Epaper_24-06-14 ISB

The minister said the government had launched a tax scheme for retailers and wholesalers and they were offered registration on a volunteer basis, however, it was termed unsuccessful as of April 2024

In May he added the FBR workforce mobilised itself and as of now around 31 000 retailers had registered themselves with the scheme He said, the registration would continue and tax would also be imposed from July 2024

“We have no other option but to get this sector into tax net ” he remarked

The minister said that the Point of Sale (PoS) scheme would be re-launched

to do away with cash transactions

To a question about the Petroleum Development Levy (PDL) he said it would be increased gradually and in accordance with international oil prices

The minister said that the exemption and 35% category of salary slabs were intact adding that there was a

change in other slabs falling between The government took up tax for non-salaried personals up to 45% he added Talking about youth development, the minister said Pakistan was having third third-largest freelancer population in the world

PM Shehbaz proposes committee for political dialogue

S TA F F R E P O R T

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has proposed the formation of a committee for resolution of political issues through bilateral cooperation and dialogue PM Shehbaz made the proposal while talking to JUI-F

Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman during a visit to the latter s residence in Islamabad on Thursday The premier inquired after the health of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and appreciated JUI-F’s religious services According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister s Office (PMO) the premier was warmly

welcomed by the JUI-F chief

He said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman had always promoted peaceful struggle for the protection of democratic values in the country During the visit, the prime minister also commended the senior politician for his significant religious contributions

The visit comes amid ongoing talks about political negotiations in the country The opposition party PTI has already expressed its willingness for the dialogue

Earlier upon arrival the JUI-F chief his brother and other leaders received the Prime Minister On May 19, JUI-F chief

Maulana Fazlur Rehman had confirmed to have sought guarantees from the PTI before joining the latter s opposition alliance, the Tehreek Tahafuz Aain-e-Pakistan (TTAP)

In a joint press conference with PTI leaders following their meeting in Islamabad on May 19 night the JUI-F chief said his party had not yet decided to join the opposition alliance, but acknowledged the ongoing efforts to persuade it to do so

When asked by a journalist if the JUI-F had sought any guarantees from the PTI before starting an anti-government movement Fazl replied in the affirmative

Yes, when serious negotiations are held, certain measures are necessary to build trust ” Earlier on May 2 Maulana Fazlur Rehman once again rejected the results of the general elections and demanded fresh polls citing widespread rigging and irregularities

Addressing a public gathering in Karachi, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that assemblies were ‘sold’ in February 2024 elections Sindh Assembly and President House were also sold he added The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief demanded for immediate re-elections to ensure the integrity of the democratic process

Govt moves SC against acquittal of Imran, Qureshi in

PSX SETS RECORD WITH HIGHEST SINGLE-SESSION GAINS OF 3,400 POINTS

The prime suspect in the Sadiqabad sugar scam has fled after allegedly embezzling billions of rupees from sugar dealers and traders, it was revealed on Thursday Hundreds of sugar traders from various towns are reported to be affected by the scam which allegedly involves the prime suspect Sheikh Rashid and his accomplices

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has ordered an inquiry into the mega sugar scandal, which has caused billions of rupees in losses to the national exchequer

A NAB team visited Sadiqabad to investigate the matter conducting the inquiry alongside the local administration according to the assistant commissioner of the area The NAB has directed affected individuals to submit their claims to its Lahore office Sheikh Rashid and his partners are under investigation for allegedly embezzling billions of rupees from sugar dealers and traders

The NAB Director General in Lahore has formed a team to conduct immediate investigations which have begun against Sheikh Rashid Kashif and Faisal

The NAB spokesperson stated that Sheikh Rashid s four warehouses in Sadiqabad, used to store sugar

stocks have been sealed on the

PM SHEHBA Z GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO ASA AN K AROBAR ACT ENACTMENT

S ale of sacrificial animals outside c attle markets banned in Punjab

across the province As per a spokesperson, Section 144 has also been imposed on burning trotters in public places across Punjab Further Section 144 is also imposed on bathing and boating in rivers canals and dams across the province Throwing animal excreta and dung into manholes, drains or canals have also been banned by the Punjab government Section 144 has been enforced across the province till Sunday June 23 Section 144 was implemented to maintain law and order protect the environment and human lives The administration across

the orders Eidul

on

17 (Monday) across Pakistan, the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee said The announcement was made after a meeting of the committee chaired by Maulana Abdul Khabeer at the main offices of the Pakistan Meteorological Department in Karachi

