Epaper_24-05-7 KHI

I C R

welcomes, govt voices concer n af ter SC ’s verdict on PTI-SIC reser ved seats

US ENVOY HOLDS DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH PTI LEADERS

IMF mission to visit Pakistan this month to discuss new loan programme

the high court bench that all cipher telegrams with classified stamp are disposed of after six months even if these are declassified The National Security Committee (NSC) had decided to demarche on March 31, which marked the completion of the prescribed procedure for the classified document except for sending back its copies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hamid said He apprised the court that all cipher copies had been sent back to the foreign ministry, except the one with the former prime minister Khan Later, the foreign office disposed of all copies of the classified telegram he added Can an accused be defended in the absence of a defence lawyer or it would lessen the importance of the defendant s testimony? questioned CJ Farooq The FIA prosecutor replied that there was no need to ensure the defence lawyer s presence during a testimony under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) The IHC CJ also questioned the legality of the sentence on both charges of willful and negligent loss of the classified document The FIA prosecutor defended the outcome as both charges would be imposed on the accused persons’ moves on separate occasions He went on the say that the diplomatic cable cannot be taken away from its dedicated place as the authorities need to make special security arrangements for the container

PM urges enhancing educ ation, trade, investment relations with Italy

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressing satisfaction over the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Italy bilateral relations has urged the two sides to enhance cooperation in the fields of education, trade and investment, legal migration, as well as cultural exchanges He was talking to Ambassador of Italy Marilina Armellin who paid a courtesy call on him at the Prime Minister s House on Monday Premier Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan deeply valued its multifaceted relations with Italy spanning over many decades, which had always been marked by goodwill and trust He said that the two sides also shared similar views on a number of important regional and global issues

Thanking the Italian leadership for the congratulatory message that he received on his re-election, the prime minister conveyed his sincere commitment to work closely with Italy to further cement bilateral ties in the days ahead PM Shehbaz emphasizing the importance of high-level exchanges extended a cordial invitation to Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni to undertake an official visit to Pakistan He conveyed his appreciation for Prime Minister Meloni s policies at home and abroad that had made Italy an important member of the EU The prime minister thanked Italy for hosting a large population of Pakistani diaspora who were acting as a bridge between both countries while also contributing to their economic growth The ambassador thanked the prime minister for receiving her and assured him that Italy was keen to further enhance its ties with Pakistan

No political figure, govt officer summoned in wheat scam probe, inquir y committee affirms

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

The committee tasked with investigating the wheat import issue clarified that it has not summoned any government or political officials for questioning Chaired by the cabinet division secretary, the committee held its inaugural meeting to review pertinent documents and statistics

In a notification released on Sunday it was emphasized that the inquiry committee had not met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Additionally, while the committee’s report is nearing completion, no preliminary findings have been disclosed

This clarification follows speculation that former caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar ex-finance minister Shamshad Akhtar, and former chief minister Mohsin Naqvi might be called for questioning Kakar himself stated his willingness to participate in the investigation if summoned The committee under the leadership of Cabinet Division Secretary Kamran Afzal, was established by PM Shehbaz to determine accountability for the excessive wheat imports and unau-

thorized LC openings post-February

During March, the private sector was permitted to import 6 91 million metric tonnes of wheat, valued at Rs57 192 billion Kakar defended his tenure stating no new legislation was introduced for wheat import and that the government merely encouraged private sector involvement

The federal government faces challenges as provincial governments struggle to purchase wheat from farmers due to surplus stocks, allegedly stemming from over-importation This oversupply has led to a decrease in wheat prices, raising concerns for farmers According to sources the Ministry of National Food Security informed PM Shehbaz s cabinet that last year 28 18 million tonnes of wheat were produced, prompting the caretaker government to import an additional 2 45 million tonnes, resulting in a purported loss exceeding Rs300 billion to the national exchequer

