joint statement also highlighted commitments to strengthen fraternal relations by promoting academic, cultural, and tourism activities, enhancing tourism to historic religious sites, and forging regular cooperation between political military and security officials to combat various threats including terrorism narcotics smuggling and human trafficking Efforts are underway to finalize the FTA, with plans to hold upcoming sessions of the Annual Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) and Joint Business Trade Committee (JBTC) as well as the 22nd round of negotiations of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) Additionally, both countries aim to facil-
KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed his disappointment over the lack of support from the federal government in initiating new development schemes in the province, during a meeting held at the CM House in Karachi The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif aimed to address various issues concerning the development of Sindh following the premier s arrival in Karachi for a day-long visit CM Murad highlighted that over the past four years the federal government had neglected Sindh in the allocation of new schemes hindering the province s progress Despite this setback he expressed hope that the arrival of the prime minister would prioritize resolving Sindh’s issues In his briefing to PM Shehbaz CM Murad discussed the aftermath of
itate the regular exchange of economic and technical experts and delegations from chambers of commerce to intensify economic cooperation Other agreements include the operationalization of barter trade mechanisms full implementation of the TIR Convention for efficient and barrier-free trade and expansion of connectivity between Gwadar and Chahbahar ports On the international front, both countries condemned terrorism in all its forms, stressed the importance of peaceful dispute resolution and called for the peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue and an end to Israeli aggression against Palestinians
Furthermore, they expressed support for combating Islamophobia and welcomed the adoption
two nations During his stay President Raisi engaged in meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq as well as chief ministers and governors from Sindh and Punjab Accompanied by his spouse and a high-level delegation, including the foreign minister cabinet members senior officials and business representatives Raisi visited Islamabad Lahore and Karachi In Lahore he paid his
which, he said, could not be possible without the support of the business community As regards the sugar situation in the country the prime minister said the government might opt for export of the commodity in case its stock was in surplus He said the government was also focusing on curbing smuggling of the commodity PM Shehbaz highlighted that due to the efforts of interim and current governments, positive news were being received about macro economic indicators
In par tnership with Profit T h u r s d a y, 2 5 A p r i l , 2 0 2 4 I 1 6 S h a w w a l , 1 4 4 5 R s 2 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 2 9 6 I 8 Pa g e s I Ka r a c h i E d i t i o n ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t I N a joint statement consisting of 28 points, Pakistan and Iran have underscored the significance of energy cooperation and electricity trade notwithstanding hints from the United States regarding potential sanctions following Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi s recent visit to Pakistan Shortly after the Iranian president’s departure from Karachi to Tehran the Foreign Office issued a joint statement detailing bilateral agreements including plans related to the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project, agreed upon by both nations The statement from the Foreign Office comes in the wake of a warning from the US State Department concerning the “potential risk of sanctions” associated with business deals between the two countries A spokesperson from the State Dep a r t m e n t c a u t i o n e d , We a d v i s e a n yo n e c o n s i d e r i n g b u s i n e s s d e a l s w i t h I r a n t o b e a w a r e o f t h e p o t e n t i a l r i s k o f s a n c t i o n s ” D e s p i t e t h i s w a r n i n g both countries have agreed to expedite t h e f i n a l i z a t i o n o f a f r e e t r a d e a g r e ement (FTA) and aim to increase their bilateral trade to $10 billion over the n e x t f i v e y e a r s t h r o u g h c o l l a b o r a t i v e economic projects These projects inc l u d e e s t a b l i s h i n g j o i n t b o r d e r m a rk e t s e c o n o m i c f r e e z o n e s a n d n e w border openings D i s c u s s i o n s o n b i l a t e r a l t i e s a n d cooperation took place during delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iran’s President Raisi who visited Pakistan accompan i e d b y a
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Transforming the common border from a border of peace to a border of prosperity was a shared goal, with both countries emphasizing cooperation in the energy sector, including electricity trade, power transmission lines and the IranPakistan gas pipeline project Both sides stressed the importance of a long-term sustainable economic part-
and a collaborative regional economic and connectivity model,
for socio-economic develop-
in Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan and Pakistan’s Balochistan provinces The
h i g h - l e v e l d e l e g a t i o n i nc l u d i n g F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r A m i r A b d
a h i a n a n d o t h e r c a b i n e t m e mbers and senior officials
nership
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respects at the mausoleum of Allama Muhammad Iqbal and visited GC University, where he met with CM Maryam Nawaz and Governor Baligh Ur Rehman Expressing his affinity with Pakistan Raisi expressed a desire to hold a public gathering although logistical constraints prevented its realization In Karachi, Raisi addressed a ceremony at the Sindh Chief Minister ’s House, emphasizing the enduring strength of bilateral relations between Islamabad and Tehran He reiterated the historical cultural and religious ties binding the two neighboring nations During his visit to Quaid’s mausoleum Raisi paid homage to the founder of Pakistan He then met with Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori to discuss mutual interests agreeing to enhance cultural exchanges In recognition of his efforts to strengthen bilateral ties Tessori as the chancellor of the University of Karachi conferred an honorary
K I S TA N , I R A N A G R E E T O ‘ E X P E D I T I O U S LY ’
I N A L I S E F TA , E N H A N C E M U T U A L I N T E R A C T I O N g 2 8 - p o i n t j o i n t s t a t e m e n t u n d e r s c o r e s s i g n i f i c a n c e o f e n e r g y c o o p e r a t i o n a n d e l e c t r i c i t y t r a d e g T w o c o u n t r i e s a l s o d e c l a r e R e e m d a n b o r d e r p o i n t a s a n i n t ’ l b o r d e r c r o s s i n g p o i n t u n d e r T I R C o n v e n t i o n PM seeks businessmen’s suppor t to double expor ts in five years PR OFIT ag e n c e S Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed the confidence that the country s exports volume would be doubled over the next five years with the support of the business community He said the government in consultation with the business community would chalk out a comprehensive policy framework to increase exports that would ultimately help ensure sustained economic growth The export-led growth would also help resolve the country s foreign exchange reserves issue, he added “You are actually the backbone of the national economy as without your support the government cannot bring the country out of economic crisis, the prime minister said while addressing the business community He asked the business community to sit with the government to resolve their issues and challenges as it was the only way to move forward, and bring development and prosperity to Pakistan “We should get together in the larger national interest The brilliant minds should together find ways to overcome the challenges and problems hindering the country s development and prosperity ” It was the only way to regain the country’s lost glory the prime minister said PM Shehbaz highlighted that the government was fully focused on bringing revolution in sectors of agriculture, mines & minerals information technology and industry He also expressed the government s resolve to work for reducing unemployment, poverty and inflation in the country,
of the UN General Assembly Resolution titled “Measures to Combat Islamophobia ” calling for the early appointment of a United Nations Special Envoy to address Islamophobia Raisi concluded his inaugural threeday official visit to Pakistan with what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described as “productive discussions” between
doctorate in philosophy (PhD) upon the Iranian president Raisi s visit the first by a head of state to Pakistan since the February 8 general election was marked by stringent security measures and temporary internet suspension to ensure his safety and minimize public inconvenience Local holidays were declared in Lahore and Karachi to mitigate disruptions PA
F
the devastating floods in 2022 where it was agreed that 70% of rehabilitation funds would be provided by donor agencies, with the remaining 30% shared by the federal and provincial governments However he lamented that despite the commencement of reconstruction efforts the federal government had failed to contribute funds for vital projects, such as housing for flood victims and school construction initiatives Following CM Murad s presentation PM Shehbaz assured his commitment to jointly resolving the province s problems The meeting was attended by federal ministers and provincial officials with discussions covering various governance issues and strategies to address the law and order situation In a separate development, the provincial apex committee approved plans to curb street crime in Karachi focusing on monitoring stolen goods and intensifying efforts to combat criminal activities The meeting highlighted a decrease in certain types of crime while emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and law enforcement measures to ensure public safety CM Murad unhappy with lack of access to Prime Minister Supreme Cour t accepts pleas for larger bench in militar y cour ts case ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t The Supreme Court (SC) has taken steps to address appeals regarding the annulment of civilian trials in military courts by accepting requests for the formation of a larger bench Led by Justice Aminuddin, the six-member bench, including Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar Hasan Azhar Rizvi Shahid Waheed Musrrat Hilali and Irfan Saadat Khan considered the pleas during the hearing The application brought forward by former CJP Jawad S Khawaja s lawyer cited notes from Justices Afridi and Mansoor Ali Shah as grounds for a larger bench During proceedings, questions arose about the influence of these notes on the current bench Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar clarified that Justice Afridi s observations were restricted to the final verdict The lawyer highlighted the risk of pleas being dismissed if the bench delivered a split 3-3 decision, prompting Justice Mazhar to suggest the possibility of convening a larger bench Following these discussions, the SC accepted requests for a nine-member or larger bench forwarding the matter to the judges committee In a previous hearing the court had sought details from the attorney-general regarding individuals sentenced to three years in military courts Furthermore, 20 accused, previously sentenced to one year in jail, were ordered to be released before Eid, with their details submitted to the SC The decision to conduct military trials stems from violent clashes nationwide on May 9 sparked by the arrest of a former prime minister at the Islamabad High Court Subsequently the government opted for military court trials for those implicated in attacks on military installations during the unrest This move led figures such as Imran Khan, Jawwad S Khawaja Aitzaz Ahsan and civil society members to challenge the constitutionality of military trials before the apex court ECP issues objections on PTI intra-par t y elections for the third instance ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t According to sources, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has once again raised doubts regarding the recently conducted intra-party elections of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Alleged irregularities in the polls held on March 3 prompted the electoral authority to issue a notice to the former ruling party The ECP s Political Financing Wing has summoned PTI representatives to appear before the commission on April 30 This marks the third instance where the electoral watchdog has expressed concerns about the internal elections of the troubled party The PTI filed the documents related to its intra-party polls to the ECP on March 4 The documents, submitted by PTI s Federal Election Commissioner Raoof Hasan, included details of the newly-elected party office-bearers, a certificate of the party chief containing Form 65 names of the core committee members and other relevant records The party which elected Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Omar Ayub as its chairman and secretary general on March 3, needs the relevant certificate to qualify for the allocation of its electoral symbol “bat” by the electoral body After being kicked out of the election race following the Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the ECP’s decision wherein the electoral body had revoked its bat symbol citing unlawful intra-party polls the PTI conducted fresh polls last week However, the recent intra-party polls have been once again challenged by PTI’s founding member Akbar S Babar who had filed two separate pleas with the electoral body seeking annulment of the intra-party elections According to the Election Act (2017) all registered political parties in Pakistan must hold intra-party elections as outlined in their constitution within a specific timeframe C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 02 g EXPORT-LED GROWTH WILL HELP RESOLVE COUNTRY'S FOREIGN EXCHANGE ISSUE, SAYS SHEHBAZ C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 02
Thursday 25 Apr l 2024 | KARACHI 02 NEWS PR OFIT M o n to R i n g D e S k P A K I S TA N received $9 7 billion in foreign loans during the first nine months of the current fiscal y e a r f a l l i n g s h o r t o f e x p e c t ations As per a news report, foreign inflows remained meager at just $204 million in March 2024, prompting the government to resort to dollar purchases from the local market to mitigate the shortfall Despite completing the IMF program the country s credit rating remained unchanged, hindering its ability to issue sovereign international bonds and acquire new foreign commercial loans The loans, consisting of budget and balance of payments support as well as project financing failed to significantly bolster the country s foreign exchange reserves which remained at $8 billion The inability to tap into Western markets for sovereign bonds and acquire fresh commercial loans was attributed to the persistently poor credit ratings and high borrowing costs Finance Minister Aurangzeb emphasized the importance of improving credit ratings to facilitate fundraising efforts in the upcoming fiscal year Despite accolades for completing the IMF program Pakistan s credit rating remained unchanged, posing a challenge to the government s economic recovery plan centered around boosting exports, attracting foreign direct investment and increasing debt Unrealistic targets set by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Affairs exacerbated the situation with only 32% of the annual estimate from the Asian Development Bank materializing While the World Bank and IMF remained major lenders, fulfilling part of their loan commitments the country struggled to fully materialize pledges including those from the Geneva conference for victims of the 2022 floods The Islamic Development Bank s disbursements fell short of expectations, while efforts to secure financing from China faced hurdles linked to previous debt obligations Despite challenges the government remains hopeful of meeting its financing needs and driving economic recovery with continued support from international lenders and strategic partners G O V T R E C E I V E S $ 9 . 7 B I N F O R E I G N LO A N S I N 9 M F Y 24 , FA L L S S H O R T O F TA R G ET S ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t A Saudi woman reportedly linked with the royal family has gone missing in Pakistan and the authorities have registered a kidnapping case against a man from the Lower Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the contents of the FIR and the family sources of the man The whereabouts of the man identified as Abul Wahid in the FIR also remain unknown He has been booked under Section 365B of the Pakistan Penal Code (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel for marriage) Senior officials in the province are extremely concerned at the development because it involves a high-profile Saudi individual Pakistan has close economic ties with the Gulf nation which is second home to over two million Pakistanis working in the country Sources told that the woman s alleged connection to the royal family is a cause of concern for the Pakistani authorities The FIR was filed by a Saudi diplomat using an online FIR registration system at the Margalla Police Station in Islamabad It said Abdul Wahid Shahid Khan had kidnapped a Saudi citizen Hannan Abdullah Al-Bashir from Sector F-8 in Islamabad The Islamabad DIG Operations is requested to arrest the accused to recover the kidnapee and punish the accused the FIR said The complainant Badar Al Haribi also provided the passport numbers of both Wahid and Hanan The Lower Dir acting District Police Officer (DPO) told that the woman was a 3 7 - y e a r- o l d b a n k o ff i c e r w h i l e t h e a ccused a 22-year-old was serving with her as a driver Another police official who requested not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media told that the woman had already visited Pakistan on a visit visa in the past after she befriended Wahid Family sources say the parents of Wahid were unhappy with the situation back then and they convinced their son to send the Saudi woman back to her country She left but maintained contact with him Earlier this month, on the 25th of Ramadan (April 5) the woman arrived at Wahid’s family home in Lower Dir and the duo disappeared said the family sources Sources say the federal government has instructed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief to find the woman A team led by an SSP of Pakistan s Crime Investigation Agency from Islamabad searched for the duo in KP s different regions but returned after two days, they said A senior KP police officer who requested anonymity said authorities were unable to locate the Saudi woman despite their best efforts The woman did come to Lower Dir but she was no longer in the region, he said The police have reportedly detained several members of Wahid’s family There were unconfirmed reports of a marriage between the Saudi woman and the Pakistani man Family sources say Wahid was already married and father of a daughter PESHAWAR a z i z B u n e R i The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to adopt fixed sales tax on services for Lawyers and Custom Agents instead of percentage The decision was taken in a meeting held between Advisor to KP Chief Minister on Finance Muzzammil Aslam and Director General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority Fouzia Iqbal It was decided that KPRA will send recommendations to the Advisor for Finance to switch Lawyers and Customs Agents from percentage regime of Sales Tax on Services to fixed rates to make necessary amendments in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sales Tax on Services Act 2022 in the upcoming budget for the next financial year The decision has been taken to provide an easy way for the Customs Agents and Lawyers to efficiently pay their sales tax on services It was decided that rates for the fixed tax will be adopted as per the recommendations sent by KPRA team to the finance department for the budget The lawyers will be allowed to submit their one-time fixed sales tax on services at the time of filing their Wakalatnama or Power of Attorney for each case at the courts while for customs agents, a fixed amount on each GD or Goods Declaration will be paid to KPRA as sales tax on services Currently a 2 percent sales tax on services is levied on Layers while an 8 percent sales tax on services tax is levied on Customs Agents We want to make tax payments easier for everyone in the province and at the same time we have to bring them under the tax net as per law,” said Advisor for Finance Muzzammil Aslam in his statement adding that a fixed regime will also be adopted for wedding halls beauty parlors as well It will make tax payments easier for the business community and service providers in the province and will make a conducive environment for businesses in the province ” he said The DG KPRA Fouzia Iqbal said that her team welcomes the business-friendly policies of the new government and that her team will be available to assist every taxpayer in the administration of their sales tax on services KP to adopt fixed sales tax on ser vices for law yers and c ustom agents g LO W I N F LO W S P R O M P T C E N T R A L B A N K TO P U R C H A S E D O L L A R S F R O M LO C A L M A R K E T Royal S audi woman ‘goes missing’ in Pakistan with loc al man ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t T H E National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has given its decision on the Transmission & Distribution Investment Plan for K-Electric (KE) till FY2030 The plan will catalyse the company’s efforts to reduce losses in transmission and distribution and drive growth in its customer base Investment in power utility infrastructure is essential to ensure a smooth, stable, safe, and uninterrupted supply of electricity to a growing number of customers Since its privatisation an investment of Rs 544 billion has enabled KElectric to double its customer base double the power consumption of this customers, and more than halve its T&D losses The plan was submitted in accordance with regulatory guidelines and a hearing was held in March 2023 where KE management apprised stakeholders regarding the projects being planned from FY2024 to FY2030 For this period, KE has clearly identified priorities and projects for investment areas such as growth, energy loss reduction network rehabilitation maintenance and safety Digitization is also a central area of focus in these operational areas The investment plan outlines projects to install more AMRs and implement technology such as Advanced Distribution Management Systems and Meter Data Management Systems to strengthen internal processes and introduce more transparency as well On the transmission front the plan envisages the addition of grids and transmission lines which will further strengthen the reliability of KE’s network and enable the offtake of additional power from the National Grid Commenting on the occasion CEO KE Moonis Alvi stated “Over the next 7 years we are looking to invest $2 billion in Transmission and Distribution to manage the city s needs through targeted investments and tech-based interventions I’d like to acknowledge the efforts of all stakeholders who have been a part of this journey and who will continue to work with us to modernize our infrastructure and prepare us for the future The investment plan complements the company s Power Acquisition Program through which KE has outlined its vision to achieve 30% share of renewable energy in its generation mix by 2030 In this regard the company has also received regulatory approval on RFPs of 640 megawatts renewable projects which is another critical link in the mission to enable access to affordable energy for all N E P R A a p p r ove s K- E l e c t r i c ’s 7 - ye a r i nve s t m e n t p l a n g P L A N W I L L C ATA LY S E CO M PA N Y ’ S E F F O RT S TO R E D U C E LO S S E S I N T R A N S M I S S I O N A N D D I S T R I B U T I O N , A N D D R I V E G R O W T H I N I T S C U S TO M E R B A S E PTI blasts FO silence over US ‘sanctions warning’ for doing business with Iran ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lashed out at the puppet government for its silence over the US s warning of imposing sanctions against Pakistan for doing business with Iran, which raised many questions and urged the Foreign Office to issue a befitting solid and unambiguous response on the issue as the nation would not compromise on its sovereignty autonomy and national integrity come what may PTI Spokesperson in a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday, expressed deep concerns over the silence of the Pakistani government and the Foreign Office over the US State Department’s threatening statement about the Pak-Iran mutual economic cooperation and said that the FO s silence on the issue raised several important questions about the puppet government s foreign strategy He said that the government devoid of public support and mandate did not have the courage and capability to adopt a solid strategy regarding the sovereignty and independent foreign policy of Pakistan He said that being a free and sovereign state Pakistan had full authority to chalk out an independent foreign policy based on its national interests, adding that making defence and autonomy of Pakistan inviolable through independent foreign policy was the topmost agenda of the PTI Founding Chairman Imran Khan He said that Imran Khan had taken all possible measures to promote cordial relations with all countries by following the principle of mutual cooperation PTI Spokesperson lamented that Imran Khan was being punished for his stance of Haqeeqi Azadi of the nation adding that public expressed full confidence in PTI by giving overwhelming mandate on February 8 to make Pakistan self-reliance state; however mandate thieves were imposed on the nation fraudulently He noted that the silence on the recent statement after the failure of the federal government to adopt a clear cut policy on the US administration’s sanctions on entities supplying items for Pakistani missile program was tantamount to jeopardizing the country s security and sovereignty SIC decides to nominate Sahibzada Hamid Raza as PAC Chairman ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt The PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) has decided to nominate Hamid Raza as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman The party leadership has completed all consultations over the nomination of Raza as PAC chairman Earlier PTI founder Imran Khan has nominated Sher Afzal Marwat as the candidate for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman s role Following his nomination, the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat reportedly decided against making Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) Sher Afzal Marwat Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC) maintaining that there is no binding to elect only an opposition member for the slot Noor Alam Khan of the Maulana Fazalur Rehman-led Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) is likely to be elected as the PAC Chairman by the parliament, the sources privy to the development said Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq will make the financial decision soon PM seeks businessmen’s suppor t to double expor ts in five years CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 The current account is in surplus remittances are increasing, inflation is moving down, and the stock exchange is showing record progress,” he remarked The prime minister assured that the privatisation process would be carried out in a transparent way without any bureaucratic hurdles The government would consult the business community before finalising any transaction in that regard He said it was not the government’s job to run the businesses, rather the private sector was there for the purpose which could play their due role in the country s development and prosperity The prime minister pointed out that the government paid rebates of Rs 65 billion soon after taking over the office He asked the business community to bring in modern techniques and technologies and high quality marketing in their businesses He said an amount of Rs 2 7 trillion of tax money was stuck in litigation and the government was trying to get the court decisions as soon as possible PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur Wednesday presided over the first meeting of the Department of Tourism and set new targets to develop the tourism sector in the province on modern lines The chief minister was briefed about the working administrative affairs of the tourism department and development projects and future action plans so far initiated for the promotion of the tourism sector in the province He was also briefed about the Integrated Tourism Zones to be established in Malakand and Hazara Divisions CM Ali Ali Amin Gandapur has set new targets to develop the tourism sector in the province on modern lines so as to attract both local and international tourists to visit scenic places He asked for a plan to promote the tourism sector as an industry and directed the concerned quarters to take up measures to attract domestic and foreign investment in the tourism sector Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has sufficient potential for tourism, it should be utilized to the maximum extent, the chief minister said while instructing the officials of the Tourism department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa He directed the officials in the meeting that they should prepare a plan for the promotion of eco-tourism in the province Alternative markets should be established at crowded tourist spots and car parking areas should be included as a mandatory component in the planning of newly established tourist spots Ali Amin Gandapur said Steps should be taken to provide all the facilities needed by the tourists at the tourist spots the chief minister He said a sustainable system should be developed for drinking water supply and sewage in tourist places CM Ali Amin Gandapur said that steps should be taken to establish rest areas and mosques on roads leading to tourist spots He also asked for a plan for the effective use of properties owned by the Tourism Department With the effective use of these properties along with providing facilities to the tourists the province can also get sufficient income, said the Chief Minister KP CM vows to promote tourism sec tor in province ECP issues objections on PTI intra-par t y elections for the third instance CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 The PTI which had held its last intra-party elections in June 2016 with the next one to be held on or before 13 June 2021 failed to comply on time, citing the COVID19 pandemic The ECP warned the party to respond to the notices sent by the commission or lose its iconic electoral symbol The PTI held its intra-party elections twice but the ECP raised objections and determined that the elections were not held according to the party s constitution The party conducted its elections on June 8, 2022, but the ECP rejected the polls for the lack a formal certificate for the same The ECP in November 23 2023 ordered PTI to conduct its intra-party elections within 20 days or it would be stripped of its electoral symbol In response, PTI held its intra-party election again on December 2, 2023, which was also turned down by the electoral watchdog
Iin the city, which was also largely destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in December last year Jamal Abu Kamil a Gaza-based Palestinian raised the same question The 42-yearold father of four witnessed several conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza since 2008 We have not witnessed such an Israeli war that destroyed everything in Gaza It is not against Hamas only but it is against our history and existence he said The 1400-square-meter Al-Omari Grand Mosque was originally a Roman temple It was made into a Roman church during the Byzantine era and later converted into a mosque following the Islamic conquest In 1291, it was upgraded into the city s Grand Mosque by the Mamluks The mosque’s refurbishment was completed in 2004 “Since childhood I performed Friday prayers and all Tarawih prayers during Ramadan in this ancient mosque Here I used to conjure up history and Islamic civilisation among the crowds of worshipers This place has a distinct historical fragrance that makes us feel proud that we live on this land,” Abu Kumail recalled Haitham Saba a Gazabased Christian shared the same sadness To escape the intense Israeli bombardment in Gaza City the
Bakhtawari for his whole-hated support to the cause President ICCI Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari said that entire Pakistani nation stands united on the issue of Palestine and our hearts beat with the Palestinian people He said that the genocide of the innocent Palestinians is not acceptable at
in FIR Who wrote the report? What is the script? It is stated in the FIR that the applicant spoke inappropriate words against Pakistan Peoples party’s (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto but these inappropriate words are not included in FIR
However the court also said that if the applicant had given the statement here then why the case was registered in Karachi? This incident happened in Islamabad How these words have taken by Inspector general Sindh and prosecutor general Sindh? The investigation officer responded the court that there is a USB which will be presented At this point, the
tered in Karachi How come this be possible that if an incident happened in Peshawar but registered in Karachi The court also asked to prove the unethical words of Sheikh Rashid in the video Replying the court the public prosecutor said there are different witnesses present in Karachi who have seen it He also sought some time from the court The petitioner ’s lawyer said that Sheikh Rashid was in police custody when he went to Poly Clinic hospital the applicant probably said something there while talking to media so this is not the boundary Later, the court reserved its verdict on the case and adjourned the hearing for pronouncing it
Thursday 25 Apri 2024 | KARACHI NEWS 03 Ayubia chairlift closure inflicts heav y losses on traders NATHIAGALI S ta f f R e p o R t The closure of the famous Ayubia chairlift, a hallmark attraction in one of Pakistan’s most scenic tourist spot, for the past four years has not only resulted in losses worth millions for local traders and residents but also caused significant financial setbacks for the provincial government According to the sources, over the past four years, the termination of the chairlift, attributed to unresolved disputes between provincial departments and the development authority has severely impacted tourism in Ayubia and neighboring Nathiagali and surrounding areas The interruption of the chairlift s operations has led to collective losses running into millions of rupees each month for various stakeholders, including local traders hoteliers cabin owners and transporters The ensuing economic downturn has forced businesses to shut down In a bid to resolve the issue locals traders and hotel owners have demanded the intervention of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to facilitate the AQ Group, which has expressed keen interest in making substantial investments for the chairlift’s reconstruction Schoolchildren face hardship due to road blockades in Karachi KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t In the aftermath of Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi’s departure for Tehran several schools in Karachi remained closed on Wednesday due to ongoing road blockades in certain areas of the city Despite the reassurance from the education department that all educational institutions were operating as usual, the continued closure of roads, barricaded with containers, posed challenges for students trying to reach their schools near Sharea Faisal and the airport The blockade around the Stargate near the airport prevented van drivers from accessing schools, leading to students being returned home However, school administrations in areas where the blockades were being removed reported that their institutions were open as usual According to the traffic police department main thoroughfares like Sharea Faisal and surrounding roads have been cleared for traffic, including the PIDC intersection, MT Khan road, and Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road Notably President Raisi departed Karachi for Tehran earlier in the day concluding his three-day visit to Pakistan which included stops in Islamabad Lahore and Karachi His visit marked the first by a head of state to Pakistan following the general election on February 8 Stringent security measures, including air surveillance and temporary internet suspension were implemented during the president s movements leading to local holidays being announced in Lahore and Karachi to minimize inconvenience to the public ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Ambassador of Palestine Ahmed Jawad Amin Rabei has expressed immense gratitude to government and people Pakistan and the business community for encompassing resolute support to the cause of an independent State of Palestine He said Israeli actions in Gaza have created a history of atrocities which have embarrassed the entire humanity urging the international community to take concrete and immediate steps for the resolution of the Palestine issue ” Ambassador Ahmed Jawad Amin expressed these views while speaking at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) during his meeting with its President Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari on Wednesday The envoy went on say that he is well aware of the sentiments of the Pakistani nation for the Palestinian brothers and sisters and the way Pakistan government is raising voice for the rights of the Palestinians and condemning the Israeli atrocities in Gaza He also expressed his gratitude to the ICCI President Ahsan Zafar
all and stressed that the world powers especially the United Nations play its role in stopping Israeli brutalities He said that Pakistan supports the right of self-determination and establishment of a secure & sovereign Palestinian state to end this conflict He assured that the business community of Pakistan is always ready to extend all possible support to the Palestinian brothers and sisters to mitigate their sufferings Ahsan Zafar further stated that the ICCI in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will arrange the transportation of daily use items for the Palestinian families Vice President ICCI in his welcome address introduced the office bearers and executive members with the guest Secretary General United Business Group Zafar Bakhtawari said that entire Pakistani nation feel the pain and sufferings of Palestinian brothers with the hope that the day is not far away when Palestinians will get liberation from the Israeli occupation and we will be able to offer prayers in Al-Aqsa mosque Those who expressed their views on the occasion include Mr Ashfaq Chheena Parveen Khan Javaid Iqbal and Ashfaq Chattah Khalid Chaudhry, Assad Haider, Malik Maqsood, Waseem Chaudhry and other were also present on the occasion Palestinian envoy hails govt, people of Pakistan, business communit y for firm suppor t GAZA X n h ua
N a state of astonishment Samiha alAqqad 86-year-old mother of eight gazed in disbelief at the mound-like piles of rubble, barely recognising the remnants of Barquq Castle, a historical site in Khan Younis, reduced by the Israeli army to a mere heap of debris “A few months ago we had Barquq Castle which was an essential and ancient landmark of the city of Khan Younis It indicated the presence of civilisation heritage and culture in our city throughout history, the elderly Palestinian woman told Xinhua “Unfortunately,” she complained, “Israel destroyed it and everything that was Palestinian in our city Overnight, this castle and all the neighbourhoods of our city turned into nothing more than massive destruction ” Barquq Castle was established in 1387 by Prince Younis Duadar at the request of Sultan Barquq one of the Mamluk sultans of the Arab-Islamic era and the founder of the Burj Mamluk state During the lengthy journey between Damascus and Cairo, the two prominent cities of the Mamluk state of Burj, it was built to serve as a resting place and meeting spot for merchants and travellers For many decades we have been coming here with our parents and our grandchildren to tell them our history
over now,
she Why Israel insists on destroying all our presence and existence on our land, alAqqad asked, bursting into tears Standing beside the Al-Omari Grand Mosque
39-year-old father along with his family and several Christians, sought refuge in the Church of Saint Porphyrius a Greek Orthodox church that was considered the oldest one in the city However the Israeli army attacked one of the church s outer buildings, killing 18 people and wounding dozens, including Saba’s relatives “Back then Israel claimed that it targeted a place adjacent to the church but its army deliberately hit the church and destroyed a large part of it Saba told Xinhua Israel has deliberately attacked Palestinian history, whether Christian or Muslim Barquq Castle, the Omari Mosque, and the Church of Saint Porphyrius are among the 200 archaeological and historical sites that were destroyed in the Gaza Strip according to the Hamas-run government media office The Israeli army attacked our historical sites and stole thousands of artifacts that were in the archaeological sites and stores,” grumbled Fadel Al-Otl, a Gaza-based Palestinian antiquities expert However he complained We do not have anything to protect ourselves from the Israeli aggression against our existence and our lives PALESTINIANS MOURN HISTORY AS ISRAEL DESTROYS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN GA Z A PTI’s Dr Yasmin Rashid writes to CJP on ‘rigging’ in Punjab by-polls ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t PTI stalwart Dr Yasmin Rashid, imprisoned in jail in connection with violent incidents of May 9, on Wednesday appealed to CJP Justice Qazi Faez Isa to take notice of massive rigging witnessed in Punjab during recent by-elections held on April 21 In a letter to the CJP she has said that the by-elections had made a mockery of the PML-N s much-trumpeted slogan of ‘Vote ko Izzat dau’ (Give respect to vote) for good Dr Yasmin has further said that the forces inimical to the PTI had no idea that people would come out of their homes in large numbers on February 8 to vote for the party candidates in the general elections But despite state oppression, people did turn up at polling stations on that day, forcing the PML-N to form governments in Punjab and in the Center with its allies on the basis of Forms 47 ” Dr Yasmin has said adding “But what was witnessed during the by-elections was even worse as votes were stuffed into ballot boxes prior to the voting had started For God s sake, feel ashamed For how long you will continue to do injustices with the masses,” the PTI stalwart asked while addressing the party’s opponents She has said that the ECP dances to the PMLN s drumbeat The commission neither has any respect within the country nor outside T wo terrorists infiltrating Punjab from KP killed in fire exchange BHAKKAR S ta f f R e p o R t The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Wednesday claimed to have killed two terrorists infiltrating Punjab border from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Bhakkar area According to a CTD spokesperson the two terrorists were attempting to infiltrate Punjab from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa However they were killed during an exchange of fire with the CTD personnel near Bhakkar, he added He pointed out said the CTD and security agencies personnel tried to stop the terrorists, but they resorted to indiscriminate firing which led to crossfire Resultantly both the terrorists were killed he added According to CTD officials the killed terrorists had been involved in an attack on a sensitive installation A zma Bokhari vows to provide breakfast in schools LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t The information minister Punjab Azma Zahir Bokhari stated that the breakfast will be provided to 5 00000 children of the school in south Punjab According to the details Azma was talking to media regarding the beginning to provide the breakfast project She said that emergency pink helpline is a rare project in itself This helpline is not only for women but also for the weak groups of the society Pink helpline will be connected to the control system of police Information minister Punjab also said that whatever hospital are under construction will be becoming the state of the art The new technology will be used in it Azma added that it will be assured to have greenery on both sides of highways and roads Bad blood claims six lives in Lakki Mar wat LAKKI MARWAT S ta f f R e p o R t Six people including two passersby were killed and five others injured in an armed clash between rival groups at a music ceremony during a wedding in Lakki Marwat, on Tuesday late night According to police the shootout in Aagri Khanzadkhel village of Ghaznikhel was the result of an old enmity and two proclaimed offenders were also among the dead The hit-and-run bad blood between notorious Ahsan Group and Imran Group has been running for a long time Both the groups belong to Ghaznikhel area NEW DELHI ag e n c i e S Dr Parakala Prabhakar, a noted political economist and author, has warned that reelecting Narendra Modi as Prime Minister could lead to nationwide turmoil and a drastic change in India’s map The writings of Dr Prabhakar husband of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, including The Crooked Timber of New India: Essays on a Republic in Crisis,” and an upcoming book about Modi, highlight his concerns over the current state of Indian democracy Dr Prabhakar expressed his deep concerns about the potential outcome of the upcoming Lok Sabha election stating that a third term for Modi would lead to nationwide turmoil and a drastic change in India’s map Dr Prabhakar, who is also the husband of Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was scathing in his criticism of Modi’s leadership labeling him crazily incompetent and a dictator He argued that the past ten years under Modi s rule have been marked by incompetence, divisiveness, and a widening wealth gap, with India’s unemployment rate comparable to war-torn countries like Lebanon Syria and Yemen The economist also highlighted the controversial Electoral Bond Scheme which he described as not just India s but also the largest scam globally He pointed out that the BJP has been the primary beneficiary of these bonds, with data from the Election Commission of India’s official website revealing a clear bias towards the ruling party Dr Prabhakar predicted that the BJP will not win more than 230 seats in the upcoming election, contradicting Modi’s claims of winning over 400 seats He believes that the party’s true agenda is to establish a Hindu rashtra which was concealed from the public during the 2014 election He urged citizens to oppose the BJP s Hindutva agenda and protect India s democratic ideals The warnings from Dr Prabhakar, a respected voice in Indian politics and economics have sparked intense debate and concern among citizens political analysts and opposition parties As India prepares for the crucial Lok Sabha election, his words serve as a stark reminder of the high stakes involved and the need for vigilance in protecting the country’s democratic fabric Guha told Karan Thapar that the intention of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah is to suppress all free speech and hold the entire spectrum of the media landscape captive to their interests Guha also came down heavily on the avowed stance of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) “The ideology of the RSS can be summed up in six words: We shall show Muslims their place Nothing more, nothing less They live here in India, they eat here, they cohabit here, they work here, fully on terms we the Hindus set for them ” he said Economist warns of turmoil, change in India’s
ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a petition filed by Awami Muslim League (AML) head and former federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed seeking dismissal of multiple cases filed on the same charge against him for using foul language against PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri of Islamabad High Court heard the case Sheikh Rashid appeared in the court along with his lawyers – Sardar Abdul Razzaq and Sardar Shehbaz Justice Tariq Jahangiri inquired that the court had sought a report from police Has the report come? To which the state counsel replied that the report had prepared and submitted in the court On which the court questioned that are inappropriate words included in the first initiative report (FIR) In the meanwhile, the state counsel read the registered FIR on the court’s direction The court said that who is from Balochistan? In the last hearing it was stated to dismiss Who is the plaintiff in it? There are no such inappropriate words
Unfortunately, it is all
said
map if Modi wins third term
petitioner s lawyer said that there is a USB also a video on YouTube which has more than 9, 00000 views This incident happened in Polly clinic Justice Jahangiri posed a question that Benazir Bhutto killed in Rawalpindi then will the case be regis-
‘Multiple C ases on S ame C harge’: IHC reser ves verdic t on S h Rashid ’s plea WASHINGTON S ta f f R e p o R t The latest 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices” from the US State Department indicate that Pakistan has made minimal progress in addressing human rights concerns The report highlights ongoing issues such as extrajudicial killings enforced disappearances torture and harsh prison conditions Additionally restrictions on freedom of expression, media freedom, and internet usage persist, alongside limitations on religious freedom and the operation of civil society organizations Furthermore the report underscores significant government corruption gender-based violence and crimes targeting religious and ethnic minorities It also acknowledges the role of militant organizations and non-state actors in perpetuating violence and intolerance, contributing to a sense of lawlessness Despite efforts by military, police, and other law enforcement agencies to combat militant and terrorist groups terrorist attacks continue to cause casualties among civilians soldiers and police personnel Overall the report suggests that Pakistan s human rights landscape remains largely unchanged U S re p o r t f i n d s Pa k i s t a n’s h u m a n r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n u n c h a n g e d
Finance Minister predicts reser ves reaching $9 billion to $10 billion by end-June
IF the prediction made by the Finance Minister comes true that foreign exchange reserves will reach $ 9 billion to $10 billion by the end of June, comes true, it means that the current mode of crisis management, where what should be a given (avoiding default) is deemed an achievement, is probably over, and the light at the end of the tunnel becomes visible, albeit faintly However, the all-time high of $27 billion in August 2021 shows that reserves can be built up, but they are subject to depletion, particularly as debt servicing payments fall due The present reserves target pales in comparison to India s existing reserves, which are at $643 billion, while Bangladesh s are $25 2 billion
The real source of foreign exchange can only be exports Pakistan has apparently given up any hope of achieving a surplus on the balance of trade, and prefers to rely on workers remittances, which is a sort of export of labour However, it is only by an export of goods that Pakistan can hope to pay for the imports of fuel, edible oil and medicines that it has to import Mr Aurangzeb is placing reliance on the final tranche of the Stand-By Arrangement just concluded, and presumably has hopes that the IMF will grant another programme However, the forex reserves themselves are lower than they appear to be No less than $3 billion, and due to go up to $5 billion, consists of a Saudi deposit, which has been made on the express provision that it is not to be used for making payments
The IMF programmes are essentially loans meant to repay earlier loans Initially, the loans had been made by other lenders, but now IMF loans are falling due, and have to be repaid by new loans Previously, when forex reserves were built up, it was on the basis of loans, which was not really a sensible policy, as we are now finding out as the loans start falling due Mr Aurangzeb shows symptoms of the disease that has afflicted so many of his predecessors, of paying our way though the world by borrowing rather than earning Perhaps most worrisome is that Mr Aurangzeb has not come up with a definite strategy for increasing exports Talk of software export, the latest mantra, is airy fairy In fact, the only solid part of the programme is the one about borrowing more
Editor
Twere identified and killed by BLA terrorists From a security standpoint, the attack cannot demoralize Pakistan’s brave armed forces which have been fighting tirelessly to eradicate the menace of terrorism and extremism from the society The rugged terrain vast and sparsely populated areas and the complex tribal dynamics make it difficult for security forces to operate effectively and root out insurgency without causing collateral damage that fuels further resentment However, they are still fighting valiantly against non-state actors The terrorist incidents in Balochistan cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader regional and international dynamics The province s strategic location at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, coupled with its coastline along the Arabian Sea, makes it a geopolitical hotspot Hostile elements are proactively carrying out propaganda against projects of CPEC in order to derail Pakistan s socio-economic development However this international interest has also meant that the conflict in Balochistan has implications beyond its borders There are serious concerns about foreign involvement, with various actors accused of supporting insurgent groups as a means to counter rivals or influence the direction of CPEC Moreover the situation in Afghanistan with the return of the Taliban to power has added another layer of complexity The porous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan allows for the movement of militants, further complicating the security landscape
I n p r a i s e o f s h e n d i a n d s h a l i m a
Let us be grateful for small mercies!
not
but
to the mother-of-all-practical-matters– marriage In the here and now we must recognize our limits and be thankful for small mercies like shendi and shalima Some words of autobiography are in order here Circumstances beyond anyone’s control saw to it that there was only one ‘proper ’ event in my wedding a good two decades ago (in hindsight a shendi although it was years before the word was invented) It was purely accidental but since I had always considered mega weddings of the look-this-is-how-it-isdone ilk to be too self-assuming and vulgar, I did not have any reason to complain Nor did I make any attempt to right the ‘wrong’ later It may have been forced on me but, being a positive thinker I like to think that I was a good 20 years ahead of the time It
Achieving peace in Balochistan requires a multi-pronged approach that addresses both the symptoms and the root causes of the conflict
First and foremost, there needs to be a genuine effort from the Pakistani government to address the economic and political grievances of the Baloch people This includes ensuring that the benefits of local resources and development projects like CPEC are shared equitably with the local population
Secondly, there must be a shift in the security paradigm While security measures are necessary to maintain order, law enforcement agencies must put robust mechanisms in place to cater this menace while neutralizing terrorists Building trust with the local community is crucial and this can only be achieved through transparent security practices The government has also offered general amnesty to all non-state elements while asking them to lay down arms and join the mainstream politics of the province and work with provincial authorities Regional cooperation is essential Iran and Afghanistan must work with Pakistan to secure borders and prevent the movement of militants
It is not only the responsibility of Pakistan to fight against these non-state actors International partners, particularly those involved in projects like CPEC should also play a role in promoting development The Noshki attack is a reminder of the persistent challenges in Balochistan However it also presents an opportunity for a renewed focus on addressing the deep-seated issues driving the conflict
Likewise media
maiyon mehndi baraat and walima meant a whole week of festivities if not more The more religious
U n t i l f a i r ly r e c e n t ly, t h e t r e n d i n t h e d u r a t i o n o f w e d d i n g s w a s s t r i c t ly o n t h e r i s e . M u l t i p l e d h o l k i s , m a i yo n , m e h n d i , b a r a a t , a n d w a l i m a m e a n t a w h o l e w e e k o f f e s t i v i t i e s , i f n o t m o r e . T h e m o r e r e l i g i o u s fo l k s h a d r e p l a c e d m e h n d i a n d d h o l k i s w i t h q aw w a l i n i g h t s , g i v i n g t h e w h o l e a r r a n g e m e n t a t o u c h o f p i e t y w i t h o u t t a k i n g a ny t h i n g aw ay f ro m i t s p o m p a n d s h ow ( t h e w ay r e f e r r i n g t o t h e e n g a g e m e n t c e r e m o ny a s d u a - e - k h a i r d o e s )
Various incidents of killings have been repor ted in Balochistan in the recent past In all these incidents, Iranian links emerged as those terrorists were using Iranian soil Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Iranian government to under take stringent actions against such elements who are using their soil, which could affect bilateral ties of Iran and Pakistan
04 Thursday 25 Apri 2024
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COMMENT
M A Niazi
Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor Blue economy N AT U R E has provided a variety of resources to every country It is up to those who are at the helm of national affairs to explore and extract benefits from these resources Pakistan is a resource-rich nation However Pakistan has hardly explored its resources the way it needed to The same is the matter with Pakistan’s blue economy which refers to the sustainable use of oceans for economic growth Luckily Pakistan has immense potential in the field because of its location on the shores of the Arabian Sea, and is home to a coastline that stretches over 1,000km, with major ports in Karachi and Gwadar According to the United Nations, the value of blue economy ranges from $3 trillion to $6 trillion with 150 million direct jobs globally Blue economy has the potential in the areas of tourism trade renewable energy and fish industry According to the International Chamber of Shipping estimates about 90 per cent of all global trade worth $4 trillion is carried through sea routes Maldives generates as much as 40pc of its employment from blue economy All global metropolitans with seashores, such as Goa, New York, Sydney, Dubai, and Hong Kong, contribute much to the national exchequer What is noteworthy is that Sri Lanka suffered from its worst economic crisis in history as its shores were closed for tourists owing to the Covid pandemic There is no natural treasure more beneficial than the blue economy Given the current economic woes of our country, it is time for us to mainstream and capitalise our blue economy potential Pakistan is among the world’s top 30 producers of fish However, we export only 10pc of what we catch There is only one ship-breaking yard in Gadani, which is in sharp contrast to 46 in India and 23 in Bangladesh Pakistan s ocean spots are instrumental in generating wind and tidal energy to shift from non-renewable to renewable energy Also Pakistan should improve its beaches to attract marine-loving tourists The scientific research for bio-medicines can also be done in seawater To capitalise the maximum advantages from blue economy, this sector should be included in the agenda of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) MOULA BAKHSH TAREEN JHAL MAGSI Fragile economy and solutions A N economic problem generally means the problem of making a choice that occurs because of the scarcity of resources It arises because people have unlimited desires but the means to satisfy that desire are limited at a greater level Therefore satisfying all human needs seems nearly impossible with limited resources Pakistan is one of those developing countries that is facing economic problems which are delaying the success and the growth of the country There are consequently many economic problems in Pakistan which are getting hostile and overwhelming day by day and if they remain unattended then the conditions might even may be propelled towards the worst situation Through Durandline Pakistan is connected with Afghanistan geographically and was an ally of America in the war on terror, therefore facing great threats and terrorism A huge part of the budget is spent on this war War against terrorism is a very important reason behind the economic problem Another major issue of our country includes a poor academic set-up the Energy crisis is also a critical economic problem that has affected the growth of the state unfavourably the load shedding of electricity petroleum CNG and natural gas has produced various problems Resultantly, the mediocre stakeholders have left the country in the lurch KOMAL SAMO KARACHI E d i t o r ’ s m a i l Send your letters to: Letters to Editor Pakistan Today 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah Lahore Pakistan E-mail: letters@pakistantoday com pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
H E recent attack in Noshki, Balochistan has once again cast a spotlight on the tumultuous security situation in Pakistan s largest province This incident is not just a reflection of the localized grievances that have plagued Balochistan but also underscores the broader geopolitical dynamics affecting the region Balochistan has been a hotbed of insurgency and conflict for decades The province’s troubles stem from a complex interplay of historical economic and political factors This economic grievance has been compounded by political grievances Hostile elements, while sitting in Pakistan and abroad, are spreading flimsy propaganda against the government and armed forces to accomplish their heinous objectives The recent attack in Noshki was a stark reminder of ongoing security challenges in Balochistan which are occurring due to the activities of non-state elements with the help of foreign hands Insurgent groups in Balochistan, including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), have often carried out attacks against security forces infrastructure and pilgrims visiting Iran Those who were killed in the Noshki attack were also going to Iran to visit holy sites Unfortunately they
outlets play a significant role in shaping public opinion and the way they choose to report on sensitive issues can indeed have wide-reaching implications It has been observed that a few media outlets have tried to legitimize the demands of non-state actors in Balochistan while publishing critical content regarding the Noshki attack If such outlets are legitimizing non-state actors they could influence public perception and possibly policy decisions related to those groups This is a serious concern, especially in contexts where non-state actors are involved in conflict or political activities that are contentious or harmful Critically evaluating media content questioning editorial decisions and discussing these issues openly can contribute to a more informed public discourse Such news outlets must avoid toeing the lines of hostile elements and must discourage such incidents Glorifying concerns of non-state actors will further substantiate their illegitimate claims which will set a negative precedent Various incidents of killings have been reported in Balochistan in the recent past In all these incidents, Iranian links emerged as those terrorists were using Iranian soil Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Iranian government to undertake stringent actions against such elements who are using their soil which could affect bilateral ties of Iran and Pakistan The writer is Islamabad based expert of strategic affairs R e g i o n a l i n s t a b i l i t y a n d t h e p a t h t o p e a c e Th e No s h ki At t a c k a f f e c t s t h e e nt
re re
o n ASAD Ali S H E N D I (not to be confused with shandy) is the event that combines baraat (the ‘real’ shaadi) with mehndi In other words add dances to the event of baraat and you get shendi In the process mehndi s rasme-hina gets deleted due to the shortage of time For the same reason and equally mercifully, many of the unendurable rituals such as doodh pilai and joota chupai have to be abridged or eliminated altogether The less the better so God bless the man who invented shendi As another bonus usually the attendees are spared the emotional sights and sounds of the exchange of vows (nikaah) which in view of the scarcity of time has to take place earlier Shalima combines baraat (shaadi) with walima, and offers similar benefits Saving a day of ‘festivities’ is huge! Of course, the ideal would be an hour-and-a-half event where each guest is served a couple of dates and a sandwich with a cup of tea; but that– in the subcontinental context– would be too much to ask too soon You have probably heard of the enlightened bridegroom somewhere in Europe who had taken his golf bag to his wedding ceremony When the bride asked what in God’s name was it doing at her wedding altar, he uttered these immortal words: ‘This (wedding) is not going to take all day is it? This level of maturity and level-headedness where weddings are considered matter-of-fact
life
grace,
have a
time
die trying is a thing
the distant future for us It will
be the 23rd
our
a good
that I am blessed with a thick skin, for ours happens to be a country where many believe that there is a religious significance to walima, and therefore no wedding is complete without it (to this day I am periodically reminded of this) Although this belief is ill-founded the walima is here to stay in the foreseeable future The shalima therefore has a brighter future in our region than the shendi Some years ago, an acquaintance had politely and discreetly suggested during the course of week-long wedding festivities that perhaps they could be abridged somewhat considering that the guests had other things to do as well One man had responded to the suggestion then in these words: But we have nothing else to do! While such individuals still exist today (and they may very well still be in a majority), it is safe to say that their numbers have declined since, and will continue to decline All those who are known to object strongly to any violation of the traditional mehndi-baraat-walima wedding template (on the part of others) put themselves at a great risk of having to see their own children or grandchildren being guilty of the same Already, many of them have faced this ignominy For it is inevitable, not only in view of the expenses involved but also of the immense wastage of time Until fairly recently the trend in the duration of weddings was strictly on the rise Multiple dholkis
had
mehndi
dholkis with qawwali nights, giving the whole arrangement a touch of piety without taking anything away from its pomp and show (the way referring to the engagement ceremony as dua-e-khair does) Shehndi and shalima (each of which means one less event) having reversed the trend are therefore breaths of fresh air In the overall scheme of things, this may still be an isolated practice; but it is a start at least– and a welcome one at that Life is plenty tough as it is Anything that reduces the drudgery of existence rituals and ceremonies especially for those unfortunates careless enough to be born with thoughtful souls is to be cherished Weddings are no-doubt wonderful occasions full of gaiety and fun But it is an essential stage of intellectual progress to accept the cold hard truth that others are not nearly as excited about one’s ‘big’ days and events as one naturally is (for the very good reason that they have their own big days to be thrilled about their own problems to solve and their own lives to live) They therefore are incapable of regarding somebody else s event as having anywhere near the cosmic importance that that individual thinks it has Truths are often uncomfortable in the short term As a medium to long term strategy however, nothing makes for a richer and more peaceful existence than fearless acceptance of facts The author is a connoisseur of music literature and food (but not drinks) He can be reached at www facebook com/hasanaftabsaeed
i
g i
realities of
instead of occasions which you expect others (and yourself) to
all resolved to
grand
or
of
probably
century before
folks will start treating a wedding
as some fantasy event
as the prelude
is
thing
folks
replaced
and
HASAN AFTAB SAEED
scolding them that they are rude and have no sense to talk and they are advised to make do with what they are getting Why is this not so for boys?
Athat they can do anything they want, and even break all rules and regulations which are prohibited universally and religiously No one will ask them why they do so If their daughters ask for their basic rights they start
not give space to girls so they can also breathe in the open air?
raise girls to make them more sensitive than they are From childhood we set a girl s mind: you do not need to study more than basic, if she studies and gets higher education then mothers tell them “you do not need to do a job remain at home you have nothing to do at all What will happen if you get higher education? You will just wash dishes after studies, so why would we spent money on your studies? She had no right to wish She does not even have the right to tell her likes and dislikes She does not have the right to choose a man for marriage She has no right to refuse a man because she does not want to marry him she does not like him she does not get good vibes from him, nothing at all, there is no right for her Mothers do emotional blackmailing her by saying “I gave birth to you;
Unnecessary obstructions from any girl s house made her mentally tortured It s not just the end, and this is the tragedy of our society We do raise our sons like lions, but we forget to teach them basic things such as how to live how to talk with females and how to respect them even with their mother and sisters how to take care of everyone s self-respect and how to keep oneself in already set limits; so we make them savages We do not raise our girls like warriors so that they feel confident, face society bravely, and feel strong We do not teach them how to survive in this cruel society how to protect themselves how to face the problems alone how to take big decisions for themselves and how to tackle the opposite gender if they harass them This is because we do not want to see our daughters independent We want to see them dependent on their fathers brothers husbands and sons Even after any mistake if any doubt will come to the male members of her house it will be her end on the name of their socalled Ghairat (honour), without knowing the truth and without giving them a chance to explain, they are killed by their own family members What is the actual definition of Ghairat? On what premises do we define it? This Ghairat comes up in every girl-related issue Where, by forgiving the daughters for any mistake, by lovingly understanding to tell her there is a need to forget what happened by giving her a chance to explain herself, and where there is a need to resolve the issue with patience we didn’t do it Why do
r d r a m a a t t h a t t i m e w h e n t h e r e s t o f t h e f a m i l y m e m b e r s w a n t t o s l e e p , w h y a r e yo u f o r c i n g h e r t o s l e e p i f s h e d o e s n Ê t w a n t t o ? S h e h a s n o r i g h t t o g o o u t s i d e w i t h f r i e n d s , s h e h a s t o r e m a i n a t h o m e , s o w h y a r e w e n o t a l l o w i n g h e r t o s t a y a t h o m e w i t h h e r o w n w i l l o n h e r c h o i c e s
N D I A N S have begun voting in the
Iwho had reluctantly joined the Indian Union, told a visiting American couple that any Constitution that sanctioned universal suffrage in a land of illiterates was “crazy” A Madras editor complained that “a very large majority [will] exercise votes for the first time: not many know what the vote is why they should vote and whom they should vote for; no wonder the whole adventure is rated as the biggest gamble in history And the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Organisation weekly Organiser loftily remarked that Pandit Nehru would live to confess the failure of universal adult franchise in India
Yet the gamble worked A variety of parties and individuals representing different ideological persuasions contested the election, and adult men and women freely chose among them The successful holding of that first election was a major milestone in Indian history Later elections in 1957 1962 1967 and 1971 consolidated the gains made in 1952 The second truly significant general election in our history was held in March 1977 For, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed an Emergency in June 1975 it was assumed by many people that this marked an end to open competitive politics that India had joined the ranks of countless other Asian and African countries which had come under authoritarian rule Indeed, the streets were noticeably peaceable all through the second half of 1976 as I can testify from personal experience There was no challenge or threat to Indira Gandhi s rule no reason for her to lift the Emergency and call for fresh elections Yet she did Historians have highlighted three aspects of those elections of 1977 that made them particularly noteworthy The first is that they were held at all The second is that their results confounded the pollsters since it was generally expected that Indira Gandhi would win Mrs Gandhi was thought to be extremely popular; it was believed that the aura of the military victory against Pakistan in 1971 still hung around her Besides, her party organisation was in good shape and well-funded not least because a majority of the top industrialists had supported the Emergency On the other hand the Opposition was fragmented and underfunded, and its leaders and cadres had just spent a long spell in jail Yet, in a striking refutation of the pollsters, the Congress fell well short of a majority and even Mrs Gandhi failed to win her seat This meant that for the first time in the history of independent India a
party other than the Congress would come to power in New Delhi
That they were held, that the Congress lost, and that India was not henceforth to be a single-party State – to these three noteworthy features of the 1977 election should be added a fourth namely that the long dominant Congress was defeated by a coalition of parties pragmatically contesting under a single label The so-called Janata Party consisted of four parties of widely different provenance and belief systems which had come together with the sole objective of defeating autocracy and restoring democracy
Between 1977 and 2014 no single party or coalition was in power in New Delhi for more than two terms This alternation of power was altogether good for Indian democracy Freed from the fear of long-term domination by a single party, in those years the press was more free the civil services more independent and the judiciary more assertive A competitive polity with no party in power all the time was also very good for Indian federalism, with states having greater leeway to pursue their individual economic and social agendas
one should definitely not be complacent This is because the BJP brings with it the hatefilled and divisive ideology of Hindutva DOWNGRADED
It is true that like Indira Gandhi before him, Modi has authoritarian instincts and a desire for total domination However, there is one significant difference between her political situation and his; namely that in 1977 the Congress was in power in all but one state (Tamil Nadu where too the chief minister at the time was deferential towards New Delhi), whereas in 2024 the BJP is out of power in all of South India and in several important states in eastern and northern India as well
The absolute silencing of a democratic Opposition that Mrs Gandhi and the Congress were able to achieve between 1975 and 1977, will be far harder for Modi
Or buy up legislators with equal abandon? Either course would be tempting, and in keeping with their amoral methods, yet each shall be bitterly opposed by the millions of citizens of those states who do not subscribe to the cult of Modi or vote for the BJP Because the BJP s hegemony does not embrace large parts of the country, India is very unlikely to return to the full-blown authoritarianism of the Emergency years Nonetheless, even if one need not be alarmist,
Will these ongoing elections reverse the trend? Most pollsters seem to think so They believe that Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party are almost certain to win a third successive majority What happens then? A commentator I otherwise respect, Parakala Prabhakar, has been quoted as saying that if Modi and the BJP win a third term there won t be any more elections in the country
make Central universities IITs and IIMs centres of Hindutva propaganda and further weaken the structure of Indian federalism The reallocation of Lok Sabha seats according to population will be set in motion such that the demographic advantage of the North where the BJP is strong will be converted into an enduring political subordination of the South where the BJP is weak The South is unlikely to submit meekly to its suppression; but Modi and the BJP may proceed with their plans regardless In a book published in 2007 I characterised India as a “50-50”
Thursday 25 Apr l 2024 COMMENT 05
S a girl I am a keen observer of people s behaviour with girls while living in the same society, in fact living in the same home The society in which we are living has double standards for girls and boys No one made this society but we ourselves and the clear image of our thoughts is reflected in our acts and behaviour Islam sets the limits of both males and females, but females, especially young girls, are treated like robots, as if they have no feelings no emotions no right to give an opinion and no right to choose anything for themselves and have no right to make decisions on their own A girl or female who goes outside her home to study or work, has to prove herself on her own behalf The major supporting system which gives her strength, which makes her confident, is her family specially its male members If they give trust to her she feels like she can fly over the skies and can face every difficulty with ease because she feels strong But when she is mistrusted by her own family she breaks She feels herself a miserable person of society Our families have double standards for their sons and daughters They do not restrict their sons in anything but they set a dozen restrictions for daughters because she is a girl They raise their sons as if they are the lions of the jungle This gives them permission
I have more right upon you than anyone ” fathers by saying “My honour is upon you you have to take care of it more than anything else brothers by saying Hamari Ghairat ka masala hai (It is a matter of our honour) Why would we not say this to our sons that “You are also holders of our honour, you also have no right to misuse the in dependence and trust given by us I have more right upon you more than anyone why? These are the double standards of our parents siblings family and even society because we together made this society with our own rules and regulations Where we have the power, we make decisions for others We play with others’ emotions If we have power we think we are deities Every reader after reading my views must think I am against all norms which are given by our religion and society because society also works and follows those regulations and limits which our religion allows us, that I am an Islamophobic personality What if I am facing this too? But the truth is that I am not! I am a true Muslim girl and follow my religion from the core of my heart and stay within those limits which are given by our religion If all of us study deeply our religion we have come to know: How should we treat women? In which manner do we address her? How much love care and affection must be given to her? What are her basic rights? What is her own right to her life? She can choose what she wants she can refuse anything because our religion gives her the right to do so She can marry with her own will and choice She can show her likes and dislikes and nobody can force her to do something Then why are we doing so? Why don’t we give her choices? Why do we make egoistic problems when she asks for something when she talks about her choice in case of marriage? We impose our decisions on her without thinking this is the matter of her whole life, no matter if she is happy or not We torture her mentally at every moment, asking why are you doing this from whom did you get permission to do this you have to sleep at this time you have to awake at this time What should she do if she can t sleep? She wants to see a movie or drama at that time when the rest of the family members want to sleep, why are you forcing her to sleep if she doesn’t want to? She has no right to go outside with friends she has to remain at home so why are we not allowing her to stay at home with her own will on her choices Those who are facing this pain, stress, anxiety and mental torture every time, they know what the actual pain is Sorry to say, but not everyone is capable of having and raising a daughter
Naveed is an academic researcher and youth leader with more than three years of acting volunteering
we
We
Zainab
experience It’s all about restricting choices
country s 18th general election Of the 17 previous iterations, two were particularly important One was the first general election, held in 19511952 That exercise was widely mocked by sceptics who believed that Indians were too poor too divided and too illiterate to be granted the right to choose their leaders A maharaja,
and the BJP to accomplish now even if they fulfil their fantasy of winning 370 seats in the Lok Sabha There will still be popularly elected governments in place in large states like Tamil Nadu Kerala West Bengal Telangana and so on What will Modi and Amit Shah do with them? Impose Article 356 recklessly?
DEMOCRACY:
the ten
Narendra Modi has been in power religious
particu-
pushed
fur-
to the margins of Indian politics They face endemic discrimination in everyday life, on the street, in the marketplace, in schools hospitals and offices BJP MPs and ministers mock and taunt Indian Muslims on a regular basis their message amplified on WhatsApp and YouTube by their supporters Textbooks are rewritten to indoctrinate schoolchildren with hostility towards fellow citizens who are not Hindus The stigmatisation of Muslims will continue and perhaps even sharpen if Narendra Modi and the BJP win a third term in office Another victory especially if it comes with a comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha, will embolden Modi and his party to further tighten the screws on the media further undermine the independence of the civil services the judiciary and public regulatory institutions further
democracy In updating the book a decade-and-a-half later I downgraded this to a 30-70 democracy A third successive majority for Modi and the BJP will accelerate this decline, with damaging consequences for our social fabric, for our economic prospects, and for the viable future of generations of Indians yet unborn Back in the 1970s Indira Gandhi combined authoritarianism with a devotion to family rule; now Narendra Modi combines authoritarianism with a devotion to Hindu majoritarianism While parivarvaad is bad, bahusankhyavaad is surely even worse, as the fate of the countries in our neighbourhood that have been overtaken by varieties of Islamic or Buddhist majoritarianism demonstrates There is no reason to believe that the outcome of Hindu majoritarianism will be any different Authoritarianism crushes the spirit; majoritarianism poisons the mind and the heart The hate and bigotry that it engenders spread like a cancer through the body politic robbing individuals and society of civility decency compassion of humanity itself That is why its rise must be checked by such democratic means as are still available to us That is why this is the most important general election since 1977 Ramachandra Guha’s latest work The Cooking of Books: A Literary Memoir has just been released Why 2024 is India’s most impor tant election since 197 7 Zainab navEEd Mental stress in girls from teenage to adulthood We t o r t u r e h e r m e n t a l l y a t e v e r y m o m e n t , a s k i n g w h y a r e yo u d o i n g t h i s , f r o m w h o m d i d yo u g e t p e r m i s s i o n t o d o t h i s , yo u h a v e t o s l e e p a t t h i s t i m e , yo u h a v e t o a w a k e a t t h i s t i m e W h a t s h o u l d s h e d o i f s h e c a n Ê t s l e e p ? S h e w a n t s t o s e e a m o v i e o
TELEGRAPH INDIA r a m ac h a n d r a G u h a
ET another journalist has become a victim of violence and intimidation reinforcing the fact that the authorities are still failing to ensure a safe environment for them to perform their duties On Friday night, unidentified miscreants attacked a crime reporter of Bangla daily Jugantor with some sort of powdery substance that stung leading to his hospitalisation Attacks on journalists are unfortunately nothing new; it s a textbook scare tactic But how is it that after countless such incidents over the years, the government is still failing to ensure the safety of media workers? Before spraying him with the powder the two masked miscreants mentioned the name of a local public representative and threatened to kill the journalist and his family This trend of attackers claiming to be doing the dirty work for influentials is also quite common Earlier this month, a journalist filed a case against an Awami League leader after the latter ’s men allegedly attacked him in Kurigram Last month supporters of a local ward councillor allegedly assaulted a journalist from Jamalpur These incidents, which aim to deter journalists from doing their job, prove that threatening and injuring journalists have little repercussions Bringing the point further home is a report of Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF) which said that at least 40 journalists were subjected to various forms of attacks, intimidation, threats, and harassment in 15 incidents in the last month Of the 15 incidents ruling party members were involved in four UP chairmen in three government officials in two university authorities in one land grabbers in one, and local influentials in four This shows a worrying trend of individuals with power including those entrusted to ensure people’s welfare attempting to suppress the work of the free press and oftentimes getting away with it There s a reason why Bangladesh is ranked 163rd out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index 2023, and if the government wants to truly ensure a safe environment for journalists, it must stop turning a blind eye to such incidents The culture of impunity for attacking and intimidating journalists must end And the perpetrators of such attacks must be brought to book THREATS, ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS MUST STOP DAILY STAR E d i to r i a l Th e c u l t u re o f i m p u n i t y f o r at t a c ki n g a n d i nt i m i d at i n g j o u r n a l i s t s m u s t e n d A n d t h e p e r p e t rato r s o f s u c h at t a c k s m u s t b e b ro u g ht to b o o k Au t h o r i t a r i a n i s m c r u s h e s t h e s p i r i t M a j o r i t a r i a n i s m p o i s o n s t h e m i n d a n d t h e h e a r t Th e i r r i s e m u s t b e s to p p e d EXERCISE RESTRAINT Leaders should not lower the bar in poll speeches P R I M E MINISTER Narendra Modi’s remarks at a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara on Sunday have triggered a row ahead of the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections Tearing into the Congress manifesto the PM alleged that the Opposition party was planning to give people s hard-earned money and valuables to ghuspaithiye (infiltrators) and those who have more children Out of context, he also referred to then PM Manmohan Singh s 2006 statement that weaker sections and Muslims had the first claim on the country s resources Describing the PM’s comments as ‘hate speech’, several Opposition parties have urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take action against him The Congress has alleged that the remarks were divisive malicious and aimed at a particular religious community The unsavoury controversy has raised the prospect of campaign speeches becoming more vicious and venomous over the next few weeks The onus is on senior leaders of various political parties to lead by example and avoid crossing any red line A major challenge for the ECI is to deal with every complaint and countercomplaint on merit and take decisions freely as well as fairly It’s not uncommon for politicians to get carried away by their emotions or biases in the poll season During an election rally in Karnataka in April 2019 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had allegedly asked why the Modi surname was common to thieves The unacceptable comment had got him into trouble as BJP MLA Purnesh Modi filed a criminal defamation case against him Rahul had eventually lost his Lok Sabha membership, which was restored only after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in August last year Sounding a note of caution, the court had said: The alleged utterances are not in good taste A person in public life is expected to exercise a degree of restraint while making public speeches ’ PM Modi and Opposition leaders should pay heed to this sound advice and refrain from any outburst that can vitiate peace and communal harmony TRIBUNE, INDIA E d i to r i a l
In
years that
minorities and
larly Muslims, have been
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State Department earlier Some Western media also hold a cautious view of this visit The New York Times said Blinken goes to China with potential trouble on horizon as the visit comes as Democrats and Republicans are vying to appear tougher on China Reuters said Blinken arrived with bilateral ties “on a steadier footing,” but with a daunting array of unresolved issues threatening the stability of relations between the two countries The Associated Press also listed the major divisions between China and the US and key issues that Blinken is going to bring up on the trip including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, tensions in the Middle East the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue Just before Blinken boarded his
plane the North America and Oceania department of China s Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed the media on Monday, providing a 3,000-plus-word statement about the details of the visit
It not only reiterated a welcoming attitude but also elaborately outlined the five main objectives of the visit including establishing correct perceptions, enhancing dialogue, effectively managing differences, advancing mutually benefi cial cooperation, and jointly undertaking the responsibilities of a major country
The briefing is also considered a negotiating memorandum provided to
Blinken, experts said “There is a gap in attitudes between China and the US, which relates to the ways and ideas both sides take to handle bilateral relations Wu Xinbo director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University told media on Wednesday The fundamental approach of the US is to view China as its most significant strategic competitor and its most severe geopolitical challenge so the US adopts measures to contain and suppress China under the guise of containment while simultaneously it needs China to cooperate as well as make concessions on a range of issues important to the US, Wu noted “On one hand, the US wants to suppress and guard against China, and on the other it expects China to dance to its tune Wu said
Despite this gap in attitudes between the two countries for the Biden administration, with the continuing increase in uncertainties in Ukraine and the Middle East, the US can no longer afford to divert attention to potential frictions and conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region which might consume even more energy and resources some experts said US n e w S d e S k
Malala Yousafzai and former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton recently garnered attention for their collaboration on the Broadway debut of their co-produced musical The musical, titled Suffs, delves into the history of women’s suffrage, tracing the movement for women’s voting rights back to the early 20th century While the news initially appeared as a significant achievement numerous individuals have voiced their concerns about the collaboration on social media
Taking to X, one user noted, “Very cool that Malala is working alongside the former Secretary of State who supported the CIA drone wars that killed and maimed countless in Northern Pakistan destroying access to education; a former SoS who is actively supporting the genocide in Gaza right now Malala herself has been relatively muted on the devastation of the education system in Gaza Whatever little she’s said has been muted platitudes The same user added Celebrity activists are picked and chosen for a reason by elites – they serve the general function of providing proximity to doing good for those who otherwise leech on this world and its vulnerable They also can be trusted to never harangue oppressors with power ” One X user utilised an impactful quote to make a point You can cuss out colonialism imperialism and all other kinds of ism but it’s hard for you to cuss that dollarism When they drop those dollars on you your soul goes – Malcolm X, they quoted Another remarked, Remember when opinion about Malala’ was supposed to be a litmus test? What a fall from grace ” A heartbroken user of the microblogging site voiced I hated on everyone who hated on Malala for so
adding that efforts are needed to adopt a region-spe-
long and she threw everyone under the bus just like that But there s absolutely no coming
significant achievements on eco-environmental conservation and restoration over the past five years but the region s development is still facing difficulties and challenges according to the Xinhua News Agency The Chinese President said developing industries that leverage local strengths should be the main focus,
China s GDP Although the region s development has been lagging behind the country s eastern coastal regions, in recent years development has been picking up pace Between 2019 and 2023, the region s combined GDP expanded form 20 5 trillion yuan ($2 83 trillion) to 26 9 trillion yuan, with an annual average
growth rate of 4 9 percent The development in the western region has improved significantly in recent years in terms of infrastructure, industrial upgrade and people s livelihoods, Hu Qimu, a deputy secretary-general of the digital-real economies integration Forum 50, told the Global Times on
Thursday 25 April 2024 | K AR ACHI 06 NEWS CORPORATE CORNER DWE extends training to 300,000 workers of 350 industries in twin cit y ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t Directorate of Workers Education (DWE) a subsidiary of the Overseas Pakistanis and Human Development Foundation is providing training to 300,000 workers of 350 industries in Rawalpindi and Islamabad in phases, Rai Muhammad Akbar, the director of the DWE said He mentioned that individuals seeking opportunities to work abroad are receiving training in German Arabic Japanese and Korean languages Moreover online training initiatives are in progress for students intending to pursue their education abroad Addressing an event aimed at land cleanup and expressing solidarity with sanitation workers, jointly organized by the Directorate of Workers Education (DWE) and the Japanese organization KOMATSU at G-8 Islamabad Park he emphasized the vital role of sanitation workers in maintaining cleanliness in society Agri Connections triggers agri growth, environment for investment LAHORE S ta f f r e p o r t Pakistan will soon start exporting dairy products to China through a state-of-the-art farm developed in Sheikhupura to meet the export requirements of China This was revealed by Masaud Anwar, Secretary Livestock, Government of Punjab, at ‘Pakistan Agricultural Coalition’s Agri-Connections 2024’ at Expo Center here on Wednesday “A team of China Customs has recently visited our FAM Farm in Sheikhupura and unofficially approved Pakistan for exports of dairy products to China, said Anwar Secretary Agriculture, Government of Punjab, Iftikhar Sahoo on the occasion said that private sector is the future of agriculture addressing the audience full of corporate and financial sector players “The new government has a vision for transformation our agriculture sector So the investment of Rs 100 billion has been planned in the agriculture sector for the next two years, said Sahoo SHANGHAI S ta f f C o r r e S p o n d e n t
S Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived here in Shanghai on Wednesday afternoon to begin the second official visit to China of his tenure Some Chinese experts said whether this visit which shows Washington s eagerness to cooperate with China can achieve a breakthrough depends on the US mind-set and attitude But given that the US continues to send signals of “pressuring for demands ” experts hold low expectations for a positive outcome from Blinken’s ongoing China visit Blinken is scheduled to travel to China from Wednesday to Friday where he will meet with senior Chinese officials in both Shanghai and Beijing to talk about a range of bilateral, regional and global issues according to a statement issued by the US
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alI, I feel sorry for her She’s not her own person and never will be now She’s a part of a project Astronomers detect Milky Way’s second-largest known black hole AGENCIES Astronomers have discovered a black hole with a mass about 33 times greater than that of our sun the biggest one known in the Milky Way aside from the supermassive black hole lurking at the centre of our galaxy The newly identified black hole is located about 2,000 light-years from Earth – relatively close in cosmic terms – in the constellation Aquila and has a companion star orbiting it researchers said on Tuesday A light year is the distance light travels in a year 5 9 trillion miles (9 5 trillion km) Black holes are extraordinarily dense objects with gravity so strong that not even light can escape, making it difficult to spot them This one was identified through observations made in the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission which is creating a huge stellar census because it caused a wobbling motion in its companion star Data from the Europena Southern Observatory s Chile-based Very Large Telescope and other ground-based observatories were used to verify the black hole s mass BEIJING S ta f f C o r r e S p o n d e n t China voiced the firm opposition to the hypocritical moves by the US on the Ukraine crisis by enacting massive aid bills for Ukraine while making baseless accusations against the normal trade between China and Russia which will also be one of the major issues to be discussed during the upcoming visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China Blinken is expected to raise US concerns Beijing is helping Russia build up its defense industrial base to fight the war in Ukraine ” Reuters reported recently citing US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller The US official accused China of supplying Russia with everything from chips to cruise missile engines to help rebuild its industrial base, the Financial Times reported on Sunday “On one hand the US enacts massive aid bills for Ukraine, and on the other, it makes baseless accusations against the normal economic and trade interactions between China and Russia which is extremely hypocritical and irresponsible China resolutely opposes this Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a press conference on Tuesday On the issue of Ukraine, China has always maintained an objective and fair stance actively advocating for peace and promoting a political solution China consistently controls the export of dual-use items in accordance with laws and regulations, Wang said China is not the creator or a party to the Ukraine crisis, does not add fuel to the fire, does not take advantage of the situation for gain and does not accept blame shifting the spokesperson noted China has the right to engage in normal economic and trade interactions with all countries in the world, including Russia, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, a right that should not be interfered with or undermined Wang said “China’s legitimate rights and interests must not be violated he said advising the US that fanning the flames or shifting blame is not the correct way to resolve the issue in Ukraine The only right choice is to take into account the reasonable security concerns of all parties and to establish a balanced effective and sustainable European security framework through dialogue and negotiation he said The US is drafting sanctions that threatened to cut some Chinese banks or from the global financial systems, which some US officials said will help stop China’s commercial support of Russia’s military production the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday We strongly oppose the hypocritical behavior of the US which fans the flames itself yet shifts the blame onto China, Wang said China s right to engage in normal economic and trade interactions with all countries including Russia must not be violated We will resolutely defend our legitimate rights and interests the spokesperson stressed When asked about what is the best case scenario result of the Blinken s visit to China given the tensions in the China-US relations, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said this visit is part of implementing the consensus reached between the heads of state at the San Francisco meeting maintaining dialogue managing differences advancing cooperation, and strengthening coordination on international affairs Both China and the US will discuss the implementation of the important items of consensus reached during the San Francisco meeting and recent calls between the heads of state and exchange views on China-US relations and international and regional issues of mutual concern, Wang said C hina slashes
Ukraine crisis, urging Washington
blameshif ting B L I N K E N L A N D S I N S H A N G H A I W I T H ‘ L I T T L E O P T I M I S M ’ O N M A J O R B R E A K T H R O U G H Internet criticizes Malala for collaborating with Hillar y Clinton CHONQING S ta f f C o r r e S p o n d e n t Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed further efforts to usher in a new stage in the development of China’s western region featuring well-coordinated environmental conservation greater openness and high-quality development when he chaired a symposium on boosting the development of China s western region in the new era in Southwest China s Chongqing Municipality Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission made an inspection tour in Chongqing from Monday to Wednesday During the visit he called on Chongqing to further deepen reform and opening up across the board and write its own chapter in advancing Chinese modernization The remarks and the inspection tour highlighted the great importance the top leader attaches to the development of the western region which covers more than 70 percent of China’s land area and is home to nearly 30 percent of the country s population The region plays a critical role in China s pursuit of high-quality development and Chinese modernization, and holds great potential in various areas, economists said on Wednesday During the symposium on Tuesday, Xi said China’s western region has seen
back from this The soul has officially, fully been sold Another scathingly penned, “They weren’t wrong then they called her a sell-out because working with the people who killed your own people is certainly a choice made Yet another said This nasty sell-out How can you work with somebody who s responsible for killing your own people?” One user of the site formerly known as Twitter employed the usage of another famous quote You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain they remarked Pashtuns, like myself, have for years alerted you folks to
inauthenticity and why
is
disliked
region
because she cares about education and
don’t but because she’s an American imperialist mouthpiece and shill whose glory-chasing and grifting is actively causing harm to our people, shared another disgruntled X user “Above
‘ hypocritic al move’ by US on
to end
cific approach in developing emerging industries and expedite industrial transformation and upgrade in the western region Underscoring the importance attached to greater openness during the inspection tour of Chongqing Xi also visited an international logistics hub park to learn about the municipality s efforts in accelerating the development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in west China, according to Xinhua China s western region covers Chongqing, six provinces and five autonomous regions, including Southwest China’s Sichuan and Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region accounting for 21 5 percent of
Wednesday In terms of industrial development the western region has also seen rapid development in recent years The region is home to nine national level strategic emerging industry clusters in areas such as new materials and biomedicine, and five national level advanced manufacturing clusters such as electronic information and aviation The region’s industrial added value has jumped from 5 8 trillion yuan in 2019 to 8 1 trillion yuan in 2023 according to official data The symposium on Tuesday further highlighted the western region s critical role in China s efforts to bolster both security and development, as well as its enormous potential in areas such as advanced manufacturing and high-level opening-up, economists said “The region is tasked not only to boost local industrial development with many industries shift from the east to the west and provide support in resources and other areas but also to play a bigger role in the country s opening-up efforts Dong Shaopeng a senior research fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Wednesday Dong noted that there is still great room for the western region to expand opening-up by bolstering connectivity with countries and regions through land transport corridors
Xi c alls on Chongqing to promote high- quality development
RUDA takes stern ac tion against pyrolysis plants at its river site
mp r e h e n s i v e s t r a t e g y t o c o u n t e r t h e m e n a c e o f s m o g a n d a d d r e s s the issue of environmental degrad a t i o n t h r o u g h n u m b e r o f i n i t i at i v e s w h i c h i n c l u d e p l a c e m e n t s o f s c r u b b
07 NEWS Thursday 25 Apr l 2024 K AR ACH CORPORATE CORNER LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) has undertaken a decisive operation against tire-burning factories, also known as pyrolysis plants, within its jurisdiction in a significant move towards environmental preservation Following the directives of the esteemed Lahore High Court RUDA with its Environment Department and other pertinent administrative bodies, executed the operation to dismantle the pyrolysis plants which are one of the main causes of air pollution in the city During this operation, RUDA took resolute action against multiple tire-burning factories Five pyrolysis plants were comprehensively dismantled and one fuel-making facility was promptly sealed to prevent further environmental degradation The operation was led by Director Ijaz Ahmed and Deputy Director Environment Nadia Tahir RUDA from time to time has warned the proprietors of these factories emphasizing that any attempt to re-establish such hazardous facilities within RUDA's jurisdiction would result in immediate demolition as per the High Court's orders R U D A i s f o l l o w i n g a c o
e r s , r e s t r i c t i o n s o n u n a u t h o r i z e d f u e l s i n f a c t o r i e s a n d o t h e r m e a s u r e s t o a d a p t a s b es t p r actice to h an d le th e in d u st r i a l w a s t e President Asif Zardari lauds IIUI for promotion of higher education ISLAMABAD: President of Pakistan/ Chancellor of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday lauded the role of IIUI in the promotion of higher education in the country and assured his all-out support for the institution s uplift The president said this in a meeting with IIUI Rector Dr Samina Malik IIUI and President Dr Hathal Homoud Alotaibi and here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr In the meeting President Asif Ali Zardari emphasized that skilled youth is imperative for the country s bright future and universities needed to equip its students with soft skills, such as critical thinking, effective communication and teamwork, besides providing technical/hard skills The university rector apprised the president of the IIUI’s performance and services in the higher education sector The President of Pakistan was told by Dr Hathal that the IIUI had formulated a Strategic Plan 2022-2026 to promote research and development, innovation and digitalisation that would also help improve the university’s financial and administrative affairs On the occasion, The President of Pakistan/Chancellor, IIUI was briefed By IIUI Rector and President on the implementation of new organogram and its implementation at the faculty level in the light of university s strategic plan SARA DANIAL The world is facing a plastic pollution crisis of monumental proportions Plastic has infiltrated every aspect of modern life from bottles to bags, straws to packaging, becoming an integral part of our daily routines Yet, its convenience comes at an immense cost to the environment The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) reports that approximately 1 million plastic bottles are sold every minute worldwide and about 5 trillion plastic bags are used annually These staggering figures underscore the urgent need to address our reliance on singleuse plastics Pakistan for instance grapples with the highest percentage of mismanaged plastic waste in South Asia According to the UNEP the country generates 3 3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually Additionally, approximately 250 million tonnes of garbage comprise plastic bottles, PET bottles, and food scraps In this critical battle foodpanda Pakistan and Philip Morris (Pakistan) Limited along with other industry leaders are spearheading initiatives to combat this pervasive problem By implementing innovative and eco-friendly packaging solutions, such as reusable alternatives and biodegradable materials, foodpanda is championing sustainability efforts within its operations “As we celebrate Earth Day this year there needs to be continued focus to reduce plastic usage said Hassan Arshad, Director for Public Affairs, Communications, and Legal at foodpanda Pakistan “At foodpanda Pakistan, we are deeply aware of the crisis of plastic pollution and its devastating impact on our environment This is why we are taking proactive steps to minimize our carbon footprint and combat plastic waste We prioritize several initiatives, including the usage of recyclable/reusable bags at pandamart and promotion of sustainable product features such as 'No Cutlery' options for food deliveries making significant strides in reducing plastic usage We are also proactively working with selected vendor partners nationwide to reduce plastic usage on our platform Together, we aim to make a real difference, one meal at a time ” Among the overlooked contributors to microplastic pollution are cigarette butts which are the most abundant form of plastic waste globally With approximately 4 5 trillion individual cigarette butts polluting our environment every year worldwide, their impact cannot be ignored Once discarded they break down into microplastics adding to the already significant burden of microplastic pollution in our soil waterways and marine ecosystems Addressing this pressing challenge requires innovative solutions and collective action Tobacco organizations like Philip Morris (Pakistan) Limited recognize the need for a paradigm shift in addressing environmental sustainability The journey towards a sustainable future is integral in our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint and negative impact on the planet and society," said Andleeb Uroos Ahmed, Head of Communications Philip Morris (Pakistan) Limited "We aim to reduce cigarette butt littering by encouraging behavior change through impactful awareness campaigns for disposing of cigarette butts properly Philip Morris International also invests in R&D and continuously works towards replacing cigarette filters with plastic free alternatives Moreover by introducing better alternatives to conventional cigarettes such as smoke-free products, we aim to reduce the environmental footprint of smoking and contribute to a sustainable future " Coca-Cola Pakistan has also set ambitious targets to tackle environmental concerns and promote sustainability aiming to collect and recycle a bottle or can for each one sold by 2030 Building on their progress, in 2022, 61% of the equivalent bottles and cans introduced into the market were collected and refilled or recycled One such pioneering endeavor took place in Islamabad in 2021 resulting in the creation of Pakistan s first plastic road on Ataturk Avenue This groundbreaking project utilized approximately ten tonnes of plastic bottles, demonstrating a scalable solution for repurposing plastic waste in high-value production Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has also joined the efforts with the introduction of PSO ECO STREET, a sustainable plastic road initiative that transformed approximately 49,428 sq ft of conventional road surrounding PSO House in Clifton, Karachi, using 5 000 kg of recycled plastic waste primarily sourced from lubricant bottles and cans collected at PSO's Lubricant Manufacturing Terminal (LMT) Meanwhile, in 2020 in Karachi, the Network of Organizations Working with People with Disabilities Pakistan (NOWPDP) launched a recycling facility Operated on the principles of reduce reuse and revive the facility creates an ecosystem for an endto-end waste management solution Run entirely by persons with disabilities, it plays a crucial role in streamlining waste management efforts and promoting environmental sustainability in the city Therefore as we commemorate Earth Day 2024 with the theme Planet vs Plastics, it serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address the root causes of plastic pollution and embrace sustainable practices Collaboration among individuals businesses and policymakers is essential to implement solutions that reduce plastic consumption promote recycling and waste management, and support the development of biodegradable alternatives Sara Danial is a freelance writer with a keen interest in climate change and action ‘Pakistan in Emerging Geopolitical Landscape’Inaugural Session ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t The Centre for Afghanistan Middle East & Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), in collaboration with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Pakistan Office, hosted a one-day International Conference, titled “Pakistan in the Emerging Geopolitical Landscape ” The Chief Guest at the Inaugural Session was Ambassador Asif Durrani Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan Ms Amina Khan Director CAMEA in her introductory remarks brought attention to the undergoing major transformations around the globe highlighting the need for increased global partnerships and equitable progress Amidst these global shifts, the world, including Pakistan, stands at a critical juncture as regional dynamics especially in West and Central Asia impact Pakistan's foreign policy and security emphasizing the necessity to embrace international norms to navigate the complexities of the current global landscapes While shedding light on the deliberations of the one-day Conference, Ms Khan said that it will focus on three key areas: Afghanistan post-August 2021, the evolving Middle East, and emerging non-traditional security threats in Afghanistan Central Asia and the Middle East; issues that are vital for Pakistan s future MCB posts profit before tax of Rs32.5b for Q1-2024 KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t The Board of Directors of MCB Bank Limited (MCB) in its meeting under the Chairmanship of Mian Mohammad Mansha, on April 24, 2024, reviewed the performance of the Bank and approved the condensed interim financial statements for the first quarter ended March 31 2024 The Board of Directors has declared first interim cash dividend of Rs 9 0 per share i e 90% for the quarter ended March 31 2024 Through focused efforts of the Bank s management in maintaining no-cost deposits base and optimizing its earning assets mix, MCB s Profit Before Tax (PBT) for the first quarter of 2024 increased to Rs 32 5 billion with an impressive growth of 41% Profit After Tax (PAT) posted a growth of 27% to reach Rs 16 6 billion; translating into Earning Per Share (EPS) of Rs 13 97 compared to an EPS of Rs 11 02 reported in the corresponding period last year On the back of strong volumetric growth in average current deposits (+13% on a YoY basis) and timely repositioning within the asset book, net interest income for 1Q’24 increased by 27% over corresponding period last year Non-markup income increased to Rs 9 1 billion (+54%) against Rs 5 9 billion in the corresponding period last year with major contributions coming in from fee commission income of Rs 6 1 billion (+46%), income from dealing in foreign currency of Rs 1 9 billion (+97%) and dividend income of Rs 1 0 billion (+55%) Improving customer and interbank flows diversification of revenue streams through continuous enrichment of service suite investments towards digital transformation and an unrelenting focus on upholding high standards of service delivery supplemented a broad-based growth in income from fee commission; with trade and guarantee related business income growing by 100% cards related income by 48% branch banking customer fees by 17% and income from home remittance by 55% FFC lauches ‘Sona Boron DAP’, first ever value added DAP of Pakistan KARACHI S ta f f R e p o R t Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited a Pakistan s leading fertilizer manufacturing and distributing company has extended its product portfolio by launching a new product “Sona Boron DAP”, the first ever valueadded DAP of Pakistan on April 23 2024 (Tuesday) Senior Management of FFC was also present at the launch event Boron is an essential micronutrient for plants which plays a vital role in crop growth especially during crop reproductive and fruit setting stage According to soil analysis database, around 60% soils in Pakistan are deficient in boron Hence, it’s use in crops is necessary Research trials indicate that use of Boron can enhance crop yield by 10-23% DAP is widely used fertilizer in Pakistan and is very famous among farming community as it provides best proportion of nitrogen and phosphorus to plants during early crop growth stages D ay 2 of LIIBS 2024Uniting Visionaries for Collaborative Growth ISLAMABAD: The vibrant atmosphere of collaboration and innovation continued to flourish on the second day of the highly anticipated 7th Edition of the LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT (LIIBS) Hosted at a local hotel in Islamabad, the event brought together visionary leaders entrepreneurs and stakeholders to drive economic development on both regional and global scales The 7th Edition of LIIBS is jointly hosted by Nutshell Group and Unity Foods Limited, in collaboration with OICCI (Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry), with Faysal Bank Limited as the Platinum partner, and InfraZamin Pakistan as the strategic partner Ear th D ay's Battle C r y: S aving the Planet from Plastic Pollution GB CM calls on Abdul Aleem Khan; discusses road infrastructure in GB ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Privatization Board of Investment and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan was called on by Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Haji Gulbar Khan In the meeting had a detailed discussion on the current political and economic situation of the country Gilgit Baltistan Agriculture Minister Engineer Muhammad Anwar and Education Minister Shahzad Agha were also present on this occasion In the meeting between Abdul Aleem Khan and Haji Gulbar Khan construction of RC bridge Tatta Pani and Karakoram Highway opening of Babuser Tunnel and road construction construction of Shotar Jaglot and Skardu roads were discussed S ta f f R e p o R t A delegation from Air Asia Aviation Group calls on President Asif Ali Zardari ISLAMABAD: During the meeting President Asif Ali Zardari emphasized the importance of promoting Pakistan s air links with other countries During the meeting President Asif Ali Zardari saif that Pakistan s tourism sector s potential could be fully realized by enhancing public relations He said that Pakistan, being a large market, holds immense potential for tourism, particularly religious tourism Additionally there are excellent investment opportunities available in the Pakistani stock market S ta f f R e p o Rt RTO Peshawar makes historic seizure of non-dut y, non-TTS cigarettes PESHAWAR: Regional Tax Office, Peshawar, has made the biggest seizure of non-duty/non-TTS Cigarettes in the history when it’s Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) team seized 1 869 Packerites (18 690 000 sticks) of various brands having market value of approximately PKR 162 603 000/- (162 6 Million) during a raid at a godown located at Yar Hussain, Swabi Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana and Member Inland Revenue (Operations) Mir Badshah Khan Wazir commended the historical achievement and timely action by Regional Tax Office Peshawar Chief Executive IESCO will conduct facebook live E Kachar y ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Chief Executive IESCO Dr Muhammad Amjad Khan will conduct facebook live E Kachary on Thursday 26th April 2024 (Friday) From 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon Consumers can contact Chief Executive IESCO via Facebook ID CEO-IESCO E-Kachery or call at Tel No 051-9253105 according to above given scheduled to register and resolve their electricity-related issues While registering complaints, customers are required to provide their name, bill reference number, and contact number Delegation of Ministr y of Social Solidarit y and Inclusion of Timor Leste visits BISP Headquar ters ISLAMABAD: Secretary Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Amer Ali Ahmad extended warm welcome to a 12-member delegation from the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion (MSSI) of Timor-Leste today at BISP headquarters Led by Ms Veronica Das Dores Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion the delegation s visit aimed to explore avenues of collaboration and learn from BISP's extensive experience in social protection initiatives Highlighting BISP's commitment to enhancing social welfare Secretary BISP emphasized the importance of sharing experiences and best practices to address the challenges faced by vulnerable populations Secretary BISP reiterated the organization s emphasis on the Nashonuma Programme, aimed at providing essential food and nutrition support to those in need DG NSER/CCT Naveed Akbar provided a comprehensive overview of BISP's initiatives focusing particularly on the National Socioeconomic Registry (NSER) Kafaalat Nashonuma and Taleemi Wazaif programmes PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t A major financial and administrative irregularities were unearthed at Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry resultantly secretary general of the chamber Sajjad Aziz suspended and recovery of a hefty Rs5 Million made from deputy secretary of visa section Amjad Ali and also suspension of deputy secretary Abdul Nasir after the major corruption scam A press release issued here on Wednesday stated that president of the SCCI Fuad Ishaq unmasked a massive financial scandal at the chamber level and took prompt action and suspended the secretary general Sajjad Aziz following the decision of the executive committee of the chamber Aftermath of this major scam, a high powered inquiry committee was constituted which was headed by the SCCI president Fuad Ishaq Other members of the probe body include vice president of the chamber Ejaz Khan Afridi former president FPCCI Ghazanfar Bilour, former presidents Haji Muhammad Afzal, Zahidullah Shinwari, former vice president Inayat Khan, The inquiry committee conducted a thorough investigation into the financial and administrative irregularities at the chamber level said the press release According to the details, an emergent meeting of the executive committee of the SCCI was held under President Fuad Ishaq chair The meeting was attended by the chamber s senior vice president Sanaullah Khan, vice president Ejaz Khan Afridi, executive members Javed Akhtar Muhammad Arshad Siddique Syed Minhajuddin Farhad Asfandyar Naeem Qasmi Abdul Hakim Shinwari Affaf Ali Khan Hamza Ibrahim Butt Javed AHmad Khan, Muhammad Ismail Safi, Monawar Khurshid, Kashif Amin, Qurtul Ain L e a d e r o f t h e b u s i n e s s m a n f o r u m f o r m e r s e n a t o r I l y a s A h m a d B i l o u r f o r m e r p r e s i d e n t s R i a z A r s h a d Z ah i d u l l a h S h i n w a r i H a j i M u h a m m a d A f z a l , S h e r b a z B i l o u r, f o r m e r v i c e p r e s i d e n t I n a y a t K h a n , a n d t r a d e r l e a d e r S h a u k a t K h a n a n d H a j i A m a nullah Mohmand Nadeem Rauf participated in the meeting as observer Fuad Ishaq the head of the probe committee and president of the SCCI in the executive body meeting presented an initial probe report regarding financial irregularities and informed the house about the recovery into the scam During the meeting members of the executive committee and other participants gave full authority to President Fuad Ishaq and other members of the inquiry committee to carry out a complete scrutiny of all the matters and should make recovery from involved people/employees Apart from that the executive committee has given powers to the inquiry committee to take legal actions and termination from services On the occasion the executive committee unanimously announced to award gold medals to President Fuad Ishaq, senior vice president Sanaullah Khan and vice president Ejaz Khan Afridi for this major success
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SCCI chief unmasks major financial irregularities at
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