TH O U G H Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb only mentioned the IMF in the context of its loans to Argentina, everyone knows that the current budget, that of 203-24, which he presented to the National Assembly the day before was meant to satisfy its demands so that the present hiatus in the negotiations between the two, can be ended and Pakistan get another package from it Mr Aurangzeb came out with the commitment to take the debt-to-GDP ratio to 13 percent in the next three years It is presently about 9 percent, and along with a number of other indicators, has remained stubbornly the same Mr Aurangzeb apparently plans to increase the ratio by a percentage point every year over the next three years Is it a coincidence that the proposed IMF ESAF is to last three years? It might be a dangerous conditionality to accept, because it may give the IMF the excuse it might need to declare Pakistan s non-adherence to the programme

Mr Aurangzeb fielded a number of questions with aplomb, but his emphasis on widening the tax net was noticeable One group he wished to abolish was that of non-filers He has a point when he says that no other country has that category Indeed, Pakistan may well be the only country where individuals and firms who do not even file a tax return are allowed to play a part in economic life to the extent of being taxed However the emphasis he placed on digitisation of the economy was significant It should be noted that digitisation of the economy is going to take place because it suits the consumer and miscreants will find remaining undocumented impossible It is therefore upto to the tax collection machinery to move with the times and exploit these means As he noted cash transactions are related to the undocumented economy It has to be noted, that just as Wednesday s budget had no real initiative for increasing exports, he

ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to take on 24 of his allies mostly belonging to smaller and regional parties in his Cabinet It was not an act of largesse, as in 2018, but a necessity, because without those allies, the BJP would not be able to form the government, lacking 32 seats to make up the simple majority necessary to form the government However the BJP seems not to ming pushing through its agenda irrespective of the public mandate it might have Perhaps the best example is when Atal Behari Vajpayee formed a government after the BJP won 163 seats, more than 100 seats short of a majority His government fell after just 13 days, but one result was that India saw two governments formed by the Third Front one by H D Deved Gowda and the other by Inder Kumar Gujral However his real test came after the 1999 elections, when the BJP won 182 seats, its highest total to date Though the BJP could not form a government alone, only doing so because of regional allies, Vajpayee ordered nuclear tests Pakistan followed suit Later that year the Kargil episode occurred which further burnished the BJP s credentials The BJP lost 44 seats in the 2004 elections losing office and coming down to 138 seats It went down further to 66 seats at the 2009 elections, until reviving under Modi in 2014, when it won 232, which was still shy of a majority However, there were certain steps on which it remained clear It is possible that the failure to stage any false-flag incident like Phulwama in 2019 may be seen as a mistake in BJP circles In 2019 the BJP won 303 seats which would have given it a comfortable majority had it wanted to rule alone, and its relationship with its allies changed From being those on whom the government’s majority rested, they became those hangers onto the BJP coat-tails who only enjoyed ministerial office as a result of having been with them The old balance has been restored However the BJP has moved away from ideological purity This might be one reason why previous fascist parties have not got into alliance building Is the BJP a fascist party? It is certainly descended from one It is in fact part of the Sangh Parivar, which is a grouping of organizations which are inspired by the Rashtra Swayam Sevak Sangh which was founded in 1935 in Nagpur by Keshav Baliram Hegdewar who was inspired by the Hindutva idea of V D Savarkar

The RSSS showed signs of being inspired by European fascist parties For example, the Italian Fascists wore and were called Blackshirts (as were the British Fascists) the German Nazis were Brownshirts in the USA they were Silver Shirts in Mexico the Golden Shirts in Brazil the Green Shirts (as were the Irish in a later manifestation and as were the Rumanians)

Blue seems to have been popular, with the Chinese, the Irish (who later switched to green) and the Spanish adopting this The RSSS had white shirts Around that time, a number of Muslim parties also

