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Justice Aurangzeb inquired, “What was written in the cypher?”

the IHC noted that the speeches delivered by Imran and Qureshi at a public rally in Islamabad on March 27 2022, appear to be political in nature

A division bench comprising the IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb hear the appeals

The PTI’s lawyer informed the court that in the case Imran and Qureshi were accused of illegally possessing the secret document disclosing classified information to the public, and manipulating it for personal gain

“However, even the special court judge [who convicted the PTI leaders] was not shown the said diplomatic cypher ” he said Chief Justice Farooq remarked If the information has been twisted then it should be known what the information was

Barrister Safdar stated that the PTI leaders were accused of holding and misusing classified information for their purposes

However in this case the prosecution failed to link the alleged crime with revealing secrets concerning the armed forces and sensitive areas to foreign powers

The lawyer replied, “I haven’t seen the cipher so I can’t tell what is written in it ” He said the cipher code or its text has not been shared anywhere On one hand it is said that the PTI founder has made everything public; on the other hand, it is said that if the cipher is shown, it will become public ”

The court asked what was communicated from Washington in the cypher It said the person who had sent that communication must have pinpointed what might compromise our security if it fell into the hands of India The bench noted there was nothing unusual in the information shared with the court

The FIA prosecutor reminded the court that they were awaiting the court’s permission to present arguments against the maintainability of the appeal

The bench noted that it would deliver a verdict on the merit of the appeals as well as their maintainability at the same time At the next hearing, Imran Khan’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar contended before the IHC that registering the cipher case only against his client was an act of retaliation as others had not returned the copies of

the diplomatic cable until it was filed Safdar maintained that the requirements of a fair trial under Article 10A had not been fulfilled The lawyer told the court that the diplomatic cable was not shown to the investigation officer (IO) terming it secret

The bench observed that the judge could have ordered under the Official Secrets Act that the document should be shown after removing all the people from the courtroom PTI welcomes court verdict

A big day for the leader and the party

A fake frivolous and fraudulent case is sent packing by IHC Other cases will also meet their Waterloo soon Khan will step out of Adiala as the undisputed leader of a resurgent nation Congratulations everyone ” said PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan

Talking to the media PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said: The nation saw today that the just verdict came and the banner of justice was held high and that baseless case was eliminated in which Imran Khan spent around 10 months in jail and for which he was kept in jail all the time Today is a day of happiness very soon the nation will see that Imran Khan will be outside PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar said

while talking to Geo News that the verdict was a victory for justice even if it was delayed due to the prosecution s tactics The decision is as per justice and was expected It was hoped that the decision would be exactly this,” he said Zafar added that the verdict proved the PTI’s stance that the cipher case was a “false one” and said the government should seek forgiveness from Imran for imprisoning him in jail for an illegal and wrong case Imran s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, said the state had “badly failed” in proving its case and even its prosecutors had abandoned the case “Hats off to the honourable judges It was a case of first impression Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi did not do any anti-state activity he said He also lauded the two leaders for their patience and forbearance in the case and for not pestering the legal team about questions

Senior PTI leader and former president Dr Arif Alvi on Monday called for urgent dialogue among Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and all other stakeholders to help the country navigate out of its current political turmoil

Addressing a gathering of PTI office-bearers and various wings in Lahore, Dr Alvi congratulated PTI workers, supporters, and the people of Pakistan on the acquittal of Imran Khan along with former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cypher case

The meeting was chaired by PTI Central Punjab President Ejaz Manhas, with notable PTI senior leaders such as Azam Khan Swati Brigadier (retd) Ejaz Shah Dr Azeemuddin Lakho Sardar Azeemullah Advocate, and Zubair Kisan in attendance

The former president reiterated the importance of dialogue to resolve the political crisis, stressing that all stakeholders must participate as it is the sole path to improvement in Pakistan

In his address Dr Alvi criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-

court When asked about the SIC s registration as a political party Siddiqi affirmed the ECP s recognition without dispute The discussion continued on the PTI s status after losing its electoral symbol, with questions raised about its rights under election laws Justice Minallah queried if the PTI was an

of release Safdar said the cipher case was the most important and serious one yet adding that Imran s release was near

The high court declared today that there was no traitor here whose case was being heard Whatever Imran Khan did was in the national interest ” A statement issued by the PTI requested the judiciary that the false cases against all political prisoners be dealt with as soon as possible and they should be released from jail

Speaking in the

Nawaz (PML-N) government accusing it of rampant corruption and mismanagement

He claimed that the PML-N leadership has fostered numerous new ‘Gullu Butts’ over the past two years with corruption escalating since the regime change

Praising the PTI government s social welfare initiatives the PTI leader stated that Imran Khan had earnestly worked towards transforming Pakistan into a welfare state modelled after the state of Madinah Imran Khan aimed to create a society where everyone is equal and has access to basic necessities he remarked, accusing the PML-N of plotting to overthrow Imran Khan s administration

Dr Alvi maintained that although the PTI government was removed through a conspiracy they will not rest until they regain power to continue serving the people of Pakistan

The meeting also discussed organising workers’ conventions in various cities across Punjab

