Epaper_24-06-2 ISB

PoliTical misuse aPPrehensions dicTaTed decision noT To live-sTream naB amend case: sc

cite any law in its support, the order said

not attended 53 hearings of the case and neither he nor the KP government had requested for the proceedings to be broadcast live It also pointed out that Imran was now being represented by his legal team and thus there was no need for him to be provided with the video

from it

The decision was taken on an application by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general (AG) to live-stream the proceedings It further added: “When the head of a political party wants to be heard who is not an advocate of this court there is a real probability that these hearings may be used for political purposes and point scoring and in respect of matters which do not concern these appeals

This was a paramount consideration when we had dismissed the application And our apprehension proved correct later in the day

The order explained that when Imran

spoke in the Thursday hearing, he also mentioned other cases, the general elections held on February 8, a commission of inquiry and his incarceration” The order said that all such matters had “nothing to do” with the subject matter of the appeals

This cannot be permitted as it would thwart the proper administration of justice

Commenting on matters not under consideration may affect public perception The rights of those who are not before us, including their fundamental right to fair trial and due process may also be affected

Addressing the KP AG s application the order said the only reason given in its support was that the decision to not live-stream the NAB case proceedings amounted to “discrimination” “However, the reason is factually incorrect because only a very few cases have been/are live-streamed There are also instances of cases which were initially livestreamed but in the interest of justice it was discontinued The application also does not

The court explained that its decision to live-stream some proceedings depended on them being a matter of public interest and 40 hearings had so far been broadcast live

This initiative was taken to provide to the general public and lawyers throughout Pakistan direct access to the courtroom in respect of matters of public interest The objective was manifold, including: educational, openness and transparency, forestalling misreporting or one-sided reporting facilitating lawyers on how best to articulate their propositions how to effectively conduct cases and how to behave in the courtroom

However, the court noted that the public has shown little or no interest in the matter of whether the amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 are sustainable on the constitutional plane nonetheless this court on its own volition was live-streaming the hearing of these appeals

The order also pointed out that Imran had

TL Y E A R

Uncertainty surrounding the upcoming budget fueled volatility and profit-taking With just a week remaining before the budget announcement concerns have risen over the IMF s high tax proposals Reports suggest abolishing all sales tax exemptions, except for essential food items, and increasing the standard GST from 18% to 19% The budget announcement is expected to coincide with the upcoming MPC meeting potentially causing delays as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be on an official visit to China On the inflation front, May 2024’s CPI inflation is projected at 12 8% year-on-year As the inflation outlook eases the cut-off yields in the latest T-bill auction dropped by 60 basis points for 3-month papers Similarly, secondary market yields for 3month papers fell by 118 basis points month-on-month to 20 44% The declining yields suggest a potential coupon rate cut in the upcoming

878 points

World Parent’s Day celebrated

ISLAMABAD

s ta f f r e p o r t Pakistan joins the global community in celebrating World Parents' Day on June 1st This day acknowledges the invaluable contributions of both mothers and fathers in raising their children The day honors the sacrifices parents make for their children s well-being from nurturing their character to providing educational opportunities Parents play distinct yet complementary roles in this journey, bringing their unique strengths and perspectives to child-rearing Previously, various dates were used internationally to celebrate parenthood However the United Nations designated June 1st as World Parents Day This unified approach emphasizes the universal commitment and challenges faced by parents worldwide The day serves as a platform to discuss the importance of healthy parent-child relationships for a child s development It also highlights the need for support systems that strengthen families and empower parents in their crucial role

MPC meeting which brought some positivity to the market However with the budget s impact still uncertain, an imminent interest rate cut in the upcoming MPC seems unlikely Overall market participation decreased by 8 5% week-on-week with the average daily traded volume falling to 511 million shares compared to 558 million shares in the previous week On

OFIT N e w s D e s k The Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) has dismissed the appeal filed by M/s Options International (SMC-Pvt ) Limited a Pakistani company penalised by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for the fraudulent use of the international coffee chain Starbucks branding in its restaurants

In its decision, the CAT increased the penalty from the originally imposed Rs 5 million to Rs 6 million Starbucks a globally recognized chain of coffeehouses registered in the State of Washington lodged a formal complaint that the Lahore-based restaurant Options International was selling Starbuck Coffee while fraudulently using Starbucks marks, in their branding thereby deceiving consumers and harming its business interests Starbucks clarified that it had not opened any franchise in Pakistan The CCP s inquiry concluded that Options International had prima facie violated Section 10 of the Competition Act by disseminating false and misleading information, deceiving consumers, and

harming the business interests of the complainant

During the inquiry Options admitted to the violation During proceedings CCP passed an interim order on Starbucks request, directing Options International to stop using the labeling and packaging bearing the STARBUCKS trade name and logo without authorisation

