PM stresses further deePening Pakistan-turkiye trade, defence ties
Baltistan The ground breaking ceremony was held in Islamabad Ramday University is being built under a Trust, with construction set to be completed through the donations of the overseas Pakistanis
Addressing the ceremony the prime minster extended his heartfelt felicitations to Justice (r) Khalilur Rehman
Ramday and his all friends on the establishment of Ramday University
“The efforts of all individuals and the institutions who contributed to the establishment of Ramday University are appreciable he added
The prime minister said today the foundation had been laid down collectively for a bright future for the children here The establishment of an institution of higher learning in a remote area like Ghanche in Gilgit-Baltistan is highly encouraging He expressed his confident that this university, located at an altitude of 11 000 feet in Thagos will reach the peak of modern knowledge and research standards
The role of the private sector in the promotion of education in Pakistan is extremely important , he said adding that graduates from private educational institutions had made Pakistan proud in every field
PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that the development of Gilgit-Baltistan and the welfare of its people were among the government s top priorities adding that yesterday, during his visit to GilgitBaltistan, 62 affected families from the floods were handed over homes
Furthermore he said that a 100megawatt solar energy project had been launched in Gilgit-Baltistan which would help meet the region s electricity needs
During his recent visit to Gilgit Baltistan, the prime minister said he also announced the Gilgit-Baltistan Education and Endowment Fund which would benefit deserving and talented students from the region enabling them to play a role in the development of Pakistan as constructive members of society
of mutual respect “We see this as speculative reporting and as I just said Pakistan and the United States are old friends and partners and we will continue to pursue our relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual confidence and non-interference in each other s domestic affairs, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated during weekly press briefing on Thursday responded when asked whether Trump after becoming the president would influence Pakistan s internal politics and whether the Pakistan government would possibly be pressurised by his administration Soon after Trump started his election campaign for the 2024 race, unsubstantiated reports began circulating on social media, stating that if Trump were to win the US presidential election it would bring favourable outcomes for Imran Khan and US-Pakistan relations
However senior PTI leader and former central spokesman, Raoof Hassan, has asserted that no one in the party had ever thought that Imran would be released if Trump won the US elections Calling the narrative “mere propaganda”, Hassan said that Khan’s release would only materialise after the PTI sat across the table and held dialogue with the powerful establishment in the country
She went on to say that Pakistan s relations with the US were decades old and the country was looking forward to further strengthening and broadening the relationship in all fields “As the deputy prime minister said in a tweet yesterday we look forward to fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and the United States Pakistan and the United States established diplomatic relations on August 15, 1947, making the US one of the first nations to recognise Pakistan The two countries have had a multi-faceted relationship for decades in areas ranging from counter-terrorism to energy to trade and investment
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi emphasized on Thursday that ensuring the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan particularly those working on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects remains a top government priority
He pledged that individuals involved in acts of terrorism against Chinese nationals would be brought to justice During a meeting with China s Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong, Naqvi expressed shock and concern over a recent incident in Karachi, where two Chinese nationals were injured in a firing by a security guard
The government is enhancing security measures for Chinese nationals to ensure they can work in a safe environment, Naqvi said, reaffirming the enduring PakistanChina friendship
He conveyed his sympathies to the victims families and updated the ambassador on the progress of the investigation, while also praying for the injured’s speedy recovery
The two sides also discussed strategies to prevent similar incidents in the future Ambassador Jiang highlighted that through joint efforts, the bond between Pakistan and China continues to strengthen daily
4 soldiers mar tyred, 5 ter rorists killed in South Waziristan IBO
Four soldiers were martyred and five terrorists were eliminated in exchange of fire during an operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa s South Waziristan district, the military s media wing said on Thursday According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) “During the intense fire exchange four brave sons of the soil Naib Subedar Taib Shah (38), Lance Naik Gulab Zaman (30), Lance Naik Muzammil Mehmood (30) and Lance Naik Habibullah (28) having fought gallantly embraced martyrdom ” Five militants were also sent to hell due to effective engagement by the troops, it added A sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other Khawarij found in the area the ISPR said Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the
menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve it added Yesterday four Frontier Corps personnel embraced martyred when the bomb disposal vehicle of the security forces was attacked with an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Karam area of tehsil Ladha of the South Waziristan Upper The IED was followed by shooting As a result, four FC men were martyred and five others wounded according to media reports
Two of the injured personnel were in critical condition and shifted to Scouts Hospital in Wana “Security forces cordoned off the area immediately and launched a search operation ” the reports quoting sources said There was no official statement by the military s media wing till this report went to press
