Epaper_24-05-15 KHI

K I S TA N I P O L I T I C I A N S N A M E D I N D ATA D E F E N D O W N E R S H I P

ISLAMABAD

this story Apparently, this is neither news nor a scandal as the information is already in the public domain,” Bader said He said it was public information that the two siblings had grown up in exile and lived in the same property mentioned in the report with their mother former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, going on to inherit it after her assassination “Any action or insinuation based on defamation will be challenged in the rel-

(C4ADS) a non-profit organisation based in

D C , that re-

Prominent names include PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari his siblings Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari; wife of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi Ms Ashraf; Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon; MNA Ikhtiar Baig; son of

PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, Hussain Nawaz; son of General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa Saad Siddique Bajwa; Senator Faisal Vawda Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Akhtar Mengal and PML-N MNA Ehsanul Haq Bajwa

The PPP said there was “nothing new or illegal” in the information since its chairman’s assets were already publicly declared a sentiment echoed by other politicians as well

In a response issued an hour after the information was made public Bilawal’s spokesperson Zulfikar Ali Bader said that the former foreign minister and Aseefa had already declared all their domestic and foreign property with the Election Commission of Pakistan and Federal Board of Revenue He added that the information was available on the ECP website as well There is nothing new or illegal in

the members of the cabinet also offered Fateha for the departed souls

He emphasized that maintaining law and order in the country was top priority of the government so that it could move on venue of development and prosperity Azad Jammu and Kashmir is a jugular vein of Pakistan as declared by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,” he added PM Shehbaz further said that he held meetings on the AJK issue and thanked President Asif Ali Zardari political leaders of the allied parties, leaders of AJK chapter, AJK leadership and parliamentarians for their support and deliberations

g Reiterates desire to work with all political forces to steer the countr y out of problems

leading to decisions over the demands of protestors With consensus, the demands and

nounced Rs23 billion package for the people of AJK

The prime minister said that he had talked to AJK PM over the regrettable incident and stressed that voices of the public representatives should be heard and issues be resolved through dialogue He also appreciated the AJK government that acted with much restraint as few elements were out to create chaos To work with all political forces in national interest’ Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his desire to work with

all the political forces to steer the country out of the confronting problems and put its economy on upward trajectory He said “Welfare of the people of Balochistan has been among the top priorities of the government These views were expressed by him during his meeting Jamiat Ulema-eIslam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Abdul Ghaffoor Haideri who called on him here Members of the National Assembly Usman Badini and Noor Aalam Khan were also present during the meeting said a press release issued by PM Office Media Wing During the meeting, overall situation in the country including political was discussed They also exchanged views on dif-

ferent development projects in Balochistan province Premier Shehbaz Sharif said that they would provide equal educational and jobs opportunities to the youth of Balochistan National security issues not to be compromised: Atta Tarar Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said that there will be no compromise on national security issues that needed to be discussed at appropriate forums through proper procedure

Addressing a news conference along with Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar here on Tuesday he said the Attorney General of Pakistan was the representative of State and his request for in-camera briefing on a specific national security issue had been taken out of context Attaullah Tarar pointed out the Attorney General had made the request just for the sake of national security He underlined the need of fully understanding the sensitivity of national interest adding that the Attorney General had already clarified his position on the issue The information minister said the national security issues should be discussed at the appropriate forums If a matter needs discussion, the chief justice has the authority to call a fullcourt ” he added

Atta Tarar expressed the optimism that the institutions would collectively work for the national interests of the country

validity The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general supported the Supreme Court s stance against the NAB amendments while the attorney general defended the amendments on behalf of the federal government Justice Minallah questioned the federal government s right to appeal, stating that only a directly impacted party has standing to challenge a verdict “This appeal does not meet the criteria set by the Benazir case ” noted the judge Additionally with the CJP emphasizing the need for justification behind any ordinance Justice Mandokhail pointed out the federal government must also rationalize the necessity of such ordinances Highlighting the misuse of NAB for “political engineering,” Justice Minallah urged the agency to disclose the number of politicians targeted and incarcerated over the past decade He also instructed the attorney general to ensure the video-link facility was functioning correctly The hearing was then adjourned until May 16 The NAB amendments not only shortened the tenure of the NAB chairman and the bureau’s prosecutor general from four to three years but also removed all regulatory authorities from under NAB’s oversight Additionally the changes mandated a three-year term for accountability court judges and required these courts to conclude cases within a year Challenging these amendments as unconstitutional, Khan approached the apex court, advocating for their annulment based on their inconsistency with several constitutional articles and fundamental rights On July 15 2022 a special three-member bench was constituted to address Khan s petition with the first

intelligence agencies, the AGP maintained, adding that this was communicated to the relevant quarters “Neither the government or any state institution can meddle in the affairs of the judiciary and I strongly deny any such impression According to my information, no officer of any security establishment has contacted or can contact

tice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz penned a letter to the SJC led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa expressing concerns about the “interference” of intelligence agencies in the affairs of the courts We therefore request that a judi-

PM ANNOUNCES PRIVATISATION OF ALL STATE

OWNED ENTERPRISES EXCEPT STRATEGIC ONES

Foreign investment peaks at 30-month high,

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

According to the State of Pakistan’s Economy Report released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for the first half of FY24 on Tuesday Pakistan s economic conditions have shown signs of improvement

The report, based on data from July to December FY24, indicates that the real economy has started to recover following a contraction last year This recovery has been supported by the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF, which helped to alleviate stress on the external account

The report notes that the current account deficit has significantly narrowed due to ongoing contractionary monetary and fiscal policies better agricultural output and a decrease in global commodity prices

On the fiscal side, a higher surplus was achieved compared to the same period last year, driven by strong growth in tax and non-tax revenues that surpassed the rise in non-interest expenditures However despite limited domestic demand inflationary pressures remained high The agricultural sector, which grew by 1 7 percent, has spurred not only its own recovery but also supported some

agro-based industries The easing of import restrictions improved the availability of raw materials for industrial use

The IMF s SBA approval played a crucial role in easing external borrowing constraints, leading to increased financial inflows and a significant reduction in the current account deficit due to a combination of decreased imports and increased exports

However challenges persist The report highlights structural issues such as limited savings, low investments, weak productivity, and a narrow tax base, which continue to hamper economic development Political uncer-

would be required to compensate for damages as specified by the legislation Furthermore the bill allows for the tribunal upon establishing a case of defamation to order the relevant regulatory body not only to enact the decreed damages or demand an apology but also to suspend or block any social media accounts of the defendant or any platforms or mediums used to spread the defamatory content as covered under this Act The proposal includes provisions for the government to establish multiple tribunals as deemed necessary to handle such cases, appoint members to each, and define their

tainties also contribute to inconsistency in economic policies impacting investment and economic growth

The special chapter in the report discusses long-term inflation trends and their determinants, emphasizing the need for policy reforms to achieve sustainable development and more stable inflation rates in the medium term

The SBP projects a continuation of the modest economic recovery in the second half of FY24 with real GDP growth expected to be between 2 and 3 percent, and NCPI inflation forecasted to fall to a 5-7 percent range by September 2025

Center in the district if both parties agree The tribunal is also empowered to assign actual litigation costs, including attorneys’ fees, legal expenses costs related to witnesses and other litigation expenses based on sufficient and justifiable grounds In cases of defamation involving sensitive issues related to

a

ceedings

prominence as the original defamatory statement Additionally, the defendant

MAL AK AND DIVISION REMAINS SHUT AGAINST GOVT’S PL AN TO IMPOSE TA XES

division on Tuesday All commercial centres, business establishments, small and big industries markets and bazaars remained completely closed For the first time the chemist community and the hotel community also participated in the historic strike, while Peshawar High Court Mingora Bench Bar Association, Khyber Bar Council and District Bar Associations of all districts also fully supported the strike of the business community and the lawyers didn t not appeared

call of Abdur Rahim, President of Malakand Traders Federation, a historic shutter-down strike was observed across the

JAAC ends A JK protests af ter govt accepts demands on taxes, inflation

“Our movement revolved around three fundamental demands: affordable flour electricity and the dismantling of elite privileges, remarked Mir, lamenting the disruption of internet services, hindering the dissemination of successful negotiation outcomes Earlier JAAC had declared Monday as a black day to honor the three individuals who lost their lives during clashes with law enforcement which also resulted in numerous injuries and a policeman s death over four days of protests The committee also scheduled funeral prayers for the deceased at 2 pm at the University Ground today Despite the federal and AJK governments commitment to meeting protest-

ers demands demonstrations persisted into the fourth day on Monday A day prior, PM Shehbaz unveiled a Rs23 billion subsidy package for AJK during a high-level meeting convened to address valley unrest following unsuccessful negotiations between the AJK government and AAC

Subsequently, AJK PM Chaudhry Anwarul Haq announced the issuance of notifications regarding power and food commodity subsidies, expressing hope for peace restoration in the region

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad AJK PM assured that the government harbored no intent to disrupt peaceful protests and confirmed the immediate implementation of the subsidy notifications, which would be a permanent fixture in the forthcoming FY2024-25 budget

The notification includes a reduction in flour prices from Rs3 100 to Rs2 000 per 40kg and revised electricity rates, ranging from Rs3 to Rs6 per unit for different usage slabs

Yasmin Rashid condemns victimisation, recurrent arrests in letter to CJP

CONTINUED FR OM PAGE 01

Justice Kayani said it would be very easy to tout 5thgeneration warfare,” asking why only jurists of the country had to fall prey to it He went on to say that facts would be determined about the “Pakistan Lawyers Forum” and from where its account was being operated

The senior jurist remarked that the determination of actuality will stop all paths for any individual or an institution to get access to any of the jurists However, no one has enough courage to get access to the judges, he added

The senior judge then issued notices to attorney general office Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Intelligence Bureau (IB) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) He remarked that the IHC would summon reports from all institutions and it would also issue a notice to defence secretary Expressing outrage over the social media campaign against the country’s jurists, Justice Kayani remarked that such actions won’t be allowed on any medium of media social print or electronic at any cost He also warned that the scope of contempt of court proceedings would be expanded to high office if anyone attempted to approach the judges Separately another IHC s larger bench

headed by CJ Justice Farooq heard the contempt case on social media drive against Justice Kayani earlier today

The IHC chief justice issued notices to Waqas Malik Advocate journalists Matiullah Jan and Talat Hussain Subsequently a notice was also served to the top electronic media authority Additionally, the IHC has appointed senior anchorperson Hamid Mir, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) president, as well as lawyers Ahmed Hasan and Ahmer Bilal Advocate as amicus curiae

The court ordered the Pemra to provide a transcript of the TV show aired on the matter Later the hearing was adjourned for two weeks

A social media campaign was launched against Justice Sattar claiming that the high court judge holds American citizenship However, the IHC in

incident which marked a year without resolution The unrest on May 9 triggered by the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan, resulted in widespread violence and clashes across the country Many PTI members, including high-ranking officials were detained with trials scattered across various courts The riots labeled a Black Day by the military saw attacks on both civil and military installations leading to further repercussions for the PTI members involved

CONTINUED FR OM PAGE 01 Pakistanis on this list are estimated to have around $11 billion in properties

The project, titled ‘Dubai Unlocked’, draws from data spanning 2020 to 2022 It extensively reviews property ownership in Dubai excluding properties bought under company names or in commercial zones The data was initially collected by the Washington, DC-based non-profit Centre

Heightened vigilance urged following post-rain dengue threat

IN attempt to stop the protests in AJK against inflation, the federal government sanctioned an additional Rs 23 billion in subsidies The AJK government promptly accepted all the demands of the Awami Action Committee, the body behind the protests What may have turned the tide was the killing of an ShO while attempting to halt the protests After an additional ShO, a police sub-inspector, was killed in Mirpur on Saturday The protests showed no signs of ebbing though three days had passed since they started, and the marchers were determined to march on the ASJ capital of Musaffarabad Protesters had also taken over, though intermittently, control of the Kohala Bridge, which is the main crossing point from Pakistan’s Rawalpindi district into AJK and which links Rawalpindi and Muzaffarabad

The protests, and how they were handled, showed the complex relations between Islamabad and Muzaffarabad Residents of AJK are liable to pay Pakistani taxes They receive a separate subsidy on electricity, to ensure that they are treated appropriately AJK is not a province which means that it does command such rights as a share in the National Finance Commission Award or electricity royalties on the Mangla Dam It should not be forgotten that AJK is also heavily garrisoned and its citizens like to speak of themselves as the base camp for the liberation of the whole of Kashmir Mirpur has sent its sons to the UK in large numbers, and it cannot escape notice that the protests here coincided with fresh new anti-immigrant measures in the UK as protests mount against its support for Israel s slaughter of the Gazans

The problem with this grant is that those who originally recommended the power price hikes and the end to subsidies are the ones who have got the government over a barrel, namely the IMF The protests were not the result of administrative neglect or bureaucratic red tape but because the IMF did not see the AJK subsidies as an essential expenditure but as something which could be cut to reduce expenditures That should make the government think how will it handle such an explosion on a larger scale perhaps even countrywide? As temperatures rise electricity demand also does, and while loadshedding takes place, there are also vastly inflated bills to be paid The government has faced power protests before; it should ready itself for more With the IMF used to getting its way, the government should not expect it to show it any understanding Will

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

M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit

Th e brilliant Palestinian Fayez Sayegh once wrote that when pro-Israel groups appeared to be at their strongest they were only masking the fact that they were at their weakest This is clear in the contrast of Israel’s sharp decline in standing among many demographic groups of American voters with the actions and statements by Congress and pro-Israel groups particularly in evidence during the past week

It s an established fact that Israel has been losing ground in American public opinion since well before October 7 Polls have shown that young people, Black, Latino, and Asian Americans hold somewhat more negative views of Israelis coupled with a rise in support for Palestinians While Israel in general has retained support among Americans the policies of the state are strongly opposed by majorities among all demographics with most saying they want to cut US aid to Israel because of settlement construction and other violations of human rights During the past decade, in an effort to confront this, pro-Israel groups launched a multi-pronged offensive components of which included: targeting and smearing both pro-Palestinian activists and members of Congress; passing laws in over two dozen states that penalized supporters of efforts to boycott or sanction Israel and in another dozen states to equate criticism of Israel with antisemitism; and a massive multi-million dollar “hasbara” campaign to improve Israel’s image in the USA

In the aftermath of the hamas attack Israel might have experienced sympathy for their tragic losses and made up some ground in lost support but they squandered that opportunity with the sheer brutality and the wanton disregard for Palestinian lives they demonstrated in the months that followed The results have only served to further weaken Israel’s standing among many groups of Americans especially Democrats and key demographic groups that form its core base of support Still Israel has been able to count on continued

The media’s role in framing the Taliban and women

support from the White house leaders in both parties in Congress mainstream media outlets and a majority of commentators and analysts who have remained receptive to the Israeli narrative of ongoing events Biden Administration officials have persistently defended Israeli behaviour, even when attempting to shift gears by suggesting that Palestinian civilians should be protected There have been leaks from executives of major US television networks and newspapers telling their staff how to cover stories what must be said and what may not be said in ways that echo Israel s positions And statements by leaders in Congress have been especially shameful in their defence of Israeli actions Despite this top-down advantage trouble is percolating from below Israel continues to lose support from key Democratic constituents young and minority voters with that decline now also impacting support for the President Much has been made of the precipitous decline in Arab American support and the more than one-half million voters who have so far voted for the Arab American-led “uncommitted” campaign in Democratic primaries The problem is deeper For example a recent Washington Post poll shows a significant drop in President Biden s support among Black voters with his backing for Israel being cited by respondents as one reason for that decline The changing mood among voters toward Israel has taken an activist bent Massive demonstrations have been held in most major cities More than 200 local governments and major institutions including major unions have issued strong statements criticizing Israeli actions and calling for an immediate total ceasefire Publicized statements by over 1000 leading Black clergy, another by the same number of Catholic leaders, most of the major Protestant churches, and prominent groups of young progressive

serve the strategic goals of foreign powers

Tevents to get out the desired results Instances include the Gulf war (19901991), War in Iraq (2003), North Korea s Nuclear Programme, hong Kong protests (2019-2020) and so on, where sensationalism in the media created a more horrific image than reality which in turn influenced decisions about foreign policy that favoured certain factions Let s shift the focus to how the Taliban is perceived in relation to women There is no doubting the injustices and mistreatment women endure apparently in the name of Islam, but what stands out more in international media coverage is the emphasis on repression and strictness When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021 international news outlets called out and highlighted the re-imposition of strict dress codes; wearing a proper hijab , and punishing the male relative if not observed (United Nations, 2024) The following coverage focused on the stark regression in women’s rights and freedoms and highlighted extreme examples and dramatic images While these stories raised global concerns they often overshadowed the complex and varied experiences of Afghan women while also ignoring the fact that most of them observe purdah by choice This sensational approach can reinforce stereotypes and paint a monochromatic picture which oversimplifies the experiences of Afghan

women and ignores the broader concept Cultural biases have also influenced media portrayals by emphasizing differences between Western and Afghan cultures Stories focusing on the perceived backwardness of Taliban practices compared to Western standards have been floating while overlooking local nuances and the agency of Afghan women This approach can again obscure the broader social and political contexts in which these practices occur and oversimplify the experiences of Afghan women Shadi hamid, an American author and political scientist quotes in one of his research articles: The United States never understood Afghanistan American planners thought they knew what the country needed which was not quite the same as what its people wanted American policy was guided by fantasies; chief among them was the idea that the Taliban could be eliminated and the whole culture can be eliminated in the process (hamid, 2021) International writers, in particular, wield significant influence in forming narratives that often become the lens through which the world views this complex dynamic Their storytelling choices and framing can have far-reaching consequences which not only impacts public opinion but also global policy decisions Works like A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled hossaini) The Bookseller of Kabul (Asne Seierstad) When the Moon is Low (Nadia hashimi) etc are the examples of such literature which has shaped the perceptions of West regarding the Taliban Afghanistan and its women Coverage like that may align with the foreign policy interests of certain nations which are looking to justify military intervention or support for particular political agendas

An instance of this is the 2001 US military action in Afghanistan which was justified by a mixture of 9/11 aftermath media representations of the Taliban s abuse of women, and their harbouring of Al-Qaeda This way, by highlighting the Taliban’s oppressive practices, international media can elicit support for interventionist policies and create narratives that

The questions which pop to

on

So whose voice is actually missing in this narrative? Too often it is the voices of Afghan women themselves Their perspectives experiences, and stories are frequently overshadowed by international interpretations They might have experienced persecution in their own homes at the hands of their own relatives or because of a host of other issues unique to being a woman just like other non-Afghan women When Afghan women do speak out their narratives can offer a much-needed balance, providing nuanced insights into the complexities of life under the Taliban These voices will have the potential to challenge one-dimensional portrayals which reveal the resilience resourcefulness and agency of Afghan women International writers have this responsibility to present more nuanced and accurate portrayals of the Taliban s relationship with women, considering the broader sociopolitical context in their reporting ethical storytelling demands a commitment to balance ensuring that the narrative does not ignite more stereotypes or serve narrow interests

The international media s framing of the Taliban and women s relationship in Afghanistan bears striking similarities to the way the Kashmir issue is portrayed on the global world forum In both cases the narratives are often dictated by the geopolitical interests and rivalries of other countries rather than the lived experiences of the people who are directly affected The questions which pop to mind are: how does the global focus on power struggles and territorial disputes obscure the human cost of these long-standing conflicts? If international writers and media outlets continue to amplify external perspectives over the actual stories of those living under these circumstances can we truly say we understand the reality on the ground?

The writer is currently pursuing Mphil in International Relations from Kinnaird College for Women Lahore and can be reached at amnahashmee@gmail com

If

amna HasHmi

Generation gap a smouldering social issue

Not getting enough attention

Th e generation gap is one of the leading social issues, which is being discussed everywhere and everyday but unfortunately no serious work has been done to minimize this gap and live a compatible life The generation gap is an academic and social concept that elaborates the mismatch of ideas and cultural discrepancies between the old and young generations In the intergenerational gap both of the generations blame and arguably criticize each other for creating these differences and no one of wither age group tries to bring the two cohorts close to each other The history of the generation gap is comparatively old but since the mobile technology has infiltrated into the social world the ideas and thinking differences have increased swiftly which has widened the gap between the two age groups The gap in return has caused social distress familial embroilments mental distortions emotional and psychological unease and so on The adoption of modern technology is inevitable every field of life has been overlapped by this technology Updatability is the need of the hour The generation that lags behind in the pace of updatability will face an unfortunate end The cleavage emerges usually because the old and mostly illiterate generation is totally disoriented with the usage of mobile technology and the youth are thoroughly dependent on technological gadgets Consequently the elders have been found always complaining of the young generation being engaged with their mobiles and not giving them proper time to share

daily routine activities however, the young generation is trying to justify that modern technology is the need of the time and contend that spending life without technology is impossible Speaking impartially the situation and trends in the life are no doubt changing frequently which in turn making the existing cultural traits obsolete and absorbing new global trends and foreign traits especially the western trends, which is indeed denounced and discouraged by the older generation and welcomed by the young generation that ultimately is promoting the intergenerational dissonance

The generational gap is an old phenomenon It is viewed by demographers that generation gap was noticed for the first time after World War II, when the devastating war annihilated a large portion of the world population Consequent upon the situation that followed there was much child reproduction to increase the population so that to achieve the desired level The Postwar generation was later declared as the Baby Boomers (the generation born between 1946 and 1964) It is asserted that this generation faced off for the first time with their parents who had been born after World War I and the generation was named far ahead as the Traditionalists or Silent Generation (the generation born between 1925 and 1945) The ideas gap continued through the other generations, such as Generation X, Generation y, Generation z, and the Alpha Generation Our society is generally passing

through a transitional period, where the young generation is shifting into the new life courses and the old cohort is still attached to the traditional lifestyle Both of the generations have been found stubborn in their stances and ways of thinking acting and feeling The inflexible mindsets of differing generations have fostered frustration, intolerance and antagonism that have bred mutual conflicts, hatreds and social isolation unluckily

Research studies indicate that smartphones and cultural diffusion are the biggest reasons encouraging cleavage between the two generations Moreover, it is claimed that the economic independence of the young generation and the young generation being less religious than the old generation are the other indicators separating the two generations from each other The youth have been desperately justifying that they are ignored by the elders in domestic affairs and claim that their elders are outdated

Sociologists conclude that generation gap is a universal phenomenon, but it is found very narrower in those families and communities where the two generations are flatly illiterate or both of the generations are completely educated and equally updated Only education is not instrumental to bridge the gap but updatability is more important than any other factor to bring the two conflicting age groups closer to each other

The generation gap in Pakistan is prominently caused because of the tribal nature of

the society, especially within the older population The elders never ever are made to accept the social change wholeheartedly They are firmly attached to their old traditions and resist any new trait to be adopted as a part of their culture The young while having the experiences of urban centers and more exposed to new trends, can never agree to live a traditional lifestyle The educational progress and easy access to technological tools are influencing their cultural

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d e m a n d s a n d n e e d s o f t h e m o d e r n wo r l d , a n d s h o u l d n o t e x p e c t o r fo rc e yo u t h t o

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t o t h e i r p hy s i c a l , s o c i a l , p s y c h o l o g i c a l , p hy s i o l o g i c a l , e m o t i o n a l , r e c r e a t i o n a l a n d e c o n o m i c n e e d s T h e e l d e r s a l s o n e e d a t t e n t i o n a n d f a c i l i t i e s a s t h e yo u t h d o T h e e l d e r s s h o u l d b e e n

A TikTok ban won’t fix social media

TikTok video posted on its official account The law was “a ban on you and your voice ” Chew said he continued TikTok gives everyday Americans a powerful way to be seen and heard Chew s statement hinted at what seems to be ByteDance s legal strategy moving forward: an argument that getting rid of TikTok could amount to a violation of free speech On Tuesday the company sued the U S government writing in its filing that preventing American citizens from accessing the app is unconstitutional There are legal precedents for such a claim, among them a 2017 Supreme Court case, Packingham v North Carolina which struck down a state law banning a sex offender from Facebook A fundamental principle of the First Amendment is that all persons have access to places where they can speak and listen, the former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote “One of the most important places to exchange views is cyberspace particularly social media

other tech companies have leaped to copy it you can ban TikTok in America but it is far too late to contain the habits it has unleashed The U S ban makes most sense as a political stunt: bellicose actions against China are popular across the political spectrum, and the demographic most vocally upset by the threatened ban are those too young to vote

calls recounted to Politico by lawmakers offices, may have actually encouraged legislators to act on the proposed ban According to Politico, the chair of the house Committee on energy and Commerce Cathy McMorris Rodgers concluded that the calls only exposed the degree in which TikTok can manipulate and target a message In other words, by trying to rally its supporters, the company had only proved that it was a propagandistic threat TikTok’s C e O Shou zi Chew became something of a Gen z-approved celebrity after he appeared in front of

But other hints from ByteDance about how it might respond to the new law don t quite cast its position in impassioned First Amendment terms According to Reuters, ByteDance would rather shut down its U S TikTok operation than sell it The vaunted recommendation algorithm that controls TikTok s For you feed is what makes the app unique and successful; ByteDance leverages the same technology across its many other businesses, including Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok As in any other international trade dispute putting valuable technology in the hands of a competitor through a sale would be destabilizing Meanwhile TikTok s U S audience reportedly only generated about thirteen per cent of ByteDance’s 2023 revenue In that sense forgoing the American market would be strategically preferable for ByteDance and relatively trivial TikTok is already banned outright in several countries, including India, and has survived just fine (China itself blocks access to TikTok, not to mention Facebook and Instagram, in its own strategy of techno-nationalism ) The TikTok algorithm is inextricable from the app and the algorithm also seems to be what we are most afraid of In both political speeches and in a portion of media headlines, it is depicted as something that could deliver Chinese propaganda to unwitting American teenagers and allow a foreign government to track in great detail the behavior of our citizens Unfortunately there is already plenty of propaganda, misinformation, and international bot activity to be found on every other social platform, which will remain quite accessible to Americans in the face of any TikTok ban The data generated anywhere on the Internet can be packaged and sold to foreign (or domestic) adversaries so long as it is tracked Parents express concerns about their childrens addiction to TikTok, and yet youTube Shorts and Instagram Reels two U S products aspire to be just as transfixing TikTok has provided the template for the algorithmic passive future of social-media consumption and

One funny thing about TikTok is that for all its ubiquity in the news cycle and in discourse about social media many of the concerned parties know little about it A 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center found that only thirtythree per cent of American adults say that they “ever use” TikTok; in contrast eighty-three per cent say they use youTube and sixty-eight per cent say they use Facebook The survey also indicated that the TikTok demographic dramatically skews younger: sixty-two per cent of eighteen-to-twenty-nineyear-olds say they ever use TikTok, whereas ten per cent of those aged sixtyfive and older reported that they ever use it According to another estimate more than two-thirds of TikTok s monthly active users in the U S are under thirtyfive years old The majority of millennials whom I encounter open the app rarely if ever and confess to not really knowing what it’s like or how it works in part because of its entrenched reputation as an app for the youth Admitting that you use it, as I do, sometimes feels like saying that you watch Saturday-morning cartoons

This ignorance of TikTok reinforces its status as a bogeyman and makes it easier to blame for social media s collective ills than the other apps on which Americans already spend so much of their time TikTok s intoxicating aspect is its feed, which draws users through an endless parade of content and seems to read their minds about what they want to see next What is so addictive on the app is for the most part the same kind of banal Internet content that now exists everywhere else: unhinged monologues, repeatable choreography moves, America’s Funniest home Videos”-level stunts, and random shopping recommendations (That last genre has spread rapidly through the platform as its executives have realized that e-commerce may be more lucrative than advertising ) TikTok is not magic; it is not the digital equivalent of a nuclear bomb controlled by one nation at the risk of another If we want to understand its real risks we would do better to disentangle the motives behind the U S ban The direct influence of the Chinese government would be ameliorated somewhat by divorcing the app from ByteDance, if that is indeed a path accepted by its parent company, or by forbidding the app to function at all in the U S But if the core concerns are digital-data surveillance and the targeting of individual users in ways that can manipulate or endanger them, then we have plenty of domestic threats to face first Kyle Chayka is a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of most recently Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture

Dr m raHim nasar

N D S AT K E Y B I Z S U M M I T

Hezbollah attacks Israeli targets in nor th of occ upied Palestine

that Israeli attacks on Rafah are the Zionist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s goal to cover up his defeats in Gaza

During a televised speech Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah addressed the recent escalation of violence in Gaza, and said that the Israeli regime s officials have admitted to daily defeats in the conflict

Nasrallah went on to say that Israel has also acknowledged the defeats in the Gaza war the support fronts and the economy of this regime However despite these failures the Israeli government is worried about withdraw-

ing from Gaza as such a move would be considered a failure and a significant blow to their regime Referring to the confusion of the Zionist regime’s leaders about the situation in Gaza Hezbollah Secretary General said that the senior officials of the occupying regime are deadlocked and have no idea about their next steps after the end of the aggression in Gaza That s why they re trying to find a way to show themselves victorious Therefore, the regime s prime minister is trying to enter Rafah city to cover up his failure in raiding Gaza Nasrallah urged people not to be fooled by the US s recent scenarios pointing out that the US supports Israel and has not changed its position on the conflict He also mentioned that Hamas’ agreement with mediation parties surprised Netanyahu and marked a significant victory for Hamas Nasrallah added that Israel has two options: accept the offer and concede defeat or continue the battle and suffer a war of attrition He highlighted the successful outcome of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm and emphasized that it demonstrated the Israeli government s inability to win in a conflict As a result, 70 percent of Israelis demanded the resignation of the Chief of the General Staff, who is the head of the regime Another achievement of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm is that the occupying regime despite having Western support in releasing its captives or winning the Resistance has failed in this regard Nasrallah added

r e d o m i n a n t l y M u s

lims found their names removed from t h

e c t o r a l r o l l s D e s p i t e c l a i m s o f d u e p r o c e s s b y E l e c t i o n C o m m i s s i o n o ff i c i a l s l e a d e r s l i k e G a f o o r P a t e l i y a raised concerns about the apparent targ e t i n g o f s p e c i f i c c o m m u n i t i e s A s t h e s e i n c i d e n t s s p a r k n a t i o nw i d e c o

KP UNVEILS APP TO FACILITATE FARMERS, ENSURE TRANSPARENT WHEAT PROCUREMENT

Al Baraka Bank hosts 2nd Webinar for ABG

collaboration with AlBB Egypt

Avicenna Medic al College officials appeared in PM&DC ’s disciplinar y committee

STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) conducted a disciplinary committee hearing concerning the tragic demise of a medical student of Avicenna Medical College Lahore

The hearing aims to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and to ensure accountability and adherence to the highest standards of medical ed-

ucation and student welfare On April 26 2024 a forth-year medical student at Avicenna Medical College identified as Mahnoor Nadeem was found deceased in their dormitory under circumstances that have raised significant concerns among students, faculty, and the public The initial reports

KARACHI

IESCO operations circles incharge will conduc t e - cour t via facebook live, telephonic ally today

ISLAMABAD: To provide suitable and proper forum to valuable IESCO Customers regarding redrassal of their electricity issues, online E-Kacharies are being held in IESCO region regularly and same are creating friendly relationship among IESCO and Customers By following same practice facebook E-Kacharies will held on 15th May 2024 (Wednesday) From 09:30 AM to 11:30 AM in all 06 Operational Circles of IESCO Operational Circles Incharge will attend customers complaints through Facebook live and telephone calls Islamabad Circle customers can participates in facebook live E-Kachary by using face book ID SE IESCO Islamabad E-Kachery Phone No 051-9260194, For Rawalpindi City Circle, SE IESCO Rawalpindi-City E-Kachery Phone No 051-9292675 For Rawalpindi Cantt Circle SE IESCO Rawalpindi-Cantt E-Kachery Phone No 051-9293048 For Attock Circle SE IESCO Attock E-Kachery Phone No 051-4950343, For Chakwal Circle, SE IESCO Chakwal E-Kachery Phone No 0543-668500, For Jhelum Circle, SE IESCO Jhelum E-Kachery Phone No 0544-9270377 Valuable customers are requested to mention

BISP chief urges empowerment of needy women

Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Ms Rubina Khalid has underscored the importance of upholding the self-respect and dignity of BISP's deserving women Addressing senior management and officers during an introductory meeting at BISP HQs Chairperson BISP emphasized the need for unwavering commitment to providing essential services to BISP beneficiaries

Ms Rubina Khalid made it unequivocally clear that any instances of mismanagement or misconduct would not be tolerated under her leadership and strict action would be taken against individuals involved Secretary BISP Amer Ali Ahmad endorsed the Chairperson s statement reinforcing the commitment to accountability and efficiency within the organization Additionally, Ms Khalid expressed her intention to personally visit BISP field offices to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing her hands-on approach to ensuring effective implementation of her directives Emphasizing transparency and empowerment,

Ms Rubina Khalid stressed the establishment of bank accounts for BISP beneficiaries allowing them to access their funds independently thus minimizing human intervention Furthermore Chairperson BISP emphasized the significance of vocational and technical training, particularly for the children of beneficiaries, as a means to alleviate their hardships and contribute positively to their families' well-being

liance and sustainable growth Central to China-Pakistan collaboration is the successful implementation of CPEC Phase One yielding dividends in renewable energy information technology and biotechnology As CPEC enters Phase Two both nations are committed to elevating the corridor, leveraging Pakistan s advantages for self-reliance and sustainable growth

Opposition leader calls Kh Asif’s remarks about Ayub Khan ‘unwarranted’

S ta f f R e p o R t Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub called on Tuesday Defense Minister Khawaja Asif ’s “personal remarks about his grandfather Field Marshal Ayub Khan – unwarranted Ayub Khan is part of history and it is up to us how we see actions [of history] or what we do with them the PTI leader stated while speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, asserting that the minister criticized his family in a language unsuited to the parliament A day earlier, Khawaja Asif supported the opposition’s suggestion to hold trials for those involved in subverting the Constitution under Article 6 starting with former dictator Ayub Khan Ayub Khan was the first to violate his oath He toppled a democratic government He is the root cause of all the chaos that we are facing today Therefore, Article 6 should be invoked; his dead body should be exhumed from the grave and be hanged,” the minister asserted The opposition leader responded that it was a historic fact that martial law was imposed by Iskander Mirza Following Ayub’s repeated condemnation of Asif s remarks NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq intervened to tell the PTI leader that his speech was going in the wrong direction At the outset of Tuesday s proceedings PTI leader Asad Qaiser denounced Asif s behaviour towards Sadiq I condemn how he addressed you Emphasizing that the role of the NA speaker was “highly respectable”, the PTI leader said Asif should have “shown tolerance” as he has been in the house for years “He is an 80-year-old elderly man [so] he should at least have some etiquette he added PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan touched up martial laws imposed by generals Pervez Musharraf and Zia-ulHaq He spoke of Nawaz Sharif s arrest and exile the hanging of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and the assassinations of former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Liaquat Ali Khan

seven objections regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

IHC reser ves verdic t on Imran K han’s bail plea in £190m reference

ment sanctioned depositing funds into the Supreme Court s account Challenged on the legitimacy of the confidentiality agreement and its association with Imran Khan Parvez underscored the PTI founder ’s role as the head of the Assets Recovery Unit

Furthermore Parvez alleged the transfer of land to Zulfi Bukhari, a close aide of Imran Khan, during correspondence between the Asset Recovery Unit and the NCA

two-member bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri concluded arguments before reserving the verdict Amjad Parvez, the National Accountability Bureau s special prosecutor, contended that the funds should have been remitted to the Government of Pakistan as per the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the money state property

The amount identified by the Supreme Court was erroneously deposited into another account Parvez asserted

He also highlighted that the Asset Recovery Unit credited the success of securing the funds to the prime minister Additionally, Parvez emphasized that the transfer of the funds required permission from the National Crime Agency as per documented procedures In response to queries from the bench Parvez was pressed for evidence regarding out-of-court settlements and the legality of transactions preceding official notifications

The prosecutor affirmed that the funds were transferred following a confidentiality agreement dismissing suggestions that the agree-

The judge inquired about the registration timeline of Al-Qadir Trust prompting the revelation of interesting circumstances surrounding its establishment Imran Khan addressing journalists in Rawalpindi s Adiala jail, clarified that the NCA seized the funds following suspicions of irregular transactions, not money laundering, during his tenure as prime minister

Allegations suggest the defendants facilitated the transfer of £190 million to the property tycoon securing land for an educational institute in exchange As investigations unfold