In its final order CCP’s bench noted that although Options had stopped using Starbucks marks and committed to complying with its directions the unauthorised use of the Starbucksmarks spanned a substantial period Consequently, the bench penalised Rs 5 million on the company Additionally, the bench directed Options International to inform the general public through newspaper advertisements for three consecutive days about its fraudulent use of Starbucks marks Options International filed an appeal against the CCP s order before the CAT, which dismissed the appeal and increased the penalty amount This decision underscores the CCP’s commitment to curb deceptive marketing practices through fraudulent use of trademark firm name or product labelling or packaging of a local or foreign business concern

LHC PETITIONED AGAINST NAMING OF HOSPITAL DEPTS AFTER MARYAM NAWA Z

PTI has another May 9-like plan in their minds: A zma Bokhari

District administration fails to extinguish fire on Margalla hills

Over 62,000 Pakistani pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia

s

the reporters Raoof Hassan another PTI leader talked about dragging the provinces into a fight against each other, she said and added that dividing the country was their party agenda An organised campaign had been launched against the state institutions, the provincial minister said and wondered why Imran didn’t even utter a single word about the Hamoodur Rehman Commission Report when he was in power Has the Hamoodur Rehman Commission Report appeared a week ago” she asked while questioning the timing and motives behind this campaign The institutions had committed mistakes but had moved forward after acknowledging the same said the Punjab minister A particular party [PTI] is involved in digital terrorism , the PML-N leader said, thus echoing the views expressed by the Pakistan Army at a recently-held Formation Commanders Conference

The Pakistan Hajj Mission (PHM) has welcomed 62,148 pilgrims in Madinah and Makkah under both government and private schemes since the start of the month-long preHajj flight operation on May 9 the Ministry of Religious Affairs reported on Saturday So far, 46,648 pilgrims have arrived via 185 flights under the government scheme, while 15,500 have arrived under the private scheme,” said Muhammad Umer Butt, a spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs

An additional 22 090 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to arrive in Makkah over the next nine days he added This year the PHM will host over 70 105 pilgrims under the government scheme and more than 80 000 under the private scheme

Currently, over 13,000 pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia under private schemes With the cooperation of Saudi authorities around 33 500 Pakistani pilgrims have visited Riaz Al-Jannah in Madinah

The PHM is utilizing mobile apps two toll-free helplines and four WhatsApp numbers to address pilgrims complaints Additionally, the spokesman said two central hospitals

and a dozen dispensaries in the Haram are providing medical facilities to pilgrims with 322 doctors and medical staff on duty

The PHM s main hospitals are equipped with modern facilities, including ambulances, laboratories, X-ray machines, ultrasound machines, ECG machines, minor operating theatres and separate wards for men and women

A total of 511 Hajj Moavineen including Pakistani civilians and uniformed personnel are working to provide pilgrims with travel accommodation and food facilities

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has 152 officers and supporting staff working in various departments, including the control room, Madinah and Jeddah airports, the lost and found department, the Madinah departure cell, the monitoring cell and the accounts and administration departments In the past 23 days 122 pilgrims have been reunited with their families and 770 dislocated bags and purses as well as 169 wheelchairs have been returned to their owners

The Ministry has resolved 570 food-related complaints, 1,450 accommodation complaints, and 388 transportation complaints during this period

The Haram Guides deployed at the entrance points of the Haram e Makki have provided guidance to pilgrims 24 639 times in reaching their destinations

AL-MUKARRAMAH

ICJ orders Israel

ISRAEL has come to a moment of choice when it has to put aside one of the myths it has cocooned itself in It can either pretend to be a good international citizen and obey the orders of the International Court of Justice and not launch an attack on Rafah, or it can pretend to be the prime defender of Jews by ignoring the orders and continuing on its assault It should be noticed that both are myths Israel is hardly a good international citizen for it is situated on Palestine s land and rejects even the two-state solution forced on the Palestinians by the rest of the world In addition it occupies those Palestinian lands it seized in 1967 Its inability to protect its own citizens was shown up on October 7 by the assault that took place

The ICJ judgement was pursuant to the genocide case South Africa had filed against Israel and includes a determination that the situation in Gaza has deteriorated It comes soon after the International Criminal Court s issuing of warrants for the arrest of the head of Hamas and Israel Israel has not signed the Rome Statute and thus does not accept the jurisdiction of the ICC, despite the latter s gesture towards evenhandedness The ICJ is not influenced by public opinion but it cannot be a coincidence that the global protests against the Israeli slaughter of unarmed Palestinians have continued, and Toronto Tech became the first university to give in to student pressure agreeing to review its investments Even in the USA it does not seem the kneejerk support of Israel does not seem possible any longer in view of how vicious the Israerli assault has been One reaction has been that of Ireland Norway and Spain which have recognized Palestine

The ICJ has merely added its voice, no doubt a weighty one, to the many which were calling for Israel not to attack Rafah Israel should realize that its reaction to the September 7 attacks is universally seen as overblown It should also realize that the support of the USA has saved it from an ICJ finding of genocide as opposed to its expression of suspicion and an an order that investigators be admitted Any other country would have been found guilty of the charge by now, so Israel has little reason to complain While the indomitable Palestinian people continue their resistance the rest of the world must not let up the pressure