g Public sector employees hired from next fiscal year onward will no longer be eligible for state-funded
COMMENT
IMF comes calling
Team’s visit my herald mini-budget
TH E closeness with which the IMF is monitoring, and some would even say supervising the government as a result of the Extended Fund Facility it has extended to Pakistan, can be seen in the way it is sending a team to Pakistan There has been little attempt to hide the fact that the tem is coming over because Pakistan has already missed certain key targets, such as the FBR’s failure to meet the revenue target and the provincial surplus target A pet IMF project, the privitization of PIA has also come a cropper It has been stressed that this is not the review mission which will be due in the next quarter which means in January The IMF team has come primarily to see what measures the government is putting in place to raise more revenue In other words it has come to see what is going to go in a mini-budget While it has meetings lined up with the Finance Minister the State Bank governor and the CBR chairman the team will also meet the Energy Minister This indicates the importance the IMF places on the circular debt for which a management plan was recently unveiled as well as the recent revocation of IPP contracts The privatization of electricity distribution companies also hangs fire There is one nugget of information that the Pakistan government has in its favour The decline in inflation and the resulting cuts in the benchmark interest rate mean that there has been a significant decline in debt servicing costs That would make it correspondingly easier to manage the primary surplus the IMF demands Though this team visit is not supposed to be a review visit when that finally comes due this visit will prove a useful reference At the same time the government needs to think hard about its position where now the IMF does not trust it to prepare minibudget without supervision This indicates that the government’s claims of having achieved a turnaround are exaggerated The positive indicators are not registering on the IM’s radar and it remains mistrustful of the government’s promises It has been let down before and needs to consider seriously whether the conditions it imposes are so arsh that they cannot be fulfilled The Ist budget which included all the IMF’s conditions has bot worked The coming visit is thus a sign of the IMF’s failure rather than of the government s
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
The Amendment bears its fruit
ject for the Constitutional Benches a wide swatch of law is included for lawyers challenge many legal proceedings including administrative decisions on the ground of absence of jurisdiction: that the authority making the decision did not have the authority to do so
O M E O N E somewhere must miss the good old Act of Attainder in which the House of Commons passed a bill saying that so-and-so was a dastard and a traitor and was to be executed, and that his heirs were not to inherit any of his titles or estates After all, Parliament being supreme, it will be expressing the will of the people, without any of the nonsense of evidence witnesses or due process Instead we have had to venture on the uncertain territory of the 26th Amendment where it is not certain that there will be positive results in the process which will lead to due punishment for the perpetrators of the attackers of 9 May 2023 One of the first steps has been to ensure that no judicial revolution takes place There was the elevation of Mr Justice Yahya Afridi to the position of Chief Justice of Pakistan and the second was the formation of the Constitutional Benches from which potential judicial revolutionaries were excluded, just as it was ensured they never became CJP That was meant to remove from the entire court cases involving fundamental rights to the Constitutional Benches However as any lawyer or even anyone who has been involved in a lawsuit knows it is almost impossible to prevent a constitutional colour being given to a case This might be assumed to apply to criminal law, because the right to liberty is often infringed (or claimed to be infringed) Also, whereas constitutional matters are rarely raised at the trial stage appeals are frequently on the ground that due process has not been observed and invoke the writ jurisdiction of the superior court One of the leading constitutional cases of Pakistan, the one which validated the Ayub Martial Law and which laid down the Doctrine of Necessity, the Dosso case, was actually a criminal case, in which Ghulam Muhammad Dosso had argued that the Frontier Crime Regulations (under which he had been sentenced to death for murder) were unconstitutional
The Lahore High Court said the FCR denied him fundamental rights as guaranteed by the 1956 Constitution The Supreme Court, on the federal government s appeal, said that there has been a coup and a new legal order under which the old laws held sway under the Doctrine of Necessity only where they were mentioned The FCR were mentioned the Constitution was not; Dosso s conviction would stand On the other hand, civil law also involves the Constitution It should not be forgotten that the cases in which the Indian Supreme Court recognized and developed the Basic Structure Doctrine, which opponents of the 26th Amendment intend to use to challenge it were civil cases in which those using the Doctrine argued that their property rights had been violated Civil suits do not take constitutional grounds at the trial stage, but often do so on appeal As the writ jurisdiction has been included as a sub-
The jurisdiction under which writs are issued, under which orders of mandamus, quo warrant and habeas corpus are passed, are now to be exercised by the constitutional benches of the high courts when they are set up Appeals from such writs will go to the Supreme Court s benches The Constitutional Benches were supposed to release pressure from the Courts, helping them reduce their backlog However, there are already signs of pressure being built up, as the Supreme Court Registrar has begun setting aside cases for the Benches when they begin to operate It should be noted that no assembly has passed the enabling resolution necessary for setting up a constitutional bench in its high court While no orders have been made to the registrars, lawyers and judges alike will be keeping a weather eye open on developments, as will the more litigious laymen