KP GOVT TO BUY WHEAT WORTH RS29B FROM FARMERS

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to buy 0 3 million metric tons of wheat worth Rs29 billion from the farmers Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Minister Zahir Shah Toro said that the wheat procurement campaign will be started from May 7 Wheat procurement app has been introduced, payment will be made to farmers through the bank within 24 hours Zahir Shah Toro stated that he would ensure transparency in the wheat procurement campaign Earlier on April 27 the KP govt had announced to purchase 300 thousand metric tons of local wheat On the other hand Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari says that the Punjab government will also buy wheat from farmers but it has not yet been decided how much wheat will be bought It is pertinent to note that PM Shehbaz had formed an inquiry committee after taking notice of the issue of wheat being imported in large quantities, the report of which will be submitted today Staff RepoRt

CCP FL AGS PTCL’S ACQUISITION OF TELENOR PAKISTAN AS

THREAT TO TELECOM COMPETITION

g IN ITS INVESTIGATION, COMMISSION CONCLUDES REDUCED COMPETITION LIKELY LEAD TO ADVERSE OUTCOMES FOR CONSUMERS SUCH A S HIGHER PRICES OR DIMINISHED CHOICE AND QUALITY OF SERVICES

Faizabad sit-in c ase: C JP Isa expresses dismay at fac t-finding commission’s repor t

dered what the need for forming a commission was after all Justice Isa referred to the report calling the multiple review petitions a pleasant coincidence and wondered if “there was no conductor or orchestrator” behind the pleas He pointed out that “no other case had such ‘pleasant coincidence

mention of TLP workers in the report Were the TLP workers called? They weren’t ” the court observed adding that the truth might have come forward if TLP workers had been summoned by the commission Here Justice Khan noted, The statements of those who sent breakfast and food are on the record ” CJP Isa highlighted that the TLP workers’ statements were the only ones not recorded

Censuring the report for merely stating that legislation is present that can be implemented upon , the top judge won-

vez Elahi to

Someone must have approved the review petitions and hired a lawyer; where is the entire record? he asked

“This is a grade-five [student’s] statement that is being filed in the SC,” Justice Isa quipped while referring to the report

The chief justice further remarked that it seemed the commission members did not even head out of their office to compile the report Upon asking where its members’ office was situated, AGP Awan replied that the it was in the interior ministry

following the submission of petition seeking either the transfer of the PTI politician to the hospital or to declare his residence as a sub-jail The request to transfer the former Punjab chief minister to the hospital or to declare his house as a sub-jail was filed by Elahi’s wife Qaisara Elahi

IHC s Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, who was hearing the plea, issued the orders He directed superintendent of Adiala jail to ensure the provision of medical facilities to the jailed 78-year-old politico according to his wishes at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Parvez Elahi is not convicted He is a 78-yearold undertrial prisoner and medical facilities should be provided according to his satisfaction ” the court order read It added that the politician should also be allowed to undergo a medical examination by a personal physician every week in jail

The court maintained that Elahi had submitted applications to the provincial home secretary and additional home secretary instructing the former to consider the veteran politician s request and take a decision accordingly

“If the matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of the home secretary refer the matter to the concerned forum within two days it stated adding that the relevant forum should decide on the application of Elahi s wife within 14 days according to the law

The court decisions of Khadim Hussain and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in previous similar cases should be taken into consideration while deciding on Qaisara s plea the order read Last week, an anti-corruption court, once again, delayed the indictment of Elahi, and others in the Punjab Assembly illegal appointments case following Elahi s absence from the court

The court s orders came as the Adiala jail officials did not produce the former chief minister for medical reasons They submitted a medical report stating that Elahi received injuries after falling in the jail washroom and doctors had advised him to rest

In response Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta postponed the indictment and adjourned further hearing till May 13 The court also summoned all accused for indictment on the next hearing At the start of April, the politician was shifted from the Adiala jail to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital after severe pain in his chest, jail sources revealed

Justice Isa also noted that the violent incidents of May 12 2007 that took place in Karachi had been ignored by the commission We had ordered to take action on it Who said it was not in the ISI’s domain?” the CJP questioned to which the AGP answered that Gen Hameed had stated so He said it so the commission considered it a decree Why is Gen Faiz being mentioned repeatedly? Either tell that he had the authority to take all actions or he did not,” CJP Isa said The top judge then pointed out contradictory statements within the commission s report At one point it s written that Gen Faiz Hameed did not call former Pemra chairman Absar Alam on the phone to reopen a TV channel In their same report at another point, they have written that Gen Hameed did call Absar Alam ” Justice Isa observed

