LHC DIRECTS PM OFFICE TO ‘ADVISE AGENCIES’
AGAINST APPROACHING, CONTACTING ‘ANY JUDGE’
as
(ISI) regarding
directions not to approach or contact any judge whether of the superior judiciary or sub-ordinate judiciary or any member of their staff in future
It is to be noted that former LHC chief justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan had taken a suo motu notice on the judge s complaint filed with the registrar
and had started proceedings Following his elevation to the Supreme Court Justice Karim presided over the hearing of the case
At the previous hearing, Justice Karim had remarked that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was responsible and answerable for the actions of intelligence agencies as they came under his command Similar directions were also issued for the Punjab police “Likewise, instructions shall be issued by the Inspector General of Police Punjab to all police officers [ ] not to contact directly any judge of superior judiciary or the sub-ordinate judiciary regarding the merits of any pending judicial proceedings before these courts,” the written order stated
g WRITTEN VERDICT SAYS INSTRUCTIONS SHALL GO OUT BY PMO TO ALL CIVIL OR MILITARY AGENCIES INCLUDING IB, ISI ISLAMABAD
It said that measures regarding the security of ATCs across Punjab would only be put in place with the consultation and concurrence of the learned judge of that court and not otherwise”, warning that the inspector general and police chief would be “held personally responsible and proceeded against in contempt if the order was violated
Justice Karim also directed ATC judges across Punjab to download callrecording applications on their mobile phones “[They] shall be bound to record all such calls which they receive and with regard to which the learned judges have apprehension that they have been made to influence any judicial proceedings before them, he said “A direction is issued to the judges
of ATCs across Punjab to deal and decide the cases relating to May 9 2023 expeditiously and on priority the order added
The court further directed the Sargodha ATC judge and court staff to cooperate in the investigation “All investigation proceedings should be video recorded and the record shall be maintained by the police as also remitted to this court through the registrar, it said
The order concluded that the proceedings were adjourned till July 8
The complaint
The complaint of the Sargodha ATC judge pertained to his first day as in charge on June 7 when he was told that some authority of ISI wanted to meet him in his chamber
The judge said he straightaway refused the request
Since then he listed a number of harassment incidents targeted at his family including damages to the gas meter installed outside his official residence in Bahawalpur, where he was serving before being posted to Sargodha
He also submitted that his family received an inflated electricity bill for the previous month which was apparently a fake, and the possibility cannot be ruled out that it was sent in connivance with the power utility company and intelligence agency members The judicial officer reported that his relatives were also teased by some unknown men about his personal information
IHC rules no FIR can be registered for an offense in different regions
The Islamabad High Court on Saturday ruled that no FIR can be registered for an offense outside the jurisdiction of the respective police station and termed such a practice violation of the law as determined by the Supreme Court
While issuing a detailed verdict on the plea against the registration of cases in different regions against former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid for an offense committed in Islamabad Polyclinic, the court emphasized that constitutional courts must protect citizens’ rights
IHC’s Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri issued a 41-page verdict on a plea filed by Awami Muslim League (AML) Sheikh Rashid against the registration of cases in Karachi s Mochkaa and Lasbela police stations and dismissed all cases
These cases were filed against Sh Rashid for derogatory language against Pakistan People s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto
In it s verdict, the court declared that the incident involving Sheikh Rashid took place at the Islamabad Polyclinic thus falling under its jurisdiction while the cases against Sheikh Rashid were registered in different region including Karachi s Mochkaa and Lasbela police stations The court underscored that it was a well-settled principle of law that a person could not be prosecuted multiple times for the same offence
On June 25 the IHC dismissed the case filed against the Awami Muslim League (AML) chief in February last year for using offensive words against the PPP chief
The FIR was registered by
Karachi s Mochkaa police station in Keamari on a complaint of a local PPP leader
The high court expressed regret over the fact that political parties while in power often lodge baseless cases against their political opponents filing multiple cases for the same charge in different parts of the country, according to the verdict
It added that this practice of harassing and torturing political opponents was a blatant violation of established laws of the land