W h y m a l e c a t t l e s h o u l d b e p r e

adopred certain shirt-colours Maulana Zafar Ali Khan had founded the Neeliposh (Blueshirts) which he later merged into the All-india Muslim League Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan had his Khudai Khidmatgars (who were affiliated to the Congress) known as Surkhposh (Redshirts), while the Khaksar Tehrik of Allama Mashriqi wore Khaki uniforms Even after Partition, the PPP had a party uniform, based on the Mao tunic, and which was said to have been designed by party ideologue J A Rahim but it never really caught on The RSSS can probably forgiven the shirts and it should be noted that the BJP does not have a uniform though a saffron shawl or cap is not only popular, but serves as an identifier Indeed, the Congress has more of a uniform, in the Nehru cap and Nehru jacket However, of recent decades, it has faded, perhaps because while even the humblest party worker followed Nehru no one could follow his daughter Indira who invariably wore a traditional Indian sari Her successors also did not establish any dress code that could be followed The fascist party takes power by elections, just as the BJP has done This was established by Germany’s Nazi Party, which first took power in January 1933 but as a minority party The Italian Fascists took power in 1922 after a March on Rome by a huge number of Fascist Party members The Italian government of the day resigned allowing the King to appoint Benito Mussolini as Prime Minister The difference appears because the Fascists and the Nazis never lost an election afterwards One of the similarities is the relationship to the military The Fascists of Italy made the failure of the victors of World War I to give Italy what it wanted in terms of both territorial claims in Europe as well as colonies, their main cause of grievance The Nazis also used the peace granted to Germany after World War I the subject of grievance, but the main fount of support was derived from the Depression The Nazis used the Depression to plug another theme that of anti-Semitism by the claims

female cow or buffalo Every day, thousands of productive female cattle are slaughtered in Pakistan According to estimates available on the internet about 200 000 cows (it is assumed the definition includes both cows and bulls and the term cow is used only to differentiate them from goats, sheep and camels) are slaughtered on Eid ul Adha in Pakistan Assuming half of these are females of productive age three billion litres of future milk production and 75 million kg of future meat production is lost in a single day Instead if all male cattle are slaughtered as sacrificial animals, our future productivity remains intact This simple maths should be enough to indicate the quantum of milk and meat loss in future production on a daily basis when productive female cattle are prematurely slaughtered for meat

A big problem is that the official data continues to present a rosy picture According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the cattle population in Pakistan is not only one of the largest in the world but it is growing at a fairly satisfactory pace too Interestingly a countrywide real time livestock census has not taken place in decades The data is therefore published by ex-

Though the BJP may avoid being taken over by a single personality, it remains committed to the Hindutva ideology. And if countries like Bangladesh think appeasement will work, they should keep in mind the fate of Cz echoslovakia. The third term is likely to hur t Indian Muslims, not to mention IndiaÊs neighbours, worse than the previous two as the BJP struggles for a four th win

trapolating the growth rate between last two censuses and applying that to the previous year s number, that too was created using the same faulty method Variables like increased reckless slaughtering of productive cattle and rampant smuggling are not factored into while mathematically producing the number

This is the reason why it is absolutely critical that female cattle are not slaughtered unless the animal is rendered unproductive for the production of milk and calves due to age, injury or illness No responsible nation in the world allows premature slaughtering of productive female cattle as ruthlessly as it is done in Pakistan

Many people do this unknowingly and it is hoped that once the issue has been highlighted to them, they would avoid slaughtering female cattle as sacrificial animals on Eid ul Adha Additionally, even when buying meat from the market for usual daily consumption, meat of female cattle should be completely boycotted

After all the most tender steaks in the world s most expensive restaurants are prepared using meat from male cattle

There is an urgent need to develop a separate meat sector in the country as absence of separate meat subsector is the prime reason why dairy females are consumed for meat But it seems we are determined never to learn from our mistakes and keep destroying our future (as well as our present) Educating consumers directly is probably a better option when policy makers are insensitive to such grave issues

