A P P R O
for
for Energy Awais Leghari, and other prominent political figures
The meeting was called in response to the ongoing situation in AJK particularly after negotiations between protesters and the government reached an impasse
Earlier in the day a long march organized by the AAC commenced its journey towards the AJK capital, Muzaffarabad, on the fourth day of the wheeljam strike Protesters staged sit-ins disrupting the Kohala–Muzaffarabad
Road at various points This vital road link spanning 40 kilometers and connecting Kohala town to Muzaffarabad, was affected by the protests
PM Shehbaz for the timely grant In attendance were AJK President
In light of clashes between police and protesters in Mirpur which resulted in the tragic death of a police officer and injuries to over 70 individuals the AJK government deployed Rangers and AJK
MUZAFFARABAD
police Subsequently heavy police contingents were stationed at key locations with markets, trade centers, and educational institutions shuttered, and transportation services halted Expressing deep concern over the violent clashes PM Shehbaz emphasized the need for zero tolerance towards vigilantism He directed dialogue between PML-N office bearers in AJK and AAC leaders, urging all parties to seek peaceful resolutions to their demands The protests in AJK initially triggered by the AAC s call for a shutter-down strike against electricity price hikes and taxes escalated into clashes between protesters and police The violence resulted in casualties and widespread disruption across AJK prompting police crackdowns and the suspension of mobile phone and internet services in affected areas
The government s swift action through the grant allocation underscores its commitment to addressing the grievances of the people of AJK and restoring peace and normalcy in the region
Imran to write to Army Chief on prevalent ‘crisis situation’
court cases and defended the allocation of funds to Al-Qadir Trust University He said that Nawaz Sharif bought a bullet-proof car for only Rs600 000 from Toshakhana (the state s gift depository), and still he is believed to absolved of all charges He said Zardari took three vehicles from Toshakhana and he is seeking immunity from the court Khan said Hasan Sharif sold property worth 18 billion rupees and no one is discussing it He mentioned a fourth case related to Toshakhana that is forthcoming against him “I will not depart the country like Zardari and Nawaz Sharif they possess palaces abroad and engage in shopping there he said Responding to questions about Shahzad Akbar and Farah Gogi, Khan clarified he had only met thrice with Gogi as she was related to his wife, Bushra Bibi, and hinted at repercussions for Akbar upon his return to the country
mands to a property tycoon and the UK s National Crime Agency (NCA) He clarified that the funds seized in the UK were due to suspicious transactions not money laundering Khan underscored the losses incurred by Pakistan in foreign
In current circumstances if Shahzad Akbar comes [back to the country], he will be picked up from the airport there is a law of the jungle in the country, and the king of the jungle is running everything,” he said in a veiled reference to army chief Khan acknowledged that the firebrand party leader Sher Afzal Marwat had contributed significantly to the party s efforts Nonetheless, he said Marwat had been cautioned multiple times against breaching party policy
In par tnership with Profit Tu e s d a y, 1 4 M a y, 2 0 2 4 I | 5 Z i l - Q a d a h , 1 4 4 5 R s 5 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 3 1 4 I 3 6 Pa g e s I I s l a m a b a d E d i t i o n AT T E N T I O N Some readers have complained that they are not getting the magazine with their newspaper copy Please call or WhatsApp us at the following number to register a complaint N TO DAY ’ S S S U E Contac t: 0307-7338168 ir fan farooq@pakistantoday com pk ECP suspends victor y notifications of 7 7 lawmakers on reser ved seats ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday suspended the notifications of 77 returned candidates on reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies till further orders The lawmakers include 27 Punjab Assembly lawmakers belonging to the ruling coalition suspended last week by Speaker Malik Mohammad Ahmed Khan and barred from joining the house proceedings In a notification issued today the ECP said the decision was made pursuant to the Supreme Court s May 6 order wherein it had suspended the verdict of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) denying the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) reserved seats for women and minorities The suspended lawmakers comprise those given additional reserved seats for women and minorities in the National Assembly and all provincial legislatures barring Balochistan The MNAs suspended include eight women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 11 women from Punjab and three minority candidates In the KP Assembly, 21 women and four minority lawmakers were suspended while in the Sindh Assembly the membership of two female and a male member on minority seat was revoked till further orders Those suspended in the Punjab Assembly now by the ECP as well comprise 24 on women s seats and three on minority seats National Assembly 8 women from KP 11 women from Punjab 3 minority KP Assembly 21 women 4 minority Punjab Assembly 24 women 3 minority Sindh Assembly 2 women 1 minority The SIC had earlier been joined by PTI-backed independent candidates after they won the Feb 8 elections as their party was deprived of its electoral symbol ‘bat’ In a 4-1 verdict in March the ECP had ruled that the SIC was not entitled to claim quota for reserved seats due to having non curable legal defects and violation of a mandatory provision of submission of party list for reserved seats The commission had also decided to distribute the seats among other parliamentary parties with the PML-N and the PPP becoming major beneficiaries with 16 and five additional seats while the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl was given four Later the same month the PHC had dismissed an SIC plea challenging the ECP decision and denied it reserved seats Last month, the SIC filed a petition before the SC moved by party chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza seeking to set aside the PHC judgment Suspending the PHC and ECP verdicts the apex court had said the order applied only to the reserved seats distributed over and above the initially allocated reserved seats to the political parties g PM SHEHBAZ EMPHA SIZES NEED FOR ZERO TOLERANCE TOWARDS VIGILANTISM g DECISION TAKEN IN WAKE OF NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN PROTESTERS, AJK GOVERNMENT P M
V E S R S 2 3 B G R A N T F O R A J K A M I D W I D E S P R E A D P R O T E S T S ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T P R I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif has swiftly sanctioned a Rs23 billion grant to address the pressing issues faced by the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) This decision follows widespread protests organized by the Awami Action Committee (AAC) against inflated electricity bills and taxes in AJK The approval of the grant took place during a special meeting chaired by the Prime Minister in Islamabad specifically convened to address the unrest in AJK Federal ministers and leaders of allied parties participated in the meeting, where the evolving situation in the territory was thoroughly reviewed The Kashmiri leadership and meeting participants expressed gratitude to
Barrister Sultan
AJK PM Anwarul Haq PML-N leader Raja Farooq Haider
Amir
Mehmood
Federal Minister
Kashmir Affairs
Muqam Minister
ISLAMABAD S TA F F C O R R E S P O N D E N T The National Assembly proceedings descended into a commotion and ruckus on Monday as Defence Minister Khwaja Asif and opposition leader Omar Ayub traded barbs over treason proceedings for violators of Article 6 and where the process should begin Article 6 of the Constitution says: Any person who abrogates or subverts or suspends or hold in abeyance, or attempts or conspires to abrogate or subvert or suspend or hold in abeyance the Constitution by use of force or show force or by any other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason The punishment for high treason is death or lifetime imprisonment according to the High Treason (Punishment) Act, 1973 During the NA session, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Omar Ayub began his address by quoting articles of the Constitution and calling for security agencies to return to the bounds mandated to them Criticising last week s political press conference by the director general (DG) of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Ayub said: Security agencies cannot indulge in politics as per the Constitution adding that they were tools of the state not the state itself Quoting Article 7 of the Constitution, he said it did not include security institutions within its ambit of defining the state The state is the federal government the national and provincial assemblies [ ] and bodies who can collect taxes Ayub clarified These agencies serve the state, they cannot be the state Citing Article 203 the oath of an officer he called the DG ISPR’s press conference interference in the political realm which he said was only for elected officials and political parties Security institutions cannot indulge in politics as per this Constitution This press conference should not have happened ” He then quoted Article 5 which is about loyalty to the state “This is the basic duty of every citizen of Pakistan Ayub said adding that all Pakistanis including military officers, were bound to follow Article 5 He added that the armed specifically took an oath to this effect “This is the one red line that Pakistanis cannot cross The opposition leader then read aloud Article 6 saying that the Constitution was clear Constitutionally, every institution has its limits, he reiterated “The country will progress if every institution works within its limits ” Reading aloud Article 19 which is about free speech he decried the ban on social media platform X and media censorship saying, This speech may not even be broadcast To this, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq reassured the opposition leader that it was The opposition leader demanded an independent judicial commission on the events of May 9 2023 with the presentation of CCTV footage of the riots as a key condition The truth must prevail, he said We are talking about the law and the Constitution Quoting the ISPR’s press conference, where the military spokesperson said that inquiry commissions should be formed for prior issues such as the PTI s 2014 sit-in Ayub demanded that the reports for the Ojhri Camp disaster, the Hamoodur Rehman Commission, the Army Public School inquiry and the Abbottabad commission should also be released to the public Ayub then brought up the letter sent to the Supreme Judicial Council by six Islamabad High Court Judges which alleged that security agencies were meddling in judicial affairs Using the letter as an example of ignoring limits, Ayub said, “They (the judges) highlighted interference by the security agencies in both theirs and their lower benches Firecrackers were thrown into their houses while intelligence personnel broke into judges homes and harassed people Ayub said that the cases allegedly meddled with by the intelligence agencies all related to the PTI including charges against party founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, as well as senior party figures and party members and supporters The opposition leader again demanded an independent judicial commission on May 9 maintaining that May 9 was an excuse and Imran Khan was the target He denounced the government s stance on May 9 as victim-blaming Ruckus in National Assembly as Khawaja Asif, Omar Ayub trade barbs ISLAMABAD M I A N A B R A R Former prime minister and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Monday said he would write a letter to army chief General Asim Munir regarding the prevailing situation in the country Khan currently detained in Adiala Jail has recently been remained defiant and refused to yield to military pressures Khan also stood firm against calls to apologise for the May 9 incidents and distanced his party from last year s violent protests that erupted nationwide following his arrest Khan’s defiance follows the recent press conference by the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), where he urged those involved in the May 9 protests to seek forgiveness and abandon the politics of “anarchy” before engaging in dialogue The military spokesperson categorically dismissed the prospect of dialogue with individuals who targeted military installations and disrespected the nation s martyrs Addressing the media within Adiala Jail on Monday, Imran Khan expressed his intent to correspond with the army chief regarding the country’s state He asserted A government must be formed in accordance with the public mandate without which the country cannot function Khan highlighted the dire economic situation, citing a staggering Rs13 3 trillion in tax collection contrasted with Rs9 3 trillion paid in loan interest He queried, “How can a nation of 240 million people sustain under such conditions?” Predicting further increases in electricity
AJK
his party s
were recently ousted
unrest due to in-
upcoming
lion
and gas prices ahead of the budget Khan warned of impending turmoil for the salaried class Expressing concern over ongoing protests in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) against inflated power bills, Khan lamented what he perceived as the demise of democracy in the country He cited recent governmental changes in
and Gilgit-Baltistan where
government
and predicted further
creased taxes and utility bills in the
budget Regarding allegations against him Khan addressed the matter of a £190 mil-
contract, attributing secrecy de-
S TA F F R E P O R T
government accepted all demands of the Awami Action Committee (AAC) No one can reject two fundamental demands regarding cheap roti [bread] and electricity,” PM Anwar said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday adding that PM Shehbaz Sharif assured of his all-out support to address issues of the AJK people He clarified that neither the government had intentions to disrupt peaceful struggle of the AJK people nor would it try to impact any such struggle in future He said that the government exhibited tolerance and patience despite violations of the law and added that more than 100 policemen were wounded in violent clashes with the protesters, whereas, not a “single marcher was injured” Accepting all demands placed by the AAC the AJK government issued a notification regarding subsidies for power and food commodities He hoped that peace would be restored in the region after implementation of the much-anticipated notifications Terming the subsidies as a Pakistani government’s “special connection” with the region Anwar said that the top political and military leadership proved its concrete relationship and respect for the AJK people He announced that Islamabad will provide Rs23 billion funds to the AJK government AJK govt accepts ‘all demands of A AC ’ as protesters march towards Muzaffarabad C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03
Following a wheel-jam strike and violent protests against hike in electricity price and taxes entered fourth day, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq has announced that the state
GOVT FACES IMF PRESSURE TO OVERHAUL TA X L AWS, LIMIT TA X INCENTIVES
O perational costs of key sec tors surge as sick units multiply
referring to it as the mother of the underprivileged However, despite its economic significance, Karachi is currently facing challenges that seem insurmountable
are struggling to initiate large-scale projects while the private sector is grappling with soaring energy costs making it less competitive globally compared to neighboring countries like Bangladesh and India
The high cost of doing business has left industrialists and investors frustrated as they struggle to prevent the closure of thousands of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) which are vital for local job creation Additionally large manufacturing units have been forced to reduce shifts and lay off workers due to financial constraints
Workers and professionals from all parts of the country migrate to Karachi in search of better opportunities often
The seven industrial zones in Karachi including the Site Association of Industry (SAI), Site Superhighway Association of Industry (SSHAI), Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Landhi Association of Trade and Industry (LATI) Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI) North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) and Bin Qasim Association of Trade and Industry (BQATI), are all grappling with severe economic downturns
The situation is exacerbated by the presence of three types of sick units Firstly some industrialists secure loans for sick units and mismanage them Secondly, incompetent management fails to sustain operations, leading to closures For instance, factories producing banned items like polythene bags
face closure unless alternative business opportunities are provided Government organizations such as Pakistan Railways (PR) Pakistan Steel Mill (PSM) Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), and research and development institutions are also facing challenges Railways initially established for cargo transportation has seen neglect in goods services leading to revenue generation prioritization from passenger trains Addressing this would require hiring an additional 50,000 staff, which is deemed surplus by the department Overloaded trailers and trucks further deteriorate road infrastructure leading to significant costs Rail tracks with minimal maintenance could provide a cost-effective alternative Increasing rail traffic could reduce road accidents, air pollution, and cut import bills for petrol and vehicle parts In the healthcare sector emphasis on preventive measures like clean water access can reduce healthcare needs The education sector also requires reforms, with a focus on indigenous testing systems and skill development
The economic challenges faced by Pakistan require comprehensive strategies including modernizing sectors reducing operational costs and fostering international collaborations Reviving struggling units and promoting industrial growth are essential for economic stability and job creation