The detailed verdict further said that apart from the relevant police station, no other FIR could be registered for a single incident
“It is the constitutional courts’ responsibility to protect citizens rights In Sheikh Rashid s case the incident occurred at Polyclinic Hospital in Islamabad, hence the court exercised its jurisdiction over it ” the verdict read
The decision criticized the practice of political parties filing frivolous cases against opponents noting that such actions undermine democracy and the rule of law The court stressed that political oppo-
nents are often subjected to harassment through multiple cases filed across different regions for the same offense, which is a violation of the law as determined by the Supreme Court
The judgment highlighted that judicial assistants and police officials confirmed that FIRs of the incidents in Islamabad are invalid in other provinces
Following this petitioners withdrew their applications
The court noted that a case was filed against Sheikh Rashid in Karachi s Mochkaa and Lasbela police stations for derogatory remarks about Bilawal Bhutto, made while he was at the polyclinic in Islamabad The police acknowledged that the incident was rooted in Islamabad and thus there was no valid reason for registration of a case in Karachi However, the police official refrained from making an official statement due to the involvement of the PPP chairman
Referencing the Supreme Court s Sugra Bibi case the judgment reiterated that the same incident cannot be registered in different locations
WB APPROVES ADDITIONAL $1.5B
PM APPOINTS ISHAQ DAR AS ALTERNATE CHAIRMAN OF KEY ECONOMIC COMMITTEE
WB approves $650m to help Bangladesh develop Bay Terminal
seeks to renegotiate LNG impor ts with Q atar amid economic downturn
Interior Minister aler ts Islamabad admin to combating dengue sc are in rainy season
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has alerted the Islamabad administration about the danger of dengue as the rainy season approaches Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday contacted Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Mohammad Ali Randhawa and alerted them about the dengue threat
all SOPs to deal with the dengue Mohsin Naqvi further ordered to ensure early drainage of rainwater from low-
The anti-dengue plan formulated should be
implemented diligently Mohsin Naqvi directed Failure or negligence in anti-dengue measures will not be tolerated, Mohsen Naqvi warned
Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa informed the Interior Minister that an Anti-Dengue Working Group is being established in the boundary areas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi Islamabad and Rawalpindi administration will work as a team for anti-dengue he said So far 9 cases of dengue have been reported in Islamabad Chairman CDA said
Khan, a prominent lawyer, expressed skepticism over negotiation prospects alleging that influential quarters prefer Khan remain incarcerated Acknowledging internal dissent common to political parties Khan clarified that Umar Ayub s resignation did not stem from intraparty differences However, responding to Hamid Khan, Fawad Chaudhry responded strongly to Hamid Khan’s statement, stating that people like Hamid Khan are damaging the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Hamid Khan claimed that Fawad Chaudhry had left the PTI when it was facing a tough situation Now how can he rejoin the party? Chaudhry has no right to return to the party, Khan was quoted as saying Speaking to media persons outside the anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Saturday Fawad Chaudhry said that Hamid Khan does not want people in the party who might overshadow him He said that the people currently facing cases are genuine party activists Chaudhry termed the statement issued by the federal minister for defense, Khawaja Asif, inappropriate He mentioned that Operation Azm-e-Istehkam has become controversial even before its start He said that the rulers cannot move forward without taking the opposition into confidence He also claimed that the government is planning to introduce amendments regarding the transfers of judges, which he claimed would negatively impact the judicial system
Budget passed
The absence of any relief showed the IMF’s influence
IT could be viewed as an abject failure or as a signal success Budget 2024-2025 was passed without any changes in the taxation proposals from what had been presented when the process started on June 12 This proved almost too late, as the Budget was passed only on June 28 with two days left for the beginning of the new financial year There used to be a rush to present the Budget, by as much or even more than a month, because new taxation measures were implemented as soon as they were announced, and thus the government got the benefit of the new taxes for as much as six weeks The Supreme Court stopped that and ordered that new taxation measures would only come into effect at the beginning of the new fiscal year Since then, the government has grown lazy, and only allows time needed to pass the budget in advance of the new financial year