The writer is Chief Executive Officer of FARMWELL (Pvt ) Limited

Inflation

TH E latest Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) survey by Institut Public de Sondage d Opinion Secteur (IPSOS), a leading French multinational market research firm, highlights a modest yet noteworthy shift in Pakistan’s economic sentiment for Q2 2024 The report reveals a +0 8 point increase in the overall CCI Key sub-indices performance show improvements in the Current Index (+1 4 to 18 7), Expectations Index (+0 7 to 44 3), and Investment Index (+1 1 to 19 6) However, the Jobs Index declined, dropping by

external factors and regional dynamics Persistent economic woes such as high inflation rising unemployment and a depreciating currency undermine purchasing power and fuel future uncertainty Additionally inconsistent government policies on taxation, subsidies, and business regulations add to the uncertainty, discouraging consumer spending Frequent political upheavals disrupt economic policies creating an unpredictable environment for consumers and investors This volatility is compounded by external factors like fluctuating oil prices and global economic downturns Additionally, ongoing security issues and regional conflicts deter investment and severely limit economic opportunities These combined factors create uncertainty and caution stalling economic growth and undermining consumer confidence Diminished consumer confidence breeds pessimistic sentiments, impacting businesses, investors, policy formation, and overall economic health The ripple effects of such sentiment shape investment decisions influence business strategies and challenge the effectiveness of economic policies ultimately weakening the economic foundation For instance, low consumer confidence severely impacts aggregate consumption expenditures and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) When confidence wanes consumers cut back on non-essential spending particularly on big-ticket items due to economic uncertainty This cautious spending

leads to lower sales, decreased revenue, and potential business job cuts

Since consumer spending is a significant GDP component– a substantial 83 percent– its decline can slow economic growth or trigger a recession Persistent low confidence leads to prolonged economic stagnation, diminishing investments, and lower tax revenues, further straining public finances This financial pressure limits the government’s ability to effectively stimulate the economy creating a challenging environment for recovery and growth In Pakistan low consumer confidence makes businesses hesitate to invest, anticipating reduced demand This cautious approach stalls innovation and

To elevate consumer confidence in Pakistan, the government should focus on achieving economic stability by controlling inflation, stabilizing the currency, and reducing unemployment through consistent policies Transparent governance and ensuring political stability can fur ther build trust Effective communication of government actions and economic plans will help build public trust Investments in infrastructure will suppor t economic activities, create jobs, and boost consumer sentiment Enhancing national security to mitigate regional conflicts and domestic security issues will encourag e spending and investment. Moreover, a mix of monetar y and fiscal policy measures is essential in driving economic growth.

Who will be Iran’s next president? The fundamentalist , the technocrat and the reformist

TH E Soviet despot Joseph Stalin once said that it is not the voters who matter most in elections but those who count the votes

When it comes to elections held in the Islamic Republic of Iran the real power belongs to the small body of clerics and jurists called the Guardian Council, which vets every candidate and decides who gets to run The council’s 12 members are directly or indirectly appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei an octogenarian who still calls all the most important shots

Of the 80 current and former regime officials who registered to run, the council approved only six The race will now be chiefly among two major conservative candidates and a lone reformist

You can call them the technocrat, the fundamentalist and the reformist respectively: Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf a former mayor and police chief who is known for his strongman tendencies and base of support in the powerful militia Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); Saeed Jalili, a former national-security adviser who is infamous for his Islamist fundamentalism, even by the regime’s standards; and Masud Pezeshkian a member of Parliament physician and former health minister under President Mohammad Khatami Because Pezeshkian was one of the three candidates endorsed by the Iranian Reformist Front, the reformists will now have to walk back their threat to boycott the vote

The main surprise on Sunday was the disqualification of Ali Larijani, a centrist conservative who might have offered the regime a chance to tack back to the West-facing policies of the centrist former president Hassan Rouhani Larijani was barred from running just as he had been in 2021 According to sources I spoke with, the council s vote on him was far from unanimous Still, some told me that the antiAmerican establishment balked at the fact that his daughter holds a faculty position at Emory University in Atlanta

Notably the long list of those disqualified also includes several of the late President Raisi s cabinet ministers Their exclusion is a slap in the face to the notorious Circle of M, a shadowy clique of hardliners close to Raisi’s powerful son-in-law Meqdad Nili In

