‘MASSIVE, ILLEGAL POLITICAL MAFIA’ COMPROMISING COUNTERTERRORISM OPERATION: DG ISPR
agencies empowered through effective legislation He questioned the interpretation that the original announcement pointed to past military operations reiterating We make every important issue a joke because of our politics
Lt Gen Sharif also addressed a very strong lobby opposed to the National Action Plan’s objectives due to high stakes and monetary interests He accused this “illegal, political mafia” of trying to make the operations controversial through false arguments
emphasizing that all political parties had agreed to end the “illegal spectrum ” which fuels a major illegal economy sustaining criminal and terrorist activities
Lt Gen Sharif asserted that eliminating the illegal spectrum, which thrives on a soft state, would benefit society overall, not just curb terrorism He highlighted vested interests opposing such measures due to financial gains
paign built on national consensus not a mere military operation
He criticized political exploitation of important issues, citing Azm-i-Istehkam as an example “Our problem is that we are sacrificing even very important issues on the altar of politics he said debunking the narrative that the operation aimed to displace people and stressing its goal to reinvigorate the already in-place National Action Plan
The DG ISPR noted that kinetic efforts would be “augmented” by law enforcement
He pointed to the National Action Plan s 14 points, praising ongoing kinetic operations but highlighting deficiencies in other areas
He mentioned the plan to establish provincial Counter-Terrorism Departments responsible for leading anti-terrorism operations a decision made in 2014 and reaffirmed in 2021
The DG ISPR also discussed the registration and regularization of religious seminaries, with only a bit over 16,000 registered, leaving the status of 50% unknown “Does the army have to do this?” he questioned,
Discussing Operation Azm-i-Istehkam he noted its potential to eliminate terrorism and uplift society and the nation When questioned about violence during a peace rally in Bannu and alleged firing by security forces, Lt Gen Sharif referenced a recent terrorist attack on Bannu Cantonment that killed eight military personnel He explained that locals had requested a peace march which was agreed upon with the condition of no anti-state slogans However, negative elements joined the march, chanting against the army and state and pelting stones, leading to armed individuals opening
meeting for tomorrow to discuss the potential ban on the PTI
Informed sources claim that the cabinet will seek approval for the ban and deliberate on the current political climate in the country
Israel’s war on Gaza: 70 killed in Israeli assault on Khan Younis
the Israeli strikes began At Nasser Hospital some people stood outside the morgue to bid farewell to dead relatives before burials We are tired we are tired in Gaza every day our children are martyred, every day, every moment This is the blood of our children, it has not yet dried,” said
k I S Ta n S P e n d S $ 1 . 8 9 8 B o n m o B I l e
h o n e I m P o r T S I n F Y 2 0 2 3 - 24
KP currently hosts ten companies engaged in oil and
exploration, indicating promising prospects for the sector The province also established the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (KPOGDCL) in 2013 under the Energy and Power Department to expedite exploration and production activities Under the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award KP’s share in the net proceeds of total royalties on crude oil is based on the proportion of crude oil produced in the province relative to the national production Exploration and production companies pay a royalty of 12 50% of the wellhead value of which 2% is retained by the federal government and the remainder is paid to the provincial government This payment is due
monthly within 45 days of the end of the production month, with late payments incurring a fine The Gas Development Surcharge is derived from the difference between the sale price for consumers set by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and the prescribed price for gas companies based on their fixed returns This surcharge and the royalty are inversely proportional; higher wellhead values result in higher royalties but lower surcharges and vice versa According to the 7th NFC Award provinces receive a share in the net proceeds based on the average rate per MMBTU, combining both royalty and development surcharge The Excise Duty on Gas currently set at Rs 10 per MMBTU is collected by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and transferred to the provinces monthly
Power generation in Pakistan reached 13 460 GWh (18 090 MW) in June 2024 marking a 1 9% year-on-year decline compared to June 2023 when generation stood at 13,715 GWh (18,433 MW), according to data released by Arif Habib Limited (AHL) on Monday On a monthly basis power generation increased by 6 7% from 12 617 GWh in May This increase was driven by improved generation from hydel sources, which rose by 21 1%, and imported coal, which surged by 66 3% For the fiscal year 2024 power generation fell by 1 9% year-on-year to 127 165 GWh (170 909 MW) down from 129 591 GWh (174
KE responds to petition against power outages in K arachi
KElectric s response is irrelevant and lacks significance He pointed out that the petitioners had already lodged a complaint with NEPRA (National Electric Power Regulatory Authority) but NEPRA has yet to make a decision on it Advocate Vawda further noted that according to K-Electric, the concerned feeder falls under the “no losses” cate-
gory, questioning why load shedding is happening on a no-loss feeder He accused K-Electric of violating policy and NEPRA of failing to take action The petition emphasized that due to the collusion between NEPRA and KElectric, the residents are suffering Despite paying bills on time, they are enduring prolonged power outages, causing significant distress The court has adjourned the hearing until August 5 and directed NEPRA to submit a response at the next hearing The Sindh High Court aims to address the issues raised and seek clarification from the involved parties to resolve the matter
tH e R e seems to be a lot of concern going over the recent projections of how quickly Pakistan’s population is growing Pakistan – the sixth largest nation in the world – is about to hit a quarter of a billion people in population some time later this year or early next year most people would think of this as a problem Policymakers included regularly say we have too many children and that our population is growing too fast and as this paper ’s sister publication, Profit, tried pointing out this week that population growth is an asset not a liability as your Pakistan Studies textbooks have tried to convince you as the feature points out, Pakistan s population was historically a problem because there was a period of about 75 years when we were having more children than needed, but this was entirely due to a decline in infant mortality that most people did not see coming Pakistani families are now having fewer children, so the “too many children” problem is basically over, and we will now see an increase in the labour force participation rate from now until some time in the 2090s, based on current trends the single factor that made Pakistan s demographic composition a problem – its fertility rate, or the average number of children born per adult woman in the country – is now about to hit the sweet spot that will allow the country to reap what economists called the double demographic dividend We used to think of our population as a liability in reality, it was a long-term investment that is about to start paying dividends there are still problems this happy circumstance can rapidly turn into a nightmare as other countries have learnt the hard way We should take advantage of being behind them, and avoid the mistake of not being grateful for the youth of our population, and seek to keep that healthier age structure of the population going for as long as possible
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late)
Founding Editor
Climate Change – A setback for livestock-based economies
Cl i m at e change has been important factor in environmental as well as economic aspects of Pakistan Changing weather patterns have caused droughts in fertile lands, and excessive rains in dry and arid regions this, in turn, has caused issues for the management of livestock in the country the depletion of existing pastures is leading towards rising costs of fodder according to latest research the effects of climate change are not just limited to crops and agricultural production Climate change will have far-reaching consequences for dairy, meat and wool production, mainly arising from its impact on grassland and rangeland productivity Heat distress suffered by animals will reduce the rate of animal feed intake and result in poor growth performance lack of water and increased frequency of drought in certain countries will lead to a loss of resources Consequently, as exemplified by many african countries, existing food insecurity and conflict over scarce resources will be exacerbated therefore, due importance needs to be given towards livestock management in the light of climate change in pastoral and agro pastoral systems livestock is a key asset for poor people fulfilling multiple economic, social and risk management functions the impact of climate change is expected to heighten the vulnerability of livestock systems and reinforce existing factors that are affecting livestock production systems such as rapid population and economic growth rising demand for food (including livestock) and products conflict over scarce resources (land tenure water biofuels, etc) For rural communities, losing livestock assets could trigger a collapse into chronic poverty and have a lasting effect on livelihoods the direct effects of climate change will include, for example, higher temperatures and changing rainfall patterns which could translate into the increased spread of existing vector-borne diseases and macroparasites accompanied by the emergence and circulation of new diseases
Some of the key points that contribute towards the issues are detailed below
1 H E AT S T R E S S: Rising temperatures are a big threat for livestock animal suffering from heat stress eat less grow slower and produce less milk or meat and had higher rate of diseases Respiration rates and body temperature are both good ways to assess how well animals are managing their heat production and losses in warm weather Physical appearance and body temperature also gives a direct measure of an individual animal’s heat stress level temperature and humidity levels determine when the animal may start feeling heat stressed Shade and proper ventilation are critical to lowering the incidence of heat stress
2 REDUCED FEED QUALITYAND QUANTITY: Drought and extreme weather conditions can affect feed crops the quality composition and palatability of feed ingredients significantly influence feed intake animals have preferences for certain feed ingredients based on taste, odor, texture, and digestibility this can lead to malnutrition in livestock and lower-productivity