T d y 14 M y 2024 | ISLAMABAD 02 NEWS PR OFIT n e w s D e s k T H E IMF has issued a series of recommendations to Pakistan s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), calling for sweeping reforms in the country’s tax laws and oversight on tax incentives These recommendations come amid crucial deliberations between Pakistan and the IMF, as Pakistan seeks a new bailout package ranging from $6 to $8 billion under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) One of the key areas of concern highlighted by the IMF is the discretionary power of the FBR and the cabinet to award tax incentives The IMF emphasizes the need to limit tax incentives to cases where their economic benefits such as employment generation and value addition to the economy outweigh the costs to the budget Furthermore, the IMF suggests that any remaining incentives should be designed based on costs rather than profits In terms of specific tax reforms the IMF recommends taxing pension contributions or benefits eliminating the deduction of voluntary payments to workers participation funds, and removing exemptions on pensions The IMF proposes either taxing pension contributions or benefits to streamline the taxation system in this regard The IMF also addresses the issue of tax incentives distinguishing between costbased incentives and profit-based incentives Cost-based incentives such as accelerated depreciation and special tax deductions for investment expenses, are seen as more effective in promoting new investments and lowering the cost of capital In contrast profit-based incentives like tax holidays and preferential tax rates are deemed less effective particularly with the implementation of the global minimum tax under pillar two Furthermore, the IMF calls for the elimination of tax incentives in the Income Tax Ordinance (ITO) except for those mandated by legal obligations or clear policy reasons The IMF estimates that this move could generate additional revenue equivalent to 0 2% of GDP Another area of focus is the reform of minimum tax rules, including the implementation of a half-year rule to limit deductions when an asset is put into use The IMF suggests gradually phasing out the minimum tax over the medium term as capacity for Corporate Income Tax (CIT) administration strengthens and CIT revenue increases Regarding charitable donations and non-profit organizations, the IMF recommends streamlining the rules to ensure consistency and efficiency This includes subjecting all types of donations and nonprofit organizations to the same rules and considering tax credits instead of exemptions for certain non-profit entities to improve regulatory oversight In conclusion, the IMF’s recommendations underscore the need for comprehensive tax reforms and stricter oversight on tax incentives in Pakistan to ensure fiscal sustainability and promote economic growth
Service Long March Tyres announces Rs30b investment to double its capacity Co m p a ny a l s o i n te n d s to i n c re a s e i t s e x p o r t s to $ 1 0 0 m i n 2 0 2 5 a n d s t a r t a n e w p ro j e c t e x p o r t i n g s p e c i a l i s e d t y re s to e u a n d t h e u s a PR OFIT n e w s D e s k Service Long March Tyres has committed a further investment of Rs 30 billion to double its capacity and to increase exports to $100 million in 2025 According to a notice sent to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday Service Long March Tyres has also shown an intent to invest Rs 30 billion to start a new project exporting specialised tyres from Pakistan to European Union (EU) countries and the USA Service Long March Tyres is a joint venture project which manufactures and sells all steel radial trucks, buses, light trucks and off-the-road tyres in Pakistan Service Industries Limited and its subsidiary Service Global Footwear Limited hold 32 09% and 18 91% equity stake, respectively, in Service Long March Tyres Furthermore, Chairman Jin Yongsheng and CEO Omar Saeed called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to thank him for the government s support to the tyre industry The prime minister promised continued support from all departments and instructed relevant ministries to help export-led growth in the country The meeting was attended by the Finance Minister Commerce Minister Minister for Privatisation and Investment Information Minister Secretary to PM Secretary of Commerce and Secretary BOI FTA under review to enhance Pakistan’s expor t footprints in China the review aims to enhance trade agreement's benefits for pakistan, focusing on expanding expor t oppor tunities to China through increased tariff concessions and ex tended produc t coverage ISLAMABAD i n P The China Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) Phase II set to conclude in 2024 is now under review to enhance the continuity and favorability of the trade agreement for Pakistan The amendments aim to expand Pakistan s export footprint in China through additional tariff concessions and broader product coverage Before the initial Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China Pakistan s exports were valued at US$0 5 billion in 2006 Following the inception of the FTA, these exports increased to US$1 6 billion in 2016, according to Gwadar Pro By 2022, after the implementation of CPFTA Phase I and Phase II exports reached $2 53 billion Data from the China General Administration of Customs shows that Pakistani exports to China climbed to US $3 452 billion in 2023 The initial FTA was signed on November 24, 2006, and concluded in December 2012 CPFTA Phase I was signed on April 28 2019 and came into effect on January 1 2020 CPFTA Phase II is scheduled to conclude this year By the end of the initial phase, China and Pakistan had abolished tariffs on 35 5% of product lines Under CPFTA-II, coverage from both sides has expanded to 75% Phase II of the CPFTA enhances market access for both countries China has eliminated tariffs on 313 product lines benefiting major Pakistani exports including textiles, cotton, frozen meat and other animal products, seafood, prepared food, chemicals, carpets, marble, plastics oilseeds chili footwear engineering goods machinery leather and auto parts RMS withdraws bid to acquire 87.96% stake in Escor ts Investment Bank deadline to make public announcement lapsed on may 12, 2024, without necessary approvals PR OFIT n e w s D e s k RMS (Private) Limited has formally announced the withdrawal of its bid to acquire 87 96% of Escorts Investment Bank Limited Arif Habib Limited the manager of the offer on behalf of RMS (Private) Limited informed about this development to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday The initial public announcement, made by RMS (Private) Limited on August 16, 2023, aimed to acquire up to 119,279,077 ordinary shares, was published in newspapers The transaction was contingent on receiving various regulatory and other approvals However as the deadline lapsed on May 12 2024 without all necessary approvals being secured, the offer has now been officially withdrawn We, Arif Habib Limited, in our capacity as Manager to the Offer would like to intimate that the time period for making the public announcement of offer (as extended by the Acquirer) lapsed on May 12 2024 as certain regulatory and other approvals for the Transaction remain outstanding, read the notice According to the regulations of the Listed Companies (Substantial Acquisition of Voting Shares and Takeovers) Regulations 2017 coupled with the Securities Act 2015 the firm has opted to retract their proposal This move comes as a compliance measure to ensure all legal frameworks are adhered to regarding substantial acquisitions ISLAMABAD A h M A D A h M A DA n i The burden of inflation on the general public is expected to lighten with the anticipated reduction in oil prices up to Rs 13 40 per litre during the latter half of May 2024 According to sources petrol is expected to see a cut of Rs 13 40 per litre, and high-speed diesel (HSD) could witness a decrease of Rs 8 19 per litre At the same time the price of Light Diesel Oil (LDO) may be reduced by Rs 6 54 per litre and kerosene oil may witness a decrease of Rs 89 49 per litre They said these estimates are based on the current tax structure and, if approved, would mean that consumers could be paying Rs 275 09 per litre for petrol Rs 273 77per litre for HSD Rs 173 85 per litre for kerosene oil and Rs 164 12 per litre for LDO These proposed changes in petrol, diesel and kerosene oil prices are calculated based on current government taxes they added It is also learnt from the sources that this reduction in prices for the second half of May 2024 is calculated with a negative Rs 0 12 per litre exchange adjustment while the petrol looks at $10 30/bbl (a barrel of crude oil) HSD premium $6 50/bbl (no change) and Platts remaining three days At present, petrol is available at Rs 288 49/litre, HSD at Rs 281 96/litre, Kerosene oil at Rs 183 34/litre and LDO at Rs 170 66/litre in Pakistan As per sources these proposed changes are subject to government approval and will depend on various factors including global oil prices, currency exchange rates, and the financial implications for the energy sector This would be the second relief in a row if the government grants its approval for an estimated cut in the prices of all petroleum products In a related development, oil prices continued to fall in the global market with the start of this week, influenced by signs of declining fuel demand and comments from US Federal Reserve officials that tempered expectations for interest rate cuts This economic scenario could potentially reduce energy consumption in the US, the world s largest economy Brent crude futures were at $82 72 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures stood at $78 21 a barrel Despite these challenges market optimism persists supported by expectations that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies known as OPEC+ might extend their supply cuts into the latter half of the year From May 1, 2024, the authorities reduced the petrol price by Rs5 45 per litre to Rs288 49 per litre from Rs293 94 per litre Similarly the diesel (HSD) price was also reduced by Rs8 42 per litre to Rs281 96 from Rs290 38 per litre Petrol is primarily used as fuel for cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles High-Speed Diesel (HSD) is mainly used as fuel for heavy vehicles like trucks, buses, and industrial machinery It is also used in generators and some agricultural equipment Kerosene Oil is used for cooking and lighting in households without access to electricity Light Diesel Oil is used in industrial boilers, furnaces, and certain types of engines It’s commonly utilised in sectors like textiles cement and power generation It is pertinent to mention that the estimated cut in POL prices would further help decrease inflation in the country which is already on the decline and as a result of this significant cut in oil prices the inflation-hit masses will find relief Fuel prices expec ted to be decreased by up to Rs 13.40/litre from May 16 ISLAMABAD A h M A D A h M A DA n i The Executive Board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to close an ongoing corruption investigation initiated during the previous rule of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) reliable sources disclosed on Monday According to sources NAB has closed the investigation regarding alleged corruption and corrupt practices in the subsidy amount issued to the Food Department during the Ramazan Package from 2016 to 2018 Additionally a case involving the theft of thousands of sacks of wheat had also been under investigation by NAB, sources disclosed They said that NAB had been investigating officers and officials of the Food Department flour mill owners in Bahawalpur Dera Ghazi Khan Multan divisions and others under the provisions of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 However in light of recent amendments to the NAB Act the bureau has opted to close the investigation and recommend transferring the matter to the AntiCorruption Punjab “The competent authority has approved the termination of the investigation at NAB s end and referred it to the Anti-Corruption Establishment for further necessary action as per law said sources citing the findings of the Final Investigation Report and recommendations from regional NAB offices and the Executive Board It is important to note that the closure of this investigation will not impact any other cases already under inquiry or investigation nor will it prevent the NAB from initiating any new case under the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999 As per sources, besides officials from the Food Department, the names of several politicians were implicated in the Ramzan package corruption scandal The Food Secretary and other officers also faced serious allegations in the scandal N A B c l o s e s c o r r u p t i o n p r o b e i n t o w h e a t , f l o u r s c a n d a l o f p r e v i o u s P M L- N g o v t g a n i n v e s t i g at i o n i n to a l l e g e d Co r r u p t i o n a n d Co r r u p t p r aC t i C e s i n r a m z a n paC k ag e s u B s i dy f r o m 2016 to 2018 wa s o n g o i n g g p e t r o l i s l i k e ly t o s e e a C u t o f r s 1 3 4 0 p e r l i t r e , a n d h i g h - s p e e d d i e s e l C o u l d w i t n e s s a d e C r e a s e o f r s 8 1 9 p e r l i t r e g f u n d a d v o C at e s f o r t h e r e m o va l o f f B r a n d C a B i n e t p r i v i l e g e s i n g r a n t i n g ta x i n C e n t i v e s PR OFIT M o n i to r n g D e s k The toll from the closure of over 80% of sick units has had a profound impact on various sectors, resulting in the unemployment of millions of skilled and semi-skilled workers professionals and has significantly affected the economy due to high operational costs including steep gas and electricity tariffs The surge in sick units has not only hindered industrial growth but has also affected the quality of life for workers especially in Karachi a crucial economic center This economic downturn has contributed to increased street crimes, worsened law and order situations, and exacerbated unemployment issues, particularly in Karachi Public organizations
g C lo s u r e o f o v e r 80% o f s i C k u n i t s p r o f o u n d ly i m paC t s va r i o u s s e C to r s , f o r C i n g l ay o f f s a n d r e d u C i n g s h i f t s i n l a r g e m a n u faC t u r i n g u n i t s , w h i l e
m e s s t r u g g l e to s u r v i v e a m i d s t f i n a n C i a l Co n s t r a i n t s
s
Three killed, six injured in violent incidents in twin cities
took place within limits of Police Station Jatli and the police with help of Rescue 1122 moved the body to hospital for postmortem A murder case has been registered against the accused who reportedly managed to flee from the scene after committing crime, sources said Similarly, unknown gunmen stormed into a house located in Ranotra Village, the precinct of PS Chontra, and shot dead former councilor Chaudhry Haji Rab Nawaz The reason behind the murder was yet to assertained by the police whereas the unidentified gunmen fled from scene after committing crime In Islamabad, the Homicide Investigation Unit of Police Station Industrial Area has registered a murder case against unknown killers involved in stabbing a man namely Bilal Amjad in Sector G-7/3-1 and
of
Hameed Mengal,
IRSA/ Member Balochistan During
to
decided
water situation and to address shortages the water distribution parameters outlined in the IRSA Advisory Committee (IAC) meeting held on April 2, 2024, would be revisited Under the revised allocations, Punjab s share of water has been significantly increased from 9 266 Million Acre Feet (MAF) to 12 424 MAF for the Kharif season of 2024 This substantial increment represents a rise of 3 158 MAF aimed at meeting the agricultural water needs of the province during the critical cropping season Similarly Sindh Province will also benefit from an enhanced water allocation, with its share raised from 5 548 MAF to 8 292 MAF for Kharif 2024 This notable increase of 2 744 MAF underscores IRSA’s commitment to ensuring equitable water distribution among the provinces to support agricultural activities and mitigate water scarcity challenges Additionally IRSA also decided that other water distribution parameters as decided in the IRSA Advisory Committee (IAC) meeting held on April 2, 2024, shall remain unchanged During the meeting, WAPDA authorities presented information indicating that the restriction of filling Tarbela Dam to the level of 1470 ft by July 20 2024 could potentially be expedited to June 30 2024 without disrupting existing works In light of WAPDA s revised constraints and the prevailing water situation IRSA also decided to maintain the water level at Tarbela Dam at 1470 ft by June 30, 2024, instead of the previously scheduled date of July 20, 2024 Additionally, WAPDA will endeavor to fill the dam up to 1475 ft in the next 10 days if feasible to accommodate any variations in river inflows
It is pertinent to mention that the decision to augment water shares for Punjab and Sindh provinces reflects IRSA s proactive approach to addressing water management issues and optimizing water resource utilization to meet the agricultural demands of the country’s key cropping regions The increased water allocations are expected to bolster agricultural productivity and contribute to food security providing farmers in Punjab and Sindh with improved access to water resources crucial for crop cultivation during the Kharif season IRSA s decision to allocate additional water shares underscores the authority’s efforts to effectively manage water resources and uphold the principles of equitable water distribution outlined in the Water Apportionment Accord (WAA) 1991
Besides the decisions made during the meeting aim to address the pressing water management challenges and ensure efficient utilization of available water resources in the country
G
began investigation According to contents of FIR, Navid Amjad told police that he received information that body of his brother Bilal Amjad was placed in PIMS He added he rushed to hospital and seen the body of his brother who was stabbed into neck by unknown killers killing him on n the spot He added his brother left house in a car on May 11, 2024 and did not return and was stabbed to death by unknown assailants Police lodged FIR against unknown killers and launched manhunt for arrest of the accused according to sources In yet another incident, a furious gun battle broke out between two groups (Abdul Nabi Bangish Group and Aurangzeb Bangish Group) in Royal Home Society at Double Road the limits of Police Station Nelor leaving six persons in-
