Epaper_24-06-17 ISB

PM SHEHBA Z PRAYS FOR UNIT Y, PROSPERIT Y OF UMMAH IN PHONE CALLS WITH MUSLIM LEADERS

g COVEYS EIDUL AZHA GREETINGS TO PRESIDENT ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TAJIKISTAN AND KING OF BAHRAIN

g REAFFIRM PAKISTAN ’S COMMITMENT TO FURTHER CEMENT BILATERAL TIES BETWEEN PAKISTAN, TURKIYE, TAJIKISTAN AND BAHRAIN

the misery and suffering of the innocent Palestinians The two leaders agreed to continue working together to address common challenges and to support each other ’s core national interests ” the press statement further added

The warm conversation between the two leaders was a testament to the strong and enduring relationship between Pakistan and Turkiye, and their commitment to continuing their close cooperation in the days ahead

To this end, the prime minister reiterated his cordial invitation to President Erdogan to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience so as to convene the 7th session of the High Level Strategic Consultative Council (HLSCC) Pakistan, Tajikistan to continue working together for peace On the other hand, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a telephonic conversation with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon on Sunday to exchange greetings on the occasion of Eidul Azha

The Prime Minister congratulated President Emomali Rahmon and the brotherly people of Tajikistan on the blessed occasion of Eid, and expressed his wishes for peace, prosperity, and development of both countries

President Emomali Rahmon reciprocated the greetings and best wishes and praised the strong fraternal relations between Pakistan and Tajikistan

Nothing on ear th could dent Sino Pak long-standing friendship: Naqvi

Talking to China s ambassador in Pakistan Jiang Zaidong during his visit to the Chinese embassy, Naqvi praised the Chinese leadership for always standing by Pakistan during testing times saying that no country on earth could weaken the long-standing relations between the two countries A detailed discussion was also held on the promotion of PakistanChina relations and measures taken

for the security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan The recent visit of the prime minister has strengthened the friendship with China” said Mr Naqvi adding that the Chinese President the prime minister and senior leadership of China had always supported Pakistan He informed the Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zedong about

Shehbaz , President Aliyev discuss bilateral relations during Eid call

LAHORE A P P

Prime Minister

is being created in Islamabad for foreign nationals The protection of the Chinese brothers who are working for the construction and development of Pakistan is the first priority of the government of Pakistan said Mohsin Naqvi

The two leaders also expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared desire to enhance ties in through trade, energy, and connectivity

BOHRA COMMUNIT Y, PARTS OF KP CELEBRATE

A ZHA WITH THEIR BRETHREN IN SAUDI ARABIA

Frustration mounts in Peshawar over unscheduled elec tricity outages

The Battle of the Inhalers

SYED AFSAR SAJID

‘Mukammal Namukammal’ Anwar Jamal’s consolidated verse collection ‘Nazaryat-e-Falsafa’ Anwar Jamal’s critique of theories of philosophy Panah M Athar Masood s translation of some short stories of Iranian writer Fereydoun Tonekaboni

‘Mukammal Namukammal’

Anwar Jamal is a veteran poet Other than that he is also a discreet critic of literature an imaginative visual artist and an educationist par excellence The aforementioned book is a collection of his four poetic anthologies viz Nisfun Nihar , Teray Ba ad , Tashnagi Hijr Hai , and Aasman Koi Aur besides a chunk of his unpublished poetic work and some select poetic lines Famed critic and litterateur Dr Shamim Haider Tirmizi and Mubeen Mirza Nadeem

another noted literary figure have critically analysed Anwar Jamal s poetics in their respective critiques of his person and art, added to the book The former perceives a glow of self-portraiture in his verse coupled with an extroversive appraisal of the world without a world of deceit distrust and disgust driven away from the ideals of truth faith and hope by the propulsive forces of what may be termed as a dialectical though anarchic materialism The poet pivots

Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari stated on Saturday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is making sincere efforts to steer the country out of crises

Speaking to journalists during the inauguration of an uplift project Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari emphasised the government s zero-tolerance policy towards electricity theft He affirmed the government s commitment to providing maximum relief to the public and highlighted that the dualization of the Indus Highway from Dera Ismail Khan to Kashmore is a top priority with completion expected by 2027 Leghari underscored the PML-N s dedication to serving the public and addressing the nation s issues, focusing

