Pakistani Internet influencer embarks on insightful journey at Digital Silk Road Forum in Xi’an
BEIJING
stated
had instructed Bhayo to resign in the aftermath of the successful antismuggling operation Bhayo vehemently denied any involvement in the smuggling attempt, stating that the incident was politicized to tarnish his reputation A case has been registered against four smugglers and three policemen including an assistant subinspector (ASI) under relevant sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act for their alleged role in escorting the smugglers vehicle Jacobabad SSP Saleem Shah revealed that the antismuggling operation was conducted based on intelligence indicating an attempt to transport weapons from Balochistan to Shikarpur for potential use in terrorist activities The accused have been remanded into custody by an Antiterrorism Court (ATC) for further
S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistani internet influencer Younus Ghazali embarked on an insightful journey at the World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum held in Xi’an China Gwadar Pro reported The forum themed by Connectivity and Shared Prosperity which gathered policy makers, shareholders, digital leaders and thinkers from around the globe, provided a platform for Ghazali to engage in meaningful discussions and exchange ideas on the future of the Internet and its role in fostering cross-border connectivity
Khair Shah area of Kashmore Four members of the gang Raheem Bux, Mollan Sabzoi, Bhai Golo and Khalid Golo fled from the scene spokesman said Arms munitions and four motorbikes were also recovered from accused Spokesman said that the accused were wanted in murder,
The Internet influencer, who has gained a significant following on social media platforms for his insights on cross-cultural exchanges and technology trends was invited to participate in the forum as part of its all-media interview activities to share his perspective on the intersection of technology and culture His presence was seen as a testament to the
to showcase their products and engage potential customers
The Pakistani influencer was able to explore the city s ancient landmarks including Shaanxi History Museum
Dayan Pagoda Emperor Qinshihuang s Mausoleum Site Museum, and learn more about the Silk Road s historical significance
He was also deeply impressed by the city’s modern digital advancements
Younus Ghazali particularly noted the integration of digital technology into various aspects of daily life, including tourism, education and urban management “Coming here, I was amazed to see how digital technology has transformed the city and opened up new opportunities for development he added
Digital Silk Road could greatly enhance this process by connecting Pakistani influencers and businesses with a global audience opening up new markets and opportunities for growth argued him Known as the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road, Xi an, with its rich historical and cultural heritage, provides a fitting backdrop for the forum
Book RevIew M d y 22 Ap l 2024 | LAHORE 02 NEWS PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t T H E Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a report on Sunday of the loss of lives and property in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) due to heavy rains So far, 63 people have died and 78 people have been injured the report added According to the report “Around 33 children 15 men and 15 women are among the killed while 17 women 37 men, and 24 children are among the injured A total of 3,202 houses were damaged due to the collapse of walls and roofs in different districts of which 477 were completely damaged and 2 725 were partially damaged Due to heavy rains, life and financial accidents occurred in various districts, including Khyber Dir Upper and Lower Chitral Upper Swat Bajaur Shangla Mansehra Mohmand Malakand Karak Tank, Mardan, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Buner, Hangu, Batagram, Bannu, North and South Waziristan, Kohat DI Khan and Orakzai On the special instructions of the Chief Minister of KP PDMA released Rs 110 million to the administration of the affected districts in the recent rains for financial assistance and relief activities for the affected families Apart from this at least 90 million rupees have been released for relief activities in the tribal districts as well Along with financial support, PDMA also provided relief materials to the affected districts of Swat Chitral Lower Bajaur Kohistan Lower Peshawar Nowshera Mohmand Dir Upper Tank Shangla, Torghar, and DI Khan The relief items include tents, mats, kitchen sets, blankets, beds, tarpaulins, solar lamps and other daily life items Relief activities are ongoing in the rain-affected districts by PDMA and all related agencies As the rains are expected to continue intermittently until April 21, PDMA has already issued a letter to all district administrations to be alert and take precautionary measures PDMA’s emergency operation center is fully functional People should report any untoward incident to 1700 around the clock KP TORRENTIAL RAINS LEAVE 63 DEAD, 78 INJURED: PDMA Title: ‘the silhouette of voice’ Author: Hafsah Bashir Title: Echoes and Imprints: Voices of Early Pakistani Anglophone Authors Compiler: Saleha Malik Hafsah Bashir is a Pakistani diaspora writer based in the U S She is purported to have created ‘ an audible female diaspora voice with subjective and collective experiences’ in her work Peace and Politics: a Polemical Reflection is her major work in comparative literatures ‘T H E S I L H O U E T T E O F VO I C E’ In the instant book (‘the silhouette of voice’) she draws ‘a spherical scope of sensibilities in her own specific colors that are not voiceless The objective correlative of silhouette of voice , denotes a fluid viewpoint of how love colors, how desire lives and solitude emotes The flap of the book contains a concise but lucid commentary on its contents It proclaims: ‘The immortal design of life perpetuates in every single act; perceived or practiced Life is a mere act of breathing and breathing becomes a celebration of little events This silhouette is neither linear nor plain rather rich in hues and tones of truths we live with The book is pithily sub-divided into four sections each captioned as ‘Me’ ‘You’ ‘Life’ and ‘Love’ that embody a total of some fiftyseven poems These are artistically designed poems of a genuine lyrical quality emanating from the simplicity and purity of the language and its romantic fancy with a deft use of asymmetrical conceits and rhythmical alliteration The winding landscape of silhouettes in this anthology seems to encompass a wide domain of its author ’s poeticoutpourings aiming to create a waking-dreaming aura of an existentialistic fantasy so to say Silhouettes have been used for ages as a way to convey emotion mystery and storytelling They are deemed to capture the essence of an object or person without the need to display the appurtenant details A poet is not one who deals in statements arguments teachings or persuasions; he shows or reveals None the less the matter of thought may be his subject Argument itself, when it is the best of its kind, may produce a sort of fire, an illumination from which truth emerges as a vision rather than an inept abstraction The poems in the instant collection relate to a variety of subjects like imbibition craft sleep solitude monotony inertia leisure desire silence gravity rain disillusionment, memory, time, to be or not to be , retreat, parting, mirage, wedlock, parents, and New York A few pertinent illustrations from the book will facilitate the reader to grasp its textual-cum-stylistic niceties While/walking on the thin line of/chaste sins and tainted virtues/vain values and destined designs/carnal cravings and solemn self/shaped my facet/feign and frowned/wrecked and wrinkled/and/came along the craft/to tame to tend (Craft) Rain and you/are allies/quench the thirst/yet drench in guilt/wipe the dirt/yet blur the vision/soak in vigor/yet on muddy trails/flood with joy/yet on slippery slates/drown in cuddle/yet in soggy bosom/submerge in dream/yet on humid lands/rain and you/twin together (Rain and you) Years days and moments/pass on/but we keep them/and carry as/crowns badges or burdens/they tire us and/we drown them in tears/and take a break/but save them as we catch a breath/moments are burdens/and/burdens are vital/they don t let us alone/moments are badges/remind us of winning/moments are tokens/of love and life (Time) o city of form and fortune/you are rich and reverent/bounty blesses you/opulence oozes in you/chance reins you/reward rules you/but o city of affluence/your ambiance reminds me of/folks back home/the ones at margins/personifications of strife/envisaging nothing but/affliction and agony (New York) The preceding lines speak loudly for the poet’s concern for life and its infinite constraints like desire and despair feeling and frustration affluence and affright fact and fantasy crime and conviction et al ‘E C H O E S A N D I M P R I N T S: VO I C E S O F E A R LY PA K I S TA N I A N G L OP H O N E A U T H O R S’ The author of this book Saleha Malik has ‘presented and published her research on Pakistani Anglophone Literature in Pakistan and now (of course through the medium of her instant publication) hopes to reach an international audience The book thus contains interviews of some of the most influential poets, novelists, critics, and prose writers who were either born before Independence or in the (19)50 s She acknowledges that the renowned Pakistani Anglophone author M AtharTahir inspired her to undertake this project The list of interviewees contains such illustrious names asM AtharTahir (talking about his famed senior contemporary, poetTaufiqRafat and himself separately), ZulfikarGhouse (renowned novelist, poet, and essayist), Mrs Parveen Kamal (on her illustrious husband poet Daud Kamal) KabirOmar (on his eminent cousin poet Kaleem Omar) poet and critic AlamgirHashmi academic and poet WaqasKhawaja poet Ejaz Rahim, Amina Hassan (on her esteemed father, academic, journalistand humorist Shoaib Bin Hassan), QaisraShahraz (novelist and scriptwriter) Dr Tariq Rahman (critic scholar and literary historiographer) and FawziaAfzal-Khan (scholar and critic) The interviews tend to project the person and art of the protagonists They are like mini-biographies spotlighting the work and contribution of these literary luminaries The exercise is more of a cursory exposition than of adiscreet critical evaluation of the person and art of the afore-mentioned literary figures The effort is appreciable as ‘the interviews are terse but rich in an in-depth background sketch as viewed by noted academic Maryam Razawho further comments that the diction is simple but ladled with alcoves of information that has never surfaced hitherto’ By the bye, some misprints and occasional compositing errors in the book could have been circumvented by a more careful proof-reading of its content
The Pakistani Anglophone Literary Context
KARACHI
o R t Allah Dino
issued prior to his resignation Bhayo expressed his intention to step down to facilitate a fair and transparent investigation into the failed arms smuggling attempt on Friday Bhayo urged CM Shah to accept his resignation immediately and initiate an inquiry into the incident The LEAs seized a significant cache of arms and ammunition, including sub-machine
police
police
News
NAR OWAL S ta f f R e p o R t Federal Minister for Planning Ashan Iqbal has alleged that activists of Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) have killed innocent PML-N worker and I will call him a political martyr Talking to media persons in Narowal on Sunday, he pledged to root out all kinds of oppression and hooliganism from Zafarwal Ahsan Iqbal said that he strongly condemns the hooliganism that PTI has done against the PML-N workers in the country He alleged that PTI people have resorted to high tactics after seeing the defeat of their thuggish domain The federal minister said that PML-N workers are our soldiers who started movement for development of peace Ahsan Iqbal said “I will call them political martyrs They stood for a good cause and were punished for it Murderers of the party workers can t escape the grip of law He said that those who were supervising all what was happening would be brought to book and all kinds of oppression and hooliganism will be eradicated from Zafarwal Suspect killed, one arrested in LEAs operation in Kashmore katcha area KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t In a joint operation by the rangers and police in Kashmore’s katcha area a suspect killed, and accomplice arrested a spokesman said in a statement here on Sunday A spokesman of rangers said that an accused Saeen Bux was killed and his accomplice Illahi Bux was arrested in a joint raid by the rangers and police in
attempt to murder, robbery and other crimes All hideouts and bunkers of the gang were demolished in the katcha area Katch area stretches over hundreds of thousands of acres from Kashmore to Dadu on the banks the Indus River in Sindh and Punjab s southern belt The outlaws and wanted involved in tribal disputes used to escape to the area when fleeing justice Woman gives bir th to six babies in Rawalpindi RAWALPINDI S ta f f R e p o R t In a remarkable turn of events a young woman from Rawalpindi located in the Punjab province, has given birth to an extraordinary set of sextuplets, defying both scientific expectations and natural odds Upon receiving the news from doctors the parents of the newborns Zeenat Bibi and Waheed were overwhelmed with joy as all six infants were reported to be in good health The proud parents blessed with four boys and two girls, expressed their gratitude for the miraculous arrival of their children Reports indicate that both the mother and the newborns are in good health, with the infants weighing within normal ranges However they will continue to receive medical care in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) until they are ready to be discharged from the hospital While the use of fertility medications has contributed to an increase in the occurrence of multiple births, including sextuplets, many medical experts caution against the risks associated with such pregnancies PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t Great tributes were paid to the national poet philosopher Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal for awakening the Muslims of subcontinent for a separate homeland through his inspired poetry and political acumen on his 86th death anniversary that was observed with great admiration and reverence in all districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday The day
