He also expressed dedication to protecting human rights and promoting development together with Pakistan amid previous US concerns over freedom of speech and expression in the wake of social media disruptions in the South Asian country
The strong partnership established between the two nations will be strengthened, Biden was quoted as saying
On the other hand, after President Biden’s letter political leaders and experts had noted that the US President did not greet PM Shehbaz on assuming power or winning the elections
At a recent Congressional hearing senior US diplomat Donald Lu had been asked whether Washington recognised the new government in Pakistan
The question posed by Representative Tim Burchett was based on allegations of rigging and reports of irregularities in the recent February 8 elections US lawmakers and the State Department have repeatedly called for a thorough probe into the claims, while Lu suggested that the Election Commission of Pakistan may want to “re-do” some of the contests
However in his response at the time Lu had clarified that the US does not go around recognising new governments rather it just worked with the regime in power at the time
Last month, a cohort of US Democratic lawmakers had written to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging them to refrain from recognising the new government in Pakistan until allegations of election rigging were thoroughly investigated
10 dead, 12 injured as rain, hailstorm pummel par ts of KP
PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T
g MOVE AIMS TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY BY ENCOURAGING BANKS TO INCREASE THEIR FINANCING TO BUSINESSES
Ministries given targets to provide relief to people, fulfil IMF ’s condition: Tarar
The two-day-long spell of heavy rains coupled with hailstorm, battered parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa claiming 10 lives besides 12 other persons were injured in different rainrelated incidents, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said The provincial authority said that the affected districts in KP included Shangla, Bannu, Bajaur, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mansehra, Mohmand, Mardan North Waziristan Swat and Upper Dir Tragically eight of the deceased were children and two were women Among the 12 injured, nine were children, two were women, and one was a man the PDMA report said A total of 27 houses were damaged due to the collapse of walls and roofs in different districts, in which 3 houses were completely damaged and 24 houses were partially damaged the PDMA report said The PDMA has swiftly responded to the situation, providing relief items to affected individuals in various districts of the province To ensure a coordinated and effective response the PDMA has instructed the concerned district administrations to expedite relief activities The agency’s emergency center is fully operational and citizens are urged to call its helpline for assistance or to report any emergency situations
The PDMA continues to monitor the situation closely and is working with local authorities to provide necessary support to those affected by the heavy rains and hailstorms inclement weather Residents in affected areas are advised to stay indoors if possible and avoid crossing flooded areas Motorists should exercise caution on the roads, as visibility may be reduced and roads may be slippery
In par tnership with Profit M o n d a y, 1 A p r i l , 2 0 2 4 I 2 1 Ra m a z a n , 1 4 4 5 R s 5 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 2 7 4 I 3 6 Pa g e s I Ka r a c h i E d i t i o n PAKISTAN ATTACHES HIGH IMPORTANCE TO TIES WITH US: PM RESPONDS TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S LETTER PR OFIT M O N I T O R I N G D E S K The government has unveiled a new tax policy that imposes an additional 10% to 16% tax on banks whose lending to the private sector falls below 50% of their total deposits as reported by Express Tribune This move aims to stimulate economic activity by encouraging banks to increase their financing to businesses, particularly as borrowing costs are expected to decrease The State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) policy rate which has reached a record high of 22% has led to an increase in loan defaults by businesses and households alike in 2023 Consequently the banking sector experienced a significant rise in non-performing loans (NPLs), reaching a 14-year peak at Rs62 billion According to Topline Research, banks with an advance-to-deposit ratio (ADR) below 40% will now be subject to a 16% tax on income earned from government debt securities such as treasury bills and Pakistan Investment Bonds A lower tax rate of 10% will apply to banks with an ADR above 40% but below 50%, while those maintaining an ADR above 50% will be exempt In 2023 the majority of banks listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) had an ADR below the 50% threshold with Samba Bank Faysal Bank and The Bank of Punjab being notable exceptions Sana Tawfik, an economist at Arif Habib Limited, explained that banks faced this tax in 2022 but were exempt in 2023 The tax has been reinstated for 2024 with some banks awaiting further clarification in the upcoming budget The tax reintroduction could lead banks to limit deposit acceptance to meet ADR requirements artificially a practice observed in December 2023 to avoid the tax for 2022 Tawfik suggested that a new mechanism for monitoring ADR compliance more frequently could encourage genuine lending increases to the private sector However some banks remain cautious about taking additional risks in a high-interest-rate environment that could lead to more NPLs
Gov t introduces tax on banks for low private sector lending
TA F F R E P O R T The federal government on Sunday jacked up the price of petrol by Rs9 66 per litre for the next fortnight, starting April 1, 2024, which would have a serious inflationary impact on the lives of ordinary citizens especially ahead of Eidul Fitr The government however decreased the rate of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs3 32 After the hike, the price of petrol reached Rs289 41 while HSD is available at Rs282 24 According to a notification issued by the finance ministry the price of petrol was increased as per the recommendation of the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) The Finance Ministry said in a statement that the changes were due to a corresponding rise in petrol prices and a decrease in HSD prices in the international market It added the change was in line with the government s policy of passing on price variations in the international market to the domestic market The new prices of petroleum products will be effective from April 1 2024 (today) Meanwhile the prices of kerosene oil and light-diesel oil were reduced by Rs2 27 and Rs 38 per litre, respectively, to Rs186 39 and Rs167 80 Kerosene is mostly used by unscrupulous elements who mix it with petrol and to some extent for lighting and heating in remote areas Light diesel oil is consumed by flour mills and a couple of power plants Petrol is predominantly used in motorbikes and cars as an alternative to compressed natural gas (CNG) especially in the Punjab province where indigenous gas is not available at CNG retail outlets HSD is primarily used in the agriculture and transport sectors, and this price reduction may help alleviate inflation to some extent The recent increase in petrol price is attributed to a rise in the premium from $12 15/barrel to $13 507/barrel marking a $1 45/barrel increment The new prices of petroleum products will be implemented at 12am, which will remain applicable for the next 15 days The decision followed up on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif s announcement on March 15 in which he increased the price of diesel by Rs1 77 per litre while keeping the price of petrol unchanged G o v t ra i s e s Pe t ro l p ri c e b y R s 9 . 6 6 p e r l i t re f o r n ex t f o r t n i g h t LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday that all ministries had been given targets during the cabinet meeting to fulfill International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions and provide relief to the masses Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said that in yesterday s meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave short, medium and long-term targets to all ministries aimed at bringing betterment to the lives of the people “The Cabinet consists of experienced people youths seasoned politicians and technocrats he added He said that the Prime Minister had decided to evaluate the performance of each ministry and key performance indicators had also been set for them “By using the latest technology achievement of targets given to ministries will be monitored He added that written instructions have been issued to all the ministries in which they have been informed about the targets they have to meet, he added Tarar said that targets had been given on the basis of realistic approach like the finance ministry had been given the target to reduce inflation and unemployment, increase GDP growth restructuring of loans and digitalization of the Federal Board of Revenue He said that ministers which would show good performance would be appreciated, adding that a self-accountability system had also been evolved and key performance indicators of ministries would be evaluated using modern IT interventions “Reducing trade deficit promoting vocational training increasing forex boosting exports in the IT sector activate facilities like PayPal, activating wifi hotspots and introducing latest digital system across the country are some clear and key targets,” he added Briefing about the targets of the Interior Ministry Attaullah Tarar said that the ministry had been asked to launch a crackdown against illegal weapons devise a new system to stop terrorism, take action against illegal foreign residents in the country and stop smuggling “Meetings were held related to the security of the Chinese and how to take preemptive action to curb terrorism on the basis of intelligence information, Attaullah Tarar said and added that coordination between the Centre and provinces would also be checked in this regard on the same pattern on which National Action Plan implementation had been supervised Regarding targets of the Law ministry, the Information Minister said that steps had been taken for making laws for the protection of minorities and an eportal would be made for passed laws in the country He said that till September 2024 a report related to human rights would be prepared and targets related to implementation of laws would also be checked About targets of the Ministry of Industries, Attaullah Tarar said that a target had been given related to Industrial Development Regulatory Authority and promotion of ship breaking industry He said that in Pakistan the minerals sector had a lot of potential adding that a target related to exploration of minerals and their export had also been given
ISLAMABAD S
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
R I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday responded to President Joe Biden s letter and reiterated Islamabad s desire to work with the United States (US) for global peace and security, the Prime Minister s Office said This week in the first top-level contact between the US and Pakistan during President Biden’s tenure in office the US president assured Shehbaz Sharif of his administration s full support in addressing the critical challenges facing the region, signifying a thaw in frosty USPakistan relations following the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan and the subsequent allegations by Pakistan’s former premier Imran Khan of a US conspiracy against his administration The US president s outreach marked a notable shift from the previously perceived indifference, evident in the absence of direct communication with Khan’s government The correspondence underscores a potential recalibration of bilateral relations with the US president describing the partnership between the two countries people as crucial for global and local security In response to Biden s letter, PM Shehbaz said that Islamabad attached key importance to its relations with the United States, noting that both countries were working together on important initiatives in the fields of energy climate change agriculture health and education Pakistan wants to work with the United States to achieve the shared objectives of global peace and security, and regional prosperity and development,” PM Shehbaz said in his letter, welcoming cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector and the Green Alliance initiative The Green Alliance framework seeks to promote renewable energy sustainable agriculture and green transportation, and aims to create opportunities for economic growth and development in Pakistan by investing in sustainable infrastructure innovation and research and development In his letter the US president had specifically mentioned of the Green Alliance initiative saying his administration would continue to work with Pakistan for environmental improvement Biden also spoke of sustainable agricultural development water management and recovery from the devastating effects of the 2022 floods in Pakistan
US will stand with Pakistan in facing the most critical challenges of the time and region, Biden was quoted as saying in an official statement released by the Pakistani authorities on Friday “Public health protection economic growth and education for all are shared visions that will continue to be promoted together
P
The
C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 PR OFIT N E W S D E S K Tax collection by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in March nearly reached its goal falling short by Rs1 billion according to provisional data released on Saturday The collected amount for March was Rs878 billion, slightly below the target of Rs879 billion This represents a 32 62% increase from the Rs662 billion collected in the same month the previous year Adjustments in the books are expected to refine these numbers further Additionally with the data covering up to March 30 the FBR anticipates additional revenue on the last day of the month In the fiscal year to date, from July to March, the FBR has gathered Rs6 709 trillion, surpassing its target by Rs1 billion This performance offset the deficits recorded in January and February attributing to a robust collection in March 2024 For the fiscal year 2024 the government aims to collect Rs9 415 trillion marking a 30% increase from the previous year s revised figure of Rs7 2 trillion Notably, revenue from imports is on the rise contributing to this growth However details on sales tax refunds for the first nine months have not been disclosed Efforts to widen Pakistan s tax base include the implementation of a digital system targeting professional service providers, including lawyers, doctors, and engineers Currently, the country has approximately 2 3 million taxpayers, with corporate tax filers constituting 0 8% of commercial and industrial electricity consumers and GST-registered entities accounting for 13% of the taxpayer population Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has prioritized digitalization to curb financial leakages and improve efficiency Despite the existence of the FBR Track and Trace system for several years it has yet to yield the expected outcomes Addressing the Rs1 7 trillion litigation backlog in tribunals remains a significant challenge, with previous finance ministers struggling to reduce this figure g FOR FY2024, GOVT AIMS TO COLLECT RS9 415TR, MARKING 30% INCREASE AGAINST LAST YEAR'S REVISED FIGURE OF RS7 2TR FBR revenue collection increases 33% in March, nearing Rs879b target g REITERATES ISLAMABAD ’S DESIRE TO WORK WITH US FOR GLOBAL PEACE, SECURITY g W E L C O M E S C O O P E R AT I O N B E T W E E N T W O C O U N T R I E S I N E N E R G Y S E C TO R, G R E E N A L L I A N C E I N I T I AT I V E
F‘Specialized force’ formed to tackle street crimes in Karachi: Sindh IGP
g Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has given his approval for the strategy
PbBC, HCBA Abbottabad back Jillani-led commission to probe judges’ letter
of the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government which has received great popularity in very short span of time and apart from public convenience, it has become a stable and profitable institution
This modern transport system, he said, has not only been liked by the local population but also won awards at the global level due to its excellent quality at a time when our staunch opponent regime was imposed here under the garb of caretaker government Ad powered by advergic com
These so-called caretakers tried their hardest to suppress the entire PTI leadership
‘NA-207 By-Polls’:
abduction allegation baseless: Ghani
on Sunday said that the candidate s abduction allegations being levelled against the PPP were baseless and the PTI was trying to taint the victory of Aseefa Bhutto from NA-207 through such allegations “The People’ Party has always won the Nawabshah NA seat The PTI candidate even didn’t challenge the decision of rejection of his nomination papers Saeed Ghani clarified He said the rival candidate against Aseefa Bhutto has no political mettle and they should accept the result Aseefa Bhutto daughter of the PPP co-Chairman and
Siddiqui terms Imran,