From the perspective of the regime s and Khamenei s interests, both Qalibaf and Jalili have pros and cons As a loyal disciple of the regime s revolutionary creed, Jalili could offer a safe pair of hands at the helm But his extremism will further narrow the Islamic Republic’s base of support He is likely to bring about an even harsher subjugation of women and suppression of dissidents as well as a more hostile foreign policy When he led Iran s nuclear negotiations from 2008 to 2013, Jalili was notorious for lecturing his Western counterparts instead of engaging in actual negotiations about Iran’s nuclear program He once showed up to a meeting with a demand for a change in the structure of the United Nations When Jalili previously ran for president in 2013 even longtime conservatives such as former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati criticized him for his inflexibility and claimed that he had sabotaged Iran s dealings with the West and helped provoke tighter sanctions Qassem Soleimani, the chief of IRGC’s external operations wing who was killed by a U S strike in 2020 once reportedly threatened to quit if Jalili was elected president Khamenei likely approves of much of Jalili s agenda personally but he may worry that pushing it through will be too divisive

Qalibaf is cut from a wholly different cloth Those who have known him for years attest that he is a power-hungry technocrat with hardly an ideological bone in his body despite his many protestations to the contrary Western media outlets have reported on his private expression of admiration for the Israeli military s role in civilian manufacturing He was mayor of Tehran from 2005 to 2017, a period known for significant municipal corruption, but also for able management that made the city more livable in many ways

Qalibaf ’s raw ambition is obvious in that he has run for president repeatedly and on wildly different platforms In 2005 he compared himself to Reza Shah the autocratic king who founded the Pahlavi dynasty that the 1979 Islamic Revolution overthrew In 2017, he tried economic populism: He claimed that he represented the “96 percent,” and called himself a “neo-conservative ” to be distinguished from the hated hard-liners then later withdrew in favor of the real hard-liner Raisi In recent years many in the ultraconservative camp have soured on Qalibaf Some younger hardliners vociferously attacked him in the parliamentary elections earlier this year, calling him “The Godfather” and taunting him with memes from the film

Qalibaf is a survivor: He took a hit in the polls but was nonetheless able to hang onto his role as speaker of Parliament notably with support from centrist and reformist MPs But the suspicion of him from the right may matter more this time around If he becomes president, he will be in a good position to shape Iran’s future after Khamenei’s eventual death The supreme leader may be disinclined to empower a technocrat with no ideological principles at what could become a transitional moment for the Islamic Republic Yet Qalibaf looks more and more like Khamenei s best choice He has significant support within the IRGC and does not provoke the elite resistance that Jalili might What’s more, he very much appears to be the current front-runner One ominous sign that he is the favored candidate may be the arrest on Sunday of two journalists known for covering his corruption On Tuesday in his first televised interview as a candidate Qalibaf made populist promises to fight illegal immigration from Afghanistan, for example but also took pains to assure his conservative base of his devotion to the late President Raisi and his path The chance of the presidency going to a reformist for the first time since 2005 seems remote The council might have approved Pezeshkian in the

hope of increasing voter turnout something the regime is always sensitive about In 2021, the presidential election promised to be an uncompetitive coronation for Raisi, and a majority of voters stayed home Khamenei might have cynically calculated that Pezeshkian won’t garner enough votes to win but will bring enough people to the ballot boxes to push the turnout above 50 percent At any rate Pezeshkian is very much a loyal opposition figure and no real threat to the system In his first televised interview after being approved, he disappointed even his early supporters by making no concrete promises for change and reiterating that he saw the job of the president as implementing “policies set by the Supreme Leader One reformist former MP balked at this performance on social media commenting that Pezeshkian would surely lose if he went on like this The spokesperson for the Iranian Reformist Front urged him to do a better job of appealing to “the majority critical of the status quo ” Pezeshkian is certainly not in the race to be an also-ran We are in it to win a source close to him told me speaking on the condition of anonymity because they weren t authorized to talk to the media In five upcoming televised debates, each of which will last four hours, he will have a chance to do what he failed to do in the initial interviews In fact the current setup of candidates could actually favor Pezeshkian The hard-line vote will be divided among Qalibaf Jalili and two other candidates unless those two end up resigning in favor of Jalili The only centrist conservative candidate, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, is a dour cleric, widely hated for his role in the execution of political prisoners in the 1980s Pezeshkian is thus likely to be a consensus candidate for reformists and centrists Rouhani s centrist Moderation and Development Party has already endorsed him as have several of his cabinet ministers including former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif If they are able to energize their base, Pezeshkian might have a real chance of winning, either on June 28 or in the second round which will be held on July 8 if no candidate gets a majority at first But that remains a very big if given the candidate s early performance Pezeshkian will likely play up his Turkic Azeri background, hoping to win the support of the up to 15 million Iranians who share that heritage He also speaks Kurdish the primary language of his Kurdish mother and of the city of Mahabad, where he was born and so may additionally try to court the Kurdish and Sunni votes But although such efforts could work in his favor they could also play against him as some ultranationalists among both supporters and opponents of the regime, have already started attacking him as a pro-ethnic candidate All of the candidates, Pezeshkian included, will have a tough time generating electoral enthusiasm Most Iranians are disillusioned with the official politics of the Islamic Republic and its many factions They remember the hundreds killed during demonstrations in recent years, including those under the centrist Rouhani They know that real power doesn t rest with the presidency anyway Khamenei, the country’s autocratic ruler since 1989, has brought Iran to its nadir: economic disaster political and social repression international isolation and the threat of an unwanted war with Israel and the United States Those who count on Azeris showing up for Pezeshkian would do well

