Epaper_24-05-5 KHI

H C I S S U E S C O N T E M P T N O T I C E S

O I B , F I A A N D P TA C H I E F S

i o n Earlier discussing the applications, the court noted that various passages in the applications filed by the FIA and the IB were identical “[This was interesting as] the two applications [were] filed obviously by two separate entities independent of one another [One of the identical paragraphs was] a quotation of Lord Denning on the matter of bias,” it added

Former prime minister and incarcerated founding chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has reiterated his openness to engage with all stakeholders except for the PML-N PPP and MQM-P Khan made it clear the formation of a three-member committ e e w i t h i n h i s p a r t y i s a i m e d a t facilitating discussions not striking deals

During an informal conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail on Saturday, Khan said negotiations are typically conducted with adversaries rather than allies He clarified that individuals seeking to evade legal consequences or exit the country are usually the ones inclined to make deals

We have been stating for 18 months that we are open to talks because negotiation is an integral part of politics We are willing to engage with everyone except for the three parties mentioned for which a dedicated committee has been established, Khan stated

Clarifying his stance, Khan reiterated that the committee is solely authorised for negotiations and will not be involved in brokering any covert deals He asserted that he harbours no desire to seek release from detention Addressing the impending

legal challenges Khan mentioned the potential initiation of another Toshakhana-related case against him, expressing his unwavering resolve despite mounting pressures

Last week, reports emerged indicating Khan’s consent for his party to engage in discussions with both the establishment and political rivals However Khan stressed adherence to established protocols and the need to establish clear Terms of Reference (TORs) before initiating any talks

Confirming the readiness for dialogue PTI leader Shibli Faraz outlined the party s prerequisites for negotiations, stressing the importance of a conducive environment for constructive dialogue During a Senate session a day

earlier PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui extended an invitation to PTI for talks on behalf of his party leadership On the same day, PTI leader Shehryar Afridi expressed intentions to engage in discussions with the military establishment Afridi speaking to a private TV channel indicated that talks with the army chief and DG ISI would take place soon Afridi clarified that PTI s objective is not to seek a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) for itself but rather to negotiate for the “betterment of Pakistan s future He also mentioned Khan s longstanding desire to engage with the establishment from day one, lamenting the absence of a response thus far

CDWP GREENLIGHTS 10 DEVELOPMENT

PROJECTS WORTH RS115.4B

tate power distribution from various sources including Suki Kinari, Tarbela 5th extension, and Dasu hydroelectric power projects to the National Grid

Two projects related to the Governance sector approved in the meeting namely Modernization and upgradation of Pakistan Mint Phase-II (Revised) worth Rs2479 212 million, were approved by the forum The sponsoring and implementation agency of the project will be the Finance Division

Islamabad West Substation(Revised) worth Rs 59, 801 million, to ECNEC for further consideration The project was proposed to be funded by the World Bank as part of the National Transmission & Modernization Project Phase-I along with NTDC s own equity The project aims to establish a 765/500/220/132 kV Substation in Islamabad West, accompanied by relevant transmission lines, to meet the increasing power demands in the areas under the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) Additionally the grid station will facili-

Another project of the governance sector was approved namely Project Management Technical Assistance and Institutional Strengthening through Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) Post-Flood 2022

AUDSTERS

Changan slashes Oshan

KP

govt decides to terminate inac tive development projec ts

The Planning and Development (P&D) department has sought details from administrative departments about projects that can be completed in the fiscal year 2024-25 Similarly details have been sought about projects being funded by international aid agencies Projects that can be modified to reduce their estimated cost have also been identified

The provincial government has directed that instead of constructing new buildings, temporary work should be

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to terminate inactive development projects included in the annual development program In this regard all administrative departments have been asked to provide details of such projects that can be terminated immediately The provincial government has focused all its attention on three-year projects and has made it mandatory to provide solid justification for projects that have been ongoing for more than three years

carried out in rented buildings It has also been asked which projects can be terminated The provincial government has strictly instructed administrative departments that if any project needs to be continued for more than three years, solid reasons must be provided This decision is aimed at streamlining the development process and ensuring that only viable and necessary projects are continued The government has taken this step to avoid wastage of resources and to prioritize projects that are essential for the development of the province