A

JK PM

for improved metering to ensure transparent elec tricity billing

MIRPUR A P P

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhary Anwar ul Haq has directed the concerned authorities to provide all possible facilities to electricity consumers in the state During a meeting of the State Electricity Department at the Jammu and Kashmir House in the federal metropolis late Saturday, he emphasised that the government would utilise all available resources to improve departmental

efficiency and ensure uninterrupted power supply across the region The prime minister stated that an improved metering system would enhance accurate billing, prevent power pilferage, misuse of electricity, and overbilling of consumers in the state The meeting was attended by Senior Minister Col (Retd) Waqar Noor Minister of Local Government Faisal Mumtaz Rathore Minister of the Department of Electricity Chaudhry Muhammad Arshad AJK Chief Secretary Dawood Muhammad Barich, and other senior officials of the State Electricity Department

Government plans to keep Imran in jail for five years: Ahsan Iqbal

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 The minister subtly criticized the judiciary suggesting that Khan has relied on judicial support during challenging times, and noted that Khan faces serious court cases Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August last year in various cases The PML-N leader expressed concern about the ongoing conflict between the judiciary and the establishment When asked about this tension Iqbal said, Both should consider whether this confrontation benefits the country He mentioned that historically, politicians and the establishment have been at odds, but emphasized the necessity of cooperation for the nation’s sake “We cannot afford internal conflicts ” he remarked warning that continued infighting could jeopardize the country s sovereignty He called for a conducive environment for investment Ahsan Iqbal also reiterated the government s commitment to advancing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, acknowledging China’s consistent support for Pakistan during crises He highlighted that Pakistan faces significant challenges related to debt servicing in the next three years

latter however calls him (Anwar Jamal) a poet of tense emotions and radiant thoughts hypersensitive to even the slightest deviation from the norm Famed English critic Scott James once said that The artist knows more about life than any one can know without regarding life with the artist’s eye ’ In fact he (the artist) gives us a semblance of reality which is more characteristic of life than anything which we discover in the common yet duller happenings of every day

that Professor Anwar Jamal has provided us a treasured repository of philosophical terms and concepts translated and explained by him in the Urdu language He is a man of letters He understands the nexus of literature and philosophy He has very ably attempted a difficult task of explaining philosophical categories in their vertical and horizontal dimensions in a

The Haj S ermon and the PM’s 100- days speech pointed more to tasks ahead rather than accomplishments

TH E two speeches were very different While Kaaba Imam Sheikh Maher Al-Muaiqly delivered a standard speech heavy on theology to the Hajj gathering at Arafat marking the acme of what is itself the apex ritual of the Islamic year Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made a typical political speech to the nation, the first of his current tenure, marking the first 100 days of his current tenure, which is the beginning of what he hopes will be a five-year tenure But the underlying sentiment of both was much the same: Sh Al-Muaiqly said that Muslims needed to reform themselves if they hoped to end the suffering of the Palestinians on whom Israel did not let up even on the Eid Mr Sharif also told Pakistanis of the need to change themselves if they hoped to improve their situation

Sh Al-Muaiqly did not just speak about the Palestinians, but also spoke about the need for Muslims to strive for progress in this world That is what Mr Sharif was talking about, albeit at a Pakistani level However, it should be noted that that if Pakistan was able to become a flourishing economy what sort of difference it would make to the Muslim world as a whole She Al-Muaiqly was speaking in the heart of Saudi Arabia supposedly an economic power However while Saudi had, and still has, vast oil wealth, it also had an untrained and sparse population, and provides an object lesson in how far wealth can go alone On the other hand, if Pakistan s people s energies were to be unleashed, the Muslim world would benefit from their hard work and manifold skills much as the Arab world benefited from Pakistanis debt-ridden and impoverished as they were– and are

It was something of a disappointment, though, one to which everyone is accustomed by habit, that the gathering at Mina was followed on Sunday by Edul Azha in some countries, including Pakistan The reason is supposed to be that individual countries follow local sightings Still, would Mr Sharif s speech have been as effective if it had celebrated his first 101 days or first 99 rather than his first 100? The inability of the Muslim world to follow a single calendar in this age of the internet and 4G technology, is symbolic more than anything else, of the divisions Sh Al-Muaqly spoke of