“What sort of joke is this that the commission took Absar Alam sahib’s statement on oath but did not take one from Gen Hameed when he recorded his statement? , Justice Afghan asked

While dictating the day s order, CJP Isa noted, “In our opinion, the report is not according to the Terms of Reference (ToRs) It is surprising that no statement from any TLP member was recorded

He remarked that the commission assumed that travelling to Islamabad for protest was not in accordance with the Constitution while the SC judgment had declared that peaceful protests were a person’s right

“A glimpse of provincialism can be seen in the commission s report the court noted

Here, Justice Afghan asked how the ISI could say that probing terror financing was not its jurisdiction, highlighting that people’s identity cards were blocked in Balochistan based on the agency’s reports The ISI is a part of border committees in Balochistan It reports that so and so person is involved in financially assisting terrorists, he added

But in front of the commission, they are taking the stance that they have no connection ” Justice Afghan observed

Opposition welcomes, govt voices concern after SC’s verdic t on PTI-SIC reser ved seats

CONTINUED FR OM PAGE 01

“This is a matter of constitutional interpretation; it would have been appropriate if larger bench issued directives Tarar said in a statement

He said that the top court should have exercised caution in its interim order saying that the final decision of the PHC will stand

The federal minister remarked that under the Practice and Procedure Act of the Supreme Court it was appropriate and preferable for a five-member larger bench to hear such matters

“According to Article 67 the eligibility of a member s legislation is not questioned; it is hoped that the final decision of the Peshawar High Court will prevail, he concluded Opposition alliance welcomes SC verdict

The Supreme Court’s decision to suspend the Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict on the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) reserved seats has been welcomed by the opposition five-part alliance

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday along with Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood

Technic

Khan Achakzai PTI leader Asad

Qaiser welcomed the apex court s verdict

The PTI will soon come into power if the courts continue to deliver such verdicts ” he remarked

The PTI-led government was toppled in April 2022 via an opposition s no-confidence motion

However, the Imran Khan-founded party alleged that its ouster was the result of a US conspiracy hatched by colluding with the then-opposition parties

Earlier today the Supreme Court three-member bench headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah accepted the PTI-backed SIC plea against the high court s ruling that deprived the party of its reserved seat quota allocated on the basis of the party’s strength in the assembly

[We are accepting the [SIC s] pleas [against the PHC verdict]

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said and asked under what law [reserved] seats were allocated to other parties Barring the members, who have taken oath on the reserved seats from casting their votes in legislation the SC said that it will hear the case on a daily basis from June 3

Furthermore, the court noted that the said issue only concerns the

The 88-megawatt Gaboral Kalam Hydro Project a crucial energy development initiative in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is facing hurdles due to technical issues and high bids from contractors The Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) had invited bids for the project, but the two shortlisted contractors have raised concerns One contractor ’s technical capabilities have been questioned

additional reserved seats allotted to the political parties later on

Speaking about the wheat import scandal, the PTI leader alleged that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was involved in the scam that reportedly caused billions of rupees loss to the national exchequer

We are standing by farmers and the government is playing drama on the [wheat] scandal, he said as the farmers have announced staging countrywide protests from May 10 against the government’s inability to procure wheat from them at the fixed price

Due to the non-purchase of wheat by the provincial governments, wheat is being sold at a lower price than the official rate a matter of grave concern for the farmers

Speaking about other matters

Qaiser said the PTI was standing with every party which considered the incumbent coalition government “illegal”

Referring to the ruling alliance lawmakers Qaiser said even their children knew that they are sitting in parliament illegally

The PTI leader also complained that the opposition party was not being allowed to hold political rallies in the country

TH E R E was an interesting development recently in Pakistan’s automotive industry The Korean company KIA, run in Pakistan by the Lucky Group, announced that they would be decreasing the price of one of their cars by a staggering 15 lakhs