Speaking to the media Dr Alvi condemned the baseless cases filed against PTI workers commending the judiciary for upholding the law He

stressed that justice should be equal for all and urged that the nation must overcome its current predicament He called on the army, civilians, and politicians to learn from the Hamoodur Rahman Commission report and step back from inappropriate actions He insisted that all institutions must extricate themselves from their current deadlocks to progress He emphasised the need for construction and growth,

InfL atIOn DrOPS tO 31-MOnth

cial for maintaining essential air connectivity in the region IATA said that the situation has become severe in Pakistan and Bangladesh with airlines unable to repatriate $731 million ($411 million in Pakistan and $320 million in Bangladesh) of revenues earned in these markets Pakistan and Bangladesh must release the $731 million in blocked funds immediately to ensure airlines can continue providing essential air connectivity In Bangladesh, the solution is in the hands of the Central Bank, which must prioritize aviation’s access to foreign exchange in line with international treaty obligations The solution in Pakistan is finding

I E F F O R A P R I L 2 0 24

The Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) held its annual May Dinner and Fundraiser at Lady Margaret Hall (LMH), University of Oxford, attended by around 150 distinguished guests including Malala Yousafzai Chief Minister of Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti and prominent academics from Oxford and Cambridge

During the event, the Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, announced a new graduate scholarship aimed at empowering a deserving student from Balochistan to pursue STEM subjects at Oxford This initiative supported by the OPP and its benefactors, honors the legacy of Benazir Bhutto and aims to address educational disparities in Balochistan The scholarship was facilitated by Principal Secretary Imran Zarkoon Khan an Oxford alumnus dedicated to advancing educational opportunities for Balochistan s youth The event also marked the launch of an endowment fund for OPP, with Sarwar Khawaja announcing a generous donation of £100 000 to initiate this fund

The strategic advisory board meeting preceding the dinner discussed future directions for the OPP including scholarship availability and post-study employment opportunities for scholars

The OPP team, including Professor

Adeel Malik Dr Talha J Pirzada Haroon Zaman and Minahil Saqib highlighted the program s achievements and the necessity to expand academic discussions about Pakistan The OPP has supported 11 scholars in various fields and provided over £460 000 in funding alongside numerous studentships for financially needy Pakistani students at Oxford

Malala Yousafzai announced the introduction of an OPP-facilitated Graduate Scholarship for Palestinian Students as part of the Refugee Academic Futures Programme at Oxford This scholarship aims to help Palestinian students access Oxford s educational opportunities despite financial barriers The evening featured an engaging video presentation showcasing the stories of OPP scholars and their achievements Jabir

Heatwave prevails in several Pakistan districts

the significant macroeconomic improvements and noted the positive trend in foreign exchange reserves Furthermore Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb reiterated the commitment of the government to address the challenges faced by Korean companies operating in Pakistan and in this regard urged the relevant authorities to ensure their facilitation for smooth business operations The Korean Ambassador appreciated the government s economic initiatives and strong bilateral relations between Pakistan and Korea He emphasized the need to fully exploit the untapped potential for further collaboration Representatives from Korean companies briefed the Minister on their concerns regarding project timelines and operational efficiency

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t A heatwave is still prevailing in the country as maximum temperature in Turbat and Sibi in Balochistan could soar to 48 and 47 Celsius respectively Mercury could hit 43 Celsius in Lahore, 41 C in Peshawar, 40 Celsius in Islamabad and 37 degree Celsius in Karachi the Met Office predicted Mercury will remain four to five Celsius below in Nawabshah Sukkur Mohenjo-daro and Dadu districts where maximum temperature had touch in the ongoing heatwave to 50-degree Celsius Maximum temperature in Multan Bahawalpur, Sargodha and Faisalabad could cross above 40 Celsius today The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast wind and dust storms in Gilgit Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir while likely rainfall with thunderstorm at few places The Met Office yesterday said that the ongoing heatwave has subsided and temperatures likely to drop in Karachi from Sunday The Met Office last Wednesday forecast that the heatwave conditions would persist in Karachi and other areas of Sindh till June 1st The highest temperature was recorded in Jacobabad on last Tuesday where mercury touched the 52-Celsius mark

TH E government of Pakistan is in a fix With the budget coming up development spending has been cut by 25% to Rs 717 billion Most significant in these cuts is the size of the PSDP which has fallen from 1 7% of the GDP in 2013 to 0 9% of the GDP in 2024

This is a problem for the government, and particularly this set of leaders One of the most essential jobs of the finance minister, perhaps even his most important role is to defend the PSDP that the government has set These are all the projects and development budgets that the government sets for different ministries and areas all over the country

Instead what we are seeing is important cash in the budget being diverted towards constituency politics, allowing lawmakers to spend on their voters and keep their grip on their seats This scheme of arrangements is nothing new The last time the prime minister was in power, parliamentarians had been given tens of billions of rupees near election season to spend at their discretion on their constituencies

The problem is that the IMF, which Pakistan is counting on for a much larger programme, will not be particularly happy with this Obstacle like restrictions on procurement deduction of CDL skewed release strategy, and requirement of rupee cover for foreignaided projects in the execution of their respective projects have been cited for these changes