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

M A Niazi

Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit

Tamong the Muslim ummah History reveals that the Masjid was a central point for the Muslims to share religious knowledge and spread the wisdom of Allah It is a place to preach the knowledge of the Almighty and teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) A place of communal cohesion and social interaction A place where people of common interest come together pray to Allah interact and ask about the wellbeing of others The masjid is undoubtedly a real place for education, religion, ethics and manners It holds a revered position in Islam People of today’s era consider the Masjid to be the only place of worship Interestingly masjid is a true place for community engagements intellectual enlightenment social interaction and spiritual growth History witnessed that the Masjid has been pivotal in fostering spiritual knowledge, religious teachings and societal harmony Let me quote the example of Baitullah and Masjid-iNabavi which are together a nucleus for the entire Muslim ummah where they come together and seek forgiveness from Allah and endow their lives for the preaching of Islam The Holy Prophet (PBUH) declared the Masjid a vibrant hub of Quranic and hadith teaching and a source of learning for commerce, social cohesion, harmony and code of Islamic ethics The Masjid is pivotal in promoting justice and societal issues and instilling a sense of significance among Muslims It is the centre of gravity for the Muslim to promote spiritual and intellectual

Dr Omer JaveD

In fact, the second stated objective of the 2024-25 budg et, which is ÂBringing public debt to GDP ratio to sustainable levelsÊ requires a non-austerity policy approach, given the

and quiet, and dive into countless books and resources Libraries and Masjids are parallel places that educate the people for the noble deeds The core objectives of Masjid and libraries are to develop a sense of the acquisition and disseminating of knowledge in diverse disciplines Masjids and libraries share a common ethos of serving humanity in fostering community harmony and promoting learning capabilities Establishing Libraries in Masjids means bridging the gap between religious devotion and intellectual pursuits and creating holistic spaces for the Muslims’ social educational and spiritual needs There is a growing recognition of the Masjids in contemporary times In today s information era, libraries play tremendous roles and are a counterpart of every organization, whether research institutions, academia, or business occupations Library in the Masjid would be a place of great communal enrichment and intellectual growth libraries align with the core principles of Islam in more sophisticated ways Masjid and libraries are a central place for the entire community to promote literacy rate, civic engagement and intellectual curiosity However, the question arises: Who can establish the libraries in the masjid? Does it require a strategy? The answer is yes It requires a concrete measurement and comprehensive plans while planning a library; a few worthy steps include community engagement, where people of common interest come together to solicit book donations and raise the importance of masjid libraries The second option for the masjid library is to formulate a committee comprising volunteers educationists and religious scholars to manage the library for goodwill Similarly in every society people of different government missionaries come to pray in the Masjid; they should be convinced to promote

library donations Another question is about book acquisition Initially, the people of the surrounding community can share their extra books instead of selling them as scrap The library committee should collect cash from the donors to acquire new books Another good idea to make the library successful is a social media platform where people of different spheres should be motivated to donate their books Infrastructure development is yet another question Initially, a corner room inside the masjid would be established with a few shelves Usually some people have extra shelves in their homes they should donate these shelves for this cause Organizations like publishers and local community libraries should be contacted to donate their extra books Similarly, local publishers should be contacted to provide them with books at lowest prices The library should be ventilated with normal temperature in both summer and winter seasons Management and maintenance of the library is yet another question it is imperative for the library committee to take necessary care of the books and other reading materials There should be proper organization of books, and a devoted person should keep records for charging and discharging books

A Masjid library is an inspirational idea for the community of Pakistan Let s ignite this initiative by starting with our local Masjid and fostering a culture of learning and growth Ostensibly, No society can thrive without the support of joining hands Let’s promote libraries in every Masjid to elevate our collective knowledge and growth

The writer is the Library s Deputy Director at ISSI A Think-Tank based in Islamabad For feedback contact me at writetoabidhussain@gmail com M a s j i d l i b r a r y i

Lawlessness

English dominance

Karachi congestion

IT is indeed satisfying to note that Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz is evincing keen interest in overhauling the health system in the province and improving the quality of services provided to the masses in the government hospitals She has already put in place multiple steps to ensure that the poor masses get health facilities at their doorstep besides availability of free medicines to them The introduction of air-ambulance in the system is probably the most laudable initiative taken by her On Tuesday she presided over a meeting of the health authorities in this regard and gave them a deadline to improve conditions in the government hospitals The most significant outcome of the moot was her approval of a programme to rid Punjab of spurious and counterfeit drugs