The decrease in the price of the KIA Stonic came as the result of a new tax imposed by the government of Pakistan The tax held that any cars that had a factory price of over 40 lakhs (which the KIA Stonic did) would be charged 25% sales tax Despite an after price tax of Rs 62 lakhs, to take advantage of the 18% tax on cars less than 40 lakhs, the company announced a fall in the price The story of the Stonic has been covered in quite some detail by this paper s business publication Profit The exact dynamics of the lobbying and regulatory capture paint a fascinating picture of the inner workings of the industry But perhaps the biggest takeaway from the entire episode is how high the industry’s margins are The fall in price was one of 24% and the company is not selling the car at a loss as many initially speculated This means the Stonic was selling at a higher margin than 24% At the same time, one must look at the fact that KIA has a production capacity of around 60 000 cars a year Last year, they only assembled around 10,000 cars

M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today

FO R the past seventy years the EU has been very important for keeping Europe stable It has helped keep peace and security around the world The EU has 27 countries and 450 million people It is the biggest market in the world Many countries trade with the EU It also takes part in to other countries development and peace keeping Russian war against Ukraine is a big challenge for European Union Now the EU is more united than before against Russian attack and is determined to restore peace A stronger EU in security and defense will help for global peace and security The European Union is setting out a plan for the security and defense for the next 5-10 years It will be start working on it right away On13th March European Union agreed to give an

On13th March, European Union agreed to give an extra 5 billion euros (which is about $5 4 billion) to the European Peace Facility by the end of this year This almost matches the 6 1 billion euros that Brussels promised since the star t of 2022 The European Peace Facility didnÊt do much in 2023 because countries decided to help Ukraine on their own instead of working tog ether There was a problem with Hungar y disagreeing with the decision but they chang ed their mind later This back and for th has made people think about changing how the European Peace Facility works so it can help Ukraine better

Belling the cat may not be so easy

continued,

Tsome ambitious elements began to consider Afghanistan as part of Pakistan s sphere of influence leading to more fluid borders that facilitated smuggling of essential commodities to Afghanistan to earn goodwill and strengthen relations with the new government there More interestingly, this import and its smuggling was made at the expense

upward

25,247 (thousand metric tons) in 2020 and 26,801 (thousand metric tons) in 2023 The projected production for 2024 is expected to be around 32 100 (thousand metric tons) Let s compare this production with our domestic consumption for the same years For example, the total wheat consumption in 1960 was 5,454 (thousand metric tons) This increased to 11,200 (thousand metric tons) in 1980 22 500 (thousand metric tons) in 2000 This increase continued reaching 26 300 (thousand metric tons) in 2020 and 29 600 (thousand metric tons) in 2023 According to fair estimates, wheat production in 2024 is expected to be around 32,000 (thousand metric tons), sufficient to meet the entire year ’s domestic requirement Additionally, if we factor in the over 2 million metric tons of wheat exported to Afghanistan the production outweighs the domestic consumption In 2024 the sowing of wheat was a popular choice for farmers due to higher flour prices and perceived shortages As a result, almost 40 percent of the cultivated area, or 9 12 million hectares was dedicated to wheat in October November and December of the previous year for the 2024 harvest This was an increase from the 8 86 million hectares planted in 2022 for the 2023 harvest and slightly higher than the 9 million-hectare crop a year earlier

All was going well There was equilibrium between supply and demand The surplus of wheat and flour of around 1 8 million tons according to US government estimates was smuggled to Afghanistan and any forecast of wheat as a rule of thumb was reached after including the domestic demand of Afghanistan This practice required inflating the demand figures while avoiding direct mention of Afghanistan as most exports to Afghanistan were facilitated through state-aided smuggling

Smuggling to Afghanistan was further incentivized as smugglers were doubling their money with each transaction, evading taxes, and being

paid in U S dollars Moreover the depreciating rupee also motivated smuggling as the exchange rate reached a record low with the PKR plummeting to 287 29 against the U S dollar while 86 3 afghanis fetched a dollar