3 WAT E R S U P P LY: Changes in rainfall and increased evaporation due to heat can lead to decrease the water supply even this reduces the availability of drinking water for livestock and impacts and the growth of feed crops limitation of water intake reduces animal performance quicker and more dramatically than any other nutrient deficiency animals that do not drink enough water may suffer stress or dehydration every animal is in dire need of clean and fresh water owing to the overly polluted water that they normally have access to, such as drains, puddles, polluted ponds, lakes and streams or rivers Polluted water can push animal life to tragic ends for instance chemical contaminants from industrial pollution an excess of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous oil spills and dumping of solid trash such as plastic can lead to death of animals drinking water from the polluted sources; high levels of mercury in water can induce hormonal imbalances in animals consuming it; and additionally, polluted water from irrigation and air pollutants that form a part of toxic rains can cause mortal and irreversible injuries in animals in order to mitigate the risks caused by above
The impact of climate change is expected to heighten the vulnerability of livestock systems and reinforce existing factors that are affecting livestock production systems, such as rapid population and economic growth, rising demand for food (including livestock) and products, conflict over scarce resources (land tenure, water, biofuels, etc)
H
u m a n m i g r a t i
o n a s a n o n - t r a d i t i o n a l s e c u r i t y t h r e a t
aSif Khan
In present times the concept of security does not refer only to traditional military security its scope has broadened to include human security and global harmony beyond national interest Considering the contemporary security concept, human migration can also be categorized as a non-traditional security threat migration is the movement of people from one place to another for settlement seeking improved lifestyles better opportunities, and escaping conflict it can profoundly affect individuals and societies the implications of migration become evident in the resulting economic imbalance, cultural devolution challenging policy formulations altered demography and climate degradation of both the region left and the locality settled Human migration is not a new phenomenon it has been a part of human history, from the early hunter-gatherers to the diverse migrations of recent times Understanding this historical perspective is crucial in comprehending the current global migration process and its impacts these cross-region migrations have played a significant role in shaping civilizations with diverse cultures the industrialization period, the era of decolonization, and the World Wars have all contributed to the global migration process
One of the most significant implications of human migration is its economic impact the host country often faces numerous challenges and strains on its public sectors such as health housing, and education additionally, there is a downward pressure on wages in sectors like construction and development, where lowskilled labor is prevalent For the origin state the loss of skilled individuals can exacerbate existing economic conditions the exclusion of highly skilled people directly hampers the economic growth of society, potentially leading to further economic collapse in parallel, human migration also impacts the cultural landscape in reality, migration has the potential to create cultural diversity in the host country which can enrich the nation s cultural landscape and bolster tolerance and mutual coexistence However it also has some challenges For instance, language barriers can hinder the migrant s ability to fully assimilate into the locals and avail all the available opportunities Secondly multicultural societies are the most vulnerable to
ian norms and national interests this complexity is a testament to the challenges of policy formulation in the context of migration While states have the right to protect their interests international law for refugees places restrictions on actions that could harm migrants Consequently, states must uphold their commitment to protecting refugees while safeguarding their domestic objectives at times governments may face public opposition for what is perceived as neglect of their primary concerns while catering to immigrants
Demographically, it significantly impacts both the origin and destination communities For example, the country of origin could experience a population decline, mainly in rural areas meanwhile the gender ratio of the destination country could be threatened if migration is gender-specific Consequently it negatively impacts gender equality social fabric and family dynamics moreover, migration has a significant effect on the environment the settled region s population rises exponentially, leading to urban expansion Proportionately the local ecosystem is disturbed and natural resources are degraded Furthermore the rapid inflow of migrants also strains the water reservoirs energy resources and waste disposal systems the abrupt influx of migrants to a region increases the consumption of non-renewable commodities such as petrochemicals, intensifying carbon emissions