The production and marketing of spurious and fake drugs is a thriving business in the country run by unscrupulous elements which are playing with the health of the masses It has been going on for decades without effective check and control by the concerned authorities A report published in the media reveals

that there are more than 3000 factories in the country engaged in producing fake and spurious drugs The biggest number of them is in Punjab followed by Sind, KP and Balochistan They are using the lowest quality material smuggled from Iran India and China for producing these medicines which are injurious to health There are wholesale markets of these drugs in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and other cities Reportedly these factories are owned by members of the assemblies, doctors and owners of private hospitals which are prescribing these drugs in the name of known brands These medicines are also being used in some government hospitals To avoid being detected they pack these medicines in containers with labels of known medicines

These factories produce injections, antibiotics and cough syrups in which chemical substances are mixed These medicines are also smuggled into Afghanistan and extensively marketed in the rural areas The reason why this business is thriving is that those who are supposed to control such illegal activities are bribed by the mafia for maintaining silence These medicines contain injurious ingredients or no active ingredients at all and the administration of these drugs may lead to treatment failure exacerbation of health conditions, development of drug resistance and even death I remember a horrible incident involving the death of a journalist and TV anchor about four decades ago whose

f i rs t s t e p i n t h e r i g h t d i r e c t i o n g u a r a n t e e s s u c c e s s

M a r ya m h a s t a k e n u p t h i s ch a l l e n g e a n d j u d g i n g by h e r

e n t h u s i a s m a n d d r i v e o n e c a n h o p e t h a t h e r e f fo r t s wo u l d m a k e a l o t o f d i f fe r e n c e i n t h i s r e g a rd .

name was probably Idrees Baig He was given an injection purchased from a medical store in front of Mayo Hospital Lahore which deteriorated his condition and finally caused his death

The production of counterfeit and spurious drugs is the most heinous crime against the state and society But who cares? We are the most corrupt society The corruption at the top level of the governments has had its trickle-down effect and consequently it has almost become a vicious circle from which the exit seems almost impossible

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) does recognize the severity of the problem and feels that this issue requires coordinated efforts involving regulatory reform enhanced enforcement mechanisms public awareness campaigns and international cooperation to effectively combat the proliferation of counterfeit drugs and safeguard the wellbeing of the population Very right but I think they conveniently neglect the fact that all the measures suggested by them are effectively neutralized by the allpermeating corruption It is not only a case of people s health being jeopardized by the spurious and counterfeit drugs but there are also other mafias who are involved in destroying the health of the people to earn easy money

Adulteration of food items is another thriving business undertaken by the people bereft of humanitarian faculties These days milk made from chemicals is also being marketed with impunity and it is very difficult to get pure milk from the milk outlets in the cities Like drugs the sellers earn a lot of profit and those marketing it also get a fair share of this illearned money at the cost of public health

These medicines are also being used in some government hospitals. To avoid being detected they pack these medicines in containers with labels of known medicines. These factories produce injections, antibiotics, and cough syrups in which chemical substances are mixed. These medicines are also smuggled into Afghanistan and extensively marketed in the rural areas.

The rulers have been busy in building their own fortunes through in-built avenues of corruption in the system of governance and it is because of their corruption that the entire society has become afflicted with corruption and corrupt practices Human values and morality are at the lowest ebb I do not subscribe to the often preferred view that such activities are undertaken secretly at unknown places and it is difficult to eradicate the menace altogether Only fools would give credence to that idea I know for sure that all the police stations have their own intelligence gathering system and the Station House Officers are fully aware of the illegal activities happening in their

fastest-growing major developing economy in the world, how the nation overtook Britain to become the fifth-largest global economy, and how successfully India hosted the G20 summit last year all of these under his leadership of course! He even raked up the long-settled issue of the Sri Lankan island of Katchatheevu just for narrow political gain in Tamil Nadu When the results were announced on 4 June, Modi s feet of clay were exposed as voters handed down the BJP a stunningly reduced parliamentary majority A new era of coalition politics was ushered in an uncharted territory for a leader who has often bragged of his ability to beat the Opposition single-handedly The diminished mandate and dependence on coalition partners introduce new dynamics that could influence India s foreign policy direction in the next five years Modi is believed to have made most of the crucial foreign policy decisions on his own without consulting his cabinet

territory through salami slicing, or incremental occupation of the border areas Diplomatic engagements will be crucial in managing the complex relationship with China Underlying tensions and territorial disputes will require careful navigation to avoid escalation Observers will be keenly watching whether there will be a meeting between Modi and Xi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kazakhstan s capital Astana next month