However, the situation changed when the government made a sudden policy U-turn in July 2023 to repatriate Afghan undocumented and illegal aliens and to curb smuggling and hoarding of wheat as a punitive measure against Afghanistan for failing to stop cross-border terrorist attacks into Pakistan

The then caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaarul-Haq Kakar, defended the July 2023 policy, stating that Pakistan has adopted a “zero tolerance” approach towards smuggled goods and foreign currency to Afghanistan

In response the Frontier Corps intensified vehicle checks and seized multiple large consignments of wheat flour attempting to cross illegally The government also began monitoring wheat supply movements from Punjab to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, requiring official documentation for wheat transportation and establishing additional checkposts to control food item smuggling It tightened control over the Afghan Transit Trade These stringent measures and crackdowns had a significant impact on curbing illegal wheat smuggling to Afghanistan

However, in his hasty, thoughtless, and knee-jerk policy U-turn the government utterly failed to comprehend the long-term impact of this skewed policy decision It also failed to put in place adequate checks and balances to protect Pakistani farmers and consumers from the consequences of this short-sighted policy

As PML(N)’s leader, Mr Nawaz Sharif, known for his confrontational stance with the establishment is determined to identify those responsible for the wheat import crisis he may soon realize that the elements behind this crisis are beyond the power and reach of the weak and fragile incumbent government, as well as beyond his own reach

The writer retired as Press Secretary the the President and is former Press Minister at Embassy of Paikistan to France and former MD Shalimar Recording & Broadcasting Company Limited

Revolutionising rural learning

Child protection

QaMar Bashir

Heinous political designs

entire nation saw on the TV screens nephew of Imran Khan Hassan Niazi waving uniform of the Corp Commander on a stick standing on the roof of a car claiming victory The audios leaks of PTI leaders telling each other about destruction of the Corp Commander house by their workers and their confession of having led the workers to that venue also provide undeniable evidence of the fact that it was a pre-planned scheme of the PTI There is also strong evidence available in regards to who masterminded the whole episode as has been revealed by PTI stalwarts who said adieu to the party after this tragic incident They have unequivocally stated that the plan was masterminded by Imran himself Ninth May was undoubtedly the darkest day in our history when a party attacked the state institutions to accomplish its heinous political designs Martyrs were humiliated and security of the country was endangered Almost a year has passed since the enactment to those dastardly acts Different circles are raising question about these incidents and the most important question being asked is why the perpetrators of those crimes have not been brought to the book so far To find an answer to this question it is absolutely important to have a closer look at the happenings and the emerging situation during the last one year and what has happened to the party that carried out attacks

against military installations and monuments of the martyrs

The head of the party responsible for 9th May is in the prison for the last eight months His efforts have been restricted only to save the sinking ship of his politics Most of the prominent leaders of PTI have said adieu to the party because of its anti-state policies and a number of them have abandoned politics for good Those who are still left in the party are staring at a dark political future The leadership of the party has come in the hands of lawyers and the recurrent conflict between the old leaders and those who have parachuted in the fray has almost undone the party It has lost its identity and to preserve its credulity it has fallen on the mercy of an unknown entity like Sunni Ittehad Council Repeated attempts to hold intra-party elections have not borne fruit The

h a v e b e e n t r i e d i n t h e m i l i t a r y

c o u r t s a n d c o nv i c t e d bu t t h e v e rd i c t s h a v e n o t b e e n a n n o u n c e d a s y e t b e c a u s e o f