At this point there is a natural division However lawyers have to seek out what is best for their client Will they opt for a constitutional bench or will they restrict themselves to the appellate side? Many factors are involved, but it should not be lost sight of that appeals will be prepared by lawyers, and they will determine whether the appeal contains the sort of references to the Constitution that will make it go to a constitutional bench or go before the purely appellate judges It should be recognized that the lawyer has to plead all possible grounds and is going to include them in his petition This may include constitutional grounds There is a good reason for this, because the Constitution is the basic law, with which all other laws have to conform If the lawyer thinks the law applied was not in accordance with the Constitution he will include this as a ground Also the Constitution supersedes other laws or executive actions He may not have to challenge a law merely an action where he will show that action, though permitted by law, violates a constitutional provision Apparently, as
(who are
critiquing religion, film actors dispensing life philosophies and religious scholars refuting scientific theories with abandon Intelligence would no doubt have led to sound philosophies provided it was in the position of calling the shots As it happens, intelligence– or rationality, to use a broader term– is
The author is a connoisseur of music literature, and food (but not drinks) He can be reached at www facebook com/hasanaftabsaeed O n i n t e l l i g e n c e
That intellig ence does not necessarily make for a sensible world view by no means implies that dopiness does Let no one inver t the point made in this ar ticle to use it to glorify stupidity A double - edged sword, if ever there was one
merely a tool Positions are typically taken first Logic to justify those positions is found later It is for this last task that intelligence comes in handy It is not reason but the will that provides the world view to be justified Acting as the slave of the will intelligence dutifully proceeds to gather arguments to support the position taken Just like in the school debates where one does not necessarily pick the side one speaks for, intelligence is able to provide arguments both for and against any motion under the sun If intelligence is governed by the will the will is powered by passions and emotions Since views are adopted first and the evidence to justify them comes later having an undistorted nature becomes crucially important Once one s nature becomes distorted, there is no limit to the silliness or atrocities one can be attracted to Rationalizing the silliest belief or the most heinous of crimes is thenceforth a piece of cake for intelligence People after all have been presenting arguments in favour of hypotheses based on racial discrimination and have even been rationalizing genocides It is not intelligence that is to blame for it The problem starts much earlier: when somebody adopts a silly or unjust belief or practice in the first place that is There are cases where the least complicated view happens to be the most sensible one and the simplest explanation is the best one Such views generally are too simple for men of extraordinary intelligence They crave more intricacy, more twists and turns Neither their imaginative impulse nor their creativity potential (key aspects of intelligence both) is satiated by simple world views Hence the popularity of mystic experiences Trinity the elaborate stages of descent (or ascent) in the unity of being, the theory of monads, and the like Intelligence is thus a double-edged sword
The more intelligent the man, the more his capacity to construct an intricate world of make believe Philosophers from Plato onwards have over the centuries presented many systems like that Untold number of book pages have been filled with words describing such worlds Numerous PhDs have also been earned discussing these systems in all their minute details The more intelligent among the reading public finds such narratives much more stimulating and ex-
hilarating than mere novels although there is no denying that they all fall under the fantasy or the fanciful speculation category Bertrand Russell, no mean philosopher himself, acknowledged this when he remarked that when he had taken a break from philosophy to dabble in novel writing it was nothing more than a momentary switch from one form of fiction to another Intelligence is certainly not above advising sweeping of uncomfortable facts under the carpet, setting different standards for things that appeal to one and for those that do not, having inconsistent implications of evidence making claims about things one has no clue about and accepting a thesis but rejecting its antithesis on grounds that it is too abstruse or vice versa Intelligence comes with all sorts of tricks to assure a man regarding the justification of his belief system While the fool would typically do all the same things subconsciously there is usually a method to the smart man’s madness Finally a few words on how one s nature can be kept reasonably pristine and undistorted although some bumps and dents are inevitable Honesty and sincerity most certainly help The desire to win arguments (one of the many manifestations of the will to dominate), for instance, cannot simply be checked by reasoning alone Logic is no match for passion Ego is too potent to be suppressed by mere reasoning Only passion can overpower another passion: the pursuit of truth, an uncompromising commitment to justice and/or a passion for consistency, for example Somebody’s nature does not get distorted overnight The process starts small and proceeds slowly but unmistakably It can be reversed (equally slowly) up to a point One s attitude in small matters decides one s behaviour in the bigger ones As one goes on betraying truth and reason, the distortion increases until one s nature cannot be distorted any more There is no turning back after this stage All sorts of silly views are apt to appeal to it now and the intelligence will always be at hand to rationalize each The religious traditions that focus on the heart do so because they understand that it is the heart not the head (intelligence) that is crucial in this regard * N O T E: That intelligence does not necessarily make for a sensible world view by no means implies that dopiness does Let no one invert the point made in this article to use it to glorify stupidity