F W O C L E A R S L A N D S L I D E - B LO C K E D

A R A KO R A M H I G H W AY

Ta rescue operation and transported the injured to Chillas Hospital for urgent medical treatment Rescue sources said the death toll might rise further as the majority of the injured were in critical condition

Mir waiz reiterates to fight for peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute

SRINAGAR

S ta f f R e p o R t

Senior leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has reiterated to continue his struggle for finding a peaceful resolution to the long-standing Kashmir dispute

According to Kashmir Media Service in a media interview Mirwaiz Umar Farooq lamented that despite over seven decades since the dispute over Kashmir began, a final settlement still remains elusive He emphasized the importance of respecting the aspirations and will of the Kashmiri people and reaffirmed the Hurriyat s dedication to peaceful methods of dialogue and cooperation to achieve a resolution He said, The Hurriyat, formed in 1993, was a political initiative for sup-

porting a political resolution of this long-standing issue on the democratic principle of respect for the aspirations and will of the people of J&K”

“The Hurriyat’s political endeavour remains favouring peaceful methods of dialogue and cooperation between the parties as means to a resolution he

added He criticized India’s illegal actions of August 5, 2019 as having further complicated the issue and disempowered the people of IIOJK He said The government of India made drastic unilateral changes and complicated the dynamics of the Kashmir issue in 2019 The alterations have further disempowered people” Referring to the events of post1947 the Mirwaiz said “The new neighbours (India and Pakistan) took the Kashmir problem to international fora, fought war three to four times and signed bilateral agreements However, a final settlement still eludes us”

He also criticized India’s attempt to project the ongoing parliamentary elections in IIOJK as a representation of the people s will in the larger context of the Kashmir conflict

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)

Spokesperson demanded the formation of a judicial commission to thoroughly and transparently investigate the wheat scandal and mandate theft in the light of spat between the former caretaker prime minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar and Hanif Abbasi

PTI Spokesperson said that Kakar and Abbasi’s revelations were an eyeopener, which raised many important questions that needed to be probed to bring the main perpetrators involved in the wheat scandal and stealing public mandate to book He said that Kakar and Hanif Abbasi should admit their crimes because the public was deprived of their mandate through midnight robbery and the farmers bore the brunt of the mismanagement of the government despite bumper crops

PTI Spokesperson stated that a judicial commission should be constituted keeping in view the conversation between Kakar and Hanif Abbasi to hold accountable those responsible for importing surplus wheat under the organized plan and punish the elements

behind altering the election results and preparing fake Form 47 in order to return the public mandate to the real public representatives He said that the exchange of harsh words between Kakar and Hanif Abbasi were actually a clear confession of the characters involved in plundering national kitty and stealing the public mandate PTI Spokesperson continued that Kakar s warning that he spills the beans about Form 47, the PML-N would have nowhere to hid” was actually exposing the reality of the general elec-

tions before the nation He went on to say that the farmers were paying the price of Kakar s overstepping of the constitutional powers to allow important of surplus wheat despite bumper production in the country PTI Spokesperson stated that the members of ruling party were indulged mud-slinging and blame game to safe-

TH E decision by NAB to withdraw the LNG case will obviously be a relief to all the accused, who included a former PM, a former Finance Minister, senior executives and leading businessmen However, it leaves unanswered questions about the process The LNG terminal deal was made in 2015, and appeared then (and now) to have been aboveboard, but it was mined by the PTI government and NAB to raise charges against Shahid Khaqan Abbassi, the former PM who had been Petroleum Minister at the time of the deal, and Miftah Ismail, who had been Finance Minister The PTI needed to show that the PML(N) was corrupt, and its leaders should be flung behind bars NAB was willing, and the leaders were flung behind bars However, there were two catches First, the PTI charges could not be established Second, a lot of other people, who were involved in the deal but were not in the PML(N), also had to be targeted by NAB

When the whole case fell apart, not because a favourable government was in office, but because NAB simply didn t have any evidence of wrongdoing, not only did the PML(N) bigwigs get off, but their nonpolitical alleged accomplices

At this point, no one seems responsible for the reputational loss suffered by people like Imranul Haque, the former PSO MD, or Hussain Dawood, the Engro chief These are examples of the people who were not only brought into the case by NAB, but who were discussed on TV by talking heads, as part of the PTI playbook was to conduct media trials It could be argued that those who entered politics should expect to have mud flung at them, though that is an argument that cuts both ways (for example, PTI chief Imran Khan s present travails are thus justified) However, those who have had nothing to do with politics all their lives, were also targeted

The lesson seems to be to stay away from anything that has to do with the government

The government should remember that the cost of going after political opponents includes causing suffering to ancillary characters whose involvement is only tangential The present government should also take a long hard look at what it is doing, and ensure that no one is being persecuted unfairly The state is very powerful, and that power must be wielded wisely

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

M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit

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TH E story of politics in Pakistan has been an exercise in recurring faces and generational legacies, one after another, a rebranding exercise, not really one of renewal The narrative laid before the youth of Pakistan for generations is laden with expectations and disillusionments Our generation couldn t achieve the change Pakistan needs so now all is up to yours It is in a kind of paradox that all the mechanisms that would indeed help in the task at hand have been categorically dismantled, not least of them the student unions

Their dismantling since 1984 by General Ziaul Haq marked a huge setback to Pakistan s political and social fabric setting in motion a process through which there was almost nobody to fill in the shoes of grassroots-level political leadership In this environment, the ban has contributed to the stifling of political growth, creation of a political stasis in which ascent often involves nepotism cutting corners and dynastic politics rather than merit and new ideas It has rather contributed toward fostering an environment where a parochial political culture amongst the youth breeds

The on-and-off status of the student unions after their ban marked a fractious relationship between the state and student activism In 1988, Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto came up with the most relevant venture to lift the ban and it was a new beam of hope However the re-emergence of student unions through her venture was tarnished with episodes of violence The succeeding legal and judicial restrictions, including the Supreme Court interim order of 1992 and ban of 1993, further crippled the traditional character and potential of these unions

The irony is not lost for most of the political figures in Pakistan today who at one time had leveraged from the activity in student politics and the platforms that the student unions provided are part of the machinery that is denying this generation the same opportunity Their political careers, which have spanned decades, underscore the pivotal role that these unions once played in nurturing leadership, political engagement and key skills among the youth It must be noted when one considers that the very platforms that facilitated the rise of these leaders have been denied

o u n d a t i o n s o f f i n t e c h Fintech ser

to subsequent generations, effectively halting the manufacturing of new political faces and fresh ideas It is for this reason that stories of the likes of Jibran Nasir and Ammar Ali Jan of younger folk getting into politics are considered far and few in the Generation Z, precisely because they are exceptional, an exception to a norm that heaves the weight of the system heavily in favor of established political dynasties and status quo The examples above point to how much more may be possible if fewer barriers to entry in political activity and participation existed and they offer just a suggestion of how much more vibrant and representative the political scene could be The country loses out not only on the young upcoming leaders, new ideas, and fresh faces, but it also suffers greater loss in the sense that the disengagement from politics among the youth is more pronounced in the absence of the student unions Without such forums for critical participation and debate the avenue into political engagement becomes murky and elusive for many This only further fortifies the barrier to entry practically, nobody can enter the stage This further enforces the cycle of political entrenchment and stagnation: the similar stories, the similar faces at the helm of the political stage unchallenged unopposed unchanged The fact of the matter is that today there is a similar setup like the National Youth Assembly and a number of

in the blink of an eye Given the prevalence of an archaic method of saving money specifically known as rotating savings and credit association (ROSCA) Oraan a fintech company started its operation for that sole purpose with women s household population its priority Inclusivity, fintech companies’ prime priority, flows here too, since Oraan also welcomes the male population Users sign up deposit a selected amount and specify a period of need The app charges a

minor fee to provide facilities Considering the need and trend, banking sectors also commenced the fintech type services: JS bank launched Zindagi app Allied Bank Limited MyABL Habib Bank Limited Konnect and Meezan Bank Meezan Mobile Banking Raast by State Bank of Pakistan as mentioned above and various mobile banking apps by private banking sectors, emphasize and understand the need for financial inclusion in Pakistan In doldrums for years Pakistan’s poor population activity accelerated courtesy of fintech companies activation Though the economy as always is teetering the finance circulation has been put into the smooth track since the fintechs are easy to use, convenient to sign up, smooth to function with simple display to locate functionalities Though the majority of the population is mobilised and is finding ease in using so for a sizeable proportion fintech companies are still an alien term given the lack of mobile towers in remote rural areas, and s populace lacking knowledge of using smartphones These restrictions do restrict the widespread usage of fintech companies’ services

The private banking sectors and governmental financial systems jump in to secure a way to include all population to get benefit from the financial hand with technology Robust foundations of fintech can be the sole service available for all and sundry in the era of penury in all other fields

The writer is a freelancer He can be reached at @insafalibangwar98@gmail com

Students unions must be revived

ArhAm ZeeshAn sAeed

AImen JAAved mAlIk

TThe Quaid upheld the Constitution He visited Staff College Quetta and told them: I should like you to study the constitution which is in force in Pakistan at present and understand its true constitutional and legal implications when you say you will be faithful to the constitution ” The Quaid cautioned the civil servants in Peshawar: Governments are formed governments are defeated Prime ministers come and go, ministers come and go, but you stay on and, therefore, there is a very great responsibility placed on your shoulders You should have no hand in supporting this political party or that political party or this political leader or that political leader this is not your business Your duty is not only to loyally serve whatever legitimate government is in office but at the same time fearlessly maintaining your high reputation, your prestige, your honour and the integrity of your service ” “If they [leaders and politicians] ever try to interfere with you [the civil servants] and bring political pressure to bear upon you which leads to nothing but corruption bribery and nepotism they will be doing a disservice to Pakistan Maybe some of you may fall victim to not satisfying the whims of ministers Sacrifices have to be made for Pakistan to give it a complete sense of security” Roedad Khan was not happy with most post-Partition leaders Bolman and Deal say Great leadership begins when a leader s world view [Weltanschanschauung] and personal story, honed over years of experience, meet a situation that both presents challenges and opportunities’ They add Great leaders test and evolve their story over time experimenting polishing aban-

doning plot lines that don t work and re-inventing those that do Bad stories often lead to disaster but good ones conjure magic (Lee G Bolman and Terrence E Deal How Great Leaders Think: The Art of Reframing) Unlike the Quaid, our leaders lacked a Weltanschauung a world view’ The word combines German Welt (“world”) with Anschauung ( view ) which ultimately derives from the Middle High German verb schouwen ( to look at or to see ) It is a particular philosophy or view of life; the world views of an individual or group It is a concept fundamental to German philosophy and epistemology and refers to a wide world perception Additionally it refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs forming a global description through which an individual, group or culture watches and interprets the world and interacts with it Hitler, otherwise viewed as a psychopath explains his world view in Chapter 1 of his autobiography (Weltenschauung and party) Mein Kampf (My Struggle) He says Thus we brought to the knowledge of the public those first principles and lines of action along which the new struggle was to be conducted for the abolition of a confused mass of obsolete ideas which had obscure and often pernicious tendencies’ In his autobiography (written in prison) Hitler reviews all aspects of German life the World War I defeat collapse of the Second Reich the mask of Federalism , propaganda and organisation’, German post-War policy of alliances’, and Germany’s policy in Eastern Europe’ His efforts to forge alliances with adversaries reflect that he was a rational flexible man

Napoleon s world view (like Julius Caesar s) is less pronounced than his lust for power and contempt for constitution (like ZA Bhutto, Zia, et al) Pakistan s prime ministers and prime-ministers-to-be forgot French jurist Jean Bodin’s dictum majesta est summa in civas ac subditoes legibusque salute potestas that is highest power over citizens and subjects is unrestrained by law (Roedad Khan, Pakistan: A Dream Gone Sour) Napoleon told Moreau de Lyonne, “The constitution, what is it? But a heap of ruins Has it not been successively the sport of every party?” “Has not every kind of tyranny been committed in its name since the day of its establishment? During his self-crowning in 1804 Napoleon said, What is the

They have forgotten the lesson of Islam Do you realize that millions have been exploited and cannot get one meal a day? If this is the idea of Pakistan I would not have it

Might Modi lose?

BJP has absorbed a large number of opposition politicians into its ranks, often by coercing those accused of corruption into switching sides to avoid prosecution. The BJP ‘washing machine’ which ‘cleans’ tainted politicians has become a national joke

Attempting to polarise the

Which is worse, Israel’s lies about Gaza or its western backers who repeat those lies?

religious grounds is a tried-and-tested BJP tactic

s h A s h I T h A r o o r

AThe logic is simple: if the demonisation of Muslims can get even half of India’s Hindus (who comprise 80 percent of the population) to forget their other differences and rally around the party another electoral victory is in the bag But this strategy is not foolproof So the BJP is also employing other tactics For starters, it has absorbed a large number of opposition politicians into its ranks, often by coercing those accused of corruption into switching sides to avoid prosecution The BJP “washing machine” which “cleans” tainted politicians has become a national joke

The BJP has also offered to form alliances with various opposition parties One of them the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh tabled a no-confidence motion against Modi’s government in the Lok Sabha (lower house) just a few years ago and its leader has sharply criticised Modi Now suddenly all has been forgiven

The BJP s very public attempts to woo the Biju Janata Dal in the eastern state of Odisha and the Akali Dal in the western state of Punjab both of which abandoned the BJP during previous coalitions were less successful

Both parties spurned the BJP’s entreaties When its attempts at persuasion and co-optation fail the BJP turns to outright intimidation Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal the president of the opposition Aam Aadmi Party, which is in power in Delhi and Punjab was thrown in jail after a midnight arrest part of an ongoing investigation Kejriwal s deputy has been in jail for a year but no charges have yet been brought against him As for Congress its bank accounts were frozen at the start of the campaign, and party leader Rahul Gandhi s helicopter was raided last month in an abortive search for illicit booty These are not the actions of a confident party with abundant popular support but rather of a party that feels power slipping from its grasp The BJP sailed through the last general election in 2019, winning every parliamentary seat in six states, all but one seat in three states, and all but two seats in two states In all these states, the BJP has only one way to go: down Even if it loses just a handful of seats in each it will cumulatively lose its majority which stands at just 32 seats And there is a good chance that will happen After all, in 2019, the BJP got a major boost from a terrorist attack on a military convoy in Indian-Occupied Kashmir, which was carried out just a couple of months before the vote by the Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammed With no such event galvanising Indian voters today the BJP cannot hope to replicate its performance from the last election The public has had enough of the BJP’s broken promises, and the opposition is seized by a new confidence Change is in the air Shashi Tharoor a former UN undersecretary-general and former Indian Minister of

T“H E Italians having a proverb, wrote the 17thcentury British courtier Anthony Weldon, “‘He that deceives me once, its his fault; but if twice it’s my fault ’”

Today we commonly summarize that old Italian proverb as: Fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me Since the horrific 7 October attack, the far-right Israeli government and its army of propagandists have deceived and fooled Western politicians and journalists not once or twice but multiple times There are almost too many lies distortions and falsehoods to keep track of Forty babies beheaded by Hamas? Never happened Babies baked in ovens or hung on clothes lines? False A Bondvillain-style lair hidden under al-Shifa hospital? Nope Palestinians in Gaza caught on camera faking their injuries? A complete fabrication The list of Hamas hostage-takers found on a wall in the al-Rantisi children s hospital? Sorry, no, it was just the days of the week on a calendar in Arabic How about the atrocities that Israeli forces have been credibly accused of that they then loudly denied and then later were found to be responsible for? The flour massacre in February? The bombing of the refugee convoy last October? The white phosphorus attack in southern Lebanon, also in October? As my friend the Palestinian-American analyst Omar Baddar laid out in a nowviral tweet: Timeline on repeat: • Israel commits massacre • Israel denies massacre Media says we don’t know who committed massacre investigation reveals Israel committed massacre News cycle moves on • average person doesn t know Israel systematically committing massacres Yet the Israelis keep telling lies and our political and media elites in the west keep getting fooled Shame on them Perhaps no Israeli lie however has been more damaging, more destructive, more deadly, than the claim that Unrwa

Because it was a lie

so consequential that it helped lay the groundwork for a devastating ongoing man-made famine inside the Gaza Strip In late January after a relentless anti-Unrwa campaign by Israel and its proxies in the west which culminated in the unproven accusation that Unrwa employees were involved in the 7 October atrocities 16 donor countries including Unrwa s main financial sponsor the United States suspended around $450m funding to the agency

crippling Unrwa, the largest relief organization in Gaza, would risk “hastening famine” They were warned that the Is-

flimsy unproven allegations But they trusted Israel

Over the past three months, as Palestinian children have literally starved to death, many of those countries belatedly resumed funding to Unrwa – including the German government which is the secondbiggest source of funds for the agency Why? Last week an independent review of Unrwa s work, led by the former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna, concluded that the agency “remains pivotal in providing life-saving humanitarian aid and essential social services and as such UNRWA is irreplaceable and indispensable to Palestinians human and economic development

Crucially, referring to the Israeli government’s explosive claim that Unrwa employees were involved in Hamas attacks Colonna s report said that Israel has yet to provide supporting evidence for these claims It also pointed out how Unrwa actually shares staff lists” every year with both Israel and the United States and revealed that “the Israeli Government has not informed UNRWA of any concerns relating to any UNRWA staff based on these staff lists since 2011 Since 2011 So it was all a lie From Israel Again Now, to be clear, as the Guardian s Julian Borger reports, “there is a separate review under way into specific claims Unrwa employees took part in the 7 October attack but the last time there was a progress report Israel was still withholding cooperation with that review, too (Even in the unlikely case that this other review does conclude that a dozen employees took part, that’s 12 out of 13 000 UNRWA staff in Gaza – or around 0 1% of the total workforce!) The United States nevertheless has refused to resume its support for Unrwa; in fact, Congress passed a law banning the funding of the agency till at least March 2025 Fool me once or dozens of times? Consider the credulous politicians and pundits who lined up to echo and endorse Israel s false narrative on Unrwa

UNRWA and claimed the agency s staff had been exposed as terrorists The congressman Ritchie Torres tweeted that Unrwa had been governing Gaza at the behest of Hamas None of these prominent Democrats have retracted these false claims on their Twitter accounts since the release of the independent review last week Nor have

DAILY STAR

Hindutva goons assault Delhi sanitation worker for failing to chant Hindu slogans

In a disturbing incident, Hindutva goons subjected a 55-year-old sanitation worker to coercion and physical assault for faltering to chant Hindu slogans in Delhi’s Karol Bagh The harrowing ordeal began when the sanitation worker on his way to work found himself encircled by some Hindutva men who demanded that he

Reacting to the shocking incident Himanshu Valmiki district coordinator of Bhim Army (a Dalit rights organization) in Delhi, decried the attack as an appalling display of caste discrimination and religious intolerance “This is religiously motivated violence, which speaks of caste discrimination ” Valmiki asserted condemning

the victim s anguish In the video the victim tearfully narrates the ordeal lamenting the derogatory remarks hurled at him during the assault Notably, since Modi s rise to power in India, there has been alarming rise in systemic injustices faced by marginalised communities Incidents of this nature are often perpetrated by Hindu extremist

During Chinese President Xi Jinping s upcoming state visit to France exchanges between the great Chinese and French civilizations are likely to be a hot topic

At the invitation of President of France Emmanuel Macron, Xi will start his visit on May 5 It coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France and is of great significance to building on past achievements and opening up new prospects for bilateral relations The visit is taking place during the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism which has already seen several cultural activities held in both China and France, with more set to follow, boosting mutual cultural appreciation between the two countries

During Xi’s last state visit to France in March 2019 Macron presented him with a copy of Confucius or the Science of the Princes, a manuscript published in 1688, and told him that early translations of the Analects of Confucius had inspired French thinkers Montesquieu and Voltaire

After listening to Macron s description of the book Xi said that he would take the precious gift back to China s national library

The book was subsequently

shipped to the National Library of China in its country of intellectual origin Many Chinese and French people see the ancient book as a testament to the long-standing tradition of cultural communication between China and France, and also as a witness to the development of bilateral cooperation in cross-civilization exchanges

On several occasions Xi has demonstrated a strong interest in French culture including its literature, philosophy and art Back in March 2014, while delivering an address in Paris to mark 50 years of China-France ties Xi said: “Our two peoples are fascinated by each other s distinctive cultures Chinese culture was greatly admired in France The influence of Chinese culture can be found in the writings of French Enlightenment thinkers and the interior decoration of Versailles ” As many of you know some of the first generation of leaders of the Communist Party of China studied in France, such as Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Cai Hesen, Chen Yi and Nie Rongzhen Because of this I developed a keen interest in French culture and particularly French history philosophy literature and art when I was a young man, Xi said in his speech He then noted how intellectuals from France have inspired him Reading Montesquieu,

Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Saint-Simon Fourier and Sartre has deepened his understanding of how progress of the mind propels progress in society he said And reading Montaigne, La Fontaine, Molière, Stendhal, Balzac, Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, George Sand, Flaubert, Alexandre Dumas fils Maupassant and Romain Rolland helped him better appreciate life with all its joys and sorrows he added During an informal meeting in April 2023, Xi and Macron listened to an ancient Chinese Guqin masterpiece “High Mountain and Flowing Water ” in a traditionally decorated hall in the Pine Garden located in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou Xi explained the name of the ancient tune to Macron, noting that it was derived from the beautiful story of Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi in ancient Chinese history and that it pays tribute to the close friendship between the pair Only friends who share the same taste in music, like Yu and Zhong, can appreciate the song together, he said Toward the end of the meeting Xi expressed joy that he and Macron shared the same or similar views on China-France relations China-EU relations and many international and regional issues, which he said demonstrated the high level and strategic nature of China-France relations

Syrian Minister for prac tic al measures to promote educ ational ties with Pakistan

LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T

Syrian Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Rami Waheed Al Dhulli has expressed desire for practical measures to promote educational relations between Pakistan and Syria He was leading a high-level Syrian delegation which visited Punjab University and called on the Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood at his office on Saturday

The Syrian delegation consisted of senior officials of the Ministry of Education and educational personalities while Regional Director of HEC Ghafoor Ahmed, PU Registrar Dr Ahmad Islam and Deans of various faculties were also present in the meeting

Dr Rami Waheed Al Dhulli said that educational experts of both countries should promote academic cooperation with each other and they want to benefit from the research and experiences of PU teachers He said that they wanted to promote cooperation with PU in the field of education and training especially information technology

The Syrian Deputy Education Minister said that we want to send the thesis of Syrian students to Pakistani experts for their evaluation He said that Syrian people love Pakistan very much He said that Pakistan will not forget the help it has extended to Syria He said that they want to work together to improve each other ’s human resources He said that the environment of PU is very impres-

sive and we are feeling very happy to come to the oldest university of Pakistan Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood briefed the delegation about Punjab University He said that as many as 150 students from Africa Palestine Iran and other countries are studying in Punjab University He assured to extend full support for promotion of relations with Syrian universities He said that 19 departments of PU are ranked in the QS ranking

The VC said that PU has excellent experts in IT Agriculture Biology and other fields He said that PU experts will help the Syrian universities to improve their higher education Later, the Syrian delegation visited various departments including Punjab University Library

K issan Board Punjab President invites JI Amir Hafiz Naeem for protest in L ahore

Kissan Board Central Punjab President Mian Rasheed Minhala held a meeting with Jamaat e Islami Amir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman at Mansoora Lahore

The agenda primarily revolved around addressing the ongoing concerns of farmers and strategizing future actions

During the meeting President Minhala extended a cordial invitation to Hafiz Naeem to partake in the forthcoming protest sched-

uled in front of the Chief Minister's residence Expressing his solidarity, Hafiz Naeem congratulated Mian Rasheed Minhala on his recent release and lauded his unwavering commitment to championing farmers causes He emphasized the importance of sustaining the momentum of the movement for the rightful demands of farmers In response President Minhala expressed gratitude for the support and cooperation extended by Jamaat e Islami He reaffirmed the Kissan

Board s determination to continue its struggle until farmers' grievances are addressed comprehensively Mian Rasheed divulged plans for a protest camp to be set up at Mall Road commencing from today He warned that if the government fails to procure wheat from farmers, a protest will ensue directly in front of the CM House

He emphasized that the protest would encompass not only farmers but also their families and livestock underscoring the widespread concern gripping the agricultural community

first day of nullah s cleaning While the cleaning repair / maintaintenace work of the remaining nullah's will also be completed soon Despite the weekly holiday, the relevant staff remained present in the field Moreover on the instructions of Chief Commissioner Islamabad Chaudhary Muhammad Ali Randhawa the cleaning of the mega parks of Islamabad has also been started

The joint sanitation operation of the Directorates of Environment and Sanitation is going on across the city In this regard, duties have also been distributed among the relevant staff to ensure their presence in the field P R

LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said on Saturday that those are the real heroes who risk their lives to save others CM has honored the real heroes of society, the firefighters, on the occasion of International Firefighters Day In a special message, she emphasized the invaluable sacrifices made by firefighters in risking their lives to save others from the peril of fire Maryam Nawaz underscored

the significance of acknowledging the selfless efforts of firefighters who put their lives on the line to rescue individuals trapped in fires

She paid homage to every firefighter recognizing their unwavering dedication and valor in the face of blazing infernos Maryam Nawaz stressed the importance of never forgetting the rescuers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty

She hailed them as genuine heroes emphasizing their courage and determination in confronting the challenges posed by fire emergencies

Punjab CM emphasized the crucial role of implementing precautionary and safety measures to prevent fire incidents She reiterated her commitment to ensuring the enforcement of building safety laws particularly in high-rise structures to mitigate the risk of fire outbreaks Highlighting ongoing efforts, Maryam Nawaz reaffirmed the government's dedication to implementing the Punjab Community Safety Buildings Regulations aimed to enhance safety standards and prevent tragic fire incidents in the province

KATSINA NIGERIA S TA F F R E P O R T

Gunmen from criminal gangs killed 25 people when they raided four villages in northwestern Nigeria in reprisals over military offensives on their hideouts, a local security official said Friday

The attacks on Thursday took place in Katsina State one of the regions in northwest Nigeria hit by armed gangs known locally as bandits who carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and looting raids on villages Bandit militias stormed the villages of Unguwar Sarki Gangara Tafi and Kore in Sabuwa district late on Thursday, opening fire on residents, said Nasiru Ba-

bangida Katsina state internal security commissioner Twenty-five people were killed in the attacks on the four communities, 19 of them in Unguwar Sarki village alone," Babangida told local radio Several residents were injured while others were kidnapped by the criminals he said Most of those killed were vigilantes who came out to confront the bandits Many communities in northwest Nigeria have formed self-defence vigilante forces to fight off bandits in remote areas with little state presence and the two sides are locked in a spiral of tit-for-tat killings and reprisals

The bandits raided the villages in response to ongoing military of-

fensives against their camps in the area and in neighbouring Kaduna state where they have suffered a large number of casualties Babangida said "The attacks were in retaliation for the aerial bombings of their camps in Katsina and Kaduna states that have killed more than 200 of them he said The gangs who maintain camps in vast forests straddling Zamfara Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states have made headlines for mass kidnappings of students from schools in recent years Bandits have no ideological leaning and are motivated by financial gains but there has been concern from analysts and officials over their increasing alliance with jihadists waging a 15-year armed rebellion in the northeast of Nigeria

tasked with devising comprehensive strategies for the holistic development of these areas said a press release issued by the Ministry of Commerce The meeting

s

aiming to foster socio-economic prosperity in these regions Formed under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s initiative, the high-level committee is

PRESIDENT Z ARDARI THUMBS UP TO APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNORS OF PUNJAB, BALOCHISTAN, KP

Boxing legend Amir Khan awarded honorary rank of Pakistan Army Captain

Expressing

He encouraged

to actively participate in

ities expressing hope for

victories in global competitions such as the Olympics and Commonwealth Games After donning the army uniform and ranks, I am immensely honoured reminiscent of the feeling of being crowned a World

Champion in Boxing, remarked Khan, expressing his gratitude towards Pakistan Army for its unwavering support in promoting sports I have always held the Pakistan Army in high esteem as it symbolises the pride of our nation Wearing this uniform fills me with immense honour and a sense of security,” he added, extending his appreciation to Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir for his presence and support Khan offered valuable advice to aspiring athletes, emphasising the importance of focus, confidence, and hard work in achieving success in any field

The celebrated boxer with a professional record of 34-6 including two super-lightweight worldtitle victories and five successful title defences, has recently retired from professional boxing At the age of 17, Aamir Khan clinched a silver medal in the lightweight boxing category at the 2004 Olympics showcasing his remarkable talent and potential on the global stage

Following the ceremony, Khan interacted and spent time with soldiers and officers of the Pakistan Army, fostering camaraderie and appreciation for their service

Earlier Gen Munir met with Mixed Martial Arts champion Shahzaib Rind and boxer Amir Khan, commending their outstanding achievements in contact sports Expressing confidence in Pakistan’s youth, the army chief lauded their remarkable potential and encouraged them to excel in their respective fields

g Telecom regulator emphasises need for a comprehensive assessment before implementation, citing

prime minister Anwaarul Haq

Kakar pinned the blame for importing the commodity on the theninterim provincial governments In a statement Anwaarul Haq

Kakar ruled out his role in the prevailing crisis and stressed that it s not a job of a prime