r e s t r i c t i n g o rd e r s o f t h e j u d i c i a r y. M

LA S T year, less than a month before Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel changed everything, Israel and Saudi Arabia were negotiating an agreement to normalize ties After decades of icy relations Riyadh s price for peace was admittedly high: in addition to U S security guarantees and at least token Israeli concessions on Palestinian sovereignty, Saudi negotiators were demanding access to civilian nuclear technology Today, despite a fresh push by the Biden administration such an agreement remains only a remote possibility With the Israel-Hamas war raging on even if Saudi officials were interested in talking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu they would likely find it impossible to negotiate a lasting peace while Arab publics, including their own, are outraged at the humanitarian crisis Israel’s military campaign has created in Gaza Although negotiations may never resume they remain an important source of potential leverage in the U S -Israeli relationship one that officials in Washington believe could not only help facilitate a cease-fire in Gaza but also induce broader Israeli concessions on Palestinian statehood As the United States thinks through how to promote stability in the Middle East, both during and after the war in Gaza the issue of the Saudi nuclear program will loom large If Washington hopes to dangle the carrot of Saudi normalization to motivate Israeli policy it will need to consider Riyadh s demands for civilian nuclear cooperation and defense requests a development that could dramatically alter the regional security picture, particularly if Saudi Arabia could eventually want a weapons program too For now the proposed Saudi nuclear program would involve civilian nuclear reactors managed under a comprehensive safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) But Riyadh has historically voiced unease with even those standard limitations, and peaceful nuclear programs are often the first step toward acquiring nuclear weapons Although Saudi Arabia does not yet have substantial nuclear infrastructure of its own it is constructing a small nuclear research reactor on the outskirts of

a difficult line for Washington to toe: cooperate too little and it could lose Saudi support for normalization with Israel and cede influence to rivals such as China; grant unconditional support for Saudi nuclear-enrichment capabilities and Riyadh could seize the opportunity to develop a nuclear weapons program down the road Washington must therefore accept Saudi Arabia’s peaceful nuclear ambitions but insist on strong measures and strict regulations to preempt Saudi proliferation and prevent a regional arms race GATEWAY TECHNOLOGIES Although Saudi Arabia s current nuclear ambitions are ostensibly for peaceful purposes, civilian programs can be a prelude to military ones Iran, North Korea,

Will Saudi Arabia get the bomb?

The United States could lose S audi suppor t for normalization with Israel and cede influence to rivals such as China

military applications

materials or

then

technologies, such as

centrifuges,

weapons-grade uranium, evading detection by international inspectors through concealment and deception Saudi Arabia could also separate the uranium isotopes needed for highly enriched uranium within civilian facilities making it challenging for inspectors to detect the existence of a military program Enriched uranium necessary to fuel nuclear reactors could also be diverted and further enriched to levels suitable for a nuclear explosion A Saudi civilian nuclear program would therefore amount to a latent nuclear capability the technical capacity to proliferate if it desired to do so With that Saudi Arabia would join 31 other states including Brazil Egypt Germany and Japan that have held this status throughout history

The next and more aggressive step would be to escalate from latency to nuclear hedging the strategic use of a civilian nuclear program as a bargaining chip or to direct adversarial behavior (as North Korea for instance has done) Saudi Arabia could enrich uranium increase its production of centrifuges buy nuclear material and equipment from other states or garner domestic political support for nuclear weapons possession, all with the hope of increasing its bargaining power

FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE A number of factors could drive Saudi Arabia to seek to possess nuclear weapons including a desire to bolster national security deter potential adversaries and enhance its geopolitical influence But the main motive will likely emerge from Saudi Arabia s neighbor and rival: Iran Tehran, which has had its own civilian nuclear program since the 1950s, is edging closer and closer to nuclear weapons capability Iran might be able to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear bomb within a matter of weeks although it would likely take at least another six months to develop a weapon capable of striking a precise target For now, Iran appears to have decided not to take the next step and weaponize its nuclear program, but the potential endures and could grow amid mounting regional volatility and as Tehran strengthens its ties to another revisionist nuclear power Russia Saudi Arabia has not shied away from making its nuclear intentions clear should Iran go down that nuclear road: its de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said that if Iran were to successfully develop a weapon, Saudi Arabia, too, will have to get one Part of the motivation would be the fear that an emboldened Iran could step up its support for militant groups such as Hezbollah the Houthis and Hamas knowing that a nuclear weapon gives it some protection from a U S or Israeli military response Iran might also use military force against Saudi Arabia, Israel, or other foes on its own, secure in the knowledge that there are likely limits to escalation if the United States or other countries oppose Iranian aggression Saudi Arabia may also be interested in pursuing nuclear weapons to match Iranian prestige believing in the reputational value of the bomb and wanting to reinforce its position and authority in the region Iranian nuclear advances could also prompt other countries in the region, such as the United Arab Emirates or Turkey, to shift toward weaponization, triggering a Saudi move in the same direction The UAE has come under criticism for failing to divulge information about its civilian nuclear facilities and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously suggested that Turkey should not be forbidden from obtaining nuclear weapons Riyadh, which sees itself as a regional leader, would not want either country especially the UAE, a major competitor to beat it to the nuclear finish line Saudi nuclear hedging or proliferation would entail several major risks First Iran and Saudi Arabia could face the stability-instability paradox the idea that although nuclear weapons may contribute to stability at the strategic