Restore public trust
T H E breakdown of law and order one sees in society is quite alarming The power of criminal gangs and mafias is a cause of fear and uncertainty among individuals and businesses From muggings and snatchings to drug peddling and extortion the mafias are active across the country putting the law-enforcement machinery under serious stress
The relevant authorities need to come into action with a concrete plan to curb the menace and restore some level of trust among the people The twin elements of surveillance and investigation must be more potent, and there should be a judicial framework that may help expedite the prosecution process Failure to do so would erode not only public safety but also the social construct of society
We should strengthen law-enforcement by increasing funding and resources for the relevant agencies to enhance their capabilities in combating organised crime Specialised training can improve the level of effectiveness Besides, community policing initiatives must be initiated and encouraged to build trust between the law-enforcers and the general public This will encourage people to keep a watchful eye within their localities as well as communities and to be able to report crimes without fearing about their own fate once they approach the law-enforcers
Furthermore, implementing sincere anti-corruption steps across the law-enforcement machinery will also help in restoring public confidence and trust
NABEEHA USMANI KARACHI
Power struggle stalemate
T H E incarcerated former prime minister has faced numerous ups and downs across his political career Like most politicians he has been critical of the establishment s interference in political affairs and he has also enjoyed being on the same page with the establishment Amid these shifting stands he has struggled to establish a consistent political vision, leading to confusion among party leaders and supporters regarding how to effectively engage in the political process This lack of clarity has been evident in the recent deliberations surrounding the 26th Amendment to the Constitution and its ultimate passage through parliament The opposition party expressed concerns on the matter, but failed to counter the proposals in a legal context It never engaged in any meaningful debate
Instead of going for a legal political struggle it continued to
Climate change is here: What Sindh can do now!
Learning from best prac tices
Sindh needs to develop a Climate Resilience and Adaptation Policy that addresses real challenges Without this the repetition of unplanned actions and recurring damages will remain the same Learning from neighbouring countries, it is to be seen they have prepared themselves by highlighting the importance of climate action and implementing equitable and just measures which have helped mitigate risks and adapt to changing environmental conditions India s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) supports eight national missions, including renewable energy expansion, water resource management, and afforestation all of which have a direct impact on climate resilience India has effectively harnessed local wisdom to achieve these goals Similarly Bangladesh s Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) focuses on both adaptation and mitigation, prioritizing areas such as food security, social protection and disaster risk management In the same way Sri Lanka has adopted measures to enhance energy efficiency and promote climate-smart agriculture, ensuring sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable populations Given that Sindh has extensive agricultural land, a coastline, and rich biodiversity, it cannot afford to ignore climate challenges Therefore Sindh urgently needs a Climate Resilience and Adaptation Policy that covers multiple sectors agriculture water management, energy, health, and urban planning Firstly, as a priority, we need to focus on water resource utilization and management
We must develop strategies to maintain natural water bodies replenish groundwater and explore other options Desalination plants for coastal regions and efficient irrigation systems for farmers could help alleviate water anxiety There is not only a need for water resource management but also a need to promote climate-resilient crops and modern irrigation techniques to educate farmers on sustainable vertical and minimum water farming practices A transition to organic farming and agroforestry can help reduce the environmental footprint while increasing crop yields Sindh needs to consider renewable energy expansion to incentivize investments in solar and wind energy there is a need to explore the implementation of micro-grids in rural areas to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and provide clean energy access to under-served communities On installation, the Sindh government needs to think of
Policy Climate change is no longer a distant problem, and here in Sindh, its impacts are already affecting our economy, environment, and local communities due to unplanned measures The current shifts including rising temperatures irregular monsoons droughts and the increased frequency of floods have intensified vulnerabilities in the province particularly in agriculture, water management, and public health In terms of environmental protection and economic competitiveness,
By implementing these policy recommendations, Sindh can establish a comprehensive Climate Resilience and Adaptation Policy that not only protects its environment but also adopts sustainable development for future g enerations The need for decisive action is clear; taking proactive steps will help ensure a strong and successful future for all stakeholders involved Sindh already has a climate policy in place , the Sindh Climate Chang e Policy, adopted in 2022 However, while this policy focuses on addressing climate-related challeng es, there are still gaps in cer tain areas that have not been adequately addressed, especially regarding specific adaptation measures, regional sustainability, and innovative responses to climate crises.
No state has an inherent ‘right to exist’, not even Israel
Big Tech cannot be regulated
TH E quote Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth,” attributed to Adolf Hitler ’s propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels encapsulates what modern psychology has proven: that repetitive statements can overpower our critical thinking to the point of accepting falsehoods as selfevident truths In other words, brainwashing works
The notion that “Israel has the right to exist” is a case in point It is a statement so often asserted by mainly Western leaders and media that it appears to be correct And if it is a right , it must be rooted in law
Thus, when French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly stated during an October 15 cabinet meeting that “Mr Netanyahu must not forget that his country was created by a UN decision in reference to the 1947 United Nations General Assembly s Resolution 181(II), he suggested that Israel s existence stems from an international legal act, which therefore confers on it legitimacy – the so-called “right to exist” This often-shared misconception is a distortion of historical and legal realities
To begin, the idea of a state s inherent right to exist is fallacious Conceptually or legally, no such natural or legal right exists – for Israel or any other state – as the establishment of nationstates is not rooted in international law Nation-states are the outcome of ultimately a proclamation by those purporting to represent the newly formed state Once declared, the new state and its government may (or may not) be formally recognised by other states and governments The new state thus exists because of a political fact and not a legal act – that is not because it has a right to exist
Whereas the constitutive legal theory deems a state to exist only if it is recognised by other states, the “declaratory” theory deems a state to exist even in the absence of diplomatic recognition In practice however wide diplomatic recognition remains necessary for a proclaimed state to be able to function as a full-fledged legal and political entity although the exceptional case of Taiwan appears to contradict this postulate In this sense UN Resolution 181(II) Future Government of Palestine did
not create the State of Israel Instead it proposed a plan to partition British-occupied Palestine into three entities: a Jewish State an Arab State and Jerusalem under a special international regime Ahead of the vote, the United States exerted intense pressure on some developing countries as well as France to vote in favour of the resolution But remarkably the US itself was also threatened as President Harry Truman recalled in his memoirs: I do not think I ever had as much pressure and propaganda aimed at the White House as I had in this instance The persistence of a few of the extreme Zionist leaders – actuated by political motives and engaging in political threats – disturbed and annoyed me
After delaying the vote by a few days to secure the necessary support, the General Assembly adopted the resolution by a narrow margin of two votes on November 29 1947 The UN Partition Plan for Palestine which it introduced was never endorsed by the Security Council and thus never became binding under international law But even if it had, the Security Council – just like the General Assembly – could not have created Israel because neither has the juridical competence under the UN Charter to create a state
Six months after the vote on the Partition Plan, the State of Israel was proclaimed by David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency for Palestine This political act was the culmination of pre- and post-World War II Jewish migration to Palestine and the ethnic cleansing and a violent land grab campaign by Zionist militias including the Haganah, the Stern Gang (Lehi) and the Irgun, which Albert Einstein called in a 1948 letter a “terrorist, right wing, chauvinist organization” They all acted in tandem to implement Plan Dalet which was conceived by the Jewish Agency for Palestine and which Israeli historian Ilan Pappé calls a blueprint for ethnic cleansing The Partition Plan was rejected by the five Arab states that were members of the UN at the time and other governments primarily because it was deemed to violate the inalienable rights of Palestinians (of all faiths) to self-determination under Article 55 of the UN Charter
Legally, this view holds true today because the right of self-determination of colonial peoples is a peremptory norm of customary international law accepted by the international community as a fundamental legal tenet from which no derogation is permitted It is a foundational legal norm stipulated in Article 1 of the charter, which defines the objectives of the United Nations
On the eve of the vote Iraq’s foreign minister Fadhel al-Jamali a sig-