But alas this reduced PSDP budget faces problems from the IMF as well While setting an ambitious national development programme target of over Rs3tr for FY25, including a federal PSDP of Rs1 2tr, to pursue a growth rate of 3 6pc the planning ministry is reported to have opposed the finance ministry s proposal to cut development spending to meet IMF goals

The government is hoping to win over voters through major development projects as it has done in the past, which is the same logic with which they are giving lawmakers such hefty discretionary budgets The PML-N must realise they are not governing in the same conditions as they were in 2013 While they may already have lost a lot of political capital in the past two years the answer is focusing on long term solutions There are no quick fixes to popularity problems

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

M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit

Fbefore the 2016 election The charges, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, allege that Trump, along with others orchestrated a scheme to influence the election by suppressing negative information about him thus violating election laws Under New York state law falsifying business records with the intent to defraud or conceal another crime is a felony Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has called them politically motivated The guilty verdict against Donald Trump has significant implications for his potential presidential run in the upcoming elections Legally a felony conviction does not automatically disqualify a candidate from running for or being elected as president, as the U S Constitution does not list a criminal conviction as a disqualifying factor Therefore, despite the charges and any subsequent convictions Trump can still contest the elections However the charges and ongoing legal battles may influence voter perceptions divert campaign resources and attract intense public and media scrutiny, potentially impacting his campaign s effectiveness

There have been numerous claims that the verdict against Donald Trump is biased with critics arguing that the jury was selected to include individuals predisposed against him Concerns have been raised about the impartiality of the jurors, suggesting that the selection process was manipulated to ensure an anti-Trump outcome Additionally, Trump’s supporters have accused the presiding judge, Juan Merchan, of bias They claim that his rulings were unfairly prejudicial against Trump indicating a judicial partiality Judge Merchan known for his tough but fair approach has faced scrutiny in this highprofile case where the stakes are particularly high Allegations of judicial bias are common in politically charged cases, but there has been no substantiated evidence provided to support these claims against Judge Merchan specifically The most prominent claim is that the Biden administration is using the legal system to undermine Trump s credibility ahead of the 2024 election Critics argue that the timing and nature of the charges are politically motivated, suggesting a coordinated effort to discredit Trump and prevent him from running for office again Prominent Trump supporters including his

often explain the idea of a three tiered federation as a three storied structure Just as a structure would not be stable without a solid foundation we cannot build a system of governance that works without addressing the fundamental reasons for the need of a government i e the basic services to the citizen As Punjab the only province without elected local governments, embarks on the ambitious journey of establishing yet another local government system, it is imperative to address the elephant in the room: economic sustainability Pakistan is a resource-starved country grappling with severe fiscal challenges at all levels In this context the potential of local governments to generate their own revenue and explore financial tools that can

D o n a l d T r u m p ’ s i n d i c t m e n t : W h a t n e x t ?

legal team and political allies like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and Senator Lindsey Graham, have publicly denounced the charges as part of a broader campaign to silence Trump While the investigation was initiated by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office which operates independently of the federal government the perception of political motivation remains strong among Trump s supporters

The guilty verdict against Donald Trump carries significant implications for his future Legally, it could result in penalties such as fines, probation or imprisonment if the conviction is upheld Politically it may harm his reputation and influence complicating any potential 2024 presidential run Personally the ongoing legal battles and public scrutiny will take a considerable financial and emotional toll Trump has several forums available for appealing the verdict Initially, his legal team can file post-trial motions in the trial court that delivered the verdict requesting a new trial or to set aside the verdict based on procedural errors or new evidence If these motions are unsuccessful he can appeal to the intermediate appellate court, which in New York is the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court If the Appellate Division upholds the conviction Trump can further appeal to the New York Court of Appeals the state s highest court which has the discretionary power to select cases of significant legal or public interest In certain circumstances, if there are claims of constitutional violations or issues of federal law, Trump could take his case to federal courts, potentially leading to the U S Supreme Court although this requires substantial legal grounds The success of Trump s appeals will depend on several factors including the strength of his legal arguments Demonstrating significant legal errors during the trial or presenting new evidence that materially impacts the verdict could improve his chances Historically, appeals have seen varying degrees of success based on these grounds For example in *United States v Skilling* (2010) the U S Supreme Court narrowed the scope of the honest services fraud statute leading to a resentencing for former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling While appellate courts are generally deferential to the trial court’s findings of fact, they

Tax increment financing, on the other hand, enables the use of future tax revenues to fund current projects, creating a cycle of reinvestment and growth The creation of business improvement districts (BIDs) is another innovative approach BIDs enable areas like central business districts to self-fund their ser vices through additional taxes or fees paid by businesses within the district This model has proven successful in various par ts of the world, including Latin America, where BIDs have led to significant improvements in urban manag ement and ser vice deliver y If Trump is elected president and later declared guilty by the final federal court, several complex constitutional questions would arise. One major issue would be presidential immunity. The U.S. Department of Justice has maintained that a sitting president cannot be indicted or prosecuted, based on concerns about the separation of powers and the executive branchÊs functionality.

thoroughly review alleged legal errors Highprofile cases attract significant public and media attention, which can indirectly influence the legal environment Trump’s case will likely follow this pattern impacting the procedural aspects of the appeal process Overall Trump’s path forward involves leveraging the appellate mechanisms with success hinging on the robustness of his legal arguments and the interpretations of the appellate courts If Trump is elected president and later declared guilty by the final federal court, several complex constitutional questions would arise One major issue would be presidential immunity The U S Department of Justice has maintained that a sitting president cannot be indicted or prosecuted based on concerns about the separation of powers and the executive branch s functionality This stance was notably referenced during the investigations into Presidents Nixon and Clinton However this opinion is not legally binding and could be challenged Another potential consequence of a final guilty verdict could be impeachment If Trump were convicted of serious crimes, Congress could pursue impeachment and removal from office, which is the constitutional mechanism for addressing presidential misconduct The process and outcome would depend on the political climate and the composition of Congress at the time

Historical precedents such as the impeachments of Nixon (who resigned before he could be impeached) and Clinton, provide some context but no direct parallels, as no president has been convicted of a crime while in office Ultimately any legal battles over presidential immunity or the ability to prosecute a sitting president could reach the U S Supreme Court which would have the final say on these unprecedented issues While Trump can legally run for and serve as president despite his legal troubles, the implications of a final guilty verdict would introduce significant constitutional complexities and potential political turmoil

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

Drug menace

Calm Iranians

AhmAd IqbAl

the main target In that respect quite a number of people of their community were killed and dead bodies lay inside the sacred place for many days

IN D I A S brutal Operation Blue Star was the military operation which occurred between 3–8 June 1984, ordered by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to get control over the Golden Temple complex (Harmandir Sahid) the holiest shrine of the Sikhs in Amritsar, Punjab, and to arrest Sikhs spiritual leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, including his followers from the complex buildings Bhindranwale had earlier taken residence in the Harmandir Sahib He was the only leader who had boldly been fighting for the genuine rights of the Sikhs

The Indian Army led by General Kuldip Singh Brar, supported by troops and armoured vehicles, broke all records of state terrorism and extrajudicial killings through that barbaric operation In those days the majority of the Sikhs were coming to the temple complex to celebrate the Martyr Day of Guru Arjun Dev

The Indian forces used tanks and destroyed the Akaal Takht Sahib which is right in front of the Harmandir Sahib On June 6, when all Sikh fighters were martyred along with Bhindranwale Indian troops entered the temple complex with their shoes deliberately ignoring the holiness of the place When the Indian Army felt that only 251 men had prevented them from entering the Golden Temple for so many days, they started killing innocent Sikhs who had come there to visit the temple The only purpose was to hide their humiliation In this regard in their book: The Sikh Struggle Ramnarain Kumar and George

Sieberer write: “The army killed every Sikh who could be found inside the temple-complex They were hauled out of rooms brought to corridors on the circumference of the temple and with their hands tied behind their back, were shot in cold blood Among the victims were many old men, women and children all visitors were locked up in rooms for two days without any food, water, or electricity and were starved to death Besides the Harmandir Sahib remained under the army control for many months

The brutality of the Operation Blue Star was not confined to the Harmandir Sahib Indian armed forces simultaneously attacked 40 other historic gurdwaras all over East Punjab When Sikhs in other states came to know about the desecration of the Golden Temple and the massacre of their brethren they quickly left for Punjab New Delhi tried to stop them before they could reach Punjab Many Sikhs were murdered on the way According to an estimate, about 50,000 Sikhs were killed within a few days The whole of Amritsar city was sealed and was burnt A number of tourists either were murdered or arrested Shops belonging to Sikhs were looted and their houses were set ablaze by Hindu mobs In most of the cases, Sikh women were molested and some persons of their community were also burnt Besides, historical Sikh artifacts as well as all the literature written by the gurus were also set ablaze by the Indian army In the same year of November two dedicated Sikhs named Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, policemen who were posted at Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi, assassinated her Then Hindu riots erupted in the capital and other cities in which more than 15 000 Sikhs were murdered while police watched silently so as to provide the Hindus with a free hand to massacre Sikhs After the Operation Blue Star , the Sikhs struggle for independence continued, but the Indian government made every effort to crush it with the state machinery To maintain its control over the Harmandir Sahib another attack was launched on the Temple in 1987 called Operation Black Thunder This time only Sikh resistance, which was the natural outcome of the tragedy, was

A report disclosed that many trucks were loaded with dead bodies and all were burned with kerosene oil Afterwards Operation Woodrose and Operation Black ThunderII were conducted against the Sikh community, which also assassinated them extrajudicially After these barbaric operations, Sikhs organised themselves into an armed power in order to fight the Indian state terrorism Many Sikhs left India to escape further genocide Sikhs have spread out all over the world to keep the movement of Khalistan alive In this connection, their struggle is still going on In fact, after the brutal operation Blue Star, the international community had thought that perhaps Sikhs have become lethargic regarding their demand for an independent state in the Indian Punjab named Khalistan But participation of almost 208,000 Sikhs in the Khalistan referendums held in the recent years in four western countries the huge number of Sikhs who voted in favour of an independent Khalistan reflected that their demand is gradually being accepted globally On March 18 2023 prior to the launching of crackdown by the Indian police and paramilitary forces, section-144 was imposed, and mobile phone service was suspended in Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka districts of the Indian Punjab

