He said that there were a number of common issues including fight against terrorism, efforts to curb organized crimes and smuggling, in which the two sides could enhance their cooperation
President Dr Raisi stressed that it was significant to further broaden the bilateral ties for the benefits of the two countries besides continuity of cooperation at the highest level
He said that the historic and durable ties between Iran and Pakistan provided them opportunity to fully utilize them for the welfare and prosperity of the two nations President Raisi said that Iran had achieved immense progress in science and technology and the country was ready to share their experiences and knowledge
President of Iran
Dr Ebrahim Raisi conveying best regards from the people and the Supreme Leader of Iran to the people of Pakistan said the great people of Pakistan had always been supporting the oppressed people of various areas of the world specially the people of Gaza and had always been defending Islam and raising their voice for the freedom of
business and trade activities at the border areas besides enhancing security The President of Iran said that the two countries shared common affinities and no one could separate them, adding the two sides in their meetings, decided to further promote the bilateral ties between the two countries in trade and economic sectors
COA S, Iranian President discuss regional peace, border security
Ebrahim Raisi
is on an official visit to Pakistan and discussed matters of mutual interest, regional peace and border security, the military media wing said on Monday According a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) both sides concurred on the necessity to bolster bilateral cooperation while jointly striving for regional stability and economic prosperity Speaking on the occasion, COAS Munir described the Pakistan-Iran border as the border of peace and friend-
ship emphasising the need for improved coordination along the border to prevent terrorists from jeopardising the longstanding brotherly relations between the two neighboring countries President Ebrahim Raisi emphasised that by fostering cooperation between the two Armed Forces Pakistan and Iran can attain peace and stability for both nations and the region
It is pertinent to mention here that Iran President Ebrahim Raisi is currently on a three-day visit to Pakistan
The visit is the first of its kind by any head of state after the February 8 general elections Iran s presidential entourage comprises of the foreign minister, other cabinet members, high officials, and a large trade delegation
Quds Al-Sharif He believed that today people in different parts of the world were in pain due to current situation in Palestine At the same time, he said the international organization such as Untied Nations and UN Security Council who claimed to support human rights could not deliver their core responsibility
President Raisi emphasized that the people belonging to all religions across the world including that of Iran and Pakistan were calling for an end to the oppression and barbarism against the people of Palestine The Iranian President believed that the position adopted by the people around the world and by the Palestinian resistance will surely
C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03
Naqvi, Iranian counterpar t reach consensus to ban ter rorist outfits
ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistan and Iran on Monday decided in principle to ban terrorist organizations in their respective countries
The decision to the effect was taken in a meeting between federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, and his Iranian counterpart Dr Ahmad Vahidi and Law Minister Amin Hussain Rahimi
The two sides agreed on a joint plan of action to deal with the menace of terrorism being a common problem, with further improving mutual support and exchange of intelligence information It was decided to sign a security agreement in this regard at the earliest It was also decided to provide all possible facilities
to the Pakistani pilgrims on the occasion of Arba een The Iranian Interior Minister extended invitation to his Pakistani counterpart to visit Iran where the Iraqi counterpart would also be invited
The two sides observed that joint initiatives would help ensure the provision of best facilities to the pilgrims Interior Minister Naqvi thanked his counterpart for the invitation to visit Iran Both sides also agreed to waive the fines imposed on their nationals imprisoned in each other s country Mohsin Naqvi said that he wanted that the Pakistani prisoners in Iran should return to the homeland as soon as possible
C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03
Govt claims PIA will be privatised by June here is how it could play out?
March sees highest monthly current account surplus of $619m in nine years PR OFIT M o n i to R i n g D e S k Pakistan’s current account witnessed a surplus of $619 million in March 2024 the highest surplus in nine years According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Monday the current account balance in the first nine months (July to March) of the ongoing fiscal year 2023-24 has improved significantly; as a deficit of $0 5 billion was recorded during the period as compared to the deficit of $4 1 billion during the corresponding period of last year “Pakistan recorded a current account surplus of $619 million in March 2024 compared to $537 million last year and $98 million in February 2024 Topline Securities said in its report This is the highest monthly surplus after nine years We believe significant monthly surplus is due to higher remittances amid Eid inflows ” According to SBP data the merchandise trade deficit during JulyMarch (2023-24) was recorded at $15 75 billion as compared to the deficit of $21 079 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year Likewise the services trade deficit was recorded at $1 655 billion during FY2023-24 compared to the deficit of $374 million during the corresponding period of last year The overall trade deficit in goods and services was recorded at $17 412 billion during the current fiscal year compared to the deficit of $21 453 million during last year Meanwhile the balance on primary income stood at negative $5 561 billion against $4 0 billion last year, according to the SBP data In par tnership with Profit Tu e s d a y, 2 3 A p r i l , 2 0 2 4 I 1 4 S h a w w a l , 1 4 4 5 R s 5 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 2 9 4 I 3 6 Pa g e s I La h o r e E d i t i o n ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t P AKISTAN and Iran have agreed to further strengthen bilateral trade ties and promote business activities at the border areas to ensure development and prosperity of the people of the two countries Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in a joint media talk with Iranian President Dr Ebrahim Raisi after witnessing the signing of bilateral agreements and MoUs here at the PM House on Monday, said that under the leadership of the Iranian President, the two countries could bring development and prosperity in their respective sides by turning their borders into hub of business activities The prime minister said during their meeting the two sides held detailed discussions on various fields of mutual interests including economy, trade, investment, diplomacy, security and culture The Iranian President who arrived here on Monday on three-day official visit to Pakistan along with a high-powered delegation said that the trade volume between the two brotherly countries was not reflective of the true potential and they wanted to increase it to US$10 billion annually in five years He stressed that steps were needed to enhance border markets to give spur to the
be realized one day Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended Iran s robust stand for the Muslims of Gaza and the barbarism being committed against them, saying that Pakistan in this regard also fully support the oppressed people of Gaza He said the resolution of the UN Security Council with respect to Palestine was being violated He regretted that over 35000 people had so far been martyred in Palestine The prime minister also called for raising voice at various international forums including Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) till complete ceasefire in Gaza PA K I S TA N , I R A N A G R E E T O R A I S E T R A D E V O L U M E T O $ 1 0 B I N N E X T F I V E Y E A R S g P M S h e h b a z s t r e s s e s t w o c o u n t r i e s c o u l d b r i n g a b o u t p r o s p e r i t y b y t u r n i n g b o r d e r a r e a s i n t o h u b o f b u s i n e s s g P r e s i d e n t R a i s i s a i d t w o c o u n t r i e s s h a r e d c o m m o n a f f i n i t i e s a n d n o o n e c o u l d s e p a r a t e t h e m PSX’s KSE-100 surges past 7 1,000 level PR OFIT n e w S D e S k Stocks at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) extended their upward trajectory on Monday with the benchmark KSE 100 Index surging past the 71 000 level during the intraday trade As per the PSX website the market opened on a positive note and the index experienced across-the-board buying in key sectors including oil & gas exploration companies, automobile assemblers, chemical, commercial banks, cement, and OMCs, all were trading in green The KSE 100 touched an all-time high level of 71 856 at 02:20 pm with an increase of 945 points At the day’s end the benchmark index ended the session at 71 433 46 level up by 523 56 points or 0 74% Over the last year, the market has experienced a 74% surge, with a year-to-date increase of 10 43% Pakistan is anticipating positive outcomes from the recent visit of the Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to the United States where he attended IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings and formally requested for a longterm billion-dollar loan program from the IMF On the local front, Iran s President Ebrahim Raisi landed in Islamabad on Monday morning and hopes are high in the federal capital for a breakthrough on the longdelayed Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline PR OFIT S h a h n awa z a l i It seems the only thing Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been good for in recent times is being used as a bad example For years now PIA has been a symbol of everything that is wrong with State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in Pakistan and how they are run That is why it has constantly been on the docket to be privatised Yet somehow the national airline is always in the news for reasons why the privatisation is failing Be it the billions of rupees in losses that the company has made over the last decade, disputes over stranded vehicles costing millions of dollars, or the mismanagement of prime property in central New York it is always crisis after crisis at PIA Which is why when Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb made a statement during a media talking in Washington indicating that Pakistan is expected to sell its flag carrier before the end of the fiscal year it was not big news After all talk of PIA being privatised has been consistent and nothing new Except this time it might be for real So what is going on with the privatisation plans? FINANCE MINISTER GIVES A TIMELINE Mr Aurangzeb stated that bids for the airline are expected to come in the upcoming weeks It was earlier reported that final bidding was scheduled for the 3rd of June 2024 Aurangzeb also mentioned that after this the Islamabad airport is next, followed by Karachi and Lahore While he did not provide much details about how much of the airline, the government of Pakistan is willing to let go previous reports suggest that the government is interested in retaining a sizable share in the airline even after selling majority stock and managerial control, much like it did with PTCL, back in the day But how did we come to the sale of PIA, so quickly, within the span of one month Let’s recap: PLANS IN MOTIONS As the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government took the reins of the nation s economic course, the fate of PIA hung in the balance, with stakeholders eagerly awaiting the unfolding saga of reform and revitalization The company s fate had been in a limbo for at least the last one year During the long stay of the caretaker government in the country during 2023, the company had been on and off the privatisation list T h e p r i v a t i s a t i o n c o m m i s s i o n u n d e r F a w a d H a s s a n F a w a d s o u g h t ways to revive the airline However a f t e r t o u c h i n g g r a s s w i t h t h e c o mp a n y ’s l o n g l i s t o f l o s s e s a n d i n e ff iciencies, the company’s privatisation became a top most priority A consortium of financial advisors led by Ernst and Young was hired to calculate the f a i r v a l u e o f P I A C L a l o n g w i t h a ddressing other items on PIA s privatisation agenda
A g a i n s t a l l
e l i e f, p a s t s i x m o n t h s h a v e s e e n i n c r e d i b l e p r o g r e s s i n p r i v a t i s a t i o n o f Pa k i s t a n ’ s n a t i o n a l c a r r i e r S o w h a t c a n w e e x p e c t i n d a y s t o c o m e ? ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t The ruling PML-N on Monday emerged victorious in by-elections held on 21 national and provincial seats with two national assembly seats and 10 provincial assembly, according to provisional results released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) On Sunday by-polls were held across the country amid widespread allegations of record rigging temporary suspension of cellular services in specific districts of Punjab and Balochistan and multiple incidents of violence, leading to the death of a PMLN supporter in a clash outside a Narowal polling station By-elections were held to a total of 21 seats – five NA seats including two from Punjab, two from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one from Sindh and 16 provincial assemblies constituencies, including 12 in Punjab as well as two each in KP and Balochistan In the meanwhile re-polling in all constituencies of Balochistan s PB-50 (Qila Abdullah) was also held According to the provisional results (Forms-47) issued by the ECP, out of the five NA seats, the PML-N won two from Punjab while the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and an independent candidate won one each from KP Meanwhile the PPP clinched the NA-196 seat from Sindh In Punjab, the PML-N grabbed 10 provincial seats while the PPP and the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) won one each In KP, one provincial seat each went to the SIC and an independent candidate In Balochistan, the PML-N and the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNPM) won one provincial seat each Separately, the Awami National Party (ANP) also won a provincial seat from PB-50 where re-polling was conducted Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz congratulated her party s winning candidate on their performance in the by-elections, according to Radio Pakistan She said their success reflected the people’s confidence in the party’s policies , adding that the PML-N was the real representative party of the public Meanwhile KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur alleged that the reason for the poor performance of the candidates belonging to the SICPTI alliance was rigging g A c r o s s - t h e - b o a r d b u y i n g w i t n e s s e d i n k e y s e c t o r s PML-N sweeps by-elections with two NA , 10 PA seats g P P P a n d I P P s e c u r e o n e PA s e a t e a c h w i t h P T I r e m a i n e d r u n n e r - u p i n a l l c o n s t i t u e n c i e s AT T E N T I O N Some readers have complained that they are not getting the magazine with their newspaper copy Please call or WhatsApp us at the following number to register a complaint Contac t: 0307-7338168 ir fan farooq@pakistantoday com pk I N TO DAY S IS S UE ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced to hold a strong protest demonstrations across the country against the blatant and brazenly rigged by-polls on Friday and demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to withhold the notifications of those who fraudulently secured victory because it could not be called an elections in anyway but a farce A d d r e s s i n g t h e p r e s s c o n f e r e n c e a l o n g with PTI Secretary General and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan and Sunni Ittehad C o u n c i l ( S I C ) C h a i r m a n S a h i b z a d a H a m i d R a z a P T I C h a i r m a n B a r r i s t e r Gohar Ali Khan said that the by-elections w e r e t o h o l d t h e g o v e r n m e n t a c c o u n ta b l e , b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y, w h a t w a s d o n e on the day of the by-elections in Punjab i t w a s a d a r k a n d s h a m e f u l d a y f o r democracy He said that the mandate thieves resorted to such shameful and vindictive steps to coercive people and officials to rig elections in presence of the representatives of the ECP, as the vote boxes were even stuffed well before the start of voting process at some polling stations which was even unthinkable even in the rule of the worst dictator PTI announces countr ywide protest on Friday C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03 g C u r r e n t a c c o u n t b a l a n c e i m p r o v e s s i g n i f i c a n t l y, r e c o r d i n g a d e f i c i t o f $ 0 . 5 b i l l i o n i n 9 M F Y 2 4 ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General
Monday
g
b
Asim Munir on
met Iran President
who
previous recruitment attempts that have remained unresolved due to alleged influence and deliberate actions by Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan who has continued to hold the position for approximately three years beyond his term as VC of Baltistan University The university recently issued another advertisement in newspapers soliciting applications from both fresh and previous candidates Insiders suggest that this re-advertisement is yet another deliberate attempt to stall the appointment process, potentially benefiting the current VC Interestingly some members of the university s Senate, the institution s upper body, claim to be unaware of this development According to them, the decision to re-advertise the post was not made during the previous session of the Senate Instead it was decided to assign the responsibilities of the VC to a senior faculty member until the ongoing recruitment process is concluded When contacted, Convener of the Search Committee, Junaid Zaidi, claimed that the re-advertisement of the post must be a decision of the university s Senate He stated that the process of recruiting a new VC should not take more than six weeks His committee, which had earlier tried to recruit a new VC, failed to do so due to Dr Naeem’s tactics of approaching the court and allegedly influencing the university’s Senate In the past another search committee headed by senior journalist Qasim Naseem also could not complete the process due to similar tactics of the existing VC