level by deterring major war between nuclear-armed states, they can simultaneously fuel distrust and escalation at a lower level If Iran continues to enrich enough uranium for a nuclear warhead, Riyadh might believe that a Saudi nuclear deterrent could stabilize relations between the two adversaries But a nuclear weapon would not necessarily deter Iran from pursuing a confrontational foreign policy; Tehran has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to spar with its nuclear-armed enemy, Israel, and to encourage militant action against others in the region Second, the increasingly prominent role of nuclear weapons in Iranian-Saudi relations risks misperception and in turn escalation between the two countries Saudi Arabia might interpret Iran s pursuit of nuclear capabilities even if for hedging purposes as a signal of hostile intent or as a precursor to weaponization Iran might see Saudi Arabia s program as threatening and pursue weaponization itself This misinterpretation could lead Saudi Arabia to accelerate its own nuclear program, believing it needs a deterrent against a nuclear-armed Iran This doom spiral of nuclear competition between the two adversaries could lead to an arms race in the region further increasing the likelihood of a miscalculation or conflict

TOEING THE NUCLEAR LINE

Washington can play a deciding role in determining whether Saudi Arabia acquires a nuclear weapon, but a major question remains: How far is the United States willing to go to protect Saudi Arabia against Tehran?

How Riyadh ultimately chooses to respond to a nuclear Iran depends in large part on whether the United States gives Riyadh firm security guarantees, such as a commitment to placing Saudi Arabia under its nuclear umbrella or even creating a formal security alliance similar to the ones that prevail in Europe or East Asia Although there are ongoing talks about a formal defense relationship a U S -Saudi security arrangement is far from certain particularly if Donald Trump wins the presidency Beyond a security alliance that would assuage fears of a nuclear Iran, the United States could push Riyadh to sign on to a “123 Agreement” for nuclear cooperation

These deals, named after a section of the U S Atomic Energy Act allow access to U S civil nuclear technology in exchange for an explicit commitment to refrain from weaponization The United States has negotiated these agreements on a case-by-case basis with 47 countries including Brazil, Japan, and Turkey

The agreements usually require a

Malik MuhaMMaD ashraf

china raises five questions in refuting Manila’s denial of ‘agreements’ on south china sea issue

After several senior Philippine officials denied that the Marcos administration had negotiated with China to reach “arrangements” on the Ren’ai Jiao (also known as Ren’ai Reef), the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines raised five questions emphasizing that China has consistently been committed to managing the situation at Ren ai Jiao maintaining dialogue with the Philippines in a responsible manner and reaching internal understandings and arrangements on multiple occasions The Philippines has repeatedly denied recently that China and the Philippines had reached “agreements” on the South China Sea issue Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stated that since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in 2022 the Philippine Defense Department is not aware of, nor is it a party to, any internal agreement with China

Philippine National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año also said that there is “no agreement whatsoever” in Ren’ai Jiao between the Philippines and China saying that this new model announced by the Chinese side is nothing more than a new invention according to the agency However, facts speak louder China has always been committed to properly managing maritime differences through dialogue and consultation with the Philippines and has made relentless efforts in this regard the Chinese Embassy said in a statement published on its website on Saturday

The gentlemen s agreement is a concrete outcome of such efforts To follow up on the important consensus between the two heads-of-state to deescalate tension in the South China Sea, the Chinese side and the Philippine side through AFP WESCOM agreed on a “new model” for the management of the situation at Ren’ai Jiao early this year after multiple rounds of discussions