KARACHI s tA f f R e p o R t In response to the recent surge in street crime incidents in Karachi, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has initiated a strategic crackdown, and formed a specialized force to tackle the criminals in the metropolis Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Ghulam Nabi Memon convened a high-level meeting with the city s top police officers During the meeting, IGP Memon strategically allocated the responsibility of handling the most critical cases to a team of 67 officers from Karachi’s police force with a total of 60 officers will be deployed from various districts, along with seven elite members from the SIU A m o n g t h e k e y d i r e c t i v e s i s s u e d b y I G M e m o n t h e S p e c i a l I n v e s t i g a t i o n U n i t ( S I U ) h a s b e e n e n t r u s t e d w i t h t h e t a s k o f a p p r e h e n d i n g t h e s u s p e c t s i n t h e r o b b e r y - r e s i s t a n c e m u r d e r c a s e a f t e r w h i c h t h e m u r d e r o n r e s i s t i n g r o b b e r y w i l l a u t o m a t i c a l l y b e t r a n s f e r r e d t o S I U Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Adeel Chandio has been assigned an important role in leading the charge against the culprits IG Memon has underscored the importance of resolving cases within a timely framework each investigating officer is slated to handle between 10 to 12 cases concurrently, to expedite the investigative process and bring perpetrators to justice without undue delay IG Memon has outlined a comprehensive strategy allocating resources and manpower to ensure swift and effective resolution of cases Furthermore, IG Memon has pledged generous incentives to motivate and equip officers with essential resources such as computers and fuel allowances along with cash rewards IG Ghulam Nabi Memon emphasized the importance of providing expert subordinate officers to bolster case development He reiterated that cases under the jurisdiction of any officer would be thoroughly investigated under his oversight Additionally, IG Memon announced his intention to petition the g o v e r n m e n t f o r t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f specialized courts dedicated to handling these critical cases Stressing the urgency of swift justice he highlighted the need to expedite proceedings, noting that cases lingering for 5 5 years were unacceptable Furthermore IG Memon took charge of the decision-making process during the meeting underscoring his commitment to addressing the pressing challenges facing law enforcement in Karachi IG Memon has vowed to engage with government stakeholders to ensure the requisite support for these initiatives Mo day 1 Ap il 2024 | KARACHI 02 NEWS KARACHI s tA f f R e p o R t
ORMER Sindh Governor and prominent leader of the Muslim League-N Muhammad Zubair voiced grave concerns over Pakistan s economic condition According to Zubair the number of individuals living below the poverty line has surged to 110 million, while the count of unemployed citizens has surpassed 20 million In his statement Zubair highlighted Pakistan s recurring reliance on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial assistance, labeling it a world record” as the country prepares to enter its 24th IMF program He emphasized that while the elite class remains largely unaffected by these programs, it is the common people who bear the brunt of the economic burden Expressing dissatisfaction with the current political landscape Zubair hinted at the need for a new political entity citing controversies surrounding the major political parties He also criticized the decision to bring in a finance minister from outside the ruling party, stating that it undermines accountability Zubair who clarified that he is not actively involved in the decision-making process of his party expressed concerns about the narrative of integrity in politics He lamented the lack of attention given to crucial ministries such as Foreign Affairs stressing their potential to attract significant investments into the country In light of recent developments, Zubair speculated on the potential reinstatement of Ishaq Dar as Finance Minister foreseeing tough decisions ahead in the IMF-proposed budget He cautioned that in such scenarios individuals might be made scapegoats for any perceived shortcomings Zubair s remarks underscore the pressing need for comprehensive economic reforms and effective governance to alleviate the financial strain on Pakistan s populace POVERT Y LINE HITS 110MLN, UNEMPLOYMENT 20MLN IN PAKISTAN, SAYS ZUBAIR
of tur tles killed through electrocution in Chiniot CHINIOT s tA f f R e p o R t The tranquil flow of the Chenab River, known for its rich biodiversity, was shattered by a heart-wrenching incident that unfolded on Sunday as hundred of turtles killed through electrocution in Chiniot says in media reports Local authorities confirm that hundreds of turtles vital members of the river ecosystem, succumbed to this ruthless act of exploitation The citizens of Chiniot demand action from the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Minister to take action against those responsible for this heinous act The demand for justice extends beyond mere retribution; citizens are also calling for measures to prevent similar incidents in the future Stricter regulations and enforcement are deemed essential to safeguard the vulnerable inhabitants of Chenab River from further harm
Hundreds
KARACHI s tA f f R e p o R t Sindh Minister Saeed Ghani
President Asif Ali Zardari, has been elected unopposed as member of National Assembly (MNA) after three opponents withdrew nomination papers Aseefa Bhutto was elected to National Assembly seat in Shaheed Benazirabad NA-207 which fell vacant after her father Asif Ali Zardari was elected as 14th President of Pakistan The Returning Officer (RO) confirmed that 11 candidates initially submitted their nomination papers for the by-election However, after scrutiny, only four of them, including Aseefa, had their papers approved In a brief statement the Election Commission of Pakistan said that the remaining three candidates withdrew their nomination papers resulting in election of Aseefa Bhutto as MNA unopposed
Candidates’
PESHAWAR s tA f f R e p o R t The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Sunday decided to give role to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to promote tourism as well wherein the task is being assigned to the KP Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) in this regard Similarly BRT service is being seriously considered to be expanded to the divisional headquarters and major cities of the province, including Abbottabad and Dera Ismail Khan This modern urban transport system will have certain new features too The huge resources thus required for this purpose will be arranged through the sponsors so that there is no burden on the provincial exchequer or the public and no extra taxes has to be levied This was revealed by Zahid Chanzeb the Advisor to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tourism, Culture and Archeology, while meeting Fahad Cheema, Public Relations Manager of BRT Daewoo who called on him in Peshawar Zahid Chanzeb said that BRT is the flagship project
as well as withheld BRT’s own revenue funds to thwart this excellent public transport service but none of their nefarious intentions
at all the appropriate levels He said in the first phase a charming advertising campaign of KPCTA will be launched through BRT buses and stations consisting documentaries and films on the culture and heritage of this historical city, as well as the tourist and serene spots of the entire province that will also certainly be source of fun and interest for the passengers Fahad Cheema offered to run such an advertising campaign at Daewoo buses and addas across the country where millions of passengers travel daily Adviser Tourism welcomed this offer and indicated proper arrangements in this regard
succeeded except earning the immense public hatred”, he maintained The Adviser Tourism said that these caretakers probably had a misconception that they would succeed in squandering its assets by failing BRT like that of the Government Transport Service (GTS) in the past Zahid Chanzeb felicitated the entire BRT management for winning the global award for the second time in a row and said that the present PTI government under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur will continue to encourage BRT
LAHORE s tA f f R e p o R t The Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) has welcomed the commission led by former chief justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani appointed to investigate allegations levelled by six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) PbBC Vice-Chairman Kamran Bashir Mughal expressed optimism that Justice Jillani would conduct an unbiased, fair, and free inquiry into the matter He stated that the recommendations provided by Justice Jillani would enhance the independence transparency and honor of the judiciary Similarly the High Court Bar Association Abbottabad (HCBA) has extended its full support to Justice Jillani s appointment for the commission HCB is hopeful that the commission will thoroughly investigate the matter and propose recommendations to prevent interference in judicial affairs HCBA labelled the demands for the resignation of chief justice of IHC and the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) as unconstitutional HCB Abbottabad emphasized its commitment to the rule of law and condemned any unconstitutional and undemocratic practices PTI rejects the commission demands in-service judge appointment It is noteworthy that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected the commission led by Tassaduq Jillani to probe the matter of the letter tabled by IHC judges PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stressed the need for a commission led by in-service judges rather than retired ones He advocated for a commission formation similar to those seen in the memogate and election inquiry cases which were led by the then-active Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk SNGPL unear ths huge theft in Lower Dir, disconnects 4 5km-long illegal pipeline SWAT s y e D s h A h A b u D D i N The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Company (SNGPL) Malakand region disconnected a 4 5km-long line in a grand operation conducted on a tip-off in six villages of Lower Dir According to the company s officials more than 450 connections were illegally obtaining gas from this pipeline They said the operation was carried out in the villages of Damamu, Awlia Banda, Bandgai, Tangay, Nakhtaro Koto and Shigai areas of Dir lower According to the regional head Malakand Division of Sui northern gas Engineer Mirwais Khan the company’s teams from Swat Batkhela and Dir participated in the operation He said that the operation was carried out early in the morning due to continuous resistance from the locals and during the operation, 4 5 km-long, 4 inch diameter pipe was disconnected and all illegal connections were cut off Eng Mirwais Khan further said that more than 450 illegal connections were made from this pipeline in these six villages and gas worth Rs110 million was being stolen The details of the perpetrators are being collected and regular letters are being sent to the respective police stations for legal action against these persons ” he said Abu Dhabi targets 178,000 new jobs, 39 3m tourists by 2030 PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Abu Dhabi has laid out ambitious plans under its Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 aiming to significantly bolster its economy by creating 178 000 job opportunities and attracting 39 3 million visitors by the end of the decade Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has given his approval for the strategy, which seeks to pivot the emirate’s economy towards more diverse non-oil sectors The strategy outlines a goal to reach a revenue of AED90 billion by 2030 as part of broader efforts to transition away from an oil-dependent economy This move is designed to ensure long-term economic stability and growth through sustainable practices and diversified sources of income In the past year alone Abu Dhabi witnessed a remarkable 30% increase in tourist arrivals surpassing 24 million visitors and generating AED49 billion in revenue for the local economy The hotel industry made a significant contribution to this success, bringing in AED6 4 billion The announcement came during a meeting of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council where Sheikh Khaled reviewed various government initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for citizens through enhanced infrastructure facilities and community services The Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 is part of a larger vision to transform Abu Dhabi s social and economic landscape in line with the objectives of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, emphasizing sustainable development and economic diversification
jail
agreement mocker y
law, prison manual ISLAMABAD s tA f f R e p o R t Senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League (N), Irfan Siddiqui Sunday said that the written agreement between the superintendent of Adiala Jail and PTI founder Imran Khan under the directions of Islamabad High Court paramount to an open mockery of the law regulations and prison manual Such a written agreement between the jail administration and a convicted prisoner is unprecedented , he said Irfan Siddiqui said, “Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz Yusuf Raza Gilani and other dozens of prominent political leaders have been in jails but there is no example of such a written agreement with any of them despite the fact that no one was convicted in such cases of serious nature as Imran Khan In a statement issued from Islamabad, Senator Irfan Siddiqui said that the agreement stated that this is being done in the light of instructions of the Islamabad High Court Senator Siddiqui said that if on the instructions of the High Court the convicted prisoner can be given the right to determine the number days and time of his visitors and appoint coordinators then why can t this right be extended to around 5,000 prisoners in Adiala Jail and 90,000 prisoners in prisons across the country? I see that people have started dying from having their throats cut by kite string These are kids on the pillions of motorbikes, and the string has been coated with crushed glass To be fair to the kite-flier, and the maker of the special string, their intention is not to cut the throats of young kids, but to cut the strings of other kites But the kid is still dead Of course if one were to go with what the late President Pervez Musharraf said that Basant earned foreign exchange (from all those Indian visitors) would one mind these children dying? It s interesting, but he was President when kite-flying was banned The fact that kids still die shows that fanatics are still at it Still I couldn’t help wondering Why would anyone fly a kite? Kite flying is a competitive sport which means that others have to be flying kites so that one sends up one s own with the intention of cutting their strings If you do, you are a public benefactor, because the cut kite will be looted by some urchin, the one who chased after it longest and hardest You have also benefited the city’s orthopaedic surgeons, because some of the urchins who tried didn’t give up the chase because they decided to let the better man win but because they stumbled or maybe misjudged a jump fell and broke one or more bones There may be a small minority who just send up a kite because they enjoy flying it But why do they get twine with Manja on it? Are they on the lookout for other kites? Manja has become a sort of deterrent as well But the end result is that some kid gets his throat cut It’s not the winning kite that kills but the losing almost as if it s proverbially kicking a stone on the road It seems that these days you could get kites as well as string online Why don t they come up with a programme that lets them fly kites online In fact, why don t you get kites flown in what is probably going to be the next big thing after AI–VR or virtual reality Virtual reality will let the kite flyers to slit as many throats as they want in VR without anyone getting hurt in the real world Nobody was flying any kites at Besham, which was where some terrorists attacked a convoy of Chinese engineers working on the Dassu hydroelectric project I know the knee-jerk reaction is to blame India for everything but in this case it would certainly benefit Motive however alone is insufficient proof of guilt However the motive has to be proven If someone can show (which is highly unlikely), that he has a good reason to be in a room full of valuables in the dead of the night, he’ll get off The prosecution wouldn’t find it very hard, but it would have to prove that he was there to steal the valuables Of course much of the prosecution’s case would go up in smoke if the defence could show there were no valuables in the room But if the prosecution could prove that it was well-known the room had valuables motive would be shown Of course, the accused would have to be there illegally If he was snoring in bed at home, he couldn’t very well be convicted of attempted theft or breaking and entering So while India has the motive that isn’t proof enough Our government is going very carefully about this because accusing India will mean accusing the USA which i don t think our government wants to do Does all this mean that the TTP and the Baloch nationalists are ‘tight’ with the Americans? Possible, but that would mean that the Left and the Right are on the same side Meanwhile Aitchison College’s Principal has resigned because of Governor Balighur Rehman s interference and Ahad Cheema s son s fee The Principal was on his way out everyone says but so was the Governor, who is to be replaced by a PPP nominee after the Senate elections on Tuesday Reminds me of 1993, when the solution of the NawazIshaq tussle was both resigning Nawaz dissolved the National Assembly and Ishaq went on leave till the end of his term And the rest as they say is history Well history is being made at Aitchison too KP govt mulls BRT ser vice expansion to divisional headquar ters: Advisor M anja at Aitchison or in Besham? City Notes M A N i A z i
admin’s
of
PSFD signs agreements for funding two hydro power projects in A JK
S indh’s 5000 years old histor y teaches love, peace & brotherhood: Z ulfiqar S hah
THATTA
ta f f R e p o R t
Jo Daro and other
Ministries given targets to provide relief to people, fulfil IMF’s condition: Tarar
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He said that a target had been given with regard to ease of doing business besides a target to devise trade and bilateral trade agreements with friendly countries He said that the Trade Ministry had been asked to bring National Trade Policy in the cabinet by April 30 and get it approved T h e I n f
g y r e l a t e d t o N a t i o n a l H u n a r m a n d i b y S e p t e m b e r 1 About the targets of the Ministry of Privatisation, Attaullah Tarar said that PIA privatisation should be completed at the earliest He said that talks with commercial banks related to outstanding dues had reached a logical conclusion Attaullah Tarar said that that privatization of PIA would yield positive results on the country s economy, adding that efforts were being made to overcome loopholes in the tax system H e s a i d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e b u s i n e s s m e n w h o w e r e p l a y i n g a s i g n i f i c a n t r o l e i n s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e c o u n t r y ’s e c o n o m y a n d w h o w e r e b i g t a x p a y e r s h a d b e e n r e w a r d