Earlier, the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan raised serious concerns about the
T d y 23 Ap l 2024 | LAHORE 02 NEWS ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t C H A I R M A N Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani extending a warm welcome to the Iranian President Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation on Monday said that enhancing parliamentary engagements between Pakistan and Iran, fostering regional cooperation, and further improving bilateral relations is need of the hour Speaking during the meeting he emphasized the deep historical ties between his family and Iran tracing back to his ancestor Hazrat Ghaus-ul-Azam said a news release issued by the Senate Secretariat Yousaf Raza Gilani reiterated the personal significance of his past visits to Iran where he emphasized the importance of bilateral dialogue in strengthening relations between the two nations H e r e c a l l e d t h a t I r a n w a s t h e f i r s t country to recognize Pakistan in 1947 further solidifying the strong ties between the two nations Reaffirming the enduring cordial relations between Pakistan and Iran, the Chairman Senate celebrated the strong bilateral ties grounded in shared values and cultural heritage He emphasized that these ties serve as the bedrock of foreign policy contributing to regional stability and prosperity Expressing commitment to enhancing parliamentary cooperation, he underscored the need for greater inter-parliamentary engagements and exchange programs aimed at bolstering the capacity and expertise of parliamentary staff Yousaf Raza Gilani also shared concerns over recent developments in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting the volatile situation and expressed gratitude for Iran’s
the just
of the Kashmiri people
of promoting cultural and educational exchanges between the two nations He emphasized fostering greater understanding and goodwill among the people, and exploring opportunities for collaboration in education, science, and technology Both leaders expressed optimism for the future of Pakistan-Iran relations and reiterated their commitment to further strengthening cooperation on regional and global issues of mutual interest President of Iran appreciated the Chairman Senate historical link with Iran and acknowledged his spiritual bond E N H A N C I N G PA K - I R A N PA R L I A M E N TA R Y E N G A G E M E N T S N E E D O F H O U R : G I L L A N I S Y D N E Y seems to be a dangerous place No not because of the Aussie cricket team though that is terrible enough It seems that s the world capital for knife attacks All you need now is for someone to stab operagoers at the Sydney Opera House, and you will get an appropriate event This season’s cricket is over and the last Test there was in January when Pakistan went down to an eight-wicket defeat Interestingly enough the next Test there will be in January next year, the Fifth and final Test vs Australia No member of either team was stabbed though in the Test that happened So perhaps we can hope that no one gets any idea about the Indian team That can t be said about the six people killed by Joel Cauchi 40 who had come all the way from Queensland where he was homeless, and where he had begun collecting knives in January He had stabbed 13 people before being shot dead He may or may not have been the inspiration for the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emanuel and the Rev Isaac Royel during a church service that was being streamed online One of the injured was a bishop of the Assyrian Church the other a priest Without going into a lot of church history suffice it to say that there s a lot of Christians in the Middle East not just in Egypt but in Syria and Iraq as well And the Assyrian Church is one of them These are thoroughly Arab churches, because apart from the brief interval of the Crusades and then after the Ottoman Caliphate was abolished and France and the UK occupied the Levant they had lived entirely under Muslim rule The attacker was another Arab, a Muslim Rather than a communal thing, I would suspect an intra-Arab thing The attacker was at an age when youngsters have a fascination with knives daggers and other sharp-edged implements Or it may also mark the effectiveness of Australian gun control laws, because in neither case was anyone able to do something so distressingly common in the USA– shooting up the entire shopping centre or church, these days with an automatic weapon Gun control may be effective in Australia, but not in Pakistan, as Amir Tamba found to his cost Sitting outside his house in Sant Nagar, he was gunned down by passing motorcyclists In Australia especially in Sydney the killers would have had to stop the motorbike get off and stab their intended victim Provided he didn t run off While in jail in 2012, Tamba is supposed to have killed Sarabjit Singh, who had been arrested in 1990, and convicted of carrying out a number of bomb blasts one of which had killed 14 people Of course Tamba was not released with a pat on the head but after a trial being duly acquitted The Interior Minister himself has accused RAW of being behind the murder It makes a certain sense, because RAW seems to be on murder spree these days not forgetting comedic elements such as when they tried to hire somebody in the USA only he was an agent for the US government RAW has already been accused in Pakistan of carrying out assassinations, but of people linked to the Kashmir freedom struggle, not in revenge for killing their man If that was the case, I d be very careful if I was one one of those involved in Kulbhushan Yadav’s arrest However, there’s another link that between Tamba and Hafiz Saeed of the Lashkar-e-Taiba on whom an attempt has already been made (well there was a blast on the road outside his house but an attempt is an attempt) On a larger scale, Iran responded to the Israeli bombardment of its Damascus consulate and the killing of two IRGC generals with a bombardment of targets in Israel by drones and missiles US, British, French and Jordanian planes shot down the drones Saudi Arabia and the UAE are accused (on the Net not the most reliable of sources) of having helped provide targeting information Is the fact that Pakistan stayed out why the USA has imposed sanctions on a Byelorussian and three Chinese firms supposed to have provided items to the Pakistani missile programme? The Pakistan government would like it counted as part of the sacrifices it is making for Gaza Why Belorussia is a dangerous place City NoteS m a N i a z i Power companies involved in over-billing practice: Nasir Shah KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t Sindh s Minister of Energy Nasir Hussain Shah has said that the K-Electric, Hesco and Sepco have been involved in over-billing Addressing a gathering here, provincial minister said that the electric companies received several millions of rupees from Sindh s people in over-billing He said the government took action over inflated bills and got the money returned back to people Nasir Shah said there were over-billing complaints in government departments too, and payments made for installation of smart meters “Most of the smart meters yet to be installed even after one year of the payment he said Only 30 to 35 percent smart meters have been installed so far he added Provincial energy minister highlighted the need of work on the alternate energy He said PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto has directed for taking steps to bring the electricity bills down “Several projects have been underway including those in cooperation with the World Bank he said He said if there is issue of land for manufacturing share with us we will solve the matter M u r a d S a e e d , o t h e r P T I l e a d e r s ’ n a m e s r e m o v e d f r o m E C L ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t The federal government on Monday removed the names of Murad Saeed among other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders majority of them were part of the then cabinet, from the Exit Control List (ECL) According to reports, the federal cabinet approved the removal of their names from the ECL on recommendation of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and sent copies of a notification issued in this regard to all the authorities concerned The names removed from the ECL, include Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Ghulam Sarwar, Parvez Khattak, Shafqat Mahmood, Ijaz Shah, Ali Zaidi, Khusro Bakhtiar Azam Swati Asad Umar Omar Ayub Mehboob Sultan Fawad Chaudhry Farog Naseem and Shireen Mazari However names of PTI founder Imran Khan his wife Bushra Bibi, Farah Gogi and Zulfi Bukhari were not removed from the list The no-fly list or ECL is a legal tool to restrict the movement of individuals and stop them from flying abroad The names of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders were placed on the no-fly list at the request of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a case related to Al Qadir University Trust, which reportedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer As per the charges the former prime minister and others accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion 190 million pounds at the time sent by Britain s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the government The PTI chief registered Trust for Al-Qadir University Project on Dec 26, 2019 Victor y of PML-N’s candidates in by-poll reveals confidence in gov t: Tariq Fazal ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that the victory of ruling coalition candidates in recent by-elections demonstrates the public s confidence in the incumbent government Talking to media persons here on Monday, he expressed jubilation that government initiatives led to an increase in foreign investment Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary stated that the prime minister along with his team endeavored for the economic stability of the country and welcomed successful agreements with friendly countries in Pakistan The PML-N leader also expressed optimism about the visit of the President of Iran to Pakistan yielding useful results Ear thquake jolts Balochistan’s Khuzdar, adjoining areas KHUZDAR S ta f f R e p o R t An earthquake of magnitude 4 3 jolted Balochistan’s Khuzdar district on Sunday night According to the seismological center the depth of the earthquake was 27 kilometers and the epicenter was near Khuzdar district People came out of their houses in fear by reciting Kalma-e-Tayyaba However, no loss of life or damage to property was reported from any part of Khuzdar so far Earlier, a moderate-level earthquake was reported from Islamabad including Rawalpindi Peshawar and its adjoining areas Residents of Kohat Lower Dir Chitral and Girdo districts experienced tremors from an earthquake Similar seismic activity was reported in Shangla, Buner, Malakand, Swat, and Girdo districts as well The magnitude of the quake was recorded at 5 3 on the Richter Scale meanwhile the epicenter of the earthquake was the Afghan-Tajikistan border areas and its depth was 86 kilometers The earthquake left people fearful prompting them to evacuate their homes for safety Another earthquake measuring 3 6 on the Richter scale jolted Balochistan’s Zhob district and its adjoining areas According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre the depth of the earthquake was 15km and the epicenter was 123 km in the north ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Recognizing the importance of languages including Chinese the government has instructed relevant institutions to initiate tailored language programs This was stated by Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Chairman of the Prime Minister ’s Youth Program, Gwadar Pro reported He has instructed relevant institutions to initiate tailored language programs Specifically he plans to incorporate Chinese language instruction into the programs offered by the National Commission for Technical and Vocational Training F u r t h e r m o r e , R a n a M a s h h o o d e xp r e s s e d a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r t h e e s t a b l i s hment of the Chinese Cultural Center in Peshawar He sees it as a pivotal hub for strengthening the bonds between Pakistan and China reaffirming his commitment to providing all possible cooperation in nurturing this bilateral friendship He emphasized that several countries, including China and Saudi Arabia have strategic investment plans for Pakistan across various sectors These initiatives will not only create opportunities for thousands of talented individuals to contribute within the country but also allow them to serve abroad Mashhood engaged with students from the National Commission for Technical and Vocational Training He explored various galleries within the center signed the friendship wall, and left his comments in the visitor s book His remarks highlighted Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif ’s vision to make Pakistan an active partner in economic development To achieve this, the Prime Minister is attracting investments from friendly countries, aiming to strengthen Pakistan’s self-sufficiency In response to a question Rana Mashhood emphasized that the current federal government places a strong focus on youth development Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed efforts toward enhancing technical training for young people The goal is not only to send talented youth abroad but also to fully utilize their skills within Pakistan ISLAMABAD G h u l a m a b b a S Baltistan University has discreetly advertised the Vice Chancellor s post for the third time, a move seemingly aimed at prolonging the appointment of a new head for the institution This development follows
continued support towards
cause
Both leaders stressed the importance of joint efforts in addressing regional security challenges including counter-terrorism and border security They reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue and cooperation in maintaining peace and stability in the region The Chairman Senate stressed the significance
a new and regular VC despite the expiration of his three-year extension following his initial term Baltistan University ’s VC post adver tised for third consec utive time Govt recognizes importance of Chinese language: Mashhood ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) top brass has voiced its contentment with the outcome of Sunday s by-elections Giving his reaction to a private Tv news channel, prominent PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah expressed his party’s satisfaction with the voter turnout during the by-elections highlighting a noticeable absence of PTI supporters at the polling stations Sanaullah underscored that while the PML-N has consistently accepted electoral results it has also diligently raised objections through proper channels In contrast he criticised PTI s approach accusing its founder Imran Khan, of attempting to undermine the electoral process The seasoned politician emphasised that despite the traditionally low voter turnout in by-polls the PML-N was gratified by the level of participation and the ongoing issuance of Form 45 from all polling stations Addressing potential concerns, Sanaullah asserted that any irregularities observed during the polling would be promptly addressed through formal complaints Furthermore he extended an olive branch to PTI urging the party to collaborate with PML-N in identifying and rectifying flaws within the electoral system Reflecting on the broader political landscape, Sanaullah expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with other parties including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) to resolve pertinent issues The PML-N s stance on the by-elections serves as a significant marker in Pakistan s political discourse, signalling both their commitment to democratic processes and their readiness to engage in constructive dialogue for the betterment of the nation ATTA TARAR SLAMS PTI S FALSE NARRATIVES: Meanwhile information Minister Attaullah Tarar celebrated what he deemed as a clear demonstration of the public’s trust in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) The minister highlighted the byelection results as a testament to the nation s confidence in the PML-N s leadership, asserting that the measures undertaken by the government are a direct reflection of the people’s trust In a pointed critique the Information Minister remarked on the conspicuous absence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) voters during the by-elections, insinuating a lack of support for the ruling party’s agenda Moreover the minister lambasted what he described as false statements emanating from prison suggesting a deliberate attempt to mislead the public He emphasised that the populace had unequivocally rejected PTI s assertions, condemning efforts to sow discord and tarnish the country’s international reputation Addressing concerns of political conspiracies the minister decried attempts to malign landlords and undermine the nation s stability from behind bars He cautioned against narratives detrimental to Pakistan’s interests and underscored the public’s rejection of divisive politics rooted in lies and hatred PML-N satisfied with by- elec tions results; dismisses PTI’s allegations
reluctance of the Vice Chancellor of Baltistan University Skardu to vacate his position even after the completion of his term nearly three years ago The commission highlighted instances of influence peddling by the VC and the Registrar to extend their tenures, leading to a governance deadlock within the university In a recent development the Higher Education Commission (HEC) issued a detailed statement regarding the replacement of Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Baltistan The commission’s letter explicitly outlined concerns over the VC’s maneuvers to obstruct the appointment of
