Israel strikes Rafah af ter top UN cour t orders it to halt offensive
In par tnership with Profit S u n d a y, 2 6 M a y, 2 0 2 4 I | 1 7 Z i l - Q a d a h , 1 4 4 5 R s 2 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 3 2 6 I 8 Pa g e s I Ka r a c h i E d i t i o n Sanaullah says PTI founder is a political realit y ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T PML-N senior leader and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah on Saturday revealed that he had no more hate or bad feelings for the PTI founder, saying though he (Imran) did struggle in a wrong direction still he resisted and took stand Neither he could eliminate us nor could we We only can sit and hold talks If you don t understand it, you have to face transgenders , Rana Sanaullah said during an interview to a private Tv news channel The political adviser to the PM asserted that resistance shall be necessity of time but not resistance for the sake of resistance The PTI founder is a political reality but refusing dialogue he said adding that the recent relief to the PTI has not been result of any signal He said that he was not seeing the PTI s founder out of the jail in near future PML-N leader said those in hiding should come to surface “The PTI’s founder was if really doing politics we couldn t get the space at the time of noconfidence we found he said Had the PTI not quit the parliament our government could not sustained upto 16 months, Rana Sanaullah said “The May 09 could not happen, if the PTI didn’t dissolve its government in two provinces,” he further said He said “Political instability causes economic instability and the PTI s founder has caused it He has being a politician has adopted an apolitical approach In a parliamentary system if you refuse dialogue, you are threat to the system, Sanaullah said “If you want to bring a revolution, you should quit the parliament, as the parliament has nothing to do with the revolution ” he said Government adviser said A PTI man has been saying that they will not allow us the dialogue It is our job to get the permission you leave it and come to the table for talks, Rana Sanaullah said They are now demanding to give our mandate first and release prisoners,” he said “If we give the mandate and free prisoners then what will be for talks If we give you all then we will be in jails PML-N leader said He said that the opposition alliance is being formed itself they have not been given any signal A route of talks could open, if the opposition alliance would constitute , political adviser said We will talk with Maulana Fazl ur Rehman after completion of the opposition alliance” “If we talk with him prior they will not get him in the alliance Sanaullah said He said when the establishment has been agreed to be restricted to its role then what is the need of resistance If they are ready to help you out in the SIFC, then why resistance is needed, Sanaullah said Commenting on release of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi he said his release has been justified ” I was not expecting him to tolerate that much” “Definitely he is an opponent but I respect the one who stands alongside the leader against all odds he said Centre, provinces on same page for development of Pakistan: Tarar ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar stated on Saturday that the Special Investment Facilitation Council s meeting had disseminated a message of unity as federation and provinces were on one page on the issue of the development of the country Speaking to the media after the SIFC meeting, he said it was a serious forum and its meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere wherein discussion was held over the national economy attracting investment and public-private partnership Tarar said he was grateful to all Chief Ministers for not only attending the meeting but also giving their input, saying the forum will move forward with the input of all including the chief ministers of the four provinces The minister also congratulated all the provincial governments on the meaningful meeting of SIFC saying investment will be promoted through SIFC forum both at the Federal and provincial levels He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had issued directives for establishment of six desks to promote investment and trade through SIFC which was the lifeline of the country’s economy The special desks will be established for United Arab Emirates Saudi Arabia China Qatar European Union and United States of America PTI moves IHC against CDA operation at par t y’s secretariat ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) operation at party’s central secretariat and seeks order to de-seal its central secretariat The petition filed by the party s General Secretary Omar Ayub urged the court to declare the CDA s demolition order illegal The petition names the Secretary of Interior, Chief Commissioner, Chairman CDA, IG, and others as respondents In the petition the PTI leaders said: Neither any order nor any notice was ever served upon the petitioner hence the impugned act of the respondents is due to malafide intention blackmailing without due process of law and
PR OFIT A G E N C I E S
R I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed for establishment of six desks to promote investment and trade through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) The special desks will be established for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, China, Qatar, the European Union and the United States of America This was stated by the Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar on Saturday after the meeting of the SIFC which was under the chair of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and was attended by the chief ministers of Panjab Sindh Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan COAS General Asim Munir and others Earlier addressing the meeting Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said that the SIFC was playing a critical role in the country’s progress and prosperity and thanked the provincial governments for expressing their confidence in SIFC The prime minister said that should work tirelessly to build a Pakistan as perceived by their founding fathers and by acting upon the advice of Quaid-eAzam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal The prime minister urged the provincial governments to further support the SIFC and move ahead in unison like a family to compensate for the losses of the past and overcome issues of poverty and hunger in the country H e s a i d t h a t t h e f e d e r a l g o v e r nment did not get enough for initiating d e v e l o p m e n t p r o j e c t s a f t e r d i s t r i b ut i o n o f r e s o u r c e s a m o n g t h e provinces therefore under such cond i t i o n s a l l t h e g o v e r n m e n t s s h o u l d move together with unity Updating the members of SIFC about his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates, he said the UAE leadership had announced 10 billion dollars investment in Pakistan and expressed their complete confidence in SIFC The leadership of brotherly countries and others as well were aware of the functioning of SIFC he observed When SIFC was formed through legal procedures, certain concerns were expressed by a quarter but with the passage of time its significance efficiency and achievements had shut all kinds of criticism and everybody now fully supported its initiatives he added The prime minister also cited his meeting with a German delegation that was also aware of the functioning of the SIFC The prime minister stressed that they should resolve today to achieve their targets as sky was the limit and would work day and night to transform Pakistan into something upon which the Pakistanis could feel pride, adding it was possible with the untiring efforts and by shedding sweat and blood The prime minister also underlined the need of capacity building and enhancing professionalism of experts in different fields He said that he had already instructed the ministries clearly to hire consultants and experts and would soon seek their feedback T h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r s a i d t h a t t h e d i g i t i z a t i o n p r o c e s s o f t h e F e d e r a l B u r e a u o f R e v e n u e h a d a l r e a d y c o m m e n c e d He urged all the stakeholders to redouble their efforts and promote the local talent and industry, adding that 60 per cent population of the country comprised youth bulge who should be trained in IT field while the natural resources worth billions of rupees lying untapped be fully utilized The prime minisiter also credited SIFC for paving way for the Reko Diq project in Balochistan province P M O R D E R S E S TA B L I S H M E N T O F S I X D E S KS T O B O O S T I N V E S T M E N T T H R O U G H S I F C g SPECIAL DESKS WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR UAE, SAUDI ARABIA, CHINA, QATAR, EU, AND USA GAZA A G E N C I E S Israel bombed the Gaza Strip including Rafah, on Saturday, a day after the top UN court ordered it to halt military operations in the southern city as efforts get underway in Paris to seek a ceasefire in the war sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack The International Court of Justice (ICJ) also demanded the immediate release of all hostages still held by Palestinian militants, hours after the Israeli military announced troops had recovered the bodies of three more of the captives from northern Gaza The Hague-based court whose orders are legally binding but lack direct enforcement mechanisms also ordered Israel to keep open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which it closed earlier this month at the start of its assault on the city Israel gave no indication it was preparing to change course in Rafah insisting that the court had got it wrong Israel has not and will not carry out military operations in the Rafah area that create living conditions that could cause the destruction of the Palestinian civilian population, in whole or in part,” National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said in a joint statement with Israel’s foreign ministry spokesman The Palestinian militant group Hamas which has ruled Gaza since 2007 welcomed the ICJ ruling on Rafah but criticised its decision to exclude the rest of war-torn Gaza from the order Hours after the ICJ ruling, Israel carried out strikes on the Gaza Strip early Saturday while clashes between the Israeli army and the armed wing of Hamas continued Mediated Israel-Hamas talks on hostage deal expected next week Mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas to reach a deal to free Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip are due to restart next week an official with knowledge of the matter said on Saturday The decision to restart the talks said the source who declined to be identified by name or nationality given the sensitivity of the issue, was taken after the head of Israel’s
agency met the head of the CIA
prime minister of Qatar which has been a mediator
the end of the meeting it was de-
the coming week negotiations
open based on new proposals led by the
Egypt and Qatar and with active US involvement,” the source said Efforts to achieve the release of more than 120 hostages abducted during Hamas Oct 7 assault on southern Israel within the framework of a ceasefire deal have so far fallen short Both sides have blamed the other for the deadlock Israel has said it cannot accept Hamas’ demand to end the war while the Palestinians want Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel Israel has said it wants to eliminate Hamas which governs Gaza and is sworn to Israel’s destruction Sparked by Hamas’ Oct 7 attack the war has raged for more than seven months devastating much of Gaza
case Reacting to the CDA operation the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lamented the demolition of a portion of party s Central Secretariat PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan lambasted the authorities for ‘violating’ the sanctity of his party’s Central Secretariat in the federal capital “In a democracy the central office of a party is sanctified he said terming the bulldozing of central office a cowardly act He alleged that the Central Secretariat was demolished without any reasons or prior notice
P
Mossad intelligence
and the
At
cided that in
will
mediators,
S TA F F R E P O R T
E E K LY I N F L AT I O N D R O P S B Y 0 . 3 4 P C
Police ‘raids’ Hammad A zhar’s Lahore house; two employees, pet dog ‘taken into custody’
ISLAMABAD S TA F
R T Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former minister Hammad Azhar has claimed that Police raided his residence late at night while only his elderly parents were present However Police did not contradict the claim During the operation he claimed two of his employees were taken into custody and also Police reportedly stole his pet dog, Sam The dog in question is a black German shepherd and media reports claim that one officer who was accompanying the raiding party saw the pedigreed dog and decided to take it along Hammad Azhar went into hiding after the
Meteorologists predict heavy premonsoon rains and above-average monsoon rainfall in Pakistan following a devastating heatwave
Pakistan is currently experiencing an unprecedented and severe heatwave, with meteorologists suggesting it may persist until mid-June Relief is expected with the onset of pre-monsoon rains projected to commence from mid-June onwards Furthermore forecasts indicate the likelihood of above-normal rainfall during the monsoon season
Sindh and Balochistan provinces are anticipated to bear the brunt of the heightened rainfall Concerns have also been raised for Gilgit-Baltistan with the Meteorological Department warning of potential glacial lake outburst flood events and increased flood risks
Residents of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been cautioned about elevated day-
‘Al
time temperatures expected to range 4 to 6 degrees Celsius above normal, accompanied by wind and thundershowers
The heightened temperatures may trigger hazardous glacial lake outburst floods in the snowy areas of Chitral district emphasizing the importance of alertness and precautionary measures In 2022, floods and landslides wreaked havoc in several districts of GilgitBaltistan, underscoring the ur-
gency for preparedness
Additionally a cyclone forming over the Bay of Bengal is forecasted to impact southern regions of India, potentially exacerbating temperatures and increasing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods in Pakistan Meteorological experts attribute the prevailing heatwave to high atmospheric pressure and limited cloud cover, contributing to widespread heatwave conditions across the country
Gaddani’s murderers
E P O R T
The journalist community of the twin cities on Saturday staged a protest outside the National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad demanding immediate arrest of the murderers of Sindhi journalist Nasrullah Gaddani Criticizing the government and authorities for their negligence, the protestors called for lifting restrictions on the media Silencing truth-tellers is a blatant attack on press freedom they argued Former Secretary-General of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Nasir Zaidi President of the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ), Tariq Ali Virk, along with other representatives addressed the protestors Speaking on the occasion, Nasir Zaidi highlighted that freedom of expression in Pakistan has been severely compromised with repressive laws choking journalists and preventing them from writing the truth He mentioned that there has been an ongoing effort to silence journalists through intimidation and violence Zaidi warned that PFUJ would not tolerate such tactics and could call for nationwide protests if their demands are not met RIUJ President Tariq Ali Virk stated that Gaddani s murder was a conspiracy to stifle journalism He emphasized that such conspiracies would not succeed and condemned the enforcement of draconian laws and media restrictions in a democratic setup He demanded the immediate arrest of Gaddani’s and other journalists’ killers, including Kamran Dawar Senior Vice President of RIUJ Raja Bashir Usmani denounced the brutal tactics used to prevent journalists from speaking the truth labeling them as fascist measures by the ruling authorities He asserted that the inhumane treatment of journalists in a democratic government is intolerable and called for prompt action against Gaddani’s killers Vice President of the National Press Club Shah Muhammad described Gaddani’s murder as a punishment for writing the truth
ISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
Pakistan reported the third polio case of 2024 as a minor girl from Killa Abdullah has been diagnosed with the crippling disease virus, the Ministry of National Health confirmed on Saturday As per the polio laboratory the girl hailing from Balochistan’s Killa Abdullah showed symptoms of paralysis on April 20 The health ministry said that genetic testing of the affected girl s samples is still underway This is the third polio case in 2024 as Pakistan had earlier reported two cases and all of the three cases reported this year are from Balochistan
The second case of crippling disease of polio was reported in Chaman’s Mir Ali Zai area where a fouryear-old boy was confirmed with the disease
Earlier on March 14 a spokesman for the National Ministry for Health confirmed the first case of 2024
in Pakistan when a two-and-a-half-year-old child from Dera Bugti was confirmed with the poliovirus
The polio-affected child belonged to Union Council No 3 UC of Sui, Dera Bugti The sources at the National Institute of Health said that the polio virus in the child is genetically related to Quetta
A day later the second case of crippling disease was reported in Chaman s Mir Ali Zai area where a four-year-old boy was confirmed with the disease
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) declared May 25, 2022 as the darkest day in the political history of the country because on this day the state unleashed its full fury on peaceful marchers under the leadership of PTI Founding Chairman Imran Khan and subjected them to
to establish the supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law in the country
However, he stated that as the state s fascism reached its peak, the peaceful participations of the Azad March were subjected to the worst state brutalities on May 25, 2022 and unleashed a reign of terror and cracked down on them in sheer violation of the constitution and law
PTI Spokesperson recalled that on that day human rights were trampled across the country and the sanctity of foul walls was desecrated, as on that night, houses were raided women and children were harassed and PTI leaders and workers were abducted He stated that during this state barbarism, two PTI workers were martyred, and dozens were injured, besides destroying properties and ransacking their homes PTI Spokesperson noted that the state machinery tried its best to push the country towards civil war; however it was Imran Khan who
S d y 26 M y 2024 | KARACHI 02 NEWS
l f ro m B a l o c h i s t a n’ : Ta l l y r i s e s to t h re e a s a n o t h e r p o l i o c a s e o f 2 0 2 4 co n fi r m e d
E P O R
LAHORE S TA F F R
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H e av y p r e - m o n s o o n r a i n s e x p e c t e d f r o m m i d - J u n e
a call to action for all party officials who are now in hiding to come out of hiding and pick up their political activities which led to Azhar’s homecoming RIUJ rally for immediate arrest of Nasrullah
ISLAMABAD
TA F F R
F R E P O
riots on May 9 2023 fearing a police crackdown However Azhar last week made a public comeback in the federal capital showing up at PTI s party s central secretariat in Islamabad, following a year-long absence from public scene Imran Khan, the founder of the PTI, recently issued
S
Greece grants consular access to detained Pakistani journalist ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistani government has gained consular access to Pakistani anchor and marathon runner Mona Khan who was detained in Greece after raising Pakistani flag The officials from the Pakistani embassy reached the jail where she is being held Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed raising the case by the Pakistani embassy with the Greek authorities According to Mumtaz Zahra Baloch the Pakistani embassy had demanded consular access to Mona from the Greek authorities Mona Khan was arrested in Greece for the offense of waving the Pakistani national flag while engaging in hiking activities She was arrested for waving the Pakistani national flag as she reportedly traveled to Greece for hiking Coach Mohammad Yousef confirmed that Mona has been taken into custody and stated that the police have also confiscated her phone My last contact with Mona was one hour before she had left her son in Athens,” he said An alleged audio recording of her conversation has also surfaced It suggests that all the hikers had gathered together in Greece and she waved the Pakistani flag to which police came to her and asked about waving the flag and she said yes Mona Khan was then reportedly mistreated by police Yousef appealed to the Pakistani government to take steps for Mona’s release Crackdown on illegal petrol pumps begins in Peshawar PESHAWAR W E B D E S K The district administration of Peshawar has launched a crackdown on illegal petrol pumps arresting owners and taking their dispensers into official possession On directives from the provincial government district administration officers initiated an operation against the sale of smuggled petrol They sealed 21 dispensers and arrested their owners to begin legal proceedings The sale of smuggled petrol through illegal pumps has become an attractive business leading to the establishment of such dispensers across the district A few days ago the Petroleum Dealers and Carriage Association protested against the operation of illegal petrol pumps and went on strike However, after successful negotiations, the district administration agreed to take action against these illegal petrol pumps Smuggled, substandard petrol is not only harmful to vehicle engines but can also cause sudden accidents ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Religious scholars and muftis from various schools of thought jointly called the court s decision convicting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Founding Chairman Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi in the Iddat case immoral, illegal, politically motivated and contrary to Islamic principles demanding the top court to null and void the controversial decision Speaking at a press conference here on Saturday Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) Secretary-General Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Sahibzada Hamid Raza, the Chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) religious scholar MNA Maulana Naseem Shah former federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haque Qadri said that they were holding a press conference purely on the dubious and most controversial decision against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in Iddat case He said that today the scholars of all sects and schools of thoughts were present on the occasion, who were agreed on the point that in dispute over nikkah issue, that only the woman’s testimony was deemed credible and final Noorul Haque Qadri stated that the decision given in the Iddat case was not very controversial but against the very teachings of the Qur an and the Sunnah He said that the very contentious verdict was seemingly given under the pressure of unknowns and demanded that all the involved in this unjust and heinous act should be brought to justice The scholar urged that those involved in this plot should seek forgiveness from Allah and the victims for misusing Islamic laws Qadir went on to say that in the court decision, the Sharia orders were violated and a well-planned character assassination against a veiled woman, which was shameful and despicable He stated that the sacred relation of nikka was made controversial as it would be used an excuse by males to drag female in the court thus the disputed decision would prove lethal for family and marital life Speaking on the occasion, Sahibzada Hamid Raza said that the honor of a woman and the wife of founder PTI were targeted under the pretext of the most shameful iddat case, as it not a condemnable but absurd and disgusting judgement He said that in our society women are kept away from such matters as even in hostilities personal enmity and tribal feuds women s sanctity and honour remained intact Hamid Raza stated that no one has the authority to change the welldefined Shaira rules, but all limits of modesty, Islamic jurisprudence and sunnah were crossed in this abominable decision He noted that an opinion could have been sought from the Islamic Ideological Council on such a sensitive issue Hamid Raza warned PML-N against registering new cases against Imran Khan and said that they compiled massive materials about Nawaz, Maryam and Khwaja Asif and others’ past statements against army chiefs, which was enough to be filed 45 FIRs against them Speaking on the occasion Senator Raja Nasir Abbas said that the woman’s testimony was valid in the issue of Idda but unfortunately they brought the political battle to home and even families were not safe now, which was shameful and condemnable He said that there was a lot of beauty in the eastern civilization, where mothers, daughters and sisters held great respects Nasir Abbas stated that Bushra Bibi was a veiled woman thus it was condemnable to humiliate her He demanded that the judge who awarded sentence to PTI Founder and his spouse should be questioned about his knowledge on Islam and religion and his mental health should be checked Re l i g i o u s s c h o l a r s u rg e S C to a n n u l u n - I s l a m i c i d d at c a s e ve rd i c t ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
tear gas rubber
of
constitution
law
bullets and batons for hours in total disregard
the
and
PTI Spokesperson, in a statement, said that PTI Founding Chairman Imran Khan launched the movement of Haqeeqi Azadi two years ago and took out a historic peaceful Azad March
despite facing and enduring all the worst state atrocities held high the flag of peace and saved the country from internal turmoil and chaos He said that two years ago, the oppression and tyranny inflicted on the citizens marked the beginning of a shameful sequence of the state barbarity and fascism adding that during these two years Pakistan s largest and only federal political party PTI had been subjected to full-scale state brutality PTI Spokesperson lamented that under the pretext of a false flag operation on May 9, senior leaders, including women, and over 10,000 workers were rounded up and imprisoned He went on to say that the state was still engaged in extrajudicial and illegal activities while Imran Khan and PTI were continuously targeted with violence and revenge Pakistan needs stability, which can only be achieved by ensuring supremacy of constitution and law, he asserted PTI Spokesperson demanded an immediate end to the state oppression release of Imran Khan to provide effective leadership to the country and nation before the crisis further aggravated and the situation reached to a point of no return P T I c a l l s M ay 2 5 d a r ke s t d ay i n p o l i t i c a l h i s to r y PR OFIT A P P
H E weekly inflation measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), decreased by 0 34% for the combined consumption groups during the week ended on May 23 2024 According to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) the SPI for the week under review recorded 308 19 points compared to 309 25 points during the past week On a yearly basis the SPI for the combined consumption group increased by 21 31% The weekly SPI with the base year 2015-16 covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups The SPI for the lowest consumption group up to Rs 17 732 decreased by 0 38 per cent and went down to 298 56 points from the last week s 299 70 points The SPI for consumption groups of Rs 17,732-22,888, Rs 22,889-29,517; Rs 29 518-44 175 and above Rs 44 175 decreased by 0 39 percent 0 35 percent 0 36 and 0 33 percent respectively During the week out of 51 items prices of 12 (23 53%) items increased, 18 (35 29%) items decreased and 21 (41 18%) items remained stable The items which recorded a decrease in their average prices on a week-on-week basis included garlic (7 87%), chicken (5 92%), wheat flour (4 66%), LPG (3 23%), onions (1 99%), eggs (1 22%), rice basmati broken (1 12%), pulse masoor (0 95%) rice irri (0 84%) and firewood (0 04%) The commodities which recorded an increase in their average prices on weekon-week basis included beef (0 49%), energy saver (0 44%) pulse gram (0 42%) milk powder (0 37%) tea prepared (0 30%) mutton (0 25%) gur (0 22%) shirting (0 17%) cigarettes (0 13%) curd (0 11%) and milk fresh (0 06%) On year-on-year basis, the commodities that witnessed decrease included bananas (38 32%), wheat flour (30 82%), chicken (23 18%) cooking oil 5 litre (18 83%) vegetable ghee 1 kg (16 07%) vegetable ghee 2 5 kg (16 02%) mustard oil (12 49%) LPG (10 92%) and eggs (7 62%) The commodities which recorded an increase in their average prices on year-onyear basis included , gas charges for Q1 (570 00%) onions (88 26%) chilies powder (69 71%) garlic (53 46%) tomatoes (38 63%) salt powder (32 72%) shirting (30 39%) gents sandal (25 01%) beef (23 70%), energy saver (22 48%), pulse mash (21 79%) and sugar (20 18%) W
g OUT OF 51 ITEMS, PRICES OF 12 (23 53%) ITEMS INCREA SED, 18 (35 29%) ITEMS DECREA SED AND 21 (41.18%) ITEMS REMAINED STABLE
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Mohsin Naqvi seeks plan to establish 'S afe C ity' in D asu, C hilas
11 killed in Multan truck-van collision, five dead in Thatta road crash
Eleven people were killed and 15 others injured when a truck collided with a passenger van on Multan-Mianwali Road while five people were killed and 11 others injured when a Suzuki pick-up van collided with a trailer in Thatta s Jhirk area, the police said According to Rescue 1122 officials, the 11 deceased of Multan accident included five men three women two children and one girl More than 15 individuals sustained serious injuries in the collision between a truck and a passenger van traveling from the opposite direction
The injured and the bodies of the deceased were promptly shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital for medical attention The passengers in the van, who belonged to Multan’s Laar area were traveling to meet relatives when the accident occurred Rescue officials confirmed that all the deceased and injured were members of the same family
However, the rescue officials disclosed that the unfortunate incident has been attributed to the poor condition of the road and construction materials that had
and 11
pick-up van collided with a
Thatta s Jhirk area the police said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Imran Khan confirmed that the deceased were labourers and were on the way to a factory in Kotri when the Suzuki pickup they were travelling in collided with a 22-wheel trailer The accident took place near Hameed Fruit Farm the SSP said adding that the injured were shifted to Kotri
The Suzuki pickup was completely
the accident, while the trailer has been impounded and the driver and conductor have been arrested, the SSP said Earlier this month, four members of a family died and 10 others suffered injuries in a head-on collision between a passenger coach and a car on the Indus Highway near Khairpur Nathan Shah bypass The four belonging to the Memon community were going in a car to the village of Kanhiar Lakhiar in K N Shah from Moro to offer condolences over the death of a relative
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Chairman of Prime Minister s Youth Programme
(PMYP) Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan has emphasised that youth are a national asset, and affirmed the government s commitment to providing them with opportunities across all spheres of life
Addressing the opening ceremony of 3-day Judo
Talent Hunt Youth Sports League at UVAS Lahore on Saturday he said the league was aimed to provide young people with opportunities to excel and was part of the government s commitment to harnessing the potential of youth The chairman emphasised the unique benefits of judo, highlighting how the sport teaches discipline, focus, and mental agility, alongside physical strength He expressed his belief that such qualities prepare the youth to face future challenges effectively
The Talent Hunt Youth Sports League project seeks to foster a passion for sports among young people and enhance Pakistan’s reputation both domestically and internationally He assured that the project would continue reflecting Pakistan s love for sports and its wealth of talented athletes He encouraged the youth to work hard, assuring them that perseverance would lead to success regardless of circumstances
The Prime Minister ’s Youth Program, according to Rana Mashhood Ahmad is a federal government effort that has launched numerous projects for the welfare of young people including sports projects youth loans and the Prime Minister s Laptop Scheme
Despite internal and external challenges faced by the country, he remained optimistic about the bright and shining future of the country, bolstered by guiding the youth and providing them with equal opportunities in all fields
03 nEwS Sunday 26 May 2024 | k ar aChi KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T f O R M E R finance minister Miftah Ismail has criticised the country s political and economic policies particularly targeting former prime minister Imran Khan, accusing him of lacking democratic spirit and merely seeking to regain power Speaking at a dialogue hosted by the Habib Public Alumni Association in Karachi on Saturday Ismail discussed the nation s economic challenges stating No country will invest in Pakistan unless monetary and fiscal conditions improve He highlighted the nature of foreign investments over the past two decades, noting, “Pakistan has only attracted investments that cater to local sales No country has made investments aimed at manufacturing products for export Ismail expressed concerns over the absence of effective economic policies capable of driving national development Even if corruption is eliminated, Pakistan will not become wealthy Businesses cannot thrive on loans from friends; they need bank financing ” he asserted He emphasised the need to simplify investment processes to attract investors and pointed out alarming literacy statistics: In Pakistan, 78% of ten-year-olds cannot read two sentences ” Commenting on Imran Khan’s political approach Ismail remarked “Imran Khan lacks democratic spirit He is not anti-establishment but anti-current establishment His 2011 rally was backed by the establishment Politics today is divided into pro and anti-establishment factions Given the signal, Khan would align with the establishment again ” I s m a i l f u r t h e r c r i t i c i s e d K h a n ’s r el i a n c e o n e s t a b l i s h m e n t s u p p o r t s a y i n g Those who bring you to power can also r e m o v e y o u K h a n s i s s u e s w i t h t h e c u rrent establishment arise because it doesn t support him Reflecting on past governance, Ismail mentioned, “During Khan’s tenure, we witnessed incidents like the ring incident Nawaz Sharif declared that fuel prices wouldn t rise while Ishaq Dar aspired to become a minister Shehbaz Sharif remained silent Ismail also criticised former finance minister Asad Umar s decision to avoid the International Monetary Fund (IMF), calling it a mistake “Not increasing prices cost us Rs110 billion The entire civil government runs on Rs40 billion he explained Ismail who is preparing to launch a new political party remarked “We could have had ministries but we will come through votes God willing If we don t join the government so be it but we are grateful to the army for preventing us from becoming like Syria He urged for straightforwardness in politics stating “Someone has to say no Nawaz Sharif should have said no If he had admitted defeat on February 9 it would have been his victory I M r A n K H A n n e I T H e r D e M o C r AT, n o r A n T I - e S TA b l
S H M e n T, S Ay S M I f TA H ISLAMABAD A P P Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi chaired a meeting regarding the establishment of the Safe City Project in Dassu and Chilas to ensure the foolproof security of Chinese and foreign nationals The minister has formed a special committee to seek a comprehensive plan in this regard and directed the committee to submit final recommendations within 15 days On this occasion the minister said that the prime minister had directed to establish the safe city project in Dassu and Chilas He emphasised the implementation of the project on the pattern of safe cities in Islamabad and Lahore He highlighted that the purpose of Safe City is not just to install cameras but a system that is equipped with advanced technology and artificial intelligence tools adding that the Safe City project will ensure surveillance and security of the entire area The minister further said that Islamabad Police will provide all kinds of support in this regard He directed that Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and Islamabad Police should jointly prepare a comprehensive plan in this regard The minister also constituted a committee comprising of IG Islamabad, RPO Hazara and the representative of WAPDA He said that it is their responsibility to ensure the security of Chinese citizens working for the progress and development of Pakistan assuring that no effort will be spared in this regard The meeting was attended by Federal Secretary for Interior Khurram Ali Agha, Chairman WAPDA Lieutenant General (R) Sajjad Ghani Chief Commissioner Islamabad Muhammad Ali Randhawa and IG Islamabad Ali Nasir
I
Rizvi Additionally the Additional Chief Secretary Home, Additional IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and RPO Hazara joined the meeting via video link
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LAHORE
ISLAMABAD M I A N A B R A R China and Pakistan have identified five new corridors under China, Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at the 13th session of the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) Five new corridors for Phase 2 of CPEC which includes Growth Corridor Economic Development Projects Corridor Innovation Corridor, Green Corridor, and Regional Connectivity Corridor All these five corridors are in line with Pakistan’s economic development framework, the Five Es and Vision 2025 for which Pakistan strives Federal Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal hailed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a milestone of friendship between Pakistan and China, providing a strong foundation for economic cooperation Addressing the media after the 13th session of the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) the minister highlighted the progress made under CPEC including the revival of projects in Gwadar and the identification of five new corridors for Phase 2 of CPEC He also acknowledged the challenges faced by CPEC, including the slowdown in progress after 2018 and the impact of climate change floods and the corona virus pandemic on Pakistan’s economy He said CPEC has provided this friendship with a strong foundation for economic and economic cooperation from 2013 to 2018, 25 billion dollars were invested in Pakistan under CPEC Ahsan Iqbal said that the journey of CPEC slowed down after 2018 due to change of government Criticism of CPEC during this period caused big investors to leave Pakistan as a result of which Pakistan suffered huge losses in investment Further damage to Pakistan s economy was caused by severe climate changes, floods and corona virus While highlighting the projects in Gwadar the minister said that during the 16months government tenure in Gwadar water electricity projects and dredging projects of Gwadar port were reactivated Owing to the lack of dredging of Gwadar port, the depth of Gwadar port was reduced by one and a half meters due to which big ships could not anchor The government completed this work in 6 months Similarly the transmission line from Iran was brought to Gwadar Gwadar was also got connected to the National Grid through a transmission line for the first time Pipeline connection from Gwadar dam to supply more brackish water With these steps, China has regained its confidence in Pakistan to continue CPEC with renewed rigour He also said that the Deputy Prime Minister of China visited Pakistan on the completion of 10 years of CPEC In the thirteenth JCC, it was reiterated to work on developing projects These projects include Azad Patan project and Kohala project These projects will provide 1800 MW of hydel energy to Pakistan Concrete announcements regarding these projects are expected during the visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to China Besides, in the light of the economic situation of Pakistan, the ML1 project of CPEC was revised The cost of the project has been reduced from $10 billion to $6 8 billion The ML1 project will be constructed in phases Its purpose is to enable implementation in accordance with the economic laws of Pakistan Reply to a question the minister said that China s patience and collaboration despite delays is commendable, as they understand Pakistan’s economic situation He shared that due payments will be cleared at the earliest and instructions had already been given to relevant departments The minister answered that the basic infrastructural length is same but time/speed for completion will be increased as the project will be materialized in multiple phases To a question inquiring how much loss CPEC projects had suffered during PTI tenure Minister said that the progress on CPEC projects had regressed by at least 10 years Furthermore the minister said that the decision to use local coal instead of imported coal will help promote the vision of incorporating green economy, 300 Megawatt Gwadar coal will fulfill local demand for fuel along the Makran coast region and 1800 MGW will fulfill remaining demand through Kohala and Azad Pattan projects These two projects will take 6-8 years until completion he added He shared that National Energy Administration of China will visit Pakistan to prepare recommendations to reduce power losses during project construction phases They will also make solutions to convert regular energy efficiently into green energy He also said that Pakistan s economic progress is now depended on consistent increase in agricultural and industrial exports Pakistan has already started exporting wheat, livestock beef and fruits to China One questioner raised concern over the fact that previous government had halted construction of road from Thakot onwards and 3000 workers in Kohistan had lost lives The minister assured that no progress on any CPEC project will be halted by present government China, Pak istan identify five new corridors under CPEC at 13th JCC Zero Tolerance: Pakistan Hajj Mission implements robust staff evaluation system MAKKAH A P P Director of Accommodation and Transport (A&T) at the Pakistan Hajj Mission (PHM), Asghar Ali Yusufzai on Friday said the mission has implemented a robust evaluation system to assess the performance of the dedicated supporting staff and service providers tasked to address Pakistani Hujjajs needs Determined to extend all possible facilities to the guests of Allah Almighty in the holy land of Saudi Arabia, Yusufzai emphasized that there was zero tolerance for any negligence in performing duties, whether by Pakistan-based Mouavneen or local Mouavneen contractors to provide accommodation food or transport I strongly believe in a reward and punishment system he said while talking to the media He said there will be around 550 Pakistan-based Hajj supporting staff, selected under the National Testing Service (NTS) system, when the intending pilgrims reach their capacity in Makkah hopefully by May 30 Yusufzai was of the view that selection through the NTS greatly helped in the availability of quality supervisory officers and the helping staff leading to the conduct of the entire Hajj operation in a seamless manner He said the need-based local Mouavneen were appointed following all codal formalities, including receipt of application by a certain deadline scrutiny interview and preferably fluency in the Arabic language for better communication with local officials in Saudi Arabia Answering a question the Director A&T said We keep a strict eye on all supporting staff, especially the local ones, so that no one with any ulterior motive [business] could access Hujjaj ” The PHM, he said, has so far hired 141 residential buildings for Pakistani Hajj pilgrims in three localities including Al-Azizia Batha Quraih and AlNaseem with a 2-6 kilometer distance which has been divided into nine sectors Similarly, he said, the Hajj Mission has hired nine catering companies, out of which five have so far started their services to provide three-time quality meals to Hujjaj in a week, keeping in view the number of arrived pilgrims To provide a foolproof transport cover Yusufzai said 275 latest buses have been arranged for the movement of Pakistan s intending pilgrims from the airport to their hotel-accommodation, five-time prayer in Haram Sharif, and travel during Hajj days for Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalfa There is a complete accountability system in place to check the accommodation food and transport services Heavy fines are imposed in case of any breach of agreement or poor service he informed CDA Chairman sets four-month deadline for sector development projects ISLAMABAD A P P Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Muhammad Ali Randhawa instructed that ongoing development works across all sectors be completed within a strict timeline of four months Chairman presiding over a meeting on sector development emphasized the need to promptly resolve any obstacles hindering sectoral progress to ensure continuous development Randhawa received a comprehensive briefing on the progress of ongoing development projects in Sector C-14, C-15, C-16 I-12 and E-12 It was reported that 50 percent of the development work has been completed in Sector C14 and C-15 45 percent in Sector E-12 and 80 percent in Sector I-12 Chairman CDA instructed that the development of Sector C-14 must be finished by September 2024, with possession granted to the allottees Saudi sovereign wealth fund to reorganise management amid budget crunch, repor t CONTINUED FR OM PAGE 08 Assets under management include 94 portfolio companies its website says More than two-thirds of its assets are in Saudi Arabia the annual report shows In 2021 the PIF created two deputy governor roles held by Yazeed al-Humied, the head of MENA (Middle East and North Africa) investments, and Turqi Alnowaiser, who heads of PIF’s International Investments Division The fund’s most audacious deals include backing a new international golf series that drew scrutiny from U S lawmakers and accusations of Saudi sportswashing by human rights groups It owns English soccer club Newcastle United and has invested in Uber, private equity firm Blackstone and Japanese conglomerate SoftBank But with Saudi Arabia the world’s top oil exporter still heavily reliant on hydrocarbon revenues while public spending needs are rising officials are under pressure to deliver on the crown prince s plans to diversify the economy Lower oil prices and production dragged on growth last year while spending increased, leading to a fiscal deficit of 80 9 billion riyals ($21 6 billion) – around 2% of GDP A similar deficit is expected this year Among organizational changes the PIF is reviewing costly consultancy contracts including with BCG and McKinsey one of the sources said A spokesperson for McKinsey declined to comment BCG did not have an immediate comment Some contractors have meanwhile started pulling out of projects that are unlikely to meet goals another person said The PIF has recently rejigged its market investments In the first quarter it almost halved its holdings of U S stocks, to $18 billion from $35 billion in December, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed last week To help diversify funding, it raised $5 billion through a bond sale in January and $3 5 billion from a sukuk in October and plans further debt sales this year Aramco transferred an 8% stake to the fund in M a r c h d o u b l i n g t h e P I F s h o l d i n g i n t h e s t a t eowned company to 16% and giving it access to lucrative dividends
Govt striving to provide oppor tunities to talented youth: Rana Mashhood
a
normal of anti-salami-slicing against provocations by the Taiwan independence secessionist forces Senior Captain Li Xi, a spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement on Friday that the theater command continued to conduct the Joint Sword-2024A exercise around the island of Taiwan with integrated operations inside and outside the island chain being conducted to test the command s capabilities to jointly take control of the battlefield and launch joint strikes, and to seize control of crucial areas The two-day Joint Sword-2024A drills were launched on Thursday as a punishment for the separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces and a stern warning against interference and provocation by external forces following Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te’s separatist inaugural speech on May 20 In Friday’s drills the PLA Eastern Theater Command practiced courses including vessel-aircraft coordination sea assault and land attack, and tested the forces combat capabilities including multi-domain coordination and joint strike, spokesperson Li said At a training ground in the eastern part of East China s Fujian Province separated from the island of Taiwan only by the narrow Taiwan Straits modular-
characteristics and modernizing China s governance system and capacity, he stressed Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission visits Rizhao Port in Rizhao east China s Shandong Province Chinese President Xi Jinping also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Com-
ized long-range multiple launch rocket systems entered firing positions and conducted mock fire strikes on Friday according to a video released by the Eastern Theater Command
We, the rocket artillery forces, can strike far, accurately and fiercely We can deliver full-domain, round-the-clock precision strikes on targets ” said Jiang Xiaodong an officer at a brigade affiliated with the army of the PLA Eastern Theater Command vowing to firmly eliminate all Taiwan independence secessionist forces upon receiving the instruction
The rocket force of the PLA Eastern Theater Command erects a short-range ballistic missile during the Joint Sword2024A exercises on May 24 Photo: PLA Eastern Theater Command
The rocket force of the PLA Eastern Theater Command erects a short-range ballistic missile during the Joint Sword2024A exercises on May 24 At sea the Type 054A guided missile frigate Nantong conducted alert patrol and combat exercises in the Taiwan Straits on Friday
While sailing toward the island of Taiwan, the PLA warship was able to visually confirm the Cheng Ho, a frigate of the naval force of the island of Taiwan commissioned in 1994 following from about 0 6 nautical miles away
With rapid maneuvers and stealth approaches, PLA warship flotillas conducted mock strikes against maritime targets in waters around the island of Taiwan
“Under realistic, complex circumstances and supported by the theater command s joint operational system we organized drills including vessel-aircraft
mission, visits Rizhao Port in Rizhao, east China’s Shandong Province, May 22, 2024
Xi s trip to Shandong is the first local inspection he has made since the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau held a meeting on April 30, which decided that the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee will be held in Beijing in July, and the session will primarily examine issues related to further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization Over the years China s reform of the economic system has been continuously improved, and the reform of its political and cultural systems has been steadily advanced and innovated Meanwhile the reform of the ecological civilization system has been accelerated and the reform of national defense and the military has achieved historic breakthroughs Comprehensively deepening reform has
joint anti-submarine and control of key regions in waters to the southwest of the island of Taiwan said He Cheng an officer under a frigate detachment
The frigate established remote link with naval and air forces to the east of the Taiwan island, shared target information and coordinated closely over tactics when conducting joint strikes on key targets and seizing control of major lanes
He said
The air force of the PLA Eastern Theater Command continued their combat patrols around the island of Taiwan and its outlying islands on Friday, with several bombers escorted by fighter jets flying beyond the island chain H-6K bombers and J-16 fighter jets carrying live missiles were seen in report footage taking off from airfields
The warplanes then established attack positions to the east of the island of Taiwan, coordinated with naval flotillas and land-based missile units to conduct mock strikes on key targets
In the rain dozens of transporter erector launchers for DF-11 short-range ballistic missiles of the Rocket Force quickly moved out to preset positions and launched multiple waves of mock fire strikes on targets
The Rocket Force’s troops will resolutely thwart Taiwan independence secessionist attempts of any form said Li Dawei, an officer at a brigade affiliated with the Rocket Force
Wu Qian, a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of National Defense, said in a statement on Friday that the PLA Eastern Theater Command recently organized its army naval air force and rocket force to
placed the construction of the national governance system and governance capabilities in a more prominent position China has convened about 40 meetings of the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform and 30 meetings of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform to improve the top-level design of reform From implementing the Foreign Investment Law and building pilot free trade zones to hosting a slew of major expos and accelerating the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port China unswervingly deepens reforms and expands high-level opening up, injecting positive energy into global development and bringing tangible benefits to people worldwide At Thursday s symposium Xi said China should take resolute steps to remove the ideological and institutional barriers hindering the advancement of Chinese modernization and double down on its efforts to resolve deep-seated institutional challenges and structural issues Economic system reform should start with meeting realistic needs and
conduct joint drills around Taiwan island to test the troops’ combat capability in joint operations
Completely rightful legitimate and necessary, the operation is aimed at suppressing the arrogance of Taiwan independence” secessionist forces and deterring the interference and intervention of external forces Wu said
The PLA will safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity with concrete actions Wu said noting that the PLA will push up countermeasures every time the Taiwan independence secessionist forces provoke, until the complete national reunification is realized Zhang Chi a professor at the National Defense University of the PLA told Chinese media that the PLA s exercises around the Taiwan Straits have become a new normal, which is a punishment for the “Taiwan independence” secessionist forces’ repeated provocations on the Chinese mainland’s bottom line
After former Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen s provocative transit through the US in 2023, the PLA conducted the first Joint Sword exercise, and now the PLA launched another Joint Sword exercise after Lai’s May 20 speech Zhang said concluding that Every time Taiwan independence secessionist forces provoke the PLA will move forward a step further This is a new normal of anti-salami-slicing
In addition to the PLA’s drills, China Coast Guard (CCG) also continued its exercises on Friday following its Thursday patrols near the island of Taiwan s outlying islands
BEIJING S TA F F C O R R E S P O N D E N T China generated 32 85 zettabytes of data in 2023, up 22 44 percent year on year, according to a report released on Friday afternoon at the 7th Digital China Summit in Fuzhou, southeast China’s Fujian Province According to the 2023 edition of the national data resource survey report China experienced explosive growth in unstructured data production in 2023 The rapid development of 5G and AI technologies, along with the widespread use of smart devices contributed significantly to the increase in total data volume through content creation and audiovisual media In terms of data storage, China s cumulative data storage volume reached 1 73 zettabytes in 2023 with its storage space utilization rate climbing to 59 percent By the end of 2023 the scale of computing power across more than 2,200 computing centers nationwide had grown by approximately 30 percent year on year The demand for computing power for large model training surged with increased needs observed in the scientific govern-
mental, financial and industrial sectors according to the report It also suggested that China s overall management and utilization of data resources remain in their initial stages, with challenges such as inadequate effective data supply persisting Global tech leaders gather at BEYOND Expo 2024 shaping future of tech innovation The 4th BEYOND International Science and Technology Innovation Expo also known as the BEYOND Expo 2024, was held in China’s Macao Special Administrative Region from May 22 to May 25 Th expo attracted participants from 800 enterprises including some of Asia s Fortune 500 companies multinationals unicorns and emerging startups, under the theme of Embracing the Uncertainties
and
S d y 26 M y 2024 | KARACHI 06 NEWS MOSCOW A G E N C I E S Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali has said that the two countries will continue to develop their ties even after the martyrdom of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian The progress of Moscow-Tehran ties, which President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian initiated will continue as before the Jalali said on Friday night He was speaking at a ceremony held at Moscow s Islamic Center attended by Muslims from Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan as well as university students from other countries like Japan Also in his remarks, Jalali expressed gratitude towards top Russian officials for their sympathy and assistance since the moment the helicopter carrying Raisi and his companions went missing in northwest Iran on May 19 The ambassador said that even though the news came out on a holiday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with his security and military officials on how to assist Iran at that difficult time Jalali added that he had been invited to attend the meeting as well, and kept connection with Russian officials afterwards Russian officials continued to sympathize with the Iranian nation after the martyrdom of Raisi and Amirabdollahian was announced he added The ambassador meanwhile hailed the late president and foreign minister for their efforts to serve Iran s national interests He said that Raisi was also a caring person for the people of Gaza and made a lot of efforts to alleviate their suffering I r a n - R u s s i a t i e s w i l l c o n t i n u e to g row d e s p i te R a i s i m a r t y rd o m : A m b a s s a d o r
h o w c a s i n g t h e l a t e s t i n n o v ations
trends in the tech world the e x p o a l s o b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r 2 5 0 e steemed figures from various sectors including international celebrity and S a n d s G l o b a l A m b a s s a d o r D a v i d B e c k h a m , C E O o f C AT L R o b i n Zeng, and chairman of Fosun International Guo Guangchang, to explore and discuss the latest advancements in the tech world China repor ts produc tion of 32.85 zettabytes of data in 2023 BEIJING S TA F F C O R R E S P O N D E N T
U I LT after China s reform and opening up Rizhao Port in east China s Shandong Province is a vital global hub for the transshipment of energy and bulk raw materials Through recent technological innovation the port has been upgraded into a modern port serving as a key node for the New Eurasian Land Bridge and an important hub for the Belt and Road Initiative Rizhao Port, together with Qingdao Port, Yantai Port and Bohai Bay Port, formed Shandong Port Group Co , Ltd five years ago Last year the total cargo throughput of the four ports exceeded 1 7 billion tonnes ranking first in the world As part of his first leg of an inspection tour in Shandong Province from Wednesday to Friday, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central
visited the port, recognizing its achievements and urging the province to build a high-level platform for major international exchanges and cooperation Reform is the driving force for development Xi emphasized on Thursday while chairing a symposium in Shandong s capital of Jinan, attended by representatives from businesses and academia To deepen reform further on all fronts, efforts should be focused on the overarching goals of improving and developing the socialist system with Chinese
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and it should advance theoretical and institutional innovation in the process of solving practical problems, he added Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission chairs a symposium attended by representatives from businesses and academia and delivers an important speech in Jinan east China s Shandong Province May 23, 2024 /Xinhua Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission chairs a symposium attended by representatives from businesses and academia and delivers an important speech in Jinan, east China s Shandong Province, May 23, 2024 BEIJING M I A N A B R A R The Chinese People s Liberation Army
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P L A , CCG d r i l l s c o n t i n u e a r o u n d Ta i w a n i s l a n d Fesco imposes Rs864.4m fine on 8,378 power pilferers during anti-theft drive FAISALABAD I N P Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) caught 8378 power pilferers during last 259 days and imposed a fine of over Rs 864 4 million for stealing electricity in six circles of the company during the ongoing special anti-power theft drive Spokesman Tahir Sheikh said here on Saturday that over 19 4 million detection units were charged and 8254 cases were registered against power theft in various police stations The police arrested 6570 pilferers so far including 42 accused during past 24 hours in addition to recovery of Rs 621 8 million from the power pilferers Giving further details he said that the FESCO teams detected electricity theft at 1988 points in Faisalabad First Circle and imposed a fine of Rs 202 29 million on them under the head of 4613,000 detection units In Faisalabad Second Circle the FESCO teams caught 1508 electricity thieves and imposed a fine of Rs 157 8 million under 3726 000 detection units Similarly 947 cases of electricity theft were detected in Jhang circle and the company fined them Rs 99 9 million under 2776,000 detection units He further said that 1219 electricity thieves were caught from Sargodha circle and they were imposed a fine of Rs 130 7 million under 2665 000 detection units In Mianwali circle 2137 consumers were found involved in electricity theft and they were fined Rs 204 4 million for 4259 000 detection units The FESCO teams also caught 579 power pilferers from Toba Tek Singh circle and they were fined Rs 69 million for 1376,000 detection units, the spokesman added Delhi anti-Muslim pogrom sur vivors vow to vote out BJP NEW DELHI A G E N C I E S Survivors of the 2020 Delhi anti-Muslim pogrom have come together to demand change in the upcoming polls, rejecting the ruling BJP s divisive politics and seeking a new era of peace and development According to Kashmir Media Service in a show of unity residents of North East Delhi’s violence-hit areas have vowed to vote out the BJP saying the party is inciting hatred and violence against Muslims We will vote for anyone but not for Modi and BJP; they have killed my brothers, said Saleem Kassar, who lost his brother in the violence Saleem Kassar recalls the date vividly, “February 25th, 2020,” when his brother Anwar Kassar was shot dead and burned while having tea with a neighbor Instead of gaining anything I lost everything due to the violence my brothers my livelihood and my properties all of which we had managed to secure after years of hard work, said Kassar He added, We can somehow rebuild the assets, but how will I get my elder brother back? “We want employment education and peace not ration and hate said Rabiya a community worker who has helped survivors rebuild their lives The BJP s controversial demand for burqa verification has added fuel to the fire, with Muslim women voters feeling targeted and disenfranchised They want to suppress our votes, but we won’t let them,” said Farhana Khan, a community worker As the polls are underway the people of Delhi are demanding a new era of inclusivity and development free from the divisive politics of hate and violence We want a government that will work for all, not just a few said Aaghaz Hussain who lost his son in the violence We won t let the BJP s hate win; we’ll vote for change ” E
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TİK A hands over ‘Motorized Elec tric Wheelchairs ’ to D arul S ukun to empower differently-abled people
K A R A C H I: Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) handed over The handing-over ceremony of Motorized Electric Wheelchairs by Turkish Cooperation and Coor Motorized Wheelchairs to Darul Sukun to support the empowerment of differently-abled people The handing-over ceremony of the wheelchairs was held at Darul Sukun Head Office on Saturday 25th of May in the presence of Prof Dr Mehmet Paçacı Ambassador of Republic of Türkiye to Pakistan Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho Consul General of Türkiye to Karachi Cemal Sangu, TİKA Karachi head Halil İbrahim Başaran and many other distinguished guests Speaking at the ceremony, Turkish Ambassador Paçacı said that Türkiye and Pakistan ties goes long back in the history even before establishment of Republic of Türkiye and Islamic Republic of Pakistan Pakistan showed up extending brotherly arm to earth quake effected Türkiye abs saved 28 lives, similarly, Türkiye sent 13 good will trains to Pakistan after flood in Pakistan Through Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency-TİKA we will continue to support Pakistan STAFF REPORT
C h A shiq elec ted as chairman of APNSF
ISLAMABAD: All-Pakistan Newspaper Sellers Federation (APNSF) on Saturday elected Chaudhry Ashiq Ali as the Chairman of the federation with unanimous opinion of all the members In this regard a meeting of the All-Pakistan Newspaper Sellers Federation was held at Akhbar Market Islamabad under the chairmanship of lifeSecretary-General Tikka Khan Abbasi In the meeting, Secretary-General Tikka Khan Abbasi proposed the name of Chaudhry Ashiq Ali for the new chairman of the federation and subsequently he was elected as chairman with the unanimous opinion of all the members On this occasion Tikka Khan Abbasi lauded
S indh Govt's effor ts lead to safe return of Pakistani students from Kyrgyzstan
KARACHI
On the instructions of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah a PIA chartered flight arranged by the Sindh government to rescue the Pakistani students, reached Karachi from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Provincial Minister for Energy Syed Nasir Hussain Shah Sindh Government Spokesperson Ganhwar Khan Isran and Deputy Mayor Salman Murad warmly welcomed the students at the airport Speaking to the media on this occasion Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said "We are happy that our students have reached their homeland among their loved ones The Sindh government has ensured the safe return of its students to their homes " He said that the students of our country have gone through trauma in Kyrgyzstan In today s special flight students from all over Pakistan have come not only from Sindh, and they have been brought back on a PIA chartered flight man-
aged by the Sindh government on the instructions of Cheif Minister He said that when riots were happening in Kyrgyzstan and their parents were worried, President Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari issued special instructions for the safe return of Pakistani students from Kyrgyzstan They instructed the Sindh government to take the initiative in the return of the students and bring them back home on chartered planes
He said that Sindh Chief Min-
government
the instructions of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah The Chief Minister has also said that if necessary, more chartered planes will be sent to bring back the students
Mushaal Mullick urges India to allow her, daughter ’s meeting with
Yasin Malik
ATTOCK S TA F F R E P O R T
Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan has said that Pindi Gheb is
onment without a fair trial physical presence counsel and legal access
07 NEWS Sunday 26 May 2024 | K AR ACHI CORPORATE CORNER
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KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T
N a significant move, the Government of Sindh through Commissioner Karachi has started operation against illegal encroachments from the 38 km long Lyari Riverbed In a decisive move to reclaim public land from illegal encroachers, the Office of the Assistant Commissioner, SITE, District Keamari along with Sindh Police and Rangers conducted a comprehensive anti-encroachment operation in the Lyari Riverbed from May 16 to May 18 2024 Although the operation faced resistance from encroachers, but it completed
people, but the government officials handled them through successful negotiations and carried on the drive for the next two days The efforts continued to clear the Pak Colony Bridge area resulting in the removal of 80 percent of the encroachments including 15 makeshift houses two warehouses, nine animal barns, and three permanent houses The final phase of the operation achieved a 98 percent clearance rate with the removal of additional makeshift and permanent houses The Commissioner thanked the Sindh Police, District Encroachment Force, KMC and Rangers for their facilitation in the successful completion of the operation During the anti-encroachment drive, it was observed that the main resistance against the drive came from the local residents who were displaced due to Lyari Expressway project The government field teams recommended that the resettlement and compensation process for displaced families requires further improvement to prevent future resistance Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi emphasized the stakeholder involvement in removing obstacles in the subsequent phases and said through strict vigilance and cooperation among all stakeholders, we can maintain the reclaimed areas and prevent future encroachments AirS
SIALKOT: AirSial has successfully launched its first pre-Hajj flight from Sialkot to Medina marking a significant milestone for the airline The first flight took off with a full capacity of pilgrims who were warmly seen off at Sialkot International Airport This new service is part of AirSial s commitment to expanding its operations and providing convenient travel options to Hajj pilgrims from the region The airline s management expressed pride in facilitating this important religious journey, emphasizing their dedication to providing safe and comfortable travel experiences The launch of the Hajj flight was celebrated with a ceremony attended by local officials, airline representatives, and the passengers This new route not only supports the spiritual needs of the community but also highlights Sialkot’s growing importance as a key aviation hub in Pakistan AirSial plans to continue offering dedicated Hajj flights aiming to enhance its services and contribute positively to Pakistan s aviation sector PR Renowned Urdu poet Meeraji remembered on bir th anniversar y ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Renowned Urdu poet Meeraji was remembered on the occasion of his birth anniversary on Saturday Born on May 25, 1912 in a Kashmiri family of Gujranwala his real name was Mohammed Sanaullah Dar He passed his childhood days in Lahore and he began composing poetry when he was at school Later he adopted his pen name Meeraji Though brought up in affluent surroundings, Meeraji left his home and family and chose to lead the life of a homeless wanderer, mostly staying with his friends and making a living by selling his songs Meeraji is considered to be one of the pioneers of symbolism in Urdu poetry and especially introducing free verse Along with Noon Meem Rashid he was a leading poet of the Halqa-e Arbab-e Zauq, which broke away from the classic convention of Radeef and Qafia and explored the rich resources of blank verse and free verse Meeraji’s literary output was immense but he is said to have published very little of his poetry during his lifetime His complete works Kulliyat-e-Meeraji appeared in 1988 while another collection titled Baqiyat-e-Meeraji was published in 1990 He died on November 4, 1949, in King Edward Memorial Hospital in Bombay Gov t working tirelessly to ensure comfor t , well-being of Pakistani pilgrims ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony (MORA) is working tirelessly to ensure the comfort and well-being of Pakistani pilgrims performing Hajj this year Through its dedicated Hajj mission established in Saudi Arabia, MORA is providing a wide range of services to facilitate the spiritual journey of the faithful The department of missing and recovery in Madinah found 530 missing bags and handed them over to their owners Likewise, 61 Hajj pilgrims who lost their way were found and brought to their residences About 304 food and 38 transport complaints were redressed in Madinah With the special support of the Saudi authorities 20 500 pilgrims were facilitated to visit Riyadh alJannah In Makkah 197 bags were found while 17 pilgrims who lost their way were taken to their residences Haram Guides stationed at the entrances of Haram Makkah have provided guidance to 4500 pilgrims so far More than 35 000 pilgrims reached Saudi Arabia by 149 flights Now all flights will land in Jeddah by June 9 2024 The series of pre-Hajj flights for Madinah have already ended since 24 May 2024 Moreover, 32 hundred and 46 pilgrims also reached Saudi Arabia through the private Hajj scheme Special students impor tant par t of societ y, their welfare top priorit y: Governor LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan has said that special students are an important part of our society and all possible steps would be taken for their welfare This was stated by him while speaking during his visit to Special Education Centre at Pindi Gheb on Saturday Malik Riasat Ali Sadaryal, Assistant Commissioner Malik Noor Zaman, SDPO Pindi Gheb Asghar Goraya, Principal Ghazala Yasmin and other officers were also accompanied him Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said that he would make efforts for the improvement of the school at the government level Governor Punjab also visited different parts of the school Malik Riasat Ali Sadaryal announced to donate five lakh rupees to the school on behalf of Governor Punjab The principal of the school Ghazala Yasmin while giving a briefing to the governor of Punjab said that this special education school was established in 2022 at a cost of two crore rupees with the full support and encouragement of General (R) Arif She said that this school was spread over an area of six kanals, the first floor of which has been constructed under self help basis while efforts are underway for the construction of the second floor S I N D H S TA R T S D R I V E T O C L E A R LYA R I R I V E R B E D O F E
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introduces text-to-speech feature on its website
A R A C H I: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) proudly announces the launch of its new Text-toSpeech feature on its website, specifically tailored for the blogs and articles section This audio enhancement aims to significantly improve accessibility and convenience for users browsing specific content available on PSX website The Text-to-Speech functionality proves specially valuable for those individuals who prefer listening to content rather than reading Additionally, this service caters to those of PSX’s patrons facing visual impairment, reading difficulties, or those who prefer to do multitasking and would simply want to listen to content on the go The audio player is embedded in the various blogs and articles available on the PSX website for a smooth listening experience This audio feature offers customisable options such as playback speed adjustment and effortless navigation STAFF REPORT
with 80 percent success on its clearance goals, said a statement issued on Saturday The operation, ordered by Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi, aimed to clear significant portions of the riverbed encroached by various illegal structures and activities The first phase of the anti-encroachment drive commenced in the Pak Colony Old Golimar area, targeting an area over one kilometer long Various illegal parking facilities sand-crushing plants water plants and makeshift housing structures were identified Notably one of the heads of the illegal parking mafia was arrested, and 75 percent of the encroachments were cleared The operation faced resistance from a mob of 300-400
ial launches Hajj fight operation from S ialkot
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sacrificial animals
hallmark of K arachi: D
attar
Bypass c attle market for
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r Farooq S
A R A C H I: Dr Farooq Sattar stated that the security arrangements at the cattle market are satisfactory and law enforcement agencies are working on further improvements He made these comments during a media briefing on his visit to the market MQM senior leader Dr Farooq
visited the Northern Bypass Cattle Market and expressed his satisfaction with the arrangements and security measures Muzaffar Hasan Khan Administrator of the Northern Bypass Cattle Market welcomed Dr Farooq
about the facilities provided to traders
buyers Speaking to the media, Dr Farooq
that the cattle market is a symbol of Karachi He congratulated the farmers
organizers
work hard throughout
year
this market
Sattar
Sattar and informed him
and
Sattar remarked
and
who
the
to prepare
PR
TA F F R E
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P O R T
has announced that chartered flights will also be arranged for the return of other Pakistani students stuck in
Sharjeel
today's chartered
Sindh
ister Syed Murad Ali Shah
Kyrgyzstan
Inam Memon said that
flight was organized by the
on
the way Chaudhry
Ali had worked for the welfare
newspaper vendors in the past, saying the new chairman will protect the rights
newspaper vendors while respecting the constitution “Ch Ashiq
protect the rights
the federation’s members
actively participate in the activities of the All Pakistan Newspaper Sellers Federation he added Ch Ashiq Ali said in his address that he was grateful to Tikka Khan Abbasi and all the members for the trust they had reposed in him Insha Allah, I will spare no effort to protect the rights of newspaper vendors and continue the struggle for the welfare of the newspaper vendors across the country along with the federation he pledged PR ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Mushaal Hussein Mullick wife of jailed Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Mohammad Yasin Malik in a video message has demanded that India allow her along with her 12-yearold daughter Raziyah Sultana to meet Yasin in Tihar jail She demands that they should be allowed the facility as per rules under Geneva Conventions on the rights of prisoners The family has not seen each other and been forcibly divided for almost 10 years Mushaal has urged the United Nations and other world bodies apart from government of Pakistan to look into grave human rights violations and put pressure on India to guarantee her safe and secure meeting with him in Tihar jail’s death cell in New Delhi Indian kangroo courts have unilaterally given life imprisonment to Yasin Malik in fraudulent cases to suppress the legitimate voice of Kashmirs’ right to self-determination she says Now the government of India is seeking death penalty on ficticious cases to silence the most powerful voice of Kashmiris under Indian occupation It has been two years since he was charged and given life impris-
Ashiq
of
of
will
of
and
ward
served
this while
local media after
hosted
Pindi Gheb Sardar Saleem Haider reiterated that he would make utmost efforts for uplifting status of Pindi Gheb to a district Candidate Provincial Assembly Constituency PP 04, Malik Riasat Sadharial, Asif Ali Malik Advocate Haji Akhtar Gharibwal and Faisal Shahzad Advocate (President Bar Association) were also present In response to a question about Defamation Bill the Governor of Punjab said that a decision would be taken after considering the defamation law in detail and considering the constitutional requirements and with consultation He also assured to convey the issue of prolonged load shedding of Sui gas to the concerned quarters Pindi Gheb oldest, most backward tehsil, deser ves to become distric t: Governor RAWALPINDI S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan Navy deployed the PNS Aslat to conduct regional maritime security patrols in the Indian Ocean a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday This deployment aims to safeguard merchant vessels entering and exiting Pakistani ports Additionally PNS Aslat’s presence seeks to enhance the security of international shipping routes ISPR added Throughout its mission, the warship will engage in collaborative efforts with allied nations while also undertaking independent operations As part of maritime diplomacy PNS Aslat will also make port visits to regional destinations Equipped with advanced weaponry and sensors, the warship is prepared to tackle diverse threats and execute various maritime missions effectively On February 21 Pakistan Navy s state-of-the-art 4th Offshore Patrol Vessel PNS Yamama was launched at M/s DAMEN Shipyard in Romania According to ISPR, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami graced the occasion as the chief guest marking a momentous occasion for Pakistan s maritime capabilities The Vice Chief of the Naval Staff emphasised the critical role of maritime security amidst prevailing conventional and non-conventional threats in the Indian Ocean Region He underscored Navy s pivotal contribution to maintaining safe and secure sea lanes crucial for maritime trade Nav y deploys PNS A slat to Indian Ocean for maritime patrolling
the oldest and most back-
Tehsil of Punjab which de-
to become a district He stated
talking to
attending a luncheon
by former Vice Chairman Malik Obaidullah Tahir and renowned political and religious figure Hafiz Talha Zubair at
