the national level
The meeting was briefed on smuggling, misuse of Afghan Transit Trade, drugs, as well as sugar, wheat, fertiliser, petroleum products, and illegal weapons It was informed that after consultation with stakeholders a national anti-smuggling strategy was in its final stages and would soon be presented for approval
He stressed the need for more swift and effective monitoring of the sale and smuggling of Afghan Transit Trade goods in the country, and called for a third-party audit of the monitoring system
PM Shehbaz ordered the complete elimination of sugar smuggling and the immediate release of funds to examine the prevalence of drug consumption at
facilitating officers had been forwarded to law enforcement agencies and provincial governments PM Shehbaz directed the removal of identified officers from their respective posts and initiate disciplinary proceedings against them He also asked the LEAs and intelligence agencies to cooperate with each other to curb the smuggling Emphasising no leniency for those who loot public funds and their facilitators, PM Shehbaz directed measures to provide alternative earning opportunities and a conducive atmosphere for youths living in frontier regions
The meeting was also informed that law enforcement agencies had raided a godown of smuggled goods in Mastung a couple of days ago confiscating goods worth over Rs10 billion
The prime minister commended law enforcement agencies for their accelerated efforts to combat smuggling
In par tnership with Profit S a t u r d a y, 2 0 A p r i l , 2 0 2 4 I | 1 1 S h a w w a l , 1 4 4 5 R s 2 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 2 9 1 I 8 Pa g e s I Ka r a c h i E d i t i o n L AUDING ARMY’S BACKING, PM REITERATES RESOLVE TO RID COUNTRY OF SMUGGLING All 5 foreign nationals sur vived Karachi suicide blast unhur t , say police KARACHI N E W S D E S K Police officials confirmed on Friday that all foreigners traveling in a vehicle targeted in a suicide attack in the Landhi area were safe and subsequently moved to an undisclosed location Additionally, they revealed that the vehicle, carrying five foreign nationals, was attacked earlier in the day in Landhi’s Mansehra Colony, resulting in the elimination of two terrorists involved in the assault DIG East Azfar Mahesar said that the attackers were on foot as per preliminary investigation He added that police recovered six hand grenades an SMG and three magazines from militants The attackers also had two bottles of petrol All the items were in a bag with the attackers,” said the police official The DIG said that a vehicle and a motorcycle nearby were damaged in the blast after a terrorist blew himself up A police mobile was parked at a nearby petrol pump which reached the spot after hearing the explosion, he said, adding that the personnel of the Sharafi Goth police station also confronted the terrorists The DIG East revealed that the attack was carried out at 6:50 am this morning The DIG went on to state that there was a company vehicle with security guards as well behind the targeted one carrying the employees He said that the terrorists opened fire on the van, while the security guards behind the van retaliated the attack “One terrorist was killed in firing by security guards while the other terrorist approached the van and blew himself up he said The police official said efforts will be made to identify the slain terrorist using his fingerprints He also revealed that the police were already on alert after having received security threats regarding foreigners in the city He added that a security plan for China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and non-CPEC projects was prepared Earlier today following the incident, the police said that the van was targeted by the terrorists who were on a bike They added that a bag filled with grenades and Kalashnikov was found from the crime scene SSP Malir Tariq Mastoi confirmed that it was a suicide attack The police official said that another vehicle was also damaged in the explosion Gunfire sounds were also heard, they said As per initial reports shared by the police, the second terrorist killed in the encounter was also a suicide bomber “A suicide jacket and a grenade are tied to the terrorist’s body ” they said adding that a bomb disposal team is reaching the site of attack Following the attack the injured were being shifted to a nearby hospital, they added Meanwhile, the nationality of the victims has not been ascertained so far The law enforcement agency also shared that the foreign nationals were working in the export processing zone A security guard who was with the nationals and witnessed the incident told Geo News that they had left Zamzama in two vehicles He added that a loud explosion was then heard near Mansehra Colony After the explosion, a terrorist was firing at the vehicle,” the security guard said Later, speaking to the media at the crime scene, Counter Terrorism Department In-charge Raja Umar Khattab told journalists that the foreigners were travelling in three vehicles He added that the suicide bombers were waiting nearby and attacked the vehicle when it slowed down due to a speed breaker “The security guard fired at the attackers and thwarted the attack,” he said, adding that the terrorists arrived on a motorcycle and were chasing the car UNITED NATIONS R E U T E R S The United States on Thursday effectively stopped the United Nations from recognizing a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council to deny Palestinians full membership of the world body It vetoed a draft resolution that recommended to the 193-member UN General Assembly that the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the UN Britain and Switzerland abstained, while the remaining 12 council members voted yes “The United States continues to strongly support a two-state solution This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood but instead is an acknowledgement that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties, Deputy US Ambassador to the U N Robert Wood told the council Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the US veto in a statement as unfair unethical and unjustified Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour at times emotional told the council after the vote: The fact that this resolution did not pass will not break our will and it will not defeat our determination We will not stop in our effort ” The Palestinian push for full UN membership came six months into a war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip and as Israel is expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank which the UN considers to be illegal Israel s Foreign Minister Israel Katz commended the United States for casting a veto Addressing the 12 council members who voted in favor of the draft resolution Israel s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan said: It s very sad because your vote will only embolden Palestinian rejectionism even more and make peace almost impossible ‘S TA RT W I T H G A Z A’ The Palestinians are currently a nonmember observer state a de facto recognition of statehood that was granted by the UN General Assembly in 2012 But an application to become a full UN member needs to be approved by the Security Council and then at least two-thirds of the General Assembly “We believe that such recognition of Palestinian statehood should not come at the start of a new process but it doesn t have to be at the very end of the process We must start with fixing the immediate crisis in Gaza, Britain s UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council The UN Security Council has long endorsed a vision of two states living side by side within secure and recognized borders Palestinians want a state in the West Bank east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip all territory captured by Israel in 1967 Algeria s UN Ambassador Amar Bendjama argued before the vote that admitting Palestinians to the United Nations would strengthen rather than undermine the twostate solution adding: “Peace will come from Palestine’s inclusion not from its exclusion ” The Palestinian Authority headed by Abbas exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank Hamas ousted the Palestinian Authority from power in Gaza in 2007 Hamas condemned the US stance in a statement and called on the international community to “support the struggle of our Palestinian people and their legitimate right to determine their destiny Failure to make progress towards a two-State solution will only increase volatility and risk for hundreds of millions of people across the region, who will continue to live under the constant threat of violence,” U N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the council earlier on Thursday US stops UN from recognizing Palestinian state through membership ‘Judges Letter’: LHC CJ convenes full cour t on Monday to discuss protection of judicial independence LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Malik Shehzad Ahmed Khan on Friday summoned a full court meeting for April 22 to discuss how best to protect judicial independence and establish a mechanism to attach liability to those undermining such freedom A notification issued by the LHC registrar said CJ Khan was pleased to convene the full court meeting for April 22 (Monday) at 1:30pm to “consider how best to protect independence of the judiciary” and to “put in place a mechanism to affix liability for those who undermine such independence and clarify for the benefit of individual judges the course they must take when they find themselves at the receiving end of interference and/or intimidation by members of the executive The notification said the decision was taken in light of the Supreme Court’s directions in the April 3 suo motu hearing “All the honourable judges gracing at principal seat are requested to make it convenient to attend the meeting on the said date time and venue the notification said adding that the judges working at the three divisional benches will participate via video link The development comes in the wake of allegations made by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges against interference in judicial affairs by the country’s intelligence apparatus On March 25 six IHC judges out of a total strength of eight wrote a startling letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) members regarding attempts to pressure judges through abduction and torture of their relatives as well as secret surveillance inside their homes ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
A L L I N G for the punishment of smugglers, drug dealers and their facilitators, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated the government s resolve to rid the country of smuggling directing the authorities to accelerate the nationwide action against the menace Chairing a high-level meeting on Friday to curb smuggling, the prime minister instructed the Law Ministry to immediately enact necessary legislation for this purpose The premier paid rich tribute to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir for his full cooperation with the government in his efforts against smuggling A report from the investigation committee headed by AD Khawaja was also presented during the meeting The prime minister commended the committee for identifying the elements involved in the misuse of Afghan Transit Trade for smuggling as well as the officers facilitating them He was informed that a list of smugglers hoarders and their
C
Federal ministers Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi Jam Kamal Khan Ahad Khan Cheema Rana Tanweer Hussain Dr Musaddik Malik, Azam Nazeer Tarar, the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue, the attorney general, personnel from law enforcement agencies and senior officers attended the meeting P M D I R E C T S TO E X P E D I T E R EL I E F A C T I V I T I E S I N K P, B A L O C H I S TA N: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has expressed deep grief and sorrow over loss of previous lives and property due to heavy rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces In a message on Friday the prime minister prayed for the elevation of ranks of the departed souls in paradise and offered condolences to the bereaved families Premier Shehbaz Sharif also prayed for early recovery of those injured as a result of various incidents occurred due to torrential rains He directed the National Disaster Management Authority and other concerned departments to speed up the relief activities in the affected areas The federal government stands with the provincial governments of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and will provide all possible assistance in relief operations, the prime minister said He directed not to spare any effort in providing relief to the victims Besides he also asked to expedite the work for opening roads that had been closed due to rains and landsliding ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday expressed its disappointment on the United Nations Security Council’s inability to reach a consensus on Palestine’s full membership of the United Nations regretting the US decision to veto the draft resolution Pakistan is deeply disappointed by the result of last night s debate at UNSC and its inability to reach a consensus and recommend Palestine’s membership to UNGA We regret the US decision to veto the draft resolution granting full membership of the UN to Palestine Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in her weekly press briefing A day earlier, the US had effectively stopped the UN from recognizing a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council to deny Palestinians full membership in the world body “Granting UN membership to Palestine a nation enduring 75 years of oppression constitutes a validation of their inherent right to self-determination and will mark a moment of historic justice,” maintained the FO spokesperson The FO emphasized “The Palestinian populace deserves the right to live in an autonomous state within the delineated confines of June 4 1967 with its capital situated in Al-Quds Referring to the recent visit by a delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Mumtaz said that the counterparts from both nations delved into multiple regional and global concerns during the visit The office noted that the two ministers discussed the rising instability in the region urging for an immediate halt to the hostilities in Gaza and ensuring unhindered humanitarian aid access The Palestinian push for full UN membership came six months into a war between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip and as Israel is expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, which the UN considers to be illegal S TA F F R E P O R T g D I R E C T S A U T H O R I T I E S C O N C E R N E D TO A C C E L E R AT E N AT I O N W I D E A C T I O N A G A I N S T T H E M E N A C E g C O A S R E A F F I R M S C O N T I N U E D S U P P O R T TO W A R D S C A PA C I T Y- B U I L D I N G O F R O YA L S A U D I L A N D F O R C E S g EXPRESSES GRIEF OVER LOSS OF LIVES AND PROPERTY IN KP, BALOCHISTAN, DIRECTS TO EXPEDITE RELIEF ACTIVITIES RAWALPINDI S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Friday agreed to solidify efforts in defence collaboration, with the army chief reaffirming the army’s continued support towards capacity building of Royal Saudi Land Forces said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) The assertion came during a meeting between Army Chief General Asim Munir and the kingdom’s Assistant Minister of Defence Major General Talal Bin Abdullah Al-Otaibi who called on the army chief at GHQ in Rawalpindi During the meeting, matters of mutual interest were discussed including defence production and military training The visiting dignitary acknowledged the Pakistan Army s achievements and sacrifices in the war against terrorism and the army’s valuable contributions towards regional peace and stability The Saudi dignitary also participated in the 5th Meeting of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Defence Collaboration at GHQ which he co-chaired with the chief of general staff of the Pakistan Army The forum discussed challenges to global and regional security and their implications on Defence Forces Forum noted that rapid advancements in modern technologies necessitated defence industrial cooperation in critical capabilities between the two brotherly countries,” said the military’s media wing Islamabad and Riyadh also reiterated their resolve to solidify the efforts in defence collaboration with a focused approach to target specific capabilities in land, air and sea domains” Both nations share strong brotherly ties based on commonalities of religion history and culture which are progressively reinforcing with time Pakistan, Saudi Arabia agree to solidif y effor ts in defence collaboration I s l a m a b a d r e g r e t s U S d e c i s i o n t o v e t o Pa l e s t i n e ’ s U N G A m e m b e r s h i p b i d C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03