y s H e s a i d , P r i m e M i n i s t e r S h e h b a z S h a r i f h a s f u l l p o t e n t i a l a n d h e k n o w s h o w t o e x e c u t e p l a n s a n d g e t d e s i r e d results ” Responding to another query he said that the PML-N government believed in taking practical measures as the party had constructed 12 motorways, produced 12,000
shot dead by shopkeeper in Rawalpindi
and killing the bandit on the spot The police spokesperson stated that the robbers looted the shopkeeper of Rs 40,000 and a mobile phone However, the body of the dead robber has been shifted to the hospital In a similar incident, a mother-daughter duo fought off an armed man and foiled a robbery at her house in Begumpet police said As per details the woman and her daughter were alone at their house when the incident occurred Police have taken two persons into custody According to information available at the time of going to print, the mother and daughter raised an alarm on noticing the assailant and attacked him On hearing their screams, neighbors gathered and nabbed the assailant He tried to open fire but was overpowered police said Police said that the two persons entered the house and threatened the woman and her daughter at gunpoint Police have seized a country-made revolver and five live rounds from the assailants
Ayaz , Mustafa Shah extend warm felicitation to Christian communit y on Easter
ISLAMABAD
S ta f f R e p o R t
Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah have extended warm felicitations to the Christian Members of the Parliament and the Christian community on the occasion of Easter The Speaker said that the role of non-Muslim communities in the development of Pakistan is an irrefutable reality Ayaz Sadiq also said that the constitution imparts provision of all basic rights to minorities Speaker in his message on the eve of Easter urged the parliamentarians and citizens to pro-actively play their part in peace-keeping and in promotion of inter-faith harmony as these are the prerequisites for socio-economic prosperity and a progressive society In addition, he reaffirmed that the rights and privileges of all citizens, irrespective of their religious beliefs are guaranteed and safeguarded by the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Moreover the Speaker stressed on the need for engaging in legislation aimed at enhancing inter-faith harmony while adopting a non-partisan approach and working beyond party lines for the betterment of all the non-Muslim communities of Pakistan
a c t t h a t t h e C h i n e s e e n g i n e e r s h a v e s a c r i f i c e d e v e r y t h i n g a n d c a m e t o P a k i s t a n t o h e l p b u i l d i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d d a m s f o r t h e u p l i f t o f P a k i s t a n i p e o p l e S h e h r y a r A f r i d i u r g e d C h i n a a n d P a k i s t a n i g o v e r n m e n t s t o f o c u s d e v e l o p m e n t o f i n f r a s t r u c t u r e i n P a k , A f g h a n b o r d e r i n g a r e a s a n d t o e d u c a t e a n d e m p l o y y o u t h a s e d u c a t i o n a n d e m p l o y m e n t c a n h e l p f i g h t t h e m e n a c e o f t e r r o r i s m i n f a r - f l u n g a n d u n d e r - d e v e l o p e d t r i b a l a r e a s A f r i d i a l s o c a l l e d f o r c e
LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t
UNJAB Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has emphasised the importance of ensuring freedom of worship and providing complete protection to all citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs According to handout issued here on Sunday she was addressing the Easter ceremony in Sheikhupura The CM vowed to take a firm stand against any form of hate or prejudice directed towards minorities, affirming her commitment to safeguarding their rights She extended heartfelt greetings to the entire Christian community on behalf of PML-N Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif The CM expressed pride in attending a convent school from the age of four until 10th grade She attributed her personal growth and development not only to her parents but also to the teachers and the staff at that school Maryam Nawaz credited her achievement as the first female chief minister of any province in the nation’s history to her teachers also She highlighted the importance of discipline and cleanliness instilled in her by the school stating that it played a pivotal role in her life after her parents She shared that her father, Nawaz Sharif, had always emphasized the importance of minority rights She expressed appreciation for the first Sikh minister and congratulated him on his appointment She lauded the achievements and contributions of the Christian community, as well as individuals like Justice Cornellius for promoting the rule of law and fair justice and Cecil Chaudhry for rendering invaluable services in the Pakistan Air Force The CM also visited the residential locality of the Christian community in the suburbs of Sheikhupura and presented Easter grant cheques to the Christian families She also cut the Easter cake jointly with the Christian leaders Later CM also visited the National Holy site located at Maryam Church Maryamabad and distributed an Easter grant among the Christian families Around 10,000 Christian families were granted Rs 5 000 Eidi per family across Punjab She participated in the Easter prayer ceremony The Father of Maryamabad Church Tariq George recited the Bible The CM also planted a hover sapling in the corridor of the church Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora Provincial Minister for Human Rights Khalil Tahir Sindhu Secretary Human Rights & Minority Affairs Ali Bahadur Qazi also addressed the ceremony Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw and Emmanuel Ather also addressed the distinguished ceremony Federal Minister Rana Tanvir Hussain, F o r m e r S e n a t o r P e r v a i z R a s h i d , S e n i o r Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Provincial I n f o r m a t i o n M i n i s t e r A z m a B o k h a r i A s s e m b l y M e m b e r s B i s h o p I r f a n J a m i l B i s h o p A l e x a n d e r J o h n M a l i k B i s h o p N a d e e m K a m r a n C h u r c h o f P a k i s t a n M a j i d A b e l o f N a u l a k h a C h u r c h a n d Bishop Azad Marshall Church of Pakistan were also present 03 NEWS S nday 17 March 2024 KARACH P U N J A B C M P R O M I S E S T O E N S U R E F R E E D O M O F W O R S H I P T O M I N O R I T I E S MQM-P warns to demonstrate against law and order situation in Karachi KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t Muttahida Qaaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) Sunday warned the Sindh government of Pakistan People s Party (PPP) to hold protest demonstrations against the law and order situation in Karachi According to detail MQM-P senior leader and former minister Dr Farooq Sattar MNA has expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the city Dr Farooq Sattar said that hundreds of heinous crime-related incidents including kidnapping and dacoity are happening in the city every day He said that the citizens of Karachi have been handed over to bandits as the Sindh government has failed to establish peace across the province MQM-P leader warned the provincial government that if steps were not taken to establish peace they would also protest on the streets Police finalize securit y plan for Youme Ali MULTAN S ta f f R e p o R t District Police have finalized security plan for Youm-e-Ali (a s) on 21st Ramadan to maintain the law and order situation in the city According to City Police Officer (CPO) Sadiq Ali Dogar, a total of 12 mourning processions would be taken out in the city out of which two have been declared sensitive while 15 Majalis including two of Category A would be organized in the city He said that more than 1850 police officials would be deployed on security duty to ensure foolproof arrangements He said that police reserves would remain alert to deal with any emergency like situation while CCTV cameras would be installed at Majalis and mourning procession routes He said that a control has been set up at the police line for tight monitoring of the security arrangements The CPO added that drone cameras would also be used at sensitive mourning processions and Majalis He said that he would monitor the security measures while all divisional Superintendent of Police (SP) have been made incharge of the security Sadiq Ali Dogar urged the public to cooperate with police by informing law enforcement departments in case of any suspicious persons or activities around them
Sindh Minister of Tourism Culture and Antiquities Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah
the 5000 years old history of Sindh has always taught love, peace and brotherhood He said the tourists and Researchers of abroad will take away a good message from here The provincial minister was speaking to media after receiving a 37-member delegation of archeology expert professors and doctors from different universities of Spain led by Prof Gaimen which visited the historical monument place of Sindh Makli Syed Zulfiqar Shah said that the respect love and affection received by the Spanish delegation was a message to the whole world that Sindh has been the cradle of peace for centuries He said that Mohan Jo Daro Airport should be opened so that tourists can easily reach Mohan
historical places of Sindh
provincial minister
that the Spanish delegation has traveled from Islamabad to Mohanjo Daro, Hala, Kot Diji fort, Bhat Shah and reached at Makli It was a big message for the elements who want to destabilize Pakistan and hinder its development he added He
we will leave no stone unturned to further develop the tourism and culture sector and spread the message of peace
brotherhood throughout Pakistan
i S h a h M N A S a d i q A l i M e m o n M PA S y e d R i a z H u s s a i n S h a h S h i r a z i a n d P r o v i n c i a l S e c r e t a r y To u r i s m , C u l t u r e , A r c h e o l o g y K h a l i d C h a c h a r welcomed the delegation to visit the historic site of Makli and presented the Sindh s traditional gifts Ajarak The Managing Director of Sindh Tourism Development Corporation Syed Fayaz Ali Shah, Director of Archeology Fateh Sheikh, Chairman District Council Abdul Hameed Panhwar Vice Chairman Mumtaz Jalbani, General Secretary PPP Imtiaz Ahmad Qureshi, Syed Tanveer Shah Shirazi, SSP Dr Imran Khan, ADC Kashif Ali Qureshi, Assistant Commissioner Rizwan Alam Sheikh In-charge Makli Archeology Department Zaheer Ahmed Jokhio and other officers of various departments were also present on this occasion Earlier, a delegation of expert professors and doctors from different universities in Spain visited the historical places of Sindh Mohan Jo Darro Kot Diji Fort Hala Bhat Shah and reached at World heritage site Makli, examined it and got research and information also taking pictures of ancient relics The delegation members said that the people of Sindh were very hospitable and loving they were very happy to come here The delegation also visited and examined the historic Shahjahan Jama Masjid of Thatta
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P r o v i n c i a l M i n i s t e r S y e d Z u l f i k a r A l
RAWALPINDI S ta f f R e p o R t A shopkeeper foiled a robbery attempt by gunned down a bandit in Afshan Colony area of Rawalpindi According to the details the shopkeeper named Aqib shot and killed one bandit in Afshan Colony area of Rawalpindi, while the other one managed to escape from the scene A CCTV footage of the firing incident came to light in which two masked robber can be seen looting the shopkeeper on gun point, meanwhile as soon as they culprit left the shopkeeper ran behind him opened fire
Robber
m
t i o n M i n i s t e r s a i d
t h e E d u c a t i o n M i n i s t r y h a d b e e n a s k e d t o e n s u r e e n r o l l m e n t o f o u t o f s c h o o l c h i l d r e n , t o i n c r e a s e P h D s c h o l a r s h i p s b y 2 0 p e r c e n t , d e v i s e a s t r a t e
e d T h e a u s t e r i t y c o m m i t t e e w o u l d s u b m i t a r e p o r t r e g a r d i n g h o w t o r e d u c e g o v e r n m e n t e x p e n s e s t o P r i m e M i n i s t e r S h e h b a z S h a r i f i n c o m i n g f e w d a y s a n d i n t h e l i g h t o f w h i c h t h e p r e m i e r w o u l d a n n o u n c e t h e a u s t e r i t y p o l i c y h e m a i n t a i n e d He said that things would improve gradually and the government vision was clear to provide maximum relief to the people To a question, he said that the government would try to open offices of all social media platforms in Pakistan as this would be very helpful in creating jobs To another query he said that it was very essential to document the black economy in the country H e s a i d t h a t t h e P a k i s t a n Te h r e e k - e - I n s a f d u r i n g i t s t e n u r e j u s t f o c u s e d o n t a k i n g p o l i t i c a l r e v e n g e a d d i n g t h a t h a d p a r t y c o p i e d s t e p s o f t h e P M L - N t h e country would have been in a much b e t t e r c o n d i t i o n H e s a i d t h a t t h e whole nation had seen that how the P T I r u i n e d t h e C h i n a P a k i s t a n Economic Corridor To another question he said that the tax net would be increased and p e o p l e w o u l d g e t g o o d n e w s i n c o m i n g d a
MW of electricity, started laptop and Ashiana Housing schemes and saved the country from default H e f u r t h e r s a i d t h a t i t w a s v e r y e s s e n t i a l t o p r o d u c e g o o d f i l m s a t t h e l o c a l l e v e l a n d a p o l i c y w a s b e i n g e v o l v e d f o r p r o m o t i o n o f a r t f i l m s A t t a u l l a h Ta r a r s a i d t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t w o u l d s u p p o r t g o o d f i l m m a k e r s a n d s p o n s o r t h e f i l m f e s t i v a l g o i n g t o b e h e l d i n K a r a c h i
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KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t A delegation of Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) visited Azad Jammu and Kashmir under the Green Energy Drive and signed agreements for funding two Hydro Power Projects in the area According to a statement on Sunday the Saudi delegation was headed by the CEO of the Fund, Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshid These projects include Shounter Hydro Project and Jagran-4 Hydro Project The Shounter Hydro Project will generate 48 megawatts of electricity at a cost of $66 million while the Jagran-4 hydro project will be completed at a cost of $41 million and will generate 22 MW of electricity These two projects will add 70 megawatts to the national grid in hydropower generation It is pertinent to mention that the Special Investment Facilitation Council played a key role in the execution of these agreements Police claim 30 pc decrease in crime rate LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t The Lahore Police has claimed a remarkable decreased of 30 percent in crimes rate in the city In a report comparing the March 2023 and March 2024, it said that crimes rate in the city came down by 30 percent against same month of last year According to the report 4894 incidents of serious crimes were reported in March 2023 compared to 3060 incidents of serious crimes in March 2024 Against four murder incidents over resistance during robberies last year only one such case was reported this year Terrorist attacks to only strengthen Sino-Pak resolve to deepen cooperation: Chinese diplomat CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE D u e t o t h e r a m p a n t p o v e r t y a n d l a c k o f i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s i n b o r d e r i n g a r e a s o f K h y b e r P a k h t u n k h w a a n d B a l o c h i s t a n p r o v i n c e s , h e s a i d t h e t e r r o r i s t s m i s l e a d p u b l i c a n d m a n a g e t o a t t a c k P a k i s t a n i s e c u r i t y f o r c e s a n d C h i n e s e i n s t a l l a t i o n s H e s a i d t h a t t h e t e r r o r i s t s a l s o a t t a c k e d t h e C h i n e s e e n g i n e e r s i n B e s h a m d e s p i t e t h e f
m e n t i n g b o n d s b e t w e e n t h e l a w m a k e r s o f P a k i s t a n A f g h a n i s t a n a n d C h i n a s a y i n g t h a t a Tr i l a t e r a l P a r l i a m e n t a r y C o m m i t t e e m a y b e f o r m e d s o t h a t t h e e l e c t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h r e e c o u n t r i e s m a y w o r k t o g e t h e r t o h e l p s p r e a d a w a r e n e s s a m o n g p u b l i c a n d a l s o m a k e t h e c o u n t e r t e r r o r i s m e ff o r t s e ff e c t i v e A f r i d i p r a y e d f o r t h e d e p a r t e d s o u l s a n d e x p r e s s e d s y m p a t h y w i t h t h e v i c t i m f a m i l i e s a n d a l s o r e g i s t e r e d h i s c o n d o l e n c e s a t t h e c o n d o l e n c e b o o k k e p t a t t h e E m b a s s y
Planning ahead
Ca b i n e t a p p rove s f i ve - ye a r p l a n fo r t h e e co n o my
Athe helm of affairs in a short time no investor really cares about the people in power being more concerned about the continuity of policy Even when the same party remains in power, the kind of changes in Prime Minister in the past has meant a disruption and a shift in priorities One of the more ambitious targets adopted by the government is for software exports to reach $25 billion This requires both a dependable dispute mechanism system (in other words an uncompromised justice system) and continuity in the government T h i s p l a n i s a l s o p r e d i c a t e d o n t h e r e c e i p t o f a n I M F p r o g r a m m e , b u t d o e s n o t p a y e n o u g h a t t e n t i o n t o t h e d o m e s t i c m a r k e t I t i s o n l y a v i b r a n t d o m e s t i c m a r k e t t h a t l e a d s t o h i g h e x p o r t s T h e g o v e r n m e n t c l e a r l y h a s n o o v e r a r c h i n g e c o n o m i c d o c t r i n e , w h i c h m a y a c t u a l l y b e a g o o d t h i n g , a s i t f a c e s h a r d e n o u g h a t a s k w i t h o u t a n y d o c t r i n a i r e b l i n k e r s A t t h e s a m e t i m e , t h e p o l i c y o f m a k i n g s m a l l c h a n g e s a n d i nc r e a s i n g t h e e ff i c i e n c y o f t h e s y s t e m , i s m a k i n g t h e a s s u m p t i o n t h a t t h e s y s t e m i t s e l f i s s o u n d , a n d j u s t n e e d s t o e o p e r a t e d r i g h t T h a t a s s u m p t i o n m a y w e l l b e w r o n g A n d i f s o , w h e r e d o e s t h e g o v e r n m e n t p l a n t o g o f r o m t h e r e ?
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami
Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
The Shadows of Terror
Te r ro r s t a l k s t h e re g i o n
On the global landscape, the Islamic State's IS-KP (Islamic State in Khorasan Province) wing has attracted international attention after launching a massive and extremely deadly attack in the Russian capital Moscow According to the latest report around 137 casualties have been reported in this deadliest of attacks The reason behind IS-KP s attack on Moscow is to retaliate against Russia for launching several airstrikes on IS-KP's presence in Syria This is the biggest attack launched by the global terrorist ISIS group in recent years IS-KP is a branch of the global ISIS responsible for conducting terrorist activities in Afghanistan Pakistan and Iran In recent years ISKP has portrayed itself as the most brutal and active branch of the global ISIS In Afghanistan, IS-KP is fighting against the Taliban regime and launched multiple massive attacks In 2021 during the withdrawal of US troops IS-KP launched its deadliest attack on Kabul Airport resulting in over 183 casualties including 13 US troops In Pakistan it has been actively targeting police departments as well as political campaigns, as reported in recent months In Iran, IS-KP has claimed responsibility for two brutal attacks that killed over 100 people at the beginning of January
The recent massive attack in Moscow has showcased IS-KP s brutal and formidable potential to the world With Russia and Ukraine already in a state of war, such terrorist activities can greatly impact Putin s stance It seems that Putin is attempting to link the attack to Ukraine, providing a pretext for launching even deadlier attacks However international evidence suggests that IS-KP is behind the deadliest attack After the tragedy of 9/11, the morale of terrorist wings and groups was undermined by the USA and nATO forces making
it difficult for terrorist organizations to survive However the subsequent failure of the USA and nATO in Iraq and Afghanistan has reignited their motivation leading to increased activity Following the withdrawal of US and nATO forces from Afghanistan, many ISIS prisoners were released from Afghan jails These freed ISIS members now pose threats not only to regional security but also to global security, as ISIS is one of the few organizations still launching terrorist activities on a global scale The Moscow attack serves as a recent example of this Meanwhile AlQaeda has confined itself to regional activities
On the regional landscape, both the TTP and BLA are posing serious threats to Pakistan, as they have launched bloody attacks in Waziristan and Balochistan negotiations between the Pakistani state and the Afghan Taliban regime have yielded no success Even the Taliban regime has rejected peace offers from Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman the most influential religious politician in Pakistan It seems that the Afghan Taliban are unwilling to withdraw their support for the TTP, as the TTP is an important military asset for the Afghan Taliban regime Reports indicate that the Afghan Taliban are providing the TTP with weapons and funding The TTP is emerging as the biggest threat to Pakistan with its attacks being reported regularly mainly targeting police and armed forces Their goal is to establish an Islamic State governed by Sharia laws in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
T e r r o r i s t a c t s a r e o n t h e r i s e a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y , c l a i m i n g i n n o c e n t l i v e s , w i t h a r m e d f o r c e s a n d p o l i c e m e n o f t e n b e i n g t h e p r i m a r y t a r g e t s T o a d d r e s s t h e s e i s s u e s e f f e c t i v e l y , b o t h p o l i t i c a l a n d m i l i t a r y l e a d e r s h i p m u s t u n i t e t o c o m b a t t h e m A c h i e v i n g a g r a n d n a t i o n a l u n i t y i s c r u c i a l i n c o m b a t i n g t h e c u r r e n t w a v e o f t e r r o r i s m
Te c h n o l o g y a n d T r a n s p a r e n c y
L e v e r a g i n g I n n o v a t i o n a g a i n s t C o r r u p t i o n
U S a n d N A T O f o r c e s f r o m A f g h a n i s t a n , m a n y I S I S p r i s o n e r s w e r e r e l e a s e d f r o m A f g h a n j a i l s T h e s e f r e e d I S I S m e m b e r s n o w p o s e t h r e a t s n o t o n l y t o r e g i o n a l s e c u r i t y b u t a l s o t o g l o b a l s e c u r i t y , a s I S I S i s o n e o f t h e f e w o r g a n i z a t i o n s s t i l l l a u n c h i n g t e r r o r i s t a c t i v i t i e s o n a g l o b a l s c a l e
The BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army) is emerging as another major threat to Pakistan Its recent attacks in Turbat and Gwadar highlight its military capabilities in the region They portray their actions as acts of freedom fighting and appeal to other youngsters to join them as freedom fighters It is also evident that such organizations receive funding from enemies of Pakistan Addressing this issue is essential to protect precious lives Terrorist acts are on the rise across the country claiming innocent lives, with armed forces and policemen often being the primary targets To address these issues effectively, both political and military leadership must unite to combat them Achieving a grand national unity is crucial in combating the current wave of terrorism
Ubaid Sahil can be reached at ubaidsa9@gmail com
The Afghan Taliban are also indicating that they do not recognize the Durand Line (the PakistanAfghanistan border), referring to it as an imaginary line In response to the recent attack in Waziristan Pakistan has launched airstrikes deep into Afghan territory to target TTP fighters, further straining the already fragile relations between the two countries The TTP remains the primary concern for the Pakistani state, and resolving this issue is crucial to protecting and securing lives
IWomen in politics
PAKISTAn is one of the largest countries globally in terms of population We have a history of mistreating women The positive aspect is that there has been a woman prime minister in our country and human rights organizations have been fighting for equal treatment of women for years
Women are not treated equally in our country and face discrimination
Forty-nine percent of the population are women, yet it is a male-dominated society Despite the time that has passed since Pakistan was created, discrimination against women still persists and is a problem In simple terms, there are no women’s rights Women are often confined to being wives expected to take care of children be good housewives and manage all household chores and duties
There is a very small percentage of women in the parliament and other aspects of society which is sad and disturbing I believe that women should be granted all rights, and there should be more women in parliament The laws do not favour women A country cannot progress if it does not treat its women equally We should break this taboo and treat women with the respect they need and deserve According to reports Pakistan lags behind even Somalia or Rwanda when it comes to women in politics which is terrible This fact saddens me about the direction our country is heading and I don t know what will become of it Women are not even allowed to vote I believe that as a society, we should encourage co-education, and there should be more universities dedicated to women, allowing them to
Transgender empowerment
I
i n g ’ s t e p s . B y i n t r o d u c i n g t e c h n o l o g i c a l m e a n s l i k e f o r e n s i c t o o l s , b l o c k - c h a i n , a n d p o r t a l s i n p u b l i c i n s t i t u t i o n s , c o r r u p t p r a c t i c e s c o u l d b e m o n i t o r e d a n d t h u s n i p p e d i n t h e b u d T h e r e f o r e , a h o l i s t i c a p p r o a c h i s r e q u i r e d i n w h i c h t h e w h o l e s y s t e m i s d i g i t i s e d a n d m o n i t o r e d I t w o u l d i n c r e a s e
Stray
04 Sunday 17 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
PART from dealing with the appointment of a judicial commission to deal with the Islamabad High Court judges’ complaints of interference the federal Cabinet did something perhaps more significant, by approving a five-year economic plan The plan consists of various economic ministries being given targets and them having in the words of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, responsibility with accountability Though there was no direct link drawn, the plan depends on two major factors: a successful outcome of the judicial commission investigation and the government completing its five-year tenure, something that no government has ever done before Other steps, while of great importance and more likely to have an impact on the lives of the ordinary man depend on these two If the judiciary's independence is compromised, its loses both credibility and efficiency as a dispute resolution mechanism Its economic utility is not so much in crimes such as murder or such events as the May 9 attacks, but in civil litigation involving productive assets Foreign investors especially need an efficient dispute resolution mechanism in place before making a large financial commitment As for the completion of its tenure, no investor, whether foreign or domestic, wants to have to deal with new people at
be educated so that our nation can flourish
TANVIR ISLAMABAD
DANIAL
am composing this message to convey my sincere gratitude for the recent government initiative to establish transgender-specific schools With this historic ruling we ve taken a significant step towards equality and inclusivity for every member of our society All people, regardless of gender identity, should have access to education as it is a fundamental right It is admirable that schools designed specifically for transgender students have been established; this will help to dismantle barriers and promote acceptance It not only closes the educational gaps but also fosters understanding and social integration The government is demonstrating strong support by establishing areas where transgender children can learn in a setting that values and accepts their identity These kinds of programs not only strengthen the transgender community but also improve society as a whole by promoting diversity and lowering prejudice Seeing our government work proactively to guarantee that all citizens, regardless of gender identity have access to high-quality education is encouraging This action makes our country a shining example of inclusivity and progress since it upholds the values of equality and human rights BUHSRA FARRUKH RAWALPINDI
dogs Tray dogs that roam the streets of Karachi s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area have made the lives of citizens miserable Road accidents and traffic disruptions have become common in the area Those responsible for running the affairs of Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) have clearly failed to deal with the rising population of stray dogs Reportedly about a hundred cases of dog bites are being recorded daily in the city Besides the shortage of rabies vaccines in hopsitals is a persistent issue in Sindh The authorities should develop a pragmatic policy and ensure the safety of the citizens Dania Fatima Karachi 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
n 2023, Pakistan ranked 133rd out of 180 countries, garnering 29 points in the Corruption Perception Index This scale gauges the perceived level of corruption within the public sector The earliest legislative initiative to combat this pervasive issue was taken in 1949 by passing the Public and Representative Office Disqualification Act (PRODA) Though the act was politicised, it indicates the entrenched nature of corruption within Pakistan’s public institutions from its inception After decades of rigorous efforts the evil still looms large in society Hence in an era where technology supersedes every domain leveraging innovation presents a positive avenue to foster transparency Globally, governments are increasingly turning to technological solutions such as data mining block chain big data and digital public services to mitigate the perils of corruption According to the International Journal of Public Administration a regression analysis of 127 countries found that e-government measures account for 77 percent of total variation of corruption perception levels The analysis concluded that these measures appear to be more influential in ensuring transparency than the conventional anti-corruption drives In this line corruption-challenged countries like South Africa, Jordan, and Colombia have already initiated hackathons to foster technological solutions For instance, the 2022 hackathon held in South Africa saw the winning team formulating a streamlined data standard to identify price anomalies in tender processes incorporating online monitoring bids Similarly the 2023 hackathon held in Qatar yielded a programme that improves a cargo check process with AI, utilising digitised records for accuracy and efficiency Keeping in view the gap between corruption perception level in Pakistan and its IT experts there is a need to invest in these hackathons to foster technological solutions Although Pakistan has taken the initial step toward leveraging technology to combat corruption by digitalising its key institutions, the manual handling of administrative Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) provide room for corrupt practices For instance the digitisation of the land record ceases data adulteration but the manual processing system by Patwaris and Tehsildars still make way for corruption This issue can be addressed by implementing blockchain technology in the land department In this system public documentation is stored through chain commands that cannot be erased or altered Therefore, instead of manually circulating the application, it should be digitally processed through portals to maintain blockchain record Forensic tools are another technological means which can boost transparency in the banking system and development projects of Pakistan These tools check data velocities that include real-time analysis of transactions, anomaly detection, and predictive modelling It not only monitors the data and currency transaction but also prevents improper payments For instance in 2019 Denmark saved over €60 million by applying data analytics in welfare fraud detection Pakistan could indigenously draft its forensic tools so that its currency transactions can be monitored and excessive spending on government projects can be detected High-budget projects like metro trains, motorways and complexes could be specifically channelled through these forensic tools to harness transparency In addition to all these digital gadgets Pakistan needs to focus on improving its digital literacy rate Pakistan is home to 64 million internet users; however the digital literacy rate is very low especially in rural areas that encompass 62 percent of the population Most of the government departments have already initiated Digital Public Services but digital ignorance became an impediment in using technology as an antidote to corruption For instance, the tax system of Pakistan is completely digitised yet people are not digitally literate enough to file their taxes online Therefore digital literacy is a primary need to ensure transparency through technology In the past, Pakistan witnessed various anticorruption drives that failed to ensure transparency One of its reasons was their focus on ‘combating’ corruption neglecting the ‘preventing’ and ‘monitoring’ steps By introducing technological means like forensic tools blockchain and portals in public institutions corrupt practices could be monitored and thus nipped in the bud Therefore, a holistic approach is required in which the whole system is digitised and monitored It would increase the efficiency, as well as transparency of the public sector The writer is a researcher at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore Pakistan She can be reached at info@casslhr com Naba Fatima I n t h e p a s t , P a k i s t a n w i t n e s s e d v a r i o u s a n t i - c o r r u p t i o n d r i v e s t h a t f a i l e d t o e n s u r e t r a n s p a r e n c y O n e o f i t s r e a s o n s w a s t h e i r f o c u s o n ‘ c o m b a t i n g ’ c o r r u p t i o n , n e g l e c t i n g t h e ‘ p r e v e n t i n g ’ a n d ‘ m o n i t o r
t h e e f f i c i e n c y , a s w e l l a s t r a n s p a r e n c y , o f t h e p u b l i c s e c t o r
Ubaid Sahil
Parents’ discounted role in educational transformation
THE
that the parents of the students enrolled in private schools themselves accompany their children to and from school While in the case of the students of government schools sadly it is not so A l s o t h e i n t e r a c t i o n o f p a r e n t s w i t h
teachers is productive in enhancing learning outcomes in classrooms When a student knows that through the teacher his or h e r p e r f o r m a n c e i s b e i n g m o n i t o r e d b y t h e i r p a r e n t s , t h e s t u d e n t t h e n t r i e s t o