The medical profession saw nothing wrong with offering a cocaine -laced cola to white, middle - class consumers Selling it to Black Americans was another matter

Waqas shair and Badar Un nisa

Hezbollah fires record number of rockets af ter Israel kills top commander

C

hina’s steady economic growth fuels global confidence

R t Chinese Foreign Ministry official said Thursday that several international institutions have increased their economic growth forecasts for China, reflecting the international community’s confidence in the Chinese economy

We have noted the World Bank s report and observed that the International Monetary Fund has once again raised its forecast for China s economic growth this year by 0 4 percentage points, compared to its April projection,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a press conference on Thursday

T

Economic Prospects report has updated

China s economic growth forecast for 2024, raising it from 4 5 percent to 4 8 percent

The World Bank report highlighted stronger-than-expected economic activity in China particularly in exports said Lin Jian According to the General Administration of Customs, China s imports and exports of goods increased by 6 3 percent year on year in the first five months of this year As the world s manufacturing powerhouse providing cost-effective products to global markets and as a major consumer driving demand for products from other countries, China has played a positive and significant role,” said Lin “As the world’s second-largest economy and a vital part of the global economy China s contribution to world economic growth has remained substantial for a long time ” The sustained and steady growth of the Chinese economy has significantly contributed to global economic recovery according to Lin Jian Research by the International Monetary Fund indicates that every one percentage point of growth in Chinese economy boosts output levels in other economies by an average of 0 3 percentage points Despite the complex and volatile international environment the Chinese economy is confident and robust enough to continue progressing, Lin said We are prepared to share the benefits and opportunities of high-quality development with the rest of the world and collaborate to promote sustained global modernization he added

Russian naval vessels visit Cuba in show of force as Ukraine war esc alates

sailed to Cuba on Wednesday after conducting high-precision missile weapons training in the Atlantic Ocean according to Russia s defense ministry The submarine and frigate are armed with Zircon hypersonic missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles, and Onyx anti-ship missiles the ministry said Cuba stated last week that the visit was standard practice for naval vessels from countries friendly to Havana The communist-run government s foreign ministry confirmed that the fleet carried

no nuclear weapons a claim echoed by US officials The US has been monitoring the Russian vessels as they skirted the nearby Florida coast but has stated they pose no threat White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Wednesday that such naval exercises were routine We have seen this kind of thing before and we expect to see this kind of thing again, and I m not going to read into it any particular motives, Sullivan said He added that there was no evidence of Russia transferring any missiles to Cuba but the US would remain vigilant We do not expect anything like that to occur Havana is just 100 miles from Key West, Florida, home to a US Naval Air Station The timing of the visit as the Biden administration considers its stance on defending Ukraine against Russia suggests more than standard practice said William Leogrande a professor at American University The visiting Russian warships are Putin s way of reminding Biden that Moscow can challenge Washington in its own sphere of influence ” Leogrande said The stopover coincides with Cuba’s worst social and economic crisis in decades marked by shortages of food medicine, and fuel, and growing discontent on the streets

“This [ ] has echoes of the Cold War, but unlike the first Cold War, the Cubans are drawn to Moscow not by ideological affinity but by economic necessity Leogrande said

S indh senior minister disc usses investment oppor tunities with Q atari Consul General