(17 07%), Tomatoes (12 67%), Chicken (11 60%), Lawn printed and Shirting (3 55%) each, Garlic (2 88%), Diesel (2 87%) Beef (2 56) Georgette (1 91%) Pulse Mash (1 62%) Cooked Beef (1 31%) and Sugar (1 10%) The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) is computed on a weekly basis to assess the price movement of essential commodities at a shorter interval of time to review the price situation in the country
It comprises 51 essential items collected from 50
Saturday 20 April 2024 | KARACHI 02 NEWS PR OFIT M o n i to R i n g D e S k F ollowing significant increases in gas tariffs the Sui companies have yet to make payments to Exploration and Production (E&P) companies resulting in outstanding debts totaling Rs1,500 billion as of March 15, 2024 As per a news report, this financial backlog is obstructing further exploration and production efforts within the country The total debt owed by the gas companies to E&P firms has escalated to Rs2 84 trillion ($1 2 billion) with SSGC and SNGPL accountable for Rs1,500 billion of this amount, including over $600 million due to foreign companies This delay in payments poses a significant challenge to the upstream companies’ investment capabilities with local E&P firms awaiting payments of Rs1,343 billion This concern was expressed in a letter dated April 17, 2024, from the Pakistan Petroleum Exploration and Production Companies Association (PPEPCA) to Petroleum Minister Dr Musadik Malik The letter calls for urgent government intervention to address the liquidity crisis of E&P firms, which has worsened despite the tariff hikes The E&P companies have warned that they may reduce or halt production which could lead to a significant gas shortage unless the government ensures prompt payments by SNGPL and SSGC The letter highlighted that the gas utility companies have failed to settle even the basic monthly invoices following the tariff increase The association urged the government to provide immediate financial support to these struggling entities to maintain their operational capacity and fulfill obligations to foreign oil and gas companies, which are protected by sovereign guarantees The liquidity issues have forced E&P companies to cut back on exploration and development activities By February 2024 only 9 of the planned 23 exploration wells had been drilled Currently, only 19 out of 42 available rigs are operational, and there is a notable decrease in seismic activities Development wells are also being deferred, reducing gas production by approximately 300 MMscfd DEL AYED PAYMENTS FROM SUI COMPANIES THREATEN GAS PRODUCTION ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t President Asif Ali Zardari conferred Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) award on Chief of Turkish General Staff, General Metin Gurak in recognition of his illustrious services and contribution to strengthening PakistanTurkiye defence relations The award was conferred at a special investiture ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday and attended by services chiefs and parliamentarians As per the citation read out at the ceremony, General Metin Gurak is an officer of high intellect and his excellent administrative qualities earned him the reputation of being a courageous and professionally competent officer General Metin Gurak has played a vital role for implementing peace and stability around Turkiye General Gurak, during his outstanding military career served on different staff and command appointments which prominently include Commander of 2nd Armored Brigade Chief of Communication Department of TGS Commander of Military Academy Commander of Army Aviation School Commander of 4th Corps Commander of Land Forces TRADOC Communications Services Support Training, Chief of Staff of Land Forces Command and Deputy Chief of Turkish General Staff He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in 2015 In recognition of his excellent services and outstanding achievements he was promoted to the rank of General in 2020 and served as 2nd Army Commander before being appointed as Chief of Turkish General Staff in August 2023 General is sincere and close friend of Pakistan He has played a prominent role in promoting and strengthening defence relations between both brotherly countries g D E BT O W E D B Y G A S CO M PA N I E S TO E & P F I R M S H I T S R S 2 84 T R I L L I O N , W I T H S S G C , A N D S N G P L ACCO U N TA B L E F O R R S 1,500 B I L L I O N O U T O F I T P re s i d e n t c o n fe r s N i s h a n - i - I m t i a z ( M ) awa rd o n Tu r ki s h C h i e f o f G e n e r a l S t a ff PR OFIT n e w S D e S k Pakistan s textile and clothing exports grew by 3 29% to $1 299 billion in March compared to $1 257 billion in the same month last year whereas exports fell by 7 67% on a month-onmonth (MoM) basis according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) The MoM decline in textile exports in March 2024 marked an end to three months of double-digit growth with a reduced demand from international buyers As per PBS data for the first nine months (July-March) of fiscal year 2024, textile and clothing exports also declined slightly by 0 25% to $12 444 billion from $12 476 billion in the previous year The slowdown in growth has been linked to increased production costs due to higher energy prices and a liquidity shortage The textile industry has cautioned the government about potential further declines unless issues such as unresolved refunds are addressed promptly PBS data indicates that exports of readymade garments increased by 3 92% in value and 19 39% in quantity in March Knitwear exports rose by 8 12% in value and 19 58% in quantity, while bed wear exports grew by 9 36% in value and 18 15% in quantity Towel exports increased by 18 10% in value and 22 39% in quantity and cotton cloth exports went up by 3 18% in value and 29 63% in quantity In contrast yarn exports decreased by 36 09% Exports of made-up articles excluding towels rose by 17 49% but exports of tents, canvas, and tarpaulin dropped by 36 09% March saw a significant reduction in textile machinery imports by 49%, indicating a lack of focus on expansion or modernization However imports of synthetic fiber rose by 49 41% synthetic and artificial silk yarn by 36 07%, and other textile items by 98 06% Raw cotton imports fell by 79 56%, while imports of second-hand clothes grew by 29 49% Overall total exports of the country in the first nine months of FY24 increased by 9 01% to $22 93 billion compared to the previous year PR OFIT n e w S D e S k The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended on April 18, 2024, decreased by 0 79% while the year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 28 54% According to the latest data shared by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
major decrease was observed during the week in the prices of Wheat Flour
97%) Bananas
67%)
Eggs
67%), LPG
84%) Onion
40%), Chilies Powder
31%), Cooking Oil 5 Litre
45%) Pulse Masoor
43%) and Vegetable Ghee 2 5 Kg
34%) On the other hand major increase
in the
(PBS)
(8
(8
Electricity Charges for Q1 (7 16%),
(6
(2
(1
(1
(0
(0
(0
was observed
prices of Potatoes
markets in 17 cities of the country During the week under review out of 51 items prices of 22 (43 14%) items increased 11 (21 57%) items decreased and 18 (35 29%) items remained stable As per PBS data, the year on year trend depicts increase of 28 54%, Gas Charges for Q1 ( 570 00%), Onions (155 00%), Tomatoes (126 94%), Chilies Powder (83 62%) Gents Sandal (66 71%), Garlic (65 96%), Gents Sponge Chappal (58 05%), Salt Powder (31 87%), Chicken (30 91%), Energy Saver (29 83%) Gur (27 99%) and Pulse Mash (26 39%) While a decrease was observed in the prices of Bananas (35 20%) Cooking Oil 5 Litre (20 91%), Vegetable Ghee 2 5Kg (17 65%), Vegetable Ghee 1 Kg (17 61%), Mustard Oil (13 83%), Wheat Flour (11 05%), LPG (6 14%), Eggs (4 51%) and Diesel (0 85%) Short-term inflation declines by 0.79% WoW g O U T O F 5 1 I T E M S , P R I C E S O F 2 2 I T E M S I N C R E A S E D, 1 1 I T E M S D E C R E A S E D A N D 1 8 I T E M S R E M A I N E D S TA B L E , P B S D ATA S H O W S Finance Minister expects Moody’s to upgrade Pakistan’s credit rating soon PR OFIT M o n i to R i n g D e S k Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb anticipates that Moody’s Investor Service will soon upgrade Pakistan’s credit rating As per media reports the federal minister cites the nation s economic improvements and the government s dedication to reforms as reasons for the potential upgrade This was discussed during Aurangzeb’s meeting with Moody’s representatives at the World Bank Group-IMF Spring Meetings in Washington DC Previously Moody s had lowered Pakistan s local and foreign currency issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings from Caa1 to Caa3, attributing the downgrade to increased liquidity and external risks heightening the probability of default to levels typical of a Caa3 rating Factors such as Pakistan s weak fiscal capacity and high political risks were also considered to limit its credit profile However in February of this year, Moody s indicated that an upgrade to Pakistan s rating could occur if there were a substantial and lasting decrease in the government’s liquidity and external vulnerability risks Oil prices dip following Iran’s downplay of repor ted Israeli missile attack PR OFIT M o n to R i n g D e S k Oil prices fell on Friday after initially surging over $3 as Iran downplayed the impact of reported Israeli attacks News agency Reuters reported that Brent futures were down 72 cents, or 0 83%, at $86 39 a barrel by 1314 GMT while WTI crude contracts for May fell 66 cents or 0 8% at $82 07 at 1314 GMT US news outlet ABC News cited a US official as saying that Israeli missiles had hit a site in Iran Iran s Fars news agency said explosions were heard at an airport in the Iranian city of Isafahan but the cause was not immediately known Several flights were diverted over Iranian airspace CNN reported Earlier oil prices jumped around $3 a barrel in the global market on Friday in reaction to reports that Israeli missiles had struck a site in Iran, sparking concerns that Middle East oil supply could be disrupted The benchmark contracts surged more than $3 then eased slightly At 0200 GMT Brent futures were up $2 63 or 3% to $89 74 a barrel The most active US West Texas Intermediate contract climbed $2 56 or 3 1% to $84 66 per barrel Last weekend Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles in a retaliatory strike after a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria Most of the drones and missiles were downed before reaching Israeli territory with minimal damage and casualties Investors have been closely monitoring Israel s reaction to the April 13 Iranian drone attacks The geopolitical risk premium in oil prices had been unwinding this week on the perception that any Israeli retaliation to Iran’s attack would be moderated by international pressure In the global crude oil supply Venezuela lost a key US license allowing the OPEC member to export oil to markets globally The US also announced sanctions on Iran, another OPEC member targeting its unmanned aerial vehicle after the country’s drone strike on Israel last weekend The sanctions on Iran however exclude its oil industry Pa ki s t a n’s tex t i l e ex p o r t s f a l l by 8 % M o M i n M a rc h g P B S D ATA S H O W S E X P O R T S A L S O D E C L I N E D B Y 0 2 5 % TO $ 1 2 4 4 4 B I L L I O N I N 9 M F Y 2 4 F R O M $ 1 2 . 4 7 6 B I L L I O N I N P R E V I O U S Y E A R Faizabad Commission report should be made public as it was leaked: Abbasi MULTAN S ta f f R e p o R t Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has suggested that the Faizabad commission report should be made public after it was leaked Former prime minister Abbasi has stated this while speaking to a private TV channel program He claimed he had not read the commission s report yet The commission was formed on the instructions of the Supreme Court and its TORs were also framed by court Abbasi said the commission was told to write down the questions and that he (Abbasi) would answer them They sent me 24 questions and I replied, he said The former prime minister said the ISI was an institution of the federal government Former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal was also present in the meeting “There was no need to approve the agreement We had given powers to the committee As per Ahsan Iqbal the TLP wanted Faiz Hameed to sign the agreement said the then prime minister He further said it was Iqbal s responsibility who was to be included in the committee The former premier said Zahid Hamid was not asked to resign at all Hamid himself offered to resign and his resignation was accepted The former prime minister said they discussed to stop the sit-in in a meeting The Punjab government did not stop the sit-in and it reached Faizabad With the infamous Model Town incident in mind, the Punjab government thought it would be appropriate not to stop the TLP rally he added Abbasi said he did not think anyone was behind the TLP sit-in We found no evidence in this regard Pakistan has a long history of such incidents since 1947 A truth commission should be formed to find out what happened in the country,” he said
‘Judges Letter ’: LHC C J convenes full cour t on Monday to disc uss protec tion of judicial independence
Muhammad Tahir and Saman Rafat Imtiaz A day later, calls had emerged from various quarters for a probe into the investigation, amid which Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa summoned a full court meeting of the Supreme Court s judges After a meeting between CJP Isa and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on March 28 the duo decided to form a commission to investigate the concerns of interference in judicial affairs following the cabinet s approval However, former CJP Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, who was appointed to head the commission subsequently recused himself from the matter leading to the apex court taking a suo motu notice of the issue On April 3 CJP Isa asserted that any attack on the judiciary s independence would not be tolerated as he hinted at forming a full court to hear a suo motu case pertaining to allegations of interference in judicial affairs
C O N T E N T S O F L E T T E R B Y I H C J U D G E S
The letter complained that “interference on the part of intelligence operatives” continued even after IHC CJ’s assurance It also referred to the abduction of an IHC judge s brother-in-law by armed men who claimed to be ISI operatives The victim was administered electric shocks and forced to record a video making false allegations, apparently against the judge “Subsequently, a complaint was filed against the judge of IHC before the SJC, accompanied by an orchestrated media campaign to bring pressure to bear upon the judge to resign
The letter revealed that in May 2023 an IHC inspection judge reported to the chief justice that district court judges were being intimidated and crackers were thrown into the house of one additional district and sessions judge
The judge was even called to the IHC to verify the claims which he confirmed But instead of probing the allegations the judge “was made officer on special duty and transferred to IHC before being sent back to Punjab as he was a judicial officer on deputation
The letter by the IHC judges had mentioned seven instances of alleged interference and intimidation to influence the outcome of cases of interest by the intelligence officials pointing out that when two out of three judges in the bench hearing the plea to disqualify PTI leader Imran Khan for concealing his alleged daughter opined that the case was not maintainable, they were pressured by operatives of the ISI through friends and relatives The situation got so stressful that one of the judges had to be admitted to hospital due to high blood pressure the letter said According to the six judges the matter was brought to the notice of the IHC chief justice and the then-CJP The former informed the judges that he had spoken to the DGC of ISI and had been assured that no official from ISI will approach the judges of the IHC
PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T T H E Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an alert to residents and local authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the rising flood threat in the province s rivers T h e M e t e o r o l o g i c a l D e p a r t m e n t predicts continued rainfall until April 20 Peshawar received 12 mm of rain within few hours According to PDMA most Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rivers are experiencing medium-level flooding and further rain is expected to worsen the situation The authority has urged residents living near rivers to evacuate to safer locations A recent PDMA report details the casualties and property damage caused by the heavy rains So far 36 people have died and 46 have been injured in rain-related accidents The deceased include eight boys and eight girls, while the injured include nine females, 33 males, and eleven children T h e h e a v y r a i n s h a v e a l s o d a m a g e d 2 3 9 1 h o u s e s a c r o s s v a r i o u s d i s t r i c t s O f t h e s e 3 8 8 h o u s e s w e r e c o m p l e t e l y d e s t r o y e d , a n d 2 , 0 0 3 s u s t a i n e d p a r t i a l d a m a g e T h e a ff e c t e d d i s t r i c t s i n c l u d e D i r U p p e r a n d L o w e r C h i t r a l U p p e r S w a t B a j a u r S h a n g l a M a n s e h r a M o h m a n d M a l a k a n d K a r a k Ta n k M a r d a n P e s h a w a r C h a r s a d d a N o w s h e r a B u n i r H a n g u , B a t g r a m , B a n n u , N o r t h a n d S o u t h Wa z i r i s t a n , K o h a t , D e r a I s m a i l K h a n , a n d O r a k z a i 03 NEwS Sat rday 20 Apri 2024 | KARACHI P D M A I S S U E S F LO O D A L E R T A S R A I N S C O N T I N U E T O L A S H K P P a k i s t a n , F i n l a n d l a u n c h 1 . 5 m l n E u r o v o c a t i o n a l t a l e n t b o o s t p r o g r a m f o r y o u t h RAWALPINDI S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan and Finland have joined forces to launch a vocational training program aimed at boosting the skills of young Pakistanis The initiative funded by a 1 5 million euro grant will focus on developing expertise in highdemand sectors such as hospitality, construction, and healthcare The program, spearheaded by Finland’s Turku Vocational Institute and Pakistan’s National University of Science and Technology (NUTECH) was approved by the European Union under the framework of the Pakistan-Finland Cooperation It leverages the platform of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to facilitate collaboration This project has a two-fold benefit It will not only equip Pakistani youth with industry-relevant skills that meet EU standards but also create a pipeline for potential employment opportunities in Finland The first batch of graduates was expected to travel to Finland by October 2025 to explore job prospects The Talent Boost program is a key component of SIFC s multifaceted strategy for driving economic growth in Pakistan ” said a spokesperson for the council “By equipping our youth with valuable skills and facilitating international employment opportunities we aim to increase their earning potential and contribution to the national economy through remittances New rain spell likely to hit Punjab on Tuesday LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Friday has forecast a new rain spell which will enter Punjab from April 23 (Tuesday) In this regard, a PDMA spokesman said that there is a possibility of light rain in the areas of Upper Punjab on April 23 Thunderstorm and hailstorms are likely to occur in Upper Punjab from April 26 to 29 said the PDMA spokesman Rain alert has already been issued across Punjab from 18 to 21 April, spokesperson said PDMA warned farmers should harvest the wheat crop keeping in view the weather conditions Director General PDMA said that according to the directives of Chief Minister Punjab the administration is on round the clock alert ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and the Turkish Chief of the General Staff General Metin Gürak on Friday discussed issues of mutual interests including regional maritime security environment and bilateral naval collaboration Earlier upon arrival at Naval Headquarters Islamabad, the distinguished guest was received by Chief of the Naval Staff During the meeting of the Naval Chief and Turkish Chief of General Staff various avenues of cooperation including training exchange of visits and conduct of bilateral naval exercises between the two Navies were also focused Admiral Naveed Ashraf highlighted Pakistan Navy s initiatives to ensure maritime security and peace in the region through Regional Maritime Security Patrols The visiting dignitary acknowledged Pakistan Navy’s efforts and commitments in support of collaborative maritime security in the region The recent visit of Turkish Chief of the General staff will further augment and expand defence ties between the two brotherly countries in general and the defence forces in particular Naval Chief, Turkish Chief of General Staff discuss issues of bilateral interest LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T On the directives of the Punjab Chief Minister, the authorities have been striving hard to implementation of the cut in the price of Roti and so far 817 people were arrested and 347 cases registered for violation of the government s directives The authorities have also imposed fine amounting to Rs11 7 million for overcharging during the ongoing campaign during the past five days The report regarding the actions was presented during a meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman here at Civil Secretariat The administrative secretaries of industries and food departments, Chairman PITB and officers concerned attended the meeting while all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link The Chief Secretary said that the reduction in the price of Roti is a great initiative of the Punjab government to provide relief to the people, adding that the availability at new rates would be ensured in any case He mentioned that the new price of Roti was fixed keeping in mind the cut in the price of flour and other expenses, adding that there is no justification for selling at a higher price He directed that Price Control Magistrates must remain active in the field for monitoring the rates The secretary industries gave a detailed briefing at the meeting He said that so far more than 22,000 Tandoors have been inspected and 94 of them have been sealed In 10 districts including Lahore Rawalpindi Faisalabad the price of Roti has been fixed at Rs16, while its price has been fixed at Rs15 in 26 districts He maintained that the price of Roti in DG Khan and Rajanpur has been set at Rs13 while it has been fixed at Rs12 in Muzaffargarh and Kot Addu He further stated that as per the instructions of the Chief Minister of Punjab, banners showing new price of Roti have been displayed at ‘Tandoors’ and in case of overcharging the citizens can lodge complaints on the Qeemat Punjab App or complaint cell No 08000-2345 817 held for overcharging as Punjab ac ts to implement new roti price Objection raised to MNA Sadaf Ehsan’s oath-taking ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T There was a commotion in the National Assembly session on Friday after Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) legislator Noor Alam Khan protested the oath-taking of female lawmaker Sadaf Ehsan, citing party disassociation National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq clarified that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had issued a notification following which the oath was being taken Noor Alam argued that Sadaf is not member of the JUI so she cannot be sworn in, saying his party had already de-notified her He said the speaker is doing an illegal and unconstitutional act by administering her oath Subsequently, Noor Alam Khan raised a quorum issue, which was found complete upon counting Sadaf Ehsan along with Zahoor Hussain Qureshi took oath as members of the National Assembly on Friday The speaker administered the oath to the newly elected representatives However, the speaker declined to shake hands with Sadaf Ehsan after she signed the roll 25 talented students of PEF selected for prestigious online course LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) is delighted to announce that 25 talented students have been chosen from thousands across Pakistan to participate in a free online course offered by Sundar STEM School In collaboration with the Virtual University, Sundar STEM School will provide these students with high-quality education through online courses Thousands of students from all corners of Pakistan applied for these courses with 5 000 students shortlisted for the competition Eventually 335 students were selected nationwide including 25 from the Punjab Education Foundation This is a great achievement, showing the hard work and dedication of PEF partners and teachers, said a spokesperson for the Punjab Education Foundation It's impressive that 25 talented students from PEF have been selected among thousands of students from all over Pakistan for this online course The selected students will receive laptops and internet access from Sundar STEM School to complete the course without any difficulty They will receive top-notch education in English, Mathematics, and Computer Science through the online platform of the Virtual University The course will run for three years PTI announces suppor t for Achakzai-led par t y in by-elections QUETTA S TA F F R E P O R T The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced support for the Mahmood Khan Achakzai-led Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) in the byelections in Balochistan set to be held on April, 21 PTI Deputy Secretary General Khadim Hussain said that his party would support the PkMAP’s candidates from PB50 and PB-51 He said that PTI founder Imran Khan and provincial leadership decided to withdraw its candidates in favor of the PkMAP from both constituencies The PTI deputy secretary general said that his party has not only withdrawn its candidates in favor of the PkMAP but would also run their campaign PM calls UAE President to admire his leadership role during rains ISLAMABAD\ S TA F F R E P O R T P r i m e M i n i s t e r M u h a m m a d S h e h b a z S h a r i f o n F r i d a y h e l d a t e l e p h o n i c c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h P r e s i d e n t o f t h e U n i t e d A r a b E m i r a t e s ( U A E ) S h e i k h M o h a m e d b i n Z a y e d A l N a h y a n The prime minister ’s call was centered on his admiration for the strong resolve and impeccable efficiency with which the UAE leadership had confronted the challenges that had emerged from the recent rains in the country, a PM Office news release said He lauded the UAE President, who had once again demonstrated his outstanding leadership qualities and proven his strong commitment to ensuring the welfare of the Emirati people T h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r s a i d t h a t P a k i s t a n h a d a l s o w i t n e s s e d h e a v y r a i n s i n r e c e n t d a y s r e s u l t i n g i n l o s s of many precious lives He called for collective actions t o c o m b a t t h e c h a l l e n g e o f c l i m a t e c h a n g e a n d s u g g e s t e d t h a t b o t h c o u n t r i e s s t r e n g t h e n t h e i r c o l l a b o r a t i o n i n t h e f i e l d The UAE president expressed appreciation for the prime minister ’s good wishes and reciprocated the warm sentiments for the people affected from rains and flooding in Pakistan CONINUED
01 The letter was
Tariq Mehmood
Khan,
FROM PAGE
signed by judges Mohsin Akhtar Kayani
Jahangiri Babar Sattar Sardar Ejaz Ishaq
Arbab
President’s address
PR E S I D E N T Asif Zardari made the constitutionally mandated address to Parliament to begin the parliamentary year, and was greeted by Opposition protests Some form of opposition bad behaviour is exhibited in the presidential address perhaps because it has drifted from the original purpose of informing Parliament of the legislative measures intended by the government in the coming year, along with the reasons thereof Though it is to be presumed that the address was made on the Prime Minister ’s advice, it was free of any reference to the legislation planned for the coming year This gives rise to the disturbing thought that the government does not plan any legislation and will just wing it in the coming
Though there was some reference to the need to tap untapped potential in agriculture, marine life and textiles, among others, it did not seem that any programme presented, such as the fulsome praise of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, was designed for anything less than the entire five-year tenure
However the President used the opportunity to call for a fresh start for meaningful dialogue and parliamentary consensus This olive branch to the PTI was greeted by the opposition, consisting of PTIbacked independents, trying to howl him down It was perhaps an indication that nobody on the opposition benches was authorized to engage in that dialogue, as the leader of the PTI was not just out of Parliament but in jail President Zardari was not just an honest broker but also the head of one of the coalition parties something he indicated during the address not just by his references to his
H i g h - l e v e l S a u d i d e l e g a t i o n t o P a k i s t a n
A follow-up visit with results
A
for the Palestinians, despite the fact that they launched this attack in response to the Damascus attack The twist in the tale comes from the statement of Daniel Hagari, Israel’s defense spokesperson, that some of the rockets were fired from Iraq Yemen and Lebanon s Hezbollah So if Iran s attack on Israel was solely in response what led these Iran-supported groups to strike on the same night? The entire Muslim world is considering this attack as revenge for all the atrocities of Israel against Palestinians but regardless of the situation they have given Israel a taste of its own medicine
Now the other way to look at this is from a futuristic perspective: what does the future hold for Iran after this attack? An urgent meeting of the United Nations was called on Sunday, during which the USA and the UK condemned Iran’s attack However Israeli of-
TSaudi delegation availed the opportunity to discuss acceleration of the process of a $5 billion investment in Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif has stressed the dire need for expediting the first phase of Saudi investments in Pakistan
a l
Em o t i o n v s Pra g m at i s m
ficials were not satisfied with mere condemnation They demanded that Iran be subjected to all sanctions and that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps be designated as a terrorist organization They also demanded support for Israel to exact a price from Iran in a way and time that suits them So the question now is: does Iran have what it takes to stand against Israel and its allies if the war extends and if all these sanctions are applied? Do they have other nations to support them, like Israel does? And ultimately, who will come out on top? Iran has strong allies in the form of the Lebanese militia Hezbollah Islamic Jihad in Gaza and the West Bank the Syrian armed forces popular mobilization forces in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen Iran itself has the largest army of 580,000 in West Asia, a larger navy, more tanks and armoured vehicles, and more access to fuel All this raw and quantitative data
A l l c o n c e r n e d i n t h e f e d e r a l c a p i t a l a n d d ow n t h e l i n e d e p a r t m e n t s s h o u l d b r a c e t h e m s e l v e s fo r t h e u p c o m i n g m a s s i v e S a u d i i nv e s t m e n t fo r u t i l i z i n g i t p ro p e r ly, h o n e s t ly a n d e n s u r i n g ev e r y p e n ny o f i t w a s u t i l i z e d e f f i c i e n t ly a n d o n ly t h e n t h e r e a l p u r p o s e o f b o o s t i n g t h e c o u n t r y Ês e c o n o my w i l l b e p o s s i b ly a c h i ev e d . S u c h r a r e o c c a s i o n s o f fo r e i g n i nv e s t m e n t c o m i n g i n t h e c o u n t r y i n d i f f e r e n t s e c t o rs o n ly c o m e o n c e i n m o n t h s i f n o t i n y e a rs
favours Iran However on the other hand Israel has an army of 170 000 active personnel fewer in number but more trained with advanced technology Israel s biggest advantage is being backed by the USA, providing them with $3 8 billion in annual military assistance So, there is a catch: when it comes to qualitative data, it favours Israel So, winners can’t be predicted, but losers will be millions of innocent lives lost on both sides
