposed and the rule of law no longer exists, he said, adding that it had now become clear that their only target was the prime minister Imran Khan, as judges were pressurized by abducing their relatives and installing bugging device inside their homes These actions have been highlighted by PTI time and again PM Imran Khan s cases have been adversely affected by such blatant interference and he is a political prisoner because of the malafide judgments given against him due to undue pressure on the Judiciary ” Omar maintained PTI Secretary General stressed that it was imperative that the judiciary was independent
ta f f R e p
The
military courts
for Turkmenistan PR OFIT N e w S D e S k Turkmenistan s ambassador has voiced concerns regarding the stalled progress of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project Despite a longstanding commercial agreement on gas sales and purchases among Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, the project has not advanced, particularly affecting Pakistan which faces regular gas shortages The issue was discussed in a meeting between Turkmenistan Ambassador Atadjan Movlamov and Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Dr Musadik Malik who reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the TAPI project The ambassador highlighted upcoming inter-governmental commission and working group meetings scheduled for this year, stressing the mutual benefits of the project Historically the TAPI pipeline has faced setbacks notably during negotiations for gas price revisions under Pakistan’s previous government, with Turkmenistan maintaining its stance against price adjustments The delay has fueled speculation about the project s viability amidst Pakistan s increasing reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports Pakistan in competition with Qatar and Iran for a share in the international gas market has been exploring various pipeline projects, including TAPI and the Iran-Pakistan (IP) pipeline However, U S sanctions on Iran have hindered progress on the IP project Meanwhile U S companies are collaborating with Qatari firms in gas extraction and sales, including to Pakistan Fazl
boycott of by-polls, countr ywide rallies
ta f f R e p o R t Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUIF) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday announced boycott of the by-elections scheduled to be held on April 21 In a video message Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the JUI-F rejected the results of the February 8 elections and now it would also boycott the by-elections We will struggle to establish a real Islamic welfare and democratic state Workers seek Allah’s help and start working from now ” the JUIF chief said He said in 2018 elections people’s right to vote was robbed while in the 2024 elections people s right to vote was killed We reject the [Feb 8] poll results We have to go to people We will take them in confidence and unite them for the right to vote, he said “By creating unity in the ranks of people, we will enable them to protect their vote Our stand is clear and we have decided to move forward for our rights We will hold rallies and a mammoth public rally will be held in Pishin on April 25 in which people from all over Balochistan will participate Maulana said PTI demands larger bench to probe into ‘brazen meddling’ in judicial affairs
announces
ISLAMABAD S