New Delhi will likely continue to promote minilateral” arrangements with like-minded countries to advance its foreign policy and regional security objectives The I2U2 (India Israel United States and United Arab Emirates) the Colombo Security Conclave (India Sri Lanka the Maldives and Mauritius) and the Quad (India Japan Australia and the U S ) will most likely play significant roles in tackling regional challenges

However, the Quad has come under a cloud lately with the U S forming the ‘Squad,’ replacing India with the Philippines An additional “deterrence” angle has been added to the Squad group given the rising tensions in the South-China Sea It has been over a year since the Quad leaders met for a summit With U S President Joe Biden snubbing Modi s invitation to be the chief guest at India s Republic Day in January, a planned Quad summit along the sidelines of the celebration had to be deferred Another attempt to hold a summit before the beginning of the national elections on April 19 also fell apart for various reasons Now no summit is likely before the U S elections are over in November

Meanwhile, the plot to assassinate, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U S -Canadian citizen and alleged Khalistani separatist, in New York, reportedly involving Indian intelligence agents, has strained India-U S ties Additionally India’s perceived alignment with Russia amid the Ukraine conflict and its long-term agreement with Iran regarding the Chabahar port have further complicated relations with the U S India s relations with Canada too have nosedived under Modi s watch with the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and an alleged Khalistani separatist, in British Columbia in June last year Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being complicit in the assassination which subsequently led to a serious diplomatic spat inflicting considerable damage to ties between the two major democracies Relations with Pakistan also remain strained, and New Delhi will likely continue the current policy of limited engagement with Islamabad Despite Moscow’s close ties with Beijing the historical and strategic partnership with Russia remains vital Navigating this complex triad of relationships will require a delicate balance ensuring that India s interests are safeguarded while maintaining its strategic autonomy Meanwhile, Modi s decade-long rule saw Indian democracy coming under severe strain Illiberalism and religious bigotry have been on the rise and the country’s global standing has taken a beating According to the Opposition Congress party the nation s image has been damaged by the BJP government s intolerance of dissent and suppression of human rights Freedom House has downgraded India from free to partly free while Sweden’s V-Dem Institute has classified the country as an “electoral autocracy ” On the World Press Freedom Index the “largest democracy in the world” now ranks 159 out of 180 countries Though the BJP has cornered most of the crucial ministries in the new government including the MEA the party s dependence on coalition partners may lead to compromises A humbled Modi at home will likely be more susceptible to international pressure during his third term The made-up swagger with which he was walking on the

E D Mathew is a former U N spokesperson He posts @edmathew on X A h u m b l e d N a r e n d r a M o d i , a d i m i n i s h e d g l o b a l s t a t u r e

EIGHTY years ago, delegates from 44 countries gathered in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, to coordinate reconstruction in the aftermath of World War II and promote international economic cooperation The institutions for which they laid the groundwork –the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank – stand at the heart of the global monetary and financial order In recent years, however, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have laid bare just how out of step these institutions are with changing global economic realities and development priorities If the international community is to have a chance of addressing twenty-first-century challenges effectively and equitably, the global economic and financial architecture must be reformed Eight priorities stand out First, developing economies must be given greater voice in multilateral institutions As has been widely recognized global economic power has shifted significantly since 1944 with emerging markets and developing economies carrying far more weight Quotas and voting systems at the Bretton Woods institutions, however, are still skewed heavily in favor of the advanced economies Moreover, a “gentlemen’s agreement” whereby a European leads the IMF and an American leads the World Bank persists

This state of affairs not only undermines the Bretton Woods institutions legitimacy; it also impedes their ability to meet the urgent and complex challenges of our time That is why quotas and voting shares must be reallocated – a change that the advanced economies, especially the United States, have so far resisted – and a “double-majority” leadership-selection procedure should be adopted In such a system successful candidates would have to obtain both a majority of weighted votes (which reflect countries shares in the institution) and the support of a majority of member countries

Second, the Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN)

the network of institutions that provide critical financing in times of crisis – must be strengthened and made more responsive to the needs of developing economies facing evolving climate and macroeconomic risks As it stands the GFSN not only falls far short in terms of the amount of support it provides, it also suffers from built-in structural inequalities that leave developing countries more exposed A bigger, more equitable GFSN would better safeguard countries against climate shocks and other crises freeing up resources to foster development locally Third an international mechanism must be established to deliver fair and swift resolutions to sovereign-debt crises Work on such a sovereigndebt workout mechanism – including an institution that is independent from creditors and debtors (crucial