S ta f f R e p
also known as Babal Khan Bhayo has resigned from his position as advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah after law enforcement agencies (LEAs) intercepted an alleged weapons smuggling operation from Balochistan to Jacobabad, as reported by The News on Sunday In a statement
guns rifles magazines and bullets along with two cellphones and cash from two vehicles a double-cabin pickup truck and a
vehicle providing escort The
vehicle was reportedly assigned to Bhayo for security and protocol purposes Sindh government sources, cited by The
that the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership
investigation By-polls: Ahsan alleges PTI activists of killing innocent PML-N worker
dawned
influence of Pakistani
in
digital sphere Ghazali pointed out the immense benefits that the Digital Silk Road could bring to Pakistan He highlighted the convenience of live streaming as a tool for selling products online, noting that it provides a direct and interactive platform for Pakistani influencers
growing
voices
the global
The
SYED AFSAR SAJID
100 days agenda
ISLAMABAD a p p
The Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) has urged the Punjab government to prioritize holding local government elections within its first 100 days in office “While ending the democratic crisis and forming a new government is a positive step, building a strong democratic system is crucial for long-term progress Syed Kausar Abbas Executive Director of SSDO said on Sunday Restoring the local government system isn t just a legal obligation, it s a cornerstone of democratic governance ” The SSDO argues that empowering local communities through elected representatives is essential They propose that instead of allocating development funds to provincial and national assembly members the government should channel those resources directly to locally elected officials This, they believe, would empower local people to drive their own development “Pakistan’s history demonstrates the importance of local government ” Abbas emphasized “Local bodies have always played a key role in effective governance citizen participation and delivering essential services at the grassroots level International examples further bolster SSDO s argument Countries with robust local government systems often enjoy better service delivery reduced citizen problems increased local business activity and greater political awareness By devolving power Pakistan can unlock the potential of its communities, he argued The Organization emphasizes that restoring the local
M d y 22 Ap i 2024 | LAHORE NEWS 03 ISLAMABAD a p p N ew Zealand batter Mark Champan unbeaten 87 stormed New Zealand to a seven wicket victory over Pakistan in the third Twenty20 International at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi on Sunday Chasing Pakistan s score of 178 runs, he smashed 87 runs on just 42 balls with nine 4s and four 6s Champan was also declared player of the match for his outstanding innings Champan was helped by batters Dean Foxcroft (29-ball 31) Tim Robinson (19-ball 28) and Tim Seifert (16-ball 21) to chase the target of 179 runs James Neesham also remained not out on 6 runs Among all Pakistani bowlers Abbas Afridi and Naseem Shah were lucky in bagging three wickets Afridi grabbed two for 27 while Shah bagged one for 44 runs respectively Earlier Pakistan posted a total of 178 runs for the loss of four wickets All-rounder Shadab Khan (41), Skipper Babar Azam (37) Saim Ayub (32) Irfan Khan (30) and Mohammad Rizwan (22) led Pakistan to 178 for 4 in Rawalpindi on Sunday Shadab hit a 20-ball 41 including two 6s and four 4s while Azam scored a 29-ball 37 Opener Saim Ayub scored 32 runs on 22 balls with five 4s and a six while Irfan Khan contributed with a 20-ball 30 not out with three 4s and a six Rizwan s 22 came on 21 balls Rizwan also felt discomfort in his right hamstring while batting and as a precautionary measure, the medical team pulled him out from rest of the match For New Zealand Ish Sodhi took two wickets for 25 runs while Micheal Bracewell and Jacob Duffy grabbed a wicket each for 40 and 39 runs, respectively Meanwhile, Josh Clarkson and Ben Lister were both ruled out of Sunday’s match due to illness The national selection committee has also announced wicketkeeper and batter Haseebullah as the replacement player for Azam Khan, who was sidelined from the T20I series against New Zealand due to a tear in his right calf muscle Haseebullah would be available for selection in the remaining two T20Is scheduled to be played in Lahore on Thursday and Saturday respectively This was the third five-match series between both sides inside a 12-month period Last year Pakistan and New Zealand drew the series at two-all in Pakistan, while New Zealand clinched the series 4-1 earlier this year in their backyard CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 Deceased Yousaf was a worker of the PMLN said the minister in a news statement while expressing condolences for the bereaved family over the demise of the party worker “Muhammad Yousaf ’s blood will not go in vain,” he said while vowing to bring the killers to justice According to a notification the civil armed forces and army troops were deployed in 21 constituencies from April 20 to 22 The Interior Ministry issued these orders after the approval of the federal government Polling began at 8am and continued till 5pm without any break In Punjab 174 candidates were vying for positions while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has 49 candidates in the race Punjab boasts 21 77 million male and 18 67 million female registered voters who will exercise their democratic rights Meanwhile KP has 1 471 million voters who can participate in the by-elections Punjab will host 663 male 649 female and 1289 joint polling stations with a total of 892 polling stations set up in K-P For the National Assembly constituency NA-196 in Sindh, 4 239 million voters are eligible to vote Five candidates will compete in this constituency, which will have 933 polling stations In Balochistan 125 polling stations have been established across two provincial constituencies where 163 000 voters will cast their votes A control room has been set up in the provincial election commissioners’ offices to address any concerns Additionally, the installation of CCTV cameras at sensitive polling stations was completed as well The federal government has also decided to temporarily suspend cellular services in certain districts of Punjab and Balochistan during the by-elections In a statement, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said that in line with the directions of the interior ministry cellular services will be temporarily suspended in specific districts of the two provinces for two days The authority added that the decision had been made to safeguard the integrity and security of the electoral process The NA seats include NA-8 and NA-44 (KP) NA-119 and NA-132 (Punjab) and NA-196 (Sindh) Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has won one seat in the form of NA207, Nawabshah from where Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has been elected unopposed The provincial assembly seats include PK22 and PK-91 (KP) PB-20 and PB-22 (Balochistan) and PS-80 (Sindh) The Punjab Assembly seats where the by-polls are taking place include PP-32 (Gujrat), PP-36 (Wazirabad), PP-54 (Narowal), PP-93 (Bhakkar), PP-139 (Sheikhupura), PP-147, PP149 PP-158 PP-164 (Lahore) PP-266 (Rahim Yar Khan) and PP-290 (Dera Ghazi Khan) The NA-119 (Lahore) was vacated by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and PML-N s Ali Pervez Malik is up against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed SIC s Shahzad Farooq for the seat Moreover Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan s (TLP) candidate Muhammad Zaheer and six independent candidates are also vying for the seat Meanwhile, elections are also being held on PP-147 (Lahore), which was vacated by PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz PML-N’s Malik Riaz SIC’s Muhammad Madni Shahrukh Jamal TLP’s Muhammad Yasin and eight independent candidates are aiming for the slot The seat PP-149 (Lahore) was vacated by Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party s (IPP) Abdul Aleem Khan IPP’s Shoaib Siddiqui, SIC’s Zeeshan Rashid TLP’s Muhammad Zaheer and 11 independents are seeking to win the seat Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vacated NA-132 (Kasur) and two of his provincial assembly seats in Lahore, PP-158 and PP164, while retaining his NA-123 seat in the National Assembly A very tough contest is expected in NA-132 on which SIC’s Muhammad Hussain Dogar is contesting against PML-N s Malik Rasheed Ahmad Khan whereas the TLP is also in contest PML-N s Chaudhry Muhammad Nawaz, SIC s Moonis Elahi, TLP s Muhammad Munir and 19 independent candidates vied for the PP-158 seat vacated by PM Shehbaz Meanwhile SIC s Muhammad Yousuf PML-N s Rashid Minhas are eyeing the PP164 slot Meanwhile, in Sindh, voting took place on NA-196 (Qamber Shadadkot) This seat was vacated by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari In KP the polling took place on NA-44 (Dera Ismail Khan) seat which was left vacant after Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur retained his provincial assembly seat, PK-113 By-poll was held on the NA-8 (Bajaur) seat the election for the seat was suspended ahead of the February 8 general elections after one of the candidates Rehan Zeb Khan was murdered Signatures obtained on blank Form 45s The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) took notice of complaints against a presiding officers (POs) for receiving signatures of polling agents on blank Form 45 in Lahore s PP-149 constituency during byelections The top electoral body sought a report from the Punjab election commissioner to carry out legal action Similarly, the electoral body also took notice of another incident of interruption in the electoral process today after some armed men entered a polling station in Balochistan s PB-50 Qilla Abdullah The chief election commissioner personally telephoned the provincial police chief and sought a report to take strict action against the responsible Same claims were made by polling officers in Lahore where PML-N and PTIbacked candidates fought in the by-polls ISLAMABAD a p p Chairman Pakistan People s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has extended warm congratulations to the recently elected office-bearers of various bar associations in Sindh, expressing his heartfelt wishes for their success in their new roles In a press release issued by the Media Cell Bilawal House he extended his heartfelt congratulations to newly elected President of the High Court Bar Association Mirpurkhas, Ali Hassan Chandio and General Secretary Aziz Ahmed Leghari Advocate He also extended his felicitations to the newly elected officials of other bar associations, such as Naveed Ahmad Shah, President of the District Bar Association Sukkur, and General Secretary Sunder Khan Advocate; Habibullah Ghori the newly elected President of District Bar Association Larkana and General Secretary Kamran Gorar; as well as Ali Raza Chana President of District Bar Association Shaheed Benazirabad, and General Secretary Naeem Mangi Bilawal Bhutto lauded the efforts of the office bearers and workers of the People s Lawyers Forum (PLF) Sindh chapter, praising their exceptional performance and dedication Expressing his optimism Chairman PPP stated his hope that the newly elected office bearers of the Bar Associations will diligently fulfill their duties in addressing the challenges faced by the legal community I am confident that the lawyers’ community, under the leadership of the newly elected bodies will actively contribute to the ongoing struggle for constitutionalism the rule of law and the consolidation of democracy in Pakistan, he added He assured the legal fraternity nationwide that the PPP remains committed to upholding the supremacy of the constitution parliament and democratic stability in the country steadfastly rejecting any expedience that compromises these principles Bilawal felicitates elec ted office -bearers of various Sindh B ar Associations
by-poll results trickle in S u p r e m a c y o f c o n s t i t u t i o n , l a w v i t a l f o r c o u n t r y ’ s d e v e l o p m e n t : B a l i g h LAHORE I N p Governor Punjab Muhammad Balighur Rehman has said that the supremacy of the constitution and law is vital for the development of country He was talking to Deputy Chairman Senate Sardar Syedal Khan Nasir who called on him at Governor House Lahore Matters of mutual interest and other important issues were discussed in the meeting During the meeting, Governor Punjab congratulated Syedal Khan Nasir on assuming the office of Deputy Chairman Senate Muhammad Balighur Rehman said that uniform development of all units was very important for the strength of the federation He said that we
strengthen
democratic
sustainable development
country He said that the current leadership was taking concrete steps to address the challenges facing the country Governor Punjab said that an economically self-sufficient energetic Pakistan and a socially empowered society with high morals and mutual respect was our destination
PML-N rides the tide as
have to
our
institutions for
of
SSDO urges Punjab to conduct LG election as
government system is not merely an administrative reform, but a strategic necessity for achieving sustainable development The SSDO calls on the government to engage with civil society organizations and local leaders to develop a comprehensive plan for reviving local government This collaborative approach, they believe, will ensure a system designed to meet the evolving needs of Pakistani citizens and contribute to long-term sustainable development he outlined Violence against national interests, political norms, says Mar yam LAHORE I N p Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that violence is against national interests, political norms and the people, who bring politics to the level of personal enmity and violence are enemies of the nation In a statement issued here on Sunday she said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf s (PTI s) bullying would not be tolerated in any case Maryam Nawaz offered condolences and expressed heartfelt sympathies with the family of Muhammad Yousaf a PML-N worker who was killed in Narowal She said that politics was the name of service and reform not violence and intolerance Turning politics into hatred and personal enmity was a big challenge for society, she added The chief minister said that the accused involved in killing of the PML-N worker have been arrested Overcoming energy crisis is top priorit y, says Musadik ISLAMABAD a p p Federal Minister for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik said on Sunday that the government chalked out a policy to generate affordable electricity to fulfill the nation's energy requirements Talking to a private news channel he said that steps were being taken to improve the exploration policy to accelerate energy exploration in the country He said that more than 8 million tons of refined petroleum products were being imported to cater the needs of energy in the country He further said that discussions were underway with Saudi officials for their investments in establishing new oil refinery in the country Moreover
ISLAMABAD
it will utilise all available resources to make it fascinating and beautiful in real terms He said this while signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the ICCI and the CDA here on Friday The President said that ICCI will take the responsibility of newly built washrooms of different markets for their operation, management, maintenance and develop them as per the hygienic standards He added that the nominal fee charged for the use will be spent for the upgradation and maintenance of these washrooms ICCI will also ensure the placement of janitorial staff wearing proper uniform at each facility The President ICCI further said that the Chamber will also built water filtration plants on self help basis and continue to play its role for the upgradation of the city On this occasion, the business community as well as residents hailed the ICCI initiative in the interest of the citizens The MoU was signed by Mr Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari on behalf of the ICCI and by Mr Mashooq Ali Shah Director Sanitation on behalf of the CDA On this occasion among others CDA high ups and Zafar Bakhtawari Secretary General UBG, Ejaz Abbasi, Executive Member, Ch Khalid, former SVP and Ch Zia former executive member were also present NEW ZEAL AND OUTPL AY PAKISTAN BY 7 WICKETS IN THIRD T20I ICCI to make all out efforts to turn Islamabad into a Clean and Green city: Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari UNITED NATIONS a p p Pakistan has called for the development of infrastructure connectivity to fortify global resilience and promote sustainable development, especially in developing countries Ambassador Munir Akram made the call in his capacity as co-chair of the Group of Friends of Sustainable Infrastructure Investment while delivering a statement during the U N General Assembly s Sustainability Week in New York, on the theme: Informal dialogue on building global resilience and promoting sustainable development through infrastructure connectivity ” The achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and our climate goals requires a major transition to sustainable infrastructure – in energy, transport, housing, communications and industrial and agricultural production and consumption, the Pakistani envoy said, noting that this was recognized in the ‘Just Energy Transition’ document adopted at COP-28 “Yet ” he said “public and private investments in sustainable infrastructure are not commensurate to realize either the SDGs or the climate goals pointing out that a majority of developing countries do not have the public resources to finance infrastructure investments nor are they able to secure sufficient private investment To achieve a ‘just transition’ he called for mobilizing significantly larger concessional finance to mitigate country and project risks, enhance credit quality, improve financing terms and thus incentivize private infrastructure investment in the developing countries In this regard Ambassador Akram cited the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which said there was a funding gap of $2 5 trillion annually in infrastructure, two-thirds of which is in the developing countries Cumulatively for a 1 5°C Scenario, financing needs for clean energy are estimated to be about USD 4 3 trillion per year up until 2030, increasing thereafter to USD 5 trillion per year up until 2050 ” he said pointing out that investment in renewable energy only reached USD 0 5 trillion in 2022, the majority concentrated in developed countries The Pakistani envoy also underscored the need to create a pipeline of viable and bankable projects in the developing countries which can attract public and private investments Pakistan, he said, advocates the establishment of a public-private entity under UN auspices to help developing countries formulate and structure such a pipeline of viable infrastructure projects utilizing the UN country offices Such a public private entity could bring together all stakeholders – recipient and donor countries, development institutions and the private sector; develop a template for national and international regulatory frameworks and develop de-risking measures to incentivize private investment in developing countries and present the projects for financing to the appropriate public and private sources of investment capital
they showed interest to invest to improve the existing refineries so that we can refine crude petroleum products within the country, he added He said, "We separated the tariffs for high and low usage in the previous government to protect and facilitate the lower class "
p R e S S R e l e a S e President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari has said that capital city is our own city and we are determined to turn it into a model city and that business community is the biggest stakeholder of the city and
Pakistan makes case for infrastruc tural development to achieve SDGs
TH AT the USA’s sanctions placed on a Belarusian and three Chinese firms should have caused Pakistan to protest should be surprising but Pakistan had an interest because the sanctions were placed because the companies were deemed to be assisting Pakistan in the development of long-range ballistic missiles It is no coincidence that the USA is displeased with Bekarus for its role as a Russian ally in the Russo-Ukrainian war and also with China with which it is engaged in a global conflict Pakistan is supposed to be a friend but where the USA is concerned it shows no hesitation in doing what India wants India badly wants admission in the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group and it is only Chinese insistence on Pakistan’s admission that is keeping it out It has got US backing even though Pakistan also meets the same criteria as India By painting Pakistan as an underhand producer of missiles and thus an irresponsible nuclear power the USA is doing what India wants which is the imposition of an unfair proliferation regime Another salient feature of the US action has been its unilateral nature Neither before nor after has it bothered to produce evidence which means that there is no chance of correcting any mistakes it might have made thus making Indian attempts to impose its wishes and to manipulate the process easier Pakistan may well have to pursue its missile programme in the shadowy half-world of the underground, but it should be understood that it cannot abandon it The world community should realize that while India has all kinds of great-power ambitions to slake by its nuclear and missile programmes, Pakistan merely wants to survive, by establishing a minimum deterrence capability At the same time,
ative consequences for economic growth, due to the underlying increase in cost of borrowing, and overall cost push inflation denting investment prospects Moreover economic growth is needed for greater revenue collection to increase fiscal space so that welfare-oriented spending could be made to dent the otherwise quite fast increase in people falling below the poverty line, given an apparently almost two-year of stagflationary headwinds facing the economy In addition the serious climate change challenge facing the country also needs greater spending to build resilience in this regard At the same time as per the WEO while the CPI inflation for the current fiscal year has been projected at 24 8 percent, the IMF expects CPI
TWEO, are well below than overall for developing countries ‘In emerging market and developing economies growth is expected to be stable at 4 2 percent in 2024 and 2025 with a moderation in emerging and developing Asia offset mainly by rising growth for economies in the Middle East and Central Asia and for sub-Saharan Africa Low-income developing countries are expected to experience gradually increasing growth, from 4 0 percent in 2023 to 4 7 percent in 2024 and 5 2 percent in 2025 as some constraints on near-term growth ease ’ This is indeed a serious cause of concern for the country which needs domestic production to dent inflation from the supply-side and greater exports for much-needed positive consequences in terms of foreign exchange built-up to ease imported inflationary channels, and help lighten an otherwise acute debt distress issue Highlighting the importance of tackling inflation from not just through demand-squeeze policies but also through supply-side initiatives an answer in the Transcript of Global Financial Stability Report April 2024 press briefing to a question regarding Pakistan, and countries with similar economic context, IMF staff member Jason Wu pointed out in this regard ‘It is, indeed the case that both the supply and demand side contribute to inflation So in that sense policy is needed on both sides In the case of Pakistan for example monetary policy has been tightening over the past two or three years to control inflation And inflation is projected to come down, but more work needs to be done And that includes on the demand side; fiscal consolidation needs to be continued But also on the supply side including things like you know the reform of the energy sector state[-]owned enterprises
Over-emphasis on interest rate to control inflation from the demand side has apparently had strong neg-
N A C TA i n t h e c h a n g i n g
s e c u r i t y l a n d s c a p e
I t m u s t p l a y i t s d u e ro l e azhar zeeshan
from the fact that these papers are contributed by authors not affiliated with NACTA This means they lack access to the valuable primary sources available to NACTA officials
Pakistan faces an increasingly complex security landscape that demands a robust, proactive, and adaptive strategy The rise of new militant organizations, coupled with the growing sophistication of existing groups, presents a significant challenge . NACTAÊs shor tcomings, including limited research and an inadequate counter-narrative effor t, undermine the nationÊs ability to effectively address these threats. The
phenomenon, and the conflict in Ukraine, and the Middle East In a 2023 published book Permacriis: a plan to fix a fractured world’ by Gordon Brown, Muhammad A ElErian and Michael Spence it was pointed out with regard to the polycrisis facing
Hence, while it is important that expenditure efficiency needs to be enhanced, it is important that a counter-cyclical policy approach is adopted– at the back of enhancing the tax base, and possibly an enhanced special drawing rights (SDRs) allocation by IMF, in addition to inflows under the current SBA, and likely EFF programme– to make necessary climate change and welfare spending
such as ground intelligence reports and other key materials
Another issue with NACTA’s research output is a tendency to focus on topics that have already been extensively explored resulting in a lack of originality and relevance For example the latest issue of the PTJR includes titles like Regional Implications of US Withdrawal from Afghanistan, India State Terrorism in Perspective,” and “Mainstreaming Tehreek Taliban Pakistan ” While these are undoubtedly important issues they do not offer fresh insights into the changing security landscape of the country nor it helps in mitigating the risks this changing security landscape poses to the country s national security
As far as the second primary responsibility of NACTA is concerned, which is to develop a counternarrative in the local languages and to disseminate it its performance is also lacking in this area An examination of the organization s official website reveals a striking absence of such materials This failure is particularly alarming in light of Pakistan s evolving security landscape, as aforementioned, where militant groups exploit various languages in their propaganda campaigns Without an effective counter-narrative from NACTA extremist propaganda risks going unchallenged which can potentially lead to increased radicalization and recruitment Pakistan faces an increasingly complex security landscape that demands a robust, proactive, and adaptive strategy The rise of new militant organizations coupled with the growing sophistication of existing groups presents a significant challenge NACTA s shortcomings including limited research and an inadequate counter-narrative effort, undermine the nation s ability to effectively address these threats
The is a researcher at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore and can be reached at info@casslhr com
04 Monday 22 Apri 2024
– Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 I K arachi – Ph: 021-32640318 I Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545 I Web: www pakistantoday com pk I Email: editorial@pakistantoday com pk S a n c t i o n s o u t o f t h e b l u e
COMMENT Lahore
maligned
this action,
Pakistan
no longer the haven for terrorists India
it as? More specifically, which foreign investor will want to come to the country? Is India killing two birds with one stone? It should be remembered that foreign investors often have to choose between India and Pakistan, and this latest incident puts a thumb in the scales for India US sanc tions against Pakistan show up the unfairness of its nonproliferation regime M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor Credibilit y factor I recently went to the council office located in my neighbourhood in connection with the birth certificates of my two daughters The official handed me a form that I was supposed to fill and get attested from the local councillor I went to the councillor s house, waited for a good 30 minutes, but he did not even come out to have a word with me I am a government employee working in BPS-16 having a valid CNIC My daughters have birth certificates issued by reputed healthcare institutions Why do I need a verification from someone who managed to get a few hundred votes to become a councillor? Why does my own credibility hold no value in this country? Period IHSAN KHAN PESHAWAR Social media and the future T E C H N O L O G Y is surely winning the race over culture and traditions The social media has become the new and preferred form of communication with people-to-people contact having to take the proverbial backseat Making use of technological tools miscreants are out to spread anarchy This does not bode well for the future ARSLAAN ZAFAR JHANG Vigilant minds T H E current academic-focused approach neglects the vital role of physical activities for our children While academic success is crucial we cannot overlook the well-documented benefits of regular exercise for both physical and mental well-being Physical activities not only enhance fitness but also instil vital life skills like teamwork and resilience I urge educators parents and policymakers to reassess our educational priorities, striving for a balance between academic excellence and the promotion of an active lifestyle Let s prioritise holistic child development by integrating more physical activities into the curriculum and providing ample opportunities for sports and recreation NOOR USMAN ISLAMABAD Pakistan’s education quandar y T H E concept of meritocracy permeates various sectors notably education and government offices creating disparities in achievement In Pakistan the education system s poor quality undermines merit-based grading in schools and job placements Three concurrent education systems operate in Pakistan: public and nonelite private schools elitist private schools and religious seminaries (madaris) Each follows distinct curricula teaching methods and standards complicating the credibility of education Elitist private schools despite high fees provide international-standard education while middle-class students attend private public schools with lower quality and facilities Those unable to afford even these turn to madaris for free education and stipends The National Education Policy 2009 identifies a commitment gap as a major factor in the low literacy rate and insufficient skilled workforce This complex scenario leaves children from different systems without a clear path With the prevalence of jobbery and a lack of job opportunities in public offices disadvantaged segments withdraw children from school leading to child labor and increased income This cycle coupled with the absence of checks on corruption, breeds hopelessness and lethargy These issues contribute to a rise in crime, with educated, unemployed youth resorting to violence SAJID ALI NAICH KHAIRPUR NATHAN SHAH 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 P A K I S TA N S security landscape has undergone a significant change in recent years The said change is characterized by the emergence of new terrorist groups, the growing sophistication of already existing groups in their operations and propaganda This alarming trend is underscored by the surge in terrorist attacks across the country since 2021 However amidst this changing security landscape, where the terrorists are smart, the country s premier institution for countering terrorism, the National Counterterrorism Authority (NACTA) needs to be smarter However, its present response is lacklustre at best Since August 2021 Pakistan s security landscape has seen the emergence of new militant groups like Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) and Ansar-ul-Islam (AI) At the same time, established groups like TTP have strengthened and expanded their operations For instance, since August 2021 more than 40 groups have announced a merger with the proscribed group Moreover the group s propaganda has become increasingly sophisticated with the group s mouthpiece Umar Media producing audio, video clips, podcasts, and text materials in half a dozen languages including Pashto, Urdu, English Baluchi Dari Persian and Arabic Another disturbing trend in the country’s evolving security landscape is the focus of militant groups on the recruitment of women within their respective organizations through propaganda For instance, TTP has just recently started a separate Urdu-language monthly magazine, Banat-eKhadijatul Kubra, aimed at recruiting women Similarly in recent years Baloch insurgents have employed female suicide bombers The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) propaganda arm Hakkal has published several articles and reports eulogizing these female suicide bombers to boost women s recruitment Additionally, the arrest of five female Islamic State Khorasan Province militants in Lahore and Sheikhupura in September 2023 highlights ISKP’s active recruitment of women from urban centres of Pakistan All these trends point toward a rapidly changing security landscape in Pakistan In sharp contrast to this growing sophistication, reach, and recruitment efforts exhibited by terrorist organizations, NACTA, the country’s primary counterterrorism agency seems largely unfocused and ineffective Originally established in 2009 NACTA was originally perceived as a civilian-controlled supervising and monitoring body that would coordinate the state s counter-terrorism efforts However, right from its inception, concerns have been raised over its efficiency and its capacity to carry out the responsibilities assigned to it To get an insight into how well or badly NACTA has performed since its inception one can do the discourse analysis by considering the titles of editorials and opinion articles published in various newspapers over the last decade regarding the agency Some of these titles are Nacta failure, saving Nacta, reviving Nacta, reactivating Nacta, revamping Nacta, and the case for Nacta The titles of the editorials are reflective of the organization’s performance Some of the key responsibilities of NACTA include: carrying out up-to-date research on topics relevant to terrorism and extremism and to develop a counternarrative against extremism and militancy in local languages, and disseminating it through media and other platforms to get it to the wider audience Though in the realm of research the organization has made some strides in recent years especially with the launch of its Pakistan Journal of Terrorism Research (PJTR) in 2019, it is still plagued by certain shortcomings For instance, one of the major shortcomings is that nearly all the research papers published in the journal heavily relied on online available secondary sources which limits its potential to contribute new insights to the national discourse on terrorism and extremism This reliance on secondary sources likely stems
the USA should not join in with India in this attempt to blacken Pakistan s reputation, which is only making a slight recovery after being
for decades Now that the USA has taken
who will believe that
is
still paints
growth outlook for the MENA region and Pakistan is characterized by an uneven recovery against a backdrop of armed conflicts hydrocarbon dependence and persistent structural challenges After contracting in 2023 growth in Pakistan is projected to rebound to 2 0 percent in 2024 supported by continuing positive base effects in the agriculture and textile sectors – An excerpt from the IMF Regional Economic Outlook: Middle East and Central Asia
H E recently released April 2024 ‘World Economic Outlook’ (WEO) by the International Monetary Fund projected a rather weak economic outlook for Pakistan for the current and the next fiscal year whereby for 2023-24 real GDP growth was projected at 2 percent and for 2024-25 at 3 5 percent Here, it needs to be indicated that growth projections for Pakistan, as per the
inflation to drastically fall to 12 7 percent during the next fiscal year Such a substantial drop in inflation apparently is based on very strong assumptions since otherwise there are serious underlying challenges in the shape of polycrisis facing the global economy including Pakistan especially in terms of the climate change crisis the Pandemicene
the world economy as follows: Russia invaded Ukraine Tensions between US and China surged Inflation in the United States and throughout Europe was raging at levels not seen in decades And climate change’s ceaseless trail of destruction grew with floods in Pakistan and heatwaves across Europe Do you feel like we’re in a permacrisis? As Ronald Regan famously asked while campaigning for president in 1980 Are you better off today than you were four years ago? What about one year ago or six months ago? Do you feel the world is heading in the right direction? Chances are you feel a bit of anxiety There aren t enough green lights out there Too many are flashing yellow or solid red ’ Hence while it is important that expenditure efficiency needs to be enhanced it is important that a counter-cyclical policy approach is adopted– at the back of enhancing the tax base and possibly an enhanced special drawing rights (SDRs) allocation by IMF, in addition to inflows under the current SBA, and likely EFF programme– to make necessary climate change and welfare spending The writer holds PhD in Economics degree from the University of Barcelona and previously worked at International Monetary Fund Prior to this he did MSc in Economics from the University of York (United Kingdom) and worked at the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Statistics (Pakistan), among other places He is author of Springer published book (2016) ‘The economic impact of International Monetary Fund programmes: institutional quality macroeconomic stabilization and economic growth He tweets @omerjaved7 W o r r i s o m e e c o n o m i c g r o w t h o u t l o o k Co u n t e r - c yc l i c a l p o l i c i e s n e e d e d D r O m e r J av e D
of any economic strategy
It is no exaggeration to say that the incumbent government has inherited an economy in complete shambles and its efforts have started bringing some sort of stability and improvement in the economy in spite of the designs of the PTI to stymie this progress Not only is the PTI engaged in this anti-state activity on the internal front but some outside powers are also trying their best to sabotage progress on CPEC projects by orchestrating terrorist attacks in KPK and Balochistan However the encouraging factor is that our security forces are determined to eliminate the scourge of terrorism and not let the enemies of the country succeed in their nefarious designs to harm Pakistan The Corps commanders not only expressed the resolve in this regard but also reiterated in unequivocal terms that the armed forces would provide full support to the government in achieving sustainable socioeconomic growth in the country including wholehearted assistance in countering the illegal spectrum of activity, particularly smuggling, hoarding, electricity theft and safe repatriation of all illegal foreigners It indeed highlights the significance of collective efforts by the government and the state institutions for re-building the economy and eliminating and plugging the avenues that have a debilitating impact on the economy
The establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, where the civilian and military leadership participates in decision making in regards to attracting foreign investment, is probably the best strategy under the circumstances The efforts launched by the civilian and military leadership have already started showing positive results They have been able to seek the interest of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states for investing in different fields of Pakistan s economy During the recent visit to Saudi Arabia by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif the Kingdom promised $5 billion immediate investment It has sent a delegation headed by its Foreign Minister to Pakistan to evaluate the investment climate in the country
The delegation had extensive discussions in this regard and while addressing a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart the Saudi Foreign Minister made it a point to state that he was satisfied with the investment environment and has found the situation
to thwart such efforts while remaining within the ambit of law and constitution It is an irrefutable reality that since exit from power through a constitutional process, Imran Khan and his party have launched a sustained campaign through the social media controlled by it against the state institutions particularly the armed forces of Pakistan and there seems no let up in that malicious campaign The party continues to persist with inventing false narratives and propagating them through its social media to pollute the minds of the people against the armed forces especially rubbing in the notion that they were behind the alleged rigging It is not letting go any opportunity to malign the armed forces The ambience of continued political instability is surely a debilitating factor in stemming the economic rot Needless to emphasize that Pakistan is actually at the cross-roads Pulling it out of the prevailing situation undoubtedly requires impregnable national cohesion and political stability which is inevitable for the success