natory of the charter declared before the General Assembly: Partition imposed against the will of the majority of the people will jeopardise peace and harmony in the Middle East Not only the uprising of the Arabs of Palestine is to be expected, but the masses in the Arab world cannot be restrained The Arab-Jewish relationship in the Arab world will greatly deteriorate There are more Jews in the Arab world outside of Palestine than there are in Palestine In short, whoever thinks that the partition of Palestine will settle the problem of Palestine is mistaken Partition will create a dozen new problems dangerous to peace and international relations It is much better to let Palestine alone than to attempt to enforce a solution which will bear bitter fruit Al-Jamali’s words were prescient Although Israel wasn’t established by the UN as Macron believes the international community is still reeling from a historical injustice done to Palestinians of all faiths including Jewish Palestinians Before and after the Holocaust, Zionists had promised European and North American Jewish settlers a safe haven in Palestine but that promise proved empty Since its establishment the State of Israel has been hypermilitarised and in a constant state of warfare It will have no prospects for peace unless and until its occupation of Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese territory ends, its borders are delineated and its quest for a biblical Greater Israel be formally abandoned
Repeating propaganda does not nullify international law according to which no state has an inherent right to exist, but peoples have an inalienable right to self-determination An occupying power has no inherent right of selfdefence against the people it subjugates but the people under occupation have an inherent right of self-defence against their occupiers, as the International Court of Justice has ruled The powers that could make a difference, chief among them the US, seem incapable or unwilling to right a historical wrong and look at these tenets of international law clear-eyed Even in the face of an ongoing genocide that they enable, both militarily and diplomatically, they are incapable or unwilling to remove their political blinders and even listen to their own public opinions Worse they now prefer to risk a regional conflagration and even a nuclear strike by a genocidal Israeli regime Hoping it will never come to that is not a cogent strategy
Moncef Khane is a former official of the United Nations with a career spanning over 30 years
MD E R N societies have had to deal with exorbitant market power for more than a century But is Big Tech s power over us novel? Is Google Amazon or Meta inherently different from Standard Oil in the 1920s IBM in the 1970s, or Walmart more recently? If not, then perhaps we can regulate Big Tech by means of legislation harking back to the United States’ 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act Lina Khan the chairperson of the US
economies Virtually every industry, from railways, energy, and telecommunications to soap powder, cars, and pharmaceuticals, is
cartel
break them up Why cannot the same be done to Big Tech? What makes it
Shewa Ram SuthaR
comment Israeli strikes have also battered Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut At least four strikes targeted the area on Wednesday after the Israeli military ordered residents to evacuate from several locations There was no immediate report on casualties or details on what was hit The attack happened shortly after
Chinese President Xi congratulates Trump on election as US
podcasts, live streams, and personalities who connect with everyday people in a more grounded way The cultural landscape has changed postCOVID Figures like Joe Rogan Theo Von and UFC president Dana White who spoke at Trump s victory party, have become influential voices for many Americans At Trump s celebration, White credited streamers and podcasters for engaging voters directly While Trump’s supporters like Hulk Hogan or Lee Greenwood may hail from different walks of life they resonate more with the working-class crowd than Hollywood s elites Meanwhile Team Trump has adapted to this shift, cultivating a platform that’s
SOHAIL A AZMIE
‘What keeps us unified against the common threats at sea what motivates us to recourse to stability in the global commons and what drives our will to come closer and operate together as military services the Naval Chief queried as he continued unfolding his vision for an activity conjoined with Aman exercise next year ‘It is the navies’ unequivocal ability to transcend traditional boundaries overcome prohibitive barriers and leverage reach & sustainability Admiral Naveed Ashraf noted enabling them to be united by tides and knotted by ocean, unlike any other military service It would later be called as Aman Dialogue,’ an activity of intellectual discourse on the issues gripping the navies around the world as they practically demonstrate their ability to operate together for realizing common goals of maintaining a stable order at sea, through Aman Exercise The question, that spontaneously comes to mind, as how would this Dialogue in Pakistan be different than others and what it could provide? Firstly the Aman Exercise has established a reputation for bringing together a wide spectrum of navies to promote maritime security and cooperation It has rightly been termed as a bridge between the east and west The Aman Dialogue is a natural extension of this success shifting the focus to intellectual exchange and policy-driven discussions among the naval practitioners Secondly, Pakistan, provides a platform for first-hand engagement with a country that