In the same year of November, two dedicated Sikhs named Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, policemen who were posted at Prime Minister Indira GandhiÊs residence in New Delhi, assassinated her

I n d i a ’ s m a n y f a u l t l i n e s u n d e r m i n e i t s f u t u r e

Ever since Amritpal Singh Sandhu took over as the head of Waris Punjab De after the death of its founder head named Deep Sidhu, state machinery started harassing him by cancelling arms licences of his guards and detaining his friends Police arrested a large number of Sikhs including members of Waris Punjab De and Amritpal Singh Sikh freedom followers their various organizations, especially the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) as well as their leaders condemned the security operations expressed serious concerns over the crackdown an internet blackout throughout the state of Punjab draconian measures extrajudicial killings harassment of the Sikh population, suspension of civil liberties and arrest of Sikh leader, Bhai Amritpal Singh Meanwhile, Sikhs had taken to streets in London and gathered at Indian High Commission to deliver the note of protest to Indian envoy Thus one of the enraged Sikh pulled down Indian flag and replaced it with that of Khalistan In this respect Modi had spoken to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the Indian authorities called on the UK government to monitor groups like Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) who have been blamed by New Delhi for mobilising and radicalising thousands of Sikhs through Khalistan referendums And EU Sikhs had held an anti-India protest demonstration in front of the Brussels Parliament in Brussels on March 27, 2023, calling on European Commission to challenge India’s massive security crackdown Similarly the California state assembly passed a resolution on April 10 last year which said that the Sikh community in the US had not yet recovered from the physical and psychological trauma of the riots, urging the US Congress to formally recognise the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as ‘genocide’ and to condemn the violence Tim S Uppal Canadian Conservative Party deputy leader Gurratan Singh former Member of the Provincial Parliament Author and poet Rupi Kaur as well as renowned Sikh persons living in Canada expressed serious concerns over crackdown against Sikhs in India-gross human rights violations It is notable that ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans were raised on the occasion of Khalsa Day festivities on April 28 this year in Toronto when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the Sikh community, assured nearly 800 thousand Canadians of Sikh

heritage that his government will always be there to protect their rights and freedom Very tensions accelerated between Canada and India on September 18, 2023 when Cana-

Tshall be confronted with a set of serious challenges, which the election campaign has relegated to the background For India today is riven with a series of fault lines which if not adequately addressed may undermine our future as a Republic The first fault line is the corruption of the party system itself Political parties are supposed to have internal democracy, with leaders who are freely chosen and accountable to their party colleagues Indian politics today radically departs from this model Here parties are either captive to a cult of personality or have become family firms

The Bharatiya Janata Party is the most striking example of the first kind Over the past decade, the entire party apparatus – and large sections of the government apparatus too – have been devoted to making Narendra Modi into a larger-than-life superhuman and even quasi-divine figure demanding that citizens worship and follow him unquestioningly

However within their own more geographically circumscribed, spheres, Mamata Banerjee in Bengal, Pinarayi Vijayan in Kerala, Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh and Naveen Patnaik in Odisha all operate as if they embody the past present and future of their states in their own individual selves

No less egregious are the family parties posturing as democratic entities The Congress is of course the prime culprit here, with Priyanka Gandhi made general-secretary overnight, superseding those who had worked for decades to build the party Not to be outdone by the Gandhis the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge chose his son-in-law to run for Parliament from his old seat in Gulbarga while already having a son as a cabinet minister in Karnataka Likewise, the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar, the Samajwadi in Uttar Pradesh, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu are all devoted to ensuring the control of their party in perpetuity by members of a single family

Consider how radically different India is in this regard from the country whose political system we have adopted, namely Great Britain There is no cult of personality around the prime minister, Rishi Sunak The leader of the main Opposition party Keir Starmer of Labour does not come from a political family Both got to where they are by dint of hard work and persuading party colleagues to support

that they speak for the entire nation A COMPROMISED SYSTEM: The party system in India is corrupt and corroded Meanwhile the Indian state is arbitrary and capricious The civil services and the police are supposed to function autonomously and independently owing their allegiance to the Constitution In fact, they have become highly compromised, answering to the demands of their political bosses This is true at the Centre as well as in the states where for the Indian Administrative Service or Indian Police Service officer promotion and preferment often depend more on proximity to ministers than on professional excellence Meanwhile, regulatory institutions such as the Election Commission are also widely seen as not independent enough and too prone to succumbing to pressure from the ruling party India’s democratic credentials are further vitiated by the existence of laws under which citizens can be jailed without trial and languish in prison for years on end These laws have been used to intimidate and silence political opponents, indeed, dissenters of any kind The courts have been complicit in this abuse of the law Judges have been extremely tardy in granting bail and they have surprisingly allowed laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention Act) which should have no place in a civilised society to remain in the statute book

Such, in brief, are our political deficiencies, hidden behind the bombastic claims of being the world’s largest democracy indeed of being ‘the mother of democracy’ itself Another claim that of being the world s fastest growing large economy also conceals a multitude of sins While economic liberalisation has indeed led to a dent in poverty, it has also increased inequality massively Further, the rise in national income has not seen a commensurate growth in jobs While India is a world leader in the production of billionaires there are high rates of unemployment among the educated youth and abysmally low rates of workforce participation among women India s economic record is mixed; and its environmental record is disastrous The water crisis in Bengaluru, the showpiece city of India’s “economic boom” and the high rates of air pollution in New Delhi the showpiece city of India’s global rise are both manifestations of how callously we have disregarded the biophysical realities that govern our lives India is an environmental basket case Our toxic air, falling water tables, contaminated soils, and disappearing biodiversity all exact steep costs in the present imperilling the health and livelihood of hundreds of millions of Indians And they raise disturbing questions about the future as to whether our resource-intensive capital-intensive model of industrialisation is at all sustainable I should add here that India s environmental crisis is occurring independently of climate change Climate change intensifies the problem but even if it did not exist we would still be confronted with enormous environmental challenges of our own making The malfunctioning of our party system, the deeply anti-democratic nature of the Indian state,

the deficiencies of our economic model the destruction of the natural bases of our existence –all these problems have deeper structural origins The Congress party, which was in power for many decades, bears a great share of the responsibility That said, many of these problems have worsened since Narendra Modi became prime minister in 2014 What we might call the communal problem is also not new Ever since the creation of Pakistan, the position of those Muslims who stayed behind in India has been less than entirely secure As prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru worked hard to assure Indian Muslims that whatever Pakistan did to its minorities they would enjoy rights of equal citizenship Yet Muslims nonetheless had to bear the burden of Partition They were often treated with suspicion and hostility Relations between religions further deteriorated during Rajiv Gandhi’s prime ministerial tenure as he pandered to both Hindu and Muslim extremists

MAJORITARIAN AMBITIONS: After 2014 the insecurities of India s largest minority community have magnified manifold as for the first time in our history as an independent nation, the ruling party at the Centre has made explicit its Hindu majoritarian ambitions Politics and public discourse have assumed an increasingly religious cast as the prime minister has presented himself as a sort of Hindu emperor sent by god on earth to redeem and fulfil all the hopes and fantasies held by Hindu supremacists down the ages As a result, never have Indian Muslims felt as fearful and vulnerable as they do now What this portends for the future is impossible to tell

A last problem I’d like to flag is the relation between the Union government and the states BJP supporters like to speak of Jawaharlal Nehru s dismissal of the communist-led Kerala government in 1959 and of Indira Gandhi s even more frequent use of Article 356 Yet their own attitude to state governments led by other parties has been exceedingly hostile The regime led by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah has paid scant attention to the legitimate interests of states not ruled by the BJP mocked lawfully elected chief ministers in indecorous language, appointed governors who have obstructed the functioning of lawfully elected governments at every turn, spitefully removed Opposition-ruled states from representation at important symbolic events such as the Republic Day parade and in all other ways made it clear that it would not rest content until every state in India is ruled by the BJP Its behaviour demonstrates an authoritarianism that is absolutist in its ambitions

We have just witnessed the quite remarkable feat of hundreds of millions of Indians voting in a general election However it bears stating that these votes were cast in the context of unrepresentative parties compromised public institutions, undemocratic laws, a flailing economy, a ravaged environment, a deep feeling of insecurity among religious minorities, and an increasing strain on the federal structure of the Republic The first duty of whichever government that comes to power at the Centre would be to address and seek to mitigate these fault lines Whether it might actually do so is another matter Ramachandra Guha s latest work The Cooking of Books: A Literary Memoir, has just been released His email address is ramachandraguha@yahoo in

SI N C E the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan Afghan nation has been witnessing the most severe domestic crises, mainly because of years of war and natural calamities but often triggered by growingly oppressive Taliban rule These testing times have brought lives of millions of Afghans already living around poverty line on a standstill UN agencies predicted that the number of people in need of aid would rise from 18 4 million in 2022 to approximately 29 million by August 2023 The World Health Organization warned that millions of people were at risk of hunger and sickness due to limited or no access to healthcare and food, including 2 3 million children who were at risk of acute malnutrition In addition to international isolation and financial penalties following the Taliban takeover the country s UN humanitarian response program got only 34 8% of its funds

Humanitarian issues were expected to get worse as Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan deported large numbers of unlawful Afghan refugees People in Afghanistan faced harsh repression and human rights violations as the humanitarian crisis worsened and the economy collapsed The Taliban tightened restrictions on women and girls, seemingly with the goal of removing them entirely from public spaces

There were international requests to look into this gender persecution as a crime against humanity Freedom of expression was degraded, and individuals who peacefully expressed criticism of the Taliban suffered enforced disappearance wrongful detention arbitrary arrest torture and other forms of ill-treatment The culture of impunity persisted even for war crimes and crimes against humanity Religious freedom was further restricted under Taliban administration Ethnic groups notably religious minorities have experienced increased marginalization hostility and forced displacement

These gross human rights violations have exacerbated deepening divides within Taliban leadership While tensions initially arose over the political makeup of their first cabinet rumors of infighting over appointments and the number of seats remained rumors with no apparent or public differences detected However, more recent statements by senior Taliban leaders appear to have created public schisms in the group s unity The Taliban s ability to keep all internal differences under control has been a significant source of strength for the organization Throughout their

twenty-year insurgency the Taliban has avoided public shows of dissent in order to keep the US and its allies from exploiting them The latest statements shed new light on previous criticisms In September 2023 Abbas Stanikzai the Taliban s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, claimed that there was no Islamic basis to prohibit girls from attending school While the statement was originally limited in education, Sirajuddin and Yaqoob’s recent speeches show an impatience with the Emir and an impending divide Explanations for the increase in public criticism differ One viewpoint contends that less hardline Taliban elements have spoken out against Hibatullah due to their dissatisfaction with his ultraconservative policy decisions The Taliban leaders patience may have worn thin after a series of orders prohibiting women and girls from attending university or working

Sajjad Shaukat

INDIA’S MODI EYES ELECTION VICTORY, TOP OPPONENT BACK BEHIND BARS

Representative of Uzbekistan elected to UN Human Rights Committee for the first time in histor y

At the 40th session of the states parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on May 29 at the UN headquarters in New York elections were held for nine members of the Human Rights Committee (HRC) for the 2025-2028 term Representatives from 16 states, including Burundi, Georgia Egypt India Spain Cameroon Côte d’Ivoire Lithuania Morocco Paraguay the Republic of Korea North Macedonia Togo Uzbekistan Croatia Ethiopia and South Africa competed for the nine seats in the HRC In a historic achievement, Akmal Saidov, Director of the National Center for Human Rights and an academician from Uzbekistan, received the highest number of votes from ICCPR member countries This marks the first time Uzbekistan and indeed any Central Asian country has joined this key UN body The United Nations has acknowledged the significant progress made by Uzbekistan on the international stage This progress is attributed to specific measures implemented under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan These measures include eradicating child and forced labor combating domestic violence empowering women and girls ensuring gender equality improving conditions for vulnerable populations, and maintaining an open dialogue on all issues within the UN human rights agenda Uzbekistan’s election to the Human Rights Committee demonstrates the country’s commitment to ensuring and protecting human rights through constructive interaction with international human rights structures It will enable Uzbekistan to actively participate in decision-making processes and exchange best practices in this field It is worth noting that the Human Rights Committee is a UN body consisting of independent experts who monitor the implementation of the ICCPR by state parties There are 173 states participating in the pact Uzbekistan acceded to this international document in 1995 The Committee s activities aim to ensure full respect for all civil and political human rights

CM Mar yam Nawaz to L aunch CM ‘Himmat Card ’ for S pecial Persons in Punjab

Zaman Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Zafar Dal, Secretary CM Office Danish Afzal, Secretary Social Welfare and other relevant officers were also present

CORPORATE CORNER

OGDCL Announces Produc tion Commencement from C handa-7 Well in Kohat & Produc tion Revival from Kunnar-8 Well in Hyderabad

BEIJING

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday stressed that China believes that all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis should be supported Addressing a question on the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland next month Mao Ning said China attaches great importance to Switzerland organizing the first Summit on Peace in Ukraine and has been in close communication with Switzerland and relevant parties She reiterated that China always maintains that the international peace conference needs to meet the three important elements of recognition from Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all

parties and a fair discussion of all peace plans; otherwise the peace conference can hardly play a substantive role in restoring peace Mao said the meeting arrangements haven t met the three elements, making it difficult for China to attend the conference She noted that China’s position on the summit is fair and impartial not targeting any specific party and certainly not against the summit Whether or not China participates in the conference is based solely on its own judgment of the conference and we believe that all parties concerned can understand China s position said the spokesperson Whether or not one supports peace should not be judged by individual countries or specific conferences, she said

Mao said China sincerely hopes that the peace conference will not turn into a platform for confrontation between camps and that not participating in the conference does not mean one does not support peace Even if individual countries participate in the conference they may not genuinely wish to see a ceasefire she said Facts have proved that China has been the most resolute and active in promoting peace and negotiation, Mao said, adding that China has not sat idly by or added fuel to the flame still less profiteered from the conflict She reiterated that China has made tireless efforts to promote a ceasefire and end the fighting which has been highly appreciated by all parties, including Russia and Ukraine

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has asserted that China is open to dialogues to properly resolve trade frictions with the European Union (EU) and will take all necessary measures to defend the legitimate interests of Chinese companies Wang made the remarks during a meeting with Chinese-funded enterprises in Barcelona, Spain on Saturday His remarks came in response to the EU’s recent intensive probes into Chinese products including electric vehicles railway locomotives as well as equipment used for photovoltaics

an illegitimate ruling The rendered award is illegal null and void China neither accepts nor participates in that arbitration, neither accepts nor recognizes the award, and will never accept any claim or action arising from the award ” the ministry said

The U S has played an extremely ignoble role by supporting and assisting the Philippines in infringing on China s sovereignty, and by exploiting the South China Sea issue to drive a wedge between China and other regional countries, it said China will continue to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests while committing to resolving sea-related conflicts and differences through negotiations and consultations with the countries directly concerned

PSX Lists International Pack aging Films Ltd. with a Gong Ceremony

EU DEL AYS DECISION ON LIFTING PIA FLIGHT BAN

PEC to Celebrate

IT Day 2024 at Islamabad Headquar ters

The Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) is the regulatory body for the engineering profession in Pakistan It regulates the standards of engineering education, ensures the growth and development of the engineering sector in the Country PEC is pleased to announce the IT Day 2024, scheduled for 5th June 2024 at the PEC Headquarters in Islamabad The event aims to celebrate advancements in information technology and recognize the achievements of PEC in its automation drive The event will feature a range of activities designed to highlight the significant contributions of IT to the engineering sector

Attendees will include Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddique Federal Minister for Science & technology Engr Najeeb Haroon Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council esteemed members of the Governing Body of Pakistan Engineering Council & engineering community, and other distinguished guests The event provides an excellent platform for networking and discussing future technological advancements and collaborationsl PR

Privatisation Commission Board Pre- Qualifies Six Par ties for PIA Divestment

The 219th Meeting of Privatisation Commission Board was held on 3rd June 2024, under the Chairmanship of Minister for Privatisation/Chairman Privatisation Commission Abdul Allem Khan to review the recommendations of the pre-qualification committee in light of the results of the scrutiny/evaluation of Statement of Qualifications (SOQs) submitted by eight (08) Interested parties for divestment of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL) The Board, after detailed deliberations and keeping in view the criteria including technical financial and documentary requirements stipulated in the RSOQ decided to pre-qualify six (06) Interested Parties namely (1) Fly Jinnah Limited (2) Air Blue Limited, (3) Arif Habib Corporation Limited, (4) Consortium Lead by Y B Holdings (Private) Limited (Consortium members comprises Pioneer Cement Limited Artistic Milliners Limited ANS Capital Private Limited Metro Ventures Private Limited) (5) Consortium Lead by Pak Ethanol (Consortium

rules, and the critical role of helmets in preventing injuries Helmets were distributed to drivers and for passengers emphasizing the need for consistent safety practices R

M S H E H B A Z O R D E R S

B O L I S H M E N T O F PA K P W D

Christian man succumbs to injuries nine days after mob attack in S

argodha

dividuals for severely torturing Masih, who was rescued by the authorities and taken to a hospital in serious condition

of Mujahid Colony incensed by rumours of alleged blasphemy, launched violent protests An enraged mob vandalised the house of Masih and set his shoe factory on fire Police arrested over a dozen in-

Two separate cases were registered at the Urban Area police station One case of desecration was filed against Masih, while another case of violence, attempted murder, and property damage was lodged

against 16 identified individuals and approximately 500 unidentified persons Police reported that locals in Mujahid Colony had accused Masih of blasphemy leading to widespread commotion The resulting violence saw Masih s house and factory burned, and an attempt made on his life through severe torture

I H C a cce p t s re q u e s t s e e k i n g

I d d a t c a s e t ra n s fe r

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) accepted on Monday the request of Sessions Court Judge Shahrukh Arjumand concerning the transfer of the Iddat case to another court On May 29, Judge Arjumand, who heard the appeals wrote a letter to the IHC registrar after the complainant Khawar Maneka Bushra Bibi s former husband expressed no confidence in him –making it inappropriate for him to decide the matter

The judge noted that a previous application of no confidence had already been dismissed and this was the second time Maneka had shown no trust in him Therefore he requested that the matter be transferred to another court Judge Arjumand also mentioned in the letter that Maneka and his lawyer had previously attempted to stall the hearings He suggested that a time frame for completing the case should be set During a tumultuous hearing, Maneka addressed the court and launched verbal attacks on Imran,

infuriating PTI supporters, including lawyers, who then assaulted Maneka inside and outside the courtroom On February 3 Senior Civil Judge Qudratullah sentenced former prime minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to seven years imprisonment in the un-Islamic marriage case This case was filed by Bibi’s first husband Khawar Maneka who accused the couple of tying the knot while the former first lady was going through the Iddat period

An appellate court reserved its decision on the appeals filed by former premier Imran and wife Bushra against their conviction in the case concerning their marriage during the Iddat period on May 23 announcing that the court would unveil the verdict on May 29

CPEC he

BRI

Under the second phase of CPEC, he said both countries would implement the important consensus reached by their leaders including the strengthening synergy of development strategies and policy coordination and accelerate progress on mega projects including upgradation of ML-1 the Gwadar Port and realignment

framework to

an upgraded version of the CPEC and

a closer China-Pakistan community with a

future in the

He said that China was also ready to fur-

promote

Belt and Road cooperation with the Pakistani side to implement the

Development Initiative (GDI) Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and to make positive contributions to building an equal and orderly multi-polar world as well as a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization About the launch of Pakistan’s lunar mission ICUBE-Q satellite with Chinese cooperation Ambassador Jiang Zaidong said that since May this year, China-Pakistan aerospace cooperation had achieved frequent success A week after its launch, Pakistan’s

ICUBE-Q successfully transmitted images from lunar orbit marking Pakistan s inaugu-

“We