K A R A C H I: Consul General of Qatar in Karachi Nayef Shahein met with Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon in his office During the meeting, they discussed the bilateral friendly relations between Pakistan and Qatar, mutual interests, cultural harmony between the two countries and other pertinent issues At the meeting Consul General of Qatar Nayef Shahien praised the hospitality of Pakistan particularly the people of Sindh He emphasized that Qatar feels like a second home to the citizens of Pakistan On this occasion, Senior Minister of Sindh Sharjeel Memon extended an invitation to the Consul General of Qatar to consider investing in Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon highlighted numerous investment opportunities available in Sindh expressing the government s readiness to host a delegation from Qatar for exploring these prospects He emphasized the abundance of investment opportunities available in the region PR

Huawei Tech Connec t 2024, A commercial market event to target SMEs for the S outh region of Pakistan

Pakistan's first solar power projec t launched in S indh, says Nasir S hah

KARACHI: Sindh Provincial Energy Minister Syed Nasir Shah participated in the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding between the Department of Energy and Go Energy Pvt Limited for the 550 MW floating solar energy project on Kenjhar Lake Secretary Energy Mossadiq Ahmed Khan, CEO-STDC Salim Shaikh, CEO-Go Green Amar Ali Talat and Director K-Electric Haris Siddiqui were also present Syed Nasir Shah said that Go Energy Private Limited is making this project with the cooperation of STDC Sindh Energy Department and Sindh Irrigation Department STDC Kenjhar Lake Power Project will lay a 220 kv transmission line of about 60 km to K-Electric grid station Dhabiji Karachi Nasir Shah said that KElectric is the off-taker of the 500MW floating power project for which K-Electric has provided Letter of Intent (LOI) and Energy Department has also provided a Letter of Intent (LOI) He said that this project is environmentally friendly as it will help prevent water evaporation and will be beneficial for aquatic life He added that project will also benefit land conservation and this project is environment friendly which will promote

vital for patients with conditions such as thalassemia hemophilia cancer, and other chronic diseases Properly screened blood prevents the transmission of fatal diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis, and Malaria Despite the simplicity and safety of donating blood only a small percentage of people do so regularly PR

of the students but also the commitment of the faculty and the supportive environment fostered by NUST-MCS He maintained that these projects speak volumes of the practical skills and problem-solving abilities the students had developed over the course of their degree programmes which he believed they would utilise towards serving the nation PR

BU expands global reach, strategic par tnership with Turkish Universities

A three-member delegation from Bahria University (BU) comprising Vice Admiral (R) Asif Khaliq HI(M) Rector; Prof Dr Faisal Bashir Hussain Dean Engineering Sciences; and Dr Muhammad Awais Mehmood, Director International Office, visited Türkiye to explore possibilities of academic partnerships and collaborations During their visit to Turkiye Bahria University (BU) signed MoUs with Turkish Universities; Gebze Technical University (GTU) Altinbas University (AU) Bahçeşehir University (BAU) Istanbul Topkapi University (ITU) and Istanbul Medipol University (IMU) to enhance academic collaborations in joint research, student exchange programs, joint conferences, seminars and summer school programmes Based on Bahria University s extensive experience in establishing a Maritime Science and Technology Park the delegation offered their support and guidance to Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) in the development of their TeknoPark The visit concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), symbolizing the commencement of a promising partnership between Bahria University and Istanbul Kültür University The delegation also visited Gebze Teknopark and Istanbul Teknopark to gain insights into their operational procedures and explore potential collaborations PR

Faysal Islami Exchange Company launches operations in 10 C ities KARACHI:

BudgeT 2024-25: L aPToPs In PaKIsTan To BeCome more exPensIve

and issued orders for the immediate de-sealing of the PTI Central Secretariat In compliance with the court s instructions, the bailiff facilitated the reopening of the office After reserving the verdict on June 3 against PTI’s petition, the IHC on Thursday allowed PTI to reopen the party’s central secretariat Last month The Capital Development Authority (CDA) sealed the secretariat located in Sector G-8/4 of the federal capital for violating building by-laws as part of its crackdown on illegal constructions and encroachments The illegal constructions were demolished with a heavy contingent of police present outside its premises

Following the operation the PTI had protested against the CDA operation in Islamabad Later in the evening Barrister Gohar Raoof Hassan and other party leaders arrived at the secretariat and Qur an khawani held

PPP leadership’s refusal to attend budget session leads to serious problems for PML-N