jured, sources said Police managed to arrest four persons identified as Abdul Nabi Bangish Nasurallah Khan Akbar and Azam besides seizing illegal arms and ammunition from their possession Also the police along with rescuers shifted six maimed persons to nearby hospitals for medical treatment, they said A case under sections 324/341/417/353/186/148/149 of PPC; AO 13/20/65 and 7 ATA has been registered against the accused on plaintiff of SI Haider Ali of PS Nelor In the plaintiff he told that armed men of two groups clashed with each other and wounded five persons including passer-by and head of a group IG Islamabad Syed Nasir Ali Rizvi taken notice of the incident and ordered SSP Operations to arrest the fleeing culprits
andapur chairs preparator y meeting on draf t ADP for Year 2024-25
An important meeting was held on Monday with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in the chair regarding preparation of draft Annual Development Program for the financial year 2024-25
The meeting made threadbare discussion on proposed projects of Irrigation Public Health Engineering and Road Sectors to be reflected in the upcoming ADP Besides Provincial Minister for Irrigation Aqib Ullah Khan, Minister for Public Health Engineering, Pakhtunyar Khan Minister for Communications & Works Shakeel Khan and Advisor to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, the meeting was attended by administrative secretaries and other high ups of the concerned departments
The meeting was given detailed briefing about the on-going and proposed new projects of
these departments to be included in the ADP 2024-25
While issuing policy directives about new ADP, the Chief Minister directed the high ups of these departments to give top priority to the ongoing schemes specially those which are due for completion in the allocation of developmental funds further directing them not to propose any such scheme for the ADP which could not be completed within the stipulated time period adding that only such schemes be reflected in the ADP which are feasible in all respects
Amid the ongoing wheat procurement row Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed on Monday to develop a mobile phone application to ensure transparency in the wheat procurement process
The premier presided over a meeting held to review the demand supply and procurement of wheat by the federal government Moreover the premier suspended the managing director and the general manager of the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) for “negligence” in implementing directives for utilization of technology in wheat procurement
In addition to suspending the two senior officers the PM emphasized the need for crop insurance and a third-party audit of PASSCO s stock However the PM instructed PASSCO to procure an additional 400,000 metric tonnes of wheat through a transparent process
The premier underscored the government’s commitment to preventing economic losses for farmers and ensuring food security in the country
He also pledged to implement measures to enhance farmers prosperity and assured that exceptional PASSCO centres and officers would be duly recognized during the procurement process T
The chair further directed that adequate funds be allocated each year for the schemes reflected in the ADP so that they could be completed timely
The CM made it clear that quality of work in developmental schemes would not be compromised at any cost Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur directed the high ups of Public Health Engineering Department to come up with proposal of water filtration plants to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to the citizens of provincial capital Peshawar adding that special attention be focused on the provision of clean drinking water to the people of southern districts of the province
He further directed the high ups of PHE department to initiate strict actions against those reportedly involved in selling drinking water of government tubewells
The CM also directed the high ups of all the works departments to enhance the capacity of their respective departments to ensure effective monitoring of developmental schemes
03 NEWS Tuesday 14 May 2024 | ISLAMABAD KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T t H E MQM-P on Sunday unanimously appointed its convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui as the party s chairman in a sign that it was further drifting away from its founder s influence According to a spokesperson for the MQM-P, the party’s central committee held a meeting at Pakistan House presided over by Siddiqui He added that the huddle was attended by party leaders Mustafa Kamal, Dr Farooq Sattar, Nasreen Jalil, Anis Kaimkhani, Faisal Subzwari Aminul Haque and Rizwan Babar The participants of the meeting decided to abolish the post of the convener and reinstated its earlier structure comprising of a chairman, vice chairman and secretary generals The members of the core committee then unanimously elected Siddiqui as the party s chairman They also decided to form a high-level central council for dealing with organisational matters and assisting with political affairs The MQM-P spokesperson said the names of the members of the central council would be announced soon In March this year, the MQM-P dissolved its coordination committee as part of a reorganisation initiative and announced a seven-member ad-hoc body headed by Siddiqui to oversee the party s affairs However, insiders said that the actual r e a s o n b e h i n d t h e m o v e w a s t w o a u d i o leaks one featuring Kamal and the other S i n d h G o v e r n o r K a m r a n Te s s o r i a l s o an MQM-P leader K a m a l h a d a l l e g e d t h a t a m e m b e r o f the coordination committee was responsible for the leaks S I d d I q u I A P P o I n t e d M q M - P C H A I R M A n ISLAMABAD E J A Z A R S H A D C H E E M A As many as three person were killed while six others suffered bullet injuries in stabbing and firing related incidents which took place at various localities of twin cities in last 48 hours, informed sources said on Monday Police have registered separate cases against them under multiple charges including murder attempted murder and 7 Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) against the accused Some four accused were arrested by police, according to police spokesmen According to sources, a man namely Raheel stabbed Muhammad Kamran to death in Hosang area of Doltala during a brawl occured over land dispute They said that the incident
PESHAWAR A Z I Z B U N E R I
ISLAMABAD A P P
h e m e e t i n g w a s a t t e n d e d b y s e v e r a l f e d e r a l c a b i n e t m e m b e r s i n c l u d i n g F i n a n c e M i n i s t e r M u h a m m a d A u r a n g z e b , F e d e r a l M i n i s t e r f o r I nd u s t r i e s a n d P r o d u c t i o n R a n a Ta n v e e r H u s s a i n Federal Minister of Economic Affairs Ahad Khan C h e e m a F e d e r a l M i n i s t e r o f C o m m e r c e J a m K a m a l K h a n M i n i s t e r o f S t a t e f o r I n f o r m a t i o n Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Coordinator to PM, Rana Ehsan Afzal, as well as other relevant senior officers E a r l i e r t o d a y M i n i s t e r f o r F o o d Z a h i r S h a h To r u s t a t e d t h a t w h e a t p r o c u r e m e n t i n K h y b e rP a k h t u n k h w a ( K - P ) w a s p r o c e e d i n g w i t h o u t i mp e d i m e n t s a n d d i s c l o s e d t h e i n i t i a t i o n o f procuring 300,000 metric tons of wheat, amounting to Rs29 billion A day earlier on May 12 Federal Minister for Industries, Production, and National Food Security & Research Rana Tanveer Hussain stated that the target of wheat purchase could have been further increased to ensure fair prices to growers On May 11, it was revealed that the Sindh Food Department had allegedly mixed 379 000 sacks of defective wheat with dirt following the devastating floods of 2022 resulting in a staggering loss of more than Rs3 022 billion to the public treasury Last week a Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench, led by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, directed the federal government to respond by May 14 to a plea challenging the wheat price policy and seeking a new pricing mechanism PM envisions mobile app as solution for transparent wheat proc urement NEWS DESK Despite the strict restrictions on the burning of crop residue across Punjab the illegal and dangerous activity continues unabated Inhabitants of areas nearby where crops are being burned are now complaining of health problems Residents of Hafizabad, where an incident of crop burning was witnessed complained of difficulty breathing and itching in their eyes Others complained of respiratory problems such as sore throats and coughing due to the toxic smoke that crop burning produces C R A C K D O W N: Provincial authorities have begun the enforcement of arrests and legal cases against individuals engaged in the dangerous practice of crop residue burning following orders from Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb I n l i n e w i t h t h i s e n f o r c e m e n t t w o p e op l e c a u g h t b u r n i n g c r o p r e s i d u e s n e a r t h e motorw ay in the H afizabad area have been detained, with formal charges filed against t h e m Their actions led to a motorway accident due to the smoke, which necessitated these legal measures according to a press release issued on Thursday Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb reported that the government s legal steps were influenced by recent survey results She highlighted that the provincial government had directed administrative and police forces to adopt a strict no-tolerance policy against crop residue burning upon learning of related incidents Assistant Commissioners and local officials throughout the province have been charged with ensuring the cessation of this practice
burning
health problems in cities of Punjab A JK gov t accepts ‘all demands of A AC’ as protesters march towards Muzaffarabad CONTINUED FR OM PAGE 01 He gave credit to Pakistan’s establishment and the army chief for taking a special interest in resolving the problems of the AJK people He further said that the notification will come into effect immediately and it was a permanent arrangement which would be part of forthcoming budget for FY2024-25 As per the notification, the flour price has been reduced from Rs3,100 to Rs2,000 per 40 kilogrammes Subsequently electricity prices will be Rs3 per unit for usage between 1-100 units Rs5 per unit for usage between 100-300 units and Rs6 per unit for the 300above slab Commercial rates of electricity have been fixed at Rs10 per unit for 1-300 unit slab and for the slab of 300 or above, the rate has been fixed at Rs15 per unit Despite the notification of subsidies and government’s assurances clashes between the AAC protestors with the ‘law enforcement agencies’ continued in Muzaffarabad A man was injured during the clashes who later succumbed to his wounds It may be noted that a policeman was also killed during the clashes on Saturday Earlier, media reported that the latest notifications would be read out before the protesters in Muzaffarabad before calling off the protests today The AAC protestors had decided to continue march on Muzaffarabad refusing to go home despite the approval of a Rs23 billion grant by PM Shehbaz on an urgent basis to resolve issues of people in the AJK The development came after violent protests erupted in the AJK on AAC s call against inflated electricity bills and taxes A meeting presided by the PM that approved the grant was summoned over unrest in AJK It was presided by the PM and attended by federal ministers and leaders of the allied parties It reviewed the developing situation of the territory thoroughly The Kashmiri leadership and participants of the meeting thanked the premier for the financial aid Meanwhile, AJK Chief Secretary Muhammad Usman Chachar said a deal regarding the AAC’s demands had been reached He told that internet services in AJK were also restored The AAC called for a shutter down and wheel-jam strike across the state to protest the electricity price hike and taxes However, the situation escalated as the protestors and police clashed A sub-inspector was killed while dozens other policemen and protesters also got injured during the teargas shelling by the police and stone pelting by the demonstrators The violent protesters damaged multiple vehicles including a magistrate s car at the Poonch-Kotli road Moreover, markets, trade centres, offices and schools and restaurants remained closed across the AJK Anwarul Haq Kakar dismisses allegations in wheat impor t scandal KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T Former caretaker prime minister (PM) and incumbent Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar downplayed the wheat import scandal as a ‘storm in a teacup’ says in media reports As time passes people understand that there is neither a wheat crisis nor is this any scandal an attempt has been made to create a storm in a teacup, there has been a big difference in production and demand targets in the country over the past twelve years,” Anwarul Haq Kakar said exclusively talking to a private TV channel Kakar questioned what kind of wheat scandal it is in which the commodity is becoming cheaper instead of becoming expensive The former caretaker prime minister said that in 2019, there was permission to import wheat under the import bill order, during the tenure of the previous government, we did not give permission to the private sector to import additional wheat private importers imported wheat to fulfill market demand principles of supply and demand he added He said that this SRO for the import of wheat was released by the PTI government, how can corruption allegations be leveled against us? Responding to a question, Anwarul Haq Kakar said that no offer of any position had been made to him by the government, this is just media speculation “I Mohsin Naqvi and Faisal Vawda are independent members in the Senate Our mandate has been given by our provincial members we are representatives of the federation neither our voter is hidden, nor the voter is unknown, nor the agenda is unknown IRSA increases water
Punjab,
early Kharif 2024 ISLAMABAD A H M A D A H M A D A N I
early
2024
made
Monday
Crop residue
causes
share of
Sindh for
The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has announced an increase in water shares for Punjab and Sindh provinces for the
Kharif season of
The decision was
on
during an emergent meeting held at the IRSA Headquarters under the chairmanship
Abdul
Chairman
the meeting it was
that in response
the prevailing
TH E announcement that Mian Nawaz Sharif will once again be taking over the presidency of the PML-N might hold the key for how long his brother Shehbaz Sharif ’s government can stay in power
The younger Sharif is in power courtesy a coalition that was cobbled together in the dead of night with not many happy about the exact composition of the government One of the only things he had under his sleeve in terms of real power was that he was the President of the PML-N, which was bound to follow his directions in parliament
But handing the reins back to his brother indicates Mian Shehbaz might be living on a wing and a prayer He will continue to be prime minister as long as he is in the good graces of the many stakeholders he is beholden to
At the same time, his brother Mian Nawaz is more of a wildcard Already there was discernible tension between the brothers over the issue of how to handle the wheat import scam
Mian Nawaz Sharif has publicly stated that he supports strict action against the preceding caretaker government, which is a key suspect in the wheat import scandal that has taken hold of the country s news cycle But it seems his younger brother the prime minister is more reluctant to involve Anwar ul Haq Kakar ’s caretaker setup in any sort of federal criminal investigation, especially since the Punjab CM from the caretaker era, Mohsin Naqvi, serves as interior minister in his cabinet
The difference in approach is causing tensions within the party Mian Nawaz is keen to hold the previous government accountable because the wheat scam is proving to be the first major challenge for his daughter Maryam’s government in Punjab The ire of farmers over the scandal has been directed largely towards the Punjab government because of its failure to purchase the wheat from the farmers
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late)
With the change in party presidency however the PML-N will be bound to follow the directions of Mian Nawaz in parliament This means he will for all intents and purposes be the man at the top both at the centre, but in particular in Punjab This means both the prime minister and the chief minister will be beholden to how confrontational Mian Nawaz is feeling with coalition partners and others There are plenty of loyalists that will be more than happy to execute any plans for him too M A Niazi
t
N Tuesday 7th May DG ISPR held a presser and candidly answered questions regarding the prevailing political situation rhetoric about talks between military and PTI tragic incidents of 9th May and what was the view of the establishment in regards to the treatment that should be meted out to all those who executed that plan and those who masterminded it
The loud and clear message in the presser was that the perpetrators and facilitators of 9th May riots needed to be punished as per the constitution and law of the land to preserve trust in country s judiciary and that it would be a big question mark on the judicial system of the country if those involved in such heinous crimes were not taken to task at the earliest
The notion about likely talks between PTI and the establishment was firmly quashed by declaring that there would be no deal or talks with perpetrators of May 9 violence and they were left with only one option - earnestly apologizing from the nation in regards to their crimes It was rightly maintained that talks were held and deals made between political forces and not between army and political leadership
In regards to a question relating to demand by PTI for forming a judicial commission to probe the 9th May incident it was rightly said that commission were formed when there was any confusion about some happening In this case it was crystal clear who were behind the May 9th enactments This was corroborated by showing visuals regarding involvement of PTI leaders and workers in attack on military installations and monuments of the martyrs
However it was emphasized that Army was ready for it and if it was formed it has look into many other episodes including what were the objectives behind 2014 sit in and how the parliament and PTV were attacked; How Islamabad was stormed by using KPK resources in 2022; How firms were hired abroad; How letters were written to IMF; From where funding was coming and where it was being channelized” DG ISPR has indeed made very pertinent observations concerning the formation of judicial commission It is worth noting that the judicial commission formed as a result of alleged rigging in 2013 general elections by Imran Khan in its findings had unequivocally rejected the claim regarding rigging PTI has given the usual response to the news conference by DG ISPR by insisting that 9th May was a false-flag operation by the establishment to trap the party Imran Khan out rightly rejected the suggestion of tendering apology and said that instead they should apologize from him It is
ridiculous to note that notwithstanding irrefutable evidence of PTI s involvement in 9th May attacks on military installations and monuments of martyrs the party and its leaders unashamedly continue to remain in the denial mode In this regard I would like to quote excerpts from editorial of the most prestigious newspaper daily Dawn which says “It cannot be denied that the violence directed at military symbols and installations in several parts of the country on this day last year was a direct consequence of the narrative built by the PTI following its ouster The party had spent months framing the possibility of its chief ’s arrest as a ‘red line’, all the while blaming and shaming the security establishment for its ouster from government in April 2022 This combustible mix triggered by the controversial arrest of Imran Khan by Rangers personnel from the premises of the Islamabad High Court exploded in the form of unprecedented, widespread violence by PTI supporters The PTI should acknowledge that it acted in an extremely irresponsible manner by leading its supporters towards such an unacceptable reaction ” As is evident the paper holds PTI responsible for 9th May incidents and advises the party to accept that it acted in extremely irresponsible manner and its reaction was unacceptable The most unfortunate and regrettable aspect in regards to this tragedy is that its
As is evident, the paper holds PTI responsible for 9th May incidents and advises the par ty to accept that it acted in extremely irresponsible manner and its reaction was unacceptable . The most unfor tunate and regrettable aspect in regards to this trag edy is that its perpetrators are continuing to rely on false narratives to maintain par tyÊs imag e among its followers as an entity not prepared to compromised on its declared stance That is not politics It is skulldugg er y of the first order
S h a t t e r e d d r e a m s : P a l e s t i n i a n s a n d t h e g l o b a l d e c e i t
Ttheir non-American or European status
strategic interests supplying military aid and political support for Israeli military operations in Gaza This support is rooted in the belief that through Israel they can exert control over the Middle East American foreign policy, heavily influenced by pro-Israel lobbyists, often contradicts its espoused values of democracy and human rights contributing to accusations of complicity in Israeli actions The collaboration between Western nations and Israel in bombing Gaza has resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent Palestinians, disproportionately affecting women and children Israeli rhetoric justifies the collective punishment of Gazans, attributing it to their electoral support for Hamas Despite this Hamas continues to operate amidst Israeli efforts to crush it with civilian casualties far outnumbering those of Hamas fighters The longstanding Israel-Palestine conflict, dating back to 1948, is characterized by Israeli occupation, violence, and deprivation of Palestinian rights Hamas born out of this oppression is portrayed as resisting Israeli aggression Hamas maintains that their actions target combatants yet unintended civilian deaths occur amid the violence The irony lies in Israel s blaming of Hamas for casualties caused by its own military operations
Despite assistance from allies, Israel has failed to eradicate Hamas with recent clashes on October 7 prompting widespread scrutiny of Hamas motives The historical context of the conflict underscores the deep-seated grievances of Palestinians subjected to decades of oppression, dispossession, and violence by Israel The emergence of Hamas is viewed as a response to this sustained injustice as
Palestinians resist Israeli occupation and seek retribution for past atrocities While Hamas denies intentionally targeting Israeli civilians acknowledging unintended casualties, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been accused of attributing their own casualties to Hamas This perpetuates a cycle of violence and serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of the conflict Efforts to secure a ceasefire face challenges amid staunch US support for Israel and its military campaign in Gaza Despite global outcry and calls for an end to the violence, Israeli aggression persists, bolstered by political backing from key allies The harrowing images of civilian casualties particularly children evoke widespread condemnation yet diplomatic efforts to intervene remain stymied The ongoing conflict underscores the failures of the international community to protect Palestinian civilians and holds Israel and its allies accountable for their actions As history unfolds the atrocities inflicted upon Palestinians will be remembered leaving future generations to grapple with the moral implications of allowing such injustices to persist unchecked Israel s justification for its actions has essentially granted it a free hand to target Palestinians of all ages from children to the elderly With the backing of powerful nations like the US Britain France and Germany Israel operates with impunity evading accountability for what many deem as war crimes The US s overt threats to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to deter arrest warrants against Israeli officials only serve to highlight its complicity in the Gaza genocide This complicity is driven by a stark lack of interest in halting the suffering of Palestinian victims a sentiment exacerbated by
Under the standards of international law Israel stands as a rogue state that continually undermines peace in the Middle East Its military strikes on residential areas in Lebanon and Yemen, along with its deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure in Gaza flagrantly violate the principles of war ethics and constitute grave war crimes The severity of Israel s actions including the intentional bombing of schools hospitals, and
parallels to
targeting of
likened
necessities
while
has
with
and
facilities are intentionally
a trail of
and horrific human rights abuses Efforts to broker a ceasefire at the United Nations have been repeatedly thwarted with the US wielding its veto power twice in support of Israel s agenda Israel s reluctance to pursue a ceasefire is emboldened by the backing of the Biden administration As bombings escalate, particularly in Rafah, home to 1 2 million displaced and oppressed Palestinians, distressing images of dead children buried under rubble flood the media Despite widespread calls for a ceasefire from across the globe Israel remains unmoved shielded by its allies The world bears witness to Israel s actions, and history will undoubtedly document its crimes against the Palestinian people Yet, future generations may grapple with the troubling question of why the 21st century allowed such genocide to unfold unchecked The writer is a freelance columnist
Not a private road
04 Tuesday 14 May 2024
Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 I K arachi – Ph: 021-32640318 I Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545 I Web: www pakistantoday com pk I Email: editorial@pakistantoday com pk
a c k i n t h e d r i v i n g s e a t
COMMENT
B
Today
Editor Profit
Editor Pakistan
Babar Nizami
‘Rising Together: The Imperative of a Unified National Consortium to Revive Pakistan International Airlines’ PAKISTAN International Airlines (PIA), once a proud symbol of national identity, now finds itself mired in financial woes and operational inefficiencies Despite numerous attempts at reform, the airline continues to struggle However amidst the gloom there lies a glimmer of hope: the formation of a national consortium could be the lifeline PIA desperately needs At the outset the Uprise Group s expression of interest in bidding for PIA underscores the urgency and gravity of the situation facing Pakistan s national airline With a desire and expertise to contribute to Pakistan s economic development in the Aviation sector, the Uprise Group see an opportunity to make a meaningful impact However upon closer examination of the challenges facing PIA and the scale and complexity of PIA’s problems demand a collaborative and inclusive solution that transcends individual interests and agendas Only the formation of a national consortium holds great promise for PIA s revival It is essential to acknowledge potential hurdles, such as competition commission policies These regulations are designed to ensure fair competition in the marketplace, but they may inadvertently complicate the establishment of a National consortium involving multiple stakeholders Nevertheless it’s imperative to recognize that these hurdles are not insurmountable With proactive engagement and cooperation among regulators policymakers and industry stakeholders solutions can be devised to navigate the complexities of competition commission policies In confronting this challenge, stakeholders must adopt a collaborative and solution-oriented approach, prioritizing the long-term interests of PIA and the nation above short-term regulatory concerns By working together to address these obstacles Pakistan can pave the way for the establishment of a national consortium that serves as a beacon of hope for PIA’s future In conclusion Pakistan International Airlines is at a crossroads However by embracing the concept of a national consortium Pakistan has the opportunity to chart a new course for PIA s future With collective vision, determination, and collaboration, a national consortium can breathe new life into PIA, ensuring that it continues to serve as a source of pride for generations to come TA B A S S U M PA R D E S I I S L A M A B A D
Founding Editor
A private university situated in Block-6 PECHS Karachi considers the road between its two campuses as its own private road The university has established barriers and speed-breakers on the road while its staff members stop the traffic as if they have joined the traffic police It seems that they will soon put barriers at the road entrance points to block the public from coming onto the road at all ADIL MUHAMMAD KHAN KARACHI Obesit y O B E S I T Y is a condition indicating excessive body weight It can cause many health problems, including, but not limited to, hypertension Obesity is more commonly found in children as they tend to be couch potatoes in today s world The problem can be managed naturally through lifestyle modifications as well as medically Natural ways to handle obesity include eating healthy food adopting a healthy lifestyle and indeed exercising Making people aware of how to adopt a better lifestyle and proper eating habits can reduce the chances of obesity, specifically in children MUQADDAS MUMRAIZ KARACHI E d i t o r ’ s m a i l Send your letters to: Letters to Editor Pakistan Today 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah Lahore Pakistan E-mail: letters@pakistantoday com pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
H E plight of Palestinian civilians particularly children prompts profound questions about the relentless bombardment they endure and the perceived injustices they face Men wonder why their families suffer, while women question why they are not spared
the
more than 200
daily
against
war
labelled
faltered leaving them feeling abandoned by the Arab world and betrayed by major Western powers notably the United States and prominent European nations The principles of realpolitik underscore the self-serving nature of state actions, even at the expense of human lives Major Western powers, alongside the US, prioritize the survival of Israel due to
from
violence Despite
days of conflict, life stubbornly persists with
routines of eating singing and dancing juxtaposed
the backdrop of
Those who voice opposition to Israeli actions risk being
antisemitic and face incarceration, highlighting the stifling of dissent International efforts to intervene and protect innocent Palestinians have
places of worship, draws chilling
historical atrocities, such as Hitler s
educational institutions during World War II Gaza, in particular,
been
to a concentration camp
Palestinians subjected to deprivation of basic
including food water
electricity
healthcare
destroyed, leaving
mass graves
aijaz
ahMad Mir O
perpetrators are continuing to rely on false narratives to maintain party’s image among its followers as an entity not prepared to compromised on its declared stance That is not politics It is skullduggery of the first order Imran Khan is not only propagating this notion at the domestic level but has also repeatedly tried to disseminate it to global audience the latest example of which is his article in The Telegraph in which he has apart from other things also held the establishment responsible for orchestrating the 9th May happenings to trap his party The PTI workers and leaders arrested for their involvement in the 9th May incidents deserve to be brought to book because they committed crimes against the state Their arrests and trials cannot be termed as attempts to decimate the party as contended by Imran Khan The course adopted by Imran Khan leads the country to a dead lock and he is mistaken to think that his hard stance and denial of involvement in 9th May incidents would do any good to his party or his political future The way forward has to be found because politics is the art of possible False and rigid stance cannot last long No individual or party can befool the people all the time Reality is a reality The reality is that PTI undeniably is guilty of executing 9th May attacks on military installations and monuments of the martyrs and Imran Khan is the mastermind behind them It is advisable for Imran Khan to accept the truth and apologize to the nation as rightly reiterated by DG ISPR in his presser and while the cases of those involved in 9th May incidents are decided by the courts he should reach out to his political opponents with a view to find a workable solution for pulling the country out of the quagmire it is stuck into He should also rely on the state institutions to address party s complaints regarding alleged rigging That is the only way for him to remain relevant to the future political landscape of the country Ultimately there has to be a dialogue between the political forces and not between a political party and the establishment Imran is also well advised to ask his party members to play a positive role in the parliament instead of invariably creating rumpus whenever the assembly meets Not everything is lost for the party Imran Khan can still salvage his political career provided he and his party stalwarts abandon their unwarranted belligerence and behave like politicians There is always a next time Malik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail com P
o l i
i c s i s t h e a r t o f t h e p o s s i b l e
Malik MuhaMMad ashraf
Forsaken Kashmir
FR
to suspension of riots and normalizing of daily routines Current riots are fundamentally the scion of that previous strikes but comparatively of different nature This time all the District and Divisional Joint Action Committees with burgeoning number of netizens are all set to march towards the legislative capital of AJK; Muzaffarabad, instead of remaining in their respective towns The unity which the inhabitants of AJK are proclaiming is fascinating On the other hand the lawmakers and law enforcers have urged to demobilize the masses by hook or by crook The leadership of that JAAC had
decided to peacefully protest and march towards Muzaffarabad in last month All was going smoothly as planned, but last Thursday proved detrimental when campaigners were marching in Dadyal Tehsil of Mirpur Initially rioters were calm and quiet created no fuss In a meanwhile incumbent Assistant Commissioner and DSP of Dadyal allegedly ordered to baton charge the demonstrating crowd instead of seducing to displace them This act added fuel to fire, which lead to assault over Assistant Commissioner by protesters Campaigners set the official vehicle of the AC to fire Shutter down and Wheel jam which was decided to be held on 11th of May started a day earlier Protesters were damped by the ultimate wrath but the leadership of this committee again urged them to remain calm and march towards capital peacefully On the other side Government of AJK on the shoulders of law enforcement officials and executives decided to prevent the protesters by entering Muzaffarabad using filthy acts They damped roads with heavy stones, cutting age old trees to block passages an act which is malignant for the health of climate too Government of AJK allegedly deployed FC Punjab Police & Rangers from federal which exasperated people further Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on the behalf of all the residents of AJK made a charter of demand containing three basic provisions
Shutter down and Wheel jam which was decided to be held on 11th of May star ted a day earlier Protesters were damped by the ultimate wrath but the leadership of this committee again urg ed them to remain calm and march towards capital peacefully On the other side , Government of AJK on the shoulders of law enforcement officials and executives decided to prevent the protesters by entering Muzaffarabad using filthy acts They damped roads with heavy stones, cutting ag e old trees to block passag es an act which is malignant for the health of climate too. Government of AJK alleg edly deployed FC, Punjab Police & Rang ers from federal which exasperated people fur ther.
CR I T I C S loved HBO s Watchmen Damon Lindelof s 2019 miniseries may have divided audiences with its intense violence, byzantine intertextuality, and narrative complexity but critics across the spectrum were seemingly united in their praise for the audacious adaptation and expansion of Alan Moore and David Gibbons s canonical graphic novel The book offered up an influential critique of the superhero genre, explicitly noting its fascistic tendencies, its indulgence in authoritarian fantasy; Lindelof ’s miniseries took that critique and ran with it, transforming Moore’s story of an alternate-universe United States run by anti-heroic superheroes into an epic serial about the deep roots of white supremacy in the United States from the 1921 Tulsa race massacre to the menacing specter of present-day traffic stops Despite its immediate acclaim, the series has had an ambivalent afterlife Its unsparing depiction of a masked police force poisoned by racism and corruption was lauded in 2019 but after a global pandemic and the George Floyd protest movement truth proved to be even stranger than Watchmen s fiction And for a l l i t s
racial violence in the United States, it is notably less attentive to the complicated history of America’s involvement in Vietnam In the world of Watchmen the titular superheroes help the United States to “win” the Vietnam War and subsequently annex Vietnam as the fifty-first state
As many critics have noted the
uate the General from Vietnam to U S territory He s clearly repulsed by the task and the sheer gross fact that the General has chosen to delegate it, but he also clearly takes some pleasure in meting out bureaucratic vengeance on a group of people he judges to be criminals After the fall of Saigon the Captain escapes on the CIA plane and still under instructions from his Communist handler and childhood best friend plans to report back on potential threats from the South Vietnamese government in exile That government, though, exists mostly as a set of reflexively honored hierarchies and social pressures in the United States While the early scenes in Vietnam are affecting and visually striking life in Los Angeles is stranger The General gives orders or at least he hints at them and his former lackeys race to comply But, even as these commands sometimes lead to fatal results, they transpire as a kind of playacting In one post-exile episode, the General pressures the Captain to kill a colleague who’s believed to be a spy The General is petulant and pathetic but to acknowledge that to act accordingly would be to give up the game As the Captain brings himself to land the final blow, there s a look in his eyes that asks, seriously? Are we really doing this? How far must he go to pretend that nothing has changed, that the stakes are still the same that those stakes exist at all?
That life in California is at least partially a facade is part and parcel of Nguyen s insight As new arrivals in the United States stripped of their former stature
home
commitment to b
poses a challenge for us as viewers How do we build an emotional connection to a character who s defined by the skill with which he withholds emotion or fakes it? How do we get a hold on this nameless protagonist, who seems always to be blowing smoke up the ass of everyone he addresses, including possibly us? The answer is that the form of this show is the thing that supplies the expressiveness It’s the show that beguiles and holds us not the Captain I recently wrote for this magazine about the epidemic of stylelessness on TV On one hand there s the p a i n t - b y - n u m b e r
t gussies up otherwise middling fare in cinematic costume; but, on the other, there’s the “Netflix look” of series designed for budgetary reasons to adhere to the same dark lifeless boilerplate I argued that when streamers and networks produce series without distinctive visual points of view they sacrifice the sense of authorship that makes great TV great The Sympathizer is as direct an answer to that lament as I could have imagined You want style, it seems to ask Well, here you go W
n which this series is based Park Chan-wook is without a
rected himself appears handcrafted with layers of visual meaning, some grim, some ecstatic When you see the spinning dial of a rotary phone graphic-match into a spinning car tire or a political prisoner interrogated on the empty stage of a cinema with the projector blasting naked light on her face as the Captain looks on or
might be tempted to describe what Park is doing as “showy
Tuesday 14 May 2024 COMMENT 05
O
the past seven decades, the Pakistan administered Kashmir has been absolutely deserted & left at the mercy of nature Instead of resolving the core issues of the masses
government has always put a deaf ear towards its subjects Whenever their voices were sublimed with the aroma of emotions, firm determination and revolution; they were brutally crushed and suppressed by the state officials
few days proved instrumental in the history because it was the noble time when the people of AJK mobilized and flooded towards streets to put their demands in aggressive manner, where all the doors of negotiations seemed to be closed over them The call of Jammu & Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) echoed all over the Kashmir from Northern snow-capped mountainous range of Arang Kel in Neelum Valley to Southern suburbs of Islam Garh in Mirpur Last one year was very crucial when traders refused to pay their electricity bills by dint of extreme upsurge in prices, fuel adjustments general sales taxes and other extra charges which infuriated not only just daily wagers but all People accused Wapda and Government of AJK & Pakistan by burdening them more rather than subsidizing Riots of preceding October held in every district extensively where native shopkeepers went for shutter down and wheel jam strikes At that time the Government of AJK negotiated with the front heads of Protesters and Civil Society representatives and ensured to accept their demands, lead
M
the
Past
with sub clauses too Their first demand is to mold Azad Kashmir into Free Electricity zone if possible otherwise sell the electricity to natives on the production cost of electricity generated by Mangla Dam They added further that this demand is not an extra burden to Government because the people of Mirpur have abandoned their centuries old ancestral lands for the great cause of nation The current net production of electricity by AJK is more than 3500MW which is ten times of its requirement With few years this power generation capacity of AJK will exceed 10000MW since many hydro power projects are under construction Under sub clause of their first Demand they added further like the construction of National Grid Station which will play as a bulwark to harness their Electricity requirements, and act as a guard of their power generation capacities too Their second demand is to subsidize flour with 48 other grocery items under the charter of UNO for disputed territories Because the same has been happening in Gilgit Baltistan from decades Judges, Bureaucrats Government officials should be immediately devoid off the lavish allowances like free petrol, 1300CC cars medical cut offs provided to them which is an extra burden over the national treasury is the third demand of the rioters The poor internet facilities across the AJK is another core issue which is highlighted under this third provision Government officials are explicitly ignoring the sentiments of people and instead of listening to their voices they are further utilizing brute forces to disintegrate them People are continually marching towards Muzaffarabad while passing from each town, district and division while further accelerating & enhancing their men force Mothers are sending their youngsters with prayers, sisters are set to see off their brothers with courage wives are committed to pay salute to their spouses in accord of this great cause for the better enlightenment of the future of their children No one knows what will happen when all the rioters will reach Muzaffarabad by facing this state induced suppression of their voices For against whom the FIR of the killing of SHO Islam Garh should be filed who kissed the forehead his little kid at dawn & reach his home at evening on four shoulders in a wooden box No one knows how many natives and policemen will lose their lives in upcoming days under the menace of this unholy war More than hundred cops & netizens have been injured but the state authorities are still unable to respond effectively and took substantial measures to deal with the demands of people If this issue remained unaddressed and rightful demands of 5 million residents of this Forsaken Kashmir will not be met according to their needs this deteriorating situation will engulf us all The writer can be reached at javediqbal rph@gmail com javEd iqbal
a
e
t i v e n e s s t o t h e c o m p l i c a t e d h i s t o r i e s o f
t t
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t h e s o c i o p o l i t i c a l r a m i f i c a t i o n s o f t h i s s l i d i n g d o o r o n l y t h e n t o s a d d l e a Vi e t n a m e s e c h a r a c t e r a s t h e s h o w ’s u l t i m a t e v i l l a i n A s t h e n o v e l i s t Vi e t T h a n h Nguyen wrote at the time in reference to Watchmen’s p r o t a g o n i s t H e r u rg e n t a w a r e n e s s o f w h i t e supremacy is not matched by equal awareness about American imperialism or it seems any awareness at all H B O s n e w m i n i s e r i e s T h e S y m p a t h i z e r s h a r e s Watchmen’s high degree of difficulty and playful hand with heavy themes but it’s also the series-length take o n A m e r i c a n i m p e r i a l i s m t h a t N g u y e n w i s h e d f o r b a c k i n 2 0 1 9 T h a t s l a rg e l y b e c a u s e t h e s e r i e s i s based on Nguyen s own Pulitzer Prize–winning novel a b o u t t h e Vi e t n a m Wa r a t e x t t h a t s s a v v y a b o u t American racial politics in its own right but also witheringly insightful about the way that America’s proxy conflict in Asia wreaked havoc on the generation who lived through it Adapted by legendary South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook The Sympathizer is both a corrective and a luxury a series with an urgent political perspective and the kind of stylistic verve we rarely get to see on television The Sympathizer is the story of the Captain (Hoa Xuande) he remains unnamed in the novel a North Vietnamese spy embedded in the South Vietnamese military In the months before the end of the war he is serving as the personal assistant to the General (Toan Le) a pompous paranoid corrupt South Vietnamese muckety-muck The Captain lives like a servant in the General s mansion, constantly belittled by him, but also entrusted with lethal and life-altering duties that he both reviles and relishes In one early scene we watch the Captain sort through a long list of staffers choosing which ones will be granted seats on the CIA plane that will evac-
show skims over
t h e s e i m m i g r a n t s a d o p t t h e c u s t o m s o f t h e i r n e w
xenophobic flourishes in order to rebuild T h e y s t a r t s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s a l l y t h e m s e l v e s w i t h l o c a l c o n s e r v a t i v e p o l i t i c i a n s p l e d g e f e a l t y t o t h e i r G e n e r a l a n d t h e h o m e l a n d h e r e p r e s e n t s w h i l e s t r i k i n g o u t o n t h e i r o w n i n t h e s t r i p m a l l s o f L A T h e C a p t a i n s e ff o r t s b o t h t o t a k e p a r t i n a n d u n d e rc u t t h i s b u rg e o n i n g c o m m u n i t y d r a w o u t i t s f o u n d at i o n a l c o n t r a d i c t i o n s T h e c h i l d o f a Vi e t n a m e s e w o m a n a n d a F r e n c h p r i e s t , h e ’s a n o u t c a s t i n h i s c o m m u n i t y d e s p i t e h i s c e n t r a l r o l e i n t h a t c o m m un i t y s f u n c t i o n i n g H i s f l u e n c y i n E n g l i s h a n d f a m i li a r i t y w i t h A m e r i c a n c u s t o m s h e s p e n t t i m e a s a n e x c h a n g e s t u d e n t a t O c c i d e n t a l C o l l e g e m a k e h i m b o t h a n a s s e t a n d a p a r i a h H e s d e v a s t a t e d n o t t o h a v e s t a y e d i n S a i g o n t o r e j o i n h i s C o m m u n i s t c o mr a d e s , b u t , a s h i s h a n d l e r r e m i n d s h i m , h e s e c r e t l y l o v e s c a p i t a l i s t A m e r i c a T h e C a p t a i n i s l e a d i n g a d o u b l e l i f e ; s o i s e v e r y o n e e l s e Xuande brilliantly plays the Captain as a charming cipher Within the world of the show, his disingenuousness inoculates him from suspicion how could a man this shallow, this debased in his
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” But the overall effect is a series that feels alive frame by frame If the Captain is too cool his show is suffused with a kind of dark zaniness that all o w s u s t o s e n s e s c e n e - b y - s c e n e t h e h i g h - w i r e h e walks Every step could be a pratfall or a land mine a bit or a disaster I ve saved mention of what is Park s perhaps most o s t e n t a t i o u s s t y l i s t i c c h o i c e f o r l a s t I f y o u ’ v e s e e n a n y p u b l i c i t y m a t e r i a l f o r t h i s s h o w y o u w i l l h a v e seen an overload of Robert Downey Jr who plays five separate roles across the seven episodes of this miniseries Downey is the perfect actor to undertake such an act: Wily and oily, ingratiating and grotesque, he is able to transform five different ways while retaining an essence of himself in each role Despite the quality of his performance, his casting is essentially a rueful structural joke It’s not just that Downey plays s o m a n y d i ff e r e n t c h a r a c t e r s ; h e p l a y s e s s e n t i a l l y every major white character in the series including the Captain s CIA contact in Vietnam the college professor who sponsors him, and the filmmaker who offers him a job Some of these characters mentor the Captain, and some of them grow to love him, in a way, b u t t h e y a l l e x p l o i t h i m A m e r i c a n i m p e r i a l i s m i s brutishly powerful whether its institutional arm is the U S government the academy or Hollywood but it is not at all subtle In each of its forms imperialism bears the same face The Sympathizer can occasionally be confusing at a plot level, and, to its credit, it’s uninterested in handholding the viewer But, between a plot that’s both labyrinthine and free associative a structure that’s picaresque in its jumping from place to place and a protagonist who s always a bit of a mystery the show risks a kind of coldness There are moments of extraordinary emotional resonance alongside moments of sterility, even a few where the piling of meta-textual joke on top of metatextual joke gets to be too much But then again whenever Park is behind the camera there s a vibrancy and an intelligence at work in each visual and sonic choice that make the series constantly watchable There s a confidence and a care with this show that feel refreshing Imagine being surprised at what a shot in a television series looks like; imagine becoming enamored with how a show told its story not just the story itself; imagine falling for a style The Sympathizer moves and shakes its way through seven circles of American imperial ruin swaggering into oblivion Phillip Maciak is The New Republic s TV critic and the author of Avidly Reads Screen Time T h e S y m p a t h i z e r i s a s p y t h r i l l e r o f r a r e s o p h i s t i c a t i o n NEW REPUBLIC P h i l l i P M ac i a k Park Chan-wook’s new miniseries on HBO takes American imperialism to task WORRYING SPIKE IN STUBBLE BURNING IN PUNJAB W I T H 877 incidents of farm fires reported across Punjab since April 1 and 83 per cent of them in just the first six days of May, immediate intervention is necessary to mitigate the adverse environmental and public health impacts of stubble burning in the region A major cause of this annual problem is the altering agricultural landscape where the traditional practice of using wheat stubble as cattle feed is waning Instead, farmers are increasingly turning to summer and spring maize, leaving wheat crop residue as a burdensome byproduct This shift underscores the need for innovative solutions that align agricultural practices with environmental sustainability Wheat stubble holds intrinsic value as fodder and soil health enhancer Encouraging farmers to adopt alternative methods of residue management, such as mulching or composting, can reduce air pollution and enhance soil health as well as agricultural productivity in the long term Meanwhile with regard to paddy straw disposal by burning the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) recently issued directives to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to implement revised action plans and aim to eliminate the noxious practice this year Notably, in view of the efficacy of Haryana’s strategies for a reduction in stubble burning last year the CAQM had recommended their implementation in Punjab Central to Haryana s success was the provision of financial incentives to farmers along with the deployment of flying squads by the Central Pollution Control Board for on-ground monitoring of enforcement measures While such steps are crucial for ensuring cleaner air the whole year round their effectiveness hinges on robust implementation and support mechanisms at the grassroots level Giving farmers access to affordable machinery for residue management, coupled with incentives for adopting sustainable practices, can spur compliance and foster a culture of environmental stewardship TRIBUNE E d i to r i a l
even its more
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h t o u t o f B l a k e E d w a r d s t r a n s p i r e s i n t h e b a c k g r o u n d , y o u
quality productive forces” has sparked intense discussions both in China and globally The concept was first put forward by President Xi Jinping during his inspection tour in China s northeast Heilongjiang Province in September 2023, emphasizing the integration of scientific and technological innovation resources to lead the development of strategic emerging industries and future-oriented industries so as to accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces As President Xi Jinping pointed out, new quality productive forces are characterized by innovation; the key lies in high quality the essence is advanced productivity Among all factors sci-tech innovation plays a leading role and is the core element in the development of new quality productive forces Facing a new wave of techno-
relations, take care of each other s major concerns, eliminate external interfer-
logical revolution and industrial transformation it is crucial to seize opportunities intensify and invigorate innovation efforts transform and upgrade traditional industries cultivate and strengthen emerging industries and with a visionary approach lay out the construction of future-oriented industries, and refine the modernized industrial system
Currently the Chinese government is promoting high-quality development with great efforts with new quality productive forces already taking shape and robustly propelling high-quality development in practise Despite the extremely complex international environment, China’s economy has generally rebounded and improved We have achieved significant progress in building a modernized industrial system new breakthroughs in sci-tech innovation, deepened reform and opening up, consolidated and strengthened foundation for secure development, steady improvement in environment and substantial well-being of the people In 2023 China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) exceeded 126 trillion yuan ($17 51 trillion)
The growth rate of 5 2% met our target and ranked high among world s major economies, contributing to 30% of the growth of the global economy The year 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China
The target for this year s GDP growth rate
ence and work together to promote the continuous and healthy development of ChinaSouth Korea relations, Wang said Both China and South Korea need a stable and friendly bilateral relationship, which is a shared
for the development of bilateral relations the Yonhap News Agency reported I will take an important first
fields of renewable energy, information technology and biotechnology Up to now, China has helped Pakistan build four wind farms, one hydropower plant and one solar power station with two more hydropower stations under construction
CORPORATE CORNER
is around 5%, with the primary task to vigorously promote the building of a modernized industrial system and accelerate the development of new quality productive forces There is no doubt that it will benefit the improvement of the total factor productivity, constantly shape new momentum and advantages for development, promote a new leap in productivity, and sustain the continuous high-quality growth of China’s economy bringing new opportunities to countries around the world in particular to our iron-clad friend Pakistan Pakistan boasts a strategic geographical location, significant demographic dividend, and abundant natural resources, which provide uniquely advantageous conditions for development The Pakistani government’s 5Es framework pillared by growth security reform livelihood innovation productivity and connectivity, not only meets Pakistan s current development needs, but also chimes with China’s approach of promoting high-quality development through new productive forces As all-weather strategic cooperative partners our pragmatic bilateral cooperation under the main framework of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will yield more fruitful results The achievements of CPEC Phase One have provided crucial support for Pakistan’s economic and social development including early gains made in cooperation in
The steady supply of clean energy helps maintain Pakistan s energy security Chinese enterprises have also built the project of Lahore Safe City employing technology to greatly enhance police response efficiency and reduce traffic violations by 40% The establishment of a buffalo embryo laboratory by Chinese company in Pakistan with an annual production capacity of 30,000 embryos has empowered agricultural cooperation between our two countries As CPEC enters Phase Two both sides will seize the opportunity of jointly building an upgraded version of the corridor with high standards to turn Pakistan’s unique advantages into development momentum and help Pakistan achieve self-reliance and sustainable development Moreover with the orderly formation of the new government Pakistan is initiating reforms across the board, committed to breaking new ground for national development China stands ready to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries meet each other halfway and forge ahead hand in hand, promote the integration of CPEC s Five Corridors (5Cs), namely corridors of growth, livelihood enhancement, innovation, greenness and openness, and Pakistan’s “5Es” framework to build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era and jointly open up a bright future of peace development and win-win cooperation
T d y 14 M y 2024 | ISLAMABAD 06 NEWS
illegal gas connec tions c ut as SSGC continues crackdown against gas thieves In its ongoing efforts to substantially control gas theft incidences, SSGC conducted raids across its franchise areas of Sindh and Balochistan During a number of fresh raids, Customer Relations' Department's theft control team removed 1 513 illegal connections in Karachi Hyderabad Quetta and Naushero Feroze (Nawabshah Zone) where the residents were stealing gas through illegal extensions of gas pipes In Ghaniabad, Maymar Zone alone the team removed 1,200 illegal connections, whereas in Karachi the team also removed illegal connections from different blocks of Nazimabad (from where 105 illegal connections were cut off ) Liaquatabad and F B Area Theft claims are being raised against the culprits Gas theft is a serious crime against the community and is one of the key reasons behind Unaccounted-for-Gas (UFG) SSGC has zero tolerance against gas thieves and will continue to take strict action against them as per Gas (Theft Control and Recovery) Act 2016 P R Fly Jinnah Expands International Network with New Route Connec ting Islamabad and Muscat I s l a m a b a d: Fly Jinnah, Pakistan’s low-cost carrier, has announced the launch of its new nonstop flights between Islamabad and Muscat in Oman starting from 10 May 2024 The new route will initially start with a frequency of two weekly flights connecting both cities Flight Schedule between Islamabad International Airport and Muscat International Airport, effective 10 May,2024: Commenting on the airline s third international route, Fly Jinnah’s spokesperson said: “Following the successful launch of our international flights connecting Islamabad and Lahore to Sharjah Fly Jinnah is proud to mark another milestone with the introduction of our third international route from Islamabad to Muscat, the capital city of Oman This expansion aligns with our commitment to providing our customers with new options for affordable and value driven air travel domestically and internationally ” Fly Jinnah remains steadfast in offering convenient and affordable service to its passengers With its modern fleet of five Airbus A320 aircraft the airline serves five major cities in Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Quetta This new route adds to Fly Jinnah's growing list of international destinations, complementing the existing flight route to Sharjah UAE P R BEIJING S TA F F C O R R E S P O N D E N T C H I N E S E Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday met South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul who began a two-day visit to China that marks the first trip to Beijing by a South Korean foreign minister in more than six years Eyeing the China-Japan-South Korea trilateral leaders’ meeting as its primary task, the trip also aims to make an improvement-oriented adjustment in South Korea s foreign policy with its relations with China needing to be eased and reconciled and steady and improved neighborly relations are conducive to regional security and stability, experts said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee met Cho in Beijing on Monday In the meeting, Wang said that healthy and stable development of China-South Korea relations is in line with the trend of the times and in the fundamental interests of the two peoples The recent ups and downs and challenges faced by bilateral relations have increased significantly This is not in line with the common interests of the two countries, and it is something we do not want to see China is willing to strengthen communication and exchanges with South Korea adhere to the original intention of establishing diplomatic relations maintain good neighborly
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desire some experts said However how this desire can be realized requires the two countries to pursue a consensus and foundation whereby both sides can formulate policies toward each other based entirely on their national interests This foundation is the direction we should aim for, and with it, China-South Korea relations can develop in a stable
and healthy manner some experts said Before heading to Beijing Cho said on Monday at Gimpo International Airport that he will have frank and in-depth talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang, and expects the meeting to help create fresh momentum
step in creating new momentum in the development of South Korea-China relations,” Cho was quoted as saying in the media report South Korea will make its position clear on issues of principle but focus on areas where we share great potential for cooperation to lay a solid foundation for the development of bilateral ties, the South Korean senior diplomat said Cho’s visit will be the first meeting between the Chinese and South Korean foreign ministers since the trilateral foreign ministers meeting between China Japan and South Korea in the South Korean city of Bushan in November 2023 It is the first official visit by a South Korean foreign minister to Beijing in six and a half years since Kang Kyung-wha came to Beijing in 2017 In August 2022, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, then South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin held talks with Wang Yi in Qingdao East China’s Shandong Province South Korea has been looking to improve ties with China, its largest trading partner and a key player in nuclear diplomacy with North Korea, the Korea Times said Since Cho took office as foreign minister early in January he stressed the importance of keeping a stable relationship with Beijing citing the potential for deeper cooperation in the economy North Korean issues and other areas, according to the South Korean media outlet C
M E ET,
K T O I M P R O V E B I L AT E R A L
E S LONDON A G E N C I E S One of Britain s senior most and respected Consultant Paediatrician, Professor Abdul Rashid Gatrad OBE has called on the Pakistan government to empower with vocational training the most under-privileged children aligning this to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals As CEO of Midland International Trust (MIAT), Professor Abdul Rashid Gatrad has raised over £3 million for various health-related development projects around the world He has built with his colleagues a state-ofthe-art cleft hospital in Pakistan Gujarat The project was completed so professionally and was so impactful that ITV presented a 15minute documentary on it All services including operations are provided free, funded by mainly Muslim and Pakistani donors in the West Midlands The Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at three universities – University of Birmingham Universities of Kentucky and Wolverhampton – was awarded with the OBE from the Queen in 2002 for services to ethnic minority children in the Midlands and in 2014 was made deputy Lieutenant to Her Majesty the Queen for his services In the same year he was made Freeman of the Borough of Walsall for halving the death rate in new-born babies and for his part in the research into the Hepatitis Vaccine that was subsequently rolled out globally Born originally in India but working in Pakistan in 2003 Prof Gatrad met Mr Khwaja Mohammed Aslam a Pakistani bus driver and a businessman who was the chairman of Midland International Aid Trust UK (MIAT) He invited him in 2005 to be the CEO Since then, the charity has made a huge difference to the lives of hundreds of thousands around the world – particularly children At the time MIAT only had £20 000 of working capital and Pakistan was the only country where humanitarian aid was provided Since then, Rashid has sacrificed time, effort, energy and money to make MIAT truly global – now in over 20 countries Professor Abdul Rashid Gatrad who started as postman before becoming a doctor in 1971 largely financed through MIAT thisstate of the art 3 storey hospital which houses, audiology, speech therapy, dental services 2 wards and 2 operating theatres The hospital is supported by 4 doctors running round the clock operations and providing free medical aid to patients of the area including those who travel from far and wide The hospital grounds have playing facilities Then it was in 2016 when during a visit to Gujarat that he met a female teenage street beggar on crutches She had clubbed feet that were bare and bleeding This led to Professor Rashid Gatrad setting up the clubfoot centre where now hundreds are being treated from birth – avoiding operations when older He said: I request the Government of Pakistan to pay attention to vocationally train children and youth to empower them especially girls This will be good for Pakistan s long-term development Currently, there is no focus on this area We are prepared to work with Pakistan to support the effort We have completed a huge maternity and a children s hospital named after my mother Jubaida in Gujarat, Pakistan which now is dedicated to cleft operations This hospital is a demonstration of what can be achieved Our charity goal is to reduce poverty and improve health outcomes from sustainable projects for thousands of the most disadvantaged populations in over 20 countries across Africa and Asia He said: The Jubaida Gatrad hospital was completed in 2015 and now provides employment to many MIAT has provided medical equipment and the hospital is attracting more and more people to Gujarat city After I set up the club foot centre at this hospital in 2016 Ruth Lawson from the British High Commission attended its inaugural opening to witness the highly trained international cleft/clubfoot surgical team from the UK that I had assembled H ow a c h a n c e m e e t i n g c h a n g e d l i fe o f a U K d o c to r – fo r Pa k i s t a n’s b e n e f i t GAZA A G E N C I E S Months after Israel said it had dismantled Hamas s command structure in northern Gaza, fighting has resumed in the Jabalia refugee camp and Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood Mahmoud Basel spokesman for the Civil Defense Service in the Gaza Strip said in a statement that Israeli forces have intensified strikes on those residential homes where civilians remained inside, adding that casualties were reported from Jabalia and nearby areas On Saturday the Israeli army called on all residents and displaced persons in Jabalia and the surrounding areas to immediately head to shelters west of Gaza City, warning them of a nighttime operation targeting Hamas elements in the area The Israeli army started the operation in Jabalia based on intelligence information regarding Hamas s attempts to reassemble its infrastructure and activists in the area Jabalia is the largest of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps and is home to more than 100 000 people Israeli forces thrust deep into Jabalia camp deeper than the first time they invaded northern Gaza, with tanks close to the local market, residents told Reuters The Israeli army sent tanks back into Zeitoun as well as Al-Sabra where the army had claimed to have gained control of most of them months ago I s r a e l r e n e w s m a s s i ve s t r i k e s o n n o r t h e r n G a z a , t h o u s a n d s d i s p l a c e d a g a i n ISLAMABAD A M B A S S A D O R J I A N G Z A I D O N G In recent months, the term “new
H I N E S E , S O U T H KO R E A N F O R E I G N M I N I S T E R S
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E n h a n c i n g C h i n a - Pa ki s t a n c o o p e r at i o n w i t h n ew q u a l i t y p ro d u c t i ve fo rc e s Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency 9P 724 Islamabad 17:10 Muscat 19:00 Airbus A320 Friday/Sunday 9P 725 Muscat 19:50 Islamabad 23:35 Airbus A320 Friday/Sunday
ISLAMABAD
Bakhtawari here on Monday
He expressed the hope that by adopting the best practices coming out of comfort zones and adhering to the practical approach we will be able to overcome all the problems relating to the development of the city adding that he along with his team will soon visit the Chamber House to get firsthand knowledge of the problems facing the business community
He further said that he himself by visiting different markets turn
by turn, holding meetings with traders’ leaders then and there direct the concerned Officers for the solution of their problems
Earlier Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry by welcoming the Chairman on assuming the charge introduced his team members and highlighted the key issues of the business community He said that by sensing the seriousness of the issue of clean drinking water he himself has taken the initiative of installing filtration
U Bank and R aqami Islamic Digital Bank Enter Interoperable Par tnership
a strategic interoperable partnership to enable access to branch banking services to RIDBL customers through U Bank, marking a significant milestone in the digital banking landscape of Pakistan With this innovative collaboration U Bank will extend the Shari ah-compliant services of its extensive branch
infrastructure, with specific objectives to optimize financial access to the citizenry while driving down the cost of financial services for the end customer The partnership was officiated in a recent ceremony held in Islam-
abad in the presence of Mr Mohamed Essa Al Taheri, President & CEO - U Bank and Mr Umair Aijaz CEO - RIDBL as well as other members of both organizations Mr Mohamed Essa Al Taheri, President & CEO - U Bank, stated, “With this partnership with RIDBL, we are not only facilitating transactions for a wider segment of customers but we are furthering our agenda of financial inclusion and economic empowerment in Pakistan At U Bank, we believe in the power of collaboration to drive positive change and we look forward to leveraging our combined strengths with RIDBL to deliver unique financial solutions in line with the evolving needs of customers
Makes Histor y as First
Fintech Joins Hands
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07 NEWS Tuesday 14 May 2024 | ISLAMABAD CORPORATE CORNER PESHAWAR A Z I Z B U N E R I t H E Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has initiated a three-year budget strategy to achieve financial stability and overcome the ongoing financial crisis in the province The strategy aims to reduce unnecessary expenditures increase revenue and improve service delivery According to sources in the KP Finance Department, the government has started working on a three-year budget strategy to control the growing expenditure and increase revenue The strategy includes exploring new revenue sources improving tax collection and rationalizing nondevelopment expenditures The provincial government will also identify new avenues for revenue generation, including tenders, contracts, and security fees, and make recommendations to increase them in line with market conditions The threeyear strategy will enable the provincial government to achieve financial stability and overcome any financial emergency that may arise KP government has set financial stability targets for the next three years, which will be achieved through effective resource management and efficient service delivery The strategy will help the government to reduce its reliance on federal funds and achieve self-sufficiency in financial matters U B L to b u i l d R e g i o n a l O f f i c e at N aya N a z i m a b a d K A R A C H I : United Bank Limited (UBL) - a leading bank of Pakistan has acquired a 14 092 sq yards commercial plot in Naya Nazimabad Karachi to build its regional office Naya Nazimabad is located at the cusp of District West and Central of Karachi The area is a major hub for the professional talent pool of the city and represents the largest enrolment at the city’s educational institutions Naya Nazimabad is a master-planned gated community designed for integrated living for the middle and upper middle strata of Karachi This transaction marks a major transformational addition to its character as now office space shall be added to its portfolio of residential, retail, social and entertainment related assets STAFF REPORT Aga Khan University hosts second landmark event with Higher Education Commission Following the resounding success of its inaugural event in 2021 the Higher Education Commission s (HEC) Quality Assurance Agency in collaboration with the Aga Khan University s Network of Quality, Teaching and Learning, organized a pivotal three-day workshop aimed at improving the quality of higher education in Pakistan Mr Nasir Shah Director General Quality Assurance Agency HEC and other distinguished leaders scholars and stakeholders from a variety of public and private universities in Sindh and Balochistan met at Aga Khan University s campus in Karachi from May 6 to 8, 2024 They engaged in substantive discussions and deliberations aimed at enhancing educational standards in Pakistan’s higher education system Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin AKU President Professor Tashmin Khamis Vice Provost Quality Teaching and Learning and Mr Faisal Notta, Director Quality Enhancement Cell also spoke about the importance of rebuilding educational structures to better equip students for their success STAFF REPORT Bank of Khyber opens new sub -branch at University of Malak and Bank of Khyber (BoK) is pleased to announce the inauguration of its state-of-the-art sub-branch at University of Malakand (UOM) The branch was inaugurated by Prof Dr Rashid Ahmad, Vice Chancellor UOM, Mr Irfan Saleem Awan, Managing Director & CEO (A) / CFO BoK in the presence of Sher Muhammad Group Head Conventional Banking Zarak Khan Head Liabilities & Business Development Division Muhammad Kamran, Area Manager Swat, amongst other senior executives The newly inaugurated branch brings BoK’s comprehensive range of financial solutions to students faculty and customers in the region They will now have enhanced accessibility to a wide range of convenient banking products and services With this latest addition, the bank has expanded to a total of 39 branches / sub-branches in the Malakand Division (former Malakand Agency) STAFF REPORT PTA- GSMA training workshop held on ‘Evolution of Radio Access Networks: D isaggregation, O pen RAN and 6G’ I S L A M A B A D : A one-day International Training Course on Evolution of Radio Access Networks: Disaggregation Open RAN and 6G was held under PTA- GSMA Centre of Excellence program in Islamabad today The training covered technical concepts like OpenRAN, disaggregated networks, innovative connectivity solutions, fostering interoperability and hardware flexibility The event was attended by regulatory experts from Afghanistan Bangladesh and Iran in addition to representatives from USF FAB PEMRA, SUPARCO and PTA Dr Khawar Siddique Khokhar, Member Compliance and Enforcement PTA welcomed all the participants and highlighted the significance of knowledge sharing for professional development PR
S TA F F R E P O R T Chairman Capital Development Authority Mohammad Ali Randhawa has said that business community is the real face of the capital city
has been playing
development, therefore it would be
on
in
decision
which
an important role in its
taken
board
the
makings The Chairman CDA said this while talking to a big delegation of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry which called on him under the leadership of its President Ahsan Zafar
plants in different markets from his own pocket He extended an invitation to the Chairman CDA for a visit to ICCI which he accepted by saying that he will make it possible at the earliest possible time to have a comprehensive acquaintance of the community’s
ber of Commerce and Industry Khalid Iqbal Malik lauded the Chairman for enhancing the timings of the One Window from 9 00 a m to 9 00 p m by saying that it will certainly go a long Business community is real face of capital city: Chairman CDA K P g o v t U n v e i ls t h r e e - y e a r B U d g et s t r at e g y f o r f i n a n c i a l s ta B i l i t y Rawalpindi RTO Celebrates First Traders Registered Under Tajir Dost S cheme The Regional Tax Office (RTO) Rawalpindi hosted a momentous ceremony today to honor the pioneering efforts of the first four traders who have officially registered themselves under the Tajir Dost Scheme introduced by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) This initiative marks a significant milestone in promoting tax compliance and formalizing the informal economy within the region Ms Tehmina Aamer Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue expressed her appreciation to the pioneering traders for their proactive engagement with the Tajir Dost Scheme Ms Tehmina personally awarded registration certificates to the traders She declared the registered traders as ambassadors of the RTO, Rawalpindi, recognizing their commitment to compliance and contribution to the national economy The honored traders expressed their gratitude to Ms Tehmina Aamer and the RTO Rawalpindi for their support and encouragement They pledged to actively promote awareness about the Tajir Dost Scheme among their peers and colleagues, underscoring their dedication to fostering a culture of compliance and accountability within the business community PR JazzCash
Pakistani
du Pay for
ross-Border Payments I S L A M A B A D: JazzCash Pakistan’s largest fintech organisation has announced its strategic partnership with du Pay the recently launched fintech arm for du from the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC) The MoU signing marks a historic milestone as the first-ever collaboration between a Pakistani fintech organisation and du Pay to simplify cross-border payments from the UAE to Pakistan The UAE hosts a vast Pakistani expatriate community It holds the distinction of being the second-largest contributor of remittances to Pakistan after Saudi Arabia, with remittances reaching $542 million in April 2024 alone “We are committed to using technology to enhance financial inclusion Our partnership with du Pay simplifies payments for Pakistanis everywhere emphasising our role in boosting economic growth Remittances from our expatriates are vital sustaining households and powering our economy PR
Islamabad pins rank badges to newly-promoted 52 Inspec tors ISLAMABAD: According to the details following the special directives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, a series of departmental promotions are underway in Islamabad Police a public relations officer said He said that in this regard a prestigious ceremony was held to promote new officers to the rank of Inspector at Police Lines Headquarters Islamabad IGP Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi graced the event as a special guest, while senior police officers, and the families of newly promoted inspectors were also present on this occasion IG Islamabad pins rank badges to newly promoted 52 sub-inspectors to the rank of inspector he congratulates them and expresses good wishes for their future endeavors On this occasion IGP Islamabad presented commendation to the Chairman of the Departmental Promotions Committee, DIG Headquarters Dr Syed Mustafa Tanveer, and his team for ensuring such large-scale promotions in a short time to reassure the officers IG Islamabad said that we have worked hard day and night to complete this sixmonth process as soon as possible to bring smiles and happiness to the faces of the officers and their families If your shoulders shine, then your hearts will shine, and the faces of your children will shine with happiness and this is my goal, IG said PR RIPHAH and RIHIS organize 7th International Conference on Patient S afety Riphah International University and Riphah Institute of Healthcare Improvement & Safety (RIHIS) organized the 7th International Conference on Patient Safety (ICPS) at Jinnah Convention Center Islamabad For the past eight years, RIHIS has been the driving force behind the region's largest annual gathering on patient safety attracting prominent figures in the healthcare sector such as key opinion leaders domain experts regulators academia and stakeholders from around the globe ICPS provides a platform to allow experts in Patient Safety to come together to create momentum in the advancement of Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety in Pakistan and the region This year the conference spotlighted the theme of "Diagnostic Safety," highlighting the fundamental importance of accurate and timely diagnoses in effective healthcare delivery The event featured esteemed figures including Mr Hassan Muhammad Khan Chancellor Riphah International University and Patron ICPS Mr Asadullah Khan Executive Director Riphah and Co Patron ICPS alongside Dr Zakiuddin Ahmed Chairman ICPS and renowned international speakers: Mr Murat Soner Kucukkaya Managing Director JCIA Middle East & Africa Ms Leslee Thompson CEO Accreditation Canada Prof Dr Seval Akgun Chief Quality Officer Baskent University Hospital Network Turkey, Dr Mohamed Syahid bin Hassan, SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, Singapore Dr Muhammad Ahmed Kazi, Director General of Health PR Railways Police arrest gang involved in misappropriation and theft of railway material L A H O R E: Railways Police Lahore Division have arrested a network involved in misappropriation and theft of railway material with the cooperation of a journalist According to the details the gang was carrying a large quantities of copper coils in a Kia mini truck hidden under scrap wood After receiving the intel, the SP Railways Iftikhar Ahmad formed a special team including SHO Ramzan Haider and SI Muhammad Ikram and other employees who responded promptly and intercepted a loaded mini truck PR As per the schedule issued by NTDC regarding the de-energization of 132KV double circuit 500KV Murree Minhasa transmission line, 132KV Minhasa-Chitra Kalus section On 15th May, 2024, from 08:00 am to 13:00 pm GSO Circle Dhirkot Chamankot Ringla Dana Express Dhalla Minhasa Suhawah Nimbal Birut Kazmi Ghaziabad, Gujjar Kohala feeders will be temporarily suspended due to the maintenance of necessary wires We apologize to our valued customers for the power outage In case of premature completion of the work, the power supply can be restored even before the scheduled PR Power outage schedule on 132KV M inhasa- Chitrak als sec tion by NTDC ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T U Microfinance Bank (U Bank) and Raqami Islamic Digital Retail Bank Ltd (RIDBL) have entered into
and branchless banking channels, including its network of 375+ brick-and-mortar branches nationwide to RIDBL facilitating their digital banking clientele with seamless physical Cash In/Cash Out (CICO) transaction services and other branch banking facilities This collaboration signifies the coming together of the traditional and digital banking worlds opening a new era of accessibility and convenience for customers across Pakistan The regulatory framework for digital banks which was unveiled by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in January 2022 encourages such partnerships in a bid to maximize the utilization of brick-and-mortar
problems Group leader Islamabad Cham-
with
IG
MD HBFC Imran Ahad called on Fed Minister for Privatisation Abdul Aleem Khan PR
C D E C L A R E S P R O B E I N T O AT TA C KS
N J O U R N A L I S T S ‘ U N S AT I S
Pakistan and the
exchanges of technical expertise and best practices, investigative and prosecutorial assistance, provision of border security infrastructure and training including the United States training of more than 300 police and frontline responders since the last Pakistan-US Counterterrorism Dialogue in March 2023 and strengthening multilateral engagement such as in the UN and the Global Counterterrorism
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stepped down as the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday, paving the way for party supremo and threetime former premier Nawaz Sharif to be elected as the party head Party leader Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed the news in a post on X that had the premier s resignation letter attached A meeting of the party’s central committee has been called now on May 18 In a letter addressed to the party secretary general Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Shehbaz wrote: I am writing to address a pivotal moment in the history of our party, Pakistan Muslim League (N) and to reaffirm my unwavering commitment to its principles and values
Reflecting on the tumultuous events of 2017, which resulted in the unjust disqualification of our esteemed leader and Quaid, Mohammad Nawaz Sharif from the Prime Minister ’s office and the presidency of our party I am reminded of the resilience and fortitude with which our party has faced adversity under his leadership he maintained The premier added In the face of adversity Quaid Mohammad Nawaz Sharif entrusted me with the responsibility of assuming the presidency of the party, a duty I have upheld with utmost dedication and sincerity ” I am cognizant that this role has always been viewed as a trust or amanaat bestowed upon me by our revered leader I am heartened by recent developments that have exonerated our leader with dignity affirming his unblemished integrity and commitment to the
service of our nation In light of these developments and the steadfast guidance of our beloved leader, I believe the time has come for Mohammad Nawaz Sharif to resume his rightful place as the President of Pakistan Muslim League (N) and provide his invaluable leadership and vision to steer the party forward Therefore, it is with a deep sense of duty and reverence for our party’s principles that I tender my resignation as the President of Pakistan Muslim League (N) ”
Published by Asad Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited Ph: 051-2204545 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 4:30 5:07 1 30 5:15 6:50 8:45 Tuesday 14 May 2024 NEWS ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T T H E Supreme Court (SC) deemed the investigation into the torture and kidnapping case of journalists Asad Toor Absar Alam and Matiullah Jan unsatisfactory on Monday and ordered the appointment of competent investigative officers to handle the cases During the hearing of the case against harassment of journalists a three-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa expressed anger over the lack of progress in the investigation concerning journalist Matiullah Jan s abduction case The apex court ordered publishing the sketches of the journalist’s attackers in newspapers and advertising a reward amount for the suspects arrest The SC granted Islamabad police 30 days The case was adjourned till June with the date of hearing to be fixed later The court also ordered to send the complete CCTV footage of the kidnappers in the Matiullah Jan case to Punjab forensic lab The court began the hearing by calling the senior superintendent of police (SSP) to the rostrum There is a recording of the incident why were the kidnappers still not found? the CJP inquired The SSP denied there was any CCTV footage of the incident This angered the CJP, who then questioned whether the SSP was “recruited into the police force to lie” CJP Isa said the “officer was insulting the police uniform” The court affirmed the existence of a recording in response to the SSP s assertion of its absence and inquired about written evidence The SSP replied in the affirmative regarding the availability of written evidence The CJP inquired how long had the SSP been in the police force “13 years ” the police officer responded Irked by the SSP s responses CJP Isa then instructed the additional attorney general (AAG) to suspend him immediately The AAG apologized on behalf of the SSP However, the CJP asked, “Why pardon [such officers], why not take action against them? Take action!” He further expressed his discontent stating I am not at all satisfied with them They are making a joke Just because we don t say anything doesn t mean you can throw stones at us Earlier during the proceedings, Chakwal residents who filed applications in the case Raja Sher Bilal Abrar Ahmed and Muhammad Asif appeared in court and were advised to file a petition in the court of law instead of filing it in the chamber of the court However, the applicants denied filing petitions in the apex court “How did someone use your name and residential address? Will you file FIRs against those who file petitions without your permission? the CJP inquired Advocate Rafaqat Hussain Shah, the advocate on record, said the counsel who filed the petitions has passed away Collaboration among SCO states vital for regional progress: Dar BEIJING S TA F F R E P O R T Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, emphasized the critical importance of effective collaboration among member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) during his recent visit to China Dar on a fourday visit to Beijing co-chaired the Fifth Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi Highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to the SCO Charter and the ‘Shanghai Spirit ’ Dar stressed the need for advancing security and development cooperation within the organization Discussions during the visit included Pakistan s initiatives as the current Chair of the SCO Council of Heads of Government Dar s arrival in China marked a significant step in enhancing bilateral relations, with a focus on economic and trade cooperation, the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and future connectivity initiatives The strategic dialogue encompassed a comprehensive review of various aspects of the bilateral relationship and the geopolitical situation in the region Both sides acknowledged the milestone of a decade of CPEC, citing it as a prime example of Belt and Road cooperation They praised CPEC’s role in accelerating socio-economic development job creation and improving livelihoods in Pakistan Reaffirming their commitment to the project s high-quality development they expressed satisfaction with the steady progress of CPEC projects Official Secrets Act to be invoked against those sharing ‘state secrets’ on social media ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Taking notice of the sharing of secret state documents on social media Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that action would be taken against all those involved in such practice under the Official Secrets Act, 2023 According to media reports, the minister said that the spread of such content could harm Pakistan’s strategic and economic interests “This could also badly damage Pakistan’s relations with its friendly countries ” he added He said that not only strict action would be taken against those leaking such information but also against those who were indirectly connected to the offence by sharing it Those sharing such documents will have to undergo two-year imprisonment and fine, he informed ISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
Pav i n g way fo r N awa z to t a ke ove r p a r t y, S h e h b a z S h a r i f re s i g n s a s P M L- N p re s i d e nt
TA F F R E P O R T
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) PTI spokesperson, in a strongly-worded reaction to the rapidly deteriorating AJK situation and the ongoing violent clashes vehemently condemned the killing of civilians in violent clashes in AJK and demanded probe into the tragic incidents to identify the culprits The spokesperson demanded immediate resignation of the AJK government which was based on horse-trading and floor crossing He stated that PTI was deeply concerned pertaining to the fast deteriorating situation in AJK and the governments being beret of credibility, capacity and public mandate were creating a situation in AJK similar to the IIOJK The PTI leader said the governments in center and Kashmir were pursuing the policy of Narendra Modi of using unbridled force against peaceful protest seeking fundamental and basic rights which was condemnable and shameful He contended that the governments lacking credibility, capacity and public support have become a disaster for the country and the nation PTI spokesperson stated that the use of extra-constitutional power and dictatorial style of governance were becoming a major cause conflict and chaos in the entire society He said that in civilized democratic societies, governments hammered out solutions to problems in the light of the public opinions instead of trying to crush and suppress them through use of force PTI spokesperson urged that the state government should seriously analyze the real motives of the public protest and recognize the legitimate demands of the people of Kashmir instead of further worsening the situation by resorting to lawlessness and violence He stated that the people should make the democratic right of peaceful protest their strength rather than leaning towards confrontation and violence PTI spokesperson stressed the need that public mandate and the rule of law should be made the basis of the country s system in preference to the horse-trading or Form 47 PTI condemns k illing of civilians, seeks transparent probe to identify culprits TTP, Da’ish threat to regional, global securit y; agree US and Pakistan ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
United States of America (USA) have recognised that banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Da ish terrorist group are posing a threat to regional and global security underscoring close cooperation between the two countries to deal with the challenge The two countries held a counter terrorism dialogue in Washington last week and a joint statement issued on Monday Additional Foreign Secretary for the UN and OIC Ambassador Syed Haider Shah and US Department of State Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ambassador Elizabeth Richard co-chaired PakistanUS Counterterrorism Dialogue on May 10 in Washington DC The joint statement said the Counterterrorism Dialogue underscored the cooperation between Pakistan and the United States in addressing the most pressing challenges to regional and global security including TTP and ISIS-Khorasan The statement is seen as significant as the US recognised the TTP posed a threat to regional and global security Previously, the TTP was seen as a threat to Pakistan only Islamabad has been telling the outside world, particularly the key stakeholders that ignoring the TTP threat may eventually haunt them
statement said discussions centered on the counterterrorism landscape in the region with a focus on areas of mutual interest Pakistani
US senior officials emphasised the importance of expanded counterterrorism collaboration and capacity building, including
Forum, read the joint statement RAWALPINDI S TA F F R E P O R T Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir on Monday conferred military awards upon Army personnel for their acts of gallantry during operations and meritorious services rendered to
(Military) and Tamgha-IBasalat Medals of Shuhada were received by their family members, it added S p e a k i n g o n t h e o c c a s i o n C O A S G e n e r a l A s i m M u n i r p a i d t r i b u t e s t o S h u h a d a ( m a rt y r s ) a n d G h a z i s a n d s a i d t h a t t h e r e w a s n o t h i n g m o r e n o b l e t h a n l a y i n g o n e s l i f e f o r d ef e n c e o f m o t h e r l a n d a n d t h e s a c r i f i c e s o f o u r m a r t y r s s t r e n g t h e n o u r r e s o l v e t o f i g h t w i t h u t m o s t d e d i c a t i o n a n d spirit of sacrifice He also lauded brave families of Shuhada for their high spirits and sacrifices rendered by them The Army Chief said, “Shuhada and Ghazis are our national heroes and the nation owes its independence and security to the sacrifices of its valiant warriors Our Shuhada are indeed the beacons of hope and resilience for the nation COA S c o n fe r s m i l i t a r y awa r d s u p o n A r my p e r s o n n e l at G H Q
O
R Y ’
ISLAMABAD S
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came down hard on the governments devoid of credibility, capacity and public mandate for creating Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) like situation in
The
and
the nation, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said The investiture ceremony held here at General Headquarters (GHQ) was attended by a large number of senior Army officers and families of awardees According to military’s media wing, the officers & soldiers were awarded medals including SitaraI-Imtiaz
S
FA C T O