One thing that all this landscape exposes is the hypocrisy of the West They are now condemning Iran s attack, which injured a young girl, but their mouths were shut regarding all the genocide that happened in Gaza Hospitals were bombed homes were turned to ashes human corpses are still under the rubble of burnt cities children were starved to death and 30 000 lives were taken away from their loved ones But in the end, let us pray for a better world full of peace and harmony
The writer can be reached at saddamgauhar@gmail com
One thing that all this landscape exposes is the hypocrisy of the West They are now condemning IranÊs attack, which injured a young girl, but their mouths were shut regarding all the g enocide that happened in Gaza Hospitals were bombed, homes were turned to ashes, human corpses are still under the rubble of burnt cities, children were star ved to death, and 30,000 lives were taken away from their loved ones But in the end, let us pray for a better world full of peace and harmony
04 Saturday 20 Apri 2024
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COMMENT Lahore
there was no quid pro quo Any PTI activist willing to take him up would not recognize what the government was offering in return for PTI cooperation The PTI might be divided and its leader imprisoned but it did better in the recent election than perhaps it itself expected However it has not been given any incentive to talk The present confrontational suits its purposes more than talks of any kind Zardari ’s call for making a fresh star t met by Opposition protest M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor Rise of ChatGPT WITH the advent of technology and internet access even in remote areas one had the notion that knowledge would be easily obtained by all However the human brain has been rendered dumb True knowledge has disappeared, and self-declared influencers have taken over, corrupting the minds of the youth with indecent content and ways to sell brand image only, instead of imparting ideas that can come in handy in a society that is already in ruins It’s unfortunate to see students using ChatGPT or various other AI methods to produce assignments that lack originality and more astonishing to see teachers supporting this concept Gone are the days when people dedicated their lives to researching content that built civilizations; Rome was not built with the help of Google, and neither did Aristotle use ChatGPT to construct ideas The era of scholars, poets, and academic writers is coming to an end, and originality in content is disappearing Saving time and earning money to waste on luxuries has become a necessity Indeed humans have become slaves to the very technology they built to aid us in our lives IFRAH SHAHBAZ ISLAMABAD Gas crisis T H E people of Karachi have been facing issues with the supply of natural gas for a long time Problems like infrastructure limitations, low gas pressure and loadshedding continue to cause great inconvenience to those residing in the city especially in Clifton Korangi Defence Nazimabad Gulistan-i-Jauhar and such other areas The shortage makes it difficult for the people to cook heat water and perform other daily tasks Moreover scheduled and unscheduled gas outages and unexpected gas leaks also disrupt normal life, especially during winter months when the demand for natural gas goes up really high The government and the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) management should work together to resolve the issue EEMAN ASAD KARACHI Rural education struggle THROUGH your esteemed newspaper, I am writing this letter to draw your attention to the difficulties faced by both boys and girls in accessing education in rural areas of Balochistan However, the situation for girls is particularly concerning, with the literacy rate for women in rural areas of the province standing at less than 2 percent a surprisingly low figure Moreover Pakistan’s allocation to education has decreased to 2 5 percent of the budget which is 0 5 percent less than in 2000 ranking Pakistan 113th out of 120 countries on the Education Development Index This has resulted in an overall literacy rate of 63 3 percent, with approximately 60 million people lacking literacy skills While some districts in Balochistan boast higher literacy rates, such as Kech with 67 percent and Panjgur with 59 4 percent, the majority of districts are still struggling compared to other regions across the country Makran Division has the highest level of awareness but Turbat lags behind other provinces in terms of girls education Private schools charge exorbitant fees and transportation is problematic due to the long distances to schools Government school conditions are also concerning, with poor infrastructure and often absent teachers due to a lack of attention from management Additionally, there are religious influences that forbid girls from attending school in some areas It is crucial for the government to step in and provide incentives and support to parents to send their daughters to school Every girl has the right to education and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that this right is fulfilled Empowering girls to pursue their dreams will improve their future prospects Let us come together to ensure that every girl in Balochistan has access to education and the opportunity to create a better future for herself and her community ZAFAR AHMED BALOCH ISLAMABAD 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 A C C O R D I N G to the Israel Defense Force, on Saturday night , more than 300 rockets, including 170 explosiveladen drones believed to be “Shahids ” or “witnesses” in Farsi were launched They are referred to as the “AK47s of Tehran because they are cheap massproduced and deadly Additionally over 120 ballistic missiles were fired toward Israel Iran launched this attack in response to a suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, earlier this month, resulting in the killing of seven officials including Brig Gen Reza Zahedi a top commander in Iran s elite Revolutionary Guards and his deputy Brig Gen Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi Israel s attack in Syria was akin to adding fuel to the already burning fire between the two states, which has been ongoing for years and has escalated since Israel declared war on Hamas and innocent Palestinians last October But the question arises: did Iran do the right thing? There are two ways to view this matter: one is emotional, with sympathies for Palestinians, and the other is futuristic, considering the consequences it will bring for Iran in the future Since Israel’s attacks on Palestine last October the entire Muslim world has been shattered and in pain for Palestinians Unfortunately 56 Muslim countries including one declared atomic power were unable to stand up for the Palestinians at the state level The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was unable to play its vital role in protecting and safeguarding the interests of Muslims wherever they are Despite this hopelessness and despondency Iran emerged as a symbol of hope
two predecessors, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, but by the use of the picture of the latter The PTI’s response is an indication that the path to reconciliation is not going to be an easy one It is true that the country needs political stability if it is to obtain the foreign investment it needs to generate economic activity However, one of the flaws with the President s suggestion was that
n
y z i n g I r a n ’ s m o v e
MuhaMMad SaddaM GauhaR
E high-level Saudi delegation headed by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has returned home after a two days visit during which it went through hectic activities in furtherance of its objectives and guidelines The Saudi delegation visit was a follow-up of Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif ’s visit to Saudi Arabia a few days earlier where he had an important and productive one-on-one meeting with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Muhammad Bin Salman and reached an understanding regarding some agreements The Saudi Crown Prince had accordingly sent the high level delegation to Islamabad within a week of the Prime Minister’s visit obviously with some guidelines The visit of the Saudi delegation within a week’s time reflected mental unanimity mutual trust and cooperation between the leadership of both the countries The delegation comprised key officials including the Saudi Minister of Water and Agriculture, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Deputy Minister of Investment, the Head of Saudi Special Committee and senior officials from the Ministry of Energy and the Saudi Fund for General Investments The very composition of the delegation reflected Saudi Arabia s interest in agriculture trade energy minerals information technology (IT) and transport mostly representing the sectors on which the great brotherly Islamic country wanted to make investment in Pakistan It may also be mentioned here that besides the Prime Minister COAS Gen Syed Asim Munir had also visited Saudi Arabia recently The role which the Army Chief was playing for resolving the country s economic crisis financial and other problems in a dedicated and committed manner can only be duly appreciated The delegation s visit was also a forerunner to the upcoming visit of the Saudi Crown Prince to Pakistan During its stay here and holding meetings the
During their stay the Saudi Foreign Minister and members of his delegation called on President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, COAS General Asim, and also attended other activities, including a specially convened meeting of the Special Investment Facilitation Council presided over by the Prime Minister On all these meetings and occasions existing warm brotherly relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were highlighted need stressed for further boosting and strengthening mutual cooperation and possibilities and avenues were discussed, explored and the visitors were apprised about all possible information about the sectors in which they had indicated their keen interest The Saudi Foreign Minister while winding up his hectic two-day visit addressed a joint press conference with host Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar On this occasion, both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia expressed their resolve to further strengthen their existing economic ties The Saudi Foreign Minister conveyed the commitment to further enhancing the strategic and economic partnership and vowed to further enhance his country s investment in different sectors and fostering bilateral relations to new heights As regards deliberations of the Special Investment Facilitation Council the Saudi Foreign Minister said “ I have never witnessed such a large and high profile delegation from Saudi Arabia in Pakistan throughout my 35-year political career Prince Faisal vowed all-out support for Pakistan s economic progress saying that he had held constructive talks with the Pakistani side Host Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on his part vowed to provide all possible ways to produce a conducive environment for Saudi investment Thus all augurs well and hopefully some Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed during the visit to Pakistan of Saudi Crown Prince Muuhammad Bin Salman in the near future Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was reported to have in his opening address at the Federal Cabinet expressed expectations that billions of dollars in investment will be coming after the Saudi delegation visit All concerned in the federal capital and down the line departments should brace themselves for the upcoming massive Saudi investment for utilizing it properly, honestly and ensuring every penny of it was utilized efficiently and only then the real purpose of boosting the country’s economy will be possibly achieved Such rare occasions of foreign investment coming in the country in different sectors only come once in months if not in years The Saudi delegation s visit was productive and constructive and it was for Islamabad to fully utilize the massive investment likely to be coming in the coming weeks The writer is Lahore-based Freelance Journalist Columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News) Radio Pakistan Islamabad and can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail com
H
MuhaMMad Zahid Rifat
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCE-
MENTS: The country has made significant strides in agricultural research and technology adoption including the use of highyielding crop varieties precision farming techniques, and mechanization
Climate change can disrupt food distribution networks and international trade routes affecting food access and availability globally Vulnerable regions may become increasingly reliant on food imports, heightening food security risks
G NUTRITIONAL IMPACTS: Changes in agricultural productivity and food availability can affect dietary diversity and nutritional quality potentially exacerbating malnutrition and related health problems
H POLICY RESPONSES: Addressing the complex interplay between food security and climate change requires coordinated efforts at local national and international levels Strategies may include promoting sustainable agriculture investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, improving social safety nets, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions to limit further climate change impacts Food security in the context of climate change requires comprehensive approaches that consider the interdependencies between agriculture the environment and socioeconomic factors with a focus on building resilience and ensuring equitable access to food resources for all populations
F O O D S E C U R I T Y I S C R U C I A L F O R
S E V E R A L R E A S O N S:
A BASIC HUMAN NEED: Food is a fundamental human need Access to an adequate, nutritious diet is essential for maintaining health, supporting growth and development, and ensuring overall well-being
B POVERTY ALLEVIATION: Food security plays a central role in poverty alleviation efforts Without access to sufficient and nutritious food individu-
als and communities cannot break out of the cycle of poverty
C HEALTH AND NUTRITION: Adequate food security is essential for good health and nutrition Malnutrition including both undernutrition and overnutrition, can have severe consequences for physical and mental health, as well as cognitive development, particularly in children
D ECONOMIC STABILITY: Food security contributes to economic stability at both the individual and national levels Access to sufficient food enables people to engage in productive activities, pursue education and training, and contribute to economic growth
E SOCIAL STABILITY: Food security is closely linked to social stability and resilience Inadequate access to food can lead to social unrest, conflict, and migration as communities struggle to meet their basic needs
F ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: Achieving food security in a sustainable manner is essential for preserving natural resources and mitigating environmental degradation Sustainable agricultural practices can help protect soil health, conserve water, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
G RESILIENCE TO SHOCKS: Food security promotes resilience to shocks and stresses including natural disasters economic downturns and conflicts Communities with strong food systems are better equipped to withstand and recover from crises H HUMAN RIGHTS: Food security is recognized as a basic human right The right to food implies that every person should have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious
Achieving food security in India requires a multidimensional approach that addresses challeng es related to production, distribution, and nutrition while leveraging the countr yÊs agricultural potential, technological advancements, and policy initiatives
Which human values should the technology align with? Should it be philosophically utilitarian (in the tradition of John Stuar t Mill and Jeremy Bentham), or deontological (in the tradition of Emmanuel Kant and John Rawls)? Should it be culturally WEIRD ( Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) or non-WEIRD? Should it be politically conser vative or liberal? Should it be like us, or be better than us?
productivity
FOOD DISTRIBUTION: Despite adequate food production, challenges in distribution and logistics result in food insecurity for certain populations, particularly in remote or marginalized areas Malnutrition: India continues to grapple with high levels of malnutrition including both undernutrition and overnutrition leading to health issues and hindering human development
OPPORTUNITIES:
DIVERSE AGRICULTURAL POTENTIAL: India has diverse agro-climatic zones allowing for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops including cereals fruits vegetables and spices
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES: Various government initiatives such as the National Food Security Mission Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) aim to enhance agricultural productivity improve water management, and promote sustainable farming practices
MARKET REFORMS: Recent agricultural reforms such as the introduction of electronic trading platforms and contract farming laws have the potential to modernize the agricultural sector, improve market access for farmers, and increase income opportunities
CLIMATE ADAPTATION: Investments in climate-resilient agriculture including drought-tolerant crops water-efficient irrigation systems, and climate-smart farming practices, can help mitigate the impacts of climate change on food production
NUTRITION PROGRAMS: Government schemes like the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the National Nutrition Mission (Poshan Abhiyan) aim to address malnutrition by improving maternal and child health, promoting breastfeeding, and providing nutritious food supplements
PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION: Collaboration between government agencies, research institutions, NGOs, and the private sector can foster innovation, knowledge sharing, and capacity building in the agriculture and food sectors Achieving food security in India requires a multi-dimensional approach that addresses challenges related to production distribution and nutrition while leveraging the country s agricultural potential, technological advancements, and policy initiatives Efforts should focus on promoting sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture enhancing market access and infrastructure and addressing socio-economic inequalities to ensure equitable food access for all segments of the population
The writer is a youth motivator and former Head of the University
‘ The blocking of YouTube channels and social media accounts is only the nex t step in this ongoing trend The crackdown has been way too transparent and unselfconscious for any self-respec ting democrac y ’
centuries of humanity struggling to solve its own alignment problem: how to organize collective action
Cognitively law represented a radical new technology Once it was internalized it aligned individual action with community consensus Law was obeyed as law, irrespective of an individual s subjective judgment about any given rule Several prominent philosophers have homed in on this unique feature The 20th-century legal theorist H L A Hart described law as a mechanism that allows norms to be shaped by changing underlying behavioral meta-norms More recently Ronald Dworkin characterized law in terms of integrity, because it embodies the norms of the whole community, rather than resembling a “checkerboard ” If law was a patchwork, it might better represent individual constituencies of belief and opinion but at the expense of coherence Law thus serves as an override button vis-a-vis individual human behavior It absorbs complex debates over morals and values and mills them into binding rules
Most of the current debate about AI and the law is focused on how the technology may challenge prevailing regulatory paradigms One concern is the “red queen effect” (an allusion to Alice in Wonderland) which describes the inherent difficulty of keeping regulation current with a fast-moving technology Another issue is the challenge of regulating a truly global technology nationally And then there is the Frankenstein s monster problem of a novel technology being developed largely by a handful of private-sector firms whose priorities (profits) differ from those of the public
It is always difficult to strike the right balance between fostering innovation and mitigating the potentially massive risks associated with a new technology With AI increasingly expected to alter the practice of law itself can law still alter the trajectory of AI? More to the point, if thinking machines are capable of learning, can they learn to obey the law? As the tech giants rush ahead in pursuit of artificial general intelligence models that can outperform humans in any cognitive task the AI black box problem persists Not even the creators of the technology know exactly how it works Since efforts to assign AI an objective function could produce unintended consequences (for example, an AI tasked with making paper clips could decide that eliminating humanity is necessary to maximize its production), we will need a more sophisticated approach
To that end we
questions are not merely hypothetical They have already been at the center of real-life debates, including those following Microsoft’s release of a racist misogynist hyper-sexual chatbot in 2016; Bing’s oddly manipulative seductive Sydney (which tried to convince one tech reporter to
wife); and most recently Google s Gemini whose
character led it to generate historically absurd results like images of black Nazi soldiers Fortunately, modern societies have devised a mechanism that allows different moral tribes to co-exist: the rule of law
I have noted in previous commentaries law as an institution represents the apotheosis of cooperation Its emergence was a profound breakthrough after
Saturday 20 Apri 2024 COMMENT 05
F the British computer scientist Alan Turing’s work on thinking machines was the prequel to what we now call artificial intelligence the late psychologist Daniel Kahneman s bestselling Thinking, Fast and Slow might be the sequel, given its insights into how we ourselves think Understanding “us” will be crucial for regulating “them ” That effort has rapidly moved to the top of policymakers’ agenda On March 21 the UN unanimously adopted a landmark resolution (led by the US) calling on the international community to govern this technology rather than let it govern us And that came on the heels of the European Union s AI Act and the Bletchley Declaration on AI safety, which more than 20 countries (most of them advanced economies) signed last November Moreover country-level efforts are ongoing including in the US where President Joe Biden has issued an executive order on the safe secure and trustworthy development and use of AI These efforts are a response to the AI arms race that started with OpenAI s public release of ChatGPT in late 2022 The fundamental concern is the increasingly wellknown “alignment problem”: the fact that an AI’s objectives and chosen means of pursuing them may not be deferential to or even compatible with those of humans The new AI tools also have the potential to be misused by bad actors (from scam artists to propagandists), to deepen and amplify pre-existing forms of discrimination and bias, to violate privacy, and to displace workers The most extreme form of the alignment problem is AI-generated existential risk Constantly evolving AIs that can teach themselves could go rogue and decide to engineer a financial crisis sway an election or even create a bioweapon But an unanswered question underlies AI s status as a potential existential threat: Which human values should the technology align with? Should it be philosophically utilitarian (in the tradition of John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham) or deontological (in the tradition of Emmanuel Kant and John Rawls)? Should it be culturally WEIRD (Western educated industrialized rich democratic) or non-WEIRD? Should it be politically conservative or liberal? Should it be like us, or
I
be better than us? These
leave his
woke
As
it can be done it may represent our salvation Through law we can require that AI pay the price of admission into our society: obedience to our collective code of conduct If AI neural networks mimic our brains and the law is, as widely believed, a largely cognitive phenomenon, this should be possible If not, the experiment will at least shed light on the role of affective, emotional, and social factors in sustaining human law Though we may need to rethink and improve some elements of existing law this perspective at least forces us to examine the critical differences between us and them That is where our efforts to regulate AI should start Antara Haldar, associate professor of empirical legal studies at the University of Cambridge, is a visiting faculty member at Harvard University and the principal investigator on a European Research Council grant on law and cognition Can AI learn to obey the law? F O O D security and climate change are deeply interconnected issues that pose significant challenges to global sustainability and human wellbeing A IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE: Climate change affects agricultural productivity through changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events Heatwaves, droughts floods and storms can damage crops reduce yields and disrupt food supply chains B SHIFTS IN GROWING CONDITIONS: Climate change alters the suitability of land for different crops, leading to shifts in growing conditions Some regions may experience benefits such as longer growing seasons or increased rainfall while others face decreased productivity or even crop failures C RISING FOOD PRICES: Climate-related disruptions in food production can lead to price volatility and increased food prices, impacting vulnerable populations’ access to nutritious food D EXTREME EVENTS: Extreme weather events linked to climate change such as hurricanes floods and wildfires can destroy crops, livestock, and infrastructure, leading to food shortages and humanitarian crises E ADAPTATION CHALLENGES: Farmers and food systems must adapt to changing climate conditions requiring investments in resilient agricultural practices, improved infrastructure, and access to climate information and technologies
FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND TRADE:
should study the cognitive evolution that has allowed human societies to endure for as long as they have Whether human laws can be imposed as a design constraint (perhaps with AI guardians playing the role of circuit-breakers, the equivalent of law-enforcement officers in human societies) is a question for the engineers But if
F
GLOBAL STABILITY:
for
stability and peace Addressing
can help prevent conflicts over scarce resources and promote cooperation among nations to address common challenges J SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: Food security is integral to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including those related to poverty eradication zero hunger good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, and climate action In summary, food security is not only a matter of fulfilling basic needs but also a critical component of sustainable development human rights and global stability I N D I A FA C E S B O T H C H A L L E N G E S A N D O P P O RT U N I T I E S I N A C H I E V I N G F O O D S E C U R I T Y: CHALLENGES POPULATION PRESSURE: India has a large and growing population putting immense pressure on food resources Climate Vulnerability: The country is highly vulnerable to climate change, with erratic rainfall
extreme weather
agricultural
food to meet their dietary needs and preferences I
Ensuring food security is essential
global
food insecurity
patterns
events and increasing temperatures affecting
productivity Water Scarcity: Many regions in India face water scarcity impacting irrigation and agricultural production LAND DEGRADATION: Soil erosion, depletion of nutrients, and urbanization contribute to land degradation reducing agricultural
Department of Political Science B N Mandal University Madhepura Bihar India Perspec tives and Prospec ts dr rajKuMar singh F o o d s e c u r i t y a n d c l i m a t e c h a n g e
PR OJECT SYNDICATE a n ta r a h a l da r
A N Y journalists and commentators in India post content on YouTube in order to avoid pressure from the government But officials are already tweaking laws to expand their influence to include the platform YouTuber Dhruv Rathee a 29-year-old from India living in Europe has recently set Indian social media humming with a video criticizing the direction his country was moving in under Prime Minister Narendra Modi Rathee’s video “Is India becoming a DICTATORSHIP?” (sic) has amassed over 24 million views since it was uploaded in late February In it the creator cites instances of media control and claims state agencies are being used against opposition leaders eventually alleging that these efforts are part of a broader trend to silence Modi s rivals Rathee has some 17 6 million subscribers on his main YouTube channel And the platform is booming in India it currently has over 460 million users in the world’s most populous country By 2029 it is expected to have over 859 million Indian users according to estimates by Statista an online platform specializing in data gathering and visualization As more and more people turn to YouTube to get news, more journalists are also migrating to the platform to cover Indian news and politics hoping to find a way out of India’s more traditional and polarized media landscape NEWSROOMS ‘DIMINISHED’: The space for independent reporters in India s newsrooms has been shrinking for a while Independent journalist Ravish Kumar, one of the country’s best-known media personalities says many journalists have been ideologically transformed and are increasingly influenced by the state Even if there is a political change it will not change the situation in the media The way the newsroom has been diminished, there has been a cascading effect in local newsrooms across states in India as well,” Kumar, who used to work for the mainstream NDTV media channel, told DW He is now a one-man media company and now boasts 8 million subscribers on YouTube where he launched his channel in October 2022 Mainstream media does a banal analysis of data and there is very little factual analysis of the prime minister s speeches There is only a reproduction of biases, which has been done in the last few elections,” Kumar said TWEAKING LAWS TO CONTROL MESSAGING: Recently however the government has been pushing amendments to existing media laws The laws include the Telecommunications Bill of 2023, the draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill of 2023, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act of 2023 Critics say that officials want to have more control over what can be posted on the internet Last week YouTube removed the channel of digital Hindi news outlet Bolta Hindustan, which had close to 300,000 subscribers YouTube refused to give any reasons for the suspension but some reports indicate it was done on instructions from the Indian government The move also comes just months after the Bolta Hindustan handle was suspended on Instagram The government has a way of getting to you, political satirist Akash Banerjee told DW You cannot fully be yourself Of course, there is self-censorship here, too One must be controlled as I know the knock on my door can happen too ” added the host of the political satire channel The DeshBhakt (The Patriot) on YouTube BJP BOASTS ITS OWN INFLUENCERS: Indian authorities blocked 104 YouTube channels and 45 videos from the beginning of 2021 to October 2022, under the provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act which can be invoked to restrict access to content in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of the country The government has also repeatedly clashed with X formerly Twitter Last year, social media platforms were directed to block a BBC documentary that implicated Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots Sharing links and clips from the documentary was banned and the government deployed police to stop students from screening the film The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also tried to rope in YouTube and Instagram influencers and gain their help to promote its campaigns and shape voters opinions ahead of the general election ‘THE CRACKDOWN HAS BEEN WAY TOO TRANSPARENT’: Digital players have been “doing more public interest journalism news and commentary than legacy media over the past several years said Abhinandan Sekhri co-founder and CEO of the Indian media watchdog Newslaundry The government sees this and has since amended and introduced several rules and to have more control and tighter regulation of the digital space ” he told DW “The blocking of YouTube channels and social media accounts is only the next step in this ongoing trend The crackdown has been way too transparent and unselfconscious for any self-respecting democracy, he added ‘FAKE NEWS’ WATCHDOG PUT ON HOLD: And yet, there are some positive signals for those who warn that the government is trying to tighten its grip on the media In March India s Supreme Court put on hold an official initiative to identify fake news related to the government The official Fact Check Unit (FCU) had been formed to respond to any posts that it deemed fake or containing misleading facts about the business of the government Part of the response would be to flag those posts to social media intermediaries The initiative was challenged in court by the stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra who argued that the FCU would coerce social media companies to implement censorship of online content pertaining to the government The establishment of the FCU would muzzle speech against the government The new IT rules will have a chilling effect on free speech Elections are coming the public must have all information about the government not information filtered out as fake by the government Kamra told DW Edited by: Darko Janjevic I s Yo u T u b e I n d i a ’ s n e x t b a t t l e g r o u n d f o r f r e e s p e e c h ? DW M u r a l K r i s h n a n