g SALE OF 23 2% SHARE IN UNIT Y FOODS LIMITED TO FOUR ENTITIES APPROVED; BUYERS INCLUDE A FORTUNE 500 SINGAPOREAN COMPANY
being polled where are these votes coming from? he said It is such a bad case of rigging that it started and is being repeated again PUNJAB: In Punjab, the PML-N won two NA constituencies and 10 Punjab Assembly seats while the PPP and IPP also won one provincial seat each according to the provisional ECP results PML-N s Ali Parvez won Lahore s NA119 with 61,086 votes while SIC s Shahzad Farooq got 34,197 votes The PML-N also won Kasur’s NA-132, where its candidate Rasheed Ahmad Khan got 146,849 votes while Sardar Hussain Dogar of the SIC garnered 90 980 votes Lahore s PP-146 was won by Rashid Minhas of the PML-N with 31 499 votes while SIC s Mohammad Yusuf came second with 25,781 votes PML-N
Pakistan, Iran agree to raise trade volume to $10b in next five years
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
At the same time PM Shehbaz said the Kashmir valley had also been turned to red by the blood of the oppressed Kashmiris He believed that Kashmir will also be liberated soon He thanked the Iranian President for visiting Pakistan saying that he was the first head of state of any country who visited Pakistan after general elections held in February 2024 The prime minister said both Iran and Pakistan enjoyed very close and brotherly relations which spanned over centuries He said the two countries enjoyed historic relations with deep rooted people to people bonds and similarities in religion and culture PM Shehbaz stressed that these close and brotherly relations should be strengthened and promoted for mutual benefit as well as development and prosperity in the region
Eight accords signed to strengthen cooperation in multiple sectors Pakistan and Iran on Monday signed a total of eight accords on varying subjects to enhance cooperation in the different fields including trade, science technology, agriculture, health, culture, and judicial matters
The documents were signed between the two countries on the occasion of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi s three-day official visit to Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President Raisi witnessed the ceremony as the representatives from both sides signed the documents
The two countries signed an MoU on the Establishment of the RimdanGabd Joint Free/Special Zone The memorandum was inked by Secretary Board of Investment Ambreen Iftikhar and Iranian Advisor to President and Secretary of the Supreme Council of Free Trade Industrial and Special Economic Zones Hojjatollah Abdolmaleki
The MoU on Mutual Recognition of
the Standard of Iran and Pakistan was signed by Minister of Science and Technology Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash
An MoU on Cooperation between the Ministry of Cooperative Labour and Social Welfare
Iran s Minister of Agriculture Jihad Mohammad Ali Nikbakht
The two sides also signed an MoU for Legal Cooperation between the Ministry of Justice of Iran and the Ministry of Law and Justice of Pakistan Minister of Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar and his Iranian counterpart Amin Hossein
T d y 23 Ap i 2024 | LAHORE NEWS 03 LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t P U N J A B Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday green-lit a pilot project to provide one-kilowatt solar systems to 50 000 households across the province Presiding over a special meeting on the Light without Electricity Bill, Chief Minister s Roshan Punjab Programme here, CM Maryam said that the programme aimed at providing relief to the poor from expensive electricity Approving the solar systems project the CM directed to start the pilot project immediately to evaluate its efficiency On the occasion, the CM was briefed on technical issues of the solar system for domestic consumers Protected consumers consuming up to 100 units of electricity will be eligible under the programme in the first phase, she mentioned In the 1 KW system, two solar panels, a battery, an inverter, and wires will be provided to the consumer she informed Earlier the chief minister was briefed that the 1 KW solar system can run fans lights small motors etc Up to 16 hours of charging backup can be achieved through the lithium-ion battery The CM directed the installation of the solar system of the latest technology She emphasised the need to use the best quality solar plates inverter batteries and other accessories The scope of solar systems for domestic consumers will be extended gradually she asserted Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb Information Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, MPA Sania Ashiq, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning and Development, Secretaries Energy Finance Chief Executive Officer PPDCL (Punjab Power Department Company Limited) Managing Director PPDB (Punjab Power Development Board) and other relevant officers attended the meeting M E S S A G E O N ‘ E A R T H D AY ’ 2 0 2 4 : “The Punjab Government has started imp l e m e n t i n g a n E n v i r o n m e n t - F r i e n d l y Grand Plan before the ‘Earth Day’ ” said C h i e f M i n i s t e r P u n j a b M a r y a m N a w a z S h a r i f i n h e r m e s s a g e o n E a r t h D a y 2024 ’ She added ” Earth Day is being celebrated in Punjab at divisional and district l e v e l s M a d a m C h i e f M i n i s t e r h i g hl i g h t e d , N o t o P l a s t i c c a m p a i g n h a s been started today The use of plastic bags will be banned across Punjab from June 5 ‘No to plastic’ messages are being released on Earth Day and a special campaign has been launched on the national and social media in this regard ” The Punjab CM appealed to all people including shopkeepers shopping malls restaurants, and ovens to support the campaign of not using plastic bags, to improve human health and to contribute to the elimination of smog She said,” Do not use plastic bags and other plastic items especially food and drinking utensils in homes LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t Addressing gas price discrimination in fertilizer sector could have yielded billions in revenue In the backdrop of the recent price increase by Fauji Fertilizer (FFC) some industry sources have claimed that there was no justification for this increase, and instead the government could have raised additional revenue had it addressed the discrimination in gas pricing It is important to note that FFC increased the price of its urea by 17%, or Rs633 per bag, to Rs4,400 on April 4, 2024, despite no change in their gas input costs FFC still benefits from a subsidized Mari network gas rate of PKR 580/mmbtu whereas other manufacturers on the SSGC and SNGPL networks have experienced an increase to PKR 1 597/mmbtu as of February 2024 The government has taken notice of FFC’s abrupt price adjustment, given the stable input costs and could implement measures under Section 5 of the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Order, 2021, if FFC fails to provide a satisfactory explanation, a source claimed The foregone billions in potential revenue are increasingly indefensible especially amid the current economic crunch and discussions of IMF loans This missed revenue could have been invested in the agricultural sector to stimulate economic growth Industry sources note that had the government addressed the pricing disparity among fertilizer manufacturers earlier this year, it could have collected an additional PKR 80 – 100 billion This oversight detracts from the government’s objectives of reducing national debt and stabilizing urea prices for farmers Experts are advocating for the immediate equalization of gas prices across fertilizer manufacturers Standardizing rates for the 40% of the capacity on the Mari network to match the 60% on the SSGC and SNGPL networks could stabilize urea market prices Government insiders reveal that the IMF has urged the cessation of all fertilizer subsidies and the development of a direct subsidy mechanism for farmers Further reforms are necessary to decrease the government s debt, increase efficiency, and attract investments in the fertilizer sector At the 2024 Spring Meetings, the IMF emphasized the urgency of accelerating these reforms to maximize Pakistan’s growth potential Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the formation of a committee to oversee the implementation of the Weighted Average Cost of Gas (WACOG) This committee will assess its impact on various sectors, including fertilizer and propose a secure technologybased method for disbursing direct subsidies to farmers by the provinces after eliminating manufacturer subsidies SECP issues cer tificate of incorporation to Bank of Punjab’s exchange company PR OFIT N e w S D e S k The Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has issued the Certificate of Incorporation to BOP Exchange (Private) Limited a fully owned subsidiary of The Bank of Punjab (BOP) The Bank of Punjab shared this information with the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) through a notice on Monday “We are now pleased to inform you that subsequent to the issuance of above referred NOC from the State Bank of Pakistan the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has issued the Certificate of Incorporation to BOP Exchange (Private) Limited”, a fully owned subsidiary of The Bank of Punjab,” read the notice As a next step in the process an application will now be submitted by the Bank of Punjab to SBP for issuance of a license to commence operations as per the SBP Exchange Companies Manual Delayed fer tilizer sec tor reforms result in lost revenue oppor tunities for government: Exper ts Death anniversar y of Moin Akhtar obser ved ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Death anniversary of legendary artist, comedian, actor and host Moin Akhtar was observed on Monday Born on December 24 1950 in Karachi Moin Akhtar made his television debut in1966 He performed several roles in television stage shows dramas films and talk shows His best dramas were Eid Train, Studio Dhai, Bakra Qistoon Per, FiftyFifty, Loose Talk and many others He was fluent in several languages, including English, Bengali Sindhi Punjabi Memon Pashto Gujarati and urdu Moin Akhtar was awarded the Pride of Performance in 1996 and Sitara-eImtiaz in 2011 on his outstanding performance He passed away on April 22, 2011 in Karachi after suffering a heart attack PML-N sweeps by-elections with two NA , 10 PA seats CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 What else can be the reason? he said In response to a question during a press conference in Peshawar CM Gandapur said that his party was not allowed to campaign, open its offices and carry out rallies He said that the ratio of voters present during the by-elections was “starkly different” from the voter turnout in the general elections held on February 8 So many votes are
in Lahore s PP-147
independent
Mohammad Khan Madni got
548
PML-N’s Chaudhry Mohammad Nawaz won Lahore s PP-158 with 40 165 votes while Moonis Elahi the son of Parvez Elahi received 28 018 votes as an SIC candidate In Narowal PP-54, where the polling process was marred with a man dying in reported clashes between PML-N and PTI workers Ahmed Iqbal Chaudhry of the PML-N won with 59 234 votes SIC’s Owais Qasim was the runner-up with 45 762 votes PML-N s Musa Elahi won PP-32 (Gujrat-VI) with 71,357 votes against former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi, who contested as an SIC candidate and got 37,106 votes PPP’s Mumtaz Ali won the contest in Rahim Yar Khan’s PP266 with 47 181 votes while PML-N candidate Muhammad Safdar Khan Leghari came second with 34 552 votes In PP-239 (Sheikhupura-IV) PML-N s Rana Afzaal Husain bagged 46 585 votes against SIC s Ejaz Husain, who was the runner-up with 29,833 votes ISLAMABAD b y G h u l a m a b b a S The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has granted an approval for the share acquisition in a Pakistani food company by four entities including a Singapore-based investment holding company The approved transaction involves the acquisition of a 23 20% shareholding in M/s Unity Foods Limited by the four entities One of the acquirers is M/s Wilmar Pakistan Holdings Pte Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of M/s Wilmar International Limited is a Fortune 500 company incorporated in Singapore The other three acquirers comprise M/s Unity Wilmar Agro (Private) Limited, a private limited company incorporated in Pakistan and engaged in the edible oils business along with two individual Pakistani investors who are also existing shareholders of the target company The CCP s merger analysis revealed that the proposed transaction will not result in the dominance of the acquirers in the relevant market posttransaction hence the merger has been authorized This approval underscores the confidence of international investors in Pakistan’s economy and its potential for growth Wilmar International’s investment in Unity Foods reaffirms its commitment to Pakistan s economy showcasing confidence in the resilience and potential of the country s economic landscape It is anticipated that this merger approval will enhance consumer choice and foster innovation in the food business sector ultimately benefiting Pakistani consumers P U N J A B C M T H U M B S U P T O F R E E S O L A R K I T S F O R 5 0 , 0 0 0 H O U S E H O L D S
P
a re a c q u i s i t i o n i n Pa ki s t a n i fo o d fi r m
s Mohammad Riaz bagged 31,841 votes
whereas
candidate
16
votes
CC
a p p rove s s h
Iranian
t reach
to ban terrorist
PAGE 01 The two countries also decided to increase cooperation in border management including steps for prevention of smuggling and drugs trafficking Minister Naqvi said that smuggling was a cause of economic loss for both countries and its prevention through border management would help promote mutual trade The two sides also agreed to activate the border markets as soon as possible The Iranian Interior Minister praised Pakistan s excellent job of border fencing He said that Pakistan had historical, cultural and religious relations with Iran Minister Naqvi said that Pakistan attached great importance to its fraternal relations with Iran and was keen to further strengthen mutual cooperation He said all Islamic countries would have to work together for the rights of the oppressed Muslims of Gaza He thanked the Iranian Government for supporting Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir issue The Iranian President’s visit to Pakistan was very important in terms of bilateral relations he observed Both the Iranian ministers thanked Mohsin Naqvi for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to them on their visit to Pakistan PTI announces countr ywide protest on Friday CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 PTI Chairman stated that he and the Opposition Leader Omar Ayub visited various polling stations and saw the blatant polls rigging at various polling stations He went on to say that they apprised the electoral watchdog regarding all the details related to the polls rigging in Gujarat instantly but the electoral body was yet to take any action in this regard despite lapse of 24 hours which raised many eyebrows PTI Chairman lamented that the constitution democracy and rule of law were virtually suspended in the country Gohar recalled that that after mega polls robbery in general elections, they had demanded that the returning officers should be taken from the judiciary instead of the administration; however the ECP didn’t accept their rightful and fair demand He stated that the IG Punjab was equally responsible for the mega polls fraud, adding that they were also looking at the role of the polls supervisory body, which was miserably failed to conduct transparent and fair elections He urged the ECP not to notify these people who secured victorious fraudulently in the by-polls PTI Chairman made it clear that they raised the issue before the Supreme Court and the electoral watchdog during general elections and they should be apprised as what steps were taken for curbing polls rigging hitherto He revealed that our poling agents were forced out of the polling stations by police who was working under Punjab government; hence they were accomplice in the polls rigging as well
Naqvi,
counterpar
consensus
outfits CONTINUED FROM
of Iran and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistani and Human Resources Development of Pakistan was also signed by Minister of Overseas Pakistani Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash Minister of Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar and Iranian Minister of Justice Amin Hossein Rahimi inked an agreement on Judicial Assistance in Civil Matters between Iran and Pakistan Pakistan and Iran also signed an Agreement of Cooperation on Animal Hygiene and Health The document was signed by Minister of National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Iranian Minister of Agriculture Jihad Mohammad Ali Nikhakht Similarly, the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) in the Field of Quarantine and Phytosanitary was also inked by Minister of National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and