Also distressingly usual is the presentation of tigerish taxation measures but their withdrawal after protests However, there were no withdrawals this time, unless one counts the restoration of the zero-rating regime for exporters Thereqwere none of the revisions of income tax slabs either Previous exercises had made the Budget presentation a testing of the waters an opening of negotiations; rather than a forthright declaration of what was going to be done, come Heaven or high water As Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif forthrightly admitted to the House, the Budget was prepared with IMF input and the government knew well that much depended on it if it was to get the package it so desperately needed to stay afloat The inexorable logic behind that was the the Budget as presented was the one which the IMF was to take as the final one, without any going back at the time of passage
The the budget has passed is not just the start of the Shehbaz government’s journey but also proved an obstacle overcome in relations with the PPP, Was the PPP s initial reluctance to join in the passage of the Budget merely a dress rehearsal for the future, or was it indeed about how its cadres were being treated in Punjab? Stress is nowadays placed on the confrontation between the PML(N) and PTI, but Mr Sharif ’s interactions with the Zardaris, father and son, will also bear watching
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Pakistanis watched carefully
a bold retraction of American economic and military aid to all recipient countries and the redirect of these substantial funds towards rejuvenating the USA s aging infrastructure such as investments in roads highways trains subways and airports with the added aim of creating new jobs for Americans
THE USA, the only superpower, is often perceived as arrogant, destructive, bullying, imposing, and ruthless against its declared or perceived enemies such as Iran, Iraq, Libya, Vietnam Japan and Germany When it comes to supporting a country it puts all its weight behind it to safeguard its own interests and the interests of its declared or perceived allies like it has been doing with Israel, Europe, and other countries in its good books The US government, with its massive and brute economic and military power has the capacity to use its might to destabilize any country or economy At this point in time it is neither afraid nor intimidated by any other power However when it comes to its own people, the US government is the most benevolent, protective, and caring, knowing very well that it can only survive with the support of its people If that support is withdrawn, the government will collapse like a house of cards It is for this reason that all public leaders regardless of their level of public service whether heading a village council city council state council or as presidential candidates must present themselves before their people They must let the people judge their leadership qualities, their acumen, agility, presence of mind, ability to sustain extreme mental or physical pressure clarity of thought and action their ability to solve difficult and complex problems and their capacity to maintain improve and perpetuate US superiority over the rest of the world In the recent presidential debate, two contrasting visions for America's future were laid out before the American people On one side was Donald Trump, an introvert advocating for
Opposing him was Joe Biden who embodies a more traditional US foreign policy stance Biden s strategy is to continue providing economic and military aid to allied nations, thereby fostering their development and increasing their dependence on the USA This approach aims to maintain and expand US global influence by creating a network of vassal states securing strategic alliances grounded in the belief that US security and prosperity are best ensured through active global engagement and leadership According to pre-debate surveys, the public largely anticipated an even-handed debate between the candidates However the dismal performance of Joe Biden marked a lack of clarity and precision Moments of hesitation and a less assertive presence impacted his ability to connect with the audience and convincingly present his vision for the future This bad performance swayed the public opinion in favour of Donald Trump reflected in a CNN survey, 55 percent in favour of Trump and 40 percent for Joe Biden Similarly a YouGov survey revealed that 60 percent of respondents felt more favourable towards Trump after the debate while only 35 percent felt the same about Biden Interestingly, the debate was not about the performance of Trump and Biden during their respective tenures but how they outsmarted each other during the debate If it had been the performance of the governments Biden would have outperformed Trump on many key performance areas
During the Trump period GDP growth averaged 2 5 percent from 2017-2019 In contrast, the Biden administration oversaw a strong rebound with GDP growth of 5 7 percent in 2021, moderating to around 2 6 percent by 2023 Unemployment fell to a 50-year low of 3 5 percent under Trump before surging to 14 8 percent in April 2020 then decreasing to 6 7
Ultimately, the decision will likely be a blend of both factors: the immediate impressions made during the debate and the longer-term evaluation of each candidate's track record in office. Voters weigh these elements to determine which candidate they believe will best address their needs and lead the country effectively
often
umented
a precarious existence despite their deep ties to US communities The new policy offers hope and relief to countless Pakistanis who have made the USA their home but have been living under the shadow of deportation By allowing spouses of US citizens regardless of their nationality to adjust their status without leaving the country Rhe Biden Administration acknowledges the realities of mixed-status families and aims to mitigate the fear and insecurity that have plagued them for years
set to benefit an estimated half a million immigrants, offering them a chance to regularize their status and integrate more fully into US society
For the Pakistani community both in the USA and abroad Biden s policy holds profound implications Pakistanis constitute a significant demographic within the immigrant population, contributing actively to various sectors of American society, from healthcare to technology and beyond Many Pakistani families have been grappling with the uncertainties of undoc-
Furthermore, the initiative aligns with America’s historical identity as a nation built by immigrants a fact underscored by Biden himself when he invoked the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of America s welcoming ethos This resonates strongly with Pakistanis, many of whom have come to the USA in pursuit of the American Dream, seeking better opportunities for themselves and their families Beyond the immediate benefits for those directly impacted Biden s policy shift sets a progressive tone that contrasts sharply with the harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies of the previous administration By emphasizing both border security and compassion to-
Combatting crime in Karachi
Risks of self-diagnosis and medication
exceeding recommended dosages or ignoring contraindications, can result in adverse reactions or long-term health consequences Moreover, self-medication, on a broader scale, can contribute negatively to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance because people misuse these drugs to treat viral infections
Moving
President Biden's recent immigration policy and its potential impact on Pakistanis
Tanzeel Khanzada
Qamar Bashir
ing
India is Not America’s ‘Friend in Need'
OVER the decades, the geopolitical relationship between the USA and India has reached new heights Though this partnership has garnered significant attention it's essential to recognize that India s engagement with the USA is driven more by pragmatic considerations than by a deep-rooted alliance The growing proximity between the two nations is largely a strategic move by India India's ultimate aim is to counter the rise of its neighbor China rather than to align wholesale with US interests So in a geopolitical context the US-India pact is driven by regional supremacy over a geopolitical rival India's strategic alignment with the USA has been significantly influenced by its need
to counterbalance China s growing assertiveness in Asia Over the past decade China has expanded its influence through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and increased military activities in the South China Sea Moreover, India is almost surrounded by China-friendly nations This expansionist agenda has raised alarms in New Delhi which sees a direct threat to its own regional dominance and security The Doklam standoff in 2017, where Indian and Chinese troops faced off at the Bhutan-China-India tri-junction, exposed the tangible nature of this threat Subsequently, the deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley in 2020 highlighted the volatile state of SinoIndian relations These incidents have propelled India to seek stronger security and economic ties with the USA, a nation with the military and economic clout to counterbalance China India’s participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) which includes the USA Japan and Australia is a clear manifestation of this strategy The Quad aims to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, implicitly countering China s regional influence India's involvement in this group indicates its desire to leverage US support to ensure regional stability and prevent any single power particularly China from dominating the Indo-Pacific region
From the US perspective India represents a critical partner in its broader strategy to contain the influence of both China and Russia The USA recognizes India s strategic
Secondly,
Thirdly,
a n c
n g a c t , m a i n t
i n i n g i t s t r a d i t i o n a l p a r t n e r s h i p s w h i l e e x p l o r i n g n e w o n e s t o s a f e g u a r d i t s n a t i o n a l i n t e r e s t s I n e s s e n c e , w h i l e t h e U S A m a y s e e I n d i a a s a c r u c i a l p a r t n e r i n i t s g l o b a l s t r a t e g y , I n d i a i s n o t t h e U S A ' s ' f r i e n d i n n e e d ' i n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l s e n s e . T h e r e l a t i o n s h i p i s o n e o f m u t u a l b e n e f i t a n d s t r a t e g i c p r a g m a t i s m , r e f l e c t i n g t h e c o m p l e x r e a l i t i e s o f c o n t e m p o r a r y g e o p o l i t i c s
location vast market and growing military capabilities as valuable assets in maintaining a balance of power in Asia In reality India is the only state that can play a significant role in counterbalancing America's geopolitical rivals Washington’s foreign policy under successive administrations emphasized counterterrorism in Asia When Western nations were busy using hard power to neutralize terrorism China was consistently influencing those destabilized nations by using its soft power policy After two decades of the 'War on Terror,' the USA and its allies found zerosum achievements and hostile postures from those affected nations To cover up this timelapse dent with geopolitical strategic engagement India is considered an ideal ally to create a coalition that can present a united front against authoritarian regimes in Beijing and Moscow
The United States has consistently encouraged India to align more closely with Western policies and perspectives on global issues This alignment is not just about military cooperation but also involves economic policies, technological exchanges, and diplomatic stances For instance, the USA has pushed for India s inclusion in various international forums and supported its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council
Despite its growing ties with the USA India has maintained a historically significant relationship with Russia This bond dates back to the Cold War era when India, under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, pursued a policy of nonalignment but leaned towards the USSR for support in key areas
The strong bilateral relations between India and Russia have been evolving since the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace Friendship and Cooperation was signed in 1971 During the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, the USSR’s diplomatic and military support was crucial for India's diplomatic triumph over Pakistan Subsequently Russia has remained a vital source of defense equipment and technology for India
The BrahMos missile a product of IndoRussian collaboration, exemplifies the depth of their defence ties Even today, despite Western sanctions and international pressures India continues to procure significant military hardware and crude oil from Russia India s Foreign Minister Jaishankar explicitly spelled out that India will prioritize its interests over geopolitical rivalries This enduring relationship is rooted in trust and mutual benefit, making it challenging for India to completely pivot away from Russia in favour of US interests The Indo-Pacific strategy is a cornerstone of US foreign policy aimed at counter-
TELESUR
M a R c e l a h e R e d I a
Ohundreds of members of the Bolivian Armed Forces had mobilized under the order of General Juan Zúñiga in the center of La Paz and surrounded the Quemado Palace, attempting to stage a coup d état Their attempt was quickly diffused by a combination of the swift response from Bolivian President Luis Arce to replace the leadership of the military an immediate and unanimous condemnation by the international community and most importantly, the overwhelming mobilization of the Bolivian people to the center of La Paz to defend their democracy Marcela Heredia: Let’s talk about what is considered “a successful management of the defense of democracy in Bolivia What is your analysis of this?
Hugo Moldiz: I believe that several factors came together so that democracy and the legally constituted government did not suffer a coup d’état by some military officers The first was the attitude of President Luis Arce: he did not leave Arce stays confronts faces the coup general and orders him to retreat The general said no but that did not discourage Arce s attitude and the firmness with which he faced the situation Second, the rapid response of the people who moved by the thousands towards the seat of government towards the Casa Grande In the Murillo square there were some clashes with the military -happily without casualties on the civilian side and neither on the military side- but there were no confrontations
Te l e S U R j
Third the quick reaction of the international community: from progressive leftist governments, to the OAS itself, even some rightwing presidents Fourth, the impossibility -as Freddy Morales (of TeleSur) has pointed out- of Zuñiga’s ability to coordinate other units and regiments in time At 12:30 pm he gives the order for military personnel to get ready that happens effectively -all of them in the country got ready without knowing the reasonHowever, already when General Zúñiga takes Murillo square, the Eighth division, for example which remains in the Bolivian East in Santa Cruz decides not to join the coup adventure The same happens with the Seventh division – which is stationed in Cochabamba – and the same happens with Challapata – where there are these heavy and assault vehicles – they decide not to join They practically leave it alone I would say that an additional factor is -although it changes later- the rejection of sectors even from the opposition to a coup d état in Bolivia
MH: When these denunciations shared by President Arce of irregular mobilizations in some units of the Bolivian Army first appeared the media was at the scene and showing this take place What impact did having the media on the ground have on the Bolivian people who went out and defended their democracy?
HM: I would say that there was an apparent neutrality in many media In any case, it serves as a mechanism that goes in favor of President Luis Arce There is still a lot to weave in there: to find out if this apparent neutrality really was or not I believe that at
the beginning there is a kind of imprecision in the government when it says that there is an unusual movement of troops Minutes later the situation would lead the government itself to quickly rectify this and denounce the coup attempt There are a series of facts, Marcela which disprove for example the self-coup thesis: we must remember especially in Venezuela that when the coup against Chávez fails sectors of the opposition try to install the self-coup thesis in view of the failure of a plan to overthrow the chavista revolution Understanding the difference of distance time of course and characters: we are in a scenario of this nature I have a hypothesis Marcela and it is that the attempt to shorten President Arce s term in office has not been concluded The ways for that shortening are going to be different: yesterday we saw one of them but that does not mean that other ways will not appear in order to achieve the objective of bringing forward the general elections
MH: That is precisely why it is important to talk about this phrase that was heard in the square, once the people arrived, and that is “Lucho is not alone, dammit! This is a concept that is very important to emphasize because finally it is the pronouncement and the decision taken by the people of Bolivia to stand by their president and to protect the institutionality Hugo
HM: Yes, the quick reaction of the people was fundamental, as well as the attitude of the President I would say that even people who may not have voted for Luis Arce and may not have gone to the Plaza Murillo expressed and showed they are against a coup of this nature In addition to the effects
of it people already experienced it in 2019 when President Evo Morales suffered a coup d état and they used the mechanism of the resignation to say that there was no coup, when there was a coup d’état against President Evo Morales Just as yesterday there was an attempted coup d’état against Luis Arce which unfortunately is being questioned by some people who are associated with the former president I do not believe that they are not making an objective reading because behind this project there is evidently still a lot to be investigated: I do not believe that General Zúñiga attempted a coup d’état just because he was told 24 hours before that he was going to be relieved of his position No no that is not organized overnight I think that the statement he made, 48 hours before, against Bolivian democracy, even against former President Morales -whom he said that if he could he would stop him something that the armed forces cannot do except in times of exception regimes- is where the coup project that finally failed yesterday to the happiness of the Bolivian people, begins to be unveiled MH: There is a statement by David Choquehuanca: “Democracy has prevailed in Bolivia but we must remain alert for the good of our country and of future generations So you are completely in line with
from your analysis, Hugo
R Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte on Friday in Beijing and said cooperation in various fields between China and Peru has achieved fruitful results Chinese enterprises have played an important role in Peru s economic development China attaches great importance to the development of China-Peru relations and is willing elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership with
C hinese premier emphasizes trade, BRI cooperation with Peruvian president
Li called on the two sides to strengthen the synergy of development strategies continue to expand trade and deepen cooperation in traditional areas such as mining, electricity, ports and infrastructure, under the guidance of highquality Belt and Road cooperation
Li also called for expanding cooperation in emerging areas such as new energy communications digital economy digital healthcare and artificial intelligence to ensure the steady implementation of major projects, and continue to deepen people-to-people and cultural cooperation while promoting friendship between the two countries
on issues concerning each other s core interests and major concerns, Li said
China supports Peru in hosting this year s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting, Li said, adding China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Peru
CORPORATE CORNER
Nasir
Innovative Construc tion S olutions and Economic Recover y in Pakistan
From Conflic t to S tability: Pakistan's O ngoing Battle Against
SYED ALI NAWAZ GILANI
Ever since Pakistan stepped up as a frontline partner for the US war on terrorism, Pakistan itself has been burning in secular terrorism and extremism
There was a time when terrorists from Karachi to Khyber were actively working and attacking one and all including mosques schools government buildings, markets, and even personalities, common and high-ranked persons, by planting bombs or suicide vests, terrorism The Pakistan Army Police personnel Rangers and other security forces officers and personnel lost their lives to neutralize terrorists who were imperative to maintain law and order in the country
After the heinous act of Terror when Army Public School was attacked in Peshawar more than 100 children were martyred; top politicians and military leaders assembled to endorse the National Security Plan that sought to eradicate terrorists and their supporters within the country, initiating maneuvering exercises such as Zarbe-Azb and Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad
In each of the operation Raddul-Fasaad, 37,000 police officials and more than 3,800 persons were trained mostly for the Pakistan police Many operations were carried out against the terrorists; Thus more than 350 militants were eliminated Combined with Operation Zarb-eAzb, more than 2,700 terrorists mishap were injured and over 300 military men died in one year only
Since the events of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on World Trade Center America Pakistan has suffered from this scourge Unfortunately the prevalent forms of violence in the present world have become terrorism-related incidents and over two decades millions of people have been killed and the economy has been drained of more than one billion dollars However till date terrorism is still a problem in the nation
Terrorist incidence continues to be regularly reported in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces of the country In similar
Extremism
events in the recent days, 12 soldiers were killed in two different terrorist acts in Kurram and Lucky Marwat last week and again the problem of law and order emerged as an issue These constant acts of terrorism have forced the country s military and political leadership to revert to the national action plan, with the goal of wiping out terrorism & reconstructing law and order completely
From this the national leadership understands that to have political and economic stability as well as development, there has to be existing law & order In new years within the coverage of newly formed government and under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Apex Committee sanctioned start of Operation Determination Stability to revitalize the ongoing countrywide movement against extremism and terrorism Speaking to the committee Prime Minister did not fail to mention that stability in economy is impossible in a country that suffers terrorism; investor confidence cannot be obtained Before, during the Third PakChina Consultative Meeting on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) all political parties in the country showed a positive solidarity which is a good sign The Chinese Minister Liu Jinchao being in Pakistan maintained that political stability is key to the development process He stressed thus the need to enhance security provisions to encourage investments stressing the need for institutions and political parties It also important to note that the current Prime Minister also green lighted a satellite joint venture for the transfer of Chinese industries to the Pakistan Board of Investment is an important sub-topic in Pakistani current affairs and one day an important meeting regarding BOI was chaired by Shahbaz Sharif in which Prime Minister approved the Joint venture of China Pakistani companies He stressed that the government s primary focus is to attract internal and foreign investment in the country and added that every possible measure is being
adopted to facilitate traders/investors in the business society of Pakistan While on a tour of China, the Prime Minister graced the MoUs between Pakistani and Chinese companies operating in Shenzhen by directing the provision of an update on the implementation session and called for an evaluation of the MoUs on the draft law of special economic zones and one stop shop service in accordance with the prevailing circumstances and developments after the visit There, the Secretary of the Board of Investment said in briefing that process has begun for shifting industries of China to Pakistan Chinese experts are currently being hired to establish the Islamabad Business Facilitation Center being established while the draft Easy Business Act will be tabled to the Cabinet Committee of Legislative Matters soon enough The effectiveness of the “Determination Stability” operation led by the Pakistan s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif the requirements of the proper cooperation between all the power institutions with a focus on the development of the country, as well as the expectations set by the Chinese minister are positively viewed Therefore political parties do not differ much ideologically and politically but act to protect their self-interest where recently, the PPP and PML-N had conflicting interests regarding the 2024 budget Nevertheless for Operation "Determination Stability” and gradual accomplishment of economic and political stability political parties are to perform within the framework of the constitution The government needs to involve the opposition in Operation “Determination Stability ”; the opposition on its turn has obligations that correspond to the importance of the national interests and should join the government and contribute to the country s stability for political benefits About the author: The writer is Peshawar based analyst Secretray General of Pakistan China Friendship Association
PM REVIEWS PROGRESS OF PWD CLOSURE, ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