I t i s h o n e s t ly f e l t t h a t t h e p a r t y h a s n o l e g i t i m a t e c a u s e t o a d o p t t h e c o n t e m p l a t e d c o u rs e a s i t i s n o t s u p p o r t e d by i t s t r a ck r e c o rd . T h e p a r t y cl a i m s t h a t i t i s l a u n c h i n g t h i s m ov e m e n t fo r t h e r u l e o f l aw, i n d e p e n d e n c e o f j u d i c i a r y a n d s u p r e m a c y o f Pa r l i a m e n t . T h e q u e s t i o n t h a t d e m a n d s a n sw e r i s w h e r e w a s t h e p a r t y w h e n d u r i n g i t s r u l e i t p u m m e l e d a l l d e m o c r a t i c n o r m s , d i s m i s s e d a j u d g e fo r s p e a k i n g t h e t r u t h , f i l e d a r e f e r e n c e a g a i n s t t h e c u r r e n t C J a n d a l s o f r a m e d a l e a d e r o f P M L ( N ) i n a f a k e d r u g c a s e ? . W hy d i d i t n o t t h i n k a b o u t t h e s u p r e m a c y o f Pa r l i a m e n t w h e n i t u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l ly d i s s o l v e d i t i n t h e b a ck d ro p o f t h e n o - c o n f i d e n c e m o t i o n a g a i n s t I m r a n K h a n ? I t i s hy p o c r i s y o f t h e f i rs t o rd e r o n p a r t o f t h e p a r t y t o t a l k a b o u t t h e s e t h i n g s I t n e e d s a s e r i o u s r ev i ew o f w h a t i t i s d o i n g
Ex-spy Valerie Plame on the ‘secret histor y ’ of women in the agenc y
O n Aug 6, 2001, CIA analyst B arbara S ude wrote a memo titled ‘B in Laden D etermined to Strike in the US ’ The B ush c abinet did not meet until S ept 4, 2001, to disc uss the threat A week later, 9/11 happened
then, I recognized that my opportunity to succeed came at the expense of their trailblazing I also knew I didn t want to become like them Couldn t I be a successful officer and have a family? The terms sexual harassment and gender discrimination, much less microaggression and unconscious bias,” had no meaning to my small cohort of female ops officers We simply had to accept the casual misogyny that the agency’s alpha males tossed around Sometimes it was explicit: My friend was told by her boss, the station chief at her first assignment in Africa, that she should go home, get married, and have a baby and what the hell did she think she was doing in operations anyway? Other times it was implicit: Promotions went to young male bucks over female colleagues who were just as successful in running and recruiting spies The contributions of female spies to the CIA and the barriers they faced are the focus of Mundy’s deeply researched and highly readable book The Sisterhood starts off slowly with a recap of women who entered the U S intelligence services during World War II Thousands of women flocked to the job opportunities that the war opened up at the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the CIA s predecessor, as men were sucked into the giant war-fighting machine These OSS workers were among the first women in U S history to be formally recruited into intelligence work As Mundy recounts these early recruits were told to report to an unassuming brownstone in Washington s Foggy Bottom neighborhood The men were instructed to change into Army fatigues in an attempt to strip them of social class job or military rank before the interview process The women were taken to another room and asked to remove their coats and hats; since they were women Mundy writes, no further equalization was
of this sea change I joined the CIA because I wanted to serve my country, it would get me overseas, and it seemed like it would be a lot more interesting than what my peers were doing Mundy s book picks up steam as she delves deeper into the era when women were admitted
of women in the war effort, women were once again relegated to support jobs The 1950s and ’60s looked something like Mad Men where secretaries wore white gloves and pantyhose to the office and deferred to their male bosses President Harry S Truman established the CIA in 1947,
Monday 22 Apri 2024 COMMENT 05 I N 2003, senior White House officials outed me as a covert CIA agent They leaked my identity after my then-husband U S Ambassador Joe Wilson wrote an op-ed stating that the George W Bush administration lied about the threat posed by Iraq ahead of its decision to invade the country I have spent a lot of time in the decades since processing the trauma of that experience It endangered my assets ended my covert career and unsettled my family Even events that happened much later took me back to that time, such as then-President Donald Trump’s 2018 pardon of Scooter Libby, former Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff who was convicted of perjury and lying to the FBI during its investigation into the leak In those years I was called a liar a traitor and in the words of one Republican congressman a glorified secretary Yet when I read journalist Liza Mundy s new book, The Sisterhood: The Secret History of the Women at the CIA uncomfortable memories came up that I had not grappled with since my time as a spy The book touched me in ways I did not expect I realized that I had mostly repressed the toll inflicted on me and my female colleagues from the many years of working in a man’s world When I was a child, the U S government passed Title IX which prohibited sex-based discrimination in any school that received federal funding By the time I was a teenager my suburban Philadelphia high school had a variety of sports teams for me to choose from that were just as robust as what the boys had I was fortunate to have parents who never suggested that my gender should dictate what I could pursue In fact my father made it a point to tell me that I could do anything I wanted to if I put my mind to it Even my college years passed in ignorance of the sexism ingrained in U S society Then, as a young woman, I joined the CIA Suddenly, it became clear that the real world operated on a different set of principles The CIA that I entered at the height of the Cold War was very much a man s world The agency had only
started to recruit women into intelligence
than into secretary positions
other support roles A deep network of male officers still called the shots As I began the rigorous training to become a field operations officer I looked around at the women already in the CIA The more senior ones none of whom were in the highest ranks tended
unmarried, childless,
embittered,
tough
nails Even
thought to be needed Many of the women recruited into the OSS in the 1940s were highly educated, sophisticated and multilingual The test designed for female recruits assessed how well they could file papers Yet once they were inside the agency a few of these women moved into field intelligence operations They demonstrated verve, bravery, and intellect at every turn as they set up effective spy rings solicited intelligence from Nazi and other Axis officials and passed important intelligence back to Washington After the war a collective amnesia seemed to settle over Washington As the country quickly forgot the vital role
but the agency did not begin to hire more than primarily white men with Ivy League degrees for another couple decades It was not until the 1970s and ’80s that it recruited women of equal intelligence nerve and as my father would say moxie to do clandestine work I was a beneficiary
grudgingly into the heart of secret CIA missions She follows a few of them closely, including Lisa Manfull, a top student at Brown University from a cosmopolitan family who was hired in 1968 to join the CIA’s career training program at a lower paygrade than male recruits Manfull eventually became a successful clandestine operative despite higher-ups trying to keep her in desk jobs for years Mundy also highlights fearsome agency legend Eloise Page, who started as a secretary to the OSS’s founder and became the CIA’s first female station chief in 1978 Despite not being allowed to take the full operational courses at The Farm the CIA training facility in Virginia into the 1970s these women proved their worth They succeeded in work as varied as negotiating with terrorists who highjacked a plane in Malta and dealing adroitly with intelligence “walkins” when a potential foreign agent shows up unexpectedly at an officer s home or an embassy with promises to provide intelligence in return for something they desire The 1991 confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas were a catalyst for change During the hearings the all-white all-male Senate Judiciary Committee listened as Anita Hill a Black woman calmly testified that Thomas had sexually harassed her a decade earlier The Senate ultimately confirmed Thomas and Hill faced criticism and death threats from the public but the hearings brought a newfound awareness of gender-based discrimination to Washington They influenced the election of 1992 which media outlets dubbed The Year of the Woman after a record number of women won seats in the Senate In 1992, the CIA also commissioned a “Glass Ceiling Study,” which found that men rose to much higher ranks than women in the organization Women filled 40 percent of the agency s professional positions but only 10 percent of the jobs in the Senior Intelligence Service comprising top agency executives Mundy writes that female CIA employees responded to the study with a sense of relief maybe, they thought, the agency’s culture would finally change The men by and large seemed puzzled by it Then-CIA officer Janine Brookner sued the agency in 1994 for federal sex discrimination after being falsely accused of professional misconduct and threatened with a demotion and criminal sanctions The lawsuit ended with a cash settlement and Brookner ’s resignation Brookner went on to law school and used her degree to specialize in federal discrimination cases Around the same time female case officers filed a class action suit claiming that the CIA had a pattern of sexbased discrimination; in the 1995 settlement, Mundy recounts, the CIA admitted that it “discriminated systematically against its women secret agents for years as the Los Angeles Times reported at the time Mundy is at her sharpest when she writes about the women in Alec Station, a CIA unit that followed al Qaeda when few in Washington thought it was a threat The analyst who led the unit Mike Scheuer filled his overlooked and underfunded team with women Scheuer had no qualms about hiring women As he told Mundy, women were “experts at minutiae, putting pieces of information together” that men might miss As the search for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden intensified the women tracking him diligently compiled intelligence but the George W Bush administration seemed to put their increasingly dire predictions on the back burner On Aug 6, 2001, CIA analyst Barbara Sude wrote a memo titled “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the US ” The Bush cabinet did not meet until Sept 4 2001 to discuss the threat A week later 9/11 happened The grief and guilt of the women who had warned the U S government for years about a potential attack is palpable in Mundy s book As one undercover case officer told Mundy, “For two years of my life, I was trying to do the right thing and people died and you felt like it was your fault And it really it affected us a lot Their rage was channeled into the hunt for bin Laden that ultimately led to his capture Mundy s book left me both inspired and disheartened Many of the women in her book are now retired or dead At great personal cost they poured their lives into their intelligence careers As I read it I found myself empathizing with their hardships and remembering my own On the first day of my initial overseas assignment, I was told to go see the chief of station, a highly respected CIA officer As I nervously entered his paneled office, he leaned back in his chair feet on the massive wooden desk and unlit cigar in his mouth He didn t say anything to me He merely took the cigar out of his mouth and motioned with it for me to turn around, a little twirl Confused, I spun around and faced him again with a quizzical look He broke into a smile “Oh you’ll do ” he said I realized he was evaluating how I looked It was crushing Thankfully as Mundy shows a lot has changed since then Female CIA officers today have it better but still face quiet discrimination and barriers to success, as nearly all professional women do Although the professional advances women have made are heartening Mundy lets some women in the agency off the hook For instance she glosses over the 2018 confirmation hearing of the CIA s first female director, Gina Haspel, who admitted to a significant role in one of the agency’s darkest hours: the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques ” otherwise known as torture in the aftermath of 9/11 The same can be said for Freda Bikowsky an ex-CIA analyst known as the queen of torture who helped in bin Laden s capture I would have liked to see Mundy acknowledge that female officers in positions of power and responsibility just like their male counterparts have caused harm exercised terrible judgment and failed to mentor other women While Mundy s book is a compelling and very good read, The Sisterhood is probably misnamed It s true that female CIA officers find comfort in their female friendships and can be supportive of each other as they advocate for equal rights in a male-dominated environment But years of fighting for scraps not just against their male counterparts, but against each other has extracted a price A climate of suspicion and unhealthy competition remains, and ultimately, this weakens U S national security Valerie Plame is a former covert CIA operations officer as well as an author speaker community activist and a mother of twins W h a t i t ’ s a c t u a l l y l i k e b e i n g a w o m a n i n t h e C I A I T is indeed regrettable to note that at this critical juncture, when the country is confronted with intractable economic and security challenges that require long-term political stability and national solidarity PTI is recklessly engaged in fomenting political chaos and running a sustained campaign designed to demoralize the armed forces The Corps Commanders conference has rightly observed that unfounded and baseless allegations against law enforcement agencies and security forces have become a fashion and are part of a larger design to drive a wedge between the people of Pakistan and the armed forces The conference reiterated the neecd
recently
operations, rather
and
to be
sometimes
and
as
this regard It is estimated that as a result of these efforts Saudi Arabia is likely to invest $ 21 billion in Pakistani projects It is a very encouraging development to say the least It is perhaps pertinent to point out that some international rating agencies have also acknowledged some semblance of stability in the economy That might also attract further direct foreign investment in Pakistan But to keep that momentum going it is imperative to ensure political stability in the country That underlines the necessity of countering the fake propaganda against the government and the armed forces and taking steps to stop the architects of this heinous campaign in their tracks through legal and constitutional means as resolved by the military commanders There are no two opinions about the fact that in the prevailing security environment in the region the armed forces of Pakistan particularly the Army act as the symbol of national integration and the unswerving resolve of the nation to safeguard its security Any attempt to demoralize them means weakening the state edifice Politics in any case has to be subservient to national interests and national unity Any action by a political party that negates these principles falls in the domain of anti-state activity Therefore it becomes the responsibility of the state to take appropriate action against those who are hell-bent on shattering national unity and jeopardizing national interests to promote their narrow political agendas which somehow seems on the same wavelength as that of external enemies of the country It is therefore advisable for the PTI to revisit its conduct and align its objectives with the national interests designed to strengthen the state edifice and democratic norms in the country That would create a win-win situation for all the political stakeholders including the PTI It should therefore refrain from destabilizing the situation through agitation If they have any grievances regarding alleged rigging there are state institutions to redress them provided the party anchors its faith in them instead of maligning them The course that the party is treading will ultimately harm the party itself It is honestly felt that the party has no legitimate cause to adopt the contemplated course as it is not supported by its track record The party claims that it is launching this movement for the rule of law independence of judiciary and supremacy of Parliament The question that demands answer is where was the party when during its rule it pummeled all democratic norms, dismissed a judge for speaking the truth, filed a reference against the current CJ and also framed a leader of PML(N) in a fake drug case? Why did it not think about the supremacy of Parliament when it unconstitutionally dissolved it in the backdrop of the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan? It is hypocrisy of the first order on part of the party to talk about these things It needs a serious review of what it is doing Malik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail com
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s t r a t o s p h e r e t o N o r t h P o l e MOSCOW A G E N C I E S Three Russians set a world record for parachuting from the Earth's stratosphere to the North Pole last week in a mission that also served as a test of a new prototype communications system for use in the Arctic an organiser of the venture told Reuters Mikhail Korniyenko Alexander Lynnik and Denis Yefremov hurled themselves from an Ilyushin-76 plane at a height of 10,500 metres (34,450 feet) and spent about two and a half minutes in freefall before opening their chutes 1 000 metres above the ground The
US House passes $95 billion Ukraine, Israel aid package, sends to Senate
lion to address the conflict in Ukraine including $23 billion to replenish US weapons stocks and facilities; $26 billion for Israel including $9 1 billion for humanitarian needs, and $8 12 billion for the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed his thanks saying US lawmakers moved to keep history on the right track
The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger " Zelenskiy said on X
The Biden administration is already finalizing its next assistance package for Ukraine so it can announce the new tranche of aid soon after the bill becomes law in order to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs a White House official said
law
The bills provide $60 84 bil-
It was unclear how quickly the new military funding for Ukraine will be depleted likely causing calls for further action by Congress
Biden, who had urged Congress since last year to approve the additional aid to Ukraine said in a statement: It comes at a moment of grave urgency with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia "
The vote on passage of the Ukraine funding was 311-112 Significantly 112 Republicans opposed the legislation with only 101 in support "Mike Johnson is a lame duck he s done," far-right Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene told reporters afterward She has been a leading opponent of helping Ukraine in its war against Russia and has taken steps that threaten to remove Johnson from office over this issue Greene stopped short of doing so on Saturday however During the vote several lawmakers waved small Ukrainian flags as it became clear that an element of the package was headed to passage
CHINA
A G E N C I E S
China on Sunday released a set of geologic atlases of the global moon with a scale of 1:2 5 million which are the first complete high-definition lunar geologic
Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) "The geologic atlas of the moon is of great significance for studying the evolution of the moon selecting the site for [a] future lunar research station and utilizing lunar resources It can also help us better
C hina gathers naval leaders worldwide to disc uss maritime sec urity while US conduc ts drills to 'destabilize S. C hina S ea'
economist told a press briefing during the 2024 Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank that most indicators continue to point to a soft landing With less economic scarring from the crises of the past four years the IMF estimates that there will be more scarring for low-income developing countries many of which are still struggling to turn the page from the pandemic and cost-of-living crises Gourinchas has said, noting that numerous challenges remain, and decisive actions are needed
The WEO report showed that the latest forecast for global growth five years from now, at 3 1 percent, is at its lowest in decades The IMF estimates that global headline inflation is expected to fall from an annual average of 6 8 percent in 2023 to 5 9 percent in 2024 and 4 5 percent in 2025 with advanced economies returning to their inflation targets sooner than emerging market and developing economies
The IMF chief economist pointed out that oil prices have been rising recently in part due to geopolitical tensions and services inflation remains stubbornly high
M d y 22 Ap l 2024 LAHORE 06 NEWS BEIJING A G E N C I E S
E F O R E US Secretary of State Antony Blinken s upcoming visit to China, US officials adopted their usual tactic of using harsh language to apply pressure on China expressing so-called strong concerns about China’s support for Russia and the Taiwan question Chinese observers stated that the recent frequent visits of Blinken and a string of US officials to China recently indicate that Washington is unable to solve domestic and global issues without cooperation from China Therefore when seeking help from Beijing the US would be wise to communicate with China respectfully and as equals rather than condescendingly Blinken will meet with senior Chinese officials in both Shanghai and Beijing during his April 24-26 visit CNN quoted a senior US State Department official as saying on Saturday The US State Department said Saturday that Blinken would discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues,” including the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits He will also talk about progress made in resuming counternarcotics cooperation military-to-military communication, artificial intelligence, and strengthening people-to-people ties and will reaffirm how important it is for the US and China to be responsibly managing competition, even in areas where our two countries disagree,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, according to media report Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian welcomed Blinken s upcoming visit at Thursday s media briefing, but provided no further details Negative factors After the meeting of the two heads of state in San Francisco last year ChinaUS relations have to some extent stabilized but negative factors keep on increasing Blinken s visit is to implement the consensus of the two heads of state, but from the so-called focus points announced by the US government, it is possible that the visit will widen the differences and create more negative factors, Lü Xiang, research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday L ü p o i n t e d o u t o n e e x a m p l e a s F i l i p i n o a n d U S f o r c e s w i l l c o n d u c t t h e i r a n n u a l j o i n t m i l i t a r y e x e r c i s e s soon, including simulations of sinking s h i p s , w h i c h i s w i d e l y s e e n a s t a rg e t e d a t C h i n a During his upcoming visit Blinken will also reportedly ask Beijing to avoid provocative measures during next month s inauguration of Lai Ching-te who was elected as Taiwan s regional leader in January, AFP quoted a US official as saying Blinken’s tactical goal this time is clearly to launch a verbal offensive against China including on the South China Sea trade issues and the Taiwan question, in order to put pressure on China, Lü noted He believes that if Blinken puts forward these propositions, China will definitely hit back resolutely China will also be highly vigilant on the Taiwan question and won t let the US hurt its core interest As the US has already entered the presidential election season, the Biden administration, although deeply mired in domestic political competition is unwilling to show weakness at this time and no matter how unprepared it is in dealing with those global issues officials from the Biden administration are still trying to show that it is capable and strong, said Lü Abandon condescending approach CNN on Saturday quoted an official from the US State Department as saying that Blinken plans to reiterate our deep concerns regarding the PRC s support for Russia s defense industrial base, as well as its human rights abuses and unfair economic and trade practices ” The US House of Representatives on Saturday approved billions of dollars in new US military aid for Ukraine to help combat Russia The foreign aid package passed on Saturday also includes military support for Israel, and funding for allies in the Asia-Pacific, including island of Taiwan
WASHINGTON: A G E N C I E S The US House of Representatives on Saturday with broad bipartisan support passed a $95 billion legislative package providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, over bitter objections from Republican hardliners The legislation now proceeds to the Democratic-majority Senate which passed a similar measure more than two months ago US leaders from Democratic President Joe Biden to top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell had been urging embattled Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring it up for a vote The Senate is set to begin considering the House-passed bill on Tuesday, with some preliminary votes that afternoon Final passage was expected sometime next week which would clear the way for Biden to sign it into
BLINKEN’S CHINA VISIT HIGHLIGHTS US NEEDS TO COOPERATE WITH CHINA ON DOMESTIC, INTL ISSUES
descent was captured in a spectacular video All three suffered some frostbite to their cheeks despite wearing heated masks said organiser Nikita Tsaplin As they plunged at a speed of more than 300 km/h, the air temperature of around -50 Celsius (-58 Fahrenheit) felt like -70C (-94F)
generators
establish
connection
satellite China to outpace G7 as engine of global economic growth: Bloomberg CHINA A G E N C I E S China is projected to be the world s economic champion for the next five years, with its growth bigger than all the Group of Seven (G7) countries combined according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast Bloomberg reported China will account for about 21 percent of the world s new economic activity by 2029, compared to 20 percent from the entire G7, and almost double the nearly 12 percent for the U S In total, around 75 percent of global growth will come from 20 countries, and over half in the top four of China India the U S and Indonesia according to Bloomberg Over the next few years Bloomberg Economics projects that G7 members Canada and Italy are expected to contribute less than one percent, a smaller amount compared to countries such as Bangladesh or Egypt, where population growth is driving much of that activity On Tuesday the IMF upgraded its forecast of global economic growth in this year to 3 2 percent 0 1 percentage points higher than its projection in January, according to its newly released World Economic Outlook (WEO) report Pierre-Olivier
chief economist of the IMF and director of the Research Department, said
despite gloomy predictions the global economy remains remarkably resilient with steady growth
inflation slowing
quickly as
rose The IMF
They landed near Russia's Barneo polar base where Tsaplin said they were able to power up a server using diesel
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atlases in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration This set of geologic atlases available in Chinese and English includes the Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe and the Map Quadrangles of the Geologic Atlas of the Moon according to the
understand the Earth and other planets in the solar system such as Mars said Ouyang Ziyuan who is a CAS academician and a well-known lunar scientist "The world has witnessed a significant progress in the field of lunar exploration and scientific research over the past decades, which have greatly improved our understanding of the moon," said Liu Jianzhong a senior researcher from the Institute of Geochemistry CAS "However, the lunar geologic maps published during the Apollo era have not been changed for about half a century and are still being used for lunar geological research With the improvements of lunar geologic studies, those old maps can no longer meet the needs of future scientific research and lunar exploration Liu added China publishes world's first high definition lunar geologic atlases CHINA A G E N C I E S China is showing the greatest sincerity and making concrete efforts in stab i l i z i n g s i t u a t i o n a n d s a f e g u a r d i n g peace in the West Pacific region, analysts said, as the People s Liberation A r m y ( P L A ) N a v y h o l d s a s y m p osium to gather naval commanders and senior officers from navies around the g l o b e t o d i s c u s s m a r i t i m e s e c u r i t y from Sunday to Wednesday, while the US is about to conduct military drills w i t h i t s a l l y t h e P h i l i p p i n e s s t a r t i n g from Monday, which is bound to int e n s i f y t h e c u r r e n t t e n s i o n s i n t h e South China Sea The 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) is scheduled to be held in Qingdao Shandong Province from Sunday to Wednesday with more than 180 foreign representatives from high-level delegations of 29 countries participating, including major leaders of the maritime defense departments of 20 countries, Qu Tao, a senior captain from the PLA Navy Staff Department briefed the media at a press conference in Qingdao on Saturday After more than 30 years of development, the WPNS has become the regional naval multilateral cooperation mechanism to have produced the most achievements, the most vitality and has the greatest potential according to Qu adding that it is an important platform for navies to hold dialogue and to communicate enhance mutual trust and deepen cooperation
N av y c o n t i n u e s r e s c u e, r e l i e f o p e r at i o n i n f l o o d h i t a r e a s o f Gwa d a r
NATIONS
TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan has called for development of infrastructure connectivity to fortify global resilience and promote sustainable development especially in developing countries The call was made by Pakistan s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Munir Akram in his capacity as co-chair of the Group of Friends of Sustainable Infrastructure Investment, while delivering a statement during the UN General Assembly’s Sustainability
07 NEWS Monday 22 Apr l 2024 LAHORE CORPORATE CORNER MARDAN S TA F F R E P O R T F O R M E R bureaucrat Roedad Khan has passed away at the age of 101 Mardan-based Khan s funeral prayers were offered after Zuhr prayers in Islamabad after which he was to be buried at the H-11 graveyard Roedad Khan was born on September 28, 1923, in Mardan, and was the most senior bureaucrat of Pakistan He joined the civil service in 1949 Khan worked with five presidents and three prime ministers and held important positions in many important institutions including the chief secretary of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adviser to the president and prime minister Roedad Khan passed away today at 101,” veteran journalist and anchor Hamid Mir wrote on social media platform X Senior politician Mushahid Hussain Sayed paid tribute to Khan in a post on X, referring to him as a national icon and legend ” “He lived a full life of service to Pakistan during our tumultuous periods + post-retirement Syed wrote crediting him for authoring several books and championing human rights Truly a unique, multifaceted personality of our times! He will be missed by his countless admirers!“ Khan was born on September 28 1923 in Pakistan s northwestern city of Mardan before the country gained its independence from British colonial India in 1947 After entering the Pakistan Civil Service in 1949, Khan s distinguished career as a bureaucrat allowed him to serve in many prestigious roles He served as the chief secretary of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province and the chief secretary of KP and was also appointed as the managing director of the state-owned Pakistan Television He also served as the secretary of the ministries of information, labor, tourism and interior throughout various governments Khan also served as the secretarygeneral of the interior ministry and as a former adviser to the prime minister The Pakistani civil servant served with five presidents and three former prime ministers, allowing him to be a witness to the country’s political upheavals He turned 100 last year on September 28 2023 FORMER BUREAUCRAT ROEDAD KHAN PASSES AWAY GWADAR S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan Navy in the aftermath of recent unprecedented rain spells in Gwadar, Ormara and adjoining villages of Balochistan, was actively undertaking rescue and relief operation named Operation Madad from past three days Immediate relief was provided to affected families on Sunday upon receiving information through local sources that large number of people were stranded into houses due accumulated water in vicinity and were in immediate need of ration supplies Pakistan Navy Rescue teams immediately coordinated the efforts and air dropped ration bags to affected people of Muradi Dando Kulanch and adjoining isolated areas of Gwadar District Pakistan Navy Sea King helicopters undertook multiple sorties to ensure ration supply to hundreds of stranded families Pakistan Navy has always assisted Coastal communities in every crisis situation and was committed to continue rescue operation until normalization of ongoing situation Prompt relief operation on the call of locals was practical manifestation of Pakistan Navy s strong ties with Coastal communities and demonstrates PN's resolve to assist fellow countrymen in every hour of need Pa k i s t a n
housing,
and industrial
The Pakistani envoy said ma-
of developing countries do n o t h a v e t h e p u b l i c r e s o u r c e s t o f i n a n c e i n f r a s t r u c t u r e n o r a r e they able to secure sufficient private investment He called for mobilizing significantly larger concessional finance enhance credit quality and incentivize private infrastructure investment in the developing countries Pa k i s t a n c a l l s f o r i n f r a s t r u c t u r e c o n n e c t i v i t y i n d e ve l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s IESCO operations circles incharge to conduct e-kachary via facebook live and telephonically on 23rd April, 2024: IESCO spokesman To provide suitable and proper forum to valuable IESCO Customers regarding redrassal of their electricity issues, online E-Kacharies are being held in IESCO region regularly and same are creating friendly relationship among IESCO and Customers By following same practice facebook E-Kacharies will held on 23rd April 2024 (Tuesday) From 09:30 AM to 11:30 AM in all 06 Operational Circles of IESCO Operational Circles Incharge will attend customers complaints through Facebook live and telephone calls Islamabad Circle customers can participates in facebook live E-Kachary by using face book ID SE IESCO Islamabad E-Kachery Phone No 051-9260194 For Rawalpindi City Circle SE IESCO Rawalpindi-City E-Kachery Phone No 051-9292675 For Rawalpindi Cantt Circle SE IESCO Rawalpindi-Cantt E-Kachery Phone No 051-9293048, For Attock Circle, SE IESCO Attock E-Kachery Phone No 051-4950343, For Chakwal Circle, SE IESCO Chakwal EKachery Phone No 0543-668500 For Jhelum Circle SE IESCO Jhelum E-Kachery Phone No 0544-9270377 Valuable customers are requested to mention their name bill reference No Contact No and complete address while launching the compliant PR Rotar y C lub Presidents Elec t Training S eminar & Graduation Ceremony (2024-25 - Nor th Zone) R AWA L P I N D I: The Pearl Continental Hotel Rawalpindi was abuzz with excitement on yesterday evening as Rotary leaders from across North Zone (District 63, Pakistan) gathered for the Presidents Elect Learning Seminar & Graduation Ceremony 2024-25 Distinguished Rotarians convened for this pivotal event, graced by the presence of Rotary International President’s Special Advisor Past District Governor Pubudu De Zoysa and her spouse Krishantha Fernando from the Rotary Club of Colombo Sri Lanka The seminar provided an invaluable opportunity for incoming Rotary Club Presidents to receive comprehensive training from seasoned Rotarians / district advisers Throughout the day participants engaged in enriching sessions aimed at honing their leadership skills and deepening their understanding of Rotary s mission and values PR Pakistan’s Tourism Attrac tions S hine at International Leisure Exhibition in Minsk B E L A R U S: Embassy of Pakistan in Minsk Presents “Journey through Pakistan”Minsk, Belarus The Embassy of Pakistan in Minsk took centre stage at the prestigious International Exhibition Leisure - 2024 opened in Minsk today The event attended by tourism professionals travel enthusiasts and media representatives from across the regions, showcased the world s top leisure destinations On the main stage, the Embassy of Pakistan presented “Journey through Pakistan,” a detailed exploration of the country’s unique tourism attractions The presentation included captivating video documentaries that showcased Pakistan s diverse landscapes thousands of years of history and the richness of its cultural heritage Attendees were treated to a delightful blend of cultural performances The talented students of Tamazur School performed a vibrant dance to a Pushto song, celebrating Pakistan’s cultural diversity Additionally the talented singer Tatiana Kremis mesmerized the audience with a soulful Urdu song An engaging quiz competition tested participants knowledge about Pakistan s tourist destinations, historical sites, and natural wonders It was an interactive way to educate visitors about the country’s hidden gems PR The Karachi Council on Foreign Relations (KCFR), a distinguished think tank in Karachi recently hosted an Eid Milan event to unite its members and the foreign community The gathering welcomed Consul Generals from Oman, Indonesia, and Malaysia, alongside notable figures from civil society and other esteemed guests The occasion served as a platform for fostering meaningful connections and promoting cultural exchange KCFR s initiative underscores its commitment to facilitating dialogue and cooperation among diverse stakeholders further enhancing Karachi's role as a hub for international engagement PR LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The first-ever Tekken 8 Women s Gaming Tournament, held under the auspices of Konnect by HBL offered a platform for aspiring and established women gamers to showcase their skills and passion for the popular game Tekken The intense action-packed Tekken 8 Game competition, held in Lahore, drew over 200 enthusiastic gamers After hours of intense competition the top three finalists emerged victorious leaving the audience in awe of their gaming prowess and lightning-fast reflexes The podium finishers are: 1st Place: Ambreen Riaz –Claiming the coveted champion trophy and a grand prize of PKR 250 000 2nd Place: Laiba Adnan – Taking home the runner-up prize of PKR 150,000 3rd Place: Hina Malik – Earning the third-place honours and a prize of PKR 100 000 Commenting on the initiative Ali Habib Chief Marketing & Communications Officer – HBL said HBL congratulates all the women gamers for their skills and sportsmanship This landmark Tekken 8 Women’s Gaming Tournament marks a new chapter in Pakistan’s Esports landscape: Konnect by HBL will continue deepening its association with Esports Aur Khelo HBL Tekken 8 Women’s Gaming Tournament Crowns Champions ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T A weeklong paper cutting exhibition themed The Guiding Light will commence at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) tomorrow (Monday) The PNCA has invited the famous Paper Cutting Artist Tusif Ahmad to create and display Papercut Arts with different meanings Tusif is the paper cutting artist whose work depicts Islamic stories Tusif Ahmed has said One honor that I am particularly proud of is that I am the only paper cutting artist in the world that focuses on Islamic stories ” The art of paper cutting involves the artist cutting a whole painting from a single piece of paper resulting in a painstakingly intricate and fragile piece of art For the past 12 years I have created hundreds of art pieces exhibited in galleries around the world and won national and international awards he added The exhibition would be followed by artist talk and workshop on papercut art For registration, the interested people can contact on WhatsApp 0330-1577680 or nag vadevents@gmail com The show will remain on display till April 28 2024 (Saturday) We e k l o n g p a p e r c u t t i n g e x h i b i t i o n t o c o m m e n c e a t P N C A t o d ay RAWALPINDI S TA F F R E P O R T The Excise and Taxation Department, Rawalpindi have directed the vehicle owners to pay token tax without delay and warned that in the next phase, the registration of vehicles that do not pay token tax will be cancelled In a statement on Sunday Director Excise Rawalpindi Imran Aslam has said that the crackdown against token tax defaulters was ongoing and legal action will be taken against those defaulters who have not yet paid their government dues despite repeated notices and reminders He said that the defaulters were informed several times that they should deposit the amounts due to them but they did not take any notice of it Imran Aslam said that during the legal action against the defaulters not only heavy surcharges and fines will be collected along with the actual amount, but the vehicles will be stopped and documents will be confiscated, arrest warrants will not be avoided Motor Vehicle Registration Authority, Department of Excise Taxation and Narcotics Control Rawalpindi Sohail Shehzad said that on the special instructions of Faisal Farid Director General of Excise Taxation and Narcotics Control Punjab to crackdown on the owners of vehicles without number and token tax defaulters The campaign was going on and now a regular tough operation has been started In this regard, special teams were being formed in Rawalpindi to crack down on token tax defaulters he added Excise dept direc ts vehicle