Either the gentlemen s agreement or the new model is a confidence-building measure aimed at managing disputes, avoiding conflicts and maintaining peace, and has nothing to do with each other s sovereign positions, the embassy said

During the discussion the AFP WESCOM has made repeated confirmation that the “new model” has been approved by all key officials in the Philippine chain of command including the Secretary of National Defense and the National Security Advisor

The communication and negotiation on this subject matter is kept on record in every detail by the Chinese side Thanks to the “new model,” frontliners of both sides had guidance to follow on how to interact with each other which made the resupply mission on last February 2 a smooth one

Britain and the

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022,

has

warend of

risks warnings which the US says it has to take seriously though US officials say they have seen no change in Russia s nuclear posture Russia says the US and its European allies are pushing the world to the brink of confrontation between nuclear powers by supporting Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars of weapons some of which are being used against Russian territory Russia s defence ministry said it would hold military drills in-

cluding practicing the preparation and deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons President Vladimir Putin ordered the exercises, the ministry added During the exercise, a set of measures will be carried out to practice the issues of preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons the ministry said It added that missile forces in the Southern Military District aviation and the navy will take part

The exercise aims to ensure Russia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty “in response to provocative statements and threats by certain Western officials against the Russian Federation it said Russia and the US are by far the world s biggest nuclear powers, holding more than 10,600 of the world’s 12,100 nuclear warheads China has the third-largest nuclear arsenal fol-

lowed by France and Britain Russia has about 1 558 non-strategic nuclear warheads according to the Federation of American Scientists though there is uncertainty about exact figures for such weapons due to a lack of transparency No power has used nuclear weapons in war since the United States unleashed the first atomic bomb attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 Major nuclear powers routinely check their nuclear weapons but very rarely publicly link such exercises to specific perceived threats in the way that Russia has US President Joe Biden said last year that he felt there was no real prospect of Russia using nuclear weapons, but CNN reported that top US officials did contingency planning for a potential Russian nuclear strike against Ukraine in 2022

Historic success of Punjab Police in anti-narcotics drive under special direc tions of CM X i , M a c r o n h o l d ta l ks f o r ‘ f u t u r e - o r i e n t e d ’ c o o p e r at i o n

The AFP Spokesperson described this resupply mission as flawless in a post on social media X on the same day Positive efforts of the frontliners in this regard are commendable, the embassy said China has always attached great importance to communication and dialogue with the Philippine DND and the AFP In fact, on July 5, 2023, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines had the honor to pay a courtesy call on Defense Secretary Gilberto C Teodoro Jr at Camp Aguinaldo exchanged views with the latter on ChinaPhilippines military relations, and maritime issues, among other things During the meeting the Philippine side was briefed on the gentlemen s agreement on the management of Ren ai Jiao Readouts of the meeting were released respectively by the DND and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines the embassy spokesperson said The above are facts not narratives nor inventions China is always committed to managing the situation at Ren ai Jiao and maintaining dialogue and communication with the Philippines in a responsible manner the spokesperson noted, adding it is regrettable that despite the internal understandings and arrangements, peace and tranquility was disrupted again and again at Ren’ai Jiao

The Chinese Embassy put five questions to the Philippines: Why the Marcos administration repeatedly denies having negotiated with China to reach understandings and arrangements on Ren ai Jiao?

Why does the Philippine Department of National Defense refuse to engage in dialogue and negotiation with China to properly handle maritime disputes?

was told that Marijuana ice hashish opium and other drugs were provided in imported packaging Drugs in the form of chocolate, toffee etc were sent from Central Asia, Canada, Mexico and other countries The authorities also apprised Madam Chief Min-

ister that Muhammad Ayub, operating under the name of Jordan, was supplying drugs in Pakistan through various sources Members of the Jordan gang including Mohammad Ali Aziz Mohammad Nadeem Samina Iftikhar Sana and Fatima Zahra were arrested in DHA Phase 6 along with nine gunmen The accused were supplying drugs by contacting the supplier in Pakistan through fake ID IG Police, CCPO, Additional Secretary Law and Order, SSP and other officials were also present on the occasion

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