During a press conference in Rawalpindi, PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi criticised the decision stating that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was not even a party in the case but was granted undue relief Abbasi questioned the constant reinterpretation of the Constitution, which he claimed favoured PTI Abbasi revealed that independent members have been given 15 days to join a party a period he argued is excessive
parliamentarians belonging to the ruling PML-N have been instructed to stay in the capital while a final decision to summon the session likely to be taken on Monday in a meeting to be presided over by Nawaz Sharif According to sources, the government “wanted to devise a strategy before going for review appeal against the Supreme Court decision
The Supreme Court had on Friday annulled the decision of the Peshawar High Court and the order of the Election Commission (ECP) regarding reserved seats and ordered to give seats to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) It was also law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar who opened the first salvo at the apex court verdict Azam Nazeer Tarar on Friday said the Supreme Court s (SC) judgement to give the reserved seats to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was tantamount to rewriting the Constitution
Addressing the media after the SC announced its verdict on the reserved seats for women and minorities Tarar said the matter had gone beyond interpretation A lot of questions have been raised due to this verdict Those who read and understand the law will continue commenting on today’s decision, as a situa-
tion has been developed where there is no clarity ” Tarar said Article 51 and Article 106 of the constitution have been rewritten instead of being interpreted The 80 winning members neither appeared before the Election Commission or Peshawar High Court, nor the Supreme Court, nor did they submit an affidavit stating that they belong to PTI the law minister added Tarar was of the view that the SC granted relief to the PTI through today s verdict, which the party had not even sought “In today’s decision, the SC has exceeded its constitutional limits,” he claimed It merits mention that other senior PML-N ministers and lawmakers have already criticised the apex court verdict on reserved seats A Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader has also announced it will challenge the Supreme Court’s ruling on PTI’s reserved seats
He pointed out that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) only withdrew the party s electoral symbol due to a failure to conduct intra-party elections, and not because it dissolved the party Abbasi also condemned the Supreme Court s recognition of 39 PTI candidates for reserved seats calling it an illegal move He announced that PML-N, along with other political parties, would file a review petition against the decision Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that the Supreme Court rewrote the constitution in its decision which is the right of the Parliament Speaking at a press conference in Sialkot, Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that legislation is the privilege of the Parliament and all institutions have their responsibilities outlined in the constitution The judiciary s job is to interpret the constitution Criticizing the Supreme Court s decision, he said that as politicians, they have made many mistakes The Supreme Court, in its decision on reserved seats, has rewritten the constitution This decision not only reached the doorstep but also provided relief
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday directed to form a committee on an urgent basis with respect to reactivating the NeelumJhelum Hydropower Project
The prime minister was chairing a meeting to review the progress of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project here at the PM House During the meeting he was informed in a detailed briefing that on April 29 2024 due to the pressure drop in the right and left head race tunnels of Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, there was a reduction in power generation and on May 2 2024 power generation from the power plant was completely stopped
A preliminary investigation report was presented in the meeting
by former Federal Interior Secretary Shahid Khan, the head of the investigation committee investigating the recent faults in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project
He told the meeting that the closure of the project is causing a loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer It was informed in the meeting that the place where the current fault occurred was the rock burst zone
The meeting was further informed that during the PTI regime in the year 2021 also due to abnormal drop in pressure in the headrace tunnel, a significant decrease in power generation was seen from the project but this abnormal change in pressure was ignored and not reported “The matter deliberately suppressed
During the PTI regime no repair work was done regarding the failure of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in 2021, which
continued to increase the losses, the meeting was informed It was a criminal negligence ” Defects in Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in 2021 are also being made part of investigation report the meeting was informed adding that power generation suspended in 2022 due to fault in tailrace tunnel of project Geophysical and seismic factors were also Ignored in construction of Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project and adequate concrete lining of head race tunnel were also not done Prime Minister Shehbaz Shairf issued the directives to immediately complete the investigation report regarding the recent closure of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project and identify those responsible for the defects in the NeelumJhelum Hydropower Project and take strict action against them
The autopsy report of Syeda Sania Zehra from Multan has
cautions On the 8th and 9th of Muharram, rescue agencies are urged to be on high alert
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has introduced a new policy restricting the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for national cricketers participating in various leagues
Following a meeting chaired by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi along with head coaches and the international department, it was decided that players participating in all three formats Tests, ODIs, and T20s will not receive NOCs for league participation this year
This decision comes as Pakistan s cricket calendar remains packed until May next year, with a total of 9 Tests, 14 ODIs, and 9 T20 matches scheduled, starting from the upcoming series against Bangladesh leading up to the Champions Trophy in 2025 The PCB aims to manage player
workload and prevent fatigue ensuring that players stay fresh and reduce the risk of injuries As part of this policy, fast bowler Naseem Shah was also denied an NOC for the Hundred tournament Notably star players Babar Azam Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan have contracts for the Global T20 tourna-
ment which is set to run from July 25 to August 11 but the ICC has yet to approve this event Under the new guidelines, the PCB is focused on allowing players to participate in two foreign leagues alongside the Pakistan Super League (PSL) prioritizing their health and performance throughout a busy cricketing season
CHINA READY TO WORK WITH PAKISTAN ON GLOBAL SOUTH DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE: AMB JIANG Z AIDONG
new contributions to strengthening South-South and North-South cooperation and promoting human progress
He said China would firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions
“China is willing to work with Pakistan to take the opportunity of implementing the outcomes of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif s visit to accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and bring more
tangible benefits to our two peoples ” he said PM Shehbaz Sharif s visit to China last month in particular focused on strategic and security cooperation and materializing ensuring an upgraded version of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in line with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) The Chinese envoy said the visit achieved expected goals and fruitful results and provided guideline for promoting the all-weather strategic cooperation in the new era Through Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s visit, the leaders of the two countries have drawn a blueprint pointed out the path and determined measures for the develop-
ment of China-Pakistan relations in the new era, he said He mentioned that the two sides agreed for cooperation in various sectors including mining, development of offshore oil and gas resources, clean energy, artificial intelligence science and technology finance and space cooperation These practical measures will surely inject new impetus and open up new prospects for consolidating, deepening and expanding practical cooperation, he said Ambassador Jiang said President Xi Jinping attached great importance to the development of China-Pakistan relations and personally promoted it In terms of major cooperation he highlighted consensus on accelerating the Main Line-1 railways and Karakoram Highway projects, the year-round operation of the Khunjerab Pass development of Gwadar Port and supporting Chinese companies to invest and operate in the Special Economic Zones At present China-Pakistan cooperation is facing important opportunities for quality improvement and upgrading, but also under the realistic pressure of climbing over obstacles,” he said He emphasized strengthening Sino-Pak cooperation at international forums to jointly safeguard multilateralism given China s presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Pakistan s upcoming hosting of the meeting of the SCO s Council of Heads of Government besides its non-per-
Balochistan to suspend mobile and internet services on key Muharram days
The Balochistan government has decided to suspend mobile and internet services in various cities on 7, 9, and 10 Muharram A spokesperson for the Balochistan home ministry stated that the suspension will affect Quetta Kachhi Jhal Magsi Jaffarabad and Usta Muhammad Over 18,000 personnel have been deployed in Quetta to ensure security on Youm-e-Ashurah, with two helicopters conducting aerial surveillance of processions on 7 9 and 10 Muharram Section 144 has been imposed in seven districts until 10 Muharram banning pillion riding and enforcing other restrictions to maintain law and order
The federal government has also approved the deployment of armed forces across the country during Muharram responding to requests from authorities in Sindh Balochistan KhyberPakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, GilgitBaltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to ensure security Under
in the Battle of Karbala will be observed in Pakistan on July 17 (Wednesday) The provincial government has imposed a ban on pillion riding in Sindh for the 10 days of Muharram
£190 million corruption case: Zubaida Jalal claims Ministers were ‘kept in the dark’ about deal
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
When the cabinet sought to discuss the matter due to its significance Mr Akbar insisted that due to the confidentiality of the matter, we [cabinet] should approve this agenda without deliberation and discussion ” Mr Akbar further assured the meeting that the money would be “repatriated to the government Ms Jalal stated that cabinet members approved the agenda in good faith As per her statement, the ex-PM had requested the approval Claiming ignorance of the document’s content the ex-minister said that when NAB s investigation officer showed her the deed approved by the cabinet and a note from the then-prime minister, she disassociated herself with both documents The former prime minister ’s prin-
cipal secretary Azam Khan also testified in the case on Saturday Mr Azam, who served as the ex-PM s top aide from August 2018 to April 2022, testified that Mr Akbar brought a note seeking the ex-PM’s approval to present the confidential deed in the cabinet meeting He stated that Mr Khan approved the document to be presented to the cabinet However, Mr Azam claimed he was not privy to the cabinet meeting discussion as it was in-camera The judge later adjourned the hearing until July 20
I M R A N K H A N M E D I A TA L K:
Speaking to reporters after the court proceedings, Mr Khan praised the Supreme Court judges for “upholding the rule of law ” He welcomed the apex court s judgement on reserved seats calling it a ray of hope for the people
of Pakistan The judges stood for the rule of law, the ex-PM said, as he criticized Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa over the decision on PTI’s election symbol He also mentioned that the US Congress had termed the election as fraudulent According to him a small elite has taken over the country, and only the Supreme Court could bring this elite under legal scrutiny He predicted that the next fiscal budget would be “worse” than the one recently presented by the PML-N-led government which has burdened the taxpayers When asked if PTI would attempt to form the government after obtaining reserved seats, Mr Khan stated he would not engage in political maneuvering He emphasized that the only solution to end the ongoing crisis is to hold free and fair elections
manent membership of
Human Dietary Uptake published last month (May 2024) in the Environmental Science & Technology research journal of global repute The uptake of microplastics refers to the process by which organisms, particularly aquatic organisms, ingest or absorb tiny plastic particles from their environment The microplastics are small plastic fragments less than 5 millimeters in size either manufactured at that size (primary microplastics) or resulting from the breakdown of larger plastic items (secondary microplastics) Found in industrial waste and beauty products or may form during the degradation of larger pieces of plastic waste the presence of microplastics in various ecosystems has now raised concerns among the environmentalists and health specialists globally about their long-term detrimental consequences on biodiversity, ecosystem function and human health
“Various studies have concluded that leaching from our plastic water bottles knives and dermatologic products to enter our bodies human uptake of the microplastics serious health issues such as endocrine disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, decreased reproductive health, and cancer, said PM’s climate aide The aide Romina Khurshid Alam who
is leading national anti-plastic campaign in support with provincial governments industrial and corporate sectors also highlighted that microplastics are now globally a growing environmental and public health concern, as they are detected extensively in freshwater and marine environments ingested absorbed or consumed as food by organisms and then enter the human body
Industrial development drives this environmental burden caused by microplastic formation and human uptake by elevating plastic pollution levels and shaping the domestic dietary structure, she added
Referring to the findings of the study mentioned above the PM s climate aide Romina Khurshid Alam said that it was worrying to note that airborne and dietary microplastic human uptake has increased over 6-fold globally, causing adverse risks to the human health and environmental sustainability
The first-ever global study carried out by scientists from Cornell University based in Ithaca New York examined data from around the world to determine which countries had the highest exposure to microplastics through different methods of ingestion
They mapped the microplastic human uptake across 109 global countries including Pakistan on five continents from 1990 to 2018
which revealed that 57% of plastic particles in foods are mainly from aquatic sources While underscoring the vast scale of plastic pollution across global countries, the study particularly focuses on the world s major coastlines that are affected by plastic pollution that affects the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) Malaysia ranks at the highest among top 20 countries facing growing risk of microplastic human uptake, followed by Indonesia, Egypt, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand Cambodia Ghana Congo Myanmar China Gabon Tunisia Republic of Côte d Ivoire Angola Sri Lanka Bangladesh South Korea and Nigeri According to details of the study findings, Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines top the global per capita list of dietary uptakes of microplastics while China Mongolia and the United Kingdom top the list of countries that breathe the most microplastics according to a
P M a t F B R
R I M E M I N I S T E R Shehbaz Sharif told the Federal Board of Revenue that he would not submit to blackmail by any mafias and would prefer to resign rather than do so This was a massage not just for the tax collection machinery whose suborning was necessary to allow mafias to evade taxes, but also for allies as well as backers Mainly it must be presumed it was a message for the International Monetary Fund, which had just reached a staff-level agreement on a three-year $7 billion package, on certain stringent conditions, including increasing revenue for the financial year just started by 40 percent The success or failure of the IMF package thus depends heavily on the FBR achieving this target However, Mr Sharif hamstrung tax officials by saying that they were not to harass traders or investors That is the only method that many officials know to increase revenue and the institution will have to change its attitude from one of a protection racket to one of a collection agency However, Mr Sharif spoke from his experience as a businessman and as a business leader However, he was saying that he would not be part of the cozy you-scratchmy-back-and-I’ll-scratch-yours arrangement whereby certain lobbies would be allowed to evade taxes and taxation officials would be allowed to put the squeeze on others; and in both cases, it would be the state which would suffer because of lost revenue It is an unfortunate reality that ‘business-friendly government’ should mean one that allows evasion but Mr Sharif and the FBR will have to change that if the conditions of the
Over-reliance on consumption taxes
U S T when the economy had seen a fall in inflation after application of severe aggregate demand squeeze policies, and a decrease in inflation globally as the supply chain crisis subsided, the federal budget announcing a significant increase in direct taxes– although mostly on the already taxed while a number of big ticket sectors in terms of contribution to the economy like retail and real estate still have very little direct taxation– along with deeply enhancing the extent, and depth of taxation of consumption (or indirect taxes), the decreasing trend of inflation has already reversed direction Moreover, together with a few budgetary, and overall economic policy initiatives on the supplyside especially in terms of meaningful reform of the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and energy sectors inflation outlook is sadly strongly appearing to be difficult in the coming months This is all the more painful, given inflation had come down from a very elevated position,
The current federal budgetÊs acute pro-cyclical policy approach, and that too by placing more emphasis on increasing revenue through enhancing indirect taxes, not only will likely put greater inflationary pressures, but will also produce negative impact on economic growth, and likely increase pover ty, and income inequality in the country
R e w r i t i n g o u r c l i m a
aDnan Sami
t e n a r r a t i v e
Climate experts declare that it’s not a climate emergency but a planetary emergency However hope and inspiration are significant elements of our new climate story Individuals are working on climate issues and fostering social awareness on the global level Furthermore, our youth, especially women, are working with different types of organizations and NGOs to tackle the climate crisis Meanwhile technology and innovation are playing a critical role in mitigating climate change The inclusion of renewable energy such as solar, wind, and hydro is gaining momentum worldwide The innovation of electric and solar vehicles will help out by reducing greenhouse gas emissions As
have the potential to compete with climate challenges through collective vision We have the power to shape its outcome by embracing hope taking action and working together The writer can be reached at samiadn1012@gmail com
As a matter of fact, the technology has the potential and capability to reduce reliance on fossil fuels to mitigate the climate threat Rewriting our climate stor y needs collective endeavours ItÊs the responsibility of each of us to reduce carbon emissions, advocate for strong er climate policies, and suppor t sustainable practices Human beings have the potential to compete with climate challeng es through collective vision We have the power to shape its outcome by embracing hope , taking action, and working tog ether
Nationalism and terrorism complicate Durand Line dispute
Dr Omer JaveD
Impacts, causes and a ray of hope
From allies to adversaries: Unraveling the Iran-Israel conflict
TH R E E children are playing in the park where two of them start fighting The third one is standing beside them and supporting the first one The second child, engaged in the quarrel with the first one, picks the stone and hits the third child Should the third one take action If he takes action will that be justified? Of course it will have some ground because the third one was not directly engaged in the fight