o m e c h a l l e n g e s i n t h e w a y o f f o s t e r i n g t h e t r e n d o f p a r e n t a l i nv o l v e m e n t i n e d u c a t i o n F i r s t l y , i t i s i ll i t e r a c y M o s t o f t h e p a r e n t s o f s t u d e n t s s t u d y i n g i n g o v e r n m e n t s c h o o l s a r e n o t l i t e r a t e e n o u g h t o k n o w t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f i n v o l v i n g t h e m s e l v e s i n t h e e d u c a t i o n o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n I t s a g i g a n t i c t a s k y e t i m p e r a t i v e e n o u g h t o b e d o n e t o e d u c a t e p a r e n t s o n t h e i n s a n d o u t s o f h o w t o b e i n v o l v e d a n d w h y i t i s i m p o rt a n t A r r a n g e m e n t o f a w a r e n e s s p r og r a m m e s w i t h s o m e i n c e n t i v e s a t t a c h e d s u c h a s f o o d a n d o t h e r p r i z e s c a n h e l p i n t h i s c o n t e x t S e c o n d l y t h e a d m i n i st r a t i o n s o f m o s t s c h o o l s d o n o t t e n d t o c r e a t e a n e n v i r o n m e n t i n s c h o o l s t h a t c o u l d p r o m o t e t e a c h e r - p a r e n t c o n t a c t T h i s i s d u e t o i g n o r a n c e o f t h e v a l u e o f p a r e n t a l i n v o l v e m e n t It is necessary to carry out training programmes for heads of schools so as to teach them the importance of the role of parents in the learning of students Head teachers can arrange for parent-teacher meetings can invite parents, though necessarily not all of them, in sports activities of students, can invite them for award ceremonies of students and other events Most teachers are also seemingly disinclined to accommodate the idea of parental involvement They consider it as an intervention in their work and a useless practice; seeing it as a waste of time The attitude of teachers to the visiting parents is also to some extent responsible for low parental involvement
A l s o t h e i n t e r a c t i o n o f p a r e n t s w i t h t e a c h e r s i s p r o d u c t i v e i n e n h a n c i n g l e a r n i n g o u t c o m e s i n c l a s s r o o m s W h e n a s t u d e n t k n o w s t h a t t h r o u g h t h e t e a c h e r h i s o r h e r p e r f o r m a n c e i s b e i n g m o n i t o r e d b y t h e i r p a r e n t s , t h e s t u d e n t t h e n t r i e s t o y i e l d g o o d p e r f o r m a n c e i n o r d e r t o p l e a s e h i s o r h e r p a r e n t s . A n n e H a n d e r s o n a n d N a n c y B e r l a i n t h e i r b o o k , A N e w G e n e r a t i o n o f E v i d e n c e ; T h e F a m i l y I s C r i t i c a l t o S t u d e n t A c h i e v e m e n t w r i t e t h a t m o r e t h e c o n t a c t b e t w e e n t e a c h e r a n d p a r e n t s h i g h e r t h e p e r f o r m a n c e r a t e o f t h e c l a
The writer is an education activist and can be reached at m ilyas kalhoro mi@gmail com
How America’s top spymaster sees the world and why that is rather disappointing
WB u r n s i s n o t a m a t e u r i s h l i ke A n t o n y B l i n ke n o r a f a n a t i c w i t h o u t s e l f - p o s s e s s i o n , s u c h a s Vi c t o r i a N u l a n d Ye t h e re h e i s, p u t t i n g h i s n a m e t o a t e x t t h a t o f t e n s e e m s s l o p p y a n d t r a n s p a re n t i n i t s s i m p l e a n d s h o r t - s i g h t e d m o t i v a t i o n s H a s t h e U S e s t a b l i s h m e n t d e c a ye d s o b a d l y t h a t e ve n i t s b e s t a n d b r i g h t e s t n o w c o m e a c ro s s a s s a d l y u n i m p re s s i ve ?
Wi t h B u r n s p u t t i n g h i m s e l f s o f ro n t - a n d - c e n t e r, o n e c a n n o t h e l p b u t wo n d e r i f h e i s n o t a l s o, t e n t a t i ve l y, p re p a r i n g t h e g ro u n d f o r re a c h i n g f o r t h e p re s i d e n c y o n e d a y. A f t e r a l l, i n t h e U S , G e o rg e B u s h s e n i o r f a m o u s l y we n t f ro m h e a d o f t h e C I A t o h e a d o f i t a l l, t o o
is a smart and experienced man principally capable of realism, unlike all too many others in the current American elite Famously, he warned in 2008 when serving as ambassador to Moscow that “Ukrainian entry into NATO is the brightest of all redlines for the Russian elite (not just Putin) That makes the glaring flaws in this big-picture survey all the more remarkable Burns is, obviously, correct when he observes that the US – and the world as a whole – is facing a historically rare moment of profound change in the global order And – with one exception which we will return to – it would be unproductive perhaps even a little churlish, to quibble over his ideologically biased terminology His mislabeling of Russia as “revanchist,” for instance has a petty ring to it “Resurgent” would be a more civil as well as more truthful term capturing the fact that the country is simply returning to its normal international minimum status (for at least the last three hundred years), namely that of a second-to-none great power
Yet Burns’ agenda is more important than his terminology While it may be complex parts of it are as clear as can be: He is eager (perhaps desperate) to prevent Washington from ending its massive aid for Ukraine – a battle he is likely to lose In the Middle East, he wants to focus Western aggression on Iran He may get his will there, but that won’t be a winning strategy because in part thanks to multipolar trend setters such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS Iran s escape from the isolation that the US has long imposed on it is already inevitable
Regarding China, Burns’ real target is a competing faction of American hawks, namely those who argue that bluntly put Washington should write off its losses in Ukraine and concentrate all its firepower on China Burns wants to persuade his readers that the US can have both its big fight against China and its proxy war against Russia
He is also engaged in a massive act of CIA boosterism clearly aiming to increase the clout of the already inordinately power-
ful state-within-a-state he happens to run himself And last but not least, the spy-inchief has unearthed one of the oldest tricks in the subversion and destabilization playbook: Announcing loudly that his CIA is on a recruiting spree in Russia he seeks to promote a little paranoia in Moscow Good luck attempting to pull that one on the country that gave us the term agentura Moreover, after the horrific terror attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow, it is fair to assume
attempt to knock out Russia first to then deal with China that has just failed Instead their partnership has become more solid And error number three is perhaps even odder: As mentioned above, Burns language is a curious hybrid between an analytical and an intemperate idiom A sophisticated reader can only wince in vicarious embarrassment at hearing a CIA director complain of others brutish behavior What s worse: the tub-thumping or the stones-and-glasshouse cringe? Mostly, though, this does not matter Yet there is one case where these fits o f v e r b a l c o a r s e n e s s b e t r a y s o m e t h i n g e v e n w o r s e t h a n r h e t o r i c a l b r a v a d o : D es c r i b i n g H a m a s 7 O c t o b e r a s s a u l t a s “ b u t c h e r y, ” B u r n s f i n d s n o t h i n g b u t a n i n t e n s e g r o u n d c a m p a i g n o n I s r a e l s side Let s set aside that this expression is a d e s p i c a b l e e u p h e m i s m , w h e n m u c h o f t h e w o r l d r i g h t l y s e e s a g e n o c i d e t a k i n g place in Gaza with US support It also bespeaks an astounding failure of the strategic imagination: In the same essay, Burns n o t e s c o r r e c t l y t h a t t h e w e i g h t o f t h e G l o b a l S o u t h i s i n c r e a s i n g a n d t h a t i n e s s e n c e t h e g r e a t p o w e r s w i l l h a v e t o compete for allegiances that are no longer, as he puts is “monogamous ” Good luck then putting America s bizarre come-whatmay loyalty to Israel first A CIA director at least should still be able to distinguish between the national interests of his own country and the demands of Tel Aviv B u r n s m u l t i p r o n g e d s t r i k e i n t h e realm of elite public debate leaves an unpleasant aftertaste It is genuinely disapp o i n t i n g t o s e e s o m u c h h e a v y - h a n d e d rhetoric and such basic errors of analysis from one of the less deluded members of the American establishment It is also puzzling Burns is not amateurish like Antony Blinken or a fanatic without self-possession, such as Victoria Nuland Yet here he i s , p u t t i n g h i s n a m e t o a t e x t t h a t o f t e n seems sloppy and transparent in its simple and short-sighted motivations Has the US establishment decayed so badly that even its best and brightest now come across as sadly unimpressive?
Tarik Cyril Amar a historian from Germany working at Koç University, Istanbul, on Russia Ukraine and Eastern Europe the history of World War II the cultural Cold War and the politics of memory
Sunday 17 March 2024 COMMENT 05
ILLIAM
published a long piece in Foreign Affairs under the title Spycraft and Statecraft Transforming the CIA for an Age of Competition' This is an essay likely to be read with great attention, maybe even parsed, not only by an American elite audience, but also abroad in say Moscow Beijing and New Delhi for several reasons Burns is of course the head of the CIA as well as an acknowledged heavyweight of US geopolitics – in the state and deep-state versions Few publications rival Foreign Affairs cachet as a US establishment forum and mouthpiece While Burns’ peg is a plea to appreciate the importance of human intelligence agents his agenda is much broader: In effect what he has released is a set of strategic policy recommendations, embedded in a global tour d horizon And, last but not least, Burns is, of course, not the sole author Even if he should have penned every line himself this is a programmatic declaration from a powerful faction of the American siloviki the men (and women) wielding the still gargantuan hard power of the US empire By the way, whether he has noticed or not, Burns’ intervention cannot but bring to mind another intelligent spy chief loyally serving a declining empire Yury Andropov former head of the KGB (and then for a brief period the whole Soviet Union) would have agreed with his CIA counterpart on the importance of human assets, especially in an age of technological progress, and he would also have appreciated the expansive sweep of Burns’ vision Indeed with Burns putting himself so front-and-center one cannot help but wonder if he is not also tentatively preparing the ground for reaching for the presidency one day After all, in the US, George Bush senior famously went from head of the CIA to head of it all too There is no doubt that this CIA director
J Burns has
work
good
though,
bal
t
s
g
three
crude
First, Burns insists on reading the emerging outcome of the war in Ukraine as a “failure on many levels for Russia revealing its
he believes, economic, political, and military weakness Yet as the acknowledged American economist James K Galbraith has recently reiterated, the West s economic war on Russia has backfired The Russian economy is now stronger, more resilient, and independent of the West than never before As to the military Burns for instance gleefully counts the tanks that Russia has lost and fails to note the ones it is building at a rapid rate not matched anywhere inside NATO In general, he fails to mention just how worried scores of Western experts have come to be realizing that Moscow is overseeing a massive and effective expansion of military production A curious oversight for an intelligence professional He also seems to miss just how desperate Ukraine s situation has become on the ground And politics – really? The man who serves Joe Biden most likely soon to be replaced by Donald Trump is spotting lack of popularity and fragility in Moscow and his key piece of evidence is Prigozhin and his doomed mutiny? This part of Burns article is so detached from reality that one wonders if this is still the same person ng on Russian red in 2008 The larger nt he cannot grasp is at historically Rusa has a pattern of tarting wars on the wrong foot – to then learn mobilize focus and win B u r n s s e co n d s e v e r e m i st a k e i s h i s a rg u m e n t t h a t , u lt i m a t e l y, o n l y C h i n a c a n p o s e a serious challenge to t h e U S T h i s i s s t a g g e r i n g l y s h o r t s i g h t e d f o r t w o r e a s o n s : First, Russia has just shown that it c a n d e f e a t t h e We s t i n a p r o x y w a r O n c e t h a t v i c t o r y w i l l b e c o m p l e t e , a d ec l i n i n g b u t s t i l l i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f t h e American empire, NATO/EU-Europe will have to deal with the after-effects (no, not R u s s i a n i n v a s i o n b u t p o l i t i c a l b a c k l a s h fracturing and instability) If Burns thinks t h a t b l o w b a c k i n E u r o p e i s n o s e r i o u s threat to US interests one can only envy his nonchalance Secondly, his entire premise is perfectly misguided: It makes no sense to divide the Russian and the Chinese potentials analytically because they are now closely linked in reality It is among other things exactly a
that Burns regrets hav about the CIA expan
in Russia
look not at all What matters m
than his ve
sallies and his in-
r i g u i n g l y
t r a i
h t f o r w a r d even blunt aims are
astonishingly
errors:
as
US
significance of parental involvement in producing positive effects on the learning of children can’t be overlooked It is proved through different studies that parents’ engagement with their children at home and at school considerably improves their academic grades Parental involvement it can be categorised into two main groups : (1) homebased involvement , which refers to what parents do at home to promote their children’s learning; (2) School-based involvement which is basically defined by activities and behaviour parents engage in at school such as interacting with teachers and attending school events Unfortunately in our society, most of the parents do not attach importance to the idea of involving themselves in the learning process of their children Teachers are generally considered as sole responsibly for learning outcomes Admittedly teachers role is very important , but dismissing the significance of parental role in this context is not going to help us raise the standards of education here B e i n g a n e d u c a t o r I h a v e w i t n e s s e d t h a t t h e r e l a t i v e s o f j u s t f i v e t o t e n s t udents in a classroom of 100-plus students come to inquire about the academic performance of their children While others do not even bother to visit the school and meet their children’s teachers What learni n g o u t p u t c a n t h e y e x p e c t i f t h e y t h e mselves are not ready to spare some time for their children? The engagement of parents in education is helpful in diverse ways To begin with, this helps in ensuring students attendance in the classroom A report by Johns Hopkins University (JHU), USA , posits that the communication between parents and teachers helps reduce student absenteeism by 24 percent One can wonder why the attendance of students in the classrooms of a private school remains high while in that of a public school it remains low The obvious reason is
e r f o r m a n c e r a t e o f t h e classroom will be Besides the behaviour of children can also be positively moulded When parents look over the activities of their children at home and inquire from their teachers about their behaviour in school then there remains no other option for the children than that of preventing themselves from indulging in unacceptable activities Another advantage is the creation of confidence and motivation in students According to Hong S in his book A Cord of Three Strands: A New Approach to Parent Engagement in Schools confidence and motivation in students increase when they find someone available for help in order to remove their confusion and answer questions related to their academic work The author says that parental involvement can play the most effective role here T h e t e a c h e r s p e r f o r m a n c e a l s o i mp r o v e s a s t h e y n a t u r a l l y t e n d t o g e t r e c o g n i t i o n f o r t h e i r w o r k w h i c h t h e y b ecome able to get by satisfying the parents M o r e o v e r, t h e e ff i c i e n c y o f t h e s c h o o l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a l s o i n c r e a s e s i n o r d e r t o m i n i m i z e t h e c h a n c e s o f a n y c o m p l a i n t b y a p a r e n t T h e r e a r e s
in schools Teachers will have to understandingly allow space for parental engagement in schools Teachers can arrange periodic meetings with parents If it is not possible they can communicate with them in a digital way (such as by mail, text, social media) Fourthly over- crowded classrooms in pub-
maximum
30 Last
the
accessibility of schools is also a barrier A large number of public school students have to come from far off places Their fathers need
go to work to earn some livelihood for them Hence it becomes difficult for them to visit the school These parents can give time to their children at home And also they can contact the teachers by mobile or other digital means If
the standard of education ,
recognise
importance of the role of parents in educational uplift Without ensuring their involvement in learning
yield good performance in order to please his or her parents Anne Handerson and Nancy Berla in their book A New Generation of Evidence ; The Family Is Critic a l t o S t u d e n t A c h i e v e m e n t w r i t e t h a t more the contact between teacher and pare n t s h i g h e r t h e p