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

M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit

Programme(UNDP) rule of law is the backbone of governance in a country It is essential for accountability and provision of rights to the citizens Secondly, accountability and transparency, while designing and implementing policies in an effective and efficient way, provide a shield against misuse of resources In a similar context good governance remains a mere hollow slogan unless it is backed by equality and inclusiveness in the decision making When judged on the aforementioned criterion, good governance is nothing but a nightmare for the government and people of Pakistan as the majority of its people are deprived of all such practices What they have to bear is traditional bureaucratic red-tapism From a Union Council to the highest offices of the government traditional models of governance have wreaked havoc with the lives of people It is the right time to incorporate information and communication technologies in governance Once the agenda of digital transformation is implemented through e-gov-

Dr Zafar Khan SafDar

EDUCATION is often hailed as the great equalizer, offering individuals the opportunity to transcend socio-economic barriers and achieve their full potential However, the reality is far from equitable with disparities in educational access and attainment persisting around the globe In South Asia inequalities in educational access and attainment are glaring, reflecting broader social discriminations and systemic barriers Pakistan, in particular, struggles with significant disparities in educational access, with marginalized communities and classes including girls rural population and ethnic minorities facing disproportionately high barriers to education With millions of children denied access to quality education access disparities gender disparities, and inadequate funding and governance, Pakistan encounters challenges in finding a way out Rural areas face limited resources, inadequate infrastructure and poor learning outcomes The gap between urban and rural education widens perpetuating cycles of inequality and hindering socio-economic mobility Insufficient funding and governance contribute to the crisis, with only a fraction of the national budget dedicated to education A fragmented educational system characterised by variations in accessibility and calibre has been the hallmark of the country’s historical development Notwithstanding several reform initiatives structural issues continue to exist because of political instability socioeconomic inequality and violence Pakistan s educational system suffers from anti-

Prioritizing equity in education can lay the foundation for a more equitable and prosperous future, where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to society’s well-being As we navigate the complexities of the educational landscape, it is crucial to recognize equity as a moral imperative and a cornerstone of a democratic and equitable society A political

quated curricula, teacher shortages, inadequate financing, and gender inequities The issue has been worsened by problems like child labour, poverty, and social views on education especially in rural and marginalised populations that have far-reaching consequences to impact both individual chances and the country s overall socioeconomic growth Poor educational attainment, low literacy rates, and restricted access to high-quality education contribute to the perpetuation of social inequality, worsen poverty and impede the development of human capital In addition to impeding economic growth and creativity a shortage of trained labour limits the nation s overall advancement The efficacy of policies has been impeded by political instability bureaucratic inefficiencies, and implementation gaps

With limited efforts to improve access and quality, Pakistan continues to lag behind international benchmarks with low literacy and high dropout rates persisting as formidable challenges The pursuit of equity in education requires a comprehensive approach encompassing policy reforms resource allocation, and community engagement International best practices offer valuable lessons for policymakers, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions inclusive strategies and community empowerment in advancing educational equity

A multifaceted approach is needed to effectively address Pakistan s educational challenges This approach should prioritise teacher training and capacity building, increase investment in education, improve access to high-quality education, especially in rural areas, promote gender equality, address socio-cultural barriers foster community engagement and use technology to innovate education

Over 30 million children in Pakistan are not in school which makes it difficult

Interest rate

ernance, gigantic improvements will occur in the governance system of Pakistan E-governance has the potential to gradually introduce many reforms in the governance system It will eventually lead to increased transparency in the decision making and policy implementation As people will have greater access to information, which reduces the role of the bureaucracy Moreover, e-governance can augment a new era in service delivery to the citizens The systematic hiccups can be eradicated It would empower citizens to avail government services seamlessly and conveniently without any human intervention Interoperability and integration of the government records, services, data, and information would also be actualized Currently, governments at local, provincial, and federal levels have not synchronized the service delivery systems These are operating in their silos leaving the general public in utter confusion Open access and inclusiveness are necessary outcomes of e-governance It will gradually shun corrupt practices from government departments According to Transparency International, Pakistan was ranked 133/180 in the Corruption Perception Index(CPI) in 2023 If and when the e-governance agenda is implemented such pernicious issues would be sorted more effectively E-governance has the solution to all potential service delivery issues faced by the people in Pakistan Contrary to this, successive governments

have introduced certain e-governance reforms

Those institutions have improved the service delivery for millions of people For instance, Pakistan Citizen’s Portal is the laudable example It allows citizens to register online complaints check the status of complaints and provide feedback Yet it has not achieved its desired aims because of policy hiatus and discontinuity of the reform process Similarly, provincial governments have established government service portals in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Unfortunately the service portals are not properly functional Ostensibly provincial and federal governments have realized that the future of governance lies in e-governance but they are reluctant to introduce the required reforms The dream of e-governance cannot see the dawn of actualization unless the underlying issues are resolved The digital divide is the most horrendous among those problems A significant proportion of the population is devoid of access to internet and allied digital services According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (2024), the total internet penetration in Pakistan is a mere 28 percent of the population Cyber security concerns also bar citizens and the government from moving to e-governance According to the National Cyber Crime Response Centre (NR3C), Pakistan is extremely vulnerable to cyber crimes like phishing, ransomware, malware, and banking frauds The issues of trust interoperability resistance to change and limited digital literacy reduce the implementation of e-governance reforms Good governance and e-governance are inalienable Government must utilize all the resources at its disposal to ensure that e-justice, e-democracy, e-administration become a reality in Pakistan It will bring incessant change in the governance structure of Pakistan and bring the much needed improvement in governance

