Epaper_24-04-3 LHR

g SUSPICIOUS LETTERS HANDED OVER TO COUNTERTERRORISM DEPARTMENT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION

g CJP SHOULD REFER JUDGES’ LETTER TO FULL COURT FOR JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE: PTI SPOKESPERSON

Ruling coalition ‘sweeps’ Senate polls with PPP grabs 11, PML-N six seats

PRL set to acquire double refining capacity and produce EURO V standard fuel. W ill it mean anything

WB recommends ‘bold economic refor m plan’ for recover y. What is new?

for June 3

All political par ties unanimously condemn terrorists attack on Chinese nationals: NA Speaker ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday unequivocally denounced the terrorist attack on Chinese nationals and said that all political parties have united in their condemnation of this despicable act During a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, at the Chinese embassy, he conveyed profound sorrow and grief over the loss of innocent Chinese lives in the heinous terrorist attack in Shangla Besham He said that every Pakistani shares in the grief and sadness caused by this tragic incident Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that terrorists will never succeed in their nefarious designs to create a rift between the two nations He expressed confidence that Pakistani security agencies, along with the support of the people and parliament would soon eradicate terrorism from the soil of Pakistan Highlighting the significance of bilateral parliamentary cooperation Sadiq mentioned that it was an honour for him to organize the first Speakers Conference in 2017 to develop a shared declaration on enhancing regional connectivity and countering terrorism He underscored the need to revive the Parliamentary Friendship Group (PFG) between both countries to facilitate the exchange of parliamentary experiences

e s p e r s o n e x p r e s s e d o u t r a g e , a l l e g i n g t h a t w o m e n a r e b e i n g s u b j e c t e d t o s t a t e b r u t a l i t y a n d r e t a l i a t i o n t o a p p e a s e t h e a p p o i n t e d C h i e f M i n i s t e r T h e s p o k e s p e r s o n a c c u s e d o p p o n e n t s o f P T I o f b e i n g s o i n t i m i d a t e d b y t h e p o p u l a r i t y o f t h e p a r t y t h a t t h e y p r i o r i t i z e t h e a r r e s t o f t w o w o m e n a c t i v i s t s C r i t i c i z i n g t h e j u d i c i a r y s s i l e n c e o n u n j u s t a r r e s t s d e s p i t e o r d e r i n g t h e r e l e a s e o f w o m e n d e t a i n e d f o r 1 0 m o n t h s , t h e s p o k e s p e r s o n r a i s e d c o n c e r n s a b o u t t h e f a i r n e s s o f t h e l e g a l s y s t e m D e s c r i b i n g t h e a r r e s t o f t h e t w o w o m e n b y p o l i c e f r o m a n o t h e r c i t y a s a b l a t a n t v i o l a t i o n o f c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a n d l e g a l p r i n c i p l e s t h e s p o k e s p e r s o n a c c u s e d a u t h o r i t i e s o f m a n i p u l a t i n g t h e l a w T h e s p o k e s p e r s o n f u r t h e r a l l e g e d t h a t P T I w o m e n a c t i v i s t s s a f e t y i s b e

Iranian

TPTI

World Bank recommends a ‘bold economic reform plan’ for recover y What is new?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

He

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

On the general seats, PPP s Ashraf Ali Jatoi, Dost Ali Jessar, Kazim Ali Shah, Masroor Ahsan, Nadim Bhutto, MQM’s Amir Chishti and independent candidate Faisal Vawda were elected as senators

In the reserved seats for women PPP s Quratulain Marri secured 59 votes and Rubina Khalid Khan got 58 votes, becoming Senators For the Technocrat seats, PPP’s Sarmad Ali and Barrister Amir Ghumro succeeded with 59 and 58 votes respectively while PPP s Poonjo Bheel was elected Senator on the minority seat PUNJAB ASSEMBLY Out of 12 vacant seats in Punjab, the election was held on five seats as seven candidates were already elected unopposed

From Lahore Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb secured victory on the technocrat seat with 128 votes and Petroleum Minister Musadiq Malik obtained 121 votes

On the Women’s seats, Anusha Rehman and Bushra Butt of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz emerged victorious with Anusha Rehman obtaining 125 votes and Bushra securing 123 votes Meanwhile, Sanam Javaid Khan of the SIC managed to garner 102 votes, with six votes rejected

To ensure a seamless electoral process the ECP had adopted several measures including the printing of ballot papers in different colours – white for

others from Islamabad What was the common interest that brought these applicants together? the top judge inquired

The CJP observed that there was a great deal of selective reporting in the media adding that it would not be reported that the six applicants of

Pakhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party and PML-Functional face a Senate exodus as their members retire in March With their Senate presence dwindling to zero they ve opted out of the race aligning with the prevailing assembly dynamics In Punjab, after purportedly striking a deal under the table, the nation’s three heavyweight parties – the PML-N PPP and PTI – have secured a clean sweep in the upper house of parliament All seven contenders vying for the province s general seats have coasted to victory unchallenged Out of this fortunate seven, four champions ride the PML-N’s chariot to success while the remaining two owe their triumph to the PTI-Sunni Ittehad Council alliance With the stage seemingly set, three contenders are left to duke it out for the two technocrat seats following the graceful exit of Mustafa Ramday from the fray Meanwhile a spirited competition is expected from Sindh as 11 contenders battle for the coveted seven general seats from the province Furthermore the stakes are high with three aspirants vying for the two reserved seats for women, while four eager hopefuls vie for the two technocrat/ulema slots Adding to the mix two candidates throw their hats into the ring for the lone seat reserved for minorities Sindh s political landscape takes an interesting turn with Faisal Vawda, reportedly backed by powerful circles, throwing his hat into the ring as an

independent contender With the PPP’s stronghold evident in the provincial assembly a strategic move to support Vawda could potentially secure at least five out of the seven general seats, leaving one seat for MQM-

P However, should all proceed as planned, the PPP appears poised to sweep the remaining five seats from the province – securing both women and technocrat slots alongside the minority representation

On the other hand, The PTI-ruled KP braces for an enthralling showdown as the MPAs gear up to cast their votes, determining the fate of 11 senators with seven seats up for grabs in the general category

PM FELICITATES NEWLY ELECTED SENATORS

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday felicitated the newly elected senators on their success and expressed good wishes

In his congratulatory message the prime minister said the Senate elections were the continuation of democratic process He hoped that senators will play their role for the uplift of the constitution and the development of the country

Newly-elected senators should participate in effective legislation for public welfare and national development and prosperity he said PM Shehbaz highlighted that the role of senators was very important for the strengthening of federal units and the observance of democratic values

The

matter Barrister Salahuddin referred to the case of journalist Matiullah

Jan The CJP observed that if he would call a case to be an open and shut one, it was that of Matiullah Jan as there was a video of his abduction The top judge remarked that why the government did not advertise in the newspapers it was looking for these people

He added that if the government did nothing, it would receive an order that it would not like

The CJP observed that recently it was falsely reported that his wife was sitting with him in the full court meeting He further noted that it would be said that his wife had not issued

g r e e m e n t w i l l s i g n i f i c a n t l y e n h a n c e t h e i n c e n t i v e s o ff e r e d i n t h e a m e n d e d b r o w n f i e l d p o l i c y a p p r o v e d i n F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 4 h i g h l i g h t i n g P R L s p r o a c t i v e a p p r o a c h t o r e g u l a t o r y c o m p l i a n c e a n d i t s d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o c a p i t a l i z e o n t h e i n c e n t i v e s o u t l i n e d i n t h e n e w r e f i n e r y p o l i c y T h e e x p a n s i o n u n d e r t a k e n b y P R L r e p r e s e n t s a n i n v e s t m e n t a i m i n g a t e n s u r i n g l o n g - t e r m s u s t a i n a b i l i t y w i t h p l a n s t o i n c r e a s e M o t o r S p i r i t p r o d u c t i o n b y m o r e t h a n s i x t i m e s , H i g hS p e e d D i e s e l b y t h r e e t i m e s , a n d t h e e v e n t u a l e l i m i n a t i o n o f F u r n a c e O i l f r o m i t s p r o d u c t p o r t f o l i o Wi t h o u t t h e s e u p g r a d e s a n d e x p a n s i o n t h e l o n g - t e r m s u s t a i n a b l e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e c o m p a n y w i l l r e m a i n a q u e s t i o n m a r k I n t h e m e a n t i m e , P R L i s e n s u r i n g t h a t i t s e x i s t i n g o p e r a t i o n s r e m a i n s u s t a i n a b l e b y f o c u s i n g o n o p e r a t i o n a l e x c e l l e n c e C o n s e q u e n t l y P R L a c h i e v e d a n d s u r p a s s e d p r o d u c t i o n t a r g e t s f o r t h e s e c o n d q u a r t e r o f 2 0 2 3 - 2 4 , d e m o n s t r a t i n g a s i g n i f i c a n t i m p r o v e m e n t i n i t s p r o d u c t i o n m i x a n d s e t t i n g n e w i n d u s t r y s t a n d a r d s I t i s p e r t i n e n t t o m e n t i o n t h a t d e s p i t e e c o n o m i c c h a l l e n g e s a n d l o w l o c a l d e m a n d f o r f u r n a c e o i l , P R L’s f i n a n c i a l p e r f o r m a n c e r e m a i n s r o b u s t T h e c o m p a n y r e c o r d e d a s e c o n dq u a r t e r f i n a n c i a l c l o s e a t 2 0 b i l l i o n a f t e r t h e r e c o r d p r o f i t o f 4 5 b i l l i o n i n t h e f i r s t q u a r t e r o f t h i s y e a r T h e s i x - m o n t h p r o f i t s t a n d s a t 6 5 b i l l i o n , m a r k i n g t h e f o u r t h c o n s e c u t i v e y

Reshuffle: standard Char tered picks new investment bank ing heads for Pak istan, other regions

H o t P o t a t o

T h e n e e d f o r s t a b i l i t y i s s h o w n u p b y t h e I H C

TH E letter by six judges of the Islamabad High Court first resulted in a meeting of the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of Pakistan and an agreement to set up a commission of enquiry The Cabinet meeting to approve this, and to determine the Terms of reference of the Commission, had to be postponed once, and it only on Saturday that it was announced that a former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice (retd) Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, would head the commission However, Mr Justice (retd) Jilani wrote to the Prime Minister saying that the TOrs were problematic, and declined the assignment This was followed by his current successor as Chief Justice, Mr Justice Qazi Faez Isa, taking up the matter in the Supreme Court s original jurisdiction and constituting a seven-member bench, which will hear the case from Wednesday (today) The matter seems to meet the definition of a hot potato in that it seems that there is an almost instinctive urge to pass the matter on to someone else anyone else

Mr Justice Qazi had first called a full-court meeting of the Supreme Court before meeting the Prime Minister and apparently passed the matter to him He quickly passed it on to Mr Justice (retd) Jilani, who in turn, threw it back to Mr Justice Qazi Mr Justice Qazi then did what the bar associations and the legal fraternity had been calling on him to do, which was to take suo motu notice of the matter The old childhood game of Pass-the-Parcel comes to mind It is almost as if no one is sure when to cry stop! , or controls the music whose stopping will signal the parcel must not be passed

the demands of natural justice it is vital for the restoration of the stability that the February 8 polls were supposed to bring Though almost two months have passed since then stability does not seem to be restored That the instability is not limited to the judiciary was shown by the postponement of the Senate elections in KP because of the refusal of the Speaker to swear in women members from opposition parties so that they could vote That in turn unhinges the succeeding election of the Senate Chairman and deputy Chairman and so it goes

Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami

Editor Profit

T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f L a n d D a y t o P a l e s t i n i a n s

What it means not to have a countr y

I

Dr

IWashington Watch

Lland looms large Palestinian refugees will recall their ancestral homes Those

lands have been confiscated by the

will recall the simplicity of their

lives The land they nourished was where their

are

which to

the earth waiting for a new

born again In short their past lives their

and

for

up

Given this, it should be no surprise that Land day (or day in defense of the Land) has become so important to Palestinians worldwide The history of this day is important The first Land day was called in 1976 in response to Israeli government plans to seize control of large areas of the Galilee region in order to expand the area s Jewish population Such seizures of arab-owned lands to make way for Jewish immigration had been Israel s modus operandi from the beginning of the state In the three decades before 1976, Israel had laid the foundation for their fledging “Jewish state” by confiscating one and a half million acres of arab-owned

land and demolishing some 500 Palestinian villages–from which most of the arab inhabitants had been expelled during the 1948 nakba during those same three decades, the Palestinian citizens of Israel faced other significant hardships They had emerged from the 1948 War shell-shocked from the horrors of the nakba during which so many members of their families were forced to flee so many others died and much of their land homes and businesses had been seized Following the war these Palestinians were subjected to restrictive Emergency defense Laws under which the Israeli government imposed curfews, collective punishment, detention without charge, and expulsion Though nominally citizens of Israel these Palestinians were in reality living under occupation in their own country [It’s important to note that after the 1967 war Israel applied these very same Emergency defense Laws to the newly occupied territories ] despite the hardships imposed upon them, the Palestinian citizens of Israel grew in confidence, political capacity, and attachment to their arab and Palestinian identity They joined the Israeli political parties that would include them They ran for and won elective office in the arab towns and villages and organized in their own self-defense and so when, in 1976, the government announced plans to issue new land expropriation orders in an effort to “Judaize” the Galilee, it was the proverbial “straw

that broke the camel’s back ” They reacted by planning a massive nationwide general strike and protest march that would say Enough!

Because the Israelis were deathly afraid of all forms of arab resistance, they declared the protests to be illegal nevertheless, tens of thousands went on strike and peacefully marched The day was marred by Israel’s violent response in which six Palestinian citizens were killed and more than 100 wounded This provoked outrage not only throughout the Palestinian community in Israel but also among Palestinians in the 1967 Occupied Territories and those in the diaspora

Every year since 1976, these March 30th Land day protests have not only continued but also spread throughout all of Palestine and in communities across the globe They are a tribute to the continued Palestinian attachment to their land their resilience and their determination to rebuild their national community

This year, Palestine s Land day (March 30) fell on the Saturday between the Christian holy days of Good Friday and Easter Sunday The convergence of these three days serves as a reminder of the ways in which the themes they evoke have been essential components of the Palestinian national identity: attachment to their land steadfastness despite losses endured, and belief in the promise of rebirth

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

Every year since 1976, these March 30 Land Day protests have not only continued, but also spread throughout all of Palestine and in communities across the globe. They are a tribute to the continued Palestinian attachment to their land, their resilience, and their determination to rebuild their national community

in China, they will learn modern engineering techniques after completing the training, these students will secure jobs at chemical plants of Chinese companies in nigeria Following the MOU with Tang International 50 students have completed their threemonth training in Pakistan and are currently in China for another three-month training session at Liaoning Petrochemical College KFUEIT is the first Pakistani university to open a window for its students to explore international opportunities regarding higher education and relevant jobs In the future KFUEIT in collaboration with Tang International will provide the same opportunity to 600 students The collaboration between Khawaja Fareed University and Tang International marks a significant step towards enhancing educational and professional ties between Pakistan and China This initiative not only empowers Pakistani engineers but also

United Pakistan

O U r country is currently caught in various problems, ranging from hyperinflation to political crises The reluctance of our politicians to collaborate is damaging Pakistan’s image internationally, and is diminishing the trust of the citizens Our political leaders must learn from their past mistakes and work collectively by setting aside differences to lead the country towards prosperity and peace In these critical times they should prioritise national interests over personal agendas and unite for the sake of the country Only through unity can Pakistan become a peaceful and safe country

WUSATULLAH RUSTAMANI HYDERABAD

Some advice

a S somebody who was a teacher of President asif ali Zardari while he was at Cadet College Petaro, I have an advice that may ensure a glorious place in the political history of Pakistan for the man He should dedicate all his efforts energies and resources to put political and moral influence on parliamentarians and policymakers to frame laws that give relief to the poor

Closed schools

Stressed students

serves as a remarkable example of internationalization KFUEIT continues its journey towards internationalization by fostering collaboration with the Chinese company Tang International Under an MOU 150 students of KFUEIT will receive two sessions of three-month training in Pakistan and China In the first session, held in Pakistan, the students will

C h a l l e n g e s w o m e n a r e f a c i n g i

Financial

Gonly 13 percent of

men

The World Economic Forum ranked Pakistan at third-last place in terms of economic participation and opportunity for women regardless of making up 49 percent of the total population the participation rate for female workers is drastically low (21 percent) which is also well below the global percentage i e , 39 percent However, the country has shown improvement in the female labour force participation but pace of progress is slow and Pakistan

a month

ItÊs crucial to evolve dynamics of womenÊs roles in all aspects Gender inequality can be overcome by focusing on three key dimensions: parity, equity, and equality.

T h e ‘ m o t h e r o f d e m o c r a c y

In little over two weeks India will commence what is billed as the largest exercise in electoral democracy in history Close to 1bn people are expected to vote in its 44-daylong general election Citing ancient traditions, Prime Minister narendra Modi has repeatedly called India the “mother of democracy” If so an intensifying clampdown on opposition parties suggests this matriarch of representative government is in ill health with worrying implications for the coming polls and what may follow a squeeze on free expression and opposition has been a feature of the rule of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party especially since its second general election victory five years ago Harassment often by tax or legal authorities has become common for government critics be they independent media, academics, thank-tanks or civil society groups The BJP’s muscular Hindu nationalism has eroded India’s tradition of secular democracy What is alarming now is a sharp stepup in state enforcement agencies apparently being used to stifle opposition parties and politicians as the election approaches a stark example is the recent arrest of arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of delhi since 2015 and one of India’s most prominent opposition leaders The leader of the aam aadmi

party was detained after questioning by a body that polices economic crimes over an alleged scam involving alcohol sales Other senior officials of the aaP, which runs northern Punjab state as well as delhi, have been held as part of the same probe Shortly before Kejriwal’s arrest the Indian national Congress the biggest opposition party claimed that its bank accounts had been frozen for weeks over a tax dispute rahul Gandhi, its most prominent figure, said the party had been unable to pay for campaign workers, advertising and travel Gandhi last year had a politicallytinged two-year jail sentence for defamation overturned by India s highest court Several senior members of other opposition parties have been arrested or harassed by law enforcement The BJP says the arrests are not politically motivated but part of Modi’s efforts to root out corruption Opposition parties counter that no senior BJP figure or Modi ally has been arrested at a rally in delhi on Sunday opposition parties united to demand Kejriwal s release, and Gandhi accused Modi of match-fixing in the run-up to the election The BJP denies the allegation that Modi and his party have used state agencies and authorities to stifle opponents or affect the election It is puzzling that the ruling party would even see a need to squeeze the opposition Opinion polls suggest the BJP is cruising to a third five-year term Its rivals have failed to present a compelling alter-

native and the multi-party India national developmental Inclusive alliance formed as a supposedly united opposition front has been dogged by squabbles and defections to the BJP Modi and his backers appear to have succumbed to a similar desire to achieve total political dominance as “strongmen” leaders elsewhere India is today one of the world s largest and most vibrant economies It has to manage its democracy according to its own culture and traditions Some western democratic systems, in the US, the UK and elsewhere have been showing signs of strain But there is an ever wider gap between Modi s pro-democratic rhetoric and the reality This matters not just for the rights and freedoms of its people India s attractiveness for investment, and as a geopolitical partner for countries wary of an increasingly authoritarian China, relies in large part on its image as a democratic law-based state a desire to woo India has often led western democracies to hold their tongue over democratic backsliding That shows signs of changing after new delhi summoned the top US diplomat to protest about criticism by Washington of Kejriwal’s arrest the US repeated its concerns Other democratic nations should be similarly robust Preserving political freedoms is in the best interests of Indian growth and prosperity, and of the Modi government s ambitions to enhance the country s role as a leading member of the global community

Lelections prompted wild celebrations into the early hours In Istanbul Turkey’s largest city the incumbent mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu trounced Mr Erdoğan s candidate Mr Imamoğlu s republican People s party (CHP) also pulled off a clean sweep of other major cities, winning by a landslide in the capital, ankara, and easily in

Izmir More surprisingly the CHP managed to chalk up some victories in the conservative towns and villages that make up Mr Erdoğan s electoral heartland in anatolia, and near the Black Sea Gains in those

government and reform making is prerequisite, however women representation in Parliament is merely 21 percent They routinely face harassment and derogatory remarks and struggle for equal participation in the decision-making process It s not just governmental institutions but it is prevalent in the private sector as well The opposite gender became insecure with talented women, and they started undermining their skills and confidence just to preserve their power It’s crucial to evolve dynamics of women’s roles in all aspects Gender inequality can be overcome by focusing on three key dimensions: parity equity and equality Parity signifies an equal enrollment of boys and girls in schools, while equity refers to strategies and processes aimed at providing fair and equal opportunities for all individuals to pursue and benefit from educational opportunities Equality on the other hand entails ensuring that females and males have equal rights freedoms conditions, and opportunities to realize their full potential in society We must develop policies aimed at reducing discrimination and promoting a fair and conducive work environment

The writer is a Researcher and can be reached at sehrish irfaan@gmail com

Th e p e r s e c u t i o n o f Lu i s R u b i a l e s f o r t h e i n f a m o u s Wo m e n’s Wo r l d Cu p ki s s i s a n e w l ow f o r f e m i n i s m

alliance – also removed many of the older distinctions between sexual harassment and rape This conflated unwanted touching and kissing (however brief or public) with serious sexual assault The upshot of this is that relatively minor cases of harassment are dealt with far more severely More worrying still very serious offences like rape are treated more leniently This is because the new laws reorganised offence categories, including eliminating any distinction between sexual assault and the hitherto more serious category of sexual abuse as a result more than 130 convicted sex offenders have either had their sentences reduced or were freed early from prison almost 18 months on from the introduction of these new laws, there has been a sharp rise in the number of boys who now find themselves in the crosshairs The number of sexual offences committed by young people aged between 14 and 17 has risen by 14 per cent in just one year It is now at the highest level since records began as one Spanish judge notes: We have more and more boys in juvenile detention centres for crimes against sexual freedom ’ Some have blamed this increase on pornography and poor sex education but it seems more likely that under the new legislation clumsy behaviour between teenagers is being criminalised as a result, boys find themselves up before a judge facing life-changing punishments, while girls are taught to see themselves as victims even after the most mundane of interactions It is hard to see how this is any kind of feminist victory Yet none of this has stopped feminists calling for similar laws to be enacted

commitments to each other with action, and turn the San Francisco Vision into reality

cities state in ancient Greece

CHINESE President Xi Jinping on Tuesday underlined three overarching principles that should guide China-U S relations in 2024 during his phone talks with U S President Joe Biden

First peace must be valued he said adding that the two sides should put a floor of no conflict and no confrontation under the relationship and keep reinforcing the positive outlook of the relationship

The two sides should refrain from setting the relationship back provoking incident or crossing the line so as to maintain the overall stability of the relationship he said

Third credibility must be upheld Xi said noting that the two sides should honor their

The two sides need to strengthen dialogue in a mutually respectful way, manage differences prudently, advance cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit, and step up coordination on international affairs in a responsible way, he added Overcoming zero-sum mentality for future China-U S tiesver the past decade, the Thucydides s Trap has been tapped by many politicians and scholars in Washington as a prevailing narrative to frame the future of China-U S relations This parallel compares China to many rising powers in history, and implies that its rise poses a direct challenge to U S dominance, reminiscent of the many wars and conflicts between a rising power and an established power, like the historic war between Athens and Sparta, two

Many insightful observers have argued that viewing China-U S ties through the lens of a trap is both misleading and avoidable, emphasizing the potential for constructive engagement over deterministic conflict

Graham Allison, who popularized the term Thucydides s Trap, now also believes that the trap is not inevitable Allison was part of a delegation comprising representatives from U S business, strategic, and academic sectors that recently met with Chinese President Xi Jinping

During the meeting with Xi, they emphasized that given their close economic interdependence, both the United States and China stand to flourish only through peaceful coexistence and mutual development

Why is there a growing rejection of the Thucydides s Trap? At its core, the trap

Muslim-majority Bangladesh opens mosque for transgender community

Several countries condemn Israeli attack on Iranian consulate in Syria

hinges on a zero-sum mentality, a perspective that views international relations as an eternal competition, where the progress of one nation inherently undermines that of another

It is crucial for adherents of the Thucydides s Trap theory, especially among U S observers and policymakers, to acknowledge that it was the zero-sum mindset that has often been a key driver of conflicts between nations throughout history

As said by Xi on Wednesday, the ChinaU S relationship is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world, and whether China and the United States have a cooperative or confrontational relationship bears on the well-being of the Chinese and American peoples and the future of humanity In contrast to the complaints of those China-bashers in Washington who criticize China s growth as being at the expense of

the United States, it is crucial to recognize that the two countries respective success is an opportunity for each other Over the past 45 years, bilateral trade has expanded by more than 200 times More than 70,000 U S companies have invested and operated in China, and nearly 90 percent of the operations are profitable U S exports to China have supported a broad swath of the U S economy In 2021, China stood out as the largest export market for four U S states and one of the top three export markets for 38 states in America And the current annual bilateral trade supports over 2 6 million jobs in the United States Regarding its strategic intentions, China has made its commitment to eschewing the outdated practices of colonization and exploitation, as well as rejecting the pursuit of hegemony

a c t i o n s K h a m e n e i s p o l i t i c a l a d v is o r A l i S h a m k h a n i s a i d i n a p o s t o n X t h a t t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s r e m a i n s d i r e c t l y r e s p o n s i b l e w h e t h e r o r n o t i t w a s a w a r e o f t h e i n t e n t i o n t o c a r r y o u t t h i s a t t a c k Iran s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Tuesday that the country had sent an important message to the U S government after Israel s attack on the Iranian consulate building in Syria T h e I s r a e l i a t t a c k k i l l e d a n u m b e r o f I r a n s o ff i c i a l m i l i t a r y a d v i s e r s i n S y r i a , A m i r- A b d o l l a h i a n s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t D i r e c t o r- G e n e r a l o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f A m e r i c a a t t h e I r a n i a n F o r e i g n M i n i s t r y I s s a K a m e l i s u m m o n e d a n o ff i c i a l o f t h e S w i s s e mb a s s y i n Te h r a n , w h i c h r e p r e s e n t s U S i n t e r e s t s i n I r a n , a t 0 0 : 4 5 a m l o c a l t i m e o n Tu e s d a y D u r i n g t h e m e e t i n g , t h e I r a n i a n F o r e i g n M i ni s t r y o ff i c i a l e l a b o r a t e d o n t h e d i m e n s i o n s o f I sr a e l s t e r r o r i s t a t t a c k a n d c r i m e a n d h i g hl i g h t e d t h e U S g o ve r n m e n t s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y, A m i rA b d o l l a h i a n s a i d

C DA t u r n s C a p i t a l Ho s p i t a l i n to s t ate - o f- a r t

MGovt committed to Polio eradication: Coordinator to PM

D r K halid S iddiqui inaugurates 5,000 fellowships programme for Palestinian students

I

TCL

KPRA collec ts Rs30.3b in first 9 months of c urrent fisc al year

RUDA, CBD kickstar ts Sino -Pak collaboration for sustainable development

Tamasha brings free HD livestreaming of Pakistan vs New Zealand T20I

Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan and Aamer Jamal This series serves as a crucial opportunity for Pakistan to refine their strategies and squad lineup for the upcoming ICC T20I World Cup 2024 in June PR

J a z z C a s h l a u n c h e s I s l a m i c S av i n g s w i t h h i g h e s t d a i l y h a l a l p r o f i t

I S L A M A B A D: JazzCash Pakistan s largest fintech organisation has launched its Islamic Savings product with the

PTI

sued by the Assembly Secretariat members of the opposition, including PTI Chairman Gohar Khan, Amir Dogar, and Ayub himself met Ayaz Sadiq in his chamber

During the meeting the nomination of the leader of the opposition was discussed and subsequently, Omar Ayub was declared as leader of the opposition after the completion of the scrutiny process under Rule 39 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the NA

The statement added that the deadline to submit nomination pa-

for the slot was till 6pm on Monday No other candidates nomination papers had been received by the stipulated time, it said

On March 9, the PTI-Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) alliance had formally nominated Ayub for the leader of the opposition by submitting his documents to the office of the speaker

It should be noted that while most of the PTI-backed winning independent candidates of national and provincial assemblies had submitted affidavits to the Election Commission to officially join the

SIC in February Ayub and Gohar had not done so due to their plans to contest PTI intra-party polls Gohar and Ayub

MQM-P threatens to quit federal gov t over rise in street crime

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday forged a grand alliance with several like-minded political parties aimed at presenting a formidable challenge to the incumbent government This alliance headed by Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Achakzai is poised to reshape the political landscape of Pakistan

According to reliable sources Achakzai will spearhead the alliance in close consultation with all participating political entities

Within the next three days, Achakzai is scheduled to hold a crucial meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman extending an invitation for the JUI-F to join the alliance Express News reported that Fa-