lic schools also create hindrance in the way of promotion of teacher-parents interaction In most of the public schools especially in Sindh province, classes consist of more than 100 students It is difficult for teachers to communicate with the parents of each and every student The focus of educational authorities should be to limit the number of students in every class to a
of
but not
least
to
we want to raise
we will have to
the
processes no considerable dividends can be earned
ilyas kalhoro
m
RT ta r i k C y r l
m
a
a r
s s r o o m w i l l b e TRIBUNE E d i to r i a l U NEMPLOYMENT is weighing India down with the country s youth accounting for almost 83 per cent of the unemployed workforce, according to the India Employment Report 2024 published jointly by the International Labour Organisation and the Institute of Human Development As per the report the proportion of jobless youth with at least secondary education rose to 65 7 per cent in 2022 The findings have cast a cloud on India s capacity to reap the demographic dividend; young people constituted 27 per cent of the nation’s population in 2021 The report states that the labour force participation rate the worker population ratio (the number of employed people per thousand citizens) and the unemployment rate witnessed a long-term deterioration between 2000 and 2018, but there was an improvement after 2019 The turnaround coincided with periods of economic distress both before and after the Covid-19 pandemic with the exception of two peak Covid quarters However the authors of the report have said that this improvement needs to be ‘interpreted cautiously’ as jobs generated in the slowdown period raise questions about the drivers of these changes The world s most populous nation which is also the fastest-growing major economy, cannot afford to ignore youth employment The government and the industry need to work in close coordination to rein in joblessness Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran has put the onus on the industry to hire more people, saying that it is incorrect to think that government intervention can solve every social or economic problem Nevertheless policymakers have a key role to play in shaping schemes that can spur skill development and employment generation No less important than the quantity of employment is its quality The robust growth in manufacturing, services and construction sectors should guide stakeholders to optimally use the skills of India’s educated youth
job crisis
u t h b e a r i n g t h e b r u n t o f u n e m p l o y m e n t
India’s
Yo
P O P E R E N E W S C A L L F O R G A Z A C E A S E F I R E , R E L E A S E O F C A P T I V E S I N E A S T E R A D D R E S S
PIndian BSF kills 3 Bangladeshis in five days
Janata Party (BJP) deny political interference and say law enforcement agencies are doing their job “If the BJP wins this match-
Dutch nightclub hostage drama ends peacefully
M M o d i
fixing election and changes the constitution, it will light the country on fire ” said Gandhi whose party ruled India for more than two-thirds of the time since independence in 1947 but has struggled since Modi swept to power a decade ago “This is not an ordinary election This election is to save the country protect our constitution ” Sharing the stage with Gandhi at the popular Ramlila Maidan gathering site were opposition leaders including regional party heads who have overcome differences over which party would contest which seats BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told a news conference that the opposition rally attended by thousands was meant to hide their acts of corruption Congress, besides struggling with detentions and raids by India’s financial crime-fighting agency says it faces “tax terrorism from large tax demands by the government and the freezing of some of its bank accounts, all of which it calls attempts to financially cripple the party Critics say Modi and his party have weaponised investigative agencies and tax authorities to cull political opponents and reduce the chances of a fair election an accusation the BJP denies This fascism will not work in India,” Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal told the rally “We will fight and we will win ”
Trump ‘hasn’t got the brains’ for dic tatorship, his ex-adviser says
s d y 17 M h 2024 | k ar achI 06 news VATICAN A G E N C I E S
OPE Francis has renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all Israeli captives in a peace-focused address marking Easter Sunday the most important day on the Christian calendar Francis presided over mass in a packed St Peter s Square and then delivered his “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) blessing and message from the central balcony of St Peter ’s Basilica I appeal once again that access to humanitarian aid be ensured to Gaza and call once more for the prompt release of the hostages seized on last October 7 and for an immediate ceasefire in the Strip,” he said “Let us not allow the current hostilities to continue to have grave repercussions on the civil population by now at the limit of its endurance and above all on the children, he said in a speech that also touched on the plight of Haitians, the Rohingya and victims of human trafficking “How much suffering we see in the eyes of children the children have forgotten to smile in those war zones With their eyes children ask us: Why? Why all this death? Why all this destruction? War is always an absurdity and a defeat , he said Francis, 87, has been in poor health in recent weeks forcing him on repeated occasions to limit his public speaking and cancel engagements as he did on Good Friday skipping at short notice a procession at Rome s Colosseum However he took part normally in other Holy Week events leading up to Easter and appeared in relatively good spirits at Sunday’s mass Easter celebrates the day in which the faithful believe Jesus rose from the dead After the service the pontiff took to his open-topped popemobile to tour the square and the avenue connecting the Vatican to the River Tiber and greet the tens of thousands of people who had lined up to see him This year Francis said his thoughts went particularly to people in Ukraine and Gaza and all those facing war particularly the children who he said had forgotten how to smile Francis has repeatedly deplored the death and destruction in the Gaza war UNICEF reported earlier this month that Israel has killed more than 13 000 children in Gaza since the war began on October 7, while others are suffering from severe malnutrition and do not “even have the energy to cry” The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza on Sunday said at least 32 782 Palestinians have been killed in the besieged enclave during nearly six months of war The toll includes at least 77 deaths over the past 24 hours, the ministry statement said, adding that 75,298 people
wounded
have been
NEW DELHI A G E N C I E S Indian opposition parties united on Sunday to protest against the arrest of a prominent leader weeks before a national election, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party of rigging the vote and harassing them with large tax demands “Narendra Modi is trying match-fixing in this election Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi told a New Delhi rally as the crowd chanted Shame! Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a staunch Modi critic, anti-corruption crusader and a high-profile leader of the 27-member INDIA opposition bloc was arrested on March 21 for alleged graft over granting liquor licenses less than a month before voting starts in a general election widely expected to solidify Modi’s mandate with a rare third term Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party says the case is fabricated and politically motivated Modi s government and his Bharatiya
I n d i a o p p o s i t i o n u n i t e s ove r p r e - e l e c t i o n a r r e s t, b l a m e s P
LALMONIRHAT A G E N C I E S Indian Border Security Force shot dead another Bangladeshi national in Lalmonirhat border, taking to three the number of deaths in BSF shootings in the past five days Media reports said a Bangladeshi citizen was killed and two others were injured in firing by the Indian BSF along the border in Lalmonirhat s Kaliganj Upazila early Saturday The deceased Murali Chandra 42 was killed four days after the BSF killed 20-year-old Liton Mia on March 26 in Lalmonirhat The injured are Mizanur Rahman and Liton Mia, residents of the neighbouring Chandrapur area According to Border Guard Bangladesh members of a patrol team of 75-Chitrakot BSF camp opened fire on some Bangladeshi cattle traders along the border leaving Murali dead and two others injured at about 3:00am He told the media that the body was kept in police custody and a letter was sent to the BSF When the injured were dragged inside Bangladesh, the family members sent them to the hospital Murali died on his way to Rangpur On information the Kaliganj police recovered the body and took it to the police station Kaliganj police station officer-in-charge Imtiaz Kadir said, We have recovered the body Further legal action will be taken after the investigation ’ Earlier, two Bangladeshi youths– Liton Mia, 20, and AlAmin 32 were killed along the border in Naogaon and Lalmonirhat by the Indian BSF on March 26
NETHERLANDS A G E N C I E S A hostage drama at a nightclub in the eastern Netherlands ended peacefully after several hours on Saturday with the arrest of a suspect – a man wearing a balaclava mask who exited the building and surrendered to police The last hostage has just been released One person has been arrested a police statement said We cannot share more information at this time Several people, including employees, had been taken hostage at the Cafe Petticoat in the town of Ede early on Saturday morning The motive was unclear Officials said at a news briefing that the suspect who was previously known to police had threatened the hostages with knives There was no indication of a terrorist motive, police have said The suspect walked out of the club, put his hands behind his head and got to his knees before being handcuffed by police, a Reuters video journalist at the scene said Police explosives units had been deployed to the building in the town centre Streets in the area had been evacuated and trains cancelled to the town nearly 80 km (50 miles) from Amsterdam Sudan needs ‘immediate action’ on hunger to aver t widespread death UNITED NATIONS A G E N C I E S Immediate action is needed to “prevent widespread death and total collapse of livelihoods and avert a catastrophic hunger crisis in Sudan a United Nationsbacked global authority on food security warned The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) had been due to issue an update to its December analysis that found nearly 5 million were on the verge of catastrophic hunger However it was unable to do so due to the war Instead the IPC said it reviewed the latest evidence available and published the alert on Friday to express major concern about the deteriorating situation and to push for immediate action to prevent famine War erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) The UN has said nearly 25 million people half of Sudan s population – need aid and some 8 million have fled their homes Without an immediate cessation of hostilities and significant deployment of humanitarian assistance the population of Khartoum and Gezira States, Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan is at risk of reaching the worst levels of acute food insecurity and malnutrition during the upcoming lean season starting from April – May 2024 the IPC said on Friday The UN Security Council this month called for an immediate cessation of hostilities The US warned on Thursday that it would push the council to take action to get aid to starving people in Sudan, possibly by authorizing cross-border deliveries from Chad The IPC estimated that nearly 5 million people were acutely malnourished of whom 3 6 million are children under the age of five and 1 2 million are pregnant and lactating women It estimated cereal production was 46% lower than the previous year due to fighting in primary crop production areas during the peak of harvest season with food prices in markets 73% higher than in the same period last year IAF reveals what led to firing of BrahMos into Pakistan NEW DELHI A G E N C I E S The Indian Air Force (IAF) has given an explanation to the Delhi High Court regarding the firing of a BrahMos supersonic missile that landed in Pakistan two years ago The IAF told the High Court that combat connectors of the Brahmos missile remained connected to the junction box which led to firing in Pakistan according to The Economic Times The Air Force added that the incident caused a loss of 25 crore to the government exchequer The IAF also told the court that the incident had the “effect of affecting the relations between India and Pakistan The IAF s Court of Inquiry examined 16 witnesses and found Group Captain Saurabh Gupta Squadron Leader Pranjal Singh, and Wing Commander Abhinav Sharma – all members of the Combat Team –responsible for the incident The incident caused a “potential threat to any airborne/ground object/personnel and also caused damage to the reputation of Indian Air Force and the nation at large and a loss of 24 90 85 000 00 to the government exchequer the IAF said as per The Economic Times The reply has been filed in response to a petition filed by Wing Commander Abhinav Sharma in the Delhi High Court ascribing blame on the Air Commodore and Squadron Leader for ignoring safety precautions On 9 March 2022 India fired a BrahMos missile into Pakistan, with human error causing the unprecedented incident The IAF attributed the incident to a technical malfunction during routine maintenance NEW YORK A G E N C I E S Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton says his former boss former President Donald Trump doesn t have the brains to be a dictator as questions arise about what a second Trump term would look like Conservative French newspaper Le Figaro asked Bolton if Trump had dictatorial tendencies in an interview published earlier this week “He hasn’t got the brains! He’s a property developer for God s sake! Bolton replied Now a vocal critic of Trump Bolton served as the former president s national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019 Bolton had previously served as US ambassador to the UN during George W Bush s presidency, developing a reputation as a foreign policy hawk Trump, the lone remaining contender for the Republican presidential nomination is set to face President Joe Biden in the November presidential elections According to press reports Trump met with Hungary s Prime Minister Viktor Orban earlier this month, marking his embrace of autocratic leaders who are part of pushing back on democratic norms He has offered praise for several foreign leaders of nations the U S views as adversaries The former president said he has received beautiful letters from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and called Chinese President Xi Jinping a “very good person ” In the past, Trump has claimed he would not be a dictator if he were reelected, “except for day one ” In the interview, Bolton argued that “it is very likely that Trump will leave NATO if he is reelected ” Trump has long criticized NATO members for failing to spend 2 percent of their GDP and threatened to leave the organization while in office After telling Putin he could do what he pleases for delinquent NATO members, Trump has doubled down on his claims “Trump, when he has an idea comes back to it again and again then gets distracted forgets but eventually comes back to it and acts on it That s why leaving NATO is a real possibility A lot of people think it s just a negotiating tool, but I don t think so, Bolton said in the interview, translated by The Telegraph
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the dates for the three-match T20I series against Ireland, scheduled to be played at Castle Avenue in Dublin from May 10 to 14 In what is a significant milestone this series will be the first multi-match bilateral T20I encounter between Pakistan and Ireland Previously, the two teams had only clashed once in the shortest format, in a one-off match back in 2009 A two-match T20I series was scheduled for July 2020 but the tour didn t go ahead due to the Covid-19 pandemic Pakistan are set to intensify their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and the West Indies scheduling 12 T20Is to fine-tune their form ahead of the tournament The Men in Green will host New Zealand in a five-match series starting on April 18 After the Ireland series Pakistan face England in four matches between 2228 May Pakistan are currently taking part in a fitness camp at home, with 29 players from across the country converging to get in the groove for the mega-event Ireland series: May 10: First T20I Dublin; May 12 Second T20I Dublin; May 14: Third T20I Dublin Pak istan confirm schedule for three -T20I series in Ireland g P O P E F R A N C I S S AY S H I S T H O U G H T S G O TO T H O S E FA C I N G W A R S, E S P E C I A L LY C H I L D R E N W H O H AV E ‘ F O R G OT T E N H O W TO S M I L E ’
TTIK A Iftar dinner bring together orphan, special children at Turkish Consulate
thanked Turkiye for bringing together Pakistan s special children at the Iftar program
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressed his great honor to participate in the program and thanked the organizers of the program Turkish Consul General Cenal Sangu said he was very pleased to host the Iftar program held with most beautiful children of Karachi This sacred month challenges us to live by the highest moral standards and extend compassion, love, tolerance and help to those in need, he added TIKA coordinator Halil Ibrahim Basaran stated that NGOs have an important place in social development and that would be incomplete without NGOs and thanked them for participating in the program
The iftar program ended with the distribution of Eid gift sets by the Sindh Chief Minister and the Sindh Governor Iftar programs were organized for a total of 500 orphans and special children in Islamabad and Sindh province Eid sets were also gifted to 500 children who attended the Iftar programs, bringing smiles to the faces of the beautiful children TIKA served Ramazan tables by providing food aid to a total of 2000 families in the cities of Islamabad Muzaffarabad Rawalpindi Kotli, Karachi and Dadu
PIAF says GDP drops to 1% as LSM showed mere 0.52pc growth in Q2
LAHORE:
07 NEWS Monday 1 Apr l 2024 K AR ACHI
Pakhtunkhwa gov t contacts
discuss provincial arrears PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T Advisor to KP Chief Minister on Finance Muzamil Aslam on Sunday held a telephonic conversation with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman to discuss arrears of the KP Revenue Authority In a statement Muzamil Aslam said that the telephonic conversation has been made for arrears of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority A delegation meeting with FBR on the understanding of cross-input tax adjustment would be made soon, he added He said that out of total Rs9 4 billion pending outstanding amount of the province, Rs4 1 billion had been received in February 2024 and the rest Rs5 3 billion was pending with FBR for reconciliation and settlement He said that the FBR officials are likely to meet Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA) officials next week for reconciliation On March 13, KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur met Prime Minister (PM), Shehbaz Sharif belonging to rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Addressing a press conference along with Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal the KP chief minister hailed his first engagement with PM Shehbaz Sharif positive and said they discussed public and provincial issues, law and order and other matters “It was very positive and he [PM Shehbaz Sharif] assured of his full support, would fulfil his promise and would not lie ” CM Ali Amin Gandapur said He stressed the need for collaborative efforts to solve public issues and the need for the federal and provincial governments to deliver Over 180 gas connections disconnected in anti-theft drive LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) intensified crackdown on gas theft across Punjab Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad, disconnecting a total of 182 illegal gas connections and imposing fines exceeding Rs170 million The crackdown targeted various areas with Lahore seeing 5 connections disconnected (2 for illegal use and 3 for compressor use) Bahawalpur had 9 connections disconnected for illegal use Multan saw stricter action, with 13 connections disconnected: 4 for illegal use and 9 for unauthorized compressor use Additionally fines of Rs316 000 were imposed in Multan Rawalpindi reported 4 disconnected connections for illegal use and over Rs100 000 in fines The most significant impact was observed in Peshawar/Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where 123 connections were disconnected for various offenses, including meter tampering, direct gas use, and illegal connections This region also faced the highest fines, exceeding Rs0 8 million Other areas like Gujarat (4 connections) Sahiwal & Faisalabad (1 1 connections) and Mardan (20 connections) also witnessed disconnections for illegal activities with fines totaling Rs32,000 and Rs1 3 million imposed in Sahiwal/Faisalabad and Mardan, respectively SNGPL s crackdown aims to curb gas theft and ensure fair distribution of this vital resource CORPORATE CORNER KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T
Khyber
FBR to
H E Federal Government is considering an ordinance to expedite the resolution of a backlog of 27 000 tax cases lying pending with various appellate courts According to media reports, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has communicated to the Law Ministry regarding the initiation of an ordinance by the Commissioners Appeals to expedite the resolution of the backlog of tax cases As per the proposed plan, 50 seats of Commissioner Appeals FBR will be eliminated to streamline the resolution process of these cases Under the ordinance taxpayers will have the opportunity to directly file tax cases with the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue The objective behind the proposed ordinance is not only to save time but also to reduce the number of pending cases obligating the tribunals to adhere to a fixed timeframe for case resolution sources added It has been noted that previous efforts by alternative committees failed to significantly decrease the number of pending tax cases, which currently stand at a staggering 27 000 in tribunals and appellate courts The ordinance is expected to be promulgated following the approval of the President of Pakistan, offering a ray of hope for a more expedited and efficient tax resolution process in the country On other hand, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that Federal government has plan to bring undocumented businesses into the tax net Addressing the media he underscored the government s commitment to the welfare of the people and highlighted the importance of setting realistic targets for each ministry Addressing to media on Sunday in Lahore Tarar outlined that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been tasked with digitization targets leveraging modern technology to achieve them He further indicated that ministries have received written notifications regarding their respective targets including those pertaining to inflation and unemployment reduction growth IMF programs and loans Drawing attention to the government s austerity measures, Tarar noted the ongoing efforts to curtail excessive expenditures He underscored that cabinet members are refraining from availing salary privileges emphasizing accountability to the public who elected them GOVT CONSIDERS ORDINANCE PROMULGATION TO EXPEDITE RESOLUTION OF 27,000 TA X CASES KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) organized Iftar dinner with 159 orphans and disabled children here Turkish Consulate General with the participation of nearly 20 NGOs According to a press release Eid git sets were distributed to the orphan and special children in the program attended by Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Consul General of Turkiye in Karachi Cemal Songu and TIKAs K a r a c h i C o o r d i n a t o r H i l i l Ibrahim Basaran and other NGO representatives were also present on the occasion Speaking on the occasion, Governor Kamran Tessori emphasised the importance of taking care of orphans and special children and congratulated the NGOs operating in this regard and
In Karachi, with the cooperation of Pakistan Baitulmal, TIKA organized an Iftar dinner for approximately 1000 people in need
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Former President of Federal of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Chairman Businessmen Panel (BMP) Mian Anjum Nisar emphasizing the urgent need to address line losses and electricity theft has cited its detrimental effects on the national economy and stressed the need for overhauling the power sector through some drastic measures as the total cost of inefficiencies in the power sector is constantly escalating In a statement issued on Sunday he encouraged the Discos to leverage technology and innovation in their efforts to eradicate power theft, as the objective should be to curtail indiscriminate power outages especially to consumers who diligently pay their bills Mian Anjum Nisar asked the government that that all obstacles hindering efforts to prevent electricity theft must be removed warning that employees and officers involved in such illegal activities should be dealt with firmly and decisively He also demanded that there should be no political interference in the campaign against electricity theft He stressed that decisions should be made based on merit ensuring a transparent and impartial approach The business leader stated that the circular debt crossed Rs4 trillion after an addition of Rs400 billion during the current fiscal year In the present scenario energy efficiency and conservation are the key measures taken by countries across the globe to mitigate the associated risks However, in the case of Pakistan, both energy efficiency and conservation are generally treated as alien concepts ” he stated The BMP Chairman stated that the circular debt stock has crossed Rs4 trillion after Rs400 billion were added to it during the current fiscal year He said that in present scenario the energy efficiency and conservation are key measures used by countries across the globe to mitigate associated risks However in the case of Pakistan, both energy efficiency and conservation were generally treated as alien concepts DISCOs should address elec tricity theft, line losses: BMP LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Pakistan and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to remain constructively engaged to further reinforce bilateral relations, as there were a number of sectors that had a huge potential for cooperation, especially the export of skilful manpower to improve the national economy These views were discussed in a tripartite meeting of the All Pakistan Business Forum (APBF) Punjab Board of Investment & Trade (PBIT) and Member Parliament of the House of Commons of Canada Ms Salma Zahid, held here on Sunday, to discuss various trade opportunities between Pakistan and Canada with major focus on export of skilled labour force from Pakistan Salma Zahid who was also the Member Standing Committee of Immigration and Citizenship of Canada has recently been awarded with the Pakistan civil award of ‘Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam’ for her remarkable services to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries The Member Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons emphasized Pakistan s deep appreciation for its relationship with Canada and its commitment to fostering enduring and multifaceted bilateral relations She stressed the importance of increasing trade between the two nations and called for closer collaboration among business communities Promoting bilateral cooperation across public commercial and parliamentary spheres was highlighted as pivotal to strengthening the Pakistan-Canada partnership Ms Salma Zahid expressed gratitude to APBF and PBIT for inviting her and said that Canada and Pakistan have all the resources for business collaboration and export of skilled workforce She pledged to return with different new ideas of JVs collaborations and export of demand base skilled workforce to boost the bilateral trade ties APBF President Maaz Mahmood added that business community of both the countries should collaborate with each other to force joint ventures in view of increasing bilateral trade and exploring new business opportunities We can start it through segment wise and APBF have all the resources to initiate it because we contain diverse kinds of members from different business sectors He said that Pakistan is the 5th largest country of the world in terms of population with a large pool of human resource pledging to equip its manpower with the latest skills and knowledge to improve their prospects of their export to potential markets Maaz Mahmood called for harnessing the potential of a substantial Pakistani workforce to realize the goal of fast economic revival He proposed the Canadian government to employ a substantial number of Pakistani workers as it has the ability to export one million workers every year to various potential markets and all possible efforts should be made to realize this goal to strengthen the economy The PBIT CEO Jalal Hassan, on this occasion, pointed out various trade opportunities which exist between Pakistan and Canada asking the APBF to take lead from private sector as it has huge membership from diverse sectors He also asked the private sector and the government of Canada to engage with Pakistan to find the ways to increase the export of skilled workforce to Canada Pakistan, C anada reiterate to explore economic prospec ts, skilful manpower FBR achieves monthly as well as 9-month target ISLAMABAD: At the end of the third quarter of current financial year, FBR has collected Rs6,710 billion against an assigned target of Rs6 707 billion for the first nine months whereas refunds amounting to Rs369 billion were issued as compared to Rs254 billion issued during the same period last year FBR continues to register 30% growth in revenue collection as compared to the first nine months of previous financial year During the month of March - 2024 FBR has collected the assigned target of Rs879 billion and refunds amounting to Rs67 billion were issued as compared to Rs22 billion issued in March, 2023 PR Iranian gas holds key impor tance to resolve
I S L A M A B A D: Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-eShadbad (PTS) Dr Muhammad Hanif Mughal on Sunday said that Pakistan has not found a solution to its energy crisis during the last few decades and cannot resolve the energy problem without importing gas from Iran In a statement issued here he said that opposition from the United States to the IranPakistan gas pipeline project and threats of penalties were both deplorable Dr Hanif Mughal said that it would be in Pakistan's best interest to strengthen its relations with Iran and overcome different challenges by joining hands He said that if gas was not imported from Iran there may be a fine of eighteen billion dollars which Pakistan cannot pay in the current economic situation Under these circumstances he said the continued opposition to the gas pipeline by the United States is reprehensible and without justification Many countries, including China, India, South Korea Japan Taiwan Italy Greece Iraq and Turkey buy oil and gas from Iran on which the US remains silent However Pakistan was not allowed to do so and is threatened with sanctions, which was tantamount to double standards and hostility towards Pakistan He said that recently, the United States again opposed the gas pipeline project and warned Pakistan of its serious consequences He said that Pakistan should explain the importance of the pipeline because without cheap gas the country s economy was constantly affected One billion cubic feet of gas per day can be brought to Pakistan through the Iran pipeline, changing Pakistan's energy landscape and improving relations between the two countries he underlined PR
energy crisis: Hanif Mughal
The Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has pointed out that the GDP growth has stood at one percent in the second quarter of the current fiscal year, as the LSM has registered a negative 0 52 percent growth, leading to drop in overall the GDP growth of the country In a statement issued here on Sunday PIAF Chairman Faheemur Rehman Saigol said that the decline in LSM may have been due to a massive slash in the credit to the private sector as the credit to the private sector during July-Jan 2024 plummeted 41 percent to Rs180 7 billion from Rs393 6 billion for the same period a year before mainly due to high markup rate He said that business friendly policies must be adopted as other neighboring countries of the region are giving to trade and industry The amount specified in trade policy should be utilised for the promotion of exports by giving incentives to the trade and industry and by exploring new markets, he suggested The PIAF chairman said that the high cost of doing business has proved to be dangerous for Pakistan’s industry discouraging investment both in capacity and capability calling for lessening the burden of heavy taxes on the power sector Additionally, a continuous decline in remittance indicates that the government may not been able to stem the decline Remittance declined by 1 2 percent during July-February 2024 to $18 1 billion from $18 3 billion in the same period a year before PR K a r a c h i: At the end of the All Pakistan Bilal Majeed Super League cricket tournament a group photo of the winner Abdullah Lions Punjab team with special guest Khurram Majeed Captain Taimur Mirza, Khurram Chakwal and Osama Sialkoti are prominent in the picture PR EIGHTEEN, a flagship real estate project in the Twin Cities, hosted its annual Iftar dinner for media professionals in Islamabad The event served as a platform for dialogue on the pressing challenges confronting the real estate sector and the outlook for foreign investment in Pakistan Media delegates pledged unwavering support for private initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth in the country PR
PBabar A zam returns as T20, ODI skipper
PPP likely to sweep Senate polls in Sindh as PTI announces boycott
PTI’s Qaiser, Baloch agree to thrash out ‘misunderstandings’ amid bickering over merger claims
Published by Asad Nizami at Plot No 66-C, 1st Floor, 21st Commercial Street, Phase-II (Extension), DHA Karachi and printed at Ibn-e-Hassan Printing Press, Hockey Stadium, Karachi, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited Ph: 021-32640318 Email: newsroom@pakistantoday com pk PRAYER TIMINGS FA J R S U N R I S E Z U H R A S R M AG H R I B S H A 4:50 5:50 1 30 5:00 6:25 8:15 Monday 1 Apri 2024 NEWS LAHORE/ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday reaffirmed the resolve to work for the social uplift and integration of all the minorities in Pakistan while President Asif Zardari said that the Constitution of Pakistan guaranteed constitutional rights to all religious communities I extend my heartfelt greetings to t h e C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t y o f P a k i s t a n and around the world, on the occasion o f E a s t e r ” t h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r s a i d i n a m e s s a g e He said much more than festivity and celebration Easter was an occasion to reinforce and reflect on the values of love, tolerance and forgiveness as espoused by Prophet Isa (AS) and was a reminder to emulate these in their daily lives to bring harmony and peace in today s strife and conflict-ridden world On this auspicious occasion the prime minister also lauded the immense contributions of the Christian community in struggle for the creation of Pakistan and its socio-economic development and firmly believed that they would continue to play their proactive role in the progress and stability of Pakistan While we celebrate diversity of faiths as a source of strength and enrichment in our nation let us join hands towards building a society that is tolerant and cohesive and together defeat the forces of discord that are trying to cause harm to the fabric of our society ” PM Office Media Wing in a press release quoted the prime minister as saying He also wished the Christian community a happy and peaceful Easter President felicitates Christian community on Easter The president in a message said that all the communities enjoyed religious political social and economic rights in Pakistan The Christian community is a precious asset for Pakistan,” he said, adding that Easter was an occasion that brought a message of hope affection and prosperity President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release Appreciating the Christian community s contributions for the national progress, he further observed that the Christian community had always played their role in the progress and prosperity of the country The president reaffirmed that Pakistan was committed to protection of the rights of all communities and would ensure all steps for their prosperity For the country s progress and prosperity, entire nation including minorities would have to collectively work together, he added The Christian community is celebrating the Easter festival today with special prayer ceremonies across the world Special prayer ceremonies were arranged in different Churches of the country Security arrangements were also made around Churches to prevent any untoward incident The day started with special religious rituals prayers and an exchange of greetings with messages of goodwill and prosperity Easter is one of the most festive events among Christians worldwide which commemorates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from death, according to the Bible ON EASTER, PM, PRESIDENT REITERATE RESOLVE TO SOCIAL , ECONOMIC UPLIFT OF ALL MINORITIES
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T Batsman Babar Azam made a return to the captaincy of the men s cricket team on Sunday after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that he would lead the Green Shirts in ODIs and T20s In a post on social media platform X, the PCB said, Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain It said the decision was made following a “unanimous recommendation” from the PCB’s selection committee and its chairman Mohsin Naqvi The PCB also shared a video clip from a meeting between Babar and Naqvi Babar was first made the T20 captain in 2019 before taking charge of the Test and ODI teams in 2020 Babar stepped down from the post in November last year, after Pakistan’s dismal show in the Asia Cup and the 50-over World Cup last year Shaheen Shah Afridi had replaced him as the T20 captain and Shan Masood had assumed the role as the team s Test skipper Both Dawn had understood were kept in the dark by the national selection committee recently reorganised by Naqvi as it pondered over who to appoint as the next captain of the national team before agreeing upon Babar ’s name on Friday Babar ’s return means Shaheen’s T20 international captaincy stint will stay limited to just one series and the PCB s ignorance towards his position as a stakeholder in the situation may cost it the Pakistan dressing room s stability According to sources, many in PCB believed that the organisation made a mistake by not keeping Shaheen in the loop over captaincy and by just informing the pacer about its decision to bring Babar back as skipper As both Shaheen and Babar are not on one-page for the last few months the decision of appointing Babar without taking Shaheen into confidence may affect the unity within the national team as the fast bowler also has a good number of players supporting him,” sources close to the situation had told Dawn During nearly three years of Babar’s reign as Pakistan captain senior players Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir had fallen out of the selectors favour and their chances of returning to the team were low Both were openly critical of Babar s approach as captain and were vocal about it on national television All-rounder Imad and pacer Amir, however, were brought back into the fore by Mohsin after calling off their international retirement recently and it is understood that both will be on Pakistan s squad for the T20 World Cup which is set to be held in the United States and the West Indies in June However with Babar as captain, things may get tricky the expected selection of pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim in the national team, after they had withdrawn their retirement from international cricket recently may not make Babar Azam happy the sources added
KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is likely to secure 10 Senate seats from Sindh out of the 12 as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced boycott of the Senate elections scheduled for April 2 According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sources, all 12 Senators from Sindh will be elected unopposed as the PTI was the only party that was contesting the election against the PPP PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh announced the boycott saying that the PTI could elect four Senators from the province if the party had been given its mandate in the February 8 election While announcing that the PTI candidates would not contest the Senate election, he said that all current governments were fake With the PTI’s boycott, PPP is likely to secure as many as 10 seats from Sindh in the upcoming Senate election along with one Senator of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Faisal Vawda is also likely to be elected unopposed in the election It is pertinent to mention that members of the four provincial assemblies will elect Senators for seven general seats, two women seats, and two seats for technocrats including Ulema from each province, as well as one seat for non-Muslims from both Punjab and Sindh provinces On March 11 the ECP issued a schedule for elections on 48 vacant seats of the Senate according to which polling will be held on the second of next month from 9 am to 4 pm In the federal capital, members of the National Assembly will elect members of the Senate against one general seat and one seat for technocrats including Ulema The electoral watchdog said that the election will not be carried out on four seats reserved for the erstwhile tribal areas LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf agreed on moving forward by removing misunderstandings between the two political parties The development came during a telephonic conversation between JI leader Liaquat Baloch and PTI’s Asad Qaiser, a JI’s spokesperson said in a statement During his call to Baloch Qaiser said: [We] want to move forward by removing the misunderstandings Differences further deepened between the two former allies after PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan claimed that they had approached the JI following the February 8 general elections but the party backtracked on holding talks with the PTI under pressure After the polls the PTI-backed winning independent candidates looking to join other parties in a bid to get reserved seats However the JI had turned down the PTI’s offer to form a coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gohar however claimed that the JI was under pressure not to talk to PTI on the said matter and the party s leadership was avoiding meetings with him The PTI leader comments came during his appearance on Geo News programme Capital Talk in which he said that the JI leaders did not attend a meeting that was decided to take place between him Liaquat Baloch, and other leaders of both parties However, in a video released by JI on March 29, Baloch said: “There was no pressure on us and JI doesn’t take decisions under pressure ” On the PTI s offer to only form a coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the JI veteran maintained that his party s central majlis-e-shura considered it right to welcome whatever decision the PTI made, as there was divisiveness amongst its leadership on matters The politician added that JI unconditionally wanted to facilitate PTI across the country and that the party would again hold consultations on the new proposal shared by PTI Despite Gohar’s claim, the senior politico has shared his willingness to still meet with the PTI chief “Insha’Allah I would meet Barrister Gohar myself and we want contact to increase between Opposition parties He added that there is no room for any misunderstanding among Opposition parties, which could benefit the establishment and anti-Opposition” powers Following the fresh telephonic conversation today both parties however agreed to continue consultations and contacts in the backdrop of the prevailing political scenario in the country Confusion arose regarding contacts in the past,” Qaiser told Baloch While the JI leader lauded the struggle of PTI workers for democracy and said: “Jamaat-e-Islami is struggling for the rule of law and the Constitution in the country ” He underscored the need for brushing aside political differences and making joint efforts for political and economic stability in the country
PR OFIT N E W S D E S K In 2023 Pakistan s local mobile handset manufacturing sector saw a modest decrease, producing 21 28 million units, a slight drop from the 21 94 million handsets manufactured in 2022, and a more notable decline from 24 66 million in 2021 The reduction in local production has been attributed to challenges in importing necessary accessories caused by restrictions on opening Letters of Credit (LCs) During the initial two months of 2024, local facilities assembled 6 1 million mobile handsets, outpacing the 0 3 million units imported commercially February alone saw the production of 3 83 million units compared to the 0 06 million handsets imported during the same month The production in early 2024 included a mix of 2 78 million 2G handsets and 3 35 million smartphones, reflecting the market composition reported by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) which indicates that 60 percent of mobile devices on the network are smartphones with the remaining 40 percent being 2G devices Despite the downturn in local manufacturing last year, the country saw an increase in commercial imports of mobile handsets, growing from 1 53 million in 2022 to 1 58 million in 2023 The total local production for 2023 included 13 million 2G handsets and 8 28 million smartphones Import figures for mobile phones also saw significant movement with the country importing mobile phones worth $1 148 billion during the first eight months of the fiscal year 2023-24, marking a 156 43 percent increase from the $447 854 million recorded in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year However on a month-on-month basis February 2024 witnessed a 17 46 percent decrease in mobile phone imports totaling $160 899 million down from January s $194 928 million Year-on-year data for February shows an impressive 386 78 percent growth compared to the $33 054 million recorded in February 2023, as per the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) L o c a l m o b i l e h a n d s e t p r o d u c t i o n d r o p s t o 2 1 . 2 8 m u n i t s i n 2 0 2 3 g REDUCTION IN LOCAL PRODUCTION IS ATTRIBUTED TO CHALLENGES IN IMPORTING NECESSARY ACCESSORIES, CAUSED BY RESTRICTIONS ON OPENING LCS ISLAMABAD M I A N A B R A R Former Interior Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shehryar Khan Afridi on Sunday called on Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) of Chinese Embassy Mr Shi Yuanqiang and conveyed commiserations over the loss of precious lives in recent terrorist attack on Chinese engineers on his own behalf and also conveyed a message of sympathy of the party chief and former prime minister Imran Khan Mr Yang Nuo Minister Counsellor Chinese Embassy was also present on the occasion D e p u t y C h i e f o f M i s s i o n ( D C M ) , M r S h i Yu a n q i a n g , e xp r e s s e d g r a t i t u d e t o t h e P T I c h i e f I m r a n K h a n a n d p a r t y l e a d e r f o r v i s i t i n g t h e E m b a s s y a n d o ff e r i n g c o n d o l e n c e s w i t h t h e v i c t i m f a m i l i e s a n d t h e p e op l e o f C h i n a a n d P a k i s t a n He said that China highly values the efforts of Pakistani government and its people in providing support and protection to the Chinese workers and companies The Chinese side urged the Pakistani side to conduct speedy and thorough investigations into the attack and severely punish the perpetrators and take all necessary measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens institutions and projects in Pakistan He said that China and Pakistan are iron-friends and the terrorist attacks would only strengthen the resolve of China and Pakistan to deepen their friendly cooperation and promote balanced and sustainable development of Pakistan During the meeting Mr Afridi said that China and Pakistan enjoy an iron-brothers and this bond would further cement by each passing day He said that neither terrorism nor conspiracies can dent the trust and brotherhood between China and Pakistan and rather these acts only strengthen the resolve of the people and governments of both countries to fight the menace of terrorism Shehryar Khan Afridi said that poverty is a major issue and especially people in Pakistan, Afghanistan bordering areas are left behind the developed areas Te r r o r i s t a t t a c k s t o o n l y s t r e n g t h e n S i n o - Pa k r e s o l ve t o d e e p e n c o o p e r a t i o n : C h i n e s e d i p l o m a t PR OFIT N E W S D E S K The federal government has revised its Export Facilitation Scheme, enabling goods exporters to import necessary raw material machinery and equipment without incurring duties and taxes contingent upon specific conditions This regulatory change aimed at stimulating the country s exports mandates exporters to secure authorization from the Collectorate for their imports Under the newly introduced amendments, the permissible import value of machinery and equipment has been capped at 50% of the exporter ’s annual export valuation Moreover for import contracts exceeding $1 million in raw material aimed at fulfilling export obligations the chief collector s sanction is requisite The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is at the forefront of this initiative, having drafted revisions to the Customs rules to encapsulate the aforementioned provisions This draft is currently in a public consultation phase inviting feedback from various stakeholders over a 15-day period before the finalization of these amendments through official notification Introduced originally in 2021, the Export Facilitation Scheme seeks to further entice participation by offering exemptions to new entrants in the export market Exporters who have not previously utilized export financing schemes or participated in export incentives are now eligible to benefit from duty-free importation of raw materials, machinery, and equipment This move is designed to lower the entry barriers for new exporters, facilitating their contribution to the nation’s export growth The FBR’s latest adjustments are anticipated to invigorate the export sector encouraging broader participation and enhancing the country s export capabilities FBR to allow dut y free impor t of raw material, machiner y, equipment g INITIATIVE AIMS TO EA SE ENTRY FOR NEW EXPORTERS, BOOST EXPORTS AT T E N T I O N Some readers have complained that they are not getting the magazine with their newspaper copy Please call or WhatsApp us at the following number to register a complaint Contac t 0307-7338168 ir fan farooq@pak stantoday com pk N TO DAY S S S U E C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03