holds a strategic vantage point in the Indian Ocean i e its proximity to Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea which cumulatively gives it a critical role in global maritime trade and security Western Indian Ocean is not just another maritime arena It is the centre of gravity of world’s major powers’ attention Emerging crises in the region which include: Israel s military conflicts with Palestine Lebanon and Iran; the US-Iran imbroglio; Yemen quagmire, Afghanistan s perpetual instability and Syrian strife - have a pronounced impact at sea, which merit a dialogue seeking solutions as per the regional settings These issues are not mere regional but have global ramifications thereby necessitating corresponding multilateral intellectual vigour to explore answers In order to better elaborate the Aman Dialogue, I have referred to the two short phrases that could succinctly convey the spirit behind the dialogue ‘United by tides means the how the seas connect nations Maritime civilizations regardless of their distance, have always been united by the common influence of the tides: through trade, exploration and/ or migration According to Colin McEvedy’s ‘Atlas of Ancient History ’ the first ever maritime trade route was established between the Indus and Sumerian civilizations nearly 5000 years ago In the context of the Aman Dialogue, united by tides implies that despite geographical or political differences, countries with maritime interests share a common destiny shaped by the seas The phrase ‘knotted by oceans is about the vastness and to
some extent the difficulty of the seas which requires bonds symbolized as knots bringing nations together to co-operate For the Aman Dialogue, knotted by oceans, tells us that the maritime cooperation is crucial to overcoming the challenges posed by the expansive and sometimes contested waters
The exchange of ideas and sharing of strategic thoughts in international maritime forums is a well-established tradition, exemplified by platforms such as the Gaule Dialogue, the Western Pacific Naval Symposium, the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium the Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium and the International Seapower Symposium among others These gatherings provide invaluable opportunities for maritime professionals and leaders to engage in dialogue on pressing security and policy issues At such forums we understand the sense of shared responsibility in managing maritime affairs However what would set the Aman Dialogue apart from its counterparts is its unique execution alongside a major multinational Aman exercise, involving participants from many nations The Aman Dialogue as a parallel activity elevates its significance by offering a dynamic interplay of operational prowess and intellectual discourse which primarily involves professional naval practitioners from around the world
There will be multifaceted discussions addressing some of the most pressing maritime issues of our time and, particularly our region With various major themes the Dialogue will explore topics ranging from the evolving security landscape in the In-
dian Ocean Region to the transformational impact of advanced technologies on maritime operations Sessions will also delve into non-traditional threats such as piracy and illegal trafficking, the importance of humanitarian assistance & disaster relief and the vast potential of the
CORPORATE CORNER
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Prof
Niaz Ahmed Akhtar (S I )
Chancellor, Quaid-i-Azam University congratulated
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This milestone reflects the dedication and hard work of the faculty students staff alumni and the ranking committee he said The Vice Chancellor highlighted that QAU is the No 1 University in Pakistan, having secured a place among the top 400 universities globally in the 2025 Times World University Rankings
Sajida Farooq Tarar's visits to house under construction under ‘Apna Ghar Apni Chhat’ scheme
Sajida Farooq Tarar, mother of Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, visited the under-construction house of a citizen Muhammad Shafiq in the Kot Lakhpat area of NA-127 Sajida
Farooq Tarar presented a certificate of congratulations to the citizen who succeeded under the Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif s Apna Ghar Apni Chhat" scheme Sajida Farooq Tarar stated that it is the party's commitment to ensure that every homeless Pakistani has the blessing of a home She expressed her best wishes and prayed for them On this occasion former MNA and Provincial Assembly candidate Umar Sohail Zia Butt NA-127 Women Wing
Coordinator Rabia Afzal Personal Staff Officer of the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shehbaz Talib, Tanveer Bukhari, Ihsan Bhatti (Councillor), Azam Ghurki, and a large number of PML-N workers were present
Hexalyze shines at Singapore Fintech Festival
depicting the participation of over ten companies in the most significant global event Singapore Fintech Festival Over 10 tech companies are participating in the Singapore Fintech Festival, which will be held from November 6 to 8 Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Rabia Shafiq inaugurated the pavilion of Hexalyze Consulting Services at the festival Saad Shah CEO Hexalyze Consulting Services and one of the Pakistani IT companies attending the festival, said the presence of Pakistani companies increased this year at the Singapore Fintech Festival as compared to last year, which is an encouraging development for Pakistan IT and fintech landscapes
in Pakistan
TİK A continues suppor ting health sector in Pakistan
KARACHI
S TA F F R E P O R T
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency
The 14th session of the Pakistan-European Union Joint Commission
(TİKA) continues to support Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center(JPMC), one of the largest Training and Research Hospital in Pakistan TİKA updated the ultrasound devices (Color Doppler) which are used in the Radiology Department of the Hospital, providing free health services The handing-over ceremony was attended by HE Dr Cemal Sangu Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye in Karachi Halil İbrahim Başaran TİKA Karachi Coordinator, Mushtaq Chhapra, Chairman of Patients Aid Foundation, Shabbir Diwan, Board Member of Patients’ Aid Foundation, Prof Dr Tariq Mahmood Board Member and Faculty of Radiology at JPMC doctors and lecturers During the handing over ceremony which was held after visiting the projects carried out by TİKA in the Hospital, Dr Cemal Sangu Federal Law Minister chairs first preparatory meeting of 14th Pakistan EU Joint Commission
Biden c alls for unity, pledges peaceful transition in White House address
WASHINGTON
A F P
US President Joe Biden urged Americans on Thursday to lower the political temperature after Donald Trump’s crushing election win over Kamala Harris, saying in a conciliatory address to the nation that he would ensure a peaceful transition of power
In a solemn speech from the White House, Biden also said the result should lay to rest doubts about the integrity of the US election system fueled by Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his own 2020 defeat by the Democrat Something I hope we can do no matter who you voted for is see each other not as adversaries but as fellow Americans Bring down the temperature,” Biden said Staff rose to their feet cheered and clapped as Biden arrived in the famed Rose Garden
The 81-year-old dropped out of the race against Trump in July and handed the Democratic nomination to Harris, his vice president
Biden said he had called Republican Trump to congratulate the twice-impeached former president and assure him there would be a peaceful and orderly transition
On January 20, we ll have a peaceful transfer of power here in America,” said Biden, whose inauguration Trump had refused to attend
whose election defeat denial four years ago culminated in the violent January 6 2021 assault by Trump s supporters on the US Capitol Biden has invited Trump to meet at the White House, for what would be their first encounter since Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Trump in June that forced him out of the race World leaders have swiftly pledged to work with Trump, despite concerns in much of the globe about his nationalist “America First” approach and pledges to slap huge tariffs on foreign imports Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington must find a way to get along in a message to Trump, calling for stable bilateral ties
by the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the Federal Government The cabinet also regretted the tabling of Constitution amendment bill, 2024 moved by Muhammad Javed Khan and four other MNAs The Law and Justice Division had forwarded the draft Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 with the request that the Provincial Government may furnish views thereon The amendment aims at amending Article 140A of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, as well as including new Articles 140B, 140C and 140D regarding centralization of local government system The Cabinet pointed out that the “local government” is a devolved provincial subject vested in the provinces and by virtue of Article 140A of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan read with Chapter-XIII of the Elections Act, 2017, each Province including the Federal Capital have enacted their own Local Government Acts which provide for the establishment of Local Government and the conduct of business by local governments according to the local needs
The cabinet also approved transfer of 20 acre land from the Agriculture Research Department to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department for establishment of Mini Zoo at DI Khan The cabinet awarded the status of attached department to Staff Training Institute (STI), however it will not affect the status of the schedule vacancies of the PMS Officers It also approved the appointment of Syed Murtaza Asghar Bukhari as CEO of Trans Peshawar (Urban Mobility Company)
The outgoing president also urged supporters not to lose hope after the reelection of Trump who is likely to dismantle many of Biden s policies as soon as he returns to the White House
“Remember, a defeat does not mean we are defeated ” he said Biden s comments were in stark contrast to billionaire Trump
‘Selecting personnel’ Trump who is at his Mar-aLago resort in Florida is now working on his transition team after an overwhelming victory that promises a radically transformed political landscape for the United States and the world His campaign said in a statement late on Wednesday that “in the days and weeks ahead President Trump will be selecting personnel to serve our nation under his leadership Robert F Kennedy Jr a leading figure in
Maryam departs for Geneva for medical consultation