owners to pay token tax without delay T wo labourers killed in wall collapse FAISALABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Two labourers were killed and two others injured when dilapidated wall of a house collapsed here on Sunday, rescue sources said According to details, a group of four labourers was engaged in demolishing dilapidated wall in Model City near Chak No 208-RB Canal when it fell over them As a result two labourers including 22-year-old Sabir s/o Anwar and 27-year-old Shehbaz s/o Allah Dita were killed while Ali Ahsan and Rehan were injured The bodies and injured labourers hailing from Chak No 87/6 Sahiwal were pulled out from the debris and shifted to hospital T wo stabbed to death in separate incidents LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T Two including a rickshaw driver were killed in separate incidents of violence in different localities of the provincial capital on Sunday police said After exchange of hot words between drivers of qinqi and auto rickshaws in Shafiqabad area accused Shahid stabbed other rickshaw drive to death with sharp edged weapon Police arrested the accused Another 37-year-old man identified as Zahid was stabbed to death by unknown culprits after serving intoxicant material at Bedian Road of Kahna The bodies were shifted to different hospitals and police after registering separate cases at respective police stations started investigations Foreign delegation: Public holiday in Karachi on Tuesday KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T Public holiday has been announced for all private and public offices and educational institutions in Karachi division on April 23 (Tuesday) Commissioner Karachi issued a notification in this connection on Sunday As per notification, due to arrival of high-level foreign delegation in provincial capital, all the public and private institutions including schools to remain closed on April 23 In view of the visit of Foreign Dignitaries and to avoid inconvenience to the general public Tuesday the 23™ April, 2024 is hereby declared as Public Holiday in Karachi Division," read the notification Finance Minister condemns murder of two Customs officials in DI Khan ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb on Sunday strongly condemned the murder of two Customs officials in line of the anti-smuggling duty in Dera Ismail Khan The finance minister expressed deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of two officials of Customs Department in the incident Muhammad Aurangzeb conveyed his heartfelt condolences and unwavering support to families of the martyrs in these testing times He also prayed for early recovery of the injured Customs officials in the incident He said that sacrifices of these martyrs will not go in vain and expressed resolve that the smugglers will be dealt with iron hands The Minister said that FBR and Pakistan Customs will continue their antismuggling operations for elimination of the menace of smuggling from the country
UNITED
S
Week in New York He said the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and our climate goals require a major transition to sustainable infrastructure in energy, transport,
communications
and agricultural production and consumption
jority
Published by Asad Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 Email: newsroom@pakistantoday com pk 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 Monday 22 Apri 2024 news LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T P R I M E Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that Allama Muhammad Iqbal had dreamt of a ‘Pakistan’ that would be a cradle of peace political forbearance and brotherhood and stressed upon renewing of pledge to achieve Iqbal s vision by making strenuous efforts He said that Allama Iqbal wanted the youth to take the country to acme of progress and development with their constructive approach In a message on the observance of the 86th death anniversary of Dr Muhammad Iqbal, the prime minister said that the entire nation had been praying for the high ranks of Allama’s departed soul on the day and paid rich tribute to his contributions Dr Muhammad Iqbal through his thoughts and teachings, had stressed the unity of Muslim Ummah He especially focused upon youth and played an important role in getting them acquainted with the sacrifices of their forefathers prestige and the forgotten inheritance, PM Office Media Wing, in a press release on Sunday, quoted the prime minister as saying The prime minister further said that Allama Iqbal taught the youth to wage consistent struggle and exhorted them to carve paths in the future through gaining knowledge, carrying out research and learning from the past glorious periods of Muslims Iqbal’s philosophy of self-hood (Khudi) was a beacon of light for all and by emulating his philosophy the exquisite qualities of mankind could be achieved he said, adding that not only the modern universities in the region but across the globe were also conducting research upon his philosophy and teachings The prime minister said moreover Iqbal s verses and writings in Persian and Urdu languages had been popular in the world Allama Iqbal had dreamt of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Indo-Pak sub-continent which was realized by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and other leaders of the Muslim League by striving day and night PM RENEWS PLEDGE TO REALIZE ALL AMA IQBAL’S VISION OF PAKISTAN Punjab Assembly’s pre-budget session today LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Punjab government has decided to summon the pre-budget session of the Punjab Assembly scheduled to commence on April 22 Monday As per sources Ministry of Law has dispatched the summary for the pre-budget session to the Governor of Punjab for approval The pre-budget session, slated for tomorrow, will primarily focus on deliberating suggestions and recommendations for the fiscal year 2024-25 budget Members of the government as well as opposition representatives will participate in discussions regarding budget proposals and allocations Notably, Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) are expected to provide input and suggestions pertaining to the needs and development priorities of their respective constituencies during the session According to sources of the Punjab Assembly the Governor of Punjab will issue the official notification for the pre-budget session Preparations for the prebudget session have been initiated T wo Rangers personnel mar t yred after their truck tipped over in Tharparkar THARPARKAR S TA F F R E P O R T Two Rangers jawans were martyred and 18 others injured when their truck overturned near village Ade Jotar a suburb of Islamkot Tharparkar on Sunday According to MS Islamkot Hospital two officers Qasim and Ibrahim were martyred in the accident MS Islamkot Hospital said that the injured youths underwent treatment at Islamkot Hospital Rescue officials said that the accident with Tharparkar-Rangers truck has occurred after vehicle’s tie-rod broke Saudi Arabian citizen kidnapped in Islamabad, FIR registered ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T A Saudi Arabian citizen has been reportedly kidnapped from Sector F8 of Islamabad, prompting swift action from law enforcement authorities The Margalla police station has registered a first information report (FIR) at the request of an official from the Saudi embassy According to the FIR, the accused, identified as Abdul Wahid Shahid Khan, allegedly kidnapped Saudi citizen Hanan Abdullah al-Bashar The FIR also highlights the urgency of the situation emphasizing the need for the kidnapper to face legal consequences and for the prompt recovery of the abducted individual The abduction has raised concerns about the safety and security of foreign nationals in the capital city, prompting heightened vigilance from both local authorities and diplomatic missions The Saudi embassy in particular is closely monitoring the situation and is actively cooperating with Pakistani law enforcement agencies to ensure the safe return of their citizen PM felicitates newly elected members of national, provincial assemblies ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday congratulated the newly elected members of national and provincial assemblies in the bye elections In a statement, he said the victory of the newly elected members of Pakistan Muslim League(N) was reflection of trust of people He thanked the people for voting for PML(N) and assured that every effort would be made to serve the people adding We will try to come to expectations of the people with full sincerity and hard work He said the public opinion was changing prominently with the clear indication of economic improvement The success of the candidates of PML(N) was recognition of the revival of the economy decrease in inflation and improvement in foreign affairs by the government he added Inshallah the public opinion will change further with the economic improvement and relief to the public in future he added He said the predictions of the international financial institutions, news organizations and surveys about economic improvement had a positive effect on the people After February 8, the non political attitude of the opposition disappointed their supporters and people he observed The prime minister said win and loss was part of the electoral process and adoption of political cooperation instead of levelling allegations was democratic behaviour DERA ISMAIL KHAN S TA F F R E P O R T At least two Customs officials were killed and two were injured in a firing incident near Parking Plaza in DI Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police sources said Unidentified assailants opened fire as the Customs officials were targeted near Parking Plaza DSNG vehicle of a private Tv news channel also came under the fire luckily the staff remained safe The attackers escaped the scene after the shooting incident The bodies and injured were moved to the District HQ Hospital On 18 April at least four Customs officials were killed in a firing incident near Saggu road in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa s DI Khan Last month, at least two soldiers of Pakistan army embraced martyrdom in DI Khan suicide attack According to Inter-ServicesP u b l i c - R e l a t i o n s t w o s e c u r i t y p e r s o n n e l e m b r a c e d m a r t y r d o m a s a v e h i c l e - b o r n e s u i c i d e b o m b e r e x p l o d e d h i m s e l f o n a s e c u r i t y f o r c e s c o n v o y i n D e r a Ismail Khan District In February this year at least five cops were m a r t y r e d a n d t w o o t h e r s s u st a i n e d i n j u r i e s a s e x p l o s i o n o cc u r r e d n e a r p o l i c e v e h i c l e i n Kulachi Two more customs officials shot dead in DI Khan ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The by-election for 21 seats of National and provincial assemblies is underway across Pakistan with reports of clashes from some areas of Punjab in which one person has been killed The ECP says that there were some complaints of clashes among workers from Gujrat and Rahim Yar Khan reported in the media adding that the polling process was stopped for some time but resumed after taking immediate action The ECP spokesperson said their control room had not yet received any written or telephonic complaints, and the polling process was underway in all 21 constituencies The director general of the control room said the polling process remains uninterrupted and peaceful across all constituencies He emphasized that they are fully prepared to address any issues that may arise The spokesperson said control rooms at provincial, divisional, and district levels are operational, with staff available to assist individuals in registering complaints Citizens are encouraged to contact the control room directly at 051111327000 or send complaints via email or fax to 0519204404 The control room will work 24 hours on the day of polling until the results are received the spokesperson said As the polling continues, the Election Commission remains committed to ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process, with prompt action taken to address any concerns or complaints raised by voters or stakeholders Complaints of clashes in Gujrat , Rahim Yar Khan addressed promptly: ECP Pakistan sends 8th tranche of humanitarian aid for Gaza through sea ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Sunday that Pakistan has dispatched its eighth tranche of humanitarian assistance to Gaza via sea The aid totaling 400 tonnes includes winterized tents tarpaulins blankets medicines and food supplies In a post on social media platform X Dar stated that the shipment would be received by the Pakistani Ambassador to Egypt at Port Said and handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent for distribution to the people of Gaza He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to addressing the urgent humanitarian needs of the Gazan population Since the outbreak of conflict in Palestine on October 7 2023 Pakistan has consistently condemned Israeli actions and provided aid to the affected region Furthermore, on April 19, Pakistan expressed regret over the United States’ decision to veto a draft resolution seeking Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations (UN) LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has said that any attempt to normalize relations with Israel for financial gains and the twostate solution to the Palestine issue is not acceptable at all Addressing a Palestine Solidarity March in Lahore, he reiterated his stance against the government, which he said came to power through fraudulent means asserting that the people have lost faith in it to champion the cause of Palestine Nevertheless Hafiz Naeem u Rehman emphasized that the JI demanded the government to raise its voice for Palestine or brace itself for the wrath of the people Referring to Quaid-i-Azam’s stance, he denounced Israel as an illegitimate state, formed by seizing Palestinian Muslim land He said Pakistani rulers now are being offered dollars to recognize Palestine and relinquish Kashmir warning that the nation would vehemently resist such schemes Normalizing relations with Israel for financial gains not acceptable: Hafiz Naeem