Rahimi signed the memorandum An MoU between the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of Pakistan and Organization of Cinema and Audiovisual Affairs of Iran was inked to promote film exchange and cinema cooperation between the two countries The document was signed by Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili The signing ceremony also marked the ratification of a security cooperation agreement between the governments of two countries P M W E L C O M E S I R A N I A N P R E S I D E N T I N P E R S I A N L A NG U A G E: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday welcomed Iranian President Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi in the Persian language During their joint press stakeout the prime minister recited Allama Taqi Bahar s Persian verses about Pakistan in which the poet had invoked divine blessings for the country, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release The prime minister, on the occasion, read out a Persian couplet for the visiting President which warmly welcomed his arrival in Pakistan The prime minister s eloquence in the Persian language brought smiles on the faces of the Iranian President and other participants who were pleased to hear such remarks They also applauded the prime minister ’s gesture P M S H E H B A Z, P R E S I D E N T R A I S I P L A N T A S A P L I N G TO M A R K E A RT H D AY: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and visiting Iranian President Syed Ebrahim Raisi on Monday planted a sapling at the lawn of the Prime Minister ’s House to mark the annual Earth Day Accompanied by his spouse and a high-powered delegation of ministers and businessmen, the Iranian president arrived here on a three-day official visit Both the dignitaries planted the sapling of Chir pine also known as Pinus roxburghii – a hardy species native to the Himalayas Earlier as the visiting dignitary arrived at the PM House, he was given a guard of honour before the tete-a-tete between the prime minister and Iranian president
TH E visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is significant for a multitude of reasons but most of all for its timing
Less than a week has passed since Iran struck targets inside Israel in response to the Israeli regime hitting Iran’s consulate in Syria
President Raisi’s visit had of course been planned in advance But his arrival in Pakistan marks an important moment After all, it has only been four short months since Iran struck two missiles allegedly against holdouts of Jaish ul Adl in Pakistan The Pakistan Air Force responded swiftly to level the playing field and struck Baloch Militants on the Iranian side of the border Diplomatic tensions persisted for a few days but both countries made it clear quickly that they would work quickly to maintain friendly ties This was a good sign since Pakistan desperately needs trade partners and can find no better avenue than its neighbours Economically trade with India is what is best for Pakistan The unwillingness of New Delhi, however, has only grown and if Prime Minister Modi’s rhetoric in his ongoing election campaign is any indication, India’s attitude towards Pakistan is not going to soften anytime soon
It is encouraging that in a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, President Raisi said that current trade volumes between the two countries were not acceptable and needed to rise to at least $10 billion
The statement also comes in the backdrop of the US disapproving of Iran and Pakistan building a long-touted gas pipeline between the two countries Iran currently stands in a tense moment of isolation from the Western World because of its actions against Israel President Raisi s visit to Pakistan at this hour is significant because it indicates a level of confidence on behalf of the Iranian Government in Pakistan as a business partner What will be important is political will both in Tehran and Islamabad to turn these plans and statements into a reality
Econsider broader indicators of skills readiness and adaptability The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness report assesses workforce preparedness, with Switzerland earning top marks in this domain Germany Finland and Denmark also demonstrate high levels of skills readiness In Pakistan on the other hand the situation is dire A staggering 30 million children are deprived of their fundamental right to education The terrible fact concerning our educational system is that one-third of students quit school before completing the primary cycle, with a dropout rate of 33% Poverty serves as a significant barrier to education access perpetuating a cycle of deprivation and marginalization While poverty undoubtedly plays a significant role it s essential to scrutinize the efforts of the government in addressing this pressing issue The overarching aim of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to ensure inclusive, equitable and high-quality education particularly at the primary level Under the SDGs Pakistan has committed to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030 However achieving this ambitious goal demands concrete actions and robust investments
in education infrastructure teacher training and curriculum development Unfortunately progress in this effect has been slow and inadequate with the education sector receiving a disproportionately low share of the national budget This disparity between Pakistan s education spending and the magnitude of its education challenges underscores the urgent need for increased investment and policy reforms
According to GDP percentages for South Asia Bhutan spends the most (8 1%) followed by India
(5 1%) Maldives (4 9%) Nepal (4%) and Sri Lanka (1 4%) However Pakistan emerges as a concern in terms of education expenditure, allocating only 2% of its GDP to education This low allocation raises questions about Pakistan’s ability to address the pressing challenges facing its education sector including access quality and equity With 44% of the overall population in the 5–16 age range not attending school Pakistan suffers from one of the worst rates of educational exclusion in the world, with the second-highest percentage of out-of-school children in the world, after Nigeria Geographical, gender, and socioeconomic class variations are also significant, according to UNICEF data Whereas 78% of females in Balochistan do not attend school 52% of the poorest children in Sindh do not go to school At the basic level there are around 10 7 million boys and 8 6 million girls enrolled at the lower secondary level, with 3 6 million boys and 2 8 million girls One of the main obstacles to education access is gaps in the services offered at all educational levels A number of supply-side obstacles including the availability of school facilities economic considerations and sociocultural demand-side impediments make it difficult for some marginalised groups especially teenage females, to enrol in and remain in school Establishing a reliable data system and monitoring procedures to keep track on retention and stop kids from dropping out is biggest challenge The integration of technology into education is emerging as a promising trend underscoring the importance of teacher training and quality The private
F r o m q u a n t u m l e a p s t o i n c r e m e n t a l g a i n s : E x a m i n i n g t h e d e c e l e r a t i o n o f s c i e n t i f i c p r o g r e s s
primacy of market deregulation and tax cuts means that there are not enough funds left with state to fund R&D project whose advantages are enjoyed by a larger segment of society as in the case of GPS and internet A recent study revealed that R&D initiatives by the public sector typically focus on fundamental aspects of research are often more ahead of time and pioneering and have a higher likelihood of producing spill over effects, especially benefiting small companies
Moreover, the fundamental explanation of decelerating scientific progress is the burden of knowledge The burden of knowledge also known as declining marginal returns in economics is increasingly hindering the pace of scientific advancement Initially when the scope of human knowledge was limited, acquiring new knowledge was relatively straightforward As scientific inquiry progresses and the number of unanswered questions diminishes the remaining inquiries become inherently more complex and challenging to resolve This phenomenon creates a bottleneck effect where the effort and resources required to make breakthroughs increase exponentially Consequently, the deceleration of scientific progress occurs as researchers encounter greater difficulty in tackling the increasingly intricate question
There is a global trend towards decelerating scientific progress Pakistan is on the same path
Gone are the days when Pakistan created Nobel Prize winner like Dr Abdus Salam or Dr Raziuddin, who to this day are still known globally in the scientific community for their ground breaking work
This is because Pakistan’s expenditure on research and development (R&D) remains disproportionately low significantly impacting scientific progress and innovation
According to a UN report, Pakistan ranks 62 out of 69 countries
in R&D spending In addition the education system in Pakistan prioritises rote learning over fostering innovation and critical thinking skills among students Moreover, universities tend to produce research outputs that are redundant, with professors often pursuing niche topics to bolster their publication count rather than addressing serious scientific questions
Several strategies can be pursued to arrest the scientific slump in Pakistan Firstly, there is a pressing need to increase funding for Research and Development (R&D) activities Secondly, educations system should be reformed where critical thinking and innovation is encouraged rather than focusing on rote learning that may increase their ability to ascertain good marks in short term but diminishes their capability to problem solve and undertake scientific endeavour in the long run Thirdly, Higher Education Commission (HEC) should implement criteria for quality rather than just quantity in the promotional processes of professor that
04 Tuesday 23 Apri 2024
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Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor Traffic rules MOTORCYCLISTS are routinely seen creating nuisance on IslamabadRawalpindi Expressway They do not follow any traffic rule at all regarding lane or speed zigzagging their way at seriously high speeds Most motorcyclists do not have any back-view mirrors which makes their movements even riskier for everyone, including themselves The traffic police force really needs to get into action to make the commute safe for one and all SHEIKH TAIMUR NAWAZ ISLAMABAD Karachi summers I N recent years Karachi has been experiencing increasingly hot and humid summers The people must undertake due initia- tives in this regard The only solution to the problem is by way of taking a long-term view of the changing weather pattern They should plant and care for trees in their neighbourhoods Every household should cultivate indoor plants that not only enhance oxygen production, but also contribute to a healthier living environment Moreover, it is imperative for the government to declare a green emergency in the city discourage deforestation and promoting urban forests These green spaces will elevate oxygen levels reduce carbon emissions enhance air quality and positively impact the mental wellbeing of the people And who does not need mental wellbeing? VINCENT WELFRED KHAN KARACHI Unfair deal T H E Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) recently conducted a test for the 300 vacant positions of head master and head mistress There were thousands of aspirants who failed to get a fair deal The SPSC first delayed the answer key and later when it was published it had plenty of errors On complaints the SPSC revised the answer key but failed to do a professional job once again For instance, the evening paper type A had two debatable questions (Nos 38 and 40), but the SPSC answer keys remained silent on the matter The SPSC should publish the correct answer key urgently ABDUL AHAD GHNYO GHOTKI Dog bites I N C I D E N T S of dog-bite have increased and so have the cases of rabies which is a viral disease that causes inflammation in the human brain and spinal cord Unsurprisingly, the numbers that are being reported in the national media from across the country from Gilgit-Baltistan to Larkana should set the alarm bells ringing KEGAD PEER BAKHSH KECH 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 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
H E past two centuries marked an era of transformative changes in human history It was characterised by extraordinary advancements and innovations that reshaped the world at an astonishing pace From the widespread adoption of electricity to the rapid evolution of communication technologies such as the transition from radio to colour television to the internet, society experienced a whirlwind of change Innovations in transportation, exemplified by the invention of airplanes and bullet trains, revolutionised the way people travel and connect across vast distances Humanity reached new frontiers with space exploration culminating in the historic achievement of landing on the moon However, despite the remarkable progress witnessed in the nineteenth and twentieth century, recent times have seen a noticeable deceleration in the pace of innovation and scientific exemplified by slowing down of Total Factor Productivity an indicator used to measure technological changes In the twentieth century, large research facilities, often owned by major corporations, served as the epicentres of scientific progress and innovation These facilities, such as Bell Labs were home to thousands of highly skilled researchers including a significant number of PhDs who were responsible for ground-breaking discoveries and inventions For instance Bell Labs was renowned for its contributions to technologies like the transistor, photovoltaic cell, and digitally scrambled voice audio Similarly Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Centre (PARC) played a pivotal role in shaping today’s technology landscape by developing revolutionary products such as the graphical user interface, laser printer, Ethernet cable, and user-friendly word processor Many of these labs were supported by public funding agencies like ARPA (now DARPA), that gave humanity what we know as internet today However after the stagflation crisis of 1970 and Reagan presidency a shift towards neoliberal economics led to increasing financialisation of the economy and a decline in corporate investment in research and development (R&D) As a result, these labs were defunded and mostly shut downs Instead of prioritising innovation companies increasingly focus on maximising profits to shareholders through measures like stock buybacks This trend is reflected in the dwindling number of patents granted to private companies,
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and
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in Pakistan’s struggle to maintain momentum in research and development Addressing this challenge requires a multi-faceted
for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore Pakistan He can be reached at info@casslhr com
could incentivise meaningful research in universities
conclusion recent decades have seen a notable
in the pace
scientific
vancement
mirrored
approach including increased investment in R&D fostering collaboration across sectors and prioritising meaningful research over quantity By embracing these strategies, Pakistan can reignite its path towards scientific excellence and innovation, ensuring a brighter future for generations to come The writer is a researcher at the Centre
Zaheen QureShi
D U C AT I O N is crucial for global growth and prosperity, empowering people and promoting social and economic advancement Pakistan faces a poverty cycle due to structural issues in its educational system Countries like Sweden Denmark and Luxembourg have set the international standards for education with Luxembourg leading in spending per student Sweden and the United States follow closely behind Luxembourg also tops the list for postsecondary education, followed by Austria and Norway These countries recognize the value of investing in education as a wise investment for the future Different levels of education spending often reflect governments priorities and strategies While some of the countries allocate more funding per secondary student compared to primary students, more countries prioritize primary education expenditure Canada, Norway, Netherlands, Japan, Austria, Finland, Chile, Iceland Australia France the USA and the UK are among those investing more per primary student despite the typical correlation between teachers salaries and the level of education Moreover beyond financial metrics, it s essential to
sector plays a significant
primary
delivery or support alongside government initiatives A UNESCO study finds that South Asia has the highest scale of private engagement in primary education of any region, with Pakistan more than 33% This has led to the emergence of education technology companies, high levels of private enrolment in elementary and secondary schools, and private tutoring Even with speedier access to education South Asia’s learning levels are still more than one-third behind the global average and slower than anywhere else in the globe It recommends that a single framework be used to oversee all public and private educational activities Pakistan s educational landscape is marred by a plethora of challenges, ranging from poverty and inadequate infrastructure to gender disparities all of which present formidable barriers to progress Despite the National Education Policy s commendable focus on budget enhancement quality improvement and community mobilization, deeply ingrained issues like child labour, early marriage, and outdated curricula persist, undermining efforts and perpetuating poor learning outcomes and high dropout rates The ambitious goal of achieving Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2030 demands unwavering governance active community involvement and robust political will To surmount these challenges targeted interventions are imperative including comprehensive support for financially struggling families, enhancements in teacher quality, and initiatives aimed at empowering girls Ultimately, realizing the untapped potential of Pakistan’s youth and charting a course toward a brighter future necessitates collaborative action among the international community governmental bodies and civil society The writer is Ph D in Political Science and visiting faculty at QAU Islamabad His area of specialization is political development and social change He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo com and tweet@zafarkhansafdar S e e d l i n g s o f c h a n g e : P r i m a r y e d u c a t i o n a s t h e r o o t o f s o c i a l t r a n s f o r m a t i o n Dr Zafar Khan SafDar Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 I K arachi – Ph: 021-32640318 I Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545 I Web: www pakistantoday com pk I Email: editorial@pakistantoday com pk
role in
education
T h e f u t u r e o f p o p u l a t i o n e x p l o s i o n
Tconventional concept of sons are guns is still a popular narrative among these folk The birth of a new baby is considered a blessing and blissfully share with relatives and through social media However, on the other side the country is passing through an alarming condition of high rate of unemployment Regrettably about 10 million people are at risk of slipping into poverty in Pakistan as the World Bank reports Moreover every year more than 8 million youth enter into the job
I t i s a n u n d e n i a b l e f a c t t h a t i n Pa k i s t a n n o o n e i s f e e l i n g h i m o r h e rs e l f s e c u r e . T h e f l i g h t o f m a s s e s t o t h e o t h e r c o u n t r i e s i s a t h r e a t i n g a l e r t r a t h e r t h a n a b l e s s i n g a s d e e m e d by t h e ex - c a r e t a k e r P M A n w a a r u l H a q k a k a r. E v e r y y e a r m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e a r e f l e e i n g f ro m c o u n t r y t h ro u g h l e g a l a n d i l l e g a l c h a n n e l s . I nv e s t o rs a r e a f r a i d o f i nv e s t i n g i n t h e c o u n t r y N o o n e c a n ex h i b i t h i s w e a l t h i n t h e c o u n t r y ow i n g t o b i t t e r c o n s e q u e n c e s S n a t c h i n g , b a n d i t , t h e f t s , ro b b e r y, a b d u c t i o n e t c a r e v e r y c o m m o n T h e mu rd e rs fo r r e s i s t a n c e t o h a n d ov e r b i k e o r o t h e r b e l o n g i n g s a r e r e p o r t e d o f t e n
less than half of the global average of 4 7 tons per person and several times lower than developed economies
This duality low per-capita emissions and a rapidly growing economy also shapes India’s climate policy The incumbent government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has both pushed the rapid deployment of renewables and domestic green manufacturing to create jobs while continuing to rely on fossil fuels to power the economy That s fairly similar to previous governments Leaf through the BJP and Congress’ election manifestos and you will find several dozen pledges across sectors that could be filed under climate policy with a roughly even split between the two parties (though their emphases predictably differ) But these are listed across several chapters and rarely mention the word climate (though each has a separate chapter on sustainable development) Similarly, stump speeches throughout this campaign
the Indian voter s mind When tens of thousands of farmers marched through Maharashtra in 2018 after several years of drought across parts of the state, they protested against rising agricultural debt declining productivity pests and inadequate irrigation This was a climate protest in all but slogan
Take for example a Muslim woman I
Tuesday 23 Apri 2024 COMMENT 05 I T’S hard to truly comprehend how difficult and relentless a problem climate change is for a country as large as India One way would be to rig a drone with a very large battery pack and fly it from one end to the other Start in the south in Bangalore India s Silicon Valley, in the fall of 2022 Fly very, very slowly northwards until you reach the Himalayas just before the national elections that started this week You would witness a country in constant convulsion Soon after take-off you’d see the swish houses and gleaming towers of Bangalore s new tech and corporate elite submerged amid September 2022 s monsoon rains Just a little further north and a few months on in March 2023 record breaking fires tear through Karnataka state s forests, the smoke obscuring vision for days Then, on to the heaving, humid metropolis of Mumbai at summer ’s onset in April 2023 to find over a dozen people dead mostly women due to heat exposure at a large public gathering Next entire stretches of Delhi under water from flooding in July That same summer, hospitals in the sunburnt state of Uttar Pradesh, home to over 240 million people, fill with listless, heat-stroked workers Finally, the anticipated visual reprieve of the Himalayan snow caps that never comes instead replaced by an almost snowless winter that continues into 2024 The impacts of India s extreme weather are not neatly contained within the country s borders This is a global worry When India introduces wheat export bans due to a heat wave or slows its vaunted IT exports because Bangalore is underwater, the lives of seemingly unconnected millions across the world are affected India is the world’s thirdlargest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the US It is also the world s fastest-growing major economy How India handles climate change then is everyone s concern But while climate is mentioned in the election manifestos of the two main parties the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress it will, perhaps surprisingly, not feature as a major issue in India’s six-week-long national election that started this week That’s unlike in Australia the UK and US among others where elections can be significantly influenced by climate policy positions This is because climate politics looks different in the developing world; it will shape Indian elections in definitive but under-the-radar ways Climate impacts do shape voter demands though this tends to filter through as anxieties about livelihood and continued welfare support, rather than in a neatly defined area of politics labeled
You can see it in farmers asking for loan waivers and irrigation facilities after years of drought in urban families demanding reduced electricity prices
offset cooling bills
in calls for more penetrating social welfare Here
the world
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“climate ”
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and
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s most-populous country, the average Indian does not
much at present India’s relatively
carbon emissions of 1 9
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season have not featured climate change as a central issue Parties do however focus on climate-adjacent developmental issues including expanding entitlements for the poorest creating jobs through green manufacturing and reconfiguring Indian agriculture But politics here seems to reflect the relative insignificance of climate change as a conceptual category in
health care Elections turn, then, on meeting developmental exigency The headwinds of climate change are absorbed by the electoral machine and emerge as end-of-tailpipe policies rather than grand climate strategy This pattern of climate politics is reinforced by seemingly low recognition in India of climate change as a problem In a 2022 survey of over 4,500 individuals across the country, over 50% of respondents said they knew little or nothing about climate change Interestingly recognition of climate change increased to over 80% in that survey when respondents were supplied with a short description of the phenomenon The hotch-potch of ad hoc policy fixes that emerges around climate issues will only get the country so far It fails when put to the long-term test Mobilizing large amounts of public finance to redesign cities to trap less heat and flood less, for example, requires a genuine public debate about a climate-ravaged future Immediate investments are necessary to dull the blow tomorrow The climate crisis also deepens the case for global cooperation India s climate-outages are going to be hard for trading partners and global markets to ignore as its economy grows Domestic politics that focus on immediate developmental goals rather than long-term climate-proofing creates a gaping hole that global adaptation finance must fill Aditya Valiathan Pillai is a fellow and coordinator for adaptation and resilience at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative an independent climate change research organization based in New Delhi Tamanna Dalal, of the Sustainable Futures Collaborative assisted the author with research The Indian election issue that will impact the whole world
spoke with a few years ago from the poorer reaches of North Bengal Her small house in an informal settlement in Delhi was engulfed in a summer fire, and then a few years later her family home in Bengal was damaged in a monsoon flood She supports a large family of children and grandchildren as a house cleaner in Delhi’s rich neighbourhoods Despite the fingerprint of climate impacts on her past her main demands in previous elections were for regular water (which she gets once in two weeks from a water truck), cheaper electricity (she told me she pays around three times the price her rich employers pay because of an illegal connection), and cheaper
H E population explosion was once not a big threat even considered a blessing for a society or state when the people were attached to agriculture At the time there was the need of heavy manpower and energetic youth to yield much agricultural products The needs, wants and desires were quite limited But gradually the world switched to mechanized and the people started moving towards urban centers The life style changed and transformed from simple to complex The peoples demand and mode altered and magnificently molded in the specialized knowledge and skills The space and opportunities for unskilled people got scant The institutions organizations firms and other structures needed the manpower equipped with specialized ideas and skills Resultantly a major portion of the population rested nonadjustable in different sectors Hence, the population expansion stood a big challenge for the countries It is very much unfortunate that in the developing countries the people still living a traditional life style and unthoughtfully increasing population Pakistan is one these countries and the annual population growth is 2 5%, which is the highest one in south Asian countries The tradition of polygamy and early marriages is a common practice in the rural settings The
in the poor class who can even not afford to admit their children in the government schools lest admitting them in the private and high-paid schools Consequently these less-literate and unskilled youth bulk automatically proves a burden on our society and their mishandling and disengagement could lead our country towards an uncertain end and culminates on high rate of crimes and other anti-social acts It is an undeniable fact that in Pakistan no one is feeling him or herself secure The flight of masses to the other countries is a threating alert rather than a blessing as deemed by the ex-care taker PM Anwaar ul Haq kakar Every year millions of people are fleeing from country through legal and illegal channels Investors are afraid of investing in the country No one can exhibit his wealth in the country owing to bitter consequences Snatching, bandit, thefts, robbery, abduction etc are very common The murders for resistance to handover bike or other belongings are reported often These all are the byproduct of unchecked population explosion Our population is increasing with the pace of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 and resources are increasing with the speed of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 and so on The gap between these ratios nourishes to crimes thefts and delinquency etc The people need food shelter, clothes and other necessities of life, but due to fewer availability of jobs and income sources they turn to use illegal ways According to criminologists and the police 1administrators one of the major reasons behind crimes is the unavailability of jobs and inefficient sources of income In the technological era the circle of jobs is shrinking rapidly The machines and especially robots and artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly overlapping the labor force The modern technology has infiltrated in each field The harvesting buildings constructions office works driving teaching shops running in short every field is swiftly shifting to robot and AI The technical and professional fields are being overlapped by AI technology The robotic medical instruments are speedily penetrating into the markets, which could conduct tests, execute checkups and so on satisfactorily The doctors and nurses are replaced by the robots Presently on the global level largely and in Pakistan barely the robots are successfully engage in surgery with the highest accuracy Consequently these are the cheapest and reasonable tools to be adopted Besides their economic ease these robotic instruments can easily be updated within split of seconds across the globe regarding any new virus variant or disease owing to their thorough connection with the internet However updating such number of doctors may take many years The traditional sources of income are obsoleting and the new patterns of jobs are inducting in the market force The outstanding and highest degrees are getting their value down In this situation only those people can succeed who may come up with some new idea or skill To preempt the alarming situation of population explosion and adjust with the influx of modern technology the public and state should take the situation seriously in their individual capacities The people should understand the repercussions of futuristic challenges and issues and should prepare likewise Similarly, the state should critically chalk out strategies and pragmatically implement these strategies to prepare for the future untoward experiments The population should be controlled at any cost The existing population control policies have borne no satisfactory results Moving with the prevailing mode and tempo the situation is further going to disrupt and literally heading towards an irreparable end Moreover the young generation should be trained through the vocational settings to instill them with the new ideas and skills The students should be oriented with the artificial intelligence in schools, colleges and universities to the possible level The present situation needs to be improved otherwise the AI revolution and flood would carry all structures with itself Muhammad Rahim Nasar Lecturer in the Department of Sociology University of Balochistan Quetta Email rahimnasar83@gmail com
H E N in days gone by and in the line of duty I encountered Olivia de Havilland in Paris Barry Humphries in a vintage car museum, or Maureen Lipman up the Amazon, such sacred beasts went on to be my friends, who never seemed to mind if I was rude or indiscreet about them in print Barbara Windsor even let me share her foot spa A time there was when the appeal of journalism was meeting celebrities on their own Stanley Price, who died in 2019, in his 88th year, was another old-school hack who was fortunate to be working at a time without the interventions or encumbrances of the minders and lawyers insisting upon signed-in-triplicate confidentiality agreements which today make everyone of Z-list status and above tediously cautious and controlling Stars now expect copy approval, headline approval, photograph approval But Stanley, when working for the entertainment department of Life magazine and other publications, could simply pick up the phone and take anybody to lunch For example Mandy Rice-Davies came his way Mandy a model from Wales was the foxy friend of Christine Keeler with her own part to play in the Profumo scandal back in 1962 When Lord Astor denied having had an affair with her, Mandy told the judge, ‘Well, he would, wouldn’t he?’ A riposte now found in The Oxford Book Of Quotations Stanley escorted Mandy to a photoshoot where she was to dress up in 18th-century wench s garb The proprietor of the magazine was Michael Heseltine, who decided to be present, to keep an eye on his investment There were some urgent discussions with the photographer, Terence Donovan, who turned away from Heseltine to say, ‘Mandy love bit more of the knockers!’ Mandy ended up running a nightclub in Tel Aviv and was directed in a Ray Cooney farce in Hebrew according to Stanley who himself was Jewish and raised in Dublin During National Service he was a sergeant in the Army Educational Corp, then read History at Cambridge His parents were initially disappointed hoping Stanley would have trained to be a doctor Your son will be an educated man one of the dons told Stanley s father who took this as a reassurance (I m an educated man it gets you nowhere ) Stanley watched Churchill s state funeral on television in the company of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, who both wept copiously while drinking champagne Burton was wearing cufflinks Churchill had given him he used to watch the Welsh actor perform at the Old Vic and came backstage to use the lavatory In Cuba, Stanley s lunch with Graham Greene was interrupted by the odd, accidental burst of machine-gun fire’ Greene was ‘all affability’, and very keen on obtaining information about Havana’s prostitutes availing himself of their services Stanley should have introduced the novelist to his friend Lady Jeanne Campbell sometime wife of Norman Mailer, and stepdaughter of the Duchess of Argyll, who in the space of a few months, rumour had it, slept with three presidents Kennedy, Khruschev and Fidel Castro (the last two hotly denied by her daughter) Eventually Stanley branched out publishing novels writing plays and hiring himself out as a script doctor for Hollywood where the ethos was If you ve got money, anything is for sale He laboured on Arabesque, where Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren are pursued across the Crumlin Viaduct in Wales Though Stanley wrote the script he and the crew never did quite understand the plot Loren told him, Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti’ Stanley was invited to kiss her, but unfortunately her face was caked in latex make-up Anthony Quinn by contrast was armoured only inside his own stupid ego He wanted everything rewritten on a forgotten epic called Caravans, made in Iran, to inflate his role Quinn banged his fist on the table, bashed the furniture and carried on like a lunatic ‘You think this is an ending for me? To die? I never die in my films!’ The elderly Stewart Granger was just as vain expecting the Scotland Yard inspector he was playing to end up in bed with the young heroine (Susan Hampshire) It was Stanley s job to explain to Granger that this was an unsavoury suggestion I mumbled something about the exigencies of the plot’ Stanley lived in Muswell Hill in North London but even this wasn’t without drama His neighbour was Dennis Nilsen who blocked the drains with the remains of his murder victims Kate Adie was outside for weeks, giving TV bulletins The main effect on Stanley was that his house was unsellable for 17 years Offered at a knockdown price, not even TV actress Liza Goddard and her (then) husband pop star Alvin Stardust were keen Maureen Lipman in the foreword says Stanley was erudite emotional dry witty and intellectual And although these qualities are intermittently reflected in this book, it must be said that Stanley s lunch with Marilyn was somewhat inconsequential His job was to collect her from the WaldorfAstoria Hotel in New York and he found her nervous a mess I don t know why I agreed to have this crazy lunch she muttered The lunch took place at the top of the Time-Life Building on Sixth Avenue The host was Henry Luce, the billionaire panjandrum whose magazines dominated U S popular culture in the days before television Marilyn was feted with oysters caviar champagne she was a perfect example of Luce s belief that what readers wanted were titillating trivialities about glamorous celebrities Stanley sat silently down the other end of the table, miles below the salt So, a better title would have been, I Didn’t Really Have Lunch With Marilyn Stanley had lost her on the way to the lift She wandered away down corridors Eventually she was discovered in the Ladies popping a mystery pill Pharmaceutically enhanced she transformed herself into Marilyn She looked almost like her publicity photos , in her scarf and dark glasses ‘Thank you for looking after me,’ Marilyn whispered flirtatiously to Stanley, who was weak at the knees My Lunch With Marilyn And Other Stories by Stanley Price (Sandycove £14 99 208pp) Celebrity packed, gossipy memoir I n d
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market in the country Among these youths a handsome number of youth includes of those students who have their degrees from prominent institutions of the country and abroad The competition is on its peak Thousands of candidates apply for very limited number of jobs Resultantly many competent students remain unsuccessful This is the situation of a segment of the society who can afford heavy fees and can read in the prominent institutions But the dilemma lies over here that the high rate of child reproduction exists more
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g Major General Haliva, other senior Israeli commanders, admit failure to prevent deadliest attack in Israel ’s histor y
TIn a major upset for Modi, anti-India par t y wins Maldives elections
Turkey ’s Erdogan in rare Iraq visit to disc uss water, oil, sec urity
, b u t also problems, Sudani said during an event at the Atlantic Council on the sidelines of a recent visit to Washington Water and security will be at the top of the agenda he said of the upcoming meeting with Erdogan who last visited Iraq in 2011 The trip comes as regional tensions spiral, fuelled by the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and attacks between Israel and Iran Farhad Alaaldin foreign affairs adviser to Sudani told that the main topics Erdogan will discuss with Iraqi officials include investments, trade security aspects of the cooperation between the two countries water management and water
resources” The sharing of water resources is a major point of contention with Baghdad highly critical of upstream dams set up by Turkey on their shared Tigris and Euphrates rivers which have worsened water scarcity in Iraq E r d o g a n s a i d t h e i s s u e o f water would be “one of the most important points” of his visit foll o w i n g “ r e q u e s t s ” m a d e b y t h e Iraqi side We will make an effort to resolve them that is also their wish, he said Iraqi oil exports are another point of tension, with a major pipeline shut down for over a year over legal disputes and technical issues The exports were previously independently sold by the autonomous Kurdistan region without
the approval or oversight of the central administration in Baghdad, through the Turkish port of Ceyhan The halted oil sales represent more than $14 billion in lost revenue for Iraq according to an estimate by the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan which represents international oil companies active in the region Majid al-Lajmawi Iraq’s ambassador to Turkey hopes for progress on the water and energy issues, and in the process of resuming Iraqi oil exports via Turkey , according to a statement published by the Iraqi foreign ministry The ambassador also expects the signing of a strategic framework agreement on security economy and development
UAE launches militar y exercise with 10-nation par ticipation
US, Philippines kick off joint militar y drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops MANILA Ag e n c i e s Some 16 000 US and Philippine troops kicked off the annual joint military drills on Monday in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), local media reported WPS is the official designation by Philippines to the parts of the
China
conducted
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Times reported citing the military A total of 14 nations including Japan and India will take part in the drills as observers amid mounting maritime tensions in the South China Sea Contingents from the Australian Defence Force and the French Navy will also join the exercise as participants France will join the group sail but will only navigate on the edge of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in WPS The Japan Defense Force was supposed to join the maritime sail but did not respond to the Philippine army s invitation on time This year s maritime drill will, for the first time, go beyond the Philippines 12nautical-mile territorial waters During the exercises, the participants will execute a range of complex missions across domains including maritime security air and missile defence, dynamic missile strikes, cyber defence, and information operations
in building the global food supply chains Ambassador Usman Jadoon deputy permanent representative of Pakistan said at the forum attended by over 1 000 youth leaders and activists from around the world
At the same time, he extended Pakistan s support to the UN Secretary-General’s call for urgent reform of the global financial system notably how to approach debt relief on behalf of the billions of distressed citizens living in the developing world saying it was critical for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 2) to end world hunger
Ambassador Jadoon also underscored the need for concerted international efforts to establish resilient and sustainable food systems that can withstand shocks and disruptions in light of the increasing
Deepfakes of Bolly wood stars spark worries of AI meddling in Indian elec tions
dupattas ornate turbans and intricately designed footwear, offered a vivid representation of our cultural heritage
Tuesday 23 Apr l 2024 LAHORE 06 NEWS JERUSALEM Ag e n c e s
HE head of Israeli military intelligence has resigned after accepting responsibility for the failures that allowed the devastating Hamasled attack on Israel on Oct 7, the military said on Monday Major General Aharon Haliva a 38-year veteran of the military was one of a number of senior Israeli commanders who said they had failed to foresee and prevent the deadliest attack in Israel s history “The intelligence division under my command did not live up to the task we were entrusted with I have carried that black day with me ever since,” he said in a resignation letter released by the military He will remain in post until a successor is named Israeli media and commentators expect further resignations once the main military campaign in Gaza wraps up The Oct 7 attack badly tarnished the reputation of the Israeli military and intelligence services previously seen as virtually unbeatable by armed Palestinian groups like Hamas In the early hours of the morning following an intense rocket barrage thousands of fighters from Hamas and other groups broke through security barriers around Gaza, surprising Israeli forces and rampaging through communities in southern Israel Some 1 200 Israelis and foreigners were killed in the attack most of them civilians and around 250 were taken into captivity in Gaza where 133 remain as hostages according to Israeli tallies T h e h e a d o f t h e a r m e d f o r c e s , L i e ut e n a n t - G e n e r a l H e r z i H a l e v i , a n d t h e h e a d o f t h e d o m e s t i c i n t e l l i g e n c e a g e n c y S h i n B e t R o n e n B a r b o t h a c c e p t e d r es p o n s i b i l i t y i n t h e a f t e r m a t h o f t h e a t t a c k b u t h a v e s t a y e d o n w h i l e t h e w a r i n G a z a h a s c o n t i n u e d By contrast, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far not accepted responsibility for the Oct 7 attack, although surveys indicate that most Israelis blame him for failing to do enough to prevent or defend against it In response to the attack, Israel launched an offensive against Gaza that has so far killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, and left the densely populated enclave in ruins I S R A E L I M I L I TA R Y I N T E L L I G E N C E H E A D R E S I G N S O V E R O C T. 7 FA I L U R E S BAGHDAD Ag e n c e s Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due in neighboring Iraq for his first state visit there in years, with water, oil, and regional security issues expected to top the agenda Erdogan is scheduled to meet w i t h I r a q i P r i m e M i n i s t e r M oh a m e d S h i a a l - S u d a n i a n d P r e s id e n t A b d e l L a t i f R a s h i d i n Baghdad before visiting officials i n A r b i l t h e c a p i t a l o f n o r t h e r n Iraq s autonomous Kurdistan Region Iraq and Turkey share a hist o r y a n d h a v e s i m i l a r i t i e s i n t e r e s t s a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s
CHINA n e w s D e s k I n a d e c i s i v e e l e c t o r a l v i c t o r y, t h e p a r t y o f P r e s id e n t M o h a m e d M u i z z u s e c u r e d a c o m m a n d i n g m a j o r i t y i n t h e M a l d i v e s ’ p a r l i a m e n t a r y e l e ct i o n s a s r e p o r t e d b y m e d i a o u t l e t s o n M o n d a y T h i s r e s u l t i s e x p e c t e d t o p i v o t t h e I n d i a n O c e a n n a t i o n t o w a r d s C h i n a d i s t a n c i n g i t f r o m i t s l o n g s t a n d i n g a l l y I n d i a T h e P e o p l e s N a t i o n a l C o n g r e s s ( P N C ) , l e d b y M u i z z u , c a p t u r e d 6 5 o u t o f t h e 9 3 c o n t e s t e d s e a t s o n S u n d a y, a c c o r d i n g t o e a r l y f i g u r e s f r o m t h e M a l d i v e s E l e c t i o n s C o m m i s s i o n a n d m e d i a f o r e c a s t s I n c o n t r a s t , t h e p r i n c i p a l o p p o s i t i o n t h e M a l d i v e s D e m oc r a t i c P a r t y ( M D P ) s a w i t s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n d r am a t i c a l l y r e d u c e d t o j u s t 1 2 s e a t s f r o m a p r e v i o u s 6 5 T h e g e o p o l i t i c a l c o m p e t i t i o n b et w e e n B e i j i n g a n d N e w D e l h i o v e r i n f l u e n c e i n t h e I n d o - P a c i f i c h a s s e e n b o t h n a t i o n s s e e k c l o s e r t i e s w i t h t h e M a l d i v e s S i n c e h i s e l e c t i o n l a s t y e a r M u i z z u h a s c o m m i t t e d t o a b a n d o n i n g t h e “ I n d i a F i r s t ” s t r a t e g y t h e r e b y e x a c e r b a t i n g t e n s i o n s w i t h N e w D e l h i H i s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n h a s a l s o i n s t r u c t e d s e v e r a l I n d i a n m i l i t a r y p e r s o n n e l t o d e p a r t f r o m t h e M a l d i v e s , a m o v e v i e w e d b y s o m e a s s i g n a l i n g a c l o s e r a l i g n m e n t w i t h C h i n a D e s p i t e t h e r e s u l t s , M u i z z u ’s p r e s i d e n t i a l t e n u r e r e m a i n s u n a ff e c t e d b y S u n d a y ’s e l e c t i o n , w h e r e 3 6 8 c a n d i d a t e s v i e d f o r f i v e - y e a r t e r m s B e f o r e t h e e l e c t i o n t h e P N C c a m p a i g n e d f o r a s t r o n g p a r l i a m e n t a r y m a j o r i t y t o e x p e d i t e t h e i m p l em e n t a t i o n o f t h e p r e s i d e n t s c a m p a i g n p r o m i s e s O p p o s i t i o n p a r t i e s h a v e v o i c e d c r i t i c i s m s o f M u i z z u s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , t a rg e t i n g i t s f o r e i g n p o l i c y a n d e c o n o m i c m a n a g e m e n t , w i t h a f o c u s o n h o l d i n g t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o a c c o u n t MUMBAI Ag e n c i e s In fake videos that have gone viral online two of India s A-lister Bollywood actors are seen criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asking people to vote for the opposition Congress party in the country’s ongoing general election In a 30-second video that shows Aamir Khan and another 41-second clip of Ranveer Singh the two Bollywood actors purportedly say Modi failed to keep campaign promises and failed to address critical economic issues during his two terms as prime minister Both AI-generated videos end with the Congress election symbol and slogan: “Vote for Justice Vote for Congress” The two videos have been viewed on social media more than half a million times since last week, a Reuters review shows Their spread underlines the potential role such AI (artificial intelligence)-generated content can play in the mammoth Indian election that started on Friday and will continue until June AI and AI-generated fakes or deepfakes are being increasingly used in elections elsewhere in the world, including in the US, Pakistan and Indonesia Campaigning in India has long focused on door-to-door outreach and public rallies but extensive use of WhatsApp and Facebook as campaigning tools started in 2019 This year s general election – in which Modi is expected to secure a rare third term – is the first in which AI is being used
ABU DHABI Ag e n c i e s The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Monday that it started a three-week joint military exercise named Desert Flag 9, with participation from 10 countries “Air forces from brotherly and friendly nations have arrived in the UAE s territory to start the multinational joint exercise Desert Flag 9 for the year 2024 the UAE Ministry of Defence said in a statement The participating countries include Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, the United States, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany The military drill, as per the ministry aims to enhance combat efficiency and readiness as well as facilitate the exchange of military expertise through various scenarios over the course of three weeks The ministry shared footage on X showing the exercise s commencement, featuring aerial sorties and lectures for military personnel NEW YORK Ag e n c i e s Pakistan has told the just-concluded UN Economic and Social (ECOSOC) Youth Forum that it supports the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in creating a facility with broader and people-centric criteria to further strengthen it s efforts to defeat hunger, improve nutrition and food security in the developing countries “We have considerable potential in the agriculture sector and could play an important role
challenges
facing
convergence of
from supply chain disruptions to economic contractions,
posed significant threats to the ability of existing food systems to provide nutritious,
affordable
populous
significant
im-
generations
of
to its GDP and employing a significant portion of its labour force Ambassador Usman Jadoon referred to Pakistan s 2022 devastating floods, which destroyed 4 4 million acres of standing crops, and said that the catastrophe led to a stark realization of the extreme vulnerability of food systems and the pressing challenges that climate-vulnerable countries faced He said that despite its considerable potential in the agriculture sector Pakistan was grappling with the repercussions of cascading crises, including soaring food prices in the international market Ambassador Jadoon said that Pakistan advocated for international assistance that not only addressed immediate emergencies but also prioritized the long-term sustain-ability and resilience of food systems in the vulnerable nations He said that a holistic approach that considered both short-term challenges and long-term prospects was essential to ensure food security, particularly for the youth who represent the future As a nation committed to the well-being of its people and the global community he said Pakistan calls on all stake-holders to join hands in building resilient food systems that can withstand the challenges of today and tomorrow Pak istan says it backs UN agenc y in ensuring food Pakistan’s culture & cuisine attract audiences at Int’l
reported The festival was a resounding success uniting over 22 countries to celebrate cultural diversity and culinary delights under the theme Five Continents Culture Four Seas Cuisine One of the standout booths at the festival was the Pakistani exhibit, which drew significant attention for its unique cuisine and vibrant cultural displays Or-
vulnerability of global food systems to a multitude of
He warned that the world was
a
crises from conflicts to climate change and
which
safe, and
diets for all The Pakistani envoy said that as the fifth most
country in the world with a
youthful population Pakistan recognized the critical
portance of safeguarding food systems for future
Agriculture, he said, was the backbone
the country s economy, contributing substantially
Cultural Festival Shenzhen Universit y BEIJING s tA f f R e p o R t Pakistani rice culture and traditional food attracted Chinese and international audiences at The Seventh International Cultural Festival organized by the College of International Education at Shenzhen University, Gwadar Pro
ganized by a dedicated team of Pakistani students and supported by the Consulate General of Pakistan in Guangzhou, the booth showcased a tantalizing array of dishes, including Chicken Biryani, Gol Gappy, and Rice Pudding, prepared with authenticity and adorned with traditional Pakistani attire Throughout the event the Pakistani booth attracted a diverse audience hundreds of international students, Chinese students, and teachers, who savored the flavors of Pakistan and immersed themselves in its rich cultural heritage The display of traditional Pakistani attire including vibrant embroidered dresses intricate shalwar kameez sets paired with colorful
South
Sea
s exclusive economic zone
dubbed “Balikatan 2024,” will
Philippine and 11 000 US troops making it the largest joint military drills between the two allies
in
local English daily Manila
IESCO recovers Rs2735.80m from defaulters in anti-power pilferage drive: CEO
07 NEWS Tuesday 23 Apri 2024 | LAHORE CORPORATE CORNER PR OFIT N e w S D e S k P AKISTAN S information technology exports increased by 37% year-on-year (YoY) and by 19% month-on-month (MoM) to $306 million in March 2024 These are the highest-ever exports in a single month with the previous highest being $303 million in December 2023 These monthly IT exports in March are also higher than the last 12-month average of $238 million According to Topline Pakistan Research, this yearly jump in IT exports is due to a relaxation in the permissible retention limit by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) increasing it from 35% to 50% in the Exporters Specialized Foreign Currency Accounts and a stable local currency which encouraged IT companies to repatriate their foreign income and deposit it in local accounts During the first nine months (JulyMarch) of the ongoing fiscal year IT exports clocked in at $2 28 billion up by 17% YoY compared to $1 94 billion recorded in 9MFY23 Net IT exports (exports-imports) also recorded an increase of 37% YoY and 20% MoM to $275 million in March 2024 These net IT exports in March are also higher than the last 12month average of $208 million In 9MFY24 net IT exports recorded a growth of 16% YoY to $1 99 billion In a recent interview Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb stated that IT exports are likely to reach $3 5 billion this year Although there has been a growth in gross IT exports during 9MFY24 the government s target appears challenging We anticipate that gross IT exports for FY24 will likely fall around $3 0 billion compared to $2 6 billion recorded last year ” read the brokerage note PA K I S TA N ’ S I T E X P O R T S B O O S T B Y 3 7 % Y O Y T O $ 3 0 6 M I N M A R C H 2 0 24 ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t Following directives given by the Government of Pakistan and the Federal Minister of Energy Power Division a vigorous crackdown on electricity thieves is going on in all six operation circles of Islamabad Electric Supply Company IESCO According to details, a comprehensive and indiscriminate Campaign against power pilfers and defaulters was started on September 7 2023 in all six operation circles of IESCO So far IESCO detection teams along with FIA and police checked 1 62 million meters of different tariffs On account of using direct power supply slow and tempered meter etc teams charged fines of 576 751 million to power Pilferers 1479 FIRs were registered and 1093 electricity thieves got arrested by the police With the same passion and devotion IESCO recovery teams recovered an amount of 2735 80 million from 107435 running and dead defaulters and also disconnected transformers and meters of non-paying bill customers Chief Executive Office IESCO Dr Muhammad Amjad Expressed his commitment regarding zero tolerance against power theft and defaulters and said that this national Campaign will continue without any hindrance and we
electricity
Open
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issues
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the same spirit and with a sense of professional responsibility IESCO has issued a schedule of open Katchary in all operational circles According to the details, Islamabad Circle (IESCO Operation Sub Division Jhika Gali Guldana) Rawalpindi City Circle (Main Double Road Opposite NUST University Near UIT Tower Islamabad), Rawalpindi Cantt Circle (IESCO Operation Sub Division Sagri), Attock Circle (IESCO Operation Sub Division Sangjani) Jhelum Circle (IESCO Operation Sub Division Domeli) and Chakwal Circle (Near Pir Shahani Jadeed Masjid, Dhako Road, Chakwal) Superintending Engineers will hold Open Kachary on April, 24, 2024 (Wednesday) From 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and will issue necessary instructions to resolve the issues of consumers on the spot FBR chief lends sympathetic ear to taxpayers’ concerns in e-cour t ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana held E-Kachehri at FBR Headquarters on Monday to listen to the issues of taxpayers and provide prompt assistance The EKachehri provided a platform to taxpayers to convey their concerns directly to Chairman FBR and also give their suggestions regarding tax-related issues and matters During the Kachehri Chairman FBR directly received telephone calls from taxpayers and listened to their grievances and recommendation The Chairman gave on-spot directions to relevant offices to promptly resolve issues of the taxpayers Chairman FBR also appreciated the suggestions given by some taxpayers and assured them that their valued input would be duly considered He reiterated that FBR was taking all possible measures to facilitate the taxpayers by ensuring timely provision of services and promote tax culture and compliance across the country E-Kachehri by Chairman FBR provides an opportunity to taxpayers to directly communicate with the Chairman for redressal of their grievances and also helps keep a check on the performance of the Field Formations Chairman FBR has already directed all Field Formations to timely resolve the taxpayers concerns through improved service delivery ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t Living up to its standing as a responsible corporate entity Pakistan's leading digital microfinance bank Mobilink Bank carried out a nationwide plantation drive to help enhance the country s forest cover as well as mitigate the looming impacts of climate change Mobilink Bank s teams from all 109 branches nationwide participated in the drive with remarkable enthusiasm and planted approximately 5000 saplings to protect the environment and hand down a serene and greener Pakistan to future generations The campaign was part of Mobilink Bank s Climate Action Program Change to Sustain which envisions a sustainable and prosperous Pakistan that is resilient and effectively shielded against the farreaching impacts of climate change Sustainability is at the heart of the Bank's corporate philosophy which it seeks to replicate through impactful social responsibility initiatives for the broader societal benefit Mobilink Bank is part of the VEON group, a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160 million customers in six dynamic markets that are home to 7% of world s population Apart from the teams from Mobilink Bank branches senior officials from district administration State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) faculty members of various educational institutions, and members of civil society also attended the plantation drives in multiple cities and towns They expressed hope that the endeavor will boost environmental protection besides improving air quality and the natural beauty of the urban and rural centers thereby positively impacting the lives of citizens Sharing his thoughts regarding the plantation drive, Chief Operating Offic e r o f M o b i l i n k B a n k , H a a r i s M a hm o o d C h a u d h a r y s a i d “ M o b i l i n k B a n k i s p r o u d t o a c h i e v e t h e r e m a r ka b l e m i l e s t o n e o f p l a n t i n g a p p r o x imately 5000 trees nationwide under its C l i m a t e A c t i o n P r o g r a m C h a n g e t o S u s t a i n T h e p r o g r a m s t e m s f r o m o u r organizational values of sustainability a n d s o c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y, w h e r e w e seek to create shared value for the comm u n i t i e s w e s e r v e T h e n e e d f o r a gg r e s s i v e p l a n t a t i o n c a n n o t b e overstated as Pakistan is amongst the top eight countries most affected by climate change Our program strengthens t h e s a f e g u a r d s a g a i n s t c l i m a t e c h a n g e t o p r o t e c t t h e l i v e l i h o o d s , n a t u r a l r es o u r c e s , a n d l i v e s o f v u l n e r a b l e c o mm u n i t i e s m a i n l y w o m e n We f i r m l y believe we can build a sustainable and prosperous future for our country FBR conducts countr ywide crackdown on Illicit sale of counter feit and non-stamped cigarettes ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t Upon the directions of Chairman FBR Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana and under the direct supervision of the Member Inland Revenue (Operations) Mr Mir Badshah Khan Wazir IR Field Formations of FBR during counterevasion operation, has conducted countrywide crackdown on counterfeit and non-stamped cigarettes and seized 1,235 Packerites of cigarettes having approximate value of Rs96 Million A total number of 4 652 retail outlets all over the country have been visited out of which 33 have been sealed for illicit tobacco trade It is pertinent to mention that a total of 204 teams comprising 1047 number of total human resource has taken part in an enforcement drive to curb movement of illicit cigarettes The Chairman FBR, Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana and Member Inland Revenue (Operations) Mr Mir Badshah Khan Wazir, lauded the efforts of IR field formations taking part in the said exercise Milestones achieved in restructuring of PIACL ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t Two significant milestones were achieved in in the restructuring of the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL) on 20th & 21st April 2024 as the shareholders and creditors of PIACL approved the Scheme of Arrangement filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) As a part of the privatisation process, the Federal Cabinet approved legal segregation and restructuring of PIACL following which a Scheme of Arrangement (SoA) was filed in SECP on 28th March 2024 As regulatory requirement by SECP to restructure the PIACL the SoA was required to be approved by the shareholders and Creditors of the PIACL The blue print of the restructuring was presented to the Shareholders of PIACL during the Extra Ordinary General Meeting held on 20th April 2024, which was overwhelmingly approved by the Shareholders with 99 97% votes casted favour Likewise in the Creditor s meeting of PIACL creditors held on 21st April 2024 the restructuring plan and SoA was endorsed by the Creditors Thus satisfying two major requirements for processing of SoA by SECP The restructuring will deliver a significantly debt-lite PIA, with better cash flows, focused on aviation and providing foundation for future growth to potential investors while ensuring value creation for Shareholders B I S P, N AV T TC j o i n h a n d s fo r e n h a n c e d s k i l l s t r a i n i n g o f B I S P b e n e f i c i a r i e s ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) at BISP HQs today The primary objective of this MoU is to establish a robust framework for cooperation between NAVTTC and BISP in executing the Skills Training Vouchers Programme This initiative is specifically designed to extend access to highquality technical and vocational education to members of BISP beneficiary families The signing ceremony was graced by the presence of distinguished personalities, including Chairperson BISP, Dr Muhammad Amjad Saqib who witnessed the historic moment Representing BISP Ms Saira Atta Director General (CI) and from NAVTTC Mr Shafiq Khokhar, Director General (P&D), formally inked the agreement, symbolizing a commitment to mutual cooperation and shared objectives Among the esteemed participants were Mr Amir Jan Executive Director NAVTTC and Ms Gulmina Bilal Ahmed Director General NAVTTC alongside Director Generals from BISP, collectively underscoring the significance and collective dedication towards this collaborative endeavor Unit y Foods set to host 7th Edition of Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t The 7th Edition of the Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit (LIIBS) Pakistan's premier corporate event is set to be hosted in the capital city on April 23rd and 24th 2024 Unity Foods stands as a proud supporter of the conference that brings together global leaders strategists, innovators, and futurists to discuss and shape the business landscape of tomorrow Under the overarching theme of "Collaborating for Growth," LIIBS 2024 aims to foster cooperative efforts among industry stakeholders to drive sustainable leadership initiatives within the country Sponsorship of the holistic event signifies the commitment of Unity Foods to facilitating discussions influencing strategic frameworks, and executing ideas that contribute to the sustainable development of Pakistan's business ecosystem The Summit this year will welcome distinguished government representatives including Muhammad Aurangzeb Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue; Prof Ahsan Iqbal Federal Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives; Senator Dr Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Petroleum & Water Resources; Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan
ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t China’s leading energy sustainability company Xin Xing has embarked on a transformative journey in Takal Village Punjab Pakistan bringing hope and progress to over 3000 residents from middle to lowerincome backgrounds The collaborative effort between Xin Xing and the Takal village community marks a significant step towards sustainable development and prosperity The warm reception extended by Takal s elders nobles and community members exemplifies the spirit of unity and shared commitment to progress Public representatives from diverse political affiliations also joined hands in supporting this noble cause Dr Talat Shabbir, a resident of the Takal Village and Director of the China Pakistan Study Center at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, delivered a welcoming address underscoring Xin Xing s commitment to brightening Pakistan starting from the heart of its countryside He emphasized that over 200 deserving families were identified to benefit from this endeavor receiving solar kits to alleviate their energy needs Expressing gratitude for the community's collaboration, Chairman of Xin Xing, David Lee, affirmed their dedication to improving lives starting with Takal Village He further said Xin Xing International Solar Energy Technology Development Private Co Ltd renowned for its lithium-ion battery manufacturing and comprehensive power system solutions, is poised to establish a production facility in Pakistan by 2025 This facility will not only cater to local demands but also export a diverse product line to the region and beyond, fostering local employment and expertise With a focus on research and development, Xin Xing aims to introduce innovative solutions, including solar-based vehicles refrigerators ovens and electric scooters advancing sustainability efforts The solar kits provided by Xin Xing include charging units two light bulbs and a solar panel demonstrating the company s commitment to empowering rural families with reliable energy solutions Xin Xing's solar power system, designed for small rural households, can power six units, which can be one fan and three light bulbs for up to 8-10 hours charging efficiently through solar panels As a frontrunner in lithium-ion battery technology Xin Xing emphasizes quality efficiency and innovation in its operations With over 20 years of expertise and a dedicated team, the company remains steadfast in its mission to contribute to sustainable energy solutions globally Takal Village, situated in the Rawalpindi District of Punjab Pakistan represents the first step in Xin Xing's journey towards creating a brighter and more sustainable future embodying the company s commitment to social responsibility and community development Takal Village, located in Punjab, Pakistan, is the largest village in the Choha Khalsa Union Council of Kallar Syedan Tehsil With a rich history and a vibrant community, Takal Village represents a significant milestone in Xin Xing s efforts to empower more than 3000 people of rural communities with sustainable energy solutions ‘C re at i n g B r i g h t Fu t u re s ’ : X i n X i n g l a u n c h e s s o l a r i n i t i at i ve i n Ta k a l Vi l l a g e g I T e x p o r t s c l o c k i n a t $ 2 2 8 b , u p b y 1 7 % Yo Y i n 9 M F Y 2 4 Mobilink Bank c arries out nationwide plantation to ramp up safeguards against climate change Pakistan commends CIDCA for continued suppor t in economic development ISLAMABAD: A delegation from the Chinese International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), led by His Excellency Mr Lou Zhaohai, Chairman of CIDCA commenced a substantive five-day visit to Pakistan from April 21st to April 25th 2024 Accompanied by the Ambassador of the People s Republic of China to Pakistan His Excellency Mr Jiang Zaidong the delegation is participating in significant deliberations with the aim of strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two nations The delegation called on the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Mr Ahad Khan Cheema, on 22nd April 2024 at the Ministry of Economic Affairs Minister for Economic Affairs extended a warm welcome to Chairman CIDCA and acknowledged the instrumental role CIDCA plays in bolstering Pakistan s developmental endeavors, further solidifying the enduring partnership between the two nations He extended his condolences on the recent tragic incident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and assured that the Government of Pakistan is taking concrete steps for enhancing security measures for the Chinese officials working in Pakistan S ta f f r e p o rt IMF’s $3b package encouraging but have to implement tax reforms in true spirit: Dr Aftab KARACHI S ta f f r e p o r t Dean of Indus University Dr Aftab Madni has said that it is encouraging that Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has given out hope to the masses that the country could get $3 billion package from International Monitory Fund (IMF) considered to be vital for sustenance of falling economy However he underlined the need to implement the recommendations of the IMF regarding tax reforms in a true spirit Pick and chose wouldn t help the reform process he said In a statement on Monday, Dr Aftab Madni stressed that the IMF has explicitly recommended that there has to be uniformed tax on cigarettes regardless of their national or multinational brand He said that this alone will generate revenue in billions NHMP foils bid to smuggle 121 kg drugs ISLAMABAD: The National Highways and Motorways Police (NHMP) on Monday foiled a bid to smuggle 121 kilograms of drugs but the smugglers managed to escape According to details, the NHMP signaled to stop a suspected vehicle near Swabi but the accused sped away After being chased the accused left the vehicle by roadside in nearby location and fled away During search of the vehicle 87 kg of hashish and 34 kg of heroin were recovered from its secret cavities S ta f f r e p o r t
will not allow anyone to use even sign units of
without paying bill
courts best forum to address consumers issues
IESCO management and field formations have always tried to address the
of esteemed customers on priority basis while at the same time ensuring
provision of best services to them In
Leghari, Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division); and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for IT & Telecom along with a diverse array of corporate leaders from across different industries in the country
Unlike our assumptions, PTI founder showed resistance, confesses S anaullah
I can give so many reasons against my defeat but I consented What Javed Latif is saying about election is wrong I am believing as much about defeat also believe with that certainty that Javed Latif was also defeated , he said Javed Latif has grudge, when he has been defeated in the election, how Rana Tanvir won it ” Rana Sana said ” I know his pain that could only be relieved with de-notification of Rana Tanvir It is a peculiar demand to open votes of Mian Sahib s constituency, he said No selection made in the election, neither someone was targeted, these all are conspiracy theories,” PML-N leader said “I exchanged harsh words with Qamar Javed Bajwa over booking me in the heroin case during a parliament function Rana Sana said The God will do justice over the case you booked me in, I told him He denied doing so but I told him you did it “It was the PTI’s founder who want it but it was materialized by Qamar Javed Bajwa ” Sanaullah said We failed to dispel the impression that the PML-N has nothing to do with the caretaker government, which was resulted in political consequences, he said “Mohsin Naqvi was not given the ministry only for PML-N but there were some other reasons too ” he said “Some amendments should be introduced that a member of the caretaker set-up should not
y d r o c a r b o n p r o d u c t i o n w i l l r e d u c e e n e r g y d e m a n d a n d s u p p l y g a p ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t
In a significant diplomatic move, Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi has arrived in Islamabad for a three-day official visit to Pakistan This marks the first visit by any foreign leader to Pakistan following the February 8 polls a development closely monitored by
become the part of the elected government Now every caretaker government will take steps to keep their political clout intact,” he said He said, “Faizabad sit-in was the Tehreek-e-Labbaik’s decision it is misperception that someone had ask them to stage sit-in former interior minister said I had talk with them as Punjab s law minister before their leaving Lahore, PML-N leader said They demanded resignation of Zahid Hamid We said the decision will be taken after inquiry of the matter by Raja Zafarul Haq When the inquiry report could not complete after four days they promised to remain peaceful asking us to let us go Federal government and the agencies decided not to stop the protest, which was feared to be resulted in loss of lives ” PML-N leader said “The PTI’s founder could inflict self-destruction or destroy the country Now it has to be seen what he is going to do first PMLN leader said He said politicians and political parties are responsible for political destabilization and they should confess it “Currently only the PTI’s founder has been a hurdle in political stability in the country he added
S audi Arabia greenlights ‘Road to Mak kah’ projec t implementation in Karachi
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 : 5 0 5 2 6 1 : 3 0 5 : 0 0 6 : 3 8 8 : 1 5 Tuesday 23 Apri 2024 NEWS Published by Asad Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 Email: newsroom@pakistantoday com pk PR OFIT N e w S D e S k P AKISTAN Petroleum Limited (PPL) has achieved a production gain of 17 MMscfd gas and 530 barrels per day of oil during the period from October 2023 to March 2024 through multiple production enhancement opportunities The company shared this development with the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) through a notice on Monday With many of the company s producing fields maturing and on their natural decline, it has identified and executed multiple production enhancement opportunities through rigorous technical analysis, state-of-the-art rig-less techniques and surface system optimization at a significantly lower cost than drilling new wells ” read the notice FOLLOWING IS THE SUMMARY OF THE MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS: Artificial Lift System: Added 450 barrels per day oil condensate by successfully installing the artificial lift system at Adhi South X-1 and Adhi South-5 Acid Stimulation and Wellbore Cleanout: Added 5 MMscfd gas production in Fazl X-1 in Hala Block and Adhi-19 by removing scale build-up across the tubing and the reservoir Surface De-Bottlenecking: Enhanced 7 MMscfd gas production from Sui Gas Field through optimization of GGM network, wellhead surface fittings, and chemical inhibition strategy, Optimization through Optimum Gas Blending: Increased 5 MMscfd gas and -80 barrels per day condensate through optimum blending of the high and low-quality gas in Gambat South processing facilities after commissioning the well Shahpur Chakar North X-1 The company said that it remains committed to ensuring a secure energy future for the country by maximizing domestic hydrocarbon production This additional and cost-effective indigenous hydrocarbon production will contribute to reducing the energy demand and supply gap and save significant foreign exchange for the country, it said P P L E N H A N C E S P R O D U C T I O N B Y 1 7 M M S C F D G A S , 5 3 0 B P D O I L FAISALABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Former interior minister and central leader of PML-N Rana Sanaullah on Monday said that the votes go to resistance, and one should confess that the PTI founder did resistance “The people love resistance, we did resistance for entire life but this time it goes to the opposite ” PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah said in an interview with a private TV He said he had been associated with Nawaz Sharif for last 32 years and did the politics of resistance We have to confess that the PTI’s founder also did resistance ” PML-N leader said
assumed that the PTI s
he did so We have to see if the PTI s resistance harmed us or our compromise he said It seems there is something between their resistance and our compromise,” he added
had
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11 terrorists neutralised in Nor th Waziristan, DI Khan IBOs: ISPR RAWALPINDI S ta f f R e p o R t Eleven terrorists were killed in fire exchange with security forces in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan districts the military’s media wing said on Monday According to a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) the operations took place last night It said that an intelligencebased operation was conducted in Dera Ismail Khan district on the reported presence of terrorists During conduct of the operation, after an intense fire exchange, ten terrorists were successfully neutralised and sent to hell,” it said “In another encounter in North Waziristan district own troops effectively engaged the terrorists location as a result of which one more terrorist was sent to hell the ISPR said It added that the militants were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area against security forces as well as civilians The ISPR further said that arms and ammunition were also recovered from their possession “Locals of the area appreciated the operations by the security forces who remain determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country the ISPR said Last week seven terrorists were killed while trying to infiltrate the Afghan-Pakistan border in North Waziristan district Earlier this month two militants were gunned down by security forces in an exchange of fire in North Waziristan district According to an annual security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies Pakistan witnessed 1 524 violence-related fatalities and 1 463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in 2023 marking a record six-year high KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t Saudi Arabian Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman has given the green light for the establishment of the Road to Makkah project facility at Karachi airport A delegation from Saudi Arabia accompanied by Saudi Consul General in Karachi Faleh Al-Rehaili visited Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) to initiate the project The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) stated that the purpose of the delegation’s visit was to assess airport facili t i e s a n d d i s c u s s a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r t h e R o a d t o M a k k a h p r o j e c t U p o n a r r i v a l the delegation was warmly welcomed by the airport authority s acting manager and o t h e r r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s w h o p r o v i d e d a comprehensive tour of the airport facilities The delegation inspected the pilgrimage process starting from the main entrance to the immigration area paying close attention to facilities and procedures They also held meetings with airport security, customs, and immigration officials to discuss processing requirements and procedures Particular emphasis was placed on the immigration process for pilgrims allocation of immigration space and differentiating between government and private scheme pilgrims It was stressed that pilgrims should arrive at least five hours before their flight to ensure sufficient time for necessary procedures Sources indicated that Saudi Arabian immigration facilities for Hajj pilgrims would be finalized at Karachi airport in the coming days Under the Road to Makkah project all necessary requirements for pilgrims traveling from Karachi and other parts of Sindh will be fulfilled at the airport Once cleared at the airport, pilgrims will bypass immigration at Jeddah and Medina airports proceeding directly to their accommodations This initiative already operational at Islamabad airport aims to simplify and streamline immigration processes for pilgrims, ensuring a seamless experience In May 2023, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Interior Minister, Dr Nasir Bin Abdul Aziz AlDawood visited Pakistan to finalize and sign an agreement related to the Road to Makkah project The project is expected to mark a significant milestone in enhancing the pilgrimage experience for travelers, facilitating their journey to Makkah with ease and efficiency
Mari Petroleum announces major oil discover y in Sindh PR OFIT N e w S D e S k Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) has announced an oil discovery resulting from its exploratory efforts at Shawal-l well, drilled in Mari Development and Production Lease (D&PL) located in Sindh Province MPCL shared this development with the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) through a notice on Monday As per the company s notice, Shawal-l well was spud in on January 27, 2024, and successfully drilled down to a total depth of 1,136 meters into the Ghazij Formation During the testing, the well produced 1,040 barrels of crude oil of 30 degrees API oil with 12% Basic Sediment & Water (BS&W) along with 2 5 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of associated gas at wellhead flowing pressure (WHFP) of953 pounds per square inch (Psi) at 32/64 inch choke size This is the first-ever oil discovery in Mari D&PL, which has been in gas production since 1967 MPCL is the operator of Mari D&PL with 100% working interest g T h i s a d d i t i o n a l a n d c o s t - e f f e c t i v e i n d i g e n o u s h
States amid tensions
Iran and Israel However,
is unrelated to the ongoing hostilities Upon his arrival at the Prime Minister ’s House for a meeting with PM Shehbaz Sharif President Raisi was greeted with a guard of honour by impeccably dressed armed forces contingents In a formal welcome ceremony, the premier warmly received the distinguished guest, and both leaders stood together as the national anthems of both countries played Subsequently President Raisi and Prime Minister Shehbaz introduced their respective delegations before engaging in discussions at both individual and delegation levels During his visit, President Raisi is scheduled to meet with President Asif Ali Zardari, Chairman Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir Additionally he plans to visit Lahore and Karachi
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a k i s t a n ’s s i g n i f i c a n c e a s a b r o t h e r l y I s l a m i c c o u n t r y a n d h i g h l i g h t e d t h e l o n g s t a n d i n g r e l a t i o n s b e t w e e n t h e t w o n a t i o n s He underscored common stances on various global issues, including anti-terrorism efforts and human rights violations in Palestine Raisi expressed optimism about discussions during his Islamabad trip focusing on security economy and trade matters Highlighting the potential for bilateral trade to reach $10 billion Raisi suggested that Islamabad could benefit from the Iranian market Accompanied by his spouse and a high-level delegation, including the foreign minister and other cabinet members President Raisi aims to strengthen Pakistan-Iran ties and enhance cooperation in trade connectivity energy agriculture and people-to-people contacts Discussions between the leaders will also cover regional and global developments, with a focus on combating terrorism Upon his arrival at Islamabad airport, President Raisi was received by Federal Minister for Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Pakistan s Ambassador to Iran Mudassir Tipu Following delegation-level talks with PM Shehbaz, a series of memorandum of understanding (MoUs) will be signed between the two sides Additionally, a luncheon will be hosted in honor of President Raisi and President Zardari will host a dinner in his honor During his visit to Lahore and Karachi President Raisi will meet with provincial leaders and pay homage to Pakistan s founders g T h i s i s t h e f i r s t- e v e r o i l d i s c o v e r y i n M a r i D & P L w h i c h h a s b e e n i n g a s p r o d u c t i o n s i n c e 1 9 6 7 Pakistan ex tends warm welcome to Iranian President Raisi LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is likely to elect former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as the party s president once again According to the party insiders the PML-N’s general council meeting would be held in the first week of May in which a recommendation to make Nawaz Sharif the party s president would be tabled Nawaz Sharif, who was heading the party until his disqualification in the Panama case in 2018, is likely to be elected as the PML-N president unopposed In the general council meeting restructuring of the party from centre to the district level would also be considered A recommendation to separate government and party positions would also be presented and discussed It is pertinent to mention here that the former prime minister was disqualified from holding any public position after being convicted in 2018 Nawaz Sharif was convicted by the Accountability Court in the Avenfield and AlAzizia references The accountability court had awarded a 10-year jail term with an eight million Pounds fine to Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield case and a 7-year sentence in the Al-Azizia reference He was also fined Rs1 5 billion and US$25 million The court also disqualified Sharif from holding public office for 10 years However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted him in the Avenfiel and Al-Azizia reference on November 29 and December 12 last year respectively After the acquittals the former prime minister a l s o c o n t e s t e d t h e G e n e r a l E l e c t i o n s 2024 and emerged victorious from NA130 Lahore Nawaz likely to be elec ted PML-N president unopposed NA Speaker reinstates SIC’s lawmakers suspended for ‘ruckus’ during President’s speech ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Monday reinstated two MNA of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) who were suspended due to abusive language during President Asif Ali Zardari s address to a joint session of the Parliament During the National Assembly session, the treasury supported a recommendation to reinstate the two MNAs – Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar presented a motion requesting the house to restore the membership of Jamshed Dasti and Muhammad Iqbal Khan The National Assembly carried the motion and the SIC s MNAs were subsequently reinstated Ayaz Sadiq asked the opposition to play a positive role in the parliamentary process This House is incomplete without both the government and the opposition We all met the Iranian President together and gave the message that we are united for Pakistan ” the speaker said Earlier on April 19 the House adopted a motion introduced by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq regarding the suspension of membership of two lawmakers Jamshed Dasti and Muhammad Iqbal Jamshed Dasti and Muhammad Iqbal [MNAs] used abusive language and approached the dais of the speaker in a threatening manner which is unacceptable ” the motion stated The motion further detailed their disruptive behaviour including blowing whistles and trumpets chanting objectionable slogans and displaying banners and placards all of which violated the sanctity of the house and the rules outlined in the Rules of Procedure of Conduct of Business International 2007
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