The writer is a civil

reached at khaliqlakk1@gmail com

Weather Crisis

Khaliq DaD laK

Blocking Sims: Netting Fish For Minting Money

Other means would have been more effective

to comply with tax regulations Above all implementing this policy would require a robust mechanism to identify and accurately target non-filers There's a risk of errors where compliant taxpayers might get affected leading to legal challenges and administrative burdens

The policymakers at the FBR know very well that given their reputation for being corrupt from top to bottom, so no matter what they do not even a single businessman would believe that their intentions are good They also know that non-filers are not averse to paying taxes but they are intimidated by the high cost of filing income tax returns Most retail business persons are uneducated or, if educated, would not be able to fill out the income tax return accurately This leaves unintended gaps that tax authorities use to charge them with concealment of income demanding huge sums of money to rectify the mistakes Once a bargain is settled through tax lawyers, the faulty old return is replaced with a new rectified one The tax that was evaded then goes proportionally to the tax officials and tax lawyers without a single rupee going into the government coffers The FBR being very clever is trying to trap the government to help it to net new "fish" for personal gains, by portraying indispensability of blocking the SIMs of the 500 000 non-filers Most likely this will

meet the same fate as the documentation of the economy, with disastrous consequences for the government, taxpayers, and the country's economy which is already under heavy distress due to non-business-friendly monetary and fiscal policies This measure will likely result in lost opportunities far exceeding the amount of tax raised through this aggressive approach Consider the hypothetical situation: the proposal is approved and the SIM cards of non-filers are blocked Non-filers will attempt to register themselves as taxpayers They will retain an income tax attorney at hefty retainership fees The lawyer will gather the non-filer s income from all sources, expenditures, invoices, and proof of withholding taxes while guaranteeing that he will disclose solely that portion of the income that is equal to or less than the amount of withholding taxes that have already been deducted Later he will grab a lot more money for the Income Tax Officer to accept the declared income Under this scenario, the government and the non-filer will gain nothing, but both the lawyer and the income tax officer will amass even greater wealth and prosperity

Let us build a second scenario where the non-filer is a little technology-savvy himself or his son, daughter or any of his relatives or friends is technology-savvy He will frustrate blocking of the SIM by pursuing a technological solution like by using SIMs registered in others' names switching to internet-based communication apps pur-

chasing anonymous or prepaid SIM cards,

using international SIM cards, mobile hotspots, alternative communication devices like satellite phones VPNs social media email and VoIP services With a little research the government would realize that both scenarios will be counterproductive Had it

Pakistan’s ambiguous Islamic identit y

Jinnah framed Islam as a religion under threat, one which required protection through an urgent fight against those who would suppress its followers

PARTHA Chatterjee in his 1996 lecture Our Modernity argues that modernity isn t a singular concept with universal applicability Instead, it takes different forms depending on factors such as “geography time environment or social conditions ” This is especially true for post-colonial nations and nation-states where the histories of modernity and colonialism are closely intertwined, such as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, founded in 1947 DIVIDE, RULE, RELIGION

One of Pakistan’s many modernities emerged during the pre-Partition colonial British Raj (Rule) in India in place from 1757 to 1947 It was a European and universal colonial ideology of modernity that promoted imperial practices such as capitalism, industrialization, representative democracy, and a culture of “rationality ” The British justified their rule by claiming that Indians needed to become “enlightened ” and this enlightenment would be delivered through the Divide and Rule Policy (D&R) which manipulated pre-existing divisions across religious, caste, and ethnic In fact, as Richard Morrock explains, the British implemented D&R on a larger scale in India than in any other colony In the early to mid-1800s Britain seized India from a predominantly Muslim Mughal Empire; until then Hindus and Muslims enjoyed a Mughal synthesis a pre-colonial state of coexistence where both groups were equally accommodated under Islamic rule Yet under British occupation it was increasingly challenging for Muslims to maintain any social and political power as the colonizers considered the dynamics of the former Mughal synthesis as a threat to their control Therefore, the Raj diluted Muslim influence and favored Hindus in education, government, markets, culture, and other avenues of social life

Broadly speaking while Hindus experienced a change of masters from the Mughals to the British Muslims in India experienced a wholesale diminishment of the political power that helped anchor their identity

As the British pursued communal disunity, both Hindus and Muslims allowed themselves to fall for this imperialist’s game a core feature of which was the replacement of Urdu/Persian with English as the official language writes British and Commonwealth Studies scholar Belkacem Belmekki This change upended historically embedded practices across bureaucracy, law, education, and literature all rooted in the Mughal Empire Muslims faced changes in institutional struc-

tures, such as the imposition of British legal procedures onto Islamic codes Discrimination was so blatant, writes Belmekki, that a Persian newspaper from 1896 reported that the government was “publicly singl[ing] out the Mohammadens [Muslims] in its gazettes for exclusion from official posts fueling frustrations and leading to disastrous consequences for the Indian subcontinent In retaliation, Muslims rejected Western education and culture, whereas Hindus (mostly urban elites) embraced it The latter became the colonizers favored group while Muslims were excluded from positions of power and relegated to menial roles as messengers tea makers, ink-pot fillers, and the like As Belmekki and others describe, colonial policy is widely regarded as the original source of discontent for Muslims and the groundwork for the Islamic foundations of Pakistan Colonial policy sowed seeds of separatism among South Asian Muslims not only frustrated by systemic discrimination but nostalgic for former Mughal glories Before colonization, all strata of society, from the poorest to the richest Muslims, could identify with the Mughal Empire and gravitated toward strong education and cultural centers across India such as those in Lucknow and Awadh However the dissolution of the Mughal Empire meant losing a kingdom, language, culture, capital city, and sense of self With D&R, India’s Muslims suffered in the name of progress and enlightenment experiencing discrimination based on their British-perceived Muslim-ness Ironically this marginalization in turn birthed a new unified sense of Muslim political identity DIVIDE, U-TURN, RULE As Muslim grievances grew in colonial India, the Hindu community embraced Western education and culture on their own terms Notable leaders such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy led nineteenth-century social reform movements to reinvigorate Hinduism; these reforms had a modernist tendency, encouraging education, the English language, science, and Western philosophy

The British perceived these reforms as a direct threat to their own conception of modernity and in response the British shifted their D&R policy marking a decided U-turn While they still exploited religious divisions to maintain control, now they openly favored Muslims, writes Belmekki, and took measures to counter-balance growing Hindu nationalism; the British established educational institutions like the Muhammadan AngloOriental College in 1875 and granted Muslims separate electorates in the Indian Councils Act of 1909 As Om Prakash describes, they even supported the formation of the All-India Muslim League in 1906, which would later play a critical role in the Muslims’ separatist movement Within this context the notion of Muslim-ness emerged as a driving force in the creation of a new nation, marking another wave of modernity Chatterjee s observation that “it was the same logic of modernity which one day led us to the discovery that imperialism was illegitimate; independence was our desired goal rings true This discovery ultimately manifested in the idea of

Pakistan the land of the Paks, the spiritually pure and clean, explains the late journalist Karl E Meyer Pakistan’s birth was complex with a handful of influential Indian Muslims serving as midwives; these included Mohammad Iqbal Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan Choudhary Rahmat Ali and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the London-educated barrister who became the face of the Pakistan Movement during the first half of the twentieth century THE POLITICS OF JINNAH Born into a middle-class Gujarati family Jinnah is known for his pragmatism and secular views He joined both the Indian National Congress in 1906 and the All-India Muslim League in 1913, where he advocated for Hindu-Muslim unity However, his attempts to form a coalition through constitutional reform were consistently rejected by Congress leaders and he ultimately left the party in 1920 After World War II as the British prepared to leave the India, fears among Muslims of Hindu dominance grew, and Jinnah emerged as a strong advocate for a Muslim homeland

Two events in particular influenced Jinnah s political transformation The Lucknow Pact of 1916 reflected his initial political stance of Hindu-Muslim cooperation The pact, which Jinnah spearheaded, was an agreement between the National Congress and League for “equality of power,” writes R J Moore with the aim to recognize separate religious identities increase Muslim representation in the government and protect Muslim cultural practices This major step towards potential religious dualism was stymied by British and National Congress opposition A core point of dispute was the Congress’s appeal to build a secular nation composed of different religions and ethnicities instead of dividing political parties by religion as the League had done The pact s failure pushed Jinnah to re-evaluate his thinking; he began to believe that a separate political identity for Muslims was necessary to protect their interests in a predominantly Hindu India In fact, there was no longer any confusion as to the “possible fate of the Muslims” for him marking the beginning of his journey towards advocating for self-determination

The 1937 Indian provincial elections further solidified his position Led by Jawaharlal Nehru, the National Congress won a majority of the seats, and formed governments in several states In provinces where Muslims were in the minority the Congress however refused to form a coalition with the League Moore reports that at the time Nehru remarked that the Congress and the Raj were the only two parties in India, [and] Jinnah [claimed] the Muslim League as a third, a rightful ‘equal partner ’ of the Congress ” The Congress soon implemented discriminatory policies; it made Hindi the national language and banned the slaughter of cows Taken together with the elections, these policies contributed to the growing sense of alienation among Muslims They furthermore demonstrated to Jinnah that the National Congress would refuse to acknowledge religion as the political basis for a future nation-state Amidst this political

climate the League won a significant number of seats in the Muslim-majority provinces writes Sikandar Hayat in part because of their campaign strategy to advocate for the protection of Muslim interests; the 1937 efforts turned out to be the first great attempt at mobilizing Muslim support Coupled with Congress’s secular stance this victory provided a powerful mandate for Jinnah s demand for a separate homeland Only that he believed could deliver protection of Muslim political and cultural rights With Jinnah at its helm, the push in India for an independent Muslim state gained momentum; despite his secular convictions Jinnah saw that organizing on the basis of religion could serve as a unifying political force for all Muslims He became the face of the Pakistan Movement THE ISLAM OF JINNAH

It was clear to Jinnah that Muslims needed to protect their rights in India albeit within the ideals of a secular state However as the largest minority Muslims were widespread not only geographically but in the nature of their identities as well They comprised diverse class, ethnic, linguistic, and regional groups that didn’t necessarily identify with each other notwithstanding their shared religious beliefs For instance Punjabi Muslims included Shaikhs Arains and Rajputs and identified with non-Muslim Sikhs because they shared the same spaces and cultural practices Bengali Muslims didn t identify with Punjabi Muslims due to language and cultural differences More so, Punjabi and Muhajir classes were part of the elite and did not represent the rest of Muslims in India These groups came from Muslim minority provinces who didn t suffer at the hands of the Congress as much as those from the Muslim majority regions Overall, there was immense geographical and cultural diversity amongst Muslims who perceived Islam as cultural based in syncretic Sufi traditions rather than political This presented a conundrum for Jinnah and the League as mobilizing such a range of cohorts into one coherent political voice was the only way to protect their rights and eventually form a new state But how could they harness the concept of a shared Muslim identity to advocate for political rights? Jinnah drew deliberately on Islamic symbolism and rhetoric to help Muslims see themselves bound together by faith Amongst other strategies, he framed Islam as a religion under threat, one which required protection through an urgent fight against those who would suppress its followers As Venkat Dhulipala explains Jinnah also used specific Islamic terminology to form separatist narratives that linked Islam to nationhood He quoted the Quran in speeches to highlight the importance of unity, justice, and tolerance, and invoked the “new Medina,” “Ummah” (the global community of Muslims) “Millat” (a distinct religious or national group) and fortress of Islam to draw parallels between a new nation and early Islamic history This association elicited pride among Muslims, reminding them of their glorious past and encouraging migration for the sake of religious freedom to a homeland that would preserve “true” Islamic values culture and tradition This mobilization of Islamic identity ultimately led to the beginnings of the ambiguity behind the idea of Pakistan and its

identity Ayesha Jalal sees Jinnah s religious invocations as a pragmatic strategy intended not to create a theocracy but as a political response to the concerns of Muslims in postcolonial India, where majoritarian and secular tendencies prevailed While there is ongoing debate as to whether Jinnah merely insisted on a separate nation to pressure the British and Congress to secure Muslim rights in federal India, or whether he was committed to the creation of Pakistan, the key observations are that he was secular in his views; fought for religious unity most of his political career; transformed his political views towards a separate nation as a response to political discriminatory policies over the years; and used Islam as a political tool to mobilize a vastly diverse set of Muslims across India The question then becomes: did converting Islam into a nationalist ideology to gather Muslims for a non-theocratic state end up creating longlasting confusion over Pakistani national and cultural identity rather than unity? THE INHERENT AMBIGUITY IN PAKISTAN’S IDENTITY Muslims in Pakistan then and now are a composite of various regional class and ethnic cultures that cannot be defined as solely Islamic or un-Islamic While Islam is an integral part of these cultures it s not their sole basis The state s ideology is based on tactical Islam strategically deployed by groups from the elite aristocratic Punjabi and Muhajir classes

The leadership’s inability to provide a coherent ideological basis for the new state faced with diverse and conflicting ethnic and class interests led them to present Islam as a symbol of pseudo-unity This further widened the divisions and ruptures in the polity of an already confused nation-to-be The religious insufficiency became more apparent post-independence in events such as the secession of Bangladesh in 1971 where Muslims who were in majority were treated poorly by the Punjabi central government and denied their rights to co-exist as Muslim and Bengali As a result, Pakistanis, pre- and post-Independence, have yet to agree on a broadly acceptable definition of Pakistani culture with some emphasizing Muslim nationhood and Islam at the expense of regional and ethnic cultures and others assigning greater importance to geographical and historical factors, regarding religion as important but secondary Jinnah’s appeal to religion was always ambiguous, and this ambiguity played a significant role in the formation of Pakistan’s national and cultural identity Since then, the challenge for Pakistan has been to develop a cohesive and inclusive national identity that celebrates its rich cultural diversity Yet, the shadows of British-imported modernity to the Indian subcontinent are long, and the subsequent mix of Islam and politics that Jinnah employed has left a cloud of confusion on Pakistani national-cultural identity Today we can see the strategic role religion played in Pakistan’s creation; it was never the “traditional” or “primordial” aspect of nationbuilding it appeared to be Rather the use of religion was a product of contested forms of modernity which were so intertwined in the country’s

Qamar BaShir

NETANYAHU SAYS NO GA Z A

CEASEFIRE UNTIL HAMAS DESTROYED

China, Kuwait agree to fur ther promote BRI cooperation

Indonesia’s president-elect

Prabowo Subianto said on Saturday that his country was willing to send peacekeeping troops to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza if required

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier security conference Prabowo said U S President Joe Biden s three-phase proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza was a step in the right direction When needed and when requested by the U N , we are prepared to contribute significant peacekeeping forces to maintain and monitor this prospective ceasefire as well as providing protection and security to all parties and to all sides Prabowo

slightly longer than expected, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson at the Ministry of National Defense told reporters at a press briefing after the meeting The meeting was positive practical and constructive at the strategic level, Wu said, noting that with

a meeting like this, the two sides can have a deeper understanding and a firsthand feeling of each other ’s positions

During the meeting the two defense leaders exchanged views on the state-to-state and military-tomilitary relations between China and the US, as well as the Taiwan question, the South China Sea issue, the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict Wu explained

During the meeting Dong told Austin that the two militaries relationship is stabilizing after a decline, which is hard-won and should be carefully cherished, according to Wu

The purpose of military exchanges should be to enhance understanding eliminate misunderstandings build mutual trust and eventually achieve stability in relations, Dong said, noting that one should not ignore facts, shift blame, or even take chances to smear and suppress the other China follows the basic guidelines of valuing peace

at IBA University said that it was a great pleasure to lay the foundation of Sukkur Industrial Enclave here

This project will be a game changer for the entire region He said that the country that has technical people will never die of hunger, we have to produce technical people in the country, our country is rich in natural resources and it is our failure not to get benefit from it

There is a dire need to work in the fields of environment, health and education in the country The education system of Pakistan is old, now it should be changed He said that there should be institutes like IBA Art and Design in the country so that children do not go anywhere for a job after completing their degree He said that our country will not need to go to the IMF if our youth go abroad for technical job purposes The federal minister said that Sukkur is very important for investment but unfortunately there are no Motorway roads in Sindh and Balochistan yet The former federal minister said that the third cheapest electricity in the world is obtained

from coal coal is available here for at least 2 centuries and the politicians must think of it Addressing the ceremony, the board member of Sindh Economic Zone Management Company Qasim Naveed Qamar said that the former federal minister MNA Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah had made a lot of efforts to get start this project He said that if you support your future, industry is very important

prominent Pakistanis in UK CM Balochistan emphasised the crucial role of education in democracy and societal advancement He stated that the new scholarship marks a significant milestone in our commitment to nurturing future leaders from Balochistan He articulated how this initiative not only addresses educational disparities but also enhances the linkage between local aspirations and global educational standards CM Balochistan highlighted that it was more than financial aid; it is a fundamental commitment to the educational transformation and empowerment of Balochistan’s youth Mr Bugti felicitated OPP and all contributors for their role in actualizing this transformative project heralding it as a fundamental step towards educational equality and empowerment PR

Federal Minister c alls for minority judges in higher Judiciar y at Justice A.R. Cornelius Conference

I S L A M A B A D: Federal Minister for Law, Justice, and Human Rights, Senator Azam Nazir Tarar has expressed his aspiration for judges from minority communities to join Pakistan s higher judiciary Speaking at the Justice A R Cornelius Conference held at a local hotel on Saturday he emphasized the importance of religious freedom and minority rights in Pakistan The event was organized by the Bright Future Society and Implementation Minority Rights Forum Pakistan He highlighted that Pakistan s constitution guarantees complete religious freedom, aligning with Islamic teachings on the rights of minorities He lamented the decline in religious tolerance post-Afghan war but reiterated Quaid-eAzam Muhammad Ali Jinnah s vision of a united tolerant society He mentioned ongoing efforts to establish a Minority Rights Commission and proposed reserving quotas for minority law officers and legal advisorsPR

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

Federal Minister Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal visited Chengdu city in Sichuan China and had a comprehensive tour of the Chengdu High Tech Development Zone (CDHT) According to press release issued by Planning Commission here Saturday, the minister also met with Chengdu based entrepreneurs and businessmen interested in becoming part of Phase-II of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and members of the Pakistani diaspora During Minister s tour of CDHT, he was briefed by Chengdu Municipal leaders, and zonal officials on the High Tech Develop-

ment Zone s history development profile special policies to attract both domestic and foreign investment, and pillar industries The CDHT, established in 1988, is one of the first national high-tech zones in China In 2023 the CDHT realized a zonal GDP of over US$ 43 billion Covering an area of 237 sqkm, the zone includes a financial district, biotechnology city, and a science and technology park, employing more than 750,000 people, and registering over 4300 enterprises The minister thanked the local officials for their briefing and invited them to participate in Pakistan s development, especially visà-vis CPEC Phase-II, and to develop technology parks in Pakistan sharing their valuable experiences and expertise The Minister

also invited relevant experts to visit Pakistan and engage with authorities and businesses, so that meaningful cooperation could take place

This was greeted positively by both the Municipal leaders and zonal officials During interaction with Chengdu entrepreneurs and businessmen on invitation by the Minister, the businessmen shared their suggestions on how the Pakistani government could further facilitate them in expanding their operations in Pakistan bring more investment into the country hire more Pakistanis and increase foreign exchange earnings In the Minister s exchange with the Pakistani diaspora, those present shared their achievements and desire to return to Pakistan and contribute positively the statement added

The National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has agreed to partner with China-Pakistan International Silk Road Industry Investment Management Company Limited by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate investment in key projects for promotion of industrial cooperation between China and Pakistan and supporting the establishment of special economic zones and other sectors of economy

and bilateral trade Economic Minister, Aslam Chaudhary, Liu Jiang Hua from China-Pakistan International Silk Road Industry Investment Management Company Limited Representatives from Dan Zhou Government Hai Nan Province Zhang Yu Bo MCC & Bank of Tianjin witnessed the signing ceremony held at Pakistan Embassy here on Saturday

The event was also joined virtually by Riaz Hussain SEVP and Group Chief International Financial Institutions and Remittances Group and Hasan Jamal, SVP, Investment Banking Group National Bank of Pakistan, Head Office, Karachi Addressing the participants on occasion Aslam Chaudhary briefed them about the incentives offered by the present government to attract the foreign investment especially from China He informed that special economic zones are being established across Pakistan where the Chinese enterprises could relocate their industry and export products

ALVI QUESTIONS TREASON IN READING

FBR launches probe into officers ’ fist fight over tax refund share

g DOCTORS TEAM FROM ABBA S INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES TO CARRYOUT MEDICAL CHECK-UP

S TA F F R E P O R T

An Anti-Terrorism Court in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) capital on Saturday ordered a medical examination of poet Ahmed Farhad by a team of doctors from the Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences The development came during the hearing of case involving Farhad whose counsel requested the court to have the Kashmiri poet medically examined Farhad, as per his lawyer Iman Mazari was transferred to Muzaffarabad from DhirKot under multiple sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) With the government’s lawyer requesting time to submit his response the court adjourned the case till June 3 Farhad known for his defiant prose was allegedly abducted from his house on May 14 after which his wife Urooj Zainab moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking her husband’s recovery along with requesting the court to identify, investigate, and prosecute those responsible for his disappearance In response to IHC s directions to recover the missing poet Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan on May 29 revealed that Farhad was arrested and in AJK Police s custody Following the development, the poet s family met him at the Kahori police station situated outside Muzaffarabad Following the meeting the brother of the poet told reporters the condition of Farhad was stable and they would now fight a legal battle in AJK A day earlier, the IHC turned down the federal government s plea to wrap up Farhad s recovery case till he appears personally in the hearing IHC’s Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, while hearing a petition filed by the poet’s wife rejected the

the junior officer became aggressive and threatened to retrieve a pistol

The situation was defused by staff, but the incident led to the removal of all involved officers and the initiation of an inquiry to uncover the facts

PM visit to make great progress in S ino -Pak cooperation, said M ao Ning

the State Council Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan will pay an official visit to China From June 3 to 5, at the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi Türkiye s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will pay an official visit to China Mao Ning said, this is Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s first visit to China after the new Pakistani government came into office this year

During his visit, President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji will meet or have talks with him The leaders of the two countries will have an in-depth exchange of views on China-Pakistan relations and issues of mutual interest and jointly draw up a blueprint for the growth of bilateral relations In addition to Beijing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Guangdong and Shaanxi China and Pakistan are allweather strategic cooperative partners and ironclad friends

saying “I hope it wasn’t intentional ” Despite his efforts to maintain a low profile Haghanian came under international scrutiny in 2019 when he along with eight other officials from the Supreme Leader s office, was sanctioned by the US Treasury Described as “the Supreme Leader’s

Our friendship has stood the test of time and remained rocksolid and to use a Chinese expression steady as Mount Tai Under the guidance of the lead-

ers of the two countries China and Pakistan have in recent years had close high-level exchanges, steadily advanced practical cooperation conducted fruitful and highquality cooperation on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and maintained sound communication and coordination in international and regional affairs China stands ready to work with Pakistan through this visit to make greater progress in our allweather strategic cooperative partnership and take new steps in the building of an even closer ChinaPakistan community with a shared future in the new era, she added

system Media in Tehran characterize his role in different ways, including giving him the title of “deputy for special projects,” but there is no official indication of his current position Many figures close to Khamenei are expected to enter the race including current acting president Mohammad Mokhber So far Saeed