and leading to ozone depletion interestingly human migration also presents opportunities such as diversity playing a crucial role in innovations and socio-cultural enhancement in many areas metropolitans that embrace immigrants often become the hubs of creativity and economic diversification moreover, remittances sent by the diaspora of any country act as the lifeline for weakening the economies of developing countries to sum up human migration significantly impacts any state s economics culture environment, demography, and policy formulation it is a transnational and global dilemma that presents complex and nuanced challenges Given the several non-traditional challenges and complications addressing these issues delicately and proportionately is imperative therefore governments should urgently collaborate and formulate specific pragmatic approaches and policy guidelines that align with legitimate security interests Furthermore, those decisions should not violate the rights of migrants Fostering a fair responsive balanced and efficient mechanism can help mitigate this major nontraditional security threat
The writer works as a research intern in the China Pakistan Study Center (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad He can be reached at asifkhn1287@gmail com
Lahore’s Unusual Traffic Hazard
persisted the vendors continue to operate along the Canal Road from Jallo to thokar niaz Baig and around Bagh-i-Jinnah the practice not only endangers lives but also damages the ecosystem an environmentalist has warned that insect-eating bird species are declining due to urbanisation and the rise in the number of scavenger birds, like vultures the Punjab government must strengthen law-enforcement efforts to apprehend these careless vendors, and impose strict penalties on those engaged in selling the so-called ‘sadqa gosht’ under the pretext of piety as lahore grapples with this unique challenge the people need a swift action from the government let us prioritise public safety protect our environment and prevent unnecessary road accidents M ABID HAFEEZ LAHORE
Nature, Nur ture, and Beyond
HUman behaviour, a perennial subject of fascination, is an intricate tapestry woven with biological psychological social and environmental threads Genetic predispositions as well as neurobiological processes together lay the foundation for individual differences while environmental factors such as upbringing and culture significantly shape our actions and personalities the interplay between nature and nurture is evident in traits like intelligence and emotional reactivity where both genetic and environmental influences are pivotal Understanding these dynamics is crucial for comprehending the spectrum of human behaviour Psychological theories including the hierarchy of needs and cognitive-behavioural frameworks put forward by american psychologist abraham maslow reveal the motivations and cognitive processes that drive our actions Social influences from family, peers and the media play a dynamic
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Simran Pervaiz
Ge O R G Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, a well-known German philosopher gave rise to a philosophy that one school of thought would gave some extreme viewpoints which would be called as thesis Contrary to this people, opposing to the former school of thought, would give some extreme thoughts that would counter the former ones which would be called as “anti-thesis” at last, new thoughts would be emerged by compiling these thesis and anti-thesis to provide mesial way and that would be called as
Synthesis if it is observed in today s scenario, it can easily be examined in the form of G-7/G-20 (developed economic countries) and BRiCS (developing economic countries)
BRiCS comprising of Brazil Russia india China and South africa is an organization that was made in 2009 for assisting each other this actually come into being right after the economic crisis of 2008 When economic crisis occurs, developed nation like G-7 did not abet other nations which ultimately urge these countries to build an organization to assist each other and do economic collaborations the actual motive of BRiCS is to promote trade and development across the countries in the region Besides, there is another promise to work collectively on climate issue and honor commitments regarding that today BRiCS has expanded its horizons it has added 6 new members which are considered significant in their regions these countries are iran, Kingdom of Saudi arabia, ethiopia, egypt, United arab emirates, and argentina all these countries are imperative because of the enrichment of natural resources and geographical locations moreover it is also thought that in near future this organization would expand further and it will challenge the incumbent global order therefore, it is considered as menace for the west because present world order is more tilted towards West, to be very specific United State of america (USa) this organization is conspicuously confronting the G-7 countries it is because currently G-7 countries are controlling 30% of the global economy whereas BRiCS has
hold over 31 5% of the world economy Besides, it is challenging the west in many other ways like investment in developing countries political dominancy and attracting other countries towards them Reconciliation between iran and KSa by China is the prominent example of it moreover, DeDollarization is one the foremost phenomena that is created by BRiCS to face-off west, to be precise USa it is because all the trade is occurring in dollar that gives a major edge to USa over other countries However the way China has introduced its currency the Yuan, in the international market shows that it will confront dollar in near future in present time, 8 countries are doing trade in yuan, which covers 2 77% of the global economy From this it can be said that BRiCS is creating hurdles for today s global order and will challenge world directly soon although BRiCS is confronting G-7 countries yet the important question is still not answered is BRiCS united internally? this is the most important question which is still looking for a prudent answer it is because countries in the BRiCS has different form of governments; China and Russia have authoritative form of governments whereas india, Brazil and South africa have democracy likewise, China and Russia have precarious relation with west and USa, but india and South africa have normal ties with western bloc this shows that BRiCS countries have differences in their forms of governments and foreign policies that raise reasonable questions regarding the unity of BRiCS internally if the addendum of other members of BRiCS are considered, it can be asked that
why is Pakistan not inculcating in the organizations? to answer this questions the economy should be examined first Pakistan is on the brink of default and it has no foreign reserves to fulfill its basic commodities via imports if this scenario is taken then argentina has the same scenario, they are officially declared as default country though From this, it can be said that economy is not the case However the basic reason of in incorporating Pakistan in to BRiCS organization is its political tilt towards west though BRiCS addendum countries are facing distinct challenges yet their affairs with west are not deep rooted Pakistan has
the actor Years later, naseeruddin Shah acknowledged that Shakti was one of the best students in the class while he himself was a backbencher arjun Hingorani had an office in the now-defunct Roop tara Studios in Dadar, Bombay One day, while Shakti Kapoor was visiting, he learnt that Sunil Dutt was shooting in the studio the next day with some specially shot photographs he went knocking on the door of the actor s makeup room during lunch break a voice from inside shouted, Come in as he tentatively opened the door and peeped in, he saw Sunil Dutt sprawled out on the sofa inside, his head hanging over the edge as he stood hovering nervously on the threshold the senior actor looked up straight at him even though he was disconcerted by the intense scrutiny Shakti worked up the courage to walk up to Dutt and touch his feet respectfully He was motioned to sit down, and taking a chair, he hesitatingly offered the photographs telling Dutt that he wanted to be an actor like him the senior actor rifling through the photographs told the boy he had expressive eyes and asked him to drop by his ajanta arts office When Shakti Kapoor went across, he was offered a role in Yari Dushmani (1980) Produced by the senior actor’s younger brother Som Dutt it had Sunil Dutt in the lead with Shakti playing a bandit i became an ajanta arts boy and was put on a monthly retainer of 1 500 he says Soon after, he was signed to play the villain, R D , in Rocky (1981), produced and directed by Sunil Dutt it marked the debut of his son Sanjay Dutt ‘Dutt-sahab loved and treated me like his own son and
i didn’t have the guts to tell him that i had already signed arjun Hingorani’s film ’ his protégé admits sheepishly around this time another actor-filmmaker Feroz Khan ran into Shakti Kapoor quite literally His swanky mercedes hit the younger actor s 1961 Fiat from behind Furious, Shakti got out to abuse the driver, but one look at Khan and his anger dissipated ‘i told him my name was Sunil Kapoor i was a graduate of the Ftii and wanted to be an actor requesting him for a break he admits with a laugh, recalling that the starfilmmaker simply growled at him for damaging his car and drove off, even as the crowd of stargazers who had quickly gathered hooted at the younger actor that evening after taking his car to the garage a famished Shakti Kapoor dropped by K K Shukla s place He was a favourite of the writer and his actress-wife Daisy irani and was immediately invited to dinner by her While he was sitting in the living room Shukla who had penned the screenplays of big films like Khoon Pasina (1977) and Suhaag (1979) walked in looking thoroughly disgruntled Spotting Shakti, he grumbled, tera kismet kharab hai [Fortune doesn t favour you], i had been pushing for you for the villain’s role in a very big film but Feroz Khan now insists on casting some crazy actor who banged into his car this afternoon because of the menace he saw in his eyes Shakti couldn t believe his ears Jumping up, he told the bemused writer that he was that crazy actor Shukla immediately called the filmmaker to tell him he
Hormuz Strait the Suez Canal and the Bab el-mandeb Strait third the investment of the Saudi oil surplus into U S government obligations maintains a global oil market priced in U S dollars, which in turn is a core component in maintaining the position of the dollar as the global reserve currency and underwrites U S financial supremacy these three core reasons are then accompanied by a fourth: if the United States does not continually assert its dominance over the region, then a competing great power (formerly the Soviet Union and now China) will seek to bring the region into its
Bilal Khan
MORE THAN 500 ARRESTED IN DHAK A OVER DEADLY UNREST
CORPORATE CORNER
BoP
GOVT MULLS ELECTRICIT Y SUBSIDY PROGRAM FOR LIFELINE CONSUMERS THROUGH BISP
ENERGY PRICES IN PAKISTAN HAVE INCREASED
HERE’S WHAT EXPERTS HAVE TO SAY?
impersonating ‘govt officials ’
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur has ordered the immediate arrest of armed individuals impersonating government officials in the province In a statement, CM Gandapur revealed that some armed men are interfering in government and non-government matters and he had apprised the Apex Committee meeting of those individuals impersonating government officials The chief minister noted that the provincial government, police, and public have reservations about these armed men He directed the police to take action and arrest these elements and appealed to the public to identify them Gandapur praised the resolu-
tion of the Bannu issue through dialogue with local elders party leaders and administration He announced the formation of a committee to address the matter, which will meet with him on Tuesday
The CM reiterated his commitment to serving the public stating We are public representatives and will continue to support the people, address their concerns, and meet their expectations ”
for asylum abroad This directive was seen as a measure to enhance national security and safety The measure aimed to form part of a broader strategy to stem unauthorized migration by Pakistanis claiming asylum Media sources had indicated that anyone applying for asylum will no longer qualify for a Pakistani passport Additionally, the Interior Ministry had stated that the passports
RAWALPINDI
S TA F F R E P O R T
Security forces detected the movement of three terrorists attempting to infiltrate the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Dir district last night the military’s media wing the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said The infiltrators were surrounded and engaged in an intense exchange of fire “All three terrorists were sent to hell,” the ISPR stated in a statement on Monday Pakistan has consistently urged the Interim Afghan Government to ensure effective border management on their side The Afghan authorities are expected to fulfil their
obligations and prevent the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for launching attacks against Pakistan Security forces of Pakistan are determined and remain committed to securing our borders and eliminating the menace of terrorism from the country the ISPR statement added Last week the Foreign Office summoned the Afghan embassy incharge after terrorist attack on the Bannu cantonment The Hafiz Gul Bahadur group took responsibility of the attack The Afghan envoy was recorded a strong protest and was told to convey Pakistan s strong reservations to the Afghan authorities Later on, Pakistan said the Afghan Taliban authorities knew
the whereabouts of outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorists and added Islamabad expects Kabul to take concrete action against them” “Pakistan has been engaged in several conversations with the Afghan authorities in the last several months where we have been exchanging intelligence and information, concrete evidence of individuals and groups responsible for terror attacks inside Pakistan,” the Foreign Office spokesperson told reporters at a weekly briefing Mumtaz Zahra Baloch was responding to a series of questions about a surge in terrorist attacks in the country in recent weeks and Pakistan’s possible next step
Monday moved the Supreme Court for the restoration of election tribunals Raja filed an application to review the SC s July 4 judgment
According to the petition the applicant argued that the Supreme
Court had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to consult with the Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice for the appointment of judges to address rigging complaints, but the SC had not issued any guidelines in its July 4 verdict Raja further stated in the application that the LHC judges were correct in their appointments, which should have been accepted by the
ECP instead of raising objections
Evaluating the SC s decision to overrule the LHC judgment, Raja noted that the apex court had not suspended the judges appointed to handle electoral rigging cases and asserted that the ECP did not have the right to oppose the LHC judgment Only the LHC can decide the jurisdiction of the judges of election tribunals in Punjab, he added