M
echoed over an Iranian city on Friday in what sources described as a suspected Israeli attack, but Tehran played down the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation – a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war The limited scale of the attack and Iran s muted response both appeared to signal a successful effort by diplomats who have been working round the clock to avert all-out war since an Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel last Saturday Iranian media and officials described a small number of explosions which they said resulted from Iran s air defences hitting three drones over the city of Isfahan Notably, they referred to the incident as an attack by “infiltrators”, rather than by Israel, obviating the need for retaliation An Iranian official told Reuters there were no plans to respond against Israel for the incident The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack ” the official said Israel said nothing about the incident It had said for days it was planning to retaliate against Iran for Saturday s strikes, the firstever direct attack on Israel by Iran Countries around the world called on Friday for both sides to avert further escala-
tion China said that it will continue to play a constructive role to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East “China opposes any actions that further
escalate tensions and will continue to play a constructive role to de-escalate the situation,” foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said
It is absolutely necessary that the region remains stable and that all sides
BEIJING
S TA F F C O R R E S P O N D E N T
The Chinese People s Liberation Army (PLA) has set up an information support force, and Chinese President Xi Jinping presented it with a flag at the establishment ceremony held on Friday in Beijing
Xi also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), stressed solid efforts to build a strong and modernized information support force
Xi said that the establishment of the Information Support Force is a major decision that the CPC Central Committee and the CMC has made in light of the overall need of building a strong military
Xi stressed that the Information Support Force is a new, strategic branch of the military and a key pillar in coordinating the construction and application of the network information system
It will play a crucial role in advancing the Chinese military s high-quality development and competitiveness in modern warfare
He ordered the force to resolutely obey the Party’s command, and make sure it stays absolutely loyal pure and reliable
sibility in promoting high-quality development and the ability to fight and win in modern warfare Wu said With the latest reform the PLA now has a new system of services and arms under the leadership and command of the CMC, Wu said There are four services, namely the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Rocket Force, and four arms –the Aerospace Force the Cyberspace Force the Information Support Force and the Joint Logistics Support Force – Wu noted As circumstances and tasks evolve, China will continue to refine the modern military force structure with Chinese characteristics the spokesperson said In terms of the task that the Aerospace Force undertakes Wu said China s space policy is clear
Xi urged the force to integrate deeply into the Chinese military s joint operation system, carry out information support operations in a precise and effective manner and facilitate military operations in various directions and fields
He also urged efforts to build a network information system that fulfills the requirements of modern warfare and features the Chinese military s own characteristics, as well as efforts to accelerate the development of integrated combat capabilities more effectively
Xi met with members of the Information Support Force leadership and took a group photo with them According to a decision made by the CMC the Information Support Force is directly led by the CMC and the official designation of the Strategic Support Force has been canceled
We are committed to peaceful utilization of space and stand ready to work with all countries with the same commitment to strengthen exchanges, deepen cooperation and
It is a brand-new strategic arm of the PLA and a key underpinning of coordinated development and application of the network information system which plays an important role and bears great respon-
by 5 5 percent Trade with developed markets including significant growth with the U S improved markedly from the same period last year
TEHRAN
G E N C I E S
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restrain from further action,” EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said Similar calls came from from Arab states in the region Israel had previously warned it would hit back after Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel almost a week ago in retaliation for a deadly strike which Tehran blamed on its foe that levelled Iran s consular annex at its embassy in Syria Fears of a major regional spillover from the Gaza war have since soared N O M E N T I O N O F I S R A E L Within Iran news reports on Friday s incident made no mention of Israel and state television carried analysts and pundits who appeared dismissive about the scale An analyst told state TV that mini drones flown by “infiltrators from inside Iran” had been shot down by air defences in Isfahan Shortly after midnight three drones were observed in the sky over Isfahan The air defense system became active and destroyed these drones in the sky, Iranian state TV said Senior army commander Siavosh Mihandoust was quoted by state TV as saying air defense systems had targeted a “suspicious object Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had warned Israel before Friday s strike that Tehran would deliver a severe response to any attack on its territory Iran told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that Israel “must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our interests as the UN secretary-general warned that the Middle East was in a moment of maximum peril By morning, Iran had reopened airports and airspace that were shut during the strikes Saturday 20 April 2024 | k Ar AChI 06 newS TEHRAN A G E N C I E S Countries around the world urged de-escalation after Iran’s state media reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan Friday as US media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival Air defence systems over several Iranian cities were activated, state media reported after the country’s official broadcaster said explosions were heard near the city of Isfahan A senior Iranian official told Reuters there is no plan for immediate retaliation, adding that there was no clarity yet on who was behind the incident “The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed We have not received any external attack and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack the official said on condition of anonymity China said Friday that it will continue to play a constructive role to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East China opposes any actions that further escalate tensions and will continue to play a constructive role to de-escalate t h e s i t u a t i o n ” f o r e i g n m i n i s t r y spokesperson Lin Jian said Oman which h a s l o n g m e d i a t e d b e t w e e n Te h r a n a n d the West condemned an Israeli attack on Iran Oman condemns the Israeli att a c k t h i s m o r n i n g o n I s f a h a n i t a l s o c o n d e m n s a n d d e n o u n c e s I s r a e l ’s r ep e a t e d m i l i t a r y a t t a c k s i n t h e r e g i o n ” s a i d a f o r e i g n m i n i s t r y s t a t e m e n t r eleased on X formerly Twitter Israel had previously warned it would hit back after Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel almost a week ago, in retaliation for a deadly strike which Tehran blamed on its foe that levelled Iran’s consular annex at its embassy in Syria Fears of a major regional spillover from the Gaza war have since soared Iran s Fars news agency reported three explosions were heard near Qahjavarestan near Isfahan airport and the 8th Shekari army airbase, while Iran s space agency spokesman Hossein Dalirian said “several” drones had been “successfully shot down” Dalirian said on social media platform X there were no reports of a missile attack Reports indicate there was no major damage or large explosions caused by the impact of any air threat, the official IRNA news agency said The senior military officer in Isfahan, Brigadier General Siavash Mihandoost told state television that the loud sound that people had heard was caused by defence systems shooting at a target in the air not an explosion on the ground Nuclear facilities in Isfahan were reported to be “completely secure”, Iran’s Tasnim news agency said Washington received advance notice of Israel s reported strike but did not endorse the operation or play any part in its execution US media quoted officials as saying T E H R A N P L AY S D O W N S U S P E C T E D I S R A E L I AT TA C K , S I G N A L S N O R ETA L I AT I O N China’s Q1 per formance shows stable, optimized business operations: Commerce ministr y BEIJING S TA F F R E P O R T China s economy has started the year on solid footing with business operations that remained stable and structurally optimized in the first quarter according to a Chinese commerce ministry official on Friday These have continued to contribute positively to the country s ongoing economic recovery, said Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Guo Tingting at a media conference The country registered a 5 3 percent year-on-year increase in GDP for the quarter fueled largely by consumer spending which accounted for 73 7 percent of this growth driving the GDP up by 3 9 percentage points Sales of upgraded consumer goods saw rapid growth, reinforcing consumption as a key engine of economic expansion Trade also began the year robustly, with the volume of goods traded reaching a record high of 10 2 trillion yuan ($1 43 trillion) for the first time in a single quarter achieving a growth rate of 5 percent – the highest in six quarters This uptick was bolstered by net exports, which contributed 14 5 percent to economic growth The markets remained vibrant, with trade among Belt and Road Initiative participant countries increasing
contribute to lasting peace and common security in space he said Xi also urged efforts to build a network information system that fulfills the requirements of modern warfare and features the Chinese military’s own characteristics as well as efforts to accelerate the development of integrated combat capabilities more effectively Prince Harr y officially renounces British residency, lists himself as a ‘US citizen’ US A G E N C I E S Buckingham Palace has revealed its first social media post after King Charles younger son Prince Harry officially renounced British residency and listed US as his new country According to a report by the New York Post, Meghan Markle s husband renounced his British residency and claimed America as his home in new paperwork The report claims that Prince Harry spoke via a video link at Travalyst’s annual general meeting, a sustainable travel organization that the duke founded in 2019 As part of the organization s procedures at the end of the year company returns were filed with Harry s new details The documents revealed Prince Harry s new country/state was now the United States Shortly after the documents were disclosed, Buckingham Palace, on behalf of King Charles and the senior members of the royal family shared its first post on X formerly Twitter handle Commenting on the Royal Humane Society post the palace reacted Congratulations to the Royal Humane Society on 250 years since their first historic meeting Today, with HRH Princess Alexandra as its President, @RoyalHumane is the world’s oldest charity dedicated to recognising acts of bravery in saving human lives ” BEIJING S TA F F C O R R E S P O N D E N T China on Friday markedly sharpened its criticism of the US’ accusation of overcapacity in China saying that the claim while sounding like an economic concept is a disguise for its malign attempt to curb China s industrial development and amounts to economic coercion and bullying, and urged Washington to be prudent in words and deeds and refrain from imposing additional tariffs The latest remarks from Chinese officials underscored their intensifying efforts to counter some US and European officials’ attempt to create a pretext for taking further protectionist and punitive actions against Chinese products and firms while also calling for global cooperation and dialogue to tackle global issues such as production capacity, experts noted Notably, Chinese top leaders have also commented on the production capacity issue over the past week On Tuesday, President Xi Jinping met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Beijing During the meeting Xi said it is important for the two countries to stay vigilant against the rise of protectionism adopt an objective and dialectical view on the issue of production capacity through a market and global perspective and based on the laws of economics, and devote more efforts to discussions on cooperation, according to Xinhua Also on Tuesday, during talks with Scholz, Chinese Premier Li Qiang offered a detailed response to claims of overcapacity Li stressed that the issue of production capacity should start from economic laws and be viewed objectively and dialectically from
global
EU
measures The
clearly
one s own self-interests Zhou Mi a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation told the Global Times on Friday But as US officials continued to hype overcapacity” claims and even threatened to impose tariffs and other actions against Chinese products Chinese officials also ramped up their pushback against the accusations This week US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen who focused on the overcapacity accusations during her trip last week, even threatened that the US wouldn t take anything off the table, including additional tariffs on cheap goods from China Commenting on the US’ accusation of overcapacity at a regular press briefing in Beijing Lin Jian a spokesperson for China s Foreign Ministry said that such claims are not new as the US has long accused China of overcapacity due to its exports of a large amount of highquality, affordable products to the world The so-called overcapacity claim raised by the US seems to be an economic concept but behind it is a vicious attempt to curb and suppress China’s industrial development It aims to seek a more favorable competitive position and market advantage for itself It is blatant economic coercion and bullying, Lin said Also on Friday, Lin responded to US President Joe Biden’s calls for substantially higher tariffs against Chinese steel products during a speech in the US steel production base of Pittsburgh on Wednesday Biden also accused China of offering subsidies to expand steel production capacity which harms US businesses In response Lin said that the claims made by the US side are completely untrue and could harm ChinaUS economic and trade relations China is seriously concerned and strongly dissatisfied with this,” he said, “China will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend its rights and interests ” The intensifying pushback from Chinese officials against the accusations both reflected their respect for market laws as well as efforts to safeguard not only China s interests but the stability of the world economy, Zhou said If the US continues to mislead the public on this issue, it will be very detrimental to global economic and trade cooperation and recovery ” he said C h i n a c a l l s U S ‘ove rc a p a c i t y ’ c l a i m s e co n o m i c b u l l y i n g Xi Jinping presents flag to PL A Information Suppor t Force Countries urge de - esc alation af
NAIR OBI A G E N C I E S Kenya s defence chief and nine other top brass died on Thursday in a military helicopter crash in a remote area of the country, President William Ruto said “Today at 2:20 pm our nation suffered a tragic air accident I am deeply saddened to announce the passing of General Francis Omondi Ogolla Ruto told reporters The president who had convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council after news of the accident emerged, said nine other gallant military personnel” on board were also killed while two survived He said the Kenya Air Force has dispatched an air investigation team to establish the cause of the crash which took place in Elgeyo Marakwet county about 400 kilometres (250 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi The helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff from Chesegon, where he and his entourage had been visiting a school Ruto said “A distinguished four-kistar general has fallen in the course of duty and in the service of the country he said Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals gallant officers service men and woman Ruto announced three days of mourning from Friday with official flags flying at half mast He said Ogolla 61 had left Nairobi on Thursday morning on an air force Huey helicopter to visit troops deployed in the North Rift area in Operation Maliza Uhalifu (Operation End Crime in Swalihi), and other sites Kenyan authorities have long battled insecurity in the Rift Valley region, with armed bandits and cattle rustlers rampant “The helicopter burst into flames after crashing and it had more than 10 senior commanders on board including General Ogolla a police officer had told reporters earlier Kenya militar y helicopter crash kills defence chief, senior officers
a market viewpoint and a
perspective, Xinhua reported China s new-energy industry has gained advantages through self-improvement and sufficient market competition rather than government subsidies Li said He expressed hopes that the
side will uphold marketoriented and fair principles and prudently use trade remedy
remarks
demonstrate China s approach of addressing global challenges through cooperation, rather than politicization of economic and trade issues and protectionism, experts said “The remarks are aimed at urging all parties to tackle global challenges through cooperation instead of looking at some issues from
ter repor ts of Israeli attack on Iran
has initiated proactive strategies within the
newly established Mohmand Economic Zone to tackle this pressing concern
The province of KP is a major producer of marble products comprising of around 80 operational marble industries This MoU signifies a collaborative effort towards technological innovation and sustainable utilization of resources, initiated by the Government of KP
It paves the way for economic development and environmental conservation through the efficient management of marble and granite waste
The collaboration seeks to acquire technical know-how for the installation of a mechanical plant at Mohmand Economic Zone in District Mohmand Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PCSIR Laboratories Complex Peshawar has willingly agreed to transfer the necessary technology for this purpose
The key measures being implemented are construction of sedimentation tanks provision of dumping area mining waste/industrial residual management and slurry management plan
This progress reflects the dedication of Special Assistant of Industries, Commerce, and Technical Education Abdul Karim Khan in fostering sustainable industrial development for the region His steadfast commitment to addressing environmental challenges and promoting innovative solutions has been instrumental in driving positive change These initiatives underscore the Government’s
commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable industrial practices in the province, emphasizing the importance of a green environment in light of pressing issues like climate change By adopting innovative solutions and fostering collaboration among stakeholders KPEZDMC aims to mitigate the environmental impact of industrialization while promoting economic growth and resource efficiency contributing positively to the fight against global warming and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come Addressing this gathering, the Special Assistant to the Chief Minister expressed elation over achievement in spearheading the national mission of Green KP and Clean KP Collaborating with PCSIR he highlighted our endeavor to transform marble waste into artificial or cultured marble, facilitated by the establishment of a dedicated plant Furthermore, he emphasized the utilization of these waste materials in various other sectors underscoring the significance of this agreement in advancing environmental conservation The Special Assistant reiterated the provincial government's commitment to fostering industrial growth and ensuring sustainable economic stability Encouraging investors to capitalize on the incentives available for waste management across diverse business models,
Private sec tor to showc ase agri projec ts at L ahore Expo
PAC Agri-Connections conference and expo with focus on transforming Pakistan’s agriculture from Apr 24-25 The country’s premier private sector conference and expo on agriculture Pakistan Agricultural Coalition s Agri-Connections 2024 will be held in Lahore from April 24-25 at Lahore Expo Center with the focus on increasing investment in agriculture, showcasing innovation, increasing exports, reducing imports, and improving farmer profitability “The conference has been designed to accelerate the rising wave of interest in agriculture among Pakistan s private sector and governments for real agri-development said Arif Nadeem, CEO Pakistan Agricultural Coalition, while talking to a group of journalists on Friday He added that leading businesses of the country will demonstrate their innovation and leadership in agriculture to all stakeholders while keynote speakers will present on various topics in the 2-day
07 NEWS Saturday 20 Apri 2024 | K AR ACH CORPORATE CORNER PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T Z A H I D Chanzeb, Advisor to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tourism Culture and Archeology has expressed sorrow and concern over the damages caused by heavy rains in the province He has advised the local administration and police to play an active role in helping and guiding the travelers in the tourist areas and hill stations while urging the tourists to take full care of the SOPs Zahid Chanzeb went on a visit to the severely affected Kaghan Valley and Mansehra District to personally assess the situation caused by the prolong rains where he along with the relevant authories of local administration Kaghan Development Authority and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Authority reviewed highways and hotels at various places He assessed the arrangements for the tourists there However he issued advisory for the tourists to refrain from visiting the Kaghan Valley and traveling along highways in the mountainous areas in general in view of the dangerous situation caused by the rains He made clear that heavy rains often turn into natural calamities in the mountain ranges that are beyond human control so avoiding travel there is the best option Similarly, he urged the tourists to check the weather conditions before starting the traveling for tourism while also asked the tourism authority KPCTA to provide all out guidance to the tourists in this regard The Tourism Advisor also instructed the authorities to take special measures to protect the travelers from the electricity and other facilities in the highways bazars and markets in the tourist areas during rains and to provide maximum comforts to the passengers during their journey ADVISOR TO KP CM CONCERNED ABOUT DAMAGES CAUSED BY HEAV Y RAINS PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T In a significant move towards environment friendliness, sustainable development and technological advancement a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development & Management Company (KPEZDMC) and PCSIR Laboratories Complex Peshawar on Friday here at Peshawar CEO KPEZDMC Javed Khattak represented his company while Director General PCSIR Jahangir Shah were among the signing parties Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Industries,Commerce and Technical Education Abdul Karim Tordher graced this ceremony as a chief guest The agreement aims to facilitate the transfer of technology and establish a mechanical plant for the alternate use of marble and granite slurry A vast amount of nonbiodegradable waste is generated during mining and processing operations of dimensional stones such as marble This over the years has become a global nuisance by damaging the environment Therefore, it has become necessary to find a technique to safely dispose or reuse marble waste Marble processing units often grapple with the environmental issue of marble slurry, posing a significant challenge to sustainability In response, KPEZDMC
transformative initiative KPEZDMC, PCSIR team up for green initiative for Marble, Granite S lurr y utilization Zong Business revolutionizes digital landsc ape for CGCMS through recent par tnership ISLAMABAD: Zong Business, Pakistan’s leading telecom operator has joined hands with China Gezhouba Construction Management Services (CGCMS) to ensure seamless connectivity robust networks and innovative digital solutions to help the organization achieve its ambitious goals without hindrance Founded in 1970, China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) is a key subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Group Co Ltd a prominent state-owned enterprise CGGC specializes in various sectors including water conservancy power generation infrastructure construction and real estate development encompassing design, construction, investment, and operation services CGCMS’ expertise combined with Zong 4G’s proficiency in network architecture, security and scalability will enable CGCMS to regulate its organizational processes more effectively PR Rangers,
areas KARACHI: The efforts led by Pakistan Rangers Sindh and Police to combat criminal activity in the remote riverine regions of Sindh are underway As reported by a spokesperson for Sindh Rangers on Friday, joint operations by the Pakistan Rangers Sindh and police resulted in the apprehension of nine suspects across various areas within the Kashmore district These operations were executed based on intelligence gathered covertly The detained individuals are implicated in various criminal activities including firing upon Rangers personnel along the Indus Highway aiding criminal elements, perpetrating robberies, engaging in kidnappings for ransom, and other offenses Among the arrested suspects are individuals wanted by authorities included Murtaza Irshad Zulfiqar Manzoor and Buggi Jakhrani Additionally during a separate operation five more individuals Ghulam Shabbir Ghulam Hussain Khadim Yar Muhammad and Ghulam Abbas were apprehended Authorities seized weaponry such as a 7 mm rifle with ammunition, two 30 bore pistols with rounds, two SMG magazines with five rounds, along with nine mobile phones and two motorcycles from the possession of the suspects S TA F F R E P O R T Hoarding mafia 'exploiting' hapless wheat growers in Punjab LAHORE: Amidst a heated debate between political factions, farmers, and bureaucrats over government wheat procurement in Punjab, reports have emerged of a hoarding mafia taking advantage of the situation According to media reports the mafia was purchasing wheat from farmers at lower prices and stockpiling it in undisclosed warehouses The stored wheat was then sold to flour mills at significantly higher rates after a few months, exacerbating the already complex issue of wheat pricing and availability Over the past two years, the cost of flour has surged due to the activities of such stockist mafias Currently farmers were reportedly receiving between Rs 3 200 to Rs 3 300 per maund for their wheat In contrast middlemen were offloading this wheat to flour mills at prices ranging from Rs 3,500 to Rs 3,600 per maund Despite a recent reduction in the ex-mill price of a 20 kg flour bag by Rs 600, consumers in Punjab were yet to see substantial relief Retailers were pocketing profits ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per bag with the exmill price in Lahore hovering between Rs 2 000 to Rs 2 100 for a 20 kg bag S TA F F R E P O R T Annual conference on Management of Pakistan Economy concludes at LSE Day 2 of the Lahore School of Economics Annual Conference on Management of the Pakistan Economy focused on issues related to innovation female employment skills development of workers and Pakistani trade Dr Waqar Wadho and Dr Azam Chaudhry of the Lahore School of Economics looked at the how family control of management in Pakistani textile firms affects productivity They found that family controlled firm engaged in management practices that were as good as the management practices of non-family controlled firms and that better management practices led to greater labor productivity in firms They
he invited them to participate in this
police conduct joint operation; apprehend suspects in riverine
also found that better management practices led to higher exports which is critical for Pakistan as it tries to increase exports But they also found that family-controlled firms only benefited from better management practices if they delegated responsibility within the firm to professionals which provides important lessons for the business community as it attempts to expand production and increase exports PR
conference In addition to the conference he added there will be an expo segment with the best-in-class players in each segment of agriculture showcasing the important projects they have done in agriculture “On the sidelines of the event, structured connections will be made between investors farmers start-ups government entities donors experts etc Finally for small agri start-ups Agri-Connections 2024 will have ZarZaraat a SharkTank-style competition being held in collaboration with Bank of Punjab, said Kazim Saeed, Strategy Advisor to Pakistan Agricultural Coalition He explained the ‘Sharktank-style’ segment of the Agri-Connections 2024 in line with the overall theme of the conference that is to make it clear that the corporate sector of Pakistan is already investing in agriculture PR PSO, Railways inaugurate fuel management system Marking a momentous occasion in the nation's transportation infrastructure the country’s leading energy company Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Pakistan Railways (PR) inaugurated two Upgraded Railways Filling and Storage Facilities in Karachi and Lahore The ceremony was graced by esteemed dignitaries, including Mr Mazhar Ali Shah, Chairman/Secretary PR, Syed Taha, Managing Director & CEO PSO Mr Amir Baloch CEO/Senior GM PR alongside senior management representatives from both organizations The successful culmination of Phase-I of the Facilities Modernization and Upgradation (FMS) project stands as a pivotal achievement in the relationship spanning over four decades between the two esteemed national entities The upgraded facilities in Karachi and Lahore are equipped with state-of-the-art technologies including flowmeters and calibration of storage tanks and tank wagons ensuring enhanced operational efficiency and safety standards These advancements are poised to revolutionize the transportation landscape, providing unparalleled reliability and service quality to customers across Pakistan PR KE seizes 250kg of wires used in 350 illegal connec tion in New K arachi KARACHI: Amid increasing circular debt and rising line losses, a nationwide effort is being made to counter electricity theft K-Electric (KE) has also collaborating with law enforcement agencies to tackle the challenge of electricity theft in Karachi pursuing action against those involved in theft and removing kundas from the network to enable a safer and reliable supply of electricity Recent action was taken across multiple sites in Ajmer Nagri and adjoining neighborhoods of New Karachi, where 350 illegal connections were apprehended, collectively using 250kg of wires to steal electricity from the network Power infrastructure is installed in compliance with strict engineering and safety parameters by qualified professionals Notwithstanding that use of kundas is illegal, such makeshift interventions also bypass the safety protocols, creating a grave safety hazard for residents and increasing the risk of short circuits fires and disruptions to the power supply PR FTO commends FBR for prompt resolution of taxpayers ’ issues Federal Tax Ombudsman Dr Asif Mahmood Jah held a meeting with Member Inland Revenue (Operations) Mir Badshah Khan Wazir and his team in his office and discussed matters relating to taxpayers issues Federal Tax Ombudsman commended the performance of FBR for prompt redressal of problems of the taxpayers and quick implementation of FTO’s decisions Member IR (Operations) expressed gratitude to the Federal Tax Ombudsman and assured to resolve taxpayers concerns on priority basis He said that revenue generation performance of FBR would further improve under the guidance of FTO On the occasion, Federal Tax Ombudsman also awarded certificates and shields to Member IR (Operations) and other officers including Chief Refunds Muhammad Imtiaz Chief Formations Mirza Nasir Ali Secretary Revenue Budget Bilal Zamir and Secretary IT Ehsan Ullah Mehsood PR Telenor Microfinance Bank announces PKR1.2b pre -tax profit for FY-2023 Telenor Microfinance Bank (TMB) operator of Pakistan s leading digital financial services platform easypaisa, announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2023, marking a remarkable turnaround with a profit before tax of PKR 1 2 billion This impressive performance and the securing of the In-Principle Approval for a Digital Retail Bank license from the State Bank of Pakistan in September 2023 are a testament to the Bank s digital transformation journey The Bank reported revenue growth of 70% year-over-year of PKR 28 billion, driven by 90% growth in net markup income from higher deposits and favorable rates as well as 65% growth in non-markup income to PKR 14 billion Customer deposits grew 9 3% to PKR 50 9 billion while the advances book increased 60% to PKR 18 6 billion The Bank also maintained a robust capital adequacy ratio of 21 91%, well above regulatory requirements PR 7th Edition of Leaders in Islamabad Business S ummit to take place on April 23 & 24 I S L A M A B A D: The 7th Edition of Pakistan s biggest corporate event LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT 2024 (LIIBS), will take place on April 23 & 24, 2024, at a local hotel Curated under the theme of Collaborating for Growth this summit brings together a spectacular array of national and international speakers to deliberate on the challenges confronting the world and possible solutions LIIBS provides a forum for consultative working, sharing of ideas and expertise, and for reiterating the need to work together to achieve common goals in the best interest of regional and global economies The 7th Edition of LIIBS is jointly hosted by Nutshell Group and Unity Foods Limited in collaboration with OICCI (Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry) with Faysal Bank Limited as the Platinum partner, and InfraZamin Pakistan as the strategic partner PR Bolstering trajec tor y of Pakistan’s strategic ties with C hina The Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore hosted a seminar titled “Bolstering the Trajectory of Pakistan s Strategic Ties with China on 18 April 2024 to examine the dynamic partnership between the two countries and propose strategic recommendations to further solidify the Pakistan-China relationship The seminar began with opening remarks by Ambassador Muhammad Haroon Shaukat (Retd) Director of Foreign Affairs at CASS Lahore who emphasised the importance of Pakistan-China ties within the evolving regional landscape This was followed by an address by Ambassador Masood Khalid (Retd) the former Pakistani envoy to the People s Republic of China, who discussed China's role in global and regional geopolitics Ambassador Moin ul Haque (Retd), another former envoy to China highlighted the importance of strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries Dr Suhail Saleem Director General of the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT), elaborated on the Special Economic Zones and industrial development in the context of Pakistan-China ties Lastly Dr Hassan Daud Butt an Associate Professor at Bahria University explored leveraging the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) beyond 2030 for sustainable economic growth PR Dr Aadil Nakhoda, Assistant Professor and research fellow at IBA; Dr Ishrat Husain Professor Emeritus; Dr Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, Rector Lahore School of Economics; Dr Waqar Ahmed Wadho, Associate Professor and senior research fellow at LSE and Dr Jamshed Uppal distinguished Research Professor at Catholic University of America at the 17th Annual Conference on the Management of the Pakistan Economy held at LSE PR
on Friday strongly condemned the sudden disappearance of PTI young leaders Barrister Hassaan Niazi and Mian Ibad Farooq from military captivity who were taken to an undisclosed location demanding the Supreme Court (SC) to take notice of the grave issue to ensure their instant recovery, besides bringing the abductors to justice PTI Spokesperson voiced great concerns over the shifting of Hassan Niazi and Ibad Farooq to an unknown place and said that around 100 innocent citizens were
kept in illegal military custody under the guise of May 9 false flag operation who were being subjected to political revenge He stated that the inhuman treatment being meted out with the young PTI leaders were purely political because they had been facing the worst state oppression and brutality courageously for the last 10 months PTI Spokesperson said that the transfer
target Hassan Niazi of political revenge to put pressure on the unlawfully incarcerated PTI Founding Chairman Imran Khan PTI Spokesperson went on to say that the coercive and shameful tactics were being against Ibad to punish his brother for contesting by-elections and to keep him away from the electoral process He demanded that Supreme Court of Pakistan should take notice of enforced disapprance and abduction of Hasan Niazi and Ibad Farooq and ensure their earliest recovery and hold the abductors accountable
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 5:30 1 30 5:00 6:30 8:15 Saturday 20 Apri 2024 NEWS S M O G R E M E D I AT I O N C A S E ISLAMABAD N E W S D E S K T H E Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) under Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s leadership staged a symbolic walkout during the National Assembly (NA) session in response to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan s critical remarks against President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday Barrister Gohar reportedly labeled President Zardari as an illegal and unconstitutional figure during the recent joint session of parliament Highlighting President Zardari s non-participation in political activities, Barrister Gohar argued that as a symbol of national unity, the president should refrain from active political roles, especially while heading the Pakistan Peoples Party Expressing lack of confidence in the current president and prime minister, the PTI chairman asserted the cabinet s lack of legitimacy, leading to an interruption during the president s speech During the symbolic walkout, Bilawal Bhutto addressed the media in Parliament House asserting the PPP’s democratic right to protest in parliament and communicate their stance to the Speaker He praised NA Speaker Ayaaz Sadiq for impartially managing parliamentary proceedings and strongly condemned a recent terrorist attack in Karachi expressing condolences for the lives lost and confidence in bringing the perpetrators to justice Emphasizing hospitality towards foreign visitors, Bilawal highlighted the significance of Pakistan-Japan relations and extended prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attack BIL AWAL WALKS OUT OF NA IN PROTEST AGAINST SPEAKER FOR NOT ALLOWING HIM TO SPEAK PR OFIT R E U T E R S Pakistan hopes to agree the contours of a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan in May Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Reuters and has kicked off talks with rating agencies to lay the groundwork for a return to international debt markets The country’s current $3 billion arrangement with the fund runs out in late April and the government is seeking a longer and bigger loan to help bring permanence to macroeconomic stability as well as an umbrella under which the country can execute much-needed structural reforms, the minister said “We expect the IMF mission to be in Islamabad around the middle of May – and that is when some of these contours will start developing ” said Aurangzeb who met with the Fund s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Wednesday during the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings He declined to outline what size programme the government hoped to secure, though Pakistan is expected to seek at least $6 billion Aurangzeb added that once the IMF loan was agreed Pakistan would also request additional financing from the Fund under the Resilience and Sustainability Trust The struggling South Asian nation had managed to accumulate foreign exchange reserves in recent months and was on track for its war chest to hit $10 billion – or roughly two months of import cover – by end-June The debt situation also looked more benign Aurangzeb said The bulk of our bilateral debt – including our China debt – is being rolled over so in that sense I think we are in good shape and I don t see a big issue during this fiscal year nor next fiscal year, cause we need to repay roughly $25 billion dollars every fiscal year ” Pakistan also hopes to come back to international capital markets possibly with a green bond However there was some more work to be done before that happens said Aurangzeb We have to come back into a certain rating environment, he said, having kicked off talks with rating agencies, adding the government was hoping to get an improvement in its sovereign rating in the next fiscal year “In all likelihood, any international capital markets issuance will likely be in the 2025/2026 fiscal year ” Pa k i s t a n a i m s t o a g r e e o u t l i n e o f n e w I M F l o a n i n M ay: F i n a n c e M i n i s t e r SC petitioned against alleged abuse of discretionar y powers by high cour t CJs LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T A petition was filed in the Supreme Court Lahore Registry on Friday challenging the discretionary powers wielded by the chief justices of the country s five high courts These powers, it is alleged, have been exploited to benefit individuals close to the justices near their retirement, resulting in significant losses to the national exchequer The petitioner advocate Mian Dawood has urged the highest court in the land to ensure that the same principles and legal standards applied to other institutions are enforced within the judiciary The petition names the chief secretaries of the four provinces and the registrars of the five high courts –Lahore Peshawar Sindh Balochistan and Islamabad – as respondents Dawood highlighted a range of concerns including corrupt practices nepotism and unconstitutional actions allegedly taken by high court chief justices under the guise of exercising their discretionary powers before retirement Specifically, Dawood cited the case of former Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti alleging that numerous notifications were issued during his tenure to benefit his associates Dawood asserts that promotions salary increases transfers, extended leaves, and other perks were granted in contravention of established rules and administrative policies Furthermore Dawood alleged that former CJ Bhatti interfered with disciplinary actions against employees even suspending punishments against those under inquiry or appealing before service tribunals, effectively rendering these tribunals inactive Among the examples cited, Dawood noted instances where advance increments were granted to several employees including the former CJ’s principal secretary and registrar without justification Additionally study leaves with pay were purportedly granted without proper legal basis including to the CJ s court associate and the spouse of a senior civil judge The petitioner called upon the court to regulate the discretionary powers of high court chief justices to prevent such alleged abuses advocating for transparency and adherence to legal standards Finally Dawood requested the court to annul all notifications issued by former LHC CJ Bhatti during the final month of his tenure to mitigate potential losses to the national treasury All amounts given in the garb of increments be recovered and deposited in national exchequer those whom were granted study leaves be cancelled and set aside those orders following which the punishments of the officials had been suspended he implored the apex court Cour t orders Bushra Bibi’s endoscopy from private hospital ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The Accountability Court Friday accepted the requests for a private medical examination of Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi and ordered that Bushra Bibi’s endoscopy test be done from a private hospital in two days A c c o u n t a b i l i t y C o u r t J u d g e N a s i r J a v e d R a n a h e a r d t h e 1 9 0 m i l l i o n p o u n d r e f e r e n c e i n A d i a l a J a i l Judge Nasir Javed Rana ordered that Bushra Bibi s endoscopy test be conducted under the supervision of Dr Asim Yunus and the government doctor from a private hospital At the onset of the hearing held Adiala jail the judge directed the jail administration to remove the additional barriers inside the courtroom immediately and adjourned the hearing for an hour The jail administration obeyed the order and removed the additional barriers Later, the defence lawyers filed an application regarding the difficulties to the media during the hearing of the case on which the judge called media representatives and Imran Khan to the rostrum and inquired about the problems The media persons replied that there were difficulties in listening to the court proceedings on which the judge directed the jail administration to take action Int’l donors committed to invest $1.8b in KP: Muz zammil ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Advisor to Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Finance Muzzammil Aslam said that the KP government took the lead to organize a timely and much-needed international donor conference in the province with an overwhelming response, as international partners promised to invest $ 1 8 billion in the province for uplift of the long-neglected merged districts Dir and Chitral regions Accompanied by PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan Muzzammil Aslam said that various development partners of the KP government participated in the conference, which would surely boost the shattered confidence of the nation because there was great frustration and disappointment among Pakistani people regarding foreign investment due to the prevailing situation in the country He stated that during the conference the international donors pledged complete support and inked agreements of whooping $1 8 billion with various development partners Advisor on Finance to CM KP noted that the funds would be utilized for the uplift and development of the merged tribal districts Dir and Chitral which were blessed with national resources but were neglected since long Muzzammil stated that the pledged funds would not only help develop the said regions but it would also help bring peace in the areas Advisor on Finance to CM KP stated that the donor conference was attended by representatives of international participants include the World Bank Asian Development Bank European Union Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) USAID and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), among others He went on to say that the Donors Conference mainly focused on three areas in which knowledge-based tools long-term and effective projects for merged districts and development packages for Dir and Chitral Muzzammil stated that the KP government organized a successful International Donor Conference at a time when every Pakistani was in great disillusion about the future of the country due to the prevailing uncertain situation in the country and all people were desperately waiting for investment in the country During the conference Muzzammil revealed that agreements worth $1 8 billion were signed of which ADP committed $1 billion and World Bank also pledged $ 500 million along others He said that KP government delivered within 45 days and took some tangible and practical steps for economic recovery and resolving public issues g IMF MISSION IS EXPECTED TO BE IN ISLAMABAD AROUND MID -MAY g WE WILL ALSO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FINANCING UNDER RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY TRUST ONCE LOAN IS AGREED, SAYS MUHAMMAD AURANGZEB QUETTA N E W S D E S K Balochistan Governor Abdul Wali Kakar oversaw the swearing-in ceremony of a 14-member provincial cabinet This cabinet inauguration follows approximately two months since the elected representatives of the provincial assembly assumed their roles and over a month and a half since the appointment of the province s chief minister Those who took the oath include Sadiq Umrani, Ali Madad Jattak, Zahoor Buledi, Noor Muhammad Dumar Sardar Faisal Jamali Sarfraz Domki Abdul Rehman Khetran Saleem Khosa Asim Kurd Gello Bakht Kakar Tariq Magsi, Shoaib Nosherwani, Raheel Durrani and Zia Langau B a l o c h i s t a n C h i e f M i n i s t e r Mir Sarfaraz Bugti took oath of o ff i c e o n M a r c h 2 b u t i t t o o k h i m a w h i l e t o f o r m a c a b i n e t a n d s t a r t r u n n i n g p r o v i n c i a l a ffairs smoothly The province s chief executive had announced on March 22 that two more weeks were required to form the cabinet Provincial lawmakers earlier linked the delay in the formation of cabinet with the Senate’s April 2 elections Following their win the general elections a total of 57 lawmakers in the province were administered oath by Zamrak Khan Achakzai, who was appointed the presiding officer for the maiden session of the provincial legislative on February 28 Members who took oath
for the coveted CM post unopposed took oath of office on March 2 facing hydra-headed challenges as the province remains badly impacted by terrorism 14-member Balochistan cabinet sworn in ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
included the elected lawmakers from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-e-IslamFazl, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and others Bugti who was elected
of Hassan Niazi and Ibad Farooq to an undisclosed location was an open attack on the sanctity of law and justice and a violation of basic human and constitutional rights adding that the trial of civilians under military laws was unconstitutional He said that it is shameful and condemnable to
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday directed the immediate transfer of Deputy Director Environment Lahore and Deputy Director Sheikhupura while hearing smog remediation case Justice Shahid Karim presided over the hearing of petitions filed by citizens Haroon Farooq and others The court s decision came due to the officers failure to take action against polluters The LHC ordered the Director General (DG) Environment to promptly replace these two officials During the proceedings Justice Shahid Karim questioned the plans of the City Business District (CBD) regarding a 100-hectare area The CBD’s lawyer responded that they are undertaking a project on behalf of the Punjab Government A member of the Judicial Commission raised concerns about housing societies encroaching on agricultural land warning of potential food security issues Justice Shahid Karim emphasized the government s need to address this issue seriously The CBD s lawyer further highlighted the proliferation of illegal housing societies around Lahore He pointed out that these societies often acquire two acres of land install an electricity pole and then proceed to develop housing complexes PTI strongly condemns ‘abduc tion’ of Hassaan Niazi, Ibad from militar y captivit y L H C o rd e r s t r a n s fe r o f t wo D e p u t y D i re c to r s fo r i n a c t i o n a g a i n s t p o l l u te r s