Ever yone has learnt corruption

Malik MuhaMMad ashraf

address the humanitarian crisis get the hostages home and allow for the delivery of aid education and medical care Meanwhile, in a stark assessment of the dire situation, the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that significant proportion of Gaza population is now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions To date, more than 8,000 youngsters have been diagnosed and treated for acute malnutrition, including 1,600 children with the most dangerous form of the condition ” the WHO Director-General said Despite reports of increased deliv-

ery of food there is currently no evidence that those who need it most are receiving sufficient quantity and quality of food Tedros maintained Lifesaving treatment for dangerously malnourished children is dwindling

in the war-shattered enclave with only two of three specialized nutrition stabi-

APHC condemns Modi regime for forcing IIOJK schools to play India’s anthem

SRINAGAR

AG E N C E S The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has strongly condemned the Modi regime for forcing all schools in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir to play India’s anthem during morning assemblies According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesman Adv Abdul Rashid Minhas in a statement in Srinagar termed the order as Indian terrorism unleashed by the BJP regime on educational institutions in occupied Jammu and Kashmir The BJP regime has ordered all schools in the occupied territory to play India s anthem during morning assemblies, forcing Kashmiri Muslim students to abandon their religious and cultural heritage This move aims to erase the territory’s Islamic identity and impose Hindutva ideology in the Muslim-majority IIOJK, APHC statement said The APHC also strongly condemned the behaviour of the BJP Indian government of keeping its leaders and thousands of Kashmiris including women under illegal detention for nearly the past seven years

Jailed APHC Chairman extends Eid greetings to IIOJK people’ Illegally jailed Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Masarrat Aalam Butt has extended Eid greetings to the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the world over on Eid-ul-Adha

According to Kashmir Media Service Masarrat Aalam Butt in his special message from the notorious Tihar Jail in New Delhi on Eid-ulAdha while extending heartfelt Eid greetings to the Muslim ummah, particularly the oppressed people of

The statement urged the United Nations and other global organisations, working for education all over the world to intervene and put pressure on India to take back its communal-based decision

occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine prayed for the immediate liberation of both oppressed peoples from the illegal domination of the two oppressive colonial powers India and Israel Masarrat Aalam Butt who is also the head of the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League said that the Muslim world is going through an extremely critical phase of trial and tribulation

The APHC Chairman urged the Kashmiris to prioritize the needs of martyrs families the families of detained Kashmiris and other victims of Indian state terrorism emphasizing the importance of sacrifice and simplicity during Eidul Azha

PUNJAB CM DIRECTS BEST CLEANLINESS, FOOLPROOF SECURIT Y

Faiz Bhatty will be its co-chairpersons Other members of the committees include prominent businessmen from various chambers of commerce and trade bodies LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T

U N J A B Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Sunday ordered the imposition of Section-144 to ban throwing animal waste and offal in canals and drains, besides the illegal business of roasting ‘Siri Paey’ on Eidul Adha across the province

Chairing a special meeting held to review cleanliness arrangements and security plan for Eidul Azha CM Maryam Nawaz directed the authorities concerned to further activate provincial, divisional, district and tehsil level control rooms for effective implementation of Eid plan

May Nawaz was briefed that in Lahore the staff of solid waste management company will go from door to door and collect

ISLAMABAD S TA F

students, parents and stakeholders to avoid getting admission in these programmes as degrees obtained from such programmes do not qualify for recognition and attestation by HEC "

As per the HEC s official statement, the decision of abolishing the two-year degree programmes was taken in 2004 with the aim of enhancing the quality of degree programmes

as per international standards

The commission however had granted a transition period until 2016 to the varsities for phasing out the said programmes

The two-year associate degree programmes allowed by the HEC were a substitute for the bachelors of arts (BA) and bachelors of science (BSc) degree programmes and were equivalent to 14 years of education

On the completion of an associate degree programme, the graduates can secure admissions to the fifth semester of a four-year BS programme

GOVT UNLIKELY TO BUY SPOT LNG IN SUMMER

Quit anti-state campaign, hold talks with gov t on political issues, Aqeel advises PTI

Spokesperson of the Federal Government on Legal Affairs, Barrister Aqeel Malik on Sunday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) must quit its anti-state activities and propaganda, and hold dialogue with the government on political issues to mull over solutions instead of damaging the nation s interest at global forums The Spokesperson on Legal Affairs was holding a press conference to brief the media on the political party s anti-state activities abroad Barrister Malik said that there was no precedent to PTI s country enmity as it was perpetrating anti-Pakistan legislation in foreign countries

“Pakistan is an independent country and does not take dictation from any nation We want friendly relations with all nations However a concentrated smear campaign against Pakistan in foreign countries that started after the 2022 vote of no confidence which mounted the anti-Pakistan propaganda,” he said and added that the PTI had hired lobbyists and PR firms to promote anti-Pakistan campaign abroad Resolution number 901 tabled in November 2023 in US Congress by Congressmen McCormick had all its links to PTI he alleged while adding all anti-Pakistan legislation is done on the behest of PTI and overseas Pakistani diaspora who have strong affiliation with this party are being misused for this clandestine motive of PTI ” He warned that the government and state of Pakistan would clamp down against overseas Pakistanis if the anti-state agenda was promoted Hamas response to Gaza ceasefire proposal ‘consistent’ with principles of US plan: Haniyeh

O A G E N C I E S The Hamas resistance group s response to the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal is consistent with the principles put forward in US President Joe Biden s plan, the group’s Qatar-based leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised speech on the occasion of the Islamic Eid al-Adha on Sunday “Hamas and the (Palestinian) groups are ready for a comprehensive deal which entails a ceasefire withdrawal from the strip the reconstruction of what was destroyed and a comprehensive swap deal, Haniyeh said, referring to the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners On May 31, Biden laid out what he called a “three-phase” Israeli proposal that would include negotiations for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as phased exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel Egypt and Qatar – which along with the United States have been mediating between Hamas and Israel – said on June 11 that they had received a response from the Palestinian groups to the US plan, without giving further details While Israel said Hamas freedom fighters rejected key elements of the US plan a senior Hamas leader told Reuters that the changes the group requested were not significant

New taxes threaten IT sec tor stability

The fiscal year 2024-2025 budget imposes heavier income taxes on the skilled salaried class potentially triggering a significant brain drain that could severely damage the Information Technology (IT) sector Additionally the General Sales Tax (GST) on IT hardware has doubled from 5% to 10% hindering digitalization efforts according to IT professionals and experts They warn that these new taxes could cripple the burgeoning IT industry Professor Tahir Mahmood Chaudhry Chairman of the Computer Society of Pakistan (CSP) voiced concerns over the IT sector s future He emphasized the sector s potential to generate 15%-30% of revenue from IT exports to alleviate dependence on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB)

The fluctuating US dollar benefits local IT companies receiving international payments, but transferring money from Pakistan to other countries remains challenging due to stringent regulations

Chaudhry criticized the government s fiscal policies noting

that taxes are imposed on funds transferred from foreign countries to Pakistan despite these amounts already being taxed abroad He also highlighted the financial strain of new taxes on computer hardware, which IT companies must purchase at a high exchange rate Muhammad Zohaib Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) echoed these concerns He lamented that the budget ignored P@SHA s proposals for IT sector growth, burdening the skilled salaried class with higher income taxes that could drive a brain drain Khan pointed out that the Rs79 billion allocated is mainly for government projects and IT parks without addressing payroll incentives crucial for supporting remote workers The GST increase on IT hardware, he argued, will impede digitalization efforts undermining the government s promises of fostering IT growth

Khawaja Fahad Shakeel an AI strategist and CEO of Workforce Commerce, warned that the changes in income tax slabs will lead to a loss of highly skilled IT staff pushing professionals towards freelancing and leaving local IT firms struggling with

for the next financial year, 2024-25, totaling over Rs800 billion, on June 22 The announcement was made by finance department officials on Saturday For the upcoming fiscal year, Balochistan is expected to receive Rs667 5 billion from the federal government under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award a notable increase from the Rs493 70 billion allocated in the current year Additionally the province will gain Rs20 55 billion from oil and gas royalties in 2024-25

During a consultative meeting with coalition partners and opposition members, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti emphasized the importance of reaching a consensus on the budget This marks the first time in Balochistan s history that both coalition and opposition members are actively involved in budget discussions The meeting was also attended by Balochistan Governor Jaffar Khan Mandokhail and Provincial Assembly Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai