a police station in the town of Rask killing 11 security personnel In January, Iran targeted two bases of the militant group in Pakistan with missiles, prompting a rapid military riposte from Islamabad targeting what it said were separatist militants in Iran
PR OFIT A G E N C I E S
R I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated once again that the government was planning to enter a new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which he said, was very important to consolidate the country s economy “With the new IMF program, the international institutions will have more trust in us and we will be able to move forward on the agenda of development and prosperity with more confidence, the prime minister said while speaking with the participants of the cabinet meeting held here under his chairmanship He said the finance minister was going to Washington this month with a delegation to participate in the IMF spring meetings where he will also discuss details of the new program with the IMF He said although the terms of the new deal would not be so easy, the government would shift the burden of the tough conditions from the less privileged to the wealthier The prime minister hoped that after the IMF board meeting the last tranche of the existing standby agreement worth $1 1 billion would be disbursed to Pakistan this month With regard to PIA’s divestment, he said the privatization process of Pakistan Airlines was on track and the schedule set for the process would be fully implemented Regarding the outsourcing of the airports PM Shehbaz Sharif said a Turkish company was arriving in Islamabad on April 6, and would negotiate the outsourcing process with the Pakistani authorities About the digitization of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the prime minister informed that the
the
re-
Technology
dis-
sector-wise
streamline
inquiry of the matter of a letter by the Islamabad High Court judges by forming an inquiry commission led by former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani Afterward he said Tassaduq Hussain Jillani refused the commission; subsequently the Supreme Court took a suo motu notice of the letter As regards receiving letters from the judges with suspicious powder, the prime minister said the government was investigating the matter “The government with a sense of responsibility will also probe this matter to uncover the reality With respect to the security of the Chinese workers and engineers, the prime minister said the government was evolving a foolproof system for the security of the Chinese workers The prime minister said the cabinet presented the finance division s Fiscal Policy Statement for the financial year 2022-23 the Debt Policy Statement for the financial year 2022-23, and the Year-End Government Performance Monitoring Report in the meeting The federal cabinet approved the submission of the above statements/report to the National Assembly under prevailing laws he said The meeting was told that the cabinet on the recommendation of the Foreign Affairs Division, allowed former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi to receive the “King Abdul Aziz Medal Badge of Honor of Excellent Class on behalf of the Government of Saudi Arabia and Darjah Kepahlawan Angkatan Tentera on behalf of the Government of Malaysia On the recommendation of the Human Rights Division, the cabinet approved the appointment of the members of the National Commission for the Status of Women Likewise on the recommendation of the Ministry of Human Rights it approved the abolition of the National Commission for Child Welfare and Development, the National Child Protection Center, and the Implementation of the National Line of Action for Children which are offices working under the Ministry of Human Rights All the employees of these departments who are civil servants would be included in the surplus pool of Pakistan, the meeting was told The meeting was also informed that under the National Commission on the Rights of Child Act 2017 the National Commission on the Rights of the Child had been established; therefore all other departments had become unnecessary as all the work related to these institutions is done by this commission Keeping in view the austerity policy of the government, it has been decided to close these institutions the meeting was told In par tnership with Profit Fr i d a y, 5 A p r i l , 2 0 2 4 I 2 5 Ra m a z a n , 1 4 4 5 R s 2 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 2 7 8 I 8 Pa g e s I La h o r e E d i t i o n ‘Threatening Letters’: CCT V cameras around letter boxes found ‘defunct’ ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Investigators, probing the “suspicious chemical-laced letters” sent to the judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Lahore High Court and Supreme Court found most of the CCTV cameras installed around the post boxes out-of-order it emerged on Thursday The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Islamabad Police is investigating into the case of “suspicious letters” and has submitted the initial report carrying progress made so far to the Registrars of the Supreme Court and the IHC On March 3 just a day after the Supreme Court of Pakistan took suo motu notice of the allegations of six IHC judges against intelligence agencies, the IHC chief justice among eight judges received suspected letters According to police officials, the CTD team is racing against time to unfold the mystery surrounding the letters and ascertain the nature of the “chemical powder” in these letters Eight IHC judges and four each judges of the Supreme Court and LHC have received letters containing suspected anthrax powder along with a threatening message Sources privy to the development informed that many CCTV cameras surrounding the post boxes were found to be inoperative during examination within Satellite Town Rawalpindi The Islamabad police have expanded the scope of the investigation using alternative means including questioning individuals working in shops and offices in the area of post boxes Furthermore, all staff at the Satellite Town, Rawalpindi post office have been included in the inspection According to sources the letters were sent by a woman named Resham without mentioning her address They added that a staffer of a judge accidentally dropped the envelope containing the suspicious powdery substance and later felt extreme irritation in their eyes and burns on the skin around his lips NEW IMF DEAL CRUCIAL TO CONSOLIDATE ECONOMY: PM SHEHBA Z ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Responding to the suggestion of a senior Afghan Taliban leader for peace talks with TTP, Pakistan s Foreign Office (FO) ruled out any talks with the outlawed militant group Responding to the queries of media persons at her weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday regarding the suggestion made by an Afghan Minister for talks between Pakistan and TTP, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan expects the Afghan authorities to take urgent action against the terrorist outfits and their leadership for the crimes they are committing and terrorist incidents they are responsible for in Pakistan On Wednesday Muhammad Nabi Omari, deputy interior minister of the interim Taliban government in Afghanistan, made the remarks at an Iftar gathering in the southeastern Khost town We ask the government of Pakistan and advise the brothers (TTP) who are fighting with them to come together and talk, he said The deputy interior minister, however, did not address the presence of TTP in Afghanistan The Afghan Taliban have been privately urging Pakistan and the TTP to engage in direct negotiations to end over a two-decadelong conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and seen massive displacement of people in the tribal region straddling Afghanistan Talking to the media, the FO spokesperson said Pakistan remained committed to fighting against all the terrorist outfits which have targeted Pakistan and the symbols of Pakistan-China friendship She said that following the security audit and enhancement of security measures, the Chinese projects in Pakistan are fully functional Earlier during her briefing Baloch said that Afghanistan was discussed at the 19th regular meeting of the secretaries of the security councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held in Kazakhstan on April 3 Secretary of the National Security Division, Waqar Ahmad, who led the Pakistan delegation at the SCO warned about the far-reaching consequences about terrorists acts for the entire region and stressed the need for adopting a comprehensive approach to address the root causes, Baloch said He termed peaceful and stable Afghanistan a strategic imperative for regional prosperity and called upon SCO member states to follow a holistic policy and build broad convergences with SCO region to address multifaceted challenges confronting Afghanistan, Baloch said The FO spokesperson vehemently condemned the terrorist attack in Iran Expressing solidarity with the Iranian people she said Pakistan would like to work with Iran to find joint solutions to terrorism When asked about the Palestinians fresh bid for the UN membership, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan recognizes the state of Palestine and will support any such move at the UN Condemning the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza she called for international accountability of Israel for its crimes against humanity Expressing concerns over the Indian occupation authorities decision to deny permission to hold Eidul Fitr prayers at Eidgah in Srinagar she urged the Indian authorities to respect the rights of the people of IIOJK to peaceful assembly and to freely practice their religion She said Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people for the just and peaceful settlement of Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions PR OFIT M O N I T O R I N G D E S K The federal government s total debt decreased by Rs 36 billion or 0 1% in February 2024 compared to January 2024 According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) the central government s total domestic and external debt stood at Rs64 805 trillion in February 2024, down from Rs64 842 trillion in January 2024 The central government s external debt decreased by 0 4% to Rs22 134 trillion in February 2024, down from Rs22 215 trillion in January 2024 On the domestic front the total domestic debt rose to Rs 42 671 trillion in February 2024, up by 0 1% or Rs47 9 billion from January 2024 The long-term domestic debt increased to Rs34 618 trillion in February 2024 up from Rs34 147 trillion in January 2024, a rise of 1 4% Conversely, the short-term domestic debt saw a significant decline of 5% reaching Rs7 954 trillion in February compared to Rs8 375 trillion in January, marking a decrease of Rs421 billion on a monthly basis Gov t’s debt stock declines slightly in Feb 2024 Pakistan r ules out
talks with outlawed TTP DUBAI A G E N C I E S Suspected Sunni Muslim militants killed at least 11 Iranian security force members and suffered 16 fatalities in attacks on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards headquarters in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan state media said on Thursday The overnight clashes between the Jaish al-Adl group and security forces took place in the towns of Chabahar and Rask, the state TV said “The terrorists failed to succeed in achieving their goal of seizing the Guards headquarters in Chabahar and Rask deputy Interior Minister Majid Mirahmadi told state TV State TV said 10 other security officers were also injured in the fighting in the impoverished region which has a predominantly Sunni Muslim population Jaish al-Adl says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for ethnic minority Baluchis in Shia-dominated Iran It has claimed responsibility for several attacks in recent years on Iranian security forces in Sistan-Baluchestan The area which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan has long been the site of frequent clashes between Iranian security forces and Sunni militants as well as drug traffickers Iran is a key transit route for narcotics smuggled from Afghanistan to the West and elsewhere In December the militant group attacked
security
16 ter rorists killed
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Thursday said the party was open to joining a sit-in announced by the Maulana Fazlur Rehmanled Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) against the government, hinting at the possible Grand Opposition Alliance with the erstwhile rival ” “A Grand Opposition Alliance would be made to launch anti-government movement after Eidul Fitr PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar said while speaking at a private channel s programme He elaborated that Maulana Fazlur Rehman would be approached to invite him to the Grand Opposition Alliance “We are in touch with the JUI-F and hope we will be meeting as well ” Barrister Gohar asserted He said that the opposition parties protest would be aimed at strengthening the parliament as well as against mandate ‘theft’ “We want no mandate to be stolen in future also ” Barrister Gohar said The PTI chairman said that the decision regarding the leadership of Grand Opposition Alliance has not yet been taken He said that the alliance s chief will be appointed in consultation with all parties “It is our legal right to hold peaceful protest ” he said Barrister Gohar said that all cases against the PTI founder are based on political victimization adding that Imran Khan would be released by the end of April 2024 Earlier on Tuesday, the Grand Opposition Alliance formed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other major opposition parties announced an anti-government movement after Eidul Fitr According to sources the newly formed opposition alliance also comprising, Sunni Ittehad Council, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Majlis-e-Wadhat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Balochistan National Party (BNP) would be holding the first joint public gathering in Quetta on April 14 Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also hinted at joining the opposition alliance as its Liaquat Baloch said that his party will make a final announcement after the approval of Majlis Shura The Grand Opposition Alliance would also be holding public gatherings in other parts of the country to protest against massive rigging in the elections The schedule for public gatherings in other cities would be announced later in consultation with all parties Sources privy to the development said that the Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) would also be approached to join the opposition in the movement against the government P T I w i l l i n g t o j o i n J U I - F ’ s s i t - i n a g a i n s t g o v t : B a r r i s t e r G o h a r g A T U R K I S H C O M PA N Y W I L L A R R I V E I N I S L A M A B A D O N A P R I L 6 TO N E G OT I AT E A I R P O R T S ’ O U T S O U R C I N G P R O C E S S, S AY S P M g S AY S G O V E R N M E N T W I T H A S E N S E O F R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y, W I L L P R O B E J U D G E S L E T T E R S I S S U E TO U N C O V E R R E A L I T Y
Domestic, external debt decreased
Rs36b
from Rs64 842tr to Rs64 805tr and enhance investment climate
P
consultants for the digitization process would be appointed by the end of
current month Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he
cently chaired a meeting of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in which details of various sectors including finance, investment exports Information
agriculture power and petroleum were
cussed After a detailed meeting it was decided that I will personally review the
performance to solve the problems faced by the sectors and to
the country’s economy ” he added The prime minister pointed out that the government had fulfilled its due responsibility with respect to the
any
11
personnel,
in militant attacks on Iran security forces
g
by
MoM
Engro
PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Engro Energy Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Engro Corporation Limited, has entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with Liberty Power Holding (Pvt ) Limited and consortium for the sale of its thermal energy assets portfolio The consortium is made up of Liberty Mills Limited, Soorty Enterprises and Procon Engineering through Master Group of Industries The sale of thermal assets is part of Engro’s ongoing efforts to streamline and optimize capital and resource allocation The Agreement has been signed for the sale of Engro Energy s entire (a) 68 9% shareholding in Engro Powergen Qadirpur Limited (EPQL), (b) 50 1% shareholding in Engro Powergen Thar (Private) Limited (EPTL) and (c) 11 9% shareholding in Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company Limited (SECMC) The transaction value of each of EEL s shareholdings is (1) EPTL: Rs 21 04 billion (2) SECMC: Rs 6 21 billion and (3) EPQL: Rs 7 5 billion, in each case, subject to certain adjustments as agreed in the definitive agreements Completion of the transaction is subject to the agreed conditions including receipt of corporate/regulatory approvals and lender consent Engro entered the energy vertical in 2008 by establishing Engro Powergen Qadirpur Ltd a power asset that utilized flare gas to help solve the unprecedented energy crisis faced by Pakistan The Group has continued to achieve significant milestones in the energy sector, including unearthing Thar coal and subsequent Mine expansions under SECMC and setting up two 330 MW EPTL power plants These energy assets are consistently ranked amongst the most efficient reliable and compliant in terms of global safety and environmental standards Through its projects Engro Energy has helped illuminate 9 million lives every year and enabled net import substitution of around $1 5 billion since its inception S h a r i n g h i s t h o u g h t s o n t h e S PA s i g n i n g , G h i a s K h a n – P r e s i d e n t & C E O o f E n g r o C o r p o r a t i o n s a i d “ W h i l e w e t a k e g r e a t p r i d e i n o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n s i n t h e e n e rg y s p a c e i t i s i m p o r t a n t t h a t w e c o n s t a n t l y r e e v a l u a t e o u r b u s i n e s s p o r t f o l i o a n d o p t i m i z e i t t o e n s u r e t h a t w e r e m a i n f o c u s e d o n h e l p i n g s o l v e t h e m o s t p r e s s i n g i s s u e s o f o u r t i m e T h e S PA w i t h L i b e r t y o p e n s e x c i t i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r g r o w t h i n n o v a t i o n a n d c o n t i n u e d s u c c e s s f o r b o t h o u r p e o p l e a n d b u s i n e s s e s According to Muhammad Ashraf Mukaty Chairman of Liberty Group and President of Liberty Power Holding, This is a truly historic day for all of us, whereby we have the opportunity to be a part of this amazing team that has built such successful companies to serve the people of Pakistan As one of the founding shareholders in EPTL we have been part of the Thar Dream since its inception Our vision is to expand beyond the current purpose and allocate strategic resources for the continued growth of the businesses, our people, communities and Pakistan ” Fr day 5 Apri 2024 | LAHORE 02 NEWS PR OFIT A P P T HE National Logistics Corporation (NLC) has achieved another major milestone in boosting the country s regional trade with Central Asian state of Tajikistan by successfully transporting Pakistani potato export consignment to Dushanbe The NLC effectively gained access to increase trade with another important Central Asian country as the convoy of NLC trucks reached the Tajik capital of Dushanbe after covering more than 1 400 kilometers (km), according to APP The trucks of National Logistics Cell completed the journey from Okara and Rahim Yar Khan to Dushanbe in seven days However a special ceremony was held at Dushanbe Customs Terminal One on the arrival of the inaugural convoy under International Road Transport The inauguration ceremony was attended by notable personalities including Tajik Minister of Transport Azim Ibrahim Director General of NLC Farrukh Shehzad Rao Pakistani Ambassador Muhammad Saeed Sarwar Customs Department officials and prominent Tajik businessmen Addressing the ceremony, the Tajikistan’s Minister of Transport appreciated the official launch of ground transportation by Pakistan’s leading logistics organization The Minister of Transport of Tajikistan said This initiative marks an important milestone in bilateral trade relations between the two countries The Tajik minister expressed confidence while appreciating Pakistan’s role as an important trade partner in the region The Transport Minister assured unwavering support to further facilitate smooth movement of Pakistani trucks to Tajikistan The Director General of NLC emphasized the importance of Tajikistan in trade through NLC He thanked the Tajik Government for its support in facilitating the movement of the NLC convoy Farrukh Shahzad Rao emphasized on the promotion of mutual trade and said Trade through NLC under the TIR (International Road Transport) system will facilitate timely and efficient import and export of both countries ” Major General Farrukh Shahzad Rao highlighted the important role of NLC in establishing regional linkages while referring to the extensive operations of NLC spread across 10 countries in the region TRADE WITH CENTRAL ASIA: PAKISTAN’S POTATO CONSIGNMENT REACHES TA JIKISTAN PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Bulls took full control of the trading floor at the Pakistan Stock Market (PSX) on Wednesday as the benchmark KSE-100 Index hit a new high in its history by surging past the 68 000 level According to the PSX website the market opened with a positive sentiment and exhibited an upward rally in the early trading hours At 9:50 am, the benchmark index reached its historic high of 68,439 37 points, gaining over 683 24 points The KSE-100 Index closed the day at 68 416 78 points up by 660 75 points or 0 98% compared to the previous close of 67,756 03 level Index-heavy sectors such as pharmaceuticals oil and gas marketing companies (OMCs) refinery energy and automobile sectors were leading the buying spree in a robust market movement On Wednesday, the cement and steel sectors led the rally at the PSX as the KSE-100 ended at 67 756 after a gain of nearly 900 points According to a note by AKD Research the market s bullish momentum during the ongoing week was mainly supported by easing inflation numbers, which clocked in at 20 68% YoY for March 2024, turning real interest rates positive for the first time in 38 months Furthermore, foreign investors and institutions injected additional liquidity through buying supporting the market s momentum However with a 9 2% MoM growth in exports the trade deficit widened to $2 2 billion up 25% MoM Nevertheless, with Eid approaching, remittances are expected to increase, helping to control the current account balance Furthermore with a stable exchange rate and high yields hot money has begun to return with net inflows into T-bills from January 24 to March 22, 2024, reaching $126 million Reports suggest that KSA is interested in purchasing shares of OGDC and PPL, in addition to an expected investment of $1 0 billion in the Reko Diq project Despite the bullish momentum, market participation declined with daily traded volume averaging at 307 million shares compared to 331 million shares in the previous week down 7 1% Weekover-Week As per AKD Research, the market is expected to return its focus to negotiations with the IMF regarding the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) the upcoming MPC meeting and the corporate results season following the Eid holidays Despite the market reaching its highest levels, the forward P/E remains below 4 0x, which instills positivity regarding the market’s fundamentals P S X ’s K S E - 1 0 0 I n d ex m a ke s h i s t o r i c s u rg e b eyo n d 6 8 , 0 0 0 l eve l Local investors retreat from Shell Pakistan stake purchase PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Local investors have rescinded their bid to purchase shares in Shell Pakistan Ltd following the completion of a deal between Shell s parent company and a Saudi Arabian group Pakistan Refinery Ltd (PRL) and Air Link Communication Ltd communicated their withdrawal to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday Muzaffar Paracha, CEO of Air Link stated that the withdrawal was a formal step to inform the regulatory authority about their investment plans According to Paracha Shell Petroleum Company Ltd (SPCo) and Wafi Energy Company LLC, a Saudi Arabian fuel station operator, finalized a share purchase agreement for SPCo’s holdings in Shell Pakistan Ltd He explained that after the public disclosure of the deal by Shell Pakistan they had the options to either retract their interest in acquiring shares or contest the transaction with the former being the chosen course of action Shell Pakistan, part of the global energy conglomerate Royal Dutch Shell Plc, is a major entity in Pakistan’s petrochemical sector The company announced in June 2023 that it would sell its shareholding with SPCo owning 77 42 per cent as of December 2022 The stake transfer to Wafi Energy is subject to several conditions, including a public offer on the PSX and obtaining necessary regulatory approvals, such as from the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) g N L C t r u c k s c o m p l e t e d j o u r n e y f r o m O k a r a a n d R a h i m Ya r K h a n t o D u s h a n b e i n s e v e n d a y s
signs share purchase agreement with consortium for sale of thermal energy assets SBP raises Rs557.6b from Market Treasur y Bills auction PR OFIT N e w s D e s k T h e S t a t e B a n k o f P a k i s t a n ( S B P ) s o l d M a r k e t Tr e a s u r y B i l l s ( M T B s ) w o r t h R s 5 5 7 6 3 b i l l i o n i n a n a u c t i o n , e x c e e d i n g i t s R s 2 2 5 b i l l i o n t a rg e t A c c o r d i n g t o t h e d e t a i l s s h a r e d b y t h e c e n t r a l b a n k , t h e a u c t i o n f e a t u r e d M T B s w i t h 3 6 a n d 1 2 - m o n t h t e n o r s w i t h c u to ff y i e l d s o f 2 1 6 6 0 1 % 2 1 3 9 9 9 % a n d 2 0 8 9 9 8 % r e s p e c t i v e l y T h e 6 - m o n t h y i e l d i n c r e a s e d b y 1 0 1 b a s i s p o i n t s w h i l e t h e 3 - m o n t h a n d 1 2 - m o n t h y i e l d s r e m a i n e d s t e a d y T h e a u c t i o n a t t r a c t e d b i d s t o t a l i n g R s 9 9 4 b i l l i o n , o f w h i c h S B P a c c e p t e d R s 5 5 7 6 3 b i l l i o n S p e c i f i c a l l y, f o r t h e 3 , 6 , a n d 1 2 - m o n t h t e n o r s , S B P r e c e i v e d b i d s o f R s 4 2 4 1 7 b i l l i o n , R s 1 9 4 7 5 b i l l i o n , a n d R s 3 7 5 4 2 b i l l i o n a n d a c c e p t e d R s 1 6 0 1 2 b i l l i o n , R s 1 4 3 b i l l i o n , a n d R s 2 1 0 5 1 b i l l i o n , r e s p e c t i v e l y A d d i t i o n a l l y R s 4 4 b i l l i o n w a s a c c e p t e d f r o m a n o nc o m p e t i t i v e a u c t i o n t o t a l i n g R s 5 5 7 6 3 b i l l i o n a c c e p t e d T h e b i d - t o - c o v e r r a t i o w a s 1 7 8 u p f r o m 1 4 1 i n t h e p r i o r a u c t i o n i n d i c a t i n g S B P a c c e p t e d 5 6 0 8 % o f t h e t o t a l b i d s I n t h e p r e v i o u s a u c t i o n o n M a r c h 2 0 , 2 0 2 4 , S B P s o l d M T B s w o r t h R s 7 0 4 b i l l i o n a g a i n s t a t a rg e t o f R s 3 4 0 b i l l i o n I n t h e s a m e r e c e n t a u c t i o n , S B P s o l d a 5 - y e a r P a k i s t a n I n v e s t m e n t B o n d – F l o a t i n g R a t e ( P I B - P F L ) w o r t h R s 5 4 b i l l i o n f a l l i n g s h o r t o f t h e R s 2 0 0 b i l l i o n t a rg e t T h e c u t - o ff p r i c e f o r t h e 5 - y e a r P I B - P F L w a s R s 9 5 8 3 6 4 B i d s f o r P I BP F L s e m i - a n n u a l t o t a l e d R s 111 b i l l i o n a n d R s 1 6 8 9 b i l l i o n f o r q u a r t e r l y w i t h S B P o n l y a c c e p t i n g b i d s f o r t h e s e m i a n n u a l b o n d s T h e s e t t l e m e n t d a t e f o r t h e s e i s A p r i l 0 4 , 2 0 2 4 T h e t o t a l r a i s e d f o r 5 - y e a r s e m i - a n n u a l P I B s w a s R s 5 b i l l i o n f r o m c o m p e t i t i v e b i d s a n d R s 0 4 b i l l i o n f r o m n o n - c o m p e t i t i v e b i d s T h e p r e v i o u s a u c t i o n o n M a r c h 2 0 , 2 0 2 4 , s a w S B P s e l l i n g P I B - P F L w o r t h R s 1 7 6 b i l l i o n a g a i n s t a R s 2 0 0 b i l l i o n t a rg e t S B P ’ s r e s e r v e s r i s e $ 1 9 m , n o w s t a n d a t $ 8 . 0 4 b PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) increased by $19 million during the week ended on March 29, 2024 According to data shared by the SBP, with an increment of $19 million, the central bank’s reserves reached $8 04 billion While net foreign reserves held by commercial banks stood at $5 338 billion The total liquid foreign reserves held by the country stood at $13 37 billion as of March 29 2024 PR OFIT N e w s D e s k The World Bank reported a significant rise in Pakistan’s energy sector circular debt now totaling Rs5 5 trillion or approximately 5 1% of the country s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as of the end of January this year This increase comes despite efforts to mitigate the issue through price adjustments and a nationwide campaign to curb theft and defaulting on bills According to the World Bank the power and gas sectors have seen circular debts swell by an average of Rs135 billion monthly, emphasising the urgent need for the Pakistani government to enhance efforts in recovering the actual cost of energy supplies The Bank underscored that despite the government s comprehensive reforms in the power sector aimed at curtailing the growth of circular debt more substantial actions are necessary to address the ongoing challenges The report also highlighted a sharp rise in energy inflation which escalated from 40 6% in the first half of the fiscal year 2023 to 50 6% in the same period of fiscal year 2024, driven by significant hikes in domestic energy prices Despite these measures, circular debt in the power sector alone grew by an average of Rs66 14 billion monthly reaching Rs2 635 trillion by the end of January up from Rs2 172 trillion at the end of June 2023 The gas sector witnessed a similar trend, with its circular debt increasing by Rs68 billion monthly to Rs2 866 trillion over the same period The World Bank has called on the Pakistani government to persist with its reforms in the energy tariff structures for both electricity and gas to better reflect the cost of supply and to manage the escalating debts in these sectors It noted that structural challenges, inadequate planning, and extensive subsidies have led to significant inefficiencies and deficits in the power sector highlighting that Pakistan has the highest energy subsidies in South Asia amounting to about 0 9% of its GDP T h e p e r s i s t e n c e o f t h e s e i s s u e s , i n c l u d i n g n o n - r e f l e c t i v e t a r i ff s , o p e r a t i o n a l i n e ff i c i e n c i e s , a n d h i g h l e v e l s o f t h e f t h a s h i n d e r e d r e v e n u e c o l l e c t i o n f u r t h e r e x a c e r b a t i n g t h e c i r c u l a r d e b t s i t u a t i o n The Bank also pointed out the negative impacts of “take-or-pay” contracts signed in 2018 for imported coal and gas power plants which have increased capacity payments and exposed the country to international fuel price fluctuations To a d d r e s s t h e s e c h a l l e n g e s , t h e Wo r l d B a n k r e c o m m e n d e d s e v e r a l m e a s u r e s , i n c l u d i n g p r i v a t i z a t i o n o f d i s t r i b u t i o n c o m p a n i e s r e d u c t i o n o f g e n e r a t i o n c o s t s i n c r e a s e d u s e o f r e n e w a b l e e n e rg y a n d i m p r o v e m e n t s i n regulatory capacity Acknowledging Pakistan s potential for hydro, solar, and wind energy, the Bank advised on the need for a strengthened and expanded transmission grid to accommodate the seasonal fluctuations in demand and leverage the country s renewable resources effectively C irc ular debt in energy sec tor rises to Rs5.5tr, WB urges fur ther reforms g W o r l d B a n k s a y s t h a t P a k i s t a n h a s h i g h e s t e n e r g y s u b s i d i e s i n S o u t h A s i a , a m o u n t i n g t o a b o u t 0 . 9 % o f i t s G D P g M a r k e t e x p e c t e d t o r e t u r n i t s f o c u s t o I M F t a l k s , u p c o m i n g M P C m e e t i n g , a n d c o r p o r a t e r e s u l t s p o s t E i d h o l i d a y s , r e p o r t g D e c i s i o n t o w i t h d r a w f o l l o w e d b y a d e a l b e t w e e n S h e l l ’ s p a r e n t c o m p a n y a n d S a u d i A r a b i a n g r o u p PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Saudi Arabia is set to invest approximately $1 billion in the Reko Diq project, one of the largest untapped copper and gold reserves globally, located in the Baluchistan province near the Afghanistan and Iran borders The Kingdom has also announced plans to invest in Pakistan s energy infrastructure by acquiring stakes in the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) two of the country’s foremost energy corporations This move aims to enhance the energy sector of Pakistan and fortify the economic relationship between the two nations Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has established a highlevel committee, including officials from the Finance Ministry and representatives from OGDCL and PPL, to oversee the investment process in the Reko Diq project This committee is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia soon to conduct negotiations aimed at finalizing the agreements Mark Bristow CEO of Barrick the world s second-largest gold producer and a 50% stakeholder in the Reko Diq project, indicated in November 2023 that Saudi Arabia s potential acquisition of a share in Reko Diq is contingent upon the Pakistani government’s decision S a u d i A r a b i a p l a n s $ 1 b i nve s t m e n t i n R e ko D i q p r o j e c t, a i m s to a c q u i r e s t a ke s i n e n e r g y g i a n t s
ISLAMABAD s tA f f R e P o R t
PTI President and Punjab s former chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi was again shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Thursday after his health
deteriorated The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had also taken up a petition by Elahi s wife seeking her husband s transfer to the medical facility, but the Adiala jail authorities informed the court that he had been shifted and the petition was then disposed of subsequently Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri heard the plea against Elahi s transfer from the hospital to Adiala jail despite a court order The judge was informed that the PTI leader was shifted again to PIMS on Wednesday after his health condition worsened
Earlier Elahi had a fall in prison and broke four ribs according to his medical report
Elahi reportedly suffered an injury to his forehead during the fall, with visible marks noted on the left side of
his head Furthermore, there were injuries near his left eye and on his left arm while swelling was observed on the right side of his chest
Additionally Elahi s left knee was found to be injured he PTI leader underwent thorough medical examinations conducted by doctors from PIMS Islamabad and Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi, including specialists in general surgery cardiology and orthopaedics The doctors advised Elahi to observe a two-week rest to facilitate his recovery PTI leader also suffered cardiac issues in December last year After undergoing an initial examination at the jail hospital Elahi was relocated to the Rawalpindi
Institute of Cardiology A five-member medical board formed for the treatment of former Punjab chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Pervaiz Elahi at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital in Islamabad
According to sources doctors related to heart medicine stomach
chest and general surgery including Dr Mumtaz Niazi, Dr Tashfeen, Dr Israr, Dr Akhtar Bandisha and others are on board The sources said that an echocardiogram (ECG) and other heart-related tests will be conducted on Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and the medical board will treat him as per the results of the test reports
Former chief minister Punjab was also complaining of breathing difficulty and chest pain due to the fractured ribs Parvez Elahi who was shifted to a private room at PIMS yesterday, has been suffering from diabetes and heart diseases for a long time Earlier, Pervaiz Elahi was rushed to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) after his health deteriorated in Adiala jail According to
ISLAMABAD s tA f f R e P o R t J OINT teams of AJK s excise and taxation department and police have upped their crackdown operation against tax evasion in the cigarette industry of AJK According to details over the instructions of the Prime Minister of AJK, the crackdown operation had continued at full pace against the taxevading cigarette manufacturing factories in the areas of AJK In this regard raids were conducted on warehouses and different offices of National Tobacco Company Walton Tobacco Company Chinar Tobacco Company and Warna Tobacco Company in Mirpur, Bhimber, and Barnala In a raid at a warehouse of Watan Tobacco Company under the supervision of DSP HQ Naseer Ahmed along with IRO Inland Muhammad Shakeel authorities confiscated raw material of cigarettes including 3 230 bags of raw tobacco 45 cartons of filter paper, 504 cartons of filter rods and 90 cartons of cigarette brands “Express” 31 cartons of cigarette brand Hero and 33 cartons of cigarette brand Grace The authorities later sealed the godown and initiated legal procedures against the owner and the warehouse manager In another operation, government authorities raided a warehouse of National Tobacco Company Bhimber and seized 3 811 cartons of illegal cigarettes and more than 384 000 kgs of raw tobacco Similarly during a raid on the Walton Tobacco Company, Barnala government aauthorities seized 10 cartons of illegal cigarettes 10 bags of tobacco to prepare 100 million cigarette sticks and 19 cigarette paper rolls and other related material In another operation, authorities raided a house that was taken on rent by the National Tobacco Company During the raid, the authorities seized 85 cartons of filter rods 67 cartons of cigarette paper 17 cartons of illegal cigarettes 16 cartons of cigarette tape and 10 000 kgs of raw tobacco and other raw materials In a separate raid at Chanar Tobacco Company Barnala the authorities confiscated 731 bags of tobacco At the moment AJK tax authorities are losing billions of rupees annually only due to tax evasion in the cigarette sector of AJK These illegal cigarettes which are manufactured in AJK are smuggled to the various areas of Punjab It is interesting to mention that despite the passing of the last final date the track and trace system had not been implemented in the cigarette factories located in the areas of AJK 03 NEWS Fr day 5 April 2024 | LAHORE TRACK AND TRACE SYSTEM YET TO BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED IN A JK Pak Elektron to incorporate wholly-owned foreign subsidiar y in UAE PR OFIT N e w s D e s k The Board of Directors of Pak Elektron Limited (PSX: PAEL) in its meeting held on April 04, 2024, has accorded its approval for incorporation of a wholly-owned foreign subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) According to a notice sent by the company to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) the subsidiary will be primarily engaged in commercial trading with import export, distribution, and warehousing as its ancillary activities However, the inception of this subsidiary is subject to all applicable regulatory approvals Pak Elektron Limited, headquartered in Lahore is a Pakistani engineering corporation that manufactures major home appliances and electrical equipment PEL operates in two segments –power and appliances A PR OFIT N e w s D e s k The government announced the approval of a $500 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), aimed at promoting public-private partnerships and enhancing the country s infrastructure financing The Central Development Working Party (CDWP), led by Deputy Chairman Dr Jehanzeb Khan, ratified the concept proposal for the loan under the Promoting Sustainable Public-Private Partnership Programme This financial support will be provided in two installments, subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions, including policy revisions and the establishment of two funding mechanisms The ADB s board is expected to review the approval of the initial $250 million tranche once these prerequisites are met The loan which will be utilized as budget support carries an interest rate between 2% and 6 5% with the majority subject to the higher rate It is set to mature over seven years, financed through the ADB s Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR) and Concessional Ordinary Capital Resources (COL) with the larger portion coming from the more expensive OCR Pakistan s external debt currently exceeds $131 billion, with this loan expected to add to the financial obligations Despite this the government aims to leverage the funds to foster an environment conducive to private investment in infrastructure across various sectors, including roads, health, education, and technology, without necessitating foreign loans During the current fiscal year Pakistan has faced challenges in securing new loans with the ADB disbursing $635 million of the projected $2 1 billion The Planning Commission has critiqued the broad scope of the $500 million loan, urging for more detailed proposals to ensure effective utilization of the funds Furthermore the government has agreed to several conditions to qualify for the loan including the establishment of the Project Development Facility (PDF) Fund and the Viability Gap Fund (VGF), aimed at supporting public-private partnership projects Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has also engaged with the ADB to finalize approvals for this loan and another for the Climate and Disaster Resilience Enhancement Program (CDREP), signaling ongoing efforts to meet the financial institution’s requirements G ov t a p p rove s $ 5 0 0 m p ro p o s e d l o a n f ro m A s i a n D eve l o p m e n t B a n k SBP’s reser ves rise $19m, now stand at $8.04b PR OFIT N e w s D e s k Foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) increased by $19 million during the week ended on March 29 2024 According to data shared by the SBP with an increment of $19 million the central bank s reserves reached $8 04 billion While net foreign reserves held by commercial banks stood at $5 338 billion The total liquid foreign reserves held by the country stood at $13 37 billion as of March 29, 2024 AJK govt paces up crackdown against cigarette industry involved in tax evasion AT C e xt e n ds P T I f o u n de r ’ s i n t e r i m ba i l i n J i n n a h H o u s e A t t a ck ca s e LAHORE s tA f f R e P o R t An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday extended the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in Jinnah House (Corps Commander House) attack case ATC Judge Arshad Javed heard the interim bail pleas in three cases including Jinnah House attack The court extended the interim bail till April 16 and told the PTI founder Imran Khan s lawyer Salman Safdar to present arguments at the next hearing On Feb 28, an Islamabad court acquitted PTI
Faisal Javed Khan Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz Abid Hussain Ali Nawaz Awan Zaheer Khan and others were booked at Tarnol police station on February 26 2022 Judicial magistrate Muhammad Shahbir issued the release verdict by accepting their acquittal pleas in the case Ayaz
to parliament ties ISLAMABAD
Speaker
on Thursday reaffirmed
cement parliament to parliament contacts between Pakistan and Iran by reviving Parliamentary Friendship Group and mutual visits of Parliamentarians He was talking to an Iranian Parliamentary Delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mahdi Safari along with Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Reza Amiri Moghaddam in Islamabad The Speaker said Pakistan and Iran enjoy historically strong ties based on shared values culture religion and geography He expressed the commitment to extend parliamentary support to cooperation in energy trade and business by synergizing private sectors of both countries The speaker said both countries can enhance trade and business by managing border markets, increasing import-export volume resolving IPP Gas pipe line issues and working on GwadarChahbahar as sister projects On the occasion the head of Iranian delegation extended warm felicitation to Sardar Ayaz Sadiq over his successful election as Speaker He said both countries have vast opportunities to explore in business trade and energy sector Pakistani scholar leads award-winning project on global food crisis ISLAMABAD s tA f f R e P o R t Aftab Alam Khan, a Pakistani scholar, has emerged as a pivotal figure in an awardwinning project spotlighting the struggles faced by vulnerable populations across 14 nations due to skyrocketing inflation in essential commodities Mr Khan serving as a consultant spearheaded the creation of the report titled the Human Costs of the Food Crisis: How Price Spikes are Wreaking Havoc Across the Globe The report, authored by Mr Khan sheds light on the profound impact of inflation on crucial necessities such as food water and petroleum products A short film based on this research earned the prestigious Smiley Charity Awards 2024 in the International Impact Category on March 20, 2024 The annual ceremony, held in London’s ODEON Luxe at Leicester Square, attracted a global audience exceeding 250 thousand viewers through live streaming cementing its reputation as the Oscars for the charity sector g F i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t w i l l b e p r o v i d e d i n t w o i n s t a l l m e n t s , c o n t i n g e n t u p o n m e e t i n g s p e c i f i c p r e r e q u i s i t e s
founder Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Faisal Javed and others in a protest and vandalism case PTI founder Imran Khan Asad Umar
vows to cement Pakistan-Iran parliament
s tA f f R e P o R t
National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq
to
police when his
suddenly deteriorated Pervaiz Elahi will be examined completely in PIMS hospital Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf President Pervaiz Elahi suffered bone fracture after slipping in Adiala jail s washroom Per vez Elahi again rushed to PIMS due to deteriorating health WASHINGTON s tA f f R e P o R t The United States has said that it prioritises security-related cooperation with Pakistan and will continue to work to further expand bilateral relations in this regard Addressing a media briefing in Washington, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said: “We will continue to work to expand the security partnership between the US and Pakistan [ ] It s been a priority for us and will continue to be so His remarks came to a question regarding US support for Pakistan in tackling its security concerns arising from neighbouring countries and combating the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Washington s reassurance comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in his response to US President Joe Biden s letter underscored Pakistan s desire to work with the US for the achievement of shared goals of global peace and stability as well as regional progress and prosperity The premier had also said that both countries have been working together on various significant initiatives in energy climate change, agriculture, health and education sectors Earlier, President Biden had addressed a letter to PM Shehbaz in which he extended felicitation to the new government He further emphasised upon the enduring partnership between the US and Pakistan In the first diplomatic correspondence between the US and the new government in Pakistan, Biden had vowed that Washington would “continue to stand with Pakistan” in tackling the “most pressing global and regional challenges Furthermore the US president stressed Washington s commitment to continue working with Pakistan to protect human rights and promote progress Together, we will continue to forge a strong partnership between our nations and a close bond between our people he had added Responding to a query regarding media reports suggesting that Afghanistan has received more than $2 9 billion via the United Nations and whether this was being done with Washington’s approval the official replied in the negative Not at all So let me make clear that we require all of our partners to have safeguards in place to ensure that assistance reaches those who need it, he said while addressing the prospects of aid reaching the Afghan Taliban-led interim regime in the war-torn country We also require robust monitoring and reporting from partner organisations implementing assistance programmes [ ] We will continue to monitor all of our assistance programs and seek to mitigate the risk that US assistance could indirectly benefit the Taliban or could be diverted to unintended recipients ” he noted When asked about Indian media reports suggesting that New Delhi has found its intelligence officials to be involved in plotting the assassination of Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US and that the report has been shared with Washington, Miller refused to comment on “media reports H o w e v e r t h e s p o k e s p e r s o n underscored that US has told India that it wants a full investigation continue to look forward to the results of that investigation in the matter UN to take up Pakistan’s resolution on banning arms sales to Israel UNITED NATION s tA f f R e P o R t In an upcoming session scheduled today (Friday), the United Nations will address a resolution proposed by Pakistan aimed at banning arms sales to Israel The draft of this resolution submitted by Pakistan to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on behalf of 55 member countries of the United Nations has stirred significant anticipation and debate within the international community The comprehensive eight-page resolution places forth stringent demands on Israel, calling for an immediate end to its occupation of Palestinian territories and Gaza One of the key provisions of the resolution is the demand for Israel to cease its illegal blockade on the Gaza Strip Moreover the resolution underscores the urgency of preventing the sale or transfer of explosives and other military equipment to Israel, emphasizing the need to curb the proliferation of arms that exacerbates the ongoing conflict in the region The proposal has garnered widespread support from the majority of OIC member countries reflecting a collective effort to address the longstanding humanitarian and security concerns stemming from the IsraeliPalestinian conflict The resolution symbolizes a unified stance against the injustices and violations of international law perpetrated by Israel, particularly in its treatment of the Palestinian population
vows to strengthen sec urity par tnership with Pakistan
sources the former PM was shifted to PIMS by Islamabad
health
US
Letters seem to be back
TH E letter written by six judges of the Islamabad High Court contained explosive allegations of interference by officials of an intelligence agency in the functioning of the court After a brief drama involving the Prime Minister and a judicial commission of enquiry, the Supreme Court took up the matter suo motu At this juncture on the day before the first hearing, all judges of the Islamabad High Court received letters containing a white powder, suspected to be anthrax As the hearing commenced on Wednesday four judges of the Supreme Court and five of the Lahore High Court also received similar letters, including both Chief Justice, also containing a white powder In an age of email, social media, smartphones, this might seem a rather old-fashioned way of making threats, but probably fortunately, sending the means of bacteriological warfare over the Internet is not known Whatever might transpire from a combination of 3D Printing and Virtual Reality technologies is still in the future, and probably the distant future, so at the moment, the mails are perhaps still the most efficient means of spreading the powder
The sender was clearly hoping that the recipients would recall the 2001 anthrax attacks, when, a week after the 9/11 attacks, media offices, and Senators and Representatives began receiving letters by mail, containing anthrax spores in exactly the same powder form sent to the judges The threat was not negligible, for 22 people were infected, of whom five actually died However, there have been no anthrax attacks since then The investigation was one of the most complex and longest ever in the history of American law enforcement Anthrax naturally occurs among animals, and humans can catch it from infected animals or animal products However it is not necessary that the powder contain anthrax spores There could be some other chemical or bacteriological agent which must be traced That superior court judges are vulnerable should have become painfully clear
Tas inappropriate On the one hand, it seemed, the Cabinet, which stands at the peak of the executive was denying that any of the so-called interference had been carried out with its approval This implied that any interference was committed by rogue elements On the other the Cabinet sailed very close to saying that the judges had lied Clearly, everyone seems reluctant to have anything to do with the matter The judges had written to the Supreme Judicial Council thereby indicating a belief that it was the appropriate forum However the head of the
challenged, and
for
Code of Conduct, and secondly because of
Supreme Court decision striking down
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui’s removal as a judge
Justice (retd) Siddiqui had been removed from office in October 2018 because he had made a speech to the Rawalpindi Bar claiming that an intelligence agency official had pressurised the IHC CJ not to put him on any bench hearing Mian Nawaz Sharif ’s bail This was initially construed as an admission by Mr Justice Siddiqui that his claim had violated the Code of Conduct because he had claimed that the then Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court had followed directions and that lower courts were also following directions Mr Justice Siddiqui s appeal to the Supreme Court against the SJC finding was accepted, and the three-member Bench had ruled that Mr Justice Siddiqui having passed retirement age would receive the salaries and pension that would have been due to him had not been removed from office The Supreme Court noted that Mr Justice Siddiqui was not given an opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses against him, and was denied due process
A n e w S u n d o w n T o w n ?
Th e K atc h a a re a i s b e co m i n g a n o - g o a re a INsAf AlI BANgwAr
W h i l e t h i s e p i s o d e m ay
w e l l p rov e a f l a s h i n t h e p a n , i t h a s t h e p o t e n t i a l t o b e
t r a n s fo r m a t i v e . C e r t a i n l y,
c o u p - m a k e r s w i l l n o t b e a b l e t o
a s s u m e t h e j u d i c i a r y Ês s u p p o r t ,
a s t h e y h a v e i n t h e p a s t .
P r e s s u r e , i f a p p l i e d , c a n b l o w
u p i n o n e Ês f a c e , i f j u d g e s a r e
w i l l i n g t o g o p u b l i c S u c h
p r e s s u r e d o e s n o t t a k e
k i n d l y t o d ay l i g h t
To n i p a n e x i g e n c e i n t h e bu d i s t o t r a n s fo r m t h e m o d u s o p e r a n d i . B r i n g i n g t h e f e u d a l s y s t e m i n t h e r e g i o n t o t h e h a l t a l o n g w i t h b r i n g i n g r e fo r m t o t h e p o l i c e d e p a r t m e n t a n d e n l i g h t e n i n g t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f t h e r e g i o n w i l l c a t a l y s e d e l i v e r a n c e i n q u e u e . T h o u g h a H e rc u l e a n t a s k , i t i s n e v e r i m p o s s i b l e t o b r i n g a c h a n g e
@insafalibangwar98@gmail
04 Fr day 5 Apri 2024
– Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 I K arachi – Ph: 021-32640318 I Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545 I Web: www pakistantoday com pk I Email: editorial@pakistantoday com pk
COMMENT Lahore
Apart from the very natural and eminently reasonable desire to preserve the lives of the judges the investigation should also look to the future The security measures involved will not mean a motorcade overflowing with beefy policemen armed to the teeth, which is the common perception of security Whoever is behind this must be held fully accountable This requires a thorough investigation to avert the impression that anything can be done to judges The letters sent to SC, IHC and LHC judges are serious, and merit investigation M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor Solar dilemma M A N Y countries strive to transition a significant portion of their energy consumption to solar power China leads the pack with 131 gigawatts, followed by the UK with 51, Japan with 49, Germany with 42, Italy with 19 and India with 18 gigawatts of solar capacity Every dollar is precious in Pakistan at this time The annual import bill for oil and gas has reached 27 billion dollars and the revolving debt stands at 2 500 billion rupees With billions of rupees being spent annually and the mounting debt the country s development and prosperity remain uncertain Last year, the Pakistani government encouraged the public to shift towards solar energy production by reducing duties on its equipment However, as demand for solar panels increases with changing weather patterns market prices have soared from 75 thousand to 3 lakh rupees Market sources attribute this to shifts in government policy It would not be amiss to suggest that if individuals were to meet half of their electricity demand with solar power the government s reliance on costly sources like oil and gas would diminish, thereby reducing the import bill Much of the expensive electricity in the country is consumed by the affluent class and lost through transmission, placing the entire burden on the common man JALASHK BALACH DASHT PCOS related nutrition I am writing to shed light on the pressing issue of PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and its prevalence in Pakistan Unfortunately the percentage of women affected by PCOS in Pakistan is alarmingly high standing at approximately 52% Globally one in every ten women is diagnosed with PCOS highlighting the significance of addressing this issue PCOS is a common hormonal condition that affects women of reproductive age It typically begins during adolescence, with symptoms that may vary over time Hormonal imbalances, irregular periods, excessive androgen levels and ovarian cysts are some of the manifestations of PCOS making it challenging for affected women to conceive Symptoms
heavy
absent
gain (especially around
abdomen) anxiety depression
negative body
further exacerbate the impact of PCOS on women s lives It extends beyond physical health, affecting family dynamics, relationships, work performance, and community involvement The exact cause of PCOS remains unknown, though experts attribute it to various factors including genetics and elevated androgen levels While there is no cure for PCOS nutritional interventions can effectively manage its symptoms To improve PCOS symptoms it is crucial to limit the intake of simple sugars and refined carbohydrates such as white bread pasta rice, sugary beverages, and desserts Alcohol consumption should also be avoided, along with processed snack foods Incorporating lifestyle changes can significantly aid in managing PCOS These include eating regular meals with a diverse range of foods prioritizing fruits and vegetables staying hydrated by consuming at least 23 liters of water daily and engaging in regular physical activity Even a brief 30-minute walk can yield positive metabolic and reproductive benefits for individuals with PCOS Additionally, avoiding overripe bananas and processed foods while incorporating omega-3-rich foods (such as fish and seafood), lean proteins (like chicken, eggs, and milk), and seeds (such as sunflower and flax seeds) into the diet can be beneficial In conclusion adopting a diet focused on whole grains fruits vegetables lean proteins and fat-free dairy products can aid in managing weight and regulating blood sugar levels for individuals with PCOS Combined with maintaining a healthy lifestyle and if necessary, medication, these strategies can help individuals effectively manage PCOS and improve their overall well-being H AY YA B Y O U N A S G O V T C O L L E G E U N I V E R S I T Y FA I S A L A B A D 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 S UNDOWN Town was once used for the places in the Midwest and South in the USA where, after dark, non-whites or people of certain races weren’t allowed to enter People wandering after dark were subjected to discrimination intimidation and violence This is a bygone story there while we are landed in a new Sundown Town with even worse circumstances in Pakistan Notoriously known as the Katcha , the riverine region around Ghotki, Kashmore and Shikarpur the bandits within it have created circumstances described above in Sundown Town While in the Sundown Town solely nonwhites were not allowed to walk in in the town the bandits going a couple of steps beyond allow no one to wander after dark Worse, the acts of looting, abduction and thuggery are performed in the sunup/sunshine Recently the nightmarish murder of a school teacher Allah Rakhiyo Nindwani in Kandhkot testifies to the circumstances being akin to stateless societies like Somalia Libya or Yemen The loss of his life is the price he paid to carry a double-barrelled gun for his own protection Prior to this tragic incident, a university teacher Dr Ajmal Sawand who earned his degree from France in Artificial Intelligence was mercilessly murdered in the same region Kandhkot by some rogue tribal men However, the police cited both cases, as personal clashes, a vendetta These are the cases that came to the spotlight, while hundreds of cases routinely escape reporting some due to executive authorities’ negligence and others because of the fear of retaliation and perception of crime severity among other factors The ineffectiveness of police in protecting, reporting and executing necessary procedures aggravate the injuries Sindh, once a province of peace, prosperity and hospitality with vibrant culture and archaic identity has been catalysed into a battlefield The pivotal role in changing the history culture and nature of the province has been played by feudal lords with the support of the political elements Courtesy of influential people , the Katcha and its adjacent areas are ‘no-go areas’ The population of Sindh in general, and of the northern region in particular are treated as sub-humans with no basic facilities, access to education, health and justice Perhaps, due to the absence of state writ With people a herd before feudal lords, an obsolete population before the incumbent rural Sindh resembles a society that existed in archaic times In that locality intermittently individuals are abducted kept for ransom and sometimes even murdered due to the demands of the bandits not being fulfilled With the talons of feudal lords getting sharper and the dwindling role of state institutions in combating the irregularities surfacing time and again the fate of the northern region of Sindh remains in doldrums This in effect triggers the feudal elite to continually racketeer at the expense of people s coercion, ignorance and disenfranchisement while the police perform auxiliary roles The feudal lords, often under the veneer of demagogues transcend the societal constitutional and imagery bulwarks as if it is their prerogative Since the state institutions submissively let the population be dragooned the grievances of the people are merely falling on deaf ears The docile masses of an enslaved nation are on a ride on a dilapidated road and it’s a slippery slope: one crisis will unfold after another Though questions are constantly raised regarding the silence of the region s representatives for what purposes are they elected owing to the cloud of fear, no one goes beyond slight criticism, with meaningful criticism being treated as heterodoxy and heresy The representatives are dynamically the same with parallel actions The representatives meet the criteria to be dubbed as incompetent opportunist and tyrants However no one dares to point a finger The power flows through the barrel of the gun , from this statement what one should perceive: the bandits transcend the state writ? Do they have the upper hand over the status quo? Will the citizens be left at their mercy? If so how long? How powerful the state may be internationally its take in this region remains an enigma In addition to this, who sowed the seed of this bandit system and when? What made them so powerful that the state writ seems weak? What were the push and pull factors leading to this malaise and most importantly who let them become police of the state and local regions? What is more concerning is that the state has treated the symptom never entirely killed the cause How? Time and again solely CSPs were shuffled, but never a grand movement was led Thus, this malaise turned into a cancerous malady haunting the locality How far it may be the Achilles’ heel for the state to liberate its citizens from these bandits it should be the primary purpose for the institutions to hijack them; either via carrot and stick approach or by state writ In short, by hook or crook, liberty must prevail in the region for a sigh of relief Categorically to nip an exigence in the bud is to transform the modus operandi Bringing the feudal system in the region to the halt along with bringing reform to the police department and enlightening the population of the
writer is a freelancer He can be reached
com
such as
or
periods weight
the
and
image
region will catalyse deliverance in queue Though a Herculean task, it is never impossible to bring a change The
H E letter by six judges of the Islamabad High Court complaining of interference by agencies in their decisions has kicked
refuses
the government established
judi-
commission of enquiry under a former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice (retd) Tassaduq Hussain Jilani However, his recusal made the Supreme Court take up the matter suo motu Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had got the commission approved at a Cabinet meeting which met after a one-day postponement and which also denied the allegation of the executive s interference in judicial matters as alleged in the judges letter, and termed them
these deliberations
the judicial commission
which was
the
The judges appear to have written to the SJC
The first was
it
their
The
of the letter may have feared that their complaint could have caused them to receive the same treatment, for Mr Justice Siddiqui had first made his complaint in a speech to the Rawalindi Bar but then in a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council Once the decision established that complaining would not cause action against them the letter was sent It is probably no coincidence that the head of the judicial commission, Mr Justice (retd) Taddaduq Hussain Jilani, had retired from the Bench before any of the nine judges of the Islamabad High Court were elevated and was thus not involved in their elevation as CJPs are It is also worth noting that four of the six judges writing the letter had not been colleagues of Mr Justice Siddiqui It is also worth noting that the letter was signed by six judges, and starts with the senior-most puisne judge who will become Chief Justice in 2031 assuming that the Chief Justice is not earlier elevated to the Supreme Court In short the letter cannot be dismissed as an act of solidarity by former colleagues Indeed Mr Justice Siddiqui s accusations being repeated indicate the interference continued Mr Justice (retd) Jilani’s having recused himself has ousted the executive from the whole matter and after the Supreme Court suo motu committee has converted the letter into a human rights petition under Article 199 It has been demanded that the Supreme Court set up a Full Court to hear the case, which it has done in effect The case will be heard by seven judges If the judgement is appealed as it is likely to be there are eight judges left of the 15-member court to hear the appeals It is required that the appeals be heard by a bench larger than the one hearing the case Thus the seven-member bench is the largest possible which leaves enough judges to hear an appeal It will be interesting to see how the Supreme Court proceeds with the investigation of the matter In principle especially considering the Supreme Court s verdict in Mr Justice (retd) Siddiqui s case due process will have to be followed That implies the judges turning over the evidence they have, and disclosing their knowledge of events to an investigator, who would then draw up a list of potential witnesses and of potential accused In short good old-fashioned police work Who will do this? This actually was supposed to be done by the commission of enquiry Now it seems the Supreme Court itself may well have to appoint one itself It is even possible that Mr Justice (retd) Jilani might be selected, because he is a person well respected by all of the other stakeholders and has no personal involvement in the matter His objection was to the Terms of Reference and because it seemed that the judges had written to get institutional guidance The whole affair seems to
superior
face
but
of original jurisdiction If the courts refuse to
legal cover the Army will face difficulties
the courts act strictly according to the law and Constitution takeovers
not be possible Chief Justice Qazi made a ringing declaration of refusal to take pressure from anyone at the first hearing of the suo motu case, but there was a public perception that nothing would come of this matter The parties appear at something of a loss The PML(N) is being drawn into a confrontation with the military a place Mian Shehbaz did not want to be The PPP s silence reflects its hopes from the establishment, and its desiree that the PML(N) stew in its own juice The PTI, presently dominated by lawyers because of party chief Imran Khan’s legal woes is in the midst of the fray avoiding any mention of how it had once basked in the sun of the establishment s approval While this episode may well prove a flash in the pan, it has the potential to be transformative Certainly, coup-makers will not be able to assume the judiciary’s support, as they have in the past Pressure, if applied, can blow up in one’s face, if judges are willing to go public Such pressure does not take kindly to daylight The writer is a member of staff T
At Penpoint M A N I A Z I
up a storm which
to go down with the result that
a
cial
Supreme Judicial Council the Chief Justice of Pakistan met the Prime Minister on the issue and it was as a result of
that
idea emerged, and
then executed by
government
for two reasons
because
appears to be the only body competent to carry out investigations involving the judges especially in issues which might involve judges having
impartiality
thus becoming liable to being removed from office
violating the
the
Mr
Mr
writers
reflect the breakdown of the establishment It might seem paradoxical for an Army that has taken over four times, but it is very much a legalistic organisation The greatest symbol of this is that each takeover obtained legal cover The establishment is not just the Army but also the judiciary which has given it by and large the kind of decisions it has needed Going by the allegations being made, it is not only the
courts which
pressure,
also the courts
provide
If
will
h e S c a r l e t l e t t e r
R a d i a t i o n a n d n u c l e a r a c c i d e n t s : G l o b a l i m p a c t s a n d b e y o n d
The downside of
seafood and long-term concerns about health effects
including cancer, genetic mutations, and other illnesses
C THREE MILE ISLAND ACCIDENT (1979): This accident occurred at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania USA A combination of equipment malfunctions design flaws and human error led to a partial meltdown of one of the reactor cores Although there were no immediate fatalities or widespread health effects, it raised concerns about nuclear safety and emergency preparedness
D GOIANIA ACCIDENT (1987): In Brazil a radioactive source was inadvertently scavenged from a disused radiotherapy machine, leading to its dismantling and subsequent exposure of workers and residents to highly radioactive material This resulted in several deaths widespread contamination and long-term health consequences for many of those exposed
E MAYAK (1957): An explosion at the Mayak nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in the Soviet Union released significant amounts of radioactive material into the environment contaminating a vast area The incident was kept secret by the Soviet authorities for many years leading to inadequate measures to protect the affected population These accidents underscore the importance of stringent safety measures, regulatory oversight, and emergency preparedness in the nuclear industry to minimize the risks associated with the use of nuclear energy and radioactive materials
Radiation and nuclear accidents can have profound and lasting effects on the environment due to the release of radioactive materials into ecosystems These effects can be wide-ranging and can persist for years, even decades depending on the severity of the accident and the measures taken to mitigate its impacts
Some of the key effects on the environment include: A CONTAMINATION OF SOIL AND WATER: Radioactive fallout from nuclear accidents can contaminate soil and water sources in the vicinity of the accident site Radioactive isotopes such as cesium-137, iodine-131, and strontium90 can accumulate in soil and water, posing risks to plants, aquatic life, and organisms in the food chain This contamination can persist for years affecting agriculture forestry and biodiversity
B IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEMS: Radioactive contamination can disrupt ecosystems by damaging vegetation, reducing biodiversity, and altering the balance of species populations
High levels of radiation can harm plants by inhibiting growth and causing mutations while aquatic ecosystems can be affected by contamination of water bodies and bioaccumulation of radioactive isotopes in aquatic organisms
C HEALTH OF WILDLIFE: Wildlife populations living in or near contaminated areas may experience adverse health effects from radiation exposure
M o n i t o r i n g o f t e n i nvo l v e s i n t e r n a t i o n a l
o rg a n i z a t i o n s , s c i e n t i f i c i n s t i t u t i o n s , a n d g ov e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s wo r k i n g t o g e t h e r t o t r a ck
This can include increased rates of cancer, reproductive abnormalities, and reduced lifespan Animals may also suffer from genetic mutations and developmental abnormalities, which can impact the long-term viability of affected species
D DISPLACEMENT OF SPECIES: In some cases nuclear accidents may lead to the displacement or relocation of wildlife populations due to contamination of their habitats This can disrupt migration patterns alter species distributions and result in habitat loss for sensitive species Displacement can also increase competition for resources and lead to conflicts between wildlife and human populations
E LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON FOOD CHAIN: Radioactive contamination of soil and water can enter the food chain through plants which are consumed by herbivores and subsequently by carnivores This bioaccumulation of radioactive isotopes can result in higher concentrations of radiation in higher trophic levels, posing risks to predators and top-level carnivores Humans may also be exposed to radiation through consumption of contaminated food products such as meat dairy and crops
F CHANGES IN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: The disruption of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity resulting from nuclear accidents can impact ecosystem services such as pollination nutrient cycling and water purification This can have cascading effects on human wellbeing affecting agriculture water quality, and other aspects of livelihoods that depend on healthy ecosystems
Radiation and nuclear accidents can have significant global impacts due to the transboundary nature of radioactive contamination and the interconnectedness of environmental and socio-economic systems
While the immediate health impacts are often concentrated near the accident site long-term health effects can be felt globally especially if radioactive materials are dispersed over large areas Children and foetuses are particularly vulnerable to the effects of radiation exposure
C ECONOMIC COSTS: Nuclear accidents can result in significant economic losses due to clean-up and decontamination efforts compensation for affected individuals and communities, loss of agricultural and fisheries productivity, and damage to infrastructure and property The economic impacts can extend beyond the countries directly affected by the accident affecting global trade and investment
D INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND RESPONSE: Nuclear accidents often require international cooperation and assistance to manage effectively, especially in the case of accidents with transboundary impacts Countries may collaborate on monitoring and sharing data on radiation levels coordinating emergency response efforts, and providing humanitarian aid to affected populations These collaborative efforts can strengthen international partnerships and frameworks for nuclear safety and disaster preparedness
E LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH MONITORING: After a nuclear accident, long-term monitoring of environmental
downs hydrogen explosions and releases of radioactive materials
It was the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl leading to widespread evacuations contamination of agricultural land and
c h a n g e s i n r a d i a t i o n l ev e l s , e nv i ro n m e n t a l c o n t a m i n a t i o n , a n d h e a l t h o u t c o m e s ov e r t i m e
‘ I n d i v i d u a l s l o o ke d t o avo i d c o n f l i c t a n d p l e a s e p o l i t i c a l m a s t e r s,’ a Pe n t a g o n - b a c ke d R A N D c o r p o r at i o n s t u d y f i n d s
A ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION: Radioactive materials released during accidents can contaminate air, soil, water, and ecosystems far beyond the immediate vicinity of the accident site These contaminants can be transported by atmospheric and oceanic cur-
UPresident Trump and other administration officials consistently sought to influence and in some cases bias intelligence the study finds Interviewees cited almost a dozen such examples, some unsurprising ( Russian interference in the 2016 and 2020 elections, the Muslim travel ban, and the characterization of “antifa”) but others less obvious (“mass shootings” and “the SolarWinds hack”) Far from the Hollywood picture of intelligence operatives as ruthless Jason Bourne types interviewees complained about the pressure analysts and management faced from White House policymakers, with one likening it to bullying The culture of fear was real, one former intelligence official told RAND “The IC gets tired of being bullied, then they withdraw ” “Individuals looked to avoid conflict and please political masters ” Individuals looked to avoid conflict and please political masters the study says of the intelligence community analysts and officials adding that the CIA and other agencies have an incentive to elicit positive feedback from policymakers in order to maintain [their] relevance Across multiple administrations, this dynamic of fear appears to have infected the highest echelons of the intelligence community Former CIA Director Gina Haspel declined to push back on Trump s equivocations regarding the intelligence community s conclusion that Saudi Arabia s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the study notes (Haspel
had reportedly been ordered by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to attend a congressional briefing where she could have challenged Trump s statements She didn t attend ) The report identifies Russian meddling in elections as among the most prominent scenarios in which the Trump administration pushed to influence the outcome of intelligence analysis “With election interference there were attempts to directly impact/change what the intelligence said a former official told RAND The IC was going to say that Russia did something, but policymakers would insist on adding more language, like something else about Iran
Another former official described election security as “the third rail of intelligence topics,” describing congressionally mandated intelligence reports on foreign interference as an awkward process
Ironically despite Trump s repeated insinuations of a deep state bent on undermining him the very intelligence agencies ended up watering down assessments in order to avoid confrontations As the study observes, IC analysts looked to avoid conflict with policymakers and avoid charges of being part of the ‘deep state ’” The intelligence community’s deference to its political masters was by no means confined to the Trump administration One former official told RAND that the process always involves some degree of give and take between analysts and policymakers Indeed, the report provides a number of examples of intelligence bias during the Obama administration
John A Gentry, a former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst during the Obama administration is quoted as saying that superiors told analysts to avoid specifically identified terms that might trigger criticism of administration policy the study notes Gentry also said that during the Obama years, intelligence analysis suffered from politicization by omission : leaving out issues from
The former head of the Reser ve Bank of India R aghuram R ajan is not wrong about the economy being a ‘work in progress ’ But he overlooks PM Modi ’s strategy of growing it to $30 trillion by 2047 L
Friday 5 Apr l 2024 COMMENT 05
S intelligence skews its findings to find favor with both Republican and Democratic policymakers including former presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama, a sweeping new study by the Pentagonbacked RAND Corporation finds The study draws on interviews some anonymous with nearly a dozen current and former U S intelligence officials and policymakers Despite the popular deep state characterization of the intelligence community as a rogue army running roughshod over elected leaders, the study concludes the exact opposite It portrays an intelligence community that naturally tilts its reports and forecasts to curry favor with presidents and their high-level policymakers in Washington, regardless of party or issue “Policymakers most frequently introduce bias in intelligence assessments from a desire to minimize the appearance of dissent while the IC intelligence community tends to introduce bias through self-censorship the report says The study, Has Trust in the U S Intelligence Community Eroded? Examining the Relationship Between Policymakers and Intelligence Providers,” was sponsored by the Pentagon From 9/11 to January 6 there’s hardly a shortage of intelligence failures to properly assess the big picture or anticipate crises leading to a decline in trust by policymakers some of whom have decried the intelligence community as a monolithic deep state outside of their control But the study suggests that these policymakers often have themselves to blame for pressuring the intelligence community to come to certain conclusions in line with their political interests in many cases successfully “Through his time in office
or
the results might displease superiors ” In 2015 the year before Trump was elected a survey of the members of the U S Central Command the Pentagon s combatant command for the Middle East found that over 65 percent of respondents believed that their analysis was suppressed or distorted in the face of evidence due to editorial disagreement, politicization, or a mismatching with existing analytic lines, the study also notes Another example was alleged by a former official at the highest levels of the Obama administration Obama’s former CIA Director Michael Hayden the report notes has written that the community turned a blind eye to Russian information operations due to the administration s efforts to broker new diplomatic relations with Moscow Not until 2015 did the U S come to grips with Russian efforts, by then just a year out from the 2016 elections famously marred by Russian meddling Rather than in the direction of Langley the Pentagon or any intelligence agency RAND concludes that the IC largely tilts toward the White House and its army of political appointees Clearly the intelligence community tilts its findings; but rather than in the direction of Langley, the Pentagon, or any intelligence agency, RAND concludes that it largely tilts toward the White House and its army of political appointees “The RAND report provides an accurate picture of how much the intelligence-policy relationship sometimes departs depressingly far from the ideal of intelligence providing unbiased analysis to policymakers who use it to inform their decision-making, Paul Pillar, a former national intelligence officer who is now a fellow at Georgetown University s Center for Security Study as well as the Quincy Institute, told The Intercept “The report shows the variety of ways in which policymakers who are determined to use intelligence not to inform decisions but instead to sell their already established policies can pollute the process ranging from blatant armtwisting to subtle effects on the minds of intelligence officers who do not want to rock the boat, Pillar said Spy agencies skewed intelligence to please Trump, and Obama too R A D I AT I O N and nuclear accidents refer to incidents involving the release of radioactive materials into the environment due to accidents or malfunctions in nuclear facilities such as power plants, research reactors, or storage facilities These accidents can have significant environmental health and socio-economic consequences depending on the scale and severity of the release Some notable examples of radiation and nuclear accidents include: A CHERNOBYL DISASTER (1986): One of the most infamous nuclear accidents in history the Chernobyl disaster occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine A combination of reactor design flaws and operator errors led to a catastrophic explosion and fire, releasing large amounts of radioactive materials into the atmosphere It caused widespread contamination of land and resulted in numerous health problems for the affected population B FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NUCLEAR DISASTER (2011): Following a massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant experienced multiple reactor melt-
regular updates
assessments “because
rents affecting regions thousands of kilometres away
contamination can
years posing
EFFECTS:
to radiation can increase the risk of various health problems,
This widespread
persist for
risks to wildlife and ecosystems B HEALTH
Exposure
and health indicators is essential to assess the ongoing impacts and mitigate risks to human health and the environment This monitoring often involves international organizations scientific institutions and government agencies working together to track changes in radiation levels, environmental contamination, and health outcomes over time Thus, the global impacts of radiation and nuclear accidents underscore the need for robust safety measures effective emergency response mechanisms and international cooperation to minimize risks and mitigate the consequences of such events The writer is a youth motivator and former Head of the University Department of Political Science B N Mandal University Madhepura Bihar India
dr
nuclear power
rAjKuMAr sINgh
INTERCEPT K e N K l I P P e N s t e I N A N d dA N I e l B o g u s l Aw
A S T week Raghuram Rajan, former governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and former International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chief Economist renewed his criticism of the management of the Indian economy cautioning against falling for what he believes to be hype about the country s current growth trajectory
context is India’s unexpected surge in economic growth for the third quarter of 2023 While most analysts expected a growth of 6 4% for the quarter the actual numbers came in at a staggering 8 4% – given the momentum in growth, there is every reason to believe India will clock a very impressive 8% for 2023-24 Implicit in this growth surprise was the suggestion that India was exploring a new trend rate of growth – around 7% compared to the existing 6% Rajan s reaction was an argument that it would be a mistake to buy into this claim The greatest mistake India can make
like
nomic adviser and presently
of government policy think tank Niti Aayog, and Arvind Panagariya, chairman
newly constituted
Finance Commission dismissed Rajan’s criticism In an unkind cut Virmani accused Rajan of thinking like a parachute economist – an expert attached to multilateral institutions but equipped with little or no knowledge on the local economy and offering just policy advice To be fair to the government, analysts, both in the private sector and in multilateral institutions, have collectively flagged India’s growth potential They are inspired by its ability to ride out the unprecedented back-to-back shocks beginning with the Covid-19 pandemic and then to thrive in subsequent years This resilience, they argue, is inspired by the series of structural reforms undertaken by the government in this period MESSAGE VS MESSENGER: Frankly the problem here is not with the message but with the messenger Rajan through his public association with Rahul Gandhi the former President of the Indian National Congress, India s principal opposition party, especially in talking up some quixotic economic ideas propounded by Gandhi, has moved out of the neutral corner To be sure officially he is not a member of the Congress party However in public life like in politics it is not what you do but what you are seen to be doing Rajan is perceived as aligning politically with a party that is dead opposed to the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) As a result the former governor ’s trenchant critique has come to be viewed with suspicion as motivated Shorn of politics Rajan is arguing that India is a work in progress Ironically the NDA too believes this Given that it is general-election season in India – with polling to begin on April 19 and continue till June 1, the NDA is showcasing its success in fixing legacy deficits with respect to access to basics like toilets banking cooking gas electricity drinking water health insurance internet and so on Staking claim to this achievement NDA coined a moniker around their star campaigner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Modi ki guarantee (Modi’s guarantee) In almost every public rally or speech since then Modi has invoked this slogan to promise “unprecedented prosperity” in the next five years if voted back to power Effectively the prime minister is arguing that having resolved the foundational handicaps the stage is set to launch the next phase of India s growth that would be far more inclusive than what had been achieved in the first six decades Implicitly the NDA is accepting the fact that India is a work in progress exactly what Rajan is saying Where they differ is in their respective beliefs and the plan to deliver on India s growth potential Even before the general election bugle was sounded the NDA signaled that it had a plan for India to evolve into a developed country by 2047, when its economy would measure $30 trillion –an audacious claim given that at present it is $3 7 trillion It has already promised an active first 100 days in office if reelected The ideological underpinning of this strategy is that a strong economy is a necessary condition for India to acquire military and diplomatic clout A teaser shared by Niti Aayog reveals that India’s per-capita income will double to $4 418 by 2030 and then grow to $10 021 by 2040 and $17 590 by 2047 Indeed if this was to happen then the deficits cited by Rajan, such as literacy and skilling, must be overcome While the NDA believes this will be achieved, Rajan disagrees But this is a case of ‘he said she said’ Either claim can only be verified over time Till then whatever be the motivations it is best for both sides to agree to disagree Anil Padmanabhan formerly the managing editor of Mint newspaper now a freelance journalist W h y c l a i m s t h a t I n d i a ’ s g r o w t h i s h y p e d a r e a t o d d s w i t h t h e e v i d e n c e RT A N I l PA d M A N A B h A N A teaser shared by Niti Aayog reveals that India’s per- capita income will double to $4,418 by 2030 and then grow to $10,021 by 2040 and $17,590 by 2047
The
is to believe the hype [about growth] We have got many more years of hard work to do to ensure the hype is real Believing the hype is something politicians want you to believe because they want you to believe that we have arrived he said The official reaction was not long in coming Economists
Arvind Virmani former chief eco-
member
of the
16th
Taiwan quake: S everal still remain trapped as injuries cross 1,000 mark
Xi told Biden not to inter vene being not par ty to S outh China S ea conflic t
BEIJING
M i A n A b r A r
During the recent telephone call Chinese President Xi Jinping told his American counterparty not to intervene as it is not party to South China Sea conflict A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday answered media questions on the phone talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U S President Joe Biden According to the U S side, during the telephone conversation between the Chinese and U S presidents on Tuesday, President Biden mentioned Ren’ai Jiao, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Xizang Autonomous Region The U S side also urged China to stop supporting Russia and play a bigger role in the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue In response to a related query, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily news briefing that during the call the Chinese side stressed that China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters The sovereignty covers the islands, reefs, shoals and cays of Nansha Qundao, including Ren’ai Jiao The root cause of the Ren’ai Jiao issue is that the Philippines has repeatedly gone back on its word and tried to build permanent outposts on the uninhabited reef, which belongs to China, in an attempt to permanently occupy Ren’ai Jiao which is illegal Wang noted The United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue and should not intervene in matters between China and the Philippines China has strong will and resolve to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests he said The Chinese side stated clearly that Hong Kong is China s Hong Kong, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs ” Wang said Completing the legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong is the constitutional responsibility of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for safeguarding national security It will help protect the fundamental wellbeing of all Hong Kong residents as well as the interests of investors from all over the world in Hong Kong It will not at all undermine the rights and freedoms that Hong Kong residents enjoy in accordance with the law, Wang said The United States needs to respect China’s sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong and should not disrupt much less interfere, in the process, he added “The Chinese side stressed that issues related
to Xinjiang and Xizang are China s internal affairs, Wang said, adding that no country has a monopoly on human rights China attaches great importance to the protection of human rights The people
Friday 5 Apr l 2024 LAHORe 06 newS
a country are best posi-
to judge the human rights conditions of
country he
China would like to engage in exchanges with the United States on human rights on the basis of mutual respect, but we firmly oppose interference in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of human rights he said On the Ukraine crisis China s position has been consistent clear and transparent Wa n g s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t t h e r e i s a r i s k t h a t the crisis will further deteriorate and escaUNITED NATIONS Ag e n c i e s UN humanitarian officials in Gaza have suspended operations at night for at least 48 hours in response to the killing of seven aid workers from the NGO World Central Kitchen by an Israeli strike The move will allow for further evaluation of the security issues that impact both personnel on the ground and the people they are trying to serve UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Wednesday during the noon briefing for reporters in New York The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reports that daytime operations are continuing, including ongoing efforts to get food aid convoys into northern Gaza World Central Kitchen and other charities have suspended aid operations which has had a “double impact” in the Gaza Strip Mr Dujarric said in response to a reporter s question It has a real impact on people who depend on these organisations to receive aid he said But it also has a psychological and chilling effect on humanitarian workers, both Palestinians and international, who continue to do their utmost to deliver aid to those who need it at great personal risk ” The World Central Kitchen staff consisting of local and international personnel were killed in multiple Israeli airstrikes on their convoy while departing their warehouse in Deir al Balah in central Gaza The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said he was horrified by the killing of the seven humanitarian workers, noting that their cars were clearly marked and should never have been attacked This horrific incident highlights the extreme danger under which WHO colleagues and our partners are working – and will continue to work, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking in Geneva WHO has been working with World Central Kitchen to deliver food to health workers and patients in Gaza hospitals Tedros underlined the need for safe humanitarian access through establishment of “an effective and transparent mechanism for deconfliction He also called for more entry points including in northern Gaza cleared roads, and predictable and expedited passage through checkpoints Meanwhile, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, is working with the Palestine Red Crescent Society to assist in the repatriation of the remains of the international staff from World Central Kitchen According to the Israeli military an initial investigation found that the strike was a grave mistake due to a misidentification, OCHA said in its latest update, issued on Wednesday I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s s a i d t h a t a n e w h u m a n i t a r i a n c o m m a n d c e n t r e w i l l b e e s t a b l i s h e d t o i m p r o v e t h e coordination of aid distribution while a full independent investigation will be completed over the coming days The findings will be shared with World Central Kitchen and other relevant international organizations WHO again requested authorization to travel to the destroyed Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City in the wake of the end of the two-week Israeli military siege U N S U S P E N D S N I G H T O P E R AT I O N S I N G A Z A A F T E R I S R A E L I S T R I K E S O N A I D W O R K E R S NASA pilots set to witness total solar eclipse 2024 from above the clouds WEB DESK The experience of flying through a solar eclipse evokes exhilaration and anticipation among NASA pilots who will soar above the clouds for a closer view While millions observe the celestial event from the ground, NASA flight crews are gearing up for a unique vantage point During the total solar eclipse of 2024 which is scheduled for April 8 an estimated 31 million people will enjoy the enchantment of the eclipse from the ground However that is not the case for the astronauts aboard the unique WB-57 aircraft missions since they are offered a career of a lifetime with invaluable knowledge Flying just at the edge of Mexico, the crews would trail the path of the eclipse as it steps in the moon’s shadow for a long duration Nasa pilot Tony Casey gets the tonic of excitement and says Oh that s so awesome While tracking the instruments to explore the corona and atmospheric phenomena that occur when the shadow swallows them up, he is happy anticipating the eclipse The flight plan is Ellington Field in Houston, TX departure and Mexican territory cross will give each plane some time in totality New-generation nuclear power plant begins heat supply in East China JINAN s tA f f c o r r e s p o n d e n t The world s first fourth-generation nuclear power plant China s Shidaowan high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) nuclear power plant, has begun to provide heat supply to residents of Rongcheng City, East China’s Shandong Province It is the first time the nuclear power plant has provided heat supply to urban residents marking another breakthrough in the comprehensive utilization of its nuclear energy according to the power plant s operator Huaneng Shandong Shidaowan nuclear power Co , Ltd Starting from March 27, the plant s heat supply project has been connected to the power grid to help heat some 190 000 square meters of areas in the city replacing the former thermal power It is expected to save 3 700 tonnes of coal in each heating season resulting in 6 700 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions reduction according to the operator TAIWAN Ag e n c i e s T h e n u m b e r o f p e o p l e i n j u r e d i n t h e m a s s i v e e a r t h q u a k e t h a t h i t eastern Taiwan on Wednesday has climbed past 1,000 as hundreds rem a i n t r a p p e d i n h o t e l s i n Ta r o k o National Park a popular tourist destination T h e d e v e l o p m e n t c o m e s a f t e r a 7 2 m a g n i t u d e e a r t h q u a k e t h e s t r o n g e s t t o h i t Ta i w a n i n 2 5 y e a r s , s t r u c k t h e I s l a n d n a t i o n r es u l t i n g i n n i n e f a t a l i t i e s a s w e l l a s c a u s i n g d a m a g e m o r e t h a n 1 0 0 b u i l d i n g s The quake was centred just off the east coast in the sparsely populated eastern county of Hualien at a depth of 15 5 kilometres (9 6 miles), according to Taiwan s Central Weather Administration Buildings also shook violently in the capital Taipei but damage and disruption there was minimal The country also issued a tsunami warning but reported no damage from that, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii later said the risk of damaging tsunami waves had passed Taiwan’s fire department said the number of injuries had reached 1 058 but most of almost 50 hotel workers on their way to a resort in Taroko National Park, had been located Interior Minister Lin Yu-chang wrote on his Facebook page that rescuers expected to be able to reach them on Thursday evening Wo r k c o n t i n u e s t o o p e n u p t h e r o a d i n t o Ta r o k o , w h i c h i s k n o w n a s t h e c r o s s - i s l a n d h i g hw a y a n d t r a v e r s e s t h e g o r g e c o nn e c t i n g H u a l i e n w i t h Ta i w a n ’s w e s t c o a s t A further 646 people are still trapped mostly in hotels in the park due to the road being cut off, the fire department said The railway line to Hualien reopened ahead of schedule on Thursday although one rural station north of Hualien city remains closed due to damage the railway administration said In Hualien city, where people who had been trapped in buildings have all been rescued, some people slept outdoors overnight as more than 300 aftershocks rocked the region unnerving residents
of
tioned
that
added
Bank Alfalah, Indus Hospital collaborate to establish primar y healthc are facility in flood-hit areas in S indh K
signs letter of agreement with NIDM
BankIslami hosts iftar dinner for differently-abled persons at D arul S ukun K A R A C H I: BankIslami recently organized an Iftar dinner at Dar-ul-Sukun, extending its warmth to differently-abled children and senior citizens This event held in the Holy month of Ramadan emphasized the bank s unwavering dedication to foster joy and inclusivity The event featured lively activities, such as henna application, face painting, jumping castle, and distribution of Eid giveaways These activities brought smiles to everyone’s faces, and promoted a sense of community and togetherness The event was also attended by the senior management of JS Bank and BankIslami Pakistan In recognition of Dar-ul-Sukun s community support JS Bank and BankIslami presented shield to Mr Savio Pareira – Chief Executive Officer of Dar-ul-Sakun, and also extended a generous monetary donation to the organization PR Kreative Kinder Haus celebrates autism awareness month K
07 NEWS Friday 5 Apr l 2024 LAHORE PR OFIT N E W S D E S K t H E price of gold per tola escalated to Rs241,100 on Thursday, marking a notable increase of Rs2,200 from the previous day This uptick aligns with a global surge in gold prices with the local market witnessing substantial gains in line with international trends The All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA) reported that the 10-gram gold price also rose to Rs206 704 reflecting an increase of Rs1 886 The latest figures follow a previous rise in gold prices on Wednesday where the per tola cost increased by Rs1,800 This continuous ascent has brought the local gold prices tantalizingly close to the all-time high of Rs242 700 recorded in September 2023 as per APGJSA records Internationally gold prices achieved a new milestone, with the rate per ounce reaching $2,311 after a significant gain of $21 This record-setting performance is attributed to recent remarks by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell Despite recent job gains and unexpected inflation readings, Powell indicated that these factors have not markedly shifted the Federal Reserve’s monetary strategy, influencing gold’s upward trajectory In addition to gold silver prices in Pakistan also experienced a rise with per tola rates increasing by Rs40 to settle at Rs2,650 The concurrent increases in both gold and silver prices underscore the ongoing volatility in the precious metals market both domestically and in- ternationally Gold price reaches all-time hiGh of rs241,000 per tol a in pakistan CORPORATE CORNER A JK paces up crackdown on cigarette industr y involved in tax evasion MIRPUR: Joint teams of AJK s excise and taxation department and police have upped its crackdown operation against tax evasion in the cigarette industry of AJK According to details over the instructions of Prime Minister of AJK crack down operation had been contained with full pace against the tax evading cigarette manufacturing factories in the areas of AJK In this regard raids were conducted on warehouses and different offices of National Tobacco Company Watan Tobacco Company Walton Tobacco Company and Chinar Tobacco Company in Mirpur Bhimber and Barnala In the late evening of Wednesday a raid had been conducted at a warehouse of Watan Tobacco Company under the supervision of DSP HQ Naseer Ahmed along with IRO Inland Muhammad Shakeel The authorities raided warehouses situated at Barnala Road Bhimber and confiscated raw material of cigarettes including 3 230 bags of tobacco 45 cartons of filter paper 504 cartons of filter rod 90 cartons of cigarette brand Express 31 cartons of cigarette brand Hero and 33 cartons of cigarette brand Grace The authorities later sealed the warehouse and initiated legal procedure against the owner and the warehouse manager In another operation government authorities raided warehouse of National Tobacco Company Bhimber and seized 3 811 cartons of illegal cigarettes and more than 384,000kgs of raw tobacco PR O vercharging on Eid will not be tolerated: ICP I S L A M A B A D : Islamabad Traffic Police have decided to accelerate action against those public service and passenger vehicles involved in overloading and overcharging from passengers on Eid-ul-Fitr Following the directions of Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Islamabad Muhammad Sarfraz Virk special squads of Islamabad Traffic Police have been constituted who would be deputed at bus and wagon stands These squads will take action against those involved in overloading and overcharging fare or misbehaving with passengers Special points have also been erected at various roads of the city to check and take action against passenger vehicles involved in overloading and overcharging All Zonal DSPs have also been directed to keep observing the situation and ensure action against drivers and conductors of such vehicles Heavy fines would be imposed on the vehicles guilty of overloading Moreover, in case of overcharging, the extra fare collected would also be returned to the passengers Chief Traffic Officer Muhammad Sarfraz Virk said that all possible steps were being taken to ensure uninterrupted flow of traffic in Islamabad and the passengers could call the helpline Pucar 15 or via ICT-15 mobile application in case of any complaint He said that the convenience of citizens is our top priority and it would be ensured at all costs PR M i n i s t e r s t r e s s e s p o n d s d e s i l t i n g t o s ave u n d e r g r o u n d wat e r L A H O R E: Punjab Local Governments Department Minister Zeeshan Rafique has pledged that by collective efforts we will be able to provide a safe environment for future generations by keeping the underground water clean Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) in collaboration with UNICEF has successfully completed a model project for cleaning waste water ponds in Sheikhupura The plan to make sewage water reservoirs reusable will be extended in a phased manner He was addressing a seminar organized under the auspices of PMDFC at the GOR Officers' Mess on cleaning of sewage water ponds as the chief guest Special Secretary Local Government Department Asia Gul Managing Director PMDFC Syed Zahid Aziz research experts and teachers of various educational institutions also participated The Local Government Minister while welcoming the participants said that PMDFC deserves applauds for organizing the seminar on this important topic He said that elimination of pollution and standard sanitation arrangements are the focus of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz P R ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T In a collaborative endeavor aimed at enhancing climate resilience and fostering sustainable solutions for disaster management using innovative technology, the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) and the National Institute of Disaster Management Pakistan (NIDM) formalized the signing of a Letter of Agreement (LOA) on April 4, 2024, in Islamabad The Letter of Agreement (LOA) delineates an initiative focused on cooperation coordination and resource mobilization across all facets of disaster management with a specific emphasis on mitigating the vulnerability of communities affected by climate change and natural disasters By leveraging the collective expertise and resources of both organizations, the partnership seeks to integrate climate considerations into their respective activities and operations offering tools assessment methodologies and information resources to support decision-makers This includes joint research, knowledge sharing, technology transfer, capacity building initiatives, and advocacy efforts across various sectors such as ecosystem management health agriculture and water resources to enhance climate resilience
A R A C H I: Bank Alfalah a
bank in Pakistan has signed
Hospital
Health Network
for
support the establishment of
Primary Care Health Facility in the flood-affected District Thatta at Makli Atif Bajwa President and CEO of Bank Alfalah commented on the occasion We are proud to collaborate with Indus Hospital & Health Network
Humanitarian
in establishing a Primary Care Health Facility to provide essential healthcare services
the floodaffected population
as
differently-
in Islamabad
the celebration of Autism Awareness Month at their flagship branch this week Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurological and developmental disorder that can impact people's behavior, communication and/or motor skills According to the United States Government’s Center for Disease Control & Prevention - it is estimated that 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with varied stages of ASD in their lives Pakistan does not have any official data which compiles or showcases statistics related to the disorder Kreative Kinder Haus s Founder & Director, Sabeen Bilal, said: “Autism Spectrum Disorder is one of the several developmental challenges that a lot of our children in Pakistan continue to face undiagnosed In a country like ours where we continue to believe that our children s generation is the one that will change the future of Pakistan, we - as a society- have shown very little signs of inclusion and understanding of each child’s uniqueness and special gifts PR Audit profession stands at a crossroad in fight for talent L A H O R E: Major challenges that the audit profession faces in attracting and retaining talent are set out in the latest report by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) A survey conducted by accountancy bodies ACCA and CA ANZ, which was supported by a series of global roundtables, revealed persistent challenges facing the auditing profession in its battle to attract and retain talent implying declining numbers entering the profession Insights from more than 6 500 finance professionals across the globe revealed a sector whose workforce is demanding flexible working and equitable remuneration in the face of increasing concerns about individuals work life balance Antonis Diolas, head of Audit and Assurance ACCA and author of the report Attract Engage Retain: Insights and Recommendations for Audit Talent Success said: A compelling insight from our study highlights the absence of a commonly understood and unified purpose within the audit profession PR g SILVER PRICES ALSO GO UP, RISING BY RS40 TO REACH RS2,650 PER TOLA ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Indus Motor Company (IMC) has recently been conferred with the “Compliant Corporate Taxpayer” Award by Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Shahbaz Sharif at a ceremony held recently in Prime Minister House The award was presented to Indus Motor ’s Chief Executive Mr Ali Asghar Jamali This recognition was bestowed to IMC as a special incentive for the country’s leading exporters and taxpayers which was recently announced by the Prime Minister as IMC continues to be one of the highest taxpayers in the country On this occasion, Mr Ali Asghar Jamali shared that “IMC is overwhelmed on receiving this appreciation from the Government of Pakistan We continue to be one of the highest contributors to Pakistan s economy, in terms of employment generation through local content enhancement and revenue contributor to the national exchequer in terms of taxes and duties Our commitment to Pakistan economic growth continues to be reaffirmed with this recognition Indus Motor awarded as ‘Compliant Corporate Taxpayer ’ by Pakistan’s Prime Minister ED NAVTTC, M Aamir Jan and MD/CEO of OGDCL, Mr Ahmed Hayat Lak has signed MOU to provide comprehensive training to OGDCL staff members at NAVTTC's Center of Excellence in Islamabad This training program, tailored to match OGDCL s specified trades is designed to enhance skills and competencies of the workforce ensuring their readiness to meet dynamic demands of the industry PR ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Aligned with its commitment to bolster Pakistan's workforce the National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) have forged a strategic alliance through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) This collaboration underscores NAVTTC s pivotal role as Pakistan s apex body in shaping the nation's skills training landscape, ushering in a new era of synergy between industry and academia This alliance sets the stage for NAVTTC and FPCCI to jointly elevate skills training initiatives to unprecedented levels, with a primary focus on equipping individuals N AV T TC , F P CC I j o i n fo r c e s to b r i d g e s k i l l g a p s a n d p r o p e l Pa k i s t a n's e c o n o m i c g r ow t h PESHAWAR A Z I Z B U N E R I The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to build 10,000 water storage tanks and install tube wells in Lakki Marwat to promote agriculture in the district The government will also provide subsidized seeds to local farmers for cultivating lemons grapes orange, date palm, saffron, olives, and peanuts on 100 acres of land The decision was made at a meeting of the provincial cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in Peshawar on Thursday The meeting reviewed the ongoing projects in the irrigation and agriculture sectors in the southern districts of the province and prepared a plan of action for launching new public sector projects and bringing barren land under cultivation The provincial ministers said that emergency measures were being taken to improve the irrigation system and promote agriculture in Lakki Marwat They said that orchards would be planted on the land in the district as part of these efforts The meeting was informed that the government would provide subsidized seeds to farmers The farmers will also be given special training in this regard The meeting was further informed that measures would also be taken to increase honey production The ministers said that the selection of sites for the construction of 10,000 water storage tanks and the digging of agricultural tube wells in Lakki Marwat would be made by a committee They said that work was also underway on a kitchen garden project in the province, under which vegetables would be grown indoors The chief minister said that the government considered it its prime responsibility to make the province s land cultivable so that it could become self-sufficient in agriculture and would not have to import wheat and other food items K P to b u i l d 1 0 , 0 0 0 wate r t a n k s, p r ov i d e s u b s i d i ze d s e e d s to f a r m e r s i n L a k k i M a r wat
COMSATS
-Pak istan
leading commercial
a Memorandum of Understanding with Indus
&
(IHHN)
Humanitarian Response to
a
For
Response
to
in District Thatta PR
A R A C H I: Kreative Kinder Haus, an inclusive school network dedicated to providing educational as well
non-educational support to
abled children
marked
gap is expected to narrow as the monsoon rains arrive later in the season
However the country s meteorological department has also forecast higher than normal temperatures during monsoon season, increasing uncertainty
Agriculture is the largest sector of Pakistan’s economy contributing about 24 percent of its GDP
But it has been criticized for being water inefficient
What this current water shortfall means for the crops is that au-
thorities will have to better plan on how to utilize the water that is allotted to them ” said IRSA’s Khan Pakistan the world s fifthlargest country with a population of more than 250 million has recently been grappling with the profound impacts of climate change which includes shifting and unpredictable weather patterns
Devastating floods in 2022 which scientists linked to climate change that affected more than 30 million people also severely impacted Pakistan s cotton crop that year
Haq held the position of Emir of Jamaat-e-Islami since 2014 marking a decade-long tenure Before him a lineage of influential leaders including Syed Munawar Hassan, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Mian Tufail Muhammad and Maulana Syed Abul Ala Maududi have held this prestigious responsibility It’s essential to note the historical significance of Jamaat-e-Islami within the political fabric of
Published by Asad Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 Email: newsroom@pakistantoday com pk PRAYER TIMINGS FA J R S U N R I S E Z U H R A S R M AG H R I B S H A 4:50 5:50 1 30 5:00 6:25 8:15 Fr day 5 Apri 2024 NEWS ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T P R E S I D E N T Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Chinese nationals working on various projects in the country He made this assurance during a meeting with Jiang Zaidong the Ambassador of the People s Republic of China to Pakistan at the presidency as per an official statement The discussion between President Zardari and Ambassador Zaidong delved into matters of mutual interest with a particular emphasis on bolstering counterterrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing to combat the threat of terrorism The tragic incident of March 26 wherein six individuals, including five Chinese engineers, lost their lives in a suicide attack in Besham, a remote area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province was also addressed During the attack an explosive-laden vehicle detonated as a convoy transporting Chinese engineers to the Dasu hydroelectric project site from Islamabad, passed by This marked the second assault on Chinese workers at the Dasu project following a similar terrorist attack in July 2021 that claimed the lives of 13 individuals, including nine engineers While no group has claimed responsibility for the March 26 attack, preliminary investigations point towards a network associated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Authorities have taken steps towards apprehending suspects leveraging evidence such as the recovered SIM card from the suicide bomber, believed to be of Afghan nationality Further investigations reveal that the car used in the terrorist attack was noncustom paid and smuggled into Pakistan through the Chaman border It remained stationed for 10 days at a petrol station near Shangla before being relocated to the attack site on the day the Chinese engineers were expected to travel to the area Sources familiar with the matter assert that Afghan soil likely played a role in facilitating the attack on Chinese engineers Consequently Pakistan intends to address this issue through diplomatic channels with Afghan authorities, aiming to ensure accountability and prevent future incidents targeting foreign nationals on Pakistani soil PRESIDENT REAFFIRMS PAKISTAN’S COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING CHINESE WORKERS, NATIONALS Election results of 5 constituencies in KP challenged PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T The electoral results of five constituencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including National Assembly constituency NA-28 and Provincial Assembly constituencies PK-74, PK-75, PK-78, PK-101, and PK-102, have been challenged The Election Tribunal is set to review the challenged results from National Assembly Constituency NA-28 and Provincial Assembly Constituencies PK-74 PK75 PK-78 PK-101 and PK-102 following petitions filed by concerned candidates Parties implicated in the petition include the Election Commission, District Returning Officer, Returning Officer, and successful candidates, as allegations of tampering with Form-45 emerge Petitioners argue discrepancies between Form-45 where they were declared victorious and Form-47 which favored opposing candidates Seeking justice, petitioners urge the Election Tribunal to uphold the integrity of Form-45 results and ensure the secure handling of ballot papers for accurate vote verification However frustration mounts as recount applications filed with the Election Commission are summarily dismissed without explanation raising questions about the Commission s commitment to transparent elections Candidates such as Sajid Nawaz from NA-28, Arbab Jandan from PK-74, and Malik Shahab from PK-75 are among those who have approached the Election Tribunal Their demand for a fair recount is echoed by candidates Arbab Asim from PK-78 Malik Adnan from PK-101 and Shah Muhammad from PK-102 ‘A zadi March Case’: Cour t reser ves verdict on acquittal pleas of PTI founder, Sh Rashid, others ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T A district and sessions court in the federal capital on Thursday reserved verdict on the acquittal petition filed by PTI founder, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sheikh Rashid and other accused in Azadi March case Judicial Magistrate Malik Imran heard the final arguments and reserved the verdict Former federal minister Sheikh Rashid appeared before the court and filed the petition for acquittal, along with other accused Ali Nawaz Awan and Sadaqat Abbasi PTI counsels Sardar Masroof, Amina Ali, Rizwan Akhtar Awan, and Mirza Asim also appeared before the court Arguing in the court Advocate Sardar Masroof stated that the acquittal petition was filed in February last year and he wanted to argue the petition today Judge Malik Imran remarked that Sheikh Rashid, Sadaqat Abbasi, and Ali Nawaz Awan had submitted the challans in court To which, Advocate Masroof replied that the FIR was registered for the violation of Section 144 and there was no evidence not even CCTV footage to support the claim He added that the case wasn t registered by the relevant person After hearing the arguments of all parties on the petition the judge reserved the verdict and adjourned the hearing till June 6 when the decision would be announced It may be recalled that Ali Amin Gandapur, Pervez Khattak, Asad Qaisar and Asad Umar are also accused in the Azadi March case registered by F-9 Police Station Hafiz Naeem elected new Jamaat-i-Islami emir LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T In a major development, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman was elected as the Emir (chief) of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) one of the country’s prominent religious and political parties The announcement of his election as the new party chief was made following a decision by the majority of the members of Jamaat-e-Islami on Thursday Hailing from Karachi, Hafiz Naeem is a civil engineer by profession He also categorises himself as an environmentalist on his social media profiles The selection process for the party chief within Jamaat-e-Islami is a significant affair occurring every five years This time the party s central consultative body known as the Markazi Shura proposed three names to lead the JI members Among these names were prominent figures such as Sirajul Haq and Liaquat Baloch, alongside the ultimately successful candidate Hafiz Naeemur Rehman The outgoing chief Sirajul
Maulana Syed Abul Ala
decades PR OFIT G H U L A M A B B A S The persistent and unresolved issue of pensions for government employees is once again under the spotlight as the federal government prepares to convene a crucial meeting with stakeholders to address the matter comprehensively Sources within the government reveal that while a meeting was originally slated for Thursday, it was canceled for undisclosed reasons However, plans are underway to reschedule the gathering promptly to delve into the intricacies of pension reforms The impending meeting is expected to witness the participation of key representatives from various governmental departments including the Establishment Division Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Law, Ministry of Defence (for armed forces pensions), and other pertinent stakeholders The Ministry of Finance taking the lead in orchestrating this consultation has arranged for the meeting to take place at the esteemed Q Block The urgency surrounding pension reforms stems from the escalating burden it poses on the national exchequer With the consolidated federal and provincial pension expenditure projected to surge by over 20% from last year to this year the issue demands immediate attention In a bid to tackle this burgeoning liability the government has put forth a pension reform program to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) This program mirrors the measures proposed by former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the 2023-24 fiscal year budget However, implementation was deferred due to opposition from the Establishment Division citing potential disadvantages to civil servants The proposed reform agenda encompasses several pivotal changes aimed at curbing pension expenses It includes alterations to the pension calculation formula, reduction of commutation rates, penalties for early retirement narrowing the list of beneficiaries of deceased employees and abolishing the practice of multiple pensions Notably spouses of deceased employees who are also government employees may no longer be entitled to pension benefits under the proposed reforms Moreover, retired employees rehired by the government will be presented with the choice between pension or salary while any increase in pension will be indexed with the Consumer Price Index, capped at 10% per annum Amidst these deliberations, the economic landscape of Pakistan remains a cause for concern Forecasts by the World Bank indicate a sluggish growth rate of 1 8% for the current year coupled with soaring inflation at 26% surpassing the targeted rate The World Bank underscores the imperative of implementing reforms not only in the pension system but also in the energy sector and civil service systems to foster sustainable financial stability As the government braces itself to tackle the multifaceted challenges posed by pension liabilities, the forthcoming meeting holds promise for charting a course towards equitable and sustainable pension reforms, ensuring the welfare of both retirees and the nation’s fiscal health G ov t e m p l oye e s ’ p e n s i o n i s s u e b a c k i n fo c u s a s c e n t r e p l a n s m e e t i n g w i t h s t a ke h o l d e r s g IMPLEMENTATION HALTED NOW DUE TO STANCE OF VARIOUS MINISTRIES ON ITS BEING DISADVANTAGEOUS FOR GOVT EMPLOYEES ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan is facing a 30 percent water shortage at the start of the sowing season for cash crops such as rice and cotton the country s water regulator said The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) said the gap is based on lower-than-normal winter snowfall in Pakistan’s northern glacier region affecting catchment areas of the Indus and Jhelum Rivers that are used for irrigation
crops or monsoon crops including rice maize sugarcane and cotton are sown in April and require a wet and warm climate with high levels of rainfall
was less snow than normal as a result of climate
the country s
Pakistan Founded in 1941 by
Maududi the party has played a pivotal role in shaping the ideological and political discourse of the country over the
Kharif
“There
change affecting
glaciers Muhammad Azam Khan assistant researcher with IRSA, which regulates the distribution of water resources along the Indus river, told a foreign news agency on Wednesday This will have a direct impact on the availability of water for kharif crops in the summer ” The water shortage
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered the removal of former federal minister for human rights and ex-PTI leader Shireen Mazari s name from the Exit Control List (ECL) Speaking on the occasion the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor said that he had recommended the removal of Shireen s name in March Making the interior secretary and others respondents, Shireen had filed a petition in the IHC for the removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL) two weeks ago Last year too, the IHC had ordered the removal of her name from the ECL The court in its December 2 verdict had said that Mazari was not an absconder in any case In December last year Shireen s name was removed from the passport control list on the order of the Islamabad High Court Soon after the May 9 riots last year, the former federal minister had announced to quit PTI and politics altogether Pa k i s t a n f a c i n g 3 0 p e r c e n t w a t e r s h o r t a g e f o r s o w i n g s e a s o n IHC orders removal of Shireen Mazari’s name from ECL