Israel and called her a Little Satan Moreover, all the diplomatic, economic, and social ties were strained, and Tel Aviv was presumed to be the archenemy after Washington Both Israel and Iran have been involved in assisting proxies cyber-attacks and intelligence operations to inflict grave damage on each other Israel along with USA and other European countries has persistently been inculpating Iran for bolstering organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthi Contrary to this Iran always accuses Israel of being involved in activities against it Both states incriminate each other For instance
article is used by Iran and when it attacked Israel with more than 300 missiles, including 136 drones
The question arises about the start of the rivalry of both countries When Israel was created with the support of the UK the USA and other Western powers Iran under the rule of the Shah was among the first Muslim countries to recognize it Israel s businessmen were treated with royal protocol and invitations Jews considered Tehran as their second home However, things changed when Iran experienced the revolution in 1979; the revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini dethroned the then Shah and took the charge of the country After the revolution in Iran Khomeini had a plan to metastasize it throughout the region which ultimately became a threat for Arab states monarchies like KSA, UAE, and Qatar among others Besides such a revolution changed the whole dynamic of the relation between Iran and Israel Tehran withdrew from its recognition of
Telaviv has been blamed for being involved in Qasim Sulemani s assassination while Israel has also censured Iran for murdering their top official in Mossad Apart from this, many other incidents can be quoted where both states are enmeshed against each other Moreover Tehran is also indicted for supporting proxies in the region which makes it a troublemaker for other states in the region The recent escalation is not only making trouble for the region but for the whole world Many major powers including, the USA the UK and Russia are explicitly or implicitly involved in the conflict and fostering their allies Yjr first indulgence of other states can be seen in the conflict when the UK, the USA and Jordan s air forces helped Israel and intercepted 99% of Iranian missiles and drones Besides, Hezbollah’s attacks are obstructed by the USA and U K they not only interrupted Hezbollah’s as-
saults but also used their fleets for strikes over its bases and compounds Other than this, it is also speculated that Russia has assisted Iran to halt Israel’s strikes President Vladimir Putin of Russia expressed some serious concerns over the re-
The Iran-Israel dispute has been continuing for many decades; but recent escalation has brought the world to the brink of World War 3 Both states are unwilling to back down and are prepared to escalate tension to any level The world is deeply concerned due to recent incidents between Tehran and Tel Aviv Major powers are urging both sides to resolve the dispute and aver t the crisis Amidst all this, Pakistan is also facing difficulties as the country is already embroiled in economic, political, and security crises If such a dispute escalates, it will have negative implications for the state and for the entire world
Biden must step aside to stop Donald Trump
d i to r a l
JO E Biden’s political future is a matter of huge concern to all who care about democracy progressive values and the security of the western world The 81-year-old US president s disastrous TV debate performance, followed by more excruciating gaffes last week, has fed a long-simmering political and media obsession with his fitness to serve a second term Like ravenous vultures his enemies scrap over the bones of an old man To some extent, Biden has brought this on himself He and his advisers, including the first lady, Jill Biden, have spent months batting away legitimate questions about his apparently impaired cognitive abilities This denial that a problem even exists coupled with a flat refusal to address it has done him no favours Biden blamed his debate debacle on jet lag, then on a cold He admits he does not speak as well as he did, but claims that “age brings wisdom” Revelations that a medical expert on Parkinson s disease visited the White House eight times in 2023-24 and held at least one meeting with Biden s personal physician have fuelled suspicions that the public is not being told the whole story But Biden continues, unwisely, to try to shrug it off joking that he undergoes a neurological examination each day due to the exacting nature of his job T
disrespect for supporters and fundrais-
fice, has warned of a bloodbath if he loses again, and is vowing revenge on judges prosecutors and others he dislikes Trump is a convicted felon sexual abuser and fraudster He believes he s above the law For Britain and other US allies, the thought of a second Trump term is troubling Keir Starmer ’s new Labour government can expect nothing but political and ideological hostility from this ultranationalist xenophobic hawk For the EU for Palestine for global tariff-free trade for the UN for international cooperation more broadly, Trump #2 would be massively destructive And then there’s Ukraine Trump,
dictators generally claims he could end
means is that he would put pressure on Kyiv to accept a permanent loss of territory to Russia in return for peace
for
wan and similar disputes and it could trigger the collapse of Nato US credibility would be shot The stakes could hardly be higher, which is why allowing Biden to continue to indulge
Acentury ago in 1924, Premchand, the north Indian writer, published his play Karbala In 680 Common Era, Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) grandson Imam Hussain contesting Caliph Yazid s authority was killed at Karbala These events cementing Islam s Sunni-Shia split came to define Shia selfhood and are commemorated annually during Muharram Premchand s play, however, is not an internalist retelling of Karbala’s tragic arc It is instead framed by the dislocation of Hindus in West Asia In the writer s telling Hindu Brahmin brothers led by Sahas Rai live in seventh century Mesopotamia Outraged by the oppressive caliph, they take up arms alongside Imam Hussain (AS) and are murdered at Karbala Premchand crafted his play inspired by early 20th century tales circulating in north India Some Punjabi Brahmins – in the Mohyal Dutt and Hussaini sects – say their ancestors were martyred at Karbala in present-day Iraq In 1911 British official TP Russell Stracey, while stationed in the Punjab, recorded the kavit or poetry of Dutt Brahmins In their warrior myths, they suffer alongside Imam Hussain while survivors undertake an odyssey through Bukhara and Kandahar back to India
The Dutts praise their ancestor Rehab Singh believed to have lost sons at Karbala Of him it is said: Dutt sultan Hindu ka dharma Musalman ka iman Adha Hindu adha Musalman – Dutt the king, Hindu of religion, Muslim of faith Half Hindu, half Muslim Premchand’s foreword to his script considers other ways that Hindus ended up at Karbala After the Mahabharata s earlier events he wrote the descendants of Ashwatthama went and settled there referring to the character who, after fighting for the Kauravas, is doomed to eternal exile The playwright further speculated that “the Aryans in Arabia were the progeny of the Hindus who were captured and taken there by Alexander the Macedonian king who invaded India in 327 Before Common Era before retreating to Greece Nowadays, Premchand is generically seen as a proto-Nehruvian, his writings slotted into the unity-in-diversity camp Yet this soft nationalist reading underplays his radical quality as a writer For his play Karbala doesn t validate community creeds or national inclusion Instead it points to a restless capacity for heresy animated by universal convictions For example, early in the theatre script, Imam Hussain (AS) meets a Hindu yogi at Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) grave This sadhu has made the pilgrimage from India to Medina because “Maharishi Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made the whole universe reverberate with that same sound
The yogi tells Imam Hussain (AS): “the flame of knowledge which rose from this land will radiate across the globe and make Truth and Justice shine far and wide Here a critical attunement to an undifferentiated moral universe trumps fealty to one s group or sovereign Throughout, Premchand prizes such unorthodoxy over loyalty In the play Imam Hussain (AS) says you re worried that my dissent will cause schism within Islam but you must understand that Truth is better than accord Accord without truth is like a body without a soul Even more striking, in Premchand s vision, Islam and Hinduism are not hermetic dogmas demanding that others submit Rather they are borderless visions existing outside territory In the play after Suhas Rai and his brothers sacrifice themselves at Karbala an observer comments of these Hindus: Islam exists outside the realm of Islam These men are true Muslims Here, identity, in our contemporary sense – an inherent, mutually exclusive quality – is irrelevant One can be a Hindu while also being a Muslim for divinity stems from
about the next four years The Trump menace looms larger by the day Every Biden appearance is scrutinised for mental lapses gaffes and blunders There will certainly be more And each is a gift to Trump Right now, Democrats face the worst of all worlds: a candidate who will not quit but cannot win As long as Biden clings heedlessly to the helm – to invert Labour s winning 1997 campaign anthem – things can only get worse
N recent days two significant events have taken place in the global communication technology field First, China has built the world’s first field test network for 6G communication and intelligent integration significantly enhancing the performance of the communication system Second Germany plans to remove Huawei ZTE and other Chinese communication companies technology and components from its 5G wireless networks by 2029, citing concerns about “espionage” and viewing this as a step in “de-risking ” These two events form a stark contrast: while globally leading China continues to push forward with 6G technology research and development some countries are still entangled in deciding which company s products to use for 5G technology Germany’s previous willingness to use China’s 5G products was straightforward: Chinese communication equipment offers better quality higher stability and more reasonable prices which are the natural outcomes of market competition Despite continuous pressure from the US, Germany had maintained a rational and pragmatic stance, making choices that aligned with its own interests over the past few years The latest decision rather than being the result of careful scrutiny appears to be a product of multifaceted pressure and domestic political maneuvering Security agencies have been hyping the so-called Chinese espionage issue, and some parties within the “traffic light coalition” government are eager to pursue “de-risking” from China 5G which should
have been handled with caution has been hastily pushed toward the so-called politically correct choice of a ban In the field of communication technology, whether it is cutting-edge technology development or commercial deployment China undoubtedly leads the world This has caused significant anxiety for the US which has focused on the as yet undecided international standards for 6G, hoping to form a small circle to develop its own international standards” and undermine China’s achievements In February, the US gathered nine countries, including Canada the Czech Republic and Finland to form a 6G alliance However progress in global 6G development is bound to be difficult without China s participation As an extension and upgrade of 5G technology, 6G needs to rely on 5G s technological accumulation and large-scale industrial base to explore innovative paths making China indispensable at this level
Regarding the so-called network security risks of China s 5G most discerning people worldwide have realized that this is merely a tool used by the US to suppress Chinese companies To date, no country has proven that Chinese enterprises’ equipment poses any security threats On the contrary countries that followed Washington s lead have suffered losses in 5G application The UK one of the most active countries in responding to Washington s call to exclude Huawei from its 5G construction, showed poor performance in 5G when compared to its European counterparts, according to a 5G benchmark test conducted by the Spanish company Medux in February this year British operators lagged behind other European operators with London ranking bottom among
MOSCOW BL AMES BIDEN GOVT FOR POLITICAL CLIMATE BEHIND TRUMP ASSAULT
Trump shooter identified: 20-year- old male was ‘registered Republican’
China deploys array of satellites to help battle D ongting dike breach
MA JOR PROGRESS ON 470 MW SPAT GAH
POWER PROJECT IN KOHISTAN DISTRICT
SRINAGAR
Political parties in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir have voiced their strong opposition to the Indian government’s move to vest more powers in the Lieutenant Governor According to Kashmir Media Service, the National Conference (NC) and the People s Democratic Party (PDP) said the decision would “disempower” the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir while the Congress termed it as the murder of democracy NC vice president Omar Abdullah in a statement in Srinagar said the people of Kashmir deserve better than a “powerless, rubber
stamp Chief Minister who will have to beg the LG to get a peon appointed He said the move was another indicator that elections are around the corner in Kashmir “This is why a firm commitment laying out the timeline for restoration of full undiluted Statehood for Kashmir is a prerequisite for these elections, he added NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq termed the decision a blatant misuse of power by the BJP-led Indian government to disempower the people PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti s daughter and her Media Advisor, Iltija Mufti, said the order seeks to disempower the powers of an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir At a time when
s
ing elections in IIOJK, this new order widening the already unbridled powers of an unelected LG makes a few things abundantly clear Iltija Mufti said in a post on X The President of Indian National Congress chapter in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Vikar Rasool Wani, termed the move a murder of democracy
“The murder of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir is evident before the restoration of proper democracy and Statehood The Modi government gave more powers, including the Police, Law and order, and the transfer of officers etc have been vested in the LG,” Wani said on X
Additional General Secretary of National Conference Sheikh Mustafa Kamal has denounced the authorities in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir for preventing people from marching towards Mazar-e-Shuhada in Naqshband Sahib, Srinagar, to pay tribute to the July 13 1931 martyrs According to Kashmir Media Service Sheikh Mustafa Kamal chairing a party meeting in Srinagar
said, "This egregious violation of our rights will not go unnoticed and people will teach a lesson to Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming elections The 13th July martyrs demonstrated that non-violence and perseverance always triumph over oppression and tyranny in the end "
On the occasion, a resolution was unanimously passed denouncing the despicable act of the administration of disallowing the people to pay tributes to the martyrs at the Mazar-e-Shuhada at
Naqshband sahib "Once again, on the 13th of July, Martyrs Day, we witnessed the familiar sight of locked gates and excessive police presence all in an attempt to prevent people from honoring those who gave their lives for a just, fair and democratic Kashmir," Mustafa Kamal said The 13th of July, Dr Kamal said stands as a day for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to renew their commitment to fighting evil with compassion non-violence and peace
‘Modi govt ’s move to give more powers to IIOJK LG aimed at disempowering K ashmiris'