ISLAMABAD

The relationship between the PPP and the PML-N seemed precarious as the former a significant partner in the current government demonstrated its unhappiness on Wednesday by briefly attending the National Assembly s budget session, signaling dissatisfaction with the government’s actions The PPP’s displeasure was evident through its minimal participation after the ruling party ignored its concerns regarding the budget

The situation escalated when Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urgently visited PPP Chairman Bilawal BhuttoZardari’s office requesting the party’s presence in the session Despite Dar s last-minute efforts the PPP limited its representation to three MNAs Naveed Qamar, Khursheed Shah, and Ijaz Jakhrani while the chairman and other prominent members were notably absent underscoring the party’s sense of neglect by the government

The PML-N breached the agreement it had with the PPP prior to forming the government, as it failed to

incorporate our input into the PSDP budget, stated PPP Secretary Information Shazia Marri while speaking to a private English newspaper “The government is taking us for granted ” Marri noted that the agreement required the PML-N to consult the PPP on the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) However, she reported that the government only briefed a handful of PPP legislators shortly before leaving them uninformed

The limited attendance in the budget session was a distinct indication that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his administration have not provided the assurances the PPP seeks, Marri added Marri explained that if Dar had not approached Bilawal to ensure the government would address their concerns the PPP would have boycotted the session entirely In terms of future actions Marri indicated that the decision would depend on the government s next steps, as the responsibility now lies with them

When questioned about the PPP’s willingness to help pass the budget Marri affirmed that there is still time for the government to address the PPP s issues We are not blackmailers; we act responsibly,

she remarked, but the government should not overlook us She emphasized that the PPP aims to support farmers, refine taxation, and avoid regressive tax policies PPP and PML-N faced a significant obstacle on Tuesday when they couldn t agree on the proposed 18 percent standard sales tax on agricultural inputs and machinery This tax, mandated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to abolish tax exemptions in Pakistan continues to be a contentious issue

Moreover the PPP leadership is displeased with issues such as load-shedding, untimely wheat imports, unsatisfactory inquiry results, and lack of budget relief for the agricultural sector Distressed by the PML-N’s disregard the PPP leadership openly expressed their discontent criticizing the PML-N for marginalizing an essential ally

When asked about the scant presence of PPP in the NA, Senator Sherry Rehman conveyed that the PPP had agreed to support the government’s formation for the greater national good after intense discussions noting that as part of the agreement the PSDP for all four provinces was to be prenegotiated with the government

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa s Adviser Finance Muzammil Aslam on Thursday harshly criticised the federal budget calling it a “killing poison ” Speaking to reporters Aslam claimed that the federal budget was dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) rather than the government s own intent The federal budget is essentially an IMF budget ” he asserted

Aslam alleged that a 38 percent tax increase was implemented on IMF s instructions The salaried class has been strangulated in this budget,” he added He highlighted that a 15 percent tax has been imposed on the real estate sector for the first time He also mentioned that the tax on non-filers has been raised to 45 percent, stating that non-filers are mostly from the poorer segments of society who are now overburdened with this high tax rate Aslam pointed out that after distributing

ISLAMABAD

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered an Additional District and Sessions Court (ADSJ) to deliver a verdict in 10 days on pleas by PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi for the suspension of their sentence in Iddat Case A single-judge IHC bench, comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb presided over the hearing and also ordered the ADSJ Afzal Majoka to decide on their primary appeals against the convictions within the month Advocate Salman Akram Raja appeared on behalf of the PTI founder while Raja Rizwan Abbasi represented Khawar Maneka The judge announced the deci-

sion after hearing argument put forward by both sides

The former premier and former first lady were convicted by a senior civil judge on February 3 for contracting marriage during Bushra Bibi’s Iddat period They were sentenced to seven years in jail with a fine of Rs500 000 each They challenged the conviction before district and sessions judge Shahrukh Arjumand, who recused himself at a time when the hearing had been concluded and the court was supposed to announce the verdict

During the last hearing on May 29 Khawar Maneka s counsel requested Session Judge Shahrukh Arjumand to transfer the case to another judge as Maneka “don’t want the case verdict from you ” Later the Session Judge

Shahrukh Arjumand wrote a letter to the High Court regarding the ongoing Nikah case of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi